ã€ŠAbyss of Dreams - [Progression Litrpg Adventure]ã€‹


 Chapter 1: The Mining Town and the Flower

    We sat in the field and wondered how cold the wind could blow. After all, it was better than thinking about the blood on the snow. Was it Jacob¡¯s or Amanda¡¯s? It all happened so fast. That creature from the night. We were warned about such things. We should have listened.

    We could finally see the stars again. What a pleasant sight after all those years underground. The air seeping into my coat burned my skin and reminded me of the brittleness of my bones. Maryel touched my arm and whispered her words of comfort. Something about starting a new life. It was so cold up here.

    There was a forest in the distance. At least, I believed it was called that. I had never seen so many trees in my life. Maryel got closer and wrapped her arms around me. I shivered again, trying not to look at the blood. She was lifting me. Urging me to get up. Why continue, I wondered, but my body moved with her.

    Another man ran across the field. It was Jacob. That must mean the blood is . . . I couldn¡¯t bear to finish the thought. He was shouting something and waving his hands. His face was pale. In between the gaps of trees, darkness surged and Jacobs''s feet stood still. Only his feet. There was blood on the snow, and I wondered how cold the wind could blow.

    Archive of the First Settlers, Estimated to be over 800 years ago

    <hr>

    In a town called Deepburrow, where stars and the sky are but a legend, Ezra could still recall his mother¡¯s last words before she left. ¡°We seek the beauty that has yet to be seen. With a hope that one day our souls can be filled. Till our humanity hungers no more. That is why we seek the surface.¡±

    He wished her words were meant for him, but they were only mantras of self-encouragement. Ezra knew that now, but little made sense back then. When he was five, a white rose fell from the upper layers into the mining town of Deepburrow. His mother¡¯s eyes had glittered with wonder as she stared up into the captive sky. Their little hole to heaven. And that day he knew one thing for certain. Her gaze would never return below.

    Twenty years later, staring up at that same hole, the light he received down here seemed like a cruel blessing. Ezra¡¯s pickaxe struck the stone beneath him leaving an almost imperceptible wound in the Morltin ore.

    ¡°We¡¯re moving further down.¡± One of his coworker¡¯s voices echoed along the stone wall.

    Ezra sighed and let his aching arms rest for a moment until he felt a hand on his back. ¡°What is he even thinking? The bald snake¡¯s getting greedy.¡± The voice came from a young man with messy brown hair that nearly obscured his eyes.

    ¡°Milo.¡± Ezra¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I thought you were off with squad three up in Jalpin¡¯s cavern.¡±

    ¡°I was. Wish I still was, but it''s hard to strangle profits out of a twenty-six-year-old mining site. If only the same could be said for us. White Rock will be choking money out of us till we¡¯re sixty.¡± Milo laughed with a lightheartedness that betrayed his statement before slapping Ezra¡¯s back. ¡°Let''s get going, don¡¯t want to keep the bald snake waiting.¡±

    He knew the boss would kill them both if he heard that nickname, but Ezra simply smiled. He couldn¡¯t wait for the day the snake writhed in a hole it dug for itself.

    The path down was treacherous. Ahead, the tunnel barely arched over their heads, and in some segments, the pair had to duck. Uneven ground didn¡¯t help either. Stones constantly shifted underneath their feet, and Ezra considered himself lucky when Milo shot out a helping hand during a slip. As they approached the excavation site, turquoise and gleaming crimson minerals lit up the walls of the cavern in a spectacular display. Ezra would almost consider it beautiful if he didn¡¯t know how hard it would be to mine the stuff. He wondered if ore glowed as beautifully on the higher layers.

    ¡°Do you think the sky-seekers have made it past the eleventh layer,¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°Not this again. What does it matter to us? It¡¯s not like we¡¯re going to see the higher layers.¡±

    ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to rub it in. It¡¯s all rigged. A recommendation, a patron, the fees for equipment, and then one of the guilds has to take you in if you even want to survive. Only the big shots and their rich brats get a chance like that.¡±

    ¡°You know that''s not true.¡± Milo winced, expecting Ezra to lash out. The silence from him hurt more. ¡°Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have said that.¡±

    The chance his mother got was one in a million, and she had taken it without a second thought. Ezra gazed at the ore again, wondering if she was still looking down and waiting for him to follow.

    Other miners gathered below. A low hum of murmurs and concern spread through the crowd but was quickly silenced as a wooden crate scraped across the granite.

    The thin and pointed face of his superior was obnoxiously long, and his cheeks hollowed as he stretched his jaw to speak. ¡°This is a great opportunity for each of you. Once this job is finished our division will have the opportunity¡­¡±

    He droned on and on, but Ezra tuned out the rest of the man¡¯s words. The supervisor''s button-up shirt didn¡¯t have a speck of dirt on it. He¡¯d arrived only five days ago, but he was already pissing Ezra off. That man followed the bald snake¡¯s orders, but he had more power than the rest of them to stop it or at least prepare better for it.

    ¡°We¡¯ll get through this. The new guys always have a surprise waiting for them anyway.¡± A mischievous grin spread across Milo¡¯s face.

    Milo¡¯s words shook him out of his brewing pessimism and Ezra sighed, wondering if participating in another of Milo¡¯s pranks was worth getting in trouble. The supervisor began to split people into teams. Ezra followed Milo hoping he could slip into a group of his choosing.

    ¡°You there, young man with the yellow streaks on your helmet.¡±

    Ezra froze and pulled his gaze toward the supervisor''s cold stare. The people around him parted, and he accepted his fate.

    ¡°We need another man on the explosives team.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not trained in. . .¡±

    The supervisor¡¯s curt yet professional tone cut him off. ¡°There must be ten people on the explosives team. It¡¯s regulation. No more questions. Get to work!¡±

    Nine others were already walking towards the far end of the cavern, and Ezra jogged to catch up. They all wore dark blue jumpsuits that were creased and coated with gray minerals. Five of them had wrinkled faces that told a story of the stress they endured in their careers. The other four all carried large backpacks. One of the younger men noticed him approaching and called to the others. The group stopped.

    Ezra caught up, and the young man offered his hand as a greeting. ¡°The name¡¯s Owen. I got the impression that Darian didn¡¯t care enough about regulation to send us another man. Glad to be proven wrong.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not trained in explosive work,¡± Ezra said, wanting to get that information out of the way sooner than later.

    A grumble of discontent rolled through the group. ¡°He doesn¡¯t give a damn about regulation,¡± one of the older men muttered.

    Owen put his hand on Ezra¡¯s shoulder. He was nearly a head taller. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t have you do anything too complicated.¡±

    They got to the edge of the cave, and the younger members started unloading their backpacks. Spools of wire, deep-hole drills, control panels, and explosives all quickly appeared from the bags. The team had a routine and Ezra felt awkward intruding on it until Owen handed him a spool of wire.

    ¡°Start over by that wall and run it along the floor. Stick close to the corners.¡± Owen pointed to a layered rock formation a few paces away. ¡°If you have any questions don¡¯t be a stranger and just ask.¡±

    Ezra nodded and went to work. As he lay wire, others drilled holes, and explosives were slotted into the excavated chambers. As he arrived at the end of the spool, a man with white wispy hair and a frown so permanent that it could have been carved in stone motioned him over.

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    ¡°The name¡¯s Albert. I¡¯m the technician who makes sure nothing goes off when we don¡¯t want it to.¡± His voice was lighter than his face indicated. ¡°Hand me that wire, and I¡¯ll attach it to the control panel when it¡¯s time.¡±

    Ezra gave him the end of the wire, and Albert bit off some insulating rubber to expose part of the copper. Assuming his job was done, he took a seat on the ground.

    The day was going to be long and silence did no good to his inner misery. Words within him boiled up until he calmed the roar. ¡°You enjoy your job?¡± He said.

    Albert rolled the wire between his fingers. ¡°As a matter of fact, I do. Wouldn¡¯t have stuck with it forty-eight years if I didn¡¯t. You?¡±

    ¡°It pays.¡± Ezra noticed a smile cross Albert''s lips. ¡°What are you grinning at?¡±

    ¡°I felt the same way when I was your age, kid. It¡¯s because you think there¡¯s more. You have some grand ambition and you think if you fulfill it you¡¯ll be happy.¡±

    ¡°What was your ambition?¡± Ezra shot back.

    ¡°I wanted to make it to management. Change how things worked around here.¡± Albert''s wrinkled fingers clenched the wire. ¡°When you¡¯re young, you think you can claim the whole world for yourself. I thought that too. But once you go up, you find out there¡¯s always someone above you, and it just gets worse the further you go.¡± The other men were beginning to back away from the wall. ¡°You know White Rock is just a subsidiary of Faulpher-tek, the corp that makes weapons for sky-seekers on the upper layers. You ever meet someone from Faulpher-tek?¡±

    Albert gave them a thumbs-up and plugged the wire into the control panel. Ezra¡¯s full attention was on him now. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Albert said as he began to flip switches. ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of men and women so far up their own asses they¡¯ve forgotten the world around them. Once you¡¯re in management, you interact with them every day, and I just couldn¡¯t stomach the thought of that. Fire, in three, two, ONE!¡±

    The world stood still for an instant before a thunderous boom reverberated throughout the cavern, and pebbles came cascading down on them. The stones hit their helmets like a hard rain.

    Albert continued as if nothing happened. ¡°But I tell you, kid, don¡¯t let it discourage you. If you feel you can make a change, go ahead and try. Even though I gave up on my chance, don¡¯t let that stop you.¡±

    Ezra stared at him as the last few pebbles hit the ground. ¡°I¡¯m not aiming for management.¡± He had gotten an old man¡¯s sob story and the day still sucked. Yet something still pulled at his mind. His grand ambition. He was glad that the old man hadn¡¯t asked.

    ¡°Everyone, come here,¡± Owen shouted before Ezra could get in another word.

    Ezra pushed himself off the ground and jumped to his feet. The rest of the explosive team gathered around as the dust settled. A cough came from the now-obliterated wall, and the silhouette of Owen stood in stark contrast to a bright glow. As Ezra approached, the light grew brighter. He stared down at a brilliant display of crystals filling a small cave.

    ¡°We hit the jackpot,¡± one of the explosive specialists yelled. The joy spread throughout the group, and soon, similar shouts erupted.

    ¡°They look pretty, but what is it,¡± Ezra asked.

    Owen wiped the soot off his face and placed a hand on Ezra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°They¡¯re vibro-crystals, my friend, used by sky-seekers in the upper layers for their electromagnetic weapons. They can pierce the scales of a sky razor. Faulpher-tek pays a fortune for them.¡± Owen raised his hand and circled the air to gather everyone. ¡°Listen up, we¡¯re laying another round of explosives and transporting this entire stock today.¡±

    Before he realized it, someone placed another spool of wire into his hands. Owen lept into the cavity and landed with a hollow ring that echoed with musical bravado.

    ¡°Hear that, boys,¡± Albert said, ¡°music to my ears.¡±

    The rest of the crew laughed, and Ezra began to lay wire. The crystals looked as delicate as glass. Curiosity got the better of him, and he kicked one of the protruding structures. A vibration shook him from the tip of his foot to his head. He could feel himself falling, and a hand suddenly held him up.

    ¡°Careful there.¡± Owen stood beside him with a drill in the other hand. ¡°These crystals send vibrations through whatever hits them. Useful for weaponry but not so great on the body.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ezra mumbled and quickly got back to work.

    He continued laying wire, weaving through the crystals. Once he exited the cavern, Albert was already tinkering with the control panel when Ezra handed him the wire.

    ¡°Won¡¯t the crystals vibrate against the explosions?¡±

    Albert stared at him like he was asking if gold was valuable. ¡°Yes,¡± Albert said, ¡°when the explosives go off, most of the damage is caused by the air blast shock wave. When the shock wave hits the crystals, the air will vibrate and hit the crystals again, creating more shockwaves until the pressure is enough to shatter them.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯ll damage them.¡±

    ¡°It''s inevitable, but we place the explosives in such a way to minimize damage. Haven¡¯t dealt with vibro-crystals myself before, but I¡¯ve studied up on the procedure. You¡¯ll want to stand a bit further back for this one.¡±

    Ezra stepped back and sat on the rough ground. Even after brushing a few pebbles away, it still felt uncomfortable. This is the only team I have encountered the whole day that seems to know what they are doing, and I¡¯m practically useless to them. The feeling stewed in him as he tapped his fingers on his knee. I wonder how Milo¡¯s doing. Probably harder work than this. What am I thinking? I don¡¯t owe anything to this company. Minutes, and then what felt like hours, passed before the rest of the crew emerged from the cave. Owen gave Albert a thumbs up, and the technician started flipping switches.

    ¡°Fire, in three, TWO, ONE!¡±

    Everyone braced for the thunderous explosion. Ezra covered his ears with his palms and held his helmet with the tips of his fingers. Black filled his vision as he scrunched his eyes closed. He waited for the ground to shake, rubble to start raining down, and for an all-clear from Owen, yet nothing came. He opened his eyes to the same sight they had closed to. The other men glanced at each other as if communicating telepathically.

    ¡°I¡¯m missing continuity along one of the wires. No voltage,¡± Albert said. ¡°Who wants to go in to check?¡±

    Several hushed whispers came from the men until Ezra shot up. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± This is my chance to be helpful. It was about time he showed them his skills.

    ¡°You said it yourself. You¡¯re not trained in explosive work. Someone else should go,¡± Owen said.

    ¡°I¡¯ve got this. I used to tinker with electronics in my father¡¯s shop. I know how to check continuity along a wire. You have a multimeter?¡± Ezra held his hand out as Owen pulled an orange brick from his back pocket.

    He placed the device in Ezra¡¯s hands and stared him straight in the eyes. A stare that held the weight of his entire crew. ¡°Be careful. Anything other than a busted wire, you get out of there.¡±

    Ezra nodded and stuffed the multimeter into the back pocket of his jeans. Albert unplugged the wire from the control panel and gave him a thumbs-up. He lept into the hole and landed with a harmonious ring. Both wires near the entrance looked undamaged, so he proceeded further in. Starting on the left, he made his way around, taking care to avoid the crystals. Near the back of the cavern, he spotted a wire slotted between two crystals growing from each other. It looked completely fine, but perhaps the vibrations from the crystals were messing with the flow of electricity. Standing over the crystal, he carefully pinched both sides of the wire like a delicate strand of cobweb. He raised it away from the crystals and suddenly felt his world shake.

    The wire fell from his hands, and he ducked and covered his head. Everything spun. Air slammed into his side and pushed life out of his lungs. He gasped for breath, but a rock from above struck his back. He wanted to run, but there was nowhere to go. He wanted to scream, but no one would hear him above the explosions. He wanted to live, to one day follow his mother, but then everything went black. He could feel himself slipping into a dream. Warm air caressed his skin, and an orange ball of light, he had only heard legends of, hung in the air. Ezra began to lose a sense of himself as his consciousness gave way to something else.

    ?    ?  ?    ?

    The wind blew through the tall grass and into the evening sun. A woman in white robes stood silhouetted against the orange twilight. Her lips curled into a sad smile that did nothing to detract from her beauty. She uttered unheard words and stepped towards me. I ran my hand through her golden hair and held her close.

    This peace was all we had. I gazed at the gleaming towers in the distance. The structures sparkled like a vast ocean. The one where we once saw paradise. If only for a moment. Why did we ever leave?

    Her hands pressed against my chest, and I glanced down. As her fingers drew back, she revealed a flower. White petals as bleak as the two moons above, crowded together as if seeking warmth. Even empty of color, the petals had more life than any other living thing, more life than the lush blades of grass, more life than the rosy-colored cheeks of the woman before me. After all, it still looked the same as centuries ago.

    ¡°It¡¯s time we let it go.¡±

    I was afraid she would say those words. This flower contained all the hope I had left, or perhaps it was just memories of hope. I pulled back and clutched the stem tighter, even as its thorns stabbed my skin.

    ¡°That dream is long gone. Let us find paradise here. Together.¡±

    ¡°We must go higher.¡± The words had slipped from my mouth many times and had always pulled her along, but this time I could tell it would not work. Tears began to well up in my eyes, and she put her hands over mine. ¡°Why now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that longing in your eyes since the day we found the flower. I admire you for it. I followed you because of it. But now it poisons your soul. You need to rest. We¡¯re happy here.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re happy here.¡±

    ¡°I know you¡¯ll find the same happiness I have. One day.¡± She slid my hands away as if her words had put a spell on me. With the flower between her slender fingers, she stepped back. ¡°This is for you and our future.¡±

    The petals burst into flames, and I could feel my world growing dimmer. I couldn¡¯t move as the crown of the flower withered and twisted in her hands. The knots in my stomach wouldn¡¯t unravel, and for the first time since so long ago, I wondered how cold the wind could blow.

 Chapter 2: A Stone of Possibilities

    Ezra awoke from the strange dream to a cramped shelter of stone. His head rang with pain, and his side felt stiffer than usual. Removing his hand from his forehead revealed a bloody sight. Panic invaded his mind, but he kept his breath steady. There was no telling how much air was left.

    I removed the wire and then¡­ It was all a blur after that. Tears wet the edges of his eyes. He wondered why until he remembered the strange dream he had. A man and a woman. Landscapes more vibrant than anything he had seen in Deepburrow. They were arguing about something, talking about their future and a paradise, and then there was that strange ethereal flower. He¡¯d seen it before. Twenty years ago. The flower that fell from the sky. Who are they and why that flower, he wondered.

    Keeping his body as still as possible, he surveyed his rocky prison. It was high enough to sit up and about twice the width of his arm span. All things considered, he was lucky to even be alive. A vibro-crystal stuck out from the roof above his right hand and gave just enough light to see the edges of the cave. Yet the turquoise light was dim and fading. It must be damaged.

    He twisted to his left, and a faint red light pulsed beyond his hand. Attempting to reach for it, the stiffness in his side became a sharp pain. He tried again, and his fingers brushed against a smooth round object until they finally grasped it. The silver spherical object in his hand was like nothing he had ever seen. There wasn¡¯t a single blemish on its surface except for a flat indent with a red blinking light near the top. Small black words wavered on the red surface. It read:

    No user authenticated. All features deactivated.

    Ezra rolled the sphere through his hands and looked for other features on its surface. There was nothing. He felt exhausted and wanted to sigh, but that would use air. How long have I been here? Surely, Owen and the others have already started digging. He had avoided serious accidents for three years, and now this was how it was going to end. His coffin felt smaller, and he could feel gravity pushing down on his lungs. Each breath was harder than the last.

    Was he slowing down his breathing to conserve air, or had he already given up on living? You idiot. You were never trained in explosive work. Why did you volunteer to go in? What do I even owe to White Rock anyway? Maybe I have some pride in my work after all. He chuckled, and it turned into a cough. Damn it, there goes more air.

    He raised the sphere above his head again. What even is this thing? Maybe some ancient technology. Ezra had always heard rumors about strange technology left behind by some ancient race, but he had never seen it for himself. The lower layers were scoured centuries ago, and nothing of value except minerals were down here. That was what he had been told, but it seemed like they had missed something. Whatever that something was.

    Running his fingers over the smooth surface felt nice, much better than the rugged ground beneath him. His thumb slid over the red light, and green rays wrapped around the sides of his finger. He removed his thumb and saw that the words had changed.

    User authenticated, Clearance Level One Activited.

    The green light seemed like a good sign, but the words meant little to him. Other than the light, nothing about the metallic sphere had changed. He looked at the words again, but they were stationary. His patience was beginning to run as thin as the air. He hurled the ball to his right, and it struck the vibro-crystal. No musical sound, no vibration. Everything remained still and then went dark.

    The sphere rolled over, revealing a blue light emanating from the top. The vibro-crystal was gone. Completely wiped from existence as if it had never been there in the first place. Ezra reached for the device again and fixed his vision on the words.

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    He tapped the words, and rays of light shot out, sending pain through his retinas. Pulling the device further from himself until the knuckles on his hand brushed against the ceiling, he opened his eyes. A luminescent screen, formed by rays projecting from the orb, floated right above his face. There were two options on the screen.

    View Inventory

    Drop all

    Pressing on ¡®view inventory¡¯ brought up a grid with one picture in the top left corner. The picture was identical to the vibro-crystal that had disappeared moments ago. Once he clicked on the picture, three options along with the name vibro-crystal appeared.

    Drop

    Store

    Delete

    Ezra clicked ¡®Drop,¡¯ and the image disappeared from the grid. His whole body suddenly felt heavier, and his stomach caved in from an impact. A shock reverberated out from his abdomen, and from pure instinct, he gasped for air. On his stomach rested the vibro-crystal.

    How and why, were the first two questions that popped into his head, but those were useless questions to answer now. What he needed to figure out was how to use this to his advantage and fast; before his brain stopped working altogether. A tool can always be used in more than one way¡ªhis father taught him the saying, and that practice had gotten his old man through life. Right now, it would save his.

    He shoved the orb into his left pocket and rolled the vibro-crystal off his stomach and onto the ground. A small tremor passed through the stone, and he turned his body to his right. He shoved the pain to the depths of his mind. The back end of the crystal was coated in rock and dirt. This would serve as his protection against unwanted vibrations. Ezra lifted it above his head and positioned the tip against the ceiling.

    Lightly now. Lightly. He poked the ceiling and listened carefully. Little shifted, and the rattling of stone dampened within seconds. Not there. Choosing another spot, he repeated the process. Poke, wait, listen. Starting from the area closest to his head, he continued to probe each spot in the ceiling until the rumbling was a bit louder and lasted seconds longer than the others. That spot was just to the right of his hip.

    Wish it was closer to my head, but I¡¯ll take what I can get. Now, this is the dangerous part. Ezra¡¯s hands trembled just thinking about it. He tried sitting up, but the pain in his side pulled him back down. Guess I¡¯m doing this lying down.

    He steadied the vibro-crystal on his hip and positioned his palms at its base. Pain surged through his ribs, and he thrust the crystal into the ceiling with a yelp. His cavern shook, and he tossed the crystal aside. More vibrations passed through the ground. By now, it was pointless to care about the integrity of the stone around him. Ripping the ancient device out of his pocket, he shoved it into the widening hole above.

    Rocks pounded the sphere but quickly evaporated upon impact. Ezra winced when a few smaller chunks of rubble hit his fingers before disappearing into his mechanical net. Whether it was an actual net that swallowed up the debris or something else, he didn¡¯t know. It was working, and that¡¯s all that mattered. With one arm over his head, he shielded his eyes from the increasing dust. The hole kept expanding till he saw a few glorious streaks of light illuminate the area around him. A current of air washed over his face. Almost there.

    The sphere suddenly flashed red and then returned to blue. A large rock hit his finger, and he cried out in terrible pain. The words on the orb made his eyes widen.

    Inventory full

    ¡°Not now.¡± The light was getting brighter. Only one thing left to do. He pulled the orb towards his chest and threw himself to the left. The earth caved in, and rocks shattered on top of each other with the sound of thunderous applause as if to cheer on his feeble effort.

    There were faint voices in the distance. People shouting and boots stomping. Ezra¡¯s ears were still ringing from the collapse or perhaps from the explosion. Time had passed so fast yet so slow.

    ¡°Over here,¡± someone yelled.

    More light, but he wasn¡¯t sure how long he could keep his eyes open. His side hurt so much, and the pain was spreading. The cold metal orb still rested on his chest. Will they take it when they find me? I can¡¯t let that happen.

    A heavy weight was lifted off his chest. Emerald eyes and a soft face covered in dirt stared down at him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve found him!¡± Owen said, frantically waving to the others.

    I can¡¯t let them take it. Ezra opened his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out.

    ¡°Everything is going to be okay. We¡¯ll take care of it from here.¡± Those were the last words he heard from Owen before the pain crawled back to the front of his mind.

 Chapter 3: The Light We Chose to See

    The room around him was chalky white. Outside, it was dark, and the only light came from an overhead lamp to his side. Ezra pushed himself up, but the pain he hoped was just a dream surged through his side again.

    ¡°The doctor says you need to take it easy for the next few days.¡± Owen was sitting on a stool beside his bed, and Albert lay fast asleep in a chair in the far corner. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle you survived.¡±

    The veil of sleep was beginning to wear off, and Ezra remembered. The vibro-crystals, his little coffin, Owen finding him, the burning flower, and the metallic orb. He pressed his hands against his sides, but he was in a clean pair of clothes. ¡°Where¡¯s my stuff?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m holding onto all of it. You¡¯ll be able to retrieve everything when you leave.¡±

    Ezra glared at Owen before wiping the distrustful look off his face. There was no need to be angry. Owen was being as helpful as he could. He could be angry later if he got his stuff and the device wasn¡¯t there. He wanted to trust Owen. Trust was rare, and at least for him, hard to come by.

    Albert yawned, scratched his nose, and blinked a few times. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± His voice shook as if he had been anticipating this very moment. Replaying it in his head a million times until he had figured out what to say, only for his mind to go blank the instant that moment happened. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I should have been more careful. I should have cut the wire and gone in there with you. I should have done a trillion things, but I didn¡¯t.¡± His voice broke, and it felt like he was going to sob. Albert¡¯s face remained dry, but his eyes glanced at everything in the room except Ezra. His fingers shifted on top of one another like his hands were a field of thorns.

    ¡°I should have remembered my position. I got too ambitious.¡± Ezra said, staring up at the ceiling.

    ¡°But it was our duty to protect you. I¡¯m the expert, and I¡¯m supposed to know what I¡¯m doing. It was my duty to ensure the explosives didn¡¯t go off when they shouldn¡¯t have.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s over, Albert. Ezra is alive.¡± Owen sat hunched over on the stool with his hands folded. ¡°You''re lucky our haul of crystals paid for your hospital bills. Albert argued with the supervisor till he was blue in the face.¡± A smile finally broke his serious demeanor, and he chuckled. ¡°I think it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve actually seen Darian scared. I didn¡¯t think you had it in you.¡±

    ¡°Well, us old fellas still have a fire in us. We just let it burn when it matters most. The whole thing¡¯s a miracle. I tell you. If that collapse didn¡¯t happen, I¡¯m not sure we would¡¯ve found you.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it is a miracle.¡± Owen chewed on his bottom lip. He knew something Albert didn¡¯t. ¡°We¡¯ll let you rest. We have to get back to work tomorrow. Right, Albert?¡±

    The old man nodded and pushed himself out of the armchair. They left, and everything was silent again. Ezra looked out the window. Light dotted the slope, flickering with limited power to supply them. The lighthouse wasn¡¯t on tonight, but Ezra never liked its harsh rays. Even from here, he could spot his father¡¯s home. The fluorescent red sign, that bothered the neighbors and always took up an unhealthy share of their electric bill, was his father¡¯s pride and joy. He had made it himself and insisted it attracted more customers than it scared away. The man was likely asleep now.

    That fact didn¡¯t bother Ezra. His father knew Ezra could take care of himself. There was no hatred, no anger, only that together they were alone. Memories of his mother pained him. She was the only one that had held them together. For the short time she was here. The question of ¡°what if¡± never left, and it had taken him a long time to accept what was. Now, that bright red sign stared him back as if beckoning him to come home.

    Tomorrow, he would consider it. He turned his head towards the blank wall and tried to go to sleep.

    The morning light willed him awake, and another visitor sat by his bedside. He would recognize that messy brown hair anywhere.

    ¡°Had enough beauty sleep, princess?¡± Milo beamed.

    His optimism typically brought a breath of fresh air into the room, but this time Ezra¡¯s lungs felt too heavy to take it in. All he could manage to return was a pained smile. ¡°How have you been?¡±

    ¡°Obviously better than you. I¡¯ve heard rumors about what happened, but I need to hear the story from you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not terribly exciting.¡± Ezra wondered if he should include details on what he found. ¡°Just a simple mining accident. Deadly, but not some enthralling tale of adventure.¡±

    ¡°I want to hear it anyway. That is if you''re up to it. I¡¯m not going to awaken some trauma by having you relive it. Am I?¡±

    Ezra laughed. ¡°You know I¡¯m mentally stronger than that.¡±

    ¡°You were scared, at least, weren¡¯t you?¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯m not that inhuman. Of course, I was scared! There were boulders about this big on top of me.¡± Ezra went to sit up and stretch his arms as an example, but it felt like a knife stabbing between the gaps in his ribs. He groaned, and his hand intuitively reached for the source of the pain.

    Milo shot up from the stool and reached for him. ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    Ezra removed his hand from the self-inflicted wound and put it out to stop Milo. ¡°I¡¯m good,¡± he said through gritted teeth. ¡°Guess I¡¯m not as unscathed as I thought.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I wasn¡¯t going to say it before but you look like crap. Keep it lowkey until you¡¯ve healed. Now, how about that story?¡±

    Ezra¡¯s story began with joining the explosives team. He told Milo about Owen and Albert and the amazing vibro-crystal find. Milo was especially interested in the crystals, asking questions Ezra would have never considered. He kept his time in the cave brief and only mentioned his strategy using the crystal.

    ¡°It¡¯s crazy you''re even alive, and that stuff with the vibro-crystal, absolute genius. Oh, and you have to introduce me to the guys on the explosives team.¡± Milo paused, and the smile faded from his face. ¡°So, when do you get out of the hospital?¡±

    ¡°Not sure. I haven¡¯t had the chance to ask the staff yet, but I think it¡¯s going to be a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to visit as often as I can, but work is getting busy. After your recent find, the boss has us scouring the dig site for more vibro-crystals.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s face hardened. ¡°What we found was just luck. He¡¯s asking for the impossible.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not unusual.¡± Milo nervously laughed. ¡°He¡¯s always asking for things beyond our capabilities, but I don¡¯t want you worrying about it. Just focus on recovering.¡±

    ¡°I wish I could help. I really do.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Milo got off the stool and pushed it against the wall. ¡°I need to get going. Work starts in less than half an hour.¡± He opened the sliding door and waved goodbye. Once the door clicked back into place, Ezra stared at the ceiling. He was alone again.

    A nurse visited him later that day and showed him images of his bones. They were from an ancient device the hospital bought a few years ago. The results were two broken ribs and a concussion. She told him he was lucky. It felt like everyone told him that, but Ezra hadn¡¯t convinced himself he was. Twilight came with no visitors, and his father¡¯s sign glowed in the night. He pushed the decision to go back to his fathers to tomorrow. There was no rush.

    Milo didn¡¯t visit again until the third day, informing him that work was difficult as always. This time they had moved deeper down. Milo said people were worried about the tunnels collapsing. He made a joke about Ezra having experience with that and left.

    On the fourth day, Owen visited. This time without Albert. He said the old man was sick but was sure he would recover soon. Owen relayed similar experiences to Milo. Going deeper and an increasing scramble for vibro-crystals were the only things Hubert was concerned about. This was the first time in a while Ezra had heard the boss¡¯s actual name. Owen didn¡¯t like resorting to petty insults.

    There were no visitors for the next few days. Dawn blended into the evening and night into the morning. Ezra sat with his thoughts during the day and the bright obnoxious sign during the night. He wondered if Owen still had the metallic orb or if he had discovered its abilities. Asking him was out of the question since Ezra assured himself Owen would interrogate him about it.

    Albert came with Owen on the thirtieth or maybe the thirty-fifth day. The days stopped having a point to them some time ago. Albert talked about the stupidity of management, and Owen corrected him on a few points of exaggeration. Ezra had enough strength to sit up and had even requested the nurse to open the window. The breeze was never strong down here, but the occasional gust of wind brought relief.

    ¡°There was news from the third layer recently,¡± Owen said.

    Ezra perked up. News was rarely important enough to reach down here, especially all the way from the third layer.

    Owen grinned at his interest and continued. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good and bad news. I¡¯ll start with the bad. A sky razor, apparently a big one from the sound of it, came down from the fourth layer and raided Shatterfold¡¯s headquarters. It took the effort of several other guilds to drive it away. A lot of sky-seekers died, and they''re preparing a party to go kill it.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a mess.¡± Ezra leaned in further.

    ¡°And this leads me to the good news. Applications are now being accepted for new sky-seekers, and get this, it''s open to the public.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s jaw dropped. The last time sky-seeker applications were open to the public was twenty years ago. The year his mother left. He didn¡¯t remember much, but his father told him it was a time of great excitement. People thought the ground was near when the seekers breached the eleventh layer. Applications opened to aid in the effort, and applicants flooded in. The ground wasn¡¯t as near as everyone thought, news of higher layers or the ground never came, and his mother never looked back. Since that day, the dream of becoming a sky-seeker was forever imprinted on children¡¯s minds, and the thought Ezra could follow his mother never left him. Yet the barriers to becoming a sky-seeker rose again. Be lucky enough to be born on the higher layers, have the connections to gain a sponsor, or be talented enough to be selected and trained by the seven guilds.

    ¡°So, are you going to apply?¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Owen seemed ready to jump off his stool.

    Albert shook his head. ¡°Too much excitement for me. If I didn¡¯t apply twenty years ago, I¡¯m not going to now.¡±

    ¡°And what about you?¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± The question almost made Ezra lay back down. ¡°I¡¯m not in any state to do that.¡±

    ¡°The hospital says you should be good in about seven days. I¡¯ll wait for your decision until then.¡±

    Ezra pressed his lips together and gripped the bed sheets. ¡°If you really want to do it, don¡¯t let me stop you. You don¡¯t know how long the applications will be open.¡± Everyone had told him he was lucky, but now he was about to miss his only chance at being a sky-seeker.

    ¡°I can see it in your eyes, that longing,¡± Owen said. The phrase sent a shiver down Ezra¡¯s spine. He had heard it somewhere before. ¡°You want it too, don¡¯t you? To go higher. Find out what¡¯s really out there.¡±

    ¡°I do.¡± He pulled the bed sheet tighter.

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait.¡±

    ¡°Thank you.¡± He could feel tears welling up in his eyes. No one was leaving him behind. Those simple words from Owen were all he had wished to hear for years. Words he wished his mother had told him. For once, it felt good to not be alone.

 Chapter 4: Promises at the Lighthouse

    Ezra decided to go. After eight weeks of letting the same thought stew in his mind, it was time to see his father. He pulled up his jeans and put on a linen shirt. It felt nice to be back in his clothes. After thanking the nurse, listening to the doctor drone on about how he shouldn¡¯t push himself, and signing a few papers, he was on his way.

    Darian wanted him back to work the day he got out. The supervisor hadn¡¯t stopped complaining about the payout for his treatments, but thankfully, Owen negotiated to get him half a day off. Ezra was sure Darian would find some way to make his life miserable, but for now, he would enjoy his hard-won freedom.

    Switchbacks that cut through stone characterized the residential district. Looking up the hill, he could already feel his thighs burning from the climb. His father¡¯s house only lay halfway up, but the elevation change was staggering. Slatted roofs and patchwork metal walls lined the sides of the path. In some places, rusted holes dotted houses as if ready to expand and swallow the whole structure. The district remained quiet except for the aching of the mountainous walls, stretching into the sky like the entire weight of the inverted abyss was pressing down. Everyone was likely at work or the market district. How his father skirted the zoning laws to build a shop here was a mystery.

    The red sign glowed dimly above and a door that didn¡¯t match the rest of the exterior stared back at him. He took a deep breath before turning the knob. A man with graying hair sticking on its ends and round glasses sat at a long bench with a soldering iron in one hand and a circuit board in the other¡ªa sight that didn¡¯t surprise Ezra in the slightest. A hum of electricity flowed throughout the room, but it was only white noise to him at this point. His father still hadn¡¯t looked up.

    ¡°Hellooo,¡± Ezra said, trying to keep his tone as casual as possible.

    ¡°Come in,¡± his father called back.

    ¡°It''s me, Ezra. Your son,¡± he said, sharpening the last words and hoping they would sting.

    He stared up wide-eyed, and the soldering iron hit the table with a loud thump. ¡°It . . . It¡¯s good to see you. I heard about your accident. I¡¯m glad everything is alright. It is. Right?¡±

    ¡°It is. You would have known if you came to visit me.¡±

    ¡°You know, with the shop and everything, I¡­¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Ezra sighed and plopped down in one of the velvet waiting chairs. He should have known this was how the conversation would go. It was never any different. ¡°They opened up applications to become sky-seekers. I¡¯m going to apply.¡±

    ¡°Great, I wish you luck.¡± He was already back to work on the circuit.

    The knots in his stomach twisted tighter. ¡°No, ¡®please don¡¯t apply, I¡¯m concerned for your safety,¡¯ or ¡®do you know how dangerous it is to be a sky-seeker¡¯? Because I know you know how dangerous it is. Mom went twenty years ago. I barely remember it, but you do.¡± He clamped his mouth shut, but his anger boiled over. ¡°You don¡¯t even care, do you? I bet you didn¡¯t care when Mom left either.¡±

    He set his equipment down, removed his glasses, and pinched the bridge of his nose. The wrinkles on his face seemed deeper than usual. ¡°I did care, Ezra, but at a certain point, you can¡¯t keep drowning in the past. It¡¯s your life, not mine. You¡¯re twenty-five. If you want to become a sky-seeker, go ahead. Maybe you¡¯ll find Elizabeth.¡± He blew out a puff of air as if expelling memories. ¡°I can¡¯t keep caring about a woman who loved adventure more than me.¡±

    ¡°Well, I came to say goodbye. Thought I owed you that much.¡± He pushed himself off the chair and headed for the door. As he reached for the doorknob, his father¡¯s voice passed through the air.

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s lips quivered, and he shut the door behind him.

    If he started now, he could make it to work with fifteen minutes to spare. White Rock¡¯s center of employment lay down the hill and a few minutes behind the hospital he had stayed at. The building was dark gray with white pillars lining the sides. Only a few windows marked its walls, and the roof was completely flat. Overall, it was an enormously boring building.

    The plain exterior matched the inside. A long desk curved in front of the door and standing there was Darian. Despite Ezra¡¯s eagerness, as soon as he locked eyes with Darian, the man stared at him like prey.

    ¡°Glad you''re back. Hope your recovery went well.¡± Darian extended a hand and forced a smile.

    ¡°It did.¡± Ezra tried to hide the pain as Darian squeezed for dominance in the handshake. ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s been busy.¡±

    ¡°Yes. Especially after that vibro-crystal find. Did anyone tell you we found another deposit?¡±

    Ezra raised his eyebrows. Where is he going with this? ¡°No, they haven¡¯t¡±

    ¡°Hey, Ezra, glad to see you back.¡± Owen rounded the corner and slowed his stride as soon as he saw Darian.

    ¡°Ah, what convenient timing. I have an assignment for you and Ezra.¡± Darian scooped a pile of papers off the desk. ¡°Due to how busy we¡¯ve been, we have missed our shipment to lighthouse three. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s come to the point where we can put it off no longer. You two have never made the journey, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure it out.¡± He thrust the papers in front of Ezra, giving him no choice but to take them. ¡°I expect the delivery done by the end of the day.¡±

    He gazed down at the papers as Darian left him and Owen. One page contained an inventory of the cargo they would carry, and others had printed maps detailing the route. ¡°Looking at this, it would normally take a full day, but he¡¯s wanting us to do it half that,¡± Ezra said.

    ¡°It¡¯s his form of revenge. With how much he complained while you were gone, it was only inevitable. Let''s go get our supplies.¡±

    Owen led him to the back of the building where a cart of black stone and four backpacks waited. A metal latch closed the top of each cylindrical pack, and several bands with buckles hung off the shoulder straps. They initially looked small until Owen held one up. The weight at the bottom stretched the whole backpack out. Ezra held the first one open as Owen loaded it with Decrite. As he felt the material in his hands, he noticed it had a rubbery texture.

    ¡°How do you think they get energy from this stuff?¡± Ezra shook the bag to let the Decrite settle.

    ¡°Some sort of compression and combustion process. With just a little force, these stones become a viscous liquid. Did you know the explosive team is never called to mine this stuff?¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°If you hit Decrite hard and fast, say with an explosion, the whole thing gets harder than diamond. Really interesting stuff.¡± Owen shoveled the last scoop into the bag.

    ¡°Yeah, but why does it have to be so heavy?¡± Ezra said as he hoisted the pack onto his back.

    They filled another backpack with various supplies and were on their way. As Ezra left the loading area, he saw Milo leaning against the front of the building, one foot on the wall. He pushed off with his heel. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been looking for you. What¡¯s with the backpack?¡±

    Ezra shifted the straps on his shoulders. It felt like the bag was crushing him. ¡°Darian asked us to make a delivery to lighthouse three.¡± He took deep breaths as the straps dug into his shoulders. ¡°We probably won¡¯t be back till late midnight.¡±

    Milo leaned down to mimic Ezra¡¯s hunched body. ¡°Looks a little heavy.¡±

    ¡°You think so?¡± Ezra grunted.

    ¡°Mind if I tag along? Darian doesn¡¯t need to know. I feel like I haven¡¯t gotten a break ever since we found that second deposit of vibro-crystals.¡±

    He couldn¡¯t hold it any longer. The straps slid off Ezra¡¯s shoulders, and the backpack hit the ground with a dull thud. ¡°Grab another pack back there. We¡¯ll distribute the load between the two of us.¡±

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    Milo rushed past Owen, nearly running into him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Owen asked.

    ¡°Milo¡¯s tagging along.¡± Ezra felt like he could finally take a breath as he slumped against the lumpy bag. ¡°You got the rest of the supplies?¡±

    Owen pat his sack, which looked small in comparison. ¡°Yep.¡±

    Milo ran around the corner with a bag flopping in his hands. Thrusting it open, he and Ezra quickly got to work evening the load between them. After that, they were on their way.

    The closer they got to the edges of Deepburrow the fewer buildings appeared, and more air-dried landscape surrounded them. Along the ground, rocks sharpened to a point and like a compass, guided them to walls that curved up into oblivion. After an hour, they reached the edges of the basin. A tower that swirled with gaudy craftsmanship clung to the wall at least a few hundred feet up. Likely more, but Ezra didn¡¯t want to think about how long the climb would be.

    Milo shielded his eyes with a hand and peered at the strange structure. ¡°No wonder you guys were worried about making it back before midnight. I¡¯m going to break my neck just looking at it.¡±

    ¡°Then let''s stop looking and get going.¡± Owen shuffled the papers in his hands and traced the lines on the map. ¡°On the fourth switchback, we take the left trail, and on the twenty-third, we take the right.¡±

    ¡°And how many are there,¡± Milo said.

    ¡°Ninty-six.¡±

    Milo kicked the granite, grumbled several obscenities under his breath, and then returned a grin that said might as well kill myself smiling.

    Ezra pulled the straps closer to his chest. ¡°We¡¯re wasting daylight, and I¡¯m ready to get this off my back.¡±

    Owen nodded, folded the map, and they continued.

    A few hours later, Milo led the charge and was already on the switchback above Ezra and Owen. Sweat soaked Ezra¡¯s shirt and beaded on his forehead. A drop of perspiration dripped into his eye, and he wiped moisture from his forehead. It felt like the air was getting thinner.

    ¡°What a ridiculous thought,¡± Ezra whispered to himself. ¡°Air doesn¡¯t get thinner.¡±

    ¡°Huh, what was that?¡± Owen glanced from the side of his bag.

    ¡°Nothing. Actually, wait a second,¡± Ezra panted. ¡°I have something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you. About my stuff. The day you found me in the collapsed tunnel. Did you find some weird metal sphere with me?¡±

    Owen¡¯s eyes darted across the path as if someone was listening at that very moment. For a second, it seemed he would continue up the path without saying a word. ¡°I did. I have no idea what it does. It¡¯s bad to mess with ancient tech.¡±

    ¡°What if I told you that''s how I got out of that cave?¡±

    ¡°I. . .¡±

    ¡°Do you still have it?¡±

    ¡°I do. I didn¡¯t want to throw it away without telling you, but I think you should get rid of it. Those things can be dangerous in the hands of someone inexperienced.¡±

    ¡°Being a sky-seeker is dangerous. I need it back before we apply.¡±

    Owen chewed his lip and took a step forward. Ezra could tell his request pulled at Owen, even though everything that said is was a bad idea was likely running through Owen¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Come on,¡± Milo called, elongating his words. ¡°We said we wouldn¡¯t stop till the fiftieth switchback.¡±

    That was all Owen needed to keep moving forward. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later.¡±

    ¡°Later,¡± Ezra grumbled.

    The fiftieth switchback arrived, and Owen unloaded food from his backpack. They ate, and few words passed between them. Once Milo finished his food, he was eager to be back on the trail.

    ¡°Forty-six more. We can make it before night,¡± he proudly declared, trying to amp up the rest of the group. Ezra and Owen were so tired that Milo¡¯s words had little effect on them.

    The path curved up. Always up. Ezra wondered if it would ever not be up, but up was the only way to go, and the lighthouse was up. He looked down at the ground to stop thinking about what lay above. The talk with Owen ran through his mind, and he thought of each possibility. He had to get that orb back somehow. Perhaps Owen thought later would never come, but Ezra was set on when later would be. Once they reached the lighthouse, he would bring it up again.

    The light faded when the path started to level out and open up. They had been trudging along at a constant pace, but when the gleaming tower came into sight, Milo got a second wind. His enthusiasm cracked Ezra¡¯s sour demeanor, and he began a light jog. Owen kept his brisk walk. At the top of the trail, Milo raised his hands and let out a guttural howl. As Ezra made it to the top, a small group of people, behind Milo, looked utterly bewildered at the screaming kid in front of them. The sight almost made Ezra run back down the hill.

    Milo saw Ezra¡¯s reddening face and glanced behind himself. He suppressed a laugh and tried to go into business mode. The facade fooled nobody, yet Milo soon shook hands and exchanged greetings with the lighthouse staff. Owen joined him and informed the staff that their purpose was in fact work-related despite the initial entrance.

    A man in overalls and a clean undershirt directed them to the unloading area. He commended them on the journey and asked if they would stay the night. Owen turned him down, and the man nodded, wishing them well on their way.

    As they unloaded the last of their bags, Milo began to wander off.

    ¡°Hey, where are you going? We¡¯re on a tight schedule,¡± Owen shouted after him.

    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve always wanted to see. Follow me.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re still unloading.¡± Milo was out of sight, and Owen sighed like an exhausted parent. ¡°You better not go off running too.¡±

    Ezra grinned and dropped his bag. Darting around the various storage containers and rounding the base of the lighthouse, the world opened up as Owen shouted after him.

    Milo stood at the edge of a semicircle outlook with a fence surrounding it. An entire valley lay below. Everything in sight contained each moment of their lives. Directly below, barren wind-swept rock swopped into one of many industrial centers. The place had consumed so much of his life but from up here, it looked so small and insignificant. Beyond that, a polished street stretched to the North and met a plaza, the one where the city celebrated Seeker¡¯s Day each year; the day the first settlers had decided to venture beyond the sixth layer. Stories told on that day had captured his imagination. From the silver plaza, several pathways branched out like the arms of a gigantic spider. And beyond the street he had crossed earlier today, rested the misshapen hills of the residential district, covered with buildings that crowded together. Even from up here, he could still see the red sign still glowing strong.

    Still beyond, more structures sprawled the basin until they pushed up against an equally steep wall. Long shadows climbed the wall as a fiery light enveloped the land. Everything in the crater was what most people down here called their home, and for their whole lives, they would know nothing different. But that thought didn¡¯t sit right with Ezra. Above them, the walls curved into a circle that punctured their humble abode and bore to an unknown sky. The hole was nearly the size of Deepburrow itself.

    ¡°You know the light we get isn¡¯t actually from the ground,¡± Milo said as he stared at the same hole. ¡°People say it''s from a massive sphere of energy on the tenth layer. Eighty years ago, no one knew anything different. They thought when they found the light they would find the ground, but now we know that¡¯s not true. What other truths do you think the abyss hides from us?¡±

    ¡°I thought asking questions like that wasn¡¯t your style?¡± Ezra said. ¡°I remember you saying a while back you would leave all the thinking to me.¡±

    ¡°After you were in the hospital for so long, maybe I had to start thinking for myself. Wasn¡¯t sure how hard you hit your head.¡±

    ¡°Not hard enough to keep listening to you,¡± Ezra said as he cracked a smile.

    Milo punched Ezra in the shoulder, and they both laughed.

    Owen caught up and leaned on the railing. The twilight sparked in his eyes and reinvigorated a fire that had been hidden by the monotonous climb. ¡°How far do you think we¡¯ll make it up? When we become sky-seekers.¡±

    ¡°I want to make it to the sixth layer. I heard they have the best luxury apartments, and the women up there are apparently something else,¡± Milo said. ¡°You have to be mad, driven, or beyond lucky to make it that far. I¡¯d say a woman like that is way more interesting than anyone you¡¯d find down here.¡±

    ¡°Of course, that would be your reason for climbing,¡± Ezra provoked.

    ¡°I want to make it to the top.¡±

    Ezra and Milo both stared at Owen, wondering if he would crack a smile, tell them it was all a joke, or maybe his words were some far-off dream. Yet he stared up into the abyss above with a determination that belied his humble nature.

    ¡°Yeah, let''s make it to the top.¡± Ezra returned his gaze to the hole above. Maybe that¡¯s where those people from that strange vision are.

    Milo put an elbow on the railing and turned his eyes back below. ¡°We¡¯re going to need some serious gear if we want to make it that far.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m going to need my orb back.¡± Ezra poked Owen¡¯s shoulder, and he was pulled back to the present.

    Owen sighed. ¡°I suppose you do. If you really think it¡¯ll help us.¡± Ezra was shocked. He hoped Owen remained of the same opinion by the time they got back down.

    ¡°What¡¯s this orb thing?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Ezra said. Shadows had almost eclipsed all of Deepburrow. ¡°So, we¡¯re really doing this, becoming sky-seekers, and reaching the top.¡± A thought of his mother flashed through his mind. He wondered what she was like. In all the endless world above him, where was she now?

    Ezra took his hands from the railing. ¡°Let''s make a drop oath. I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s something sky-seekers do.¡± He bent down and cupped dirt into his palms. Milo and Owen hesitated, then repeated the action. ¡°We leave our cowardice and reservations behind and drop them back to the bottom. Unburdened, we make a promise to each other.¡±

    ¡°What should the promise be?¡± Dirt was already seeping from Milo¡¯s hands.

    Owen promptly responded. ¡°To carry each other in every trial till we can feel the true wind on the ground.¡±

    ¡°I like it.¡± Ezra stood at the edge.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t think you were the poetic type. What do you even mean by the true wind,¡± Milo responded.

    They tossed the dirt into the air. The particles drifted into a ray from the fading heavens and into the darkness below.

    ¡°A wind that is free. Not bound by the rules of man or the abyss. A wind that finds its own path and follows it into the forever after.¡±

 Chapter 5: A Mysterious Benefactor

    ¡°So, can it contain anything? Is there a size limit?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ezra said for what felt like the millionth time.

    Since leaving the lighthouse, Milo had been pestering him with questions nonstop. Thankfully the end was in sight. The industrial center lay straight ahead, covered in the glow of a newly refueled lighthouse. Light pulsed on the metal as bright rays ran through the city and back to where they stood. The lighthouses served two purposes. To direct airships coming from the third layer and reduce crime on the first layer. It served the second purpose now. If Ezra hadn¡¯t seen the industrial center, he likely would have strangled Milo by now.

    ¡°You¡¯re forgetting something,¡± Owen spoke up after being silent for the past few hours. ¡°This orb won¡¯t solve all our problems. We still need to purchase other gear.¡±

    ¡°And you need money for that.¡± Milo¡¯s defeated tone indicated to them both he was short in that department.

    He wasn¡¯t the only one. The first barrier to becoming a ground-seeker had been removed due to fortunate happenstance, but the second wouldn¡¯t so easily disappear. Unless Ezra thought. ¡°I have an idea.¡±

    ¡°And what''s that,¡± Owen replied.

    ¡°According to our contracts with White Rock, we¡¯re required to meet our weekly quotas, but nothing says we can¡¯t go over them.¡±

    Milo stared at Ezra like he was an idiot. ¡°Why would we do that? We can barely meet the quota as is, and even if we somehow exceeded our quota, it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll let us keep the extra stuff we mine.¡±

    ¡°But what if they don¡¯t know about the extra stuff.¡±

    Owen¡¯s eyes lit up as the realization hit him. ¡°You¡¯re going to use the orb to store it, and by hitting your weekly quota, they won¡¯t suspect a thing.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯ll be able to hit the quota a lot faster by using the orb.¡±

    ¡°You really have to come up with a better name for that thing,¡± Milo said. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take to gather enough minerals to sell?¡±

    ¡°Well, we need climbing equipment, basic weapons, armor, food to last us a few days, tents¡­¡± Owen continued rambling and counting off items on his fingers.

    Ezra put a hand on Owen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Considering what¡¯s absolutely necessary, how much will it cost?¡±

    Owen paused as if imagining the items in front of him. ¡°About 35,000 silver or 7,000 Alren Coins.¡±

    ¡°Think we can try next year, guys?¡±

    Owen glared at Milo. ¡°There is no next year.¡±

    Milo put up his hands defensively. ¡°I know. I know, but doesn¡¯t that seem like a lot? Ezra, are you sure you can get that much money?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no other choice. Give me five days, and I¡¯ll get it.¡±

    They arrived at the White Rock employment center and hung up their bags. Owen said he would bring the orb tomorrow and slip it to Ezra in the morning. Milo promised to temporarily store any extra material at his apartment. The inventory limit was one of the few things Ezra could give him an answer to. They went their separate ways, each thinking of tomorrow¡ªthe day they had a chance to finally grasp their dreams.

    Ezra met with Owen the next morning as they geared up for the day. As he passed Ezra, Owen slipped the orb into his day pack. Others slid into steel-toed boots and high-vis vests as Ezra pulled the shiny sphere from his bag. He jumped as Darian commanded everyone to get moving and shoved the orb into his pocket.

    After stumbling into the rest of his gear, he was out the door in seconds. Now was not the time to raise suspicion; once Darian was far enough ahead, he pulled out the orb. The smooth metal radiated light. It was too clean for everything it must have been through. The words inventory full still flashed on top. As he ran his fingers along the orb, an indent he was sure hadn¡¯t been there before, or perhaps he had been too panicked to notice, interrupted the smooth surface. On the back, the words ¡°To Thorin¡± were carved into the metal.

    Who''s Thorin? That wasn¡¯t a name he had heard, and usually, ancient objects were never addressed to someone. It must have something to do with that vision I had. It was the only possibility he could think of. Milo had asked him to come up with a name, and it seemed the orb had given it to him. ¡°Thorin-sphere,¡± Ezra whispered to himself. It slid off his tongue easily.

    As they entered the dig site, Ezra tried to distance himself from most of the group. He glanced back at Darian. The lanky man was preoccupied with several new employees. He took the Thorin-sphere from his pocket and tapped the light on the top. A blue screen opened in front of him, and he tapped view inventory. Every space in the grid was filled with various pieces of rubble. As he scrolled down, he noticed a few spots filled with vibro-crystals.

    The vibro-crystals would be valuable, and dropping everything at once would make quite the ruckus. This is going to be a pain, Ezra complained as he started tapping on each piece of stone individually.

    Drop

    Store

    Delete

    What does the store option do, he wondered. Tapping the option made the item disappear. A notification popped up.

    Item has been successfully stored

    ¡°Then where is it,¡± Ezra muttered. He tapped on another item and pressed delete.

    Item has been deleted

    As of now, there¡¯s no difference between store and delete. At least that I can tell. Ezra crouched down and weighed his options. There doesn¡¯t seem to be any drawback to storing, so I¡¯ll do that.

    He clicked on each rock and pressed store until only seven vibro-crystals were left in his inventory. The entire grid was seven by twenty and spanned a hundred forty boxes. He got back up and stared down the vein of ore in front of him. An idea blinked into his mind, and he pressed the Thorin-sphere against the ore. Nothing happened.

    ¡°Too good to be true,¡± he muttered and shoved the orb back into his pocket. There was one more thing he wanted to try. Picking up his pickaxe, Ezra excavated the edges of the ore about a finger¡¯s length deep. Once most of it was exposed, he tapped the Thorin-sphere against it again.

    The lumpy metal evaporated into thin air. Ezra dropped his pickaxe and checked his inventory. He pressed drop, and the ore fell at his feet. So it doesn¡¯t eliminate all the work, but it makes it a lot faster. It seems like the Thorin-sphere couldn¡¯t detect the difference between the two objects until there was some space between them. But how much space?

    Ezra tested his question on several more ore deposits, each time reducing the space between the valuable minerals and the surrounding stone. Once he got the space to about a fingernail length, the orb no longer absorbed the ore. Why the limit now? What law or imaginary line stops it from recognizing the object? It was pointless dwelling on the question. He had found its limits, and now it was time to use it to his advantage.

    Several hours later, lunch was called, and Ezra pressed drop on another chunk of ore. His daily quota was met, and he was free to spend the rest of the afternoon gathering materials to sell. Sweat still stained his shirt, but for once the burden of work felt lighter. This time, he did it for himself.

    He made his way to the entrance of the cavern and soon located Milo and Owen sitting outside, already eating their lunch.

    ¡°So, how¡¯s it going?¡± Milo sounded suspicious saying those words as he side-eyed Darian who was only a dozen paces away. He was never good at keeping secrets.

    ¡°Met my daily quota.¡±

    ¡°Already!¡±

    Owen nudged Milo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Told you he could do it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a sec.¡± Ezra went to pick up his lunch and returned. He sat cross-legged on the ground and began to eat.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking,¡± said Owen. ¡°Where are we going to sell the stuff we get? We can¡¯t sell it back to White Rock, but there has to be some other place that¡¯ll buy it off us.¡±

    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°There¡¯s always the underground weapons dealers.¡± Milo casually took a bite out of a sandwich.

    Now, that was something Ezra didn¡¯t expect to come from Milo. ¡°And I take it you know these weapon dealers.¡±

    ¡°Not yet, but I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± He paused to swallow. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of one down in The Dire District.¡±

    Both Ezra and Owen knew that the district was aptly named. Only the most grave circumstances led you there, whether of your own making or not. Formally, it''s known as District Seven, but no one called it that.

    Owen leaned in and lowered his voice. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be safe there?¡±

    ¡°Of course I will. My sis works there.¡±

    Owen and Ezra both glanced at the ground. Eating no longer seemed appealing.

    ¡°Get your minds out of the gutter. She works at a homeless shelter. It''s how I hear all sorts of stories from her. She doesn¡¯t like to brag about it, so I don¡¯t tell people often.¡±

    ¡°You both are doing so much,¡± Owen said as he cast his eyes to the ground. ¡°I should be doing more. I proposed the idea, but I don¡¯t want to be a burden you guys have to lug around on your adventure.¡±

    ¡°Hey,¡± Ezra replied quickly. ¡°You have the whole thing planned out a heck of a lot more than we do. Becoming a sky-seeker seemed like a distant dream for me and Milo, but you understand the reality of it. If it wasn¡¯t for you, we would¡¯ve likely rushed to the application center and gotten ourselves killed before we knew what we were doing.¡± Owen had waited and that was enough.

    ¡°You''re the responsible one here. We''re just making it up as we go along,¡± Milo added. ¡°Plus, you saved Ezra. Let him do all the hard work while he¡¯s still in debt to you.¡±

    Owen raised his head and smiled. ¡°Thanks, but seriously, all you have to do is ask, and I''m there. We¡¯re making it to the top together so let''s support each other however we can.¡±

    Darian called an end to lunch, and Ezra stuffed the other half of his sandwich into his mouth. He could have sworn the lunch breaks were longer before. Being in the hospital for so long must have messed with my sense of time. He shook it off and got back to work.

    Reinvigorated from lunch and the talk about their plans, Ezra churned through ore deposit after ore deposit. Digging a small frame around each piece of metal, he extracted it and moved on to the next. Each time he pulled the ore from the stone, it left an open gap in the cave walls. With a few strikes of his pickaxe, he closed the gap. He made sure to choose different spots and never extract too much from the same place. Work ended, and he deposited the ore at Milo¡¯s apartment.

    The next day arrived, and Ezra pressed his fingers against the engraving of Thorin on his way to work. He searched through his memory of the strange vision, trying to see if the name struck a chord with him. As the mining group was about to set off, Milo rushed in and flashed Ezra a smile before he was reprimanded by Darian. Ezra was sure he would find out what that was about at lunch.

    The morning passed, and he almost met his quota when Darian called lunch. Today, he was more careful to cover up evidence of his ore extraction. He figured the time sacrificed was better than getting caught.

    Immediately once he sat down, Milo started speaking rapidly. ¡°So last night I talked to my sister, and after some convincing¡ªboy did that take forever¡ªshe told me about someone who knew a guy who bought a vibro-crystal gun. Well, I tried to track down this guy, but he had only been at my sister''s shelter for two days, and you know people in that situation¡ªno ID, not much history to go off of, kinda off the grid whether they like it or not, and my sister didn¡¯t give me much of a description. I asked around for about two hours. Two whole hours and the guy was in another shelter just two blocks down.¡±

    ¡°Enthralling story,¡± Ezra mumbled between bites of food. ¡°But please get to the point.¡±

    Milo shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Okay, okay. Well, long story short. After questioning the guy, getting chased out of a hotel, and nearly getting shot, I finally found the guy who bought the gun.¡± He raised an eyebrow, waiting for anyone to ask for more details on his adventure. No one did. ¡°He was scared out of his mind. Kept asking if I was with Douglas¡¯s security unit. I told him I didn¡¯t know who Douglas was and eventually got his dealer out of him.¡±

    ¡°Can you take me there tonight?¡± Ezra asked.

    Milo was taken aback. ¡°I saw how much you dumped in my apartment last night. That¡¯s not going to be nearly enough to buy the equipment we need.¡±

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s something I didn¡¯t dump in your apartment.¡± Ezra leaned in and whispered. ¡°I have seven vibro-crystals in my inventory. With that, yesterday¡¯s haul, and today¡¯s, it should be enough.¡±

    Owen looked up from his lunch. ¡°Then the day after, we¡¯ll take the test to become sky-seekers.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess we do. It¡¯s all happening so fast,¡± Ezra said.

    ¡°Sooner, the better. I heard applications are closing soon.¡± Owen gazed up at the light above. ¡°Time won¡¯t stop and wait no matter how determined we are.¡±

    By the end of his shift, Ezra fulfilled his quota and filled his inventory. Before leaving work, he swiped two backpacks they had used when going to the lighthouse. He met Milo at his apartment as twilight was turning to night. The lighthouses illuminated Deepburrow like watchful eyes. Despite that, Ezra hoped their plans remained hidden from their ever-present gaze.

    The steel streets faded to rust as they entered the Dire District. Buildings huddled together as if to capture warmth from each other and lead into tight alleyways. As the lighthouse¡¯s rays passed over, shadows stretched as if to quickly hide unsavory activities. The houses creaked under their own weight. Besides the sounds of aching structures and the occasional animal growling in the night, everything remained eerily silent.

    ¡°How much further,¡± Ezra asked. He almost welcomed the next pass of the lighthouse.

    ¡°Only another block. There¡¯ll be a sign on the outside. A circle with a crosshair over it.¡±

    ¡°Ok.¡± Ezra pulled his shoulder straps tighter and continued to follow. The night air seemed colder than usual.

    After a few more minutes of walking, a lopsided piece of metal hung over their heads. Painted on the crudely cut plate was the white marking Milo had described. Milo tentatively opened the door, and a rush of warm air greeted them.

    A man with bony fingers and a monocle over one eye looked up behind a peeling desk. He smiled a toothy grimy smile and tapped his fingernails against the wood. A fireplace burned to the shopkeeper¡¯s right, and a dark black dog rested in front of it.

    ¡°Welcome,¡± he said. Air wheezed through his throat and struggled to make it back out. ¡°What can I do for you?¡±

    Milo stepped forward and removed the pack from his shoulders. ¡°I heard you¡¯re not only in the business of selling weapons but also making them.¡±

    ¡°You would be correct.¡± He twirled a bullet through his fingers.

    Milo unlatched the top of his backpack. ¡°We have materials we would like to sell.¡±

    The shopkeeper leaned over the desk and picked a few pieces of ore from the pile. He brought it closer to his monocle and then pulled it away. Pulling at his chin, he leaned back into his chair. ¡°The other bag the same thing?¡± Ezra nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll buy the whole lot for 15,000 silver.

    Milo motioned to Ezra. Ezra stepped forward and unlatched his bag. On top of the ore rested seven vibro-crystals. The blue light sparked in the shopkeeper¡¯s eyes. ¡°40,000 for the whole lot.¡±

    ¡°But we. . .¡± Milo put up a finger to silence Ezra.

    ¡°How about it? Do we have a deal?¡±

    The shopkeeper stroked his chin again, considering the deal. Milo looked confident the shopkeeper had already made his decision. Both of them could see it in the man¡¯s face as soon as he laid his eyes on the crystals. ¡°40,000 it is. You have a deal.¡±

    The door behind them creaked open, and Ezra froze upon seeing who entered. A plump man with a bald head slithered more than walked through the door. The bald snake¡¯s eyes widened at the bags next to Ezra¡¯s and Milo¡¯s feet. Looking down, Ezra realized the massive logo sewn into the side of the bag in big white letters. White Rock.

    Ezra had no time to ask him what he was doing before Hubert glared at them and hissed, ¡°Thieves.¡± He lumbered forward and snatched one of the bags. The vibro-crystals cast a menacing glow on his face. ¡°You two must be under Darian. The one in charge of the vibro-crystal dig. Of course, the likes of you would be stealing from the site.¡±

    Out of all the things that could happen, this was the last he expected. Do I fight it out with him? Can I talk my way out of this? Can Milo talk us out of this? Will I even be able to apply after this? We won¡¯t have any equipment. A flurry of thoughts ran through his head. Everything was beginning to spin. The bald snake was shouting, and Milo looked ready to fight. The dog was beginning to stir. The shopkeeper backed off, and the building creaked.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± A gravelly voice came from the back. The curtain behind the shopkeeper hung open as a tall and well-kept man pushed it aside. He wore a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a cavalier expression on his face.

    ¡°Stay out of it. This is a dispute between employer and employee,¡± Hubert snapped.

    The man walked past the desk until his back faced Ezra. He nonchalantly glanced down at the bags and back up at Hubert. He stood nearly a head taller than the bald snake. ¡°A dispute in White Rock. I thought the company was a well-oiled machine. Don¡¯t tell me the gears are grinding to a halt.¡±

    ¡°And what would you care!¡±

    ¡°That is a good question. We could ask each other questions all night if we wanted to, but I¡¯m not interested in that.¡± A black card appeared from his coat sleeve, and Hubert¡¯s face turned ghastly white. Ezra tilted his head to try and get a better look at the card to no success. The man continued in a smooth voice. ¡°You¡¯re going to let these boys sell their stock and never speak of this place or interaction. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Bauer?¡±

    How did he know the boss''s last name? Ezra just hoped the man wouldn¡¯t turn on them next.

    ¡°Yes. Yes. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ll do.¡± Hubert''s head was almost vibrating from nodding so much. He was out of the shop within seconds.

    The mysterious man turned to face them. A cordial grin tried to comfort them, but there was too much unknown for Ezra to let his guard down. ¡°Your contribution is appreciated, and you will be compensated accordingly.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± Milo said, stretching out his hand. The man took it in a strong grip. ¡°May I ask your name?¡±

    ¡°Douglas.¡± Milo¡¯s hand slid off slowly as the man released his grip. Silence settled in the shop before Douglas spoke again. ¡°Troublesome customers are always a problem in these establishments. It is unavoidable no matter our precautions.¡± He shot the shopkeeper a sharp look. ¡°40,000 silver was the agreed-upon price. Correct?¡±

    The shopkeeper was shaken out of his daze and went to the back. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll get it right away.¡± He returned, and the transaction was completed.

    Ezra and Milo kept the bags after they were emptied. No other word was spoken, and they were ushered out with a, ¡°Have a good evening gentlemen,¡± from Douglas.

    Once they were nearly out of the Dire District, Milo finally spoke. ¡°Do you think that was the Douglas I heard about?¡±

    ¡°Maybe,¡± Ezra muttered. What was on that black card, and why did it scare Hubert so much? The question continued to haunt him all the way back to Milo¡¯s apartment and into his dreams.

 Chapter 6: Introduction to a New Life

    ¡°And he just left,¡± Owen exclaimed as they walked to the sky-seeker application center.

    ¡°Couldn¡¯t believe it myself. No idea how he did it. He must be some big shot down in the Dire District. I¡¯m just glad we didn¡¯t get on his bad side. Right, Ezra?¡± Milo nudged Ezra in the ribs.

    ¡°Why do you think Hubert was at that shop?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°Who cares? We¡¯re never going to see him again anyways.¡±

    It still bothered him. ¡°You''re right. We have more important things to focus on.¡± Ezra stared up at the application center.

    The steps led up to a grand doorway carved with a map of the abyss. Every part of the building gave the impression of ascending to greatness. For that was why most people climbed. Behind the entrance, a massive ancient machine made up the rest of the building like a giant metal worm had died the instant it had burrowed out of the ground. The inside had been stripped of parts, but now it had been repurposed as a testing center. The capacity it could hold was much larger than necessary except for cases like this.

    As they pushed open the door, a hall of people filled their vision. Old and young, hardened and soft-faced, rich and poor, all were there. Some wore extravagant armor, while others barely had anything but clothes they had walked in with. A group of people sparred with each other, quickly moving their feet in an intricate dance of battle. Other groups sat down and enjoyed a late breakfast.

    A shout erupted from the far corner of the room. ¡°What do you mean the test is randomized? I didn¡¯t train for the last month just to give it all to luck.¡±

    ¡°Sir, this is to make it fair for all applicants.¡±

    ¡°Fair! You wouldn¡¯t know fair even if I hit you with it.¡± A young man with curly black hair pushed a man in a brown suit from the crowd. Two daggers were secured at his sides, and his armor was plain and sparse. ¡°This is supposed to be a skill-based test.¡±

    ¡°Sky-seekers must adapt to all sorts of situations. This test is meant to reflect that.¡± The test admin scurried back on all fours before he could push himself up against the nearest wall.

    The young man¡¯s hand went for his dagger, and a man nearly double his height grabbed his wrist. ¡°That¡¯s enough, Marcus. We¡¯ll reevaluate. Let''s go.¡±

    Marcus ripped his arm from the man¡¯s grip and gave the test admin one last death stare before merging back into the crowd.

    ¡°There¡¯s always types like him. Don¡¯t worry. Not all of us are like that.¡± Ezra turned to face a young woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail. Freckles dotted the bridge of her nose and under her amber eyes. A kind grin greeted him and she stuck out her hand. ¡°I¡¯m Camila.¡±

    Ezra shook her hand, and Milo jumped in to shake it next. ¡°Nice to meet you,¡± Milo said. ¡°Care to join our party? We could use a fourth.¡±

    She laughed and took her hand away from his. ¡°Flattering, but I already have a party.¡± She pointed behind her to one of the groups sitting on the floor eating. They all seemed to be in their early twenties. The team comprised another girl and three guys who all looked as friendly as Camila, except for one in a hood that covered his face. Ezra couldn¡¯t get a read on him. ¡°This is our fifth time taking the test, so we''re basically family at this point. If you need any help registering, let me know. The registration desk is over to your left and only takes a few minutes.¡±

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Owen said. ¡°And good luck.¡±

    ¡°You too.¡± Camila waved goodbye and returned to her party.

    ¡°Why do you insist on helping the newbies,¡± Ezra heard one of Camila¡¯s party members say. Before he could hear her response, he was already being dragged to the registration desk by Owen.

    After filling out several forms, absolving the Sky-Seeker¡¯s Office of Trainee¡¯s liability due to any injury or death during testing, the three returned to the main lobby. Danger was part of becoming a sky-seeker and a fact the three of them had long accepted. He was sure the test admins weren¡¯t out to kill them.

    They sat in a circle, and Owen pulled some food from his backpack. He handed smoked meat and a small salad to each of them.

    ¡°I thought we wouldn¡¯t eat till after the test,¡± Milo said.

    Owen took a bite out of the meat. ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want to go in on an empty stomach, and with everything you two have been doing, I wanted to surprise you guys.¡±

    ¡°We appreciate it.¡± Ezra scarfed down his salad. He was eager to get started with the test.

    Looking across the room, he surveyed their competition more closely. There was one guy who would have definitely made sky-seeker if the requirement was the gaudiest armor in all of Deepburrow. A gold-trimmed breastplate, leg guards that were carved like rushing water, and a crimson cape to top it all off made him stick out in the crowd. Several people carried crossbows and drawstring bows. One even had a vibro-crystal gun.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    He looked down at the steel sword across his lap. It felt inadequate compared to everything else in the room, but that wasn¡¯t the only weapon on his side. The Thorin-sphere in his pocket reminded him of that. At least I have something to defend myself. He glanced at a middle-aged woman who wore flowing turquoise robes. She had no weapons or armor, at least that he could see. The woman frowned at the noisy room, closed her eyes, and slumped against the wall.

    ¡°I wonder what skill I¡¯ll get once we pass,¡± Owen said. ¡°Will it be more offensive or more defensive or something entirely new? A skill that¡¯s never been seen.¡±

    ¡°I want to shoot fireballs from my hands,¡± Milo interjected. ¡°Or maybe something that¡¯ll let me fly. Then I could join the Abyss Jumpers.¡±

    Ezra took his eyes off the woman. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the skills sky-seekers possess, but how does that even work?¡±

    ¡°Whenever they explained it on seeker¡¯s day I never really got it,¡± Owen said. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure it out together.¡±

    Ezra pressed his fingers against the sphere. Is a skill like the abilities the Thorin-sphere gives me? He pondered all the possibilities. A whole new world awaited after the test.

    Another hour passed before a voice reverberated across the room. The voice seemed to be coming from the walls and the ceiling. How that was possible, Ezra did not know. Likely another ancient device, he assured himself.

    ¡°Welcome all applicants to the last day of open testing. It is an honor to host so many eager candidates. The duty of a sky-seeker is ever-evolving as knowledge of higher layers increases. Due to this, a diverse skill set is required to conquer the inverted abyss. Not only are skills in battle needed, but also those with the aptitude to interpret new technologies and navigate exotic environments.¡±

    Ezra noticed people gathering towards the back of the room.

    ¡°As you all likely know, sky-seeker applications are rarely open to the public. This is one of the few times we can see hidden talent flourish and push to evolve the practice of being a sky-seeker. Please deposit any supplies you cannot carry on your person before entering the testing area. All of us here at the Sky-seeker¡¯s Office of Trainees hope to be wowed and impressed by those who pass today''s test. May the day favor you, and good luck!¡±

    ¡°Luck,¡± Marcus arrogantly snorted a few paces away. ¡°I won¡¯t need luck.¡±

    A wide set of doors opened, and people began to funnel into the second room as they dropped supplies and backpacks in front of the entrance. The room was almost blinding white. Pristine square tiles covered the walls, floor, and ceiling. Each tile was about the height of a person. It was tighter than the massive lobby, but Ezra still had enough room to step a few feet in any direction. When everyone entered the room, the doors shut, and the voice echoed again.

    ¡°We will begin the test momentarily, but first, let me briefly explain the rules. When the test starts, a red-bellied dove will be released. A white ribbon will also be tied to its feet. To pass this challenge, your team must obtain the ribbon. Your teams cannot change during the test and will remain according to how you signed up. This dove is a skill controlled by one of the test admins. It will not behave like a traditional bird. No leaving the testing area until the test is completed. How you complete this challenge is up to you. Begin.¡±

    One of the tiles near the ceiling opened up, and a dove flew into the testing area. Everyone fell silent and stared up as the creature made a lap around the room. A white ribbon flapped at its feet.

    ¡°Only one team can win? This is bull!¡± Someone cried.

    An arrow sprung into the air and flew past the bird. Mutters began to spread throughout the crowd. Multiple projectiles sped into the air, and a gunshot sounded across the room. Everyone quieted and then resumed shooting. Nothing hit the bird as it bobbed and weaved carelessly through the weapons.

    Another shot went off, and a charred mark appeared on the ceiling. This time the bird faltered in its flight. Only for a second. The dove warped and almost faded until another body flickered from its side. Another dove, born from the momentary wound, flapped into existence.

    The room burst into cheers. This was the chance everyone was waiting for. Hope, another team could pass. A few more minutes went by, a projectile passed through one of the doves again, and it burst into a third. Ezra glanced at someone trying to climb the wall with two daggers. It wasn¡¯t Marcus. Their daggers slid easily into the tiles but held firm as they climbed. They were nearly at the top. Only three tiles away. Suddenly, they screamed, a blood-curdling sound, and fell to the ground. The crowd parted around him, and he lay frozen as a girl leaned down to check his pulse.

    Her voice shook. ¡°He¡¯s dead.¡±

    Murmurs passed through the crowd.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t in the rules.¡±

    ¡°It must be coincidence.¡±

    ¡°A stroke?¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s so young,¡± another replied.

    An arrow was loosed and hit the bird again. A fourth appeared, and a buff man with a scar across his temple pushed through the crowd.

    ¡°He had the right idea,¡± the man grumbled and pulled out his sword. ¡°Luck just wasn¡¯t on his side. Give me your sword.¡± He motioned to one of his companions.

    With both swords, he climbed the wall in a similar fashion. He was only five tiles from the top. Grunting, he pulled himself up a few more feet while other people seemed ready to follow. Four tiles away, and he collapsed, hitting the floor with a deafening thud.

    Ezra stared at the body. Why now? The dove¡¯s wings flapped in the silence and Ezra gazed up at them. Four doves. Four tiles. Every time we hit a dove, the testing area gets smaller. He counted the number of tiles from the floor to the ceiling. Ten. Once we have eight doves, it gets tricky. Some people stood a bit taller than the first tile. The projectiles stopped, and most people leaned into their groups to discuss.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured it out,¡± Ezra whispered as he pulled Milo and Owen closer. ¡°For every dove in the sky, the safe area lowers by one tile.

    Owen glanced up to count the tiles. ¡°I think you''re right, but what do we do about it? If we tell everyone, some people might try to lower the testing area on purpose.¡±

    The huddled groups were starting to split as people took up their ranged weapons again.

    ¡°I think others have already figured it out.¡± An arrow flew from a bow and lodged itself into the ceiling. Ezra pulled the Thorin-Sphere from his pocket. ¡°If I can hit one of the birds with this, we can pass.¡±

 Chapter 7: A Test of Wills

    Two more birds appeared. Six total, Ezra noted. Only two more. Four, and we¡¯re all dead. He wasn¡¯t the only one that noticed. Other people looked around anxiously. Fewer projectiles flew through the air, but some people were still shooting. He couldn¡¯t fathom what they were thinking. Are they trying to kill us all? I just need a few more moments to line up the shot. He focused on the cold metal of the Thorin-Sphere in his hands.

    More weapons began to emerge from hidden sheaths. A sword here, a dagger there. Someone drew a mace from beneath their cloak, and another fixed a spear point on a quarterstaff. Now, eight birds flew around the room, yet still, no one had figured out a way to catch one. An occasional arrow flew, but the projectiles had mostly stopped. They had been in this room for nearly two hours, and Ezra could feel it getting hot. The pressure of impending death was weighing on everyone; crushing them; waiting for the room to explode.

    A twang reverberated along the walls, and another arrow hissed toward a dove. Next, a scream broke the silence as a dagger plunged through flesh. A black-haired boy was on top of one of the archers. It was Marcus. Blood stained the pale floors and soaked into the tiles.

    ¡°There¡¯s no time limit,¡± he said to his teammates. Even they looked surprised. ¡°Once everyone is out of our way, we can figure out how to capture that stupid bird.¡± He leaped like a vicious animal and pounced on another person, his daggers ripping through their flesh.

    The time for inaction had ceased, and the room exploded into chaos. Threats from above no longer seemed important when death hunted them on the floor. Milo tugged at Ezra¡¯s shirt and yanked him back, just in time for a sword swing to miss him. Owen plunged his sword into the attacker and withdrew the scarlet blade.

    Owen turned back. The shock of killing a person still on his face. Taking several deep breaths he slowly relaxed and focused ahead of them. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time. Make the throw as soon as you can. We¡¯ll protect you.¡±

    Milo drew his sword and nodded. His smile exuded confidence, but his hands were shaking.

    One of the doves flew low. A skinny man jumped off his companion¡¯s hands and was launched into the air above the chaos. His fingers desperately extended to reach the bird, only slightly above the second tile. That was all it took. He fell limp, and his body was hidden in the chaos.

    Just focus on the doves, Ezra reminded himself. Nothing else. The birds flapped erratically as if they sensed the battle below. If he didn¡¯t hit one, the orb would be lost, halfway across the room, and little chance they could get it back.

    Owen fell beside him and yelped as a red-faced man, full of fury, stepped on his forearm. The sword in Owen¡¯s hands escaped his grasp, and the man pushed towards Ezra. Muscles in Ezra¡¯s legs tensed. He was frozen where he stood. The man brought the thick sword above his head and was ready to split Ezra in two. On instinct, Ezra raised the Thorin-Sphere to block the blow.

    The great sword evaporated, and the man stumbled forward. He reached for Ezra¡¯s neck. The intent to kill was seared into his eyes. Milo¡¯s steel blade slid into his shoulder as he thrust the man back. They both stumbled onto the ground, but before the man could reach him, Milo plunged his sword in again for the killing blow. He panted as blood blossomed from the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡°First time I¡¯ve seen it in action,¡± Milo gasped. ¡°Seems quite handy. Now, can you do the same thing to one of those birds?¡±

    Owen groaned as he got up. His forearm was already bruised. Ezra reached down to help him. ¡°You alright?¡±

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    ¡°I¡¯ll survive,¡± Owen replied. ¡°All a part of being a sky-seeker.¡± He grabbed his sword and resumed his defensive stance.

    Ezra filtered out the noise and resumed his focus on the birds. To the right, then back towards him. Then to the left, looping close, then crossing its own path again. There was a pattern. Maybe. He couldn¡¯t be sure yet.

    Another person charged on his left. Owen was on his right, and Milo to his back. They both stepped towards the attacker. Before they could reach him, a great sword fell from above, and Ezra closed his inventory. I can¡¯t filter out everything yet. We all still need to protect each other.

    Milo slashed another person behind him, and Ezra resumed his search above. The doves circled. The elusive white ribbon at their feet. Occasionally, one would dip lower, but they all flew the same path. ¡°A figure eight,¡± Ezra muttered. They¡¯re all flying in a figure eight at different angles, but they all cross just a bit left of the center of the room. If only I could get closer.

    He tapped Owen on the shoulder. ¡°I need to move closer to the center.¡±

    Owen blocked an incoming blow and dispatched another attacker. After doing so, he moved towards the center.

    ¡°Around me! Now,¡± a girl commanded.

    That was a voice Ezra recognized. It was Camila¡¯s. The freckled girl¡¯s companions gathered around her, and she nocked an arrow. Something was different about the arrow. Just above the fletchings, a rope was tied to the shaft.

    ¡°On three.¡± She raised the bow just center left. She figured it out too, Ezra realized. ¡°Three, two, one.¡±

    The arrow flew from the bow and dragged a long rope with it. It wounded a dove, passed through its body, and struck the ceiling. Camila pulled the rope tight. The arrow had passed through like every other projectile, but the bird was stuck on the rope. Ezra ducked in anticipation. A ninth dove would mean one tile left. Gazing up at the bird, he saw it warping and fading around the rope. A third and fourth wing sprouted, a beak came out below the neck, but another dove did not emerge. The rope, straight through its body, prevented it.

    Camila raised her voice again. ¡°FIRE!¡±

    The rest of her team raised their ranged weapons and began to pelt the bird. Loud screeches, from the creature, raised the hair on the back of Ezra¡¯s neck as the bird warped into an unrecognizable mass. Talons, feathers, and beaks, everything that should make up a bird struggled in the air.

    Owen kept pressing forward. They were almost at the center.

    ¡°More,¡± Camila screamed.

    The avian mass was sliding from the rope.

    ¡°Ready,¡± Owen said.

    Ezra pulled his gaze from the bird. ¡°Almost.¡±

    Other people stared at the rope. The battle slowed. Even Marcus took a breath. The mass merged back into a dove, but it did not split. Everyone was staring now. Camila¡¯s group had killed it. Actually killed it. The white ribbon was within reach. Another dove was already flying towards the center.

    This is my chance. He threw the Thorin-sphere, and it arced through the air. Almost. Almost. Please let this work.

    A dove fell at his feet. Not the dove he was aiming for, but that didn¡¯t matter. The Thorin-sphere was almost there. It struck the bird and absorbed it. Ezra¡¯s heart beat faster and faster. I actually did it. We won. We¡¯re going to pass. The orb was coming down. Not far from him. Just a few steps forward, and he would be able to reach it.

    ¡°Watch out!¡± Owen yelled.

    Ezra¡¯s focus snapped from the orb. A crowd of people rushed towards them from all sides. Everyone¡¯s faces blurred. Too much was happening. He had to reach the Thorin-sphere. They¡¯re going for the dove. His face turned white at the realization. The dove at my feet.

    He reached down for the lifeless creature. A thousand cries roared through his head. Everyone stared at the dove, their one chance to pass, but all Ezra could see was Owen¡¯s back, running red with blood.

 Chapter 8: The Sorrow of Victory

    Owen coughed and slipped forward as a dagger retreated from his front. He reached up to slash at his attacker, but Marcus had already backed out of his reach. Camila dashed between them and ripped the dove from Ezra¡¯s hands. The Thorin-sphere hit the ground.

    That didn¡¯t matter now. Dark liquid pooled beneath Owen. The light from his green eyes faded with every second that passed. Milo was screaming something, but Ezra couldn¡¯t hear.

    ¡°We passed.¡± Ezra¡¯s voice shook. His tongue felt numb. ¡°We¡¯re sky-seekers.¡±

    Marcus glared at him, confused, only for a second, before he dashed off after Camila.

    ¡°Get up. We passed. We have to make it to the top.¡± Ezra cupped one of Owen¡¯s hands in his. It was growing cold. Colder than any winter he could remember. How cold can the wind blow? The memory invaded his mind. No, not now. Vision, record, echo, dream. Whatever it was. All of it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°The true wind, Owen. You were supposed to wait for me.¡±

    Owen¡¯s eyes were blank. No life was left to respond.

    Milo gave up on calling him and took action. Racing ahead of Ezra, he picked up the Thorin-sphere. He shoved it into Ezra¡¯s hands.

    ¡°How do you access the inventory?¡± Milo pulled at Ezra¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Ezra! How do I get to the bird? The test isn¡¯t over till we have the ribbon!¡±

    ¡°No, the test is far from over.¡± Ezra dragged Owen¡¯s crimson-soaked sword from the ground. Using it to steady himself, he got up. His mind went blank, and Milo¡¯s voice faded into nothing.

    ¡°Ezra! It¡¯s almost over. Let''s finish it.¡±

    He dropped the orb and glanced around the room for a boy with curly black hair and daggers. Daggers stained with Owen¡¯s blood. He spotted Camila in the far left corner. She held up a white ribbon and along with her team, disappeared in a puff of blue dust. Marcus jumped through but caught nothing.

    Rage coursed through Ezra¡¯s body as he marched towards the murderer. His knuckles turned white with fury as he gripped Owen¡¯s sword. Unsheathing his unblemished sword, Ezra¡¯s walk evolved into a sprint. One of Marcus¡¯s teammates noticed him approaching and took a defensive stance.

    Ezra ducked below a wide swing and thrust Owen¡¯s sword through the man¡¯s jaw. Blood foamed from the man¡¯s mouth as Ezra used the second sword to lop off his fighting hand. He missed, just slightly, and only hit the man¡¯s fingers. The appendages slid across the floor, leaving filthy trails of blood. Pain exploded in Ezra¡¯s side as another of Marcus¡¯s teammates charged him and sent him sprawling across the floor. Drawing air back into his lungs, Ezra clawed back to his feet and lept on the man. A fist hit his side, then nails tore at his thighs. Another jab, this time in the throat, sent him gasping for air, but nothing could get him off. He tried to scream, but could only let out a hoarse gurgle. Driving both of his swords into the man¡¯s chest, nothing was real. Not even the pain that shrieked at him to stop. I have to get to Marcus. Again, he plunged the swords in. I have to get to Marcus. Ezra¡¯s hands were red. I have to get to Marcus. He didn¡¯t dare to look down.

    Marcus was only a few feet away. He sneered at the dissipating blue smoke. Ezra screamed, words deafened by his wrath. Rushing forward, the sides of his vision darkened until he was solely focused on Marcus. Moments before he stuck, Marcus¡¯s eyes darted toward him. Then the room changed.

    Ezra stumbled forward, lodging both swords in the ground as Milo stepped aside. The white walls were gone, and with them, Marcus. He collapsed and stared forward, the adrenaline of the moment quickly leaving his body. Air left his lungs faster than he could keep it in until his breathing turned to whimpers that abated a forming sob.

    ¡°Why did you?¡±

    ¡°Because I had to,¡± Milo replied. ¡°I couldn¡¯t lose both of you.¡±

    Ezra took in the room around him. This one was gray with no obvious exit. Camlia¡¯s group huddled at the opposite end. Every single one of them. Alive. It all seemed like a sick dream. He dropped the swords. As they hit the ground, the metal rang throughout the room like a funeral bell.

    Another group of people popped into existence. He didn¡¯t recognize them. Their faces were still stained from battle. Ezra squeezed his hands tight. Watery liquid dripped from his fingers, and a shiver ran up his spine. Crimson soaked his palms. Milo took a step back, and the reality of those few seconds rushed through Ezra like a freezing river.

    His legs gave way. Not even tears could appear. It was too much. ¡°Why, Milo?¡±

    Milo frowned, but nothing came from his lips.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it. We won,¡± Ezra muttered. ¡°We won.¡± Another group flashed into the room and Ezra looked up at Milo. ¡°What lie do I have to tell myself to keep going?¡±

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    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°We promised him to make it to the top. Didn¡¯t we?¡±

    Milo shuddered and took a seat next to Ezra. ¡°We did.¡± His voice flowed easily and softened Ezra¡¯s raging thoughts. ¡°So don¡¯t tell yourself a lie. You know why we have to keep going.¡±

    Another group appeared in the room, and a voice came from the walls. ¡°Welcome new sky-seekers. All of you have successfully passed the qualifying test. Your A.S.H.O. augmentation will be delivered shortly.¡±

    A flash of light filled the room, and it felt like its rays bored into their heads. Ezra opened his eyes and was met with a shimmering gray screen. Not too different from the Thorin-sphere¡¯s blue inventory screen. A bar crossed the top. Below the bar, the word robustness, with a zero next to it, glowed. Further down, skill was written in big white letters. Ezra reached to tap on the letters, but a high-pitched ding briefly filled his skull. He noticed Milo wince at the sound also. Good, it''s not just me. The sound wasn¡¯t entirely uncomfortable, just unexpected.

    The bar at the top of the screen flashed as it began to fill. Small numbers at the bottom right of the bar rapidly increased. The letters e, x, and p shimmered next to the numbers. Ezra had no idea what they meant. A box flashed in front of him.

    Congratulations, you killed Human

    Then another.

    Congratulations, you killed Human

    He felt like he was going to throw up.

    Congratulations, you killed Human

    The last box stayed, but the numbers kept going up. The words stared back at him mercilessly. Shaking, Ezra pressed the x to close the box. His red hands left no mark on the screen. Congratulations. Congratulations. Bile twisted in his stomach. It¡¯s praising me. The system is praising me. The laws of the abyss are rewarding me. For. For. He tried to wipe the blood off, but it stubbornly refused to go. Panic filled his mind, echoing, echoing. Every scream, every guttural cry, pitiful cry, terrible cry. All echoed in his mind. The numbers stopped, and another box appeared.

    Level 4 achieved

    Would you like to distribute points to your skill or robustness?

    He ignored the question, lost in a place that had no concept of who he was. Trapped between the world of Deepburrow and the world of sky-seekers. He wanted to feel nothing, know nothing, be empty, but the words of the system rang in his mind.

    ¡°Sweet! Level ten. Five more than you. Looks like our strategy paid off.¡±

    He gazed up at Marcus across the room, beaming ear to ear. The black-haired boy teased his companions as they compared levels. He passed? The question rolled through his mind over and over until a wave of anger rose from the void. Ripping his swords from the ground, Ezra lunged towards him.

    His blade was moments away from slicing Marcus in two when his whole body went stiff and hit the floor. Although paralyzed, he could see a doorway opening. Light flooded in from the outside, and a man in a black suit walked in. His long tailcoats curled up behind him. People parted as he walked towards Ezra. He felt different than everyone else in the room as if an aura of power emanated from him.

    ¡°Now, haven¡¯t we had enough killing for today?¡± He crouched as Ezra glared at him. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±

    ¡°You let us kill each other in there. What difference does one more make?¡±

    The man sighed, and his cheeks sagged as he looked around the room. ¡°Because then we would have less qualified sky-seekers. That was the testing ground. Everyone here has earned the right to live another day. Here at the Sky-seeker¡¯s Office of Trainees, it is our job to provide qualified candidates to the guilds and corporations of the higher layers.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t plan on joining a guild or corp,¡± A pungent venom seeped into Ezra¡¯s voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it all before. Don¡¯t think you''re any different.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t control my decisions.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you are quite right. I don¡¯t.¡± The man got quieter and leaned in closer. Ezra could feel the administrator¡¯s breath on his face. ¡°You are free to do what you like, but if you want to survive, you¡¯ll heed my advice. The system owes you nothing, but you owe everything to the system, and there are people who know how to utilize it much better than you do.¡± The man got up with energy that belied his age. ¡°Everyone follow me. Just a few more formal procedures before each of you officially become sky-seekers.¡±

    The invisible hold over Ezra¡¯s muscles released their grip. Milo rushed over as others were already on their way out and bent down to help him. As he left, Marcus turned and flipped Ezra off. A single line of red ran along his cheek.

    Ezra smiled. He had hit him. Milo put an arm around Ezra and helped him up. ¡°Was that some sort of skill? It was like your brain just shut off.¡± Milo stared after the rest of the group.

    Ezra said nothing. Everything seemed to trap him; make rules for him. First White Rock, then the sky-seekers, and now this mysterious system. A system he would owe the rest of his life to. When can I live life by my own rules, he wondered. Perhaps if I go higher. The strange memory flashed through his mind again. Always higher. The words of his mother and then the words at the lighthouse and Owen¡¯s wish came next. Till our humanity hungers no more. The true wind. Not bound by the rules of man or the abyss.

    Milo pulled him towards the door and Ezra shifted his weight onto his own two feet. Standing taller, he stared after Marcus. Fury simmered beneath the surface. The time for revenge would come, but that was not all.

    ¡°We are making it to the top,¡± Ezra said. This time determination filled his words. ¡°Owen¡¯s dream won¡¯t die here.¡±

    End of Arc 1: Rebirth of a Dream

 Chapter 9: Foul Conversations

    Thorin hasn¡¯t spoken to me in four days. I wonder if we should go back down. Recoup our losses. I tell myself that, but the order would never let us leave twice. Maybe that¡¯s why I came up here. I couldn¡¯t stand San¡¯tel¡¯s oppressive rules.

    Thorin told me we would make our own rules once we got up here. For once in our lives, be free, but all we found was a new set of rules. Prey or be preyed upon. Starve or hunt. Kill or be killed. A crueler set of rules if you ask me.

    But I still have hope. Hope that more is out there. I have that hope because of him. He doesn¡¯t say it, but I can see it in his eyes. He¡¯s thinking of something. Figuring out how to get us out of this situation. He always has. Like that time we got caught stealing fusion coils.

    Even when we were still in the abyss, he lived by his own rules. So why did he need to come up here? What is he seeking? I have faith in him. But you know, sometimes I still wonder.

    Maryel¡¯s 3rd Recording, Year Unknown

    <hr>

    The test admin was already speaking to the survivors when Ezra and Milo walked into the room. A projector displayed a picture of the administrator, his name, and credentials like the whole affair was a business conference. Ezra caught a glimpse of the name before the man switched the slides. Theodin Valdera. A name as ostentatious as the man himself. All of that was hidden behind a professional veneer, but for a moment Ezra had seen his true nature.

    A map of the inverted abyss appeared on the screen, and Milo dragged him to a padded scarlet chair. After carefully observing the room, he relented and opened his ears to Theodin¡¯s words.

    ¡°As you progress, your pockets will designate your rank and serve as your passport to higher layers.¡±

    Pocket? Ezra bit his lip, trying to decipher the missing information. Two rows ahead, Marcus twirled a gray disk in his hands. White lines covered the surface like the patterns Ezra had seen on countless circuit boards in his father¡¯s shop. Milo tapped Ezra¡¯s shoulder and waved a similar disk in front of his face.

    ¡°Check your left pocket,¡± he whispered.

    Ezra shoved his hand into his pocket, and sure enough, a similar disk appeared. ¡°When did they¡­¡±

    Milo shushed him and pointed towards the front. Theodin continued his speech. ¡°As of now, you are simply known as seekers. Unofficially, you may hear the term unalloyed pockets. Once you progress to the third layer, you will have a chance to obtain the designation of Morltin pocket. At the sixth Polnolite pocket and at the tenth Stoletime pocket. Unless you have obtained proper clearance, you will not be allowed to progress to higher layers. This is all to ensure the safety of inexperienced sky-seekers. Some may wish to forego safety in favor of brash recklessness. Thinking it will provide them some thrill or adventure, but here at the Groud-Seekers Office of Trainees, we do not entertain such thoughts.¡±

    Theodin¡¯s eyes fixed on Ezra. Long enough for no one else to notice. Ezra felt tempted to throw the disk right between his eyes.

    ¡°We wish all of you to develop into accomplished and skillful sky-seekers.¡± Theodin clicked to the next slide as the women in turquoise robes spoke up.

    ¡°Stoletime isn¡¯t the highest rank.¡±

    Theodin cleared his throat at the sudden interruption. ¡°You are correct. Hana Bai Lou. If I am not mistaken, your father is one of the twelve that carries the rank known as voyager.¡± Whispers passed through the room, yet Hana sat still. Theodin tapped his microphone, and the electronic screech silenced the ruckus. ¡°There is no test to obtain this rank. It is only given to those of exceptional skill or influence. Those who have defined what it means to be a sky-seeker.¡±

    Hana was likely the oldest in the room, yet with a legacy that proceeded her, Ezra wondered why she was taking the test now. Or why she was taking it on the first layer at all.

    ¡°Twenty years ago, Jin Bai Lou was the first to make it to the 11th layer, and four years ago saved 79 sky-seekers during the burning of the Golden Wing route in the ninth layer. And just a year ago¡­¡± Hana was beginning to become as red as heated metal. Theodin clicked the next slide and spared her any further embarrassment. ¡°Each of you may have noticed a similar display upon completing your first test.¡± A gray screen appeared on the slide matching the one Ezra had seen moments ago. ¡°This is called your attribute screen. It is a physical representation of your strength as a sky-seeker. At the top of this screen, you will accumulate experience as you climb the inverted abyss.¡±

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    The letters e, x, and p suddenly made sense. It was simple. To the point. Yet Ezra still wished those numbers didn¡¯t remind him of experiences he hoped could be forgotten. Was that all that Owen¡¯s life had been reduced to for Marcus? Just numbers on a screen. Telling him that he was stronger after killing an earnest and hopeful human being.

    Theodin kept droning on about point distributions, skill advantages and evolutions, robustness deviations, and level requirements. It was all so much information it made Ezra want to shut his brain off. Milo leaned forward intently, listening to every word and seemingly energized by the info dump. Ezra figured he would ask him later about any pertinent information he missed.

    After what felt like an eternity, Theodin finally clicked on the last slide and opened the room to questions. Nearly half of everyone¡¯s hand shot up. Before Theodin could pick someone, Ezra made his voice heard.

    ¡°Where does this system come from anyway? Is it just another device you people imagined to impose more rules on us?¡±

    Theodin glared at the second interruption but quickly resumed his professional demeanor. ¡°I believe the core of your question is about the origins of the A.S.H.O. system. It was discovered by the now-deceased founder of Faulpher-tek nearly 400 years ago. The specific details of his discovery are unfortunately lost to time.¡±

    ¡°How convenient,¡± Ezra said, ready to continue his interrogation. Yet Theodin had already picked another hand, and Camila asked a question about robustness deviations.

    Milo nudged him. ¡°We don¡¯t need to know how the bread is made. Let''s just enjoy how it tastes.¡±

    He may have been satisfied with that, but Ezra was not. To him, his pocket was too similar to the Thorin-sphere, and he still had a million questions about that. Faulpher-tek being so closely tied with the A.S.H.O. system didn¡¯t inspire confidence either.

    As Theodin finished answering questions, he directed them through a series of hallways and into a room filled with leather bags, backpacks, and an assortment of other gear. ¡°You will find the supplies you dropped off before entering the testing area here. Down the hallway and to the left, we have lodging if you wish to stay the night. If you are eager to continue your climb, you may exit on the right.¡±

    People crowded into the room and began searching through the bags. Ezra and Milo waited a few moments as others got their stuff and cleared out. Towards the back of the wall, they found three backpacks. Ezra stood for a moment and stared unblinking at the third. Owen¡¯s backpack. Frozen in place, others shuffled around him to continue emptying the room. Ezra blinked, grabbed his backpack, and quickly exited. Milo didn¡¯t bother going after his friend and rubbed the temple of his forehead. Without any hesitation, he grabbed the two remaining backpacks.

    Marcus rounded the right corner and was already out of Ezra¡¯s sight. Gripping the shoulder straps of his backpack, Ezra marched after him. Suddenly, the world lurched around him, and the backpack pushed hard against his shoulders.

    ¡°Wrong way.¡± Milo yanked the backpack again as Ezra took another step towards the exit.

    ¡°We¡¯re continuing the climb.¡±

    ¡°Not tonight. I¡¯m exhausted, and I know you are too. The decision is final.¡±

    ¡°Your decision, not mine. I can keep going.¡± Ezra clenched his fist. Marcus was getting further away.

    ¡°Going for what?¡± Milo kept his voice deathly calm. It was not like him. In nearly every memory Ezra had of him, Milo was always the loudest in the room. ¡°To chase after him until you get yourself killed.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t lose sight of him. I know I can''t kill him now, but when the time comes, I have to know where he is.¡±

    ¡°Then rest. We¡¯ll find him tomorrow.¡±

    Ezra yanked his backpack away from Milo and gripped the Thorin-sphere. A blonde woman, crying, flashed into his mind. Another woman lay in a blood-soaked dress. If only we had gotten here sooner. Oh, Isabella. We should have stopped him. She stared up, and a rush of emotions invaded Ezra¡¯s head. Why didn¡¯t you stop him?

    The flood of memories pressed against his skull, and Ezra raised his voice. ¡°We need to kill him now. He¡¯ll only get stronger.¡± Several people glanced in their direction.

    Milo lowered his tone to a sharp whisper. ¡°And then what? What about the rest of Marcus¡¯s team? We don¡¯t know what skills they have, and by the time we can get the jump on them they¡¯ll be in the second layer. We know next to nothing about the second layer.¡±

    ¡°I know what it¡¯s like.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve heard stories.¡± Milo¡¯s soft features had hardened, and he stepped closer. ¡°The same stories I have. It¡¯s a bioluminescent forest. That¡¯s it. We know nothing else about it. So stop running your mouth like you¡¯re the hero. I don¡¯t want to get killed either.¡±

    ¡°Then don¡¯t come.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not¡­ We both saw what happened in that test room. I put on a brave face, but honestly, I was scared.¡± A weight seemed to lift from Milo¡¯s chest. ¡°It was the first time in years I actually feared for my life. I thought I was going to die.¡±

    ¡°Owen did.¡± Ezra glared at Milo, the death replaying over and over in his mind.

    ¡°And you don¡¯t fear for yours?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    Milo raised his hand. He almost seemed ready to slap Ezra, but his fingers trembled as they covered his mouth as if to keep in words ready to slip out. ¡°Then run off like your mother and forget everyone you cared about.¡±

    A fist struck Milo''s jaw, and he was sent staggering across the hallway. He put his thumb to the corner of his mouth and smeared a streak of blood. Breathing heavily, Milo put a hand on his knee. Eyes filled with rage, they observed each other from opposite ends, still processing what had transpired.

    Milo took in a few more strained breaths and spoke first. ¡°Don¡¯t die down here. Owen won¡¯t see your grave from the top.¡± He slid up the wall and limped towards the overnight lodging.

    Marcus was likely already out of the building, and Ezra¡¯s fist throbbed with pain. Blood still stained his hands, and now Milo¡¯s blood was blending in. The color of his palms reminded him of the red-tipped dagger protruding through Owen¡¯s back. The more he stared down, the dirtier his fingers looked. Before Ezra could think anymore, he stomped towards the left entrance to wash the lingering filth. For he hoped he would wash away the memory too.

 Chapter 10: The Luminescent Forest

    The night passed; morning came, and Ezra stirred restlessly in an unfamiliar bed. Across the room, Milo silently sorted his gear. Ezra understood. They would leave together for the second layer in the coming hour.

    His old clothes lay crumpled by the bedside, and his second and only pair fit loosely around him. Last night, when cleaning up, Ezra discovered more than just his hands were stained with blood.

    ¡°Camila¡¯s party leaves in the next hour. She asked if we wanted to go with her.¡±

    It was too early for pity. Ezra yawned and threw the sheets off. ¡°Thanks, but I think we can make it on our own.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure? They¡¯re capable people and would make valuable allies. They were the first to pass the test.¡±

    ¡°Do you want to switch parties?¡±

    Milo looked offended and chucked a glow rod into his backpack. ¡°Do you remember Mrs. Walwick?¡± A look of confusion crossed Ezra¡¯s face, but Milo continued. ¡°We were only eight, but that hag of a teacher was always talking about how the eleventh layer was a hoax to build up a labor force on the higher layers. I just ignored her ramblings, kept my head down, and waited for the lecture to begin. But one day, you bit back. Maybe it was from a place of anger or frustration, but every word out your mouth that day were things I was too scared to say.¡± Milo chuckled and gripped a folded shirt in his hands. ¡°Do you even remember what you said?¡±

    ¡°Not a word.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t remember everything, but I do remember one thing. You told her the reason sky-seekers sought the top was so they didn¡¯t have to listen to brain-dead teachers like her.¡±

    Ezra smiled as the memory flickered across his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was that ruthless as a kid.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I could tell you a million other things you said when we were in primary school. I almost pity the women.¡± The room got quiet again, and Milo stuffed the shirt into the leather bag. ¡°But that was the day I first took notice of you. You weren¡¯t tied down by the rules or expectations of others.¡± Milo sighed. ¡°And that''s why I¡¯m not switching parties.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about last night.¡±

    Before Milo could respond, Ezra was already off the bed, out the door, and on his way to the bathroom across the hall.

    ¡°That idiot. I was the one who was going to apologize first,¡± Milo muttered. After all these years, Ezra was still that same little kid.

    Before they left, Camila extended another invitation. Ezra could see the guilt behind her eyes. In a way, she felt responsible for Owen¡¯s death. After all, it was her bird that landed at his feet. Maybe Owen would have accepted her offer, but to Ezra, she was just another reminder. As she left, Ezra felt it wasn¡¯t right to leave it like this.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault,¡± he said, the words almost catching in his throat. ¡°The test was chaotic. None of us knew what would happen. Everyone was determined to win.¡±

    She turned back, her eyes glistening with tears. ¡°That means a lot. I¡¯ve been wondering if I¡¯m really fit to be a sky-seeker. Failing five times puts those kinds of thoughts in your head.¡± She sniffled and brushed the freckled bridge of her nose. ¡°And after yesterday, I couldn¡¯t sleep. The horrible things people did to each other. Is that really what a sky-seeker is? I can¡¯t become that. I can¡¯t be that cruel.¡±

    ¡°But maybe it doesn¡¯t have to be that way,¡± Milo said. ¡°A sky-seeker hunts for the top, not other people¡¯s throats.¡±

    Ezra stared at the ground and shuffled his feet. His mother''s words echoed in his mind. We seek the beauty that has yet to be seen. Lifting his head, a realization struck him. Was she even after the top?  ¡°Sky-seekers make their own rules. Be the one you wish to be, and others that share your dream will follow.¡±

    Camila whipped the moisture from her face and regained her confident composure. ¡°You know I hope we meet each other again. Maybe once I become a Voyager, you won¡¯t turn down my offer.¡±

    ¡°Not if we become Voyagers first,¡± Milo retorted.

    Camila laughed and turned to rejoin her party. With a wave, she shouted back, ¡°May your journey be blessed by the infinite sky.¡±

    As her voice faded in the distance, Ezra glanced back at the trainee building. The massive entrance sloped down to the much smaller back door they had exited. Rigid stone walls wrapped around the snake-like building, leaving no room to spot Deepburrow. Ezra wished he could glance back at his hometown one more time, but this was a sign to look forward.

    Ahead, gray caverns rose in loops that looked like a gigantic drill had been pushed into the ground. The flutes of such a drill provided thin yet sturdy pathways curving towards a glowing mist.

    ¡°I guess the only way is up.¡± A smile danced on Milo¡¯s lips.

    He knew it was a bad joke, but Ezra couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°I suppose it is.¡±

    And with that, they took the first steps on their journey to the top.

    Halfway up the twisting hollowed-out pillar, the air felt thicker, and moisture clung to their every pore. The mist still hid what lay above, but its ethereal tendrils seemed ready to wrap them in its mystery. Splotches of green appeared on the pathway now and again. A patch of moss growing in a fissure of stone, a bush poking out of the boulder-strewn path, or a twirling vine hanging from a ledge above was more life than Ezra had seen in his entire lifetime. One of the first memories he could recall was his mother taking him to a garden. He had no idea where it was today or how his mother had found it. Plants rarely grew in Deepburrow, and those that did were gnarled ugly things. It was a small garden containing less than two dozen different plants, but that little patch of green always made her happy. So he was happy too. He wondered what sights his mother had seen beyond the mist and the sights his father would never get to see.

    ¡°Milo, are you going to miss your sister?¡±

    The silence stood for another moment as rushing wind whistled across the rocky walls. ¡°Of course I will. I already am. Yesterday, I even thought about dragging her to the testing center with me. But that wouldn¡¯t do either of us any good, so I said my goodbyes.¡± Milo chewed his lip in thought. ¡°It won¡¯t be forever though,¡± he added. ¡°We¡¯ll return one day.¡±

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    Every sky-seeker had a chance to return to lower layers, but what happens when they pass the eleventh? Ezra had no clue what stopped people from climbing higher, and he wondered if whatever it was would stop them from returning. If he even wanted to return. ¡°Yeah, perhaps I¡¯ll get to see Albert again.¡±

    ¡°That guy from the explosives team?¡¯ A confused look crossed Milo¡¯s face.

    ¡°He visited me a few times when I was in the hospital.¡± The light faded from Ezra¡¯s face. ¡°He probably doesn¡¯t even know Owen¡¯s dead.¡±

    Milo paused and then prodded with another question. ¡°What about your father?¡±

    ¡°I visited a few days before I left.¡±

    ¡°Aaaaand, how¡¯d that go?¡± Milo was already sure he knew the answer.

    Several words had passed between them that day, but only the last ones stuck in Ezra¡¯s mind like an itch he couldn¡¯t scratch. ¡°He told me to be careful.¡±

    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s nice at least,¡± Milo said in a cheerful tone.

    ¡°That¡¯s the problem. He¡¯s never nice. He¡¯s always just apathetic, and the day I decide to leave, he suddenly cares.¡±

    ¡°Do you care about him?¡±

    ¡°I¡­well I want to,¡± Ezra stammered. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t make it easy. You know he never came to visit while I was in the hospital.¡± Ezra pressed his lips together and tightened his jaw to scowl before letting all the tension go. ¡°When Mom was around, he cared about me. She made us stick together. She cared. Until she cared about something other than us.¡±

    ¡°I should¡¯ve never said what I did last night. I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Milo took a deep breath and stared at the approaching white mist.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for¡­¡±

    Milo cut him off. ¡°Nope. You already apologized this morning. Don¡¯t try and one-up me. We¡¯re even now.¡±

    ¡°Uh, well, thanks, I guess.¡±

    Milo chuckled. ¡°You were never any good at accepting apologies. Were you?¡± Ezra opened his mouth to utter a retort, but Milo cut in again. ¡°But I accept your acceptance of my apology.¡± He pointed to the sky. ¡°Look, we¡¯re almost there.¡±

    Before Ezra could dwell on Milo¡¯s words any longer, he gazed at the puffy and shimmering cloud. Out of pure wonder, he stuck his hand in the mist. Chilled air wrapped around his fingers, and droplets of water clung to his skin.

    ¡°Watch this,¡± Milo said. He set his backpack down, crouched, braced himself for a sprint, and then took off with explosive force. Within seconds, he disappeared into the thick fog. Ten seconds, then twenty. Then, an entire minute passed. The sound of wind swirled through the cavity of stone.

    ¡°Milo,¡± Ezra called a tinge of anxiety in his voice.

    Suddenly, Milo burst from the thick haze as the cloud¡¯s tendrils retracted to their original form. His brown hair drooped like the hair of a wet dog, and the rest of him was completely damp. Flipping the strands of his hair back, a few specks of water slapped Ezra¡¯s forehead.

    ¡°Refreshing,¡± Milo exclaimed as he took in fresh air. ¡°You should give it a try.¡±

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass. You¡¯re soaking wet.¡± Ezra wiped the water from his forehead and cast judging eyes over Milo¡¯s sopping clothes.

    ¡°You¡¯ll have to pass through eventually. So come on, stop being a worrywart.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not about me. It¡¯s our equipment.¡±

    Milo tapped his forehead. ¡°It¡¯s times like this you should be glad to have a genius on your team.¡±

    ¡°And who is this genius?¡± Ezra raised an eyebrow, provoking a response.

    Milo shook his head in disappointment. ¡°Why do you think I took my backpack off before running in? Of course, I was thinking about our equipment! And we won¡¯t have to worry about it if you use a special item of yours.¡±

    The realization came to Ezra, and he felt like an idiot. He pulled the Thorin sphere from his pocket. ¡°Now it won¡¯t absorb the whole bag. We have to take everything out and store each item separately.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me about this.¡±

    ¡°I thought the self-proclaimed genius of our group would know.¡±

    Milo glared at him with a sharp stare before accepting the situation. ¡°If you say so,¡± he shrugged.

    Both of them sat down and started unloading their bags. Cooking equipment went in one pile and rations in another. Other items included rope and various traversal equipment, tents, a whetstone, and some backup weapons such as daggers and a foldable quarterstaff.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize Owen bought so much stuff,¡± Ezra said, pulling a spatula out of his bag. ¡°He really did have this all planned out.¡±

    ¡°Perhaps this is just his way of keeping the drop oath.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, maybe it is.¡± Ezra grinned, thinking of Owen watching them from the top. ¡°Alright,¡± Ezra pushed himself up, ¡°let''s get this started.¡±

    He approached the pile of cookware and tapped the Thorin-sphere against the pan on top. The whole pile disappeared, and Ezra stared, wide-eyed, at the empty ground. Quickly, he navigated to his inventory, hoping everything was there. An icon in the top left corner appeared. The picture looked like various pots and pans with kitchen utensils in the background. When he tapped the icon, the label ¡®cookware collection¡¯ appeared along with the option to drop, store, and delete.

    ¡°What¡¯s the issue?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°Nothing, I just didn¡¯t realize it could recognize a collection of items.¡± The icon glowed in Ezra¡¯s eyes as he tried to puzzle out how this was possible.

    ¡°Seems like even you don¡¯t know how that thing works.¡±

    ¡°I never claimed I did.¡±

    Milo threw the last item from his backpack into the rations pile. ¡°Let¡¯s finish this up. We need to make it to the second layer before nightfall.¡±

    Ezra nodded and began collecting the rest of the items.

    Soon, they were on their way. Before entering the mist, Ezra felt like he should hold his breath, but Milo assured him that wasn¡¯t necessary. As soon as he entered the billowing haze, cold air, and thick waves of moisture washed over him. Only a few paces ahead, the ground was completely obscured. Ezra touched the wall of wet rock to orient himself and began making his way up.

    Time seemed to pass differently in the never-ending mist. Only a dim glow signaled what time of day it was, and even that glow felt like a trick played by their eyes. Occasionally, the cloud was so thick he could no longer see Milo. Ezra would call out and within seconds would get a noise back. Each noise was different than the last and seemed to be how Milo was entertaining himself. The humidity had long soaked beneath his clothes and now drenched his skin. Every gust of wind made him shiver. Because he was cold or nervous the breeze would be strong enough to knock him off, Ezra could not choose. He kept his breath steady despite the thick air trying to choke him.

    Light continued to fade until Ezra was mentally prepared to use his other four senses to navigate. Not that his sight had been very helpful so far. He called out again and this time got back a high-pitched whistle. A few minutes later, the glow of day became green and then blue. A purple light moved through the cloud until the other two colors returned. The mist was thinning, and Ezra turned to see Milo only a few paces behind him. The unnatural display of light put Ezra on edge. He equipped a sword from the Thorin sphere.

    Coming out of the mist was like witnessing dawn at midnight. A brilliant display of lights filled his vision, and Milo audibly gasped behind him. Before them, a forest of fluorescent lights stretched as far as they could see. Trees with massive canopies arched over their heads. Segments of luminous material flowed from their roots and pulsed gently in the leaves. Ferns, bushes, and clustered grasses clutched to the base of each tree, giving off a warm glow that ranged from magenta to dark orange. Vines hung from branches like long lamps guiding the way forward.

    A creature, unlike anything Ezra had ever seen, paused on the dirt road. Its black eyes reflected the living land around it. The animal¡¯s ears curled, and the orange and purple spotted fur on its back stood up. Its front legs tensed, and then it shot off into the undergrowth.

    The scent of fresh soil and flowers he had long forgotten filled Ezra¡¯s breath. For his ears, the hum of nature''s light sang a song more pleasant than the electric sounds Ezra was used to. Like a distant choir, the earnest voices of the forest welcomed the new travelers.

    Everything was more vivid than any story he had been told. Upon taking it all in, Ezra only had one thought. Mother, is this the beauty you sought?

 Chapter 11: Eyes in the Dark

    Shadows flickered across their campsite from the flames dancing between them. The grass along the edges of the fire pulsed a faded purple as if in response to the new warmth. As Milo hammered in the last tent stake, he took a seat.

    ¡°The fire¡¯s getting low. Can you add another branch?¡± Ezra requested.

    A mischievous smile spread across Milo¡¯s face, and he snapped his fingers at a pile of sticks a few paces away. One of the branches shook and levitated off the top. Hanging uneasily in the air, the piece of wood made its way over to the fire. With another snap, the stick fell into a plume of smoke and ash.

    ¡°When did you?¡± Ezra glanced at the stick and then back at Milo, an expression of bewilderment on his face. ¡°How did?¡±

    ¡°Since yesterday.¡± Milo calmly responded. ¡°I thought you would¡¯ve checked your skill screen by now.¡±

    ¡°Skil screen?¡±

    Milo pulled a gray disk from his pocket. ¡°You didn¡¯t pay attention to the presentation at all. Did you?¡±

    ¡°I heard the first bit about pocket rankings.¡±

    ¡°So not much.¡± Milo tapped the center of the disk, and a gray screen projected in front of him.

    Milo Jastram

    Level 3 . . .    Rank: Seeker

    Robustness Lvl 1  Distribution [Lvl 10 required]

    Skill Lvl 2   Evolution [Lvl 50 required]

    Clicking on skill, another screen appeared to the right of Milo.

    Skill [Anti-gravity]

    When activated, any inanimate object touched will defy the force of gravity and bend to the user''s control. Effects last up to 20 seconds. [Rank up available at Level 20]

    When nothing pulls you down, the stars are within reach.

    ¡°What¡¯s a star?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°Absolutely no idea. I wonder if yours has a cool tagline too.¡± Milo clicked the x at the top right corner of the screen. ¡°Now you try it,¡± Milo prompted.

    Ezra sluggishly pulled the device out of his pocket and tapped its center.

    Ezra Arkin

    Level 4 . . .   Rank: Seeker

    Robustness Lvl 0  Distribution [Lvl 10 required]

    Skill Lvl 0   Evolution [Lvl 50 required]

    He pressed skill, and a screen different from Milo¡¯s popped up.

    Would you like to distribute points to your skill?  [0 / 4]

    Ezra kept his mouth shut, wondering what he should do. He certainly wasn¡¯t going to ask Milo. He had already embarrassed himself enough.

    ¡°Click the zero to make it increase,¡± Milo said, despite never being asked.

    Ezra tried to suppress the frustration in his voice. ¡°But I don¡¯t even know my skill yet. Why would I want to put points into it without knowing if it''s worth it.¡±

    ¡°It didn¡¯t let me see my skill until I put a point into it. A stupid design, but that''s how it is. Just put one point in for now.¡±

    The screen read [1 / 4], and Ezra clicked confirm. His skill screen materialized, and he read its description over and over until Milo interjected.

    ¡°So what is it? I told you mine, so it''s only fair you tell me yours.¡±

    ¡°Time-scale,¡± Ezra said, a torrent of thoughts still racing through his mind.

    ¡°Okay.¡± Milo¡¯s patience was running thin. ¡°But what does it do.¡± Ezra continued to stare at the floating white lines of text. ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll come look at it myself.¡± Brushing dirt off his trousers, Milo rushed behind him.

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    Seeing the words on the screen, he froze with the same shocked expression as Ezra.

    Skill [Time Scale]

    When activated, the user can push time forward or backward for one inanimate object of their choosing. The effects last the entire duration as long as the user has not selected another object. Time can be changed up to 30 seconds at the current level. [Rank up available at Level 30]

    May you mold your future with careful consideration of the past.

    Milo slapped Ezra on the back to shake him out of his daze. ¡°Dude, that''s sick. Probably the craziest power any Sky-seeker has ever had.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Ezra was sure those in the upper layers had powers that defied comprehension even more so than his skill.

    ¡°Yeah! This is Voyager level material.¡±

    Ezra canceled out of the menu and shoved the device into his pocket. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t go that far.¡±

    Milo frowned. ¡°You''re not even going to try it out?¡±

    ¡°Maybe tomorrow. It still doesn¡¯t feel right,¡± Ezra said, wrapping a cloak around himself. He knew he would have to use it eventually, but he still couldn¡¯t stomach how he had obtained it. Was that monster in the testing area really him? The more Ezra thought about it, the more he realized he didn¡¯t feel a speck of remorse for killing those people, and that bothered him.

    ¡°It¡¯s your power,¡± Milo muttered as he shuffled away and into his one-person tent.

    Ezra stared beyond the flames and pulled the fabric around himself tighter. Sweat beaded on his forehead. A few creatures chirped in the distance, and Ezra raised his gaze to the forest of lights. Despite the soft glow of the fauna, shadows wove their way into any available crevasse. Marcus was likely out there somewhere¡ªexperimenting with skills that would only make him stronger.

    Ezra pulled up his skill screen again and read the description for what must be the dozenth time. ¡®Only one inanimate object.¡¯ The words rang in his ears like they were screaming at his failure. Time manipulation. Since that day, he wondered if he could turn back time. Change the outcome. Make things right, and never let Owen die. He had the power to change time, but he couldn¡¯t save even one person with it.

    Anger rose within him, and he threw the gray disk into the fire. A piece of wood cracked and fell into the blackened charcoal. The disk remained unharmed. Each pillar of fire reached up to grasp the air, only to fall back down and shimmer across the metallic surface.

    ¡°This is stupid,¡± Ezra grumbled and used the folded quarter staff to remove his pocket from the fire. The grass around it sizzled until he stomped out the heat. As he reached down, something felt off.

    Leaves rustled, and branches snapped in the distance. A flock of small birds flew overhead, and then everything went eerily silent. Ezra brushed his fingers against the disk¡¯s surface and recoiled from the burning sensation. Gripping his hand, Ezra stood paralyzed once he saw a pair of glowing orange eyes in the dark.

    Fear filled his body. Ezra was too afraid to blink or move a single muscle. He wanted to call out to Milo, but his throat clenched shut. The air felt dry on his tongue, and the night breeze froze every droplet of sweat. Slowly he crouched down, picked up a thick branch, and wrapped it in his cloak. He set one end of it in the fire, never taking his eyes off the mysterious visitor. As the cloth caught fire, he raised the makeshift torch above his head. With one continuous motion, he chucked the torch into the undergrowth.

    It took a few seconds, but the flame caught. A fire burned between him and the beast. As the blazing light reached further the orange eyes blinked and disappeared. Ezra let out a sigh of relief.

    The fire crackled and was still growing. A glowing vine exploded in a shower of luminous liquid and then another. The substance caught and spread the flames further. A feverish wave of heat hit Ezra¡¯s face, forcing him to realize the reality of the situation.

    Idiot, what were you thinking? You panicked. Still, he couldn¡¯t have expected this forest to be a tinder box waiting to explode. Think. Think. The metallic glint of the disk beneath his feet caught his eye.

    Pulling his sleeve over his hand, Ezra picked up the pocket. Focus on the torch. Picture it in your mind. Reverse. Go back. Time-scale. A box flashed in front of him.

    Would you like to activate your skill [Time Scale]?

    ¡°Yes, do it now. Go back,¡± Ezra shouted.

    A whirlpool of flashing gas and blazing liquid swirled in front of him, all to where the torch lay. Flames roared like a terrifying wind, and plants uncurled from their ashen graves. The flaming torch flew through the air, and Ezra snatched it before it could fall on the tent behind him. Milo peeked out of his tent and saw Ezra holding a stick with the cloak wrapped around its tip.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Milo made it quickly apparent he didn¡¯t appreciate his sleep being disturbed.

    Ezra pointed to the patch of shadow where orange eyes had appeared.¡°There was a creature out there.¡±

    ¡°And you were planning to bludgeon it to death with a stick? A stick wrapped in a soft piece of cloth.¡±

    Now that Milo had put it like that, Ezra realized he did look pretty stupid. ¡°I scared it off with fire.¡±

    Milo nodded slowly with an incredulous look. ¡°Thanks, but I think you should get some sleep. It¡¯s been a long day.¡± With that, Milo obeyed his own advice and ducked back into his tent.

    Ezra lowered the useless weapon and stared into the darkness. The orange eyes did not reappear, and he hoped it stayed that way.

    ¡°You''re just tired. That''s all,¡± Ezra said to himself before entering his tent.

    A few rays of light peeked through the tent flaps and onto his face as Ezra yawned. With the morning light, the reminder of humid air returned as he peeled a sleeping bag off his drenched body. We have to figure out a way to clean these things, he thought. Extending his arms to the polycotton roof, Ezra checked that the Thorin-sphere and his pocket were still by his side.

    The sounds of the forest were lively today, he noted. Birds seemed to screech from every treetop. Suddenly, the wind hit the side of the tent, bubbled the inner wall, and then left as fast as it came. Ezra shoved both the Thorin-sphere and disk into his pocket and began putting on his boots. A dim thud rebounded through the trees, and Ezra hurried to tie his laces. What was going on? The pitter-patter of tiny creatures rushed past his tent, and a thunderous boom shook the ground. He had to see if Milo was awake. Shoving the few items he removed from the Thorin-sphere last night, into a backpack, he rushed outside.

    Everything erupted into a cloud of dirt and wooden splinters. Five people with silver breastplates rushed past him, and the sound of a vibro-crystal gun going off made Ezra cover his ears. Stone cracked, and another gust of wind, even stronger than the last, slammed into him. Barely holding his ground, Ezra glanced behind. Where his tent should be was only a plot of dirt.

    ¡°Come with me. It¡¯s not safe here!¡± Someone shouted at him from the brown mist. He couldn¡¯t tell which direction the voice was coming from.

    Another person screamed, and the ground shook again. A bloodied arm fell at Ezra¡¯s feet. He could feel his throat getting tighter. It was hard to breathe. The dust choked him. The arm isn¡¯t Milo¡¯s. The arm isn¡¯t Milo¡¯s, he told himself, hoping that saying it enough times would make it true.

    A hand shot out from the dust and latched onto Ezra¡¯s arm. ¡°We¡¯re falling back. Follow me.¡± The young man who stared at him wasn¡¯t much older and had eyes as innocent as Owen¡¯s had been.

    Ezra¡¯s legs moved on their own as the young man dragged him along. Thoughts flooded his mind until it went blank. One more time, he glanced behind, looking for Milo, but all he saw was two orange eyes piercing the dirty haze.

 Chapter 12: Mechanics of Flesh

    The next minutes, or maybe hours, blurred by. Time didn¡¯t matter. He needed to find Milo. The young man with blond hair asked him the same question so often that Ezra¡¯s response became instinctual as soon as sound came from the man¡¯s mouth.

    ¡°Are you still okay?¡±

    Ezra nodded again. The sounds of battle faded a long time ago, but they wouldn¡¯t stop running. His calves burned, his thighs ached, and his breath exited in raspy intervals. Nothing seemed to stop these men, and he could see no end to the forest.

    ¡°Where are we going,¡± Ezra managed to get out between puffs of air.

    ¡°Back to our camp. It''s safe there. The beast won¡¯t come near that many people.¡±

    That thing with orange eyes. The eyes that relentlessly preyed on him. Why would it be so scared of people? It seemed like it could kill anything.

    ¡°Milo. Where¡¯s Milo?¡±

    The young man glanced back again and frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Is he a friend of yours?¡±

    Ezra nodded.

    ¡°We¡¯ll see once we get back to camp. Maybe another group has him.¡± His voice didn¡¯t sound hopeful. ¡°Unalloyed were never meant to face something like that.¡± The young man slowed his pace briefly. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±

    Ezra nodded and then realized the question warranted a different response. ¡°It¡¯s Ezra.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Audrus,¡± he replied and then stared ahead and fell silent.

    Other things were on Ezra¡¯s mind, and Audrus did not ask another question.

    Their pace slowed, and Ezra looked up to see walls made of mishappen metal plates wedged between massive trees. Others in similar attire to those around Ezra walked along the top. Sharpened spikes, some of them rusted and broken swords, lined the bottom of the barricade. A dull iron cocoon, with a small viewing slit at the front, sat in the treetops behind the wall. A light flashed from the slit, and Audrus pulled out a tiny mirror from beneath his breastplate. Receiving the signal, a voice echoed across the compound.

    ¡°The hunting party has returned. Open the gates.¡±

    Metal screeched as the center of the wall slid open to slowly reveal a crowd of a few dozen people. Some wore armor, while others had tattered rags, the color of the forest, draped over their bodies. Everyone stared with a gaze that pleaded for good news, even though Ezra knew Audrus had none to give.

    ¡°Out of the way,¡± a raspy voice called from the back of the crowd.

    The throng of people parted as a middle-aged man with round glasses, smudged with what Ezra assumed was oil, pushed through. He had the same lethargic yet passionate glint in his eyes that Ezra had seen in his father¡¯s. A mind wracked with many ideas but little time to accomplish them.

    As the man got to the front of the crowd, he grasped Audrus¡¯s shoulders, leaving black streaks of mechanical grease. ¡°You found it didn¡¯t you,¡± he said in a frenzy.

    Audrus tried to hide his uncomfortableness as he stepped back. ¡°More like it found us.¡±

    ¡°A trivial matter. Tell me you retrieved a piece of its flesh. The last four groups were all disappointments.¡± He muttered something about useless personnel under his breath.

    Audrus motioned to one of his men, holding a bumpy item wrapped in cloth, to come forward. He took the item and uncovered it. The rest of the crowd leaned in to get a peek at this mystery object, and ecstasy glowed in the dirty man¡¯s glasses. Even Ezra could not resist the allure of such excitement.

    In Audrus¡¯s hands lay a lumpy piece of flesh. Metal wire weaved through its bloody tendons to form a sturdy but delicate-looking mesh. Beyond the metal, congealed blood browned the edges of the cloth. Ezra backed off once a sour scent hit his nostrils.

    The man¡¯s glasses slipped down his nose as he picked up the organic material. ¡°Wonderful. Wonderful! A specimen like this will do just fine.¡±

    ¡°Then take it already,¡± Audrus said. ¡°The thing stinks more than a Codolts dung.¡±

    The man gave a short bow and scurried off. This time, no one stood in his way.

    ¡°You¡¯re all dismissed. It''s been a long day, so we¡¯ll debrief before last light,¡± Audrus said In a commanding tone.

    Ezra scanned the crowd, hoping to spot Milo¡¯s face. A little girl clutched a woman¡¯s pant leg and stared at him. Her eyes looked hollow in a way a child¡¯s eyes never should. A shiver ran up Ezra¡¯s spine, and he continued searching. The crowd was already dispersing, and Milo was still nowhere to be seen.

    ¡°Sorry if that was a little startling. Hugo can be a bit obsessive sometimes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that guy who looked like a mechanic,¡± Ezra said, realizing Audrus was talking to him. ¡°Is he a Sky-seeker?¡±

    ¡°Officially, he is, but he has no interest in climbing to the higher layers. Right now, he¡¯s our employer and what people call a relic delver.¡± Audrus started walking further into the encampment as the walls shut behind them.

    ¡°A relic delver?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re people who find and work with ancient artifacts.¡±

    Artifacts like the Thorin-sphere. Ezra mentally noted. ¡°I thought they picked the lower layers clean decades ago.¡±

    ¡°They did, but Hugo¡¯s a special case. He doesn¡¯t look for normal artifacts.¡± As they walked past another group of hunters, Audrus waved and gave a smile. ¡°Most artifacts are made of metal or synthetic material, but Hugo is interested in the organic.¡±

    ¡°Like that piece of flesh from earlier. Is that from the monster that attacked my camp?¡±

    ¡°Sure is. Blew it right off the wretched things face myself.¡± A self-assured smile briefly spread across Audrus¡¯s face as he pat the vibro-crystal gun at his side.

    Before Ezra could ask another question, an elderly woman approached Audrus with a tin foil dish in her hands.

    ¡°Audrus, my dear.¡±

    He glanced in the woman¡¯s direction and extended his arms in a welcoming fashion before embracing her with a hug. ¡°Martha, I¡¯m glad to see you well. How is Leonardo doing? I hope he¡¯s taking it easy after that accident in the lab.¡±

    ¡°The fool keeps saying he needs to go back to his research when he ought to stay in bed. Sometimes, I think he¡¯s more married to his work than me.¡±

    Audrus laughed. ¡°I¡¯m sure that fool still loves ya. You keep showing him that tough love of yours, and he¡¯ll heal in no time.¡±

    ¡°By the way, this is for you.¡± She offered him the dish wrapped in tin foil. ¡°This is the least I could do after you fetched medicine for us. Without your forage skill, I¡¯m not sure that idiot would still be alive.¡±

    ¡°Thank you very much,¡± Audrus said as he graciously accepted the dish. He peeked under the foil and grinned. ¡°Boy, you couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of day I¡¯ve had. This is exactly what I needed.¡±

    Martha beamed with self-satisfaction as she walked away. ¡°You better not waste a scrap of it. Nothing worse than a Sky-seeker wasting food.¡±

    ¡°I won¡¯t. Let Leonardo know I send him my best wishes.¡± Once Martha blended into the crowd, Audrus turned his attention back to Ezra. ¡°As I was saying, that monster is why Hugo is down here, and for the rest of us, we¡¯re just people with a particular set of skills looking for work. Fees for the Polnolite test aren¡¯t cheap.¡±

    ¡°So you¡¯ve never been past the sixth layer?¡±

    ¡°Born and raised on the sixth, yet never seen a head above it,¡± Audrus said like it was a mark of pride. ¡°You''re welcome to stay the night,¡± he continued. ¡°There¡¯s always a corner to sleep in and an extra bowl to eat. Hugo may be eccentric, but he takes good care of his employees.¡± He looked up at the shadows lengthening through the treetops. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get going, but please, please make yourself comfortable. If you have any questions, just ask one of my fellow hunters.¡±

    Audrus said his goodbyes and briskly walked across the encampment until Ezra lost sight of him around one of the few trees within the walls. Light among the trees glittered, and he was alone again. Owen, now Milo, the inverted abyss was determined to take everyone from him. He didn¡¯t even know how it had happened. Maybe it was better that way. Hopefully, it had been painless. There was no proof Milo was dead, but the possibility that he was echoed in Ezra¡¯s mind. His throat clenched, and he could feel tears welling up despite not wanting to cry in the middle of a crowd.

    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    The speakers along the walls clicked on. ¡°More hunters have returned. Open the gates.¡±

    Ezra gazed at the location of the sound and held onto every word. As the speakers clicked off, he rushed towards the gates, where people had already begun to gather. With great force, the doors to the outside sluggishly opened. Every second stretched to a minute. A group of battered and ragged hunters walked, almost dragging themselves, to the wall. Among them, a boy with brown hair that nearly obscured his eyes leaned on one of the hunters.

    Squeezing through the crowd, Ezra was soon in a sprint before the hunters had made it through the entrance. He spotted blood running down the side of Milo¡¯s head as one of the hunters cried into the crowd.

    ¡°He needs medical attention now.¡± The bruised hunter, carrying Milo, looked up as Ezra approached. ¡°Are you Ezra?¡±

    How the man knew his name didn¡¯t concern him. ¡°Yes. What can I do to help? Anything. Anything at all. He¡¯s my friend.¡±

    ¡°Find Audrus. You know Audrus?¡±

    Ezra nodded and sprinted back into the camp, and around the tree, Audrus had gone. He called over and over until blond hair popped out of a large tent. As Ezra stopped in front of the tent, gasping for air, Audrus wore a worried frown. ¡°It¡¯s Milo. Help. He¡¯s injured. They need you.¡±

    Audrus ducked back inside and moments later emerged with a canvas backpack. ¡°Show me.¡±

    He still hadn¡¯t recovered from his first sprint, but that didn¡¯t matter. Taking in a deep breath of air, Ezra weaved through crowds with Audrus behind. When they got to the front gate, Audrus immediately took charge. The hunter with Milo looked ready to collapse.

    ¡°You there,¡± Audrus pointed at a hunter who had a fresher face. ¡°Take this man to the infirmary. I will be right behind.¡±

    The hunter took his orders as gospel and immediately obeyed. Soon, they were rushing across camp again. People¡¯s faces blurred as Ezra ran. Once inside a large white tent, the hunter set Milo on a cot. Audrus raced to the back of the pavilion. Counters and cabinets filled with medical supplies lined the wall. Even without spoken orders, the hunter set to examining Milo.

    Pulling back Milo¡¯s hair, revealed a small wound. That can¡¯t be it. Milo had survived far worse before becoming a sky-seeker. Next, the hunter rolled up both pant legs to the knee, and the real injury finally revealed itself. On his right leg, several cysts, filled with green liquid, bubbled up around a small hole in his skin that trickled blood.

    ¡°He¡¯s been poisoned,¡± the hunter grumbled.

    Audrus returned to the cot holding a few bandages, a pair of scissors, and a mortar filled with an orange mixture. He shoved the bandages and scissors into Ezra¡¯s hands.

    ¡°Cut them into squares about the size of your palm. Then I¡¯ll spread this ointment on them, layer them on the cysts, and wrap the wound.¡± Ezra stared at him, still processing the situation. ¡°Hurry, we don¡¯t have much time.¡±

    Those words woke him from his stupor, and Ezra got straight to work. As he rapidly cut the cloth, Audrus swiped each piece as he finished. After preparing eight squares, smothering them with ointment, and layering them on the fluid-filled protrusions, Audrus took the bandages and wrapped them around Milo¡¯s leg. He set a hand to Milo¡¯s head and breathed a sigh of relief.

    ¡°I¡¯ll check again in a few hours,¡± Audrus said, ¡°But I think he¡¯ll be alright.¡±

    ¡°What did you do?¡± Ezra caught a glimpse of the remaining smears of ointment in the stone mortar.

    Audrus was already gathering the used medical supplies. ¡°I prevented the poison from propagating into his body.¡±

    ¡°Poison?¡± Ezra asked as a group of weary hunters entered the tent.

    ¡°How did this happen?¡± Audrus turned to the new arrivals.

    ¡°It was that beast, sir. That abomination has more tricks than we expected.¡± The hunter leading the group cast his eyes down at Milo. ¡°Will he be all right?¡±

    ¡°He will be fine. Did anyone else get poisoned?¡± Audrus gave the group a cold stare to let them know there would be consequences for hiding anything. ¡°If not, each of you needs to get some rest. You can tell me the full story in the morning.

    With that, the hunters shuffled out of the tent, and Audrus continued his explanation to Ezra. ¡°Peace Sorrel, Urroran, and Lum Frog acid. According to my forage skill, those work best when treating poison of this nature. Sorrel reduces the swelling, Urroran extracts the poison, and the acid dissolves the walls of the cysts.¡± He finished putting away the last of the supplies.

    Ezra sat next to Milo, stunned. ¡°I thought you were hired to hunt for Hugo. How do you know all this? Not that I¡¯m complaining.¡±

    ¡°My skill, Forager, lets me detect natural materials depending on my need. That and the four years of medical school my parents forced me to take before I dropped out. They thought my skill would get me nowhere as a sky-seeker.¡± Audrus frowned as he wiped the last of the ointment out of the mortar. After being wrapped in his thoughts for a moment, he looked up and smiled. ¡°But being a sky-seeker isn¡¯t a solitary job.¡±

    Ezra hovered over Milo. ¡°I suppose it isn¡¯t.¡±

    Audrus cleared his throat and made for the door. ¡°Lot of things to do tonight, but feel free to stay with him and let me know if his condition changes.¡± After that, he left, and the other hunter followed behind.

    The tent fell silent, and Ezra carefully watched Milo¡¯s shallow breaths. Several lamps along the walls automatically lit up as light faded. He was tired, but Milo still wasn¡¯t awake. Feeling the weight of his eyelids, Ezra began to slouch. Just for a minute. His shoulders relaxed, and the tension in his neck disappeared. Ezra closed his eyes. Within the darkness, two orange dots rippled as if they were staring through murky water. The dots got brighter and then brighter until he could see malicious intent burning within them.

    Ezra shot up and reached for the Thorin-sphere. Realizing he was still in the medical tent, he relaxed. Milo was still asleep, and the camp outside seemed quieter than minutes ago, or maybe hours ago. For the first time since arriving, he noticed the straps of the backpack still on his shoulders. He let the pack fall to the ground as he stretched. Behind Ezra, the cloth at the entrance rustled, and he whipped around to find the source.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± He scanned the room and spotted a little girl just a few beds away. It was the same one he had seen in the crowd.

    Her eyes stared with no discernable emotion, and in her hands, she held a water pitcher. Trembling, she slowly walked over and offered the clay container. Ezra paused, but she pushed it into his hands.

    ¡°Drink,¡± she faintly whispered.

    Hesitant, Ezra let a few drops of water trickle into his mouth. ¡°Thank you,¡± he said raising the pitcher in appreciation.

    She continued watching him, and Ezra was unsure of what to do next. Now that he thought about it, she was the only child he had seen in the camp. What was she doing here?

    ¡°Where are your parents?¡±

    Her lip quivered, and it looked like she was about to cry. It was the first emotion he had seen from her. In a way, it was assuring.

    ¡°Daddy¡¯s supposed to be working, but he¡¯s not here,¡± she whimpered.

    This time, she did start crying. Ezra set down the pitcher and wondered what he should do. Milo was better with these things. He had always been good with kids. He tried to shush her, but she started to cry louder.

    A woman rushed through the door and dashed to the little girl. Embracing the girl in her arms, the woman soothed the child as she stroked her amber hair. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Mommy is here.¡± The girl¡¯s cries grew quieter as the woman stood up. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry about that. She didn¡¯t mean to bother you.¡± She took in the room with a nostalgic gaze. ¡°Her father used to work here. So sometimes she¡¯ll run back when she¡¯s upset.¡±

    ¡°No. It¡¯s okay. She wasn¡¯t bothering anyone,¡± Ezra hurriedly said and held up the pitcher. ¡°She even brought me water.¡±

    The girl¡¯s mother smiled. ¡°She would always do that for her father¡¯s patients.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± Ezra asked, trying to lighten the mood.

    ¡°Emma.¡± The woman patted Emma¡¯s back. Her sobs stopped. ¡°And I¡¯m Sylvia. Are you two new recruits?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯re just passing through.¡±

    Sylvia shook her head in pity. ¡°How unfortunate. I swear the beasts of this forest have a vengeance for Hugo. Without us hunting them. They would have left us alone a long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t people quit?¡± Ezra said before realizing the question could offend her.

    Thankfully, Sylvia¡¯s face remained calm. ¡°The others aren¡¯t all of the same opinion as me. The pay is good but not good enough for us to stay.¡± She adjusted her hold on Emma as an idea lit up her eyes. ¡°How about you two come with us to the third layer in the next few days? That is where you''re heading?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it is.¡± Ezra assumed there was no reason for Marcus to stop climbing.

    Emma sniffled, and Sylvia took it as a sign to get going. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you tomorrow. I should get the little one down to bed. I hope your friend recovers.¡±

    Maybe it¡¯s not so bad we came here. The beds around him seemed more tempting than before, and Milo¡¯s breathing was steady. He could finally let himself relax.

    The next morning he woke to the excited hubbub of those outside the tent. Leaning onto his side, Ezra saw Milo already sitting up with a pile of pillows behind his back.

    ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re finally awake.¡±

    Milo turned at the sound of Ezra¡¯s voice. ¡°Where are we? The past two days weren¡¯t a dream? We¡¯re not back in Deepburrow. Are we?¡±

    ¡°No, Deepburrow¡¯s long behind us. A group of sky-seekers saved us from some sort of monster.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Milo blinked like he was trying to bring the memory back. ¡°And what¡¯s going on out there?¡±

    Ezra looked at the entrance. ¡°Not, sure. Wanna go check?¡±

    ¡°My leg¡¯s still harder than compressed Decrite.¡± Milo massaged his calf. ¡°Go and let me know once you come back.¡±

    Ezra threw off the covers and realized his boots were still on.

    ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not the only one who¡¯s a mess,¡± Milo said.

    He brushed off the comment and went straight for the door. The noise amplified tenfold as Ezra parted the tent flaps. Hushed whispers passed through the outside of the crowd, and shouting erupted further in. A worried expression covered most people''s faces. Sliding between packed bodies, Ezra made his way further in. The smell of stale sweat made him want to gag, but his curiosity got the better of him.

    The amount of people thinned as he got to the front. Hugo and others in oil-stained clothes he didn¡¯t recognize stood on a podium.

    ¡°This is a temporary decree. I know it may seem like things have gotten out of hand, but this changes nothing. We came down here to kill the thing, so we won¡¯t leave until we do it.¡±

    A hand poked at Ezra¡¯s shoulder, and he noticed Audrus beside him. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ezra asked, trying to keep his voice low but still heard over the noise.

    ¡°Third layer just quarantined us until the Stoletime seekers get here. Which may be a few weeks.¡±

    Ezra blinked at the explanation. A few weeks? He didn¡¯t have a few weeks. ¡°And that means?¡±

    ¡°It means no one enters or leaves the second layer until that beast is dead.¡±

 Chapter 13: The Void Piercers

    ¡°Dead?¡± The noise around Ezra mixed as he processed everything that had been said. ¡°So what are we going to do?¡±

    Audrus sighed as Hugo kept shouting. ¡°There¡¯s no choice. We can¡¯t wait for the Stoletime seekers. Our food will only last for another eight days at best.¡± Audrus bit his lip, holding back his next words, and then let his frustration dispel. ¡°I hate to admit it, but Hugo¡¯s right. We have to kill that thing.¡±

    ¡°But what about your Forage skill?¡± Ezra¡¯s voice was unsteady, desperately searching for any solution. ¡°If you need food, your skill should show you where it is.¡±

    ¡°It will, but collecting food for over fifty people takes hours, if not the whole day. We¡¯d be exposing ourselves for too long, and for what? Just to gain us a few more days while we¡¯re picked off one by one.¡± Hugo stepped off the platform and was heading their way. ¡°I¡¯m not asking you for help. Just stay safe until everything is resolved.¡±

    Ezra wanted to protest and try to figure out another solution, but Audrus was already making plans with Hugo. Several other hunters gathered around, and before he knew it, Ezra could no longer see either of them. He faded back into the crowd and wondered how many people would even be left tomorrow. It¡¯s not my place to help. They know what they¡¯re doing. Audrus has a plan. Despite those reassurances, he couldn¡¯t help but feel useless. Surely, there was something he could do. Anything. He paused before entering the medical tent. Where did thoughts like that get you last time? Stuck in a hole and half dead.

    Milo sat up as Ezra entered. ¡°So, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    Still, in his thoughts, Ezra didn¡¯t respond until sitting on the bed across from Milo. ¡°We¡¯re stuck here?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean we¡¯re stuck here? Is someone keeping us here? Did we do something illegal, or was there a disaster? Is the entrance to the third layer caved in?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ezra shook his head and focused his attention on Milo. ¡°Officials from the third layer just quarantined us. Everyone on the second layer isn¡¯t allowed to leave until the monster that attacked us yesterday is dead.¡±

    Milo gazed up at the ceiling, considering the new information. ¡°Then kill it.¡±

    ¡°Me?¡± The suggestion was more idiotic and less thought out than even Ezra expected from Milo. ¡°You''re just telling¡­¡±

    ¡°Of course, not just you. This whole camp is full of Sky-seekers. Go with the rest of them. Your skill could be a big help.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯ve never used it before. They said unalloyed shouldn¡¯t face something like this.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡± Milo¡¯s stare bored straight to the heart of Ezra¡¯s guilt.

    ¡°How did you?¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t think I found it suspicious when you held a stick with your cloak wrapped around it. What idiot creates a weapon like that and thinks it¡¯ll do him any good? Thinking about it kept me up for most of the night until it hit me. You were making a torch, or you did make a torch. The scent of burning leaves but no fire. The terrified look on your face, but no creatures in the night. You must have used Time-scale to scare something off.¡±

    ¡°I only used it once, and I didn¡¯t know what I was doing.¡± Milo was right. He was terrified of whatever was out there. The thought of facing it again twisted his stomach.

    ¡°But whatever was out in the forest, you did scare it.¡±

    It had run away that night. The beast was staring right at him, but it had left. It left because of me.

    ¡°That means it''s not invincible. There¡¯s an instinct in every living being to survive. If something runs away, it¡¯s because deep down it knows you¡¯re a threat. Maybe you didn¡¯t hurt it that night, but you inflicted a wound that it¡¯ll never forget. Fear.¡±

    The creature had left its own mark too. On both him and Milo. Ezra looked at Milo¡¯s leg. The bandages were beginning to discolor from the dissolved cysts. Noise still came from outside, but it began to become more organized. Will I let the beast leave another mark? No. I¡¯m not bound by the rules of man or the abyss. Fear will not bind me.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go. By tomorrow, we leave for the third layer.¡± He pushed off the bed and strode towards the exit. Before leaving, he pressed the Thorin-sphere against a bottle of disinfecting alcohol.

    A smile crossed Milo¡¯s face, and he collapsed on his pillows, waiting for news of a victory.

    When Ezra left the tent, he saw Audrus on top of a wooden box surrounded by dozens of hunters. He passed a crate with a vibro-crystal gun lying on top and tapped the Thorin sphere onto the weapon. In seconds, it evaporated into thin air. A few more swords leaned against a wall, and he did the same. He would need everything he could get to kill this beast.  Audrus saw him approaching with a fire in his eyes.

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    Stepping off the storage crate, Audrus parted the crowd to approach Ezra. ¡°What are you doing here? I told you we¡¯d handle it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming with you.¡±

    Concern spread across Audrus¡¯s face. ¡°This isn¡¯t something an unalloyed seeker should participate in. Your level isn¡¯t high enough for seeker officials to approve you for anything other than basic hunts. I can give leeway to rookies now and again, and I don¡¯t take the official''s word as law, but I¡¯m sure as hell not letting you near a hunt that¡¯s warranted the attention of Stoletime seekers.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve scared off the beast before. I saw it the night before it wrecked my camp.¡± The orange eyes were still imprinted in Ezra¡¯s memory. ¡°I have an idea how to kill it, but you need to let me come with you.¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Audrus¡¯s eyes narrowed, doubtful of Ezra¡¯s claims.

    ¡°It fears fire.¡±

    The other hunter¡¯s around him began to laugh and Ezra wondered what he had said wrong. Audrus raised a hand and everyone went silent.

    ¡°We know that. We¡¯ve been hunting it for nearly three weeks. The liquid that lights up these trees is more flammable than dry straw. You light up the wrong tree, and it¡¯ll be us who die before the beast.¡±

    Ezra grinned. This time, they wouldn¡¯t laugh at him. ¡°I know. That¡¯s why you need me. My skill can stop the whole forest from going up in flames.¡±

    ¡°So, what¡¯s your skill?¡±

    ¡°Time-scale. It lets me reverse time for an object of my choosing. We could light the whole forest on fire, but as long as we only use one match, I can make it so the fire never existed.¡±

    Audrus stroked his chin, intrigued at the possibilities this new factor offered his plans. No one made a sound while he thought, and Ezra anxiously waited for his response. After a few moments, he finally spoke. ¡°Alright. You can come with us.¡± His tone turned to stone. ¡°But you stay with my squad and follow my lead. No surprises from you.¡±

    Audrus turned to face the crowd and raised his fist. ¡°We leave in one hour.¡± He lept back onto the crate and with a voice that commanded the respect of every man and woman began to rally them. ¡°Sky-seekers exist to challenge the hollowed spire itself. Today, the spire seeks to challenge us. It will attempt to crush us, drain our spirits, and even tear us from greater heights.  But we will not let it. That beast hopes to trap us within these walls and scare us into starving ourselves. Such a fate is not befitting for Sky-seekers. The unfortunate reality we are faced with is grim. Our supposed saviors, the Stoletime seekers, are weeks out. The second layer has been quarantined, and no other help is on the way.  So we must take fate into our own hands.¡± The audience erupted into cheers as Audrus paused for dramatic effect. ¡°By tonight, we will be feasting upon the beast¡¯s flesh.¡± Weapons flashed in the morning light, and Audrus¡¯s face held tight with determination. It had to. For who would believe him if he did not believe in himself?

    The hunters began to group into predetermined squads as Audrus hopped off his makeshift stage. He put a hand on Ezra¡¯s shoulder as he passed by. ¡°Come with me, kid.¡±

    Audrus brought him to a group of people huddled in a tent Ezra previously ignored. Four men and a woman. Even if their faces seemed pristine, the look in their eyes told of many battles. The woman wrapped in bands of twilight orange had a large spear on her back. One of the men scowled, emphasized by a scar running down the side of his forehead.

    ¡°Ezra, these are the void piercers, my squad, and the people you¡¯ll be working with on today¡¯s operation.¡±

    The woman rolled her eyes as she lept from her squatting position on the ground. ¡°I thought we promised to stop using that stupid name. It makes us sound like amateurs.¡± She extended her hand to Ezra. ¡°I¡¯m Zoe, the lurer of this team.¡±

    Ezra shook her hand as a man with a wide-brimmed hat piped up. ¡°In case you¡¯re confused, kid. She¡¯s the bait. Unless your scrawny rear is here to replace her.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t kid yourself, Leo. Anyone else, and it would just be ritualist slaughter. You couldn¡¯t make it out of a Margwen hive even if you were covered in their piss.¡±

    The insult made no sense to Ezra, but the rest of the void piercers burst out laughing. Audrus spoke up, and the whole group listened. ¡°I know introducing a new element this late into the operation is risky, but I believe Ezra could be the key we¡¯ve been missing in killing this beast.¡±

    ¡°The boy¡¯s unalloyed,¡± the man with the scar said. ¡°Your unconventional plans have gotten us this far, but even this is a bit too much.¡±

    ¡°Ezra, this is our pyro-tech, Malack.¡± Audrus motioned to the scarred man. ¡°Tell him your skill.¡±

    All eyes fixed on him, and Ezra glanced from side to side. Even though fewer people surrounded him, the pressure was much greater.  ¡°My skill is time-scale.¡± The words came out barely above a whisper. He cleared his throat and started again. As he explained the skill, Malack¡¯s stiff demeanor relaxed, and Ezra could see ideas forming in his mind.

    ¡°Caleb, Ryan, what do you think.¡± Malack swiveled to face the other two men.

    Caleb, the man wearing square glasses, responded first. ¡°I think it¡¯ll work. You said your skill only lasts thirty seconds.¡±

    Ezra quickly nodded.

    ¡°Kind of a tight window. Zoe, if we set up a perimeter, do you think you could lure the beast in?¡± Caleb took out a worn notebook and began to frantically jot down notes.

    ¡°This one¡¯s strange. My usual tricks only work, say, sixty to seventy percent of the time. Do you want to take those odds?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll have to.¡± The ammunition belt hanging over Ryan¡¯s shoulder swayed as he spoke. ¡°This is the best chance we got.¡±

    Malack opened his mouth to speak but Audrus leaned in. ¡°So how about putting this plan to paper.¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you learned to trust us,¡± Malack said.

    ¡°I have,¡± Audrus acknowledged and pointed back at Ezra. ¡°But he hasn¡¯t learned to read the minds of psychos.¡±

    ¡°Fine,¡± Malack grumbled. ¡°Caleb, you got this.¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Caleb said, still scribbling in his notebook. ¡°Yes, one second.¡± A few more strokes of his pen, ¡°And done.¡± He slammed the open notebook on the table between them. The pages yellowed at the edges, and it took Ezra a moment to decipher the handwriting.

    The whole group leaned in and surveyed Caleb¡¯s notes.

    After a few moments of silence, Malack leaned back with a satisfied grin. ¡°Well, seems like it''s about time we lit a forest fire.¡±

 Chapter 14: Beast of the Past

    ¡°Zoe¡¯s been out for an hour. Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t go looking for her?¡± Ezra said as he swatted a bug buzzing near his neck.

    Audrus put a finger to Ezra¡¯s mouth to quiet him. ¡°She knows the signal. The plan doesn¡¯t change until the red flare goes up.¡±

    ¡°What if the other groups find it before her?¡±

    ¡°They won¡¯t,¡± Audrus said with flat confidence. ¡°The fewer people in danger, the better. Now, stay quiet.¡±

    The spindly branches of the bush they crouched in brushed Ezra¡¯s shoulders as he shifted into a new position. Between the floppy leaves, he gazed out into the clearing. A dimly lit vine trailed from the branches of one tree and up into the next. The part that snaked across the ground was covered by foliage so most people wouldn¡¯t suspect a thing. He hoped that would be the same for the beast.

    The leaves shook and as soon as Ezra glanced to his right Audrus was already crawling through the undergrowth a few paces away. He whispered something to Ryan who signaled to Malack a few paces away. Malack¡¯s scar folded as he furrowed his brow in concentration and tinkered with something out of Ezra¡¯s sight.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on,¡± Ezra whispered as Audrus returned.

    ¡°Zoe¡¯s on her way back.¡±

    ¡°How do you know? I don¡¯t see any of her flares.¡±

    Audrus pulled a flashing rectangular screen from his pocket. A green light strobed across the surface, no bigger than Ezra¡¯s palm. ¡°Some artifact we found a while ago. Seemed pretty useless at first, but the ancients never make anything completely useless. It''s just up to us to figure out how to use them.¡± He flipped the device over, and a cylinder protruded from the back. ¡°You move the cylinder, and the display lights up a different color. Zoe has one, and I have one.¡±

    A loud pop and then the sound of gas expanding through a thin tube whistled from the horizon. Audrus shoved the artifact back into his pocket, and everyone squinted past the clearing. A green trail of smoke was barely visible between the ginormous trees, and a small figure in orange darted towards them. Beneath him, the ground rumbled with terrifying intensity.

    It was here. He couldn¡¯t see it but Ezra knew it was coming. His heart pounded as if trying to outpace the ominous noise ahead. Audrus held still, eyes fixed on Zoe, mind running over the plan. He had to make sure it worked. He had to bring it all together. Just thinking about the pressure made Ezra forget to breathe.

    It was all conjecture. At this moment, Audrus showed nothing but sharp concentration. Every assumption Ezra made plunged him deeper into self-doubt. How he wondered. How can he be so calm? He looked past Ryan, to Malack, and even further down to Leo with his wide-brimmed hat as still as stone. They have to be. Their lives depend on it. My life depends on it.

    Zoe was closer now. Ezra could see the expression on her face. She seemed thrilled, ecstatic beyond belief. Is she actually having fun? Before he could answer that question, a steel cable burst from her left sleeve, and she zipped into the lush canopies.

    ¡°How, did,¡± Ezra began.

    Audrus cut him off. ¡°Remember, just one spark. We got the rest.¡± He lept out of the bush, loose leaves trailing behind him.

    Ryan gave a sloppy salute to Ezra and emerged from his hiding spot. The ground lurched beneath him. Birds darted through the air, and grass rustled as small critters scattered across the forest floor. He surveyed the clearing again, and less than a dozen trees away, he saw it.

    Orange eyes flaming with an ancient unknowable rage glared at him. Several gleaming tusks protruded from an unnatural body that was neither animal nor machine. The tusks splintered at the ends like they had been sharpened by thunderous bolts of electricity. Its face made Ezra want to stay hidden. Metal and fur twisted into a skull that had been refused any elegant life. The mouth warped into a shape that seemed only capable of screaming for the life it was robbed of.

    But that was the terrifying part. It didn¡¯t make a sound. Metal joints screeched, and wet flesh sloshed across its monstrous structure, but nothing came from the mouth. For maybe silence was the most intimidating cry a predator could make.

    A gust of wind slammed into Ezra, sending him flying from the bush. Branches snapped, and leaves rattled as if applauding the fact he had survived the first blow. The forest blurred around him, and Ezra rapidly blinked to regain his senses. Mud covered his hands, and his butt stung like fire, but that didn¡¯t matter now. He was much further from the bush than he wanted to be.

    The beast was getting closer, and without a fire, the rest of them would be helpless. He pulled the Thorin-sphere out of his pocket and rushed back. A loud click reverberated across the forest that signaled ammunition was already being shot. Wood snapped, and a tree plummeted to the ground. They''re already fighting. Ezra slipped on the moist ground but kept going. They need me.

    He pressed the top of the Thorin-sphere, and the inventory popped up. Quickly, he selected the items. A lighter and bottle of alcohol appeared in the air and were falling fast. Closing the screen, he lunged forward and snatched the items, precariously balancing the Thorin-sphere in his outstretched fingers.

    Ezra¡¯s foot slammed into a gnarled root. All he could do was grunt and forget the swelling pain. All the gruesome ways the Void Piercers could die strangled his mind. Every single way more agonizing than his stupid stubbed toes.

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    The fighting was getting louder. I have to do something now.

    He unscrewed the cap of the alcohol. The liquid splashed from the opening and briefly stung his hands. Fiddling with the golden lighter in his other hand, the Void Piercers were now in sight. Malack had given him the lighter. The anger on the pyro-tech¡¯s face burned hotter than any fire. Ezra assumed at the fact he had already messed up. Yet, thankfully, right now, all that anger was directed towards the beast and not at him.

    Another thought popped into Ezra¡¯s head about how terrible it would be to light a bottle of pure alcohol without a fuse. He shoved the Thorin-sphere into his pocket and rearranged the items in his hands. Violently, he tore a piece of cloth from his sleeve. Stuffing one end of it into the bottle, he began to click the lighter again and again. Sparks formed, and it finally caught.

    ¡°Fire,¡± Ezra yelled, hoping his voice would reach over the chaos before him.

    The flaming bottle spun through the air and hit right where he wanted it. Vines trailing through the undergrowth exploded around the clearing. Molten liquid splattered and charred the trees. Ezra ducked as a mist flew over his head. Uncovering his neck, he gazed into a sea of flames dancing around the Void Piercers and the beast.

    ¡°One,¡± Ezra muttered under his breath. In thirty seconds, he could reverse the fire. Any longer, and the whole forest would go up in flames. They all knew that too. Despite white ash swirling around their heads, the heat didn¡¯t seem to bother any of them.

    ¡°Two.¡±

    The beast froze in its blazing prison. Multicolored tendrils flickered across the metallic parts of its body. Liquid erupted from a nearby tree and covered part of the beast¡¯s hide. Fur shriveled and burned away, exposing more mechanical structures.

    ¡°Around Leo now.¡± Audrus waved to the four others to flank him. ¡°Ten seconds before there¡¯s not enough left.¡±

    Leo nodded and crouched at one of the few lush spots that remained in the ring of fire. In Ryan¡¯s hands, he held a massive vibro-crystal gun like nothing Ezra had ever seen. Malack dragged the end of a black quarter staff through the flames. Once the top of the weapon was ignited, he slammed the other end to the ground. The top folded out into a blazing hammer.

    ¡°Five,¡± Ezra whispered, his voice filled with awe.

    Suddenly, a massive spear flew from the treetops and into the beast¡¯s eye. The mechanical monster flailed around, causing tremors with every stomp. Ezra glanced up and saw Zoe nestled in the treetops. The beast seemed to notice too. Its whole body violently vibrated, and in a massive puff of air, it leaped into the sky. Flames fanned out and immediately returned their scorching sights to the center.

    ¡°Nine.¡±

    With unexpected agileness, it settled into the thick branches above. A torrent of air nearly ripped Zoe from her perch just as she swung to a lower branch. Sweat poured down her face, and the look of joy had turned to solid concentration.

    ¡°Not on my watch, you blasted excuse for life.¡± Ryan unloaded a hail of bullets that created shrapnel across the trees. Splinters of wood and sparks of metal rained from above.

    Audrus turned back to the hunter crouched on the ground. ¡°You ready Leo?¡±

    Without a word, Leo stood up and aimed the palm of his hand at the sky. The plants around him were gray, but the fire still hadn¡¯t reached them. Energy sizzled at his fingertips and crackled along his knuckles. A blast of bright light streaked with green hurtled toward the leaves above.

    ¡°Fourteen.¡± Ezra covered his eyes with a forearm as cinders and dirt flew from the ground.

    The massive branch collapsed and with it the beast. With the extra fuel, the flames towered nearly as tall as the trees. A wave of heat slammed into Ezra, and he backed off. It seemed impossible to handle it in the middle of the inferno. But there they were. Six figures in the fire. So these are Sky-seekers. He stood a little straighter to see above the rising fire. And they¡¯re only the rank of Morltin. The legends of Voyagers no longer seemed like an exaggeration.

    ¡°Fifteen.¡±

    Malack yelled something, but the roar of the fire covered his voice. There was blood running down Zoe¡¯s arm. Caleb pushed up his square glasses and rushed in behind her. A soft glow emanated from his hands, and Zoe¡¯s face relaxed.

    Maybe a healing skill, Ezra noted.

    Another round of bullets flew from Ryan¡¯s gun. The beast was squirming in the fire, almost back on its feet. Malack gripped his hammer tighter. Waiting. For what, Ezra wondered.

    ¡°Eighteen.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re running out of time,¡± Audrus shouted.

    ¡°I know,¡± Malack growled. ¡°The damned thing¡¯s in the fire. I can¡¯t get to it.¡±

    ¡°Twenty.¡± Unconsciously, Ezra reached for the Thorin-sphere.

    The beast was back on its feet. The furry and metallic exterior began to bubble, and a jagged but hollow tube burst from its back. Purple ooze dripped from the lip of the tube. An image of Milo¡¯s leg flashed through Ezra¡¯s mind. He glanced back at Malack. They won¡¯t be able to get a clear shot.

    ¡°Twenty-Two.¡±

    The beast recoiled and poisoned shrapnel sped toward the Void Piercers. Caleb pulled Zoe to the ground, and the rest of them dove in different directions.

    ¡°Twenty-Five.¡± Ezra¡¯s heart pounded. Five more seconds. I have to pull the flames back in five more seconds.

    Ancient joints groaned as the beast prepared to charge. Ezra gripped the Thorin-sphere so hard his knuckles were going pale. His breath caught in his throat.

    Only one more option.

    ¡°Twenty-Seven.¡±

    One of the beast¡¯s legs buckled as Ezra fell back from the recoil of the pistol. It was the first time he shot one, and his ears were still ringing.

    ¡°Twenty-Nine.¡±

    Malack saw the opening and rushed forward with his blazing hammer in hand. Sweat glistened off his head as he jumped above the beast.

    Ezra gasped for air. He pictured the bottle of alcohol down to every minute detail. ¡°Time-Scale!¡±

    Flames roared, and Malack screamed as he came crashing down through the beast¡¯s skull. Pieces of steel burst into the air as fire was sucked from his hammer. The crunching of artificial bone was deafened by a fiery tornado that tore through time. Particles of neon liquid whipped past the void hunters and back into the trees as embers gave life to plants and charred wood folded back into organic perfection. A screen popped up in Ezra¡¯s peripheral vision.

    Assisted kill, Lumber Catcher 54X

    Level 12 achieved

    Would you like to distribute points to your skill or robustness?

    Ezra closed the screen. He would worry about that later when he had time to think. For now, he stared at the fading orange eyes until his fear of the beast became a memory. One day, he would be unbound from the laws of the abyss, but today, he knew fear had dug its claws in deeper than he wanted.

 Chapter 15: What We Die For

    It wasn¡¯t long before the other hunters caught up to the scene of the kill. The lump of flesh and metal in the middle of a lush clearing was a sight no one expected. It was like the creature had peacefully died and gone the way of nature. Scars of battle were few, but the struggle was plain on every Void Piercer''s face.

    ¡°Tie it up,¡± Audrus said as he placed a hand on one of the hunter¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Let''s not keep Hugo waiting.¡± He continued to walk past until he collapsed against a tree.

    More hunters arrived, and they began to tie up the beast. Caleb meticulously checked each Void Piercer for wounds like an overly concerned mother. Malack told him off when he came near and continued to observe those tying up the beast. Even after the fight, he refused to move more than a few paces from his kill. The edge of the battle still hadn¡¯t left him, and Ezra suspected the feeling would stay until Hugo had the monster chopped up in tiny pieces.

    By the time ropes were secured around the beast several dozen hunters had gathered. With Malack leading the pack, hunters lined up to transport it as strange braces were placed on the sides of the monster to lift it slightly off the ground.

    ¡°Pull,¡± Malack commanded as a multitude of people lurched forward. ¡°Pull!¡± With another tug, the dead creature was finally on the move.

    ¡°You good kid?¡±

    Ezra turned around to find Zoe with one arm still hanging limp. ¡°The better question is will you be okay?¡±

    ¡°This is nothing, just part of the healing process. I¡¯ll be back to normal by tomorrow.¡± A tired smile crossed her lips. ¡°That was amazing, what you did out there. When the beast stumbled, the rest of them may not have noticed, but I did.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that was just a lucky shot. I was just watching the whole time.¡± Ezra waved away the compliment. ¡°I don¡¯t think I could ever be in the center of that inferno and how you were fine with that thing chasing you. It takes a special type of person to do what you do.¡±

    ¡°I think the word you''re looking for is crazy.¡± Zoe gave a boisterous laugh. ¡°Don¡¯t ever think less of yourself, kid. You can do a whole lot more than you think you can.¡±

    Albert had told him something like that before. Maybe the words were different, but the sentiment was the same. Ezra followed the group, looking forward to the face Milo would make upon hearing the news of victory.

    The rusty walls of the encampment soon appeared on the horizon. With great excitement, the towering doors were thrust open as the hunting party came through. Other hunters waved and smiled as if the kill were their own. Ezra and the rest of the Void Piercers were too tired to protest. It didn¡¯t matter who had credit. All they cared about was that the beast was dead.

    Hugo came running from the center of the camp, almost tripping over his own feet. A glint in his eyes shone through his dirty round glasses. He was still wiping grease onto an apron as he approached.

    ¡°Quick, tell Mark and Cassino to prepare the operation table,¡± Hugo shouted to someone behind him. He ran his hand through a segment of fur that still clung to the exterior and whispered words of wonder. ¡°You must tell me what its name is,¡± he demanded from Audrus.

    ¡°Lumber Catcher 54X,¡± Malack grumbled.

    Caleb jotted down the name in his leather notebook, and Hugo pondered the response like they were words from an ancient wise sage.

    Suddenly, Hugo returned to reality and continued to rattle off orders. ¡°Bring it further in. I must examine it before it spoils.¡±

    Other hunters rushed to follow the commands, but the Void Piercers sluggishly dragged their feet back to their tent. Outside the chaos, Ezra spotted Milo leaning on the corner of the medical tent. Milo folded his arms and grinned proudly. Ignoring Hugo¡¯s continued shouting, Ezra weaved through the crowd.

    ¡°How¡¯s it feel to be a hero?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°Fine, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Only you would say something like that,¡± Milo said, shaking his head at the casual response. ¡°No mighty speech, or trophy from your battle?¡±

    ¡°Does eight levels count?¡±

    Milo raised an eyebrow before he carefully hid his surprise. ¡°Impressive, but no. That does not count.¡± He shifted his weight a little more on the tent pillar. ¡°I can get eight levels without slaying a massive beast.¡±

    Ezra glanced at Milo¡¯s leg. ¡°Are you doing alright?¡±

    ¡°The pain¡¯s mostly gone. I¡¯m just warming up the muscles.¡± He stretched his calf out and winced. ¡°Hopefully it¡¯s not as ugly as I suspect under the bandages.¡± Milo peered behind Ezra. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about that thing? Like what¡¯s inside it. How it works.¡±

    Ezra turned to see the monster already near the center of camp. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve probably seen enough of it for a lifetime.¡±

    ¡°Well. I¡¯m curious, and poor old me shouldn¡¯t be walking around on his own.¡± Milo slapped Ezra¡¯s shoulder as he limped past. ¡°Come on. Let''s go.¡±

    Ezra relented and jogged ahead to pick up a thick branch that had fallen to the ground. ¡°At least take this as a walking stick,¡± he offered.

    Milo snatched it and stabbed it into the ground. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let''s just go before they have it chopped into tiny pieces.¡±

    Hunters loaded the beast into a gray dilapidated building that was built around the thickest tree in the camp. The trunk of the tree jutted up through the roof and looked even sturdier than the metal walls that surrounded them. Around the building, the other tents looked tiny. Everything in the camp surrounded the mechanic''s workshop, but a circle of barren land separated it from everything else. The effect may not have been intended, but it was natural. Ezra knew people like Hugo weren¡¯t easy to get along with.

    Sylvia exited one of the nearby tents and perked up upon seeing Ezra. She cautiously glanced from side to side as if checking for someone who shouldn¡¯t be there.

    ¡°I heard that thing is dead. Is it true?¡± She asked, her voice shaking with apprehension.

    ¡°Yeah, it is,¡± Milo interjected and pushed Ezra forward. ¡°And this guy helped kill it.¡±

    Syliva¡¯s eyes widened at the new information. ¡°So the quarantine should be lifted soon? How soon can you leave?¡±

    A confused look crossed Milo¡¯s face, and Ezra quickly explained. ¡°This woman wanted to travel with us to the third layer. She has a daughter and could use some protection.¡±

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    ¡°Do you think Hugo set this up,¡± she said.

    The nervousness in Syvia¡¯s voice began to make sense to Ezra. ¡°No, I don''t think he did. He has what he wants. He¡¯s not after you. How about we leave tomorrow?¡±

    She nodded and took a deep breath to settle her nerves. Emma peeked out from the tent and tightly gripped the entrance flap. ¡°Mommy, what''s going on? There¡¯s so much noise.¡±

    ¡°Meet here tomorrow at first light.¡± She pointed to where they stood to emphasize her point and hurried back to Emma. ¡°It¡¯s alright darling. Let''s go back inside.¡±

    ¡°Betcha you¡¯re glad to not be the only one in a hurry,¡± Milo said.

    Half of Ezra¡¯s mind was still occupied with preparations for tomorrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I know why you want to leave here quickly. I just want to make sure you¡¯re ready for what¡¯s next.¡±

    ¡°If Marcus doesn¡¯t slow down, we don¡¯t either. Mine and Sylvia¡¯s plans just happen to line up. That''s all.¡± Milo opened his mouth to say another word, but Ezra continued. ¡°Are you wanting to see the beast or not?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Milo said, giving up on the subject. ¡°Lead the way.¡±

    As they got nearer, the gray workshop loomed overhead. The smells of metallic dust, oil, and acrid air burned Ezra¡¯s nostrils. Ezra noticed two doors lying on the ground. The hinges looked recently sawed off. Voices echoed from inside the building, and hunters passed in and out of the entrance. They waited from an opening in the crowd of people and then entered.

    Crystals, affixed to the wall lit up a gigantic work space in the center. Scaffolding and rolling ladders obscured most of the beast from the front, and the mechanics around it scoured the creature like ants on a dead animal. Sparks flew in different directions, and Ezra cautiously pressed himself against the wall. They made their way around the room until they had a better view of the whole operation.

    The skull of the beast was already separated from the rest of the body. Wires hung out like tendons, barely holding everything together. Even though it was dead, the blackened eye sockets still made Ezra¡¯s throat tighten with fear.

    He felt a tap on his shoulder, and a man with a dark complexion and a blue jumpsuit offered two safety glasses. ¡°If you¡¯re going to watch please wear these.¡±

    Ezra and Milo both took the glasses and quickly put them on. The temples were a little tight around Ezra¡¯s head, but he decided to endure it. He didn¡¯t want to be here long anyway.

    ¡°What are they even looking for?¡± Milo asked as he leaned in to get a better look.

    ¡°A way to extract artifacts without damaging them. We never truly know what we¡¯re looking for until we find it.¡± One of the mechanics raised a hand, and the man next to them flipped a few switches to brighten a lamp overhead. ¡°Discovering the past is like poking around the dark. Uses of artifacts aren¡¯t always obvious, and even if the craftsmanship is plain power can be drawn out given the right set of circumstances.¡±

    ¡°Kind of like the A.S.H.O. system,¡± Milo said.

    ¡°Not kind of. It¡¯s exactly like it. The A.S.H.O. system is just another artifact of the past. To this day, there are still mysteries hidden within.¡± The passion in the man¡¯s voice belied his tired complexion.

    ¡°Are you the ones keeping these artifacts?¡± Ezra jutted in.

    ¡°Some, others we sell based on their perceived uses. If it¡¯s a weapon, it goes to Faulpher-tek, and if it has biomedical uses it goes to Dosser & Dod, and on rare occasions, if it has agricultural uses, we sell it to Grain Life. Sometimes, the more wealthy sky-seekers will buy artifacts from us, but Hugo always has his personal collection he won¡¯t sell to anyone.¡±

    Ezra took another look at the beast and wondered what artifacts lay inside. Two he had seen firsthand¡ªwhatever produced the wind and the cannon that shot poisoned shrapnel. Layer after layer of metal and flesh were being peeled back.

    ¡°Why¡¯d you think people in the past created something like that? It¡¯s so ugly.¡± Milo scrunched his face in disgust as wet sounds of organic material echoed across the workshop.

    ¡°Perhaps it didn¡¯t look like that thousands of years ago. Time has no mercy for the living.¡± The mechanic said as he clicked a button that slid a rack of metals to the back of the building.

    A loud alarm rang across the room and Ezra covered his ears against the piercing screech. Red light flashed from within the beast as if trying to escape its innards. Mechanics dashed around as Ezra saw Hugo on one of the rolling ladders shouting orders. The man beside them pulled out a set of wire cutters as long as his arms and ran toward the source of the light.

    That terrible ring continued, and Ezra pressed harder against his ears, yet the noise still slipped in. Milo was saying something, but he couldn¡¯t hear him. That idiot. Why now? What¡¯s so important to say when no one can hear you?

    Frantically, other mechanics lept on the beast and stabbed their tools within like the noise was some tiny rat that could be killed. Hugo¡¯s face was nearly the same color as the light as he tried to be heard. His wrinkles looked ready to fold in on themselves.

    Wires were cut one after another until suddenly, the space fell quiet. The silence almost felt unnatural. The light had stopped flashing, and people around the workshop breathed a sigh of relief. Hugo climbed down the ladder as he muttered something under his breath.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Milo asked as if expecting Ezra to know the answer.

    ¡°Whatever it was I don¡¯t like it. Not one bit.¡±

    Ezra and Milo turned to the source of the voice and saw Caleb writing another passage in his notebook.

    ¡°I thought you were resting with the others?¡± Ezra responded.

    ¡°I was, but I find it hard to keep still after difficult hunts. The nerves never really leave until the next day.¡±

    The whole building shook as Caleb opened his mouth to make another comment. Ezra steadied himself against the wall.

    Hugo¡¯s voice reverberated across the room. ¡°Which one of you brain-dead morons touched the thing again?¡±

    Another shock came, and this time, it didn¡¯t let up. The ground was pounding like a living heartbeat, and the mechanics looked around for the source. A petrifying roar came from outside the walls. One that made Erza¡¯s mind run wild with what could make such an inhuman sound.

    Caleb raised his voice for the first time since they met. ¡°You two come with me now!¡±

    Ezra wanted to ask why, but another horrifying sound made him reconsider his question. They darted out of the building, across the clearing, and into the camp. Nearly everyone was outside their tents.

    Not far from them, Malack twisted wires coming from various explosives around him. ¡°Damn it, Hugo. You didn¡¯t tell us the whole story, did you?¡± He grumbled as they got closer.

    Audrus approached with another handful of gray sticks streaked with red and set them next to Malack. More questions rose within Ezra, and he hoped Audrus could answer them.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±

    Audrus stared up at the wall as he answered. ¡°Hugo got the transmission from the 3rd layer. He relayed it to me, but I suspect he left something out. I should have questioned him. It doesn¡¯t make sense for them to quarantine a whole layer due to one rogue monster.¡± His hands were shaking. Just slightly.

    Ezra had always seen Audrus as the calm one, but this time it was different. The walls seized, and he felt as if the world was about to collapse. If Audrus was scared, what were they going to do?

    Malack gathered a group of explosives in his arms and pointed to the far side of the wall. ¡°One of you, I don¡¯t care who, get the other batch over there. Now! We¡¯ll hit ''em with everything we got once they breach.¡±

    ¡°You want them to breach?¡± Ezra¡¯s head spun as the metal walls groaned under the outside stress.

    ¡°Kid, we don¡¯t have another choice.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± Audrus said picking up the other bundle of explosives.

    They rushed in separate directions, and Ezra stood frozen as the rest of the Void Piercers arrived behind him. The next sound he heard made his blood run cold. Metal snapped just to his left, and the walls gave in. Malack disappeared into the cloud of dust, and moments later yellow lighting flashed. A thunderous explosion consumed the spot where he stood.

    Ezra stared into the dust, hoping what he just saw was a dream. He¡¯s stronger than that. He¡¯s a Void Piercer. He can¡¯t die. Staring into the dust, Ezra waited for him to come back out, smile, and say that was nothing, but the only thing that appeared was a pair of bright orange eyes glowing in the debris. Then another and another until the terror he had known before seemed pitiful to the pit forming in his stomach now.

 Chapter 16: What We Live For

    The cries around Ezra froze him where he stood as the dust dissipated to reveal more monstrosities. Particles of dirt forced him to wheeze as he tried to take deep breaths. He wanted air. He needed air. Taking in another breath, Ezra coughed and leaned against a wooden crate. He gasped, and another explosion went off farther away. The noise rang in his ears, and his mind constricted inward. We killed it. It should be dead. Why? Why isn¡¯t it dead? He felt around his pocket, and his fingers brushed against a golden lighter. The one Malack had given to him. Tears began to form, and Ezra convinced himself the dust was reaching his eyes.

    A hand gripped his shoulder and ripped him from the crate. The tears stopped, and a massive creature shattered the tent behind.

    ¡°Focus, kid. We¡¯re not going to die here.¡± Zoe frowned but kept her eyes forward. ¡°Ryan, you need to gather every piece of junk in this camp and do your thing. I want as many people armed as possible.¡±

    She whipped around to find Leo running beside her. His wide-brimmed hat bobbing up and down. ¡°Leo,¡± she insisted, almost pleading, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you bring the entire workshop down. Start draining that tree till it¡¯s dry.¡±

    He nodded and beelined for the center of camp. Ezra glanced back, hoping to see Audrus, but he could barely make out anything in the chaos.

    ¡°It¡¯s not possible to kill all of them,¡± Caleb said.

    Zoe continued to scan ahead. ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Then what¡¯s your goal?¡±

    ¡°To live.¡±

    Another section of rusted wall came crashing down. Metallic claws ripped through them like softened wax. The fire began to spread through several tents. Some desperately tried to put it out while others fled.

    What¡¯s the point, Ezra wondered. What are they trying to save? Zoe gripped tighter, and he could feel his feet falling behind. A foot slammed on the ground behind them, and Zoe pulled him forward. Wooden splinters exploded into the air, and Ezra, face down, covered the back of his head. Looking up, the beast, neither machine nor organism, towered above.

    Bullets pelleted the other side of the creature, and it turned its spindly neck towards the oncoming fire. Several hunters held vibro-crystal guns while Ryan ripped apart a sheet of metal behind them. Every chunk he took off glowed hot white in his hands until it twisted into a bullet.

    The beast bore sharp fangs and charged towards the group. Ryan threw down the piece of metal and picked up the massive gun slung on his side. Leaning back, he unloaded a hail of projectiles. Armor flew off from the beast as it continued its assault. Ryan screamed until the sound of his gun drowned out his cries, and the monster¡¯s shrieks filled Ezra¡¯s ears. Not content to let the monster take him, Ryan stormed through the line of hunters. Sweat trickled down his face, and fear didn¡¯t touch him. He slid underneath and blasted the beast¡¯s belly. The creature shook as its internal organs were ripped to shreds. Black and red liquid seeped out, but Ryan kept up his attack. The beast shook violently and without warning exploded into a fiery inferno, taking Ryan with it.

    Zoe tugged at Ezra, and he shouted, ¡°Time scale!¡± The words cracked like his throat was full of sand, and his mind focused on no specific object. He didn¡¯t want to lose someone again. ¡°Time scale!¡± Still, nothing happened. The laws of the abyss were supposed to be his to shape. ¡°Time scale!¡± The scene faded into dust, and more mechanical beasts came through the walls.

    ¡°We need to go for the hammer,¡± Caleb yelled. ¡°It¡¯s our only option.¡±

    ¡°No, we need to escape.¡± Zoe¡¯s hair hung in front of her face as she scanned for an escape route. ¡°Those things came for that beacon. It was some sort of signal. If we leave, they won¡¯t follow us.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± Milo said. ¡°I saw it myself.¡±

    ¡°It was in the Lumber Catcher,¡± Ezra added.

    ¡°But what about Leo?¡± Caleb¡¯s question made Zoe pause. ¡°Or Audrus. Are we going leave them behind?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll clear an escape route and then come back. That¡¯s our only option.¡± Zeo coughed and then continued forward.

    Caleb grabbed her shoulder. ¡°But if we use the hammer¡­¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s our last resort. You know what happens when it¡¯s used.¡±

    Hesitation crossed Caleb¡¯s face, and he bit his lip in frustration.

    Dried wood shattered, and a deafening crack whipped across the encampment. Leaves, sapped of all their moisture, fell around them, crunching as people stampeded towards the perimeter.

    ¡°Leo¡¯s done. It¡¯s coming down!¡± Zoe sprinted with the rest of the crowd, and Ezra felt compelled to do the same.

    He didn¡¯t dare look back for fear of getting crushed. A roaring boom and dust flying past his face signaled the tree had fallen. Finally turning, he saw darkened wood erupting into flames as soon as it touched a glowing ember. Several silver monsters were crushed under the gigantic trunk, their electronics and gory innards staining the ground.

    The whole camp stood still for what felt like minutes until a white beam of energy flowing with green lighting burst forth from the base of the tree. The metal beasts melted on contact as the energy swept over half the camp. Ezra felt his face burning from the heat. Suddenly, the white flame winked out of existence. The several beasts left looked up as if expecting another deadly beam. After a brief moment of confusion, they all focused on the same spot.

    Within seconds, the center of the camp was filled with writhing fleshy machines. Ezra¡¯s lip quivered at the thought of Leo in the center of it, and Caleb shuddered as he took in a strained breath.

    ¡°Now¡¯s our chance,¡± Zoe solemnly said. ¡°We can escape and take the people to a safer place.¡±

    ¡°You knew this would happen. Didn¡¯t you?¡± Sorrowful rage filled Caleb¡¯s voice. ¡°You sent him there to die.¡±

    ¡°I made a choice, and he accepted. As sky-seekers, we face death with pride. Would you have done the same?¡±

    Caleb fell silent as he stared down at his trembling hands. ¡°What about Audrus?¡±

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Ezra glared at Zoe. His stare demanded her to give a better answer. No more people need to die. He wanted to say that to her, but what could he do? Nothing came to mind and softened his gaze. I¡¯m no different.

    ¡°He¡¯ll make it out. He always does.¡± With that, she began to toward the collapsed wall.

    They were almost out, and a clear path lay ahead. Among the crowd, Ezra spotted someone that looked familiar. A man with graying hair and round glasses smudged with machine oil held something in his hands. It was Hugo, Ezra realized. The mechanic was hunched over, holding something in a blanket. Barely, through the thin fabric, Ezra saw a scarlet light slowly flashing.

    ¡°He has the beacon.¡± Ezra declared as Zoe spun to see where he pointed.

    Her wide eyes frantically took in her surroundings until she located the red light. As soon as she locked onto Hugo, he started running. Carrying a heavy object, he wasn¡¯t able to get far before she jumped on top of him like a feral animal.

    ¡°I¡¯m your employer.¡± He pleaded as he tried to hold onto the beacon. ¡°Get off me this instant.¡±

    She finally ripped the object from his hands and was ready to chuck it as he bit her leg. She kicked him, and he went flying into a collapsed tent. Blood trickled down Hugo¡¯s face as he slowly got up.

    ¡°I need that. It attracts them. I know. But that is why it¡¯s so valuable. Think of the capabilities it would give me in my research. I could advance biotech sciences by hundreds of years. Learn to harness the power the ancients took for granted. You''re holding our future in your hands.¡±

    He lunged at her, and she tossed the beacon towards the center of camp. But it was too little too late. The remaining beasts were already approaching. Ezra knew he should run, but that would only be a temporary solution. His heart pounded, knowing every second he stayed reduced his chances of survival. Move, he screamed at himself. Move!

    ¡°Leave now!¡± A voice shouted from the distance. Ezra expected it to be Zoe¡¯s but it wasn¡¯t. It was Audrus. ¡°You have five seconds to leave. I¡¯m talking to both you and the beasts.¡±

    In his hands, he held Malack¡¯s hammer. Zoe stared in disbelief, and she covered her mouth as she trembled. She almost looked sad. But why, Ezra wondered.

    ¡°Five, four, three.¡± Caleb pulled Zoe along, and on instinct, Ezra started running. ¡°Two.¡± Electricity crackled. ¡°This is for you, old friend. One!¡±

    Lightning streaked overhead, and light brighter than the lighthouses at midnight surrounded the camp. As Ezra glanced back, he saw Audrus along with the beasts enveloped in the hammer¡¯s energy, and as quickly as it appeared, so too did it leave. Most of the camp lay untouched, but Audrus and the beasts were gone.

    ¡°Why,¡± Ezra muttered. ¡°How?¡±

    It was Caleb who answered. ¡°It was Malack¡¯s skill. All those years fighting, and never once did he release the energy he had built up in his hammer. At some point, it becomes too much energy for one person to handle.¡± He sat down next to Ezra and stared out at the rubble. ¡°And I was too much of a coward to use it.¡±

    ¡°We thought we were brave, but the abyss doesn¡¯t see it that way.¡± Ezra glanced back at the crowd of people. He recognized the old woman who had given Audrus food. At least some are favored by the abyss. His eyes widened as he remembered Sylvia and Emma. He scanned the crowd but couldn¡¯t find them. ¡°No. No, it can¡¯t be.¡± He stood up and began walking towards the camp. I have to find them.

    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Caleb called after him.

    He kept looking, turning over charred pieces of wood and ripping tent fabric to pieces. They had to be here. Mud, oil, and blood caked on his shoes, but he kept going. To the next tent and then the next one. Under every piece of wood, sheet of metal, or collapsed tree he searched until finally he reached the medical tent. In front of its door, a woman and her child lay on the ground. Sylvia had wrapped herself around Emma but neither of them was moving.

    Dirt marred their faces, and an ugly gash ran down Sylvia¡¯s back. Ezra bent down, hoping to see any sign of life, but there was none. He peeled Syliva¡¯s arms from Emma and laid the little girl out. There were no major injuries that he could see, but still, she wasn¡¯t breathing.

    Caleb slowed to a jog as he approached the scene. ¡°What are you¡­¡± He paused upon seeing Ezra hunched over the two bodies.

    ¡°You can heal her. Can¡¯t you?¡± Ezra pleaded as his throat grew tighter. ¡°I saw you do it with Zoe. Please. Please heal her. At least the girl.¡±

    Caleb frowned as he bent down to examine Emma. A warm glow appeared around his hand as he moved it over her chest. ¡°She¡¯s dead. I can¡¯t.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s hands shook as he considered Caleb¡¯s words. ¡°Sky-seekers aren¡¯t bound by the rules of man or the abyss.¡±

    ¡°Death binds us all.¡± The words came out slowly as if even Caleb didn¡¯t want to admit them. He stood up and began to leave the camp. ¡°We should leave. We don¡¯t know how many are out there. If we¡¯re lucky, the third layer will let us in if we have Hugo¡¯s clearance.¡±

    There had to be something. Something he could do. So many people died today. So many he couldn¡¯t save. He pulled out his pocket and pulled up his skill screen.

    Skill [Time Scale]

    When activated, the user can push time forward or backward for one inanimate object of their choosing. The effects last as long as the user has not selected another object. Time can be changed up to 30 seconds at the current level. [Rank up available at Level 30]

    May you mold your future with careful consideration of the past.

    The words inanimate object stood out as if to mock him. To tell him there was a chance only to rip that hope away. There were always so many limits and requirements. Sky-seekers were promised freedom, but the system was far from it. I don¡¯t need the system to give me freedom.

    He pulled out the Thorin-sphere and ran his fingers over its glossy silver surface. Ever since the day he had found it, he wondered what secrets it was hiding. He closed his eyes and imprinted every detail of it into his mind. He had only pushed objects backward in time, never forward, but that wasn¡¯t a limit placed on him.

    ¡°Time-scale.¡±

    The Thorin-sphere started to vibrate, and the screen flashed between red, green, and blue. He kept pushing as far as his ability would allow him until suddenly, the Thorin-sphere became still. The words on the screen read:

    Clearance Level Five Activated

    He didn¡¯t know how much time he had, so he acted fast and pressed the Thorin-sphere against Emma¡¯s chest. If it can absorb materials at level one, why not more at level five? Soon, her chest began to rise. He clicked through the menus and saw a crimson square in his inventory.

    Fatal injury Lvl 3

    It worked. It actually worked. Ezra marveled until the Thorin-sphere suddenly became hot, and he dropped it to the ground. Emma began to cough as air filled her lungs and warmth returned to her skin.

    Caleb rushed back to Ezra as he heard another life. ¡°How? You don¡¯t even have a healing skill.¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± Ezra stumbled over his words, still in disbelief at what he had done. ¡°I broke the rules of the abyss.¡±

    Emma opened her eyes and stared up at the canopy of fluorescent lights above. She truely was alive. Wonderfully and beautifully alive.

    End of Arc 2: Living by Our Own Rules

 Chapter 17: To the Next Layer

    The stars are a lie. Their beauty deceives, and the true sky remains out of reach. Even though we believe we have escaped, the Terrathan guards are after us. Why must San¡¯tel stop us? Should our fate not be our own?

    They leave us no choice but to go higher. No. Not just them. The whole abyss leaves us no choice. It taunts us with mimicry of legends, but I know the sky is out there. Maryel says the lights above are more beautiful than anything she has seen. I will not tell her the truth I have found. I will let her enjoy the sight, but one day I will show her the true stars.

    There are rumors of an old hermit that once communed with the Gods. I must find this man, for he alone will hold the secrets of ascending to the next layer. I will start at the highest peak, the spire¡¯s fang.

    Tomorrow when day breaks and the mother flame fills the abyss with her light, those terrible shadows shall haunt us no longer. Then and only then will I journey up the mountain with Maryel. Those shadows frighten her so much. She trembles at the thought of them. I fear them too, they took my friends, but I must be brave for her. Together we will be free. Together the false sky shall no longer bind us.

    Thorin¡¯s 2nd Journal Entry, estimated to be 2 to 6 months after the collapse of the obsidian pillar

    <hr>

    No matter how many times he tapped the screen the Thorin-sphere never lit up. The black eye on top of the orb stared up at him as if to say, ¡°Remember your place.¡± He had tried all day. At this point, nothing is going to change, Ezra admitted as he tossed the orb into his backpack like a discarded toy. He didn¡¯t want to think about it like that but for now, that was all it was.

    Ezra rested his head in his hands as the warmth of the fire blanketed him. There had to be some way to fix it. The thing had short-circuited only moments after Emma woke up. It was like any electronic, so there had to be a solution¡ªsomething he wasn¡¯t seeing. The thought looped in his head like a broken recorder until he was too tired to think anymore.

    He flinched as hot metal flicked the side of his arm and looked up to see Milo holding a dented mug. Even their mugs had wounds from the previous battle.

    Milo handed him the steaming cup. ¡°Any luck with it?¡±

    ¡°Nothing,¡± Ezra sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fried and I can¡¯t open it with the tools we have. Even if we did, I¡¯m not sure if opening it would just make everything worse.¡±

    He glanced up across the fire and saw Hugo clutching a half-melted beacon. It wasn¡¯t flashing, but it still made Ezra nervous. The old man¡¯s eyes were completely captured by the flames like he was in a dream.

    ¡°What the hell are you staring at?¡± Ezra spat across the flames.

    Hugo blinked a few times and then clutched the beacon tighter as if it was a child not meant to hear such venomous words.

    ¡°I want to get rid of it too, but we can¡¯t make it to the third layer without his clearance.¡± Milo spared a pitiful look to the mechanic.

    ¡°I know,¡± Ezra scowled. ¡°I¡¯m counting the hours till we get rid of him.¡±

    ¡°Are you two taking the first watch?¡± Caleb¡¯s voice came from behind.

    Ezra didn¡¯t turn to address him. ¡°Sure,¡± he reluctantly accepted.

    ¡°We won¡¯t take our eyes off him,¡± Milo said, giving a salute to lighten the mood. ¡°And I¡¯ll make sure Ezra doesn¡¯t strangle him.¡±

    The answer was acceptable enough to Caleb and he went back to his tent in the middle of the small camp. A charred log snapped and fell into the fire as glowing embers drifted into the night. Only to quickly fade as if the tension in the air had snuffed them out. Hugo turned slightly from Ezra¡¯s cold stare and lowered his head in shame. If that¡¯s even what he¡¯s feeling. The thought stewed in Ezra¡¯s mind until Milo broke the silence.

    ¡°How¡¯s Emma doing?¡±

    Ezra blinked at the new topic and took his eyes off Hugo. ¡°She¡¯s¡­¡± He paused, realizing the easy answer was a lie. ¡°She¡¯s still shaken up from the attack. It¡¯s not easy losing both parents.¡± He gazed at a brown patchwork tent only a few paces away from Caleb¡¯s. Emma and Zoe were likely asleep. She had tried to provide Emma comfort, but Ezra knew Zoe was still sorting through her own problems. ¡°I don¡¯t even know where she goes next. I saved her but did I do it just to prove I could?¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re not like that,¡± Milo said. ¡°You saved her because you cared. No one deserves to die like that.¡±

    Ezra shifted on the fallen log they sat on and preferred to stare at the fire than spare Milo any of his attention. ¡°We¡¯ll have to get new stuff. Half of it¡¯s still in the Thorin-sphere.¡± His voice was disinterested and distant. The topic of Emma wasn¡¯t pleasant to talk about and even if he wanted to move on Ezra couldn¡¯t focus his mind on anything else, no matter how hard he tried.

    ¡°Most of it¡¯s my stuff. Tell me you at least pulled the money out.¡±

    ¡°I did.¡±

    Milo relaxed and slumped his shoulders. ¡°Good, because if you didn¡¯t we¡¯d have to resort to selling that thing.¡± He looked at the beacon with acquisitive eyes.

    Hugo gripped his prize tighter and seemed ready to defend it with his life.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Birds cooed in the shimmering leaves above and Milo sighed at their ambivalent song. ¡°Do you really think you¡¯re ready to face Marcus?¡±

    ¡°Of course I am,¡± Ezra said, offended by even being asked the question. ¡°I¡¯m not the same as when we left Deepburrow.¡±

    ¡°You say that, but it¡¯s only been five days and, ¡° Milo cleared his throat like the words were stuck in a terrible memory, ¡°the experience is still fresh. Your abilities are still new.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve learned a lot since then. I¡¯m no longer afraid to use the system, and I know how to use my skills.¡± Despite the Thorin-sphere breaking he still had Time-scale. With that, Ezra felt like he could do almost anything.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what skill Marcus has or what skills his teammates have. What if one of them has a skill as powerful as Time-scale.¡±

    ¡°The only way to know is to find them,¡± Ezra replied.

    Milo fell silent and began to juggle two pebbles floating in the palm of his hand. He always fiddled with something when he was thinking. Ezra wondered what was going through his friend''s mind but decided that would be another conversation he didn¡¯t want to have tonight. Through the smoldering fire, he fixed his gaze on Hugo. They had dragged him this far, and until Ezra got to the third layer, he was determined to never let the old man out of his sight.

    Morning came and they packed up camp. After a quick breakfast, consisting of food they had scavenged from the mechanic¡¯s encampment, the group was on their way. Less than halfway through the night Ezra and Milo had traded shifts with Caleb. They still had another hour or two but Caleb had told them he couldn¡¯t sleep. Across the pack of survivors, Ezra saw the bags under Zoe¡¯s eyes indicate the same. She wrapped a tattered cloak around Emma and urged her to follow the group. Only after a gentle nudge, did the little girl start moving.

    Today they were heading for the center of the second layer. Caleb had told them there was a lift between Subterris, the city on the third layer, and the highest point of the forest. Of course, there were other routes like the caves at the abyss¡¯s boundary, but those would take weeks to navigate¡ªtime that none of them had. Food would only last them a few more days, and without Audrus¡¯s forage skill edible foliage would be hard to come by.

    Emma¡¯s cheeks looked so hollow. Was she not eating, Ezra wondered. He maneuvered through the crowd until he was beside Zoe. Her eyes that once held confidence gazed at the muddy ground.

    ¡°Is Emma eating?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°What?¡± Zoe looked up as she was taken out of her trance. ¡°Oh, um, yes. She has. Not much but she has been eating.¡±

    ¡°She doesn¡¯t look well.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to tell you, kid. I may be at that age but I¡¯m no mother.¡± The wrinkles on her face looked deeper than yesterday. ¡°Look around at the rest of us. She¡¯s not the only one. Be glad she is even alive. That is not a fortune many sky-seekers enjoy.¡± Her heavy face showed the weight behind those words that had sunk into her soul.

    Ezra frowned at her words. Through his experience, he had learned they were all too true. The birds were quieter today, and the afternoon light overwhelmed the dull glow of plant life they trekked through. Ahead of him, Emma was still trodding along, the hood of Zoe¡¯s cloak pulled down so far that Ezra wondered if she could even see in front of her. Does she resent me?

    Light poking through the branches grew brighter as more people raised their heads and gazed onwards. The rushing wind flew past them, and Emma¡¯s hood blew back. Fresh air, the kind of air that makes each breath feel like drinking pure spring water and gives new life to every adventurous spirit. The wind whistled past and sounded like a rushing waterfall. As the group passed through the outer reaches of the forest, Ezra finally saw it. The center of the inverted abyss.

    White stone polished by millennia of powerful gales stretched into the afternoon light. Nothing blocked the way up or down. Across the massive hole, the luminescent forest revealed its true size by wrapping around the entire perimeter as if it pushed the infinite walls up to create room for life. A few wispy clouds circled below as Ezra peeked over the edge to try and see Deepburrow. He only spotted a deary glimmer of light before he felt a tug and was pulled back from the edge.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need you falling when we¡¯re so close to the lift,¡± Caleb said, as he stepped away from the edge and shuddered.

    ¡°What, are you scared of heights?¡± Milo laughed as he took a peak over the edge too. ¡°So this is what the abyss jumpers see.¡±

    ¡°Those fools have a death wish.¡± Caleb stiffened and this time didn¡¯t dare to go near the edge to pull Milo back.

    ¡°I can see why,¡± Milo said with wonder.

    Emma pointed to the sky and spoke with a feeble voice. ¡°Look, the water drop is here.¡±

    Ezra gazed above as a mist of vapor from the twisting clouds hit his face. A torrent of rushing water echoed through the cacophonous cavern. The mist became droplets, and the droplets coalesced into a running stream. Ezra stepped back as the radiant water lept down the sides of the abyss.

    ¡°It¡¯s the monthly harvest fall,¡± Milo said as he shook Ezra¡¯s shoulder. Some water splashed into the forest, but they remained where they stood, transfixed on the rushing liquid.

    ¡°You call it the water drop. Have you seen this before?¡± Ezra asked Emma.

    ¡°Yep,¡± she nodded. ¡°Me and Mommy would watch it every month from the clock tower in Subterris.¡±

    ¡°The folks on the upper layers don¡¯t call it the harvest fall since our agriculture isn¡¯t dependent on the delivery of water from the fourth layer. To us, it¡¯s just routine spectacle.¡± Caleb wiped the moisture from his glasses with the corner of his shirt.

    ¡°But now, she won¡¯t be able to watch it with me,¡± Emma¡¯s voice lowered as it was drowned out by the rushing water.

    The smile on Ezra¡¯s face faded as he was reminded of Emma¡¯s reality. What does she even live for anymore? He wanted to comfort her and give her a reason to continue. For him, every new sight he saw drove him to go higher, to find out why his mother left, but his dream wasn¡¯t something he could force upon her. She needed to find her own reason. Ezra scanned the group of tired refugees. They all did.

    ¡°I¡¯ll watch them with you,¡± Zoe said as she crouched next to Emma. ¡°We¡¯ll make a promise to meet at the clock tower next month. I know it¡¯s a long way away, but it¡¯s something we can look forward to together.¡± She stuck out her pinky to seal the promise.

    Emma¡¯s eyes darted toward the waterfall then at the ground and back to Zoe. Timidly she raised her hand and hooked Zoe¡¯s pinky with her¡¯s. ¡°Promise?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± a half smile crossed Zoe¡¯s lips as the small joy she felt pushed past her tired expression. ¡°Together we¡¯ll make it to tomorrow and the day after that.¡±

 Chapter 18: Subterris

    The lift creaked and rattled as they ascended to the third layer. Ezra balanced himself on an alabaster rail guard flaked with deteriorating paint. Water still dripped from the grated canopy that covered the platform he stood on. He and Milo gazed up wondering when Subterris would come into sight. Others slumped against the walls and dozed off while Caleb remained alert next to the emergency switch that would shut off the lift in case of mechanical failure. Zoe had fallen asleep and Emma leaned against the woman¡¯s shoulder desperately trying to keep her eyes open to little success.

    Ezra sorted through a mental checklist. New gear, find a safe place for Emma, Morltin test, and find Marcus. The last part would happen whenever the opportunity presented itself, but he wouldn¡¯t tell Milo that. He needed to remain focused and not get into another argument. Milo was right in the sense that they had little info on Marcus¡¯s allies, yet the only way to get info was to find them. He knew Milo feared Marcus even if he wouldn¡¯t outright admit it. But I¡¯ll protect him, Ezra assured himself. No matter what happens Marcus won¡¯t take another life.

    Metal groves clicked into place like mechanical clockwork as the lift began to slow. As Ezra squinted his eyes, he could see shabby structures jutting from the walls of the abyss. Rays of daylight diffused through the heavy fog like the arms of an angel reaching down to weary travelers. A shadow passed overhead and a loud horn bellowed in the distance. Ezra hurriedly searched for the source of the noise but only saw more silhouettes swim through the clouds. Among the dilapidated buildings, people stirred on porches that clung to the houses near the lift. A week ago Ezra would have thought it impossible to live on the walls of the abyss. He wondered how they managed it.

    ¡°Approaching cloud cover,¡± Caleb announced. ¡°Everyone please hold onto something. I don¡¯t want anyone falling off.¡±

    Ezra gripped the railing tighter than before as they hit a thicker layer of fog. Far off the sounds resembled the airships he had occasionally seen in Deepburrow. The airships were huge ballooning pieces of metal that made him doubt their ability to even get off the ground. His mind buzzed with excitement at the possibility of seeing more than one.

    Suddenly they burst from the clouds and bright light filled the space around them. On all sides a city bigger than anything Ezra had seen surrounded them. In a cavernous space buildings crowded together and climbed on top of one another as if desperately reaching higher. The dull browns and grays Ezra had grown accustomed to in Deepburrow gave way to brilliant blues, gaudy greens, and vibrant purples.

    Airships streaked across the clouds as they made their way through the giant ring of air that separated the city. Milo leaned forward as his eyes widened at the thrilling sight and Ezra¡¯s mouth hung open. Everything was beyond his expectations.

    They ducked as a figure whipped past them. Raising their heads they saw a man in gleaming white robes leaping across the clouds. A swirling symbol was embroidered on his back.

    ¡°That¡¯s an Abyss Jumper,¡± Milo exclaimed as he pointed to the man who was nearly out of sight.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go running after him,¡± Caleb said. ¡°He probably has a skill that allows him to walk on clouds.¡±

    Milo glared at him. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± Turning from Caleb he playfully nudged Ezra and lowered his voice. ¡°But I¡¯ll figure out a way. You¡¯ll see me hopping across those clouds before the end of the week.¡±

    ¡°Oh really? You think someone with an anti-gravity skill would have already figured it out.¡± Ezra taunted Milo with a raised eyebrow.

    Milo immediately shot back. ¡°You know my limits or did you already forget my skill description? Only inanimate objects. I¡¯ll have to get creative but before you know it I¡¯ll be flying well out of your reach.¡±

    ¡°I look forward to the day,¡± Ezra said as the lift came to a stop.

    Caleb roused the sleeping passengers and the grated fence behind them clicked open. One by one they left and headed towards a walled checkpoint. Guards, wearing blue double-breasted military tunics streaked with white along the collar and cuffs, watched the refugees apprehensively. One man with a layered silver shoulder piece affixed to his right stepped forward to question Caleb.

    ¡°We have been commanded to stop the entry of anyone coming from the second layer. State your business and be quick.¡± The guard¡¯s gruff voice warranted everyone¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Move aside!¡± Hugo pushed through the crowd holding the beacon with one arm. ¡°How dare you impede such important scientific progress.¡±

    Several guards reached for swords at their waists. They didn¡¯t seem like normal swords. Ezra noticed the hilts glowed like amethyst as their hands drew near. The captain glared at Hugo with disdain.

    ¡°One of you, state your business this instant!¡±

    ¡°We¡­¡± Caleb began before Hugo cut him off and shoved a laminated card, that peeled at the edges, into the captain¡¯s face.

    ¡°Dosser & Dod research division. Under project Aegis Alpha. Does a dim wit such as yourself understand the importance of my safe arrival?¡±

    Anger boiled up inside Ezra. The pathetic man he had seen the last few days was no more. What right does he have to act so self-important?

    Concern or perhaps confusion washed over Caleb''s face as Ezra saw him mouth the words, ¡°Aegis Alpha.¡±

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    The captain squared his jaw and frowned at the card Hugo incessantly pushed closer. After a few moments, he raised his arm and closed his fist. Without a word, the metal walls slid open. ¡°You are free to go. All persons please enter single file so we can scan for dangerous and illegal materials.¡±

    The survivors shuffled into a line and passed through the security checkpoint. Hugo was taken off to the side and continued to argue with the captain. After much-heated discussion and many requests to examine the item Hugo carried, they relented and let him through. On the other side of the gate, Ezra saw Hugo harass a young man in uniform to take him to the communications room. They scurried off as Hugo continued to berate the poor man.

    ¡°Hopefully that''s the last we see of him,¡± Milo said.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Ezra responded distantly as the words Aegis Alpha ran through his mind. ¡°I hope so too.¡±

    Gravel crunched under Caleb''s boots as he passed by with his leather notebook in hand. A studious concentration darkened his face.

    Ezra tapped Caleb¡¯s shoulder to get his attention. ¡°Do you know something about Aegis Alpha? When Hugo said something about it, it seemed to bother you.¡±

    ¡°First time I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Caleb said as he violently snapped his notebook closed. ¡°It¡¯s just you don¡¯t name a project Aegis Alpha without comparisons being drawn to the A.S.H.O system.¡±

    Milo cocked his head to the side. ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Well the full name of the A.S.H.O system is the Aegis System of Higher Order Operations,¡± Caleb explained. ¡°We don¡¯t use the name Aegis lightly.¡±

    ¡°You would think Faulpher-tek would research something like that. What¡¯s a biomedical company like Dosser & Dod got to do with the Aegis system?¡± Ezra wished he could forget all about that sad old man, but the mysteries surrounding Hugo clung to his mind like moss to a rock.

    Caleb pondered the question for a moment and then shrugged in defeat. ¡°Your guess is as good as mine.¡±

    Zoe came up from behind Caleb and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°A church of Elysia is only a thirty-minute walk from here. We should visit before nightfall. Audrus would appreciate it.¡± She pulled out an ash-dusted mirror with swirls of gold inlaid on the back.

    It¡¯s the same mirror Audrus used to signal the camp when I arrived, Ezra realized.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t been in a church in decades but we owe it to him,¡± Zoe continued.

    Caleb solemnly nodded and stared up the winding road ahead. ¡°It seems like everyone else can manage from here. Let''s go.¡±

    Emma peaked around Zoe¡¯s leg and nervously clutched the woman¡¯s orange robes. Zoe put her hand on the little girl¡¯s head. ¡°Oh and one last thing,¡± she said. ¡°Could you two look after her for a bit? I have some things I need to take care of first.¡±

    Zoe bent down until she was the same height as Emma. She whispered a few words of comfort and wiped a smudge of dirt from Emma¡¯s cheek. After Zoe was done with Emma, she approached Ezra and leaned closer to whisper something into his ear. ¡°Try to find her somewhere safe to stay. The life of a sky-seeker is something a child shouldn¡¯t bear.¡±

    Ezra blinked at her words and was about to ask if she would come back. Her smile gave no answer and only begged him to complete her request. No other words passed between them before she and Caleb were on their way.

    Milo seemed to understand and immediately went to Emma. The little girl was silent as she stared after Zoe.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go explore the city,¡± Milo said in a playful tone. ¡°This is where you live, right?¡± Emma nodded and Milo continued. ¡°Then you must know some interesting places. Come on, hop on my back. I¡¯ll give you a piggy-back ride.¡±

    Emma didn¡¯t move and Milo picked her up until she instinctively grasped his shoulders. ¡°Is Zoe coming back?¡± she asked.

    Milo glanced at Ezra as if he had an answer. He shifted the weight of the little girl and began to walk. ¡°You two made a promise. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll see each other again.¡± Milo pointed up the road with a grin on his face. ¡°Now, onwards and upward!¡±

    As they made their way up the road, the outskirts of Subterris came into view. A bustling street lined with buildings and shops haphazardly stacked on top of one another narrowed ahead. The aroma of food Ezra had never smelt before wafted to his nose. Greasy smells stuck to his face and fragrant smells that made his mind wander as he imagined their source. All of it culminated to overwhelm his senses. The people walking the street were as varied and wild as the scents. Some wore robes in a myriad of colors similar to Zoe''s, while others wore heavy armor that clanged with every step. A few glances here and there were spared for the newcomers, but everyone seemed so busy and wrapped up in their own worlds. Any person from Deepburrow would be intimidated, but Ezra was now a sky-seeker. These were the type of people he would spend the rest of his life with.

    Wrecked structures appeared more often the further they got into the city. A shop¡¯s roof splintered in half, an apartment slumped into a pile of rubble, and blackened walls barely clung to the foundation. Despite the destruction, Subterris looked like it thrived. Was this all the Sky-razors doing, Ezra wondered as he remembered the news Owen had told him weeks ago.

    ¡°That¡¯s Daddy¡¯s guild,¡± Emma said as she pointed to a tiered structure with a glass dome on the top.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the top of that kind of look like the lighthouses down in Deepburrow?¡± The puzzled expression on Milo¡¯s face was quickly replaced with an adventurous smile.

    ¡°Yeah, but it shouldn¡¯t get as dark up here,¡± Ezra said. ¡°Why would they need a lighthouse?¡±

    ¡°Because they¡¯re called the Light Bearers. Even if the world shrouds you in darkness the guild gives its light to all.¡± Emma recited proudly. ¡°My daddy told me that.¡±

    Milo pushed Emma up higher on his shoulders. ¡°Let''s head there first. To the Light Bearers, we go!¡±

    Ezra followed behind them. The pair was filled with so much energy they were almost hopping down the street. At the front of the guild¡¯s headquarters, two massive arched doors hung open to the afternoon breeze. Sky-seekers passed in and out while conversation and laughter flowed from inside.

    ¡°Do you want to get on my shoulders?¡± Milo asked as he tilted his head towards Emma. ¡°You¡¯ll see better.¡±

    She nodded, and Milo helped her climb higher. Eyes wide with curiosity, she scanned the room. Ezra took in the sight of so many sky-seekers all in one place, and his heart beat faster. Whether he was anxious or excited, he could not tell. Maybe it was a bit of both. A boy with black hair passed in front of him and his senses went into overdrive. Only for a moment, until he realized the boy was not Marcus.

    Breath, Ezra repeated to calm himself. You couldn¡¯t face him in a crowded area like this anyway.

    He continued looking while making sure he didn¡¯t fall too far behind Milo and Emma. Against a far wall, Ezra spotted a middle-aged man staring at him. He wore a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. Stubble lined his square jaw, and he briefly flashed a smile. I know that man. Ezra searched his mind until he finally realized who it was. That night at the illegal weapons shop. The man who scared off Hubert. Douglas.

 Chapter 19: The Secret War

    Douglas''s eyes didn¡¯t leave Ezra even as Milo and Emma were getting further away. The chaos of the guild hall faded into the background as Ezra wondered if he should approach Douglas. He had helped them, but there was still too much Ezra didn¡¯t know about him. Someone who could shut up Hubert so easily was definitely someone to be wary of, yet the fact remained that he had been noticed.

    The choice wasn¡¯t up to him anymore as Douglas left his lonely corner and began walking across the room. Milo and Emma were already out of his sight, and Ezra didn¡¯t know where else to go. A large board covered with posters bisected a double staircase to his right. Too many people around that. It would be impossible to find Emma and Milo in that crowd. To his left was the doorway. There¡¯s no way they¡¯ve left already.

    Before he could survey the room further, Douglas towered over him. An affable grin greeted Ezra as Douglas stuck out his hand. ¡°What a fortunate coincidence to run into you here. I am glad to see my favor has not been wasted.¡±

    Yes, um, thank you, sir.¡± Ezra said as he grasped Douglas¡¯s hand for a stiff handshake.

    ¡°Oh, no need for such formalities. You can call me Douglas. I believe I never got your name, young man.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Ezra.¡±

    ¡°Wonderful to meet you, Ezra. I hope your journey here wasn¡¯t too treacherous.¡±

    ¡°It''s been tough.¡± More than tough, Ezra thought. He wasn¡¯t about to tell the whole truth to this stranger.

    ¡°When has sky-seeking not been.¡± Douglas smiled as if his words were meant to be a comfort. ¡°Have you come to join a guild? I will be honest with you. The Light Bearers are typically not people''s first choice.¡±

    That information wasn¡¯t important to him right now. Ezra needed real answers ¡ªsomething to scratch that itch squirming in the back of his mind. ¡°That night on the first layer you showed my boss a card. What was on that card?¡±

    ¡°Oh that,¡± Douglas mused. Like magic, a black card appeared between his fingers. ¡°This is simply my business card.¡±

    In silver letters, the top of the card read ¡®Douglas A. Morgan¡¯. Below the name, the letters shifted briefly as Ezra blinked. Then they remained steady and formed the words ¡®Head of Vibrations and Sonics.¡¯ At the bottom of the card, in bold font, the logo of Faulpher-tek stared back at him.

    ¡°So you work for Faulpher-tek,¡± Ezra said, trying to hide the anxiety and disdain in his voice.

    ¡°I take it you don¡¯t view them kindly.¡±

    Air froze in Ezra¡¯s lungs as his mind raced for an answer. ¡°Well, I never said¡­¡±

    ¡°I can tell from the tone of your voice.¡± Douglas¡¯s cold eyes stared him down, yet the fear Ezra felt only stayed for a second as Douglas¡¯s face lit up with a polite grin. ¡°Working for a weapon company comes with its share of controversy.¡±

    Ezra let slip a nervous laugh. Talking to this man was exhausting.

    A barely audible buzz came from Douglas¡¯s forearm, and the man briefly checked his wristwatch. ¡°I am delighted to have formally met you, but other matters call my attention. We can link pockets if you should ever need to contact me again.¡±

    ¡°Link?¡± Ezra asked as he pulled the gray disk from his pocket.

    ¡°It¡¯s very simple. We tap the two devices together,¡± Douglas touched his disk to Ezra¡¯s, ¡°and it will allow text-based communication.¡±

    As Douglas put his pocket away, Ezra noticed it had a purple outline along the rim. He tried to remember what rank the color corresponded to but could not recall. I¡¯ll ask Milo later.

    Douglas said his farewells and promptly left. Still in the middle of the crowded hall, Ezra supposed he should continue his search for Milo and Emma.

    The last he saw of them they were going towards the large board on the other end of the room. Despite the crowd, he decided to search there first. As he passed through the throng of people, mist-like screens ranging from gray to red to purple winked in and out of existence above people¡¯s heads. On one screen he saw ¡®Level 56¡¯ across the top. On another ¡®Level 94¡¯ and near the front of the crowd, a man with form-fitting silver armor had ¡®Level 178¡¯. The wealth of power in this room was almost unimaginable. He wondered what level the test admin in Deepburrow had.

    ¡°Hey, there you are!¡± A hand grasped Ezra¡¯s shoulder, and he turned back to see Milo. Emma was no longer on his shoulders.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Emma?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°I left her with several guild members she said she knew. They¡¯ll be able to take care of her for the day.¡± Milo paused and slightly furrowed his brow at Ezra. ¡°Is everything all right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, why do you ask?¡±

    ¡°You just seem a little more tense than usual,¡± Milo replied as he peeked at the board behind Ezra.

    ¡°You know. New environment and all. Still, a lot to figure out.¡±

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    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re up to it, we can go shopping for new equipment. They probably have plenty of stuff up here that we couldn¡¯t find in Deepburrow.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, let''s do that,¡± Ezra said with a hint of hesitation in his voice as he rubbed his hand against the gray disk in his pocket.

    As they exited the guild hall, the light breeze felt nice after the stifling crowds. Further along, the street opened up, and more of the buildings stood on solid foundations. Glass windows were clean, and layers of brick firmly fit together around polished doorframes. The disparity between the streets on the outskirts, near the lift, and further into the city was becoming more apparent. Roads were no longer dirt, and cobblestone ensured a smooth journey for the few carts that people pulled along.

    ¡°Look it''s a Tarkin-tram!¡± Milo said with the same excitement children had when they saw an airship on the first layer.

    A boxy carriage silently slid along rails of bright white stone. Ezra leaned his head to double cheek he wasn¡¯t hallucinating. Surely enough, a gap remained between the carriage and the rails. The thing was floating with no propeller or loud engine.

    ¡°We only heard rumors of its development in Deepburrow, but I never thought we would get to see one.¡± Ezra straightened his head and watched as the tram disappeared from sight.

    ¡°So,¡± Milo said as he counted off items on his finger, ¡°we need some new cookware, tents, backup weapons, and food.¡± He groaned as he counted off the last few items. ¡°And those weapons were nice too. The quarter-staff had such a sick design on it. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to find something as good-looking.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it need to be practical first?¡± Ezra prodded.

    ¡°Yeah, but that doesn¡¯t matter if I don¡¯t look cool using it.¡±

    Ezra cracked a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find something. Let''s get going.¡±

    Shop after shop Ezra felt worried as their coin pouch got lighter. Milo begged him to get a purple Polonite cookware set, yet once he saw the price he cinched the coin pouch tighter. As they were shopping for tents, Ezra began to wonder about their lodging for tonight. In a city like this, there was no reason to camp outside, yet the price of lodging was still a mystery.

    ¡°Hey, Milo let''s get the tents that are only 15 Alren.¡±

    ¡°Come on. Can¡¯t we get anything nice?¡± Milo grabbed the tent roll while putting on a pout that didn¡¯t last long.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to get our items out of the Thorin-sphere eventually. I just don¡¯t want to invest too much.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t know when that¡¯s going to happen.¡±

    ¡°Trust me it¡¯ll happen. I have no intention of letting that artifact go to waste.¡± Ezra checked another item off his mental checklist as they exited the store.

    ¡°So the weapons store next,¡± Milo said as he put the tent roll into Ezra¡¯s backpack.

    Ezra stared down the street until he located a shop with two swords crossing the top. ¡°Yep.¡±

    A row of windows with several displays of weaponry wrapped around the front of the shop. Maces, polearms, swords, and axes, of all different shapes sizes, and colors lined the displays, including some weapons Ezra couldn¡¯t recognize. Off to the far right, he saw a set of hammers similar to Malack¡¯s. The thought of buying one passed his mind, but Ezra ultimately decided it wouldn¡¯t fit his fighting style. He needed something light, but not daggers. He would wield anything but daggers.

    Entering the store presented even more options. A counter wrapped around the right side of the room, and behind it stood the shopkeeper with a display of vibro-crystal guns above his head. The shopkeeper smiled to welcome them, and about a dozen other customers went about chatting or inspecting weapons.

    ¡°Remember we have a budget,¡± Ezra said before Milo went wandering off through the rest of the store. He sighed at Milo¡¯s eagerness and went to look at the displays himself.

    Behind him, a middle-aged and well-groomed man with a briefcase entered the store. Immediately he approached the shopkeeper. Ezra paid him little mind. Bits of their discussion drifted to him through the hum of conversation in the store.

    ¡°It seems our shipment didn¡¯t make it to you Mr. Ravifort.¡±

    Ezra took a sword with a thin long blade in his hands. It was light, but it didn¡¯t balance exactly how he wanted it to.

    ¡°I want none of your business. I¡¯ve made that clear several times. I refuse to¡­¡±

    Several young sky-seekers, who Ezra thought might be even younger than him, cheered as one of them raised an ornately decorated axe above his head.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. A sensible man like you would be wise to not report this to the Terras.¡±

    As the middle-aged man left, the thud of his suitcase reverberated throughout the room as he dropped it. He made no attempt to go back for it. That¡¯s strange, Ezra thought as he set the sword down.

    Seconds later, the window nearest to the door shattered, and pieces of glass flew across the store as the middle-aged man tumbled back in. His back hit the counter with a thud, and another man stepped in through the broken window. His black boots crunched the broken glass underneath his feet as he raised a wood-polished vibro-crystal gun.

    ¡°Where is it?¡± The man in the window spat with a fury that creased the deep lines accentuating his age more than his graying stubble. He pulled a part of his gray coat from the edges of the broken window and stepped closer.

    The man on the floor was still in a daze. ¡°I¡­ what¡­ It''s.¡±

    Before he could respond, the man in the gray coat glanced at the briefcase near the door. Kicking weapons from the display, he lept down from the window and grasped the edges of the case. He kept his gun trained on the man against the counter at all times. ¡°How do I deactivate it?¡±

    ¡°What do you think this is?¡±

    The man holding the case flicked the hammer of his gun. ¡°Damn it! Tell me now or I blow your brains out.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± the other man sighed.

    ¡°What do you mean I can¡¯t?

    ¡°It¡¯s already activated. You can¡¯t stop it unless you tear the whole case apart. Which, I can assure you don¡¯t have the time to do.¡± The man smiled accepting his fate.

    ¡°Elysia¡¯s whoreson.¡± The man in the gray coat snarled as he pulled the trigger. Blood and brain matter sprayed the side of the countertop.

    Ezra trembled at the sight and watched as the mysterious man grabbed the briefcase and ran out the door shouting for people to clear. He stood up slowly just in time to see the man throw the briefcase into the air and shoot it. A thunderous explosion ripped through the air, and flecks of burnt leather floated to the ground. The man turned to the patrons of the store, and his tired eyes met Ezra. Yet further behind his expression, a fire burned. A fire Ezra knew he had felt once before, but for him it was fresh. For this man in front of him, the inferno of revenge had been burning for far longer.

 Chapter 20: Intimidation Tactics

    ¡°Are you all alright?¡± The man asked with a gravelly voice. The words of concern came as a shock to Ezra after the man¡¯s violent display.

    Glass crunching behind him signaled Milo¡¯s arrival from the back of the store. ¡°What the hell happened?¡± Upon seeing the man in the street holding a gun he froze.

    ¡°Is anyone injured?¡± The man inquired again.

    Ezra scanned the small store and saw no one dead but the man against the counter. ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡±

    There was still so much he wanted to know. This man didn¡¯t seem like a bad person. Something more was going on. ¡°Why did you do this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy.¡± The man replied.

    Voices of guards came from a distance as people parted about a hundred paces down the street. The man glanced in the direction of the crowds, and suddenly he was in front of Ezra. Ezra almost fell back as the man snatched the coin pouch at his side. ¡°Think of it as payment for saving your life.¡±

    Before he could grasp his senses, the mysterious man was back in the street. Only a second later he was further away.

    ¡°Did he just?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Well, after him! That¡¯s all of our money.¡± He slapped Ezra on his back and went sprinting out of the store.

    A teleport skill. There was no way they were going to catch up. Plus this man seemed to know the city a million times better than they did. The guards were closing in, and they would likely ask questions. They didn¡¯t have time to answer them. Ezra stumbled onto one foot as he slid through two unaware pedestrians. Regaining his balance, he continued the chase. Heart pounding, eyes desperately searching for the man in a gray coat, and mind racing for solutions Ezra ducked under a pair of men carrying a long crate.

    Milo tapped his shoulder, ¡°He¡¯s up there. On the rooftops,¡± he panted between gasps for air.

    There¡¯s no way we¡¯ll reach him now. Ezra bit his lip as he looked for a way up. Unless, he thought as a plan began to take shape.

    Ahead, a vendor in a red jacket offered various ores. Rushing past the people surrounding the stall, he grabbed a black and rubbery piece of ore, and the stall owner called after him. Keep looking forward, Ezra reminded himself. He didn¡¯t love stealing but hated the thought of being stolen from more.

    He tossed the piece of Decrite to Milo.

    He looked at Ezra bewildered. ¡°What am I supposed to do with this?¡±

    ¡°Use your skill to chuck it at him.¡±

    ¡°Might as well throw a pillow at him while I¡¯m at it.¡± Milo squished the ore between his fingers.

    The man was nearly out of sight, and the shouting behind them wasn¡¯t getting quieter. ¡°Just trust me. You throw it I¡¯ll do the rest.¡±

    Milo gave Ezra one last sidelong glance and massaged the Decrite into a sphere. Taking a deep breath, he raised his arm, and the rubbery substance soared through the air unimpeded by anything that would pull it back down.

    Ezra focused on the speeding black dot and considered the futures it could experience. One action. One item. Thirty seconds.  After they had unloaded the Decrite at lighthouse three, he had stayed a bit to watch them put it in the processor. With a slow application of pressure, the ore had turned to liquid in seconds. Wouldn¡¯t the opposite be true the other way around? It still only takes a few seconds. He imagined the action of rapid compression. Time-scale.

    The lumpy sphere Milo had shaped hardened into a perfect ball and struck the man¡¯s left shoulder blade. He was coming up on a break between two buildings as he stumbled and slowed down. A Tarkin-tram was speeding by through the gap. That¡¯s his next target. He doesn¡¯t have the momentum to make the jump so he needs the tram. But he¡¯s not teleporting. Why not?

    ¡°Get the Decrite back!¡±

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    ¡°Still got it,¡± Milo called back as he pulled the ore towards him.

    ¡°Time-scale,¡± Ezra whispered as he watched the tram begin to travel backward. Suddenly, it felt like the wind was knocked out of him. Too big? Too much, Ezra wondered as he felt his grasp on the tram slipping.

    A few passengers were flung to the front of the tram as their momentum conflicted with time. Above them, the man was holding his shoulder as he lept from the building.

    ¡°Shit!¡± The man shouted as he frantically grasped for a ledge that wasn¡¯t there.

    His body disappeared in midair but then reappeared as he slammed into the side of the other building. Milo and Ezra rushed towards the man as he tumbled towards the ground. The man twisted his body and curled his legs to brace for impact, as he fell into a thin metal canopy. The sheet of metal collapsed with a crackling thud.

    The tram sped past as Ezra released control of his skill, and they both stared at the disoriented man before them. He rubbed his ashen stubble and slowly raised himself from the wreckage.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give your money back but not here.¡± The man said as he rubbed his forehead and wiped a streak of blood from his lips.

    Milo raised his arm, ready to throw the ball of Decrite again, but Ezra put a hand on Milo¡¯s forearm as they both realized the approaching shouts behind them.

    ¡°Ok, lead the way,¡± Ezra replied.

    The man clumsy got up and placed a hand on a metal support as he regained his senses. After a deep breath, he took the lead. They darted down alleyways, each one thinner than the last, as the chaos behind them faded. After the man seemed satisfied, they stopped in an alleyway thinner than two people across.

    The same tired look Ezra had seen outside the weapons shop made the man seem older than Ezra suspected he actually was. After a moment of fishing around his baggy trousers, the man produced a brown felt bag. He jingled it in front of them to prove its authenticity and casually tossed it Milo¡¯s way.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± The man grumbled.

    Milo opened the bag and smiled at the sight of silver coins. ¡°Yeah, that¡­¡±

    ¡°Wait, I have some questions to ask,¡± Ezra interjected. ¡°What were you doing at the weapons shop? You said you¡¯re not our enemy. Who is?¡±

    ¡°And your name,¡± Milo said trying to muster an interrogating tone.

    The man sighed, ¡°This is why I can¡¯t stand unalloyed. Thinking they have the right to know everything.¡±

    ¡°You almost got us killed and then stole from us. I think we have the right to know something.¡± Ezra leaned against a building in an attempt to block the man¡¯s exit.

    Silence stood between them like an invisible wall until the man broke it. ¡°It¡¯s Wilfred, and I wasn¡¯t the one about to get you killed. If I didn¡¯t show up, you would be dead.¡±

    ¡°From the man with the briefcase?¡± Ezra folded his arms and continued to glare at Wilfred.

    ¡°Who else,¡± Wilfred responded, stunned that such an obvious question was being asked. ¡°That man works or worked for Faulpher-tek. Not directly but he¡¯s connected.¡±

    Milo jumped in before Ezra could continue to ask another question. ¡°But why would he want to blow up the weapons shop? Faulpher-tek makes weapons. It¡¯ll be stupid for them to blow up their customers.¡±

    ¡°Because the retailer isn¡¯t selling what they want. You¡¯re from the first layer, right?¡±

    Ezra nodded. He decided not to question how Wilfred knew.

    ¡°There are plenty of restrictions on weapons down there,¡± Wilfred explained and unholstered his vibro-crystal gun. ¡°If I wasn¡¯t a registered sky-seeker, I wouldn¡¯t be allowed to have this outside a testing hall or Terra observed ranges. Similar rules apply up here, but since more sky-seekers live in Subterris the restrictions are looser. Yet, Faulpher-tek still thinks they¡¯re not loose enough.¡± Every time he mentioned Faulpher-tek the word was imbued with silent rage. ¡°So, to answer your question, it¡¯s a petty intimidation tactic. Nothing more. Nothing less.¡±

    ¡°Great chat, but I¡¯ve got to get going.¡± Wilfred made a move to shove past Ezra, but Milo blocked his way. ¡°What¡¯s your problem kid?¡±

    ¡°You still have half our money.¡± Milo stared him down with bold determination as he stuck out a hand.

    Wilfred rolled his eyes, took a handful of coins from his pocket, and firmly placed them in Milo¡¯s palm. ¡°Satisfied?¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Milo grinned as he funneled the coins back into the bag.

    Before Wilfred could fully exit the alleyway, Ezra spoke up. ¡°So, is Faulpher-tek the real enemy?¡±

    ¡°One of many. Who knows what allies they have.¡± Wilfred shoved his hands in his coat pockets and turned back one last time. ¡°If you ever meet a man named Marlaove, tell him old Wil is still waiting.¡±

    Suddenly, Wilfred disappeared. Probably his teleportation skill again. Ezra was kicking himself for not asking about that.

    ¡°So where to next?¡± Milo asked.

    The name Marlaove faded into the back of Ezra¡¯s mind as he remembered his true goal. Marcus was still out there somewhere, likely getting more powerful as they spoke. I need to be strong enough to face him. Ezra looked up with resolve in his eyes. ¡°The Morltin test is on this layer. Why don¡¯t we go take it.¡±

 Chapter 21: To Go Higher

    After heading to another weapons shop, they went to the Subterris Office of Trainees. The building looked more like a monument than a place of business. Clear crystal columns flecked with red, to emphasize the Morltin theming, spiraled to meet a gleaming archway that flowed down to the ground.  Hordes of people walked up the steps and into the entrance leading to an even bigger translucent dome. The entire scene made Ezra feel insignificant compared to the grand memories of sky-seekers before him. Along the top of the entrance, twelve names of the original Voyagers were engraved into the crystalline stone. Only one was still alive.

    Nyxaldra Drakimir, the Void Caller. Rumored to be on the eleventh layer, Nyxaldra had found the secret to living three hundred years. The stories Ezra had heard ranged from saying he had embedded artifacts into his skin to drinking an elixir of immortality given to him by Elysia herself.

    As they walked into the vaulted hall, Milo nudged Ezra and pointed to a crowd of people near the back. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Hana? You know, the Voyager¡¯s daughter that took the test with us.¡±

    Her ebony hair flowed over her shoulders and onto the same turquoise robes she had worn on the first layer. Pressed against a corner, all the attention made her force an uncomfortable smile.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk to her later,¡± Ezra said. ¡°Let¡¯s sign up for the test first.¡±

    To the left, an employee in a black and green uniform stood behind a kiosk that was flush to the wall. After waiting in line for a few minutes, Ezra and Milo approached ready to fill out several forms.

    ¡°Morltin or Seeker test?¡± The employee asked in a monotonous voice.

    ¡°Morltin,¡± Ezra replied.

    The employee stuck out his hand as he jotted something on a clipboard beside him. ¡°Pockets please.¡±

    Ezra and Milo handed over their Pockets. The staff member turned and slotted them into a black box with a small opening in the middle. A few seconds later, the disks popped back out. The man peered at the line behind them with an exhausted frown as he handed the Pockets back.

    ¡°Is that all?¡± Ezra asked. ¡°No paperwork?¡±

    ¡°Almost, sir.¡± The man droned on as if he had given this explanation a thousand times already. ¡°All your identification info is linked to your Pocket. By consenting to give me your pocket, you have agreed to all terms and conditions set forth by the Sky-seeker¡¯s Office of Trainees. Therefore, there is no need for physical signatures. If you have any additional inquiries, please see our legal team in the building across the street.¡±

    ¡°One last thing,¡± the staff member continued. ¡°You need four team members to take the Morltin test. Will you have two more registering in the next two hours?¡±

    Ezra froze. This wasn¡¯t something he had considered. ¡°Uh, we¡­¡±

    Milo leaned forward on the countertop. ¡°Yes, we will have two more registering in the next two hours.¡± He pulled Ezra aside, and the staff member yelled for the next people in the line.

    ¡°What do you mean we have two more people?¡± Ezra retorted with a sharp whisper.

    Milo leaned in and put his arm around Ezra. ¡°This is our chance to get Hana on our team. A Voyager¡¯s daughter has got to be like super powerful.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She didn¡¯t seem that powerful on the first layer, plus we barely know her.¡±

    ¡°But, we know her better than everyone else that¡¯s swarming her right now. Comrades through hardship and all that. Even if we didn¡¯t get the chance to talk to her, we struggled together and survived together.¡±

    Ezra rolled his eyes. ¡°You make our connection sound more dramatic than it actually was.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do the talking. You just stand by my side.¡±

    Before Ezra could respond, Milo was already marching over to the crowd surrounding Hana. Reluctantly, he decided to follow and picked up his pace to catch Milo. Comments of praise and adoration towards Hana filled the air as Ezra tried to pass through the crowd. Milo slid through the group of people with expert precision while bobbing and weaving like a master Lurer. Just in time, Ezra made it to the front of the mob as Milo spoke his first words.

    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Hana,¡± he said with the warmth of an old friend. ¡°Seems like you''re more popular than expected.¡±

    ¡°Who are you?¡± She asked.

    Ezra would have slipped after such a pointed question, but Milo kept his composure. ¡°We took the test down in Deepburrow with you. I gotta say your performance down there was impressive.¡± Ezra barely remembered what she did, and he doubted Milo recalled much more. ¡°Of course, as a Voyager¡¯s daughter that¡¯s no surprise.¡±

    She frowned at the mention of Voyager and looked over to Ezra. ¡°I saw what happened during the test. Was he a friend of yours?¡±

    Milo froze and looked apprehensive waiting for Ezra¡¯s response. Ezra swallowed to prevent an emotional outburst. ¡°Yes,¡± he said in an unsteady tone.

    ¡°Was his sacrifice worth it? Did he give you the future you desired?¡±

    Her earnest question stopped the both of them from uttering another word. The future I desire? There was no way to justify Owen¡¯s death. He refused to justify it. For him to lose his future so I can have mine. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s right. Why is she asking this question?

    A group of armored Sky-seekers with grave expressions pushed through the crowd. A bulky man at the front spoke in a deep voice. ¡°Hana it¡¯s time to go. We have to strategize before the test begins.¡±

    Hana¡¯s eyes darted to the ground and back towards the man as she took a step from the wall. ¡°Cherish it. I was given a future that wasn¡¯t mine,¡± she said to Ezra and Milo before leaving with the group of Sky-seekers.

    After the crowd had begun to disperse, Milo shrugged. ¡°Well, I guess that was a bust.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Ezra wanted to be mad at her, but the emotion didn¡¯t rise within him. In a way, she was right, no matter how bluntly she had put it. Owen had given him a future. A future he could decide. ¡°So, do you have a plan B? We still have to come up with two more people before the two-hour limit.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure someone else is in the same situation. All we have to do is ask around.¡± Milo scanned the room. ¡°You see anyone else from Deepburrow?¡±

    ¡°Nope,¡± Ezra sighed and slumped against the nearest wall.

    Two guys in dented breastplates approached them as Milo continued looking. One had a long vibro-crystal rifle across his back, and the other carried a sword strapped to his side. They both looked barely above eighteen. ¡°Hey, do you two know who that woman was?¡±

    Milo grinned at the opportunity that presented itself. ¡°Of course, we do. That''s the daughter of Jin Bai Lou.¡±

    The two boys excitedly whispered to each other and then the one with the sword stepped forward. ¡°Do you like personally know her?¡±

    ¡°Yeah we do,¡± Milo said putting on an air of confidence. ¡°We fought side by side with her during her seeker test.¡±

    The eyes of the boy with the rifle widened, and the one with the sword quickly closed his gaping mouth. ¡°Are you like on a team with her?¡±

    ¡°We are not,¡± Milo said.

    At least he¡¯s not lying about that, Ezra thought.

    ¡°But,¡± Milo continued, ¡°to be honest we just split up to give the other teams a fighting chance.¡±

    Of course, he can¡¯t help himself.

    The boy with the sword glanced at his friend and back at Milo and Ezra. He pointed to Ezra. ¡°Is he your only teammate?¡±

    Milo raised an inviting eyebrow. ¡°Yeah. Are you looking to join a team?¡±

    ¡°If you would have us,¡± the boy with the rifle said.

    ¡°Of course we would.¡± Milo extended a hand to seal the deal. ¡°How about we shake on it, and you go register under our team. I¡¯m Milo and he¡¯s Ezra.¡±

    ¡°Jason,¡± the boy with the sword said, ¡°and he¡¯s Erik.¡± He extended his hand a gave a firm handshake. ¡°Sounds like a deal. We¡¯ll get registered right away.¡±

    The pair of them jogged to get in the registration line. They were both a little too eager for Ezra¡¯s liking.

    ¡°Do you really think we can trust them? A team game like this could require a high level of coordination.¡± Ezra said as Milo slumped down next to him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure it out. Plus, if anything goes wrong, we always have your time scale skill.¡±

    ¡°You know it doesn¡¯t work on living things. If one of them dies, I can¡¯t bring them back.¡± Ezra hoped Emma wouldn¡¯t remain the only exception. The dull sphere of metal in his backpack served as a continuous reminder.

    ¡°You wanted us to come here. Are you having second thoughts already?¡± Milo provoked.

    Ezra chewed his lip and remembered the room filled with Sky-seekers at the Light Bearer¡¯s guild hall. There was such a wide range of power. Marcus could fall into any of those categories, but knowing the brash and headstrong boy he was, Ezra knew Marcus wouldn¡¯t settle for any less than the top.

    ¡°No, we must go higher.¡± As soon as those words slipped from Ezra¡¯s lips, something in his backpack buzzed.

    Quickly, Ezra threw open the pack and dug through its contents. It can¡¯t be. He pulled the Thorin-sphere out and the small display on its top flashed blue. It kept buzzing for a few seconds, and then the light blinked out as it went still. He tapped the screen a few times hoping for another response, but nothing happened.

    Milo leaned in. ¡°Is it working?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ezra reluctantly admitted. ¡°But it responded to something.¡± We must go higher. The strange vision flashed through his mind again. The sun, the field, the woman, the flower. It all meant something to this sphere. The words had pulled at someone. Ezra flipped the sphere over to see the inscription. ¡®To Thorin.¡¯ Perhaps they mean something to Thorin. Whoever he could be.

 Chapter 22: Troublesome Teammates

    After the two hours were up, a voice boomed over the speakers. ¡°Testing will begin momentarily. Please proceed to the left if you are taking the seeker test and to the right if you are taking the Morltin test.¡±

    The test takers shuffled to each side of the room, and Ezra glanced at the massive indents on the far wall. Any moment, he expected them to slide open. Beside him, Jason gripped and ungripped the hilt of his sword. Ezra hoped Jason knew how to use it. Just as he predicted, the massive doors opened from the top and retracted like a castle gate. They were about five times taller than anyone in the room. The grandiose display was too showy for Ezra, he just wanted to get on with it, yet nothing about this building was plain.

    They left the lobby and the bright-faced seeker candidates behind as they found themselves in a long hallway with fluted pillars lining the sides. Light came from behind arches carved into the walls¡ªgiving the impression the building itself was glowing. As slowly as it had opened, so too did the door close behind them.

    Another speaker came on the announcement system. This time it was a woman. She seemed more excited than the last announcer. ¡°Welcome all Morltin candidates! I will explain the rules of the following test as briefly as possible to get y¡¯all started. This test will last thirty minutes and focus on verticality. As Sky-seekers, we all seek to climb higher, but do you have the skill to do so? At the top of the testing area, each team will have a ticket machine. You may slot tickets into each machine to gain points, and the eight teams with the most points will pass.¡±

    Ezra scanned the room to try to get a head count. He estimated about two-thirds would fail this test, and Erik¡¯s frown indicated he had come to the same realization.

    The announcer continued as people approached the door to the testing arena. ¡°There is no restriction on what machine you slot the ticket into but keep in mind that the ticket colors represent different values.¡± A holographic screen appeared at the top of the room displaying five different colored squares and their corresponding point values. ¡°The following information has also been transmitted to your pockets.¡±

    Several people used their gray disks to pull up the display. Ezra arched his neck to see the ceiling. On the screen, purple was assigned to 50, green to 30, yellow to 5, red to -20, and black to -50.

    ¡°But, the ticket machines are not the only way to score points.¡± The lady¡¯s voice came back after giving everyone a few seconds to consider the ticket values. ¡°Each team is also assigned a chalk circle at the bottom of the arena. While these areas are easier to get to, any tickets placed in your team¡¯s circle will not be counted until the end of the test. Lastly, fifteen minutes into the test a special item will be introduced. The first team to interact with this item will gain special privileges for a brief period of time. Good luck seekers and may your journey be blessed by the infinite sky.¡±

    A special item? Ezra wanted to question the disembodied voice, but he had a feeling he wouldn¡¯t get an answer back. The intercom cut off, and the door ahead of them crawled open as bright light and the sound of rushing water followed. Ezra put up his arm to shield his eyes. Once he could focus, the testing arena came into view. Lush green moss clung to jagged stones that climbed to the top of a transparent glass dome. Water ran down the mini-mountain and splashed into crystal clear pools of water as the test takers were enraptured by the manufactured beauty. To his left, Ezra spotted a chalk circle with the number one in the middle. Chatter from fellow test takers echoed throughout the cavernous space, and the scent of fresh dirt seeped into Ezra¡¯s nostrils. The whole scene felt relaxing, but he knew that wouldn¡¯t last long.

    Another voice, more serious than the last one, projected from hidden speakers. ¡°A number has been sent to each of your pockets. Quickly proceed to the corresponding chalk circle. Once all teams are positioned in the correct circle, the test will begin.¡±

    Ezra pulled out his pocket and instead of seeing his stat screen only saw a white number hovering in the air. Seventeen.

    ¡°Everyone know our number?¡± Ezra asked as the three other members of his group nodded.

    They made their way to the left of the mountain, following the number clockwise until they found the circle labeled seventeen. Long shadows cast their arms over the site. It wouldn¡¯t be long before everything started.

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    Ezra turned to Erik and Jason. ¡°By the way, what are each of your skills?¡±

    ¡°Melt,¡± Jason said as he held up his hands. His palms glowed a dark red which then faded into an orange and finally into yellow. The air around his hands waved with the new heat. ¡°Basically, I can heat my hands to whatever temp I want.¡±

    Erik jumped slightly and fiddled with the leather strap over his shoulder once he realized it was his turn to talk. ¡°My skill is ah¡­ ah Marksmen. I can guide a projectile to any person or object I have touched and have the intent to shoot. It probably won¡¯t be useful if I can¡¯t touch anyone. Sorry.¡±

    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t apologize,¡± Milo chided him. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be useful. That¡¯s a sick skill.¡±

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s talk strategy,¡± Ezra cut in. ¡°I say we send everyone out to gather tickets for the first five minutes and then have three people guard the circle at all times. The top of the arena is going to be the most contested area, so we should avoid that unless all our tickets are stolen.¡±

    ¡°Sounds like a good plan,¡± Milo nodded in agreement.

    Jason massaged the hilt of the sword as he considered Ezra¡¯s words. He opened his mouth to speak as the voice from above sounded across the testing area. ¡°All teams have entered their circles. The test begins now.¡±

    Jason immediately made a move towards the edge of the circle. ¡°No time lost. I¡¯m heading for the top.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not what we discussed!¡± Ezra called after him.

    The palms of Jason¡¯s hands glowed bright yellow as he leaped onto the rock face beside a waterfall. ¡°No risk no reward!¡±

    Ezra groaned in frustration at his response as he shot a glare back to Erik. ¡°Did you know he would do this?¡±

    Erik quickly shook his head no and gripped the straps of his rifle tighter. ¡°To be honest, I just met him yesterday.¡±

    ¡°How, in Elysia¡¯s name did you think this would be a good idea?¡± Ezra didn¡¯t know if he should direct the question to Erik or Milo or even himself. There¡¯s no use in backing out now. The Thorin-sphere lit up before the test. It has to be some sign of luck. Ezra begrudgingly pulled the sour look off his face. ¡°Alright, new plan. Any ideas?¡±

    ¡°I have one,¡± Milo said with his usual mischievous grin. ¡°So, Erik you can hit any object you touch.¡± Erik nodded as he glanced at Jason¡¯s progress up the stone wall. Milo¡¯s eyes darted back to Ezra. ¡°You remember how we took out Wilfred. My antigravity skill can provide the targets for Erik to shoot.¡±

    Ezra raised his eyebrows at the realization. ¡°I like it. You two start taking out anyone climbing up that wall. I¡¯ll start gathering tickets.¡±

    ¡°How do I¡­¡± Erik began as Milo put a hand on his shoulder.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll explain.¡± Milo stuck his hand in the middle of the circle and Ezra and Erik followed suit. Personally, Ezra wasn¡¯t for the celebratory teambuilding stuff, but it felt like something Owen would do. ¡°Three, two, one, break!¡±

    Ezra dashed in the opposite direction of Milo and Erik. Immediately, he scanned for any sign of a ticket. Between two rocks, a yellow piece of paper flapped in the misty breeze from a nearby waterfall. Only five points but it¡¯s better than nothing. Snatching the ticket, he continued on.

    He passed circles sixteen and fifteen, both empty of competitors and tickets. As he approached circle number fourteen, a thunderous boom rocked the whole arena. Ezra ducked as rocks splashed into the water below. A dull thud ricocheted across the ground as Ezra raised his head. A person lay still on the dirt, likely from above, likely dead. The face wasn¡¯t someone Ezra knew so he didn¡¯t dwell long.

    Next, circle number thirteen was ahead. Still, no one guarded the circle. Perhaps they¡¯ve all had the same idea as Jason. Yet this time, Ezra spotted tickets in the center. Three green and two yellow A hundred points exactly. Ezra slowed his jog to a walk and cautiously approached. The sounds of battle still rang overhead which made the bottom of the arena seem eerily quiet. Something¡¯s not right.

    Ezra leaned down to pick up a pebble and tossed it in the circle. As soon as the rock crossed the chalky white line, the air burst into a sizzling blue glow that was quickly extinguished. They¡¯ve rigged it somehow. With a skill, maybe. Unless Jason pulls off a miracle I need those tickets.

    Ezra pulled out his pocket and opened the informational screen. Above the ticket diagram, a timer counted down. Five minutes had passed, and he only held a single ticket. The possibility of failing crossed his mind until another idea presented itself.

 Chapter 23: Battle on the Wall

    Twenty-five minutes remained, and the best opportunity Ezra had seen so far was barely out of reach. A trap laid in circle thirteen stood between him and a hundred points. He focused on the air where the sizzling blue glow had appeared and traced it back in time. If I can hold it in a state before I toss the rock, I can get in and out in less than thirty seconds.

    Despite his concentration, the air remained the same. Ezra could feel a slight warmth spread across his body that signaled he was using his skill. So, it isn¡¯t set in the air above the circle. The trap must be attached somewhere else. Ezra approached one of the pools of water at the bottom of the towering wall of stone. Running his hand across the bottom of the pond, he scooped up loose pebbles. With a handful of damp rocks, he tossed them into the circle one by one and watched as localized lighting flashed around the tickets.

    A blue bolt arced up from the edges of the circle and met in the center. He threw two more pebbles and noticed two electric flashes rising from the white ring. So, it¡¯s localized to where an object crosses the circle. If I reverse the shock while just tossing one stone, I still run the risk of activating another part of the circle. Knowing this, Ezra realized only one path was available to him. Gathering another handful of pebbles, he positioned himself near the chalky edge of the circle. Three. Two. He swung back his hands, one, and flung dozens of pebbles in a wide arc across the circle.

    The electric death trap sprung to life as light buzzed from nearly the whole circle. Ezra focused on the origin of the deadly energy and pulled it back in time. Along jagged paths, the neon glow wormed its way back into the ground. As the light disappeared into the circle, Ezra stepped through, still nervous that a scorching shock would shoot through his body. He took his beating heart as a sign his plan had worked. Quickly, he snatched the tickets and lept out of the circle. Violent electricity returned and dissipated into the air.

    Ezra breathed a sigh of relief and stored the tickets out of sight. Opening the information screen, the time read twenty-three minutes and six seconds. Between the timer and the ticket color diagram, a counter ticked up to thirty-five. I haven¡¯t brought the tickets to our circle. Why are we scoring points? Maybe Milo and Erik? No, they¡¯re too busy taking out people on the walls, and any tickets in our circle don¡¯t count toward the score until the end of the round. He gazed up at the transparent dome. Perhaps Jason has made it to the top. Maybe I was too apprehensive about that fool.

    The game can still be won, Ezra thought as he jogged to the next circle. The backpack rattled as he ran, and the noise above only got louder. It was making him nervous. As a precaution, he pulled one of the newly purchased swords from the backpack. Rounding a jagged rock, about twice his height, two people surrounded the next circle. Purple tickets caught his eye, but the two guards made him hesitate.

    A blond boy wearing a leather breastplate gripped a two-sided axe while the other reached for a sash lined with cylindrical canisters. Ezra had no idea what the silver canisters could contain. Two against one. Too little information. It¡¯s too risky.

    Ezra stepped back as far as he could from the circle and pointed his sword towards the ground, a passive position yet ready to raise at a moment''s notice. ¡°I¡¯m just passing by,¡± Ezra said slowly.

    The glare from both of them studied his every movement. Ezra shuffled across the dirt, each step producing a barely audible crunch, yet the sound was sharpened by the tension between them. The blond boy¡¯s foot shifted across the chalky line, and their tickets fluttered in a brief breeze.

    An explosion thundered from above, and the other boy, high on anxiety,  flung a silver canister toward Ezra. He lunged for the ground as the canister flew past him and detonated into a putrid mist. Moss grayed and shriveled on the stone behind Ezra. Before he could get up, another boom rocked the arena.

    Ezra covered his ears and shielded the back of his head. What is happening up there and how is Jason not dead?

    Above something whistled through the air as a spear landed between Ezra and his opponents. Raising his gaze, more things were launched skywards, including other test takers. Among the chaos, Hana¡¯s turquoise robe rapidly flapped in the wind. A tall man grabbed her by the waist and shot a grappling hook into the stone wall. As others fell, the pair arced down to the center of the wall. Some had more luck than others as people desperately searched for a way back to the cliff. Several bodies smacked against the ground, and Ezra¡¯s opponents scattered to avoid anything falling on them.

    ¡°You all right!¡± Milo called as he and Erik sprinted around the corner.

    Ezra pushed himself off the ground. ¡°What happened up there?¡±

    ¡°No clue, but this gives us a chance to thin the competition. You see Jason on the wall?¡±

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    Ezra scanned the mini mountain for a familiar face. He only saw Hana, nearly back on top. ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°That means he¡¯s still up there. He¡¯s been scoring points, so whatever we can do to help we got to do it now.¡± Milo picked up a stone and held it out to Erik.

    Erik touched the stone, and Milo hurled it at one of the Sky-seekers closing on the top. Instead of reaching the zenith of its arc, the rock continued upwards. Erik knelt on one knee and aimed for the top. As soon as the rock hit the target, Erik pulled the trigger and let loose a bullet with a perfect trajectory. Meeting its mark, the Sky-seeker¡¯s grasp faltered and he plummeted with a vain cry for help.

    Beside Erik, a pinpoint of dirt erupted as someone above returned fire. Erik repositioned and located the source as Milo tapped a rock against his shoulder. Ezra glanced behind and saw that now was his opportunity to obtain the tickets. Murky gas exploded across the rock face as the boy with the sash unloaded his canisters on the competition. Diving between the two, Ezra grabbed the tickets. Dirt hit his face as he slid through the circle. Whirling around, he slashed at the blond boy¡¯s ankles. The boy screamed in pain as his companion turned his attention from the wall.

    More fire came from above as Erik unloaded another bullet. Another person splashed into a pool of water, their limp body briefly going ridge as they broke the liquid surface. Ezra jumped on top of the boy with a sash. About to drive the sword into his chest, Ezra hesitated as he saw the toxic cans beneath the tip of the sword. Taking advantage of this moment, the boy drove a dagger into Ezra¡¯s thigh. On instinct, Ezra brought down the sword onto the boy¡¯s throat. Blood blossomed from his thigh, and Ezra grit his teeth. His mind faded in and out as he desperately shoved the shock into his subconscious. Not now! Not now! The sword was his only support as he leaned over. The battle for the top ragged on as projectiles pelted the ground, and loose stones shattered from the cliffside. I have over two hundred points I can¡¯t stop now!

    Hana was no longer on the wall, and the people left were dwindling fast. The test must be coming to a close. With his wound, it felt like time was speeding by. ¡°I¡¯m heading back to the circle,¡± Ezra said as he grunted through the pain.

    Milo casually tossed another rock to the sky. ¡°Are you sure you can make it back?¡±

    Erik clicked his rifle to reload, and Ezra put a hand on Milo''s shoulder as he limped past. ¡°What other choice do we have? I intend to win today.¡±

    ¡°Be careful.¡±

    Ezra nodded and picked up his pace. Past circle thirteen, then fourteen, and onto fifteen until he reached seventeen. The pain in his thigh almost seemed numb, deeper than the surface wound, but trivial to the task at hand. He focused on his breathing and pulled the tickets from his pockets. Looking down, he realized his hands were bloody, but that didn¡¯t bother him. This time he was sure it wasn¡¯t his blood.

    Erza¡¯s legs quivered, and he slumped against a smooth-faced piece of granite. He opened the information screen and saw that sixteen minutes remained. A special item fifteen minutes in, he remembered through the fog of discomfort. I wonder what it could be. He tried to keep his breath steady as he stared at the top. Jason, you better still be alive. I need to rest just for a moment. The crumpled tickets unfolded as Ezra loosened his grip on them, and he fought to keep himself conscious despite his fading energy.

    One of the tickets slid from Ezra¡¯s hand, and he felt the rest of them get pulled along with it. His drooping eyelids shot open, and he grasped the meager pile of tickets. The only hope of winning.  Something¡¯s off. It felt as though the tickets were wriggling between the gaps in his fingers. He pulled back, yet the invisible tugging sensation remained persistent. Wildly he scanned the environment for anyone. Anyone at all. Where are they? He lurched forward and nearly fell out of the circle as he spotted a silver shoulder guard peeking out from a bush.

    That¡¯s the person. Whatever they¡¯re doing, they want the tickets without moving a muscle. No, Ezra realized as he yanked the unseen line. If they just wanted the tickets, they would have pried them from my hands the moment they had hold of them. They purposely pulled them slowly. It¡¯s not the tickets they want but me.

    As the force of the tickets continued to lure him to the bush, Ezra grabbed the shoulder strap of his backpack. They won¡¯t have me, but maybe I can give them my tickets. He pulled a thin semi-transparent rod from the backpack. Milo, insisted on these heat rods, so might as well put them to use. A pop followed a crack as Ezra squeezed the rod. The liquid inside glowed a warm red as he felt heat spreading through his palms.

    The announcer''s voice boomed throughout the building. ¡°Fifteen minutes has passed. A special item has entered the center of the arena.¡±

    I can¡¯t worry about that right now. I¡¯ll have to time this just right. Once the heat edged on the side of unbearable, Ezra stuck the rod into his closed palm. Blistering pain bit his hand, and Ezra let go as the flaming bundle of tickets rocketed toward his mysterious opponent. The blazing death ball exploded across the bush as the Sky-seeker lept for safer cover.

    ¡°Now, Time¡­¡±

    A deafening buzz echoed across the arena as the announcer came on. ¡°Clement Altart has obtained the special item. All skills will be frozen for the next thirty seconds.¡±

    ¡°...scale!¡± Nothing happened, and the reality of the situation dawned on Ezra. Over two hundred points were gone, burned to ashes, right in front of him.

 Chapter 24: The Will of a Sky-Seeker

    Ezra froze and stared at the crackling fire that consumed the bush. Every snap and hiss from the flames gripped his focus as if they whispered of his demise and reprimanded his foolishness. His mysterious competitor was gone¡ªwhatever plan he had concocted burned to ash. The fire danced in Ezra¡¯s eyes to mock him.

    ¡°Time-scale,¡± he breathed through gritted teeth as he approached the bush. ¡°Time-scale.¡±

    He knew it wouldn¡¯t work, yet those words were all he felt compelled to say. Raising his boot, he stomped on the scorched bush until the fire died. Among the dry pale mess, he searched for any sign of color¡ªanything to hold onto to give him one last ray of hope. Smoke swirled through the air, and its stench clung to Ezra¡¯s clothes.

    ¡°Thirty seconds have passed. All skills are unfrozen.¡±

    Ezra glared up at the faceless announcer. How could they do this to me? How could they do this period? He kicked at the sooty remains, and his mind raced for an answer. They shackled my skill, but how? The words of the administrator on the first layer came back to him. The system owes you nothing, but you owe everything to the system, and there are people who know how to utilize it much better than you do.

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Ezra muttered. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean I need to heed his advice.¡± So what? I wished to leave Deepburrow, and it happened. I wished to save Emma, and I willed it to happen. This test is no different.

    The sounds of battle were quieter than before. Those thirty seconds must have been a death sentence for many. This could be to my advantage, Ezra thought as he viewed the information screen. Their score was up to fifty. Someone is still scoring, so Jason must be alive.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Milo called out as he and Erik ran towards Ezra. ¡°Everything good here? That look on your face tells me it''s not.¡±

    Ezra stepped out of the pile of ash. ¡°Everything is gone. Those are our tickets.¡± He pointed to the charred bush.

    Milo crouched and rubbed a pinch of soot between his fingers. ¡°Did someone burn them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I did.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Milo looked up, a confused frown frozen on his face, and dropped the dusty gray matter back into the pile. ¡°The timer was exactly thirty seconds. You tried to do something with Time Scale, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    Ezra nodded and explained the situation. After the explanation, Milo shot up from the ground, and Erik held his rifle tightly as he nervously glanced between the two. ¡°So what do you suggest we do?¡± Milo said.

    ¡°Gather more tickets. What else?¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s not many left down here. As we were looking for climbers, I could barely spot a single one. I think people have picked the bottom clean and taken their chances with the machines. Did you see any?¡± Milo asked Erik.

    ¡°One or two, but they were all yellow.¡± Erik trembled as he looked at the top of the arena.

    ¡°All the big shots of the test are going to be up there. Are you sure you want to take the risk?¡±

    With Milo¡¯s silence and cold stare, Ezra knew it was a serious question¡ªone that Milo wanted him to fully consider. It wasn¡¯t often, but ever since Owen¡¯s death, something had changed in Milo. He was no longer the kid who would blindly rush into things. ¡°We have one teammate up there. If he¡¯s survived this long, I think we have a chance.¡±

    ¡°If you think there¡¯s still a way to win, I¡¯m with you.¡± A grin cracked Milo¡¯s serious demeanor. ¡°You hear that, Erik. It''s time to show everyone else what real sky-seekers are made of.¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Erik tried to sound enthusiastic, but it only came out as a whimper. ¡°How do you suppose we get up there?¡±

    Ezra scanned the spot Jason had climbed. A waterfall splashed across the pale stone, but few branches made for what looked like a difficult climb. Unless. Ezra squinted at gray divots in the rock darker than the rest. Jason had left a path for them to follow. Handholds formed by his heated palms lead the way to the shimmering dome.

    ¡°Looks like your hot-heated teammate already forged a path for us,¡± Ezra said and slung the backpack over his shoulders.

    They followed him to the daunting cliff, and Ezra put his hand in the indent. The stone was molded into sloppy handholds, and minerals oozed like melted candle wax, but the spray from the waterfall had cooled the protrusions in place. Gripping the first hold, Ezra pushed himself off the ground as he reached for another. The weight of the backpack pulled him from the wall, but his earnest grasp kept him steady.

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Vapor tickled Ezra¡¯s knuckles and his biceps tightened as he climbed further. Some of the pressure left his arms as he forced his foot into one of the divots. Only Jason¡¯s palms made these holes, Ezra reminded himself. Despite the extra support, his foothold still felt precarious. He squinted at the bright light that blocked the view of the top, and his legs trembled at the thought of going higher.

    ¡°Come on, slow-poke!¡± Milo¡¯s voice barely penetrated the sound of rushing water. ¡°Thirteen minutes left!¡±

    Spurred by his teammate''s provocations, Ezra continued his ascent one handhold at a time. Milo and then Erik climbed not far behind. A rush of wind brushed Ezra¡¯s hair, and he hugged the wall for dear life. The breeze did not go on, and Ezra wondered if it was just his imagination. Long gone were the thoughts of winning the test; all of that was buried beneath the tempest of nerves that was raging within him. He never considered himself to be scared of heights, but as he was finding out now, hanging from a cliff put everything in a different perspective.

    Another explosion rang from the top and shot its terrifying quakes through the mountain. Almost. Almost. I will it, I wish it, and it will happen. Ezra¡¯s personal mantra steadied his quivering fingers, and he reached for the final ledge.

    Heaving himself over the precipice, he felt relieved to find solid ground. The top of the arena looked largely the same as the bottom, but the presence of light was much more prominent. A stream of water twisted around a rusted metal box with a rounded slot protruding from the top of it.

    Milo and then Erik, who breathed an unsteady sigh of relief, made it to the top. Walking past, Ezra Milo observed the box with a curious gaze.

    ¡°Is this the ticket machine they¡¯ve been talking about?¡± Milo asked as he brushed the top with his nimble fingers. ¡°It has the number five on it.¡±

    "Erik, I need you to shoot it,¡± Ezra said.

    ¡°A¡­ At this close of a range,¡± Erik nervously fiddled with the straps of his gun. ¡°It¡¯s a sniper rifle. I¡¯m not sure that''s a good idea, plus it''s not our property. The administrator never said we could destroy them.¡±

    ¡°They never said we couldn¡¯t.¡± Ezra motioned for Milo to move aside as Erik reluctantly pulled the rifle from his back.

    Kneeling in the dirt, Erik took aim and clicked his finger on the trigger. Bang. A bullet hit the decaying metal and ricocheted into a nearby rock. The whole group ducked as the deadly round sparked against a few more stones and disappeared.

    ¡°I had a feeling that wouldn¡¯t work,¡± Milo said as he cautiously raised his head. ¡°There¡¯s no strategic advantage to the machines if we can destroy them. All we can do is go ticket hunting.¡±

    If only the Thorin-sphere worked. Maybe I could absorb the machine. ¡°I agree,¡± Ezra said. ¡°Let''s stick together until we find Jason.¡±

    A pillar of rock shattered as a beam of light cut through the air. Ezra covered his neck and heard footsteps approaching somewhere in front of them. ¡°They must have heard the bullet. Everyone take cover!¡±

    A young man with shaggy black hair and a girl in a crimson cloak stepped into the clearing. ¡°I know I heard something here. They can¡¯t be far.¡±

    ¡°Your ears must be playing tricks on ya again,¡± the boy retorted as he vigilantly observed the area around the machine.

    Ezra steadied his breath as he put his back to the rock he and Milo hid behind. A few paces away, Erik crouched behind another stone barely bigger than him. One of them shot the beam of light, so that has to be one of their skills, but the other I have no idea. Maybe I can bait them.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to get one of them to hit the rock with their skill,¡± Ezra whispered. ¡°You and Erik do your thing and try to hit the other.¡±

    Milo silently nodded and picked up a loose pebble from the ground.

    As soon as Ezra poked his head over the lip of the rock, Milo tossed the pebble over to Erik. ¡°Hey,¡± Ezra taunted. ¡°Uh¡­ I¡­¡± What do I even say when taunting someone?

    Before Ezra could come up with an answer, the girl in the crimson cloak struck their hiding spot with a beam of molten light. The rock burst into a dozen pieces, and she prepared to strike again.

    ¡°Time-scale.¡± Ezra ducked as the rock reformed, and Erik threw the pebble back to Milo.

    This time Milo was the one to raise his head. He stuck out his tongue and gave them a goofy grin as he flung the pebble towards the boy. The taunting was more effective than last time as white lightning splintered the stone again. In a blur, the sound of Erik¡¯s gun rang in Ezra¡¯s ears.

    The boy cursed as the bullet whizzed past and Ezra activated his skill again. Erik frowned and tapped his right cheek as he mouthed the words, "No kill." Ezra peeked around the side of the rock and saw the black-haired boy cradling his cheek as blood filled the gaps in his fingers.

    After a brief second of peace, their hiding rock cracked again.

    ¡°Time-scale.¡± I can keep this up all day.

    Ezra braced for another blow as Milo and Erik exchanged another pebble, yet nothing came.

    ¡°Do I need to taunt them again? Thinking about giving them one of these,¡± Milo smiled as he stuck up his middle finger.

    ¡°You need to throw the stone anyway. Just be careful. I don¡¯t know why they stopped. We need to get this over with quickly.¡± Ezra accessed the info screen. ¡°We only have nine minutes and thirty seconds left.¡±

    Milo playfully floated the stone in his hand as he took a deep breath. ¡°I understand.¡± He glanced at Erik, who gave a nod of affirmation back.

    Milo sprung up and froze a second longer than Ezra expected. ¡°What¡¯s the pro¡­¡± The remaining words were strangled as hands wrapped around his throat. Where? What? He clawed at the hands and desperately searched for their source. As his fingers searched the back of his neck, he felt two pale wrists emerging from solid stone.

 Chapter 25: And the Winner Is. . .

    Ezra gasped for air as he clawed at the cold stone. ¡°The¡­ other ¡­ side.¡± The raspy words barely left Ezra¡¯s mouth as he slapped the rock, hoping that Milo would get the message one way or another.

    Milo lept into action, but another bolt of lightning thundered across the clearing. ¡°No one¡¯s there!¡± Milo said panic filling his voice as he tried to tear the hands from Ezra¡¯s throat. ¡°I couldn¡¯t get a good look.¡±

    The rock is the only thing protecting us; if I let off my skill, we¡¯ll be wide open. Ezra felt his vision fading as Milo wedged his fingers into the iron grip. He didn¡¯t have much time, and if he didn¡¯t do it now, he would be forced to release Time-Scale.

    As energy flowed out of his body, the stone crumbled and the hands faltered. Ezra¡¯s body instinctively convulsed as it took in all the air that could fill his lungs. Before he could utter a word, Milo slammed into him as a beam of light arced inches overhead.

    ¡°Move! Move!¡± Milo dragged Ezra as he came to his senses.

    The sound of a rifle echoed through Ezra¡¯s half-aware consciousness as he thrust Milo¡¯s hands off and hastily crawled for cover. Glancing behind him, he saw the boy with shaggy black hair standing where the rock had disintegrated. But Milo said he couldn¡¯t see anyone; was he in the rock?

    Before he could continue the thought, another burst of light flashed across the clearing. Particles of dirt erupted behind them as Milo and Ezra crowded behind Erik¡¯s hiding spot.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Milo shuddered as if his heart were about to leap out of his chest.

    Ezra looked at their previous cover and noticed the boy was gone. ¡°I think it was him. The one with black hair. He merged with the rock somehow.¡± Where is he? Every rock seemed like an enemy. What if it¡¯s not just rocks he can merge with? The tree, only a few paces away, appeared to be looking at him in malice. Come on! Screw your head on. You have to think through this rationally.

    Erik peeked around the rock and quickly pulled back as white-hot energy whipped past. ¡°I think I saw the edge of her cloak,¡± Erik said as his clammy hands clutched the pistol grip. ¡°She backed up and is probably about a hundred paces away. Right behind the split tree on the other side of the clearing.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s cornering us,¡± Ezra realized. ¡°She knows we¡¯re all behind this rock, but not once has she tried to destroy it. We know her teammate can¡¯t slip into objects too small, so they¡¯re giving us two options. Fight in the open and get blasted by her skill, or hide and get picked off one by one.¡±

    Erik winced as another bolt of light passed. ¡°S¡­So what do we do?¡±

    The rusted ticket machine stood only a few paces away. Not far from our previous hiding place, and she can¡¯t destroy that. It¡¯ll be risky, but it could give us more time. Ezra tapped his index finger rapidly on his knee as he charted a path to the machine. ¡°I say we let her have both.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Erik¡¯s eyes widened in terror.

    Ezra shifted towards Milo. ¡°The limit on your skill is twenty seconds, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Curiosity spread across Milo¡¯s face as a smile flickered. ¡°What are you getting at?¡±

    ¡°That''s our limit. Erik, once we get to the ticket machine, I want you to fire on the girl in red.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not sure I can hit her at that range.¡± Another spread of light smashed into the ground in front of the boulder as Erik hugged his rifle like a child under their blankets in a thunderstorm.

    ¡°Just get close. I don¡¯t need you to hit her. Also, Milo, see those three rocks between us and the machine. I need all those up in the air before we hide behind the machine.¡± Milo nodded, and Ezra flinched as another bright beam of death rained from above. "Alright, on three, we get to the ticket machine as fast as possible. Three, two, one!¡±

    In the brief silence between blasts, they all lept from the hiding place. Milo dashed ahead as Erik stumbled and Ezra pulled him along. Heat rubbed Ezra¡¯s back, and Erik finally found his footing as Milo tapped the first rock. The boulder tumbled into the air, and Erik picked up his pace while stealing a glance at the cloaked girl. Woosh. Another ray of plasma sliced through vegetation. Milo tapped the second and was halfway to the third. The machine was so close. Ezra felt like he could nearly reach it. A third rock shot into the sky, and all three of them dove for cover.

    ¡°Erik now!¡± Ezra commanded as the cold metal of the machine made his hair stand on end. We made it in seven seconds, just thirteen more.

    The jittery boy settled his nerves and quickly balanced the rifle between his knee and forearm. Eleven left. Fingers emerged from the rusted surface as Erik took his shot.

    ¡°You knew we would go here. You were right.¡± Ezra backed off, and once the hands couldn''t reach their target, more of the boy with black hair appeared. Half of his body was out, and fury creased his face as he reached for Erik¡¯s throat. ¡°Time-Scale!¡±

    An image of the bullet was clearly fixed in Ezra¡¯s mind as he tackled Erik to the ground. The air popped as the bullet traveled back to a muzzle that was no longer there. The boy¡¯s skull cracked, and he fell limp. Only one side of his head bore a wound as the bullet had completed its trip.

    The beams of light ceased, and Milo understood what he had to do. The floating rocks, about the size of Milo¡¯s head, speed towards the girl, and she yelped as they slammed into her. Ezra let out a cautious sigh, and the clearing fell silent.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it,¡± Erik said, his arms still shaking from the rifle¡¯s kickback.

    Ezra glanced at the info screen before putting his pocket away. Five minutes left. ¡°The test is far from over. Let''s see if either of them had tickets.¡±

    The boy¡¯s pants pockets barely stuck out from the machine, and Ezra avoided thinking about what the rest of his legs looked like. Delicately sticking his hands into the boy¡¯s trousers, Ezra felt a few slips of glossy paper. He pulled out two purple tickets and a yellow one.

    Milo sprinted over to the girl''s body, and Ezra followed with Erik close behind. ¡°One purple and one green,¡± Milo yelled as he waved the tickets in the air.

    ¡°T¡­ That''s like a hundred and eighty-five points.¡± Erik remarked as he counted off the numbers on his fingers. ¡°Do you still think we have a chance?¡±

    Milo handed the tickets over to Ezra, and he hid them from sight. ¡°No, until we put the tickets in our machine.¡± The ground vibrated with another shock from somewhere across the arena, and Ezra steadied himself as he looked ahead. ¡°Let''s try to avoid getting into any more fights. We don¡¯t have time, and our number one priority should be finding machine seventeen.¡±

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    Ezra took off towards the center, dashing around mounds of stone and crooked trees. The top of the arena was more crowded than he expected. Too many blind spots, Ezra thought as he rounded another boulder with sharp edges. Ahead, the rocks and foliage parted to reveal a clearing larger than the last. The trees around the clearing rocked violently as a shockwave ripped through the air. Hana held tightly to the back of a man in gleaming white robes. Rapidly, the man began his descent and touched down with a spring in his step. She hopped off and sprinted towards a rusted machine slightly offset from the center.

    ¡°We should leave,¡± Erik whispered beside Ezra. ¡°She¡¯s the voyager¡¯s kid, right?¡±

    ¡°Just a second longer. See those machines.¡± Ezra pointed across the clearing to three rusted rectangles along the far edge. ¡°Anyone of those could be number seventeen. I think they¡¯ll leave soon, and it¡¯ll be quicker to go across than around.¡±

    Hana dropped two red tickets into the slot. So it¡¯s not her team¡¯s machine. As she turned back to the man whose robes flowed like clouds, a knife whirled from a bush in the center of the clearing. It struck Hana¡¯s calf, and she stumbled in pain.

    Ezra pushed Erik back as he noticed Jason emerging from his leaf-covered hiding place. That idiot. He should know who she is. The man¡¯s feet left the ground as he dashed towards Jason. Just in time, Jason parried the man¡¯s first blow as he staggered back. Raising his right arm, he took another swing as he yelled with bold fury.

    ¡°What¡¯s going¡­¡± Milo pushed past Ezra as he froze with his mouth wide open. ¡°Is that Jason? Why¡¯s he picking a fight with them?¡± Jason pressed forward, causing the man to back off as Hana tended to her wound. ¡°And why does it look like he¡¯s winning?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that yet,¡± Ezra replied.

    Erik timidly took a glimpse of the battle. ¡°Should we help him?¡±

    Ezra didn¡¯t truly know Hana, but something didn¡¯t feel right about killing her. He had talked with her, and even with Milo¡¯s exaggerations, they had weathered the same trails. ¡°I¡­ We¡¯ll see what happens.¡±

    Jason dove in for another strike, barely slashing at the edge of the man¡¯s cloak. The spiraled symbol on the man¡¯s jacket immediately indicated to Ezra he was an abyss jumper. Leaping through the air, the man flipped over Jason as if the sky were his ocean to swim through. Jason parried another strike, the steel hissing as it slid off the man¡¯s dagger.

    A knife lodged into the dirt beside Jason, and the man in white pushed off layers of invisible air as he returned to where Hana was sitting. Freezing at the unexpected retreat, Jason locked eyes with Hana. The knife sticking out of the ground was the knife he had thrown only minutes ago. Hana¡¯s face was deathly calm as her stare pierced through the space between them. Unheard words slipped from her lips as a ring of air around Jason coalesced into thick, mirky water.

    Two fish, one black and one pearly white emerged from the water. Their elegant fins swayed with the motion of the stream as Jason took a defensive stance. Ezra could see another person pressing against Jason¡¯s back. That looks like ¡­ Jason felt the pressure and presence of the mysterious person and lept to the other side of the circle.

    ¡°Who the¡­¡± Jason went rigid as he saw his own face reflected back at him.

    His copy wasted no time and aimed for Jason¡¯s right shoulder. Jason threw himself against the ring of water. Discovering he couldn¡¯t escape, he ducked, rolled under the swing, and left a passing wound on the copy as he stood back up.

    ¡°We should help.¡± Milo urged Ezra.

    ¡°We can¡¯t. Look at Hana¡¯s teammate.¡± Beside the women in turquoise robes, the man in white fixed his gaze upon them. ¡°He knows we¡¯re here. We make any move, and we¡¯re all dead. All we can do is wait. Right now they only see Jason as a threat.¡± But how long can we afford to wait? Three and a half minutes remained.

    Jason cautiously circled his duplicate as he tightened his grip on the sword. The water around them sounded like a gentle stream. A calming sound that slowly invited its captive to death. The duplicate jerked forward and then pulled back as if he were taunting Jason. His breathing became deeper despite neither of them moving much. A drop of sweat dripped from Jason¡¯s forehead, and he swung with clean precision as the duplicate moved with surprising speed. Jason wavered but followed through. He glanced at Hana, but her face was molded into a frown. It said nothing to her foe, but Ezra understood. She was not one to kill lightly.

    Jason turned to face his equivalent self but nearly fell as a gash appeared on his left shoulder. Panic flashed across his face, soon followed by anger. He charged as the illusion sidestepped with speed faster than anyone Ezra had seen. It was unnatural, something Ezra knew Jason couldn¡¯t replicate, and as Jason¡¯s face turned pale, it was evident he knew it too.

    The fish swam faster as Jason narrowly avoided another deadly strike. Strength, will, and determination all slowly receded from Jason as his opponent outmatched him at every turn. It was like his confidence was being sapped only to give more power to the duplicate. Jason slammed into the ring of water, desperate to escape, and Ezra felt his body urge him forward upon seeing his teammate''s cocky smile turn to terror. Hana frowned as if, only for a moment, she had sympathy for the boy caught in her trap.

    A sword tore through Jason¡¯s ribs as an airless cry was ripped from his throat. The light left his eyes, and the illusion faded to a fine mist. Hana stood up with help from the man in white and adverted her gaze from the corpse. Once she was comfortably saddled on his back, the man bent down and then took to the sky with a burst of energy that left ripples in the air.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± Erik whimpered.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ezra said as he stared at Jason''s lifeless body.

    ¡°I met him a few days ago, and I knew something like this could happen. It can happen to any one of us.¡± Erik stood up, and his legs briefly buckled. He caught himself on a branch protruding from a stone and gave a weak smile. ¡°But knowing doesn¡¯t make it easier.¡±

    Ezra waited a moment for Erik to properly stand. He knew Erik was still processing what happened, but they couldn¡¯t afford to wait any longer. ¡°Two minutes left. Let''s go.¡±

    Leading the charge across the field, Ezra knew everything rested upon one of the three machines being number seventeen. His heart pounded in anticipation and urged his legs to go faster. Every second flashed by in his mind as he counted down.

    ¡°Two on the right!¡± Milo called from behind him.

    Ezra spotted two humanoid figures on the edge of the clearing. Any more detail he didn¡¯t have time to absorb. ¡°Keep going! Don¡¯t worry about them.¡±

    The ground shook and the world lurched sideways. Slamming another foot to the ground, Ezra regained his balance. The arena seized again, but all he could do was keep moving forward. Past the bushes a few paces ahead, past Jason, past anything that wished his demise. The burning desire to win fueled every stride as everything swayed again and Erik fell to the ground. I can¡¯t go back. It''s so close. The ground rolled and slipped beneath his heels as unfamiliar voices shouted in the distance. No distractions. Falling, Ezra clawed his way back up. Those rusted boxes were his only salvation. He was so close he felt like he could smell their sharp metallic scent. Even as he was paces away, he couldn¡¯t slow down; if he faltered for a second, the energy within him would dissipate.

    Crashing into the box, he scrambled for the tickets as he looked at the number printed on top.

    Fifteen.

    Fear crept into Ezra''s chest as he gasped for air. No. No. Thirty seconds remained.

    ¡°Over here!¡± Milo screamed over the crashing rock and rumbling earth. ¡°Seventeen! This is our machine!¡±

    Pulling stamina from deep within him, Ezra kicked off the rusted machine and dashed towards Milo. Every number clicked like clockwork in his skull. Every second pounded by with his footsteps. The glorious number seventeen came into sight, and he shoved the tickets through the slot, no wider than his fingers, as the world came to a stop.

    ¡°The test has concluded.¡± A voice boomed over the loudspeakers. ¡°Final scores have been distributed to all pockets.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s chest rose and fell as he took in breath after breath. We made it. That''s over two hundred points that has to secure us a victory.

    Erik limped to the pair, exhaustion finally apparent on his face. ¡°Did we make it?¡±

    The information screen floated in front of Milo¡¯s hands as his smile faded.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± Ezra couldn¡¯t wait any longer for an answer and pulled up the info screen himself. The top five appeared, and Hana¡¯s name stood at the top of the list. No surprise there. We don¡¯t need to be first just in the top eight. He scrolled down to the next five and scanned the list several times until he realized where their name was.

    10. Ezra, Milo, Erik, Jason, 275 pts

 Chapter 26: Another Path

    Congratulations, you killed Human

    Congratulations, you killed Human

    Assisted kill, Human

    The words flashed across Ezra¡¯s tired face as he exited the arena. Milo and Erik followed close behind with even more gray screens winking into existence. In such a short time, the words no longer bothered him. He understood that fact of life in the higher layers. They didn¡¯t need to kill each other; in there, everyone could have gathered their tickets in peace, but that insatiable desire to go higher, to be the first to the top, drove the idea that only the strongest were allowed to survive. And how else would they get stronger than killing each other? Yet Ezra knew he wasn¡¯t strong. So why am I still alive?

    Level 15 achieved

    Would you like to distribute points to your skill or robustness?

    As his finger hovered over the option to accept, a thought passed through his mind as similar screens appeared for every person who walked out of the arena. Why is this only happening now?

    ¡°Hey, Milo, did you level up at all during the test?¡± Ezra asked.

    Milo adverted his pondering gaze from his screen. ¡°No, but I¡¯m level ten now. Almost catching up to you.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t find that strange? We¡¯re supposed to level up immediately after defeating someone.¡±

    ¡°Now that you mention it, that is a bit strange.¡± Milo tapped on his skill and began to pour points into the attribute.

    Erik closed his screen and itched his shoulder nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s likely to keep all the test takers on a level playing field. At least as much as possible.¡±

    ¡°No, not that. I get the sentiment, but I don¡¯t get how they can do that. Why do they have control over our pockets?" Ezra pressed the accept button as Erik and Milo considered the question.

    Ezra Arkin

    Level 15 . . .   Rank: Seeker

    Robustness Lvl 0  Distribution [Lvl 10 required]

    Skill Lvl 1   Evolution [Lvl 50 required]

    Upon seeing his stat screen, Ezra realized he had never upgraded using the remaining points from the first layer test and the beast on the 2nd layer. A pit in his stomach formed as he comprehended how much of a disadvantage he had been at. With fourteen points left, Ezra carefully considered how to spread them between the two options. He reached up to feel the bruising along his neck. The sensation still stung and was enough to convince him to put ten of his points into robustness.

    Distribution available! Please wait a moment while your biometrics are taken.

    The message disappeared and was replaced by three dots that flashed in succession across the screen. Another light, like the one when he first received the A.S.H.O. system, bored into the back of his eyes. Soon his vision cleared, and a simple outline of his body appeared on the screen. He briefly recalled the words of the test admin on the first layer. He mentioned something about robustness deviations. I don¡¯t remember what, but it must be something like spreading your defenses throughout your body.

    Clicking the segment on the diagram¡¯s neck, another screen materialized.

    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    10 points available to distribute: Part 2 out of 32 selected. Would you like to continue?

    [Yes] [No]

    Clicking yes, Ezra put seven points into his neck. Thinking of everywhere else he could get hurt, he subtracted several points and decided to only put two into his neck. He gave two more points to his head and two each to his pecs. With two points left, he carefully considered the next segment of his body to strengthen. He clasped his hand into a fist and imagined punching Marcus in his smug face. The feeling wouldn¡¯t be nearly as satisfying if his knuckles burned with pain. One point went into each of his hands, and Ezra closed the robustness screen.

    His three remaining points went into his skill, and as he exited the attribute screen, he faintly felt a tingly sensation in the parts of his body that were upgraded. ¡°So have you come up with a good reason for it all?¡±

    Erik shook his head in shame, and Milo raised his eyebrows as if he were finally free of the burden the question had imposed upon him. ¡°Nope, not a clue. Maybe Hugo would know.¡±

    ¡°You know that¡¯s not going to happen,¡± Ezra sighed.

    "Yeah, you¡¯re right,¡± Milo admitted. ¡°He¡¯s probably cooped up in some secret research lab somewhere.¡±

    Before Ezra stored away his pocket, an idea lit up his mind. ¡°I met Douglas earlier, and I have his contact info. He might know.¡±

    ¡°Who,¡± Milo said.

    ¡°The guy at that weapons shop on the first layer.¡± Ezra glanced at Erik, wondering if he would pick up on the nature of the shop despite not mentioning it was an illegal operation.

    Milo hit his forehead with his palm as the memory came back. ¡°Oh him! But what has he got to do with the A.S.H.O. system?¡±

    ¡°He told me he worked for Faulpher-tek. The admin on the first layer said it was that company¡¯s founder that discovered the system 400 years ago, so they have to have some insight.¡±

    "Yeah, give it a try,¡± Milo said as he noticed Erik rubbing his fingers along the leather rifle strap. ¡°You good? What''s on your mind?¡±

    Erik adverted his gaze to the floor as a few more people entered the room. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to get involved in this.¡±

    Ezra paused in the middle of typing his message to Douglas, and Milo gave a reassuring smile. "Hey, I know this is a lot. We do not expect you to follow us after this test. After all, we just met today.¡± Erik raised his gaze, and Milo stood with a confidence that belied his experience. ¡°But even if we never meet again, I want you to know this. You were great out there. Ezra didn¡¯t see every shot you made, but I did. I wouldn¡¯t think twice if you ever wanted to be teammates.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just I¡¯ve heard a lot of things about Faulpher-tek and...¡±

    Milo cut Erik off and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t need to justify your decision to us. Be proud of what you accomplished today.¡±

    Various conversations went silent, and the three of them turned to see Hana and her teammates walking through the door. They looked like a party of adventurers returning from a grand journey. The three men in gleaming armor and cloaks whiter than clouds strode into the hall with confident grins as they basked in their win. Yet Hana, who led the three, looked ashamed of herself. She raised her head to provide the growing crowd with a weak grin. People cheered, but Ezra saw that only made it harder for her to hold a smile.

    ¡°Clear the way,¡± the tallest man shouted in a booming voice. ¡°Let the Bai Lou party through.¡±

    It¡¯s not even her party. It¡¯s her family¡¯s. Instead of enving her connections, Ezra was beginning to feel pity for her situation. Her words earlier were starting to make sense. I was given a future that wasn¡¯t mine.

    As they passed by, Ezra opened his mouth but soon realized he had no words that could comfort her. Nearing the end of the hall, the crowd closed the gap they had formed, and Ezra lost sight of the women in turquoise robes.

    Returning his attention to the message screen, he typed up a brief message to Douglas.

    Let me know when you¡¯re available. I¡¯d like to talk about your work at Faulpher-tek as soon as possible.

    He pressed send and closed the screen. With that, they exited the entrance hall to the arena, and Erik thanked them for taking the test with him. A warm grin spread across Milo¡¯s face. Ezra could tell that Milo, who was usually so talkative, had for once said everything he had wanted to say.

    ¡°May your journey be blessed by the infinite sky,¡± Ezra and Milo said in unison as they waved Erik goodbye. That boy. He fears this world, yet he still faces it. I hope we see him again, Ezra thought as he watched Erik leave the building.

    Ezra jumped as his pocket buzzed. Pulling it out, he finally registered that the disturbance was the device notifying him that Douglas had messaged back.

    Apologies; my schedule is packed. The soonest I can schedule a meeting is two weeks from now. If this is acceptable, I can make room in the early afternoon.

    The message was disappointing, but Ezra expected something like this would happen.

    ¡°What does it say?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°The soonest he can meet is two weeks from now.¡±

    "Well, that''s a bust. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to wait that long.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ezra said as he was beginning to type a message back, ¡°but we may not have a choice. We have to get stronger before we retake the test, so being here for two weeks might happen.¡± He looked up at the ceiling and hoped Marcus hadn¡¯t proceeded to the higher layers. ¡°I¡¯ll let him know that two weeks from now is fine. If things change, we can always let him know.¡±

    Once he pressed send, Milo asked another question. ¡°So whatcha want to do next?¡±

    ¡°There is still one other person that knows about Faulpher-tek.¡±

    ¡°Him,¡± Milo replied as if even suggesting the idea was ridiculous. ¡°But we don¡¯t even know where he could be.¡±

    ¡°But we do know what he¡¯s searching for, a man named Marlaove.¡±

 Chapter 27: The Mysterious Marlaove

    ¡°So where do we even start?¡± Milo asked as they exited the grand building.

    Ezra shielded his eyes from the afternoon light and studied the dirt street ahead of them. ¡°I guess we just ask around until we get a lead. If we don¡¯t get any information after an hour or two, we can reevaluate.¡±

    Various buildings lined the street. Some only stood a story high, while others towered over four. The paint on them didn¡¯t match either. Flecked yellow paint was peeling off a hardware shop while the building right next to it looked like it had a fresh coat of aqua blue. The crowds they had seen in the morning only grew bigger with the rising light and now darted in and out of the structures on their way to disparate destinations.

    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the shop owners,¡± Ezra said. ¡°Whoever this Marlaove is, he had to have bought stuff at one point.¡±

    ¡°Sound¡¯s good. I¡¯ll take the shops on the left; you take the ones on the right.¡± Milo casually strode through the crowd of people as Ezra considered which shop to start at.

    Weaving through the crowd, the first shop Ezra came upon was selling artifacts. Oddly shaped ancient items were displayed in the window, and a sign in modern language but written in the style of the ancient language hung over the door. The rigid lines of the ancient style gave the shop a personal touch that made it stand out from the other signs that lined the street.

    When he entered the store, the smell of dust overwhelmed his senses. Ezra quickly grew accustomed to it; after all, he noticed the shop itself was quite clean. The owner, a young man, was in the back polishing a hollow tube that twisted in on itself. The man averted his gaze from his project and smiled at Ezra as he entered.

    ¡°What can I help you with?¡± the man asked from across the store. Once Ezra didn¡¯t respond, the man offered more explanation to clear any perceived confusion. ¡°If you are not Morltin rank, your selection will be limited to grade one and two artifacts.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not here to purchase anything,¡± Ezra responded before wondering if being too honest would limit the amount of information he could get.

    The man stopped polishing the artifact and placed it back on the shelf. ¡°Then why are you here?¡± His voice carried a great deal of suspicion.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking for someone. Have you heard the name Marlaove?¡±

    ¡°Not a common name. I¡¯m sure I would remember something so unique. After all, I am in the business of oddities. Uniqueness is my trademark.¡± The man smirked with a hint of pride. ¡°If there is anything else related to my business, I would be glad to offer my services.¡±

    "No, that''s fine,¡± Ezra said, brushing off the remarks.  ¡°Thanks anyway.¡±

    He exited the shop and was back in the brightly lit streets. The first person I talked to was never going to have the answer. Things could have gone worse. Ezra took a deep breath and strode onto the next storefront. Flowers lined the walls, and a woman with curly amber hair greeted him. Despite the welcoming atmosphere, Ezra got a similar answer and a disappointed look at the realization he wasn¡¯t a customer. The same pattern followed for the next eight shops, and Ezra began to wonder if Milo was having the same luck. The end of the street was only a few buildings away. Might as well finish here before regrouping. Resigning himself to his task, Ezra sighed and entered the next store with a smile.

    The multicolor display of cleanly cut gemstones brought a sense of comfort to Ezra. At last, he had arrived at something he was familiar with. The mining town of Deepburrow was oversaturated with these, but it was nice to be surrounded by items that he could name one by one. His eyes widened at a transparent gem, about the size of his fist, that swirled with polychromatic light. It was as if the gem had stolen a piece of the sky.

    ¡°A beauty. Isn¡¯t she.¡±

    Ezra blinked at the stranger''s voice and reluctantly pulled his longing gaze from the gem. ¡°I didn''t know Stoletime gems could get that big.¡±

    ¡°Up on the tenth layer they can.¡± A fascination consumed the shopkeeper''s words. ¡°It¡¯s rare something of this quality makes it down this far. Really a shame. Makes you wonder what else we common folk miss by not climbing.¡±

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    Ezra silently nodded. He understood that hunger for more. The type of hunger that starves the soul and shows you the shadow of your humanity. For those who didn¡¯t climb, they found other ways to satiate that hunger. Yet little glimpses like this were all some needed to keep going. ¡°Did you ever think of climbing?¡±

    The man stroked his beard, which was flecked with gray as he pondered the answer. ¡°I did once, but those days are long gone. There is no use in fretting over missed opportunities.¡± He smiled and then glanced around the shop like he was a customer. ¡°Now, young man, is there anything you would like to buy?¡±

    The question Ezra had been hoping to avoid eventually reared its head. ¡°Well, the thing is..." Just get it over with, Ezra urged himself. ¡°I¡¯m not here to buy something. There was a question I wanted to ask.¡±

    The man raised his eyebrow and invited the question. "Well, ask away.¡±

    ¡°Do you happen to know a person that goes by the name of Marlaove?¡±

    ¡°Hmm,¡± the man hummed as he considered the name. ¡°It does sound familiar, but I can¡¯t put a face to it. I was never good at remembering those who aren¡¯t regulars, but I may know someone who has a better recollection than me. Try Niall, the man who runs the fresh produce store across the street. He¡¯s a friendly fellow who is known for getting to know his customers. He says the knowing is what makes each customer''s experience special.¡±

    It was better than nothing. Ezra hoped it would lead to something more. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll make sure to come by your shop again. Next time I¡¯ll actually buy something.¡± He waved goodbye and exited the store.

    Back in the bustling street, he maneuvered through the crowds once he spotted the store marked by a basket of vegetables on the sign. Upon entering the shop, he realized it was no less busy than the congested road. The sweet and earthy aroma of fruits and vegetables filled the store as a man in a white apron and a gleaming smile strode across the floor.

    ¡°Hello! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve had the opportunity to meet you. I¡¯m the owner of this fine store.¡± The man said as he extended his hand in greeting.

    This must be Niall, Ezra thought as he stared up at the man who towered over him. Niall was built like a fighter, but his warm demeanor contrasted with his stature. ¡°I¡¯m Ezra. I¡¯ve heard good things about this place.¡±

    Niall shook Ezra¡¯s hand with a firm yet comfortable grip. "Nice to meet ya! I can¡¯t be thankful enough to those who praised this place. I hope your experience can be as enjoyable as theirs.¡±

    ¡°Um, do you know a man named Marlaove?¡±

    Niall¡¯s smile slightly faded as soon as the name left Ezra¡¯s mouth. ¡°I do. You haven¡¯t seen him recently, have you?¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯ve been looking for him.¡±

    ¡°I see. I see.¡± Niall spoke a few words of farewell to an exiting customer and then resumed his focus on Ezra. ¡°Any luck so far. He was a great customer; I enjoyed my chats with him.¡±

    ¡°None. I actually came here to ask what you know about him, and when was the last time you saw him?¡± Ezra moved to the side as another person entered the building, and Niall welcomed them enthusiastically.

    ¡°About four months ago. He came here about once a week to buy groceries, but the last three weeks before he disappeared were unusual.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± Ezra asked.

    Niall scratched the back of his head and looked unsure if he should reveal more information. After another moment of hesitation, he spoke. ¡°Well, he bought three times what he usually does, and in the last week nearly five times the usual. I asked him if he was planning on starting a farm with that much food, but he just laughed me off. And that was that.¡±

    What could that even mean? Ezra¡¯s mind raced for an explanation. Why would he need so much food and four months ago too? Is he hiding out somewhere? But why would he be hiding? He¡¯s related to Wilfred, so maybe he was fighting against Faulpher-tek too, but then why wouldn¡¯t Wilfred know where he is? There¡¯s more to this. I don¡¯t have enough information yet. ¡°Do you know anything else about him?¡±

    Nial furrowed his brow. ¡°You¡¯re asking a lot of questions. I¡¯m open to talking, but I don¡¯t think I should give out too much info on my customers. They trust me, and I don¡¯t want to betray that. What¡¯s your relation to Marlaove?¡±

    Ezra felt a pit form in his stomach. I can¡¯t let this lead slip between my fingers. ¡°Uh. Do you know a guy named Wilfred?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, strange fellow. Sometimes came in with Marlaove, but I rarely saw him.¡±

    ¡°I,¡± Ezra stammered, ¡°he asked me to look for Marlaove for him. He hasn¡¯t seen him either in a while.¡±

    Niall¡¯s doubtful glare was beginning to slip away. ¡°Ok. I¡¯ll tell you one more thing about him. There are some other guys who might know him a bit better than I do. Off of Roltin Street, only a few blocks away from the Shatterfold guild headquarters, there''s a retirement home for Sky-seekers. He told me he visited often.¡±

    Ezra took a mental note of the location. A retirement home, why would he be going there? It seemed like this mystery was getting stranger by the moment.

 Chapter 28: The Mysterious Marlaove (Part 2)

    When Ezra exited the store, Milo was waiting for him at the end of the street. A shop with a massive display window bisected the road into two like a stone in a flowing river of pedestrians. Milo gazed through the glass at miniatures of airships. A simple representation that replaced the real thing. Ezra wondered where they kept the real things before they were sold to wealthy customers, yet that thought quickly subsided as Milo saw him approaching.

    ¡°So any leads?¡± Milo asked, sounding defeated.

    Ezra suppressed a smile¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to brag too much¡ªand pointed to a tiered building with a sloped roof that reached for the sky with a sharp point. ¡°I heard Marlaove used to visit a retirement home not far from the Shatterfold headquarters.¡± Upon a second look, he noticed a sizable gap or perhaps a bite missing from the roof of the guild hall. Must be the scars from the Sky-Razor.

    Milo cocked his head to the side at the new information. ¡°And you heard this from?¡±

    ¡°A fresh produce shop owner,¡± Ezra responded. ¡°I think his name was Niall. Marlaove was a regular at his shop but stopped coming a few months ago.¡±

    Milo playfully slapped Ezra on the back. ¡°I knew you would come through. Your plans always work out somehow.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put that much faith in them. Just chalk it up to luck.¡±

    Milo bounced on his forefoot and began to walk as if the weight over him had been lifted. ¡°My friend, your plans are more than just luck. It¡¯s going to take a lot for me to stop believing in them. Come on, the answer to this mystery waits ahead,¡± he boldly declared.

    Ezra reluctantly took the compliment with a subdued grin and followed after his friend.

    ¡°Are you sure this is the right building?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°You see any other retirement homes on this street? Niall said Roltin Street, and this is it.¡±

    ¡°But how will we question anyone if we can¡¯t get in?¡± Milo stared up at the imposing gate that blocked their entry.

    Black metal bars, about an arm''s length above them, surrounded a polished marble building that stood three stories high. Rectangular windows were spaced symmetrically on the second and third floors, and a stairwell alongside a ramp led up to the door. The material the building was made of looked new, but the design was antiquated. A face creased with age glanced at them from the second floor with displeasure. Milo wrinkled his nose back in mild disgust at the disconcerting look, and the man pulled curtains over their only view inside.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going to be let in if you¡¯re making faces at the residents,¡± Ezra sighed.

    Milo gripped the bars like he was about to bend a gap in the metal. ¡°He did it first. Just returning the favor.¡±

    Ezra scanned the fence for any openings but was met with disappointment. He considered climbing over. It wouldn¡¯t be impossible, but once they were inside, there would be no point. They would be seen as intruders and thrown back out.

    ¡°Young man, are you visiting someone today?¡±

    Ezra switched his attention to the kindly voice behind him. A man in a wheelchair smiled up at him and wheeled a little closer. This is the chance I need. ¡°Not a particular person. An old friend of a friend used to visit here, and I haven¡¯t seen him in a while. Do you know the name Marlaove?¡±

    The name made a grin spread across the old man¡¯s face. ¡°Yes, I do know him. Now that you mention it, it has been quite some time since I last saw him. Come in, come in. Any friend of Marlaove¡¯s is a friend of mine.¡±

    Milo and Ezra backed away from the gate as the man neared a small black box attached to one of the metal rails. He slid a disk, not too dissimilar to the ones every Sky-seeker has, into the box. As he withdrew the disk, the gate clicked open and automatically slid to the side.

    ¡°The name¡¯s Rowan,¡± the old man said as he stored the disk away.

    ¡°I¡¯m Ezra.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m Milo,¡± he chimed in.

    Ezra reached for the handles of Rowan¡¯s wheelchair. "No, son, I can do it myself.¡± His voice felt like a slap on the wrist.

    Rowan gripped the wheels and pushed himself forward. Once they arrived at the ramp, Ezra wondered if he should reach out again. Rowan stared up the intimidating slope and gently rested his hands on the push rings. Taking a deep breath, he swiped his palms against the metal. The metal squeaked as his movement became faster and faster. Ezra tilted his head to get a better look at what the old man was doing. To him, it looked pointless.

    Unless Ezra realized as Rowan suddenly rocketed up the ramp. He can activate a skill.

    ¡°Coming? Or am I too fast for you young fella¡¯s?¡± Rowan beamed at the top of the steep slope. "This is a retirement home for Sky-seekers after all.¡±

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    ¡°I like him much better than the creep staring out the window,¡± Milo said as he lept up the steps with youthful energy.

    Ezra followed, hoping Milo wouldn¡¯t keep making comments like that once they got in. He wasn¡¯t about to get kicked out when they had come so far. Milo opened the dark oak door and Rowan entered while giving Milo an appreciative nod.

    The inside of the building was filled with natural light from a large window in the back. Chairs covered in velvet upholstery symmetrically rested around two wooden tables that let off a familiar glow. They were likely made from the trees of the luminescent forest. Despite the plain beige wallpaper, the room felt cozy.

    ¡°Rowan, have your guests scheduled a visit?¡± A young woman with a welcoming smile and straight black hair that extended to her shoulders asked.

    "No, they haven¡¯t,¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°You know the rules we have about guests,¡± the woman responded. ¡°You can¡¯t keep letting people in without appointments.¡±

    ¡°Amanda, they''re harmless. Let an old man have company when he pleases.¡± Rowan continued to stare forward, indicating he didn¡¯t want to take this conversation any further.

    Amanda sighed after a few moments of silence and surveyed the new visitors. ¡°The least both of you could do is fill out a guest pass.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Ezra said in a stiff tone.

    Amanda led them to the front desk and handed them slips of paper with blanks for general information such as a name and a reason for the visit. Once the paperwork was done, Amanda¡¯s strained smile showed her dedication to the profession.

    Milo and Ezra met up with Rowan, who had taken his place around one of the wooden tables. Ezra noticed several other elderly people already occupied four out of the six seats. They took the remaining two seats, and a woman with a crooked nose began the conversation.

    ¡°What poor souls did you drag in this time?¡± She taunted Rowan.

    ¡°These two young men know Marlaove,¡± Rowan responded. ¡°You know the skinny man who used to visit often.¡±

    ¡°Ah, him, shady fellow, but he always had a kind heart.¡± A balding man said.

    ¡°I still have that bottle of gin he snuck in,¡± the man to Ezra¡¯s right cackled as soon as the words left his mouth. ¡°A kind heart indeed.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Ezra said in an unsteady voice. ¡°We don¡¯t know Marlaove directly. I said we know a friend of his. Like you all, no one has seen him in months.¡±

    ¡°Wilfred?¡± Rowan arched an eyebrow.

    ¡°Yeah, he was the one who asked us to help search for him.¡± They weren¡¯t really doing this all for Wilfred. This was just a means to find him and ask about Faulpher-tek. But the rest of them didn¡¯t need to know that. ¡°So any information about him could help in our search. Like, did he ever mention what job he had?¡± They all stared into the air with blank faces as if the answer was out there. Ezra prodded again. ¡°Anything. Anything at all?¡±

    "Marco, did he ever tell you where he got the bottle of gin?¡± Rowan said to the man on Ezra¡¯s right.

    Marco scratched the wispy hairs on his chin. ¡°Somewhere on the outskirts of Subterris. He said it was the finest he had out there. Scar-Roux¡¯s is an expensive brand; I can¡¯t imagine how he procured it. The only reasonable explanation is that he owns a liquor store.¡±

    ¡°That could be it,¡± the woman said. ¡°He always talks about people on the outskirts a lot. Those friends of his could just be customers. That man always had more friends than I thought conscionable. Always rattling off names that we swore he had never mentioned before.¡±

    ¡°Or, Mary, what if those were just his contract kills for the week?" The bald man interjected.

    ¡°Oh, come off it, Leo. You know that ridiculous rumor holds no water around here.¡± Mary¡¯s face blushed red with anger.

    Leo shot back with unexpected vigor. ¡°He always had a vibro-crystal gun at his side. And those strange artifacts he carried. He never explained those to us.¡±

    ¡°I always thought he was a negotiator between guilds.¡± Rowan¡¯s deep voice cut through the tension like a heavy blade through the air. ¡°Think about it. Meeting new people and clients at an unprecedented rate. You interact with a lot of people in that line of work.¡± He motioned to Leo. ¡°And the gun and artifacts. He has to keep those around. Whenever a fight breaks out between Sky-seekers, you know how vicious that can get.¡± Leo nodded as if recalling some distant memory, and Rowan continued. ¡°And the Scar-Roux. A difficult job like that has to pay well. With a healthy salary, Marlaove would have no issue affording the good stuff.¡± He raised his hand to make one last point. ¡°The outskirt stuff too. Many guilds have people stationed there, so it''s only natural he would be out there all the time.¡±

    One by one, the other people in the circle considered Rowan¡¯s explanation. Even to Ezra, he couldn¡¯t find any hole in the argument. It seemed like a sound explanation.

    ¡°I hate to say it. But you make sense,¡± Leo admitted with a weary smile.

    ¡°But even if he¡¯s somewhere on the outskirts of Subterris, that doesn¡¯t narrow it down much. There are seven guilds that could be stationed anywhere out there,¡± Ezra said.

    ¡°Maybe that''s why no one can find him?¡± Milo glanced at the second floor and then returned his attention to the group.

    ¡°There¡¯s one place he mentioned,¡± Marco replied. ¡°A bar not too far from here. He always made it a habit to go there at the end of every week.¡±

    Today¡¯s the end of the week, Ezra realized. ¡°What¡¯s the name?¡±

    ¡°The Silver Margwen.¡±

    Ezra had heard the name Margwen before. Maybe Zoe had brought it up, but he still didn¡¯t know exactly what a Margwen was. He repeated the name in his head until it stuck. ¡°Where is it?¡±

    ¡°Off of 4th and Dawkin.¡± A tender grin touched Rowan¡¯s lips. ¡°Please find him for us.¡± The group nodded in solemn agreement. ¡°That man brought a life to this place we¡¯ve been sorely missing.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll drag him back here even if he comes kicking and screaming.¡± Laughter rolled through the group as Milo¡¯s serious expression turned to a goofy grin.

    They both stood up and said their goodbyes. Amanda waved to them, and it seemed like her sour demeanor had completely evaporated. Closing the door behind them, they were thrust back into a busy and noisy world.

    It didn¡¯t take long to find the Silver Margwen. True to its name, the building bore a silver-plated sign of a four-legged creature with a pointed snout and large paws. Ezra couldn¡¯t make out any discernible eyes on its head. What a strange thing, he thought before he followed Milo into the bar.

    Soft lighting that left shadows across every table and shrouded the patrons in mystery came from a few chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The air was heavy, not with smoke, but with a history that would seem overwhelming to any newcomer. A few people glanced at the two young men, but most kept to themselves. A polished dark oak counter wrapped around a shelf covered in a sparkling array of bottles of all shapes and sizes.

    Ezra stopped dead upon seeing a man in black boots and a stained gray coat. His brown hair, flecked with gray along the sides, waved to the back of his head. Wilfred turned to face the newcomers with a smirk and swirled a drink in his hands.

 Chapter 29: Wilfreds Story

    ¡°What a surprise. I thought you had already stripped me for all I¡¯m worth.¡± Wilfred smirked at Ezra and Milo.

    Ezra took an open stool, and Wilfred waved the approaching bartender away. Ezra didn¡¯t mind. He wasn¡¯t here for a drink. ¡°It took us more trouble than it was worth to track you down.¡±

    ¡°Good,¡± Wilfred took a sip of amber liquid and swirled the glass. ¡°If it were easy, Faulpher-tek would have tracked me down a dozen times over. Why are you here anyway?¡±

    ¡°I have questions,¡± Ezra said, ¡°about Faulpher-tek.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t work for the damn company. What makes you think I have answers? Unless you¡¯ve found something out about Marlaove, I don¡¯t owe you a thing.¡± He scratched his graying stubble and looked down at his drink, considering if another swig would help.

    "Well, that''s how we found you,¡± Ezra leaned in, hoping to capture more of Wilfred¡¯s attention. Milo, on the other side of Wilfred, nodded to support Ezra¡¯s claim. ¡°We asked around about Marlaove. Niall, a shop owner, directed us to a retirement home where Marlaove used to visit, and some of the people there told us about this bar.¡±

    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to find that impressive?¡± A puff of air, perhaps a condescending laugh, brushed past Wilfred¡¯s lips. ¡°I knew the man for twenty-one years and have been searching every day for four months. An afternoon won¡¯t make a difference. Your pathetic investigation doesn¡¯t even scratch the surface.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s even your relation to him?¡± Milo interjected. ¡°We heard he was a farmer, a gun for hire, a guild negotiator. We can¡¯t make heads or tails of it, and my head keeps spinning trying to find an answer.¡±¡¯

    ¡°An old friend, a business partner of sorts. He took on a lot of roles over the years, but he always had one thing in mind.¡± Wilfred¡¯s eyes reflected so many memories back into his glass. ¡°Protecting others around him. He saved me more times than I can count.¡± A grim smile briefly turned up the corners of his mouth. ¡°But you''re not really here to ask about him. Tell me your questions. Today¡¯s been slow, so I¡¯ll humor you.¡±

    Ezra paused; his questions had escaped him after he thought Wilfred wouldn¡¯t entertain them. They quickly returned as he spoke. ¡°Does Faulpher-tek have the ability to control the A.S.H.O. system? During our Morltin test, there was a device that paused the use of skills for a short time, and then while we were in the testing area, our levels were frozen.¡±

    ¡°Curious,¡± Wilfred grumbled as he straightened his back. ¡°Their founder may have discovered the system, but I don¡¯t know if they have any ties to the Office of Trainees.¡± He stared at the gleaming wall of bottles as if there was some mystery to be solved in their reflections. ¡°Although one time, years ago, my skill was on the fritz when the Terra¡¯s were chasing after me. It was a few days after Marlaove and I hit one of Faulpher-tek¡¯s warehouses. They must have been the ones who sent the Terra¡¯s after us. Could¡¯ve been the same device or just a prototype.¡±

    ¡°You have to understand,¡± Wilfred continued. ¡°They¡¯re not after Sky-seeker¡¯s. If it publicly came out, they were developing devices that restricted people¡¯s use of the system. Two or three Voyagers, along with a battalion of Stoletime seekers, would tear them to shreds within a week.¡±

    ¡°Then what are they after if not control?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°Simple. Profit.¡± Wilfred finished off the rest of his drink with one hearty gulp. ¡°And maybe some warped sense of safety derived from the foolish notion that they¡¯re the only ones that can protect people. Do you know how weapon grades work or even what they are?¡±

    ¡°They measure the power of weapons or artifacts. They¡¯re numbered one through five, with an additional sixth level called transcendent. Artifacts are also separated into several categories that are used to classify them. Theres weaponry, enhancement, protective, various, unknown, and transcendent.¡±

    Ezra stared at Milo, bewildered. ¡°How do you know all of this?¡±

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°Because I listened to the orientation.¡± Milo shot back a cocky grin. ¡°Would¡¯ve done you good to do the same.¡±

    ¡°Sky-seekers below the Morltin rank aren¡¯t allowed to own weapons above grade two.¡± Wilfred motioned to the bar tender to get him another drink. ¡°That¡¯s a pretty limited pool of customers for Faulpher-tek especially in Subterris. The same applies to any artifact. Certain exceptions are allowed for licensed individuals, but that¡¯s such a small group of people it doesn¡¯t matter. What does matter to those slimy bastards is driving the demand for weapons. And it¡¯s kind of hard to do that when you know most people who could hurt you are on an even playing field. Yet if you put dangerous weapons in people¡¯s hands, others will want to buy equally dangerous weapons to protect themselves. Thus you begin an arm¡¯s race among your customers.¡± He gave the bartender a nod of approval and cleared his throat as another glass was set in front of him. ¡°You get it now?¡±

    ¡°It makes sense, but what do you have against Faulpher-tek? No one takes on one of the major corps without a good reason.¡± The silent inferno behind Wilfred¡¯s eyes was seared into Ezra¡¯s memory. He had an idea of how Wilfred would answer, but he was too nervous to presume anything in front of this rugged man.

    Wilred furrowed his brow at the memories the question invited. His wrinkled hands trembled until he gripped the glass and felt the liquor slosh against the sides of the crystal cup. ¡°They took someone very dear to me. In a situation not too different from the one in the weapons store earlier today. Except that time, no one had the foresight to stop it. My wife and daughter weren¡¯t even in the store. Just passing by on their way home.¡± He blinked as a strangled emotion rose to the surface. One he was determined to keep down. The despair in his voice was quickly replaced with simmering rage. ¡°They don¡¯t care who they hurt or gets caught in their schemes. It¡¯s all just business to them, and they¡¯ll keep taking until their bottomless greed is satisfied. Maybe Seekers Day will be the end of it.¡±

    Milo¡¯s distant stare returned to Wilfred. ¡°Why Seekers Day?¡±

    ¡°The last words Marlaove spoke to me.¡± Wilfred took a deep breath and emptied the cup. ¡°The last thing he told me. Barry has been compromised, but I¡¯ll find another path. Now I know their deadline has moved up. Don¡¯t wait for Seekers Day.¡±

    ¡°Do you know who Barry is?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°Until yesterday I didn¡¯t.¡± Wilfred yawned and pushed the glass away from him. ¡°I found out a man named Barry works in a Faulpher-tek warehouse on the outskirts. With you knowing this much already, you interested in coming?¡±

    Ezra folded his arms on the counter and tapped his left wrist in rhythm with his thoughts. We were never really after Marlaove, but it seems like Wilfred can¡¯t provide the answers we want. Is it worth just waiting to meet with Douglas? It¡¯s still two weeks to hone our skills. The powerlessness he had felt when Time-scale was deactivated washed over him. That embarrassment wasn¡¯t something he wanted to feel again. Anything that could give them an advantage he needed to take. I don¡¯t know how lucky we¡¯ll get next time.

    ¡°Sure will go with you,¡± Ezra decided.

    ¡°One issue,¡± Milo said as he peeked around Wilfred. ¡°The Light-bearers said they could only watch over Emma for the day.¡±

    Wilfred raised an eyebrow, hopping for a quick explanation.

    ¡°A little girl we were asked to watch over,¡± Ezra explained.

    Wilfred¡¯s refusal was apparent the moment Ezra had spoken. ¡°I¡¯m not taking her along.¡±

    ¡°Just give us an hour or so. I¡¯m sure we can figure something out.¡± Milo put his hands up to try and quell any doubts.

    ¡°One hour. I¡¯m not staying here much longer.¡±

    Ezra and Milo nodded and got off the bar stools. ¡°See you in an hour," Milo called back as they exited the Silver Margwen. Wilfred responded with a tired and backhanded wave.

    It didn¡¯t take them long to navigate back to the Light-bearers guild hall. The day had gone on long enough that the streets were beginning to become less crowded. As they entered, the noise from earlier in the day had still not died down. Ezra felt a tinge of shame once he saw a sign indicating a celebration for new Morltin seekers was happening on the second floor.

    Milo tapped Ezra on the shoulder. ¡°Stay here. I¡¯ll go get her.¡± He dissappered into the back of the guild hall as Ezra observed the rowdy Sky-seekers.

    They smile because they are strong. That was the only conclusion Ezra could come to. Perhaps if Owen were here, he would tell me that I¡¯m wrong. That there are so many other reasons someone would smile. Yet Milo still smiled. But he¡¯s different, Ezra told himself. He¡¯s always that way. I¡¯m not him.

    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t think we would run into each other this soon.¡± A voice that sounded like sunlight entreating all to feel its warmth made Ezra raise his gaze. A girl with amber eyes and freckles dotting the bridge of her nose smiled back. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Camila greeted him again.

 Chapter 30: Outskirts (Part 1)

    Sorry for the long wait. Please read the author''s note at the end. I thought I would mention this in the chapter since people don''t always read the author''s notes. Enjoy the chapter.

    Chapter 30: Outskirts (Part 1)

    ¡°Hey,¡± Ezra replied as he washed away his sour expression. ¡°Good to see you too. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°You could ask every person in this room that question, and they would give you the same answer. We¡¯re Sky-seekers; why else would we be in a guild hall!¡± The title Sky-seeker danced across her tongue with glee.

    Ezra couldn¡¯t help but smile. Since their last encounter, it seemed Camila had fully accepted her role. A role that was more daunting to Ezra every passing day.

    A hooded figure in dark gray robes that flowed to the floor tapped Camila on the shoulder. ¡°The info session''s been moved to tonight,¡± he said with a voice that sounded like he hadn¡¯t cleared his throat in days. ¡°It¡¯s because of the celebration. Morltin recruits.¡±

    ¡°He speaks!¡± Ezra said, arching his head to try and get a peek at the face covered by the hood. ¡°He¡¯s one of the people who was on your team for the seeker test, right?¡±

    ¡°Of course he does, and he has a name too.¡± Camila turned to try and get her teammate to introduce himself, but he had already merged into the crowd. ¡°Sorry. He¡¯s a bit shy also, but his name is Ronan. He¡¯s actually the one who came up with the plan to catch the bird. We wouldn¡¯t have passed without him.¡±

    ¡°I say we just move on to the next guild. There¡¯s no use in waiting hours aroun here.¡± Two young men with nearly identical ginger hair parted in opposite directions, like a mirror of each other, approached Camila from behind.

    ¡°Come on, guys, we¡¯ve been going for hours,¡± an exhausted girl, a head shorter than the both of them, bemoaned wearily. ¡°It looks like drinks are on the house.¡±

    ¡°For guild members,¡± the other ginger twin corrected.

    ¡°They won¡¯t know. We look the part, and what''s the harm? She swayed to the side as if the scent of liquor was already drawing her away. She threw herself on Camila¡¯s back like a tired child asking for a piggyback ride. ¡°Tell em to stay. Pleeeease.¡±

    ¡°And this is Emily,¡± Camila said as she shrugged the girl''s arms off her shoulders. ¡°The two walls of muscle are Liam and Finn.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s this guy?¡± Emily raised her eyebrows as she relinquished her hold of Camila.

    ¡°I¡¯m Ezra. I took the seeker test with all of you.¡± He raised his hand and gave a wave to the rest of the group.

    A look of familiarity that then turned to guilt washed over Emily¡¯s face. ¡°Is he,¡± she whispered to Camila. ¡°You know the one that our bird¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but we already talked about it.¡±

    ¡°Sky-seekers move forward. We don¡¯t stare too long at what¡¯s behind us.¡± Ezra added to Camila¡¯s words even though he wasn¡¯t sure he believed it himself. It was true he didn¡¯t hate Camila, yet the past weighed on him more than he cared to admit.

    ¡°Good. So, we¡¯re chill?¡± Emily said. Ezra nodded as she scanned the room behind him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there another person with you, or did he¡­¡±

    ¡°Emily!¡± Camila rounded on her. ¡°Don¡¯t be so blunt about that stuff.¡±

    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ezra put his hands up to calm the argument. ¡°Milo¡¯s still with me. He¡¯s actually in the guild hall and should be back soon.¡±

    Ezra felt a hand on his shoulder as Milo appeared behind him as if on command. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me sooner if you were meeting people here.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just teasing,¡± Milo said as he slid his hand off Ezra¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Nice to see you, Camila!¡± He opened his arms for an embrace, which Camila awkwardly accepted. ¡°How¡¯d the forest treat you? It practically chewed us up and spat us back out.¡±

    ¡°Not much better. You can ask Liam and Finn.¡± Camila pointed with her thumb back at the twins. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t let anyone else on night watch for three days in a row, and even when we got to the gate to Subterris, the Terras wouldn¡¯t let us in until some serious convincing.¡±

    ¡°Call it what it is,¡± Emily interjected, ¡°a bribe.¡±

    Trying her best to ignore Emily¡¯s statement, Camila continued. ¡°They said something about a quarantine. Do you know what that was about?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, we had the unfortunate pleasure of finding out firsthand,¡± Milo answered as Ezra noticed Emma standing at his side. ¡°You tell ¡¯em, Ezra. You were in the center of it. Practically the hero of the camp.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that,¡± Ezra tempered his mood upon remembering the fleshy mechanical monstrosities. ¡°We were attacked the first night and had a group of Morltin seekers save us and take us back to their camp. I joined one of their strike teams to take down the beast that attacked us. We won,¡± Ezra faltered for a moment, but no one interrupted him, ¡°but the beast we killed wasn¡¯t the only one. It attracted others to the camp. Killed a lot of people.¡±

    Emma gripped Milo¡¯s hand, and Camila¡¯s positive demeanor faded. The silence between them felt heavy enough to deafen the noise of celebration. ¡°Is she from the camp?¡± Camila asked.

    ¡°Yeah. All on her own, though. We volunteered to look after her,¡± Milo said.

    ¡°That''s terrible.¡± Camila squatted to get eye level with Emma. ¡°I have a younger sister about her age. I can¡¯t imagine going through that.¡±

    Emma¡¯s emerald eyes glanced at the ground and back at Camila¡¯s amber pupils. Once their gaze met, Camila cracked a smile and took Emma¡¯s hand in hers. ¡°You''re lucky to be with them. Ezra and Milo are great people. I haven¡¯t known them for long, but they helped me through a hard time down in Deepburrow. You¡¯ll be safe with them.¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Emma nodded, and her frown faded. Camila gave Emma¡¯s hand an affectionate squeeze and pushed against her knees to stand back up. ¡°So what are you guys planning to do next?¡±

    Milo¡¯s sidelong glance at Ezra indicated that he was waiting for him to answer. Ezra picked up on the hint. ¡°Well, right now we¡¯re reassessing our options. We tried taking the Morltin test, and it didn¡¯t go so well. We found out you need a minimum of four teammates to take the test, so we found two strangers in the same situation. A lot happened, and we failed.¡±

    ¡°At least we made it out alive,¡± Milo said, trying to put a positive spin on it.

    Ezra shrugged as if that fact was nearly irrelevant. ¡°Yeah, but now we¡¯re just preparing to take it again in a few weeks.¡±

    ¡°Wow,¡± Camila blinked in surprise at the information. ¡°You guys have been through a lot. We don¡¯t plan to take the test for a month at least. I can¡¯t imagine marching right up to the testing center on the first day. In fact,¡± a grin spread across her face. ¡°When you do try again, spots on my team are always open.¡±

    Milo chuckled at the invitation. ¡°As you said back in Deepburrow, I won¡¯t consider it until you¡¯re a Voyager.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll happen sooner than you think, so don¡¯t slack off. I can¡¯t have weaklings on my team.¡± Camila folded her arms nonchalantly as her eyes briefly darted to the celebration in the back. ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to stay here for a bit.¡± Emily punched the air in silent excitement, and Finn and Liam rolled their eyes. Ronan was still nowhere to be seen, but Camila didn¡¯t seem concerned. ¡°Where are you guys headed next?¡±

    Milo¡¯s face lit up, and Ezra knew another idea had popped into his friend''s head. ¡°Hey, can I ask a favor?¡±

    ¡°Depends on the favor,¡± Camila responded.

    Ezra readied himself to speak if Milo so much as spoke a word about their Faulpher-tek investigation. He was sure Wilfred wouldn¡¯t want it shouted out to the world either.

    ¡°There¡¯s this Sky-seeker, Ezra, and I met that said he could give us some training out in the outskirts,¡± Milo explained. ¡°It''s a bit dangerous for us to take Emma along, so I was wondering if she could stay with you all. Are you ok with that, Emma?¡± Milo asked before Camila could respond.

    The little girl looked at Camila¡¯s group and then back at Milo. ¡°You¡¯ll be back?¡±

    ¡°Of course we will. We¡¯ll be gone no more than a day. Camila¡¯s strong; she can protect you, plus I bet she¡¯s a lot more fun to be around than me and Mr. Grumpy over here.¡± Milo gestured to Ezra.

    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not grumpy. Just thinking.¡± Ezra said after comprehending what Milo was saying.

    Emma gave a nod of approval, and Milo stood up to face Camila again. ¡°So what¡¯d you say?¡±

    Camila sighed and then smirked at his insistent request. ¡°You know it¡¯s hard to say no. The moment you heard I had a little sister, you thought you could get away with this plan of yours. And,¡± she shook her head, ¡°you¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Well, we need to get going,¡± Ezra said in a monotone voice. ¡°Our guy isn¡¯t going to wait forever. How about we link pockets so we can let you know when we¡¯re coming back?

    Camila knew what he was talking about as she slipped a gray disk from her backpack. Milo raised an eyebrow in confusion as Ezra and she tapped their pockets together.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain later,¡± Ezra said as soon as Milo opened his mouth. ¡°Guess they didn¡¯t tell you that in orientation.¡±

    ¡°They did,¡± Camila smiled with smug undertones. ¡°It can be hard to keep track of everything.¡±

    ¡°I guess it is,¡± Milo said as he flipped his pocket out and tapped it against Camila¡¯s as she was putting it back into her backpack. Camila suppressed a wry smile at his pettiness.

    Before she could shoot back a retort, Ezra was already dragging Millo out of the guild hall. ¡°It was nice catching up!¡± Milo¡¯s voice could barely be heard above the rest of the Sky-seekers as they left the building.

    Wilfred leaned against a post outside the Silver Margwen as he flipped what looked like a silver coin in his hands. He snatched the metal out of the air as soon as Milo and Ezra approached. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Wilfred said abruptly. ¡°I¡¯d rather get out there before dark.¡±

    They didn¡¯t exchange any more words and followed along. The ruckus of the afternoon faded as shadows of twilight stretched across the city and orange hues settled on the city like honey melting in tea. Up here evening looked different than Deepburrow. Every ray of light, sparkle on a window, or fresh breeze was fuller than the glimpse Ezra got at the bottom. It brought peace after such a chaotic day.

    The tall buildings and ornately polished wall of Subterris gave way to one-story homes and small corner shops as they left the center of the ring. Paved streets lead to dirt roads, and the blue hues of the streetlights were soon replaced by the light of oil lamps or the occasional green gleam-gems on the window sill of someone''s home. Their light was a familiar sight for Ezra. They were often his only source of light during White Rock¡¯s mining trips. The silence felt like an invitation to not utter a word. The shadows didn¡¯t feel the same as the inner city, but nor did they feel as threatening as the ones down in the Dire District in Deepburrow. Either way, Ezra knew how capable Wilfred was. With him, he felt safe.

    Milo broke the silence as evening began to give way to night. ¡°Wilfred, you¡¯ve lived here for a while. Right? How big is Subterris?¡±

    ¡°Not as big as you¡¯d think once you get to know it. Compared to the rest of the third layer, it''s just the crust on the loaf.¡± He peered down a dark alleyway as they passed yet saw nothing to make him stop.

    Milo prodded with another question. ¡°On our way up we saw buildings built on the walls of the abyss. Are they also a part of Subterris?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Those are the Ring Dwellers. Haven¡¯t been down there much myself, so I can¡¯t say what would drive one to live down there. If you can¡¯t live in the middle city, it¡¯s either the outskirts or the ring. I¡¯d pick the outskirts any day, but people still make a living down there.¡±

    ¡°And beyond the outskirts?¡± Ezra asked.

    ¡°Nothing but grass plains that stretch to the walls of the abyss. Except past the fourth quadrant, you¡¯ll run into the ruins of the Obsidian Pillar.¡±

    ¡°So it''s a real thing!¡± Milo raised his voice in surprise, and Ezra shushed him.

    ¡°Of course it is.¡± Wilfred shook his head with reserved disappointment. ¡°Although the damn thing hasn¡¯t worked in hundreds of years. Would make it a lot easier to get to the sixth layer.¡±

    Ezra whispered another question. ¡°Do you go outside the city much?¡±

    ¡°During the day occasionally. Nice hunting grounds out there. It helps keep my skills sharp.¡±

    ¡°What about the night?¡±

    ¡°That,¡± a breath of discontent slipped through his clenched jaw. ¡°That I try not to. The grass moves in strange patterns, and the wind howls an eerie sound. Some say a spirit dwells in that land, protecting fragments of the star Elysia cast down thousands of years ago. You can only see the stars¡¯ light during the night, so the spirit only comes to protect it when it''s darkest. It¡¯s an old wives¡¯s tale if you ask me, but still, something out there ain¡¯t right.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s curiosity spun a tale of him finding the star fragments out in the grassy plains. But he cut his imagination short knowing that the whole idea was probably just as Wilfred said. A wife¡¯s tale and nothing more. A chill breeze sent shivers down his spine as he thought about the howling night wind.

    Before his mind could get carried away, Wilfred stopped in front of a dilapidated warehouse. The metal panels hanging onto the structures were beginning to rust at the edges, and only one gleam-gem hung above the entrance.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Wilfred said as he clicked the safety off on his vibro-crystal gun.

 Chapter 31: Outskirts (Part 2)

    ¡°Stay quiet and do exactly what I say,¡± Wilfred commanded as he motioned Ezra and Milo to stay behind him.

    The single gleam-gem cast strange shadows over Wilfred¡¯s face as he approached, and the night wind whistled like a disturbed spirit through the gaps in the warehouse. Flicking the door open, Wildfred scanned the shadow-obscured room through the tip of his gun.

    The warehouse seemed ancient and, on top of that, abandoned. Are you sure anyone is here? Ezra wanted to ask, but he knew he¡¯d get scolded for speaking up.

    Twisting through dark hallways, Wilfred¡¯s boots shuffled silently through the dust-claimed floor. Each time Milo or Ezra so much as breathed loudly, he glared back at them. To Ezra¡¯s right, he gazed through a door frame that had been robbed of its door and into a dilapidated office. A cushioned chair lay on its side, and cobwebs were beginning to drag it into the floor. Filing cabinets hung haphazardly from metal rails, completely empty as if they had been ransacked by someone wanting to leave nothing behind.

    Ezra realized he didn¡¯t even know what Wilfred was looking for, and if it was Barry he wanted to find, it didn¡¯t make sense. How could Barry work at a warehouse that¡¯s abandoned? Passing the room, Ezra stopped himself from coughing as dust choked him. It must have been a long time too. Wilfred steadily went on, and Ezra wondered what was going through his head. Did he expect this?

    ¡°Why are we¡­¡± Milo spoke up before Wilfred cut him off with a violent shush.

    Wilfred pointed through another doorway that glowed with light from outside. Catching up to him, Ezra saw the massive room that lay beyond. Empty shelves collected motes of dust, and the rusted brackets, keeping them all together, looked to barely hold their own weight. Fine particles swirled in a ray of light that punctured through a hole in the roof while the corners of the room were held onto by shadows. Occasionally boxes ranging from the size of Ezra¡¯s head to as tall as Wilfred dotted the shelves.

    ¡°I want to search every single one,¡± Wilfred whispered as he cautiously scanned the room. Once satisfied, he holstered his gun and stepped into the light.

    Ezra did a quick check and noted about fifteen boxes. It wouldn¡¯t take too long, but he wondered if anything important had been left behind.

    Shuffling into the room, they trod carefully down the metal stairs that lead to shelves below. Wilfred grabbed the first box, only a few steps ahead, and opened the flaps. Not satisfied with its contents, he shoved it back onto the dirty rack.

    Milo passed by and took a peek. ¡°Reams of blank paper,¡± he whispered as Wilfred moved on.

    They split up to locate the other fourteen boxes. The first few Ezra found lay on low shelves. A long box contained a tripod newer than what everything else looked like, while a smaller box a few shelves down sheltered several magazines. All the magazines contained similar content on business trends, yet the majority of them were dated nearly eight years ago.

    How long has this place been shut down? Flipping through a few more pages, Ezra found nothing of worth and closed the box.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Milo called in a sharp breath from a few shelves ahead of Ezra. ¡°Help me get that one down.¡± He pointed to a large box on the last rack nearly three times his height.

    As Ezra got closer, the ridiculous height of the box began to dawn on him. ¡°There¡¯s no way we can get that.¡±

    ¡°Just boost me up and hold the shelf steady. Wilfred said to check every box.¡±

    Ezra rolled his eyes, cupped his hands, and squatted down. Without hesitation, Milo latched onto the shelf and stepped into Ezra¡¯s foothold. Boosting himself up with a grunt, the entire shelf groaned under his weight. Anxiously, Ezra watched Milo climb higher and higher. Each squeak of the metal echoed through the entire warehouse until Milo finally made it to the top.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°What¡¯s in the box!¡± Ezra yelled, figuring there was no point in keeping quiet anymore.

    ¡°Another box!¡± Milo shouted back. ¡°But this one¡¯s metal and it needs a code to open.¡±

    ¡°Can you make it down with it?¡± Ezra spotted Wilfred framed by the shelves on the outside of the room. Wilfred glared at him and then tilted his head in an unspoken question once he realized Milo was on top of the shelf. Frowning, he took the corner quickly into the path between shelves and marched towards them.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Maybe I could throw it down.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Wilfred roared, and Ezra jumped. The old man was behind him sooner than he expected. ¡°You don¡¯t know what''s in there. You dimwits could break it.¡±

    Milo lifted a black box out and held it against his chest. ¡°Man, this is heavy.¡± The shelf wobbled as Milo tested where his center of mass was. Ezra held on and stabilized the decaying structure the best he could. ¡°So how do you propose getting this down?¡± He grumbled as Wilfred didn¡¯t provide any answers. After a few more moments of silence, Milo made a motion to toss the box. ¡°Maybe your face can catch it, old man!¡±

    Wilfred flinched, only slightly, but it was enough to force Ezra to stifle a laugh. ¡°Be patient,¡± Wilfred grumbled. ¡°You seekers are too impulsive. How about this? Place the box on the rack below you and then climb down. Repeat that for each tier. Simple enough,¡± he added and shot a stare as deadly as his vibro-crystal gun.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Milo sighed and kicked the cardboard box off the top.

    Rust-ridden metal creaked as the entire shelf swayed from that one simple movement. Bots snapped and brackets dissolved into dust, and before Ezra could do anything else, the entire shelf collapsed as Wilfred pushed him out of the way. Next to them, the shelves on either side were pulled down too as dust plumed in massive clouds that enveloped everything around them.

    As the night became quiet again and the dirt was beginning to settle, Ezra called out. ¡°Milo! Are you alright? Milo!¡± His heart raced, and memories of Owen¡¯s body flooded his mind. Next, a vision of Milo lying contorted in the wreckage assaulted him, and he yelled louder. ¡°MILO!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m good. I¡¯m alright.¡± A voice coughed from above him. Looking up, Milo floated in the air with a big grin on his face and the black box levitating above. ¡°I should have thought of this sooner. Would¡¯ve been easier without everything breaking.¡±

    Gently Milo lowered himself down as Wilfred emerged from a screen of dust, brushing the dirt from his grey coat. He glanced up at the two of them, and his eyes went wide. ¡°Behind me. Now! Both of you.¡±

    ¡°What? I got your stupid box.¡± Milo¡¯s face a mixture of confusion and frustration. ¡°And undamaged too.¡±

    Within seconds Wilfred pulled out his gun and fired off a shot between the two of them. Dust swirled around the bullet, and Ezra¡¯s ears rang before either of them realized what had just happened.

    Behind them a growl turned to a whimper, and Wilfred commanded again. ¡°Get behind me now!¡±

    Both of them sprinted as Wilfred fired off two more shots. Before Ezra could ask a question, he saw what struck urgency into Wilfred. Beyond the shelves and the single ray of light that illuminated the room, a man stood behind what looked like starved dogs. Yet the animal''s ferocious eyes made them look more alive than anything else in the room.

    ¡°Do you know him?¡± Ezra said as he glanced at Wilfred with panicked eyes.

    ¡°No idea. But it seems like he doesn¡¯t want us snooping around here.¡± Slotting another three bullets into his gun, he clicked it back into firing position. ¡°Keep the box safe. He can¡¯t have it no matter what.¡±

    The dogs, if Ezra could even call them that, dashed through the remaining shelves as Wilfred¡¯s first shoot clinked against the floor. ¡°Get high,¡± Ezra said to Milo. ¡°High as you can. I¡¯ll stay and help Wilfred.¡±

    Milo nodded and dashed up the stairs out of the main storage area. Ezra refocused his attention on the approaching enemies. As of now, he could only see two. Taking a deep breath, Ezra reached for the sword sticking out of the top of his backpack.

    ¡°What¡¯re you doing, kid?¡± Wilfred grumbled as he prepared for another shot.

    ¡°Making sure you don¡¯t get killed.¡±

    A small puff of air exited Wilfred¡¯s nostrils. The closest thing to a laugh that Ezra had heard from him. ¡°Stay if you like, but I¡¯m not the one that needs protecting.¡± Raising his gun to the sky, he let the two dogs come closer and closer until Ezra wondered if Wilfred had gone mad. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way, kid.¡± And suddenly he was gone.

    Ezra froze as the dogs leaped into the air seconds away from tearing his face off until suddenly they went limp as their heads buckled to the side. Only one shot went off. Wilfred stood at the end of the aisle to Ezra¡¯s right. Blowing the smoke off his gun, he grinned at Ezra¡¯s shock.

 Chapter 32: Outskirts (Part 3)

    Ezra¡¯s heart pounded so hard it almost escaped his rib cage. The snarling and slobbering jaws of the beasts still seemed so real even though they lay dead in front of him. Steadying his grip on the sword, he fixed his gaze on his real opponent. It was the first time since the beginning of the battle that Ezra could get a good look at him.

    The man, or maybe it was a woman; he couldn¡¯t tell, was hooded in a cloak that flared out towards the edges. Boots, about knee high, covered the enemy''s shins, and a belt with who knows what wrapped around a thin waist. Shadows obscured the person''s face, but Ezra hoped they were panicking after Wilfred took out their dogs.

    Yet their enemy stood firm. Wilfred raised his gun to take another shot as a high-pitched whistle screeched throughout the warehouse. Along with the sound, a turquoise light emanated from three circles at the other end of the room. Ezra shielded his eyes with a forearm and saw from the corner of his gaze Wilfred gritting his teeth.

    ¡°Bastards got an artifact,¡± Wilfred muttered as he readjusted his aim.

    ¡°The whistle?¡± Ezra guessed as he lowered his arm and saw three pale creatures standing in the night.

    Their legs, all four of them, extended off a cylindrical body of droopy flesh. The front legs narrowed down to hooks of bone while the bottom of the back legs resembled hooves. Each creature''s face was consumed by a massive mouth that dwarfed the dark eyes. Fangs lined the inside of their mouths as each creature let out a sound more terrifying than the whistle.

    ¡°Wall-walkers,¡± Wilfred said. ¡°Creatures of the ring. You don¡¯t often see them this far from the center of the abyss. Watch for the legs. They kick harder than an avalanche.¡±

    Ezra nodded and stood firm, preparing for their advance. They reminded him of the beasts on the second layer as if they were living corpses. ¡°Got it. But they''re not the ones we really need to take out.¡±

    Wilfred stared ahead, and Ezra understood what needed to be done next without any words passing between them. Another screech erupted across the room, and the creatures dashed towards them. They were fast. Much faster than the dogs. Leaping through shelves, nothing seemed to stop them. Metal rattled, and dirt flew into the air as one of the Wall-walkers knocked a shelf down. Quickly the whole room became a ruckus of collapsing beams and snapped brackets. Ezra coughed as dust rushed into his nostrils.

    Wilfred disappeared, but Ezra closely watched the clouds of fine particles for any movement at all. It¡¯s too thick. His eyes darted every which way and stung from the never-ending dust. Avoiding a deep breath, it was no longer an option; he calmed his mind and pictured the shelves that had been knocked down.

    ¡°Time-scale,¡± he whispered.

    A sound like a vacuum sucked the dust back to the floor and the thick coating on the shelves. Ezra dodged as a rusted beam flew past his ear and reattached itself to the shelf right in front of him. Several pieces begrudgingly dragged themselves slowly as if a magnet held them to the floor. Ezra felt his power weakening like a dim candle about to be blown out. Even with my upgraded skill, I can¡¯t fix everything in the room. Just choose one or two. The beasts were still in front of him, so he focused on the shelves within arm''s reach.

    With his intention focused, things speed up, and Ezra could finally take a breath unrestricted by dirty air. As his vision cleared, he felt a blow to his sword and staggered back. A Wall-walker reached out from the reassembled shelf. Its bony hook extended out as far as it could while trapped in a metal cage it thought it had destroyed. Struggling, the shelf buckled again and collapsed on top of the monster.

    Congratulations, you killed Wall-walker [Lvl 14]

    Yet Ezra¡¯s victory was short-lived. Another Wall-walker emerged from the dust and lunged for his neck. The attack grazed his skin and then slid off the surface as if some invisible barrier was protecting him. My robustness points, he realized. I put two into my neck. The scratch stung, and he could already feel blood beading along the wound, but he knew it could be much worse. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    Sparks flew between them as the Wall-walker¡¯s second attack rebounded off of Ezra¡¯s sword. Before he could counterattack, another terrible sound echoed behind him. Ducking, the pale claw swiped the air above his head, leaving a gap in the cloudy air. A hoof slammed into the ground beside Ezra¡¯s head, and the vibrations through the concrete sent fear shooting through his veins. Another slammed down, and he felt a swift breeze slice through his hair. While clenching his jaw, he swung as the tip of his sword scraped against bone. The blade squeaked in harsh tones, and panic filled his mind, begging for relief.

    Bang! One of the Wall-walkers staggered back as pale liquid spilled from a hole in its body. Ezra couldn¡¯t see Wilfred through the swirling dust but knew it must have been him. Taking the split second Wilfred afforded him Ezra lunged for a joint in the Wall-walker¡¯s legs. Slicing it clean off, he continued the assault despite the screams filling the warehouse. For a moment the creature sounded like a crying child, but its black eyes couldn¡¯t convince Ezra of anything else. Ezra put all his weight into the attack as he plunged the sword into the monster''s open jaw.

    Without a moment for reprieve, he spun to face the other monster, yet it was gone. Ragged, hair spilling in front of his eyes, Ezra searched the shadows. Where is it? Did the thing switch targets? Dust began to settle, and Ezra gazed across the warehouse. The person in the cloak wasn¡¯t there either, but Wilfred stood, breathing heavily, with a gash across his arm.

    He put a finger to his lips to silence Ezra as he pointed to an empty storage crate in the corner. The shelves creaked, and Ezra gazed up, realizing his mistake. A Wall-walker leapt from the highest racks onto Wilfred.

    ¡°Above you!¡± He reached out, but Wilfred was too far away. The man dodged the first slash, but that brought him against a wall. Another light glowed throughout the warehouse, and a ghastly screech followed. Ezra warily raised his sword. This isn¡¯t going to stop until we kill the summoner.

    The roof groaned, yet Ezra didn¡¯t have time to look up before another Wall-walker was upon him. Bearing its claws, Ezra desperately parried each blow as he heard another shot ring out. His arms were getting weaker and weaker each time a hit thrust him out of a defensive stance. Jumping over rumble, he called, ¡°Time-scale!¡±

    The shelf formed in front of him, but this time the Wall-walker stopped until everything was reformed. It¡¯s learning, or the summoner is. Ezra bit down on his lip as he searched for other options. He couldn¡¯t keep doing this. Reaching into his backpack, Ezra pulled out a dagger and threw it at the creature. The steel blade met its mark and protruded from the Wall-walker¡¯s flesh, but that didn¡¯t stop its charge. Only made it angrier.

    Darting between shelves Ezra noticed the roof sag by the supply crate. Any thought that was forming was drowned out as the Wall-walker crashed through another aisle of empty shelves. He stopped and stared it down. Running is pointless. I have to kill it, or I¡¯ll never get to the summoner.

    Taking a firm stance, he waited for the monster to come to him. As its fang-filled mouth filled his vision, he ducked and thrust the sword into a cylinder of flesh. The thing screamed so loud. Ezra wanted to cover his ears, but he had to hold on. Pushing harder, he felt the sword exit the top of the Wall-walker. Yet still it struggled, and Ezra tried withdrawing his sword. ¡°Come on! Come on!¡± He tugged harder and harder, yet it was stuck. I can¡¯t lose it!

    First, it was quite like the opening of an old door, and then a segment of the roof crashed in with a roar that consumed everything else. Within seconds the Wall-walker turned to dust as Ezra heard a dull thud coming from the storage crate. Looking over at Wilfred, he expected the man to be gone, but there he was, covered in ash just like him. They both looked at the crate as a foot kicked down one of the flimsy walls.

    Milo breathed a sigh of relief and beamed from ear to ear as he carried the metal box, now splattered with blood on one corner. ¡°Almost thought I would break my ankles. You have no idea how big that drop is until you¡¯re up there.¡±

    Wilfred shook an expression of astonishment from his face and returned to a serious glare as he approached Milo. ¡°Give me that before you damage it any further.¡± He snatched the box with surprising ease from Milo¡¯s grasp.

    Ezra¡¯s legs trembled as he steadied himself on his sword. He saw one screen briefly flash in front of his face.

    Assisted kill, Wall-walker [Lvl 14]

    Yet many more appeared in front of Milo, who seemed to have forgotten the black box. Another item captured his attention. Between his fingers, he gazed at a whistle inlaid with intricate swirling patterns.

 Chapter 33: The Whistle and the Box

    Without a second thought, Milo blew the whistle. Ezra covered his ears, expecting a grating trill to ring throughout the warehouse, but nothing happened. Turning the whistle around, Milo blew into the other end, this time even harder. Still, nothing but a hollow puff of air and saliva came out the other end. Feeling it was safe to finally approach, Ezra navigated the rubble from the fallen shelves. By the time he made it across the room, Milo was still persistent in making the artifact work.

    ¡°You¡¯ve used an artifact before. How¡¯d the Thorin-sphere respond to you when you first got it?¡± Milo said between attempts.

    Ezra stared curiously at the whistle. ¡°I just touched it, and the light on the top turned a different color. Then it said I was authenticated. Whatever that means.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not seeing any light.¡± Milo flipped the tiny piece of craftsmanship to view it from every angle. It looked to be made out of ceramic, or at least it had the shine of ceramic. ¡°And it''s not as high-tech as the Thorin-sphere.¡± A new thought lit up his eyes. ¡°What if it still sees the guy I knocked out as the owner?¡±

    Wilfred glanced away from the box. ¡°Idiot kid, when were you going to tell me? If he¡¯s not dead, what¡¯s stopping him from waking up while we¡¯re still here? Rushing over to the body in the supply crate, he squatted to check the man¡¯s pulse. Sighing, Wilfred pulled his fingers away from the man¡¯s neck and upholstered his gun.

    ¡°Wait,¡± Ezra yelled as Wilfred clicked his gun to take a shot. ¡°We don¡¯t need to kill him.¡±

    Wilfred glared as if Ezra¡¯s plea was an enemy itself. ¡°What''s made you go soft? If he¡¯s not dead, he¡¯s going to blab about this to whoever sent him.¡±

    Ezra paused for a moment. I¡¯ve killed too, and I have someone I want to kill, so what right do I have to stop him? Yet killing never felt good. He had never been satisfied by it. Not once. ¡°We should tie him up. Ask him what he knows. The fact that he¡¯s still alive means he could still be of use to us.¡±

    Wilfred¡¯s finger wrapped closer around the trigger, and his grip twitched. The silence, waiting for the ring of vibro-crystal, was overbearing like a thick pool of water holding Ezra down. A loud noise never came, and Wilfred clicked the safety back on. ¡°Fine,¡± he grumbled.

    Ezra pulled a rope from his backpack and cut a segment of it off. Flipping the unconscious body over, he tied makeshift handcuffs and cut another segment of rope. He dragged the body from the supply crate and used the second rope to attach the handcuffs to a metal pole that extended to the ceiling. Pleased with his handiwork, he faced Wilfred again. ¡°So that box, do you know how to open it?¡±

    Wilfred was already scrolling through the metal circles carved with numbers and inlaid into the box. ¡°It needs a code. Six digits.¡±

    Milo shoved the whistle back into his pocket as he returned to the present moment. ¡°I could¡¯ve told you that. There could be a million combinations, and if you don¡¯t know where to start, it''s a fool''s errand.¡±

    ¡°Maybe someone wrote it down somewhere,¡± Ezra suggested.

    ¡°Unlikely,¡± Wilfred said as he set the box down. ¡°And equally unlikely it would still be here if they did.¡±

    ¡°There¡¯s no harm in searching.¡± Milo looked at the stairs leading back to the rest of the warehouse.

    Wilfred tucked the box under his arm and walked away. His footsteps echoed on the hard concrete. ¡°Fine, but if nothing is found, I¡¯ll figure out another method to get into the box.¡±

    Splitting into different directions, they scoured the warehouse. Ezra stayed in the main room while Wilfred and Milo went back into the dark. Even this far from the center of the abyss, a dim glow made its way to the building. The natural light, if he could call it that, coming from the tenth layer, dimmed in cycles of thirteen hours. Light during the night was just a pale imitation of what he could see during the day, and even though it was only the third layer, Ezra could tell the nights were brighter up here.

    Wandering through rubble and a few unbroken shelves, he picked through cardboard boxes, seeing if any of them contained the secret to the black box. He dumped out the entire ream of paper from one and looked through each blank sheet for any clue. Only white stared back at Ezra, so he moved on. The tripod he had found earlier was thrown like a discarded piece of trash to the floor a bit away from its original location. Even after scanning every part of it, the shiny black surface was all he could find. No carved messages or serial numbers that he could try. The serial number would be a long shot, but it would be better than nothing. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    As Ezra put the tripod down, he spotted the corner of a magazine sticking out from under the rubble. The box that had contained them crushed underneath a rusted beam. Lifting the beam, Ezra pulled out the crumpled pile of magazines and began to flip through them. Just as he had observed before, all of them were business magazines from eight years ago. On one page he even spotted a report on White Rock¡¯s earnings.

    That brought back distant memories. The life he had lived for so long down in those deep, dark caverns, slaving away for a corporation that kept demanding more and more, seemed like some hazy dream. I wonder how Albert and the rest of the explosive team are doing. While thinking of the old man¡¯s smile, he closed the magazine and uncovered the next.

    Brushing the dust off, something looked different about this one. In the top right corner, a small faded stamp of a long and spiky fruit or vegetable, Ezra couldn¡¯t tell which, marred the surface. Shaking it clean, a puff of particles dissipated into the air. He flipped through it, but nothing else stood out. It was just another business magazine published eight years ago.

    Might as well keep it and see if Wilfred can make something of it. Looking through the rest of the pile, Ezra found nothing else like the stamped magazine. It wasn¡¯t long after his search that the sound of Milo and Wilfred¡¯s boots echoed into the room. With a distraught look, the two of them came down the steps.

    ¡°Find anything?¡± Ezra asked.

    Wilfred shook his head in silence, and Milo gave Ezra a thumbs down. ¡°You?¡± Milo replied with a less enthusiastic tone.

    ¡°It¡¯s probably nothing, but does this mean anything to you, Wilfred?¡± Ezra held up the magazine and pointed to the corner stamp.

    Wilfred squinted in the little bit of light afforded to them and then snatched the magazine from Ezra¡¯s hands as he dropped the black box. ¡°That¡¯s a Lucetop.¡±

    ¡°And that is?¡± Ezra raised a questioning eyebrow.

    ¡°A vegetable.¡± Wilfried frantically flipped through the pages as his eyes darted through every detail.

    ¡°I can tell that much, but it has to be something important.¡± It has to be if it''s got him this riled up.

    Wilfred got to the last page and snapped the magazine shut. ¡°Did you find any more like this?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Wilfred¡¯s intense stare froze Ezra in place and made him forget to take a breath. ¡°But what does it mean? Why¡¯re you getting excited over a Lucetop?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Marlaove.¡± Wilfred pointed at the Lucetop. ¡°He grew these. All the time. Even though they''re not native to the third layer, he kept growing them.¡± He flipped through the magazine again, searching for any sign, any additional clue. ¡°This has to be him. He must¡¯ve marked this.¡±

    ¡°The lock¡¯s six digits. Why not try the date the magazine was published?¡± Milo suggested picking up the box.

    ¡°It only says the month and year. I think this one was published in 868 in the ninth month.¡± Ezra''s mind raced for a way of finding out what day it could be published.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be long after the sixth,¡± Wilfred said.

    Ezra shot him a doubtful glance. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡±

    ¡°This issue has the Faulpher-tek earnings report. It says it''s an exclusive report. They only release a financial report every three months on the sixth to investors, and if this is an exclusive report, it can¡¯t be long after that.¡±

    Milo spun each of the metal rings into place until the box displayed: 06 09 68. He jiggled the lid, but still, nothing happened. 07 didn¡¯t work either, and neither did 08, yet once he put in 09, 09 68, a click made everyone¡¯s stomachs jump to their throats. Slowly Milo opened the box as it creaked on its rusted hinges.

    ¡°Show me.¡± Wilfred crouched over the box as Milo flipped it around.

    At the bottom, a single notebook bound in dark green leather rested. Taking it out, Wilfred thumbed through the yellowing pages. Over his shoulders, Ezra could see columns of numbers with a few notes scribbled on the side.

    ¡°So can you make anything of it?¡± Milo asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s definitely Marlaove¡¯s handwriting.¡± Wilfred flipped through a few more pages, but most of it was the same. Numbers upon numbers, all arranged neatly like an accounting ledger. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a code, or perhaps it''s a record of shipments.¡± He snapped the notebook shut and cautiously scanned his surroundings. ¡°I¡¯ll figure it out. We shouldn¡¯t stay here long; others could be coming.¡±

    ¡°What about him?¡± Milo pointed to the man tied to a metal pole on the other side of the room. ¡°We can¡¯t drag him all the way back to the middle city.¡±

    Wilfred paused and tucked the notebook into his coat while Ezra wondered if he would suggest killing the man again. ¡°I know a place we can go for the night. One or both of you grab him and follow me.¡±

 Chapter 34: A Son that Never Existed

    Wilfred led them on deeper into the outskirts. Through dirt roads patterned by the history of yesterday¡¯s traffic and past buildings whose structures slanted as if unsure of the very ground they stood on. Hunched over, Ezra followed as he bore an unconscious man on his back. His shoulders sagged under the weight, and he looked up, considering if he should ask Wilfred how much further. Yet Ezra convinced himself they had to be close. Creased lines on Wilfred¡¯s face framed a solemn expression he wasn¡¯t sure what to make of. Ezra only knew that disturbing him at a time like this wouldn¡¯t be the best option.

    Milo blew persistently into the whistle beside him, yet no sound exited the instrument. ¡°You need to give it up for now,¡± Ezra said. ¡°We both know it¡¯s not going to work by trying the same thing over and over.¡±

    Frowning Milo shoved it into his pocket. ¡°Do you want to trade? I noticed you''re slowing down.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m alright.¡± Ezra straightened his back yet resumed his slouched position as Milo looked away into the night. It was my decision to keep him alive. I can¡¯t let anyone else bear this burden. Taking a deep breath, one he intended to give strength, he readjusted the body.

    Gleam-gem¡¯s provided occasional havens of light amidst the shadowy streets. Fewer houses than Ezra expected had them, and even fewer people roamed in the darkness. Ahead of him, Wilfred seemed less cautious than on the way to the warehouse. He only spared a sparse glance into dark alleyways. Something else was on his mind.

    The road grew wider until it reshaped itself into a circle with a single house at the end. This one didn¡¯t have a gleam-gem on the outside, but a warm glow of light emanated from one window as if to signal that life went on in the shabby home. As they approached, Ezra noticed the door held a wreath with withering flowers cradled at the bottom. Wilfred looked upon it and straightened the crooked ornament.

    ¡°Hand me the man. We¡¯re not bringing him inside,¡± Wilfred said as he reached out to Ezra. ¡°I¡¯ll put him somewhere else.¡±

    Ezra could tell it wasn¡¯t a request and slowly dropped the man from his shoulders. Holding him under the arches of his arms, Ezra handed him to Wilfred, who put the man on his back as a finger slid to his mouth. ¡°Stay quiet and don¡¯t go in until I¡¯m back.¡±

    They both stood in silence as the cold night air meandered through the outskirts until Wilfred came back a few minutes later. Opening the door slowly, he guided them inside. A hallway flanked by two doors on either side was barely visible in the dark environment. Beyond the first door on their right, a light, of what Ezra presumed to be a flame, flickered along the wall.

    ¡°Take your shoes off at the entrance,¡± Wilfred whispered in sharp tones.

    Ezra didn¡¯t think Wilfred was a man who had homely cares, but it was a simple enough request, so he complied. As he slid his shoes off the wood floor, from another room, creaked.

    ¡°Evan?¡± The voice of a woman cried throughout the house. ¡°My dear, are you back?¡±

    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Wilfred replied as an old woman slowly emerged from the second doorway to their left.

    Milo and Ezra glanced at each other in surprise as Wilfred embraced the old woman. Ezra took a step forward, and the woman, a head shorter than Wilfred, raised her head. ¡°Do you have guests over?¡±

    ¡°I do,¡± Wilfred motioned them over. ¡°They¡¯re friends from work who didn¡¯t have a place to stay tonight. Would you mind if they slept here? Only a night.¡± Wilfred¡¯s grizzled face didn¡¯t match his tone at all, and to Ezra, the politeness was unexpected.

    ¡°Of course. Any friends of yours are always welcome.¡± A smile spread across her face, and as Ezra got closer, he noticed a scar across her eyes with murky pupils.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°I¡¯m Ezra.¡± He reached out and clasped her hand gently. ¡°Your son is wonderful at what he does.¡±

    ¡°You can call me Lyssandra, and you must be a new sky-seeker.¡± She gently laughed as she put her other hand on his. ¡°It¡¯s your hands. They¡¯re smooth.¡±

    Once Ezra let go, Milo greeted her also. ¡°You must be a Voyager or Stoletime seeker to have such experienced hands and to have trained someone so skilled.¡±

    ¡°Oh my,¡± her cheeks flushed as she laughed off Milo¡¯s statement. ¡°I couldn¡¯t claim to be as skilled as you think I am. I¡¯m just happy to have someone in the family who can contribute positively.¡±

    ¡°Mother,¡± Wilfred interjected. ¡°We should be getting to bed soon. It¡¯s been a long day for all of us.¡±

    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s just been a month or so since you¡¯ve been back, and I get so excited when folks come over. I even left a candle in the window. I hope it was visible to you.¡±

    ¡°It was helpful. Thank you.¡± Wilfred¡¯s smooth voice made Lyssandra¡¯s shoulders relax. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±

    With that, the old woman shuffled back into her room as Wilfred guided them into the opposite. A bed and a dresser were the only things in the scarce room. Even a thin layer of dust was beginning to claim the floorboards. Ezra casually strolled over to the dresser and wiped away some dust with his sleeve. The second drawer from the top was slightly ajar, and a glimmer of reflected light caught Ezra¡¯s eye.

    ¡°Both of you can stay in here tonight,¡± Wilfred said.

    ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Ezra pulled a framed photo from the drawer. Upon closer inspection, it looked like it could be a younger Wilfred, but something didn¡¯t seem right. The young man¡¯s hair was brown instead of black, and his jawline was more rounded than Wilfred¡¯s. ¡°This can¡¯t be you. Can it?¡±

    Wilfred sighed and leaned against the doorframe. ¡°You''re right, that''s not me. That''s Evan.¡±

    ¡°Then why did your mother¡­¡± Ezra¡¯s frown firmed as he looked back at the smiling pair in the photo. ¡°She¡¯s not your mother either. You''re not even related.¡±

    Wilfred solemnly nodded. ¡°I barely remember my parents. The last thing they pressed into my hands was this coin before they went off to take the Morltin-seeker test.¡± A flash of silver twirled through his fingers. ¡°And after that, foster homes never suited me, so I made it on my own. I was just a starving twelve-year-old when I found a house that would be an easy target. The windows were broken, doors smashed off their hinges; in all honesty, I thought the place was abandoned. But as I searched, I heard an old woman calling out, and there in her bedroom I found her lying in her own blood, gripping a photo.¡± Wilfred cast his eyes down as if the woman was still on the floor in front of him. ¡°That¡¯s when she thought I was her son. So I helped the poor lady, and she provided me food and shelter and treated me like family because to her I was.¡± He shoved the coin into his coat pocket and turned to go.

    ¡°But what about her actual son?¡± Milo asked. ¡°What if he comes back?¡±

    ¡°He won¡¯t,¡± Wilfred said with dead certainty. ¡°He went off to be a sky-seeker and died on the fifth layer. I got the letter myself.¡±

    ¡°And you never told her?¡± Ezra''s grip tightened on the photo.

    ¡°And why would I cause that woman more grief than necessary? Let her live in her fantasy. It''s better than whatever this world can offer her.¡± Wilfred couldn¡¯t face them yet stood for a moment longer until he walked away from sight.

    Gazing at the photo once more, Ezra set it atop the dresser. ¡°I¡¯m tired; let''s get some rest.¡±

    Outside, chirping from creatures Ezra did not know permeated the morning. While rays of light illuminated motes of dust floating peacefully in the air. Getting up, Ezra peeked through the boards crisscrossing over the window into the backyard. He saw a lone shed standing awkwardly in a garden that bloomed with a multitude of flowers. Each one emerged from the rocky ground with admirable persistence.

    The man that attacked must be in there. Stepping on each wooden plank beneath with caution, Ezra exited the front door. Then going around the side of the house, he found a stone path cutting through the flowers. As his hand drew near to the handle, a tinge of fear made him pause. Shoving it deep within himself, Ezra opened the door to find rusty tools leaning against the back wall. The rest of the space was big enough to fit three or four people, but it was empty. Looking up, he noticed small holes in the ceiling letting beams of light in like Elysia herself coming to save an agonized soul.

    One beam highlighted a single stain of blood already drying into the wood. That was all Ezra needed to know. He shut the door and walked back to the house. Even the flowers seemed duller on the way back.

    Wilfred had his reasons. Ezra was sure of that, but the more he got to know the man, the more it scared him. Not because he thought he would ever be a threat or would come to kill him one day. But like him, there used to be a boy who saw the world differently and tried to rebel against it. Who had a longing for connection so deep it could fill the souls of everyone around him. Yet the world had drunk its fill and left nothing for him.

 Chapter 35: The Call of the Abyss

    It wasn¡¯t long before they all said their goodbyes to Lyssandra. As Wilfred hugged her, a smile lit up her face. Is that the fantasy worth keeping? Ezra felt he didn¡¯t have the right to answer either way. Beside him, Ezra could tell Milo was having similar feelings, but he hid it better.

    In the morning light, the outskirts revealed its dirt-brushed structures and uneven roads that cut through lines of buildings like a twisting snake. Once they were a considerable distance from the house, Wilfred pulled them aside before the frustration on Milo¡¯s and Ezra¡¯s faces manifested into a question.

    ¡°I know both of you want to know why we¡¯re not taking that man with us.¡±

    I already have a good idea of why. It took everything within Ezra to not blurt that out, so he cast his eyes toward the ground.

    ¡°I extracted information from him,¡± Wilfred continued. ¡°And then disposed of him. He left little options.¡± His dead stare settled on Ezra a moment longer than was comfortable. ¡°Like we suspected, he is from the Shatterfold guild.¡±

    ¡°It was on his coat,¡± Ezra cut in. His frustration simmered below the surface.

    Wilfred chewed his lip in a frown and then let the statement pass by as if it was never heard. ¡°I also discovered Shatterfold is working closely with Faulpher-tek. He came out here to clean up previous Faulpher-tek facilities and investigate a ruin of the old world for artifacts. They¡¯re moving faster than these last few months, and the fact he was at the warehouse means we were on the right track.¡±

    ¡°A ruin of the old world?¡± An image of the Thorin-sphere flashed through Ezra¡¯s mind.

    ¡°Yeah, Theal¡¯neblis. It¡¯s all but a religious structure now, but many of the locals won¡¯t go near the damn thing. Nothing but rumors that breed irrational fear. But if Faulpher-tek has an interest in it, they must be stopped.¡±

    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan?¡± Milo asked.

    Wilfred stroked the stubble on his chin and glanced to both sides of the alleyway. ¡°Seeker¡¯s day is only two weeks away, so we¡¯ll have to act fast.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to Theal¡¯neblis,¡± Ezra said with firm resolution.

    Wilfred nodded and then focused his attention on Milo. ¡°Do you think you could get close to someone in Shatterfold? I need to know the extent of their relationship with Faulpher-tek.¡±

    ¡°What about you?¡± Milo replied.

    Wilfred pulled out the green leather notebook. ¡°I took a look at this last night. I think Marlaove is trying to tell me something. I have a hunch on where he¡¯s leading me, but there¡¯s somewhere I need to check first. Let''s all meet outside Lyssandra¡¯s home before the last light. Does that sound ok to both of you?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Ezra held a firm gaze, trying to look down on a man that was slightly taller than him.

    Milo sighed as he leaned against a wall of the alleyway. ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say. I have the hardest job. Going straight to the heart of the enemy, gathering information, and then making it out alive. Not to mention I had a part in killing one of their members. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they¡¯re looking for us as we speak.¡±

    ¡°No one knows we fought the guy in the warehouse,¡± Ezra reassured him. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ll notice he¡¯s gone, but there¡¯s no reason for them to suspect you.¡±

    ¡°Fine, but if I feel like things are going wrong, I¡¯m out of there.¡± Milo pushed himself off the wall and mustered a smile as he shook his head.

    ¡°Remember Lyssandra¡¯s. Last light.¡± After those words, Wilfred left the alleyway as Milo and Ezra gave each other one last parting nod before all of them split up.

    Venturing further, nearly to the edge of the outskirts, Ezra could hear the wind ripple across the grassy plains beyond. Buildings were becoming sparse, and the noise of busy streets faded to a murmur. Theal¡¯neblis wasn¡¯t far now. Only a few paces beyond the last dilapidated house, a crater marred the ground with polished and sharpened stone. At the lip of the crater, Ezra was met with a slanted structure in the center, covered in thick roots as if nature demanded this blister on the land to be healed.

    A blue light traveled down the roof of the building, no bigger than a small shed, and burrowed deep into the unknown. Everything about this place felt unnatural and inhuman, even more so than the strange artifacts littered throughout the abyss. The danger Ezra felt from the building made him wish he could upgrade his stats, but the beasts he had killed in the warehouse hadn¡¯t pushed him to Level 16 yet.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.

    Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves and scanning the area for anyone watching, he slid down the black stone. The door to the ancient structure was shut tightly yet emitted a low hum that echoed off the obsidian slopes around him. Ezra ran his hands along the metal, each crevasse buzzing with a strange energy.

    Walking around the entire building, there seemed to be no obvious way in other than the door that taunted him with its secrets. It was as if an insatiable pull drew him in. Beckoning him, whispering for a visitor to discover what lay hidden. After another lap, Ezra set his backpack on the ground and searched for the Thorin-sphere.

    Feeling the cold metal against his hand, he pulled the shining sphere from the bag. The light on the Thorin-sphere pulsed in rhythm to the dull glow of the building. It¡¯s glowing again just like at the beginning of the Morltin test. He tried to press the top of the sphere to bring up the inventory, but nothing happened. Furrowing his brow, Ezra paced towards the door. As he got closer, the intensity of the blue light from the Thorin-sphere increased.

    It''s drawn to this place. The grooves on the door were engraved in symmetrical patterns with sharp edges that drew a square around the center. In the center of the square, moss flourished and drooped down in bushy green patches. Tearing the moss away, Ezra uncovered a smooth surface that was transparent with an opaque backing inlaid deeper into the door. The light from the Thorin-sphere sparkled on the surface, and Ezra pressed it closer. Upon touching the center, blue light filled the grooves as if the energy of the Thorin-sphere was pouring into the building.

    A fathomless rumble disturbed the ancient structure as it groaned like it was waking from a deep sleep. Ezra took a step back as the door sunk into the ground to reveal a hallway dimly lit by lines of blue running down the walls. Gripping the Thorin-sphere tighter, he took a step into the unknown.

    The air was damper down here, and a cold breeze tapped the back of his neck. A stale scent of the past filled Ezra¡¯s nostrils with each breath, yet he went deeper and deeper until the only light present was the Thorin-sphere and the lines of energy streaking along the walls. After time had become an afterthought, the stairs ended at a floor of polished stone.

    Ezra could faintly discern the edges of the room. It was square with a rounded wall opposite the entrance, and along the wall, five chairs were raised a few steps off the ground. Taking several cautious steps along the damp floor, the light from the Thorin-sphere highlighted a slanted surface about the height of his waist. A blank screen of glass sat next to several buttons in various tones of gray. Using the Thorin-sphere as a flashlight, Ezra peered at what seemed to be a control panel.

    Upon a button in the top right corner, the words ¡°replay last recording¡± were plastered in black. Ezra scanned the room one last time before pressing it. In front of him, a scene made of hues of blue flashed to life. Five old men sat in the chairs comfortably as if they had been molded from them. Below the old men, a young man and woman stood to confront them.

    ¡°Why won¡¯t you approve our expedition? We¡¯ve gone through the proper channels as you¡¯ve said.¡± The young man¡¯s voice sounded familiar to Ezra.

    The woman clasped her hands as if she was ready to plead with these men. Her eyes looked familiar. Hope and persistence made her pupils sparkle.

    A man with deep wrinkles that creased his forehead raised a hand in which skin barely clung to his skeleton. ¡°The Fablers will not be pleased; it is only under their guidance that the story of this grand civilization continues to be written in the stars.¡±

    ¡°But you don¡¯t know that!¡± The young man raised his voice, and it echoed past Ezra and up the stairs.

    ¡°Have faith, Thorin.¡±

    Ezra¡¯s eyes widened at the name as he stared down at the words carved into the metallic ball. To Thorin.

    The old man continued his lecture with a fervor that belied his age. ¡°Faith that the Fablers will¡­¡±

    ¡°Then why must they write my story? I don¡¯t want to be written into the stars or become part of legend. Fame, glory, and legacy¡ªall that means nothing to me as long as I¡¯m.¡± He glanced over to the woman. ¡°As long as we are trapped in this hole.¡±

    ¡°There will be a time when man will ascend, but now is not that time.¡± The old man shot a glare to the back of the room that could have killed anyone standing behind Thorin. ¡°Prosperity comes with patience. Peace with stillness and assurance with trust. The fate of humanity does not lie with a young man who doesn¡¯t know his place.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not trust.¡± Thorin¡¯s voice shook with righteous anger. ¡°You fear them. The Fablers. You¡¯ve never seen them, but you let them control you. My story isn¡¯t written in the stars; it¡¯s written here.¡± Thorin put a fist to his chest and stared down the council with a determination that made Ezra take a step back. ¡°My heart calls for more. To go higher and find out what is really up there.¡± Silence shadowed the room, and the men frowned at Thorin. ¡°Maryel, we¡¯re leaving.¡±

    Thorin turned to face Ezra, and Maryel followed after a quick curtsy to the old men. The holographic projection stormed towards Ezra, and he closed his eyes as the blue light passed through him and faded into nothing. The Thorin-sphere buzzed to life, and a high-pitched beep reverberated across the stone walls. He glanced down to see new words flashing on the screen.

    Clearance Level Two Activated

    ¡°It is not his heart that calls him to the top.¡± The old man murmured before fading into darkness. The button on the panel clicked to indicate the recording was over, and Ezra was left to ponder where Thorin¡¯s journey would take him next.

 Chapter 36: First Impressions

    Milo pressed his fingers against the palm of his hand. His nails dug in, and right before pain arrived, he pulled back and repeated the process. It was almost an unconscious action at this point. He was nervous, especially so with the mission that had been given or, more likely, forced upon him. Even though his sister¡¯s words about stopping the bad habit rolled through his mind, his body did not obey.

    The sorry state of the buildings around him would indicate to any person that he had traveled further into the impoverished outskirts, yet that was not the case. In fact, he was well on his way to the middle city. Burn marks from the Sky-razor¡¯s attack scarred the ground, but still life went on. Temporary stalls occasionally appeared along the road, and people bartered with vendors. A cacophony of voices permeated the air in merry business while men sorted through the splintered wood and blasted stone that used to make up homes, storefronts, schools, and whatever else normal people used to lead normal lives.

    The more time Milo spent up here, the more he realized the people in Subterris weren¡¯t too different from those in Deepburrow. Everyone, but the guild members. He still hadn¡¯t sorted that group out. Strange people, no matter what guild they subscribed to. Ahead, the guild hall of Shatterfold loomed like a fortress, stone walls battered from the battle that had taken place little more than a month ago. Those were the strangest of them all.

    Unlike me, they talk more with their fists than mouths. Milo squeezed his hand again and released it. Why would they even let me enter a place like that? I¡¯m not even a Morltin seeker; there¡¯s no way they¡¯re going to let me in. Towers twirled up into pointed spires that looked like spears assaulting the sky. A slash of red and green carvings along the ramparts provided a little brevity to the pensive structure, and a bright yellow tree sticking out of the center was alluring, but beyond that, everything was made to show strength.

    Not far to his left, two young men, not much older than he¡ªin fact, they could be younger now that he got a better look at them¡ªwere struggling to lift a supporting beam that had collapsed into the wall of a house. Their faces grew redder with each grunt and pull against the immovable object. An electric sensation spread across Milo¡¯s palms, the same sensation he had grown accustomed to when using his skill. It was as if his skill was begging to be used again.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Milo waved the two young men down, ¡°do you all need help with that?¡±

    They both looked up as if they were in trouble. One held to a sash hanging across his torso, containing a variety of knives, while the other¡¯s green eyes darted to a pouch hanging off his waist. The one with the sash reluctantly spoke up. ¡°Um, sure. But I don¡¯t think this beam is going anywhere even with the three of us.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll work,¡± Milo responded with cocky confidence. Stepping over broken ground, he placed a hand on the beam and squatted into a position to lift. He could feel his skill straining, but that didn¡¯t matter. It only needed to work enough to move the beam a little bit. ¡°Alright. On three, let''s lift.¡±

    The two boys glanced at each other and then silently agreed another attempt was worth it. Once they were all in position, Milo counted down.

    ¡°And one!¡± The beam was thrust into the air, and they all stumbled back in surprise. Even Milo didn¡¯t expect his skill to work so well. ¡°Push it to the side. I can¡¯t hold it up much longer.¡±

    The boy with the pouch jumped and tapped the beam with the tips of his fingers, which made it glide out of the way. Once they were clear, Milo let out a deep breath as he released his skill.

    ¡°That was impressive.¡± The boy with the sash smiled at Milo as he took a firm stance to observe what they had accomplished. ¡°I never got your name.¡±

    ¡°Milo and yours?¡±

    ¡°Will and that guy¡¯s Derin.¡± He pointed to his partner, who was already digging through the rubble that was hidden by the beam.

    ¡°Well, nice to meet you guys.¡± Milo noticed an emblem patched onto Will¡¯s shoulder. A triangle with two bolts of lightning piercing the two sides of the shape. It was the symbol of Shatterfold. ¡°I¡¯m always happy to help with the rebuilding effort. I heard a Sky-Razor attacked a bit ago.¡±

    ¡°That blasted creature couldn¡¯t take all of us down,¡± Will said proudly. ¡°The monster was bigger than anything I¡¯ve seen, and it took nearly the whole guild to drive it away. Like the coward it was, it ran away, but we¡¯ll get our revenge one day.¡±

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    ¡°Found another one,¡± Derin interjected as he raised a long sword out of the debris.

    Milo backed off as Derin tossed the sword towards them. Thankful Will caught it before the blade landed squarely on his head. ¡°So what are you guys doing out here now?¡±

    Will carefully inspected the sword and then let the tip of it fall to the ground as he used it like a walking stick. ¡°We¡¯re searching the surrounding area for any valuables still buried in the rubble.¡± A hint of frustration slipped into his words. ¡°It''s the only thing they¡¯ll trust rookies like us with and the only thing we can afford to do if we want to get enough money to retake the Morltin test.¡±

    Derin stood up and brushed the dust off of his dark, baggy pants. ¡°Shatterfold is supposed to be the premier monster-hunting guild, but we¡¯re stuck with this crap.¡± He scanned the house one more time. ¡°I think that¡¯s all; let¡¯s go back to the guild hall.¡±

    ¡°Mind if I tag along?¡± Milo spoke up before they went on their way. ¡°I¡¯ve actually been interested in joining a guild, and I want to learn a bit more about Shatterfold. With it being the premier monster-hunting guild, it sounds fun.¡±

    Will and Derin glanced at each other and then nodded. ¡°Sure,¡± Will said. ¡°We¡¯ll show you around.¡±

    Walking along a dirt road with flattened structures along either side only made Shatterfold¡¯s headquarters appear bigger than it actually was. Black scars marred the stone face, and a tower on the right sloppily teetered over into a pile of indistinguishable debris. Several people in simple but sturdy armor painted with violent slashes of red and green patrolled the ramparts. Their stern gaze made Milo¡¯s chest tighten, so he decided to stop looking up. ¡°So if Shatterfold is really the best monster-hunting guild, how could they let a Sky-Razor wreck their base like this?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s because they won¡¯t let most of us be armed on the third layer,¡± Will responded as he passed another guild member who waved the three of them through the front gate. ¡°Those stupid bureaucrats at the lower council won¡¯t let seekers below the Polonite rank carry the weapons needed to fend off a Sky-Razor as big as the one that attacked.¡±

    It must be those laws Wilfred was talking about. No wonder Faulpher-tek sees a market for unrestricted weapons. Milo decided to press further. ¡°And the guilds don¡¯t have any say in the council?¡±

    ¡°They do. Each guild gets one seat out of the fifteen. Typically the leader or co-leader.¡± Will twirled the hilt of the sword between his fingers and gazed towards a structure hanging in the middle of the Abyss.

    A structure Milo hadn¡¯t noticed till now. From here it looked like a black bead balancing on five wires that anchored it to the walls. Maybe that has something to do with the lower council. Milo returned his attention as Will spoke up again.

    ¡°And Couldin, the guild¡¯s co-leader, hasn¡¯t been able to drum up enough support to change anything.¡±

    ¡°But that won¡¯t be a problem soon,¡± Derin said as he cracked a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Couldin has been getting weapons from a new supplier, and we¡¯ll be ready to go after the Sky-Razor within a month¡¯s time.¡±

    Milo raised his eyebrows as his eyes darted toward a group of rowdy Sky-Seekers on the other side of the courtyard. It felt like he was about to hear something he shouldn¡¯t, but that was the whole reason he was here. ¡°Really?¡± Milo tried not to over-exaggerate his eagerness.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve heard on Seeker¡¯s Day¡­¡±

    Will shushed Derin and shot him a stare sharp enough to pierce his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t go blabbing about that to just anyone!¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Derin said as he lowered his head in shame.

    ¡°Couldin¡¯s got an in with Faulpher-tek, doesn¡¯t he? My uncle works there.¡± Milo lied, feeding into Derin¡¯s excitement that Will had nearly snuffed out. ¡°He¡¯s told me the company is seeking a deeper partnership with Shatterfold, and I¡¯m all for it!¡± Now he hoped his lie was convincing enough.

    It was like Milo had flipped a switch. Derin¡¯s face lit up. ¡°See, he knows what¡¯s going on; we don¡¯t need to hide it from him.¡±

    Will scrutinized Milo with a cautious gaze. ¡°You know your floating skill could be helpful during the job. I¡¯m sure Couldin would like to bring you on. He might even get us off of recovery and retrieval duty if we introduce him to someone like you.¡±

    ¡°You see, Faulpher-tek wants us to give the lower council a little scare to get them to loosen weapon restrictions, and of course, they¡¯ll supply us with what we need to take down that Sky-Razor. On Seeker¡¯s Day, we¡¯re going to cut down their meeting house and show them that they¡¯re vulnerable just like the rest of us.¡± Derin glanced up at the black bead suspended far above them.

    The realization hit Milo¡¯s stomach like a boulder slamming into a lake. ¡°But won¡¯t that hit people on the first layer? Your whole guild will be wiped out by the Terras. Everyone will be branded a criminal.¡±

    Derin blinked like that was a ridiculous question. ¡°Couldin say it¡¯ll all be taken care of. Faulpher-tek will protect us. So are you in?¡±

    Milo¡¯s mind raced, and his heart beat so loud he wondered if Will and Derin could hear it. Occasionally stuff from above would fall into Deepburrow, but nothing that big. It would surely injure or kill at least a hundred people. Maybe even his sister, but he couldn¡¯t let up now. He had to find a way to stop it. Taking a deep breath, he tried his best to muster a confident grin.

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡±

 Chapter 37: Embers of the Past

    Wilfred sniffed at the stagnant air that flowed through this part of town. To him, it was a pleasant scent that reminded him of better times and brighter days. Within the shadow of a manufacturing plant for airships was the closest thing he could call home, even more than Lyssandra¡¯s humble abode. Down a long and winding flight of stairs, Wilfred could see the fountain he used to meet Marlaove at. A grin pulled at his tense face as he remembered the scheme Marlaove had hatched to get experience points after they had been fresh-faced Sky-seekers. It was only two days later that they both realized their levels stopped scaling linearly after level 25 and only got more difficult if you didn¡¯t rank up. That was the first time they realized there were restrictions placed upon them. Shackles from those more powerful. Now that Wilfred thought back to it, Marlaove didn¡¯t seem disappointed about it. No, he saw it as an opportunity.

    A step crumbled beneath Wilfred¡¯s feet, and he caught a rusted rail to stop his fall. No one reached out a hand to help him get back up, and the fountain¡¯s bubbling streams remained quiet. All of that was long gone. It all disappeared with Marlaove. Maybe it started before he disappeared, but it didn¡¯t seem real until he was gone.

    Each of the houses in this area had flat roofs that allowed for some to stack on one another as they climbed their way out of the sinkhole. A shadow shifted in the window of one building behind the fountain, yet the town held its silence. Wilfred wanted to convince himself it was an animal, but experience told him that was a dangerous assumption to make. Running his hand along the eroded edges of the fountain, he slowly approached the abandoned structure. Broken glass caught the afternoon light, and for a brief moment, Wilfred glimpsed his weary expression. His face was creased with a history he wished had been gentler.

    Slowly, he pushed the tattered cloth hanging in the doorway to the side with the tip of his vibro crystal pistol and scanned the darkened room. A small creature scampered across the spilled grain, and Wilfred tightened his grip on the trigger. Letting out a sigh, he relaxed his shoulders and lowered the gun, but his instincts still wouldn¡¯t let him holster it.

    On a table, a framed photo collected dust. Wilfred brushed his fingers over the murky glass to uncover two familiar faces. Calbert and Alice. Tracing through the dust only brought back more faces and more memories. Robin, Jack, Samuel, Everett, and Marla love. Even Wilfred¡¯s younger face smiled back at him with one arm wrapped around Marla and the other around Alice. It was not the face of someone who didn¡¯t know hardship but one who still had hope in the future. His eyes were not so tired.

    As he scrubbed the last traces of dust from the photo, an airship in the background became visible, and the grease marks on Alice¡¯s face showed themselves. One day, we¡¯ll have our own airship, and we¡¯ll pilot it wherever we please. Far away into the infinite sky. Her words had stuck with him long after they married and even longer after she died.

    Looking around, he noticed a dark wooden easel holding an empty canvas. This was Calbert¡¯s house, he realized. More paintings hung on the wall. Some were of snowy landscapes based on what they heard about the seventh layer, while others swirled with bright colors and splotches of glorious pigment, a rendition of the stars. Calbert was still alive somewhere; he could not be found. Somewhere, he wished never to be found. It was best for both of them. We got too greedy. Wilfred frowned as he walked out of the house and back into the center of town.

    Sitting on the cusp of the fountain, an old man took a bite out of a small loaf of bread, and Wilfred raised his gun. Ready to fight or flee using his skill.

    ¡°I thought you abandoned this place long ago. Most people did for good reason, but for some reason I never could.¡± A crooked smile graced the man¡¯s face as Wilfred lowered his pistol.

    ¡°Edwin?¡± Wilfred furrowed his brow in concern. ¡°What are you still doing here? It¡¯s dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Bah,¡± Edwin took another bite of bread as he swatted away Wilfred¡¯s question with a grunt. ¡°You know Faulpher-tek doesn¡¯t care about some old dope like me. The better question is why you came back.¡±

    ¡°I... I,¡± Wilfred blinked to regain his composure. ¡°I¡¯ve found a lead on Marlaove. But the fool¡¯s maybe it difficult. You know how he is.¡±

    Edwin chuckled as he pushed himself off the fountain. ¡°Hasn¡¯t changed in all these years, has he? Well, what¡¯s this lead you¡¯ve got?¡±

    Wilfred pulled out the notebook and tossed it over to the old man. ¡°I found it at one of the warehouses we had an agent in. That bastard Barry ruined the whole thing, but it seems Marlaove was still able to get one by him.¡±

    Flipping through the pages, Edwin curiously scanned the rows of numbers and occasional notes. Suddenly, he snapped it shut. ¡°This notebook may look old, but the codes tell a different story.¡±

    Wilfred raised an eyebrow. ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re shipping codes. No different than the ones I used to work with.¡± Edwin glanced up at the airship factory. Steam and dark clouds rose from the building, casting a strange glow over the abandoned town. ¡°Every time we delivered an airship or any of its associated parts, we would log a code to keep track of what we were delivering, who ordered it, and the date it was shipped. Nearly every code in this notebook ends with 74 or 75.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s only a year or two ago.¡± Edwin tossed the notebook back, and Wilfred snatched it from the air. The more he uncovered, the less it all seemed to make sense. So not only is this notebook more recent than it looks, but Marlaove has somehow been able to record shipments from the warehouse for the past two years. ¡°If I gave you some of the codes, would you be able to decipher them?¡±

    ¡°Maybe, but each company has an internal system for how items are coded. Some similarities may bleed over, though, and I¡¯ll be able to tell you the type of items that were being shipped but not what the items actually are.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Edwin.¡± A glimmer of hope resurfaced within Wilfred, and an image of Marlaove¡¯s smiling face flashed through his memory. For the first time in months, he finally felt close. Beyond the numbers, the notes in the margins presented another mystery. Some of them read like a grocery list, while others were barely legible scribbles, but the ones that interested him the most were the strange riddles. Marlaove always liked a good riddle and told them often enough to have filled several volumes by now. There was one that especially captured Wilfred¡¯s interest. Flipping to the middle of the book, he found it. ¡°Hey, Edwin. Does this mean anything to you? Our roots go deeper than a Lucetop but not as far as a logger''s dream.¡±

    The old man gazed into the sky as if the answer was just out of his reach. ¡°Have you tried checking Marlaove¡¯s garden? He grew those Lucetop things.¡±

    Edwin¡¯s answer didn¡¯t feel right. He had checked Marlaove¡¯s old home many times, always finding the same empty abode, but it wouldn''t hurt to check once more. Maybe this time I¡¯ll try digging through the garden. Thumbing towards the back of the notebook, Wilfred ripped out a page sparse with notes and handed it to Edwin. ¡°I¡¯ll go check. Let me know what you can decipher from this when I get back.¡±

    Edwin nodded and began to scan the page as Wilfred walked off deeper into town. The flat-roofed homes rose with each step Wilfred took out of the sinkhole. Stairs made of discolored stones, long faded from their polished white, provided some semblance of structure to the town that was slowly sliding into disarray. Marlaove lived near the top. It was a humble home with two rooms and a small backyard. A wooden fence, a little lower than Wilfred¡¯s shoulders, still stood strong as he opened the gate. Inside a mulched pathway bisected two rows of withered vegetables, and several bugs buzzed in the air. They scattered as Wilfred approached, and he crouched down as he ran his hands through the cold dirt. The dry grains slid through his fingers with ease while the scent of the garden brought back more memories, back when the leaves of the Lucetops were green and healthy.

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    ¡°What do you want me to find, old friend?¡± Wilfred whispered to himself.

    He noticed a small garden shovel lying against the side of the house. Pushing against his knees, Wilfred got up, grabbed the shovel, and began to dig. Starting with each Lucetop, he uncovered their long, shriveled bodies and even longer roots and set them side by side on the mulch pathway. Sweat begins to bead on his forehead as Wilfred uncovers the last one. Twelve sizable holes cratered the garden, yet still nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Wilfred wiped the sweat with his sleeve and pulled out the notebook again. Still, the riddle stared back at him. Our roots go deeper than a Lucetop but not as far as a logger''s dream.

    A logger¡¯s dream. There¡¯s something I¡¯m still missing. The light from the center of the Abyss had brightened to its afternoon gleam, and Wilfred let a tired sigh escape him. Exhaustion was all he felt these days, but he knew he could never show it around others. I need to stay strong until I find Marla. There¡¯s no one else I can rely on. Ezra and Milo had been helpful, but he knew those two boys were likely in over their heads. Their enthusiasm was encouraging, though. He just needed to make sure danger didn¡¯t find them before they were strong enough to handle it.

    A shadow darted across the gaps in the fence, and Wilfred tensed as he grabbed the shovel again. It was too big to be an animal. This time, whatever it was wouldn¡¯t escape. He focused on the area behind the fence, and suddenly, the world warped around him. The ground twisted into the sky, and Marlaove¡¯s house was sucked into the space behind him. Wilfred let go of his skill and arrived on the other side of the fence as he frantically scanned the landscape for any sign of the shadowy figure. Dashing around the corner of the fence, the landscape before him remained as empty as the town. What¡¯s going on? Am I losing my grip?

    Wilfred took a deep breath and stilled his trembling hand. If you start thinking like that, you really will. As he calmed himself, it was then he noticed beyond Marlaove¡¯s home a lone tree perched on a barren hill. A Jade Tree, Wilfred realized. A logger¡¯s dream. It had to be what Marla meant. The tree was typically native to the eighth layer and had a metallic gleam that reflected the light of the abyss. Marlaove had taken great care to raise it after he bought it from some man on the sixth layer. The details were fuzzy to Wilfred, but the memories he had under that tree were clearer than a melted glacier.

    It was under that tree Marlaove and the rest of them had met after their shifts at the airship factory. It was under that tree they celebrated after becoming Sky-seekers and then again after passing the Morltin test. Yet, what Wilfred could never forget was that it was under that tree that Marlaove had consoled him after the deaths of Alice and Marie. The time when they had made the promise to tear down Faulpher-tek and everything it stood for. It had to be there because only there did their roots go deeper than a Lucetop.

    At first, he started to walk, and then, before Wilfred knew it, he was running towards the tree on that hill. He could almost feel the wind of long-forgotten springs running through his hair and the soft grass beneath his bare feet. The vivid world of long ago bloomed with life in his memories as he set his hand against the cold, shiny bark. Beneath his feet, the ground bulged just slightly in a way anyone would have mistaken for a natural deformity.

    He took the shovel and split the ground nestled between two gnarled roots. Only about an arm''s width beneath the ground, the tip of the shovel struck a hard surface. Wilfred got on his hands and knees and shoveled out clumps of dirt until the palms of his hands were stained black. Beneath it all lay a small gray box that was beginning to rust at the corners. Reaching down, Wilfred pulled it out, surprised by how light it was. Wilfred noticed there was no lock on the box; after all, who would find something buried on the edge of an abandoned town?

    Inside, a single note rested at the bottom. Wilfred slowly picked it up as if the paper would crumble into dust at any moment. The handwriting was Marlaove¡¯s; he was sure of it.

    I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s taken you to find this. I¡¯ve taken precautions upon precautions to make sure my plan remains hidden, but I feel it would be too cruel to leave you floundering around in the dark entirely. So I tell you this, Wilfred: you are not alone. After the disaster a year ago, I knew the way things were going would no longer work, so I pivoted and did what I knew best. All those years in the airship factory weren¡¯t for nothing. I learned many things. I made connections, and most importantly, I saw a crack in it all.

    Faulpher-tek has a weakness. One that can only be exploited from the inside. Barry was the first step, but we both know how that worked out. In time, you¡¯ll see me again, and when that day comes, Alice and Marie will finally know peace. It was never the other¡¯s fight; they were just along for the ride. For those that are still alive, let them live out their lives and protect their little corner of the world. Just wait a little longer, old friend.

    Marlaove

    Wilfred read through the note again, letting each word echo through his mind as if Marlaove was speaking them himself. Deep inside, he wanted to be angry at Marlaove for hiding this from him for so long, but the emotion never came. You are not alone. Perhaps that was all he really needed to hear from him. Folding up the note, he shoved it into his coat pocket as a knife emerged from the shadow cast by the tree.

    The blade nicked Wilfred¡¯s elbow as he twisted his body beyond its reach. Blood dripped from the wound, and Wilfred stared at the spot just behind the tree. A figure in beaten armor wrapped in a tattered cloak rose from the ground as if the shadow clung to the edges of him. Gripping the edge of his belt, Wilfred found the hidden blade he was looking for. The shadow lurking through the town was exactly that. This¡¯ll be over in seconds.

    Wilfred kept his gaze focused beyond the tree as the world warped around him. The metallic trunk arched over like a shimmering ring, and he turned before the world returned to normal. Before the man could comprehend, Wilfred''s arm was wrapped around the tree with his knife at the man¡¯s throat.

    ¡°Why have you been following me?¡± He pushed his blade closer. ¡°Tell me!¡±

    ¡°Like I would¡­¡± The assassin gasped for air and dropped his knife as Wilfred struck his throat with the rounded hilt of his dagger.

    ¡°Think before you speak. Now give me an answer.¡± Wilfred kept his voice deathly cold.

    ¡°Marlaove¡¯s allies.¡± He coughed, trying to get more words out. ¡°That is what you call him? I came looking to see what was left. I was told no loose ends this time.¡±

    Wilfred furrowed his brow, trying to process all the new information. ¡°What do you know about Marlaove? Who told you?¡±

    ¡°Who do you think dipsh...¡± This time, the blow came to his abdomen, and Wilfred let the blade prick the man¡¯s flesh. No words were needed; the man got the message as he stopped struggling. ¡°Faulpher-tek. It¡¯s Faulpher-tek. He¡¯s been working for them for months. Maybe even years. I don¡¯t have all the information.¡± Silence settled on them both until the man spoke up again with a smirk. ¡°But he¡¯s been found out. They¡¯re going to kill him tomorrow morning, and he doesn¡¯t even know.¡±

    ¡°Then where is he?¡± Wilfred glowered. The following quiet only fanned the flames. The man let out a muffled scream as Wilfred severed two of his fingers. Blood dripped from the stubbed ends onto the tree. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    ¡°T¡­They¡¯re taking him to warehouse fifteen.¡±

    Wilfred bit his lip in frustration. That¡¯s halfway across the third layer. The Tarkin-trams don¡¯t go that far, and it would take a whole day to get across the ring. Wilfred plunged the dagger into the man¡¯s hand as he let out a whimper. ¡°Are you sure? Absolutely sure!¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± tears began to stream down his face. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s warehouse fifteen. He¡¯s scheduled to do an inspection there tomorrow morning.¡±

    There was a gurgle, and then everything went quiet as Wilfred slit the man¡¯s throat. He pulled back, and the man went limp against the tree. ¡°Damn it!¡± Wilfred screamed as he threw the knife down the hill.

    I¡¯m so close. He¡¯s right there. I know where he is, but I can¡¯t reach him in time. It felt like everything up to this point was one sick joke that made him want to hurl. Wilfred steadied himself against the tree as he took deep breaths.

    ¡°I have to try,¡± he finally said to himself. ¡°It won¡¯t be for nothing. It won¡¯t.¡±

    After taking a moment to remember the cold touch of the polished bark, Wilfred pushed off and ran down the hill, leaving the body under the tree.

 Chapter 38: Emergency

    Ezra stared intently at the blue screen before him as he walked with care down the dirt road back to Lyssandra¡¯s house. It still seemed like a miracle that all the items were still in the Thorin-sphere. The supplies from Milo¡¯s backpack, along with a vibro-crystal gun and three swords¡ªhe had grabbed from the encampment on the 2nd layer¡ªall slotted neatly into the gridded inventory. Then there was that strange crimson square labeled fatal injury, lvl 3. It wasn¡¯t something physical, and Ezra had no idea what would happen if he dropped it. Yet there was one thing that was different about the screen.

    Along the top left corner, a button labeled craft had appeared. Pressing it made each item vibrate slightly in their squares, and whenever Ezra pressed an item, the image glowed. The option seemed to imply he could manipulate his inventory in some way.

    Passing another person on the street, Ezra instinctively swayed to the side to avoid a collision and continued deep in thought. Alright, let''s try something simple first. Ezra tapped on a bundle of rope, one of the swords, and the quarterstaff. The craft button glowed as the third item was selected.

    Would you like to craft a long spear, lvl 2?

    [Yes] [No]

    Ezra smiled and immediately pressed yes. So that is what I thought. Once he selected the option, the three items merged, and the symbol of a spear appeared at the end of the row. Clicking the new item, he selected the option to drop, and without delay, it materialized in the air and fell to the ground. Ezra leaned down to pick it up.

    The spear was about a head taller than him, but it balanced perfectly in his hands. Running his fingering along the decorative grooves in the quarterstaff and seeing the dull gleam of the tip, Ezra could tell the individual items still retained much of their original characteristics. He pulled at the tip, yet the rope held it sturdy. The craftsmanship was amazing for something made so quickly.

    A middle-aged man gave him a sidelong glance as Ezra twirled the spear around. To not raise further suspicions, he decided that was enough experimentation for now and put the long spear back into the Thorin-sphere. The possibilities the craft option presented to Ezra rushed through his mind; every item along his journey was a tool that could be something more. I could make Decrite into a shield, or I could combine artifacts. The options seemed endless. A rusted sheet of metal rested on the side of the road. To most people, it would seem like a piece of junk, but with this new power, Ezra saw more. Tapping the Thorin-sphere against its corrugated surface, the rusted sheet disappeared in a flash of light. He had no idea what it could be used for at this moment, but Ezra knew he would think of something.

    Picking up a few more pieces of junk¡ªan empty canister, a wrench, and frayed wire from a broken fence¡ªEzra soon arrived at Lyssandra¡¯s. It was still about an hour before last light, but Ezra supposed it wouldn¡¯t hurt to be early. The familiar humble home was a relief to see after the strange architecture of Theal¡¯neblis, yet the wreath of flowers on the door had fallen to the ground.

    As Ezra grabbed it, several petals, curling from the dry air, fell to the ground. He frowned and then remembered the countless flowers behind the house. I¡¯ll just make a new one with the Thorin-sphere. Pulling the remaining flowers off revealed a cylindrical base that had held all the twisted stems in place. With a simple tap of the Thorin-sphere, it entered Ezra¡¯s inventory.

    The wooden fence creaked as he pushed it open and entered the backyard. A myriad of flowers bloomed in shades of purple, white, and blue. Each one stood healthy in the evening light that danced across their petals. Yet Ezra noticed something else. The door to the shed was open, and the sound of someone shuffling around inside exited.

    Opening his inventory, Ezra took out the long spear and slowly approached. It¡¯s possible they got back before me, or it could be Lyssandra, but I shouldn¡¯t take any chances. Tightening his grip, Ezra could nearly peek inside. Upon seeing Wilfred crouched in the middle of the shed, Ezra relaxed his shoulders and planted the spear like a walking stick.

    ¡°You¡¯re back early,¡± he said as Wilfred continued to work with something on the ground. What was he doing? Wilfred¡¯s hands were shaking. ¡°Did you figure something out?¡± Ezra asked, this time with more concern.

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    ¡°I¡¯ve found Marlaove,¡± Wilfred said, his back still turned, as he set down what looked like an artifact.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Ezra¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Where is he?¡±

    Wilfred placed a rifle down and reached for something else below the floor. ¡°Warehouse fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Is it dangerous?¡± Suddenly, Ezra felt less than adequate with the spear at his side.

    ¡°Probably,¡± Wilfred shrugged and put the strap of the vibro-crystal rifle over his shoulder as he stood up and faced Ezra. ¡°But that¡¯s not the problem. Warehouse fifteen is on the other side of the ring.¡± His face was cold, all emotion buried deep within, yet that silent rage still burned behind his eyes. Grabbing a wooden board leaning against the door frame of the shed, Wilfred put it back into the gap in the floor.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine, right? It¡¯ll take a bit of time, but we can reach him in a day if we hurry.¡±

    Wilfred shook his head before Ezra could say another word. ¡°He¡¯ll be dead by tomorrow morning. Faulpher-tek knows about him too.¡± Wilfred stepped out of the shed and closed the door. ¡°You¡¯ve helped enough. You don¡¯t need to tag along for this one.¡±

    ¡°But how will you reach him?¡± A thought popped into Ezra¡¯s head. The time they chased Wilfred in the streets and when he had defended them in the warehouse. His skill always gave him the advantage of speed. ¡°You¡¯ll teleport there, but there are limits to it. You can¡¯t go the whole way, so you¡¯ll have to do it in increments.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got the right idea, kid.¡± Wilfred walked down the stone path, and Ezra followed.

    ¡°But that¡¯s insane. If I¡¯m guessing right, you can only teleport where you can see, and that still has limits on how much energy you can use, so to get across the abyss, you¡¯ll have to teleport hundreds of times. Unless you can make the jump across the entire ring. Can you?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t. It¡¯ll be the long way around.¡± Wilfred said in a casual tone.

    How easily Wilfred brushed him off sent a shiver down Ezra¡¯s spine. ¡°B¡­but using your skill that many times, even if that''s possible, it¡¯ll eat up your stamina. You won¡¯t be in shape to fight.¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. It¡¯s a risk I¡¯m willing to take.¡± Wilfred readjusted the rifle strap as he kicked open the fence, and Ezra hurried after him, afraid he was going to teleport away any second.

    ¡°Then let me come with you. Even if you¡¯re exhausted, I¡­ I can fight.¡± Can I? Am I strong enough? Ezra frowned and squeezed the spear in frustration. He was tired of asking himself that question and wondered if there would be a day he would no longer ask it.

    ¡°And how are you going to get there?¡± Wilfred finally stopped and turned to face him. ¡°Do you expect me to carry you on my back? Carrying things with me only consumes more of my stamina. You unalloyed,¡± Wilfred sighed before continuing his sentence. ¡°Just stay here.¡±

    The drumming of footsteps pounded on the road ahead, and they both looked to see what was approaching. Milo¡¯s messy brown hair bobbed slightly as he ran through the dusty street. Stopping only steps away from Wilfred, he leaned down and gasped for whatever air he could.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± The words seemed to leave him with every breath. ¡°It''s Shatterfold. We have to stop them.¡± Regaining his strength, even though his face still burned with exhaustion, Milo stood straight and noticed the rifle across Wilfred¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s going on, and why do you look like you''re about to take on an army?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Marlaove,¡± Ezra replied. ¡°Wilfred¡¯s found him, but he¡¯s on the other side of the ring, and Faulpher-tek knows where he is also. We have until tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s about a day¡¯s¡­¡± Milo brushed the thought aside with a swipe of his hand. ¡°Both of you already know that, so how are you going to make it in time?¡±

    Wilfred glanced at the both of them and then at the roof of a house far behind Milo. Ezra noticed his eyes shifting and was ready to grab him at any moment. ¡°We don¡¯t have a plan. At least not one that has a chance of working.¡±

    Wilfred glared at him. ¡°Then what? How do you propose I cross the ring in less than half a day?¡±

    ¡°What about the Abyss Jumpers?¡± Milo blurted out. ¡°They hop across the ring nearly every day.¡±

    ¡°And as an unalloyed, you have connections to them?¡± Wilfred tapped the butt of his rifle. Ezra could tell he was getting impatient.

    A confident grin spread across Milo¡¯s face. ¡°Yeah, I do.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡± Ezra said.

    ¡°Hana has one on her team; we just need to ask her.¡±

    ¡°You know what happened last time we talked to her. She barely even recognized us. There¡¯s no reason she owes us a favor.¡±

    Milo raised his eyebrows like Ezra was offering a challenge. ¡°Trust me. It¡¯ll work. When we talked to her, I could tell she¡¯s not the kind of person to refuse offering a helping hand. She¡¯s not in this for her own self-interest, and I¡¯ll prove it to you.¡±

    ¡°Where is Hana?¡± Wilfred asked.

    ¡°Right across from the Morltin testing center,¡± Milo replied. ¡°I think she was staying in a hotel.¡±

    Wilfred nodded and readjusted the rifle strap one more time. ¡°Then let''s go; every minute here is a waste.¡±

    Before either of them could utter a word, Wilfred grabbed both of them and activated his skill.

 Chapter 39: A Daughters Burden

    The Subterris Office of Trainees stood tall behind them. Its shadow stretched across the road in the twilight, daring Ezra to recall his abysmal performance only days earlier. Yet that was not his focus now. The hotel across the street drew Ezra¡¯s attention as he checked again that the ground was, in fact, solid. He¡¯d lost count of how many times Wilfred had used his skill, but it was enough that the man seemed exhausted.

    Wilfred tried his best not to show it, yet the sweat dripping from his brow told Ezra otherwise. Taking another deep breath, Ezra finally found his footing while Milo was already marching through the hotel¡¯s doors. The interior was more gaudy than the outside had indicated.

    Paintings in gilded frames hung on polished walls that led to a waiting area with several armchairs and a couch. Beyond that, an area for a restaurant hummed with less than a dozen people who paid no attention to them entering. Yet adjacent to the lobby, a clerk''s desk wrapped around a single attendant who gazed at the ragtag group of sky-seekers who had stumbled through the door. Her slight confusion quickly turned to a painfully professional smile that Ezra supposed was meant to be welcoming.

    Unfazed, Milo continued his steady gait right up to the edge of the desk. ¡°Hello, we¡¯re here to visit Hana Bai Lou. I believe she¡¯s staying here.¡±

    Fixing her smile, the clerk blinked at Milo¡¯s request as Wilfred slouched down on a couch with a grunt. ¡°I am sorry, sir, but Hana is not seeing guests at this moment. In order to maintain her privacy, I will not be able to direct you toward her. If you would like to leave a message for her, one of our staff can deliver it. I¡¯m sure she would be happy to hear words of encouragement from another fan.¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding,¡± Milo chuckled and leaned on the desk. ¡°We¡¯re not fans of Hana; we¡¯re friends of hers. We know her personally, and I¡¯m sure if she got the chance to see us, she would confirm the same. I know it¡¯s a big ask, but I¡¯m sure she would be happy to see us.¡±

    The woman¡¯s smile faltered, and she sighed like an impatient parent. ¡°Your story is as likely as anyone else''s who has said the same today. Of which fourteen have. If you have no other business, please leave before I have to involve security.¡±

    Milo hesitated for a second and took his weight off the desk. ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that.¡±

    Wilfred arched an eyebrow and was about to rise from the couch, but Ezra placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

    ¡°You could message her pocket.¡± Milo stopped, realizing the woman in front of him likely wasn¡¯t a sky-seeker, and therefore, it was possible she wouldn¡¯t have a pocket. ¡°You must have some way to contact her. Just tell her our names. Ezra and Milo. She¡¯ll know who we are. We need to see her as soon as possible.¡±

    The clerk¡¯s nails struck the desk with increasing ferocity. ¡°I am sorry, sir, but we are under no obligation to be on your timetable.¡± She scribbled Ezra and Milo¡¯s names onto a piece of paper and thrust it in front of Milo. ¡°If this is the message you wish to deliver, I can have it done by tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°We don¡¯t have till tomorrow morning. If you are going to believe any of the fourteen people who have asked about her, trust us. We meet during a seeker test in deep burrow.¡± Milo scrambled to follow his train of thought before the woman decided to cut him off. ¡°I bet that''s not something many people know. A Voyager¡¯s daughter taking a test in Deepburrow of all places is unheard of, but she really did. We had to capture a bird that¡­¡±

    ¡°That is enough.¡± Her cold stare froze Milo¡¯s words on his tongue. ¡°I will ask you one more time. Leave.¡±

    For once, words wouldn¡¯t come to Milo as Ezra watched him go stiff. Yet, as he considered their next course of action, a woman with black hair past her shoulders briskly walked into the restaurant. ¡°Milo, it¡¯s her,¡± Ezra said, pointing in Hana¡¯s direction.

    Upon hearing Ezra¡¯s words, the confidence to act came rushing back to Milo as he dashed into the restaurant, much to the dismay of the hotel attendant. ¡°Hana, it¡¯s me from the seeker and Morltin tests. Remember.¡±

    ¡°I am so sorry, Miss. Bai Lou.¡± The clerk quickly followed up. ¡°On behalf of Light-vis hotel, I sincerely apologize for not upholding your privacy. I can escort this young man out immediately.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I know him,¡± Hana said with a placid expression as she fixed a puzzled gaze on Milo and muttered something under her breath. The hotel clerk backed off, wide-eyed, as Hana waved her away. ¡°You seemed stressed. Is something the matter?¡±

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    ¡°You could say that,¡± Milo said as Wilfred and Ezra approached from behind. ¡°But I can¡¯t talk about it out here. If we could go somewhere more private, that would be great.¡±

    She nodded and then yawned as she grabbed a mug from a stack on a counter. ¡°We can go up to my room. Just give me a minute.¡±

    Hana seemed different than the previous times Ezra had seen her. For one thing, her hair was a bit messy, and secondly, she seemed way too casual about all of this. Her usual stern expression had faded from her face, and all he saw was an exhausted woman with little care for anything else.

    It wasn¡¯t long before she returned with a mug of murky liquid and guided them upstairs to the fourth floor. They went at Hana¡¯s pace, yet Wilfred was close behind, silently urging them to go quicker. Once they arrived at the room, Hana tapped her pocket against the door handle, and the lock clicked open. It opened into a room with windows spanning an entire wall leading out to a balcony. A velvet couch and two armchairs were arranged neatly in the center while arches to other parts of the hotel room opened on either side. The abundant natural light made half the objects in the room glimmer with a gaudy gleam and highlighted the intricacies of the other half.

    ¡°Wow, I¡¯ve never been in a place this fancy. You make climbing look like a luxury.¡± Milo said as he took in the room with childlike wonder.

    ¡°My father makes climbing look like a luxury.¡± Hana set the mug down on a table between the chairs and slouched down in the one nearest to the window. ¡°All of this is his money. Not mine.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Milo continued. ¡°Either way, it¡¯s a nice room. Enjoy it while you can.¡± Milo sat on the arm of the couch while Ezra settled on the cushions. Wilfred remained standing, staring out at the cityscape that was beginning to light up the coming night. ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste your time, so I¡¯ll just ask. Can we borrow the Abyss jumper on your team, or if he can¡¯t do it, can he put us in contact with other Abyss Jumpers?¡±

    Taking a sip of the murky liquid, Hana took her time giving an answer. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°We need to get across the ring before tomorrow morning,¡± Wilfred interjected with a gruff tone. ¡°Someone¡¯s life depends on it.¡±

    ¡°Sure, you can have him for the night or all of tomorrow. I don¡¯t really care.¡± She took another drink, gazed out the window with a blank stare, and then pulled out her pocket. A blue screen materialized in front of her, and seconds later, words flashed across the screen before she closed it. ¡°He should be here soon.¡±

    Silence filled the room with its oppressive weight, and Ezra shifted on the couch. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be ungrateful, but why were you so willing to help? To be honest, you barely know us.¡±

    Hana brushed strands of hair aside and tightened her jaw, holding back any words from escaping her lips until, finally, she opened them. ¡°Because I made the choice myself.¡± Leaning forward, she stared at the floor and then raised her eyes with more confidence. ¡°Neither of you passed the Morltin test. I didn¡¯t see either of your names on the leaderboard. Ezra and Milo, right?¡±

    They both nodded as Wilfred folded his arms. What does this have to do with anything? Ezra thought.

    ¡°I never should have passed.¡± The dimples on Hana¡¯s face grew as she frowned. ¡°My father wouldn¡¯t want me to tell anyone this, but I just can¡¯t. I can¡¯t keep living like this. My teammates were Polnolite seekers. You won¡¯t find it on any official records, but my father somehow got the testing officials to let them enter. I found out last night. I saw the designs on their pockets. The disks were all purple.¡±

    ¡°Then why take the test? Just tell him you don¡¯t want to.¡± Milo said.

    ¡°Milo.¡± Ezra winced at his friend¡¯s bluntness. ¡°It¡¯s probably not that simple.¡± He looked towards Hana for confirmation.

    ¡°I''m worried I¡¯ll prove him right. It¡¯s¡­¡±

    A shadowy figure stretched across the room, and they all looked towards the massive window. White robes billowed behind a man who landed with grace upon the gray-tiled balcony. ¡°You messaged,¡± the man said promptly once he opened the door.

    ¡°Yes, I need you to get these three across the ring before tomorrow morning.¡±

    ¡°Why, so quickly?¡± The man passed a curious glance towards the three strangers in the room.

    ¡°My father isn¡¯t paying you to ask questions,¡± Hana said with a level stare that had so much force behind it that it could push any of them out of the room.

    The man held his ground and clasped his hands behind his back. ¡°I¡¯ll need to get two others if all three of them are going to cross.¡±

    ¡°You can just take me,¡± Wilfred said.

    ¡°Hold on,¡± Milo raised his voice and stepped in front of Wilfred. ¡°That¡¯s not what we agreed to.¡± Wilfred opened his mouth to respond, but Milo directed his attention towards the Abyss Jumper. ¡°How quickly can you gather two people, and how long will it take to get across the ring?¡±

    ¡°An hour to get people and likely two hours, maybe an hour and a half, to cross the abyss.¡± The man kept his expressionless face as he waited for a response.

    ¡°See, we have plenty of time, and even if we¡¯re not directly involved, you¡¯ll want someone to watch your back,¡± Milo reassured Wilfred.

    Ezra nodded in agreement. ¡°We¡¯re not giving up on you or Marlaove.¡±

    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Milo said. He approached the man robed in white and stuck out his hand. ¡°Pleasure working with you.¡±

    The man rolled his eyes and shook Milo¡¯s hand. A brief grin appeared on Hana¡¯s face, and Ezra had a feeling that at least for now, she would be all right.