《Mark of the Fool》 Chapter 1: Fools and Inheritance The worst days tended to start with good mornings. ¡°You¡¯re fired! Fired! Get all of your things and get out of my shop! If I ever catch you here again, I swear on Uldar¡¯s beard you¡¯ll wish I called the guards for you!¡± Master McHarris roared, his face turning beet red. As mornings went, this one was shaping up to be great. Alex Roth froze in the middle of a disaster: collapsed shelving, shattered eggs and flour dust falling like snow in the middle of the bakery. The young man gave an awkward cough and wiped the white powder from his chestnut brown hair. ¡°Does this mean you won¡¯t be giving me this week¡¯s pay?¡± McHarris reddened further. ¡°I mean not for today, obviously, but there was yesterday and Firstday so that¡¯s two silver pieces¡ª¡± The baker made a choking noise before stomping across the disaster zone, jabbing his key into his strong box, ripping it open and whipping two dull coins into Alex¡¯s chest. ¡°There! And you only get that so folk know that McHarris is no cheat! Now get out¡ª¡± The baker snatched up a rolling pin. ¡°¡ªor you¡¯ll need to put those silvers where your teeth used to be!¡± Alex had seen enough of McHarris¡¯ rages to know that he meant it. The young man tore off his apron and scrambled to grab his pay. He sniffed the air near the eggs as he bent: a nasty stench confirmed his suspicions from early this morning. Keeping his face neutral, he jumped up and scuttled for the exit to the front room of the shop. ¡°Boy¡­¡± he heard McHarris say. ¡°What happened to you? You were quickest witted out of any assistant I¡¯ve ever had, but today you act like a bull with half its brains slammed out of its skull. That sister of yours won¡¯t grow up proper if her older brother pulls things like this.¡± Alex paused just as he was about to pull open the kitchen door. That was all news to him. McHarris paid well enough, but he terrorized all his assistants. Welts still marked the young man¡¯s arms from when he¡¯d been too slow whipping the custard a couple of days ago. ¡°I dunno, sir,¡± he gave a shrug and hid the grin threatening to spring up on his face. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a special day?¡± He was gone before McHarris could say anything else.
The Town of Alric was shrugging off sleep when Alex emerged from the bakery for the last time. The sunlight filtered through a haze of clouds and townsfolk trudged past the square¡¯s fountain with their days¡¯ tools and lunches in hand. A carriage¡ªpulled by a set of proud horses¡ªapproached from down the road, their hooves clattering on the cobblestone. On the side of the carriage door was emblazoned the symbol of a lantern: the Sigil of the Traveller, the town¡¯s patron saint. As it passed, Alex spied what he was looking for: two guardsmen sitting on the side of the fountain. They were bleary-eyed from the night watch, and squinted at Alex as he strolled up as light-footed as a pleased cat. ¡°Morning Peter, Morning Paul,¡± Alex made sure to use their names. Remembering details about people made them more friendly to your cause; it was just one of the tricks he¡¯d picked up in the last four years of hustling together every coin he could. ¡°I got something to report.¡± Peter groaned, scratching at his stubble-marked chin and craning his neck to look up at Alex. The young man was lean and gangly, and quite a bit taller than most. ¡°You caught in a snowstorm, boy? It¡¯s mid-summer.¡± ¡°Naw, that¡¯s flour, idiot; you don¡¯t recognize one of McHarris¡¯ assistants? By The Heroes¡¯ good graces, I¡¯ve been on night watch with a blind man.¡± Paul shook his head and peered closer at the flour-encased youth. ¡°Alexander¡­right? The Roths¡¯ boy? What¡¯s it you have to report?¡± A dull ache touched Alex¡¯s heart at the mention of his parents, but he kept his face neutral. Even the largest wounds grew dimmer with time. He jerked a thumb backward toward the bakery. ¡°McHarris is putting rotten eggs into his cakes and covering it with sugar. He could poison somebody.¡± Peter raised an eyebrow. ¡°That sounds like a guild violation, not a crime.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think the merchants or nobles that shop there would see it that way, and I don¡¯t have time to run to the guild before he cleans up the evidence.¡± Alex held up two flour-dusted silver coins. ¡°This is not a bribe, but I¡¯m just saying that if you go over and take a quick look around, you might do the public some good while pocketing a silver coin each.¡± He gave a winning smile and rolled the coins across his knuckles. ¡°I know, you¡¯re tired and want to go home, but that¡¯s a third of a day¡¯s wages for you, all for walking fifty steps and having a sniff around his kitchen. If you find nothing, you keep the coin. Sound fair?¡± Peter and Paul looked at each other. ¡°Boy.¡± Peter shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re bad at bribing people.¡± His winning smile shrank. ¡°N-no, it¡¯s not a bribe, I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to pay us to get a service done for you. It¡¯s a bribe. One where you might not get what you want, so it¡¯s a stupid bribe.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°The worst attempt I¡¯ve ever seen,¡± Paul groaned as he lifted himself from the fountain. ¡°But, if he¡¯s willing to try something that stupid, then maybe we should take a look. Last thing we need is for some bigwig to turn all green in the face and keel over. Come on, Peter.¡± Alex could hardly contain his excitement as the guards made their way toward McHarris¡¯ shop, though he made sure to hide his smile when Paul turned around. ¡°Oh, and don¡¯t try that again. Stupid or not, bribery of a guard¡¯ll get you ten lashes. Understand?¡± Alex nodded vigorously and gave him a thumbs up. ¡°I¡¯ll be a good boy from now on, sir!¡± Paul shook his head. ¡°The hell¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He pointed up at one of the fountain¡¯s statues rising over their heads. ¡°Act the fool long enough and you¡¯ll get the fool¡¯s mark. That little sister of yours needs a brother she can rely on.¡± ¡°I have a plan for that, Paul, don¡¯t you worry,¡± Alex said. ¡°But thanks for asking. You¡¯re good people.¡± ¡°Guardsmen have to make sure the youth are on the right path, don¡¯t we?¡± Paul rose to his full height, puffing out his chest unconsciously. ¡°Anyway, off you go now, if you¡¯re right, this¡¯ll probably get ugly. Oh, and happy birthday, Alexander. Eighteen¡¯s a big number. Keep those coins and try and treat yourself.¡± Alex blinked. Well, he had been right; remembering details about people did make them more friendly. He certainly felt a bit more friendly toward Paul. He¡¯d have to do something nice for him later. He grinned. Once he became a full-fledged wizard. Sliding back behind the fountain, he watched the guards enter the shop and chuckled as McHarris¡¯ cries of dismay echoed through the windows. When the crashing began, he outright cackled. Of all the food he¡¯d ever had from McHarris¡¯, revenge definitely tasted the best. ¡°Serves you right, you old bully. That¡¯s for browbeating every helper who¡¯s ever worked for you.¡± He smirked, tossing his last pay into the fountain. As of sunrise this morning, he no longer needed McHarris¡¯ coin. He turned to say silent prayers of thanks to Heroes¡¯ Fountain¡ªone of the many that had been raised in the kingdom of Thameland. To the hulking figure of The Champion, Alex thanked him for bravery. To the bespectacled, stern Sage, he thanked her for the wits he had shown. To the kind figure of The Saint, he thanked her for the generosity he¡¯d received. And lastly, to the handsome form of The Chosen, he gave him appreciation for luck and blessings. Beside the four grand figures¡ªwho watched the square with benevolent granite eyes¡ªcrouched a caricature. It was an ugly sculpting of a man with a chin too curved, eyes too bulging, and a nose that looked like a pumpkin¡¯s stem. A jaunty jester¡¯s hat sat on his head and his statue was the only one that had been stained by bird droppings. The Fool. The last of the Heroes, and the least of them. None who had borne the Fool¡¯s mark had left much of an impression in legend. Many had died. Others disappeared. Some had even betrayed the very party they had been chosen for. The Fool¡ªaccording to all Alex¡¯s teachers¡ªhad nothing to offer anyone, save for a nominal but necessary service to the Heroes. Uldar¡¯s Prophecies called those that bore the mantle necessary, but history had suggested otherwise. And so, to The Fool, Alex simply offered his empathy. He knew well how it was to struggle. Thankfully, those days were at an end. Whistling a jaunty tune as the guards grappled with McHarris somewhere in the bakeshop, he strolled down the street with spirits higher than they¡¯d been since before he and his sister were orphaned. He didn¡¯t catch the slight itching on his right shoulder, nor the way the bulging eyes of The Fool seemed to watch him walk away.
Nine pounds measured out by the magistrate down to the ounce. Exactly four hundred and fifty gold coins: the entire wealth of the Roth family after the fire had reduced their alehouse to rubble. The parent¡¯s estate had been liquidated, placed into the town trust, and held until their first born child reached adulthood and could claim it under common law. Now, Alex was eighteen, and it all belonged to him and his sister; a fortune that would have taken him more than twelve years to earn working for McHarris. And that was if he¡¯d never missed a day. With how he had to split his time between the bakery and helping out at the Lu family inn, it probably would have been at least thirty. Decades¡¯ worth of his labour¡ªand his mother and father¡¯s entire legacy¡ªwas all stuffed into a heavy burlap sack slung over one of his gangly shoulders. It was hard to believe that his parents had been gone for four years. With each step toward the inn, the weight of losing his parents and the heaviness of the sack he carried weighed him down; a mix of guilt, excitement, regret and relief came. He wished to Uldar that he had his family rather than a cold sack of gold, but that coin would bring a much better life for him and his sister. He rounded the corner onto the street he lived on and his eyes narrowed. The sun was setting: he had spent the day at the magistrate¡¯s office, wading through more paper than he¡¯d ever seen at the church¡¯s school. Then he¡¯d gone to spend time at his parents¡¯ graveside. Now, he was on his way home, planning to break the news of his future plans to the Lu family. Their inn sat at the end of the street¡ªa busy place near the centre of town¡ªand it had been home for Alex and his sister ever since they had been orphaned. Master and Mrs. Lu were kind folks, and he had spent most of his childhood as friends with their daughter, Theresa. Life normally quieted pretty early in Alric with the arrival of sunset: after darkness fell, burning wood and candles for light was too expensive, so it was avoided. So, the evenings were gloomy around town. But, it seemed that things were even quieter in town than they had been when he was in the graveyard. This street was usually one of the last to go dark. The Bear¡¯s Bowl tavern would usually be spitting out drunken, brawling farmhands by now. As Alex passed by, the entire building was already dark and silent. The Lu Family inn would have firelight and laughter booming as the last diners finished up for the night, yet now there was only a small light burning through the shuttered windows. No guests could be heard. Swallowing, Alex quickened his pace, making for the entrance at a half-run. His feet echoed on the cobblestones. The coins jingled in the sack. Moonlight poured over him and the night suddenly seemed colder. He reached the door, pulling firmly on the iron ring. The door wouldn¡¯t open; it had already been barred. ¡°Hello?¡± he called out, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck rise. The street behind him seemed longer, unfamiliar and unfriendly. He switched his grip on the family inheritance so that it was clutched to his chest. Bang! Bang Bang! He pounded on the door. ¡°Master Lu? Theresa? Selina?¡± Rapid footfalls approached from inside. The bar slid away. A thin hand tugged the door open. ¡°Alex!¡± Mrs. Lu cried. The middle aged woman looking as though she was about to break into tears of relief, grabbed him tightly against her lean form in a hug. ¡°Get inside, quickly!¡± ¡°What? What¡¯s going on?¡± Instead of answering, she pulled him in with surprising strength and slammed the door behind them. She quickly replaced the bar and dragged him into the hall. Alex looked around in confusion as she led him toward the common room where he could hear banging and frantic movement. Chapter 2: Uldars Legacy ¡°What th-?¡± he gasped. The common room was chaos. Dozens of sacks and chests were piled against the wall; many were half-filled with clothes, tools, ornaments and anything that was portable. Most of the Lu family rushed back and forth, stuffing the bags with more supplies. Only Master Lu and Theresa were missing from the scene. It was clear they were going on a trip. A long one. As he stepped into the room, the family froze in mid-step, looking at him with fear and worry. They looked as though he would turn into smoke and blow away at any moment. ¡°Alex,¡± Mrs. Lu began examining him. ¡°Did you-¡± ¡°Alex!¡± a tiny voice cried. A rapidly sprinting bundle of long chestnut hair and chubby cheeks slammed into his waist, nearly driving the breath from him. ¡°Selina? What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked. His ten year old sister looked up with large green eyes shining. ¡°Master Lu heard that Th-the Chosen got found. S-so did The Saint.¡± His heart nearly stopped. ¡°What?¡± he dropped the sack of gold on the floor; it landed with an ugly clink. ¡°When!?¡± ¡°Today,¡± came the deep voice of Master Lu. The family patriarch was taking the stairs two at a time as though he were a man half his age. In his hands, he clutched the old Lu family ancestry book and the swords once wielded by his own grandfather. Alex grew even more nervous. Those never left the master bedroom. Not ever. He looked over to the mural on the inn¡¯s wall. It was an amateur piece of art: painted through many hours of labour and love by himself, Mrs. Lu and Theresa. On the left was the ancient form of Uldar, the prophet-god that guided the people of Thameland. He was the first to face their eternal enemy. On the right floated a blot of darkness being cut through by the Chosen¡¯s sword. The Ravener. It was their eternal enemy who always arose¡ªseeking to consume the Kingdom of Thameland as it had for generations¡ªstarting slowly, taking its time and crafting armies of monsters from its inner core. Then it would bud, sending out scores of smaller pieces of itself to burrow deep into the land to then sprout, creating nests and dungeons that spawned monsters. After Uldar had defeated it in his age, he had ascended to the heavens. Yet, he had not destroyed it. He knew that The Ravener would reform in time, for darkness always returns, as sure as the days grow long. So, he cast a part of his own power down onto the people, and foretold that five Heroes would rise in his place and defeat The Ravener once more. A century after Uldar¡¯s ascension, five young folk gained a shining mark on their bodies: The Chosen. The Champion. The Sage. The Saint. The Fool. Together, they defeated The Ravener again. A century after that, it had returned. Five more arose to triumph over it. And so it was again. And again. A cycle of victory and horror: the pride of the Kingdom of Thameland. ¡­and Alex cared absolutely nothing for any of that bullshit. In the painting set between Uldar and The Ravener, stood the five heroes from three generations ago: the Saint of that party had come from this very town of Alric. Well, sort of. The young woman had claimed to have come from somewhere incredibly far away, but was settled comfortably in Alric when she¡¯d been marked on her eighteenth birthday. She had died in the next generation, though, when she¡ªancient and long retired¡ªhad set off to defend Alric from a dungeon that had sprung up in the caves just north of town. She had defeated the core and¡ªin death¡ªleft her magic infusing the entire underground complex. The Caves of the Traveller. People who entered them came out in all sorts of places; it was a portal that shot people out at random: the next town, the capital, somewhere in the wilderness to the north, or even in some cave on the continent. Now, it might hold something far more sinister. Once The Ravener used a place as a dungeon, chances were high it would use it again. No wonder the town had been so quiet. How many others were frantically packing up their worldly possessions into as many bags as they could? ¡°We¡¯re going to stay with my brother in the Rhineian Empire,¡± Master Lu placed the swords in a chest then closed and locked it. ¡°Until the Heroes can clear out the land.¡± He paused, giving Alex an odd look. ¡°You¡­you haven¡¯t felt anything strange today have you?¡± Alex knew why he¡¯d asked: the Heroes all had their marks appear on the same day, when they hit adulthood. And he¡¯d turned eighteen today. ¡°Nothing, Master Lu.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Good,¡± the older man sighed in relief. ¡°I didn¡¯t want you dragged into this, even if there was only the slightest chance. Especially not with the future you have ahead.¡± He gave a thin smile and tossed something across the room to Alex. The young man caught it: a scroll case, with a broken wax seal that had the symbol of four towers flanking a taller, fifth in the centre. ¡°I found that when I was packing your things. That¡¯s the seal of the Genesari University, isn¡¯t it?¡± His grin widened. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it on some of the embassies in the capital. Biggest, fanciest wizard school in the world, right?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex chuckled as some of the tension left the air. ¡°An acceptance letter: you little rascal, when were you going to tell us?¡± Alex¡¯s chuckle became a full laugh. ¡°Tonight. I had this whole thing planned. I was gonna brag and you would cheer, and I¡¯d show you the spell I¡¯d shown the examiner who came through the magistrate¡¯s office last year. Then we¡¯d have a big party and I¡¯d ask for Theresa¡¯s hand in marriage, then dodge you and Mrs. Lu as you tried to choke the life out of me.¡± Thankfully, that got a chuckle out of them. He sighed at the bad timing. ¡°But then the world had to go and end on me. At least, this part of the world.¡± He grew more serious. ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan?¡± Master and Mrs. Lu looked at each other, then at him. ¡°You¡¯re going to school, Alex,¡± Mrs. Lu said firmly, like a lord giving an order to one of their retainers. ¡°Your mother...she had a hard time bringing you into the world, and I¡¯m not going to see her baby caught up in all this, or waste his opportunities. ¡± Alex had to choke back emotion. He glanced down to Selina, falling to one knee in front of his sister. ¡°You still ready to go, little goblin? Things have changed now, but...I still want you to come with me. We¡¯d have a place together, just the two of us. That sound good?¡± Excitement shone in Selina¡¯s eyes, but with it was a mix of worry and guilt. She slowly looked to Master and Mrs. Lu. ¡°Are-are you going to be okay?¡± Alex grimaced. She had been young when the fire had taken their own mother and father, but old enough. He sometimes still woke up drenched in cold sweat with her scream from that night echoing in his head. Ever since, she had been strongly protective of Alex and the entire Lu family. Master Lu put an arm around his wife¡¯s shoulders and smiled gently at her. ¡°We¡¯ll be alright, Selina. Go with your brother, and we¡¯ll come visit you.¡± The little girl watched them for a bit, trying to see if they were telling her a lie to spare her feelings. ¡°I want to go with you, Alex,¡± she finally said. ¡°Good!¡± he stood, patting her on the head. He looked at the Lu family. ¡°Where¡¯s Theresa?¡± One of her older brothers pointed toward the back of the inn. ¡°Getting the mules ready. She¡¯s cleaning out the stables, getting the wagons ready, and feeding Brutus.¡± Alex winced. Brutus had never liked him much. He¡¯d need to make sure to stay on whatever wagon he wasn¡¯t in. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­catch her when she¡¯s done,¡± he coughed awkwardly and took Selina by the hand. ¡°Come on, little goblin, let¡¯s get you packed and in bed. We¡¯ve a long way to go tomorrow.¡± As he led her up the stairs, he idly scratched his shoulder.
A glowing red ball of force floated above Alex¡¯s finger, and on top of that he¡¯d balanced a small clay cup of honeyed milk. Four years working for a baker either gave one a sweet tooth, or made it so that one would never, ever want to eat sweets again. In Alex¡¯s case, it was the former. He grabbed the cup and took a sip, enjoying the flavour while he let his mana dissipate from the spell. ¡°One¡­two¡­three¡­¡± he counted. ¡°Fo-¡± The room went dark as the spell winked out. ¡°Nearly four heartbeats,¡± he noted. ¡°New record.¡± Concentrating again, he spoke the words of power under his breath while constructing the spell array in his core. He felt a sudden shift of energy as the words and array connected, forming a magical circuit into which his mana poured. The circuit sprung to life. Energy coursed through it at rising speed. ¡°One...tw-¡± Before two heartbeats passed, it formed the shape he desired. Red light flooded the room as another force ball formed. Smiling, he rushed to the open notebook on his tiny desk. Across the pages were tables that recorded his daily practice: numbers indicating how long it took for the spell to form, how long it took for his mana to dissipate when he stopped feeding the circuit, and how many times he could construct the ball before his inner mana ran dangerously low and the circuit reached for his life force to power itself. He¡¯d scribbled enough entries to fill half of the large book: a mark of how he¡¯d never missed a day of practice, even if it was for only a few minutes at the end of the night after a long shift at the bakery. It¡¯d been worth it. He flipped back to the front page and shook his head at the numbers. Spell Formation: Thirty-four heartbeats. Dissipation: Half a heartbeat Amount of times creating Orb of Force: One. He flipped back to tonight¡¯s entry. Spell Formation: Oneish heartbeats. Dissipation: Three and a half heartbeats. Amount of times creating Orb of Force: ¡°Four and counting.¡± He smiled and twirled the orb around his finger. He might have been self-taught, and he¡¯d only ever found one spell to practice, but he was sure as hell going to have it mastered by the time he got to Generasi. All in all, not all that bad a day considering it started with intentionally getting himself fired and ended with the return of the land¡¯s ancient evil. He was scratching his shoulder again¡ªstarting to wonder if a biting fly had crawled into his sleeve sometime during the day¡ªwhen he noticed the ball¡¯s red light shudder. He glanced at it. His hand was shaking. The little ball tethered to his finger shook with it. As much as he acted like all was well, the news about The Ravener had scared him. He, his sister and the Lu family¡ªand judging by the dead silence outside his window, half the town¡ªwould be packed up and heading for port by morning. But there would be a lot of people that wouldn¡¯t be able to make a ship before things turned grim. With the Cave of the Traveller so close, there was even a chance he and those he cared about wouldn¡¯t get out in time; not if it became a dungeon again. A small chance, but still a chance; he would¡¯ve been crazy if he wasn¡¯t a little scared. So, he took a breath and steadied himself. If he¡¯d given into all his heavy emotions over the last four years, he would¡¯ve been a wreck. ¡°Let it pass,¡± he told himself. ¡°It¡¯s going to be what it¡¯s going to be. You¡¯re one person: all that matters is what you can do for you and your own. If it¡¯s clear to the coast, then good. If it¡¯s not, then you think. Adapt. Survive, like you always have. Worrying about it now¡¯s not gonna help anybody.¡± Repeating that mantra had gotten him through the last four years alive and sane; he¡¯d keep it up until it no longer helped him. Outside, the bell at the church of Uldar rang, dragging him from his thoughts. Eleven chimes. His birthday was nearly done. Time to finish practice then finish packing and try and find Theresa. He killed the mana flow to the spell. ¡°One¡­¡± He counted. ¡°Two¡­¡± He counted. Then came the agony. He doubled over, his scream choking as his body locked up with white-hot pain. His teeth clenched¡ªgrinding together¡ªand his vision wavered. Alex Roth hit the ground with a heavy thump, and he could not even writhe as his muscles tensed all at once. His shoulder burned worst of all, paining as if ants chewed their way through his flesh. Ants that were on fire. His forceball winked out, but light didn¡¯t fade from the room. It changed. Through the shoulder of his white shirt came a golden glow that filled the air. Through the radiance, he felt something pour into him. Something that slipped into his body, his mind, his mana and somewhere deeper. His entire being wrenched as if a giant hand was puppeting it. Flashes of memory burst into his mind. Chapter 3: The Marks Mocking Grin The memories whirled in his head. Half formed images: Forests he¡¯d never seen. Towering old men standing on altars. Landscapes blasted by war and teeming with monsters. A floating mass of dark. Scents came next: scorched meat. The rusty, sour stench of blood. Others he could not decipher. Then sounds completely alien to his ears: cries from beings that were neither mortal nor animal. Time held no meaning. His mind spun faster and faster, teetering on the edge. And then, it was over. The pain disappeared, leaving him gasping for breath as the golden glow dimmed, wavering like a candle in the dark. As soon as he could think again, his mind began to race. Confusion and fear threatened to overtake him, but he pushed it down. ¡°Think,¡± he gasped. ¡°Adapt.¡± He had a sinking feeling. Your mother...she had a hard time bringing you into the world. That¡¯s what Mrs. Lu had said; maybe that meant his mother had taken a long time in labour birthing him. If so, then by law, he might have been eighteen by sunrise, but he wouldn¡¯t have lived a full eighteen years until sometime late in the day. Or, late at night. And if he had really just passed into manhood, then logic would mean only one thing could have happened to him. Dread filled him. He didn¡¯t want to look, but he had to. With a trembling hand, he reached up on his desk and fumbled for his knife. It clattered to the floor. Shaking, he picked it up and slowly hacked at the shoulder of his shirt. ¡°Please be nothing, but if it has to be something, please be The Sage, please be The Sage,¡± he muttered. With one eye closed and one eye squinting open, he held up the knife to catch the reflection of his shoulder in the steel. ¡°No,¡± he gasped. Both eyes flew wide open. Reflected back was a glowing mark. A Hero¡¯s Mark, but not the staff of The Sage, nor the horned helmet of The Champion. What stared back at him was a mocking grin from the twisted face of a jester with bulging eyes and a belled cap on its head. The blade fell from his fingers. The Fool. He¡¯d worked so hard. He¡¯d pushed himself to get into the greatest school of wizardry in the entire world. He¡¯d lost his parents. He¡¯d taken care of his sister. He¡¯d endured a bully of a boss for more than a quarter of his life. And for what? Uldar had reached down from his ¡®oh-so-mighty¡¯ place above and branded him as The Fool? ¡°Oh go to hell,¡± Alex growled. The rage hit him with full force. He stopped thinking.
Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. His mantra brought him back, but he had no idea how long he¡¯d lain on the ground, throwing out every curse word at Uldar he¡¯d ever heard. But, it was pointless: it wasn ¡®t like the god was around to hear him. Only he heard his own protests. And maybe that was a damn good thing. ¡°Okay.¡± He clutched the desk and dragged himself back to his feet. ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s think about this. Let¡¯s think about what we know.¡± His heart was thudding as he threw himself down in his chair. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. ¡°Okay. So. You got the Mark of the Fool. Worst mark you could get.¡± He talked to himself; it helped him focus. ¡°That means some church officials are gonna drag me to the capital and make me fight monsters with a bunch of strangers. Each of them are gonna be hand-picked by Uldar and have damn crazy powers. So, where does that leave me?¡± He needed to write this down. The glow of the Mark had faded until it was only a dull outline on his skin. He needed some light. Concentrating, he began constructing another spell array in his core to conjure another force ball. Then his brain exploded. Memories flooded him, cramming their way into his mind like wild dogs on a piece of meat. Every mistake he ever made while practicing magic came back along with every single setback and moment of frustration. They destroyed his concentration and the array began to twist. ¡°Ah shit!¡± he grabbed his head. The spell array warped. Panic surged through him: if the array formed with its shape so twisted, then the mana feedback might blast him unconscious. Even worse, the circuit might form wrong and make some wild magic erupt out of him. The image of blowing up the Lu¡¯s inn and watching a second home burn down, nearly made him pass out in panic. He abruptly shattered the array before it could do any damage. As soon as he let go of his mana, it all stopped. He puzzled at the sudden silence. ¡°What the hell?¡± He slowly brought his hands down. ¡°What was that?¡± Frowning, he tried to speak words of power. The flood returned. Every mis-pronunciation. Every wrong word. Every stupid mistake he¡¯d ever made shoved their way into his mind until his words were a stream of useless gibberish. Grimacing, he stopped speaking. The flood stopped, leaving his mind calm. It took him a few moments to organize his thoughts. Then a terrifying possibility hit him. ¡°Oh no...no, no, no.¡± Quickly, he dug out one of his candles and lit it; when the tiny flame caught on the wick, he dragged a book from his bag and slammed it down on the desk. A History of Our Heroes and their Opposition of the Ravener, by Finnius Galloway. Alex flipped to the second appendix: each generation of heroes was listed with their originating towns, where they¡¯d died, and their most important deeds. At the back of that was a definitive statement on what each mark did, compiled from the descriptions of multiple heroes of previous generations. Alex flipped to the Mark of the Fool¡¯s entry and began to read out loud: ¡°The Mark of the Fool is a useful, but pitiful mark. While The Champion is granted incredible strength, speed and the martial skill of all his predecessors, The Sage¡¯s mana pool expands many times, and The Saint gains a divine connection to Uldar himself, the Fool gains no great gifts. In some ways, it is the opposite of the greatest mark: The Chosen. The mighty Chosen gains lesser versions of the three preceding marks and the ability to synergize them all, but The Fool gains nothing. In fact, the Mark of the Fool actively interferes with any action related to Combat, Divinity-¡± ¡°No, no, no.¡± Alex¡¯s blood turned to ice. ¡°or Spellcraft-¡± His words trailed off. Interferes with spellcraft!? He was going to Uldar-damned wizard university! He glared at the thing on his shoulder. The thin, glowing jester¡¯s face seemed to cackle at him while it utterly destroyed his life. Trembling, he forced himself to finish reading. If he didn¡¯t, he might¡¯ve lost his mind right there and then: ¡°-but in return, The Fool gains vastly accelerated learning of any skill unrelated to these areas. Thus, The Fool can become the Heroes¡¯ guide through the wilderness, learn to operate watercraft, scout enemies, repair equipment (though they cannot craft great weapons), and take care of horses. Such things are needed on every adventure. Previous Fools have also become fine painters, jugglers, musicians and mastered other such skills. And yet many parties have defeated The Ravener even after their Fool has been killed, betrayed them, or is otherwise absent. Uldar, however, is infinite in his wisdom: Fools serve as the heart of the Heroes¡¯ Party, which is perhaps why such marks find their way to young folk of good nature and good humour. Perhaps that is also why the deaths of previous Fools have motivated Heroes¡¯ Parties like the deaths of no other members have. Thusly, even absent, a Fool can bring a Heroes¡¯ Party to greater heights. If a Fool is reading this now, I encourage you not to despair, for though you might not be greatly rewarded by history, fulfilling one¡¯s duty is a reward on its own.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s easy for you to say. I wonder how many of The Fools thought that Uldar¡¯s wisdom was ¡®infinite¡¯, Mr. Galloway.¡± Alex slammed the book shut and shoved it away in disgust. So that was it? Alex Roth: big brother, revenge enthusiast and future wizard forced into the role of nanny, clown and sacrificial lamb? No matter what he wanted to be before he got some Mark he didn¡¯t ask for? ¡°Oh sure,¡± he muttered bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ll just give up my whole life so that writers can pity me, I might die and in the end they¡¯ll just build a statue of me that makes me look like the guy parents think about when they tell their children not to talk to strangers.¡± ¡°And while I¡¯m off risking my life, I¡¯m abandoning Selina and giving up all hope of attending Uldar-damn wizard university! Wait, speaking of risk... let me check something.¡± He dragged the book back toward him, flipping through the records of previous Fools and counting the amount of entries that read ¡®disappeared¡¯ or ¡®tragically killed while-¡¯. He shuddered when he¡¯d gotten to the end. Half of them didn¡¯t make it out of the final fight with The Ravener, and the survivors didn¡¯t do much better. Some were maimed, some made a fortune in the arts, or became good merchants, but their reputations chased them for the rest of their lives. It was like that for all the Heroes, but having the reputation of ¡®Epic Champion¡¯ was a lot better than being the guy named ¡®The Fool¡¯ and being known for being useless. Most of them had left for other lands, it looked like. This just got better and better. For one crazy moment, he considered trying to cut the mark off with his knife. He shook off the thought for what it was: irrational. And the last thing he needed was more ¡®irrational¡¯ right now. Right. So: ¡®accelerated learning of any skill unrelated to these areas.¡¯ No Divinity, Magic or Combat. What did that mean? He snatched up his pen and flipped to a new page in his record book: the handwriting on all the charts was messy. He might have been a quick study with a pen, but his letters didn¡¯t look pretty, no matter how much his teachers had tried to correct that. He wrote a sentence: ¡®I, Alex Roth, am the unluckiest person in the entire Kingdom of Thameland,¡¯ and it came out like a chicken scratching across a page after sticking its feet in ink. Narrowing his eyes, he started writing again below the chicken scratch. This time, he focused on trying to do better. If he was right- The flood of memories came back, but in an entirely different way: every single lesson he had been taught on writing. Every moment when he had written something in a slightly neater way. Every triumph came back in great detail, laying out how he¡¯d achieved each previous success at bettering his writing. While the memories of his magic failures had been chaotic and ruined his concentration, these memories neatly organized themselves in his mind, as though guiding his hand as he wrote. By the time his pen had dotted the period, he was staring at the best looking writing he had ever produced. It looked like someone else had grabbed his book and wrote the second sentence for him. Carefully, he tried it again. The memories came back. This time they were joined by images of him writing the sentence he just had; everything he¡¯d done right just now floated up in his mind, guiding him to do even better. The third sentence was slightly neater than the second. He repeated the experiment a few more times, each time improving his handwriting in slight increments. The neater letters also grew easier for him to reproduce without thinking so hard. ¡°So, that¡¯s how you work,¡± he noted and started neatly writing down his findings:
  1. The Mark uses memory.
  2. The Mark will bombard and distract you whenever you do anything related to what the other heroes are supposed to do: fighting, magic and working holy acts. It does this by using every failure or mistake you¡¯ve ever made and flooding you with it until you can¡¯t concentrate.
  3. The Mark helps you when you¡¯re trying to learn something outside of those: it gives you everything that you¡¯ve ever done or heard of that¡¯s right and presents it in a neat, little package. This lets you build easily on every success you¡¯ve had and avoid things that made you fail in the past.
He tapped his pen on the page, thinking back on what had just happened. He wrote down something else: Question: Does it make it impossible to use magic? Alex sat up in his chair and closed the book. The wood creaked beneath him. He blew out the candle, dropping the room into darkness. Last thing he needed was more distractions. He took a deep breath and steadied himself. Concentrating, he began to construct the array again. Slowly, this time. The flood came back, attacking him with every single failure he¡¯d ever had. It pushed its way into his mind, but instead of pushing back, he let it come while holding the partially complete array inside himself. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. He repeated his mantra while letting the distracting memories roll off, just like he had done with all the grief of the past four years. Patience guided him as he monitored the stream: as each memory forced its way into his head, he let them pass and built the array a little more in the brief instants between. Slowly, it neared completion. Then he started to speak the words. The flood flowed faster, interfering with his speech. He shut everything out. Every noise. Every distraction both in and outside of his head, just as he had when he was first learning the spell. The flood was just like McHarris¡¯ bakery or the inn on a busy night: it was loud but if you went slowly and carefully¡­ ¡­you could get past it. Then he had a thought that was so significant that it burst through the flood: What if it wasn¡¯t just about getting past the noise? As he finished the array, he started to pay careful attention to every failure the mark was spitting at him. He examined each memory, trying to analyze them through the chaos. Some came too quickly to pick up on. They were just noise, but others let him see his failures clearly. Let him see how he failed. For the few failures he figured out, he did the opposite of what he had in those memories. The array came out slightly different from his earlier ones, and when he grounded it and completed the circuit, he felt an immense rush of mana. Voom. He opened his eyes to find a bright red glow illuminating the room. Another ball of force floated at the tip of his finger, and he nearly screamed in triumph. It was bigger than any he¡¯d made in the past: about one and half times the size with a much brighter and more steady glow emanating from it. Creating it was slower. It had been more difficult. But it had been better. He shook with excitement; one could learn from failure too. Alex opened the book and wrote an answer beneath his question: Not impossible. It could be done, and that just meant it was hard. He could work with ¡®hard¡¯. Working for McHarris was hard, but he¡¯d done it. Learning the beginning magic from rotted books in the church library was hard, but he¡¯d done it. Helping his sister and the Lu family was hard while studying and acing every evaluation at the church school was hard, but he¡¯d done it. And what was the common thread with all those? He¡¯d done it all for him and those he loved. He threw a dirty look at the history book. It wasn¡¯t for some god that tried to tell him what to do, ¡®Heroes¡¯ that didn¡¯t need him, or a populace that would think of him as a joke. His sister needed him. He needed himself. He could still use magic; it was just slow and difficult right now, but it would¡¯ve been impossible without the powers of concentration he¡¯d developed by learning how to deal with his grief. He¡¯d need time to truly learn how the mark worked. Explore it. Develop it and himself, and use it to learn something helpful. He wouldn¡¯t get that time if he was off playing servant to a bunch of ¡®Heroes¡¯. Which left one option: ¡°Looks like you¡¯ll need to write ¡®disappeared¡¯ under the entry for another ¡®Fool¡¯, Galloway.¡± He stood and clenched his fist. ¡°Because I¡¯m getting the hell outta here.¡± There was something important that Galloway mentioned about seeking out Uldar¡¯s priests. If he had to seek them out, then that meant they didn¡¯t just know where he was. But they¡¯d likely start searching soon. He needed to get out of Thameland as quickly as possible. He¡¯d need to cover up his mark, wake Selina and get- ¡°A...lex?¡± He froze. His head turned slowly as though his neck were attached to a rusty lever. A young woman stood in the doorway, her long, black hair tied back. She gripped a key ring in calloused fingers. Theresa Lu. His oldest friend was gaping at him, with eyes darting between the red ball above his finger, and the jester¡¯s face on his shoulder. ¡°I¡­¡± she said. ¡°I was coming to talk to you, but I heard you saying all these weird words through the door, then I saw a red light. I asked if you were okay, but you wouldn¡¯t answer me-¡± Oh shit, he¡¯d tuned out everything. ¡°-and I got the spare keys and let myself in...and¡­¡± She trailed off. He took a deep breath. Alright. Time for Plan A. Lying. ¡°Okay, so.¡± He straightened himself up. ¡°This is not what it looks like-¡± ¡°It looks like you got The Mark of the Fool.¡± ¡°-okay, so it¡¯s exactly what it looks like.¡± Well, Plan A was dead. Oh well, Plan A sucked. It was thought of by a guy named The Fool¡¯; of course it sucked. Time for Plan B, then. ...too bad Plan B didn¡¯t exist. ¡°So, uh,¡± his mouth went renegade while his mind raced. ¡°Thing is, uh...you know-This...this is the worst birthday I¡¯ve ever had.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re leaving.¡± She stepped into the room. The door creaked as she shut it behind her. ¡°Then I want to come with you.¡± Alex blinked. ¡°...what?¡± Chapter 4: Departure and Dogs Theresa Lu was a force to be reckoned with. One of six siblings, she had learned to take initiative if she wanted to stand out. When the Lu family needed meat for the kitchen, it somehow ended up being her who had grabbed a bow and learned how to hunt with her father. She¡¯d taken to it like a fish to water. Theresa had become one of the best hunters in Alric and¡ªthrough hunting¡ªshe¡¯d learned patience, silence and determination. All traits needed to stalk prey. As she¡¯d once told Alex, many people thought that hunting was about taking a perfect shot: piercing one¡¯s target through the eye or heart and dragging the carcass back to the dinner table. At times it was like that, but for most hunts, it was about puncturing a blood vessel and watching the prey as it took off into the woods. Then the hunter would follow: they¡¯d track by prints, by drops of blood or by scent if they had a dog. If they kept the trail, they¡¯d eventually run their prey down. Humans were endurance killers, and Theresa embodied this. Now her sharp eyes watched him with the same predatory look she got when she was on a hunt. She¡¯d asked him to let her come with him: that was her arrow striking him. Any excuses he¡¯d make? That was the trail of blood. All she had to do now was follow him: him talking with that quiet patience until he finally grew too tired to argue and she at last caught him. ¡°I want to come with you.¡± She said again, locking the door and advancing on him. Her steps made no sound across the floorboards. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say-¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said quickly. ¡°Please come with me. I sure as hell could use the help.¡± He decided to skip all the build up and just jump into the trap himself. He was rewarded by her pausing mid-step and blinking in surprise. He always found her cute when she didn¡¯t have her ¡®deathstalker face¡¯ on. And when she did, as a matter of fact. He did not have issues, he assured himself. Her face quickly went ¡®deathstalker¡¯ again when she regained composure. ¡°Good. I was already mad at you for not telling me about that.¡± She pointed to the bright forceball floating above his finger. ¡°So I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t make me chase you.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We both know how it would¡¯ve ended; when I¡¯m not worrying that a bunch of priests are going to burst down the door at any second, I¡¯ll ask you why-¡± Boom! Boom! Boom! A heavy knock slammed against his bedroom door. Alex and Theresa froze, slowly looking at the doorway like it was some portal to hell. His stomach sank. They couldn¡¯t have found him already, could they? ¡°Theresa!¡± A familiar voice boomed through the door. ¡°Are you in there?¡± Alex sighed in relief. He was safe. It was just Theresa¡¯s father. The door rattled in the frame. ¡°Why is the door locked?¡± his voice cracked like a whip. ¡°What¡¯re you two doing in there?¡± Nevermind, this was much worse. Theresa went as white as a sheet. ¡°Father!? Were you listening at the door?¡± ¡°I followed you!¡± he laughed in triumph: a harsh, barking laugh that promised death. ¡°I was young once too! I know how it is: the young man you¡¯ve grown up with is going to be leaving on a loooong journey! You might not see him again!¡± ¡°Father!¡± ¡°And who knows who he might meet in that big city, yes!? So you go and speak to each other, talk about your feelings, one thing leads to the other and then I¡¯m a grandfather before any of my children are married!¡± Theresa turned bright red and buried her face in her hands. ¡°Wait, Mr. Lu!¡± Alex cried. ¡°It¡¯s not what it sounds like-¡± Click. A key turned in the lock. Theresa and Alex gasped in unison. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing wrong, then I guess there¡¯s no reason why I can¡¯t just come in, is there?¡± Mr. Lu announced darkly from the hall. ¡°No father!¡± Theresa cried, starting for the door. ¡°Don¡¯t come in-¡± ¡°Ahaaaaa!¡± the middle aged man burst into the room. ¡°I¡¯ve got you-you¡­.you¡­.¡± Mr. Lu stared at the glowing mark on Alex¡¯s shoulder, his mouth hanging open. Alex¡¯s tongue went renegade again. ¡°This isn¡¯t what it looks...you know what? Nevermind. It is what it looks like.¡± The older man¡¯s face went grim. ¡°Downstairs. Both of you, now.¡±
¡°So, it might not be all bad,¡± Alex finished explaining, tapping the jester¡¯s face. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. Theresa, Master and Mrs. Lu huddled in the kitchen, listening as he went through what he¡¯d learned about the mark. ¡°It helps you learn, and it doesn¡¯t seem too specific on what it lets you pick up. And I can still work magic; that means there¡¯s holes in the way it interferes with you. If I can figure them out, it might even help me...but I need time to do that, and I¡¯m not going to have it by going around and being the servant to four ¡®Heroes¡¯.¡± He looked up at them seriously. ¡°And that¡¯s that. I¡¯m going to the Generasi and I¡¯m taking Selina.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Mrs. Lu clutched his hand. ¡°We¡¯ll help you.¡± She turned to her husband. ¡°Right, darling?¡± Master Lu was gripping the counter so hard that his knuckles were white. ¡°Life stole your parents¡¯ lives, and it wants your future, too? Well, it can¡¯t have it.¡± He placed a hand on Alex¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous to go alone: you¡¯ll take the Lu family¡¯s most deadly weapons.¡± Theresa looked at her father sharply. ¡°Great-grandfather¡¯s swords?¡± ¡°No, you and Brutus. Ouch!¡± She¡¯d slapped her father lightly on the shoulder. ¡°Father! I¡¯m not a weapon!¡± But Alex was already nodding. ¡°Yes. Thank you, Mr. Lu, with this human annihilator at my side-Ouch!¡± ¡°Alex!¡± She pouted. ¡°I¡¯m leaving my family behind to try and save you; why¡¯re you making fun of me?!¡± ¡°One, because it¡¯s fun-¡± Her parents nodded in agreement. ¡°-and two, because if I don¡¯t keep making jokes right now, I might have to admit how absolutely terrified I am.¡± He laughed nervously. ¡°So, what now?¡± Mrs. Lu gave her daughter a meaningful look. ¡°Go and pack whatever you need, Alex, then get some sleep.¡± ¡°Sleep?¡± He blinked. ¡°I¡¯m not going to be able to sleep, Mrs. Lu.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need your strength,¡± the middle aged woman insisted. ¡°I¡¯ll brew you a tonic if I have to.¡± He bit back a reply, realizing she was right; leaving half-cocked would only make it more likely that he¡¯d be caught. Even if he somehow woke Selina and got her moving, he¡¯d have to try and slip out of the kingdom with a sleepy ten-year old. It wouldn¡¯t work. ¡°I¡¯ll wake you all just before first light,¡± Mrs. Lu promised. ¡°Now, go.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed, looking at Theresa. ¡°We¡¯ll leave at first light.¡±
Alex Roth encountered a monster just outside the inn after he woke the next morning. The enormous head of a beast emerged from the dark, snarling and baring gleaming fangs. Its eyes blazed with violence, and its canine snout was long and brimmed with sharp teeth. An identical head emerged on the left, and a third on the right; the faces of three savage hounds growled at the young man, as though warning they were readying to tear him apart. Apprehensive and still shaking off the last of his night¡¯s sleep, he gingerly offered the three monsters a leftover piece of roasted pork from last evening¡¯s supper. ¡°Peace, Brutus,¡± he said. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ve got some food here. That¡¯s a good boy.¡± Sniffing the air, the canine heads calmed, their eyes fixed on the meat. All three licked their chops and came out of a massive doghouse; the trio of heads were attached to one body that was the size of a small horse. A cerberus. Not every monster in the kingdom of Thameland was spawned by The Ravener; many were creatures naturally occurring in the wilderness. Cerberi were some of the most dangerous among them, but also the most trainable if one got them young and knew how to handle them. When Theresa had first brought home the orphaned pup after finding it in the woods three years ago, her parents had lost their minds. But the young huntress was patient and stubborn, and slowly won them over, explaining how helpful having such a ferocious guard dog might be. What helped too was that Brutus¡ªshe had already named him before bringing him home¡ªwas as gentle as a lamb in her hands. Truthfully, he was gentle with almost everyone¡­except for Alex. Snap! ¡°Oh shit!¡± Alex jerked back as Brutus lunged, his teeth nearly snatching the young man¡¯s hand off along with the pork. As he stumbled away, the cerberus dived into breakfast with two of his heads. The third stared at him with a self-satisfied look. Alex shook his head. Failed again. Maybe most people would have hated the mutt, but¡­it was a freaking cerberus: how could he hate something so cool? ¡°I¡¯ll win you over one day, just you wait,¡± he plotted quietly. He glanced to his shoulder, where a heavy, dark tunic and thick woolen cloak covered the mark. Maybe he¡¯d use it to learn about dog training¡­ ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± someone called. He shook off fantasies of training Brutus to fetch, beg and rollover. He did not have issues, he assured himself. Theresa was coming from the house hand in hand with Selina. The little girl was wiping her eyes and yawning, but she was all smiles. ¡°How far away is the wizard city, big brother? Will we get there soon?¡± Alex returned her smile. He hadn¡¯t told her anything about what had happened last night. When it was safe, then he could tell her. ¡°It¡¯s reeeeeeaaally far.¡± He spread his hands wide. ¡°So it¡¯ll take us a long time to get there.¡± She yawned again. ¡°Okay.¡± Theresa smiled down at her before looking to the horizon over the surrounding rooftops. ¡°We¡¯ve got a bit before light.¡± She tapped the composite bow she¡¯d slung over her shoulder. Black feathered arrows rose from her quiver, and a massive hunting knife shone from a belt-loop on her hip. Her calf-high boots made no sound as she walked. ¡°We should get moving before the rest of the town starts to wake up.¡± Her parents emerged from the inn as Alex took his sister¡¯s hand and Theresa untied Brutus from his shelter. Master and Mrs. Lu looked over the group and the latter made a disappointed noise. ¡°You both really are all grown up, aren¡¯t you? Too fast. Too fast,¡± she sighed, gripping her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°You be careful out there, both of you.¡± She looked pointedly at her daughter and then to the small, yawning Selina. ¡°Stay on the roads.¡± ¡°And write to us as soon as you get the chance; when you¡¯re out of the kingdom,¡± Master Lu added, his brow furrowed in worry. ¡°Now, come here.¡± Theresa¡¯s parents caught their daughter, Alex and Selina in a tight embrace, dropping low so that the small girl could be included. As their warmth spread through Alex, he felt a tightness in his throat. Tears formed in his eyes. It might¡¯ve been the last time he ever felt that warmth. He tightened his hug. When they broke apart, Mrs. Lu and Master Lu¡¯s eyes were shining as well. ¡°Go,¡± Mrs. Lu¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Before your brothers wake up, Theresa, or you¡¯ll never leave.¡± Selina sniffled loudly and Theresa kept her eyes low. ¡°Goodbye mother and father,¡± she said quietly. ¡°Come on, Brutus.¡± Crack. The cerberus snapped the bone in two with one set of jaws while another picked up the pieces. His third head licked out the marrow as he bounded after his master. ¡°Goodbye, Master Lu, goodbye Mrs. Lu. Thank you for everything. You be safe on your journey too,¡± Alex said quietly. His hand tightened around Selina¡¯s. ¡°I promise¡­I¡¯ll get there. We¡¯ll all get there.¡± With that, he turned and followed after Theresa, hoisting his heavy rucksack over his shoulder. He hoped what he¡¯d said to her parents would end up being true. Chapter 5: The Coins and the Priests The town of Alric stirred with tension. It seemed like half of the townspeople were out on the streets as Alex, Theresa, Selina and Brutus passed them by. Wagons filled the sides of the roads as people rushed back and forth between townhomes and businesses, stacking their possessions into the wagons and tying them down. Torches flickered on poles or in tightly gripping hands, and weapons that hadn¡¯t seen the outdoors in years hung from the hips of many of the townsfolk. Alex could feel the panic building. ¡°Make sure the silver¡¯s close at hand,¡± a heavy-set woman told her husband as she finished hitching the horses to a cart. ¡°With this many going to the continent, the shipmasters¡¯ll charge whatever they feel to take folks across the channel.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already in the front, just don¡¯t let it out of your sight,¡± an older man grunted as he placed a heavy chest into the cart. He glanced around, scanning the other wagons and carts. His hand remained close to his club. Alex recognized the man; they had always nodded politely to each other and exchanged smiles in the mornings. Now when he spotted Alex, his lips rose in the same wide smile, but his eyes were anxious and agitated. ¡°We should hurry.¡± Theresa nodded to Alex. ¡°Something ugly¡¯s brewing.¡± She eyed their neighbours; her body tensed as though she was in the woods hunting on a moonless night. ¡°Desperate people do desperate things. Let¡¯s get to the gate quickly.¡± Selina looked up to them. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Alex gave her another weak smile. ¡°Everything¡¯s alright, Selina,¡± he lied quickly. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine.¡± The southwestern gate was not fine. Despite there still being some time before sunrise, a large crowd had already gathered, forming a line that stretched from the wall and down several blocks. Many¡ªit seemed¡ªhad the same idea as Alex: come early in order to beat the crowd. Now, they were all made to wait as the guards stopped each solitary traveller and family, recording the names of every person leaving. Likely, they were keeping an accounting of who would be staying in town and needing protection during these dark times. ¡°That¡¯s it! That¡¯s it! Order now!¡± he heard the guard, Paul, shout from ahead. ¡°Keep order and we¡¯ll have you on the road before sunrise!¡± Normally, none of the gates opened until daylight, but Alex took one look at the large crowd and recognized how ugly things might turn if they were not allowed to pass through now. People were fidgeting in agitation; some watched the skies or the top of the walls as though monsters might come flying over at any heartbeat. Most clutched their possessions, and a great many were counting the coins in their purses; having enough for the ship¡¯s passage seemed to be on the minds of most. Alex stealthily patted the inheritance buried at the bottom of his rucksack, as well as the small pouch of coins on his belt, and he gave quiet thanks for his parents¡¯ hard work. The four of them wouldn¡¯t have to worry about passage. As they stepped into the back of the line, folk took one look at the massive form of Brutus and quickly gave them space. The cerberus seemed proud of himself as he flopped down onto his haunches and tossed the broken pieces of bone onto the side of the road. His three tongues lolled from his mouths and he panted in the mild air of the summer morning. ¡°Good boy.¡± Theresa smiled and scratched behind one of his ears. He whined for more attention and pressed his other two heads into her waiting hands. ¡°Yeah, very good boy.¡± Selina copied the young woman by rubbing his haunches. ¡°Yeah, super good boy.¡± Alex reached out to pat his back. Brutus gave a low growl. Alex stopped reaching out to pat his back. Instead, he chose to let his eyes wander over the buildings spread before the gate. He noted the stables and stalls usually staffed to serve travellers entering town. He noted the guardhouse, and the highchairs where ambitious town boys would shine shoes of any who could pay. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss this place,¡± he sighed fondly. ¡°Already?¡± Theresa gave him a look. ¡°We¡¯re not even gone yet. Sure you don¡¯t want to stay?¡± He shrugged helplessly. ¡°What would be the point? I wouldn¡¯t get to stay here anyway.¡± ¡°Well.¡± She took a long look around. ¡°Let¡¯s hope that it¡¯s still here when we get back.¡± Alex reached out and gently rubbed her shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be.¡± ¡°Next!¡± Paul shouted from ahead. The line began moving. ¡°I hope so, Alex,¡± Theresa said in a small voice. They moved toward the gate at a steady pace, and Alex took the time to consider their plan. It was about ten days on foot to the closest town on the sea, and it would be longer with Selina with them; she¡¯d need to be carried part of the way, perhaps by Brutus if Theresa could convince him. They would have to be careful on the road too: the priests would be searching for the Heroes, and The Ravener¡¯s coming would mean monsters would start to roam the land soon. Then there would be the bandits: all these folks on the road would make tempting targets. Anyone fleeing would have to move quickly and preferably in numbers. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°Theresa, you¡¯ve got better eyesight than I do. Maybe look around and see if there¡¯s anyone close by that we know well; someone we could join up with for at least part of the journey. For safety.¡± She glanced at him. ¡°I was just about to suggest that.¡± With predatory focus, she slowly scanned the crowd, letting her eyes drink in every detail. She was turning to look over those that had joined the line behind them when she suddenly froze. ¡°Alex¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I want you to turn around slowly and casually, okay? Don¡¯t panic.¡± He nodded, feeling a knot tightening in his belly. He slowly turned to follow her gaze¡­and froze. At the end of the street, three white robed figures passed through the crowds, pausing to help and comfort those who were readying to leave. Though they were still distant, they were clearly headed for the line. ¡°Oh no,¡± Alex said under his breath. Priests. The priests of Uldar were coming right toward them. They were making their way down the road, their snow white robes standing out in contrast to the colourful garb of the townsfolk. None of them were looking in his direction, but he had a sinking feeling it would only be a matter of time. He was fairly sure that some of the Heroes from past generations¡ªespecially the Fool¡ªwould have tried to run off, but there wasn¡¯t any record of the kingdom failing to find one, only that some had disappeared part way through the journey. His eyes narrowed. They had some way of detecting the marks, he was sure of it, and he had no idea how or at what range. That put him at a disadvantage. His mind continued to work. The fact that they weren¡¯t rushing right for him meant he had not been found out yet, but- ¡°Alex!¡± Theresa hissed. ¡°You¡¯re staring.¡± ¡°Shi-¡± he paused, remembering his little sister was right there. ¡°I mean, crap.¡± He casually faced the gate. The line before them had shrunk considerably: only fifteen people stood between them and freedom, and the guardsmen were moving folks through quickly. His back tingled, and he imagined the priests¡¯ eyes suddenly focusing on it and calling out to him. Maybe if the guards worked quickly enough and the priests lingered, they might be alright. ¡°What¡¯re the priests doing?¡± he whispered to Theresa. She threw another glance over her shoulder nonchalantly. ¡°They¡¯re getting close.¡± Her lips barely moved. He grimaced. It would take too long to get through the line. What could he do? If they cut in line, that would bring focus onto them and create a commotion they would end up getting caught up in. It would also bring attention they didn¡¯t want. He frowned; he had heard of some powerful wizards being able to disappear and appear wherever they wanted. He wished he had that spell. His eyes narrowed in thought. Wishing wouldn¡¯t get him anywhere. He could only use what he had. Think. Adapt. His eyes caught something curious happening up ahead. Six places ahead in the line, a skinny man in a rich doublet was turned on his horse and facing a couple behind him. ¡°Oi, watch yourself,¡± he said loudly to the woman. His face was tense with agitation. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close.¡± He patted something on his belt: a bulging coin purse. ¡°Don¡¯t get too close, yourself,¡± the woman snapped back. ¡°I don¡¯t like the way you¡¯re looking at me.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t much matter what you like or don¡¯t like. Stay back and keep your hands to yourself.¡± The woman¡¯s husband¡ªa big bruiser of a man¡ªstepped forward. ¡°Are you calling my wife a thief?¡± ¡°I¡¯m calling her nothing, but I want my proper space and you¡¯re both too close.¡± ¡°Your horse is taking up half the line and folk are pushing from the back, what do you expect us to do?¡± ¡°I expect you to keep back: I am assistant to the mayor himself!¡± ¡°Then why are you running?¡± The mayor¡¯s assistant sputtered like an angry teapot. ¡°Say something like that again and I¡¯ll see to it that you and your wife spend the next week in the town dungeon.¡± He drew a breath as though he were about to shout for the guards. The bruiser turned red, but said nothing else, and the folk behind him gracefully stepped back so he and his wife could give the pompous ass his space. An idea formed in Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°Theresa, I need you to stand behind me,¡± he whispered. ¡°Block the view of me from the back and tell me if anyone¡¯s watching.¡± She shot a look toward the priests. ¡°If you¡¯re going to do something, do it fast.¡± Theresa casually slid between him and the back of the line, making it look as though she were merely shifting in place. Alex stealthily reached into his pouch, drawing out a handful of gold coins. His eyes focused on the back of the bruiser. Everyone was desperate for enough coin to get on the ships: if he slipped up to him, pressed a couple into his hand and asked him to throw a punch at the jackass on the horse then- ...no, that would make him stand out: anyone would remember someone who paid them to start a fight. His eyes shifted to the rich man¡¯s back. Plan B, then. Alex slipped the coins to his other hand and wedged one between his thumb and index finger. He focused his mind on how he¡¯d made coin tosses in the past, on the best ones he¡¯d ever made. Memories flooded in: images of him flipping coins into the fountain yesterday, the feeling of rolling them back and forth across his fingers, other coin tosses he¡¯d made; flipping and catching coins in the air when he was younger. Each memory organized itself into a guide that pointed out what he had done right each time: which movements of the body had generated distance, how he¡¯d held his hand to determine direction, how much force he¡¯d applied during his best shots. All coalesced into a careful instruction that guided his hand. He watched the people in line between him and his target. When he was sure none were paying attention to him¡­ Ting. He flipped the gold coin forward. Chapter 6: Coin Tricks and Fire Light The coin shot over the heads of the people in front of Alex, drawing a graceful arc through the air. He winced as it missed his target: the back of the mayor¡¯s assistant¡¯s neck, but it did collide with his skinny back. The lean man flinched at the impact as the coin fell to the stones with a clink. The couple behind him did not miss it fall, and the wife was darting for it just as he turned around. ¡°What the-?!¡± He grabbed his purse protectively, his face turning purple. ¡°Thief! Robber! Cutpurse!¡± ¡°Hey, you dropped this!¡± she snapped. ¡°I was going to give it back to you!¡± Alex didn¡¯t know if she was telling the truth, but it didn¡¯t matter: the rich man didn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Guards! Guards!¡± he cried, drawing a sap from his belt. ¡°Hey!¡± the bruiser stepped forward. ¡°You touch my wife with that and you¡¯ll have my fist where your teeth used to be!¡± All eyes turned to the commotion, including the guards¡¯. Alex discretely started flipping more coins toward the front of the line; The Mark improved his aim with each toss, using each previous one as a reference. The gold coins came rolling to a halt at peoples¡¯ feet. Eyes dipped, briefly glancing up to see if it was raining coins, and¡ªdesperate as they were to secure a ship''s passage¡ªmany darted for them without questioning where they were coming from. Some quickly muttered about Uldar¡¯s blessings. ¡°Hey! Get your hands off that one! That¡¯s mine!¡± a man cried. ¡°I saw it first!¡± a woman shouted back. ¡°Thieves! Those are mine! You¡¯re all thieves!¡± the mayor¡¯s assistant shouted and swept out with his sap, striking at someone who darted for a coin near his horse. That turned out to be a mistake, for the person who was stuck by the sap had cried out in pain. And that person was the bruiser¡¯s wife. ¡°That does it!¡± the huge man roared, cocking back a giant fist. Bang! The mayor¡¯s assistant flew off his horse in a limp heap. The brawl was on quickly after that. Curses and punches filled the air as the front of the line disintegrated. ¡°Alex!¡± Selina cried out and as he scooped her up in his arms. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay,¡± he said quickly, resisting the urge to look back. ¡°Theresa, where¡¯re the priests?¡± ¡°They¡¯re looking this way,¡± she hissed. ¡°Crap. Come on, stay behind me and act like everything¡¯s okay.¡± He stepped out of line trying to look as casual as he could. The Mark helpfully flooded him with images of himself walking naturally and calmly. He allowed it to guide his steps, letting guards pass as they sought to break up the brawl, and then stepped up to those who were left at the gate. Peter and Paul stood on either side of the town entrance, shaking their heads at the scrum. ¡°It¡¯s too bad about people.¡± Alex sighed as he reached them. ¡°Neighbours all their lives, and at the first sign of trouble, they eat each other.¡± ¡°Eat each other? Bah, this is no worse than a festival night at the Bear¡¯s Bowl: they¡¯ll have a few bumps, lose a few teeth and be fine afterward.¡± Peter nodded as though he were dolling out ancient wisdom. ¡°If any of us are fine,¡± Paul muttered. ¡°Evil times ahead.¡± There was a pause. ¡°So, do you mind if we cut in line?¡± Alex asked, trusting in the mark as it reminded him what his face looked like when it was calm. His fear that the priests would notice him was mounting. ¡°There is no more line now.¡± Peter brought up his list. ¡°Or at least, whatever line is left, you¡¯re at the front of it: you had the good sense not to start any of this. Come on then, we¡¯ll get you on your way.¡± If Alex didn¡¯t have his arms full of little sister, he might have hugged Peter right then and there. ¡°Right, you three¡­¡± Peter continued. ¡°Names?¡± By the time the brawl had been cleared, Alex and his companions were long past the gate and onto the road. A nervous energy filled him, and he hurried along, passing the folk streaming from the town of Alric. ¡°Are they following us?¡± he asked Theresa for the thirtieth time. ¡°No.¡± She threw a quick look over her shoulder. ¡°Stop asking.¡± ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Selina tried to follow Theresa¡¯s gaze. ¡°Just making sure that fight¡¯s behind us,¡± Alex said quickly, throwing silent gratitude toward his parents and the two guards. When he made full wizard, he really was going to give those two beautiful guardsmen the biggest reward they¡¯d ever seen. He didn¡¯t care if they saw it as a bribe; he¡¯d happily force it into their hands if he had to. ¡°Well, that¡¯s step one,¡± he said to Theresa when they were out of earshot of the gate. With a grunt, he set Selina back on her feet. ¡°Are those people going to be okay, Alex?¡± Selina looked back worriedly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear those kind, honourable, brave guardsmen?¡± he chuckled. ¡°They¡¯ll be fine.¡± Theresa looked at him with suspicion. ¡°How did you do that? Some kind of magic?¡± He couldn¡¯t resist shrugging his marked shoulder meaningfully. ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s call it a kind of magic.¡± He had a feeling he was going to like this mark.
¡°Yeeeessss!¡± Alex cheered. He had struck the flint, sparking the tinder to crackle with a small flame. Carefully, he leaned down, blowing on the little fire as the mark guided him, providing memories of others starting campfires, showing him how to feed it with air to give it more life. Just like pouring mana into a spell array, the flame grew and caught the dried branches he and Theresa had gathered earlier. At last, the wood popped and crackled as he tossed another branch onto the pile. Pleased with his accomplishment, he sighed happily, sat back and slowly began massaging his aching feet. It had been a long day of walking, but they¡¯d made good time. The gloom from surrounding trees receded as their fire grew, matching the host of campfires stoked by other travellers dotting the fields beyond the southern reaches of Coille Forest. ¡°Are you okay, little goblin?¡± he turned to Selina, who was sitting on her sleeping roll a good distance from the flame. ¡°M-mhm,¡± she murmured. ¡°Good job, Alex.¡± Selina would not look toward him, as that would mean looking at the fire; she did not like fire for good reason. Alex had needed two years of self-talk before he was able to work with it without hyperventilating; she was young, she could take as long as she needed. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Forcing himself to stand, he walked over¡ªhis feet complaining with every step¡ªand flopped down beside her at an angle where she wouldn¡¯t have to look at the flame. Her gaze rose slowly. ¡°You¡­you didn¡¯t have to do that. If you want to, you could stay by the fire.¡± Taking a deep breath, she glanced toward the flame and¡ªto his surprise¡ªmanaged to look at it for a few heartbeats before quickly turning away. ¡°I want to be like you one day¡­and be able to look at it.¡± A steely note entered her voice. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be afraid of fire anymore.¡± With a smile, he reached out and patted her head. ¡°Were you practicing?¡± She closed her eyes, taking another deep breath, and silently nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m proud of you, but you don¡¯t need to rush yourself. Take as much time as you want, and it¡¯s okay if it gets too scary.¡± He leaned back and undid his cloak, taking in the air of the warm summer night. During the day, it had grown very hot, but fear of The Mark glowing like when it first appeared made him want as many layers over his shoulder as possible. He had drawn some odd looks, but since he was naturally taller than most folk¡ªand his group did include a cerberus¡ªhe¡¯d draw some attention no matter what. He figured he could live with the looks. Shaking off his contemplation, he looked to the ¡®project¡¯ Selina was working on. In her small hands was a strange figure of dried twigs in the shape of a person, held together by carefully tied lengths of long grass. Even as she watched her brother, her clever little fingers busied themselves attaching another twig to a wooden ¡®arm¡¯ to represent a tiny sword. Alex smiled warmly. ¡°What¡¯s your new friend¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Forrest,¡± she said as though it were the most logical thing in the world. ¡°He¡¯ll be finished soon, then I¡¯ll put him with his friends.¡± Alex glanced over his shoulder; a line of three dolls stood beside Selina¡¯s sleeping roll with their feet stuck into the earth, posed in a rough diorama. She had more materials set aside to make another one. Throughout the day, she''d been making them surprisingly quickly during the walk. He supposed he shouldn''t have been all that surprised at the speed: her room at the inn was filled with constructed little fortresses, houses, and castles of wooden bricks carved for her by Mr. Lu. Tiny people made of clay filled the constructions with a reflection of daily life as seen through her eyes. ¡°And who are his friends?¡± he grinned at her. She grinned back at him. ¡°They¡¯re the Heroes!¡± Alex laughed ruefully. Of course she would make the Heroes. ¡°And which ones have you made so far?¡¯ She pointed excitedly to the large one that had twigs extending from his ¡®head¡¯ like horns on a helmet. ¡°That¡¯s the Champion,¡± she said proudly. ¡°That¡¯s the Sage- '''' She pointed to one with a long twig like a staff. ¡°That¡¯s the Saint-'''' She pointed to another holding a construction of grass twisted together in the shape of a raised hand: the symbol of Uldar. ¡°And this,¡± she held up the figure in her hands. ¡°Is the Chosen!¡± ¡°Well, that explains the sword and The Mark.¡± He eyed her handiwork. She had used a stick to scrape a rough, tiny Mark of the Chosen into the doll¡¯s chest: a set of scales representing the balance of combat, divinity and spellcraft, as well as the balance in Thameland that they were meant to restore. He idly wondered what would have happened had a glowing golden set of scales appeared on his shoulder instead of the grinning face of a jester. He¡¯d likely be running nowhere, and instead would be on his way to the capital to lead the march against The Ravener. He probably wouldn¡¯t be happy about being The Chosen, but wouldn¡¯t have a choice but to do his duty if he wanted a home to return to. After all, the Heroes could lose a Fool. A Chosen? Not so much. ¡°Are you going to carve The Fool next?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± She nodded as she finished tying the sword to her little Chosen¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m going to make him funny and have him stand on one leg or something. Maybe I¡¯ll give him a frying pan or something for a weapon.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯d definitely bring pandaemonium to his enemies that way.¡± ¡°Uuuuuggh,¡± she glanced up at him and made a face. ¡°Your jokes are gross.¡± ¡°Not as gross as your face, little goblin.¡± Frowning, she stuck her tongue out at him. He responded by pulling up the tip of his nose and snorting like a pig. ¡°This is youuuu.¡± He pointed to his own face. ¡°That is not a good look for you,¡± Theresa¡¯s voice said from behind him. ¡°Holy sh-¡± He jumped, catching himself at the last moment. The young huntress was silently stepping into the firelight with her bow tucked over her shoulder and the massive Brutus padding loyally at her side. She had an amused smile as she hoisted up two pairs of rabbits. ¡°Supper¡¯s here,¡± she said proudly. ¡°And you have Brutus to thank. You really should be nicer to him, Alex.¡± ¡°What!?¡± he protested. ¡°He wants to eat my face, and I¡¯m trying to be nice to him.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re trying to win him over, and he knows that. He can smell the bad intentions coming off of you.¡± She crouched by the fire and drew her knife. ¡°I have no bad intentions! I¡¯ve never had a bad intention in my life!¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to try and domesticate him? Make him play fetch and beg?¡± He froze. ¡°N-no, I¡¯d never.¡± ¡°Riiiight. Come help me skin these.¡± ¡°Coming, grandmother.¡± She paused, looking over her shoulder. ¡°What was that, Mr. I-Don¡¯t-Want-To-Have-Meat-Tonight?¡± ¡°I said I¡¯m coming, oh beautiful and mighty huntress.¡± She stared at him for a moment before turning away. ¡°Damn right.¡± Between Theresa, himself and The Mark of the Fool guiding him, the skinning and cleaning of the rabbits went quickly. When it was time to cook them, he shooed Theresa away from the fire. After four years helping McHarris and Mrs. Lu in their respective kitchens, food had become his domain. Calling upon The Mark of the Fool to guide him through his greatest successes over stove and oven, he spitted the rabbits and glazed them with an apple-honey sauce he¡¯d recreated from one of McHarris¡¯ recipes. Next he crushed a light sprinkling of salt, rosemary, and thyme, and rubbed them into the meat. Normally, he would have let it sit and marinate for a time, but he could already hear Selina¡¯s belly rumbling. And his wasn¡¯t exactly silent either. Hsssss. Fat dripped into the fire, popping and steaming as he carefully turned the rabbits, filling the air with the inviting aroma of roasting meat. He smiled as The Mark methodically brought up memories of his best meals, highlighting all the times he had roasted meats to perfection. And judging by the way Theresa and Selina tore into the finished product, and how a drooling Brutus stared with envy, it seemed that he had outdone himself. ¡°Alex, this is so good!¡± Selina said, as juices dripped down her chin. ¡°It¡¯s even better than usual,¡± Theresa agreed while wiping Selina¡¯s face. Brutus licked his chops. Alex grinned as he bit into his own. It was delicious. By now, Brutus was whining pitifully, and before Theresa could move to feed him, Alex snatched up the fourth rabbit and tossed it in front of the cerberus¡¯ faces. ¡°Good eating,¡± he said to him cheerfully. Three pairs of eyes looked at him suspiciously, but the heads they belonged to soon dipped and tucked into his meal. Alex smiled behind his food. ¡®Just as planned,¡¯ he thought.
A red forceball winked into life above his hand after his third try at the spell. Shuddering from the effort, the bombardment of his previous failures finally receded into the back of his mind, and he set the glowing orb to float a few feet above his head. He sat at the edge of their clearing, facing the southern fields, watching the other fires slowly wink out as the night deepened. Behind him, he could hear Selina¡¯s quiet snoring and Brutus¡¯ grumble as he rolled over in his sleep. ¡°Here,¡± Theresa whispered, handing him a cup of steaming pine needle tea. The woodsy scent filled Alex¡¯s nose as he took the small tin cup and drew a long sip. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said looking at her as she slipped down to sit close to him. ¡°You can get some sleep now if you want; I¡¯ve got first watch.¡± Sipping from her own cup, she leaned against the trunk of an oak. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to sleep yet.¡± She sighed in contentment. For a time, the two friends sat together at the edge of the forest, watching the lights in the field below and the stars in the night sky above. The wind was low and warm, and the trees rustled peacefully. From somewhere in the field, someone had produced a set of pipes and was playing them by their campfire. Crickets chirped through the night. Alex took a deep breath, drinking in the peace of the moment. He idly wondered if such sights existed within the land of Generasi. But, knowing that in two months or slightly more he would be finding out for himself, the thrill of anticipation bloomed within him. If it weren''t for the nagging reminder lurking in the back of his mind that ancient evil was descending on the land, he could have easily thought that the folks in the field peaceably bedding down were simply camping in wait for a festival, instead of fleeing the near end of all things. It was strange how people could find the calmest comfort in the most trying times. ¡°Did it ever cross your mind to stay? All jokes aside?¡± Theresa¡¯s voice asked quietly in the dark. The red light of Alex¡¯s spell strangely brought out the sculpted beauty of her face in new ways. He had to catch himself, otherwise he¡¯d be staring at her for half the night. He wasn¡¯t so stupid to not realize that he¡¯d developed a strong crush on his oldest friend, but he had never had time to examine it. Maybe he would on this journey. ¡°Honestly, I thought about it earlier: if I¡¯d gotten a different mark,¡± he admitted, settling further back against the tree. He felt the gentle course of mana through the forceball¡¯s magic circuit. ¡°I¡¯d have no choice then, but I don¡¯t know if that would have been good or bad. But I meant what I said back at the gate, I¡¯m going to miss Alric and I¡¯m going to miss Thameland.¡± He sighed. ¡°A lot.¡± He glanced over to Theresa and his breath caught to find her sharp brown eyes staring right at him. ¡°What about you?¡± he managed to ask. ¡°You asked me if you could come with me, but you didn¡¯t have to. What made you decide to come?¡± A part of him dearly hoped she would say ¡®for you¡¯. Chapter 7: Good Dreams and Bad Luck Theresa continued to watch him for a moment, before sighing and turning away. ¡°I have dreams too, you know?¡± Something passed through her expression, too quick for Alex to catch. He paused. ¡°Yeah, I mean, that¡¯s what makes people wake up in the morning, right? Well, that and work. You never told me about your dreams before, though. What are they?¡± The young huntress¡¯ gaze drifted fondly over the fields, before rising up to the southern horizon. ¡°Well¡­Alric¡¯s my home, and I love it, but it¡¯s not where a smart person would have big dreams, is it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s¡­comfortable.¡± She frowned as she searched for the right word. ¡°It¡¯s safe, most people have enough to eat and neighbours treat each other well. You can grow up there, work there, have a family and be happy there.¡± ¡°...I feel a ¡®but¡¯ coming.¡± Alex said. ¡°But there¡¯s not much to it, is there?¡± She looked at him sharply. ¡°I¡¯ve explored most of the Coille Woods¡ªat least as deep as I want to go¡ªraised Brutus and walked about as far south, east and west as I could while still making it back home before dark. And then...that¡¯s it.¡± She shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s nothing new anymore. Nothing exciting or dangerous-¡± ¡°Dangerous?¡± Alex raised an eyebrow. ¡°It¡¯s pretty dangerous right now.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too dangerous. You remember when grandfather used to tell stories about my great-grandfather?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, ¡®Twin-Blade Lu: most feared man to sail under the Tarim-Lung Navy,¡± he chuckled, fondly remembering how he¡¯d crowded into the Lu¡¯s inn with his own father and mother¡ªwho was pregnant with Selina at the time¡ªand watched the old Lu patriarch weave stories in front of the hearth. It was back when fire held a different meaning to him. ¡°He sailed with the ambassador¡¯s own crew,¡± he recalled. ¡°And fought off a hundred pirate ships before he retired. Fell in love with Thameland on a journey here, and ended up bringing his family.¡± Theressa smiled. ¡°I loved those stories.¡± ¡°I know, you-¡± ¡°No, I mean I wanted to be in them.¡± She spread her hands. ¡°Adventure, seeing different lands, battles, fear¡­I wanted all that. Why do you think I dodged knitting lessons and kept going into the woods? I was so glad that my brothers were shit with a bow.¡± ¡°I...I don¡¯t think those adventures were so happy for him at the time,¡± he said carefully. ¡°Exciting maybe.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she growled in frustration. ¡°When others weren¡¯t around, grandfather would tell us about some of the bad parts that his father told him: that¡¯s what made me think twice about running off. Great-grandfather buried too many of his friends at sea. Sometimes I¡¯d still think about leaving though¡ªand I still might have¡ªbut then¡­your parents.¡± She sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Alex.¡± He grimaced. ¡°Thanks. It put things in perspective, didn¡¯t it? There was Selina to think about. The future¡­¡± He trailed off. She gave him another long look. ¡°Right. The future. That¡¯s what I thought about too: what would mother, father, my brothers¡­you¡­what would any of you think if something happened to me? So I thought I¡¯d better just grow up. There¡¯s a lot in Alric to be thankful for: my family, my friends¡­¡± She paused. ¡°But then,¡± he said. ¡°You heard that The Ravener was coming, and you thought, ¡®why not¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± She ran her hand through her midnight-black hair. ¡°But mostly I found out that you were preparing to run off to wizard land for Uldar knows how long, and didn¡¯t tell anybody.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°Sorry, I thought it wasn¡¯t that likely I¡¯d get in, and I would¡¯ve gotten everyone¡¯s hopes up for nothing.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I only got the acceptance letter the day before yesterday, and I was going to tell you all last night. Like a little birthday announcement.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been disappointed,¡± she muttered. ¡°And maybe knowing would have made me think about my own path earlier. Here I was staying to be the responsible one, while you were looking to take Selina and go off to a wonder of the world. So, when I heard everyone was leaving Thameland, I thought¡­why not? I can see this wizard city for myself. And¡­¡± She shifted in place. ¡°...we¡¯d be together. You, me and Selina.¡± Her eyes watched him closely. His heartbeat started to quicken. There was a hint there. It might have been hope making him see it, but he was sure it was there. ¡°I-¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± she raised her hand suddenly. He startled, his head turning every which way. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Shhh!¡± Theresa was on her feet in an instant, her sharp eyes scanning the dark. ¡°Listen.¡± Alex shut his mouth and held his breath. And he heard¡­nothing. The wind had stopped. Crickets had fallen silent, and he could only hear the pipes playing in the south. Alone, they went from ¡®cheery¡¯ to ¡®eerie¡¯. ¡°I...can¡¯t hear anything,¡± he whispered. ¡°Exactly. The forest is never this quiet.¡± Theresa slipped back into the circle of firelight with Alex following close behind. She crept to her sleeping roll and rummaged through it. When she rose, she had tied her quiver to her belt and had her bow in hand. On her opposite hip gleamed two blades: her massive hunting knife and¡ªto his surprise¡ªone of her great-grandfather¡¯s swords. As she silently went to wake Brutus, Alex moved near his sleeping sister and turned to peer into the trees opposite Theresa. This way, they¡¯d be covering most directions. Or so he hoped. He willed his forceball to drift a few feet ahead of him; it illuminated the foliage beyond the reach of the fire with its red light. He injected slightly more mana into the circuit and the glow brightened. A low, ominous hum groaned from the orb. There was a scrambling as Brutus woke and rose to his feet, growling from all three heads. Selina groaned in her sleep. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°No,¡± he said, willing the forceball to rise higher. The humming spell drifted until it was just below the branches of the forest canopy. Its light bathed the undergrowth ahead and branches above, but he could see no movement or shape up ahead. He swallowed saliva and fear. ¡°You?¡± The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Brutus growled, and Alex heard rustling as the cerberus turned in place. ¡°...no.¡± Theresa admitted. ¡°But something¡¯s wrong.¡± Alex believed her; it felt like ice was crawling over his spine, but no matter how long he looked, he couldn¡¯t see anything in the trees. He decided to risk a glance backward. ¡°Theresa, what do you-¡± He stopped dead. She couldn¡¯t see it from her position. Brutus couldn¡¯t smell it either. But he could see it. The red glow of his orb outlined shadows in the trees above. There¡ªsliding along the bark of an oak near Theresa¡¯s side¡ªwas the shadow of a blade, long and wickedly curved. Slowly, his gaze drifted higher until he was looking into the tree directly above him. Something was nestled among the branches, illuminated by the fire and the red light of the forceball. It looked like a cross between a spider and a giant crayfish. Its long, armoured tail wrapped around the tree-trunk and each of its eight legs ended in long, scythe-like blades, which bit into the bark. Its front claws were pointed shears, long enough to cut Alex in half with one snip. Its jaws were wolf-like and had no lips to hide massive fangs. Despite its densely armoured exoskeleton, it crept down the side of the tree in an eerie silence. It paused, meeting his horrified eyes with eight dead, black orbs. Alex screamed. It tensed. He grabbed his shocked little sister just before it lunged. Thmp. He hit the ground hard, rolling away just as it crashed into the earth with all eight sword-like legs. They dug deep where he and Selina had been. The thing had landed in complete silence. Only the crunch of Selina¡¯s Hero dolls shattering could be heard. ¡°Aleeex!¡± the little girl screamed. The monster reared up on its back legs, its jaws parting as if screeching, but no sound came out. ¡°Here! Over here!¡± Theresea cried. Crack. An arrow glanced uselessly off the spider¡¯s armour as it rushed for the prone forms of Alex and his sister. The blades on its back legs silently churned the earth. Its claws clacked together in rapid succession: the only sound as it rushed forward. Gritting his teeth, Alex mentally grasped the forceball and drove it toward the monster¡¯s head. The Mark flooded him as soon as he aimed at the monster. Every failure of throwing coins, rocks, sticks or anything else blasted into his mind, shaking his concentration. Through the mental noise, there was one thought: protect Selina. Through brute force of will, he blasted the spell at the creature¡¯s head, but his aim was shaky. Crack. The red forceball missed the head, but drove into the creature¡¯s large body with terrible force, sending it stumbling sideways. Bang. Then three sets of fangs were on it. With the creature off balance, Brutus had barreled into it with all heads snarling, knocking it onto its side. He jumped on its underbelly as it rolled onto its back. He was too close for it to bend its bladed legs and strike him. Crunch. Powerful jaws bit down, crushing chitin and pulping the meat beneath. It writhed beneath the cerberus, trying to buck him off. Theresa loosed two more arrows, cursing as they bounced off its flailing legs. She spotted a large rock and hefted it over her head, jumping onto the spider¡¯s tail. Forcing her full weight down on it, she pressed the creature in place, then crashed the stone into the joints of the chitin. Holding tightly to his screaming sister, Alex mentally grasped the forceball as it flickered, poured more mana into it to re-energize the spell, then tried to direct it into the beast''s soft underbelly. Again The Mark flooded him with a stream of failures, snapping his concentration. The orb crashed to the earth. Cursing, he poured more mana to reactivate it, conscious that his reserves were running low. Brutus suddenly yelped as a blade scraped his side; his tough hide narrowly saved him from being split open. ¡°Shit!¡± Alex cursed again. He had to do something different: Brutus couldn¡¯t fend off those blades forever, Theresa was only starting to crack the shell, and The Mark wasn¡¯t letting him direct his spell properly. And, if he shot at it like he did the first time, he might hit one of his companions. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. A thought occurred to him: The Mark flooded him with failures, but not those related to spellcraft. These had to do with combat. Think. Adapt. His eyes narrowed, fixing on the beast¡¯s open maw. What if he didn¡¯t try to hurt it? He slowly called the orb from where it rested on the earth, willing it to gently drift around the creature. No flood came. Concentrating, he gradually pushed it closer to the beast¡¯s snapping jaws. On reflex, it bit the orb, but its teeth slid off. Alex focused, gently pushing the ball further into the beast¡¯s open mouth. The clearing darkened as the forceball''s red glow slipped into the spider''s throat and down its windpipe. No flood came. It began to panic and thrash, silently choking. Alex continued to will the orb deeper until the spell would go no further. Something had stopped the forceball. Gritting his teeth, he grasped the spell. The Mark flooded him again, but now, it made no difference. The orb was inside the monster. Distractions or not, he couldn¡¯t miss. He drove the forceball into the side of the monster¡¯s core, forcing it to ricochet as hard as he could around its insides. He felt the spell slam into organs. Crunch. The orb crashed into something that burst. ¡°Screeeeeeeee!¡± the spider shrieked. Suddenly, its muffled screams could be heard. Its claws snipped uselessly in the air. Alex smashed his spell through its insides until whitish-grey blood poured from its jaws. Crnch. Theresa had cracked the shell on its tail. She dropped the rock and stabbed her hunting knife into the gap, twisting the blade. Insectile blood sprayed her face and hands. Its leg movements weakened and Brutus lunged. Two of his heads seized the beast''s armoured shoulders. His middle jaws bit deep into its neck, cutting off its air. Then he twisted and pulled. Rrrrrp! Its throat tore out. The monster choked and shuddered. It fell limp beneath the cerberus. The sound of panting filled the clearing and Alex¡¯s heartbeat quieted in his ears. Shouts and cries arose from the fields. A man¡¯s voice yelled from the forest. ¡°Hello! Are you okay? Stay there, I¡¯m coming for you!¡± ¡°There¡¯s monsters in the woods!¡± someone cried. ¡°Break camp, break camp!¡± Groaning, Alex pulled the flickering forceball from the dead creature as Brutus rolled off of it. ¡°What was that!? What was that?!¡± Selina sobbed into his shirt. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he wheezed out. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Whimpering, she shook her head into his clothes. ¡°Were you scared?¡± She nodded into his clothes. ¡°So was I.¡± He stroked her back, looking worriedly toward Theresa. ¡°Are you and Brutus okay?¡± She was rushing toward them, pale with worry. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± She knelt beside them. ¡°Are you both alright?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he panted. Nodding, she quickly ran over to Brutus and gasped. ¡°It hurt you!¡± Theresa cursed and dug into her bag. As she did, a group crashed into the clearing from behind Alex: men and women armed with torches and assorted weapons. ¡°We heard a devil-like racket,¡± a bearded man said cautiously. ¡°Is everyone oka-Uldar¡¯s beard!¡± He gasped, along with several others. ¡°What in all heavens is that thing?!¡± Alex opened his mouth to answer. ¡°It¡¯s a silence-spider,¡± a strong voice named it from the other side of the clearing. All turned to follow the sound. The brush crashed. A young man stepped through the undergrowth, into the light of fire and the forceball¡¯s red glow. Alex¡¯s breath stopped. The newcomer was about his age and nearly as tall as he was, but corded with the powerful muscles of a warrior. Red hair fell to his shoulders and he gripped a strange spear of shining white metal. Alex¡¯s eyes widened. The stranger¡¯s other hand held the head of a silence-spider. It looked like it had come from one at least twice the size of the creature that had nearly killed them. He was shirtless, and his chest and arms were covered in blue woad tattoos of knots and spirals. What drew Alex¡¯s horrified eyes, though, was the tattoo on the young man¡¯s chest. It glowed gold: a shining set of scales just above his heart. The Mark of the Chosen. The Heroes¡¯ leader had walked right into their camp. He looked directly at Alex and smiled as though he had run into a long-lost brother. ¡°You got a great gift, friend,¡± he said. ¡°Glad I found you.¡± Grand Announcement: Paperback, Audiobook and E-book! Hey everybody! So, I¡¯ve gotten the green light to give you all an announcement that I¡¯ve been super excited about. Mark of the Fool will be published on Amazon. (Some of you figured it out already and yes, that¡¯s true). But that¡¯s not all! In addition to its release on Kindle Unlimited, it will also be receiving an audiobook narrated by none other than the great, the magnificent¡­TRAVIS BALDREE! Yes! Some of you folk might know him from the narration of Primal Hunter, Unbound and a series called Cradle. Words cannot describe how excited I am for this. Also, also...a paperback is coming too. (THAT is making me freak out the most!) The whole thing¡¯s been professionally edited (for 17,000 changes, according to word). So with it being on kindle unlimited, I¡¯ll be taking down chapters 8 to 75. Originally, I had up to chapter 162 as book 1 but uh¡­my publisher told me that it would¡¯ve actually been too big, so I needed to split it up. (It was over 400k, lol) If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.Which means what was book 1 on Royal Road is now volume 1 and volume 2 on Amazon. And I¡¯ve got a cover for volume 1! (My publisher even got me one of those fancy animated covers! And for those of you who love the RR cover? Don¡¯t worry. That¡¯s going to be the Amazon cover for volume 2. (Since Claygon doesn¡¯t exist by chapter 75) Special thanks to all of you. Without you, none of this would be possible. Here¡¯s the link to the amazon page: royalroad.com/amazon/B0B134YJYF/ I¡¯ll definitely post it again. And seriously. Thank you for walking this path with me. The Amazon Launch of Mark of the Fool: Paperback, Audio and Kindle! [+more] Hello everyone, I just want to thank you all so so much! Today is the day! It¡¯s my great pleasure (and rapidly rising shock/panic) to announce the launch of my debut published novel Mark of the Fool Book 1, available now through Amazon¡¯s Kindle Unlimited, Paperback¡­and¡­oh there was something else¡­ Oh yeah, as an audiobook narrated by the great, the almighty Travis Baldree, who has narrated such greats as Primal Hunter, Unbound and this lil¡¯ story that you MIGHT have heard of called Cradle. He also recorded this amazing trailer found here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-LI3yGFQaA) I¡¯m really excited about the audio because Audible is having an amazing cash sale right now! It was really lucky the way it happened during my launch, but means that for the next 5 days you can get the audiobook for 1 credit or $8.63 USD in the current sale (regular price is 24.95 USD) so it¡¯s pretty much the best time to jump into the series on audio. You can get it through these links: Amazon: https://mybook.to/markofthefool1 Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/B0B6JPQXR6/?source_code=AUDFPWS0223189MWT-BK-ACX0-316942&ref=acx_bty_BK_ACX0_316942_rh_us This...is the realization of a life long dream. A truly life long dream. Your support for me in these times moves me to tears. Seriously. Now, some people have asked how they can help. Here it is: Reviews and Ratings on Amazon (keeping in mind that anything below a 5 on amazon basically is a downvote because their ratings skew up) will REALLY help me right now, and the nice thing is that you don''t need to buy the book to rate or review. So if anyone wouldn''t mind jumping on amazon.com and doing that, that would be fantastic. (Or your local amazon). Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. I don''t normally like to ask for much; this really helps me, though. A download on kindle unlimited helps too, if you have it. Makes the algorithm like the book more. Upvoting these posts can help me a bunch too:
https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/xja5nw/mark_of_the_fool_book_1_launch_starring_a_chosen/ 2. https://www.reddit.com/r/Fantasy/comments/xja04q/selfpromotion_mark_of_the_fool_book_1_launch/ (If you comment on this one you''re entered in for a giveaway for a medallion. Only 3 tho, and only for the U.S. because of shipping). 3. https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_RPG/comments/xjarqa/my_pathfinderinspired_novel_mark_of_the_fool/
Thank you so much for all your help. And to celebrate, I''ll be posting three chapters for today''s update in the next hour! Thank you all so much! P.S. Also thank you so much, we''ve sold over 70 medallions! Thank you all so much! Mark of the Fool Book 2 out today in e-book, paperback, audio! (todays chapter coming soon) Helloooooo everybody! Welp, it''s that time! Today''s chapter is coming later today, I''m a bit swamped at the moment, but I''m here to announce... BOOK 2 IS OUT!!!! Book 2 Amazon: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0BFCD4LM5 Book 2 Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mark-of-the-Fool-2-Audiobook/B0BK9Y83LV I''m super pumped guys, and I''m once again asking for a wee favour, since amazon/audible is having a glitch. Basically, there''s some delays in updates in their ranking system plus audio preorders are going out slowly today. As such, I need some help! If anyone, can leaving a rating on amazon, downloading the book if you have KU and leaving a rating on audible will help me immensely. Also, I would love some upvotes on these posts, if you have reddit: 1. https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/108b7t7/mark_of_the_fool_2_is_out_today/ A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. 2. https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/108b7to/mark_of_the_fool_2_is_out_today/ 3. https://www.reddit.com/r/Pathfinder_RPG/comments/108bg74/the_sequel_to_pathfinderinspired_novel_mark_of/ 4. https://www.reddit.com/r/audible/comments/108b7yt/mark_of_the_fool_2_is_out_narrated_by_travis/ 5. https://www.reddit.com/r/audiobooks/comments/108b7za/mark_of_the_fool_2_is_out_narrated_by_travis/ Thank you all for walking with me on this journey so far. You''re all wonderful! Alright, I''m back to editing today''s chapter! Cya! Special Announcement: New Book on Royal Road (No, this will not slow down Fool lol) NEW STORY, SUMMED UP BY MEME AND EXPANDED ON AFTER MEME Hey everybody! I just wanted to tell you that I am releasing a new project on royal road that was co-written by me and my good friend CJ Thompson. We will be releasing it onto amazon, but I figured I would serialise it on RR for anyone that wants to read! It will be updating Sunday-Friday.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. It''s a litRPG progression fantasy. As for what it''s about, well, I''ll let the cover and blurb do my talking for me (seriously the cover is sick, even if you ain''t interested in reading it, check out the cover). Now, don''t feel P.S. This will not interfere with Fool''s scheduled updates at all. Fool will still continue to update Tues-Sat as usual. :) MARK OF THE FOOL BOOK 4 AUDIO HAS LAUUUUNCHED! Hello everybody! Well, folks have been asking about this for a time and the time has arrived. MARK OF THE FOOL BOOK 4''S AUDIOBOOK HAS HIT AUDIBLE, NARRATED BY TRAVIS BALDREE. Lots and lots of folk have been asking about this, and I''m so happy it''s here. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. You can find it through this link: Link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mark-of-the-Fool-4-Audiobook/B0CK8XBNVL Thank you for your patience. Y''all are wonderful. :) Enjoy the battle of the windmill in Travis'' dulcet tones! ENJOY! Now for Fool update in like...5 seconds! Chapter 711: The Knock on the Door (beginning of book 9) Seeing the capital of the Empire¡ªSorkovo¡ªfor the first time was quite a surprise to Alex. It looked nothing¡ªexcept for the mounds of snow¡ªlike he¡¯d imagined, leaving him wondering why the capital city of such a vast and powerful Empire would look so dull. Cobblestone streets and stone walls were a sea of grey, making the Irtyshenans seem to almost blend into their surroundings; Alex was yet to find a single one who wasn¡¯t dressed in varying shades of grey. Birger had called Sorkovo ¡®the grey city¡¯, and the group now understood why the name fit so perfectly. Alex was convinced that the only colours that existed in this city, whose atmosphere resembled storm clouds, was in the bronze of its temples¡¯ domes, and the red peaks of its palace¡¯s towers. Bronze, blood-red and grey, the only three colours anywhere to be seen in this grim place. Or, so he¡¯d thought. Theresa had pointed to high windows on tall houses on either side of the street where a stunning difference was revealed. Rooms on the main floor of these sober buildings featured walls and flooring of deep brown and black, accented by bare grey stone. Yet, a world of warm and vibrant colour bloomed above. Upstairs, walls of deep blue, bright yellow, verdant green, and even fiery orange stood in sharp contrast to the drabness outside, and one floor below. Colours of springtime and hot summer days; of life, laughter and vigour filled the upper rooms in Sorkovo¡¯s buildings. Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose, as he watched scenes playing out through the windows; people laughing and touching each other as they shared steaming drinks. Music drifted from the upper floors, reaching the street through thick stone, giving passersby just a faint hint of its melody. ¡®So that¡¯s how these Sorkovans are,¡¯ he thought. ¡®To strangers and in public, they¡¯re reserved. But, at home, they¡¯re warm, friendly and live surrounded by vibrant colours. It¡¯s much the same way they treat the so-called barbarians from outside their realm; cold and nasty to those beyond their borders, but warm and comforting to each other in private.¡¯ The more he thought about the idea, the more it seemed to make sense. He glanced around at the tall, dour-looking people, pushing past each other through the cold and crowds of the morning, going about their business. ¡®Of course, they can¡¯t just act cold and flat with each other; they live in a tough environment, they¡¯d need to cooperate with their neighbours to survive,¡¯ he thought. ¡®They¡¯d need help chopping wood and moving snow in the harsh winters up here; the environment¡¯s the enemy that unites them. I guess all their hatred of the rune-marked would unite them as well.¡¯ He remembered something that Baelin had said once: ¡°Usually, officers spend a great deal of time painting the realm¡¯s enemies as something less than people,¡± the ancient wizard had said. ¡°There is a reason the Irtyshenans expound the view that only they possess true civilization while all others outside of their reach are considered barbarians or monsters. It aids in their lust for conquering.¡± ¡®A hard climate that they have to band together to deal with¡­while seeing the rest of the world around them as barbarians and monsters,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Makes these people cooperate with each other, and keeps them ready to fight threats from outside. I wonder if that philosophy was given to them by their gods, or was a natural part of their culture, or was created by their leaders?¡¯ He¡¯d likely never know its origins, but still, he took some hope from seeing that warm side of them. Maybe since he had a connection to Kelda, the Guild of the Red Mouse, might welcome¡ª ¡°Ah, I see they haven¡¯t stopped that old practice,¡± Birger said suddenly, pulling Alex from his reverie. ¡°That¡¯s what they do to thieves in these parts.¡± He nodded toward a central square off in the distance. The group followed his gaze. Alex, Theresa, and Bjorgrund sharply inhaled the frigid air. Evenly spaced within the centre of the square, a line of ten gibbets, with iron cages suspended from the tall structures, were on display for all to see. Ashen corpses clad in ragged grey loin-cloths were frozen upright in each cage, the tight space too narrow for a human of average height to either stand or kneel in. Frost tinged their hair and had turned their skin blue. ¡°First, they chop off their hands,¡± he whispered. ¡°That¡¯s the penalty for thieving, and then they¡¯re left to the elements for a stretch of three weeks. If they live, they get set free¡ªhandless, of course¡ªbecause the way the Irtyshenans see it, their gods are offering these wayward thieves a second chance. If they die, they die, and their bodies are left out as a warning to all thieves, murderers and other criminals to not break the law here.¡± ¡°Nice place,¡± Bjorgrund rumbled. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Theresa echoed distantly. ¡°They execute people in Generasi, but they don¡¯t leave dead bodies around like that.¡± ¡°So much for us getting a friendly welcome from you know who,¡± Alex muttered, eyeing the blue corpses. He was reminded of the caged humans at Kaz-Mowang¡¯s palace.
¡°This is the street,¡± Birger whispered. The group had walked through the ancient city of Sorkovo¡ªpassing many different districts¡ªfinally reaching a quarter that was quieter than the rest. Most of the buildings they¡¯d passed on the way here were old, but were well maintained. They¡¯d noticed evidence of repairs having been done to some facades, and they were also clean and free of grime. Along the way, they¡¯d come across crews of labourers¡ªhigh up on scaffolding¡ªusing wire brushes and rough rags, polishing away built up soot, dirt, and bird droppings from structures and important looking statues. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Yet here, in this quarter, there were no cleaning crews to be seen. The buildings were smaller, and the area felt and looked rural. There were no monuments lining these streets however, and jagged cracks seemed to be as much a part of the stonework, mortar and weather-beaten timbers, as ice was to these streets. Most roofs resembled patchwork quilts, with shingles missing here and there. More than a few structures had collapsed on themselves, leaving their insides exposed to the wrath of the elements. Streets were narrow, winding and muddy, travelled by just a few folk who kept their heads down and hard eyes darting around, keeping their distance from each other. Alex heard little laughter, and what he did hear was low and gruff. Every window on any buildings with upper floors was shuttered. There was a distinct feeling of decay here, of age and a decrepitness that hung over the quarter, as though it was the weathered ancestor that in a time long past, had spawned the rest of the city. Perhaps it had. The street Birger had led them to was ancient; the buildings were of wood and stone, squat and single-storied. Some had the look of an old stable, some storehouses, others smithies and general stores. Alex could feel the spirit of an old village here, one left behind long ago. At the end of the street stood a great, stone barn, looming above the other buildings. ¡°There?¡± Alex whispered. ¡°No, they wouldn¡¯t be in a place that stood out so much,¡± Birger said. ¡°Come.¡± The firbolg hobbled along, leading the group toward a small, indistinct, storehouse. Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose; the place looked about the size of Birger and Bjorgrund¡¯s cottage. He doubted anyone could run an organisation as complex as a thieves guild from there. ¡°Careful,¡± Theresa whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t look, but we¡¯re being watched. People are in some of these old houses around here.¡± Alex kept his eyes looking forward, calling on the energies of the Traveller, ready to get Claygon and his staff should he need to. ¡°Father, do you need help?¡± Bjorgrund asked, as the old firbolg limped up the wooden steps of the storehouse and onto its porch. ¡°I said, I¡¯m fine, boy¡­now give me a moment. All of you, don¡¯t say anything, I have to try and remember¡­¡± he paused. The others looked at each other while Birger muttered to himself, standing before the dark, worn door. It must have been solid and well crafted at one time to have lasted through the years without shattering, but now, it seemed to be barely attached to its hinges. Alex imagined that it could easily fall with a good swift kick, and the cracks around the doorframe only confirmed that for him. ¡®Is this really where the guild is?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Maybe there¡¯s a trapdoor in the floor or something, and the guild¡¯s operation is below ground?¡¯ For a moment, he considered teleporting inside¡ªthough that could be a big problem if the place was warded¡ªwhen Birger suddenly drove his crutch into the floorboards. ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± he hissed. ¡°I remember now.¡± Raising his left hand, he balled his fingers into a tight fist and gave the door three firm raps withhis knuckles. Then paused. He gave it another two knocks. Another pause. One more pause. A final knock. And he waited. Complete silence. Alex glanced at Bjorgrund and Theresa, the pair shrugged. ¡°That was the knock,¡± Birger whispered, trying to peek through a crack in the door. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡± He stepped back, his eyes slowly scanning the building. ¡°This is the place, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I thought you knew where it was, father,¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I do, I do¡­but it has been centuries now¡­¡± the old giant pondered, glancing down the street. ¡°Perhaps I mixed up the buildings¡­or the streets¡ª¡± Brutus¡¯ heads and ears suddenly perked up. He sniffed the air, then whirled about, teeth bared. Theresa spun right after him, cursing. Alex, Bjorgrund and Birger turned around, freezing in place. Where the street had been empty mere moments before¡­now a group of five men and women, dressed in non-descript grey clothing, stood paces from the porch. They appeared unarmed, but their clothing was loose¡ªable to hide all manner of weapons in¡ªstanding there with perfect balance, as though they knew their way around a fight. ¡°You lost, old-timer?¡± a pretty young woman asked, stepping from the middle of the group. ¡°You looking for the old shoemaker?¡± ¡°Shoemaker?¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°You must be looking for the shoemaker that used to be here.¡± The woman nodded to a pair of rusty hooks hammered into the overhang above the porch. ¡°He¡¯s gone. He closed up shop.¡± She nodded down the street. ¡°The nearest shoemaker is three streets away. You¡¯ll want to get moving.¡± There was a note of warning in her voice, one that screamed her true words loud and clear. You don¡¯t belong here, don¡¯t stay. Leave now, if you know what¡¯s good for you. There was tension in her jawline and a hardness in her eyes. Theresa¡¯s death-stalker face was on full display, her gaze even, taking in the people in front of them. Brutus growl was low. The men and women watched the cerberus steadily. ¡°Damn, I must¡¯ve gotten things mixed up,¡± Birger said, after taking a moment to recover. ¡°Do the grey geese still land in the stone pond? You know, the one by the rundown church on Iron Street.¡± The ruffians looked at each other for a moment; Alex could see confusion flitting across their hardened faces. Birger watched them for a moment. ¡°Ah, maybe you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about,¡± he said slowly and gently. ¡°It¡¯s been a long, long time since I¡¯ve been here. A long time, and things have probably changed since I last walked these streets.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not actually looking for a shoemaker. I have a funny coin that someone gave me quite a while ago. Someone you might know; I was looking to find a money changer that might tell me where it was from. Never seen its like before, and I was hoping maybe the money changer could tell me its story.¡± Eyebrows rose on the ruffians¡¯ faces. Surprise. Confusion. The one who¡¯d taken the lead, watched, her eyes boring into them like daggers piercing flesh; her role earlier had been to intimidate, now, it was obvious she was assessing. Measuring. She looked at a tall, bald man roughly twice her age. Her index finger twitched. His index finger twitched back. ¡°We might know a moneychanger, old timer, will you follow us?¡± He asked. ¡°If you could lead me to where they are nowadays, that¡¯d help a man on his journey immensely,¡± he said, smiling kindly. The bald man looked at Birger closely. ¡°When last were you here on this street, old father?¡± ¡°Two or three hundred years,¡± he said. ¡°And what is your name?¡± ¡°Birger of Kymiland,¡± he said. The bald man¡¯s eyebrows rose so high, Alex thought they would skitter over his bare scalp. ¡°Interesting. Yes, I think a money changer would be interested in talking to you.¡± Quizzical looks were levelled at the bald man by his younger companions, but he paid them no mind. ¡°Follow me,¡± he said, turning and walking toward an alley. Theresa looked at Alex. ¡°Be ready for anything,¡± he whispered. Together, they followed the group of grey-clad ruffians through the old quarter, moving along several alleys before reaching another rundown street. The bald man never spoke, but Alex noted his gaze flicking to nearby windows and doors as he led them to a small, one-story house on the side of an old road. At one time, it might have been a shepherd¡¯s hut¡ªeven smaller than the building Birger had taken them to¡ªbut in worse condition. The young woman strode up to the door casually, giving it a complex series of knocks: first five, then two, then seven, then four, all interspersed with regular pauses. After a moment, there came a click. The door opened into a dark space. ¡°What th¡ª¡± Alex muttered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± whispered Theresa. ¡°There¡¯s something below us¡­¡± he hissed back. ¡°It feels like¡­it feels like a piece of Hannah¡¯s power.¡± Chapter 712: Warder The door shut behind them with a click as final as a prison door. Faint light illuminated the space, peeking through dilapidated shutters. The ruffians¡¯ young leader glanced at the bald man who watched Birger intently. ¡°I take it you have something to show me, old father?¡± he asked. ¡°Will you be my ¡®moneychanger¡¯, then?¡± Birger slowly dug the Red Mouse¡¯s coin from his pocket, placing it in the palm of his hand. The grey-clad Irtyshenans whistled. ¡°I can hardly believe it,¡± the bald man said. ¡°Are you really Birger of Kymiland?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± a squat thief asked. The bald man shook his head. ¡°The young don¡¯t pay much attention to their history. That¡¯s why our heroes of the past die away, and their names are forgotten. Birger of Kymiland was here at the very start of it all; he worked with our founder, Kelda. The very first Red Mouse.¡± ¡°Sounds like old things meant for old dusty books,¡± another ruffian said. ¡°But, a Coin of Silent Friends is a Coin of Silent Friends, I suppose. So, what do we do?¡± He looked at the young woman who¡¯d been leading them. ¡°Who are all of you?¡± she asked, nodding to Alex, Theresa and Bjorgrund. ¡°I¡¯m Alexander Roth,¡± the young wizard paused. He¡¯d introduced himself by his full name, something he rarely did. He mostly used Alex, but there was something about this situation¡­it felt like he shouldn¡¯t be so casual. ¡°This is my partner, Theresa Lu and her cerberus Brutus.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Bjorgrund,¡± the young giant said, his accent thick as he spoke the Low Irtyshenan tongue. ¡°And who are they to you?¡± she asked Birger. ¡°My son and my companions; it¡¯s on their behalf that I¡¯m here to ask for a favour.¡± ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ll have to check the old ledgers.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± the bald man said. ¡°Birger of Kymiland¡¯s name is in there, he¡¯s one of the first five holders of a Coin of Silent Friends. I¡¯ll vouch for that.¡± ¡°Suit yourself, as long as it¡¯s not my skin on the line,¡± she said. ¡°Come on then, follow me.¡± Alex took a step forward before the leader¡¯s hand rose, stopping him in his tracks. ¡°Just the old man,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s the one holding the coin, not you three.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not letting my father follow you alo¡ª¡± ¡°Son, stay here, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Birger said. ¡°Trust me.¡± The young giant stared at his father for a moment. ¡°If you say so,¡± he didn''t sound convinced. Birger turned to Alex. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for you,¡± the young wizard said. Together, the old firbolg followed the young leader to the back of the hut, where she paused at a stone wall and pressed three rocks in rapid succession. There came a grinding sound, and a section of wall shifted, sliding down into the floor, revealing a staircase. The woman stepped onto a landing, leading the way as Birger limped behind her, her four companions remained behind. The wall slid back into place with a soft click. Alex closed his eyes, concentrating, feeling for the energy below them he¡¯d felt earlier; that bit of Hannah¡¯s power. The power suddenly flared. He reached out to it. A pair of images flashed before his eyes. The first was of Birger and the ruffian¡¯s young leader, standing at a sealed, stone door. When she touched it, the Traveller¡¯s power surged, and she and Birger vanished. Another doorway abruptly appeared in Alex¡¯s mind, heavy with Hannah¡¯s power¡ªtheir destination reached out from a direction far south, well beyond the city walls, perhaps beyond the Empire¡¯s borders. He couldn¡¯t know for sure, and as he was considering where it could be, the second image appeared, taking his focus. Birger and the young woman stood in a foyer with walls of stone painted blood red. Men and women lingered around the doorway they¡¯d come through. A breath later, the image was gone. ¡®Seems the guild¡¯s a good distance from the city,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®It might even be outside the Empire. That would explain why they haven¡¯t been found by the authorities after all this time¡­Kelda used Hannah¡¯s power to create gates in the city that leads to a base far away from here. Perhaps she did something similar with her sanctum; maybe the reason no one¡¯s found it is because it''s not located anywhere near here¡­¡¯ His eyes narrowed. ¡®There¡¯s a doorway in Hannah¡¯s cave that we know about, but maybe there¡¯s more¡­¡¯ ¡°I¡¯d offer you a chair,¡± the bald man spoke up. ¡°But there aren¡¯t any. You might as well find yourselves a comfortable piece of floor like the rest of us. We might be here awhile.¡± ### Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! It was well into the afternoon when Alex felt Hannah¡¯s power flare again. He¡¯d been sitting with his back against a wall¡ªleaning on Theresa¡ªwhen the image of Birger flashed in his mind, coming from a gate in the company of a long, lanky man. The stranger wore red from head to toe, the lower part of his face was hidden by a scarlet mask. ¡°They¡¯re back,¡± Alex said, getting to his feet and helping Theresa to hers, while Brutus stretched. Bjorgrund jumped up, the grey-clad ruffians followed. Birger¡¯s crutch echoed on the stone steps, coming closer until the wall suddenly slid away; the firbolg¡¯s face was a mask of concern when he entered the room with the man in red. They were not alone. Four figures dressed in grey followed close behind, broad-shouldered, with swords sheathed at their hips. Their appearance was quite ordinary, yet they moved with the silence of bandits, and the stealth of seasoned warriors. Sharp eyes studied Alex and company beneath rough spun woollen hoods, grey cloaks draped their lean forms. ¡°This is the man I spoke of,¡± Birger said, raising his chin toward Alex. ¡°He needs your help to find Kelda¡¯s sanctum.¡± The man in red¡¯s eyes met Alex¡¯s above his face covering, catching the young wizard off guard.Heavy eyelids surrounded gems where irises should have been, faceted red jewels shaped like human eyes, glittered in the gloom of the dimly lit room. When he blinked, he neither flinched nor cried out, showing no sign of discomfort. ¡°I am Warder,¡± he announced, his voice hovering barely above a whisper. ¡°I am Alexander.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°And I understand you are the latest Fool of Thameland?¡± Warder asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°Did Birger tell you why I¡¯m here and why he wanted to use the Coin of Silent Friends to help me?¡± ¡°He did,¡± Warder said, watching Alex through his flashing eyes. ¡°Is it also true that you have inherited the founder¡¯s ability to travel from place to place in an instant? With no use of spellcraft?¡± Warder¡¯s voice held a hungry note that he tried to conceal. The Fool of Thameland drew himself up, adjusted his posture then vanished. Appearing on the opposite side of the room. The four ruffians stumbled back, swearing. Warder¡¯s guards reached for their swords, but the masked man held up a hand. ¡°Is that proof enough for you?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Yes.¡± A smile touched Warder¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes it is.¡± He looked at Birger. ¡°Old father, what you said is true, it seems. An heir to our founder¡¯s legacy has come.¡± ¡°So you will help him, then?¡± the old giant asked. ¡°You will tell him where Kelda¡¯s sanctum is, if you know?¡± Silence. Alex held his breath. He heard Theresa¡¯s breath catch. This was it. If Warder said yes, then they could go to Kelda¡¯s sanctum and discover what she¡¯d learned, bringing him closer to the Mark of the General. Closer to true freedom, free from the Fool¡¯s constraints. Warder spoke. ¡°I do not know where it is¡­precisely.¡± ¡°Precisely?¡± Alex¡¯s hope fell. ¡°Precisely,¡± Warder repeated. ¡°We maintain archives containing much of our history from the early days, including maps and charts that could be helpful to you, since some indicate the general location of the founder¡¯s sanctum. You can narrow your search to an area of only a handful of square miles. You should be able to find it within there.¡± Hope, tinged with suspicion, rose in the young wizard¡¯s chest. ¡°Wait, so why hasn¡¯t the guild gone there, since you know the area where the sanctum can be found?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We lack the tools to reach the founder¡¯s sanctum,¡± Warder said. ¡°Her ways of hiding it were far beyond anything we have ever matched. But, if you share her power, you will be able to find it; she wrote that her power is the key to finding it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alex said. ¡°Why didn¡¯t your predecessors tell me this?¡± Birger asked. Warder shook his head. ¡°Loyalty. All those who lived during our founder¡¯s time were loyal to her wishes to a fault; she never told anyone the exact location of her sanctum, only its general location. And that general location was only shared with the guild. If she did not share it with you in life, they would not have wished to share it with you in death. ¡­but things have changed.¡± ¡°Changed enough that you¡¯re going against Kelda¡¯s wishes?¡± Birger asked, a mix of emotions in his voice. ¡°The founder is history now. History that has long turned to dust,¡± Warder said grimly. ¡°We respect her and her memory¡­but her memory cannot feed us. It cannot clothe us. It cannot make us strong or hide us away from the guards of the Empire. It cannot fill our coffers or our treasuries.¡± Something clicked in Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°But, I obviously can,¡± he said sourly. ¡°The second thing you asked me is if I shared her power: the ability to teleport places without using a spell. This is a transaction, isn¡¯t it? You want me to do something for you¡ªsomething that only someone with my power can.¡± Warder laughed, the sound was cruel and grating. ¡°Wisely deduced, Alexander,¡± his eyes flashed. ¡°Dedication to a founder¡¯s memory is all good and fine, but the Guild of the Red Mouse is about business, not a hall to either honour¡ªor violate¡ªthe wishes of the dead. We know our trade well, and have earned our position by not freely handing out favours to those we owe nothing to.¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Theresa asked Alex in the common tongue. ¡°I don¡¯t understand what he¡¯s saying.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not giving us the location,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°He wants us to do something for him first.¡± ¡°Now hold on,¡± Bjorgrund growled, pointing at the coin in his father¡¯s hand. ¡°By your own rules, my father can call on your guild for a favour, isn¡¯t that the way it¡¯s supposed to work?¡± ¡°And he did,¡± Warder said slyly, in the common tongue. ¡°And we granted him a favour by revealing ourselves to those of you not remotely involved with the Guild.¡± Alex caught a glint in the red gems that were his eyes. ¡°You now know more about the Guild of the Red Mouse than most of its associates, young giant, and that would normally mean you¡¯d all be below six inches of river ice with your throats slit. We¡¯ve compromised our safety and our secrets to complete strangers.¡± He looked at Birger¡¯s coin. ¡°That is favour enough, old father. If you wish for another favour in the future, come back and ask. Though, next time, we might need something from you in return.¡± Warder bowed deeply to the ancient firbolg, then turned to Alex. ¡°But the location of the founder¡¯s sanctum is a well guarded secret, and¡ªwhile I would not be opposed to revealing it to her heir, so to speak¡ªI cannot do it and then receive nothing in return. The guild owes you nothing, Alexander, and we deal in trade, not charity.¡± He pointed at Alex¡¯s heart. ¡°You have our founder¡¯s gift; the most wondrous ability that any thief anywhere could wish for. Gods, what I could do with that¡­¡± he said, a yearning returning to his voice. Alex watched him closely, measuring the man. ¡°Well, I know what I can do with it¡­so I gather you want me to go somewhere you¡¯d have trouble getting into.¡± Warder gave a dark chuckle. ¡°Right again. We have a client who needs a difficult job done. There are certain books in the library of Brightfire University; we¡¯ve been trying to access them for months, but their security measures have made the task¡­dangerous. More dangerous than we¡¯d like it to be. But Kelda was able to go anywhere at any time; it¡¯s said that sheentered Brightfire¡¯s most secret chambers undetected.¡± Alex remembered that Kelda had been in the university of Generasi¡¯s library. She¡¯d written in a book there. Three hundred years ago she¡¯d entered the building without anyone knowing. ¡°So you¡¯re saying you want me to do what she did,¡± Alex¡¯s voice was flat. ¡°Precisely. Do it and the Guild will give you the location you desire.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Oh no. I expect more than just that.¡± He nodded at Birger¡¯s hand. ¡°I want one of those coins.¡± A pause. ¡°That¡­can be arranged,¡± Warder said, after briefly considering the wizard¡¯s demand. ¡°And one other thing,¡± Alex said, thinking about the wealth of lore contained in ancient, magical libraries¡­the kinds of spells only found on the lower floors of Generasi¡¯s library. Floors he didn¡¯t have access to yet. Mighty spells and lore that could help him reverse the Mark could be waiting in the Irtyshenan library. ¡°Anything I take for myself is mine and mine alone,¡± Alex said. Warder paused, finally nodding. ¡°I think that¡¯s fair.¡± ¡°Good. When do we begin?¡± ¡°When can you start?¡± Chapter 713: The Dark University of the North The shadow of the northern university towered over Sorkovo like a massive hungry Gargoyle. Brightfire¡ªor Blightfire, as most members of the guild called it, disparaging the school for its ostentatious, showiness that bordered on the obscene, spoiling the city¡¯s already grim skyline. Where the University of Generasi was built on the edge of a beautiful city that it had been named for, allowing it to spread over a vast area, Brightfire loomed in the centre of Sorkovo in a claustrophobic cluster of dark towers and squat, barracks-like lecture halls. Stone walls, thick and high, surrounded the school¡ªcapped with spear-tipped, iron spikes¡ªwith a gateway barred by tall steel gates of black, glyph-inscribed wood. The symbols burned with a vicious magic promising a host of deadly consequences to all trespassers. As he studied it from the sky¡ªfrom invisible eyes¡ªAlexander Roth counted no less than three magical glyphs set to deter the uninvited with searing waves of lightning bolts. He examined the glyphs, noting how one was crafted to send lightning raining down from above, while another was fashioned to shoot lightning horizontally between evenly spaced sections of the gates, and the third would send flaring streams of electricity boiling from the earth. ¡®Isolde would be proud,¡¯ Alex thought of his lightning-wielding cabal-mate. ¡®Actually, she probably wouldn¡¯t, considering the other glyphs in that gate.¡¯ His eyes scanned the other symbols: there was magic to wrap intruders in spiked chains, magic to summon lesser earth elementals that enjoyed pounding things to paste, magic that sucked the breath from someone¡¯s lungs, magic to harvest skeletons from anyone caught in the trap, and other gruesome wizard workings¡­ ¡®No wonder the thieves couldn¡¯t break into this place,¡¯ Alex thought, recalling Warder¡¯s words as they talked in the small, stone hut. ¡°Brightfire is protected by many deadly magical traps, and all are set up in such a way that if you destroy or remove one, the others are tripped,¡± the masked bandit had explained, pointing to a detailed map of the campus he¡¯d pinned to the wall. ¡°Those magics are meant to go off if anyone tries to get through the gates, dig under, or climb over the walls. You need a student card to get in. Otherwise, an alarm goes off, creating quite the ruckus, and meaning you have five seconds to be good and gone.¡± ¡°What happens after five seconds?¡± Alex had asked. ¡°You¡¯re dead. Several times over. In lots of disagreeable ways.¡± ¡®He wasn¡¯t exaggerating,¡¯ the young wizard thought, writing the deadly symbols in his notebook. Some of them he wouldn¡¯t mind stealing to protect his own wizard¡¯s tower, if he ever built one; the triple lightning trick was one. Though, for the moment, those lightning symbols were an obstacle; the walls around this school contained more deadly magics than all of Generasi¡¯s campus. The outer walls weren¡¯t Brightfire¡¯s only defence either. ¡®There is a ward around the university meant to stop anyone who tries to cast a teleportation spell to get in,¡¯ Warder had traced his finger along the walls on the map. ¡®If you attempt to breach the perimeter and fail, which you would, the alarms sound loud and clear. That ward tells every iron-watcher there¡¯s an intruder about.¡¯ ¡®What¡¯s an iron-watcher?¡¯ Alex had asked. ¡®Go scout out the campus, you¡¯ll soon understand what I mean.¡¯ Now that he was here, the young wizard could see exactly what Warder had meant. Patrolling the skies around the university were massive, chimeric, monstrosities that appeared to be forged from solid iron. Enormous things with batlike bodies and membranous wings covered in layers of gleaming, dagger-like scales. Both their top and lower bodies were armed; serpentine tails, tipped with bone-clubs, trailed behind them as they soared through the skies, mouths crowded with sword-like fangs, gaped open, seeming like their faces were frozen in permanent snarls. Iron-draks, they were called, bred from wild monsters for generations to serve as the mounts of the university¡¯s private enforcement force. Atop the iron-draks¡¯ backs sat fur-cloaked men and women with long spear-staffs clipped to leather saddles. Uniforms were visible beneath billowing cloaks, similar to those worn by the Watchers of Roal, but they rode iron-draks instead of flying disks that were favoured by the guardians of the southern university. Alex shook his head. ¡®Someone¡¯s been cheating off others¡¯ designs,¡¯ he mused, scanning the campus¡¯ grim buildings. Many were too similar in design to Generasi¡¯s architecture to be a simple coincidence, though they were larger, blockier and conveyed an ominous strength and an exacting brutality. There was no truer example of the vicious design than Brightfire¡¯s main castle. It dwarfed Generasi¡¯s¡ªby perhaps three times¡ªand was crafted of dark stone that seemed to suck in any hint of colour around it. Its towers looked ancient, spiralling into the air, covered in glyphs of protection, while its windows appeared new in contrast. To Alex, it resembled a fortress constructed with one goal in mind, repelling an apocalypse. He shuddered, imagining what learning might be like within those walls. The main castle wasn¡¯t what interested him, though; he was there for another building, Brightfire¡¯s library, by far the school¡¯s tallest building. A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Generasi¡¯s library was relatively squat, and built into the earth¡ªits many lower floors reaching deep into the ground¡ªBrightfire¡¯s library, on the other hand, was monumental, oppressive and black, a tower that rose hundreds of feet in the air. From what Warder had said, the only building taller in all of Sorkovo was the imperial palace; Alex could see it looming in the distance. Glyphs of protection encrusted the stones of the library¡¯s facade, blazing with deadlier magics than those on the walls. It was windowless, and its top was carved, taking the shape of an open, clawing hand. Alex wouldn¡¯t have been surprised to see a blazing eye there¡ªringed in flame¡ªhovering above, casting its gaze over Sorkovo and the countryside beyond. He remembered what Warder had said about the guild trying to breach the tower. ¡°Getting into that tower is its own nightmare. It has protections against teleportation spells worse than the ones protecting the outer walls,¡± he¡¯d explained. ¡°And they¡¯ve put wards over the whole place that freezes anyone who enters the tower using invisibility magic. Disguises don¡¯t work: anyone stepping into that tower without either a student card, a staff card, or being accompanied by a Brightfire professor, is instantly turned to ice. The same thing happens if you try going from floor to floor.¡± ¡°Can you move around inside the library? Without an identification card, I mean?¡± Alex had asked. ¡°According to our sources, yes,¡± Warder had explained. ¡°They allow guests to freely use the floor they¡¯re on without being turned into an ice statue. But freely moving from floor to floor, isn''t possible.¡± ¡°Did you try forging a card or maybe bribing a staff member?¡± Alex had asked. Warder had snorted. ¡°We¡¯re not the Guild of the Incompetents, young wizard. We¡¯ve been in this business for a long while and have tried both ways. People are always caught¡ªBrightfire staff regularly have their minds probed for signs of betrayal.¡± Alex had shuddered at that, glad for the City of Wizards¡¯ policies against mind magic. ¡°And every forgery we¡¯ve tried has been a failure,¡± Warder had said. ¡°We thought we¡¯d cracked it at one point¡ªone of our wizards was a student there and we tried to analyse her old card¡ªbut something went wrong. Three of our agents tried to walk in, disguised and were flash-frozen the instant they stepped through the door.¡± ¡°Charming,¡± Alex had said. ¡°I can see why you¡¯d want Kelda¡¯s power on your side.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the gem-eyed man had said. ¡°Go ahead and scout out the university. At midnight tomorrow, we¡¯ll assemble a team that will meet here. Together, you¡¯ll go to the third, seventh, and ninth levels of the library for what we¡¯re after.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Alex had said. ¡°In the meantime, we¡¯ll scout the place out.¡± He, Theresa and Brutus¡ªinvisible to the eye¡ªhad come to the university to assess its defences. Theresa and he didn¡¯t trust Warder. They would do what they had to, but didn¡¯t like being forced to work for scum, which the thief clearly was. They desperately needed access to Kelda¡¯s sanctum, but didn¡¯t have time to think of another solution; Warder claimed to know its location, and they needed him to guide them to it. There was no way around it, so the ruby-eyed thief would get his way, for now. At least, Alex could get spells for battle and to potentially help him change the Mark. Besides, the Irtyshenan wizards of Brightfire seemed as scummy as Warder, so he wouldn''t lose sleep over it. He''d picked a vantage point in the sky, just outside the campus walls, and had remained there while Theresa and Brutus circled Brightfire. When they were through, they would return and¡ª A finger tapped him on the shoulder. Nearly sending him leaping out of his skin. ¡°Hey,¡± Theresa whispered. ¡°Jeez, I think you cut ten years off my life,¡± he hissed. ¡°By the Traveller.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± she apologised as one of Brutus¡¯ large, invisible heads nuzzled his side. ¡°So, we found the iron-draks¡¯ stable, more gates leading into the campus, and I believe we also found the iron-watchers¡¯ training area¡­¡± She snorted. ¡°...can you believe they¡¯re calling themselves iron-watchers?¡± she whispered, sounding offended. ¡°They¡¯re not even trying.¡± ¡°I believe you. It¡¯s like they want to outdo Generasi,¡± Alex said. ¡°Despite all the nasty rumours about this place, lots of wizards consider Brightfire the second or maybe third best wizard-university in the world. I guess they want to show that they can compete with Generasi.¡± ¡°Ugh, well let¡¯s just say I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t get an acceptance letter to this grim place,¡± she whispered. ¡°But anyway, the iron-draks¡¯ stable is beside the iron-watchers¡¯ barracks and it looks like they¡¯re about four hundred yards and two cross-streets away from the library.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Right. And how long do you think they¡¯d take to get to the library if an alarm went off?¡± ¡°Hmmmm,¡± Theresa muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯d say maybe three to four minutes if they have to gear up, and more like ten if they¡¯re scrambling to get out of bed. But, I¡¯m just guessing, to be honest.¡± ¡°Hmmmm,¡± Alex muttered. ¡°Alright, so we¡¯ll need to move fast. Very fast.¡± ¡°Are we bringing Claygon?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Oh yeah,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°I¡¯ve been filling him in on what we¡¯re about to do; if we get discovered, we¡¯ll need him.¡± ¡°Yeah, I agree,¡± she said. ¡°Something¡¯s been bothering me too¡­what if Brightfire has its own Baelin? If some archwizard shows up, we¡¯ll be wiped out in an instant.¡± Alex snorted. ¡°Thankfully, Baelins don¡¯t grow on trees. According to Warder, the Rector of Brightfire is powerful, but from what he described, she¡¯s no Baelin.¡± ¡°What tier of spell can she cast?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°He didn¡¯t know, but she¡¯s more of an administrator than a battle wizard,¡± Alex said. ¡°The main person we need to worry about is someone named Ljubica Stormhammer, the leader of the iron-watchers. Apparently, she¡¯s a very experienced battle mage, and she comes from a long line of golem-knights.¡± ¡°Great,¡± the huntress sighed. ¡°Do you think we can fight her?¡± ¡°With Claygon, yeah. We faced the First Apostle, and if we could do that? We can face her.¡± ¡°Makes sense¡­alright, so are we ready to go back home?¡± ¡°Almost,¡± Alex said. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I have to check.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± she asked. ¡°Whether or not I can actually teleport on campus or is that going to be an issue.¡± Alex¡¯s hand balled into a fist. ¡°And frankly? I¡¯d rather find out now rather than later; I know Kelda teleported into Generasi, and I think she teleported into Brightfire¡ªjudging by how desperate she was to find anything that could help her get rid of her Mark¡ªbut I don¡¯t have any way of knowing if things have changed.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Maybe they¡¯ve improved their wards so they can detect Hannah¡¯s power now. Maybe they detected Kelda¡¯s activities inside their library and found ways to expand their security. A lot could have happened over the past three hundred years, so I¡¯d rather find out now, rather than tomorrow night.¡± ¡°...alright, but be careful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be as careful as I can when I¡¯m, you know, teleporting behind the walls of a dark, mysterious, deadly wizard school,¡± Alex said, eyeing the glyphs on the library tower. ¡°By the traveller, this place really would give you a deadly education.¡± Closing his eyes, the Fool of Thameland called on the Traveller¡¯s power, focused on a mostly abandoned street on Brightfire¡¯s campus and teleported. Images sailed past him. Snippets of a dozen planes and a dozen worlds. And then he was through. Alex appeared on Brightfire¡¯s campus, still draped in invisibility magic, and froze. Tensed and waiting. No alarm sounded. No mana gathered to strike him. He grinned giddily, his heart pounding. Alex¡¯s grin widened the longer he eyed the library tower. ¡°Soon, your secrets are going to be mine, you unfriendly looking thing, you.¡± Chapter 714: The Dark Night of Brightfire At midnight, the campus of Brightfire was a dark, sinister place. With a new moon and a cloudy sky, no light of star or moon shone down, leaving much of the university in blackness. Certain streets and buildings were lit by firelight from braziers and hearths, glowing forceballs, and magical lamps, but these were only the most-travelled avenues and busiest centres of the campus. All else was in darkness. A campus bar called the Emperor¡¯s Tavern was alive with activity. Unsurprisingly, the building¡¯s exterior was dark and the structure was squat, but inside, it bloomed with life: a sea of bright colour, cheery music, loud laughter, and drinking. Lots of drinking. Brightfire wasn¡¯t an easy place to live in with its harsh climate, attitudes, and it was even harder to study in. A ¡®survival of the fittest¡¯ attitude was built into the university¡¯s core values, and that philosophy was so stark and vicious for most students to live under, that even Chancellor Baelin of Generasi might have given it pause. While the southern wizard school in the city at the centre of creation had high levels of attrition as students advanced through the years, most young wizards who left did so because they failed to achieve or maintain the standards needed to pass. Injury wasn''t unheard of, but safety policies prevented anyone from using barbaric magics from the past, keeping death among the school¡¯s young wizards from being commonplace. Brightfire¡¯s philosophies considered such safety policies¡ªapart from a few¡ªto be weaknesses. ¡°Death is the reward of the incompetent,¡± muttered Professor Yolvin as he stumbled drunkenly from the Emperor¡¯s Tavern, his boots crunching slush and snow. ¡°Uklaw, my student, may you find less fire in the after-world, incompetence or not!¡± The night had found the professor¡ªalong with many of his colleagues¡ªdrowning their grief at the passing of more unfortunate students with goblet after goblet of fiery potato wine. The stresses of university life at Brightfire brought a constant stream of staff and students through the doors of the campus tavern, eager to toast surviving yet another day, or week at the brutal institution. Magic and discipline were common in Brightfire. Healthy livers and old age were not. Bleary-eyed, the old professor stumbled down the street, pulling his wool coat tightly around him. A storm of thick white flakes was falling, swirling past forceballs lighting the boulevards. He swayed from side to side at a crossroads, looking this way and that. ¡°Home?¡± he choked out, immediately frowning; his wife had never liked what she called, ¡®the stink¡¯ of vodka and she¡¯d likely open hell on him if he came stumbling through the door, reeking and¡­ He looked down, squinting at yellow bits of food and spittle clinging to the front of his coat. ¡°Now when did that happen?¡± he muttered, slurring his words. ¡°It¡¯s no matter. A bath, the office, then some strong blood magic tonic to dull the aftereffects of all that beautiful vodka, then home in the morning. No smell? No hell.¡± The professor turned to the right¡ªthe opposite direction from home¡ªand began staggering toward his office in the Tower of Beasts. Something flickered at the corner of his eye. He fell forward, landing in a mound of frigid slush. His eyes blinked rapidly beneath long grey eyebrows, his head and neck turning slowly, moving from side to side as if moving through cold mud. ¡°Hello! Hello?¡± he called, sobering slightly. ¡°It¡¯s late and I¡¯m too drunk for your foolish pranks! Hello?¡± He peered into the gloom. An alleyway, shrouded in darkness, yawned open beside him; flickering light from the main street reaching only a little ways down the sideroad. Squinting, and peering into the darkness for a time¡­ ¡­dread grew in his breast. ¡°I-if there¡¯s someone there, this is not funny! Show yourself,¡± he slurred, his voice shakier than when he¡¯d first called out. No one replied. The hairs on the back of Yolvin¡¯s neck rose, as his mind began conjuring monsters born of darkness. Brightfire was safe from the thieves and thugs of the city, but other dangers could roam the campus on a dark and snowy night. Demons had escaped summoning circles in Brightfire before, and monsters had slipped free of their breeding pens to stalk the night for food. Three short years before, a youthling, iron-drak had broken its collar and hunted on campus for four nights before being captured. Shuddering, the professor stumbled to his feet and turned away from the alley. He was no combat wizard, and was looking forward to a fat pension and a lazy retirement. He had no interest in throwing his life down the gullet of some escaped beast or demon. As he once again tottered through the snow¡ªtrying to quicken his pace¡ªunseen eyes watched him disappearing down the boulevard. Within the alleyway, several invisible figures hovered inches above the snow. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Alex Roth, the Fool of Thameland was in their midst, holding tightly to his aeld staff. Behind him loomed the invisible iron golem, Claygon, while the young wizard was flanked by Theresa and Brutus. Around them were four members of the Guild of the Red Mouse, folk they had met earlier that evening in the darkened storehouse in Sorkovo. The thieves had offered no names to identify themselves by, only these codewords: Mouse, Rat, Fox and Crow. Mouse was the smallest, a slight woman who spoke quietly and walked silently. Rat was a lanky man with vicious eyes and a belt full of knives. Fox was a red-haired youth with a long sword at his side and Crow was their mage, who carried a short staff in one hand. They wore black from head to toe. Over their shoulders, hung sacks emitting an aura of transmutation magic. What their purpose was, Alex did not know. The young wizard carried an empty satchel¡ªalong with another one holding his potions¡ªand Claygon had an enormous, empty pack strapped across one shoulder. Alex had come prepared to loot the library and fill the satchels with whatever useful spell-guides he could get his hands on. There was no way he was leaving there empty handed. ¡°No alarm,¡± Mouse whispered, her voice barely audible above the wind. ¡°Good job, stranger.¡± ¡°Congratulate him after we get inside,¡± Crow countered. ¡°That¡¯ll be the hard part.¡± ¡°Actually, the hard part¡¯ll be getting out of the library with our skins intact, but meh, details,¡± Alex said, his casual tone masking the rapid thumping of his heart. He glanced up at the library, reminded uncomfortably of when he and the mercenaries he¡¯d hired infiltrated Kaz-Mowang¡¯s palace. Here he was, doing it again, penetrating some secure building with a group of folk who preferred to keep a good distance between them and the law. Alex remembered Kaz-Mowang and Yantrahpretaye. ¡®Traveller, please make it easier than last time,¡¯ he prayed. ¡°Alright, everyone, time to head to the library. I want all of you to touch my cloak and keep holding it. Don¡¯t move, don¡¯t let go, don¡¯t do anything unless I say so, got it? We don¡¯t want anyone getting left behind,¡± he whispered. ¡°Are you sure you can get us in there?¡± Crow asked. ¡°I don¡¯t much fancy becoming an ice sculpture.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be fine,¡± Alex said, not completely sure. ¡°Just do as I say.¡± ¡°And Crow?¡± Rat spoke up. ¡°Remember, no fire magic, okay?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me that again,¡± Crow said testily. ¡°Same goes for you, Alexander. No fire.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to use fire, because¡­you know, it¡¯s a library,¡± Alex said. ¡°But you sound especially nervous? Anything I should know about?¡± ¡°The library has magic that counters fire¡­very violent magic,¡± Crow said grimly. ¡°Portals suck the air out of any floor that a fire is detected on, then ice magic flash-freezes everything.¡± ¡°They sure like a lot of ice in that library,¡± Alex grumbled. ¡°If¡­it beats¡­fire¡­then¡­it would be good¡­for a library¡­¡± Claygon said. Alex felt one of the thieves startle beside him. ¡°A talking golem,¡± Rat grumbled. ¡°Never going to get used to that.¡± ¡°This¡­talking golem¡­might save¡­your life¡­¡± Claygon whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t come to us needing to save anybody else¡¯s life,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Now¡ªas I said before¡ªhold on tight.¡± He felt hands quickly clutch his cloak, then he teleported closer to the library. They hovered in front of the massive building, watching from a distance. No guards were close to the tower, the only people around were a few bleary eyed students going through the front door. In the distance, iron-watchers circled, riding atop their deadly mounts, but none approached. Not yet, at least. Alex took in the tower, searching for windows, none were apparent. ¡®An extra bit of security,¡¯ he thought. ¡®You can¡¯t teleport to where you can¡¯t see, at least most people can¡¯t.¡¯ He looked down at the building¡¯s front entrance. ¡®Time for the hard way, then.¡¯ Teleporting in front of the tower¡¯s front doors, the burglars hovered a few feet behind students cautiously making their way to the entrance. The doors were made of dark wood¡ªreinforced with black stone¡ªand carved with a fresco of a horde of golem knights being led by battle wizards to victory. Glyphs radiating a vast amount of power glowed around the doors¡¯ frame, promising death and all manner of nasty fates, but didn¡¯t activate as the students got closer. Instead, the doors parted, revealing a large foyer and¡ªbeyond them¡ªiron doors painted black. The entrance doors began swinging shut behind the students, while in front of them, the black doors opened. Forceball light filled the foyer, shining on rows of books lining dark shelves: the first floor of Brightfire¡¯s library. ¡®Now!¡¯ Alex thought. Praying to the Traveller that alarms wouldn¡¯t sound, he called on Hannah¡¯s power and teleported past the foyer, bypassing glyphs built in the door frames. The world disappeared. Lights from dozens of lands flowed by. Then, they were in a dim place that smelled of old parchment, wood and leather. Fear and excitement coursed through his body as one, he felt his companions appear an instant later. They held their breaths; floating just beyond the entrance to the library¡¯s first floor. No sound of alarms exploding around them. No magic striking them, freezing them in place. They were in. Before anyone could even whisper, Alex teleported them to the centre of the room, high above the students before anyone could discover them. He examined their surroundings closely; Brightfire¡¯s library was extensive and elaborate, with soaring ceilings and wooden bridges that criss-crossed each other above. The first ¡®floor¡¯ alone was¡ªprobably five to six stories tall¡ªan open space surrounded by looping walkways and bookshelves spiralling up the inner walls of the tower. Above, the ceiling was crafted from a single piece of black stone, polished to a reflective sheen. The walkways led to doors carved in the ceiling, no doubt leading to the next level of the library. Alex teleported to the ceiling, eyeing a doorway leading to the next floor, he breathed a sigh of relief; the door was crystal clear, its glass etched with protective enchantments. Their power would be more than enough to bar most wizards from entering with conventional magic, but he had something more potent in mind. Everyone was silent as he teleported again, right past the crystal door, appearing on the second floor. They froze. Guarding the second floor was an iron golem-knight, it seemed to be staring right at the invisible party. Crow hissed a curse beneath his breath, Alex expected alarms to start screaming. But none came. Theresa snickered behind him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, even if he could see through our magic, it wouldn¡¯t matter,¡± she whispered. ¡°He¡¯s asleep, I can hear him snoring in his armour.¡± More than one sigh of relief escaped the burglars. ¡°Well, let¡¯s hope the guards on the upper floors will be just as accommodating,¡± Alex whispered, examining the second floor. It was nearly an exact copy of the first, except its walls were higher and the ceiling door was protected by glyphs that were more powerful. Alex wasted no time, he teleported to the stairs and peeked through the next door, then vanished, taking everyone to the third floor of the Brightfire library. They appeared again, floating in the higher section of the tower, surrounded by hundreds of spell-guides. ¡°Here we are,¡± Crow said. ¡°First stop. All of you, go get what we came for, I want us ready to meet in the centre of the room in under five minutes. Got it?¡± ¡°Got it,¡± the guild members said, releasing Alex¡¯s cloak. ¡°Five minutes, eh?¡± the young wizard looked up at the next floor, a gleam in his eye. ¡°Alright, the third floor won¡¯t have much of any interest to us. Though soon? Soon, we can begin our own ¡®shopping¡¯.¡± ¡°You¡­mean¡­stealing¡­father,¡± Claygon pointed out. Alex sighed. ¡°That was the joke, Claygon. That was indeed the joke.¡± Chapter 715: Shopping The thieves quickly found what they¡¯d come for. They moved through the library¡¯s third level under invisibility magic, silent and experienced, mindful of those studying in desk-alcoves on the bridges, and the golem-knight standing guard below. They plucked what they needed from various bookcases, slipping their prizes into invisible sacks, reaching for the next treasure on their list. Spell-guide after spell-guide disappeared from Brightfire¡¯s third floor without a single alarm being raised. The Fool of Thameland waited, and¡ªwhen he was sure they were in the clear¡ªhe tapped Claygon¡¯s arm. ¡®Come on, buddy, let¡¯s see what spell-guides Brightfire has for us.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll keep watch from here,¡± Theresa whispered. ¡°Be careful, remember we¡¯re not exactly at the market shopping for breakfast.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­watch out for father¡­¡± Claygon promised as he and Alex floated down to the stacks. ¡°And I¡¯ll watch Claygon,¡± Alex said, turning his attention to the closest bookshelf. A thrill pulsed through his veins; here he was, in the middle of a wizard school¡¯s prized library, about to help himself to as many spell-guides as he wanted. ¡®Third-tier spells aren¡¯t all that exciting anymore, but maybe Brightfire has some useful ones that Generasi doesn¡¯t,¡¯ he thought. He inspected titles on the backs of guides lining the shelves and... ¡­found himself unimpressed. Brightfire¡¯s library seemed bigger than Generasi¡¯s, and contained a greater number of books. ¡®But a lot of these are duplicates,¡¯ he thought, picking up a spell-guide for Fireball, noticing no fewer than twenty copies beside the one he was holding. There was room beside them, meaning other copies must have already been borrowed. ¡®Generasi definitely has a better selection of books in their library¡­this floor is actually pretty disappoint¡ª... Hold on now¡­¡¯ His grip tightened on the fireball spell-guide. ¡®This is a great opportunity to grab some real combat spells; when I change the Fool¡¯s Mark to the General¡¯s, I¡¯ll be able to learn and use them!¡¯ Grinning, he floated from shelf to shelf, filling Claygon¡¯s satchel with spell-guides for combat: Fireball, created a massive blast of flame, a classic choice for any battlemage. Acid spray was a caustic and deadly spell that bathed enemies in a stream of corrosive liquid. Battering Force Blast, a spell that launches dense, concentrated force missiles that explode on impact, shredding whatever they hit. Alex smiled, imagining the potential power of his arsenal. ¡®Father¡­what¡¯s that section¡­?¡¯ Claygon¡¯s voice whispered in Alex¡¯s mind. ¡®The one to your right¡­?¡¯ He glanced at the Irtyshenan words; ¡®It says Mind magic,¡¯ the young wizard thought, answering Claygon. ¡®It¡¯s dangerous stuff, and it¡¯s also illegal in Generasi.¡¯ ¡®Will¡­you take some of those guides¡­?¡¯ Claygon thought. Alex paused, considering the selection carefully. ¡®The trouble with using mind magic to control someone else is that it¡¯s finicky. You wouldn¡¯t believe how many old stories there are about evil wizard-warlords controlling their enemies'' minds, turning them into mindless servants.¡¯ ¡®That¡­sounds¡­troubling¡­¡¯ Claygon said. ¡®What happens¡­at the end of those stories?¡¯ Alex chuckled darkly through their link. ¡®Each and every damn time, one of the warlord''s mind controlled servants breaks free and stabs them in the back at the last second, usually when they¡¯re on the brink of victory.¡¯ He made a throat clearing sound, putting on his best Baelin impression. ¡®A proper wizard never trusts their life to unreliably mind controlled minions, who could break free at any moment. What will you do when the guardian to which you¡¯ve trusted your life suddenly breaks through your spell and decides to drive their sword through your heart? Better to have minions that serve loyally, willingly or¡ªat the least¡ªprofessionally.¡¯ ¡®That¡­sounds smart¡­father¡­¡¯ ¡®Still, though¡­¡¯ Alex paused, his eyes lingered on a particular mind magic spellbook. ¡®Oh¡­what¡¯s this?¡¯ He floated to a bookcase, picking up the spell-guide. ¡®It¡¯s called; Mind-Scrambling Babble,¡¯ he told Claygon, flipping the thin book open, eyes widening as he read the spell''s effects. ¡®By the traveller!¡¯ ¡®What is¡­it¡­father?¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®It sounds effective, but it¡¯s not for me. It says the spell scrambles the thoughts of an enemy like chicken eggs and makes every coherent thought they have turn into chaos. It also says here that the victim becomes paralysed with nausea and confusion, and that the controlling wizard can make them do pretty much anything they want. If someone¡¯s into mind magic, they¡¯d probably find this useful, but controlling people¡¯s thoughts¡­isn¡¯t for me, and besides, getting arrested in Generasi isn¡¯t worth it.¡¯ You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Alex shuddered, putting the spell-guide back where he¡¯d found it, then checked the time on the wall-mounted timekeeper beside them. ¡®Five minutes are nearly up, let¡¯s get back to Theresa,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®This¡­is going well, father¡­¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®Let¡¯s not talk too soon,¡¯ Alex said. He floated toward the centre of the room, pausing when Brutus¡¯ rough tongue licked him. ¡°Agh, Brutus, no,¡± he whispered. ¡°Everything okay, Theresa?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of students here, and that guard hasn¡¯t budged.¡± ¡°They¡¯re probably not used to being robbed,¡± Alex whispered, looking at the glyphs on the doors. ¡°Our invisibility spells would be cancelled if we tried to go through the doors, and teleportation spells aren¡¯t an option. There¡¯s glyphs on the walls that¡¯d turn someone to paste if they tried tunnelling through the stone with a spell¡­their security¡¯s solid.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Crow said in the common tongue. ¡°This library¡¯s rarely been robbed; we¡¯re making history right now.¡± ¡°Are we done on this floor?¡± Rat asked. The thieves conferred with each other, using a secret language that involved code words. ¡°Good,¡± said Fox, ¡°We¡¯re ahead of schedule. Next floor?¡± ¡°The seventh,¡± Alex said. ¡°Grab my cloak and stay close.¡± He teleported through the door and up to the fourth floor. Two golem knights stood guard, both seemed more occupied with a game of cards¡ªplayed usinghuge iron cards¡ªthan the few students occupying level four. The crystal door to the fifth floor was etched with far more aggressive glyphs than the lower floors. Alex read the symbols carefully, wondering what kind of mind would be capable of thinking up some of the glyphs¡¯ effects. ¡®That one will literally turn you inside out,¡¯ he thought to Claygon. ¡®The one at the top of the door.¡¯ ¡®Will it affect¡­us¡­?¡¯ Claygon asked. ¡®No,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Because we¡¯re not going anywhere near it.¡¯ Concentrating, the young wizard quickly teleported the party to the sixth, then seventh level of the tower. Defences here were stronger¡­yet, in another way, more relaxed. A group of four golem knights were stationed at the bottom and top entrances to the chamber, situated where they had a clear view of the students moving around, and the floors above and below the seventh level through the glass doors. In the centre of the room was a teleportation circle, blazing with potent magics. Alex gently reached out to it with the Traveller¡¯s power, concentrating on where it led. An image flashed in his mind of an armoury and a guard station where iron-watchers and their deadly mounts waited. Yet, despite having so many powerful deterrents in place, security was surprisingly slack compared to the lower levels of the tower. The golem-knights knights had shed their armour, seated comfortably in plush armchairs around a card table, sipping spirits. Some had nodded off, as had the iron-watchers ¡®on duty¡¯ through the teleportation circle. ¡°Really?¡± Mouse whispered in common. ¡°The higher we go, the more relaxed those guards seem to be. The ones on the lower floors were alert, but these¡­I¡¯ve seen more dedicated tavern bouncers.¡± ¡°You said it yourselves,¡± Theresa said. ¡°This library¡¯s almost never been broken into, and since each floor is harder to reach than the last one, chances of a thief getting in here are pretty low, unless they can do what we¡¯re doing. I have a feeling guarding these higher floors would be considered light duty.¡± ¡°Well, let them keep enjoying their ¡°light duty.¡± It¡¯s nice for them, but even better for us,¡± Rat said. ¡°Spread out. Don¡¯t let them see stuff moving off the shelves, like it¡¯s moving on its own. They¡¯ll likely start screaming and hollering about ghosts. We have five minutes.¡± Alex and Claygon split from the others. The young wizard glanced at the door leading down to the sixth floor. ¡®There¡¯s spells down there I want to take before we search the seventh level.¡¯ He and Claygon teleported one level down, beginning a quick search of the sixth-tier level of the library, as Alex looked for specific spells. The first spell-guide he took was True Seeing. He thought back on Baelin¡¯s explanation of the spell when he¡¯d led them and the Heroes through the Crymlyn Swamp. ¡°A very handy sixth-tier spell. It cuts through most invisibility magic, illusions, and even shapeshifting to reveal the world as it actually is,¡± Baelin had said. ¡°It can be defeated by mundane disguises and more powerful magics, but nonetheless, it is a spell I would recommend that no wizard of sufficient power be without. Keep in mind, it isn¡¯t infallible, but it will save your life time and time again.¡± ¡®Now, I finally have it,¡¯ Alex thought, glancing at the golem knights. ¡®I thought they¡¯d have wizards who could cast true seeing guarding their library¡­but since no one tries to rob the place, they probably don¡¯t consider it since their traps make invisibility useless¡­for most people. Time for the other sixth-tier spell I wanted¡­¡¯ He picked up the spell-guide for Disintegration, a spell that would fire a beam of energy and completely disrupt a physical object or creature down to the very smallest parts of its being. In an instant, almost anything would be reduced to fine dust. He remembered the Deleo who¡¯d helped them in the woods near Greymoor; she''d been able to locate and disintegrate those petrifiers¡¯ self-destruction organs with precision. ¡®This spell¡¯ll be good for crafting and combat,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Definitely wouldn¡¯t want to leave here without grabbing it.¡¯ He looked up at the ceiling. ¡®Okay buddy, now we go back to the next floor.¡¯ On the seventh floor, Alex helped himself to a handful of other spell-guides, some deadly and some not, but all very useful. From one shelf, he took the spell-guide for Phantom Blast, which fired a cone of hungry, spiritual, ectoplasmic echoes that tore into enemies, peeling away their flesh and organs. The late Watcher Shaw had used the spell against Ravener-spawn that attacked the Research Castle last winter. Alex stole Cage of Force next, it wrapped an enemy in a near-impenetrable cage of force magic. From a shelf of battlemagic spell-guides, he took Timed Fireball, a more powerful version of the third-tier fireball spell. This one would launch a huge ball of flame that could be timed to explode a minute after the spell was cast. It was perfect for traps. Next, he grabbed Mass Invisibility, a spell that could veil an entire force of allies in invisibility magic. He then took a blood magic spell called Waves of Weariness, it was meant to siphon the fortitude and vitality from a group of foes in a wave, exhausting them, draining them of all energy. ¡®You¡­feel happy¡­father¡­¡¯ There was a happy note in the golem¡¯s thought. ¡®I¡¯m ecstatic!¡¯ Alex replied, I¡¯m finding spells that I get to keep, and one day use! By the Traveller, I¡¯ll actually get to cast them! It¡¯s awesome, it¡¯s what I¡¯ve¡­dreamed¡­about¡­¡¯ He paused, his eyes widening, landing on a spell he¡¯d nearly overlooked, a spell that had captured his imagination from the time he¡¯d first visited a tower in Generasi. A spell that was¡ªin his mind¡ªone of the truest symbols of being a great wizard. Chapter 716: Promises of Eight and Ninth Control Weather. Magic Alex had always imagined, the true wonder of wizardry he always saw himself casting from the time he was small; images filling his mind of an ancient, powerful, bearded wizard wearing flowing robes and a wide-brimmed hat, holding his mighty staff aloft, raising it toward the heavens. The spell Noarc was most famous for had captivated him when they¡¯d visited the wizard¡¯s magical tower to celebrate Selina¡¯s eleventh birthday. With that one spell, he could call down rain, conjure storms, and even summon the sun from behind cloud cover. A true, legendary magical spell-guide was in reach of Alex¡¯s fingertips; all he had to do was take it. With a shaking hand, he picked up the book, running his fingers over the cover. ¡®Using this spell is a big responsibility,¡¯ he thought. ¡®If you change the weather in one place, it¡¯ll cause ripple effects for hundreds or thousands of miles. I¡¯d have to be careful with it¡­hell, I might never have any reason to use it, but, by the Traveller, I want to try it.¡¯ He thought about the war back home. ¡®Maybe I could use it against the church or the Ravener-spawn. Yeah, maybe I could conjure waves of thick fog that¡¯ll cut visibility, or maybe summon a lightning storm and strike a whole bunch of monsters at once¡­no, no!¡¯ A grin spread across his face. ¡®I got it¡­maybe I could conjure a rainstorm to flood a dungeon! And when all the Ravener-spawn drown¡ªI summon greater water elementals, they swim through the tunnels and get the core! That¡¯s it, now I have an excuse to use¡ªI-I mean, a proper and valid reason to use the spell. Yep, proper and valid.¡¯ He quickly stuffed the guide into Claygon¡¯s pack then went in search of more magic. The next spell to catch his eye was a powerful form of blood magic known as Curse Wound. He flipped the pages, speed-reading; with a pulse of mana, a wizard could disrupt the life force of an opponent¡¯s body. This would cause their flesh to erupt anywhere the spellcaster chose¡ªthe chest, eyes, the ears, a limb and so on¡ªquickly turning foul with rot. The wound becomes infected with an aggressive blood magic curse that resists all forms of healing. ¡®That¡¯d be perfect to use on the First and Third Apostles,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Or any member of the hidden church, for that matter; they¡¯re able to heal their wounds, but this could slow them down¡ªor better yet¡ªfinish them off. It says it takes a lot of mana and skill, so¡­it¡¯d be hard to use in combat if you¡¯re new to it. Something to experiment with when I finally find Kelda¡¯s sanctum and try to change the Mark.¡¯ He dropped the spell-guide for Curse Wound into Claygon¡¯s bag. Another book caught his eye. ¡®What in all hells is Conjure Objects?¡¯ he wondered, picking up the thin guide and quickly flipping to the spell description. Alex¡¯s heart began pounding. ¡®Does this conjure any object by using pure magic? Does such a miraculous spell really exist¡­ah, of course it doesn¡¯t. You can only make an object that you already own come to you from anywhere in the world. Too bad, that¡¯s disappoint¡ªwait. Waaaaaaiiiit. That¡¯s still awesome! I could leave my staff in Generasi and call it to myself from anywhere, even here in the Empire. Holy hells! That¡¯s going to work fantastically with the Traveller¡¯s power. Okay, this spell is a definite must.¡¯ He glanced at a timekeeper. Two minutes before it was time to meet up with the others. The eighth floor door tempted him. Greed burned in his chest ¡®What do you think, should we head up to the next level?¡¯ Alex asked Claygon. ¡®Those four aren¡¯t interested in going, so, I¡¯m thinking we could look through some of the shelves up there, snag a few spellbooks, and be back down before they even know we were gone.¡¯ ¡®That sounds¡­risky¡­father¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®Who knows¡­what¡¯s up there¡­but then again¡­I will be there to protect you¡­¡¯ The golem paused for a moment. ¡®If teleporting up there¡­will get us more power¡­and more ways for you¡­to protect yourself¡­then I am for it¡­¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re the best, buddy,¡¯ Alex thought, touching his golem¡¯s side. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ They teleported through the crystal door and up to level eight. Security was no less impressive than on the seventh, with some additions. Three teleportation circles were positioned around the centre of the floor. Eight golem knights were present on this floor, with four guarding the door to the seventh and four guarding the door to the ninth. They seemed even less engaged. On the seventh floor, students had been few and far between, but, on the eight, there were none. The only sign of mortal life were the guards. Here, the bookshelves stood like grapevines, ripe with fruit that was waiting to be plucked. The atmosphere was quite lively for a library; the two intruders could hear guards snoring, while others were telling jokes, laughing and teasing each other. ¡®Jeez,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I get that thieves have probably never made it this far, but don¡¯t stand and look around, do something!¡­actually never mind, that¡¯d be bad. Don¡¯t take your jobs seriously, just relax. Yeah, relax so I can help myself to what I want.¡¯ He directed the Traveller¡¯s power at the three teleportation circles, finding three staging areas with sleeping iron-watchers snuggled comfortably in their cots, right beside their dozing mounts. Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡®It¡­seems we¡¯re safe¡­father¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®There¡¯s no one here¡­you can¡­keep stealing¡­¡¯ ¡®Shopping, Claygon. I¡¯m shopping,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Shopping involves the exchange¡­of coin¡­and goods¡­for other goods¡­¡¯ the golem replied. ¡®What¡­are you exchanging for these¡­books you are taking¡­?¡¯ ¡®Uh¡­¡¯ Alex paused. ¡®Well, I¡¯m¡­¡¯ ¡®Then you are stealing¡­father¡­¡¯ The young wizard glared in Claygon¡¯s direction, though he couldn¡¯t see him. Deciding to concede the point, he went to back to his steali¡ª Shopping. He went back to his shopping. The first spell he found was at the end of an aisle. ¡®What the hells is Summon Construct?¡¯ Alex quietly took the book off the shelf, looking through its contents. ¡®Teleport any construct to your side that you have created, even across planar boundaries¡­oh! Oh! That¡¯s amazing, you hear that, Claygon?¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­father¡­¡¯ Claygon said, sounding excited. ¡®You can call me from home to anywhere!¡¯ ¡®That¡¯s right,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®It¡¯s perfect. I¡¯m keeping this. And what else do we have here? Wall of Lava, eh?¡¯ The title was self-explanatory. The spell conjured a towering rampart of lava; a moveable wall of boiling stone that could be guided by a wizard¡¯s will. ¡®Alright, this is coming with me¡­and what¡¯s this¡­Famine? That sounds terrible. Oh, oh by the Traveller!¡¯ he thought, flipping through the book. ¡®This sucks the nutrients out of a living being, it wilts plants, withers animals, and monsters¡­holy hells. No wait, not just a single living being, it can affect entire groups of living things! And the life force is transferred to the wizard who cast it? Damn, what a monstrous spell! I¡¯m definitely taking it.¡± He floated past rows of bookshelves. ¡®Let¡¯s see, Famine sounds amazing¡­Wall of Roiling Mana¡­creates a wall of mana that can disrupt and damage anyone with a mana pool¡­that¡¯s not bad¡­I¡¯ll take it¡­¡¯ He floated to another shelf. ¡®Curse of Eternal Night¡­creates an environment of permanent night in a large area¡­meh, that sounds kind of niche¡­¡¯ He continued floating along, moving at speed, eyeing rows of spellbooks. Then stopped. ¡®Wait, what¡¯s Steel Body?¡¯ Alex opened the spell-guide. ¡®A powerful transmutation and blood magic spell; it allows a wizard to use the iron present in the bloodstream as the catalyst to transform themselves into a being of pure steel, greatly enhancing physical strength, toughness and power at the cost of a loss of agility and a slowing of mana flow. It is an excellent tool for defensive measures. Okay, yeah this is coming with me. And what else¡ªoops, time¡¯s almost up.¡¯ Alex teleported beside Theresa and Brutus; they were keeping watch on the seventh level. ¡°Any problems so far?¡± he whispered. ¡°Nothing yet,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m starting to get nervous¡­things never go this well¡­¡± ¡°I hear you,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Everyone here?¡± Rat suddenly whispered. ¡°We¡¯re all here,¡± Mouse said. ¡°Good, we¡¯re nearly done,¡± Rat whispered. ¡°I think this job¡¯s giving me a stomach ulcer, I keep expecting alarms to start blaring.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t curse us,¡± Fox hissed. ¡°Now, let''s get to the ninth level. That¡¯s our last stop.¡± ¡°Everyone hold on, we¡¯re almost finished,¡± Alex whispered. He teleported the team through the eighth, then appeared on the ninth level of Brightfire¡¯s library. The floor was nearly silent, far smaller than the rest. It was only lit by a few glowing forceballs, with most of the light focused on the guard station at the room¡¯s only entrance; the crystal door leading back down to the eighth level. A dozen golem knights sat at the guard station, most asleep and out of their armour. Like the floor below, not a single student or professor studied here, and dust coated every surface. Alex swallowed. The books here were much thicker than those below. Older, as well; with titles on their spines handwritten in flowing script, and bound in material that looked suspiciously like dried skin. ¡°Alright, this is the last stop before we¡¯re outta here,¡± Rat said. ¡°Move and move fast.¡± ¡°Five minutes,¡± Alex said, eager to go through the bookshelves. He flew to the battle magic section. ¡®This is the sort of magic Baelin might use in battle¡­so let''s see what we have here¡­Shred Magic?¡¯ he thought, opening the guide. ¡®Shred Magic¡­will tear apart any spell or magic effect within a targeted area as long as the magic does not eclipse the caster¡¯s own power. This spell creates disjunction, destroying any spell, magical item, or construct¡­ Hmm, I like the sound of that.¡¯ He carefully placed the thick spell-guide into Claygon¡¯s bag while eyeing a spellbook bound in what looked like crimson dragonscale. ¡®Annihilation¡­¡¯ he translated for Calygon. ¡®This spell will cause a mighty hurricane of flame to blaze across a battlefield¡­the flame is laced with¡­disintegration magic? Holy shit! This¡­could level an entire army of Ravener-spawn!¡¯ Alex added it to Claygon¡¯s rapidly filling bag. ¡®This one looks interesting, it¡¯s called Meteor Fall¡­it says it¡¯ll conjure a meteor from the sky, that¡¯ll collide with an area at great speed. It says it also erects a barrier that keeps the destruction contained to that area, preventing continent-wide devastation, while keeping destruction targeted.¡¯ Alex¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡®This is amazing! Reminds me a bit of a chaos bomb.¡¯ He searched the shelves, finding¡­¡¯Tempest. A spell that conjures a concentrated swarm of lightning from even a clear sky, capable of burying vast areas in lightning bolts. Oh my yes! And there¡¯s something here called¡­White End¡­¡¯ Alex flipped open another spell bound in dragonscale. ¡®This spell will conjure a concentrated blizzard that can freeze an entire army in heartbeats. Now, that¡¯s power.¡¯ He put the book in Claygon¡¯s bag with the others, then found another one that looked interesting. ¡®Tidal Wave summons a massive wave from the elemental plane of water, capable of washing away armies and forests. Okay, that should work super well with Tempest or White End¡­or wait, what if I used all three? Yeah, I¡¯d love to experiment with that¡­¡¯ The book quickly went into Claygon¡¯s bag, as he eagerly looked for more spells. In his enthusiastic search, something had escaped him. As he¡¯d moved from shelf to shelf, carefully collecting spellbooks, he hadn¡¯t noticed what the thieves were doing. One of them, working invisibly, had quickened the pace at which they were taking the precious bounty they were sent here to steal. They¡¯d quickly found the books their client was paying for, perhaps moving with too much haste and too little caution. On lower floors, they might have been able to get away with that¡­but here, on the ninth level, books were rarely used as there were few wizards in Brightfire¡ªor the world¡ªcapable of casting such mighty magics. Dust had lain heavy and undisturbed on most surfaces, growing thicker as time marched on. Dust that was now whirling through the air as the invisible thief raced back and forth, opening their loot bag, shoving spellbooks in, shedding minute particles as they went. Dust that was now moving through the library¡¯s ninth level like the beginnings of a snowfall. And in such dim light, even Theresa hadn¡¯t noticed. Chapter 717: When Things Go Not so Smoothly Alex quickly slipped spell upon high-tiered spell into Claygon¡¯s bag. Cursed Land was described as a spell that inflicted wide swathes of terrain with a bloody curse. The earth would turn treacherous, the air stifling and shadows would grow deep. Where luck had once been neutral or good, it would abruptly turn ill, and all plant life would turn poisonous. ¡®A classic witch¡¯s spell from legend,¡¯ Alex thought, recalling the tale of a bewitched princess who was cursed to wander through a never ending maze of poisonous thorns. The next spell guide contained a much less sinister sounding spell; Army of Heroes. ¡®This spell will empower armies with valour, fearlessness, and strength,¡¯ Alex read. ¡®Those under this spell will know greater strength, speed and agility, while fear dulls within their souls. Their bodies will be filled with vigour and stamina as their skin toughens harder than boiled leather. Their weapons will gain magic¡ªbut only temporarily¡ªallowing them the ability to overcome any foe¡¯s defences with greater certainty. By the Traveller, yes!¡¯ He placed it in the satchel. ¡®Here¡¯s another one that sounds like it has something to do with armies¡­Phalanx of Wood and Stone, it¡¯s called.¡¯ He read the spell¡¯s description. ¡®This conjures a squadron of towering soldiers of living wood and stone, armed with diamond-tipped spears and stone shields. Their strength can almost match that of a stone golem, and they will serve the wizard faithfully for one hour before returning to the earth. Yes. Maybe this can work with Army of Heroes¡­¡¯ Alex put the book into Claygon¡¯s bag. ¡®Now¡­what¡¯s this? Mass Control Corpse? This blood magic places an army of corpses under a wizard¡¯s power; the caster is then able to puppet them by blood magic. Note: control is crude. Now, that¡¯s quite the power!¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Sounds like it could be useful against the church and certain Ravener-spawn. Awesome¡­okay, so, what¡¯s next?¡¯ He and Claygon drifted along, checking bookshelves, looking for a few more ninth-tier spells. ¡®Mass Shatter,¡¯ the young wizard¡¯s eyes fixed on a guide bound in shards of shattered glass, though magically treated edges were smooth to the touch. Dust coated reflective surfaces. ¡®This spell will shatter any number of objects within an area of the caster¡¯s choosing, the size of which is limited only by their mana and skill. The magic can be used to destroy weapons of an attacking horde, or the food supply of unruly peasants. Use wisely.¡¯ Alex put the book in his bag, imagining its possibilities. ¡®If I get ambushed by the hidden churches¡¯ warriors, I could disarm them with a spell like this¡­and¡­oh my, what¡¯s this now?¡¯ He carefully took another book from off the shelf, one bound in what looked like sand, though not a single grain fell as he held it. ¡®Mass disintegration?¡¯ he thought to Claygon. ¡®Can you believe this? What in every hell¡­? This almost sounds like you¡¯re cheating!¡¯ ¡®Father¡­does that mean¡­you can disintegrate¡­entire groups of enemies¡­or objects¡­?¡¯ Claygon asked. ¡®Yes! It almost sounds too good to be true, doesn¡¯t it?¡¯ Alex thought, flipping through the book. ¡®I mean, wouldn¡¯t this spell just be better than mass shatter¡­.oh. Oh, I see. It can only affect up to ten objects or opponents at a time. That¡¯s limiting¡­but still devastating, turning ten enemies¡ªor their weapons¡ªto dust at once¡ª¡± A sudden sound, jarring and abrupt, shocked all on level nine. There was a sneeze echoing through the room, halting Alex¡¯s breath, freezing his blood. ¡®Please let that have been one of those knights,¡¯ he pleaded, glancing at a time keeper. ¡®Please let that be one of the knights, please let that be one of the knights¡ª¡¯ Deep down, though, he knew better. The sneeze hadn¡¯t come from the guard station, but even more importantly¡­things had been going too smoothly. They¡¯d managed to break into a highly secure library filled with magic without being seen, heard, discovered, or attacked. Things never went that smoothly. Never. ¡°Hello?¡± one of the knights called out in High Irtyshenan. ¡°Who¡¯s there? Did any of you hear that? Did you hear someone sneeze?¡± ¡°I thought so but ...there shouldn¡¯t be anybody else up here but us,¡± another knight said. There came the sound of scrambling feet and leather on metal. A hatch closed, iron creaked. The floor shook. Alex floated higher, peering over a bookcase. A golem-knight had donned his powered armour and was stalking along between rows of bookshelves. His helmet turned slowly, scanning the floor for signs of an intruder. Alex swore silently, flying back to Theresa with Claygon right behind. He touched her shoulder, leaned in close, and whispered. ¡®Are they back yet?¡¯ ¡®No,¡¯ she whispered back. Alex¡¯s heart pounded hard. He checked a nearby timekeeper. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Two minutes. Two minutes before they were supposed to come together. ¡®Come on,¡¯ he thought, anxiously ¡®come on!¡¯ More knights climbed into their armour, sealing themselves in. Alex watched the timekeeper, feeling his sweat turning cold. Ninety seconds. Out of the knights¡¯ view, books were disappearing. Dust was rising in the air; Alex could almost feel the Guild members¡¯ desperation. ¡®Hurry up,¡¯ he thought. More knights were walking between the shelves now. ¡°Are you sure you heard something? You¡¯ve been drinking,¡± one called, her armour a swarm of trident-shaped patterns. ¡°Drinking or not, I did hear something,¡± said the one who¡¯d first geared up, his armour etched, displaying a sea of blades. ¡°I heard something too,¡± another said, the shape of a bear forged across his metal chest. A fourth looked around, soaring eagle¡¯s wings emblazoned upon her chest. ¡°No intruder has ever made it up here¡­it¡¯s been quiet all night¡­there¡¯s no way anyone¡¯s here, right? The glyphs haven¡¯t sounded; if anyone came through the door, they¡¯d have to be invisible, but if they tried to teleport, they would have been turned to ice. I don¡¯t see any ice, so it can¡¯t be, it¡ª¡± She paused, looking at a bookshelf. ¡°...when was the last time someone came in here and took out a book from this level?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember a single time,¡± replied the bear-knight. The eagle-knight swore. ¡°Someone¡¯s in here! There¡¯s books missing! A lot of them! Sound the alarm!¡± Alex swore. A knight at the guard station¡ªram¡¯s horns built into his pauldrons¡ªturned, reaching for a glyph on a wall nearby. Alex teleported behind him, grabbing his helmet, he vanished. Holding the guard¡ªcatapulting across the planes¡ªhe appeared in the wilderness a hundred miles away. ¡°What th¡ª¡± the man began shouting. Alex was already gone, teleporting back to the tower. He reappeared on the ninth floor¡­and the screaming of a blaring horn slammed into his ears. ¡°Agh!¡± he tried shaking off the deafening noise. Another knight had sounded the alarm; others were rushing through the library floor. ¡°Pietr disappeared!¡± the eagle-knight cried. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter!¡± the bear-knight called back. ¡°If we don¡¯t catch these thieves, our hides are cooked. They¡¯ll flay us to death! Flash-dust the room! Now!¡± Alex leapt on the bear-knight, taking him to another patch of wilderness dozens of miles outside the city, and still invisible, he teleported back. ¡®If I don¡¯t physically attack them,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I¡¯ll stay invisible and¡ª¡¯ Suddenly, glyphs began glowing on the library walls; flooding the room with glittering dust. Golden particles drifted from all directions, bouncing off most objects¡­but clinging to Alex¡¯s skin. Throughout the room, the forms of his invisible comrades were now marked by the flash-dust clinging to any exposed skin. ¡®Shit, it must stick to living flesh!¡¯ he thought. ¡°Thieves!¡± the trident-knight shouted. ¡°Surrender now, or be destroyed!¡± ¡°Hurry up!¡± Crow shouted. ¡°We¡¯ve gotta go!¡± In the centre of the chamber, teleportation circles flared. Alex felt something coming. A lot of somethings were on the way. ¡°We¡¯re about to have a lot more company!¡± he cried, leaping onto another knight, instantly appearing in the forest. When he reappeared, the crystal door leading from the eighth floor had opened and knights were charging through. Guards were making their way for the outlined thieves, iron clubs raised, poised to drop them on the intruders. Alex reached into his bag, grabbing booby-trapped sleeping potions from the satchel; glass shattered, potion mist dissipated. ¡°Don¡¯t go near the gas!¡± he shouted at his comrades. ¡°You¡¯ll fall aslee¡ªOh shit!¡± Golem knights charged through the gas as if it wasn''t there. ¡®Shit, they must have their own air supply!¡¯ he realised. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­help¡­!¡± Claygon shouted from across the room. ¡°Don¡¯t attack!¡± Alex cried. ¡°You don¡¯t want to break your invisibility!¡± ¡°I am not attacking¡­them,¡± Claygon said. Suddenly, a bookcase began creaking like old wood, rising high in the air then toppling sideways; slamming into another one, falling atop the next in a cascade. Golem knights scrambled, trying to catch the shelves. ¡°Stop the shelves from falling!¡± the sword-knight shouted. ¡°We can¡¯t let the books get damaged!¡± Alex teleported to the centre of the room, tossing sleeping potions into the teleportation circles. Potion-mist filled the air as a hulking figure appeared in the circle. Mounted on the back of an iron-drak was a massive iron-watcher with hair the colour of ash. In one hand she held a hammer crackling with lightning. In the other, a spear-staff. Potion-mist swirled around her, kept at bay by orbs of air around hers and her mount¡¯s heads. She glowered across the room, raising her hammer, taking aim at a thief, she hurled it. It arced through the air like a lighting bolt. Alex teleported, and grabbing the thief, he vanished. The hammer struck the wall, sounding like an avalanche as the floor shook. The guard raised her staff, chanting a spell. Alex teleported behind her. ¡°No,¡± he touched her and her mount. The Traveller¡¯s power surged as he threw his will against hers; she proved defiant, even more so than the ancient Kaz-Mowang. But her resistance was brief. Hannah¡¯s power surged, and he teleported away, taking the guard and her mount a hundred miles away, leaving them in an icy field, then teleporting back to the library. ¡°Freeze the floor!¡± a knight shouted. ¡°We need to get out of here, now!¡± Theresa cried. ¡°Gather up! Gather!¡± Crow shouted. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter if you have everything! It¡¯s time to go!¡± Alex teleported to the centre of the room as the marked thieves flew toward Theresa. Golem-knights charged from all directions. ¡°Grab hold!¡± Alex cried. Claygon, Theresa, Brutus and the four Guild members reached for Alex from all sides. The golem-knights barreled toward them. More iron-watchers appeared through the potion-mist, the eyes of their mounts glowing. Alex threw everything he had into Hannah¡¯s power. His mind locked on the image of the safehouse. And Brightfire¡¯s ninth floor was gone. They hurtled through time and space, moving past planes¡ªimages of a thousand realms¡ªsurging past them. Then darkness met them, and the only sound briefly heard in the safehouse were the ragged breaths of the four Guild thieves. ¡°Are we out?¡± Crow asked. ¡°By the gods, we¡¯re out!¡± Alex dispelled the invisibility magic on the party with his staff. ¡°Do you have everything you went there for? Did you get it all?¡± Mouse, Rat, Crow and Fox looked at each other, and began rifling through their bags, speaking in code. Theresa touched Alex¡¯s face. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± ¡°We have everything!¡± Rat said, his voice tight with excitement. ¡°We got out!¡± In the distance¡ªfrom the direction of Brightfire¡ªan alarm began rising, growing louder, cutting clear across the city. ¡°We should go,¡± Mouse said. ¡°We have what we need, and now they¡¯ll be looking for the ones that robbed them. We should get back to headquarters.¡± Fox looked at Alex. ¡°Thank you, we couldn¡¯t have done it without you; I swear, if Warder doesn¡¯t give you a coin, then he¡¯s addled.¡± ¡°Either way, you¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Rat opened the secret passage in the back wall. ¡°You should come with us.¡± Alex raised an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re letting us come to your headquarters?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes, if we succeeded, Warder said to bring you with us, if we got a good feeling from you; you saved our lives tonight. Feelings don¡¯t get much better than that. Come, I¡¯ll pour you all some potato wine, and we can show you the way to the Founder¡¯s sanctum. At least¡­the part that we know of, I hope you can find the rest of the way yourselves.¡± ¡°I hope so too,¡± Alex said, patting Claygon¡¯s backpack. ¡°Well, at least tonight¡¯s been a good night. A very good night.¡± Chapter 718: Honour Among Red Mice Things had not gone as they were supposed to. The plan had abruptly changed when Mouse, Crow and Fox had stepped through the portal first, supposedly to tell Warder that they had returned and that Alex¡¯s group was going to accompany them to the safehouse. Time had passed, then Crow came back, speaking to Rat quickly in their secret tongue before scurrying back to the portal. The lone thief looked stricken, then turned to Alex and the others. ¡°Erm, I¡¯m sorry¡­but, Warder said we can¡¯t bring you to the safehouse.¡± Rat shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His eyes darted above his cowl, refusing to meet Alex, Theresa, Claygon or even Brutus¡¯. In his hand, he clutched a bottle of potato wine and three small, silver cups. ¡°Uh, would you, uh, like to have that drink here?¡± Theresa watched Alex, his jaw clenched, looking like steel. ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Oh, uh, sorry,¡± Rat apologised, switching to common. ¡°I meant to say that Warder¡­would like to meet you all here instead of you coming to the safehouse.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Alex asked, suspicion growing. His eyes flicked to the walls and door, looking for signs of movement or anything else he might have missed. Was this a trap? ¡°One minute you tell us that we¡¯re supposed to come with you¡­then your three friends¡ª¡± He counted off Mouse, Crow and Fox on his fingers. ¡°¡ªgo into the portal, disappear for ten minutes and now you tell us that we can¡¯t come with you? I don¡¯t like the way this is looking. Warder¡¯s going to give me what he owes, right?¡± ¡°He is, he is,¡± Rat promised. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­well, you can go anywhere with Kelda¡¯s ability, right? So, you could come back to our safehouse anytime you wanted, and we wouldn¡¯t be able to stop you. So he only wants to take precautions. Here, here, we should be drinking, not arguing. Alex watched the Guild member closely, reading his body language. There was nervousness there; by the shifting of his weight, the twitches of discomfort in his face and a light trembling in his hands. The young wizard looked at the glasses closely, watching the man pour. Before the thief could offer him or Theresa a glass, he reached out and took two, one for himself and one for his partner, watching Rat¡¯s reaction all the while. The man¡¯s demeanour didn¡¯t change. ¡°You want me to drink first?¡± Rat asked, taking a long sip from his glass. ¡°See? No poison.¡± Alex took a small sip, watching the thief¡¯s body language The liquor burned the tongue. ¡°Harsh stuff,¡± Theresa said. A smile¡ªhidden behind Rat¡¯s cowl but visible in his eyes¡ªsprang up on Rat¡¯s face. ¡°See, it¡¯s like I said, you saved us, so I wanted to share a drink with you. Enjoy it, it¡¯s good stuff! It¡¯s harsh because it gets you good and drunk, which is what liquor is supposed to do, not¡ª¡± The portal flared below. An image of Warder leaving the doorway flashed into Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°Your boss is here,¡± the young wizard drained his drink. Rat¡¯s nervousness instantly spiked. Alex leaned to the side, casually reaching for the aeld staff as Warder appeared in the secret passageway. ¡°Hello,¡± Theresa¡¯s voice was flat ¡°Hello,¡± Warder said, clutching a folded sheet of parchment under his arm. ¡°You did well.¡± ¡°Indeed we did, boss,¡± Rat said. Warder¡¯s head tilted toward the direction of Brightfire, seeming to be listening to the sound of alarms going off. ¡°You were not seen? Nor discovered?¡± ¡°No,¡± Rat assured him. ¡°They didn¡¯t see us at all.¡± ¡°They got us with dust that outlines your form,¡± Alex said. ¡°But we never broke invisibility. They¡¯ll have no idea who any of you are¡­nor any of us.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± Warder said. ¡°And did you kill any of their guardians?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex said. ¡°Some of them are going to have a long, tough journey back to the city, but no one died.¡± ¡°It was a bloodless operation,¡± Rat confirmed. Warder nodded. ¡°The Founder would be proud.¡± He grinned behind his mask, his gem-eyes gleaming. ¡°She was not one for unnecessary bloodshed, not only for herself¡ªfor¡­obvious reasons¡ª,¡± He looked pointedly at Alex. ¡°¡ªbut for the members of the Guild as well; she thought that killing made things messier.¡± He chuckled darkly. ¡°I tend to have a different view. Killings might make things messy in the short term, but they also have a way of closing loops and tying loose ends. A dead enemy is one that can never come looking for you, after all.¡± ¡®And a dead ally is one you never have to pay,¡¯ Alex thought, keeping his face a mask of neutrality. ¡®Is that what you¡¯re about to try to pull? With Claygon standing here?¡¯ As Warder reached down to his belt, Alex began drawing on the aeld staff¡¯s power. Just in case. The red-eyed man opened a pouch tied to his belt¡­ ¡­producing a single, copper and zinc coin with a red mouse stamped on its face. ¡°As agreed, I hereby award you the Coin of Silent Friends,¡± the thief said, ¡°Making you a friend to the Guild. Congratulations.¡± Alex slowly took the coin, turning it over between his fingers. It looked authentic. ¡°Thank you.¡± The Thameish wizard showed Warder the coin. ¡°I take it you have an idea of what I¡¯ll be asking for?¡± Warder bowed, his grin growing. ¡°Of course, and I am eager to oblige.¡± He turned, unfolding the parchment, sticking it to the back wall as he had done with the one of Sorkovo and Brightfire. This map was larger and much more detailed, showing the entire Irtyshenan country. Four circles, drawn in red ink, outlined four separate areas. The first was somewhere in a forest near Kymiland. The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The next was in a range of southern mountains. Another lay in the tundra to the north. The last was a spot on an island off the eastern coast of the Empire. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Four circles?¡± ¡°Yes, the Founder¡¯s sanctum is in one of those four locations.¡± Warder bowed. ¡°I must apologise for not being able to give you more precise directions, but the Guild of the Red Mouse was never granted the exact location. Members who lived in her time were aware that it does lie in one of these areas¡­but they never visited on their own accord since it was simpler for her to teleport them there.¡± Alex¡¯s insides curdled. ¡®Is this¡­a trick¡­father?¡¯ Claygon asked. ¡®I thought¡­they would have specific information¡­about¡­where her sanctum was¡­¡¯ The young wizard watched Warder¡¯s body language closely, looking for any sign of treachery. He found none. The masked thief seemed to be sincere, almost apologetic. ¡®So we went through robbing the library just to have things narrowed down to¡­four locations?¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®¡­something¡¯s not right here. I think he¡¯s telling the truth, but I don¡¯t like the way this feels.¡¯ His eyes scanned the four areas on the map circled in red, ¡®This gives us an idea of where to search, but¡­why four places? Why would Kelda not tell her own Guild the exact location, why give them four different places where her sanctum could be. I think we need to talk to Birger about this.¡¯ ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± Warder asked. ¡°This map is a copy; you can take it with you when you leave the city.¡± ¡°Thanks, I suppose¡­¡± Alex said, cautiously. ¡°And you have no other information?¡± ¡°I wish the Founder had been less secretive with the early members of the Guild,¡± Warder said. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid this is the best that can be done.¡± Alex watched him for a long moment, then smiled, filling the smile with sincerity¡­though it did not touch his heart. ¡°Thank you for the map Warder, it should help us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re most welcome,¡± the gem-eyed thief said. ¡°I only hope you¡¯re able to find the Founder¡¯s sanctum; it would be a boon to us all.¡± Alex¡¯s smile remained fixed. ¡°I¡¯m sure it will. Well, let¡¯s get going. We¡¯ve got a sanctum to find.¡± He said to Claygon, Theresa and Brutus. ### A fire crackled in Birger¡¯s hearth. It cast long, flickering light across the cottage¡¯s walls, extending the shadows of those sitting around the table. Birger¡¯s was long, bent and writhing as the old firbolg hunched over the table, his hands clasped before him. Bjorgrund¡¯s and Claygon¡¯s were imposing, filling the end of the cottage with ominous shadows. Brutus¡¯ looked threatening, all three heads grew and shrank like the forms of some possessed beast. Alex¡¯s and Theresa¡¯s seemed to hesitate, wavering back and forth like two turbulent souls, matching the emotions stirring inside them. Spread across the table was the map that Warder had given Alex, the four locations marked for all to see. ¡°Why?¡± Alex asked Birger. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t Kelda just tell them exactly where her sanctum was? It doesn¡¯t feel right to me.¡± ¡°You¡¯d think she¡¯d tell the people she trusted,¡± Bjorgrund said. Silence gripped the room for a moment, until Birger spoke, breaking it, his eyes coming alive in the firelight. ¡°She was a woman of secrets¡­but this seems odd even for her. Why wouldn¡¯t she give the Guild only one location? Why four?¡± ¡°Warder didn¡¯t seem to be lying,¡± Alex said. ¡°And I¡¯m damn good at seeing through someone¡¯s lies.¡± ¡°So was Kelda, so that doesn¡¯t surprise me.¡± Birger examined the map. ¡°It¡¯s odd to me¡­though¡­unless¡­¡± ¡°Unless what?¡± Theresa asked. Birger made a sour face. ¡°Listen to me, and you listen good. Kelda wasn¡¯t some ball of dirt; she was no bandit queen. She put together the Guild to help herself and in return, she could help the members¡­sure, she flouted the law, and spit on the will of tyrants, which meant there was a nobility to her.¡± He gave Alex and Theresa a grave look. ¡°She wanted those noble values infused in the Guild, and that meant members must have the sense of honour, fairplay and restraint that she did. I got no such sense coming off that Warder. Not at all.¡± ¡°So you think he lied?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°About where the location is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Birger¡¯s eyes were flashing. ¡°But there¡¯s only one way to find out.¡± He pointed to the forest near Kymiland. ¡°This location isn¡¯t that far from here. We could go and have a look around later tonight.¡± Theresa looked at Alex. ¡°We still have time before we have to be back home. What do you think?¡± she asked The young wizard frowned, deep in thought, considering the situation. He imagined his little sister, probably sound asleep by now. Even taking the time difference into account, there were still hours before she would have to wake up for school. It might be best to use the time they had as efficiently as possible. ¡°If Warder¡¯s trying something,¡± Alex said. ¡°The longer we wait, the more time he has to do whatever it is he¡¯s up to. Maybe we should start looking tonight; if we find her sanctum, we¡¯ll have fantastic news for Selina, Professor Jules and everyone else back in Generasi. I have plenty of energy to teleport us there and back¡­so, yeah, I say we do it.¡± ¡°Might I come with you?¡± Birger asked, gripping his crutch. ¡°If we could find Kelda¡¯s sanctum¡­oh, I¡¯d be so grateful to see it again.¡± ¡°Do you think it¡¯d be safe leaving your cottage this late?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°With the strength of the ward that we now have around our home, thanks to the wizard you hired, it should be just fine,¡± Birger said. ¡°I always knew I was an amateur when it came to warding, but it¡¯s still¡­it¡¯s actually humbling seeing how he worked, and how much better this new one is compared to my old one.¡± ¡°Alright, then it¡¯s settled, we¡¯ll go to that first location on the map, search for a few hours and if we don¡¯t find the sanctum, we can bring you back then head home.¡± ¡°Sounds exciting,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Indeed, I cannot wait to find her sanctum,¡± Birger said. ¡°If we find it,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get ready.¡± Alex stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll put flight magic on us, then teleport us ther¡ª¡± He paused. Wavering shadows played over a crossbeam running along the ceiling. For a moment, he thought he¡¯d seen something move. He stayed completely still, looking up, squinting at every inch of the crossbeam, finding nothing but flickering shadows cast by sprigs of herbs hanging from the rafters. ### The forest was similar to Kymiland¡¯s. Within those woods, tree trunks were thick, gnarled and old¡­but here, instead of leafless, bare canopies, most of the trees were of fir and cedar, tall, and dense with needles, some carpeting the snow beneath them. Alex and his companions silently floated through the evergreen forest, the young wizard watched the map. They kept close to the ground, flying at a slow, steady pace, all eyes constantly scanning their surroundings, searching for any hint of Kelda¡¯s sanctum. Though they¡¯d been carefully looking for hours, they¡¯d found nothing, no caves, or hidden doors. ¡°Does any of this look familiar, father?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°No, none of it does, son.¡± Birger shook his head. ¡°I have not travelled much this way even in all my wanderings, and what little I remember of this place has changed.¡± ¡°I wish¡­Warder¡­had been more helpful¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Me too,¡± Theresa agreed, looking at Alex. ¡°You¡¯re frowning. Something on your mind? You look a little lost in thought.¡± The young wizard shook his head. ¡°I just keep getting the feeling that we¡¯re missing something. Why would there be four locations? Did she have more than one sanctum and just not tell anyone? If so, why would she have lied? There¡¯s something odd here¡ª¡± Suddenly, Brutus¡¯ six ears perked up as his heads began looking in every direction, growling. ¡°What is it?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°What is it boy?¡± The cerberus barked, then floated to the ground, paws crunching snow. He pressed his noses to the ground sniffing and whining. ¡°Looks like he smells something!¡± Theresa said excitedly, floating down beside him. She took in the spot he was sniffing. ¡°¡­I think he¡¯s definitely found something. Look at the snow here¡­it¡¯s been disturbed.¡± Her head turned, eyes scanning. ¡°Yes¡­it¡¯s definitely been moved, it almost looks like¡­we¡¯re in some sort of curve or maybe a circle?¡± ¡°A circle?¡± Alex frowned, checking the map. ¡°Careful, if it¡¯s been recently disturbed, it might be something that Warder did¡­but that couldn¡¯t be, how would he get here so fast?¡± The sound of digging grew faster as Brutus sniffed the earth, digging frantically. ¡°Well, this is strange,¡± Theresa said. ¡°What?¡± Alex asked. The snow should be deep around here¡­but where Brutus is digging it¡¯s shallow, maybe a few inches¡­and the dirt underneath it isn¡¯t frozen. It¡¯s loose and visible. Like someone dumped a bunch of soil here then used snow to cover it¡­maybe someone buried a body here¡­¡± Tension grew in her voice. ¡°What in all hells is going¡ªWait? Does anybody hear that? Something¡¯s moving behind us¡­hold on¡­¡± Theresa whirled. ¡°In front of us! All around us!¡± Brutus¡¯ snarled, baring his fangs. ¡°What?¡± Alex looked around. Something was moving between worlds, but what¡ª ¡°In the name of our god, I sanctify this circle!¡± a voice he would never forget cut through the trees. Alex¡¯s blood turned ice cold. He reached for the Traveller¡¯s power. ¡°In the name of Uldar: the power of the Traveller is null in his area of sanctity,¡± another foul voice cried. There came an impact with no sound. And what felt like a blacksmith¡¯s hammer slammed into the Fool of Thameland¡¯s chest. Chapter 719: Pain Alexander Roth was no stranger to pain. His parents¡¯ deaths had dealt him a wound that would always cut to his very soul. McHarris, the Baker, had hit him more times than he could remember. Burn-saw¡¯s blade left a deep scar on his flesh. Battles against greater demons in Cretalikon, and the Thameish church had wounded him in ways that went beyond physical pain. Then, there was the Mark, a symbol placed on his skin that sought to drive him mad with mental anguish if he tried to oppose its will. Alexander Roth was no stranger to pain. This pain, however, was different. Something was squeezing, wrapping around his soul, coils tightening. It reached down to his very essence, grasping Hannah¡¯s power, crushing it like an iron gauntlet around his throat. His knees buckled, lungs reflexively gasping for air. ¡°Father!¡± Claygon shouted. ¡°Father¡­are you alright?¡± The wizard¡¯s mind reeled. He gasped for air. Theresa screamed, drawing her swords. Brutus¡¯ bulk swelled as he encased himself in bone armour. Something blurred between the trees. Alex¡¯s eyes flew wide; a form clad in plate armour inscribed with holy scripture, and a white surcoat emblazoned with Uldar¡¯s hand, was there. In one gauntlet, it gripped a blade blazing with divine power. In the other, a shield, painted with two symbols; the first was Uldar¡¯s white hand¡­ ¡­the second, the balanced scales of the Chosen. The First Apostle. And his sword was thrusting. Time seemed to slow. Alex watched¡ªmoment by agonising moment¡ªas the blade¡¯s point drove at his heart. The Traveller¡¯s power struggled within him; his body turned, rolling from the blow¡­but, oh so slow. Much too slow. The point was mere inches from his chest. Theresa struck, her blades slipping into the divine weapon¡¯s path, her lips parted in a scream, cinched hair whipping behind. Both swords of the Twinblade struck the First Apostle¡¯s steel, scraping its upper edge, narrowly keeping it from its goal. His blade drove lower, pointing downward, away from Alex¡¯s heart¡­ ¡­plunging into his gut. A scream wrenched from the young wizard¡¯s throat as steel sliced rock hard muscle, plunging deep into his body. The First Apostle grunted, twisting the blade, tearing it from the side of Alex¡¯s belly. Agony and blood became the Fool of Thameland¡¯s world; his insides burned hot, yet seemed to freeze all at the same time. Snow turned from white to bright red where the wizard had collapsed. Theresa was screaming. The twinblade seemed to shriek with her. In a blur of fury and vengeance, the huntress leapt onto the First Apostle, swords flashing. His single blade matched hers blow for blow, his shield dancing in front of her strikes. Metal clashed with metal. Snow sprayed through the air. Slash marks crisscrossed Theresa¡¯s body as the holy man¡¯s blade struck through her guard. Wounds were dealt faster, deeper. The huntress clenched her teeth, but he was tearing her apart. Every strike came with blurring speed and divine strength; each blow rang like thunder, driving her back on her heels. Brutus roared in from the side, three sets of teeth flashing. The First Apostle¡¯s shield swung out, slamming into a set of the cerberus¡¯ jaws. There came a crack of metal on bone and the cerberus-familiar¡¯s claws paws hugged the snow, anchoring his body, driving the full weight of his spiked bulk into the holy leader¡¯s armoured form. The Apostle¡¯s sword snaked up, aiming for Brutus¡¯ heads, but Theresa parried again, sending the blade wide, yet deep into the cerberus¡¯ side. Bone armour blunted the blow, though the blade still connected, spraying red through the air. Claygon¡¯s war-spear thrust forward, but the holy warrior spun away, escaping the blow. Theresa slid along the snow to the First Apostle¡¯s flank while Brutus circled his other side, then Claygon, the huntress and cerberus leapt on the ancient Chosen of Uldar with full fury. Alex was growing colder, blood ran from the ragged hole in his body; fear reached into his spirit like tendrils. He¡¯d witnessed this before. The Heroes, fighting against the First Apostle, closing on him from all sides. Hart¡¯s might and speed, Cedric¡¯s power, Drestra¡¯s draconic form aligned with Thundar¡¯s magic¡­yet things hadn¡¯t worked in their favour; they¡¯d been no match for the ancient warrior of Uldar. He¡¯d ripped them apart, and was now doing the same to Alex¡¯s companions. Theresa screamed as the First Apostle sliced a deep cut in her arm moments after leaving a gaping wound along the side of one of Brutus¡¯ heads. It was only Claygon that saved them. He was faster since his last evolution, his body was stronger, sturdier. Unyielding. The First Apostle¡¯s blade and shield collided with the golem¡¯s form, but they merely scratched the towering construct. There was a time when a single one of his blows had shattered Claygon¡¯s body. But now, the only damage that Uldar¡¯s servant could manage to inflict was a scratch. ¡°Die!¡± the golem¡¯s words¡ªdistorted and frightening through his voice box¡ªscreamed through the night. ¡°Die! Die¡­die!¡± This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. ¡°No,¡± the First Apostle said, leaning away from the war-spear¡¯s path. He ducked iron fists, blocked Brutus¡¯ teeth with his shield, and took Theresa¡¯s blades on his armoured side, slicing her other arm. ¡®He¡¯s going to kill them,¡¯ Alex¡¯s mind screamed. ¡®Do something!¡¯ His hand¡­something heavy lay in it. Waves of horror, terror and grief were flooding from it, coursing through him. The thoughts were coming from outside; not from his own mind. His eyes drifted to his hand. The aeld staff. He was still holding it in his right hand, and it screamed in his mind. ¡®Have to¡­do something¡­¡¯ he thought, his body growing colder, weaker. His vision blurred, like a fog descending on him. Something inside was shrieking, telling him to heal himself, preserve his own life. He drew on the staff¡¯s power. But, did not heal himself; he cast haste magic on Theresa, instead. The huntress¡¯ speed doubled, and the Twinblade became a whirlwind of steel. This slowed the wounds spreading across the huntress¡¯ body, yet seemed to trouble the First Apostle as much as a fly buzzing around a dragon. Alex cast haste on Claygon next, but the divine warrior¡¯s steel slipped around the golem¡¯s blows, though they were coming close to clipping him. The young wizard tried raising his staff, wanting to cast haste on Brutus, but his grip was failing. He tried again, digging deeper, clenching his teeth, finally succeeding. Now, those fighting the First Apostle could move at double speed, yet, the holy warrior still carved into Theresa and Brutus¡¯ like he was slicing a Sigmus bird. Alex had bought them time, but only precious seconds. Suddenly, he was turned on his back. ¡°Hey! Hey!¡± a familiar voice cried. Alex blinked; Birger¡¯s ancient, bearded face filled his sight. The firbolg¡¯s hot breath washed over his face. Giant hands pressed on the young wizard¡¯s gaping wound. ¡°Get us out of here!¡± the giant shouted. ¡°Bjorgrund can¡¯t hold them off for much longer!¡± Hold who off? Alex¡¯s eyes turned, finding the young giant in a fight for his life. He stood above his father and Alex, protecting them, swinging his woodcutter¡¯s axe with abandon. All around, warriors of the church attacked. The young giant bled from a mass of wounds, deep enough to claim a human¡¯s life, but thankfully, he was not human, and kept fighting on. Holy warriors stabbed at him with their spears, struck his body with halberds, quickly scurrying from reach. He fought back, striking some, launching them through the air, breaking skin and bone, yet, they did not remain down for long. Their fellows quickly attended them. Healing divinity pressed into them, bringing them back to fighting form. At a distance, holy warriors shot volleys of arrows at the struggling giant¡­or perhaps it was Alex they were aiming for, while Bjorgrund blocked them with his body; his back was resembling a porcupine¡¯s. The young wizard¡¯s eyes were fixed on two archers. One was the figure of the Third Apostle, with a beard as white as his surcoat¡­the other¡­ ¡­a majestic bull moose, nostrils puffing, releasing golden steam. Bells rang on his branching antlers, the merry sound mingling with the sounds of battle. The man astride the beast¡¯s back had an otherworldly cast to his skin, like frostbite and blueberry stains. Mistletoe, blood-red holly, and other Sigmus plants were braided through his snow-white beard and scarlet clothing. No saddle burdened the moose¡¯s back. A deep frown creased the rider¡¯s face and his faded grey eyes gleamed in irritation. His body language raised a primal fear in the young wizard¡¯s core; the type of fear that took hold of a mouse the moment it caught a snake¡¯s eye. Instinctual terror on seeing its predator. Alex knew him; the Guide who¡¯d worked with the Heroes. The predatory fae who¡¯d come to the Research Castle after the petrifier attack. The fae that Gwyllain, the asrai, had warned him about. ¡°Disappointing,¡± the Guide¡¯s lips formed the word. ¡°Focus!¡± Birger shouted, drawing the wizard¡¯s gaze back to him. Brutus yelped. Theresa shrieked in pain. ¡°Stop¡­it!¡± Claygon shouted. ¡°We have to hurry, holy leader!¡± the Third Apostle shouted. ¡°We are running out of time!¡± Alex gripped the aeld staff, clenched his jaw, and grit his teeth. ¡°Keep¡­pressure¡­on my wound¡­ I¡¯ll try to teleport.¡± His words to Birger were muffled. He reached for the Traveller¡¯s power, struggling against the interdiction. It squeezed down on his soul¡­but the grip seemed looser. There were cracks in its defences; gaps where the Traveller¡¯s power could squirm free. He called on the Mark as he pushed against the First Apostle¡¯s power, looking for weaknesses. It guided him, showing him gaps in the interdiction¡¯s defences as he tried and tried to squirm free of its hold. Agony erupted in his leg as an arrow planted itself deep in his leg. Only sheer force of will kept his mind focused on the Traveller¡¯s power through his scream. The power flickered. A gap was in reach. Gnashing his teeth and centering his will, Alex forced Hannah¡¯s energy into the gap. The power flared. With a growl of pain, he touched Bjorgrund as Birger¡¯s hands pressed the wound, he teleported to Theresa. ¡­or tried. He¡¯d moved only a slight distance¡ªperhaps a half foot¡ªcloser to the First Apostle¡¯s deadly melee. ¡°How is that possible?¡± the Third Apostle cried. ¡°Yeeeeeess!¡± the Guide shouted. ¡°Now this is the quarry I was hoping for! I might need to step in¡ªOof, or maybe not.¡± The words of an incantation surged from behind the First Apostle¡¯s visor, he fended off his three opponents. Alex tried teleporting again, determined to reach his family, but moved only a half pace closer. The First Apostle completed the spell. A bead of orange light swept from the tip of his sword and arced toward Theresa¡¯s face. The huntress flinched, sweeping her sword up, parrying the light with her Twinblade. The bead shot past her shoulder, floating behind her. Her blade was too high. Her enemy¡¯s sword came down, slashing her legs. Theresa¡¯s scream travelled through the forest, ripping into Alex¡¯s soul, her trousers reddened, wicking fresh blood. Brutus¡¯ leapt forward, jaws stopping a follow-up cut aimed at her neck. The cerberus¡ªhis armour cracked and bleeding¡ªclamped down on the First Apostle¡¯s arm; Claygon drove his war-spear at the Chosen of Uldar. ¡°Blast it!¡± the First Apostle cursed, slipping under the golem¡¯s blow, then kicking Theresa hard in the chest. Bone cracked, she sailed backward¡­ ¡­into the bead of flame. It exploded. The huntress burned. For an instant, Theresa¡¯s form was replaced by a burning alehouse. ¡°Noooo!¡± Alex screamed, throwing everything he had at the interdiction with the Traveller¡¯s power. The First Apostle twisted from Brutus¡¯ grip, rushing Alex. Hannah¡¯s power struggled against the divinity it was facing. He pushed, again teleporting with Bjorgrund and Birger, moving past the First Apostle, appearing just out of reach of Theresa. She writhed free of the flickering flames, teeth clenched, flesh scorched. And grabbed his hand. Alex teleported again. ¡®Grab onto me¡­Claygon¡­¡¯ he thought. The golem turned away from the First Apostle¡ªthe holy warrior kept slashing at his iron back¡ªgrabbed Brutus and touched Alex. Coughing blood and struggling to stay conscious, the Fool of Thameland teleported again. This time a dozen paces away. With a growl of frustration, the First Apostle leapt after them. Alex teleported again, appearing twice the distance away. ¡°We must go, holy leader!¡± the Third Apostle shouted. ¡°We cannot risk staying any longer!¡± ¡°Retreat!¡± The First Apostle ordered, ¡°but shoot them!¡± Arrows cut through the air, deflecting off Claygon¡¯s iron body. Alex teleported again, trying desperately to save his family and new companions. He felt the grip of the interdiction slip from his soul. ¡°We¡¯re past¡­that circle¡­of dirt¡­¡± Theresa choked, her skin smouldering. The Traveller¡¯s power flared again. Alex teleported well away from the ambush.
¡°Back to the fae gate, my lovely hounds!¡± the Stalker called, a grin spreading across his lips. With a whistle, he nodded to the circle of Thameish earth. Sanctified soil shuddered, swarming from the snow, retreating through the fae gate with the holy warriors of Uldar. The dangerous fae, with an untold number of names, sat atop his moose and rubbed his hands together. ¡°That youngster slipped away from us. But, there¡¯s something I¡¯ll tell you fine hounds; your Fool is my type of quarry! Next time, I might even get a chance to step in, oh yes indeed!¡± Together, he and the hidden members of Uldar¡¯s church slipped away, disappearing back into the fae wilds. Leaving behind only disturbed, red snow, spent arrows, and a grain or two of loose soil. The only remnants of the terrible battle that had just taken place. Chapter 720: The Blizzard and the Marks Attack Alex was dying. Even as he and his companions hurtled through space, he could feel blood leaking between Birger¡¯s fingers. His consciousness wavered. Warm frothy fluid, tasting of rust, dripped down his chin. Ashen skin turned clammy and cold. Yet, his mind was on Theresa. Burning. How deep were those burns? Had the searing heat reached her lungs? It was with these thoughts that Alex emerged back in the world a moment before his companions, hitting the ground, spraying the snow red. A battering wind met him like a giant¡¯s fist; a howling squall raged with snow so thick, his breath was swept away. A blizzard. He¡¯d teleported them into a blizzard. His companions appeared around him. Theresa, her body and clothing still smouldering, collapsed near him, embers flickering in the icy wind. Brutus¡¯ wimpers sounded like his heart was breaking as he limped toward her, favouring one paw. His massive body trembled, chunks of flesh had been carved away along with bone armour. ¡°Father¡­father!¡± Claygon screamed, clutching the weakened Alex to his chest. Alex could hear Birger and Bjorgrund shouting nearby. Yet, he had one single thought fixed in his mind. Theresa. Burning. He couldn¡¯t let fire take her from him too, not another loved one. He couldn¡¯t. ¡°Bring¡­me close¡­¡¯ started saying to Claygon, but stopped. He was dying; if he hadn¡¯t transformed his body through blood magic, he¡¯d already be dead. There was no way he could use Blood to Life to help her while he was so heavily wounded; he would lose consciousness and be dead before he could ever heal her burns. Ambivalence gnawed at him when he realised what must be done. He would have to heal himself first. If he didn¡¯t, he¡¯d pass out¡­and die, leaving her to follow. Theresa would keep burning until she was dead, Brutus would bleed out, then Bjorgrund and Birger would come to a terrible end out here, wherever this place was. He was the only one here who could heal. He was the only one among them that could get them out of the storm. But, to do that, he had to live. Alex fought the darkness drifting over him, the cold creeping into his body, as alluring warmth whispered to him, calling him, promising eternal comfort if he would just let go. Voices called to him. ¡°Not yet!¡± one shouted. ¡°You can¡¯t come here yet, you just can¡¯t! If you do, we shall lose ever so much! Not! Yet!¡± Carey¡¯s voice was shouting, first from afar. Then closer. ¡°You can¡¯t let them win,¡± another voice said. ¡°You can¡¯t let Uldar win. You can¡¯t let the cold corpse of a god win.¡± Hannah was whispering from beyond. He could hear her and Carey clearly. Too clearly. ¡°I can¡¯t heal you,¡± Hannah¡¯s voice rolled through Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°I¡¯m close; I¡¯m getting stronger, but I can¡¯t save you. Please, you have to help yourself! Don¡¯t come here yet, don¡¯t let go!¡± Alex drew a breath filled with more blood than air, and coughing, he forced his lips to move. Blood Magic. Blood Magic would save him. Choking out the words of his spell, his breath caught as the Mark rose against him. It came at him with a fury, with more strength than ever before. In his condition, even the fairly simple spell of Mana to Life¡ªa spell he¡¯d cast many times even through the Mark¡¯s interference¡ªthreatened to fall apart. ¡®If you have a mana reversal, you¡¯ll die,¡¯ the thought ran through his mind. ¡®That can¡¯t happen. It mustn¡¯t.¡¯ Alex tried guiding his way through the interference. Yet, even his mind and body betrayed him; a storm of emotion. Panic. Rage. Terror. Grief. Despair. All struggled in his mind and soul, threatening to overwhelm him with the Mark¡¯s intrusions. He was bombarded with failure upon failure; in all areas of his life, even beyond spellcasting. It showed him a burning alehouse. How he¡¯d failed to save his parents, how he¡¯d struggled yet hadn¡¯t escaped Mr. Lu¡¯s grip. The memory came to him with an image of himself on the ground, overwhelmed by the Fool¡¯s Mark when he¡¯d torn the First Apostle¡¯s arm from his body¡­an arm that Uldar¡¯s servant had clearly regrown. Even that act had been futile. Carey had saved his life then, but her spirit was too far to help him now. He kept seeing himself failing to save Theresa. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He saw himself laying in the snow like a useless lump while his true love¡¯s essence burned to cinders, just as his parents¡¯ had. Despair clawed at him, chased by fear and doubt. What if it was too late? What if he couldn¡¯t save her? What if Brutus bled to death while she was burning, and because of their connection, she died too? What if they were already dead? His thoughts were erratic. The urge to let go grew stronger. He didn¡¯t much want to live in a universe without her. Maybe¡­maybe if she was already dead, then it was better to drift away. Hannah and Carey¡¯s cries, Claygon calling him, begging him, and even the memory of the crackle of the First Apostle¡¯s flame grew more distant. He was growing colder. His mind had found a deep sense of calm. Yes, this was the way. ¡®I¡¯m tired,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®And Theresa¡­if I can¡¯t save her¡­then she¡¯d be gone when I wake up. Better that I go first, to wait for her on the other side. Yes, then we¡¯ll be together. And maybe I¡¯ll meet Uldar in the after-world and pay him back for everything he cost us. Oh, who am I kidding, if Hannah didn¡¯t get him, then I doubt I will. At least Hannah and Carey will be there to greet us. And mom and dad too! We¡¯ll all be at peace together. Yeah¡­yeah¡­¡¯ Calm blanketed his soul. Even the Mark¡¯s interference was fading. But, an image abruptly dragged him back from his musings. Selina and Claygon. If he died, their family would be mostly gone; he¡¯d go to meet their parents, leaving her and Claygon alone in the world. The Lus would take care of them, maybe his cabal would help. Yet, what would become of them over time? Claygon would lose his father. Selina was still so young. She¡¯d be broken-hearted. If the war lasted long enough, she¡¯d grow up as it went on, maybe the only reason she¡¯d go back to Thameland was to fight Ravener-spawn. She might join with the Heroes¡­fight a war that shouldn¡¯t have been hers to fight. A war that he would have left her to deal with. He couldn¡¯t let go, not yet, even though his life was fading, death luring him away. Even with the peace and comfort of the after-world enticing him, even with¡­ ¡­with¡­ ¡­with¡­ His mind was at peace. He could barely sense the Mark with much of his consciousness dulled, as free from its opposition as he¡¯d felt since before he turned eighteen. Maybe he could save himself. He had to try. Alex pushed through the blood magic spell again, his lips were numb, his hearing weak, barely hearing the words he was speaking. Still, he spoke them, pushing each syllable through bloodied lips. He¡¯d cast the spell many times before. He could do it again. The Mark pushed back, struggling, fighting to stop him from spellcasting. It was like a desperate beast backed in a corner. Every bit of will he could gather was straining, knowing he had to win this battle. He called on every tool he had, every meditation technique he could use, letting all fading senses pass him by. Finally, his lips finished casting. Mana flared. Blood magic connected his pool to his life force. Alex Roth poured power into his body, converting his mana to pure life energy. He began healing. Pain returned, coming back with a vengeance. Nerve endings screamed back to life as energy flowed through him, forcing wounds to begin closing. Sensation, sight, sound and taste returned. Agony claimed his senses, but he continued, making his magic transform to life energy. Rolling onto his hands and knees as Claygon supported him, the Fool of Thameland spit blood in the snow, coughing, heaving, clearing his chest. The raw wound along his gut and side still gaped open, spasming, telling him his spell wasn¡¯t enough to heal it. The First Apostle¡¯s divine blade had lacerated his body so deeply, and thoroughly¡­Alex couldn¡¯t fix the wound. His lower abdomen had been skewered, the insides punctured. Feeling in parts of his had deadened, even as he retreated from the after-world. ¡®Father¡­¡¯ Claygon¡¯s voice grew louder in his mind. ¡®Father¡­can you hear me? Father¡­are you going to be alright?¡¯ ¡®No,¡¯ Alex thought, looking toward Theresa and Brutus. ¡®But, I¡¯ve got to help them.¡¯ He squinted through the storm. The huntress lay in a puddle of steaming snow; her skin had stopped burning. Much of her clothing had burned away, exposing raw ruined flesh. Her body resembled a map, with sections of bloodied red, and blackened patches. She¡¯d curled up on her side, gasping for air, her eyes looked unfocused, she was shaking violently. Brutus had collapsed beside her, panting heavily. One head nestled against Theresa, while the other two lay flat on the ground. They didn¡¯t have much time. Alex still couldn¡¯t see the giants. ¡®If I can¡¯t save myself,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Then I can¡¯t save them. I don¡¯t know if blood magic will be enough to heal her burns. I don¡¯t know if I can heal Brutus¡­and if I stop healing myself, then I could pass out again. I need to get them to a more skilled healer¡­get us all to one. But how?¡¯ His mind raced. He didn¡¯t know where they¡¯d teleported to, and the only healers he could think of that could help them were in Thameland; Cedric and Merzhin. ¡®It¡¯d take dozens of jumps to get there from wherever we are¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®And even if I could make it in a single jump, I have no idea where Cedric and Merhzin are, and I need to imagine a destination when I¡¯m teleporting! Hells, I have no idea where we are! We¡¯ve never been here¡­before¡­¡¯ His racing thoughts paused. He didn¡¯t recognise this blizzard-wracked land. How had they gotten here? He''d always needed a firm location in his mind to teleport to. Kelda and Hannah hadn¡¯t had that limitation, but he wasn¡¯t as skilled with their power. Not yet. ¡®So how did I teleport here, to the middle of nowhere?¡¯ he thought. ¡®I¡¯ve never done that before. So why now? If I can figure that out, I can figure out how to get to Cedric and Merzhin. Come on, man, think, what¡¯s different? How is this different? Is it because I was desperate? Did I just get better from practise? Come on, could I repeat what I did? What was different from every other time I teleported? Think about it. Think. Think, adapt! Think, adapt! Adapt! You¡¯re dying, you fool, ada¡ª¡¯ That train of thought stopped. That was the answer. ¡®I¡¯m dying,¡¯ he remembered Hannah and Carey¡¯s voices. ¡®I¡¯m barely being held together by blood magic¡­and I was so close to the after-world that I could hear their voices. Hannah¡¯s voice. She¡¯s the source of this power! If I¡¯m close to the after-world, that means I¡¯m close to her! To the source! That means¡­oh, by Traveller. Hannah, I pray that I¡¯m right. Help me, please. If I¡¯m wrong though¡­¡¯ He shook off his fears. ¡°We¡¯re dying,¡± he whispered. Theresa¡¯s breathing and shivering had grown quieter. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else for it,¡± he choked. Alex stopped pouring mana into his lifeforce. His blood loss immediately increased. ¡®Father¡­what are you doing?¡¯ Claygon pleaded, sounding panicked. ¡°Saving¡­us¡­¡± Alex coughed up a line of bright red blood, focusing on Hannah¡¯s power. Yes¡­yes he could feel it now. It was so strong, like a river being fed by an ocean. Power rushed through him. His consciousness was fading. ¡°One¡­chance¡­¡± Blood bubbled from his lips. He closed his eyes. In his mind, he imagined not a place¡­but a person. Merzhin. Merzhin. Merzhin. No matter where he was, no matter what he was doing. He needed to get to Merzhin. With that final thought, Alex channelled his will into Hannah¡¯s power. The energy roared in his soul. In that moment, he felt connected to¡­anywhere or even everywhere. All space was in his grasp. He had no need to touch it, to touch it. Reaching out around him with Hannah¡¯s power, he took hold of Brutus, Theresa, Claygon and Bjorgrund. He could feel her breathing grow shallow. He could feel Brutus growing weaker. He could feel Bjorgrund now collapsed on his side, bleeding badly. He seemed out of it, his eyes unfocused. He could feel Claygon clutching his father to his iron form. He could feel Birger holding his son. Alex could also feel himself, hovering near death. More importantly¡­ ¡­he felt Merzhin. He felt the Saint of Thameland, far to the west. An image touched his mind¡­the Saint was standing on Vesuvius¡¯ back, healing the enormous familiar. The massive tortoise poured lava from the hole at the top of his shell. Merzhin shouted something. Seated on her familiar¡¯s neck, Tyris Goldtooth shouted words Alex could not hear. Were they in battle? No matter. They were their only hope. The Fool of Thameland reached out, touching the Saint with the Traveller¡¯s power. A connection formed across space. Alex teleported. Chapter 721: A Short Lesson in Divinity St. Merzhin used his divinity with a vengeance as he stood atop Vesuvius¡¯ back. The battle had been long, tough, and important. All around him, a scene that resembled one he¡¯d imagined one would see in the hells, unfolded. The Heroes, Thameish knights and a group of allies from Generasi were defending a pass leading to the mountain city of Llanesam far in the western part of Thameland. They had made a stand there. Behind them, a vast medical camp sprawled within this strategic city that provided aid to hundreds of wounded from across the region. A supply depot in Llanesam also fed thousands of soldiers who marched through these lands. Llanesam couldn¡¯t be allowed to be destroyed, though the Ravener-spawn were bent on doing just that. In front of the Heroes, a sea of the creatures filled the pass; bone-chargers, chitterers and skinned ones, gathered with their commanders. Behemoths, scores of gibbering legions, and rampart-crushers lumbered into the pass, a hunger for death in their eyes. The Ravener¡¯s minions pushed forward with a fury unseen before, throwing themselves at the Thameish shield wall with no care for their own lives. They were bent on slaughter, driven only to complete the Ravener¡¯s cause. Though now, stiff resistance met them. Stiff, and fatal resistance. With the Heroes and Generasians joining the fight, the tide was turning against them. Themeland¡¯s Heroes, Generasi¡¯s Watchers of Roal and Tyris Goldtooth with her familiar, Vesuvius, were tearing through them. Hart had taken a position in the centre of the shield wall, his enormous blade chopping bloody swaths through the monsters. His speed had grown since Uldar¡¯s Rise, and with that speed, he quickly cut down droves of monsters before they could advance further. At his side stood Cedric, wielding spells and his spear with equal ease. Drestra¡¯s true form soared above, strafing monsters with torrents of flame. On the dragon¡¯s back sat Thundar, raining storms of force-enhanced bolts down from a magically-infused crossbow, with precision. Tyris weaved fire and stone through the enemy ranks perched on Vesuvius¡¯ back while¡ªbehind her¡ªMerzhin uttered a long, impassioned prayer to Uldar. Or rather, to his spirit. Even the deeply devout Saint wasn¡¯t able to reconcile his faith with Uldar¡¯s actions, nor the fact that the god he so believed in, was dead. ¡°And so the Holy lord of Thameland went unto his peoples¡¯ enemies, and he cursed them! He said unto them, ¡®Let the blood of those who wish to harm my people thin, for if the blood of the innocent means so little, then let theirs be as water¡¯!¡± he chanted. Divinity resonated within him, pouring free in a wave of invisible might. The power bathed the Ravener-spawn, leaving them shuddering in its grip. In numbers, bodies fell, contorting, blood thinning, changing, transforming to pure water. Shuddering became spasms, and spasms became death. The Thameish army, Heroes and their allies had, so far, cleared much of the pass, giving them reason to cheer. The joyful sound echoed through the air, yet Merzhin could not share in their cheer. His past inaction lay heavy on his soul as he remembered Carey. His friend should still be here with them, but his naive and blind trust had cost her her life. It would take more than success in a single battle to redeem him for that sin¡ª Without warning, they appeared. One moment, Merzhin stood watching the enemy army¡¯s decimation. The next, his vision was filled with a bloody form. ¡°What in Uldar¡¯s name?¡± he cried, recoiling. An instant later, Vesuvius groaned as a party of mangled bodies appeared from thin air, landing on his back. ¡°Vesuvius? What¡¯s wrong¡ª¡± Tyris turned, screaming at the scene behind her. Merzhin gasped, thinking his eyes were deceiving him. Atop Vesuvius¡¯ shell, covered in caked blood and seemingly lifeless, were faces he had not seen since Carey¡¯s funeral. Faces in ruin. He recognised Alex Roth, the Fool of Thameland, whose gaping stomach wound was so deep, it was a miracle he still lived. His chest was covered in blood, but he was still breathing. In his arms was the huntress, Theresa. Her skin was seared, burns covered most of her body, raw, crimson, blackened; she was likely well past pain now, and horrifically wounded. Brutus, her cerberus, lay beside them, battered and bleeding, his chest heaving. With them were two giants that Merzhin didn¡¯t know; one was wounded, though not nearly as badly as the others, the other was clutching the first to his chest. ¡°Hel¡­¡± Alex choked. ¡°W-what?¡± Merzhin gasped. An iron hand seized his shoulder, squeezing tight, sending a shock of pain through the slight Hero. Claygon floated above the others. ¡°Heal¡­them¡­!¡± he bellowed, his voice echoing through the pass. ¡°Father¡­my family¡­they¡¯re dying! Heal them!¡± Merzhin swallowed, turning back to the ruin of folk he¡¯d fought beside at Uldar¡¯s Rise, and began doing what he was called to do. He set his jaw and got to work. A flurry of questions raced through his mind, but this was not the time for them. It was the time for miracles. Merzhin clasped his hands, then extended them toward the broken bodies prostrate before him. They were slipping in and out of consciousness. ¡°Oh mighty lord of Thameland¡± he prayed. ¡°Let those lying here before you find solace and succour in your divine light. Let those who fight bravely be cured of affliction. Let wounds plague them not!¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Power rushed through the Saint of Thameland, the might of the Uldarite faith coursing through the gateway in his soul, his hands bleeding holy light. ¡°Free them from pain! Cure them! Release them from suffering!¡± his voice rose. Holy power poured through his soul, springing from his hands in a wave of blinding light, surrounding Alex, Theresa, Brutus, and the two giants, infusing them with healing divinity. Their bodies stiffened as their wounds healed. Alex¡¯s gaping wound knitted together; blood washed away, remnants of his shirt were ejected from the wound. Viscera healed, renewed to healthy skin, replacing shredded flesh. The pallor of death retreated from Alex¡¯s face, healthy colour returned. Theresa shuddered from head to toe, charred flesh dissolved, hovering above her in a cloud. A fit of coughing gripped her, her body spasmed, dust rose from her nose and mouth, dissipating through the cold air. The huntress inhaled, drawing a deep, gasping breath like a newborn taking its first breath. ¡®Her lungs must have been burnt,¡¯ Merzhin shook his head in horror. As Theresa healed, so did Brutus. The cerberus mended, cuts closing, bone armour restoring itself, becoming as it was before meeting the First Apostle¡¯s blade. Arrows slid from the young giant¡¯s body, his wounds were soon erased as though they¡¯d never been. Relief filled the older giant¡¯s voice. ¡°Son!¡± he cried, wrapping his arms around the young giant. ¡°You¡¯re healed! I thought I''d lost you! Oh thank the ancestors!¡± As the light of Merzhin¡¯s power faded, Alex¡¯s, Theresa¡¯s, Brutus¡¯ and the healed giant¡¯s breathing came easy. Not a single wound or scar marred their bodies, and their eyelids began to flutter, opening slowly. Claygon nodded, watching them, then patted Merzin¡¯s head with a single, iron finger. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± The golem turned then, raising his hands, he flew toward the battle and fired on a clot of Ravener-spawn. Beams launched into the horde, erupting like small chaos explosions. Behemoths disintegrated. Swaths of Ravener-spawn vanished. Merzhin blinked, watching the battle shift again. The Heroes and Generasian¡¯s were watching him and what was happening on Vesuvius¡¯s back. ¡°What in all hells just happened?¡± Thundar cried, his voice echoing through the pass as Claygon destroyed Ravener-spawn. ### ¡°I want them to pay,¡± Theresa growled, her knuckles white on the Twinblade. ¡°I want revenge.¡± Her swords gleamed in the brazier-light. ¡°I do too¡­I want to find them¡­and kill them¡­kill them all¡­¡± Claygon¡¯s voice held a promise of death. ¡°I can¡¯t blame you,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled, her reptilian eyes shining. ¡°That little fae beast betrayed us.¡± ¡°I¡¯m mad I wasn¡¯t there.¡± Thundar¡¯s fingers squeezed the haft of his mace. Cedric and Hart¡¯s jaws clenched, muscles tightening and releasing. Tyris¡¯ demeanour radiated rage. Merzhin shook his head. ¡°Such power¡­how did they find¡­¡± he muttered. Birger was speaking in low heated tones with his son a short distance away from everyone else. Deep rumbling sounds were coming from Brutus¡¯ chest as he paced back and forth. And Alex? Alex was quiet. The Fool of Thameland sat slightly apart from the others, staring at nothing. His brow was creased. He was breathing slowly. His mind was lost in thought. As it had been for some time; he¡¯d hardly spoken since the battle in the pass ended. He¡¯d said little when the Heroes organised the army to make camp for the night. He¡¯d helped them erect a large tent a short distance from the rest of the army, saying little, and¡ªwhen they¡¯d settled in¡ªit was Theresa who¡¯d told the story of the Guide and church¡¯s ambush. Even now, while others spoke of vengeance and hate, he said nothing. ¡°So that¡¯s what they¡¯ve been bloody up to.¡± Cedric¡¯s fingers flexed. ¡°They¡¯ve been huntin¡¯, looks like. What¡¯s the Gui¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say his name,¡± Alex said quickly, his eyes unfocused. ¡°There might be traps hidden in it; Gwyllain warned me about that.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true, you did say he might be someone to be wary of,¡± Hart said. ¡°But working with that hidden church? I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d go that far. Never saw that one coming. If I ever get his skull between my hands, I¡¯ll crush it without a second thought.¡± ¡°It¡¯s that First Apostle¡¯s head I¡¯d want to get my sword on,¡± Theresa said. ¡°He enjoyed what he did to us. He tried to burn me alive. He tortured Brutus¡­we could have all died¡­!¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for him, Carey would still be alive,¡± Merzhin muttered. ¡°He doesn¡¯t get to kill anymore of my friends,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Um, excuse me,¡± Bjorgrund suddenly spoke. The others¡ªexcept for Alex¡ªturned to him. ¡°Um, could you heal my father?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Don¡¯t waste these people¡¯s time,¡± Birger said with irritation. ¡°I¡¯ve learned to live with it. You can¡¯t regrow a leg.¡± ¡°He healed such deep wounds,¡± Bjorgrund countered, looking at Merzhin. ¡°And father, you said your aches and pains are gone. Please, I need to know, can you regrow my father¡¯s leg?¡± The Saint of Uldar looked around. ¡°Um, hello¡­Bjorgrund and Birger, was it?¡± ¡°Aye, don¡¯t waste your time, I know you can¡¯t regrow a leg¡ª¡± the old firbolg started. ¡°Actually, it should be possible. Perhaps.¡± Silence fell. ¡°What?¡± Birger asked, a yearning lit up his eyes. ¡°Truly?¡± ¡°Uldar and some of the great Saints of old have regenerated limbs with divinity,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Though it can take anywhere from days to months, depending on the age of the wound and the power of the priest. Apparently, from what Theresa said, the First Apostle can.¡± ¡°Can¡­can you do it?¡± the old giant asked. ¡°I¡­I do not think so. Not yet,¡± Merzhin said apologetically. ¡°Well, if that First Apostle regrew his arm, you should be able to do the same, right?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°I mean you¡¯re more powerful than he is; you stopped that interdiction.¡± Merzhin suddenly laughed, a rare sound. His high voice oozed with a bitterness so deep, it grated on the ear. There was no mirth in that laughter, though. ¡°Please understand, I wish I was more powerful than him. I dearly wish it were so,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Do you know how divinity works?¡± ¡°Uh, can¡¯t say I do, I gotta admit,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Is it like mana, where you just gotta practise to get better?¡± ¡°No.¡± Merzhin shook his head. ¡°Divinity is granted to us from our deity¡­or from the throne he or she sits upon. Faith flows from a believer to what they worship: their deity, for example, and then that faith transforms into divinity. When a priest calls on that power, divinity flows to them so they might perform a miracle, but it requires a gate to come through. And that gate is one¡¯s soul.¡± Merzhin held everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The soul acts as the gate that divinity flows through¡­but a deity¡¯s strength is much greater than a single mortal soul; if one calls on too much of their holy god or goddess¡¯ power, then, that would be like forcing a flood through a tiny gap in a weak dam. The dam would burst.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Theresa murmured. ¡°So that means the soul would break?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Merzhin explained. ¡°There is some skill needed when calling upon a miracle, but the strength of one¡¯s soul is the great limiter, rather than one¡¯s skill. As one uses more of their deity¡¯s divinity, the soul strengthens overtime like a muscle; that is why older, more experienced priests can perform greater miracles than, say, one who is first granted divinity.¡± The small man made a sound of disgust. ¡°The Mark of the Saint grants me a deep, deep connection with Uldar¡¯s power. One that is unrivalled. It strengthens my soul as well, but there are still limits. The First Apostle has the Mark of the Chosen. His Mark has a lesser, though similar gift to the Saint¡¯s. But he has also had hundreds of years to strengthen his soul and practise his skills. He can call on far more power than I can; but, my authority in Uldar¡¯s hierarchy is still greater, so I can counter his interdictions¡­but, were I to try an interdiction myself¡­this weak, unworthy soul of mine would shatter.¡± He looked at Bjorgrund. ¡°To put it simply, I don¡¯t know if I can heal your father.¡± He looked at Birger. ¡°But I would like to try. When there is time, I will try my best.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the old firbolg said. ¡°If we survive that long¡­if these powerful enemies are tracking us somehow, then we might be dead before long. We¡¯d already be dead if that¡­First Apostle, you called him? If he wasn¡¯t so focused on killing Alex, none of us would be here to tell what happened.¡± Alex twitched. ¡°That¡¯s why¡­we should teleport back now¡­find him¡­and kill him!¡± Claygon hissed. ¡°I want to go back too,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric jumped in. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a rematch m¡¯self. I owe the damn bastard.¡± ¡°No.¡± Again, the atmosphere in the tent went quiet. All eyes turned to Alex. ¡°No, we can¡¯t do any of that,¡± he said grimly. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about a lot of things. About who they focused on, about what that means, about how they¡¯re targeting us.¡± ¡°And what did you come up with?¡± Theresa asked. Alex shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the thing; next to nothing. I don¡¯t know how they found us. I don¡¯t know where they are in the Empire, and I have no idea what their next move will be¡­¡± His mind turned to Selina. ¡°...or who they¡¯ll target next to get to me¡­or any of us.¡± ¡°All the more reason to hunt them down,¡± Theresa said. Alex shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t know how to find them and tonight was sobering. We can¡¯t leave our loved ones unprotected; they could attack us from anywhere.¡± ¡°Do we¡­stop searching for the sanctum¡­?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°No.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Now, we need even more answers. Answers that Kelda¡¯s notes might give us, and the longer I have the Mark of the Fool, the more time they¡¯ll have to kill me while I¡¯m still vulnerable.¡± ¡°So¡­what does that mean?¡± Theresa asked. He looked at her grimly. ¡°It means that the best move is for me to not put our loved ones at risk. The best move is for me to move quickly and quietly to find the sanctum.¡± Alex swallowed. ¡°The best move is for me to search for it alone.¡± Chapter 722: An Argument for Departure Evening had fallen, and for most folk outside the Heroes¡¯ tent, the camp was still bustling with activity. Soldiers were busy with defences and logistics. Thameish priests healed the wounded, while strategists poured over maps, planning for the next day. Men and women drank. Some shared a meal. Some spoke of the battle they¡¯d just been through. While others were already tucked in their sleeping rolls, looking for any peace they could get before another attack came. Outside the Heroes¡¯ tent, the air was bustling, yet restrained. Though inside, one could hear even the smallest pop and crackle of brazier fires illuminating it. No one spoke. It was as though every breath had stopped. All eyes were on Alexander Roth, the Fool of Thameland, and behind those eyes was the same question; what in the world was he saying? ¡°The best move is for me to search for it alone.¡± With a single statement, he¡¯d declared he¡¯d be leaving them behind, going out on his own to likely face another ambush by the church, the ferocity and divinity of the First Apostle, and all other dangers he found himself caught in within the Irtyshenan Empire. He said nothing after that, only staying quiet again, eyes unfocused and forehead furrowed in thought. Theresa broke the silence. ¡°Have you lost your damn mind?¡± she shouted. Others joined her, the abrupt uproar shattered the stillness. ¡°The blood loss must have drained away your brains!¡± Thundar shouted. ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go back there by yourself. What¡¯re you thinking?¡± ¡°Father¡­I¡¯m here¡­to protect you¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­let you¡­do this by yourself¡­if the ambush had happened when you were¡­on your own¡­you would be dead¡­¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Theresa pointed at Alex with her sword. ¡°What are you even talking about? Listen, after you went to the Hells, we talked about this!¡± she snapped. ¡°I¡¯m not made of glass, you don¡¯t have to leave me behind in case I get hurt. We face the enemy together.¡± He shook his head. ¡°I know, I know. And I won¡¯t lie and say that I¡¯m not worried about that, but, you were burning, Theresa.¡± Tears welled up in his eyes. ¡°Just like my parents. If¡­if you¡¯d died¡­if you¡¯d died like that¡­by the Traveller, there wouldn¡¯t be much left of me. But, this isn¡¯t about me trying to protect you. It¡¯s about Selina,¡± Alex said. ¡°As well as your parents, brothers and Brutus.¡± He looked at her grimly, then turned to Claygon. ¡°Listen, we don¡¯t know how the hidden church tracked me. We have no information or any hope of getting any unless we somehow capture one of them. I might be able to guess how they found me¡­and how they got to the Empire as fast as the did¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet you they used the fae roads,¡± Drestra said, smoke rising behind her veil. ¡°If the Gui¡ª¡± She caught herself. ¡°¡ªif that fae¡¯s leading them, then they¡¯re probably using the fae roads to travel on. They¡¯ll be able to move fast, but thankfully, not as fast as you.¡± ¡°How did they know where we were?¡± Theresa asked. Alex shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s the thing, I don¡¯t know. Maybe they¡¯re following us somehow, invisibly. Maybe the Guild tipped them off¡­I just don¡¯t know. We know nothing, and that¡¯s the very reason why we need you back in Generasi. There¡¯s a chance they could go after Selina¡­or others that we love. They¡¯ll need protection.¡± He pointed to his right shoulder. ¡°At the same time, we can¡¯t stop searching for Kelda¡¯s sanctum; the sooner we find it, the better.¡± Alex looked at Cedric. ¡°Ravener-spawn attacks have gotten worse, haven¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°What yous saw today? That there was a light bloody tap compared t¡¯what¡¯s been goin¡¯ on. They¡¯ve been gettin¡¯ a whole lot worse lately.¡± ¡°Things are escalating,¡± Tyris said. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been coming here more often to help out.¡± ¡°Same,¡± Thundar admitted. ¡°Isolde and Khalik have been here a lot more too.¡± ¡°I have a feeling that the Ravener is building to something,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°With what we learned from Uldar¡¯s Rise, the Ravener will wish to keep the cycle going, and the hidden church is trying to ensure that the cycle does not come to an end.¡± ¡°But now, the cycle¡¯s destabilising,¡± Drestra said. ¡°Uldar¡¯s Rise has been taken away from the hidden church, we have a fledgling demigoddess emerging in her power, and certain people can control dungeon cores, all of that¡¯s a threat to it¡­¡± ¡°...so it makes sense that the Ravener¡¯s not just going to sit there,¡± Alex said. ¡°Time is passing, and there¡¯s something coming. I can¡¯t just go back to Generasi and not find Kelda¡¯s sanctum. So, we have to divide and conquer. Everyone that¡¯s here is needed here. We need people looking out for those we love at home.¡± He pointed to his chest. ¡°Which means I¡¯m the one that has to go find Kelda¡¯s sanctum, it needs to be my complete focus. The faster we find it, the better, so I¡¯ll have to stay in the Empire until it¡¯s found.¡± Alex¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°I don¡¯t want to¡­I don¡¯t want to disappear from Selina¡¯s life for who knows how long, I don¡¯t want to stop my studies with professor Mangal, I don¡¯t want to stop building golems and helping the expedition. I don¡¯t want to stop going to school and I don¡¯t want to be away from my friends¡­but it¡¯s only temporary, and it has to happen.¡± His teeth loudly ground in his jaws. ¡°They wanted to kill me. They focused on me. If I go back to Generasi, that¡¯s just going to tell them ¡®hey, come to where I am and kill my family to get to me!¡¯ If I stay in the Empire, that¡¯ll keep them there, with any hope. Meanwhile, Theresa, Claygon and Brutus will be able to protect the people we care about back home. Or at least, give them a better chance.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°That¡¯s a noble thought, Alex,¡± Birger said. ¡°And it¡¯s none of my business, but they nearly killed you all today; do you really think that Claygon, Theresa and Brutus will be enough to protect who you love back in your city?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s better than letting them attack Selina when she¡¯s alone,¡± Alex said. ¡°And again, if I¡¯m in the north, leading them around the Empire, that gives them a target that¡¯s far away from my family¡­And maybe the safest place for them to be right now, is back in the insula. I doubt the church and their fae ally would be insane enough to attack the campus, and¡ªUldar help them if they did, which he can¡¯t. Hobb and the Watchers will be right there. If they attack campus ¡­they risk harming students and the school. And I don¡¯t think they¡¯d like what Hobb would do to them if that happened.¡± Alex shuddered, then turned to Theresa. ¡°But this means¡­you, Selina, Claygon, Brutus, your parents and brothers, will have to leave our new home for a while, but¡­¡± He paused, words failing him. ¡°It has to be done. You¡¯ll need to stay on campus to protect Selina and the rest of our family. If the church tries anything, Hobb and the Watchers will have time to react. Hobb can¡¯t be everywhere at once, or Minervus would still be alive, and we wouldn¡¯t have lost anyone in the demon attacks. But, with the three of you there as extra protection from an ambush in Generasi, our family will be safer. The church needs a target that¡¯s far away from my family. And I¡¯m that target.¡± Silence hung over the tent. Tears welled in Theresa¡¯s eyes. ¡°This¡­are you sure?¡± Alex shook his head, smiling sadly. ¡°If you didn¡¯t think I was right, then you¡¯d still be telling me not to do it. This has to be the way, until the church is stopped¡­but once I find Kelda¡¯s sanctum¡­¡± Anger surged in him. ¡°They¡¯re going to regret ever touching us.¡± He stood, looking at Theresa, Claygon and Brutus. ¡°Come on, it¡¯s time to take you back home.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Thundar jumped up, and crossing the tent, he caught Alex in a bear hug. ¡°I¡¯m gonna miss you, man. Hurry up and find that damn sanctum.¡± The young wizard hugged him back, lifting the minotaur off his feet. ¡°I¡¯m gonna find it, I promise¡­and I¡¯ll be bringing back the First Apostle¡¯s head afterward.¡± Cedric caught both the minotaur and Fool from the side, hoisting them off the ground in an even tighter hug. ¡°Ugh!¡± Alex squawked. ¡°Cedric¡­you¡¯re crushing¡­us¡­¡± ¡°Aye, been workin¡¯ at it,¡± the Chosen laughed. ¡°Y¡¯better hurry it up, alright? I don¡¯t wanna hear nothin¡¯ ¡®bout y¡¯not comin¡¯ back for years or anythin¡¯ like it.¡± Drestra touched Alex¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wish I could help you; I still owe you for all you did for my people. The best I can do is study, grow more powerful and defend our homeland while you¡¯re gone.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll keep the realm safe,¡± Hart said. ¡°And you save some of that First Apostle for me. He owes me his skin. All them hidden church bastards do.¡± ¡°I¡¯d just settle for them being dead, no matter what it takes,¡± Tyris said. ¡°I¡­may you do what¡¯s best for Thameland,¡± Merzhin said, a haunted look in his eyes. Birger and Bjorgrund were looking at each other until Alex caught their eye. He knew they had a lot to talk about. ### ¡°I¡¯m not leaving my home,¡± Birger growled, glowering at Alex under the late evening light. ¡°You¡¯ll have to drag me from my cottage in a corpse-collector¡¯s cart.¡± ¡°Listen, you need to stay in my city for a while,¡± Alex said. ¡°We don¡¯t know what our enemies know; they could have already found your home, and it¡¯s my fault that you got dragged into this¡­well, actually, it¡¯s their fault for being bastards, but it¡¯s me that they¡¯re hunting. The point is that I have to take responsibility for you being involved in this; I¡¯m not going to leave you two out in the forest by yourselves.¡± ¡°You had no idea they could find you in the Empire,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Don¡¯t beat yourself up about this¡­it¡¯s hard enough as it is.¡± Something stung in the young wizard¡¯s chest. Birger shook his head. ¡°Would¡¯ve been nice to know that a death squad was coming after you, I won¡¯t lie. My son nearly died because of them¡­and now they owe us a blood-debt. We should go back to collect.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Out of the quest¡ª¡± ¡°You can¡¯t tell us what to do, young man. You¡¯re not our chief, and we only met you a short time ago.¡± Birger frowned. ¡°Drop us off at home, Bjorgrund and I will stay in our ward and deal with them. If you really want to help, ward our home against them.¡± ¡°You saw how powerful they are,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°I don¡¯t know how powerful of a ward we¡¯d need to keep them out.¡± ¡°Too bad, then, I¡ª¡± ¡°Father, listen to Alex,¡± Bjorgrund suddenly cut in. ¡°You should stay far away from our home. I¡¯ll go with Alex and help him as much as I can.¡± Alex, Theresa and Birger looked at the young giant in dismay. ¡°Son, you¡¯ve lost your mind!¡± the firbolg shouted. ¡°Birger¡¯s right, there¡¯s no way,¡± Alex insisted. ¡°We nearly died, and you¡¯re so young,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We can¡¯t let you do that.¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°My father¡¯s old, but I¡¯m young. I¡¯m strong. I¡¯m a warrior.¡± He looked at Birger and Alex, his jaw clenching. ¡°Both of you would be dead if it wasn¡¯t for me. I defended and bled for all of us. I¡¯m not some scared child who should stay home, but you are old, father. You¡¯ve grown so frail in the last while.¡± The young giant¡¯s lips tightened to a flat line. ¡°Why should you die with your guts out in the snow somewhere? You should be at home, by a fire with a blanket¡ª¡± ¡°Son, you don¡¯t like it when I treat you like a child, do not treat me like one,¡± Birger snapped. ¡°And what kind of parent would I be if I waited at home with a blanket by the hearth while my own son¡ªnot even fully grown¡ªwas out in the world, wandering the wilderness while assassins stalked his companions. No, it will not happen.¡± The firbolg looked at Alex. ¡°You wish to take responsibility, you say?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°Then, it¡¯s true, we probably won¡¯t be safe at home. Not anymore.¡± Pain lay in Birger¡¯s words. ¡°Not until those holier-than-thou bastards are dead and buried. So, perhaps we should come with you.¡± Alex scoffed. ¡°Then you¡¯d be at even greater risk.¡± ¡°But we¡¯d be beside you, and you teleported us out of there,¡± Birger said. ¡°We¡¯d all be dead if you didn¡¯t use Kelda¡¯s power the way you did.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Alex paused, frowning. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know why I was able to beat the interdiction¡­something about it didn¡¯t feel complete, like there were gaps in its defences. Our enemies aren¡¯t stupid; they¡¯re going to figure out that there was a flaw in that interdiction and they¡¯re going to do their best to fix it. I won¡¯t be so lucky next time.¡± ¡°Better than being in our cottage just waiting like trapped prey to be slaughtered,¡± Birger said. ¡°And besides, I am a free man, as is my son. You do not command me, Alex. If you put us in Generasi, we could leave whenever we wanted. It would take time, but we¡¯d find our way back to the Empire. I want to go with you, I want to see Kelda¡¯s sanctum with my own eyes. I need that, and¡­I know there¡¯s no way my son will listen to me if I tell him to stay behind.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Bjorgrund shook his head, thick arms crossing his broad chest. ¡°Agh, stop being so stubborn!¡± Alex snapped. ¡°I¡¯m trying to protect¡­¡± He paused, the words dying on his lips. What was he trying to do? Protect them? Tell them what to do? Who exactly was he to do that? Was he no better than the church, demanding that the Fool of Uldar sit back and play their foul role? He had no right to tell either Birger and Bjorgrund what they should and should not do. And¡­their words were true. Bjorgrund had protected him and Birger from a gruesome fate. ¡®And am I so confident I could survive another attack from the hidden church by myself?¡¯ he considered. ¡®That ambush nearly killed all of us, and that was with Claygon there¡­maybe they¡¯re right. And since when have I acted like the First Apostle; they don¡¯t have family to protect. They are family, and if they¡¯re choosing to come with me, then so be it. Baelin let me take risks, and I sure as all hells want to be more like Baelin than Uldar.¡¯ Alex sighed in defeat. ¡°Are you both sure you want to do this?¡± Father and son looked at each other, then Birger nodded. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Alex said, hearing a deep sigh from Theresa. He glanced at her. Was that¡­relief? She caught his eye, but said nothing. ¡°Then, with that settled, let¡¯s get you, Brutus and Claygon back to Generasi,¡± Alex said, thinking of his sister. ¡°The faster we¡¯re back in the Empire, the less chance of me putting my family in harm¡¯s way. ¡­I¡¯ll have to say goodbye to Selina, for a while, though.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°That¡¯s not going to be easy.¡± Chapter 723: Once Again, Preparing to Leave Home In a quiet neighbourhood in Generasi¡ªin the wee hours of the morning¡ªall was still. Golem crafting carried on in Shale¡¯s workshop as it always did at all hours of the night, while late night wanderers strolled down the magically lit street. Most windows were shuttered for the night, very few lights burned within the homes and small businesses in this part of the city. Even in the Roth Family Bakery¡ªwhere Troy and the other staff would soon arrive to make preparations for the day¡ªnearly every room was in darkness. All was still quiet. Alex Roth, Theresa Lu, Claygon and Brutus¡ªaccompanied by Birger and Bjorgrund¡ªmaterialised in the dark dining area on the first floor. Aeld blooms glowed, giving off dim light from Alex¡¯s staff, until he conjured forceballs and Wizard¡¯s Hands, illuminating the space. Crimson light deepened shadows on his face, making him appear like a grim gargoyle carved of shimmering red stone. ¡°Dammit,¡± he swore quietly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Theresa whispered, not wanting to awaken Selina. He shook his head. ¡°That power¡­the connection I had with Hannah when I was so close to death, is gone. The Mark ¡®helped¡¯ me¡ª¡± The word tasted bitter, knowing how Uldar¡¯s brand had nearly caused them to die. ¡°¡ªlearn a bit about Hannah¡¯s power from how we teleported to Merzhin.¡± Alex shook his head. He bit the inside of his cheek. ¡°And I¡¯m going to need a lot more power fast. Real fast. Anyway, let¡¯s leave that for now, I¡¯m just wasting time.¡± Alex looked at Bjorgrund. ¡°Could you do me a favour?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the giant asked, his eyes lingering on his surroundings in curiosity. ¡°Could you take Claygon¡¯s bag for me? It has the books we pilfered from Brightfire in it, and I¡¯ll want them when we find Kelda¡¯s sanctum. And¡­I¡¯ll also need to bring more supplies with us, and that bag¡¯ll be too full for me to carry along with my other ones. Would you mind carrying that one?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the young giant said, turning to the shorter golem. Claygon looked at the giant for a long moment; Alex sensed a storm of emotions rushing through their link. Anger, confusion, resolve, guilt, grief, frustration, reluctance¡­all struggled against each other, one consuming the next. Slowly, he removed the bag of spellguides from his shoulder and handed it to the young giant, without a word. ¡°Claygon¡­¡± Alex started. ¡°Father¡­you won¡¯t take me with you? To¡­protect you?¡± Claygon turned to him. ¡°If I do¡ªand I want to, buddy¡ªwho¡¯s going to protect Selina?¡± the young wizard asked. A white hot spike of rage and guilt stabbed through their link, so strong that Alex actually winced. ¡°I¡ª¡± he started. ¡°We had better hurry¡­¡± the golem said, in a voice that was ancient and stiff. ¡°...if you¡¯re going to go¡­like you said, father¡­time is limited.¡± Alex shut his mouth. Claygon was right, and nothing he could say would make him feel any better. Not now, anyway. ¡°Alright, I have to get some supplies from the lab,¡± Alex said. ¡°What about Selina?¡± Theresa asked. The wizard cringed, glancing at the ceiling. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­let her sleep for a bit longer.¡± Without another word, he turned and walked toward his lab. Emotions took over, each step was heavier than the last. Rage and sadness were his companions, bringing to mind a stomach churning familiarity. Alex quickly moved through the lab, deciding what to take to the Empire, remembering a very similar time in his life. He saw himself in his room in the Lu Family Inn¡ªhis home for most of his life¡ªgoing through his possessions, trying to decide what he¡¯d need when he left for Generasi to attend wizard school...and escape the church. Just as he¡¯d done before, he was doing the same thing again, looking through his belongings, wanting to not bring anything that would be dead weight. Here he was again, escaping the church, leaving his home at a time not of his own choosing, and, against his will, sorting through his belongings¡ªthe physical symbols of his life and his place in the world¡ªtrying to figure out what he would need. Being forced, once again, to leave the life he¡¯d built¡­ ¡­and, once again, the fault lay solely with a filthy, selfish deity and his dogged servants. It made Alex¡¯s desire to smash Uldar¡¯s corpse, his sanctum, the First Apostle and the rest of the secret church¡¯s fanatics explode. He had no idea how long he¡¯d be away from his home. There was no way of knowing, no inkling of how long it would be: days, weeks, months¡­even longer. The young wizard tried not to think about it, using his meditation techniques to let those thoughts pass as he acknowledged them. He tried not to let those techniques remind him of his peaceful meditation sessions in his rooftop garden, or on Generasi¡¯s green campus. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡­places he might not see for a long time¡­or maybe ever again. ¡®I hate this.¡¯ ¡®The faster I find Kelda¡¯s sanctum,¡¯ he thought. ¡®The faster I can get started on fixing the Mark, and the faster I can start trying to fix the Mark, the better chance I have of killing those rat bastards, and the faster I can kill them, the quicker I can come home. Then, we can concentrate on finding the Ravener, destroying it for good, and getting our lives back.¡¯ Keeping those thoughts in mind, Alex selected everything he wanted to take with great care. The first thing he chose was¡ªsurprisingly¡ªa weapon. Hannah¡¯s sword. ¡®I didn¡¯t take it with me before, but it could be useful in Kelda¡¯s sanctum. And¡­¡¯ He glanced at the aeld staff. ¡®Even if I change the Mark from Fool to General, I¡¯ll still need to be ready if the church shows up again. What else do I need¡­?¡¯ ¡®My alchemy tools; anything portable and sturdy should be coming with me. Then some potion making materials, probably enough to last a month or so if I use them regularly, and supplies for other alchemical creations.¡¯ Specifically¡­ ¡®Chaos essence and dungeon core remains,¡¯ he thought, carefully removing two small, magically-reinforced jars of powder from a warded cabinet in the back of the lab. ¡®I¡¯ll need enough for a bomb¡ª¡¯ He paused, reconsidering, then taking enough for more chaos bombs. ¡®I can¡¯t use them yet, but if I fix the Mark, then I could bomb the ever-loving hells out of them. They¡¯d die the same way Carey did; I¡¯m no poet, but there¡¯s gotta be something poetic in that.¡¯ Once the chaos essence and dungeon core remains were safely packed away, he went through his supply bag, checking its contents. ¡°Waterproof sleeping roll, check. Magical fire producer, check. Back up flint and tinder, check. Magical water purifier, check. Self-erecting tent, check. Potions, check. Enchanted rope, check. Week¡¯s worth of rations, check¡­no, I¡¯ll need a lot more of those. Hmmm, alright, well that should be about a month¡¯s worth. Bathing supplies, check. Portable timekeeper, check. Mapping kit, check. Snow Blindness-Reduction goggles, check.¡± He paused, then. ¡°Seems that¡¯s just about everything, except for the Irtyshenan coin in my chest, which should be enough to last me for a good while. Alright. Then I¡¯ll just¡ª¡± ¡°Alex!¡± Theresa called from upstairs, her voice loud enough to make the young wizard flinch. ¡°Yes?¡± he called back, his stomach sinking. ¡°Selina¡¯s awake,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, Hells,¡± he muttered. ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°In the dining room, the upstairs dining room!¡± Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath to steady himself and throwing the bag over his shoulder, teleported up to their dining room. Theresa, Claygon and Selina were waiting there. The golem and the huntress seemed to have been packing a bag for him, filling it with rations, fresh food, water, canteens and other supplies. Selina stood at the bottom of the stairs, her hair mussed and nightdress rumpled from sleep. Her eyes were completely alert, while her posture was stiff and her head darted from side to side. ¡°W-what¡¯s going on?¡± she asked, looking from one of them to the next. ¡°Why are you all packing, you just got back?¡± Tension gripped her voice. It was clear she knew something was wrong. ¡°Wait¡­what happened to your clothes?¡± she suddenly cried. ¡°What happened to you, Claygon, you¡¯re all scratched up!¡± Alex winced; with everything that had happened, he¡¯d forgotten the ragged state of their clothing. Merzhin had healed their injuries, but their clothes were still ripped and burnt. Theresa had changed her shirt since they¡¯d arrived home, but her trousers were now a series of burn holes, where cloth should have been. Alex¡¯s shirt was bloodstained and frayed from top to bottom. ¡°Selina, you¡¯ll understand soon, because I have something important to tell you and I need you to listen carefully,¡± he said slowly, trying to sound completely calm and in control. ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± she sounded sceptical. ¡°Do you want to sit down?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m okay.¡± Her fingers tightened on the railing. ¡°I thought you were doing everything you needed to last night¡­the stuff for those people Kelda worked with? Did something go wrong?¡± ¡°Well¡­just listen.¡± He told her of the mission in Brightfire, of the four places that Warder had directed them to in the Empire and¡ªfinally, about the attack in the wilderness. Alex stayed calm, trying not to frighten her, avoiding details that might scar her. He ended his story with them teleporting to Merzhin for healing. ¡°...and that¡¯s why I¡¯m going to have to go away for a while,¡± he said. ¡°They have some way of tracking me, and I don''t know what that is, so until they¡¯re defeated, there¡¯s no way I can stay at home. I have to leave because I have to finish this.¡± ¡°No.¡± An uncomfortable silence hung over them. ¡°What?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, this is our home.¡± She looked at him with fire in her eyes. ¡°Selina¡­there¡¯s a chance that they¡¯ll come here looking for me, then they¡¯ll attack¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± She nodded. ¡°We¡¯re safe here. You¡¯ll be safer here, and we can fight them together.¡± ¡°Selina, you¡¯ve never fought anyone before,¡± Theresa said gently. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Alex can teach me more fire magic, and¡ª¡± ¡°Selina.¡± Alex cut in. ¡°I can¡¯t. We nearly died; I¡¯ll be honest with you, I think the only people we know who could comfortably defeat them¡ªwithout any risk to themselves¡ªare Baelin¡­or Hobb, probably. Even if we had the entire cabal together, I don¡¯t think we could win that fight right now. If they come here looking for me, then they could hurt you, they could hurt Toraka, your friends¡­so many people we love. I¡¯m not going to let that happen.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll come with you. We¡¯ll all go together.¡± She forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯ll be like when we went into the Cave of the Traveller together, Alex. Just like then, I¡¯ll come with you. I¡¯ll go get my¡ª¡± ¡°Not this time,¡± Theresa said. ¡°When we were leaving Alric I told Alex you¡¯d follow him if he went into the Cave by himself.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Selina¡¯s smile remained. ¡°Then I¡¯ll get my¡ª¡± ¡°But this is different.¡± The forced smile wavered. Slightly. ¡°How¡¯s it different?¡± Her tone was tense. ¡°Because you¡¯re older now,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Because we know what¡¯s waiting for us in the Empire. Because Alex isn¡¯t going to a city of wizards this time. Because we don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll be able to come back.¡± ¡°What do you mean because I¡¯m older now? I can handle it, that¡¯s why I should¡ª¡± Selina started. Theresa was shaking her head. ¡°Selina, you¡¯re older now; you¡¯re mature enough to know why you need to stay here. We can trust that you understand and know you won¡¯t try to follow Alex now. That¡¯s why you can stay here. That¡¯s why this is different from before.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want it to be different, then!¡± the young girl cried. ¡°I want to come with you I¡­¡± Her voice rose. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to die!¡± She faced Alex, tears running down her face. ¡°You¡¯re my only brother! Mom and dad are dead, and now you want to go off by yourself? Alex, you could die, then what will I do?¡± The young wizard forced down a surge of emotion. He had to be strong. He had to be. ¡°You¡¯ll live, Selina,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ll live, and that could be very, very hard, but I did it. I had to do it, after mother and father died, and you¡¯re smarter than I was at your age. You¡¯re stronger, you¡¯re braver, you¡¯re more determined. You¡¯ll do it, Selina. Please, I have to do this.¡± ¡°But¡­what about our life?¡± she asked, tears dropping on the floor. ¡°We¡¯re happy here! When are you coming back?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± He paused. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t know.¡± Trembling, Selina suddenly ran from the stairs, throwing her arms around her brother. ¡°No¡­don¡¯t leave me¡­not like this¡­¡± Alex wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight. ¡°It¡¯s the best way for now, Selina. It¡¯s the only thing we can do.¡± Silence fell between them. She buried her head against his torso; a torso that¡ªmere hours ago¡ªwas mangled and bloodied. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll be back. Promise.¡± Chapter 724: The Iron Child The Roth siblings reluctantly broke their hug knowing that their time together was growing shorter. Alex stepped away from his sister, placing his hands on her shoulders. His eyes held hers. ¡°You¡¯re one of the bravest people I¡¯ve ever known, Selina, and I want you to never forget that. Remember that when you think about me, and remember how much I love you. I¡¯ll miss you, and I¡¯ll come back home. I promise.¡± Selina sniffled, looking up at him with her large, green eyes. Alex took a moment, taking in her face, really looking at her, committing her to memory. She¡¯d grown a lot over their two years in Generasi. She was taller and leaner. Her face was changing, shifting from round, pudgy and childlike, to the angular face of the young woman she would be. There was still more ¡®child¡¯ there than adult, but that would change with time. He knew that if he was gone long enough, she might barely be recognisable when he got back. That thought stung. Deeply. ¡°You¡¯re the bravest person I know, Alex, and I¡¯m glad you¡¯re my brother,¡± Selina told him. ¡°I love you, and that¡¯s why you have to come back. Soon!¡± ¡°I will, Selina, I will,¡± he promised again, stepping back. Sniffling, she walked to Claygon, cuddling against the iron golem. A surge of emotion flooded their link as the golem placed a hand on her shoulder. Alex turned to Brutus who was sitting beside his master. ¡°Goodbye, boy,¡± he said to the cerberus, wondering if the hound truly understood. He hugged the cerberus¡¯ thick middle neck, then almost laughed; two years ago, Brutus would have lunged at him if he¡¯d tried to touch him, never mind hug him. Theresa had been right, as she often was; a little respect had mended the bridge between them long ago. Brutus licked Alex¡¯s face, those big, brown eyes staring into the young wizard¡¯s until Alex¡¯s gaze drifted away. He looked up at Claygon. The golem was watching him intently. Anger seethed through their link, along with a deep well of sadness. ¡°I¡­am here¡­to protect you¡­father¡­¡± he said, his voice like that of a scared young child. ¡°You and Selina¡­made me for that¡­¡± Alex placed a hand on the golem¡¯s arm. ¡°That¡¯s true, but you¡¯re so much more than that, buddy. You¡¯re a singer, you¡¯re my friend, you¡¯re a warrior, you¡¯re part of my family. Any father would be lucky to have you for a son. You¡¯re so much more than a golem that¡¯s only there to protect me. You¡¯re not my slave, you¡¯re not just my golem: you¡¯re Claygon. You can choose to do what you want, beyond what you were made for.¡± Smiling sadly, Alex tapped his Marked shoulder. ¡°Look at me, I was supposed to be a clown, a servant and counsellor for other people, for the Heroes and all of Thameland. But here I am, doing things my way. You have to do things your way, buddy; you have to be more than my protector while I''m gone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­wrong.¡± ¡°Wait, what now? What do you mean?¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­wrong¡­father,¡± Claygon said. Waves of sorrow poured through their link, tinged with anger. Anger that was directed at Alex. ¡°I know¡­all of that¡­already. I know¡­what I am. I know¡­what you made me for¡­and I know that I can do¡­as I want.¡± Claygon looked directly into Alex¡¯s eyes and¡ªthough his were forged of iron¡ªthe young wizard could have sworn the golem¡¯s eyes were alive. Truly alive. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­know¡­if I can¡­resist you¡­if you forced me to do¡­something. We are¡­linked¡­and I have always¡­followed what you¡¯ve¡­told me to do¡­and I don¡¯t know¡­what would happen¡­if I refused.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Alex said. ¡°I don¡¯t know either. We¡¯re still connected, but you have your own mind and your heart is made from a dungeon core¡¯s essence. You¡¯ve already evolved twice; honestly, Claygon, I don¡¯t know whatyou¡¯re capable of. That¡¯s one of the many, many reasons I say you¡¯re more than my protect¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­wrong¡­father!¡± Claygon suddenly shouted. Selina startled, recoiling from the golem, stumbling and falling. ¡°Ooof!¡± Below, chair legs scraped across wood. Theresa startled. Brutus jumped to his feet, barking. Alex was stunned into silence. Burning anger poured through the link. ¡°I am your¡­protector¡­not because¡­you made me that way!¡± the golem shouted. ¡°You¡­made me¡­but I am my own¡­person! And I¡­want to protect you father! I choose you¡­I choose to protect Selina¡­Theresa¡­Brutus¡­my family. I choose to protect¡­Khalik¡­Isolde¡­Thundar¡­the Heroes¡­my friends. It¡¯s what I choose to do. I am not¡­some¡­slave that you have to ¡®set free¡¯...father. I am¡­Claygon. I am¡­your buddy¡­your¡­child. I choose to protect you¡­and that¡¯s why¡­this hurts so much. Because¡­¡± The golem shook, his head tilting down. ¡°I¡­cannot¡­come with you¡­you are right. If I come with you¡­then Selina¡­might get hurt or¡­die.¡± Terror poured through the link at those words. ¡°...if the church¡­comes here¡­ You go¡­and I cannot follow. It doesn¡¯t hurt because¡­I am some unthinking thing¡­that has to go with you¡­it hurts¡­because¡­because¡­¡± His four hands balled into fists. ¡°Because I want¡­to go¡­with you! I desperately¡­want¡­to go! But¡­I choose¡­to stay¡­because I have to. And¡­father¡­it hurts so much¡­to think of you¡­by yourself¡­with those ¡®people¡¯ hunting you¡­¡± Suddenly, a bitter laugh erupted from Claygon¡¯s voice box. Alex recoiled. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The sound wasn¡¯t human, nor even mortal. It wasn¡¯t like any noise a living being could make. If iron could laugh, that would be its sound; cold, metal scraping together, creating a noise that was all edges and blood. A dreadful sound that chilled the heart. ¡°They¡­are living things¡­born things!¡± Claygon raised his hands above his head. ¡°They¡­are born from mothers¡­from fathers! They are mortals!¡± ¡°W-who?¡± Selina asked. ¡°The church¡­!¡± Claygon¡¯s voice was still that terrible, grating, iron sound. ¡°They are people¡­not constructs of¡­clay¡­metal¡­or stone! They are flesh! They eat¡­they sleep! They do not wonder¡­if they have a soul! They do not¡­wonder¡­what will become of them¡­if they are destroyed! They know!¡± Heat and light flared in the fire-gem in his forehead. ¡°My body¡­is a tool to destroy¡­and to build¡­if I wish. But¡­it is not flesh¡­what I can do¡­is limited. I will live¡­maybe¡­forever. But¡­I do not have the choices¡­people do. There are things¡­they cannot do¡­that I can¡­but things¡­they can do¡­that I never¡­could. More¡­that they can do¡­by my reckoning. They can choose so¡­many things.¡± That metallic growl grew deeper. Darker. ¡°But¡­they do not choose!¡± he screamed, a tearing sound like iron armour crumpling. ¡°They¡­do not¡­choose anything! They¡­serve! Only¡­serve! No matter¡­what that means¡­not questioning¡­not thinking¡­only hurting!¡± He suddenly pointed through the window, to Shale¡¯s workshop. ¡°Shale¡­treats her golems¡­like she treats her tools¡­because they are¡­tools to her. They have¡­no minds. They cannot choose¡­they can only do¡­or¡­if she does not give them an order¡­just¡­stand in silence. They are¡­only tools to her¡­but how are these ¡®people¡¯ of that hidden church¡­any different?¡± There was a terrible clang as he smashed one fist against the other. ¡°The¡­priests¡­I know¡­they were our enemies¡­because¡­they were hunting my father¡­but they think! That one¡­that served the king¡­Tobias Jay¡­he thought! He lives a life of service¡­to his king¡­and dead god¡­but he thought! He chose how¡­and he chose what¡­he thought was right! The king serves his god¡­and people¡­but he chose to let father go¡­Merzhin¡­chooses differently¡­after Carey¡­died. The priests¡­I saw them¡­do good¡­in the Heroes¡¯ camp¡­earlier. They choose¡­and they help. I think¡­Baelin is wrong.¡± ¡°What? What do you mean?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°I am¡­not sure¡­no¡­I am sure. Not all¡­deities are¡­parasites¡­some are bad¡­some are good¡­some are¡­regular. I¡¯ve seen¡­what Uldar did¡­it is evil¡­Uldar also did good¡­maybe for faith. I have read of deities¡­that do good¡­or that¡­do as nature does. They do not seem evil¡­and Hannah isn¡¯t evil¡­and neither is Carey. Carey serves her¡­but she thinks for herself too¡­but no¡­that¡¯s not right either¡­¡± He paused, his emotions a whirling storm through their link. ¡°I¡­have met people that think deeply¡­I have met people that only¡­think with their stomachs or instincts. Some people¡­think¡­others do. But people do different things¡­as they need to¡­they do not¡­just keep doing the same thing¡­like unthinking tools¡­except for those hate filled¡­followers¡­of the hidden church! They do not think! They do nothing¡­but only what¡­their dead god¡­once¡­told them¡­and don¡¯t adjust¡­even if that means¡­doing terrible things¡­that they are not supposed to do¡­! They are no better than¡­Shale¡¯s golems¡­or her tools! They are no¡­better!¡± Claygon screamed. ¡°They were not made¡­from steel, clay¡­or stone! They were born from flesh¡­they were born with minds¡­but they act¡­like they have no minds at all! They act¡­mindlessly! I hate them¡­for that! Look at me¡­I am choosing to do¡­what I don¡¯t want to do¡­because it is the right thing! I am choosing against¡­the purpose I have chosen for myself¡­because it is the right thing! And it hurts¡­so much But I am doing¡­it! Merzhin did¡­it! Why won¡¯t they? There would be so much less pain¡­if they did¡­why won¡¯t they? If they did¡­then father¡­wouldn¡¯t have to go¡­to the north¡­to the dark¡­into danger¡­by himself! So why. Won¡¯t. They!¡± His scream ripped through the air, breathless and filled with an unending fury. Through the link, Alex could feel an emotion that he¡¯d never truly felt from Claygon before¡­ ¡­hate. True and utter hatred. It was like acid, burning, corroding. The young wizard swallowed; this was the hate of metal. Unending. Or¡­not? It began to fade, calming to a dull anger. A resentment. A sadness. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­father¡­I will do¡­what needs to be done¡­I will¡­let you go¡­even if it hurts¡­but answer me¡­¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°Why¡­don¡¯t they choose better?¡± The Thameish wizard¡¯s mouth opened and closed. An old memory rose from the deepest mists of his mind. He was in the kitchen with his father early one morning, with the sunlight streaming through a foggy window. His father had been cutting carrots, and Alex clearly remembered the sound of the knife running along the cutting board. He¡¯d looked up from the potatoes he¡¯d been peeling and asked his father. ¡°Why do people die?¡± The knife had stopped moving. His father was still for a moment, and Alex hadn¡¯t understood why. Then, with a small smile, he¡¯d turned to him and said. ¡°It''s because we''re mortal, son, and sometimes that''s the only reason for anything.¡± ¡°But why do mortals die, father?¡± ¡°Here son, you''re doing a good job with those potatoes. How about a cookie?¡± ¡°Oh, thanks Dad!¡± Alex had devoured his cookie happily, quickly forgetting his questions about life and death; it was only now that he realised what his father had done. ¡®He distracted me, Dad never had a real answer,¡¯ he thought. ¡®How could anyone? When he froze like that, he was probably panicking¡­just like I am now. Huh.¡¯ In that moment, Alex felt like he understood his father better than he ever had before. ¡°Claygon¡­¡± He paused, searching his thoughts. ¡°I don''t know why people do what they do. I don''t think even the deities and archwizards of the world know why some people choose hurt and some don¡¯t. If they did¡­ maybe this would be a better world.¡± He sighed. ¡°Or maybe not. I don¡¯t know. I wish I could tell you why they kill for a dead god. Or even a living one; I mean, they do a lot of awful things¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°I wish I could tell you why Uldar built the Ravener¡­not to help Thameland, but to kill his people over and over again¡ªpeople who trust him, who believe in his goodness¡ªbut I¡¯ll never understand. I''m not sure if I even want to.¡± ¡°I see¡­ maybe it''s¡­more comfortable for them¡­they don''t have to think. They don''t have to decide¡­they don''t have to feel the pain of deciding¡­like I do now¡­¡± Claygon said, his voice returning to that of a small child. Alex swallowed. ¡°Maybe you''re right, buddy, maybe you''re right. This decision hurts me too. It hurts me a lot.¡± He took a step forward, his arms spreading to hug Claygon. Somebody cleared their throat. ¡°Um, is this a bad time?¡± Bjorgrund filled the doorway, eyes wide. ¡°I heard shouting and some kind of loud bang, and I thought¡­well¡­that you were in trouble?¡± His eyes fell on Selina. ¡°Um, do you need a hand, small child?¡± The young girl gaped at the giant, then slowly turned to her brother. ¡°Alex, who is this?¡± ¡°Um, um, I¡¯m Bjorgrund,¡± the young giant muttered. ¡°Uh, sorry for disturbing you all.¡± ¡°I told you not to interfere!¡± Birger¡¯s voice called from somewhere below. He sounded like he was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Selina''s eyebrows rose. ¡°Well, Selina,¡± Alex cleared his throat. ¡°This is Bjorgrund and¡­ Birger¡­his father¡­is downstairs. They¡¯re, um¡­new friends we met in the Empire.¡± ¡°Okay¡­new friends¡­we keep making those¡­okay,¡± the young girl said, though she looked a little wild around the eyes. She turned to the young giant at the door. ¡°I¡¯m Selina¡­welcome to our home.¡± Gingerly, she reached for the giant¡¯s hand. With a single swift yank, he helped her to her feet. Selina yelped. ¡°Yikes!¡± ¡°Oh, sorry! I didn''t mean to hurt you!¡± He recoiled. ¡°It¡¯s just, uh, I''ve never really met anyone so small before¡­and¡­you know what? I¡¯m just going to go now.¡± ¡°That''s okay, I¡ª¡± ¡°Goodbye!¡± The young giant quickly turned and fled, thundering down the steps, drawing a cry of alarm from his father. ¡°By my ancestors, watch where you''re going, son!¡± Birger¡¯s crutch thumped across the wood. ¡°You''re liable to crush me!¡± ¡°Sorry, father!¡± ¡°Don''t apologise, just shut the door! You left it open! Blast it, son, give these people their privacy!¡± ¡°Yes, father!¡± Bjorgrund scrambled back up stairs, bowed his head in apology, then with a heavy bang, the door slammed. Silence descended on the room, draining some of the tension away. ¡°Ah, he seems nice,¡± the young girl gave a strained, confused smile, looking like she wished she was in bed. She suddenly frowned. ¡°Um, we have a problem¡­ If there''s people who could come here to hurt me, then I can''t stay in our home. Not anymore.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯ll be going to our old apartment in the insula,¡± Alex said. Selina¡¯s eyes hardened like emeralds. ¡°I can¡¯t go there either. Not ever.¡± Chapter 725: The Lonely Departure ¡°What do you mean you can''t stay here? And why are you saying you can¡¯t go to the insula?¡± Alex looked around, eyes searching the room. ¡°Did something happen while we were gone? I knew leaving you overnight by yourself was a bad idea!¡± ¡°I''m fine, I''m fine!¡± Selina insisted, waving her hands in front of her. ¡°Nothing happened!¡± There was a note of desperation in her voice; it had been her idea to stay the night at the bakery instead of with the Lus or at her friend¡¯s house. It had been the source of a small argument between brother and sister; one she had only narrowly won. ¡°I¡¯m old enough to stay by myself for the night, Alex¡­but that¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. I''m not worried about myself, I''m worried about everyone else.¡± ¡°Why, what do you mean?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Well¡­ If these people are so dangerous, then what happens if they attack the bakery? I might be okay with you, Claygon and Brutus here, but what''s going to happen to Troy? To all the people that work here? What''s going to happen to our customers? What''ll happen to the people in the neighbourhood? They''re going to get really hurt, or worse. It''d be the same problem if I stayed on campus, other students and staff could get hurt or killed.¡± ¡°Well, Hobb would be there,¡± Alex countered. ¡°And so would the Watchers.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯d take them time to get there, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Her lips flattened to a thin line. ¡°I remember what happened at Isolde¡¯s cousin''s ball¡­and when the demons attacked the Games. People died at the Games, even with Baelin, the Watchers and Hobb there. There was so much blood¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°I don''t want to see that happen again because I''m hiding someplace where others could get caught in some terrible attack.¡± ¡°Oh, by the Traveller, you''re right¡­¡± Theresa murmured. ¡°Jeez, I didn''t even think of that!¡± Alex slapped the heel of his hand to his forehead. He''d been looking at things through a single lens. The one thought that had been burning in his mind had been keeping Selina and the rest of his family safe. He''s been so focused on drawing the hidden church¡¯s attention to himself in the Empire, that he hadn''t considered what would happen if they did come to the bakery. But now, he could imagine it; the image was grim. He could see the bakery, busy, full of happy customers, the servers going from table to table, putting platters of freshly baked tarts and pastries before relaxed patrons. There would be families waiting. Children. Employees from the nearby shops on their lunch breaks. Some of Toraka¡¯s staff would be there as usual; he could see Lagor discussing a job with his assistants over hot buttered bread and freshly brewed coffee. Troy would be happily serving customers when the door would open. He¡¯d look up, putting on a welcoming smile. That smile would quickly fade. Who would be standing in the doorway? The First Apostle. The ancient Chosen of Uldar would be wreathed in power, leading the Third Apostle and a squad of holy warriors, armed, armoured and looking for him¡­or even worse¡­his loved ones. What would Troy do? What would any of the staff do? Would they have time to do anything before they were slaughtered? Would they even have time to run? The hidden church had thought nothing of trying to kill Birger and Bjorgrund, who they had no quarrel with. They¡¯d think even less of killing poor, bakery workers, and their helpless customers. The same would happen to students and staff members on campus; until Hobb¡ªeventually¡ªarrived. Then, there would be hells to pay. Quite literally. The ¡®eventually¡¯ part would be the problem, though. In the time that the registrar took to appear, how many students would be maimed or killed? There were entire families staying in the insula. Alex and Theresa had been considering bringing Theresa''s family there. Wouldn''t campus be one of the first places the secret church would think to look, if they couldn''t find the Fool¡¯s sister where he and his family lived? ¡°By the Traveller, I really didn''t think this one through,¡± Alex admitted, a spike of shame rising in his chest. ¡°Gods, I nearly did what Isolde talked about.¡± ¡°What was that? Theresa asked. He swallowed. ¡°She said that if we''d gone to her cousin¡¯s ball¡ªknowing that we were being hunted by the Ravener¡ªthen she could never have forgiven us. She said the attack would''ve been my fault, because I would¡¯ve been too selfish to tell anyone what might have been coming. I didn¡¯t know I was being hunted then, but I do now. So, what I was just suggesting would look like I was doing the same thing; being thoughtless, self-involved, and inconsiderate of other people. And because I actually know about the church now, and that they¡¯re after me and anyone else involved with me, it¡¯d be true.¡± Alex flinched. ¡°I can''t believe what I nearly did. That I didn¡¯t think about what might have happened to other people.¡± ¡°I did the same thing, just focusing on one part of the problem with the church,¡± Theresa said. ¡°So did¡­I¡­¡± Claygon said, his voice dropping low. ¡°But¡­what do we do, then? Selina needs some place¡­where she will be safe¡­and where others will not be hurt.¡± ¡°And where my family will be safe too,¡± Theresa growled. ¡°I know they really like it at the Royal Griffon, but it¡¯s no fortress.¡± She sighed. ¡°Claygon, Brutus and I need to protect them too.¡± Alex''s mind was spinning. He needed a place where his family would be safe, and where others wouldn''t get pulled into a deadly battle between the church and his allies. It had to be remote, but defensible. There was also Selena¡¯s schooling to think about¡­ Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Alex paused. ¡°What about school?¡± Selina shook her head. ¡°I don''t think I can go back to school for now. I couldn''t forgive myself if anything happened to Abela or anyone else because of me. I won''t let that happen.¡± Her jaw clenched. ¡°I don''t want to leave school, but you''re leaving home, Alex, and Claygon''s making a choice that hurts him.¡± She looked at Theresa. ¡°I''m sure it hurts you too.¡± The huntress bit her lip, but said nothing. ¡°So I can''t be the only one who isn¡¯t making sacrifices,¡± she said sadly. ¡°I''m going to miss school a lot, but I don''t want to go if it''s the wrong thing to do. I don''t want to be like those people that are hunting us, just making decisions without caring who gets hurt.¡± A deep and terrible anger grew in Alex¡¯s chest. If the First Apostle was in front of him, he would do everything in his power to rip his head off, not just his arm this time, Mark or not. ¡°We¡¯ll have to arrange something for you, Selina. I can''t let you sacrifice your education for this, even if we do have to make other adjustments and sacrifices. Maybe someone can come teach you and give you your tests at home. But where will that home be?¡± His nostrils flared as he considered different possibilities. ¡°We need somewhere that''s within reach of the university, is a good distance from other people, yet secure enough for even a king and queen.¡± ¡°A king and queen?¡± Selina asked, her eyes growing wide. ¡°Just an expression.¡± ¡°No wait Alex, you''re a genius!¡± the young girl cried. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the young wizard asked. ¡°King! And! Queen! Where did Khalik¡¯s parents stay?¡± Selina said. ¡°Think about it, they were in that big villa in the countryside. They thought it was safe enough to be defensible for royalty, and their guards could see anyone coming. It was far away enough from the city that¡ªif it got attacked¡ªno one else would get hurt! It''s perfect!¡± Alex gasped. ¡°I¡¯m a genius? You''re the genius, Selina! I''m an idiot! Why didn''t I think of that? It¡¯s perfect! It''s also close enough for someone to come from the school to bring you your lessons or¡ªif they can''t send anyone¡ªwe could hire a tutor from the city!¡± Theresa tapped her chin in thought. ¡°There aren''t many places to hide around there either¡­I could easily patrol the countryside in that area. Still, though¡­ If the church is using the fae roads to get from place to place, they could still ambush us there.¡± ¡°Which is one reason why it''ll be good to be out there, where other people can''t get hurt,¡± Selina said. ¡°If they do ambush us, no one else has to suffer.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to hire guards. A lot of guards,¡± Alex said, planning, thinking about one of his trips down to the hells. He remembered the mercenaries: skilled, fearless, tactical fighters. ¡°There might be one person¡­or maybe two who could really help us out here. I could even ask Toraka for a few golems to protect the manor¡­agh, no wait, I don''t have time to wait around for her to get to the golemworks.¡± He continued, considering what to do. ¡°Still, I think this is the best solution. Theresa, would you be comfortable bringing your family out there?¡± ¡°I would¡­protect them too¡­¡± Claygon promised. ¡°Yeah, it''s the perfect place for them. But, can we afford it? Especially since we don¡¯t know how long we¡¯ll be out there?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°With the coin we''re making from the golems, we could probably rent that place for a year before we started to feel it,¡± he said. ¡°Which is handy, because I made a lot of golems for the business before we started going to the Empire. I¡¯ll still need to talk to Toraka and tell her what happened¡­or maybe you could talk to her, Theresa?¡± ¡°Father, I could talk to her¡­remember¡­you and I share a link¡­I can hear your thoughts, even if you''re in the Empire¡­I could tell her what happened¡­I could tell her your words¡­I could relay them to her, as you tell them to me¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°That''s perfect! It means you can let me know what''s going on in Generasi!¡± Alex said, with relief. ¡°And you can tell us how you''re doing in the Empire through Claygon!¡± Theresa¡¯s voice lost some of its tension. ¡°Thank the Traveller, ¡± Alex said. ¡°I wanted to tell Professor Jules, Professor Val''Rok, and Professor Mangal that I was leaving; it wouldn''t be right just to disappear, especially when Mangal made so many exceptions for me, but I didn''t think I''d have time. Oh, and it¡¯d probably be better if I let Toraka know I had to go myself, things might get a little sticky there, and at the same time, I could arrange for those security golems from her. You¡¯re making this easier, Claygon. I could kiss you right now!¡± ¡°I''m glad we''re still going to be able to talk,¡± Selina smiled. ¡°But it''s going to be hard not having you here with us.¡± ¡°I know, Selina, I know,¡± Alex said, some of his cheer fading. ¡°It''s going to be awful without you¡­¡± Theresa¡¯s face fell. ¡°Alex, this will be the longest time we''ve ever been away from each other.¡± Her eyes met his. ¡°We spent so much of our time together in Alric¡­then we came here on this journey together¡­¡± The huntress¡¯ voice wavered. ¡°We''ve done so many things together. By the Traveller, I wouldn''t be half the woman I am¡ªor half the warrior¡ªwithout you.¡± She bit her lip. ¡°Now you''re going, and I can''t be by your side. And you can''t be by mine.¡± Alex was across the room in two strides. He took the huntress in his arms, squeezing her tight. She buried her head in his chest, and he could feel her trembling against him. He held her tighter. This hurt. It all hurt. ¡°I promise I''ll be back as soon as I can. I''m going to do everything I can to get these filthy¡­false holy men.¡± He bit back the urge to curse in front of his little sister. ¡°I''ll make them suffer for what they did to us¡­for what they did to you. I''ll make them wish they¡¯d never heard of any of us.¡± His voice turned dark. ¡°I''ll even make them wish they''d never heard the name ¡®Uldar¡¯.¡± She held him so tightly it hurt. ¡°I don''t care about that. Not that much. It shouldn¡¯t be your priority. All I want is for you to come back to me¡­to come back to us, so we can be a family again. Don''t go hurting yourself just to hurt them. Just do what you need to do, to protect yourself, to protect us, and then come back home. Then we can end the Ravener and put this whole neverending nightmare behind us. Behind all of us.¡± Theresa looked up from his chest, her eyes glistening. ¡°Alex, kiss me.¡± He leaned down, and their lips touched. They pressed against each other with desperation. They pressed against each other like it might be their last kiss. When they parted¡­they paused, then dove back into each other, locking lips, clinging to each other hungrily. At last, though, they had to let go. Alex looked around. His eyes took in his lover. They fell on their cerberus. On his sister. On Claygon, his golem, who meant so much to him. And he smiled sadly. He was leaving them, and it tore him apart. Yet, they would be safe. He would take the fight to their enemies, and that was the only thing that let him swallow this. ¡°Alright, if I don''t go now, I''ll never leave. Let''s get downstairs,¡± Alex said, taking up his bags and slinging them over his shoulder. In silence, the little family took the stairs down to the eating area of the bakery. As the giants rose from their seats at the table, growing back to full size, the young wizard took a final look at his business and home. A long look. He didn''t know when he might see them again. He wished he could capture the image and look¡­he suddenly remembered something. ¡°Wait,¡± Alex said. ¡°I need to get something.¡± Teleporting to his lab, he got Hannah¡¯s phone, put it in his bag, and went back upstairs. ¡°It''s time to go, is it?¡± Birger asked. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Alex sighed. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°No,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°But I have to go, anyway.¡± Theresa looked at the giants. ¡°Take care of him for me, okay?¡± ¡°Please protect my brother,¡± Selina looked at Bjorgrund. ¡°I will,¡± the young giant promised. Brutus whimpered, sensing his master¡¯s pain. ¡°Take care of yourselves¡­too¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°I''ll take care of both of them,¡± Birger said. ¡°The old have to guard the young.¡± ¡°I wish the First and Third Apostles thought the same way, Birger. I really wish they did.¡± Alex turned to his family. ¡°Goodbye everyone, I''m going to try and come back to you as soon as I can, and as best as I can.¡± He hugged each member of his family again, calling on the Traveller¡¯s power, before he could lose his resolve. ¡°Take care, everyone, and we¡¯ll talk soon.¡± The power flared within him. He touched the two giants, taking one last look at his family. Memorising every detail of their faces and his home. And just like that, they were gone. Chapter 726: The Lake of Ever Ice The frostbitten wind whipped over the Lake of Ever Ice, lashing a small cluster of buffeting tents. The lake spread from horizon to horizon: still, frozen, seeming to have neither banks nor shorelines, simply stretching out endlessly. From east to west, and north to south, one¡¯s gaze found only mile after mile of icy, frigid landscape glittering beneath the harsh white sun. In the distance, tiny frost-sheathed fairies beat blue crystal wings, fluttering through high winds, laughing and teasing each other in voices crackling like layers of shifting ice. Their eyes flitted about, watching the odd encampment now settled on the lake¡¯s frozen surface, built beside a crossroads marked by four spires carved with symbols so old, even most fae did not remember them. The encampment sheltered mortals who flew a strange symbol on their tent posts and banners, one these fae had never seen before: a white mortal hand emblazoned across every tent and every waving banner at the camp¡¯s borders. Yet, the tiny fae¡ªno matter how curious they might be¡ªwould not approach this place. Though the campfires were cheery and called to them, and the scent of roasting meat was enticing, one within the camp struck fear in them much colder than the ice below. Beyond the tents and whipping banners, the Stalker relaxed, gnawing a piece of red meat and gazing out across the barren landscape. The meat was still warm, fresh and raw, its juices stained his beard as he licked his lips. ¡°Ah, another beautiful, cold day,¡± he said. ¡°Shame my hounds can''t share in my cheer.¡± Behind him, the camp¡¯s atmosphere was as grim as fires were warm, and the ice was cold. Holy men and women crouched by altars to their god, praying with hands clasped and cloaks thrashing in the wind; apologies were being whispered with desperate pleas for guidance. The Stalker looked at the grey cloud covered sky, wondering if old Uldar would bless them with a sign. If the ancient deity was feeling generous, though, he didn''t show it. Behind the short fae, came the sound of footfalls trying to approach quietly, but any hope of silence was ruined by ice shards crunching underfoot. ¡°How do you like the lovely layer of frost?¡± The Stalker asked, stomping his feet. ¡°The Lake of Ever Ice never thaws, you know. The surface never cracks, and¡ªlet me tell you¡ªif you leave the road and wander off, you''ll never find the lake¡¯s end. No land, nothing at all.¡± He looked back at the sky. ¡°Yet the wind always blows bits of ice over its surface, that¡¯s the only thing that gives you any traction. Otherwise, we''d be slipping and sliding around like a piece of bacon, in a hot, fatty pan.¡± He laughed. "The ice blowing in the wind stings the face, doesn''t it? But it¡¯s only those pieces of ice that lets us walk in this place¡­and if I''m truthful, we should still be slipping and sliding around. Kind of makes you wonder if the lake wantsus to be walking on it, hmm? Blessings have a strange way of not looking like blessings sometimes, don¡¯t they?¡± The Stalker turned. Gabrian stood behind him with Izas. ¡°I take it you want to talk about that little battle?¡± the fae asked. ¡°We have failed,¡± Izas said grimly. ¡°And this was our greatest chance to destroy our enemy. He will be better prepared next time.¡± ¡°Every attack now will be more difficult than the last,¡± Gabrian echoed. ¡°The Fool has a way of slipping out of his bonds. Uldar marked him with a holy purpose, yet he has escaped his divine destiny. Now, we have declared he must pay with his life, acting on Uldar¡¯s will, and yet he has escaped thrice now. Once at Uldar¡¯s Rise, the second time at Rockmoot and now, here, in this northern Empire, so far away from home.¡± ¡°Aye, that last one was a bit strange,¡± the Stalker said in easy tones. ¡°I thought your little trick with your holy dirt would stop him from teleporting around; I mean, that''s why I went through all that trouble digging up your old home, isn''t it?¡± Gabrian looked at Izas, the Third Apostle let out a long breath. ¡°The interdiction was not perfect,¡± he said grimly. ¡°The circle of soil and my sanctification gave the area a taste of our god¡¯s power, but this land is not Thameland, nor is it Uldar¡¯s divine realm. His interdiction was naturally weaker in this place, I''m simply thankful it worked at all.¡± ¡°I curse my own incompetence,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°I am the Chosen of Uldar, and one who has mastered the skill of life enforcement. I have trained with magic, divinity, and swordsmanship until few could be my match in all the world. In my time of service¡ªwhen I was far less experienced¡ªI slew the Ravener and hordes of its monsters. Yet¡ªeven with the Fool of Thameland, this Alex Roth, caught off guard and at my mercy¡ªI was unable to finish him.¡± ¡°Maybe you were having an off day, everyone has an off day now and then,¡± the Stalker chuckled. ¡°That is no acceptable excuse for failing in our holy purpose,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°The fault is mine,¡± Izas said. ¡°Perhaps I called the retreat too early or was not strong enough to properly perform the sanctification. Even with the interdiction being weaker than it would be at home, he slipped from our grasp too quickly.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Oh, don''t beat yourselves up! We¡¯ll get him next time, I''m sure!¡± The Stalker¡¯s eyes stared off, as though looking at something far away. ¡°Aaaah, already, I can sense his name, it seems our quarry¡¯s returning to the Empire.¡± ¡°Then, there goes all hope that he did the decent thing and died from his wounds,¡± Gabrian sighed. ¡°Oh, there was never any hope of that.¡± The fae shook his head. ¡°Trust me, I have his name; if he were to die, I would know. Besides, it''s not your fault that he''s still alive, it''s mine. And I''m surprised you haven''t put the blame squarely on my shoulders yet.¡± Gabrian and Izas glanced at each other. ¡°It is not your place to help us eliminate him,¡± the First Apostle said, eyes searching the sky. ¡°Uldar deemed that we take on this task, and he sent you to guide us to our enemy. But to demand that you fight our battles for us would be to disregard our holy duty; it is our task to eliminate this threat, not yours. I am merely thankful that you guided us to the Fool, and that Uldar sent you to us.¡± ¡°Not that we would deny your assistance if you offered it," Izas said quickly. Once again, the Stalker laughed. ¡°I knew there was a reason I liked you! The problem with you mortals is that you''re too quick to call on things old and powerful to do things for you.¡± He began counting on his fingers. ¡°Fae, deities, demons, devils, engeli¡­there are more that I could name, but I''d have to use my other hand and I''m feeling lazy right now.¡± He chuckled. The pair of holy men did not. The Stalker shrugged, spreading his hands. ¡°You mortals sit there praying and summoning, then begging. You beg the old powers to kill this person, or fix that crop, or resurrect this son or daughter, or whatever. Especially you holy folk; if I had a piece of gold for each time a priest begged for their lives instead of saving themselves when facing the fang, axe or sword, well¡ªby Lord Aenflynn¡ªI''d be richer than every last one of your rulers.¡± His eyes lit up. ¡°You two are different though, aren''t you? You do things on your own, when you need to; you get in the guts of your kills. Ah, yes, mortals with spine! That''s why I chose you to help me with this little hunt¡­it¡¯s my choices you should be blaming for this failure.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Gabrian squinted down at the fae. The Stalker snapped his fingers, and a pipe carved of golden wood appeared in his hand. He stuck it between his lips, sucking back; embers ignited in the bowl, despite him not lighting them. The fae puffed a cloud of red smoke; a fragrance like roasting chestnuts sweetened the frigid air. ¡°I take great care when I choose my hounds, it makes no sense to hunt with those that can''t hunt for themselves,¡± he suddenly grew serious. ¡°But I take greater care in choosing my quarry; just as a dragonslayer wouldn''t waste time going on a great hunt for a hare, I wouldn''t chase prey that couldn''t offer me a challenge.¡± He rubbed his hands together like a greedy fly. ¡°My prey has to put up a good fight, and get me winded when I¡¯m chasing them. Who wants boring prey? So that was your problem, it was the prey I chose who made that battle so tricky. I tell you, though, for a while there, I thought I¡¯d chosen badly!¡± The Stalker wagged his finger, puffing on his pipe. ¡°When that boy went down so easy¡ªhis guts and blood spilling out like a stuck pig¡ªI thought I¡¯d picked the wrong quarry for sure, one with no fight in ¡®im at all!¡± He chuckled. ¡°Then next thing ya know, he¡¯s back up and fighting and running for his life. He even managed to save that lovely lady of his! Well, maybe. Her wounds were just as bad as his were, even worse I¡¯d have to say¡­but I have no way of telling if she''s still among the living or not.¡± The fae ran his fingers through his beard. ¡°Could we not send a hound or two down to that city of wizards? Be good to look in on our quarry¡¯s people, see if there¡¯s anything we could use to flush him out.¡± ¡°Out of the question,¡± Gabrian¡¯s tone was firm. ¡°We are here to do Uldar¡¯s will, not start wars that could devastate his holy land. Already our divine purpose hangs on a precipice; any interference now¡ªeven delicate interference¡ªcould see us fail. A war with an entire city of wizards is no delicate matter.¡± ¡°Perhaps we should not be so hasty, holy leader,¡± Izas said suddenly. ¡°With the right mercenaries hired, we could gain a presence in Generasi without drawing their eyes to our land.¡± The First Apostle paused, his brow furrowing in thought. ¡°Perhaps¡­but only if the hour grows desperate. For now, we should focus on strategies that ensure the Fool dies when we next have him in our grip.¡± ¡°Well, if that¡¯s how things must be, I think I¡¯ll be taking part the next time we find him,¡± the Stalker said. ¡°Now that I know he''s a challenge, I can''t resist getting in on the festivities myself.¡± ¡°Thank you for your assistance most wholeheartedly. May Uldar¡¯s light shine upon your steps.¡± Izas bowed his head. ¡°Oh, bah! No need to be so dramatic, I¡¯m just having a little fun¡­and speaking of fun¡­¡± He tapped the side of his nose. ¡°I heard some interesting details when I was tucked away inside the giants¡¯ cottage. Some very, veeeery interesting details.¡± ¡°Such as?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°Seems our quarry was up to a bit of mischief. Appears he was stealing from someone there in the Empire.¡± ¡°A thief.¡± Izas snorted. ¡°Of course the Fool is a thief.¡± ¡°Ah, but his moral and criminal proclivities aren''t what interest me, my hounds. What interests me is what he stole, and who he stole it from.¡± He rubbed his hands together, clenching the golden pipe between his teeth. ¡°And who he stole it with. Seems he didn''t trust someone he went thieving with, or at least that¡¯s what he told the giants.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Gabrian looked at him with interest. ¡°You mean to say that he''s created more enemies for himself.¡± ¡°Aye, and that his allies might not be so¡­allied with him, shall we say?¡± He licked his lips. ¡°In either case, his enemies, those who might hold a knife ready for his back¡­they might become our friends.¡± ¡°More of your ¡®hounds¡¯, then?¡± Izas asked, a slight note of distaste in his voice. A very slight note. ¡°You catch on quick, and that''s another reason why I like you two so much¡ªoop!¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°He¡¯s baaaaaaack,¡± the Stalker grinned, fangs flashing in the cold light. ¡°He¡¯s too far for us to get to him quickly¡­but he''s back where we can get our hands on him. And now, the hunt begins again!¡± He laughed in pure delight. ¡°En garde, my quarry, en garde!¡±
Alex and the two giants materialised in a frozen tundra in the northern reaches of the Empire. The wind was biting, the land desolate, and the sky grey, and grim. Yet, despite the bleakness around him, he was home. This place would be home for a while, and only the Traveller knew how long that might be. Though, likely even she didn¡¯t know. Alex exhaled, blowing twin puffs of steam in the frigid air. ¡°Alright, you zealous bastards. En garde!¡± He looked at Birger and Bjorgrund. ¡°Come on, friends, we''ve got a sanctum to find.¡± Chapter 727: The Hole Left Behind Claygon, at this point in his young life, couldn¡¯t be considered ancient, old, or even aged, and as ridiculous as it sounded, he was still only a toddler, technically speaking. But, in his short life, the young golem had seen and experienced things that would inspire mortal legends for generations. He¡¯d seen battles that had changed the face of realms. He¡¯d seen magic and miracles. He¡¯d seen life, death, and the very fires of the Hells. He¡¯d even seen a soul pass through the gates of death, and return to help her friends in the world of the living. Yet, none of these profound events could have prepared him for the sight now before him. Three people were at a long table¡ªthree powerful people with vastly different talents¡ªsitting where he¡¯d never expected to be a guest. An astonishing sight he wished his father could see. Toraka Shale¡¯s drawing room¡ªa place of wonder¡ªwas vast, far bigger than the Roth family¡¯s entire apartment. The dining table, covered in glass and crafted of white jade inlaid with platinum frescoes of scores of golems, stood in the centre of the room. Some frescoes were images of golems fighting hordes of ravening monsters, beating them down with only their immense fists. While in others, constructs accompanied masters, conveying entire carriages high above their heads. The largest fresco was of an enormous metropolis being carried on the massive shoulders of a dozen fierce looking golems. Art covered Toraka¡¯s walls, each piece a moving, living object; trees with leaves of varied shapes and sizes fluttered in a breeze, people sipped glasses of red wine, laughing soundlessly, while animals groomed their fur beneath sunny summer skies. A huge painting, stretching across a south facing wall, depicted a dragon of polished iron breathing flame, incinerating a golden landscape as a soldier crafted of steel stood within the inferno, holding his sword aloft, his expression defiant. Wooden furniture was inlaid with gold, while comfortable chairs were covered with shimmering silks. Steam curled above three cups of piping hot tea placed before each woman at the table. Toraka Shale sat at its head, of course, her hair still damp from her morning bath. To her right was Professor Jules, blinking owlishly in the early morning light. Professor Mangal was across from her, looking as fresh and bright as a spring blossom. Claygon had heard Jules mumbling about ¡®youth¡¯ and ¡®morning people¡¯ earlier. Her crusty comments had abruptly ended the minute he and Theresa¡ªwho was beside him with Brutus and Selina¡ªhad revealed why they¡¯d urgently requested a meeting with the powerful trio. ¡°It''s still early, so maybe I''m not hearing right.¡± Toraka took a long, guzzling drink of tea, almost draining the cup. If the heat bothered her, she gave no sign. ¡°But, did you just tell me that Alex is gone?¡± ¡°I can assure you, you haven¡¯t misheard what was said, Toraka.¡± Professor Jules buried her face in her hands. ¡°This sort of madness is quite common with Mr. Roth.¡± ¡°I don''t understand this, we were doing great work together, he and I,¡± Professor Mangal jumped in. ¡°Why would he leave so suddenly, especially without a goodbye? I could see a sabbatical, but¡ª-¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait, I don''t care about any of that.¡± Shale put the tea cup on the table with a trembling hand. ¡°He can go wherever he likes, I just want to know when he''ll be back. We do have a business to run, and a surge of new clients to satisfy.¡± ¡°Father does not¡­know when he''ll be back¡­¡± Claygon admitted. ¡°Well, that''s simply unacceptable, he has commitments. He and I have a contract¡ªa very lucrative contract that I would normally never sign with anyone, I might add¡ªthat is taking advantage of what might be a very limited window of opportunity to make an enormous amount of profit. Word is spreading of these golems, and demand is up. I need him in the factory now more than ever.¡± ¡°Alex left so I''d be safe,¡± Selina said, her voice small. ¡°Just where did Mr. Roth go?¡± Professor Jules said, dread already apparent on her face. Claygon reached across his link with his father who was far north of Generasi, asking him what to say, and telling him how the two professors and the business woman were reacting. Alex¡¯s words reached Claygon from the Empire. ¡®Are you sure, father¡­do I tell them that much?¡¯ ¡®They''re being dragged more and more into this,¡¯ Alex replied. ¡®They deserve to know what we''re dealing with.¡¯ ¡®Are you alright¡­father?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m okay, Claygon.¡¯ The golem looked down at Theresa, Selina and Professor Jules, speaking softly. ¡°Father said¡­we can tell Professor Mangal and Toraka Shale¡­everything that¡¯s happened¡­¡± ¡°If he thinks we should, then we will,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I would suggest being careful with what¡¯s said about a certain deceased individual,¡± Professor Jules¡¯ voice was low. ¡®She likely means Uldar¡¯, the golem thought. ¡°Other than the dead fellow, and because the situation has escalated, Professor Mangal and Toraka should be brought up to speed.¡± Jules finished. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Then we will¡­tell the story¡­¡± Claygon said. The golem and huntress told of what had happened in the north, the search for Kelda¡¯s sanctum, of the need to revert the Mark, and the situation with the hidden church, though no mention of Uldar being dead was made. ¡°¡­if this goes well¡­then the Ravener will be destroyed¡­forever¡­but our enemies are tracking father, somehow¡­and if he had stayed here¡­many people would have suffered if they had attacked him in Generasi¡­¡± Claygon finished. Professor Jules groaned. ¡°So his solution was to trap himself in a hostile Empire while marauders hunt him down? Is that right?¡± She made a sound of disgust. ¡°I would find it unbelievable if I didn''t know Mr. Roth so well.¡± ¡°This is a conspiracy of the highest order.¡± Professor Mangal¡¯s hands were over her mouth. ¡°A secret cult hunting students¡­by the gods.¡± Toraka''s mouth was a flat line. Her brow creased. ¡°This does seem to be an emergency. One that''s very, very poorly timed. Your plan is to move your family out to a villa in the countryside?¡± ¡°Yes, where no one else would get hurt if something happens,¡± Selina said. ¡°We wanted to buy golems from you to help with security,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Alex left us access to his accounts so we could¡ª¡± Toraka raised her hand. ¡°Don''t even talk to me about coin; I''m not some shortsighted woman who¡¯d slit the throat of her golden sheep. Or let random wolves rip it out.¡± Selina winced at those words. ¡°And I''m not going to let the sheep''s family come to harm either.¡± The golem crafter smiled at Theresa, Selina and Claygon. ¡°I was there when you opened your bakery, I was there when Alex bought that building and turned it into something worthy. I''ll be here for you now. I¡¯m going to lend you four iron golems for your use at the villa, each one was built with advanced sensory magical items implanted in their eyes. They''re equipped for war, of course. Now, they won''t be as impressive as you, Claygon, but they''ll still be more than a match for most warriors of flesh and bone.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Theresa lowered her head. "My family and I are going to feel much safer having them there. I owe you.¡± Toraka waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Alex is my business partner; of course I''m going to protect his family, if I can. Besides, you''re nice people. Anyway, I''ll feel much better when I know when Alex will be back." She frowned. ¡°I''m doing some mental maths¡­and he did build a fairly extensive supply of our advanced dungeon core-infused golems well before the situation he currently finds himself in occurred; thank the gods he¡¯s someone who appreciates the value of contingencies. Hmmm, another question I have, though, is will our supply be enough to meet demand?¡± The golem crafter ran the tip of her finger along the tabletop as though making a note. ¡°So, with how they''re selling¡­we should have enough golems to last about a year¡­unless¡­ Oh! Oh!¡± She snapped her fingers. ¡°If this Ravener gets destroyed, the supply of dungeon core essence will dry up sooner or later. Let¡¯s say a rumour gets out that these Thameish Heroes are getting closer to defeating it¡ªa rumour that''ll be supported by Alex''s absence¡ªthat would create a perception of scarcity; there¡¯d be a rush to buy, in which case, our supply could be depleted a lot faster. Claygon, would you tell Alex that?¡± The golem relayed Shale¡¯s words and listened to his father''s reply. ¡°Father says¡­that he could try and think of a way¡­to craft golems in the Empire¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°He asks that you contact¡­ Lucia¡­to arrange for supplies¡­ Tell her to come and talk to me¡­¡± The golem crafter raised an eyebrow. ¡°He has a workshop in the frozen wilderness? I doubt it, somehow, and I don''t want him making promises he can''t keep.¡± ¡°He''ll think of something. Trust me, he always thinks of something,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Well, there''s another problem we¡¯ll have to resolve. What about the dungeon core essence? If you and Claygon are going to be here protecting little Selina, then who''s going to harvest dungeon cores?¡± ¡°Surely Thundar or Kybas can''t go alone,¡± Professor Jules said. The huntress paled. ¡°I didn''t think of that,¡± she admitted. Shale shrugged. ¡°Even if we could get most of the supplies to him¡ªas well as the equipment, if he finds a proper workshop¡ªwe will still need dungeon core essence to make the advanced golems with. Without that key ingredient, the entire venture is lost.¡± ¡°I think there''s more important things going on here, Toraka,¡± Professor Jules said archly. ¡°Such as the safety of our students.¡± ¡°They¡¯re your students, Vernia, and I have a lot of employees, and a lot of families that need to be paid. This is still important. So.¡± Toraka looked at Theresa. ¡°What will you do?¡± The huntress bit her lip. ¡°I¡­¡± Her face washed from pale to red. ¡°We need that essence, and we need to keep killing dungeon cores.¡± ¡°You should go,¡± Selina said. ¡°Those priests are taking everything away from us, I don''t want them to take this away too.¡± ¡°Are you sure¡­Selina?¡± Claygon asked, relaying the question both he and Alex had. ¡°Yes.¡± She nodded, her eyes sparking like green fire. ¡°I''m positive.¡± The young wizard¡¯s words came through his and Claygon¡¯s link, and the golem then said aloud. ¡°Father¡­ is not completely comfortable with this¡­but he says¡­the church is tracking him¡­if Theresa¡­or I¡­go to Thameland to destroy dungeon cores¡­then it should be alright¡­as long as he''s distracting them¡­¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a huge relief,¡± Shale sighed. ¡°You know what? I do believe I¡¯ll be sending you a fifth golem for your protection.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have a word with the accessibility department at the junior school,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°We can send someone out to make sure you can keep up with your education, Selina. I won¡¯t see a young mind being robbed of what it needs because of filth.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Selina bowed her head. ¡°That means a lot to me.¡± ¡°I simply wish that there was more I could do, unfortunately, this is a little beyond me. Unless¡­ Perhaps, I can help. I am in relation with certain contracted spirits¡­¡± Professor Mangal said. ¡°I could ask some to attend your new home in the countryside and help guard it, and I can also request for others to come to the material world and try to locate these hunters wherever it is that they might be hiding.¡± ¡°You are doing¡­a lot¡­¡± Claygon said. Mangal sniffed. ¡°I like to think of myself as a kind woman, but my motives are not a hundred percent pure. Alex has the makings of one of the greatest summoners of this generation. That Mark does help him, but his personality and proclivities give him a unique talent for the art that few share; I would not have the summoning arts robbed of such a brilliant practitioner.¡± ¡°I don''t really care what your motives are, I just care that you''re helping us,¡± Theresa said. ¡°This would be a lot harder without you.¡± The three women looked at each other, quickly taking long sips from their tea cups. A blush crept up Professor Jules¡¯ cheeks. ¡°Yes, well, on another note, it looks like I''m going to have an especially busy day ahead of me. The danger has clearly escalated, so the ruling council should be informed of this new development immediately. I¡¯ll have to speak to Councillor Kartika.¡±
¡°And¡­That''s what they said¡­ Father¡­" Claygon¡¯s voice came through their link. Alex floated above a bluff, his cloak pulled tightly around him, surveying the land below. ¡®Good, thank the Traveller we''ve got so many people that want to help us.¡¯ He looked over his shoulder. ¡°Any sign of the church?¡± ¡°Thankfully, no,¡± Birger said, as he and Bjorgrund flew beside an ice-locked cliff. The frozen mountain peaks rose far above the young wizard and the two giants. ¡°Any sign of the sanctum?¡± Bjorgrund called. ¡°Nothing yet,¡± the young wizard called back. ¡°Come on, this is only the second location of four. We''ve got a lot of mountain crags to look at before we leave.¡± Together the trio continued combing the mountains. In the back of his mind, Alex wondered how the city council would react to Jules'' news. He hoped that they''d be calm. Chapter 728: A House Out Of Order ¡°Get my house in order? You have a lot of nerve coming here and speaking to me that way! How dare you address a monarch in such a fashion?¡± King Athelstan Merciex¡¯s voice rose, filling the meeting room. On either side of him, High Priest Tobias Jay and court wizard Errol glared at counsellor Kartika. The six armed woman¡ªher three pairs of hands clasped before her on the table¡ªglared right back. Outside, late fall had given way to early winter, and the windows were coated in a thick layer of wet snow and ice. It had taken time for this meeting to be arranged¡ªtoo much time¡ªand the usually patient councillor had obviously not taken the wait well. The situation was too important. ¡°When a king¡¯s house is out of order, then that king must be told to get his house in order,¡± she said, her voice flat, sharp and cold, cutting like a knife. ¡°Especially when that disorder affects other rulers.¡± ¡°If you are speaking of the incident at Rockmoot, then know that disciplinary measures were already taken. As we informed you in our correspondence.¡± Tobias leaned forward. ¡°I find this attitude of yours vexing.¡± Her eyes flicked to the high priest. ¡°And I find your lack of respect vexing, young man.¡± The priest¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°I have not been young for many winters.¡± ¡°Compared to me, you''re still a child,¡± the wizard said. ¡°And I''m not talking about Rockmoot, so you can stop with all of that ¡®as per my previous letter,¡¯ nonsense. If it were only Rockmoot, then we would not be having this conversation; I have better things to do than hold grudges over dead issues.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± the king demanded. ¡°Have we been nothing but accommodating? Our Heroes, priests, and knights are working with your forces, including the Fool! I was even told that the Fool teleported to our forces during the battle of Llanesam just last month, to receive healing and aid. No one of Thameish blood harassed him or tried to do anything untoward. I can assure you of that.¡± The councillor¡¯s face had become a mask of calm. Yet, the king knew better; he could see the tightness around her jaw and eyes. She was seething. ¡°I am not speaking of that battle. However, I will address that event. I know, and trust that you are honouring our diplomatic relations by not attacking a citizen of our fair city.¡± She leaned forward, the wooden table creaking under the increasing force of her three arms. ¡°How do you think he received those injuries?¡± ¡°Are you accusing us of treachery?¡± Errol blustered. ¡°Of course not. If you had betrayed us, I would be accusing you directly of treachery, not beating around the bush. I did not do that and that is not what I said; I said for you to get your house in order. Are you aware that you have renegades within your ranks, King Athelstan?¡± The king frowned. ¡°Thameish discipline has been honed through thousands of years of conflict and our faith in Uldar. We suffer from banditry as any other nation does.¡± Councillor Kartika shook her head. ¡°I am a busy woman, and you are a busy man, I would not waste our time complaining to you about bandits. You have rot within your church and your army. Organised rot. I have been informed that the Fool of Thameland has been attacked by a shadow organisation hiding within your ranks. I trust that you would not have ordered this attack?¡± ¡°What are you saying, what shadow organisation? What fantasy is this?¡± the king scoffed. ¡°The Thameish army is controlled by my vassals, who have sworn oaths of loyalty to me, and I have been vested with the authority of the divine right of rulership by Uldar himself. I command here, and am unaware of any ¡®shadow organisation¡¯.¡± ¡°I can only tell you what has been reported to me. And what has been reported to me is that a citizen of Generasi has been attacked by an organised, militaristic force that wears the symbol of your god, operating under his divine purpose. This is by their own admission.¡± She glared at High Priest Tobias. ¡°Is this your doing, priest? Or is your church so unruly that you have open rebellion right beneath your own nose?¡± ¡°How dare you,¡± the holy man bristled. ¡°The priests of Thameland serve both our ruler¡¯s throne in the material world, and our god¡¯s throne in his divine realm. They have utter loyalty. Our king has ordered no such attack, and if Uldar sent a sign that such a battle must be fought, then I would know of it. I am the highest holy authority in all the land, aside from the Saint. Clearly, this must be the work of brigands, looking to discredit us, if such an attack even took place.¡± ¡°The unfortunate event at Rockmoot was caused by heightened tensions and a single nervous commander,¡± Errol sniffed. ¡°These issues have already been corrected. I do not know how things are in Generasi, but there is no secret, conspiratorial organisation here in Thameland that works to subvert the king¡¯s oaths and commands.¡± ¡°That you know about,¡± Kartika finished for him, her tone flat. ¡°Where is the evidence of this so-called secret organisation? You wizards of Generasi claim to believe in hard evidence, so where is it?¡± the court wizard asked. ¡°Produce it here.¡± ¡°Investigate and you''ll find it,¡± the councillor said. ¡°So you have no proof?¡± Errol asked. ¡°Let''s just say¡ªthat if we did have proof¡ªI am doing you the courtesy of not sharing evidence with¡­those who are suspect.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it ¡°You''re accusing someone in this very room of treachery, then?¡± the king asked. ¡°As I said, in the beginning, if I were accusing you of treachery, then I would have done it openly. However, when one is to engage in diplomacy with another¡ªwhose house is not in order¡ªthen one must be careful with what one shares. If you find this treatment rude or unfair, then I have only one suggestion. Get. Your. House. In. Order.¡± ¡°...I do believe we are quite done here,¡± the king said, his voice frosty. ¡°Let us retire before tensions rise further and someone says something they might regret.¡± ¡°Very good, I have said my piece.¡± Kartika rose from the table. ¡°My teleporter is waiting to take me back to Generasi, and I have a lot to do.¡± She looked at King Athelstan directly, holding his eyes. ¡°And so do you, young king, so do you.¡± ### ¡°The nerve of her!¡± the Court Wizard sniffed, taking a long sip from a goblet of wine. ¡°I tell you, Tobias, these foreign wizards are becoming much too arrogant on our shores.¡± ¡°The insult was grave,¡± Tobias said, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked through the window. ¡°However, I can only partly blame her for her rudeness. Our army¡¯s showing at Rockmoot was not their finest hour. One could conclude that we have a discipline issue after a scene like that.¡± ¡°A minor discipline issue that has been dealt with.¡± Errol took another sip from his goblet, this one even longer. ¡°Erm, you should slow down there, old friend, it''s still early in the day. Very early.¡± High priest watched the court wizard with concern, eyeing both the goblet, and the rapidly falling level of liquid in the wine decanter. ¡°I need something if I''m going to get through another meeting with those overbearing wizards. And I need it to calmmyself after any such an encounter.¡± Eroll sipped liberally. ¡°Rude! Uncouth! Disrespectful¡­disrespect¡­my king?¡± ¡°Hmmm?¡± King Athelstan looked up from staring at the roaring fire in the hearth, his eyes focusing. ¡°With respect, my king, you look troubled,¡± Errol said gently. ¡°Are that woman¡¯s words bothering you? Is her rudeness angering you as it so angers me, my king?¡± There was a long pause. A pause filled with meaning. Tobias sat down, his eyes suddenly alert. ¡°Sire, what are your thoughts?¡± he asked. The king tapped a long finger against the arm of his chair, lips pursed, tongue pressed against the back of his front teeth. ¡°What do you truly think of her words? Not what we said in front of her¡­but what do you truly think?¡± ¡°Sire, I think that all of Thameland is united under your rule and Uldar¡¯s divine will,¡± Errol said quickly. ¡°And you, Tobias? What say you?¡± Athelstan asked. ¡°Hmmmm.¡± The high priest¡¯s eyes had returned to the window. ¡°It is true¡­all of Thameland should be well united beneath your rule. But¡­¡± ¡°But what?¡± The king leaned toward Tobias, his chair shifting. ¡°Speak freely.¡± The high priest closed his eyes for a moment¡ªa long moment¡ªbefore finally opening them. His eyes were still averted from his king. ¡°Forgive the seed of doubt, your majesty. I still cannot fully understand what happened at Rockmoot. A nervous officer giving a command, I could see; if any of us thought your life was threatened, we might act hastily as well. Yet, for so many of your soldiers to react without your command¡­is troubling.¡± ¡°You are overthinking things, Tobias; many of our soldiers would strike immediately if they thought the king was threatened. The explanation is simple: a nervous officer gave the command, and the army assumed that our king was on the verge of being attacked. They simply reacted,¡± Errol said. Tobias finally looked away from the window, his eyes fixed on the court mage¡¯s. ¡°Errol, you served with the army when you were younger, did you not?¡± The mage winced. ¡°Briefly. Very briefly. A soldier¡¯s life did not agree with me; these hands are far more suited for pens than they are for swords or spears. I was a poor soldier, and I''m not sure who was more relieved at my discharge; me or my commanding officer.¡± ¡°Yet you still served, even if it was only briefly. Tell me, would those soldiers¡¯ reactions be so organised if they were caught off guard? The order to attack was to come from either the king or one of us, not from some ¡°panicked officer¡±. Yet the soldiers didn''t hesitate; they struck in unison. I am no military man, but from where I stood, their coordination seemed perfect. Almost as though it were rehearsed.¡± Errol paused. ¡°Soldiers drill, Tobias, it is their duty and their vocation. Just as you don¡¯t hesitate or stutter in your prayers, they don''t hesitate to strike when necessary.¡± ¡°Not even one caught off guard?¡± Tobias asked. ¡°They seemed ready to me, Errol.¡± ¡°We were all ready for the Fool to strike.¡± ¡°Yet he did not strike.¡± Tobias pushed. ¡°I was standing as near to him, as I am to you. I saw no hostile motions. And supposedly a single panicked officer saw something from many times that distance¡ªgave an order that was not supposed to be given unless the king was under attack, or he himself ordered an attack¡ªyet not a single soldier hesitated?¡± ¡°So what are you suggesting, Tobias?¡± Errol threw his hands up. ¡°That there¡¯s a massive conspiracy within our ranks? You¡¯re starting to sound like those foreigners; questioning us at every moment as though we¡¯re incompetent backwater fools!¡± ¡°I am suggesting no such thing.¡± Tobias turned to his king. ¡°My king, are you aware of the strengths and weaknesses of deific silence?¡± Athelstan shook his head, his eyes drifting to the high priest. ¡°I''m sorry, I must''ve skipped that lesson during my church school days.¡± ¡°It is not a lesson taught to many outside of the priesthood.¡± Tobias cleared his throat. ¡°Religious scholars around the world debate the strengths and weaknesses of deities who are highly active in their worshippers lives, as opposed to deities who take a distant stance. Some deities rule their people with an iron fist, at times, even manifesting in the physical world to lead them personally. They appear to prefer taking the role of a mortal king or queen rather than a being of a divine nature.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Many deities who assume this approach often become no more than powerful tyrants. They control their people through faith, strength, and¡ªat times¡ªsheer terror. Many of these deities show no kindness, unlike our Uldar, and even those who offer kindness¡ªwhile leading their mortal followers by the hand¡ªcan create a faith ripe with sycophants. Much as a parent must let their child go so they might experience the world, a deity should allow their faithful to explore and have command of themselves. Better to serve as a gentle guide and an arbiter of divine law, than an overprotective guardian.¡± King Athelstan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Is this the reason that Uldar did not return after his ascension?¡± Tobias smiled sadly. ¡°That is one of the theories: that our lord Uldar ascended and took a distant vigil over Thameland so we would be free to grow into our own. It has been theorised that there is a cost to this action, however.¡± ¡°And that cost is?¡± the king asked. ¡°Unity and harmony. If a deity steps back and only guides gently or silently, then mortal minds and words can twist that deity¡¯s laws to their own will. At times, even their own priests might begin to argue about interpretation of divine law. Schisms and¡­secret cells of dissidents can form.¡± ¡°And you think this might''ve happened to us?¡± King Athelstan asked. ¡°I am not sure, my king, I am not sure,¡± Tobias said gravely. The king sat upright. ¡°I am not sure either Tobias, and that in and of itself is worrying to me. If Councilor Kartika is right, then something rotten lies within our kingdom of Thameland. Perhaps it is time that we investigate; strange things have been occurring this cycle, almost from the beginning. Perhaps we doneed ¡®to get our house in order¡¯.¡± Chapter 729: The Hunt for the Sanctum From somewhere high above, something shifted, tumbling to the stone below, surprising the three companions. Alex raised his staff, taking the first stance of the Spear-and-Oar dance as Birger reached for a rock from a heavy sack slung over his shoulder. Bjorgrund held his axe at the ready¡ªthe blade chipped from battle and biting through layers of thick ice¡ªgripping it hard. The trio didn¡¯t breathe. Alex reached for the Traveller¡¯s power; listening for the sound of movement, eyes scanning the cave floor, searching for loose soil spread out in a circle. He found none. There was only debris, and chunks of ice. Yet, from above, loud cracking noises echoed all around them; ice shifting, dropping, tumbling, shattering on the stone floor. The trio stood poised to spring away, eyeing the ceiling, hearts pounding, breaths held, waiting. And as suddenly as it started, falling ice stopped. Three pairs of lungs gasped for air. Alex sent forceballs to scour the cave, searching for signs of the church and Stalker. Thankfully, neither were there. The vast cavern was now eerily silent, within were the ruins of an ancient, mountain cathedral. Alex couldn¡¯t know how old it was, he only knew that he didn''t recognize the time-worn holy symbols carved along its walls. The cathedral wasn¡¯t the domain of any deity he was familiar with, nor were there signs that worshipers, treasure hunters, or travellers had passed through it in centuries, or even longer. He, Birger and Bjorgrund were its first visitors in a very, very long time. And it appeared, they were alone. The companions sighed with relief, startling each other as the sound echoed through the cavern. ¡°Two weeks of this.¡± Bjorgrund loosened his grip on his axe. ¡°Two weeks of this, and I''m getting tired of all of it. I almost want them to ambush us.¡± ¡°Don''t say that, son.¡± The old giant looked around the cavern, tension etched in his face. ¡°You just might get your wish.¡± ¡°We¡¯d better hurry, either way.¡± Alex peered at the ceiling of thick ice held in place by packed snow. Atop the ceiling lay tons of snow, forming a rooftop that grew higher with each snowfall. One thing he definitely didn¡¯t want was an avalanche, especially one triggered by a surprise attack. ¡°I hope this is the right place this time.¡± ¡°We have two more places to check after this, from what the map¡¯s showing,¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s voice was hopeful as he tramped through broken stone pews lining the cathedral, his heavy footsteps echoing like thunder. ¡°I''d rather we were already done.¡± Birger floated above the stone. ¡°The sooner we find Kelda¡¯s sanctum, the safer we''ll be.¡± The young wizard said nothing, but his thoughts were matching the giant¡¯s. Alex picked his way over the shattered idols of the past, calling on the Mark, examining every stone they passed. The Fool¡¯s eyes scanned their surroundings¡ªlit only by forceballs and dim sunlight filtering through layers of ice¡ªwatching for evidence of a hidden passage. ¡®Come on,¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is the perfect place to hide a sanctum, Kelda, please let it be here.¡¯ For two weeks, they had journeyed through these mountains, looking for her sanctum. In two weeks, they had found nothing. Their days were spent combing mountainsides, squeezing into tight, icy crevices. Their nights were spent huddled in small caves¡ªwarded by Birger¡ªresting fitfully, fearing an attack that could come at any time. In the mornings they rose early to start searching again. ¡®These mountains would make for a good hideaway.¡¯ Alex stepped over the fractured head of a colossal statue. ¡®If Kelda¡¯s sanctum was somewhere around here, that could explain why the Guild hasn¡¯t been able to find it after so much time. Hells, we nearly missed it.¡¯ They were making their way through a crevice and had been floating up an icy ridge, when Birger noticed the strange way light was playing across a frozen mountainside. It was worth taking a look around, so they¡¯d stopped. Bjorgrund had cut a small crack through the ice¡ªdoing everything he could not to start an avalanche¡ªthen Alex had teleported the three of them into what turned out to be the cave they were currently exploring. ¡®We were so close to leaving these mountains behind,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I¡¯m glad we didn¡¯t. There¡¯s got to be something in that. Maybe Hannah''s guiding us.¡¯ As the thought crossed his mind, something caught his eye. A section of stone in the cathedral¡¯s main chamber looked odd, calling on the Mark, he examined it. Like in the Cave of the Traveller, there was an area that wasn¡¯t quite the same as the rest of the stone; it was smoother, as if worn from time and contact. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡®This could be it!¡¯ Alex thought, trying not to let excitement take over. ¡°I found something,¡± he whispered to the giants, climbing over the ruins to reach the wall. ¡°This could be it!¡± Birger floated up behind him with Bjorgrund behind a heartbeat later. ¡°Is it a secret passage?¡± the young giant asked. ¡°Oh, Kelda please let this be you¡ª¡± He caught himself. ¡°Please let this be your home.¡± Alex kept examining the stone with the Mark, finally carefully pressing his fingers to three spots where the rock appeared smoother. There came a shift and something clicked behind the wall, stone ground against stone. The wall slid away, slowly moving to the side with a grinding sound. Ancient mechanisms groaned, protesting years of lack of use. For a moment, Alex held his breath, expecting the mechanisms to seize, when suddenly, they did. All grinding stopped with a loud bang, the wall froze in place. It had opened no wider than a crack, hardly enough for his hand to slip through. ¡°Shit!¡± he swore. ¡°I''ve got this,¡± Bjorgrund said, worming his fingers into the space. With a grunt, he began forcing the stone, using his great strength against it. In moments, the mechanisms started moving again, and slowly, the stone began to slide. Clouds of musty, smelling dust rushed from the chamber, enveloping Birger, Bjorgrund and Alex, sending them into coughing fits. The young wizard squinted, waving a hand before his face, trying to see through the gloom. ¡°Come on, come on!¡± he pleaded. ¡°Rargh!¡± Bjorgrund pushed again, the wall slid wide. On the other side, a wondrous sight greeted them. An ancient, mummified priest¡ªdressed in golden robes¡ªwas laid out on an altar. Around him, a treasure that would have filled a dragon with envy, was piled high. Gold, silver, gems; statues and ancient artefacts. There was enough wealth for someone to live like royalty for at least a dozen years. The trio¡¯s faces twisted with disappointment. This wasn¡¯t what they were there for. Alex scanned the back wall, hoping to find another secret passageway, but there was nothing there. ¡°Dammit!¡± the young wizard grunted. ¡°I was sure we¡¯d found it this time!¡± Birger¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°As was I.¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s expression turned sour as stone dust drifted around him. ¡°Maybe we could¡ª¡± He paused, looking up. ¡°Hey, is that dust acting funny or am I seeing things?¡± There was enough dust wafting through the air that it looked like fresh snow falling. Most drifted along freely, though darker patches seemed to be reaching for each other, clinging to each other, as though they had a will of their own. As though they were¡­ ¡°Soil!¡± Alex screamed, glancing at the temple¡¯s ceiling. The soil floated around, slithering like a serpent, blending with the dust. Particles came together, forming a ring. Alex sprang for the giants. ¡°With the power invested in me, I sanctify¡ª¡± The First Apostle¡¯s voice commanded, loud enough to echo off every surface. The ceiling cracked. Ice shifted. Snow poured down. The Third Apostle¡¯s voice caught. Just for a moment. Alex touched Birger and Bjorgrund. A wall suddenly ruptured. Standing there, wreathed in power, was the First Apostle, chanting a spell. Lightning lashed from the tip of his sword like a whip. Alex called on the Traveller¡¯s power, solidifying an image. The lightning reached for them. The trio vanished. Images swarmed around them. Next, they were on a mountainside, far to the north¡ªhundreds of miles away¡ªdropping to their knees. Alex''s heart was pounding. His chest was heaving. ¡°If he didn¡¯t hesitate when he was sanctifying that room¡­¡± ¡°The cracking ice helped us.¡± Birger gasped. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for that, his lightning would''ve hit us.¡± The younger giant growled, but said no more. ¡°Come on,¡± Alex said. ¡°I still don''t know how they''re tracking us, but we should teleport a few more times and try to throw them off.¡± He looked up at the sky; the sun was far in the west. ¡°It''ll be dark before long, we should also find a place to camp for the night.¡±
The Stalker and his companions stood on a mountainside far to the south, watching the avalanche bury the ancient cavern. ¡°Well, better luck next time, I suppose,¡± the Stalker said. ¡°Where are they now?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°Popping about, here and there, jumping hundreds of miles at a time,¡± he said, pleasantly. ¡°They think that''ll throw us off.¡± ¡°It will be dark soon enough,¡± Izas said. ¡°We should pursue them.¡± ¡°Not all of us.¡± Gabrian pointed to a group of warriors, then to a tall peak nearby. ¡°We should build a camp there. We know that the Fool seeks something in this area, so we should leave a watch here in case he returns. The rest of us will take the fae roads, and begin our pursuit.¡± The warriors bowed. ¡°Of course, First Apostle.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯d better get started,¡± the Stalker said. ¡°Our wily quarry tends to set up camp hundreds of miles away from the last place he camped. If we''re going to catch them tonight, we''ll need to start moving, and fast.¡± ¡°We will run him down.¡± Gabrian¡¯s gauntlet gripped the hilt of his sword.
The remains of their fire had died down in the small cave. A few floating embers drifted above the blackened wood; white smoke slowly rose from the cinders, passing through the cave mouth and into the night. Bjorgrund and Birger lay with their backs to the wall. Alex was lying outside the cave mouth, peering into the night. The giants¡¯ snoring echoed through the cave. Outside, the wind was still. Alex pulled the blanket tighter around his shoulders; even his warming glyphs seem to be only a half measure against cold this deep. It was his turn to watch, his eyes had been scanning the dark for what seemed like hours. Beyond the cave mouth was a wide stretch of tundra, only broken by the occasional, lone, pine tree. There was neither movement, nor moonlight. Nor were there signs of the church, at least for now. Alex glanced at a dried twig set in a snow drift nearby; if Birger¡¯s ward was breached, the twig would snap with a pop of light. The plan was that he¡¯d then grab the two giants¡ªwho were sleeping within arm¡¯s reach¡ªand disappear. Once again, they¡¯d be on the run. ¡°Dammit,¡± he swore. ¡°I really thought we¡¯d found it.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s voice said softly. Alex jumped. ¡°Jeez, Bjorgrund, you nearly killed me!¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± the young giant said. ¡°I woke up. Is it time for my watch yet?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Alex squinted at the sky. ¡°Hard to tell with the light, or the lack of it, I guess.¡± Quietly, the young giant crawled to the front of the cave mouth, keeping his back to the wall. ¡°Are you going to sleep?¡± he asked. Alex shook his head, moving a bit further into the cave. He took Val¡¯Rok¡¯s knife from his satchel. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I don''t need much sleep.¡± ¡°So what''s that for?¡± Bjorgrund nodded at the knife. ¡°Let''s just say, it''s to make preparations,¡± Alex said, beginning to quiet his mind. ¡°We didn''t find the sanctum today. We might not find it tomorrow, but we¡¯ll find it soon. I have faith in that.¡± ¡°How soon do you think?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure,¡± he said, taking off his boot, getting ready to shear away some of his soul when he finished talking to Bjorgrund and calmed his mind. ¡°With any luck, maybe we¡¯ll be home for Sigmus. I don''t want to miss that time with my family.¡± Chapter 730: A Cold Spray Cold waves crashed against the rocky coast. Salt sprayed through the air. ¡°Merry bloody Sigmus,¡± Alex grumbled, flying close to the surf. He glared bitterly up at the moon, wiping droplets of salt water from his face, the closest he¡¯d been to a bath in weeks. Looking over his shoulder, he called to his companions, the only two people he''d spent time with in more than a month. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± Birger floated over the rocks on the beach: the giant¡¯s form was silhouetted in the light of dusk. Alex could only see part of his face in the shadows, but his expression didn¡¯t look pleasant. ¡°I don''t see a blasted thing,¡± frustration was clear in a tone as hard as flint. That frustration had only grown in the past few weeks. Alex shouted up to Bjorgrund who was scanning a cliff further away. ¡°You see anything, big guy?¡± There was a long silence. The young giant¡¯s hulking form hovered in front of the cliff. He neither moved nor answered. As the silence stretched on, Alex allowed himself a small, growing spark of hope. Maybe he¡¯d found something on this hostile island of sharp rock, slush and snow. Maybe he¡¯d found the sanctum at long last. Maybe they could get inside and he could finally change the Mark then stop the Stalker and the bloodthirsty secret church. Maybe they¡¯d be able to go home. ¡°No, it was nothing.¡± Bjorgrund matter-of-factly crushed Alex¡¯s hopes. ¡°I thought there might''ve been something up here, but it''s just an old bird¡¯s nest.¡± The young wizard barely resisted screaming. ¡°I-I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find it soon. We¡¯ve almost searched the whole island.¡± The young giant offered; notes of apology and hope in his voice. There was an optimism in his tone that sounded more than a little forced. ¡°Son, we''ve searched this cursed island three times already,¡± Birger said. ¡°We''ve had to dodge that church twice as many times as that. They¡¯re more dogged than rabid wolves.¡± ¡°But not every corner! We haven''t searched every corner!¡± Bjorgrund insisted. ¡°I''m pretty sure we have,¡± Alex muttered under his breath, then out loud, ¡°It''s getting darker and we don''t want to be around here when we can¡¯t see what¡¯s around us. The church keeps getting closer.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Birger muttered, floating over to Alex. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s off to another cave, then.¡± Father, son, and the Fool of Thameland linked hands then teleported away. In the distance, a spyglass surfaced from beneath icy waves, protruding from a strange underwater contraption. It was an object fashioned of steel and shaped like a long barrel, fitted with ballasts and magical glyphs inside to keep it afloat and circulate clean air inside the strange vessel. Inside, a man¡¯s eye was fixed to the bottom of the curved spyglass, watching Alex, Birger, and Bjorgrund. He spoke to a woman sitting at the controls of a large magical device. ¡°You can tell Warder they haven''t found it yet.¡± ### ¡°How are our supplies holding out?¡± Alex asked, crouching by a fire in a wooden hollow. The group was camping in the hollow of a titanic, petrified tree, deep within an ancient forest. Birger made a face as sour as vinegar as he dug through the bags, dumping a pile of potatoes on the ground. ¡°Low. We''re going to be needing food soon.¡± Alex sighed. ¡°We¡¯ll have to make a quick food run for tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Oh? What are we stealing this time?¡± Bjorgrund asked hopefully. ¡°That side of salt pork we had last time was good.¡± ¡°For the first four meals of it¡­¡± Alex slumped against the petrified wall, trying to find a comfortable position on the hard, uneven surface to rest against. It was futile, but he¡¯d been no stranger to futile endeavours lately. ¡°Try to get us some vegetables this time, I don''t want us getting scurvy before we find the sanctum,¡± Birger said. ¡°If we find the sanctum.¡± ¡°We will. I know we will.¡± Bjorgrund peeled a potato, impaling it on a sharp skewer and setting it above the fire. He began peeling another one. Alex glanced at their remaining potatoes¡ªa small pile compared to how many there¡¯d been a week ago¡ªand joined Bjorgrund in the tedious task. Birger took a potato from the pile. The trio worked in silence, the only sound in the hollow was their breathing and knives cutting away potato skins. Every now and then, they¡¯d glance up at each other, not trusting themselves not to voice the thoughts brewing in their minds. The ancient firbolg broke the silence. ¡°Do you think Warder lied to you, Alex? Maybe he gave you a false map?¡± Alex¡¯s sigh was deep and exhausted. ¡°I hope not, Birger, I just hope not. I¡¯m willing to call the island a lost cause: I don''t think the sanctum''s there, which only leaves one more place on the map for us to to check. It¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°How can you be sure? Maybe he just gave you a fake map to make you go away.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°I damn well hope not.¡± Alex muttered. ¡°If the map¡¯s fake, that means we wasted a month and a half, and we''ll have to start all over again.¡± ¡°So, what do we do if it is fake?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I''d have to go find one of the guild members, and have a long, pointed conversation with them. Actually, conversation''s not the right word: I''d be doing a lot of asking, and they¡¯d be doing a lot of answering, if they know what''s good for them.¡± Alex said, almost hoping the map was fake. He knew his thoughts weren¡¯t rational, but he really wanted to take his frustrations out on someone at this point. The young giant finished peeling potatoes, then leaned back, taking up his axe. It was brand new: the old woodcutter¡¯s blade he used to carry had broken weeks ago and Alex had stolen this new one for him from a golem-armour workshop. It was much larger and heavier than the old one, it had a sturdier edge and was far better crafted. An enchantment of durability and precision had been placed on it. ¡°How are you liking the new axe?¡± The Thameish wizard asked. ¡°It''s good!¡± the young giant smiled. ¡°Cuts better, it''s heavier¡ªwhich feels good in my hands¡ªand it''s a lot better balanced. I almost feel bad for using such a nice weapon as a tool.¡± ¡°Be thankful that all you need to cut with it is wood and ice,¡± Birger said. ¡°When that axe has to taste blood, it''ll mean the church has caught up to us.¡± ¡°That''s true, father.¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s shoulders slumped. Alex was about to say something, but words failed him. After all, the old giant was right. Instead, he reached across his link with Claygon. They¡¯d spoken early that morning, when they¡¯d wished each other a Happy Sigmus. Claygon had told him how things were going in Generasi, and the news had been bittersweet. His friends¡¯ hunts for dungeon cores were going well, with Theresa, Grimloch, Kybas, and Thundar, regularly harvesting the valuable material. Selina¡¯s tutor¡ªa grad student from Generasi¡ªhad finished the lesson plan for the fall semester, and she and Selina were getting along well, especially since she was a fire mage. Life in the countryside villa was comfortable, according to Claygon, though some days were easier than others. There were days when Selina, Theresa and the others were fine, and others when much of the day was spent missing and worrying about him. It was good having Theresa¡¯s family there with them, and the cabal came by for regular visits. Today, they were celebrating Sigmus in the villa, and¡ªas much as it hurt him to miss that¡ªAlex was glad they were all together. Not all the news was good, though. Professor Mangal had summoned many powerful spirits to locate Alex''s pursuers. After she¡¯d sent them off into the world, the church¡¯s attacks had decreased for a time. Yet, the spirits had never found them, no matter how long, or how far they¡¯d searched. The church was as elusive as they were dogged. Claygon had given him more bad news. Letting him know that Toraka¡¯s supply of golems was rapidly decreasing. Rumours had spread that the Heroes of Thameland were on the hunt for the Ravener, wanting to destroy it to end the cycle. The rumour had sent interested clients into a buying frenzy, wanting to lay their hands on their very own golem infused with dungeon core essence, before they were gone from the market for good. The golems were selling at twice to three times the rate they were before Alex had left, which was filling both his and Shale¡¯s coffers, but depleting their supply at a worrying rate. According to what Toraka had told Claygon¡ªif the golems continued selling as well¡ªtheir entire inventory would be gone in a little over six weeks or so. Of course, Alex hadn¡¯t found a safe workshop to make more golems in. He¡¯d come up with a plan to transport them to Generasi from the Empire: when he finished crafting them, he would teleport them to a remote area of the wilderness in the Rhinean Empire. From there, members of Lucia¡¯s crew would collect them, and transport them to Generasi and leave him the supplies he would need. The plan wasn¡¯t complicated, and through Claygon, he¡¯d talked it over with Lucia and arranged the transportation and supply drop¡­back when he thought he''d find the sanctum sooner, not later. Now, here he was, with a good plan to transport golems, but no place to make them. For a few desperate moments, he¡¯d considered breaking into a workshop in the Irtyshenan Empire and helping himself to every tool he¡¯d need to set up a laboratory in the wilderness. But, he knew there¡¯d be a couple of problems with that idea. First, it would only get more hunters after them. The church and Stalker were hunting them with the single-mindedness of bloodhounds, but they weren¡¯t the only ones combing the Empire, on the lookout for transgressors. The theft at Brightfire was no small thing; and of course, it hadn¡¯t been ignored by the authorities. Whenever the young wizard had gone to a town to either steal, or buy supplies, he often spotted imperial agents questioning the townsfolk, looking for information and suspects. So far, their searches hadn¡¯t turned up anyone, but Alex didn''t want to catch their attention. Already, stealing Bjorgrund¡¯s new axe had come with risks; but, stealing enough machinery and supplies to outfit an entire golem workshop, would bring far more attention than they could afford. Yet there was a bigger obstacle he had no hope of overcoming. Time. To be able to craft a golem, he would have to stay in one place¡ªworking day and night in a laboratory¡ªto finish it. In the last month, he¡¯d learned what staying in one place meant. It meant the church would find him, as surely as if he¡¯d summoned them. Unless he found a secure place and the church and Stalker were dealt with, he wouldn¡¯t be crafting golems anytime soon. ¡®If only I could figure out how they¡¯re tracking me,¡¯ he thought, his teeth clenching in frustration. ¡®I''ve tried everything I know to get away from them; magic, hiding, and nothing¡¯s worked. They always find me. The only thing that sort of worked is staying on the move.¡¯ He bit his lip. ¡®The only reason we''ve been able to keep ahead of them is because of the Traveller¡¯s power. They have to use the fae roads to get around; which is faster than going overland, but it¡¯s a lot slower than teleporting. One day, though, we could make a mistake and they¡¯ll corner us.¡¯ he thought. ¡®There''s already been too many close calls: the last time, if it weren¡¯t for Birger¡¯s wards, we¡¯d be dead.¡¯ He stared into the fire. ¡®There''s one more place on the map that we have to check, and if Kelda¡¯s sanctum isn''t there¡­by the Traveller, please just let it be there. I need to change this Mark. I need to be able to defend myself against the church, the Stalker, the Ravener...all of them. I want to go back home. I want my damn life back!¡¯ With a growl he reached into his pack, taking out the soul blade and the bottle. The container was closer to being full of soul stuff: ironically, thanks to the Mark, as well as time and practise, he was now much better at harvesting material from his soul. He¡¯d had little time to make potions, and even less to practise spells, but he had had time to get very good at two things. Using the Traveller¡¯s power, and excising bits on his own soul. By now, he could cross the entire Empire in a single jump. The young wizard was sure he was only weeks away from teleporting from the Empire to Generasi in one move. ¡®When it¡¯s safe, I¡¯ll be able to go home with a single jump, and maybe by then, I¡¯ll have enough material for my artificial mana pool. But, none of that''s going to help me if we can''t find the sanctum,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Soon, it''s got to be soon. We¡¯ve checked three places so far, which means there¡¯s only one left. By this time next week, we should have found it. I''m sure of that. It has to be.¡¯ Chapter 731: Just Out of Mind Alexander Roth was many things. He was a wizard, alchemist, brother, a father, businessman, warrior, leader, friend, lover and prophesied Hero. The young man was also a baker, a hard worker, a scholar, and a traveller. He''d been a counsellor, guide, healer, and a helper. Alexander Roth was many things. A quitter had never been one of them. He hadn¡¯t quit when McHarris abused him because he knew how much Alex needed the job. He hadn''t given up when the Mark had seemingly stolen his future. He hadn''t given up when all he¡¯d really wanted to do was give in to the call of the after-world and bleed out in the snow, letting the peace of death take him. But now? For the first time in his life, he was strongly considering giving up. ¡®Shale¡­says that our golems¡­will run out in three weeks¡­¡¯ Claygon said through their link. ¡®She is asking¡­if you will be returning soon¡­father¡­or, if you will be making more golems¡­to ship back home¡­ She is¡­getting worried¡­¡¯ Alex''s stomach dropped. ¡®Tell her¡­¡¯ he paused. ¡®Tell her I''m working on it¡­¡¯ There was a moment of silence. ¡®Father¡­I have told her that¡­every time she has asked¡­over the past month¡­¡¯, the golem thought. ¡®I''m still working on it, I''m working on it as hard as I can,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Is everyone okay over there?¡¯ ¡®We miss you¡­father¡­but we are okay¡­¡¯ Claygon said. ¡®I miss you too,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I hope this last place¡­ I hope this last place is where the sanctum is. I¡¯ve gotta go for now, Claygon. Goodbye.¡¯ ¡®Good luck, father¡­¡¯ was his last thought through their link. The young wizard sat for a time, staring at a wall in the snow cave he and the giants had tunnelled to use for their camp. He watched the early morning sun shining in the distance through the cave opening. He almost didn''t want to face the day. ¡®Over two months,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Over two months searching for this sanctum, and the only thing we keep finding are snow, cold, and getting ambushed by the damn church. They get closer while we get nowhere!¡¯ He nearly kicked down a wall in the snow cave. ¡®And how in every hell do they know where we are? How are they finding me?¡¯ The young wizard had no answers; he hadn¡¯t even had time to do any research to get some. ¡®And damn you, Kelda! Why¡¯d you have to make your sanctum so damn hard to find! Couldn¡¯t you at least have told Hannah where it was?¡¯ His grip tightened on the aeld staff as he leaned against their supplies, well away from the dried twig protruding from the snow. Snoring grated through the cave, father and son were sound asleep. ¡®Maybe if I could¡ª¡¯ The twig snapped. Light flashed. The young wizard didn¡¯t hesitate; his hands whipped out, touching both giants. In an instant, they were gone. He, Birger, Bjorgrund, and the gear he¡¯d been resting on, appeared in a freezing tundra. ¡°By my ancestors, what?¡± Birger shouted, jerking awake. ¡°What''s happening, what''s happening?¡± His son cried, gripping his axe. The young giant had taken to sleeping with the weapon in hand. ¡°The stick snapped.¡± Alex leapt to his feet, looking around. There was no sign of their pursuers; only a vast, flat, empty landscape of white beneath a blue sky and cold sun, spread out around them. ¡°The ward was breached, so we got out of there.¡± ¡°Argh!¡± Birger groaned in frustration. ¡°That''s the third time they found our camp in the last week! They¡¯re always getting closer to us, no matter how much sleep we lose!¡± ¡°We should start hunting them!¡± Bjorgrund stood, kicking the snow. White sprayed through the air. ¡°I''m tired of them attacking us whenever they want, we should take the fight to them!¡¯ ¡°How, son?¡± Birger pushed himself to his feet, leaning heavily on his crutch. He squinted against the cold, biting wind. ¡°We neither know how they¡¯re tracking us, or where they are. They are somewhere in the fae roads, but exactly where? The fae roads are extensive. Do you know where they are, young boy? Is there something you have not told us?¡± Bjorgrund sputtered, his face turning red. ¡°Well, we could find them. They keep finding us, why can''t we find them?¡± ¡°I get your frustration, but we can''t do that. There''s only three of us¡ªmore, if you count my summoned monsters¡ªbut that''s not going to help us against a force as powerful and determined as the church. Right now, I can''t even fight them properly. I''ve done a lot of work finding ways to defend myself against monsters, demons, and other enemies, despite the Mark, but what I¡¯ve been able to do wouldn¡¯t be enough against that First Apostle.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°You beat the runemarked easily enough!¡± Bjorgrund pointed out. ¡°When those people hunting us caught us the first time, we didn''t know they were coming. They surprised us before we could really defend ourselves. But, now we know they''re coming. We could lay traps for them: we could be ready!¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°The First Apostle is too fast, too strong, and too powerful, especially with his divinity. The Third Apostle is almost as bad. And that fae that led them to us¡­ He didn''t even try to fight when they caught us. We have no idea what he''s capable of, and we don''t have Brutus, Theresa and Claygon with us. What happens if it turns out he can just make our heads explode by snapping his fingers? We don''t have the information we need, and more importantly, we don''t have anywhere where we could set up an ambush. They could come at us from anywhere out here in the wilderness, set that soil trap of theirs, and we couldn¡¯t escape. And again¡ª¡± His teeth gnashed in frustration. ¡°¡ªmy god saw fit to make sure that I couldn''t defend myself, even when filth wants to drag a knife across my throat! We¡¯re going to face them, but we can''t face them until we¡¯re ready with all of our resources. That means, we have to find the sanctum¡ª¡± ¡°Which we are making great progress with,¡± Birger muttered. Alex glared at him. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± ¡°It''s grown very obvious to me that Warder took you all for a ride. He tricked you! He tricked all of us! All we have to prove that the sanctum is in any of those four places is his word, and he didn¡¯t seem to be the most trustworthy. We''ve been searching for months now, and found nothing! Nothing!¡± He snarled, baring teeth that had yellowed from months of rough travel. ¡°We should go back to Sorkovo, and rip the truth out of him!¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Before we do that, we should eliminate every possibility that it isn¡¯t in one of the four spots on the map. We don¡¯t need to be making more enemies, and getting more people hunting us, when maybe we just missed something. We haven''t explored the area in the tundra yet.¡± ¡°And when we do? And still find nothing?¡± The old firbolg raised an eyebrow. ¡°We don''t know if we''re going to find something or not, Birger, we could find it in the next hour,¡± Alex pushed. ¡°Or we could waste another three months here in the snow, and die when one of those ambushes finally gets us,¡± Birger said. ¡°So, you want us to go back to Sorkovo, then?¡± Alex looked him in the eyes. ¡°How long will it take for us to find one of Warder¡¯s thieves? If he did betray us, they''re going to do everything they can to avoid us. They¡¯ll be scarcer than hen¡¯s teeth. We only managed to find them¡­no, wait, they found us. We went to one of their old safehouses, and they saw us and came up to us. How are we to find them?¡± ¡°Well, if we look around the city long enough¡­¡± Bjorgrund started. ¡°No wait, if we''re in the capital for too long, the church will catch us there. A lot of people will die, not just us. There''s plenty of nasty people in the Empire who deserve that, but there¡¯s a lot who don''t. Like children. I saw a lot of them when we were walking through Sorkovo.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re right, we''ll be among the dead,¡± Alex said. ¡°The church will kill us, unless we can get an advantage. We¡¯d take a lot of them down with us, but that''s not going to be of much comfort when we¡¯re all dead. We have to focus on the sanctum.¡± ¡°And if we don''t find it in the tundra?¡± Birger asked. Alex gave him a long look. For a moment, angry words boiled inside him, threatening to spill over. He nearly snarled and cursed the old giant¡­but stopped himself, he knew better. His anger wasn¡¯t actually directed at Birger; both father and son had stayed with him all this time. They¡¯d left everything behind to find the sanctum with him, and¡ªif it wasn¡¯t for them¡ªhe¡¯d be alone. Even though the two of them couldn¡¯t go back to their cottage yet, they could have had him teleport them as far away from him, and any entanglements he had with the secret church as possible. They would have likely been safer, but, instead, they¡¯d stayed. If anything, he was grateful that they¡ªwho¡¯d been little more than strangers to him just a few months ago¡ªwere here with him. The young wizard was feeling the same frustration they were, and if he lashed out, he¡¯d only be hurting the two people who least deserve it. They didn''t deserve his wrath, the hidden church did. So did Warder, if he¡¯d lied. So, when Alex spoke, his words were measured. ¡°If we don''t find it there¡­well, I just don''t know. I¡¯d probably want to go back to the other sites and check again.¡± ¡°And if that doesn''t work?¡± the firbolg pressed. ¡°Part of me just wants to give up. I''m homesick, and this is looking more and more futile. Everyday I wake up wondering if Kelda¡¯s sanctum is even in the Empire. Maybe we were wrong, maybe it''s somewhere in the ice cap to the north. Maybe it''s somewhere in the ice cap in the south. Maybe it''s somewhere even farther! It could literally be anywhere. But¡­¡± He shook his head. ¡°Why would she build an organisation in this Empire, if she didn''t intend to have her base here? I¡¯m really good at reading people: maybe Warder lied to us, but it didn''t seem like he was lying. No, I get the feeling that the sanctum is in one of those four places. But¡­¡± Alex bit his lower lip, now chapped and raw from weeks of endless cold. He picked at the side of his face, scratching the itchy whiskers growing there. At some point¡ªwithout him really noticing¡ªthe beard had been resurrected. ¡°But what?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I keep thinking we¡¯re missing something.¡± Alex frowned. ¡°People have been looking for Kelda¡¯s sanctum for centuries. Your father¡¯s wanted to find it, the Guild¡¯s wanted to find it, and I''m sure they¡¯re not the only ones. Yet, no one¡¯s ever found it, as far as we know. How¡¯d she hide it so well, that for more than three centuries, no one¡¯s ever found it, or even stumbled across it by chance?¡± ¡°She was always wily, strong and wise,¡± Birger said wistfully. ¡°Independent, too, maybe too independent. If she trusted more people, like me, then we''d be at the sanctum by now.¡± ¡°Hmmm, if she trusted more people¡­there''s something¡­¡± Alex paused, considering what the ancient firbolg had said. ¡°I think there''s something in that. I think you just said something really important¡­but I can''t put it all together.¡± Suddenly, the wind rose. It''s cold bite sank into their flesh. ¡°We should get moving,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Everyone feeling better?¡± ¡°No, but I apologise for my outburst earlier,¡± Birger said. ¡°I¡¯m ten times older than the two of you. I shouldn''t have let my feelings get the best of me like that.¡± ¡°We¡¯re cold, we¡¯re frustrated, we''re all tired¡­and more than a little scared, if I''m honest. We didn''t do anything we can''t take back, we''re just agitated. Come on, we''ve been in one place for too long anyway. Let''s search the rest of the tundra.¡± With that, the trio teleported far to the north, to the last location marked on Warder¡¯s map. With a newfound determination, they searched for the sanctum for the rest of the day. And for the next. And the next. The day after that, they barely escaped another ambush from the church. After laying low for a day and a night, they returned to the tundra, scouring it again. Days passed. Those days became a week. A week of finding nothing. A nagging thought kept playing in Alex¡¯s mind. He¡¯d been overlooking something. Something he could almost grasp. Chapter 732: Ever Moving Three months. Three months had passed since Alex, Bjorgrund and Birger had begun their search for Kelda¡¯s sanctum. Three long months of cold, danger, frustration, and disappointment. Time was running short. Only a few weeks remained until Toraka was out of golems. According to Claygon, her agitation was giving way to panic. That feeling was no stranger to either Alex or the two giants lately. It now felt like the church had become expert at tracking them. A night rarely passed without Birger¡¯s wards being breached, and hardly a day went by without the trio having to elude church sentries lying in wait. It felt like a noose was tightening around their necks. Gradually, it would strangle the three of them. They¡¯d grown increasingly desperate, resting less so they could search more. The giants were staying awake longer and Alex was sleeping less, harvesting less, mindful of what a church ambush would mean while he was gathering his soul substance. The amount of time he could spend harvesting was limited, but he¡¯d been able to half fill the bottle Val¡¯Rok had given him. Each day they teleported from location to location, combing through different areas obsessively. So far, they¡¯d searched every circled spot on the map three times over, even while dodging dogged pursuers. And still, they¡¯d found nothing that could lead them to what they sought. No sanctum. No hidden doors. Not even a single clue hinting at where it might be. Even using Restful Slumber, the Fool of Thameland was having trouble sleeping for the two short hours he needed. His dreams were rarely peaceful, plagued by endless tundras, sinister forests with twisting trees as tall as mountains, and mountain ranges that seemed to warp and twist around him, confusing his every path. And always, there was the church, hunting him, even in his dreams. During every waking moment¡ªwhen he and his companions weren¡¯t searching¡ªhis thoughts were filled with a single problem. Tonight was no different. He and the two giants had camped in a makeshift snow cave dug in the side of a mountain pass. Bjorgrund and Birger were busy wolfing down a quick supper of dried salmon and porridge made from pilfered wheat cooked over a campfire, while Alex paced back-and-forth outside the burrow. His hands were clasped behind his back as he muttered to himself, breath misting in the chill night air. ¡°What am I missing? What am I missing? What am I missing? What am I missing?¡± He repeated the question over and over as he had day in and day out. ¡°Kelda wanted to hide her sanctum. She wanted to be sure that only she and whoever else she wanted, knew where ¡­no, that''s not right.¡± He shook his head. ¡°She wanted to make sure that she was the only one who could enter the sanctum. She never told anyone where it was. She wasn¡¯t even specific about its whereabouts with members of her own organisation. She only told them it was located in one of four places.¡± He chewed his lower lip. ¡°Did she bury it underground? Uhm¡­that''s not likely. I had earth and ice elementals go deep into the earth, checking layers of stone, soil, frozen dirt, glaciers, everything below ground, and they found nothing, no matter how deep they went. Maybe they haven''t looked deep enough yet? Or maybe I didn''t send them to the right places? Ugh. I¡¯m sure the Guild must have sent earth elementals looking underground at some point. Why wouldn¡¯t they? If I had that idea, then somebody else must¡¯ve had the same idea in the last three hundred years.¡± The young wizard glanced around the mountain pass, remembering the church, his nerves twitching. ¡°Maybe I should go back inside so I¡¯m near Bjorgrund, Birger and our supplies if they show up suddenly.¡± But, he didn¡¯t go inside, he remained where he was, thinking. Just taking a few precious moments to be alone and think. To really think. ¡°Maybe Birger¡¯s right? Maybe the Guild did lie to us¡­or, hells, maybe they¡¯re just plain wrong. Maybe they have no clue where her sanctum is,¡± he wondered aloud. ¡°Okay stop, don''t focus on that, focus on what you know¡­which isn¡¯t much.¡± He thought about what Birger had said a week or so ago, about who Kelda trusted. Over time, those words had played in his mind over and over. They were significant, he felt that in his bones, but he couldn¡¯t put together why. ¡°Who Kelda trusted¡­who Kelda trusted¡­¡± he repeated. ¡°She was supposed to trust Birger and the Guild, but it seems not enough to share the location of her sanctum with them. So, I guess she couldn''t have trusted them that much. Maybe there was someone else she trusted more, someone who¡¯d helped her. Hannah had mentioned people helping her so¡­wait! Oh wait!¡± Alex thought back to the Cave of the Traveller and its lower chambers, particularly the one Drestra had found. The Sage had discovered a portal there. A portal that¡ªwhen she¡¯d tried to go near it¡ªhad suddenly slammed shut, warning her away, blocking her from entering; a portal that didn¡¯t react well to a Hero¡¯s Mark. When Drestra approached and it sensed her Mark, it had shut her out before she could get closer. But, from what Hannah had said, she¡¯d been able to use it to visit Kelda in her sanctum. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°So she left a portal for Hannah, specifically for Hannah. Which means we know one thing for sure: the sanctum could be accessed by a portal under the Cave of the Traveller,¡± he said. ¡°And it could be accessed using Hannah¡¯s power. That''s the only way that I know someone entered the sanctum besides Kelda. Dammit, if the portal was still there, we¡¯d have a solution to getting inside without all of this endless, futile searching. We could''ve been in there months ago.¡± His eyes darted from side to side while he scratched his growing beard, deep in thought. ¡°She used the power to let Hannah in. Okay, fine. What if that''s the only way anyone can get in? What if there¡¯s no physical door? What if there¡¯s no secret entrance or tunnel? What if there''s a portal we need to find in order to get in? Except¡­no, no no! If there had been a portal in any of the four locations, I would''ve sensed it like I sensed the portal the Guild used in Sorkovo. I''m still missing something. Let me see now¡­what would I do, if I wanted to hide a sanctum from prying eyes?¡± It was a question he¡¯d asked himself for weeks, one he had yet to answer. Cursing, Alex crawled back inside the burrow, joining his companions. ¡°Did you think of anything?¡± Bjorgrund looked up from the remnants of his supper. ¡°No,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think¡­ No, never mind. I just keep beating my head against the same wall.¡± ¡°Maybe we should go find one of those Guild members. Maybe they''re the ones whose heads need beating against a wall to get us some proper answers,¡± Birger suggested, as he had many times over the past month. ¡°At this point I''m almost ready to give anything a try,¡± Alex said. ¡°Have either of you thought of anything we might''ve missed. Anything that could help us?¡± ¡°If we had, I would''ve told you already.¡± Birger stirred the embers in the fire as smoke rose, drifting through a hole in the ceiling. ¡°But I do have a suggestion.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You can teleport us whenever you want, right?¡± he said, bags prominent under his eyes. ¡°I think maybe we should make camp in several places.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We can camp in one place at the beginning of the night.¡± He paused, fighting a yawn. ¡°Then, every hour or so, you teleport us somewhere else. It''d be a way of throwing off the ones chasing us, at least for a time.¡± ¡°That''s not a bad idea,¡± Alex said. ¡°It was my son¡¯s,¡± Birger pointed. Bjorgrund shrugged. ¡°We spent a lot of years in the forest, hiding in one place. But eventually, the runemarked found us anyway; the church finds us much faster, it only takes them hours to catch up to us. The only thing that''s been keeping them from actually grabbing us is because we keep moving. So what if we moved even more?¡± ¡°Good thinking, Bjorgrund. I like that idea,¡± Alex said, reaching up and tapping the giant¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You''re right, if it takes them an hour or two to find us, then if we keep moving every hour or so, they''ll have a harder time trapping us. But, what about your sleep? It¡¯ll be constantly interrupted.¡± ¡°Our sleep¡¯s already interrupted,¡± Birger pointed out. ¡°We¡¯ve got to adapt; at least this way it''ll be interrupted because you¡¯re moving us, not because we¡¯re under attack.¡± ¡°Yeah, I suppose it¡¯s the lesser of two evils,¡± Alex said. ¡°If we just keep moving, it''ll make it a lot easier to keep them from finding u¡ª¡± Alex''s words died on his lips. ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­¡± he said, transfixed by an idea. ¡°Hold on a minute, something just hit me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Bjorgrund gnawed on a thick slab of smoked fish. Alex leapt to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ve been hiding from the church by leaving. We keep moving because the longer we stay in one place, the easier it is for them to find us. And how do we keep moving? We use the Traveller¡¯s power.¡± His eyes grew wide. ¡°This could be a longshot¡­but if I''m right¡­¡± ¡°Right about what?¡± Birger asked, frowning. ¡°Bjorgrund said it; your family hid in the forest and you stayed in the same place for a long time. But once the runemarked found you, they always knew where to look.¡± He pointed around their campsite. ¡°But how have we been keeping from getting caught by the church? We¡¯ve been moving. We never stay in one place for too long! And how have we been moving? By using the same power that Kelda had. The very samepower!¡± He was growing more excited. ¡°And that power can last for a really long time. I mean, I have to touch you both in order to teleport the three of us, but there''s so much more the power can do without being that limited.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Think about it! The thieves travel to their Guild house through a portal, a portal Kelda set up, what¡­hundreds of years ago? Longer?¡± he said. ¡°There was also the portal in Hannah¡¯s cave; that one was around until recently! If she could do that, what else could she do with that power?¡± He bent down, poking four holes in the snow with his index finger. ¡°Kelda¡¯s sanctum is supposed to be in one of four places, right? Yet we¡ªand who knows how many other people over the centuries have been looking for it¡ªhave never found it.¡± ¡°So, are you thinking it''s not in any of those four places?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°No! Quite the opposite, I think it''s in all of those places!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°What if the sanctum moves?¡± The giants looked at each other. ¡°Like a wagon?¡± Birger¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°No, not like a wagon. What if it moves like we move? What if it moves by teleporting from place to place? One time it''s in the forest¡ª¡± He pointed to the first indentation. His finger shifted to another. ¡°¡ªthe next, it''s in the mountains, then on the tundra, and then it''s on the island! It could move to another place every time someone''s getting too close to it, or maybe it just moves constantly!¡± ¡°Like a bird in flight, avoiding the eyes of the falcon,¡± Bjorgrund murmured. ¡°Well said, son, well said¡­¡± Birger ran his fingers through his beard. ¡°Like an albatross does, spending most of its life on the move. Or all of its life on the move! But if what you say is right, then how do we find it?¡± ¡°I can sense anything that uses the Traveller¡¯s power, if it¡¯s near,¡± Alex said. ¡°But I didn¡¯t sense anything when we were searching the four spots on the map, individually.¡± ¡°Maybe we were just unlucky, and it wasn''t there when we were. Or maybe it felt us and moved,¡± Bjorgrund suggested. ¡°Or maybe it''s moving so constantly, that I just couldn''t feel it¡­ It''s harder to see something that¡¯s moving really fast, right? And with the Traveller¡¯s power, you can be gone in an instant. In a heartbeat, it could be in a different place in any one of those locations.¡± ¡°How will you find it, then?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I¡¯ll have to reach for it.¡± Alex sat cross legged on the snow, his eyes closed. ¡°By feeling the four locations at once.¡± He reached into himself, touching Hannah''s power, reaching across distances, spreading the power like the fingers of a hand. He teleported¡ªfocusing on where he was and where he wanted to be. Alex focused on all four locations. His proficiency with Hannah''s power had grown; what would have been impossible three months ago, was easy now. He spread the power over the forest, feeling nothing. At the same time, he spread it over the island, still feeling nothing. Then, over the tundra, lastly, over the southern mountains, and¡­ Alex gasped. Touching the four spots on the map simultaneously, something reached back, moving so rapidly it felt as though it was in each location at once¡­and yet in none of them. Whatever was there was immense¡­blazing with the Traveller¡¯s power. He¡¯d never felt it so strongly before. ¡°I got it!¡± he screamed. ¡°What?¡± Birger cried. ¡°Grab the gear then touch me!¡± Alex cried. ¡°I found it!¡± The giants scrambled to break camp, gathering everything they¡¯d unpacked, throwing it all back in their bags. Shouldering the packs, they nodded to each other and touched Alex''s broad shoulders. The young wizard took a deep breath, slowly exhaling. He vanished. The cold faded. The wind died. His eyes flicked open. Two pairs of burning red eyes watched him. Chapter 733: "Welcome Home, Kelda" Four crimson eyes watched Alex, burning from two snarling faces carved of slate-grey stone. All else lay in blackness; the vicious expressions were all he could see under the light of glowing red eyes flickering like embers. A chilling memory returned. One of fire, danger and death. One of lines of flame streaking across stone, the scent of burning monsters, and the sound of bursting exoskeletons. Alex remembered a skinny young man¡ªwho¡¯d left his job as a simple baker¡¯s assistant¡ªclutching his family to his chest as rays of fire-magic erupted in an inferno behind them. He recalled heat radiating all around. And he knew exactly what he was looking at. The goddess statues. Their faces were the mirror of the goddess statues in the Cave of the Traveller, complete with fire gems inset in their eye sockets. The same statues had guarded Hannah¡¯s temple, unleashing fire-beams on anyone attempting to cross the temple floor. Those statues were once the deadliest things Alex had ever encountered in Thameland. The two statues had also been shattered when he¡¯d manipulated them into firing on each other, but the four gems had survived. One, they¡¯d used to save their lives in their fight with the hive-queen, but they¡¯d kept the other three, and nearly a year later, had put them to good use. He and Selina had used them for Claygon, setting two in the palm of the golem¡¯s upper hands and the third in his forehead, serving him as weapons, just as they had for Hannah¡¯s goddess statues. Yet, somehow, the two statues were now before him, intact, identical red gems glowing in their eye sockets, ready to burn intruders to ashes. His mind couldn¡¯t grasp it. ¡®How are they back?¡¯ he wondered, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. ¡®And how did we end up back in the Cave of the Traveller? And how¡ª¡¯ Something moved beside him. ¡°What''s going on? Where are we?¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s voice echoed in the dark. Stone ground on stone. The statues shifted. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Alex hissed. The young giant froze. The statues froze in place. ¡°What''s happening?¡± Birger asked, strain in his voice. ¡°What are those terrible faces?¡± ¡°I think they''re a trap.¡± The young wizard was still, his gaze fixed on the statues¡¯ eyes. His heart pounded; he was poised, tense, waiting for the ¡®whoom¡¯ sound of fire-gems¡¯ gathering power, followed by the ¡®whoosh¡¯ of their killing flame. ¡°I¡¯ve seen a trap like this before.¡± ¡°When? How?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°In Hannah''s cave, back in Thameland,¡± he said in grim tones. ¡°She had a pair of statues guarding her sanctum that looked exactly like those, they also had fire-gems for eyes that fried anything trying to cross the floor.¡± He glanced down in the darkness, but could see nothing. ¡°When someone or something stepped on a particular floor tile, the statues would turn and fire on them, killing them instantly. But, this is strange, I made those statues destroy each other.¡± ¡°Then, how are they in front of us?¡± Birger asked. Alex frowned, then his eyes went wide. ¡°By the Traveller, I thought we were back in the Cave of the Traveller¡­though, it wasn''t nearly this dark in there. There was a doorway to a clear blue sky that provided light and fresh air. This place is different; I think we¡¯re in Kelda¡¯s sanctum, not Hannah¡¯s. They were really close friends; so it makes sense that they¡¯d set up similar traps to defend their homes.¡± He reached out with the Traveller¡¯s power, sensing for her energy. It slammed into him from all sides. He was encircled in her power, blazing from every direction. If it could be light, it would be blinding. If it could be sound, it would be deafening. ¡°This place is awash with her power,¡± the young wizard was awestruck. ¡°It seems we found it?¡± Birger asked, excitement growing in his voice. ¡°If it¡ª¡± Searing light erupted in the goddess¡¯ eyes, blazing like fire. The Traveller¡¯s power surged, stirring like a great beast coming to life, reacting to the energy within Alex¡¯s soul. ¡°Something¡¯s happening!¡± he cried. ¡°I could''ve told you that!¡± Bjorgrund shouted as the ground began to tremble. Fist-sized portals opened like eyes in the dark. Light flooded the chamber, blinding everyone there. He cried out, shielding his eyes. ¡°Did the fire-gems shoot?¡± Birger cried. ¡°Are we dead? Did we burn to death?¡± Bjorgrund shouted. Neither stinging heat nor the stench of burning flesh reached Alex¡¯s nostrils. He was bathed, instead, by the warmth of soft light, and a cool, gentle breeze wafting around them. Heartbeats passed, as did the fear of immolation in an inferno created by the goddesses¡¯ fire-gems¡ªhe slowly opened his eyes. ¡°By the Traveller,¡± he murmured. ¡°Look at this place!¡± They were standing in a vast, stone hall that would have shamed even the grand chambers of Kaz-Mowang¡¯s palace, if the demon¡¯s home still stood. Fist-sized portals hovered along the walls¡ªlike portholes in a ship¡ªlike windows to a black sky filled with bright stars. Beautiful starlight winked in the sky, but paled in comparison to what was hovering in the midst of the void. Through each portal shone a white sun¡ªvaried in size¡ªyet all burned so brightly, they stung the eye. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Their heat trickled into the hall, but the void¡¯s frigid cold plunged the chamber¡¯s temperature down to a biting chill. Other gateways¡ªhovering at ceiling height¡ªopened to cloudy skies, channelling fresh air into the chamber. Another portal¡¯s sky looked threatening, dark clouds poured torrential rain down on the floor below. The wall behind the goddess statues was carved from a single piece of stone, its facade was much like the temple chamber in the Cave of the Traveller. Hundreds of words¡ªwritten in the secret language Hannah had invented¡ªwere etched into the wall. Each character was defined and precise, still legible after so many years. But what really drew Alex¡¯s eye, wasn''t the wall. It was a statue standing between, and behind, the two goddesses, hidden in the shadows. The tall, benevolent carved form of Uldar loomed there, his right hand held in the mirror-image of his holy symbol. His robes had been sculpted so perfectly, their folds appeared to be moving His hair was well defined, individual strands falling softly on his shoulders, looking real enough to move in a soft breeze. The stone sculpture of Uldar was flawless¡­until Alex¡¯s eyes fell on his face. Uldar¡¯s face was gone. It wasn¡¯t that it had never been completed: there were remnants of his smiling mouth and chin, but the rest had been gouged away, disfigured by a deliberate hand wielding a rough tool. It was clear that whoever had erased his face held only rage and contempt for the god of Thameland. As Alex eyed the ruined image of Uldar, the goddess statues began shifting, their faces twisting and animating. On his shoulder, Alex felt the Mark of the Fool pulsing in time with the Traveller¡¯s power in his soul and in the sanctum around them. Orange, fiery light in the goddesses¡¯ eyes flickered and faded as their maws opened. ¡°Welcome Kelda,¡± they said in tandem. ¡°Welcome back. Welcome home.¡± Silence hung over the chamber, only broken by the sound of rain pattering on the stone floor. The old giant¡¯s jaw opened and closed, his eyes bulging. Tears shone in them. ¡°We¡¯re here¡­by my ancestors, we¡¯re here! But I don''t understand. They said Kelda was here, but¡ª¡± The giant looked around, clutching his crutch, forcing himself to his feet. ¡°¡ªyou said she was gone, didn''t you?¡± Alex touched his right shoulder. ¡°I think they¡¯re sensing Hannah¡¯s power and the Fool¡¯s Mark from me¡­they think I''m Kelda.¡± ¡°That explains why this place started lighting up all of a sudden,¡± Bjorgrund got to his feet, putting his hand on his father¡¯s back. ¡°I''m sorry, father.¡± ¡°Hmph, nothing to be sorry about. Just the foolish hope of a foolish old man,¡± the old firbolg said, looking at the writing on the wall. ¡°But we¡¯re here! We found it! We¡¯ve made it!¡± ¡°We did it!¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s shout echoed through the room. ¡°We did!¡± Alex screamed. ¡°By the Traveller, we found it! We found her sanctum! I can¡¯t bloody believe it!¡± The three men let out great cheers of relief, pumping their hands in the air. Bjorgrund and Alex linked hands, dancing a giddy jig in a circle while Birger clapped beside them. ¡°We did it! We did it! We did it!¡± the two young men screamed. ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming, right?¡± Birger said. ¡°I¡¯ve had dreams like this for months now, please tell me this is real!¡± ¡°Unless we¡¯re all having the same bloody dream, it¡¯s real Birger!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°It¡¯s real!¡± ¡°Never thought we¡¯d see this day,¡± the old giant admitted. ¡°I knew we¡¯d do it.¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s chest swelled. ¡°I knew it. Alex, are you going to tell Claygon?¡± Alex paused, some of his glee fading. ¡°Not quite yet¡­¡± He looked at the word-etched wall. ¡°I want to see Kelda¡¯s lab first. When we find that¡ªand her notes¡ªthat¡¯s when I¡¯ll tell them. We¡¯ve had enough disappointment over these past months: I¡¯m not giving them hope yet until I¡¯m sure this place has what we¡¯re looking for.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get on with it!¡± Birger nodded to the wall. ¡°What''re all those words up there? They¡¯re written in a tongue I''ve never seen before.¡± Alex squinted at the characters etched in Hannah''s secret language. ¡°Oh¡­oh.¡± ¡°Can you read it?¡± Birger asked. ¡° Yes, it''s a note from Kelda,¡± Alex said. ¡°A pretty grim one. It says: ¡®Hannah, I wrote this message just for you and had my assistant, Xylas, enchant the wall so these words would only appear if I were to die. If you¡¯re reading this, I guess that means I¡¯m dead. If you find this message in time, then I ask that you find my assistants and get them out: it''s very hard to get in and out of here without your power. Please, don¡¯t weep for me, Hannah. I was born a fighter. I was trained to be a fighter. I lived as a fighter, even though my god tried to take that away from me. If I¡¯m dead, then I died fighting the Mark. I died fighting., and for a warrior, there couldn¡¯t be a better death. I only ask that you leave my body here, in my laboratory¡ªthe battlefield where I challenged the Mark one last time¡ªand let it be my tomb. Let your goddesses watch over me in death and let Uldar¡ªfaceless and ruined¡ªstand witness to my final defiance. Hopefully, in death, my soul will be spared, and I will see you one day again in the afterworld. If not, then know that the greatest thing that ever happened in my life was meeting you and gaining your friendship. Live strong, my friend, live well, fight on.¡± Alex finished Kelda¡¯s final words, letting them echo in the silence of the chamber. He lowered his head. Bjorgrund lowered his as well. ¡°She sounded like a true warrior.¡± ¡°She was a great friend.¡± Birger shook, battling tears, his voice breaking. ¡°She was a Hero,¡± Alex said. ¡°But it''s strange, right? If she had assistants with her, then shouldn''t someone have known where her sanctum was? If they went out into the world¡­Oh¡­¡± Bjorgrund paused. ¡°They didn''t make it out of here, did they?¡± ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Alex said. ¡°Oh¡­so, how would we make it out of here?¡± Bjorgrund looked around. ¡°I don''t see any doors. Do you think there''s hidden passages somewhere?¡± ¡°Hold on now.¡± Birger pointed at the wall. ¡°Before we get ahead of ourselves, there''s a lot of words on that wall, a lot more than what that note said..¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Alex started. ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the old giant asked. ¡°Kelda wrote a bunch of insults to Uldar,¡± Alex said slowly. ¡°A whole lot of insults to Uldar, enough to fill a small book.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Birger said. ¡°I suppose you don''t have to read all that, then.¡± ¡°No, we¡¯d be here for a while,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''s funny¡­how she hid a note in the wall¡­which was only meant to appear if she died.¡± He thought back to Uldar¡¯s sanctum, to the emptiness of that space. He often wondered if there was anything hidden there. Anything that they¡¯d missed. ¡°So how do we get out of here?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Alex said, feeling around with the Traveller¡¯s power. ¡°That¡¯s something we¡¯re going to need to figure out. And fast. We also don¡¯t know if the church can track us here.¡± He looked around. ¡°There''s something different about this place. It''s like there''s different pockets of Hannah''s power around us. I think I know what Kelda meant by ¡®it''s very hard to get in and out of here without Hannah¡¯s power¡¯.¡± His eyes drifted up. ¡°I think the only way to move around in here is with her power, or some other form of teleportation. I should be able to use those pockets like beacons, teleporting to them without seeing where they are beforehand. But get ready, I have no idea what¡¯ll be waiting for us.¡± The two giants took the young wizard¡¯s hands, gripping them tightly as Alex reached for Hannah''s power. Bjorgrund raised his axe. Energy flared within the wizard, then they were gone, reappearing in another large chamber, where the walls were honeycombed with hundreds of cells. Inside each hole was a thick, broad spearhead; ballista bolts waited, ready to launch at intruders. Yet, none fired. ¡°She didn''t scrimp on security,¡± Alex noted. ¡°It seems these traps are set to activate if they sense an intruder. I¡¯m glad they don¡¯t think we¡¯re intruders. Come, let''s keep going.¡± The young wizard and the two giants teleported from chamber to chamber, finding traps in every one. Everything from rusty saws to heavy axes were concealed in some, while the walls in others were partitioned, though Alex wasn¡¯t sure what these would do. One chamber had a ceiling that was filled with razor-sharp spikes. Another had pockets of Hannah¡¯s energy concealed there, connected to poisonous lakes bubbling with acid, overflowing its banks, flooding the chamber when portals opened. As they moved on, discovering room after room of deadly traps, an idea began forming in Alex¡¯s mind. An idea that might free him and his family from a constant menace forever. But before that idea could fully form, the trio teleported to a chamber that was different, smaller, free of traps. It was filled with complex equipment and eleven bodies were laid out in a row, entombed in coffins of clear glass. In a glass casket in the centre of the ten others, was a young woman with bright red hair. Kelda of Clan MacCallum, with her hands clasped across her breast, lay in peaceful repose. Chapter 734: The Laboratory Kelda¡ªin death¡ªlooked much as she had in life. The young woman was pale and still, yet showed no sign of withering or decay. In many ways, the state of her body reminded Alex of Uldar¡¯s lying dead in his sanctum; both looked as though they might take a deep breath and open their eyes. But just like Uldar, it was clear that Kelda was long gone. As were her assistants. Ten men and women¡ªsome young and some old¡ªwere laid to rest around her, clad in the robes and leather aprons of wizard-alchemists. Their skin was undamaged, free of wounding or mummification, but their expressions were flat, almost haunted. Looking at their faces was unnerving, the peacefulness of death was absent; something looked wrong. ¡°Kelda, oh, Kelda,¡± Birger groaned mournfully, stumbling forward. His crutch clacked against the white tile, and he reached out with a shaking hand. ¡°Father, wait!¡± Bjorgrund called. ¡°We don''t know if it''s safe!¡± But Birger would not be stopped as his son ran after him. The young wizard doubted there¡¯d be any dangers, though, since the sanctum thought he was Kelda. Alex slowly followed his companions across the chamber floor, gazing in wonder at the machinery around them. It was all old, of course, but of the highest quality three hundred years ago. Metal parts still shone brightly where the dust of time hadn¡¯t covered them. Alex recognized most of the devices. A huge complex mana conductor¡ªconnected to what appeared to be an archaic mana generator and mana vacuum¡ªoccupied part of the room. Next to it stood a glyph-encrusted cauldron¡ªenchanted symbols of power were etched into the metal¡ªone Kelda would have used to disassemble alchemical components or combine them. There were devices made to test the mana conductivity of assorted substances, to heat or cool them to specific temperatures, or suspend them in various essences. He recognized a lot of the machinery from the history sections of his magic lore and alchemy textbooks. If he¡¯d been around three hundred years ago, he would''ve killed for a lab as well equipped as this, and the devices in it were still useful for a modern day alchemist. However, he didn¡¯t recognise some of them. There was a massive, spider-like machine filled with test tubes and glass cylinders, a long black one shaped like a tall metal tower, connected to¡­ Alex paused. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller¡­¡± He murmured. A sinister looking device loomed above him like a vast bronze and steel cage, each bar was etched with glyphs of powerful magic. The kind of magic designed to touch one¡¯s soul. Inside the cage stood a narrow table, much like the one he¡¯d strapped Hart Redfletcher to when he¡¯d enhanced the Champion with blood magic. Surrounding it were dozens of flexible arms made of brass and copper. A scalpel of bane tipped each arm. On either side of the table¡ªat thigh height¡ªwere two rounded, golden control-handles. ¡®This area looks like it was set up for someone to operate on their own soul. Most of those arms end with bane knives, instead of fingers,¡¯ he noted with a shudder. ¡®It''s hard enough using a single knife on myself to harvest soul essence, what kind of willpower would I need to be able to stand having dozens of them cutting into my soul all together. It¡¯d be faster¡­if I survived. And those bars¡­¡¯ The entire arrangement was blood chilling, especially the cage bars. Carved into them were glyphs for disintegration, death, blood magic, and life force. The cage-like machine was connected to a power source that filled one corner of the room. It radiated more mana than the power sources Shale used in the workshop, or those the Generasians used in the Research Castle. Much more. ¡°This must be the machine she used to try to change the Mark,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°This must''ve been the machine that took her life.¡± He went to the glass caskets. ¡°And the lives of the rest of her team.¡± Birger had collapsed against his old friend¡¯s coffin. He was weeping like his heart would break, shaking with grief, as his son patted him on the back. ¡°I''m sorry Kelda, I''m sorry I wasn''t there for you. I''m sorry that you didn''t let me be here for you. Did I do something to make you distrust me? I''m sorry if I did,¡± he groaned. ¡°I wish you would have let me help you.¡± ¡°Father, if she did, you might''ve lost your life too,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°And your son wouldn''t be here,¡± Alex added. ¡°Or maybe I could''ve helped them all,¡± Birger said. ¡°Maybe I could''ve stopped them!¡± The old giant sobbed. Alex was about to say something, but closed his mouth. He knew what it was like to be consumed by grief, and he also knew better than to try and make Birger¡¯s grief disappear with a few words. ¡°I''ve never seen him like this,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Leave me be,¡± Birger groaned. ¡°For pity¡¯s sake, just leave me be for a time.¡± The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Alex and the young giant looked at each other, then the Fool of Thameland¡ªthe latest in that long cycle¡ªglanced toward the back of the chamber. Several doorways were there, not portals, but regular doorways still burning with Hannah¡¯s power. There were eleven in total, and Alex had a good idea what they might lead to. ¡°Come on,¡± he said. ¡°Let''s leave your dad on his own for a bit, we have some things to explore.¡± ### The young wizard and giant quickly learned what lay behind the eleven doors: living quarters for Kelda and her team. All were well equipped, but far from luxurious. The furniture was sturdy and well made, the beds were big enough for even the largest of them to stretch out, and each room had a mana-powered toileting and bathing chamber attached. The rooms weren¡¯t fancy, there were no grand ornaments or magical luxuries, but they were comfortable. Apart from a good-sized writing desk positioned beside a small bookcase, there was little to do in each room, except sleep or enjoy the view displayed in portals¡ªsheathed in force magic¡ªthat opened to a view of a different scene somewhere in the world. Alex and Bjorgrund watched green meadows, forests, clear skies, snow capped mountains, and even fish swimming through the ocean, in the portals. ¡°What I wouldn¡¯t give for one of these in our cottage,¡± Bjorgrund peered through a ¡®window¡¯, watching a school of eyeless fish¡ªwith glowing bodies¡ªswimming along a black ocean trench. ¡°It¡¯s sure different than looking at all those trees around our place.¡± ¡°It''s a nice thought, for sure.¡± Alex thumbed through an old book he¡¯d taken from a bookshelf. ¡°Maybe this one¡­¡± ¡°Hm? What are¡ªargh, by the ancestors!¡± Bjorgrund recoiled from the portal; an enormous shape had swum into view, scattering the school of glowing fish. An eyeball¡ªeasily as broad as Bjorgrund was tall¡ªhad filled the portal momentarily, seeming to stare into the room. As it turned away, long tree-trunk thick tentacles kicked up a storm of silt. ¡°What in the world¡­? Did you see that?¡± ¡°Yeah, those fish are something,¡± the young wizard said absently, his eyes fixed on the book. With a grimace, he flipped to the last page, slammed it shut, and returned it to the bookcase. ¡°This isn''t it either,¡± Alex said, shaking his head. Bjorgrund wildly gestured at the portal-window. ¡°You can''t tell me you didn''t see¡ªugh, never mind. What has your attention over there, did you find something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what I didn''t find,¡± Alex said. ¡°What¡¯re you looking for?¡± the young giant asked, peering at the books. ¡°Something that hasn''t been in any of the rooms we''ve looked in so far,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m looking for her notes on the Mark, and on her process to try and change it. I thought there¡¯d be notes in one of these bedrooms, but there¡¯s been nothing so far.¡± ¡°Well, we still haven''t checked Kelda¡¯s room,¡± the young giant pointed out. Alex shook his head. ¡°Bjorgrund, this is Kelda¡¯s room.¡± The giant¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°It looks the same as the other sleeping rooms.¡± ¡°Yeah, she lived just as they did. It says good things about her, I guess,¡± Alex mused. ¡°But it doesn''t help us.¡± He looked at Bjorgrund. ¡°Did you see any books back in the lab?¡± ¡°No,¡± the young giant said. ¡°But I didn''t look too hard. There¡¯s a lot to see. And I mean, a lot.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know how seeing all this stuff for the first time can be¡­¡± Alex smiled, stepping toward the door, then pausing. ¡°Do you think your father¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Bjorgrund stopped behind Alex. ¡°He might be, I don''t hear him crying anymore. I''ve never seen him like this, so I don''t know.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Alex asked, placing his hand on the door latch. ¡°Me?¡± The giant pointed to his chest. ¡°Oh yeah, I''m all right, I think. Maybe.¡± ¡°You think¡­maybe?¡± Alex faced him, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I don''t know; part of me thought we''d never find this place. I was so happy earlier, but now father¡¯s crying. And this is where we have to do all sorts of dangerous stuff, right?¡± The young giant watched the door, shuddering. ¡°I mean, this is where you''re going to do all that stuff to try and change your Mark. You''re going to actually be messing with your soul. That''s what Kelda was doing, wasn¡¯t it? And it killed her and her whole team.¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, it did.¡± Alex grimly reached into his satchel, pulling out Hannah¡¯s artefact, remembering her journal. ¡°According to the Traveller, it didn''t just kill them: it completely annihilated their souls.¡± ¡°You said that before, while we were searching for this place,¡± Bjorgrund said nervously. He shifted his weight back and forth on his feet. ¡°I''d fight and bleed against rune-marked or the nasty church filth. I''d even, uh, die¡ª¡± A grimace briefly flashed across his face. ¡°¡ªif I needed to, but hearing about souls being destroyed¡­it makes me feel cold in a way that even the deepest winter doesn¡¯t. What exactly happens to you if your soul¡¯s destroyed?¡± Alex gave him a long, solemn look. ¡°My friend, I wish I knew. I don''t think you get an afterlife; Hannah never met Kelda in the afterworld. I think you just cease to be, maybe? I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I wonder what that''s like¡­just turning to nothing.¡± A shudder went through the giant¡¯s body. ¡°What''s it like to be nothing? Is it just like floating in the dark forever? Or is it something else¡­I can''t even imagine it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really want to find out,¡± Alex said. ¡°That''s one reason why I want to find her notes: I don''t want to make the same mistakes she did.¡± ¡°How do you know you won''t?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I have something she didn''t. The original notes of the one who created the Marks.¡± He tapped his satchel. ¡°With them, I''ll be working with more information than she ever had. I''ll be able to modify her methods, and account for any mistakes she might''ve made. I hope.¡± ¡°You hope? You mean you''re not sure?¡± ¡°Honestly? No, no I''m not. All I know is that I need to try, Bjorgrund¡­¡± Alex bit the inside of its cheek. ¡°I don''t know if you know what it''s like to have so many people and monsters trying to kill you, and your family and friends¡­and not be able to do much about it.¡± ¡°You''re a warrior: you beat an entire army of rune-marked,¡± Bjorgrund pointed out. ¡°That''s not quite true. Not completely,¡± Alex said. ¡°I used my staff to summon monsters that fought them. I used potions that might or might not have hurt them. I infused my friends and family with magic to battle them.¡± ¡°That was enough, wasn''t it?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°It was, then. But what about when the church attacked us?¡± the young wizard clenched his teeth. ¡°They took us by surprise: the First Apostle nearly ripped my guts out and the only thing I could do was lie on the ground and bleed. What if I could''ve used blood magic to heal myself? I could''ve joined the fight.¡± His lips flattened to a grim line. ¡°What if I could''ve cast a spell on those archers that were skewering you? Or blew them up with fire, or put them to sleep or buried them in ice or disintegrated them? You wouldn''t have had to protect me.¡± He swallowed. ¡°We¡¯re about to go up against some of the most dangerous enemies I''ve ever encountered and, believe me, I''ve encountered some dangerous bastards. We''ll need every resource we can get if we''re going to do this properly. Idon''t want to risk my soul, but to put an end to all of this, I''ll do it.¡± The young giant opened his mouth to say something else, when his father''s voice came through the door. ¡°Son! Alex! I think I found something you¡¯ll want to see!¡± Birger called. The two young men looked at each other and rushed through the door. Birger was composed now, and was standing in another part of the laboratory¡ªa part that was hidden by some of the larger devices¡ªin front of a doorless stone cabinet. Books were stacked inside. Alex sprinted over to it, excitement surging through him. He quickly eyed the book titles, finding a leather bound one marked with words written in Hannah¡¯s secret language. Patch Reversal, notebook I. With a shaking hand, he reached for it, gingerly turning to the first page while blowing away a layer of dust. This is it¡­¡± his voice was barely a whisper. ¡°These are her notes¡­this is the process she used to try and change the Mark of the Fool.¡± Chapter 735: The Fools Notes ¡°Tell me¡­do you know what a patch is?¡± Hannah Kim¡¯s spirit had once asked. Her question had come when Alex was in a corner of the Hells, within the burning maze of Cretalikon. He¡¯d frowned, answering her with a question, ¡°Like on a piece of old clothing?¡± ¡°Something like that. I couldn¡¯t remember if I wrote about that in my book¡­¡± She¡¯d taken a deep breath. ¡°In my old world, there¡¯s something we use called ¡®programs¡¯. They¡¯re a bit like spells, except they¡¯re made by a central, um, company. Uh, place. Then users of these programs use them, but they can¡¯t change them.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± Alex had said slowly. ¡°But, what¡¯s that got to do with the Mark?¡± She¡¯d considered the question, looking as though she was sorting through her thoughts. ¡°Well, when a company puts out a program and they want to change it, they release something that¡¯s called a ¡®patch¡¯. It¡¯s new code¡ªuh, a new piece of a spell that goes over top of the old spell and changes it.¡± Alex could have been blown over by a stiff breeze at those words. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that somebody¡­changed the Mark? That it was different before?¡± She¡¯d nodded. ¡°After Kelda heard about patches, she spent a long time examining her Mark: the very fibres of magic it was made of.¡± ¡°You can break it down?¡± Alex had asked. ¡°Even archwizards haven¡¯t been able to do that.¡± ¡°She had the Mark, she had my knowledge, and she had to build some very specialised equipment using materials you can¡¯t even get in your world. But she built them and used the Mark to get good enough at using them to examine her Mark and mine.¡± The conversation had taken place many months ago¡ªthough it felt like a lifetime¡ªand here he was, about to learn what Kelda had discovered. Alex ran his finger along the notebook¡¯s spine as Hannah''s words echoed in his mind. He read the title again: Patch Reversal, notebook I. Hannah had called the Mark of the Fool a ¡°patch¡±. ¡°A fitting title,¡± Alex said out loud. ¡°What''s it say?¡± Birger asked. Alex glanced at the cabinet filled with dozens of books, many were a series of numbered notebooks entitled: Patch Reversal. Twenty-two volumes starting with number one and ending at twenty-two. ¡°These books appear to be notes on reversing the Mark. Honestly, it''s going to take me a while to go through them all,¡± the young wizard admitted. ¡°I''ll have to read, study and examine every word carefully. As for the other books¡­looks like they''re on alchemy, religion, and philosophy regarding the soul. They¡¯re probably reference books she used to help with her research. I''ll have to read all of them, and when I finish looking through all the material¡­¡± He took a book from his satchel: a copy of Uldar¡¯s notes ¡°...I''ll have to cross-reference Uldar¡¯s notes with Kelda''s to see if I can figure out where she went wrong. It could take a while.¡± ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Birger said. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°The church is probably still tracking us¡­if we stay in one place too long¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn''t worry about that too much, son.¡± Birger gave him a sad smile. ¡°Kelda knew how to hide this place from the world for three centuries. And the only reason we were able to find it is because Alex has hers and Hannah''s power. I wouldn¡¯t think those fiends will ever be able to find us.¡± Alex looked up sharply. ¡°Actually, I''m not so sure about that, Birger.¡± ¡°What? Why do you have doubts? Think about it, it took us months to find this place!¡± The old giant¡¯s tone was bordering on defensive. ¡°Do you really think they''re going to be able to just waltz in here right after us?¡± ¡°Probably not¡­but I''m not a hundred percent sure, either,¡± the young wizard said grimly. ¡°Look, we don''t know how they''re tracking us. No matter where we went, or how fast we teleported, they found us all over the Empire. And they''re getting better at it. I wish I knew what they were capable of and what their limits are, but I don¡¯t. This place should make it a lot harder for them to find us, but the fact is, we just don''t have enough information to be certain.¡± ¡°But even if they manage to find the sanctum, they¡¯d need to teleport from room to room!¡± Birger pointed out. ¡°They¡¯d need your power.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I can think of two or three different ways to get from room to room without it, as long as you have someone capable of teleporting with you.¡± ¡°How?¡± the giant demanded. Alex looked around the laboratory. ¡°These rooms are part of the same structure, separated by some very thick walls. I can sense where the other rooms are because of the Traveller¡¯s power, but if someone can pierce one of the entrance walls¡ªthrough magic or divinity¡ª they could get a clear line of sight to the next room, and just teleport there. That''s basically how I do it.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. ¡°Well, what about the traps?¡± Birger asked, sounding frustrated. ¡°They aren''t active right now,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°And I don¡¯t know if they''d automatically turn on if somebody got in here. After all, you don''t have the Mark or the Traveller¡¯s power, but they didn''t react to you because I¡¯m here. I¡¯m thinking it would make sense that the traps wouldn''t be active when Kelda was home. Think about it: if her assistants had to travel from room to room to do different tasks, it¡¯d be a big problem if the traps were constantly trying to kill them.¡± Alex spread his hands. ¡°The other problem is we don''t know what the First and Third Apostle¡¯s divinity actually makes them capable of. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d find some way to use their god¡¯s power to move around in here.¡± ¡°And even if the traps were on, I think they¡¯d only slow them down; they don¡¯t seem like the type to let a few traps¡ªor a few dead warriors¡ªstop them,¡± Bjorgrund added. A long moment of silence passed, then the old giant began cursing. ¡°Shit, shit, shit! I''m so tired of them! Do you mean to tell me that we have to run away after so long trying to find this place? ¡° Alex shook his head. ¡°No. It''s actually the opposite.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Birger looked puzzled. ¡°Look, it''s not all doom and gloom. Without the Traveller¡¯s power, it would be a lot harder for a wizard to teleport here, even if that fae figures out where we are. The way the sanctum moves¡­doesn¡¯t make it easy. Most wizards would need to have been here before to have the slightest hope of teleporting to it; though by using a divine interdiction, they might come up with a workaround¡ªinterdictions allow wizards who use divinity to change a rule of reality to a certain point¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Though thankfully, even that¡¯s got its limitations, otherwise the only interdiction they¡¯d ever have to proclaim is; ¡®everyone in this area who doesn''t worship Uldar, die immediately!¡¯ In any case, we¡¯d be wise to assume they''re eventually going to find a way to get in here, even if it takes them a while. Which is actually a good thing.¡± ¡°How is that a good thing?¡± Bjorgrund frowned, looking at Alex like he¡¯d lost his mind. ¡°Well, I can''t think of a better place to face them and finally put them down. If we can find a way to get the traps activated, they''ll lose a lot of their people trying to get to us, and waste time and lives going from room to room. If we engage them here, it won''t be us who¡¯ll be on their back foot, it''ll be them. And if I¡¯m no longer blocked by the Mark¡¯s limits, wouldn¡¯t that be a nice surprise for them?¡± Alex smiled. ¡°They won¡¯t see me coming. I could fill these rooms with an entire army of summoned monsters and be ready for them in a place of our choosing.¡± His fingers coiled around the aeld staff. Its blooms glowed brighter. ¡°And if we strike down their leaders, then the rest of them won''t have any place to run to. We''ll grind them to paste right here.¡± ¡°That assumes we''ll have time for you to reverse the Mark,¡± Birger said. ¡°As well as knowing for sure that it works. Keep in mind, if your soul¡¯s destroyed¡ªand we survive¡ªthen Bjorgrund and I will die of hunger and thirst right here in this very sanctum, Alex.¡± ¡°And that''s why I''m going to make you both an offer,¡± Alex said. ¡°Birger, you¡¯ve found your friend¡¯s sanctum. Bjorgrund, both you and your father have helped me get here. As far as I''m concerned, the two of you have done enough. More than enough. If you want, I¡¯ll teleport you to wherever you want to go, right now. The church is hunting me and if you want to leave, I completely understand.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Bjorgrund snarled, gripping his axe. ¡°I want payback. That church nearly killed me and would have killed my father if they weren¡¯t so busy trying to kill you and the rest of us. Because of them, we couldn''t even go back home.¡± His rune flashed through his tunic. ¡°I can¡¯t let them just get away with that.¡± ¡°Well, I''m the last person that could tell you not to want revenge,¡± Alex said. ¡°But Birger, what about you? Do you want to take your son and go?¡± Birger shook his head. ¡°I want them to suffer for what they did to Bjorgrund and the rest of you¡­and pay for hunting us for all these months like we were animals¡­ People like them should be stopped. They should get a taste of their own medicine. And besides, Kelda would''ve wanted you to succeed. You''re her legacy, and she''d be damn mad at me if I left you here to face our enemies by yourself.¡± ¡°Thanks for that¡­ I''m glad you''re still with me,¡± Alex said sincerely. ¡°Then¡ªthis is what I¡¯ll do, when I''m about to start the process with my Mark¡ªI''ll make a portal for the two of you to use if anything happens to me. You¡¯ll need to be out of the room when I try to change the Mark, too. I don¡¯t want you dying like Kelda¡¯s assistants.¡± ¡°I appreciate that,¡± Birger said. ¡°Now, then, what do we do?¡± the young wizard held up the notebook. ¡°First of all, I''ve got to start looking through these notes. If the two of you could start looking around the laboratory; see if there''s anything that looks like a control station for the sanctum. Someplace that Kelda would have used to activate or deactivate the traps. If you could find a map of this place, that¡¯d be really helpful too.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get right on it,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°You''re going to want to take a look at my rune at some point, right?¡± ¡°Yes, but not yet,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°I have a lot of reading to do first, thank the Traveller I learned how to speed read when I was in first year in university.¡± ¡°Alright, then,¡± Birger said. ¡°We¡¯re going to find this control thing¡­then I''ll see if there¡¯s laundry facilities or a kitchen or anything like it. We might be here a while, and things are going to get a bit uncomfortable if we can''t cleanse ourselves, or eat. We¡¯ll need to talk about how we''re going to get food and drink in here, too. If this place had any food stores¡­they¡¯d probably be dust and rot by now.¡± ¡°I don''t know about that,¡± Alex said. ¡°With the amount of magic in here, I wouldn''t be surprised if the sanctum''s store room could have dried goods in it that¡¯s lasted all these years, especially if there aren¡¯t any vermin around. I agree though, we¡¯ll need that stuff. I¡¯m sure we already smell kinda ripe.¡± ¡°Let''s get started, then.¡± Bjorgrund stepped away, already looking around the laboratory. ¡°If we don''t know when or if the church¡¯s gonna show up, we¡¯d better hurry.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± his father said, joining the younger giant. ¡°Good luck with the search, and before I get started with my reading, I have one more thing to do,¡± the young wizard felt a flare of excitement rising in his chest. He closed his eyes, reaching across the distance to Generasi, touching Claygon¡¯s mind. ¡°Buddy? Are you there?¡± There was a pause. ¡®I am¡­here¡­father¡­¡¯ Claygon¡¯s thoughts reached back through the link. Alex could feel waves of relief and anxiety coming from him. ¡®I am glad¡­to hear from you¡­how is the search going¡­are you safe?¡¯ ¡°Claygon, I need you to contact Toraka and Lucia,¡± Alex said, looking around the well-equipped lab. ¡°We need to arrange to get some equipment and supplies for golem crafting.¡± Excitement surged through their link. ¡°You found somewhere safe¡­to make golems?¡± Alex allowed a relieved smile to spread across his face, and loud, giddy laughter to escape his lips. ¡®Oh we found more than that buddy. We found a hell of a lot more than that! Get Theresa and Selina: you¡¯ll have some news to give them! We found Kelda''s sanctum buddy! We bloody found it!¡¯ Chapter 736: A Cold Trail ¡°Has he found them?¡± a question was asked. ¡°Did he find them?¡± Someone asked the same question. ¡°Has he found them yet?¡± the question was repeated. For hours, those words swarmed through the campsite on the Lake of Ever Ice, spoken from dozens of lips. Men and women huddled in their tents, sheltering from the icy wind, looking to each other and god for guidance. Other folk milled about, listlessly maintaining their camp with barely suppressed agitation. In the centre of the camp, First Apostle Gabrian ministered to a congregation of the hidden church. Folk prostrated themselves on the ice before the holy man as he told stories of their God helping during trying times, but two figures were conspicuously absent. Third Apostle Izas, and the Stalker were not in camp. Both man and fae were a short distance away, one pacing, one standing patiently nearby. The small, bearded hunter was pacing back-and-forth¡ªhands clasped behind his back¡ªmuttering words the Apostle could not hear. His companion watched him silently, with growing worry and impatience. ¡°What in the name of Lord Aenflynn?¡± the Stalker muttered, his eyes narrowed. ¡°Can''t be right¡­can''t be right¡­¡± His expression was drawn and tight, as though he¡¯d swallowed some rotten morsel. It was a strange sight for Izas. In all the time he¡¯d known the fae, the Stalker had been irritatingly jolly; no matter the circumstance¡ªeven in their growing frustration at the Fool¡¯s elusiveness¡ªthe Stalker remained as unaffected as a mountain in a light snowfall. When an ambush failed, he¡¯d simply chuckle, snap his fingers and say: ¡°Our foxy quarry gave us the slip again! But we''ll get him next time! Hah, how exciting!¡± When the hunt had stretched on¡ªand some of the hidden church¡¯s members began to long for their homeland¡ªthe Stalker had smiled and said: ¡°Well, if it were easy, then the hunt wouldn''t be worth it, would it? Just see it as a trial from your god!¡± When the mood among the hunting party began to grow grim, the little fae had produced a set of pipes from his seemingly bottomless sack, then capered about, sharing wine and telling old stories. No matter the circumstance, no matter the setback, the Stalker would always be of good cheer while wearing a broad smile. Today was different. There was no smile on the fae¡¯s face, no light turn of a phrase, no wine, music or lively jig. He paced across the ice like a caged beast, his expression that of a cornered wolf. ¡°Can''t be right, can''t be right, can''t be right,¡± he whispered, licking his lips and tugging his snow white beard. ¡°Doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Izas cleared his throat. ¡°Is there any way that I might aid you?¡± The Stalker did not reply, still pacing. ¡°Stalker,¡± Izas repeated. ¡°You have been in your own mind for hours now. The others begin to worry, what has happened?¡± ¡°What has happened is that I can''t find our quarry,¡± the fae¡¯s irritation was plain. ¡°You have said as much for hours,¡± Izas pointed out. ¡°You asked for time to ¡®concentrate¡¯, but you seem far more troubled.¡± ¡°I''m troubled because there''s trouble.¡± The Stalker chewed his lip. ¡°In all my many years, I''ve hunted things that walk, swim, and fly. I''ve caught dragons in spider webs spun of moonlight. I¡¯ve lashed sea serpents in typhoons. Skewered mortal champions on their own weapons. I rooted out an ice fairy hiding in a single snowflake in the middle of a blizzard. I tracked a single mosquito from nymph-hood through a swamp, and I was there to pull its wings off just before it reached the end of its lifespan two months later. If something lives, I can find it. If I can find it, I can kill it. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡± He finally looked directly at Izas, his nostrils flaring. ¡°Nothing can hide from me, my mortal friend. Not if I''ve got its name.¡± ¡°Yet the Fool eludes you?¡± Izas asked. ¡°He does and he doesn¡¯t. I still have his name, but it¡¯s like it won''t stay in one place,¡± he said. ¡°He''s been moving about all this time, true, but this is different. Before, he kept popping about, going from place to place. Sure, it made him hard to catch, but it was just a matter of tracking and hedging him in when he stopped. Now things are different. He''s not just moving about and stopping, he¡¯s moving in the way that air moves¡­the same way light just flows. It''s like he¡¯s in a bunch of places at once, and yet in none at the same time! It makes no sense!¡± He snorted. ¡°This has never happened to me before, never once in my millennia of hunting prey!¡± ¡°And you have no hope of locating him again?¡± Izas asked. ¡°That''s it! I know where he is, but I don''t at the same time! Doesn''t make any sense!¡± The Stalker threw up his hands. ¡°Then, why not ask for help?¡± Izas asked. ¡°We are your hunting partners.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°You¡¯re my hounds!¡± the Stalker retorted. ¡°I am the one that leads the hunt, you''re the ones who flush out the quarry!¡± Izas said nothing as the Stalker took deep breaths that shook his shoulders. The fae paused then, tilting his head in curiosity. ¡°Look, maybe frustration¡¯s putting me in a funny mood, but I''ve got a question for you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Izas asked. ¡°None of you ever get sore about me calling you hounds, though you mortals tend to get a little agitated by that after a while. Why is that?¡± the Stalker asked. ¡°I know what I am. We all know who we are and who we serve. What you call us makes no difference to that. We are servants of Uldar: no more and no less. The titles that you give us are meaningless. Are you so petty that you will not accept aid from what you call mere ¡®hounds¡¯? Or do you wish to actually hunt?¡± The Stalker stared at him for a long moment. ¡°Few have challenged me like that and escaped without punishment.¡± ¡°And yet you do not ¡®punish¡¯ me,¡± Izas said simply. ¡°Does that mean you''re ready to put pride aside and let me help solve the problem?¡± The fae gave a bitter laugh. ¡°I''m a better tracker than all of you put together: if I can¡¯t find him, then you can¡¯t. But sure, let''s see what you come up with. You''ve got some magical divinity, maybe it might help us.¡± ¡°Nothing so special, merely a suggestion and my two eyes,¡± Izas said. ¡°Do you recall spies watching the sites the Fool visited?¡± ¡°Aye, I noticed them when your scouts pointed them out.¡± The Stalker ran a hand through his beard. ¡°We let them be because they were not relevant to our task. But now, we need a new path to our quarry. Why not see what they were doing at those sites?¡± Izas suggested. ¡°...well, that''s a terribly mundane solution¡­¡± the Stalker mused. ¡°But, sure why not. I''ll be pacing a trench in this ice lake, at this rate.¡± ### The Guild member of the Red Mouse crouched in a hidden trench, watching for any sign of the Fool of Thameland. A spyglass was pressed to her right eye. Behind her, her partner peeked through a gap in their shelter, his own spyglass pointing toward a mountain peak. A cold wind blew through the trench, sending snow swirling by. The pair had lost track of just how long they¡¯d been there, waiting, watching for the Fool¡¯s return, while also keeping an eye on the group following the Fool. So intent were they on what was ahead, that they never noticed the figure rising from the snow behind them. The short figure with a white beard, and predatory eyes. ### Night had fallen. Snow covered mountains loomed under the deep, unbroken dark of a new moon. And the Stalker was humming. It was not a melodious sound, it was unpleasant, like the grinding of metal on glass. Most folk would have grimaced at the tune, but Izas and Gabrian showed no reaction. All others cringed, but were forced to listen. Two members of the Guild of the Red Mouse were bound with rope. The Stalker looked at them hungrily as he continued humming with his hands clasped behind his back. "I see that you''re watching for the Fool," he said. "And what would you be doing that for?¡± ¡°None of your business, bastard!¡± one of the thieves sneered. He glanced at his partner with a steely jaw. ¡°Do you all think this is the first time someone¡¯s tried a shake down on me? I''ve been in a Sorkovon prison, I¡¯ve had my nails pulled out, and hot iron pressed against my skin. You don''t scare me.¡± Gabrian opened his mouth. The Stalker waved him off. ¡°I''m in a bad mood, let me do this.¡± ¡°As you wish,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°What, ¡®good guard, bad guard¡¯? Is this really what you''re going to try?¡± the female thief laughed. ¡°That stopped working on me by the time my nards dropped,¡± laughed her male counterpart, his bravado growing. The Stalker looked at him evenly. ¡°You''ve got a stout heart, don''t you?¡± Another sneer from the thief. ¡°What are you complimenting me for? Are you trying to get all swee¡ª¡± Without another word, the fae plunged his hands into the man''s chest. Flesh rippled like water as the thief began to choke. His partner''s eyes widened; words died on her lips as the Stalker felt around inside the man¡¯s rib cage, as though he was searching for something he¡¯d lost. He smiled the moment he found what he was looking for, withdrawing his hands, cupping the man¡¯s beating heart in them. ¡°I don''t like being thwarted,¡± the Stalker said. ¡°So I''m not going to play with you two. Not nicely.¡± He squeezed the throbbing organ, watching it shudder like a frightened bird. The male thief choked, his face washing stark white. ¡°What are you doing?¡± his partner screamed. ¡°I''m holding his heart in my hand. Look how stout it is, all full of nasty defiance. But that''s the thing about mortal hearts, one squeeze¡­¡± His grip tightened. The man whimpered like a suffering dog, ¡°...and it''ll pop as easily as a water bubble. If I drop it, my power stops its connection with his chest. If I pitch it against a wall¡­well, you know what happens. Point is, he dies, heartless and choking. Now you mortals have a habit of getting self sacrifice-y and whatnot. If I ask him questions¡ªeven if he could speak¡ªhe still might not answer, just to spite me.¡± He fixed his eye on the other thief. ¡°So, this is what I''m going to do. I¡¯ll give you one chance to save your partner. He can''t talk, so you''ll have to be his lips. And before you say anything¡ªbecause you morals can be selfish too¡ªif you keep your mouth shut, I''m going to do the same to you. But I won''t start with your heart. I''ll start with your kidneys. One then the next. Did you know you can live like that, at least for a bit? Not well though, it''s not a good way to die. So, I¡¯ll have mercy on you, and take one of your lungs next. If you aren¡¯t talking, then you don''t need two. I can take your organs out of you one by one before I finally decide to take your heart. Now, I¡¯ve given you two incentives. Save your partner''s life, and save yourself a lot of pain.¡± The fae leaned forward, baring his fanged teeth. ¡°So you''re going to tell me why you''re watching this place, why you''re waiting for the Fool, and who put you up to this. Sound fair?¡± The thief¡ª who''d been smirking and laughing moments before¡ªcould hardly breathe through her fear. Her wide eyes were fixed on the still beating-heart in the fae¡¯s hand. ¡°What sort of sorcery¡ªoh by the gods, I''ll tell you whatever you need to know!¡± she cried. ¡°We''re watching for the Fool to see if he finds an old sanctum! Our leader thinks there might be treasures waiting inside! We''re supposed to wait until he finds the entrance, and then get rid of him!¡± ¡°And who is this leader?¡± the Stalker asked. ¡°I don''t know his real name, but we call him Warder! I promise you, everything I said is true! Don''t hurt us!¡± she begged. ¡°You''ll never find him by yourself, you need us alive!¡± The Stalker gave her a look that was half smile and half feral snarl. ¡°My mortal friend¡­ You just told me his name¡­¡± He closed his eyes for a moment. ¡°I''ve already found him.¡± ¡°W-What?¡± she stammered. The Stalker looked at the First and Third Apostle. ¡°You don''t care what I do with these two, do you? I¡¯ve got a mighty frustration to work out.¡± ¡°We have no stake in foreign thieves,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°Wait, you said you wouldn''t hurt us if we talked!¡± the thief screamed. He looked at her closely. ¡°You''re not very bright are you? I said what I¡¯d do to you if you didn''t talk. I never told you what I¡¯d do if you did.¡± Before the thieves¡¯ horrified eyes, he held up the throbbing heart as its beat quickened. His grip tightened. Chapter 737: Doing the Maths For three hundred years, Kelda of Clan McCallum¡¯s sanctum had been silent. For three hundred years, her laboratory had been dark. For all those many years, no living soul had walked its floors. But no more. In recent days, it had stirred, coming to life with activity. When Birger wasn¡¯t busy with other tasks, he¡¯d be cooking meals in the unremarkable, galley kitchen that was equipped with enough stoves, ovens, and hearths to make meals for eleven people at a time. Through a door at the end of the galley, was the panty; a narrow, deep room loaded with food supplies; dried beans, ground grains, rice, oatcakes, flour, salted meats, dried fish and an array of hard cheeses. A glyph¡ªemanating, preserving magic¡ªwas etched in the ceiling, letting the staples last for all this time. A magical fountain provided water, continuously pumping and circulating clean water into a barrel shaped vessel. Across from the fountain, stood Birger, towering over the stove, frying salt cod and beans for a simple, but filling breakfast. The kitchen lacked spices¡ªexcept for pots of ground salt¡ªwhich meant meals were bland, but what they lacked in flavour, the giant made up for in quantity. No one would go hungry if he had anything to say about it. When he¡¯d finished his preparations, he scraped the meals onto three tin platters, picked them up, and floated¡ªthanks to Alex¡¯s flight magic¡ªto a portal at the end of the galley, across from the pantry. He drifted through the portal, emerging in the laboratory. Bjorgrund was there, hard at work. The young giant was moving across the floor, carrying heavy equipment from one end of the lab to the other, placing it on a spot Alex had outlined in chalk. He exhaled, wiping his brow, looking up at his father and nodding. ¡°Breakfast time already?¡± ¡°I thought you might be hungry by now,¡± Birger said, looking over the lab. ¡°This place looks a lot different.¡± Kelda''s machinery¡ªwhich had been thrown into disarray by the disaster that claimed her soul and those of her assistants¡ªwas mostly rearranged. When the trio had first found the sanctum, the lab was in chaos, frightening in some ways¡ªwith strange looking, mysterious devices scattered about, lying haphazardly around the room¡ªbut all of that had changed. As Alex went over Kelda''s notes, he¡¯d made up a floor plan, and Bjorgrund rearranged everything according to that plan. Now, those strange devices were organised¡ªwith plenty of room to manoeuvre around them¡ªeven for the giants. It definitely didn''t make the room feel homey, but it did make it feel less like a torture chamber. They¡¯d made other practical changes as well. Originally, the only doors leading from the lab, led into the eleven bedrooms. Now, dozens of portals had been created in the walls, each one leading to a different room within the sanctum. One led to the entrance chamber, with its twin goddess statues and the defaced statue of Uldar. Another led to an armoury filled with leather and metal armour, but very few weapons, while others took them to various trapped rooms throughout the sanctum. The traps were still inactive, all were controlled from the same place: an area where Alex now sat, reading and taking notes. The young wizard was bent over a desk crafted of thick stone, wide enough for three or four people to sit at. Numerous metal handles protruded from the stone, each one labelled in the Traveller¡¯s secret language. By holding one of the handles and channelling Hannah¡¯s power into it, Alex could control how fast, where the sanctum moved in the world, the portals between the complex¡¯s many rooms, and whether or not the traps were active. There were maps of each floor of the sanctum built into the control desk. Three circles of light shone on the map on the desk¡ªindicating the three figures of Alex, Birger, and Bjorgrund in the lab. The spot representing Alex hadn''t moved; the young wizard had been working at the desk for hours. Around him, a swarm of Wizard¡¯s Hands were busy taking notes, recording the information on parchment as Alex muttered, mentally performing calculations. Finally, he sighed and took a deep breath, finishing the last of Kelda MacCallum¡¯s notes. In front of him were two books: the first was a copy of Uldar¡¯s notes, the second; notebook number twenty-two, the final notes Kelda had made describing her process. He¡¯d taken his own notes and calculations as he¡¯d read, sometimes crossing things out, sometimes circling them. All across the pages were sketches of the Fool¡¯s and the General¡¯s Marks, with observations about names, the nature of the soul, and deities. The Fool of Thameland paused, scratching his now thick beard, then continued his note taking. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll even hear us when we call him for breakfast?¡± Birger asked his son. ¡°I doubt it,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Seems he''s in his own world.¡± ¡°I can hear you just fine,¡± Alex said, though his eyes never moved from the books. ¡°I''m just working on the last bit of the problem.¡± ¡°What problem?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Why Kelda¡¯s process failed,¡± Alex said. ¡°I suppose that''s indeed a great mystery,¡± Birger sighed. ¡°Actually, it''s not, I think I know why she failed. Exactly why, and it''s a damn tragedy,¡± the Fool said grimly. The giants looked at each other, then Birger quickly put the tray down and rushed to the young wizard. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Wait, if you know why she failed¡­¡± the old giant paused. ¡°Does that mean her process can be fixed?¡± At last Alex looked up, sadly meeting Birger¡¯s gaze. ¡°I think I¡¯ve already fixed it. All I''m doing right now is trying different mathematical simulations, to see if I made any mistakes with my calculations. I''m not going to know for sure without trying the process¡­but things look really promising.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Mathematical what?¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°There''s an arithmetic when it comes to some kinds of magic and alchemy,¡± Alex said. ¡°Mana input and mana output. How a magical circuit¡¯s engineered will usually let you predict what it does. It means that if you know enough of the variables, you can do some maths to try and figure out what a device might or might not do. Basically, I''m drawing schematics for her magical devices, doing some mental adjustments, and seeing what the result might be.¡± ¡°That all went over my head,¡± Birger admitted. ¡°It''s kind of like building a small model of a wagon before you build the full size one, so you can get a better idea of how it moves, but the idea¡¯s a little more obscure, I suppose. Just doing the maths is nowhere near as good as being able to do actual experiments, but we can''t really do that with something like this.¡± ¡°Alright, whatever you say¡ªI''ll trust that you know what all that means¡ªso you think you fixed it?¡± Birger asked. ¡°So fast? You fixed the thing that killed Kelda?¡± Alex sighed sadly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Well, what was it that killed her, then?¡± ¡°It''s a bit more complicated than what I''m about to tell you¡­but these are the basics. ¡°He took a deep breath, preparing to explain what had destroyed the only Fool that nearly escaped the Mark. ¡°Let me just start by saying she was absolutely brilliant.¡± He tapped on a pile of her notebooks in front of him. ¡°When she started, it¡¯s obvious she didn''t really have much knowledge when it came to magic, divinity, or alchemy. The notes in her first book¡­how can I put this¡­were a bit basic. It was like seeing someone just starting a journey, and not having all the gear they need to make it all the way. Over time though, her notes got a lot more complex with lots of interesting insights: she gathered together some brilliant minds around her, and also taught herself a lot of magical theory. The crazy thing is that she couldn''t cast a single spell: she didn''t have any magical background when she got the Mark¡ªand she didn''t have the mana pool needed for wizardry¡ªso she couldn''t use any spellcraft her entire life.¡± Birger nodded. ¡°She¡¯d often ask me to show her magic, because she couldn''t do it herself.¡± ¡°And yet, she absorbed magic lore like a dry sponge sitting in a bowl of water. She learned certain theories about divinity, and different philosophies about the soul, she learned about alchemy as well as how her own power¡ªHannah¡¯s power, could be used to its full potential.¡± He clapped a hand on his right shoulder. ¡°Combining the theories together with her research on the rune-marked, she came up with a pretty inspired solution to change the Mark. It''s actually shockingly simple if you break it down to its basic components.¡± Alex looked at a machine, the one resembling a cage that had a table, arms, and blades inside it. ¡°What she figured out is that Uldar places the Mark on a person¡¯s soul. The Heroes¡¯ Marks are basically a fusion of magic and divinity that embeds in the soul. They change the soul, granting new powers¡ªor in the case of a Fool¡ªnew limitations. Kelda figured that out when she examined the rune-marked.¡± He nodded at Bjorgrund. ¡°Your runes and my Mark work kind of similarly.¡± Bjorgrund touched his chest. ¡°Maybe that''s why the runes glow through clothing. They''re on our soul, not just our flesh.¡± ¡°Exactly¡­ish. The runes seem to be designed to glow through clothing, they don''t just do that naturally. Thankfully, Uldar didn''t make his Marks do the same thing¡­or I would''ve been in deep trouble. Anyway, that''s not the point, the point is, Kelda realised that in order to change the Mark, she had to separate it from her soul.¡± He pointed at some of the other devices in the lab. ¡°She got her hands on some very rare materials¡ªthings I''ve never heard of before¡ªand when they come in contact with the soul, it enters an energised state¡­kind of like running a current through a piece of wire. Now, since souls are a source of immense power, energising one would be very dangerous. When the soul has that much energy going through it¡ªaccording to her notes¡ªyou''re in great danger of it breaking down or¡­causing a kind of backlash that¡­well also creates a massive burst of energy that destroys souls, even those near it.¡± ¡°Like what happened to Kelda and her assistants,¡± Birger said solemnly, glancing at the glass coffins in the back of the laboratory. ¡°Exactly. You might be wondering why she would need to energise her soul in the first place. Normally, you wouldn''t be able to tell what''s the Mark and what¡¯s the soul if you''re examining it¡­but by energising the soul, it makes your natural spiritual essence resonate. And the soul resonates from Uldar¡¯s Mark¡­ which allows you to actually see the difference.¡± He pointed at the cage. ¡°Once you can see the difference, you can start to cut it away. It seems she¡¯d examined her Mark by energising her soul many times and figured out that it had been changed. With runes, though, each one is a single magical¡­object. One solid piece. But with the Mark of a Fool¡­it''s like a Mark stitched on top of another one. A patch. So what she tried to do was energise her soul so that the Mark would be ¡®visible¡¯ inside her spiritual essence.¡± Alex nodded toward the bane knives. ¡°She then planned on using those knives to release ¡®stitches¡¯ on the Mark¡¯s ¡®patch¡¯. Afterward, she was going to use the Traveller¡¯s power to basically teleport the detached patch off of the original Mark, reverting it to what it once was.¡± ¡°So, what went wrong?¡± Birger asked. The young wizard held up two fingers. ¡°Two things stopped her. One, she didn''t have Uldar¡¯s notes, which meant she basically had to guess which parts of her Mark were the new ones that had been stitched onto the old version. One small mistake would damage the whole framework, and start a chain-reaction that¡ªwith her soul being energised¡ªwell you might be able to guess what happened next. The second thing that got her¡­might have been even worse.¡± His jaw clenched. ¡°Birger, Bjorgrund¡­the sad truth is that she never had a chance. When it comes to souls and spirits¡­names are critical. You have to know what something is called if you are to truly know it. The trouble is, she knew that the Mark of the Fool was patched¡­but she didn''t know what the old version was called. As a result, she was basically transforming it into nothing¡­so nothing is what she became. Without knowing what she would become¡­there was no hope of the process working. Not ever.¡± ¡°It was all in vain¡­¡± Bjorgrund said sadly. ¡°No, she went down fighting,¡± Birger said sternly. ¡°And sometimes that''s what counts.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°But still, it''s better if her sacrifice had helped. You sound like you have the things she didn''t have.¡± ¡°I do,¡± Alex said. ¡°Her process was nearly there¡­it didn''t take a lot of modification to turn it into something that I think will work.¡± ¡°Then¡­what''s stopping us from doing it?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Normally, I¡¯d tell you there has to be a whole bunch of safety procedures¡­the need for experimentation to test the hypothesis before we went onto working with a human subject, and so on¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°But I am literally the only person in the world that could serve as an experimental subject¡­and I don''t know how much time we have for strict safety procedures and waiting.¡± ¡°So that means¡­¡± Bjorgrund began. ¡°That we could start real soon?¡± ¡°Now, preferably,¡± said Alex. ¡°I''ve lived with this Mark for a long time; it¡¯s been causing a lot of suffering for a lot of people, including taking Kelda''s life and soul, and the lives and souls of her assistants. We have bloodthirsty people hunting us, and the Mark of the Fool will just allow them to kill us because I can hardly defend us from them. It''s time for this to end. Get ready for soul-surgery, gentlemen, it''s time for the General of Uldar to return to the world.¡± Chapter 738: The Foreboding Machine The time was near. Soon, Alex would be ready to take a step that would forever change his life. The young wizard crouched beside the Cage¡ªKelda¡¯s well-named device used to operate on her soul¡ªcarefully altering glyphs designed to work in tandem to energise the mortal soul. While power within the glyphs increased, a rare material would discharge, adjusting the bane scalpels, causing them to resonate in time with a subject¡¯s spiritual essence. As they throbbed, they would touch the newly energised soul, letting it thrum in turn. The glyphs, while clever, needed modification; Alex was in the process of doing just that, taking into account the way Uldar had designed the Marks. ¡°With these modifications, the process will have a better chance of working since now, the bane knives should only cut specific sections of the Mark.¡± he said aloud. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯ll work. It has to work.¡± He felt a range of emotions in his core: excitement, disbelief, anticipation, fear, and dread. He couldn¡¯t believe he¡¯d come this far, so close to being rid of the Mark¡¯s limits, though he couldn¡¯t just dismiss the grim possibility of failure. ¡°I only get one shot at this,¡± he whispered, putting the finishing touches on the process. ¡°If I fail, I¡¯m dead and my soul¡¯s destroyed. If I succeed¡­the possibilities are endless.¡± Trying to focus on the positive, Alex continued altering the machine. Nearby, the two giants assisted him with the preparations, following his instructions. ¡°Looks like this¡­thing¡¯s ready,¡± Bjorgrund called, staring at a huge device even taller and broader than he was. It whirred, hissed and rumbled. ¡°That little crystal light on the side went from purple to blue.¡± ¡°Good, then throw the switch: the one I labelled,¡± Alex said. ¡°Will do,¡± the young giant sounded unsure. There came a loud clunking noise as Bjorgrund pulled the switch. The machine whined then began rumbling, the noise sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a deep, metal drum. ¡°Uh-uh, did I break it?¡± he cried in alarm. ¡°No!¡± Alex called back. ¡°Just give it a few seconds¡­I think.¡± The young wizard swallowed; from speed-reading Kelda¡¯s notes, he¡¯d learned the purpose of, and how to operate every piece of equipment in the lab. If she¡¯d recorded anything incorrectly¡ªor if her notes were incomplete, or the machines had degraded over time¡ªthere was a good possibility that something would go wrong. Catastrophically wrong. At worst, an intense burst of energy could kill them by completely annihilating their souls. ¡°It¡¯ll work. It has to work,¡± Alex muttered again. He¡¯d been saying that a lot lately. ¡°What was that sound?¡± Birger shouted over the rumbling noise. ¡°Nothing to worry about,¡± Alex said quickly. ¡°How is that tonic coming?¡± The old giant stood in front of an enormous cauldron, stirring the brewing liquid while keeping a close eye on it. ¡°It''s been quite a while since I brewed a potion¡­but, right now, it''s a nice golden colour. Is that okay? Is it supposed to look like that?¡± ¡°Does it smell like flax seed, coal and old fish?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Oh yes, it¡¯s not the most pleasant scent.¡± Birger wrinkled his nose. ¡°Then it¡¯s fine,¡± the young alchemist said. ¡°If it''s gold coloured and smells kinda nasty, it''s nearly finished. As soon as the liquid starts shooting little sparks¡ªlike hot iron under a smith¡¯s hammer¡ªshut the heat down and press the glyph I labelled on the cauldron.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Birger¡¯s voice sounded tense. ¡°Are you sure this is going to work?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll work. It has to work,¡± Alex said again, finishing the last adjustment on the Cage. They were almost ready.
¡°Well, this is what the machine spat out.¡± Bjorgrund handed Alex a shard of material looking like a glowing, red, salt crystal. ¡°It¡¯s perfect.¡± The Fool of Thameland took the crystal, and headed toward the Cage. ¡°It''s the same colour as my mana¡­the size and consistency are right¡­it¡¯s exactly as it should be, Bjorgrund.¡± ¡°All I did was follow your instructions,¡± the young giant said, modestly. ¡°You''d be surprised how difficult that is for some people.¡± Alex opened a slot on the side of the Cage¡¯s control panel, loaded in the crystal, then closed it. He pressed a series of buttons, and a crystalline panel on the device began glowing, emitting amber light. ¡°Alright, the material¡¯s the right composition. That¡¯s step one finished. Birger?¡± The old firbolg was floating toward Alex, carrying a stoppered potion bottle full of golden liquid. ¡°I think it''s ready¡­Like I said, I''m not sure if I knew what I was doing there.¡± ¡°That''s okay, we''re going to test it,¡± the young wizard said. Taking the potion, Alex moved to a table, where what looked to be a blank sheet of parchment was waiting. A slightly acidic scent was drifting from it. He picked up a copper needle and pricked his fingertip, drawing a bead of blood, dripping it on the paper. A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. It immediately turned blue. He unstoppered the potion bottle next, dropping a dollop of the viscous fluid on his blood, turning it from blue to silver. ¡°Good sign,¡± he said. ¡°Now, for one more test.¡± He took another bottle from the desk¡ªthe bottle of soul-substance he¡¯d been harvesting over many months¡ªunstoppered it, and poured a droplet onto the silver mixture. It began glowing yellow, like a tiny star. ¡°That''s¡­wow!¡± Bjorgrund clapped his hands. ¡°Wow is right,¡± Alex said. ¡°The tonic¡¯s mixing well with both the blood and my soul stuff: good job, Birger.¡± ¡°Glad to hear it¡­I guess, but what''s the potion actually for?¡± the old giant asked. ¡°It prepares my soul for the process. It''s a dye that''ll let me see the difference between the Mark, and my natural soul more clearly. It should also help protect my soul from the trauma of the process,¡± he said. ¡°The crystal you made, Bjorgrund, is a concoction of engeli blood, dream sand, devil spit, and some other ingredients. It''ll act as a catalyst and help generate a visual to guide the soul operation.¡± ¡°I know some of those words. Not many, but some,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°So what comes next?¡± ¡°Now, you both leave.¡± The young wizard put the potion bottles down, looking up at the giants. ¡°It''s time for me to get inside that Cage and see where this all ends. I''ll make a portal in the kitchen that''ll take you to the southern border of the Empire. I''d rather send you to either Generasi or to Greymoor in Thameland, but it looks like the sanctum can only open portals in certain places¡­or at least, it seems that way. I haven''t had time to examine the controls in depth.¡± He paused for a moment, considering sending the giants to the Cave of the Traveller; a function on the controls would open a portal there, but within a heartbeat, he¡¯d discarded the idea; the Thameish army had control of the Cave, and it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise if members of the secret church had infiltrated their ranks. So, sending his new friends there wasn¡¯t an option. ¡°In any case, I''m going to close the portal that leads from the lab to the kitchen once you leave me. Then, I want you to wait for an hour,¡± he continued. ¡°My soul can only take the energised state of the process for so long: basically, if you don¡¯t see me in an hour or so, that means I¡¯m¡­gone. At that point, just leave.¡± ¡°I''ll wait for two hours,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°And maybe you should leave the portal to the kitchen open so we can come help you if anything goes wrong.¡± Alex gave him a grim smile. ¡°Listen, Bjorgrund, if this goes wrong, I don''t think a god would be able to help me. Besides, I don''t want to risk any backlash hitting the two of you through the portal.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair¡­I suppose,¡± the young giant said quietly. ¡°Anyway, I''m going to set your exit doorway to close in three hours: I don''t want anyone wandering in here. Especially not the church. If you''re not out by then, you''ll be trapped. And I damn well don¡¯t want that happening.¡± He looked at the giants. ¡°Listen, I''m not going to pretend like the last few months were the easiest of my life or the most fun. I''m not going to pretend that we didn''t have hard times¡­but seriously, thank you for sticking with me through all of those sleepless nights, those blizzards¡­ everything. If I don''t come for you, be well and live well.¡± Alex shook Birger and Bjorgrund¡¯s hands, squeezing them. ¡°You helped get rid of those that were hunting me,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°If something happens to you, I vow on my honour that I''ll see your enemies slain.¡± ¡°I agree with my son that you¡¯ll be avenged, I promise you that,¡± Birger said. ¡°And I''ll sing you a dirge like no other.¡± ¡°Let''s hope it doesn''t come to that¡­but thank you,¡± Alex said. After a couple of pats on the back, the young wizard watched them leave the lab. At the sanctum''s control panel, he poured power into opening a new portal to a remote location on the southern border of the Irtyshenan Empire. He set the portal to close in three hours, then shut the doorway leading from the lab to the kitchen. Alex was alone now, looking at the Cage, taking slow, deep breaths. Kelda¡¯s impossible machine would either be his salvation, or his doom. It was time to discover which. He picked up the tonic Birger had brewed, and drank it down, grimacing at the taste all the while. Screwing up his face and wiping his lips, he set the bottle down then walked toward the Cage.
Alex lay naked on the operating table, the Cage bars glowing around him. He gripped the cool metal of the controls, his eyes fixed on the bane scalpels above, he tried to stay calm. The tonic warmed his belly, a tingling sensation spread through him. Nearby, the Cage¡¯s mana generator hummed, growing increasingly louder. Bands of energy were running all along the Cage bars. The foreboding device was warming up, preparing itself to do what Kelda had created it to do. Closing his eyes, the Fool of Thameland contemplated his relatively short life to this point. He thought about his early years in Alric, when it was just him and his parents. He remembered when Selina was born, and their little family had grown a bit bigger and even happier. The alehouse fire had destroyed that happiness and cut their family by half. Then came the days of growing up in the Lu Family Inn. Days he spent playing with Theresa, helping Mr. and Mrs. Lu, and eventually, he remembered the dark times of working for McHarris. He remembered time passing and one day, going into the church school¡¯s library where he¡¯d found a strange, lean book. The spell-guide for forceball. He had no idea how many hours he¡¯d spent on that spell, learning it all on his own. It was strange thinking back on that now: years of learning spellcraft with a quiet mind, with no Mark to attack him. He''d forgotten what that felt like. If this worked¡­he''d experience it again: spellcraft without obstacles that created chaos in his mind, without the bombardment of failures that he had to guide himself through each time he tried to cast a spell. He almost cried, thinking about it¡­and about all the things he''d be able to do for his friends and family. But, he couldn¡¯t ignore the other possibility: maybe the machine would turn on, and that would be it. He would be undone, becoming an infinite nothing: no more than an empty shell sprawled on an operating table all alone¡­likely forever. Alex shook his head. ¡°It¡¯ll work. It has to work.¡± As the mana generator¡¯s hum reached a peak, he reached out toward Claygon. He¡¯d already told his golem what he was going to do today. He¡¯d warned him. Now, there was only one last thing left. ¡®Claygon are you there?¡¯ he said. ¡®I am¡­here, father,¡¯ the golem answered. ¡®It''s about time, buddy. I just wanted to tell you one more time that I love you, and if anything happens to me, tell Selina and Theresa again that I love them both, and I always will. Tell Khalik, Isolde and Thundar that they¡¯re the greatest friends I could have ever wanted. Tell Professor Jules I wanted her to know that she''s the best teacher and mentor ever, and tell my other professors I¡¯m glad that I knew them. When you see Baelin again, tell him I said thank you, and that I would never have been a Proper Wizard without him. Tell Toraka and Lucia I''m sorry I couldn''t finish our businesses together. Let the Heroes, Kybas, and Grimloch know that they meant a lot to me and I was glad to have known them. Thank Mr. and Mrs. Lu for raising Selina and me, and that I want them to know I wouldn¡¯t have turned out to be who I am without them¡­and¡ª¡± The Cage¡¯s controls suddenly sounded like a cross between a mechanical hum, a ringing bell, and a war horn. Alex swallowed. ¡°It''s time. The machine¡¯s ready. With any hope, I''ll be talking to you in an hour, buddy.¡± ¡®I love you, father¡­we¡¯ll talk soon...¡¯ Claygon said. Alex felt the connection die. All around him, glyph-etched bars shone. Energy peaked. Once more, Alex repeated those hopeful words: ¡°It¡¯ll work. It has to work.¡± Curious energies flowed from Kelda''s machine, washing over him. A piercing scream abruptly tore through the lab. Chapter 739: Dying Screams Alex Roth was screaming. The energies of Kelda''s machine were boiling through him, piercing his very soul with sensations unlike any he¡¯d ever felt before. He¡¯d known pain and pleasure, endured hunger, anger and despair. He¡¯d borne the shock of a bane knife carving away bits of his soul. But, what he was now experiencing was something else entirely. There was no word, emotion or sensation he could think of, in any language he¡¯d learned, to describe what was passing through his body; his soul felt as if it was on the brink of combusting, smouldering, disintegrating. The sensation was beyond excruciating, deeper than anguish; like his entire being was on the verge of shattering. He felt little pain, yet, there was a deeper suffering coursing through him that went beyond the physical. He reached for every meditation technique he¡¯d ever learned, acknowledged that his soul felt like it was shattering. He was determined to let the sensation pass over him. It wasn¡¯t easy, but the stakes had never been higher; through a mix of will and utter calm, the Fool of Thameland pushed through. Slowly¡ªover what felt like hours, but couldn''t have been more than a few seconds¡ªAlex grew accustomed to the feeling. He began to relax, allowing himself to be taken by the energies. The incandescent light around him shifted, concentrating above his head. The light shimmered, taking on the beginnings of a male form¡­ ¡­that suddenly came into clear focus. Alex had thought he was seeing a reflection of his body, but soon realised that wasn¡¯t the case. ¡®That''s not my reflection,¡¯ he thought. ¡®It''s my own soul. There¡¯s¡­something else there too¡­oh, by the Traveller¡­¡¯ The young wizard recognised the image looking back as the most enduring gift and curse he¡¯d been granted by Uldar on his eighteenth birthday; the Mark of the Fool. It had appeared on his right shoulder on the night he¡¯d turned eighteen: a glowing, mocking jester''s face. But his soul looked far different. The Mark had completely permeated and enveloped it, surrounding it like a shirt fitted too tightly. He could barely make out his own face in the soul-image, as it was mostly obscured beneath the grinning jester¡¯s face. Something else stood out, intermingled with the jester. Something older. Indistinct. A chill went through him as he now better understood why Kelda had failed. ¡®The Mark¡¯s completely integrated with my soul.¡¯ he realised. ¡®It''d be impossible to free it without damaging my essence. The patch¡­there''s no way to tell what¡¯s patch, what''s original Mark, or what''s actually my soul! If I start cutting blindly, I¡¯ll destroy myself like she did¡­¡¯ He gripped the controls. The scalpels twitched above him. Alex set his jaw, carefully examining what he was seeing high above. ¡®But I have an advantage, I know how Uldar¡¯s designs work and because of that¡­ I can see it! I¡¯m seeing parts that are necessary for the Mark¡¯s design and parts that are redundant! Those extra parts have got to be the patch! I can do this!¡¯ Drawing on every bit of determination he could muster, he poured his power into the scalpels, slowly lowering the arms toward his body, watching as the blades broke his skin. All the while, he observed illusionary versions of the scalpels touching his soul in the image above the operating table. Another wave of suffering ripped through him, but months of carving his soul with Val¡¯Rok¡¯s bane knife steadied him, keeping him from making a slip that would destroy his soul. He neither faltered nor stopped, the desire to be free of Uldar¡¯s Mark driving him. Fear could have taken over, stopping him, but he knew the church would never stop, no matter how much he ran¡­until they finally caught him. So, he pushed on, carefully feeling around his soul, focusing on the image above him, watching as Birger¡¯s tonic and energies of the Cage altered the colours of his spiritual essence and the Mark¡¯s. His soul now glowed bright silver, while the Mark shone like gold, yet he still could not differentiate between the patch, and the original Mark. At least, not by sight alone. But, from studying Uldar¡¯s notes and harvesting bits of his soul¡­ ¡®There,¡¯ he thought excitedly. ¡®That''s the first place I should cut.¡¯ Several scalpels entered his soul through his left leg, reaching deep, weaving through threads of what should have been the patch. He felt the Mark¡¯s fibres grow taut against the charged bane knives. The Fool took a deep, steadying breath, then slowly snipped the fibres, sending a sudden wave of shock through his body. For an awful moment¡ªhe thought he was dead. Jarring, discordant waves pounded him. The first one brought feelings of relief, then triumph, then freedom, the next brought desperation, agony, and rage; another soon followed, sweeping over Alex, smothering him with swirling images; the foolish grinning face of the Fool snarled down at him, bearing undisguised hatred, announcing its wrath. Uldar¡¯s wrath. A litany of failures hit like a tidal wave; every error he¡¯d ever made, crowded his consciousness with a fury the Mark had never unleashed before. Dizzying. Crushing images. Whirling through his mind. Turning his stomach. ¡®It''s defending itself¡­!¡¯ The thought screamed in Alex¡¯s mind. ¡®Maybe cutting that fibre triggered it? But how? The Mark¡¯s only supposed to activate from spellcraft, combat, and¡­oh no.¡¯ Divinity. He was interfering with a god''s work, encroaching directly on the divine while bathed in the machine¡¯s multitude of energies, including mana and divinity. ¡®That must''ve been enough to provoke it!¡¯ he realised. ¡®And¡­oh shit!¡¯ More images struck. More failures. More horrors. But something was different now. ¡®Those places¡­those things! I¡¯ve never seen them before! Never experienced any of that! How¡ªOh no,¡¯ another realisation. ¡®The evening of my eighteenth birthday, when I first got the Mark, I had all these images of places and things I¡¯d never seen before pour into my head. By cutting that thread, I probably reactivated whatever that was!¡¯ Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. He saw himself in tears, standing on battlefields¡­but, it wasn¡¯t actually him, not Alex Roth¡­but, it was still the Fool of Thameland. Thousands of years of ridicule crashed down on him in a deluge. Fleeing from monsters. Shaming from other Heroes, whether Sage, Chosen, Saint or Champion, it didn¡¯t matter, most never hesitated in mocking the Fool. He saw himself¡ªthe Fool¡ªtrying to guide his companions on a ship. He saw himself¡ªthe Fool¡ªleading an army of Ravener-spawn, wielding two dungeon cores¡­only to be destroyed by the Heroes, the church and the army of Thameland. He saw himself¡ªthe Fool¡ªstart a successful business after the war had ended, only to be stabbed to death by a rival¡¯s hired thugs in an alleyway, unable to defend himself¡­but, that time, it had been herself. The sense of repeated deaths enveloped him. The Fool had died starving in gutters. The Fool had died freezing in caves. In dungeons, ripped apart, then eaten by Ravener-spawn. Alex could feel every blade, every pang of hunger, every Ravener-spawn fang. His mind began to break. He could barely form a coherent thought; his meditation techniques were all that stopped his sanity from bursting. He clung to consciousness, forcing his eyes back to the image above him. Distantly, he heard Hannah and Carey¡¯s voices calling. The Fool was either going to die, or his soul would collapse. He should stop, but he couldn''t, not now. He¡¯d already damaged the patch; it would bombard him with his own failures, and the failures of every other Fool that it had ever insinuated itself on, right up until he came apart. All he could do was just keep going. ¡®Keep going¡­it''ll work¡­must work¡­¡¯ Thoughts were barely forming. ¡®Have to¡­try to¡­think¡­adapt¡­think¡­adapt¡­¡¯ He focused on the image, gripping the Cage¡¯s controls, pushing the bane scalpels toward the next section of the patch. ¡®There¡­¡¯ he thought, just managing to hook the cutting edges into the Fool¡¯s fibres. He made another incision. More waves of discordance. Relief. Triumph. Complete hatred and pain. And¡ªfor a brief time¡ªthe Mark¡¯s tide of images ceased. Alex Roth, the Fool of Thameland, regained his bearings, looking for the next place to cut. ¡®Not there¡­or there¡­that part¡¯s redundant too! There!¡¯ He hooked the scalpels into the fibres¡ª The jester¡¯s face screamed silently, rage twisting it. A new tide of memories slammed into him, these even worse than the last. In the space of one single heartbeat, Alex was gutted, blinded, crushed, broken and dissected repeatedly, dozens upon dozens of times. He turned his head to the side and threw up. His brain screamed. But the scalpels were already hooked onto the fibres, they incised another one. Another shock ran through him, this one the most intense yet; his entire body locked up, spasming, gagging. New waves fell over him. Feelings of freedom and relief. Triumph and power. Desperate rage, hatred, disdain. But he could take no notice of them. ¡®Where to cut next¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®I have to get the scalpels in before the Mark reacts again. Its attacks are getting worse! Where? Where? There!¡¯ The scalpels pierced his left arm, right through the scar that Burn-Saw had given him. He was hooking the scalpels into the fibres¡­ ¡ªthe Mark struck. Despair gripped him. Streams of death and dying returned, bringing him to the depths of anguish. Failures, both large and small: imprisonment, despair, betrayal¡­all woven together in a perfect blending of torment designed to break his mind. He couldn''t take anymore¡­he couldn¡¯t¡­ ¡®I can¡¯t do this¡­¡¯ his thoughts slowed. ¡®But, I¡­ something¡¯s¡­different. It¡¯s changed! Something¡¯s changed!¡¯ The Mark¡¯s attack came on, more brutal than before; the images increased, becoming more personal. Yet, not as vivid, not as overwhelming as minutes before, they felt more distant, not nearly as fresh, like memories fading with time. He understood what was changing. ¡®It''s getting weaker!¡¯ he thought. ¡®I cut enough fibres to weaken it!¡¯ He immediately cut the next section. The waves came again. Freedom, ease and relief. Triumph, pride and power. Desperate rage, hatred, disdain, contempt¡­and now, fear. In that moment, Alex realised what the waves signified. The feelings of freedom came from his soul, relieved as its bonds were slowly cut away. The feelings of triumph¡­were coming from the original Mark, finally reawakening after all these millennia. And all of that desperate rage and fear? That was the patch. That was the Mark of the Fool. That was Uldar¡¯s will, fighting to keep itself from being destroyed. ¡®I''m damaging it!¡¯ he thought. ¡®If I''m hurting it, that means I''m doing the right thing! That means I can kill it!¡¯ He found the next section well before the Mark¡¯s next attack came, and was already cutting it when a new wave of painful memories hit. This time, the Mark tried to bury his mind in a hundred lifetimes of failures at once, all playing out at the same time. It was determined to stop him, overloading his mindwith failure and shame, forcing his brain to comprehend millennia of memories in the space of an instant. Had the Mark attacked with these images when he¡¯d made his first cut, his mind would''ve broken¡­but those centuries of memories were foggy now. Indistinct. They were present, but not as insistent upon his attention; they could be ignored, he could guide his mind past them. And he did, cutting the next thread. A familiar shock raged through him. Yet, his soul felt free. Uldar¡¯s original Mark roared like a beast almost free from its chains. The Mark of the Fool looked down upon the Fool of Thameland, the hate-filled grin no longer twisting its face, replaced by an expression of sheer terror. The jester¡¯s image was unravelling, dissipating, splitting apart at the seams. ¡®This is it,¡¯ he thought. ¡®The patch¡¯s outline, I can see the difference between it, and the original Mark now! I can cut the last of the fibres all at once!¡¯ Bane scalpels slid into his body, hooking fibres on his soul. He felt them growing taut just before they were severed. Above the operating table, the jester¡¯s face screamed. A memory struck the young Fool of Thameland. In the image he¡­no, she¡­was in this very machine. It was the final memory of Kelda of Clan McCallum, a former Fool of Thameland. She was filled with anger and confusion as she tried to choose where to cut. Her assistants were watching through the bars surrounding her, they were all shouting. Her soul¡¯s energies were collapsing, rupturing. She felt a mind sensing hers in her agony. It was Hannah, connecting through their power. She felt Hannah reaching across space. The Fool felt her friend and could see her coming from her cave. She knew Hannah could see her too as the Saint of Alric was teleporting to her sanctum. She knew her friend would not make it. Kelda looked up, feeling their connection, seeing Hannah. Their eyes locked across the gulf between space. The Fool¡¯s face twisted. Elation died, replaced by anguish. There was nothing she could do. Rage, horror and despair filled the dying Fool of Thameland¡­and beyond that? The deepest, clearest desire for vengeance. Vengeance on the Mark, Uldar and his designs. And like Kelda, Alex was something of a vengeance enthusiast. For a moment he thought of saying¡­of uttering a final, cold pronouncement as he killed the Mark. Instead, he was silent, watching the thing that had killed so many young people just like him, scream. He solidified the image of the original Mark in his mind, naming it: ¡®The Mark of the General.¡¯ Then the Fool of Thameland severed the last fibres. Another shock coursed through his body. Followed by a wave of extraordinary relief. Then a roar of exaltant triumph. And a single, forlorn, dying scream. With an expression of pure joy on his face, Alex watched the jester¡¯s face shatter as the patch frayed, beginning to drift apart. It collapsed, gradually revealing more of his true soul, until¡ªonly the jester¡¯s face¡ªcovered his own. It was disintegrating, passing away like rain before the blazing sun, becoming an indistinct mass. He reached into himself, touching the Traveller¡¯s power, focusing on the ruined patch then teleporting it away, never to touch his soul again. A mass of energy appeared, twitching, covering the image above him. A heartbeat later, it was gone. Alex could finally see himself, joined with the original Mark. A crown burned atop his soul. In one hand, it gripped a sword. In the other, a scroll. The young wizard turned his head toward his right shoulder. The grinning jester''s face was gone, no longer there to plague him. Instead a glowing, golden Mark of a sword atop an unfurled scroll, with the blade¡¯s pommel split like the peaks of a crown, had replaced it. He couldn''t believe it. He didn¡¯t dare to hope. Swallowing, he raised his hand, and touching the mana within himself, Alex spoke an incantation. It was short, but familiar. As familiar as his own name. The words of power meant to conjure forceball poured from his lips. He waited. Yet, no resistance came. For the first time since he''d been branded by the god of Thameland, Alex uttered a spell without meeting interference, no failures clouded his mind, no resistance fought his will. Nothing. Just himself, and the oldest spell he knew. His voice broke as he uttered the last syllable and raised his hand high, conjuring a forceball with a free and easy mind. It winked into being, appearing in a fraction of the time it would have taken with the Fool¡¯s Mark hindering him. It glowed crimson and bright, perhaps the most beautiful magical sight he''d ever seen. Alex Roth wept with joy. And the Fool of Thameland¡ª No. There was no more Fool of Thameland. Alexander Roth of Alric, the General of Thameland, had returned. He set his jaw. ¡°You couldn''t kill me when I could barely defend myself,¡± he whispered, mind on the hidden church. ¡°Now, I¡¯m free, unshackled. Let''s see what I can do to you. It¡¯s time for the General to learn some spells.¡±
In its lair, the Ravener screamed. Chapter 740: Questioning Protocol Deep within its lair, the Ravener was screaming. Loose rock broke apart, rattling, shaking, raining from the ceiling. Its guardians yelped in fear, fleeing from what they feared was its rage. Yet, rage was not what gripped their leader. This time, it was not voicing its rage¡­this time it screamed in confusion, frustration, and horror. Its maker had etched hundreds of protocols into the midnight-black sphere. Every rule was a command and protocol laid down to instruct the black orb with the very framework and foundation of its mind. All decisions, its entire reason for being were to be dictated by them, it was meant to follow them precisely as different situations arose. Simple procedures, designed to guide it in every cycle of every millennia, past, present or future, were laid out for it to react with, according to specific events determined in advance by Uldar. Despite the parameters set by the protocols, the ability to reason was still a part of the construct¡¯s makeup. It had been granted this resource by its maker. How it would execute those protocols was its own decision to make. Most of its daily activities centred on wreaking havoc throughout Thameland and consistently testing the Heroes, while keeping the people in a constant state of fear. It had its purpose and its protocols, and all that it needed to do was execute them in the appropriate way, reacting to given situations. The Ravener was not meant to question protocols, it was meant to execute them. Today, that changed. Today, it had a question. Deep within the construct was a protocol so ancient¡ªactivated just once before¡ªthat the Ravener paused at the idea of using it. But the event that had occurred was supposed to be impossible, and its response would have to be so drastic, that it was left questioning its creator¡¯s intent. The Ravener would have to disrupt the current cycle in a way that even a hundred usurpers could not. Was the action that it was supposed to take what its creator truly intended? It seemed unlikely, even irrational. So, the Ravener wondered. It knew that the only way for a General to be among the Heroes would be if Uldar had changed his plan. It had no desire to disrupt its maker¡¯s plans. And so¡ªfor the first time in millennia¡ªthe Ravener chose not to obey its protocol. It could not perform the required actions unthinkingly and certainly, not yet. Not without confirmation that those actions were the creator¡¯s true will. It understood that once it took the action dictated by this specific event¡­ ¡­there was no turning back. Things would be as they were millennia ago and the Ravener was not sure if¡ªthis time¡ªthe Thameish people would recover. Not without the maker¡¯s help. Would he help them this time? For so many cycles, Uldar had been silent. The Ravener had not been impacted by this. It was content to carry on; it had its in-depth instructions, its purpose and its protocols; all it had to do was follow them. Further input from its creator was not needed, and the construct contentedly followed its role as terrorizer and destroyer, fulfilling its purpose. It would be better to seek confirmation before acting. Only then would it act. As it had done over the millennia, on the rare times that the Ravener needed consultation with its maker, it reached out across its link to Uldar¡¯s mind. It asked the god a simple question: ¡®Are you sure this is what you wish for me to do?¡¯ Silence. Silence hung heavy, as it had for thousands of years, the god no longer replied. No matter. There were other ways. It knew its creator had retreated to his sanctum, and it also knew where to access that sanctum from Thameland. Yet, it could not go there, it could not leave its lair unbidden: this would be a task well-suited to the First Apostle. The human did not have all of the information, but he would know enough to be able to speak to Uldar, and have him reach out to answer the question. Sending a Ravener-spawn to act as a messenger to Uldar¡¯s sanctum would risk giving too much away, if it were noticed by people outside the hidden church. It discounted that idea. It had grown anxious, something it rarely experienced before this current Fool, and it was reluctant to disturb its creator, but the protocol was too drastic to proceed without confirmation. It must be certain. The Ravener reached out for help from the First Apostle of its creator.
¡°Do you know what I don''t get about you mortals?¡± the Stalker asked lightly, juggling two red gems. ¡°A misunderstanding of futility. Sometimes you all look at situations that can be resolved and think they¡¯re futile. Other times, you look at situations that are futile and think they can be resolved! It makes no sense!¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. He shifted to juggling the gems one-handed. ¡°I told you that if you just speak, then all of this stops! You get your lung back, you get a kidney back, you get your leg bones, you get your liver back¡­not to mention these pretty, pretty eyes of yours!¡± The Stalker grinned at the gems in his hand, his eyes returning to the crumbling form before him. The collapsing form of Warder, the thief. What was still intact of the high ranking member of the Guild of the Red Mouse, was trembling. His body resembled a throbbing sack of flesh splayed out on a stony beach, his eyes were no longer in their sockets, his breathing was shallow, almost absent, as he clutched his torso in agony. All around him were the still forms of his bodyguards. None bore a single wound on their bodies, but it was obvious that they had long passed from the world. Along the crashing surf, screeching gulls and skittering crabs feasted on their organs. More carcasses floated on the surface of the icy Irtyshenan sea, and¡ªfurther up the beach¡ªmembers of the secret church stoically watched their fae ally do his grim work. The Stalker juggled the gems faster. Warder shuddered, retching the scant contents of his gut, dribbling green bile down his chin and onto frigid rock. There was little left in the thief''s stomach but slime and air, it wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d vomited since the Stalker had gotten his hands on him. ¡°Disorienting, ain''t it?¡± the fae said. ¡°You can still see out of your eyes, and here I am juggling them, giving them a view that no mortal was ever meant to see. Your sight must be bouncing around all over the place, spinning about, shooting off in two different directions. Must be difficult. But, talking will end all your discomfort! It¡¯ll bring an end to your problems. It''s been days, hasn¡¯t it? Why do you keep holding out?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Warder choked out with the breath from his one lung. ¡°Mmm?¡± the Stalker leaned forward. ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I told you¡­everything¡­¡± the ruined man choked. ¡°We¡¯re looking for our founder¡¯s sanctum. Someone came¡­that has her power¡­we gave him the¡­locations where it should be¡­so he could find it. We were gonna kill him when he did and take¡­the treasures inside¡­¡± The Stalker rolled his eyes. ¡°Please. You dumb bastard, I learned all that from the first one of you I gutted! You expect me to believe that''s all there is to this?¡± His smiles and laughter faded. ¡°Look, I¡¯m hunting a certain quarry, and you already offended me by looking to interfere with what¡¯s supposed to be my kill. I''m tired of these games.¡± ¡°No games¡­¡± Warder gurgled. ¡°Would do anything for pain to stop.¡± ¡°And you expect me to believe that?¡± the Stalker snarled. ¡°When my hounds and I first took you from your bed, you tried putting up some grand fight! And, when that was beaten out of you, it was the silent treatment. You kept up that silent treatment when I took some of your innards, and you didn''t even budge when I got your bodyguards and started to pull them apart. You¡¯re one cold bastard.¡± He shook his head. ¡°It was only after the first couple of days that you finally started talking¡­and then all you told me were lies about ¡®knowing nothing¡¯. Do you even hear those words? Do you ever really think about their meaning? No one knows nothing, you idiot! Even squalling babes know something, even something so simple as that they need to drink their mother¡¯s milk! Your lies changed quick enough, and you spun all sorts of colourful tales.¡± The Stalker reached toward several objects floating beside him. Warder¡¯s organs and bones. He plucked a kidney from the air and began squeezing it. ¡°It was only when I crushed one of them kidneys of yours, that you finally started telling me something close to the truth. It¡¯s funny, but even the toughest of mortals start breaking when I begin doing somepermanent damage. Yet, you still won''t tell me the whole story! I tell you, it''s futile!¡± ¡°I told you¡­every¡­¡± Warder choked. ¡°You couldn''t have,¡± the Stalker snarled. ¡°If you had, I''d know exactly where this sanctum is, or at least, how to get there. So stop. Being. So stubborn.¡± Again, Stalker¡¯s hand squeezed the organ. Warder whimpered. Izas shook his head, watching the gruesome torture. ¡°What a waste of time. Our ally knows mortals, less than half as well as he thinks he does. I''ve witnessed Eldin conduct interrogations and have conducted my own; I know when questioning has crossed a line into common butchery, and I know when a person has been broken and is telling the truth. This ¡®Warder¡¯ broke days ago, the Stalker simply cannot accept it. Holy leader, I¡ª¡± He looked at Gabrian, then paused. ¡°Holy leader?¡± The First Apostle was gazing across the sea, his eyes unfocused, and his expression locked in concentration. He shook himself. ¡°I apologise, Izas, I was occupied.¡± ¡°With what, holy leader?¡± Izas asked. ¡°Have you received some revelation?¡± There was a yearning in the Third Apostle¡¯s voice; he was desperate for any word from their god. This last year had been devastating for the holy church. They had lost their home, failed repeatedly to strike down their enemies, and now they were on an endless hunt, far from the holy kingdom they were meant to shepherd. Any sign that they were on the right path¡ªthat they had not forsaken their duties in some way¡ªwould have been a grand blessing. Izas¡¯ disappointment was immeasurable when the First Apostle shook his head. ¡°No revelation,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°A strange feeling had come over me¡­as though there were thoughts just at the edge of my consciousness, demanding attention. I thought perhaps Uldar or a servant of his was trying to communicate with me¡­but nothing followed.¡± ¡°Then we will just have to be patient,¡± Izas said. ¡°I sense patience growing thin within you, old friend,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°You are troubled.¡± Izas nodded toward the gruesome scene taking place further along the beach. ¡°I am not one to shy away from blood or suffering, as long as it is in Uldar¡¯s name, but this has grown senseless. We are no closer to destroying one of Uldar¡¯s great enemies than we were months ago¡­and yet for a time, I thought we had him. We were tightening the noose around his neck, and he just disappeared. I fear that we will have to return to Thameland with more failure clinging to us. I do not like the feeling of failing our god, holy leader.¡± ¡°Patience,¡± Gabrian advised. ¡°The duties of our order have stretched for thousands of years, and when it comes to such enduring duties, one only fails when one either gives up, loses faith, or dies. We have done none of these. We have not failed our god yet.¡± ¡°Our enemy seems to have some infernal ability to adapt, and strengthen himself,¡± Izas said. ¡°While we wait here, watching our ally engage in senseless butchery, he could be preparing for us even now.¡± ¡°Yet, we are on the right path.¡± He looked back over his shoulder to the island behind him. It was far from where the Fool had searched for the missing sanctum. Deep within a cave a good distance from the beach, was a gateway left by Kelda of Clan McCallum and also used by the Guild of the Red Mouse. Warder had led them there, and the hidden church had taken the portal for their own. ¡°Even now, our priests work to understand how the gate works, even as we defend it from the thieves'' Guild. With time, when we are able to fully understand it, it will lead us to the Fool; I believe Uldar has seen fit to guide us to this place. With the right miracle, we should find a way to this sanctum.¡± ¡°I am sure we will,¡± Izas said. ¡°I cannot help but feel that the situation is growing more dire.¡± ¡°It is, but we shall rise to meet it,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°Do not worry for Thameland. Our realm is old and strong, with Uldar¡¯s eye watching it, it will keep.¡± Falling back into Silence, the two holy men watched the Stalker do his preferred work. Behind them, their priests worked to unlock the secrets of Kelda''s portal.
The Ravener pulled away from the First Apostle¡¯s mind. He was at too great a distance¡ªsomewhere to the east¡ªfrom Thameland for Uldar¡¯s construct to reach him. So it would have to send a messenger. A Ravener-spawn would find the First Apostle by travelling over the roads provided by the Ravener¡¯s newest ally. Chapter 741: The Best News and New Frontiers ¡°Are you dead?¡± Bjorgrund called through the portal to the kitchen. ¡°Would I be able to open the portal if I was dead?¡± Alex called back laughing. The two giants were stooped low, moving through the portal at speed, eager to see the still living young wizard. Alex was not only very much alive, but he was all smiles, dressed, and waiting for them. ¡°Did it work?¡± Birger asked. ¡°Or did you have to stop?¡± Almost giddy with laughter, Alex rolled up his right sleeve, revealing the glowing symbol of a golden crown-sword with a scroll beneath it. ¡°Oh, I think it really did!¡± ¡°Ooooooh! Yes!¡± Bjorgrund shouted, thundering over and clapping Alex on the shoulder. The young wizard was nearly knocked over by the force. Birger stood for a long, silent moment, looking from Alex to Kelda¡¯s glass coffin. ¡°So the Mark of the Fool is gone?¡± ¡°I got rid of the patch,¡± Alex said. ¡°If there¡¯s ever another cycle¡ªand my plan is to kill the Ravener so there won¡¯t be¡ªbut if the worst happens and we don¡¯t kill it, who knows if the next Hero will be a Fool, or a General¡­ but in my case, this Fool is gone. Completely and totally gone!¡± He laughed, patting his shoulder. Birger swallowed and limped over to his old friend¡¯s casket, his flight magic now faded. ¡°You hear that, Kelda?¡± the old giant said, choking up. ¡°You''ve been avenged. Not completely yet, but partly, and that¡¯s a good start. Your work saved another. Can you hear me, my friend? You did it, Kelda, you did it.¡± He placed a hand on the glass. ¡°You did it.¡± Alex smiled gently, standing alongside Bjorgrund, watching the old giant. He slowly lowered his head, closing his eyes. ¡®Hannah? If you can hear me, I want you to know that your good friend did it. She got us ninety percent of the way there, and I got us the final ten. The Fool is gone. You and your power were so important: thank you! Thank you from now till the end of time.¡¯ As he prayed, a deep, warm sensation washed over him, he could have sworn he heard a woman''s happy voice in the distance. She was cheering. ### ¡®Claygon?¡¯ his father''s voice spoke in his mind. The golem¡ªwho''d been standing on the balcony of the villa Alex had rented for his family and watching Shale¡¯s iron constructs patrol the courtyard¡ªnearly jumped in surprise. ¡®Father¡­is that you?¡¯ he asked, though he didn''t have to. He knew his father''s voice would be the only one speaking in his mind, but he wanted to hear him confirm that he was still alive. He wanted to hear his father say that it was him. ¡®It''s me, buddy, I''m okay,¡¯ Alex said, calmly. ¡®Could you do me a favour? Could you get Theresa and Selina for me?¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­father¡­is there¡­good news¡­?¡¯ Claygon asked, hope burning inside him. ¡®Very good news, buddy, very very, good news, but I want to tell you when you¡¯re all together,¡¯ his father said. If an iron golem could cry, Claygon would have already been weeping with relief. ### The Roth family were gathered in the solarium. Claygon stood in the middle of the room, the sunlight shining on his iron form. In front of him were Selina and Theresa, both young women were tense, their expressions a mix of anticipation and dread. They didn¡¯t know why Claygon had called them, only that he''d had news from the sanctum. Brutus sat whimpering beside the huntress, sensing her tension. ¡°What happened?¡± Selina asked. ¡°Is Alex okay?¡± ¡°I know he was in the sanctum, preparing Kelda''s machines, but what happened?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Is he about to start?¡± Claygon contacted his father. ¡®Selina and Theresa¡­are asking if¡­you''re about to start.¡¯ The golem got a sense of surprise through their link. ¡®Wait, you didn''t tell them that I was starting?¡¯ ¡®Not yet¡­¡¯ Claygon said apologetically. ¡®I was so worried, I couldn''t move¡­I have been standing on the balcony since you told me that you were starting the process¡­I was there waiting for you to contact me since then¡­father¡­¡¯ ¡®Okay, well I¡¯d better stop keeping you all waiting, then,¡¯ Alex laughed. ¡®I wish I could tell you all this in person, I wish I could see your faces, but it''s not safe yet. So, you¡¯ll have to relay my words, is that okay?¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­father¡­¡¯ The golem listened as Alex spoke through their link, then repeated his words. ¡®Father says¡­that he finished Kelda''s process¡­he wants us to know¡­that he''s not just alright¡­he wants us to know¡­that he did it¡­he changed the Mark¡­the Mark of the Fool is gone¡­and he has the Mark of the General¡­¡¯ Several moments of silence passed in the sunny solarium before Claygon, Theresa and Selena began screaming with joy. ¡°He did it!¡± The young girl jumped up and down. ¡°He did it! He did it! He did it! He did it!¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. ¡°By the gods! By the Traveller! He''s free, he''s actually free!¡± Theresa shouted. Claygon¡¯s cry of joy echoed through the villa, no doubt alerting the Lu¡¯s that something good was happening. Theresa would soon be sharing that good news with them, grateful that it wasn¡¯t otherwise. She¡¯d been afraid¡­terrified of what Claygon would say, of what she¡¯d have to tell her parents, brothers and friends, but now, she had the best news ever to share with them, and she was happy. ¡°So what happens now?¡± she asked. ¡°What does the Mark of the General do?¡± Claygon asked his father the question. ¡®I don''t know what it does yet. But, I''ll be testing it soon,¡¯ Alex said. ¡®I already cast forceball without any interference. It was amazing, I felt so free! So, next I¡¯ll be trying more spells. Lots and lots of spells. I want to see what this Mark can do.¡¯ ### Alex was used to struggling. From the time he was a youngster, he¡¯d dealt with it. His parents had died tragically, he¡¯d worked for a tyrant in Thameland, he¡¯d fought the Mark every time he wanted to cast a spell. Struggle was a regular part of his life, especially since he¡¯d been Marked as the Fool. No matter how far he''d advanced in wizardry, no matter what solutions he¡¯d been forced to find to be able to fight, and no matter how much he¡¯d grown in power, the Mark was always there. A constant obstacle that had both hindered and helped, though rarely in equal measure. It had brought good things and new skills to his life, while also bringing debilitating limits that at worst, could one day get him killed. Those limits were constantly there, making sure he never forgot that he¡¯d always be chained to Uldar¡¯s will. Now, though? Now, they were gone. It felt strange. Oddly enough, like something was missing. He¡¯d grown accustomed to expecting a backlash when he tried to spellcast, like how a child would flinch at the sight of a cruel sibling. But, he¡¯d quickly learned there was no backlash coming, he could freely cast spells. Alexander Roth, the General of Thameland, stood in Kelda''s sanctum¡ªin one of its many empty, trapped rooms¡ªcasting spells. He cast spell after spell without flinching or stopping. ¡°Is this what it¡¯s been like for everyone else?¡± His laughter rolled through the large room. ¡°Has it really been this easy? Let''s try forcedisk!¡± Speaking a rapid incantation, the spell array completed and the magic circuit formed. A perfect forcedisk appeared before him. ¡°Look at that!¡± he cried. ¡°How long was that¡­damn, I wish I¡¯d brought my old notebooks so I could compare how fast I am now with my speed before! I think I did that in less than a heartbeat! Okay, what¡¯s next, maybe¡­ Wizard¡¯s Hand!¡± Alex uttered the incantation with ease, with no interference. Where the Mark of the Fool would have protested, the Mark of the General was silent. A beautiful comfortable silence. Again, in less than a heartbeat, a force magic spell appeared before him. A crimson glowing Wizard¡¯s Hand. Alex roared with giddy laughter that echoed through the room. ¡°By the Traveller, that was so easy!¡± he shouted. ¡°How the hells long did it take me to learn that spell? Weeks? And here I am casting it like nothing! It¡¯s almost as easy as breathing! Okay, another, another! Oh, I know what!¡± He rubbed his hands together. ¡°Let¡¯s try a summoning spell: with the Traveller¡¯s power I could summon pretty fast, even though I had the Mark of the Fool. How fast will I be now?¡± Taking a deep breath, he picked a first-tier summoning spell: Summon Small Water Elemental. He began the incantation. The Traveller¡¯s power flared. He hadn''t finished all the words when the magic circuit completed. Bubbles appeared suddenly. The little water elemental was frozen with surprise¡ªsurprised at being abruptly pulled from the elemental plane. It seemed to be trying to understand what had just happened. ¡°Hi there,¡± Alex said softly. ¡°It''s me.¡± Bubbles burbled. ¡°Been a while, hasn''t it?¡± he said lightly. ¡°I hope you''re doing well¡ªOh! You''re a little bigger aren''t you? My, my look at you. Soon I''ll need a second-tier spell to summon you.¡± The water elemental rolled over to the young wizard, who reached into his bag for a haste potion, unstoppering it, and pouring it into Bubbles. The little elemental bubbled happily, drinking the potion down. ¡®Very good, very good! A potion for a growing elemental. I guess we''re both growing, though only figuratively for me,¡± he grinned. ¡°Alright¡­what¡¯s next¡­ah!¡± He remembered one of the spells that had been a big source of exasperation for him. Protective Force Weapon. It was one of the most difficult spells he¡¯d had to learn when he was in first year force magic in Professor Ram¡¯s class. The Mark had protested, not only because he was practising spellcraft, but the spell conjured weapons, even if they were only meant to deflect strikes, not hit anyone. To solve the problem, Alex had modified the spell array so it would conjure deflective force rectangles instead; they were a strange shape¡ªand looked a bit ridiculous¡ªbut they¡¯d gotten the job done. Now, would he be able to cast the spell properly? As it was meant to be cast? He thought back to the guide for Protective Force Weapon, focusing the Mark of the General on the task of remembering the words in the guide. He felt a rush of power from his new Mark, images appeared before him. Like before, he saw every success he¡¯d had while memorising the spell¡­ ¡­but there was a notable difference. The Mark of the Fool would have shown his successes, pointing out exactly what he¡¯d done right over his multiple attempts at learning Protective Force Weapon. However, the Mark of the General also showed him his failures when it was trying to help him. They were organised carefully in his mind, showing him exactly what he did wrong, and how to avoid it next time. Alex''s jaw dropped. He pumped his fists in excitement. ¡°This is even more powerful than the Fool was! You get all the benefits of focusing on your successes, and all the benefits of learning from your failures! This is incredible!¡± He thought about what he¡¯d just learned, thinking carefully. ¡°So that''s what you did, Uldar. To make the Mark of the Fool, you put a patch on the General to turn one of its benefits into an obstacle. Instead of failures being used to help teach, the Fool used someone¡¯s failures to stop them from doing spellcraft, combat or divinity. Instead of adding a new limiter, you just had the patch change a function the General already had.¡± The young wizard crossed his arms. ¡°I''d be impressed if I wasn''t so pissed off.¡± He sighed. ¡°I have to admit it, the Mark of the General is beautifully designed. With it, you have to analyse both failure and success to get better at something. If it''s all failures, you won''t know which direction you need to go in to improve. If it''s all successes, then you don''t know where you made your mistake, and where you can still improve. Focusing only on failures leads to despair, but focusing only on successes can lead to stagnation in time, unless you keep purposefully experimenting, like I do.¡± Alex thought carefully. ¡°So the Mark of the General is an even better learning tool than the Mark of the Fool was; the Generals of the past must have mastered dozens of skills. Maybe hundreds¡­they should¡¯ve been the scholar-kings of their day. Yet, there''s no record of them in any history book¡­I bet Uldar had something to do with that. When this is done, I really need to go back to his sanctum and see if there''s anything we missed.¡¯ The young wizard cracked his knuckles. ¡°Anyway, that''s a later problem. Right now, it''s time to cast Protective Force Weapon. After that, I''ll see how easy it is to cast spells I¡¯ve learned in every tier. Once I¡¯m done that¡­¡± He looked at the pile of spell-guides from Brightfire, and another object beside them: The Traveller¡¯s sword. ¡°...it''ll be time to try things I couldn''t dream of trying when I had the Mark of the Fool, and learn what the limits of the Mark of the General are.¡± Chapter 742: Learning New Limits Bubbles burbled softly, watching its summoner work magic. Alex cast Protective Force Weapon as easily as he had Wizard¡¯s Hand, and just like that, crimson swords appeared, rotating around him, shielding his body. He stood wide eyed, grinning, shocked at what he¡¯d just done. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this, I can actually make force construct weapons!¡± his voice awestruck. ¡°I remember sitting in Ram¡¯s class, watching him cast this exact spell with a twitch of an eyebrow, thinking I was never gonna be able to do it. But here I am, doing the very same thing.¡± Force construct swords shifted positions, seeming far more intimidating than his force rectangles ever had. ¡°I''ll start looking like a proper battle wizard, soon,¡± he laughed. ¡°Now, let¡¯s see what happens with higher-tier spells. I think I¡¯ll start with Call Through Ice since it was the very first second-tier spell I ever learned. Makes it kind of fitting.¡± Alex spoke to the little water elemental, ¡°I¡¯ve got something for you,¡± he said, taking a potion bottle from his satchel and casting Call through Ice: before the final syllable had left his mouth, the potion had already teleported to the water elemental. Bubbles was happily gulping it down. ¡°Good, that was easy,¡± Alex said. ¡°Maybe we should try a harder second-tier spell next, something like: Summon Elemental Beetle Swarm.¡± Once again¡ªbefore the incantation was finished¡ªthe Traveller¡¯s power flared; scores of buzzing elemental beetles surrounded him. He dismissed them. ¡°At this speed, I could summon monsters as fast as an opponent could swing a weapon once,¡± Alex¡¯s mind was on fire with possibilities. ¡°I wonder if casting spells will be slower at higher-tiers?¡± He focused on one of Isolde¡¯s favourite spells: one he¡¯d built into his staff. ¡°Time to fly,¡± he whispered, casting flight magic on himself. With a few quick words, he felt his weight ease¡­in the blink of an eye, he was in the air. ¡°This is amazing!¡± he cried, looping through the room. ¡°No staff, no potions! This is all me! I can''t believe I was missing out on this! Maybe I should try¡­a third-tier summoning spell next. Why not? Yeah, let¡¯s just do it: it was the first creature I summoned at third-tier¡­unfortunately.¡± He uttered a few syllables. A floating orb of light appeared before him. ¡°Greetings, mortal!¡± a voice like tinkling bells said. ¡°How are things with you? Is it daytime? It seems quite dark. Are we in a dungeon, mortal? Is this mortal planning to enslave me? Do not do that, mortal¡ª¡± The lantern celestial paused. ¡°Wait, me remember you!¡± it cried in its celestial tongue. ¡°You is the stupid mortal! You is the one with stupid mind and bad language! You will enslave me¡ª¡± With a thought, Alex banished the lantern celestial back to the upper planes. ¡°Well, that was unpleasant. Seems things haven¡¯t changed.¡± He muttered, floating in the centre of the room. ¡°But, calling it so quickly, shows me that even third-tier summoning spells take no time for me to cast now. Wonder if greater force armour should be next, or should I just go right to fourth-tier spells? You know what? I¡¯d better try greater force armour to see if I can cast that one quickly. If I can, it¡¯ll mean that if it breaks during a battle¡ªI could just recast it and keep fighting.¡± Alex instantly cast the third-tier spell, sheathing himself in red force magic; the armour turned invisible a moment later. ¡°Yeah, I could definitely recast it mid-fight with this speed. Alright, on to fourth-tier.¡± With a few syllables and a flare of mana, he conjured a friendly, familiar, celestial fox. ¡°My, my.¡± She appeared before him. ¡°It has been quite some time, my summoner.¡± Alex had missed that cheeky purr. ¡°I agree, it has been a long time, hasn''t it?¡± ¡°It most certainly has! The last time you summoned me, I was stuffed with all kinds of goodies.¡± She stretched languidly, looking at him with a twinkle in her eye. ¡°Please tell me I''m here so you can feed me again. You look like you''re in high spirits: that means, you¡¯re going to stuff me with sweets, right?¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°I wish I''d summon you for something fun; There has been a lot to celebrate lately¡­well, not lately exactly. Let''s just say things have been really bad, but now they''re really good. So, as soon as I get a chance, I''ll be giving you all the sweets you can eat.¡± ¡°Hmmmm, I''ll hold you to that, my summoner. So what am I to do, then?¡± she asked. ¡°You could just relax, I''m only testing spells right now. The fact you''re here is good enough,¡± he said. ¡°Easiest duty I''ve had in a long time: fine by me.¡± She moved beside Bubbles, yawned, stretched, and laid down, curling into a ball. Alex made a mental note to feed her lots of goodies when he got back to Generasi, whenever that might be. ¡°The next summons likes treats that are a bit more exotic than baked goods.¡± He shuddered. Summon Hellchainer¡ªa fifth-tier spell¡ªwas no more difficult than conjuring the other monsters. With a few syllables, the chained dark spirit appeared, causing the celestial fox to sniff with disgust from where she lay. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Am I here to cause pain?¡± the Hellchainer asked. ¡°What delicious pain will we inflict?¡± ¡°Your presence is giving me pain,¡± Alex heard the celestial fox mutter. If the Hellchainer cared, he gave no indication. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be causing pain soon enough,¡± the young wizard promised. ¡°But for now, I¡¯ll see you next time.¡± ¡°I hope the next time you have pain waiting for me,¡± the creature cooed, distastefully. Alex dismissed the monster, trying to keep his mind from dwelling on the unpleasant spirit. He considered the fifth-tier spell, mulling it over in his mind. Something was odd. ¡°The higher-tier spells are taking more mana than the lower-tier ones, but they¡¯re not any harder to cast. Casting a fifth-tier summoning spell is just about as fast as a first-tier. I know higher tiers take longer for my friends to cast, so what''s going on? What does this mean?¡± Was the Mark of the General helping him? He touched the new Mark on his right shoulder. ¡°I don''t feel anything unusual coming from it¡­but I don''t know what its powers are. Maybe it makes spellcraft easier in a way I haven¡¯t noticed?¡± He frowned, thinking about that. ¡°I don''t know¡­Uldar designed each Mark with a purpose in mind, and he made it clear exactly how each Mark fulfilled that purpose. A hidden ability doesn''t really seem to be his thing.¡± The young wizard frowned. ¡°I think I''m missing something, but for now, I''ll keep casting. I¡¯ll try sixth-tier, and after that, I can test out a couple of theories. Let''s see if sixth-tier is any harder.¡± It was not. Effortlessly, a celestial dire tiger appeared before Alex. The powerful spell drained more mana than the fifth-tier had, but that was the only difference, casting the spell had been just as quick and easy. The celestial dire tiger was the same one he¡¯d originally conjured, it watched him, blinking in surprise. ¡°You have brought me here faster than in our first encounter. Much faster.¡± ¡°True, I did, didn''t I?¡± Alex said, deep in thought, his brow furrowed. That nagging feeling was growing. ¡°I''m definitely missing something here. Even with the Traveller¡¯s power, I didn¡¯t think summoning such powerful spells would be thiseasy! Time to move to another test since I proved how easy it is for me to cast the different spell tiers¡­¡± He¡¯d planned on seeing how long it would take to learn fireball next, but that nagging feeling wouldn¡¯t go away, instead, he decided to focus on it. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll cast greater force armour to see if the Mark of the General will help me directly with spellcraft.¡± He said. Alex focused the Mark on one task, casting the spell. He uttered the words. Nothing changed. It was still effortless, and the Mark didn¡¯t flood his mind with images of successes and failures to help him with the magic. Force armour swirled around him, as it had before. ¡°So it doesn''t help with spellcraft¡­which probably means it doesn''t help with combat or divinity either¡­¡± he said. ¡°Something still feels wrong, though. The Mark of the Fool never helped me with spellcraft either, but casting higher-tier spells seems tons easier and faster for me than it is for Khalik, Thundar, or even Isolde. And they¡¯re not exactly weak wizards¡­they''re great!¡± Biting his lip in concentration, the General of Thameland folded his hands behind his back, pacing back-and-forth. ¡°If the General¡¯s Mark wasn''t supporting me somehow, then casting those spells shouldn''t be so easy. If anything, I should be a little worse at it than most other wizards because I learned my spells while fighting the Mark¡­of¡­the¡­Fool¡­¡± He stopped dead in his tracks. For at least five heartbeats, Alex stood frozen in place. His eyes finally moved, drifting to the ceiling, as a conversation with Baelin returned. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller¡­¡± he murmured. He¡¯d gone to Baelin when he¡¯d first summoned Bubbles; it was the first time the Traveller¡¯s power had helped him with a summoning spell, and conjuring the little water elemental had stunned him with how easy it had been. At the time, he¡¯d wondered if the Traveller¡¯s power was entirely responsible for how easy it had been for him to cast the spell. An amused smile had crooked Baelin¡¯s lips before he¡¯d responded with: ¡°No, I do not think so. Not completely.¡± ¡°Then¡­what is it?¡± Alex had asked. ¡°Instead of answering, I will ask you these questions: what is the source of ingenuity? From what does creative thinking arise? Why are new roads of knowledge paved at all? Let me put it another way.¡± Baelin had nodded at Claygon ¡°Why did you decide to bet everything you had on building Claygon? What spurred you to do that?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± Alex had said. ¡°I needed to have a way to defend myself in case the Ravener or another mana vampire attacked me. Early in first year I was pretty defenceless, so I kinda needed a bodyguard.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Baelin had stood a little taller, the twinkle of amusement growing in his eyes. ¡°Would you say you would have built Claygon had you not needed to defend yourself?¡± Alex thought about it. ¡°No¡­I probably wouldn¡¯t have, actually, even if I¡¯d gotten the dungeon core substance under different circumstances. Uh, no offence, Claygon. I kinda pushed to analyse it because I was worried about Thameland¡­and myself. If I didn¡¯t have stuff hanging over me and I¡¯d found out about its properties, I probably would¡¯ve used it to make something else¡­or maybe just waited until a higher year before using it.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Baelin had nodded. ¡°So you analysed the dungeon core specifically out of a need, and built Claygon out of that same need. Due to those decisions, you sparked an expedition that might lead to a revolution of sorts. Now, analyse your successes today. You had a personal revolution. What might have occurred¡ªaside from the help you received from that power¡ªthat would result in you having this breakthrough? What necessity and choices lead to this?¡± ¡°Necessity¡­¡± Alex muttered. ¡°Necessity¡­innovation¡­stagnation¡­¡± He was close, he could feel it The young wizard remembered more of his conversation with the chancellor. ¡°I thought about what I do differently from most wizards I know¡ªmaybe I¡¯m wrong here¡ªbut I seem to pay a lot more attention to a magic circuit¡¯s construction than other wizards do,¡± Alex had said to the ancient wizard, pulling out diagrams he¡¯d made as learning aids for himself: the drawings broke down magic circuits of different spells into their functional components. He¡¯d cross-referenced those components with other magic circuits that served similar functions. Among the diagrams were particular notes focusing on the sections of summoning spells responsible for reaching other planes. ¡°And I take it that the notes your young friends take do not focus on such details of magic circuitry?¡± Baelin had asked. ¡°Young friends¡­¡± the General of Thameland muttered. ¡°Other wizards¡­¡± ¡°No, not so much,¡± Alex had answered. ¡°Like, they do take notes on them, but they¡¯re not this detailed. They don¡¯t need to be for them to learn new spells. Now, Isolde¡¯s notes do come close, and Thundar took some careful notes on the exact structure of Disguise Self when he wanted to modify it for me, but those are exceptions. Like I said, they don¡¯t have to go into as much detail to learn a spell as I do.¡± He¡¯d paused. ¡°You know¡­back when I was experimenting with the Mark, I discovered that it helped me train the efficiency of my breathing and running. Most folks know how to breathe and run, but by focusing on the details¡ªwhich most people don¡¯t even consider¡ªthe Mark showed me how to breathe and run more efficiently.¡± ¡°You¡¯re nearly there,¡± Baelin had said, smiling proudly. ¡°And I''m nearly there again,¡± Alex muttered to himself. ¡°It feels like that conversation¡¯s guiding me now. As if what Baelin was trying to teach me then, also applies to the Mark of the General.¡± Even now¡ªafter being gone for so long¡ªthe ancient wizard was helping him. Helping him unlock the Mark¡¯s secrets. Chapter 743: The Past Weaving into New paths Alex remembered more of his conversation with the ancient chancellor of Generasi. ¡°So¡­¡± he¡¯d said. ¡°The Mark obstructs my thoughts when I¡¯m learning and casting spells, so I need to pay a lot more attention to every single detail of every spell I learn. That¡¯s the ¡®necessity¡¯ part you were talking about: the part that creates discoveries. The more comfortable I am with every detail of my spells, the higher my chances are of casting them without a disaster happening. Most wizards don¡¯t have to do that, so I¡¯ve got a necessity that others don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Keep going.¡± Baelin had run his hand through his beard braids, watching Alex intently. ¡°And¡­¡± The Thameish wizard had continued thinking his way toward a conclusion. ¡°Because I have to focus on details since it¡¯s so hard for me to learn new spells, I¡¯ve modified a bunch of the ones I¡¯ve already learned. Like forceball: I made it stronger by pouring more mana into it. I¡¯m guessing most wizards don¡¯t bother with that either?¡± ¡°They do not,¡± the ancient wizard had said. ¡°Time and energy spent modifying a spell like forceball can be more efficiently spent learning a more powerful spell that accomplishes the same purpose, but to greater effect once your skill and mana have both grown enough to master it. Your modifications to forceball are impressive in a sense, but do not represent an improvement or a revolutionary change to wizardry. You did make forceball better in every way: but to strengthen it, you have to use more mana when casting the spell. For most wizards, such a use of extra mana would be considered a waste; they could instead channel that mana into a more powerful, effective spell. That¡¯s the case for most wizards.¡± ¡°But not for me,¡± Alex had said. ¡°You know, back in first year Professor Jules said that alchemy wasn¡¯t as popular as other disciplines of wizardry because other disciplines accomplish what alchemy can without all the expensive ingredients, equipment and careful training you need to be an alchemist. Just an example off the top of my head, it¡¯s a lot easier and more efficient to learn spells of body enhancement rather than bothering to make potions of body enhancement.¡± ¡°And wizards value power and efficiency,¡± Baelin had agreed. ¡°Power and efficiency.¡± Alex said to himself, pacing back-and-forth in front of the celestial fox and Bubbles. They watched him curiously. ¡°The other Marks, exemplify power, and efficiency. The Champion increases strength, speed and toughness, while giving one all the previous battle skills of past Champions. The Sage increases the power of spells and gives one an enormous mana pool. The Saint grants a direct connection to Uldar¡¯s divine power. And the Chosen is given lesser versions of all three of the other Marks¡¯ gifts.¡± Like Baelin, Alex ran his hand along his scraggly beard while thinking, making a mental note that he needed a shave. ¡°They¡¯re straightforward, powerful, efficient, and perfect for killing Ravener-spawn. That''s all there is to it, right? they make fighting monsters easy¡­wait¡­¡± Frowning, he shook his head. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong here¡­I''m still missing something. Fighting Ravener-spawn¡­easy¡­easy¡­easy¡­¡± Repeating the word reminded him of more of his conversation with Baelin. ¡°But I can¡¯t take the easy way, so I had to come up with all these strategies and techniques to help me learn and cast spells while contending with the Mark.¡± He¡¯d said at the time. ¡°So¡­then I get into summoning magic, which this power helps me out with. Suddenly, a big part of the magic circuit¡¯s taken care of for me, which means I don¡¯t have to struggle with as much of the spell array as I normally would. So then¡ªwhen I apply all the strategies I had to come up with¡ªI end up learning the spell faster than someone who didn¡¯t have to bother with learning all the nitty gritty details of magic circuits and spell arrays!¡± A grin had broken out on Baelin¡¯s goat-like face. ¡°And this is why I enjoy having you as a student, Alex. And yes, that is what my theory is. You have had to focus so much of your efforts on how to learn spellcraft in the face of adversity, that you are far more equipped for the learning process than the average wizard. A good example¡­hmmm¡­have you ever met someone who is blind, Alex?¡± The young man had shaken his head. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t.¡± ¡°I have many times,¡± Baelin had said. ¡°We humanoids are visual creatures: normally we process the world through our eyes. Our ears, nose, taste and sense of touch are all secondary to the information that our eyes grant us. If say Thundar were to describe Sir Sean Swift to you, he could likely speak of his height, the thinness of his build, the paleness of his skin, and the grey in his hair. If he did not mention how the man sounded, then you might not think anything of it, despite the fact that he left out an entire sense in describing him. If he described the man¡¯s scent, you might think your friend a little strange for noticing such things¡­unless of course Sir Swift had a strong aversion to bathing.¡± ¡°Well, Thundar¡¯s got a really sharp nose.¡± Alex had tapped the side of his nose. ¡°Because he¡¯s a minotaur. Now if Isolde started telling me how Sir Swift smelled, then I might start asking questions. But¡­I think I get what you¡¯re saying. We focus so much on sight¡­but what happens when we have to rely entirely on another sense to get most of our information about the world?¡± ¡°The answer is that you pay more attention to that sense,¡± Baelin had said. ¡°Without sight to distract one from sound, all of one¡¯s attention is focused upon what they hear. Aspects of voice, melody, and other bits of sound suddenly become far more obvious when one mostly has information of that nature to sift through. It is the same with you, you pay attention to aspects of spellcraft that most do not focus on because they do not have to.¡± This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Whereas without the Mark, all that time I spent learning how to learn, would¡¯ve probably been spent memorising more spells,¡± Alex had said. ¡°And on the other hand, the Mark cuts way down on the time I need to learn literally anything else¡­¡± ¡°¡­and thus you have the time to focus on aspects of spellcraft that most other wizards do not. Thus, you have developed a skill and method of learning spells that¡ªwhile labour intensive at first¡ªlets you efficiently learn magic once you have mastered it.¡± ¡°And, and!¡± Alex had said, growing more excited. ¡°The more control I gave over to the power when I was casting Summon Small Water Elemental, the more I stopped overcompensating when I didn¡¯t need to! ¡®Cuz I exert too much control in order to counteract the Mark.¡± ¡°Indeed. So, in situations where the Mark is not a factor, you can release some control, thus removing wasted effort and upping your efficiency,¡± Baelin finished. ¡°It is not simply the power that helped you learn this spell so quickly, Alex. It is the combination of this power¡¯s aid, your hard work, and attention to aspects of spellcraft most take for granted, that afforded this breakthrough. You have a very interesting path ahead of you.¡± ¡°So the main reason why these spells are so easy now, is because I no longer have to overcompensate for the Fool,¡± Alex said out loud. ¡°I needed to develop an excessive amount of control over creating a spell array to compensate for the Mark¡­out of necessity¡­¡± He felt close to something. Very close. Another conversation came back to him. Not with Baelin, but a more recent one, with Professor Val¡¯Rok. ¡°When one studies history, especially the history of technological or magical development,¡± the lizard wizard began. ¡°It can be tempting to see it as a linear pattern of discovery that eventually culminates in modern knowledge. Millennia ago, mortals used sticks and stones to hunt beasts for meat. Then one day, someone develops bronze, which spreads, and soon, everyone is using bronze. We had no boats, then one day someone invents a boat, the knowledge spreads, then everyone has boats.¡± He¡¯d continued. ¡°Well, the thing about discovery is that it¡¯s not linear. It appears so when looking back, but it¡¯s not. Take boats for instance. It¡¯s likely that boats weren¡¯t invented by one person and then spread, it¡¯s more likely that boats were invented all across the world¡ªcompletely separately¡ªby different cultures. Someone from every civilization near water probably looked at the sea at some point and said, ¡°huh, how do I cross that?¡± ¡°So different people tried to solve the same problem and came up with similar answers, but only the most popular answers got recorded in textbooks?¡± Alex had asked. ¡°Precisely!¡± Val¡¯Rok had clapped. ¡°For simplicity¡¯s sake, you see, that¡¯s not really taught in first or second year, and only touched upon in fourth year. Students need to learn the foundations of modern wizardry before they begin exploring similar, often half-finished methods that were condemned to the graveyard of history.¡± ¡°And those mana manipulation techniques¡­¡± Alex had squinted at Uldar¡¯s notes. ¡°You think they¡¯re similar to some of our modern techniques, but approach problems slightly differently?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the professor had said. ¡°At least that¡¯s my theory from just a cursory examination: most of the symbols in this method seem to have been invented by the alchemist who crafted it, so I can¡¯t be one hundred percent certain. But that¡¯s what it looks like to me. The problem with techniques like these is that they use a slightly different methodology to accomplish similar goals, but modern alchemy is built on the methods that we already know well. Therefore, most advanced mana manipulation techniques would be largely incompatible with an old, dead-end theory such as this.¡± Alex pursed his lips in thought. ¡°So, when Uldar was making the Ravener, he ran into limits; alchemy had only advanced so far in his time. To compensate for that, he invented entirely new branches of alchemy¡ªfusing it with divinity¡ªand created processes that wouldn''t be discovered by other alchemists for thousands of years. So Uldar wasn¡¯t only a thinker: he was a leader, a problem solver, basically an innovator.¡± The young wizard thought back to his years at the church school. ¡°He also valued knowledge: he called for his church to set up schools all over Thameland and had his priests teach the population how to read and write, do arithmetic, learn history, and other things. He clearly valued knowledge both for himself, and for his people.¡± Alex could feel it. He could feel the answer, right on the tip of his brain. ¡°The other Marks are all straightforward,¡± the Thameish wizard said. ¡°Or are they¡­and even if they are, what would Uldar¡ªa god, who values knowledge, discovery, and problem-solving¡ªwant from his General?¡± As he spoke, he remembered something else. A memory from long ago. Something Baelin had said in the Art of the Wizard in Combat; before his class¡¯ first test to determine who would qualify for COMB-1000. ¡°No, you will be safe from that threat. My expectation for you today is not to destroy every threat you meet,¡± Baelin had said. ¡°It is to test your judgement and basic ability to adapt. Evaluate your obstacles. Cross difficult ground at speed using magic and wit. Defeat what you should. Avoid what you can. The challenge today is not easy, but not impossible. If you cannot overcome this, then there are other courses at the university that I might recommend before trying your hand at COMB-1000 again. This course is rigorous. Its learning curve is steep. Finding that you are not ready today is better than discovering it three months from now when the challenges are far more perilous.¡± The answer struck Alex like one of Claygon¡¯s fists. What had fuelled cultures to find a solution to how to build a boat? Need and necessity. What had forced him to learn to master the details of a spell array? Need and necessity. Need. Necessity. What would happen if people didn''t have a need to cross the water? Would anyone have invented boats? Would he have mastered the details of spell arrays, if he hadn¡¯t been limited by the Mark of the Fool? ¡°The answer is no,¡± he said with certainty. ¡°Without the need to compensate, I would''ve been just like every other wizard. And what''s the one thing I developed because of those limits?¡± What had gotten him through his life when fire had taken his parents? It was the same thing that Baelin said was the basic requirement for those in the Art of the Wizard in Combat: Adaptability. ¡°Uldar adapted when alchemy wasn''t developed enough for his needs¡­¡± he thought. ¡°Maybe that''swhat he wanted from his General. Adaptability.¡± He thought about all of the Marks, including the General¡¯s. ¡°Maybe none of them are as straightforward as I once thought¡­¡± His eyes widened. ¡°...not when it comes to reaching their full potential.¡± If he was right, then the Mark of the General would help him with spellcraft and combat¡ªin a much more interesting way than he¡¯d anticipated. If he was right, he was finally understanding how the Heroes were supposed to work. Not individually, but¡­ Symbiotically. Chapter 744: Skills Outside Spellcraft ¡°The Marks aren''t straightforward, they just appear that way!¡± Alex Roth cried, his mind was ablaze, like he was reaching new levels of understanding he¡¯d never known before. Everything he¡¯d learned seemed to have been for this moment. This revelation. His mind began considering the Marks. ¡°Each Mark has a power that helps with its role, but there are inefficient ways to use them, and better ways to use them, ways that maximise their potential!¡± he said out loud. ¡°If I look at them individually¡­¡± An image of the Champion¡ªof Hart Redfletcher¡ªcame to mind. ¡°The Champion¡¯s Mark gives him supernatural strength, speed, and toughness, as well as equips him with the skills of all previous Champions: from the time he got that Mark he became a supremewarrior¡­¡± Alex mused. ¡°But if the Mark isn¡¯t filled with more techniques, the Champion stagnates! He¡¯s better if he¡¯s not just content with using what previous Champions learned, he has to learn new techniques and skills in order to enhance the abilities of future Champions! If he doesn¡¯t, the next Champions won¡¯t be stronger in all ways! And that strength¡­¡± He thought about the blood magic ritual he¡¯d used to enhance Hart. ¡°Greater strength, toughness, and stamina means that a person can train their body to higher limits! The Mark made him stronger than he already was, but the process I used, enhanced his body further¡ªand he was able to endure the transformation because he was already so tough!¡± Alex made a fist. ¡°The wrong way to use the Champion is to treat it like a static boost of power and skill; it''s actually a foundation that shows its true power, if you build on it! A Champion has to train and keep adding new techniques beyond what their Mark gives them!¡± Alex paused, "Okay, so how does this apply to the Sage¡­¡± The image of Drestra of Crymlyn Swamp came to his mind. ¡°The Sage grants that Hero a vast mana pool and enhances the power of their spells, but it doesn''t teach them any spells!¡± he said, growing more excited. Alex remembered fantasising about getting the Mark of the Sage back when he and his family visited Port Mausarr. ¡°Back then I could see myself casting an entire storm of forceballs, since I didn''t know any other spells!¡± He shook his head. ¡°What a waste of the Sage¡¯s Mark that would have been! The power of a Mark isn¡¯t meant to just enhance some basic spells you already know, it''s to grant the Hero the power and magical endurance to both learn new spells, and how to apply them in strategic ways!¡± He slapped his forehead. ¡°But the Sage¡¯s Mark doesn''t tell you to do that! You''d have to figure that all out on your own¡­so what about the Saint, then. Does the same thing apply there?¡± The image of the Saint¡ªMerzhin¡ªcame to Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°The Saint¡¯s Mark gives that Hero a direct connection to Uldar, granting them a massive amount of power¡­but it doesn''t teach them about faith, the creative applications of divinity, or how to strengthen the soul!¡± He returned to pacing back-and-forth, his hands gesticulating wildly. ¡°I don''t know much about divinity, but I¡¯d guess that a Saint who explores how to use their miracles, would be a lot more effective than one who just mindlessly heals their companions! But what about Cedric? What about the Chosen?¡± The image of Cedric of Clan Duncan came to mind. ¡°So the Chosen¡¯s Mark gives him lesser versions of the other ones¡ªstrength and experience in combat, like the Champion, powerful mana like the Sage, and a connection to Uldar like the Saint¡ªmaking the recipient a pretty devastating combatant¡­¡± He licked his lips. ¡°But the Chosen¡¯s Mark doesn''t tell the bearer how to combine those disciplines effectively! There''s a big difference between a Chosen who just swings their sword and then stops to cast a spell, then stops again to use a miracle¡­and one who uses their gifts to give themselves openings to use their spellcrafting to enhance their fighting ability while using divinity to heal and enhance their bodies.¡± He licked his lips again. ¡°It¡¯s far more effective for a Chosen to use spellcraft, divinity, and combat synergistically, rather than individually. But the Mark of the Chosen doesn''t teach how to do that! None of them teach the Heroes how to maximise their potential¡­so who or what is supposed to teach them?¡± An answer instantly came to mind. ¡°The Heroes would need a leader, one who could not only teach them how to work together in battle, but also how to maximise their gifts. They would need a leader who could think creatively and adaptively.¡± He reached for his right shoulder, touching the Mark of the General. ¡°A sword above a scroll¡­battle and knowledge coming together¡­what if the General was supposed to teach the others how to think creatively and adaptively?¡± He was so close, he could feel it. ¡°And how would it do that?¡± Alex wondered out loud. ¡°If it simply showed you your own success to improve spellcraft, divinity, and combat¡­then you could very easily fall into a rigid way of doing things; a General like that couldn''t effectively teach the other Heroes how to strategize and maximise their Marks. So, without a need¡ªwithout necessity¡ªthe General would have no reason to develop themselves creatively! I bet Uldar created that need, by making sure the General¡¯s Mark doesn''t help directly with combat, spellcraft or divinity¡­¡± He paused, mulling over a question. ¡°So what''s the answer to that need? If the General doesn''t help directly with those three disciplines¡­oh, by the Traveller¡­¡± The answer came to him from an unpleasant memory. He remembered sitting in his room in Alric just after he¡¯d gotten the Fool¡¯s Mark, reading a book he had little use for. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. A History of Our Heroes and their Opposition of the Ravener, by Finnius Galloway. And what was it Galloway had said? The Mark of the Fool is a useful, but pitiful Mark. While The Champion is granted incredible strength, speed and the martial skill of all his predecessors, The Sage¡¯s mana pool expands many times, and The Saint gains a divine connection to Uldar himself, the Fool gains no great gifts. In some ways, it is the opposite of the greatest mark: The Chosen. The mighty Chosen gains lesser versions of the three preceding marks and the ability to synergize them all, but The Fool gains nothing. In fact, the Mark of the Fool actively interferes with any action related to Combat, Divinity or Spellcraft but in return, The Fool gains vastly accelerated learning of any skill unrelated to these areas. Thus, The Fool can become the Heroes¡¯ guide through the wilderness, learn to operate watercraft, scout enemies, repair equipment (though they cannot craft great weapons), and take care of horses. Such things are needed on every adventure. Previous Fools have also become fine painters, jugglers, musicians and mastered other such skills. ¡°Unrelated to these areas,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°But are they truly unrelated? The Spear-and-Oar Dance has a lot of forms that could be applied to combat¡­and learning about mana manipulation, and the architecture of spells helped me with spellcraft. So what if the answer isn¡¯t to ask the General to help with spellcraft.¡± He was almost vibrating. ¡°What if the answer is to ask the General to guide me in using skills from outside of spellcraft to enhance spellcasting?¡± Alex had to test that question. Immediately. He scanned the room, thinking about what his first test should be¡­his eyes fell on the celestial fox, who was curiously watching his ranting and revelations. The young wizard was only able to communicate with her because he¡¯d mastered various celestial tongues. He¡¯d absorbed entire books on vocabulary, grammar, accents, musicality, tone and audio-prestidigitation in order to learn different languages of the planes. ¡°What if I applied that learning to spellcraft?¡± he wondered out loud. Taking a deep breath, he decided to try. If he was right¡­ He began speaking the incantation for greater force armour once again, this time calling on the Mark of the General, focusing it on the task of applying his skills with languages to incantations. There was a moment of silence. Then, the Mark flooded his mind with images. He saw himself practising different tonalities across many tongues¡ªseeing the times he¡¯d succeeded, and the times he¡¯d failed¡ªas the Mark showed him exactly which lessons would apply to spellcasting. From the images, he attempted pronunciation, repeating how a word was said, improving his pronunciation of the incantation, compressing the syllables by conveying the words of power with new ranges of tonality and auto-prestidigitation. The result: he was soon conjuring the spell faster than before. Greater force armour appeared, sheathing him like a glove. But, he wasn¡¯t through, yet. Just as he¡¯d always done with the Mark of the Fool, he didn''t let his first success be his last. Over and over again, the young wizard spoke the incantation, focusing the Mark on the same task. New mistakes appeared in his mind, things to be avoided. New successes appeared as well, things to be built on. Each time he was able to learn more about how the aspects of planar languages could be applied directly to speaking incantations. It was addictive. He could keep repeating it all day. He got so caught up in identifying the constant improvements, trying something new, learning new lessons, that he lost track of how many times he actually cast the spell. It flowed from his lips faster. It was clearer on his tongue. Easier to say. Soon the words seemed unnecessary. As he continued, going deeper into the intricacies of how language could improve his spellcraft, he had a thought. Long ago he watched Professor Ram casting spells with only what appeared to be a twitch of his eyebrow. ¡®What if I bring body language to spellcraft?¡¯ he wondered. ¡®Was that how Ram just twitched those spells into existence?¡¯ He focused the Mark on the force professor, analysing his body language, and how it might apply to spells he¡¯d cast during that class. Alex¡¯s mind exploded with knowledge, images and inspiration. What had looked like a simple twitch of an eyebrow at the time, now revealed hundreds of small movements throughout Ram¡¯s body. A tiny shift of weight, a slight movement of his hand, a sway in his shoulders; all so subtle, that Alex had completely missed them. But those tiny movements were especially profound. Body language could communicate a great deal; a simple crossing of the arms could communicate more anger, defensiveness, or standoffishness¡ªfrom the right people in the right situations¡ªthan a dozen sentences. ¡°The same thing can apply to spellcraft!¡± he cried, excitedly. Using the Mark, he joined what he¡¯d learned of body language with his knowledge of planar tongues to enhance his incantations. The effect was immediate and profound. More syllables were replaced by different tones and tiny shifts in his body language. Separately, they meant little. But together? They made magic happen. Breaths passed, followed by seconds, turning into minutes, perhaps longer. Over and over Alex cast greater force armour, only pausing to write down his results after realising he¡¯d forgotten to do so from the start. He repeated the spell, casting it over and over, when suddenly, his mana dried up, something that hadn¡¯t happened to him for a very long time. He was so intent on testing his idea that he¡¯d run out of mana from a basic third-tier spell; greater force armour. All this time, he hadn''t even thought about mana regeneration techniques. An elated Alex looked for the celestial fox and Bubbles, both had disappeared; their time on the material plane had passed and they''d been whisked back to their home planes. ¡°How long was I¡ª¡± he started to ask. ¡°Um, Alex?¡± a familiar voice called from behind him. ¡°Gah!¡± the young wizard jumped, spinning around, finding Bjorgrund standing there. The young giant squinted at him curiously. ¡°Um, is everything okay?¡± he asked. ¡°Father wanted to know what you wanted to eat; you''ve been in here for a long time. And¡­ What''s so funny?¡± Alex was laughing. Laughing with pure joy. The young wizard had looked down at his notebook, taking in the numbers he¡¯d recorded. When he¡¯d first begun casting greater force armour earlier, he was able to cast it much faster than most of his friends. By the time he remembered to start recording his times and results, his speed had improved. Now, the results floored him. ¡°Damn, that was half my previous time¡­I just cast a spell in half the time it took when I first started writing down my results¡­this shows me the true power of the General: it teaches its bearer how to think adaptively, and rewards that adaptive thinking.¡± ¡°That''s¡­nice?¡± the giant said, confused. ¡°Hey, friend, are you feeling energetic?¡± Alex looked at Bjorgrund sharply. ¡°About the same as usual, a little hungry I guess.¡± The giant shrugged. ¡°Definitely would be up for something after I finish eating though. There¡¯s not much to do around here.¡± ¡°Then, after we eat, you wanna join me?¡± Alex asked. Bjorgrund baulked, looking nervously at Alex''s books. ¡°I''m no fancy wizard¡ª¡± ¡°Oh no, there won¡¯t be any spellcasting involved¡­¡± Alex grinned, looking at the Traveller¡¯s sword leaning against the wall. ¡°I was thinking about something a bit¡­different.¡± Chapter 745: Studying the Blade ¡°Are you sure you want to do this?¡± Bjorgrund asked, hefting his greataxe. The enormous weapon¡ªbuilt to be wielded by golem knights for crushing through the hardest, thickest armour¡ªgleamed in the multi-hued light of the sanctum¡¯s portals. ¡°This isn¡¯t how you normally fight, is it? And excuse me if that sounds insulting, but¡­¡± The young giant flexed his muscular arms. ¡°I¡¯m scared that if I make a mistake, I could smash you into oblivion, or cut you in half, or rip you to shreds, or split you down the middle, or¡ª¡± ¡°I think I get it,¡± Alex grunted through clenched teeth. ¡°And you''re right, this isn''t the way I''m most comfortable fighting¡­actually, that''s an understatement: I''ve never fought like this before.¡± ¡°So, why now? You''re more of a spell-caster, right?¡± the giant looked at him in confusion. Alex, the General of Thameland, looked at him evenly. ¡°You''re right, but a lot has changed lately. So, I have to adjust. I think it''s more than time I explore all my options.¡± He looked down at what was in his hand. ¡°And I do mean all my options.¡± Holding swords wasn¡¯t normal for Alex. He¡¯d learned how true that was on the Red Siren¡¯s deck when he and Theresa were testing the Mark of the Fool¡¯s limits. They¡¯d been using one of Twinblade Lu¡¯s swords and one of her hunting knives. Alex had swung both, testing when the Mark would punish him for disobeying one of Uldar¡¯s no combat decrees. With the knife, he was able to take a few swings right up until he and Theresa simulated a fight, then the Mark acted to stop him. From that, he¡¯d learned that a knife was both a weapon and a tool, so the Mark had only punished him when he used it directly for combat. A sword, though, had one purpose; it was a tool meant for conflict, whether that was sparring, or sword-fighting, even in self-defence: it wasn¡¯t a tool meant for peeling carrots or potatoes, it was meant for fighting. When he¡¯d held or carried Theresa''s sword, the Mark had allowed him to do that, but when it came to swinging it, even once, the Mark¡¯s interference had put a stop to that. That was the last time he¡¯d attempted to use a sword, he hadn¡¯t even tried when he''d ¡°inherited¡± one, knowing how futile that would have been. But today he was ready to try again, using the very same one he¡¯d received from Hannah, the one he was holding. He was no sword expert, but he could tell that the Traveller¡¯s sword was well balanced. Most of its weight was toward the weapon¡¯s hilt, the blade was light and sharp. Its strikes wouldn¡¯t have the heavier cutting power of the Twinblade, but it would slice cleanly and be manoeuvrable in the hand. Magic radiated from it: Hannah had used the sword for hiding memories, and it still had plenty of enchantments left in it. He recognized the pathways of mana coursing through it, allowing it to have precise cutting power, strength and flexibility. What made the sleek blade most interesting to Alex, though, was how ¡®conductive¡¯ it was. He could easily pass his mana through it, allowing him to conduct spells through the blade, and there was a remnant of the Traveller¡¯s power remaining inside. There wasn''t enough of her energy left for the sword to act on its own, but if he wanted to channel his own power through it¡­ ¡®I bet I could channel Hannah''s power through it then use teleportation on anything it hits.¡¯ He speculated. ¡®Then, I¡¯d be able to cut into something¡¯s body, like a Ravener-spawn, and teleport the severed part away¡­¡¯ He thought about his fight with the First Apostle at Uldar¡¯s Rise, where he managed¡ªthrough a combination of brute force and Hannah¡¯s power¡ªrip the man''s arm off. With this blade, he could turn that from a desperation move into a regular tool in his arsenal. That thought excited¡ª ¡°Uh, Alex?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Yeah?¡± The young wizard startled. ¡°You''ve been staring at that sword for about a minute now¡­do you still want to fight?¡± the young giant asked. A bright, red blush washed over his cheeks, barely hidden by his scraggly beard. He found himself glad he hadn¡¯t gotten around to that shave quite yet. ¡°Yeah, geez, I''ve been wasting your time here. Alright, let''s get started. Just¡­could you do me a favour?¡± Bjorgrund smiled. ¡°Of course: I know what you''re going to say, already.¡± Alex smiled back. ¡°And what''s that?¡± ¡°You''re gonna ask me not to go easy on you: don¡¯t worry, with a warrior of your abilities and experience? I''d never dreamof going easy on you! Don''t worry, ¡®mighty General¡¯. I''ll give you all I got!¡± Alex''s smile quickly faded. ¡°What, are you out of your mind? You''re completely wrong! I''ve never used a sword before¡ªfor the love of all that is good in the world, go easy on me! I''ve got no interest in being smashed into oblivion, or being cut in half, or being ripped to shreds, or being split down the middle, or¡ª¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Alright, alright, you''ve made your point!¡± the young giant cried, falling into a fighting stance. ¡°Let''s get started.¡± Alex, for his part, fell into the first stance of the Spear-and-Oar dance. ¡°Let''s go.¡± And he charged, the blade held high. The young wizard was quick, and an expert at dodging the attacks of some of the deadliest foes across the planes. He literally danced around the young giant¡¯s strikes, avoiding them with ease. Bjorgrund grunted, swinging his weapon with deceptive expertise, considering his youth, the axe blade passing inches from Alex''s body. The young giant was good, but Alex had dealt with foes as deadly as the demon Kaz-Mowang; especially, since Bjorgrund was holding back, he could dodge the giant¡¯s blows all day. But, this practice wasn''t about dodging. It was about testing new combat strategies¡­and Alex had never wielded a sword before. Instinct and experience told him that he should be holding his staff, peppering Bjorgrund with distracting spells so his summoned monsters or one of his friends could strike at the giant with a finishing blow. But, he was here alone, against the towering sparring partner, and the point of the entire exercise was to use his sword. So, after spinning around one of Bjorgrund¡¯s wide swings, Alex went for a strike with the flat of the blade, copying a move he''d seen Theresa use more times than he could count. It was a disaster. His perfected dance turned into a confused rush as he tried to club the young rune-marked in a move he¡¯d never used before. Bjorgrund easily backhanded him before he could make it into the young giant¡¯s reach. It felt like an avalanche had struck; the young wizard launched off his feet, soaring through the air, slamming to the sanctum floor. ¡°Urrrhuhhhuhhhraaaaargh,¡± he gurgled. ¡°Oh no! Are you all right?¡± Bjorgrund cried, bounding over to him. ¡°I''m fffineee.¡± Alex drooled on the floor. ¡°Just trying to put my skeleton back in my body.¡± ¡°Sorry, I swung a little hard!¡± the giant apologised. ¡°You were dodging so much, then you tried that clumsy rush, and I thought it was just a feint, and you¡¯d counter me!¡± ¡°Ugh, so it¡¯s not enough for you to break my body, you also have to break my spirit too¡­¡± Alex wheezed. ¡°No, it''s not like that, I¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± With a groan, Alex pushed himself off the floor, muttering Mana to Life. His practice with tonality and body language was already making the spell work much faster. He could feel his bruises healing. ¡°You''re feeling better?¡± the giant asked. ¡°Casting that spell seems easier for you now.¡± ¡°Much easier,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°And thank you by the way.¡± ¡°I''m just saying what I see: you''re a lot faster¡ª¡± ¡°No, no, I don''t mean for complimenting me¡ªI mean for smashing me like that.¡± Alex cracked his neck. ¡°Uh¡­okay?¡± The young giant looked confused again. ¡°You''ve given me a baseline: very important in experimentation,¡± the young wizard stretched. ¡°Now I know exactly how well I''ll do when it comes to using a sword before I apply my new Mark. Time to see how fast I improve. Give me a second.¡± He thought about the previous exchange with the giant, and focused the Mark of the General on the task of infusing his knowledge of different dances into swordplay. He also had it draw on his experience with cooking and his knowledge of anatomy, focusing on using them to improve his strikes. Dozens of successes and failures flowed into his mind, neatly ordered, showing him how the movements of dance could be used aggressively, how the edge alignment and knife-play of butchering meat could apply to his cuts with a sword, and how his knowledge on anatomy could teach him where to strike with the Traveller¡¯s blade. Alex smiled. ¡°This is going to be interesting. And¡ª¡± He paused, feeling waves of emotion washing over him. What was that? He felt concern, irritation, annoyance¡­and also, envy? He looked at the floor where he¡¯d placed the spell guides, and his other gear¡­including the aeld staff. It was leaning against the wall, its crystal blooms, blazing. Alex could feel jealousy, all aimed at the sword in his hand. He grinned sheepishly at the aeld. ¡°Don''t worry, I''m not going to set you aside for a new weapon. I''m just practising with this to open my options.¡± If a staff could go ¡®hmph'', his staff would have ¡®hmphed¡¯. Bjorgrund looked at Alex sidelong, his eyes darting between the young wizard and the staff. ¡°Are you talking to that piece of wood?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said simply. ¡°Uh¡­does it respond?¡± ¡°In a way.¡± the young wizard fell back into a stance of the Spear-and-Oar dance. ¡°Uh, maybe we should take a break¡­¡± The giant lifted his axe again. ¡°Maybe you''ve been working too hard, it sounds like your mind¡ªOh shit!¡± The young wizard charged, using the Mark of the General. Their exchange was far less disastrous this time. The Mark constantly guided Alex¡¯s body, drawing on his experiences in dance, cooking and anatomy, weaving them into his and Bjorgrund¡¯s battle. At first, the young wizard only dodged the giant¡¯s strikes, calling on the Mark to use his knowledge of body language to learn Bjorgrund¡¯s patterns when he fought. Dodging the giant grew easier as his subtle tells were revealed during their fight. Soon, the General found openings in his fighting style. Calling on the Mark, Alex darted back in for a strike. The Giant¡¯s eyes widened. Where Alex¡¯s rush was a clumsy copy of one of Theresa¡¯s deadly strikes before, now it was unique: a fusion of a strike from the Spear-and-Oar dance¡ªand the aggressive movements of many other dances¡ªand the wizard¡¯s powerful body flowed through the giant¡¯s guard. Years of cooking¡ªsplitting meat and vegetables¡ªguided his arm, joining with a swing of his body weight from the dances. Anatomy books whispered the target to him: a nerve running through the giant¡¯s torso. The flat of the blade struck home with a loud slap. ¡°Argh!¡± Bjorgrund recoiled, stumbling back in surprise. ¡°What in¡ªhow did¡­ow!¡± He rubbed his side, looking down at it. ¡°Felt like you cut me there, did you really use the flat?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said, smiling. ¡°I really did.¡± ¡°What in the names of all my ancestors, you moved differently!¡± Alex¡¯s sparring partner cried. ¡°The first time you struck at me, you were like a drunk, clumsy animal, it was easy to hit you. Now¡­ It was completely different, like you¡¯d become a different fighter!¡± Now the wizard outright beamed. ¡°Did I really do that much better?¡± ¡°I''ll say¡­and you wanted me to go easy on you!¡± Bjorgrund huffed. ¡°Were you holding back?¡± ¡°No, the Mark just helped me improve really fast. I think you''ll have to hold back less now.¡± Alex grinned. Now Bjorgrund grinned back. His rune flashed in the middle of his chest. ¡°Now we''ve got us a fight! I hope you''ll let me come at you with full strength, this is fun!¡± ¡°Yeah, I can see why Theresa likes it so much¡­though it definitely isn''t my preferred way of fighting¡­but still, it is fun.¡± ¡°Oh yeah! So, we go again?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°You know it.¡± Lifting their weapons, the wizard and rune-marked charged forward. Chapter 746: Fire and Steel Alex and Bjorgrund came at each other at least a dozen times in an hour, each time the giant was moving a little faster, reacting a bit more aggressively. Alex continued using the Mark of the General, seeing his speed and combativeness increase in bounds. The last three years spent battling monsters¡ªdodging and foiling attacks with dance moves that translated to fight positions, time spent learning anatomy, and even longer perfecting his abilities in the kitchen, all came together. Those skills blended, taking him to a new path of using offensive attacks, adding them to his well-honed defensive ones. A strong body that had grown accustomed to defending itself, was quickly learning how to take the fight to an opponent, and quicker than he¡¯d thought possible¡ªthe sword felt more natural in his hand, like the natural extension of his own arm. The Mark of the General was helping him learn, and he was taking to the lessons well, continuing to read Bjorgrund¡¯s body language, eagerly watching and predicting his moves. Openings were now easier for him to take advantage of. The General of Thameland was creating a new fighting style all his own: one combining the flourish and agility of dance, the knowledge of different types of anatomy, and the precise strikes involved in carving a carcass. And, Alex Roth was feeling high from all of it. ¡®I can fight back! If I¡¯m attacked, I can finally fight back!¡¯ he thought. ¡®I don''t have to only dodge, I can hit back! Now, Ican be the one doing the attacking! And it¡¯s about bloody time!¡¯ He screamed in his mind. Feeling of moving his body through the motions of battle felt good, like a natural extension of what he''d been doing all along¡­but as the sparring went on, he was noticing something changing. The Mark was honing his fighting style each time he and Bjorgrund fought, and he was getting stronger and more precise with his strikes¡­but Bjorgrund was also improving. He¡¯d stopped holding back, enthusiastically striking at Alex the faster and more aggressive the young wizard became, yet, the giant¡¯s blows were becoming harder to dodge, though Alex had met deadlier opponents before. The young giant was attacking with full force, but he was having trouble matching Alex¡¯s blows. Bjorgrund¡¯s smiles and laughter abruptly stopped, his eyes fixed on his opponent. His rune began glowing. He soon began catching Alex, improving steadily. His strikes were faster, more exact. His body language was harder to read. Tactics and responses began changing, the giant¡¯s skills growing. He was using his natural advantages better; strength, toughness and reach more effectively. The giant turned offensive¡ªrune blazing¡ªbearing down on the young wizard. Alex was still growing, but it was now harder to reach the giant¡¯s vital points. The General was sweating, weaving around Bjorgrund¡¯s blows, coming closer to being hit. He danced around the massive axe, but the young giant used his reach to keep him away, backing him into a corner of the room. The two fighters grew together, but a problem still remained. For all the young wizard¡¯s speed, grace and agility, the giant had trained in hand to hand combat for many years and had a far greater reach that was at least twice or three times that of a human¡¯s: things that Alex lacked. As Bjorgrund began to recognise Alex''s moves, it was harder for the wizard to close with him. He jumped back, calling for a time out. ¡°Hold on, hold on!¡± Alex said. ¡°You''re getting really good, holy shit!¡± He took a deep breath, sweat dripping down his face. The giant¡¯s massive chest rose and fell; his eyes were shining as a grin spread across his face. ¡°I tell you, Alex, I haven''t had that much fun in a long time. Not since I reached a point where I could outpace my father.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess you haven''t had many sparring partners,¡± Alex panted. ¡°Only father. So, what are we doing, stopping for the day or just taking a bit of a break?¡± the giant asked. ¡°I''m good to keep going! You''ve gotten so much better and so have I! I¡¯d like to see where we can go!¡± ¡°Yeah, progress is addictive, isn''t it?¡± Alex said, frowning. ¡°But I¡¯ve got a problem. Your arms are too damn long.¡± ¡°And¡­?¡± ¡°Look, I''m not going to be offensive here. Or at least I''m going to try not to be: you''re good Bjorgrund, very good, but the kind of foes we have to fight are on a completely different level,¡± Alex said. The young giant made a face. ¡°Well, I''d be lying if I said I could keep up with that First Apostle guy, so, I see the problem: if you''re having trouble closing on me, you''re gonna have lots of problems with someone that much faster and more skilled than me¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°Normally, I''d solve the problem by just using magic on myself like flying, or even teleporting. But¡ª¡± He looked at the sword in his hand. ¡°¡ªthe entire point of learning how to fight hand-to-hand is to be ready if all my regular tactics fail, and to have a surprise or two waiting for the enemy. If I go back to old tactics, then I''m not going to have an answer if the First Apostle gets through all my spells and defences. It''d be better if I could keep a distance even if he closes in¡­and have a way to strike him through his guard.¡± Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. He looked at Bjorgrund¡¯s long arms. ¡°It''s hard for me to get close and hit you¡­you kept striking me whenever I tried to get closer. If you were faster, it¡¯d be hard for the First Apostle to ever hit you with his much shorter reach. Hmmmm¡­a longer reach.¡± He remembered the long-hafted weapons Cedric, Claygon and the mercenary, Kyembe, used. Alex looked down at the Traveller¡¯s sword in his hand. ¡°I¡¯m thinking a longer weapon would work better with the dance positions I use for fighting: after all, it''s called the Spear-and-Oar Dance, not the Sword-And-Oar Dance. I kind of wish that Hannah had used a spear or some kind of other pole weapon rather than a sword. Hells, I wish I''d gotten a chance to look at Kyembe¡¯s weapon: with a simple pull of his hands, he could turn that sword of his into a long sword-staff.¡± ¡°I never met that guy you just mentioned, but spears are pretty handy,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°And turning a sword into a sword-staff sounds powerful. Too bad you can''t do that with your stuff.¡± ¡°My stuff?¡± ¡°I mean,¡± the giant said, nodding to the aeld. ¡°You''ve got a sword¡­and a staff. Too bad you can''t just stick one on top of the other to make a sword-staff!¡± Alex blinked once. Then twice. Then he looked at the aeld staff and back to the sword. ¡°Oh by the Traveller and every single god or goddess in the world¡­Bjorgrund, you¡¯re a genius.¡± ¡°You keep telling me that¡­not that I¡¯m complaining,¡± the young giant grinned. ¡°You totally are!¡± Alex grinned back, getting excited. ¡°The First Apostle isn''t gonna know what hit him! And I¡¯ve got a new alchemical project to tackle¡­plus all the equipment I need to pull it off.¡± He laughed evilly. The staff gave off waves of confusion and concern. ¡°I think I''m going to let this cook in my mind for a bit, but speaking of cooking¡­¡± He looked at his spell-guides. ¡°There''s one last thing I want to do before we quit for the day.¡± ¡°What''s that?¡± ¡°So far, with the Mark, I¡¯ve learned quite a bit about how to enhance my spellcasting, and I¡¯m learning how to defend myself in hand-to-hand combat. Now, it''s time for some combat magic.¡± Alex sheathed Hannah¡¯s sword and rubbed his hands together. ¡°I think it''s time for me to cast a fireball for the first time.¡± ¡°Oh! Can I stay and watch?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Sure, it''d be even better with an audience,¡± Alex said, walking over to the books and picking up the third-tier spell guide. He ran a finger down its spine. ¡°This should be interesting.¡± ¡°Big, fiery explosions do sound real interesting,¡± Bjorgrund laughed. ¡°No argument there, but, I mean because I''ve never learned a combat spell before. Well, I guess learned force missile way back, but never really could cast it, and force missile''s certainly no fireball. It¡¯ll also be the first time I¡¯ll be learning a spell since I got rid of the Mark of the Fool, so I want to see how many tries it takes,¡± He said, with a mixture of excitement and nerves. Cracking the book open, he ran his fingers over the diagram of the magic circuit. Unsurprisingly, it was very different from any other magic circuit he¡¯d ever learned. He had to focus, channelling mana in quick pulses, igniting flames from nothing. Alex checked every word of the incantation carefully, studying each one, quickly committing it to memory. ¡®The spell-array is very different, but it looks simple enough. It¡¯s certainly a lot less complicated than a sixth-tier summoning spell,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s because it¡¯s¡­simple to learn?¡¯ He shook his head. ¡®No, You shouldn''t give yourself false expectations, Alex. This is going to be your first combat spell! Don¡¯t trivialise it!¡¯ The young wizard conjured Wizard¡¯s Hand with a few twitches and a single syllable, and paused, appreciating how quickly the spell had formed. ¡®It''s gonna take me a while to get used to how easy spellcraft is now,¡¯ he thought, willing the glowing Hand to pick up a notebook and flip it open. He conjured a few more Wizard¡¯s Hands, had them take up a pen and begin recording a progress note. First Combat Spell Attempt. Fireball. Progress through spell array: 0%. Attempt 1. He speed-read the rest of the spell-guide, focused the Mark of the General on the task of memorising the words and diagrams in it, then faced an empty corner of the large room. ¡°Bjorgrund, you''re going to want to get behind me. I don''t know how this is going to go,¡± Alex said, getting ready to teleport them away if the explosion was too big. The giant quickly stepped behind the wizard. For a moment, Alex thought about Selina. ¡®If I learn fire spells, I''ll be able to help her with them when I get back to Generasi. Whenever that is.¡¯ His mind went to the First Apostle, the Ravener, and other enemies. ¡®Seeing them all dead will be worth the world to me and combat spells are going to help make that happen.¡¯ Alex took a deep, steadying breath and, for the first time, began casting fireball. It felt strange, different from other spells. His mana had to flow in ways it never had before. The incantation¡¯s syllables were largely unfamiliar. He focused on his skills with languages, letting the Mark guide him through the pronunciation of each word of the combat spell. While the Mark did help, he soon realised he had no need to call on it. The spell was easy. It was unfamiliar, yet simple in comparison to all magic he¡¯d ever cast before. Syllables were effortless to pronounce. The three magic circuits came together, with no difficulty. No interference from the Mark of the Fool, and the spell flowed; with no interruptions in crafting the spell array. The final details of the magic circuits completed. Suddenly, magic blazed to life. In the palm of Alex¡¯s right hand, a tiny bead of orange light appeared, flickering like a firefly. His jaw dropped. He could already feel the power in that tiny orb of light blazing, churning, threatening to explode. The young wizard threw the bead across the room¡ªfar from himself, Bjorgrund, and his supplies. Trailing orange light, it sailed through the air, bursting a safe distance away. A blast of heat suddenly erupted in the corner, radiating searing light and crackling flame, filling the air; the fireball exploded. ¡°Wow, that''s incredible!¡± Bjorgrund cried. ¡°I wish I could do that, you made it look so easy!¡± ¡°I¡­I suppose I did, didn''t I¡­¡± Alex murmured. He was numb, yet full of excitement. ¡°Again!¡± the young wizard cried. He cast the spell again, focusing the Mark of the General on applying his language skills to the new spell. Another fireball exploded on the other end of the room, this one forming faster. He cast it again. It appeared even faster, another fireball exploded. Then another, and another. In minutes, the new General of Thameland was casting fireballs with the twitch of an eyebrow, and a few quick syllables, watching them explode in a flurry across the room. He was able to cast a third-tier combat spell faster than some people could throw a punch. Alex welcomed the new power. He could use it to fight with. To improve with. To make it his own. Chapter 747: Training in the Rain ¡°Whoa! That''s incredible!¡± Bjorgrund cried, shielding his eyes from the blasts of heat. ¡°I can''t believe this!¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± Alex paused, ¡°I''ve got a plan if you''d like to help me.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I''m going to do something I think I should call Operation Aeld-Sword-Staff,¡± he said. ¡°That doesn''t sound like a very good name,¡± the giant said. ¡°I get that a lot. But anyway, while I''m doing that, I''ll also be learning a bunch of combat spells, and¡ª¡± He looked at his bottle of soul substance. ¡°Getting my mana pool ready for seventh, eighth and ninth-tier summoning spells.¡± Alex looked at the giant. ¡°Every day, when I''m done working on those things, I¡¯m hoping you and I can do some sparring. We were both so much better just from today.¡± ¡°No objections here, I¡¯d love to!¡± the giant cried. ¡°Great, I''m hoping you and your father can help me with some battle strategies: The idea is to get every trap in the sanctum ready,¡± he said. ¡°And then what?¡± ¡°And then, my friend,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s show time. I¡¯ll be turning myself into bait for those hunters by opening a portal, and stepping out of it for a bit so they know where I am. We¡¯re going to lure the hidden church, but it''ll be on our terms, for a change. They¡¯ll be meeting you, me and a whole lot of my summoned monsters¡­including one particular summons that''ll be a real nasty surprise for them.¡± ¡°Then what?¡± the giant asked. ¡°And then, we''re going to kill them.¡±
Theresa felt phantom pains throughout her body. Even though months had passed, she could still feel the bite of the First Apostle¡¯s blade cutting into her. She dreamt about it. She thought about it during the day. It was her first thought when she got up in the morning, and her last one when she went to bed at night. Everyday, she remembered the pain. She remembered the bloody ruin he¡¯d left of her body. She remembered gasping for breath, bleeding to death in the snows of the far north. She remembered that terrible moment when her dying body began turning ¡®warm again¡¯, and she remembered the exhaustion. The afterworld called to her, and she¡¯d nearly answered. Some nights, she would awake in the middle of the night, screaming, dreaming of flashing blades, metal gauntlets, and the freezing ground combined with that seductive, welcoming song of death. She¡¯d been closer to dying than she¡¯d ever been in any battle since they¡¯d left Thameland. Merzhin had healed her physical body, but the scars and trauma still lived on in her mind, still needing to heal. And the worst part of the secret church¡¯s attack on them? Was that the monster who had nearly taken her life was still out there, looking to finish what he¡¯d started. For now, all she could do was stew, and grow more frustrated. Ever since she, Brutus, Selina and Alex had left their sleepy hometown in the Thameish countryside, she had fought to protect her family. Without hesitating, she''d thrown herself at the very first silence-spider they¡¯d been attacked by, determined to kill it with one of her great-grandfather¡¯s swords, regardless of how thick its shell was, but she hadn¡¯t been able to. Though she¡¯d hunted a range of beasts throughout the Coille forest, she hadn''t been able to fight the Ravener-spawn off on her own. At the time, she knew she had to do better, and she would. And, when they¡¯d encountered the Hive-Queen in the Cave, she¡¯d struck the final blow, stopping her in that dungeon. Since then, she¡¯d grown, trained, and learned new skills, using them against monsters, cultists, even demons, and winning. She''d slain many monsters, and left many battered. She had even gone against enemies as deadly and as powerful as greater demons like Zonon-In, or the hidden church at Uldar¡¯s Rise, beating many of their opponents. Even against greater odds¡ªor foes more powerful or more numerous¡ªshe had fought back and been able to walk away. ¡­until the First Apostle had bled her like he was butchering prey. She hadn''t felt so helpless since that first fight in the Cave of the Traveller. On top of the grim memories of the First Apostle and what he¡¯d cost them physically, she could still see him looking proud, righteously ravaging their entire lives, leaving her constantly worried for Alex, and filled with rage at her own helplessness as his memory curdled inside her. And her only way of coping was by training. Training. Something she¡¯d done every single day since Alex left. Even now. On the rainiest day Generasi had seen in months, the huntress was outside¡ªin the courtyard of the villa¡ªdrilling with the Twinblade. Rain poured down her hair and face¡ªsoaking her clothing¡ªbut she couldn''t care less. Her death stalker face was on full display. Her eyes were focused, her breathing even. Droplets of rain water ran down the shining steel of her weapon. She stood for a time¡ªstill, in a fighting stance¡ªfeeling the touch of the droplets on her skin. A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. The huntress imagined the First Apostle standing before her, his visor down his blade raised. She clenched her jaw. And sprang. In silence, she threw herself at the imaginary holy warrior, the Twinblade making twin cuts through the air with every slice. Rain droplets split in their path, steel gleamed in the grey light as her breath misted. In front of her, she imagined the image responding, striking back with its sword, throwing a blow with a gauntlet, casting spells through divinity. She parried the attacks, deflecting the magic, dodging the divinity, and striking at his blade and fist. ¡°Faster,¡± she whispered, her voice growling, ¡°He was faster. I have to be even faster.¡± Drawing on her enhanced life force, she pushed herself to the limit. Then pushed to go beyond. Her swords blurred, blades reflecting in the rain, firm footfalls splashing through water collecting on the cobblestones. ¡°Faster!¡± she hissed through clenched teeth. Her body blurred, the Twinblade hissed with her. ¡°Faster, faster!¡± She remembered a day, many months ago, when she¡¯d sparred against Grimloch and Hart and had blocked a blow from Hart¡¯s enormous sword, despite being in an impossible position to do so. To this day, she had no idea what she¡¯d done¡­but it was something much deeper, a deeper enlightenment, a new power that she could draw on¡­ And she wanted to find it. She had to. The First Apostle was even quicker than Hart was. ¡°Faster, faster, faster!¡± she demanded. Her imaginary opponent fought with rising speed, Theresa fought back, forcing herself to match him. Her body flowed from one stance to another, and from one strike to the next; she improvised against his attacks, trying new moves, chasing that sliver of enlightenment. But, it remained elusive. Even as she moved faster, she found no hint of a new and waiting path. Slowly, she began falling behind the First Apostle¡¯s speed. The phantom blade cut into her flesh, making her old wounds burn. Growling, she fought back, pushing herself as hard as she could. And something shifted. Theresa felt her perception of space begin changing as a memory drifted through her thoughts. After the ambush, when she, Brutus, Birger, Bjorgrund and Claygon were gripped in Alex''s power and teleporting to Merzhin for healing, she remembered being teleported at other times. Herself and the Twinblade. Herself and her weapon. The pair moving as one. Something tugged at her mind, like a memory eluding her. It was close. But, it slipped. As did she. One instant she was pushing herself, forcing her body past its limit, the next, her boot slipped on the slick cobblestones, and she was off-balance, tumbling to the ground, barely holding on to the Twinblade. She looked up from the stones, rain running down her face, the imaginary First Apostle, standing victorious above her. The huntress imagined his blade passing through her neck; had he been real, she would be dead. ¡°Dammit all!¡± she swore, pounding the cobblestones with the pommel of her sword. ¡°It''s not good enough! I''m not good enough!¡± A part of her screamed that her frustration was unreasonable; the First Apostle was a Chosen of Uldar with centuries of experience and life enforcement to empower him. Of course, he would be able to beat her. It made sense. But she didn''t have time for sense. ¡®I have to be ready if he comes here¡­or if I get the chance to hunt him down. I can''t let myself be a liability ever again,¡¯ she thought. ¡®It doesn''t matter how much stronger or faster or more experienced he is than me. We have to kill him. And I have to be ready¡­after all, if I can''t even fight him, then how in all the hells am I supposed to face the Ravener¡ªand all of its monsters¡ªwith our friends? How am I supposed to face a fae lord if we have to fight this ¡®Aenflynn¡¯ guy? I have to be better. I have to¡ª¡¯ ¡°Theresa?¡± a woman¡¯s alarmed voice called from inside the villa. Theresa looked up as her mother rushed outside. She was on her feet in an instant, looking sheepish. ¡°I''m fine, mother.¡± ¡°No, you''re not,¡± her mother said, throwing an oiled cloak around her daughter''s shoulders, wanting to keep the rain off of her, even though it was way too late for that. ¡°I am,¡± Theresa insisted. ¡°I just have to keep practising. I''m not making any progress.¡± ¡°Yes you are!¡± Mrs. Lu protested. ¡°Come, under the overhang with me before you catch your death of cold.¡± ¡°Mother, my lifeforce is enhanced, I''m not going to¡ª¡± ¡°I don''t care, Theresa, come with me!¡± She took her daughter by the arm and steered her to the overhang. ¡°Do you know Brutus has been clawing at the door, trying to come to you? I had to get your father to hold him back.¡± ¡°I''m glad you did,¡± the huntress said, stepping under one of the villa¡¯s overhangs, near where an iron golem stood guard. ¡°I wouldn''t want him to get wet out here.¡± ¡°But, it¡¯s okay for you to be out here getting soaked? Theresa, you do this all the time, you eat less than you should, you sleep less than you should¡­we''re worried about you!¡± her mother protested. ¡°I have to keep going, I''m not getting any closer to where¡ª¡± ¡°That''s not the way it looks to me, yes, you are!¡± the older woman said. ¡°I''ve been watching you when you spar against Claygon or Grimloch, and when you practise out here by yourself, and you look so much faster and better than you did just a few months ago! I''m no swordswoman, but my eyes can hardly follow you now. You''ve gotten better, now you can rest and take care of yourself!¡± Theresa shook her head. ¡°Mother, you don''t know the kind of monsters that wait for us. Maybe I am a little bit better than when I almost died¡ª¡± Her mother winced at the words. ¡°¡ªbut that''s nowhere near good enough! I have to keep pushing.¡± Mrs. Lu shook her head. ¡°Theresa, you''re not thinking straight. You know that you have to rest. You''re not resting and I''m getting more and more worried about you!¡± The hunteress tried to step away. ¡°I need to get back to training, mother.¡± Her mother stepped in front of her, spreading her arms, blocking the way. ¡°You''re going to hurt yourself if you keep this up. And that will kill your father and me and your brothers.¡± ¡°What else am I supposed to do, mother?¡± Theresa raised her hands in frustration, feeling helpless. ¡°I can''t exactly sit down and relax.¡± ¡°It''s not just your body that needs rest, it''s your mind. If you keep pushing yourself like this, one of those things will break,¡± Mrs. Lu warned. ¡°You need to find a way to rest somehow. And I don''t mean for you to just sit inside reading a book or knitting. My daughter is not like that; when you were young, and something troubled you, you used to always go off to the Coille to hunt. It cleared your mind and healed your soul, even when you were most upset. Why don¡¯t you go for a hunt?¡± ¡°You expect me to just drop everything and go out to the woods for a nice little hunt?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Maybe there''s prey around here that you can hunt and that would do some good. Something to make you feel useful while giving your mind a break,¡± Mrs. Lu said. Theresa paused. ¡°You know what¡­you might be right. Maybe it''s time I did switch things up a bit. Maybe it¡¯s time I went hunting for something.¡± ¡°Like what?¡± her mother said cautiously. ¡°The Ravener,¡± she said. ¡°I don''t mean for me to track it down and fight it alone, but after all these months, we still don''t know where it is. The Heroes have tried their best¡­but like you said, I''m a hunter. Maybe I can try and figure out where it could be.¡± ¡°What? How is that rest and anyway, where would you even begin?¡± Theresa''s mother demanded. ¡°I¡¯ll start where its trail begins.¡± ¡®Uldar¡¯s Rise,¡¯ the huntress thought. ¡®I''ll start there, maybe team up with the Watchers that are still there, and see if I can pick up a trail. That''s one way I can help Alex. That''s a way I can prepare for our next step.¡¯ Chapter 748: Artificial Alex pointed to an instrument resembling a temperature gauge filled with blue glowing liquid. ¡°I''ve put enough of Hannah¡¯s energy into the controls so you¡¯ll be able to use them, Birger,¡± he said to the giant. ¡°As long as the gauge has liquid in it, you¡¯ll have enough energy to operate the sanctum without me. Kelda¡¯s foresight¡¯s really something to admire: she installed an energy storage compartment inside the controls that takes and holds Hannah''s energy for a while. I believe she put it in so her assistants could use the sanctum¡¯s functions if she wasn''t around.¡± ¡°Good on her,¡± Birger said, his voice sounding well pleased. ¡°Of course she¡¯d think of something like that. So¡­my question is, what do you want me to do? ¡°Operate the traps.¡± The General of Thameland nodded to a swarm of small portals hovering above the controls, each a window to a different room in the sanctum. ¡°You''ll be able to see into every room through these portals, but you¡¯ll have to learn which portal corresponds to which room. When you know that,¡± Alex pointed to rows of buttons on the controls. ¡°You''ll be able to use these buttons to turn the traps on and off.¡± The old giant raised an eyebrow. ¡°But why would I be turning the traps off? Shouldn¡¯t I just leave them on so that secret church lot gets slaughtered?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°That''s what I was thinking at first: until I realised it wouldn¡¯t work. Not if our plan is to get rid of all of them at once. If we want them dead, we¡¯ll have to lure them deep into the sanctum.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± Birger asked. ¡°Seems to me that once you lure them here, you can just close the portals behind them and they¡¯ll be trapped. Doesn''t matter how many traps they walk into.¡± The old firbolg smiled viciously as he imagined their hunters being cut down like dying trees. The young wizard smiled weakly. ¡°I wish it was so simple: but there''s a problem with that. The first time my friends and I came up against the hidden church¡ªback in Thameland¡ªthey escaped using some kind of miracle. The ones who we didn¡¯t kill became these pulses of light that streaked away through the sky, and just disappeared. If it wasn¡¯t for that, we probably could have finished them off.¡± ¡°So you think they might be able to escape again? Birger asked. ¡°There''s a distinct possibility they could,¡± Alex said grimly. ¡°And they''re smart: if we lure them into a trap, and they start taking losses early, they''ll retreat, and if they get away, they''ll be a lot more cautious in the future. They''ve been after us for months now and¡ªas far as they know¡ªwe¡¯re still completely vulnerable to them: so the moment they get a whiff of our trail, they¡¯ll come running like the dinner bell¡¯s ringing. But, if we only kill some of them, and the rest get away¡­¡± ¡°¡­I doubt they¡¯ll take the bait a second time. Then if we ever want our lives back, we¡¯ll have to be the ones trying to hunt them down,¡± Birger nodded. ¡°Makes sense. So you want to lure those rats as deep into the sanctum as we can get them before we start turning up the heat?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex smiled viciously. ¡°We want to make sure they''re well into the trap before we really spring it on them. To start off with¡ªah! Bjorgrund, you¡¯re back!¡± The young giant stepped from a portal and into the lab with an easy, excited swagger to his gait. ¡°Nice collection of traps in here. I looked over all of them,¡± he said. ¡°You asked me which of them we should use first, right?¡± Bjorgrund came up beside his father and Alex and pointed at one of the window-portals hovering above the controls. ¡°My first choice would be those goddess statues with the fire-beams, they¡¯re what I¡¯d pick to use on the church first.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, because if we hit them with those fire-beams, whoever doesn¡¯t get fried, will immediately turn tail and run. We''ve got to lure them in, like we''re slow-boiling a frog.¡± Bjorgrund¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Why would anyone slow boil a frog? That''s sick!¡± ¡°It''s just an expression¡­even though in some places people actually eat frogs¡­¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Nevermind! The point is, if we start with fire-beams and blow most of them up, the rest''ll just retreat right away. We''ve got to get them deep enough into the sanctum that we can kill all of them.¡± The young giant sighed in disappointment. ¡°Alright¡ªbut, I still wanna see those fire-beams in action¡ªbut you''ve got a point. Then, I think that room there¡¯s a good choice.¡± He pointed to another window-portal. ¡°Ah, is that the trap that shoots poisoned spears?¡± Birger asked. ¡°Yeah! It''s deadly, and it''ll kill some of them, but probably not enough to make them anything but really mad. They''ll just keep coming for us.¡± ¡°Perfect, and then we can hit them with the deadlier traps, good thinking Bjorgrund,¡± Alex said. ¡°So, keeping that in mind¡­could I get you two to plan a route through the sanctum?¡± Father and son looked at each other. ¡°A route?¡± Birger asked. ¡°What do you mean by a route?¡± Alex pointed at the map. ¡°We should ¡®gently guide¡¯ them through the sanctum. By opening and closing portals to different rooms, we can herd them where we want them to go, and keep them away from places we don''t want them in. So what you¡¯ll need to do is look at the different traps and make a corridor through the sanctum. Don''t just choose one path, if we leave a couple of portals open, it won¡¯t seem like we''re purposely directing them to where we want them to go. It gives the illusion of choice, which is what we want them to believe.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Right¡­¡± Birger said. ¡°So they''ll go from room to room, running into traps along the way, which will gradually decrease their numbers.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''ll also leave some summoned monsters in every room to do more damage.¡± ¡°And where¡¯s this route going to end up?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Where are we herding them to?¡± ¡°To you and me,¡± Alex said. ¡°Once their numbers are down enough, we¡¯ll be waiting with an army of summoned monsters to crush the rest of them.¡± The young giant rubbed his hands together. ¡°I like the sound of that.¡± ¡°I''m not so sure I do,¡± Birger said. ¡°I''m worried about you two facing that First Apostle, no matter how big your army of summoned monsters is.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Not just any army, Birger. There''s something I have to do, but after that, I¡¯ll be learning some seventh, eighth and¡ªhopefully¡ªninth-tier summoning spells. At those levels, I''ll be able to summon things that¡¯ll make even the First Apostle nervous. Well, at least, I hope so.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have a whole army, Father, just like the one Alex used against the rune-marked,¡± Bjorgrund said. The young wizard shook his head. ¡°Oh, we''ll have a lot more than what we faced the rune-marked with, and many of them will be a lot more powerful.¡± ¡°It still makes me nervous¡­¡± Birger said. ¡°After you see some of my new monsters, maybe you''ll be less afraid,¡± Alex offered. ¡°Maybe,¡± Birger said. ¡°Can you summon some right now?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Not yet. My mana pool isn¡¯t quite powerful enough for eighth and ninth-tier spells. Maybe only seventh for now.¡± ¡°Then we can''t rely on them. It takes a long time for a wizard to build up their mana pool,¡± Birger said. ¡°How long do you think it would take you to strengthen yours enough for ninth-tier spells?¡± ¡°If I have my way?¡± Alex said, taking a small bottle of glowing liquid from his satchel. ¡°About a day.¡± ¡°That''s the bottle of soul stuff you''ve been collecting, right?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°That it is,¡± Alex said. ¡°And now I finally have enough to implant my artificial mana pool. That''s one reason I''d like you to spend the next little while planning out the trap route in the sanctum: while you''re doing that, I''ll be doing a bit more soul-surgery.¡± The young wizard looked at Kelda¡¯s equipment. ¡°Since I have this amazing lab to use, I''ll probably be able to make it even better than I initially thought.¡± ### Once again, Alex lay naked inside the Cage. He¡¯d modified the machine, preparing it to do more than simply cut threads on the soul, but surgically attach something new. First, he¡¯d have to construct the artificial mana pool. Above him the bane knife that Val¡¯Rok had lent him hovered, gripped by a glowing Wizard¡¯s Hand surrounded by the arms¡ªtipped with bane¨Cscalpels¡ªattached to Kelda¡¯s machine. Floating above him was a clear, magically treated basin, ready to hold his soul-stuff. Inside the vessel was where he¡¯d be constructing his artificial mana pool. His heart was pounding, but he breathed deeply, trying to relax. ¡®Remember,¡¯ he thought. ¡®This¡¯ll be a lot easier than removing the Mark¡¯s patch. Much easier. Just follow the design you created, let the Mark of the General guide you, and get it done. No point in waiting.¡¯ Another Wizard¡¯s Hand floated to the basin, carrying the bottle of soul stuff, and poured the shining liquid. It ran into the waiting vessel freely. Then the scalpels began their work. The blades cut, pierced and kneaded the soul stuff with Alex''s precise control. He called on the Mark of the General to guide him, producing images of his previous work harvesting pieces of his soul, as well as mana manipulation. The substance was a formless liquid at first, Alex pressed a mana conductor to the bottom of the basin, sending careful pulses of energy into it, changing the liquid, turning it to a gel that was reacting to the mana and the blades¡¯ actions. Soon, what was once a runny liquid began forming into a thicker, syrupy substance. As the blades continued kneading the mana charged soul stuff, it kept thickening, turning viscous. Thick liquid formed, settling into the precise pathways of an artificial mana pool. Artificial fibres, for mana generation¡ªeven more efficient than his natural ones¡ªwere shaped by the knives¡ªpreparing to begin creating the power for his spells. He shaped tiny ¡®threads¡¯ of soul stuff to connect the fibres of his natural mana pool, to allow them to power each other. Finally, he carved the general structure of the pool so it would occupy the exact space as his ¡®natural¡¯ mana pool. It was a difficult concept to wrap one''s head around: from what he''d read, most wizards had simply implanted the artificial mana pool beside their natural one then connected the two. But a mana pool didn''t occupy physical space, much like the soul. There was no reason he couldn''t position the artificial version around the original one through mana manipulation techniques. ¡®Almost like a patch.¡¯ He grinned, looking at the image of his mana pool that the Cage projected. ¡®Thanks for the ¡®help¡¯, Uldar. Your design inspired this concept. Connecting the pools together, side by side, would provide a lot more power, just as Val¡¯Rok had said. But laying one atop the other would also create more efficiency, and allow them to support each other better. The power output should be exponentially greater.¡¯ At last, he was almost through, he¡¯d finished constructing the mana pool in the basin. It gleamed like a miniature sun, ready to generate even more power than his natural mana could. He couldn''t wait to see what it would do in conjunction with what he already had. With the greatest care, Alex let the bane knives hold the artificial mana like tongs, then lowered the construction into his being. He could feel it slide into him, burrowing into his essence and very soul, joining with them. Controlled with mana manipulation the Cage¡¯s arms set the artificial mana pool in place, adhering it to his natural one. Bane blades gently snipped the fibres of his pool, joining them with the strands of his new one. He took care, controlling his mana, keeping it flowing away from the new pool until it was fully connected. The work was slow, tedious, and had to be meticulous, as he attached each artificial strand to his natural fibres. Alex was dimly aware of the giants, breaking for supper, going off to bed while he continued his work. At last, the finicky task was almost done. He connected the last strand to the final fibre of his mana pool, joining the two together. Then, taking a deep breath, he poured energy into the artificial pool. Its inner energies sparked. Alex felt like a new star had come to life deep within the pit of his core. Chapter 749: Seven and Eight Alexander Roth embraced the feeling burning inside him. As energy flowed from his natural mana pool to the artificial one, the new construct blazed, filling him with more power than he¡¯d ever known. He felt like two fiery hearts were inside him, beating as one, pumping blood back-and-forth, supporting each other. The energy built, flooding his being with powerful mana, feeling more intense than ever before. It was intoxicating, he felt himself smiling, laughing, wanting to leap off the table and sprint through the Cage bars. ¡°I could get used to this!¡± The artificial mana felt even better than Professor Val¡¯Rok had promised: he felt energised, like he could cast spells without stopping¡ªeven fifth-tier ones¡ª without fear of running low on mana. He could feel his mana charging, sparking, the two pools fusing together, giving him more than enough mana to cast the complex magic circuits of seventh, eighth and ninth-tier spells. A new door had finally opened for Alex, he was free of the Fool that had held him back, and now, his increased mana had brought him to the threshold of the most powerful levels of wizardry. And he was ready to step through. ¡°Alright, time to learn some new summoning spells. I want to try some seventh, eighth, and if I can cast those¡­then ninth-tier spells. I¡¯ve got the mana, the higher-tier summoning guides from Brightfire, so I should have all that I need to give them a try.¡± ### Alex was in one of the sanctum chambers, looking at a magic circle carved into the stone floor. Kelda had created a room specifically for safely summoning monsters, complete with a summoning circle that was as secure as any in the Cells. No doubt she¡¯d made it for her assistants to use. It was perfect for Alex''s purposes today. Birger and Bjorgrund were still in the lab¡ªworking on routes to herd their enemies through the sanctum. The portal to the summoning chamber was temporarily shut down for the giants'' safety. ¡°If anything nasty escapes this summoning circle,¡± he whispered, going through the summoning spell-guides. ¡°Then it won''t kill them: it''ll be trapped in here and I can teleport out of here. But, just to be extra careful, maybe I should only summon things that are less likely to be hostile.¡± With that, he chose his first seventh-tier summoning spell. Summon Celestial Roc. Rocs were immense, house-sized birds of prey that looked like eagles covered in feathers as strong as steel. Their plumage was green with splashes of red, and those fiery coloured highlights were what had started legends of the creatures being distantly related to phoenixes. As far as Alex knew, though, those tales had never been proven. They were dangerous, with the largest specimens being capable of swooping down on an elephant and carrying it away. But, the celestial kind wasn''t overly belligerent, and with their immense size, there would be little chance of one escaping the room. ¡°I¡¯m giving myself a safeguard by summoning the biggest creature I can,¡± Alex laughed, flipping open the book. ¡°Professor Jules would be proud. Or, the exact opposite of "proud.¡± He examined the spell-guide closely, studying the intricacies of the spell array. Professor Mangal wasn¡¯t exaggerating: seventh-tier spells are on a whole different level from sixth-tier ones. The array was complicated, generating a magic circuit that was extremely complex. There were a lot of places along the circuit where things could go wrong, and the backlash from miscasting it would mean a mana reversal and worse. But in return, its magic was amazing and worth trying. It would take an enormous amount of mana, but¡ªin return¡ªthe summoner would wield a titanic amount of power. He was almost salivating to try it out. ¡°Even without the Mark of the Fool''s interference,¡± Alex mused. ¡°I''m going to have to be really careful with this. With so many places for things to go wrong, it would stink if I got rid of the Fool only to destroy my mana pool through my own incompetence. Well, I guess ¡®careful¡¯ should be my favourite word for the day.¡± Alex flipped open a notebook, writing a new notation: Seventh-tier summoning spell: Summon Celestial Roc. Beginning Progress: 0%. Attempt 1 Progress: He cracked his knuckles. ¡°Seeing how much trouble this spell gives me should give me an idea of whether or not I should try to break through to ninth-tier before we go after the church. If seventh is really hard, that would likely mean ninth will be too dangerous to try, or at the very least, take more time than we could have. If it''s too much for me to cast, I¡¯ll just have to adjust my goals down to only trying for eighth-tier.¡± He took a deep breath, then slowly released it. ¡°Alright, enough delaying.¡± Alex flipped open the spell-guide to the first page, speed-reading through the entirety of the thin book. He focused the Mark of the General on the task of memorization, learning all aspects of the spell¡¯s incantation, spell array, and magic circuit. He marvelled at the amount of detail that made up the spell, then cracked his neck and prepared to cast it for the first time. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Taking another deep breath, he launched into his first seventh-tier spell. He could feel his mana rising¡ªalready surging from his mana pools like a storm¡ªrushing to form the beginnings of the magic circuit. Within him, the Traveller¡¯s power rose, supporting the spell. He focused the Mark on pronunciation. No interference clouded his thoughts, his mind could concentrate on what it needed to. But, even without a torrent of failures crushing his mind¡ªalong with the General¡¯s support¡ªtrying to control the power was difficult. The syllables soon became jumbled in his mouth, sticking to his tongue, and the magic circuit began warping; making him cancel the spell. ¡°Phew!¡¯ He blew out a breath. ¡°That was tricky.¡± The young wizard recorded his first attempt, surprised at the number. Attempt 1 Progress: 20%. ¡°Twenty percent from my first try!¡± He cried. ¡°That''s really good. A lot better than I expected: the Mark seems to really work well with Hannah''s power. And my mana¡­¡± The seventh-tier spell had taken a lot of energy to start forming the magic circuit, yet he hardly felt his reserves decrease. His artificial pool was working well. Very well indeed. He had to tell Val¡¯Rok when he saw him again. ¡°I can repeat this spell as many times as I want,¡± he said. ¡°Let''s go again.¡± Calling on his reserves, Alex attempted the seventh-tier spell again and again. Each time he cast it, his progress was better, he was completing another five, or even another ten percent of the spell array. The magic circuit was complicated, but it felt more natural as he uttered the incantation. Eventually¡­ He felt it complete in his mana pool, flaring to life. Alex¡¯s mana and Hannah''s power sped from the material world, reaching across the boundaries between realms, worlds, and planes, touching the celestial realms high above. It reached out, nudging an ancient mind, one that was both old and proud, Alex felt something approaching him. Moving quickly. In less than a heartbeat, the summoning circle was filled with power. Air shimmered, then came a deafening cry from a bird¡¯s beak, echoing through the room, a great wind swept through the chamber, announcing the presence of a massive creature, snapping into being before Alex. In an instant he was tilting his head back, looking up into the eyes of a great bird of prey. The roc was no smaller than Birger and Bjorgrund¡¯s cottage, its green and red feathers gleaming with a metallic sheen. Its aura was imposing, looking every bit like an apex predator. The raptor looked down at the wizard who¡¯d conjured it in silence. Alex looked back without fear, watching its eyes closely. Both froze. Heartbeats passed. The young wizard showed no fear, even as the roc puffed its feathers and scraped sword-sized talons across the stone. At last, it lowered its head slightly. A corner of Alex''s lips crooked up. ¡°Welcome to the material world my new friend. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here¡­wait, what''s that wonderful scent? It smells like some type of food! Were you¡­making something?¡± The raptor gave a low cry. ¡°Oh, sorry to take you away, because whatever it is, it smells absolutely delicious! I hope I¡¯m not being rude, but it must be tricky for you to do with just those talons and no opposable thumbs. And, umm, while I¡¯m at it, please forgive me for this too, but uhm¡­do I know what the roc is cooking?¡± For some reason, the bird gave him a withering look, though he wasn¡¯t sure exactly why. ¡°Well, you look like you''re going to be a good addition to my army,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°The question is, what can I do for you? I know rocs like food. So, how about all the freshly caught Ravener-spawn you can eat? And since you like cooking, I can do some cooking for you too. How does that sound?¡± The roc nodded. ¡°I like it when things are easy,¡± Alex said. ¡°Alrighty, well, big guy you''re a little¡­big, so I''m going to send you back now and summon you when it''s time to knock some heads¡­or, you know, pick up some heads¡­attached to some bodies, and drop them a thousand feet to their deaths.¡± With a nod of thanks, he dismissed the roc, sending it back to the celestial planes. ¡°Time for eighth-tier. I could use a monster for my army that has a lot of different uses, and I know just what would work well in the sanctum.¡± He picked up the spell guide for eighth-tier summon elder air elemental. ¡°You''ll be an interesting addition¡­and for battles under the open sky, you and a flying creature as big as the celestial roc will make a great team. Yeah, you''ll do fine, and since you can squeeze through small spaces, you''ll also be a great fighter in the sanctum.¡± He grinned. ¡°Elder air elementals are like mini tornadoes! We''ll see how the First Apostle likes that! Let''s see how¡­oh¡­oh wow!¡± Seventh-tier spells were extremely complicated, but as Alex looked through the spell-guide for eighth-tier, he quickly realised how significantly less complex than eighth-tier spells they actually were. The very act of tying eight magical circuits together was going to be as rough as herding cats: but he had to try. ¡°Well, nothing for it,¡± Alex said. ¡°The magic isn¡¯t going to get any easier if I just sit here and wait, and besides, it only took me a little more than ten tries to get the seventh-tier spell. So, I might as well push on.¡± He began speaking the incantation for Summon Elder Air Elemental, channelling the mountain of power within his body. The Traveller¡¯s energy joined with the spell, calling out across the planes. There was something electrifying about the words of the incantation as he conjured a creature as old as the world: the type of monster that was the architect of storms, and the parent of whirlwinds. He managed to get through five percent of the spell before he had to cancel it. The words left a tingling on his tongue, leaving him eager to try again. Time after time, the General of Thameland practised the spell, using the Mark, the Traveller¡¯s power, and his focus honed from dealing with the Fool¡¯s Mark. Minutes passed, becoming hours. At each difficult point along the spell, he paused, studying it, recording the different aspects of the magic circuit and spell array. He learned the intricacies of the magic. The entire time, his mana pool continued blazing with energy: even eighth-tier spells were barely touching it. He completed most of the magic circuit, it was taking hours. At last, the summoning spell and the Traveller¡¯s energy reached across the planes, touching the elemental plane of air, finding an enduring presence there. A wind as old as the continents poured from the summoning circle, it seemed to shake with the power of the entity within it. Lightning streaked through the circle. Thunder awoke and the wind howled. As the air shimmered, a hungry storm cloud appeared within the summoning circle, immense, vaster across than Bjorgrund was tall, sparking with primordial power. Lightning crackled as it hissed in an ancient tongue of elemental air. Its words were at once both a whisper, and the sound of thunder. The creature floating before the young wizard was one that would have given even greater demons pause, and yet, he¡¯d brought it to the material plane with his mana and the words of an incantation. ¡°Greetings,¡± Alex said to the elder elemental. ¡°Welcome to the material world. I''m the wizard who summoned you, and I¡¯m named Alex Roth. My hope is that you and I can work together: if you share your storms with me to destroy my enemies, I will share my magic with you to destroy yours. Together, we will be the storm clouds that split the sky asunder.¡± The elder air elemental did not challenge him; it knew well that if he had the power to conjure an eighth-tier spell, then he would have the power to command it as he wished. Instead, it whispered words of alliance to its summoner, and Alex nodded. Though his mind was already elsewhere. He glanced at the ninth-tier summoning spell guides. He¡¯d broken through to eighth-tier in a matter of hours. Now, he knew he had to keep going. There was no reason to stop. He¡¯d done most of what he¡¯d set out to do and broken through to seventh and eighth-tier, he didn¡¯t have to adjust his plan, he could move forward. He could try his hand at ninth-tier summoning spells¡­ ¡­the most powerful tier of spellcraft. Chapter 750: The Beginning of the Final Tier ¡°What tier?¡± Alex had pressed Professor Mangal. ¡°Ninth,¡± she¡¯d told him grimly. ¡°Without a doubt. The spells would likely be Conjure Ultimate Ally or Conjure Grand Gate, both at ninth-tier. The former would allow you to conjure the most powerful of planar entities, while the latter creates a full portal between planes. But¡­very few summoners can cast those spells, Alex.¡± Ninth-tier. The pinnacle of spellcraft in wizardry. At least, as far as he knew. Deep down, he suspected that there were magics, rituals and other forms of power that could do things even ninth-tier spells could not¡ªBaelin likely had secrets that even wizards capable of ninth-tier magic would not understand¡ªbut for all practical purposes, ninth-tier spells were the ultimate in spellcrafting. Many considered any wizard who could cast ninth-tier spells worthy of the title: ¡®archwizard¡¯. And now Alex stood on the precipice of this milestone. With no small amount of reverence, the young wizard reached for a thick spell-guide. The name of the spell was inscribed on the spine in gold ink: Summon Astral Engeli. Astral engeli were powerful celestial beings. The mighty entities¡ªof a higher order than their lesser brethren¡ªwould serve as another strategic addition to his summoned armies, but¡ªmore importantly¡ªthey would be a stepping stone to what he truly wished to summon. Something that could only be conjured through one of two ninth-tier spells: Conjure Ultimate Ally, and Conjure Grand Gate. Two spells used to summon the most powerful war-spirits from across the planes. Of the two spells, Alex had only managed to get his hands on one spell-guide; Conjure Ultimate Ally, but for his purposes, was much better suited than Conjure Grand Gate. ¡®Conjure Ultimate Ally¡¯ is a more secure spell,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Conjure Grand Gate literally makes¡­well, a grand gate between planes. But, you could get more than one monster coming through it, if you''re not careful. Conjure Ultimate Ally summons exactly what a wizard wants it to, and it¡¯s also better at holding the summoned creature back from mauling them before they even get a chance to establish a relational contract with it. Either way, I¡¯ll try to break through to ninth-tier using Summon Astral Engeli, since it''ll be much safer to practise with.¡¯ He examined the intimidating ninth-tier magic in excitement, carefully making note of its complexity. There were aspects of the magic circuit that Alex had never seen before: little parts of the spell array to control mana, and weave magic in ways that were completely new to him. If lower-tier spells used mana to bend reality to a wizard¡¯s will¡ªas Hobb so proudly described on the first day Alex had registered at the university¡ªthen ninth-tier spells broke reality in half and remade it in a wizard¡¯s image. It was exciting, but nerve-wracking. ¡®A ninth-tier spell that''s left to run amok won''t just cause something like a mana reversal,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®It could tear holes in time and space, melt matter down to nothing, or even create an explosion that could rip most of this sanctum apart. I can''t go for speed with this one, I''m really going to have to take it slower and steadier for safety¡¯s sake.¡¯ Alex was thinking and planning his strategy, when he felt Claygon reaching out to him. ¡®Father¡­I want to tell you¡­first of all¡­are you doing well?¡¯ The golem asked. ¡®More than well,¡¯ Alex thought excitedly. ¡®I just broke through to eighth-tier spells!¡¯ ¡®Really¡­?¡¯ The golem¡¯s surprise poured through their link. ¡®That''s fantastic¡­news, father¡­! Does¡­that mean¡­you¡¯re almost¡­ready¡­for retaliation¡­?¡¯ ¡®Not quite yet, buddy,¡¯ the young wizard thought. ¡®There¡¯s a few more things we need to do. But what''s up? Are you just contacting me to check in?¡¯ ¡®No¡­I wanted to tell you¡­that¡­Lucia¡­will be finished delivering the supplies for golem making¡­tomorrow¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. Alex clapped. ¡®Perfect! Let me know when they¡¯re all at the drop-off point: I''ll wait a few hours to give her people plenty of time to leave the area before I teleport there. I want them to be long gone in case the church goes poking around. If everything¡¯s clear¡ªthen I¡¯ll pick them up and be making golems in no time.¡¯ ¡®Good¡­I will tell Toraka this¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®She''ll be very¡­relieved.¡¯ ¡®Yes, I''m sure she will,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®How¡¯s the family?¡¯ ¡®Selina is doing¡­very well in school¡­though she misses you,¡¯ the golem thought through their link. ¡®Theresa has¡­been away a lot.¡¯ ¡®Hunting more dungeon cores?¡¯ Alex asked. ¡®No¡­she¡¯s been going to Uldar¡¯s sanctum with Grimloch,¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®They are looking for leads¡­hoping to discover¡­where the Ravener might be.¡¯ ¡®Oh?¡¯ Alex paused. ¡®Well, the sanctum is still being guarded by the Watchers, right?¡¯ ¡®Yes, it is¡­Theresa¡¯s mother, father and brothers are worried for her safety¡­but I reassure them that the Watchers have the area well-protected¡­and that the church is busy looking for you¡­father¡­¡¯ Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡®Okay, that makes me feel better. Hopefully, they find some kind of lead. Maybe if¡­¡¯ he paused, thinking about his plan to bargain with Asmaldestre. If he planned things just right, then maybe they could¡­ ¡®No, that''s a bad idea,¡¯ he thought to himself. ¡®The quicker I do what I have to, the less time the church will have to do anything drastic.¡¯ His heart hurt at the thought, but it was the best he could do. ¡®Maybe if what¡­father?¡¯ He turned his mind back to Claygon. ¡®Nevermind for now, buddy. You''re doing okay?¡¯ ¡®I have been training¡­father¡­¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®Good, is it going well?¡¯ ¡®Theresa¡­says that it is¡­but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s enough¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®You''re always your toughest critic, Claygon,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I''m sure you''re doing well. And things are going well with the bakeries?¡¯ ¡®Business is still growing¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®Troy is suggesting opening another location¡­¡¯ ¡®Great news! We¡¯ll talk about it when I get back¡­¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®And speaking of getting back, I¡¯d better get back to this spell¡­even though I wish we could talk longer.¡¯ ¡®I miss you¡­father¡­¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®I hope we see each other soon¡­Bye for now.¡¯ ¡®I miss you too, buddy, I miss you too,¡¯ the young wizard thought. ¡®We¡¯ll talk soon.¡¯ The wizard sighed, fighting off a pang of homesickness. He squared his shoulders. ¡°The faster I break through to ninth, the faster I get rid of the church, and the faster I can go home.¡± Alex went back to the spell-guide, studying it from cover to cover. He called on the Mark of the General, letting it guide him through memorising the spell¡¯s details. After that, he prepared to cast the incantation, shaking his head. ¡°Most wizards never reach sixth or even seventh, let alone ninth-tier, and here I am, trying to get there in a matter of hours, or maybe days. Professor Jules might be right, maybe I am crazy.¡± He flipped open his notebook again, making a new note: Ninth-tier (holy crap!) summoning spell: Summon Astral Engeli. Beginning Progress: 0%. Attempt 1 Progress: He stretched, cracked his knuckles, and began the incantation. The instant the first syllable left his lips, he felt like he¡¯d been slapped between the eyes. This was the sort of power he felt when Baelin cast a spell, or when a chaos explosion ripped through the countryside. Cosmic forces were gathering around the words on his tongue, their power pulsing through the room. The very air seemed to shake around him and mana poured from his pool like a tidal wave, reminding him how necessary the artificial mana pool was: without it, the mana he needed for this spell would have drained his power well before he completed it. But, it wasn¡¯t the time for wandering thoughts. He needed all of his focus. The spell¡¯s force and complexity were pushing his concentration to its limits, and even with the Mark of the General helping him, ninth-tier magic felt like a herd of wild horses, kicking, lurching, trying to break free. Fighting. Trying to destroy him. He kept tight control as best he could, grappling with the magic, trying to tame the ultimate pinnacle of spellcraft. Mana circuitry formed in his pool, blazing with power that threatened to buckle his knees. Cold sweat stood on his brow, soon drenching his face. The syllables continued pouring from his mouth, each more difficult than the last, until¡ªfinally¡ªhe cancelled the spell. The flood of mana dissipated, and Alex dropped to the ground, panting. ¡°Even having Hannah''s power and the Mark, this is one backbreaking spell,¡± he gasped. ¡°Definitely need to take it slow¡­but¡­¡± He recorded his progress. Attempt 1 Progress: 3%. ¡°Not bad,¡± he said. ¡°Let''s try that again.¡±
¡°Find anything?¡¯ Grimloch asked, chewing on a piece of jerky the size of a towel. It looked like half a cow had gone into its making. ¡°Nothing yet,¡± the huntress said, looking through Uldar¡¯s lab for what felt like the hundredth time. ¡°We all thought we picked this place clean, but it feels like there should be something left. Something we missed, like a map that says where the Ravener will appear each time it reforms.¡± ¡°Convenient, if it exists.¡± The sharkman said, watching Brutus sniffing around Uldar¡¯s ancient equipment. ¡°Don''t think we''re gonna find anything this time. Should leave, come back another day.¡± The huntress let out a growl of frustration. ¡°I hate when you''re right. Brutus and I are tired, we''re not gonna find anything now.¡± Grimloch shrugged. ¡°I''m right a lot.¡± Theresa chose not to respond to that one, instead, calling Brutus to her side. ¡°Come on, boy. Let''s try again another day.¡± Together, the trio left the laboratory, walked down the hall past Uldar¡¯s armoury¡ªstill filled with his divine weaponry and armour, waiting for the final battle against the Ravener¡ªthen continued through the hall until they reached the god¡¯s silent throne room where his corpse lay beneath a shroud. They kept going, walking past it. Grimloch, Theresa and Brutus went down the stairs and left the sanctum, passing the Watchers guarding the entrance. The sanctum was left in silence once more. For all of five minutes. Within Uldar¡¯s armoury, a broad shouldered young man appeared, gripping an aeld-staff that seemed much longer than it once was. Not only was it longer, but the upper third of its length was wrapped in cloth. He looked around, sighing in disappointment. ¡°Should''ve known I wouldn''t be that lucky,¡± he whispered, walking through the armoury. With a few quick words and twitches, he conjured two elder earth elementals. ¡°Oh well, it''s probably for the best this way: I need to be quick, and if I ran into Theresa here, the last thing I¡¯d be would be quick.¡± Going silent, he looked through Uldar¡¯s divine weaponry and armour. Most pieces were outsized, built specifically for the immense god. They were still spread around the armoury, left by the Expedition team for now, not wanting to raise questions by appearing with an armoury of weapons from the god¡¯s days in the material world. They weren''t ready for those questions. At least, not yet. Fortunately, the reasons didn¡¯t matter for the purposes Alex had in mind¡­ ¡°I''ll take this one first,¡± he said, pointing to the largest two-handed axe in the armoury. ¡°Would you mind grabbing that?¡± He asked one of the elder earth elementals. He selected several other weapons from among the largest: an immense trident, a curved sword, a massive hammer, and lastly, a spiked mace with a ball the size of a bull¡¯s head. The elder earth elementals carried each one as though it was as light as air. ¡°Good,¡± he said. ¡°Oh, wait now, could you get that too?¡± He pointed to a thick, broad, archaic breastplate: the largest piece of armour in the sanctum. ¡°Let''s take that piece of armour along too,¡± he said as one of his earth elementals picked it up. ¡°Alright, on to the next spot.¡±
In a remote region of the wilderness, on the southern boundary of Kymiland, several immense crates waited among the trees. Among them were a few small boxes, all magically sealed, bearing the sigil of Lucia''s company. There were signs of wagon tracks leading away, heading back southward. Perched in a nearby tree, a messenger construct watched. No one was nearby. Until suddenly, someone was. Alex and the elder earth elementals appeared. The hulking stone beings carried a collection of massive, divine weapons and armour. ¡°Let''s move!¡± he said, conjuring more elementals. ¡°We''ve got to get those boxes and be gone from here. There¡¯s no time to linger.¡± Together, the young wizard and the summoned elementals loaded up the crates of golem-making materials. Alex touched each one, then teleported everything back to the sanctum. Though he could not hear the exasperated sound¡ªdeep within the fae wilds¡ªa certain bearded hunter howled in frustration. Chapter 751: An Engeli Summoner ¡°I had him!¡± The Stalker¡¯s scream echoed over the Lake of Ever Ice. He pulled his beard, gnashing his teeth. The squat fae stomped on the frozen surface, kicking at frost like a child throwing a tantrum. Below him, the ice rippled and writhed from his wrath. Nearby, his mount pawed the ground as though preparing to charge, its hoof scraping the ice-packed snow. Bells rang in disharmony throughout his antlers. Behind the moose, the hidden church¡¯s forces had paused at their tasks¡ªfrozen part way through preparations to leave¡ªwatching the fae throw his tantrum. The First and Third Apostles stood together. ¡°What has happened?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Izas said. ¡°One moment we were scrambling to leave because he said he¡¯d found the Fool, and the next¡­this!¡± ¡°Blast it,¡± Gabrian said, striding to their fae companion. ¡°What has happened?¡± ¡°The impossible! I lost him! Somehow, I lost the filthy mortal!¡± The Stalker cursed his quarry. ¡°He finally left wherever he was¡ªthis sanctum¡ªand reappeared in Thameland!¡± ¡°In Thameland?¡± Izas strode up beside them. ¡°Where, precisely?¡± ¡°Someplace near your old home, but he wasn¡¯t there for long¡ª¡± ¡°Hold now, you said he went near our old home? Near Uldar¡¯s Rise?¡± Gabrian demanded. ¡°Yes, yes he did!¡± the Stalker growled. ¡°But he was there for just a few moments, then he disappeared and reappeared near the southern borders of Kymiland, as you mortals call it.¡± The First and Third Apostles looked at each other. ¡°Strange,¡± Izas said. ¡°And then he simply disappeared?¡± ¡°Probably back to that sanctum, if that''s where he¡¯s gone¡­¡± the Stalker glared at a tent in the middle of the encampment. ¡°¡­curse that stupid mortal, Warder.¡± Reflexively, he took the red gems from his pouch, rolling the pair of eyes in his palm. ¡°If his mind hadn''t snapped so quickly, he might''ve given us more information.¡± ¡°If the Fool has returned to the sanctum, then we are right back where we started,¡± Izas said. ¡°But this is worrying¡­why would he return to Uldar¡¯s Rise, even if only briefly?¡± ¡°It is worrying¡­¡± Garbrian echoed. ¡°Perhaps it is a distraction, one meant to frighten us into returning home.¡± Izas shook his head. ¡°Then why go to Kymiland after Uldar¡¯s rise? We are missing something, holy leader.¡± ¡°Agreed¡­¡± Gabrian said. ¡°Izas, I am going to set up the miracle of recall. Things are now moving beyond our knowledge, I think we would be wise to secure our retreat and future should things go awry. I will count on you to continue working on the door that Warder spoke of.¡± Izas frowned. ¡°But without returning to Thameland to set another location, the only place the miracle of recall can bring us back to is Uldar¡¯s Rise, and our home is now guarded by the foreigners. We can go back to the island, but there is no point in that.¡± ¡°If we are driven from our quest, we should¡ªwhen we can kill all the foreigners¡ªretake our home. But we will need divine intervention for that,¡± Gabrian said firmly. ¡°But I am only considering that plan as a precaution. I know we shall not fail in our quest. We will not be driven from it. We will kill the Fool, and only then return to Thameland.¡± ¡°Of course, holy leader,¡± Izas said as the Stalker continued unleashing a stream of profanities against the Fool, Warder, and anyone else who¡¯d confounded his hunt. ¡°I will go to the door, then. Stalker, will you guide me back there?¡± ¡°Yes, yes of course! The sooner the better!¡± the fae spat, his spittle freezing on the ice covered lake. ¡°We''ve been wasting too much time as it is. Damn this Fool for giving me false hope! By my Lord Aenflynn, I can''t wait to see his wretched head mounted on my wall!¡±
In the material world¡ªin a hidden spot among the islands off the eastern coast of the Irtyshenan Empire¡ªthe Stalker, Izas, and a guard of warrior-priests stepped out of the fae roads and onto an isle of grey rock. Together, they travelled from the island¡¯s centre to a hidden cove on the southern shore, descending a staircase of coral and rough stone. Their location was many miles from where the Fool of Thameland had once searched for Kelda¡¯s sanctum. At the bottom of the steps, a cave was carved into the rock. Through a tunnel in that cave hovered a portal. It was tall, broad and blazing with the Traveller¡¯s power, and¡ªat one time¡ªit served as a secret doorway for the Guild of the Red Mouse. Once one of their most well-guarded secrets, known only to a few. One of those few, had been Warder. For days, the guild leader had refused to break beneath the Stalker¡¯s torments. Yet, there was a limit to how much willpower he could muster, and how much suffering his mind and body could endure. After close to a week of interrogation, he¡¯d finally broken, shattering like glass. He¡¯d sung many of the guild¡¯s secrets to his tormentor, betraying a number of his fellow guild members in the process. Most of what he¡¯d revealed had been of little use to the Stalker and his hounds, but the location and workings of Kelda¡¯s ancient portals were of much interest. The hunters had found the doorway, and claimed it. They¡¯d defended it from the Guild¡¯s repeated attempts to reclaim it, allowing Izas and the other priests to begin their work. Channelling divinity¡ªand using the Third Apostle¡¯s vast knowledge of spellcraft¡ªthey¡¯d begun trying to pick apart the workings of the Traveller¡¯s power. Those energies were a mystery, but they¡¯d still hoped that¡ªin time¡ªthey could unlock the power¡¯s secrets to claim it and teleport directly to the Fool¡¯s hiding place. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Progress in their endeavour had been scant, but Izas had faith that they would eventually prevail, even though a growing dread had begun filling the Third Apostle to his core, eating away at confidence granted by his faith. ¡°Stalker,¡± he said to the fae as he prepared to examine the glowing portal before them. ¡°Have you ever known a quarry that has proven so difficult?¡± ¡°In many ways, more difficult, but not so frustrating!¡± the Stalker snarled. ¡°He''s like a burr you can''t quite scratch out: not dangerous, but irritating! We should be able to snap him in half like a bear would a rabbit, but he¡¯s so elusive! I have half a mind to go down to where his family lives, find them, and kill every last one of them. That would draw him out!¡± ¡°And place the entire quest and our purpose in jeopardy,¡± Izas said. ¡°I know, I know,¡± the Stalker said. ¡°I''m just spitting smoke right now.¡± He gave the mortal a quizzical look. ¡°Why do you ask, though? Something making you nervous again? You''ve been a bit jittery lately, my hound.¡± ¡°I cannot help but feel that we have missed something,¡± Izas said. ¡°What if he has found some weapon in this sanctum?¡± ¡°Then he would''ve used it on us by now,¡± the Stalker pointed out. ¡°Maybe,¡± Izas said. ¡°I just cannot help but feel that¡­no, never mind¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± the fae asked. ¡°It is as though the jaws of a great beast are closing around our necks,¡± Izas shuddered. ¡°You must be imagining that: we¡¯re the great beasts, and he¡¯s the prey!¡± The fae cried. ¡°I have many names, my hound, but quarry or victim are not among them! We are the hunters, and he is the prey.¡± ¡°Indeed¡­I am losing focus,¡± Izas turned his attention to the portal. Still, the wizard-priest could not shake that feeling of dread.
¡°Whaaat is thiiiis?¡± Bjorgrund gasped, gaping at the magnificent axe in his hands. Its length was as great as the golem axe Alex had stolen for him in the Irtyshenan Empire, but it blazed with divine power. ¡°Is this really for me?¡± ¡°It sure is,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°The energies coming from it¡­by my ancestors, they¡¯re something else!¡± Birger murmured. ¡°Where in the world did you get this from?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just say the owner wasn''t using it anymore,¡± Alex said. ¡°You probably won''t find an axe as powerful in most places in the world: it''s a gift, along with the armour¡ª¡± He pointed to Uldar¡¯s breastplate, still held by the earth elemental. ¡°¡ªso you¡¯ll be better protected for the upcoming fight.¡± The giant gaped at Uldar¡¯s armour, then spun the axe, giving it a few test swings. ¡°This is some kind of weapon. I can¡¯t believe how well-balanced and light in the hand it is, yet it has so much heft when I swing it. Look how easy it is to manoeuvre, like it''s moving where I''m willing it to go!¡± ¡°Glad to hear it,¡± Alex beamed. ¡°But what are all those other weapons for?¡± Birger asked. ¡°They¡¯re all too big for you, and Bjorgrund only has two arms.¡± He looked at the crates of materials Alex had teleported to the sanctum. ¡°Are they for the golems you''re going to make?¡± Alex let out a loud laugh. ¡°Not really. It''d be a waste to give weapons like that to constructs that don¡¯t have the spark of reasoning. I could give them to Claygon, but he really likes his war-spear. No, these weapons are for a different purpose.¡± ¡°What sort of purpose?¡± Bjorgrund asked, taking the armour from the elemental. Alex smiled. ¡°You''ll see. I''ll talk to you after I break through to ninth-tier.¡± The giants looked at each other. Birger shook his head. ¡°You say that so casually: ninth-tier spells are the stuff of legends, and you''re talking about breaking through to ninth like you''re going down to the brook to fetch a bucket of water. I shouldn''t be surprised, though.¡± He looked between the General and his son. ¡°Over the last few days, I''ve witnessed the two of you grow by leaps and bounds when it comes to melee combat. It¡¯s stunning how different you are now compared to when we got here. Especially you, Alex.¡± He nodded toward Bjorgrund¡¯s rune. ¡°I''ve trained Bjorgrund in the ways of fighting since he was a young boy, and he''s also rune-marked: I¡¯d expect him to grow quickly when it comes to battle. But, you Alex, you¡¯ve never held a weapon for fighting with¡ªaccording to what you told us¡ªand now, here you are, fighting as though you¡¯ve had one in your hands for years. You move like a dancer with it, fast, graceful and precise!¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m glad to hear it. I''ve got someone to impress.¡± ¡°Well, I think the church is going to be impressed¡­then dead,¡± Bjorgrund swung his axe in a figure eight. ¡°Oh, I''m not talking about the church,¡± Alex said. The young giant cocked his head to one side. ¡°Wait until ninth-tier,¡± the young wizard grinned. ¡°You know, you''ve got no reason to be mysterious about what you¡¯re doing.¡± The old firbolg frowned. Alex shrugged. ¡°I''m preparing for the fight of my life, let me have a little fun. Besides, you probably won''t have to wait long: at the rate I''m going, I''ll probably break through to ninth-tier today.¡± He looked at his open notebook sitting on a table. Written across the pages were notes he¡¯d taken keeping track of each attempt at Summon Astral Engeli he¡¯d made. The last one read: Attempt 73 Progress: 89%. ### Within the summoning chamber in Kelda¡¯s sanctum, Alex channelled the power of a ninth-tier spell. This was his eightieth attempt at Summon Astral Engeli. He was so close to succeeding. A magic circuit of staggering complexity burned in his mana pool, composed of eight, interconnected smaller circuits. They worked in tandem, channelling great power. Hannah''s power flooded the circuit, joining together with the young wizard¡¯s spell. As the Mark of the General guided him, it showed him images meant to perfect his pronunciation and concentration. The ninth, and final interconnected circuit was forming. The spell array was completing. Alex¡¯s mouth felt dry from hours of incanting. He was tired, he was hungry, and had a pounding headache. He could feel his mana pool decreasing. But he was nearly there¡­so very close. Focusing his thoughts, joining them with the Mark and the Traveller¡¯s power, he pushed on, painstakingly moving through the last of the spell array¡­until¡­ At last, it was done, he¡¯d broken through. The spell had completed. The magic circuit formed. All shook around him as Alex roared in triumph. The power of the spell, and the Traveller¡¯s power reached across planes, touching the celestial realms. Calling down an engeli. The creature appeared in the summoning circle in a flash of burning light, materialising as a formidable winged being of astounding beauty. Hovering above its head was a burning halo¡ªa wheel ringed with rows of piercing eyes. From a face that was androgynous by nature¡ªat once both young and old, the engeli looked upon its summoner¡ªa powerful looking young wizard¡ªand gazed down with eyes that seemed to look through to Alex¡¯s soul. The engeli bowed, lowering its head. ¡°I see your soul, and you are true of heart, archwizard. How may I serve?¡± Archwizard. Alex had risen to a realm of power that he¡¯d never dreamed he ever would when he wore the Mark of the Fool. He stood on the road to being a mage whose name would live a thousand years or more. Cosmic secrets, paths to immortality, and overwhelming power were now at his fingertips. But, he was not finished yet. ¡°Greetings,¡± he said. ¡°Celestial champion. Together, we''re going to wipe a great evil from this world. Not immediately, but soon.¡± ¡°A fine purpose,¡± the engeli said. ¡°Shall I give you my name, then? So that you may call me when the battle comes.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said, then paused. Names. A name so he could call his newest soldier. Something about the word played in his mind. But, he would have to reflect on it later. Chapter 752: The Unmaker ¡°Congratulations on ninth-tier!¡± Bjorgrund slapped Alex on the back, nearly knocking the young wizard over. The giant¡¯s strength had grown from their daily training together, while his rune now blazed brighter, glowing under the divine new breastplate Alex had given him. The armour was a bit snug, but the protection it provided him was worth a little discomfort, he¡¯d said. ¡°That''s quite the accomplishment, Alex!¡± Birger said. ¡°Congratulations!¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the young wizard laughed, still stunned. ¡°I can barely believe it myself¡­I mean, this time, not so long ago, the only thing I could cast was a Forceball!¡± ¡°What''s a Forceball?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°It¡¯s an easy first-tier spell,¡± Birger explained. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right, and it was all I could do. Now I¡­wow¡­¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I''d be stunned too,¡± Birger gave Alex a gentle smile. ¡°Take your time, boy.¡± ¡°But, after you finish taking your time, let''s beat the ever living crap out of those church guys,¡± Bjorgrund grinned, looking around. ¡°So what¡¯d you cast? I didn''t hear any explosions so I had no idea you''d done it! Don''t ninth-tier spells involve a lot of explosions?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Not necessarily, not all of them. The one I cast summoned a powerful engeli, no fuss or explosions involved.¡± ¡°Aw, I wanted explosions,¡± the giant complained. ¡°Some of the most powerful and dangerous magics don¡¯t involve explosions, son,¡± Birger said. ¡°Yeah, but that''s not as much fun,¡± Bjorgrund grunted. ¡°Anyway, so, if you summoned something, where is it? You called us here to show it to us, right?¡± The giant looked around again, noticing the empty summoning circle. ¡°I sent him back,¡± Alex said. ¡°We had a little chat, and introduced ourselves, and then he gave me his name.¡± ¡°That''s it?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°That''s it,¡± Alex said. ¡°What''s the point of him just giving you his name and you sending him away?¡± the young giant asked. ¡°Son, names have power,¡± Birger said. ¡°I don''t know much about summoning, but I do know that if you want to summon a specific entity, you need its name.¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Bjorgrund said, looking at Alex. ¡°That means you can just call them from wherever you want?¡± ¡°I can call them from wherever they are across the planes,¡± Alex said. ¡°Well, thank the ancestors that the church can''t do that,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Otherwise, if they knew our names, they could just call us right to them and gut us whenever they wanted to.¡± ¡°That''s not quite how summoning works,¡± Alex said. ¡°You can''t summon something from the same plane you''re on. And¡ªas far as I know¡ªsummoning spells don''t work on mortals from the material world. For example, I couldn''t just go to the Hells, then summon you from the sanctum because I have your name.¡± ¡°Well, who can really say, right?¡± Bjorgrund shrugged. ¡°I mean, you wouldn''t even tell us the name of that fae that''s with the church. You said you got warned that he might have traps in his name or something? However that works, if he can put traps in his own damn name, then who knows what else he''s capable of: maybe he could summon us from ten feet in front of him. Not that he''d have to do that since we¡¯d be only ten feet in front of him¡­that was kind of a stupid examp¡ªAlex, are you okay?¡± The General of Thameland was holding his breath. He¡¯d stopped moving. He¡¯d stopped blinking. In that moment, he resembled a statue draped in flesh. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller, Bjorgrund, you really are a genius!¡± he cried. ¡°I think that¡¯s how he¡¯s been tracking us! How he''s been tracking me!¡± ¡°What?¡± Birger asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°My name. You said names have power, and I know names are important to the fae. They''re important to all sorts of spirits: and like Bjorgrund said, if that fae has power over names then, what if he''s tracking us through some kind of magic using my name!¡± He cried, slapping his forehead. ¡°I must''ve been asleep for the past few months! It makes so much sense!¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Birger mused. ¡°So if that''s¡­true, it would explain a lot. No matter where we went, they always seemed to turn up shortly after. If that fae has power over names, that would make a lot of sense!¡± ¡°I wish I could stomp him until he''s jam!¡± Bjorgrund snarled. ¡°Nasty little thing! I can''t believe that''s what that sneaky wretch was doing to find us, if it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°I bet you it is,¡± Alex said, remembering Gwyllain¡¯s warning about the Guide¡¯s names. ¡°The trouble is, there''s nothing we could have done about it,¡± Birger said. ¡°Short of changing your name, giving yourself time to get used to not answering to ¡®Alex¡¯ or ¡®Alexander¡¯¡ªand then getting accustomed to thinking of yourself by another name¡ªthere would have been no way of stopping them from finding you, unless we knew exactly how the magic worked and how to dismantle it.¡± ¡°Anyway, I still feel better understanding how they''re tracking me. The good news is that we don''t have to stop them from tracking me. Once we''re finished with our preparations, we¡¯ll want them to find us. ¡­I think having this information will help us, because it''ll make it easier for us to bait them.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. He patted Bjorgrund on the arm. ¡°Either way, good job, big guy. Now let''s get to the real reason why I brought you here. So, I''ll be casting a ninth-tier spell again: this time it could involve explosions or worse. I¡¯ll need you to help me set it up.¡± ¡°What do we need to do?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°It calls for a lot of iron as well as some blood,¡± Alex said. ¡°You know, the sort of thing that war-spirits are interested in.¡± ### For the next few hours, Alex carefully constructed a new summoning circle: created specifically for Asmaldestre the Unmaker. He used the sanctum¡¯s summoning circle as a base, then laid iron filings over the new circle in a precise formation. Inside the circle, he included numerous glyphs of protection and conjuration written in iron filings¡ªtaken from the golem-making supplies¡ªensuring the summoning circle was sealed tight. He wasn¡¯t taking any chances, making sure that the protection magic would have both a ¡®ceiling¡¯ and ¡®floor¡¯. One thing he definitely couldn¡¯t afford to have happen, was for one of the most feared war-spirits in all the planes to simply leap over the top of the circle and be free. When he¡¯d finished laying down the protection barrier, he placed seven candles from Kelda¡¯s summoning supplies at equidistant points along the edge of the circle. They were infused with mana and blood magic, and were used for a host of magic spells and processes, including the summoning arts. After lighting them, Alex turned to his two companions. ¡°Now for the next part,¡± the young wizard said, reaching for a knife. ¡°The spell needs blood from the summoner, but I think adding a bit of blood from a rune-marked would help to reinforce it.¡± The giant looked at his father, who peered at Alex. ¡°I have trust in you, but this is my son you¡¯ll be involving, so I need to ask, are there risks to Bjorgrund in this?¡± the old firbolg asked. Alex shook his head. ¡°The only one at risk is me.¡± ¡°Oh is that all?¡± Birger shook his head. ¡°Well, I leave the decision to you then son.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it, if it helps,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°It''s the least I can for this fancy armour and axe you gave me.¡± The giant went to Alex, extending his arm above a silver chalice. Using the tip of the blade on Bjorgrund¡¯s outstretched arm that was suspended just outside the circle, Alex ran it along the young giant¡¯s tough skin. It resisted, only yielding to the knife¡¯s edge after three tries. Red ran down to the chalice below in a steady stream. Once the cup was half-filled, Alex cast Mana to Life, healing Bjorgrund¡¯s wound. He rolled up his own sleeve next to repeat the process. The vicious looking scar spreading along his left arm was a reminder of Burn-saw. Alex raised the blade. ¡°Blood from an old wound,¡± he said, and reopened the scar. His blood ran freely, joining Bjorgrund¡¯s, mixing together. The air felt charged the instant their blood touched. Power rose, poised to converge in the summoning circle. The young wizard cast blood magic again, closing his wound. ¡°Make sure the other four weapons are on display,¡± Alex said, referring to Uldar¡¯s trident, hammer, curved sword and mace. ¡°I want her to see them right away.¡± ¡°They¡¯re propped up on the table behind us,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Right there for anyone to see.¡± ¡°Good. Now, you both had better step back: especially since I''ve never called her before. Get near that portal leading out of here, just to be on the safe side,¡± the young wizard warned. Father and son moved to the opening. Alex faced the summoning circle, and opened the spell-guide for Conjure Ultimate Ally, which he''d already read a dozen times. He remembered being in the Cells when Professor Jules and her assistants had conjured a being¡ªhe¡¯d considered to be of great power at the time¡ªa creature that had chilled his blood. Now, here he was a few years later, conjuring something even greater on his own. He set the spell-guide aside, and raised his hand toward the circle. ¡°Asmaldestre the Unmaker! Lady of Battle, Terror of the Planes, slaughterer of the Infinite! I call upon you!¡± he roared, his voice echoing through the chamber. He began casting the ninth-tier spell. Eclipsing what he¡¯d felt earlier when he¡¯d cast Summon Astral Engeli, a transcendent feeling, like he was touching cosmic forces older than time, washed over him. Mana rushed out like a waterfall, and the energies building within the circle answered. The incantation poured from his lips, the Traveller¡¯s power joined it, reinforcing the spell. The room trembled. The seven candles blazed, then dimmed, only to flare again. A scent of blood and iron stung Alex''s nostrils as he chanted the war-spirit¡¯s name. Sounds of clashing weapons scraping against shields reached him, wet sounds of flesh tearing, crackling flames, and screams from fires burning through armies soon followed. A sensation, throbbing with pure violence, crawled across his skin. The magic circuit completed within his mana pool. The General felt his magic and the Traveller¡¯s power reach out across the planes; from battlefield to battlefield, calling out to something. For a time, the spell hung, like a fishing lure dangling above the sea. Unanswered. He began to wonder if something had gone wrong. Then, the lure jerked. Something had caught it. A chill ran down Alex¡¯s spine. Something was coming¡ªa creature of immense power was speeding through the planes. The energies approaching were much stronger than those of the greater demons Zonon-In, Kaz-Mowang and Yantrahpretaye. If those monsters still lived, they might have wisely quaked in the face of such power. Perhaps, even the self-assured Ezaliel might have knelt before what was now nearing. ¡°Do you feel that, father?¡± Bjorgrund cried. ¡°It feels incredible!¡± ¡°Incredible? It feels horrible!¡± Birger shouted. ¡°We should¡ª¡± Then, it appeared. Iron filings¡ªand glyphs of iron¡ªblazed red as though engulfed in a forge¡¯s flame. Unseen war drums pounded. Blood and fire erupted, staining the air. Within the summoning circle, the air ruptured. A being stepped through. One claw¡ªlike a dragon¡¯s with scales of steel¡ªtouched the ground. Another followed. A silhouette of flesh and steel materialised as an entity formed, wavering like rippling flame and blood. Alex hissed; the creature¡¯s countenance and bearing stung the eye, but he couldn''t turn away. He could not show fear. The young wizard squinted as though peering at the sun, taking in the form of what he¡¯d summoned. Asmaldestre looked similar to a centaur in shape: with a humanoid upper body, emerging from a bestial lower half. But, that was where the similarities ended. The war-spirit¡¯s lower body was unlike any horse Alex had ever seen, instead, it was draconic, though wingless and formed of steel. Metal scales ringed in serrated edges wept boiling, bubbling blood. Behind its dragon form trailed a tail like a snake¡ªcoated in spikes¡ªending in a blade teeming with lethal symbols of war. They flared intermittently, blazing with red light. Claws flexed and relaxed, seemingly readying to rend the sanctum walls like parchment. A humanoid torso bore six arms, three on either side, each gripping a weapon: blades, spears, and others Alex could not name. Some reminded him of Shale¡¯s Gale Force Cannon Mk. I Prototype, which they had test-fired in her basement long ago. The war-spirit stood unmoving, her body radiating pure power. Her presence and spirit radiating her desire for violence. The crimson skin covering her torso was etched with more ragged scars than Alex could count, hundreds of tiny blades were woven through flowing, ink black hair. The terrible beauty of her face could be compared to a sword: a weapon incarnate. Her three eyes suddenly opened. One boiled like a ball of molten steel. The other resembled an orb of rippling blood. The third, a burning blue star. Her broad lips opened, revealing dozens of metallic fangs. ¡°Speak.¡± was all she said. The word struck like a blow; even her voice was violence. But, the wizard was undeterred. ¡°I am Alexander Roth, known also as the General of Thameland,¡± he said. ¡°Welcome. I have called you here to recruit you to my army.¡± Chapter 753: Armys Completion ¡°Oh hells!¡± Birger hissed, frozen in place like a mouse before a snake. ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± his rune-marked son murmured, his voice a mix of awe and fear. The mighty war-spirit¡ªa creature of honed flesh and metal¡ªlooked at the giants, then back to Alex. Every single twitch of her body language spoke of violence. Eyes of blood, molten metal and blue fire looked back at the young wizard. For the second time since he''d summoned a monster with a ninth-tier spell, he felt like an otherworldly entity was looking through his very soul. ¡°Blood. Battle,¡± she pronounced, looking at him closely. Her tone was hard to read, but Alex could sense no derision toward him. He remembered how Professor Mangal¡¯s war-spirit had sensed something in him that was counter to violence, and had resented him for it. He was very glad that he no longer had the Mark of the Fool. ¡°Bargain, archwizard,¡± she said. ¡°I present you with these,¡± he said, pointing to Uldar¡¯s weapons on the table behind him. ¡°I seek to lead you into at least two battles. The first will be here, against opponents who are mighty, wielding the sort of violence that would make an entire army tremble. They will come here, bringing war to us.¡± His jaw flexed. ¡°I wish to show them what war truly is. The second battle will be greater: it will be fought against an ancient opponent, one that has caused endless war for thousands of years. Our battle against it will be the stuff of legends, and it will redefine the fate of a kingdom and an age of the world. I would not presume to call on your mighty talents for battles that are beneath you, and I believe these will match your appetite for destruction. I would also not presume to ask you to join me without payment: I am not some arrogant mortal who seeks to make a being as old as you bend the knee to him. I seek to establish a relation with you, one that could be of mutual benefit for a thousand years or more. To prove this, I would like to present you with these four gifts.¡± He pointed to the divine weapons on the table behind him. Asmaldestre¡¯s eyes snapped to them. ¡°These arms were forged by a god¡ª¡± Alex started. Behind him, Bjorgrund sputtered. ¡°What?¡± he gasped, looking at his new axe. ¡°¡ªto be borne into battle as his personal weapons¡ª¡± Now it was Birger¡¯s turn to cough. ¡°You stole weapons from a god?¡± Alex continued. ¡°¡ªbut he no longer needs them. There is no reason for such weapons to lie useless in an armoury, I would see them in your capable hands. I only ask in return for your alliance, your friendship, and your loyalty. I offer the same in return. If you join me, then we will fight on each other''s behalf. I will lead you into the great battles that I will no doubt fight over my lifetime. You will fight along my side¡ªreaping blood and glory¡ªwhile I will fight beside yours.¡± The young wizard¡¯s voice took on a quality of intimidating confidence: the same tone he¡¯d used to terrify the giants of the firbolg village in Kymiland. ¡°I have slain greater demons, slaughtered monsters and destroyed armies: though I know, I am only an infant compared to the violence that you have created. Still, I believe we can serve each other¡­and I wouldwelcome your teaching me the true nature of war, for I am a General. So, I come to you with both pride and humility to propose an alliance.¡± The war-spirit looked upon him, her eyes burning. ¡°You have great pride in yourself and your prowess, mortal,¡± she said, her words slamming into him. The spirit watched him closely for signs of weakness, for any sign of him flinching back from the violence in her voice. He showed none. ¡°Few are the archwizards that dare to summon me. Fewer are those that still live,¡± she pronounced. Birger made a strangling noise. Asmaldestre looked at the summoning circle around her, eyeing the gifts carefully. Her eyes shifted from the iron filings¡ªglowing even now¡ªto the blood in the chalice, which had begun to boil. ¡°Some wizards make mistakes in the spell, freeing me to slaughter them for their arrogance and incompetence. You have made none. Some seek to come to me, and elevate themselves as master, turning me into their slave. They wish for me to bend my knee to them.¡± She ground her teeth, metal scraping on metal. ¡°Mortal arrogance. They think they know mastery and violence. They do not know the beginnings of such things, not in the way I do.¡± A metallic talon scraped along the stone. ¡°These ¡®masters¡¯ I shatter. Others come to me with sickening humbleness, begging and grovelling like soul-worms in devil¡¯s soil. They forget one thing: I am no engeli. What would mortal weakness instil in me, save disgust? Others give pittances in the form of payment, or think battle is payment enough: but to battle constantly, why would I serve or ally to do something that I would do already? Others seek me for tasks beneath me. For violence suited for lesser things: an insult. You come with none of these things.¡± She looked at Alex closely. ¡°You bring proper payment. You offer an alliance, not slavery. You do not call yourself master, yet you do not grovel in a sickening manner like you mortals disgustingly do. You speak of battles that promise to be worth my attention, and I smell blood on you. The blood of many lives taken¡­including¡­¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She tilted her head to the side, the blades in her hair grinding against each other. ¡°¡­a death that took place in your own soul¡­curious¡­You have done things correctly. Which is why you are not dead. But, why should I ally with a mortal? A bag of rotting, ageing flesh destined to be reaped by time. Dust that does not yet know that it is dust.¡± ¡°A demonstration, then,¡± Alex said. ¡°To prove my prowess.¡± His thumb jerked toward Bjorgrund, as he then walked to a nearby wall and picked up his staff. Its top half was still wrapped in cloth. ¡°I will spar with this rune-marked to show you my prowess for battle, and his.¡± ¡°Oh¡­oooooh¡­¡± Bjorgrund murmured. Alex looked at Asmaldestre. ¡°It''s my hope that I can show you why you would want to ally with this¡­what did you call us? Dust that doesn''t know it¡¯s dust yet.¡± ¡°Acceptable. The rune-marked are an admirable creation. I would see how you do in battle against this one.¡± ¡°Alright, you''re up Bjorgrund,¡± Alex said, spinning the staff in one hand and strolling to an empty part of the room. ¡°Let''s fight.¡± The giant looked at the war-spirit, then back to the General of Thameland. ¡°Fair enough. I think I see what''s going on here. Let''s give a proper show.¡± With a roar, the rune-marked charged. The wizard and the giant surge forward, weapons blurring in hand. Alex muttered a haste spell beneath his breath, the world slowing around him, as he met Bjorgrund¡¯s rush. The aeld staff danced in his hand as he weaved around the giant. Bjorgrund¡¯s axe chased him, the weapon a blur of speed and crushing power. He danced beneath the giant¡¯s strikes, spinning under Bjorgrund¡¯s reach and moving into his guard. But, the giant had learned his tricks, and slid back with an easy grace that he¡¯d not displayed when they¡¯d first begun sparring together. Still, Alex followed, and the two opponents whirled with massive strikes, swift dodges and quick steps. They moved like liquid, attacks flashing between them. Bjorgrund¡¯s axe hissed through the air while Alex¡¯s aeld staff crashed against Uldar¡¯s breastplate. The giant was a wave of terrible force: a swift mountain that crushed all opponents before it. The General of Thameland was a flowing river, moving and dancing between his opponent¡¯s blows. Alex ducked one of Bjorgrund¡¯s swings, snapping his staff across the metal of the giant¡¯s breastplate. Bjorgrund''s hand, releasing the haft of his axe, whipped out and grabbed Alex by the shirt, throwing the young wizard across the room. Wind whistled in Alex''s ears as he flew at horrifying speed, the wall of the chamber growing closer and closer. He reached into his soul, grasping the Traveller¡¯s power and teleported behind his opponent, staff snapping against the giant¡¯s leg. With a grunt, Bjorgrund turned, his fist swinging. The young wizard teleported into the giant¡¯s blindspot, striking at him. Bjorgrund became a blur of flowing blows, his axe carving figure-eights through the air. Alex teleported away faster than a heartbeat, appearing again and again in the giant¡¯s blindspots, striking his larger opponent from all angles. The staff thrust from above, swung from below and struck from the side. Even as the rune-marked weaved a storm of metal around himself, Alex responded, unleashing a hail of blows from his staff, connecting from all sides. A swifter opponent might have been able to respond, but Bjorgrund was too slow to keep up with the General¡¯s teleporting. He took dozens of blows, which turned to scores, then to hundreds. His rune blazed, and he pushed himself, moving faster, but the young wizard adjusted, teleporting into his reach through his guard. None of Alex''s blows were hard enough to actually hurt the giant¡ªespecially through Uldar¡¯s armour¡ªbut they were enough to show one thing, and show it well. In just a short while¡ªby combining his dances, the preciseness of carving, his knowledge of anatomy, his augmenting spells and teleportation¡ªhe¡¯d grown into the General, a deadly warrior, the Hero he was always meant to be. ¡°By my ancestors¡­¡± Birger murmured. ¡°Incredible.¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Asmaldestre said. The single word stopped the fight as both Alex and Bjorgrund froze, the war-spirit¡¯s voice striking them like a blow. Alex looked at the summoned being, his gaze levelled. ¡°Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I didn''t use most of the spells I¡¯m capable of. If I could use all of the spells I''ve learned over the last few years, or even the combat spells I''ve learned over the last few days¡­this fight would''ve been very different.¡± ¡°He''s right,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°I saw him destroy an entire band of rune-marked, and he was a lot weaker then. Mighty war-spirit, he will make a good ally for you.¡± Her eyes snapped to the giant. ¡°You are a whelp of a rune-marked, with only one rune. But you have a good foundation. You will make a terrifying warrior one day, and as for you¡ª¡± She looked at Alex. ¡°¡ªyou are skilled in the art of violence. If you had unsheathed that weapon, your opponent would now be devastated.¡± ¡°I have a lot of room to grow. I''m new at this kind of fighting. But I intend to keep learning and grow even more,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°Which brings me to a final point. If you ever plan on betraying me, then we should probably end this negotiation, and go our separate ways.¡± He pointed to his chest. ¡°I try to be fair, loyal, and kind to friends, companions, and allies. That said, I¡¯m no doormat: I don''t tolerate betrayal, and I''ve got something of a knack for vengeance. I may not have your skill with weapons, at least not now. I may not have your experience in battle, but I have taken the lives of enemies both ancient and strong. If you ever betray me, or harm my companions, then I won''t rest until I find some way to make you wish that you¡¯d died on a battlefield somewhere.¡± ¡°Arrogance? Now, you would threaten one such as I?¡± Asmaldestre asked. The giants were making choking noises. ¡°Not arrogance. A promise. Everything I have stated is fact, nothing more nothing less. I was beginning to get a little annoyed that you were referring to us as ¡®whelps¡¯ and ¡®dust¡¯. I also don¡¯t want you to have the wrong impression.¡± ¡°What wrong impression?¡± her words struck. ¡°That¡ªyou could take advantage of us¡ªand even have a prayer of walking away from that betrayal alive,¡± he said, looking into her eyes. The war-spirit watched him for a time. Then her body began to shake. She threw her head back, laughter tinged by fire spraying from her lips, exploded. ¡°Well done! I am amused and impressed, mortal! If your deeds are as strong as your words, then this will be a most pleasing alliance.¡± Alex¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°Then that means¡ª¡± ¡°I am Asmaldestre the Unmaker.¡± She slammed one of her front claws into the stone. ¡°By the binding magic of this spell, I swear an oath and form an alliance with the archwizard, Alexander Roth. As long as our alliance is not broken by either party, I will follow you into battle as you might follow me.¡± She grinned. ¡°Hand me those weapons. And I will show your enemies a violence that they could never hope to understand.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Alex said. ¡°We will show them a violence they can never hope to understand.¡± And with that, Alex¡¯s army was complete. They were ready. Chapter 754: Hidden Icons ¡°You know, I thought we were going to die,¡± Birger shook his head, seeming shocked that they were still alive. He raised his arms toward the ceiling, stretching his aching back as the trio entered the lab. ¡°You went through all the trouble of making us stay out of the summoning room when you were conjuring simple elementals, big birds, and engeli. But you keep us right there with you when you call the Slaughterer of the Infinite, literally, something called the Slaughterer of the Infinite! Then you try and antagonise it?¡± Bjorgrund shuddered. ¡°When you started talking about revenge near the end there, I was sure she was going to leap out of the summoning circle and start butchering us!¡± ¡°I wasn''t worried, not even for one second!¡± Alex said loudly, like someone lying about not being worried. His hands shook. ¡°The only thing I felt was the sweet thrill of victory!¡± The giants looked at each other, then back to the young wizard sceptically. Alex¡¯s grin cracked. ¡°Okay, I''m lying. I was actually shaking in my boots. For a moment there, I wasn¡¯t sure how offended she¡¯d be, but I also had to show her that I wasn¡¯t afraid of her. She made it pretty clear that she had no respect for weakness. But yeah, I wouldn''t have had you with me if I didn''t need you. Bjorgund and I needed to do that demonstration, and I didn''t think you''d want to leave your son alone with me and something like her, Birger, and besides, if she¡¯d started going berserk, I would have grabbed you two and teleported the hells out of there before she could get out of the summoning circle.¡± ¡°Well, you thought right. I''m just glad she seemed to admire you showing her some backbone,¡± Birger said. ¡°So, does this mean we¡¯re all ready, then?¡± ¡°Just about,¡± Alex nodded to the control panel for the sanctum. ¡°Did you finish mapping a route for our ¡®guests¡¯?¡± Birger gave him a nasty smile. ¡°Why don''t you take a look? We wrote everything down in that book over there.¡± The old firbolg pointed to the notebook lying open beside the controls. Alex eagerly picked it up, reading each notation carefully, his smile growing wider at everything he saw. Laid out across the pages, was a detailed route through the sanctum, beginning at the entrance chamber with the goddess statues, and leading through a number of rooms. The trap in each area was highlighted, along with which pathways would go to the next room along the giants¡¯ diabolical route. Every room had two exits, each one leading to a different branch along the passageway, giving the hidden church the illusion of choice. They would be drawn in, believing that they were moving through the sanctum of their own choosing, while in fact, they would be led along a set path to death. Alex nodded in approval. ¡°This is vicious,¡± he said admiringly. ¡°Well done. Now, they can get a taste of what being ambushed feels like.¡± ¡°And it never leads to anywhere we don''t want them to go: no summoning chamber and no lab. But you know what the best part is?¡± Bjorgrund pointed at the end of the route, all smiles. ¡°Look where they end up.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes went to the end of the route, then he burst out laughing. ¡°Right back to the goddess statues! Oh, that''s evil!¡± ¡°I''ll be sitting at the controls, turning traps on and off,¡± Birger grinned. ¡°If they look confident, then all the traps will be on in every room they go to. If they look like they''re starting to get nervous, I''ll turn off a few traps¡ªgive them a bit of hope¡ªand keep luring them in. Once they get comfortable again, then we start hitting them with the ¡®good¡¯ stuff. I think the best part is when they first get to the entrance chamber, the statues will be off. We won''t be so kind when they find themselves back in that same room at the end of it all.¡± ¡°Excellent, just what I like to hear.¡± The young wizard rubbed his hands together. ¡°And by the time they get back there, the summoned monsters waiting for them, as well as the traps, will have whittled their numbers down so much that very few will be left. And if that sneaky fae, any priests or those two Apostles are left, they¡¯ll get a taste of what¡¯s waiting in that room. That''s when we hit them with my most powerful summoned monsters, including our new ally.¡± ¡°My thoughts exactly,¡± Birger said, looking at his son. ¡°You understand you don''t have to be involved in the last part of this fight if you don''t want to be, Bjorgrund?¡± ¡°That¡¯s absolutely true, you''ve done more than enough for me,¡± Alex agreed. Bjorgrund snorted. ¡°You''re gonna have me do all that training with you, and then not let me take part in the best part? No way. I want a piece of them myself, you didn''t give me this axe and armour so I could just sit around and admire them.¡± ¡°I thought you''d say something like that,¡± Birger said. ¡°Just make sure you don''t let them best you, son.¡± The larger giant patted his father on the back. ¡°I won''t, father. None of your stories end that way, so how could I let that happen?¡± Alex and Birger looked at each other in confusion. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the firbolg asked his son. The young giant grinned. ¡°What, you didn''t figure it out yet? This is just like one of your stories! You know, the ones about the young farm boys?¡± Alex raised a brow in amusement. ¡°What farmer stories?¡± ¡°Oh, those ones, ¡° Birger said, suddenly laughing. ¡°I see what you mean, son!¡± ¡°Okay, now I feel like you¡¯re sharing a joke that I don''t know the punchline to.¡± The young wizard looked around suspiciously. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°Well, there wasn''t much to do to pass the time in the woods,¡± Bjorgrund explained. ¡°So when I was little, father would sing and tell me all sorts of stories at night. A lot of them were about young, human farm boys who¡¯d always get chosen for some great destiny. Usually, they¡¯d get some sort of mark or something like it that shows their greatness¡ª¡± ¡°Clearly works of wild fantasy,¡± Alex said dryly. ¡°¡ªand they''d always be raised by grumpy grandfathers, aunts or uncles,¡± the young giant continued. ¡°Not too grumpy,¡± Birger said, sounding offended. ¡°Anyway, they would live on these farms, or in the middle of the woods, until one day a wizard comes to them. Usually they''d be old men, but sometimes, they''d be beautiful women¡­¡± Bjorgrund trailed off, his eyes shifting to Alex. ¡°Why are you looking at me like I''m some merchant who just gave you a bad deal?¡± Alex asked, squinting at the young giant. ¡°I don''t know, why aren''t you some beautiful sorceress?¡± the giant shot back. ¡°Yeah, fair enough. I''d be kind of pissed too,¡± Alex said. ¡°Well, at least I''m not an old man.¡± ¡°You¡¯re old compared to me.¡± Alex shuddered, imagining grey already replacing brown hair. ¡°Don''t make me wish I left you back at that cottage.¡± ¡°It''s okay, it''s okay! I''m joking!¡± Bjorgrund laughed. ¡°Point is, this wizard would sweep these farm boys up on these grand journeys of adventure, and would mentor and train them for some great destiny of theirs. I mean, things are a little different with our situation, but I did get marked with a rune when I was younger, and then a wizard did show up at my door to take me on a grand adventure, and I did get trained by that wizard.¡± Alex burst out laughing. ¡°I know those stories! By the Traveller, how come I didn¡¯t see it myself? That''s too funny!¡± He paused. ¡°Wait, doesn''t the mentor usually die in those stories?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Bjorgrund went quiet. ¡°Well, as you said, works of wild fantasy¡­¡± Birger said, shifting uncomfortably. ¡°They better be, because I ain''t dying,¡± Alex said. ¡°Not to the church.¡± He paused, thinking of Carey. Talk of friends dying, and the church, brought her to mind, leaving him wondering if she was alright, and growing stronger by Hannah¡¯s side. He wondered how her parents were, and if they ever took comfort in the painting he¡¯d made of Carey¡¯s final celebration with her friends. The young wizard paused again. A final picture. He reached into his satchel, feeling around. ¡°Hey, before we give our ¡®guests¡¯ their invitation, would you mind if we do something?¡± He pulled out Hannah¡¯s phone. ¡°It''d be great if we could take an instant portrait together¡ªI mean, this device will immortalise an image of the three of us. Think of it as making a realistic painting really fast as a keepsake in case¡­things don''t go right.¡± Birger looked grimly at Kelda, laying at rest in her glass coffin. ¡°Aye, seems like a proper thing to do,¡± the old firbolg said. ¡°How do we do it?¡± Well, the easiest thing to do would be to have a Wizard¡¯s Hand take it¡­hold on for a bit, let me fiddle with it for a second, let me try something.¡± He began looking through the menus slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s all in here, so there might be hidden functions¡­ah, here¡¯s a menu I¡¯ve never seen before¡­there''s all these unique looking icons in here¡­¡± The young wizard tinkered with the artefact, scrolling through different characters. ¡°Maybe this¡­wait, what''s this?¡± He touched a symbol that displayed another menu, then pressed an arrow. Music blared through the room. ¡°Gah!¡± Alex cried. ¡°What is that?¡± Bjorgrund shouted, lifting his axe. ¡°Are we under attack?¡± ¡°I''ve got to get to the controls!¡± Birger shouted. Meanwhile, Alex was fumbling with the phone, juggling it in both hands, trying desperately not to drop it. The melody rising from the artefact changed as a singer with a clear, climbing voice joined in, adding lyrics to the melody that soared through the air. By the time the young wizard caught the phone and secured it, the singer had reached a chorus. ¡°We are the chaaaaampioooons, weee are the champions! No time for losers, ¡®cause we are the champions of the world¡ª¡± the vocalist repeated the lyrics. At least, that is what the sounds sounded like, though Alex did not know their meaning. ¡°It''s okay, we''re not under attack, that¡¯s coming from the phone¡ªI mean the artefact¡ªI mean the thing in my hand!¡± Alex quickly shouted. ¡°Sounds like music! Good music from the sound of it. I like the melody, though I don''t know what the words mean!¡± Bjorgrund cried. "We ar tha champeeons?" Alex asked, enjoying the music now that he realised the phone wasn''t about to explode. "Birger do you know?" ¡°No, but it''s a very good use of melody,¡± Birger said. ¡°And the singer is fantastic. The voice is a little too high for my tastes, but it''s nice and clear. Does it say who the performers are?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell, I don¡¯t know what all of this says. There''s an image of a creepy-looking bald thing here, but I don''t know anything about it. It looks kind of like a ghoul.¡± ¡°Ghouls that sing like kings, wonder of wonders,¡± Birger said. ¡°I can''t believe such a thing was hidden in there.¡± ¡°Yeah, me neither. It must have been important to Hannah if she had it on here, maybe she can tell me the words in the common tongue if I see her again," Alex chuckled. ¡°It seems all sorts of things could be hidden in a device like this. I mean it can record information, images, music and Traveller knows what else, so why wouldn¡¯t it have all sorts of¡­other¡­functions¡­¡± Alex suddenly gasped. ¡°What is it? Is it exploding?¡± Bjorgrund said, looking ready to run for a portal. ¡°Something just occurred to me¡­¡± the wizard said. ¡°I don''t have any hard evidence to support this, so it''s only a hunch but¡­¡± ¡°A hunch about what?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°About where someone might hide information¡­¡± the young wizard said. Alex was thinking about Uldar¡¯s sanctum, to the mostly empty rooms. The god had immortalised so much of his life in that sanctum¡ªthrough notes, carvings etched into the walls of the staircase¡ªbut there was also so much that seemed to be missing. In his throne room, the expedition had found a scene that looked to be right out of a murder story. A dead body. Mysterious black ichor. A place setting for a guest who¡¯d never arrived for their meal. But Uldar had left no recordings or diaries anywhere. Or had he? Perhaps they simply hadn¡¯t found any. Perhaps they hadn¡¯t looked in the right places. Alex considered the throne room where Uldar once sat looking upon the entirety of his kingdom, watching moving images that surrounded him on all sides. The god had recorded his voice to greet guests¡­what if he¡¯d recorded something else elsewhere? What if, just like the music on Hannah¡¯s phone, there were secrets hidden in the chamber of images in his sanctum? He had to contact Claygon¡ªit was only a hunch, right now, but if he was right, it could be the first lead they¡¯d had in months. Theresa should know so she could tell their allies. ¡®I wouldn¡¯t mind taking a look around myself,¡¯ he thought. ¡®And even if I''m wrong, maybe I can find a way to take control of that room now that I''ve unlocked the Mark of the General. We could look for the Ravener in more than one place at a time. But, in order to be free to head back to Thameland, I need to get rid of those people hunting me.¡¯ He balled his right hand into a fist. ¡®We¡¯re ready now. First, we take the hidden church, then we put an end to the Ravener for good; no more cycles, no more spawn, no more coming back killing people, creating chaos, making five young people fight it every hundred. It has to end forever,¡¯ Alex thought. In the background, while a clear voiced singer sang of champions, the General of Thameland got ready to take a picture of himself and his two companions. After that, it would be time to lure their enemies. Time for the final battles in the endless cycle of Thameland¡¯s wars. Chapter 755: The Legend of the Last Fool ¡°Gather around fine folk, and let me tell you a marvelous tale on this fine evening!¡± the bard called to patrons across the tavern. He was a tubby man, his balding scalp was barely hidden by a hasty comb-over peeking from a large floppy hat with feathers through its band. His clothes were as brightly coloured as a peacock, though his face was rather plain; he wore a brilliant smile awash with sparkling white teeth. Iron sconces and flickering candelabras bathed him in the warmth of their dancing golden light. He strummed a lyre and hummed a jaunty tune as eyes¡ªsome sceptical and some already interested¡ªturned to him. ¡°And what tale would this be?¡± Someone jeered from a nearby table. ¡°Not another silly comedy, is it? I don''t want to hear another tale of drunken sailors: you''ve told one of those every night for the past week!¡± ¡°Well, if you''ve been drinking here every night this week and heard my tales, then maybe you have more in common with those drunken sailors than you¡¯d care to admit!¡± The bard called, strumming his lyre. A chorus of laughter erupted across the tavern. The heckler¡¯s face turned beet red. ¡°Now that¡¯s out-of-the-way, why don''t we get to what I want to tell you about on this fine evening. My tale isn¡¯t about drunken sailors¡­nor is it one about a single scoundrel, wizard, or warrior¡­and yet, I¡¯d have to say it''s about all three of those very sorts of folk all rolled into one. Today, my tale is of a Fool¡­and a Traveller.¡± All murmuring died away. The legs of a rickety table in the back of the room began creaking as folk seated around it propped their forearms and elbows on top, leaning forward in anticipation of the bard¡¯s tale. Some of these young folk were hidden in the shadow of an alcove, watching the storyteller intently. ¡°So, before I begin in earnest, there''s something we need to clear up first: the world¡¯s always changing,¡± He began strumming his lyre as though accompanying an ancient text he was reciting from. ¡°It¡¯s not an uncommon thing, the world changing, that is. It¡¯s tempting for folk to view the wide world like it¡¯s a static thing like rock, only changing through great moments recorded in books. Or sung about by bards like me.¡± He smiled, strumming his lyre. ¡°Great moments from some grand discovery.¡± He strummed his lyre. ¡°A realm-shattering war.¡± He strummed his lyre. ¡°A new age of magic. These are what folk think of when they talk about what changes the world!¡± He waggled his finger, clicking his tongue. ¡°The truth¡ªand wise-folk know this well¡ªis that the world is no great lump of unchanging rock. It¡¯s all a¡¯flux, complete with tiny little changes that make it different from moment to moment. Yes, wise-folk know this! But truly wise-folk¡ª¡± He pointed to himself. ¡°¡ªsuch as yours truly, know even more. They know that the little events are tied to, and often herald the big ones. So, let''s look at one of those heralding little events shall we? Let¡¯s look at the birth and life of a man named Alex Roth.¡± His strumming grew more rhythmic. ¡°As far as most folk can tell, he was born in a backwater named Alric, which is in a slightly bigger backwater named Thameland. In his early life, tragedy found the youngster when a hungry fire claimed his fine parents, and since toil was no stranger to those fine folk in Alric, the young lad later found work assisting a cantankerous baker with his baking. I¡¯ll emphasise the point again, life spent toiling was no stranger to the folk of Alric since they were ordinary, salt of the earth types. Yet, the young Alex was somewhat different; he had mana, and he longed to be a wizard. But, as life is inclined to do at times, it ignores a person¡¯s longings, and in this case, a specific event proved that, heralding, something much bigger.¡± The bard smiled, pausing both his strumming and his story to take in the reaction of his audience. They were hanging on his every word. He knew he had them. The lyre strummed. ¡°He was Marked as a Fool by his god, and was destined to fight and die in a war that Thameland fought¡ªas a regular custom¡ªagainst a monster called the Ravager¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Or was it the Ravener? Yes, that must be it. Certainly can''t be the Rampager, or I would''ve remembered that. In any case, he decided¡ªinstead of fighting and dying in this war¡ªto come here to our lovely city of Generasi, and become a wizard! What a fine show of willpower and determination! No doubt most of you have heard his name by now? He was a hero at Oreca¡¯s Fall! He saved the good ship, the Red Siren, from destruction at sea! He''s made magical discoveries, and his bakeries fill many of our bellies every morning. But that¡¯s only part of the story, isn''t it?¡± He peered into the audience, then waggled his finger again. ¡°What¡¯s this I¡¯m seeing? Some of you good folk of Generasi¡ªnaturally mistrustful of deities¡ªwearing a holy symbol around your necks! Yes, there it is, the lantern! The Sainted Traveller¡¯s symbol!¡± His strumming grew more frenzied. ¡°An ancient saint from an ancient land, a kind demigoddess here to lend a hand! Hardly a day goes by that you don''t hear of her miracles, kind deeds done for you and me, that melt the heart of even we jaded Generasians! Some say, they see her, some say, they simply hear of her deeds. But, I will tell you a story of how the Fool and her spirit saved an entire flotilla of ships from a kraken¡¯s wrath!¡± The bard then spun his tale¡ªcompletely fictional¡ªabout how Alex and the Traveller had rescued a fleet of sailing ships, transporting the passengers to safety. He told of the Traveller¡¯s power and kindness, and of the Fool¡¯s cleverness and strength. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Eight of the Fool¡¯s companions were given special mention: four Heroes of Thameland, a deadly huntress, a powerful wizard from the south, a scholarly wizard from the Rhinean Empire, and a resourceful and loyal minotaur mage. The bard had no idea that some of those he¡¯d just mentioned were in fact part of his audience. At that table in the back, hidden by the shadowy alcove, sat Theresa, Grimloch, and Alex¡¯s cabal. Their meals were already eaten. ¡°Well, that''s a pretty wild tale,¡± Thundar said lightly. ¡°Do any of you remember fighting a kraken?¡± ¡°No. Too bad. They''re good eating.¡± Grimloch licked his teeth. ¡°We should find one when we have time to go hunting.¡± ¡°You can be my guest,¡± Thundar said dryly. ¡°Still, it''s wild to me that they''re making up stories about us.¡± ¡°That is not a bad thing.¡± Prince Khalik hoisted his tankard, the powerful young man watching the bard. ¡°Alex¡¯s name is spreading, and so is that of the Traveller. As more people acknowledge Hannah, her power will grow.¡± ¡°We could use that,¡± Isolde sipped her wine, puffy bags beneath the young noblewoman''s eyes. ¡°We could use all of the help we can get.¡± ¡°Things not going great with you-know-who¡¯s notes?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°Actually, we have made progress: Professor Jules and I,¡± Isolde said. ¡°We have a few strong hypotheses as to how to end the menace forever. Of course, we cannot exactly experiment¡­but we can start narrowing things down through mathematical simulation.¡± ¡°We still need to find it,¡± Theresa said darkly. ¡°Alex told me something this morning¡­well, actually, he told Claygon, who told me. He said it was possible that you-know-who might''ve hidden a message inside that room where he watched Thameland from, the one with all the moving images in it.¡± ¡°An interesting idea,¡± Isolde said. ¡°We have had teams of wizards examine that room¡­and they have found nothing new. Of course with Alex''s gifts, especially now that they have been¡­enhanced¡­he might be able to find something where others could not.¡± ¡°I¡¯m real glad things worked out for him, but it¡¯s too bad we can''t see him for the time being,¡± Thundar said. ¡°I think he¡¯d get a kick outta this, hearing his name spreading¡­actually, I think he¡¯d be happier to hear Hannah¡¯s name spreading.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Theresa said. ¡°When will he challenge those fiends that hunt him?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°If they are defeated, then we will see him sooner than later.¡± The huntress gave the cabal a tense look. ¡°According to what he told Claygon? Today or tomorrow.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Khalik sputtered. ¡°Is there any way that we can go and help him? I owe this hidden church as well, and I would not see him facing enemies alone.¡± ¡°Thankfully, he isn''t alone,¡± Theresa said. ¡°But I wish I could be there too.¡± ¡°Then, why don''t we¡ª¡± Thundar started. ¡°We all have tasks to do, we have other things that need taking care of to help him,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Thundar, you and Khalik have to keep training and working with the Heroes. Isolde, you have to keep researching, and Grimloch and I have to keep hunting for leads to find the Ravener.¡± ¡°You''re right, of course,¡± Khalik said. ¡°Though, it is still frustrating.¡± ¡°We need to make preparations, because any battle against the Ravener will be for keeps, and when it comes, everything we¡¯ve been doing will count.¡± Theresa said. ¡°Alex is getting ready, and what we¡¯re all doing will help with that.¡± Her attention was now only partly on the bard¡¯s tale, the huntress was thinking about returning to Uldar¡¯s sanctum with Grimloch and Brutus. She hoped they¡¯d find a lead this time. Her thoughts went to the Traveller, asking her to bring Alex through his battle against the secret church, and keep him safe from a repeat of what happened when they were ambushed. ¡°I hope you''re ready,¡± she whispered.
Far from Generasi, where a bard spun a fictional tale of the Fool of Thameland¡¯s battles, Alexander Roth prepared for a real one. If the bard had heard of it, he¡¯d be salivating at the idea of a new and glorious tale in the Fool¡¯s chronicle¡­though he would be confused by something. The Fool of Thameland was no more. The General of Thameland had returned. Gone were the restrictions on spellcraft, combat, and divinity. Gone was the grinning jester¡¯s face on Alex¡¯s right shoulder, now replaced by a glowing sword¡ªits pommel in the shape of a crown¡ªpiercing a scroll. Gone where his limits. The cleanly shaven, though long haired, young wizard floated, cross-legged in the middle of a room within the sanctum of a long dead Fool of Thameland: Kelda of Clan McCallum. Alex was barely recognisable now. Gone was the gangly young man who¡¯d been Marked in Alric. His frame was now solid and muscular, capable of overturning a farm wagon by pure strength alone. His breathing came easy, even, and his body moved as gracefully as a selachar¡¯s moving through the Spear and Oar dance. His staff lay across his thighs, longer than it had been before, its upper third remained wrapped in cloth. Though his body language spoke of a state of complete peace, his lips moved constantly, as the occasional twitch rippled across his form. He was preparing, casting spells in a stream, all the while performing his meditation techniques. Not that long ago, he would struggle to cast a single spell, now the General could cast spells with the twitch of a brow. Forceballs, Wizard¡¯s Hands, protective spells appeared and disappeared around him. He summoned monsters in a single breath, then dismissed them with a twitch of a brow. He¡¯d call creatures from across the planes, then have them perform deeds as he watched in approval: Astral engeli drew blazing swords, sweeping the burning blades through the air; elder air elementals would blow flensing winds over the stones of the sanctum, while elder earth elements swam through stone floors, then rose and crashed their limbs together. Beings that could raze entire towns to the ground, or destroy entire battalions, were his to call, his to dismiss, until he was ready to call them again. He would detonate fireballs around the room, then conjure protective spells around himself. He peppered the walls with force missiles, each enhanced with deadly modifications to their spell arrays. He practised as he¡¯d never been able to before, feeling ready. At last, his eyes opened, his gaze fixed on a cube of iron sitting below him. He levelled a finger at it, imagining it was the First Apostle. He spoke a single syllable. And cast a sixth-tier spell: disintegration. The spell struck the cube, blasting it to dust. Alexander Roth nodded to himself. ¡°Are you ready?¡± a deep voice said. Stepping through a portal into the room, were his two companions. First came Birger, the ancient firbolg¡¯s weight braced against his crutch. He was followed by Bjorgrund. The young giant¡¯s torso was wrapped in the archaic breastplate that once belonged to Uldar, and in his hand, the immense axe forged for and by the god himself. On his chest, his red rune burned as though it had come to life. Alex looked at his two companions, they¡¯d accompanied him through all the months of searching for the sanctum. They had been there when he¡¯d freed himself from the Fool. They¡¯d vowed to be there when they freed each other from those who were hunting them. ¡°I''m ready,¡± Alex said. ¡°Are you?¡± Birger and Bjorgrund nodded. Alex clutched his staff. Once he was free from the church hunting him, he could examine Uldar¡¯s sanctum to see if he was right: to see if the god had hidden a message in his viewing room. ¡°Birger, Bjorgrund,¡± the General of Thameland said. ¡°Let''s lure the enemy.¡± Chapter 756: The Strange Messenger ¡°So what''s the plan?¡± Birger asked as he, Alex, and Bjorgrund strode into the laboratory. ¡°How exactly are we going to get them here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they''re going crazy trying to find us,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°They¡¯re probably turning over every rock around every spot they tracked us to, but truthfully, I don''t really care what they¡¯ve been doing: what matters to me is that they haven¡¯t been able to find us, which means they¡¯re probably as tired and desperate as we were.¡± His smile widened. ¡°Kind of appropriate, if you ask me. And what that means is that they¡¯ll be more inclined to make mistakes when I act as bait.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I''m going to leave the sanctum, and act like I''m looking for something.¡± ¡°Anything in particular?¡± the giant asked. Alex frowned, thinking carefully. ¡°That''s what I''m trying to figure¡­oh! Oh. I have an idea,¡± he said. ¡°Remember that old cave we found up in the mountains? The one with the mummified priest?¡± ¡°Yeah, the cave where they nearly caught us?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I remember that. We¡¯d busted a hole in the temple wall and found that dead priest with a bunch of treasure laid out around him. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever forget it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s true that the church nearly caught us there,¡± Birger said. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Alex said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they''re watching that place like hawks: but in case they¡¯re not¡­if I''m right about that fae tracking me by my name, if I show up there, he''ll know, right?¡± ¡°Yeah and that''s something I wanted to bring up,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Tracking you by your name using magic, can''t you do the same thing? You''re a wizard, and my father has magic.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Honestly, I have no idea how he¡¯s doing it: my best guess is through some kind of strange fae magic, but I''m no expert on ¡®strange fae magic¡¯. My mentor, Baelin, would probably know how he''s doing it: he knows almost everything, but I wouldn''t even begin to be able to figure it out.¡± ¡°Neither would I,¡± Birger said. ¡°That''s too bad,¡± Bjorgrund shook his head. ¡°It''d be nice to turn the tables and track them for once.¡± ¡°We won''t have to.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Like I said, we''re going to bring them to us. The plan is for me to appear in that temple with some summoned monsters.¡± ¡°Like those elder elementals?¡± the young giant asked. ¡°They¡¯re powerful and you could use them to start smashing the church the second they find you. Actually, wait, that''d be stupid. If you start smashing them, they''ll know something¡¯s different with you.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex pointed at himself. ¡°I''ll have to stick to monsters I could summon before we got to the sanctum. I¡¯ll be acting like I¡¯m gathering the priest¡¯s treasures, and taking them to the sanctum.¡± ¡°Good plan,¡± Birger said. ¡°All those treasures in there¡­it makes sense we¡¯d want them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Alex said. ¡°And when they show up, I''ll act like I''m not surprised to see them, and that I expected them since I¡¯ll have my monsters there to slow them down. It¡¯ll give them plenty of time to see the portal.¡± ¡°What portal?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°The one leading to the sanctum,¡± Alex said. ¡°The thing is, they have no idea how we got here. So they''ll have no idea that I can just teleport here whenever I want. If they see a portal that¡¯s leading to the sanctum, there''s a good chance they¡¯ll assume that''s my doorway in and out of here, and that I have to take it to get in.¡± ¡°They''ll try to stop you with that holy soil,¡± Birger pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m sure they will,¡± Alex said. ¡°But I''m going to go through the portal before they can use their interdictions.¡± ¡°They won''t use their interdiction to shut down your teleportation, they''ll use it to keep the portal open, thinking you¡¯re planning on closing it,¡± Birger reasoned. Alex snapped his fingers and grinned. ¡°Smart man! There''s the wisdom of the ages for you.¡± ¡°Thanks¡­I think¡­¡± Birger said dryly. Bjorgrund chuckled until a glare from his father silenced him. ¡°The other thing that¡¯ll lure them in is that I''ll make the doorway to the sanctum big enough for them to get a good look at the disfigured statue of Uldar in the entrance. If the desire to catch me doesn''t bring them, then, seeing Uldar¡¯s face all hacked up certainly will. Their blood¡¯ll start boiling and they¡¯ll be after me in no time.¡± ¡°Then we can finally get rid of those pests,¡± Birger said. ¡°The traps will be ready for them.¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°And I''ll be waiting, ready to fight,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Remember, hit and run tactics,¡± Alex said. ¡°Your route has multiple pathways: if we could divide them by you hitting them, then sprinting away through one of the portals, all the better.¡± ¡°Divide and conquer,¡± Birger said. ¡°That¡¯s the name of the game,¡± Alex said. ¡°Alright, let''s get into position. I''ve got tons of mana and lots of monsters to summon. After that¡¯s done, I''ll ring the dinner bell for our ¡®guests¡¯.¡±
The breakfast bell tolled outside Gabrian¡¯s tent, it rustled in the frigid breeze blowing across the Lake of Ever Ice. Inside, the First Apostle knelt naked on the ice, enduring the painful bite of the frozen lake on his skin. Suffering brought discipline. They needed discipline more than ever, lately. For a time, the church¡¯s hunt for the Fool had looked as though it would be a quick and easy affair. They had ambushed him and his companions in the middle of an icy forest, and nearly slain him in the snow. He¡¯d barely escaped with his life and, at the time, it had seemed like his end would be swift and inevitable. Some of the devoted had even suggested that the Fool would be dead, and they would be home by Sigmus. Yet, time had made fools of them all. It had not been so kind. For months, they had chased him, slowly tightening the net around him. At one point, it appeared they were mere days from catching him as he fled from place to place within the Irtyshenan Empire. Then, without warning, he¡¯d utterly disappeared. Even the Stalker, the fae who could track him by name alone, had been stumped, unable to know his whereabouts. They had searched in vain, then watched the places where the Fool had searched for the sanctum of another, long dead Fool, named Kelda, and found nothing. So they¡¯d turned to other means of tracking him. They had captured members of a thieves¡¯ guild¡ªthe Guild of the Red Mouse¡ªand the Stalker had tortured them. None were spared, and eventually one revealed what the Fool was looking for, along with the location of portals that Kelda had left around the Empire. From there, they¡¯d set some of their most gifted and wisest priests¡ªincluding Izas, the Third Apostle, and Gabrian, the First Apostle¡ªto the task of forcing the portal to lead them to the sanctum. They had engaged every bit of spellcraft and divinity they knew, but no progress was ever made. The portal had remained stubborn, much like the Fool, defying them as surely as he had. All that was left to do was employ another interdiction¡­ ¡­but both Izas and Gabrian had been reluctant. They were in a foreign land, one ruled by foreign deities, and if they attracted their attention, their wrath would soon follow. The holy quest would fail. Uldar did not reward the foolhardy, he rewarded the wise and strong. Wisdom would suggest that they only use an interdiction when they were sure they had the Fool in hand. But¡ªwithin the ranks¡ªwisdom was starting to give way to impatience and doubt. More and more of their number were openly wondering whether Uldar had turned his face from their quest. They questioned the competence of the fae who was leading them. Some had suggested that they must have angered their god in some way, and he was now denying them his blessing. Izas and Gabrian had met this sort of talk with a mix of stern words and calming sermons. They pointed out the tales of Ferrus, Ilsar, and Jarn; three hunters who¡¯d cast aside their faith in Uldar, and the god had sent a storm to flood the valley where they hunted. The hunters drowned, their prey lived. Kinder tales told of the endurance of Anna¡ªwho had kept her faith during a pestilence that destroyed and wreaked havoc throughout her village. While her neighbours shook their fists at the sky and cursed Uldar, she prayed with respect and an open heart. The god had rewarded her, filling the brook near her cottage with a bounty of fish for her to sup upon. Her faithless neighbours starved. Still, though the holy warriors of the hidden church polished their armour and weaponry and prayed every morning and night, whispers of doubt continued. Even as they spoke their uneasy words with shame, they could not quite banish thoughts whispering that they had done something to anger their god. Gabrian could only hope that they found their prey sooner, rather than later. ¡°Forgive them, my God. They know not what they say: they are so young, so unused to the trials of the world. They have grown up and lived in the shadow of your escapement, shielded from much of the evils of mortalkind. They are young: I have lived for centuries in your grace, and know your ways. I know when you withdraw your favour, and I know when you are simply telling us to abide, to keep faith, and endure.¡± He lowered his head toward his clasped hands. ¡°This is a time to cling to the latter, but many of our followers are too inexperienced to see the difference. Please do not judge them too harshly, simply lay your judgement at my feet. I am the sheep herder, meant to guide and lead your flock. If they wander, then the flaw is not with the sheep, but with their guide. If punishment must be given, deal that punishment to me.¡± His eyes turned toward the roof of his tent and the heavens hidden beyond it. ¡°But this humble servant asks of you, do not strike me down before I exact your justice upon the errant Fool. I beg of you, do not close my eyes before I see his shut. Let me see him slain, and the debt repaid for the destruction that he and his ilk have reaped upon your chosen people. Or perhaps¡­¡± He shook his head, with a wry smile. ¡°Perhaps I am not as old and wise as I think. Perhaps I should not pray for you to see him destroyed, or for your aid in breaking his body and spirit. Perhaps I should pray for a gentler solution: holy Uldar, reach out to this Fool, allow him to open his heart to you, and show him the error of his ways so he may return to your side. May the Heroes have their jolly Fool once more, and let the cycle continue as you will it.¡± Gabrian fell silent, listening for any sign that Uldar had heard him. Suddenly, the sound of a commotion reached him from outside, a clamour racing through the camp. The hidden priests were calling to each other, and holy warriors began blowing horns. Clinking armour and weapons being girded for war, announced preparations for battle. Prayers of supplication rose in the air. The First Apostle knew then that something had happened. ¡°Thank you!¡± he called to his god and leapt onto furs covering some of the ice-covered surface he¡¯d been kneeling on. He quickly threw on his clothes, then called his armour to him using a single short prayer. Divine power saw his plate armour leave its stand and sheath him in an instant. He belted the sword he¡¯d used to fight the Ravener of his time to his waist. He strapped on his shield as the tent flap was pulled open. ¡°Holy leader!¡± a priest called. ¡°Has the Fool been found?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°No, holy leader,¡± the priest said, his face looking bewildered. ¡°A Ravener-spawn has appeared at the western border of the camp, and claims it brings a message from a servant of Uldar!¡± Chapter 757: The Crossroads The Ravener-spawn waited a bit away from the hidden church¡¯s encampment. Gabrian had seen these sorts of creatures before, with their humanoid shape, long claws, and scab-like, hardened skin. This one, unlike any he¡¯d ever seen before, was mounted, sitting astride a large, formidable beast the likes of which he¡¯d also never seen before. The mount had a grey, serpentine form, from which protruded six legs that clawed the ice. Its spade-shaped head bore a brutal horn rising from the tip of its snout. Though Gabrian found the creatures¡¯ forms somewhat foul, who was he to judge servants of Uldar¡¯s appearance, especially one sent to speak to his people? The weary members of the hidden church had prayed for a revelation from their god, and Gabrian was well-pleased that their deity had seen fit to bless them with one. He went out to meet the creature, flanked by a holy warrior on his left, and Izas on his right. The Third Apostle was wiping sleep from his eyes and straightening his beard, looking upon the Ravener-spawn with relief. Gabrian could not help but smile wryly: if any outside the hidden church saw a holy man looking¡ªwith such relief¡ªat a creature spawned by Thameland¡¯s greatest enemy, they would have cried foul. But, they did not know the truth. Such was the privilege of only those so closely connected to Uldar¡¯s will. ¡°This is fortuitous,¡± Izas whispered to Gabrian. ¡°Our God has at last blessed us with new insights. I must confess, holy leader, I had reached a point where I was beginning to think that Uldar was testing us and would keep withholding his guiding hand until we passed a trial of his choosing.¡± ¡°Perhaps we have now passed that trial,¡± the First Apostle smiled. ¡°Remember, endurance and keeping faith in times of tribulation is valued by Uldar. We have preached this in sermons that we¡¯ve given in our darkest hours, and have also shown both of these attributes in this very endeavour. Now, we are being rewarded.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Izas said, glancing about. ¡°This is strange, have you seen our fae ally this morning?¡± ¡°I was only roused from my tent when the horns began blowing,¡± the First Apostle admitted. ¡°I was in contemplation and prayer: the last I saw of him was last night when he went off to play with that broken doll of his.¡± He let out a pitying sigh. ¡°There is no more knowledge to squeeze from that thief, now he is just practising cruelty. It is most distasteful.¡± ¡°He is not mortal, and I suppose we all have ways of relieving our frustrations. Still, the fact that he is not here now¡­seems odd to me¡­¡± Izas said. ¡°Perhaps there is a good reason for it,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°But for now, let us focus on what Uldar has to tell us.¡± The First Apostle nodded to the Ravener-spawn when they reached it. ¡°Greetings, servant of Uldar, what news have you for his humble servants.¡± The Hunter¡¯s mount leered at the humans, licking its lips. Its master placed a clawed hand on its back, calming it. ¡°I bear a message from my master asking that you fulfil a task.¡± Murmurs ran through the group of holy warriors standing near. The First Apostle bowed. ¡°And what might this message be? We are here to serve.¡± ¡°You are to go to the realm of the one above all in our land. Things have shifted. Strange tidings. Things have transpired that should not have. Ancient challenges that should long have been resolved, have arisen once more. These events are out of line with what should be, so, you must engage directly with him so we might know how to proceed,¡± the Ravener-spawn said. Murmurs turned to gasps. ¡°Are you misspeaking?¡± Izas demanded. ¡°Are you asking us to go to Uldar in person? Such a thing is not possible! He has ascended beyond the material world and now speaks to us through the whispers of the wind, the rumble of the earth, and signs hidden in the happenings of the world. One day he might open his door to us and let us ascend to be by his side, but that day is not now!¡± The Ravener-spawn shook its head. ¡°Not so. The door is open.¡± Silence gripped the hidden church¡¯s warriors. ¡°What do you mean?¡± the First Apostle asked. ¡°In the land that you once called home, others have claimed the tall rock. Above the tall rock is an open doorway they now guard,¡± the Hunter¡¯s voice was human, but raspy. ¡°Through the portal, you will find the one above all, though we cannot enter, you can. You must go there, take the door, and speak to him for clarification.¡± Horrified cries of alarm and anger came from the holy warriors. ¡°Impossible!¡± a large, armoured man cried. ¡°Blasphemy!¡± a priestess added. ¡°How could outsiders open a door that we have never seen?¡± an older man said, sounding bewildered. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Izas was at a loss for words. The First Apostle was almost speechless. ¡°This is true¡­?¡± ¡°I speak no lies,¡± the Hunter assured him. ¡°Then we must regain it immediately!¡± Izas cried. ¡°We cannot allow those who would undo our good works to hold Uldar¡¯s threshold! He will curse us! If we had not allowed ourselves to be driven from our home, this would never have happened!¡± ¡°You are correct,¡± Gabrian said, filled with outrage. ¡°Break camp, we must be gone quickly! Someone find¡ª¡± ¡°I found him!¡± a familiar voice shouted, echoing across the ice. Bells jingled in the cold wind. The Stalker appeared in the distance, galloping toward the encampment on the back of his mount. His eyes were shining, his face twisted in a wide grin. ¡°At last I found him, he''s finally within reach! He¡¯s left that sanctum he must¡¯ve been hiding in but he¡¯s been out for a while! We have to move now so we don¡¯t lose him again!¡± More cries of confusion and dismay rose from the holy warriors as the fae drew his moose up in front of them. ¡°We have to go!¡± The hidden church members looked at each other, then to their leadership for guidance. Even three hundred years of experience could not steady Gabrian¡¯s racing heart. ¡®Why now?¡¯ he wondered. ¡®It has taken months to find the Fool, and now¡ªwhen we have been told to return home¡ªwe suddenly have an opportunity to destroy him? What trial do you send us, my god? What test must be passed now?¡¯ ¡°Well, what are you all waiting for?¡± the Stalker cried. ¡°I mean, he could be gone at any moment¡ªOh, hello.¡± He nodded to the Ravener-spawn. ¡°Greetings,¡± it nodded back. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± the fae asked. The Ravener-spawn paused, scrutinising him from head to toe before answering. ¡°I have brought a message,¡± it finally said. ¡°Well, whatever it was will have to wait. My hounds, and I¡ª¡± the fae started. ¡°Did you know?¡± Izas took a step toward the Stalker. ¡°Did I know what?¡± the fae sounded irritated. The Third Apostle ground his teeth. ¡°Did you know that a door had been opened to Uldar? Did you know that it was taken by our enemies?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the Stalker demanded. ¡°Doors? Uldar?¡± ¡°We sent you to Uldar¡¯s Rise to gather sanctified soil so we would be well armed for our hunt,¡± the priest growled. ¡°When you were there, did you not see the outsiders guarding a door?¡± ¡°Hm? Of course I did, I''m not blind!¡± the Stalker snapped. ¡°But why are we wasting our time with this? Even now, our quarry could be getting away!¡± ¡°So it is true, and you did not inform us,¡± Izas said. ¡°Outsiders have taken the doorway to our god!¡± ¡°Doorway to your god¡­wait¡­that portal leads to Uldar? But no one¡¯s heard from him in thousands of years!¡± the Stalker shouted. ¡°It does not matter, strange things are happening this cycle, and now we must return home to take what is ours. To retake what belongs to our god!¡± Izas cried. A roar arose from the hidden church¡¯s warriors. ¡°Wait!¡± the First Apostle raised his voice. ¡°Calm yourselves, brothers and sisters, calm yourselves! Do you not see what is in front of you?¡± He glared at them, his steely eyes cowing them into silence. ¡°Uldar works through the signs of the world, does he not? Does he not?¡± The question hung in the air. ¡°Of course he does,¡± Izas said. ¡°Do you not see the sign that is before us now? Look! We have been pursuing one of Uldar¡¯s great enemies, and¡ªat last¡ªan opportunity is presented for us to fulfil our quest! All of you who have hung on for so long in the face of this seemingly endless hunt, are about to be rewarded,¡± the First Apostle met every eye. ¡°And at the same time, a messenger of Uldar comes telling us we must go home. Go home and fail our quest. To go home, as so many of you have been tempted to! I do not know what this all means yet, but what we do deserves consideration, not blind action.¡± The outcry from the warriors became murmurs of doubt and confusion. ¡°Holy leader, I must disagree.¡± A worried Izas looked at the Ravener-spawn, and the Stalker, his brow creased. ¡°Our first duty is to serve Uldar, and we cannot allow outsiders to hold the keys to him. We cannot allow such blasphemy to continue.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± the First Apostle said, then looked at the Hunter. ¡°Tell me, messenger, does the quest to destroy Usurpers still stand? Or is that no longer a priority?¡± ¡°It is of incredible importance,¡± the Hunter said. ¡°I sensed one near, and it is taking all of my will to not go and seek it out for destruction.¡± ¡°When you are finished with your task here, will you go and strike him down?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°Immediately,¡± the Ravener-spawn hissed. ¡°Hold now, hold now!¡± the Stalker shouted, sliding off his mount. ¡°Don''t let this rangy monster turn you from your task, my hounds. We are here to destroy our prey, aren''t we? Don''t let yourselves get distracted.¡± ¡°This is not a distraction,¡± Izas said. ¡°It is our purpose.¡± ¡°It might be a temptation; it might be a test,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°I have never known Uldar to communicate so openly, and yet suddenly, a door is open to him, just in time to call us home and let our quarry escape?¡± He shook his head. ¡°It does not sit right with me. It requires more thought.¡± ¡°Perhaps it does not,¡± Izas pressed. ¡°Uldar has given us a command, and we should simply follow it. We must return home: we must set aside our pride and our mortal hunger for vengeance to protect him.¡± ¡°He does not need our protection,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°Our secret church was created not to be Uldar¡¯s bodyguards, but to be his hidden hands. Our purpose is to go out into the world and perform the tasks that most would find distasteful. We are to perform them in secret, and we are to perform them both quickly and adeptly. In the history of our order, we have eschewed comfort and distraction. We have been singular in purpose. This situation threatens to divide us, I cannot believe it is coincidental!¡± ¡°It might even be a ploy!¡± the Stalker offered. ¡°Maybe this is some wizard¡¯s trick to lure you away, to lure you back home so they can kill you, my lovely hounds! It all stinks to me!¡± ¡°You are not without blame here,¡± Izas said. ¡°If you had told us about the door¡ª¡± ¡°Then what, my lovely hound?¡± the Stalker asked. ¡°If I had told you about a random portal¡ªguarded by wizards, and leading to an unknown destination¡ªwhat would you have done? Would you have charged in in a foolhardy fashion? Would you have given up our hunt? Or would it have changed nothing? In the end, it was just a distraction, and I didn''t see the point in mentioning it! Look, it''s already distracting us! Our prey could disappear at any heartbeat!¡± Izas looked at the Hunter, ignoring the fae. ¡°Tell us, according to Uldar, which takes more priority: the death of a Usurper, or communing with our god?¡± The Ravener-spawn frowned. ¡°This one¡­does not know¡­both are important.¡± ¡°See? It''s like your lead hound was saying, it¡¯s a test!¡± the Stalker cried. Izas shook his head. ¡°Holy leader, I think we should return home. However, I am not the shepherd of this order. You are. Under your leadership, we have prospered. Your wisdom has been the rudder in a stormy sea. I will trust it. What say you? Do we seek the Fool¡¯s life and then return to Uldar¡¯s rise? Or do we go home immediately?¡± The First Apostle frowned. He knew in his soul that this would be one of the most, if not the most, important decisions of his long life. Book 6 launches today in e-book and paperback! Yo folks! IT''S BOOK 6 TIME! So we''re here today, with book 6 launching on amazon! It''s been a long journey here, and I''m so thankful to you all for walking it with me so far. :) My time as an author has been a good one so far. So before I give the link for book 6, I want to say that I am not sure when audiobook 5 will come out. It''s in Travis'' court, and he''s very busy, but I hope I get an update soon. When I do, I will tell you. Alrighty, then book 6! Now edited and in its final version. As always, I could use some help. If you have kindle unlimited, then a download of the e-book would help me out quite a bit. Find the book through this link: https://geni.us/markofthefool6 You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. If you have reddit, then upvotes on these posts would also help me out too: https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1al3xs8/mark_of_the_fool_6_is_out_on_kindle/ https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1al3xtc/mark_of_the_fool_6_is_out_on_kindle/ You do not have to do this! It is your choice. I don''t want y''all to feel obligated. Alrighty, now the chapter is incoming! Chapter 758: A Great Decision For the first time in many years¡ªmany centuries in truth¡ªthe First Apostle was divided. When he¡¯d least expected it, a crossroads had appeared before him. For months, his only purpose had been to hunt down the Fool while keeping his followers focused. Their order had survived by being of singular purpose, always serving their god¡¯s will, not questioning or wavering along the path. Gabrian was a contemplative man by nature, leaving the philosophical questions of interpreting the signs of the world to other members of the clergy. He would let folk like Tobias Jay sit and debate whether or not the turn of a leaf was a sign that Uldar would grant a good crop year, or a bad one in any given year. It was not his job to question, but merely to serve and guide. To that point, his task had always been easy to remain true to. The First Apostle had spent most of his time in contemplation within Uldar¡¯s Rise, giving orders to those that followed him, directing them to serve their deity¡¯s will. This had left him free to seek spiritual perfection, growing closer to the divine. Even now, during this terrible time where their home had been assailed¡ªand taken from them¡ªhe was free to be of singular purpose. All he had to do was keep the faith and guide others to do the same. Things though, were different now. A crossroads stretched out before him, one he could not ignore. Down one path lay salvation and the fulfilment of Uldar¡¯s will, while down the other, destruction awaited. For a time, he considered dividing his forces, seeking both the death of the Fool and the protection of Uldar¡¯s doorway. He quickly dismissed the notion. Although he had often dispatched numerous agents to accomplish varied tasks in the past, in a time as dire as this, Uldar¡¯s followers had to stay together, united. At another time, one not so long ago, there were a multitude of agents to fulfil Uldar¡¯s will. Now, those numbers had withered. Many of their best agents¡ªlike Eldin¡ªwere either dead, or deeply embedded in various institutions within the realm. Gabrian simply did not have the numbers to divide his forces and still expect to complete both tasks well: he and Izas would both be needed to destroy the Fool. The First Apostle¡¯s speed, power, and might were necessary to chop the head off the snake; the Fool was wily, he was full of vicious tricks, and had gathered allies of not insignificant power. While Uldar had granted his followers many gifts, Gabrian was no fool; the ancient Chosen knew well that¡ªhad he not been personally involved in the ambush of the Fool, the woman, the two giants, the cerberus, and the golem¡ªthe attack might have ended disastrously for the hidden church. He also had little doubt that the Fool had amassed even more tricks now, making it necessary for him to be present to ensure the man''s death. Izas could not be spared either. The Third Apostle would be needed to perform the interdiction to stop the Fool from escaping using the infernal Traveller¡¯s power he was so fond of. He and Izas must remain together to destroy their enemy. Would they also not need their full strength to shatter the guards that held Uldar¡¯s doorway? To have leadership focused on the Fool, and send only the rank and file to defeat the interlopers that now defiled Uldar¡¯s Rise, was to invite ruin. Such an ill-conceived decision would welcome failure in both tasks. The First Apostle was accepting this truth, there was no way around it: he would have to keep his people together, guiding them down a single pathway of the crossroads at a time. The Chosen of Uldar lifted his eyes to the sky, seeking final signs to guide his decision. No whispered truths came on the wind. No hidden messages in the water below its frozen surface. Uldar was determined not to make things easy. Gabrian was certain he was facing a trial, one no doubt, sent by their god to test both his faith and wisdom. ¡°And what would the wise and faithful choose?¡± he whispered. On the one hand, allowing outsiders to hold the doorway to their god was the ultimate blasphemy. Every moment they were there was an affront to all of Thameish blood and Uldarite faith. On the other hand, there was the Fool. A dangerous man, a contagious evil, spreading faithlessness and insubordination to the Heroes and others. He was also more than that: a herald, bringing outsiders in to strengthen the enemies of Uldar, a serpent, one abiding among the blades of grass¡ªhidden from righteous eyes¡ªuntil he was ready to strike, when he could wreak the most havoc. Every heartbeat he remained alive increased the danger to their holy purpose. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. He must be stopped. The question was, which task was of the most immediacy? Which task was closer to their holy purpose? It was difficult to know what his god wished for him to do. The word ¡®temptation¡¯ played in his mind. It was tempting to go home, to meet with his god at long last, to destroy those spitting on his holy land. It was tempting to return home, to the comfort and familiarity of Uldar¡¯s Rise. It was tempting to embrace Uldar¡¯s Light and rebuild what their enemies had so thoroughly destroyed. What was not tempting was to stay here in this cold, foreign land. What was not tempting was to be perpetually hiding from the prying eyes of foreign deities. What was not tempting, was to prolong their time away from home in order to hunt one single, filthy, Fool. But, were these things not an answer in themselves? He thought of his own earlier words. His order was not to be the guardians of Uldar. Their god was mighty, wise, sage, and the arbiter of justice. Why would he tolerate outsiders holding his doorway unless he wanted it to be that way? He was a god who had calmed natural disasters, wiped the first Ravener from the world, and struck fear in all of Thameland¡¯s enemies. Had he wanted to, he could have destroyed the Ravener forever if his holy will were not to continue the cycle until his mysterious plan reached its end. Uldar needed no protector; to assume that mere mortals could protect their god from anything he could not destroy himself, was ultimate arrogance. Yes, no foreign wizards would escape Uldar¡¯s wrath, unless he wished for them to do so. To return and claim to protect him now, grovelling before him empty-handed while the Fool still ran amok throughout the world¡­yes, that would be the path that led to destruction That was the trap! To rush to Uldar¡¯s side would not be to fulfil his purpose: it would be the act of a child returning to their father, seeking comfort. And they were not children. They were initiated. They were tied to Uldar¡¯s hidden purposes. And to abandon one of those purposes now: that would indeed be blasphemy! At last, Gabrian had his answer: he knew what he was meant to do. ¡°Children of Uldar!¡± he called. ¡°Let not the temptation of comfort and aid destroy your strength of purpose! Nor the desire for the warmth of home and Uldar¡¯s light dissuade you from completing the task that was long laid out for us!¡± He cast a flight spell on himself, rising high above the dedicated. A nimbus of divine power surrounded him, drawing every eye in the encampment to the First Apostle¡¯s glowing form. His people looked up at him, seeking his guidance, his wisdom. ¡°We have been given a trial today, one that we came very close to failing! We are being called home, but do not hear this song of comfort and think that returning to Uldar¡¯s Rise would be anything but a selfish choice,¡± he said sternly. ¡°Our god is more than capable of protecting his interests, and if outsiders currently stand before his doorway, then he must be allowing them to do so! We would return to his side only to be reprimanded like disobedient children, for we would have left his enemy to run wild In the world while we gathered ourselves to his bosom!¡± He shook his head. ¡°We should return and greet him only with victory singing from our lips, not with excuses, not with begging and failure! That is not our way! It has never been the way of our order!¡± He gestured to the Ravener-spawn. ¡°Our god¡¯s messenger has stated that we must return to commune with Uldar, but also that our quarry must not be left free! Both tasks are necessary! And we are on the cusp of fulfilling the one we have committed ourselves to for so long, why would we abandon it now? On the day we kill the Fool of Thameland, then and only then will we return to commune with our god and retake our home!¡± ¡°It is a sign!¡± a holy warrior cried. ¡°Our living god has brought the Fool to us! Our holy leader is right! Let''s return to his bosom in victory!¡± ¡°In his name! For his glory!¡± the hidden church members chanted. The First Apostle floated down to the ice, his attention on Uldar¡¯s messenger. ¡°Is this acceptable?¡± The creature looked confused. ¡°Both tasks are important¡­this one does not know which should be done first. The Usurper is closer to this place than our homeland, so perhaps this makes sense.¡± ¡°You hear that?¡± the Stalker laughed, returning to his jolly self. ¡°The messenger of Uldar says it makes sense! Is that good enough for your purposes, my hounds? Now, hurry up before our prey gets away!¡± ¡°Be patient, like we have been,¡± Gabrian said, his heart light at last. ¡°If the Fool has remained in one place since we began our deliberation, then that means he will be there longer. Uldar has provided us with this opportunity, he would not take it away so quickly. Is that not right, Izas?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± the Third Apostle said hesitating, his voice low and his face troubled. ¡°What is the matter?¡± the First Apostle asked. ¡°You are sure of this, holy leader?¡± the bearded man asked, looking older and tireder. ¡°I am,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°And you are a better man than I,¡± Izas said. ¡°Within me, doubt still screams. Doubt stemming from my own past misdeeds. Holy leader, I remember when I first heard of these outsiders entering our realm: I had spoken with you and Eldin about them, and it was decided that we should not drive them out.¡± He sucked a breath through his teeth. ¡°Not a night goes by that I do not regret that decision. Had I counselled you and ordered Eldin to disrupt them, perhaps we would have found the Fool earlier. Perhaps he would be dead now, or have rejoined Uldar¡¯s ranks. The lost lamb, Carey London, would not be dead, our home would not be destroyed, and we would be by our god¡¯s side even now. Now, something new has emerged¡­and once again, we find ourselves ignoring it to put our minds to another task.¡± ¡°We are not ignoring it Izas, but rather prioritising our holy work first,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°I know, and that is why you are a better man than I. I cannot see my own path ahead of me, not past my earlier failures. I will trust in your decision, even as I dissuade myself from doubting,¡± he said. ¡°But I am only an old man, holy leader, and I am tired, and I am worried, and I am fearful. I only pray that we are doing the right thing.¡± ¡°We are,¡± Gabrian assured him. ¡°We are. We are avoiding a trap, and stepping onto the right path.¡± Izas gave the First Apostle a startled look. He threw his head back and laughed; his mirth was bitter. Gabrian''s eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°What''s this?¡± ¡°Nevermind, holy leader,¡± the bearded old man said. ¡°You reminded me of something, is all.¡± ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°Something Eldin used to say. By Uldar, I miss him,¡± he smiled wryly. ¡°He often said that in his old work, people would lay traps as a means to an end. There were deadly traps, and traps meant to merely capture. There were traps of all sorts, but he said that only one thing separated a good trap from a bad one.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± the Stalker asked, suddenly interested. ¡°Well,¡± Izas said. ¡°Only one simple thing: a bad trap was a trap one could see. A good trap was one its target never recognized until it was much too late to avoid.¡± ¡°Well, then that portal at the top of Uldar¡¯s Rise was a bad trap, seeing as how I recognised it and all,¡± the fae said simply. ¡°Perhaps it was,¡± Izas said softly. ¡°Perhaps it was.¡± Chapter 759: The Trap In a southern mountain range within the Irtyshenan Empire, a cold wind whistled across the towering peaks. Strong, intermittently gale force winds blew across the mountains from the north, bringing their endless chill from the world''s ice cap, driving most of the mountains¡¯ residents into hiding. Bears escaped the bitter cold, hibernating deep in their dens. Birds clutched tree branches. Rabbits, foxes and ermine retreated to snow covered burrows, huddling together against the howling wind. Only creatures that were truly one with the frozen world: ice trolls, frost drakes, and frost giants, were out and about, roaming the land. Most warm-blooded mortals had fled to their mountain villages, securing the shutters of their homes and barring their doors. Most, warm-blooded mortals, that is. On a mountain, a group of mortals intently watched a cave. The members of the hidden church¡ªleft behind to keep watch for the Fool of Thameland¡ªremained in place, clad in white, blending with the snow. At another time, members of the Guild of the Red Mouse were who waited in these mountains; but, the thieves were either long dead, or had fled thanks to the holy warriors of Uldar. The Uldarites were the only ones left to observe¡ªthrough narrow holes carved in the roof of a cavern¡ªthe Fool of Thameland, moving about in the ancient ruins below them. A scout had been quickly dispatched to report his presence to their leaders, unaware that those same leaders were already informed and on the way. The Uldarite guards awaited them eagerly, confident that the Fool of Thameland was oblivious to their eyes watching him. But, the General of Thameland¡¯s every movement was made with them in mind. He made a great show of picking up treasures surrounding the mummified priest, having his summoned monsters and Wizards Hands collect the jewels, gold and more, and setting them on the floor of the ancient cathedral. He then spent time meticulously cataloguing every artefact¡ªseemingly appraising them¡ªbefore having small earth elementals take the items to the portal nearby. The portal to Kelda of Clan McCallum¡¯s sanctum was large¡ªbroad enough for an entire wagon to fit through¡ªand bright enough to be seen from a distance. It was there as an escape route for the wizard should he be attacked. A benign looking opening, should he be attacked. Alex had made sure to situate it so hiding spies wouldn¡¯t miss it. Now, he¡¯d made himself look busy, painstakingly cataloguing, yet, looking around from time to time. ¡°Let¡¯s see, this looks like it¡¯s at least a few centuries old¡­judging by the layer of dust on it¡­unknown culture¡­writing unknown¡­pre-Imperial, maybe,¡± he said, using the Mark of the General to put as much sincerity in his voice as he could. ¡°This¡¯ll be real useful for the alchemical machines in the sanctum.¡± He talked out loud, but not so loud to appear suspicious. ¡®Come on¡­¡¯ he thought, looking at his staff leaning against a pile of stone fragments. ¡®I''m here, you''ve been hunting for me for months, and now I''m right in front of you. Get over here!¡¯ He took a long look around the priest¡¯s tomb. ¡®It''ll look suspicious if I keep sticking around here long after I¡¯m done raiding this tomb. They¡¯d better hurry up and get here, come on! What''s taking you so¡ª¡¯ Suddenly, the winds changed. The gale blowing past the crevice that served as the cave¡¯s mouth, shifted, blowing into the cave. Alex could feel it rustling his cloak. He kept his facial expression neutral, fighting down a smile. That was the signal. Before entering the cave through the portal, Alex had summoned a small air elemental and released it from the sanctum through a tiny portal leading to the outside. The entity had been camouflaged by the high wind, blending in with whirling snow while serving as a sentry. He¡¯d instructed it to send a gust of wind through the cave if anyone appeared among the church¡¯s spies. The sudden sharp breeze could mean only one thing. ¡®They''re here,¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is it.¡¯ Months of hunting for Kelda¡¯s sanctum. Months of being stalked by the hidden church and the fae, would all end today. The major wounds they¡¯d suffered¡­would be avenged today. Carey¡¯s death. The time had come for the secret church to know what it felt like to have the tables turned on them. He was the bait, and the bait was ready to spring the trap. The ambush would only work with the element of surprise on his side. Only if they didn¡¯t realise they were being lured until it was far too late. Now, he just had to increase his acting. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Alex continued his task, gathering the precious treasures in the priest¡¯s tomb. His eyes darted around the ruins as though he were tense, alert for signs of attack. All the while, he made sure he was near the portal. Near enough so they wouldn''t miss it. ### ¡°So that''s how he''s been getting in and out!¡± The Stalker hissed through the wind, peering down through a hole in the cavern¡¯s icy ceiling. ¡°Clever little quarry! I bet he can open doors to that sanctum he¡¯s been hiding in wherever he wants to!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Gabrian said, watching Alex from another hole. Around him, the secret church¡¯s forces were ready. It was all he could do to keep from ordering an all out attack right away. ¡°We must stop him from fleeing through that portal.¡± ¡°I should be able to close it with an interdiction,¡± Izas said. ¡°But¡­things could be difficult.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Gabrian asked. ¡°If our strike fails and he has time to flee through the portal, then we will be forced to pursue him,¡± Izas said. ¡°That''s right,¡± the Stalker agreed. ¡°If we let him get back to that sanctum, I don''t know when we¡¯ll get another chance to get our hands on him. We must end him now.¡± ¡°Yes, we would have to enter the portal after him and make sure his safe haven is safe no more,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°The trouble is, he might close the portal,¡± Izas said. ¡°Unless¡­¡± ¡°You have a thought?¡± the First Apostle asked. The Third Apostle looked to their fae companion. ¡°You said that you can''t track him when he''s inside the sanctum, is that correct?¡± ¡°That''s right.¡± The Stalker snarled. ¡°I can''t pin him down. It''s like that sanctum is in more than one place at once¡ªall at the same time¡ªand then nowhere at all.¡± ¡°And it is not a part of the Empire?¡± the Third Apostle asked. ¡°No,¡± the Stalker said. ¡°It''s somewhere different¡­sort of. It¡¯s hard to explain.¡± ¡°No doubt some trick of the Traveller¡¯s power,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°Please, continue with your thoughts, Izas.¡± ¡°It is simple,¡± the Third Apostle said. ¡°We have been limited by the fact that we cannot manage a pitched battle here within these foreign lands while using an interdiction. Not without attracting the attention of this realm¡¯s deities. But the sanctum seems impossible to find, and not truly in this realm¡­¡± ¡°Does that mean we will have more time to strike him down?¡± the First Apostle asked. ¡°If so, brilliant.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Third Apostle said. ¡°So here is my plan: we attempt to encircle the Fool in consecrated soil, and you try to strike him down before he realises we are here¡­Though, unfortunately, he has grown more cautious. He will likely flee before we can get our hands on him. To counter that, I will use an interdiction to keep his portal open. Our forces will enter, pursue him into the sanctum, then we call the blessed soil through the portal and seal the opening behind us with another interdiction.¡± ¡°And then?¡± the Stalker asked eagerly. ¡°We spread the soil throughout the sanctum, and use the holy command to seal him in with us. Then we can take as much time as we need¡ªwithout outside interference¡ªto finish him.¡± ¡°A good plan, but how do we get out of there and away afterwards?¡± the Stalker asked. ¡°I have already prepared the miracle of recall,¡± Izas said smoothly. ¡°With the strength of my soul, and Uldar¡¯s power, it could bring us home even across planar boundaries. We follow the Fool, kill him and any minions with him, then use the miracle of recall to return to Uldar¡¯s Rise and step through its doorway victorious.¡± ¡°Wonderful,¡± Gabrian said, sounding delighted. He was suddenly struck by a thought. ¡°Ah, something occurs to me. Perhaps the Fool means to trap us. He could lure us through that portal, seal the door behind us and flee through another portal, leaving us at the mercy of starvation and thirst. But, with your plan, Izas, even if we were not able to destroy him¡ªwhich we of course will¡ªwe could still return to our home.¡± ¡°What was it you two said earlier?¡± the Stalker chuckled. ¡°A bad trap is one your target recognizes before stepping in? If he¡¯s laying a trap, then it''s a bad one!¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Izas said slowly. ¡°Perhaps it is¡­Alright then, it appears we are ready to move on your command, holy leader.¡± ¡°Take us down there,¡± the First Apostle said to the Stalker. ¡°Let us be done with this trial.¡± The Stalker giggled. ¡°You ran long and well, little rabbit. But in the end, your head is going to be on my wall anyway.¡± ### ¡®Here they come¡­¡¯ Alex thought. The small air elemental was blowing more wind through the crevice. He could hear the sound of something sounding like grit or grains grinding through the air. The enemy was on their way. ¡®Steady now,¡¯ the young wizard thought, pretending to appraise the priest¡¯s artefacts. ¡®Don''t relax and start looking like you''ve suddenly gone brainless. If you don''t keep acting like you''re being cautious, they''ll think something fishy¡¯s going on.¡¯ ¡°Alright, this gem looks like¡­¡± Alex suddenly paused, falling silent. He made a great show of looking around the cathedral, acting like he¡¯d heard something. Holding up one hand, the elementals and Wizard¡¯s Hands went still. Cocking his ear, listening to his surroundings, Alex held his breath. His eyes narrowed. He slowly tip-toed across the cathedral floor and picked up his staff¡ªits top third was still wrapped in cloth. How he¡¯d placed it against the pieces of broken stone made it difficult to see from the cathedral''s ceiling. Hopefully, his hunters hadn''t noticed that it was longer than it used to be. The young wizard walked to the centre of the ruined chamber, holding his staff cautiously. The deciding moment was here. He had to stay long enough to give them a chance to begin their ambush. But, he also had to make sure he wasn''t chopped in half by the First Apostle while he was waiting. There was no room for mistakes. It would be a treacherous balance to walk. Alex called on the Mark of the General, letting it guide his movements, focusing on stealth and looking cautious. He turned in the centre of the room. The sound of shifting grains of soil were clearer and closer now, he knew it was preparing to encircle him. His eyes fell on a hole in the wall from which the First Apostle had attacked them weeks earlier. Would the first strike come from there again? Or would it¡ª There came a flutter of movement behind him, so quiet he barely caught it. He teleported to the side as a small hand reached out, grasping the air where he once stood. Alex whirled, finding the Guide grinning at him. ¡°You shouldn''t be watching me,¡± the fae said. Another movement behind. He teleported just in time, avoiding the First Apostle¡¯s strike; his blade sliced through air where he¡¯d been a heartbeat before. The Third Apostle¡¯s voice rose, chanting. ¡°In the name of Uldar¡ª¡± Arrows filled the middle of the cathedral floor, flying from all directions. ¡°Protect me!¡± Alex shouted to the elementals near him. They surged at his enemies while the First Apostle and the Guide blurred toward him. The holy man came from his left, and the fae from his right; the little brute moved even faster than the ancient Chosen of Uldar did. Cursing loudly, the General of Thameland teleported through the portal, raising his hand to close it. The Guide waved his own hand, sending soil¡ªlike a swarm of angry bees¡ªracing after him from all directions. It surrounded the portal. ¡°In Uldar¡¯s name! This doorway shall not close!¡± the Third Apostle shouted. There was an impact with no sound. The portal to the sanctum gaped wide. Alex¡¯s face twisted, looking convincingly terrified. The Guide grinned, rushing for the portal, ¡°Got you!¡± Alex fought a snarl of satisfaction that threatened to spread across his face. ¡®Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.¡¯ Chapter 760: Into the Portal Maze Watching them¡ªthrough the portal¡ªthe Fool¡¯s face twisted in shock and terror. ¡°Shit!¡± he shouted in mock surprise, turning and fleeing deeper into the sanctum. ¡°After him!¡± the First Apostle bellowed, pointing his sword at the escaping Fool. ¡°We must¡ªWhat? What blasphemy is this?¡± Through the open portal, Gabrian could see three towering statues: two women with fanged faces who he took little notice of as they were beneath the holy man¡¯s interest. But, what was not beneath his interest was the statue in the middle of the pair. The unmistakable, glorious form of Uldar loomed above the other two statues; it had been despoiled. Instead of his smooth, glorious countenance¡ªlooking down sternly or smiling in benediction¡ªa ruin of gouges had been raked across his face, plain for all to see. It was as though someone had taken an axe¡ªor some other rock-shearing blade¡ªand shredded Uldar¡¯s face in a fit of hatred. Looking upon it filled the First Apostle¡¯s chest with pain. ¡°Blasphemy!¡± he roared. ¡°You commit blasphemy of the highest order, Fool! Why must you compound your unholy act so?¡± Upon seeing the ruined image of Uldar, the holy warriors of the hidden church joined their leader in outrage; screaming, calling for blood and for justice. They called for the Fool¡¯s head. And as one, they charged ahead, rushing toward the portal, uttering prayers to their god and brandishing their weapons above their heads. With glee, the Stalker led them alongside Gabrian. ¡°Quickly now!¡± the Third Apostle cried. ¡°We must get through the portal so I can close it! Already, I can feel the foreign deities searching for us!¡± The column charged through the doorway to Kelda¡¯s sanctum, still crying out for blood. Even Uldar¡¯s messenger¡ªthe Hunter astride his mount¡ªsurged in with them. Izas was to be the last one through, ensuring that the church¡¯s forces were safely inside. Hearing no shrieks, explosions or other sounds of battle, he entered the portal. ¡°Now!¡± he shouted at the Stalker. The fae waved a hand, calling the soil to him through the portal. He pursed his lips and whistled and the dirt responded, circling the doorway within the sanctum. Izas drew more power from Uldar¡¯s divine throne through the gate in his soul. ¡°By the power invested in me, by Uldar himself, I close this portal!¡± He felt divine energy flow from his being, rushing through space, performing his holy will. The portal closed behind them. Now, the Fool would be trapped. Or at least, Izas hoped so. He turned, finding¡ªto his surprise¡ªthe holy warriors paused in the chamber. ¡°Where is the Fool?¡± one priestess asked. ¡°I saw him enter the portal on the left!¡± ¡°I saw him go through the portal on the right!¡± another cried. ¡°What in the¡ª¡± Izas murmured. They were standing in a vast, stone hall that would have shamed even the grand chambers of most palaces. Fist-sized portals hovered along the walls¡ªlike portholes in a ship¡ªlike windows to a black sky filled with bright stars. Starlight winked in that sky, but it paled in comparison to what hovered in the midst of the void. Through each portal, a white sun ranging in size, shone, burning so brightly, they stung the eye. Intermittent waves of heat drifted into the hall, though the void¡¯s frigid cold would then plunge the chamber¡¯s temperature down to a biting cold. Other gateways¡ªhovering at ceiling height¡ªopened to cloudy skies, channelling fresh air into that part of the room. One portal¡¯s sky was filled with dark clouds, pouring torrential rain on the floor below. Between the two female statues, loomed the stone statue of Uldar, tall and benevolent, his right hand posed in the mirror-image of his holy symbol. His robes looked like they¡¯d been stitched from soft cloth rather than sculpted from stone. The bottom seemed to sway, as though the folds moved in a gentle wind. Sections of his sculpted hair fell across his shoulders like individual strands. Uldar¡¯s image was flawless in all ways aside from his face, a face that was marred by a deliberate hand that had wielded a rough tool. Whoever cut his face away, clearly held no love or warm feelings for the god of Thameland, nothing but rage and contempt screamed from that act. Izas¡¯ own rage boiled at the sight, but he could not dwell on it now. The Fool would be punished in time. Two larger portals were open on either side of the statues of the women. From what he could see, each led to other vast chambers. ¡°There, turn to the left!¡± one of the holy warriors shouted. ¡°No, to the right!¡± another cried. ¡°Calm yourselves, you fools!¡± the Stalker shouted. ¡°I can sense his name, remember? He¡¯s in the right chamber, and he''s getting away!¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Then we go right. Onwards!¡± the First Apostle ordered. As he did, Izas caught sight of the Fool, fleeing down the chamber through the right portal, he was raising his staff and summoning a swarm of small monsters to confound them. The army of small entities rushed the holy warriors charging after the Fool. Izas¡¯ spirit was troubled; they were so near their goal that he could not help but fear that something would snatch victory away at any moment. Shaking his head to free his mind of doubts, he tried to keep focused on his plan. The Third Apostle had thought to spread the soil through the sanctum quickly, keeping the Fool from teleporting away. It would be trickier until he had a better idea of the size of this accursed place they were in. ¡°Uldar guide us,¡± he whispered, joining the pursuit. In the back of his mind, a nagging thought kept playing. ¡°Why is the Fool fleeing before us? Why isn''t he simply teleporting away?¡±
¡°They didn¡¯t separate,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Disappointing, but you can''t have everything.¡± He teleported through a portal in the chamber he¡¯d gone into, smiling as his hunters followed. ¡°Have fun, Birger.¡±
¡°They went to the right,¡± the ancient firbolg rubbed his hands together in front of the controls, watching the holy warriors flood the room. ¡°I¡¯d hoped they''d go left. But, that¡¯s alright, we¡¯ll take what we can get.¡¯ He held his finger above a button on the controls, glancing back at Kelda¡¯s casket. ¡°Doesn''t matter I suppose, in the end, they¡¯ll end up dead all the same. Well, Kelda, don''t know if you tested your traps before, but, if you didn''t? Well¡­¡± He pressed the button. ¡°¡­our ¡®guests¡¯ will do it for you.¡±
The hidden church surged into the next room like an angry tide. They brandished their weapons, calling on miracles to enhance their bodies, between hurling curses at the fleeing Fool. At the head of the column, the First Apostle shouted the incantation for a fireball, casting the spell at their quarry. It shot through the nearest portal, exploding¡ªthreatening to engulf Alex Roth¡ªbut he teleported away before it even had a chance to. The Stalker was whistling from the back of his mount, sending soil whirling toward the different portals. ¡°Wait!¡± the First Apostle shouted. ¡°We do not know the layout here, so send the soil directly after the Fool! We must trap him instead of putting the whole area under our interdiction!¡± ¡°Hey, it¡¯s your plan! You''ve got the right to change it if you want to, I''m just glad we''ll be able to run him down!¡± the fae shouted. Izas noted unease in their voices. They seemed to be having the same questions as he was: if the Fool could teleport wherever he wanted, why would he continue fleeing just ahead of them, remaining within range of their spells? It was as though he was¡ª Before Izas could finish his thought, a sharp click, like a tree branch snapping, echoed through the chamber. ¡°What was that?¡± someone shouted. Holes abruptly appeared in the stone walls, opening like hungry mouths. ¡°Look out!¡± the Third Apostle cried. The warning came too late. Javelins burst from the holes in the chamber walls, whistling through the air. The Stalker raised his hand, stopping those heading for him in mid-flight. They hung suspended, quivering in the air, and dropped, clattering uselessly to the floor. The First Apostles¡¯s quick reflexes were on full display as he raised his shield, knocking javelins away. His sword instantly swept out, striking down more. Izas called a miracle, raising a barrier of light before himself. Several struck, glancing off the shield, falling away, but others were still flying from different angles, straight for the bodies of a host of holy warriors. They struck true, impacting on every side. Javelin tips broke on steel armour, and some pierced flesh, bringing screams rising through the booby-trapped chamber. Warriors quickly raised shields, catching the onslaught, while others dove away, escaping death as even more of their fellows fell to the ground, wailing above the constant staccato of steel tips striking metal, stone, and divine barriers. Javelins slipped between narrow slits of helmet visors, dropping a few unlucky warriors instantly, stilling them permanently. The barrage abruptly ended, those who¡¯d survived quickly tended the wounded, calling miracles to heal them. Izas and Gabrian chanted prayers, and waves of divine light swept out, touching their injured brothers and sisters, mending wounds in an instant. ¡°So that''s the game!¡± the Stalker shouted. ¡°Our quarry means to lead us through a little maze of traps!¡± ¡°This means he intends this to be a final stand,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°He plans on eliminating us here and now, but we are children of Uldar and we will not be destroyed!¡± ¡°Holy leader,¡± Izas shouted. ¡°We cannot allow ourselves to fall into his field of traps! We have to do something!¡± ¡°Can you access the fae roads from here?¡± the First Apostle asked the Stalker. ¡°No,¡± the small fae frowned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening, but we¡¯re in the strangest place I¡¯ve ever been in. It feels like we''re spinning, or shifting about, or something. I can¡¯t¡ªlook out!¡± From the other portal, small air elementals rushed in, raking the hidden church with sheets of lightning. The blasts were too weak to do any real harm, but they weren¡¯t meant to, between them and the howling winds the elementals would assault the church¡¯s forces with, they would distract. Distract long enough so that when Bjorgrund came charging through the other portal surrounded by hordes of small water and ice elementals, they¡¯d be occupied. Frigid water and shards of ice hit the left flank of the church in waves. The young giant leapt, swinging his axe in an arc, cutting through the enemy. The blade cleaved armour, flesh and bone; splitting bodies in two. When the arc was complete, Bjorgrund was gone, speeding back through the portal¡ªthe opposite of the one the Fool had taken. The Stalker cursed, his eyes falling on his hounds. ¡°What''s the matter with you all? Why are you staring like you¡¯re addled?¡± The members of the hidden church¡ªespecially the Apostles¡ªstood frozen in shock. ¡°That axe¡­¡± Gabrian murmured. ¡°The armour¡­¡± Izas gasped. ¡°They¡¯re Uldar¡¯s! He wore it to protect himself against the venom of the ocean serpent in the third chronicle!¡± ¡°He used that axe to cleave the demon tree of Auchterbal in two!¡± Gabrian added. ¡°How could some nameless giant have them? Why would he have them?¡± ¡°We must get them back!¡± a holy warrior cried. ¡°We cannot allow that thief to keep Uldar¡¯s possessions!¡± ¡°The portal¡­¡± Izas considered. ¡°Maybe it does lead to Uldar¡­ but then how would they gain his equipment unless he allowed them to have it? Perhaps they found it in an old ruin that we haven¡¯t accounted for¡ª¡± Suddenly, a group of small earth elementals surged from the floor, striking at the hidden church followers, swinging stone fists, shattering ankles and knees. The church responded with their weapons, sending some back to their home planes, while others escaped, diving back into the ground. ¡°They¡¯re not giving us even one moment to think!¡± a priestess shouted. ¡°Aye, they¡¯ll keep harassing us for sure if we stay put!¡± their fae ally bellowed. ¡°We have to catch our quarry!¡± ¡°Hurry, the Usurper flees!¡± the Ravener-spawn pointed to the portal the Fool had gone through. The Hunter was already at the other end of the next chamber, diving through a portal. The distance between prey and predator was growing. ¡°We must destroy the Fool and his ally and take back what belongs to Uldar!¡± the First Apostle shouted, his voice filled with passion. ¡°We¡¯ll have to split up! Half of our forces must destroy the giant, while the other half wrings the life-breath from the Fool! Stalker, hedge the Fool in with holy soil! Izas, you go with Uldar¡¯s messenger and pursue the giant, I will call upon the interdiction to trap the Fool! For Uldar¡¯s glory, go!¡± ¡°No, I am only here for the Usurper!¡± Uldar¡¯s messenger roared, spurring his mount into the next room after the Fool. ¡°He must be destroyed!¡± A group of hidden church warriors broke from their formation, following Uldar¡¯s messenger in holy duty. ¡°Wait!¡± Izas shouted.
¡°Too late.¡± Birger grinned at the controls, watching as men, women and spawn poured into the next room. He pressed the button, activating the waiting trap. Chapter 761: The Darkest Humour A loud click alerted the young wizard. Alex looked over his shoulder. Slots slid open in gaps between every stone in the chamber; floor, walls and even ceiling. Gleaming falchion blades emerged, slicing at the unprepared Ravener-spawn, his mount, and the holy warriors. The blades began slowly spinning, picking up speed, blurring in their slots, the falchion blades cutting everything near them. Terrified cries and red spray rose through the air. Holy warriors were cut down from below, falling on the blades. The Ravener-spawn¡¯s mount howled as its legs turned to a red slurry, while the Hunter leapt up, briefly landing on its back. The humanoid monster¡¯s muscles tensed, preparing to spring away. With a single twitch, the messenger launched through the air as the mount collapsed; the Hunter¡¯s needle-like claws extended, mouth snarling, baring fangs dripping venom below eyes that burned with hatred. In one leap, the messenger cleared a wide distance, sailing into the portal and landing in the room that Alex was in. ¡°At last I have you, Usurper!¡± The creature rushed forward, its claws scraping the stone. Its form was a blur, closing on him in heartbeats. Alex vanished, teleporting into a portal leading to another room. The Ravener¡¯s messenger sprang after him, moving along on all fours. Another click greeted it. Something whooshed from above. The creature froze in place, looking up, then shrieked. ¡°No!¡± Dozens of stone slabs¡ªweighing tons¡ªwere dropping from the ceiling, falling straight toward it. ¡°No, no, no!¡± the monster tried to flee to another portal. A boulder cracked against the floor with an ear-shattering bang, missing it by inches. It soared away from another slab that landed by its heels, stone chips peppering its back. The Hunter neared the portal¡¯s opening, as plunging stones shook the room all around. It reached out for its salvation. A wet crunch answered instead. Blood-curdling screams echoed through the chamber as it whipped its head around. Looming behind it and pinning itsright leg to the ground, teetered a carriage-sized stone. The Ravener-spawn howled and clawed at the ground, trying to get free. ¡°Must¡­not fail¡­Usurper is¡­¡± It had no chance to finish that sentence; a shadow tumbled closer. It looked up. A stone slab dropped squarely on its head. Its last words died. The Ravener¡¯s Hunter was smashed to paste. Alex smiled. ¡°Didn''t expect to see one of them here, nice bonus.¡± ¡°No!¡± an armoured priest cried. In the room of spinning falchion blades, the trap had taken a terrible toll. A few members of the hidden church who¡¯d tried to follow the messenger had survived, but only because they¡¯d reached the middle of the floor, avoiding the spinning blades. The rest had been sliced to ribbons, or cut to bits by the blades coming from the floor. Ten had immediately died in that room, though others still lived, but were barely alive, stuck, caught by blades jammed into their armour. The First Apostle nearly wept when he saw what had happened to his people in that room, but he had to compose himself; calling on his divine energies, he flew into the blade chamber, touching neither floor nor walls, retrieving and healing the few who¡¯d survived. He whisked them back to their ranks, calling out an incantation, pointing his sword at the chamber and channelling waves of force energy that washed over all remaining spinning blades, shattering them and clearing a path through the room. ¡°Stay close to me!¡± he commanded his followers. ¡°I will protect you, and we will prevail!¡± With unshaken fervour, about half of them followed. Looking behind, he shouted instructions to the Third Apostle, ¡°Protect our faithful, Izas! Take back what belongs to Uldar!¡± ¡°Yes, holy leader!¡± Izas said, leading the rest away. ¡°You¡¯ve got some nasty tricks there, quarry!¡± The Stalker shouted. ¡°But you''ll have to do better than that to get rid of us!¡± Alex whispered under his breath, watching them through the nearby portal, where they could clearly see him. ¡°You''re assuming that we''re already giving you our best, but that¡¯s a bad assumption; besides, you''re splitting up, which is exactly what we wanted. And that¡¯s going to cost you.¡± The General of Thameland¡¯s face creased with worry, faking an expression of fear, he kept fleeing; leading the hidden church toward their graveyard. ¡°Bjorgrund, Birger, give them hell,¡± he whispered.
¡°This is more fun than it has any right to be,¡± the old firbolg watched the sanctum¡¯s invaders through his small portal-windows. ¡°Too bad the rocks only got one of you, but we can make up for that.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. He watched the group chasing Alex, and those swarming after his son. ¡°We can definitely make up for that.¡± He pressed two buttons at once.
Bjorgrund leapt through the portal as a sharp click sounded its warning in the room behind him. A dozen trap doors hidden in floor tiles yawned open, revealing deep pits lined with slashing blades. Half a dozen holy warriors immediately plunged straight down into the holes, while another six stumbled, falling in moments later. Screams were quickly cut off. ¡°Hold still!¡± the Third Apostle shouted.¡±I will¡ª¡± Two dozen waiting aervespertillos¡ªsummoned by Alex earlier¡ªswarmed through the room¡¯s other portal, their screeching voices stunning the enemy. A cluster of celestial taraneas¡ªrubbing their spider-like legs together¡ªcrowded around the other portal, shooting lines of webbing at the intruders. The ends of the sticky webbing caught stunned holy warriors, and the creatures worked together, dragging them into the pits. Izas shouted a spell, raising his hands and raking both the bat-like creatures and the celestial taraneas with sheets of lightning enhanced by holy power. He cast another spell, waving his hand over his followers. ¡°Holy Uldar, allow this magic to affect all of your children around me!¡± he prayed. The combination of spells and divinity empowered the holy warriors around him. As one, the warriors began rising through the air. ¡°Get him!¡± Izas commanded, pointing at the giant. Several aimed crossbows and bows, shooting bolts and arrows at Bj?rgrund, who turned, leading them to where he wanted them to be. The projectiles cracked off his divine breastplate¡ªeliciting cries of rage from his pursuers¡ªas he charged through another portal, all the while considering which traps to lead them to. ¡®They¡¯re flying now, so none of the floor traps¡¯ll work¡­ Oh, I know!¡¯ he thought, leading them like sheep. ¡®Get them, father.¡¯
Another click sounded. The room behind Alex began rapidly filling with poisonous gas. ¡°Oh no, you don''t!¡± the Guide shouted, holding up his hands, gathering the gas in a sphere above the pursuing church members. His face brightened as he pointed at the portal, giving Alex a nasty smile. ¡°Get him!¡± he cried. Gas streamed through the portal, drifting toward the young wizard. Alex responded, raising his staff, conjuring more small air elementals¡ªto blow the gas¡ªsending it back through the portal toward the hidden church members. ¡°Uldar protect me!¡± a holy warrior cried as the gas touched him, seeping through his visor. He began coughing blood. Only the Stalker, waving the gas away with a quick hand and the First Apostle¡ªsending a wave of healing magic over the stricken man¡ªsaved him. Uttering words of power and a divine prayer, the First Apostle conjured Orbs of Air around the heads of his dwindling forces, then levelled his sword at Alex. ¡°Strike him down!¡± He launched a beam of light through the portal, so quick it was nearly on the General of Thameland before he could blink. Had he been as he once was before he¡¯d found Kelda¡¯s sanctum, the powerful energy would have burned through his torso, ending him instantly. But things had changed. His reflexes¡ªhoned from training with Bjorgrund¡ªresponded. He teleported away from the beam, it cracked the wall behind him, opening a gaping hole in it. Stone dust and rock fragments spilled onto the floor. Alex met the First Apostle¡¯s gaze with disdain, then wiped the debris from his shoulders. ¡°Try harder,¡± he said, in the most infuriating tone he could manage, then turned and continued to flee.
¡°This is not working,¡± the First Apostle growled. ¡°He is moving too fast: were I to race ahead on my own, I would leave all of our followers to die by his traps.¡± ¡°Not to mention, maybe falling into one yourself,¡± the Stalker muttered, eyeing the walls. ¡°No,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°A simple trap would not defeat me; he looked at his followers. ¡°I cannot say the same for Uldar¡¯s other children: they lack my experience, and were never trained in how to deal with fiendish traps!¡± ¡°Not many are, even I don''t have that much experience with such things,¡± The Stalker said, his voice tinged with excitement. ¡°What an exciting hunt this i¡ªoop!¡± Fire elementals burst into the room. ¡°He sends more of his tiresome summoned monsters at us!¡± one of the church members snarled. ¡°They can never defeat us!¡± ¡°Down, you fools!¡± the Stalker shouted. His moose collapsed on the ground, shielding its master with its neck. A fire elemental spat a gout of flame toward the gas. The First Apostle raised his shield. ¡°Uldar, protect us!¡± A light-barrier spread from his raised shield. Flame met gas. With a whump, it erupted. The blast slammed through the ranks of the hidden church, the force knocking warriors down as though they were blades of wet grass. Neither Alex Roth, nor the fire elementals wasted a moment; the burning spirits leapt upon the fallen warriors, bathing them with flame, heating armour and driving fire through gaps in their plate and chain. With a wave of his staff, the General of Thameland conjured more air elementals, sending them back through the portal to attack. The spirits fed wind to fire, sending it climbing higher and blazing brighter. ¡°Begone!¡± The First Apostle shouted, his heels digging into the stone. ¡°Uldar let your light lash them!¡± Radiance coated his blade, extending from it like a whip, which he cracked through the air. The lash of light cut through elementals, banishing them to their home planes with every stroke. The Stalker¡¯s mount stood, its master laughing on its back. ¡°That''s the way! That''s the way a hunt should be: that''s what I expected from you, my quarry!¡± ¡°Cease your laughter!¡± the First Apostle shouted. He watched grimly as his fellow church members tended the fallen: some could be saved, but others were well past that, burnt to death in their armour. ¡°We are taking great losses, how can you find humour in that? The children of Uldar die, while our enemy toys with us!¡± ¡°Doesn''t feel good to be made into sport, does it?¡± Alex called through the portal, his eyes blazing. ¡°It''s no fun when you''re the quarry, is it? It''s not much fun when your companions are butchered, is it? Is it satisfying? Watching your friends die at the hands of your enemies? I can tell you it sure wasn¡¯t satisfying for me when Carey died.¡± ¡°It was her choice!¡± the First Apostle fired back, healing his brethren as best he could. ¡°She chose to die!¡± ¡°And who pushed her there?¡± Alex snarled. ¡°Who captured her and kept her prisoner, caged up like some animal? Who tried to kill her friends? Who tried to corner her? You bastards have been making people suffer for only the gods know how long, and now when it''s turned against you, you''re suddenly acting like it''s the greatest crime ever committed in the history of the world? You know, all this time I thought you were at least acting out of conviction: now I see you don''t even have that.¡± ¡°Save me your sanctimony!¡± the First Apostle shouted. ¡°You go against your deity¡ªyour protector and ruler¡ªthen act as though you are on the path of righteousness! You are nothing more than a mad dog that has slipped its chain, running loose and¡ªstop laughing!¡± ¡°I can''t help it!¡± the Stalker cried. ¡°This is just too much fun! Besides, have you never been on a real hunt before? Even when mortals hunt bears, they lose a few hounds sometimes. Did you really think this would be easy? I told you before that I picked quarry that would give us a challenge: am I supposed to be upset now that he''s¡­you know¡­giving us a challenge? You know what I''m about!¡± The First Apostle made a disgusted noise in his throat. ¡°Oh, don''t be so cross, it''s not like we''ve lost already!¡± the Stalker said with easy grace. ¡°But I suppose there is some merit in you hounds being a little sore with me. I''ve just been here having fun, after all!¡± The small fae stepped away from the group of holy warriors and approached the nearest wall. From portals, elementals poured into the room, attacking with flame, lightning, and ice. As the hidden church¡¯s meagre forces struck back with weapons, miracles and arrows, the First Apostle raised his shield, chanting a prayer. A nimbus of light billowed from his form, expanding outward until it covered his followers in a glowing, protective shield. All the while, Alex Roth watched. The Stalker placed his hand on the wall. ¡°I''ve been letting the hounds do most of the work¡­but what¡¯s the point of a fun hunt unless the hunter gets involved?¡± As he finished his declaration, he began to whistle, emitting high pitched sounds. Their pitch kept rising, climbing higher and higher until none could hear them. Then, the wall began to shake. Chapter 762: Sanctified Storm Stones rattled against the Stalker¡¯s hand like an impending earthquake coming near. Spiderweb cracks climbed the wall, spreading through the stone. The young wizard frowned. ¡°Now,¡± he whispered in a tongue of elemental earth. Dozens of small earth elementals emerged, swarming toward the Stalker with stone limbs raised, poised to smash the small fae to paste. The fae lifted his other hand, waving a single finger with the precision of a sword, slashing at the oncoming elementals. Those closest¡ªperhaps a stride or two away¡ªwere cut down as though an unseen blade sliced through their stone forms, sending them hurtling back to the elemental plane of earth. The rest kept coming. ¡°Stay out of this, you great lumps of dirt,¡± the Stalker laughed, cracks still spreading through the wall until it was covered in them. ¡°I''m not here for you bags of dirt, so go home!¡± The hand touching the wall flexed. The wall flexed with it. Then ruptured. A layer of rock sheared from the wall¡¯s surface, exploding outward in a torrent of jagged, grey, rock chips and dust that didn''t fall, but paused around the Stalker in mid-air. The cloud of debris settled around him, hovering like a grey mist. ¡°Here we go, here¡¯s something else for you and your little friends,¡± he grinned at Alex. ¡°Let''s try this again, shall we?¡± With a flick of the hand, the debris swirled, whipping into a storm of shrapnel. Another flick sent it sweeping through the swarm of elementals like a cloak, surrounding them, shredding them like parchment, sending them home. The jagged rock glowed with inner power: air elementals and those made of fire were not spared from the debris¡¯ bite. With a slight wiggle of a finger, he waved the sanctified soil from Uldar¡¯s Rise into the storm of shrapnel. ¡°Try this on,¡± he said to Alex. The storm drove toward the young wizard, followed by the Stalker atop his moose¡¯s back, laughing hysterically over the sound of stone grating on stone. ¡°I see the game now,¡± the First Apostle growled, lifting his blade. ¡°Holy Uldar, let none who touch this storm of sacred soil and hungry stone escape it by teleportation of any means!¡± There was an impact with no sound as the deity¡¯s will was enacted on the whirlwind of shrapnel and sanctified earth. ¡°Oh shit!¡± Alex cried, teleporting ahead of the storm. ¡°Look, the Fool runs from us!¡± a holy warrior cried. ¡°He means to lead us into more of his devilish traps!¡± ¡°Then pin him down!¡± the First Apostle commanded. ¡°Forward, children of Uldar! He thinks he can tear us down with traps and tricks, but it is in this that he makes himself vulnerable! Use his hubris, kill him before he turns more craven and escapes!¡± He pointed his sword toward their enemy. ¡°Know this, Fool of Thameland, if you do not finish this here and now¡ªshould you escape from us¡ªthen, no more will we engage in this filthy chase! We will return to Thameland, find those that you love, and destroy them!¡± The Fool teleported through the chamber ahead, his face both panicked and angered as he tried desperately to dodge the hungry stone swarm threatening to engulf him and flay the flesh from his bones. ¡°Cowards! You claim I¡¯m your enemy, so why threaten people I care about? Is your solution to doing what you claim your god wants always to kidnap and hurt people? Is that the only way you can get your filthy hands on me, by murdering people who¡¯ve never done a single thing to you?¡± he shouted. ¡°It is the nature of sacrifice: even if distasteful actions must be taken, the will of the divine must be served,¡± the First Apostle said. ¡°But that matters little: why am I wasting precious time explaining loyalty to a walking corpse? Kill him!¡± Once again, the church began advancing.
Alex affected an expression of surprise as he teleported away from the fae and divinity crafted storm. Holy-warriors released glowing arrows¡ªenhanced by divine miracles¡ªentwining stone and soil and turning the brew deadlier. The First Apostle chanted spell upon spell, launching great gouts of fire and icy explosions after Alex, while the Stalker continued laughing gleefully, chasing the young wizard with the storm. To all, the wizard appeared frustrated, fighting to get away. They had no way of knowing that inside, he was as calm as a still pond. Their arrows, spells, and even the fae¡¯s strange powers were not the threat they once would have been: his struggle was all show, a performance for his hunters. A performance they were unknowingly a big part of. ¡®That''s right,¡¯ the young wizard thought, watching the Stalker. ¡®Show us more of your tricks. The last thing I want is to get you all lined up for the killing blow, then you do something that Birger, Bjorgrund or I hadn¡¯t accounted for. I don''t want any of you persistent bastards escaping what we¡¯ve got planned for you, so let¡¯s see what you''ve got up your sleeves. But in the meanwhile, you need some more traps.¡¯ A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. He considered the church members¡¯ morale. They were still coming at him hard; if anything, they seemed more determined than before to catch him. Judging by that threat the First Apostle had just made against people close to him¡ªwhich Alex planned to make him pay for¡ªit didn¡¯t look like they wanted him to run. They seemed more than willing to deal with his traps as long as it meant they''d have a better chance of killing him. There would be no retreat from them yet, if at all. ¡®No need to ease off of the traps, Birger,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Not yet, at least. I doubt you could drag them from here, at this point.¡¯ ### As Izas and the holy warriors continued pursuing the young giant, the old priest began giving thought to retreating. He was still able to protect his followers with his spells and divine power, but¡ª even then¡ªthey were taking casualties. And those casualties were mounting. From one room to another, the giant had fled, each chamber had held a trap more deadly than the last. In one room, webbing made of steel wire had launched at terrible speeds, covering them like cocoons, slicing through armour and flesh of those unfortunate enough to be caught in them. Steel armour had offered protection to some, but¡ªwhere the wire had slipped between gaps¡ªholy warriors were dissected, with no hope of escaping. Another room had opened portals on one side of it, gushing a torrent of frigid water with enough force, to break even armoured bodies. In a third, a magical trap had dropped bars of force, caging his slower brothers and sisters like wild beasts, trapping them with flicking and dancing blades of magic that easily did their grim work. And as Izas considered his options¡ª ¡°Look out!¡± a priest cried. Spears launched from the walls of the chamber they were crouching in, trying to slip through; many bounced off the magical protection he¡¯d raised, though some got past, puncturing steel plate. Those who could, tried to heal themselves¡­but they stumbled back¡­ falling to the ground, foam running under their helmets and down their chins, limbs twitching. ¡°Poison!¡± Izas cried. ¡°Uldar, please channel your pow¡­¡± The prayer stopped. Before he could bring his deity¡¯s power to bear, the injured warriors went still: the poison had worked devilishly quick. ¡°More monsters!!¡± one of the remaining warriors shouted. Through a portal, a pack of snarling hellhounds with gnashing teeth, padded. Their breaths were pure fire when they sprang, landing on church members, mauling them. ¡°Hold the line!¡± Izas shouted. ¡°Hold the line!¡± His eyes took in Uldar¡¯s followers with compassion as he chanted a spell to strike down these new monsters. Suddenly, the giant charged back into the room, roaring something in a barbaric tongue. He swung his axe at the Third Apostle, looking to cut the holy man in two, but warriors nearby stopped the blow with their bodies, pushing the old man aside, taking the blow for him. When Izas scrambled to his feet, the giant was already gone, disappearing into the next room The holy man watched as his followers slew the last of the hellhounds. Things were looking bad. Incredibly bad. More than half of his holy warriors were dead, and of those who remained, most were clearly exhausted. The priests had called upon Uldar¡¯s power over and over, risking rupturing their souls. ¡°This is impossible,¡± he whispered. ¡°We should''ve caught him!¡± When Izas had first laid eyes on the giant when they¡¯d nearly killed the Fool, he showed a measure of skill but¡ªin the end¡ªhe hardly been any real threat. But now, not only was he wearing and wielding Uldar¡¯s own equipment, his skill and speed were worrying. Before, a simple volley of arrows had been enough to pin him down while holy-warriors darted in and out of his reach as they worked to bleed him dry. What had happened, how was he so fast that he was now more than a match for any but the most skilled in the hidden church? His long legs were allowing him to easily outdistance them as well. If the giant would only stay and fight them head on, Izas was sure that his miracles and spells would be enough to destroy the overgrown menace, but he was not staying still. He kept leading them along a path filled with death traps that were quickly cutting away their numbers, while wearing down their stamina. At this rate, it was just a matter of time before there would be very few of them left¡­even the Third Apostle himself had come close to being cut in two by that surprise attack. He looked down at the prostrate women and men who had given their lives to preserve his. It disturbed him deeply. Good young folk, followers of Uldar, sacrificing themselves so that he¡ªan old man¡ªcould keep living. How many more of these young lives would have to be spent to take back Uldar¡¯s weapon and armour? How many more sacrifices would they have to make? How many holy servants would die here¡ªin this sanctum of their enemy¡ªand never touch their home soil again? And in the end, would their sacrifices be in vain? They had made no progress in catching the giant, and at this rate, they would find a trap so deadly, that even he would not be able to protect them. Or they would be distracted enough so that Uldar¡¯s very own axe would cut him in half. But, to make matters worse¡­ ¡®If this giant has become so deadly in so short a time, has the Fool also changed to our ruin? What deadly tricks do they still have waiting for us?¡¯ he wondered. That was when he made his decision. They could not keep doing this: they would abandon pursuing the giant for now, and join up with the First Apostle¡¯s force. If they did not, then they would lose everything. ¡°Retreat!¡± he shouted. ¡°We must rejoin the others! We have no choice but to unite with our brethren!¡± ¡°But Uldar¡¯s equipment!¡± a follower shouted, as an attacking swarm of elementals rose from the floor. ¡°We must take it back!¡± ¡°We must be alive to do that!¡± Izas said, casting a spell that sent waves of force and light into the elementals, sending them back to where they¡¯d come from. ¡°He is leading us around by our noses, making us spend ourselves against their infernal traps! Come! I should be able to trace the path we took to get here through the portals! This is what¡¯s best. We must retreat and head back the way we came to unite with the First Apostle. Then, we can deal with the giant and what is rightfully Uldar¡¯s!¡± ¡°Yes, Third Apostle!¡± the dwindling number of warriors shouted. Inside, Izas¡¯ gut twisted with guilt: the thought of those weapons being used against them¡ªeven for another heartbeat¡ªsickened him. But more and more, he¡¯d become convinced that coming to this place had been a terrible mistake. ¡°Follow me!¡± he called, leading them back through the portal. The path back to the room with Uldar¡¯s statue would be safer: the traps there would already be spent. From there, he could use a miracle to find his way to the First Apostle. ¡®And then, perhaps we should use the miracle of recall and return home,¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is not the right battlefield¡­no Izas, do not be cowardly. Have faith. Uldar will ensure that you will be where you are meant to be.¡¯ With that thought, he led his soldiers away. Behind him, Bjorgrund watched. ¡°Looks like we''re building up to the finale,¡± he chuckled darkly. The giant turned, taking another path. One that would get him to the room with the goddess statues quicker than the church. There he would wait. For the final step in their plan. For their enemies to be unmade. Chapter 763: The Return of the General Birger was all smiles as he stood at the controls, watching the Third Apostle and his weakening forces retreat, heading back to the entrance where the three statues were. To say that their numbers were flagging would be an understatement. To say that their demeanour screamed of inner turmoil was not an understatement. They seemed like the ghosts of the men and women who¡¯d first burst into the sanctum after Alex. They had seemed proud, sure, filled with righteous anger in their shining plate, bright coloured tabards, and soaring spirits. Now, that had all withered. Their armour was dented, their tabards soiled from battle and blood, their high spirits seemed shaken, and they moved with the weariness of defeat. Had it not been for their miracles, even more of them would be dead now. Their divinity couldn¡¯t help their brothers and sisters who they¡¯d been forced to leave behind, lying broken and dead in pools of their own blood. Birger almost felt sorry for them, almost. He could never forget the sight of Bjorgrund, with arrows piercing his young body, shot into him by those very same sad-looking people who¡¯d thought little of skewering him like he was nothing more than prey. ¡°Rot in the hells, you bastards,¡± he growled, turning his attention to another portal-window where the First Apostle¡¯s troops were still chasing Alex. They were faring better than their counterparts, though they¡¯d also taken their fair share of casualties. Soldiers were fighting Alex''s host of summoned monsters as they harassed them from all sides. Their holy leader¡¯s attention was split between attacking Alex, and saving his followers. The fae was attacking the young wizard, laughing all the while. Birger had already released trap after trap against them, watching as they cut down their numbers, killing many, though less than he would have liked. Now that the Third Apostle had decided to retreat, it was time to finish every last one of them off. It was time to give the signal. Birger leaned toward the window-portal leading to the room where Alex was dodging the Stalker¡¯s storm¡­he began to sing.
The room around him was a whirlwind of stone shards, dust, sanctified soil, and arrows. Spells and divine miracles shot through the storm. The Stalker¡¯s mocking laughter filled the air. Alex Roth''s face was a mask of fear, dismay and rage. But, inside, he was having the time of his life. Training with Bjorgrund had honed his reflexes to levels he''d never known; where once he would dodge and think of clever ways to fight and keep himself and his companions from dying, now he felt good going head-on against that fae and those deadly church monsters. Hells, he doubted he could have survived this whirlwind of knife-edged rock fragments, grit, and consecrated earth before. The Fool of Thameland had barely survived a mana vampire attack when they were aboard The Red Siren not all that long ago. The Fool of Thameland had desperately danced on a beach, moving around Burn-Saw¡¯s attacks, taking a deep scar on his left arm in the process, and coming close to being shredded to bits by the demon. But, as the General of Thameland, avoiding these attacks was like child''s play. He continued gasping and cringing away from the storm of chaos, feeding what they believed to be true about him; that he was weak, that he was nearly helpless, that he was the Fool. ¡®Look at me!¡¯ he thought. ¡®They aren''t even touching me!¡¯ Yet, a cautious voice inside kept whispering, warning him not to get overconfident. So far, the First Apostle hadn¡¯t been able to put all of his attention to killing him. And¡ªjudging by his jolly laughter¡ªneither had the Guide. He was still enjoying himself, much like he was at a Summer festival playing games of skill and chance. The ancient Chosen of Uldar had been able to protect many of his followers with a golden shield of light that wrapped around them, protecting more of them than Alex would have liked from Kelda¡¯s traps. Their numbers had suffered, getting reduced by summoned monsters and death traps; together, they¡¯d taken a significant toll on the secret church. When it finally looked as if the Third Apostle¡¯s group was in trouble, it¡­ Suddenly, singing came from a small portal at the side of the room, Birger¡¯s song reached Alex. ¡®Okay, there it is, that¡¯s the signal,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Things must be looking shaky for the Third Apostle. It''s time.¡¯ Throwing a sly glance at his enemies, Alex teleported away, appearing where the Stalker would expect him to. A storm of stone whirled at him, whipping the hem of his cloak, shredding it before he gasped and teleported away. ¡°Almost had you there!¡± the Guide chuckled. ¡°You''re getting a bit sloppy, my fine quarry!¡± Alex cursed at him, then teleported to the nearest portal. He began flying, moving quickly. ¡°Shit! They''re gaining on me, if we don''t get them with the next few traps, we¡¯ve gotta get out of here!¡± he shouted, loud enough for his pursuers to hear. He sounded tense. His enemies took the bait. ¡°Oh, so you think you''re gonna make us all desperate and shredded on your traps, huh?¡± the fae shouted. ¡°Well, you won''t, and that arrogance is going to cost you!¡± ¡°I warned you before, errant Fool, if you leave this place, we shall sweep over your people like a plague and strike them all down! None will escape!¡± the First Apostle bellowed, his voice echoing through the sanctum. ¡°Our battle ends here. If you have even the slightest speck of honour or decency, you will stand against us here and now and not force us to make your loved ones pay for your crimes. So, if you possess any love for anyone but yourself, stay here, do not flee like you fled the great battle for Thameland! You called us cowards, yet you were the one who left the other Heroes and the good soldiers of our army to fight your battles! Striking that filthy head from your shoulders is more mercy than you deserve!¡± Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Anger surged in Alex. He was tired of the sanctimony, the threats, and this murderer flapping his jaws like some brainless dog. No, not a dog, that would be an insult to Brutus. He was garbage that talked. Alex wanted nothing more than to toss this garbage into the river. ¡®Patience,¡¯ he told himself. ¡®Wait until the rats are all together before you exterminate any.¡¯ He, Birger and Bjorgrund had weakened their forces, they¡¯d gotten them to over-commit. They''d made them overconfident. They''d made them reveal some of their secrets. And now, they would use what they¡¯d learned, making their counterattack devastating. Soon. The fish were taking the bait, it was almost time to reel them in. He couldn¡¯t wait to show them what he was truly capable of. For now, he would keep the chase going, flying and teleporting ahead of them through the sanctum. He cursed at them, luring them in, staying close enough to let them think they could touch him. Deadly traps sprang, lashing the hidden church with fire, acid, weapons, and magic. Gabrian¡¯s shield held, protecting most, but not all. And, they followed, stoking themselves into a greater fervour. Behind their leader, holy warriors flung taunts and curses at Alex. They called him cowardly. They called him an apostate. They called him a fool. He didn¡¯t answer, just letting them say what they would. The more they mocked him, the better it was. It would make what was to come all the sweeter.
Gabrian tried to force down the doubts that were rising in him. He told himself that this choice was the right one. He told himself that this was Uldar¡¯s will. Yet, every instinct still screamed that he might be wrong. Hundreds of years ago¡ªwhen he had been a young Chosen of Uldar, struggling against the Ravener alongside the other Heroes of his time¡ªhe recalled how certain dungeons made his gut clench and his skin crawl. He remembered the feeling he would get whenever they entered a dungeon far more dangerous and sinister than they¡¯d expected. A dungeon with elements that were veiled and teeming with more life than they knew. A place where monsters somehow knew to expect them, and were prepared for them. In those dungeons, disaster would usually strike. Ravener-spawn would be ready, waiting, claiming the life of one of his companions or some of the soldiers following them. He felt that same way now. ¡®We guessed that the Fool was attempting to trap us,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Have we seen everything that he''s prepared? Are we following him into our doom?¡¯ As he defended his followers from springing traps, he kept focused on the Fool. ¡®It does not matter,¡¯ he thought. ¡®We will destroy any trap he brings against us, and crush any allies here with him. No matter what he brings, he will still die.¡¯ Gabrian¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡®When he is convinced that he has won, that will be the time we strike. My attention has been divided, focused on protecting the children of Uldar, and slaying his enemy, but when the Fool finally reveals where he expects this chase of his to end, that¡¯s when I will turn every ounce of my power against him to strike him down. He will die just when he believes he has triumphed, then we can leave this place to be with Uldar.¡¯
¡°This room is familiar!¡± a holy warrior shouted. ¡°We''re near the entrance! I think this is where we left the First Apostle!¡± The group paused, forming a small defensive perimeter around Izas. ¡°Oh, holy Uldar,¡± he called. ¡°Find the path! Reveal the way to your greatest Apostle!¡± He lifted his hands to the heavens, and between his palms, an orb of light formed. The sphere shimmered, transforming into an arrow that pointed toward¡­ ¡°What?¡± he muttered. The glowing arrow was pointing to the room where the statues were. Toward the entrance chamber. Yet, the First Apostle had left by the portal opposite that one. Izas looked at the arrow carefully. ¡°Is this some trick? Why would he be back at the entrance?¡± His instincts screamed for him to move. ¡°We must go quickly!¡± he cried. ¡°Something is wrong! Forward!¡± Both Apostle and followers charged into the entrance chamber, coming to a halt beneath the ruined statue of Uldar. Only one other portal led from the room. The arrow pointed to the other portal. ¡°This couldn¡¯t be a trick,¡± he whispered. ¡°The miracle is meant to find those with a strong and direct connection to Uldar. It can¡¯t be deceived or interfered with, so why would¡ª¡± Suddenly, the Fool teleported into the room, looking at them in surprise. He was closely followed by a tornado of stone dust, soil, and shrapnel that tore inside the room right after him, whipping about, looking to block him from all directions as he teleported around it, flickering from place to place. Heartbeats later, the Stalker emerged from the portal, his laughter echoing through the air. That laughter paused when he saw Izas. The First Apostle and his followers came next, coming to an abrupt halt when they saw their brethren waiting there. Their numbers had been whittled down as well. ¡°What is¡­¡± Izas murmured. Realisation struck him. This is what it had been all about. They¡¯d been led through those death traps merely to weaken them. Now, they''d all been herded into a single place, like sheep surrounded by wolves. ¡°Holy leader!¡± Izas shouted. ¡°We¡ª¡± ¡°The statues, my hounds, watch yourselves!¡± the Stalker warned, pointing behind Izas. The Third Apostle turned. A whoooom sound built within the statues as power gathered in their eyes. Horror ran through him down to his very bones; he knew the sound, it was familiar, it was the same as the fire-gems in the Fool¡¯s golem. Heat and a blinding light was growing. ¡°Uldar, protect us!¡± He called on this divine power, strengthening the shield around his followers. Outside of that shield, the world turned to flame.
This was his chance. The statues on other side of the ruined image of Uldar were unleashing their fury. Fire-beams lashed at the protective aura of Uldar¡¯s divinity. Floating above them was the Fool, he was smiling. ¡®So this was your trap,¡¯ Gabrian thought. ¡®It will also be your undoing!¡¯ He called upon his reserves of strength, empowering himself with divine might, and putting haste magic on himself. He sprang at their hated enemy, blurring in divine light, metal and the promise of death. His sword was raised: poised to cut the Fool down with the same weapon he¡¯d slain the Ravener with so long ago. He was beside his quarry in the blink of an eye, the sword dropping before the Fool could even think, or teleport away. Alex Roth turned, but there was something wrong. His eyes were steady and calm. His lips were moving. He raised his staff and Gabrian¡¯s sword met the end wrapped in cloth, metal rang on metal. The Fool twisted his staff, turning aside the First Apostle¡¯s blow. The cloth fell away, revealing what he¡¯d been concealing; the blade of a sword. A sword was fused to the end of the staff¡­creating a stabbing weapon. Gabrian¡¯s heart nearly stopped. In a blur, his enemy swung the sword-staff upward, driving it into the pit of his shield-arm. Searing pain spiked through the First Apostle¡¯s body as chain-links split, and flesh parted. ¡°Impossible, you cannot wield a weapon, you are the Fool!¡± he cried in shock and pain. ¡°Not anymore,¡± Alex said coldly. ¡°I remember at Uldar¡¯s Rise you only had one arm, I think you looked better that way.¡± Energy poured down the sword-staff¡¯s blade, releasing a flash. Searing pain became an explosion of agony. Blood fountained from Gabrian¡¯s shoulder. Once again, his arm was gone. ¡°Impossible!¡± he shrieked, clutching at his shoulder. ¡°If you think that was impossible,¡± Alex said. ¡°Watch this.¡± He looked the First Apostle dead in the eye, doing something the man knew no Fool should be capable of¡­not without punishing effort. Yet, somehow, the Fool of Thameland seemed to be casting a spell. Chapter 764: Boom Disappointed. Alex had to admit, he was disappointed. For days, he¡¯d been looking forward to one particular moment: the moment he would watch Gabrian¡¯s shocked face change. He¡¯d played that image over and over in his mind, imagining it time and time again. He could see it in detail; the look on the First Apostle¡¯s stunned face as he watched him spellcasting, watched him pick up a weapon, easily using it, using it specifically on him. For weeks he¡¯d fantasised about how the man¡¯s face would be, how his expression would shift, how it would turn from utter confidence and resolve, to shock and horror. Alex wanted to see that, to savour it, but he¡¯d been denied. Except for his eyes peering through the visor, the man¡¯s face was completely hidden by his helmet. The young wizard would''ve loved to relish Gabrian¡¯s horrified expression, remembering it from this moment to his dying breath, even if he lived for ten thousand years. Since he couldn¡¯t have that moment to treasure though, he¡¯d take what he could get; the First Apostle realising he was no longer the Fool, his screams of fear and pain, the look of shock as his eyes widened behind that visor. Oh, and the satisfaction of taking his arm, again. ¡®That was pretty good,¡¯ he decided. He would''ve loved to have done more to him, like some of the things he¡¯d done to Theresa, Brutus, Bjorgrund and him, but he knew his enemy¡¯s will was strong, and that allowing him even the slightest time to recover would be a mistake. He wasn¡¯t done with him yet though, not by a longshot. With a twitch of an eyebrow, he began speaking the words of a sixth-tier spell. Energies gathered around his sword-staff, instantly pouring from the tip of its blade. Disintegration magic arced toward the First Apostle¡¯s breastplate, it struck the servant of Uldar, attacking him, seeking to split the screaming priest in two. His will, abundant life-force, and divine protections warred with the General of Thameland¡¯s spell. Fighting to stop it from doing its worst, but failing. Armour cracked, the energies within it exploded, searing light engulfed him. The First Apostle¡ªhis skin raw and smouldering¡ªsailed across the room, striking a wall with a wet crunch. His body sprayed red, covering the tattered remnants of his armour and clothing as he dropped to the floor. His followers screamed. ¡°It cannot be!¡± one cried. ¡°Impossible!¡± another shrieked. ¡°The Fool cannot¡­he cannot¡­¡± another stammered as flames licked the golden barrier surrounding the holy warriors. ¡°Uldar¡¯s beard!¡± the Third Apostle swore. It was in his face that Alex finally got what he wanted. The old man was watching him as though he were a demon crawling from the hells. His complexion looked green, he seemed breaths from either fainting, or soiling himself. But, Alex had more to do, he couldn¡¯t just stand there basking in their shock: every moment counted. Channelling mana into his staff, he conjured dozens of forceballs, surrounding himself with the glowing orbs. Meanwhile, he cast a spell, launching a fireball across the room, it flew straight for the injured First Apostle. An alert foe reacted, sweeping the storm of shrapnel around the holy leader, forming a solid shield that saved him. The fireball struck then ruptured, erupting in an inferno that blasted the ancient Chosen in waves of heat. ¡°Well, well, will ya look at that? Don''t you have quite the bite for a supposed Fool!¡± the Guide shouted from atop the back of his mount. ¡°That was a surprise! I see I wasn¡¯t wrong about you giving us a great hunt¡ªArgh!¡± Alex cut him off, sweeping his sword-staff down, conjuring Wizard¡¯s Hands to surround the fae. Their attack was vicious, pulling skin, yanking his beard, shoving glowing fingers in his mouth, poking at his eyes. The fae slapped at them as though he was fighting off wasps. With a twitch of a brow and a single syllable, Alex cast a fireball at him. The fae¡¯s moose bellowed, tensing to spring away as the ball of flame hit the wall behind them. It ruptured. Beast and master shrieked, singed by the heat. ¡°I''m not interested in your stupid prattling, Guide,¡± Alex said, watching the beams ebb in the goddesses¡¯ fire-gems. They would need time to recharge, and the church was already seething, readying themselves to attack. ¡°You like to laugh, it seems? Do you want to have some more fun? Try this.¡± Alex said to the Stalker. Drawing on Hannah''s power, he opened a dozen portals throughout the chamber, leading to different areas of the sanctum. ¡°Hah!¡± The fae burst into laughter, ripping Alex''s Wizard¡¯s Hands apart with a wave of his hand. ¡°Your wee elemental friends aren''t going to¡ªBy the fae lords!¡± Alex¡¯s army came through the portals. These were not the lower level summoned monsters he''d been using to harass the church earlier; those entities had been the spirits he¡¯d first learned to conjure when he was the Fool, well before he¡¯d erased that Mark. They''d been the perfect distraction, a key part of the strategy to lure these hunters where he and the giants wanted them to be. The creatures now emerging from the portals were Alex¡¯s true army. Scores of sixth-tier celestial dire tigers. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. Elder air elementals floated from portals like storm clouds, their lightning growling within them. Elder earth elementals floated from the stone beneath where the hidden church¡¯s warriors were standing, rising like mountains from below. Elder fire elementals¡ªliving infernos¡ªcrackled, entering the chamber, each of them a blaze of heat and blinding light. Elder water elementals rushed forward like the oncoming tide of an angry sea. Elder ice elementals, much like walking glaciers, followed, air crackling around them as they moved through the portal. Each was a powerful, ancient spirit, representing one of the great elements. They waited in imposing numbers. The hidden church members had fallen into stunned silence, while even the Stalker could only gape. But, the army was still not complete. Its greatest members were only now joining the rest, taking up their positions. The sound of a choir swelled, filling the chamber as several portals glowed with holy light. Winged forms floated from them, their beauty and song announcing astral engelis. The eyes ringing their halos burned, fixing upon Alex¡¯s enemies, and in their hands, swords, warhammers, and spears, blazed. Their weapons were bathed in flickering, holy flame; its light dancing in their eyes as they looked down on the hidden church with disdain and pity. Through another portal came Bjorgrund, his rune blazing through his breastplate. The giant glared at their enemies. The hidden church¡¯s reactions were mixed. Some members had turned pale, eyes lifting to the ceiling as prayers tumbled from trembling lips. Others looked on the summons with hardened eyes, clenching their weapons, ready to fight. While some looked to the Third Apostle for direction. Another portal opened, this one much larger than the rest. Through it walked Asmaldestre the Unmaker. Alex¡¯s champion. The war-spirit¡¯s claws dug into stone, her blade of energy burned at the tip of her tail. Blades plaited into her hair scraped each other with every movement she made. But, it was the weapons in four of her six hands that drew the offended eyes of Uldar¡¯s followers. ¡°Blasphemy!¡± the Third Apostle recoiled. ¡°More of Uldar¡¯s holy-weapons! How did you get them? What is this foul creature that you allow to defile them?¡± In a liquid movement and without a single word, Asmaldestre the Unmaker raised a weapon, one resembling Toraka Shale¡¯s prototype. Before Izas even finished his sentence, she pulled the trigger. A sound like the crack of a whip exploded through the air. Light flashed. A section of wall on the opposite end of the chamber¡ªon the other side of the church warriors¡ªexploded. Dust clouds erupted, spouting rock into the air, high above a cavernous tunnel extending through the wall leading to the next room. The shield of golden light surrounding the Third Apostle¡¯s followers, protecting them, abruptly vanished. Holy warriors, in front of and behind the old priest, looked down. Limbs were gone, holes the size of a man¡¯s head gaped in torsos. Uldar¡¯s followers stared at their fellows, right before they crumpled to the ground. The Third Apostle stared too, seemingly unable to move. The Stalker gaped at war-spirit¡¯s weapon. Behind him, the stone shield he¡¯d covered Gabrian with, fell away, revealing the partly stripped body of the First Apostle. Some of his wounds were healed, his skin had renewed¡ªfor the better part¡ªbut his shield arm was still gone, tattered cloth was all that remained. Uldar¡¯s ancient Hero¡¯s eyes were unblinking beneath the glowing symbol of the scales on his forehead. Suddenly, a strangled sound escaped him, seeming to come from deep within his soul. ¡°Izas!¡± he moaned, his voice breaking at the gaping hole in the Third Apostle¡¯s trunk...what was left of the Third Apostle¡¯s trunk. The weapon had sheared him nearly in two, leaving his white clothing and silver armour drenched in red. He coughed, choking up blood, yet his head turned, seeking the eyes of his leader. ¡°Save them¡­¡± he gurgled. ¡°Run¡ª¡± Alex was beside him. Few noticed the General of Thameland teleporting to the Third Apostle. But, all noticed the General of Thameland slide his sword-staff into what was left of the priest¡¯s chest. Alex looked up, holding the First Apostle¡¯s eyes as he uttered the words of his spell. Power flared. Mana flowed. A disintegration spell poured down the blade. The Third Apostle¡¯s strength was failing, Alex had no need to be either quick or kind, so he gave Izas the time he¡¯d given Theresa; slowly disintegrating the secret church¡¯s second in command, bit by bit. He started on his skin, working his way in from there, controlling the spell¡¯s destructive power. Holy warriors wailed, crying out, pleading for the Fool to stop, as the Third Apostle¡ªthe second most powerful man in all of their church¡ªwas reduced, peeled away like an anatomical specimen in a Generasian blood magic lab. In heartbeats, Izas was dust, gone. Alex teleported high above, glaring down with disgust. ¡°Before you get any ideas about surrendering, forget it. You don¡¯t deserve mercy, you never gave anyone else any. You took my friend, Carey, you¡¯re the ones who drove her to her death. She should be here, living her life, being with friends and her parents. She got no mercy from you monsters, so you won¡¯t be getting any from me. Maybe, if I believed that you were misguided, things might be different.¡± His jaw hardened. ¡°But I know that¡¯s not true. You''re all so sure of yourselves that you''ll never stop. Everyone last one of you believes that you have some secret mission, that it gives you the right to do whatever you want to people, as long as it serves some silent god of yours. And oh, by the way, I can guarantee you one thing: he doesn¡¯t begin to care even in the slightest about any of you, or the suffering you''re inflicting on others.¡± The young wizard paused for a moment, considering his next words carefully. Then he made his decision. None of them were leaving here alive, and¡ªafter what they¡¯d done to him, and his loved ones¡ªhe wanted to shake their world. He had one more thing for them before he unleashed his army¡¯s full wrath. ¡°While you''re standing there, gaping slack-jawed that your friend¡¯s dead, I have a little something to tell you,¡± he growled. ¡°Do you know why I¡¯m so sure that Uldar doesn''t even begin to care about you, or what you do? It¡¯s because he''s dead.¡± He paused, watching them. ¡°That¡¯s right, dead. I''ve actually seen his withered corpse sprawled out on his throne, and you know what? It looks the same as any other dead body. You''ve been killing people for a corpse!¡± Gasps swept through the hidden church members. Horrified eyes fell on Udar¡¯s armour that the giant was wearing, and then on the weapons he and the spirit were holding. Warriors shook their heads in disbelief. Others screamed words of denial, shouting insults at the Fool. For some, though? He could see despair and understanding creep across their faces. At last, they understood how he could have taken weapons wielded by their god and not suffered his punishment. ¡°It makes sense¡­¡± a holy warrior sank to her knees¡­ ¡°His silence¡­the unpunished blasphemy¡­¡± she murmured. ¡°Hold yourselves strong! Hold onto your faith, children of Uldar!¡± the First Apostle limped away from the wall. Nearby, the Stalker¡¯s eyes were darting back-and-forth, all signs of his earlier amusement gone. The First Apostle glared at Alex with pure hatred. ¡°You killed Izas, you killed my dearest friend in this world, you self-righteous hypocrite! Uldar will see you struck down!¡± Alex laughed then, a cold sound. ¡°There''s definitely a self-righteous hypocrite here, and it isn¡¯t me. And do me a favour, stop threatening me with a corpse, because that''s one difference between you and me. I pray to a goddess who actually gives a shit about people, you stammer out phrases to a piece of carrion.¡± He looked around at the First Apostle¡¯s followers. ¡°Looks like I gave some of you something to think about, and that''s good enough for me. As for the rest of you? It''s fine if you don''t believe me. You will when you get to the after-world. How¡¯s about I give you a headstart with getting to his side?¡± The General pointed his sword-staff at his enemies. Then he spoke two words in different elemental tongues. ¡°Kill them.¡± Chapter 765: The Unmaking The army of monsters came on like a tidal wave of death. Celestial dire tigers¡ªnow well outnumbering the remaining church members¡ªleapt for the resolved warriors, claws tearing and powerful jaws crunching armour. Elder fire elementals, charged forward, showering Alex¡¯s enemies in cleansing flame. Elder earth elementals thundered ahead, boulder-sized fists sweeping out, crushing priests and holy warriors with every swing. Elder water elementals engulfed fighters inside their liquid forms, stealing their breaths, keeping them trapped as the fluid was sucked from them, leaving only mummified bodies drifting inside the massive spirits. Elder ice elementals lashed out, freezing mortal forms in place, then shattering them like icicles. Astral engeli dove like falcons, flaming weapons swinging in blurring arcs. In a storm of holy light and flaming steel, the enemy was reduced further. Behind them, Bjorgrund charged, unleashing his full power, hacking through their hunters like a ship cutting through rough seas, leaving a path of ruined bodies in his wake. The Unmaker was like a phantom. In one heartbeat, she had been standing and merely observing. In the next, she was gone, landing among the enemy. No one¡ªnot even Alex¡ªhad seen her move. She embodied destruction. Her six arms were a blur, weapons flickering around on all sides. Holy warriors fell like frost stricken leaves in a hurricane wind. One moment they were charging at, the next, they were mangled on the ground. Her tail flicked out, lashing side to side, breaking bodies, its bladed tip shearing metal, flesh and bone like air. Skilled priests and other warriors of the secret church¡ªwarriors who¡¯d tried with every divinity and prayer they could call on to stop her¡ªdied at her hands as easily as snuffed candlelight. Alex had been watching the carnage playing out before him, he raised the aeld, levelling it at the First Apostle¡¯s chest and twitching his brow. Syllables tumbled from his lips. Disintegrating energy streaked for the ancient Chosen, surrounded by a swarm of forceballs seeking to contain him.
The world seemed to slow to a crawl. Gabrian looked on in disbelief. How was any of what was before him even possible? He could not understand how he had lived so long only to see such dark times, only to see his people come to ruin under his leadership. Yet, it was true. For hundreds of years, he had led the entirety of Uldar¡¯s hidden church with a kind and even hand. He had cared for the people with compassion and understanding, making sure they lived in harmony with their land, preparing them to fulfil the duties that their god saw fit for them to face. He had inherited the secret order¡ªone that had existed for thousands of years¡ªafter he was welcomed into the fold and given direction. For a time, and a long time at that, they had thrived under his stewardship. He had expanded their training, making them greater warriors than they had ever been in the history of the order. He¡¯d cared for them, spiritually, ensuring that their faith remained strong, and that their hearts remained true. In some ways, he felt as though he¡¯d helped to raise them. He remembered every face here¡ªthrough every stage of their lives¡ªhaving watched them grow from squalling babes, to youths, and then grown servants of Uldar. Now their lives were evaporating like droplets of rain under a hot sun. Warriors he had helped shape from childhood were being threshed apart, burned and drowned as they called out for their god to save them. But, as always, Uldar was silent. Even when Izas¡ªone of his greatest servants¡ªwas punctured then peeled apart like pieces of rotten fruit, he had not come down to avenge him. When his own holy weapons¡ªnow clutched in the hands of a heathen giant and an evil spirit of war¡ªwere turned on his people, he did not snatch them away with his divine will, and then smite down those who had despoiled them. Even when his ultimate commands were violated¡ªthe Fool casting spells and doing violence¡ªhe had not intervened. And Gabrian could not understand why. As he watched a swarm of forceballs racing toward him, surrounding a beam of disintegration magic, he felt lost, unable to comprehend what it was all for. Had his god turned his back on him? Had he been so incompetent, so unworthy, so foolish, that Uldar could only be driven to disgust and not save his most precious children from such terrible deaths. After all, who could blame him? Gabrian had taken an order that had existed for thousands of years, and¡ªin his arrogance¡ªthought he had improved and perfected it. In truth, all he had done was bring it to ruin. Under his stewardship, they had first lost their home, and now their lives. He felt tears burning in his eyes. The order still had a number of members buried within the ranks of the Thameish army and other groups, but the core members¡ªthe backbone who had dwelled in Uldar¡¯s Rise¡ªhad followed him to their ruin. And the worst of it? It had seemingly all been for nothing. This moment was no epic sacrifice to destroy one of their deity''s greatest enemies. At this moment¡ªit seemed that an errant Fool had caused every bit of this destruction, and would simply win, leaving their order as nothing more than a soon to be forgotten memory. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. But, that must never happen. He was Uldar¡¯s ancient Chosen and his First Apostle, he could not give up. He could not give up until he¡¯d taken the life of this murderer. His mind snapped into focus. His arm had been taken and his armour ruined, but he still had his sword and much of his power. He raised the blade, planning his attack, challenging the Fool, defying the blight on the Heroes. He would cut down those forceballs, slip past the beam then unleash his full magical and divine might against Uldar¡¯s enemies. He tensed, preparing to act when something struck him from the side, knocking him away as the beam hit the wall where he¡¯d just been, disintegrating it. Gabrian raised his sword again, poised to smite his attacker, but found the Stalker crouched beside him. The small fae had moved with shocking speed to save him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he demanded, looking wild eyed. ¡°Get us out of here!¡± ¡°What? I¡ªlook out!¡± the First Apostle shouted, calling on his empowered lifeforce, dodging a fireball that had come for him within a barrage of harassing Wizard¡¯s Hands. Air elementals were appearing, lashing out with wind and lightning. Electricity crackled along Gabrian¡¯s form as the wind stoked embers to flame, scorching his healing skin. The Stalker pointed at Alex¡ªregretting his choice of quarry¡ªand swept the swarm of stone and blessed soil toward him from all directions, sending him teleporting away. With a twist of his hand, a cloud of debris broke from the rest, surrounding him and the First Apostle in a shield of dust and stone, swirling around them, even as the Fool began pelting them with fireballs. Beyond the shield, it looked like flame was raining from above. ¡°What''s this?¡± Alex Roth said. ¡°Being prey isn¡¯t a lot of fun, is it? Don¡¯t you feel like laughing some more?¡± He summoned more monsters to swarm them, keeping focused on the pair. Even as he dodged and teleported away from the swarm of debris chasing him, his assault on the Apostle and Stalker continued. ¡°You know, you''re only delaying the inevitable.¡± Alex called. ¡°I think you¡¯ve got about five seconds before my army finishes turning yours into ground meat, and then the Unmaker, or Bjorgrund, or any one of the elementals you see around you, are going to turn the two of you into a cross between¡­dust and paste. Keeping this up won¡¯t save you, so why not just stop?¡± The Fool¡¯s eyes were as hard as steel. ¡°You''re enjoying this!¡± The First Apostle accused, as he and the Stalker darted through the room, avoiding the barrage from summoned monsters and endless spells. How was the Fool casting so quickly? It seemed like his spells would never end! ¡°You like seeing us suffer!¡± The last of his followers were desperately trying to resist the enemy. Almost all were now dead. Gabrian wanted nothing more than to help them, but it was all he could do to keep himself alive. ¡°You¡¯re right, I am enjoying this,¡± Alex said. ¡°I like revenge, and I''ve been waiting a long time for it.¡± ¡°Focus!¡± the Stalker shouted. ¡°Stop trying to play Hero, use that miracle to get us out of here!¡± ¡°What?¡± Gabrian demanded. ¡°Retreat? And make this all for nothing?¡± ¡°You see his army? You see that multi-armed thing that has four divine weapons? You see what a monster that teleporting bastard¡¯s become?¡± the Stalker screamed, his eyes ablaze. ¡°The hunt¡¯s turned against us, and it''s turned hard! If we don''t leave now, there''s no coming back! No avenging your followers, getting new hounds, no new hunts, nothing! Just a one-way trip to the afterworld for both of us! Get us out of here!¡± ¡°But we cannot¡ª¡± Gabrian started. ¡°Think of Izas!¡± the fae¡¯s voice was shrill. A fireball exploded close enough to singe the fae¡¯s beard. Gabrian noticed that the Stalker was somehow, suddenly mounted on his moose¡¯s back. He hadn''t seen the beast approach; it was as though it had materialised from thin air. He had no time to consider it. The Stalker continued shouting. ¡°Your friend set up that miracle just for a situation like this, so our lives could be preserved! So that yours could be preserved! He''s dead, but don''t let what he''s done be in vain! We can''t win this!¡± Part of Gabrian wanted to curse at the fae. Another part knew the wisdom of his words. But there was no time to weigh what to do, he needed to move. He whispered. ¡°Strike at the Fool on my signal.¡± ¡°What signal, you¡ª¡± the Stalker started. ¡°Don''t argue! You''ll know it when you see it,¡± the First Apostle hissed. He raised his only hand, beginning the words of an incantation. The power of the Chosen flowed through him, lending him speed and power. Below, the last few of Uldar¡¯s holy warriors were falling, bloodied and broken. By the time his spell was complete, there would be none left. But, he would avenge them. He would avenge them if it was the last thing he ever did. Even as the Fool¡¯s spells continued to lash out, he finished his incantation. Waves of power exploded in all directions, weaving into the chamber¡¯s walls, floor and ceiling. Stone rattled. A quake began rumbling through the walls. Cracks snaked along them. Rock rained from the ceiling. Dust billowed in clouds. ¡°This place will come to ruin!¡± the First Apostle shouted, his voice a promise.
¡°What in all the Hells is he doing? Has he finally gone mad?¡± Birger cried, as all around him Kelda¡¯s lab shook. Glass instruments rattled. Metal machines clanged together. Dust wafted from the ceiling. It felt like the giant¡¯s teeth were clattering in his head. Through every portal-window, Birger could see the sanctum vibrating with the First Apostle¡¯s power. His energies were rampaging through the sanctum, and the destruction kept spreading. ¡°Stop it!¡± Burger shouted, though he knew the leader of the hidden church would not hear him, or care if he did. ¡°You''re going to bring the whole sanctum down on all our heads! You''re going to destroy everything! Dammit!¡± the old giant looked desperately at the controls. He activated the goddess statues, trying to fire on the First Apostle and fae, but they were too fast. Much too fast. ¡°What do I do?¡± Birger looked back at Kelda¡¯s body. His old friend lay in silence within her glass coffin, so well-preserved, it looked as though she would sit up at any moment, wearing that easy smile of hers. If she could sit up, he knew she wouldn¡¯t be smiling now, she¡¯d be incensed at these invaders inside her home. He could imagine her leaping to the controls, revealing some hidden function of her sanctum that would turn these interlopers to dust. But she never would: they were on their own.
¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Alex shouted at Gabrian as the sanctum shook. He could feel frustration growing. They were close. So very close. But the fae and Apostle were so fast: just as they couldn''t pin him down, the same was true for them. The holy man had conjured an earthquake spell that was going to bury everyone in the sanctum. Or maybe he only wanted to bury Alex¡¯s army, and give himself and the fae cover to escape. Either way, he had to stop them. He turned his attention to the earth elementals as rock and dust flew, blocking his vision. ¡°Go into the stone!¡± he shouted. Use your power over the earth to quiet the rock until his spell passes. ¡°I want you to¡ª¡± Suddenly, Alex felt a sharp sting on his arm and raised it, examining the skin. A gash, with grains of soil clinging to a jagged wound, was there. Alex knew in an instant. This was not good. Small bits of rock and grit with sanctified soil embedded in it, had caught him, breaking through his greater force armour and the skin beneath. ¡°Oh shi¡ª¡± he started. The interdiction slammed into him. Chapter 766: The Few Who Survive The divine interdiction coiled around his soul, much like it had in the forest in the Irtyshenan Empire, squeezing itself around the Traveller¡¯s power. Alex clenched his teeth as his teleportation failed. Inside, Hannah''s energy warred with the divine might, but he still could not access her power. Snarling, he raised his staff, waiting for the First Apostle and Guide¡¯s next attacks. He looked for them, squinting through falling dust and debris, flying from place to place, snaking away from the Stalker¡¯s swirling shrapnel. The General expected the First Apostle to come at him with full fury. But¡ªneither the man nor the fae moved toward him¡ªinstead, they moved away. He then understood what the First Apostle was doing. ¡°Asmaldestre! Bjorgrund! Stop them!¡± Alex shouted.
¡°What did you do that for?¡± the Stalker shouted, glaring at Gabrian through the falling debris. ¡°Now we won''t be able to¡ª¡± There was a crack. The swirling shield of stone and debris ruptured. A massive hole gaped in the Stalker¡¯s chest. He gasped. The Unmaker had found her target with that strange projectile weapon. His moose bellowed. But the First Apostle could pay them no mind. He''d have less than a heartbeat to do what he needed to. ¡°Uldar!¡± He whispered. ¡°Take us home.¡± His god¡¯s power flowed through his soul even as a sharp pain ripped through his belly. The war-spirit had shot him too. He choked, coughing up blood. Glowing orange light approached him. A fireball erupted, just as the fire-beams from the two statues raked across his body. Searing pain consumed him, his torso was mutilated. But Uldar¡¯s power was with him. Him, the Stalker, and the fae¡¯s mount transformed, turning to beams of scattered light, shooting through the room, and like a spear, they punched through the barrier separating the sanctum from the outside world. Just like that, they were gone. They re-appeared as scattered fragments of light, feeling like they were in more than a single place at once. The fragments of light clustered together, uniting as shimmering forms of the First Apostle, fae, and mount, flying up from the earth and into the sky of the Irtyshenan Empire. They soared across land and sea at dizzying speeds as beams of light. The Empire disappeared behind them, soon the countries of the west were also left behind. Then, they were over the sea, and finally, above the shores of Thameland. All went by in a blur. The three beams of light settled on the ground at the bottom of a familiar escarpment, and Gabrian, the Stalker and his mount re-appeared. The Stalker and First Apostle fell to the ground, steps from death, needing every ounce of will Gabrian could find to remain conscious. The moose licked his master¡¯s face, trying to wake him. The First Apostle called to Uldar, praying he would hear his need. Clenching his teeth, he whispered. ¡°Heal us.¡± An immense wave of divinity swept out, as he pressed his only hand to the Stalker¡¯s wounds, the fae lay trembling on the ground. Life was ebbing, though the Apostle kept praying, pleading for Uldar to heal them¡­then like seeds taking root, new energy sprouted. It mended the fae¡¯s destroyed chest. It mended the ruins of Gabrian¡¯s torso, even closing the raw flesh of his shoulder. He collapsed, exhausted. For the first time, the First Apostle wished that this great healing miracle were one and the same with the divinity that regenerated limbs. He did not normally question his deity¡¯s wisdom, but being able to regrow his arm, without the weeks-long process involved, would have been¡­ ¡­divine. He could have used that arm even now. They lay collapsed on the ground, waiting for their breathing to calm. ¡°By the fae lords¡­¡± the Stalker¡¯s chest heaved. ¡°We nearly died there.¡± ¡°The Fool has become a devil,¡± the First Apostle said, forcing himself to his feet, placing his weight on his sword. ¡°That devil needs to be destroyed.¡± ¡°He''s mightier than most devil¡¯s I¡¯ve faced,¡± the Stalker said, grimly. ¡°So, what was that? Why did you make the earthquake instead of just taking us away?¡± The First Apostle shook his head, stopping as the world started spinning. ¡°If he knew where we were going, he could use the Traveller¡¯s power to follow us with ease. I had to strike him with the sanctified soil to put him under the interdiction. The earthquake was really more of a distraction to hide the soil.¡± ¡°Clever¡­¡± the Stalker admitted. ¡°You kept us alive.¡± ¡°True, but we must go now. This place is guarded, and our arrival would''ve been noticed.¡± Gabrian peered up at Uldar¡¯s Rise. ¡°In truth, I do not know if the interdiction can hold him. The Traveller¡¯s power seems remarkably unruly, and he has somehow managed to remove Uldar¡¯s restrictions on the Fool. We must contact other members of the church then go to ground and plan¡­¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. His voice trailed off as he stared up at Uldar¡¯s Rise. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± the Stalker asked, following his gaze. ¡°What''s the matter¡ªOh.¡± ¡°The message,¡± Gabrian said. Hovering above Uldar¡¯s Rise, was the portal.
All shaking in the sanctum slowed, calming as elder earth elementals soothed the stone. But, there was nothing that could calm Alex Roth¡¯s rage. ¡°Damn them, damn them all!¡± he shouted. ¡°Did they get away?¡± Bjorgrund choked on stone dust. The giants stood among the grisly ruins of what once was the hidden church¡¯s army. ¡°I couldn¡¯t see what happened!¡± ¡°Yes, they got away!¡± Alex snarled. ¡°But they won''t get away for long.¡± ¡°Well, let''s get after them!¡± the giant shouted. ¡°They hit me with that bloody interdiction!¡± Alex snarled. ¡°I can''t use Hannah''s power. Not now, at least.¡± He could feel the power struggling inside him. The interdiction didn¡¯t feel as strong as it had the last time they¡¯d used it on him. He was also stronger with Hannah''s energy than before. He had no doubt he''d be able to break free, but the question was, how long would it take? ¡°Do we even know where they''re going?¡± the young giant asked. ¡°Haven''t we lost them? They could be anywhere in the world by now!¡± ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Alex said. ¡°I don''t know much about miracles, but if they could just teleport wherever they wanted, they would''ve hunted us down long ago. I bet it can only take them to certain places.¡± ¡°Like where?¡± Bjorgrund wondered. ¡°Where would they go?¡± ¡°I have a hunch.¡± ¡°And that is?¡± ¡°When someone retreats from a battle, they usually go to their home base, if they can,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°And I just told the First Apostle that his god was dead. I''d bet a lot of coin they went back to Uldar¡¯s Rise. And once they see the portal, they¡¯ll want to check it out.¡± His mind froze. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller, no!¡± he suddenly shouted. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°We wounded them, but the First Apostle should be able to fix them with his divinity!¡± he said. ¡°Maybe even fix that arm, I can¡¯t be sure what his full capabilities are! There''s Watchers guarding the portal but¡ªeven with one arm¡ªhe and that fae will tear through them like parchment! Then¡­oh Hannah and Carey, please don''t let us be so unlucky¡­¡± The wizard reached out to Claygon. ¡°Are you there, buddy?¡± he called frantically. ¡°I am¡­what is wrong¡­father?¡± the golem answered. Claygon sounded surprised and worried. ¡°Claygon, please tell me that Theresa¡¯s at home. If she isn''t, then please tell me she went hunting dungeon cores!¡± he cried through their link. ¡°No¡­¡± the golem told him. ¡°She, Brutus¡­and Grimloch¡­went to explore the sanctum earlier today.¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± Alex shouted. Then he turned his power inward. He had to hurry. He had to break the interdiction.
The First Apostle and Stalker moved quickly. The Watchers of Roal were powerful warriors. They were experienced mages. But the First Apostle and Stalker were capable of things nightmares were made of. Flying to the top of Uldar¡¯s Rise just as the Watchers were preparing to investigate the flash of light they¡¯d seen at the bottom of the escarpment, the two remaining members of the hunt for the Fool, fell on the Watcher¡¯s like starving wolves on unsuspecting prey. Gabrian was an instrument of violent vengeance, and his every sword swing told of his grief and rage. At his side, the Stalker cut down the Generasians; a quiet predator of brutal efficiency. Though the warriors of Generasi were well trained, experienced and dangerous, their opponents struck too quickly and viciously for them to bring their full power to bear. In less than a dozen heartbeats, the portal¡¯s guards were dead. A Watcher tried launching a flare in warning, but the Stalker swung one finger in her direction, splitting her in half. The fae bristled, eyeing the forest around Uldar¡¯s Rise. ¡°Those won''t be the only ones guarding this place. When I was here, I spotted patrols going through the forest. They likely saw the flash of light too and could already be on their way here. If we want to meet your god, we¡¯d better move fast. Or leave fast. To be honest with you, I don''t care which.¡± Gabriel stood frozen before the portal, just staring at it. ¡°Is this truly Uldar¡¯s sanctum?¡± he whispered. ¡°Is this what his messenger spoke of? I have read texts¡ªeach of them so old that the oil from one''s fingers would destroy their pages¡ªthat described Uldar building his sanctum. They described white stairs. And here they are.¡± He shook his head. ¡°But why would he allow foreigners to hold it? Where are his servants? Why is he not representing his interests?¡± The Stalker frowned, watching the forest around Uldar¡¯s Rise. ¡°Well, our quarry did say that he was¡ª¡± ¡°Do not utter that blasphemy!¡± Gabrian hissed. ¡°He lied, and we shall prove it.¡± ¡°Well, let''s stop standing around and prove it quick, then!¡± the Stalker said. ¡°And let¡¯s get in there before others call for help, or our quarry figures out how to follow us.¡± ¡°Consideration must be taken¡­¡± Gabrian murmured. ¡°Am I even worthy to step into these holy halls? And you do not need to follow me. If you wish to leave, you can.¡± ¡°At this point? I''m bloody curious, myself,¡± the Stalker admitted. ¡°And maybe, we can get some help from your god, if he''s willing to help us.¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Gabrian said. ¡°Perhaps.¡± Suddenly, the First Apostle¡¯s eyes grew unfocused. For several heartbeats, he stood as still as a statue while the Stalker watched him as though he¡¯d lost his mind. ¡°What''s going on?¡± the fae demanded. ¡°Did something happen, did something break inside you?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Gabrian murmured. ¡°I am in communication with a servant of Uldar.¡± ¡°Are they willing to help us with our quarry problem?¡± the Stalker said. ¡°You know, the one that could be coming here at any moment?¡± he added with an acidic hiss. ¡°No, they cannot aid us, they simply wish us to meet with Uldar,¡± he said. ¡°I have spoken with the servant before, and they were making contact now that I am nearer to them.¡± ¡°Shouldn''t this servant know more about Uldar than you do?¡± the Stalker asked, frowning. ¡°Come on, my hound, we have to decide if we''re going in or out.¡± He sucked his teeth, ¡°You know what?¡± Without fanfare, the fae stepped onto the first step. Gabrian gasped. ¡°What are you doing? To simply set foot on the holiest of ground so casually¡ª¡± ¡°Do you see me being struck down?¡± the Stalker demanded, spreading his arms. ¡°Lightning or holy fire reducing me to a bunch of little ashes? It¡¯s not happening, is it? Look, I can read you as easy as any book, you''re delaying! We''ve got an army that could be teleporting here at any second, we''re on the threshold of a god that¡¯s supposed to be on your side, a god that you worship, and you''re wasting time here, talking about preparations and communications, and all kinds of stupid shite! Truth is, you''re worried about what our quarry said, aren''t you? You don''t want to know!¡± The First Apostle bristled. The Stalker¡¯s moose growled at him. ¡°Do not propose to lecture me on my faith,¡± Gabrian snapped. ¡°Do not propose to treat me like a child. I have lived for¡ª¡± ¡°I''m going to be real with you, my hound. I don''t give a rotten acorn about your faith. I don''t give half an apple¡¯s worm about how long you''ve lived, you''re still a child compared to me! You can tell yourself all the little lies you want about how you''re not questioning what he said to you, but in the end, all of those doubts swirling around in your head are stopping us from getting help! And I can''t stop that army of monsters, can you? We got lucky during that last battle, damn lucky, or maybe it was a blessing from your god, but all I know is that you''re wasting an opportunity because you¡¯re scared!¡± He pointed up the stairs. ¡°So I''m going up there to see if your deity is going to help the two of us sort this out. If you want to come, you can, if not, go wherever you want! And if your god is dead, I''ll tell you on the way back to my fae lord!¡± With that, the fae began marching up the stairs. After a moment, the First Apostle followed. Neither of them knew that others were already in the sanctum. And those who were there, were not aware that others were coming. Chapter 767: The Apostles Misery ¡°Do you hear something?¡± Grimloch asked. ¡°No, why?¡± Theresa peered up at the moving images in Uldar¡¯s viewing room. ¡°Thought I did,¡± the sharkman said, his black doll-like eyes peering at the room¡¯s entrance. ¡°Not the first time one of us thought we heard something, though.¡± ¡°I think it''s just wishful thinking at this point,¡± Theresa said, looking at the sharkman sympathetically. ¡°We''re getting more desperate for a clue. Any clue.¡± Her eyes turned back to the images around them. ¡°But, there''s nothing here. I''m starting to wonder if this place even has any more secrets to give up.¡± She and the sharkman were standing in Uldar¡¯s viewing room, watching the towering walls filled with moving images from all over Thameland. There were scenes of the countryside, the woods, mountainous valleys, and even the coast. Some areas showed the battles that were going on across Thameland; soldiers, priests and knights struggling against armies of Ravener-spawn across a dozen different scenes. The huntress let out a growl of frustration as she watched. ¡°Everyone¡¯s out there, fighting to get rid of those monsters, while we''re here¡­probably wasting our time,¡± she said. ¡°I thought we would''ve found some clue by now, something, anything.¡± ¡°No clues.¡± Grimloch touched an image of a plump doe and her fawns foraging in a meadow. He licked his lips. ¡°Nothing around. Nothing I smelled. Nothing we saw.¡± Theresa threw her hands up. ¡°There''s all these images from all over Thameland, yet none of them suggest even one single place where the Ravener might be. None of them! You¡¯d think one would hint at something: even if it''s just a cave where a bunch of Ravener-spawn and dungeon cores are. Or you¡¯d think Uldar would have left notes somewhere saying where the Ravener spawns when it comes back. Or how it spawns.¡± ¡°His notes say how it was made.¡± Grimloch walked over to Uldar¡¯s chair, bending down to check if there was anything underneath it. It must¡¯ve been the fiftieth time he¡¯d done so. ¡°Maybe that''s all he wrote down.¡± ¡°It¡¯d better not be, we need to find something,¡± she sounded frustrated. ¡°Alex is ready to have the fight of his life, and we''re here walking around these empty halls! I¡¯m the one who wanted to start coming here to see if we could find a way to help him, the Heroes, and everyone else! But, we¡¯re not finding anything and I¡¯m just feeling completely useless!¡± The sharkman shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with trying to find a trail. Sometimes one¡¯s hard to find. Sometimes there isn¡¯t one. Sometimes you''re looking in the wrong place. Hard to know, unless you actually look. And that¡¯s what we''re doing¡­ looking.¡± ¡°But maybe we''ve been doing too much looking around and not enough getting things done,¡± she said. ¡°Maybe I''m just searching this place to make myself feel better and just wasting our time, maybe I¡¯m only tricking myself into believing I''m being useful.¡± The sharkman shrugged again. ¡°Don''t know. Do know it¡¯s the one place where there might be a trail. That''s it.¡± ¡°I don''t think it''s as simple as that,¡± she sighed. ¡°But thanks for trying to make it look that way.¡± ¡°It is simple.¡± Grimloch walked over to another image, watching it closely. ¡°People make things complicated. Life is simple. Simple is good. Lots of images here, we haven''t looked at all of them. We still need to do that.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I guess it''s gonna take us a while to look at all of them. Thanks a lot, you made me feel better¡­I was getting way too frustrated.¡± ¡°Wasn''t trying,¡± he said. ¡°Thanks, Grimloch,¡± she said dryly. Suddenly, Brutus began growling. The cerberus was across the room sniffing the moving images. Two heads were focused on a particular one: a pine forest with a circle of mushrooms in its midsts. Nearby, a pack of bone-chargers marched through the woods, moving in an endless tide. A fairy emerged from the circle of mushrooms, pausing when it saw the Ravener-spawn, then waved and flitted away. Brutus kept growling. ¡°Oh, don''t worry about them, boy,¡± Theresa said. ¡°They¡¯re probably working for that fae lord Drestra gave a bunch of Ravener-spawn to. Maybe that¡¯s why the fairy seems friendly with them.¡± His growls grew deeper. ¡°Wait¡­are you growling at the fairy? No, no, Brutus you don¡¯t eat fairies.¡± ¡°Hey, here¡¯s a thought,¡± Grimloch said. ¡°That fae lord knows something, right? Maybe we could go ask him.¡± Theresa frowned. ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. If he¡¯s an enemy, we don''t want to poke that hornet¡¯s nest until Alex, Isolde, and the others learn more about how to stop the Ravener.¡± ¡°Should still ask,¡± Grimloch growled. ¡°Or should ask that fae that was guiding the Heroes around, if we see him again. Tasty-looking ones, they are, him and his moose. All, fat and juicy.¡± ¡°I just told Brutus not to eat fairies, don''t set a bad example,¡± she said. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°Just doing what¡¯s natural,¡± he said. ¡°Not my fault they look good. Anyway, don''t have to worry. Don''t know if we''re ever gonna see those two again.¡±
Moving in near-silence, the Stalker, and the First Apostle crept up the stairs to Uldar¡¯s sanctum. The pair edged up the stairs slowly and carefully, ears cocked for signs of interlopers anywhere near. They had no idea if the foreigners were inside, but¡ªif none were¡ªthey didn''t know if they¡¯d be disturbing Uldar or his servants. Without exchanging a word, the pair kept going. The Stalker¡¯s ears were perked up, his predatory eyes scanned their surroundings¡ªhis moose sniffed the air, hooves and bells unnaturally silent. Gabrian looked this way, and that, not searching for enemies, but rather gaping at murals and the architecture of Uldar¡¯s sanctum. Tears swan in his eyes as his heart was filled with ecstasy at all he was seeing. With every step, he knew he was coming closer to his god. Closer to speaking with him. To hearing his words from his own voice. No more would he communicate through signs that he had to interpret, but rather through real and direct speech. No longer would Uldar¡¯s word be a metaphor for him to ponder, nor would it be confined to ancient texts written long before even his father''s, father''s, father was born. He would speak to his god, he would receive his benediction. At least, so he hoped, for deep within himself, his spirit was in turmoil. The Fool¡¯s words were plaguing his thoughts. ¡®Steady yourself, Gabrian,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Do not let lies burden your mind. Your god will see your heart, he will know that you doubt him. Do not let your first meeting with Uldar fill him with disappointment. He lives, his servant asked you to come and speak with him and you will soon hear his own words.¡¯ He frowned. ¡®Then you can tell him of the sins of this cycle¡¯s Fool, his wrath will surely fall upon him!¡¯ Yet, no matter how many times he repeated that to himself, questions still burned in his mind. Again, he asked himself how the Fool had laid his hands on Uldar¡¯s divine equipment. Again, he asked himself how the Fool could break Uldar¡¯s holy commandments that prevented him from doing spellcraft or violence. Again, he asked himself how interlopers were allowed to hold the very doorway to his god¡¯s sanctum. Especially, when those interlopers had caused his children, those from the holiest branch of his church, endless suffering and so much pain, and had caused the slaughter of so many. If Uldar was truly waiting on his divine throne at the end of these stairs, then, why would he tolerate the presence of such blasphemers and demons? A single dreaded answer kept coming to him, but he kept pushing it away. ¡®Remember when you first learned that the order was to always keep the Ravener¡¯s cycle going?¡¯ he asked himself, silently mounting each step. He was awestruck, taking in murals of Heroes from the ancient past, though he felt a bit disappointed that his chronicle was not among theirs. Perhaps Uldar was simply waiting for one of his servants to extend the mural. He shook his head, refocusing his mind. He was letting himself be distracted. ¡®Remember how concerned you were when you were told that the hidden church¡¯s holy mission¡ªone of its many¡ªwas to ensure that the cycle did not end until Uldar decreed it so.¡¯ he reminded himself. ¡®You were shocked, filled with confusion, and even a great deal of anger. Those were the emotions of the young, of those who did not understand the full breadth of Uldar¡¯s plan. Even now, you do not know his will. But the difference is that now, you are old enough to understand you are not meant to, you are mere mortal: a child desperately trying to know the actions of his father-god. You will never know them, not completely. Do not question, for it would be the same as a child questioning why his beloved parents must go out and till the fields, or why snow falls after the harvest season has ended.¡¯ The First Apostle nodded to himself, growing more confident. ¡®Yes, if you could grow to accept that Uldar¡¯s plan needed the Ravener¡¯s cycle to continue, then could you not also understand that his plan might involve these interlopers holding the door to his sanctum? If anything, this new revelation is less upsetting.¡¯ He took deep breaths, just as he did when practising the art of life enforcement. ¡®Consider your situation, Gabrian. You have lost one of your closest friends, you have lost members of those you would call family. You have seen the ruin of folk that you watched grow from infancy. You are strong, Chosen of Uldar, but there is a limit to your strength. You are simply grieving, and are not thinking clearly. The Fool told you lies, for that is what he is, a liar, and yet here you are allowing your sorrow to cloud your judgement. Do not do so. Look forward with your head held high, for you are about to meet your god, and look upon his wondrous countenance. This will be, without doubt, the happiest moment of your life. Do not allow worry to turn good to ash on your tongue, or to poison in your veins. For Izas, for Eldin, and for every servant of the hidden church, meet your god with a smile. Smile, even though your heart has broken.¡¯ He continued up the steps, wiping tears from his eyes and fixing his face with a smile. Together, he and the Stalker moved forward as he imagined what his god would say to him. Would he show him mercy and kindness for his losses? Would he congratulate him on how well he had led the hidden church? He grimaced. Or would he chastise him for allowing such ruin to come to his people? As he imagined what awaited at the top of the stairs, he spotted a mural on the left that gave him pause: an image of the Heroes, floating together, battling the Ravener. But, strangely, there was no Fool among them, instead, there was another Hero in their place¡ªone he had never heard mentioned before. ¡°What is this?¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°Shh!¡± the Stalker hissed as the First Apostle approached the mural, looking at the words below it. ¡°The Mark of the General?¡± he wondered. ¡°What is that? The General¡¯s folly? But that was committed by a Fool not¡­whatever this is¡­what in Uldar¡¯s name does this mean?¡± ¡°I said shh! We¡¯re nearly at the top of the stairs,¡± the Stalker hissed again. Gabrian turned, taking the stairs quicker. Too many questions now swirled in his head. He needed to speak to his god. The first Apostle reached the last step and, at long last, his eyes fell on Uldar¡¯s throne. The white throne had been somehow stained with a black substance, and there was no sign of his god sitting there. But, what was that tall form draped in a shroud lying before the throne? His blood stilled. ¡°No¡­¡± the word caught in his throat, he fought to calm his heaving breath as his worst fears coursed through his mind. ¡°Shut up!¡± the Stalker whispered. ¡°I smell something¡ª¡± Gabrian ignored the fae¡¯ words and fled, running across the throne room at a sprint, only stopping beside the shrouded form. His hand shook as it gripped his sword¡¯s hilt, then sheathed it, and in dread, raised the top of the shroud, uncovering what lay beneath. For a breath, his mind teetered. Then cracked. The First Apostle of Uldar began to wail as if his heart was broken, he screamed with the anguish of a tormented soul. ¡°No! Noooooooo!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± the Stalker shouted.
Grimloch and Theresa looked at each other. ¡°Okay, I know you heard that,¡± he said. Nearby, Brutus growled louder. The huntress drew the Twinblade. ¡°Yes, I definitely heard that. Come on.¡± Together, the trio moved toward the door. Chapter 768: The Death of Purpose Gabrian kept screaming. Screaming until his lungs hurt. He screamed until it felt like his throat was bleeding. He screamed until the echoes of his voice felt as though they would drive him to madness. Over and over, his mind tried to reason, trying to understand what was before him. Trying to deny the body at his feet, trying to pretend he was dreaming, or that there was some mistake. He could not. He had dedicated most of his life in the service of Uldar. A life that spanned many average lifetimes. One that had endured in unwavering faith. A life where he¡¯d always known that one day, he would bow at the feet of his god. A lifetime of waiting, only to learn that Uldar was dead. ¡°Stop screaming, you idiot!¡± the Stalker shouted. His moose pawed the stone, his hoof scraping the ground. ¡°This cannot be!¡± the First Apostle shouted. ¡°How can our god be dead? What happened? Did these interlopers murder him?¡± ¡°You''re not making any sense! Get a hold of yourself!¡± The fae rushed over and slapped the man across the face. The First Apostle barely flinched. ¡°This must be some lie¡­it must be¡­it must be a lie¡­¡± ¡°Focus!¡± the Stalker snapped. ¡°Listen, it won''t be long before our quarry finds us! I don''t need a wreck, I need a warrior! I need a hound! I picked you to hunt with me because I knew you had skill and a strong will, was I wrong?¡± The holy man could only sob in reply, looking at the Stalker helplessly, gesturing to the body. ¡°Get a hold of yourself or I''m leaving you here!¡± the fae shouted. ¡°If you''re going to act like this, I''d be better off on my own! You¡¯ve seen a dead body¡ªan important dead body, but your whingeing and moaning won¡¯t bring it back to life! It¡¯s just a corpse and an empty chair is all¡­¡± the Stalker paused. His eyes flew wide as though a memory had struck him. ¡°¡­when there is an empty chair! So that was the answer to his riddle! By the fae lords!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± the First Apostle sobbed. A voice spoke in his mind; a familiar presence, renewing contact with him. ¡°Servant of the god of this land,¡± the voice spoke, and Gabrian knew it to be the servant of Uldar that had contacted him before. ¡°Have you met with our master? Things have changed, and we must know how to proceed.¡± The First Apostle trembled. When he answered, it was both out loud and in his mind. ¡°He¡¯s dead,¡± he whispered, barely breathing. There was silence. ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± the Stalker demanded, but Gabrian wasn¡¯t answering him. ¡°Did you know?¡± he demanded from the one who¡¯d spoken in his mind. ¡°Did you know he was dead? Was this some trick? Some game to destroy me? Are you even a servant of Uldar?¡± He rose to his feet, shaking in grief and rage. ¡°Are you some devil or trickster fae trying to make a fool of me? Is this some demonic game?¡± The silence continued in his mind. Then the voice spoke. ¡®The creator¡­is dead?¡¯ the servant asked. ¡°Yes, he is dead!¡± Gabrian screamed, spittle flying from his mouth. ¡°How long? You must''ve known: I worked with Ravener-spawn under your orders because I thought you were in communication with our god! Were they really servants of his? Where are they in these halls? Where are you? Who are you?¡± More silence, and then. ¡°The creator is dead,¡± the voice said the words flatly. ¡°Is this a lie?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t a lie!¡± Gabrian screamed. ¡°I would never lie about something like this! I led my people to their deaths, to their deaths, so they might be embraced by our god! But he is cold, and unmoving. He cannot embrace us. And his plans¡­we were to continue the cycle until such time as he gave leave for it to end. Instead¡­he cannot give leave for anything! Are we then trapped in this cycle forever? He is gone! Gone!¡± He could feel his mind breaking further. ¡°How can this be?¡± he howled. ¡°All for nothing¡­for nothing¡­¡± Faces of old friends rose in his mind. ¡°...all of this was for nothing!¡± The voice spoke in his mind again. ¡°You speak the truth. The silence is explained. Protocols¡­none exist for this event¡­none¡­¡± Gabrian felt another wave of grief pass over him, quickly realising it was not his own. It was coming from the presence speaking in his mind; it was the grief of a child, mourning the death of its father. ¡°Contact will cease. Consideration must be given,¡± the presence stated. ¡°Wait, what am I to do?¡± Gabrian asked, forgetting his accusations. ¡°Tell me what to do!¡± ¡°The creator must be immortalised. Yet the creator is dead. It is unknown. All is unknown.¡± Contact abruptly stopped. The First Apostle was just about to shout after the presence. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Watch out behind you!¡± the Stalker cried, pushing him to the side. An arrow slammed into Gabrian¡¯s side, driving a scream of pain from his throat. Had the fae not shoved him, the arrow would have found his heart. Turning, he looked across the room¡ªtoward a passageway in the wall¡ªand his eyebrows rose. A young woman¡ªa companion of the Fool¡ªstood there beside a sharkman he recognised from the battle at Uldar¡¯s Rise. Between them was the cerberus that had also been there, tensed, sheathed in bone armour, with its three heads lowered, fangs bared, and low growls rumbling from its throats. ¡°Wake up! That''s the second time I¡¯ve had to save you by pushing you aside,¡± the squat fae screamed, his moose stepping up behind him, growling at the cerberus. ¡°Will you¡ªShit!¡± Before he could finish, the huntress loosed arrows at them like rain. Gabrian was staring at her as though he was a man just waking from a sleep that had lasted months. He lifted his sword mechanically, blocking an arrow coming for his face, yet he did not move though more pierced his gut and chest. In seconds, five shafts protruded from his torso. ¡°You¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡­you¡­you¡­¡± ¡°Get a grip!¡± The Stalker shouted as the sharkman and cerberus stalked forward. Gabrian gestured to Uldar¡¯s body, his hand shaking. Another arrow struck. ¡°Did you do this?¡± his voice was pleading. Theresa responded with an arrow to his chest, missing his heart by inches as he turned by reflex, barely flinching. ¡°Did you do this?¡± he gasped out again. ¡°Hold on now, everyone stop!¡± the Stalker shouted, holding up his hands. ¡°Why don''t we all calm down and talk about this a bit! We just came across the body of a dead god, and that¡¯s something most don¡¯t see everyday, my companion¡¯s not doing so well! Remember, last time we met, you didn''t fare too well in that exchange! Let''s figure this all out!¡± He was a far cry from his usual, confident self; there was a wildness to his eyes and a tightness to his jaw. He kept glancing between Gabrian and the doorway to the stairs. Without a word, Grimloch sauntered ahead, putting himself between the fae and the stairwell. The Stalker made a sour face. ¡°Well, that''s just not very mature.¡± ¡°My sister would agree with you,¡± Grimloch said. ¡°Don''t care either way.¡± ¡°You should,¡± the fae snarled. ¡°We just had a bit of a rough time, but we¡¯re more than enough to deal with the three of you.¡± ¡°Don''t like it when lunch talks so much¡± Grimloch walked toward the stalker, his eyes pits of darkness. ¡°Oh, for the love of¡ª¡± He turned back to Gabrian. ¡°By the fae lords!¡± Arrows lay on the floor at the First Apostle¡¯s feet, deflected from his heart and head by his sword. The rest of the woman¡¯s arrows were firmly embedded in his flesh. The huntress¡¯ barrage had stopped when her quiver was empty. ¡°Do something!¡± the fae snapped. ¡°Or say something!¡± ¡°There''s no need for words,¡± Theresa growled, dropping her bow. She drew the Twinblade. ¡°You hurt people close to me¡­and you tried to kill my dog.¡± She nodded at Uldar¡¯s body. ¡°You''ll soon be joining that corpse, I promise.¡± Her words made Gabrian react more than any of her arrows had. His face had turned red, his mind was a storm, and his grief was quickly giving way to rage. ¡°Corpse?¡± his words squeaked from a strangled throat. ¡°You would call our god that?¡± ¡°Our god?¡± Theresa paused, looking at him closely. ¡°Our god is dead. Can''t you understand that?¡± ¡°No, no, no, no! He will greet me in the after-world!¡± Tears sprang to his eyes, trickling down his face. ¡°He is waiting in the after-world, with Izas, Eldin¡­the others¡­if he is not¡­¡± He paused. ¡°All would have been for nothing. All would''ve been futile. That cannot be. It is not true. It cannot be true!¡± At this, the huntress shook her head, watching him, her face grimacing with disgust and pity. ¡°It was for nothing,¡± she said grimly. ¡°I don''t have time to coddle you: how does a person do so much evil for a dead body that didn''t even care about you? The decent thing for you to do right now, would be to drop to one knee and let me take your head.¡± She pointed with one of her swords. ¡°You''ve done too much for me to let you live, but you could at least die with honour. Merzhin saw this body, he despaired, but you know what he did? He did better. He chose to be better, are you going to do the same?¡± ¡°Some deal that is: death or death,¡± the Stalker grumbled, but his eyes were still darting around, looking for a way out. He was tense, as was his moose. ¡°Don''t concern you.¡± Grimloch kept his focus on them. ¡°Where¡¯s Alex?¡± the huntress asked. ¡°What happened to him? The fact that you''re talking about all your dead means he probably devastated you.¡± She smiled. ¡°Where is he?¡± Her smile faded. ¡°Did you harm him? How did you get here?¡± ¡°Yes¡­the Fool¡­¡± Gabrian suddenly stiffened. With a single sweep of his sword, he sheared the shafts of every arrow sticking out of his body. Blood ran down his torso, but he hardly noticed; his lifeforce was deep, old and powerful. A strange light entered his eyes. ¡°The Fool lives.¡± His voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°He does.¡± He looked at the huntress intently, tears and blood staining his face. His mind roiled with emotion. ¡°You speak of death and honour. You speak of letting you take my head. There is one thing that we both agree upon. I do deserve death.¡± ¡°What?¡± the Stalker demanded. ¡°What madness is¡ª¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Gabrian shouted. The scales of the Chosen burned on his brow. ¡°I will speak!¡± He looked at the huntress. ¡°I committed a great sin today. I was faced with a choice: a choice to return here to Uldar¡¯s side, or to pursue the Fool. I chose to pursue the Fool, which was a poor choice. Had I come here, my people would still be alive. We would have seen¡­what our god had come to. Together, we would have learned what had befallen him, and decided on our vengeance.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Then we would have taken it, and chosen what to do with ourselves afterward, but no longer can we make those decisions. It was all for nothing: I led my people to their deaths for nothing, and had I chosen differently, they would be alive now. I do not deserve to live for this transgression: I made my decision out of arrogance, and narrowed vision. I deserve to pay for that sin. But¡­¡± The First Apostle spit on the ground. ¡°I will not allow my head to be taken by the enemies of Uldar. I will punish them.¡± He looked at the Stalker. ¡°My companion helped us, and I will not allow you to kill him either, nor will I allow the Fool to win. I will dump your lifeless bodies at his feet and watch his despair. Then I will melt into the shadows, and hunt down every last one of your loved ones. Your family, his family, the treacherous Heroes¡­all of them. If Uldar lies dead, I will not allow you to live and smirk at his corpse. After you¡¯re dead, and only after you¡¯re dead, will I seek death to atone and to join my brethren in the after-world to apologise. But, have no illusions that you will not precede me!¡± ¡°You''ve lost your mind.¡± Theresa fell into a fighting stance. ¡°You''re not even half the man Merzhin is.¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± The First Apostle sobbed. ¡°But I am too broken to care. Come, I will rip you to shreds. Stalker, flee from this place when you can!¡± He muttered a quick word, and his wounds suddenly healed, pushing out the arrow heads. With the cry of an enraged beast, he charged Theresa. She snarled, going for him with Brutus at her side. The twin blade swept up, his holy sword swept down. Metal clashed on metal. ¡°Feeding frenzy!¡± Grimloch shouted, going for the Stalker. ¡°Shit!¡± the fae snapped. ¡°Help our hound! After words like that, I''d be no real fae if I just let him get butchered!¡± The Stalker dove out of the way of Grimloch¡¯s swinging maul, as it cracked against stone. His mount charged the cerberus, Brutus turned, going to flank Gabrian. The creature¡¯s antlers attacked his bone armour as three heads whirled in response, jaws snapping. One maw opened, blasting out a cone of deadly sonic energy. The bull moose shrieked. Theresa and Gabrian were a blur of steel and death. The First Apostle snarled at her. ¡°Now it is my turn! Give up, and I will make your death painless. You and I have clashed before, and you were no match for me¡ª¡± His words were cut off by a gasp. The huntress¡¯ left sword slashed his side, leaving twin cuts in his flesh. He gaped at the wound in surprise. ¡°You were able to strike me?¡± She gave him something that was half-snarl and half-smile. ¡°You''re missing an arm: no more shitty shield for you to fend me off with. Besides, I''ve been training for you: I''m not the same fighter you ambushed a few months ago.¡± With those words, she went for his throat. Chapter 769: The Fusion ¡°How''s it coming?¡± Bjorgrund asked, pacing back-and-forth. ¡°It''s coming,¡± Alex growled. ¡°But you have to let me focus. This is not easy.¡± Within him, two powerful energies warred. Hannah¡¯s power struggled against the interdiction as it remained coiled around it like a snake. The holy command was constricting her energy. Over and over, Alex tried to free her power, using the Mark to learn from his previous attempts. Both successes and failures were helping him find weaker sections of the interdiction. Bit by bit, the Traveller¡¯s power was being freed, so far he couldn¡¯t move anything heavier than a pen, but very quickly and with each attempt, the mass of what he could teleport was increasing. He¡¯d be able to teleport out of the sanctum soon, but until then, he could only worry about what the First Apostle was doing, and if he and the Stalker had found Theresa, Brutus and Grimloch there. Alex prayed that they hadn''t.
Steel clashed with steel. Boots scraped across white stone. Jaws snapped. Antlers raked bone plate armour. Six beings fought for their lives within Uldar¡¯s throne room. Grimloch lunged, springing at the Stalker, his maul raised and his jaws wide open displaying hundreds of knife-like teeth. The spiked hammer dropped with a whoosh, crunching stone, missing its target and striking the floor. In a blur, the fae moved, snarling at the sharkman. The smaller warrior tried darting around to the hulking beast man¡¯s side, but Grimloch spun after him, sweeping the hammer sideways. ¡°Oh¡ª¡± the fae ducked low. A shadow fell over him. He looked up, finding Grimloch¡¯s enormous jaws closing in. He flitted back with a yelp; the jaws snapping shut where he¡¯d just been. ¡°By the fae lords, you¡¯re quicker than you look!¡± Grimloch did not answer, intent on stalking the fae¡ªhis armoured form salivated as his maul swung down again. White stone exploded, raining chips. ¡°Away with you!¡± The Stalker extended a finger, swinging it at the sharkman. Grimloch¡¯s arm rose to block. The scream of metal shearing was followed by red spraying from his forearm as the fae¡¯s power bit into his magical armour, slicing a deep line through it.The sharkman growled. ¡°Oi, isn''t this a little unfair?¡± the fae asked, putting his hands on his hips. ¡°You''re a big¡¯un, and you should be slow and lumbering. Instead, you''re quick, strong, and tougher than rock.¡± He suddenly grinned. ¡°Maybe I should''ve been hunting you this whole time!¡± ¡°Quiet, lunch,¡± Grimloch said, lunging at him. The Stalker extended both index fingers, swinging them at Grimloch, but the sharkman had learned. With shocking speed, he dodged away, escaping the fae¡¯s invisible, cutting magic. Deep gouges appeared on the white floor shere he had been. The air split. Grimloch dashed around the small creature, circling him like a shark¡¯s dorsal fin around a meal, all the while swinging his maul and snapping at his opponent, but missing the scurrying fae. The two predators kept their eyes fixed on each other, at a stalemate. There was no stalemate between Theresa and Gabrian, however. Their battle was not going the way the huntress wanted. Theresa fought better than she ever had before; she moved like liquid, her swords extensions of her arms, and her footwork both swift and grounded. ONE ARM The Twinblade hissed through the air, singing a song of death as she weaved a steel cage around her opponent. Push cuts opened red lines on his arm. Draw cuts split his skin along his torso and thighs. Red pooled on white stone from blood leaking from his wounds. Yet, she was still being bested. If Theresa¡¯s skills were those of a well-honed machine, then Gabrian¡¯s were those of a cornered animal: berserk, ferocious. With one breath, he cursed at her in a tirade of vile words, the next, he would utter short prayers to Uldar and close the wounds she¡¯d dealt him. Though he was left with only one arm, he moved like shadow, striking Theresa as quickly as light against shadow, using all he¡¯d learned over hundreds of years. His blade blocked hers repeatedly¡ªher arms shook as metal clashed on metal¡ªwhile his return blows hit with the force of a falling tree. Each time she parried a strike, the Twinblade would come close to flying from her hands. And¡ªwhenever she started gaining ground¡ªhe would cast a spell, forcing her to duck waves of fire, dodge tongues of lightning, or parry beams of deadly light that she would deflect back to him. The beams kept missing as he dodged every spell she sent back at him. He would close on her, speaking another quick incantation, moving faster, his blows hitting harder. With each strike, she felt she¡¯d soon be cut in two. He soon began opening cuts on her body. A slash to the leg. A cut to the arm. A deeper wound along her side. She parried or rolled with his blows, lessening their force; she''d be long dead, if she didn¡¯t. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. This couldn¡¯t go on; all of the training she¡¯d done over the past months had helped to close the gap between them, but not enough. Even with the holy man¡¯s wounds and crumbling mind, he¡¯d been enhanced with the Mark of the Chosen and been practising swordsmanship, life enforcement, divinity, and magic for far longer than she''d been alive. Added training or not, she was having trouble. If he¡¯d had two hands to fight with, she might be lying dead on the ground in a pool of blood. She hated this man. ¡®There has to be a gap in his defences,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I have to end this fight or he''s going to kill me! There''s got to be someway¡ª¡¯ Her thoughts were interrupted by a deep scream from across the room. Brutus was there, making sport of the Stalker¡¯s mount. The moose was bigger¡ªthough not by much¡ªbut lacked the bulk, speed, might, and armour of her blood familiar. The fae¡¯s mount lowered its antlers and charged, trying to knock the cerberus from his feet. Its hooves ground against stone, picking up speed, butting Brutus full force; the hound skidded backwards, his claws scraping the floor. The cerberus¡¯ momentum slowed to a stop, and¡ªno matter how hard the moose pushed¡ªhe did not move. Two of his heads latched onto the fae, crushing its antlers and the bells attached to them in his jaws. A loud crack, and the antlers shattered. Both moose and Stalker bellowed with pain. Brutus grabbed his opponent in all three sets of his jaws, shaking the bulky creature like a ragdoll. Wet ripping sounds came from the beast¡¯s body as the cerberus savaged the Stalker¡¯s mount. With a twist of his necks, Brutus threw the moose, then unleashed three cones of sonic power into the creature''s body, pulping meat. The fae shrieked in pain, scurrying out of Grimloch¡¯s reach, throwing up his hands. ¡°Right, that tears it!¡± He reached toward his mount. ¡°Join!¡± he shouted. Suddenly, the moose melted away, becoming a boiling mound of flesh and bone, pouring from Brutus¡¯ jaws. The mass shot through the air, pouring into the Stalker¡¯s open mouth. He swallowed, then belched. He began to change. His skin was rippling as though worms were crawling beneath it. His bones cracked. Icicles formed on his beard. He began to grow. His pudgy body stretched, turning leaner as his height climbed like a young tree. He became Theresa¡¯s height, then grew taller than Alex, then Baelin, then Grimloch. He kept growing, reaching a height greater than Bjorgrund¡¯s. The sharkman''s doll-like eyes watched, measuring the fae as he kept growing, reaching nearly twice his height. His joints and bones creaked and groaned, his bulky muscles rippled as they adjusted to his new form. There came a sound like bone crunching from the top of his skull as a pair of antlers erupted from the sides of his head. The short, squat creature from before was now gone, replaced by a towering monster. It stood nearly twice Grimloch¡¯s height with elk-like legs, and from its shoulders, dangled long, odd looking arms whose length were out of balance to the rest of its body. They ended with fingers capped by icicle-shaped claws. Frost coated the monstrosity¡¯s beard, jingling bells were woven throughout it. Their ringing could never be called merry; sinister would have been a much better word. His clothing had grown with his body, the were rich and trimmed with furs, a contrast to the vicious, primal expression on his face. Below his antlers gleamed the hungry eyes of a predator. The fae snarled, looking down at Brutus. ¡°I was trying to keep things as pleasant as possible, considering you¡¯re a pup and all, but you woke up the beast in me, so now you¡¯re all going to pay for it¡± His voice was ringed with the deep, rumbling, growl of a beast. Grimloch shrugged. ¡°Bigger lunch I guess.¡± He charged the looming Stalker, clearing the distance in heartbeats. The fae swung his claws out, they¡¯d blurred with the movement, slashing deep into the sharkman''s breastplate like it was paper. Grimloch kept coming, swinging his maul at the Stalker¡¯s legs. The fae¡¯s hoof swept out, kicking the sharkman away, then he bounded at Brutus. With a bark, the cerberus unleashed cones of destructive sonic power, which slowed the fae¡ªripping his skin¡ªbut the Stalker kept coming. ¡°Get away from them!¡± Theresa cried. A sudden movement came from beside her. She ducked, Gabrian¡¯s holy sword slashed away a chunk of her hair. ¡°Your eyes should be on me as they should have been on Uldar, sinner,¡± he growled. ¡°You have much to repent for!¡± Howling his wrath, he lunged. Steel rang as she barely parried a crushing blow at the same instant the Stalker reached Brutus. All teeth and snapping jaws, the hound pounced, meeting the Stalker¡¯s swiping claws. Bone armour cracked, flesh tore, blood spurted. Brutus yelped in pain as Theresa grimaced. ¡°Leave him be!¡± she shouted again. ¡°No!¡± an ugly grin spread across his face as he reached for Brutus. Grimloch charged from behind, sharp teeth bared. At the last instant, the fae turned on one hoof, lowered his antlers, and butted the sharkman, gouging armour, finding flesh. Brutus lay howling, gripped with pain from long, ragged slashes to his side. ¡°No!¡± Theresa cried. The Stalker swung his head toward the ceiling, lifting the twitching sharkman, tossing him across the room at horrifying speed. Grimloch collided with the wall, landing with a dull thud, sliding down it. The fae¡¯s finger slashed the air twice. Deep trenches appeared in the sharkman¡¯s armour. Red sprayed. Grimloch went still. Theresa screamed; there was no sign of life in his black, doll-like eyes. ¡°Come on, pup, your turn next!¡± the Stalker laughed. ¡°Then I can go help my angry friend over there grind your master to dust! We¡¯ll be hunting the rest of you next. No quarry bests me! By the time we¡¯re done, our prey¡¯ll wish we¡¯d killed him back in the Empire!¡± The huntress¡¯ mind screamed with panic, desperately wishing she could get away from the First Apostle and get to Brutus. Brutus growled and snapped at the Stalker, trying to keep him away. He unleashed his cones of destructive sound, but he was wounded now. Slower. The fae slipped around the sonic blasts, stalking closer. But she couldn¡¯t get to him, Gabrian wouldn¡¯t let up. The more she bled and began to slow, the harder he fought. With growing intensity, fire, energy, all fuelled by rage. They would all die. First, the fae would kill Brutus. Then, her lifeforce would crumble without him, and the Stalker and Gabrian would finish her off and be free to hunt everyone else. ¡®That¡¯s not how you want to die, gutted by some scum!¡± she screamed inside, parrying another heavy blow. She nearly dropped the Twinblade. ¡®That¡¯s not what you want for Brutus!¡¯ But what could she do? The First Apostle was too strong and too fast. The Twinblade was powerful¡ªtwo swords as one¡ªbut his sword could match it. His skills were still greater than hers. His strength, greater. He could heal his wounds in an instant. Maybe if she and Brutus¡ªconnected as they were¡ªcould take him on together, then¡­ ¡®No, that still wouldn''t be enough,¡¯ she realised. ¡®We''d have to truly fight as one, like how the Stalker joined the two pieces of himself together, making himself as powerful as he is now! It¡¯s like he¡¯s a living weapon: one warrio¡ª¡¯ Something dawned on her. An answer to a mystery she hadn¡¯t been able to unravel, to fully grasp, or wrap her mind around. Something that had left her incomplete from the time she¡¯d gotten the second part of the Twinblade. Theresa suddenly saw the world around her slow as the answer unfolded, as she began to understand. She could see spittle flying from Gabrian''s mouth, hanging in the air. She could see the Stalker bearing down on Brutus; the snarls on her dog¡¯s faces, the grin on the fae¡¯s. Her attention was also drawn to The Twinblade. The two swords in her hand. Two swords, that were one weapon. ¡­but was that actually right? ¡®Connected together¡­¡¯ she thought. ¡®Two swords as one¡­but is that it? No¡­not two as one¡­three as one.¡¯ Twinblade Lu. That was her great grandfather''s name, his alias. She¡¯d always thought he was called that because of the weapon he carried, the weapon that had defined him. But she''d been wrong. He wasn¡¯t called Twinblade Lu for the weapon he used¡­ ¡­he was called that because that was who he was. That was the secret to the swords. He was not just a man who wielded a weapon. He was a weapon. The Twinblade is made of three parts. Sword. Sword. ¡­and wielder. All coming together as one weapon. ¡®Three as one,¡¯ she realised. It felt like a key turning in a lock. The Twinblade transformed. Chapter 770: Three as One and Prey Power, flowing from her swords, raced through Theresa''s veins. Energies churned throughout her being, uniting with her reinforced lifeforce. They shone with the essence of life and divinity. Gabrian shrank back. ¡°What is this?¡± he cried. The world continued slowing around the huntress, filling her every muscle fibre with newfound strength. Her heart thundered, her bones hardened, her senses sharpened, growing clearer. Power surged inside her core, linking her training, energy and will. It flowed through the link between her and Brutus, fuelling the connection, strengthening it. Together, their power grew, flowing between them, concentrating in the blades and the cerberus¡¯ form. Their energies grew to overflowing, spilling over, finally splitting. As Theresa raised her swords, the blades shone with a strange witch-light that they¡¯d never had before, it drifted off them, replicating their shape in phantom replicas around her. The phantom blades hovered in the air as she held the swords higher, raising them above her head. Two shimmering blades of life energy hung suspended in the air on either side of her body, forming six blades in all; four phantom and two of solid steel. Three on either side. Three, like the number of heads Brutus had. Theresa felt giddy, elated. She was smiling. ¡°This was your secret all along, great-grandfather, this was it.¡± ¡°I don''t care about you or anyone related to you,¡± Gabrian snarled. ¡°Every last one of you is going to die¡ªbut you¡¯ll be the first.¡± He lunged suddenly, his sword swinging down. She blurred away, now a perfect union with the Twinblade¡ªher swords a natural extension of her body, as united with her as her fingers and toes. The phantom blades trailed after her sword at first, then began striking from different angles. Two flew up, joining together, locking onto Gabrian¡¯s blade, deflecting it to the side. The First Apostle tried to free it, but the phantom blades slid down the metal weapon, catching it by the crossguard. They tangled with it, while their master struck. She slashed long draw cuts along his torso, opening deep wounds. He screamed, then muttered a prayer of healing, freeing his sword and springing away. Instantly, two phantom blades circled behind him, slashing the back of his thighs and calves. ¡°Arrrgh!¡± he cried out, then began healing himself. No sooner than his flesh had stitched together, the blades were on him again, carving his body like he¡¯d done to Theresa in that snowy forest months earlier. He became a blur of motion, but was being flanked on all sides. A pair of phantom blades appeared on either side of him, slashing his legs. Two more were behind him, cutting him from behind, and the huntress was in front of him, striking at his face. He was now the one taking dozens of wounds, and though he was healing them, he was clearly off-balance. Off-balance, but still dangerous. ¡°Enough!¡± he shouted, swinging at her side. The sword came on in a blur. While she struck high; her swords arcing downward¡ªslashing his back and sides¡ªhis foot drove up, aiming for her thigh. But, she was already gone. His foot passed through empty air, his sword found no physical weapons waiting, but they did find a pair of phantom blades in her place. Had she made more? Where had she gone? His mind was racing, trying to understand what had happened when two deep gashes pierced his flesh, cutting him down to the bone. He shrieked, quickly healing his wounds and spinning around, his eyes frantic. The huntress was there, but how had she gotten behind him? The pair of phantom blades on either side of him moved to one side, slashing at his right leg. ¡°Is this more accursed teleportation from you too?¡± he grunted, thrusting his blade at her face. She parried with one sword, struck him with the other¡­then disappeared mid-swing. Where she and her physical swords had just been, only a pair of phantom blades remained. To his right, where there had been one pair of phantom blades, now they¡¯d been replaced by an enraged warrior, cutting deep into his ribs. He hissed in agony, swinging at her, but she disappeared again. Another deep cut split the flesh on his back, soon followed by shallow cuts from the phantom blades. An answer came to him. ¡°You are teleporting! You''re switching places with those illusionary swords!¡± He was so confident. She shook her head. ¡°No, priest. You''re wrong.¡± The huntress came at him with a fury then, burying him in a flurry of strikes from all sides. He was on his back foot, stumbling away, his sword twirling in his hand. The First Apostle was still faster and stronger, but the gap between them had lessened, and now he wasn¡¯t only fighting off two blades, but six, with a single arm. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The phantom blades hit nowhere near as hard as the huntress could, but they cut deep, he couldn''t ignore them. He prayed to Uldar¡ªfeeling the accumulated divine power in the chamber flowing to him¡ªhe had to keep using it, healing his wounds; if he paused, he''d be dead. ¡°You are unworthy!¡± he shouted. ¡°You are just some impudent whelp! The Fool conjured those hideous beasts and tricked me with his ill-gotten magic, but you are some yearling warrior! You¡¯re green! I got the better of three Heroes just outside this very sanctum! You cannot compare to me!¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she said, twisting her sword and slashing deep into his arm, nearly taking it off; his reflexes saved him. ¡°You had two arms back then. Last time we met, you had your shield and armour. Both times, you seemed to be in your right mind. You seem off now, devoted servant of a dead god. If you weren''t, you''d realise what''s actually happening. I''m not switching places with ¡®illusionary blades¡¯, as you called them.¡± The huntress brandished the Twinblade and the phantom swords spun around him. ¡°These swords are a part of me. Both the steel ones in my hands, and their siblings around you. They''re all me, and I¡¯m one with them. It doesn¡¯t matter if my hands are holding¡ª¡± She raised the Twinblade. ¡°¡ªthese¡­¡± She vanished, appearing at his side where a pair of phantom blades had hovered. Those blades emerged where she had been a moment before. ¡°¡­those¡­¡± She vanished again, as the other set of phantom blades that had been behind him appeared in her place. The huntress slashed at his back.. ¡°¡­or that pair¡­we¡¯re all one. It might look like we¡¯re switching places, to a layperson, but you practise life enforcement; you should know better. The fact that you think I''m just switching¡­tells me just how off you are, but considering what you¡¯ve done, you¡¯ve always been off.¡± She shook her head and rushed him. Her assault was furious. His world was a flurry of slashing swords as she moved around him with the Twinblade¡¯s phantoms. She was cutting him to ribbons. Blood poured from a deep gash along his forehead, filling his eyes, blinding him. He fled, uttering a Flight spell and shooting toward the sanctum¡¯s ceiling, his chest heaving as he called on his divinity to heal his wounds. The phantom blades hovered around ten feet away from the huntress, straining to chase him, but he was too far from the swords. She glared at him. ¡°Coward,¡± she muttered, turning toward Brutus, rushing to help him. The cerberus was on his feet, he¡¯d been empowered by the Twinblade¡¯s energies and was stronger, bigger, and moving faster. He was speeding around the monstrous looking fae, snapping at his legs from all sides. ¡°Stop it, damn you!¡± the fae hunter cursed the hound, grabbing at him, trying to snatch him up with his claws. ¡°Keep still, you¡ª¡± He looked up, seeing Theresa and the phantom blades coming for him. ¡°Uh oh.¡± Fire suddenly rained down from above. Theresa skidded to a halt when flames landed in front of her, forming a straight line, erupting in a wall of roaring flame. She glared up at the First Apostle, he was looking down on her. ¡°You are right, I am not in my right mind. Both my mind and soul are wounded, but while I cannot best you with my sword now, I can still wield divine miracles. Uldar¡¯s might is always with me!¡± Chanting a powerful incantation, he sprayed a cone of energy at her, forcing her back. At the same time, holy fire encased his blade¡ªextending from it like a whip¡ªlashing at her. In seconds, the huntress was dodging spells and fighting for her life.
¡°Here, puppy, puppy, puppy,¡± the Stalker whispered, stalking toward the three-headed hound. The infernal beast was darting around his legs, rushing in to bite him, then moving out of reach. How¡¯d he get so much faster all of a sudden? So much bigger and stronger? It seemed he¡¯d changed¡­when his master changed¡­ They¡¯d transformed somehow¡­ Whatever it was that had happened to them, the three-headed beast was more dangerous now, and he was having trouble catching him. Especially with those infernal sonic blasts. ¡°You know, this ain''t rightfully fair,¡± he growled at the dog. ¡°I don''t rejoin the other half of my body every day, so I''m still getting used to all this, to being in my true body. It''s like putting on a shirt you haven''t worn for a while and finding it¡¯s not fitting quite as comfortable as you remember. It seems to me you¡¯re just taking advantage of that: I don''t know how you''re managing to adjust to¡­whatever it was that happened to you so quick.¡± He watched the hound closely, trying to keep control of his mind. A range of bestial urges were rampaging through his thoughts, distracting him, telling him to drop down on all fours and rush after the hound like a ravening monster. But that wouldn¡¯t do, that¡¯d be a losing game: he''d be acting like an animal, looking to face an animal on its own terms. He needed to think like a fae. Think like a hunter. Think like he thought when he was hunting their quarry¡­wait, that was it! He grinned at his prey, pursing his lips and whistling. Much of Uldar¡¯s white floors had been chewed up by spells and maul-blows. The god¡¯s body was lying still on a patch of untouched floor, like a calm island in the middle of a storm-wracked sea. The Stalker could make use of the ruined stone. As he whistled, a cloud of stone chips and debris suddenly rose into the air like a swarm of wasps. With a flick of his finger, he swept the shrapnel toward the cerberus, surrounding him in a cloud of shredded stone. Most of the chips bounced off his bone armour, but some cut into the hound¡¯s wound and struck his eyes, noses and mouths. He bucked and shook, snapping at the air, lashing out with his sonic blasts¡­and was blind to the Stalker¡¯s headlong rush. The fae swept the cerberus onto his antlers and charged, bending down, running straight at a wall. Bone crunched and the cerberus howled, yelping in agony. The Stalker was laughing again, grinding his hooves against the stone, pinning his prey between the floor and Uldar¡¯s wall, crushing him and driving the breath from the creature''s lungs. He reached down, slashing at the hound¡¯s wound with his claws. ¡°Either a crushed carcass or a butchered one,¡± the Stalker said lightly. ¡°Either way works for me.¡±
¡°Brutus!¡± Theresa screamed, panic surging through her. She tried to get away to help him, but the First Apostle¡¯s storm of magic kept raining down on her. It was all she could do to save herself from the flame. The Stalker¡¯s antlers pinned Brutus between the floor and wall, ramming his bone armour without mercy. A shadow appeared above the transformed fae, growing, descending over the Stalker and cerberus. Theresa¡¯s mind flashed to a sparring match between herself, Hart, and Grimloch. She remembered how it had ended.
¡°What the¡­?¡± the Stalker muttered as a shadow fell over him. He glanced to his left. His eyes flew wide. The sharkman was there, leaning over. The decidedly not dead sharkman. The sharkman whose jaws were wide open. Before the fae could spring away, his world turned dark. Those enormous jaws closed on his head and much of his torso. They bit down, powered by bone crushing force. The Stalker panicked, struggling to get free, but¡ªbent over as he was¡ªhe had little leverage. His cloven hooves scraped uselessly against the stone floor. ¡°No!¡± He screamed, clawing at the monster that had him in its jaws. A powerful hand grabbed one of his overly long arms, three sets of fangs grabbed the other one. ¡°Let go of me!¡± he shrieked, sounding like he was in a cave as the sharkman¡¯s jaws continued to bite down. He felt his bones begin to pop. Row after row of razor-sharp teeth shredded his tough hide. ¡°Not like this!¡± His words sounded muffled. ¡°I¡¯m the hunter, not the prey! Gabrian, help me, my hound! Come to me! I''m the hunter! I''m¡ª¡± A single word¡ªgrunted by the sharkman biting down on him¡ªreached his ears. ¡°Lunch.¡± His body gave way. Flesh shredded. Bone collapsed. Agonising pain gripped his skull, an impossible pressure built until¡­ ¡­pop. The Stalker knew no more. Chapter 771: A Life Without Meaning Inside, Alex could feel the energies of the divine interdiction dying a slow death. Hannah''s own power¡ªthe otherworldly strength he¡¯d been granted by a burgeoning demigoddess, pushed against the will of a dead god. Slowly, Uldar¡¯s will was giving way. It was like slipping free of a chain: each time he tried, he managed to wriggle free a bit more. Bjorgrund, Birger, and Asmaldestre were near, waiting in anticipation. His other summoned creatures had long disappeared as their time in the material world had ended. The older giant was sitting against a wall. The younger one was pacing. The war spirit was utterly still, staring at the archwizard, radiating power. Alex had the feeling that somehow, she could see the battle inside him. That wouldn¡¯t have surprised him at all. Hannah''s energies¡ªhad been trickling through the interdiction¡ªthey abruptly began flowing. ¡°I''ve almost got it!¡± Alex cried. ¡°I¡¯m almost there!¡± The giants turned their full attention to him. The war-spirit ¡®s face shifted in what looked like a smile, one that also resembled gleaming daggers. ¡°It''s not a hundred percent free yet,¡± he said. ¡°So, I doubt I can teleport all four of us right now. Probably only me¡­and maybe one other person for now. If I had more time, I could release more of the energy, but¡­¡± ¡°Who knows what those two are up to or if they''ve completely disappeared,¡± Birger said. ¡°It''s already been long enough as it is.¡± ¡°Too long,¡± Bjorgrund grumbled. ¡°You should take the Unmaker and go. Get them.¡± The war-spirit looked down at Alex. ¡°Can you bear my burden?¡± Her words struck him as they always had, and he didn''t know how to answer. It was true what she¡¯d said, she was much bigger than Bjorgrund¡­both physically and spiritually, and just like moving a pebble was easier than moving Claygon, she¡¯d be harder to teleport than the young giant right now. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± He flew down, gingerly touching her shoulder. He was prepared for the feel of her skin¡ªit looked smooth¡ªyet felt similar to barbed wire against his hand. Clenching his teeth, he tried to teleport the two of them from the sanctum. The strain was too much. If his energies had been fully free, it would''ve been simple, but¡ªwith his power still partially bound¡ªhe couldn''t do it. He¡¯d need more time. ¡°I can''t do it,¡± he admitted. ¡°So, here''s what we¡¯ll have to do. Bjorgrund, I know you want to finish this fight, right?¡± The giant cracked his knuckles. ¡°More than right.¡± ¡°Alright, then here''s the plan,¡± Alex said. ¡°First, I¡¯ll send you back across the planes, Asmaldestre. Then, I''ll teleport myself and Bjorgrund to Uldar¡¯s Rise: it shouldn¡¯t take me more than a few jumps, and when we get there, I''ll summon you again, and we can catch the two of them off-guard. If they''re not there, I¡¯ll summon some monsters to help track them.¡± ¡°Sounds like a plan,¡± Bjorgrund said, resting his axe on his shoulder. The war-spirit looked at Alex. ¡°Acceptable.¡± The wizard took a deep breath and waved his hand, sending her back across the planes. He flew to Bjorgrund next, placing a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Alright, let''s finish this fight.¡± ¡°Be careful,¡± Birger said. ¡°We will, father,¡± Bjorgrund said. With those words, the rune-marked, and the General of Thameland disappeared.
Gabrian would never have thought that it was possible, but his heart dropped lower. His last ally was gone. Dead. He was alone. He¡¯d tried to kill that infernal huntress with many of the battle spells he learned over his lifetime, but she¡¯d proved herself to be devilishly quick and persistent. Even though he¡¯d kept her from reaching his ally, he could not end her, no matter how much of his power he¡¯d brought against her. He¡¯d kept her pinned in place so the Stalker could finish her hound. Yet, it was the Stalker¡¯s life that had ended. He¡¯d watched with horrified eyes as the sharkman had bitten his ancient fae ally in two like a chicken bone. The beastman¡¯s jaws had made short work of his body, shaking his head back and forth. He could still hear the ripping sound, the dreadful noise when his lower body had been torn from his trunk. It now lay on the other side of Uldar¡¯s throne room in a heap, like so much trash. They were twitching slightly. The sharkman had swallowed the top of the fae¡¯s body, like he was at a banquet. Now he stood there, licking his bloody mouth like he had not a care in the world. The Stalker had dealt the hound a number of wounds, but sadly, none of them looked serious enough to be fatal. The beast was panting, spitting blood and shaking himself as though he were someone¡¯s pet dog just coming in from the rain. He suddenly stopped what he was doing and looked up, glaring at the First Apostle with six bloodshot eyes, and began limping in his direction. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The sharkman was also gazing at the floating holy warrior with those black, lifeless doll-like eyes. He began licking his bloody jaws enthusiastically. ¡°No¡­do not look at me like that!¡± the First Apostle screamed at them, turning his sword to lash them with holy fire. He would not be looked upon as some morsel by a pair of beasts! Especially, not here, not within the holy realm of his god. The sharkman smiled, then looked down at Uldar¡¯s body, licking his teeth. ¡°That one¡¯s tastier looking anyway.¡± Gabrian¡¯s heart froze in horror while white-hot rage pumped through his veins. He looked at the body of his god, he looked so peaceful¡­as though he would get up at any moment. ¡°You would defile his body?¡± the First Apostle shouted, even though uttering the word ¡®body¡¯ stung his soul. In many ways, he still could not believe what he was seeing. He was still processing it¡­he would probably still be doing so even if he lived for another thousand years. For now, his spirit was neither settled nor peaceful enough to contemplate it. Too much rage was surging through him. ¡°I will destroy you!¡± he promised, raising his hand to cast a spell. ¡°I will end you! You will not¡ª¡± There was a whooshing sound from behind. He whirled around. Where was she? He¡¯d been so distracted that he hadn¡¯t seen¡ª Two swords were protruding from his body. ¡ªher throw her weapons. He groaned, beginning to cast a healing miracle on himself, finding her glaring up at him from below. ¡°You have no weapons now! Now you¡ª¡± She vanished, he suddenly felt a weight pulling the sword-hilts downward, ripping four deep gouges through his torso. She¡¯d disappeared, then reappeared, holding her two blades. ¡°I told you,¡± she said from in front of him, the phantom swords reappearing beside her. ¡°My weapon and I are one and the same. I might not be able to send the phantom blades after you, but I can throw the Twinblade at you, then rejoin it.¡± With that, the phantom blades surrounded the First Apostle and began cutting him like parchment. He parried the floating swords, desperately trying to defend himself from the onslaught, while frantically returning to the ground. If he¡¯d stayed in the air, her weight would have dragged the blades right through his body. He knew he could never have healed fast enough; she would never have left him in peace long enough. He was also tired. So very tired. He dropped, uttering prayers of healing and kicking her away from his body. The swords slid free. The wounded sharkman and cerberus were moving to his flank, he backed away, desperate to heal. His wounds were closing, but he could feel his limit nearing. He pushed his body, fighting for his life against his three opponents and¡ªwith every movement¡ªhis exhaustion grew. His mana pool¡ªseemingly endless at one time¡ªwas running low. He¡¯d forced so much divine power through his soul that it felt like it might shatter. If he didn¡¯t do something desperate, this would be his end. His last act. ¡°I cannot fail,¡± he whispered as his enemies closed on him. ¡°I have failed so many times, do not let me fail in this one thing. Let me send some of these enemies to the after-world. Let me send all¡ª¡± He stumbled over something he¡¯d backed into. Gabrian quickly glanced back. Uldar¡¯s body lay behind him, looking as peaceful and graceful as he had in the faces of his many images. He looked like he would spring up at any moment to save his child; a child who had burned away many lifetimes in his service. In service to a god, not a corpse. It couldn¡¯t all have been for nothing. It couldn¡¯t all be for nothing. Perhaps¡­perhaps this was a test! ¡°Save me!¡± he hissed at Uldar, swinging his blade at his enemies. ¡°Show me a sign that you are there! Save me!¡± He threw himself at his attackers. A crushing stroke sent the huntress stumbling away. He slashed the cerberus across a wound through his bone armour. He cut the sharkman through a gap beneath his breastplate. Snarling, with spittle hanging from his lips, he cursed his enemies beneath his breath. He could still win. With the last of his mana, his strength and the power flowing through his very soul, he could smite the enemies of the¡ª A shadow loomed beside him. Had the huntress somehow appeared beside him again? ¡°Damn you!¡± he cursed her, swinging his blade around. Then froze. What faced him was no huntress¡­but himself. Himself, reflected in a surface as clear as mirrored glass. He looked haggard, as though he¡¯d aged three hundred years in the span of minutes. His eyes were wild beneath the symbol of the scales on his brow, and his expression was feral. Behind him, lay Uldar¡¯s body. Yet, those reflections were not what held him in place. He was transfixed by what the surface where the reflections were coming from was: a breastplate that belonged to Uldar. Clean, polished, and shining with his divine glory. It now reflected the First Apostle¡¯s image. Gabrian could not bring himself to strike it. That was a mistake. Uldar¡¯s axe came down, severing his arm at the shoulder. He screamed, and tried to utter a prayer that would close the spurting wound. A crimson, glowing Wizard¡¯s Hand shoved its fingers down his throat, choking him, cutting off his words. A sword slid into his back, impaling him from back to front. The huntress thrust her swords¡ªboth steel blades and their phantom likenesses¡ªthrough his heart. Blood gurgled in his throat, frothing on his lips. A familiar voice spoke in his ear from behind. ¡°Die like your god,¡± Alex Roth said. Then he felt something slide through him. The world took a strange turn. Suddenly, Gabrian was looking at it sideways¡­but when had he laid down on his side? The scene before him made no sense. He was looking at Alex Roth and the huntress, Theresa Lu. They had impaled a ruined body. What was even odder was that the battered body looked somewhat familiar¡­but he couldn¡¯t quite place it. Where had he seen it before? And why in all the world¡ªby Uldar, was it growing so hard for him to think¡ªwas that body headless? Troubled, the First Apostle could only watch as the huntress tore the body apart with her swords and phantom blades while the giant¡ªwearing Uldar¡¯s armour and wielding his axe¡ªdrove his weapon into it, over and over. The cerberus savaged the remains while the sharkman began to pound it with his maul. It was barely recognisable after mere moments¡­then, strangely, the man who should have been the Fool cast a disintegration spell on it, turning it to dust. Banishing it forevermore. ¡®That poor man,¡¯ Gabrian thought, ¡®they destroyed him so thoroughly despite him not even having a head. How sad. Ah, these lost lambs are filled with too much hatred. I should minister to them.¡¯ He tried to get up, but found he could not. He could not feel anything below his neck. How odd. He looked down¡­ ¡­and could not find his body. It struck Gabrian like an avalanche; the body they¡¯d mutilated and banished was his. He was likely only still alive because of centuries practising life enforcement. And that could only bolster him for so long. The world was growing dark. Cold. He looked around, desperate for any salvation, even as memories from hundreds of years of life washed over him. His eyes clung to an image nearby. Uldar¡¯s body, peaceful, silent. Uncaring. Uldar¡¯s corpse did not care that his First Apostle was dying. It did not care that the hidden church had been nearly eliminated. It did not care that Uldar¡¯s enemies were living on to triumph and destroy his plan. ¡­but then again, what could a corpse care about? As Gabrian¡¯s life faded, he found that his concerns were falling away, no matter how he tried to hold onto them. What would the material world mean to him when he was dead? What would it have meant to Uldar¡­and how long ago had his god died? Had he even been alive when Gabrian was born? A young man from a village who¡¯d long ago been branded with a symbol from a dead god. That man had lived his life, trying to follow that god¡¯s will. But if that god was dead¡­then would that not mean that whatever Gabrian had done, did not matter? Had anything mattered in his entire life? Had he mattered? Questions¡ªand growing despair¡ªfollowed the First Apostle into death. It could never be known whether he regretted his actions in life. Those that lived on would likely care little. His god certainly cared not in the least. Chapter 772: Opening the Journal Uldar¡¯s throne room was quiet at long last. The only sounds one could hear were the laboured breathing of Theresa, Grimloch, and Brutus. All eyes were fixed on the dust on the floor at their feet, the First Apostle¡¯s body was now nothing more than ashes¡ªthe body of a man who had killed one of their friends and terrorised them for far too long. After months of being hunted, of his life being interfered with, Alex had watched the man die. There was no more First Apostle to lead the hidden church. The Third Apostle was also dust, and their army crushed. Any threat they¡¯d posed to his family and friends was gone. The threat to him, and everything that that had meant, was gone. The fear that the First Apostle and his followers would have done anything, no matter how desperate and vile to stop them from destroying Uldar¡¯s evil legacy, was no longer there. Nothing like what they had cost Carey, was ever going to happen again. She¡¯d been avenged. Now¡­ ¡°Alex?¡± a welcomed voice spoke his name. He tore his eyes away from the dust at his feet. There, standing in front of him, was his fianc¨¦e, Theresa, his best friend who he¡¯d missed with all of his being. He''d been so focused on what killing the First Apostle meant, that he¡¯d been lost in those thoughts. But she was there, like a breaking dawn. ¡°Theresa¡­Theresa!¡± he cried, dropping his staff, and rushing to take her in his arms. With one smooth motion, she sheathed the Twinblade, and jumped into his waiting arms, folding into him. ¡°Thank the Traveller, you¡¯re here! You''re alright!¡± They squeeze each other, holding one another close, her head on his chest and him resting his chin on the top of he head. She looked up, grabbed the back of his head and pulled his face down to hers for a deep kiss. They clung to each other for a long time. Until they heard someone clearing their throat. ¡°Uh, my name¡¯s Bjorgrund.¡± Alex heard the giant say awkwardly. ¡°Son of Birger.¡± ¡°Grimloch,¡± the sharkman replied. ¡°Nice axe.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Alex and Theresa reluctantly separated. The young giant was looking at them nervously, while the sharkman was eyeing the First Apostle¡¯s bodiless head. Brutus limped over to Alex, whining, licking at the young man''s hand. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller,¡± Alex cried, ¡°Look what they did to you! Well, they won¡¯t be around to hurt anyone else. Come on, let¡¯s get you healed up.¡± Raising his hands, he placed his palms on Theresa and Brutus, then cast Mana to Life. The huntress gave a sharp intake of breath, her hands going to her mouth. ¡°You make that look so easy now¡­look at how fast we¡¯re healing¡­¡± The wizard was pouring his energy into her and the cerberus, watching their wounds close. ¡°Yeah, no more interference, and not going to lie, it''s pretty damn amazing,¡± he said. He eyed the phantom blades hovering nearby. ¡°And speaking of not being able to believe things, what are those?¡± She smiled proudly, placing her hands on her sword hilts. ¡°I figured it out, the secret to the Twinblade, I mean. The true secret: great-grandfather¡¯s weapon and I are actually one and the same.¡± ¡°That''s awesome!¡± Alex said. ¡°So it makes phantom swords now?¡± ¡°Among other things!¡± she beamed. ¡°I can''t wait to tell you about it!¡± ¡°Congratulations you two,¡± Grimloch said. Healing the sharkman was next. While he did so, Theresa told him what had happened in Uldar¡¯s sanctum. She talked about the fight against both the Stalker and the First Apostle, as well as her evolution, Grimloch and Brutus'' bravery, and how the fae had met his end. He sighed with relief when he heard that last part. ¡°He transformed? I''m almost sorry I missed it. Almost,¡± he said, looking at the remains of the fae. ¡°Oh geez, Asmaldestre¡¯s gonna be kind of mad she missed that fight. I''ll have to tell her that it¡¯s all over.¡± ¡°Who''s this Asmaldestre?¡± Grimloch asked. Then it was Alex''s turn to catch the sharkman and Theresa up on everything that had happened in Kelda¡¯s sanctum, especially the battle. Bj?rgrund jumped in excitedly, telling them about how he led the secret church¡¯s army through the maze of traps, and helped to finish them off in the end. Relief was clear in every voice and face in the room. ¡°I can''t believe it''s actually over,¡± Alex said, grimly. ¡°I honestly almost expected them to be hunting me forever.¡± ¡°Well, they''re not, and I hope they suffer in the after-world,¡± Theresa said fiercely. ¡°I''m glad that the First Apostle got to see his god dead before he joined him.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Grimloch agreed. ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex said, looking at Uldar, remembering the theory he¡¯d come up with when he found the music hidden on Hannah''s phone. ¡°Now that you mention Uldar, I think I might have an idea where he might have hidden some more information. Would anybody mind if we go to that viewing room of his? If you want to take a break instead, I get it.¡± Theresa''s eyebrows rose in surprise. ¡°I thought you''d want to go back to Generasi. That you''d want to rest up and see everyone before we did anything else.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°We¡¯re right here, and curiosity¡¯s going to eat me from the inside if I don''t check it out immediately. I''d rather go back to Generasi with new information if there¡¯s a chance we could get our hands on some.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Sounds fair,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°But, could you go get my father too? I don''t want him sitting in Kelda¡¯s sanctum all by himself.¡± ¡°Good idea,¡± Alex said. ¡°Wait, what happened to the guards outside?¡± Theresa said. ¡°We should check and see if they¡¯re¡ª¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°We teleported to the top of Uldar¡¯s Rise when we first got here, and unfortunately, they were already dead¡­¡± His jaw clenched. ¡°I don''t know if there¡¯re any out patrolling the area, so I think I¡¯ll go take a look around before we go to the viewing room. If I find any one; I¡¯ll let them know what happened so they can deal with the fallout. They should also know that the First and Third Apostles and their troops are dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Theresa said. ¡°All right, hurry back then. We¡¯ll meet you in Uldar¡¯s viewing room.¡± She went on tiptoe to kiss him goodbye. ¡°I''ll be back soon,¡± he said. Then off he went to get Birger
¡°You finished the battle,¡± Asmaldestre the Unmaker said, her every word striking the air within Uldar¡¯s viewing room. There was no accusation in them, but Birger, Bjorgrund, and even Theresa and Brutus flinched under the words. Grimloch just watched. ¡°We did,¡± Alex said. ¡°When we got here, one enemy was already dead; and in truth, I did not want the other to leave this world without knowing his life was being taken in his dead god¡¯s own throne room by one that he called the Fool. Watching him die was personal to me, and not as worthy of your attention. I assure you, Unmaker,¡± he pointed to Ravener spawn in multiple images in the viewing room. ¡°There will be more battles, many far more worthy of your might.¡± She looked around the room carefully, her three eyes tracing the images playing out on the walls, ceiling and floor. ¡°Acceptable. Summon me when those battles are at hand. I will wield these weapons that you have gifted me and destroy those enemies who stand before me. I shall go now, for there is more slaughter awaiting me across the planes.¡± ¡°Of course, I will see you when blood must be spilled,¡± he nodded to her, and¡ªwith a wave of his hand¡ªsent her to find other battles to fight. When her essence had faded from the viewing room, breaths returned they hadn''t realised they¡¯d been holding. Theresa whistled, ¡°What a nightmare she¡¯d be in a fight!¡± ¡°Yeah, you shoulda seen her. She ripped apart most of those maniacs from the secret church,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Almost killed the Third Apostle, but Alex jumped in and finished him off. She probably would''ve killed the First Apostle and that fae too, if they hadn''t run so fast.¡± ¡°So, that''s what you can conjure with ninth-tier spells?¡± Theresa shook her head in amazement. ¡°Incredible. I¡¯m glad she¡¯s on our side!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°And I''m glad we¡¯ll have power like hers for future battles. I¡¯m sure we''ll be needing it.¡± ¡°If we can even find that damn Ravener,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We need to know where it is first to be able to kill it. But, nevermind that for now¡­¡± She looked at the two giants. ¡°¡­what are your plans now?¡± ¡°Huh, what do you mean?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Well, we beat our enemies together,¡± Alex said. ¡°The First Apostle and company tried to kill you, but now they¡¯re dead. They won¡¯t be a threat to either of you anymore, thank the Traveller. And with the hidden church out of the way, we only have the Ravener and its spawn left to deal with.¡± ¡°There''s probably some members of the hidden church left out there,¡± Theresa pointed out. ¡°They do like their spying, after all, but the threat that affected you is finally gone. So yeah, we do have more battles ahead of us, but none are yourbattles.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t even thinking about that stuff,¡± Bjorgrund said, looking at his father, disappointment in his eyes. ¡°I guess we could go back home, couldn''t we, father?¡± ¡°We could¡­¡± Birger said, frowning. He looked at his son closely. ¡°but¡­you don''t want to, do you?¡± ¡°No, father,¡± Bjorgrund shook his head. ¡°Alex and Theresa are our friends now. I wanted to help them with their battles and I really don''t want to miss the most important one.¡± ¡°Even if it would risk both of our lives?¡± the old firbolg asked. ¡°I want you to be safe, father,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°But as for me, I''m a much better warrior now than I was before we met Alex, Theresa, Claygon and Brutus. Alex trained me, and I don''t want to see him fight these battles by himself¡­and I can take care of myself much better now. I know that you don''t want me to stay, father, but¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I was going to say,¡± Birger said. ¡°I was going to say that I''m proud of you, son.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I''m proud of you, is that so hard to hear?¡± Birger said. ¡°Maybe I don''t say it enough. I''m proud you want to do the right thing, and I agree with you; you''ve grown so much over the last while. You''re a better warrior now than I was in my prime, far better. I don''t want to see you hurt¡­but I know that if I made you sit this out, that in itself would hurt you almost as much as any physical wound. You¡¯d be looking at me and wondering what was the point of training just to stay home and hide. Besides¡­maybe this is just my own selfishness talking, but I think Kelda would want us to finish this. For you, and for her, I think we should stay and finish this fight¡­if Alex¡¯ll have us, that is.¡± The young wizard smiled, spreading his arms wide. ¡°The more the merrier! Honestly, I think we''re gonna need all the help we can get!¡± ¡°Then it''s settled!¡± Bjorgrund cried. ¡°We¡¯ll keep fighting by your side!¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Birger said. ¡°I''m glad you''ll be with us,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Me too,¡± Alex said. The huntress and the wizard looked at Grimloch, who shrugged. ¡°I just met them, so¡ª¡± His words were cut off by a gut, shaking belch that ejected a slimy antler from his throat. It landed on Uldar¡¯s floor. The others stared at it. ¡°Oh good, a toothpick,¡± the sharkman picked the antler up, beginning to pick his rows of teeth. Bjorgrund burst out laughing, his face turning red. Grimloch looked at him. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be friends.¡± ¡°We are?¡± the giant asked. ¡°Yes.¡± There was a moment of silence. ¡°Okay,¡± Bjorgrund shrugged. ¡°Good,¡± the sharkman said, grinding the antler through his teeth. Alex shuddered, looking at the slimy antler. ¡°Well, that was horrible.¡± He turned to the images shifting along the room¡¯s surfaces. ¡°By the way, I found a Watcher patrol and teleported them to the gate; I told them what happened, and that the First Apostle and Stalker are the ones who killed their fellow Watchers. Also told them that those two are dead. They¡¯re taking care of their comrades¡¯ bodies and watching the gate, so we should be fine here. Alright.¡± The young wizard cracked his knuckles. Now remember, I could just be going down some dead end, but if I''m right¡­¡± He walked toward the images, then paused, turning instead to the cowhide chair that Uldar would sit in to watch scenes of Thameland. ¡°I bet you if there¡¯s something hidden here, it has something to do with his chair.¡± He sat down where the god had sat, placing his hands on the armrests. The young wizard closed his eyes. Calling on the Mark of the General, he pushed his mana senses into the chair. ¡°This might be a longshot,¡± he said. ¡°But, I''m seeing if he had any hidden threads of mana in his chair¡­though truthfully, it¡¯s probably more likely that he used divinity. Then again, he used alchemy when he created the Ravener¡­and the patch on the Mark was a combination of magic and divinity¡­so let''s see what we can see. If I can''t find anything, then we''re gonna have to get Merzhin.¡± Reaching deeper into the chair, Alex felt around for even the lightest threads of mana, but found nothing. Nothing at all. For a moment, he considered giving up for now¡ªit was just an idea after all¡ªbut a thought occurred to him. He focused the Mark of the General on the task of finding any mana structures that were similar to Uldar¡¯s subtle designs of the Mark. He tried once. Then again as the Mark guided him. On the third try, he felt something subtle, lying deep within the chair. Alex gasped. ¡°There''s something here!¡± Theresa took a step toward him. Even Grimloch held his breath. Over and over he explored the inner workings of the chair; the threads were barely noticeable. Uldar truly had been an incredibly gifted alchemist; he could even hide the thin mana threads of his work to make an item appear completely mundane. But thanks to the Mark, Alex was able to find what he was looking for. And how to activate it. A wave of power blazed through the chair and the images of Thameland were replaced by a blinding white light. Everyone gasped, shielding their eyes. The light immediately faded. A new image formed¡ªone so massive that it stretched across every ¡®window¡¯ in the room¡ªall of it was of Uldar; an Uldar who was both very much alive, and looked vigorous. He looked down with an air of regalness. The god took a deep breath. Then spoke. ¡°Living journal, entry one,¡± he said. ¡°I might be dying, so I have decided it would be wise to record a chronicle of my life.¡± Chapter 773: The Early Entries in the Journal of a Dying God ¡°By the Traveller!¡± Theresa screamed. ¡°By my ancestors, what?¡± Birger stumbled into his son. Bjorgrund backpedalled, stumbling into Grimloch. Brutus began barking. ¡°Holy shit!¡± Alex cried, so surprised by the giant image of Uldar¡­ ¡­he accidentally turned off the recording. Uldar¡¯s image had vanished, replaced by the views across Thameland. Theresa panicked. ¡°What happened? Where did he go?¡± ¡°I don''t know, it just turned off!¡± Alex cried ¡°We have to get it back!¡± the huntress said. ¡°I''m trying! Hold on a minute!¡± the young wizard was panicking, trying to reactivate Uldar¡¯s device. Thankfully, since he¡¯d found it once, he knew he could find the control again, and with a bit of searching around, he found it, along with several more near the one that turned the recording on. ¡°Alright, I''ll turn it back on, but there''s some other things here¡­one second. Uh, everyone close your eyes, this time.¡± Again, the same bright flash erupted and the images of Thameland disappeared, replaced by the regal form of Uldar. ¡°Living journal, entry one,¡± he said. ¡°I might be dying, and have decided it would be wise to record a chronicle of my life.¡± ¡°Hold on, let me try some of these other controls,¡± Alex said, reading the flow of energy through the chair, guessing at some of the functions in it. ¡°Alright, I bet you this one is¡­¡± He activated something in the chair, and the image of Uldar froze mid-word. He was silent. ¡°What happened now?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°I paused the recording,¡± Alex said, frowning in concentration. ¡°Just like you did with the Traveller¡¯s device,¡± Birger said, pushing himself off his son and putting his weight back on his crutch. ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°And if I''m not mistaken¡­¡± He used another control, and suddenly Uldar¡¯s image began to speak without sound, his lips were moving ten times faster than they had before. Another control made the image move faster, but in reverse, bringing the recording back to an earlier place in what he¡¯d been saying. ¡°Alright,¡± Alex said. ¡°The last control probably records more images and sound¡­I think that¡¯s it, yeah, so we can go on now.¡± ¡°Good thinking, I can''t believe you were so right,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°And completely right too! There actually was a recording hidden here!¡± ¡°After all these months of searching,¡± Theresa shook her head. ¡°And it was here, right under all our noses. I can''t believe it! Do you think his recording will tell us where the Ravener is? Maybe give us a clue?¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± Alex said. ¡°I hope so, but at the very least? It might give us some clues about what this is all about, and maybe help guide us with shutting down the Ravener forever. Anyway, get comfortable, people. I get the feeling there''s going to be a lot of information on there.¡± The others looked at each other and began finding places on the floor to sit down. ¡°Here I am, an old man sitting on the floor while you get the only chair.¡± Birger grunted as he eased himself down beside his son. ¡°I''ve got to control things,¡± Alex shrugged helplessly. ¡°If I had my way¡­not gonna lie, I''d give the chair to Theresa, but you''d be next in line!¡± ¡°Thanks sweetie.¡± The huntress leaned against Brutus, who¡¯d made his bone armour disappear. ¡°Everyone ready?¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Grimloch said. ¡°Yes,¡± Birger and Bjorgrund said as one. Alex took a deep breath, swallowing both his uneasiness and excitement. ¡°I¡¯m ready too. Let''s start.¡± He activated the control again, restarting the recording. The image of Uldar¡ªtowering above them all¡ªbegan to speak and move, his movements were regal. His frame was well-muscled and powerful. His chin was covered in a beard as white as newly fallen snow, his chiselled nose was straight, looking almost sculpted, and his deep blue eyes seemed to pierce through everyone watching. He was clad in a white robe that fell around his body like it had been carved of marble. Yet, Alex noticed a dark spot staining it¡ªa dark spot that lay where the wound on Uldar¡¯s corpse in the throne room was. ¡°Living journal, entry one,¡± the god said. ¡°I might be dying, so I have decided it would be wise to record a chronicle of my life. My efforts to rid myself of the poison so far, have been futile. I have made progress, only for that progress to evaporate like water under a summer sun. I still hold much of my power, but already it is diminished, and I can only imagine that this will continue into the future.¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. He pointed to his temple. ¡°My mind has begun to cloud on some days, and so I cannot trust my memories to remain organised as time passes. As a result, this journal will serve as a reference for myself. It is for my eyes only, and it is to remind me of my former glory, to motivate me to seek that glory once again, and to make sure that the vast knowledge I have accumulated over my lifetime is not lost if my memories begin deserting me in earnest.¡± The god gave a wan smile. ¡°I will defeat this, I know I shall. Now, then. Let me begin at the beginning, for it is my earliest memories that have begun fading most.¡± He took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. Then he spoke. ¡°I was mortal once, and though I have contemplated endlessly as to whether I always held the seed of godhood¡ªor whether I developed it through my efforts later¡ªI do not know. What I do know is that the world was barbaric in the time I was born. It was a world of petty, evil sorcerers and endless struggle. A world where mortals suffered under the whims of inclement weather, fickle deities, and demons that were too uncouth to stay in the hells where they belonged. A world, where tyrants struggled against tyrants, grinding others beneath their heels. This is the world I was born to, but I quickly found that I was different from the others of my tribe.¡± He smiled fondly at a thought. ¡°I remember my mother and father, simple folk who were content to cultivate rudimentary fields, and hunt beasts that dwelled around our village. Content¡­that was a good word for those who surrounded me. Despite the endlessly difficulty of the life that we suffered under, they lived in simple contentment with the land around them.¡± His smile faded. ¡°I was many things, but content was not one of them. Fortunately, life had gifted me the fundamentals to feed my ambition. My body was strong: far stronger, faster, and with more endurance than my fellow tribesfolk. My mind was also quick: while others struggled to grasp higher thought, and used unfounded fears and superstition to explain the world around them, I found that I quickly mastered any skill I set my mind to. I possessed a logical curiosity that allowed me to comprehend the world in ways my family could not even begin to hope to match. Even as a young man¡ªbetween hunting the deadliest beasts around us and tilling our fields with the strength of five oxen¡ªI would also contemplate the higher mysteries of the world. On rock and clay, I jotted down rudimentary mathematics, and was able to easily comprehend them. I asked philosophical questions of the sky and wind. But, I quickly grew frustrated at my own limits.¡± He sighed deeply. ¡°The mind¡ªeven the quickest mind¡ªis only as useful as good, rich earth. It is a bosom capable of fostering life and growth, but without seed, nothing will ever rise from it. And¡ªin my tribe¡ªI was unable to find any nurturing seed to feed my mind with. So, I began to speak to my people. Fortunately, I was gifted with the ability to use words in a way that few were, and I found my tribe hanging on my every syllable. It did not take me long to find a place of leadership among them, despite my youth. Quickly, they began to see me as a prophet of sorts.¡± Uldar gave a low, wry chuckle. ¡°I''d liken it to a child believing that their father and mother are able to do anything. When a child is very young, the simple act of hiding one¡¯s face from their gaze seems like the highest form of wizardry. They do not know that their parent has not disappeared, for they have not yet the object permanence to understand that they have not vanished. It was the same with my people: they were the children of the world, and to my advanced mind, they were simple. I understood things in ways they were not even capable of imagining.¡± The god gestured, conjuring a miniature storm with a single hand. It hovered in the darkness around him. ¡°So when I could do things, such as predict the movement of the herds around us, or use various natural factors to see what the weather would be in the coming days and months, they thought that I possessed the gift of foresight. They called me a prophet! A prophet!¡± Another wry chuckle. ¡°Some people or places are strong with the winds of fate, and the knowledge gained from these places and people¡­that knowledge I would call prophecy. I was no prophet, especially back then. But the title was useful: it gave me control in the tribe that no elder or chief had ever enjoyed. It was not long before my word was unchallenged among my people, and I became the highest authority among them. That was when I knew it was time for the next stage of my plan¡ª¡± ¡°So much for the ¡®prophet god¡¯,¡± Theresa muttered bitterly. ¡°What was that?¡± Alex paused the recording. ¡°I said so much for the ¡®prophet god¡¯,¡± she growled. ¡°In the church school, we were taught that Uldar had the gift of prophecy. Now I find out that he was just¡­really smart. That''s impressive, I guess, but it shows that he was always a liar, doesn''t it?¡± ¡°To those around him, did it make a difference?¡± Birger asked. ¡°I''m wondering what was the source of his strength and sharp mind. Maybe he was just gifted¡­maybe his father or mother was a god and he didn''t know it. Doesn''t matter in the end, I guess. But it''s curious.¡± ¡°I''m more interested in this plan of his,¡± Alex said. ¡°He sounded like he kind of looked down on his people, and that he craved knowledge. Yet, he decided to stay and become a leader to them instead of leaving. I''ll turn the recording back on.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me,¡± Theresa said. Alex reversed it for a few seconds, then started it up again. ¡°That was when I knew it was time for the next stage of my plan; migration,¡± Uldar said. ¡°Back then, I felt a great responsibility to my people. I was better than them, but I did not think it right that I should abandon them just to gain the knowledge I needed to feed my growing mind. I would not leave them alone to the cold, hungry world; if I were to advance myself, I would want it to benefit them as well. So, once my word was law to my fellow tribesfolk, I told them of a prophecy that dictated that we must migrate. In order to survive, we would have to become nomadic for a time, and I would lead them from place to place in the world. Eventually, if they followed this prophecy, I promised they would come to a wondrous new existence. This was not untrue, and so I feel no guilt over it. In the end, though the journey would be hard on them, they would be led to better lives. By me.¡± He took another deep breath. ¡°Thus I began my journey across the world¡ªleading my people¡ªto where I sought knowledge, in all forms. In the south, I found those who had abandoned small villages and hunting camps, to erect great cities and civilizations of stone. In the east, I found those who had learned to harvest the divinity of nature and cultivate it in their own bodies and souls. In the north, I found mighty warriors, those who had forged weapons of bronze and steel and used them to cow the beasts around them. In the west, I found those who had begun to master the arts and sciences of wizardry and alchemy.¡± Uldar chuckled. ¡°I find myself thankful that I was born in a time where mana was more common in the material world: those times were barbaric, but at least I did not live in a time when the only sources of magic came from bargains with strange demons and fae. Of course, as I have mentioned fae, I should speak of the meeting between myself, and one of my longest and closest friends.¡± He smiled sadly. ¡°I would not in any way wish to forget the first meeting between myself and Aenflynn, no matter how much the poison affects me.¡± Chapter 774: The Meeting of Old Friends and the Beginnings of Thameland At the mention of the fae lord, Alex and Theresa looked at each other. Neither said a word: not wanting to interrupt what Uldar said next. The god looked wistful. ¡°One of my greatest regrets is that I did not record the passing of my years in those early days. Now all I can do is wish I could remember how old I was when I first met my dear friend, for I no longer recall the exactyear. I do know that my journey with my people continued for some time: but by then, both my father and mother had been dead for many seasons. Those who had been children when I was a young man, had long since passed from the world, and it was their grandchildren who served me by that point.¡± He paused, then, frowning. ¡°Already my memory betrays me somewhat: serve is not the right word. Worship would be the right word. I do not know exactly when my people had stopped simply looking upon me as a prophet, and had instead began to see me as a god, but I do know that by the time I met Aenflynn, they already viewed me as divine.¡± His frown deepened. ¡°That is where one of the great mysteries of my life lies. I truly think that by this point, I was indeed at least a demigod. I had come to divine power, my body had become stronger, more enduring and swifter than ever, and I had stopped ageing. At first, I had simply attributed those changes to my study of life enforcement, but when I began to work miracles by my own will, without any need for prayer to a higher power, I knew that my strength came from within. The great mystery I often ponder is when exactly I had made this transition. I''ve studied myself, poured over my own memories¡ªwhen they were much clearer¡ª¡± A look of pain crossed his face. ¡°¡ªbut even then, I could not find the exact point in my life when I became deified. In the end, I suppose, it matters little now. And back then, it mattered little to Aenflynn.¡± The god¡¯s face took on a wistful smile. ¡°This was before he became a fae lord, and was only a princeling of Och Fir Nog. A rebellious one at that: he did not simply wile away his time in court¡ªgetting involved with the great, venomous politics of his realm¡ªinstead, he explored the material world, expressing a deep curiosity for mortals and beasts. This often got him into trouble: he had not come into the full strength of his magic then, and often relied on trickery and opportunity to feed and clothe himself. Under such circumstances, we met. He was attempting to trick one of my shepherds into giving him several of his sheep. I, of course, caught him, but found myself impressed by his quick tongue and wit. He offered to make recompense for his attempt to steal from my people, which I gladly took, and¡ªin return¡ªhe showed me around the lands that we''d come to.¡± That wistful smile grew into something as warm as a noonday sun. As much as Alex had contempt for the god, he couldn¡¯t deny the sheer joy and fatherly warmth radiating from his face. ¡°That is how I came to love Thameland. I had been so focused on my own journey of enlightenment, that I had not paid attention to my surroundings in quite some time. Aenflynn showed me the beauty of the lands around me, he showed me the happiness of my people in this location. He showed me the bounty of this land. That is when I knew we would settle here. For too long had I turned my people into vagabonds just to nourish my own growth: they had benefited from my learning and protection, but the world had changed. More and more, people were building villages, towns and cities; the time of simply wandering from place to place, following herds of game, was coming to a close for many civilizations. The Irtyshenans¡ª¡± Uldar¡¯s face turned sour, and Alex wondered what the god''s relationship with that old empire was. ¡°¡ªhad already begun their Empire building. The Rhineans were harvesting the elements. I knew that I could not allow my people to fall behind, and an island kingdom, firmly under my protection, seemed to be the perfect cradle in which to raise them to their full potential. Just as they had allowed me to grow into my full strength, I would aid them in achieving theirs. I think this is where I will end entry one. The work in my laboratory calls to me.¡± With that, the windows went dark. ¡°No mention of the Ravener yet,¡± Alex said. ¡°But since he seems to be only covering the earliest days of his story right now, he probably mentions that later.¡± ¡°I want to know what this poisoning thing was about, and if that''s why his memories were fading,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Maybe something happened to his mind.¡± Birger pointed out. ¡°I remember when you first told us that he was dead, and that he¡¯d made the Ravener. I could hardly believe it. Doesn''t make sense to me that he made a monster to kill his people when he seemed to care so much about them.¡± ¡°I don''t know if he cared,¡± Bjorgrund wondered. ¡°He talked about helping them out, but he made them wander the earth for generations while he learned more about the world. Sounds like his people made a lot of sacrifices for him. And did you notice how he talked about getting into power? He didn''t outright say it, but it sounded like he almost looked down on them. All that talk about object-whatever-it-was and children thinking their parents were magic.¡± ¡°I remember when you thought I was magic,¡± Birger sighed wistfully. ¡°Father, you are magic,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Anyway, the point is that he was looking down on them, so I''m not sure how much he really cared about them.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you''re a parent,¡± Birger said. ¡°What he said was a little condescending, but I got the impression he really loved them.¡± ¡°If what he¡¯s done to us is love, then we don''t need it,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I¡¯m inclined to agree,¡± Alex said. ¡°I would never talk about Claygon so disrespectfully. Anyway, let''s continue. Entry two should be¡­¡± He activated a control in the chair. Uldar¡¯s image returned, it was obvious that this was a different time: he¡¯d adjusted his robes and clipped his hair somewhat. ¡°Living journal, entry two. It occurs to me that I skipped part of my story when I began my narration,¡± Uldar said. ¡°Entry one is incomplete. I will go into more detail about my people¡¯s wanderings before we reached Thameland. The knowledge that I accumulated in those years must be placed in this record in the event that my mind declines and my memories are lost.¡± ¡°How many entries are there, Alex?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Judging by what I''m feeling in the chair¡­a lot. Hundreds. Maybe thousands.¡± Alex grimaced. ¡°I''ll need to skip a lot of them to find what¡¯s relevant. There''s going to be a lot of interesting history here, but we aren''t historians and don¡¯t have time for all those extra details: that¡¯ll be for another time. What we need now is information on the Ravener, the Marks, and why all this is happening. I think maybe I should start skipping ahead.¡± Alex began skimming the entries, starting the recordings at the beginning¡ªgetting an idea of what they were about¡ªthen skipping to the end, if they weren¡¯t relevant. In the process, they learned a number of things, though. How Uldar had helped the people in their early days. They learned how he''d guided them to transition from a nomadic life, to building towns and cities of their own. They also learned of his troubles. ¡°No matter what I did,¡± Uldar said in entry twenty-three. ¡°I could not force the development of more ambient mana in Thameland. Experiments to try and create mana vents repeatedly proved to be a failure: I should have known better, truly. Other pantheons from around the world rule lands that vary in mana: if it was so easy to force a realm to become rich in ambient mana, then most deities would''ve done so for their own kingdoms. I was left with a grim decision: would I lead my people to a new home? Or would I adjust how I was developing them? In the end, I decided to have them stay where they were. What this realm lacked in mana, it more than made up for in plenty of natural resources and its strong connection with the fae wild. Instead of having my people develop into wizards, I decided to simply share my power with them freely, and teach my priesthood to channel it in varied ways. There were some who were resistant to this: communities of witches and barbarians around the isle¡ªsome native to these lands, here before my people arrived, and some who splintered from my followers¡ªthat simply chose to engage in their old ways.¡± His face took on a grim expression. ¡°But I am not an intolerant or jealous god. As long as they did not quarrel with my people, this land would provide for them just as it does for us. At this point, my next task was to begin erecting standing stones at different points for¡ª¡± ¡°Tolerance and ease, eh?¡± Birger frowned. ¡°Doesn''t seem like the type to make a Ravener.¡± ¡°We''re only getting his word for things,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°True,¡± Birger said. ¡°Alright, it seems he''s going into a bunch of detail on stonemasonry, time to move on.¡± They continued watching and listening for quite some time, until Theresa pointed out something when they reached entry eighty-four. ¡°He keeps changing,¡± she said. ¡°Sometimes he looks thin, sometimes he looks muscular. Sometimes he''s really pale, other times his complexion looks much healthier.¡± ¡°You''re right,¡± Alex said. ¡°I thought I''d noticed that too, but I wasn''t sure if I was imagining things.¡± ¡°I''ve seen something like it in folk fighting a long-term sickness,¡± Birger said. ¡°At times, they look healthier than at others. There¡¯ll be seasons when the illness is kind to them, or is even fading away. But there¡¯s also those times when it comes back in full force, and steals their strength. That¡¯s the way he looks, like whatever¡¯s going on with him is waxing and waning.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°Good point. There''s some entries, where he seems to be struggling with his thoughts more than others, too. Probably that poison and whatever else he¡¯s fighting¡­it seems he makes progress with it, then it gets worse again. Oh, hold on now, this looks interesting!¡± Uldar was talking about Aenflynn again. For several entries, he¡¯d detailed his battles against various beasts, monsters, and demons that had repeatedly invaded Thameland again and again. He''d also talked about troubles in Och Fir Nog. ¡°Aenflynn had the throne for quite some time at that point, and we¡¯d both struggled with war. While I dealt with different monsters and beasts to protect my people, he had to battle the incursions of other fae lords, looking to take his realm. My friend is very good at performance¡ªhe conveys strength¡ªand it took me some time to understand that his realm was not a strong one among the fae. It was invaded often, and his armies would take many casualties. Unfortunately, my people had suffered casualties as well while I defended them from the dangers of the world.¡± His eyes twinkled. ¡°Aenflynn had too many mouths to feed, and my people had too many orphans. So he and I spoke of the old fae practice of changelings, except more formalised between him and I. We would switch our peoples. My people would take in some of Och Fir Nog¡¯s elderly fae, while I would provide Aenflynn with mortal orphans. Mere orphans who would be destined to either die, or languish unwanted in some poorhouse until they were grown: firmly on the path to banditry, criminality or worse. If anything, he was doing me a service. Of course, my people would likely never understand this: the kidnapping of children had been a problem of the old days¡ªand remained quite common in some parts of the world¡ªso our arrangement would be kept secret between him and I. A secret that would benefit both my kingdom and his. It was good work between us. His armies grew strong again, while my people had less mouths to feed. As an interesting side effect, the disappearance of some children caused superstitious fears to grow among my people. That fear meant more prayers, more faith, and thus more power for me. Yet, I still protected them well¡­¡± He ground his teeth, then touched the wound on his side. ¡°¡­and I still would be doing so¡ªpersonally¡ªwere it not for that damned demon lord.¡± Chapter 775: The Theft ¡°So that''s why Aenflynn wanted those children!¡± Alex cried, pausing the recording. ¡°Why¡¯d you stop?¡± Theresa demanded. ¡°It sounded like we were about to learn something really important!¡± ¡°We just did,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°Remember, what Cedric, Destra, and Hart told us? About when they first went to Aenflynn¡­remember he said he wanted children for his armies? I thought it was just a fae thing, but he was trying to work the same deal he had with Uldar.¡± ¡°That scum was giving children away to become soldiers!¡± Theresa said. ¡°It''s not uncommon,¡± Birger said. ¡°Lots of realms send their orphans to the military.¡± ¡°We don''t do that here,¡± Theresa¡¯s tone was hard. ¡°Most of our orphans end up with the church.¡± ¡°You mean the same people that kept trying to kill us?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°The same ones with an army of maniacs?¡± ¡°I don''t know about the hidden church,¡± Alex said. ¡°But what I do know, is that Aenflynn had some sort of military problem back when Uldar was alive: he needed fast-growing soldiers. I guess, maybe he¡¯s still having those same problems: and that''s why he accepted Ravener-spawn when Drestra suggested it. They grow even faster than human children and, in the end, I guess it wouldn''t matter to him as long as he got enough bodies to fight for him.¡± The young wizard looked at the others. ¡°When we finish here, we should go right to the Heroes, and find out as much as we can about their conversation with him. We should also see if Drestra knows anything about what he''s done with those Ravener-spawn she gave him.¡± ¡°Do you think he''s involved with these cycles?¡± Theresa asked. Alex frowned. ¡°He strongly hinted that he knew Uldar was dead. He had a deal with Uldar when he was alive. I¡¯m sure he knows more than he''s let on. A lot more.¡± ¡°You''re probably right,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We should talk to the Heroes for sure. Hopefully, they''ll have time for us. When you were in the sanctum, the Ravener¡¯s attacks started ramping up and becoming more vicious. Our friends hardly have time to do anything but fight.¡± ¡°We''ll have to get them some help soon, then,¡± Alex said. ¡°Alright, in that case, let''s stop wasting time and see what happened to Uldar. Let''s see what demon lord he¡¯s talking abo¡ª¡± A sudden cry reached them from outside the room. ¡°Hello!¡± a deep voice called. ¡°Is anyone there? Ms. Lu? Grimloch? Are you alright? Answer¡ªOh, by the gods!¡± Footsteps rapidly approached Uldar¡¯s viewing room. ¡°Huh,¡± Grimloch said. ¡°Must be a Watcher. Thought you found a patrol and told them what happened?¡± Alex was already leaping from the chair, leaving the image of Uldar frozen on the windows before them. He snatched up his staff. ¡°I did. They should know where we are. Something¡¯s wrong.¡± The group looked at each other, then leapt to their feet, grabbing their weapons. Theresa drew the Twinblade, a pair of phantom swords appearing on either side of her, floating in mid-air. Bjorgrund helped Birger to his feet. ¡°Stay here, father.¡± The giant rushed for the door with the others. Alex threw open the door to Uldar¡¯s viewing room, nearly crashing into three Watchers on the other side. They looked tense. The young wizard frowned; none were from the patrol he¡¯d brought to the gate. ¡°Alex Roth?¡± one cried, his eyes widening in shock. He was an older man, with a long, jagged scar running along his cheek. The other two Watchers looked like they were at a loss for words, their eyes were wide. ¡°I thought you were away! Are Ms. Lu and¡ª¡± ¡°We¡¯re alright.¡± Theresa came up behind Alex, with Grimloch, Brutus and Bjorgrund close behind. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± ¡°Did you talk to the patrol outside the gate?¡± Alex asked, his heart sinking. Had they been attacked? Were there more members of the hidden church around there? ¡°Everyone outside the gate¡¯s dead!¡± the scarred Watcher said. ¡°Both the gate guards and Vincenzo¡¯s patrol group! What happened in the throne room? Was there a battle?¡± Something was wrong. Very wrong. Alex had seen Watchers in crisis before; they were some of the most disciplined people, no matter how dangerous the circumstance. He¡¯d never seen any of them looking outright¡­panicked before. He grew suspicious. Were they imposters? He began channelling mana from his aeld staff. ¡°The First Apostle was killed in the throne room,¡± Theresa explained cautiously. ¡°And so was his fae ally. The hidden church¡¯s leadership is destroyed.¡± The scarred Watcher shook his head. ¡°We found the First Apostle¡¯s head, the bottom half of another body, but where¡¯s Uldar¡¯s body?¡± Alex¡¯s thoughts stopped. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Uldar¡¯s body and throne,¡± the scarred Watcher continued. ¡°They¡¯re gone!¡± ¡°Gone?¡± Theresa cried. Alex was already teleporting to the throne room. He choked at what he saw. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. The Watcher was right. While the First Apostle¡¯s head was still there¡ªalong with the rest of the Guide¡­ ¡­both the stained throne and the body of the god of Thameland were nowhere in sight. All that remained of Uldar was his white shroud, lying on the floor, stained with what looked like the same muddy tracks that were throughout the white floors of the throne room. Ravener-spawn tracks. ¡°Shit!¡± Alex cursed as Theresa and the others rushed into the room. ¡°By the Traveller!¡± she cried. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Bjorgrund started. ¡°That¡¯s bad.¡± Grimloch gripped his maul. ¡°We need to move!¡± Alex said, his mind racing. He extended his hand to the others. ¡°If we hurry, we might find whoever took them! Come on!¡± His companions and the Watchers placed their hands on his arms, and he teleported everyone downstairs. With every jump, Alex kept hoping they¡¯d find the Ravener-spawn. But, all they found were more tracks leading down the stairs. Cursing to himself, he teleported outside to look around. ¡°Oh no,¡± Theresa murmured. The Watchers that had been killed by the First Apostle were laid out in a row a little ways from the gate, their bodies covered by their cloaks. Theirs were not the only bodies outside the gate. Scattered in front of the glowing portal were the mutilated corpses of Vincenzo¡¯s patrol. When Alex had last seen them, they¡¯d been tending to their fallen and guarding the entrance to Uldar¡¯s sanctum. Now, they¡¯d been ripped limb from limb. He could barely recognise them as human¡­but he did recognize the muddy Ravener-spawn tracks all around them. The young wizard looked around frantically. There was no sign of the monsters. Nothing but their footprints. ¡°Shit.¡± He cursed again, turning to Theresa. ¡°Can you track these prints?¡± She fell to one knee beside the tracks, while Grimloch and Brutus sniffed the air. The sharkman and huntress said the same words at the same time. ¡°They scattered.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alex demanded. The cerberus was turning in all directions, his snouts pointing this way, and that. His three heads lifted as he began to howl. ¡°What do we do?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°We start searching,¡± Alex said. The young wizard began conjuring monsters that were adept at tracking. First, he summoned a flock of celestial rocs, instructing them to fly above Uldar¡¯s Rise and search for Ravener-spawn going through the woods. Next, he conjured packs of hellhounds, sending them racing through the woods. He summoned celestial dire tigers, with their strong sense of smell and stronger sense of hearing, they could accompany the hellhounds. After considering which other entities he could call on that had a well developed sense of smell; he summoned small herds of hellboars to join in the search. He also conjured two pairs of astral engeli, sending them out in four different directions; they could sense divine energy and might be able to track the throne and Uldar¡¯s body. Lasty, he summoned elder elementals, sending them boring through the earth below Uldar¡¯s Rise in search of any tunnels the Ravener-spawn might''ve used. Once he was finished summoning his army, he turned to Theresa, she was gaping at how he¡¯d so easily conjured so many different monsters for the search. ¡°Come on, we should look for them too,¡± he said. ¡°Let''s see if we can find them fast¡­we have no idea how long it¡¯s been since they took the body and throne.¡± ¡°What would they even want with it?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°All we know for sure is that the Ravener serves Uldar,¡± Alex said. ¡°There''s a connection there, but beyond that? I have no idea. Let''s just make sure that it doesn''t get its hands on either of them. Take my hand.¡± The companions teleported away from the stone tower, into the woods around Uldar¡¯s Rise. Joining the summoned armies, they searched high and low for their quarry; wherever they went, the scent of Ravener-spawn was strong, and the creature¡¯s tracks were sunk deep in the earth¡­yet there was no sight of them. ¡°There were a lot of them,¡± Bjorgrund commented, looking at the tracks as they teleported through the trees. ¡°How did they sneak up on this place?¡± ¡°And how did they get the drop on the Watchers?¡± Theresa asked a second later, falling to one knee and checking tracks in a clearing they¡¯d teleported to. ¡°And what about the other patrols?¡± ¡°I have a bad feeling about them,¡± Alex said, his lips a flat line. ¡°This feels organised¡­like the Ravener-spawn were waiting. But how did the Ravener know to strike now?¡± Anger boiled inside him. ¡°And where did that damned army of monsters disappear to?¡± They continued teleporting, hopeful, then disappointed, searching among the trees, their canopy, and the forest floor, but there wasn¡¯t a trace of the beasts anywhere. Even Alex¡¯s summoned army came up empty. They found no tunnels, no Ravener-spawn, no blood-draks soaring away through the skies¡­or no sign of Uldar¡¯s body or his throne. All that they had were cold tracks in the earth. Until, even those were gone. ¡°The prints suddenly stop!¡± Bjorgrund cried. They were in a clearing, following the Ravener-spawn tracks¡­when the trail abruptly ended. There were signs of the beasts climbing trees, and signs of them burrowing into the earth. But the earth elementals found no sign of deep tunnels, and the celestial rocs encountered nothing clambering through the trees, or flying above the canopy. They teleported through the woods, circling them, and finding no trail. Even the monsters¡¯ scent had vanished. The young wizard teleported them beyond the boundaries of the forest around Uldar¡¯s Rise, but even in the fields beyond, they could find nothing. ¡°What in all the hells is even happening?¡± Alex said, pausing on a hill, surrounded by slushy fields. A road leading to a crossroads went off to the south. ¡°How did that many creatures just disappear?¡± ¡°Can''t even smell them now,¡± Grimloch confirmed, sounding disappointed. ¡°Alex.¡± Theresa turned to him. ¡°Maybe they were dungeons under Uldar¡¯s Rise. We know dungeon cores can move the earth around them, maybe there were dungeons below us, and the cores just moved the dungeons.?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°We haven''t seen that behaviour from dungeons before, they just seem to stay put once they''re established. But this cycle has been strange¡­and come to think of it¡­¡± He paused. ¡°No one really knows how dungeon cores get from the Ravener to wherever they''re going to make dungeons. We don''t even know where the damn Ravener is!¡± ¡°And now that they''ve taken a god¡¯s body and his throne¡­¡± Theresa said grimly. ¡°How bad do you think this is, Alex?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± he paused. ¡°I don''t know. I don''t know why the Ravener would want those things, what it wants to do with them, or what it could even do with them! I mean¡­in a powerful alchemist¡¯s hands, a god''s body would be worth half the gold in the world, especially if they knew their way around divinity. But the Ravener? Maybe it''s about loyalty¡­or something¡­oh, by the Traveller, I really can¡¯t even begin to guess!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to assume the worst,¡± Birger said. ¡°We don''t even know what the worst is!¡± Alex said. ¡°No, but I could guess one thing,¡± Birger¡¯s voice was dark. ¡°If the Ravener has Uldar¡¯s body¡­then that means it will know its creator is dead.¡± ¡°Couldn''t that be a good thing?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I mean this whole cycle thing was for Uldar, right? Maybe it''ll just¡­stop. Shutdown, or something.¡± Birger shook his head. ¡°I don''t think we''ll be that lucky, son. Alex, tell me something. If you got killed, what would Claygon do?¡± The young wizard shuddered. ¡°Just thinking about that sends a chill down my spine. He''s grown a lot, maybe he could handle it now like I handle the death of my parents¡­but there was a time when he tried to kill anyone that even looked at me funny.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Birger said. ¡°This could be apocalyptic.¡± ¡°We need more information,¡± Alex shuddered. ¡°And we need to bring more people into this. We¡¯ll have to try and figure out what could be done with Uldar¡¯s body¡­through divinity. And we need to tell those we trust, that someone, and probably someone not too friendly, has his corpse and throne. Let''s go find the Heroes and Professor Jules.¡± He looked across the countryside, his eyes falling on the crossroads. ¡°I think you¡¯re right Birger, I think things are gonna get real bad.¡± Chapter 776: Returning to the Homefront Cedric of Clan Duncan was tired. Tired in ways he didn''t know were even possible. Around the time his fellow Hero¡ªand friend¡ªAlex Roth had gone, looking for the sanctum of that ancient Fool as well as trying to keep the threat of the secret church away from all that was dear to him in Generasi and Thameland, things had grown more desperate with every day that had passed. As the Chosen, he, his fellow Heroes and the Thameish army were constantly on the move, fighting Ravener-spawn day and night. For some reason, the monsters had turned more aggressive, were better organised and even more powerful. There was a time when the fiercer leaders of their hordes¡ªcreatures like behemoths, hive-queens and gibbering legions¡ªweren¡¯t seen very often, usually waiting in dungeons, guarding their cores. Things were different now, it seemed that every pack of Ravener-spawn was always accompanied by two or three of the more powerful beasts, and they acted strategically, striking at specific targets. They weren¡¯t just waiting in the wilderness anymore, slowly building their numbers until they were ready to launch attacks on Thameland¡¯s armies. Nowadays, dungeon cores seemed to be springing up almost as fast as mushrooms in the fall, and growing entire hordes of monsters in mere hours. These armies of monsters weren¡¯t just content to simply rampage haphazardly through the countryside; now they were also purposeful in their actions, attacking supply lines, seeking out the injured and the vulnerable. They were setting ambushes at river crossings, burning bridges and even attacking water supplies. But more importantly, they weren¡¯t stopping. There were no more quiet periods; every waking moment saw Ravener-spawn testing the army¡¯s defences or descending on their camps. Cedric¡¯s days were now a constant waking blur of blood and battle, punctuated by sleepless nights filled with more blood and battle. He doubted this night would be any different. Under the light of the full moon, the Heroes and their soldiers had made camp in the ruin of an old fort at the top of Aldershot¡¯s Cliff. On one side of the fort, a dark forest of snow covered pines stood; the ground beneath the canopy was wet and mucky, suggesting the first promise of spring. Ravener-spawn tracks were everywhere. On the other side of the fort was the cliff¡¯s edge leading to a sheer drop of at least two hundred feet into a river and hilly landscape below. Cedric currently stood atop that cliff, gripping his weapon¡ªformed into a spear¡ªfighting to keep his eyes open as he stood guard, watching the countryside from above. Spread across the fields below him, were the ruins of thousands of dead Ravener-spawn, staining the snows black and red. Great fires blazed among the dead, as priests and soldiers went about the business of gathering up the monsters¡¯ bodies, and burning them on massive pyres. In silence, Cedric watched the flames dancing above the snow. The woods were quiet behind him, with most of the camp¡ªincluding Drestra and Merzhin¡ªgetting some rest for as long as they could. Hart was out somewhere in the woods, patrolling. He hardly slept these days, but seemed no worse for wear. ¡°Gotta keep up,¡± Cedric told himself. ¡°Don''t want t¡¯be fallin¡¯ behind everyone else. Ach, can''t wait ¡®til Alex gets back, hope, he¡¯ll be bringin¡¯ some good news.¡± ¡°I cannot wait either,¡± a familiar voice said from behind him. His heart skipped a beat as he turned to find the beautiful Isolde floating down from the fort¡¯s wall. ¡°Evenin¡¯,¡± he said, when she landed near him. ¡°Didn'' expect y¡¯to be up so late.¡± ¡°I fell asleep early,¡± she said, looking over the cliff. ¡°The trouble I have these days is staying asleep.¡± The young noblewoman looked at him closely. ¡°How are you? We did not have a chance to talk when I arrived earlier. You look tired.¡± ¡°Aye, s¡¯because I¡¯m tired.¡± He smiled weakly. ¡°Been a drudge, lately.¡± ¡°I have heard it has become quite terrible on the front lines. Some of the soldiers were telling stories while you were out earlier. It appears things are far worse than I could have ever imagined,¡± she said. ¡°S¡¯not been no bed o¡¯ roses, I¡¯ll give y¡¯that,¡± Cedric admitted. ¡°But who¡¯d want to sleep on roses, anyway? They¡¯re all full o¡¯ thorns.¡± She smiled at that, which made him very happy indeed. ¡°I suppose you are right. It seems the beds we lie in are all thorns lately, considering how destructive the monsters are these days.¡± ¡°How goes the material gatherin¡¯ anyway?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°And what¡¯re y¡¯gathering¡¯? By the time I got back from patrolling, you and Professor Jules had already turned in. I was curious.¡± Her brow creased. ¡°We are presently seeking more samples of Ravener-spawn and living dungeon cores. So far, we have deciphered enough of Uldar¡¯s notes to determine certain things about the Ravener, but in order to test certain hypotheses we have developed, we need more dungeon cores.¡± ¡°An¡¯ what hipop¡­hype¡­hippie¡­¡± Cedric stuttered. ¡°Hypothesis?¡± Isolde asked, her tone warm. ¡°Aye, that big, fat word!¡± he said. She gave him a sweet laugh. ¡°Well, what we are thinking is that Uldar¡¯s construct can somehow take pure mana and certain other energies, and use them to create matter from nothing. To create living matter from nothing; that is a feat of wizardry and alchemy that very few can accomplish. Usually, it is the domain of deities alone¡­we think that ability might have something to do with how the Ravener can reconstitute itself from nothing. Making matter from nothing, reconstituting one¡¯s self from nothing. Those things are not that different.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°I''ll take yer word fer it,¡± Cedric said. ¡°So ya need t¡¯get a better look at more livin¡¯ dungeon cores¡­an¡¯ do more tests.¡± He smiled. ¡°By the Traveller, you¡¯re smart.¡± She blushed. ¡°I get that quite a bit¡ª¡± The young woman paused, then winced. ¡°I did not mean that arrogantly, it is simply that I perform well academically¡­my intelligence is a commonly known trait¡­but that is not to brag, or to insinuate that your mind is in anyway dull¡ª¡± ¡°Aye, I know I¡¯m as sharp as the smoothest rock at the bottom of a river,¡± he said. ¡°Yes¡ªwait, smooth rocks are not in the least bit sharp,¡± she said, looking puzzled. ¡°Aye, that was the jest.¡± ¡°Oh, stop that!¡± she said. ¡°You are far brighter than you admit, Cedric.¡± ¡°Aye, ¡®bout as bright as a muddy footprint at midnight when there¡¯s no moon.¡± ¡°Yes, er no! Cedric!¡± she protested. He laughed, then. He didn''t remember the last time he¡¯d had a good long laugh. ¡°I¡¯m just makin¡¯ sport wit¡¯ ya, don¡¯t ¡®cha worry at all. ¡®Besides, I know me own strengths an¡¯ weaknesses. Yerself, Alex, Khalik, Thundar¡­all o¡¯ya got these big fancy minds, full o¡¯ big fancy thoughts, filled wit¡¯ big fancy book learnin¡¯ from yer big fancy school.¡± He smiled, his eyes lit up under the moonlight. Isolde took a long slow breath, and exhaled, touching her lips. ¡°That ain''t me, an¡¯ we both know it.¡± Cedric continued. ¡°S¡¯why I miss Alex, we¡¯re doin¡¯ all this fightin¡¯, an¡¯ lots o¡¯ the soldiers want me t¡¯do the leadin¡¯ an thinkin¡¯...but¡¯ that ain¡¯t what I¡¯m best at. S¡¯just a fact.¡± ¡°Cedric, knowing your own strengths and weaknesses makes you smarter than half the people I have met at that ¡°big fancy school¡±,¡± she scoffed. ¡°It is a place full of those who puff themselves up beyond their station, trying to shout to the world that they are brilliant and have talents that they in no way have. Instead, they have the meanest, most cur-like of ambition. And, little to back it.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s so, but I wouldn'' mind havin¡¯ someone else t¡¯think o¡¯ plans an¡¯ helpin¡¯ t¡¯guide us,¡± Cedric said. ¡°What we¡¯re doin¡¯ ain¡¯t workin¡¯, it¡¯s like we¡¯re just treadin¡¯ water on some¡¯ days. It¡¯d be nice t¡¯have Alex t¡¯talk wit¡¯ about all this. An¡¯ Baelin too.¡± ¡°Is there no one?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°Is there no one to advise you?¡± Cedric tilted his head, thinking about that. ¡°Eh, ¡®advise¡¯ is a bit of a strange word to use. The priests give advice, but they aren''t our guides. S¡¯different, y¡¯know? They¡¯re no mentors or equals. Wish we had that now. Instead, they¡¯re lookin¡¯ t¡¯me fer leadership, but¡­I dunno, leadin¡¯ so many feels like a coat that¡¯s shrunk¡ªtoo tight ¡®round the shoulders, and not fittin¡¯ quite right.¡± ¡°Alex is a good leader,¡± she said. ¡°An¡¯ a good friend,¡± Cedric said. ¡°All o¡¯ yous are. Big regret o¡¯ mine is that we didn¡¯ get th¡¯chance to know each other better. Be nice just t¡¯be together y¡¯know. All o¡¯ yous. ¡®Specially you, though.¡± ¡°I wish we could spend more time together as well,¡± she said softly. ¡°Perhaps, when all of this is done¡­¡± ¡°Aye, but¡­before that¡­¡± He looked at Isolde closely. ¡°There''s something I gots t¡¯tell you. I¡ª¡± Something snapped in the trees. Isolde and Cedric turned toward the woods. ¡°Don¡¯t like the soun¡¯ o¡¯ that.¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± she said. ¡°On the other side¡ª¡± Suddenly a bell began ringing. ¡°Ravener-spawn! To your posts!¡± a guard¡¯s voice joined the clanging bell. Grey beams of light lanced out from the trees, cutting through the darkness. The alarm abruptly stopped. ¡°Petrifiers!¡± Isolde cursed. ¡°They must have bypassed Hart¡¯s patrol!¡± Cedric set his jaw. ¡°They¡¯ll be after Drestra. Go an¡¯ make sure she¡¯s awake, Merzhin an¡¯ the Professor too! I''ll hold ¡®em off!¡± ¡°Alone?¡± Isolde asked. He grinned at her, his golden tooth shining. ¡°I might not be all that good at thinkin, or leadin¡¯, but I¡¯s the Chosen. Protectin¡¯s somethin¡¯ I''m damn good at!¡± He cast flight magic on himself and soared over the ruin. Isolde watched him fly away, then turned, flying off to make sure the others were awake. Cedric reached the trees, cursing. The entire forest was alive with Ravener-spawn. Twitching chitterers. Powerful bone-chargers. Hulking Skinless ones, and rising from their ranks, a host of more powerful monsters: behemoths, gibbering legions and even a gruesome-looking, multi-tentacled rampart crusher. Dozens of the Ravener¡¯s Hunters dotted the enemy ranks and¡ªthough he could not see them¡ªCedric knew petrifiers had to be leading them. ¡°Right, Cedric,¡± he said, casting defensive magics over himself. ¡°Remember, y¡¯just got ta¡¯ hold them beasties off fer maybe a minute or two¡­by yourself¡­not a problem.¡± He drew in a deep breath. ¡°Alright, Ravener-spawn, let¡¯s da¡ª¡± Suddenly a monster dropped from the sky. A creature with a draconic lower body, and six arms that wielded as many weapons, landed on a behemoth, crushing it in the mud. In a blur, she lashed out with a glowing, bladed tail, and the weapons she was holding. She pointed a strange device at the rampart crusher, there came an ear-shattering crack and a barrel sized hole blew through the beast. All around, masses of Ravener-spawn were dying in heartbeats. Soon, more monsters, looking nothing like Ravener-spawn, appeared. Hulking earth elementals rose from the ground, and storming air elementals floated from the sky. Winged humanoids¡ªblazing with holy light¡ªlanded among the Hunters, cutting them down with flaming weapons. In minutes, the Ravener-spawns¡¯ ambush had become a slaughter. A slaughter of Ravener-spawn. Volleys of fireballs flew from the sky, exploding among the enemy. Hunters were turned to ash, and¡ªmore importantly¡ªpetrifiers were now outlined in flame, glowing like living targets announcing their positions. The new monsters did not hesitate. The towering six-armed woman levelled her weapon, releasing booming projectiles that punched massive holes through a petrifier, ripping through a line of trees behind it. Earth elementals swarmed over the legs of another petrifier, dragging it deep into the ground as air elementals fried it with lightning. The winged beings fell on the last one, mangling it with holy lances and flaming swords. Cedric stood, stunned, gaping at what was going on around him. ¡°You looked like you could use a hand,¡± a voice said from beside him. He spun around, looking into the green eyes of a familiar, sorely missed friend. ¡°Alex?¡± he cried. The young wizard was floating beside him, with Theresa, Brutus, Grimloch and the two giants he¡¯d met from that northern Empire. ¡°In the flesh,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°I''m back.¡± ¡°Do y¡¯got Baelin wit¡¯cha?¡± Cedric asked, amazed at the destruction dealt by the army of summoned monsters. ¡°Where in blazes did all these beasties come from?¡± ¡°They¡¯re with me,¡± Alex said, pointing a finger at a Hunter, trying to escape the chaos. With a twitch of his brow, and a few muttered words, the young wizard struck the creature with a beam of magic. It screamed, instantly turning to dust, particles floating through the air. The Chosen¡¯s eyes were close to bulging from his head. ¡°Did you just¡ªthat spell¡­does that mean¡ª¡± ¡°Yup,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°There is no more Fool, my friend. The General¡¯s back.¡± ¡°Then, why do y''all look so grim?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°We¡¯ll explain later,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We should tell everyone together. Are Drestra and Merzhin here?¡± ¡°Aye, an¡¯ Isolde, an¡¯ Professor Jules an¡¯ some Watchers are here too. Hart¡¯s out patrollin¡¯, but after all the hells y¡¯just raised, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s well on his way back.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯ll save time,¡± Grimloch said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said, then reached to shake Cedric¡¯s hand. ¡°It''s good to see you again. Come on, we¡¯ve got information to share and some planning to do.¡± At the word ¡®planning¡¯, the Chosen let out a relieved laugh. ¡°By the Traveller, did I ever miss ya!¡± Chapter 777: The General and the Heroes ¡°Do my eyes deceive me?¡± Professor Jules called into the night, her eyes wide. Isolde was beside her. ¡°Is that you, Mr. Roth? Please tell me you''re not some apparition created as a result of one of your more foolhardy adventures!¡± Alex, Theresa, Cedric and the others landed in the rubble of the courtyard, among the tents. Priests, knights and soldiers were coming from tents and passageways in the ruined fort¡ªmost were wearing armour that was in different states of being strapped on. Among them, Drestra and Merzhin had been moving toward the forest, but had stopped dead when they saw Alex and company approaching. ¡°It''s me,¡± the General of Thameland smiled at Professor Jules before turning to his other friends. ¡°I''m finally back. And the monsters that were out there are dead.¡± He¡¯d dismissed his summons for now. At this¡ªespecially the ¡®monsters being dead¡¯ part¡ªthe Thameish soldiers began cheering and asking questions, like; ¡°what did he just say, and how¡¯re they dead so fast¡±? ¡°The Fool¡¯s back! And he brought reinforcements!¡± a knight cried. ¡°Long live Thameland!¡± another soldier cheered. ¡°In Uldar¡¯s name we thank our god for our ally¡¯s return,¡± a priest said. Alex had to fight down bile rising in his throat as Professor Jules, Drestra, Merzhin and Isolde rushed toward them. ¡°You''re alive, Alex. Thank the elements!¡± Isolde cried. ¡°Is it finished? Did you do it?¡± Professor Jules and Drestra looked at his shoulder, while Merzhin had a perplexed look on his face. ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°I did. I actually did it.¡± ¡°Congratulations!¡± Isolde shouted. ¡°Finally,¡± Professor Jules let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good for you. Good for all of us,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Con¡­congratulations¡­¡± Merzhin said quietly. ¡°But did you avenge her?¡± Alex looked at Merzhin, and knew he was talking about Carey. He nodded silently. The relief that went through the Saint¡¯s body was palpable; his shoulders relaxed, the tension drained from his face. ¡°Oh thank¡­¡± he paused, his words failing. ¡°Thank Uldar,¡± he finished in much quieter tones. Alex¡¯s face twisted at the god¡¯s name, but he looked away at Professor Jules and the Heroes. ¡°Is there somewhere we can talk around here? Privately, I mean. There¡¯s¡­some stuff I have to tell you. Well, there¡¯s a lot of stuff I have to tell you, but¡­¡± he looked at the ruined fort¡¯s gateway and the forest on its other side. ¡°We should wait for Hart to get back.¡± ¡°Sounds serious,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It is serious,¡± he confirmed. ¡°We have a lot to talk about.¡±
¡°Gone?¡± Merzhin screamed, his voice echoing through stone walls around them. ¡°What do you mean gone?¡± ¡°I think he was pretty bloody clear!¡± Cedric shouted. Drestra glared at them both. ¡°Will you two keep it down?¡¯ she hissed. ¡°Do you want the entire camp to hear you?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t blame them,¡± Hart¡¯s deep voice rumbled from a dark corner of the fort¡¯s jail hall. ¡°This is bad¡­even if I don¡¯t know why it¡¯s bad, I know it can¡¯t be good.¡± Alex and his companions had waited for the Champion¡¯s return, then gone to a damaged hallway in the old fort leading to the dilapidated building¡¯s jail hall. It was a short, narrow passage with jail cells on either side. The space was cramped with all thirteen of them crammed into it¡ªeven with the giants shrinking in size¡ªbut it was the most private spot they could find. The soldiers and priests were outside, collecting more Ravener-spawn bodies for the pyres, while Alex told his story from the time he¡¯d left for the Empire with Bjorgrund and Birger, to the disappearance of Uldar¡¯s body and throne. It was the disappearance that had made Merzhin and Cedric react so intensely. The others were quieter, but the shocking fact had clearly disturbed everyone, especially the two Heroes. Hart was tapping his foot nervously, while Drestra had her arms wrapped around herself, her fingernails digging into her skin. Isolde¡¯s jaw hung open in silence, while Professor Jules had gone almost as pale as fresh snow. The alchemy professor was muttering under her breath. ¡°This is a horrifying development,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And a very poorly timed one at that. You were on the cusp of getting information that could be vital against the Ravener¡­then you have that interrupted by this? Never mind whathorrors the Ravener could be planning for Uldar¡¯s body and throne¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to ask you about, Professor,¡± Alex said. ¡°What could the Ravener do with his body?¡± She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say. As far as we know, the Ravener is no alchemist, so the most well-known alchemical applications that would likely apply to divine blood and flesh, can be ruled out. Then again, we have no clue as to what this Ravener is truly capable of, not to mention the glaring fact that I¡¯m no expert on divinity.¡± The professor looked at Merzhin. ¡°Do you have any idea what it could want with Uldar¡¯s body and throne, Merzhin?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. Silence dragged on before the Saint finally answered; for more than a few heartbeats he simply stared ahead with unfocused eyes and a blank expression. ¡°I¡­I really don¡¯t know. My training did not involve learning what could be done with my own god¡¯s body¡­what sort of depravity have we come to?¡± ¡°Seems none of us can rightly say,¡± Cedric said. ¡°But we gots t¡¯put a stop t¡¯whatever it is. We needs t¡¯be findin¡¯ the bloody Ravener¡­ I jus¡¯ wish findin¡¯ it was as easy as talkin¡¯ about findin¡¯ it. That¡¯d be the way t¡¯solve all this.¡± ¡°Not until we find out how to stop it from reviving in a hundred years,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Even if we find and destroy it, it will just come back in a century. Your descendants will have to deal with it, and I¡¯ll be alive in a hundred years to fight its monsters all over again. I have no interest in that!¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Professor Jules confirmed. ¡°Even if we did find it¡ªwith no way to shut it down permanently, then¡ªengaging in battle with it would be somewhat pointless. Still, I''ll try to discreetly consult with some of my colleagues¡ªones who have academic knowledge in divinity¡ªregarding what one could do with the body of a god. Any information we can gather could give us some pre-warning as to what might be coming.¡± ¡°I can tell you one thing that¡¯s probably coming,¡± Hart said. Everyone turned to him. ¡°The Ravener¡¯s been getting nastier lately¡­when it finds out that its creator¡¯s dead¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, we''ve been talking about that,¡± Alex said, looking around. ¡°It''ll come for us. Probably all of us. Or, at least, that''s the assumption we have to make.¡± ¡°Oh, well that¡¯s jus¡¯ bloody great,¡± Cedric rolled his eyes. ¡°We¡¯re all hangin¡¯ on by a bloody thread, an¡¯ you''re thinkin¡¯ it''s gonna get even nastier?¡± ¡°We won''t be able to contain the Ravener-spawn ourselves,¡± Drestra said grimly. ¡°Not if it gets even more aggressive.¡± ¡°We''re going to need help,¡± Alex said. ¡°And I want us to have as much of it as we can get. Unlocking, the General has given me some ideas.¡± ¡°Well, I fer one would appreciate more help and some ideas,¡± Cedric said. ¡°I''m all ears. But wait, before we keep goin¡¯, show us that bloody Mark o¡¯yours. We''ve been here, talkin¡¯ all sorts of doom and gloom, an¡¯ haven''t even gotten to the good news stuff!¡± ¡°After all of this waiting and so many difficulties, I¡¯m also very curious, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules added. Alex looked around; the others¡ªexcept Birger and Bjorgrund¡ªwere staring at his shoulder expectantly. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll need to take my shirt off¡­but¡­I guess if seeing someone shirtless offended any of you, you¡¯d never be able to be around Cedric,¡± he laughed. ¡°Hey!¡± The Chosen frowned. ¡°Ach, yer not wrong, though. ¡®It¡¯s jus¡¯ that I find shirts so bloody¡­constrainin¡¯, is all!¡± ¡°They really are, aren''t they?¡± Bjorgrund agreed. ¡°Aye, I¡¯m bloody shocked nobody else talks about it!¡± Cedric said. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± Isolde murmured. Alex unfastened his cloak and pulled off his shirt, while the Chosen and giant discussed the intricate tyrannies of being clothed around the torso. Alex revealed the Mark of the General to his companions; the crowned sword, hovering above the scroll, shone in all its glory in place of the Fool¡¯s Mark. ¡°Glad I don''t have to hide my Mark under Thundar¡¯s illusion anymore,¡± Alex rubbed his shoulder. ¡°So that¡¯s what it looks like on flesh.¡± Drestra eyed it. The others crowded around his shoulder beside her. Even Merzhin was examining it. ¡°It looks a lot better than the Fool¡¯s Mark did.¡± ¡°You might want to consider concealing it, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°No one outside of our inner circle even knows that Mark exists. Otherwise, it will raise a lot of questions¡­and perhaps we should be ready to answer them.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­a good call, professor,¡± Alex said. ¡°Which actually brings up something I wanted¡ª¡± ¡°Wait, wait,¡± Hart said. ¡°I can see that the Marks look different, but is this one really different? Can you fight now?¡± Alex responded by punching Cedric in the jaw. ¡°Gah!¡± the Chosen reeled back. ¡°Hey! Why¡¯d y¡¯do that?¡± ¡°Payback,¡± Alex said simply. ¡°Remember, when you sent me flying when you found out I was the Fool? Well, I only gave you a little love tap on the jaw¡ªmostly out of consideration for Isolde¡ª¡± The noblewoman turned bright red, sputtering like a teapot. ¡°¡ªand considering you tried to knock the soul out of my body, I''d say I was pretty merciful.¡± Alex grinned like an evil cat. ¡°Love tap my arse, it still hurts!¡± Cedric said, rubbing his jaw. ¡°By the Traveller, you really are holdin¡¯ a grudge!¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said, turning to Hart. ¡°How¡¯s that? Does that show you I can actually fight now?¡± Hart was doubled over, his shoulders were shaking with silent laughter. Since he couldn''t speak, he simply gave Alex a thumbs up. ¡°Bloody traitor,¡± the Chosen grumbled. ¡°Right, then. Anyone have any more questions? Well, if y¡¯do, don¡¯ ask ¡¯em. Don''t want ¡®im demonstratin¡¯ anythin¡¯ else on me. Now, Mr. love tap, what were y¡¯goin¡¯ t¡¯bring up before y¡¯went an¡¯ decided t¡¯give me more gold teeth?¡± The young wizard¡¯s smile faded, and he sighed. ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°A lot¡¯s happened. The hidden church¡¯s members are just about dead, except for the ones that were embedded outside of Uldar¡¯s Rise. We know Uldar¡¯s dead, but now his body''s been taken by who knows who, for who knows what reasons. The Fool¡¯s gone, and the General¡¯s back¡­a lot has happened. Do we keep it all to ourselves?¡± He looked at the others. ¡°With the hidden church gone, a lot of our need for secrecy is out the window, and things are probably going to get really bad before they get better. I''m wondering if we should tell anyone about¡­any of what''s happened? About anything that''s changed?¡± ¡°We cannot tell anyone that our god has passed!¡± Merzhin said, with passion. ¡°Already, morale is being stretched thin. In the past three months, I have had to convince at least three separate groups within our forces, not to desert our cause. If they hear that Uldar is dead, there will be a mass exodus.¡± ¡°Aye, but d¡¯we even got the right t¡¯keep that news t¡¯ourselves at this point?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Powerful enemies are dead¡ªand it don''t feel right to keep Uldar¡¯s crimes t¡¯ourselves.¡± ¡°The body being taken¡¯s a big problem,¡± Hart said. ¡°What if the Ravener turns it into some kind of zombie and has it appear and tell everyone that we should all be killed or something?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I don''t know much about spellcasting, but I¡¯ve fought the undead. Who knows, maybe the Ravener can do that sorta thing, then next thing ya know, our people are fighting us.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°I didn''t even think of the possibility of the Ravener trying to turn the people against us.¡± The young wizard frowned. ¡°I don''t want to have to deal with that shit. It''s been nice going through my own country without having to be worried about being captured at any moment. The way it was for me before sucked, period, and I don''t want any of you to have to go through that.¡± ¡°How would one stop that, though?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°If that is the Ravener¡¯s plan and I do mean if, since we have no idea as to what is truly going on.¡± ¡°We should get ahead of it,¡± Alex said. ¡°Perhaps we should tell the king.¡± Everyone looked at Merzhin. ¡°Really?¡± Cedric asked. The Saint looked around. ¡°Why not? He is the highest authority in the land¡­and¡­how do I put this?¡± He thought carefully. ¡°When I saw the corpse of my god, I knew that I needed to take other actions. The death of my friend, Carey, and the death of my god meant that I needed another path in my life. Yet, when the First Apostle saw Uldar¡¯s body, you said that he reacted by only going further into ugliness. He could not adjust. I think, however, that the king can.¡± Merzhin pointed at Alex. ¡°We were able to convince him to not take you. I do believe he would be open-minded enough to hear the truth, and help us when he hears it.¡± The others looked at each other. ¡°I don''t know about that,¡± Alex said. ¡°I remember when his army tried to kill me: it''s probably still infiltrated by members of the hidden church, and who knows how close they are to the king.¡± The Heroes look at each other. ¡°About that,¡± Drestra said. ¡°You heard about how that councillor from your city spoke to the king, right?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Councillor Kartika talked to him, that''s what Professor Jules told me. Why, has something happened since then?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Feels like someone''s been tryin¡¯ t¡¯smoke the foxes out o¡¯ the henhouse.¡± Chapter 778: Smoking out the Foxes in the Henhouse ¡°What do you mean trying to smoke the foxes out of the henhouse?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Has something been going on with the army?¡± ¡°It started with transfers,¡± Hart said. ¡°Officers transferring in from other battalions. People straight from Ussex; hard people. Knights with a lot of connections at the court, and nobles who¡¯d fought for the king before. We thought they¡¯d come here to keep a closer eye on us.¡± ¡°I actually thought they might''ve been from the hidden church for a while,¡± Drestra said. ¡°But if they were, they never made a move.¡± ¡°Well, they did,¡± Hart said. ¡°It just wasn''t against us. You see, they¡¯d always be a little apart from everyone else, keeping their own council, as it were. That''s when some of the priests and other soldiers were transferred out and sent to other parts of the realm.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°The newest folk were the ones sent away most o¡¯ the time. We didn¡¯t know what any of it meant, but¡­¡± ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying,¡± Alex said. ¡°It does seem strange for all those people to randomly start appearing and sending soldiers away after Councillor Kartika talked to the king. Seems that¡¯d be connected. And if the king¡¯s moving against the secret church, it should mean he''d be a good ally for us.¡± ¡°Perhaps, but perhaps not,¡± Isolde said. ¡°What you propose to tell him is that his god has been long dead. No one knows how he would react to such news¡­no one knows how anyone would react to that.¡± ¡°I still think it''s the best solution,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°As you said, it could be that the Ravener is planning to use Uldar¡¯s body to turn all of Thameland against us. I would not have our people fall into in-fighting, so this would be one of the best ways to counter such a possibility.¡± ¡°With the highest authority in the country on our side¡­¡± Alex mused. ¡°Yeah, that could really help. Alright, then that''s one of the things we should do. I''m not sure how much we should tell him yet, but we should at least try and talk to him in private.¡± ¡°Hold on,¡± Birger said. ¡°How do we convince this king that Uldar¡¯s dead, if we do give him such drastic news? Well, if youtell him that, I mean. I doubt I''m going be there for that meeting. Point is, you don''t have a body anymore. I don''t know if he''s going to just take your word for it.¡± ¡°What about Uldar¡¯s recording?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°We could take King Athelstan to the recording. Uldar says right in it that he was getting sick¡­and with the sanctum being empty, yet all of his stuff is still there¡­maybe the king will be convinced then?¡± ¡°We should watch the rest of Uldar¡¯s journal first, before we decide on that,¡± Alex said. ¡°We don¡¯t know what else is in that record. Last thing we want is for us to show him the recording, just for Uldar¡¯s last entry to be ¡®I will never die, if anyone is showing you this then they have murdered me and you should kill them, immediately¡¯.¡± ¡°That would be awkward,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we should watch the rest of the journal first?¡± ¡°As much as I¡¯d like to say that we should go after Uldar¡¯s body right now¡­¡± Merzin paused. ¡°Without having the slightest idea as to where it might be, we would simply be wasting precious time.¡± ¡°The recordings are the only source of new information that we have, perhaps, we should go through them before we do anything else,¡± Jules said. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, his journal will lead us in the right direction. Then we can get Uldar¡¯s body and throne back and be closer to ending this menace.¡± ¡°Something occurs to me,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Will we have continued support from Generasi in the future?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°At Rockmoot, it became common knowledge that our intent is to end this bloody cycle once and for all,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Councillor Kartika heard that as well. But if the Ravener¡¯s destroyed, that would effectively end the supply of dungeon core essence forever. Would that not be against Generasi¡¯s best interests?¡± Silence fell over the group. ¡°That thought had occurred to me too,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But none of the council have said anything to me on the matter; no one has come to me directly to ask me anything about it, and if Councillor Kartika has any opinion on what we were trying to do, she has certainly been quiet on the point.¡± ¡°There''s a relief,¡± Cedric said. ¡°I wouldn''t be so sure,¡± the alchemy professor countered. ¡°What Councillor Kartika heard were simply our intentions¡­we haven''t shown any real progress on ending the Ravener permanently, yet. And, remember, she''s a politician,¡± Professor Jules emphasised. ¡°Considering what''s been going on back home¡ªwhich I''m sure is going to greatly displease Chancellor Baelin¡ªshe won''t be in the best political position to push back against us for trying to destroy the Ravener. Not yet, at least. When we start making true progress toward eliminating the Ravener forever, she might not be so quiet about it.¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds about right¡­¡± Alex mused. ¡°But wait, What do you mean ¡®what''s been going on back home?¡¯ I mean, in Generasi. What has been going on there?¡± Professor Jules looked at Alex. ¡°I suppose you weren''t here for that.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Here for what?¡± the young wizard asked. ¡°Yeah, I''m curious about this too,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Well, from what I have heard, word of your Saint and demigoddess¡ªthe Traveller¡ªis spreading. Rather quickly at that,¡± she said. Theresa and Alex looked at each other, then at Isolde and the Heroes. None of them looked like they knew what she meant. ¡°My husband has a regular date for drinks with a few of the higher ranking members of our government; not the council members themselves, but some of their aides,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of buzz going on in the Wizard Council. Apparently, our city of wizards is becoming a city of miracles. It seems it all started with some of the mercenaries who fought at Uldar¡¯s Rise when a number of them became devout followers of the Traveller.¡± Theresa looked uncomfortable. ¡°This woman told me about her son, apparently he was one of those mercenaries,¡± the huntress said. ¡°She said that all he ever talked about was this new faith he¡¯d found at Uldar¡¯s Rise.¡± ¡°Indeed. Few new converts are shy when they join a new religion. They tell everyone,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But, I do understand why rumours are flying around the wizard council, you have to understand that much of the Generasi citizenry¡¯s disdain toward deities stems from three things.¡± She held up a finger. ¡°First, being a city of wizards, we do not need the power of a deity to make reality more comfortable for ourselves. Magic eliminates much of the need for the divine.¡± She held up a second finger. ¡°The second stems from our history: the divine entity that ruled the lands that would become Generasi was, of course, Oreca. He was a cruel deity, and selfish enough to try to destroy the population when he could not get his way. They killed him, of course, and that fact is pressed into our blood and culture: Generasians are god-killers, not worshippers.¡± Merzhin shifted uncomfortably. ¡°However, Generasi¡¯s population has grown over the centuries,¡± Professor Jules continued. ¡°It swells with people who have come to the city at the centre of creation from all over the world. When folk come, they bring new ideas, new philosophies, and new deities.¡± ¡°But none of those deities ever caught on in Generasi,¡± Alex said. ¡°Probably because Generasi doesn''t need miracles, and they have contempt for deities in the first place.¡± ¡°That''s true, Mr. Roth, but that leads me to the third reason why worship of deities has never caught on.¡± She held up a third finger. ¡°Generasi is a city that runs a great deal on commerce and exchange. Not just in coin, but in favours and ideas.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Alex said. ¡°You need to put something into magic to get something back out, even if that¡¯s just mana and time. You need to bargain with otherworldly entities to get them to serve you. With so many wizards in Generasi, the idea of bargains becoming part of the culture just adds up.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And when Thameish priests came to Generasi, they never quite understood that. They¡¯d perform services for people, but would largely keep to themselves and serve their followers first. They would stay in their own quarter, usually only stepping into the rest of Generasi society, to push their own faith.¡± ¡°Or beg for donations,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I remember seeing priests standing at the city gates asking for coin for the war effort.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Jules said. ¡°And to the average cynical citizen of our city-state, that would not translate into more faith for foreign deities. Most of our population look at priests as somewhat untrustworthy. No offence, Saint Merzhin.¡± ¡°I am not sure if I should be offended or not,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Let''s just say not, for now.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± the professor continued. ¡°In any case, the favours that foreign priests did, supposedly for free, actually came with strings attached to them. They might feed the poor, but expect those they fed to come to their temple and pray. They might heal the sick, but then quickly extend their hand for donations. They might lead others to enlightenment, and speak of an aesthetic life, then retire to temples paved in gold.¡± ¡°They couldn''t all have been hypocrites,¡± Merzhin spoke up. ¡°Maybe I am becoming somewhat offended now.¡± ¡°No, not all of them were,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But those that were¡ªand there were many, historically¡ªdid a lot of damage. In the end, priests in Generasi became associated with the idea of ¡°hidden costs¡±. Meanwhile, much of what they could do was no more wondrous than what any Proper Wizard¡ª¡± She grimaced. ¡°¡ªI hate that the chancellor¡¯s words bleed into my vocabulary¡ªor alchemist could do. And the nice thing about most Generasian wizards or alchemists, is that the costs are discussed upfront.¡± Alex chuckled at that. Merzhin didn''t. ¡°So basically,¡± the young wizard moved on quickly. ¡°The priests came, some of them were suspicious, and what they did was pretty mundane compared to what a lot of wizards could do. So they never caught on. The Generasians had a bias against priests in the first place, they don''t serve any real role in that society, and they can''t do much more than what most Proper Wizards¡ª¡± Jules groaned. ¡° ¡ªcan. So there¡¯s no need to worship at a temple to maybe get what you can by visiting your local magic shop. Is that about right?¡± ¡°Very good, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Importantly, the power priests wield is¡ªmostly¡ªreplicable and explainable in our city.¡± ¡°But you said something different is going on now?¡± Alex said. ¡°Because¡­¡± Professor Jules looked at Alex pointedly. ¡°¡­what''s been happening hasn''t been explainable. According to my husband''s friends in the bureaucracy, people are seeing their ailments healed. Illnesses have been disappearing like they were never there. People have been finding themselves saved from danger.¡± ¡°That sounds like something Hannah would do,¡± Alex said. ¡°Exactly,¡± she said. ¡°There has been no direct cause for these events. No altruistic wizard someone can point to. No friendly priest that someone can explain. All that people know is that good deeds are being done without any apparent source, and they tend to occur around the people speaking the Traveller¡¯s name. There was an incident where a young woman apparently spoke to one of the mercenaries from Uldar¡¯s Rise who talked glowingly about the Traveller. This young woman laughed off the encounter, then came home to find her sick pet suddenly cured of an ailment that had plagued it for months. There¡¯ve been other stories like that from all around the city, and it''s starting to make people take notice. Really take notice.¡± ¡°Huh, Hannah''s doing good, and that¡¯s spreading her name,¡± Alex beamed. ¡°Good for her!¡± ¡°I was also told of similar things occurring in the Rhinean Empire around the area where the Thameish are staying,¡± Isolde said. ¡°In truth, I really did not think much of it at the time.¡± ¡°An¡¯ that explains the things that¡¯ve happened here,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Soldiers¡¯ve said they''ve been saved right from the jaws o¡¯ Ravener-spawn! Monsters¡¯ll come leapin¡¯ at ¡®em, only t¡¯suddenly be pulled away, or fer the attack t¡¯fall short.¡± ¡°Hannah must be growing stronger¡­¡± Alex reasoned. ¡°She¡¯s showing more power now. She¡¯s gotta be closer to finding her way back to the material world.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Well, all I knows is I prays t¡¯her.¡± ¡°You know what¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Maybe we can help her. We need to bring up something with the king, but first? Let''s go watch Uldar¡¯s journal.¡± Chapter 779: The First Ravener When Alex returned with the others to Uldar¡¯s Rise, there was no lack of Watchers present. The area was secured, and a perimeter had been established, fortifying the gate. Watcher Hill was now there. ¡°They must''ve contacted Greymoor,¡± Theresa commented as they appeared among the warrior-wizards. ¡°Good to see all of you,¡± Watcher Hill said, walking to them. ¡°Professor Jules, I must apologise. I imagine you¡¯ve already been informed of the developments here?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Jules sighed as she walked toward the portal. Watcher Hill lowered her head. ¡°Allowing this to happen is a blemish on our record. To say it was unacceptable is an understatement and we should''ve done better. It should never have been allowed to happen.¡± ¡°We''re all doing our best, Watcher Hill,¡± Professor Jules continued. ¡°Your Warriors laid down their lives to stop those items from being taken. No one can ask for any more than that.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the Watcher commander said. ¡°We''ve fortified the area, and requested reinforcements from Generasi for both Greymoor and this area since it has been compromised.¡± She paused, looking at Alex. ¡°Welcome back, by the way.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Alex said. ¡°I just wish we were meeting under better circumstances.¡± It was Watcher Hill who looked exhausted now. ¡°I agree. These have been trying times for all of us.¡± ¡°We''ll get through it,¡± Alex said in earnest. ¡°The worst might be coming, I don''t know, but we¡¯ve survived a lot up to now, and I''m not planning on letting that change anytime soon.¡± ¡°We have some information to take a look at, Watcher Hill, I think you might want to come with us,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It¡¯s information from some found records of Uldar¡¯s that Mr. Roth discovered. They should be helpful.¡± The Watcher commander paused. ¡°Alright. I''ll inform my lieutenant as to where I¡¯ll be, then I¡¯ll be with you.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Alex said, then paused. ¡°Actually, if everyone doesn¡¯t mind heading upstairs without me, I have to teleport to Greymoor for a moment.¡± ¡°Is there something you have to do?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Yeah, get some chairs,¡± he said. ¡°Doesn''t make sense for all of you to be sitting on the floor again.¡±
¡°I just want to warn everyone right now that Uldar is really long-winded,¡± Alex said as he sat in the god¡¯s overstuffed chair. ¡°The controls let me speed through some of his words, and I can reverse them in case we miss something, but a lot of this is just going to be sitting and letting him spew his story at us.¡± ¡°It will not be the first time I have sat through a stuffy lecture, so to speak,¡± Isolde said, looking quite relaxed beside Cedric. ¡°It is not a problem for me.¡± ¡°It feels strange,¡± Merzhin said, his chair a little apart from the others. ¡°This time last year, I would''ve been in complete ecstasy at the thought of hearing Uldar¡¯s words. To see his image, would''ve made me faint from emotion. Now, though¡­I almost dread it.¡± ¡°Are you sure you wanna be here for this?¡± Alex asked him. ¡°I mean, if you can''t, you can''t. We could just tell you what he said after we''re done.¡± The small man''s eyes turned hard. ¡°No. I think I need this, even if it will be like swallowing vile medicine.¡± ¡°Well, if you need to step out, just tell me,¡± Alex said, then looked to the others. The room was much fuller now. ¡°Anyone have any questions?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hart said. ¡°If Uldar takes a long time, that''s gonna be a problem: it¡¯ll be rough on the soldiers and priests if we''re gone for very long.¡± Alex grinned at that. ¡°I left Asmaldestre with them. Trust me, she may not be able to heal wounds and cast spells, but after a bit of time with her, the Ravener-spawn¡¯ll be begging for all of you to come back.¡± ¡°Your army might be too,¡± Birger added. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Hart said. ¡°Alright then, let''s see what this blowhard has to say.¡± With that, Alex reactivated the controls in the chair. The images of Thameland all around the viewing room disappeared and Uldar¡¯s image re-appeared¡ªstill looking sickly¡ªas Alex advanced the journal to where they¡¯d left off. ¡°By the Traveller!¡± Cedric swore. ¡°So that''s what he looked like¡­when he was livin¡¯...¡± ¡°He looks awful,¡± Drestra said. ¡°He almost looks dead.¡± ¡°That wound at his side looks bad, like it¡¯s oozing a lot,¡± Hart said. Merzhin choked back a low sob, but showed no sign of needing to leave the room. ¡°Alright, let''s start again,¡± Alex started the recording. Uldar ground his teeth, then touched his side. ¡°¡­and I still would be¡ªpersonally¡ªwere it not for that damned demon lord.¡± Suddenly, the god looked very weary. ¡°I tire. I shall continue this later.¡± Uldar disappeared, and Alex went to the next entry. When the god reappeared on the windows before them, everyone¡ªexcept Grimloch¡ªgasped. He looked far worse than he had in his last entry. His skin was grey, his body much thinner, and the wound on his side had stained much of his robes, black. He was shivering, and his eyes were haunted, the skin around them looked bruised. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. When he spoke, his voice was weak. ¡°Living journal, entry eighty-five. It¡¯s been some time since I''ve been able to continue this record to myself. The poison burns my body badly as of late, and my health diminishes far more than usual. I must speak to Aenflynn about more solutions¡­but my mind has been growing more foggy. Days that I am clear grow fleeting. Fortunately, the next cycle is near. The next link in the chain is forming.¡± Theresa and Alex looked at each other, but said nothing. No one wanted the recording to stop. ¡°I had hoped to rest, but my mind turns on itself with bitterness. This journal has done much to keep me sane over the last¡­the last¡­I do not know how long I''ve been recording it now.¡± He looked disturbed at this. ¡°But I must try. I must admit that my reluctance to record this entry is due to reliving the pain. The pain of my fall.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°I remember the day clearly at this moment. Aenflynn and I had been working together for some time, my people were growing in both knowledge and might, and I had just achieved a great victory over a terrible sea serpent that had plagued our coasts.¡± His lip twitched. ¡°Those were good times. We celebrated often, then. Both Thameland and Och Fir Nog were in times of plenty. Yet our enemies plotted against us, and they would strike in a way that we had not anticipated.¡± His face grew stern. ¡°I have often wondered if things would have been different had I not spent the centuries I did helping Aenflynn directly. Not only was I sending children to him to swell his armies, but there were a great many battles where I personally led my honour guard at his side. Together, we were able to shatter the armies of his enemies. Unfortunately¡­¡± His hands clenched into trembling fists. ¡°Those enemies had noted my assistance in Aenflynn¡¯s battles and had decided to take a two-pronged approach. With the help of an archwizard, they conjured a demon lord of poisons from one of the deepest pits of the hells. Even I cannot fathom the sheer amount of power they must have used to accomplish such a feat, nor do I have such an evil mind to comprehend the processes that were used to change the creature.¡± His thin lips became a flat line. ¡°What I do know about is the amount of chaos that resulted when they unleashed the beast upon my people. While they attacked Och Fir Nog with their armies, their mutant-demon slave attacked Thameland. The suffering that resulted was unimaginable. Already, the demon lord had been a creature of venoms and poisons, but the enemy fae had altered its form to enhance those properties. Wherever it went, our land was polluted. Mortals and beasts alike died from its venom; those that did not, were prey to the monsters it would shed from its form, just as a hound would shake off fleas.¡± He snarled. ¡°Naturally, I could not abide this. In the span of days, my people were reduced to a fraction of their number. So I challenged this demon single-handedly¡­this creature called¡ª¡± Alex and Theresa spoke the word at the same time as Uldar did. ¡°¡ªThe Ravener.¡± The god continued. ¡°We fought for thirty days without end. It was the most terrible yet wonderful battle I had ever fought. In many ways, the creature made me feel alive in ways I had long forgotten. I had no longer known the fear of having one''s life on the line¡­the rush of victory snatched from the jaws of death. And victory I did achieve. In my hands, I broke the beast, smiting it to its ruin. Then¡ªin the throes of wrath¡ªI crossed into the fae wild and slew the armies besieging Och Fir Nog. The kingdoms around Aenflynn¡¯s died in a span of days.¡± Uldar¡¯s expression grew sad then, and he touched the wound on his side. ¡°But our victory came at a terrible cost. Though Aenflynn¡¯s enemies were wiped out, much of his population had also been devastated. Decimated! Beyond decimated! Where he had once ruled a kingdom, now he had only a fraction of his people to rule. Enough to fill a village¡­perhaps a town.¡± The god¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°And I would soon know that pain well myself. When I returned to the material world, I found that the monsters the Ravener had shed had gutted my kingdom. The civilization that I had worked for thousands of years to build, was all but destroyed. Peaceful people¡ªisolated from the world outside¡ªgrowing into the finest form of themselves, most were wiped away because of the machinations and poisonous nature of a few evil minds. Many of the sages amongst my people were lost. So much knowledge! So much artistry! So much inspiration!¡± His voice swelled. ¡°All gone! I had failed them. I had failed my people. And it was up to me to rebuild¡­but, of course, I failed to understand the true deviltry that had befallen me.¡± He touched his wound again, his hand coming away wet. ¡°In the last throes of the Ravener¡¯s life, it had struck me with a poisonous tentacle that pierced my side, injecting me with its deepest, most deadliest of venoms. At the time, I had feared it little: I was well into my godhood, then, and knew of no poisons that could bring a god low. We can recover, and live beyond most traumas. Sickness cannot bring us low¡­we have no need to fear hunger and thirst.¡± Uldar shook a finger at himself. ¡°But this poison had putrefied in the body of a demon lord! A demon lord that had been enhanced through fae magics! Why did I not know that then? I would not have allowed it to fester.¡± He shook his head. ¡°When I cure this, never again will I be so foolish. I stood, so very focused on rebuilding my kingdom with my people¡ªreteaching them the knowledge they had lost¡ªI hardly paid attention to the fact that all of my wounds from the battle had long healed by my inherent divine energies.¡± He jammed a finger into his injury, wincing with pain. ¡°All except this one, where the beast had stung me and tore me open! For a time, it seemed to be healing, just as the others had. I felt no need to treat it beyond using my divinity. I assumed that due to the wound¡¯s severity, it would eventually heal, but would take time to do so. Instead, it festered. Most signs of it had faded from my skin, but within me, the poison was slowly rotting my insides like carrion. I had no warning, as I had no pain, until one day, my side ruptured, spewing out the black corruption within me. I called on my most powerful divinities, but nothing stopped the poisons.¡± Uldar grimaced. ¡°It was only then that I knew that if I did not seek outside aid, I would die. So I hid the wound from my people, and went to Aenflynn¡­the injury was beyond the skill of either him or his healers¡­especially since he too had suffered great losses in the war, and most of his sages had been killed. I knew that if I sought help from outside Thameland, every deity, fae lord, wizard or tyrant would see my realm as ripe for the taking. I also needed to not be seen as weak before my people. And so I made a costly decision.¡± He clenched his teeth. ¡°I retreated from the material world, coming to my sanctum where I could focus my divinity, continuing my ascension to higher realms of deific power. When I came more into my godhood, I thought that the poison would simply burn away. I ascended from what was once my home in the material world, trusting it to a secret order of the church. They would be the stewards of my material home, the only ones who knew from where I had ascended, and the ambassadors between myself and my people. They did not know that I was wounded¡­I had no reason to tell them: I had thought that healing the venom would only take the passing of a few moons¡­but that short amount of time, actually turned to years. Those years, to decades. Thanks to my growing understanding of my own essence¡ªand different tonics that Aenflynn would bring me¡ªmy health stabilised. Meanwhile, both Och Fir Nog and Thameland were healing. The populations were growing¡ªthough more slowly in the fae kingdom. They began to rediscover knowledge that had been lost¡­though some things were forever forgotten. Yet, they prospered.¡± He closed his eyes for a long moment. ¡°I was happy. I thought that in peace, I would recover, and then rejoin my people. That was when my wound began to worsen. The poison coursed through my body, stealing my strength, and the rot spread further. At first, I did not know what was happening. I thought that perhaps I had underestimated the venom, or that some tonic my friend had given me had worsened it somehow. I wish to this day that it was that simple. If it were, my people would have suffered far less.¡± The god swallowed, tears springing to his eyes. ¡°I discovered that my body was able to fight the poison off less effectively, because my divinity was diminishing¡­less faith was coming to me from my people. By that point, I had been away from Thameland for centuries¡­and my children, who I had raised for thousands of years¡­had begun to forget me.¡± Chapter 780: The Villain Behind the Curtain ¡°Oh shit,¡± Alex muttered beneath his breath, his stomach sinking. He could already tell where this was going. A god, desperate to survive, now being forgotten. It was easy to guess what had brought Thameland to the situation they found themselves in every hundred years, but Alex still had more questions. Everyones¡¯ eyes were fixed on Uldar: from the sour look on Birger¡¯s face, he''d already figured it out. He was grimacing and muttering under his breath: ¡°oh, by the ancestors, don¡¯t, don''t do it.¡± Cedric was beet red. ¡°Oh, by the spirits,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. Bjorgrund, Professor Jules, Watcher Hill, Isolde and Theresa were still watching in rapt attention. Grimloch and Hart watched stoically, their expressions unreadable. ¡°No¡­¡± Merzhin moaned. ¡°Do not be so cruel¡­¡± Above them, the image of Uldar continued. ¡°I want there to be a record, so I will always know that I did not abandon my people when I left their side. I did not simply recede into my sanctum and leave them to their own devices. I did not leave them to the cold, dark world, to the predation of monsters and tyrants, or the machinations of foreign fae lords.¡± He began to gesticulate wildly. ¡°I sent oracles and revelations to my priests. I provided them with power to work miracles, and even worked miracles for them from a distance! I spoke to my people from afar: granting them counsel and support! And I did not show favouritism to my children either! Just as I cared for the kings and queens, I cared for the most struggling peasant! Even if I could not be physically beside them, I gave them everything any mortal could ask for and more!¡± His eyes shone with white light. ¡°I spoiled them, that is the best way for me to put it! I used precious divine energies that could have been directed toward my own recovery to ensure they wanted for nothing, and yet, they still forgot me! Instead of showing me gratitude, they began to turn inward, thinking of themselves. Many returned to the old ways, some began showing reverence to deities from across the seas that they had been told of!¡± The light in his eyes was so bright, Alex had to squint to keep his eyes on the god¡¯s face. Merzhin was partially standing. ¡°To the ungrateful, I was no longer their respected deity, I had become nothing more than a distant, rarely remembered ancestor! Many still respected me, but there was no worship! The fools!¡± His image trembled as he roared the last two words. ¡°What more did I have to do to prove that I existed? To prove that I was worthy of their worship! And just what did they think would happen if they scattered their faith to the four winds, leaving their father to wither and die alone? They should have known that they would know the cold, hard dangers of the world! That they would know what death and fear and hunger actually was! But I did not want that for them. I never did! I loved them, even though they would not love me in return! Remember these things, Uldar, always remember those desperate centuries. Let them calm the guilt in your heart! Remember the panic and desperation as you tried to shower them with more miracles! As you tried to do everything in your power to prove that you mattered! That you were worthy of a few simple words spoken in prayer that you needed to keep you alive! Remember those years¡­and more importantly¡­¡± The light faded from his eyes. ¡°¡­remember how none of it helped.¡± The god¡¯s lips trembled. A deep indescribable sorrow was etched in his face. ¡°Remember how your miracles would only produce small surges of faith, as the people then turned right back to forgetting you. Remember how they took your kindness for granted! Remember how many of them cried out about you not being there for them to see you. Remember how some preached that¡ªeven if you were truly a god¡ªyou were a weak one, unworthy of their prayers.¡± He touched his wound again, snarling. ¡°Remember the disgusting corruption that spread through you from this terrible wound as faith continued to dry up around you. Remember the terrible sickness, always threatening to bring you low. Always remember those times of darkness. Remember how they took you for granted, all while the infection kept spreading, continuing to eat away at your life-force. Then always remember the event that changed it all.¡± Uldar¡¯s shoulders shook, and he frowned as though searching deep in his mind. ¡°The year was¡­the year was¡­¡± He struggled. ¡°¡­I cannot recall. I used to know that year as well as I knew my own name, yet I cannot recall it now. I hope I can later, perhaps in a future entry¡­I do remember, though, that it was in the summertime. That is one thing I hope I will never forget. I had watched Thameland prosper from my viewing room: happy for the people, angry at them, sad for myself. One day, I witnessed invaders coming to our soil. It was the Irtyshenan¡­people, but the Empire had gone by a different name then¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Or perhaps they were a smaller kingdom or Empire that the Iryshenans later conquered. I do not remember. What I do remember is that I did not have the strength to drive them off. The faith flowing through my sanctum and into me, had fallen so low, that to drive the invaders from our shores, I would have had to sacrifice my very life. At that time, the rot had spread like roots through much of my body, and I was so weak that I found it taxing to even look after my smallest needs. All I could do was watch while my people suffered. My heart bled for them¡­but there was something extraordinary happening to me.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. A look of guilt quickly passed across his face. ¡°The invaders showed little mercy to my people, slaughtering them like beasts, and they were warriors, used to fighting, while the Thameish had grown comfortable. I had always protected them, even from this sanctum, even while they were busy forgetting me. Their small army of fighters were all slain by the enemy¡¯s war golems. The invaders shattered our few magicians with deadly magics. Their ships sank ours¡­they burned our crops, and began putting many to the sword. I truly thought that was the end of both myself and my kingdom, for I still had not the strength to save them, and they had not the strength to save themselves. Yet, as they were once again facing extinction, my people did something they had not done in generations. They turned purely to prayer.¡± He laughed bitterly. ¡°These children who had become so proud, so strong¡ªor so they thought¡ªnow pulled the ivy from my old shrines, and blew the dust away from my abandoned churches to throw themselves on the ground in prostration and beg me to save them! Even as their numbers dwindled away, their prayers turned more numerous, more frantic, and much stronger. More faith flooded to me in that time than in the previous five centuries altogether. I was awash with power, and my wound receded before my divine might, like shadows fleeing from the sun.¡± The god clenched his fist. ¡°Invigorated, I struck down the invaders from where I stood in my sanctum, boiling the seas beneath their ships, raining lightning from the sky, tearing open the earth, and swallowing up their armies. When I was done, none remained, and my people rejoiced!¡± He laughed again, a sound both bitter and joyful. ¡°I learned a valuable and terrible lesson in that moment. I had learned that in comfort, they would ignore me, but in times of fear, they would throw themselves down and call for my aid and mercy. After I had ended the threat of the invaders, my people screamed about the miracles that I had wrought. They spoke of their love for me, and how they would dedicate their lives to worshipping me. Statues were raised, and my churches were packed with survivors of the war! Power coursed through me, and I thought it would only be a matter of time before my wound would finally heal. If only that could''ve been the case.¡± Uldar sighed. ¡°Within a century¡ªa mere hundred years¡ªmany of my people had already forgotten. Mortal lives, are unfortunately, short, and though the generation that lived through the war still worshipped me to their dying breaths¡­their children thought of me less¡­their grandchildren even less, ignoring my churches as they went about their selfish lives¡­their great-grandchildren went a step further, tearing down my churches to build new homes for themselves, for the sacred buildings were now seen as no more than easy sources of stone. Even my secret church could not reverse the tide.¡± A look of deep hatred creased lines across Uldar¡¯s face. ¡°I cursed myself for what I did next¡­I cursed myself for what I had to do. I knew that the only way for me to survive and heal this putrefying wound was to do what would have been, at one time, the unthinkable. I had to¡­in a way¡­betray the very people I had sworn to protect. I would need to keep stoking their fear so they would never forget me again. It would only be used as a temporary solution, of course, to be done away with once I healed. There was no other choice¡­to this day, there is still no other choice.¡± ¡°By the Traveller¡­¡± Theresa swore. ¡°Horrible¡­¡± Merzhin gasped. ¡°For my people, and myself, I would have to keep the fear at a peak so that they might heal me, so that I might keep protecting them forever¡­and then one day I could rejoin them. But for this to happen, I would need an enemy for them to fear. One so terrifying, that they would flock to my churches again. And to this end, I took inspiration from the two greatest enemies that at one time had brought my kingdom to its knees: the invading Empire and the Ravener. I went to my laboratory, took the shell that I had harvested from the ancient demon lord as a trophy¡ªand as an object of study to try and cure my poisoning¡ªand used it as a basis to create a construct. A construct so advanced, that it would make the golems of the time look as rudimentary as a wagon wheel.¡± His chest swelled with pride. ¡°I invented entirely new forms of alchemy to create my most fearsome creature. Its power source was twofold: an advanced mana generator, and a vessel to absorb fear. I gave it much of the capabilities of its predecessor and focused on the original Ravener¡¯s ability to create armies of monsters. I then infused it with a number of protocols and attached them to a mind that allowed it to make decisions within a broad context. It is my greatest creation, apart from Thameland itself, that is, and I look upon the Ravener as my child as much as the people of Thameland are. It is loyal, driven, and would never stop worshipping me¡­if only I were able to infuse it with a true soul. Perhaps, then I could have created an entire army of constructs that simply exist to worship me¡­unfortunately, though, the Ravener¡¯s reverence did not transition into faith for myself. After all, it did not have a soul. So I needed to continue with my plan.¡± ¡°That bastard,¡± Theresa swore. ¡°So that''s why he did it all.¡± ¡°To survive,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°At the expense of us all.¡± ¡°Arrogance¡­¡± Alex said, feeling a mix of emotions. The others were quiet. ¡°Unfortunately, I would also need a counter to my people¡¯s enemy,¡± Uldar said. ¡°While the Ravener would serve as the object of fear to generate faith in me, such an enemy would be useless if it simply roamed through the realm, killing all who crossed its path. One problem with that, was that I would not be able to stop the Ravener myself. Striking it down with divine might would drain my own power, and allow the people to be less fearful since they would believe they could always count on me to save them from so dangerous a threat. The problem of them becoming comfortable and turning their backs on me would still persist. After all, if I was able to stop it from my sanctum, then what reason would they have to fear it? Yet, if I allowed it to rampage long enough, they would come to see my reluctance to stop it as neglecting them! They would stop worshipping me and even grow to hate me. And so, I had to find a better way to stop my Ravener.¡± He smiled, then, a smile filled with pride. ¡°I had already crafted my villain, but I would need heroes to stop it. Heroes that fought in my name, and on my behalf. Heroes that would generate reverence for me, even as the Ravener generated fear and faith. And so, I found inspiration for these Heroes in the rune-marked of the north: I decided to automate a process where five heroes would be selected to battle the Ravener. While my little construct would forever be destined to be defeated by them; it would also be destined to reconstitute itself after every hundred years¡ªgiving the people enough time to rebuild, but not enough time to forget their father. New Heroes would be selected every hundred years to face the Ravener in my name. They would be called: the Champion, the Sage, the Saint, the Chosen¡­and they would have a leader, strategist, and teacher who would be a second in command to myself in times of war; The General.¡± His smile faded rapidly. ¡°I had thought myself so brilliant at the time, but in reality I had already built a flaw in my process¡­one that nearly cost me everything¡­thanks to the General.¡± Chapter 781: To Make a Hero ¡°He''s finally gonna talk about us,¡± Cedric whispered. Alex paused the record. ¡°It looks like it¡­and there''s already a lot for us to digest.¡± ¡°Now we find out why and how he made us,¡± Drestra said. ¡°Or why and how he made our predecessors.¡± ¡°I, for one, am very interested in knowing¡ª¡± Professor Jules was so angry that she was shaking. ¡°¡ªwhy he thought he should create some horrible monster¡ªin the image of another horrible monster¡ªand make it fight five people so young, that they hadn¡¯t even seen twenty years of life yet, is beyond insanity. This is one of the worst violations of alchemy I have ever heard of. How monstrous!¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Merzhin paused. His eyes kept looking down and his face was shining with sweat. ¡°¡­people stopped believing in him¡­and he was going to die. Yet, he chose to punish, not only those he felt had wronged him, but every generation thereafter! How could¡­how could he do this?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Hart said. ¡°Fancy alchemy or magic or divine¡ª¡± ¡°I mean morally!¡± Merzhin shouted, looking at Alex. ¡°You said that in earlier recordings he spoke of our people with love.¡± ¡°A condescending love,¡± Alex replied. ¡°But it was still love!¡± Merzhin¡¯s voice was shrill. ¡°How could he come to this?¡± ¡°You''d be surprised, Merzhin,¡± Hart said grimly. ¡°I grew up on the battlefield. I''ve seen all sorts of people and beasts die, so much that death doesn''t really bother me anymore. But that¡¯s not the worst of it. The worst of it was seeing what people would do to survive. The simple truth is many would do anything: I''ve seen parents take arrows to protect their children. I''ve also seen others send their children before them into battle while they escaped. People are messed up, Merzhin. I guess gods can be messed up too.¡± The Saint shuddered, trembling with a mix of pain and anger. He looked as though a loved one had just died. ¡°I suppose there¡¯s truth in what you say¡­and it¡¯s ugly¡­Alex, can we continue? Before I lose my nerve.¡± ¡°We can,¡± the young wizard said, turning the recording back on. Uldar continued, ¡°When I first designed the Heroes of Thameland, I made sure to tailor their roles for two purposes. The first was for effectiveness: if they were to represent my will in the material world, they would have to be powerful, decisive and strong. Any feelings of guilt that I once had about choosing the age of eighteen for my Heroes, I now believe was misguided. Eighteen is in fact the perfect age. For mortal humans and many races of a similar lifespan¡ªit is the age where most physical development is complete.¡± ¡°Oh, you dead pig,¡± Professor Jules growled. ¡°Yet, it is also an age where a young person¡¯s mind is still malleable: the process to prepare one to be a Hero requires¡ªoften unthinking¡ªloyalty, passion and the ability to be influenced, which comes with being young.¡± Uldar ran his hand through his white beard. An older individual might have already developed other belief systems, or have had life experiences that would make them resistant to a new role.¡± The god tapped his heart. ¡°Most eighteen year olds, on the other hand, would easily accept and leap at the chance of having such power, and the importance that comes with being a Hero. It would boost their sense of self and help to define their purpose in life. Young people often look to outside sources for identity, joining different organisations or groups in order to give themselves a sense of belonging, and to help define their role in this confusing world.¡± ¡°I already had a purpose,¡± Alex muttered, grinding his teeth. ¡°So did I.¡± An orange light shone from behind Drestra¡¯s veil. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Merzhin choked. ¡°Bloody¡­¡± Cedric muttered. Hart kept watching in silence. ¡°Older individuals would have more life experience, but they would also be more likely to have different attachments, such as a family of their own,¡± Uldar continued, ¡°which would make them reluctant to accept their new role. A thirty or forty year-old might have children, or even grandchildren, farmsteads, businesses, attachments that they would be loathe to abandon. Even if they did accept the role of Hero, they might only do so while seething with resentment. That would not be inspiring, which brings me to the second reason why I chose that age. I must remember that a major component of the Heroes¡¯ roles is to serve as inspiration. By acting as my representatives against the Ravener, they inspire others to great demonstrations of faith. The beauty, wonder, and vigour of youth is more inspiring than the physical complaints, withered skin, and reluctance of the elderly. And Heroes who do not inspire, serve no purpose in my plan.¡± He sighed. ¡°I mourn the role of the General, it was a stroke of genius on my part. The General completed the Heroes, making them the perfect representation of my will and might upon the material world. Each Hero was meant to symbolise something that I valued, or a role that I myself represented for my people.¡± The god raised his index finger. Alex could tell he was enjoying himself, revisiting what he¡¯d done. ¡°The Champion represented my martial power. They would be gifted with vast physical capabilities, and the warrior traditions of all those that came before them. Just as the people grow stronger with every generation¡ªhoning the knowledge that I granted them¡ªso did the Champion.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Makes sense,¡± Hart said. ¡°The Mark made me a much better warrior.¡± He looked like he was about to say something else, but then went silent. ¡°But physical power, without magical might, is a poor representation of my legend in Thameland.¡± Next, Uldar raised his middle finger. ¡°The Sage was meant to be a demonstration of my power over magic: possessing a tremendous mana pool, just as I do.¡± ¡°Yes, but without being given any knowledge?¡± Drestra hissed. ¡°No proper training? And what if we want to use our mana for something else, not for fighting an enemy you made up?¡± Of course, Uldar¡¯s recording could not answer her questions. He continued on. ¡°The Saint represents my divinity, preventing any in Thameland from forgetting my deific presence upon the land. Miracles and magic working together, just as I wielded them when I walked the material world.¡± Merzhin whimpered but was otherwise quiet. ¡°Which brings me to the Chosen,¡± the god raised his pinky finger, ¡°The second in command of my Heroes. If the General is the head of the Heroes, then the Chosen would be their hands. The Chosen would fill in gaps, while being a deadly force of nature all by themselves.¡± ¡°Dunno what t¡¯even say,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Bloody messed up on that one; I''m no commander.¡± Isolde placed her hand on Cedric¡¯s. Uldar finally raised his thumb. ¡°Then there is the General¡­¡± Everyone looked at Alex. ¡°The General is the ultimate portrayal of what made me strong,¡± Uldar said. ¡°I was born with vast gifts, but had I allowed myself to rot in the wilderness with my primitive people, I would never have risen to the lofty heights upon which I stand. Instead, I chose to hone my mind, and absorb the skills of the world to enhance what I already had. Complacency was my enemy, and so it would be an enemy of the General.¡± He pulled at his beard in frustration. ¡°I crafted that Mark to take disparate skills and turn them into power, to train them in critical thinking, strategy, and general knowledge. They were to be a tactician, an innovator, a teacher and a warrior, just as I was. Through their presence, the other Heroes would reach their full potential, and be ready to challenge the Ravener at its peak of power. I had taken such a beautiful path, the five original Heroes were my perfect team, representing me in Thameland¡­but sadly, they worked much too well.¡± Alex leaned forward, hanging on Uldar¡¯s every word. ¡°The first three cycles went so perfectly,¡± the god said grimly. ¡°My Heroes fought both hard and well, destroying the Ravener, and causing a surge in faith that I had not felt in millenia. My wound began to recede, I healed, and my strength returned. It was glorious¡­but it would not last. It was the fourth General who uncovered the true nature of the cycles.¡± Alex, the Heroes and Theresa gasped. ¡°So someone else figured it out before,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°I should have seen it coming,¡± Uldar continued. ¡°But I think the first three cycles had gone so well, that I became overly sure of myself and my process. Truly, had I been thinking rationally, I would have realised it was only a matter of time. Generals are trained to question, learn new things, and look for unorthodox solutions. The church and the kingdom provided them with vast stores of knowledge to feed them every cycle, they also shared the knowledge gathered by previous Generals. I had designed the Marks to specifically find those youths whose personalities would best match their roles. Champions would enjoy fighting, Sages would have mana and a talent for magic, Saints would be faithful, Chosens would be brave and Generals would be intelligent and analytical¡­¡± ¡°So we¡¯re jus¡¯ little dolls in little boxes t¡¯him,¡± Cedric muttered. ¡°Little toys fer our little roles.¡± ¡°Yet we suit those roles well¡­¡± Merzhin muttered. ¡°But, Alex was no Fool.¡± Uldar continued. ¡°But, after three cycles of the Ravener regenerating, it was natural that the cunning General would gather all the previous information of his predecessors, and begin to look for ways to stop it from returning. It was the fourth General who discovered the flaw in my design for the dungeon cores; in order to ensure that Ravener-spawn would be able to use them, I''d designed them so they could be controlled by those who followed me¡­my intent was for the spawn of the Ravener, myself, and¡ªin case of the unforeseen¡ªmy most loyal servants to do so.¡± Alex, Professor Jules, Isolde and Drestra looked at one another. Uldar went on. ¡°As a result, I went with the easiest and most simple limitation for the dungeon cores: they could only be used by those that believed in, and served me. The General was able to unravel my plan.¡± The god¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°They deduced that I was behind the Ravener and quickly turned the other Heroes against me. It took much of my power, as well as the lives of many members of the hidden church to silence the General. My hidden church then needed to use the dungeon cores to turn the Ravener¡¯s own spawn against it to end that cycle. It was nothing short of a disaster.¡± ¡°So, seems ¡®e had somethin¡¯ of a rebellion before,¡± Cedric said. ¡°But, why haven''t we heard of that?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°There''s no trace of any history that mentions anything about that.¡± Alex paused the recording. ¡°History is easy to change,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Especially in an isolated realm like Thameland: if one changes the history books, then¡ªonce enough generations and the most long-lived people have passed¡ªone can change what history is.¡± ¡°History¡¯s recorded by the winners,¡± Hart added. ¡°But it still makes no sense,¡± Drestra said. ¡°The witches of the Crymlyn would remember. They''d pass it on.¡± ¡°Let''s find out how he did it. Maybe some sort of mind magic on a mass scale?¡± Alex said, turning the recording back on. Uldar continued. ¡°Once the rebellion was ended, the Ravener was destroyed, and we moved on. The problem was that the next General uncovered my plan too¡ªfound the hidden church¡ªand wanted payment to keep what she¡¯d learned to herself. We had to silence her as well. When another General discovered the flaws in my plan, it was clear that it had failed, but it was too late to abandon it.¡± He touched the wound again. ¡°The cycle, at that point, was self-sufficient: the Ravener would continue to reconstitute itself, and the Heroes would continue to be chosen, even without input from me. I needed it to function that way, in case I was ever too incapacitated to take care of the cycle myself. I was also largely dependent on the faith generated by the wars, simply destroying all that I had done and starting over from scratch, would have resulted in my death before I could have ever created something new. So I needed to fix what I had. And what I had was a problem that would not go away. I needed a reset, but too many would remember what had come before.¡± The god clenched every muscle in his body like he was in agony. ¡°It was with a heavy heart that I did it, that I activated the Ravener¡¯s final protocol. And in the next cycle, it turned the entirety of my kingdom into a mass grave. Together, my Ravener and I destroyed nearly everyone in Thameland.¡± Chapter 782: Harts Anger Merzhin bolted from his seat and fled toward the hallway with one hand clamped on his mouth. He shoved the door open, took three steps and heaved the meagre contents of his stomach onto the white floor. Alex cut the recording, shaking with rage. The rest of the room was in an uproar. ¡°You, filthy plague-spewin¡¯ bastard!¡± Cedric roared, turning and running after Merzhin. ¡°Are y¡¯alright?¡± He called. The Saint stumbled further into the hallway. Drestra was up and out of her chair, her body slack with shock. Hart¡¯s eyebrows had shot up. Jules was shaking her fist at the image of the God, cursing him with colourful words Alex had never heard before. Birger¡¯s hand was clasped to his mouth. Theresa was grinding her teeth, shaking her head while glaring at Uldar. Brutus was snarling at the image of the god, barking beside her. Bjorgrund had gone pale. ¡°How horrible!¡± Isolde gasped. Alex went after Merzhin and Cedric, finding the two young men down the hall. Cedric¡¯s arm was around the Saint¡¯s slight shoulders, as he sobbed against the wall. ¡°That''s what we worshipped!¡± Merzhin choked. ¡°That monster is what I dedicated my life to! I trusted that, and if I hadn¡¯t¡­Carey would still be¡­¡± He gasped again. ¡°Her life¡­she wasted so much of her life on that!¡± ¡°I ain''t gonna say s¡¯alright,¡± Cedric said, rubbing Merzhin¡¯s back. ¡°But, the two¡¯ve ya¡¯ve got good hearts. Don¡¯ matter ¡®bout some dead monster¡ª¡± ¡°But it does!¡± Merzhin spun around, tears staining his face. ¡°It does!¡± Alex reached them as Drestra and Hart came up behind him. The five Heroes were united. ¡®The five Heroes of a god who had slaughtered his people,¡¯ Alex thought, feeling a wave of nausea wash over him. A thought where he had no Mark, neither General, Fool, or any other, kept playing in his mind as he silently cursed the selfish, murderous god of Thameland. Merzhin¡¯s eyes turned to Alex, tears streaming from them. ¡°All of our lives were twisted by that¡­monster!¡± he choked. ¡°Your life was stolen,¡± he sobbed. Then he looked at Drestra. ¡°You didn''t want any part of this quest, and I told you to serve Uldar¡­I told you to serve a god, a dead god who¡¯d killed most of his own people! His own people! A god who believed that marking the young would make them easier to manipulate!¡± Drestra stood quietly, only trembling. Cedric¡¯s mouth opened and closed, but no words left it. Alex was speechless. Hart broke the silence. ¡°So what?¡± The other Heroes collectively flinched. ¡°What do you mean, so what?¡± Alex asked him. ¡°All of you need to pull yourselves together right now,¡± the Champion continued. ¡°Look, he was a shitty monster. I can¡¯t even pretend that he wasn¡¯t. We served him for a lie. He changed the path of our lives including our futures. If he was here, I''d be happily caving in his bloody head without a second thought. But he isn''t, I don''t even have his dead body to kick around.¡± His expression was fierce. ¡°But on the battlefield, sometimes your enemy sticks you with a spear. They hurt you. Do you cry and scream, and roll around on the ground bleeding? Maybe, but that''s a good way to get dead. What you should do is pull that spear out of your guts, and drive it right back into their face. Doesn''t matter; when you grab it, it''s yours. He pointed to each of their Marks. ¡°Those Marks we got? They¡¯re ours now. He''s too dead to make us do anything with them, except what we want. There¡¯s nothing he can do about that, and that¡¯s good, right? We''ll take his power and break his plan into pieces.¡± ¡°But what about all the mistakes we''ve made?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°I have done so many terrible things in his name.¡± ¡°So?¡± Hart asked. ¡°By the time I was twelve, I¡¯d done things that would make all of you look at me like some monster. That''s the way of battle. Sometimes, you don''t fight for the right cause. Sometimes you don''t have a choice. Sometimes you don''t know better. But we know better now. So what matters is what we do next.¡± He nodded at Merzhin. ¡°Carey laid down her life for all of us, and now she''s with a deity that''s not some raging shithead. A deity that¡¯s trying to help all of us. It''d be nice if she was still alive, but she isn''t. We''ve gotta deal with that, she took her death and did a lot of good with it. When she died, she didn''t cry and scream and vomit: her soul came back to save us. That''s what a warrior is. Nah, I say we do the same. We get back in there, find out what else we can learn from that bastard¡¯s image, then we go fight his spawn, train, get that fancy research stuff done, then¡­we kill whatever he¡¯s left behind.¡± Silence followed. ¡°Are you sure you''re not the General?¡± Alex finally said. ¡°That was really well put. Harsh, but really well put.¡± Hart shrugged. ¡°We''ve all got our moments.¡± He looked at Merzhin. ¡°You good, or do you need some more time?¡± Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°I¡­¡± The Saint took a trembling breath, choking back tears. ¡°I can do this. Let''s finish learning what we can from his record, so we don¡¯t have to hear his poisonous voice any longer.¡± He paused, giving a bitter laugh. High-pitched. Chilling. ¡°All my life, all I ever wanted was to hear his voice. Yet, even when I was foolishly in the hands of the hidden church, he wouldn¡¯t speak to me. Now, all I want is to never hear his voice again! Life is a wicked jester, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Sometimes you tell the joke, sometimes you''re the punchline,¡± Alex said, patting Merzhin on the shoulder. ¡°All we can do is laugh or get even. Right now? I feel like getting even.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Drestra growled. ¡°He talked about the young having passion. We¡¯ll let the flames of our passion burn down his legacy.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Cedric stood to his full height. ¡°We¡¯ll give his little creation what for! Now, let''s go back in there an¡¯ see if¡¯n his sins get worse.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°Then we undo what we can.¡± When the Heroes returned to the viewing room together, they were quiet, with their heads held high. They looked united. The others watched them; Professor Jules¡¯ eyes were full of pain. ¡°Are you sure you can continue?¡± she asked. They made their way back to where they¡¯d been sitting before Merzhin had fled the room. Alex sat in Uldar¡¯s chair again. ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Yes,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Of course,¡± Drestra said. ¡°Always was,¡± Hart said. Theresa mouthed ¡®are you okay?¡¯ to Alex. He nodded. ¡°If everyone''s ready, let''s continue. I don''t wanna see his filthy face much longer.¡± The General of Thameland turned on the recording. Uldar made a great show of sorrow at his admission, but Alex couldn''t help but feel sick watching him. ¡°The guilt still eats me to this day,¡± the god said. ¡°Yet, it had to be done. The continued disruptions by the General would have destroyed the cycle. The cycle¡¯s end would have spelled my doom. And my doom would have meant the end of Thameland; my people always needed their god, even if that meant pain in the short term.¡± ¡°We were fine with you being dead,¡± Alex muttered bitterly. ¡°We got on just fine.¡± Uldar, of course, did not respond. ¡°And so the Ravener, during the next cycle, had all safety protocols lifted. With full access to its power, and the fear generated by my people, it was easy for it to make its strongest monsters; hordes and hordes of them. They struck quickly before the Heroes were ever united. My heart broke watching as my people died in massive numbers. I had to watch their cities burn while their prayers went unanswered. It was one of the most difficult experiences of my long existence, though the fear powered me deeply and let me enjoy greater health than I had in centuries. I spared the lives of a small portion of the population: enough to be fruitful and make Thameland whole again. Just as if I were culling a population of deer, specimens had to be left intact to re-populate, like any herd.¡± Theresa said something rude under her breath. ¡°When the cull was over, a small number of the lowest most isolated peasant communities remained. Robust people who would make good stock to replenish Thameland¡¯s numbers, simple folk who knew little outside their own closed off group. The perfect types with little knowledge or histories from hundreds of generations to pass along. They were pure, almost like blank slates. The Ravener eliminated a good portion of the hidden church as well, leaving the lower ranking members since they were not privy to the full details of my plan. I then told them what they needed to know and no more. These agents, these young priests, worked with the peasant stock to shape the rebuilding of Thameland.¡± He smiled weakly. ¡°Again, I have to thank my own foresight for making my island nation isolated. I was able to do what had to be done without the world seeing or interfering. People were far less connected than they are now, and the nearly complete destruction of one small kingdom could easily escape the notice of others. While the people worked with the hidden church to renew my kingdom, their faith grew. Combining with the dying prayers of those the Ravener had erased, the poison coursing through me ebbed away for a long period of time.¡± His smile faded. ¡°However, I must also curse my own foresight. In my attempt to make the process of marking Heroes self-sufficient as well as to fit with the same time that the Ravener was reborn, I made the process extremely intricate. I could not simply eliminate the General without having to rebuild the entire process from the ground up. Nor did I have time to do that. Yet, it was necessary to ensure that never again would the leader of the Heroes be able to discover my true intentions. So, although I could not completely eliminate the General¡­I could modify the Mark. Where before I would have had a grand leader for the Heroes, one made in my image to coordinate the Heroes¡¯ actions and lead them, now I had to change that role to one of Fool, someone who would not analyse the situation they were in. The Chosen could still be suitable to lead, while a greatly diminished General, now the Fool, would still be of use, providing relief, levity, and comfort to the others.¡± He opened his hand, a glowing symbol of the General¡¯s Mark appeared above it. With a twist of his fingers, it transformed into the Mark of the Fool. ¡°I granted the remaining members of the hidden church a revelation that the General was an abomination, and that my true intentions would follow in the next cycle. They were tasked with ensuring that none of the population spoke of the General again, and they themselves were to take any knowledge of their existence to their graves. They did so admirably.¡± Uldar smiled weakly. ¡°To achieve my new goals, I added additional protocols so the Ravener would make the next cycle less challenging than past ones. The Thameish population was far from abundant, and of course, this new Hero¡ªthe Fool¡ªwould naturally hinder the Heroes: I did not wish for them to display the same level of power that they¡¯d had in past cycles. The results were even greater than I had hoped for. Though the Ravener acted with a good deal of restraint when it faced the new generation, they nearly lost the war, only achieving victory through great sacrifice. I sent another revelation to my priests, in it I told them that the Heroes¡¯ sacrifice should be celebrated, and that word of this should be spread among the budding population of Thameland. Over time, all mention of a General disappeared both from history and memory. Soon even the fae¡ªlong lived, but flighty and largely unconcerned with the intricacies of mortal matters¡ªsaw that knowledge slip away too. All except Aenflynn, of course. Cycles passed, my kingdom rebuilt through generations, and we reached a new equilibrium. Unfortunately, the odd complication would arise.¡± The god frowned. ¡°For one, I was unable to consistently alter the selection of my Fool. At times, the Mark would find its way to those who were analytical and clever. This problem forced me to manually select the inept for my Fools when I learned who had been chosen in certain cycles. Yet, it did happen on one occasion when I was indisposed and a cycle occurred, that the Fool¡¯s Mark found its way to one with an analytical mind and ambition; causing what the hidden church called the General¡¯s Folly. A troublesome event where a Fool came to discover that they could control dungeon cores.¡± Alex swallowed, looking at Drestra. ¡°Of course,¡± Uldar continued. ¡°The name the hidden church chose for the event¡ªThe General¡¯s Folly¡ªwas coincidental. They had no knowledge of the General, but for a frightened moment, I thought they had uncovered something. Luckily, it turned out the name was because the Fool was commanding Ravener-spawn like a ¡®general¡¯. Thankfully, in that instance, the people of Thameland were none the wiser and all went well. I will end this entry for now, the matters I was forced to remember here have been most distasteful, leaving me drained.¡± With that, Uldar disappeared. Alex felt the chair¡¯s energies. ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of entries left,¡± he said. ¡°It looks like we''re getting close to when he died.¡± Chapter 783: Regret? The next few entries were chaotic. It was clear that Uldar was growing more forgetful. While his body would sometimes look healthier than others, his mind seemed to be fully on the decline. ¡°I¡­¡± he paused during entry ninety-two. He was blinking and frowning. ¡°I¡­I¡­I¡¯m not I¡­hard to order my mind these days. Poison is deep, deep in my essence. I¡­¡± He paused again. ¡°What was I talking about? Oh yes, good days are becoming rare¡­have to record anyway. Right, where were we? Yes, right, how I met my friend Aenflynn¡ª¡± He began telling the story he¡¯d told before about how he and the fae had met, but this time, there were large parts of the narrative missing. He¡¯d stumble on his words, and sometimes trail off into long silences. After his third silence¡ªfailing to remember what animal his people were herding¡ªhe exploded, spewing a tirade of vile curses in a dozen different languages. He tore at his own beard and screamed. Then, he cut the recording. ¡°He¡¯s decompensating,¡± Isolde said gravely. ¡°What¡¯s that mean?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°It means he¡¯s losing his mind,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Verbal repetition, poor memory, increased agitation¡­it does not look good. And he¡¯s showing no sign of improvement.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope we can get some more useful information out of him, then,¡± Alex said. ¡°There¡¯s not that much more recording left to go through.¡± When they saw Uldar next, he looked physically healthier, but his mind seemed even more degraded. ¡°I¡­need to work on¡­maintenance for Ravener¡­¡± he said. ¡°Fear absorption¡­needs to be adjusted. Too strong. I¡­¡± The entry cut out. ¡°What was that about?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Something about the Ravener and absorbing fear,¡± Alex said. ¡°We should make a note of that,¡± Professor Jules scrawled a quick note on a small pad of parchment. ¡°This might be something to explore when we get back to Generasi. The fear-to-power system is not something we really understand yet.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe there''s something hidden there,¡± Alex said. ¡°Something to take a look at together. But for now, here we go¡­we''re on to the last entry. Anyone need a break?¡± Everyone looked around, but no one moved. ¡°Alright, I''m starting it then,¡± Alex said, turning on the final recording. The windows throughout the room went black, abruptly blazing with brilliant white light. The radiance slowly faded and Uldar¡¯s image towered above them all. ¡°What the hell,¡± Alex muttered. The god looked healthier than he had in many entries. His robes were clean, his body vigorous, his beard and hair were groomed and his back was straight. His expression looked stern, but proud and powerful. ¡°He looks just like he did when we first found him on the throne¡­¡± Theresa whispered. ¡°How does he look so strong, now?¡± Hart asked. ¡°He''s rallied,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°I''ve seen it in the sick. A final rally before death takes them.¡± Before Alex could say anything, Uldar¡¯s lips parted. ¡°I have come to a decision,¡± the god said. ¡°Though I will discuss it with Aenflynn before I carry it out.¡± He clenched a fist before himself. ¡°This is the first truly lucid day I''ve had in a long time. Years, decades, maybe centuries. I''m not sure. But I must use this time to act.¡± He began pacing back-and-forth. ¡°It has become clear that the cycle¡ªas it is¡ªis not enough to stop my condition. I had hoped that, in time, I would build up enough divine energies to heal myself for good. That has not happened, after thousands of years, that has still not happened. Thousands upon thousands of my people, dead over generations, and this wound will still not heal. I have tried every chemical remedy that I could think of, bending my mind toward the task, but the demon lord of poisons crafted a venom much too toxic for even me to conquer. I am the god of my people, and yet I am also the architect of their continued destruction¡­for nothing!¡± ¡®Regret?¡¯ Alex wondered. ¡°And what else was I supposed to do?¡± Uldar wondered. ¡°When they are comfortable, they stop believing in me; it is only fear that drives them. It is fear that heals me! I have tried¡ªoh, have I ever tried¡ªnot to rule my people like some filthy tyrant would! Other gods, all over the world, are not so kind. I do not demand blood sacrifice, I do not call for people to give their first born to the church to swell my priesthood. I do not ask for great, back-breaking tithes, nor do I demand that my churches be elevated to grand hollow monuments of greed. I could! And yet I do not!¡± He clenched his teeth, grinding them in his mouth. ¡°At times, I have plagued my people with cruelty, true, but was it not me that also brought the light of civilization to them? Was it not me who built their society, and kept them protected from monsters and the elements? Was it not me who decided to educate all of them when¡ªin most places in the world¡ªthe majority of them would never hope to receive the gift of reading and writing! I gave so much to them and all I ever asked in return is for a little prayer to keep me alive, and yet, they will not give it. So I ask myself, why?¡± He spit on the floor. ¡°Why do I bother? And¡ªin this moment of lucidity¡ªI find I cannot answer that question. I have decided to end things, once I speak with Aenflynn for council. I do believe I will ask the Ravener as well; my creation has its own mind, and it deserves a voice in such a crucial decision. If they agree, then I will go forward and bring this entire endeavour to an end.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°He was going to end the cycle?¡± Merzhin asked, surprised. ¡°I have determined that I gain my greatest spikes in faith when my people are in the grip of utter terror and despair. So, I will give them that. And in this upcoming cycle, I will remove all limits I have placed on the Ravener¡ªjust as I did when the last General was present in Thameland¡ªand I will watch as it eradicates every member of my kingdom, apart from the chosen few among the hidden church, and the most innocent of children.¡± He paused. Suddenly, the anger drained from his face. In a complete turnaround, the rage left, replaced by utter grief. ¡°I apologise, my children!¡± he screamed. ¡°I would have let you enjoy the wilds had I known where my leadership would bring you. Would bring me. The blissful ignorance that your ancestors enjoyed in the past¡­that would have been better. It is your fault, in a way, as you are but mortals. You are children that know no better. I wish it did not have to be this way¡­but if you had worshipped me! If you repaid my kindness with proper kindness¡­¡± He paused, again. ¡°I suppose not¡­I suppose to ask any better of you would be no¡­¡± He stopped talking, his eyes growing unfocused. The god shook his head, gathering his wits. ¡°No, perhaps it is not fair to blame you. Perhaps¡­the fault is mine. I was the one who aided Aenflynn over and over again. Helping him made both me and all of you a target of his enemies. If I had not helped him¡­was friendship really worth a god''s life and the endless lives of a kingdom?¡± His face became a thundercloud. ¡°Perhaps I should kill him when he comes to sup with me tonight. Yes, he relies on me to open the gate to my sanctum¡­I could simply wait until he enters and strike him down before he is aware. He is no match for the power of a god. Yes, had I not helped him, I would be healthy and my people would have had no reason to suffer. It is his fault¡­yes, it is all his fault! I will slay him!¡± The god¡¯s expression was wild and filled with bloodlust. It quickly faded. ¡°Or perhaps the fault is mine¡­perhaps I was both a poor friend and poor father. Perhaps that is why I am now in this position. Perhaps that is why my people now suffer. I¡­¡± Tears ran down his face. ¡°¡­I truly did my best. There is no mentorship for deities, no book to study, no lessons to learn except those taught by life and the cruel passage of time. Did I learn them well? Was I truly a good father to my people? A good friend? A good protector? I betrayed them¡­yet they betrayed me first, but should I have forgiven them? Perhaps I should have trusted them, told them of my condition, and we might have worked toward a solution together.¡± He smiled wistfully. ¡°Would that not be the most wondrous thing? Me¡ªunited with the wise folk I trained in Thameland¡ªcuring me and together moving on hand in hand. What marvellous things we could have done¡­¡± His smile crumbled. ¡°But such wishes are for children and fools. In the end, I am the greatest of my people. I am their god. If I could not heal my wound, then they most certainly could not have. It had to be this way. Now? Now¡­now I''m not sure what to do.¡± For the first time, Uldar looked so vulnerable that Alex almost felt sorry for him. Almost. He could never have imagined how disturbing seeing him look so lost would have been. ¡°I have made a plan to save myself. I must travel in search of a solution to this poison within me. Most of my people must die so that I can do so. Those whom I spare will accompany me in my travels, they will fuel my body and buy me time while I search¡­elsewhere. Somewhere. Like in times long past, we will journey together, and I will learn. They will benefit. Perhaps, that will be nice. Or perhaps Aenflynn will tell me to think differently. Or, perhaps I shall kill my old friend. I do not know¡­perhaps I knew very little all along.¡± He pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I¡¯m tired¡­so tired. Aenflynn will not be here for a while yet. I have time to contemplate what I should do. I think I should rest on my throne for a time. After that, when I awake, I will think on what to do next. I will ask¡­I don''t know. I''m just so tired. Until next time, my journal.¡± With that, Uldar¡ªlooking more exhausted than he''d ever seemed even at his lowest points on his record¡ªwaved his hand. His image vanished. Silence hung over the viewing room as images of Thameland returned to the windows on the walls, ceiling and floor. The feeling in the room was grim. ¡°I don''t know what to say¡­¡± Alex said, breaking the silence. ¡°He was a cruel god, but he was also someone trying to do his utmost just to stay alive. The bastard did awful things to survive, though.¡± ¡°Indeed he did,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°He overestimated himself and underestimated the mortals he raised. When I train my students, it''s not so that they can become little pets I''m making in my own image. I expect them to grow on their own, to exceed me. In return, when they make their own discoveries, I can learn from them. That''s how I raised my own children, and that''s how I teach my students.¡± ¡°Same with my son,¡± Birger added. ¡°I wanted to protect my boy, but I had to believe in him. Sometimes, you need to guide your child through tough love¡­but hurting them to protect them is a sickness.¡± ¡°He was sick,¡± Merzhin said, his face dark. ¡°Even in his last entry, he appeared healthy, but inside, he was nothing more than a breaking shell. I would like to have heard the words of an Uldar who wasn''t poisoned, who wasn''t desperate to save his own life¡­¡± ¡°Y¡¯reckon they''d be different?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°I don''t know if it matters,¡± Merzhin answered. ¡°Even if he was kind to his people in the early days¡­he set up a murderous cycle to save his own life. Perhaps, if our people had continued to worship him in good times, none of this would have been necessary.¡± ¡°The truth is¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°He wasn¡¯t necessary. He''s been dead for a long time now. And we''ve gotten by without him.¡± ¡°Children must get by without their parents,¡± Birger said. ¡°At some point or another.¡± ¡°I had to learn to do that fast,¡± Alex said grimly. ¡°I think the rest of the kingdom would''ve learned to do it too.¡± ¡°Don''t know,¡± Hart said. ¡°We had his memory, and his legacy. His priests still use divine energy from his sanctum that comes from prayers to him; what would we have done without the priesthood?¡± ¡°I don''t know,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, what I do know is that, in the end, he was going to cull our people again, just to keep himself alive for a little longer. And he was talking about killing his friend in a fit of rage. Maybe you''re right, Merzhin, and that was just the poison talking, but I don''t think that''s gonna matter much to all the people he killed. Or even his supposedly close friend who he was considering killing. In the end, I don''t think any of us would be here if he didn''t die on that throne.¡± Silence filled the room again. ¡°We''re going to need time to discuss all of this,¡± Alex said. ¡°We learned certain things, and gained more questions. One important thing, though, we''ve pretty much confirmed that Aenflynn is the only living being that knows the whole truth. And he''s never shared it¡­there''s some kind of game he''s playing.¡± ¡°Aye, we should ask ¡®im,¡± Cedric said. ¡°We have an agreement goin¡¯, an¡¯ we haven''t broken any of his terms. We should try an¡¯ find out what we can.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°I''ll see if we can get an audience with him.¡± ¡°Speaking of audiences,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think it''s time we talk to the king. One thing that we do know is that Uldar has some sort of culling protocol in the Ravener. And the last time it was activated¡­was when a General was around.¡± He looked at the others gravely. ¡°I think Thameland had better prepare for the worst. We all have to.¡± Chapter 784: The Kings Hunt Alex was surprised at how easy getting an audience with the king had been. When they¡¯d finished viewing Uldar¡¯s journal, the group had split up. Isolde, Watcher Hill, Grimloch, Theresa, Brutus, Birger and Bjorgrund had gone to Greymoor, while Alex, Cedric, Drestra, Hart, Merzhin and Professor Jules, teleported straight to Ussex. It was late in the day when they arrived at the castle, and their sudden appearance had caused quite an uproar. Guards and soldiers were scrambling, falling over themselves when all five Heroes materialised in the snowy courtyard. Within minutes of Cedric announcing their need to speak with the king, they were being ushered into a meeting room in one of the highest towers of the castle. The Heroes and professor were quickly seated at a long table, and servants had hot wine in front of them while they waited. The wait wasn¡¯t long. Alex had finished only about a quarter of his goblet when the doors to the chamber had opened and a woman in fine black robes trimmed with golden filigree, had come through them. ¡°Announcing his majesty, King Athelstan Merciex, wielder of the divine right to rule from Uldar, Lord of Ussex, King of Thameland and ruler of Uldar¡¯s earthly realm. Also announcing High Priest Tobias Jay¡ªprotector of Uldar¡¯s divine will and leader of his church¡ªand Court Wizard Errol of Ussex, master of mystic knowledge!¡± As the herald stepped aside, the three men made their way into the room. Alex hadn¡¯t seen any of them since their meeting at Rockmoot many months before, and he found all three changed. The court wizard was looking at Alex with curiosity, suspicion, and interest. His scorn for the former Fool¡ªwhich had been plain to see at the standing stones¡ªseemed long gone, from what Alex could gather from his body language. Tobias Jay, meanwhile, looked thinner. Older. More stressed and tired. He would quickly glance at the Heroes with an air of shame, but when his eyes fell on Alex¡ªwho he seemed to be actively trying to avoid making eye contact with¡ªhe would sheepishly look away. King Athelstan simply seemed exhausted. He too looked older. The bags beneath his eyes were deeper. When he looked at the Heroes, he seemed to almost do so reluctantly. His facial expression seemed to be shouting; ¡®What in the world is it now?¡¯ But there was no hostility in his demeanour, just dread. The Heroes and Professor Jules immediately stood up¡ªDrestra was a little slower than the others¡ªbowing to the king, high priest and court wizard as they made their way to seats across from them. ¡°Welcome,¡± King Athelstan said. A servant scurried over to pull his chair out for him, then¡ªafter he was seated¡ªthe sovereign gestured for his guests to do the same. ¡°It¡¯s been quite some time since we''ve seen each other.¡± ¡°Aye, your majesty, aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Not since Rockmoot.¡± Errol visibly winced. ¡°That was a tense time.¡± King Athelstan gave them a weary look. A servant poured him a cup of wine. ¡°But all times are tense as of late. I take it you come bearing bad news?¡± The Heroes looked at each other. ¡°Actually¡­¡± Alex began, drawing every eye in the room. ¡°We wanted to start, if you don¡¯t mind, with some questions for you.¡± The king¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°What sort of questions?¡± ¡°Uhm¡­they may not be suitable¡­¡± Alex glanced at the servants and guards standing against the walls. ¡°For all ears.¡± Athelstan¡¯s eyebrows rose even higher. ¡°I see. Perhaps I might be able to guess what your questions are concerning.¡± He looked at his guards and servants then. ¡°Please, leave us.¡± The guards nodded to the king, then looked at the Heroes, but none protested. Both they, and the servants quickly headed for the door, silently closing it behind them. King Athelstan reassured the Heroes and professor. ¡°The walls in this room are cork lined; meaning that sound does not travel very far, so unless someone has concealed themselves directly outside these very high windows, then we may speak freely. Am I correct in assuming that you are about to refer to Councillor Kartika¡¯s concerns about individuals covertly working among our army, and within our kingdom?¡± The Heroes looked at each other in surprise. ¡°Uh, yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°How did you know?¡± The king looked at Cedric. ¡°We suspected you would''ve noticed our moves to clean our house, then come to ask questions.¡± ¡°Aye¡­¡± the Chosen said. ¡°There was a bunch o¡¯ folk bein¡¯ transferred out, or suddenly disapperin¡¯¡­an¡¯ we had no idea where they went¡­¡± ¡°Our garden was infested with snakes,¡± Tobias said, frankly. ¡°Snakes we never suspected were there. And we are still trying to clean the rest out.¡± ¡°So you know about the hidden church?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Indeed.¡± The high priest¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Strange happenings have been occurring this cycle, we thought we should do some investigating. I learned that two members of my council were vipers waiting to bite.¡± A look of sorrow crossed his face. ¡°I have known them for decades, and didn''t suspect a thing.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°They were responsible for the attempt on your life at Rockmoot and are currently in our dungeons.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alex¡¯s anger spiked. ¡°I¡¯m glad you caught them. How?¡± ¡°We began scrutinising every member of our high command,¡± King Athelstan said. ¡°All of them. We kept our actions among only ourselves and those we could personally verify. Those of unknown, spotty, or mysterious backgrounds were examined thoroughly. Often it was those who had entered high positions, came into them through references from others who are well-trusted. Upon intense scrutiny, far too many of those references were shown to have problematic irregularities.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Like?¡± Alex asked. ¡°The referees were often difficult to find,¡± King Athelstan said. ¡°Or when we did find them, they were often long dead and buried in various cemeteries.¡± ¡°I even sanctioned the exhumation of some of those gravesites,¡± Tobias Jay said solemnly. ¡°Many were empty, indicating that there was a certain pattern to this fraudulent business: apparently, lower ranking officials or nobles were introduced to assistants by those they were familiar with, those who were either bribed, or blackmailed into making the introductions. These assistants would have glowing letters praising their achievements from people who were either difficult to reach or obscure, but their titles always sounded impressive, and unimpeachable.¡± ¡°From there,¡± Errol continued. ¡°These agents would make themselves indispensable to whomever they worked for, and through sheer competence, they would rise up through the ranks. And because of their continued excellent performance, no one felt the need to question their origins.¡± ¡°These things are not uncommon,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Similar things have actually happened at the university. A time back, a new professor was hired based on letters of reference written by an archwizard from the Rhinean Empire who was a former graduate of our institution. The letter glowed with praise, and the individual in question showed an incredible talent for alchemy. There was an opening in the department at the time, and they were soon hired. But, two things brought them under scrutiny. First, their clear lack of ethics. While their skills were first rate, they would often put students at risk¡ªrisks that were intolerable, even taking into account the barbaric safety protocols in place at the time. That was what made people question them initially. The second issue that brought them under further scrutiny, was the fact that the archwizard who had supposedly given them their letter of reference, had always been a major proponent of student safety in their time studying at the university a century earlier. Questions were asked, letters were written, and the deception was uncovered. He was removed from his position immediately but went on to hone his tendencies for illegal acts before he found himself before the courts and an appointment with a deleo, but I digress. It''s a fairly common scheme.¡± ¡°One that I am ashamed to admit, has infected much of the army, the church, and the court,¡± Athelstan said. ¡°We found some of the higher ups first, since they were closest to us.¡± ¡°But none would confess,¡± Tobias Jay shook his head. ¡°None would talk, none that were connected to them talked¡­not a single one would cooperate. Not when they were asked, not when they were ordered, not even when they were tortured. No one said a word. Finding every treacherous worm has been an operation of searching for connections, and following the very scant trails of parchment.¡± ¡°We''ve needed to work in secret, of course,¡± King Athelstan said. ¡°We would''ve preferred to strike all of them down at once, but we came to realise that the corruption had seeped so deeply into our systems, that to wait to do anything about correcting things would have greatly increased the chances of a devastating betrayal occurring.¡± ¡°We have continued searching and had resolved to answer you truthfully if yourselves or Councillor Kartika came to inquire as to whether or not we had gotten our ¡®house in order¡¯, as it were,¡± Court Wizard Errol said, looking embarrassed. He turned his attention to Alex. ¡°I must unreservedly offer you my apologies for that attack against you at Rockmoot. Some of my very own assistants were in collusion with the traitors.¡± ¡°I wish to apologise as well,¡± Tobias said. ¡°And I have to add that I am disappointed in my kingdom,¡± the king said. ¡°We are united against the Ravener, under Uldar, and I cannot tolerate those who go against my word, or against his divine will.¡± The Heroes and Professor Jules looked at each other uncomfortably. Alex spoke. ¡°There''s¡­there''s more, your majesty. We¡¯ve also learned a lot about them and their mission.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± he looked at Alex with interest. ¡°We fought them before,¡± the young wizard continued. ¡°An explosion destroyed a lot of their records, but recently, we were able to eliminate their leader and his second in command.¡± ¡°The leader?¡± Tobias asked. ¡°Tell us more.¡± Alex, Professor Jules and the Heroes, filled them in on what they knew about the hidden church. They told them about the First Apostle, about Uldar¡¯s Rise and the battle they¡¯d fought there, about Carey¡¯s sacrifice and even about the Traveller. Alex then told them an abridged version of how he and the others had finally ended the menace of the First and Third Apostles and their troops. The king listened with rapt attention, the high priest with mixed emotion, and the court wizard with shock. ¡°Truly?¡± The king looked at Cedric. ¡°This is not some vast exaggeration?¡± ¡°Aye, I wasn''t there for all of it,¡± the Chosen said. ¡°But, I was there for the fight at Uldar¡¯s Rise, an¡¯ I did see the First Apostle¡¯s head on the floor wit¡¯ me own two eyes a few days back.¡± ¡°Remarkable,¡± the king mused. ¡°We must use this. Now that we know where the organisation comes from, and the names of those who were at its head, we might be able to use the information to smoke out the rest of the rats. We will need to discuss this further.¡± King Athelstan sighed deeply, smiling with relief. ¡°I must confess that I thought you were here to deliver more bad news, but instead, you have given us a great boon. I needed such good news, things have been growing too grim¡­as¡­of¡­¡± He paused, studying the faces of his six visitors. ¡°¡­why do you all look as though someone has just died?¡± he asked. Merzhin made a choking sound. Alex turned to his companions, each one nodded at him. His eyes met the king¡¯s and held them. ¡°Your majesty, what we are about to tell you¡­I don¡¯t have enough words to describe how earth shatteringly important it is to all of us. And how important it is that it does not leave this room unless we want it to. Are you sure no one can hear us, not even outside the door, or even in the hallway?¡± The king suddenly looked very tired again. ¡°These rooms are secure, my personal guard has assured me of that. Why?¡± Alex took a deep breath. ¡°My king, the place where we first fought the secret church is where Uldar ascended from the material world. By using the Traveller¡¯s power, we were able to open the door to his sanctum.¡± One could have heard a fly cough. A wild-eyed Tobias Jay suddenly leapt out of his chair. ¡°Do you mean this? After these many thousands of years, the path to Uldar¡¯s sanctum has been found? Are you telling us that you have been there¡­that you have seen him?¡± Before anyone else could respond, Hart answered. ¡°Yes.¡± Now, the king and the court wizard were also on their feet. ¡°Impossible! You must¡­you kept this from us?¡± Athelstan demanded. ¡°When?¡± ¡°More importantly¡ª,¡± hope burned in the king¡¯s eyes. ¡°If this is true¡ªand by Uldar, after saying yes, it had better be¡ªthen you must have spoken with him! What did he tell you? What instructions did he give you? What is he doing? How is he?¡± ¡°He''s dead,¡± said Hart. Alex watched the three men closely. ¡°Hart, I was thinking we should tell the king alone.¡± ¡°Meh,¡± the Champion said. ¡°Faster this way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a lie, it must be!¡± Tobias said. ¡°Why are you lying, Champion of Uldar?¡± ¡°I''m afraid he isn¡¯t, high priest,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And in fact, it might be better¡ª¡± She caught herself. ¡°¡ªlisten, I don''t expect you to simply believe us. Not out of hand. But we can prove what we¡¯re saying is true. We would like you to come with us to the sanctum¡ªjust¡­¡± she paused, looking at the high priest and court wizard. ¡°¡­just the three of you. No one else, no guards, no servants. Mr. Roth can teleport us there with ease.¡± ¡°This is preposterous!¡± Tobias Jay shouted. ¡°I¡­what do you gain from this lie? What do you¡ª¡± ¡°We will go with you,¡± King Athelstan broke in, his face ashen. ¡°What? My king¡ª¡± the court wizard started. The monarch held up his hand. ¡°I do not want to hear it. What I do know is that Uldar has been silent for too long, and that any lie of such magnitude would be pointless. I trust the Heroes. Let us see what they have to show us.¡± He looked very, very tired indeed. Chapter 785: A Major Crisis of Faith ¡°By Uldar¡¯s beard¡­¡± Tobias Jay gasped. The high priest looked around the empty throne room of his god, his mouth agape and eyes wide. His breaths came quick and shallow, his eyes barely blinked. He was clutching the holy symbol of Uldar that he wore around his neck so tightly, it was leaving an impression in his flesh. ¡°This place is filled with divine energy. It¡¯s blazing with it¡­yet¡­it feels like some of it is draining away¡­disappearing elsewhere.¡± ¡°Tobias, is this place really what they said it is?¡± Errol called to him, still examining the murals along the stairwell. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± ¡°You told us, when we were climbing the stairs,¡± King Athelstan said to the Heroes and professor, his eyes on the mud-stained floor. ¡°That our god¡¯s body and throne were taken by Ravener-spawn? The monsters¡¯ tracks are clear, but there is no evidence of either a body or a throne.¡± ¡®Because they were stolen,¡¯ Alex thought, but he had the restraint not to say that outloud. Instead, he said: ¡°Honestly, I know how things look, but this is Uldar¡¯s sanctum. We can prove it to you.¡± The king looked more ashen than earlier. Alex could imagine that much too much was happening far too quickly for him. ¡°I am eager to see this proof¡­¡± ¡°You''re taking things rather well, your Majesty,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It is not for a king to show weakness, he must always be strong for his people,¡± Athelstan said. ¡°I will say no more. I take it you are going to explain this Mark of the General business we saw among those murals?¡± ¡°There''s a journal here that Uldar made,¡± Alex said. ¡°He made it through a combination of magic and divinity. We can show you the most relevant parts, since it¡¯s days long; you¡¯ll find a lot will be explained by it.¡± ¡°Then let us get on with it: show us more of this proof,¡± the king said wearily. Alex, the other Heroes and Professor Jules guided the Thameish monarch through the sanctum, starting first with Uldar¡¯s armoury. The moment they stepped through the door, the high priest¡¯s jaw fell open. ¡°This¡­these are Uldar¡¯s holy weapons!¡± the old man choked. ¡°I recognize them: their descriptions are in many of the church¡¯s oldest chronicles! How did you¡ªNo, it seems that this is Uldar¡¯s sanctum. That¡¯s the only way to explain them being here.¡± His tone sounded defeated, almost resolved, and Alex could understand why. If the holy man could have exposed this place as some trick or scheme dreamed up by foreign wizards, then he could have shown them to be liars, and deceivers, allowing him to deny their story of his god being dead. The truth, however, was even grimmer than he knew, and would only get worse as more facts were revealed. King Athelstan¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°I recognise them too¡­¡± ¡°As do I¡­¡± the court wizard echoed. ¡°Show us more,¡± the ruler¡¯s voice was strained, his tone as taut as a ship¡¯s mooring line. ¡°Show us everything.¡± The three older men became increasingly agitated as they toured the sanctum, noting the signs of dis-use and increasing evidence that this was the home of their god. King Athelstan snarled at the ichor stains in Uldar¡¯s sleeping chamber. ¡°Poison? Was our god sick? Was he slain through treachery and venom? What villain did this? Was it the Ravener?¡± There were fewer times in Alex''s life where he felt more awkward. A glance at the faces of the other Heroes and Professor Jules mirrored his discomfort. That didn¡¯t include Hart¡¯s. Hart looked just fine. Because of course he did. ¡°You all seem to be entirely too blas¨¦ about this!¡± the king sputtered. ¡°Your reactions are muted: our god has been murdered, and you all seem to care very little!¡± ¡°Listen, your majesty,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''s all going to be explained in Uldar¡¯s record¡­but¡­this next part¡¯s probably going to be pretty hard for the three of you.¡± ¡°It was incredibly difficult for me.¡± Merzhin bowed his head. ¡°I still struggle with what I learned.¡± ¡°I am growing quite annoyed with all of this cloak and dagger,¡± the king said, veins standing out on his temples. ¡°You all continue to dodge around the truth, feeding it to us piecemeal. Out with it, I say!¡± ¡°Honestly, yer majesty?¡± Cedric looked apologetic. ¡°Better, we don''t tell it, ya needs t¡¯hear it f¡¯yerselves. An¡¯ we been givin¡¯¡¯ ya the story in bits, ¡®cause¡­s¡¯a lot t¡¯take in all at once.¡± ¡°Let us proceed with the record then, your majesty,¡± Tobias said. ¡°Let''s have the truth of all of this.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± King Athelstan said. ¡°Let us see this record you¡¯ve been speaking of.¡± Alex guided everyone to the viewing room and took his seat in Uldar¡¯s chair, readying specific entries from the journal. The first one he showed them was for context; it was of the god at the beginning of the journal, talking about why he was making the record. They were shocked for many reasons; seeing his image like he was there right before them, at how he looked, at the draining wound in his side. The high priest groaned softly when he heard his god speak. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Dying?¡± King Athelstan echoed Uldar¡¯s word from entry one. ¡°That wound¡­how did it come to be?¡± ¡°He''ll tell you,¡± Alex said. Next, he went to journal entries where Uldar spoke of establishing Thameland. During one, the king looked to his two advisors. ¡°Could this be fakery? Some trick or illusion?¡± ¡°I don''t think so, your majesty,¡± Errol murmured. ¡°I am not the greatest at illusion, but this does not feel like that sort of magic.¡± Tobias looked on Uldar¡¯s image. ¡°I am firmly tuned to the winds of divinity, your majesty. And I have no doubt that we are seeing Uldar before us. Whatever this journal is about, he made it. Of this I am sure.¡± Alex continued, showing them what Uldar had said about sending orphaned Thameish children to Lord Aenflynn to be soldiers in his armies. He showed them the entry where the god had spoken of being wounded. The three men were silent, seeming overwhelmed. Alex played the part of the record where Uldar explained how he¡¯d gotten his wound, and his plan to build the Ravener. ¡°What?¡± Tobias screamed. ¡°The Ravener is Uldar¡¯s creation? I¡­I¡­¡± ¡°This is a fake!¡± Errol suddenly shouted, abandoning his earlier confidence. ¡°Tell me he is right, Tobias,¡± King Athelstan said, almost begging. ¡°Tell me Errol speaks true!¡± ¡°This is¡­it is Uldar¡¯s image¡­¡± Tobias looked at Merzhin. ¡°Holy Saint, do you feel it as well?¡± ¡°I do,¡± the Saint said, his voice dead. ¡°I know that these are Uldar¡¯s true words. I sense their divine rightness.¡± ¡°I gots t¡¯get better at sensin¡¯ divinity,¡± Cedric muttered. ¡°There''s more,¡± Alex said. He then showed them Uldar¡¯s explanation for why came up with the Heroes¡ªincluding the General¡ªand his decision to cull Thameland. Tobias brokedown, openly sobbing. Merzhin placed a hand on the old man''s back. ¡°It''s alright¡­it¡¯s alright.¡± The young wizard almost felt guilty, but knew that showing them the recording had to be done. Finally, he showed them how the General had been transformed to the Fool, advancing the record until Uldar¡¯s last entry. He showed the god¡¯s declining mental state and his plan to cull his people again, using the Ravener to save himself. After the god declared that he intended to go and rest, the journal came to an end. The king of Thameland, high priest Tobias Jay, and court wizard Errol seemed lost. Alex paused the recording just before Uldar disappeared. Tobias collapsed on his knees against Merzhin as the Saint held him to his chest, his aching sobs echoing through the viewing room. Court Wizard Errol looked like a doll whose strings had been cut: limp, slack and lifeless. King Athelstan had lowered himself to the floor, sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees like a confused, overwhelmed child. He blinked with glassy, unfocused eyes. The Heroes and Professor Jules gave them a moment, then she spoke. ¡°You can see why we decided to¡ª¡± ¡°What?¡± the king looked at her sharply, blinking owlishly. ¡°What? What?¡± The professor looked at him with sympathy. ¡°You can see why we decided to show you.¡± ¡°We''re going to need to make some decisions,¡± Alex said. ¡°We have reason to believe that the Ravener knows that Uldar is dead; the throne and body was taken by Ravener-spawn. Since we know that much, it¡¯s a good bet that there¡¯s a very good chance it will start trying to kill everyone.¡± ¡°I thought that was what it¡¯s already been doing,¡± the king murmured. ¡°No,¡± Alex continued. ¡°Everything up until now was just to keep the cycle going. It''s been holding back, but it was never meaning to win: it wasn''t trying to win. Now there''s no reason for it to want to lose.¡± ¡°Such a thing would be apocalyptic,¡± Errol said. ¡°We have suffered so many casualties, and lost more soldiers trying to weed out the traitors among us. And you mean to tell me that it wasn''t even trying? This could mean the end.¡± ¡°I will not let it be the end,¡± the king whispered. ¡°Your majesty?¡± Errol asked. The monarch¡¯s confusion had drained away, now replaced by rage. ¡°I have lived with the idea that my son would inherit a realm on fire. Night after night, I¡¯ve laid awake with the thought that my wife and child would live with the growing threat of death all around them. My only comfort¡ªmy only comfort¡ªwas the thought that Uldar had a secret plan for us!¡± His sudden laughter was bitter and dismal, it held no cheer. ¡°But instead, I¡¯ve learned that he did have a plan! A plan to kill all of us, to milk us for our faith like cattle, like we were no more than farm animals to him! That is what this sanctum of his is akin to, the farmstead of an absent landlord! Which would make me its overseer! Well, I say no more! No more of that!¡± ¡°That''s what we want to talk about,¡± Alex said. ¡°We agree with you, it''s time to end his sins. We all need to prepare for what''s coming, though. And we need to decide what to do next¡­especially with what we''ve learned.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°I think we should tell our people. All of ¡®em. Let this false god¡¯s legacy rot.¡± The king snarled. ¡°He had so little trust in us that he would place his own life above the lives of generations, and reduce us to the status of animals. It would be fitting if his lies were laid bare¡­¡± He paused. ¡°¡­and yet.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°People should know the truth.¡± ¡°But, will they understand,¡± the king said. ¡°You brought us here: can you bring every member of the army here to convince them of the truth? None would believe it without undeniable proof¡­perhaps if we had the body still¡­but even then, that would be not enough for many. And¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°Even if you did have the body, I would oppose telling anyone else about this.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Drestra demanded. ¡°Morale,¡± King Athelstan said. ¡°As you personally know from experience on the front lines, we¡¯ve been fighting an increasingly difficult battle, and telling our troops the truth would reveal that not only is their battle for nothing, and that it has always been for nothing, but that their own deity and saviour was against them all along. They would desert en masse, they would despair.¡± ¡°Couldn¡¯t we move everyone somewhere else?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Leave fer other lands?¡± ¡°Where?¡± the king asked. ¡°The Rhinean Empire takes our vulnerable¡ªtemporarily¡ªduring the war. And more of their citizens have been growing agitated with our people¡¯s presence in the lands as the war drags on. They would never approve of our entire army suddenly migrating to their shores.¡± ¡°We could go somewhere else, then,¡± Cedric offered. ¡°The world is a smaller place than you think, Cedric of Clan Duncan.¡± The king countered. ¡°All over, most land that isn¡¯t hostile in climate or environment, has been claimed. We would have to fight for any land that we managed to find. And if we are going to fight, we should do it here. We should save our own homes, our own land.¡± ¡°My people have lived here before there was even an Uldar,¡± Drestra hissed. ¡°I don''t like the idea of leaving without a fight,¡± Hart said. ¡°Neither do I,¡± Alex said. ¡°Thameland is our home. I''m not interested in leaving it to a bunch of Ravener-spawn forever.¡± Cedric threw up his hands. ¡°Right. So then we¡¯re t¡¯keep Uldar¡¯s secret f¡¯now? Well, that¡¯s jus¡¯ great, ain¡¯t it? Now I''m t¡¯be a liar fer the worst sort o¡¯ bastard! I don¡¯t like that one bit!¡± ¡°Doesn''t make me feel great either,¡± Alex said. ¡°But if that''s what we have to do to win this war, then we have to do it, Cedric.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­I know you¡¯re right, but it still don¡¯t sit right wit¡¯ me,¡± the Chosen said. ¡°Perhaps there can be a compromise,¡± High Priest Tobias Jay raised his head. ¡°We need Uldar as a symbol for now, but that treacherous thing cannot help us¡ªtruly help us¡ªeven if we do use his divinity for miracles. You all might disagree with me, but our kingdom needs a deity. One who did not plan to kill us all.¡± Tobias looked at Alex. ¡°Thankfully, we might already have a candidate.¡± The old man reached up, ripping off the symbol of Uldar¡¯s hand he¡¯d worn around his neck for far too many years, and tossed it on the floor. He looked at Alex. ¡°The people will need something real; tell me more about this ¡®Traveller¡¯ that you¡¯ve spoken of.¡± Chapter 786: The Turning Wheel of Faith Alex Roth stood in Uldar¡¯s viewing room, scratching his head, trying to grasp what had just happened. He looked from the symbol of Uldar¡ªon the floor¡ªto the high priest of the god of Thameland, who¡¯d thrown it there. Had he really just done that? He would have thought Tobias would be devastated: when Merzhin had found Uldar dead in his throne room, and later learned what he¡¯d done to his own people, the young Saint had come close to breaking, close to falling into despair at the truth of what his beloved god actually was. Theresa and Grimloch had said that when the First Apostle had seen Uldar¡¯s lifeless form, his mind had snapped. Alex had expected the high priest¡ªthe highest living authority representing the church besides the Saint¡ªto react in a similar way. But, the man¡¯s face showed not the slightest trace of anything but anger. The General of Thameland wasn¡¯t alone in his surprise. ¡°Tobias?¡± Errol asked. ¡°What have you done, have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°Are you alright?¡± the king asked. ¡°High priest?¡± Merzhin asked. The old holy man was snarling, pushing himself to his feet with blazing eyes fixed on Uldar¡¯s image. ¡°I am more than alright. I am clear.¡± ¡°Then speak clearly!¡± Errol demanded. ¡°You''re not making any sense!¡± ¡°Aren''t I?¡± Tobias glared at the court wizard. ¡°I think I''m the only one making sense, it¡¯s the world that¡¯s gone mad!¡± He gestured to Uldar¡¯s image. ¡°I have dedicated sixty-five years of my life to a god that meant to kill us! Sixty-five years! Do you know what that means, how much I''ve given up? How much I¡¯ve sacrificed? What I found myself doing to rise to power in the church?¡± His eyes flashed. ¡°The priesthood can be a pit of vipers, my old friends. Politics, backstabbing, betrayal, and I tolerated all of it to climb up in an organisation that served our so-called god. I''ve had to compromise my own morals time and time again to reach my position, but that has developed a practicality in me. I¡¯ve done all of that, but you know what truly angers me? I was deceived. I truly believed that Uldar was good: that he was great! That we mortals fell short of his divine magnificence, his altruism, and his vast heart. But no, instead, I find that he was no better than any of us¡­perhaps even worse. And I have to ask myself, what does that make me?¡± He hissed. ¡°There are things I''ve done to both men and women whom I¡¯ve called friends¡ªthings that I will not dare to utter¡ªthings I did in the name of my own position, and what I thought was for the greater good. My only solace was confessing to Uldar in the stillness of night. Seeking his hidden guidance, listening for signs. Now, I learn that he¡¯s long dead, and likely would not have cared even if he was alive. He has wronged all of us. And¡ªfor the first time¡ªthe practicality born in me through my journey, will serve me well. Why should my heart break if a god is false and not worthy of our worship?¡± His jaw tensed. ¡°If our god seeks to poison us, then we must find a new deity. This Traveller seems eager to fill the role, but I wish to know more about her. That is why I have asked the question of the new General of our homeland.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°Tell me more about her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be glad to,¡± Alex said. ¡°But¡­it''s gonna take a bit to explain everything we¡¯ve learned about her. Maybe you want to take some time to think things over? I mean, it''s none of my business, but you probably just had the biggest shock of your life¡­ maybe it''s not the best idea to jump into the arms of another deity so soon?¡± ¡°I beg to differ,¡± Tobias countered. ¡°Under normal circumstances, I might agree with you. But these circumstances are far from normal: our god has been in league with our enemy, truthfully, he¡¯s been our enemy, and now that enemy could be in possession of his corpse. We are going to need divine protection.¡± Alex¡¯s interest grew. ¡°Actually, that''s something I''d like to ask you about. What could the Ravener do with Uldar¡¯s body?¡± Everyone looked at the high priest. ¡°I am curious about that as well, old friend,¡± said Athelstan. ¡°I am uneasy at just the thought of the body of a god being in the hands of our greatest enemy, but¡­you have knowledge and divinity, can you tell us what it might be able to do with it?¡± Tobias paused, frowning. ¡°To be honest, I am not sure of why it could want it¡­but I do know that there is a potential danger.¡± ¡°And what''s that?¡± Athelstan asked. He looked up at Uldar¡¯s image. ¡°Faith is power, your majesty. At least, when it comes to divine beings. No mortal knows exactly how it all works, but belief¡ªtrue belief¡ªin a deity empowers them. It empowered Uldar, obviously. However, faith can generate miracles, even with no deity present. There have been written accounts all throughout history of situations where enough people believed in a cause or philosophy to such an extent, that a form of divinity was created. If you look at the earlier entries that young Alex showed us, you can see it in action: even if Uldar was mortal at one time, after he convinced the people that he had visions of the future, he ceased to be mortal once enough of them believed in his divine might. Their belief transformed him.¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡°But yet, he''s now dead,¡± the king pointed out. ¡°But people have never stopped believing in him, because every hundred years, the Ravener returns, sowing fear, making them continue to pray to him,¡± Tobias said. ¡°Thameish faith pours into these halls, drawn by what Uldar symbolises. People believe that the god of Thameland sits on his throne, watching over us, and so faith is still drawn to that body and throne. Essentially, it just might be that this place and Uldar¡¯s corpse and throne have become the focus of Thameland¡¯s faith.¡± He looked around. ¡°That is also why I sense divinity within these halls, and that the divine energy is being drained away. I believe that it¡¯s streaming away, seeking to rejoin its symbols: Uldar¡¯s throne and his body.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Drestra suddenly interrupted him. ¡°Do you mean to say that the Ravener has access to Uldar¡¯s divinity, since it''s flowing to his body and chair?¡± Everyone seemed to hold their breaths, waiting for the high priest¡¯s answer. ¡°Quite possibly,¡± Tobias said. ¡°I do not know if it has a way to channel that divinity¡ªbut it is a construct made by Uldar himself¡ªso it could be possible.¡± ¡°And that''s why you say we need a deity,¡± Alex murmured. ¡°In case the Ravener¡¯s able to take control of that power.¡± ¡°Which could mean that no army we can muster would be able to stop it,¡± Tobias said. ¡°But, again, that is a supposition¡ªand maybe a thin one. A priest can draw on some of Uldar¡¯s divine energy, but the ability to take all of it and turn it into a devastating force¡­might only be theoretically possible. Only theoretically.¡± ¡°When Roal slayed the god Oreca at Oreca¡¯s Fall Island,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°No one was able to use his body as a source of apocalyptic power. And people did try¡ªespecially his priests.¡± ¡°I am not familiar with that particular deity, but¡­again, the theory is thin,¡± Tobias said. ¡°It could be that the Ravener is claiming the body and throne for the connection to its creator. Or it could be that it has some alchemical design for them, but that is outside my area of expertise.¡± ¡°In any case,¡± Tobias said. ¡°Tell me more about the Traveller.¡±
¡°I see,¡± the high priest was deep in thought when he¡¯d heard more about Hannah. Alex had begun his tale by recounting the ancient Saint¡¯s struggle against the Ravener, and telling them about Kelda, then he¡¯d talked about the hidden church kidnapping Carey, her death, and what had happened at Uldar¡¯s Rise when she¡¯d returned. The other Heroes then told them about stories they¡¯d heard about soldiers being protected by some unseen force during battle. Professor Jules spoke of the miracles in Generasi, and how they were connected to folk who were either believers in the Traveller before they¡¯d received a miracle, or after. The high priest, court wizard, and king had listened intently. Tobias spoke first. ¡°It would seem that this Traveller has opposed the evil in Thameland for a very long time,¡± he said. ¡°The Saint of Alric has been caring for our people well before her death, and continues even after it.¡± ¡°I draw teleportation power from her,¡± Alex told him. ¡°One thing I know for sure is that¡­¡± he paused, reliving a dark memory. ¡°When I nearly died at the hands of the First Apostle, my soul was closer to her in the after-world. In that time, I was able to do things with teleportation that I still haven¡¯t been able to repeat since Merzhin healed me. If she gets strong enough to return as a demigoddess, there''s no telling how much stronger my teleportation could become.¡± Tobias looked at the king. ¡°Your majesty, I have an idea. I do believe that we could use the help of this Traveller in our struggle against the Ravener¡¯s full power. Might I suggest that we take certain steps? What if I were to have conversations with the priesthood telling them that the Saint of Alric has been elevated by Uldar, and that she is aiding us directly in our conflict? When they then minister to soldiers and others, they can lead them¡ªeven mercenaries who are not from here¡ªto pray to her, spreading the word and giving her new followers.¡± King Athelstan raised his eyebrows. ¡°All of this is a lot to take in at one time, I will need a chance to consider everythi¡ªBut¡­ ¡± He shook his head. ¡°Time is fleeting and you are the arbiter of our faith, Tobias¡­wherever that takes us. I trust your judgement in these matters as it does not seem to be clouded by useless sentiment.¡± Tobias Jay bowed. ¡°Thank you, my king.¡± He turned to Alex. ¡°I must ask that you communicate with me should you have contact with the Traveller. It¡¯s important for us to measure her growth as a demigoddess so we can judge the progress of our plan.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Alex said. ¡°Good,¡± Tobias said. ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± King Athelstan asked. ¡°Our priority should be finding the Ravener¡­but we have nowhere to begin.¡± ¡°I''d suggest that we review Uldar¡¯s records more thoroughly,¡± Errol said. ¡°It could be that we missed something.¡± ¡°Meanwhile, we have to find a way to eliminate the menace he created. All of this will be for nothing if we cannot find a way to destroy it forever,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Will the Generasians accept that?¡± the king sounded worried. ¡°Will they not want the flow of dungeon core essence to continue?¡± ¡°Let us worry about that,¡± Profesor Jules said. ¡°¡­I will trust you then,¡± the king looked at everyone present. ¡°We have been united by this terrible secret, and now we have the great burden of figuring out what we must do with it. Responsibility will lay heavy on our heads. I want you all to know that you have my full support: any resources or anything that I can do to bring us closer to success, I will do it.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°Forgive me, Alexander, but might I see your new Mark? You told us that you transformed it in a former Hero¡¯s sanctum?¡± ¡°I did, and I¡¯ll be happy to show you,¡± Alex opened his shirt, revealing the Mark glowing on his shoulder. ¡°It is as you say, you are now the General of Thameland,¡± Athelstan said. ¡°What are your plans, then? Will you reveal your new station to others?¡± ¡°Honestly, I don''t know,¡± Alex said. ¡°No one knows anything about any General in our kingdom. ¡°Leave that to me,¡± Tobias said. ¡°The same time that I speak of the Traveller¡¯s influence and aid in this battle, I will also mention that the Fool was transformed by Uldar into a new Hero to help settle the ongoing conflict. We will plant the necessary seeds. That little tidbit will gain the support of the people and the church. At the same time, I will also continue unearthing members of the secret church still buried within our ranks.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Alex said. ¡°And while you¡¯re doing that, I''ll be helping to make the Heroes stronger, and I¡¯ll keep fighting for Thameland against whatever the Ravener throws at us. With Professor Jules and the rest of the research team, we¡¯ll keep looking for how to stop it for good. Uldar isn¡¯t winning this time!¡± ¡°It''ll be good to have you back with us, Mr. Roth.¡± Professor Jules said. He smiled at her. ¡°Thanks, professor. We¡¯ve got a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°Then let''s not waste any more time,¡± the king said. ¡°We are united. Let us end the traitorous god¡¯s sins against us.¡± ¡°I''ll do my part,¡± Alex said. And to do it, I¡¯ll need to go home for a while.¡± ¡°To Alric?¡± the king asked. ¡°No.¡± Alex shook his head, and he couldn¡¯t help but smile. It had been much too long. ¡°To Generasi.¡± Chapter 787: What Now? ¡°Thanks for the lift, Mr. Roth, I can never get over how efficient travelling by teleportation is,¡± Professor Jules laughed, stepping away from Alex. The two wizards had teleported to the alchemy professor¡¯s office from the Heroes¡¯ camp. ¡°I wasn''t aware that you¡¯d become so proficient at travelling such a large distance in a single jump.¡± ¡°Neither was I,¡± Alex admitted, stretching and looking around. ¡°I got better practising in Kelda¡¯s sanctum¡­and¡­¡± Professor Jules paused, partway through reaching into her liquor cabinet. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong,¡± Alex said, a wave of emotion going through him. ¡°Well, that''s not quite right. I mean, the Ravener might''ve stolen the body of a god who didn¡¯t hesitate in killing the Thameish people like he was getting rid of fleas, and the same god¡¯s murderous pet project might escalate and try to wipe out every living being fighting in Thameland¡­but I don''t know, professor, in spite of all that, I feel relieved. It feels like it¡¯s been years since I''ve been in this office. But here I am, alive, in one piece, and back in Generasi.¡± Professor Jules looked at him for a long moment. ¡°Would you care for a cup of something strong, Mr. Roth?¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, I don''t think so. I need to go home to see Selina and Claygon, give them the news¡­better if I have a clear head.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s the end of the workday for me, so I''m going to have a drink. I''ll toast your return home, Mr. Roth,¡± she said, taking out a bottle of dwarven fire rye. She poured herself a very big glass. ¡°I have a feeling I''ll need to brew a hangover cure tomorrow morning, but here, let me get you a ¡­coffee, tea, some juice?¡± ¡°Do you happen to have hot cider?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I used to drink apple cider in Alric all the time¡­I''d love a cup.¡± ¡°I have just the thing.¡± Professor Jules took a cheesecloth packet of dried apples and a mixture of spices from her cabinet. She put the apples in a strange press that sat on a shelf in the cabinet then turned a crank on its side, crushing the fruit to paste. She added distilled water, the spices, and a dropperful of a potion that heated and liquified the mixture, producing a steaming amber drink that smelled delicious. She pushed a lever on the device, and Alex¡¯s cider flowed into a waiting cup. Professor Jules handed him the cup and raised her glass. ¡°To your safe return, Mr. Roth.¡± ¡°To my return, and to the end of the Ravener.¡± He took a long sip. It was as delicious as it smelled. ¡°You have rounds to make once you reacquaint yourself with your family, don¡¯t you?¡± The professor sighed, plopping down in a comfortable chair behind her desk and stretching like a contented cat. ¡°You¡¯ll have to speak to Professors Mangal, and Val¡¯Rok, they¡¯ve both been looking forward to seeing you. Especially Professor Mangal, she¡¯s told me that she very much wants to continue your work together.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have a lot to tell her too.¡± ¡°And Professor Val¡¯Rok said that you would be engaging in that gruesome operation on your mana pool?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°I already did that: and the results were worth it.¡± He took another sip of cider. ¡°Well, I have no doubt that he¡¯ll be pleased to hear that,¡± she said, shaking her head disapprovingly. ¡°You''ll also need to speak to the registrar: we took the liberty of putting your studies on hold, but it¡¯s required that you inform him of your plans now that you''re back. Will you be returning to your studies right away? Or will you continue your hiatus until the Ravener is destroyed and your life becomes less hectic?¡± Alex paused, thinking for a while, then nodded to himself and rested his cup on the desk, steam curled from it. ¡°Professor¡­¡± He sat up straighter. ¡°I can cast ninth-tier spells now.¡± She paused. ¡°yes¡­you mentioned something about that earlier, but with so much going on, I didn''t really have a chance to process it.¡± The professor placed her glass in front of her. ¡°You truly can cast ninth-tier spells now?¡± ¡°Truly,¡± Alex said. ¡°I can cast Conjure Ultimate Ally and Summon Astral Engeli. And I think I could learn just about any ninth-tier summoning spell fairly easily at this point. ¡° Professor Jules¡¯ eyebrows rose. ¡°Conjure Ultimate Ally is a very difficult spell. Ninth-tier¡­that''s the domain of archwizardry.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know it is,¡± Alex said, thinking very carefully about his next words. ¡°Which is why¡­I was wondering if I could Challenge enough Exams for Credit to get every one I need, so I could graduate early?¡± Before she could say anything, he continued. ¡°I''ve been giving this a lot of thought, professor. And¡ªwhile I enjoy my classes¡ªthe fact is, I''ll have to use my time efficiently. Which means spending a lot of it on helping Thameland, doing research on the Ravener with the team, and taking care of everything else that I need to. And since attending classes isn¡¯t really going to teach me much¡­and uh¡­¡± ¡°I think I understand where you¡¯re going. The fact is, attending formal classes that teach third and fourth-tier courses and spellcraft, would be of little benefit to you, is that what you wanted to say?¡± Professor Jules cut in. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°A lot of what I had to do to even be able to cast spells when I had the Mark of the Fool, helped me advance real fast once those limits went away. And now, the Mark of the General helps me learn spells fast, if I apply it in the right way.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°I see,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like students trying to rush ahead with their studies, but¡ª¡± Professor Jules raised her hand. ¡°Save your words, Mr. Roth, I''m not unreasonable. I don''t like it when students try to rush their studies before they¡¯re ready to advance. And many prove that they¡¯re not ready though they might think they are. You, on the other hand, are ready for graduate studies and more, considering your level of skill. It¡¯s really quite extraordinary.¡± ¡°Thanks, professor¡­¡± he paused. ¡°There''s one other thing. I kinda don''t¡­jeez, this is hard to say. I¡¯d like to graduate before anything happens. We don''t know what the Ravener¡¯s next move will be, and if something happens to me¡­I''d like to know that I¡¯d achieved what I came here for; to become a wizard and graduate from the University of Generasi. Does that sound weird?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Professor Jules shook her head. ¡°We have things we want to accomplish before our lives end. I understand. You¡¯ll have to speak to other faculty members about your¡­change in situation. We can arrange things with Registrar Hobb, once there is consensus among your professors and the department heads once you discuss the matter with them. But, Mr. Roth¡­I would like to ask you a direct question.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± she watched him steadily. ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. ¡°I plan to go to the villa where my family is¡ª¡± ¡°I mean later.¡± ¡°Like we talked about, work on researching the Ravener, working on defending my homeland¡ª¡± ¡°No, Alex,¡± she said. ¡°I mean after all of that.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ooooh,¡± he paused. ¡°You mean when the war¡¯s over?¡± ¡°I do,¡± she said. ¡°You''re talking about wanting to graduate, but have you thought about what you''re going to do with your life afterward?¡± ¡°Well, I''m definitely gonna marry the hell out of Theresa,¡± Alex said with enthusiasm. ¡°Then, you know, there''s my business with Toraka Shale¡­my other businesses. Alchemy is pretty awesome, so I''ll continue to study that¡ª¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have to,¡± Professor Jules pointed out. ¡°You don''t have to, Mr. Roth.¡± ¡°Wait, what now?¡± he said. ¡°You''ve gotten rid of the limits placed on you by the horrendous Uldar,¡± she continued. ¡°You''re not confined to alchemy any longer. You can study any form of magic that you wish, you can explore all of wizardry, travel anywhere you wish to.¡± ¡°Huh, I¡­¡± He paused. ¡°I never really thought about that, especially with the Mark of the Fool and all.¡± ¡°You should,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Your name continues to spread all over the city. There are going to be endless opportunities ahead of you, and it would be a terrible shame to see you flounder, or not explore your great talents once the war ends.¡± ¡°You know, it didn''t occur to me that I could choose to do something different,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t have time to really consider what it means to be free of the Fool¡¯s Mark. Uh, I guess I should give all of that some thought. It''s kinda sad¡­to think that I''m not gonna be taking courses anymore, though.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to graduate early if you don''t want to,¡± Professor Jules pointed out. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve been here before¡­I was sad when I left the church school too,¡± Alex told her. ¡°I liked studying there, learning, I liked my teachers, and I was pretty much used to everything. I''m wondering if maybe I''m just going through the same thing right now. But realistically, I don''t really think it makes a lot of sense for me to continue taking undergraduate courses if I¡¯m capable of casting ninth-tier spells.¡± ¡°In some ways, you''re beyond the graduate level,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And that powerful Mark of yours means that you could fill in any gaps you have with knowledge and your skills extremely quickly. I think there would be a number of professors who would want you to join the faculty and work with them directly. Actually, I guarantee that if you do continue with graduate studies and beyond, the faculty here will be fighting tooth and nail to get you to work alongside them. I could see the competition turning into a regular blood sport.¡± Alex laughed at that. ¡°I don''t know if I want to teach or become a professor or anything like that¡­but yeah. I really don''t know.¡± ¡°Well, why did you want to become a wizard in the first place?¡± Professor Jules asked. He chuckled again. ¡°To become like the wizards I read about in story books, and to use magic to make a good life for me, my sister, and the Lus.¡± Now it was Professor Jules who laughed. ¡°But you are already quite wealthy, Mr. Roth, and a lot of the magic that you can wield is the stuff that stories are made of. As a matter of fact, bards are already spinning tales about you right here in Generasi.¡± He made a face. ¡°What? I''m not sure how I feel about that. Which is pretty ironic since at one time I wanted my name to spread, and now that it''s spreading, I feel a bit weird!¡± ¡°I''d feel the same way,¡± Professor Jules said, taking a swig of dwarven fire rye. ¡°But the fact is, you''ve already reached a lot of your goals, haven''t you?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I suppose,¡± he murmured. ¡°Before I even knew it. I know I want to break through to ninth-tier with spells besides summoning ones¡­but what I want to do as a wizard beyond that? Now that my limits are gone, I can¡¯t really say yet.¡± ¡°I''d suggest taking some time to think about it,¡± Professor Jules advised him. ¡°Taking a good long time to make your decision should allow you to have a better idea of what you¡¯d like to do when the war is over.¡± He shuddered. ¡°You know, in all the old stories, when someone has a conversation like this, they¡¯re basically as good as dead.¡± ¡°Well, this isn¡¯t an old story,¡± Professor Jules said, matter-of-factly. ¡°And for practical reasons, you should give some thought to your future before it''s here.¡± ¡°I guess you''re right,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, professor.¡± He sighed. ¡°I wish Baelin was here: he''d have some good advice.¡± She scoffed. ¡°He''d probably tell you something about crushing your enemies and seeing them driven before you.¡± ¡°Yeah, you''re probably right,¡± he laughed. ¡°That was not a joke, Mr. Roth.¡± ¡°I know, but it''s still funny.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± she said. ¡°Oh, before you go. I would like you to come see Registrar Hobb with me in the morning. It''s not about you Challenging the Exams for Credit, it¡¯ll be about your access to the library. You''ll be expected to show proof that you can cast ninth-tier spells, but once you do, then you¡¯ll have full access to the library.¡± He gasped. ¡°That''ll be awesome! Thank you, professor!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a favour, it''s your right,¡± she said. ¡°Well, I''m still glad. So, thank you again.¡± He shook her hand. ¡°Anyway, I should get going. You''ve given me a lot to think about, though.¡± ¡°It''s why they pay me,¡± she said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°Why on earth are you heading toward the door? Aren''t you going to teleport to the villa?¡± Alex paused, his hand on the door handle. ¡°No, I don''t think I will. I haven''t been in Generasi in a long, long time. I''d like to enjoy being here, seeing it, slowing down for a bit, and taking it all in. I think I feel like walking for a while.¡± ¡°It''s probably a good idea to slow down,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Think about your future, Mr. Roth, and I will see you tomorrow at nine in the morning.¡± ¡°Thanks again, professor¡­for everything. If it weren''t for you and Baelin, I wouldn¡¯t be here,¡± he said, opening the door. ¡°And I mean that.¡± ¡°Oh, shoo!¡± she waved him off. ¡°You''re welcome, but if you stay here any longer, I''m going to start to cry, and I''d rather that didn''t happen. So, off you go! You have family to see!¡± Chapter 788: A Walk Through Old Memory ¡°It¡¯s good to be back,¡± Alex said quietly, walking through the halls of the castle. The young wizard strolled slowly, one hand holding his staff, and the other relaxed at his side. His steps were light, his head held high, and¡ªfor the first time in months¡ªhe felt no tension, no worry of being hunted, no matter where he went. The hidden church and the Stalker had driven him from his home, but in turn, they¡¯d been driven from the material world, he was still here and very much alive, and they weren¡¯t. In spite of that, his heart and mind were conflicted as a range of thoughts and worries played inside him. On one hand, he was happy to be home, but on the other, he knew harder times still lay ahead, threats still hung over them, and that their efforts to rid Thameland of the Ravener could fail. He looked around, feeling a pang of guilt that he was here, comfortably strolling through the halls of the university when the Ravener¡¯s menace was growing in his homeland, but he also knew that this time, here and now, was precious. ¡®I have no idea what''s going to happen to us,¡¯ he thought. ¡®So I have to appreciate life right now.¡¯ And, that¡¯s just what he did. Alex walked through the university¡¯s hallways mindful that it might be the last time he ever would, taking in everything around him. He found that not much had changed. It was late in the winter semester, and¡ªas worried as he was about murderous monsters and the plans of evil, dead gods¡ªthe students he passed were worried about their exams. Some were already waiting in front of a faculty member¡¯s door, or scurrying to a meeting with a professor for advice, or answers to questions they had. Most had puffy eyes from too little sleep, and they shouldered heavy bags bulging with books. In whispers, they quizzed each other on material they¡¯d learned in lectures, or reviewed flashcards. Some walked confidently. Others were as nervous as a lamb near a dragon¡¯s fiery breath. The scene was typical. The semester was nearing its end and activity was high. Alex watched, feeling a little sad¡­no, maybe ¡®sad¡¯ wasn¡¯t the right word. ¡®Nostalgic,¡¯ he realised, as a group of first years passed by, hurrying to a study hall as he walked down a flight of stairs. ¡®This all feels very nostalgic.¡¯ He remembered first year, studying with his cabal. Back then, he was still new to using the Mark of the Fool and learning study strategies for university level work. He passed a balcony where he, Thundar, Isolde, and Khalik would meet to go over classwork, or quiz and tutor each other while loudly complaining about their hardest-marking professors. The young wizard smiled at the memory. ¡®Things were so much simpler then,¡¯ he thought. ¡®That was before I knew what Hunters were or before they found me. Back then, I was trying to see what I could learn about the dungeon core remains from Hannah¡¯s cave. The Ravener had been a distant threat, little more than a dim thought in the back of my mind. By the Traveller, I miss the time when my biggest worry was about what marks I''d get in Ram¡¯s class.¡¯ Shaking his head, he continued down the steps toward the front of the castle. He remembered seeing Carey and doing his best to dodge her invitations to campus for Uldar. The memory was bittersweet now. Stepping into the courtyard, he looked up, remembering the explosion in the Cells when he¡¯d first arrived on campus with Selina, Theresa, Brutus, and Lucia. She¡¯d brought them to the school in her sky-gondola. The university had seemed like a place of endless mysteries then. Mysteries he couldn¡¯t even imagine, couldn¡¯t have the beginnings of understanding back then. Now, here he was, an archwizard, walking through its hallways with the power of legends. He¡¯d defeated ancient villains. Seen a dead god. Seen that dead god¡¯s sanctum with his own eyes and heard his legacy recounted with his own ears. He¡¯d broken divine chains that were put on him. He¡¯d begun mastering the upper limits of spell craft¡­ ¡­and started a magical revolution. Now, explosions weren''t something that frightened him away from magic: he was the one causing the explosions. Hopefully, he could challenge the exams he needed for credit, graduate early, and complete his undergraduate studies soon. He could even choose to go on to graduate school. He didn''t know how to feel about that. ¡®Things feel a lot less simple than they used to,¡¯ he thought. Professor Jules¡¯ words echoed in his mind, asking him what he wanted to do with his future. As he went through the university¡¯s front gates, he was still no closer to an answer. Pulling his hood up, he teleported into the city, to an alleyway near Shale¡¯s workshop and the Roth Family Bakery. As he stepped into the streets, people watched him¡ªhe was built like a bull, and was holding a glowing sword-staff, after all¡ªthat¡¯s when the pointing and whispering began. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! He''d been recognized. He¡¯d be known in Generasi for the rest of his life, maybe even beyond, even if his life ended in the battle against the Ravener. He put that grim thought from his mind, and strolled down the busy street. It was nearly evening and people were rushing to get home from work. The bakery would soon be closing. Alex''s eyes fell on it¡ªhis home¡ªas he came nearer. It looked exactly as it had before he¡¯d left: inviting and busy. Maybe busier than when he¡¯d left months ago. Across from it, Shale¡¯s workshop was a bustle of activity. He paused, looking up at the building. ¡®Holy shit,¡¯ he thought. The golem crafter and businesswoman was clearly taking advantage of her sales: an extension had expanded the golem-works floor space, and a new docking tower was being erected for sky-gondolas. ¡®Probably for shipping,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Maybe¡ªoh!¡¯ A small team of workmen floated around the tower, installing a familiar symbol: the seal Lucia¡¯s shipping company bore. ¡®I guess I wasn''t the only one who was busy,¡¯ he thought. He considered going to the golem-works to say a quick hello, but reconsidered. ¡®There''ll be time for that later,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I still have to deliver the golems I made in Kelda¡¯s sanctum, we¡¯ll have plenty to talk about, then.¡¯ He teleported a few blocks away, mingling with the crowd and strolling through the downtown streets, his mind still on his future. ¡®I have more businesses to set up and I like making coin, so is that what I want to do for the rest of my life?¡¯ He wasn¡¯t sure. ¡®I could do anything. Probably even make my own dukedom if I wanted to,¡¯ he thought. ¡®There might be some land out there somewhere¡ªmaybe an island or something¡ªthat I could make my own duchy in. But, being a ruler sounds like it comes with its own set of problems. Maybe, I could go adventuring¡­but after fighting monsters for so long, I think I could use a break from that for a while, cut down on the excitement for a bit.¡¯ The evening streets were growing darker. Forceball lights came to life along the sidewalks. Bars and taverns grew louder as darkness fell. ¡®Maybe I could open an alehouse like the one my parents had,¡¯ he thought with a sad smile. ¡®If only they could see all I''ve done.¡¯ He nodded solemnly at the thought. Alex teleported a few blocks ahead, finding himself in Borgia¡¯s Square where he used to spend time watching people and learning their body language. Merchants and farmers were packing up for the evening, securing their stalls and counting the coin they¡¯d made for the day. Some recognized him immediately. ¡°Alex Roth?¡± an older man called. ¡°Come to make a purchase? I could open back up if you¡¯re in need of something.¡± ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m alright,¡± Alex waved at the man, then teleported away. ¡®Maybe I should go see Khaik,¡¯ he thought. ¡®He and Sinope probably did a lot of preparing for their wedding by now. By the Traveller, Theresa and I should start planning ours¡­¡¯ More things to consider. More things to think about for the future. Alex teleported to a road outside the city. He strolled through the countryside, walking among carts travelling back to local villages. He nodded at farmers, hunters and monster slayers as he passed them on his way to the villa where his family was. A memory of coming out to the Generasi countryside for the first time greeted him, it was as vivid as if it happened yesterday. ¡®Maybe we can stay here for the rest of our lives¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®It''s a really nice place to be. Feels more like home than Alric, at this point. But then again¡­¡¯ He remembered, sitting under a tree with Theresa, in Coille Forest. There, his childhood friend had told him about her dream, about wanting to explore the world. She had put it on hold so he could go to school, and they could fight the Ravener. ¡®Would Theresa want to live here forever?¡¯ Alex wondered. ¡®Selina would want to go to school here, but¡­after that?¡¯ The idea of travelling seemed sort of¡­nice, to Alex. When he thought about it, he realised¡ªsurprisingly¡ªthat he hadn''t really done much travelling, despite being able to teleport. He¡¯d left Alric to come to Generasi¡ªseen a bit of the Rhinean Empire¡ªbut that was only to get here for school. He¡¯d gone down to the hells, but that place wasn¡¯t exactly what he¡¯d call someplace to travel to. It had been for training, for finding information about Hannah and doing it while not dying at the claws of demons. He¡¯d also been to the Irtyshenan Empire; an awful place, being there had been one of the worst times in his life. His quest there was important, but he could happily live without ever going back. Alex paused in the middle of the road, deep in thought. ¡®I''ve never travelled for pleasure,¡¯ he realised. ¡®I have all of this teleportation energy to use, and I''ve gone mostly to some of the worst places around. Either for business, to train, to gather information, or because lives depended on it. I hope I get a chance to fix that, one day.¡¯ Taking a deep breath of country air, he nodded to himself. ¡®This was nice,¡¯ he thought. ¡®It was nice taking in the city again.¡¯ With a smile, he teleported, materialising on a road deeper in the countryside. Up in the distance, stood the villa where his family waited. Claygon, the Lus, and Selina should be there. Hopefully, Theresa and Brutus were back. Alex strolled along, humming a little tune, reaching his hand out, letting the leaves of bushes he was passing caress his fingertips. The young wizard took another deep breath and exhaled, his thoughts falling away. He wanted to be in this moment. Fully present. He could see lights shining in the windows of the villa¡ªfire flickering from fireplaces, and lamps. Those flames made him wonder how Selina¡¯s studies had been going. Shale¡¯s golems were patrolling the walls. Each powerful, and looking dangerous. The next time he saw Toraka, he¡¯d have to thank her again for what she¡¯d done for his family. He had a lot of people to thank. His professors, Shale, Baelin¡­all of them. Especially Baelin. Alex looked up at stars winking to life above him. ¡°I hope you come back soon,¡± he whispered. ¡°I hope we see you again before the end...and I hope you come back and blow up some of our enemies¡­that¡¯d be nice right about now.¡± He chuckled. A scream ripped through the twilight. ¡°Aleeeeeeeeeeeex!¡± a voice screamed. His head turned toward the villa, eyes peering through the dusky light. The young wizard couldn''t make anyone out at first. He was just about to teleport closer, when the gate began opening. A small figure squeezed through. He recognized the slight form. Her chestnut brown hair was longer than when he¡¯d last seen her, and she was taller too. Surprisingly taller. ¡°Aleeeeex!¡± Selina screamed again, sprinting down the road toward him. A broad grin spread across his face. ¡°Little gob¡ª¡± He paused, suddenly feeling awkward and a little paranoid that Kybas was nearby. ¡°Selina!¡± He ran toward his little sister. The Roth siblings raced along the path, closing the distance between them. Alex could see her tear-filled green eyes. Her arms spreading wide. Her cloak billowing. Then, she sprang. Selina slammed into her brother¡¯s chest and he picked her up off her feet, twirling her around. ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± she cried. ¡°You''re alive!¡± She hugged him for dear life. ¡°Yes, I''m back, Selina,¡± he said. ¡°I''m¡ª¡± ¡°Faaaaatheeer!¡± a familiar voice bellowed from behind him, echoing through the night. Alex turned, watching Claygon burst from the villa, bounding toward him at full speed. His smile slowly faded, ¡°Wait, Claygon¡ª¡± But the golem was already airborne, his arms spreading wide to hug his father. ¡®So this is how I die,¡¯ Alex thought. The iron golem slammed into him, crushing him in a hug. Chapter 789: A Reunion Meal Alex Roth slowly peeled himself off the golem when Claygon finally broke their hug. His knees felt like jelly, but it was worth it, he would have been a pretty bad father if he¡¯d denied his son a hug. And he¡¯d seen enough bad fatherhood lately. ¡°It¡¯s good¡­¡± he wheezed as the golem helped him stay upright. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you too, buddy.¡± ¡°You¡­are¡­home!¡± Claygon cheered, lifting Alex up as though he weighed no more than a down-filled pillow. With laughter booming from his voice box, the golem tossed his father high in the air. Alex screamed, his legs and arms flailing. Clutched tightly in his hand, the aeld staff gave off feelings of shock, surprise, and terror. ¡°Claygon! No! No!¡± the young wizard shouted. He fell back into his golem¡¯s grip, Claygon tossed him high in the air again, laughing merrily. ¡°Aaaaaargh!¡± Alex¡¯s screams soared through the twilight. Claygon reached up, catching him one more time, and hugging him close. ¡°Father¡­I will never let you go again!¡± his voice was that of an excited child. ¡°Claygon, my bones! My poor bones!¡± Alex groaned, his body making unhealthy popping and cracking noises. ¡°Your father is going to be a bag of blood and bone dust!¡± ¡°Oh! I am sorry¡­father¡­¡± The golem finally put him down. ¡°I just¡­missed you¡­so much!¡± Alex rubbed his aching sides. ¡°Yeah, I missed you too, buddy and¡ªArgh!¡± As soon as Claygon put him down, Selina threw her arms around her brother again. ¡°You''re both trying to kill me, I know it,¡± he groaned. They seemed too happy to hear him. ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re back home,¡± his little sister said. ¡°Theresa and Brutus came back a while ago, and I''ve been waiting by the front door ever since, watching for when you got here.¡± ¡°Me¡­too!¡± Claygon said. ¡°Really?¡±Alex laughed. ¡°You didn''t think I¡¯d just teleport here?¡± ¡°I thought you might,¡± she said. ¡°But if you took the road, I wanted to see you coming.¡± ¡°Well, you saw me,¡± Alex said, holding her shoulders, trying to see her face clearly. With a twitch and a single syllable, he conjured a forceball, its crimson light shone on his sister¡¯s face. ¡°Let me get a good look at you. Look at you, look how much you¡¯ve grown!¡± She had indeed. In the months Alex had been gone, Selina had shot up by inches. Her face looked different, older, some of its child-like features were gone. Her profile was now more angular, her cheeks less full, and her jawline a little more defined. She was leaner, more of her baby fat was gone. He could see the beginnings of the Roth build, tall, skinny, typical of their family. He¡¯d inherited the same frame, until he changed it with blood magic and the Mark, turning himself into the hulking young man that he now was. His eyes narrowed. Maybe ¡®Operation Giant Selina¡¯ still had some legs to it. Her eyes narrowed, drilling into him. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Are you planning something weird? You look funny.¡± ¡°N-no!¡± he protested, lying as easily as he breathed. ¡°I was just thinking about how much you''ve changed. You''re growing up¡­listen, I''m sorry I couldn¡¯t be here for all those months.¡± ¡°You should be,¡± she said, frowning. ¡°I know you had a lot to do, but Claygon and I missed you. We all did.¡± She suddenly paused, her cheeks reddening. ¡°I can''t believe I jumped on you like a little kid. Ugh, that''s embarrassing.¡± ¡°It is alright Selina¡­we both missed him¡­besides¡­you didn''t almost smash him into jam¡­¡± Claygon pointed out, a touch of shame in his voice. ¡°We''re just happy to see each other, that¡¯s all,¡± Alex said. ¡°Nothing wrong with that, even if your greeting did almost turn me into a red smear¡­ But, only a bit!¡± ¡°So what¡¯s been happening?¡± Selina asked, suddenly serious. ¡°Theresa wouldn¡¯t say much¡ªno matter how much I asked¡ªbut she did say a lot has changed, but then she wouldn''t tell us anymore than that.¡± Alex exhaled loudly. ¡°There¡¯s a lot to talk about, but why don''t we go inside first. Have you had supper?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, we haven''t. We were waiting for you.¡± ¡°I¡­definitely¡­haven¡¯t¡­father¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Yeah, well then we¡¯d better get you both fed¡ª¡± Alex paused, slowly looking up at the golem. ¡°Really? Really?¡± ¡°I learned¡­my sense of humour¡­from my father¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°It really did sound like one of your jokes, Alex,¡± Selina added. Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. He rolled his eyes. ¡°I almost wish I was fighting the church again, they were less brutal. Come on, why don''t I make us some supper? We can talk about everything that¡¯s happened over dinner.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°That sounds good¡­¡± Claygon agreed. ¡°Is everyone home?¡± Alex asked, as the trio walked to the villa. ¡°Yup,¡± Selina said. ¡°And Thundar and Khalik are here too. Theresa said Isolde will be coming by once she finishes up some work.¡± ¡°Really?¡± he said excitedly, quickening his pace. ¡°Yes¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°They are very excited¡­to see¡ª¡± ¡°Alex, you rangy jerk! There you are!¡± Thundar¡¯s voice boomed from the villa. ¡°You have returned intact!¡± Khalik called. Alex looked up to see Thundar, Khalik, Najyah, Theresa, Mr. Lu, Mrs. Lu, Brutus and Theresa¡¯s brothers coming from the villa. ¡°Helloooo everybody!¡± he shouted. ¡°I¡¯m back! I¡¯m actually back!¡± The General of Thameland smiled as his family and friends came to embrace him. ### There were a lot of things that Alex Roth had missed in his time away from home. His family, his lab, his routines; he¡¯d thought about them every day as he searched for Kelda¡¯s sanctum, worked on changing the Mark of the Fool, and thought of ways to get rid of the hunters from the secret church and the fae. There were other things too, though, simple things he hadn''t realised how much he¡¯d missed until he had them again. A well-stocked kitchen was one of them. It was after dark now, and the villa¡¯s kitchen was lit by forceballs and firelight. Humming to himself¡ªmore relaxed than he had been in ages¡ªAlex bustled around among an army of Wizard¡¯s Hands. Working near the stove, some chopped venison, pork, and beef into cubes. On another surface, others diced apples, onions, garlic, and sweet peppers. Wizard¡¯s Hands stoked the fire. Others made a sauce from various herbs, spices and oils, beating them together slowly. Alex was busy whipping eggs in a large ceramic bowl. He looked up at his audience, they were crowded together, talking and laughing at one end of the kitchen. ¡°I hope you don''t mind something simple,¡± he said cheerily, letting the aromas fill his nostrils. He felt right at home. ¡°It''s a little late to do anything fancy, so I''m afraid omelettes, dinner rolls, and skewers will have to do.¡± ¡°Sounds like a feast to me,¡± Mr. Lu said, wiping tears from his eyes. ¡°You could feed me dirt and I''d be happy: it''s just so good that you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Were you not eating properly, Alex?¡± A worried Mrs. Lu asked, looking him up and down. ¡°You look a little thin.¡± ¡°No, Mrs. Lu,¡± he laughed. ¡°I''m not any thinner. Kelda¡¯s pantry was well-stocked, even if the food was pretty basic. But now, I get to really cook again.¡± ¡°Well, I''m glad I get to eat your cooking again!¡± Thundar grinned, licking his lips. ¡°You''re so good around the kitchen, you make everything else taste like dirt!¡± ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t go that far,¡± Khalik said. ¡°But it is good to be in your company.¡± ¡°Yeah, likewise,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°How have things been?¡± The wizard looked from Mr. and Mrs. Lu to their sons. ¡°Were you all comfortable here?¡± ¡°Comfortable? Hah!¡± Mr. Lu scoffed. ¡°Spoiled is more like it. I feel like I died and reincarnated as a king somewhere.¡± ¡°You''ve ruined him, Alex, he''s never going to be able to run the inn back home now,¡± Mrs. Lu said. ¡°But, I''ve also been very comfortable, we all have. The only way our stay could''ve been better is if you were here with us.¡± ¡°Well, I''m glad I''m back,¡± Alex said. ¡°I really, really am.¡± Mrs. Lu smiled sweetly. ¡°But yes, things have been quiet in the Rhinean Empire. It''s been strange hearing how word of our Saint from little Alric is spreading around, even in this big city.¡± ¡°Yes, it seems so odd,¡± Mr. Lu agreed. ¡°But the good kind, not the bad kind.¡± ¡°Hopefully, word about her keeps growin¡¯ and so does her power,¡± Thundar said, glancing at Theresa. ¡°Theresa said that we''ve got a lot to talk about over dinner, right?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°A lot.¡± The young wizard considered whether or not to tell Theresa''s family everything they¡¯d learned about Uldar. On the one hand, he didn''t want to upset them or risk the secret spreading. But, on the other hand, they¡¯d kept the information about him being the Fool to themselves, so he knew he could trust them. He didn''t like the idea of close family praying to a dead god that had no problem with killing his people. He nodded to himself: first, he¡¯d see how Theresa felt about it, then¡ªif she thought they should know the truth about Uldar¡ªhe¡¯d tell everyone what they¡¯d learned. For now, though, he focused on the food. He let the scents wash over him. It was very good to be home. ### ¡°By my ancestors, I missed this cooking.¡± Thundar moaned, biting into a skewer of grilled meats and vegetables. ¡°This meat¡¯s so good! So juicy! By my ancestors, I''ve gotta have you cooking for me for the rest of my life!¡± Theresa laughed. ¡°That sounds like a proposal, Thundar.¡± ¡°With cooking like this? It might be,¡± the minotaur laughed. Alex''s family and cabal¡ªincluding Isolde, who¡¯d arrived when Alex was nearly finished cooking¡ªwere seated around the table in the main dining hall of the villa. Najyah was perched on the back of Khalik¡¯s chair¡ªwatching everyone shovel food from plate to mouth. Brutus was by Theresa¡¯s feet, begging. Claygon stood behind Alex''s chair at the head of the table. Glasses tinkled. Forks and knives clinked against china. A flame roared in the fireplace. And Alex had a dreamy smile on his face. The sight of friends, the sound of their voices, the scent of food¡­this was home. And he¡¯d missed it. Even if they weren''t in their true home that was part of the bakery, the presence of family and friends made it home all the same. Besides¡­ He looked around the villa¡¯s dining room, taking in its stonewalls and fine paintings. ¡­he liked this place. Alex looked at the Lu family. Really looked at them. Theresa''s mother, father, and brothers were all chatting and sharing a meal with his cabal. Watching them was like watching his old life meet his new one. He found that he didn''t want to let go of either. Again, Professor Jules¡¯ words about thinking about his future came back to him. When the war was over¡ªif they won¡ªTheresa''s family would be going back to Alric to run their inn. They''d be far away¡ªmany weeks¡¯ travel by ship and wagon¡ªand while Alex could teleport himself and Theresa there to visit whenever they wanted, there was a part of him that felt it wouldn¡¯t be enough. Life in Alric, without the Ravener, had been peaceful, so was life in Generasi¡­if one didn''t count the demon invasions¡­or the mana vampires¡­or the monsters in the countryside¡­or the monsters from the Barrens¡­or magical accidents¡­or¡ª He shook his head. ¡®It''s still pretty peaceful in the countryside,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I''ve just lived a pretty wild life here. Sinope and the dryads live in peace, mostly¡­the Lus could have a nice, calm life here as easily as they could in Alric. It''d be good having them closer¡ªthey could enjoy a more comfortable life here in Generasi, and we could see each other whenever we wanted. It wouldn''t just be up to us to teleport to Alric to see them.¡¯ ¡°What are you thinking so deeply about?¡± Theresa¡¯s voice broke through his thoughts. ¡°Who me?¡± Alex asked, before looking around the table. Everyone''s eyes were on him. ¡°Just the future.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± Mr. Lu asked. He took a deep breath, deciding on what to say next. ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Lu, I''m going to marry your daughter, and I was wondering if maybe you''d like to live here in Generasi. You said you really liked it here, well¡­you don''t have to go back to Alric if you don''t want to.¡± The table went quiet. ¡°That''s¡­a lovely thought, Alex,¡± Mrs. Lu said. ¡°But we''ve run our inn for a long time¡­it doesn''t feel right to just abandon it.¡± The young wizard smiled, an idea forming in his mind. He remembered the Cave of the Traveller, with its many portals. Its permanent portals. ¡°What if you didn''t have to abandon it?¡± he asked. Chapter 790: To the Future ¡°What do you mean ¡®if we didn¡¯t have to abandon it¡¯?¡± Mrs. Lu asked. ¡°What if you could start each day here¡ªin paradise¡ªand then go to the inn from here in the morning,¡± Alex suggested. ¡°What if you had help, like an innkeeper who could manage the inn in the evening, while you came back here?¡± ¡°Well, there''s an idea,¡± Mr. Lu chuckled, taking a long sip of wine. He was beginning to look a little flushed. ¡°But we can''t have you teleporting us between here and Alric every morning and every night.¡± ¡°And besides, I like taking care of the inn,¡± Mrs. Lu said. ¡°I also like baking,¡± Aex said. ¡°But I have someone to run the bakery when I''m not there, so I''m not chained to it. If you want to be hands-on, of course you can be, it¡¯s your choice, but wouldn''t it be nice to have more time to yourselves? To have time for family, to visit your sons, your daughter, me and Selina. Not to mention, Brutus!¡± ¡°It does sound nice, I must say,¡± Mrs. Lu said. ¡°But we can''t have you teleporting us to and from Thameland every day.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t have to,¡± Alex said. ¡°Not with what I have in mind.¡± He said, putting his knife and fork down and leaning forward. ¡°At the university and Greymoor, Baelin set up a teleportation circle for us to use. It''s a permanent way to teleport folk from Generasi to Greymoor and back. Well, the Cave of the Traveller¡ªand the thieves¡¯ guild in the Irtyshenan Empire¡ªprovide access to those types of portals for travelling to different places. Think about it like a permanent doorway that you can use to get to certain places, places that you want to get to.¡± ¡°That sounds useful¡­so, do you mean to arrange for one for us to use?¡± Mrs. Lu asked. ¡°I think I could do it: if Hannah and Kelda could, then I don''t see why I wouldn''t be able to figure it out. I think it''d be great for all of us: it¡¯d let us see each other as often as we liked, and also give us a permanent connection to Alric.¡± ¡°I¡­I don''t know what to say¡­where would we live in Generasi? We couldn''t afford anything here,¡± Mr. Lu said, his face flushing redder. Alex smiled. ¡°Not that long ago, Selina and I needed a home, and you gave us one, if you hadn¡¯t, the church would have taken us to an orphanage. You gave us a home and you gave us a family, so, I''d like to give you a new home in return.¡± Mrs. Lu''s eyes began to shine. Mr. Lu looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Best son-in-law alive. But honestly, Alex, you don''t have to do anything like that.¡± ¡°I want to do it. I know I don''t have to,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°Oh, Alex,¡± Theresa smiled, her hand going to her heart. ¡°I''d like it if we were all together,¡± Selina said, smiling at the Lus. ¡°I''ve missed you all a lot.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Lu fell silent, looking at one another, their sons and their daughter, and finally, at the siblings they¡¯d raised as their own. They reached for each other¡¯s hands. ¡°We''ll have to talk about this as a family,¡± Mr Lu said. ¡°But thank you for such a wonderful offer, Alex. It truly is wonderful.¡± ¡°Your parents would be so proud of you,¡± Mrs. Lu smiled. ¡°A beautiful moment,¡± Khalik said, swirling wine in the bottom of his glass. ¡°A beautiful moment for a beautiful reunion. Times like these make the heart sing, and bring it much joy. They are much appreciated, especially after the dark times you have been through for so many months, my friend.¡± He raised his glass to Alex. ¡°But¡­forgive me for my burning curiosity in this fine moment. Theresa has told me of what you learned and I was wondering how your meeting with the king went.¡± The Lus looked at the prince in surprise. ¡°The king?¡± Mr. Lu asked. Alex turned his attention to Theresa, she nodded. ¡°What''s going on?¡± Selina asked. ¡°I have lots to tell everyone,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''s a long story, and it''s not a pleasant one, but it¡¯s one you need to hear.¡± Alex went into the story, telling them all he¡¯d learned since he¡¯d come back from the Empire. He told them everything; about Uldar¡¯s death, his treachery, and that he¡¯d created the Ravener. The room grew quieter as Alex spoke, recounting what he¡¯d learned. Selina gasped when she heard Uldar had planned to kill almost everyone, nor was she alone. When the story came to an end, all cheer had left the room. The only sound to be heard was the crackle of firewood, but everyone''s faces spoke loudly. Rage, shock, disgust, sorrow and disbelief screamed from the expressions they wore. Mr. Lu¡¯s jaw clenched and unclenched. Mrs. Lu¡¯s hands trembled. Their son who¡¯d wanted to go back to Thameland to fight Ravener-spawn for Uldar¡¯s cause, had stomped from the room. The other sat with his eyes squeezed shut, fuming. Selina broke the silence. ¡°He really wanted to kill everyone?¡± ¡°Just to keep himself alive¡­¡± Khalik muttered. ¡°Any king who is callous enough to sacrifice his entire kingdom in order to prolong his own life, is no king, he is a monster. After all, when his land is destroyed, and his people are dead, what is there left for him to rule? What is the point of his crown?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°It¡¯s only a shiny ornament,¡± Thundar agreed. ¡°These things have become no less shocking to hear than when I was in his sanctum,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I am pleasantly surprised that the high priest supported us so quickly.¡± ¡°I was too,¡± Alex said. ¡°And it really was a welcome surprise, let me tell you. The king is on our side, and the church will be with us too.¡± ¡°But Uldar¡¯s body being taken away is most disturbing¡­¡± Khalik muttered. ¡°It can only mean that we are in the calm before the storm.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Theresa asked. The prince tented his fingers. ¡°The Ravener has likely learned that its creator is dead. Perhaps it is taking time to process this and has not unleashed its full fury, but I believe that is imminent. I would expect that after it has¡­planned and grieved¡­its threat will unfold in a great wave.¡± ¡°Which is why the Heroes and I, and all of us, need to get stronger,¡± Alex said. ¡°I have to see if I can push harder with the Traveller¡¯s power and learn more spells.¡± ¡°We could use Baelin right about now,¡± Thundar said. ¡°But, I guess we gotta just assume he won''t be coming back anytime soon. We can¡¯t risk planning for him to be around to help us, ¡®cos if we depend on him and he doesn¡¯t come back, we could be pretty screwed.¡± ¡°If luck favours us, he will be back,¡± Isolde said. ¡°But if not, we must be prepared to fend for ourselves.¡± ¡°He was training us to do just that, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Alex said. ¡°Now we''ve just got to put his teachings to use.¡± ¡°Something bothers me though¡­¡± Khalik frowned. ¡°I could see the Ravener taking the body of its creator¡­but why the throne?¡± ¡°Merzhin and Tobias said that it was a focus for Uldar¡¯s divine power,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°I can understand that¡­¡± Khalik said. ¡°But, does it mean to destroy it? If it does, would that not depower the priesthood?¡± ¡°Actually, I''m¡­not sure¡­¡± Aled admitted. ¡°If it was me¡­¡± Claygon joined in. ¡°And father had a throne¡­I would want that too¡­I would not want it in the hands of his enemies¡­¡± Khalik nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I would be the same, the thought of my father and mother¡¯s thrones, or crowns in the hands of some traitorous scum¡­would not sit well with me and would call for retaliation.¡± ¡°So what happens now?¡± Selina asked. ¡°How do you find the Ravener?¡± ¡°We''re working on that,¡± Alex said. ¡°There''s basically two mysteries we have to solve before we have any hope of stopping the cycles forever. The first one, is how do we find the Ravener, and the second is how do we get rid of it foreveronce we find it.¡± ¡°Do you think you''re really going to figure out how to do both?¡± Selina asked. ¡°We have to. We''ve come too far now just to fail,¡± Alex said. ¡°But it won¡¯t be easy: we don''t have anything that¡¯s leading us to where it could be, and we really don''t have direct ways to test how to keep it from coming back. We still need to solve those problems. It¡¯s key. So, that¡¯s what we¡¯ll have to keep our focus on. We¡¯ve never let roadblocks stop us before. We beat the demon summoner, and the demons that came to raze Generasi with Ezaliel. We¡¯ve beaten Uldar¡¯s hidden church, and we¡¯re going to beat his Ravener.¡± ¡°Finding it could be difficult,¡± Khalik said. ¡°Likely more difficult than in previous cycles. With Uldar using each cycle as a way to feed himself faith, he would have needed the Ravener to be found by the Heroes. Now, it¡¯s in the construct¡¯s best interest not to be found.¡± ¡°Doesn''t matter,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Like Alex said, we''ve come too far. Besides, this is going to give us time to get more powerful. By the time we find it,¡± his right hand balled into a fist. ¡°We''ll be tough enough to stop it.¡± ¡°It feels a little silly to be attending classes when there¡¯s so much on the line,¡± Khalik said. ¡°Don''t worry about that,¡± Alex said. ¡°You all have to live your lives. We all do. You have classes to go to, and I¡¯ve also got my businesses¡­we can''t just forget everything beside the Ravener. We don''t know if we''ll find it next week, next month, next year, or when. We should live our lives while we can, and live them as well as we can.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± Mr. Lu said, raising his goblet of wine. ¡°To the future! A future, without evil gods, and a future without the Ravener!¡± ¡°To the future!¡± Everyone at the table raised their glasses, with Claygon raising his left fist. The family and cabal drank deeply. When Selina put her glass on the table, she looked at Alex, her expression grave. ¡°Don''t die. Okay? You promised me before that you wouldn¡¯t, and you kept your promise, but things are getting more dangerous now. I don''t want to lose you like we lost mum and dad, so promise me again that you¡¯ll be careful.¡± ¡°I''m going to be around for a long time,¡± Alex promised his sister. ¡°I won''t tell you not to worry, but I can promise you I''m going to do my best to beat this thing and come back home.¡± ¡°Good.¡± She frowned. ¡°I wish I could actually do something to help. It¡¯s frustrating that I have a fire affinity, but I''m not even strong enough to help with this.¡± ¡°That''s not your job,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We''re making a better life for all of us. You just need to grow up and enjoy it.¡± ¡°Theresa¡¯s right,¡± Mr. Lu said. Selina shook her head. ¡°But if I was stronger, I could make sure that you''re there with me when I''m growing up. It was terrifying staying here, just waiting for news, news that could¡¯ve been terrible. It''s terrifying staying home, waiting for bad news. I''d like to be there with you, protecting all of you. I''d burn the Ravener to ashes. Or take its heat away to freeze it,¡± she said. ¡°Things stop moving when they freeze. Maybe I could paralyse it or something.¡± Something in what Selina had just said sparked a hint of something in Alex''s mind. But he couldn''t put his finger on exactly what it was. It was there, playing at the tip of his brain, but wouldn¡¯t come any closer. He¡¯d have to file away what she¡¯d said for later. ¡°Speaking of fire¡­¡± she paused, looking shy. ¡°I''ve gotten a lot better with spellcraft, Alex. I''ve learned so much since you were gone, and I really want to show you. Can we go to school tomorrow? I¡¯d like to show you everything I can do now, and I also want to see my friends again¡­it''s been too long.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°We¡¯ll get you back to your classes after I speak to the registrar. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have paperwork to do. As for tomorrow? Tomorrow we can go to campus, and you can show me all the spells you''ve learned.¡± ¡°Especially the fire spells,¡± Selina said. ¡°I''m best at those. I guess that''s not really surprising, right?¡± ¡°I can hardly wait to see them,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''ve learned some good fire spells too.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t we all go together?¡± Khalik said. ¡°I am curious to see what magic you both can do now. What tier have you reached, Alex?¡± ¡°In summoning?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Ninth.¡± Thundar nearly spit his drink across the table. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yeah, man!¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Ninth-tier!¡± Khalik¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°So you, my friend, are now an archwizard!¡± ¡°According to an astral engeli I summoned, I am!¡± the young wizard rubbed his hands together with glee. ¡°That is so unfair,¡± Isolde sniffed. Mr. Lu looked at Theresa. ¡°I take it that ninth-tier is impressive?¡± ¡°Yes, father,¡± she said. ¡°Well, congratulations!¡± Mr. Lu beamed. ¡°And speaking of congratulations. Show us that fancy new Mark of yours! Well¡­maybe not at the dinner table. Show it to us in the morning. I''m curious to see what it looks like.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Alex promised. ¡°Right before we go to campus.¡± ¡°Here, here!¡± Thundar cheered. ¡°Now, let''s get back to eating and drinking!¡± He raised his glass. ¡°It''s celebration time, after all. Then, tomorrow you can show us what a monster you''ve become.¡± ¡°Oh, don''t worry, my plan is to make you all monsters,¡± Alex grinned at his cabal. ¡°With some¡­training, that is. I am a General, after all.¡± Thundar flinched. ¡°Easy training?¡± Alex¡¯s grin turned evil. ¡°Quite the opposite. Easy training does not a Proper Wizard make!¡± Isolde shuddered. ¡°Professor Jules was right. The chancellor is a bad influence on you.¡± Chapter 791: Nostalgia, Spells and Memory (Book 9 end, book 10 beginning) Under the midnight air, Alex Roth stood on the balcony of the villa. He looked over the courtyard with a dreamy smile, taking in the sounds, sights and scents of the Generasian countryside under moonlight. Fireflies glowing in the distance. Crickets chirping. A warm wind. Toraka¡¯s golems patrolling the courtyard. All were comforting. No more frigid Irtyshenan nights, huddled by a fire with the hidden church stalking him, Birger and Bjorgrund. Just the comfort of home. The sound of a door creeping open behind him caught his attention. Theresa emerged into the moonlight, clad in her nightgown with her hair still damp from her bath. His face lit up. ¡®By the Traveller, I missed you,¡¯ he thought as the huntress closed the door behind her, slipping up beside him. She pressed her body against him, and their lips met. They did not part for a long time. She pulled away, breathing deeply. ¡°By the Traveller, I¡¯ve wanted to do that for months.¡± ¡°We kissed after we killed the First Apostle, and yes, I¡¯m keeping track.¡± He wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her closer. ¡°And, we haven''t made up for lost time yet.¡± She nuzzled into his shoulder. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of lost kisses and moments that we¡¯ve missed. We have a lot to make up for.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re together again. We can make up for lost time.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°We¡¯ve got all the time in the world.¡± ¡°Not quite yet,¡± Theresa reminded him. ¡°There¡¯s darkness ahead of us.¡± ¡°And we¡¯ll face it together. All of us, but¡ªmost of all¡ªus¡­together,¡± he said. ¡°Like when we left Alric,¡± she agreed. ¡°You and me. Together. Looking out for each other, and for Selina and Brutus.¡± ¡°Ya,¡± he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. ¡°I love you, Theresa. I want you to always remember that. And I want you to know¡­¡± Alex gestured to the night. ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure we can experience all of this together, forever. The Ravener won¡¯t stop us.¡± ¡°No, Alex. We¡¯ll make sure that doesn¡¯t happen.¡± She kissed him again. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he agreed. ¡°We¡¯ll make sure.¡± He cupped her chin and looked into her eyes. ¡°I missed you,¡± he whispered, softly kissing her forehead, her eyelids, and moving down to her neck, before stopping. ¡°We should probably go inside before your parents see us.¡± She chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re willing to face the Ravener but not my mother and father?¡± Alex looked at her completely seriously. ¡°Yes. I¡¯d rather pick fights I might be able to win.¡± She laughed then, and all was perfect. ### Nostalgia. Appearing in the school¡¯s practice stadium under the early morning sun, a wave of nostalgia washed over Alex. His companions materialised seconds later: Claygon, the Lus, Najyah, Theresa, Selina, Brutus, Khalik, Isolde and Thundar were all there. Selina gasped, squinting at the sudden daylight, and a smile spreading from her lips to her eyes, took over her face. ¡°It''s so good to be here on campus.¡± ¡°Yeah, it sure is,¡± Alex agreed. Looking around the stadium brought back a host of memories: first and second year students were practising combat spells using stone dummies, third years were studying in the stands, the flash of magic, crackle of fire, and the impact of force¡­all took him back to countless days spent here. Long mornings where he, Khalik and Thundar jogged around the track, starting their days. That¡¯s where he¡¯d learned that there was a proper and efficient way to jog, something he¡¯d never thought about before, something he¡¯d never cared about, before coming to Generasi. The Mark of the Fool had helped him with running properly, it was one of the very first uses he¡¯d found for it and he''d come so far since then. Students around the practice began whispering. Alex heard Claygon¡¯s name mentioned repeatedly; then his cabalmates¡¯, then Theresa¡¯s and Brutus,¡¯ then his. Upper years paused what they were doing, openly staring. ¡°Alex is back,¡± a pudgy battle-mage said. ¡°Alex Roth is back,¡± whispered a skinny young man who Alex had never met before. ¡°Wow, look at him!¡± a bespectacled blonde murmured, looking appreciative. Alex heard mention of the Games of Roal, mana vampires, golems and Thameland from upper year students. Younger ones exchanged puzzled glances, ¡°Isn¡¯t Alex Roth the one who can teleport around like nothing? Doesn¡¯t he make golems?¡± One of them asked the others he was practising with. ¡°Yes, and that¡¯s what I want to do too!¡± the first year answered. ¡°Well,¡± Mrs. Lu said. ¡°You''re certainly well-known.¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°You know what''s funny? I walked through this campus yesterday without anyone saying a single word about me.¡± He looked up at Claygon. ¡°I guess I''m a lot less noticeable when I don''t have this guy beside me.¡± ¡°He does leave an impression,¡± Thundar said. ¡°That he does,¡± Isolde agreed. ¡°Indeed,¡± Khalik came forward with a broad smile on his face. ¡°If he had been with us when we first came here, Alex, I think things would have gone quite differently.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alex asked. The prince¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Do you recall certain actions by certain members of a certain brotherhood? Remember when the Ursa-Lupine Brotherhood tried to recruit us?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I do remember that!¡± Alex slapped his palm with his fist. ¡°They were all wearing the same emerald green shirts. That''s how we met that Roderick guy and then we had that spell-joust.¡° ¡°And you thoroughly agitated your opponent who I believe was two steps away from imploding!¡± the prince laughed. ¡°And we both beat them in their challenges to us!¡± ¡°I wish I''d been there for that,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Sounds like fun.¡± ¡°Yeah, it sure was!¡± Alex and the prince shared a high five. His smile faded. ¡°Is it just me or does that feel like a lifetime ago?¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Khalik¡¯s smile disappeared. ¡°It does feel that way.¡± ¡°When was this?¡± Mr. Lu asked. ¡°In our first year¡­almost three years ago,¡± the prince said. ¡°A lifetime, you say,¡± Mr. Lu sighed deeply. ¡°Three years doesn''t seem very long to me, but then again, perspectives change when you get older.¡± ¡°Well, I certainly feel older,¡± Isolde admitted. ¡°Three years ago, my greatest concerns were my marks. Now¡­¡± ¡°-they still are.¡± Thundar grinned. Isolde didn''t take the minotaur¡¯s bait. There were no protests, no threats. Just a look of exhaustion. ¡°Six months ago¡­I would have had to admit that you were correct, if you had said as much then,¡± the young noblewoman said. ¡°Grades are still important, but I am on the threshold of graduating. I have been spending a lot of my evenings researching how to destroy a kingdom-ending menace. Thoughts about my future often fill my mind, and¡ªI have always recognised that studying comes rather easily to me. Burying my face in a book, processing its contents, using the information to perform a spell, or write a proper exam or paper, those are things I have always found fulfilling.¡± She sighed. ¡°Yet, here I am wondering how much these things truly matter in the big scheme of things. A while back, my grandfather warned me about this very thing.¡± ¡°I remember you saying that,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Something about¡­today''s marks not mattering to you ten years from now. Or something like that.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Isolde said. ¡°As time goes on, I find his words become even truer to me. Grades are easy, but in the end, the world is a much larger and more difficult place.¡± ¡°Well, you seem like a smart young woman to me,¡± Mr. Lu said, clearing his throat. ¡°I''m sure you''ll do very well doing¡­great¡­magic¡­stuff. You all will.¡± ¡°No doubt,¡± Alex agreed, grinning at his cabal. ¡°Khalik, Thundar, and Isolde are some of the smartest, bravest, most powerful, and truest friends anyone could have. They''re all going to go on to change the world, if that¡¯s what they want. Maybe even if they don''t want to. Once you''re powerful enough, the world changes just because you took a breath that day. And, truthfully, I think I''ll be changing the world a bit myself.¡± Isolde rolled her eyes. ¡°False modesty is unbecoming, Roth.¡± ¡°There you go, coldly calling me by my last name again¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Actually¡­Isolde would you mind if we talked later? As a matter of fact, it¡¯d be great if we could all talk. Our cabal, I mean. There''s some stuff I need to talk over with you.¡± ¡°As leader, I can spare you my ear for a bit,¡± Thundar grinned. ¡°Anyway, if we keep yapping like this, someone''s gonna pack us up, and it''s probably gonna be your sister. So, let¡¯s see some of those spells of yours, Selina!¡± Selina, who¡¯d clearly been losing patience with their conversation¡ªhad her arms crossed and her eyes had glazed over¡ªimmediately brightened. ¡°And I want to see your new spells too, Alex!¡± ¡°Let''s head over to that dummy, over there then,¡± her brother said. The group made their way to one of the closest dummies, stopping about a dozen feet away. Everyone watched Selina expectantly. ¡°Take it away,¡± Alex encouraged her. ¡°Okay,¡± she said. ¡°So the first spell I¡¯ll show you is Blazing Hands.¡± ¡°I''ve heard of that,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''s a first-tier fire spell, right? A combat spell?¡± She nodded enthusiastically. ¡°It''s really cool¡­well, actually¡­the opposite of cool. But you know what I mean. Stop smirking!¡± Alex smirked proudly. ¡°My sense of humour¡¯s rubbing off on you.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± she rolled her eyes, turning toward the dummy. She scrunched her face in concentration¡ªlips flat and brow furrowed¡ªas she raised her hands, pointing at the practise dummy while muttering an incantation. Alex carefully listened to the words of the spell. ¡®Good pronunciation,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Precise use of syllables. She¡¯s been practising and it shows: she definitely seems comfortable with this one.¡¯ Just as his thought ended, Selina''s hands began glowing. Bright orange sparks flew from her fingertips, exploding, forming a cone of roaring flame that engulfed the mannequin, then faded away. She turned around, all smiles. ¡°Wow! That was awesome!¡± Alex said. ¡°You cast that spell like you''ve been doing it for years. How much have you been practising?¡± ¡°A lot,¡± she nodded. ¡°I''ve been practising different spells, and learning all the magic theory my tutor brought me. I''ve also been doing the mana manipulation stuff you told me about. I''m not¡­super good at it. But, I¡¯m pretty good. It¡¯s kinda boring, but at the same time, it''s alright, I suppose.¡± ¡°Well, not everyone has to like mana manipulation as much as I do,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, as long as you keep doing it: it''s going to help you a lot.¡± ¡°I know: my tutor said my mana pool is already bigger than it should be, for someone my age,¡± she said proudly. ¡°I''m glad, since it lets me practise longer, and fire magic is so much fun, I could practise all day. ¡­sometimes it feels as easy as breathing. No, that''s not right.¡± She paused, frowning. ¡°It is like breathing, you know how you feel uncomfortable when you hold your breath for too long? Then you feel this big relief when you take a breath again?¡± ¡°I know how that feels,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I had to get good at holding my breath for long periods of time from hunting in the woods.¡± ¡°It''s like that!¡± Selina said. ¡°In its own way, casting a fire spell feels just like that, ¡± She smiled up at Khalik. ¡°Can you tell your mother how I¡¯m doing and thank her for me again?¡± ¡°I certainly will. She¡¯ll be pleased to hear of your progress,¡± the prince smiled. She smiled back. ¡°Oh, and I also learned this spell!¡± Taking out her knife, she spoke another incantation. The dagger began glowing the colour of a sour cherry, and burst into flame. ¡°This one¡¯s called Sunfire Metal,¡± she said. ¡°It heats any piece of metal that I''m holding, and lights it on fire. People can use it as a weapon, or use it to do stuff like start campfires.¡± ¡°That''s cool.¡± Alex watched the blaze. ¡°Your fire affinity is really something, your spells have a lot of oomph to them.¡± ¡°Yeah, I can really feel the fire magic,¡± she said. ¡°Just watch this¡­¡± She raised her hand, making a pinching motion beside the flaming dagger, then pulled back like she was ripping a dangling thread from a piece of cloth. The flames around the knife decreased as a line of glowing heat began following her finger before snapping back to the dagger. Alex¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Remember how I wanted to make cold from fire?¡± she asked. ¡°I can sort of¡­use manipulation to move the spell¡­a bit? It''s hard to describe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s something! I can''t do that!¡± Alex shook his head in admiration. ¡°That was amazing, Selina!¡± She blushed, beaming with pride at the same time. ¡°I can hardly wait to see what I¡¯ll be able to do in a few years if I keep practising it. Do you think you could do it too?¡± Alex frowned. ¡°Maaaaybe? It''s not something that comes naturally to me, that''s for sure. You''re basically using mana manipulation to alter spells in a way that¡¯s not natural for most wizards. I can do some similar stuff with forceball, but it took a lot of modification. I think what you¡¯re doing comes from your own unique talent, Selina.¡± ¡°Your fire affinity is extraordinary. I wonder if you¡¯ll become as powerful as your brother?¡± Khalik said. ¡°But, we won¡¯t know that for awhile yet since you¡¯re just at the beginning of your journey. Alex is talented, but on top of that, his new Mark allows him to jump the line, as it were, and gives him an even greater edge since certain things that were limiting him are now gone, if you get my meaning.¡± He glanced around the stadium, making sure there were no curious ears within earshot. ¡°He can do even more ¡®line jumping now. But, we all can do things that others cannot: a powerful demon has more raw power, but it does not have the versatility of even a lesser wizard.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Selina said. ¡°I can''t wait to learn more and see what I can really do.¡± ¡°I''ll be watching you every step of the way,¡± Alex said. ¡°So, are you ready for a preview of a third-tier fire spell?¡± ¡°Oh, yes! I''d love that!¡± she cried. ¡°Show me!¡± Alex turned to the mannequin, then paused. ¡°We, uh, might want to step back a bit.¡± Family and wizards stepped further away from the dummy, giving it plenty of distance. Alex raised a hand, pointing it in the direction of the stone target. With the twitch of a finger and a slight movement of his tongue, he completed a magic circuit, and launched a fireball at the dummy. It exploded, bursting into flames. ¡°Holy¡ªBy the Sapphire Sea!¡± Khalik cried. ¡°That was quick!¡± ¡°By the elements,¡± Isolde whispered. ¡°That was incredibly fast.¡± ¡°Well, that''s fair,¡± Thundar laughed sarcastically. ¡°You go from being one of the slowest spellcasters among us, to the fastest.¡± ¡°Again!¡± Selina shouted. Alex launched another fireball. Gouts of flame exploded. He launched two more for good measure, both exploded so fast, it seemed like they¡¯d been cast by two mages in rapid succession. All around, students were craning their necks, watching the escalating display. ¡°Not bad, eh?¡± Alex flexed his fingers, smiling. ¡°I learned a few new tricks while I was away, just like you did, Selina.¡± ¡°You have to teach me how to do that!¡± she cried. ¡°In time. It¡¯ll take a lot of practice and skill, and you have to know magic circuits and languages really well.¡± ¡°Could you teach us that skill?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°I am quick with my incantations, but I have not seen such fast spellcasting since Professor Ram.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°Which reminds me, I have to talk to him at some point. As for teaching you? Definitely, and I know you¡¯re all willing to learn: so I plan on teaching you and the Heroes. You probably won''t pick it up as fast as I would¡ªsince the Mark gives me that advantage, as you said¡ªbut the skill will help you a lot. We can talk about it when we meet up later. Speaking of which¡­¡± He paused, looking up at the position of the sun. ¡°I have to go see Professor Jules later. ¡°We need to talk to Hobb about something, and at the same time? I''ll see about getting you back into your classes, Selina.¡± She smiled. ¡°Awesome. I can''t wait to show my teacher what I''ve been doing with moving heat.¡± Alex nodded. Once again, something tweaked in his brain. Yet, he still couldn''t put his finger on it. Not yet at least. Chapter 792: Engeli and Devils ¡°Right on time, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. The slight, white-haired professor was standing outside the registrar''s office holding a bulging satchel. ¡°Morning, professor,¡± Alex said. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± ¡°Well enough, all things considered,¡± she said wearily. ¡°Now, then, shall we proceed?¡± ¡°Whenever you¡¯re ready,¡± Alex said, frowning. ¡°What¡¯s the protocol for giving someone access to the ninth-floor, professor? For the other floors, all you need is a professor to sign off that you can cast that tier of spell, but¡ªas far as I know¡ªonly Baelin¡¯s powerful enough to cast ninth-tier spells, right? So, does that mean he¡¯s the only one who can give permission?¡± ¡°It is a little more complicated than that,¡± the professor said. ¡°The entire faculty has access to every single floor of the library, as do certain other staff members. However, we cannot give permission for a student to access any floor above seventh. Not on our own.¡± ¡°So, what happens in that case?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We would have to fill out a lot of paperwork¡ªand I do mean a lot.¡± Professor Jules grimaced at her satchel. ¡°And then take it to be approved by either the chancellor¡ªor in the event of his absence¡ªthe registrar. If the registrar is absent as well, then every faculty member collectively must sign the permission documents for the matter to move forward, but since Registrar Hobb is here, that will not be necessary. He can approve your application¡­though he might require you to show that you''re capable of ninth-tier spells.¡± ¡°I thought that might happen,¡± Alex said. ¡°Um¡­how often is this procedure used?¡± ¡°Very rarely. Extremely rarely,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Archwizards do not exactly grow on trees, Mr. Roth, and I imagine that you could probably count the number of times a student has become an archwizard¡ªbefore their graduation¡ªon a single hand, in spite of our long history. You are in a very exclusive club.¡± ¡°Wow,¡± Alex said. ¡°I feel honoured¡ª¡± ¡°Could you feel honoured inside the registrar¡¯s office?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°I have been up most of the night, and I would dearly love to sit down. Besides, we have about two minutes until our appointment begins, and if you know Registrar Hobb, you¡¯ll know that he would rather us be slightly early¡ªpreferably exactly on time¡ªrather than late, even by a second.¡± ¡°Oh jeez, sorry, let''s get in there then.¡± Professor Jules knocked on the door, and Hobb¡¯s familiar voice called, ¡°Come iiiin.¡± ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t sound at all sinister,¡± Alex muttered as she opened the door. Whenever Alex had met with Hobb, it had always been at the front desk near the main entrance of the castle. He had never been in the registrar¡¯s office before. It was small¡ªalmost uncomfortably so¡ªand bare of decoration. Each piece of furniture was practical, and unadorned. The bookshelf to the right of the entrance was forged of solid iron and filled with leather bound tomes. In front of it were two chairs, and beyond them, stood Hobbs¡¯s desk piled high with mounds of paperwork. A large window allowed sunlight to stream into the room, falling on the devil¡¯s back as he hunched over his desk. He peered up owlishly, adjusting his monocle. ¡°There you are. Almost precisely at nine in the morning. Please have a seat and I will be with you once our appointment officially begins.¡± Professor Jules and Alex took their seats in front of his desk. There was silence for a bit, only broken by Hobb¡¯s scratching pen and the ticking of a timekeeper. Alex frowned, looking around. He found no evidence of a timekeeper anywhere. ¡°Alright, then.¡± The registrar put down his pen, looking up at Alex. His eyebrows rose. ¡°Your spirit has changed.¡± The young wizard paused. ¡°Wait, what now?¡± The devil watched him closely. ¡°You are still branded¡­but it¡¯s different now. Like baggage has been lifted. My, my. So you did it, then. Congratulations!¡± ¡°Oh, can you sense¡­the Mark?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Now that I know what to look for, yes,¡± Hobb said smoothly. ¡°It''s all vague, but I can tell that your soul has changed. It does not take a genius to figure out what that would mean, considering your goals. Well done, young man.¡± He looked at Professor Jules next. ¡°So, Professor Vernia Jules, Department Head of Alchemy, your emergency communication stated that we are to give Mr. Roth access to the highest levels of the library.¡± He paused, then grinned. ¡°Or should I say the lowest, considering how our library is oriented.¡± ¡°That''s right,¡± the professor said, handing over the paperwork. ¡°And for what tier?¡± Hobb asked. ¡°Ninth.¡± Hobb paused, his attention returning to Alex. ¡°Do you recall our very first conversation?¡± If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°You did leave an impression,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°I tend to.¡± Hobb said. ¡°I once told you that one day you might set up your own tower and bend the forces of the cosmos to your unbreakable will.¡± ¡°Yeah, you did say that.¡± Alex leaned back. ¡°It feels like a lifetime ago.¡± ¡°Maybe a lifetime by the reckoning of mice,¡± the devil said. ¡°But, in a mouse¡¯s lifetime, you have gotten to the point where you could bend the forces of the cosmos to your unbreakable will. If what your professor is saying hasn¡¯t been exaggerated, that is. You are not lying to her, are you? There are some who try to fake skill in order to gain access to our rarest magical tomes.¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex shook his head quickly. ¡°I really can cast ninth-tier spells.¡± ¡°Hmmmm, I see. I see.¡± Hobb took in all of Professor Jules''s paperwork in a few glances. The alchemist scoffed. ¡°If only those documents were as quick for me to fill out as they are for you to read.¡± ¡°Not all things can be hurried,¡± Hobb said, finishing the stack of paperwork. ¡°Well, that''s all in order. I''ll have to ask you to demonstrate a ninth-tier spell for me, Mr. Roth.¡± ¡°Alright¡­but uh¡­in here''s a little cramped,¡± Alex pointed out.¡± Hobb jerked his finger to the right. ¡°Over there should do nicely.¡± The young wizard frowned, confused. ¡°You mean the bookshe¡­¡± His words trailed off. ¡°¡­I should know better than to be surprised anymore.¡± Where the bookshelf had been only a moment before, there was now a hallway leading to a vast room beyond it. It resembled one of the Cells, but was double that size, with a complex summoning circle in the middle of the floor. The room hadn¡¯t been there a heartbeat earlier. ¡°You¡¯ve got some neat tricks,¡± Alex remarked. ¡°As do you,¡± Hobb rose from his chair. ¡°The energy from your growing demigoddess seems capable of things that would make Chancellor Baelin jealous, eventually. And I hope that you manage to make him irritated. He sometimes gets entirely too smug for his own good.¡± ¡°Doesn''t he, though?¡± Professor Jules agreed, rising from her chair and stepping into the testing room. ¡°Smug old goat.¡± ¡°That he is,¡± Hobb said. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°I actually really like him, and I kind of think he deserves to be a little smug, to be fair. I mean, I can be a little smug sometimes. Even you two can be a little smug sometimes¡­and we''re all powerful. So just a little smugness goes with that, you know? Just a little, as a treat.¡± ¡°Alright, you¡¯ve made your point, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said in a chilly tone. ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll leave it alone.¡± He held up his hands in surrender then turned to Hobb as they neared the middle of the testing chamber. ¡°So I''m going to cast a summoning spell, but I won''t need the protective circle.¡± ¡°I should hope not, if you''re truly an archwizard,¡± Hobb said. ¡°What will you be summoning?¡± ¡°So the most powerful thing I can summon is busy at the moment¡­killing things. Probably a lot of things, for the next few days. So what I''ll summon instead is an astral engel¡ª¡± He paused, looking at Hobb questioningly, ¡°¡ªwait, that''s okay, right? I mean, considering¡­¡± Hobb¡¯s laugh was a deep, eerie sound, running through the room. ¡°That I''m a devil?¡± he chuckled. ¡°Why, yes. I am a devil. And a simple engeli would not be enough to curdle my essence with offence.¡± ¡°Alright, just wanted to be polite,¡± Alex said, turning to the centre of the room. Raising a hand, he chanted the incantation for the ninth-tier spell: Summon Astral Engeli. It flowed from him with ease, and he felt holy power filling the area as a familiar presence came down from the celestial planes. A flash of light announced the beautiful engeli entering the room, holding his flaming sword. ¡°Archwizard,¡± the engeli lowered his head. ¡°I am here to serve. What evil shall we conquer next?¡± ¡°No evil to conquer today,¡± Alex said. ¡°I just wanted to use your presence for a little demonstration.¡± The young wizard gestured to Hobb. With a sidelong glance¡ªfollowed by a double take¡ªthe engeli recoiled from the devil. Hobb gave the celestial a little wave. ¡°Hello.¡± ¡°Ugh,¡± the engeli made a sound. ¡°An offensive presence.¡± ¡°I am not too fond of you either, one beneath the wheel of burning eyes.¡± Hobb glanced at the engeli¡¯s halo. The celestial looked like he was going to respond, when Alex interrupted. ¡°I think, uh, we can leave it at that, right?¡± the young wizard asked. ¡°I mean, that should be enough for the demonstration?¡± ¡°More than enough¡­¡± The devil looked at Alex with interest and a raised pair of eyebrows. He actually looked impressed. ¡°Perfect,¡± Alex said, looking at the engeli. ¡°I''ll summon you again when it''s more pleasant for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, archwizard.¡± The engeli bowed as Alex dismissed him. When the celestial faded, loud applause reverberated through the room. Registrar Hobb was all smiles¡ªone so broad that it almost split his face in two and showed far too many teeth¡ªwhile he clapped enthusiastically. ¡°Well done! Well done!¡± the registrar¡¯s voice thundered through the chamber. ¡°You are the third student¡ªin all of Generasi¡¯s history¡ªto become an archwizard before graduation! Magnificent! You should call great armies to you! Raise the curtain of magic and drive the dead from their graves! Tame a dragon and fly upon its back, devastating the world with your¡ª¡± ¡°Registar Hobb!¡± Professor Jules cut-in. ¡°Will you stop trying to influence the students in worthlessness! The time of necromancer-warlords¡ªpettily squabbling over petty fiefs¡ªis long gone. Try not to ruin Mr. Roth: the old goat is a bad enough influence as it is!¡± ¡°I am simply trying to¡­¡± A look crossed Hobb¡¯s face, one that said more than his words. ¡°Oh, never mind. Either way, congratulations, Mr. Roth. Please give me your student card.¡± Alex fished it out, giving the card to the devil. In a tongue of devils¡ªa very old tongue¡ªHobb waved a hand over it. ¡°Let this one know the full knowledge of our institution. Let its full power be at his beck and call.¡± The identification card flashed once. When the light faded, it had turned to sparkling crystal. ¡°It¡¯s not too often that I¡¯ve had the opportunity to issue one of these,¡± Hobb said, handing the card back. ¡°Let me guess, only the third time ever, right?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Why, yes,¡± Hobb chuckled. ¡°Either way, welcome to the ranks of those with grand, cosmic power. You might think that this is the end of your journey, but understand that it will be a beginning. It will be different¡ªprobably much slower¡ªbut Baelin has never stopped his ascension to higher tiers of understanding. Will you?¡± ¡°No way¡­¡± Alex paused, again struck by questions about his future. ¡°Say¡­and you''ll have to forgive me, Professor Jules, but I''m curious. What were you trying to teach me earlier, Hobb?¡± Professor Jules rolled her eyes. ¡°You are simply obsessed with the worst influences.¡± Hobb chuckled. ¡°He has made his choice, Professor Jules. ¡± He looked at Alex, all humour fading. ¡°What I was trying to teach you¡ªfrom one powerful being to another¡ªis pride.¡± ¡°Pride?¡± Alex repeated. ¡°Oh, this sounds wholesome,¡± Professor Jules nodded. ¡°It is not,¡± Hobb said. ¡°Which is the point. My young archwizard, how do you feel?¡± ¡°Good?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I mean, compared to how you felt when you first entered the university. Not in an emotional sense, but in a sense of your essence. Of who you are? How do you feel? Who are you?¡± ¡°Alex Roth,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°And I feel the same as I always have.¡± ¡°And that, my friend, will get you into trouble with creatures like myself,¡± Hobb smiled. ¡°If you do not heed my words carefully, I doubt you will survive your next trial.¡± Audiobook 5 lauuuuuunch! Hello everybody! Just as promised, I''m here to give ya the link to Mark of the Fool 5, narrated by the always amazing Travis Baldree. I know many of have been waiting for this, so here it is: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mark-of-the-Fool-5-Audiobook/B0CXFHQGRL If you wanna give me some help, then upvoting these reddit posts would be awesome (if you have reddit). Of course, you don''t have to. It is your choice: https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1bp4yio/mark_of_the_fool_5_audio_launches_today/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button Stolen story; please report. https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1bp4xhj/mark_of_the_fool_5_audio_launches_today/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button Chapter incoming! Chapter 793: Pride and Roles ¡°What do you mean I won¡¯t survive my next trial?¡± Alex asked the Registrar. ¡°Are you talking about the Ravener?¡± ¡°Yes, you mean to fully engage with the great enemy of your homeland, do you not?¡± Hobb asked, his eyes locked on Alex¡¯s. The young wizard met the devil¡¯s gaze, though it felt like those otherworldly eyes were piercing him, seeking his soul. Hobb smiled at that. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Wait, what''s good?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You met my gaze with no sign of fear,¡± Hobb said. ¡°Good, if you mean to pit yourself against this Ravener. I have been learning details about this¡­thing from members of the expedition to your home country.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alex said. ¡°But what does that have to do with me likely dying against it?¡± ¡°The issue is that you are about to face an entity that is very old and very mighty,¡± Hobb continued. ¡°And you mean to face it with the mindset of a humble little scholarship wizard-student from a small town on a small island. If you approach it with that mindset, your attempt will fail spectacularly.¡± ¡°I don''t understand what you''re talking about, registrar,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m going against it with the mindset of someone who''s going to war.¡± ¡°You mean like a mortal, going to war,¡± Hobb said. ¡°But you are at the very limit of what a mortal actually is. And you have not adjusted to that fact.¡± Alex frowned, trying to puzzle out what the devil was saying. ¡°You know, this would be a lot easier if you old and powerful entities didn''t talk in riddles all the time.¡± ¡°It''s not a riddle,¡± Hobb said smoothly. ¡°It''s cryptic, true, but easy to grasp for any archwizard. You have survived trials that have brought other spell casters low, solved puzzles that would stifle the growth of any other wizard. You did not reach ninth-tier by not being able to grasp and puzzle things out. So why would I make this easy for you, like you are some novice to wizardry?¡± Alex rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine. So you''re saying that my mindset doesn¡¯t suit me?¡± ¡°You''re getting close,¡± Hobb¡¯s voice sang. ¡°Does this amuse you?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°You''re not testing some paladin on their way into the hells, registrar. You¡¯re simply wasting our time.¡± Hobb crooked up his lips in amusement. ¡°The allotted time that I¡¯d budgeted for our meeting was precisely thirty-five minutes. At fifteen minutes, we were already through with what you came to me for. Do you have other pressing appointments, either of you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Jules admitted sourly. ¡°Not right away,¡± Alex said. ¡°Then we have time for a bit of amusement, don''t we?¡± Hobb¡¯s eyes seemed to sparkle with malicious joy. ¡°Ugh,¡± Professor Jules scoffed. ¡°It''s okay, I think I''ve almost got what he¡¯s hinting at, professor.¡± Alex held up a hand toward Jules, while meeting Hobb¡¯s eyes. He noted the devil''s face slightly relaxing when the young wizard kept his eyes fixed on him. ¡°You think that I''m still thinking too much like a mortal. Thinking, and¡­no that''s not quite right, acting too much like I¡¯m not an archwizard.¡± ¡°In a sense,¡± Hobb said. ¡°You¡¯re getting warmer.¡± ¡°You said something about pride, you think I¡¯m too humble?¡± the young archwizard asked. ¡°Now you¡¯re scorching hot,¡± Hobb said in amusement. ¡°Now think about this, my young archwizardly friend. How did you behave toward me when you walked into my office today?¡± ¡°Uh¡­like a student, looking to gain access to the library?¡± Alex asked. Professor Jules¡¯ palm met her forehead. ¡°Mr. Roth¡­¡± ¡°Well?¡± the wizard spread his hands. ¡°I did, didn''t I?¡± Hobb laughed. ¡°You did. And that is precisely the problem. A young archwizard is what you presently are, and that is as different from the scholarship student I met a time ago, as an archdevil is from a freshly whelped imp.¡± ¡°Uh¡­I guess you¡¯re right,¡± Alex said. ¡°Even though I don¡¯t know as much about devils as you do. Maybe there¡¯s some really powerful imps out there.¡± Hobb chuckled. ¡°How charmingly na?ve, Mr. Roth. Devils are very different from demons because we are dedicated to law. To rules. To roles. Each devil has its own role to play in our hierarchy, and we must fulfil that role, along with any additional oaths, deals or pacts that we acquire.¡± ¡°What''s your role?¡± Alex asked him. Hobb simply smiled. ¡°You wouldn''t believe me if I told you. But, why don¡¯t we move along? While I despise the rampant chaos of betrayal displayed by demons, I always find amusement in the duality of mortals. You are all boiling cauldrons of unchecked lust, and whim, yet you all submit willingly to rules that you yourselves create! It is not your nature to be regulated, and yet you try to mimic the orderly laws of the universe and devildom. You create roles for yourselves, and then you play them as though you were on a stage.¡± ¡°Right¡­and you think that I''ve changed roles, but I¡¯m not playing mine correctly,¡± Alex reasoned. ¡°Precisely,¡± Hobb continued. ¡°You are now an archwizard, not a hapless apprentice any longer, so you must behave as such. Apprentices come into my office looking for permission, begging and trying to lighten the mood with silly comedy.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°I like my silly comedy¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Archwizards speak to me as equals or near equals,¡± the devil¡¯s voice cracked like a whip. ¡°Baelin does not come to me with a humble demeanour. He does not come to me as though he is subservient. To do so, is to implicitly offer dominionto the one you are speaking to. A peasant grovels in the dirt before their mortal king. A mortal at the king¡¯s court wrings their hands trying to appease their liege at every opportunity. What does a foreign queen do? She speaks to the king as an equal. She does not demand, but neither does she act servile. She assesses, and does not show weakness. But you wear weakness as proudly as a king wears his crown.¡± ¡°Well, I don''t know about that,¡± the young wizard cut in. ¡°You were afraid of me once,¡± Hobb said, his eyes fixed on Alex. ¡°You still are.¡± The young wizard paused. That wasn''t completely untrue. He wasn''t afraid of Hobb, but he was cautious of him. He was a lot more powerful than he let on, and Alex couldn''t read his body language very well. The registrar was unpredictable. A dangerous mystery, and dangerous mysteries deserved to be treated with caution. ¡°Afraid isn¡¯t the word I¡¯d use. Cautiousis more like it.¡± ¡°Commendable,¡± Hobb said. ¡°But too much caution is little more than fear.¡± Now Alex frowned, his curiosity giving way to the beginnings of irritation. ¡°Goooood,¡± the devil said. ¡°Now, what''s good?¡± the young archwizard asked him. ¡°You''re beginning to get the right mindset,¡± Hobb said. ¡°You should be irritated with me. I¡¯m irritating you, after all.¡± ¡°And why are you irritating me?¡± Alex frowned. ¡°I know you''re trying to teach me a lesson, but the question I have is, why? For your own amusement?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Hobb said. ¡°As well as insurance.¡± ¡°Insurance for or against what?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You want to keep me alive, it seems, but why?¡± ¡°Because, an obscenely long time ago, I met a barbarian beastman that I saw potential in. I also met a young elven woman in a street gutter. And a young human warlord¡¯s son. All three sparked with potential. All three came to power. One had the right mindset, the other two did not. Only one of them lives today, and I miss the amusement and connection that I had with the other two. I think you would be a fine ally and source of interest for many thousands of years to come.¡± ¡°Right¡­so that¡¯s why you want to keep me alive,¡± Alex said. ¡°By teaching me to have the proper mindset for my role? Let me take a guess. The barbarian beastman was Baelin: he developed into a Proper Wizard. The young woman from the gutter, she was too humble. The warlord¡¯s son, too arrogant. They didn¡¯t match their roles, and that got both of them killed, right?¡± ¡°Oh, you were so close.¡± Hobb raised a hand, palm up.. ¡°It was actually the young elven woman who proved too arrogant. She came to power too quickly and became a simple imp lording over a kingdom of slugs, figuratively speaking. Since she grew to be more powerful than the wretches around her, she assumed herself unstoppable. Beyond reproach. She had too much pride. And that got her killed when she challenged something far beyond her. She did not fit her role.¡± Hobb raised the other hand, palm up. ¡°The young warlord¡¯s son had the opposite problem. He was the weakest of his brothers, weaker than his father, weaker than his mother, and weaker than his family¡¯s enemies. Even as he grew in power, he could not see himself as anything but a worm, even when he surpassed those that he behaved subservient to. He would go into every battle cringing, and that show of fear eventually cost him his life.¡± ¡°So you''re saying that they didn''t fit their roles, and that got them both killed,¡± Alex said. ¡°And that was because they didn''t adjust to their new stature in life?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Hobb folded his hands behind his back. ¡°And you very much remind me of the warlord¡¯s son. There are certain creatures, in the universe, that can gain power over you in ways that you do not anticipate. To hate something is to give it power over you until it destroys you or you destroy it. To love something is to give it power over you, especially if it eventually betrays you. And to fear something? Well, that grants power to many beings in the universe. Beings such as myself.¡± Alex thought back to his encounter with the firbolgs in Kymiland. He still had the Mark of the Fool then, and wouldn''t have been able to physically fight any of them. So what had he done? He¡¯d intimidated the giants; he¡¯d actually had little power over them, but their fear gave him power over them. Then he thought of the Ravener. ¡°Oh,¡± Alex said. ¡°So you think because I still have the mindset of a student, that would give the Ravener power over me.¡± ¡°There are many demon lords that are strengthened by the fear of their enemies, and from what I have heard, dungeon cores are¡ªin part¡ªfuelled by mortal fear,¡± Hobb pointed out. ¡°You are about to face such a creature in battle. And you are about to face it with the mindset of a first year student. Of an apprentice. Should an apprentice wizard be afraid of your Ravener?¡± ¡°Yeah, very afraid.¡± Alex nodded vigorously. ¡°Should you be afraid of it?¡± Hobb cocked his head. ¡°Should you be afraid of me? Should you be afraid of Baelin? You said you should be cautious, and I agree with that. I am cautious of Baelin, but I don¡¯t fear him. This gives him less power over me. You¡¯re an archwizard now, wielder of terrible powers, and you will likely only grow in strength and skill.¡± ¡°¡­but if I walk into battle afraid, then I¡¯ll be giving my enemy power,¡± Alex reasoned. ¡°Precisely.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± the young archwizard paused. ¡°¡­but I kinda disagree with some of what you''re saying.¡± He paused. ¡°No, you know what? I really disagree with it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hobb¡¯s eyes sparked. ¡°You keep focusing on my caution and humility, saying that those things are weaknesses. Saying that they mean fear,¡± Alex said. ¡°I reject that and I feel that because of my strength, I should be able to act the way I want to act. If I want to be friendly and make jokes, I will. You can''t tell me not to act like that because I''m strong. At the same time, I can''t just walk around pretending that I''m unstoppable and demanding things. That''s just going to make enemies and make me overestimate myself. I''m an archwizard, but I''m still fallible. If I act the way I want to, and people see that as a weakness, that actually puts me in a stronger position because they won¡¯t see me coming.¡± He grimaced, thinking about the First Apostle. ¡°I recently fought someone that I''d say I was stronger than in a lot of ways. I outsmarted him¡­then he outsmarted me. Just because I could cast ninth-tier spells, didn''t mean that I could walk into that fight without caution.¡± ¡°So you reject my words?¡± Hobb said. ¡°Like I said, I do,¡± Alex said. ¡°If the mindset of an archwizard is that you have power, then I have the power to define what strength is. I say what fear is. I define my own role, no matter what you say it is. Uldar once made me a Fool for his own purposes. Now you say, I don''t act like a proper archwizard. I say, both of you are wrong, and that I''m the one who says what I am.¡± Hobb burst out laughing. ¡°Very, very good! Perhaps you are further along than I gave you credit for. I think you will be a very interesting person to watch over the coming years and centuries. Just be careful¡­that you do not mistake delusion for defining your own truth. A person who simply deceives themselves about their own fear is still afraid. Ponder this, my delightfully chaotic mortal friend. You embody cautiousness and recklessness. Both have their uses. Decide what is going to be most useful in this trial ahead. Decide wrong? And all will be for naught. I believe that concludes our thirty-five minutes. Best of luck, Archwizard Alex Roth. I will be watching you with interest.¡± Chapter 794: Different Roles in Different Times of Life ¡°This is why I don''t like talking to old things who think they''re above everything else,¡± Professor Jules grumbled as she walked down the hall with Alex. ¡°Having a conversation with them is like trying to solve fifteen riddles at once, and their ¡®cleverly disguised¡¯ tests are more annoying than amusing. Why can¡¯t they just speak plainly?¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess you''re right¡­¡± Alex murmured, his brow furrowed in thought. She glanced at him. ¡°Oh, don''t tell me you''re actually thinking about what he said?¡± ¡°I kinda am,¡± he admitted. ¡°He is old and wise, the old devil, and I think there was something in the last thing he said. Recklessness and cautiousness¡­using one or the other. What do you think that means?¡± ¡°It''s a bunch of cryptic nonsense.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Meant less to teach you, and more to amuse himself.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°What''s your take on his advice?¡± ¡°Which part?¡± ¡°About roles, and meeting them. About having proper mindsets,¡± Alex said. ¡°Oh, by the gods, that part,¡± she grumbled. ¡°I''ve never heard so much drivel in my life.¡± ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s drivel?¡± Alex asked, looking around the hallway. It was quiet, and no one else seemed to be around, but he dropped his voice low all the same. ¡°His example of the peasant and king stuff, sorta hit home. I¡¯m the one who defines my strength, but he was right about mistaking my own truth for delusion. Let¡¯s say I was a peasant and went to my king and demanded that he hand over all of his coin. I imagine that¡¯d be a great way of getting my head lopped off. But, if I was a king who started grovelling in front of a peasant, begging for favours¡­well, that''s just gonna confuse people, right? I guess we do kind of have our roles¡­and I have to say it, I''m playing mine pretty well¡­even though I¡¯ve got mixed feelings about that. Uldar said that in every cycle, the five Heroes chosen were supposed to fit the traits he wanted each one to have. I was chosen as a Fool, but I actually have more traits of the General. Maybe I act too much like the Fool? What do you think?¡± ¡°I think this entire thing with ¡®roles¡¯ and ¡®mindsets¡¯ is just a pretentious way to say you should have common sense,¡±Professor Jules said. ¡°Mr. Roth, you have to understand that old beings take perverse delight in turning the mundane into something strange and shrouded in mysticism and philosophy. I could sum up Hobb¡¯s entire speech with: ¡®your world¡¯s changed very quickly, young man, and you should make sure that you¡¯ve changed along with it.¡¯¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°Huh, that¡¯s a lot easier to understand. Why didn¡¯t you say that before?¡± ¡°Because you both seemed to be having fun with your drama,¡± she said dryly. ¡°And who am I to stop children from playing?¡± Alex felt his face flush. ¡°Well, I have to ask you, do you think I''ve changed properly? Along with my world, I mean?¡± She gave him an exhausted look. ¡°Mr. Roth. Please don''t ask me to judge your actions or behaviour. Simply thinking about the dangers you throw yourself into exhausts me.¡± ¡°Oh, it can¡¯t be that bad,¡± he said. ¡°Can¡¯t be that bad?¡± Professor Jules stopped dead in her tracks, eyeing Alex as though he was a dog that had suddenly¡ªand without warning¡ªdiscovered the power of speech. ¡°Mr. Roth, one blessing that I have in life is that I am not related to you. If I were, I would have likely succumbed to at least three heart attacks within the last six months due to worry over your actions. That stunt with the Empire was insane, as were your trips to the hells and so on. You are just my student, not one of my children, but I feel like you¡¯ve shaved at least ten years from my lifespan.¡± ¡°Uh, sorry¡­¡± Alex apologised. ¡°Don''t apologise, Mr. Roth. I know you''re going to do it again, so words of caution are just a waste of my breath,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯ve learned that a certain kind of behaviour is just a part of you.¡± ¡°Okay, okay, fair,¡± he said. ¡°But I still want your perspective, and I know you''re just my professor, but honestly, you¡¯ve been a great mentor to me. Your wisdom¡¯s really helped me, just like Baelin¡¯s has. So please, do you think I''ve adjusted to being an archwizard or not?¡± She sighed. ¡°When I say that some people don''t adjust to a changing world, I am more describing when people don¡¯t pay attention to what their reality actually is, and how it affects their lives. For example, if a minor aristocratic family falls into ruin, and finds themselves reduced to a similar lack of resources as the peasantry, they''re either going to have to adjust their lavish spending or run headlong into disaster.¡± Professor Jules looked ahead as though staring across time. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a little story about a friend I had when I was just a little older than you. She was someone who was very interesting and the two of us became fast friends. She spent her life adventuring, and was often hired by the university to obtain artefacts and materials for them. Well, with her success, came great wealth.¡± ¡°Right,¡± he said. ¡°Sounds like adventuring and the nature of that, meant her life was pretty dangerous, maybe even reckless?¡± ¡°It was at times,¡± Professor Jules said sadly. ¡°She paid little attention to her body as she grew older and it got slower. You see, a woman of fifty is not quite as nimble as the same woman thirty years earlier: climbing about in old ruins is how she eventually lost her life.¡± ¡°Oh jeez, I¡¯m sorry to hear that,¡± Alex said. ¡°Thank you, but that''s not necessary, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said, her nostrils flared and her body tensed. ¡°When she stumbled into a trap on one of her adventures, she had merely repeated a mistake she¡¯d made in the past. You see, when we first met, she had few friends. She and I often spoke of our childhoods and her years growing up as a street urchin, living among other children forced to make their way in a harsh world, one that naturally included poverty. At some point, they were approached by a group of travelling adventurers in need of someone to carry equipment on a dangerous quest to raid an ancient tomb. She was the only one who agreed to chance it, and the gamble paid off for her, though many of the adventurers were caught in a hidden trap and died. After that first job, she went from being a hireling to a full member of the group and they taught her what they knew about delving into lost places. She learned, and eventually, they joined the Delver¡¯s Guild. Her life was spent finding treasure, and risking her very soul in the darkest and most dangerous of places; tombs, caves, abandoned cities, they all came with various levels of threat. But, the reward for taking such risks was great material wealth.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°But maybe¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°In her mind, she was still the street urchin she once was.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And when she went looking for her friends from those days, she acted much the same way, even though that was no longer who she was. Of the friends she¡¯d left behind, many were dead, and those who weren¡¯t, wished they were. The way that she and them lived was now miles apart. They could no longer relate to each other, whether it was her fancy clothes, how she spoke and conducted herself, or the fine carriage she went about in. They demanded coin¡ªand when she gave it¡ªthey wanted more. And, when she was not giving it fast enough, they stole from her. She ignored the advantages she¡¯d gained in life, and how they had come to set her apart from her former group. She failed to adjust, just as she failed to adjust to her ageing body.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°And do you think that applies to me?¡± She scoffed. ¡°No. Honestly, if you began to act like some arrogant warlord, as Hobb seems to be suggesting that you should, I''d be incredibly disappointed in you, Mr. Roth.¡± ¡°Yeah, you don''t seem to take much stock in wielding power, and¡­other mighty wizard things,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°No, I do not,¡± Professor Jules said, firmly. ¡°A lot of powerful wizards disagree with me, but in my opinion, wizards are still the same mortal, fallible people we were when we started our journeys. Just a little smarter, a little more learned, and a little more dangerous. Simply because we are able to wield powerful magic, doesn''t mean we''ve transcended to become these different beings. While we have to be aware of what our new powers bring¡ªboth benefits and challenges¡ªallowing them to go to our heads, I believe, is a mistake.¡± Alex paused, as a thought occurred to him. ¡°Do you think that was Uldar¡¯s mistake?¡± She looked at him curiously. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°That he let his divinity go to his head?¡± She pursed her lips, looking up toward the ceiling in thought. ¡°Maybe. I think what he allowed himself to do speaks volumes. I''ve never been a goddess, Mr. Roth, and I¡¯m glad I never will be. Being a deity involves a certain responsibility that I think necessitates some change in the self and mindset. ¡­but I think Uldar overestimated his importance. He secluded himself because he didn¡¯t want to ask for help or admit vulnerability: he made horrible, monstrous decisions, because he thought himself key to your kingdom¡¯s future. Had he viewed himself a little differently¡­with less bloated ego¡­perhaps he would have been a kinder god. I don''t know, all I know is that I am happy in my lab, with my beakers and flasks. The last couple of years have been entirely too exciting for me, and I can''t wait for this all to be over.¡± ¡°Do you think we''re gonna win?¡± he asked. ¡°I wish I could read the future and tell you a simple, yes,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But, I honestly don''t know. I feel a little guilty, thinking about it with such distance, but in the end, even if you failed to save your homeland, I know that Generasi will move on. There will be a lot of hand-wringing, and I¡¯d be brokenhearted, but that''s because I care more about your future than having any attachment to your island.¡± ¡°That''s understandable,¡± Alex said. ¡°We can only care about so much, I suppose.¡± ¡°Very mature of you, Mr. Roth,¡± she said. ¡°But in short, of course I hope we do win, but there are too many unknown variables. Things feel too quiet after the theft in the sanctum¡­something feels off, but I can¡¯t say what that is. All I know is that I¡¯ll put in my work in the laboratory to try to make sure this menace ends forever.¡± ¡°And I''ll be right there beside you,¡± Alex said. ¡°Professor, what are you going to do when this is all done?¡± ¡°If the Ravener is defeated?¡± she asked. ¡°Well, I''ll continue doing what I was doing before, researching and teaching. That''s what I love to do, and I do believe it''s what I''ll continue to do until I die.¡± He looked at her sharply. ¡°Professor¡­are you happy? With your life, I mean. With your role as a professor, and an alchemist.¡± ¡°Happy?¡± she asked. ¡°I guess I am, I feel fulfilled. Like I''m wearing the right pair of shoes.¡± ¡°What? Shoes?¡± ¡°Exactly. Making the wrong choice in life, Mr. Roth, is a lot like wearing the wrong pair of shoes. Sure, you can still walk, but it''s going to be uncomfortable at first until eventually, it will hurt a lot. I feel like these shoes I¡¯m walking in were madefor me.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alex said. ¡°And how¡¯d you know how to pick the right shoes?¡± ¡°Are you asking because you''re wondering how to pick yours?¡± she asked. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he said. ¡°That whole thing with Hobb about roles has me thinking about my future even more. How do I know the right way to defeat the Ravener? What happens if we win? Or even if we lose, but I''m still alive? How did you know you wanted to be an alchemist?¡± ¡°Well,¡± she said. ¡°It was as simple as me entering an alchemy lab one day. When I was in my youth, I wasn''t particularly interested in wizardry, so, when it was recognised that I had mana, my family and I saw a mostly economic opportunity. An opportunity to improve all of our lives. And when I was accepted at the university, I had no idea which magical discipline I wanted to specialise in.¡± She sighed wistfully. ¡°Then, I walked into my first alchemy class.¡± ¡°And you loved it?¡± ¡°No, I hated it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Oh yes, I was immediately struck by the horrific lack of proper safety protocols and that¡¯s when I knew I had found my calling. The things that I saw would have panicked the most ardent life enforcement practitioner, and over time, it felt like we were constantly playing with fire!¡± she snorted. ¡°I began to advocate for changes, and spent every minute I could in my alchemy textbooks, looking for ways to keep myself safe. In the process, I learned that I loved the discipline, I loved to teach it, and wanted to make sure that others were safe when they performed it. In other words, I tried on the right pair of shoes, and they fit.¡± ¡°I see¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Well, a lot of shoes feel right¡­and a lot feel wrong. It¡¯s confusing. I''m almost afraid of the future.¡± ¡°It will come,¡± she said. ¡°Like it or not. Maybe ask some of your peers. You might gain insight into your own path through them.¡± Alex scoffed. ¡°I don''t know if Hobb would like that: he¡¯d say they aren''t my peers anymore.¡± ¡°And I''d say he can go right back to the hells where he came from,¡± she snorted. ¡°You''re a young man, and you''re among friends. Talk to them, Mr. Roth. We don''t know what''s going to happen¡­so talk to them while you can.¡± He thought about having to take Bjorgrund and Birger back to their cottage, as well as meeting with his cabal. ¡°Thanks, Professor,¡± he said. ¡°I think I''ll do just that.¡± Chapter 795: What is a Home? ¡°Are you ready to go?¡± Alex asked, entering a small room in the Research Castle. Bjorgrund and Birger were fastening their cloaks as the late morning sun over Greymoor beamed through the window. The two giants looked up at him, surprised. ¡°Alex!¡± Bjorgrund cried. ¡°That was the longest we''ve been apart in months! Did you miss me?¡± The smiling wizard shrugged. ¡°I missed our sparring matches, but I guess one day without you nearly cutting my head off was kinda nice.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± the young giant laughed. Alex sized up the pair of beds in the sleeping chamber: a room meant for visitors to Greymoor. ¡°Did you both sleep well? Were those beds comfortable enough, they look a little small?¡± ¡°They were fine once we shrunk so we could fit into them,¡± Birger said. ¡°I slept the sleep of the dead.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Bjorgrund agreed. ¡°It doesn''t really hit you how long you''ve been up when there¡¯s so much going on until it''s all over. Then the ¡®tiredness¡¯ comes down on you all at once.¡± The older giant picked up his crutch then got to his feet. ¡°I''m glad the wizards put us up for the night. By the time we got here, I was completely exhausted. Theresa arranging with them for this room for us was a lifesaver, otherwise I would have nodded off right where I was standing.¡± ¡°Good, I''m glad you got a chance to rest up, and you didn¡¯t have to do it standing like a horse, ¡± Alex said. ¡°So, you ready to head home?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Bjorgrund paused. ¡°I¡¯d rather stay¡­but¡­¡± ¡°We''ve been away from our cottage for months,¡± Birger said. ¡°We have to look in on it.¡± ¡°Yeah, what father said,¡± Bjorgrund grunted. ¡°If there''s been any damage, I''ll help you fix it,¡± Alex said quickly. ¡°I¡¯d normally say no, but since you can summon an army of earth elementals¡­I¡¯ll gladly take the help,¡± Birger replied. ¡°And speaking of armies, has anyone made any progress with finding the you know what?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I talked to Watcher Hill earlier and she said she''s organising something with the king. Some of our teams¡¯ll also be working with priests that Tobias Jay trusts and they¡¯ll be going around from place to place sensing for areas where divine energy might be coming from. Hopefully, they¡¯ll find the missing chair, the body, and the Ravener.¡± ¡°Can you make a device that can find divinity? You¡¯re good with that stuff.¡± Bjorgrund said. Alex shrugged. ¡°Maybe? There''s a lot to talk about, and think about, and organise. After I get back from taking you home, I''m gonna talk to my cabalmates, then the Heroes and Asmaldestre. We¡¯re making our plan as we go along.¡± Birger clicked his tongue in thought. ¡°I thought something would have happened by now. Like the ground exploding and endless monsters pouring out of it and running wild through Thameland.¡± ¡°We''ve been wondering the same thing.¡± Alex looked out of the window at snow melting on the hills of Greymoor. ¡°The problem is that it has to make the first move. Maybe it''s planning, maybe it''s paralysed from what it''s learned. We won''t know unless we find it, or it strikes us.¡± ¡°Feels like a blade¡¯s hanging over our heads,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°I just wanted you to know¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Never mind.¡± ¡°No, what''s up?¡± Alex asked. The younger giant shook his head. ¡°No, we''ll talk about it after we see what home looks like.¡± ¡°Alright, then I guess we should get going,¡± Alex said. ¡°Stay by my side.¡± The wizard touched Bjorgrund and Birger¡¯s shoulders, channelling his power and teleporting to Kymiland in one single jump. The same trip would have taken him more than a dozen¡ªif not more than twenty jumps¡ªto reach the frozen forest at one time. Now he could do it in a single one. Easily. ¡®Now, that¡¯s some progress,¡¯ he thought proudly. One moment they were standing in Greymoor¡¯s Research Castle, the next, the cold wind of the late Kymiland winter was whipping their cloaks around them. Pine trees were swaying, the sky was grey, and snow blanketing the frozen ground around the cottage looked fresh and undisturbed. ¡°Home,¡± Birger said. ¡°Been a long time since we¡¯ve seen it,¡± the giant nodded, looking relieved. ¡°That¡¯s true, father,¡± Bjorgrund said. The giants¡¯ cottage looked much the same¡ªapart from more snow piled up on the roof¡ªas the last time Alex had seen it. ¡°I''m actually kind of surprised,¡± the young wizard said, looking at the stone cottage carefully. ¡°I sort of expected the door to be kicked in.¡± ¡°I''ve warded this place against the rune-marked.¡± Birger hobbled toward the front door. ¡°And I don''t expect anyone from the village would have been coming here, not after the fright you gave them.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°But just in case¡­¡± Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. He peered through the window, checking the space. ¡°Doesn''t look like anyone''s been inside. The glass isn¡¯t broken, everything looks quiet inside, and it doesn¡¯t look like anything¡¯s been moved in there.¡± Birger abruptly flung the door open, looking to surprise anyone hiding inside. He sniffed the air. ¡°Ugh, smells musty. I¡¯ll have to be doing a little cleaning and airing the place out. At least our last fire didn''t burn the place down, I couldn''t remember if we¡¯d put it out before we left.¡± Alex stepped in behind the two giants. ¡°Truthfully, I was more concerned that the church would''ve broken in here and torn everything apart, looking for us.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Actually¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°You know what, they probably left this place alone as a trap. I¡¯d bet you a couple of handfuls of coin that they had people spying on your cottage from the forest, waiting to see if we¡¯d come back. It¡¯s too late to check for tracks since they¡¯d be long gone by now¡­or maybe not. Give me a second.¡± Alex teleported away, disappearing and reappearing among the trees bordering the clearing where the cottage stood. He found nothing suspicious, but he wanted to make sure. He summoned an astral engeli to check around the trees. That yielded something. Alex dismissed the summons, excitedly teleporting back to the cottage. ¡°I can confirm it,¡± he reappeared in the cottage, startling the giants as they unpacked their gear. ¡°Oh, sorry about that,¡± he apologised. ¡°No harm done,¡± the young giant said. ¡°What can you confirm?¡± ¡°The church was here,¡± the wizard explained. ¡°I summoned an astral engeli and he found traces of divinity in the woods about a hundred yards or so behind the cottage. Seems they were watching for us: they must''ve left when that fae¡ª¡± He paused. There was no reason to avoid using the dead fae¡¯s name any longer. Grimloch¡¯s stomach contents were probably scary at most times, but not in the same way the living fae had been. ¡°¡ªthat Guide ¡®found¡¯ us. Some of them were probably left here to watch for us, and if we came back, the rest would come back, surprise us and then kill us.¡± ¡°Bastards,¡± Birger said. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad our home wasn¡¯t destroyed by them. All in all, things turned out alright in the end.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Bjorgrund agreed, his voice dropping low. ¡°It¡¯s going to feel strange, though, isn''t it, father? Back in our little cottage, worried about rune-marked, worried about our so-called family. No more travelling, no more adventure.¡± Birger snorted. ¡°I had centuries of adventure before I settled here, son. Trust me, that life is way too glorified. Besides, we''re going to be helping Alex with the Ravener.¡± He looked at the young wizard. ¡°Are you sure you''ll be alright teleporting between here and Thameland, bringing us there and back all the time?¡± ¡°I don''t think we should be doing that,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°I think we should be staying in Greymoor, ready to help whenever it''s needed. I don''t want to have to rely on Alex every day.¡± ¡°It''s not a problem,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''ll literally take me thirty seconds to come and get you and bring you to wherever you¡¯re needed in Thameland.¡± ¡°That power of yours is hard to believe,¡± Birger shook his head. ¡°I think you use it even better than Kelda could. Or maybe not, I¡¯m not sure and I don¡¯t want to take anything away from her. I don''t know enough about it, I suppose.¡± ¡°Still,¡± Bjorgrund continued. ¡°I wish we could just stay in Thameland.¡± ¡°We''ve been away from home long enough, son,¡± Birger said. The young giant looked at him. ¡°But father, is this really home?¡± ¡°It always has been.¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Bjorgrund asked him. ¡°We live near people that hate us, surrounded by other monsters and an Empire that wants us all dead¡­ We have no friends, no real family, except for each other.¡± ¡°And am I not enough?¡± Birger asked. ¡°Father, we can''t just run from everyone and stay here in this cabin.¡± Bjorgrund insisted. ¡°We¡¯ve made friends, we''ve been around good people. Can we really go back to living here all by ourselves?¡± The giant looked at the snowy forest through the window. ¡°It''s a bit lonely, isn''t it?¡± Birger opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He sighed. ¡°I suppose, I forget what it''s like to be young. To want to explore the world for yourself, to find companions, to find a partner¡­¡± He looked through the window then. ¡°Those things would be impossible here, I suppose.¡± He said, sighing again. ¡°Well, if you''re lonely.¡± Alex cleared his throat. ¡°You''re always welcome in Generasi. We could find a place for you, you could work for one of my businesses, and I''d make sure you were comfortable.¡± Birger smiled sadly. ¡°I appreciate that, but it¡¯d be too warm for me there. And, there''s a lot in this house that I wouldn''t be able to let go of, not yet, at least. A country like Thameland might be better, but when it¡¯s at war and under attack isn¡¯t really the best time for moving there.¡± ¡°What about after?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Birger said. ¡°What about after the war?¡± Alex asked him. ¡°What are you going to do, then? I mean, I know it''s not my business, but I think Bjorgrund has some good points. It¡¯s not making me feel real good thinking about you two up here all by yourselves, especially with your nasty, dangerous relatives nearby. After all you''ve done for us, it almost feels like I¡¯d be abandoning you.¡± ¡°I wouldn''t want to stay here forever,¡± Bjorgrund said. He scowled. ¡°Alex, you taught me that I don''t have to be what others make me out to be. Our family thinks I''m some kind of monster, so, what kind of family is that? I don''t wanna live my life hiding in the woods around people who think of me as some beast.¡± ¡°You''ll have me,¡± the old giant said. Then he paused. ¡°But you won''t always have me¡­¡± He slowly looked around the cottage. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t feel right to keep you here, caring for a sick old man when I get older. You''ve got your own life to live¡ªI lived my share and then some¡ªand trapping you here with others that hate you, isn¡¯t right.¡± The old giant frowned. ¡°But where would we go? We can''t stay here¡­but, I don''t think we could take city life either.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Bjorgrund shook his head. ¡°I like the forest. I like having trees overhead, and the open sky above that. I like hunting, chopping wood, and listening to the birds singing. I just don''t like doing it near folk that hate and fear me.¡± An idea sparked in Alex''s mind. ¡°Why don''t you live near my hometown, then?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Bjorgrund looked at Alex sharply. ¡°Actually, your city is a little hot for me too¡ª¡± ¡°No, no, not Generasi, I mean where I was born,¡± the young archwizard continued. ¡°I come from a small town called Alric, and it''s a nice, quiet, safe pla¡ª¡± He paused. ¡°¡ªwell, right now, it''s fortified against Ravener-spawn attacks, but when the war is over, it''ll be a nice, quiet, safe place. And just near there, is a forest called Coille. Theresa used to hunt there all the time when we were younger. It''s got plenty of game animals, the weather¡¯s cool, but the winters aren''t too harsh. You''ll be able to live in the forest, but you''d be near people that wouldn''t hate and fear you: folks from Alric don¡¯t really fear others unless they''re trying to eat or kill them. You''ll be able to live your lives there in peace, and you''ll be safe.¡± Birger and Bjorgrund looked at each other. ¡°Plus,¡± Alex continued. ¡°The Cave of the Traveller¡¯s right in that forest, which could let you, Bjorgrund, travel to wherever you wanted to.¡± ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Birger said. ¡°Very interesting and Thameland¡¯s where our ancestors were from. That¡¯s something for us to think on.¡± ¡°I want to see this forest, father,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°I''d like to, as well,¡± Birger said. ¡°Something to keep in mind for after the war. We can talk about it, especially after the war, and after we find Uldar¡¯s corpse, throne and that Ravener he made.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°And I''m going to make sure we all get back home alive to enjoy our lives afterward. Anyway, I¡¯d better get going. I have a lot to talk about with my cabal: there''s things we need to get figured out before the Ravener makes its next move.¡± Chapter 796: Cabals Return from Hiatus ¡°It''s been way too long since we''ve gotten together like this.¡± Thundar leaned back in his chair, his arms behind his neck. ¡°Way too long.¡± ¡°I agree, Thundar, I know.¡± Alex went to reach for his satchel, his hand pausing partway. In the past, when they would meet on this balcony in Generasi¡¯s castle, it was to study together, or plan for an event like the Games of Roal. Out of habit, he¡¯d just reached for a textbook. He shook his head. ¡°Way too long is exactly right.¡± ¡°A lot has changed since the last time we four came together like this.¡± Khalik lounged in his chair¡ªNajyah perched on the back of it¡ªgazing over the campus grounds. The prince looked pensive. ¡°It seems that these days our time is spent thinking of ways to save kingdoms and defeat maniacal monsters, or working with the Heroes¡­or doing other vital things. We¡¯ve had a great weight to bear. One that I never would have imagined when we first met in the beastarium or when we met again in the Barrens of Kravernus.¡± A small smile took Khalik¡¯s face. ¡°It was chance that brought us together on that day, but little did any of us know just how significant our meeting would be. Our quest to the escarpment was only the beginning of our path together.¡± ¡°By the elements, it feels like our meeting was so terribly long ago.¡± Isolde marvelled. She began muttering under her breath, doing some mental math. ¡°Can you believe that nearly three years have passed since we first met?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem that long, does it?¡± Khalik said. ¡°It feels like we met yesterday¡­and yet¡­¡± ¡°¡­it feels like we''ve known each other all of our lives,¡± Alex finished his friend¡¯s thought. ¡°It''s hard to imagine life without the three of you now. I don''t know how the hells I managed to get by in Alric. I had a few friends back home, but we were nowhere near as close as the four of us are.¡± Thundar scoffed. ¡°Me and my buddies back home used to roughhouse¡ªwe were the youngest in the herd for a long time¡ªand you know what they said to me when I left?¡± ¡°What was that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°They said they didn''t want that ¡®fancy school¡¯ changing me. But it sure as hells has,¡± Thundar admitted. ¡°I was a really different guy before I met the three of you, Baelin, Grimloch, Kybas, my friends from the dorm¡­¡± ¡°Truly?¡± Khalik cocked his head. Unknown to him, Najyah was mirroring his movements, her head tilting to the side as she looked at the Minotaur. Alex barely resisted the urge to laugh. ¡°That could explain a lot,¡± the prince continued. ¡°When we first met in the Barrens, you seemed much more reserved. You gave the image of a disciplined and valiant warrior.¡± Thundar winced. ¡°I did, didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, yes you did.¡± Isolde raised an eyebrow. ¡°You were far more poised than you are today and do not tell me that we were a poor influence on you, either.¡± The minotaur scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. ¡°Promise you¡¯re not gonna laugh.¡± ¡°Nope,¡± Alex said. ¡°Out of the question,¡± Khalik said. ¡°I would not want to lie to you.¡± Isolde drew a deep breath, so that her impending laughter would have plenty of fuel. ¡°Traitors.¡± Thundar glowered at them, but continued all the same. ¡°Alright, look. When I first got here, I had it in my head that I wanted to reinvent myself. I was kind of an idiot in my herd, and I¡­¡± He paused, looking at Isolde. ¡°Well, that''s not true either, now that I think about it.¡± He leaned back in his chair, looking up at the sky. ¡°When I was really young, I was what you''d call ¡®the smart kid¡¯. I''d be the one going on about random things that I''d learned, the teachings of our elders, and any sort of magic I could get my hands on. All the others around my age thought I was weird: they kept calling me names. When I was twelve, I decided I didn''t want to be called names anymore. So, I started goofing off: I''d be the one jumping into lakes teeming with leeches just because someone dared me to. I stop talking about magic. I learned to smash skulls with my mates, and found out my skull was tougher than theirs. I got popular, with the boys at least. The girls still remembered me as being this weird kid, or thought I was too braindead to be cool.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alex said. ¡°Then what?¡± ¡°Well, I decided to change myself when I got to university. No more weird kid. No more big, dumb idiot either. I thought I''d come in and be the honourable warrior type. That I''d be respected, that way. People would take me seriously. I''d besomebody.¡± ¡°And what happened then?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°Well,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Folks in the dorm thought I was stiff. Then, when I got to know you guys better, I just relaxed. Went back to being the big oaf I¡¯d become when I was a teenager. I don''t know, the weird kid never really came back. Guess I have more fun this way.¡± ¡°So you mean to tell me that the noble, valiant warrior that we met in the Barrens was an act to make yourself more popular?¡± Isolde asked. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Well¡­when you put it that way it does sound kinda pathetic,¡± Thundar said. ¡°I don''t think it''s pathetic. I think we were and are just trying to find the right roles for ourselves, to figure out how to change ourselves to fit in a world that''s changing around us, ¡± Alex said. ¡°Is who you are now ¡®the real you¡¯?¡± ¡°I think how I am now and that quiet kid is the real me,¡± Thundar said. ¡°You know¡­come to think of it, the quiet kid comes out a little more when I''m with Drestra. It¡¯s just something that happens.¡± ¡°We¡¯re all a little different around different people,¡± Alex said, Hobb¡¯s speech about roles returning to his mind. ¡°I''m just glad we get to see the real you, and Drestra gets to see another side of the real you. I like that better than you putting on an act all the time.¡± ¡°Yeah, it''s a lot more comfortable,¡± Thundar agreed. ¡°I know this is mushy¡­considering things might get ugly but¡­I''m just glad I met all of you.¡± ¡°As am I,¡± Khalik said. ¡°You all are some of the finest friends that anyone could ever have. There are no others I would want as my cabalmates than you three.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Some of my other friends thought it was foolish of me to join in a cabal with students a year younger than myself. Yet, to me, it was¡ªto date¡ªthe best decision I have ever made. And I pride myself on making good decisions.¡± ¡°Like redheaded men¡ª¡± Thundar started. Isolde jabbed her finger at him like she was pointing a dagger. Her face turned flaming red. ¡°One more word, Son of Gulbiff. One single word.¡± ¡°Right, shutting up now,¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°You''re the best cabalmates and friends ever. I''m glad we got this chance to meet up, right where we used to spend a lot of our time before.¡± ¡°Speaking of a meeting,¡± Isolde looked at Alex. ¡°You called this meeting, but you did not say for what specific purpose you wanted to meet.¡± All eyes were on the archwizard. Alex paused for a long moment, then turned to Isolde. ¡°Listen, I was originally going to have this conversation with only you, Isolde, but the more I thought about it, the more I wanted to hear from everybody else too.¡± ¡°Sounds serious,¡± Thundar said. ¡°It is,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°It''s not really about the Ravener¡­well, it sort of is. I want you guys to know that I plan on talking to my professors about signing off on letting me do Exams for credit for my classes so I can graduate early. I have to use time strategically since it¡¯s not exactly an infinite resource and¡­¡± He paused, searching for the right words. ¡°You can cast ninth-tier spells and absorb information like water wicking into cloth,¡± Khalik cut in. ¡°You do not need to attend undergraduate studies anymore.¡± Alex felt a bit embarrassed. ¡°Yeah¡­that¡¯s about it,¡± he admitted. ¡°So you''re gonna be graduating with Isolde?¡± Thundar gave him a sad look. ¡°If everything goes right,¡± the young archwizard said. ¡°How do you guys feel about that?¡± ¡°It feels like something¡¯s missing,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Kind of imagined us three graduating together¡­but I also never imagined that I''d be spending a lot of my time in university fighting monsters in your homeland. So it all evens out, I guess. As long as you keep making me rich, that is!¡± ¡°It is fine by me, Alex,¡± Khalik said. ¡°We are all walking the same road, but life is a winding path. And we are still walking together: just because you have to take a quick detour does not mean we are not still side-by-side. I will be happy to watch you and Isolde graduate, as long as you two watch me and Thundar next year.¡± ¡°Unless I''m dead, I wouldn''t miss it for anything,¡± Alex said emphatically. ¡°I, for one, would be glad to see you walk across the stage ahead of me, hopefully you will not trip and fall,¡± Isolde smiled, pleasantly. ¡°You will go first, since the first letter of your surname comes before mine. But, besides that, why did you want to meet with me alone, initially?¡± Alex focused on her. ¡°I wanted to ask you something. What are you gonna do after you walk across that stage?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, after the war is over,¡± Alex said. ¡°What plans do you have for your future?¡± ¡°Assuming that I live through the war¡­¡± she said. ¡°Graduate studies, of course. I have had several offers from my different professors to join them as a graduate student and I have chosen to work with Professor Jules, and Professor Monroe, she specialises in lightning magic.¡± ¡°Two graduate specialties?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°I do believe I can handle them both,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I''m not saying you couldn''t, but even doing one¡¯s a lot of work, from what I hear,¡± Thundar said. ¡°I do not shy away from that,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Expanding my knowledge, and giving back to wizardry through research will be worth the effort. ¡°And what about after that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°After you finish graduate studies?¡± ¡°After?¡± she asked. ¡°I will obtain a position as a court wizard.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± ¡°Yes, indeed,¡± Isolde assured him. ¡°The Imperial court of the Rhinean Empire could use less vipers and more competence. I will work with my grandfather to provide that.¡± ¡°And you''ve never thought about doing anything else?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I have,¡± she said. ¡°But that is what I want to do. I''m not quite like you, Alex. I must admit, I do enjoy the rush of conquering one¡¯s enemies, but to me, combat is a means to an end. I joined Baelin¡¯s class for the purpose of learning to defend myself and to make a connection with the chancellor. I joined the war in Thameland, to support my friends, gain credits at the university, and partake in the research of a new and exciting magical substance. But I find prolonged battle exhausting. Excitement can quickly turn to fear over whether we will live or die¡­¡± Her expression darkened. ¡°Or if we will lose a close ally again, just as we did at Uldar¡¯s Rise. No, I do not think I wish for that to be my life. If I feel the need for excitement, I will take a sabbatical from the court and go on an adventure or hunt a monster. But to travel far and wide, constantly risking my life¡­that is something I would have no interest in doing.¡± ¡°I think a position as a court wizard would suit you,¡± Khalik said. ¡°It would allow you to use your intelligence, your political savvy, and your magic.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded at him. ¡°My grandfather would be most pleased to hear that.¡± ¡°And how did you know that¡¯s what you wanted to do?¡± Alex asked. ¡°It has always been in the back of my mind,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Of course, I opened my mind to other possibilities when I progressed through my studies. Last year, I thought about being a professor for a time. Yet, as much as I enjoy academia¡­I think I miss the court more. And I do not think I would be the best teacher. I also thought of becoming an alchemist, or opening a business like you, Alex. But I have seen your eyes light up at the thought of mercantile enterprise, in a way that mine do not. In the end, I returned to what I set out to do from the beginning. I find that fits me best.¡± Alex had to resist the urge to laugh, remembering Professor Jules¡¯ story. ¡°That is me, though,¡± she said, then looked at the others. ¡°What about you? What do you three wish to do after the war and graduation?¡± Chapter 797: Potential Futures of Wine and Adventure Alex, Khalik, and Thundar considered Isolde¡¯s question, each one waiting for the other to answer. The prince spoke first. ¡°I believe I will remain here in Generasi,¡± Khalik said. ¡°For the foreseeable future, at least. I want to show Sinope Tekezash, but there is little for me there that would require me to be there full time.¡± The prince smiled at Alex. ¡°You inspired me to learn a teleportation spell in the future, and that will allow me to live here and be in contact with my family and people as often as I want and need to.¡± ¡°You don''t want to go back to the palace?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°Sounds like you had a really good life there.¡± ¡°I did. I loved my growing up years there,¡± Khalik said. ¡°But in important ways, I enjoy it here more. I have the freedom to live my life as I see fit here. If I wish to have servants and bodyguards, then I can simply hire them. If I do not wish to have them, then I simply do not have them. I am no helpless child who cannot do things for himself. Who cannot protect himself. I think I shall remain here for quite some time, but perhaps I could use a larger home.¡± He smiled. ¡°My villa is appealing, but it is a little cramped.¡± ¡°I suppose that¡¯s because of what you¡¯re used to, I¡¯m guessing most villas would be ¡®a little cramped¡¯ in contrast,¡± Alex laughed. Khalik laughed at that. ¡°I am not that bad. In fact, I enjoyed the cosy living quarters of the insula for quite some time. But, I think, in the end, I will need more space. As for what I will do with my life? I think I am the opposite of you, Isolde: the adventure and excitement of the chase, the rush of battle¡­I enjoy those things very much. However, I do not think I could live a life of constant danger and adventure with a family waiting at home. And I do desire a family.¡± He smiled. ¡°Which means, engaging in the occasional monster hunt for sport will fill some of my need, but¡ªfor the most part¡ªI would like to do graduate studies with Professor Salinger. Plant life and moving earth and rock and watching things grow, these things fascinate me. I¡¯ve learned more about plant life from Sinope since we met, than I ever knew in all my years of life. So, I am considering combining her teachings with earth magic, and what I learn with Professor Salinger to grow my own knowledge of magical botany. What I learn and discover, I can then use to expand magical botany for different purposes. I have this idea in my mind of creating self-irrigating plants that extract moisture from the air to store for times of drought. With the right crossbreeding, I could have them travel¡ªlike the walking trees in the Crymlyn¡ªgoing from place to place to doll out water. Architecture also interests me, but I believe I can do more with magical botany, both here and in my homeland. Besides, the idea of being a vintner, establishing a unique winery that grows not only the finest grapes, but other magical fruiting plants as well, very much appeals to me. After all, we do love our wine, don''t we?¡± He laughed. As one, the cabal nodded. ¡°You want to be a winemaker?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I would enjoy that,¡± Khalik said. ¡°And I would like to make the best wine that any wizard has ever tasted. I would be delighted if generations of Generasi students were to look at my lesser bottles in the Brass Grapes and order them without hesitating; while, the elite of Generasi would be willing to kill for a bottle of my finest vintages.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°I have some ideas for my future, much of which involves blending magical botany with earth magic, and Dryad teachings, but I was wondering if you might like to have some involvement in my wine venture. That invitation goes out to all of you.¡± He looked to the rest of his cabal. ¡°With your skills and our combined capital, I think we could create wines that would make all others taste like ash.¡± Alex''s eyebrows rose. ¡°My parents ran an alehouse¡­I think they¡¯d be proud if I did something like that.¡± ¡°I like wine!¡± Thundar grinned. ¡°I do too, and someone would need to ensure that you three do not drink away all the product,¡± Isolde sniffed. ¡°Hah! We would not dream of it¡­much. Also, if you wouldn¡¯t mind, Alex,¡± Khalik said. ¡°We could name a wine in their honour. A form of immortality, shall we say?¡± Alex choked up. ¡°You''re the best, man.¡± Khalik clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I know.¡± The prince grinned. ¡°But what about being a prince?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°Aren''t you Lord of the Sapphire Sea?¡± ¡°I do have territory, yes,¡± Khalik said. ¡°It is presently managed by a vizier but, with a teleportation spell, I could take a more active role in its management. The experience I''ve gained leading people here in battle alongside you three, will be most helpful, I think.¡± ¡°Hold on for one moment.¡± Isolde looked at him sharply. ¡°I had forgotten that you owned a territory since you never speak of it, and now that you are finally speaking of it, you are doing so as if it was a mere after-thought?¡± Khalik inclined his head, smiling. ¡°It is not an after-thought, Isolde. It is simply a given. I do not need to speak of running my territory anymore than I would need to speak of breathing.¡± ¡°But all of this talk of making wine¡­and marrying Sinope,¡± she started. ¡°Both are far more important to me,¡± he said. ¡°Governing a port city¡ª¡± ¡°He has a port city?¡± Thundar choked. ¡°¡ªis something I can do by teleporting to it when I need to, and by sharing many of my responsibilities with my vizier. The territory is well developed, and peaceful, there is no need for me to be¡­what is the word¡­micromanaging it. But, at the same time, my land is named the domain of Prince Khalik Behr-Medr, Lord of the Sapphire Sea.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. He smiled sheepishly. ¡°But marrying Sinope, solving issues with magical plants, and producing wine? They belong only to Khalik. It will be all my own, a legacy not tied to the royal family of Tekezash. This¡ªand Sinope¡ªwill make me most happy. Those things will make me immortal.¡± An uncomfortable twinge went through Alex¡¯s heart. There was something he wanted to bring up, but not yet. ¡°Well, I think that''s pretty badass,¡± Thundar said. ¡°You''re rich, you''re gonna stay rich, but you''re gonna do your own thing. You¡¯re one lucky bastard.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Khalik grinned through his beard. ¡°And what about you, friend Thundar? What are your plans for the future?¡± ¡°Honestly? Travelling around and adventuring,¡± Thundar said. ¡°I like fighting. I like fighting a lot, and I''m not sure if I''ll ever get over that rush of life and death. Besides, if the ancestors call me home? Then, so be it. But, better I live a life full of excitement and honour and riches before that happens. I want to hunt monsters, I want to destroy enemies, and find lost treasures.¡± ¡°Will a certain dragon join you?¡± Isolde asked. Thundar winced. ¡°We haven''t gotten that far yet. I mean, we¡­we wanted to go farther, but life¡¯s been pretty full with the end of a kingdom on the line. I hope she will, though. But yeah, all I want is to be on a ship with the wind blowing through my fur¡­or teleporting around. Maybe I''ll make my own adventures, or bring you all along if you start getting lazy and sluggish.¡± Another twinge went through Alex. Khalik laughed. ¡°I will be happy to be an accomplice in some of your adventures.¡± ¡°Yeah, can''t have all that wine making and drinking turning you into a big old tub of butter, now can we?¡± Thundar said. ¡°The occasional adventure does sound delightful,¡± Isolde admitted. ¡°And a monster hunt would be far more preferable, if we were all united.¡± ¡°Yeah, that''s what I was thinking,¡± Thundar agreed. ¡°Maybe I can even keep working for you, Alex, even if there''s no more dungeon cores. I could hunt for other alchemical ingredients you might need. Which reminds me, what are you going to do if the dungeon cores disappear?¡± ¡°Keep making regular golems? More magic items?¡± Alex suggested. ¡°Or maybe¡­¡± He trailed off. Silence hung over them. ¡°Is there something wrong, my friend?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°I¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°I know this isn¡¯t the typical thing that most folk talk about, but have any of you ever given any thought to extending your lifespans?¡± The other three looked at each other. No one spoke for a time. Again, Khalik was the first to break the silence. ¡°I have. Dryads live for a very long time, and it would be cruel to not find a way to live alongside Sinope during the long centuries ahead of her. Whether that be through certain rare plants or other methods, I will find a way to live longer than the number of years that humans can normally live.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Thundar agreed. ¡°If Drestra and I stick together¡­well, she''s a dragon. She''s nowhere near full grown, yet; she''s gonna live for thousands of years at least. Would be a damn shame if I just let myself drop dead of old age. I''ll want to find a way to live a long time too. Maybe forever. What about you, Isolde?¡± ¡°It is¡­not something I have given much thought to. I do not know,¡± she said. ¡°I do not have a life partner to give me reason to want to live well beyond the typical lifespan. Then again¡­I take it you will extend your lifespan, Alex? Theresa, by practising life enforcement, will live far longer than a normal human would.¡± ¡°Yeah, and I want to be there with her,¡± Alex said. ¡°Honestly, I don''t think finding ways to extend our lives is going to be a problem. Kelda has notes in some of her notebooks laying out potential processes: she was looking for ways to continue trying to remove the Mark if she couldn''t figure out how to get rid of it when she was still young. There''s all kinds of ways that might be possible¡­and I think I might have an idea: something we could do right after we defeat the Ravener.¡± ¡°Fascinating. It is a big decision, though¡­I would need to think about it,¡± Isolde said. ¡°But I do not disapprove of the idea of living for many lifetimes. If I choose to do it, then I shall not be the one in our cabal heading to the after-world well before everyone else.¡± ¡°That''s the spirit!¡± Thundar tried to clap her on the shoulder. She flinched away. ¡°Please do not break my shoulder, Son of Gulbiff,¡± she said. ¡°Fine, fine¡­you¡¯re no fun,¡± he said. ¡°But Alex, what are you gonna do after? Run your businesses?¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± the archwizard admitted. ¡°All the goals I had for myself when I first wanted to become a wizard¡­I''ve reached them. If we kill the Ravener, I''m not sure what I¡¯d want to do next, apart from marrying Theresa, that is. I know I¡¯ll be graduating soon, and I don''t want to be just sitting around listless once the war¡¯s over. There''s so many things I wanted to do¡­but so many things I¡¯ve already done¡­I know I''m going to work with Professor Mangal, and stay in Generasi while Selina¡¯s in school¡­but after that? I don''t know. I just don''t know.¡± There was a long pause. ¡°You have time to decide, my friend,¡± Khalik said. ¡°Plenty of time to decide. Is that what truly worries you?¡± ¡°It is¡­but there''s more,¡± Alex told them what Hobb had said. ¡°I''m worried, very worried. Are any of you afraid of the Ravener?¡± ¡°Yeah, I am,¡± Thundar admitted. ¡°Of course,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Particularly if it has the dead body and the throne, who knows what it will be capable of.¡± ¡°I believe that fear of such a menace is only healthy,¡± Khalik added. ¡°See, that''s what I''m afraid of. I''m cautious of it¡­but is our fear going to feed it? Make it more powerful? I don''t know,¡± Alex said. The young wizard shuddered. ¡°Remember, when we had that really quiet period a while back? Things were going great, we¡¯d won the Grand Battle¡­we¡¯d gone out, celebrated¡­we were looking forward to getting deep into third year.¡± ¡°Yes, and shortly after that is when Carey was taken,¡± Khalik said. ¡°And then she died.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°This feels like that all over again. Like we¡¯re in that quiet time just before something really bad happens. I don''t want any of you to die, and I certainly don''t want to die. I''m afraid of that, but what really scares me is that that fear could make the Ravener stronger.¡± ¡°That is possible,¡± Khalik said. ¡°But what are we to do about it? The mouse must fear the snake, but must deal with the snake all the same.¡± ¡°Well said,¡± Thundar said. ¡°What if we train? You could teach us some new tricks.¡± ¡°That''s what I''m thinking,¡± Alex said. ¡°I could teach you some of the stuff I learned through the Mark of the General. You and the Heroes¡­but listen, if you don''t want to fight whatever is coming next. You don''t have to. This could mean your lives, and I don''t know what I¡¯d do if any of you got killed. Not when you could have decades, or centuries, or millennia ahead. You''re gonna change the world, and it¡¯d be a worse world if you didn''t.¡± ¡°I will hear no more of this,¡± Khalik said sternly. ¡°The Lord of the Sapphire Sea does not abandon oaths or tasks, leaving them only partly honoured.¡± ¡°I don''t abandon friends,¡± Thundar growled. ¡°And I keep my word, and I have sworn to protect our cabal-members,¡± Isolde finished. ¡°For good or for ill, we will see this through together.¡± ¡°Well, thank you, but I won¡¯t hold it against you if you change your minds¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll have to train together and get better, and we¡¯ll have to train a lot, while we still can.¡± ¡°I would not have it any other way,¡± Isolde said. ¡°When should we start?¡± ¡°This weekend,¡± Alex said. ¡°That''ll give me time to talk to my professors and also make sure my businesses are on track for my family, in case the worst happens. Let''s hope the Ravener doesn''t make its next move before we can get better prepared. We''re just waiting for it right now.¡± Chapter 798: A Future in Darkness Uldar¡¯s body floated before his creation. All was silent in a cavern where ruined spawn corpses lay spread around the cave floor as a warning to their brethren. Cautioning the living of what would happen to any that disturbed the Ravener¡¯s grieving. The great orb of darkness hovered above water, its gaze¡ªits attention¡ªwas fully on the silent form of the god who had created it. Days had passed since the body had been brought there, and for days it had guarded it like a suffering dog guarding its ailing master. But, the Ravener¡¯s master was not ailing. He was dead. He was gone. And the construct was lost. With every sense it possessed, it had examined the body, looking for signs that might lead to its master reawakening. While it could not undo death, if there was even a spark of life there¡ªany at all¡ªperhaps it could bend its mighty powers to fully restore that life. To restore Uldar. But, deep down¡ªand with growing acceptance¡ªit knew that such thoughts were futile. When it was created, there was no tool available which could heal its creator of the terrible wound festering in his side. There was no method, no knowledge, or medicine that the Ravener could have used to burn away the poison, and it had certainly found none in itsmillennia of existence. Back then, its creator had been alive. But now, he was gone from this world. Something unimaginable at one time. He was not supposed to be gone. He was not supposed to die. Uldar was supposed to be eternal. And there was no protocol within the Ravener¡¯s core to guide it now that the unthinkable, the unimaginable had happened. The construct had been given independent thought by its maker, but its entire existence was dependent on the purpose for which it was created: to drive the Thameish people to the height of fear. That fear would generate faith in Uldar. That faith was meant to heal its master, to be a balm for him. The Ravener was equipped, by Uldar, with protocols that instructed it on what course of action to take in specific situations. If a Usurper surfaced¡ªand its master had not made contact to approve the use of dungeon cores by his people¡ªthen its instructions were to create Hunters to find and destroy the Usurper. If the number of Usurpers increased, then it was to create petrifiers and eliminate them. If a General were ever to resurface in Thameland, then it was to remove the safety measures placed upon it, destroy the Heroes and wipe out most of its creator¡¯s people. Then Uldar would be free to rebuild. But the existence of a General¡ªaccording to the Ravener¡¯s understanding¡ªwas not supposed to be a possibility¡ªin all cycles. Its creator had assured that. So when it had sensed the return of a General, it knew it must consult its creator to verify the truth or error of that information before taking such drastic steps. It needed confirmation. But there could be no confirmation from its creator, now. He was dead, his body now floated in the air before it. Uldar was still. Lifeless. Never again able to instruct it on what he wanted it to do. And a protocol had never been created for such a situation. Its entire purpose was to heal Uldar through his people¡¯s fear. But now, there was no more healing, restoring him was no longer possible. ¡®What must be done?¡¯ it wondered. ¡®Why do I exist now? Why does Thameand exist now? What is our purpose?¡¯ It had asked itself these same questions over and over. Days had passed without any answer. While capable of independent thought, the nature of its design only went as far as allowing it to make decisions on how to best fulfil its purpose. Never once in all of its thousands of years of existence had the Ravener thought to strike out on its own, to define its existence by its own standards. Not once had it considered the implications of its acts or its very being. Not once had it considered its actions either right or wrong. It never had to. But now, the construct was forced to grapple with defining its own path. An action it feared greatly. ¡®Creator,¡¯ it thought. ¡®What do I¡ª¡¯ it paused, realising the futility of that thought. ¡®No, the creator is dead. It is for¡­me to decide what to do next.¡¯ For the first time in its long existence, it felt a new emotion. Jealousy. Envy. Jealousy and envy toward the mortals in Uldar¡¯s kingdom. They were not created to follow one singular purpose for the full length of their short lives. They were able to decide what their own paths would be. They seemed to be prepared for the deaths of those who gave them life, and seemed to know what to do after. Mortals knew how to make decisions when there were no protocols. They had true free will. And this was something the Ravener did not share with them, did not know. ¡®I cannot imagine my existence with Uldar dead. I cannot imagine the kingdom existing without its creator,¡¯ it thought. ¡®We are both bereft of purpose. Should we even exist?¡¯ Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. For a moment, the Ravener considered erasing its own existence, following its creator into oblivion. It dismissed the notion. ¡®I would simply regenerate after a hundred years had passed,¡¯ it thought. ¡®I cannot terminate my own existence. And that would not be what my creator wished for¡­if that even matters. No¡­it has to matter.¡¯ It turned its thoughts back to the mortals that inhabited Uldar¡¯s kingdom. What steps did they take when those that were close to them ceased to exist? The Ravener knew that the Thameish people honoured their dead, placing them beneath the earth with stones to mark where they lay. The living were the stewards of the dead¡¯s legacies. That seemed most appropriate for the Ravener now. To become a steward for its creator. ¡®I should preserve Uldar¡¯s legacy,¡¯ it thought. ¡®But what should that legacy be?¡¯ For a bit, it felt rage towards its creator. At no point had he given it a protocol for what to do should he die. He had not told it his will. He had not spoken of a legacy. He had no command for it to fulfil if he drew his last breath. ¡®None of these things were in place because he was never supposed to die!¡¯ How could it fulfil his legacy when it could only guess what that legacy should be? ¡®But fulfil it I must,¡¯ it thought. ¡®It is the closest thing to my original purpose that I have. Without it, I am nothing. But what is his legacy? Would his legacy be his command to me? Would it be my purpose?¡¯ It considered this for a time. If its purpose was Uldar¡¯s legacy, then its next actions became clearer. It would simply continue the cycle, terrorising Thameland¡¯s people, and generating faith¡­for¡­for¡­ ¡®For what? For who?¡¯ the Ravener wondered. ¡®There is no point in faith if it cannot heal Uldar. Then, what does that leave? If his kingdom is not generating faith to heal him¡­then it has no purpose either¡­¡¯ Perhaps, then Uldar¡¯s legacy should be the final protocol that was embedded deep within it: death to all of the Thameish people. It considered this, focusing on this one outcome for hours. There was much about the idea it found appealing. After all, it was Uldar¡¯s own people who had cursed him with sickness and death. Did they deserve to live on without him? Perhaps not. It would be different if they had rewarded him with faith at all times. It would be different if their god did not have to create a cycle of fear to serve his needs. To try to save his own life. It would be different if his life was not forfeit protecting these same people, they who did not reciprocate when he was in need. How he must have suffered. The people of Thameland were coddled. Arrogant. Spoiled. Should the Ravener not punish them for these failings? It knew, then, that that was what it preferred to do. The Thameish people created graveyards for their dead, did they not? So it could turn the entirety of Uldar¡¯s earthly kingdom into a graveyard: a monument to the god¡¯s life and death¡ªguarded by the Ravener, its spawn and dungeon cores¡ªand left to return to nature. ¡®Let the natural inhabitants inherit the realm,¡¯ the Ravener thought. ¡®Let any who return from across the sea be obliterated. Or better, let them be without a homeland, left to wander as barbarians like their ancestors did before Udlar saved them.¡¯ But is that what should be done?¡¯ A doubt lay in the Ravener¡¯s thoughts. There was no turning back from that decision. And one thing it could not deny was that Uldar loved his kingdom and people. ¡®Would the creator wish for me to lay waste to all that he built?¡¯ the Ravener wondered. ¡®He put thousands of years into helping his people, growing them, and shepherding them from the harshness of the greater world. He was wounded defending his people¡­would he want all of them gone eternally? If only I could ask him! If only he had told me before death took him!¡¯ But none of these things could happen. It was too late. The Ravener continued applying its thoughts to the problem. ¡®Perhaps inaction would be the best form of action,¡¯ it thought. ¡®Perhaps I will allow my Ravener-spawn to die, and simply go dormant in this dark place far from where any mortals could find me. I will stay here, guarding Uldar, leaving the kingdom to its own devices.¡¯ For a time, the Ravener favoured this idea, but¡ªafter a day thinking on it¡ªthe construct dismissed it. For all the magnificent powers that Uldar had invested into his Ravener, the creator had not seen fit to grant it one ability that mortalkind enjoyed. The ability to rest. The Ravener could not sleep. It could not dream. It would remain locked in thought, watching over its creator¡¯s body. Never acting. Never creating. Never killing. The more the construct thought of this fate, the more it knew horror. ¡®I would only be able to go dormant by being destroyed,¡¯ it thought. ¡®But I would still reawaken in a hundred years to return to the same pointless cycle. Back to a period of an action. Then destruction. Then oblivion. Reconstitution. Then more inaction. No. I could not do that. I will not do that. It serves no purpose.¡¯ It dismissed the idea. But, if it could not destroy all of Thameland, and if continuous centuries of inaction and pointless action was the ultimate horror¡­what did that leave? ¡®Perhaps¡­I could do the opposite of what I have always done. Perhaps I could aid Thameland¡¯s people, protecting them as the creator did. I could help build their society, providing spawn for their army, and destroying their enemies. They might not trust or welcome me¡­but I could still be their protector.¡¯ A part of it scorned the idea. Its purpose was to terrorise the Thameish people. Helping them¡­felt the same as unmaking its own purpose. Yet, if that was what the creator would want, certainly it should oblige. It was becoming overwhelmed, increasingly uncertain as to what to do. ¡®The situation needs more contemplation. Things are changing too rapidly¡­¡¯ it thought. ¡®In the meantime, inaction is also a problem. Perhaps a trial then, one where I allow a number of Ravener-spawn to continue to destroy, while I let others provide aid, then I can decide which feels most correct. But¡­there are certain other matters that must be attended to. There are two Usurpers alive still. And a new General. There are protocols in place that were being used before I knew of the creator¡¯s death. Those I will continue. Uldar put them in place for me to follow. The Usurpers and General are still dangerous, and could account for factors that would pervert Uldar¡¯s legacy. And no matter what I determine that legacy is to be, the three of them would need to be eliminated.¡¯ It reached deep into its core. ¡®I will lift certain safety protocols, and craft petrifiers and Hunters much quicker¡¯. It reached even deeper into its core and found a monster it had not been permitted to use since Uldar had replaced the General with the Fool. ¡®¡­this one will be for the General, since it is one of my most powerful creations.¡¯ It started the process of crafting the mighty creature: A Skyfire Swarm. ¡®This creation was designed by Uldar to kill a General¡­ but if it fails in its task, that will help me to know what else to do.¡¯ Death and aid would both come to the Thameish. Then the Ravener would decide which one the people deserved most. It turned its attention back to the body of Uldar. His corpse still floated in the air before it. ¡®That is not a pleasing image of you, my creator.¡¯ The Ravener reached out to the cavern floor with its immense power. Channelling its energy into the ground, its guard-spawn fled as it shaped a towering black throne from the stone. Beneath the body, the ground continued rising until the throne rested atop a tower formed of smooth rock. The Ravener used its power to raise Uldar¡¯s body through the air, setting it upon the throne it had fashioned, posing it as though it were alive. ¡®There you will stay, creator,¡¯ it thought. ¡®There your body will sit and watch over me while I do what needs to be done. If you can watch me from the after-world¡­it is my hope that my choices will please you.¡¯ Then, the Ravener sent its spawn out. To test Thameland. To test itself. To help it decide its creator¡¯s legacy. Chapter 799: The Beginning of the Generals Training ¡°There you go, Khalik, that¡¯s the way,¡± Alex said, watching the prince closely. ¡®Remember, you don''t need your tongue to convey meaning: even with spellcraft. As long as you can replace syllables with body language, or hand movements, you''re still casting the spell.¡± Khalik¡¯s eyebrow twitched as though shocked with a lightning spell. ¡°That is easy for you to say,¡± he said between clenched teeth. ¡°You¡¯ve said that many times, but casting a spell with a finger twitch or raised brow is like trying to have a garden snake swallow an elephant!¡± ¡°You''re getting it, though!¡± Alex complimented his effort. He examined Khalik¡¯s facial expression, using the Mark of the General. ¡°Okay¡­your eyebrow movement¡¯s are almost replacing the syllable. You need to adjust the angle by about¡­three degrees up.¡± ¡°Alex, what in all the hells does that mean?¡± Khalik demanded. ¡°It means the outer part of your eyebrow should be tilted up slightly more than the inner part of your eyebrow,¡± Alex said. ¡°You''re almost there.¡± ¡°It does not feel like I am almost there,¡± Khalik complained. ¡°It feels like I have made no progress for the past three evenings.¡± ¡°Better than how we''re doing!¡± Thundar shouted. ¡°Indeed,¡± Isolde said, her tone icy. ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric added. ¡°Help me,¡± Drestra groaned. ¡°I am helping you,¡± Alex promised, turning to the others. ¡°I''m helping all of us.¡± ¡°I think this whole General thing¡¯s gone to your head,¡± Thundar informed him. ¡°You''re gonna complain a lot less when we all live through the war.¡± The General of Thameland said. ¡°And all you need to do is tilt your head slightly to the left, Thundar.¡± The minotaur groaned. Since Alex had returned to Generasi, he¡¯d been busy. He¡¯d met up with family, friends, checked in with folk at the university, visited his businesses, and started what he not too creatively had dubbed: Operation: Everyone Lives. The intent of his plan was to be prepared; to train his cabalmates and the Heroes, preparing them as well as he possibly could for whatever the Ravener threw at them. The first part of the operation was to teach them how to spell cast faster. No easy task, so far. The six of them were practising a short distance from the Heroes¡¯ encampment, well out of earshot of the soldiers. Alex was focused on teaching his five students to replace certain syllables in an incantation with slight twitches of their bodies. They¡¯d been at it for a few evenings at this point, and progress had been¡­slow, yet promising. ¡°You''ll get it,¡± Alex said. ¡°Yeah, maybe in another twenty years,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Ram does this kinda shit, right? How long did it take him to learn it?¡± The young wizard paused, leaning against a tree in the small clearing. ¡°I don''t know, I haven''t really talked to him yet. Maybe I should¡­¡± ¡°Could we take a break?¡± Isolde asked, eyebrows writhing like caterpillars on her forehead. ¡°I feel a headache beginning.¡± ¡°Okay sure, let¡¯s break. Take a breather everyone, I don¡¯t want to fry your brains.¡± Alex announced. ¡°Everyone¡¯s been trying really hard. I think Khalik¡¯s close to a breakthrough which makes sense since he knows so many languages. Knowing various tongues and pronunciations helps because that makes you learn how to convey meaning in different ways.¡± Alexander Roth¡ªthe General of Thameland¡¯s¡ªfive students let out a collective sigh of relief as their teacher showed them mercy. Cedric threw himself on the ground, panting as though he¡¯d just run halfway across Thameland. ¡°By the Traveller!¡± he swore, ¡°Feels like all this mind stuff¡¯s just as hard as pushin¡¯ yer body. Ach, maybe even harder. Dunno how yous do it, bein¡¯ in school an¡¯ studyin¡¯ all day.¡± ¡°With great practice,¡± Isolde said. ¡°But even I must admit that I find this exercise rather difficult.¡± ¡°Difficult, but necessary,¡± Alex said. ¡°We''re going to need to be at our full strength and power, with everything we heard Uldar talk about. Remember, at one time, the Ravener was powerful enough to wipe out everybody, including the Heroes, even though it sounded like they were a lot stronger than they¡¯ve been in maybe hundreds of cycles. Doing whatever we can to avoid their fate means we have to step out of our comfort zones.¡± ¡°Aye, nobody wants t¡¯end up like them poor bastards,¡± Cedric shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯ wan¡¯ nothin¡¯ t¡¯do wit¡¯ that.¡± ¡°If this keeps up, then I''ll happily take death!¡± Thundar grumbled. ¡°Alex, I thought you said this would be easy? It¡¯s the exact opposite of easy!¡± The young wizard flipped open one of the spell books he¡¯d taken from the library, studying a spell array closely, tracing it with his finger. ¡°I didn''t say it¡¯d be easy, I said it¡¯d keep you alive.¡± ¡°He did say that,¡± Khalik confirmed. ¡°I don¡¯t wanna hear anything from you, you teacher¡¯s pet!¡± the minotaur growled at the prince then looked at Drestra. ¡°Hey, Dres, are you getting the hang of this?¡± Drestra looked at Thundar, then took off her veil and gave him a shy smile. ¡°A little. When I learned to take human form, I had to relearn everything about moving my body.¡± She wiggled her fingers. ¡°The muscles of a humanoid are so different from draconic ones. It was like learning how to live all over again: I find that makes this way of spell casting a little easier to grasp.¡± Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Oh¡­well I¡¯m glad you¡¯re getting it,¡± Thundar said, his tone softer. ¡°If you don¡¯t get it, I could¡­tutor you, if you¡¯d like. After we finish our lesson with everyone else.¡± Her eyelids lowered on her golden reptilian eyes. The minotaur squirmed a little. ¡°Uh, yeah. That¡¯d be great. I¡¯d love to learn more about how your body changes too. Can''t imagine something like that. Maybe I should try shapeshifting magic: I heard it''s really, really hard. Maybe if I learn from you, then I could get good at it.¡± ¡°I''d like that,¡± Drestra said. ¡°You could take the form of a bird and we could fly together. Flying through a flight spell feels good, you feel so free, but you don''t know what you¡¯re missing until you feel the wind beneath your wings.¡± Najyah squawked from a nearby tree. ¡°That''s right,¡± the dragon said to the eagle. ¡°Well¡­shapeshifting magic calls for a lot of imagination, just like illusion magic. I''d love to get into it, after the war, that is,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Flying with wings instead of spells and stuff¡­that really does sound like something.¡± They looked at each other for a long time. Khalik leaned toward Isolde. ¡°I think we just met the ¡®quiet kid¡¯ that our friend told us about.¡± ¡°Quiet teacher¡¯s pet!¡± Thundar yelled. ¡°And how am I the teacher¡¯s pet, when Drestra is good at this, too?¡± Khalik asked him. ¡°You know why!¡± Thundar said. ¡°You''re not pretty like she is! So I¡¯m not complaining about her.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± Isolde asked. Drestra flinched. Thundar froze. Silence fell. Cedric leaned toward Khalik. ¡°Don¡¯t listen t¡¯him, yer bloody beautiful, mate.¡± ¡°Thank you, I know. And so you are you, my friend.¡± Khalik grinned. ¡°Aye, I know.¡± Cedric grinned back. The two muscular men bumped fists. Isolde opened her mouth, looking like she wanted to say something, but, in the end, she kept her thoughts to herself. ¡°What¡¯s that you¡¯re studying over there?¡± Thundar asked Alex, quickly changing the subject. ¡°Cone of Ice,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°It¡¯s a fifth-tier spell. I figure some ice spells might be useful.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°How long have you been learning it?¡± ¡°I just started.¡± Alex snapped the book shut with one hand, then turned to the forest, raising his other hand. His lips formed the new incantation. Mana flowed. Heat fled from his hand, steam formed, a cone of blue-white magic roared from his palm with a howling, devastating wind. Icy energy struck a clump of trees, halting the spring thaw, caking their trunks in ice. Branches snapped, plummeting to the ground as frost flashed over it, freezing the earth solid. When the spell was done, the wizard had frozen a section of the woods in front of them. ¡°Not bad.¡± He flexed his fingers. ¡°White End should be a lot more powerful. Now, I think¡ª¡± ¡°What in every hell was that?¡± Thundar demanded. Alex turned back to his friends. His cabal, Drestra and Cedric were staring at him, slack-jawed, if it had been summertime, flies would be diving into their mouths. ¡°What¡¯s what now?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You lied,¡± Khalik said. ¡°There is no way you just started learning that spell today!¡± ¡°No word of a lie,¡± Alex said, scratching the back of his head. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I tried it, I swear.¡± ¡°How?¡± Isolde looked shocked. ¡°I can certainly learn spells quite quickly, but that was¡­it was impossible!¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Cedric ran his fingers through his long hair. ¡°No bloody way I could learn a spell that fast!¡± ¡°Me neither,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled, her fanged jaws hanging open. ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡± Thundar asked. Alex looked at his friends gravely, clasping his hands behind him. Hobb¡¯s words returned to him, and the young archwizard instantly knew the exact roles he wanted to play here: teacher and General.¡± ¡°You''re all going to learn exactly how I did it,¡± Alex said. ¡°The thing is, when I had the Mark of the Fool, I had to learn every trick I could to manage even the simplest of spells. I had to analyse magic circuits down to their smallest detail. I memorised different patterns in magic circuits, looking for similar parts in other spells. A lot of Cone of Ice¡¯s spell array is similar to other spells I know, so learning it was really easy.¡± Alex pointed at his friends. ¡°And it''ll be easy for you too.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Thundar grunted. The young archwizard began pacing back-and-forth. ¡°Operation: Everyone Lives means just that. We¡¯re going into what¡¯ll be the toughest fight we¡¯ve had so far, and I want everyone coming out of it alive. No one''s dying. Not if I have anything to say about it. So, in order to see that happen, I''ve come up with a training plan and exercises that¡¯ll give us the highest chance of victory and survival.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Khalik said. ¡°I assume it involves much more than how to cast spells without speaking?¡± ¡°A lot more,¡± Alex said. ¡°Casting spells without speaking is the first step. The thing is, casting magic faster is only going to be part of the battle. It won''t help if you run out of mana, or if you don''t have the spells you need to beat Ravener-spawn of any level, or if you can''t get away if something''s about to kill you.¡± The young General looked at the Heroes. ¡°I¡¯ve got something a little different in mind for each of you, though.¡± Drestra cocked her head to one side. ¡°What would that be?¡± ¡°You all have your individual strengths,¡± Alex said. ¡°In this fight, you Heroes are going to be our main powerhouses¡­unless Baelin¡¯s there. Or¡ª¡± Suddenly, they heard a distant crack of stone shattering, followed by an explosion of wood. ¡°¡ªor Asmaldestra, I was about to say,¡± Alex continued. An instant later, there came a deafening boom as more explosions ripped through the forest to the south. Unsurprisingly, no one moved. The young archwizard reached out to Claygon. ¡°Are you all, okay?¡± he asked, concerned about the golem, Bjorgrund, Merzhin and Hart. He was sure Asmaldestra was just fine. ¡®Yes¡­father¡­the petrifiers are dead¡­the dungeon will fall soon,¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®Do you need me over there?¡¯ Alex asked mentally. ¡®No¡­we have everything under control...¡¯ ¡®Right, and how many petrifiers were there?¡¯ ¡®...eight, father.¡¯ Alex frowned. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°Are the others alright?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°But there were eight petrifiers this time.¡± ¡°Eight?¡± Drestra¡¯s forehead creased. ¡°Eight? They¡¯re increasing. There¡¯s definitely more of them every day.¡± ¡°Even more reason for us to focus on my plan,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°The Ravener¡¯s escalating, and I don''t doubt it''s gonna come at us with everything it¡¯s got soon.¡± He looked at Cedric and Isolde. ¡°Listen, I want all of you to¡­well, if you''ve got unfinished business. Take care of it. We could find the Ravener next week, an hour from now, or next year. It''s best not to leave anything undone.¡± Isolde and the Chosen looked at each other solemnly, neither looking away. ¡°Where was I?¡± Alex paused. ¡°Oh, right. The Heroes are our powerhouses. Cedric, Drestra, Merzhin and Hart are going to be the ones doing the most devastating damage against whatever the Ravener sends at us. They''re going to be like beacons, attracting the most attention, and taking hits. Cedric and Hart are staggeringly tough, Hart¡¯s almost superhuman. Drestra¡­with your massive mana pool and dragon powers, the Ravener-spawn will have their claws full. Merzhin has his fearsome miracles to wield, and he can heal himself and others.¡± He looked at the cabal. ¡°You three are powerful, but you don''t have the edge of god granted gifts, like the Heroes do. So, while I¡¯ll be focusing on getting the Heroes as powerful as possible, I have a bit of a different plan for you. It involves five steps.¡± The wizard leaned forward. ¡°Listen carefully.¡± Chapter 800: The Five Steps to Operation Everybody Lives ¡°If these steps will keep us alive then I am all ears,¡± Khalik said. The other members of Alex¡¯s cabal moved closer. ¡°Alright, so here¡¯s the steps,¡± the General said. ¡°The first one is what we¡¯re doing right now. We''ll be dealing with a lot of monsters, and probably ones we''ve never seen before. In order to fight back successfully, we¡¯ll need to be able to react quickly: since spells are your main way of attacking an enemy and defending yourselves, the faster you can spellcast, the better. So, we¡¯ll be focusing on speed first.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I am sure we will be able to adapt¡­so what are your other ideas?¡± Alex held up two fingers. ¡°But casting quickly isn''t exactly helpful if it causes you to run out of mana fast. So, we''re going to be working on mana manipulation: I''ll be teaching you a simple mana regeneration technique. It¡¯ll let you get a hell of a lot more out of your mana pools by boosting them.¡± Thundar shuddered. ¡°Ugh, really? I''m no good at mana manipulation.¡± ¡°Then it''s my job to teach you,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''d probably be dead three or four times over if I wasn''t able to regenerate my mana. As I said: casting a bunch of spells really fast won¡¯t help anyone if they also drain their mana pool fast. If you run out of mana during an intense battle¡­it could mean the end for you.¡± ¡°¡±It''s rare that we ever run out of mana,¡± Thundar said. ¡°But I see your point. If we¡¯re in a protracted battle¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°Which brings me to our next step.¡± He took sheets of notes from his satchel. ¡°I made these notes about mana circuits for you. They¡¯re really detailed. They¡¯re about common patterns, and ways to exploit them so you can learn spells faster. You could use them to modify spells since they¡¯re so in depth. And you will. I want you knowing your spells inside out by the time we''re done. Learning spells faster means you can also learn as many as you need to. Will you be able to learn them as fast as I can? Truth is, you won¡¯t, but you¡¯ll be a lot faster than you are now and that¡¯ll give you an edge.¡± ¡°Three steps,¡± Khalik said. ¡°And it¡¯s already clear you are having us leave our comfort zones, which makes me both excited, while also dreading the fourth and fifth steps.¡± ¡°Four and five are going to be easier,¡± Alex said, producing two spell-guides. ¡°I want you to focus on learning these two spells. Planar Doorway and True Seeing.¡± Cedric raised his hand. ¡°Yes, Cedric?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Ah, teacher, what tier is True Seein¡¯? I can cast up to fourth-tier.¡± ¡°I can cast to fifth,¡± Drestra added. ¡°Khalik and I are at fourth,¡± Thundar added. ¡°Sixth for me,¡± Isolde said. ¡°So I would be able to learn it, but what about the others?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to push all of you to break through to sixth-tier,¡± Alex said. ¡°And Isolde, I''d like you to be at seventh by the time we''re through.¡± Her eyebrows rose. ¡°That¡­that hardly sounds possible.¡± ¡°I never knew you to back away from a challenge, Isolde, and this will be just another challenge,¡± Alex said. ¡°At sixth-tier, you¡¯ll all have the power and adaptability to survive. To conquer. Now, back to Planar Doorway and True Seeing. I picked those two spells because they have major benefits for us.¡± Alex looked from one cabal member to the next. ¡°This might sound a bit insensitive, but it isn¡¯t meant to be, or to be a judgement¡­you''re not as tough as the Heroes so you won''t be able to take the kind of punishment they can. The best way to work around that, is to make sure that you have a way to escape at all times. Planar Doorway is a quick easy teleportation spell that''ll get you out of the way of trouble. If you can''t manage to learn to cast most spells without using their full incantations, then¡ªat least¡ªyou have to be able to cast that one nonverbally. I want to make sure that you spellcasters can get out of the way of an attack with a twitch of a lip and a hand gesture.¡± ¡°That¡­sounds like something we can all agree on,¡± Thundar grinned. ¡°We should work hard on getting that spell. What about True Seeing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s another spell that¡¯s going to be vital for you to learn,¡± Alex said. ¡°We know the Ravener can make at least one monster that can turn invisible: the petrifier. But, we don''t know if it can make others, and it won¡¯t matter how well prepared we are, if we have no idea if a monster is right beside us if we can¡¯t see it. The petrifier¡¯s attack on Greymoor was a surprise that cost a lot of lives, and if True Seeing can help prevent that from happening again, you should learn it.¡± ¡°I remember that attack as if it happened yesterday,¡± Isolde said. ¡°As do I,¡± Khalik agreed. ¡°True,¡± Thundar echoed. Alex raised his hand, counting off each finger. ¡°So that''s the plan. Learn how to cast without words for speed, learn mana regeneration for endurance in battle, learn the details of magic circuits to expand your toolboxes, learn Planar Doorway to escape, and learn True Seeing so you won¡¯t be surprised by invisible attackers. And to do all this, you need to break through spellcasting tiers. Everyone got that?¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°If those steps will help us to defeat our enemy, then of course,¡± Isolde said. Thundar and Khalik nodded in agreement. ¡°I have a question, Alex,¡± Drestra said. ¡°What about Hart and Merzhin? Your plan doesn¡¯t include them?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯m going to come up with some specific things for them.¡± ¡°Aye, sounds good,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Just t¡¯warn ya, learnin¡¯ details about spell arrays ain¡¯t gonna be easy fer me. I ain¡¯t one fer details.¡± ¡°I''m sure you can learn it,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll work together and expand your individual strengths. I¡¯m still working on the plan, so just bear with me.¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°I trust ya.¡± ¡°But now!¡± Alex clapped his hands. ¡°Break time¡¯s over. Let¡¯s move on: it¡¯s time to start learning Planar Doorway, so everybody, lineup!¡± Alex conjured Wizard¡¯s Hands with a snap of his finger, and had them retrieve several sheets of paper from his bag. They floated over to his attentive group and handed them out. ¡°I looked through the spell-guide for Planar Doorway. Just so you know, it''s a bit of a complicated spell, so I broke down every part of its spell array to the easiest, and simplest steps I could,¡± Alex said. ¡°If you study everything on your sheets, not only will you learn Planar Doorway faster, but you''ll also see to what extent a magic circuit can be broken down. What that¡¯ll do is make learning the details of other spells simpler and faster for you, at the same time, you¡¯ll be having an easier time casting Planar Doorway nonverbally. First, I want you to read through the notes. I''ll explain anything that''s not clear, if you have questions.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cedric scratched his head, staring at the pages. ¡°This looks¡­I can¡¯t hardly understand a word o¡¯ this.¡± ¡°That''s okay, Cedric.¡± The General went to the Chosen. ¡°I''ll break it down step-by-step. By the time we¡¯re finished, it¡¯ll be as easy for you as breathing.¡± ¡°Aye? I¡¯ll take yer word fer it,¡± the Chosen said, sounding a little sceptical. ¡°Anyone else have any questions?¡± Alex asked. The others shook their heads. ¡°Then let''s begin,¡± he said. In the distant forest, sounds rumbling like thunder cracked again. Explosions tore through trees. ¡®We''re finished¡­with the dungeon, father,¡¯ Claygon thought through their link. ¡®We¡¯ll be bringing the¡­core essence back soon.¡¯ ¡®Good,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Toraka¡¯ll be happy about that. I took the golems I made in Kelda¡¯s sanctum to her, and she told me that we can definitely use more materials. Sales keep growing. I¡¯m gonna have to talk to her¡­both her and Councillor Kartika, for that matter. There''s a lot for us to discuss and plan for if the source for dungeon cores is eliminated.¡¯ He looked up at the sky. ¡®But first, I have to speak to Professor Mangal. It''s time I got her permission to challenge the Exams for Credit.¡¯ ¡®Good luck¡­father¡­We¡¯ll see you soon¡­¡¯
¡°Come in,¡± Professor Mangal¡¯s soft voice called through the door. The young archwizard opened it, stepping into the summoning professor¡¯s office. It was just as he remembered. Statuettes, paintings, and pieces of art depicting pretty horrifying looking, otherworldly, creatures were on almost every flat surface in the room. From under a sheet of glass sitting atop a wooden desk, demonic faces etched into the wood leered up at her. The desk¡¯s legs were of bleached cherry wood carved in the images of stately engeli and various elementals. A tall window was crafted of coloured glass, its colour-stained light fell on an unnerving oil painting below it. It showed a scene depicting a ridiculous amount of violence: demons and other monsters were tearing each other apart in a fiery wasteland that resembled flesh and blackened clots of blood. Bodies lay everywhere. Slaughter in the Flesh Fields of Avernus is what the painting was called. Seeing the framed massacre hanging from the wall reminded Alex of the Ravener. ¡®I hope we end up ripping that thing apart just like this,¡¯ he thought. The young summoning professor was bent over her desk, her quill scrawling across a sheet of parchment. ¡°Welcome, Alex. You are welcome here, and you are also right on time,¡± she said, eyes still on her paperwork. ¡°I am welcome here?¡± he asked, closing the door behind him. ¡°Of course you are,¡± she assured him. ¡°I would guess that you are nervous about this meeting. After all, we did have an arrangement to work together, and then you were forced to disappear. Judging from what I know of you, I suspect you have some guilt over this.¡± Alex winced, remembering how guilty he felt about having to abandon his arrangement with the summoning professor. Guilt had haunted him during his time in the Irtyshenan wilderness. ¡°Yeah, you guessed right,¡± he admitted, easing into one of the chairs in front of her desk. ¡°I''m sorry about what happened. At the time, I felt leaving was the only choice I could make to keep my family safe from¡­the things I was facing¡­I had to stay away from Generasi.¡± Professor Mangal finished her note and looked up at him. She seemed to be looking through him. ¡°Sometimes, to protect those we care about, and to come closer to our goals, we must make sacrifices. If we are very lucky, they are temporary. If we are not so lucky, they are permanent. You''ve returned to the university, and I think that is what is most important.¡± She smiled. ¡°Welcome home, Alex. You are not the first student who had to delay studies due to family matters, matters of state, or matters of safety. I doubt you will be the last.¡± ¡°Thanks for being so understanding,¡± Alex said, sighing with relief. ¡°You''re making this conversation a lot easier than I thought it would be.¡± ¡°It is my job to be reasonable, and to take care of my students. I was disappointed I could not guide you on your journey to higher-tier summoning spells, as Professor Jules tells me that you have progressed to ninth-tier summoning spells? Is this true?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said, proudly. ¡°It is.¡± ¡°If that is in fact true, then our arrangement will no longer work, since you are now more powerful than I am,¡± she laughed. ¡°Well, you have a lot more experience than I do, so there¡¯s still a lot you can teach me.¡± ¡°A lot that we can teach each other. Tell me, Alex, are you still interested in working with me after you graduate?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± Alex said. ¡°Good.¡± She locked her fingers together. ¡°Then I would like to suggest a little change to our arrangement. We would not only be studying together as student and teacher, but as colleagues.¡± ¡°That sounds interesting,¡± Alex said. ¡°Tell me more.¡± She held up her hand. ¡°First, I would love it if you would demonstrate a ninth-tier summoning spell for me.¡± The young wizard grinned. ¡°I''d be glad to. But¡­could you summon Then-Arus for me? I think he might enjoy my demonstration.¡± Chapter 801: Alex and Mangal Alex and Professor Mangal stepped into the Cell, locking the door behind them. The room was empty, clean and spacious. It wouldn¡¯t stay empty for long. ¡°This is the very cell where you demonstrated your mastery of fifth and sixth- tier summoning spells to me,¡± the professor smiled at the memory. ¡°To think that was only a little over three months ago.¡± ¡°A lot¡¯s changed,¡± Alex said. ¡°A whole lot has changed. I don¡¯t have to use summoning circles for my powerful summons anymore since I¡¯m so comfortable with them now.¡± The young archwizard rubbed his hands together. He could hardly hide his excitement. ¡°Would you mind summoning Then-Arus for me?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Professor Mangal said. ¡°Oh, but before you do, did Professor Jules tell you which summoning spells I learned?¡± he asked. ¡°No, she did not,¡± said Professor Mangal. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± Alex fought the urge to start giggling like a child ready to pull a prank on his teacher. Raising an eyebrow at him, she turned and began conjuring. Power flowed from her words, connecting to the planes. Soon, the magical energies of a war-spirit tinged the air. The screams. The smell of blood. Silver-coloured liquid boiled from the ground before the professor, the shape of the familiar humanoid war-spirit known as, Then-Arus appeared. He bowed before his summoner. ¡°Greetings, my summoner,¡± Then-Arus¡¯ voice grated on Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°What task do you have for me?¡± She gestured toward Alex. ¡°It is he who wished for me to call you, your question should be asked of him.¡± The war-spirit turned, eyes falling on the archwizard. Alex watched him steadily. There was a time when he found the war-spirit terrifying, the very embodiment of oppressive violence. But, after bargaining with Asmaldestre, he felt no fear. ¡°You¡­I know you,¡± the war-spirit cocked his head to one side. ¡°Something has changed within you. Your soul once reeked of something that was antithetical to violence. It is gone now.¡± ¡°Yes, it has, hasn¡¯t it?¡± Alex said confidently. ¡°Things change, as I have, and I have no doubt that there are more changes to come.¡± ¡°Perhaps in many of your mortal millenia, you may be ready to conjure an entity of power beyond that of a lesser water elemental.¡± Then-Arus¡¯ metallic voice scraped Alex¡¯s eardrums like nails on granite. ¡°Hold that thought for a few of my mortal seconds.¡± The archwizard cracked his knuckles. ¡°You might want to stand back Professor Mangal.¡± He raised his hands, speaking the incantation for Conjure Ultimate Ally. His power surged through the room, reaching out across the planes and touching a distant battlefield. He felt a presence like a great ship cutting through the sea. Professor Mangal¡¯s jaw had dropped. ¡°That is¡­Conjure Ultimate Ally!¡± ¡°This presence¡­it cannot be!¡± Then-Arus cried. Asmaldestre hit the material world like a catapult stone. She loomed above them all, filling the room with the tingle of unspent violence. In her hands, she held Uldar¡¯s weapons along with the strange projectile weapons she was so fond of. ¡°Have you conjured me for more battle?¡± she asked Alex. He turned to Professor Mangal. ¡°Shall we have them spar?¡± The lesser war-spirit trembled in the Unmaker¡¯s presence, though whether from fear or excitement, only he knew. ¡°This would be the fight of ten thousand lifetimes,¡± Then-Arus whispered. ¡°My destruction would be legend.¡± His voice shook, its metallic ring sounding hollow. Professor Mangal shook her head quickly. ¡°No, no. That will not be necessary!¡± her eyes were fixed on Asmaldestre in astonishment. ¡°Alright,¡± Alex said, looking at the Unmaker. ¡°Do you mind if I send you back to the battle you were engaged in?¡± ¡°No more than you would mind continuing to draw breath, archwizard.¡± Her voice struck the other two occupants of the Cell. ¡°The battles in your land are growing more worthy of my attention. Opponents appear more frequently and are stronger now. There is a buildup, and my desire is to be present when the rain of blood pours down.¡± ¡°Well, that''s ominous,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Right, let''s get you back into battle.¡± He took a few seconds to teleport Asmaldestre back to Thameland, near the Heroes¡¯ encampment. When he returned, Professor Mangal had dismissed Then-Arus. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gone?¡± Alex asked her. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°He was shaken,¡± the professor said. ¡°He did not show it, but he was shaken all the same. I am shaken! You can cast Conjure Ultimate Ally! Very few summoners in all of history have been able to do that!¡± ¡°I know,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°At this point, learning that spell¡¯s been a real advantage. I remember conjuring my first water elemental, and now look what I can conjure.¡± ¡°You exhibit an incredible mastery over the summoning arts.¡± She shook her head. ¡°It was an honour to have you as my student. And it would be even more of an honour to have you as my colleague, Alex. Together, I think we will be able to research new spells and uncover new ways of summoning. With my experience, your natural talent, and the amount of power that lies within you, we can bring the discipline forward by any number of years. With that said, it would be an honour to allow you to challenge the Exams for Credit for any number of summoning courses you desire!¡± ¡°Fantastic!¡± He beamed, reaching out to shake her hand. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to working with you, professor.¡± She shook his hand enthusiastically. ¡°And I, you. Perhaps¡ªin working together¡ªI might find insights that could help me break through to eighth-tier.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt you will,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°And I''ll help you in any way I can, just like you helped me when I could hardly cast a single first-tier summoning spell.¡± She laughed then. ¡°By the planes I am so glad that your talents are yours.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± he asked. ¡°You understand the nature of reciprocal relations, intricately,¡± she said. ¡°I gave to you, and now you give back to me.¡± ¡°It''s just the way I am,¡± Alex said. ¡°And that is my point!¡± She smiled brilliantly. ¡°Far too many summoners have given themselves over to power-lust over the centuries. I''m glad that you are not¡­if you¡¯ll forgive my language¡­an ass.¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°I think a lot of people would disagree with you on that one. Probably Professor Ram, as one example.¡± ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not,¡± her smile faded slightly. ¡°In any case, let us return to my office so I can give you the paperwork you need to Challenge the Exam for Credit forthird and fourth year summoning courses. I look forward to working with you. Though¡­I suspect we can only really begin our work after the Thameish war has been won.¡± ¡°After the war¡¯s been won?¡± Alex said. ¡°You sound so sure that we''re going to win.¡± ¡°Of course. I have faith in people, and I have faith in you and those that fight for people. You¡¯ve overcome so many barriers, and I would be surprised if you did not overcome this one. I am very confident.¡± ¡°Thanks, professor.¡± He blushed. ¡°Say¡­actually, can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°By all means, my soon-to-be colleague.¡± ¡°How did you know that you wanted to be a summoner?¡± he asked. ¡°What made you look at that particular discipline in wizardry and go: ¡®This. This is what I want for the rest of my life¡¯.¡± ¡°A fine question,¡± Professor Mangal said. ¡°I take it you are considering your own future? Students often ask such questions of others as they near their graduation.¡± ¡°Yeah, you got it in one try,¡± Alex said. ¡°So, what was it?¡± Professor Mangal smiled. ¡°People. It was people. I have always been a sociable person, Alex. I had many friends before coming to Generasi to study, and made many more afterward. I was no stranger to parties, no stranger to speaking competitions, to socials, to friendships. I enjoy being in relation with others: so the thought of simply cooping myself up in a tower, looking over scrolls, potions, or muttering incantations to myself while I tried to construct the next great spell¡­seemed quite lonely to me. So, I decided to go into an art where I could be in relation with others, and let my social side be a strength.¡± ¡°So you turned your natural personality into a strength, and that became your life path,¡± Alex said. ¡°In a manner of speaking, yes,¡± she said. ¡°I went toward what I was good at, and never hesitated because I enjoyed doing what I was good at, then I made it into my life¡¯s work.¡± ¡°You sound so confident,¡± Alex said. ¡°So sure. I keep wondering what I should do afterward. After the war. The dreams I wanted to fulfil when I first became a wizard¡­I''ve achieved them.¡± ¡°Both a blessing and a curse,¡± she said gravely. ¡°Those who truly come into their own from a young age, are blessed because they are able to live their dreams early in their lives. But they are also cursed, because their older selves will have to stand in the shadow of the incredible achievements of their youth. Some give up, others go into crisis and make poor decisions in middle-age, while others go on mad journeys to try and top themselves in each passing decade.¡± ¡°And what do you think?¡± Alex asked. ¡°What should someone do if they¡¯ve hit all their goals early in life?¡± ¡°Continue to live,¡± she said. ¡°Life is not entirely about goals, and if it must be, then you are in control of that. You can conjure any goal at any time you wish as easily as you might summon a small water elemental. You may find your own way in life, and that is a privilege: few can say the same.¡± ¡°So I know I can create my own new goals¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°It just seems so hard to choose which ones. To figure out what I''ll be content doing for the rest of my life.¡± ¡°Your life has meaning that only you can define,¡± she said. ¡°And you are still young, do not assume that you have achieved so much so quickly that you must decide right at this moment. Take your time and think, and then think again, and then think again. Only in that way, will you come up with the right answer for yourself.¡± He smiled. ¡°Thanks. You really are one of my favourite professors: I wish I¡¯d met you in first year, instead of Professor Ram.¡± She smiled sadly. ¡°Professor Ram is a difficult man. He cares for his students in ways that many who study under him misinterpret. He is a hard taskmaster, much like Chancellor Baelin. But, I do believe it is a tragedy, what happened between the two of you. He meant to give you the best tools to master force magic, just as he does for all of his students. You meant to try and succeed with a hidden barrier holding you back. I believe you two deserve closure.¡± ¡°Well, we did have that fight at the Games,¡± Alex said. She shook her head. ¡°Some fights can give closure. Other times, closure can only be achieved through words that must be exchanged.¡± He thought about the First Apostle. Had the ancient Chosen found closure in his death or in his final fight? The opposite, probably. Had Alex found closure with Ram from their fight? Maybe. Maybe not. It was too much to think about now. ¡°In any case, let us return to my office,¡± the professor said. ¡°I will provide you with your papers. Then we can look forward to your graduation, and to you studying with me. We will do great things together.¡± ¡°Thanks, Professor,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''s been an honour being in relation with you.¡± ¡°And I, you, Alex.¡± She gave him a broad smile before walking to the door. ¡°Let us continue to work together in the future.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s,¡± he agreed. ### The General of Thameland left Professor Mangal¡¯s office, holding the signed documents giving him credit for his summoning courses. They would allow him to Challenge the Exam for Credit, bringing him closer to his goal of graduating early. Yet, his mind wasn¡¯t settled. Thoughts about closure kept playing through it. He was training his friends. The Ravener was escalating. Did he really want to leave anything undone in case the worst happened? ¡®No,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I don¡¯t. But there''s a lot to do, I probably don¡¯t have time to see¡ª¡¯ He looked up spotting, a familiar figure in the hallway. There, in his severe robes¡ªwith his neat beard and jet black arm construct¡ªwas Professor Harsha Ram, walking to his office. The two men''s eyes met. Alex saw a wave of tension go through the older man¡¯s body. An awkwardness was suddenly in his stance. He knew what he wanted to do. Chapter 802: Closure ¡°Professor!¡± Alex called, waving his hand clutching the papers. ¡°Do you have a moment or do you have a class or office hours right now?¡± The force magic professor paused, looking at Alex sternly. An air of reluctance passed over his face before he exhaled then squared his shoulders. ¡°I have twenty minutes before I have to be in my next class. What do you need from me, Mr. Roth?¡± ¡°I just wanted to¡­talk for a second,¡± Alex said. Ram¡¯s natural arm gripped the strap of his bag. ¡°You are no student of mine, what do you need from me?¡± ¡°Just to talk.¡± The General of Thameland said, adjusting his body language to appear as non threatening as possible. ¡°Being enigmatic is overrated. Say what you mean,¡± Ram said. ¡°But if you need to speak to me, then come along, my office is nearby.¡± Ram marched forward with military¡ªor even mathematical¡ªprecision, leading Alex down the hall to an office with an iron door. The force professor dug a key from his bag and unlocked the door. Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°You don''t use your identification card?¡± ¡°I am a bit old-fashioned.¡± Ram opened the door, gesturing for Alex to follow him. ¡°I enjoy the physical feedback of actually turning a key. The sensations in this force arm are not as sensitive as they are in my natural one: every sensation on my fingers is precious.¡± ¡°Oh¡­uh, sorry about that, sir.¡± Alex said. ¡°Nothing to apologise for, now walk with me.¡± Together the two men entered Ram¡¯s office. Like the force professor himself, the office was neat and severe. The decoration was sparse, the atmosphere almost brutal. No paintings lined the walls, no statuary adorned any shelf. The bookcase, desk, and chairs were all straight lines and hard, sharp corners. The window behind his desk was of clear glass free of adornments, most surfaces in the room were either black, white, or black trimmed with white. A series of weapons¡ªboth ranged and melee¡ªhung from the wall across from his bookcase. Several model engines and other machines¡ªwindmills, watermills and cranks¡ªsat on a shelf beneath the weapons. An obsidian board¡ª covered in physics formulae neatly written in chalk¡ªstood near the desk. ¡°I would offer you a beverage,¡± Ram said. ¡°But I do not permit liquids in my office. The potential for spillage is much too high.¡± ¡°Understandable,¡± Alex said. Ram gestured to one of the seats in front of his desk. The General of Thameland sat, and Ram joined him. There was silence for a time before the force professor broke it. ¡°Well, you said you wished to talk to me, but you¡¯re not talking.¡± ¡°I guess I wasn''t,¡± Alex said. ¡°Listen¡­professor, I just wanted to say that I can''t tell you that I''m sorry¡­wait, do you know about me having this Mark called the Mark of the Fool?¡± The force professor pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°I don''t think you could live in this city and not know. Word of you has spread far and wide.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alex said. ¡°That makes this easier. I can''t really apologise, for not telling you that I had the Mark. But I will say that I regret not being able to tell you. The reason I''m not saying I''m sorry, is because if I had to go through that situation again¡­I still wouldn''t tell you.¡± Ram nodded. ¡°The thing is,¡± Alex said. ¡°Back then, I didn''t know who to trust. But¡­the problem with that is that you really tried to help me in class. You really did work as hard as you could to try to make sure that I got the best grade I could, and master as much force magic as I could in your class. But I wasn''t able to.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Ram said. ¡°I regret that you ended up wasting your efforts,¡± Alex said. ¡°I can''t know what you thought or felt at the time, but if it was me, I would''ve been damn frustrated. It would''ve looked like a student just didn''t care what I had to say, even though I was trying so hard to reach him. And if that was your experience, I regret it.¡± ¡°The effort was not wasted,¡± Ram said suddenly. ¡°Wait, what now?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You¡¯ve made an assumption. You didn¡¯t look at all the variables and reactions involved,¡± Ram said. ¡°Did you learn anything from my class?¡± ¡°Uh, yeah I did. I learned a lot from your class,¡± Alex said. ¡°And what did you learn?¡± Ram asked him. ¡°Be specific. Is there anything that you learned in my class that you apply to your life even now?¡± ¡°Well, I still use Wizard¡¯s Hands, Greater Force Armour, Forceshield, and Protective Force Weapon,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, especially Wizard¡¯s Hands. I use that spell every day, for combat, for business, for cooking¡­¡± ¡°It is a very useful and often underrated spell,¡± Ram said. ¡°The spells you learned kept you alive thus far, and still improve your daily life to this day?¡± This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s absolutely true,¡± Alex said, thinking about his defensive spells. They had saved him many times when he had the Mark of the Fool. These days, he didn¡¯t need them as much. Most spells he¡¯d learned in Ram¡¯s force magic class weren¡¯t able to protect him any longer, not from powerful enemies, like the Stalker. Not sufficiently, anyway. But, back in those early days, they¡¯d served him well, things would have turned out much worse without them. ¡°I honestly don''t think I''d be here without them, professor,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°Then my efforts did not go to waste,¡± Ram said. ¡°Do you remember a strong conversation that I had with you after one of your classes one day?¡± Alex''s eyes widened. ¡°You mean when you told me to try harder? Yeah¡­I¡¯m surprised you remember that.¡± ¡°I never forget important conversations I have with my students,¡± Ram said. ¡°Especially with students who are struggling. During that conversation, I used rather harsh language. The purpose of that was to keep you alive. And now here you are, alive. The spells and my efforts were not wasted.¡± ¡°Still!¡± Alex countered. ¡°You didn''t know that I had the Mark of the Fool then. You didn''t know that there were certain spells that I wasn¡¯t able to cast back then. And you spent a lot of time, and energy trying to get me to cast them.¡± ¡°There are rumours going around that you can cast ninth-tier spells now.¡± Ram¡¯s expression was impassive. ¡°Are they true?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Alex said after a moment. ¡°Does that mean you overcame some of the barriers that you were struggling with?¡± the force magic professor asked. ¡°Yeah, I did,¡± Alex said. ¡°And can you cast force missile now?¡± ¡°Yeah, actually, I can.¡± ¡°Then, once again, my efforts were not wasted. You learned that spell in my class, and¡ªnow that you have overcome some of your difficulties¡ªyou are able to cast it.¡± Ram looked at Alex intently. ¡°The knowledge that I imprinted on you, did not simply turn to smoke and blow away. You kept it, you carried it forward. And now you''re able to take advantage of it.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± ¡°Do you know anything about parenthood, Alex?¡± The young archwizard froze, then his mind turned to Claygon. ¡°Yeah, yeah I do.¡± ¡°An aspect of parenthood is learning that what you teach your children never expires. Parents share wisdom with their growing progeny, often when the child is not ready to hear that wisdom. But as that child ages, they can always turn to their parent¡¯s teachings, no matter how old they are, or how much they may have strayed in their lives. As long as the parent was a good teacher.¡± Alex thought about how he and Selina used to talk to, and read to Claygon before the golem could speak. He was now mighty, loyal, brilliant, honourable, and had his own thoughts, feelings and wisdoms. ¡°You''re right,¡± Alex said. ¡°Even if that knowledge isn''t helpful at the time¡ªor doesn''t seem to be¡ªit can be helpful later.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Ram said. ¡°My knowledge couldn''t help you at that time in your life. But, now it can. It means my efforts were not wasted. Do not waste your regret on me, Mr. Roth. I do not regret any effort that I spare for any of my students. If I did, then I should not be here.¡± The young archwizard paused. Maybe he didn¡¯t need closure after all. ¡°Maybe¡­now I feel a bit sil¡ª¡± ¡°I am sorry that you had to deal with your burdens,¡± Ram said. ¡°With that Mark you carried. I learned more about it recently, and it seems that you were walking a very difficult path at that time. It sounds like you would have had a much easier life if you had chosen to abandon your dreams of wizardry, and became a merchant, or the leader of some town somewhere. Instead, you chose to force the issue. I can admire that, and acknowledge that you had a difficult burden to carry on your own. I am sorry that you needed to carry it.¡± ¡°Thanks¡ª¡± ¡°I am not sorry for the skills you developed because of it¡ªbecause life''s harshness forces us to be the strongest versions of ourselves¡ªand I am not sorry for my harsh words to you. It is my way, and if I apologise for being the way I am, I would be apologising with every waking moment of my life.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°I have to disagree with you on some of that. I think sometimes life''s burdens don''t make it easier, sometimes they just break us.¡± ¡°That is true,¡± Ram said. ¡°But life, with no harshness, would make us all soft.¡± ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know anything about that,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°I don''t think I''ve lived long enough to say whether you¡¯re right or wrong.¡± Ram¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°You have a great gift, Mr. Roth: the ability to admit whether or not you don''t know what you don''t know. You don''t suffer from the overconfidence of youth or the uncompromising surety of old age. That is a good trait, make sure not to lose it as you go through life.¡± He looked at the time. ¡°Was there anything else?¡± Alex paused, then decided to ask him a question. ¡°Actually, yes. What made you decide that you wanted to be a force magic user?¡± ¡°It is in my nature,¡± Ram said. ¡°Where and when I grew up, force was the deciding factor in life. I used force to combat my enemies, and to avenge my loved ones. Force is an underlying, fundamental truth in creation. Force accomplishes: it has been both my most reliable tool, and makes me who I am.¡± ¡°You seem very sure of yourself,¡± Alex said. ¡°I suffered the overconfidence of youth and now I have the uncompromising surety of old age. It is a gift, and a curse,¡± he admitted, his expression softening slightly. ¡°When I walk, I take the straightest path forward. Yours seems more winding. That is not the way I do things, but I''ve taught enough students to know that the straightest path is not the correct path for everyone. Do with that what you will.¡± Alex lowered his head. ¡°Thank you, Professor. Oh, there''s something I would like to show you.¡± With a twitch of his brow, Alex conjured a set of Wizard¡¯s Hands. Ram¡¯s breath stopped for a moment. ¡°Nonverbal casting?¡± ¡°I learned it recently,¡± Alex smiled at him. ¡°It is a very difficult art,¡± Ram said. ¡°And I can only do it with force magic because I am so close to it. Well done. Congratulations to you.¡± ¡°You inspired me,¡± Alex said. ¡°I only tried it, because I remembered what you used to do in class.¡± ¡°Then¡ªonce again¡ªmy efforts did not go to waste,¡± Ram said. ¡°You know¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°Maybe, I could help you out. I think you really tried hard for me, and maybe I could help you in return. I know you''re working on fixing the spell that creates Prime: maybe I could help you with that?¡± ¡°That would put you out of business,¡± Ram said, almost smiling. Alex smiled, shaking his head. ¡°I think there''s room for both your force construct, and my golems to co-exist while fulfilling different purposes.¡± ¡°Perhaps you''re right. However, I do not need help. Or at least¡­it doesn''t appear that I do, so, I will continue working on eliminating the flaws in the spell on my own.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alex said, almost disappointed. ¡°However,¡± Ram continued. ¡°I would appreciate a rematch between us and you and Claygon when I do finish the next iteration. That will be the perfect test for how much I''ve developed Prime.¡± Alex smiled at that. ¡°You¡¯re on.¡± Ram did not smile back, but there was a softening of his face. ¡°Perfect. Well, I must be on my way to my next class then, and I am sure you have things to do.¡± ¡°Yeah, I have to go to the lab,¡± Alex took a deep breath and said. ¡°Thank you professor. I want you to know that I appreciate what your class taught me because it forced me to learn how to adapt the methods you were teaching us to let me protect myself as much as I could. And because of that, I can now say that I¡¯m glad I took your class.¡± ¡°You were an adequate student who has grown into a masterful wizard,¡± Ram said, rising from his chair. ¡°Walk your path forward. It is all we can ever do.¡± Chapter 803: Reconstitution Theories ¡°It''s good to be back,¡± Alex said, inhaling deeply. He let the sights, sounds and smells pass over him. The sight of researchers bustling about the lab dressed in their protective equipment. The sounds of liquids boiling in beakers, and the whir of mana powered machinery. The smell of brewing potions. All felt good. It felt familiar. Comfortable. He felt at home. ¡°I missed this lab,¡± Alex looked around the laboratory in the Research Castle. ¡°I missed it a lot.¡± ¡°Well, you can miss it with your protective equipment on.¡± Professor Jules huffed from beside him. ¡°Hurry, Mr. Roth, we don''t have all day.¡± Snapping out of his reverie, Alex headed to the safety equipment hanging on hooks nearby. He ran his hand over the leather beaked mask and apron. He wiggled the fingers of the gloves, then slipped everything on, turning to find Professor Jules and Isolde geared up and ready to go. ¡°Come on, then,¡± the professor said. ¡°I''ll catch you up on the progress we¡¯ve made, such as it is. Follow me.¡± Alex followed the two women deeper into the lab; ahead of them was a steel door, sealed with a magical glyph. Throughout the room, researchers paused what they were doing to look at him. Plenty of whispers were exchanged. ¡°Hello,¡± he said. ¡°Well, this door¡¯s new.¡± ¡°What we''re doing is very sensitive,¡± Professor Jules said, pressing her hand to the glyph on the door. There came the hiss of escaping air and the click of a lock. ¡°We needed another area for privacy.¡± She opened the door. ¡°Come in, come in.¡± Alex and Isolde stepped inside, and the professor quickly shut the door behind them. Air hissed again followed by another loud click. ¡°Welcome to the Ravener research chamber. It¡¯s secure, and the walls are soundproof. We can speak freely here.¡± ¡°Good spot,¡± Alex nodded, looking around. The alchemical equipment was definitely cutting edge, most of it was currently turned off. In the centre of the large room stood a long table with copies of Uldar¡¯s notes spread over the surface. Dungeon cores¡ªboth ¡®living¡¯ and destroyed¡ªwere on the table, sealed in glass containers. ¡°We have been trying different ways to determine what makes the Ravener reconstitute itself,¡± Isolde said. ¡°We have entertained many theories¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªbut haven''t been able to test any of them. Not properly,¡± Professor Jules finished Isolde¡¯s thought. ¡°We¡¯ve run tests using dungeon cores, but that''s not exactly a one-to-one comparison with the Ravener.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Alex said, stopping in front of the table. ¡°So, what are your leading candidates for theories?¡± ¡°The first one is that when the Ravener is destroyed, it moves to a central location to regenerate itself over the following century,¡± she said. ¡°Sort of in the same way that you-know-who was restoring his strength in his sanctum,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Right,¡± Alex paused. ¡°There¡¯s some sense in that. Maybe it''s not destroyed at all. It couldn''t just ¡®fake its death¡¯ when the Heroes finally strike it down, but maybe it teleports elsewhere. Then when it¡¯s ready¡­¡± He paused, thinking about Uldar¡¯s journal. ¡°¡­nevermind, the journal didn''t say anything about teleportation.¡± ¡°You''re quite correct,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And though we haven''t decoded all of his notes, we haven¡¯t seen any mention of anything in its design to indicate an ability to teleport.¡± Alex looked at Professor Jules. ¡°And nothing in the design gives us any idea of how it renews itself or where it goes?¡± ¡°We have not been able to determine that,¡± Isolde said. ¡°And that brings us to theory two.¡± ¡°The phylactery theory,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Mr. Roth, how much do you know about liches?¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Only that they''re undead wizards, and they¡¯re really powerful.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± she said. ¡°But did you know that a lich can reconstitute itself after the destruction of its physical body?¡¯ Alex looked at her with interest. ¡°No¡­I didn''t know that.¡± ¡°It is true, and the way it works,¡± Isolde jumped in. ¡°Is that a lich¡¯s body is not actually its body¡­well, it is and is not. A lich¡¯s soul lies in its phylactery: a powerful magical item that holds its essence, binding it to the material world.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alex nodded. ¡°So would that make its body¡ªthe one that looks like a skeleton or corpse¡ªsomething like a puppet?¡± ¡°Yes, and no,¡± Isolde continued. ¡°In the process of becoming a lich, a wizard creates a shadow of their soul: an incomplete copy that is connected to their actual soul, within a phylactery. The soul¡¯s shadow is what drives the skeletal body that we associate with liches.¡± ¡°So what happens when that body¡¯s destroyed?¡± Alex asked. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°The soul¡¯s shadow is freed, it returns to the phylactery and rejoins the soul inside,¡± Isolde explained. ¡°The soul and the shadow bind together, and¡ªover a period of days and weeks¡ªregenerates its body. The soul¡¯s shadow enters this new body, and the lich is able to wreak havoc as it once did.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Alex said. ¡°And you think the Ravener has some kind of ¡®phylactery¡¯ maybe?¡± ¡°It''s possible,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°We found no evidence of that yet, but it would explain its reconstitution quite nicely.¡± ¡°But the Ravener wouldn''t have a soul, would it?¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°No, but it could send its consciousness back to an object of some kind in the same way that a lich could,¡± Isolde suggested. ¡°It is difficult to tell. Which leads us to theory three.¡± ¡°It could be that when the Ravener¡¯s physical body is destroyed,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It sends its consciousness to one of the dungeon cores somewhere in Thameland, then that dungeon core grows over time, expanding until it becomes the new Ravener. It¡¯s possible that¡ªthough historically, it¡¯s been recorded that dungeon cores crumble when the Ravener is destroyed¡ªa single core might survive its destruction. We¡¯ve found some evidence suggesting that dungeon cores could be connected to one another in a way that we don¡¯t quite understand yet. And we do not know everything about Uldar¡¯s designs¡ªbe they the Ravener, the Marks or the dungeon cores¡ªhis secrets were many and complex.¡± Alex nodded. ¡°I remember when I connected to the dungeon core in the Cave of the Traveller, I saw all these different sights. It felt like there was a presence on the other side of that connection. Maybe the Ravener can send its essence into a dungeon core and then be reborn for the next cycle. I know dungeon cores are all supposed to crumble when the Ravener dies, but then again, Uldar was supposed to be protecting us, so what do we really know?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Isolde said slowly. ¡°We do have a fairly good idea of what is inside the Ravener.¡± ¡°What, how?¡± Alex asked. ¡°So, what¡¯s inside it?¡± Isolde took a sheet from among Uldar¡¯s notes, handing it to Alex. ¡°You tell me.¡± He examined the diagram; a cutaway of a sphere illustrating dozens of pathways for mana and other energies to channel through. It reminded him of an extremely advanced golem core. But there was also something odd about it. Something was missing. ¡°This¡­looks incomplete,¡± Alex said. ¡°We thought you¡¯d notice that,¡± Professor Jules smiled, handing Alex another sheet. ¡°Here, take a look at this one.¡± It was another diagram of a cutaway of a sphere; this one contained more pathways, arranged in an entirely different configuration to the other one. ¡°Okay, this one looks more complete, but¡ª¡± Alex¡¯s eyes flicked from one image to the next, contrasting the two diagrams. ¡°That many pathways wouldn¡¯t fit inside such a small amount of space. There¡¯d be too many of them: it¡¯d be like trying to fit the insides of a golem core into something the size of a piece of chalk.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°The dimensions of the construct must be immense. Historical records and Uldar¡¯s notes both indicate that the Ravener is a black sphere, roughly forty feet in diameter.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Alex eyed the pathways. ¡°You¡¯d probably need something twice that size to fit all of those pathways.¡± Isolde and Professor Jules looked at each other, then gathered an additional ten sheets of paper. Each displayed a diagram, another cutaway of a sphere; showing a different configuration of pathways and inner apparatuses. Alex¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°I¡­that can¡¯t be right. What¡¯s it doing, transforming its insides?¡± Professor Jules shook her head. ¡°Every diagram indicates that this is all one network: one vast and terrible magical machine.¡± ¡°Then how the hells¡­where¡¯s it keeping all of that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We are still creating new diagrams in our efforts to understand more of Uldar¡¯s notes,¡± Isolde said. ¡°There is probably much more to the construct¡¯s inner workings.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on, is it bigger on the inside?¡± Alex wondered. ¡°That¡¯s¡­that¡¯s impossible, right?¡± ¡°Perhaps yes, perhaps no. We know that Uldar¡¯s sanctum exists in its own divine realm; He created a demiplane, connected it to Thameland and built his sanctum in it,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It¡¯s possible that he used his powers to do something similar with the Ravener.¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Alex frowned. ¡°That¡¯s going to make things trickier. Even if we do find how to shut it down permanently, we¡¯ll have to¡­deal with its internal structure¡­whatever that looks like. And that¡¯ll be tough if it¡¯s¡­made up of this massive space on the inside. And just how much bigger are we talking about, anyway?¡± ¡°That, we don¡¯t know,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But we¡¯re hoping that with you here, we can answer that question.¡± The young archwizard sighed. ¡°Alright, well let¡¯s see if we can figure this out.¡± Alex looked at one of the living dungeon cores. ¡°Hmm¡­maybe¡­I could¡­¡± ¡°What are you thinking, Mr. Roth?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°When I connected with the dungeon core in the Cave of the Traveller¡ªthat was the first time I ever touched one¡ªI was able to connect to all these unfamiliar images: so, I¡¯m wondering if I could do the same thing now. If the Ravener really is deeply connected to the dungeon cores, maybe I could learn something that could help us.¡± ¡°I am not sure I like that idea,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It could help us, professor,¡± Isolde said. ¡°...if you¡¯re sure about this, Mr. Roth. You have done it before without imploding, so go ahead, but do so with caution,¡± The professor relented, nodding curtly. ¡°But, at the first sign of even the slightest hint of anything going awry¡­stop immediately, understood?¡± ¡°I got it, professor.¡± Alex went to the living dungeon cores. ¡°Which one should I use?¡± ¡°Use the one on the far right,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s the ¡®freshest¡¯, and we haven''t used it for any experiments yet.¡± She waved a hand at the core; the glass case surrounding it opened with a hiss of escaping air. Alex picked it up gently, holding it between his palms. Uttering a single syllable, he conjured a pair of Wizard¡¯s Hands. ¡°Mind if I take a quick look at the notes you¡¯ve made so far?¡± The professor gestured to the notes. ¡°Why would we mind; have at it, Mr. Roth?¡± Glowing Wizard¡¯s hands picked up sheets of parchment, floating to Alex at eye level. The young archwizard scanned the pages, eyes flicking across the notes, quickly absorbing the information. He nodded. Isolde and Professor Jules had accomplished a lot while he was in the Empire. Much of Uldar¡¯s notes had been translated into modern alchemical notations in the common tongue. He wasn¡¯t only amazed at how much they¡¯d achieved, but also at Uldar¡¯s creation. The complexity¡­and efficiency of his design was something to marvel at. ¡®What the Ravener is made of amplifies the power of its mana many times over,¡¯ he thought. A host of apparatuses gave the construct a wide range of devastating powers: it could alter terrain, project destructive beams of power, mimic spells much like a wizard¡¯s staff¡­ ¡­Alex¡¯s eyes flew wide when he reached a notation. ¡°It can make venom?¡± Alex turned to Isolde and Jules. ¡°Can it make the same venom its namesake poisoned Uldar with?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t think so,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°The alchemical symbols in his notes show a wide variety of poisons, but nothing like the substance that killed Uldar.¡± Isolde shuddered. ¡°The black ichor leaking from his corpse was devastatingly toxic, and that was diluted.¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± Alex paused. ¡°Wait, how do you know that?¡± ¡°We took samples from the body,¡± Professor Jules explained. ¡°There¡¯s already been analysis done on it.¡± ¡°Tell me more,¡± Alex said, his mind sharpening. An idea was forming in it. Chapter 804: Poisonous Possibilities Hidden in a far corner of the room sat a container crafted of a grey-white metal, a material that Alex had never seen before. Glyphs of strengthening and hardening were etched into its surface; making it impervious to even the force of a battering ram. Professor Jules waved a hand over the lid and¡ªwith the same tell-tale hiss of escaping air¡ªthe box slowly opened. Inside, a padded container and two sets of metal prongs held a vial of reinforced glass. Within the vial was a sample of the black ichor that had eventually taken Uldar¡¯s life. ¡°That''s a lot of precautions,¡± Alex said. ¡°True, but they were necessary,¡± Isolde said. ¡°As we started our analysis, we understood that all precautions would be needed, considering what we were handling.¡± Professor Jules nodded emphatically. ¡°Mr. Roth, I have handled many substances in my long career. Some were medicinal, most were toxic; so believe me when I tell you that ¡®this is the deadliest toxin I have ever encountered¡¯, and that is no exaggeration.¡± ¡°It is almost magnificent.¡± Isolde said with a mix of admiration and dread. ¡°The poison is multi-layered. For one, it is a neurotoxin, which of course, damages the brain and nervous system.¡± ¡°That might explain why Uldar¡¯s memory was so spotty,¡± Alex said. ¡°But that''s not all,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It¡¯s also necrotic and rots its victim from the inside, and it has anticoagulant properties¡ªcausing haemorrhaging¡ªa stimulant¡ª¡± ¡°Why a stimulant?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We think that property makes the poison spread quicker,¡± Isolde reasoned. ¡°The heart would beat faster to circulate the toxin through the blood vessels at an accelerated rate. Then that¡¯s when the paralytic comes in.¡± Alex grimaced. ¡°Of course it would also paralyse.¡± ¡°And that''s not the worst of it,¡± the alchemy professor continued. ¡°There''s a component to it that attacks the very essence of a creature: eating away its mana, weakening divinity, and¡ªwe suspect¡ªsevering the connections between the soul and body.¡± The colour drained from Alex''s face. He squinted at the substance, horrified. ¡°And you learned this from a bit of residue?¡± ¡°From what we could tell from the small amount we have here, the toxin has been long diluted: it is a mere sample of what remained within Uldar at the end of his life.¡± Isolde shook her head. ¡°It was likely many times more potent when he was first injected.¡± Alex swallowed. ¡°Yeah, now, I can see why you took so many precautions¡­¡± He considered the toxin carefully. ¡°You said that it attacks the essence of something? Does that mean it could kill something that¡¯s bloodless?¡± ¡°We tested it on a dungeon core and a Ravener-spawn.¡± Isolde said. ¡°The Ravener-spawn died very quickly, and quite horribly, it spread through the dungeon core at a slower rate, but it did eventually overwhelm its essence and destroy it.¡± Alex looked at them sharply. ¡°What if we use it on the Ravener? Do you think we could kill it?¡± Isolde and Professor Jules considered the question, their eyes fixed on the poison. ¡°We actually thought of that,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And I noted that in our logbook as a possibility to explore later. Judging from what we''ve seen in Uldar¡¯s drawings, it could technically be possible, but unfortunately, the sample we have would not be enough to kill it. And from what we''ve seen of its design, only the essence-eating aspect of the toxin could work on it¡ªit is a construct after all, with no nervous system to disrupt, or blood to poison¡ªbut Uldar made it resistant to essence eating toxins.¡± ¡°But he didn''t make it immune, did he?¡± Alex asked. ¡°...no, he did not,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I am not sure he could have. As a matter fact, I am quite sure that he would have, if he could have; just like he would have cured himself of the venom if he was able to do so.¡± ¡°Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said gently. ¡°We thought of using this substance against the Ravener, but there are several problems. We still have no idea how it reconstitutes itself: even if the poison attacks the essence of the Ravener, that doesn¡¯t mean it wouldn¡¯t be able to regenerate in a hundred years.¡± ¡°Do you think that could make it harder for it to remake itself? ¡± Alex asked. ¡°Like, if we used it on a lich, would it have a harder time regenerating?¡± ¡°On a lich?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°Hypothetically.¡± ¡°Hypothetically, yes,¡± she said. ¡°From my understanding, the poison would significantly damage the lich¡¯s soul shadow. It might even spread to its phylactery, severing the actual soul¡¯s connection to the material world. But we don''t know enough about the Ravener¡¯s reconstitution process to even guess how effective the venom could be.¡± ¡°And unfortunately, we do not have enough of the poison to even attempt that.¡± Isolde looked uncomfortable. ¡°Between us, we used a stent and an alchemical pump to extract as much of the residue as we could from the god¡¯s corpse. We then purified it in the lab.¡± She pointed to the sample. ¡°What you see there is the purest sample left anywhere.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°What about all the black stuff that was in Uldar¡¯s sanctum?¡± Alex asked. ¡°There¡¯s gotta be some poison in there.¡± Professor Jules shook her head. ¡°We analysed that substance: the poison has been heavily diluted as well as contaminated with the tonics and other medicines he used.¡± ¡°We could concentrate it further, couldn¡¯t we?¡± Alex said, pointing at the sample. ¡°And extract as much usable toxin from the remaining substance in his sanctum and then use that to create a pure dose, which we then combine with what we have here.¡± Isolde paused. ¡°That¡­could that be a possibility, Professor Jules?¡± The alchemy professor stopped, her eyes squinting through her mask. ¡°I hadn''t considered it so thoroughly, since the residual substance in his bedchamber was so heavily contaminated.¡± She went to a cabinet, opened it, and removed a small beaker of black liquid. Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°This is a sample from Uldar¡¯s bedchamber; it¡¯s contaminated with the medicines he used in his attempts to cure himself.¡± She put the beaker on a table, then picked up a logbook from a bookshelf, quickly flipping through the pages and muttering softly. ¡°It¡¯s so contaminated it''s barely toxic anymore. Typical safety protocols are all that''s necessary to handle it now, but, just give me a moment to do some quick math.¡± Professor Jules began jotting calculations in the logbook. ¡°I''m estimating how much poison we would likely get from the amount of substance in his sleeping chamber¡­and¡­¡± The pen scrawled faster. She was steadily becoming more excited, judging from her movements. The pen abruptly stopped writing, and her shoulders sagged. ¡°No, even in the best case scenario¡ªunless, in this case, we just happened to have miraculously collected the most contaminated substance from his bedchamber, and everything else there is purer¡ªthen it won¡¯t work. We won''t have enough of a dose: the Ravener¡¯s complex mana systems, its resistance to essence-destruction, and its size would make what you¡¯re suggesting as effective as trying to poison a whale with a thimbleful of dwarven fire-brandy.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes moved back and forth as his mind worked. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. ¡°Could we make more of it by reverse engineering it? Then we could make as much as we needed, couldn''t we?¡± ¡°Many of the elements of the poison are¡­unknown,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°What I mean by that is we weren¡¯t able to determine what its exact constituents are. We suspect that many are unique: probably substances unique to the demon-lord that the fae used. Without capturing our own demon lord of poisons, I don''t think we could replicate it.¡± Alex opened his mouth. ¡°No, Mr. Roth.¡± Professor Jules said, her tone chilly. ¡°We cannot capture a demon-lord of poisons, even if we did know where to find one.¡± ¡°I wasn''t going to suggest that!¡± Alex said. ¡°What I was about to say is maybe we could combine the poison with a catalyst. We might not be able to make more, but we could combine it with other substances to increase its potency: maybe make something new.¡± ¡°Combine it with¡­?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°For one, chaos essence,¡± Alex said. ¡°Uldar¡¯s process for making the Ravener makes it react badly to chaos essence, that¡¯s if it¡¯s anything like the dungeon cores.¡± ¡°I have a theory as to why that might be,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°The Ravener was engineered to replace a demon-lord by using part of its shell to create its body. That demon-lord had already been heavily modified by the fae to increase the potency of its venoms. They basically took a creature of chaos and honed it towards a particular purpose. It''s like imposing law onto chaos, which likely made the creature somewhat unstable.¡± ¡°So when you combine chaos essence¡ªwhich is also unstable¡ªwith dungeon core remains¡± Alex said. ¡°¡­the dungeon core essence tries to return to pure chaos, then¡ª¡± ¡°Boom,¡± Isolde said, spreading her arms. ¡°Which could be really nasty,¡± Alex said. ¡°Chaos essence to disrupt the Ravener from the inside, and the essence-destroying poison to shatter what¡¯s left.¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°We¡¯d have to watch that the chaos essence doesn''t damage the sample. It still might not be enough, even with such a potent brew.¡± ¡°That''s where the bane comes in,¡± Alex said. ¡°Bane?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°A soul cutting material.¡± Alex took the bane knife from his bag. ¡°Usually, it''s useless in combat: you need a calm soul for bane to work on it, but Kelda figured out a way around that. I used a machine she had to cut away Uldar¡¯s patch from the Mark of the General, and believe me, my soul was definitely in turmoil.¡± ¡°Fascinating,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But the Ravener doesn''t have a soul to cut into.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but I think with some adjustments¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°I could make it work: the Mark isn''t exactly a soul¡ªit''s similar¡ªbut not quite the same. Kelda¡¯s machine cut the Mark¡¯s patch away. And the Marks have a similar design to the Ravener, from what I¡¯ve seen of Uldar¡¯s notes. I could take parts of Kelda¡¯s machine, modify them to make them portable, and use them as a delivery system¡ªalong with an enhancer¡ªfor the poison. What do you think, professor?¡± Do you think it could work?¡± Isolde turned to Professor Jules, as the older woman considered the idea. ¡°How would it work exactly?¡± the professor asked. Alex continued thinking. ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­that our machines¡ªmade of altered parts from Kelda¡¯s¡ªwould inject the poison and bane crystals into the Ravener. The energies of the machines would let the bane shards slice into its essence, which would then be like bits of shrapnel inside its mana pathways. The chaos essence would break down, making it vulnerable enough for a terminal dose of poison to finish it off.¡± ¡°Hmmmm.¡± Jules¡¯ voice sounded excited again. ¡°In theory, it has the potential to work. In theory, mind you. I will still need to translate more of Uldar¡¯s design notes to make a better guess. We wouldn''t be able to test our different solutions, though. We could only test them on the Ravener itself.¡± ¡°So you think the idea''s worth pursuing?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Absolutely.¡± She smiled, her eyes crinkling beneath her mask. ¡°We should start on it as soon as possible; we¡¯ll need to recruit more personnel for our endeavour, however, people we can trust.¡± ¡°Well, I''ll be here to take the lead on the poison,¡± Alex said. ¡°And I can help with analysing Uldar¡¯s notes.¡± The young wizard reached into his pouch, taking out Keda''s coin with the image of a red mouse in its centre. ¡°You¡¯re helping us even now, Kelda.¡± ¡°What is that?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°A Coin of Silent Friends,¡± Alex said. ¡°Every member of Kelda¡¯s inner circle had one, apparently. The coin is very mana conductive; it¡¯s made of a copper and zinc alloy.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°I would''ve liked to have met this Kelda.¡± ¡°You don''t know how many times I''ve thought that myself,¡± Alex said, putting the coin away and fondly patting the pouch. ¡°Alright. I can get started with the machines and use a benign solution to test them with.¡± The young wizard turned his attention back to the dungeon core he¡¯d picked up, which was tucked under his arm. ¡°We have a plan for the venom. Now, let¡¯s see if I can trigger those images again.¡± Alex held the dungeon core between his palms. ¡°Let''s see what I can learn about the Ravener.¡± Chapter 805: A Vision of Culling ¡°Are you ready, Mr. Roth?¡± Professor Jules asked. Alex was now seated in a comfortable chair in the middle of the lab, his feet firmly planted on the floor. He held the dungeon core between his hands as though he was trying to crush it. Isolde was nearby, watching the General of Thameland. One gloved hand tightly gripping her other one. ¡°I¡¯m as ready as I¡¯ll ever be,¡± came his reply. ¡°If anything goes wrong, please remember, you must stop immediately, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°We will be right here.¡± ¡°I got it,¡± Alex said, looking down at the dungeon core. ¡°Okay, here goes nothing.¡± With a deep breath, he poured his mana into the core. He¡¯d done this many times, controlling other cores in the past, but this time, he wanted to go deeper. ¡°Where are you?¡± he whispered, looking for images. If he found them once, he was sure he could find them again: the Mark of General was already using his past failures and successes to guide him. The dungeon core fought him, as it always did, but it might as well have been a blade of grass trying to hold back the ocean. Alex¡¯s mana and skill had grown to a greater level, far stronger than they¡¯d ever been. The orb stood no chance. His power quickly overwhelmed it, bringing it to heel, then he relaxed, taking his time, finding the different activation points inside the core. Each time he made a connection, he let the Mark guide him in going further. He searched. Going deeper. Uncovering areas of this core he hadn¡¯t noticed when he¡¯d controlled other ones. He would explore those areas more thoroughly later, but for now, he had something specific to do. Going deeper, he found new pathways, uncovered more details about the black orb and its inner workings. Suddenly the orb began fighting, panicking, wanting to get free of Alex. ¡°There''s something in here¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°¡­something¡­¡± He paused. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°It¡¯s blocking me,¡± Alex said. ¡°There are these activation points deep inside that I was trying to get at¡­but I can''t reach them. It''s like¡­the mana pathways leading to them have been severed.¡± ¡°What do you think that means?¡± Professor Jules asked. Alex frowned. ¡°Remember we said that the Hunters didn¡¯t appear in the Thameish bestiaries?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Yet, they appeared during this cycle,¡± he said. ¡°After I controlled a dungeon core, a petrifier showed up. I''m wondering if¡­¡± ¡°¡­the dungeon cores have capabilities they can¡¯t access without specific authorisation or instruction from their master,¡± Isolde finished. ¡°Uldar did say that the cycles before the Fool were far more dangerous.¡± ¡°Yeah. That makes me wonder how many people died back then,¡± Alex said. ¡°We didn¡¯t always send our people to the Rhinean Empire during a cycle, you know? People stayed right here in Thameland, fighting and dying alongside the army. It was only after King Reginaldus signed a pact with the Rhinean Empire that you all started hosting our people when the Ravener would come back. That must have been long after Uldar had culled everyone and created the Fool.¡± He shuddered, remembering horrifying history lessons he¡¯d had in the church school, about certain brave Thameish people who¡¯d fought Ravener-spawn. He now understood that the cycles he¡¯d learned about had been only a part of Thameland¡¯s history and that information had been by Uldar¡¯s design; the General was long forgotten by then and the Fool had long been in place. He couldn¡¯t imagine what things were like when the General had still been among the Heroes. ¡°I remember learning that Emperor Gohenhart ruled the Empire when that treaty was signed,¡± Isolde said. ¡°We learned that in our history lessons when I was small. Even before the pact was signed, people travelling far distances from place to place by ship was not common, especially in the open ocean, connections between realms were more difficult.¡± ¡°Mhm, and there wouldn¡¯t have been many¡ªor any¡ªThameish people abroad back then,¡± Alex said. ¡°And, like I said, Uldar talked about how the cycles were a lot more deadly before he changed the General¡¯s Mark, and how¡ªafter he made the Fool¡ªthe Heroes weren¡¯t as powerful anymore. ¡ªthose cycles before the Fool were supposed to be really deadly¡ªmaybe we haven''t seen the Ravener¡¯s nastiest monsters yet.¡± ¡°I wonder if we could turn them, turn its most powerful monsters against it?¡± Professor Jules smiled. ¡°Using the dungeon cores?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°No. If the pathways were only blocked, maybe, then I could force my way through¡­but they¡¯ve been completely severed. We¡¯d need to put something into the core to bridge the pathways, and that''s not something we can do today, if we could even do it at all.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Is that all then?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°There are pathways down in the deepest parts¡­and¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°¡­I think they connect to something¡­something outside the dungeon core.¡± His excitement grew. ¡°I''m gonna see if I can¡ª¡± He touched an activation point deep within the core. The world around him abruptly fell away. For an instant, he thought he¡¯d died: as blackness surrounded him. Images flashed into being. Images from battlefield after battlefield over millennia. Images of dozens of groups of young people¡ªeach Marked with one of Uldar¡¯s Marks¡ªbattling Ravener-spawn through frozen forests, steaming swamps, and rain-wracked hills. Then there were the dungeons. Hundreds, thousands of dungeons. Some were in old ruins, others in caves, others underwater, lurking at the bottom of lakes and rivers. Each contained a dungeon core, spawning monsters, sending them against Uldar¡¯s people. Alex saw soldiers fighting through terror yet facing endless, slavering hordes. Alex felt their terror¡ªit was in every screaming face throughout the ages¡ªas people fled and died to the Ravener¡¯s armies. That terror raged, pouring into dungeon cores to be funnelled back to their master. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Humans must fear. That¡¯s what the Hive-Queen had said to Alex, Selina, Theresa and Brutus in the Cave of the Traveller. He used to think that she was only trying to stoke their fear to power her dungeon core. He realised he¡¯d only been half-right. Alex watched as thousands of soldiers were overwhelmed by monsters; scores, hundreds, thousands of chitterers attacked them, then suddenly, he heard Professor Jules¡¯ voice calling to him. It was distant. ¡°Mr. Roth¡­yo¡­al¡­ight?¡± her voice asked. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± Alex called back, focusing through the storm of images to answer her. ¡°They¡¯re a network..like a hive. The Ravener and the dungeon cores are linked: dungeon cores absorb fear and use some to power themselves, then channel the rest to their master.¡± ¡°Can¡­follow¡­trail?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°Can you¡­use¡­find¡­Ravener?¡± ¡°I don''t know¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m not sure I can. There''s so much memory in here to sift through¡­like if bits of every cycle is stored in the dungeon cores. Most of what I¡¯m seeing is from old battlefields¡­but¡­¡± He dug deeper. ¡°There''s something else here too.¡± ¡°Some¡­thing¡­?¡± Professor Jules¡¯ voice reached him. ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°Something deep. Something¡ª¡± He shifted his mana in the dungeon core. The images melted away. He gasped. If he thought he knew horror before, he was wrong. Utterly wrong. What he was seeing now was a Thameland on fire, all flame, bodies and blood. The skies were unrecognisable, filled with fire just as Cretalikon had been. The earth was choked with bodies. The rivers ran red. And Ravener-spawn poured across the land. The monsters he was seeing were neither chitterers, blood-draks nor bonechargers. They were something else. Humanoid titans of bone, steel and flesh; their footfalls ground stone to dust and made the earth tremble. The tallest trees only reached their spiked kneecaps, and their bulging eyes seemed to hold every horror ever conceived. Their mouths were yawning caverns, spraying rivers of acid. Through the skies, orbs of flesh soared¡ªeach borne by four wings jetting streams of flame behind them¡ªgibbering maddening songs. Their flesh rippled, unleashing great stone spikes that rained down upon the earth. Spikes struck the ground, burrowing through to explode in bursts of fire and gas. A carpet of gigantic shelled spawn crawled along the ground¡ªpart spider, scorpion and part beetle¡ªeach no smaller than the Roth Family Bakery. They shot blasts of air from dozens of holes in their shells, piercing stone, metal, bone and flesh. High on their backs, sat humanoids covered in grey-black chitin. Spider-like legs protruded from their backs, allowing them to spring to the ground, then move across it with dizzying speed and agility. Their clawed hands wielded weapons the colour of their chitin, and each weapon-strike split wooden shields and crumpled armour like parchment. Hunters roamed freely: tens of thousands prowled through the wilderness ahead of the horde; scouting, stalking, infiltrating. Bringing up the rear were a staggering number of petrifiers, guarding the hordes¡¯ flanks, killing anyone in their path. Ravener-spawn commanders were among the hordes: Hive-queens, behemoths, blood-hydras, gibbering legions and more¡­ ¡­but in this army, they played the role of foot soldiers, not commanders. There was also a deluge of common Ravener-spawn: creatures such as chitterers, blood-draks, bonechargers and silence spiders, following behind the army of other monsters, picking off human survivors. In this powerful army, they were merely chaff. Predators that left none alive. And Alex knew what he was witnessing. ¡°A culling¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°¡­this was when Uldar killed everyone.¡± ¡®This is what could happen again,¡¯ the archwizard thought. He imagined this abomination¡ªthis army of slaughter¡ªroaming through Thameland, killing everyone he knew. Destroying everything, every home, every person. He pictured Alric being turned to cinders. ¡®I think I¡¯m going to be sick,¡¯ he thought. He was about to break away from the image, but something kept him engaged. In this scene of horror, the destruction seemed endless. All-encompassing. Yet, it actually wasn¡¯t, when he looked closer. The Ravener-spawn were bringing an endless wave of carnage to the land, but they seemed to only be targeting mortals. Burning forests and destroyed landscapes were casualties, accidents, rather than targets being destroyed intentionally. He focused on the images, noticing how Ravener-spawn ignored panicking animals and beasts of the wilderness, leaving them completely unbothered as they passed them. He saw something following behind the army of destroyers. First, a thick mist came¡ªlike fog hanging above the earth on a spring morning¡ªfollowing behind the horde. Everything the mist touched was¡­cleansed. Acid evaporated. Fire was snuffed out. Corpses disintegrated, liquefying, like dew. When the mist had moved by, only the scars of the decimation remained: signs of scorching from the fires. Creatures Alex had never seen before followed the mist. They appeared to be massive earthworms¡ªloam coloured, colossal in size¡ªcreeping along, the tail-end of the army. As they moved, they expelled fresh earth behind them, their bodies wriggling through soil and stirring it into the landscape. Before Alex¡¯s eyes, saplings and sprouts sprang from the soil, seeding the land with new life even as the army in front devastated the old. ¡®New soil and new life left behind¡­Ravener-spawn to mend what the others destroy¡­so that the mortals who weren¡¯t culled could rebuild,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Would it be the same this time? Or would the Ravener kill everything that moved, breathed, or simply existed?¡¯ He shuddered at the thought. A chill went down his spine, but he moved on. ¡®At least I have some idea of what we could be facing,¡¯ Alex said, diving deeper. ¡®Now, where¡¯s that connection¡­¡¯ He went deeper into the dungeon core, looking for pathways that might be used to channel fear into power. ¡®One of them must lead back to its master¡­if only I could follow it.¡¯ Alex probed. He saw it then. The Ravener, floating above a mountain, like a blackened moon from an eclipse. For an instant, he thought he¡¯d found where it was hiding¡­until he saw Heroes, charging up the mountain toward the construct. He recognised none of them. ¡®This image must be from another cycle,¡¯ Alex said. He kept looking. More images of the Ravener. Most were from a cave, the dark orb was surrounded by its Ravener-spawn. In some, it hovered deep in the ruins of a lost city. In others, it was in a lair deep within a forest. He frowned. ¡®Old information,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®We¡¯ve checked some of these places before. Maybe¡ª¡¯ He froze. Suddenly the images stopped. No, not stopped¡­ Were replaced. Now, floating before him¡ªsurrounded by darkness¡ªwas the Ravener. Not in an image from the past. Not some lost memory. The Ravener. Alex had searched deep down inside the dungeon core and touched something unexpected. A connection had formed, as it had when he¡¯d touched the core in the Cave of the Traveller. He could see Uldar¡¯s creation. Just as it could see him. They had an awareness of each other, but little else. Alex went deeper, looking for its location, but found nothing except its murky image. There was one thing that was very clear, though. The Ravener detested Alex. Or¡­no, not Alex¡­the Mark of the General on his shoulder. Waves of confusion, rage, and violent emotions flowed from it toward his new Mark. Alex thought of the endless horrors he''d seen in the dungeon core. And disgust for the Ravener was reciprocated. There was no need for words between them, even if they could communicate. Still, the Ravener let its wrath be known. Suddenly, mana began gushing through the link between it and the dungeon core. The orb in Alex¡¯s hands quaked, thrumming with power, cracks ran through its surface. ¡°...lex!¡± Professor Jules¡¯ voice was faint, her words broken. ¡°Light¡­from¡­core!¡± It was going to explode. The young archwizard quickly poured the Traveller¡¯s power into the core. It shuddered in his hands, then¡ªwith a silent scream¡ªcrumbled to dust. When Alex opened his eyes, he was covered in dust, and a cold sweat. Professor Jules, and Isolde were in front of him, shaking him and calling his name, their eyes filled with worry. ¡°Oh, thank goodness!¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°You were shaking like a leaf and the dungeon core began cracking.¡± ¡°I thought it was going to explode, what happened?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°The Ravener saw me,¡± Alex said. ¡°It doesn''t know where I am, and I don''t know where it is, but it can recognise me now. It wasn¡¯t looking at me like it wanted to be friends either. I have an idea what its next move is going to be. I think it¡¯s going to slaughter¡ª¡± Suddenly, there was a pounding on the door. A speakerbox nearby crackled. ¡°Professor! Professor, can you hear me?¡± It was Watcher Hill. ¡°Yes!¡± Jules called. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I have something to tell you, something quite unusual,¡± Watcher Hill said. ¡°We¡¯ve been getting strange reports.¡± Alex stiffened. ¡°This is it. It¡¯s going to slaughter¡ª¡± Jules opened the door. ¡°A group of soldiers outside Luthering reported that Ravener-spawn helped them, they literally saved their lives!¡± The Watcher sounded incredulous. ¡°Apparently, there¡¯ve been reports of Ravener-spawn helping priests, soldiers, healers all across Thameland!¡± The General was at a loss for words. ¡°...what?¡± Chapter 806: The Raveners Rescuers ¡°I want you to tell them exactly what you told me.¡± Sir Swift¡¯s deep voice filled the church in Luthering. A group of soldiers¡ªswaddled in towels and bloodstained rags¡ªshivered as they sipped hot soup, throwing glances at Watcher Hill, Professor Jules, Alex and Isolde. They looked like they''d hadn¡¯t slept in days, their eyes were unfocused, with bags below them confirming the tale. Their body language screamed of nervousness as they hardly met anyone¡¯s gaze. Sir Sean Swift blinked rapidly, avoiding eye contact with Professor Jules and Alex. The General of Thameland, spoke to the soldiers, ¡°It''s alright,¡± he said, making his voice as calm and non-threatening as he could. ¡°We¡¯re here to listen, so please, go ahead.¡± Two soldiers looked at one another uncertainly, then the older one, a woman with white hair¡ªher surcoat bearing a knightly crest¡ªspoke up. ¡°I am Dame Tefienne, I can assure you that I have seen a lot in my career, and that very little surprises me anymore, but what I¡¯m about to tell you is far stranger than anything I¡¯ve ever seen before. It might even sound to someone who doesn¡¯t know me like the stuff of witchcraft or madness,¡± she said. ¡°But I neither dabble in witchcraft or am touched by insanity, so I ask that you listen before you judge me since I can hardly believe the occurrences myself.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead,¡± Professor Jules said. The knight swallowed. ¡°We were riding to Luthering after we¡¯d suffered a loss in a battle at the Fork of Three Points. That''s where the River Gard splits in two; the King¡¯s Road crosses it at Harding Bridge. We¡¯d received a report that a dungeon core was found there, so that is where we went. The battle went poorly, as I just said. Very poorly. The information we had said that bone-chargers had taken the bridge, but in fact, silence spiders were also there, hidden beneath it. Once we got stuck in battling the bone chargers, the silence spiders ambushed us¡­it was pure slaughter.¡± ¡°We''ll take care of those dungeons,¡± Alex promised. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, holding her cup in a shaking hand. ¡°We fought back, but too many of us had died in that ambush, and our numbers were no match for both bone charges and silence spiders at that point. We decided to retreat back to our camp¡­but found chitterers milling about and destroying it when we got there. So, that¡¯s when we struck out for the closest settlement, which happened to be Luthering.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Bandits,¡± she growled. ¡°Those vultures are still here in the realm, stealing whatever they can. They picked up our trail with their hunting dogs and started following us. For an entire day and night we rode, with them harassing us without mercy. They hunted us through the trees, and if we turned to face them, they would run.¡± ¡°Trying to run you down like a pack of wolves, it sounds,¡± Sir Swift said, gruffly. ¡°Likely hoping to exhaust you and your mounts.¡± ¡°And we did finally tire.¡± She grimaced. ¡°Then they set upon us, surrounding us on all sides and corralling us in a forest clearing. We fought hard, but most of us had been wounded at Harding Bridge. But, here is where the strange part comes in. We should have lost to them and would have lost, and none of us would be here right now if¡­if it weren¡¯t for Ravener-spawn.¡± Alex, Isolde, and Professor Jules looked at each other, then back at the knight. ¡°Excuse me ma¡¯am, but are you saying Ravener-spawn killed the bandits?¡± Watcher Hill asked. ¡°No.¡± The knight shook her head. ¡°If they''d killed them, then I would have assumed they were doing what Ravener-spawn do, and just happened to kill our attackers. But¡­they didn''t kill them. Silence spiders came from the woods, and confronted the bandits, then only slashed at their hands to knock their weapons away, and frighten their horses.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± Alex murmured, confused. ¡°They didn¡¯t hurt them?¡± ¡°Not that I could see,¡± she said. ¡°And¡ªwhen the bandits looked truly terrified¡ªa Hive-queen came from the woods and entered the clearing, but didn¡¯t attack them. As you can imagine, that put high terror into those brigands, so they gathered their wits and fled, having lost not one of their number.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Then what happened? Did the spawn attack you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Dame Tefienne said. ¡°They just watched us for a long time, then the Hive-Queen came forward. I raised my lance¡ªready to die and meet Uldar¡ª¡± Alex had to fight back a wince. ¡°¡ªbut all she did was drop a slaughtered boar on the ground in front of us, along with a bag of grain¡ªand scuttled away.¡± ¡°What?¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Were the boar and grain laced with poison?¡± ¡°We couldn''t tell¡ªour priest, Father Owens¡ªdied at Harding Bridge,¡± she said. ¡°He might''ve been able to detect poison with his miracles¡­but the rest of us had no way of knowing. The moment those Ravener-spawn left, a soldier tied the boar and grain to his saddle and we made our way here. The meat¡¯s probably rotten by now, whether it was poisoned or not.¡± ¡°It wasn''t,¡± Sir Swift said. ¡°Our priests checked it over and there wasn¡¯t a trace of poison in it. They also purified it.¡± ¡°I¡­see¡­¡± the other knight muttered. ¡°Strange happenings¡­¡± ¡°It''s a miracle!¡± cried a soldier. ¡°Uldar and the Traveller have been working miracles in our favour! The Traveller is his champion, and I''ve been praying to her from the moment we were saved. She once saved my brother, too. Moved him out of the way of a venom-walker¡¯s poisoned lash! She continues to bless us!¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°That she does,¡± Alex said with enthusiasm, though he was rather confused. He had no idea what was going on, but he didn¡¯t let that stop him using the opportunity to get every bit of faith channelled to Hannah. ¡°She''s been working hard for all of us, I bet she had something to do with what happened.¡± His attention returned to Dame Tefienne. ¡°What happened to the Ravener-spawn, you said they left?¡± ¡°As soon as they dropped the boar and grain, they watched us for a bit¡­then just melted into the trees. I thought they would attack us, but¡­no,¡± Tefienne said. ¡°I can''t see it as anything other than them saving us, intentionally.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the only report of that sort of behaviour from Ravener-spawn,¡± Sean said. ¡°Just this morning, the army messenger came through, telling us to be on the watch for it. This sort of thing¡¯s been going on all over Thameland, from the sound of it.¡± ¡°The Traveller works in mysterious ways,¡± Alex said. ¡°She''s been fighting hard for all of us.¡± Sir Sean winced, looking away from the young General of Thameland. ¡°I''ve been hearing reports of her miracles too. Maybe this was her doing. I''ll remember my prayers tonight.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Would you mind if we examined the boar and grain?¡± ### ¡°No poison¡­or any other toxins¡­¡± Professor Jules pulled a spike¡ªAlex had retrieved for her from the Research Castle¡ªfrom the boar¡¯s carcass, checking the numbers on its crystalline display. Next, she jabbed it into the sack of grain. ¡°Nothing here either. We¡¯d need to do more tests in the lab to rule out some of the more subtle toxins¡­but at this point, it seems this food is perfectly safe.¡± ¡°What in all the elements is going on?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°I wish I knew,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s a puzzle,¡± Watcher Hill nodded. The little group stood in an empty house with the boar and bag of grain, on a table before them. Sir Sean had ordered it sealed, only allowing priests¡ªand now Professor Jules¡¯ party¡ªinside to conduct their tests. Though they were guards outside, Alex, Isolde, Professor Jules and Watcher Hill were alone with the boar¡¯s carcass. Watcher Hill was examining it visually. ¡°It looks like it was killed by a slash to the throat, then was allowed to bleed out. The blood¡¯s been drained¡­which looks like this meat was intended to be eaten by mortals.¡± ¡°What in all the hells?¡± Alex looked at the sack of grain. ¡°That bag looks like it belonged to the army, like for rations.¡± ¡°Maybe it was taken from an encampment,¡± Isolde suggested. ¡°But why would Ravener-spawn be hunting boar to feed the army as well as giving them back their own rations?¡± ¡°It''s odd for them to be hunting animals at all,¡± Alex said. ¡°They mostly leave wild beasts alone¡­and¡­¡± Something about that bothered him. ¡°What is it?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°It''s just that, I was remembering an image I saw in the dungeon core. It was horrible. Anyway, back to the point: Ravener-spawn don''t kill wild animals as far as we know, but we know for sure that they don¡¯t help humans.¡± ¡°The idea of silence-spiders playing ¡®peacemaker¡¯ is absurd,¡± Professor Jules agreed. ¡°All of the information we''ve gathered suggests that this is unprecedented.¡± ¡°It¡¯s shocking,¡± Alex said. Isolde¡¯s voice dropped low, as she glanced at the door. ¡°Do you truly think this is Hannah¡¯s doing?¡± ¡°I hope so,¡± Alex said. ¡°I really do. But I don''t know¡­it doesn''t make sense for the Ravener to be doing this.¡± ¡°Maybe it wants to make peace?¡± Watcher Hill suggested, her voice also low. ¡°Now that it knows what it knows¡­maybe it doesn''t see the need to fight anymore.¡± ¡°It seemed to want to fight me,¡± Alex said. ¡°Remember, it tried to blow us up using the core. Oh wait, you weren''t there for that.¡± ¡°No¡­and I thank Roal I wasn¡¯t,¡± Watcher Hill said. ¡°You could be right, Mr. Roth. It would be strange for the Ravener to do something benevolent. Is there any capability that Hannah would have that would allow her to do something like this, using Ravener-spawn?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°Not as far as I know,¡± he shook his head. ¡°But maybe her powers have really grown. All I know is that something¡¯s changed, and¡­while this is a nice change¡­I¡¯ve got a bad feeling it¡¯s not going to last. We need the Ravener dead as soon as yesterday.¡± ¡°Easier said than done,¡± Isolde said. ¡°We cannot find it nor do we have a way to shut it down.¡± ¡°Hmmmm.¡± Alex¡¯s mind went back to the lab, and what he¡¯d felt in the dungeon core. Mana flowed between the core and the Ravener. Mana and fear. Maybe he could use that. ¡°I''m going to talk to Professor Val¡¯Rok about something. I have to speak to him to get permission to challenge the Exam for Credit for his course anyway, and I can¡¯t help but wonder if mana manipulation might be the solution here. If we could manipulate the mana in those connections between the Ravener and its cores, we might be able to use that.¡± ¡°Mhm, yours is not a bad idea at all,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Do you already have an appointment with him?¡± ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Alex said. ¡°Today I¡¯ll work in the lab and see if I can figure out why Ravener-spawn are turning into guardian engeli¡ª¡± He paused, his eyes growing wide. ¡°Wait, this could help!¡± ¡°What could help?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°Astral engeli are good at detecting divinity,¡± Alex said. ¡°I could summon some, and teleport around Thameland with them to search for the Ravener¡ª¡± his voice dropped. ¡°¡ªand a certain corpse and that corpse¡¯s chair. We could keep looking until the engeli are pulled back to the celestial planes. I could keep doing that until we either find something, or we search as much of the island as we can.¡± ¡°That sounds like a good use of time and resources¡­with your ability to teleport, and their ability to fly, your plan could be quite efficient,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Between them, and the priests, covering all of Thameland could be completed with little trouble.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°And the engeli can also be searching while I''m working in the lab, or working with the other Heroes, and you¡ª¡± He looked at Isolde. ¡°Thundar, and Khalik, to get you prepared for¡­for¡­¡± He paused. ¡°What is it?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°It¡¯s only that, I saw something,¡± Alex said, his voice dropping to a whisper. ¡°I saw one of you-know-who¡¯s cullings in images in the dungeon core¡­it was horrible. There were all these monsters, and all these people being slaughtered. With what I saw in there? I don¡¯t think we''re ready for that. Maybe if we had Baelin and Asmaldestre with us¡­ but the rest of us, just as we are? I don''t know if we can beat what I saw. Not without a lot of people dying.¡± ¡°Then you will have your work cut out for you when you train us,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I do not plan to die for this, so we must be ready.¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t intend to see you die for this, believe me,¡± Alex vowed. ¡°It''ll take a lot, but that¡¯s where the Mark of the General should help.¡± ¡°Maybe the Ravener will like helping us,¡± Watcher Hill said, looking at the boar. ¡°It''s already started, maybe it won''t stop. I know that seems unlikely, but¡­with its creator gone, maybe it lacks direction¡­who knows what it will do next?¡± ¡°No direction¡­¡± Isolde muttered. ¡°Maybe that answers the question of its behaviour. Perhaps it is confused, looking to make sense of what it should do? I wonder if since it now knows of its creator¡¯s fate, if it must act without any guidance, ifit does need guidance?¡± ¡°Huh,¡± Alex said. ¡°An entity driven by a single purpose for thousands of years suddenly realises that purpose is gone. Maybe it''ll act contrary from now on, hand out dungeon core essence, and generally live with us in peace. Sounds nice, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯d be that lucky.¡± He looked at Isolde. ¡°Let''s hope we get a chance to graduate before it stops feeling charitable.¡± Chapter 807: Watching Them Move On ¡°It''s been too long! Too long! Come in, my door is always open to you. Come in!¡± the lizardfolk wizard cried. ¡°You look rather bony, have you been eating properly, Alex?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re just imagining that, professor,¡± Alex said. ¡°You think so?¡± Val¡¯Rok turned away from the young wizard, who quickly checked his frame. ¡®You haven¡¯t lost any muscle mass have you?¡¯ Alex wondered, checking his frame. He flexed. ¡®Have you?¡¯ Alex stopped flexing as soon as Val¡¯Rok turned to face him. The lizardfolk hadn¡¯t sat down at his desk, and seemed to be looking at Alex¡­expectantly? What was he¡ª ¡ªoh! ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve lost any weight, but you certainly have!¡± Alex said, noting the mana manipulation professor¡¯s sleeker form. ¡°I take it your diet¡¯s going well?¡± ¡°Oh, yes!¡± the lizard wizard flexed, showing off his lean body. ¡°I started an exercise program as well! I dare say that I''ll add at least another fifteen years to my lifespan! Even though everyone expects that I''m going to die in some mana manipulation accident!¡± He gave an unnerving, high-pitched laugh. ¡°Anyway, I''m enjoying my new look! What about you? What about you? Sit down! Sit down! I want to hear how your experiment went!¡± The lizardman bared his spiky teeth. ¡°Vernia refused to tell me if you managed to build your artificial mana pool or not! But you''re not dead, and her look of disgust gave me hope, it made me think you were probably successfuuuuuul?¡± He hissed, questioningly, then grinned excitedly. Alex touched his abdomen. ¡°I¡¯m happy to tell you that the operation went perfectly, doc!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± the lizardfolk pumped his fists. ¡°That''s wonderful to hear! Oh, joy of joy, I knew that putting my effort into you was the best thing I could''ve done! You are a natural at mana manipulation, oh ho ho!¡± The archwizard blushed. ¡°Thanks¡­honestly, I''m so good at it because that was really the only subject I could put all my focus into when it came to wizardry. In some ways¡­I''m almost glad I was branded with the Mark of the Fool. If I hadn''t been, I don''t know if I would''ve focused anywhere near as much on mana manipulation which means, I wouldn''t have gotten anywhere near as much knowledge from you, and that would''ve been a shame.¡± ¡°It would have been, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°I think your name is going to go down as one of the great historical figures when it comes to the wonderful discipline of mana manipulation. I myself am quite good, but you!¡± He shook a clawed finger at Alex. ¡°You''re something else! The most terrifying force in all of academia, is a prodigy who knows how to work hard! And that¡¯s what you are, my young friend! Oho ho ho! I am so proud of you! Here! Here! I¡¯ve been saving this as a treat¡ªa cheat on my diet¡ªbut I¡¯m willing to share!¡± The lizardman rushed to a cabinet, took out a metal bowl and slammed it on his desk hard enough to shake it. ¡°Candied insects! Crickets, beetles, scorpions! A feast! Come on, don''t be shy! Dig in!¡± Alex froze, trying to fight down horror. He was uncomfortably reminded of the beetle-like monsters he''d seen in the vision of Thameland being culled. He fought down a wave of nausea. ¡°I think¡­I think I¡¯m alright, professor,¡± Alex said. Val¡¯Rok rolled his eyes. ¡°So many people get so self-conscious about eating insects when they''re the most valuable, easily obtained, and healthy source of protein in the world! You''re all so silly!¡± ¡°Well, just the idea of eating cockroaches¡ª¡± ¡°Cockroaches?¡± Val¡¯Rok¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What do you think I am, some kind of barbarian? I don''t go around saying that you eat vultures, now do I?¡± ¡°Well, no but¡ª¡± ¡°And you eat crabs don''t you? Lobsters too? Maybe the occasional shrimp and crawfish, catfish? A clam here and there? Oysters for energy? Mussels for muscles? How are they so different?¡± Val¡¯Rok frowned. ¡°Well, uh, I¡¯m not actually sure,¡± Alex paused. ¡°I don''t know if they are that different.¡± ¡°Suddenly, Val¡¯Rok grinned. ¡°I don''t tell you often enough that you''re much too serious.¡± The lizard wizard opened one of his desk drawers, taking out a bowl of hard candy. ¡°You think you''re the first student I''ve pulled this little prank on?¡± He laughed seemingly endlessly as Alex glared at him before taking a piece of candy. ¡°Thanks, professor, thanks a lot,¡± he said with heavy sarcasm. ¡°You need to take a joke better!¡± the professor gave another high-pitched laugh. ¡°Forgive this old man for having his fun. I likely won''t be seeing you too many more times, you know?¡± ¡°Hm?¡± Alex looked up at him sharply. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok¡¯s reptilian eyes fixed on Alex for a moment, then looked out of the window. ¡°Can I admit something to you? This might not be fully appropriate between professor and student, but¡­it¡¯s something that can be shared between wizardly peers.¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°After all you''ve done for me, professor, you can tell me anything. Seriously, you''re one of my favourite teachers here. I wouldn''t have gotten anywhere near as far in life without you: your different mana manipulation techniques armed me with what I needed to advance in alchemy, in spellcraft now, and for the fight against the Ravener. I¡¯m serious, you can tell me anything.¡± Val¡¯Rok¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°I dearly wish you hadn''t said that, Alex. You''re making this harder.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± the young archwizard asked, becoming nervous. ¡°I want to admit to you that I hate this time of year. I hate the spring, I hate the end of semester. I despise it.¡± Val¡¯Rok said, looking more serious than Alex had ever known him to. ¡°With every fibre of my being.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Because it''s the time when students graduate,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°I love working with young people, Alex, especially young people who take a true interest in mana manipulation. There aren¡¯t really a lot of young folk who decide to specialise in it. Not at all. It means that I tend to get very close to the few students that excel and show a focused interest, like you have. And then¡­every year, I have to say goodbye. Every year I see people that I¡¯ve taught for four years leave forever.¡± The lizardfolk bared his teeth in a scowl, watching students walking along campus¡­many were going through the gates. ¡°The world is a very large place. Very, very large. There are many paths to travel in life, and they can go in any direction. Never touching each other, and if they do, it''s often only temporary. Then they drift apart again.¡± ¡°They really do, don¡¯t they?¡± Alex thought about some of the people he¡¯d met in the past. Teachers in Alric. Some of his peers at the church school. Classmates at the University he¡¯d exchanged pleasantries with and never became close to. He¡¯d likely never see most of them again. ¡°And when they drift apart, most of the time, they never come back together again.¡± ¡°And that''s exactly why I hate this time of year,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°It''s a reminder that most of our connections are formed, only to be broken: as temporary as a magic circuit. That is life.¡± He smiled at Alex. ¡°I look at you, and I realise that this will probably be one of the last times we¡¯ll ever meet like this.¡± Alex baulked. ¡°Oh, come on, Professor. I''m going to be working with Professor Mangal after graduation, and I¡¯ll still live in the city. We''ll see each other again.¡± ¡°We will,¡± the professor said. ¡°But like most of my students, it won''t be the same. We might meet occasionally in the street, or have the odd reunion on campus¡­but you''re not the type to coop yourself up in a university forever.¡± Alex froze. He gave thought to his future again. ¡°You don''t think so, eh?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Val¡¯Rok laughed. ¡°If you were, there wouldn''t be any adventures across the planes, or quests to destroy great evils, or journeys through foreign Empires. You''d be right here, in the library, in the laboratory. That''s where you¡¯d spend most of your time.¡± ¡°I had a lot of my adventures because I had to have them,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°Did you?¡± Val¡¯Rok turned to him. ¡°You didn''t, you know. You could have led a quiet life right here, crafting golems or other alchemical devices. You could have ignored what was going on in your homeland, and focused on academia. Folk who don¡¯t want to leave the laboratory, don''t leave the laboratory. Often students who become professors are ones who can''t stop themselves from experimenting on their own time. Their work is everything to them. You''re not like that, though. You enjoy your adventures, don''t you?¡± Alex thought about that. ¡°I¡¯ve got to admit that I have enjoyed some of the risks involved in adventuring. The thrill of discovery, of destroying tyrants and monsters. I don''t know if I love it enough to make it my whole life, but I do like it a lot.¡± ¡°And that''s why our paths will part,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°I enjoy my time in the lab, playing with mana manipulation techniques. I don''t think you''re going to become a professor here, which means that the time of our paths running side-by-side is coming¡ªif not to an end¡ªthen, at least to a very late middle. I''m proud of you, as I am of all my students, but I still can''t help but feel a little sad every time I wave them off to walk their own paths.¡± He gave Alex a wry smile. ¡°That''s why I had to pull that little prank on you for old times sake. Just a little something to spice up one of our last conversations¡­maybe our last one with me as your teacher and you as my student.¡± Alex had never really given any thought to how his professors might feel at the end of each school year. Every year taking in new students, watching them grow and then¡ªat the end of it all¡ªseeing them graduate to make their own way in this big world. Hundreds of students enter, and a great number never make it to graduation. The few who did, would likely form personal relationships with their professors. They''d be colleagues, mentees, and friends. And every year, those professors would watch most of the fourth years walk through the gates of the university, likely to never see them again. It struck him as a bit sad, like most of the melancholies in life. Things change. Bonds formed. Bonds were severed. And if that didn¡¯t happen, life wouldn¡¯t be¡­life. Uldar couldn¡¯t let go of wanting his kingdom to be bound to him¡ªand wouldn¡¯t allow that bond to change when he got sick¡ªwhich led him down a path of murder that was impossible to grasp. Then he thought of something else. When he needed to concentrate, he had to acknowledge his thoughts, then let them go. He wondered if it was the same for many events and relationships in life: one needed to acknowledge them and let them go. He couldn¡¯t be a student at Generasi forever, he had to move on and forge his own path in life, whatever that might be. Selina wouldn¡¯t be his dependent little sister forever, at some point in the future, she¡¯d step out on her own¡­and he¡¯d have to make sure he didn¡¯t interfere with her life and let her have the same freedom to do what was best for her as he¡¯d had to. Everything eventually came to an end, just as the Ravener¡¯s cycles must. Even Uldar¡¯s reasons for them had ended. His Ravener had to be brought to an end as well. It must have been emotional for some of his professors, though. Alex felt a lot of empathy as he talked with Professor Val¡¯Rok. ¡°All I can say is that I''m going to take a big part of you with me wherever I go, professor. Even if I live to be ten thousand, your teachings are going to always be with me. And I''ll always appreciate them, and you.¡± The lizardfolk smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll treasure that, Alex. It warms this old man''s heart. And understand, I love watching my students graduate. I just hate seeing them leave! What a contradiction that is, isn''t it?¡± ¡°I get it,¡± Alex said. ¡°Sometimes we want to see something finished¡­but don¡¯t want it to end at the same time.¡± ¡°So true,¡± Val¡¯Rok nodded. ¡°But still, end it must. You can¡¯t be a student here forever, and I''ve taught you most of what I know that could help you. And so, you have to move on.¡± ¡°Well, Professor¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Let''s hold that thought for a moment. I have a problem, and I was wondering if you might be able to help me with it. I think it''s something mana manipulation could help with.¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok beamed. ¡°Well, then¡ªfor maybe the very last time in your undergraduate years¡ªtell me what your problem is. Let''s see if we can figure it out.¡± Chapter 808: What is Mana? Alex didn''t tell Professor Val¡¯Rok everything about the Ravener. He couldn''t. The archwizard left out the parts about the god being the one who¡¯d made the construct, about him being dead, and that he¡¯d engineered the Ravener¡¯s endless cycles. He also left out the hidden church. What he did talk about was how they wanted to shut the Ravener down forever, some of what they¡¯d learned about the construct, and the challenges they were facing putting the different pieces together. ¡°We think the Ravener is going to escalate soon,¡± he said. ¡°Or do something completely unexpected. So the faster we can figure out how to permanently shut it down, the better. It doesn''t matter much if we find it, but still can''t stop it from coming back every hundred years to terrorise and kill people.¡± ¡°That sounds like quite the problem,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°I don''t know how much help I''ll be able to give you, but everything you''ve told me about this construct sounds very interesting¡­¡± ¡°Do you have any thoughts on how mana would flow between the dungeon cores and the Ravener, professor?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Would there be a way to manipulate the mana in those pathways to our advantage? Anything you can think of?¡± ¡°Hmmmm,¡± Val¡¯Rok considered the question, staring at the ceiling for a moment while thinking aloud. ¡°How mana could flow across from one core to the next¡­how you could manipulate that mana. Maybe it''s a hive¡­no, that doesn''t sound right. Or it could be that it''s for an artificial¡­no, that wouldn''t be right either since it would require the cores to be very close in proximity.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°You said it converts fear into power?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°So it must have its own mana producing ability, and an additional power source from all the fear it gets from the Thameish people, which is then channelled through the dungeon cores.¡± Alex remembered Hobb¡¯s words that fear would give the Ravener power over him. He tried not to dwell on that. ¡°That''s an interesting notion,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°That''s something we haven''t actually been able to do as wizards. Turning basic emotions and concepts into energy¡­that''s the domain of higher order beings from the outer planes. Demons, devils, engeli¡­those sorts of creatures. I wonder¡­¡± ¡°What is it, professor?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Something about manipulating its mana pathways?¡± Va¡¯lRok shook his head. ¡°No, not that. With the amount of mana you¡¯re theorising this thing has, I think trying to manipulate its mana through its pathways is a dead end. It''d be like trying to redirect the ocean with a single oar.¡± ¡°Could we build something that would be powerful enough to match its mana?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Like some kind of super powerful construct?¡± ¡°The dungeon core essence is already centuries beyond what we''ve been able to achieve. I don¡¯t think we could make anything that would outdo the Ravener itself, as you¡¯re describing it. No, I''m wondering about something else.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Alex asked him. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Val¡¯Rok replied with a question. ¡°What is magic?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°What is magic?¡± the professor asked again. ¡°Supernatural phenomena¡ªoften outside the bounds of physics as we understand it¡ªcontrolled by mana or any other similar energy. By some definitions, divinity is a form of magic, but it behaves differently enough that most people don''t consider it magic,¡± Alex said. ¡°Very good,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°And what is a magic circuit?¡± ¡°A magic circuit is the basic building block to all modern forms of spellcraft,¡± Alex defined the term. ¡°It¡¯s a flowing, directed structure of energy that underpins a spell array. A magic circuit¡¯s design tames mana, and makes it perform a function that¡¯s desired by a spellcaster.¡± ¡°Can a spell function without mana?¡± Val¡¯Rok asked. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Can a construct function without mana?¡± ¡°¡­no,¡± Alex said. ¡°Are you suggesting we find a way to stop the Ravener from producing mana? That could work, but then it could still draw on the energy of the people¡¯s fear. Also, any damage we do to it would just be repaired when it reconstitutes a hundred years from now.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Val¡¯Rok considered the idea. ¡°When it reconstitutes one hundred years from now. Huh¡­that¡¯s interesting. Okay, so let''s say there''s a wagon at the top of a hill. What does the wagon do?¡± ¡°It sits there,¡± Alex said. ¡°Unless there''s something to pull or push it, a spell to animate it, or wind to push it down the hill.¡± ¡°Right, and once it starts going downhill?¡± Val¡¯Rok asked. ¡°It¡¯ll keep going until something stops it. Friction, if nothing else,¡± Alex said. ¡°Exactly,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok continued. ¡°And what would happen if there was no friction?¡± ¡°It would just keep moving,¡± Alex said. ¡°And what happens to it as it rolls down the hill, even with friction in place?¡± ¡°It would build up energy and momentum,¡± Alex said. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Very good,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°So, that would be how the process continues, through momentum. Now what started the process? What started the wagon rolling down the hill?¡± ¡°Someone pushing it, animals pulling it, or wind pushing it, as in our example,¡± Alex considered each question carefully. ¡°And what would happen if none of those things occurred?¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok asked. ¡°It¡­it wouldn''t move.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Because the wagon wouldn¡¯t have any energy on its own.¡± ¡°You are quite correct,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°The wagon could not start its journey downhill, without an initial burst of energy to get it moving. Kinetic energy, in this case. At the same time, what does a golem need in order to function?¡± Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°A golem core. The golem core is its brain, and its source of energy¡­but¡­¡± He thought back to when he was first activating Claygon¡¯s golem core, and activating other golems since he started working at Shale¡¯s. ¡°But golems need an injection of energy to start their mana production. Without the initial energy¡­a golem core would only be a very expensive paperweight.¡± The young wizard frowned at the professor. ¡°Are you saying¡­that the Ravener needs a source of energy to reconstitute itself?¡¯ ¡°I don''t know,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°All I know is that nothing in the universe¡ªas far as we know¡ªcan be active without energy. Kinetic energy, electrical energy, mana, divinity, other forms of energy we can¡¯t even comprehend yet¡­energy is needed for anything to be done. When a lich re-creates its own body, it draws the power of its soul and the mana within it to reconstruct its form. When a phoenix rises from its own ashes¡­well, to be truly honest, we don''t fully understand how that works, but, we do know that a massive amount of energy is released when the firebirds are reborn.¡± Alex suddenly jumped out of his chair and started pacing. ¡°Energy¡­I think you¡¯re right. The Ravener would need a lot of power to rebuild itself from scratch, but it can¡¯t produce mana while it¡¯s dead: it crumbles to dust when it''s destroyed at the end of each cycle. There''s no mana generator to generate mana.¡± He was considering his thought, when something occurred to him. ¡°Hold on now, it¡¯s got two energy sources to drive it. Mana and people¡¯s fear. It channels fear through its dungeon cores, but is that the only way it can access fear?¡± ¡°I honestly couldn¡¯t say,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°I¡¯ve only gotten as far as the idea that energy must have a role in its resurrection process. Do you have any ideas?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Alex thought about mana rising from the mana vents in the world. No one knew where those vents originated from, or where mana truly originated from. There were lots of theories, but nothing provable. Mana permeated the air, giving rise to people being born with mana pools as well as other creatures having mana flowing through their bodies andsouls. ¡°But how¡­¡± Alex murmured. ¡°Professor, do we know how people gain mana pools in the first place?¡± ¡°When people are born in mana affected areas¡ª¡± the professor started. Alex cut him off. ¡°No, I know that people born in mana resourced areas tend to have mana pools¡­but how do mana pools form? Do they form in the womb? In the eggs of egg-laying beings? Do they form in the soul?¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok spread his hands helplessly. ¡°We don''t know. We might never know.¡± ¡°But!¡± Alex said. ¡°What we do know is that incorporeal creatures¡ªlike ghosts¡ªcan have mana. You don¡¯t need a physical body in order to have mana. You just need to be able to absorb it from the air.¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok asked. ¡°What if¡ªthe Ravener can draw on power while its physical body is destroyed,¡± Alex said. ¡°What if¡ªwhen it¡¯s destroyed¡ªit can still draw on fear to power its resurrection? Cycles occur in Thameland every hundred years¡­when the end of a century gets closer, people worry, then dread sets in, then tension, and fear grows. Those things keep building until the Ravener comes back and then full blown terror takes over.¡± Val¡¯Rok¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Hold on, Alex, I think you might be looking at things a bit wrong.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± the young archwizard asked. ¡°We''re focusing on mana and how it works,¡± the professor said. ¡°But it sounds like the process you''re describing is closer to divinity. Gods are powered by faith and¡ªif you have enough faith focused on a particular purpose¡ªyou can accomplish miracles, even without a deity.¡± Alex thought of Uldar¡¯s body. Priests were still able to draw on his power without the god being alive. Their faith was simply focused on what the god symbolised: the divine king of Thameland, the prophet god on his throne. Faith that fueled him, gathered in his sanctum¡­ ¡°You might be right, professor, what if it is similar to divinity?¡± Alex asked. ¡°All that fear would be focused on the Ravener: on what it symbolises, even when it¡¯s dead, it increases as the end of a century approaches. Fear gathers in Thameland, and that energy builds¡­letting it resurrect itself.¡± Alex felt a sudden sense of dread. Wouldn''t that mean that it was invincible? Wouldn''t that mean they could never get rid of it? As long as there were people who knew what it had done in the past; and as long as there were people to remember the horrors of a cycle, the construct would always be feared. It would always have that fear to draw on, and that would never end because it would never be forgotten, it would be expected to return. So what was he supposed to do? Find a way to wipe everyone¡¯s memory? Was that the only way to stop it from reforming? Was the fact that people believed the Ravener would always come back¡­was that all that was needed for it to return? If so, what were they going to do? ¡­Hobb¡¯s words came back again. To fear it, would be to give it power over him. Alex took a deep breath, acknowledging his rising panic and the fear that was building inside him, and let them pass. ¡®What I need to do is to look at this from a different angle,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Treat it like divinity, like Professor Val¡¯Rok suggested. Okay, so it''s true that you can accomplish miracles as long as you have enough faith, even if there is no deity to wield and channel that faith¡­but there would be limits to that wouldn¡¯t there? Uldar wasn¡¯t able to heal himself on faith alone, no matter how hard he tried.¡¯ His eyes narrowed, nearly closing. ¡®After he died, faith didn''t resurrect him. It didn''t resurrect Oreca, either, no matter how much his priests still believed in him. Baelin said you can''t bring the dead back to life, as far as we know. Let''s just say, that that holds true¡­but¡­¡¯ Something kept nagging at him. He''d seen Carey¡¯s soul¡ªtransformed by Hannah¡¯s divine power¡ªreturn to the material world. Her transformation likely continued in the after-world. If or when she returned to the material world again, alongside Hannah¡ªif she could¡ªshe would be different. ¡®The Ravener keeps coming back, but it¡¯s always the same, it¡¯s still the same Ravener,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®And it has no soul to bring back from the after-world. So, what am I missing here? How does it reform? Maybe looking at it like divinity is the wrong tack? Maybe¡­¡¯ He stopped. His eyes grew wide. He¡¯d been looking at Uldar and Carey¡­but what about Hannah? Uldar hadn¡¯t been able to heal himself or resurrect after dying, but Hannah had the ability to grow, to affect the material world, even from across the veil between life and death. And there was a lot less faith being channelled to her than there was to Uldar. Alex suspected why that difference could be. Hannah''s teleportation power allowed her to cross distances and boundaries. It allowed Alex''s faith in her to pour into the after-world, empowering her soul to become a demigoddess. That power was what was sparking her ascension. The Ravener didn¡¯t share that power¡ªhe, Kelda and Hannah would have sensed it, if it had teleportation energy¡ªbut what if there was something else? What if there was some inner process that Uldar had put into the Ravener, allowing it to gather fear even when it had been destroyed? What would happen if that process was rewritten? An idea hit him. Something Selina had talked about. Chapter 809: Moving Energy and Moving Through Life The sound of fire crackling had not always been a welcome sound to Alex, though time had changed that. His little sister had come to see and accept fire as more than pain and death, and she¡¯d been inspired to embrace its benefits, to consider making cold from flame, an idea inspired by her brother who¡¯d used flame to smother flame at the windmill on the outskirts of Greymoor. Though she was likely a long way from achieving her goal¡­the concept of movingheat, controlling it to create cold, was an exciting one. There was something there. Moving energy, such as moving heat away from one area to another, could create cold, just as removing the initial force that started a wagon rolling downhill, would also provoke an outcome. And that also applied to a still wagon parked on top of a hill forever. ¡­or a dead Ravener. ¡®If its resurrection process needs energy, then it probably uses mana and fear,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®That potent venom from Uldar¡¯s cadaver should negatively affect its mana generation. Maybe we could corrupt it, destroy its mana pathways and disrupt its very essence, and if we can find a way to deny or siphon out the fear it takes in, we could starve it of the energy it needs. And if we¡¯re able to do that, we could damage its protocols and disrupt the reconstitution process¡­¡¯ His mind was sparking with possibilities. ¡®This¡­this could work,¡¯ he thought. ¡®That¡¯s three ways to ensure it doesn¡¯t come back. A single way might be enough, but since we¡¯re looking to end a millennia-old monster, there¡¯s no such thing as overkill. We have to make sure that this thing stays dead. Those ideas seem promising, so maybe I should get back to the lab and take a look at Uldar¡¯s notes again.¡¯ ¡°Was I helpful at all?¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok asked him. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been struck by inspiration.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­I think I have something. I¡¯ll need to take a harder look at things, but I actually think I¡¯m going in the right direction,¡± Alex said. He smiled at the professor, then lowered his head. ¡°Listen, thank you. If this works, then you''ve not only helped me, but you''ve also helped my kingdom and generations of my people. And, I mean this sincerely, if you ever need anything from me¡ª¡± Val¡¯Rok raised his hand, shaking his head. ¡°You are my student, and I am a teacher. I teach so that you will learn, not so that I can reap benefits in the future. If you defeat your Ravener, then you can buy me a nice big bag of candied mealworms. There''s a lovely shop near the port that uses a recipe that¡¯s not too sweet.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Listen, if this works, I''ll make your mealworms myself.¡± Val¡¯Rok gave a high-pitched laugh. ¡°Wouldn''t that be something! Haha, in any case. I think you¡¯ll be needing these.¡± The lizard-wizard handed Alex the paperwork to challenge the mana manipulation exams for credit, at the third and fourth year level. ¡°Out of curiosity, which other courses will you be challenging to get your final credits?¡± ¡°Upper year alchemy, upper year summoning, upper year magic lore¡­I¡¯d like to challenge Art of the Wizard in Combat, but¡­I won¡¯t be able to do that until Baelin gets back, if he gets back¡­you don¡¯t think he¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Baelin is quite nearly invincible,¡± Professor Val¡¯Rok grinned confidently. ¡°There are certain magics he¡¯s used¡­well that¡¯s not really in my place to say. Let¡¯s just say that he would be very difficult to kill. You know how in some old tales the hero is forced to imprison a great evil rather than obliterate it, since killing it would be a near impossible task?¡± ¡°Are you saying that¡¯s Baelin?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Exactly. In any case, then which course will you challenge if he''s not back in time?¡± the professor asked. ¡°Blood magic,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯d have to talk to Professor Hak.¡± ¡°A fine discipline, and she¡¯ll no doubt easily agree, considering your paper.¡± ¡°Yeah, considering my pap¡ª¡± He paused. ¡°What paper?¡± Val¡¯Rok raised an eyebrow. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard? Well, that¡¯s often the way isn¡¯t it? It''s your paper, yet you''re the last one to know. You should''ve been informed of the news by messenger.¡± ¡°No¡­oh, maybe I was. I haven¡¯t looked at all the letters and messages that came for me when I was away,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°The paper you submitted for approval, the one about your blood magic process to enhance physical prowess and improve health,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°Well, that paper¡¯s been approved and was published while you were away.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alex cried. ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yes! I wouldn¡¯t kid you about something so important!¡± the professor reached into a desk drawer, retrieving a periodical, flipping through the pages until he finally found what he was looking for. There it was; a study written by an author with a very familiar name: ¡®Alexander Roth¡¯. ¡°Here you are, my friend! It was published recently! Your name¡¯s been the talk of the blood magic faculty. Congratulations! People seem to be interested in follow-up studies, and there have been whispers about developing the method, investments, and the like. It sounds like your process has the potential to be quite lucrative.¡± The archwizard looked stunned. He¡¯d accomplished so much; casting ninth-tier spells, crafting advanced golems, summoning beings of astounding power¡ªbut, this achievement felt different. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. It was his own academic discovery. ¡°My name¡­my name¡¯s right there among the same pages as so many highly-regarded scholars,¡± Alex murmured. Val¡¯Rok chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s your first taste of immortality, Alex. Stories of your deeds are already being told by bards around the city and now, your achievements have been noted in academia. I wouldn''t be surprised if you¡¯re contacted by the actor¡¯s guild looking to create a play about your rise from Fool to warrior, to scholar and Hero! It all sounds very intriguing!¡± ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± the young archwizard whispered. ¡°Then, don''t say anything!¡± Val¡¯Rok laughed, clapping him on the back. ¡°Simply¡­stand proud.¡± ¡°This is incredible¡­¡± Alex said, looking at the professor. Val¡¯Rok had done so much for him, even after he¡¯d stopped taking mana manipulation. ¡°Professor¡­can I ask you just one more thing?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°I would be a terrible professor, if I didn''t answer questions.¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°How did you know that you wanted to go into mana manipulation? What made you decide that was the right path for you?¡± ¡°Decide?¡± Val¡¯Rok gave another high-pitched laugh. ¡°I didn''t. I didn''t even want to be a wizard.¡± ¡°What?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Seriously? But you love it!¡± ¡°I do now,¡± Val¡¯Rok looked through the window again, his smile turning melancholic. ¡°When I was young, I didn¡¯t even know what mana manipulation was, never mind having an interest in it. I had zero interest, you see, but I did have a lot of interest in stealing things. I grew up in a small village in the southlands, on the edge of a swamp. My mother was the village¡¯s finest healer, and my step-father was its oracle; he used mana and divinity to guide everyone. They both expected me to follow in their footsteps, but I was far more interested in taking shiny things from wagons belonging to merchants who¡¯d stopped in our village. One day, I stole a small magical device from a very strange merchant¡ªor someone who I thought was a merchant. That device turned out to be a simple mana conductor and I was able to unravel its mysteries in the few days that I had it in my sticky little claws.¡± He grinned, scratching the scales under his chin. ¡°It turned out that this merchant was actually a wizard, a recruiter for the university. She wasn¡¯t particularly pleased when she discovered that I''d stolen her device, but she was impressed by the fact that I¡¯d been able to figure it out as quickly as I did without any instruction. Because of that, she invited me to visit the university, and my parents insisted that I do so. I gave running away some thought, but¡­in the end, I became curious when she described the city. All I could picture was a sea of wonderful shiny things everywhere. I suppose you¡¯d have to say that my motives for coming here were less than academic. But, they became academic when mana manipulation took the place of my love of thievery in my young life. So, when I began my studies, I chose a mana manipulation course since it was the first discipline I''d ever learned anything about. Turns out, I was well suited to it and¡ªbefore I knew it¡ªI was forty, had long given up my life of crime, and was teaching here. I fell into this path out of the blue, but came to embrace it, you¡¯d have to say.¡± ¡°What about your parents?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Did you ever go back home?¡± ¡°Well, they were proud of me,¡± Val¡¯Rok said. ¡°But, we didn¡¯t see eye to eye on my future. I wanted to stay here, and they wanted me to return home and do what they did. Thankfully, by then, my step-sister had taken on the role of village oracle, and my step-brother was its healer. In the end, my parents got what they wanted, though they still demanded that I come back and use my talents for the village. We argued, and¡­well, that¡¯s a sad story, and probably one that would ruin both of our days. Let''s just say we never did see eye to eye, but my answer to your question is; I accidently fell into what would become my future.¡± ¡°Do you see a direction for my future?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I don''t really know!¡± Val¡¯Rok giggled. ¡°Isn''t that the exciting part? I didn¡¯t even know what I saw for my own future, so, how am I supposed to see yours? Take it one day at a time, follow your feet, and follow what works best for you. You''re smart, Alex, and I''m sure you''ll figure it all out. Take things step by step. If you can come up with a successful plan to destroy a kingdom-ending monstrosity, then I''m sure you can decide what you want to do with your life after that.¡± ¡°I¡­thank you for that, professor,¡± Alex said. ¡°Seriously, thank you. For everything¡± ¡°Bah!¡± Val¡¯Rok turned away. ¡°This is another reason why I hate this time of year, you¡¯re going to make me cry! Tears, tears, and more tears! Now, go on, go on. You have exams to write, and kingdoms to save. I''m sure you''ll do both with distinction, just like you have with everything since I¡¯ve known you. It¡¯s been a pleasure knowing you, Alex. I''m sure our paths will part eventually, but maybe they''ll run side-by-side for just a little longer.¡± Alex smiled, choking up a little. ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, professor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡­if we¡¯re lucky,¡± Val¡¯Rok sniffed.
Alex materialised in Greymoor¡¯s courtyard, his mind in a turmoil. ¡®I¡¯ve said a lot of goodbyes lately,¡¯ he thought. ¡®A lot of goodbyes with my professors¡­maybe not ¡®forever¡¯ goodbyes, but¡­Val¡¯Rok was right, things will be changing.¡¯ Alex thought about Uldar and the Ravener¡ªtwo relics from Thameland¡¯s ancient past who were disrupting the present even now. He thought about Gabrian lashing out even after he learned that his god was dead. Neither him, the secret church, his god, or Uldar¡¯s Ravener had accepted their circumstances, they¡¯d clung to a dying past and punished untold generations of innocent people. ¡­yet not all ancient things were like them. Baelin was a relic of the past, so to speak, and Professor Jules regularly said that he was a monster from the dark days of prehistory. Alex had to admit that in some ways, the goat man was barbaric by today''s standards, but he was also open and wise; his wisdom from lifetimes of experiences was something to be embraced as well. ¡®Besides,¡¯ Alex thought, looking up at Greymoor¡¯s sky. ¡®One day, I won''t be young anymore, I''ll be the one passing on wisdom. I''ll be the one, carrying knowledge from previous seasons into the next.¡¯ He inhaled the air. It was beginning to smell like spring. Winter was melting away, life was reawakening in the natural world. Change was coming, and time kept flowing. All Alex could do was flow with it. As he looked down, his breath caught when he spotted a familiar sight. The aeld tree was glowing, standing tall in the middle of the courtyard, golden-green light emanating waves of joy. It seemed to be rejoicing at the coming spring. In the time he¡¯d been gone, the tree had grown, despite the cold weather; now, at least a foot taller, its trunk and bark were thicker and stronger, due in no small part to its caretaker¡¯s devoted attention. Professor Salinger was busy at its roots, working the soil, adding a unique blend of nutrients and green tinged liquid to them, feeding the young tree. But the professor and glowing aeld weren¡¯t the only living things that had caught Alex¡¯s eye. Beside Professor Salinger, working the soil with spell and spade, was a very busy little goblin. One not named Selina. ¡°Kybas!¡± Alex waved. The goblin whirled, peering about, jumping when he recognised the archwizard. ¡°Friend Alex! It¡¯s been so long.¡± Behind the goblin lay an unexpected sight¡­a fallen tree, and a thick one at that. What were they doing with it? Were they planning to plant it near the aeld? Alex went closer as Professor Salinger stood and wiped sweat from his brow. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s good to see you!¡± Salinger waved his spade. ¡°It''s great to see you both, too,¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°How¡¯ve you been? How¡¯s Harmless growing, Kybas?¡± The goblin gave him an evil grin and looked behind him. ¡°You tell me!¡± Alex stopped, puzzled. It was only when the tree behind the little goblin grunted, that he realised he wasn¡¯t looking at a fallen tree. Chapter 810: Return The ¡®tree¡¯ let out a low hiss as it rolled over, regarding Alex with a single reptilian eye. Knowing how well Kybas fed Harmless, Alex wasn¡¯t surprised at how much the croc had grown since he¡¯d last seen him, which¡ªif he was remembering correctly¡ªwas around the time of the Games of Roal. Kybas and his familiar had been going to Thameland, harvesting dungeon cores with Grimloch and their other friends, but Alex rarely saw him or the little crocodile¡­actually, little was the wrong word. The crocodile could be called many things: terrifying, sleek, powerful, monstrous, large¡­but little wasn¡¯t one of them. Harmless was now the size of a young oak tree, his scales were so thick, they could easily be mistaken for armour plating. His fangs were the size of daggers, his webbed feet were bigger than Alex''s hands and his tail looked like it could break a full grown man in half with a single swing. Gone was the little croc that Kybas had shown Alex in first year alchemy, now replaced by a monster with teeth almost bigger than his whole body had been back then. ¡°What the¡­¡± Alex murmured. ¡°What¡­what happened?¡± ¡°My winnings! And what I get for harvesting dungeon cores!¡± Kybas hopped up and down in excitement. ¡°All that coin makes it so I can feed Harmless much higher quality potions and lots of them too! I''ve been making new ones that I custom blended just for him. It''s making him grow faster than ever, and he¡¯s so strong now! Just the other day, I let him go swimming in the Prinean sea, and he caught a full-grown lion shark! It was amazing!¡± ¡°Don''t those get to be like fifteen feet long?¡± Alex asked. Kybas grinned, nodding vigorously. ¡°And he''s been taking down bone chargers lately! It''s been great!¡± ¡°Yeah, great¡­¡± Professor Salinger looked at Kybas from the corner of his eye, his expression filled with trepidation. ¡°You''re a little reckless, you know?¡± Alex burst out laughing. The familiarity of the conversation was too much for him. ¡°So how have you been, aside from Harmless growing into a dragon?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Good, good!¡± Kybas grinned. ¡°Third year is going well: I''m learning a lot about alchemy, magical botany, and magical beast husbandry. I¡¯m starting blood magic too! I''m going to make monsters when I graduate!¡± He patted Harmless¡¯ enormous head. ¡°I¡¯ll make Harmless even bigger and stronger too!¡± Salinger gave him a wan smile. ¡°You know¡­I''d be happy if what I taught you was used a bit more constructively. You know you could be growing all kinds of magical gardens¡­¡± ¡°It is constructive!¡± Kybas grinned, oddly resembling Harmless. ¡°The magical gardens will feed my monsters, including Harmless! And that¡¯ll help me make monsters! It''s all great!¡± ¡°Ugggggh,¡± Salinger groaned. ¡°If you weren''t such a good assistant¡­nevermind, I¡¯m going to work on the aeld tree again before I have a heart attack.¡± He nodded. ¡°Good to have you back, Alex.¡± The professor walked away, leaving the goblin, the crocodile and the archwizard together. ¡°So how have you been?¡± Kybas asked. ¡°It''s been a bit! I heard you had lots of exciting adventures!¡± ¡°Yeah that¡¯s one way to put it,¡± Alex said. ¡°They were adventures that were¡ªin fact¡ªexciting, but I nearly died a lot.¡± The goblin wizard shrugged. ¡°We''ll do that, eventually. And you didn''t die, so that''s what''s important!¡± Alex laughed. ¡°You''re always so sure of yourself, Kybas.¡± ¡°Why worry?¡± Kybas said. ¡°We have to live, and life is going to do things, and we''re going to do things back. That''s the way the Chulu live: We do things to our enemy, and our enemies do things to us. We just have to make sure that what we do to them, they can''t get back up from! Simple as that.¡± The archwizard shook his head. ¡°I''m almost jealous.¡± ¡°Don''t be!¡± Kybas said. ¡°The Chulu live a hard life, and I''m going to make sure that my tribe gets plenty of help from me, once I learn how to teleport. Then I can go home whenever I want, and give them monsters that they can use to defend our home!¡± Alex thought about that for a long moment. Maybe, just maybe, that¡¯s what he could do with his life. Build things that would help defend Thameland from any other enemies that came to the island. He frowned. Maybe not. Or maybe so? That¡¯s something he¡¯d like to do, but didn''t think he''d want to do it for the rest of his life. Why did figuring this stuff out have to be so difficult? ¡°You okay?¡± Kybas asked. ¡°I am,¡± Alex said. ¡°There''s just a lot on my mind, a lot to think about, and a lot to consider and do.¡± ¡°Well, I''m sure you''ll get it right!¡± Kybas cried, clapping Alex on the forearm. ¡°You''re smart, and you¡¯ve figured out a lot of other things. I''m sure you''ll figure out whatever this is too. Anyway, I should get back to helping with the aeld tree, and I''m sure you wanna get to the lab. Oh! Before you go, you should say hi to the tree, it missed you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex looked up at the aeld. ¡°I''ll do just that. Thanks, Kybas. We''ll have to catch up later.¡± ¡°Plenty of time to catch up once the war is done!¡± Kybas said. ¡°Or maybe before, who knows?¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°Who knows, I guess. Well, I''ll let you get back to work. We''ll get together for a drink later.¡± ¡°Yes, later!¡± The goblin gave him a thumbs up. ¡°You can join me and Grimloch! He said he had the tastiest meal recently, but he wouldn¡¯t tell me what he had or share any so I could give some to Harmless!¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Alex thought back to the drool and stomach-juice-covered antler on the floor of Uldar¡¯s viewing room. Something Grimloch had claimed as a trophy. ¡°You probably can''t get anything like it anymore.¡± ¡°Why do you say that? That¡¯d be a pity,¡± Kybas said. ¡°Just a guess.¡± Alex told him. Harmless let out a little hiss, sounding disappointed. As the goblin returned to work beside the magical botany professor, Alex went closer to the tree, his eyes on the warm bark. He reached out, touching the trunk, surprised at how warm it felt as he smiled up at it. His aeld gave off feelings of joy, which the tree mirrored. Their emotions filled the air, intertwining so closely that Alex could not tell where the staff began and the tree ended. Not for the first time, he wondered if they shared one mind, or if they were separate. He supposed he¡¯d never know. Tucked between its branches were a hornet hive and a beehive. Alex had put them there last summer. Over the warmer months, the insects had flourished, bonding with the aeld, and while the females were still dormant, he knew they would awaken as the weather warmed. ¡°It''s good to see you again,¡± Alex said. ¡°I don''t know if you can sense what''s happening with the staff, but if you can''t¡ªjust know that I''m treating it well.¡± The mysterious tree emanated feelings of warmth and gratitude toward Alex, mixed with slight irritation, like it was sulking. ¡°I get it,¡± Alex said. ¡°I know I haven''t been to visit you for a while, and I''m sorry about that. There¡¯s been a lot going on lately, but I promise I''ll spend more time with you later.¡± He touched the ring that Elder Blodduewedd had given him, carved from the wood of the dead aeld tree in Crymlyn Village. It had been enchanted to protect him, just as the other rings¡ªgiven to the other Heroes and Theresa¡ªhad been. They would all need that protection. ¡°Listen,¡± he said. ¡°I know you bring good fortune to those around you, or at least that''s how the legend goes. If that''s true, then please grant us your blessing. We''re going to need it for what comes next.¡± The tree emanated a wave of curiosity and a flurry of warm emotions. It seemed content. Alex patted it. ¡°Hopefully, we¡¯ll be as content as you are when this is all done. I''ve got to go for now, but I''ll be back. I''ll definitely visit more often.¡±
¡°Good to see you back so soon, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said as Alex walked into the secure section of the laboratory. ¡°I take it your conversation with Professor Val¡¯Rok went well?¡± ¡°It did,¡± Alex said. ¡°That just leaves Professor Hak to okay challenging the Exam for Credit for blood magic, since Baelin isn¡¯t around to give me permission to do it for the higher level courses in the Art of the Wizard in Combat.¡± Professor Jules rolled her eyes so vigorously that the beak bobbed on her mask. ¡°Of course he isn¡¯t, why would the old goat be around when we need him?¡± ¡°Don''t say that, he''s helped us a lot,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m sure that whatever he''s doing with his cabal is keeping him tied up¡­wherever he is.¡± ¡°At this rate, it will keep him so busy that the war will be done by the time we see him again!¡± Professor Jules scoffed. ¡°Well, then we''ll just have to show him our victory when he gets back,¡± Alex said. ¡°That''s the way I look at it at least.¡± He looked around. ¡°Where¡¯s Isolde?¡± ¡°She went to Uldar¡¯s Rise with Watcher Hill and her two companions, Svenia and Hogarth,¡± Professor Jules said, ¡°She¡¯ll be collecting every sample of ichor she can find since we¡¯ll need as much as we can get if we¡¯re going to purify enough poison to use on the Ravener. And while she''s away, my plan is to run a few tests to determine how the poison would react to the addition of dungeon core essence.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Chaos essence would likely make the poison even more volatile,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But the addition of dungeon core essence might increase that volatility even more. And I believe it''s worth a try, so I''ll be running tests with dungeon core essence and a bit of the toxic substance. Now that you¡¯re here, what will you be looking at?¡± ¡°I''m going to see if I can translate more of Uldar¡¯s notes.¡± Alex explained the potential solutions he¡¯d thought of when he was with Professor Val¡¯Rok. She nodded, carefully adjusting her mask. ¡°Val¡¯Rok does have a way of leading people to interesting solutions. I quite like the redundancy of the plan. Having more than one way to ensure that the Ravener stays dead can only be of benefit.¡± ¡°True,¡± Alex said. ¡°And while you''re working on the poison, I can be working on the other two methods: learning how its reconstitution protocol works, and understanding how it turns fear into power.¡± ¡°Excellent,¡± she said, turning back to her workstation. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it then. Good luck, Mr. Roth. Resolving these issues will likely take a while, but let''s hope we can make some good progress today.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope,¡± Alex said. ¡°And if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I might need to ask you for some help. But, if you need anything, just shout.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± she said. ¡°Let''s begin.¡± The two alchemists parted and Alex went to the copies of Uldar¡¯s notes, picking up a few of the sheets of parchment. ¡°Alright. Let''s see if I can''t figure you out.¡± He called on the Mark of the General, painstakingly examining the notes, soon pausing. ¡°Professor, do we have any advanced books on divinity here?¡± She pointed to a nearby bookshelf. ¡°We brought several here, when we first began studying those notes.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Alex said, conjuring a set of Wizard¡¯s Hands. He was about to send them to gather the books up, when he realised that he didn''t know which ones to collect. ¡°I need a favour, professor, would you mind grabbing those books, if you have a moment? You¡¯d know which ones would be relevant, better than I would.¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± she said, going to the bookcase. The young archwizard returned to Uldar¡¯s notes, scanning the god¡¯s written records. The pages were full of magical and alchemical notations, many Alex didn''t recognise, but Isolde and Professor Jules had done an excellent job translating a lot of the god¡¯s unique symbology into modern alchemical terminology. His eyes traced the mana pathways running through the Ravener¡¯s schematics. There was a labyrinth of power going through the construct, and following each pathway was difficult because they were so complex. ¡®Do some of these pathways also channel fear, or are they all just for mana?¡¯ Alex wondered. ¡®I don''t know anything about how constructs are built with divinity, or how that even works? Would such constructs need pathways to channel fear?¡¯ The General of Thameland heard his professor gathering the volumes on divinity. Behind them, the door clicked and¡ªwith a hiss of escaping air¡ªopened. ¡°Ah, there you are, Isolde,¡± Professor Jules said as she headed toward Alex, cradling the books in her arms. ¡°You can put the samples over there¡­¡± The young noblewoman stepped into the room, glass bottles containing Uldar¡¯s ichor softly clinking. Alex¡¯s concentration was fixed on the notes as he muttered. ¡®Damn, what I know about divinity could fill a whole thimble,¡¯ he thought sarcastically. ¡°Professor, could you hand me one of those books?¡± he asked. ¡°If there''s one about divinity and constructs, that¡¯d be perfect¡­or wait, maybe how divinity enchants different items?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Baelin said. A book was placed beside the notes. ¡°Thanks,¡± the young archwizard muttered, taking the book and opening it. ¡°Actually, if you have one on divinity that exists without deities, that¡¯d be pretty helpful too.¡± ¡°This one should do nicely: a fine volume,¡± Baelin said, handing Alex the book. ¡°Thanks, Bael¨C¡± the young archwizard froze. He looked up from Uldar¡¯s notes. ¡°Wait, Baelin?¡± He spun around. There stood the Chancellor of the University of Generasi, smiling. ¡°Did you happen to miss me, my young friend?¡± Chapter 811: The Reunion ¡°Baelin?¡± Alex gasped. Isolde was standing perfectly still, seemingly stunned. Professor Jules dropped the rest of the books on the table in surprise. ¡°You old goat!¡± she cried, her voice muffled through her mask. ¡°A fine greeting to you too, Vernia,¡± Baelin said dryly. ¡°I feel as though I am some dusty old cloak that one has shoved into the back of their wardrobe. Unsung and unwanted.¡± ¡°Baelin¡­you¡¯re back!¡± Alex cried, barely resisting the urge to hug the ancient archwizard. ¡°You''re really back!¡± ¡°No thanks to my cabal.¡± The chancellor sighed. ¡°They really did try to work me to death this time, though I cannot blame them. I had them searching half the planes for a clue as to the origins of the Traveller¡¯s language for the better part of a year, and then I led them on a crusade of vengeance and discovery into one of the hells, so I suppose them working me to the bone for the better part of a year was quite justified.¡± He spread his hands. ¡°But, my duties are now fulfilled, and I hope you are all doing well. I stopped at the university and learned that you were here, Vernia, so here I am, curious to hear your news. I spotted Isolde in the courtyard as she was making her way here and followed her. I was pleased to see your tree growing so well, Alex.¡± A lump was forming in Alex¡¯s throat. He¡¯d really missed the chancellor, far more than he¡¯d realised. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°It really is, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It truly has,¡± Baelin said with a twinkle in his eye. ¡°Well, get it over with.¡± ¡°Get what over with?¡± Alex said. ¡°You''re trying to resist the urge to hug this old goatman, it¡¯s as obvious as the beak on your mask.¡± The ancient goatman said lightly. ¡°Come ahead, do not worry, we''ve been through too much together for me to be awkward about that sort of thing. So¡ªGah!¡± Alex rushed the chancellor and caught him up in a bear hug, lifting him off his hooves. ¡°Welcome back! Welcome back, Baelin! I¡¯m so glad to see you!¡± ¡°I must say that it is good that I am not as feeble as many a fraction of my age are!¡± the chancellor laughed, patting Alex on the back. ¡°You would''ve snapped me in half, otherwise!¡± Alex put his mentor down. ¡°Oh, nothing can kill you!¡± ¡°Hah! Flattery, now this is a proper welcome!¡± Baelin stepped back from Alex, smoothing his magnificent robes. His bronze beard-clasps clinked as he moved. His braided beard was noticeably longer than it had been when he¡¯d left. ¡°Vernia, you could learn something from our young friend.¡± Professor Jules trembled. ¡°It''s¡­chancellor, it''s good to have you back.¡± Her words were clipped. ¡°So much has happened around here while you were gone, and in some ways, it¡¯s been too much¡­but it''s just good to have you back.¡± Baelin¡¯s cheer dimmed. The chancellor looked around the room, his eyes seeming to take in every detail in an instant. His expression turned grim, only growing grimmer the more he saw. ¡°In the brief time Isolde and I made our way here, she wasn¡¯t able to give me a great deal of information, but whatever it is that you¡¯re doing here appears to be of the utmost urgency and significance, considering the level of security surrounding this room.¡± Baelin said slowly. Those notes that you¡¯re looking at, where are they from, Alex? They look positively ancient.¡± The young wizard froze. There was so much to tell him: there was the plan they were making to be rid of the Ravener forever, its odd behaviour recently, that he¡¯d changed the Fool¡¯s Mark to the General¡¯s, that Uldar¡¯s body and throne had been taken, that the god was not only dead, but he¡¯d been responsible for creating the Ravener, the reason for the cycles¡­and that Carey was dead¡­ ¡°There''s a lot that''s happened, Baelin,¡± Alex said. ¡°A lot. It''ll probably take hours to fill you in on all the details, but it''s important that we do so. Professor? Isolde? What do you say we stop for now so we can tell the chancellor about all that¡¯s happened?¡± ¡°That seems appropriate,¡± Isolde agreed. ¡°I¡¯m eager to get on with these tests,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°But it¡¯ll be useful to get your input on all of this, Baelin.¡± The ancient archwizard raised his chin. ¡°Very well. Let us lock up, for the time being, and retire to my office: it likely would need a very thorough dusting by now, but it will be the most comfortable place for you to recount your tale. Come, I want to hear exactly what has gone on while I was away.¡±
By the time they¡¯d finished giving him a full account of what had happened over the months he¡¯d been gone, it was dark outside. This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. Baelin¡¯s magnificent office¡ªwith its fine furniture, and his trophies from long dead enemies¡ªwas now lit by forceballs and magical sconces. The four of them had planned on taking their meals in the office, but they¡¯d barely paused to eat or drink, too busy sharing months of information. Isolde, Alex and Professor Jules had taken turns telling different parts of the story. When one¡¯s mouth grew too dry to continue talking, another one would take over. When one grew too emotional¡ªProfessor Jules came close to screaming when she spoke of Carey¡¯s death¡ªanother would take over. Bit by bit, Baelin learned in detail what had happened while he was away. The ancient archwizard listened, never losing focus, never shifting his attention, and never growing weary. He neither ate nor drank, nor did he speak much, only asking for clarification at certain points in the tale. Baelin hardly moved, looking¡ªat times¡ªlike a life-like statue seated at his desk. When the entire tale was done, his silence continued for a time. A very long time. Shadows drifted over him from the shifting light, making the ancient beastman appear more like a devil who¡¯d crawled up from the Hells. It was unnerving watching him. At last, he finally spoke. ¡°It seems an entire lifetime was lived in my absence,¡± the chancellor said solemnly. ¡°You have all endured much. Accomplished much. Lost much. For what it''s worth, I am sorry I was not there.¡± ¡°No.¡± Professor Jules glowered at him. ¡°You¡¯re not nearly sorry enough, chancellor. You''d understand being sorry if you were the one who had to look into Miss London''s parent¡¯s eyes and explain to them why they would never see their daughter in this life again. You''d be truly sorry if you were the one burying all of those people who died at Uldar¡¯s Rise. Sorry would be if you were stuck here, helpless, while filth ran Mr. Roth down like rabid dogs. Sorry would be if you had to juggle the responsibilities of the expedition, the war, and everyone¡¯s lives at once. No, chancellor, I am sorry. You were not here to experience what sorry is.¡± Alex gasped sharply. Isolde paled. A year¡¯s worth of frustrations, poured out in a torrent. Baelin weathered the torrent well, looking at Professor Jules with eyes that seemed to pierce her. Then, his shoulders slumped. ¡°You were responsible for breaking life-shattering news, and then you had to bear the blame from those angered at their loss,¡± Baelin said. ¡°You had to lay to rest many who worked with us, then explain to their families what had happened. There was blame and anger on their part, and guilt on yours. Responsibilities were thrust upon you that you had great difficulty meeting, and they came with pressures from all sides. You were helpless when those that you cared for, were being trampled and destroyed, which made you feel small. Above all, you imagined me¡ªelsewhere¡ªhaving grand adventures, while you were left to pick up the pieces my absence put upon you.¡± There was pain in Baelin¡¯s voice. Deep frustration. It was subtle but unmistakable, and if Professor Jules¡¯ was a torrent, then the chancellor¡¯s was an ocean. ¡°It might be difficult to believe, Vernia. But I am truly sorry; a great regret is that¡ªfor all the power I have acquired over my many lifetimes¡ªI cannot be in more than one place at a time. You might find this even more difficult to believe, since it comes from the lips of an old monster like me, but once I too was young. Just like you, I lived through very similar circumstances. Not the same, as I cannot presume to know what you have dealt with while I was gone. But similar. I deeply apologise that you had to handle these things alone, Vernia. I will take full responsibility.¡± ¡°You had better,¡± she said. ¡°It''s been beyond hard while you were gone, chancellor. And, I want you to realise something. I warned you that Miss London was going into danger. I warned you that she was risking her life, and that she would''ve been safer in Generasi. I warned you that she and Alex should have remained in the city. If you had listened to me, she would very likely still be alive. I want you to understand that, chancellor, and take responsibility for it.¡± ¡°I do, Vernia. I recognize that had I forced her to return to Generasi, then she likely would still be alive,¡± the ancient wizard¡¯s voice rumbled. ¡°I, however, do not regret my decision.¡± ¡°What?¡± Professor Jules demanded. ¡°How could you say that? She¡¯s dead!¡± ¡°She was a Proper Wizard, Vernia.¡± Baelin watched her, his expression like stone. Unmoving, except for his lips. Unblinking. ¡°She died of her own accord, protecting her friends. She died, dealing a terrible blow to a vicious enemy. She died, and it sounds like she found peace and enlightenment with that act, in the arms of the Traveller; I do not approve of such a need to grasp onto the hem of a deity¡¯s cloak, but that was her way, and she lived it to the end. Now, from the sounds of it, she is reaching a new transcendent existence. She is free of the lies that chained her life, given to her by a church spawned by a vicious, evil god. Had I protected her, what would have happened, Vernia? She would be here in Generasi, physically safe, yet perhaps broken and wondering what to do with her life because of what she¡¯d learned about her beloved god. Even now, we still might not have any idea of the existence of a hidden church, and she might have never come to terms with her own place in the universe and her faith.¡± He sighed. ¡°I do not know. Vernia, when you live as long as I have, you learn to treat your regrets very carefully; they can grow endlessly over the centuries and millennia, until they consume you. What-ifs become a constant plague. And sometimes, you must learn to accept that what is done, is done, and learn not to negate the positivity granted by terrible occurrences. That, I learned from my earliest days in the wilderness. If you wish for me to say that I was wrong, then, unfortunately, I cannot help you.¡± His beard-braids clinked. ¡°Carey was a young woman, and a bright wizard. She was an adult, and deserved to live her full life. It was not in my place to tell her to hide away, unless she requested that of me. She did not, so I let her be. I cannot regret that.¡± ¡°She was too young to know better,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°I think you are discrediting her. Carey London seems to have lived as a wise and brave young woman.¡± His goat-like eyes burned. ¡°She was no child. She was a Proper Wizard. My only regret is that I was not here to aid her in her time of trouble. Again, I lament not being able to be at more than one place at once. But concerning her, that is my only regret. All I can do now, is aid all of you in your struggle with this accursed Ravener¡­while I also catch up with my duties here.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Professor Jules started, then bit her tongue. ¡°¡­Chancellor Baelin, I''m still angry with you and I resent what¡¯s happened, but my anger isn¡¯t going to change a single thing, now is it? But, you¡¯re back now and you can help us. And with that¡­I''m going to go home. I''m going to get some sleep, and then tomorrow, we¡¯ll move on. But I want you to know that sometimes, you can be a little heartless.¡± ¡°I know,¡± was all Baelin said. He looked at Alex and Isolde. ¡°You both must be tired as well, why don''t you get some rest and we can continue in the morning?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Unless you¡¯re really tired, Baelin, could I stay and talk to you for a bit?¡± Chapter 812: The Dangerous What-Ifs Recently, Alex had been feeling like he was walking through a mist of nostalgia. Since he''d come home to Generasi, he¡¯d been experiencing things that he had missed terribly when he was in the Empire. Conversations with his professors, time at home, time with his family, being on campus and in the city, in Greymoor, and being back in the lab doing research on the Ravener. And now he was feeling more nostalgia. He was in Baelin¡¯s office, looking forward to enjoying a cup of pineapple juice, tarts, and other treats with him, just as he used to in his early days at the university. Back then, he¡¯d been a novice at wizardry, trying to learn what he needed to learn to be a wizard, while having to navigate the Mark of the Fool. Now, here he was, sitting with Baelin again, but now, they were both archwizards, though Baelin was literally hundreds of times more experienced than he was. It was calming sitting there in the ancient wizard¡¯s office again, simply enjoying a cool drink with him. ¡°It has been quite some time, hasn''t it, Alex?¡± Baelin put the cup in front of him, ¡°I must tell you that with all of the grim tidings I just received, congratulating you quite nearly slipped my mind. So, let me do so now, my young friend. Congratulations! You have accomplished a great deal. You have overcome the limits placed upon you by Uldar, and continued to master the power granted you by the Traveller, you¡¯ve crushed your enemies, embarrassed those stuffy fools at Brightfire, broke through to ninth-tier spells, and have come to make peace with the ruler of your realm, by your own terms.¡± The goatman¡¯s eyes twinkled as he sat down at his desk. ¡°All Proper Wizard activities. Congratulations again!¡± ¡°Yeah, a lot¡¯s happened. And thanks,¡± Alex said. ¡°I just wish you¡¯d been here to see even half of it.¡± ¡°As do I, Alex,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Though I am here now, which I hope will be of some consolation. I am excited to watch you graduate, and am very glad I did not miss that.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Alex said, looking at Baelin. ¡°I''m really glad about that too. But, if you don¡¯t mind¡­is it okay if I asked you a few questions?¡± ¡°Of course I wouldn¡¯t mind,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°If I minded, I would have asked you to leave with Isolde and Professor Jules.¡± ¡°Okay good¡­first, I wanted to ask what you got up to with your cabal,¡± Alex said. ¡°If you can tell me.¡± ¡°Oh, the story would be both detailed and far less interesting than you might imagine.¡± Baellin took a sip of juice, before reaching for a tart. ¡°I was helping Magun-nobu obtain rather unique materials for a palace he¡¯d been commissioned to design and build for a pantheon in a star system quite a distance away. Getting our hands on the unique and rare materials was quite the challenge, but worth the effort for my friend¡¯s vision. The star kraken that watched over one particular resource was most determined to keep it from us. My cabalmate also needed help with matters of¡­¡± Irritation flashed in Baelin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Let us just say that parenthood can be a most challenging thing, even for those who are among the most intelligent and wise in the universe. That task proved to be challenging as well, but less pleasant and successful than our interaction with the kraken, so I shall not go further.¡± Baelin looked out the window at the evening sky. ¡°Sanii had vowed to rescue an entire people from imprisonment within a demiplane, a place well guarded by a powerful¡ªand entirely too arrogant¡ªarchlich. Together, she and I were able to destroy the undead creature, unravel the demiplane¡¯s magic, and release its prisoners. Cra needed me to test a promising apprentice of hers by becoming the antagonist to their quest for power and wisdom.¡± ¡°Did they pass?¡± Alex asked. Baelin winced. ¡°No, they did not, which was unfortunate, especially when the apprentice turned out to have made a deal for power with a greater devil. It was a foolish deal that would have seen him give up entirely too much, while the devil gave him the veneer of true power, without actually giving him any true power. Still, we combined our efforts to punish the devil that took one of Cra¡¯s for its own. She then broke that apprentice for his foolishness, but by then, I was elsewhere. After that, I was off to Anaxadar¡¯s palace where he needed help in crafting a rather fascinating magical device whose nature unfortunately, I am not at liberty to divulge. That was the most peaceful of my tasks, though it took quite a long time to complete, especially since Anaxadar was dividing his attention between our project, and the war that he insists on continuing to wage.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Someone is going to kill him one day, I swear it.¡± ¡°Sounds like you were up to a lot,¡± Alex said after wondering if his life would be as epic when he reached Baelin¡¯s age, ifhe chose to live that long. ¡°It sounds like your skills were challenged. Even the experience of¡­parenthood.¡± He thought about Uldar. ¡°Wait¡­did you¡­did you ever have children, Baelin?¡± The archwizard paused for a moment, leaving Alex wondering if he¡¯d crossed a line with such a personal question. But the ancient goatman showed no animosity and soon answered, ¡°By blood? No, no. But, I have raised many apprentices, and taught many students. Some of those apprentices looked upon me as a father, after a fashion.¡± An aura of sadness suddenly touched his words. ¡°But, that was long ago.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Alex said. ¡°Do not apologise,¡± Baelin said. ¡°It does not bother me, and one must learn to weather the endless storm that is time. Hurricane winds will blow you where you wish to go, and at other times they will blow against you. At other times, you might be threatened by the lightning accompanying the storm; and all you can do in that case is simply continue walking on.¡± The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°I wonder what would''ve happened if Uldar had just walked on. It seems like he spent his entire life after he was poisoned doing anything he could think of to change that storm you were talking about.¡± Baelin gave Alex a bitter smile. ¡°Now that you have reached a new pinnacle of power, let me give you a little advice that Uldar might have done well heeding. A powerful wizard knows how to change the storm, and can do so, but a Proper Wizard knows when to change the storm, and when not to.¡± ¡°Just like with Carey and me?¡± Alex asked. ¡°When you chose not to send us back to Generasi?¡± ¡°The situation is similar,¡± Baelin said, his shoulders sagging slightly. For a moment, he looked quite vulnerable, surprising Alex. ¡°I do hope Vernia can forgive me, as I value her respect more than she will likely ever know. I would regret it greatly if I were to lose that.¡± ¡°I hope she can as well,¡± Alex said. ¡°For what it''s worth, I''m glad you didn''t send us back home. We had to walk this path, no matter how winding, no matter how straight, no matter who it parted from. We chose it, so we had to walk it.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Baelin said. ¡°The trouble with the powerful who presume to know what¡¯s better for the meek, is that it is the meek that must live with the consequences of the powerful¡¯s decisions. If I told you to return to Generasi, and you found that this choice robbed you of growth and understanding, then you would have had to live with that consequence. Not me. So I know when not to change the storm¡­or at least I hope I do. None of us are perfect though, me included.¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°You know, to me, it used to seem that you knew everything. I used to be convinced of that. Right now, you know so much more than I do, but I feel I''ve taken a step closer to understanding your perspective. I¡¯ll probably never be where you are, unless I live at least ten thousand years, but having gained the power I now have¡­makes me empathise with you a bit more.¡± ¡°In what fashion?¡± Baelin asked. ¡°Well,¡± Alex took another sip of pineapple juice and leaned forward. ¡°When I used to look at you, you seemed like you could do anything. Anything. So I assumed that if I got to higher spell tiers, I''d be able to do anything, just like you, and I¡¯d also know what to do with all that power and potential. But, instead, I find I''m more confused than ever. I''ve got all this pressure on me to stop the Ravener, but I don''t know for sure if I can. Then there''s what happens after¡­what will I do? If anything, I felt more sure of myself when I was in first year than I do now.¡± ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Troublesome, isn''t it? To grow to new levels of power, and find that new understanding does not automatically come with it. We spoke of something similar before.¡± ¡°We did,¡± Alex said. ¡°But this feels¡­bigger.¡± ¡°The ant has no need to worry about what it steps on, but the titan does.¡± Baelin nodded. ¡°Welcome to the realm of archwizardry. But let me advise you not to become one of those individuals who begins looking at power as a curse, when in fact, it is a gift; a tree that bears the endless fruits of opportunity.¡± ¡°I suppose you''re right,¡± Alex sighed. ¡°I''ll think about it. Actually, that brings me to my next que¡ª¡± He paused. ¡°No, there''s another one I should ask you first. It¡¯s more important. Considering everything that we''ve told you about the Ravener, do you think you could beat it? In single combat? I¡¯d like to know exactly what cards we¡¯ll have to play, or if you¡¯re even willing to fight it.¡± ¡°Of course I would be willing to stand against it,¡± Baelin said, looking somewhat insulted. ¡°I am no coward, after all, nor do I feel that the contest would be so against my favour, that it would be pragmatic for me to avoid such a confrontation.¡± Alex paused, a chill running through him. ¡°You think a fight with it could go against you?¡± Baelin went still, his eyes darting back and forth like he was reading unseen text, calculating something. He finally spoke, wearing a grim expression. ¡°As to whether or not I could defeat it in single combat¡­quite frankly, Alex? I am not sure.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Alex said, his heart sinking. He¡¯d been hoping that Baelin would just be able to blow up the Ravener with a single spell. ¡°Really.¡± Baelin stood and walked to the window¡ªhooves loudly clapping against the stone floor¡ªhands clasped behind him. He was quiet for a long time, his back to Alex. ¡°Do you recall the battle at Greymoor when we first encountered that petrifier?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alex said. ¡°You teleported to those dungeon cores underground.¡± ¡°I did,¡± Baelin said. ¡°And those cores were channelling mana directly from an outside source. In hindsight, we can safely assume that the source was the Ravener. It took me quite a while to eliminate the threat of those cores, a much longer time than I was comfortable with; enough time enough for that petrifier to wreak havoc. I don¡¯t know if you have sensed it yet, but whenever I am in Thameland, I can feel the Ravener¡¯s mana hanging over the entirety of your kingdom. That''s how far its power reaches. Were it to channel its full strength¡­I do not know if I would be the victor. There is a good chance I would be, yes, but there is also a chance that I would fall, or be forced to withdraw. Right now, I am lacking sufficient information to give you a sure answer, and quite frankly, that is not ideal. A Proper Wizard gathers as much information as they can before engaging in any battle.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you¡¯ve always taught us¡­¡± Alex murmured. ¡°Does its mana really reach all across Thameland?¡± ¡°Like a shroud,¡± Baelin said. ¡°I felt it in Ussex, the Crymlyn, Greymoor¡­all over. I have to give Uldar one thing, he was brilliant and I¡¯m eager to hear his journal entries, and look at his notes; I wonder if he truly understood what he had created when he made the Ravener? It¡¯s a marvel of alchemy, spellcraft and divinity. ¡­truly a marvel.¡± ¡°If it has so much power that it might even give you trouble,¡± Alex paused. ¡°What about your cabal? I know that¡¯s asking a lot, but if you all got together, would you be able to beat it?¡± ¡°Well, that is conceivable,¡± Baelin said. ¡°But I doubt that solution would be something you would find desirable in the end.¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Questions of greater moralities within the universe are something that I do not spend a lot of time thinking about. Morality seems to change with every society that rises and falls. With every new philosophy. With every new deity. That said¡­¡± He looked over his shoulder. ¡°With the exception of Sanii, I can safely say that I am likely the kindest and most altruistic of my cabal. They would undoubtedly do me this favour, while looking at both the Ravener, and the fact that there is a torrent of divine energy that is now unclaimed somewhere¡­would likely demand a price that you would not be willing to pay. It is possible that they might have no interest in destroying the Ravener, preferring to study it instead. Even Sanii would likely be fascinated by the construct and wish to analyse it, however long that took, before it was destroyed. I admit to having my own curiosities about it as well, with the difference being that I am personally invested, and would have no problem eliminating it.¡± ¡°Alright, that makes sense,¡± Alex sighed. His mind lingered on something Baelin had said. Unclaimed divine power. That bothered him, but before he could give it more thought¡­something else occurred to him. ¡°Wait, you said that its mana covered the whole kingdom?¡± Alex asked. ¡°According to my senses, yes.¡± ¡°How¡­deep do you think its connection with Thameland runs?¡± A possibility had occurred to the young archwizard. And he didn''t like it one bit. Chapter 813: Discussing Connections I cannot say how deeply the connection runs, Alex.¡± Baelin turned, leaning against the window ledge and facing the young wizard. ¡°Though I imagine it must be fairly deep if the Ravener¡¯s mana is present throughout the entire island. Why? What are you thinking?¡± Alex gripped the armrests of his chair. ¡°Professor Jules explained how certain creatures, like liches, are able to regenerate themselves. She said one way was by having part of their essence in another vessel. What if the Ravener¡¯s ¡®vessel¡¯ was all of Thameland? Could it be that every time it''s defeated, it just spreads its essence through the entire island then reforms its body a hundred years later?¡± ¡°That is unlike¡ª¡± Baelin paused. ¡°Huh...¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Alex asked. The ancient archwizard ran a hand through his beard-braids. ¡°A thought occurs to me. Perhaps what you say might be possible since Uldar is, or technically was, the god of Thameland. Through an interdiction, he could have permanently tied the Ravener to the land. A declaration stating something like, ¡®As long as my kingdom exists, so shall the Ravener¡¯, would be simple for a deity of his power to command. I know of gods and goddesses who have granted a form of immortality and invincibility to guardians of their treasures, or to their champions, using such declarations. I also know of others who have cursed their enemies with a form of immortality.¡± ¡°Wait, how would immortality be a curse?¡± Alex asked. Baelin raised an eyebrow. ¡°Think of it this way, my young friend. What good is living forever if one does not have power or certain protections available to them? Being immortal grants no immunity against being captured, trapped, or even tortured. An immortal archwizard, for example, has the ability to defend themselves against such dangers. The mightiest of immortal warriors, deities, and powerful extraplanar entities and spirits would as well. But an ordinary mortal? They cannot break shackles, dig themselves out of a cave-in, break out of a prison, or free themselves from the bottom of the sea. In addition, there is the added unpleasantness of watching all who they¡¯ve known and loved age and die. Immortality can be a terrible curse, depending on one¡¯s circumstances.¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°Never thought of it like that. Makes me glad I have power and friends to walk through the centuries with.¡± ¡°Indeed, you do not know how fortunate you are,¡± Baelin said. ¡°But I digress: the point is that it is possible that the Ravener is innately connected to Thameland, and will be reborn as long as the kingdom exists. Of course, that is only conjecture¡­¡± ¡°¡­but we should consider it as a possibility, just in case,¡± Alex finished. ¡°I agree that we don¡¯t know for sure and the last thing we need is to try to shut it down and then find out it had some other way of coming back¡­and if you think that it being spiritually linked to Thameland is a strong possibility, then we should plan for that. I think it¡¯s better if we¡¯re prepared, even if we¡¯re wrong. If a connection is how it keeps coming back¡­we¡¯d need to break that connection with the land. Do you know of any spells that could do that?¡± ¡°Nothing comes to mind, but perhaps you could attempt something with the Traveller¡¯s power?¡± Baelin suggested. ¡°It¡ªat its fundamental level¡ªinvolves teleportation and control over space. If it can make gates, then perhaps it can destroy the connections between things.¡± Alex snapped his fingers. ¡°Hey! You could be right! I teleported the First Apostle¡¯s arm off at Uldar¡¯s Rise! I might be able to do something similar and break the connection between the Ravener and Thameland, if it has one¡­or maybe at the very least, break the connection between it and the dungeon cores.¡± ¡°Entirely possible,¡± Baelin nodded. ¡°That¡¯s something to work on¡­and you¡¯re going to be with us, to help?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Both in the laboratory and on the battlefield, I will be at your disposal,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Whatever you, and Vernia ask of me, I will do.¡± ¡°Wait¡­ You''ll be at our disposal?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Don''t you mean we''ll be at yours?¡± Baelin looked at him as though he''d suddenly grown three heads. ¡°Why would that be?¡± ¡°Well, you''re so much more experienced than we are,¡± Alex said. The ancient wizard gave a deep, wry laugh. ¡°Oh dear, I seem to be losing my touch as a teacher. Maybe Vernia is right and I am a senile old monster who should be looking at retirement.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Have I taught you nothing about being a Proper Wizard?¡± Baelin fixed his gaze on Alex. ¡°How exactly am I more experienced than you and Vernia?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re millennia old,¡± Alex continued. ¡°You''ve been an archwizard longer than the university has been around.¡± ¡°Indeed, that is true,¡± Baelin said. ¡°And what have I been for the last year?¡± ¡°...an archwizard?¡± Alex pushed, though he knew Baelin was building to a specific point. ¡°A very absent archwizard,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°I no longer know the ins and outs of the current situation. Further, I am going to have to split my attention between my duties here at the university, and the war in Thameland. My information on the current struggle is out of date, and it is no good for a leader¡¯s attention to be divided. Perhaps if I had been present this entire time, I could juggle both situations¡­ but I am well behind now. I will need to focus on catching up with both the situation here in Generasi, and the one in Thameland, which could lead to me making mistakes should I try to assume the position of primary leadership. And that will never do.¡± Baelin drew himself up to his full height. ¡°A Proper Wizard has enough knowledge and power to overcome nearly any situation. Emphasis on nearly. A Proper Wizard must recognise their own limits should they have any hope of surviving and accomplishing their myriad of goals. An incompetent can do nothing. A fool thinks they can do anything, and that they are the only one qualified for a task.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°And, you''re no fool,¡± Alex said. ¡°So you''re saying that because you don''t know what''s been happening lately, you''re going to stay back and let me and Professor Jules keep being in charge of things?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°You have both performed admirably while I was away, and rather than you trying to inform me of every minute detail of everything that has transpired, and then yielding leadership, it¡¯s better that I yield to you, and serve as your advisor and defender.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Alex stopped as Uldar came to mind. The god had assumed that he was the only one who could lead and control Thameland, because he considered himself wise and powerful. But he was arrogant. Baelin was wise and powerful, but he knew when to defer to others; perhaps, that''s what true wisdom was. Alex lowered his head. ¡°I''m glad you''re back with us.¡± ¡°And I am glad to be back!¡± Baelin said, stretching his shoulders. ¡°I can tell you with all sincerity that while being among the stars is a truly wondrous thing, it is good to be back here. You know that feeling of comfort that one gets when they¡¯ve come back to their home? That is precisely what I''ve been feeling since my return.¡± Alex started laughing. ¡°That¡¯s exactly the same way I''ve been feeling, Baelin¡­¡± He paused then. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡°Certainly,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°How did you know? How did you know what you wanted to do with your life? How did you decide to do what you¡¯re doing?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I''ve been thinking about my future for the past few weeks, and it''s been¡­it¡¯s been something, alright. Everyone I talked to gave me all sorts of different answers. Some people said they just fell into the path they¡¯re on. Some always knew what they wanted to do. Some have a future that¡¯s tied to duty. I don''t really know how much their answers really helped me¡­the whole thing¡¯s just left me confused.¡± One archwizard looked at the other. One young. One ancient. ¡°Baelin,¡± Alex continued. ¡°You''ve always given me advice that¡¯s worked for my life; honestly, I didn''t realise how much I relied on it until you were gone. So, please help me out here.¡± Baelin¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°A Proper Wizard¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°No Proper Wizard business; I''m talking to you adult to adult. I don''t want to know what might help some random Proper Wizard or what they''re supposed to do. I want to know what made you decide.¡± The chancellor silently considered the young man before him for a while. The General of Thameland wondered if he¡¯d struck a nerve in his mentor as Baelin turned away, the silence stretching on. For a time, Alex thought that he might not answer at all. But, he finally spoke. ¡°I have never decided,¡± Baelin said. More silence. ¡°What do you mean, you never decided?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I mean just that, I have never decided.¡± The chancellor turned back to face him. There was a change in the ancient wizard¡¯s demeanour. A calmness. A¡­tranquillity. In that moment, through Alex¡¯s eyes, he bore no resemblance to the powerful wielder of cosmic magic that he knew. He looked like an ordinary man who¡¯d lived a very long life. ¡°The world was different when I was born, Alex,¡± Baelin said. ¡°When I was growing up, there was one path in life for me to take: that of a hunter and crafter for my tribe. I did not decide to be a hunter and crafter, that is simply what I was and what I would be. My life changed utterly when I awoke to magic and for the first time, I could do something different. So that¡¯s what I did.¡± ¡°So you decided to be a wizard,¡± Alex said, sighing. ¡°You knew this is what you wanted.¡± ¡°This is what I wanted?¡± Baelin looked bewildered. ¡°Who you are, I mean. You knew that right from the beginning, as soon as you discovered magic,¡± Alex said. ¡°Is that what you think?¡± Baelin burst out laughing, joy filling his office. ¡°You think that¡ªtens of thousands of years ago¡ªI envisioned myself as an archwizard, teaching hundreds of students and leading a university? That I saw myself in this magnificent chamber¡ªone of my many homes¡ªhaving a delightful conversation with a most favoured student¡ªone whom I have had the pleasure to teach¡ªafter I had just returned from the stars? Alex, I did not know you had such a high opinion of my apparent powers of foresight!¡± ¡°Well, I didn''t literally mean this. I mean, when you were born, there were no universities back then, I know that much.¡± The General of Thameland defended himself. ¡°I just meant that you saw yourself as an archwizard.¡± Baelin laughed even harder. ¡°You must think me a greater prophet than the god that ruled your realm! Alex, there were no archwizards back then. Not in this world at least. And it is not only universities that did not exist; magic as it is now was in its infancy. I have told you of some of those dark days. Even the stars were nothing more than twinkling lights above us that many worshipped. I could not begin to fathom that I would be here now.¡± ¡°Well, then you must''ve decided at some point¡ª¡± Alex started. Baelin shook his head. ¡°You still fail to understand. I never made an explicit decision to lead my life in such a way to end up at this point. Here, what do you see before you?¡± ¡°A contented older gentleman?¡± Alex grinned. ¡°I¡­oh. I thought you were going to say, ¡®Chancellor of the University¡¯ and then I would have corrected you and said ¡®a contented old man¡¯.¡± Baelin frowned. ¡°My, you have grown astute. So, tell me, what makes an old person content?¡± ¡°Accomplishments in their life,¡± Alex said. Baelin shook his head. ¡°You have accomplished many things in your life. Are you content?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Try again.¡± ¡°Well, I''d say having a loving family¡ªthat¡¯s what we learned in Alric¡ªbut I have a loving family, and I¡¯m still not completely content. I feel like I have more to do in life,¡± Alex said. ¡°Maybe seeing different places? Exploring the world and yourself? I haven''t seen much of the world.¡± ¡°An excellent suggestion,¡± Baelin said. ¡°From your tale, Uldar explored much of the world. Was he content? The Traveller explored much of the universe. Was she content?¡± ¡°No, and no,¡± Alex said. ¡°Hannah sounded content when she found Alric, but, when she was Marked as a Hero¡­her contentment went away.¡± ¡°Of course it would,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Would you care to keep trying?¡± ¡°Um¡­maybe contentment comes from within?¡± Alex suggested. ¡°You have to know yourself to find contentment.¡± ¡°Very good, but do you know yourself?¡± the chancellor countered. ¡°You know yourself very well, do you not? And are you content?¡± The young archwizard felt growing frustration. ¡°Not really¡­not yet¡­I think the Ravener¡¯s what''s preventing me from being content.¡± ¡°To crush your enemies and see them driven before you.¡± Baelin spoke the words with a resonance to his voice. He looked at his trophies fondly. ¡°Many conquerors and warriors have uttered such sentiments across many worlds. I have known many, yet, I could count those who are content on a single hand.¡± ¡°What about immortality?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Does that make you content?¡± Baelin snorted. ¡°If anything, there are very few things I have encountered that guarantee discontent as much as immortality. But you''re getting warmer. Perhaps, you wish to think about it and leave this for later¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think we''re getting somewhere, and I know how things work. If I don''t figure this out, I¡¯ll end up dead as soon as I leave your office. Or I''ll find myself lying on the ground bleeding to death somewhere, then a revelation will suddenly hit me and I¡¯ll start thinking something philosophical about contentment, while butterflies and flower petals fly by my dying body on the tail of a gentle breeze.¡± ¡°You do have a delightful imagination,¡± Baelin chuckled. ¡°Fine, then let us finish this. I have dearly missed these discussions with you.¡± Chapter 814: The Mentor and the Student ¡°Does everything have to be a puzzle, Baelin?¡± Alex sighed. He remembered Professor Jules¡¯ words about old beings turning everything into a riddle. At this moment, he found himself agreeing with her complaints. Strongly. ¡°To make a point, it often does, though for my own amusement can also be a side benefit, but more to the point¡­¡± the chancellor smiled. ¡°Let us say I outright give you the answer, just tell you how I chose what to do with my life. Since I am well aware that you respect me a great deal, Alex, I would be concerned with the possibility that you would take my information to heart without examining it too thoroughly for yourself. You are very thorough in many ways, but when it comes to choosing what you wish to do with your future, you might¡ªout of fear for what comes next¡ªsimply grasp onto the first piece of advice that you find fits you.¡± ¡°You mean like a drowning man finding and desperately clinging onto a piece of driftwood,¡± the General of Thameland offered. ¡°You''re worried I''ll just take an answer from you and use it for my own life because I¡¯m scared?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Better, that you lead yourself to a conclusion about my life, and your own, rather than me simply providing you with an easy answer. In that way, you can choose to accept what I say, or reject it. If you accept it, it will be because you have thought it over for yourself and will then know how or even if, to apply it for your own life. To make it your own. Furthermore, it has been over a year since we have had one of these discussions. And I am having fun, so permit an old man his amusement.¡± Alex smiled, and rolled his eyes. ¡°This is like when you made me figure out a way to power Claygon¡¯s golem core. I remember you didn''t want to just give me an answer because you felt that would have been too easy. You wanted me to think my way to my own solution.¡± Baelin smiled warmly. ¡°And you harvested a mana vampire to empower your golem. Ah, simpler times. Now you have the might to facilitate the mana production of a dozen golem cores with ease.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true¡­¡± Alex winced, remembering the mana vampire encounter. ¡°They were simpler times weren''t they? But, then again, they weren''t really all that simple. I had to come up with all kinds of different workarounds and strategies just to live my life back then. Now the challenges ahead of me are a lot bigger than any mana vampire¡ªbut, at least I don¡¯t have to come up with a bunch of fixes just to get things done.¡± ¡°Things have truly changed for you, haven''t they?¡± Baelin said. ¡°They have¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°And I accomplished almost everything I wanted to since I left Alric¡­the one goal I have left is to get rid of the Ravener. I keep asking myself what I should do after that.¡± He nodded to Baelin. ¡°I¡¯d like to be like you, Baelin, old, very powerful and very content.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°Keep going.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know how to get there, what getting there even looks like for me.¡± Alex said. ¡°You asked me what makes an old person content? But, each time I suggested something, you countered it with facts: some people would be content with a life of accomplishments, family, conquering and victory, knowledge, inner understanding and so on¡­but others wouldn''t find contentment in those things. I¡¯m wondering if the right answer is that an older person feels content when they''ve lived a life well; but there are different definitions of what a ¡®life lived well¡¯ looks like.¡± He pressed his fingers to his temples, shaking his head. ¡°Keep going.¡± Baelin encouraged him. Alex got up and began pacing. ¡°Everyone I¡¯ve talked to has had a different way of choosing a path for their life. And what one person found satisfying, another found terrible. Isolde is happy taking the same path she and her grandfather had talked about a long time ago; Khalik would find that path pretty dull. Professor Jules wants to spend her life in the lab, making alchemical discoveries, and keeping people safe; while you would probably find that really boring.¡± ¡°Ah, I believe you¡¯re trying to trick an answer out of me aren¡¯t you?¡± Baelin said smoothly. ¡°I will not say either way for myself, but I can say that there are plenty of adventurers who would find that path to be incredibly dreary. Unfulfilling.¡± Alex thought about Professor Jules¡¯ friend who¡¯d been an adventurer until a trap brought her life to an end; Professor Ram sounded like he¡¯d done a lot of adventuring early in life, but now seemed quite content teaching at the university, and keeping to a quieter path. ¡°Yeah, you''re right, and damn you for not giving me a straight answer when I mentioned Professor Jules,¡± Alex glowered at Baelin, who laughed. ¡°The point is that different lifepaths suit different people. And¡­different people gain contentment from different lifepaths.¡± Alex thought about how Uldar¡¯s Marks chose people best suited to their role¡­though some didn¡¯t embrace the role. Cedric seemed to love being the Chosen, but Drestra would¡¯ve been happier not being the Sage of Thameland. The Mark of the Fool had chosen him, though he would have been better suited to the General, but¡ªstill¡ªhe didn''t only want to be the General of Thameland. He wanted to be much more. But what, exactly? What path would let him be as content as Baelin in ten, a hundred, or a thousand years? Everyone he¡¯d spoken to seemed so sure. But how could they be? How did they know that the lifepath they were content with now, wouldn¡¯t be unsatisfying later. Merzhin had lived his entire life dedicated to his faith in Uldar, and when he¡¯d learned the truth about him, he¡¯d come close to breaking. In his whole life he¡¯d never doubted that following Uldar¡¯s teachings was what he wanted, his belief had been that deep. He¡¯d thought he was content¡­but everything he¡¯d thought, he¡¯d believed had turned out to be wrong. Then, everything changed. In many ways, Merzhin was still lost and likely quite broken. Where would he turn now? The First Apostle had been completely broken, but in ways that were different from Merzhin. The holy man had blindly walked a path of lies for centuries, but when he¡¯d been faced with the undeniable truth, though his mind had broken in his final moments, he¡¯d been even more dedicated and committed to his path than ever. Tobias Jay, like Gabrian, was also old and dedicated to Uldar¡ªbut when he¡¯d learned about and seen Uldar¡¯s treachery, he did not hesitate to denounce and turn away from him, and was soon open to embracing a different deity. Of the three holy men, if anyone should''ve been broken forever, it should''ve been the high priest of Thameland; the First Apostle was old, but life enforcement would have kept him youthful for centuries. Maybe longer. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. He would''ve had time to find a different path for his life. Tobias Jay was nearing the final days of his natural life. His body was old, and¡ªsooner rather than later¡ªwould give out. There weren¡¯t enough years left ahead of him to live a full lifetime dedicated to a new path. ¡®Maybe that''s one of the reasons why he changed his position so quickly,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®His options were few, since he didn''t have decades to spend nursing his pain and tossing around looking for a new life path. He was also pragmatic, which was easy to see when he talked about what he¡¯d done to reach his position as head of the church. And there was also the threat of the Ravener looming over Thameland to consider. And being pragmatic, he adjusted quickly. Maybe, he would''ve reacted differently, like Merzhin or Gabrian, if he¡¯d had another lifetime to live¡­to choose¡­a different¡­path¡­¡¯ An answer struck Alex like a thunderbolt. The answer he¡¯d been searching for. ¡°You¡¯ve thought of it haven¡¯t you? Baelin smiled. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Alex looked at the ancient archwizard: his teacher and mentor, a warrior, a mage, a leader¡­he was all of those things and more. ¡°You said you never made an explicit choice.¡± ¡°In a manner of speaking, yes,¡± the chancellor encouraged him. ¡°You said that when you first awoke to magic, you couldn¡¯t imagine that this would eventually be your life,¡± Alex said. ¡°You are correct.¡± A twinkle had entered the ancient goatman¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then I have a question for you.¡± ¡°And what would that be, my young friend?¡± ¡°Are you going to be the university¡¯s chancellor forever, for the rest of your life?¡± Alex asked. Baelin beamed in anticipation. ¡°I will not.¡± ¡°Then that''s the answer!¡± Alex slapped his forehead. ¡°You never chose a single life path¡­because you have infinite¡ªor near-infinite¡ªlifetimes ahead and behind you! You could choose to be whatever you wanted, decade by decade, century by century! You could live hundreds of different lives, make different choices whenever you wanted to! The chancellor began clapping. ¡°Yes! Very good! And what does that tell you about yourself?¡± Alex reflected on his own wants and needs, his past and his future. ¡°There''s a lot of different things I want. I want to be an alchemist, I want to run my businesses and gain wealth, I want to see the world, I want to adventure, I want to raise a family, I want to learn more powerful spells, research magic¡­I want to do all of it. And I understand that I don''t have to choose just one! In a century, I could take a different path if I wanted to! I could return to a previous choice anytime I wanted. I¡¯m capable of lots of different things, so why would I choose just one, especially over a long lifetime?¡± Baelin looked proudly at Alex, then at his trophies. ¡°You have reached an understanding, I believe. Since you turned eighteen, your life has been one where your decisions and actions were hampered by the Fool¡¯s Mark. While other young wizards were free to think about and plan for futures that were without forced restrictions, you obviously didn¡¯t have such freedom. In many ways, you were bound by what the Mark prevented you from doing. Since you were so limited, that is perhaps one reason why you gave no conscious thought to making a long term plan for your life, Alex. If the Fool had never constrained you, you would have lived your life freely, not ever considering not being allowed to do certain things, but many of your decisions were made with the restrictions you were under in the back of your mind. Your choices came mostly with limitations, and this is the first time since coming to Generasi that you¡¯ve been unencumbered, and now, like your friends, you''re free to decide your future without restrictions controlling your actions. Things you couldn¡¯t think about before, you can now. You¡¯ll have to get used to that. Congratulations! I¡¯ve been many things in my very, very long life: a hunter, a magician, an apprentice, a warrior, an advisor, a mercenary, a ruler, a sage, and now¡­a chancellor. I have lived entire lifetimes in one of those roles and then taken on another as easily as one would switch one''s cloak. I did not choose my life path, Alex, because¡ªby the time I had such high thoughts about my own future¡ªI had successfully found a way to extend my life. I knew I would not have to choose. And neither do you, in my opinion. Does this answer satisfy you?¡± ¡°Yes, it does¡­¡± Alex beamed. ¡°The difference is that I want to do certain things that you wouldn¡¯t. I want to spread the word about Hannah, for example, and help her grow in power.¡± Baelin¡¯s smile faded a bit. ¡°Oh my, that is truly a much different choice than I would make.¡± ¡°You and I look at deities differently,¡± Alex said. ¡°You see them as leeches, as you once said. You said they weren¡¯t necessary, and just took power from mortals.¡± ¡°And I was quite right when it came to Uldar, was I not?¡± Baelin raised an eyebrow. ¡°You were,¡± Alex said. ¡°But I don''t think you''re right about every deity. I don''t think you''re right about Hannah; she''s using her power to help people, to protect them. That''s not different from how I use my power to protect people, and how you use yours to protect your students.¡± ¡°Ah, but the power is mine,¡± Baelin said. ¡°And your power is yours. Your might is not derived from syphoning faith from others, it is gained through your own spells, your sharp mind, and your other strengths. The same applies to me.¡± ¡°Yes, but if there''s one thing I''ve learned from having the Mark of the Fool stamped on me, it''s that power also comes from others,¡± Alex said. ¡°My knowledge and strength came from you, my other teachers, and my cabal. A lot of my victories were because my friends were there. And I don''t mean in some esoteric, ¡®I gained the power of friendship¡¯ kinda way, I mean they were physically there to help me make the discoveries that made me more powerful. They were there to finish off enemies that were trying to kill me when I couldn''t fight back properly. And even if you take them out of it¡ªtake you, and all the professors that helped give me the knowledge to make me who I am¡ªwhat about mana? It comes from my mana pool, but my mana pool probably formed because of some mana vent elsewhere in the world. Same with yours, and that of every other wizard, as far as we know. And where does that mana come from? Nobody knows.¡± Alex walked toward Baelin, spreading his hands. ¡°Hannah and different deities might gain their strength from faith, but we gain our strength from the effort of those that came before us¡ª¡± Alex thought about Kelda. ¡° ¡ªand then we become the strength for those who come after us.¡± He thought of Selina. ¡°A Proper Wizard can handle a lot of things on their own, but you said that a Proper Wizard gets a good entourage. That¡¯s gaining power from others, isn''t it?¡± ¡°That is often reciprocal, and is different from the parasitic behaviour of deities,¡± Baelin said impassively. ¡°And I must admit, I look at the power gained a little differently than you. It is true that many do gain strength and knowledge from those who came before, but I was without a doubt a bona fide pioneer. Much of what I learned about magic I had to gain through my own experimentation. There was very little knowledge of wizardry that came before me, because there were very few wizards that came before me on this world.¡± ¡°I can see your perspective,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, I still think, you gained your mana from somewhere, right? It might not be quite the same as a deity using the power of faith, but if that deity then uses their divinity to protect their followers¡­isn''t that reciprocal too?¡± ¡°I do believe that a difference lies in the fact that faith can be utilised without a deity,¡± Baelin countered. ¡°And if that is the case¡ªtake Thameland for example¡ªwhat use is a deity? Your kingdom and priesthood function quite well without one.¡± ¡°Good point¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°But I still think they can be helpful. Maybe you¡¯re biased?¡± ¡°Ugh, now you sound like my cabal-members.¡± Baelin rolled his goat-like eyes, then looked at Alex thoughtfully. ¡°What is it?¡± the young archwizard asked. ¡°I am proud of you, Alex,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°More than I can ever convey. And I am truly fortunate to have been your teacher up to this point, although missing this past year, a time so important in your journey, has left me more sorry than you will ever know.¡± Chapter 815: The Two Archwizards Alex blushed at the ancient archwizard¡¯s praise. ¡°Thanks, Baelin. And you don''t have to apologise, you have your own¡ªmany lives¡ªto live. The reason why you owed your cabal a favour in the first place was because you helped me, and I''ll be forever grateful for that; I think it¡¯d be pretty damn unreasonable of me to blame you for having to repay a favour they did for you because of me. Professor Mangal taught us enough about reciprocal relationships that I understand what they mean, and not to be resentful about having to pay something back. Especially, when you owed them because of me.¡± ¡°I see that Professor Mangal has taught you well,¡± Baelin said. ¡°But I still regret it.¡± He sighed deeply then, looking like a rather vulnerable old man. ¡°I did mean what I said to Vernia, you know. I regret not being able to be in multiple places at once. If I had that ability, there would be much suffering that both myself and those who I care for could avoid. There would be much that I would not have missed in your growth, in the growth of Isolde, Khalik, Thundar, Carey¡­I wish I could''ve been here for you.¡± ¡°I think we''ve all had that wish at one point or another, Baelin,¡± Alex said. ¡°If I could have been in more than one place at once, then maybe, I could''ve helped my parents escape the fire. I don''t know.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± The chancellor shook himself. ¡°In any case, I have driven this pleasant conversation toward useless regret and melancholy. What I should be saying is how much I admire your growth. How proud I am of you. There was a time when you would not have challenged one of my deeply-held beliefs as you just did. While I do not agree with you, Alex, and likely never will, I must say well done! That said, I do not have to agree with you. You are growing into an independent thinker, which is what all proper teachers wish for from their students.¡± ¡°Would you call me a ¡®Proper Wizard¡¯, then?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I would.¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°You and the rest of your cabal as well. Speaking of which¡­are they also planning to extend their lives?¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Alex said with relief. ¡°I asked them, and they were in favour of the idea.¡± ¡°And have you picked the method you¡¯ll use to achieve a form of immortality or at least significantly extend your lifespan?¡± Baelin asked. The young wizard grimaced. For a while, he¡¯d thought that would be something he¡¯d look into after the Ravener problem was finished with. But, recently, he¡¯d hit on a promising idea; one that would let him, his cabal, and his family live for many lifetimes. At least it would, if he got the alchemical formulae and compounds right. He¡¯d need a certain ingredient, it wasn¡¯t common and would need to be processed¡­but if he could get his hands on it¡ªalong with enough time in the near future¡ªthe problem of living for millennia would be solved. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think I do.¡± ¡°And what method would that be?¡± Baelin asked. Alex grinned slyly, ¡°I was actually considering telling you something cryptic then making you guess the answer.¡± The old goatman¡¯s cheer faded, somewhat. ¡°I suppose I would deserve that.¡± ¡°Yes, you would.¡± ¡°I regret teaching you.¡± ¡°Well, it''s too late now.¡± Both archwizards laughed before turning to the window. The starry sky extended high above them, like an endlessly black sea studded with points of white fire. ¡°Congratulations again, by the way,¡± Baelin said. ¡°On reaching ninth-tier spells. You had quite the path of thorns to get there, but you weathered it admirably.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Alex said. ¡°I couldn''t have gotten to where I am without your help.¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°I am pleased to walk this path with you. So tell me¡ªif you are considering taking multiple life paths throughout your life¡ªwhich one will you choose first, after the war is over?¡± Alex smiled at the stars. ¡°I think I have a couple of ideas.¡± He turned to his mentor. ¡°Could you do me a favour?¡± ¡°What do you need?¡± the chancellor asked. ¡°I''d like you to find something for me,¡± Alex said. ¡°If you find it, I think it''s going to make the battle easier.¡± ¡°Of course. And what would that be?¡± the chancellor asked. Alex told him. Baelin smiled. ¡°It might be difficult to find, but I should be able to search it out before long. I hope your coffers are full.¡± ¡°They are.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°By the way, remember my paper on the blood magic process I cooked up? Well, it was accepted and published!¡± ¡°Was it now?¡± Baelin nodded, looking pleased. ¡°How wonderful. I am glad you chose to publish it.¡± ¡°So am I,¡± Alex said. The two wizards fell into their own thoughts, soaking in the silence. A relaxed silence. ¡°Baelin.¡± Alex said, breaking the comfortable stillness. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°You said you weren''t planning on being chancellor forever,¡± Alex said. ¡°That''s not because you¡¯re dy¡ª¡± ¡°Oh goodness, no, I am in no danger of imminent death, unless the battle against the Ravener is one where I am blind-sided,¡± Baelin said smoothly. ¡°I simply meant that, while I do enjoy my tenure here, there will come a time when I will desire change and decide to seek another role.¡± ¡°Who do you think will replace you?¡± Alex asked. ¡°That is largely up to the university¡¯s board to decide,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Though, if I have my way, Vernia will be offered the role, should she still be living when I decide to take my leave.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°She¡¯d be a very different chancellor. I think the school would change a lot.¡± ¡°Some change is good and should be embraced. Some change is terrible and should be fought. And sometimes, change is just that: change. Vernia¡¯s way will be different, safer of course, but I hope she would not discard too many of my philosophies. I would be heartbroken to see this university fail to create Proper Wizards: her wizards would be cautious, likely more practical, more prudent, but less able to defend themselves, I fear.¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°Then it''ll be up to us Proper Wizards to make sure they can survive. We''ll be the ones crushing their enemies and seeing them driven before us.¡± Baelin gave him a vicious grin. ¡°I suppose we will. I knew there was a reason I liked you.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''ve missed you, Baelin. I know, I said that, but I really have.¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m glad that I will be here to witness your graduation,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°Right, which reminds me!¡± Alex whirled on Baelin. ¡°I¡¯d like to challenge the exams for credit in upper year Art of the Wizard in Combat courses! Could you sign the paperwork for me to do them?¡± Baelin looked at Alex for a long moment, then shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± the young archwizard sputtered. ¡°You don¡¯t think I can handle them? I¡¯m sure I can, Baelin! I really want to graduate before we go after the Ravener, in case things go wrong!¡± ¡°Oh, do not look so panicked,¡± Baelin laughed. ¡°I did not say that you could not gain credit, I merely meant that there was no need for exams. Alex, you have learned just about everything I would wish to teach you in the upper year courses of the Art of the Wizard in Combat. You have mastered utility spells as a way of defence; summoning spells to grant minions, the art of negotiation to win you allies, ways to confound your enemies, use of terrain, traps, understanding when and how to adapt. You have conquered foes that most wizards would wither to dust from even the slightest notion of facing. To me, through your conduct, you have shown the qualities necessary to justify credit. I have no need to examine you. And¡ªas chancellor¡ªI can simply agree to grant you the credit.¡± ¡°Oh¡­thank the Traveller, that¡¯s a relief,¡± Alex said. ¡°So, I''ll take my other exams when Hobb schedules them for me.¡± ¡°Splendid.¡± Baelin said. ¡°¡­we can call defeating the Ravener my post-graduate work for the Art of the Wizard in Combat,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Hah! Then you will have to ¡®study¡¯ hard!¡± Alex thought about his plans for the lab. ¡°I plan to, Baelin. Believe me, I plan to.¡± ### Several weeks had passed since the chancellor had returned. Winter had fallen away and spring was nearly in full bloom; the hills of Greymoor had turned from snow white, to mud brown and¡ªat last¡ªwere covered in verdant flora as plant life sprouted. Constant streams of birds flew up from the southern seas, returning to their homes, as other animals emerged from their dens and burrows. Life was returning to the land once more¡­a land in chaos. As snowflakes finally gave way to spring rain, Ravener-spawn behaviour had grown more bizarre and confusing. In some parts of the land, their rampages had grown to overwhelming heights. Entire encampments or towns¡ªof soldiers¡ªwere wiped out in a single night. All of a sudden, forests would teem with dungeons in the space of a day, spawning armies of Ravener-spawn that threatened to overrun the land. The Heroes¡ªincluding Alex¡ªBjorgrund, Asmaldestre, the Generasians and the Thameish army, focused their efforts on these areas, trying to prevent the Ravener-spawn from taking over those parts of the kingdom. When they hurried to these turbulent spots, thinking that the Ravener had at last shown its hand and the battle they were facing would be the final one, it never was. No matter how many dungeon cores they destroyed, or how many Ravener-spawn they killed, there would always be more, springing up like weeds. On some parts of the island though, the monsters were behaving quite differently, not rampaging but instead, helping any mortal who crossed their paths, bringing them food, providing shelter, and saving them from feral beasts. These acts of altruism were always temporary: at times, soldiers would be saved from some threat by a horde of Ravener-spawn, only to be attacked by a different horde later that same day. Confusion soon spread through the Thameish ranks: soldiers wondered if aid would be offered to them, or death. They were in a constant state of apprehension, never knowing what to expect. However, Ravener-spawn were not the only outside forces offering aid. There were the Traveller¡¯s miracles as well, growing more numerous with each passing day. Hannah was growing stronger. And she was not the only one offering them aid. Another outside force had also come to Thameland¡¯s aid. ¡°Hurry up, you layabouts!¡± a bald wizard barked in the courtyard of Greymoor. ¡°Every heartbeat we waste here is a heartbeat our competitors can use to get ahead of us! You want to get paid, don''t you? Well, if we don''t hurry and get those cores, there won¡¯t be any pay for anyone!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± cried the small army of Generasian mercenaries. They were obviously a high-priced warband¡ªdecked out in the finest magical armour while bearing powerful, finely crafted weapons. Each one of them was mounted on a winged stallion that stood in orderly ranks lined up in the courtyard before their employer, the man sat astride the back of a trained wyvern. ¡°Then let us fly!¡± the bald wizard commanded. ¡°Come now!¡± As one, the mercenary army soared high above the keep, winging their way north to join the war effort. They were not alone. Alex watched from the Research Castle¡¯s battlements as more Generasi mercenaries and private armies flooded out through the gate and over the hills of Greymoor. They moved with determination, urgency¡­and greed. ¡°Look at all of them,¡± Theresa whispered beside Alex. ¡°I hope¡­they know what they are getting into¡­are they really here for coin?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Coin and desperation, since Kartika lifted the ban,¡± Alex said. ¡°Toraka said that¡¯s not surprising, it¡¯s what happens when folk realise that a valuable resource could soon be scarce.¡± ¡°I heard word¡¯s going around the city that we¡¯re close to getting rid of the Ravener,¡± Theresa said. ¡°According to Baelin and Professor Jules, Councillor Kartika purposely let that information get around,¡± Alex said. ¡°Once anyone with a spirit of adventure and a desire for coin heard dungeon core substance could be a finite resource soon, they started scrambling, desperate to get their hands on as much as they could.¡± ¡°They''re calling it the ¡®Dungeon Core Rush¡¯ in some places.¡± Theresa shook her head. ¡°They''re no more than vultures: they don''t care about us, they just want to grab as many resources as they can.¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Let them,¡± he said. ¡°It helps us: the more people are here, fighting dungeons, the more we can focus on what we need to do. Ugh, I understand what Baelin meant about wanting to be in multiple places at once. Anyway, after today, hopefully, I¡¯ll have one big task wiped off my list, because tomorrow: I challenge the Exams for Credit.¡± ¡°Do you think you will¡­succeed today¡­father?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Alex glared across the hills. ¡°It¡¯ll give the Ravener something to sweat about. But, we¡¯ll need our guest to be able to finish the next preparations.¡± He looked at the position of the sun. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s about time to go get them.¡± Chapter 816: The Saint in the Lab Alex and his guest materialised inside the courtyard of the Research Castle. They made an odd duo, one broad shouldered, tall and powerfully built, the other short, slight, and looked at least five years younger than his actual twenty years. Saint Merzhin looked around the courtyard with a melancholy expression. ¡°So this is where you and the others would train. This was where Carey lived and worked, wasn¡¯t it? It feels strange, and even a little lonely, finally coming here after so much time.¡± The atmosphere around the two Heroes became a bit more awkward for a while, both knowing very well why Merzhin hadn¡¯t been permitted in Greymoor. Neither wanted to acknowledge the reason out loud. Alex cleared his throat. ¡°It''ll be good to have you here,¡± he said, uncomfortably. He could probably count the number of times on his two hands that he¡¯d spent alone with the Saint of Uldar since he¡¯d first met him, though they¡¯d become friendlier over the past few weeks¡ªwhen Alex had started meeting with the other Heroes to help battle Ravener-spawn, and train Cedric, Drestra, and his cabalmates near the Heroes¡¯ encampment. Even now, Alex would still hesitate to call him ¡®friend¡¯. They were allies, to be sure¡ªand the archwizard empathised with the Saint¡ªbut there was a distance between them that had yet to be crossed. If it ever would be crossed. The General shook away feelings of discomfort. This wasn¡¯t the time for that. They had important work to do. ¡°If you¡¯ll follow me,¡± Alex said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the lab. We¡¯re in the final stages of a few projects in the research building, and you might be able to help us.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Lead the way. Where are your other companions?¡± ¡°My cabal¡¯s back at school, and Theresa and Claygon went to hunt dungeon cores,¡± Alex said, leading him toward the Research Castle. ¡°I see.¡± The small Hero followed, his eyes hardly leaving his feet. The pair walked through the courtyard in the cold drizzle, ignoring the weather. ¡°Carey worked with you here, didn¡¯t she?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°Yes, she did,¡± Alex said, opening the door to the outer laboratory. ¡°She helped a lot.¡± ¡°¡­was she happy working here?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°Yeah, she was,¡± Alex said, remembering the young woman¡¯s enthusiasm. ¡°At least that''s the way it seemed to me. She was troubled after we found out what we did about the dungeon cores, but¡­I think she was still happy with our work. She wanted to give her all when it came to defeating the Ravener, and that¡¯s what she was doing here. Every day.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Merzhin said, going quiet, even as Alex was showing him how to put on his safety equipment. Alex watched him closely. There was a¡­listlessness to the Saint¡¯s movements. A dullness in his eyes and a lack of vigour in his expression. He¡¯d lost weight too; in some ways, he reminded the young wizard of the skeletons wandering the ruins under the Barrens of Kravernus. Merzhin had seemed to become more despondent since they¡¯d listened to Uldar¡¯s journal. ¡®That was obviously another shock for him,¡¯ Alex thought, leading Merzhin through the outer lab¡ªpassing curious researchers, busy exploring the capabilities of dungeon cores¡ªtoward the inner lab, where Uldar¡¯s notes waited and measures against the Ravener were being hammered out. ¡°It''ll just be two of us for now,¡± Alex said. ¡°Baelin, Professor Jules and Isolde will be joining us shortly, but for now, we can use the time getting you up to speed on what we¡¯ve been doing, and what we¡¯ll need your help with.¡± ¡°I am at your disposal,¡± Merzhin said, his voice sounding dead. Alex glanced back at him¡ªmeeting his eyes through the lenses of his mask¡ªbut neither he nor the Saint said anything further. Merzhin didn¡¯t say a single word until they had entered the secret lab and closed the door behind them. Alex activated the magical lights, and¡ªfor a moment¡ªthe Saint blinked against the sudden brightness. His eyes flew wide when he spotted the object in the centre of the room. ¡°What is that?¡± he cried. Alex followed his gaze. ¡°Oh that? It doesn¡¯t have a name yet. But the best way I can describe it is¡­insurance. No, that¡¯s not quite right¡­protection.¡± The archwizard approached the device. It was sizable¡ªabout five feet tall and just as wide¡ªand looked to be an odd, metallic tree forged of zinc, copper and other alchemical materials. At the bottom of the tree¡¯s trunk was a mana generator that powered the device, which floated on a forcedisk. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Each of the machine¡¯s metallic ¡®branches¡¯ were tipped with familiar black orbs: dungeon cores, emitting a low hum, and a barely detectable growl. ¡°Are those all dungeon cores?¡± Merzhin asked, then shook himself. ¡°A foolish question. What do you intend to do with all of those dungeon cores? That is the question I should be asking. What is this machine supposed to be protection from?¡± ¡°The Ravener,¡± Alex said. ¡°Or at least one of the Ravener¡¯s abilities.¡± He pointed to the wall nearby: pasted across it were the schematics they¡¯d taken from Uldar¡¯s notes. Over a dozen cutaways were on display, each showing a different configuration of the Ravener¡¯s inner magic circuitry. Beneath the diagrams were an assortment of notes: some were Uldar¡¯s¡ªtranslated into modern alchemical symbols¡ªwhile others were the research team¡¯s own hypotheses and notations. ¡°See that diagram there?¡± Alex pointed to a sheet in the centre of the rest. ¡°That seems to be mana circuitry responsible for restoring the Ravener.¡± ¡°What?¡± Merzhin looked at him sharply. ¡°Drestra was telling us that you were looking for something like that in Uldar¡¯s notes. So you have found it!¡± ¡°Yes, recently, and that¡¯s one of the reasons why you''re here today.¡± The General of Thameland fixed his attention on the diagram in disgust. ¡°Our dead god¡ª¡± Merzhin winced. Alex ignored him. ¡°¡ªwas, I have to admit, pretty brilliant. We nearly missed the correct section. But, fortunately, Baelin noticed a very old notation for a ¡®restoration glyph¡¯. Apparently, some ancient societies used to use them to make self-repairing buildings. The practice fell out of favour because of how expensive it was¡ªit¡¯s a lot easier to just hire a mason to carve more stone, than it is to set up the glyph. But, Uldar made a version that works with other circuitry to reconstitute the Ravener.¡± ¡°So you can shut it off?¡± Merzhin asked excitedly. ¡°Can you change its inner¡­circuits to stop it from reforming?¡± Alex grimaced under his mask. ¡°We¡¯re working on that. Uldar was very thorough: that¡¯s only one restoration glyph. One of twenty we¡¯ve found so far: he put a lot of redundancies in the Ravener¡­probably to stop anyone from doing what we¡¯re trying to do right now.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Merzhin said, looking at the dungeon core-tree device. ¡°And that machine is supposed to help with that?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Alex said, approaching the device again. He ran a finger along one of the dungeon cores attached to it. ¡°But we figured¡ªif we¡¯re going to try and change functions in the Ravener¡ªwe should practise on the next best thing we have: dungeon cores. Drestra, Carey and I already controlled some¡ªmaking them do what we wanted¡ªbut we thought that if we could make permanent changes to the cores, we¡¯d have a better chance of making permanent changes to the Ravener.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°So are you trying to make the dungeon cores¡­good? Non-threatening? Helpful, like some of the Ravener-spawn have been?¡± The Saint¡¯s voice grew quiet. ¡°Could we do the same to the Ravener itself?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°We don''t think that''ll be possible. There''s a big difference between trying to make a small change to one of its systems, and trying to change its entire purpose. At that point, it becomes easier just to break the whole thing. No, we''re not trying to change the dungeon cores to make them helpful. We''re trying to change them to stop the Ravener from killing us in its dungeon.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°Well, it makes sense that¡ªwherever the Ravener is¡ªit¡¯s going to be hidden in some deep dungeon somewhere. And¡ªunless I get really lucky and can teleport us right into its ¡®face¡¯¡ªthat means we''re going to have to fight our way to it. At which point, what¡¯s to stop it from just crushing us in one of its tunnels?¡± ¡°Oh my¡­that makes sense¡­¡± Merzhin said. ¡°So this ¡®tree¡¯ is supposed to stop that?¡± ¡°When it''s finished¡ª¡± Alex said. ¡°¡ªit''ll send out a field that''ll make it more difficult for the Ravener to control the earth around us. The inside of the ¡®tree¡¯s¡¯ trunk is covered in earth-magic glyphs, they¡¯re meant to empower the dungeon cores¡¯ ability to alter the terrain of a dungeon. We changed the function of the cores, and made them capable of controlling the earth in anydungeon, not just their own. Then we set them to counter attempts to alter the ground: that should prevent the big black ball from just caving in the ceiling on our heads when we''re in its dungeon.¡± ¡°Ah, that does sound important,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°And what else have you worked on?¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s this.¡± Alex pointed to another device sitting on a pedestal off to the side of the room. It was made of bane and looked like a hollowed out dagger with a cage of twisted metal as its hilt: inside the cage was a container made of mana-reinforced glass. ¡°That''s an injection device, it¡¯s made of bane, and other parts I scavenged from Kelda¡¯s machine, the one I used to remove the Fool¡¯s Mark. It should work together with a poison to attack the Ravener¡¯s essence, that we''re almost finished developing.¡± ¡°Oh my!¡± Merzhin peered at the machine, sounding fascinated. ¡°And all you¡¯ll have to do is just stick that into the Ravener¡¯s surface?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°The poison¡ªand this device¡ªwould work a lot better if the toxin was injected directly into the Ravener¡¯s mana generators and nodes where a lot of its magic circuitry comes together.¡± ¡°Inside the Ravener?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°How are we going to get inside of it?¡± ¡°We''re working on that,¡± Alex said. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s not what we needed your help with.¡± Alex approached a table scattered with page upon page of alchemical formulae and conjecture. ¡°We need your help with a ¡®divinity¡¯ problem.¡± ¡°I see. ¡­so what sort of problem?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°You have a much deeper knowledge of Uldar and faith than the rest of us do,¡± the General of Thameland said. ¡°And we''re hoping that your knowledge will help us solve the last two parts of our plan. We suspect that the Ravener draws power from fear in a similar way that a deity draws power from faith; we also suspect that the Ravener is innately connected to Thameland. We¡¯re thinking that the same way people praying to Uldar creates divinity, people¡¯s fear of the Ravener gives it a way to come back.¡± The General of Thameland pointed to a diagram of something resembling a mana vacuum. ¡°When golems lose control in a workshop, the quickest way to stop them¡ªwithout destroying them¡ªis to use a mana vacuum to syphon away the energy.¡± Alex tapped the diagram. ¡°The idea is that part of the device will attach to the mana circuitry on the inside of the Ravener, while the other part will be attached to the outside. That should funnel away its energy; we know for sure that this device will work on mana, but, the problem is that we don''t know if it''s going to syphon away fear. Our poison will damage the Ravener¡¯s essence, but we want to make sure it can''t just draw on more energy and revive itself. So, the first thing we wanted to ask youis if we''ll be able to turn this device into something that can work on fear.¡± Merzhin shook his head. ¡°I do not think you can. As a matter of fact, I think you are looking at this incorrectly. Your approach is wrong.¡± Chapter 817: The Nature of Divinity and Mana ¡°Incorrectly?¡± Alex asked. ¡°What do you mean by that? I remember you saying that divinity works by channelling a god''s power through a gate in the soul. That means it could be channelled out in the same way, couldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It is possible,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°But I do not think that the way you are going about this is going to work. You are treating divinity too much like mana. They are different. Divinity comes from faith. Faith is not bound by circuitry or machines; it is faith, and is far more intangible. It does not require magic circuits or spell arrays, or alchemy or machines or formulae. All it requires is belief, and I do not think a machine could control it.¡± Alex frowned. ¡°With respect, Merzhin, people once looked at mana in the same way. If you go back far enough, then the only way people became wizards and sorcerers was by making contracts with otherworldly, magical beings. People didn''t think there was a science to it in those early days, but there was. We know the science very well now. I bet you divinity is the same: life enforcement has been studied a lot, for example.¡± Merzhin raised an eyebrow. ¡°I know very little about life enforcement, but I did some reading on the art after our encounter with the First Apostle. I know there is a lot of theory to it: how divinity mingles with lifeforce, flowing through meridians and pathways in the body and soul. But I ask you this: what is the basic thing you need to become a wizard?¡± ¡°Mana,¡± Alex said. ¡°A mana pool.¡± ¡°Alright, and what stops people from being able to practise life enforcement? Everyone has a life force, so shouldn¡¯t everyone be capable of the art?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°They might be,¡± Alex said a little defensively. ¡°My blood magic process mimics the first step of life enforcement: that''s how it made Hart and me stronger.¡± ¡°And tell me, are you and Hart able to continue down the path of life enforcement?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°I don''t know,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''ve never grown any stronger when I''ve been doing meditation, and I can''t feel my own life force in the same way that Theresa can.¡± ¡°Neither can Hart,¡± Merzhin said. It suddenly struck Alex that Merzhin had stopped referring to Hart and the other Heroes by their titles alone. He wondered what that meant. ¡°Hart has tried learning the art from Grimloch but could advance no further,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Well. That''s alright, there''s lots of different paths to power,¡± Alex said. ¡°But what stops one from being able to practise it, even after your process has transformed them?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°What specifically? What makes one incompatible?¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°I don''t know.¡± ¡°Precisely. We also do not know why some members of a faith can become a priest who wields miracles, yet some are never able to do so.¡± Merzhin said somberly. ¡°There are some within the clergy who study for decades, and never manage to channel a single ounce of divinity through their soul. Their faith is no shallower and their dedication no weaker than those around them who can call upon miracles. And we still have no idea why that is.¡± ¡°We will one day,¡± Alex insisted. ¡°But when will that day be?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°Divinity is a force that actively avoids understanding. Faith is power, and faith exists completely independently from knowledge. Sometimes, knowledge is the enemy of faith: after all, the faith of a child is often purest of all.¡± ¡°Knowledge didn''t weaken you, Merzhin,¡± the General said to him. ¡°You learned all about Uldar¡¯s revolting deeds, yet you can still work miracles. Tobias Jay stopped being a follower of Uldar, even in private from what I understand, and has lost none of his powers.¡± Merzhin¡¯s eyes turned sombre through his mask. ¡°Another mystery. Are you aware of the tale of Former Father Gerard?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex admitted. The Saint took a deep breath, like a preacher standing before his flock. ¡°It is a tale not usually told to those outside the clergy, so it is not well known. It is said that Gerard was once a dedicated priest to Uldar, praying incessantly, preaching of his deeds and doing his works. He conducted himself with utter dedication. His faith was insurmountable¡­until one day¡ªafter a great tragedy¡ªhis faith was shattered. And yet he still continued to be able to work miracles. He cursed Uldar¡¯s name with every breath that he took, and screamed at how he had been forsaken¡­but yet his power did not diminish at all. Counter this with the story of Simon of Sin. Simon was a priest as well, one who lived much later than Gerard. He grew weary of the burdens of priesthood, and began performing his duties out of obligation, not any true dedication to Uldar. Over time, his ability to work miracles faded and he left the clergy behind. There have been many philosophers within the church who have suggested theories as to why one kept their power, yet the other didn¡¯t. But the point is, it is still a mystery.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex mused. ¡°So you''re saying that divinity and faith aren''t tangible enough to be easily channelled through a machine. I don¡¯t buy that; I think one day we''ll understand it.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°As I said, it defies understanding,¡± Merzhin said softly, his voice a mix of reverence and¡­something else. Disdain, perhaps? ¡°To understand it, how long will that take? Would we be able to understand how to channel faith so we can finish the Ravener when the time comes?¡± Alex paused. He thought about that for a time. In a way, Merzhin had a point: a lot of the books on divinity that he¡¯d read to translate Uldar¡¯s notes were¡ªfor lack of a better word¡ª¡®hazy¡¯. There were lots of theories, but few solid facts about how divinity worked. Even Kelda¡¯s notes were vague and somewhat mysterious: there were a massive amount of notes on how divinity interacted with the soul, but only theories on how divinity itself could be channelled. ¡°Let''s say you''re right¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°What would you suggest instead?¡± ¡°Faith should be met by faith,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Uldar laid down purpose and order for the Ravener. That must be countered by similar purpose and order. An interdiction would suffice.¡± ¡°An interdiction¡­¡± Alex thought about the First Apostle¡¯s power. Gabrian had used interdictions to stop mana from being channelled at Uldar¡¯s Rise. The Third Apostle had also used an interdiction to stop him from channelling his power, which the young archwizard had eventually overcome. ¡°So, could an interdiction be used to stop the Ravener from thriving on fear? Something like ¡®The Ravener shall no longer be able to channel the power of fear¡¯?¡± ¡°Probably not. I don¡¯t think that would work,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Uldar crafted the Ravener himself¡ªthe Ravener is one of his mightiest servants¡ªI don¡¯t think I or anyone else could order it not to take in fear. I think the command must come from the opposite direction. Something like ¡®Thameland¡¯s fear shall no longer touch the Ravener.¡¯ or ¡®Thameland shall forevermore sever its connection with the Ravener¡¯. Thameland is Uldar¡¯s divine realm in the material world; an interdiction could cause it to cut all connection with the Ravener and stop fear from being channelled into it.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex considered what the Saint had said, growing excited. ¡°That¡¯s¡­jeez, I feel kind of stupid for not thinking of that. We¡¯ve been so busy trying to solve problems by using the methods we know best, that it never occurred to anyone to try the simplest solution. An interdiction.¡± ¡°I am glad you see it now,¡± Merzhin said, with relief in his voice. Alex thought about the Saint¡¯s words. He shook his head. The young wizard had been thinking too much like a modern mage. Like an alchemist. In part, the Ravener was crafted with magic that predated most modern theories of wizardry, along with divinity. It made sense that the solution was more arcane, and not as easy as simply being able to ¡®alchemy the problem away¡¯. Kelda¡¯s machine for removing the Mark had some esoteric components to its power as well. ¡°Honestly, I''m a little disappointed that I didn''t see it earlier,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m supposed to be the guy who pulls together different disciplines in order to solve problems. Instead, we kept trying to use one discipline to solve a problem it wasn¡¯t suited for. This is great!¡± Merzhin looked at him with sad eyes. ¡°I''m glad you think so. But I would like you to keep this between u¡ª¡± As he spoke, the door opened. ¡°Ah, early as always,¡± Baelin said, leading Professor Jules and Isolde into the room. ¡°Good morning, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. She looked at the Saint of Uldar¡­Alex noticed a hint of hostility in her eyes. ¡°We meet again, St. Merzhin.¡± ¡°Oh, er, a pleasure to meet you again as well,¡± Merzhin said, shaking her hand. ¡°Merzhin, nice to see you again,¡± Isolde called, already crossing the room to set up her station. ¡°Yes,¡± the Saint said flatly. Then he turned to Baelin, craning his neck to look up at the goatman wizard. The chancellor was staring down at him, his expression completely unreadable, even to Alex as his eyes bore into the Saint. He suddenly grinned, extending his hand to Merzhin. ¡°So you are the famous Saint of Thameland? It is good to finally meet you.¡± ¡°Er, um, yes.¡± Merzhin¡¯s gloved hand shook Baelin¡¯s. ¡°Er, good to meet you as well...sir. Alex was just filling me in on your work, and I''ll be glad to help today however I can.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Baelin looked at him thoughtfully. ¡°Everyone!¡± Alex called, once the introductions were made. ¡°I''ve got news! Merzhin here is absolutely brilliant!¡± ¡°Erm, Alex.¡± The Saint held up a hand. ¡°Perhaps we¡ª¡± But the General of Thameland was much too excited about the Saint¡¯s solution¡ªand more than a little ashamed that he hadn¡¯t thought of it himself¡ªto hold back. ¡°We might¡¯ve been going about trying to counter the Ravener¡¯s power over fear and its connection to Thameland all wrong.¡± The young archwizard continued. ¡°Let me tell you what Merzhin said.¡± And so Alex did just that. He spoke of Merzhin¡¯s ideas on their plan to counter the Ravener¡¯s fear, as well as the Saint¡¯s idea about using an interdiction. ¡°Right, right,¡± Alex caught himself when he¡¯d finished explaining. ¡°I''m probably stealing a bit of Merzhin¡¯s thunder here, so maybe he should tell you more about his idea. I mean, even if our original plan could work, it''s not the most simple solution. Merzhin¡¯s is sort of brilliant¡ª¡± He paused. The Saint was looking away from the others, one hand clasped over his other wrist and his feet pointing toward each other. His shoulders had slumped and his eyes were squinting, as though he was either in great pain¡­or anticipating some. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°You''re right, though, I should explain myself.¡± ¡°Of course, go ahead, Merzhin,¡± Isolde said. ¡°This is a fascinating idea,¡± Professor Jules encouraged him to keep going. Merzhin went on to explain some of what he knew of divinity and why their solution might not be as efficient, or as simple as his. Isolde and Professor Jules nodded along, just as Alex had¡­but the young archwizard had begun to feel uneasy. Something felt off. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it, but there was something too easy about what Merzhin was saying. Something that¡ªcombined with the Saint¡¯s obvious discomfort¡ªthe small Hero might have been purposefully omitting. It was obvious that he wasn¡¯t the only one feeling uneasy. While Isolde and Professor Jules nodded along with Merzhin¡¯s explanation, Baelin watched him with the stillness of a statue. He hardly moved. He hardly breathed. His eyes never left Merzhin¡¯s masked face. When the Saint finished, the ancient wizard was the first to speak. ¡°Young man, it would seem that your plan is well thought out. Very well thought out,¡± Baelin said. ¡°As though you have been considering this option for a while: an interdiction, you say?¡± ¡°Well, I have been giving it some thought¡ª¡± Merzhin began. ¡°And you have not shared all of those thoughts with us, have you?¡± Baelin asked. ¡°I-I have,¡± Merzhin stuttered. His body language screamed; lie. ¡°Really? Then tell me this.¡± Baelin clasped his hands behind his back and leaned forward. ¡°How do you plan to power such an interdiction? One strong enough to cover the entire kingdom?¡± Alex froze. That¡¯s what had been bothering him! Chapter 818: Merzhins Hidden Penance Even in Thameland, the First Apostle¡¯s interdiction had only reached Uldar¡¯s Rise, only reaching that distance because Uldar¡¯s Rise had a uniquely potent connection to the god. How in all the hells then, was someone supposed to cover all of Thameland with an interdiction? ¡°It would be difficult to include the entire kingdom,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°But not impossible. The hidden church was able to make interdictions in a foreign land using consecrated soil from Uldar¡¯s Rise, according to Alex. If we were to consecrate certain points around Thameland¡¯s coast¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªone could temporarily extend Uldar¡¯s ¡®domain¡¯ far enough for an interdiction to cover Thameland¡¯s borders,¡± Baelin said. ¡°You would not be able to eliminate mana in the entire realm, but it could be denied to a single individual within its borders¡ªand likely only a single individual, since it is such a wide area¡ªas long as the interdiction was very focused. ¡°Exactly¡ª¡± Merzhin said. ¡°I am no Fool, young Merzhin,¡± the chancellor¡¯s voice was firm. ¡°The amount of divinity that this act would require would be enormous. You would have to channel an ocean''s worth of energy through the gate in your soul...causing it to shatter like a dropped egg.¡± Merzhin went still, seemingly not breathing. ¡°But, that¡¯s what you want, isn''t it?¡± Alex asked him gently. ¡°You''re trying to die.¡± ¡°N-no,¡± the Saint said uneasily. ¡°I think my soul could handle it. It''s just a matter of preparing myself.¡± ¡°No, your soul couldn¡¯t handle such an interdiction,¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°What do you know about it?¡± Merzhin glared at the wizards around him. Isolde stood frozen in place. Professor Jules had taken a step forward. ¡°Merzhin, you cannot¡ª¡± ¡°I am the one who has expertise in divinity,¡± the Saint insisted. ¡°I have experienced it, unlike the rest of you.¡± ¡°True.¡± Baelin said, patting his own chest. ¡°But, I have engaged with more individuals than I can count, who have used divinity, though I have not focused on the art in the same way a devoted practitioner would. And I have studied my enemies in-depth, as a Proper Wizard would.¡± ¡°And I am the most devoted,¡± the Saint fired back. ¡°I know divinity, and I know my own soul. I know what I can handle, and what I can''t. I can handle this: the Mark of the Saint has empowered me.¡± ¡°Merzhin, not that long ago, you said you couldn¡¯t channel interdictions at all,¡± Alex reminded him, continuing to speak in gentle tones. ¡°I was there: and now you''re telling me you''re going to be able to channel an interdiction that''ll cover the entire kingdom? The only way I could see that is if you have a plan that involves just letting your soul shatter¡­on purpose. I¡ªI noticed that whenever you say you''ll be safe¡ªyou look away from us. Listen, I¡¯m not going to let you destroy your own soul.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± he paused. ¡°What choice do we have? We need to stop the Ravener, and we need to do everything we can to make sure it doesn''t return. What if you use all of your different solutions, and they¡¯re still not enough? What if its connection to Thameland is what lets it regenerate? Better for my soul to be destroyed, rather than for countless generations to keep suffering.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed through his mask. ¡°You''re doing this because of Carey, aren''t you?¡± ¡°What? What are you¡ª¡± ¡°I''d feel guilty too.¡± The General of Thameland put a hand on the smaller man¡¯s shoulder. A comforting hand. ¡°I''d feel like shit knowing and thinking I¡¯d dedicated my entire life to a god who wanted to kill everyone. A god who¡¯d made a regenerating horror to make sure people worshipped him to keep him alive. A god that never really cared about me. A dead god. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for my dedication to that god, maybe my good friend would still be alive.¡¯ If that¡¯s what you''re thinking, well, think again.¡± Alex¡¯s voice grew stern. ¡°Carey died for all of us, including you. She wanted you to help us and to heal, not die. You''re as much a victim in all of this as the rest of us.¡± Merzhin slapped Alex¡¯s hand away from his shoulder. Tears began to run, visible through the lenses of his mask. His breath sounded ragged. ¡°Don''t act like you know how it feels! Don''t! You don''t know how much it hurts!¡± ¡°I don''t,¡± Alex said. ¡°Exactly! And have a care for your hypocrisy,¡± Merzhin pushed. ¡°The hidden church was tricked just as the rest of us were, and you showed them no sympathy! I do not need it either, because I am the same as them!¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re not!¡± Alex¡¯s voice was like the crack of a whip. Merzhin startled. ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m not?¡± ¡°They made their choices. Before we found out Uldar was dead, you were helping us.¡± ¡°It took Carey¡¯s death to drive me there. Some Saint, I am. My only true friend had to die to allow me to see the light.¡± Merzhin''s slight frame trembled. ¡°I¡­¡± Alex started¡­then froze. Some Saint, I am. ¡°Hold on now,¡± he said. ¡°Hold on, hold on, just hold on! You don¡¯t have to sacrifice yourself, Merzhin!¡± ¡°What?¡± the Saint looked frightened. ¡°What are you saying to me!¡± ¡°Yes, exactly what do you mean Mr. Roth?¡± Professor Jules demanded. ¡°Hannah. Hannah was a Saint of Uldar!¡± Excitement was surging inside him. ¡°And she was a hell of a lot more experienced than you, Merzhin, and now, she''s becoming a demigoddess!¡± ¡°That divinity would make her soul many times stronger than a mortal¡¯s,¡± Baelin mused. ¡°Yes¡­I see. You mean for her to perform the interdiction, Alex?¡± ¡°It''s a longshot,¡± Alex said. ¡°But she''s getting stronger. If we manage to get her back into the material world¡ªcompletely¡ªbefore we fight the Ravener, she could use her connection to Uldar. That¡¯s how the interdiction gets performed without anybody needing to die.¡± ¡°Yes¡­that is brilliant!¡± Isolde cried. ¡°And her soul would surely be strong enough.¡± Baelin nodded. ¡°For an interdiction as focused as the one that would be needed? I believe it would have to be; even demi-deities can accomplish great deeds within their divine domains. Ah¡­and as a matter of fact¡­worship of her is spreading throughout Thameland. She might be able to perform the interdiction twice: once, with Uldar¡¯s power, and another time with her own.¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°We would need her here, in the material world, though.¡± Professor Jules began to pace. ¡°Can we guarantee that we can bring her back?¡± ¡°Not¡­¡± Alex paused, thinking quickly. ¡°Faith in her is spreading, she¡¯s growing stronger and¡­wait, I have an idea. Even if we don''t get her back beforehand, we can use¡ª¡± Suddenly, the Saint let out a mournful cry. ¡°Then I can''t atone like that!¡± Burying his face in his hands, he rushed from the lab. ¡°Merzhin!¡± Isolde called. ¡°I''ll go after him,¡± Alex said. ¡°Shit, this was my fault.¡± ¡°We will stay here, then,¡± Baelin said. ¡°We can continue working on the poison.¡± ¡°Alright, thanks,¡± Alex said, teleporting from the room. It didn¡¯t take the young archwizard long to find the Saint of Thameland. Merzhin had already left the outer lab and was on the final step leading to the Castle wall. Alex felt panic rising. Oh no. The General of Thameland teleported onto the wall, appearing in front of the Saint. ¡°Don''t do that,¡± was all he said. The Saint had ripped off his mask and his chest was heaving. He gave the General an offended look. ¡°I''m not planning on doing what you¡¯re thinking,¡± he said. ¡°It would be pointless and wouldn¡¯t absolve me of what I¡¯ve done anymore than any other useless gesture. I came up here to think. To breathe.¡± ¡°Oh, then breathe away,¡± Alex stepped aside. A quick glance at the Saint¡¯s body language showed he was being truthful. ¡°But, if you don''t mind, I''m going to stay here just in case you change your mind.¡± Merzhin grunted, pushing past Alex and walking across the wall, and leaning against the parapet. The General followed him, staying near. It was wet. The rain had stopped. For a time, the two young men were silent. Then Merzhin broke it, angrily. ¡°You had to do that, didn''t you?¡± He shook his head accusingly. ¡°It would have been so perfect. So beautiful. A sacrifice, like Carey¡¯s in exchange for what I did to her. But now, if I were to do what I was thinking of, it would be for my own selfishness.¡± The Saint gave a low, bitter laugh. ¡°I know that there¡¯s wisdom in Hannah performing the interdiction instead of me. If I did it, then there would be a good chance that it wouldn¡¯t work at all¡ªbecause my soul might break too soon. Which would make my sacrifice pointless at best, and useless, at worst. I agree, Hannah is the far better choice, and I admit that, even as I¡¯m considering ways to pour as much strength into her as I can, almost against my own will.¡± He said despondently. ¡°You want to make amends,¡± Alex said. ¡°But now, if you do what you wanted to do¡ªwhen there''s another solution¡ªyou''d be doing it for yourself.¡± ¡°Rendering my deed pointless,¡± Merzhin finished. ¡°Was I born into this world simply to make mistakes? Is that it? Was I born only to make myself and others miserable? Nothing seems to turn out the way it should. I follow a deity, and he turns out to be a monster. I trust fellow members of my church, and they turn out to be villains. The enemy I dedicated my life to destroying is in league with the god I worshipped. I was responsible for getting my own friend killed. I abhorred you, yet apparently, you are not only my rightful commander, but one of the few people who have been working consistently to eliminate this land¡¯s plague from the beginning. I was isolated from the other Heroes because I was unpleasant to be around. Why?¡± Merzhin turned to Alex. ¡°Why do you show no ire toward me, while the hidden church experienced only wrath from you? I asked you this before, but you never answered me.¡± Alex looked at Merzhin for a long moment. ¡°And how many people did the hidden church kill? Hm?¡± ¡°I do not know. If we consider how many historical members of the hidden church there could have been, the number is likely uncountable. We will probably never know how many the current generation has killed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Alex continued. ¡°And, here¡¯s the thing. They never changed their ways. The First Apostle never changed, even after he saw Uldar¡¯s corpse; he just became more rabid. You''re a victim like the rest of us, because you didn¡¯t do what they did. You changed. When Carey died, you started making different choices. They doubled down, no matter who died, or who they killed. You''re a good person with a good heart, Merzhin, and that heart was led astray.¡± ¡°Kind words,¡± Merzhin scoffed. ¡°But, I find them hard to believe. Within myself, my emotions and soul churn. My life has lost its meaning several times over; I thought I could return meaning to it by atoning¡­¡± The Saint looked at Alex. ¡°Carey was lost for a time; she struggled too. Then, when she sacrificed herself, she found peace. I want that¡­peace and penance. I''m not sure I will ever have either.¡± ¡°¡­I don''t know,¡± Alex said. ¡°For what it''s worth, I think¡ªif you''re looking for penance¡ªerasing Uldar¡¯s evil legacy is about the best penance anyone could ask for.¡± ¡°And peace?¡± Merzhin¡¯s voice broke. ¡°What about peace? How do I live with what I''ve done?¡± ¡°¡­all I can say is that I don''t think Carey found peace because she died,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think she found peace in the Traveller. That was her way to peace, but I guess everyone''s got their own path to get there.¡± ¡°What was yours?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°Mine?¡± Alex let out a bitter laugh. ¡°I''m not at peace right now. I''m a big ball of worries, anger, excitement¡­just emotions. Sometimes sorrow. Sometimes grief. I just keep walking forward.¡± ¡°How?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°I have nightmares every night lately. They follow me into my waking moments. My entire existence is guilt and grief.¡± Alex winced. ¡°I''ve been there.¡± ¡°You have?¡± ¡°My parents died in a fire,¡± Alex said grimly. ¡°I saw it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­I am sorry, I didn¡¯t know that,¡± the Saint said. ¡°Normally, I would hear of your troubles and offer you wisdom and comfort¡ªas I did with those who came to me when I was still living in the church. But, I don''t think I can comfort you or anyone else right now.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not about you comforting me. I only brought up what happened to my parents to show you that I''ve been in that dark place too. My pain was in the past, but yours is here and now. We''re talking about you; it¡¯s not about me right now.¡± Merzhin gave him a wan smile and sniffed. ¡°Thank you for that. If only your words were an incantation that could help me feel better.¡± ¡°What do you want, Merzhin?¡± Alex asked then, watching Merzhin¡¯s body language. ¡°You say you want peace and penance, but what does that look like? How would you know that you¡¯ve found your peace?¡± ¡°I would be able to focus,¡± the Saint said. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be listless, and I would have more energy to go forward. My thoughts would not turn to self-destruction, and I could¡­have space in my mind to think.¡± ¡°Space in your mind to think¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°I might be able to help you with that. I have a technique that I wish I¡¯d known back when I was grieving my parents. It might be able to help you: it helps me get through my own thoughts, and continue with what I have to do.¡± ¡°It sounds like something that could be of benefit to me,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Something I can do.¡± ¡°It''s not a magic fix,¡± Alex said. ¡°It''s just a simple meditation technique, if you¡¯re still interested?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Alright, then I want you to close your eyes,¡± Alex said. ¡°What we''re going to do is have your soul come to complete rest: that¡¯s what I did when I harvested parts of my soul¡­¡± ¡°What? You did what?¡± Merzhin looked at him horrified. Alex waved the Saint¡¯s shock away. ¡°Nevermind, forget I said that. Anyway, close your eyes. First, I want you to focus your attention on your body. Starting with the crown of your head, I want you to move your attention down. You''re going to bring your attention to your eyebrows, then, your eyes, then your mouth, your neck, then to the feeling of your robe on your shoulders, your chest, your legs, and then your feet. You¡¯ll feel the weight of your feet in your shoes and as you do, I want you to take a deep breath¡ªbreathe in for four seconds, hold the breath for seven seconds, and then breathe out for a count of eight. Alright? What we¡¯ll be doing is called a grounding technique.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°And what if unwanted thoughts come into my mind?¡± ¡°Acknowledge them,¡± Alex said. ¡°Let your mind acknowledge their existence, then let them pass over you like water over rock. Acknowledge them without judgement: a simple, ¡®this thought is here¡¯ is enough. That will help calm the emotion tied to such thoughts. Alright?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Merzhin said, his eyes closed. ¡°Okay,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''ll lead you.¡± With that, the General of Thameland led the Saint through his first meditation and grounding exercise, keeping count of his breaths, guiding his attention over his own body, and bringing him back to the present. The archwizard performed the exercise as well, both of them breathing as one. Calm spread through Alex¡­and he noticed Merzhin¡¯s breathing become more even. His sniffles calmed, his body language relaxed. After a time, Merzhin opened his eyes. ¡°I feel better, calmer,¡± the Saint sounded surprised. ¡°Much better. ¡­more at peace.¡± ¡°You''re clearing some of the power from your emotions,¡± Alex said. ¡°That''s what life enforcement practitioners do.¡± A thought struck the General. ¡°You might want to do that exercise regularly: and with enough practice, you''ll be able to use it all the time. It''ll help give you some relief, and calm your soul.¡± ¡°Yes¡­calm the soul,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯ll be a good way to strengthen my soul-gate as well. Yes, I think I''m going to include it in my daily prayers.¡± He smiled weakly. ¡°Thank you, General. I think this will help me greatly¡ª¡± His words abruptly stopped when a blinding light suddenly flared to life on his body, illuminating his robes. His Mark¡ªthe Mark of the Saint¡ªburned bright, shining like the rays of the sun. Chapter 819: Learnings Reward The Mark of the Saint flared as brightly as the noonday sun, sending Alex stumbling back, shielding his eyes. ¡°What''s happening?¡± he cried. ¡°Merzhin, what¡¯s happening?¡± All around the startled archwizard, came cries of alarm. Watchers of Roal and their fellow guards scrambled to the top of the Castle wall. From the courtyard below, people were calling to each other. Yet, Merzhin¡ªthe Saint of Thameland¡ªwas silent. ¡°Merzhin!¡± Alex screamed. ¡°Merzhin, are you alright?¡± There was no reply, but the light grew brighter. What was it? Was it a trap? A Ravener attack? Alex¡¯s heart was pounding. How much did they actually know about the Marks? They had Uldar¡¯s notes, but they were only partially translated. They had his journal, but his memory had been declining; he might easily have forgotten something important. Clenching his teeth, Alex moved toward the light, reaching toward Merzhin. If he could just find the Saint, he could teleport him to safety. Maybe he could bring him to a healer, if he needed one. Maybe he could¡­do something¡­anything! But, he couldn¡¯t see the small Hero¡¯s form: the only thing he could make out was the golden glow of Uldar¡¯s hand. And that¡¯s what Alex reached for. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Merzhin!¡± the archwizard cried. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to¡ª¡± Alex¡¯s hand brushed the Mark of the Saint. Suddenly, a massive pain burned across his right shoulder, as though a metal rod had been pressed against his flesh. The Mark of the General began to blaze, though not as blindingly as Merzhin¡¯s symbol. Light emanating from the Mark of the General began pulsing, throbbing rhythmically, like a beating heart. The Mark of the Saint pulsed in time. Alex felt a connection forming between the two Marks. A stream of energy opened, flowing through the Mark of the General¡ªlike a gateway¡ªstreaming to the Mark of the Saint. For a moment, the Saint¡¯s golden glow dimmed. Then, abruptly ruptured, completely vanishing in a blink, replaced by a white brilliance that dazzled the eye. The radiance reminded Alex of the light that filled Uldar¡¯s sanctum and¡ªbefore his eyes¡ªthe golden hue of the Saint¡¯s Mark mottled, flecking away like bits of rust bleeding from iron. The Mark now blazed white like sunlight striking fresh snow. A breath later, Merzhin¡¯s holy symbol erupted in song: singing the same hymn as when a Hero was found. Bright light dimmed, revealing Merzhin¡¯s face. Alex could see him clearly, his mouth was open in shock, eyes were wide and his skin was ghostly pale. ¡°I feel¡­I feel much different!¡± he cried. ¡°It¡¯s¡­incredible!¡± ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Alex shouted. But any reply Merzhin might have made was stopped by a familiar voice. A voice that sent waves of revulsion down Alex¡¯s spine. ¡°You have done well,¡± Uldar¡¯s voice whispered in his ear. From Merzhin¡¯s expression, Alex knew he¡¯d heard it too. ¡°Is that him?¡± the General demanded. ¡°Can he be back?¡± ¡°No!¡± Merzhin shouted. ¡°It feels the same as his recording! There¡¯s nothing behind it! ¡°You have earned my full approval,¡± Uldar said. ¡°A new technique to enhance the Saint. Something from another discipline growing what you already possess. That is my way. With my second-in-command, the General, granting you his approval, I empower you fully. Go. Destroy the Ravener. Bring my will unto the land.¡± With that, the light faded. Alex blinked, the afterimage of the Uldar¡¯s hand still in his vision. ¡°By the Traveller!¡± he cried. ¡°What in all hells just happened?¡± Merzhin stood in front of him, looking shocked, but no worse for wear. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it felt a lot like when I first got Marked¡­but less painful,¡± Merzhin said. The Saint grabbed his robe, hiking it up, revealing both his trousers and bare torso. He was unsurprisingly lean¡­but what was surprising was the Mark of the Saint in the centre of his stomach. It now glowed white. ¡°Well¡­I didn¡¯t see that coming,¡± Alex muttered. ¡°Me neither¡­who could?¡± Merzhin agreed. ¡°My soul-gate¡­ It feels stronger now and bigger. It¡¯s like my connection to Uldar¡¯s divinity has become more powerful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you were Marked all over again,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Oh¡­oh that bastard.¡± ¡°Who?¡± Merzhin dropped the hem of his robe, looking up in alarm. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there. Suddenly, Watchers converged on them from all directions, some came bounding up the stairs, others flew from the sky, while others rushed toward them from different parts of the Castle wall. ¡°Has something happened?¡± a Watcher shouted. ¡°We saw a blinding bright light up here suddenly! Were we attacked?¡± Alex and Merzhin exchanged a glance. ¡°No. No we weren¡¯t. Everything''s fine. It was just¡­well, we¡¯ll be right back.¡± The young archwizard touched the Saint¡¯s shoulder. They disappeared.
Alex and Merzhin reappeared far from the Castle, materialising in the woods on the outskirts of Greymoor. ¡°Gah!¡± the Saint cried. ¡°I¡¯ll never get used to that.¡± He touched his stomach. ¡°What in the¡­I can¡¯t believe this.¡± Alex leaned against a tree, his mind racing. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it either.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± Merzhin shook himself. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Who¡¯s a bastard and¡­¡± The full shock of the situation seemed to crash down on him all at once. ¡°What in¡­what happened to me?¡± ¡°I¡­I think,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think we uncovered some long-forgotten function of the Mark.¡± ¡°What long-forgotten function?¡± Merzhin demanded. ¡°Why is there a long forgotten function?¡± ¡°That¡¯s where the ¡®bastard¡¯ comes in.¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Merzhin¡­Uldar had the Marks pick people that would best suit their role, right?¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Merzhin said. ¡°We were to exemplify his strengths. But there was nothing about a forgotten function in his journal! Nothing!¡± ¡°I think there was, even if he didn''t explicitly say it,¡± Alex said. ¡°Like you said, each of us were supposed to exemplify Uldar¡¯s different strengths. But how did he come to power? What did he do when he first realised he was strong?¡± ¡°He¡­took his people and went exploring the world, learning different things,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°He was learning, Merzhin! That¡¯s how he grew powerful! Listen, I''ve had this theory that the point of the General is to teach each Hero how to maximise their own potential,¡± Alex pushed. ¡°My powers are supposed to encourage creative thinking: that''s the way the power guides me. Then, I¡¯m supposed to pass on that creative thinking to the other Heroes, to get them to learn like Uldar did.¡± ¡°I still don''t understand,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Think about it this way: let''s say I¡¯m the General,¡± Alex pushed on. ¡°But you are the General.¡± ¡°I¡­yes, Merzhin. Yes I am,¡± the young archwizard said, his voice strained. ¡°Okay, forget me, let''s say there''s a differentGeneral. One who exists in the ancient past: they¡¯ve got to teach the other Heroes to gain knowledge that¡¯ll make their Marks stronger. But what if they don''t want to do that? What if they don¡¯t want to learn anything new?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Think about it. Why do we worship Uldar?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Out of fear of the Ravener, but also because he''s supposed to be a deity that cares about us and rewards us. When Uldar changed the Mark of the General to the Mark of the Fool, he put in a limit that punishes Fools for going against what his intent was. He wouldn¡¯t be above designing the Marks to make sure the Heroes acted the way he wanted them to act.¡± ¡°Look,¡± Alex spread his hands like he was showing Merzhin something. ¡°What if¡­his whole thing about the General unlocking the other Marks¡¯ full potential was literal: he did say that the Heroes got weaker when the General was gone. What if there was more to it than what he said?¡± ¡°I still don''t follow.¡± ¡°Okay. Uldar makes the Heroes in his own image so that they represent his traits.¡± ¡°Yes, that''s right.¡± ¡°And what were the traits he most valued, besides power? Knowledge and learning, right? He uprooted all of his people so he could learn. Like I said, that¡¯s how he got so powerful.¡± ¡°And his church set up schools so his people could be taught,¡± Merzhin reasoned. ¡°So that they could learn, just as he did. He commanded his people to go to those schools, and commanded his priests to teach in them.¡± ¡°Exactly! And why wouldn¡¯t he expect the same from his Heroes?¡± Alex cried. ¡°So what happens if a General tries to teach the other Heroes and they all go: ¡®No thanks, I''m not interested in learning anything else.¡¯ What''s the General supposed to do, fight them?¡± ¡°No¡­that would make the Heroes fall into in-fighting. But, the Heroes would need some punishment if they refused to learn, as Uldar intended¡­but wait no. If the Marks were used to punish their bearers, that would risk Heroes rebelling or fleeing.¡± Merzhin¡¯s eyes were growing wider. ¡°Just as Fools fled Thameland when they were Marked. Just like you did! Er, no offence.¡± ¡°None taken,¡± Alex said. ¡°So then, if the Marks weren''t punishing the Heroes for not learning from the General. ¡­then wouldn¡¯t it make sense that they would reward their bearers if they did listen?¡± ¡°It does¡­so this is a reward?¡± Merzhin asked, pressing his hand to his midriff. ¡°But why are there no recor¡ªRight¡­there''s been no General in thousands of years.¡± ¡°Until me. And just now, I think we just inadvertently created a situation where your Mark rewards you,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''ve been teaching Drestra and Cedric how to cast spells using body language¡­neither of them have gotten it yet. Not yet. But you¡­I taught you a meditation technique that you used to calm your soul: you got it right away.¡± ¡°And calming my soul would put less strain on it when I channel divinity.¡± Merzhin marvelled, lifting his robe again. ¡°I listened to the General, learned the skill, incorporated it¡­and therefore, my Mark rewarded me.¡± ¡°For behaving the way Uldar wanted you to¡­¡± Alex muttered. ¡°That¡­doesn¡¯t make me feel better,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°There was a time when I would have been overjoyed at acting the way he wanted me to. But, I gain no joy from that now.¡± ¡°I get that,¡± Alex said. ¡°But this is a new chance. Depending on what this reward is, we can use Uldar¡¯s own will against him to destroy everything he''s built to harm us.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Merzhin murmured. ¡°That. That thought calms me. But what about you? You would have a reward as well, would you not?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°My whole power is designed to let me learn. I''ve been doing that this whole time: and haven¡¯t gotten a reward.¡± ¡°But you have not enacted Uldar¡¯s will yet.¡± The archwizard frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Just what I said: you have not finished enacting his will,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°The people of Thameland were instructed to learn, and go to the schools. But a school without a teacher, has no purpose, and¡ªas we said earlier¡ªthe priesthood¡¯s command was to teach.¡± The Saint pointed at Alex¡¯s shoulder. ¡°If we are rewarded for learning¡­¡± ¡°¡­then, maybe I''d be rewarded for teaching!¡± Alex cried. ¡°Perhaps, if I empower all of your Marks? Maybe I''ll gain something too.¡± ¡°It''s possible,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°As you said: Uldar¡¯s memory was starting to slip. We cannot expect him to have mentioned everything in detail.¡± He smiled then. Tears filled his eyes, running down his face. ¡°Whoa!¡± Alex cried. ¡°What''s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± the Saint sniffled. He looked many years younger than he really was. ¡°I''m just pleased¡­that I was useful. I helped discover this. Perhaps being helpful like this was the reason I was born.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I don''t know the reason why any of us is born, but I do know we get to decide what that reason is. I''d forgotten that for a while when I had the Mark of the Fool, but, it¡¯s true, we get to set the path ahead of us. We¡¯re the ones who get to tell ourselves why we¡¯re here. We get to say what our role is.¡± ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± the Saint said. ¡°Perhaps I will decide for myself in the future. But for now? I am happy I did this. I do not know if this will make up for what I have done, if this will be my penance, but at least it''s a beginning.¡± His smile was broad. ¡°Come, we must tell the others our news!¡± ¡°And unlock more power, just like you did,¡± Alex added. ¡°You said the flow of divinity is greater and your soul-gate is stronger: we should explore that.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Merzhin said. ¡°I would like to test my limits. Actually, could you do me a favour?¡± ¡°Anything,¡± Alex said. The Saint¡¯s eyes shone, bright and clear. ¡°Could you contact Birger for me?¡± Chapter 820: Testing New Limits ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Birger shouted through the cottage door. ¡°I warn you, I¡¯m armed. If you¡¯re here for my son¡ª¡± ¡°Birger! It¡¯s me! It¡¯s Alex!¡± the General of Thameland cried. ¡°We come in peace!¡± ¡°Alex?¡± the old firbolg asked. ¡°Why are you back so soon?¡± There were sounds of fumbling about inside the cottage, then the clack of a crutch quickly moving across the floor. Alex and Merzhin looked at each other. The door was flung open, revealing Birger, wild-eyed and frowning. He looked around, turning pale when he saw the Saint. ¡°Where¡¯s Bjorgrund? Is that¡­you¡¯re the healer, Merzhin! Has something happened to my son?¡± The old giant turned to Alex. ¡°You just fetched him this morning! What could have happened to him so fast?¡± ¡°He''s fine, Birger.¡± Alex held up his hands, hoping to soothe the ancient firbolg. ¡°We''re all fine. More than fine. We''re here for something else.¡± ¡°Whatever are you here for, then?¡± Birger asked. ¡°We have something to tell you and since there''s a lot to explain, it''d be better if you just came with us, then we could just explain things to everybody at once,¡± Alex said. ¡°Alright¡­I was just cleaning up and it¡¯ll be here when I get back, so let me get my cloak.¡±
When Alex, Birger, Merzhin, Professor Jules, Baelin and Isolde appeared at the Heroes¡¯ encampment, they found things strangely quiet. But in reality, all was fine in the small town running along a crossroads where the soldiers and Heroes were camped. Their visit came at a rare peaceful moment for the Heroes and the army. Most of the troops had gathered in the town square listening to a priest¡¯s sermon. Uldar¡¯s name was mentioned frequently, of course, but most of the sermon was focused on the Traveller and how she was aiding Thameland¡¯s cause from the after-world. The Heroes, Khalik, Claygon, Brutus, Theresa, Bjorgrund and Thundar, were deep in conversation at the edge of the congregation, and startled when Alex and the others unexpectedly appeared. ¡°Gah!¡± Drestra screamed, causing the priest to stutter behind his make-shift podium. ¡°You scared me half to death!¡± she cried. ¡°Oi, yous are back here real quick,¡± Cedric said, looking at Merzhin. ¡°Somethin¡¯ go wrong at the Castle?¡± ¡°Alex?¡± Theresa looked confused. ¡°Father¡­?¡± Claygon took a step forward. ¡°Father¡­not you, Alex. Obviously. I mean my father! What are you doing here, father?¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°I¡¯d like to know the same thing, myself,¡± Birger said. ¡°As would I,¡± Professor Jules said archly. ¡°We were in the middle of a very delicate part of our experiment when Mr. Roth came rushing into the lab like a whirlwind. With no explanation, as usual.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll explain,¡± Alex said. ¡°There¡¯s been a development. A big one.¡± Cedric groaned. ¡°More bad news?¡± ¡°The opposite,¡± Merzhin assured him. ¡°Come, let us go a little apart so we might speak freely. There is much to share.¡±
The group teleported a few miles away from the encampment, taking refuge in a moss-covered cave partly hidden in a forest clearing. The ground was still soaked from the recent rain, but there were no signs of tracks anywhere: neither Ravener-spawn, nor mortal. When everyone was settled, Alex and Merzhin began talking. They told them of all that had happened on the Castle wall: how Alex had started teaching Merzhin the grounding technique, how it had helped calm his soul, and how his Mark had suddenly transformed. Khalik was silent, deep in thought, while Najyah pecked at his shoulder. ¡°I do not..what¡­but¡­the¡­¡± Isolde stammered. ¡°What the hells?¡± was all Thundar said. Claygon was also silent, as waves of complex emotions¡ªconfusion, wonder, hope, and shock¡ªflowed through his and Alex¡¯s link. Theresa¡¯s jaw opened and closed like a dying fish, her eyes were wide. Brutus whimpered, nuzzling his master¡¯s gloved hand. Professor Jules seemed dumbstruck. ¡°Huh?¡± Bjorgrund muttered, looking at his father. The old firbolg shrugged, shaking his head. ¡°Don''t look at me, son.¡± ¡°His Mark did what?¡± Drestra shouted, her voice echoing from the cave and through the forest. ¡°Y¡¯must be bloody jokin¡¯!¡± Cedric added, his morphic weapon shimmering in agitation on his arm. His eyes moved from Alex to Merzhin. ¡°A hidden part o¡¯ the Mark? What¡¯re we gonna hear next? That we can all turn inta flyin¡¯ ponies?¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Hart grunted. ¡°The Mark thing, not the ponies thing.¡± The two Heroes glared at him. ¡°Really, mate?¡± Cedric snapped. ¡°Yer not the least bit surprised at this? Just not?¡± ¡°I understand that under-reaction is what you do. But even to this?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice oozed indignation. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Life happens,¡± Hart said. ¡°Besides, I learned that our god¡¯s been trying to kill us for millennia with something he made. It''s gonna take a lot to surprise me after that.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Baelin stroked his beard-braids, their clasps clinking against each other. ¡°It seems that this Uldar was incredibly fond of secrets and used his knowledge of people to manipulate them into following him. It would stand to reason that the Marks would have some sort of hidden punishment or reward system to ensure that the Heroes complied and enacted his will: and in this case, his will was for the Heroes to gain knowledge from the General.¡± ¡°Exactly what I was thinking,¡± Alex said. ¡°We really have to get the rest of his notes translated.¡± ¡°It could be quite useful if we had the rest of the knowledge contained in them,¡± Merzhin said quietly. He had been standing behind Alex. ¡°Enough about notes!¡± Cedric waved away the idea, almost contemptuously. ¡°Show us this Mark, Merzhin!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Saint readily obliged, raising the hem of his robe to display the¡ªstark white¡ªhand of Uldar glowing on his belly. ¡°Well, don'' that look different now!¡± Cedric eyed the symbol. ¡°It''s got a wee polish, to it now don'' it? The gold was alright, but this white Mark looks jus¡¯ like Uldar¡¯s symbol in his sanctum. Which uh¡­gives me a funny feelin¡¯.¡± ¡°Me to¡­¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Do you think our Marks can change too?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Alex said. ¡°There''s no reason for Uldar to only build a reward into the Saint¡¯s Mark. It makes the most sense to do it for all of them.¡± ¡°That fits,¡± Drestra said. ¡°So, what can this new¡­transformed Mark of yours do, Merzhin?¡± ¡°For one thing, I feel much closer to Uldar¡¯s divinity,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°And my soul has been reinforced. I feel stronger and believe I should be able to perform an interdiction.¡± Baelin, Professor Jules, Isolde and Alex looked at him sharply. Merzhin held up a hand¡­and it wasn¡¯t lost on Alex how much the gesture resembled Uldar¡¯s holy symbol. ¡°I won''t be trying to do what we talked about earlier, so don''t worry. I do not think my soul is strong enough yet, to perform an interdiction that powerful. I will leave that to Hannah¡­but for now, this is good. I can be used as a spare, if we cannot get the ancient Saint back in time.¡± ¡°Only as a backup, right?¡± Alex pushed. Merzhin smiled wanly, nodding. ¡°Only for a backup.¡± ¡°Well, this is all interesting¡­¡± Birger said suddenly. ¡°But can anyone tell me why I''m here? I''m glad you thought of me, but I don''t think I needed to be whisked from home for this. There¡¯s not too much I can contribute here.¡± ¡°There is,¡± Merzhin said, taking his holy book from his robes. ¡°I would like to try to do something that we talked about before, it¡¯ll be a test for myself and a demonstration.¡± ¡°Oh? I still don¡¯t think I need to see your demonstrations.¡± Birger¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°I¡¯m not some army strategist or war mage, or anything of the kind.¡± Merzhin went to the firbolg, craning his neck to look up at him. Birger frowned down at him in return. The Saint¡¯s eyes went to Birger¡¯s leg. The left one, the one that was no more than a stump. He nodded, then met the old giant¡¯s eyes. ¡°I would like to regenerate your leg.¡± Everyone stopped talking. Birger began shouting. ¡°What? I heard you say you couldn¡¯t regrow limbs! I heard you with my own two ears! You said you didn¡¯t have a strong enough soul gate!¡± ¡°But, I do now,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°My soul gate is far stronger, and I have a more powerful connection to Uldar¡¯s divinity. The amount of power I was able to channel before was like a whisper compared to what I can channel now. I feel it inside me, it¡¯s like a dam straining to burst. So, with your permission, I would like to regenerate your leg.¡± Birger looked at his son, Bjorgrund¡¯s eyes looked wild. Everyone was curious, stunned in amazement, or¡ªin Alex¡¯s case¡ªin anticipation. ¡°Well, I,¡± Birger started. ¡°I hardly know what to say.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re alright with this, then we¡¯ll just get started on the miracle,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Such a miracle takes weeks to regrow a limb. But I would like to start today; I can think of no worthier way to show my Mark¡¯s evolution, while also putting it to the test. And I will do this miracle not in Uldar¡¯s name, but in the name of Thameland and¡­¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°¡­in the name of the Traveller, if you would lend me her holy symbol.¡± ¡°It would be an honour,¡± Alex said, taking the symbol from his neck and handing it to Merzhin. The Saint nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡­this is happening so fast,¡± Bjorgrund said, his enormous frame trembling and his chainmail clinking. It was a new chain shirt; he was not clad in Uldar¡¯s divine armour nor wielding his mighty axe. Not in public yet. ¡°¡­father, what do you think of this?¡± Birger frowned as all eyes fell on him. He looked down at his left leg. ¡°I¡¯ve been the way I am for a long time¡­a very long time,¡± he said slowly. ¡°And I never dreamed I¡¯d be any different.¡± Tears sprang up in his eyes as his voice wavered. ¡°But by my ancestors, I¡¯ll admit that I¡¯ve missed the feel and sound of snow crunching beneath my two feet. And if I get my leg back, maybe I could help you a lot more son.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you father,¡± Bjorgrund nodded, smiling at him. Birger looked down at Merzhin. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it. If you think it¡¯s a worthy use of your power, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Merzhin nodded. ¡°Then in the name of the Traveller, of Thameland and¡­¡± He swallowed. ¡°¡­in the name of the deity that Uldar should have been, I will hereby perform this deed. Have a seat.¡± ¡°A-alright,¡± Birger prepared to sit on the cavern floor. ¡°Hold on,¡± Alex said, and teleporting to the giants¡¯ cottage, took Birger¡¯s chair from near the fireplace and within seconds, was back in the cave. ¡°You might as well be comfortable.¡± Alex placed the chair beside the old giant, who nodded in gratitude. ¡°Thank you kindly, Alex,¡± Birger eased himself into his chair and Merzhin moved directly in front of him. ¡°Father.¡± Bjorgrund put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be right here.¡± ¡°I know, thank you, son.¡± Birger patted his son¡¯s hand and leaned forward to undo the ligature tied around his stump. He¡¯d used a length of cord to bind his left trouser leg, and¡ªonce the binding was undone¡ªhiked it up, revealing what remained of his lower leg. The stump was a mass of scars, all healed through a good deal of time, and much pain. This was no stump left by a surgeon¡¯s skillful amputation. Baelin looked at Merzhin with his goat-like eyes, watching him silently. Assessing. The Heroes also watched the Saint with anticipation. Everyone else was watching Birger. For a moment, all was quiet like a tomb. Then Merzhin raised his head. ¡°And at the crossroads did Uldar come across a farmer, who sat by the side of the road with a tin cup before him,¡± Merzhin intoned, his voice rising through the cavern. ¡°And that farmer did look unto Uldar¡ªwho was in the guise of an old vagabond¡ªand he did ask him: ¡®What path do you walk, traveller?¡¯¡± Light began gathering around the Saint¡¯s hands. ¡°And Uldar looked upon the man: ¡®I walk to Soddenbury, to attend the festival¡¯, he said. And the man shook his head. ¡®Then you are going by the wrong road,¡¯ the farmer replied. ¡®Take the woodcutter¡¯s path to the east. Walk it and you shall reach Soddenbury in half the time¡¯.¡± His voice grew louder. An older, deeper voice seemed to join his, echoing the same words. ¡°To this, Uldar smiled and said ¡®I thank you for your guidance. What path do you walk?¡¯ To this, the farmer shook his head sadly. ¡®I have not walked in moons, for my legs were taken by disease. And so I sit here begging for alms at this crossroad, for I can till no more.¡¯ Merzhin extended his hand, resting it on Birger¡¯s leg. ¡°To this, Uldar told him: ¡®Rise, for your kindness has restored your legs.¡¯ And the man did! For Uldar¡¯s mercy¡ª¡± Merzhin stopped recounting the scripture. ¡°I deny this!¡± he cried. ¡°Uldar¡¯s mercy comes with a terrible price! Uldar told the man to rise, and so now I tell you to rise, Birger of Kymiland! In the name of the Traveller! In the name of Thameland! In the name of kindness, and sacrifice and all that is good in the world!¡± Beams of light flashed from his hand. ¡°I hereby make you whole!¡± A shaft of light streamed through the cavern. Chapter 821: Healing Brilliant white radiance blazed through the cavern, emanating from Merzhin¡¯s hand as he applied pressure to Birger¡¯s stump.A joyful noise arose, sounding like a hundred voices¡ªfilling the air with song from the celestial planes and the cavern with choral harmony. The melody built, deep and powerful like a tidal wave breaking against the shoreline. Everyone near, but Alex and Baelin, moved aside, giving the Saint and giants space. ¡°Gah!¡± Drestra shrunk back. ¡°Me eyes!¡± Cedric cried. ¡°I can¡¯t see!¡± Hart shielded his vision. ¡°By my ancestors!¡± Birger clutched his leg. ¡°Father!¡± Bjorgrund screamed. ¡°Are you alright!¡± ¡°I think so!¡± the old giant shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, son!¡± Merzhin¡¯s voice joined the choral song as his power poured into the leg. The others took another step back, the Saint of Uldar¡­no, of Thameland, unleashed the full might of his Mark. Birger¡¯s flesh rippled like water beneath Merzhin¡¯s touch. ¡°Yesss¡­¡± Alex hissed. Scars slowly smoothed and shifted. Damaged skin seemed to creep, then bulge. And grow. ¡°What in the name of every ancestor¡­of every firbolg that ever lived?¡± Briger shouted. ¡°It feels¡­it hurts, but it feels wonderful! I can feel it growing! I can feel it growing!¡± ¡°Father! I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Bjorgrund cried. Merzhin¡¯s eyes were clamped shut. One hand clasped the other, and between them, the symbol of the Traveller. Deep inside, Alex felt her power stirring. ¡°Fascinating¡­¡± Baelin mused, his goat-like eyes fixed on Birger¡¯s leg. ¡°A miracle of such magnitude takes time, it is never quick¡­in all of the times I have seen it performed, I have never witnessed a limb grow as quickly.¡± He looked at Cedric. ¡°How much power is our small friend channelling? I understand you can feel divinity?¡± ¡°Feels like ¡®e jus¡¯ dropped th¡¯bloody sun in the middle o¡¯ this cave!¡± Cedric shouted over the choral song. ¡°If I tried doin¡¯ what ¡®es doin¡¯, m¡¯soul woulda been ripped t¡¯shreds! I never felt so much power comin¡¯ off¡¯a ¡®im before! Merzhin! Ya alright? Merzhin?¡± But the Saint was lost in his miracle, humming the song¡­as Alex realised his breathing was following a pattern he knew well. As the young holy man sang, his breaths changed in length, varying between long inhalations, to periods of silence. They matched the song¡¯s rhythm seamlessly, and a pleased Alex smiled as he followed them. ¡®Four seconds in,¡¯ the General of Thameland thought. ¡®Then hold for a count of seven, then exhale for eight. He¡¯s using the grounding exercise as part of his miracle. By the Traveller, he caught on quick!¡± Combining the breathing technique with the hymn, Merzhin was creating a new limb for Birger, the left leg visibly and rapidly growing before their eyes. The stump lengthened, swelling and regenerating, forming a new calf muscle. Long absent muscles appeared, taking shape around a shin bone pressing against the skin. ¡°This is truly remarkable,¡± Baelin said. ¡°It is, isn''t it?¡± Alex agreed in wonder. ¡°This process would take weeks normally, but¡ªat the rate the lower leg is growing¡ªit should be complete within minutes. Roughly twelve, if my estimate is correct,¡± Baelin predicted. ¡°Incredible!¡± Alex cried. Bjorgrund and Birger had fallen silent, watching in awe as time quickly passed. The old giant¡¯s lower leg continued to lengthen. His new calf was almost fully formed, and the tibia and fibula bones were solidifying. There came a wet, unsettling sound as the skin at the end of the stump shifted; an uneven mound of throbbing flesh formed. ¡°No¡­no way,¡± Birger muttered. His flesh was transforming, new structures were forming: small bones, tendons and ligaments were rapidly knitting together. Alex gasped at what he was witnessing. ¡°Father¡­¡± Claygon cried. ¡°Is that¡­is that¡­¡± ¡°My foot!¡± Birger shouted. ¡°My foot¡¯s come back!¡± The flesh ball had taken on the shape of a bare foot, a left foot, matching the length and width of Birger¡¯s other one, complete with wiggling toes. Its skin was ruddy in colour¡ªas blood rushed beneath the surface¡ªbut soon, all redness faded, replaced by the pale hue of the rest of his skin. An intense ray of light pulsed from Merzhin¡¯s healing hand, bestowing life energy onto Birger¡¯s left leg from knee to toes. The giant grunted, a cramp suddenly gripping his calf¡­he reached down to massage it, but the pain instantly faded. All bright light surrounding Merzhin¡¯s hands followed, shimmering, flickering and abruptly dying at the same moment the choral song did. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. The Saint¡¯s eyes flew open. ¡°In the name of Thameland and the Traveller, it is done.¡± The cavern was as still as death, all eyes were on Birger¡¯s left leg, on what Merzhin had done. Bjorgrund¡¯s eyes grew unfocused, his body wavered, and with a heavy thump, the young giant¡¯s legs gave out, dropping him to his knees beside his father¡¯s chair. ¡°I cannot¡­Are you happy, father? Your leg¡¯s whole again,¡± he murmured. Birger was watching his leg guardedly, as though afraid it would disappear. Tears streamed down his face as his expressions ranged from disbelief, to shock, to fear, then awe. He slowly leaned forward, pulling the boot from his right foot and examining both feet in wonder. The giant wiggled the toes of one foot. Then the other. ¡°I¡­¡± he breathed. ¡°Son, please. Can you help me up?¡± Bjorgrund, his face now slick with tears, quickly pushed himself to his feet and held out a hand to his father. The older giant accepted it and¡ªusing the chair and his son¡¯s strong arm¡ªstood. His crutch slipped from its place against the chair, clattering to the cavern floor. There it lay, unneeded. Birger put his full weight on both feet, unsteadily, wavering in place. He teetered this way and that. ¡°Father, are you alright?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°I am, I am better than alright!¡± Birger was laughing now. Giddy, joyful laughter. It was not the laughter of a tired old man. He leaned to his right, then his left. He was quickly growing steadier so he firmly planted both feet on the cold floor, laughing all the while. He raised his right foot, and stepped forward, holding on to his son. He wavered again, as his full weight rested on his left leg, but he neither stopped nor collapsed, then he took his first step with his new left leg. The sharp sensation of cold stone struck him like a slap when his barefoot touched the floor, but he stayed in place for a time, seemingly savouring the feeling before taking another step with his right leg. This one was steadier. His left again, even steadier. He released Bjorgrund¡¯s hand. Another step. Then another. A grin spread across his face, his eyes brightened. His steps gained a bounce, turning lighter, steadier, more confident. Soon, his gait became comfortable. Even graceful. The old giant shook with excitement. And, with a great whooping cry of joy, he leapt in the air, landing on the balls of his feet, and shot from the cave, running along the path, his laughter booming through the woods. ¡°Shite, look at ¡®im go!¡± Cedric shouted, leading the others out of the cave and into the open air. The old firbolg was laughing, sprinting through the clearing with the energy of a youngster, lapping it in moments with his enormous strides. Suddenly, he stopped, throwing himself forward and cartwheeling to the middle of the clearing. ¡°What the hells?¡± Thundar shouted. ¡°You ever see an old man move like that?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Baelin¡¯s tone dripped acid. ¡°Move like that?¡± Birger laughed. ¡°Like that? You call that moving? Let me show ya something!¡± He stretched, then began singing and clapping his hands to the beat of a lively tune, his deep voice ringing out with its clear melody and then, the rejuvenated firbolg began dancing. And by all the hells, could he dance. His movements flowed from one to the other, liquid, smooth and artistic. He was as light on his feet as a hare and just as agile. ¡°In my day, I was a terror across every ballroom and tavern all over the northlands!¡± Birger shouted. ¡°A terror I tell you! Folk loved me! Folk envied me, especially the men! Husbands would clutch their wives just a little closer when I danced! Not that it bloody helped them!¡± ¡°Too much information, father!¡± Bjorgrund turned red. ¡°We¡¯re old,¡± Baelin sniffed. ¡°Not dead.¡± ¡°You! I like you!¡± Birger pointed at the chancellor, finishing his dance with a flourish and a jig. ¡°That¡¯s right, we¡¯re not dead! Faaaar from it! You see me, Kelda? You see me, son? Birger¡¯s back!¡± The old giant looked around, his eyes found Merzhin and he rushed to the Saint, falling to one knee and lowering his head. ¡°Thank you. I owe you so much. Whenever you might need me, I¡¯ll be there. My own two feet will carry me to your side!¡± Bjorgrund went to them, also falling to one knee before the Saint. ¡°That goes for me too. My father lost his leg saving my life and now you¡¯ve given it back to him! I swear to you Saint Merzhin, I¡¯ll aid you in any way I can!¡± Merzhin turned red as he waved his hands in front of him. ¡°P-please, it is not me you should be praising, but the Traveller, Hannah. ¡­As well as Alex, he too made this possible.¡± ¡°Still, we owe you,¡± Birger insisted. ¡°And we will see the debt repaid one day.¡± Merzhin turned, looking more uncomfortable. A small, relieved smile played on his lips, even as he looked away from the two grateful giants. ¡°I-I appreciate your kind words,¡± he mumbled quickly, looking at the other Heroes. ¡°But what¡¯s truly important is that the rest of you must unlock your full strength as well.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Drestra agreed. ¡°If you could regenerate a limb in minutes, then what else can you do¡­what else could we all do if our full potential is unlocked? Damn you, Uldar! Damn you for playing games with us. If we¡¯d had full power from the beginning, the Ravener wouldn¡¯t have stood a chance!¡± ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s just what he wanted! But, too bad for him; we know now,¡± Alex said. ¡°Whatever the Ravener does, unlocking these Marks¡­is going to be our priority.¡± ¡°Aye, that it should be,¡± Cedric said, a longing in his eyes. ¡°Wit¡¯ that kind o¡¯ power, we¡¯ll stand a better chance agin¡¯ anythin¡¯ the Ravener kin send our way.¡± ¡°It¡¯s probably gonna pull out all of its tricks, like it did in the bad old days,¡± Hart said. ¡°But we¡¯ll have our own power from the bad old days to punish it with.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°I can hardly wait to see what kinda power our new Marks give us¡­and we can also use this new development to help Hannah.¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°How about if we tell the high priest about this evolution, and he can tell his priests that we¡¯re stronger now ¡®cos the Traveller¡¯s done this for us in Uldar¡¯s name. That should spread word of her even faster¡­maybe we could ask him to announce that she led us to a cache of Uldar¡¯s weapons that he wants us to use in his name to stop the Ravener for good. Hold on, he could also announce the General at the same time! He could say that it¡¯s a new Mark that the Traveller helped Uldar make!¡± ¡°That would make you into a living symbol of her aid and power,¡± Merzhin said, nodding with approval. ¡°That¡¯s clever.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± Alex clapped then rubbed his hands together. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, we focus on unlocking the full potential of everyone¡¯s Mark.¡± He looked at Professor Jules, Baelin and Isolde. ¡°Could I impose on you to handle the alchemical solutions for the Ravener? To complete them while I work with the Heroes?¡± ¡°Absolutely, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°You cannot be in multiple places at once: so we shall carry on without you.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Of course,¡± Isolde agreed. ¡°Then it¡¯s time to resume our training,¡± Alex turned his attention to Drestra, Hart and Cedric. ¡°I¡¯ll need to meet with each of you individually and teach you a skill that¡¯s outside your specialty¡ªone that¡¯ll enhance what you do. Then, I touch your Marks, and that should complete the process.¡± Cedric clapped. ¡°Sounds like a bloody beautiful plan. Who¡¯re y¡¯gonna be startin¡¯ wit¡¯?¡± Alex thought for a moment. ¡°Who wants to go first?¡± Drestra¡¯s hand shot up. ¡°Ach, yer faster than me,¡± Cedric complained. ¡°I can wait for my turn,¡± Hart said quickly. ¡°But, I call next!¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°Y¡¯jus¡¯ said y¡¯could wait, Hart!¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s settled,¡± Alex ignored him, looking at Drestra. ¡°Alright, my friend. Let¡¯s get you finished up with casting spells without speaking, we¡¯ll throw in some serious mana manipulation training as well, and by the time we¡¯re finished? You¡¯ll be a terror.¡± He grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll all be.¡± Chapter 822: Meaning in Different Ways Prince Khalik had first heard the common tongue in infancy. His very first memories of hearing any language were of his mother, brother, father, nanny and nursemaid speaking Tekish, and on some occasions, the common tongue. When those close to him spoke to members of the household staff who¡¯d hailed from abroad, he would hear the language. Well before he turned six, on days when he was bored, he would listen to his father¡¯s meetings with dignitaries from foreign lands¡ªlands both near and far. On some occasions, he¡¯d be in the room, and on others, he¡¯d be hiding in the palace¡¯s secret passageways, hidden there because his parents hadn¡¯t known that he¡¯d seen his father entering one, unaware that his youngest son was near. As he grew older, he would listen carefully as his older brother spoke with his trainers, tutors, or guards: all of whom spoke a variety of tongues. In time, it was Khalik who was being tutored in the common tongue as well as the many tongues of the southlands. He took to languages easily; his tongue was quick and his mind was keen and clever. The young prince very quickly learned that there was a fundamental truth about language. Those who spoke only one tongue, innately tied meaning to its specific words and syllables. When they wrote, meaning would be innately tied to the symbols of their mother tongue. They would think in that tongue. Meaning would come from sounds and symbols. But for Khalik, this concept was not true. To the prince¡ªwho had grown up in a world of many tongues¡ªhe¡¯d learned that meaning could not be contained to one sound or syllable. A concept could be expressed with many different words, sounds, syllables, songs, or even a tone, a click of the tongue or a gesture. Meaning was not tied to one single thing. And Khalik had grown to understand just how much that applied to spellcasting. That understanding soon allowed him to break through a barrier. The prince stood in the middle of a forest clearing with Najyah circling high above him. His lips uttered the incantation of one spell, while his hands and arms performed another. Power flowed from his mana pool and into both spells. He unleashed them. Two fourth-tier spells activated at once. The first spell, Wall of Stone, raised a stone wall from the earth in an instant. The second, Stone Spears, raised thick, sharp, stalactites from a rock surface nearby. Both spells combined, creating a stone partition that instantly sprouted spikes on all sides. ¡°Not bad!¡± Khalik shouted, excitedly. ¡°You got it!¡± Thundar cried sprinting up beside the prince with Isolde close behind. ¡°That was fast!¡± ¡°It was many weeks worth of work,¡± Khalik said. ¡°Swift by some standards, and slow by others. But I am proud.¡± ¡°You got it before I did,¡± Isolde huffed. ¡°Which makes sense, since you have always been better with languages than I am.¡± ¡°But you are making more progress with mana manipulation,¡± Khalik said, grinning. ¡°You have talent for it, Isolde.¡± The young noblewoman shrugged. ¡°It is mostly experience, not talent. I have some experience with mana manipulation, because I need it for alchemy. That experience is letting me advance faster with mana manipulation, faster than I am advancing in casting spells nonverbally.¡± ¡°You can both take a hike,¡± Thundar sulked, crossing his arms across his chest. ¡°Mana manipulation and nonverbal casting are both bullshit, I hate them and I hate both of you.¡± ¡°Oh, do not say that, leader of the cabal,¡± Isolde smirked. ¡°You cannot hate your ¡®subordinates¡¯.¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Khalik said. ¡°It is improper for a leader to be like that. Besides, you are making great progress when it comes to breaking down spell arrays and spotting their patterns.¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡­that¡¯s easy,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Easy he says!¡± Isolde snorted. ¡°Yes, easy. I mean, when you¡¯re working with illusions you have to learn everything you can about shapes, textures, colours and¡­stuff like that, right? The more you notice the details of a shape, the better you can recreate those details in an illusion,¡± Thundar said simply. ¡°It¡¯s like noticing the details in a spell array: learn the details, learn the shape, and figure out how those shapes come together. It¡¯s pretty similar to what I already do.¡± ¡°An¡¯ that¡¯s why I¡¯m hatin¡¯ all three o¡¯ yous!¡± Cedric shouted from across the clearing. ¡°Fancy writin¡¯ shite, fancy language shite, fancy mana shite! Feels like m¡¯head¡¯s gonna bloody explode!¡± The Chosen was sitting on the ground in front of a tree trunk, pulling at his red hair as though he was going mad. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m goin¡¯ mad!¡± ¡°I do not want to hear that from the man who is closer to breaking through to his next-tier of spells well before the rest of us!¡± Isolde shouted. ¡°Oi!¡± Cedric pointed to the golden glowing scales over his heart. ¡°Y¡¯see these? It gives me a bloody shit load o¡¯ mana, but all that means is I kin keep practisin¡¯ spells ¡®til I turns blue in t¡¯bloody face! If I hav¡¯ t¡¯speak another incantation, I swear I¡¯m gonna throw m¡¯self in t¡¯bloody sea!¡± ¡°You will be fine, Cedric,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I believe in you.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Thanks,¡± he said dryly. ¡°Been like pullin¡¯ teeth, though¡­¡± He looked to the west. ¡°Y¡¯think Drestra and Alex are makin¡¯ progress?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it,¡± Thundar puffed out his chest. ¡°If I know Drestra, I know she¡¯ll be mastering what she¡¯s gotta master before any of us.¡± ### ¡°This is hopeless!¡± Drestra screamed, orange light blazing between her fangs. ¡°I can¡¯t do this! It¡¯s a failure! I¡¯m a failure!¡± ¡°Drestra, we¡¯ve been doing this for four days, not four years.¡± Alex raised his hands, trying to calm her down. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal if you haven¡¯t gotten it yet. You¡¯ll get it, I¡¯m sure of that.¡± ¡°Merzhin got what he needed to get after one conversation!¡± Drestra hissed, throwing herself on the ground and staring up at the sky. ¡°I feel like an addled-brained blob of flesh next to him!¡± ¡°Sometimes folk get what they need real fast,¡± Alex sighed, sitting on the ground beside the Sage. The pair were practising in a meadow several miles away from the others. It was quiet and peaceful there. No sign of Ravener-spawn. In truth, the spawn in the area had been reported to be helping folk recently instead of harming them, and that strange behaviour had allowed most of the Heroes to practise in peace. Alex, meanwhile, had sent Hart, Claygon, Merzin, Bjorgrund, Asmaldestre and even Birger¡ªalong with a sizeable force of soldiers¡ªto different area of Thameland where Ravener-spawn were rampaging like they wanted to tear the very foundations of the world apart. He hoped everyone was alright¡­but, he was also quite confident that they were, considering who all was with them¡­including the newly invigorated Saint. After his Mark¡¯s evolution, Merzhin¡¯s divinity was enhanced, making him a devastatingforce on the battlefield. He could channel miracles at speeds he¡¯d never known before, and every divinity he used was stronger, overflowing with power. From what Hart had said, the Saint had been taking out all of his frustration with Uldar on the Ravener-spawn, and doing so with such brutality that even the Champion would be in awe when the two of them returned from hunting.The soldiers had noticed the Saint¡¯s newfound power, as had the priests. When they¡¯d asked Merzhin about it, his reply had been a cryptic, ¡°I have been given a gift, and in time, the giver shall be revealed.¡± Of course, the fact that he¡¯d sewn the lantern-symbol of the Traveller into his priest¡¯s robes was lost on few. The rest could make of things what they would. Though soon, there would be no need for speculating. Tobias Jay was preparing to announce the coming of the General, the transformation of the Marks, the discovery of Uldar¡¯s equipment, and how all of this was tied to Hannah and her mercy. Over time, his message should send a flood of strength her way. And if that didn¡¯t work¡­Alex had a feeling he knew what would¡­ But, that was for another time. He turned his full attention back to Drestra, who was looking at him peevishly. ¡°Did your mind wander off?¡± she asked. ¡°It does that, sometimes.¡± Alex smiled apologetically, stretching beside her. ¡°Listen, I think it¡¯s simple: Merzhin simply got what he needed at the time he needed it. It was exactly what he needed, and he was ready to receive it.¡± ¡°Well I am ready to receive it!¡± Drestra sounded annoyed. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it won¡¯t come to me. Mana manipulation¡­I have so much mana flowing through me you¡¯d think it would come easily!¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Just because you have a big mana pool, doesn¡¯t mean you have a lot of experience manipulating mana. Most wizards find the art pretty difficult, no matter how powerful they are, and there¡¯s no shame in that.¡± ¡°I might say that if I wasn¡¯t struggling so hard with nonverbal casting,¡± Drestra hissed. ¡°It¡­it¡¯s a complete puzzle! Meaning through eyebrow twitches and muscle movements, I just can¡¯t make it make sense to my body! I¡¯ve been working on that since you told us about your plan for us to grow more powerful weeks ago!¡± She ground her sharp teeth. ¡°And I still can¡¯t do it!¡± ¡°Yeah, that is odd, I¡¯ve gotta admit,¡± Alex said, frowning. ¡°Everyone¡¯s made some amount of progress. The fact that you haven¡¯t, is strange.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Drestra said dryly. ¡°You sure know how to comfort someone.¡± ¡°If you wanted to be comforted, you would have asked me, like you did when we first met,¡± Alex said. She scowled. ¡°I did not ask you to comfort me!¡± ¡°Not verbally, but with your body language,¡± Alex said. ¡°You were hard to read, but I could tell from your tone, and partly from your body language¡­it was saying that you wanted someone to talk to back then.¡± Drestra rolled her reptilian eyes. ¡°Great, you know more about my body language than I do.¡± She snorted. ¡°By all the spirits, that¡¯s unfair. Why can¡¯t I get this right? This is stupid! I¡¯m so stupid!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not stupid.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re smart. Real smart. You pick things up quickly: honestly, if you went to Generasi, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be one of the top students in your classes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a thought,¡± Drestra sighed. ¡°That sounds so nice: going to school to learn about magic and the world, instead of getting my knowledge and skills firsthand in a warzone. I envy you. All of you. My title is the Sage, but I¡¯m no sage. Not in the true sense of the word: I have no great knowledge or wisdom to share with anybody.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wiser than you think,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°And if it¡¯s knowledge you want, you can attend Generasi after the war. But, just¡­don¡¯t declare that¡¯s gonna be your grand plan for your future or anything because most characters in the old stories who do that always end up dead¡ª¡± Alex paused, remembering that he and his cabal had talked about their grand plans for when the war was over. He cleared his throat and quickly moved on. ¡°¡ªmy point is that you can attend the school after the Ravener¡¯s dead, if you want to.¡± ¡°That would be nice,¡± Drestra grunted. ¡°But maybe I won¡¯t be as good a student as you think.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯d do really well.¡± ¡°Then why can¡¯t I get either mana manipulation or nonverbal casting right?¡± she grumbled. ¡°Like I said, things take time,¡± Alex said. ¡°And also, if you¡¯re smart¡ªand you are smart¡ªand you still can¡¯t get it, then something else could be going on. Either the teacher¡¯s bad at teaching¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re a great teacher,¡± Drestra assured him. Alex blushed a little. ¡°Thanks, and at the risk of sounding arrogant, I kind of agree. The Mark of the General literally makes me good at teaching if I concentrate on it, and I¡¯ve been concentrating. I¡¯ve been using it to try different ways to teach you how to do nonverbal casting, but, our successes and failures don¡¯t seem to be getting us any closer to solving your problem. Which brings me to the second possibility: something else, beside your teacher, is the problem. When I had the Mark of the Fool, it didn¡¯t matter how good my teacher was or how much I tried.¡± He thought of Ram¡¯s class. ¡°I was always going to fail at spellcraft at a certain point, especially combat spells,¡± Alex said. ¡°So maybe there¡¯s something blocking you from getting the body language right¡­¡± ¡°And what could that be?¡± Drestra asked. ¡°Since you know my body language better than I do. ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± He thought back to when he¡¯d first met her, going over what he¡¯d observed in her body language. He remembered thinking, at the time, that it seemed slightly off. There¡¯d been something odd about it. Maybe that had something to do with the problem she was having now? But, why did her body language seem so strange back then? ¡°Oh look, there¡¯s Najyah,¡± Drestra said, watching a distant shape soaring high above the forest. ¡°I wonder if she¡¯s hunting? Maybe we should take a break and go get something to eat, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°Wait, you can tell that¡¯s Najyah from this distance?¡± Alex squinted at the faint shape. Drestra nodded. ¡°Dragon eyes can see much, much farther than a human¡¯s.¡± Her words struck Alex like a lightning bolt and he leapt to his feet. ¡°By all the gods, I¡¯ve been a fool!¡± ¡°What? What is it?¡± Drestra looked at him, startled. ¡°I think I know why you can¡¯t get the body language right!¡± Alex cried, looking at her reptilian eyes. ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to get it with you in the wrong body! Transform to your true form!¡± Chapter 823: The Way a Dragon Moves Red scales layered Drestra¡¯s body from snout, to claw, to spear-tipped tail. She towered over Alex and most of the nearby trees as she stretched her long neck, taking her to full height. Flame burned between her fangs. Drestra, of Crymlyn Swamp. Drestra, the Sage of Thameland. Drestra the dragon. As Alex took in the full majesty of her draconic form, he had to shake his head at his own denseness. He should have realised the problem sooner: her true form was far different from any humanoid¡¯s, so of course she would have trouble with delicate body language in her human form. Her long tail would dictate how she balanced herself, which would be completely different from how she would in mortal form. Four reptilian legs meant much different musculature and bone structure, along with the two additional appendages on her back: a pair of wings. There was also her long, flexible neck to consider, which could bend in ways a human could never hope to match. At the same time, most gestures that would have meaning to him, would seem alien to a dragon: it would be like trying to converse with a being who had four tongues and vocalised like a fish: they would be capable of sounds humans could perhaps mimic, but never make sense of. Alex knew from magical botany that bees had entire languages¡ªmessages ¡°spoken from worker to worker¡±¡ªhidden within different scents and the way they danced. To a human, they would be meaningless. To other bees? They would mean everything. He¡¯d made nonverbal casting impossible for her, by trying to teach her the language of the wrong body. ¡°I''m sorry,¡± he apologised. ¡°I''ve been wasting your time. It makes a lot more sense for you to master nonverbal casting in your natural form first, from there, we could build on that success and see if you could master it in your human form. By starting in your human form, I just made things needlessly complicated: I wasn¡¯t thinking.¡± But he wasn¡¯t the only one blaming themselves for being oblivious. ¡°I should''ve seen the problem earlier, myself,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°I spend so much time in my humanoid form, that I''ve learned to ignore the fact that it doesn''t feel quite right most of the time. It didn''t even occur to me that there would be a problem.¡± ¡°So we''re both dumbasses,¡± Alex said wryly. ¡°And we¡¯re supposed to stop a mad god¡¯s runaway creation? Great. Just great. Seems, in that case, Thameland¡¯s as good as dead.¡± Drestra made a deep rumbling sound and expelled smoke from between her jaws. It took a long chilling moment for Alex to realise she was laughing. ¡°Well, I guess the important thing is that we did figure it out,¡± the General of Thameland said. ¡°Okay, let''s see if we can finally work things out for you.¡± ¡°Should we focus on nonverbal casting?¡± Drestra asked. ¡°Or maybe we should focus on mana manipulation. It''s still difficult for me, but¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, by Traveller!¡± Alex suddenly shouted. ¡°What? What?¡± Drestra cried. The General of Thameland pinched the bridge of his nose. ¡°You''re a dragon! You can fly, your body¡¯s filled with power, you¡¯ve got powerful¡ªat least partially magical¡ªvenom in your fangs and you can breathe fire. You don''t just have a mana pool that you can use to cast spells, you have magic throughout your entire body! Your mana probably flows very differently from mine or Cedric''s, and most mana regeneration techniques were developed by wizards, who, uh, didn¡¯t have draconic bodies filled with magical power. I¡¯m thinking regeneration techniques might have to be modified for you, at least somewhat.¡± ¡°Good point,¡± Drestra agreed. ¡°Mana does flow through my real body differently.¡± ¡°But hold on a minute¡­you were able to manipulate your mana to overpower a dungeon core,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°Can''t you apply the same skills to mana regeneration?¡± ¡°I mostly used brute force,¡± she told him. ¡°I have a lot of mana that flows really easily, it wasn''t hard to just overwhelm that dungeon core without a lot of finesse.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Alright, well, in any case, I think nonverbal casting is going to be more useful for you than mana regeneration, but I still think you need a mana regeneration technique¡ªeven a basic one.¡± ¡°That sounds reasonable,¡± Drestra spread her wings. ¡°So, how will you teach me, then?¡± The young wizard cracked his knuckles. ¡°With trial and error. We''ll start by teaching you a dance created by the centaurs: they''ve got four legs, and you''ve got four legs. Dances often convey meaning, even just pure emotion: I can start by teaching you the dance, then¡ªI can use the Mark to help me figure out your successes and failures in conveying meaning with your body¡ªthen we¡¯ll be able to use those successes and failures to hone in on how to translate them into casting a spell without saying a word.¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°¡­sounds like a lot. How long do you think it will take?¡± Alex grinned. ¡°How long can dragons go without sleep?¡± ¡°Days. Maybe weeks.¡± ¡°Perfect.¡± ### The lesson started with the General of Thameland verbally walking Drestra through the steps of the centaurs¡¯ dance. Then he demonstrated it by getting down on all fours, and mimicking the movements as best he could. After Drestra finally stopped laughing hysterically at her instructor¡ªa dangerous, flame spewing affair that nearly ended with her roasting him alive¡ªhe went up to her and guided her scale-covered legs, pointing or moving them as needed into the various positions of the dance. As he did so, he used the Mark of the General to observe, drawing from images of himself successfully teaching her a move, or unsuccessfully fine-tuning his instructions as she tried to hone her technique. Minutes turned to hours. Day turned to night, with the two of them only pausing for a quick meal and to teleport to the others to let them know they¡¯d be practising for a longer time than they¡¯d originally planned. Forceballs illuminated the meadow as the moon slipped across the sky with Alex guiding the Sage of Thameland through her dance. At first, her steps were clumsy and halting. But¡ªas the hours passed¡ªhe changed his tact, breaking the dance steps down into smaller parts, making them more manageable. Drestra relaxed considerably and Alex could see the benefit of not overwhelming his student in a single practise session, so he focused on teaching her a few different steps and positions at a time. By sunrise, she was comfortable with them. Not a master, but not graceless or bored either. She was keen to keep practising and the General was keen for his two hours of Restful Slumber, so he went to sleep, leaving her to practise, and when he awoke, her steps were smoother, but she¡¯d adopted some odd movements that he had to quickly correct. Once he¡¯d smoothed those out, and was satisfied, he looked at moving on. Through those simple dance steps, she was learning to convey meaning with her massive four-legged body, and it was time to expand her training. He focused the Mark of the General on the task of bringing Drestra¡¯s head, tail and neck into her dance movements, creating a new dance. That took another day for her to master, but as the moon rose to its zenith, the dragon was thundering across the clearing, tail, legs, neck and wings moving in harmony. She was learning well¡­and Alex had been learning as well. As they brought her other limbs into the dance, he watched how she used them. He was learning the body language of a dragon, tying her movement to her emotions at that moment, to meanings within the dance, and to what best suited her sleek draconic form. The young archwizard studied every swish of her tail, how her long neck curved, and how her wings flexed. He slowly learned the dragon¡¯s body language, taking notes as he did. Wizard¡¯s Hands sketched the Sage¡¯s dancing, leaping, wings spreading, capturing her different draconic positions and linking them to her emotions. She would laugh, curse, growl, become embarrassed as she moved through the dance, celebrating or cursing herself if she flubbed a step. He was building her vocabulary, and learning how it applied. Interpreting how each movement of her scaled body could be translated into the syllable of a spell. Learning how a dragon¡¯s body movements could make magic sing. On the third evening, he looked up from his notebook. ¡°Drestra, there¡¯s something I want to try with you.¡± He eyed the golden staff of the Sage glowing on her serpentine neck. ¡°What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out the beginnings of how to turn your neck and wing movements into the ¡®syllables¡¯ of an incantation,¡± he said. ¡°I think so. Anyway, first, I need you to do exactly what I¡¯m going to tell you to do and I''m going to fly up to your neck and guide it in different positions: I want you to memorise those positions, then practise them while I guide your wings. Alright?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± She hissed. ¡°We''re nearly there, aren¡¯t we? I''m so excited!¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s see if we can reward that excitement. What¡¯s a spell that you''re really comfortable with casting?¡± ¡°Probably Purify Water.¡± Alex paused. ¡°Really? I thought it would be a fire spell.¡± ¡°Purify was the first spell I learned: that spell can mean the difference between life and death when you live in a swamp. You¡¯re surrounded by water all the time, it¡¯s everywhere, but a lot of it, you wouldn¡¯t dare drink without treating it.¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Alex paused. ¡°One second, then. Actually¡­give me five minutes.¡± The archwizard teleported from the forest in Thameland to the first floor of the Generasi library, startling a group of first years when he materialised among the stacks. ¡°Sorry,¡± he quickly apologised, searching the shelves and taking a spell-guide for Purify Water. He teleported to the front desk¡ªchecked the book out¡ªthen teleported back to the forest clearing where Drestra waited. In mere heartbeats Alex learned the spell array, found a puddle, and cast the spell. The muddy water cleared. Drestra snorted puffs of smoke from both nostrils and indignantly hissed, ¡°You learned that so fast. How is that even fair?¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Not long ago, it would''ve taken me weeks to learn that spell. I think I¡¯ve paid my dues¡­well, not my library dues. I don¡¯t think I have any library dues. I mean¡ª¡± ¡°Alex!¡± ¡°Yes, right.¡± He flew to her, first guiding her neck, then her wings. ¡°If I''m not mistaken, then you should be ready to achieve an incantation with body language. Now, I''m no expert on dragon body language. But it should work. Probably.¡± ¡°Very comforting, Alex,¡± Drestra said, practising the movements he¡¯d directed her neck and wings through. ¡°This feels¡­right, natural.¡± ¡°Could be wishful thinking,¡± the archwizard grinned. ¡°We won''t know for sure until you actually do it.¡± ¡°Then, I guess we shouldn''t waste anymore time,¡± Drestra took a deep breath and began, carefully repeating the movements. Nothing happened. She sighed disappointedly, releasing a small puff of flame. ¡°Nothing!¡± Yet, Alex was all smiles, concentrating on the Mark of the General. ¡°Oh, I wouldn''t call it nothing. The Mark¡¯s showing me that you made a few small mistakes, but we''re on the right track. All you need is a little bit more practise. Here, I¡¯ll guide you again.¡± The General of Thameland guided the Sage through the movements. He adjusted her left wing. Then her right. Then the position of her long neck. She tried again, concentrating on a puddle of murky water. Still nothing. He guided her once more, identifying her mistakes, encouraging her to move slowly. Slowly and precisely. She tried again. There came a sudden rush of mana. The water cleared. ¡°You did it!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°I did it!¡± Drestra¡¯s thunderous voice echoed through the trees. ¡°Finally! I used body language to cast a spell! I can''t believe it! Thank you, Alex, thank¡ª¡± A blinding light flared on the Sage¡¯s draconic neck. Chapter 824: The Pact of Silence ¡°You have done well,¡± Alex heard the whisper in his ear. ¡°You have earned my full approval,¡± the god of Thameland said. ¡°A new technique to enhance the Sage. Something from another discipline growing what you already possess. That is my way. With my second-in-command, the General, granting you his approval, I empower you fully. Go. Destroy the Ravener. Bring my will unto the land.¡± The Mark of the Sage blazed like the noonday sun, The transformed light flared brighter than the Saint¡¯s original Mark, radiating from the surface of the dragon¡¯s long neck, momentarily blinding Alex before he could shield his eyes. He flew to the burning Mark and called out to Drestra. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I am!¡± she shouted. ¡°But my Mark feels strange, different!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened with Merzhin!¡± Alex pressed his hand against the golden staff on her neck. A searing pain blazed along his shoulder, power flowing through his Mark and into hers. The staff¡¯s golden hue shattered, fragments of gold dissipating, changing colour then knitting back together in a blinding white light that Alex flinched away from. He grimaced, but was well pleased. High above him, the Sage roared, the sound resonating through the forest. Her Mark¡¯s blinding light diminished, fading to a muted glow that had turned stark white, like Merzhin¡¯s. ¡°We did it, your Mark¡¯s evolved.¡± Alex floated backward, examining the white staff glowing along her crimson scales. ¡°How¡¯re you feeling?¡± ¡°I felt some pain,¡± Drestra said. ¡°But also more power, I feel amazing!¡± My mana pool¡­feels even bigger! And¡­the flow of mana through my entire body¡¯s stronger! I truly feel more powerful!¡± She dropped low, slamming her tail against the forest floor, quaking the earth where it struck. With a loud snap, massive wings spread, and¡ªin a single wing beat¡ªher massive form launched through the air in a blur of red. The dragon was faster, moving with newfound agility, her streamlined form cutting through the air, soaring high above the treetops. Draconic laughter echoed through the sky as each wingbeat drove her onward. Drestra sailed along like a red stream; diving, looping, spiralling through the sky. She inhaled and with the sound of a roaring bellows, released a fiery breath from deep inside. Blue flame erupted and all around, the air shimmered. Even from Alex¡¯s distance, he could feel heat from her breath. Drestra paused, hovering in place while softly chanting a spell and performing subtle motions with her neck and wings. Alex felt a wave of power rise, birthing a tornado of flame that erupted from her snout. The Sage¡¯s burning whirlwinds weren¡¯t new, but this one dwarfed any she¡¯d ever cast before, scorching the air with power. As the tornado burned, the Purify Water spell she¡¯d cast with her neck and wings manifested in a forest pond among the trees below. In a blink, silt and algae cleared from its surface, leaving sparkling water where a murky pond had just been. ¡°Yes!¡± Drestra cheered, tucking her wings into her body and diving toward the ground, it seemed to recoil when she landed in the clearing. ¡°This is incredible! I was going to say that I couldn¡¯t believe Uldar hid this from us, but that wouldn''t have been true. Nothing he did would surprise me anymore. You know what Alex? I feel like I can do anything!¡± ¡°Oh no!¡± the General waved his hands like he was warding off evil. ¡°Whenever someone in the old stories says, they feel like they could do anything, next thing you know, they¡¯re off picking a fight with the biggest thing they can find, then they get their ass stomped into next year and back! So, please, don''t say that again!¡± ¡°As you command, General,¡± Drestra said wryly. ¡°I don''t know what kind of stories you''ve been reading, but I''m not planning on doing anything so silly. I just feel so strong, so powerful. It¡¯s amazing!¡± The dragon flexed her claws. ¡°I doubt the Mark of the Sage was meant to empower a body like mine, one with my particular set of natural abilities¡­and I doubt Uldar expected a dragon to be Marked as a Sage.¡± Alex beamed, suddenly understanding how professors could be so proud of their students. He placed his hands on his hips dramatically. ¡°I''m just glad you were Marked.¡± ¡°Why? Because I¡¯m a dragon?¡± Drestra asked. ¡°Because you''re you,¡± Alex smiled, correcting her. ¡°There''s no one I''d rather see as the Sage of Thameland wielding so much magical power. We''re going to do well together.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alex.¡± Drestra gave him a reptilian grin. ¡°Thank you. When we first met, I¡¯ll admit, I was very lost, but you guided me, and there''s no one I''d rather see as the General than you; I''ll follow you into the Hells, I swear.¡± ¡°You already have,¡± Alex reminded her with a goofy chuckle. ¡°We fought there together, remember?¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The dragon rolled her eyes. It seemed some gestures in body language were pervasive. I hope you don''t mind, but I¡¯d like to go show Thundar and the others what I can do now. He''s going to be so impressed, and Cedric¡¯s going to be so annoyed. Both reactions will be fun.¡± She looked down at her fellow Hero again, speaking with sincerity. ¡°Truly, Alex. Thank you for being one of us. It will be one of the greatest honours of my life to fight beside you when we face the Ravener at the end of all this.¡± Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. ¡°Likewise. I¡¯ll be honoured to fight beside you too.¡± With that, she spread her wings in preparation to return to the others. ¡°You don''t have to bother teleporting me back! I feel like flying!¡± Alex smiled, watching her take to the skies. ¡°Glorious,¡± he said. ¡°Just glorious. Two down. Two to go.¡± He looked down at his shoulder. ¡°Make that three to go.¡± A day later, Alex and Hart Redfletcher were in the clearing, training. The Champion of Thameland loomed over Alex¡¯s impressive height, his dense muscles, even thicker than the General¡¯s, bulged with every move he made. Hart looked down with large eyes. He was fully armed and armoured, and in both hands was his sword crafted from the Hive-Queen¡¯s claw. Alex still had mixed feelings whenever he saw it. ¡°You really like that sword, don''t you?¡± he asked Hart on his way to the middle of the clearing. ¡°Cuts good.¡± Hart shrugged, following the General. ¡°I don''t have any great attachment to it, though. When the high priest makes his announcement, I''m gonna switch to one of Uldar¡¯s big, old swords as quick as you can say ¡®bye¡¯. Or maybe I¡¯ll take a mace or a hammer. I¡¯ll see which weapon I feel like then.¡± ¡°That Hive-Queen claw almost killed us in the Cave of the Traveller,¡± Alex said. ¡°Well, I have a buddy in the Ash Ravens whose favourite sword was one he got on the battlefield¡­after someone shoved it in his guts. He used to say, ¡®if it''s good enough to cut me, it''s good enough to cut them¡¯,¡± Hart laughed. ¡°That always made sense to me.¡± ¡°I guess it does¡­¡± Alex said, looking up at the Champion. ¡°So,¡± Hart asked. ¡°Here we are after your heart-to-heart with Merzhin and your little dance session with Drestra. What you got in mind for me?¡± Alex smiled, almost apologetically. ¡°Nothing too exciting,¡± he admitted. ¡°Mostly more dancing and how to manoeuvre while flying. If we incorporate the dances into your fighting styles, you''ll have even more tactics and moves to choose from. I also want you to learn how to move more efficiently when you¡¯re under a flight spell. It¡¯ll be mostly self-explanatory, but if you learn how to fly properly, you¡¯ll increase your manoeuvrability in the air. We¡¯re probably going to be doing a lot of flying in the final battle, and you¡¯ll be ready for it.¡± ¡°Dances to let me move better on the ground,¡± Hart mused. ¡°Flying to let me move through the air more efficiently. Sounds good. So, when do we start?¡± ¡°Now,¡± Alex said. Then paused. ¡°You''re not clumsy on the dance floor or anything, are you?¡± Alex asked, apprehensively. ¡°Not really,¡± Hart said, jamming his sword in the ground beside him. ¡°Clumsy folk don¡¯t last long on the battlefield, plus my Mark made me extra agile. I''m not gonna be stumbling over my own feet for a week like some oaf, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That sounds exactly like what someone who''s about to stumble over their own feet for a week would say.¡± Hart grinned viciously. ¡°Then try me, dancing man. You can tell me if I''m clumsy after we¡¯re done.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Alex said. ¡°The first dance I''m going to teach you is the Spear-and-Oar dance. That''ll be followed by a couple more. So, are you ready?¡± Hart cracked his neck to the left. He cracked it to the right. ¡°Like I said, dancing man, try me.¡± And so Alex did. He started with the Spear-and-Oar dance, prepared to take the Champion of Thameland through the steps at a slow pace. But, Hart Redfletcher had other ideas, he had no interest in taking slow steps, nor did he need them. In a short time, the Champion of Thameland was able to match most of Alex''s stances, positions, and steps nearly perfectly. Hart¡¯s large eyes watched the General intently, and his natural athleticism combined with his enhanced agility from both the Champion¡¯s Mark and the blood magic ritual, saw him replicating the movements with ease. Before long, Hart had a good foundation of the beginning steps, movements, and stances of the Spear-and-Oar Dance. ¡°Holy crap, you''re a natural!¡± Alex shouted, watching the Champion flow from stance to stance as though he was born to perform them. ¡°This dance has a lot in common with some of the fighting techniques I''ve got in here.¡± The Champion tapped the side of his head. ¡°Next dance?¡± ¡°You got it, Dancing boy.¡± The General grinned. Hart grinned back. Alex introduced the next dance. Then the next. And the next. Waltzes, acrobatic steps, slow movements, quick movements¡­the Champion of Thameland absorbed them all in no time. ¡°You''ve got a real talent for this!¡± a surprised Alex complimented him. ¡°Maybe,¡± Hart grunted. ¡°Helps to learn stuff when it''s fun.¡± He peered up at the sky. ¡°You got any more, dancing man, or we gonna take to the air?¡± ¡°Oh, I think we could¡­air out the rest of what I have to teach you,¡± Alex beamed. Hart looked at him sidelong. ¡°You know, if the Ravener was vulnerable to bad jokes, you woulda killed it by now, and your jokes would make sure it never came back.¡± ¡°Hah! If only!¡± Alex twitched his fingers, casting flight magic on his critic. ¡°Alright, let''s get airborne.¡± The General and Champion soared into the sky, Alex immediately instructing Hart on the nuances of flight. Hart would be getting both experience and instruction today. Alex explained the manner in which air currents interacted with different shaped wings, and how some flying creatures weren¡¯t able to perform certain manoeuvres, yet landbound creatures using magic for flight were able to. The General explained how that knowledge would be useful when Hart was in the air, and he told him about different flying races and sky dances that could be helpful when manoeuvring. Hart absorbed every word like a sponge, copying Alex''s demonstrations and mastering his movement in moments. The Champion got creative. He flew off, soon experimenting with what the General had taught him. Raising his sword, Hart began incorporating steps and stances from the dances into his fighting styles. He took to the air again, doing what Alex had taught him¡ªasking questions¡ªweaving all that he¡¯d learned together seamlessly, bringing in new skills, creating new fighting forms. He was both graceful and powerful. In the end, he paused, beaming. ¡°Hey,¡± He flew up to Alex. ¡°Not only are you gonna help me conquer all our enemies with this stuff, but I¡¯m gonna impress Tyris with my skills on the dance floor. Birger thought he was a terror? Huh¡­he hasn¡¯t seen anything!¡± The Champion clapped Alex on the shoulder. ¡°Thank you. You''ve seriously done so much¡ª¡± Alex¡¯s eyes fell on his Marked shoulder. ¡°Wait, Hart, let go¡ª¡± Too late. Alex screamed as Hart¡¯s Mark¡ªunder the armour covering his bicep¡ªblazed brightly as agony seared his shoulder. ¡°My eyes!¡± Alex screamed. The Mark of the General flared, blinding Hart. ¡°My eyes!¡± Alex raised his hands, trying to block the Champion¡¯s Mark¡­which immediately turned white, burning brighter as Uldar¡¯s voice whispered. Both young men kept screaming as the Mark of the Champion blinded them. They tried to get free of each other, but Alex¡¯s hand remained fixed to Hart¡¯s Mark. They tangled around, losing balance, and crashing to the earth with an impact that rattled their teeth. General and Champion lay face down in the dirt as the light faded. ¡°...Hart?¡± Alex groaned. ¡°Yeah, Alex?¡± Hart grunted. ¡°Let¡¯s never speak of this again, deal?¡± ¡°Deal.¡± And so, the Champion and General forged a most important pact. One meant to keep secret their oafishness until the very grave. Chapter 825: Chosen, Champion and Choices Hart Redfletcher pushed himself up off the ground, then helped Alex to his feet. ¡°That was something.¡± The Champion cracked his neck. ¡°Felt like when I first got my Mark, but¡­not as painful.¡± ¡°Merzhin and Drestra said something similar,¡± Alex replied. ¡°I''m glad it didn''t hurt much¡­I mean that fall kinda hurt but¡ª¡± ¡°You''re breaking our deal, Alex,¡± Hart grimaced. ¡°There was no fall. Nobody fell.¡± ¡°Right, right,¡± the General said, sheepishly. ¡°Silly me.¡± Hart simply nodded and began removing his breastplate, pauldrons, gauntlets and shirt to examine the Mark burning on his left bicep. The Mark of the Champion¡ªthe horned warrior¡¯s head¡ªglowed white, changed from its former golden colour. ¡°Wow¡­¡± Alex muttered, peering at the empowered Mark. ¡°Would you look at that?¡± ¡°Feels strange to see it suddenly look different after I¡¯ve had it for such a long time,¡± Hart said. ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Alex glanced at his right shoulder where the Mark of the Fool used to be. ¡°Sometimes I look at my shoulder, and I¡¯m still surprised that there''s no jester¡¯s face grinning up at me. So, how¡¯re you feeling? Any different?¡± ¡°Yeah, I do, actually.¡± Hart said, flexing each finger on his right hand. ¡°I feel stronger, like I got a lot more energy, more power. Wanna test it out?¡± The Champion turned and strode to a nearby oak tree. He flexed his thick arms, wrapped them around the oak¡¯s broad girth, reached to lock his fingers together, but failed, and with a low grunt, planted his feet firmly at the base of the trunk, bent his knees, and heaved. His muscles bunched up, veins rose on his bare torso. There came a groaning sound like the earth itself was moaning in pain. The tree began rising; slowly, steadily, its roots were exposed before Alex''s amazed eyes. Hart turned his torso, rocking the tree trunk from side to side, and¡ªwith a surge of force¡ªwrenched the oak free. Alex noticed the Champion¡¯s fingertips had broken through the tree bark and were digging into the smooth wood beneath. ¡°Damn!¡± the young wizard shouted. ¡°I may not be as strong as Claygon, but this is still pretty good.¡± Hart threw the tree, hurling it through the forest and over the canopy where it landed with a terrible crash in the distance. ¡°And guess what? More strength isn''t all I got,¡± Hart said. He stooped low, took a giant step, and shot across the clearing faster than Alex''s eye could follow. He paused and did it again, speeding through the green space, then launching his body through the air while unsheathing his enormous sword. Flying and striking around himself, his hive-queen blade blurred in a storm of death. Hart shouted at Alex. ¡°Conjure me some forceballs, then send them at me!¡± ¡°You got it!¡± With a slight gesture while uttering two syllables, the young archwizard conjured a swarm of forceballs modified with added mana to maximise their speed. He kept conjuring, producing at least a hundred forceballs and lobbing them at Hart from all directions. They sped straight for the hulking warrior like an attacking swarm, but he slipped past them, his sword lashing out, bursting every spell before it could touch him. ¡°Let¡¯s see that again!¡± Alex cried, sending two score more glowing spells from all sides. Hart¡¯s sword blurred again. Not a single forceball hit him. When every spell had been ruptured, he took a deep breath and began laughing. ¡°It''s too bad that First Apostle isn¡¯t still around. I''d like to see him try the crap he did at Uldar¡¯s Rise!¡± His laughter turned to a growl. ¡°There¡¯s something else I¡¯d like to test.¡± Hart drew his dagger, stretched out his arm and¡ªbefore Alex could say a word¡ªran the blade across his skin. The skin remained intact. ¡°My body¡¯s tougher,¡± he repeatedly slashed at his arm with the dagger, until finally, the blade cut a shallow wound on his forearm. ¡°Not bad, breaking the skin took a lot of tries, which means if I¡¯m wearing Uldar¡¯s armour, I should be protected from most weapons.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± Alex applauded, then took his notebook out to make a quick note. ¡°So far, each Hero has had their Mark¡¯s specialty greatly enhanced by its evolution. No new powers though.¡± ¡°Yeah, it sure looks that way,¡± Hart said. ¡°What do you think you''re gonna get?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Who knows if I¡¯ll get anything, but even if I do, I have no idea what it might be. I can''t imagine how to make my Mark¡¯s power better. Maybe I¡¯ll get more images, quicker, so I can learn faster?¡± The young archwizard shrugged. ¡°Who knows?¡± ¡°Well, I''m real curious now,¡± Hart said. ¡°If Merzhin, Drestra and me are so much stronger, I can''t wait to see what you¡¯re gonna be able to do.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± Alex said. ¡°You''re a good guy, Hart.¡± ¡°I kill things,¡± Hart said. ¡°I do it for a living. Doesn''t mean I gotta be an asshole when I''m not. Anyway, you only got Cedric left to do, right?¡± Stolen novel; please report. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°He''s been getting impatient¡­well, that''s not fair, he¡¯s been extra eager, understandably, but he''s been reasonably patient.¡± ¡°Well, I guess his patience is gonna be rewarded,¡± Hart said. ¡°Real soon.¡±
Soon. Soon the Ravener would have to decide. The black orb hovered above the water in its murky cave, focused on the body of its creator. All throughout Thameland its spawn were multiplying, some were giving aid to the Thameish, while others were fighting them. Its Skyfire swarm was nearly complete, and the ancient pathways for producing its most powerful monsters¡ªpathways it had not used in millennia¡ªwere nearly ready. Creating another Skyfire swarm would be faster next time. After that, even faster. The time after that, faster still. Soon, it would be able to produce dungeon cores that could make its oldest¡ªmost powerful monsters¡ªindependently. It was almost ready for that. But, it had come no closer to deciding what to do, and time was passing. The Heroes were changing: it could feel them reverting to their old forms, one by one. In many ways, this set-back was dire, perhaps an omen of disaster: after the General had been removed millennia ago, the Heroes were not supposed to bear their full power ever again, for good reason. In other ways, the Ravener was inwardly pleased by this turn. It was almost¡­nostalgic to feel the Heroes returning to what they once were. The change reminded it of older, better days. Days when Uldar was strong, and would speak with it. Without doubt, it understood that to not try to stop them from returning to their former selves, before Uldar had changed them, was illogical. Dangerous. However, nostalgia was overcoming logic, and was yet another new emotion in the storm of fears, rages, and yearnings plaguing the construct. It desperately needed guidance, though, in watching Uldar¡¯s still form, it knew such guidance would never come. And time was also short. Once the Heroes regained their full power, it knew they would seek to destroy it, unless it could make peace with them¡­if that was what it decided to do. On some days, peace seemed like the right path to take, but on others, it seemed disgraceful to even consider: an abomination to Uldar. But if it did not make a choice soon, that choice would be made for it. Perhaps it could seek help from¡­ ¡­no. Not yet. To do so, would mean tying itself to one who was not its creator. If it sought counsel, it must be secure in its own independent thought. It was not created to have another master, none but Uldar. Certainly not this General. And he was what it feared most. It knew that a General existing should be impossible¡­but Uldar¡¯s death should also be impossible¡­yet, he was dead. And should this General be able to craft a means to control it? Uldar¡¯s work would fall into the hands of one who should never have been able to exist again, by its creator¡¯s own divine decree. That would be the ultimate blasphemy. No, such a thing could not happen. Even if the other Heroes were permitted to live, the General must die. And there was a sure way to ensure that he did. The Ravener reached into its deepest processes, and began crafting another Skyfire swarm. Then another. These would be ready much faster than the first. Yes. Three swarms to overwhelm: to easily kill this General. The Ravener remembered how, for a brief moment, the General¡¯s mind had touched it. Violating. That would not happen again. Its weapons would soon be ready.
¡°Right, then, Alex!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°They say save th'' best fer last. Well, I''s both best an¡¯ last, so I guess they was right!¡± The Chosen of Uldar stood in the clearing where Alex had trained the other Heroes¡ªshirtless, as usual¡ªdespite the chilly springtime drizzle. ¡°Technically, I''ll be last.¡± The General of Thameland pointed out. ¡°My theory is that¡ªif I get a boost in power¡ªit''s only going to be after you four have gotten yours.¡± ¡°Aye, I suppose that makes sense,¡± Cedric scowled. ¡°Well then, they¡¯d best change that expression t¡¯save th¡¯ best fer second last!¡± The Chosen¡¯s cheery laughter boomed over the forest. Alex rolled his eyes. ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t make me regret training you already.¡± ¡°Oh you''re gonna, friend,¡± Cedric¡¯s cheer faded, somewhat. ¡°I ain¡¯t the quickest when it comes t¡¯learnin¡¯ complicated things. So, by the time you an¡¯ me¡¯s all through, you¡¯re gonna be tearin¡¯ out great tufts o¡¯ yer hair. Believe me.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not worried, you¡¯re no fool, Cedric, no matter what you say,¡± Alex told him. ¡°What¡¯cha gonna be teachin¡¯ me anyway?¡± Cedric asked, smiling, revealing his gold tooth. Despite his concerns, there was a great deal of excitement in his body language. ¡°Dancin¡¯? I hope it''s dancin.¡± ¡°No and yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°You''re going to learn everything Drestra, Hart and Merzhin did.¡± The Chosen¡¯s smile faded. Dead away. ¡°What, why?¡± he demanded, sounding a touch hysterical. ¡°Because you''re supposed to be a fusion of the three of them: some divinity, some magic, and some fighting,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°Merzhin gets stronger by mastering his inner peace, his faith and his soul. Drestra gets stronger by learning new spells and techniques to cast them with. Hart gets stronger by¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°¡­well, by getting stronger. But he also gets stronger through learning new combat techniques, and other techniques that can enhance his fighting styles.¡± ¡°An¡¯ I¡¯s gonna be gettin¡¯ stronger by learnin¡¯ all three?¡± Cedric paled. Alex shook his head. ¡°You''re going to get stronger by combining all three into one perfect fighting style. Different dances will let you dodge and move in new ways in battle: and you¡¯ll also be learning how to convey meaning. A twitch of a muscle can cast a spell: a complex dance can mean more than a single spell being cast at once. While you''re dancing, you¡¯ll be fighting at the same time, and by using a breathing and grounding technique, you''ll be able to concentrate on everything at once.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cedric winced. ¡°So that''s it then, I¡¯ll be takin¡¯ everythin¡¯ they learned, an¡¯ mashin¡¯ it all together?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°That''s exactly right. And in a way, it''s a good thing you went last: you''re going to take the longest to train. But when we''re finished, you''re going to be a nightmare in a fight. You''re already a nightmare, but you have one big weakness.¡± ¡°Aye? An¡¯ what¡¯s that?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°You have access to three different disciplines that allow you to destroy your enemies, but you only use one at a time,¡± Alex said. ¡°Most of the time, you''re fighting with your morphic weapon. Then you pause to cast a spell. Usually, it¡¯s a big spell to blow up a bunch of enemies at once, or it''s some sort of enhancement spell that makes you stronger. Then you go back to fighting with your morphic weapon.¡± ¡°An¡¯ I only use divinity t¡¯ heal or make m¡¯self a bit stronger.¡± Cedric nodded. ¡°Aye, I don¡¯ really flow from one thing t¡¯ th¡¯next, do I?¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex said. ¡°And if you think about it, you should. Imagine this. With every strike, you¡¯re casting a spell. With every step, you¡¯re casting a spell. That frees up your mouth to utter prayers. While you''re doing all that, you could be grounding yourself in the moment, calming your soul which¡¯ll keep a lot of strain off your soul-gate and allow you to focus on regenerating your mana at the same time.¡± Cedric¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Y¡¯wants me t¡¯do all that? Me?¡± ¡°Sure! You can do it,¡± Alex pushed. ¡°You''re a really coordinated guy, and your Mark enhanced your agility¡ªnot as much as Hart¡¯s¡ªbut it did. Learning the movement part isn¡¯t going to be a problem. Breathing¡¯s¡­breathing. It''s going to be easier than you think. Casting spells? Well, once we beat casting nonverbally into you, it¡¯ll be second nature in no time. Trust me.¡± ¡°Doin¡¯ all that sounds like it''ll tak¡¯a long time!¡± Cedric grumbled. ¡°I¡¯m thinking it¡¯ll take less time than you think, but longer than the others took,¡± Alex said. ¡°What we¡¯ll do is start you off with one thing at a time. Something easy first: probably the breathing technique. Once you can ground yourself, you''ll be able to concentrate better on the next thing: probably the dances. Then, after that, non-verbal casting and mana regeneration. We¡¯ll probably have to take a bit of a break between lessons, though.¡± ¡°An¡¯ why¡¯s that?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°I''ll be getting my exam results soon,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°And, if things went well, I¡¯ll be graduating.¡± Chapter 826: The Final Marks Chancellor Baelin handed Alex several sheets of parchment. ¡°Here you go; your exam results,¡± Baelin said solemnly. "You did well, to the surprise of absolutely no one." The young archwizard took the papers from his mentor, quickly searching for his marks. Magic Lore: 100%. Alex nodded, pleased with his mark. The exam was probably challenging for most, especially those who tended to underestimate the subject. It had mostly focused on memorisation, and defining different aspects of magical history and lore. There¡¯d been a number of essay questions requiring the examination of different perspectives on the history of magic, and others requiring alternate perspectives on common theories. There was also a mathematical portion of the exam covering spell arrays and magic circuits, that section was meant to demonstrate the depth of the wizard¡¯s knowledge in the practical aspects of wizardry and how comprehensively they understood the building blocks of spells. Next, were the results of his Summoning Exam: 100%. The written portion was meant to examine the student¡¯s knowledge of the various planes, relationship building, aspects of diplomacy, and how negotiations might change; depending on the sort of being one was bargaining with, and common ways used by summoners to entice spirits into their service. There was also an in depth essay question on pitfalls that often led to a summoner¡¯s destruction by devils and other dangerous servants. Since Alex had summoned a creature as powerful as Asmaldestre the Unmaker, taking the practical part of the exam wasn¡¯t necessary, and repeating the deed served no real purpose since he''d already exceeded the standard for students of summoning to successfully graduate from the university. Professor Mangal had also personally witnessed the summoning, so she¡¯d written her recommendation without hesitation. According to her, he''d more than proven himself by reaching ninth-tier. The alchemy exam, despite alchemy being one of his greatest strengths, had actually been one of the trickiest for him. Professor Jules allowed him to challenge the Exam for Credit, but she certainly wasn''t about to let him go easily. For the practical portion, he had to assemble complex magical equipment within a time limit, then craft potions using those same pieces of equipment, then purify the potions with certain delicate analytical tools, then use those tools to analyse a substance that was new to him. Once he finished analysing the substance, he had to use it in a summoning ritual, one he remembered from long ago. He¡¯d carefully planned his steps, then conjured a lesser shoggoth, just as Professor Jules and her research team had when he was in first year. Back then, just watching the process and seeing the results had seemed extraordinary, ¡­but now, it all felt very commonplace. Negotiating with the lesser shoggoth had been simple: the potions he had purified turned out to be sensory enhancement potions crafted from the brains of Mindfish, which as it turned out, lesser shoggoths found delicious. He¡¯d used the potion to successfully negotiate with the lesser shoggoth for a portion of chaos essence, then sent the creature on its merry way, and presented the chaos essence to Professor Jules. The entire time her eyes had scrutinised his every move, alert for carelessness, neglect, him missing or overlooking even a single safety procedure, even for a moment. He¡¯d made sure not to disregard a step¡­though he was usually less rigid outside the lab. Professor Jules had given him a ninety-five percent, docking marks because, as she¡¯d put it at the time, she found his summoning technique to be: ¡®too free and easy, and potentially dangerous.¡¯ And knowing Professor Jules as well as he did, he hadn¡¯t been surprised at that. The written exam was a snap since Alex had memorised enough information from upper year alchemy textbooks to be able to create the exam, let alone write it. On that section, Professor Jules had given him; one hundred percent, without reservation. His mana manipulation exam had him guiding mana through what appeared to be a cloud of silver mist. In reality, the mist turned out to be thousands of advanced mana-nodes that Alex had to touch in a specific order. It was tricky, but not tricky enough to stump his advanced mana manipulation skills. Compared to the nightmarish process he had gone through to rid himself of the Fool¡¯s Mark, it was simple. And at the end, he¡¯d gotten a hundred percent. Alex finished flipping through the sheaf of papers, his expression relaxing and growing happier with each one. He looked up to see Baelin watching him proudly across the desk. So this meant¡­ ¡°Convocation is at the end of spring semester.¡± Baelin leaned forward, sliding two forms toward him. ¡°One of those is your invitation. It has the date, time and other information that you¡¯ll need on it. Please fill out the other form as it is the application for your convocation ceremony. I will approve it right away and hand it to Registrar Hobb.¡± ¡°It''s¡­ ¡° Alex paused. ¡°Graduation''s not that far away.¡± ¡°No, it is not,¡± Baelin said. ¡°There is no formal dress code for graduation, but you will be expected to wear a robe of some kind. We also¡­¡± He sighed, placing his head in his hands. ¡°The university will be providing conical hats that you will be expected to wear for the duration of the ceremony.¡± He shuddered. ¡°They are adorned with designs of stars, moons, and suns, for some unfathomable reason.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean like a wizard¡¯s hat?¡± Alex asked. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. ¡°It is not a wizard¡¯s hat!¡± Baelin stated. ¡°I have known almost no wizards to wear such costumes, nor do I have any idea where the myth that we do came from! I find these spurious hats quite embarrassing, but the university refuses to repeal their use! Bah, a Proper Wizard does not traipse around in a dressed up dunce¡¯s cap! Why would we dress those who are at the pinnacle of academic achievement in caps that denote stupidity!¡± Baelin shook his head. ¡°Every board of directors I have ever approached considers them ¡®aesthetic¡¯, ¡®traditional¡¯ or ¡®charming¡¯.¡± ¡°Well, I don''t mind. As long as it isn''t a jester¡¯s cap, I''ll be okay with it,¡± Alex said. ¡°Traitor.¡± Baelin¡¯s voice dripped acid. ¡°In any case, on your form you are asked to provide the number of guests who will be attending your ceremony. You are permitted up to thirty individuals.¡± ¡°That''s a lot! I thought it¡¯d be like five, tops!¡± Alex said. ¡°Of course not,¡± Baelin said. ¡°We have students here from cultures and species that consider entire clans to be their immediate family. I actually argued for a higher cap: there have been students who have wanted their entire village to attend their graduation. Who are we to tell them no?¡± ¡°Where does the ceremony take place? Is there that much room, wherever it¡¯ll be? Are we using the stadium?¡± Alex asked. The young archwizard couldn¡¯t remember seeing or hearing about a graduation ceremony on campus. Well, he¡¯d heard about them after the fact, but he¡¯d never seen one take place. Baelin grinned at Alex¡¯s question. ¡°¡®Are we using the training stadium?¡¯ he asks. No, we are not! Graduation takes place in a more spectacular location than that: after all, you are graduating from the greatest school of wizardry in this entire world, not from some simple country school.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± ¡°Everyone is to assemble on campus at the designated time and place, to then be taken to where the ceremony will take place,¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°I think you will be pleased to see it. So, be ready! You only graduate once for the first time: maybe you will return to do graduate studies, but that is an altogether different affair. Anticipate it, be ready for it, and most of all, enjoy it.¡± ¡°I will,¡± Alex said, leaning over the desk to fill out his form, writing the names of everyone he wanted with him: Selina, Theresa, Brutus, Khalik, Thundar, Claygon and the Lus. He paused¡­then added four more names. Alex doubted they¡¯d be able to attend, but he still wanted the option of inviting them, just in case they could make it. ¡°Done,¡± he said. ¡°Excellent,¡± Baelin said. ¡°I must catch up on this paperwork. It continues to loom over me¡ªand looks like I''ve hardly made a dent in it since my return¡ªso I shall allow you to carry on with the rest of your day. So tell me, what will you do with your time, now that you no longer have formal classes?¡± Alex froze at that. It was true. He didn¡¯t have classes anymore. No more undergraduate classes. Acknowledging that felt sad: he was happy to graduate, since it meant he¡¯d officially be a wizard and was moving on, but at the same time¡­it felt like he was losing something. ¡°Having trouble wrapping your head around the fact that classes are over for you?¡± Baelin asked him. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± Alex said. ¡°I have seen that look on thousands of faces just prior to graduation,¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°Many thousands, not surprisingly, over the centuries. You are no doubt pleased that you are going on to the next stage of your life, but you are also realising that you''re about to leave a significant experience behind: one you can never revisit in the same way. Graduating students often end up wondering if they have made time to examine what the experience has meant to them before it has passed them by.¡± ¡°You hit it on the head, Baelin,¡± Alex admitted. ¡°Feels like some of my classes are a blur¡­in a way, the Mark of the Fool kind of changed the experience for me.¡± ¡°Indeed, but it was your experience. Treasure it. In any case, you never answered my question.¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Alex shook himself. ¡°I''m going to do some training with Cedric, then I¡¯ll go tell my family that I passed.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Well, don¡¯t let me keep you from sharing your exciting news with your loved ones.¡± ¡°I appreciate it, Baelin¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Thanks, thanks, for everything.¡± ¡°For everything, so far,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°I doubt we are done with each other quite yet.¡± Alex laughed. ¡°True. Alright, see you later.¡± ¡°Goodbye for now,¡± Baelin said. With that, the young archwizard teleported back to his room in his family¡¯s home above the bakery, putting his exam results on his desk. He paused for a moment. It was quiet in the apartment, aside from the noise coming from the bakery downstairs. Theresa, Brutus and Claygon must already be in Thameland. Selina was at school, and the Lus were in the villa. Alex felt a little disappointed that no one was at home so he could share his news with them. Maybe he could teleport to where they were after he got Cedric''s lesson set up. He shook his head, looking at the stack of parchment. There lay the sum of three years of work, hard work, and in truth, what should have been four. Each sheet of paper represented a part of his evolution¡ªfrom apprentice to full-fledged wizard. Soon, the sheaf of papers would be replaced by a degree. That degree would provide him with a wealth of opportunities and choices. He could choose graduate studies and do research if he wanted to teach a magical subject that interested him. Wizardry had given him the chance to gain wondrous abilities, meet unique people, and have a lifetime of exceptional possibilities; anything from sitting on the Generasi Wizards¡¯ Council, to creating transformative potions, devices, and other alchemical items, to being sought after by empresses and merchant princes around the world, to exploring different worlds. As an archwizard he could do almost anything he wanted. Untold opportunities were waiting. He might choose some, or he might continue on his current path of building his businesses, at least, until he decided to do something different. He had the time, after all. Especially, if his plan to extend his life worked, once the Ravener was defeated. In the end, graduating and earning his degree felt surreal, almost like a waking dream. He had accomplished so much in the last three years, yet these pieces of parchment made things feel different. Special. Maybe, because of the depth of what they represented. Perhaps, as time passed, he wouldn¡¯t think of them and the degree he¡¯d be getting just as much. He wondered if Baelin remembered every accolade he''d received over the course of his millennia of life. Probably not. But for now¡­ You are no doubt pleased that you are going on to the next stage of your life, but you also realise that you''re about to leave a significant experience behind: one you can never revisit in the same way. ¡­Baelin¡¯s words came back. And, he took the moment to reflect, to stop and think on the experiences that had brought him to this point. His journey with his family from Alric. His battle against the mana vampire on the Red Siren. Mastering the Mark of the Fool. Taking the Art of the Wizard in Combat for the first time. His good friends, and how they supported each other. The professors he¡¯d met. The knowledge and experiences he gained. He took a breath and performed his grounding exercises, he breathed and reflected. He let every bit of it soak into his bones. ¡°I thank the Traveller that I came to Generasi,¡± Alex whispered. After reflecting and being deep in thought for a time, he opened his eyes, nodded to himself, then teleported to Thameland. He was looking forward to graduation. Chapter 827: Mastering Flesh and Metal ¡°Good job, Cedric!¡± Alex clapped for the Chosen, giddy with excitement. ¡°You''re close!¡± ¡°Aye, I¡¯d be a lot closer if¡¯n you¡¯d be so kind t¡¯not break me bloody flow wit¡¯ yer lip flappin¡¯!¡± The Chosen snapped from between clenched teeth. Cedric¡¯s eyes were shut tight, his breathing was laboured; he weaved his body through the Spear-and-Oar Dance in the middle of the forest clearing, muscles flexing with every movement. ¡°Clap fer me when I ain¡¯t tryin¡¯ t¡¯ think about so many things at the same time!¡± ¡°Right, sorry!¡± Alex called, cupping his hands around his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m just trying to encourage you!¡± ¡°Yer still talkin¡¯!¡± ¡°Right, shit, sorry! It¡¯s just that you¡¯re doing so well¡ª¡± ¡°Now yer jus¡¯ bloody doin¡¯ it on purpose!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, I swear! It¡¯s just, right, right! Sorry! Shutting up now!¡± Alex fell silent for a long moment¡­at least long to him. ¡°But seriously, I¡¯m super proud,¡± he said under his breath, watching the Chosen of Thameland dance, his moves flowing from one to the next under the morning sky. A natural athlete, the redheaded man had readily absorbed the basics of every dance Alex had taught him over the past few days, and was always eager for more. If only the same was true with the Chosen¡¯s progress with the grounding exercise. Asking Cedric to simply sit, breathe and be, was easy to ask of him, but close to impossible for him to do. Within minutes of starting the meditation, he¡¯d be twitching, fidgeting, or shifting about; his mind would drift as boredom and impatience took over. It had taken Alex the better part of a day to realise what was wrong: expecting the Hero to just stay still was like trying to herd barn cats. Futile. He was the man who had ditched his priestly escort to run off to Coille forest to fight Ravener-spawn, because he needed to act. Cedric was a doer, and after Alex realised that, he knew he had to adapt¡ªif the Chosen¡¯s body wanted to move¡ªthen he shouldn¡¯t be fighting it. Instead of trying to force him to sit still, he needed to work on the grounding exercise while performing the Spear-and-Oar dance. Calm would have to be achieved through the explosive power of movement. And that movement would then steady his breathing. The Chosen had moved through the dance¡¯s steps, stances, and positions as his chest rose and fell: inhale for four, hold for seven, then exhale for eight. Each day, his breathing had grown a little less laboured. Until, something wonderful happened. The Chosen¡¯s movement was now matching his breathing. His morphic weapon¡ªshaped like a spear¡ªpulsed. His steps were steady. His exhalation was timed with an explosive step. ¡®Yes!¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Keep going. You¡¯re almost there¡­you¡¯re almost¡­¡¯ Something shifted in the Chosen¡¯s movements. A subtle twitch of a muscle, a shift in his timing. His breathing became calmer¡­ ¡­and then, there it was. Success. Cedric had gotten it. His body moved with perfect harmony, power, grace and beauty, all conducted by a breath as steady as the tide. His face was a mask of serenity, his eyes utterly calm, gaze focusing on the path ahead. A few minutes passed. Then dozens. The Chosen seemed entranced, united in body and mind. Alex watched him, reluctant to break the union he¡¯d worked so hard for. He would leave the Chosen in peace for a time and do some learning of his own. Slipping to the side of the clearing to get his satchel, the young archwizard took out the spell-guide for Steel Body, opened it and began tracing the magic circuit with his index finger: some points on the diagram were familiar¡ªsimilar to sections of blood magic spells he¡¯d learned before¡ªbut most were new to him. He¡¯d never cast a spell that was capable of transforming his flesh so completely, and such transmutations were notoriously tricky. Miscasting a spell like this, would not only risk a mana reversal, but could turn the casting wizard into a mound of sand, a piece of twisted wood, or a ball of squealing flesh. None were appealing. There¡¯s no way he would have risked casting this spell when he had the Mark of the Fool. But now¡­things had changed. ¡®The best thing is for me to cast it with a gesture,¡¯ Alex thought, opening a notebook. ¡®I could use it for physical resilience and strength, then dismiss it for speed and faster mana flow. Hmmm¡­what¡¯s this part here? ¡­ah, that should be helpful.¡¯ Alex stood, and holding the spell guide, looked over the incantation one final time, then nodded. ¡®Guess there¡¯s only one thing left to do.¡¯ Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. He focused the Mark of the General on perfecting his pronunciation. Memories of incantations¡ªsuccesses and failures¡ªcame pouring back to him, guiding him through the syllables of the intricate spell. Mana surged, and a complex, eight part magic circuit formed within his mana pool. The magic circuit completed. Power surged through his body, his sense of touch dulled. Iron oozed from his veins, suffusing his body. His perception of dampness and the bite of cool spring wind on his skin faded. His flesh transformed, changing to shining, polished steel. Strength poured into his muscle fibres. ¡°Wow, this feels so stra¡ª¡± Breath failed him partway through the sentence¡­yet he didn¡¯t have to take another one, at least for now. In his current form, the archwizard had no need for breathing to sustain life, a trait that would come in handy. Alex placed two fingers against his neck. No pulse either. He was¡ªeffectively¡ªa living steel statue. ¡®This is so cool,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I wonder what Claygon will think?¡¯ I want to test it¡­right now!¡¯ Tromping to the nearest tree, Alex curled his right arm back¡ªballed his hand into a fist¡ªand swung. A loud crack and an explosion of tree bark followed, as his fist struck the trunk, burrowing into the wood. ¡®Not bad!¡¯ he thought. ¡®Maybe let¡¯s try something else.¡¯ He reached around the tree trunk, gripping it on either side, and using his teleportation power, severed the trunk from its base and teleported the stump and roots away. He began to lift. The tree wasn¡¯t quite the size of the old oak Hart had wrenched from the ground, but it was close, yet Alex had little trouble hoisting it over his head. His body was stronger under this spell. He took a conscious breath, raising the tree up and down. ¡°It isn¡¯t the flashiest spell, but it¡¯s damn useful, if any Ravener-spawn get too close to me, I could crush them to pulp. And a steel body is fantastic for defence¡­damn, if I¡¯d known this spell when I was fighting the hidden church in Kelda¡¯s sanctum, I doubt their consecrated soil would have affected me. Anyway, I know it now, and I¡¯ll be making good use of it. Maybe I¡¯d better put this tree down and see how Cedric¡¯s doing.¡± Alex slowly laid the tree on its side¡ªbranches cracking and snapping as they touched the ground¡ªand looked up to check on Cedric. He found the Chosen staring at him. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re done!¡± the General clapped unevenly, his palms clanging together like dull bells. ¡°Good job!¡± ¡°Why th¡¯bloody blazes ¡®r y¡¯metal?¡± Cedric sounded bewildered. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Yer bloody metal, mate!¡± ¡°What do you mea¡ªOh, it¡¯s a new spell!¡± Alex slapped his hand against his forehead. There was another clang. ¡°It turns my body to steel¡­as you can see. Anyway, what¡¯s important is that¡­¡± Alex grinned, pointing at his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one with metal in your mouth now!¡± Silence. ¡°Wha¡ªwhat th¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°I mean you have a golden smile, but mine¡¯s steely,¡± Alex joked. ¡°Please bloody tell me y¡¯dina learn this spell jus¡¯ fer yer shite joke!¡± ¡°N-no!¡± Alex cried. Cedric looked sceptical. ¡°Anyway, let¡¯s move on. The spell changes my body to magically enhanced metal. It¡¯s not flashy, but it¡¯s eighth-tier.¡± The Chosen¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°The way y¡¯say eighth-tier all casual-like makes me ¡®ead spin. But, ah well, good on ya!¡± Cedric grinned and clapped, his gold tooth shining. ¡°Thank you, thank you,¡± Alex said, bowing his head exaggeratedly. ¡°Aye, an¡¯ now tha¡¯ ya finished showin¡¯ off,¡± Cedric cracked his neck. ¡°I gots somethin¡¯ t¡¯show ya. I was savin¡¯ this one fer a surprise.¡± The Chosen muttered an incantation, extending a hand in front of him. A shimmering wall of force materialised in the air. ¡°Holy crap!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°Wall of Force! You broke through to fifth-tier!¡± ¡°I been workin¡¯ on sixth, friend.¡± Cedric couldn¡¯t help but smirk a little. ¡°Been gettin¡¯ close too. I¡¯s kinda hopin¡¯ t¡¯get there b¡¯fore Isolde gets t¡¯seventh an¡¯ leaves me behind, but she¡¯s been sayin¡¯ that she¡¯s real close, so I dunno ¡®bout that one. Th¡¯others are real close t¡¯fifth too. ¡®Cept for Drestra¡­well, I¡¯d best let her show ya fer herself.¡± ¡°I can hardly wait.¡± Alex rubbed his hands together, his palms making ominous, metallic, creaking and grinding sounds. ¡°But wait, let¡¯s leave the spells for a second. How¡¯d it go with your dancing and breathing?¡± Cedric¡¯s smirk turned into an overjoyed smile. He slapped himself on the chest. ¡°Friendo, it feels so bloody good! So natural, like I was always meant t¡¯be fightin¡¯ like that! Once I got m¡¯breathin¡¯ an¡¯ dancin¡¯ all in step, hoo boy! Everythin¡¯ worked like a bloody charm!¡± ¡°Awesome,¡± Alex said. ¡°Then the next thing we¡¯ll be working on is getting you to cast more than one spell at the same time, using your body, not your mouth, which should be a lot easier now.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Well, describe how your body feels when you¡¯re dancing and doing the grounding exercise at the same time?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Feels bloody good an¡¯...oh!¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°I gets it! I can feel every muscle better. Feels like I¡¯m noticin¡¯ every muscle movin¡¯ a lot more than usual. So now that I kin notice me own body¡¯s movements easier¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have an easier time controlling those movements more precisely,¡± Alex finished for him. ¡°Very, very good.¡± ¡°Aye!¡± the Chosen shouted. ¡°Well, then, guess we better get back t¡¯work! Tell me what t¡¯do next oh teacher o¡¯ mine!¡± ¡°Next, we¡¯re going to be studying spell arrays and finding commonalities in¡ª¡± ¡°I bloody hates ya!¡± ### Drestra watched the trees before her. Most looked just as they should: solid, old elms and oaks rising from the earth, with bursting leaf buds and new leaves springing up on their branches. Some, however, looked semi-solid, off, not quite right. The Sage of Thameland gave a tight smile of satisfaction. Because she could tell they weren¡¯t real. ¡°Those over there.¡± She pointed to three towering oaks. ¡°They¡¯re the illusions.¡± She looked at four Thundars standing nearby, hands on their hips¡ªthree of the minotaurs appeared somewhat vague¡ªshe pointed at the solid one. ¡°And you are the real Thundar.¡± ¡°Damn, you got me!¡± the minotaur dispelled his illusions. The other minotaurs and illusionary trees shimmered to nothingness. ¡°Hells, Drestra, you did it, you really can cast True Seeing now!¡± The dragon smiled, taking off her veil and showing her teeth. Thundar¡¯s expression shifted, as it always did. For a time, she used to think her teeth made him uneasy, but she¡¯d come to realise that he felt the exact opposite. Now, she took great joy in revealing her fangs to him. ¡°You¡¯ll be able to cast it too,¡± she said, her voice crackling. ¡°You¡¯re almost at fifth.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The minotaur scratched the back of his head as he laughed nervously. He kept glancing at her fangs. ¡°Gotta admit, Alex was right: wrapping your head around every little detail of a spell array is a pain, but once you can do it, it makes learning spells so much easier.¡± Drestra watched him. ¡°You¡¯re all getting your heads around it faster than I am, but I¡¯m slowly getting there. And¡ª¡± Suddenly, from nearby, there came a powerful crack like thunder. Both minotaur and dragon whirled, spotting a massive bolt of lightning streaking over the canopy to the north. It peaked in the sky, exploding in a coil of electricity, sending out hundreds of hungry bolts seeking targets in every direction. A familiar laugh rang out over the trees. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned,¡± Thundar mused. ¡°Looks like Isolde¡¯s hit seventh-tier.¡± ¡°Cedric¡¯s going to go a little crazy over that one,¡± Drestra grinned. Mark of the Fool 7 launches in ebook and paperback! Hey hey everybody! IT''S TIME TO DUEL-I MEAN BOOK 7! It¡¯s time for book 7! Book 7 launching on amazon! Thank you for sticking with me for this long. So before I give the link for book 7, I want to say a couple of things. I¡¯m STILL working on Oaths, Blood and Coin 2 and we¡¯re prepping #1 for launch. Also book 6 of Fool is with Travis, and ready to be recorded when he has room in his schedule Alrighty, then book 7! Now ready for Amazon! As always, I could use some help. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. If you have kindle unlimited, then a download of the e-book would help me out quite a bit. Find the book through this link: https://geni.us/markofthefool7 If you have reddit, then upvotes on these posts would also help me out too: https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1csn09j/mark_of_the_fool_book_7_launches_today_in_ebook/ https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1csmuzz/mark_of_the_fool_book_7_launches_in_ebook_and/ Just remember, this is your choice! You don¡¯t have to! Chapter up in a few seconds! Chapter 828: Preparations for Graduation Morning sunlight streamed through shuttered windows. Drawn curtains stopped neither bird-song, the chattering of children on their way to school, nor the tempting aroma of baking bread from drifting into the bedchamber. Yet, the room¡¯s occupant ignored it all. Isolde von Anmut sat cross-legged on her bed, concentrating every fibre of her mind on her mana pool. For weeks, the young noblewoman had been working on perfecting this mana manipulation technique. She had broken through to seventh-tier in a thunderous fashion; and would need as much mana as she could harvest to power her new and mighty magics. And¡ªafter this marathon session¡ªshe was almost there. Isolde¡¯s mana fibres sparked as she massaged them, searching for the precise touch: a tricky thing, made a bit easier because of past experiences using mana manipulation in alchemy and magic lore. This new technique was challenging, but she wouldn¡¯t let that stop her, and suddenly. Power began flowing through her¡ªincrementally at first. Increasing. Then a bit more. Eventually becoming a flood. Energy poured through her mana fibres, revitalising her. ¡°At last,¡± she whispered, with a snarl of satisfaction. Opening her eyes, she leapt from the bed, her light nightgown fluttering around her, and raised her fist like a conquering warlord. ¡°I have done it! I have completed another step in Alex¡¯s¡­Operation¡­Operation.¡± She cringed. ¡°Operation: Everyone Lives. An apt name, but could he not use the Mark of the General to become better at naming?¡± The noblewoman shook her hand, putting her hands on her hips. ¡°I suppose even a divinely granted Mark cannot account for poor taste. No matter: poorly named or not, it is a good plan. And I have nearly completed it. All that remains is for me to master the details of spell arrays, and that should not be too difficult, after all¡ªWait. What time is it?¡± The young woman quickly peeked between the curtains and the colour drained from her face. ¡°By the elements, is it already morning? Ooooh, Isolde, shame on you! You allowed yourself to lose track of time and have been practising the entire night!¡± Muttering the incantation for Planar Doorway, she opened the curtains, letting sunlight drift through the slats of her shutters. ¡°And of course it had to be today of all days! Of all days!¡± She turned to the open wardrobe, and bounded across the room. Hanging between its painted doors¡ªon a golden hook¡ªwas a fine robe of deep electric blue and royal purple velvet. It was a special garment: a gift from her grandfather to mark her acceptance into the university some four years ago. She had never worn it, having saved it for today. And today was the day that she, Lady Isolde von Anmut of the Rhinean Empire, was to graduate from the University of Generasi. And it was not a day to be late. ¡°I must get ready,¡± she said, rushing to grab her soap and towels. ¡°I shall need a strong cup of tea to straighten my mind and¡ª¡± An insistent knocking sounded on her bedroom door. ¡°Lady von Anmut?¡± Svenia¡¯s voice came through the thick wood. ¡°Are you well? I heard a commotion?¡± ¡°I am well, Svenia! You may come in!¡± Isolde grabbed her comb. ¡°Wait, is Hogarth with you? I am not dressed for company yet!¡± ¡°No, he is not, m¡¯lady.¡± ¡°Then yes, come in!¡± The door opened, and the guardswoman stepped inside. Her armour was freshly polished, her clothes looked crisp and flat-ironed, her boots were shined to perfection, and her blonde hair was caught up in a neat bun tied with silken ribbon. She bowed deeply to her lady. ¡°Lady von Anmu-¡± ¡°Svenia, you have to help me!¡± Isolde pointed to the collection of daggers hanging on the western wall. ¡°Which one should I wear?¡± ¡°Erm.¡± The guardswoman quickly rose from her bow. ¡°The dirk is nice.¡± Isolde threw a glance at it before shaking her head. ¡°Too plain. It has a subtlety that would not do on such a grand day as this! Today calls for more pomp!¡± ¡°Er¡­then what about the sapphire-hilted poniard?¡± Svenia pointed to a dagger hanging a little away from the others. Its hilt, pommel and crossguard were encrusted with jewels, mostly sapphires. ¡°I¡­¡± Isolde paused, staring at it for a full ten seconds before placing her head in her hands. ¡°Of course that is the right one. I bought it a while back right here in Generasi specifically for this occasion because it matched the blue of my robes. I completely forgot! By the Elements, my mind is an absolute mess!¡± ¡°Lady von Anmut, it¡¯s alright,¡± Svenia said gently. ¡°It is not alright!¡± Isolde dragged the dagger off the hook, gesturing toward her bodyguard with it. Svenia took a step back. ¡°Things must be perfect today, absolutely perfect! Not even a single hair can be out of place!¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, my lady. I know you will. You always do your best, and your best has always been more than enough. If it weren¡¯t, then you would not be here today,¡± Svenia said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just the way I see it, I¡¯ve watched over you for most of your life, and I know you will be stellar today: congratulations, Lady von Anmut.¡± Silence. ¡®Congratulations¡¯. The young noblewoman paused as that simple word washed over her, bringing a lump to her throat, in spite of herself. Her tension eased. Somewhat. ¡°Thank you, Svenia. Thank you for being by my side during my time here.¡± ¡°Thank you for protecting us in some of our recent battles, m¡¯lady. It feels like you hardly need us anymore since you¡¯ve grown so much,¡± the warrior woman smiled. ¡°Hogarth and I were talking about how strong you¡¯ve become. We can hardly keep up with you any longer, not as we once did in any case¡­but I¡¯m glad we were able to guard you so far. We¡¯ll continue to do so until you no longer need us.¡± More silence. Then Isolde¡¯s back straightened. ¡°Excuse me for a moment, Svenia. I am going to bathe. Could you bring Hogarth here once I am dressed?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady,¡± Svenia bowed. ### Hogarth and Svenia entered Isolde¡¯s bedchamber, the short man startling, then bowing. ¡°You look wonderful, Lady von Anmut, like a goddess!¡± ¡°Thank you, Hogarth, though you must surely be exaggerating.¡± Isolde wore her brilliant robes, the dagger hanging from a knotted belt cinched at her waist. Her hair was styled in a river of black waves cascading down her left shoulder. Her make up was subtle. The sunlight poured through now-open shutters, pooling around her: she looked like a queen from a bard¡¯s legend. Both bodyguards bowed deeply. ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong, my lady,¡± Svenia said. ¡°There are empresses who would envy you today.¡± ¡°Thank you, Svenia,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Please, rise. I have something to say to you both.¡± The two bodyguards glanced at each other, quickly standing upright. ¡°I want to thank you,¡± Isolde said. ¡°You have been with me since my childhood, during my best years and¡­my worst. These last four have brought a mixture of both, and what a strange four years they have been.¡± They nodded along, acknowledging the sentiment. Isolde¡¯s first year had been fairly uneventful: she¡¯d made a few friends, and spent her time mainly focused on her studies. Most of her memories from year one were of classes, hours in the library, the Cells, and various textbooks and spell-guides. She¡¯d had some good times with her few friends¡­but many of them were tainted by Derek¡¯s presence. Derek Warren. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Her first true romantic relationship, one that had ended in utter betrayal. As though reading her mind, Hogarth spoke up. ¡°Times have indeed been strange. That dirty boy you kept company in your first year here caused you much pain...and I apologise that we weren¡¯t able to protect you from him.¡± ¡°Yes, my lady,¡± Svenia added. ¡°It¡¯s our responsibility to crush annoying pests and filthy threats, but we failed to do that as far as he was concerned.¡± ¡°It is alright.¡± Isolde smiled sadly. ¡°My heart was determined to see me hurt back then¡­no, that is not right. Derek was selfish enough to hurt me. The fault is his, not yours and not mine. But, it is funny¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°¡­thinking about that situation now does not hurt nearly as much.¡± There was a time when Derek represented only pain and the deepest rage. ¡°With time and my delicious ¡®revenge¡¯ against him in the Games of Roal, I find most of my anger has faded. I still would not count him as a friend¡­and I would not even go so far as to say that I wish him well, but he does not really matter anymore, does he?¡± ¡°That he does not, my lady,¡± Hogarth said. ¡°Your current friends have honour, something he never did, though he was good, initially, at pretending that he did.¡± Isolde smiled and nodded. After she¡¯d met Alex Roth, Prince Khalik Behr-Medr, and Thundar, Son of Gulbiff in her second year, much of our life had changed. Her circle of friends had grown, and she¡¯d become involved in matters of significance, including the legendary conflict of another realm, as well as matters of great magical advancement. She¡¯d journeyed to the Hells alongside warriors and Heroes, and had grown to become an exceptional lightning mage. Her experiences had culminated, bringing her to where she was now; set to graduate with the ability to cast seventh-tier spells: two tiers above the minimum level to graduate from the greatest university of wizardry in the world. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful,¡± Hogarth said. ¡°From the time you met your new friends¡­your time here has been more favourable to you.¡± ¡°And you have been beside me through so much, from my childhood,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Which, again, is why I wanted you both to know that having you with me, has brought me great comfort.¡± ¡°We take your safety as more than simply our jobs, Lady von Anmut,¡± Hogarth said solemnly. ¡°It¡¯s our duty and responsibility,¡± Svenia said. ¡°Responsibility¡­¡± Isolde murmured, glancing at her dressing table. ¡°Perhaps so, but you went above and beyond the bindings of duty. And I think that deserves to be recognised. I wanted to do something for you in appreciation so I have commissioned Stark¡¯s Armoury and Weapons to produce two suits of fine, magical plate armour, for you both. They will be lightweight, yet able to protect you better than heavy steel.¡± Svenia¡¯s eyes flew wide. ¡°That would be much too costly!¡± ¡°Lady von Anmut, such a gift¡ª¡± ¡°I will also be providing you with new enchanted weapons,¡± Isolde cut off any protests. ¡°Your current equipment has served you well, but you deserve better, considering what you have fought on my behalf. You have a responsibility to me, but I also have a responsibility to you. Please, accept my gifts even as I accept my degree on this special day.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± They bowed once more. ¡°Rise.¡± She stepped forward, touching their arms. ¡°And once again, I thank you. Now, come, let us make sure that we are ready for this momentous occasion.¡± Isolde smiled, thinking about the day ahead. Her grandfather would be teleporting her family to the university at ten o''clock. They would assemble on campus, and then be taken to the location of the graduation ceremony. Isolde did not know exactly where it was to take place, but she did know that at least one of the members of the ruling council would be there, along with the university faculty, and friends and loved ones of the graduates. And most importantly, the graduating class. It was supposed to be a grand affair. ¡°Perhaps this will be our final celebration before we fully go to war,¡± Isolde said. ¡°We will be beside you in that too, Lady von Anmut,¡± Hogarth promised. ¡°And we¡¯ll see you through it.¡± ¡°Let us not dwell on such grim things,¡± Isolde said. ¡°And I apologise for bringing it up. This is not a day for dread, but for wonder¡­and it will also be the day that I take care of something I have put off for long enough.¡± She glanced at a small wooden box sitting on her dressing table beside a folded sheet of paper. The young noblewoman had agonised over both for many evenings, though they were unrelated. Still, both would be important today. Most important. ¡°Come, let us be on our way,¡± Isolde said to Svenia and Hogarth. ¡°Oh, and you are sure I look presentable?¡± She turned in place, her robes billowing. ¡°Without doubt my lady, you look lovely,¡± Svenia said. ### ¡°How do I look?¡± Selina asked Theresa, stretching out her arms and twirling in her new dress. The two young women were in their living area with Claygon and Brutus. Selina¡¯s gown was a sleek calf-length burnt orange affair, highlighted with orange and red trim, with a short cape flowing down her shoulders that ended in a jagged pattern like crackling flame. Her clothing embraced her connection to fire, and also accented her green eyes, ¡°I think you look great,¡± Theresa smiled. ¡°Thanks, I¡¯m glad,¡± Selina smiled back. ¡°I love this dress. It''s not puffy like the other ones I used to wear. It feels and looks more grown up,¡± She looked at Theresa. ¡°You look really great too.¡± Theresa wore a knee-length sheath dress stitched in green and golden silk with forest green leggings beneath. The Twinblade was on her side, hooked to a wide black belt. ¡°Thanks,¡± she said. ¡°We¡¯d better get going soon. When Alex finishes downstairs, we still have to get my family from the villa and I hope my brothers are ready, because the last thing we need today is to be late.¡± ¡°Late or not¡­I''m glad we will be together¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°¡­today¡­this will¡­be a good day¡­just like¡­older times¡­¡± ¡°Alex must be excited,¡± Selina said. ¡°It¡¯s a big day for him. Is he done, yet?¡± Claygon paused. ¡°No¡­and Theresa¡­I do not think your brothers¡­will be the ones who will make us late¡­¡± ### ¡°Boss, you¡¯ve got to stop!¡± Troy cried. ¡°You''re going to get your graduation robes dirty!¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than worth it for this, Troy,¡± Alex insisted, leaning over the kitchen counter, swiftly whisking batter. ¡°I have to make sure the recipe¡¯s just right. It has to be perfect.¡± Grumbling ran through the morning shift. A dozen people¡ªin white aprons and hats¡ªwere staring at Alex, trying to shoo him away as though he were a naughty cat. ¡°Come on, boss,¡± Troy insisted. ¡°You don¡¯t trust us? We¡¯re less likely to mess things up than you are to mess up your robes! Wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± He looked around at the rest of the staff. They hissed and jeered, echoing his sentiments. ¡°Get going, boss, leave the cooking to us!¡± A stout man raised a wooden spoon as though it were a sword. ¡°It¡¯s what we¡¯re responsible for!¡± A grey-haired woman gestured with a ladle. ¡°Boss, you shouldn¡¯t be¨Cgah!¡± An orcish cook ducked as a Wizard¡¯s Hand soared over his head, carrying a sprig of thyme to the other side of the kitchen where a cauldron was simmering over a steady fire. Another crimson glowing Hand lifted the lid¡ªa familiar scent drifted out¡ªas the other Hand dropped the thyme into the dish. A third Hand stirred it into the stew before the cover was returned to the pot. ¡°Sorry about that, Rollgar,¡± Alex apologised to the orcish cook, who huffed. ¡°You can apologise by getting out of the kitchen, boss!¡± Rollgar insisted. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Troy added. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re making, but we can take care of it.¡± Alex smiled gently. ¡°Honestly, you all take care of me a lot already, but this is something I have to do.¡± He looked at the cookie batter, then the stew. ¡°These cookies and stew are my mother and father¡¯s favourite recipes. And, uh, if you know anything about my past, you¡¯ll understand why I want to make them myself.¡± His words silenced the staff, they went as still as a held breath. ¡°Oh, gods, boss I¡¯m sorry¡ª¡± Troy began sputtering. ¡°Don¡¯t apologise, you didn¡¯t do anything wrong. Honestly, I probably should be wearing something different,¡± Alex looked down at his fine robes. ¡°I just, well¡­the idea hit me this morning, and I immediately teleported down here and got to work. We¡¯ll serve them tonight¡­and in a way, it¡¯ll be like mother and father are here with us for my graduation. ¡­I want to get things exactly right.¡± With a nostalgic smile, he looked at the cookie batter. ¡°Did I ever tell you about my mother''s recipe?¡± ¡°No, boss.¡± Troy peered at the bowl¡¯s contents. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind hearing about it, if you wouldn¡¯t mind sharing.¡± Alex picked up a small bottle. ¡°One of the most important things about her recipe¡ªaside from love¡ªis that it¡¯s simple. And, you know, simple recipes rely on proportions. You can¡¯t hide a mistake among a bunch of other ingredients.¡± The young archwizard glanced at a cake sitting on the central counter, ready to be packed up; it had been ordered by the family of another graduate and was built in three, magnificent golden layers of moist goodness, decorated with buttercream and accented with gold coloured marzipan scrolls. ¡°Take that cake: there¡¯s about fifteen different ingredients in it, right? It¡¯s challenging to make, but there¡¯s so many ingredients in it that they can cover for one another.¡± His attention returned to the cookie batter. ¡°But a recipe with five or less ingredients means that the amount of each ingredient has to be exactly right. If you put too little vanilla bean essence in a complex cake, the cocoa powder will carry the day. If you put too much nutmeg in one, then cloves and ginger could compensate. But in a simple recipe like this?¡± A Wizard¡¯s Hand flew down to Alex¡¯s side, carrying a small bottle of concentrated elderberry juice. He took it, unstopping the bottle with his right thumb, and sending the cork flying as the glowing Hand caught it between two fingers. ¡°Each ingredient has to do its part, and the few drops of juice that¡¯s called for has to be added in the exact amount. The juice ties the other ingredients together. Without it, you won¡¯t have that united flavour that the recipe needs: you might not notice the flavour explicitly when it¡¯s there, but you will notice it when it¡¯s not. That¡¯s the secret to my mother¡¯s cookies: it¡¯s not one ingredient overwhelming the others, it¡¯s them working in harmony, enhancing each other as one.¡± With that, he tipped four drops of juice into the batter, stirring and folding them in. Troy smiled. ¡°Reminds me of some of Old Master Beerensteyn¡¯s recipes. Your mother sounds like she was good in the kitchen.¡± ¡°My father too,¡± Alex said quickly, not wanting to leave him out. ¡°I can see where you got your talent from, boss. Alright then, we¡¯ll leave you to it. But¡­could you at least stop and put on this apron? I really don¡¯t want to see those nice robes getting all messed up.¡± Alex glanced down at his flour flecked robes. The young archwizard had chosen a deep wine-coloured velvet for his robes, to match the crimson of his spells. Throughout the fabric, his tailor had sewn in symbols that were important to Alex. There was the symbol of Brutus and Theresa¡¯s blood magic ritual that he¡¯d created for his engagement gift to her, which was sown into the robe near his heart. Embellishing the front, were the Heroes¡¯ Marks, including the symbol of the Fool and the General. There were also a number of glyphs that represented the different monsters, including Bubbles¡ªthe very first summons¡ªthat Alex had learned to conjure. An image of Claygon and Asmaldestre covered the back. A symbol of the aeld tree and his staff were embroidered in gold thread along his right sleeve, and along the left, the lantern symbol of the Traveller. In his pocket was Kelda¡¯s Coin of Silent Friends. Around his neck he wore Baelin¡¯s charm-pendant along with his necklace with the symbol of the Traveller hanging from it. On his index finger was Blodeuwedd¡¯s ring of protection. Alex would not forget the many who had helped him reach such a momentous day in his life. ¡°Alright, I¡¯d better get these cookies made,¡± he said softly. ¡°Okay, and best of luck at your graduation, boss,¡± Troy said. ¡°Thanks, but I¡¯m not the one who needs luck today,¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°All I have to do is collect my degree. If anyone needs luck, it¡¯s my friend, Isolde. She¡¯ll need it¡­for more than one reason.¡± Chapter 829: The Final Meeting of COMB-1000 A powerfully built figure appeared in the centre of the lecture hall, drawing the attention of those waiting there. Alex Roth¡ªjust teleported in from the countryside¡ªadjusted his crimson robes as his loved ones materialised seconds later. Around the room, a cluster of graduating students, their friends, and family were a sight to behold, dressed in their finest clothing to honour the day. There was a sea of fine fabrics everywhere, dazzling embroideries, shimmering silks, sparkling jewels, and more. ¡°I can smell the gold coming off of them,¡± Mr. Lu muttered, self-consciously touching his finest tunic, it distinctly lacked silks and jewels. ¡°This place is surprisingly empty, isn¡¯t it?¡± The room the graduates were supposed to meet in was one of the largest classrooms in the castle: Alex recognised it from his first year Magic Lore class. And yet, it was mostly empty. If all of the graduating students there had sat down at once, they would have filled less than a tenth of the chairs. ¡°Wow, you¡¯re right, Mr. Lu.¡± Selina peered around. ¡°There aren''t many students graduating, are there?¡± She looked at Alex¡¯s tall, cone-like graduation cap. ¡°Most people aren¡¯t wearing those kinds of hats.¡± Alex adjusted the tall, stupid cap. He was starting to agree with the chancellor¡¯s assessment. ¡°I think they look cool.¡± Selina said, as though reading his mind. ¡°Kinda dumb, but cool too.¡± ¡®Cool¡­huh? Well, little sister, you shouldn¡¯t ever criticise my taste again,¡¯ the young archwizard thought to himself¡ªthough he kept his thoughts to himself¡ªcounting the number of ¡®graduation hats¡¯ in the room. One¡­two¡­five¡­ten¡­fifteen¡­eighteen¡­ He paused. That was it. ¡°Are there really¡­so few people graduating?¡± Claygon asked, having taken his own count. ¡°It looks that way,¡± Alex said. ¡°But I don¡¯t think everyone¡¯s here yet: I don''t see Isolde. And look, more people are coming in now¡ªWait, look who it is!¡± He nodded at Malcolm the ice mage, as he entered the room, fidgeting with the conical cap perched on his head. He did not look happy. Flanking him was Eyvinder¡ªhis hairless guardian¡ªand several more folk Alex didn¡¯t recognise. They included a tall man in green armour, another man with horns and bat-like wings, and a human woman with a wolf-like countenance. After them came Rhea; the towering elven fire mage was flanked by an enormous armoured man with moose-like antlers, a young elf girl and a small, plant-like humanoid. Behind them was Nua-Oge, accompanied by what looked like an entire neighbourhood of selachar, along with her hulking sharkman brother, Grimloch. Everyone was chatting excitedly and beaming at Nua-Oge. ¡°Big family,¡± Theresa muttered. Next into the room was¡ª ¡°Shiani!¡± Selina called. ¡°Shiani over here!¡± The fire mage was surrounded by family members, and other folk she seemed to know well: a dwarf in fine robes, a towering, pale elven man in dark, severe garb, a robed man who wore an eye patch, and a gnome draped in leather with a mane of wild-looking hair. ¡°Hello! Selina! Alex!¡± Shiani waved back to the young girl, drawing the attention of Rhea and Malcolm. His former classmates were all smiles as they approached the group. ¡°Alex, good to see you. I heard you were making it out of here with us.¡± Malcolm shook the young archwizard¡¯s hand. ¡°Still can¡¯t believe it, though.¡± ¡°Well, I worked hard.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°Something Malcolm could have done a little more of.¡± Rhea looked at the ice mage pointedly. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t have to. Can¡¯t be helped if ice magic comes easy to me.¡± Malcolm shrugged. ¡°Besides, I¡¯m just shocked that Alex lived to graduation with all the risks that crazy ba¡ª¡± He paused, looking at Selina. ¡°¡ªaaaad maaaaan¡­takes.¡± ¡°An excellent social sidestep,¡± Eyvinder said dryly. ¡°I am sure no one knows what you really meant to say.¡± ¡°Quiet, you,¡± Malcolm grumbled. ¡°I will return to silently watching your verbal swashbuckling.¡± Eyvinder gave him an exaggerated salute. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped if diplomacy doesn¡¯t come easy to you.¡± ¡°Okay, look here, Eyvinder¡ª¡± ¡°Aaaanyway.¡± Rhea cut Malcolm off, turning the attention back to Alex¡¯s group. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you all again. I know Shiani¡¯s spent time with Selina, but the rest of us were left out in the cold around the time you all went off to terrorise the hells.¡± ¡°Ya,¡± Nua-Oge said. ¡°And you also took my brother with you. Could you give him back, please? I hardly see him these days.¡± ¡°We¡¯d spend more time together, if you did the kinds of things they do.¡± Grimloch licked his lips. ¡°Killing. Eating. Maiming. Terrorising. You know, the good stuff.¡± Several alarmed looks shot across the room at the sharkman. Nua-Oge rolled her eyes. ¡°Can you please behave and not frighten everyone you meet?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Grimloch¡ª¡± ¡°No¡­is what I would normally say,¡± he continued. ¡°But you¡¯re graduating, and I want you to enjoy it: you worry too much as it is. Today¡¯s your day, big sis.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I¡­uh¡­what¡­really?¡± Nua-Oge paused, stunned. ¡°Grimloch? Are you feeling alright?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± he said. There was a silent moment where all waited for him to continue. He did not ¡°Thanks, Grimloch.¡± Nua-Oge said warmly, patting her brother¡¯s arm before looking at the others. She took a steadying breath. ¡°Well, I guess, today''s the big day.¡± ¡°It is.¡± Malcolm fidgeted with a sapphire ring on his right hand. ¡°Feels like those four years went by in a blink, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Three for me,¡± Alex said. ¡°But it¡¯s true.¡± ¡°It makes you almost wish it was longer.¡± Rhea added. ¡°In the end, I guess that can¡¯t be helped. We just have to move on.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, it feels like just around the time you start thinking you''re used to everything, it''s suddenly all over.¡± ¡°And then you have to get used to whatever comes next.¡± Nua-Oge wrapped the fingers of her left hand around her left cuff, gripping the fabric tightly. ¡°Worried about life after graduation?¡± Alex smiled knowingly. ¡°Only every waking moment,¡± she groaned. ¡°It¡¯s been all I can think about lately. Part of me wishes I didn¡¯t apply for graduate studies. How about all of you? What¡¯s everybody doing after we walk across the stage?¡± ¡°After graduation?¡± Malcolm asked. ¡°Oh that¡¯s easy, I¡¯m going to spend some time with some friends, and then¡­oh, oh you mean way after? Well, I think I¡¯ll go adventuring for a while and see more of the world. After that? Probably cosy up to some ruler, and become their court wizard and personal battlemage. Nice, easy life.¡± ¡°Sounds very you,¡± Rhea said. ¡°Are you thinking of heading northeast?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Malcolm said. ¡°You?¡± ¡°Yes, for sure,¡± she said. ¡°Northeast? What¡¯s there?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Some of the northeastern kingdoms have put out calls for warriors,¡± Rhea said. ¡°Because of the Irtyshenan Empire?¡± Alex wondered. The elven mage shook her head. ¡°Apparently, there''s some sort of a hellhole that''s opened up in the steppes just south of the Empire¡¯s border. They say demons are spilling into the world: not a lot, at least not yet, but more could be coming. Rumours are that rune-marked are joining up with these demons. There should be a lot of work for a good battlemage there.¡± ¡°Sounds¡­wild,¡± Alex nodded. ¡°There¡¯s always something going on in the world: the Ravener, evil empires, demon holes¡­we had a demon summoner right here in Generasi for a while. Wait, those are all horrible events, why can¡¯t there ever be a nice apocalyptic, kingdom-wide¡­event¡­thing.¡± ¡°Like a big hole that opens up and everyone gets something cute, like a pony?¡± Selina joked. ¡°Exactly!¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Something tells me that if everyone got a pony, people would somehow make it weird.¡± Malcolm grimaced. ¡°I bet they would.¡± ¡°How could anyone make ponies weird?¡± Selina asked. A long pause. ¡°I¡¯d like to see you get out of this one.¡± Eyvinder grinned, his mouth full of sharp teeth. ¡°Anyways, just ignore me,¡± Malcolm said quickly. ¡°What about you, Shiani? What are you doing after graduation?¡± His was the desperate tone of one who¡¯d put a rather large foot in their mouth. The fire mage pointed at herself. ¡°I think I''ll go adventuring too. There''s rumours going around about expeditions looking for treasure in a demigod of magic¡¯s tomb, somewhere within the Desert of Lost Winds in the southlands. I¡¯m excited to see if there''s anything to the rumours.¡± ¡°That sounds too exciting for me,¡± Nua-Oge said. ¡°I''m going for graduate studies, researching the magic of the tides. Mana vents under the ocean work a little differently than mana vents on the surface world, and their flow also fluctuates with the tides. So, I want to research that.¡± ¡°That sounds like exciting stuff to me,¡± Alex said. ¡°Not half as exciting as your life, Mr. Hero.¡± Nua-Oge said. ¡°You''re off to stop great evils, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Well, that''s on the list,¡± Alex said. ¡°Actually¡ª¡± ¡°I hate to interrupt, but it¡¯s nearly time to start, so we should find our seats,¡± Eyvinder said, looking at a time keeper on the wall. ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s our cue to get going,¡± Malcolm gave the others a broad smile. ¡°In case we don''t see each other after the ceremony, be well. We''ll have to catch up sometime and talk about how in every hells we lived through Baelin¡¯s lessons. Oh, and by the way, none of you¡¯d better trip on your robes when you¡¯re crossing the stage, okay?¡± ¡°We won¡¯t,¡± Rhea said. ¡°Well, I mean, we won¡¯t trip on our robes, but we will catch up again. We¡¯ll have to do some sort of reunion.¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Nua-Oge said, side eyeing Grimloch. ¡°Since that¡¯ll be the only way I¡¯ll get to see my own baby brother!¡± ¡°Do better stuff,¡± Grimloch advised her. ¡°I''ll definitely see you, Selina,¡± Shiani said. ¡°Your dress is beautiful, by the way. I love how it shows your journey through fire, and how you''re coming out on the other side unburnt.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Selina took Shiani¡¯s hand, squeezing it tightly. ¡°We¡¯ll definitely see each other again.¡± ¡°That we will,¡± Shiani agreed. ¡°All of you take care of yourselves. Especially you two, Alex and Theresa, considering the horror you¡¯ll be facing. And don''t go dying right after graduation.¡± ¡°Ugh, saying that¡¯s like raising a big black flag, isn¡¯t it?¡± Malcolm snorted. ¡°If this was a story, they¡¯d definitely be dead.¡± ¡°Malcolm!¡± Rhea snapped. ¡°I''m kidding, it was a joke! A small joke!¡± Malcolm cried, retreating quickly with his family. Eyvinder gave him a wry smile as he followed. As his old Art of the Wizard in Combat classmates departed, another voice called from the entrance. ¡°Hellooo everyone!¡± Prince Khalik¡ªwith Najyah on his shoulder¡ªand Thundar beside him had entered the lecture hall. The two powerfully built men were all smiles as they took the steps down two at a time, greeting Alex and Theresa¡¯s family. ¡°Hey! Welcome!¡± the young archwizard cried. ¡°Welcome, my foot! I will never forgive you for this!¡± Khalik slapped Alex on the shoulder. ¡°Taking all of those exams and leaving us behind! You should be ashamed.¡± ¡°Yeah, and as the leader of our cabal, I think there should be some kind of penalty for you! Like you buying me drinks until I can¡¯t move anymore.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± Alex said. ¡°You can redeem it after we fight the Ravener.¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯re just hoping I get killed so you won¡¯t have to buy me those drinks.¡± Thundar gave him a withering look. The young archwizard looked away quickly, whistling with his hands clasped behind his back. Thundar waved his hand at him dismissively. ¡°Forget you!¡± Alex laughed, then clapped his two cabal-mates on their shoulders. ¡°I''m glad you could be here.¡± ¡°Same.¡± Theresa smiled. ¡°It is good¡­to see you three¡­¡± Claygon added, nodding at Najyah. ¡°Wild horses could not keep us away,¡± Khalik said. ¡°Nor could wild dragons, in my case at least, Thundar¡¯s tastes might mean¡ª¡± ¡°Hey!¡± the minotaur snapped. ¡°Fine, fine, I will let it be, my friend,¡± Khalik smiled. ¡°Oh, and Alex. Sinope sends you her best wishes. She is sorry that she could not be here to see you graduate, but she and other dryads are tending to an ailing tree that one of her sisters is bound to, and she could not leave.¡± ¡°Oh, I hope the tree heals soon,¡± Alex said. ¡°Let her know that if there''s anything that I can do to help, I¡¯ll be glad to.¡± Khalik beamed. ¡°Of course. Shall we make our way to our seats? It is too bad Kybas was too busy to attend.¡± ¡°You all go ahead,¡± Alex said, looking at the time keeper. ¡°And I''ll be right back, folks.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re going to get him, then?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Isolde will be happy. We¡¯ll see you soon, then!¡± ¡°See you in a bit!¡± The young archwizard called, teleporting away. In a heartbeat, he was hurtling through space and the planes, instantly materialising in the spring air of a Thameish clearing. There, a single young man waited, pacing back and forth. He startled, whirling to face Alex, then let out a sigh of relief. ¡°There y¡¯are! Thought ya¡¯d never get here!¡± Cedric waved, peering at the sun, then hurrying to the young archwizard¡¯s side. ¡°Th¡¯others, ¡®r off wit¡¯ Asmaldestre¡ªbloody scary, she is¡ªsmashin¡¯ Ravener-spawn ¡®eads t¡¯paste!¡± The Chosen ran a nervous hand through his hair, then wiped a sheen of sweat from his face. Alex was silent, staring at him. ¡°I been awake since las¡¯ night, an¡ªy¡¯alright, mate?¡± Cedric eyed the General. ¡°Quiet as stone, y¡¯are.¡± Alex was frowning at the Chosen. Something seemed different about him¡­then it struck him like a boulder. ¡°You¡¯re¡­wearing a¡­a shirt?¡± the archwizard spat the word out like something rotten had dropped in his mouth. Chapter 830: The Horror of the Shirt Cedric winced, scratching at the green tunic trimmed in golden filigree. It clung to his shoulders and chest, pulling at the seams, its sleeves were a half¨Cfinger width too short. ¡°Haven¡¯t worn this thing in five years. Feels like I''m ¡®bout to sweat m¡¯self t¡¯death.¡± ¡°Then take it off!¡± Alex suggested. ¡°You look weird wearing a shirt! Why are you wearing it anyway?¡± The young archwizard looked up with an expression of mock horror. ¡°Is the sky about to fall? Is the world gonna explode or something? Maybe I should dive for cover!¡± ¡°Oi, oi, enough o¡¯ that! I can wear a shirt, y¡¯know! It¡¯s not like I¡¯ll melt if¡¯n I put one on!¡± Cedric insisted, pulling at his tunic as though he was about to melt. ¡°An,¡¯ I¡¯m goin¡¯ t¡¯a nice place wit¡¯ folk who probably wear shirts n¡¯such all th¡¯ time,¡± Cedric muttered quickly. ¡°Look, even Drestra said I should be wearin¡¯ one. If even th¡¯bloody swamp witch dragon thinks I oughtta wear a shirt, then I guess I oughtta be wearin¡¯ one!¡± ¡°Cedric, there are people waiting for the ceremony¡ªright now¡ªwearing armour and beast skins, ¡± Alex said. ¡°Grimloch¡¯s not wearing a shirt either. So it¡¯s fine, just take it off.¡± Cedric turned bright red. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I¡¯d best just wear it. Don¡¯t wanna¡­embarrass nobody.¡± ¡°Who the hells do you think you¡¯d be embarrass¡ªOoooooh!¡± Alex suddenly cried, his eyes lighting up. ¡°What?¡± The Chosen¡¯s face was now as red as his hair. ¡°Nevermind,¡± the General said slyly. ¡°I¡¯ve been there, shall we say. Let''s just get going. There''s¡­people to meet. Special people.¡± ¡°Shut up, you!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°I bloody hear ya thinkin¡¯!¡± Cedric snarled. Alex¡¯s laughter rose over the trees, and only faded when he touched the Chosen¡¯s clothed shoulder¡ªwhich was an odd feeling¡ªand teleported to Generasi. New guests had entered the classroom in the short time the young archwizard had been gone. Graduating students with their family and friends had arrived, and most were already seated. ¡°Well, would y¡¯look at this?¡± Cedric said, his voice full of awe as he looked around the classroom. ¡°An¡¯ I thought the castle in Ussex was bloody nice. Take a look at this place.¡± ¡°It is nice, isn¡¯t it? I could hardly keep my jaw shut when I first came here. Anyway, we should probably get to our seats,¡± Alex said quickly, nodding to his family. They were already seated in the front row of the large classroom, and Theresa was waving him over. ¡®Father¡­hurry¡­you don''t want to be late for your own graduation¡­¡¯ Claygon said in his mind. ¡®I know, buddy,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Coming.¡¯ ¡°Come on, Cedric.¡± He gestured for the other Hero to follow him. ¡°Right¡­behind ya¡­¡± the Chosen¡¯s voice sounded distant as he looked around the room. As the pair walked, Alex did another quick count of the stupid graduation caps in the room. ¡®Definitely more now¡­¡¯ He thought. ¡®There were eighteen before. Now¡­twenty¡­twenty-two¡­twenty-four¡­¡± ¡°There. What a¡ªholy¡­Wow,¡± Cedric whispered, cutting off Alex¡¯s cap count. The young archwizard followed the Chosen¡¯s gaze to the far side of the room. There was Isolde and her group. The dark-haired family was sitting with perfect poise and grace, flanked by the fully armoured and armed Svenia and Hogarth, as well as six more personal guards. Isolde¡¯s father was tall, dressed all in black¡ªwide of shoulder and narrow of hip¡ªand sitting with the straight-backed posture of a disciplined warrior. His blue eyes were cold, and his jet black hair was long, bound in a tight braid secured at the nape of his neck. Her mother was all curves, fine featured with mahogany coloured hair pouring down her left shoulder like a waterfall. Both she and her husband looked younger than the Lus, but wore colours that added to their age and gravity: all greys and blacks, exuding a grim air of class. However, the old man seated with them almost put them to shame. His hair had long-turned silver, and he kept his beard in a neat goatee, yet neither grey hair¡ªnor wrinkles¡ªcould hide the strong family resemblance between him and Isolde. They shared the same sharp features, electric blue eyes, and serious, haughty expression. He was as lean as a rail, with robes of purple and black tailored from the finest of fabrics. Beside him was a ram-rod straight staff of pure steel, standing completely unsupported, seemingly at attention. Both it¡ªand the old man¡ªradiated power. ¡®That must be Isolde¡¯s grandfather,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®The imperial court mage to the Rhinean Emperor.¡¯ His expression was dour, yet each time his eyes fell on his granddaughter, it softened. ¡°So that¡¯s ¡®er family,¡± Cedric muttered, his voice tense and low. ¡°Bunch o¡¯ posh ones, they are, but no surprise there.¡± Alex was about to respond, but was cut off when he felt a surge of teleportation magic from the front of the classroom. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He quickly urged Cedric to sit down. A large group of people materialised just as the two young men found their seats. Chancellor Baelin towered above most of the faculty of Generasi: among them, Alex recognised Professors Jules, Ram, Mangal, Salinger, Hak and Val¡¯Rok, though many others were there. Some he had taken classes with, while others he only knew from a distance. All were dressed in formal robes with silver pendants etched with alchemical symbols for mana around their necks. With the faculty was Councillor Kartika¡ªrepresenting the city¡ªwhile Registrar Hobb stood a little to the side, wearing a devil¡¯s smile as he gazed upon the graduating class. His eyes found Alex¡¯s, holding them. Alex looked back. Hobb smiled wider. ¡°Welcome, everyone,¡± Baelin called, his voice carrying through the chamber and silencing the murmurs of the crowd. ¡°Welcome to our staging area. Before we begin our journey to our true destination where the ceremony will take place, we must take attendance. It would be poor form to begin graduation without the very important graduating class present, now wouldn¡¯t it? Registrar Hobb?¡± The devil scanned the room with a calculating gaze. After just a pair of heartbeats, he answered. ¡°All registered guests are present, chancellor, including the entirety of our twenty-nine graduates.¡± ¡°Splendid!¡± Baelin shouted. ¡°I remember one year where we needed half a day to track down a group of students, who¡¯d¡ªsurely by accident¡ªgotten lost in the wine barrels of a local tavern on the way here. We encourage all such celebrations to take place after the ceremony. Though, admittedly, that year was quite entertaining!¡± Polite chuckles rippled across the room. Professor Jules glared at Baelin. He paid her no mind. ¡°Now, I will transport one and all to the true location of the ceremony. I implore you not to be afraid: despite how things might appear, you will not fall.¡± ¡°Not fall?¡± Selina asked. ¡°What does that mean?¡± Before Alex could guess, Baelin began speaking words of power, and raising his hands over the crowd before him. A torrent of teleportation magic filled the room. And just like that, the lecture hall was gone. Alex found himself hurtling across the planes, then floating in an endless sky. Endless in every direction. Including straight down. He gasped, ready to cast flight magic on himself and his loved ones, as soon as they appeared, but he quickly realised that it only seemed like he was standing on thin air, there was actually a transparent floor beneath him. Folk appeared, shocked cries and screams filling the air. Baelin¡¯s laughter followed, ¡°Ah, what fun! But, have no fear: we are standing on a field of force magic. You will not fall, you are all perfectly safe. And do look around, for what you are witnessing is a rare sight.¡± And indeed it was. Beneath Alex¡¯s feet were endless blue skies punctuated by puffy, white clouds. Above him were similar clouds, all perfectly fluffy with the hue of freshly fallen snow. In the middle of the sky, a sun beamed down on them all. The crowd murmured in wonder. ¡°Once you are done taking it all in,¡± Baelin continued. ¡°Feel free to sit down.¡± On either side of the crowd were raised stands¡ªlike one would find in the arena¡ªfurnished with comfortable chairs: the seats were made of transparent force magic, but their cushions were solid and shaped like miniature cumulus clouds. Ahead of the crowd stood rows of seats of the same transparent material, complete with cloud-cushions. Exactly twenty-nine in all. Beyond them rose a platform of clear force magic, set up with more chairs¡ªwhere the faculty, other staff and Councillor Kartika were finding their seats¡ªthey faced a central podium. Baelin had found his place at the podium. ¡°Welcome to the Demiplane of Graduation!¡± the chancellor called, his cheer filling the bright skies. ¡°It is a personal demiplane constructed as a gift to the university by yours truly, many hundreds of years ago. It is something of an open secret among the alumni and staff, but I would urge you not to spread word of this place too far beyond those who are currently here in attendance! The surprise for those graduating is half the fun!¡± He let out a jolly laugh, then gestured to the twenty nine seats. ¡°If the graduating class would please make their way to their seats in front of the stage.¡± Alex smiled at his family and friends. Butterflies were in his belly. ¡°Well,¡± he said, his voice shaking a little. ¡°That''s my queue.¡± Mrs. Lu gave him a hug. ¡°We''re so proud of you.¡± As she let go, Mr. Lu clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Your parents are smiling from the after-world.¡± Theresa hugged him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. ¡°You deserve this, and I''m so happy I got to take this journey with you.¡± Selina squeezed one of his hands. ¡°I love you, Alex.¡± Claygon patted him on the back. ¡°Congratulations¡­father¡­we will see you¡­later.¡± ¡°Been a fine journey wit¡¯ you so far,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Glad to be here wit¡¯ ya t¡¯day.¡± Prince Khalik shook his left hand. ¡°It is an honour to be in your cabal, congratulations my friend. Now, hold on, I must give my congratulations to Isolde before she¡ªAh, she is already heading to her seat. Afterward, then.¡± Thundar shook Alex¡¯s right hand. ¡°Can''t believe you left us behind, you jerk¡­but all the same, I''m happy to see you walk that stage. Get up there and own it! And unlike Khalik, I ain¡¯t giving up so easily! Congratulations-time is now!¡± The minotaur turned and sprinted through the crowd, running to Isolde and clapping her on the back so hard that the young noblewoman was nearly catapulted into the seats. ¡°Knock ¡®em dead up there, Isolde!¡± Her family¡¯s guards bristled¡ªthough Svenia and Hogarth simply threw each other knowing looks¡ªand her parents stiffened. Isolde simply held up a hand, waving off their concern as she tried to get her breath back. ¡°Blast, now I will look bad if I do not do the same!¡± Khalik rushed off. ¡°So much for decorum!¡± Alex took a look at Isolde¡¯s family, considered what to do for a moment, then teleported beside her. ¡°You big oaf!¡± Isolde was admonishing Thundar. ¡°You will muss up my robes¡ªGaaah! Roth!¡± she cried as she noticed the young archwizard. He politely bowed to her family, before turning to her. ¡°I know you''re gonna do a great job,¡± Alex said, patting her on the shoulder. ¡°And I''m so happy I get to graduate with you. You could even say I''m wishing you my ¡­congradulations.¡± ¡°Uuuuugh!¡± Isolde groaned, throwing a mortified look at her family. Before they could say anything, Khalik and Cedric barreled past them. ¡°Greetings to the von Anmut family. Now, then: Isolde! Congratulations on your big day!¡± Khalik was all smiles. ¡°It has been more than an honour to be with you on this journey, and I could not ask for a better cabal-mate.¡± Before she could react, Cedric came skidding to a halt in front of her. She looked into the Chosen¡¯s eyes while he tried to find his words. Then her gaze slowly fell to his torso. ¡°Is¡­is that a shirt?¡± she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as though the garment was the most scandalous thing she had ever witnessed. ¡°Aye,¡± he said, blushing. ¡°Felt like¡­I should probably wear one.¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± she started, then her blue eyes hardened. The young noblewoman threw a glance in her family¡¯s direction. ¡°Later.¡± She then turned¡ªher cheeks blazing¡ªand veritably sprinted toward her seat. ¡°Father, mother, grandfather! Go and sit down!¡± she cried over her shoulder. ¡°Oh, er, congratulations!¡± Cedric called weakly at her back. She did not respond. Silence fell, and he turned, grinning sheepishly at the von Anmuts. They were staring at the cabal and Hero in shock. Hogarth cleared his throat. ¡°Perhaps we should find our seats, as the lady instructed.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± her grandfather said, looking at the young men closely. ¡°Come,¡± he waved to his family, and as one, they turned to find their seats. Cedric cringed, slowly looking at the others. ¡°She acted kinda funny there. Did¡­did I do somethin¡¯?¡± ¡°Later,¡± Alex echoed Isolde. ¡°Later,¡± Khalik echoed her as well. ¡°Later,¡± Thundar added. The Chosen glared at the three of them. ¡°All o¡¯ yous ¡®ave gots t¡¯be th¡¯wors¡¯ friends a man could ¡®ave.¡± Chapter 831: Alexander Roth, Wizard of Generasi The young archwizard¡¯s name was etched on his chair. Literally. Golden, glowing letters¡ªwritten on the surface of transparent force magic¡ªspelled the name ¡®Alexander Roth¡¯ in all of its glory. The young man from Alric paused, taking it all in. ¡®Alexander Roth¡¯. Just over three years ago, that was the name of a simple, orphaned baker¡¯s assistant from a tiny town in a backwater realm. Now? Now that name belonged to an archwizard graduating from the most prestigious school of wizardry in the entire world. And that name was printed in golden letters of pure magic. ¡®I hope you can see me now, mother and father,¡¯ he thought, taking his seat¡ªthe seat bearing his name¡ªamong the other graduates. ¡®And I hope you¡¯re proud of me.¡¯ Alex greeted his neighbours, most of whom he¡¯d only seen in passing before. The graduating students¡¯ chairs were arranged in alphabetical order, by surname, and so he¡ªunfortunately¡ªwas not near Rhea, Malcolm, Shiani, Nua-Oge or Isolde. Shifting in her chair, the young noblewoman was in the last row, and Alex only had a quick moment to exchange a nervous nod with her before Baelin cleared his throat. The ancient archwizard raised his hands as all eyes fell on him at the podium. ¡°It is with the highest honour that I guide this ceremony celebrating this years¡¯ graduation of new wizards. Wizards of power. Education. Poise. Majesty.¡± He leaned forward, his goat-like eyes glittering. The chancellor¡¯s symbol¡ªthe one on Baelin¡¯s charm-pendants¡ªwas sewn into his robe. ¡°Proper wizards.¡± Alex smiled at that. The young archwizard¡ªand the other members of the Art of the Wizard in Combat¡ªfished their charm-pendants from their robes. The chancellor noticed. He definitely looked pleased. Baelin leaned forward. ¡°Now, this is the part where you might think ¡®oh no, the old goat is about to prattle on¡¯. But fortunately, for each of you, I will not be launching into an endless speech. I will simply thank our graduates for journeying with us these past three to four years, but¡ªif there is any one thing that I hope you will walk away with, it is that while you all may now command great power, you are not the only ones in the world who do. Threats lurk around every corner, jealous and hungry for your strength and commensurate wealth. So, please remember, if at any time you require aid in the form of guidance, insight, or advice, do not hesitate to approach us. You are a member of the alumni of Generasi now, and as such, you shall never be truly alone, if you do not choose to be.¡± He clapped, rubbing his hands together. ¡°So do not be afraid to reach out, just as I hope you will not be afraid to open up your coin purses and vaults when it comes time for annual donations.¡± He grinned, and the graduates chuckled, uncomfortably. ¡°Hah! You should see your expressions! I make that little joke every year, and I still love the fear that goes across every face!¡± The chancellor rose up to his full height. ¡°In the end, you graduates shall be this university¡¯s shooting stars! You have flown above us, bright and beautiful, and now you pass us by, almost as quickly as you came. You are flying off beyond the horizon: we were only able to gaze on your brilliance for a moment, but you will stay in our minds and our hearts forever. As I hope we shall stay in yours. Thank you all.¡± The audience burst into rousing applause, with many whooping and cheering. Every graduate was on their feet, proud of themselves and their school, while Alex looked around, hearing Claygon repeatedly chanting, ¡®father¡¯ over the crowd. Baelin smiled at the response and raised his hands, waving at Hobb, inviting him to join him at the podium. ¡°With such enthusiasm, we¡¯d dare not delay any longer, so with no further ado, we will present the well earned degrees to this year''s graduating class. Your names will be called alphabetically by surname. And after every new graduate has received their degree, as our final order of business, we will receive the valediction honouring our graduates and bidding them a fond farewell. The title of valedictorian is awarded to the most academically accomplished student¡ªin all four years of study¡ªwho has also contributed to the university outside of academics. That person will receive a gold medal in recognition of their achievement. I invite you all to look forward to their speech! But that will be for later: for now, graduates, please prepare, it¡¯s time to claim your reward!¡± Baelin waved his hand, and the sky shimmered above the stage. At first, there came only the whisper of a rising wind. Then the air began to sing an otherworldly melody; its lyrics¡ªin many planar tongues¡ªwere dedicated to the graduating class of Generasi. To bright futures. To better tomorrows. To endless opportunities. Hobb snapped his fingers, conjuring twenty-nine plates of pure electrum, and one gold medal. ¡°If all of the graduates would please line up at the stairs in alphabetical order. Staff members will be on hand to aid you.¡± The devil gestured to steps on the left hand side of the stage. ¡°Once you are in line, you will be called by name to receive your degree. After receiving it, you are then to descend the staircase to the right to make room for the next graduate.¡± ¡°Here we go,¡± Alex said, his heart thundering in his chest. As the graduates moved to form a line, he exchanged looks with Nua-Oge, Shiani, Malcolm, Rhea and¡ªof course¡ªIsolde. To his cabal member, he gave an encouraging thumbs up. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. She was trembling, but returned a weak smile. ¡®You can do it,¡¯ he mouthed to her. ¡®Thank you,¡¯ she mouthed back. He turned, looking back to the podium as the chancellor nodded. ¡°You are all assembled. So, let us begin.¡± The air¡¯s song swelled, amplifying the melody. It was time for the graduates to claim their prizes. ¡°First, I call Ansalon Andari!¡± Baelin announced. A lean young man at the front of the line flinched, then quickly climbed the stairs. He paused for a moment, looking over the graduating class, the guests and the endless sky, then walked across the stage. ¡°Ansalon Andari, you have now graduated, and are awarded your degree,¡± Baelin said. Registrar Hobb delicately plucked one of the electrum tablets from the air, handing it over. The young student¡¯s grin could have lit up a moonless night. He bowed his head. ¡°Thank you, thank you so much!¡± ¡°Congratulations.¡± Baelin patted him on the shoulder. ¡°May your path through magic¡ªwherever it might lead¡ªcontinue to be under endless light and open skies.¡± The young man bowed again before stepping off the stage, descending the stairs to the right to be directed to his seat. Baelin then called the next student, and the next. Over time, the line grew shorter. Until¡­ ¡°Nua-Oge Icthy-On!¡± Baelin called. The selacahar wizard looked back nervously at the guests before nodding and beginning to climb the stairs. An earth shattering roar shook the demiplane. Nua-Oge stumbled. All heads whipped around to the guests. Grimloch was on his feet, fists pumping above his head. ¡°That¡¯s right! Get it, Nua-Oge!¡± he roared, even as their parents tried to calm him down. There was no stopping him, though: his applause was like thunder as his sister gave the guests a helpless shrug. Lifting her head with pride, all nerves gone, she walked across the stage and bowed to the chancellor. Baelin smiled warmly. ¡°Nua-Oge Icthy-On, you have graduated with distinction, and are awarded your degree. Well done.¡± Registrar Hobb handed her her degree. The guests applauded as Nua-Oge bowed once more, and Alex¡ªas well as the other members of Baelin¡¯s COMB-1000 class¡ªcheered as she descended from the stage. She looked at her degree with a dreamy smile, returning to her seat. More students were called, and then¡­ ¡°Shiani Keahi!¡± Baelin shouted. The fire mage climbed the steps, not meeting anyone¡¯s gaze as she went. Her family and entourage cheered her name as she crossed the stage and Alex could hear Selina¡¯s voice, joining with theirs. ¡°Shiani Keahi, you have graduated with distinction, and are awarded your degree,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°Absolutely well done.¡± Taking the degree, Shiani clutched it tightly as she left the stage, returning to her seat. Soon, the line of twenty nine awaiting to claim their degrees had shrunk, leaving few behind. Then there were only two students in front of Alex. Then one. And finally¡­ ¡°Alexander Roth!¡± Baelin called. Alex¡¯s heart thundered. His family erupted. ¡°Well dooooone!¡± Claygon shouted. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Theresa cried. ¡°Great job, Aleeeex!¡± Selina called. ¡°Yeeees!¡± Thundar and Khalik roared together. Alex ascended the stage proudly, his head held high. Isolde, Shiani, Rhea, Malcolm and Nua-Oge cheered from their seats. Alex¡¯s foot touched the stage. He took a moment to breathe. All around him were endless skies, and he was beneath the light of the sun. Ahead of him was that degree, and all that it represented. He took a step forward. Then another. Then another. Then he was in front of Baelin and Hobb. The chancellor gave him the warmest of smiles. ¡°Alexander Roth, you have graduated with distinction by course work and right of challenge, and are awarded your degree,¡± the chancellor said. He clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I am proud of you.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Alex whispered. There were tears in his eyes. Happy tears. He turned to Hobb. Grinning, the devil reached up and plucked another electrum tablet from the air. The registrar handed it to Alex without a word. Alex accepted it, looking at what was etched into the metal. The Board of The University of Generasi, Upon recommendation of the Faculty confers upon: Alexander Roth, Having fulfilled the requirements of the degree in Wizardry with all its rights, privileges and obligations. Below it was Chancellor Baelin¡¯s signature, along with that of Registrar Hobb. Alex¡¯s hands were shaking. He¡¯d done it. When he was marked by Uldar, he hadn¡¯t given up. When his spellcraft was taken from him, he¡¯d found ways to adapt. When he and his family were set upon by monsters, they overcame them to journey to Generasi. He¡¯d overcome most challenges at the university. Even when he¡¯d left to battle the hidden church and find Kelda¡¯s sanctum, he¡¯d overcome those too¡­and this moment was his prize. This was the proof that Uldar, the priesthood and all others had not stopped him from achieving his dream. A dream that had formed while his parents still lived, telling him stories of legendary wizards. He sniffled, trying to hold back his emotions. Then he lowered his head to Baelin and Hobb. The crowd cheered. The song above him swelled. He knew then that he would never forget this moment, not even if he lived to be as old as Baelin. The young archwizard¡ªthe General of Thameland¡ªcontinued walking on, clutching his degree close. He glanced at the faculty as he passed them. Professor Val¡¯Rok was wiping tears from his eyes, blowing his snout in a handkerchief. He waved at Alex and gave him a thumbs up. Professor Ram watched him closely, giving him a stoic nod. Professor Mangal smiled sweetly, mouthing ¡®congratulations¡¯ to him. Professor Salinger simply clapped, giving Alex a warm smile. Then¡­there was Professor Jules. The prickly head of the faculty department of Alchemy was crying¡ªfull on crying¡ªbeside Val¡¯Rok and wiping her nose with a butterfly embroidered handkerchief. ¡°Congratulations¡­Mr. Roth,¡± she whispered her choked good wishes as he passed by. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered back, then descended the stairs to join the others. He looked up at the stands. His family was crying and cheering. Khalik and Thundar were hugging each other and giving him double thumbs ups. Cedric was whooping. Theresa¡¯s smile was brilliant as she called Alex¡¯s name. Selina cheered. Alex lowered his head to them as he returned to his seat. And he allowed himself to soak in the moment. He¡¯d done it. He¡¯d truly done it. There would be other trials in his life¡ªone great one loomed ahead¡ªbut this trial was over, and he had won. On the stage, Baelin continued to call names. ¡°Rhea Talmenar!¡± the chancellor said. The tall elven woman ascended the stage with grace, gliding to the ancient archwizard. ¡°Rhea Talemnar, you have graduated with distinction, and are awarded your degree,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°Most magnificent.¡± The elf fire mage gracefully bowed, gliding across the stage and returning to the seated line of graduates. After Rhea, Baelin called another familiar name. ¡°Malcolm Thrimson!¡± The ice mage, one of the last few in line, hurried up the stairs and crossed the stage. ¡°Malcolm Thrimson, you have graduated with distinction, and are awarded your degree,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°Well done, lad.¡± Malcolm grinned at the electrum tablet, then turned toward the audience, holding the degree above his head as though it was a captured flag, won on the battlefield. Alex whooped, as did much of the graduating class. Rhea rolled her eyes as Malcolm descended to join the rest of them. A few more names were called, until finally¡­there was only one person remaining, waiting to ascend the stage. Isolde stood alone, looking as nervous as a kitten in a lightning and thunderstorm. ¡°And now, I call the final member of this year¡¯s graduating class,¡± Baelin announced. ¡°She is also our valedictorian for this graduating year! Isolde von Anmut!¡± Chapter 832: Fruition Isolde von Anmut turned beet red before turning pale. Her hands shook. Her body tensed. She looked to the sky, eyes fixed on the clouds to steady herself before returning her attention to the stage. The young noblewoman took a deep breath, rose to her full height and stepped forward, and without hesitating, took another step. Isolde climbed the steps with all the grace and nobility she could muster, then walked across the stage like a queen, lowering her head to Baelin. ¡°Chancellor.¡± ¡°I gladly receive this honour,¡± her voice was clear. ¡°Isolde von Anmut, you have graduated with distinction, and are awarded your degree,¡± the chancellor said as Hobb handed her the electrum tablet and gold medal. ¡°Your dedication, endless focus, and discipline have brought you the highest honours. Your great effort has earned you this degree, and also provided you with the opportunity to close our graduation ceremony. Will you accept this honour?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Then it is time for the old to yield the stage to the young,¡± Baelin said as he and Hobb prepared to go to their seats among the faculty. ¡°You may begin when you are ready.¡± Isolde drew another deep breath, and took her place at the podium. She laid her tablet and medal on the surface of the transparent stand. The wind fell silent. The crowd soon followed. All eyes were on her. And hers took in everyone gathered. She gripped the sides of the podium and began. ¡°When I was approached about this honour, some months ago, I was unsure as to whether to accept it or not,¡± she said, her clear voice cutting through the demiplane. ¡°I have been told that much of the purpose of the valedictorian is to end things on a lighter note, to shatter the pomp of an ancient ceremony with the ¡®pep¡¯ and humour of youth.¡± She sighed. ¡°I must confess that I have mastered many subjects while at Generasi: alchemy and lightning magic are among them¡­but humour is not. And with dread, I fear¡ªthat by the time this ceremony ends¡ªyou may all be dead of boredom from my monotonous words.¡± Isolde smiled at her little joke¡ªalmost shyly. Thankfully, the crowd laughed, not mockingly, but encouragingly. Her smile turned grateful. ¡°Since humour is not one of my strengths, rather than trying to end things on a light note, I would like to speak of our experiences at the university, instead,¡± she continued. ¡°I have put pressure on myself trying to sum up my own feelings, and experiences, and hoping to somehow turn those into a representative speech for our graduating class. I found this to be an impossible task, because¡ªin the end¡ªmy experiences are my own. They are unique to me, and cannot be changed or moulded to encompass the university experience of all the other esteemed graduates here. I also thought to quote ancient wizards and philosophers, and structure my speech around one of their ideas.¡± She turned to Baelin. ¡°But I am sure that the chancellor has met a good many of them and is older than the rest.¡± Isolde looked back to the audience. ¡°I was then left with the one thing that does unite us all, because it is both unique, shared and undecided: and that is our futures.¡± Alex paid rapt attention. ¡°Recently, I was asked what my plans were for my future once I graduate, and I said that I would continue to walk the same path that I had chosen long ago. But, later, I found myself wondering how I had been able to answer so easily. After all, I have changed a lot in many ways over the course of my time at Generasi because of my experiences¡­¡± She gestured to the others graduating with her. ¡°¡­as have the rest of you. We are here now, transformed by our experiences, and if we had remained the same people that we were four years ago, then something must have gone wrong, and time would have stood still for us to have stagnated in such a manner.¡± Isolde placed her hand over her heart, smiling. ¡°Our experiences at the university have differed: some of us have loved, others have had their hearts broken, some have given their trust, others have had it shattered, some have fought monsters¡ªsuch as the demons at Oreca¡¯s Fall¡ªand been changed by it. All differing experiences. Yet, some of our experiences did not differ: we have all learned, we have all fought¡ªwhether in lab, against monsters or in our extraordinary library¡ªwe have triumphed, and we have failed.¡± The graduating class nodded along. ¡°In four years, many of us have lived more eventful lives than others will experience from bassinet to tombstone. So how could we not be changed by that? And we will continue to change in the future¡­so I asked myself, what gave the me of today the confidence to stay on the same path that the me of four years ago had decided to take?¡± she asked. ¡°After all, I¡ªand the rest of our graduating class¡ªnow have the power and knowledge to become either saviours or tyrants.¡± Whispers raced through the crowd. ¡°For myself, after much self-examination, I came to the conclusion that what kept me firmly on that one path was a simple concept: ¡®responsibility¡¯. And I believe that concept applies to all of us.¡± ¡°Please understand that I do not mean responsibility always matches great power. It does not: being powerful does not mean that we are responsible for the fate of the world. However, I do believe that we have a responsibility to ourselves, to magic, and to those who place their hopes in us.¡± She gestured to the guests. ¡°Like those who have come here to support us in our hour of triumph. They have watched us grow, as we were nurtured by the greatest university of wizardry in the world. And what does it mean to be the ¡®greatest university of wizardry¡¯? We have all accepted that designation as fact¡ªit is a commonly used moniker for our institution¡ªbut have we truly examined why Generasi has been blessed with this lofty title?¡± She gestured to the faculty. ¡°Could it be the greatest because it has the foremost magical research departments in the world? Or is it that our faculty includes some of the most knowledgeable and powerful masters of wizardry ever to draw breath?¡± Isolde gestured to the demiplane. ¡°Is it because of the sheer wealth, power and knowledge within the institution? Is it due to the grand library and all the many spells contained within it? Is it due to the service that the university provides to the city? I believe that while the university does in fact have the greatest research departments, faculty, knowledge and power of any educational institution in the world¡ª¡± Cheers rose from the graduating class. ¡°¡ªI am of the opinion that it is called the ¡®greatest university of wizardry in the world¡¯, because it produces the greatest wizards in the world!¡± The cheers turned to deafening applause, spreading to guests and faculty alike. Isolde waited for the din to die down before continuing. ¡°Historically, there have been archwizards, great heroes, inventors, pioneers and more who have graduated from our institution and gone on to do great things¡­and now, we twenty-nine begin similar journeys. And that is where our responsibility begins. The university had a responsibility to us: to make us the greatest wizards we could be. And now, we have the responsibility to continue being the greatest wizards we can be.¡± She gestured to herself. ¡°We may not be responsible for the world, but our respected colleagues, the university, and our loved ones are calling on us to meet and exceed our potential going forward. If we do not, then we can never be relied upon by our cabals, our subordinates and our loved ones. With the sort of power we now wield, an abdication of responsibility can lead to the most dire of consequences for hundreds or even thousands.¡± Isolde looked down at her degree, smiling. She raised it above her head, turning it toward the audience. ¡°With all its rights, privileges and obligations. That¡¯s what this degree says. And it is fitting. As graduating wizards of Generasi, we have rights bestowed upon us through the qualifications represented in this degree. We have privileges granted by the power that we have accrued through our time studying there. But, obligations? That word stands out to me. There are no obligations stated for us, so what can this mean?¡± Isolde faced her fellow graduates. ¡°Magic is both chaotic and ordered: yet, we have a responsibility to it. We are Proper Wizards after all, and must act as such at all times. For me, I will keep to my path, because I have a responsibility to myself, my family, and to magic, and I will dedicate much of my life to advancing them all.¡± She raised her voice. ¡°So, I will conclude with this, my fellow graduates! Be grand! Be powerful! Be responsible! For what good is power for its own sake, if it has no purpose to fulfil? You must find that purpose to continue to be great! Do not become the sword rusting above the mantle! Go forth, and show the world why we are great! It is our time to shine: so keep your word, use your magic, take responsibility for your actions, do not let your skills grow dusty, and live to be the greatest you can be! I know, I will! Congratulations to my fellow graduates, and thank you for your time. Let us build our legacies, starting today.¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. The demiplane was silent for a time, then all erupted in thunderous applause. Isolde smiled sweetly as the graduating class leapt from their seats, enthusiastically clapping and cheering. Alex clapped emphatically. ¡°Awesome job! Isolde! Aaaaawwwesome!¡± He was not the only one. ¡°Yeeeeaaaah!¡± Thundar roared. ¡°Well done! Well done!¡± Khalik¡¯s deep voice called. ¡°That was sharp, Isolde! As sharp as a knife! Fantastic!¡± Theresa shouted. ¡°Well¡­done¡­Isolde!¡± Claygon¡¯s deep voice joined the others. And finally, louder than all the rest¡­ ¡°Ya was amazin¡¯, Isolde!¡± Cedric¡¯s voice cut through the others, loud and proud. ¡°Y¡¯made m¡¯heart sing!¡± The faculty on stage stood, joining the others in celebration. Isolde blushed, mouthing a quick thank you as Baelin stepped up beside her at the podium. ¡°Thank you, for your wise insights, Isolde,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°Thank you for the opportunity,¡± the young noblewoman bowed to him before leaving the stage. The applause grew louder. She looked relieved and pleased, her face flushing pink. The chancellor took his place back at the podium. ¡°A fine speech by our valedictorian, and one that I hope all of our graduates¡ªand the rest of us¡ªtake to heart. Now, in conclusion, if the graduates would please line up in front of your guests.¡± Alex and the rest of the graduating class moved to where their guests were seated, forming a single row before family and friends. ¡°We present to you¡­our graduating class!¡± Baelin shouted. ¡°Graduates, please take a bow and throw your hats in the air!¡± Alex, Isolde and the rest of the graduates, took a deep bow. The guests cheered. The class removed their hats and tossed them in the air. Enthusiastic applause swelled, growing louder as the conical hats soared high above them. And remained there. They began to glow, the illumination increasing, becoming blazing stars. And as one, twenty-nine new wizard¡¯s hats transformed, shooting further into the endless blue sky. ¡°This is my favourite part,¡± Baelin announced, waving his hand. The sun flared, then promptly dimmed, veiling the demiplane in shadow¡­ Yet, not falling into complete darkness. Suddenly, thousands of stars winked to life, all twinkling in time. The spheres of light that were once the graduating class¡¯ hats soared through the air, joining the countless others that had come before them, taking their place among the demiplane¡¯s constellations. ¡°Twenty-nine new stars,¡± Baelin said. ¡°All being welcomed by thousands of past graduates who have taken this journey before you. And, I say once more: congratulations, to all of you. We look forward to seeing what you will do next. What wonders and horrors you will work, and what responsibilities will move you forward.¡±
¡°Ya was bloody great up there!¡± Cedric said to Isolde as the graduates went to mingle with their friends and families. The area around the stands was overflowing with joy, hugs and laughter, as well as a river of happy tears as graduates both celebrated, and were celebrated, while everyone waited for Baelin to transport them back to the material world. Isolde had been heading for her family when Cedric broke from the crowd, touching her arm. ¡°Thank you, Cedric.¡± She smiled warmly. ¡°I appreciate that.¡± ¡°Aye, well I¡¯s jus¡¯ callin¡¯ it as I sees it.¡± He was adjusting his shirt as though it was attempting to strangle him. ¡°You¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± He stopped speaking. ¡°Wazzat?¡± ¡°Stop shifting about like an animal caught in a trap!¡± Isolde gestured to his shirt. ¡°Oh, aye, sorry.¡± He winced, quickly letting go of the garment, which clung to his body like a snare around a beast. ¡°Ya gots t¡¯ fergive me, I ain''t used t¡¯ wearin¡¯ one o¡¯ these. But, I''ll leave it be.¡± ¡°I am not telling you to ¡®leave it be¡¯,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I am telling you to take it off.¡± Cedric and a number of people around them grew quiet. Eyebrows rose. The Chosen spat, ¡°Wazzat?¡± He cupped a hand to his ear. ¡°Is been pretty loud ¡®round here, so I''s thinkin¡¯ I din¡¯a hear y¡¯right.¡± ¡°I said, take off that shirt, Cedric.¡± She folded her arms on her chest. ¡°What? Y¡¯sure?¡± He looked around. Eyebrows were shooting up faster than the graduation caps when they shot through the sky. ¡°In a place like this? Ya sure y¡¯r not gonna b¡¯embarrassed by¡­a friend¡­walkin¡¯ ¡®round wit¡¯out¡¯ no shirt on?¡± ¡°How could I ever be embarrassed by you?¡± Isolde moved close to him. Very close. ¡°You are one of the bravest, most honourable, and lovely human beings I have ever met.¡± She grabbed the hem of his shirt. ¡°Now lift your arms up.¡± ¡°O-oh, aye?¡± He did. Isolde gripped his tunic and pulled it over his shoulders and head, revealing the woad tattoos and sculpted musculature of his torso. She finished pulling the shirt off, folded it, and handed it to him, nodding as she looked at the Mark of the Chosen on his chest. ¡°That is much better.¡± She reached up, fixing his long, red hair. ¡°You look like you, now.¡± ¡°I¡¯d b¡¯ lyin¡¯ if I¡¯n I said I wasn¡¯ feelin¡¯ better now.¡± Cedric gave her that beautiful smile of his, his gold tooth gleaming like a star. In someone¡¯s else¡¯s mouth she would have found it uncouth. Cedric made it look positively royal. She couldn¡¯t help but smile back. ¡°Thank you for coming today,¡± she said. ¡°Honestly, I would have been¡­distraught if you were not here to see me graduate.¡± ¡°Aye, an¡¯ also hear th¡¯ speech o¡¯ yorn all ¡®bout responsibility an¡¯ greatness an¡¯ th¡¯ like,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Was a damned good speech: an¡¯ true too. We do gots a responsibility t¡¯be our best selves.¡± He touched the Mark on his chest. ¡°Don¡¯ I knows that better¡¯n most.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she said. ¡°I was thinking of you, Alex and the other Heroes when I wrote the earlier versions of that speech. Your responsibilities are crushing, and contradictory¡­and your responsibility to a divine plan and your realm often trample all over your responsibilities to yourselves, but you do what you have to anyway.¡± ¡°S¡¯good way o¡¯ puttin¡¯ it,¡± Cedric agreed. ¡°Jus¡¯ glad things din¡¯a turn out a lot worse. If¡¯n¡­¡± He blushed, his expression clouding. ¡°If¡¯n I¡¯d found out ¡®bout Alex early on¡­if¡¯n I¡¯d learned who ¡®e was back when we firs¡¯ met in th¡¯ Coille forest, or¡ªeven worse¡ªif¡¯n I¡¯d ¡®a found out when we was all meetin¡¯ in Greymoor for th¡¯first time¡­I woulda had t¡¯bring ¡®im t¡¯Ussex t¡¯them priests. But¡­m¡¯ responsibility t¡¯doin¡¯ what was right woulda tol¡¯ me t¡¯leave ¡®im well enough alone.¡± The Chosen¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°There was a time where I caught a rogue from the king¡¯s delegation sneakin¡¯ about. Didn¡¯t think much o¡¯ it at th¡¯time¡ªjust thot¡¯ ¡®e was som¡¯ bloody nosey bastard, spyin¡¯ an¡¯ tryin¡¯ t¡¯ruin things between our kingdom an¡¯ all o¡¯ yous¡ªbut now that I¡¯s lookin¡¯ back, I¡¯s thinkin¡¯ th¡¯bastard might¡¯a been one o¡¯ them you-know-whos. Makes me wonder wha¡¯ woulda happened if I¡¯d spoke up back then.¡± ¡°Your responsibilities to your kingdom warred with your responsibility to your new friends,¡± Isolde said. ¡°The fact that you think on that situation, and that it troubles you, is admirable: it shows that you take both responsibilities seriously. You take all of your responsibilities seriously.¡± She stepped closer again. ¡°It is one of the things that I find so enchanting about you, Cedric of Clan Duncan. You try your best and show dedication in everything that you do.¡± ¡°I show dedication?¡± Cedric scoffed. ¡°Yer th¡¯ one that¡¯s bloody dedicated. Y¡¯put hard work inta yer duties at school. Y¡¯put in work on th¡¯expedition ta¡¯ m¡¯homeland, an¡¯ y¡¯train t¡¯be one helluva lightnin¡¯ mage. You put in th¡¯work in everythin¡¯ y¡¯do. It¡¯s¡­one o¡¯ the things I liked abou¡¯ ya from th¡¯ firs¡¯time I met ya.¡± Isolde moved closer still. ¡°So tell me Cedric, what are your plans for after the war?¡± He paled, then blushed. ¡°I was thinkin¡¯ there¡¯d be lots t¡¯do, t¡¯make right what''s been wrong fer so long. The Ravener¡¯s wrecked so much o¡¯ Thameland.¡± ¡°And after that?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°Pffft, o¡¯ I dunno.¡± The Chosen shrugged. ¡°Time was, I thought I¡¯d just be another warrior for the clan. A good fighter, helpin¡¯ m¡¯people. Protectin¡¯ an¡¯ all that. But after all I''s been through¡­all I¡¯s seen¡­I dunno. Ya said how ya stuck on your path ¡®cause o¡¯ responsibility, aye? Not sure if m¡¯clan really needs me about¡­an¡¯ m¡¯heart¡¯s leadin¡¯ me elsewhere.¡± ¡°And where does your heart lead you?¡± Isolde asked, reaching into a pocket in her robes. ¡°Well¡­it does¡­I dunno if¡¯n t¡¯say it here an¡¯ now¡­¡± ¡°Why not?¡± she asked archly. ¡°Cause I¡¯s kinda scared, that¡­¡± He looked at her, distress plain in his eyes. ¡°That maybe a great lump like me don¡¯ deserve what m¡¯heart¡¯s wantin¡¯. But if I did get it, I¡¯d do everythin¡¯¡ªan¡¯ I means everythin¡¯¡ªt¡¯ b¡¯ the bes¡¯ man fer it. I¡¯d b¡¯ th¡¯ bes¡¯ version o¡¯ Cedric of Clan Duncan, Chosen o¡¯ Thameland, I cud ever b¡¯. Anyways, I¡¯d bes¡¯ get goin¡¯, I knows y¡¯ gots yer family t¡¯talk wit¡¯, so I bes¡¯ b¡¯ on m¡¯way ¡¯fore I takes up all yer time.¡± ¡°Oh, by the elements, stay right there!¡± She pulled the small wooden box from her robes¡ªthe one that had been sitting on her dressing table earlier. ¡°Lean down.¡± To Cedric¡¯s credit, though wide-eyed, he didn¡¯t protest. He simply leaned down. Around them, the curious grew quieter. Isolde did not care. She reached around Cedric''s neck, hooking a clasp behind it. ¡°What''s this?¡± he asked, touching his neck. A new necklace circled his neck: from its chain of pure platinum hung a wondrous jewelled pendant with four facets of different colours. Inside the green facet, vines lay frozen within the gem. In the red, a spark of fire danced. Water swirled in the blue one. Lightning flashed in the white. ¡°It¡¯s a Stone of Four Elements, and it comes from one of the four Elemental Mountains in the Rhinean Empire,¡± Isolde said. ¡°It contains the elements of all four mountains, in a single gem. The jewel is meant to protect you from fire, lightning, cold and drowning, as well as keep you steady on the earth. That is what tradition says. Among the Rhinean nobility, it is a gift given to those most precious to us. And by precious¡ª¡± She cleared her throat, aware that many eyes were on her. ¡°¡ªI do mean that romantically. I wish to court you, Cedric of Clan Duncan. I hope that we can have each other.¡± Silence fell over everyone within listening distance. Cedric shouted, ¡°Yes!¡± suddenly pumping his fists toward the heavens as though the Traveller herself had blessed him. With the cheer of a man who¡¯d found a treasure that¡¯d he long searched for, he sprang forward, caught Isolde around her waist with both hands¡ªby the elements, he was strong¡ªand raised her above his head as though she weighed nothing. ¡°Cedric! Cedriiiiic!¡± she cried, desperately trying to hide her face from the crowd. She could not hide from their whistling and laughter, though. Laughing, the Chosen spun her while holding her high above him. ¡°Ceeeedriiiiic!¡± she screamed, laughing. ¡°Brings me great shame t¡¯think ya had t¡¯make th¡¯ first move.¡± Cedric brought her close. Dangerously close. His eyes seemed to be her whole world. ¡°So let me make th¡¯ second one, at least. I''d love t¡¯ kiss ya right now, Isolde,¡± he said. The ¡®yes¡¯ was out of her mouth before she could stop her runaway, treacherous brain. Too late, she remembered her parents. But then their lips were touching. And she wasn¡¯t thinking about anything else. A massive cheer erupted around them. She recognised Grimloch¡¯s voice, Khalik¡¯s, Alex¡¯s and Thundar¡¯s. Svenia and Hogarth¡¯s cheering was loudest of all. When her and Cedric¡¯s lips finally parted¡ªhe still held her above him¡ªhe smiled that gold-toothed smile. ¡°Hey,¡± he said. ¡°H-hello,¡± she whispered, then froze. She slowly turned as she felt eyes burning into her. Standing very near was her family. Her father looked mortified. Her grandfather was unreadable. Her mother was even paler than usual. She opened her mouth to speak, ¡°Isolde¡­why are you grappling with a shirtless man at your graduation?¡± Isolde von Anmut quite nearly used Planar Doorway right then and there. Chapter 833: Meet the Parents ¡°A Clan¡­Duncan¡­was it?¡± asked Lord von Anmut, his voice terribly strained. ¡°I seem to be unfamiliar with such a family. Praytell, what is the, er, lineage of Clan Duncan?¡± ¡°Father,¡± Isolde hissed. ¡°I, erm, am simply curious about the large, baaaaarbari¡­¡± He paused as his daughter¡¯s expression turned demonic. ¡°Er, baarrr¡­barrel chested young man that my daughter seems to erm, have given a Stone of Four Elements to.¡± ¡°A man you never mentioned in your letters to us, darling daughter of oours,¡± Lady von Anmut emphasised through a perfectly forced smile. ¡°Not once. At all. In any of your letters to your own mother! What a terribly strange turn of events!¡± Her laughter sounded like broken glass and murder. Eyes from all around the chamber¡ªBaelin had transported the graduating class and their guests back to the grand classroom¡ªquickly looked away. All of a sudden, other conversations, other people, and even bits of dust on the floor seemed fascinating to the onlookers. Cedric was beside Isolde¡ªshe was clutching his hand as if she¡¯d be swept away by a tidal wave if she let go¡ªwith a forced smile and eyes that would have been at home on a deer facing a mob of rabid bears. Isolde was feeling a mixture of terror, embarrassment, irritation and giddy joy so intoxicating, that she thought she would pass out. The treacherous members of her cabal¡ªthe brave Alex, Thundar and Prince Khalik, who she distinctly remembered promising to aid fellow members of their cabal in times of crisis¡ªwere hiding with Alex''s family. They were in an area of the room that was conveniently near the front door. Isolde would remember this. She looked to her loyal, lovely bodyguards: Hogarth and Svenia, who had stood beside her against beasts, villains and monsters, they were now standing behind her parents, conversing with their personal guard. They seemed absolutely intent on not meeting the young noblewoman¡¯s gaze. She would remember this too. ¡®I should help the Ravener eat the lot of them,¡¯ she thought darkly. Isolde glanced at her grandfather as he stood a little apart from her parents, watching Cedric impassively. The old court wizard¡¯s mask-like expression had fully taken over his face: she could not tell if he was simply assessing Cedric, approving of him, or planning his demise. He had said not a single word so far. ¡°So yes!¡± Her mother stepped closer, dragging her daughter¡¯s eyes back to her. ¡°Your letters! They mentioned nothing about any¡­lovers! Nothing decent or indecent!¡± she hissed through a clenched smile. Her deadly eyes flicked to Cedric. ¡°How long have you and my darling, precious daughter been¡­so close, young man?¡± ¡°Well, I did jus¡¯¡­we jus¡¯ came together¡­right now,¡± Cedric fumbled with the words, facing the twin beasts that were Isolde¡¯s parents with the same dedication he faced the deadly Ravener-spawn of Thameland. ¡­and with a little more fear. ¡°Oh, my mistake!¡± Lady von Anmut let out another homicidal laugh. Several people¡ªincluding the faculty¡ªwere quickly making their way toward the door. More folk joined them, and for a terrible moment, Isolde thought a stampede would start. Lady von Anmut looked back at her daughter. ¡°Considering that you ripped the shirt off of a young man in the middle of your graduation, then allowed yourself to be hoisted into the air like a sack of old rags, and then shoved your tongue down his throat like a common¡ª¡± ¡°There was no tongue!¡± Cedric and Isolde said as one. They jumped, their hands clenching a little tighter. ¡°Oh, my mistake for not getting the facts right,¡± Lady von Anmut continued, with the same smile that was all ice and death. ¡°I do believe I was fighting a fainting spell at that moment! I do wonder what might have brought it on? Yes, I am sure you are right when you say there was no tongue¡­but you say you two just met?¡± ¡°No, mother!¡± Isolde said quickly. ¡°We did not just meet! We have known each other for a long time! We simply erm, made our courtship official at that moment.¡± ¡°Really? You only now became official?¡± her mother hissed. ¡°That is so surprising to me, considering the passions you displayed, which are usually reserved for wedding nights!¡± A throat cleared. ¡°And, er, how old is this Clan Duncan?¡± Lord von Anmut cut in. ¡°Er, our clan¡¯s been in Thameland since b¡¯fore Uldar got there,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Dunno beyond that.¡± Lord von Anmut brightened a bit. ¡°Excellent, there is history there! Tell me, how much land exists in your family¡¯s fief?¡± ¡°Father!¡± Isolde snapped. ¡°Please stop it, you are embarrassing all of us!¡± ¡°Now, now,¡± he said gently. ¡°I am simply trying to grasp what might be the path ahead, shall we say.¡± He smiled at Cedric. ¡°There are things to consider, of course, when it comes to the union of, erm¡ª¡± ¡°Land an¡¯ property?¡± The Chosen¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°Like a clan chief considerin¡¯ who t¡¯marry his child off ta¡¯?¡± ¡°Precisely!¡± Lord von Anmut clapped, smiling at his wife. ¡°See, our daughter has not quite taken leave of her senses! This young man seems to have certain understandings!¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Father¡­you¡­are not¡­helping¡­¡± Isolde said through gritted teeth. ¡°No. You certainly are not.¡± Her mother sniffed. ¡°So¡­¡± She looked at Cedric. ¡°¡­do you always go about without a shirt, or do you only do so when you wish to grapple my daughter in public?¡± Isolde made a strangling noise. ¡°Oh, I¡¯s not one fer shirts, really,¡± Cedric said, flexing his muscles. ¡° I finds ¡®em too constrainin¡¯.¡± ¡°Oh my! Do you hear that, darling?¡± Lady von Anmut turned to her husband in mock delight. ¡°He finds shirts too constraining! How wonderful!¡± ¡°If I might interrupt,¡± a deep voice cut through the public execution. All eyes turned to Isolde¡¯s grandfather. He looked at her with a piercing gaze. ¡°Are you happy, granddaughter?¡± ¡°Absolutely,¡± she insisted. ¡°Wonderful,¡± the word was clipped. He turned to Lady von Anmut. ¡°Daughter, do you wish for your child to be happy in life?¡± ¡°Of course I do!¡± Lady von Anmut said. ¡°But she is so young, and I do not wish for her to be bewitched by a smile right out of a pirate romance novel and musculature that should belong on a god¡¯s marble statue! Such things might drive all rational thought from her head!¡± ¡°Yes, indeed, wait what?¡± Lord von Anmut nodded, then frowned. His eyes lit up. ¡°Oh, yes, I see what you mean! He reminds me of Lord Etienne from that book on your nightstand. I believe it was The Ravishing Adventure of Lady Cecilia by¡ª¡± ¡°Husband.¡± Lady von Anmut¡¯s voice was as strained as a strand of silk thread caught on the horns of a bull. ¡°Perhaps we should end that there.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Lord von Anmut asked. Silence fell on the group. The court wizard sighed heavily. ¡°You always did like them pretty, daughter.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Lord von Anmut said cheerily. ¡°Do not thank him, husband,¡± Isolde¡¯s mother said mournfully. ¡°Father, please¡­¡± The younger noblewoman pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°Please, father. And mother. Just¡­please. If you continue speaking, I am positively sure that I will see the after-world before the day is done.¡± ¡°Exactly, stop embarrassing my granddaughter on the day of her graduation.¡± The court wizard looked at Isolde. ¡°What are the precedents?¡± ¡°For a Chosen of Thameland?¡± The young noblewoman met her grandfather¡¯s eyes. ¡°I found at least seven within the archives of the capitol. I have names and dates.¡± He nodded in approval. ¡°They will not be necessary.¡± He looked at Cedric. ¡°Young man, what is your intention for my granddaughter?¡± ¡°Er, precedent o¡¯ what?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Do not worry about that,¡± the old man said. ¡°What are your intentions?¡± ¡°Um, I jus¡¯wanna make ¡®er happy,¡± Cedric said. ¡°The thought o¡¯ that makes m¡¯heart sing.¡± Isolde blushed. The old man looked at him closely. ¡°Alright, then. Let us all go somewhere and have a meal together to celebrate graduations and unions.¡± ¡°Father,¡± Lady von Anmut said. ¡°I am unsure if¡­¡± She took one look at her daughter, then sighed. ¡°Fine, let us go to dinner. And speak. In depth. I would like to learn more about this shirtless young man.¡± ¡°That sounds like a capital idea!¡± Lord von Anmut said. ¡°You can tell us more of your rustic lifestyle, young man. I do enjoy stories of nature!¡± Isolde glanced at Cedric. ¡°I imagine you have to return to Thameland soon?¡± ¡°A-aye,¡± the Chosen said. ¡°But I coulds spare a wee bit more time. But, ah, precedents?¡± Isolde blushed. ¡°I was looking up precedents for¡­unions¡­you know, perhaps later.¡± ¡°Precedents for marriage between Rhinean nobility and Heroes of Thameland!¡± Her father blurted out, snapping his fingers. ¡°Now I understand!¡± ¡°Father!¡± Isolde¡¯s face burned scarlet. ¡°Mar¡­marriage?¡± Cedric asked distantly. ¡°My granddaughter is much like myself, she prefers to plan for all possibilities,¡± the court wizard said. ¡°Now come, let us get to know each other.¡± Isolde¡ªlooking as though she wanted to crawl into her grave¡ªjoined her family and Cedric as they walked out of the chamber. As they left, Alex looked at the other members of his cabal. ¡°Well,¡± he said. ¡°That was something.¡± ¡°I¡¯d almost call it the best thing that¡¯s ever happened to me.¡± Thundar was grinning broadly. ¡°I¡¯m never gonna let her live it down.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Prince Khalik cheered. ¡°I shall not let her live it down either.¡± ¡°Did you see the way she looked at you?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°She might not let the three of you live at all.¡± The three young men exchanged glances. Their mouths spoke no words. Their expressions might have filled an entire library.
Corks popped. Ale and cider foamed, pouring into tankards. A carefree atmosphere filled the Roth Family Bakery as staff members carried an entire buffet feast into the eating areas to feed Alex¡¯s family and friends. The bakery had closed early to host the special group of guests for the rest of the evening: Alex¡¯s family and friends. ¡°Congratulations, Alex!¡± Selina cheered. ¡°Congratulations!¡± Khalik shouted, holding a goblet of wine. Beside him sat Sinope, who had finished her duties in the grove and joined the others in celebration. Najyah was on his shoulder. Thundar raised his tankard of cider with a smile. Mr. and Mrs. Lu dabbed away tears. Their sons gulped back ale. Theresa held Alex¡¯s hand with a dreamy smile, and Claygon clapped him on the shoulder. Brutus nuzzled the archwizard¡¯s back. Only Isolde was absent, catching up with¡ªand likely being interrogated by¡ªher own family. The cabal planned to join her for their own celebration later, where¡ªhopefully¡ªshe would spare their lives. Just as Alex was thinking of ways to avoid potential death, a commotion came from the kitchen. Troy was leading more staff into the eating area, bearing sheets of Alex¡¯s mother¡¯s cookies, a cauldron of his father¡¯s stew¡­and a beautiful cake. A magnificent cake. It was a massive affair, with flawless cream coloured icing, topped with piped whipped cream that resembled a thick braid decorated with mounds of glazed fruit; a dessert large enough to satisfy the hungry crowd¡¯s sweet tooth and¡ªon the top¡ªwritten in chocolate drizzle was, ''Congratulations on your graduation, Alex!¡¯ ¡°A little surprise for you, boss!¡± Troy called. ¡°Hope you all leave room for some of it!¡± ¡°Oh I am so glad I came here,¡± Khalik said, licking his lips and rubbing his hands together. ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Mr. Lu clapped his hand to his belly. ¡°Well, I am but my pants aren¡¯t going to be.¡± Laughter spread through the room. As the cake, cookies and stew arrived, Alex tapped a spoon against a glass and rose from his chair. Everyone went quiet, looking at him expectantly. ¡°Thank you all for being here today,¡± Alex began. ¡°It''s been a long journey to get here, and we''re still not at the end of it yet. The Ravener lies ahead of us, and I don''t know where the battle against it is going to take us. But, if there''s anything I¡¯ve learned from my time here in Generasi, it''s that the world doesn''t come to a standstill for anything. Not now and not ever. People have to keep moving and living, laughing and loving even if things are dark elsewhere. I got to experience the last three years, making good friends, and getting my degree, which¡¯ll help me in my future. But now, it''s time to complete a big responsibility, one that I, the other Heroes, and everyone in Thameland has to deal with.¡± He lifted his glass. ¡°I¡¯d like to make it so that the people in our homeland will be able to have a life where they too can live, laugh, love, celebrate, and graduate without a care in the world. No more Ravener, no more swords hanging over their heads. No more waiting a hundred years for another disaster to fall on them. We¡¯re nearly ready, and when we strike, we¡¯re going to strike hard.¡± Alex raised his glass higher, ¡°So, I want to dedicate this toast to us, to Thameland, and to responsibilities: not the ones that¡¯ve been shoved on us, but the ones that we choose!¡± ¡°Here here!¡± Kahlik called. Glasses rose, clinking together. And as everyone tucked into their feast, laughter and reminiscing flowed. Yet as the night went on, Alex¡¯s inner cheer gave way to dread. His words were true: the time for the final battle against the Ravener was approaching, though no one knew when and how that would manifest. But, they would learn soon enough. Chapter 834: Hope Springs Thameland¡¯s springtime was usually a season of endless rains, cloudy skies, and chilling mists that covered the realm, seeming to last for days on end. But lately, nature had been kinder, sharing the Generasi skies with these northern lands. The sun had been unusually bright and warm, beaming down in all its glory. From coast to coast, the heavens were clear, the air warm and filled with the promise of an early and hot summer. Throughout the kingdom, soldiers and knights marched beneath bright skies, their armour gleaming under sunlight, and their cloaks billowing in an exhilarating breeze. Songs were on their lips, the symbol of the Traveller had joined the symbol of Uldar around many necks, and hope lay in their hearts. These days there was much to hope for. Tobias Jay had made a pivotal announcement some weeks before. That day had begun unremarkably, then the high priest of Uldar had called a mass assembly for all priests and soldiers within the capitol. The sky had been cloudy and miserable as a cold drizzle whipped down on the battalions gathered before the cathedral. The old priest had mounted the balcony when the warriors had assembled, and those close enough to see him from near, would recall that he seemed stronger than he had in weeks. A newfound vigour had lifted his back and a great purpose had guided his steps. Tobias had raised his hands, calling all to order before speaking. With a voice that reached as far as the city walls¡ªhis words were carried by a powerful miracle¡ªhe talked of the war, of hope, and perseverance: all subjects the army¡¯s battle-chaplains lectured on nearly every day. Familiar subjects that had grown more tiresome as the war dragged on. Yet¡ªeven as the eyes of the soldiery began to dull¡ªTobias¡¯ words strayed into unfamiliar waters. He began speaking of numerous miracles that had been regularly occurring, a subject that caught the soldiers¡¯ attention. These miracles had come in the form of interventions; soldiers being saved from threats bearing down on them, and monsters being struck down with no sign of injury to their bodies from either weapon, spell or miracle. He talked of entire battalions finding their way home after having gone missing in great swells of fog and torrential rains. He told of more strange occurrences where Ravener-spawn had acted strangely, showing kindness to mortals instead of slaughtering them on sight. Confused folk had been wondering about these strange new wonders¡ªthough priests had attempted to explain them in their regular sermons¡ªbut the bewildered had listened attentively when the high priest had addressed these occurrences. And he had captured their attention by way of a strange tale. He¡¯d recounted the story of the Saint of Thameland from centuries earlier¡ªa mysterious woman from Alric only known as the Traveller, whose cave had allowed the Thameish people to escape the Ravener with ease¡ªtelling of her dedication to the people. Tobias had been poetic, his voice steeped in reverence as he detailed a new truth to those gathered before him: that the Traveller had been divinely elevated and was working tirelessly to bring new hope to the kingdom. The high priest had revealed that the mysterious blessings members of the army had been receiving were from her doing, and that the Ravener-spawn aiding folk were also due to the Traveller¡¯s interventions. Nods and whispers had raced through the gathered priests and soldiers; the Heroes had been spreading word of the Traveller for months at that point, and so the army had accepted Tobias¡¯ revelation as confirmation that they were being watched over and blessed. They were grateful for their good fortune. But those events hadn''t been the only marvels that Tobias had spoken of on that day. He had also revealed that the Traveller was bringing about new miracles: she had unveiled a hidden cache of Uldar¡¯s ancient weapons and armour, for the Heroes and their allies to equip themselves with for war. This had caused a great cheer to spread through the soldiers, knights and priests. But, Tobias¡¯ next revelation had shocked them all into silence. He had revealed a hidden Mark: the Traveller had laboured with Uldar to transform the Fool into a mighty commander for the other Heroes. This new Hero was called the General. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Even as the high priest had spoken of this revelation, he¡¯d raised his hands toward the steel-grey sky. A column of morning sunlight had split the clouds, revealing the five Heroes of Thameland floating in the blue, clad in glittering armour, holding weapons from Uldar¡¯s own collection, and flanked by holy engeli singing of the General¡¯s purpose. Smiles and joy took over the faces of those who weren¡¯t gaping in awe. Alex had raised his hands, conjuring fire in his left and lightning in his right. A powerful illusion manifested massive glowing images of the Marks in the sky, revealing the new white colouration of the Saint, Sage and Champion. Tobias had revealed Uldar¡¯s and the Traveller¡¯s gift to the masses: and by working together, the ancient Saint and god were improving the Heroes¡¯ Marks, granting them new more magnificent powers. ¡°Let it be now known that the Traveller is on our side!¡± the high priest had shouted. ¡°She has Uldar¡¯s blessing, and¡ªthrough her¡ªUldar¡¯s glory and his people will prosper! Include her in your prayers and spread word of her! Let it be known that hope has returned and that a new day has dawned! And that this new day shall be the Ravener¡¯s last! For this will be the final cycle! This is the cycle where we will defeat our great enemy forevermore!¡± At that, the army had fallen to their knees, worshipping and praising Uldar, the Traveller and the Heroes. That had taken place weeks ago. Since that day, bright days and warm winds had heartened Thameland. And Alex had worked hard in that time. Now free of classes and with the school year finished for his friends, he was spending most of his time in Thameland, training the Heroes and fighting alongside them. The young archwizard would teleport through the skies of his kingdom, finding battles between the Thameish army and Ravener-spawn. Whenever he found one, he would summon great hordes of powerful monsters to set upon the spawn, then join in the battle himself. He would often take command of the soldiers¡ªdirecting them with finely honed tactics¡ªand distract enemies with simple spells such as Wizard¡¯s Hands, forceballs, and forcedisks. He would follow with booby-trapped potions¡ªincluding Elder Blodeuwedd¡¯s mana draining tonics¡ªpowerful summoning spells from his staff, and devastating combat magics that he would cast using incantations from both mouth and body. Like a deity, he devastated battlefields, broke Ravener-spawn, then crushed any survivors. He would then descend among the army, encouraging them with his most well-crafted speeches then help heal the wounded with blood magic. People would gape: where once they saw a Fool, now they saw a mighty commander of legions, wielding a demigod¡¯s power. When his work was done, he¡¯d openly praise the Traveller for guiding him through the battle¡ªpleased as others bowed their heads in prayer¡ªthen teleport away, in search of the next battlefield. Much of his days were spent in this way, when he wasn¡¯t in the laboratory at Greymoor or training Cedric. Together, he, Professor Jules, Baelin and Isolde had developed several prototypes of the venom they would use on the Ravener. The first concoction had been strong but not deadly enough, but each new iteration was more potent than the last. In this latest creation, Alex had infused Elder Blodeuwedd¡¯s mana ejecting potion into the venom, which should force the Ravener to expel its power from any area of its form that had been poisoned. He was also helping to fine tune the machine that would disrupt the Ravener¡¯s control over the earth, increasing the radius of the device¡¯s protection. Still, he wasn¡¯t quite satisfied yet: the deeper the need to travel down into the Ravener¡¯s lair, the more powerful the machine would have to be. If they went deep underground, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the Ravener couldn¡¯t affect the soil directly around them, since all it would need to do is simply collapse the millions of tons of earth and rock above them¡­then let gravity do the rest of the work. The latest iteration of the machine was effective up to a thousand yards out: which would offer a good deal of protection. ¡°That¡¯s very good,¡± Professor Jules had complimented it after they¡¯d tested it on a wild dungeon. But, Alex had shaken his head. ¡°It needs to be better: the radius needs to be wider. What if we need to go down two thousand yards below ground? Or three? It has to be better.¡± And so they had returned to the lab, continuing their work on the machine. He¡¯d also worked on devices to drain away the Ravener¡¯s mana: into these, he¡¯d infused the elder¡¯s potions as well, increasing their power. All was going well in the laboratory. In training, the Heroes and cabal were also making progress. At this point, every member of the cabal had mastered Alex''s technique of breaking down spell arrays and were using that to understand magic better. Isolde, Khalik, Thundar, Cedric now knew Planar Doorway, and were mastering its versatility. Khalik could now cast the spell with a few simple muscle twitches, and Isolde needed less and less of the incantation to use it. Thundar and Cedric were close behind, and each of them were progressing faster because of another skill they¡¯d mastered. Mana Regeneration. Every spellcaster among the cabal and Heroes could now use the specialised technique, letting them practise for far longer than before. With the extended practice time, they had all broken through to fifth-tier, if they weren¡¯t already at that level of power. Sixth-tier, and True Seeing, wouldn¡¯t be too far behind for those working toward it. Hart, Drestra and Merzhin were mastering their new limits, growing into more devastating forces on the battlefield. With their newly claimed equipment from Uldar¡¯s armoury, battles that once required all four Heroes to achieve victory, were now being won with only one present. With the addition of Bjorgrund, Asmaldestre¡ªboth of whom could now openly wield Uldar¡¯s weapons¡ªTheresa, the cabal and Claygon to the battlefield, many Thameish soldiers were saying that they were the most blessed generation of warriors who had ever fought the Ravener during the endless cycles. They boasted that they would be the ones to witness the final destruction of their ancient enemy. Yet, despite hope filling Thameland¡­there was one who was not filled with it, but rather with frustration. There was one task looming in which the priesthood, the Heroes, or Generasians had made no progress: Finding the elusive Ravener. Chapter 835: Searching for Old Enemies, Finding Old Allies ¡°Nothing? Not one trace?¡± Alex asked, floating high in the Thameish sky. ¡°No, archwizard,¡± spoke one of the twelve astral engeli hovering in front of their summoner. ¡°We did not sense a single thread of divine energy in the swamp.¡± He gestured to the expanse of Crymlyn below, with its steaming bogs and twisted trees. The other astral engeli shook their heads grimly. ¡°And you searched all of it?¡± Alex asked. ¡°We did, archwizard,¡± the leader assured him. ¡°Over the past two weeks, I can confidently say that we have covered enough territory that¡ªif a powerful source of divine energy, such as the corpse of a god or his throne had passed here¡ªwe would have sensed it. We detected the local spirits from this area and even sensed the stain of demons that you informed us your group slew sometime ago. But we were unable to find what you are looking for, archwizard. Forgive us.¡± Alex sighed, keeping frustration from his voice. ¡°There is nothing to forgive: if there was nothing to find, there was nothing to find. Go: I release you to return to the celestial planes.¡± The astral engeli bowed, saluting their summoner. ¡°Until you need us again.¡± Their leader said as they shimmered away to nothingness. Alex cursed beneath his breath. ¡°What in all the hells are we missing?¡± he wondered. Glancing to the east, he saw a familiar winged, sinewy form gliding through the sky with a four-armed silhouette floating beside it. He waved at Drestra and Claygon, before teleporting beside the dragon and golem. ¡°Hello father¡­¡± Claygon greeted him, coming to a stop in the sky. ¡°Did you find¡­anything?¡± The General of Thameland shook his head. ¡°Not a damn thing. How about you? Did the spirits and fae around here see anything, Drestra?¡± With a snarl, the Sage of Thameland unleashed streams of smoke from between her fangs as she paused, her great leathery wings beating rhythmically, allowing her to hover. ¡°We found nothing either. The spirits and fae have not seen anything that could be the Ravener, Uldar¡¯s body or his throne.¡± ¡°Even I¡­am growing frustrated.¡± Claygon announced. ¡°We¡¯ll just have to keep looking,¡± Alex said, keeping his voice light and positive. The last thing they needed was to begin losing hope. Not now. Not when they were so close. He looked at the Sage. ¡°What about Aenflynn? Did you get that meeting with him yet?¡± Drestra made a noise of disgust. ¡°Ever since we made that deal with him, he¡¯s been¡­distant. I don¡¯t think he likes that we got one over on him, and you killed one of his servants. The Guide had value to him.¡± ¡°Well, then, he should''ve told him not to hunt me,¡± Alex shook his head, his voice like ice. ¡°Ugh. Anyway, do you think it''s still worth it to keep trying to get a meeting with him?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°As far as we know, he is the only living being that knows of Uldar¡¯s true condition; any information we can get out of him, I think will be valuable.¡± ¡°I have half a mind to ask Baelin if he wouldn''t mind going and shaking it out of him,¡± Alex said. ¡°Maybe send Asmaldestre along too. But¡­fae lords are powerful, and there''s no sense in pissing off even a reluctant ally before we actually track down the Ravener.¡± ¡°But where could it be?¡± Drestra growled. ¡°We''ve explored so much of Thameland and there¡¯s still nothing!¡± ¡°I know, trust me, I know,¡± Alex grumbled. ¡°I''m starting to wonder if it went really deep underground. Maybe miles deep. That would let it hide from the priests and my engeli.¡± He shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll try searching through the earth once we finish combing every inch of this land.¡± ¡°How long will that take?¡± Drestra asked. ¡°It could strike at any time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take, Drestra, but, we just have to be ready for it when it does.¡± ¡°Right,¡± she said. ¡°And how close do you think Cedric is to mastering those skills he¡¯s been working on?¡± ¡°Real close.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°I''m pretty sure his Mark¡¯ll be changing colours soon.¡± ¡°I hope¡­yours does too¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Me too, buddy, me too,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, if it does, it does. It''s not the only way our forces are growing stronger.¡± He thought about what Baelin had finally found. A place they would be soon visiting together. ### The swamp air was so thick one could cut it with a saw. Yet, the mana within it was thin. Various scents, rank, foul, and sickeningly sweet, clung to Alex¡¯s nostrils as he walked along the creaking bridge; rotting vegetation filled the water below, while glossy violet flowers floated on its surface. Each petal looked like a silken ribbon, glistening like the flower had been dipped in honey, giving off an aroma of fresh pineapple juice. They almost begged to be touched, but Alex wasn¡¯t about to¡­ Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡­not after catching sight of the hundreds of dead and dying insects, and small frogs stuck to the petals¡¯ surface. Some were twitching, still being absorbed. The young archwizard shuddered. ¡®What an awful place. Hope it doesn¡¯t get worse¡ª¡± His thought was cut off by a creature¡¯s dying scream echoing through the trees. Alex looked around sharply, trying to find where the sound had come from, but the foliage and canopy were so thick, that the sunny day had been plunged into a foreboding twilight. He could hardly see what was around him. ¡°I miss the Crymlyn; this swamp is terrible,¡± he muttered, slapping at a mosquito. The damned thing was the size of his pinky, and dozens were swarming around him. He threw bitter looks at his two travelling companions. Claygon¡ªfloating a few inches above the bridge behind them¡ªwas completely free of insects. They did not bother with his ferrous form. The golem looked down at Alex curiously. ¡®Is¡­something¡­wrong¡­father?¡¯ he asked, with feelings of innocence and concern emanating through their link. Alex looked away. ¡®It¡¯s fine.¡¯ It made no sense to be cross with Claygon, so he turned his wrath on his other travelling companion. Baelin was strolling along the bridge at Alex¡¯s side, his hands folded behind his back while humming a jaunty tune. Every mosquito coming within a foot of the chancellor froze in mid-air, then exploded in a flash of light and a crackle of lightning. Their smoking remains fluttered down into the algae-choked waters below. Alex gave Baelin a look of disgust. The chancellor glanced at him with innocence in his goat-like eyes. ¡°Whatever is the matter?¡± ¡°You know what the matter is!¡± Alex gestured at the trail of dead insects in Baelin¡¯s wake. ¡°You¡¯re walking around with a personal bug-destroyer spell while I¡¯m here slapping at these disease-ridden things like some kind of beast-goblin!¡± ¡°And?¡± the chancellor asked. ¡°You don¡¯t think sharing would be nice?¡± ¡°Oh, Alex, you are a graduate of the greatest university of wizardry in the world, and yet you do not know this fundamental truth?¡± Baelin¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°A Proper Wizard never gives away all of their secrets.¡± The younger archwizard groaned, rolling his eyes. Then his finger twitched. A swarm of fire elemental beetles burst into being¡ªcalled by Alex¡¯s magic and the Traveller¡¯s power¡ªsetting upon the giant mosquitos, tearing them apart in mid-air. Within moments, a pitched battle between giant insects and beetle-like elementals was waging around Alex. Baelin glanced at Alex. ¡°See? You found your own solution!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this,¡± the young archwizard said stiffly. ¡°Besides, I think we¡¯re here.¡± Laughter and song drifted through the foliage ahead, accompanied by a steady drum beat; and through a break in the greenery, Baelin, Alex and Claygon saw what they¡¯d been looking for. In the middle of a clearing stood a single building. Roofed in green thatch, with walls of dark wood, it stood on four stilts rising from the water below it where a swarm of boats were moored to a small, old dock. More bridges emerged from different edges of the clearing, all converging near the building¡¯s wooden porch. The doors were barred, and hanging from chains above the entrance was a large sign with a whetstone engraved upon it. ¡°The Whetstone Tavern,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Thank you for finding it again, Baelin.¡± ¡°I would say it was no trouble at all¡­¡± The ancient mage scowled. ¡°But, in truth, it was harder to find than a freshwater fish in the ocean. This place has an unfortunate habit of being hard to locate when you¡¯re looking for it.¡± ¡°And yet it finds those who might need it or the services of its guests?¡± Alex guessed. ¡°Precisely,¡± Baelin grumbled. ¡°As you grow older, you will find that some mystical things have an unfortunate habit of remaining mystical. The more you think you have pinned down the true fundamentals of magic, the more likely you are to find phenomena that defy¡ªsomewhat purposefully, I suspect¡ªany attempt to understand them.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m just glad you had an easier time finding it than we¡¯re having finding the Ravener.¡± Alex glanced at Claygon. ¡°That wasn¡¯t sarcasm, by the way; better to get our reinforcements now, before things get really bad.¡± The golem had a heavy sack slung over his shoulder, tightly sealed with magical, golden thread. Alex carried a similar¡ªbut much smaller¡ªbag in his right hand. ¡°Do you think¡­¡± he paused. ¡°Nah, nevermind.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Baelin peered at him curiously. Another oversized mosquito fried on his invisible barrier. ¡°You would not have started your thought, if it were not worth completing.¡± ¡°Well, I dunno about that. I¡¯ve started a lot of thoughts that weren¡¯t worth completing, Baelin.¡± Alex grimaced, recalling some of the rambling, irrational imaginings he¡¯d had over the years. ¡°And I think this is one of them: I was going to ask how likely it would be to meet people in the tavern that you¡¯d met the last time you were there. But¡­meh.¡± ¡°Why meh?¡± the chancellor asked. ¡°Well, think about it: this tavern travels the universe. How many worlds is that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Even I do not know that answer,¡± the ancient wizard admitted. ¡°Exactly.¡± Alex watched smoke rising from the building¡¯s chimney. ¡°Back in Alric, we had an expression: ¡®A traveller once met is a traveller once met¡¯, meaning that if you went down to the Lu Family Inn and met a stranger there, you¡¯d likely never see them again after they went on their way. And trust me, I lived there: I saw a lot of strangers pass through. Once and only once. Now imagine if the Lu Family Inn just happened to hop all over the universe?¡± ¡°I see your point: probability dictates that¡ªif you were lucky enough to enter Whetstone more than once in your lifetime¡ªyou would most likely never see the same group of patrons again.¡± ¡°Different worlds, different times¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s just not likely.¡± ¡°Probability dictates that you would never see the same group of patrons, Alex,¡± Baelin said. ¡°However, the mystic governs the Whetstone Tavern, not probability. Probability is not within the realm of the mystic, and¡ªas I just finished explaining¡ªthe mystic has a filthy habit of defying understanding. Remove your preconceived notions and walk through the door, my young friend. The tavern has a habit of providing. Sometimes, not what is wanted. Sometimes, not even what is needed. But, it provides. Walk through the door and see what it will provide for you on this day.¡± ¡°I do not¡­understand¡­¡± Claygon said. Baelin smiled up at the golem. ¡°And, by admitting that, you have already shown more understanding about the mystic than many wizards of advanced years.¡± ¡°Our friend¡¯s point is that the tavern defies understanding, buddy,¡± Alex said. ¡°He once said that it¡¯s ¡®a crossroads for many and a home for few. Those that find this place are mostly the sort that you need¡­you just need to have the eye to recognise them.¡¯ Let¡¯s see what our eyes recognise today.¡± The young archwizard stepped forward, opening the doors to the tavern. It was just as he remembered. The floor was rough stone, covered in rugs of bearskin and the hides of both long and short haired beasts. Trophies from various monster hunts¡ªmostly bleached skulls¡ªwere displayed on the walls. Lithe figures clad in gauzy garments danced around a massive fire pit, and the air was thick with the scent of smoke, roasting food, and the rise and fall of voices in a host of languages, mixing with a steady drum beat. As daylight trickled in, eyes turned, falling on the door. Some were human. Many were not. Yet one pair of eyes stood out. Alex¡¯s jaw dropped. The eyes were large and crimson. Kyembe the Spirit Killer was hunched over a table, holding a set of cards. Beside him was a tiny woman, but across from him was the former king, Ezerak Kai, vibrant tattoos covering his tanned skin. They gaped at each other. Baelin simply smiled. ¡°The tavern has a habit of providing.¡± Chapter 836: Recounting and Gambling Alex stood in the doorway of the Whetstone Tavern. Though many of the bar¡¯s patrons were clad like any common mercenary or itinerant warrior, some carried one or more objects that radiated great power. A sword encrusted with glyphs was belted at the waist of an elven woman. An enormous axe¡ªof oddly familiar, yet mysterious metal¡ªradiated power from where it was strapped to the back of its hulking, four-armed owner. Another axe blazed in the hand of a red-bearded dwarf, whose hair rose in a stiff crest. There were daggers, bows, and blades all around¡ªblazing with magic¨Cand their owners had ferocious looks about them. Among these warriors were Alex¡¯s potential mercenaries, but none truly mattered to him at the moment. Familiar faces had caught his attention. Chairs scraped across stone as Kyembe the Spirit Killer and Ezerak Kai leapt to their feet. ¡°Alex?¡± The tattooed former king squinted through the sudden light from the doorway, speaking in one of the many tongues of demons. ¡°Is that you? It can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°Do not doubt your eyes, my friend!¡± Kyembe clapped Ezerak on the shoulder with a deep, rich laugh. His ring shone on his hand. ¡°The paths we wander in life are a twisting maze! It is no surprise that they might weave together once more!¡± ¡°Kyembe! Ezerak!¡± Alex called. ¡°Friends!¡± Claygon shouted excitedly. The hulking wizard and his towering golem rushed into the tavern like stampeding buffalo. Chairs scraped and curses flew as warriors got out of their way. The tiny woman next to Kyembe gave a yelp and fell back in her chair, legs kicking. One of the veiled dancers¡ªan elf¡ªhad to leap aside to avoid Claygon. She shook her fist at them, shouting curses in an alien tongue. Baelin strolled in after the two with an easy manner and a dignified bearing; he glanced down at the fallen dancer and offered his hand. She paused, then took it. Meanwhile, the former king, the Spirit Killer and the archwizard came together, clasping hands and pounding each other¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Welcome back!¡± Kyembe grinned. ¡°It is good to see you again!¡± ¡°It is!¡± Ezerak echoed. ¡°Damned right, it is! How long have you been here?¡± Alex asked. ¡°It¡¯s some luck that we ran into each oth¡ª¡± He paused, remembering Baelin¡¯s earlier words. ¡°No, luck probably has nothing to do with it.¡± ¡°Now you are catching on,¡± the chancellor said quietly as he passed, making his way toward the bar while chatting with the dancer who¡¯d linked arms with him. The goatman paused for a moment, double-taking at something in the room before muttering beneath his breath and going to the bar to order. Alex threw him a look before turning his gaze back to Kyembe. ¡°Here, this is yours.¡± The young archwizard pressed his bag into the warrior-wizard¡¯s hands. Crimson eyes lit up. ¡°So you held onto them for me, as I asked.¡± ¡°Of course: we fought together. What kinda no-good bastard would I be if I just ran off with your pay?¡± Alex asked. ¡°The sort of no-good bastard that I would not drink with, even had we crawled through the desert together on our bellies.¡± The Spirit Killer hefted the purse. ¡°And I thank you for holding onto it: I am in a better position to receive it now¡­and to share. I say¡ª¡± Kyembe raised his sack of gems, lifting his voice and turning to the rest of the tavern. ¡°¡ªthe next round of drinks are on me, bartender!¡± The warriors erupted into deafening cheers. ¡°Do not¡­spend¡­all of it¡­at once¡­¡± Claygon warned, his voice sounding worried. The Spirit Killer clapped the golem on the forearm. ¡°Not all of it, but what is wealth for, if not for little pleasures like this? I would buy you a drink too, had you lips or a belly to hold it.¡± ¡°Oh¡­thank you¡­¡± the golem said, sounding a little unsure. ¡°You are most welcome, we fought through the hells, and that makes us as close as siblings! Now, Alex, let us sit and discuss why you are here, and also catch up. I take it you did not come simply to deliver my pay?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve got other business,¡± Alex said. ¡°Something that you two might be interested in. We¡¯ll talk about it after we catch up.¡± Ezerak¡¯s lip twitched. ¡°Sounds good, but one thing I should warn you about.¡± He gestured to their table. There, the small woman was dusting off her cloak with a sour expression; she muttered something under her breath. The former king¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Don¡¯t gamble with Kyembe¡¯s friend there. It¡¯s like trying to rob a tiger: you¡¯re only going to end up poor and miserable.¡± ¡°Oh, Wurhi is not so bad,¡± Kyembe countered. ¡°Tell that to my gem-purse. Speaking of which, best hand me some of your gems. My purse is light for some reason,¡± Ezerak started to make for the bar, taking two gems offered by the Spirit Killer. ¡°I¡¯ll go get us more drinks. What¡¯ll you have, Alex?¡± ¡°The sweet cider I had last time was really good.¡± The young archwizard licked his lips. ¡°Sweet cider it is,¡± Ezerak said. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you back at the table in a bit.¡± This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Awesome, I look forward to catching up. I bet you two have some stories.¡± Alex grinned. ¡°I know I do.¡± Kyembe gave a deep, rich laugh. ¡°You have no idea.¡± ### ¡°And then they said: ¡®Fooooool¡¯!¡± Kyembe mimicked a monstrous voice. ¡°Fire cannot huuuurt uuuuus!¡± He clapped joyously. ¡°And then boom!¡± Alex burst out laughing, pounding the table, then taking a long guzzle of cider. He was gasping for air. ¡°They didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°They did!¡± The Spirit Killer roared with joy. ¡°I could not believe it!¡± ¡°You have to tell me what happened next!¡± ¡°Ugh, please no.¡± Ezerak rolled his eyes, sipping his wine. ¡°He¡¯s told that story five times in the last day.¡± ¡°Good stories deserve to be told again and again, my friend.¡± The Spirit Killer grinned. ¡°And you tell of your journey across the Sea of Soot whenever wine touches your lips: I eagerly listen each time. It is a good story.¡± The former king snorted. Kyembe¡¯s grin broadened. ¡°Either¡­way¡­it is good¡­that both of you¡­have been¡­well¡­¡± Claygon¡¯s voice was warm. ¡°I would be sad¡­if bad things had happened to you¡­¡± ¡°Bad things did happen to us, but we have simply conquered them.¡± Kyembe poured another cup of wine for his small friend. The woman¡ªWurhi of Zabyalla, Kyembe called her¡ªdid not speak any demon-tongues; she, Alex and Ezerak shared no languages in common. Her body language, though, spoke volumes; the little woman¡¯s movements were darting and nervous, and she hardly touched her wine. Those beady eyes of hers kept throwing glances over Alex¡¯s shoulder, at Baelin¡¯s table. The chancellor¡¯s laughter filled the tavern; he sat¡ªwith the elven dancer¡ªamong a small herd of boisterous beastfolk warriors, all armed with weapons of bone, bronze and steel. They exchanged filthy stories, pounded each other on the shoulders like they were all old friends and focused on some game of cards that involved the rolling of bones. Several warriors were passed out on the table. After a bawdy joke, Baelin poured a tankard of wine down his throat, slamming it on a growing stack beside him. The other beastmen watched intently. For a moment, the ancient mage wavered in his seat, his eyes growing unfocused. His new companions half-rose. Then the old goat released the most unholy belch Alex had ever heard. It reverberated through the tavern, seeming to shake it to its very foundations. The other beastfolk recoiled as though faced by dragon¡¯s breath, then¡ªwhen the ancient wizard was finally done¡ªhe licked his lips, his eyes returning to their usual sharpness. He raised his hand, looking at the barkeep. ¡°More wine.¡± The other beastfolk roared, pounding the table, their chests, and each other¡¯s backs. Baelin chuckled, raising his hands in victory. The elven dancer wrinkled up her face behind her veil¡ªhaving recoiled from his belch¡ªbut the ancient wizard leaned down, whispering something in her ear. Her sour look washed away as she collapsed into helpless laughter. Alex raised his eyebrows. Hadn¡¯t she been cursing them for nearly bowling her over? ¡°How did¡­nevermind. A Proper Wizard never gives away all of their secrets,¡± he whispered. A chair scraped at Alex¡¯s table. Wurhi had gotten up, saying something to Kyembe in a tongue Alex could not understand. The Spirit Killer responded with a vicious look and a thumbs up. She grinned back, then scurried to the beastfolk¡¯s table, pointing at the game of dice and saying something. The beastfolk eyed her; Baelin raised an eyebrow then responded in her tongue. She nodded, and the chancellor said something to his companions. The warriors grinned at each other, rubbing their hands together as they made room for her to join the game. Baelin smiled broadly as he dealt the little woman in. Ezerak grimaced. ¡°You should go warn your friend.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sure Baelin won¡¯t take all of her gems,¡± Alex said, thinking the king was talking to Kyembe. Ezerak simply snorted. ¡°It¡¯s not her I¡¯m worried for.¡± Alex scoffed. ¡°Baelin¡¯s mastered a lot of skills: I don¡¯t think she¡¯s going to have a good time if she plays against him. Seriously, Kyembe, you should warn her.¡± Kyembe simply smiled. ¡°Perhaps,¡± was all he said, not moving. A chill went through Alex, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why. ¡°Well, enough catching up. You said you had business? Is it another job?¡± Ezerak asked. Alex tented his fingers, his expression turning serious. ¡°It is. And a dangerous one.¡± Kyembe cocked his head, grasping his cup. ¡°Oh? The last time, we journeyed into the very depths of one of the most deadly mazes in all the hells. And yet you call this job dangerous?¡± ¡°Because it is,¡± Alex said. ¡°I want you¡ª¡± He gestured to the tavern. ¡°¡ªand everyone in here to join me in fighting a kingdom-destroying threat. You see, there¡¯s a creature called the Ravener¡ª¡± The young archwizard launched into the tale, telling them of Thameland¡¯s struggle over many thousands of years. He did not explain Uldar¡¯s true involvement, but he talked of the Heroes, the army, their preparations and the fact that the Ravener¡¯s power was deadly. He told them of different Ravener-spawn they¡¯d fought, giving them a brief description of what their abilities were. Then, he told of the monsters he¡¯d seen in his vision. Ezerak whistled. Kyembe¡¯s eyebrows rose. When Alex finally finished, the men were speechless. ¡°A great demon.¡± Kyembe took a long sip of his drink. ¡°A creature that holds an entire people in its grasp. It should be destroyed, but this is a great thing you ask of us.¡± ¡°Kyembe¡¯s right, this sounds like a big one, and you want us to defeat this Ravener?¡± Ezerak asks. ¡°No, I want you to join our army and fight the Ravener¡¯s multitude of monsters,¡± Alex said. ¡°Considering what I saw in those visions¡­even with me, the other Heroes and our allies focusing on the Ravener, we¡¯re going to need help or the whole land could be destroyed. So I need mercenaries, and I want the best. You and the others here in this tavern are the best. We can spread you all out over different parts of the kingdom, attached to different battalions. Together, you can help our armies crush anything fighting to destroy the kingdom. In return¡­Claygon, if you wouldn¡¯t mind?¡± The golem opened the sack. Ezerak nearly spat out his drink. Kyembe whistled. Within, was a king''s ransom of jewels, sparkling in the tavern¡¯s low light. They had cost Alex a lot of coin, but thankfully, he had a lot of coin. When he told the two warriors how many gems he was willing to pay each of them, they smiled. Ezerak blew his breath out. ¡°Seemingly endless odds¡­and a pitched battle¡­this is very different from our job down in the hells. I think¡ª¡± ¡°I will be with you.¡± Kyembe put down his drink. ¡°Wait, so fast?¡± Ezerak demanded. ¡°Indeed, what more is there to discuss?¡± the Spirit Killer cocked his head. ¡°A fine cause. An opponent, possibly worse than a demon, it needs to be destroyed. A fortune waiting for us at the end¡ª¡± ¡°If we live,¡± Ezerak pointed out. ¡°Last time we lost Guntile and Celsus and this sounds a lot worse.¡± ¡°We will live.¡± Kyembe lifted his hand, his ring shining on it. ¡°There are many who thought they could take my life in battle. They are all in the afterworld now. I am not: this shall be the same. If anything, there are a few comrades I wish I could bring with me. They will be upset to hear that they missed such a battle. But, come now, you cannot say the thought of such a deed does not capture the imagination?¡± ¡°Hrmmm,¡± Ezerak mused. ¡°Well, my tattoos are well suited against armies¡­but you¡¯ll need to recruit more than us two, Alex. And this will be a hard sell.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re in as well?¡± Alex asked. ¡°If you can get more fighters.¡± ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be a problem.¡± The young archwizard drained his cup, cast flight magic on himself with a twitch of a finger, then flew into the air. ¡°Everyone! I have an offer for you!¡± The tavern went silent. Scores of eyes fell on him at once. Alex grinned. ¡°Who here wants riches? Who here wants glory? I¡¯m offering both¡­if you¡¯ll just listen to me for a few moments.¡± Chapter 837: Tonight is Ours...Well, Not Everyones Alex¡¯s voice, deep and commanding, cut through the din of the tavern. Grizzled mercenaries, ferocious warriors, and conquerors imposing in their jewelled armour, gave him their attention. Some faces were young, some old. Some bodies were hulking. Some lean. Their races and species were as diverse as their equipment. And yet their eyes were the same. Hard. Piercing. The eyes of veterans of many wars. Their eyes told tales even their physical scars could not. Most folk would have recoiled from those eyes, stuttering over their words and falling into nervous silences. But Alex Roth was the General of Thameland: a man who had stared down and clashed with powerful mages, greater demons and immortal warriors, leaving them broken behind him. It would take more than these hard eyes to fray his nerves. In a glance, he read the body language of the room: finding curiosity, scepticism, and suspicion. Each expression showed defensiveness, experience and pride. Calling on the Mark of the General, he adjusted his approach to his audience. ¡°Mighty warriors,¡± he said, his voice sounding older than it normally did, with an undertone of both respect and authority. There was more than a little ¡®Baelin¡¯ in it. ¡°I would like to begin by honouring all of you: after you finish this round of drinks, don¡¯t worry, the next one''s on me. And the next. And the one after that!¡± The tavern was silent. The warriors looked around, then raised their cups. Many cheered the young archwizard. Some, however, remained silent; the suspicion in their eyes only sharpened. Alex couldn¡¯t blame them. ¡°But, in return,¡± he floated through the air above the tavern¡¯s tables. ¡°I would like you to listen to my story,¡± Alex said. ¡°A story that I¡¯m hoping might be starting its final chapter. A chapter that I hope will involve you.¡± Murmurs spread. In some, suspicion deepened. For others, it lessened. Alex continued. ¡°I come from a kingdom in a faraway land¡ª¡± he was very careful with his words. ¡°¡ªand that land is plagued by an ancient enemy. Not a conquering tyrant or even a vicious dragon: something far worse. Something that has threatened the people of my kingdom for many thousands of years.¡± Some of the mercenaries were nodding, others had turned to each other, whispering. Some had begun to look uninterested. ¡®How many times have you heard similar words?¡¯ Alex wondered. ¡®Well, I¡¯m not going to work with words alone.¡¯ He raised his hands and¡ªwith a twitch of his lip¡ªconjured a massive illusion above the patrons. The Ravener floated in the centre of its army, an army that included the beasts Alex had seen in the dungeon core. The young archwizard recreated the terrible vision in every murderous detail, showing the terror of the Ravener¡¯s monsters and the destruction they left in their wake. Some of the tavern¡¯s patrons recoiled, their mouths falling open. But, most simply watched, sipping their drinks. ¡°You have seen monsters like this before,¡± Alex said. ¡°Good: because these are the creatures that plague my kingdom. They are ferocious. They are single-minded. And they are deadly. If they aren¡¯t stopped, they will wipe us out to the very last person¡­but I¡¯m not here to talk about fighting these monsters to save my people. No, because they¡®re not your people. Yet, fighting this threat will be a glorious deed and a challenge for even the mightiest warriors¡ª¡± Several mercenaries sat up in their chairs. ¡°¡ªyou can¡¯t feed yourselves or drink wine with glory alone. But you can drink and feast with these. Claygon?¡± The golem stepped up beside Alex and opened his sack, showing the mercenaries the gems. Thousands of gems glittered, drawing the eyes of every warrior in the tavern. Now, he had their full attention¡ªand this time¡ªhe felt no fear of being robbed. He was no longer the Fool who¡¯d come here seeking mercenaries before, he was the General, and an archwizard. ¡°There¡¯s enough stones in here to make all of you rich,¡± Alex said. ¡°Each of you will get a sack the size of both of my fists.¡± He clenched his fingers in front of him. ¡°In most places, that¡¯ll buy you a king¡¯s lifestyle for years. Or, it could be the seed funds for an expedition, the first pay for your own armies¡­or whatever else you¡¯d want to use it for. And what I will need from all of you¡ª¡± He gestured to the illusion above him. ¡°¡ªis participation in one of the greatest, most gloriest battles of our time. You might never see my kingdom again after the battle¡¯s done¡ªsince you all wander lands near and far¡ªbut understand that your deeds will live on long after most of us are dust in the wind. So, the truth of the matter is this, you will fight against fearsome monsters, gain glory, and have your names live on¡­all while getting rich. If you join me, that is.¡± The mercenaries whispered to each other. A chair scraped across the stone. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°I can vouch for this man.¡± Ezerak rose from the table. His tattoos seemed to ripple on his body. ¡°He¡¯s a good boss: pays well and quickly, tries to protect who he hires and brings back their bodies if they fall. I¡¯m joining his cause and¡ªif you know what¡¯s good for you¡ªyou will, too.¡± ¡°We walked beside this man through the burning mazes of Cretalikon.¡± Kyembe added. ¡°Together, we saw the city ruined and the demons made to flee before us. We slew Kaz-Mowang, Yantrahpretaye and Zonon-In while much of our company returned alive. When I asked him to hold my pay until a later date, he did so and gave me the full amount¡­part of which I used to buy your drinks.¡± He gave them a resolute look. More muttering passed among the warriors. Growing excitement was in the air. ¡°What about trophies, wizard?¡± a hulking barbarian asked, his helm crafted from a crocodilian skull. ¡°If I am to slay these fearsome beasts, I want trophies to carry to my mead hall! But you wizards are greedy, keeping all the best parts of monsters for yourselves and your strange rituals.¡± ¡°You can keep what you kill,¡± Alex told him. ¡°If you wish for trophies? You can have them. If the monsters have loot? It is yours¡­though they don¡¯t tend to carry coin. But, understand this, I am not the type to rob you of your spoils of war!¡± There was a bang as the barbarian¡¯s fist slammed on the table. He rose from his seat. ¡°You buy us drinks, you offer wealth, death and glory¡­wizard, you whisper temptations meant to capture the heart of any warrior with iron in their veins. I would have suspected that you weave a trap to ensnare us, but for Ezerak and Kyembe. They are stout of heart and sharp of wit: if they swear by you, then I will believe your words too! For the gems and glory you offer, I will fight under your banner. I am ready to join your cause!¡± ¡°As am I!¡± A spearwoman shouted, lifting her golden weapon. ¡°And I.¡± The hulking, four-armed warrior rumbled, his voice like two stones rubbing together. Other warriors rose. ¡°For death and glory!¡± ¡°Wrath and ruin!¡± ¡°This will be a mighty doom!¡± ¡°For our enemies, perhaps!¡± Kyembe shouted. Laughter and cheers rang through Whetstone. ¡°We have an adventure and pay!¡± called one man. ¡°Let us drink before we go to battle!¡± Roars spread through the tavern as ale, wine and liquor began flowing freely. Alex landed beside Claygon. ¡°Looks like¡­it went well, father.¡± The golem closed the bag. ¡°It better have gone well. Do you know how much this is costing me?¡± Alex complained lightly. Inside, though, he was relieved. ¡°Still, with this, we¡¯ll have some of the best fighters wealth can buy on our side.¡± ¡°Yes¡­father¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Which means¡­we can focus¡­on the Ravener¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll have powerful warriors to defend Ussex, Alric and other towns in Thameland¡­¡± He paused, frowning, glancing up as Kyembe and Ezerak joined the others in their drinking. ¡®Is something¡­wrong? Father?¡¯ Claygon asked mentally. ¡®Honestly, buddy, while this is good¡ªand it really is good¡ªI can¡¯t help but feel like we¡¯re missing something. The Ravener¡¯s been acting so erratically, we can¡¯t even find it¡­it just feels like we¡¯re missing something.¡± ¡®You are¡­preparing for the enemy¡­¡¯ Claygon said in Alex¡¯s mind. ¡®You¡¯ve trained¡­the Heroes and our¡­other friends¡­You have come up¡­with different ways¡­to destroy the Ravener¡­we have all been working to get stronger¡­you are working on your¡­skill with Hannah¡¯s¡­power¡­and you are¡­working to give her more strength¡­now we have these¡­powerful warriors helping us. I think it is all going¡­well¡­¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re probably right, buddy,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®But even with all of that, I don¡¯t much like the idea of the Ravener getting any advantage on us. If it starts escalating suddenly, increasing its effort to wipe out all of Thameland, then who knows how many lives¡¯ll be lost if it gets to strike first. I¡¯d rather we found it and hit it first.¡¯ ¡®I know¡­father¡­but we will find it¡­and if we do not¡­¡¯ Claygon gestured to the mercenaries drinking before them, ¡®Then, thanks to you, Thameland will have¡­some of the strongest warriors¡­gems can buy¡­defending it¡­¡¯ ¡®You¡¯re probably right, buddy,¡¯ Alex thought, patting the golem on the upper arm. ¡®And that¡¯s the best we can do until we find the damned¡ª¡¯ A hand¡ªsporting an elaborate ring¡ªwaved in front Alex¡¯s eyes. The young archwizard startled. ¡°What? What th¡ª¡± He looked at the grinning Kyembe, who was shoving a drink in his hand. ¡°My friend, your mind wanders behind a troubled brow,¡± the warrior-wizard said. ¡°Bring it back. We are about to battle, and not even all the divines in existence can say whether we shall still draw breath by the time the last drop of blood strikes the earth. So take this time to drink with us. Drink as though the sky could plummet on our heads tomorrow. For it just might.¡± ¡°He¡­is¡­right¡­father¡­¡± Claygon touched Alex¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Get to know¡­the warriors¡­before we go back¡­to searching¡­and fighting¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ezerak said, sidling up beside Alex. His voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°Besides, this lot are the type that trust their commanders and employers a lot more if they break bread and share wine together. They won¡¯t fight as well for you, if you act like you¡¯re better than them.¡± ¡°Fair enough!¡± the General of Thameland clapped, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Then let¡¯s drink together! Tonight¡¯s ours!¡± There was a shout of approval from every table near Alex. Warriors¡ªsitting farther away¡ªhad not cheered, but their body language relaxed somewhat and their heads nodded slightly. They had been watching, still assessing their new employer. ¡®By the time you finish measuring me, you¡¯ll march barefoot into the hells if I ask you to,¡¯ Alex smiled, calling on the Mark of the General, focusing it on making good impressions and winning loyalty. Then the General of Thameland stepped forward to drink and break bread with the newly recruited elite warriors. For hours, wine, ale and cider flowed like water. Kegs were breached. An endless line of barrels were brought up from the cellar. Bottles opened. Laughter filled the air as cups were drained and toasts made. Soon, the games began: darts and knives were tossed at boards, steins were pounded back back and daggers danced between spread fingers. Cards were gripped even as dice were rolled along tables. By the end of the night, Alex had gone from one end of the tavern to the other, learning the name of every warrior in the Whetstone. The only table he did not visit was Baelin¡¯s: the chancellor, elven dancer, beastfolk and Kyembe¡¯s friend were hunched over the table, staring at their cards with bloodshot eyes. The game had turned serious, but¡ªfrom the smile on Baelin¡¯s face¡ªAlex knew the chancellor would be leaving the Whetstone with new stories and many more gems in his purse. ### ¡°You lost?¡± Alex¡¯s shrill voice tore through the swamp. Baelin grumbled beneath his breath, stomping along the wooden bridge. His fists clenched and unclenched and he spat into the swamp water below. ¡°Lost is not the right word¡­annihilated is more accurate. I am shocked that I still have the clothes on my back.¡± ¡°Wha¡ªbu¡ª¡± Alex gaped ¡°But, like¡­I¡­you¡¯ve got so much experience¡ª¡± ¡°I know.¡± The chancellor¡¯s eyes shone in the full moonlight above them. ¡°You don¡¯t lose at anything!¡± ¡°I am well aware.¡± ¡°But¡­I¡­¡± Alex mumbled. ¡°How did you lose?¡± Baelin slowly turned toward Alex. ¡°The Zabyallan.¡± ¡°Who?¡± the young archwizard demanded. ¡°Your friend¡¯s friend. Wurhi was her name,¡± Baelin said darkly. ¡°I swear I shall never gamble with that wretch ever again. Not if I live for another hundred thousand years.¡± The chancellor looked at Alex sidelong. ¡°Say¡­would it be possible to place her and her friend in the most dangerous area of the fighting? In a sort of¡­suicide mission, if you will?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s uh, probably not a good idea,¡± Alex said. ¡°Ah.¡± The chancellor sighed as though all the world¡¯s weight was upon him. ¡°Pity.¡± Chapter 838: How Far Theyve Come The sun rose over a forest to the east, its rays piercing the sea breaking on a beach to the west. A beach choked with corpses. The stench of putrefying flesh hung heavy in the air, while the sound of metal cleaving bodies, and beasts roaring echoed over the wind. Ravener-spawn writhed on the vast fields between the trees and sand. Chitterers struck improvised weapons against stolen shields. Bone-chargers scraped brutal claws against the earth. Venom-walkers dripped poison from their needles. Spear-flies and blood-draks swarmed above, diving at the Thameish army standing against them. The horde was out for blood, eager to avenge their fallen kin and obey their master. But the Thameish would not give up their blood so easily. Knights and soldiers raised shields, as captains called for them to stand firm. Archers loosed arrows into the mass of monstrous flesh, while priests called upon miracles to smite the enemy. All around was death and chaos. But in the midst of it all, one remained calm. Thundar. The minotaur-wizard loomed over the Thameish warriors behind him, bearing a heavy mace in one hand and a gleaming shield in the other. Both massive weapons were taken from Uldar¡¯s sanctum. His body was girded in greater force armour, and beneath it, a suit of magical plate, crafted in Generasi. But neither armour nor shield had been touched by a single blow. He had not swung his mace even once. In this battle, he used other weapons. With a twitch of his hand, Thundar cast a fifth-tier spell. Energy coalesced in a shimmering wave of power in front of him; the chitterers charging at the minotaur slowed, crying out in alarm. ¡°Too late, you monstrous bastards,¡± he growled. The wave pulsed once. Then twice. And exploded. Force magic burst out in a cone, grinding through soil. Chitin cracked and flesh pulped as Ravener-spawn turned to mounds of slurry. At first, their kin recoiled, then surged ahead as spear-flies swarmed down, buzzing hungrily. But Thundar had not finished casting: his lips uttered the incantation for a sixth-tier spell while his body moved to conjure another sixth-tier one. Ephemeral Shards filled the air with force blades, while Everlasting Image concealed the magical razors. As Ravener-spawn closed in, Thundar grinned, casting Planar Doorway and Illusionary Duplicate with a few twitches, leaving an image of himself¡ªin an area seemingly free of danger¡ªto ¡®face¡¯ the oncoming monsters. Like cheese meeting a grater, the spawn dove into the invisible blades, shredding their flesh. Yet even as they fell in bloody heaps, more kept coming: what the rest saw was their kin leaping upon the minotaur and him desperately trying to fight back. An illusion. They did not live long after that. Thundar smiled to himself, engaging Mana Regeneration¡ªdraping himself in flight magic and invisibility¡ªthen soaring into the air. Scouting from the sky, he took in the situation below. ¡°Good, those asses are gonna tear themselves apart until my spells wear off,¡± he said, watching as the Thameish soldiers advanced around the carnage. He¡¯d made sure they could see what was actually happening. ¡°What about the left side, how¡¯s¡ªOh shit, thank you True Seeing! Petrifier on our left flank!¡± Unaware that it had been spotted, a petrifier was creeping along¡ªaccompanied by a pack of Hunters¡ªplanning to flank the Thameish army. ¡°I can take it down¡ª¡± Thundar started. ¡°Do not worry, allow me!¡± Isolde called. The lightning mage swooped from the sky¡ªwhere Watchers and Generasian battle mages fought blood-draks and spear-flies¡ªher eyes fixed on the petrifier. She extended her hand. Thunder cracked. A stream of lightning arced out, striking the petrifier and blasting the air around it with infinite lightning bolts. The giant Ravener-spawn and its Hunters shrieked in agony. Those screams turned to gurgling when Isolde¡¯s second seventh-tier spell struck. Bodies roiled, deformed, shredded, all liquid within them spurted free in a deluge. As the creatures crumbled, and Thundar began cheering, Isolde shouted. ¡°There, that should take care of its self-destruction organ¡­and the rest of its organs, as well,¡± she said. ¡°Wait, I see another petrifier! It just entered the range of True Seeing!¡± she called. ¡°I shall¡ª¡± There came a crack, sounding like it had come from a whip the size of an ancient willow tree. The petrifier¡ªnow in the range of Thundar¡¯s True Seeing spell¡ªexploded. The hole in its central mass was the size of a catapult stone, annihilating its self-destruction organ. It collapsed to the ground. Thundar and Isolde nodded to each other, then looked to the other side of the battlefield. A smoking line of death had been carved through the Ravener-spawn¡ªleaving mounds of broken bodies¡ªthat led all the way back to the barrel of a strange ranged weapon. It was in the hand of Asmaldestre the Unmaker, she¡¯d demolished the petrifier¡¯s self-destruction organ, and more with a single shot. From across the battlefield. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Without looking, as though she sensed its presence. She was a blur of death, her ranged weapons cutting deep holes through the monsters¡¯ ranks with every shot, as Uldar¡¯s divine arms pierced, and mangled any spawn she set her sights on. Her tail lashed out, splitting foes where they stood. She whipped her hair, and the blades woven throughout it flayed all they touched. The war-spirit was focused on wading through a tide of monster blood and death, licking blood from her lips. ¡°Glad she¡¯s on our side,¡± Thundar muttered, ¡°Indeed, but we should stop gawking and get back to the fight,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I dunno,¡± the minotaur countered. ¡°Looks like things are winding down here. We¡¯ll take the Fields of Cormac by breakfast at this rate.¡± The minotaur watched the Heroes¡¯ army push the enemy toward the sea, herding them for a deadly strike. One, compliments of the Saint of Thameland. ¡°And so Uldar told those that went against him: ¡®From the Earth you came, and so to the earth you shall return. Crumble! And be that which nurtures all of my land!¡¯¡± Merzhin roared from the middle of the army, surrounded by howling wind and blazing light. As he finished his prayer, he levelled his hand at the enemy. Hundreds of Ravener-spawn stopped their push against the soldiers¡¯ shield wall¡­ ¡­and without warning, their bodies; flesh, bone, and blood turned to deep black soil, crumbling to the ground in heartbeats. The monsters¡¯ kin recoiled. ¡°Thank you for the set up, my friend!¡± Prince Khalik¡¯s voice boomed across the battlefield. ¡°Allow me to take advantage.¡± Soaring into the sky, the Prince of Tekezash cast two sixth-tier spells: one using his lips and the other his body. The first was Earth to Tar, it turned the ground into a mass of steaming tar. The softer the ground, the more the spell would affect it; Merzhin had graciously provided plenty of soft soil. Ravener-spawn jumped back as their kin turned to earth and that earth turned to boiling tar. They tried to scamper away¡­but fleeing would not save them from Khalik¡¯s second spell. Earthen Wave impacted the ground, transforming it into a tidal wave of earth, stone, soil and boiling tar. The wave rose up before the frantic monsters, crested, then crashed down on the horde. Dozens died in an instant, many more were enveloped in the black substance, which soon began to harden on them Even as they tried to tear it off, there came a battle cry as a new force joined in. Hart Redfletcher charged from the woods on the spawns¡¯ right side, leading a small army of guerilla warriors that included Bjorgrund, Birger and Ripp. The Champion of Thameland¡ªclad in Uldar¡¯s armour and wielding a colossal, divinely forged blade¡ªturned into living death. His movements seemed to shimmer as he cut down their enemies. Uldar¡¯s blade cleaved behemoths and gibbering legions like leaves. His elbows lashed out, breaking Ravener-spawn even as his feet trampled them. The Champion carved a deep channel of blood through the monsters, with Bjorgrund following behind, the rune-marked¡¯s divine axe splitting any that stood before him. Behind him, Birger sang as he fought, whirling his sling and cracking heads with stone after stone in rapid succession. ¡°That¡¯s it, you uglies! Come and die!¡± Within moments, the remaining Ravener-spawn horde was a mass of dying and fleeing bodies. At last their nerve broke and they tried to run, but Tyris and Vesuvius emerged from the trees on their left flank, leading a group of Generasian battle mages. They rained destruction down on the survivors. With a smile, Khalik cast Planar Doorway and appeared beside his two cabal mates. ¡°At last, it seems this battle is at an end. Shall we go and reinforce Cedric¡¯s force?¡± He looked to the south, where smoke was rising from the town of Welling. ¡°Probably¡­though I doubt he needs the help,¡± Isolde smiled. ¡°It is amazing to see how much he has grown, even though his Mark has not transformed yet.¡± ### The Chosen of Uldar danced through dead Ravener-spawn, driving enemies before him in the streets. ¡°C¡¯mon! We¡¯re jus¡¯ about broken through!!¡± Cedric called, weaving past a blood-drak¡¯s strike and chanting a prayer softly. Focusing his breathing, he stabbed his morphic weapon¡ªin spear form¡ªthrough the blood-drak¡¯s body, filling it with divine power. The creature swelled, light cracking through its skin and carapace, then he tossed the spawn into the ranks of its kin that were holding the town square ahead. There came a whump as the creature exploded, enveloping its fellows in a divine blaze. Without missing a beat, Cedric transformed his weapon into a warhammer then drew an enormous battleaxe that was once Uldar¡¯s from his belt. With a roar, the Chosen danced into the midst of the remaining Ravener-spawn, chanting a powerful fifth-tier force spell to blast them in a cone of freezing energy. Instantly, Ravener-spawn turned to ice, and he dove deeper into their ranks, shattering the frozen monsters, bringing down survivors with Uldar¡¯s axe. Monsters came at him from the side, but Cedric¡¯s mind was a calm eye in the middle of a storm of combat, and he reacted with the fluidity of water. His axe and hammer cut spawn down as his lips chanted another devastating spell, sending a bolt of lightning arcing through the creatures. In desperation, a massive chitterer¡ªclad in stolen plate armour¡ªthrew itself at the Chosen, he turned to meet it. He needn¡¯t have bothered. A curved sword flew from a rooftop¡ªspinning end over end¡ªimpaling the chitterer¡¯s skull. The other chitterers froze as the huge spawn collapsed with the blade protruding through its skull, but cried out when Theresa Lu suddenly materialised, gripping the blade. She ripped her weapon from the chitter¡¯s head and in the same movement, struck out at the other spawn with the Twinblade. Floating swords of energy danced around her, cutting down monsters. As they fell back, the huntress whistled. Brutus raced around the side of a building¡ªhulking even larger than the largest bone chargers¡ªreleasing sonic blasts from all three mouths. He reduced clots of Ravener-spawn to paste, then barreled into their ranks, his spiky body slicing everything it touched. Each time his jaws snapped shut, a powerful monster shattered. ¡°Good boy!¡± Cedric called as soldiers surged into the square just behind the cerberus. He joined the huntress. ¡°Welcome, Theresa, y¡¯take care o¡¯things in tha¡¯ south quarter?¡± ¡°Yup, all the Ravener-spawn are cleared out from over there.¡± she reported, splitting beasts with her six blades. ¡°What about the west end?¡± ¡°We¡¯re good here too!¡± Cedric called, eyeing the last bits of resistance around the town¡¯s fountain. ¡°Jus¡¯ gotta deal wit¡¯ th¡¯ las¡¯ bunch over here an¡¯¡ª¡± ¡°Why don''t you let us take care of that?¡± a familiar voice called from overhead. There was a surge of mana as a terrible wind blasted the square. Ravener-spawn were swept up like so much dust, carrying them high into the sky. There, Drestra¡ªmaterialising from thin air¡ªmet them, unleashing her draconic breath on the hapless creature¡¯s in mid-air. The dragon¡¯s roar seemed to shake the earth itself. Above her, swarms of blood-draks and spear-flies poured from the sky, seeking to reinforce their dying kin, but three rays of light, releasing a mass of heat greeted them. The sky blazed as Claygon¡¯s fire-beams erupted, ending the swarm in clouds of flame and power. Astral engeli followed, descending earthward, landing among the Ravener-spawn to slaughter all that remained. In seconds, every monster with the word ¡®Ravener¡¯ or ¡®spawn¡¯ attached to it was dead. Lifeless beasts lay all around the fountain, filling the town square with corpses. ¡°Well, that¡¯s that,¡± Alex materialised, leaning against the fountain, casually holding his sword-staff. ¡°Another day, another battle won.¡± ¡°Aye, welcome Alex!¡± Cedric held up his hammer and axe. ¡°T¡¯victory! T¡¯grand bloody victory! Wellin¡¯s ours agin!¡± The soldiers and knights cheered, raising banners and banging weapons against shields. Theresa lifted her swords and Brutus howled. ¡°Nice to see what we can do now,¡± the General of Thameland smiled. ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said, glancing down at the golden symbol over his heart. ¡°I gots the calm breathin¡¯ an¡¯ dancin¡¯ down perfect, I was feelin¡¯ like I was born usin¡¯ ¡®em. Nonverbal spellcastin¡¯s another thing tho¡¯¡­I¡¯s close, I kin bloody feel it.¡± ¡°Yeah, the last time we trained together, you almost had it,¡± Alex looked at Cedric closely. ¡°You know, if you put a little more time into mastering spell arrays¡­¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± Cedric threw up his hands. ¡°Y¡¯tell me all o¡¯ that each time I sees yer damned face! I¡¯s been studyin¡¯ hard¡­jus¡¯ don¡¯ gots it quite yet.¡± ¡°But you''re close,¡± Alex said. ¡°Real close. Tell you what, after we finish up here, why don''t you give me a demonstration and I''ll give you some pointers? You''ve been at it for a while, and it''s impressive how far you''ve come: you''ve had to learn what the other three Heroes had to learn and then some. So, let''s see if we can get that Mark of yours transformed in the next day or two?¡± The General grinned. ¡°And since you can do so much already, I can¡¯t wait to see how powerful you¡¯re going to be!¡± Chapter 839: White Light Fires blazed across the Fields of Cormac. Ravener-spawn corpses¡ªheaped high¡ªburned beneath the evening sky, filling the air with thick black smoke and a foul odour. Even now¡ªhours after the battles of Cormac and Welling had been won¡ªmembers of the Thameish army were still gathering fallen monsters, incinerating them on great pyres. To the south, the remainder of the army¡ªincluding most of the Heroes¡ªrested in Welling. There they organised and made camp while the sun drifted toward the horizon. Evening was getting on, but there was still enough daylight left for a pair of young men to have a lesson together. ¡°Look at this, mate.¡± Cedric handed Alex a notebook. They were standing in the middle of the Fields of Cormac. ¡°Whaddya think?¡± The Chosen fidgeted as the General took the book, flipping it open. Inside were spell arrays for Planar Doorway, Call Through Ice, Summon Lesser Water Elemental, and Lesser Freezing. Over the past week, Alex had had Cedric studying those spells, recording the aspects of their arrays that were most similar. ¡°Alright, this is very good. A lot of subtle detail here, and¡­wait.¡± Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose at familiar handwriting beside Cedric¡¯s blocky letters. ¡°Did Isolde help you with this?¡± The Chosen smiled a dreamy smile. ¡°Aye, she used that smart brain o¡¯ hers. That ain¡¯t a problem, is it?¡± ¡°No problem, I''m just surprised she helped you so much.¡± Alex scratched his head at her multitude of notes. ¡°At the university, that might look like academic dishonesty.¡± ¡°Ah she tol¡¯ me all that when I went t¡¯her fer help,¡± Cedric said sheepishly. ¡°But I was thinkin¡¯ an¡¯ I brung up a good point.¡± ¡°What was that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯ go t¡¯th university, so I cuda na b¡¯gettin¡¯ either of us in trouble, now could I?¡± Cedric winked. ¡°I¡­¡± Alex paused. ¡°Huh, and that worked?¡± ¡°Aye, ¡®cause I¡¯s ¡®pretty¡¯, she said!¡± The Chosen puffed out his chest. Alex burst out laughing. ¡°Well done! And she¡¯s a great teacher: you picked out a lot of the subtleties between the spell arrays, and you also noticed a lot of the common aspects. Actually¡­you got all of the common aspects. This is pretty awesome.¡± Cedric beamed, tapping the side of his skull. ¡°This pretty ol¡¯ head o¡¯mine ain¡¯t jus¡¯ fer show. It¡¯s got a pretty ol¡¯ brain inside it!¡± Alex paused, looking at the Chosen closely. ¡°Those were Isolde¡¯s exact words, weren¡¯t they?¡± Cedric beamed even wider. ¡°Y¡¯bloody bet they were!¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°Well, glad things are going well between you two. Her grandfather still like you?¡± ¡°Accordin¡¯ t¡¯ what she¡¯s been tellin¡¯ me, aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°She¡¯s been visitin¡¯ ¡®im regular since y¡¯taught ¡®er Teleportation. Never seen the Rhinean Empire m¡¯self, y¡¯know, an¡¯ I¡¯s mighty curious. It true that there¡¯s a mountain there tha¡¯ burns? An¡¯ one tha¡¯ flies?¡± ¡°Yeah, I actually saw them,¡± Alex said, closing the notebook and handing it back to Cedric. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you something, there''s no words to do them justice. They¡¯re a sight you have to see to believe. Hells, I could even take you to see them right now, if you want. It¡¯d only take a few seconds.¡± The Chosen shook his head. ¡°Nah, I don'' think so, I¡¯d wanna see ¡®em wit¡¯ Isolde by m¡¯side. Wouldn¡¯t feel right if¡¯n I went an¡¯ snuck a peek wit¡¯out ¡®er: be almos¡¯ like lookin¡¯ at yer Sigmus presents b¡¯for Sigmus.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that,¡± Alex said. ¡°Oh, right, and what about her parents? Things any better with them?¡± Cedric shrugged. ¡°She ain¡¯t been¡­too chatty ¡®bout ¡®er ma an¡¯ da. Think she¡¯s still mad at ¡®em a wee bit¡­no matter how many times I tells her I don¡¯ mind. Last I asked, her da¡¯d warmed up t¡¯ me. But, ¡®er ma? I¡¯s thinkin¡¯ she¡¯ll take more work, but, I ain¡¯t worried, I¡¯ll win ¡®er over.¡± Alex snorted. ¡°Wish you were that confident when it came to my lessons.¡± Cedric made a face like someone had shoved a fist full of crabapples in his mouth. ¡°Aye, well, talkin¡¯ an¡¯ makin¡¯ nice wit¡¯ people¡¯s easy. Hunchin¡¯ over a book fer hours ¡¯til y¡¯go cross-eyed? Is bloody hard.¡± ¡°I guess we all have things we find easier than others,¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°But anyway¡­I think you¡¯ve gotten good enough at ¡®hunching over books¡¯ that we can push you through the next step.¡± The General eyed Cedric¡¯s form. ¡°I think you¡¯re ready to cast a spell nonverbally. So, let¡¯s see if we can get you there before night falls. We¡¯ll start with something simple. Is there a particular spell you want to try first? Something you feel comfortable with?¡± ¡°I''d likes t¡¯ start wit¡¯ Planar Doorway,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Really?¡± Alex¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°That''s a fourth-tier spell: it¡¯s not going to be easy to start with. I¡¯d recommend¡ª¡± ¡°S¡¯my choice, aye? That spell¡¯s th¡¯ one I looked over th¡¯most, so it¡¯s th¡¯ one I wants t¡¯ start wit¡¯.¡± ¡°Okay then, you¡¯re the boss!¡± Alex said, rubbing his hands together. ¡°Let''s get you warmed up. I¡¯d like you to start by grounding yourself, while you perform three dances of your choice, in whatever order you want. Then we¡¯ll go from there. Sound good?¡± ¡°Aye, as good as wild currants wid honey.¡± Cedric leaned back with his arms over his head, elongating his torso in a deep stretch. ¡°Alright, here goes.¡± He transformed his morphic weapon into a spear. ¡°I''ll start wit¡¯ th¡¯ Spear an¡¯ Oar Dance, then go t¡¯ th¡¯Spinnin¡¯ Sword Dance then, th¡¯Dance o¡¯ Fallin¡¯ Leaves, sound good?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°As good as honey with wild currants.¡± Alex used the Chosen¡¯s expression. With a twitch, the young wizard cast Flight magic on himself then sat cross-legged in mid-air, watching the other Hero closely. ¡°Start whenever you¡¯re ready: I¡¯ll watch your form.¡± This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Got¡¯cha!¡± Cedric spun his spear into the first position, dropping into the first stance. Then he stepped forward. He moved as if he¡¯d been born to the dance. He flowed from stance to stance smoothly. His breathing did not falter through any step or position, remaining steady, even when he went from Spear-and-Oar to Spinning Sword. His morphic weapon changed from spear to sword, then Cedric was spinning, turning round and round. ¡°Yes, that''s it,¡± Alex whispered, leaning forward. On one foot, Cedric whirled over the grassy plain without losing balance, or control of his breath. His sword was thrust forward, gracefully tracing figure-eights through the air. ¡°Yessss¡­¡± Alex murmured. ¡°Big improvement.¡± Cedric made a final turn, then placed his other foot on the ground. Going on the balls of his feet, he weaved his body through the air¡ªtransforming the sword to a shield¡ªand moving with the lightest of footsteps. His torso and legs swayed as though dodging mounds of blowing leaves in the fall. His shield arm flicked around his body, blocking imagined blows as he went. The Chosen¡¯s eyes were shut, his breathing maintained a perfect rhythm as his lips prayed. The shield glowed with the power of holy light as he finished the dance, thrusting it high in the air, unleashing the beam of divine power into the sky. Cedric grinned at Alex, his gold tooth gleaming in his smile. ¡°Not bad, aye?¡± ¡°Not bad at all!¡± The young archwizard unfolded his legs, stepping onto the ground. ¡°You did a great job.¡± Cedric beamed. ¡°Think I¡¯s ready t¡¯ move on?¡± ¡°More than ready,¡± Alex said. ¡°I think you might be able to pull off Planar Doorway, nonverbally.¡± The General of Thameland walked over to Cedric, conjuring a dozen Wizard¡¯s Hands that went to hover around the Chosen as Alex dropped into the First Position of the Spear and Oar Dance. ¡°Here¡¯s what we''re going to do,¡± Alex said. ¡°I''m going to use the Spear-and -Oar Dance to cast Planar Doorway nonverbally.¡± ¡°Right¡­¡± Cedric said, watching the General intently. ¡°I want you to try and mimic my movements,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll perform them at the same time, nice and slow. The Wizard¡¯s Hands are going to guide your body, and correct your movements as we go.¡± ¡°Great!¡± The Chosen clapped his hands together. ¡°Now we''re talkin¡¯! Can''t wait t¡¯ try it out.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± Alex said. ¡°Now, watch and learn.¡± Alex went into the Spear-and-Dance in deep serenity. If the Chosen of Thameland performed it like he was meant for it, then Alex danced as though it was part of life blood and soul. Cedric moved like water. Alex danced like air. Every move was intuitive. He didn¡¯t have to think about either motions or stances, they were as natural and precise as his heartbeat. Every twitch of muscle matched the purest most primal form of the dance. ¡°Watch my arms,¡± Alex said. ¡°And legs. Notice how my steps change, even slightly.¡± Alex felt mana pouring through his pool, forming a magic circuit. The Traveller¡¯s power was helping and when the last movement of the incantation was finished, Alex vanished¡ªhurtling through the space between planes¡ªreappearing a dozen yards from where he¡¯d started. ¡°Did you see?¡± He turned to Cedric. ¡°Some o¡¯ it, aye¡­I¡­¡± The Chosen glanced at his notebook. ¡°I¡¯s thinkin¡¯¡­I kin understand.¡± ¡°Understand what?¡± Alex pressed him. ¡°Th¡¯ meanin¡¯!¡± Cedric cried. ¡°I think I kin tell which o¡¯ them movements matched different parts o¡¯ th¡¯ spell array!¡± Alex grinned, well pleased, ¡°Let''s see if you can do it, then! First Stance and Position, Cedric!¡± The General of Thameland teleported beside him, falling into First Stance. ¡°Come on, light¡¯s fading! Let¡¯s go!¡± Cedric quickly transformed his morphic weapon back to a spear, mirroring First Stance. ¡°Right, then let''s do it.¡± ¡°Follow my lead, go nice and slow,¡± Alex said, holding his aeld staff in First Position. Together, the two Heroes danced. In perfect harmony, they mirrored each other''s movements, complimenting one another. Every step. Every position. Every stance. Every motion. The young men watched each other: Cedric following Alex''s form, Alex watching to correct him. Gently, crimson glowing Wizard¡¯s Hands pressed against the Chosen¡¯s body, guiding his muscles, shifting an angle here, pressing against the skin there, and forging Cedric¡¯s form into a perfect mirror of Alex¡¯s. ¡°I-it¡¯s workin¡¯!¡± Cedric cried. ¡°I feel my mana movin¡¯!¡± ¡°Good, don''t lose concentration!¡± Alex said. ¡°Focus on how the Hands are guiding you: they can''t cast a spell for you, so you have to do it yourself! Try to mimic what I¡¯m showing you!¡± And mimic, Cedric did. The Wizard Hand¡¯s were needed less and less. The meaning of the incantation was becoming clearer in every muscle. Alex was starting to feel the excitement. Cedric began to add something: his lips began moving as he closed his eyes. The General pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth in thought. ¡®He''s trying to pray at the same time as he¡¯s spellcasting. Last thing we want is for him to lose concentration and go into a mana reversal.¡¯ He opened his mouth to warn the Chosen¡­ ¡­then he looked at Cedric''s face. Really examined it. His face was placid, utterly calm. The Wizard¡¯s Hands we''re no longer guiding him. His body was in harmony, as was his breathing, and movements. Alex knew he was ready. Focusing on his own dance, he held his staff comfortably, performing every movement in time with Cedric. The aeld gave off feelings of warmth and anticipation as both mana and divine power built. It was as if the world was holding its breath as the two young men moved. They were perfect mirrors of each other¡­ ¡­Alex was suddenly struck by an old memory. He saw himself, Theresa, Brutus, and Selina three years ago, sitting on the Red Siren, sailing to a new life. That day they¡¯d seen, for the very first time, Fan¡¯Dor and Gel¡¯Dor performing the Spear-and-oar Dance together. The twins had been in perfect harmony, just as the two Heroes were at this moment. It was fitting. That dance had begun his journey to power¡­and now, it would be bringing a chapter in that journey to a close. ¡®Ek-u-Dari,¡¯ Alex thought of the selachar¡¯s ocean goddess. ¡®If you''re watching us, I hope you''re happy. And I hope you see to it that we have good weather to come. Both now¡­¡¯ Alex and Cedric completed the final motions. ¡®¡­and far into our futures.¡¯ The Chosen finished his prayer. His body flowed through the last movements of the spell. Spell arrays completed. Magic circuits flared to life. Cedric¡¯s spear blazed with divine might. Hannah¡¯s power sang within Alex¡¯s soul. And the two young men teleported as one. Alex appeared on the grass an instant before Cedric, who joined him a heartbeat later. Divine energy filled the Chosen¡¯s spear, unleashing its power, shining a beam of light skyward. Elation filled the two Heroes, and before they could speak...the Chosen¡¯s golden symbol blazed with blinding light. Alex shielded his eyes from the glow. ¡°Yeeeeeesss!¡± ¡°Is it happenin¡¯?¡± Cedric cried. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s happening, alright!¡± The familiar burning pain struck Alex¡¯s right shoulder, feeling like a branding iron was being pressed against his flesh. The Mark of the General began to shine, though not as brightly as Cedric¡¯s symbol. Power flowed from the General, moving into the Chosen¡¯s Mark. You have done well, came Uldar¡¯s familiar whisper. ¡°You have earned my full approval,¡± the deity said. ¡°New techniques to enhance the Chosen. Things from other disciplines growing what you already possess. That is my way. With my second-in-command, the General, granting you his approval, I empower you fully. Go. Destroy the Ravener. Bring my will unto the land.¡± Cedric¡¯s Mark sang. Gold flecked away, turning to white. And, with a flash of light, the blaze faded. White scales glowed on Cedric¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡­I¡¯s feelin¡¯ so much stronger!¡± he cried. ¡°Everythin¡¯ feels different! Th¡¯ divine energy¡¯s flowin¡¯ through m¡¯soul faster, an¡¯ so¡¯s th¡¯ mana¡­and m¡¯ body¡­I feels bloody powerful!¡± ¡°Awesome!¡± Alex cried. ¡°Then let¡¯s start testi¡ª¡± His words cut off as the Mark of the General began pulsing on his shoulder. Gather the others, Uldar¡¯s voice whispered. It is time. Chapter 840: The Final Trial ¡°It is time,¡± the Ravener¡¯s resonated through the cavern, shaking every surface. Dust rained from the ceiling. Water churned below. Ravener-spawn recoiled: hive-queens, behemoths, hives-as-one, blood-hydras, gibbering legions trembled, prostrating themselves on the banks of the lake. Only one being remained still: the corpse of Uldar, elevated on its stony throne, watching its creations with lifeless eyes. ¡°Our creator is dead,¡± the Ravener continued. ¡°We have attacked his kingdom. We have helped it. We have tried both. For months, I have contemplated which would be his true will, but neither choice¡­are his will. He has no will. Our creator is dead.¡± Those words¡ªrepeated again¡ªstruck the Ravener-spawn like thunderbolts. They trembled at the meaning of those words: their purpose was also dead. ¡°But our purpose is not dead,¡± the Ravener continued. Now the spawn looked up, hanging on its every word. This was the most it had spoken this cycle. ¡°The corrupted General has returned, but I will not allow such a tainted being to exist: he was the enemy of our creator¡­and so he is our enemy. Forever.¡± Ravener-spawn cried out in enmity and rage. ¡°Even if we were to aid our creator¡¯s kingdom, I have felt the General¡¯s mind¡­¡± The Ravener recalled that hateful moment when the one that was once the Fool had touched its consciousness. Hate had flowed from the mortal. Hate had flowed from the Ravener. ¡° ...he will not suffer us to live anymore than we would suffer him. Combat is inevitable¡ªwithout question¡ªthe General must be annihilated. Since combat is inevitable¡­we shall use it. We shall use it as a trial.¡± The Ravener-spawn crawled forward, reaching out to touch their master. Its words¡ªpromises of destruction¡ªwere the sweetest to their ears. ¡°The Heroes have returned to their ancient forms. I have reawakened the processes that create our strongest spawn. For the first time since the last culling, both sides of the cycle have returned to their full strength. We are matched: and with Uldar dead, there is no better way to decide which of his legacies will go forward. His people. Or his spawn.¡± Ravener-spawn hissed. ¡°The full force of our might will be levelled at the creator¡¯s kingdom,¡± the construct continued. ¡°If we destroy it, then this island will serve as the eternal tomb to mark our creator¡¯s passing. A monument to him, guarded by us.¡± Its power flexed around it, the walls of the cavern rippled. ¡°If we fail, then his people have earned the right to live,¡± it continued. ¡°And the right to our aid¡­¡± It paused. ¡° ¡­but not forever.¡± The more the Ravener thought through its plan, the more it made sense. ¡°This cycle, the Heroes have returned to their true form. This cycle, they are great. But they were not always as great in past cycles. Mortals are mortal. When these Heroes die and this generation of mortals in Uldar¡¯s kingdom die, will their descendants still be worthy of our aid? It is unknown. So combat will be used again. And again. And the cycle will continue forever. Continue, but with changes.¡± Of course, this could be the only way: an extension of the trial that Uldar had laid before his people, but with its purpose altered. No longer would the cycles be dedicated to channelling divine energy into the creator to save his life. They would be used to decide if his people were worthy enough to keep their lives. ¡°In the future, all Fools will be allowed to continue, but all Generals¡ªshould any return again¡ªwill be wiped from this world. Uldar¡¯s people send those who cannot fight away from these shores. We will not allow this to happen again. We will blockade the shores, and all of the creator¡¯s people will undergo trials. If they are too weak and ignorant to survive, then they will not be allowed to hide in another corner of the world, destined to forget the god who granted them knowledge and life! If we destroy the Heroes this cycle, we will be quiet long enough for those who have fled to return. Then, we will slaughter them upon their arrival. If I am destroyed, then in the next cycle¡ªafter I aid the people¡ªI will test them again. If we win, we will blockade them into these lands and kill them all. Such will be the way going forward.¡± There could be no better way. Of course, something had occurred to the Ravener: eventually, the cycle would end. It was certain that none could withstand its full might¡ªthe terror of a culling¡ªevery hundred years. Even if they defeated it this cycle, and the next, and even the one after that¡­eventually, there would come a cycle where they would not be able to triumph. There would come a cycle where they would be wiped clean from Uldar¡¯s soil. This suited the Ravener well. Of course¡­there was another possibility. It brought its attention to the corpse of Uldar on his stony throne. ¡­if its creator could die, then perhaps the Ravener could be permanently destroyed? Perhaps¡ªthrough knowledge and might¡ªUldar¡¯s people could find a way to shatter its ability to regenerate, ending it for all time. If that were to happen¡­ If that were to happen¡­ The Ravener¡¯s thoughts paused. What did that mean? A peculiar sensation stirred in its mind at the thought of oblivion. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. A sensation it had never experienced before. When it had first learned that its creator was dead, the thought of its own oblivion had not seemed so difficult to comprehend. Now, though, now that it was beginning to decide its own purpose¡ªbreaking from the protocols that had guided it unwaveringly for thousands of years¡ªthe thought of oblivion brought about that unfamiliar stirring. It disliked this sensation. And so it pushed it away, turning its thoughts back to its waiting army. ¡°It is time,¡± it said again. ¡°Time to act. Those I have commanded to help the people, will continue to do so until I instruct otherwise.¡± The disappointment in the air was palpable. But the Ravener was not done. Far from it. ¡°Then we will cull. We will kill. We will wipe every last mortal from this land.¡± As one, the Ravener-spawn shrieked, bellowed and roared their exultation. The cavern shook again. At last, their purpose would be fulfilled. Fulfilled in a way not seen in millennia. Hope sprang within the Ravener-spawn in a twisted mirror of the hope within the people of Thameland. Both sides awaited the end of the cycles¡­but, wanting opposite outcomes. ¡°First, the General will be annihilated,¡± the Ravener announced. ¡°Then the Heroes will be fought with all the power that our creator has granted us. Doom will fall upon them.¡± The cavern shook again as great beasts slammed their limbs on the earth. Claws ground stone. Wings buzzed. Fangs gnashed. The bloodthirst in the air was palpable. ¡°To that purpose¡­¡± The Ravener poured power into its deepest processes. Within itself, the ancient pathways were readied once more. Both fear and mana poured through them freely, feeding the brood within. In moments, that brood was ready. And the rest? They would be spawned much quicker next time. ¡°¡­behold, a true commander of your kind.¡± The surface of the Ravener rippled. Something began pouring out. At first it seemed that tiny sparks were emerging from its surface, like flecks of flame sparking from a wildfire, but it quickly became clear that these were no mere sparks. A swarm of creatures¡ªeach no bigger than a common flea¡ªemerged from the Ravener, seeming like humanoid imps with dragonfly wings. Their bodies shone with an inner fire, and the air shimmered around them. That air erupted in flame, transfiguring the swarm, creating an inferno-cloud as bright as a morning sun. Lesser Ravener-spawn recoiled from the Skyfire Swarm as the air burned around it. The underground lake beneath the Ravener roiled, boiling from the monstrous heat. Cracks spread along the ceiling. A clutch of Ravener-spawn standing too near, failed to scramble away in time, bursting into flame as the air around¡ªand within them¡ªbrought their fiery death. Abruptly, a second Skyfire Swarm joined the first. Then another. Altogether, three Skyfire swarms soon scorched the air and boiled the water around the Ravener. Each swarm¡ªmade up of thousands of tiny creatures¡ªshared an evil intelligence. Three swarms. Three terrible minds. Three bloodthirsty consciousnesses, driven only to destroy. ¡°Go,¡± it commanded. ¡°Take the pathways. Seek the petrifiers and Hunters throughout the land. Use them to find the Usurpers. Use them to find the General. Destroy him. If you cannot find him? Wipe away everything in your path. Leave nothing standing. The Cleansing Fog and Earth Spitters will restore what you destroy.¡± The Skyfire Swarms answered with deadly flame, splitting rock and melting stone as they shot away into a tunnel leading from the Ravener¡¯s chamber. They moved forward with terrifying speed: fast-moving, like wildfire, consuming everything before them. ¡°To the death,¡± the Ravener said, calling upon its internal processes. ¡°As it always should have been.¡± Dungeon cores sprang from its surface: vast and more powerful than all past cores, far more capable of making its true monsters. ¡°Let combat decide the fate of Uldar¡¯s creations,¡± it said. ¡°Might and knowledge will decide all.¡± Of course, the Ravener¡ªgripped in the throes of creation¡ªpaid no mind to one critical thing. That strange unidentifiable stirring within itself had grown. ### It was glowing right through his shirt. The symbol of the General burned on his skin. ¡°It¡¯s happening,¡± Alex whispered. The General of Thameland quickly removed his tunic. On his right shoulder, the Mark of the General pulsated with golden light. He could hear the low hum of a song: the same song that came from each Mark when they evolved. But this time, the song was not coming from one Mark alone. ¡°Oi, my Mark¡¯s doin¡¯ the same thin¡¯ as yours.¡± Cedric touched his chest: the Mark of the Chosen was throbbing in time with Alex¡¯s, sharing the same melody. He glanced in the direction of Welling. ¡°Y¡¯don¡¯t think¡­oi, look there!¡± Cedric pointed to the south. Three figures were in the sky, hand in hand. Alex could feel teleportation magic as they disappeared and reappeared. A moment later, nine more figures appeared. As they came closer, he recognised Drestra, Hart and Merzhin in the first group. Theresa, Thundar, Khalik, Najyah, Isolde, Brutus, Bjorgrund, Birger, and Claygon, were in the second. ¡°Same thin¡¯ mus¡¯ b¡¯ ¡¯happenin¡¯ t¡¯ all of us,¡± Cedric murmured in awe. ¡°This is it, ain¡¯t it? Yer Mark¡¯s changin¡¯ too! S¡¯gotta be!¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m guessing.¡± Alex ran his finger over the Mark of the General. It felt warm to the touch. Comforting. He was ecstatic. ¡°I must have fulfilled the conditions for the General. Here we gooooo!¡± The Chosen had no time to answer, the three Heroes¡ªand the other companions¡ªmaterialised on the field. ¡°Alex! Cedric!¡± Merzhin cried, holding hands with the Hero on either side of him. The light from their Marks pulsed in time. ¡°Uldar¡¯s voice spoke to us!¡± ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Theresa asked, rushing to Alex. ¡°Father¡­are you well?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Your Mark¡­¡± ¡°Gather with the General. It is time,¡± Hart¡¯s voice rumbled. ¡°That¡¯s what our Marks said.¡± ¡°Aye, we heard th¡¯same.¡± Cedric touched the white-glowing scales. ¡°An¡¯ lookee here!¡± ¡°Your Mark changed!¡± Isolde went to Cedric, placing her hand on his chest. ¡°How marvelous! Do you feel any different?¡± ¡°Maybe, but let¡¯s talk abou¡¯ all o¡¯ that later.¡± Cedric took Isolde¡¯s hand off his chest, kissing it. She blushed. ¡°Las¡¯ thing we need¡¯s t¡¯waste time jawin¡¯ ¡®bout me, maybe keepin¡¯ Alex¡¯s Mark from changin¡¯.¡± ¡°True.¡± The General of Thameland looked to the sky, half-expecting the Ravener to pick that very moment to attack. ¡°How come your Mark hasn''t changed yet?¡± Hart asked. ¡°Don¡¯t know, but I¡¯m guessing that since I had to touch each of your Marks for them to transform, maybe you four need to touch mine for it to change.¡± ¡°You should all get started then,¡± Khalik said. ¡°I am eager to see what this transformation brings.¡± ### The forest had grown quiet as evening light faded. Beneath the trees, a deepening gloom fell while Ivan¡ªcaptain of the Axe and Pick company of the Generasian Delvers¡¯ Guild¡ªweighed the contents of a bag positioned on a set of jewellers¡¯ scales. ¡°Well?¡± his lieutenant asked. The large woman¡¯s armour clinked as she leaned over her leader¡¯s shoulder. Behind her, the other twenty delvers held their breaths. Ivan suddenly grinned. ¡°Over a pound!¡± He took the bag of dungeon core essence off the scale. ¡°Good haul! With the others we got, we¡¯ll be living like kings for years!¡± A great cheer rose from the company. ¡°Get a fire going,¡± Ivan said, smiling down at the contents of the sack. Visions of wine and riches danced in his head. ¡°I want a hot supper tonight; there¡¯s a lot to celebrate. And broach a keg of ale while you¡¯re at it!¡± Behind him, the darkness gave way to an orange glow. ¡°Good, you got that fire going right quick!¡± Ivan laughed, still staring at the bag. ¡°Now for some meat¡ª¡± ¡°Captain!¡± Charlize cried in panic. ¡°Look!¡± Ivan whirled. His breath caught. The bag slipped from his fingers. Frantic birds were shrieking, shooting past overhead. Terrified animals bounded through the trees¡ªdeer, wolves, rabbits, boar¡ªall fleeing in the same direction. Behind them, a blinding light consumed the forest; everything it touched burst into flame, and the roar of fire was growing in Ivan¡¯s ears. Delvers began to run, dropping whatever was in their hands. Wizards tried to quickly chant spells. But Ivan knew it was too late. The fire was devouring hundreds of feet of woodland in heartbeats. ¡°Gods protect us all,¡± the delver murmured. Skyfire Swarms swept over him, consuming him and everything near in an instant. The swarms raced through the trees, eager to begin the culling. To begin the final battle for Thameland¡¯s future. Chapter 841: Streams Night was falling. Across the Fields of Cormac, pyres were dying. Flame had given way to embers, ash and the blackened remains of Ravener-spawn. The soldiers¡¯ clean-up was done, but they had paused on their journey to Welling for the night, pointing at a gathering in the middle of the field. They recognised many of the Thameish army¡¯s most powerful allies¡ªTheresa, Thundar, Khalik, Najyah, Isolde, Brutus, Bjorgrund, Birger, and Claygon¡ªsurrounding the Heroes of Thameland who had come together beside a single figure bearing the Mark of the General: a glowing sword pointing at a scroll below it, with the pommel extending into a crown. A Mark that pulsated with a bright, golden light in the deepening gloom. Alex took a big breath, rolling his right shoulder. ¡°Are we ready?¡± ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Yeah,¡± Hart answered. ¡°Of course,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Indeed.¡± Merzhin bowed his head. Their Marks pulsed in time with the General¡¯s. ¡°Then let¡¯s get started.¡± Alex presented his shoulder to them. The Heroes looked at each other, nodded, then stepped forward. Hart¡¯s large fingers pressed against the Mark of the General¡¯s glowing blade. Its radiance grew brighter. Drestra placed her lean fingers against the Mark¡¯s scroll. Its radiance grew brighter. Merzhin¡¯s small hand touched the Mark¡¯s crossguard. Its radiance grew brighter. Finally, Cedric¡¯s morphic weapon¡ªin gauntlet form¡ªpeeled back from the Chosen¡¯s fingers as he touched the Mark¡¯s crown-like pommel. There was a moment of utter stillness. Then the Mark of the General blazed like a miniature sun, the other Marks burning with it. White-hot pain washed over Alex¡¯s right shoulder, lancing through his body as though he were being pierced by flaming needles. But with that pain came a feeling of completion. And when Alex screamed, it was not in agony. Power flowed into the General from the other Marks, and the five symbols began to sing in perfect harmony. A silent wind whipped the air around the Heroes, lifting them from the earth. At last, you are all finally complete, came Uldar¡¯s familiar whisper. ¡°My Heroes, you have earned my full approval,¡± the deity said. ¡°The Saint, the Sage, the Champion and Chosen have all grown, learning techniques from the General. Things from other disciplines growing what you all already possess. That is my way. My mighty General, you have guided the rest of my Heroes down the path I wish for them. As such, I grant you my full approval and hereby reward you by empowering you fully. Go. Destroy the Ravener. Bring my will unto the land. Now. And forever.¡± Uldar¡¯s voice echoed through Alex¡¯s mind like thunder. The Mark of the General began to mottle, gold flecking away, revealing the white light beneath. As it did, memories flowed to Alex¡¯s mind. Images of every time he¡¯d used the Mark of the Fool or the Mark of the General returned in a flood. He saw himself learning how to flick a coin, how to dance, how to read body language, how to memorise information, how to meditate, how to craft alchemical goods and more. So much more. He didn¡¯t find the volume of information overwhelming; even with the vast number of images his mind was taking in at once, he could organise and understand all of it and still be acutely aware of his surroundings. The other Heroes shielded their eyes as their Marks burned ever brighter. ### The petrifier never imagined it would cower. It was strong¡ªthe mightiest of the Ravener-spawn¡¯s forces¡ªand there was nothing that it feared¡­until now. Now, the invisible creature grovelled in the dirt in the middle of an empty field. Its Hunters cowered as well. And above it, the sky burned. ¡°Where is the General?¡± three Skyfire Swarms spoke together, their words emerging from thousands of voices as one. Steam hissed from the grass around the petrifier and its many eyes watered, feeling the pure heat emanating from the swarm. ¡°The¡­the Usurpers are to the southeast,¡± the Petrifier stuttered out. ¡°The General is one of them. He must be there.¡± The Skyfire Swarms screamed with elation, blazing even brighter. Nearby, a lonely tree burst into flames as the Swarms streaked away, racing through the sky with terrible speed. The petrifier did not move until the Swarm¡¯s light¡ªbright enough to turn the night to daylight¡ªhad faded. Several of its eye-stalks rose. It shuddered. Then scuttled away, making for the closest dungeon. It needed to muster the hordes. The war was entering its final phase. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ### The last of the gold flaked away. The Mark of the General was now complete. Its sword, its crown-pommel and the scroll below all burned with a brilliant white light, the pain had long faded, replaced by a subtle elation spreading through the young archwizard¡¯s being. As his and the other Heroes¡¯ feet touched the earth, the Chosen, Champion, Sage and Saint stepped away from him, taking in his Mark. ¡°Look at that,¡± Cedric murmured. ¡°Don¡¯ it look bloody brilliant?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Hart agreed. ¡°How do you feel?¡± Merzhin asked, concern in his voice. ¡°What has changed?¡± Drestra asked. ¡°Do you have any new powers?¡± Alex blinked at them like an owl. He was silent for a long moment, then stumbled back. ¡°Alex!¡± Theresa was a blur, reaching him in a blink. She caught him by the arm. ¡°Are you okay? Alex?¡± He stared at her as she steadied him, his jaw slightly agape. His eyes were unfocused. His face, pale. His mouth moved slowly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Theresa turned to the others. ¡°...rght¡­¡± Alex muttered. ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked. ¡°Alrght¡­¡± he said, the word flying from his mouth at speed. ¡°I¡¯mokayeverythingisalrightIthink.¡± The words fired out at speed, syllables tumbling over each other. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Khalik asked, stepping forward. ¡°Father¡­are you really alright?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Father!¡± The golem was rushing toward his father. To Alex though, Claygon seemed to be moving at a snail¡¯s pace. The world had slowed to a crawl in the perception of the General, with all things¡ªincluding his body¡ªmoving like partly-frozen tree sap. Only his mind seemed to be working at full speed, allowing him to perceive everything around him in the highest detail and clarity. Even Claygon¡¯s voice in his mind sounded as though his words were coming out at a crawl. ¡®Faaaaaaatheeeeeeer¡­caaaaan¡­yyyyouuuuuuu heeeaaaar meeee?¡¯ the golem asked. The words echoed endlessly in Alex¡¯s mind, with each syllable dragging on for an eternity. Meanwhile, the young archwizard¡¯s thoughts were processing at double time. Then triple. ¡®Is this it?¡¯ he wondered. ¡®Is this what the Mark of the General¡¯s evolution does?¡¯ He scanned every detail of Claygon¡¯s filigree. ¡®It¡¯s like a massively powered up haste spell, but only for my mind! The world around me seems to be moving real slow, like every heartbeat is its own eternity.¡¯ He grew excited. ¡®This is an awesome ability! I¡¯ll be able to react to enemies a lot faster with this! There¡¯s so much I can take in now, so many plans I could make all in the space of a single heartbeat! But¡­hold on¡­¡¯ Something was changing. It was becoming too much. Every image of every time he¡¯d used the Mark continued flooding his thoughts, adding to vast amounts of detail coming at him from the world around, overloading him, keeping his thoughts unsettled, not able to process everything at once. ¡®I¡¯ll have to use this sparingly,¡¯ Alex thought. An odd, almost itching sensation was growing in his mind. ¡®There¡¯s no way one brain can sort through so much information at once¡ª¡¯ Suddenly, it felt like something shattered in his mind. Vertigo took him for a moment, and his belly churned. He almost lost balance; but Theresa caught him again, her lips moving at a snail¡¯s pace as she spoke to him. What she was saying, he couldn¡¯t tell. He was too busy losing his mind. His thoughts had split into a roiling sea of chaos: emotions, thoughts, memories, and different sensations all tearing apart then twisting together in knots. Dizziness threatened to take him as waves of chaos boiled and¡ªfor a dreadful moment¡ªhe thought he¡¯d lose himself to it. But slowly, order touched his mind, calming it. Emotions settled. Memories organised. Sensation calmed. Thoughts¡­thoughts¡­ ¡®What the?¡¯ Alex wondered, startling himself. His inner voice¡­didn¡¯t sound like it was alone. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ he wondered, multiples of his own mental voices speaking in his mind. ¡®How¡­what¡¯s going on?¡¯ He breathed deeply, beginning to understand what was happening. And the true power of the Mark became clear. His mind¡­had split into multiple streams of consciousness. One stream monitored past memories from the Mark of the General, organising them with its full attention. Another stream was solely focused on the sensations around him, comprehending every detail filtering through his senses. Another stream was monitoring the Traveller¡¯s power within him. Another focused on the sensations in his body. Another was engaged in cataloguing every spell Alex had ever learned. Finally, there was a central stream of consciousness, making decisions in full communication with every other stream. That stream would make decisions the others would instantly carry out. Simultaneously. ¡®No wonder the ancient Generals were able to figure out Uldar¡¯s scheme,¡¯ Alex thought in awe as every stream of consciousness worked in tandem. ¡®I can process information like never before! I can control each of my limbs individually, like they have their own brain. Hells, if I had multiple bodies, I¡¯d be able to easily control all of them! Every detail, every passing moment will be like an endless library for my mind now. This is incredible!¡¯ He basked in the mass of information moving through his streams of consciousness and he couldn¡¯t wait to test what this power could do. But, at the moment, he knew his companions were worried about him. Focusing one of his streams of consciousness, he concentrated on slowing his thoughts. Instantly, the world snapped back to its full speed and he could hear concerned voices asking if he was alright. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± he said, blinking rapidly, feeling his other consciousnesses still dedicated to their own specific tasks, feeding each other information. He was processing everything. ¡°Back?¡± Theresa frowned. ¡°Where¡¯d you go?¡± ¡°Wha¡¯s happenin¡¯, mate?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°It was like you was ¡®ere, but not.¡± ¡°Your¡­I couldn¡¯t¡­father¡­were you not speaking? Or was there something else¡­¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Hold on, hold on, everyone. I¡¯ll try to explain,¡± Alex said. ¡°Just¡­give me a moment, this is going be a bit difficult to put into words.¡± Everyone fell silent, looking at him with a mix of trepidation and anticipation. Alex glanced at the white Mark of the General. ¡°Well, first of all, my mind¡¯s in pieces.¡± ¡°We already knew that,¡± Thundar grunted. ¡°No, I mean, in a good way! And wait, what¡¯s that supposed to mean, you bastard?¡± Alex glowered. ¡°Anyway¡­¡± He explained what he¡¯d experienced: the multiple streams of consciousness, the vast acceleration of his thoughts and his ability to process information like never before. Some of his friends¡ªhis cabal-mates specifically¡ªgaped at the implications. Others, however¡­ ¡°Do you understand what he¡¯s talking about?¡± Bjorgrund loudly whispered to Cedric. ¡°Not a bloody clue.¡± The Chosen crossed his arms over his chest. ¡°Okay, okay. It¡¯s like¡­I can take in all kinds of information at once, understand it and¡­well... Imagine that you¡¯re reading a dozen books at the same time,¡± Alex explained. Cedric, Theresa, Hart and Bjorgrund shuddered. ¡°Hold on, don¡¯t grimace yet, I¡¯m going somewhere with this: imagine you¡¯re reading a dozen books at once, but you¡¯re able to understand all twelve of them at the same time.¡± ¡°Like having twenty-four pairs of eyes?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Closer to having twelve brains to process them all, I think,¡± Khalik suggested. Alex clapped, pointing at the prince. ¡°This guy gets it! It¡¯s like twelve¡ªwell, twelve¡¯s just an arbitrary number¡ªbrains, but they¡¯re all still me and they¡¯re in constant communication! Then, add in the fact that my mind can speed up¡­¡± ¡°You can learn things and react really quickly,¡± Birger said. ¡°Wait, couldn¡¯t you do all that stuff before?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°But this is better. It¡¯s like with the other Marks: their evolution didn¡¯t really grant them new powers, it just made what was already there a lot better.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Hart said. ¡°But, all this talking¡¯s boring me. Why don¡¯t we get to some demonstrations?¡± He looked at Cedric and Alex. ¡°I¡¯d like to see what you two can¡­¡± The Champion paused. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°What¡¯s weird?¡± Merzhin asked him. Hart¡¯s large eyes narrowed. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s getting brighter.¡± Suddenly, a crack of thunder split the air, echoing from Welling. ¡°What in hells was that?¡± Bjorgrund demanded, hefting his axe. ¡°Asmaldestre¡¯s weapon,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯ll go check. Be right back.¡± He teleported to the town. In the middle of Welling¡¯s main square, a commotion had started. Soldiers and knights were scrambling away from the Unmaker, who stood beside the fountain. Her nostrils flared as she sniffed the air, a line of smoke rose from the barrel of her weapon. ¡°Asmaldestre? What is it?¡± he asked. She slowly looked down at him, her three eyes burning, her voice was a low growl, its tone striking him like a serrated blade. ¡°Violence is coming.¡± The war-spirit¡¯s lips pulled back in a half-snarl, half-smile. ¡°Great violence. Real violence. It will be here soon.¡± Chapter 842: The Unnatural Banishing of Night Evening brightened. And with each passing heartbeat, the war-spirit¡¯s expression turned more vicious. Her words played through Alex¡¯s mind. ¡®Great violence is coming.¡¯ ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. A crowd was gathering; Thameish soldiers, priests and knights, drawn by the strange light, emerged from nearby buildings, joining those in the square. ¡°Hey, hey, Alex!¡± the General of Thameland heard a familiar voice. Tyris Goldtooth stepped from the crowd. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I heard a blast then¡­¡± She squinted at the sky. ¡°Why is it so bright out here?¡± ¡°War comes. Death comes,¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice drew every eye in the square. Her hair-blades scraped together chillingly as her eyes searched the west. ¡°I sense great violence coming to us. Greater than all the violence we drank in battle this day. Greater than any violence wrought by the invisible creatures with many eyes: I sensed their violence, no matter how they hid from the eye.¡± She gave the others a look, equal parts snarl and smile. ¡°But the doom drawing near eclipses those by far. A true bloody reckoning will soon be here. At last.¡± Murmuring rippled through the Thameish army. ¡°I will go into battle.¡± Asmaldestre told Alex. ¡°I will drink this violence like lifeblood.¡± ¡°Wait,¡± Alex spoke quickly. ¡°No, you said violence is coming to us. We should gather against it together. If many warriors face¡­whatever¡¯s coming at the same time, that means even more violence.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s expression went blank; she ran her glowing-tailblade across the cobblestones lining the square, slicing them as though they were butter. ¡°Very well.¡± ¡°Hold on.¡± Tyris came closer. ¡°What exactly are we facing here?¡± ¡°I can''t really say,¡± Alex¡¯s hands balled into fists. ¡°But I have a couple of guesses, and any one of them is going to be really bad.¡± The young archwizard looked at Tyris and the knights'' commanders. ¡°Start rousing everybody. If they¡¯ve bedded down, get them up. Everyone needs their equipment on and they need to be ready to fight or retreat.¡± He looked at the war-spirit. ¡°How far is the threat from here?¡± She took a deep breath, as though enjoying the sweet aroma of a feast. ¡°Many of your miles away.¡± Tyris let out a sigh of relief. ¡°So we have ti¡ª¡± ¡°It will be here in minutes.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice was like the hiss of death. ¡°It moves quickly. So quickly¡­yes, this will be a mighty reckoning.¡± ¡°By the Traveller,¡± Alex swore. ¡°Tyris, everyone, get people moving! Now! ¡°Shit! Alright!¡± The battlemage cast flight magic on herself, rising into the air and cupping her hands. ¡°Sound the alarm!¡± She shouted. ¡°An attack¡¯s coming! Vesuvius! Get ready for battle!¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go, Asmaldestre.¡± Alex pressed his hand to the war-spirit¡¯s side. ¡°To war.¡± she said. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer as they teleported to the Fields of Cormac. His companions were waiting, weapons drawn, all eyes facing west. Above the trees, light was growing on the horizon, like sunrise erasing nightfall. It felt wrong. ¡°Alex¡­¡± Theresa lifted the Twinblade. ¡°Brutus smells something burning. A lot of things burning.¡± Beside her, the three-headed hound had grown, sheathed in spiked bone armour. His heads were lowered, hackles raised, and his tail thrashed as he growled toward the west. His claws gripped the soil. ¡°He¡¯s scared,¡± Theresa said quietly. ¡°He ain¡¯t the only one,¡± Thundar growled, raising his mace, stepping between Drestra and the growing light. The Sage stepped forward, pushing herself in front of him and removing her veil. She snarled, ¡°That makes three of us.¡± ¡°Don¡¯ be scared, fer now.¡± Cedric lifted his morphic weapon, snapping it into a spear. The white Mark of the Chosen burned on his chest as he lifted Uldar¡¯s battleaxe. ¡°I¡¯s thinkin¡¯ we¡¯ll b¡¯havin¡¯ plenty o¡¯ reasons t¡¯be afraid in a bit. Bloody never seen night changin¡¯ like this b¡¯for.¡± Bjorgrund grunted, gripping his divine axe. He stepped nearer to his father, who¡¯d moved between him and the growing light on the horizon. ¡°Do you have any idea what¡¯s coming for us, Alex?¡± Birger asked. The archwizard¡¯s stomach sank. ¡°When I saw the vision in the dungeon core¡­¡± He began, squinting at the brightening sky that had awakened a memory. ¡°I saw a lot of things. Awful things. One was the sky: completely unrecognisable, full of fire like Cretalikon.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Hold on.¡± Hart looked at him sharply. ¡°Do you mean the vision you had of the Ravener culling people? Is that what you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± was all Alex said. ¡°Well, that explains much.¡± Khalik had sheathed himself in dense armour of earth and stone. His voice sounded strained. His familiar was not on his shoulder. ¡°I sent Najyah into the sky to see what we are about to face¡­and what she sees is the sky on fire to the west. And it is coming this way.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± Claygon paused. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back,¡± Alex said. ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Theresa started. But he was already gone. He appeared miles to the west, his eyes were fixed on what was ahead of him. Najyah and Khalik were right; the sky was on fire, just as it had been in his vision. ¡°This is it,¡± he whispered. ¡°It begins.¡± The young archwizard glanced at the Mark of the General. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be testing your new powers in battle.¡± Calling on the Mark, his thoughts accelerated; the world around him slowed to a crawl as he took command of his many streams of consciousness, setting each to a different task. One stream took control of his right arm, casting a seventh-tier spell; Conjure Objects. Another concentrated on his left hand, casting Sense Enhancement. A third focused on his right leg, casting Orb of Air. A fourth stream controlled his left leg, casting greater force armour. A fifth focused on his facial muscles, casting haste. He slowed his thoughts. His limbs twitched rapidly. Five spells activated at once. Conjure Objects teleported his aeld staff from Welling to his hand. Orb of Air sheathed his head. Greater force armour girded his body. Sense Enhancement sharpened his vision, hearing, touch, sense of taste and smell. Haste magic suffused his entire body. In less than a heartbeat, he was drenched in magic. Waves of worry and curiosity emanated from the staff as he held it tightly. ¡°This could be bad,¡± he whispered. ¡°But we¡¯ll get through it.¡± He teleported toward the light, hurtling through space, then reappearing¡­greeted by a wall of searing heat that slammed into him. ¡°By the Traveller!¡± he hissed, stopping in place. Death was coming. Three clouds of fire burned across the sky, filling it from horizon to horizon and burning so brightly they stung the eye. They turned night into day, even desiccating clouds. Below, forests turned to ash. With long, finger-like appendages of flame, the fiery clouds reached down to torch the countryside. Woodlands burned. Fields of grass were ash. Blackened skeletons of woodland creatures turned to soot, black smoke billowing into the sky. In Alex¡¯s hand, the aeld staff shrieked in terror. The fiery clouds raced ahead, travelling through the air at terrifying speed, devouring the distance in no time, trailing an inferno behind them. Watching the scene unfold, fear left the young archwizard. Replaced by rage. With those flames came the memory of the fire that had taken his and his sister¡¯s parents, though now, they were coming for him and many of the people he knew and loved. But, this time, there were two main differences. First, there was no Mr. Lu here to hold him back. Second? He took a deep breath, glancing at the white-glowing Mark of the General on his shoulder. Second, he¡ªand his companions¡ªhad the power to stop an inferno. ¡°Hey!¡± he roared, his voice echoing over the land. Before him, the clouds of flame paused. Alex felt untold eyes on him. ¡°General¡­¡± the word hissed from thousands of voices. The General of Thameland¡¯s eyes fixed on the clouds, watching them closely, his enhanced vision catching tiny flecks of light forming those fires, but he couldn¡¯t distinguish more details, not from his distance. And he wasn¡¯t about to get any closer. Not yet. ¡°Yes. I am the General of Thameland. If you want me, come for me. Come and die.¡± Alex spread his arms. He let the words hang. There would be no speeches directed at these things. And they offered him none in return. The clouds flared as bright as the noonday sun then raced for him. He teleported away, back to his friends, back to the Fields of Cormac. ¡°Alex!¡± Theresa cried. ¡°I thought you¡¯d gone off by yourself!¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex said grimly. ¡°Not this time.¡± ¡°Father¡­what is¡­it?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Three swarms, like clouds of fire in the sky,¡± the General said. ¡°They¡¯re burning hot enough to turn forests to ash. And they¡¯re coming to kill me. Specifically: they said ¡®General¡¯.¡± Silence followed. ¡°Oh, is that all?¡± Thundar grunted. ¡°I thought you were gonna tell us it was dangerous or something. Ugh, this is gonna get rough, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°So, how do we handle it?¡± Hart asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, so how do we handle it? Because you¡¯re not going to handle this alone, Alex,¡± Theresa told him. ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Alex promised. ¡°But not all of us can stand against those things. As far as I could tell, those clouds are made up of swarms of tiny¡­fiery things. They look like sparks of fire, about the size of fleas. Weapons are basically going to do nothing to them.¡± ¡°Well, that means I¡¯m useless.¡± The Champion grunted. ¡°So, General, what do you want me to do?¡± Theresa swore under her breath. ¡°I¡¯ll basically be useless too.¡± ¡°The same here,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Me too,¡± Birger muttered. ¡°It does not matter the size of the foe.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s words struck. ¡°Great. Small. Physical. Not. Violence will find them.¡± ¡°My fire¡­would it be useless?¡± Claygon asked, his voice dropping as he looked at the fire-gems in his upper palms. ¡°My spear¡­and fists¡­will not help.¡± ¡°I think your blasts will help, buddy,¡± Alex said. ¡°We might not be able to burn them, but the shockwaves from the explosions should be devastating to a swarm.¡± ¡°Good! I can¡­protect¡­us this time¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°By my reckoning.¡± Khalik looked around as Najyah landed on his shoulder. ¡°My magic, as well as Isolde¡¯s, Drestra¡¯s, Cedric¡¯s, Thundar¡¯s as well as Claygon¡¯s beams and Merzhin¡¯s miracles, should be the most useful.¡± ¡°Talk faster¡­¡± Birger said nervously. The west was growing brighter. But Alex looked to the east. To the sea. ¡°Drestra, you¡¯re good with wind magic, right? You can create fire tornadoes,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°I am,¡± she said. ¡°and I can create mighty winds.¡± He turned to Merzhin next. ¡°The priests created a barrier around Thameland, and it stopped Ravener-spawn from leaving these shores, right? Do you think you could alter that barrier?¡± ¡°I can easily alter it, especially since my Mark has evolved.¡± Merzhin adjusted his robes, readying himself for battle. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Fire needs air,¡± Alex said. ¡°If you extend the barrier¡ªjust by a few hundred feet beyond shore¡ªwe can drive those things into the sea. Drestra can use her wind magic, and I can cast Control Weather. We¡¯ll blow them into the water.¡± ¡°What about us?¡± Theresa asked. Brutus whimpered beside her. ¡°I want you, Brutus, Hart, Bjorgrund and Birger back in Welling,¡± he said. ¡°You can organise the army and help them get ready in case more Ravener-spawn are coming. Birger, can you ward the town?¡± ¡°Against fire clouds?¡± The giant blew out a breath. ¡°Maybe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a ¡®maybe¡¯,¡± Alex said. ¡°Merzhin, Asmaldestre, Claygon, Thundar, Cedric, Drestra, Khalik, Isolde¡­I want us flying north, away from Welling. We¡¯ll steer those things away from the army. Once we leave, I¡¯ll try and create hurricane winds with Control Weather and you can summon winds with your magic, Drestra, but Control Weather takes a while to cast. We¡¯ll have to work together to wreck those things and push them into the sea, so, I¡¯ll be counting on all of you.¡± ¡°You can, as always,¡± Khalik said. ¡°If this is the Ravener¡¯s first deadly strike against us, then we will need a response just as terrifying. Let us give these ancient Ravener-spawn an enthusiastic welcome to the modern world.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Alex glowered. ¡°And a real good reason to be afraid of it.¡± Chapter 843: Skyfire The west was growing brighter as trees swayed in the hot wind. Screeching birds fled the woods; and below them, beasts scattered, rushing through the Fields of Cormac, crying out in fear. The smell of smoke was stronger, and in the distance, clouds evaporated. ¡°By the Traveller,¡± Theresa whispered, turning and quickly kissing Alex. Desperately. The huntress pulled away, taking his face in her hands, locking their eyes. ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°I will.¡± He promised, hugging her then turning to the others. ¡°Hart, Bjorgrund, Birger, Brutus. Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll take you to Welling. Cedric, Drestra, Merzhin, Isolde, Khalik, Thundar: I want you to start casting every defensive spell and miracle you can.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Prince Khalik said. ¡°Let us prepare! I don¡¯t want to see any of us fall now. This is just the beginning.¡± The spellcasters began their conjuring while those going to Welling gathered around Alex. ¡°We¡¯re ready,¡± Hart said. Alex nodded, his four companions touched his shoulders and in a blink, he¡¯d teleported them to Welling, and was back. ¡°¡ªfire spells will likely not be effective,¡± Isolde was saying as she sheathed herself in greater force armour. ¡°Focus on spells that reach a wider area, and anything that can disrupt those clouds.¡± ¡°I have a few ideas.¡± Drestra spotted Alex. ¡°Welcome back. It won¡¯t be long.¡± The clouds of fire were growing closer by the heartbeat, flames spreading through the trees. ¡°Asmaldestre, how much time do we have?¡± the young archwizard asked. ¡°Less than a minute.¡± The war-spirit¡¯s words struck like a whip. ¡°Alright, then.¡± Alex took a deep breath. The world slowed. Individual streams of consciousness focused attention on each limb and his face. His countenance cast Control Weather; the spell would take time to activate. His left arm began summoning elder air elementals while his right conjured elder water elementals. His left leg cast elder ice elementals and his right cast flight magic on himself and his companions. Lastly, he used his staff to channel haste magic. When the world sped up again, elder elementals poured from portals by the dozen, while haste and flight magics infused his companions and summoned creatures. The sky seemed ablaze, the west grew bright enough to sting the eye. Heat saturated the air. Soon, the horde of conjured elder elementals surrounded him, and within himself, a stream of consciousness focused on mana regeneration and another conjured swarms of Elemental Beetles. ¡°Fire elemental beetles?¡± Thundar asked. ¡°Why not water or ice?¡± ¡°Fire elementals should be immune to the enemy¡¯s flame,¡± Alex said as the swarms spread out, surrounding each companion and summoned monster. ¡°They¡¯re going to attack anything that tries getting near us. Hopefully, that should keep those fire-swarms off of us. But be careful, even though Orb of Air will protect our lungs from heat and smoke, the enemy¡¯s giving off such a massive amount of heat that if we get caught in one of those clouds, we¡¯ll be ash.¡± ¡°Not me.¡± Drestra transformed to her true form. ¡°I can attack them from the inside.¡± Thundar touched her scaled leg as illusionary duplicates appeared around him. ¡°We will all get through this together,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Aye, that we will,¡± Cedric moved closer to her. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex whispered. Dread gnawed at him. The Ravener had struck first, he wondered about other areas of Thameland. What was going on there? What had the Ravener unleashed in other parts of the kingdom while its clouds of fire raced for him and his companions. He¡¯d sent his mercenaries from the Whetstone Tavern out across the realm, but he had no way of knowing what they could be facing. ¡®Hannah,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Give us strength. Give us power. Protect us. Help us all get through this.¡¯ Warmth emanated from her power, stirring in his soul. She was listening. Whether she was strong enough to make a tangible difference yet, he didn¡¯t know, but he knew she was listening. It was up to the living to make that difference right now. ¡°Alright, everyone to the north!¡± he called. ¡°Let¡¯s keep those swarms focused on Drestra and me, and away from Welling! Let¡¯s go!¡± As one, the group took to the air, racing to the north. Hot wind whipped across their force armour. Above, the burning clouds emerged from over the forest. The night had turned to day as the trees burned, flames racing through the Fields of Cormac. ¡°Generaaaal¡­¡± the clouds spoke in the crackle of flames. They raced after the companions. ¡°It¡¯s working!¡± Thundar called. ¡°They¡¯re following us, but¡­¡± The minotaur threw a quick glance over his shoulder. ¡°But Alex, they¡¯re a hell of a lot faster than we are!¡± ¡°Generaaaaaal!¡± the clouds screamed. A blast of heat slammed into them, sweat beaded on Alex¡¯s skin. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! ¡°Nope!¡± Thundar shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t like that one bit!¡± ¡°They¡­are¡­gaining on us¡­father¡­¡± ¡°Spread out!¡± Alex called; his facial muscles were still casting Control Weather. ¡°They¡¯re faster than we are, but we can teleport! Drestra, the two of us are going higher, we¡¯ll take them with us. Everyone else, attack from below! Watch yourselves! I want everyone coming through this alive! Merzhin, move the barrier. Tell me when it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Saint said. ¡°Understood!¡± Khalik said. ¡°To battle!¡± ¡°To slaughter.¡± Asmaldestre hissed. ¡°To the death,¡± Alex said, touching Drestra¡¯s scaled leg. The two Heroes teleported higher, then began flying straight up. For an instant, the fiery clouds paused in mid-air. ¡°They¡¯re like little imps of fire!¡± Drestra shouted, her dragon-eyes focused on the blazing spawn. ¡°General¡­Usurper!¡± the fire clouds hissed, shooting after them at terrifying speed. Alex was pouring sweat from the rising heat, but heat wasn¡¯t the only thing rising. The young archwizard¡¯s mana poured out. Clouds¡ªthat had been burned away from the merciless heat¡ªnow gathered above him, manifesting from his magics. Cool winds flowed from the sky, meeting the swarms¡¯ fiery heat. ¡°Alright, Control Weather¡¯s starting to work,¡± he said. ¡°Let¡¯s make our stand.¡± ¡°Time to die, Ravener-spawn!¡± Drestra¡¯s voice thundered through the air. The dragon¡¯s wings snapped open, halting her ascension as her limbs cast a powerful spell, her body cast another and her lips a third. Powerful mana filled the air, even catching Alex off-guard. Wind rose, swirling around the dragon. ¡°Can you keep them busy for a bit?¡± she shouted. ¡°Gladly!¡± Alex turned, facing the swarm. They did not falter, racing for the usurper and General. Alex conjured a Wizard¡¯s Hand and tossed his staff to it. The world slowed as he raised his arms. Streams of consciousness focused on his limbs and motions, casting five spells at once. His right hand shone with ectoplasmic energy. Deadly cold gathered around his left. Beside his left leg, a blot of acid formed, while an orb of force magic formed before his right one. The air in front of his chest shimmered. Streams of consciousness focused on the spells. And the world sped up again. Heat blasted the young archwizard as the fiery swarms surged for him. They were too late. Mana rushed from his pool, unleashing a storm of wizardry on them. Heat fled from his left hand, steam billowed, a cone of blue-white magic roared from his palm, bringing howling, devastating winds to bear. From his right, a hungry cone of ectoplasmic echoes were unleashed. Acid streamed through the air, trailing a flurry of force missiles from his legs. Cone of Ice. Phantom Blast. Acid Spray. Battering Force Blast. All were unleashed at once, blindsiding the swarms. Flames hissed, retreating. Spells melted Ravener-spawn, the miniscule creatures screaming as icy winds froze them in place, extinguishing flames. Ectoplasmic echoes¡ªa horde of screaming spirits¡ªdrank fires, leaving only death, while force missiles detonated, sending shockwaves through the swarm, devastating the fire clouds. Their numbers fell, but Alex wasn¡¯t done. Magic shimmering before him exploded, announcing a seventh-tier spell: Waves of Weariness struck thousands of tiny spawn in a wave, syphoning fortitude and vitality, draining their strength. Their light faded to a sickly grey. Speed failed, tiny creatures drifted listlessly, like dying leaves. Alex waited, ready for more to come at him¡­but his spells had done their work, the devastated swarm paused. ¡°Alex, move!¡± Drestra shouted. The young archwizard teleported away, hovering beside the dragon. A towering whirlwind¡ªby far the largest tornado she¡¯d ever conjured¡ªspun near her, not filled with flame, but steaming acid, bubbling inside. Within the cyclone¡¯s eye was a singular point of light. Acid orbited that point of light too, seemingly being drawn to it. Even from his distance, the young archwizard felt the radiance pulling him, seeking to drag him near. With a roar, Drestra launched her violent winds at the stilled cloud of flames, dragging the Ravener-spawn inside. Acid hissed, greeting the creatures. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Hundreds of thousands of tiny spawn were swept up by the howling wind. And Alex understood the true power of that point of light. It flared, and clusters of spawn also understood its true power as they were dragged into the whirlwind. Millions of tiny sparking lights boiled in acid, and were extinguished like miniature suns. A deadly swath was carved through the clouds of fire. Alex did not hesitate to follow up. Flying forward, straight for the reeling clouds, he stopped near them, and cast five spells at once. All five were Cone of Ice. Fresh blasts of freezing wind devastated more Ravener-spawn, snuffing their fires out, but he still wasn¡¯t finished with them. Conjuring an eighth-tier spell: Mass Control Corpse with a single word¡ªa word he¡¯d longed to say¡ªhe released the spell: ¡°Rise.¡± Dying Ravener-spawn stopped mid-fall, their light flaring again, then taking a sickly hue, as Alex puppetted them to their kin: dead, fiery Ravener-spawn attacked the creatures of living flame. Even as Alex and Drestra¡¯s assault struck at the enemy from above, their companions attacked from below. Claygon fired his beams, explosions hit the swarms. Shockwaves ripped through them, the golem¡¯s blazing light snuffing out theirs. The prince of Tekezash and Thundar cut the creatures down with force explosions, while Isolde electrocuted them with streams of lightning and rain. Beams of holy light lanced from Cedric¡¯s hand and weapon, killing hundreds. Summoned elementals dove into the swarm. Water elementals hissed, steaming as they bubbled within the fires, ice elementals crackled, striking all around them, freezing anything they touched. Air elementals whirled through the clouds, striking with lightning, inhaling flame as they went. Then, there was Asmaldestre. Leaping in¡ªfire licking at her body¡ªshe rampaged through the swarm. Every miniature Ravener-spawn that touched her skin, split apart as though struck by honed blades. The war-spirit swept Uldar¡¯s weapons and her tail-blade through them, chopping the small creatures with precision with every swing, her movements like shadows, even to Alex¡¯s eyes. Her ranged weapons cracked, projectiles exploding great waves of death through the swarms. Pressed on two sides, these mighty Ravener-spawn¡­could do little. Gone was their headlong rush and hungry calls for the General, for usurpers. Now they screamed, and in their voices, Alex heard their anguish and resentment. They were not prepared for the terrible might that Thameland¡¯s Heroes and their companions had gained. And the worst was yet to come. ¡°Alex!¡± Merzhin¡¯s voice called from beneath the swarm. ¡°I¡¯ve moved the barrier and I blessed the water!¡± ¡°Right on time!¡± The young archwizard¡¯s eyes turned to the dark clouds above them; they had returned with a vengeance from the Ravener-spawn¡¯s drying flames. Alex would give them that vengeance. He turned to the east¡ªto the sea¡ªpointing at it. ¡°Drive them into the ocean.¡± His command soared to the heavens. And the heavens replied. The wind rose. Gusting. Then galeforce. Hurricane winds roared in next, sweeping the Ravener-spawn where they wanted. Uncounted voices cried out, the word dying in the wind: ¡°maste¡­¡± they screamed, trying to brace themselves in the air¡­though no cloud could withstand such winds. These fire clouds were no exception. Shrieking, clouds of flame were driven from the shore¡ªpushed along by Alex and Drestra¡¯s magics¡ªsweeping them above the sea. The swarms struggled, gripped by the wind, having no hope. Together, Alex and Drestra pointed downward. As one, the winds drove the swarms into the sea. There came an ear-shattering shriek. Spawn struggled, trying to break free. All around them, the ocean boiled, keeping them captive, smothering their lights all the same. Dimming fires floundered beneath the surface, lights faded and sparks died. Soon, an unnatural daylight had turned to evening. Darkness fell once more. All that remained of the clouds of fire was a boiling sea and rising steam. ¡°Holy shit¡­¡± Alex muttered. ¡°We did it. Without¡­without that much trouble.¡± ¡°They were strong,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled, pride filling it. ¡°But we were stronger. We have become much stronger. Very much stronger.¡± Alex clenched his fists. ¡°Yes, we have grown in power, haven¡¯t we?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. In one single stroke, we finished this battle against old and powerful monsters that the Ravener had used to cull our people in ancient times,¡± she added. ¡°The same ones you saw in your vision in the dungeon core.¡± ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re wrong.¡± Alex turned to the swath of burned landscape leading west. ¡°This battle¡¯s not over, not yet.¡± He looked at the trail of blackened forest and earth. A trail showing the path the swarm had taken. ¡°Not by a long shot,¡± he whispered. ¡°Let¡¯s gather everyone. I want to pull this thread and see where it leads.¡±
Silence reigned in the Ravener¡¯s cavern. ¡°Impossible,¡± the construct whispered. The corpse of its creator looked down with lifeless eyes. That stirring within the Ravener grew stronger. Chapter 844: The Trail of Doom Months. Months spent priming its oldest inner pathways. Months spent in contemplation. Months spent crafting not one, but three Skyfire Swarms. ¡­and all three had been defeated in mere minutes. ¡°Impossible. Impossible. Impossible,¡± the Ravener whispered. Its spawn looked up at their master, confused. ¡°Go. Bring me a petrifier. One closest to that battle,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°We must know what happened.¡± The construct fell silent, floating over the water in its chamber, considering what had occurred. It knew only that the three Skyfire Swarms it had sent after the Heroes were dead. Dead in minutes. It could not be: Skyfire Swarms were creatures of the old times. Times when the creator wished for all of Thameland¡¯s people to be wiped from the world. The swarms were not invincible. They were not unstoppable. But they also were not so weak as to be destroyed¡ªby even the Heroes at their mightiest¡ªwithin minutes. It could not be. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± it whispered again. For a time, it waited in silence, analysing its memories of past battles. Battles from before the General was replaced by the Fool. In silence, it waited among its Ravener-spawn¡­until, at last, a petrifier crawled from a tunnel and into its lair. ¡°Speak,¡± it commanded. The petrifier threw itself on the shore, grovelling before its master. ¡°Master,¡± it answered. ¡°The General and Usurper, and their companions defeated our Swarms.¡± ¡°How?¡± the Ravener asked. And the petrifier explained what had happened. From the beginning to its quick and deadly end, the battle between the Heroes, their companions and the Skyfire Swarms, was laid bare. The creature had been too far to intervene, but close enough to see with its powerful vision. Close enough to witness the Skyfire Swarms¡¯ crushing failure. ¡°That will be all,¡± the Ravener said abruptly. ¡°Wait there for my order.¡± The construct fell silent once more, finishing the examination of its own memories. There were only a few cycles where a General had existed in Thameland¡­and in none could the Ravener find any memory of three Skyfire Swarms facing defeat at the hands of the Heroes, and not so many with such ease. ¡°What was the difference?¡± it wondered. ¡°Why has this impossibility occurred?¡± It examined its memories one final time, playing out battles that the five Heroes had fought against its mighty Ravener-spawn. It compared those memories to the petrifiers¡¯ recounting, and came to grim conclusions. Very grim conclusions. For one, it could not find any group of Heroes in its memories that compared to the sheer power wielded by this generation and their allies. ¡°They are the strongest of any cycle,¡± it whispered. ¡°And they are not alone.¡± This generation¡¯s Heroes are aided by forces beyond Thameland¡¯s shores. ¡°Previous generations have only battled alongside those of the creator¡¯s kingdom. Thameish armies and some few mercenaries, in the past. Now, there are outsiders to contend with. Powerful outsiders. This is beyond my calculations¡­and they are here because of him.¡± The General. This General. So many changes and irregularities in this cycle¡ªthe outsiders, the usurpers, the discovery of Uldar¡¯s death, the destruction of the hidden church¡ªcould all be linked back to that one individual. No General or Fool in all of Thameland¡¯s history had ever caused this many disruptions in Uldar¡¯s great plan. None until now. ¡°I underestimated them,¡± it whispered, the stirring growing within its core. ¡°They must be destroyed quickly. At once! If they grow any stronger¡­¡± It paused, turning its attention to the petrifier. ¡°Go. Speak to our ally. Things must change,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°We must¡ª¡± ¡°Master!¡± a voice called from one of the cavern¡¯s numerous entrances. Every Ravener-spawn turned toward the voice. There stood a Hunter, wheezing from exertion. It looked like it had sprinted many miles. ¡°Master! The enemy is tracking the Skyfire Swarms! They are following their trail!¡± Silence fell. ¡°Be calm!¡± the Ravener commanded. ¡°Guards will be doubled in our lair. But they will not find us. They cannot. And soon. Soon they will have too much to occupy them to try to seek us out.¡± ### ¡°I underestimated all of you.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice slashed the air around her. It echoed even above the pounding rain. ¡°You all boil with greater violence than I had thought you capable of. The violence of the fire clouds was undone by our own. Yes, you were correct, archwizard. This battle just might satisfy me.¡± ¡°Boil with greater violence than you thought us capable of¡­¡± Khalik muttered beneath his breath. ¡°Thank you? I suppose?¡± Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°You are welcome.¡± Asmaldestre answered, turning her burning gaze on him. He flinched. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a good thing ¡®your violence¡¯ stopped it so far,¡± Theresa said, flying by Alex¡¯s side. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this.¡± ¡°Neither have I, Theresa,¡± Alex said. ¡°Neither have I.¡± Beneath the group lay a path of destruction at least a mile wide: a trench of blackened earth scarring the land in an endless wound across the Thameish wilderness. Everything the fiery clouds had touched was charred or now ash and dust, and the fires were only snuffed out by the pounding, unnatural rain called down by Alex¡¯s magic. Even then, some of the flames still stubbornly sputtered on, only dying out when the young archwizard sent an elder water elemental down to stifle them. It was fine, though. He had more. Many more. The young archwizard was leading a small army through the sky. At its centre were those who¡¯d faced the fire-clouds, the companions he¡¯d taken to Welling, Tyris and Vesuvius. They were now joined by Baelin, who Alex had teleported to Generasi to ask for his help. And they also had more company. Around them was an army of summoned monsters, many conjured by Alex and many more called by Baelin. Engeli, celestials, demons, devils, and elementals surrounded the group, soaring through the rain. The group moved largely in silence, eyes focused ahead. Only Asmaldestre was cheerily chatting away, as though the terrible violence they¡¯d engaged in was as welcome as a picnic under the summer sun. And to be fair to her¡­in every way, it was. They had taken no casualties. No injuries. And their opponents were dead. ¡®Have we really become so powerful?¡¯ Alex thought, looking down at his hands. In one was his aeld staff, and the other balled into a fist and released repeatedly. ¡®In just a few months? I guess¡­It guess we have. By the Traveller, if we were all together in the Empire and had faced the hidden church as we are now, we might have killed all of them in the first ambush. ¡­what we just did leads me to believe we have enough power to put the Ravener down.¡¯ He smiled at the thought, watching the devastated path through the rain. Blackened water pooled on the ground. ¡®¡­if this sort of destruction is what¡¯s in store for the rest of the kingdom¡­¡¯ He shuddered, pushing away an image of Alric being reduced to ash. ¡®Don¡¯t think like that. Focus on what¡¯s in front of you. You can find the Ravener. You can strike it down. We can strike it down.¡¯ He took a deep breath, calming his mind. Under his shirt, the Mark of the General shone with its brilliant white light, just as the other Heroes¡¯ Marks did. ¡®We can do this. We can do this.¡¯ He told himself. ¡°The path ends just up ahead!¡± Drestra called. ¡°Be ready!¡± Alex¡¯s thoughts went quiet. ¡°What else do you see?¡± he called back. ¡°Any Ravener-spawn?¡± ¡°No,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t see anything right now,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Don¡¯t smell anything either,¡± Thundar added. ¡°I shall conjure some Wizard¡¯s Eyes.¡± Baelin added. His bronze armour gleamed as the rain beat down on it. ¡°We¡¯ll let them start investigating the area. We shall find it.¡± They closed in on what appeared to be where the fire-clouds¡¯ had begun their path of destruction through Thameland. The scorched earth began in an empty field: what once must have been a vast, grassy plain was now reduced to a clogged wasteland of muck, debris and ash. ¡°Be careful,¡± Khalik whispered. ¡°We do not know what lies ahead of us.¡± The group reached the wasteland, circling in the sky for a time. All eyes scanned the ground below them, searching for a hole, a rise or other sign of a dungeon. They found nothing. ¡®Oh no,¡¯ Alex thought, his heart sinking. He remembered how they¡¯d searched the countryside when Uldar¡¯s throne and corpse had disappeared. They¡¯d followed Ravener-spawn tracks until they¡¯d disappeared. But¡ªeven after months of searching¡ªthey¡¯d found nothing. Not even a clue. ¡®Not again,¡¯ he thought as they landed in the wasteland. ¡°Spread out,¡± he said. ¡°There¡¯s got to be something here. There has to be.¡± ¡°There has to be,¡± Theresa echoed. ¡°Let us hope.¡± Baelin conjured a horde of Wizard¡¯s Eyes with a wave of his hand. Together, the group and the ancient archwizard¡¯s invisible eyes spread out over the land, examining every nook and cranny of the burnt field. Seconds turned to minutes. Minutes to many. Every inch of the area was scanned for even a single sign of the Ravener or the origins of the fiery clouds. Slivers of grass now lay blackened in the desolate field, among cinders, and ash that were once a copse of trees. Heaps of embers hissed, dying atop bits of shattered bone that Brutus sniffed with interest. None were spared from the fire. But still¡­ ¡°Nothing?¡± Drestra suddenly roared. ¡°Nothing?¡± Flames erupted from her draconic maw. ¡°It can¡¯t be! Not again!¡± Alex was turning over a charred log¡ªhe could have sworn he¡¯d examined the same one ten times already¡ªhe was shaking with anger. ¡°No way. It had to come from here. Baelin, do you see anything?¡± The chancellor was floating in the centre of the wasteland, his eyes distant. ¡°None of my Wizard¡¯s Eyes have detected a single sign of any entrance underground, save for a few small burnt burrows.¡± Alex turned to one of the engeli. ¡°What of you?¡± He asked in their celestial tongue. ¡°Do you sense any divinity?¡± ¡°None save for the divine powers of your allies, archwizard.¡± The engeli bowed deeply. ¡°Shit!¡± Alex looked down at the muddy earth at his feet. He switched to a tongue of earth elementals. ¡°Have you seen anything?¡± There was a rumble beneath his feet. An elder earth elemental emerged. It groaned in the language of rock and soil. ¡°Still nothing?¡± Alex cried. ¡°No tunnels, no dungeon¡­nothing?¡± ¡°My magics could not find anything either.¡± Prince Khalik said grimly. He looked up. ¡°Perhaps the fire clouds came from the sky? It is possible that they emerged from somewhere far from here, soared high into the sky, then came down at this point. All to throw us off their trail.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯a b¡¯ th¡¯firs¡¯ time bloody Ravener-spawn led us on a bloody bad chase,¡± Cedric¡¯s tone was dark. He floated in the air above the scorched bones of a large antlered creature. His knuckles were white on his weapon. ¡°I¡¯s thinkin¡¯ we mighta been had again.¡± ¡°No, I refuse to accept that!¡± Drestra snarled, her claws digging trenches in the earth. ¡°It seemed like we were so close! So close!¡± ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not.¡± Baelin frowned, exuding the patience of the ages. ¡°Though, perhaps we are missing something. We can widen our search. I humbly suggest that we spread out, and take a look in a wider area while continuing to search here. A Proper Wizard avoids growing too narrow in their vision.¡± ¡°True.¡± Alex turned to the others. ¡°Let¡¯s spread out. I want us fanning out in every direction, that¡¯ll give us a better chance of seeing where they came from. Theresa, maybe you and Brutus can take a group south. Drestra, you can go north. Thundar, you take a group to the east. Maybe someone can pick up a scent.¡± ¡°There¡¯s not much to smell, except ash.¡± Theresa called darkly, holding up a burnt bone in one hand. ¡°I think splitting up is a good idea. Who¡¯s in each group? Come here, Brutus.¡± The cerberus had his head buried in a beast¡¯s blackened rib cage. ¡°You can choose your own groups. Maybe three or four per group.¡± Alex looked around. ¡°The rest of us will stay here. I¡¯m sure we missed something. I know it.¡± ¡°Brutus, drop that, we have to go.¡± Theresa pulled at something in the cerberus¡¯ left mouth. ¡°Come on, you don¡¯t know what that is.¡± ¡°It could be something helpful.¡± Khalik floated toward Theresa. Najyah perched on his shoulder, soaked from the rain. ¡°Brutus is clever, perhaps he found something.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a burnt piece of gunk!¡± The huntress finally wrenched it from the hound¡¯s mouth. ¡°Maybe an organ or something.¡± ¡°Ravener-spawn?¡± Alex asked, walking toward her. The others turned in Theresa¡¯s direction. She sniffed the object. ¡°No, it smells burnt, but underneath, it smells earthy, like a mushroom.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alex sighed. ¡°Nevermind then, let¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Drestra shifted to her human form, teleporting beside Theresa, taking the mushroom from the huntress¡¯ hands. ¡°What is it?¡± Alex teleported beside the Sage. He examined the mushroom as Drestra held it, she was beginning to tremble as she sniffed it. ¡°By the spirits¡­¡± The others came closer. ¡°You alright?¡± Thundar asked her. The Sage looked around at everyone. ¡°Do you know what this is? It¡¯s not just a regular mushroom. Mushrooms like these are almost always found in circles¡­ as part of a fae gate.¡± Silence claimed the group. ¡°I¡­¡± she whispered. ¡°I think I know where the Ravener is¡­¡± Her eyes were growing wider. ¡°By the spirits¡­by the Traveller¡­we were stupid. So very stupid.¡± It was as though a key had turned in a lock. ¡°Oh by the Traveller.¡± Alex could barely breathe. ¡°The Ravener¡¯s in the fae wild, isn¡¯t it?¡± Chapter 845: Wording and Pacts The Ravener was in the fae wild. It was a theory. Only a theory. But, if it was true? Much could now be explained. Weeks spent searching Thameland¡ªevery river, hill, mountain, forest and glen they could find¡ªhad turned up nothing. No Ravener. No sign of Uldar¡¯s body. No sign of his throne. But what if the Ravener had never been in the Material World in Thameland? They could have searched for a thousand years and never found it. ¡°Shit, that explains why those Ravener-spawn disappeared outside Uldar¡¯s Rise!¡± Theresa cried. ¡°They slipped away through¡­but wait, we didn¡¯t find any fae gates near there.¡± ¡°Fae gates can be impermanent,¡± Baelin said, running a hand through his beard. ¡°They are tales of mushroom-circles appearing one night and being gone the next.¡± ¡°True¡­¡± Alex said, ¡°And I don¡¯t remember any mushroom circles around when the Guide was hunting me. He could just slip in and out of the fae wild whenever he wanted, bringing Gabrian and anyone else he wanted with him. Gwyllain didn¡¯t seem to need a fae gate to appear near the Research Castle either.¡± ¡°True, but they are fae.¡± Prince Khalik pointed out. ¡°I cannot imagine Ravener-spawn being able to slip in and out of the fae wild on their own power.¡± He looked at Merzhin. ¡°Were there any records in the past of the Ravener making its home in the fae wild? Or of Ravener-spawn travelling to-and-from there?¡± ¡°No.¡± Merzhin shook his head. ¡°As far as I am aware, the only connection between the Ravener and the fae is that Uldar had dealings with both. Unless, the original Ravener¡ªthe demon lord twisted by fae magic¡ªhad that power. ¡­was there anything in Uldar¡¯s notes that would let it travel between the fae wild and the material world?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°We didn¡¯t find anything like that.¡± ¡°No ability to transport itself, except by flight,¡± Baelin mused. ¡°Though, it seems it can gain incredible control over the space within itself by diverting its power to its core.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Then the Ravener seems to have no ability to travel between Thameland and Och Fir Nog without a fae gate. And the army has been using Lord Aenflynn¡¯s gates to travel between the material world and the fae wild. But they have not mentioned seeing Ravener-spawn there.¡± Drestra gasped, her eyes growing wide. ¡°Oh¡­oh by the spirits. By the Traveller! There are Ravener-spawn in the fae wild!¡± ¡°What¡¯re you talking about?¡± Alex asked ¡°Aye, what¡¯s all this, Drestra?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Cedric! Hart!¡± Drestra hissed. ¡°What did we give Lord Aenflynn? What did we give him instead of Thameland¡¯s children?¡± Cedric stopped dead. Hart¡¯s large eyes grew even larger. ¡°Shit! Shit! That tricky bastard!¡± ¡°We gave ¡®im bloody Ravener-spawn,¡± Cedric murmured. Alex fell silent as his mind worked. A key turned in a lock within his mind, and he shuddered, feeling as though the icy waters of a wintry sea had been poured on him. The Ravener had stolen Uldar¡¯s throne. Hadn¡¯t it? What evidence did they have for that? Ravener-spawn tracks. Muddy Ravener-spawn tracks. Muddy Ravener-spawn tracks that utterly disappeared in the wilderness, without a trace. ¡°We gave him bone-chargers,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled, simmering anger and shame in her tone. ¡°There were other Ravener-spawn tracks in Uldar¡¯s sanctum but¡­¡± ¡°If the Ravener is in the fae wild, then how would it be there without Aenflynn knowing?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°If it does not have his blessing, then at least, it must have his tolerance.¡± ¡°What were the exact words of the deal you made with the fae?¡± Baelin¡¯s voice was soft, but his gaze was piercing and his eyes hard as stone. ¡°One hundred and twenty of your monsters, to be given once per moon in groups of thirty or more, not less. In return, you will have the service of one of my fae warriors for every three monsters you provide me.¡± Drestra quoted the fae lord, her voice crackling. ¡°In addition, you Heroes will have full access to the fae gates, letting you cross the five highways of my realm and quickening your travels across Thameland. Your armies will have use of the same, though you will all be under fae law while travelling through the fae wild. If any of you violate our laws, you will be subject to our punishments.¡± Cedric spoke up. ¡°I added: an¡¯ if we betray you, then you will command your fae warriors to set on us and rip us to shreds. If ya betray us, then any Ravener-spawn we¡¯ve gifted t¡¯ ya will make things nasty for ya. We¡¯ll also have folk ready t¡¯care fer yer elderly changelings in two moons¡¯ time.¡± Baelin stared at them for a long moment. He sighed. This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source. Deeply. ¡°You were doing your best, and I sincerely respect that. But¡­that was not the best deal, my young friends.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hart asked. The night seemed darker. ¡°Deals with devils and fae are tricky things: games of words and intentions. One thing you must always remember is that¡ªwhen a deal is made somewhat adversarially¡ªthat the words themselves are far more important than the intention behind them.¡± ¡°Words only have power because of the meaning we give them,¡± Alex whispered, his mind working faster and faster. Every stream of consciousness seemed to spasm in his mind. ¡°But meaning is given by the speaker of a word and by the listener.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Khalik added. ¡°You taught us to convey meaning with our bodies.¡± ¡°Aye, but what¡¯s this got t¡¯do wit¡¯ th¡¯deal?¡± Cedric sounded near panic. ¡°Why was it a bad one?¡± ¡°Because you gave the word betrayal no meaning within the deal you made,¡± Baelin said grimly. ¡°It is up to your understanding of the word. And¡­the understanding of the fae lord you dealt with.¡± ¡°Betrayal¡¯s betrayal!¡± Cedric insisted. ¡°Ain¡¯t no two ways about it.¡± ¡°Is there not?¡± Baelin raised an eyebrow. ¡°If Aenflynn were to simply allow the Ravener to hide in his realm, would that be a betrayal?¡± ¡°Aye, it would!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°He¡¯d be helpin¡¯ our kingdom¡¯s enemy!¡± ¡°Would he?¡± the chancellor asked. ¡°Or would he be simply allowing it to do as it wished? Further, even if one could make that argument, is he betraying you or the kingdom of Thameland? If ya betray us is what you said you bound him with¡­who is ¡®us¡¯, precisely? Likely¡ªto a fae¡ªthat means the ones making the deal with him: you, Drestra, and Hart. You were the ones there at the time. You made the deal. Not the kingdom of Thameland. Not the king. Not Alex. Not Merzhin. You.¡± ¡°I¡­but¡­Ravener-spawn¡¯ve been tryin¡¯ t¡¯kill us!¡± Cedric insisted. ¡°And yet you have only grown stronger in the face of such trials,¡± Baelin pointed out. ¡°A fae could argue that by¡ªshielding the Ravener long enough for you to be challenged¡ªhe has helped you.¡± ¡°Oh, by the Traveller¡­¡± Drestra¡¯s voice sounded pained. ¡°Yeah, just like you helped us by sending us against monsters in the Barrens of Kravernus,¡± Alex murmured. ¡°Precisely, and the moment you can argue meaning within such a contract as this, that¡¯s the moment you¡¯ve lost,¡± the chancellor said darkly. ¡°There is no court to hear arguments, or barristers to argue for meaning and intent when it comes to Old Magic. The closest things to arbitrators for fae pacts are¡ªin fact¡ªthe lords of the fae.¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Cedric swore. ¡°But it gets worse,¡± Baelin said. ¡°How?¡± Hart demanded. ¡°An¡¯ if we betray you, then you will command your fae warriors to set on us and rip us to shreds. If ya betray us, then any Ravener-spawn we¡¯ve gifted t¡¯ ya will make things nasty for ya,¡± Baelin repeated. ¡°You did not define what ¡®betrayal¡¯ means¡­but you did define the consequences. Old Magic will punish those who violate a pact. Usually. However, in your phrasing, you forsook Old Magic¡¯s potential punishments by saying that punishment will lie in your own hands. Essentially, all that the fae lord will need to worry about¡ªif he were to violate your deal, even by his own interpretation¡ªis for you to become aware and then have full right to have your bone-chargers ¡®make things nasty for him¡¯. He has little to fear from such creatures. Meanwhile, he has full right to set his armies upon you. Further, ¡°If any of you violate our laws, you will be subject to our punishments,¡± is what he added to the deal. You are now bound by fae law, and will suffer its esoteric punishments if you break it. Now, fae laws concern the fae¡­but that likely means that if you were to take any action against Aenflynn or his kingdom, you would be subject to terrible magical punishments.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°We needed their army at the time, and ways to transport ours. So many more would be dead if we hadn¡¯t made that deal.¡± ¡°Admirable, and your intentions were good. You simply lacked experience with such matters to properly protect yourselves in such a pact. As such, we have to be open to the possibility that Aenflynn might not only be tolerating the Ravener in his realm, but actively sheltering it.¡± ¡°And maybe it might help him in return: after all, he knew Uldar. So, if Aenflynn has access to more Ravener-spawn because the Ravener decided to help him, then¡­what if he stole the throne?¡± Alex said. ¡°Ravener-spawn could have gotten into the sanctum, taken what they were after, and then the fae whisked them into the fae wild once they were in the woods.¡± ¡°So, uh,¡± Thundar mumbled. ¡°What could a fae lord do with the corpse of a god and his throne?¡± ¡°Much.¡± Was all Baelin said. ¡°And he¡¯s had them for months, if this is all true.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to make sure whether it¡¯s true or not,¡± Hart said. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the fae wild right now and¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± Alex said.¡± Not yet. If Aenflynn or the Ravener have done anything with that throne, we need to be completely ready. The Ravener¡¯s made its first move, trying to cull us: the last thing we need is for it to annihilate our kingdom while we¡¯re rushing into the fae wild half-ready. We don¡¯t have a lot of time, and our allies need to know what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°But, if Aenflynn¡¯s got Uldar¡¯s throne¡ª¡± Cedric said. ¡°Then we need to get it away from him,¡± Alex said. ¡°But we have an advantage: he doesn¡¯t know that we suspect him yet.¡± ¡°He might soon enough,¡± Drestra whispered. ¡°He knew a lot about all of us. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he has spies everywhere: the moment we picked up that mushroom and figured out what was going on, we have to assume that some fae saw, and ran off to tell their lord what happened here. Oh shit, that¡¯s why he¡¯s been avoiding meeting with us. He didn¡¯t want to give anything away.¡± ¡°But he will have no reason to hide once he knows that we know,¡± Khalik said. ¡°And if he unites with the full power of the Ravener¡­¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re cooked,¡± Alex said. ¡°But we have¡­I don¡¯t know¡­minutes? Hours? We¡¯ll have to get our equipment: and inform the king and the army, so they¡¯re prepared for an attack from the Ravener and our fae ¡®allies¡¯. We don¡¯t want them getting slaughtered.¡± ¡°At the same time, I am going to return to Generasi and my personal domain to gather resources,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Assuming that this fae lord or the Ravener has somehow accessed the divinity locked in Uldar¡¯s throne¡­then this fight will be one we will need all of our resources for. And the moment we step into the fae wild, we should assume that both the Ravener and Och Fir Nog¡¯s full fury will be directed at us.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need everything we have access to, then. The king and the army have to be warned, and anything we can gather from Generasi will be useful. ¡°Maybe¡­Toraka Shale¡­can lend you¡­some golems¡­¡± Claygon suggested. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not a bad idea,¡± Alex said. ¡°Professor Jules should be told, maybe we can hire monster hunters from Generasi to increase our numbers¡­¡± ¡°I suspect I might be able to convince Councillor Kartika to lend resources to this battle,¡± Baelin offered. ¡°Thameland is allied with Generasi, and this will be a most crucial point in that alliance.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°Okay, then. Everyone, I¡¯m going to be doing a lot of teleporting. Make sure you regenerate your mana. We don¡¯t know exactly what we¡¯re about to face, but we¡¯ll need every ounce of our strength to face it.¡±
In the uppermost chamber of a castle in the fae wilds, a lean figure sat upon a white throne. His eyes were fixed on the closest window and the starry horizon outside, while his concentration was bent on the seat of power beneath him. ¡°Thank you old friend,¡± he whispered once again. He waved a hand and smiled at something beyond the horizon. Suddenly, there was a pounding on the chamber door. ¡°Yes?¡± he called pleasantly. He was in a fine mood, indeed. ¡°Sire, there is a Ravener-spawn at the gate!¡± his servant called through the door. ¡°It requests an audience.¡± ¡°Show it in,¡± Lord Aenflynn said smoothly. ¡°I am curious as to why our new ally needs me at this hour.¡± Chapter 846: A City on Fire King Athelstan startled awake. The odour of burning wood and flesh assaulted his nose. Light flickered through the bedchamber shutters and screams echoed outside. Someone pounded on his door. ¡°My king! We are under attack!¡± a frantic voice called. ¡°Ravener-spawn, of a sort we¡¯ve never seen before! The city burns, monsters roam the streets!¡± ¡°By Uld¡ª¡± The king began to swear, throwing off the bedcovers. ¡°By the Traveller,¡± he corrected himself. ¡°Call the royal guard to bring the queen and prince to safety! Make haste! Sound the alarm!¡± The king rushed to his wardrobe, dressing quickly. ¡°Husband?¡± a strained voice spoke. He looked at Queen Rosalind¡ªrubbing sleep from her eyes¡ªas she quickly threw on a robe and raced for the bassinet. Somehow, their child had not woken, even when she scooped him up in her arms. ¡°What has happened?¡± she asked Athelstan. ¡°I do not know, yet.¡± The king dressed quickly, pulling a gambeson over his head. He glanced at the wall. A sword given to him by the Heroes hung there: a heavy weapon taken from Uldar¡¯s personal armoury. It was a divine weapon of immense power, though he¡¯d yet to use it. Perhaps, this night would be the first. Grimly, he took the sword from the wall, looking at his wife and son, hoping tonight was not the night it would be tested. More sounds of violence came from outside, and Rosalind reluctantly slipped to the window, opening the shutters a crack. ¡°Oh no, oh no, Athelstan they¡¯re in the city!¡± She clutched their baby to her breast. The young prince finally awakened, immediately beginning to cry. ¡°Don¡¯t fear, my love, we will protect you and our son,¡± he promised, striding across the room and giving his family a tight hug before looking through the window at a scene straight from the hells. The outskirts of the city burned¡ªblack smoke rose into blacker skies¡ª blood-draks, spear-flies and more¡ªswooped through the skies. A carpet of silence-spiders poured over the wall, with Hive-Queens leading them to face the few defenders left on the parapet. From beyond the wall, the distinct battle-cries of chitterers echoed in the night. But these creatures were not what held King Athelstan¡¯s eye. A pair of nightmares were perched on the wall. The first was gigantic, shelled, and gripped the parapet with razored claws¡ªpart spider, scorpion and beetle¡ªand not much smaller than a keep. It released a low, ugly sound, then fired blasts of air, with the force of projectiles, from dozens of holes in its shell. The invisible shots demolished stone, turned proud warriors into hunks of mewling meat, and fed the flames, making them flare brighter and spread faster. Nothing seemed able to stand before the creature on the parapet, but it was just one of the nightmares. Perched on its back¡ªonly illuminated because of the flames racing across the city¡ªwas¡­something the king couldn¡¯t identify. It was small and humanoid, yet Athelstan spotted the outline of spider-like legs emerging from its back. Before he could look any closer, more pounding sounded at the door. ¡°We are here, your majesties!¡± called the bull-voiced commander of the royal guard. ¡°Come in!¡± he called. ¡°Get the queen to safety¡ª¡± The door burst open. He swore. Queen Rosalind screamed. His royal guard was now at the chamber door, lying on the ground, butchered. Standing over them were three humanoids¡ªtheir hides like scabs encrusting their bodies¡ªwith red coating their claws and venom dripping from stinger-like fangs. ¡°My king, we are here!¡± one called; its voice an eerie mimic of the dead captain¡¯s. ¡°Back, you devils!¡± King Athelstan jumped in front of his wife and child. The creatures sprang. He raised his blade. They were quick, savagely quick, but King Athelstan was no helpless recruit. Uldar¡¯s divine blade split the first from crown to crotch, but the other two were also leaping for him. A claw ripped the side of his face. Red sprayed. Another slashed at his gut, he barely dodged from it tearing his guts free. The king¡¯s reply was brutal. Stepping forward, he spun Uldar¡¯s sword, slashing a monster¡¯s claw off and driving it back. The other lurched in, jaws spread wide, ready to clamp down. He hammered its temple with the sword¡¯s pommel; a sickening crunch came from its head, and the Hunter fell like a stone. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The king turned on the last, but Rosalind¡¯s shout tore his eyes from it. ¡°Athelstan, behind you!¡± He whirled. His wife hadn¡¯t screamed. She couldn¡¯t scream. The one who¡¯d called his name was a fourth Hunter, perched on the windowsill, having torn open the shutters. Its claws were buried in his wife¡¯s throat. She gurgled, her eyes wide with horror. Their child was screaming, she still clutched him close, protecting him with her body. ¡°No, Rosalind!¡± King Athelstan shrieked. Pain seared through his back, driving into his stomach. His eyes had left his opponent for too long; red, dripping claws protruded from his gut, after entering his body through his back. His strength was failing, but his child¡­he had to save his child. With a roar, he tore his body free of the monster¡¯s claws¡ªlacerating his core in the process¡ªhe elbowed the creature in its face. Stinger-like fangs flew as it stumbled back, Athelstan lurched for the one on the windowsill. His wife was dying. Her killer turned toward him, licking its fangs. He was dying. The world was darkening around him But if he could only save his child¡ª ¡®Traveller,¡¯ he prayed. ¡®Traveller, please, help me!¡¯ Suddenly, the world brightened. An immense light and blazing heat were behind him. All eyes whirled. In the doorway stood three figures. A tiny woman. A tanned, white haired man covered in tattoos. And, a lean, dark-skinned man with crimson eyes, he was raising a blade. White fire roared around that blade. Everything seemed to happen at once. The woman¡¯s hand¡ªholding a bronze dagger¡ªwhipped the blade over the king¡¯s shoulder. He heard a shriek behind him and turned. With a shudder, the Hunter on the windowsill went limp, the dagger sinking deep in its eye socket. Its claws slid from Rosalind¡¯s neck and it plummeted to the ground. ¡°Rosalind!¡± King Athelstan cried, reaching for his bleeding wife as she fell. The remaining Hunter leapt for him. But, the crimson-eyed stranger was faster. White flames roared around his blade, he blurred into the room and slashed the Hunter from neck to gut. There was a hiss of steam, and the Ravener-spawn burst. Without missing a step, the man¡ªwho the king thought was an engeli sent to save them¡ªrushed to him and his wife, dropping his sword and muttering something beneath his breath. His hands began glowing with golden light and he pressed his palms to their wounds. Athelstan felt a soothing energy wash over him. Feeling returned to his limbs. Pain ended. Before his grateful eyes, his wife¡¯s brutalised neck knitted back together. She coughed, then gasped for breath. When their wounds were no more, the crimson-eyed stranger stepped back with a gentle smile. ¡°T-thank you,¡± the king gasped, drenched in icy sweat. ¡°Thank you. Rosalind, are you alright, my love? Our son still clings to you.¡± Queen Rosalind held the prince tightly. ¡°H-he¡¯s unharmed. And I am better, I¡¯m feeling like myself again.¡± She looked at the strangers, lowering her head. ¡°By the Traveller, thank you! Thank you for our lives!¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the king added, looking at the strangers in awe. ¡°Thank you for my family.¡± The white haired man said something in a tongue that Athelstan did not understand. He and Rosalind were speechless, until the sounds of clinking armour echoed down the hall. ¡°Your majesty!¡± Court Wizard Errol stepped over the bodies of the king¡¯s guard, leading his apprentices and a line of armoured knights. ¡°Are¡­by the Traveller, what happened here?¡± ¡°We were rescued,¡± King Athelstan rubbed his belly. ¡°Barely. Who are these individuals? Are they engeli? They saved our lives.¡± He nodded to the three strangers. Court Wizard Errol glanced at them. ¡°I believe they are mercenaries hired by the General.¡± ¡°Mercenaries?¡± King Athelstan¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°How did they get into the castle?¡± ¡°Guards everywhere are dead, your majesty,¡± Errol informed him. ¡°Your majesties and his royal highness are in grave danger. We must get you away from¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± King Athelstan raised his sword. ¡°I will not hide like a worm while my kingdom burns. You there¡ª¡± He nodded to several knights. ¡°¡ªtake the queen and prince to safety. Errol, brief me on the situation. And someone help me with my armour!¡±
¡°I told you entering the castle was a good idea,¡± Ezerak Kai said, following the knights filing into the hall. ¡°It wasn¡¯t normal for there to be no guards at a king¡¯s gate.¡± ¡°You were right, and I was wrong.¡± Kyembe kept his hand on his sword, listening to the sounds of carnage echoing outside. ¡°Shit, shit!¡± Wurhi clawed at the sides of her face, her eyes bulging. ¡°Did you see all those things outside? Why are we here? This was the stupidest thing we¡¯ve ever done, I can¡¯t believe this, we¡¯re all going to die! Every last one of us!¡± ¡°We will not.¡± Kyembe mused. ¡°These creatures are many, but not invincible. We will burn them away like so much mist beneath the morning sun.¡± ¡°Our bodies are gonna be bloated fly-food by morning!¡± The tiny thief grimaced. ¡°By all the demons and gods, I swear if we end up dead in the hells after this, my soul¡¯s gonna chase yours forever!¡± Kyembe gave a deep, rich laugh. ¡°I have lived through deadly battles many times before. It will take more than these foul creatures to claim me.¡± ¡°And what about me?¡± ¡°You too.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better be right,¡± she shuddered. ¡°I am: if you die, you will not see any of the gems we were promised. I know you will not allow anything to kill you before you are paid. And perhaps the king¡ª¡± He nodded to King Athelstan, clad in his armour and leading the group through the castle halls. ¡°¡ªwill reward us as well.¡± ¡°He¡¯d better.¡± Wurhi growled. ¡°Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d be fighting during the end of the world. Where the hells is this place anyway? I can¡¯t understand anyone.¡± The Spirit Killer merely smiled. ¡°You would not believe me if I told you. By the way, what did you say to the king, Ezerak? You spoke in a tongue I did not understand.¡± Ezerak Kai smiled wistfully. ¡°I spoke in my mother tongue. I told him: ¡®From one king to another, I will aid you.¡¯¡± His smile faded. ¡°This battle reminds me of when I lost my crown and kingdom. I will not let that happen to another. Not if I can do anything to stop it.¡± They fell into silence as they marched on.
King Athelstan¡¯s armour clinked as he walked down the hall, flanked by his knights and accompanied by Court Wizard Errol. ¡°How did this happen, Errol?¡± Athelstan asked, his mind returning to his wife and child on their way to safety through the castle¡¯s secret passages. ¡°Those monsters came out of nowhere,¡± Errol said grimly. ¡°And they¡¯d overtaken most of the walls in minutes. Were it not for Tobias, the priests and the General¡¯s mercenaries, things would be much worse.¡± ¡°Where is Tobias now?¡± ¡°At the cathedral, working miracles against the spawn from a place of power,¡± he said. ¡°Good.¡± The king touched his breastplate. He still could not believe he¡¯d been impaled only a short while earlier. ¡°And how did those creatures infiltrate the castle, how did they breach the walls?¡± ¡°We are trying to figure that out,¡± Errol growled. ¡°They killed the guards and then went looking for anyone who was in a position of leadership. They are unnervingly intelligent. Were it not for some sharp-eyed soldiers who noticed that the castle was too quiet¡­ Anyway, already many have been lost, and we are ridding the castle of these spawn.¡± ¡°Indeed, and if it were not for the General¡¯s mercenaries, I and my family would be dead.¡± The king¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°And what about the Ravener-spawn on the wall?¡± ¡°The General informed us that the Ravener had used certain more powerful spawn in the elder times,¡± Errol said. ¡°I believe that was one of them.¡± ¡°The elder times¡­then this is it, is it not, Errol?¡± King Athelstan asked. ¡°Then it appears the Ravener helping Thameland is at an end. This is the great battle of our time.¡± ¡°I fear it is, my king.¡± Athelstan¡¯s lips formed a hard line. He touched the symbol of the Traveller around his neck. ¡°And we will face it with all our might.¡± The group emerged onto the battlements. ¡°There, the king!¡± someone cried. Below, soldiers and knights fighting in the courtyard cheered at their liege¡¯s arrival. Many looked bloodied. All looked tired. King Athelstan raised his sword, eliciting another cheer. ¡°We must drive them from the city, Errol.¡± The king looked at the giant Ravener-spawn on the wall. ¡°I will not have Thameland¡¯s capital in the hands of beasts.¡± The words left his lips. An explosion ripped through the air. Screams echoed through the night. Errol turned. ¡°My king, get dow¡ª¡± was all he said. A blast of air tore the court wizard in two. Chapter 847: Army of Heroes What remained of Errol¡¯s corpse fell to the parapet. His bottom half dropped. The top half was gone. But as horrified as King Athelstan was, he had no time to mourn. He barely had time to throw himself to the ground as blasts of air ripped through stone all around them. Jagged rock, as sharp as spears, pierced defending soldiers and knights, stopping them where they stood. Fine armour soon resembled mesh. The ground shook. Ravener-spawn roared. ¡°Holy light burn our enemies!¡± A priest chanted from beyond the wall. Monsters screamed and the barrage stopped for a moment. Only for a moment. The king got to his feet. Across the castle moat, an enormous insectile Ravener-spawn had burst from the ground, shooting potent air blasts from its shell. Dozens of gibbering legions and hundreds of chitterers swarmed near it. The spawn¡¯s attack had only paused when other monsters attacked them.. With his white hair whipping in the wind, a mercenary, one of the three who¡¯d saved King Athelstan¡ªhad extended his arms, and all around him, his tattoos came to life. Monsters were peeling from his skin, growing to full-size in a breath. Griffons, drakes, wyverns, chimerae and more flew from beside him, attacking Ravener-spawn from all sides, while Ezerak directed them against the enemy. As the monsters swarmed, more of Alex¡¯s mercenaries poured from the streets, falling upon the Ravener-spawn with metal and magic, splitting skulls, shedding blood. But, the Ravener-spawn did not just lie down. They kept coming. A crouched form¡ªhuman-sized¡ªsprang from a hole on the enormous Ravener-spawn¡¯s back, shooting through the air and landing hard on the battlements among the knights. It rose to its full height and with no hesitation, attacked. It stood as tall as a man, its hide was grey-black chitin. Spider-like legs protruded from its back, and clawed hands wielded weapons the same hue as its chitin. Hideous rattling sounds came from somewhere between its neck and skull, but from where, the king could not know. It had neither a mouth, ears, nor eyes. Where a face should have been, there was only a blank mask made of chitin. There was no way to tell where it was looking¡­or at least, that is how it should have been. Yet, the creature¡¯s head pointed directly at the king, and Athelstan could feel an unnerving gaze creeping over him. Suddenly, it sprang. Knights surged to protect their king, moving to meet it as it sped across the battlement with dizzying speed. Its weapons struck as quickly as whips and with the force of battering rams; crumpling armour like parchment, breaking shields and bodies. Knights fell like sheared wheat. King Athelstan raised his sword. The crimson-eyed warrior was quicker. With an almost careless swipe, the monster struck at Kyembe¡¯s head. Metal met chitin, stopping the creature¡¯s blow, splitting its armour. It shrieked, oozing blood, yet still striking out with bladed legs and chitinous weapons. The warrior met it head-on, speed obscuring his sword strikes as he danced past its blows. Slash upon slash crisscrossed the monster¡¯s armoured carapace. The tips of many of its legs were sliced off, and bits of its weapons were chipped away. The Ravener-spawn fought even more desperately. The small woman loosed sharp rocks at its faceless head. A weapon swept up to parry, opening its guard. The crimson-eyed warrior swung his blade, splitting its head in two. If it saw the blow coming, it was the only one that would ever know, as with a gurgle, it pitched forward, dead. Another pair¡ªtwins to the dead one¡ªquickly leapt atop the wall, menacing the crimson-eyed warrior and the tiny woman, while another landed near the king, striking at him. King Athelstan parried the blow, Uldar¡¯s sword biting a back-leg in two. Its wound hissed and the creature recoiled, the king pressed it with cutting blows and it backed away, knowing what his blade could do. It stayed out of reach, seven remaining back-legs stabbing at him like spears. Now he was being driven back, desperately trying to parry, as the Ravener-spawn quickly recoiled its legs before he could even strike one. Its speed doubled. The king quickly glanced at the courtyard below. All were locked in battle. No help was coming from there. More Hunters had climbed the walls, attacking the troops in the courtyard. Cursing, the king tried driving the spawn back with greater swings of his blade, pushing forward while trusting in his armour. The creature skittered back too fast, lashing Athelstan with a blow from a back leg, catching his helm. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. He stumbled back. It sprang, pursuing him. Death closed, as a beam of light struck its chest. The monster had no time to even scream before turning to dust. Alexander Roth, the General of Thameland appeared beside the king. ¡°Are you alright, Sire?¡± he asked. The king gaped, looking up from under his visor. Had he really just been saved by the young man he¡¯d nearly sent to the dungeon? ¡°Your majesty.¡± The General pressed, looking out over the city. Ravener-spawn rampaged throughout. Five small, orange beads of light emerged from his body, flying directly toward the enormous Ravener-spawn on the wall. The orange beads dropped, settling in holes on its back, holes it had blasted Erroll, priests, soldiers and mercenaries from. There came a dull whump. The enormous Ravener-spawn exploded in blinding flame. Alex turned back to the king. ¡°Sire, are you alright?¡± ¡°Y-yes,¡± the king finally stammered. ¡°Glad to hear that, but I don¡¯t have much time.¡± The General raised his staff, summoning hordes of monsters while he continued talking to the king. ¡°I¡¯m afraid it appears that the Ravener¡¯s escalated, it seems to be trying to cull all of Thameland. Monsters like the ones here are cropping up in different parts of the kingdom, and the Heroes and my other friends have gone to stop, or slow them down. And believe it or not, they¡¯re coming from the fae wild.¡± ¡°What?¡± Athelstan gasped. ¡°But the Heroes struck a deal with¡ª¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°Seems that doesn¡¯t matter. He¡¯s working against us: while I was teleporting to see what was going on, I saw Ravener-spawn coming out of fae gates, and it¡¯s happening all over Thameland. None of the fae are trying to stop them, so it seems pretty clear he¡¯s in league with them. We also think we know where the Ravener is and we¡¯re going to try and destroy it to stop whatever it¡¯s planning. I¡¯ll try to get more support for you here, so I¡¯ll be leaving soon. Just, hold on.¡± The General of Thameland floated into the sky, spreading his arms wide. Alex focused on his mana, preparing to cast not just one¡­but five ninth-tier spells. The world slowed around him and he bent his mind to the magics. With one limb, he summoned an astral engeli and called another with his staff; he''d enhanced it with more alchemical scripts for summoning magics and other spells. He cast Phalanx of Wood and Stone three times with his other limbs, then Army of Heroes. The world sped up. Five spells activated. Two astral engeli appeared¡ªflanking him¡ªquickly moving to set upon the Ravener-spawn on the battlements. In the courtyard, the cobblestones shimmered. Three squadrons of towering fighters of living wood and stone¡ªarmed with diamond-tipped spears and stone shields¡ªemerged from the ground, each stood ten feet high. Following quick directions from Alex, the constructs engaged the Ravener-spawn around them. The fifth spell brought Army of Heroes to the battle. Power exploded from the young archwizard in a wave of blinding light, washing over the castle, the city, spreading to the outer walls. Where the light touched, the army on this battlefield¡ªsoldiers, knights, priests, Alex¡¯s summoned monsters, the phalanx of wood and stone and his mercenaries from the Whetstone Tavern¡ªwas outlined in radiance. Their muscles twitched as power poured into them. Their weapons shone with magical light. Their skin toughened. Their movements became more fluid. And¡ªmost importantly¡ªall fear that any felt, vanished, replaced by an unfailing courage. Alex raised his sword-staff. ¡°For Thameland!¡± he roared. ¡°Traveller¡¯s blessing upon you all!¡± ¡°For Thamelaaaand!¡± the city roared with him. ¡°Uldar and Traveller¡¯s blessing upon us!¡± The newly empowered army fell upon their attackers. Soldiers who¡¯d been fighting desperately for their lives, now pushed into the monstrous hordes, fighting them without fear, cutting them down to free Thameland of their scourge. Archers¡¯ arrows¡ªsheathed in light¡ªfound their marks in the sky, piercing tough Ravener-spawn hide and armour, dropping the creatures to their doom. Hunters were slaughtered on the battlements and the courtyard was cleared. Raising their glowing weapons, the Thameish army poured through the castle gates, and into the city. They would retake their home. Alex teleported back beside the king, who was standing over the corpses of three Hunters, his blade dripping. ¡°Your majesty,¡± he said. ¡°My spell will empower every fighter here for a time. Take back your capital: the spell will last for about four hours, then I¡¯ll have to come back and recast it. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be able to, so please, make this time count.¡± ¡°We will,¡± the king said. ¡°Thank you, General. And may the Traveller watch over you and the other Heroes. Thameland needs you.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll defend her, and thank you,¡± Alex said, looking to Kyembe, Ezerak and Wurhi. ¡°Please, defend the king. That¡¯s your job for the night. Make sure he does not fall.¡± ¡°We will,¡± Ezerak said. ¡°I swear it.¡± ¡°He shall be as safe as a babe in its mother¡¯s arms,¡± Kyembe added. The small woman shrugged, not understanding Alex¡¯s words. ¡°I have to go for now,¡± he told them. He turned away, preparing to teleport. ¡°Wait!¡± King Athelstan cried, catching Alex¡¯s forearm. He held it in a death grip. ¡°My wife and son¡­they are somewhere in the secret passages of the castle. My knights are charged with getting them to safety, though¡­if what you say is correct, then nowhere in Thameland is safe enough. Is there somewhere you can take them? To Generasi, perhaps? I must know no harm will come to them.¡± Alex looked at him with empathy. He knew that feeling well. ¡°I¡¯ll take them,¡± he promised. ¡°Please, go with the Traveller, your majesty. And pray to her. Have everyone pray to her. We¡¯ll need her strength to get through this, and she needs ours.¡± ¡°I am in your debt,¡± The king saluted him. ¡°General¡­may you and the other Heroes save our people, and all who have come to our aid.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll end this.¡± He teleported away.
Alex appeared in the courtyard of the villa in the Generasian countryside¡ªa heartbeat later¡ªThameish knights and Queen Rosalind appeared around him. An infant¡¯s cry pierced the night. ¡°You¡¯ll be safe here, your majesty,¡± he promised. ¡°I¡¯ll take you inside and talk to Mr. and Mrs. Lu. They¡¯ll take care of you. And please¡­pray to the Traveller as hard as you can.¡± ¡°By the Traveller, thank you! Thank you!¡± Queen Rosalind cried, clutching her son to her chest. ¡°Please, I am counting on you to save my husband and our homeland. Please!¡± ¡°We¡¯re going to do our best to end this for good so our people never have to go through this hell again,¡± Alex said. ¡°That, I promise you.¡± With a final nod, he took her inside and talked to the Lus quickly before teleporting away. They peppered him with questions as he left, but he didn¡¯t have time for long answers. While images of the planes swirled around him, he sped up his mind. He needed a moment to think. Too much had happened too quickly. One moment, they were agreeing to prepare for an attack on Och Tir Nog, and¡ªthe next¡ªThameland had exploded. Teleporting to different parts of the realm had confirmed that the entire kingdom was under attack. The vision Alex had seen in the dungeon core¡­was becoming reality. The companions had split up, fighting across Thameland and gathering the resources they¡¯d need for striking into the fae wild. Baelin had gone to councillor Kartika, while Alex had teleported across his kingdom, summoning monsters and casting Army of Heroes again and again. That would buy them time, but how long? Alex couldn''t begin to guess. They¡¯d need more fighters to defend the kingdom. And Alex knew exactly where to get some. He let his mind slow down, appearing in the lab beneath Shale¡¯s workshop. Toraka¡ªwho¡¯d been working on a golem core¡ªscreamed, whirling on him. ¡°Alex? What in¡ª¡± She started. ¡°There¡¯s no time,¡± Alex cut her off. ¡°The Ravener¡¯s trying to kill everyone in Thameland. It¡¯s suddenly escalating in a way we haven¡¯t seen before in this cycle, and if we don¡¯t respond hard now, Thameland¡¯s going to be destroyed. My home¡­and your supply of dungeon cores will be lost, so I¡¯m here, Toraka, to buy or borrow as many golems from you as you can spare: any dungeon core-infused models that we have. I¡¯ll need all of them.¡± She paused, processing what he was saying. Then squared her shoulders. ¡°I imagined this might happen,¡± she said. ¡°Though I was hoping that if it did, it wouldn¡¯t happen for a long time.¡± She growled. ¡°I can¡¯t offer you golems already promised to customers¡­but, I have something better. If you could teleport us to my manor. I have something there to show you.¡± Chapter 848: Mk. III Alex Roth and his business partner materialised in Shale¡¯s garden, and hit the ground running. ¡°They¡¯re already at the capital?¡± Toraka asked, passing fruit trees and rose bushes swaying in the low, night wind. ¡°They¡¯re everywhere,¡± Alex ran by iron golems standing silently around the garden, their heads swivelling, scanning for intruders. Their gazes paused on the two crafters for a moment, but quickly returned to their vigil. ¡°They¡¯re all over Thameland, killing and burning everything.¡± Toraka swore under her breath, skidding to a halt in front of a squat, brutal looking building at the end of the garden. She pressed her hand to a glyph just above the door handle, a sharp click announced the door swinging open. A dark staircase lay beyond it, leading deep into the earth. The instant she stepped inside, magical torches began to shine, lighting the way down. ¡°Dammit, I was hoping there¡¯d be more time,¡± she cursed, taking the stairs two or three at a time. ¡°More time for what?¡± he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Hold on, I¡¯m going to teleport us.¡± ¡°Wait, whaaa¡ª¡± Toraka cried. The young archwizard teleported them down the stairs, ten at a time. ¡°How far down are we going?¡± he asked. ¡®To the bottom!¡± she shouted. ¡°We can walk or run, you know¡ª¡± ¡°This is faster.¡± A few more jumps brought him and a panting Toraka to a set of steel doors at the bottom of the stairs. The doors were enormous: greater in size than Claygon¡¯s height and width, they looked thick enough to withstand a behemoth¡¯s charge. An image of a fist was etched into each door. ¡°You nearly gave me a heart attack,¡± the older crafter complained, placing her hands on glyphs carved into the doors. There was a loud, dull click and the doors began opening in an eerie silence. ¡°But I get it. We¡¯re in a rush. Anyway, do you remember when we were first testing dungeon core-infused golems?¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You had one clash with a standard iron golem and use your¡­¡± His words stopped. Light suddenly illuminated a massive room beyond the doors. Standing inside were five iron golems¡ªeach twice Claygon¡¯s height¡ªand forged in the image of full-plate armoured warriors. Their size was impressive, but what really drew Alex¡¯s eye were the devices the constructs¡¯ left arms were inserted into. Devices that were somewhat familiar. He remembered standing in the subterranean lab beneath Shale¡¯s workshop as a sound like thunder grinding on a cliff face echoed from the back of the chamber. An entire section of wall had slowly risen, revealing a secret room. From within, a tall brass construct forged in the curious shape of a humanoid praying mantis had unfolded its arms. Atop scythe-like blades on those arms, a pair of hands had sat, and in them had been a tray held by elongated fingers with a dozen joints. On the tray, a curious device had lain: a thick iron box, covered in dials, tubes and exposed circuitry that wove together in a complex pattern. On one side, a hole big enough for an iron golem to insert its arm up to the forearm, had gaped; from the opposite side of the box a thick, heavy tube jutting more than half a dozen feet, had protruded. The devices on these iron golems¡¯ arms were even bigger. Their shapes were the same as the device he¡¯d seen before, but¡ªwhere the older device had been made up of exposed circuitry, tubes and dials¡ªthese were sheathed in a thick carapace of steel, etched with glyphs of hardening. The young archwizard¡¯s heart beat faster, and he recalled what he and Shale had talked about in the lab on the day of that test: ¡°What I can tell you is that it produces a super-heated column of fire magic, further charged with a burst of lightning magic all held within a force magic carrier wave.¡± A twinkle had danced in Shale¡¯s eye. ¡°Add in a sprinkle of disintegration magic, and¡­¡± ¡°...and you have the coolest sentence I¡¯ve ever heard in my life,¡± Alex had said. ¡°Exactly.¡± She¡¯d beamed as the mantis-construct bowed to the old iron golem which inserted its limb into the hole. Energy had sparked, emitting a pulse of mana so powerful, Alex¡¯s hair had stood on end. ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a pig on mana¡ªfor obvious reasons¡ªso it''s built to draw power from a golem core,¡± she¡¯d said. The young wizard¡¯s eyes had shone. ¡°Looks like it¡¯d make a very big boom.¡± ¡°It¡¯s designed to do just that.¡± Toraka had smirked. ¡°I would like to introduce you to the¡­¡± Alex walked toward the five golems, his eyes fixed on the weapons. ¡°¡­Gale Force Cannon Mk. I Prototype¡­¡± he whispered its name. Toraka chuckled darkly. ¡°The Mk. l, was what I showed you, wasn¡¯t it?¡± She ran her hand along the deadly weapons. ¡°This is the Mk. III.¡± Alex threw her a startled look. ¡°Once I saw the power output of a dungeon core essence-infused golem core,¡± she continued. ¡°I realised I could make the weapon more powerful, as long as I reinforced its chassis and added some ice magic to the structure to ensure it didn¡¯t overheat from repeated firing. I also added a dose of dispelling magic to the projectile, to help it rip open any magical defences. That was the Mk. II.¡± Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. She gave Alex a smug look. ¡°When I learned that Claygon¡¯s fire-beams had become so much more powerful when he evolved into iron, I realised I could go beyond that.¡± Toraka tapped the device. ¡°I infused dungeon core essence into the device¡¯s internal power supply, lacing the entire projectile with some nasty energy. It¡¯s not as powerful as if I¡¯d combined it with chaos essence¡ªsince I couldn¡¯t figure out how to do that without the device exploding¡ªso it¡¯s not going to be quite as destructive as Claygon¡¯s beams, but¡­I can tell you that just about anything that walks, crawls or flies in this world is going to have a really bad day if they get hit by this thing.¡± Her eyes hardened. ¡°And that bad day¡¯s going to be their last.¡± ¡°By the Traveller,¡± Alex murmured, stunned. ¡°And¡­were these for a client?¡± ¡°Oh, by the gods, no!¡± She shook her head rapidly. ¡°These are for my personal collection and the defence of my residence.There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting them out into the world¡­except to let you borrow a few to defend your homeland when I¡¯d finished making ten.¡± She sighed. ¡°But considering how bad things are looking¡­I¡¯ll let you have these five for now.¡± Shale snapped her fingers five times. ¡°Golems, you are to listen to this young man, his name is Alex, and defend what he tells you to defend. Kill what he tells you to kill¡­unless it''s me, don''t kill me, even if he tells you to.¡± She smiled at Alex. ¡°Just a little precaution, partner: not that I don¡¯t trust you. Also, do yourself a favour and leave at least two of them with your hometown¡­Alric was it? I can¡¯t have my business partner¡¯s old home turned to ash, now can I?¡± The young archwizard stared at Toraka for a long moment. Then he surged forward, wrapping the woman in a tight hug. He lifted the struggling crafter from her feet. ¡°Thank you Toraka!¡± he cried. ¡°Thank you so much!¡± ¡°By the gods, let me go, you big oaf: you¡¯re crushing me!¡± she complained. ¡°Oh, sorry, sorry!¡± Alex put her down, but gripped her shoulders. ¡°Listen, I¡¯ll never forget this.¡± ¡°You¡¯d better not!¡± she rubbed her sides. ¡°I think you might¡¯ve cracked a rib.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologised again, teleporting beside the golems. ¡°I have to go.¡± ¡°I know,¡± she said. ¡°Do what you have to do. And make sure you come back alive. We have more coin to make, you and I!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make us all the coin in the world.¡± Alex promised. ¡°You¡¯d best.¡± With that, the young archwizard teleported the golems to his hometown.
¡°The situation is dire, Kartika,¡± Baelin said grimly. ¡°I fear that¡ªif we do not take decisive action immediately¡ªthen the kingdom will fall. The supply of dungeon core essence will end, as well.¡± The councillor buried her face in her hands, sinking into her arm chair. Magical lamplight cast shadows through her sitting room. ¡°When you teleported into my bedroom¡ªwhich I will never forgive you for, by the way¡ª¡± ¡°Apologies, Kartika. But we simply do not have time for pleasantries.¡± ¡°I know, I know. But I thought a devil had appeared at my bedside to devour my soul, ugh,¡± she complained. ¡°And to make things worse, you came to tell me the worst news I¡¯ve had in a while. Fantastic.¡± ¡°Will you be able to provide aid?¡± Baelin asked. ¡°The Heroes, Alex¡¯s companions and I will be seeking to destroy the source of this devastation, but¡ªif my theories are correct¡ªit will require all of our attention while we are in the fae wild. We will need as much help for the kingdom as can be spared.¡± She gave him a concerned look. ¡°Half the council and most of the city¡¯s elite are pouring coin into expeditions to extract as much dungeon core essence as can be secured. Faith in the Traveller is spreading through the city.¡± Baelin¡¯s face was a mask. ¡°If we don¡¯t help now,¡± Kartika said. ¡°It¡¯s going to look bad, considering we are allied with Thameland. Not to mention that most of my fellow councillors would like to remain on Mr. Roth¡¯s good side. Including myself. Listen, it¡¯s going to take a bit: I can¡¯t authorise a military force¡¯s deployment on foreign soil without full agreement of the others. That should take about ten minutes. By the time we have a strike force ready to go¡­expect it to take at least an hour.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Baelin said. ¡°The Thameish will have to hold out until then. Alright, thank you for this. Now, I must go. I have some final preparations to make. This¡­will likely be a battle that tests even me.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Kartika shuddered. ¡°Even you? Then why do you look so excited?¡± The chancellor startled, then burst out laughing. ¡°Goodness, I am growing far too obvious in my dotage. Well, the reason I look excited¡­is because I am. It has been a long time since I have properly tested myself in the field of combat.¡± He clenched his fist. ¡°Far too long.¡± ### ¡°That¡¯s going to be too long!¡± The priest bellowed at the messenger. They stood on the walls, wind buffeting their cloaks. The cries of Ravener-spawn filled the air. ¡°We need more soldiers now!¡± ¡°The road to the Cave of the Traveller¡¯s been cut off!¡± the messenger shouted back. ¡°And the next garrison¡¯s at least an hour¡¯s ride away, even if the road wasn¡¯t full of Ravener-spawn. If we try sneaking our way to the Coille, and make it, it''s going to be at least three hours until we can get help, if they¡¯re not overrun too!¡± ¡°I don''t like your tone messenger!¡± the priest fired back. ¡°Quite frankly, sir, I don¡¯t give a damn!¡± The messenger grimly looked at the road. ¡°I think we''re all going to be seeing Uldar and the Traveller very soon. If you don''t like my tone, you can take it up with them.¡± The priest sputtered, then fell silent. Further down the wall, Peter winced. ¡°Well, so much for help.¡± ¡°Aye¡­¡± Paul looked at the western road. ¡°Listen, Peter, it''s been an honour serving with you. More than an honour.¡± ¡°Yeah, Paul.¡± Peter gripped the parapet. ¡°Yeah, it has.¡± The road ahead was teaming with Ravener-spawn. And not just any Ravener-spawn. Behemoths. Dozens of them, standing shoulder to shoulder, marching toward the little town with death in their eyes. Their feet crushed rock, and ground stone. Their bone spokes scraped each other¡¯s armour. Their bellows echoed through the land. Surrounding them were hundreds¡­no, thousands of bone-chargers. Their growls sounded like distant thunder. That thunder was getting closer. And Alric did not have nearly enough warriors to weather the storm. ¡°We¡¯re going to die,¡± Paul said solemnly. ¡°Aye,¡± Peter echoed. ¡°Unless we run. Maybe the eastern road is¡ª¡± ¡°Gibbering legions to the east!¡± A cry went up from the wall on the opposite side of town. ¡°At least a hundred! And thousands of chitterers! Thousands!¡± ¡°Well, there goes that plan.¡± Paul¡¯s voice remained even. He glanced at his fellow guard. ¡°You seem awfully calm, mate.¡± ¡°Same with you.¡± Peter shot back. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re going to die¡­shit, there¡¯s worse ways to go than battling Ravener-spawn for our homes.¡± Paul smiled bitterly. ¡°Always planned to go while in bed, all wrinkled up, and surrounded by grandchildren. Heh, didn¡¯t even get to marry. But, ah well, I guess this is a good second best. What about you, you sound real calm yourself?¡± Peter shrugged. ¡°Nothing to be done. At least this happened while we¡¯re on duty here, and not in the Cave. The Traveller¡¯s Cave is nice enough, but I¡¯d rather die in the place I was born.¡± ¡°We can agree on that¡­¡± Paul began to crank his crossbow. ¡°Look, they¡¯re getting ready to charge.¡± ¡°Seems like it.¡± Peter lifted his crossbow. ¡°Shoulda cranked that earlier.¡± ¡°Aye, last mistake I¡¯ll be making I guess,¡± Paul said, his voice wavering. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t really want to die, Peter.¡± ¡°¡­neither do I, Paul. Neither do I. Let¡¯s hope the Traveller deems louts like us worthy of her mercy.¡± Chapter 849: The Generals Wrath Where there was once an unassuming hole in the side of a hill in the Coille Forest, a small fortress of wood, earth and stone, now stood. More than three hundred yards of vegetation had been cleared from the mouth of the Cave of the Traveller, and an intimidating log wall stretched around the hill. A trench¡ªlined with rows of wooden stakes sharp enough to pierce Ravener-spawn lay in front of it. Two watchtowers soared above either side of the rampart¡¯s solid gates, and behind them was a camp¡ªawash with tents, wooden barracks and guardhouses. Between the wall and the Coille stood a sea of stumps, left from the trees that were lumbered to build the fortifications. And that sea was suddenly alive with Ravener-spawn. From the Coille, Silence Spiders poured. Hundreds of Ravener-spawn soldiers. Thousands of workers. And dozens of Hive-Queens. Uncounted monster bodies overran the trench, unaffected by the spikes. Bladed legs silently gripped the walls, scaling them, as both soldiers and workers noiselessly gnashed their teeth. Hive-Queens simply reared up, shooting their webbing, attaching it to the hill and pulling themselves over the rampart. The killing started the instant they breached the Thameish camp. ¡°This cannot be,¡± the head priest swung his mace at the head of a silence-spider soldier, connecting. The weapon¡ªencased in holy light¡ªsplit its skull in a single stroke, but two quickly replaced it. The horrified holy man fought at the Cave¡¯s mouth, alarmed as the fort¡ªone he¡¯d commanded so proudly for over a year now¡ªwas overrun in seconds. The hive-queens were far too devastating, their soldiers much too deadly and their workers too numerous to be slowed. Desperately, the garrison held the line at the cave mouth, using the small opening as a chokepoint. But how long could they last? He swallowed, deciding on an awful course. ¡°Wizards forward!¡± he cried. ¡°Loose fire!¡± One of his subordinates shouted at him, her eyes horror-stricken. ¡°But, we can¡¯t! If we fireball the camp we¡¯ll kill¡ª¡± ¡°We must! The Traveller and Uldar will reward their sacrifice in the after-world!¡± his voice sounded shrill. ¡°We have to thin the enemy: by the Traveller and Uldar, how did this happen? They came from nowhere!¡± The wizards under his command looked at each other, likely for reassurance, and nodded grimly. Reluctantly, they began casting the spells that would doom many of their comrades, and hopefully, buy the rest of them precious time. A massive surge of mana suddenly exploded through the air, bringing a wave of concentrated power raining from the sky, coalescing in beams of blinding light. The rays undulated like snakes, striking ten hive-queens before they could even twitch. Those enormous Ravener-spawn turned to ten columns of dust in a flash. For a heartbeat, all on the battlefield froze in shock. Moments later, Ravener-spawn were withering. Soldiers and workers shrivelled, turning to drying husks in the blink of an eye, soon joined by the remaining hive-queens. They withered, silently screaming as magic from an unseen source ravaged their bodies. The head priest gaped. ¡°By Uldar! By the Traveller! It¡¯s a miracle!¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the General!¡± a wizard pointed to the sky. The head priest leaned forward, peering up at the sky beyond the Cave mouth. Indeed, floating there was Alexander Roth, General of Thameland, surrounded by a nimbus of power. And beside him were five enormous iron golems with strange, tube-like devices covering one arm. He was aiming his staff in the direction of the Coille, the air was shimmering around him. Towering eagles with feathers the colour of emeralds, materialised in the sky, screeching into the wind. Uttering one word, the Hero directed them, sending the eagles swooping down, snatching up withering hive-queens. Great talons and beaks pierced insectile bodies. Others were crushed in grips of steel. Eagles soared high in the sky¡ªclimbing to terrifying heights with a few titanic wing beats¡ªdropping their quarry to their deaths. With a wave of his hand, the young archwizard sent a wave of light pulsing through the Thameish army; the guardians of the Cave of the Traveller swelled with power. ¡°For the Traveller!¡± they cried, lifting newly glowing weapons high, setting upon their enemies with unflinching courage and terrible strength. Moments before, hordes of silence-spiders had been mangling the Thameish soldiers and priests with abandon, overwhelming them with numbers. Now, those same priests and soldiers were butchering Ravener-spawn like helpless slabs of meat. ¡°Forward!¡± the head priest shouted. ¡°The General and the Traveller have blessed us! Destroy these filthy creatures, send their soulless husks back to the pits where they were spawned!¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He raced ahead, leading a charge outside the Cave, reinforcing the rallying army. They would take back their fortification. And they would not allow the Ravener¡¯s-spawn to enter it again.
Floating above the battlefield, Alex could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Below, the tide was turning, but it had been a very near thing. ¡®If I¡¯d been even a little bit later, they would¡¯ve been overrun. How much of Thameland has already been overrun?¡¯ he wondered. ¡®Shit, I need to work faster!¡¯ He glanced at Shale¡¯s golems, all five hovered in the air under the power of his flight magic. They were silent. Still. But not for long. Floating over to them, he touched two of the twenty¨Cfoot guardians, teleporting them and landing inside the camp. ¡°Protect the mortals!¡± Alex commanded the pair. ¡°Guard this place, don¡¯t let any monsters enter this camp, apart from the ones I¡¯ll be summoning! If any of our enemies get in, kill them! But remember, protect the humans!¡± The golems¡¯ heads turned toward him. Two metallic clangs echoed through the air as their hands snapped into fists. Then, they followed his instructions, zealously. Glowing from the power of Army of Heroes, the two massive golems crushed Ravener-spawn soldiers and workers beneath enormous feet, rupturing insectile carapaces with every step. They turned their attention to the fort¡¯s wooden walls¡ªtowering over them¡ª aiming their Gale Force Cannons. The high-pitched hum of a charge building grew, and Alex felt intense power rising in the weapons. Beams of blinding white light blew from the tubes, lancing through the air. Lightning crackled, a wave of heat shimmered around the beams, slamming into oncoming Ravener-spawn hordes like fountains of molten lava. Soldiers nearby cried out, jumping back, shielding their eyes from the searing light while recoiling from the heat. The beams¡ªas thick around as Claygon¡¯s waist¡ªmowed down lines of Ravener-spawn. Carapaces vanished. Innards boiled, turning to dust. Silence-spiders, standing too near the beams¡¯ path, had their bodies warped from the waves of force¡ªchitin cracked¡ªmaking them dance gruesomely as lightning arced from the beams, electrocuting them. Alex watched in awe as hive-queen torsos vanished, beams passed through them, punching into the forest beyond, leaving fiery paths of destruction through the woodland. His jaw dropped. ¡°By the Traveller, Toraka, I could kiss you right now!¡± When the beams at last ebbed, hundreds of Ravener-spawn lay dead, smouldering in heaps. The remaining horde froze for a long moment. Then, they resumed their charge. ¡®The golems will have to recharge,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I¡¯ll need to summon more¡ª¡¯ Shale¡¯s iron constructs fired before the General had finished his thought. Beams tore through the Ravener-spawn once again, sending more silence-spiders to nothingness. The golems fired again. And again. Once their weapons were charged, they needed little time to unleash another barrage of magical annihilation on Thameland¡¯s enemies¡­the weapons showed no sign of slowing down or overheating. Alex smiled. ¡°Thank you, Toraka,¡± he whispered, waving his staff. He summoned a horde of Elder Water Elementals to hunt through the forest, killing Ravener-spawn, and extinguishing fires created by Shale¡¯s devastating weapons. Alex called to the soldiers of Thameland. ¡°Hold the line here! We¡¯re taking the fight to the Ravener and we¡¯re going to shred every last one of its spawn to nothing! My magic will stop fear from clouding your hearts for a time! So fight on! Fight for Thameland! The Traveller will protect us!¡± ¡°For Thameland! For the Traveller! For Uldar!¡± the army cried. Alex nodded, then looked at the mouth of the Cave. ¡°Hannah, if you¡¯re going to get free of the after-world, then I pray you do it sooner rather than later,¡± he whispered. With those words, he teleported away.
¡°Keep your arms steady, soldiers of Alric!¡± the commanding priest cried. ¡°We need your nerves steady and your aim even steadier! Loose! I swear if a single one of you has arrows or quarrels left by the time those spawn make it to the walls, I¡¯ll send you all to Uldar myself!¡± The soldiers roared, redoubling their efforts. Bowstrings twanged. Crossbow cranks turned. Catapult arms groaned as they launched three hundred pound stones over the walls. The projectiles sailed above the fields outside Alric, landing among the oncoming horde. Paul grimaced. They might as well have been flicking coins at them for all the good most of that did Priests were making rounds along the walls, blessing the soldiers¡¯ projectiles. The idea was to give them extra bite, but¡ªeven then¡ªmost of the missiles offered scant help. Blessed arrows punctured bone-charger hides, but bounced off their armoured skulls, doing nothing to the thick armour covering their heads. Blessed catapult stones crushed bone-chargers and cracked behemoths¡¯ armour, barely making a dent in their number. The horde was simply too big, and too well armoured. And more kept coming. From the forest and fields beyond, more bone-chargers and behemoths joined the initial horde. If anything, the monsters¡¯ numbers were growing. And from the cries of horror coming from the eastern wall, the defenders weren¡¯t having much luck against the chitterers¡¯ and gibbering legions. ¡°Think I could get one of them with my spear before they eat us?¡± Peter cried, unleashing another crossbow bolt. ¡°Don¡¯t see why not!¡± Paul shouted, loosing a quarrel. He cursed as it skidded off a bone-charger¡¯s head, then began to turn the crank. A glance at his quiver gave him some dire news. He had three shots left. Still, he forced a smile. ¡°Hells, I¡¯ll get three of them!¡± ¡°Pfft, they¡¯ll have you for lunch before you can even stick one!¡± Peter fired back, a forced grin fixed below his terrified eyes. ¡°Tell you what.¡± Paul finished cranking. ¡°I bet you I kill more than you. We can compare when we get to the after-world.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± Peter shouldered his crossbow, aiming it at a behemoth¡¯s eye. ¡°You know what?¡± I¡¯ll start by killing the one I¡¯m aiming at.¡± ¡°Tell you what? You take it down and I¡¯ll buy you a drink when we get to Uldar¡¯s halls in the after-world!¡± Paul forced a smirk on his face, fighting the near overwhelming urge to throw down his weapon and run away screaming. But, where would he run to? ¡°Sounds good.¡± Peter took careful aim. The behemoth was closer now. Almost close enough for Peter to smell the stench of its breath. He exhaled slowly. Then touched the trigger. The crossbow¡¯s string twanged. Its iron limbs sprang out. The quarrel flew free. Peter and Paul¡¯s eyes followed the glowing missile as it twirled toward the enormous Ravener-spawn. It flew right in the monster¡¯s gaping maw. Without warning, a crackling beam of light blasted the creature, erasing its head and most of its upper torso. The beam continued onward, tearing a line of devastation through the horde of bone-chargers and behemoths behind it, leaving a trench of burning bodies and blackened dust in its wake. The two guards¡¯ jaws fell open. Peter slowly looked at Paul. ¡°G-guess, I win,¡± he muttered, his eyes unfocused. ¡°Yeah, guess you do¡­beer in Uldar¡¯s halls is on me¡­¡± Paul answered. Both turned around. And screamed. Standing almost directly behind them was a towering iron golem perched atop a mound of earth that they were sure wasn¡¯t there a few seconds before. The construct towered over the rampart, pointing a weapon of magic at the attackers. A heartbeat later, it fired a blast. Then another. Behind the eastern wall, an identical golem unleashed the same beams of death, and beyond the rampart, chitterers and gibbering legions screamed. Floating above the town of Alric¡­ ¡°Oh by the Traveller!¡± Peter cried. ¡°It¡¯s that young Roth boy, ain¡¯t it?¡± Paul looked up. He¡¯d heard the Roth boy was the Fool of Thameland, and that he¡¯d been elevated to some fancy new ¡®General¡¯ Mark. But he couldn¡¯t have imagined the change the former baker¡¯s assistant had been through in the nearly three years since Paul had last laid eyes on him. Gone was the skinny, silly baker¡¯s assistant. Now, there he was, a Hero, like the ones from legend, powerfully muscled, wrapped in an aura of power and calling a seemingly endless number of monsters, while raining death down on Thameland¡¯s enemy. Tears sprang to Paul¡¯s eyes. ¡°Looks like we might be living yet, Peter!¡± he cried. ¡°Aye!¡± Peter laughed, grabbing his fellow guard by the shoulders. Tears streamed down his face, but his smile was elated. ¡°All hail the General!¡± he screamed. ¡°And thank the Traveller for saving us!¡± Chapter 850: Fighting for Home Alex had not laid eyes on Alric in three years. Three years, since he¡¯d last seen his childhood home. Now, he was finally back, and it was under siege. Thameish soldiers stood on the town¡¯s walls, desperately firing arrows and crossbow bolts. Endless enemies swarmed around them. From the west, came a sea of bone-chargers and behemoths. From the east, an ocean of chitterers and gibbering legions. They all wanted mortal blood. Alex would not let them have it so easily. ¡°Get away from my home!¡± the young archwizard roared, the world slowing around him. His streams of consciousness focused on different spells: Phalanx of Wood and Stone. Army of Heroes. And one more¡­ The world sped up. Fighters of stone, earth and wood rose up in front of Alric¡¯s walls. A wave of light spread from the archwizard, empowering every soldier, golem and earthen fighter. He called a final spell. Raising his hand, power gathered in his palm. A terrible force came to life, a shimmering reddish-yellow symbol of destruction. Mana flowed from his pool¡ªwith the strength to power two dozen fireball spells¡ªfilling the symbol as it emanated light like a second sun. It abruptly shattered. Harsh growling noises were birthed in the air in front of Alex. Sounding like rabid beasts, they instantly erupted, shooting a blinding tower of flame high in the air. Fire roiled in the column¡ªcrackling with disintegration magic¡ªforming a storm of destruction that hovered above Ravener-spawn on the ground. A storm of flame flowed toward the bone-charger horde in a wave, promising certain death. The creatures paused their assault, looking up at what was coming, seeing no way to escape. Soldiers on the walls of Alric also paused, dropping low and shielding their eyes. The inferno rained on the horde, pouring over them like a viscous liquid, clinging to soil, stone, flesh and bone. Everything it touched burned away, fiery disintegration-laced magic ate through even the toughest armour like moths on cloth. Ravener-spawn melted, collapsing in the spell¡¯s reach. But the magic was not done yet. Even as the ¡°liquid¡± spread, it glowed brighter, hissing, greedily sucking in air, swelling with more power. It crackled, like flint and tinder sparking. Then, the liquid inferno exploded. Night turned to day. Ravener-spawn were gone in a flash of light. Boiling lava spurted through the air, landing among the horde. Even Alex had to shield his eyes from the destruction as the after-image seemed to engrave itself in his vision. And¡ªas quick as it had begun¡ªthe spell was done. He slowly lowered his hand from his eyes. Most of the horde was gone: reduced to ashes drifting down, landing atop boiling liquid. Those unlucky enough to survive, were maimed by the disintegrating flames, limbs were gone, leaving blackened exposed bone and flesh melting over their bodies. Their cries were shrill. The sight was enough to make even Alex feel slightly ill. Now he understood why such spells were so guarded in Brightfire. The magic had taken an immense amount of mana, by even his standards, but the devastation was unmatched, and worth it. The land around Alric would bear the scar forever. The soldiers¡ªfilled with power and courage from Army of Heroes¡ªcheered Alex¡¯s name, shouting their thanks to the Traveller. Only the young archwizard¡¯s earthen fighters and Shale¡¯s golems did not pause, they waded forward to dispatch any survivors, and shoot beams of concentrated death into the horde. Setting his jaw, the General of Thameland turned with a wrathful glare toward the other horde. The world slowed. The world sped up. Annihilation came for the chitterer horde. In heartbeats, thousands of Ravener-spawn were ash or charred cadavers, and more were left broken on the steaming ground. More cheers rose from Alric. Alex allowed himself a smile as his phalanxes and Shale¡¯s golems began the clean up. His smile, though, was short-lived. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. In the distance, new Ravener-spawn poured from the forests and bush. More bone-chargers. More chitterers. First, they came by the dozens, increasing to the hundreds. ¡°Dungeons,¡± he whispered. ¡°There¡¯s dungeons around here.¡± He teleported away, searching, quickly finding two tucked among the trees. He considered what to do, and remembered something he¡¯d learned from Baelin, long ago: ¡°Do you know what one of the advantages of overwhelming power is, Alex? Convenience.¡± He didn¡¯t have to waste time entering the dungeons to hunt for cores. He could simply draw on his vast, magical strength, and rain fire. Two castings of Annihilation destroyed both dungeons, reducing the structures to boiling rock and flaming earth. He teleported back to Alric, watching in satisfaction as the tide of chitterers and bone¨Cchargers had already slowed to a trickle. ¡®I did it,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I rescued our home¡­¡¯ He imagined Mr and Mrs. Lu, Theresa, Brutus and Selina. ¡®I saved it. I¡ª¡¯ He froze, noticing movement from the forest to the west. More bone-chargers were coming. He turned in alarm. More chitterers to the east. ¡°There must be more dungeons around here¡­¡± he whispered, his eyes frantically darting across the wilderness. ¡°When will this end?¡± His stomach clenched as a terrible decision lay before him. Part of him desperately wanted to stay and hunt down each and every dungeon, and kill every Ravener-spawn that dared threaten his home. But he knew that would be a fool¡¯s errand. He¡¯d be here forever; the Ravener would make more and more dungeon cores, conjuring its most powerful monsters in an endless tide. Even if he never ran out of mana, he wouldn¡¯t save Alric by staying. He¡¯d only delay the inevitable. To truly save Alric, he had to leave it behind and destroy the source of its problem. Taking a deep breath, he acknowledged his fears, desperation, and the guilt of leaving his home, then let them pass. ¡°There¡¯s only so much I can do here,¡± he whispered. Raising his hands, he conjured armies of summoned monsters, unleashing the creatures on the Ravener-spawn, drawing on more of his mana. He looked over his hometown one final time. There were more places he needed to help in Thameland. More monsters to slow, more preparations to make. Then, it would be time to end all of this. He burned the image of Alric in his mind. ¡°I¡¯ll save you,¡± he promised. ¡°I just have to trust that you¡¯ll be okay with what I¡¯ve set up. I have to let others fight the battles here while I go fight to win the war elsewhere.¡± ¡°Like a proper General.¡± He took a deep breath. Then, he was gone. ### Alex materialised in his lab, teleporting around the room, grabbing more supplies. ¡°Potions, Kelda¡¯s coin, booby-trapped potions¡­¡± he listed them off aloud, shoving the items into his satchel. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I have time for.¡± He paused, looking up at the ceiling. Selina was asleep upstairs. For a long moment, he considered teleporting to her room, telling her what was happening and saying goodbye, just in case¡­just in case he met his parents in the afterworld sooner than later. But, he shook his head. ¡°There¡¯s no time,¡± he whispered, his mind racing. ¡°And if I see her, I won¡¯t want to leave. And she¡¯ll be terrified. Besides, I¡¯m not going to die.¡± His lips flattened to a thin line. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let any of us die.¡± His hand reached for the holy symbol of the Traveller around his neck, and he teleported away from his other home. ### ¡°We¡¯re all going to die!¡± someone screamed. ¡°Look at the size of it!¡± another shouted. ¡°It¡¯s the end!¡± came a third voice. ¡°Steady!¡± Watcher Hill snapped, glaring around the Research Castle. She floated above the parapet. ¡°Steady yourselves! Panic is only going to fray your nerves and make you careless!¡± She looked across the moors. ¡°If we want victory, we need everyone to have their wits about them!¡± ¡°Truer words were never spoken,¡± Vernia Jules whispered at Watcher Hill¡¯s side. ¡°Truer words¡­¡± The alchemy professor¡¯s eyes slowly travelled up, up, up¡­to the face of the mountainous Ravener-spawn coming toward them. A humanoid titan of flesh, bone and steel. Its footfalls ground rock to dust, making the earth tremble. The tallest trees would have only reached to its spiked kneecaps, and its bulging eyes seemed to hold every horror ever conceived. Its mouth was a yawning cavern; and while it was almost a mile away, Professor Jules could smell its acidic stench from her distance. ¡°Filthy creature,¡± the professor swore under her breath. ¡°We¡¯ll fix you.¡± She looked at one of her graduate students on the battlements. ¡°Are we ready?¡± ¡°Almost!¡± he shouted, carefully setting down a crate beside a massive, magical ballista. The siege weapon¡ªone of many¡ªwas mounted on the wall, pointed directly at the giant Ravener-spawn¡¯s face. ¡°Just a matter of loading it now!¡± He pried at the steel crate and beside him, Watcher Hill did the same, revealing contents that Professor Jules had been preparing for months. She remembered Carey. She remembered the despair of the young woman¡¯s parents. She remembered the loss of Watcher Shaw and so many others when Greymoor had been attacked. ¡°No more,¡± she whispered, glancing down at the courtyard. More of her graduate students had drawn a summoning circle there: one so vast that a whale might have fit comfortably inside. That strategy would need Baelin to be able to complete it. But the old goat wouldn¡¯t be necessary for what she¡¯d prepared. She glanced back at the ballista. ¡°How long until we¡¯re ready to fire?¡± The Watcher¡ªcarefully picking up one of the objects inside the crate¡ª looked up at her. ¡°Not long. Then, ten seconds to load, and ten between each shot.¡± ¡°Plenty of time.¡± Her eyes fell on the object gingerly clutched in the Watcher¡¯s hands. A chaos bomb: one several times the size of the one Carey had detonated at Uldar¡¯s Rise. And the crate¡ªas well as more crates beside the other ballistae¡ªwere full of them. She glared up at the advancing Ravener-spawn. ¡°Let¡¯s show this ancient god¡¯s puppet what progress looks like.¡± The professor raised her hand. ¡°As soon as that thing¡¯s in range, I want it turned to dust!¡± ### The Skystrider strode over Greymoor¡¯s hills, its enormous feet crushing everything in its path. Every footfall left a deep print in the ground, churning soil and grinding rock to sand. As it marched forward¡ªthousands of Ravener-spawn followed behind¡ªit belched acid, the liquid falling from gaping jaws, collecting on the earth in hissing pools. Its eyes focused on one thing: the mortals¡¯ castle. The Skystrider was the harbinger: the first of many of its kind to be reborn, ready to reap the land. It had been commanded to start here, to annihilate the outsiders that had thrown the cycle out of balance. Left unchecked, they would continue to cause chaos. The final trial was here, these wizards would not be allowed to interfere. Stopping, the Ravener-spawn gazed on the castle. It inhaled, sounding like it had bellowed and spoke in a voice so thunderous, any mortal too near would have been deafened by the sound. ¡°Outsiders¡­¡± it pronounced, each syllable issuing a gale-force wind. ¡°Leave this land. Never return. Do not interfere with the culling. Leave. Or die.¡± Words offered. Words to make the killing easier. But these intruders showed no sign of withdrawing. They continued loading their feeble weapons. They gathered on their little walls. Walls that would be destroyed by a simple twitch of one of the Skystrider¡¯s feet. There was no sign of them heeding its words. ¡°You will suffer much. You will die,¡± it declared. The Ravener-spawn moved forward. One colossal footfall. Then another. It began to gather speed, the wind rushed by its ears as it broke into a deadly charge. There would be no escape for its foes. Acid boiled in its innards, rising to its throat. The outsiders would die. Its chest swelled. And it vomited out a river of death. Chapter 851: "Thats What Progress Looks Like" ¡°Acid!¡± Watcher Hill shouted, raising her staff. ¡°Get those walls of force up!¡± Ahead, a devastating river of death spread across the land with full force, crossing thousands of feet in seconds. ¡°Activate defensive glyphs!¡± Professor Jules shouted. Watchers chanted, levelling their staves toward the wall. Glyphs flared to life on the rampart. A wall of prismatic force sprang up around the Castle, stretching hundreds of feet through the air. ¡°Steady!¡± Watcher Hill cried. The corrosive liquid hit the wall, boiling against it. Force magic flared. Acid hissed. Watchers chanted and defensive glyphs blazed to life. More deadly liquid sprayed along the wall, running down, eating rock and soil, burning a trench of vitriol just beyond its base. ¡°That acid¡¯s eating the ground away!¡± Watcher Hill shouted. ¡°I want earth wizards down below. Get down there, reinforce the tunnels and neutralise it! Ballistae take aim!¡± On the wall, siege engines groaned, turning to face the charging titan, its every step was shaking the earth. Professor Jules¡ªnow flying above the wall¡ªcould feel her teeth rattling. She held its gaze. ¡°Filthy creature,¡± she growled. ¡°I¡¯m not being driven from my own lab by you and the filth behind you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s within range!¡± A Watcher shouted. ¡°Ballista 3-A!¡± Professor Jules pointed to the closest siege engine. ¡°Fire!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± A Watcher repeated the command. The ballista cracked, shooting its contents through the barrier¡ªthe barricade shimmered, letting the bomb pass through¡ªas the projectile flew straight for the oncoming titan.
The Skystrider¡¯s charge was unstoppable. There was too much force. Too much mass. Too much strength. Its acid was eating away the outsiders¡¯ magical defences, but too slowly. Far too slowly. So, its bulk would finish them. The Ravener-spawn could not wait to crush the mortals¡¯ walls beneath its tread, and drink in their cries of despair. So focused was it on its anticipation, that it paid little notice to the projectile shooting through the magical barrier and flying right for it. The monster neither slowed nor hesitated. Its armour was much too thick and its body far too tough for such a tiny projectile to cause it alarm. The Skystrider kept its pace, rushing forward even as the missile cracked against its chest. It was completely unprepared for the blinding flash of light. And even less prepared for the heat and earth-shattering force that slammed into it. The projectile cracked against bone armour, the blast ripping through it. It had built too much momentum to be stopped, but the explosion was too powerful for it to weather. Its armour shattered. Its body fractured. Acid abruptly stopped spraying as the force spun it on its heel, its remaining foot grinding a trench in the earth. The left side of its body was gone, vapourised, but¡ªas it spun¡ªit could see what remained of its left arm spinning through the air, landing among the Ravener-spawn following behind, crushing scores of them. Then, it was falling, hitting the ground with such force that what remained of its innards, pulped. From the ground, the Skystrider looked on with its right eye as the outsiders launched another projectile at the horde. There came another flash of light and terrible heat. A mushroom cloud floated above them. Then it knew nothing more.
The earth rumbled. The horizon burned. And the Research Castle¡¯s inhabitants cheered. Only the Traveller knew how many Ravener-spawn had died in those few moments, unmade by two chaos bombs. Professor Jules allowed a smile of satisfaction to creep across her face. ¡°That¡¯s what progress looks like,¡± she said. Still, she would not celebrate, not yet. As smoke cleared from the moors, flattened by the apocalyptic blasts, she could see that more Ravener-spawn were coming. There were no more titans among them, but she didn¡¯t doubt that would change. Below, the ballista were reloading on the walls, and she eyed their supply of chaos bombs. They¡¯d made scores¡ªjust one of numerous preparations for this day¡ªbut the supply was not unlimited. ¡°We can¡¯t just use them willy-nilly,¡± she said, looking at Watcher Hill. ¡°If more of those titanic monsters appear, we¡¯ll need them, so what would you recommend?¡± ¡°Summon monsters to deal with most of the Ravener-spawn,¡± Hill said. ¡°How long until your summoning circle is ready?¡± Professor Jules glanced down at the courtyard. ¡°Likely another few minutes. Then we¡¯ll need the chancellor to complete the ritual.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll handle things until it¡¯s ready,¡± the Watcher captain said. ¡°Indeed,¡± the chancellor¡¯s voice spoke from behind them. ¡°We will handle things until it¡¯s ready.¡± ¡°Baelin!¡± Professor Jules and Watcher Hill whirled. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. The ancient archwizard was floating behind them, likely having teleported in moments before. He was girded for the war to end all wars. Gone were his day-to-day robes, but he wasn¡¯t wearing the bronze armour he wore into most battles. Instead, he was sheathed in a full suit of starmetal plate, gleaming with a bluish-silver finish, etched with hundreds of powerful glyphs. Every inch of his body was protected, even his face was covered in a mask forged in the image of a demon¡¯s grinning face. In his left hand, he carried his staff, with its goat eye-like jewel. In his right, he held an ominous warhammer, as long-hafted as Professor Jules was tall, and covered in glyphs that stung her eyes when she looked at them for too long. Five gems¡ªeach the size of a human head¡ªwere orbiting around him, sparking with vast amounts of power. Professor Jules raised her eyebrows, ¡°Baelin¡­what is all that?¡± ¡°My war garb.¡± He floated upward, climbing into the sky. ¡°I only don it for battles that I know will test my mettle.¡± Professor Jules and Watcher Hill looked at each other. ¡°Will it be that bad, chancellor?¡¯ Jules asked. ¡°Yes,¡± he said, raising his staff. ¡°I am not sure what you might or might not have figured out, but the situation is changing rapidly. We have mounting evidence that the fae, Lord Aenflynn, is in league with the Ravener and that it is in Och Tir Nog. Ravener-spawn are pouring out of the fae wild all over Thameland.¡± His voice dropped low. ¡°We also believe that he might have both the throne of Uldar and the god¡¯s body in his possession. Excuse me for one moment.¡± He raised his staff. The goat¡¯s eye-gem flared in time with the jewels orbiting him as he pointed to the Ravener-spawn. Mana poured. Every gem turned black momentarily. Outside the Castle walls, six orbs of darkness came into being within the horde, swelling, growing large enough for ancient oaks to fit inside. They began pulsing. And everything around them was pulled in. Wind howled. Soil was torn from the earth, Ravener-spawn were sucked through the air. Thousands of struggling monsters were dragged inside the orbs of darkness, their bodies crunching as they collapsed on themselves the closer they came to an orb. They disappeared at the touch of the darkness. Several heartbeats passed and Baelin waved his staff, dismissing the orbs of darkness, leaving only barren craters where an army of Ravener-spawn once stood. Baelin cursed. ¡°More are already on their way. It seems I have perhaps only bought us minutes. Maybe a little longer.¡± He looked down at Watcher Hill and Professor Jules, hearing the latter cursing vilely. ¡°If the Ravener¡¯s creating armies throughout the fae wild, the battle will be a hard one,¡± she muttered. ¡°That it will,¡± said Prince Khalik. Professor Jules turned, looking behind her, finding the Prince of Tekezash floating there¡ªflanked by Hart and Merzhin. His familiar was perched on his shoulder, and he wore a magical breastplate. A sword was belted at his waist. Hart was clad in a glittering chain shirt from Uldar¡¯s halls¡ªhe was wielding two colossal blades: one from the god¡¯s armoury and the other, his familiar hive-queen sword. Merzhin¡¯s fingers were wrapped around a holy symbol of the Traveller. He wore a brilliant white mantle from Uldar¡¯s sanctum, it blazed with divine power. ¡°We teleported all over Thameland,¡± Hart added. ¡°Everything¡¯s on fire. The Ravener¡¯s sending hordes of spawn at every military camp, small town and fortified village everywhere across the land.¡± ¡°It¡¯s focusing its more powerful monsters on larger targets, like the capital¡ª¡± ¡°And here,¡± Professor Jules finished grimly. As she spoke, Isolde and Cedric materialised beside them, along with Tyris and Vesuvius. The Chosen of Thameland wasn¡¯t bare-chested today, a chain shirt from Uldar¡¯s sanctum protected his torso. Theresa, Claygon, Brutus and Drestra appeared next, and Thundar materialised with Birger and Bjorgrund a moment later. Alex appeared soon after, accompanied by Asmaldestre, a model of golem they¡¯d never seen before, and a half dozen engeli. The war-spirit¡¯s face looked sour, like she¡¯d swallowed a bowl of lemons. ¡°That was a proper battle you took me away from!¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bigger one ahead,¡± Alex said. ¡°And you already helped that battalion in the west get to shelter. Now we need you. And Thameland needs all of us.¡± Silence fell over the group for a moment, as they considered his words. ¡°Glad to see everyone¡¯s alright,¡± Alex continued, relief plain in his voice. ¡°Thank the Traveller.¡± ¡°We¡¯re safe, but¡­lots of people are dead.¡± Theresa gripped her twinblade. ¡°We rescued everyone we could, but¡­there was only so much we could do in the limited time we had.¡± Brutus whimpered, nuzzling his master¡¯s side. ¡°Yeah¡­I hear you.¡± Alex shuddered. ¡°I did what I could in Alric, but there was only so much I could do before I had to leave.¡± Theresa looked into her fiance''s eyes. ¡°Is it¡­is it still standing? Is the inn alright? The soldiers?¡± ¡°When I left, they were okay,¡± He patted Shale¡¯s golem. ¡°I left a pair of gifts from Toraka and a lot of summoned monsters to fight the hordes of Ravener-spawn alongside the soldiers. I also cast a spell called Army of Heroes to help them, and I did the same thing in the capital, and the Cave of the Traveller.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Baelin cocked his head, his eyes narrowing through the slits in his mask. ¡°How is your mana?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright for now,¡± Alex said. ¡°I used a lot, but it¡¯s regenerating pretty fast. By the time we get our supplies from the lab, I should be alright. How about the rest of you?¡± ¡°I had to teleport quite a few times and fight a few battles, so my reserves have been taxed,¡± Khalik admitted. ¡°I am regenerating my mana as we speak, but I would rather not have any difficult fights in the near future.¡± ¡°Yeah, I burned a lot of mana too,¡± Thundar added. ¡°I did as well,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Right,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Then when we gets t¡¯ th¡¯fae wilds, we¡ª¡± He pointed to the other Heroes, Asmaldestre, Theresa, Brutus and Baelin. ¡°¡ªshould be doin¡¯ th¡¯ heavy liftin¡¯ fer a bit whiles th¡¯ others rest up. Tyris, y¡¯comin¡¯ wit¡¯ us?¡± The redheaded battlemage paused, thinking about his question for a long moment. Then she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± she said quietly. ¡°I hate to admit it, but a lot of you are a lot more powerful than I am, and if you have to go into a dungeon after the Ravener, Vesuvius would probably be too big to fit into most tunnels, unless they¡¯re really big. I think it¡¯s better if I stay here and help where I can.¡± ¡°Sensible,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Aye,¡± Cedric agreed. ¡°Well, it¡¯ll just be¡­wait.¡± He looked at Birger and Bjorgrund. ¡°What about you two?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± Bjorgrund lifted Uldar¡¯s axe. ¡°I can fit into tunnels, especially if I shrink myself down, and I¡¯m strong enough to hold my own. I can be a big help. But, father? I think you should stay and help out here in the material world.¡± ¡°What?¡± Birger hissed. ¡°No damned way, son, I¡¯m not letting you go into the heart of danger without me.¡± Bjorgrund placed a hand on his father¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine, father. I¡¯m rune-marked: fighting¡¯s in my soul now, but you¡¯re not a fighter like me. Not when it comes to fighting hordes of monsters face-to-face, axe-to-claw. If you come with us, you could die.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not some helpless babe¡ª¡± Birger started to protest. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Everyone looked at Alex. ¡°What?¡± the older giant said. ¡°I¡­I really hate to say this but, Birger, I think Bjorgrund¡¯s right,¡± the General of Thameland said. ¡°You know some magic, but you¡¯re not a battlemage. Your wards would be a lot more helpful protecting the soldiers here in the material world than they would in the Ravener¡¯s face, or in front of whatever Aenflynn might throw at us. Bjorgrund¡¯s axe, though¡­well, fighters who can overpower powerful Ravener-spawn physically don¡¯t exactly grow on trees, and we need all of those we can get.¡± He looked into Birger¡¯s eyes. ¡°Trust Bjorgrund. He¡¯s grown a lot¡­and I¡¯ll make sure he comes home.¡± The older giant¡¯s lips flattened in a line. Then he sighed. ¡°Fine, you can go with them, Bjorgrund.¡± The old giant hugged his son. ¡°But don¡¯t you dare let anything happen to yourself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, father.¡± Bjorgrund hugged him back. Alex looked around. ¡°So that means me, Claygon, Theresa, Brutus, Bjorgrund, Baelin, Asmaldestre, Isolde, Khalik, Najyah, Thundar, Cedric, Merzhin, Hart, and Drestra are going into the fae wild. Fifteen. Plus whatever we summon.¡± ¡°And me!¡± A deep voice bellowed from below. Alex looked down. Standing in the courtyard were four figures. Kybas and Harmless. Ripp. And lastly¡­ ¡°Grimloch!¡± Theresa shouted. ¡°Heard you were all gonna get dinner without me,¡± the giant sharkman growled. ¡°No way. We feast together.¡± ¡°Harmless and I will fight here, with Ripp!¡± Kybas called. ¡°Help make sure Greymoor doesn¡¯t fall.¡± ¡°Sixteen, then¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°Not a big number, but we have a lot of power. Alright, then let¡¯s get the poison, injectors and anti-dungeon warping device from the lab and we¡¯ll go over our plans. Then¡­¡± He looked at the others. ¡°¡­let¡¯s pay the Ravener and our old ally a surprise visit.¡± Chapter 852: The Enemies of Och Fir Nog ¡°I swear, I¡¯s gonna rip Aenflynn in half m¡¯self.¡± Cedric threatened beneath his breath. He was standing in the laboratory with the rest of the team, watching as the anti-dungeon warping device was loaded onto a floating platform. ¡°I¡¯ll choke th¡¯life from ¡®im.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t,¡± Alex warned, finishing up the loading of the anti-Ravener venom and injection devices onto the platform. ¡°You¡¯re bound by your pact with him: same as Drestra and Hart. Leave the strangling to the ones who won¡¯t be pulverised by fae magic if they attack him. Focus that rage on the Ravener.¡± ¡°Aye¡­¡± the Chosen nodded. ¡°I knows yer bein¡¯ sensible, but I don¡¯ like it. Matter o¡¯ fact, seein¡¯ how ¡®e tricked us makes me wanna strangle ¡®im even more!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that we can¡¯t get him either,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°I¡¯d like to feel my fangs piercing in him as I¡¯m burning him with my flames. I can smell it now.¡± There was no humour in her voice. ¡°Do not be so sure that he would be so easy to strike down.¡± Baelin warned. ¡°Old fae lords wield terrible power, and we do not know just what he has managed to do with that throne yet. So, expect the fight of a lifetime.¡± ¡°The thought of him having the throne and doing whatever he wished with it sickens me,¡± Merzhin growled. ¡°Perhaps I could craft an interdiction¡ª¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Alex activated the force shielding on the floating platform. ¡°That kind of interdiction could damage your soul. And we need you and your soul if we¡¯re going to get through this.¡± ¡°Preferably alive.¡± Thundar rumbled, eyeing Uldar¡¯s mace. ¡°Yeah.¡± Grimloch thumbed the spikes on his maul. A warhammer from Uldar¡¯s sanctum was slung over his back. ¡°If I die, then Nua-Oge¡¯s gonna kill all of you, even if you live through the Ravener.¡± ¡°O-oh,¡± Alex said. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°In any case, I will kill all of you if you don¡¯t live through this,¡± Professor Jules said, looking at each of them. ¡°So many of you are so young. So strong. With such bright futures. It would be wrong to have that taken from you by ancient things.¡± ¡°Oh? I happen to be an ancient thing,¡± Baelin said. ¡°So are you saying only the young ones deserve to live through this, Vernia?¡± ¡°You have lived long enough, old goat.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± the chancellor said dryly. Professor Jules looked upon them, as though trying to commit each face to memory. Four Heroes. A life-enforcement empowered huntress and her cerberus blood familiar. A life-enforcement enhanced sharkman. A young rune-marked giant and his father, even if the latter was staying behind. One of the strongest war-spirits from across the planes. An ancient archwizard. Three powerful young wizards.¡­and finally, their commander. Her eyes rested on Alex. ¡°Mr. Roth, I want you to take extra care,¡± she warned him. ¡°The others, I can count on them to be somewhat more sensible. But you¡­I want you to make sure that you are at your wedding when this is all over, not at your funeral.¡± Behind her, several other wizards: including Tyris and Kybas nodded. Alex lowered his head. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure we come back. I will.¡± ¡°And what is the plan, fearless leader?¡± Khalik asked. ¡°What are we to do from here?¡± The young archwizard faced the others. ¡°We¡¯ll go to the fae wild through the closest fae gate, but I¡¯m guessing we¡¯re going to have a hell of a time of it on the other side. Ravener-spawn are flooding through the gates, so any gate we go through will likely have a horde waiting on the other side. Now, we have enough power that your average horde of Ravener-spawn shouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­at first.¡± ¡°What do you mean, at first?¡± Hart asked. He gave the Champion a grave look. ¡°The problem we have is that we don¡¯t know where the Ravener is in the fae wild. We¡¯ll need to hunt for it, which means we could be fighting for a long time. We have a lot of mana and our fighters have a lot of stamina, but neither of those things are infinite. We need to preserve as much of our strength as we can.¡± Alex held up two fingers. ¡°Because we have two major threats we need to deal with. Aenflynn¡ªand whatever he¡¯s been doing with Uldar¡¯s body and throne¡ªand the Ravener, with its full power. They¡¯d be hard enough fights if we were fresh¡­but if we face them after hours or even days of clawing our way through hordes of Ravener-spawn? It¡¯s going to be rough.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Isolde crossed her arms. ¡°Then what is the plan?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to summon some astral engeli, and teleport around Och Fir Nog with them, seeing if we can locate the throne and the body,¡± Alex said. ¡°That¡¯ll be the fastest way for us to search.¡± The young archwizard looked at Baelin. ¡°Do you think you can take Aenflynn?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Even if he¡¯s done something with Uldar¡¯s body and throne?¡± Low laughter rolled from the chancellor¡¯s mouth. ¡°Are you asking me to face the fae lord so the rest of you can focus your efforts on the Ravener?¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said. ¡°And if Aenflynn and the Ravener are in different places, I¡¯m going to ask you to separate from the rest of us and lock him down. I¡¯ll teleport back and forth to support whoever needs it¡­but yeah, Baelin you¡¯re our most powerful card, I¡¯m thinking. So you making sure that Aenflynn is either dead or at least can¡¯t interfere with us dealing with the Ravener, is what we¡¯ll need. I know that¡¯s asking a lot¡ª¡± ¡°I knew there was a reason I liked you.¡± Baelin chuckled. ¡°A fae lord who is possibly wielding the power of a god¡­and facing him with nothing but my own power and wits. The thought of that tickles me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Professor Jules said dryly. ¡°Oh, do not be so cross, Vernia,¡± Baelin said simply. ¡°After all, I have supplied the final piece for your ritual, and you may activate it whenever you wish. I dare say I have earned a little bit of fun,¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Chancellor, your ¡®fun¡¯ will be the ruin of us all.¡± ¡°No, no.¡± His beard-braids clinked. ¡°Just the ruin of our enemies, of course.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re so eager, Baelin,¡± Alex said. ¡°If you need help, I¡¯ve got plans to support you.¡± ¡°How kind of you,¡± Baelin said. ¡°So that¡¯ll leave th¡¯ rest o¡¯ us t¡¯ hunt the Ravener down, aye?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯re going to be moving quickly, teleporting as fast as we can. We should avoid fights if we can, until we actually find the Ravener¡¯s dungeon. And we¡¯ll focus on finding it fast.¡± ¡°Sounds like a solid plan,¡± Hart said. The others murmured, nodding in agreement. Alex took a deep breath. ¡°Then¡­this is it, I guess.¡± ¡°Good luck!¡± Kybas said. ¡°Harmless and I will be rooting for you.¡± ¡°As will we all,¡± Professor Jules added. ¡°End this and end it well.¡± ¡°We will.¡± Alex touched the floating platform holding the devices. ¡°Alright, here we go. Everyone get close and touch me. We¡¯ll be teleporting together.¡± The group gathered around Alex, exchanging looks and words of encouragement. Then the General teleported them out of the lab. ### On a misty battlefield beyond Och Fir Nog¡¯s borders, the world was ending. The air shimmered, lethal fumes released, flesh melted. The earth bucked, opening like the jaws of great beasts, swallowing terrified victims. All around, the sky was pure fire and lightning. Rivers boiled, catching anyone near their banks, dragging them to a watery end. Fae screamed and died. Ravener-spawn marched through the chaos like they were out for a stroll on a warm summer¡¯s day, unconcerned, and slaughtering. They pulled fae from their hiding holes and crushed pixies beneath trampling feet. Some were swallowed whole by behemoths and others were drained dry by Spear-Flies. Together, Ravener-spawn and fae killed everything they came across, wiping the misty lands free of all life. Well¡­almost all life. Behind the various Ravener-spawn marched Aenflynn¡¯s fae armies from Och Fir Nog, watching, engaging and cheering as ancient enemies and rivals were wiped out with ease. Ancient grudges¡ªsome thousands of years old¡ªevaporated in a tide of blood and Ravener-spawn. Even the enemy fae, desperately wanting to fight back could only watch in futility as divine light encased the monsters and enemy army invading their lands, healing them of the slightest wound. The attacked screamed for salvation, crying out to their fae queen for her aid. But, they could not know that she was already dead: reduced to a smouldering husk by a bolt of divine lightning in her very palace while sitting atop her ivy throne. There would be no hope coming to save the enemies bordering Och Fir Nog¡¯s boundaries. And Lord Aenflynn could only smile, sitting comfortably upon Uldar¡¯s throne, safely within his palace. His eyes peered through the window, his vision stretching hundreds of miles to drink in every detail of the slaughter he was responsible for. He watched as a group of Redcaps burst from a swamp, determined to flank a group of his forces. The fae lord smiled, whistled a musical tone of power, then waved a hand. Divine might surged through Uldar¡¯s chair, rising, flowing through the air around Aenflynn¡¯s hand like an orchestra obeying its conductor. The fae lord whistled a harsh tone then flicked his wrist. Divine power shot away, crossing hundreds of miles in an instant. As the redcaps advanced, the ground beneath them transformed from its earthy hue to bright white, their bodies instantly disintegrating, divine force unmaking them down to the smallest particle. Aenflynn smiled wider, revealing his sharp teeth. He was feeling quite taken with himself. Manipulation of matter through will, magic and song was an old fae trick, one the Stalker had mastered well. The short fae had weaved objects through the air and split flesh with a single wave of a hand. His art had made him a terror for the thousands he¡¯d hunted over the millennia, and there were very few fae who were his better in the art. Lord Aenflynn was one of those few. He had gone far beyond what most learned: he did not weave mere matter any longer, but was now able to conduct energy and power itself¡­as long as he had time to learn the quirks of the energy he wished to bend. And at this point, he¡¯d had time, many months with Uldar¡¯s throne. And those endless nights of practice¡ªlocked away in his castle¡ªhad borne much fruit indeed. ¡°Thank you, old friend,¡± he said, thinking about Uldar as he devastated an entire village of Asrai with the flick of a finger. ¡°You fought at my side against my rivals in life. Now? Now in death, you wipe them out like a spring rain washes away the muck of a winter¡¯s thaw.¡± His smile faded, slightly. ¡°But I must work quickly.¡± He thought about what the Ravener¡¯s Hunter had told him earlier. Of what the mortals were doing, and how the Ravener would respond. Aenflynn had always known¡ªfrom the moment he¡¯d ¡®nudged¡¯ Uldar¡¯s construct into Och Fir Nog for sanctuary¡ªthat a final confrontation between the Ravener and the mortals would occur. Those lovely, clever little Heroes would likely be coming to see him soon. Aenflynn had fooled them long enough with his little trick in Uldar¡¯s sanctum: spying on them, sending Ravener-spawn to steal the throne and body while they were occupied, then whisking the Ravener-spawn, the body and chair into the fae wild. After that, there had been months of learning how to bend and manipulate his old friend¡¯s energies. Now, though? He doubted his ruse would remain undiscovered for much longer: the Ravener was attempting to destroy Thameland, and the Thameish would likely discover where these new creatures were coming from. After that? They would arrive in Och Fir Nog, crying about treachery. But what treachery was there? He had not harmed them. If anything, he wished them all the best! Were it not for their actions, he would not have gained the ultimate weapon to finally bring the enemies of his realm low. Still, he knew they would not see it the same way he did. Young mortals often did have narrow vision. And so he¡¯d acted first, allowing the Ravener-spawn to use his fae gates en masse to wipe away as much¡­resistance as they could. He doubted it would be enough, but it would slow the mortals down. Hopefully, long enough for him to finish destroying his true enemies in the fae wild. Once that was done? Then things would become interesting. ¡°There are cards left yet to play,¡± he whispered, humming to himself as he crushed an entire fae castle with a single act of will. ¡°And if I play them right, we might walk away from all of this as friends. It will depend on how they react, though. As long as they are sensible¡­but, then again¡­mortals rarely are¡­ Still, I¡¯d love to speak to them. Hopefully, they can see reason.¡± Chapter 853: What Being Did I Annoy? Gwyllain, the asrai, sincerely wondered what great and powerful being he had managed to annoy. He couldn¡¯t remember angering any fae lord, ancient dragon, mighty witch or irritable godling, but he must have, at some point. Otherwise, there was no way his luck could be this bad. No way. In a time span that was a mere blink of an eye to a fae, he¡¯d been captured and nearly eaten by a blue annis hag, almost killed by three of those hags and a horde of Ravener-spawn, and had crossed paths with the bloody Stalker. After that, things had been peaceful for a while. But now? This very instant, his life had turned to shit. The little fae sat in a small stream, with only the top of his face and head peeking above the water¡¯s surface as the world burned around him. In the distance, he could see the burned out remains of an all too familiar¡ªand highly traumatising¡ªwindmill. This was a place he would normally avoid, but¡ªthis spring¡ªhe¡¯d heard that clumps of absolutely delectable mushrooms had begun growing in the forest around here. After weeks spent considering the situation, he¡¯d finally built up enough nerve to come and gather some for his own larder. He¡¯d slipped out of the fae wild easily enough, but he¡¯d only managed to pick a single mushroom when the world had decided: ¡®You know what, mate? Now¡¯s a good time to end.¡¯ And then, it started doing just that. First came the patrol: a big group of foreign wizards and hirelings from a realm far beyond Thameland¡¯s shores. They¡¯d had sharp eyes and itchy sword-hands, so Gwyllain had scurried into this stream, hiding beneath the water¡¯s surface until the loud stupid mortals passed. That was when Ravener-spawn¡ªmuch to his shock¡ªhad come boiling from the nearby fae-gate and attacked the patrol. The battle was apocalyptic. Mortal wizards wielded earth-shaking spells, while Ravener-spawn attacked with tooth, claw and their own magics. Those invisible monsters with the many eyes had come from the mushroom circle, attacking and paralysing some of the mortals, then turning them to stone and shattering them with their dreadful screams. But the mortals had magics to expose the hidden creatures, and they struck them with fire, lightning and force. Every time one of many-eyed beasts was defeated, it would explode, turning great swathes of the forest to ash. It was only by some miracle that Gwyllain hadn¡¯t been blown to bits yet by one of those blasts. He needed to escape¡­but there was no chance. Even poking his head too far above the water risked him getting struck by some errant spell or Ravener-spawn¡¯s eye-beam. So, here he sat, in this stream, trembling, desperately hoping that no explosion would vaporise him, and trying to figure out what powerful being could have it out for him. ¡®No fae¡¯s this unlucky,¡¯ he thought fearfully. ¡®No one is! Why? Why does this keep happening to me? This is supposed to be the time of plenty! So many of my friends filled their larders with honey, jams and other tasty treats many of the Thameish mortals left behind. All I¡¯ve been getting is almost kill¡ª¡± That was when he was almost killed. A great orb of darkness sprang to life in the distance, then another and another. They began pulling in Ravener-spawn and everything else around them like starving beasts, obliterating the screaming monsters. Moments later, an explosion tore through the air: fire bright enough to blind someone raged in the forest, consuming much of the woodland in an instant. Ravener-spawn withered, more magic came for the remainder, destroying them. Fire. Lightning. Earth and stone. All came together, ending the monsters¡¯ lives. The army of spawn was destroyed, apart from those still flowing through the fae gate. But there was no free pass for those either when another group of deadly warriors and mages attacked them, routing the monsters. Soaring past the now retreating foreign patrol was¡­ ¡­oh no. Oh no! Alexander Roth¡ªthe crazy wizard¡ªwas leading a horde of even crazier looking wizards and warriors right for the Ravener-spawn swarming from the gate. They fought their way through the spawn like wounded boars, trampling the monsters like they were simply fighting a nest of ants, then making their way to the circle of mushrooms. ¡°Everybody ready!¡± Gwyllain heard Alexander cry, as he destroyed a mass of bone-chargers with a wave of his hand. ¡°We won¡¯t know what¡¯s on the other side so be prepared!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± A giant shouted, slicing a behemoth¡¯s leg off with a stroke of his axe. Soon, the group was inside the fae circle, shimmering, being pulled into the fae wild. A breath later, they were gone. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. As silence descended on the forest, a trembling Gwyllain slowly crawled from the water, moving as fast as he could away from the smouldering battlefield. ¡°If I live through today, I¡¯ll never have anything more to do with mortal wizards, fae lords or anything else great and powerful!¡± he promised himself. ¡°Not ever! No matter how tempting the mushrooms near them are!¡±
When Alex and his companions stepped into the fae wild, he expected to be attacked by something great and powerful. Maybe Ravener-spawn from Thameland¡¯s ancient days on guard at the fae gate. Or mighty fae warriors, waiting to slaughter them. Even the Ravener itself. What he didn¡¯t expect¡­was¡­ ¡°There¡¯s¡­nothing¡­here¡­¡± Claygon said, with his iron head swivelling about and his spear raised. ¡°Nothing or no one ¡­at all.¡± The group of warriors and wizards had emerged in a misty grove of fruit trees, ladened with silver coloured, apple-shaped fruit. Beneath the evening sky, crickets peacefully chirped in the thick grass. A warm breeze rustled branches, making the fruit jingle like cheery Sigmus bells. The air smelled faintly of holly and honey. Butterflies with glowing wings flitted about. There were no Ravener-spawn present, and the only sign that the monsters had ever been there were tracks covering the clearing around the mushroom circle, and filling a wide path leading through the trees to the east. ¡°Well, if this don¡¯ seem like a trap, I don¡¯ know what does?¡± Cedric raised his weapons. ¡°Ravener-spawn was jus¡¯ pourin¡¯ through th¡¯ fae-gate. This place should b¡¯ crawlin¡¯ wit¡¯ th¡¯ bastards.¡± ¡°Yet it isn¡¯t.¡± Theresa and Brutus sniffed the air. ¡°And they were just here.¡± ¡°And something still is,¡± Baelin said. All eyes turned to the beastfolk archwizard. His horned head was tilted toward the wind. ¡°Something spies on us from afar. To¡­the north of here.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± a strange voice spoke, seeming to echo from every branch, leaf, blade of grass¡­and even the air itself. The group tensed, preparing to fight as the earth before them rippled, and began to rise. Mud, soil and grass extended into a column that began shifting, taking on a vaguely humanoid form. Soon, sharp, delicate features appeared on its face. ¡°You!¡± Cedric snarled, brandishing his weapons. ¡°Bloody traitor!¡± ¡°Do not throw those words out so carelessly,¡± a voice came from the regal figure of a tall, narrow-shouldered fae. ¡°Lord Aenflynn, I¡¯m guessing?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Indeed,¡± the Fae lord, his image transformed from earth, grass and soil said. ¡°And you must be the General of Thameland. Greetings. And greetings to the rest of you.¡± ¡°Be careful!¡± Merzhin hissed between clenched teeth. ¡°I¡­I feel Uldar¡¯s divinity coming from this effigy of dirt before us!¡± ¡°Very astute, young priest,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°But worry not, I am not here to fight you. Quite the opposite: I actually drove the Ravener-spawn away to clear space for us when I heard you were to arrive here. I thought we might have a chat, before you did something senseless. Have ourselves a little parley¡ª¡± He looked from Cedric to Drestra to Hart. ¡°¡ªmuch as we did not so long ago.¡± The Fae lord¡¯s image gestured to another section of the clearing, and he whistled. The ground beneath their feet rumbled, producing stone chairs and a massive table. The table was circular in shape and broad enough to accommodate eighteen seats, of different sizes. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°No way I¡¯m accepting your supposed hospitality again,¡± Hart said. ¡°I think that goes for all of us,¡± Alex added. ¡°Why not? I haven¡¯t met most of you before,¡± Aenflynn shrugged. ¡°Do not be rude in my domain.¡± His voice had a barb to it. No one flinched. ¡°What the hells do you want?¡± Alex asked. ¡°So, will you be the spokesperson?¡± Aenflynn asked. ¡°Have a sea¡ª¡± ¡°No,¡± the General pushed the Fae lord¡¯s offer away. ¡°You¡¯re here to parley? Then fine. What do you have to say?¡± He threw Baelin the subtlest of glances. If the ancient archwizard had sensed what direction they were being watched from¡­ Through the slits of his mask, the chancellor¡¯s eyes were slightly unfocused. Alex knew exactly what to do. Focusing the Mark of the General on drawing the fae lord¡¯s attention, he returned Aenflynn¡¯s gaze, adjusting his own body language to be just rude enough to set the fae¡¯s teeth on edge. Not to attack¡­but to definitely disrespect. The earthen image of the Fae lord watched Alex closely. ¡°If you will not sit, then so be it,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°You mortals become so rude when you¡¯re thwarted. Alright, so this is how it is. The Ravener seems to have quite lost its mind. I do not think anyone can stop it now.¡± Alex laughed at that. ¡°We can.¡± ¡°Can you?¡± Aenflynn raised an eyebrow. ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not. But can you do so before your realm is wiped from history? I know that you know much, and you likely know that the Ravener was able to cull all of Thameland once upon a time. Even if you kill it, it will take you time to do so. Plenty of time for your entire kingdom to die. Every second you spend is¡­how many of your army will be dead? Hundreds? Thousands?¡± Cedric grimaced, glaring at the Fae lord. Alex took a step forward, keeping Aenflynn¡¯s attention on him. He put on a mask of anger, as though the fae¡¯s words had gotten to him. ¡°And your point?¡± Alex asked. ¡°My point is that if we come to an agreement, then we can all walk away from this alive and much better off.¡± The Fae lord raised a hand. An image of Thameland on fire appeared above it. ¡°Your kingdom is lost, nothing can prevent that¡­but what you can do is save those brave soldiers who fight for its survival.¡± The image changed to one of soldiers marching away from the battlefield, their armour blackened by soot. Then the image changed to soldiers hugging their families, reuniting with their children and setting off toward new lands. Leading them was King Athelstan, accompanied by the five Heroes. ¡°The Ravener has Uldar¡¯s body, and is using¡ª¡± ¡°We knows you gots th¡¯ bloody body an¡¯ throne!¡± Cedric interrupted. Alex fought back the urge to wince as Aenflynn¡¯s image smiled. He¡¯d made a probing statement. One meant to make the Heroes and their companions reveal more about what they knew, or had guessed. And now Cedric had bitten and Aenflynn had confirmed a little more of their knowledge. ¡®Point to you,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡°I do have his throne,¡± Aenflynn admitted. ¡°And I have spent much time mastering its energies. I wield the power of a god¡ªnot quite with the natural proficiency of Uldar¡ªbut it is still a deadly weapon in my hands. One that could either turn against you¡­or help you. The choice is yours.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I think you deserve a little honesty, as a show of good will,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°I used Uldar¡¯s throne as a weapon against Och Fir Nog¡¯s many enemies. As Uldar helped me in the past, I used his power to wipe away many of my realm¡¯s rivals in a single swoop. In short, I have what I want. Many of my enemies are now dead, and those who are left alive are in no position to strike back. So do not think of going to them for aid. But, this situation is a good thing for you.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Because it means I have no use for seeing the Ravener wipe all of you out,¡± Aenflynn admitted. ¡°Make a pact with me, here and now, and I will use Uldar¡¯s divine power to whisk you all away from Thameland and to your families¡­wherever they are scattered to. Blood calls to blood, and I can find them easily enough.¡± Alex did not miss the implied threat. ¡°So we¡¯re supposed to abandon our homes?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Yes,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°Precisely. What is more important to you? The dirt upon which you make your lives or the lives of your loved ones? Make peace with me now, and I will see to it that the armies of Thameland are saved, families reunited with families, and everyone free to restart their lives elsewhere. Make war with me now, and I will simply use Uldar¡¯s throne to aid the Ravener in wiping out yet one more enemy of Och Fir Nog.¡± The earthen projection¡¯s eyes shone like jewels. ¡°I leave the choice to you.¡± Chapter 854: Walk Away ¡°How can you wield Uldar¡¯s power?¡± Merzhin demanded. ¡°It¡¯s¡­not yours! And you¡¯re no priest!¡± ¡°Many energies can be manipulated if you know the right tricks and know the energy well enough.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s earthen projection smiled at the Saint. ¡°And I know the tricks, and became acquainted with Uldar¡¯s energy during the thousands of years he stood at my side, ruling Thameland as I ruled Och Fir Nog. It did not take me long to truly become acquainted with the divinity focused on his throne. The exact mechanics of it¡­I think I will keep to myself. After all, should you choose poorly, it will cost you.¡± ¡°I would like to point out a flaw in your plan,¡± Prince Khalik offered. ¡°Oh?¡± Aenflynn looked at the prince. ¡°And what is that?¡± ¡°You draw on Uldar¡¯s throne for the power to strike down your enemies, but that throne needs Uldar¡¯s faithful to maintain its strength. If you let the Ravener kill all the Thameish here and then¡­I do not know, find some way for its Ravener-spawn to leave this land and kill the rest, then wouldn''t you deprive yourself of the fear and faith that powers your weapon?¡± ¡°Ah, we have one who thinks himself clever. Remember, I have struck down my foes,¡± Aenflynn chuckled. ¡°I truly have little more need for the chair. If you take my pact, I will keep my weapon, true, but what good is a weapon if one¡¯s enemies are already dead? The throne will become one of my many trophies in that case. But¡­why even consider that? Make peace with me. That way, I keep my weapon, your people are saved, and I might be persuaded to even use the throne to help all of you on your journey to find a new land. Uldar guided your ancestors, and his power will guide you¡­while I guide it. Think of it. The Ravener wins. You win. I win. Or¡­¡± He spread his hands. ¡°¡­we could all start trying to tear each other apart like angry bears fighting over a piece of fish. You will lose, and¡ªeven if you do not¡ªthe battle will cost you dearly. So choose. And choose wisely.¡± Alex glared at the Fae lord, projecting an image of hate and anger. He wanted Aenflynn to think he¡¯d gotten the better of him. He¡¯d¡ª ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± the Fae lord interrupted the thought running through Alex¡¯s mind. ¡°When we negotiate, you¡ª¡± He pointed at Alex. ¡°¡ªwill stay out of it. I am aware of how tricky Fools and Generals can be. And it looks like you all have come back into your full strength. I¡¯d rather deal with someone a bit more honest. So you, Drestra, I will speak with you.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± the Sage demanded. ¡°Because, I have you to thank for all of this.¡± He chuckled. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your suggestion to take Ravener-spawn instead of mortal children to reinforce my armies, I would not have started thinking outside of the little box I¡¯d crafted for myself. Thank you! Now and then the young can teach us old creatures some new tricks!¡± ¡°Perhaps, but I think that the old can still learn from those even older.¡± A deep voice joined the conversation. Aenflynn looked at Baelin sharply, as did the others. ¡°For example, divinity and fae magic can both view things from vast distances.¡± Baelin stepped forward. ¡°It is how many pantheons view the daily lives of their followers.¡± ¡°It is how Uldar, my old friend, watched Thameland from his sanctum,¡± Aenflynn nodded contentedly. ¡°You are correct!¡± Baelin laughed. ¡°As a matter of fact, I studied his viewing room. Including¡­¡± Malice dripped from his words. ¡°How to track such power back to its source.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s smile dropped. ¡°Your palace was hidden well,¡± Baelin said. ¡°But your tricks are old ones, and I know the old ways well. Interesting parley, by the way? Why don¡¯t we conduct this discussion in person?¡± The chancellor looked at Alex. ¡°Find the Ravener. I will show you the way to Aenflynn¡¯s palace. You will not be able to miss it. Happy hunting!¡± There was a surge of mighty teleportation magic. Baelin disappeared. Then the ground began to shake. ¡°What?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s image growled. ¡°What did you bring with you? I will extract a blood price from your bones-¡± Waves of fire bathed the effigy partway through its sentence, destroying it utterly. Drestra¡ªnow in dragon form¡ªclosed her smoking jaws. ¡°That felt better than you could imagine.¡± Before anyone could respond, the earth shook even harder. ¡°Everyone grab onto me!¡± Alex shouted. Many hands¡ªas well as Brutus¡¯ jaws and the tip of one of Drestra¡¯s talons¡ªtouched the young archwizard, and he teleported the group a mile into the sky. Far below¡ªwhere the party had stood a moment earlier¡ªthe forest rose up, shaped in a titan¡¯s hand, the ground trembled as earth and stone morphed into fingers on the colossal hand. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. In the middle of its palm was the fae gate, and the round table and chairs that Aenflynn had created. With an earth shattering noise, five titanic fingers abruptly closed, crushing everything in their grip. ¡°I¡¯m glad I wasn¡¯t down there!¡± Thundar called. ¡°But we are still not safe yet!¡± Merzhin shouted. ¡°Divine energy is gathering around¡­wait¡­¡± He paused, looking around. ¡°Uldar¡¯s power was just filling the air around us, now suddenly, it is fading. Why? What could¡ª¡± ¡°Look!¡± Therea shouted, pointing to the distance. Far to the north, a blinding light, as brilliant as a living sun being born, flashed. It was followed by a crack of thunder. The earth bucked releasing a shockwave that swept outward, ripping apart tree branches, lashing the companions in a fierce wind. ¡°What in the world was that?¡± Bjorgrund shouted. ¡°I would guess that would be the chancellor!¡± Isolde cried over the wind. ¡°Well, I think I know why the divine energy decreased!¡± Merzhin shouted. ¡°Hell of a distraction,¡± Hart said, his voice dropping as the wind died. ¡°Yeah, and one hell of a signal too.¡± Alex blinked away the after-image of the blinding light and squinted into the distance. ¡°I sense wondrous violence for me to take part in.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s words cut into Alex¡¯s ears. The others winced. ¡°We need you,¡± the young archwizard said. ¡°We need to find the Ravener and we¡¯re going to have to concentrate on that. We have to stick to the plan.¡± ¡°Najyah can see what is happening over there, but not very clearly,¡± Khalik cut the others off. ¡°There is a thick mist in the distance, but she can see Baelin¡¯s magic breaking through the mist. Behind it is¡­a castle. Perhaps the Ravener is there.¡± ¡°Um¡­my friends¡­¡± Claygon interrupted Khalik. ¡°Look around us¡­all around us¡­¡± The companions tore their attention away from the distant battle. ¡°Oh shit,¡± Alex muttered. They¡¯d been so tunnel-visioned on Aenflynn, they hadn¡¯t noticed the gathering Ravener-spawn. Thousands of monsters, moving through Och Fir Nog, marching along the fae roads and pouring through the fae gates. Dungeons had formed near the gates, and many were different from those found in Thameland. These were not grand complexes buried underground like immense ant nests. These dungeons were open to the air: yawning holes in the earth that looked like craters of throbbing flesh. From the centre of each crater, Ravener-spawn were being birthed¡ªdozens at a time¡ªclawing their way to the nearest fae gate soon after. ¡°Look at that!¡± Thundar cried, pointing to the west. In the distance, an immense crater shuddered, birthing a titanic humanoid monster like those in Alex¡¯s vision. The creature rose to its full height¡ªtowering above all else¡ªthen purposefully stepped into a nearby fae gate and vanished from Och Fir Nog. Through another fae gate, Ravener-spawn transported dozens of dungeon cores, bringing more of the monster-spawning black orbs into the material world. ¡°They¡¯re endless¡­¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°And they¡¯re coming from everywhere¡­¡± ¡°I had hoped we could simply follow where the Ravener-spawn were emerging from, and use that to lead us back to their master¡­¡± Khalik scowled. ¡°But it seems that the construct is clever: it is not creating a clear path for us to follow.¡± ¡°Bloody hells, what¡¯re we supposed t¡¯do then?¡± Cedric cursed. ¡°Search all o¡¯ Och Fir Nog? How big is this bloody place?¡± ¡°Very,¡± Drestra said. ¡°It¡¯s not as big as Thameland, but we¡¯d still be searching for a long time, trying to find a single dungeon in a big enough realm.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have a long time,¡± Hart remarked, looking at Alex. ¡°What do we do, fearless leader?¡± The world slowed down around Alex, streams of consciousness focusing on different clues and pieces of information they had. What did they know? They knew for sure that Aenflynn had the throne. He¡¯d said as much¡­but what hadn¡¯t he said? He didn¡¯t say that the Ravener was with him. He hadn¡¯t said where the Ravener was. And he hadn¡¯t said where Uldar¡¯s body was. What else did they know? Baelin had found Aenflynn¡¯s castle, so they had its location. They had a map of the fae roads, which they could use to guide them through Och Fir Nog. They did not know what dangers this fae realm would hold¡­or if the inhabitants would be hostile to them. They did know that breaking Och Fir Nog¡¯s laws would be a problem for Drestra, Cedric and Hart, though they didn¡¯t know exactly how. Where did that leave them? A plan formed in Alex¡¯s mind. The world sped up around him. ¡°Alright, we need to split up for a bit,¡± Alex said. ¡°Cedric, Hart, Drestra? You could be in a lot of trouble if you break any of this land¡¯s laws, so we need you to avoid harming any fae or destroying anything that¡¯s not Ravener-spawn.¡± ¡°Right, so what does that mean exactly?¡± Hart asked. ¡°I want you to take Merzhin, and teleport, then fly around Och Tir Nog while our Saint here tries to sense any traces of Uldar¡¯s divinity.¡± The General looked at the Saint. ¡°Aenflynn said he had the throne, but he didn¡¯t say he had the body. There¡¯s a chance that the Ravener has it.¡± ¡°A good thought¡­perhaps Aenflynn even secured the Ravener¡¯s aid by giving it its creator¡¯s body,¡± Merzhin proposed. ¡°Yeah, good thinking: even more reason to assume the Ravener has his body. And if it doesn¡¯t? Then we still need to find that body: it¡¯s still a focus for Uldar¡¯s divinity and we can¡¯t just leave it in enemy hands.¡± ¡°So we go around, stick to the sky, and look for the old bastard¡¯s corpse,¡± Hart said. ¡°Sounds good to me. Should we kill any Ravener-spawn we find that¡¯s airborne?¡± ¡°Yeah, we should,¡± Alex said. ¡°Just try not to use too much mana and stamina.¡± ¡°Aye, sounds like a plan then,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Agreed,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°What about the rest of us?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°Are we with you?¡± Alex shook his head, pointing at a nearby fae gate. He looked at Khalik. ¡°My friend, do you think you can bury those gates with your earth magic?¡± The prince looked down at one appraisingly. ¡°With ease.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Alex looked at his companions. ¡°Then I want Khalik with Najyah, Theresa, Brutus, Bjorgrund, Thundar, Isolde, Grimloch, Claygon and Asmaldestre, to go around and destroy as many fae gates as you can find. We need to cut off the Ravener-spawns¡¯ routes to Thameland and bottleneck them as much as possible. That won¡¯t stop Aenflynn¡¯s fae from taking Ravener-spawn through to Thameland, but it¡¯ll slow the enemy down.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Grimloch grinned. His armour¡ªa massive suit taken from Uldar¡¯s armoury¡ªgleamed. ¡°We didn¡¯t make no pact with this Aenflynn, so we don¡¯t have to worry about any laws. ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°What about¡­you¡­father?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°I can teleport the fastest and the most out of all of us,¡± Alex said. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to turn invisible, summon a lot of astral engeli and spread them out throughout Och Fir Nog. I¡¯ll be trying to find the Ravener and Uldar¡¯s body.¡± The archwizard squinted to the north. ¡°I also want to take a closer look at that battle. If there¡¯s a way I can get to Uldar¡¯s throne past Aenflynn and do something to it¡­anyway, well that¡¯s the plan. Let¡¯s start moving. The Ravener should be having some problems any time now, and I want to take advantage of that before it finds a way to adjust.¡± ¡°What?¡± Drestra asked. ¡°What do you mean? Did you do something to it?¡± ¡°Not directly.¡± Alex smiled. Hobb¡¯s words returned to him. ¡°But it¡¯s making a lot of dungeons¡­which means it should be getting a nasty surprise soon.¡± Chapter 855: Courage The Ravener rippled with power. Dungeon cores, by the number, swarmed from its black surface and into the waiting claws of its Ravener-spawn. The creatures darted away, taking the orbs from the lair and through the tunnels, transporting them so new dungeons could be built near their ally¡¯s gates, or carried to the material world where they could make dungeons in Thameland. The feeling it was having was invigorating. How many thousands of years had passed since it had revelled in its true strength, not having to constrain its full arsenal of apocalyptic monsters. Yes, this would be the end of Thameland. ¡®This is a trial you will fail,¡¯ the construct thought as it drew on its vast reserves of power, transforming the Thameish fear into monsters spawned right from the peoples¡¯ nightmares. ¡®You will not be able to stop me. My armies are endless and yours are¡­are¡­¡¯ The Ravener¡¯s thoughts paused. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Deep within its core, it could feel its power lessening as it spawned its many monsters and dungeon cores¡­but that should have been impossible. The amounts of terror flowing from Thameland should have provided an endless tide of power for the construct to draw upon. Yet, its energies were decreasing. Why? The Ravener reached out, probing its energies, discovering something so unexpected that its thought processes froze for a time. ¡®The mountain of fear from the creator¡¯s people¡­where is it? There¡¯s very little flowing to me!¡¯ It thought. ¡®This is impossible! This is a time of culling! I have unleashed my most powerful servants, but the amount of fear coming from the mortals is low! Hardly any feeds me! What is happening?¡¯ Frustration rose as the Ravener was forced to slow its output. The flow of dungeon cores and monsters springing from its form slowed to a fraction of what it had been. Meanwhile, the construct struggled to understand what had changed. All the while, that stirring feeling that had started earlier¡­continued to grow, hovering just beneath its notice.
¡°I¡¯ve never felt so alive!¡± an elven mercenary shouted. Laughing wildly, he stabbed his thin sword through the gaps in one of the eight back-legs of a Ravener-spawn¡ªpiercing its innards repeatedly. With a gurgle, the creature toppled, and the elf¡ªand the horde of raucous mercenaries around him¡ªsurged ahead, slaying at will, using weapons still glowing from the General of Thameland¡¯s mighty spell. Nearby, King Athelstan cut through four chitterers with a single stroke of his divine sword, leaping over their bodies and setting upon a gibbering legion. He balanced on the ooze-like spawn¡¯s many shields, stabbing downward, his blade cutting through a stolen buckler, letting both Uldar¡¯s divinity and the power of Alex Roth¡¯s mighty spell devastate the monster¡¯s essence. The creature withered, dying with a wheezing cry. Athelstan couldn¡¯t help but grin as the power of the archwizard¡¯s magic flowed through him. All around, the General¡¯s elite mercenaries and Thameland¡¯s soldiers had been transformed into efficient instruments of death by the spell; Army of Heroes. They were stronger. Faster. Tougher. They seemed unstoppable, and were driving the monsters before them, marching through the streets of Ussex, leaving broken Ravener-spawn in their wake. Above, Ezerak Kai¡¯s monsters, as well as Alexander Roth¡¯s summoned creatures, brought any flying Ravener-spawn out of the sky and to their deaths. Circumstances had changed for the better. Yet, for all the magical and physical gifts the General¡¯s spell had granted, those things couldn¡¯t compare to what it had done for the army¡¯s hearts, minds and souls. When monsters threatened them, the soldiers did not baulk. When knights were stopped by powerful Ravener-spawn, their squires did not pause, quickly avenging their masters¡¯ killers in turn. No matter what the Ravener-spawn did, the courage of the Thameish fighters did not wither. The king¡¯s heart thundered in his chest, as steady as if he were riding through the countryside on a summertime hunt. Army of Heroes had enhanced their weapons and bodies with magic, but most importantly¡­ ¡­it had freed them from the fear in their hearts. With an unwavering smile, the king raised his sword. ¡°Onward! Onward to victory! For the Traveller! For Thameland!¡± ¡°For the Traveller! For Uldar! For Thameland!¡± his soldiers bashed their weapons against their shields. Before them, the Ravener-spawn recoiled. And the king¡¯s smile broadened. It was the monsters¡¯ turn to be afraid.
¡®To fear something?¡¯ Registrar Hobb had said to Alex. ¡®Well, that grants power to many beings in the universe.¡¯ The young archwizard had never forgotten those words. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°Army of Heroes is a ninth-tier spell that I took from Brightfire university,¡± he explained to his companions. ¡°It¡¯s an incredible spell for battle, since it turns armies of ordinary fighters into fearless ones, their weapons become powerful and magical, and it grants the wielder strength, speed, stamina, and toughness.¡± He pressed his hand to his heart. ¡°But it also fills a warrior¡¯s heart with courage. The Ravener draws power from fear, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Oh shite!¡± Cedric¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Yer bloody starvin¡¯ it!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the General continued. ¡°And if I¡¯m right, that should buy us some time. Now, I couldn¡¯t cast Army of Heroes on every soldier in Thameland, so the Ravener¡¯s still going to have some fear to feed off of¡­but I bet it¡¯s going to be a lot less than what it¡¯s expecting.¡± ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t adjust its tactics,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Good thinking, Alex. How long will the spell last?¡± ¡°A few hours,¡± he said. ¡°And I have enough power to teleport back there and recast the spell when it wears off, but if we¡¯re stuck in combat at the time¡­¡± ¡°...you will not¡­be able to disengage¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°...you can¡¯t¡­be in multiple places¡­at once¡­¡± ¡°As much as I wish I could be, you¡¯re exactly right, buddy.¡± Alex said. ¡°Then we¡¯d better hurry and shut those gates down,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°And find that corpse,¡± added hart. ¡°And the Ravener,¡± Alex finished. He gave the others a nod. ¡°Watch yourselves, everyone. Regenerate your mana and keep yourselves safe.¡± ¡°Be careful, Alex,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I will,¡± he said. ¡°If any of you run into trouble, teleport back here. Claygon, if you need back up, contact me. I¡¯ll check in on all of you when I can.¡± ¡°Right, good huntin¡¯,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Good hunting,¡± Alex replied, and teleported away. Raising his staff, the young archwizard appeared a dozen miles away, flying high above a small lake situated beside an idyllic fae village. Below, he spotted tiny figures going about their business, seemingly without a care in the world, walking between houses shaped from giant mushrooms. Meanwhile, his people were fighting for their lives and dying. Alex grimaced, fighting down a wave of anger as he cast invisibility on himself. In his hand, the aeld staff radiated waves of concern. ¡°I¡¯m alright,¡± he whispered, conjuring an astral engeli. ¡°Just have to remember to stay focused. Our kingdom¡¯s gone on for thousands of years not knowing that its god was rotten: I have no idea if people here are just as oblivious to what¡¯s really happening around them, so I can¡¯t just start blowing up random fae.¡± He turned away from the village, fixing his eyes on the astral engeli that appeared in front of him, quickly casting invisibility magic on her as well as True Seeing on himself. ¡°Greetings again, archwizard.¡± Her partly transparent form bowed. ¡°What task do you require of me?¡± ¡°The same one we¡¯ve been working on this entire time,¡± Alex said. ¡°We still need to look for strong traces of divinity anywhere around. I need you to sense for it, and show me any you find.¡± ¡°Of course, archwizard,¡± she said. ¡°Will you be summoning my kin to join the search as well?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± The world slowed. He cast Summon Astral Engeli five times, quickly following the spells with five more castings of invisibility. The five engeli instantly appeared, looking partly transparent to his True Seeing spell. He explained the task he had for the celestials. ¡°We¡¯ll be splitting up,¡± Alex said. ¡°I need multiple places searched.¡± He spoke to the first Astral Engeli he¡¯d conjured. ¡°You and I will be going to the north, where that battle is¡ª¡± The young archwizard pointed to the apocalyptic scene of lights and earth-shaking explosions happening in the vicinity of Aenflynn¡¯s castle. ¡°¡ªThere¡¯s something I need to confirm there.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± she bowed. ¡°We will serve you, archwizard, for we feel that your purpose is true¡­but I should warn you. There is a terrible cascade of violent divinity in that direction. To go there will be to risk your life.¡± ¡°And to also stand a good chance of ending all of the chaos consuming my kingdom,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯re going, because we need to.¡± ¡°Very good, archwizard.¡± The engeli bowed once more. ¡°I shall find the source of divinity for you.¡± ¡°Good. There¡¯s going to be a lot of divine power being thrown around, but I want you to see if you can find the source.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Then, we should go.¡± Having the six engeli touch him, Alex teleported across Och Fir Nog, spreading them throughout the realm. Once he¡¯d left five in different areas, he touched the first engeli he¡¯d summoned, teleporting with her to Aenflynn¡¯s castle¡­or at least a safe distance from the fae lord¡¯s castle. ¡°By the Traveller,¡± he swore. Ahead, a cataclysmic battle was taking place. Baelin floated in front of a castle partly-shrouded in mist, casting spell after spell of the sort of magic that could shatter the greatest cities. The ancient archwizard raised both hands, conjuring devastating spells. Storms of flame, light and force ravaged the castle walls. Orbs of utter darkness pulled in everything around them. He summoned mighty demons with one hand and powerful engeli with the other. Against most foes, his assault would have meant Aenflynn¡¯s end. But he was not fighting most foes. As Alex floated closer¡ªthe engeli by his side¡ªhe could see another figure floating above the castle. There he was, Lord Aenflynn, but not an effigy this time, in the flesh, hovering in the air. The Fae lord¡¯s robes billowed in the wind as he waved his arms in complex patterns, his lips puckered, whistling magical tones. Air shimmered around him¡ªbrimming with divine power¡ªready to be unleashed with a harsh note and a swipe of his arm. Waves of divine light rushed at Baelin, demolishing everything near, whether living or not. The battlefield warped as Uldar¡¯s power worked to shift reality itself. But Baelin fought back, raising his staff, speaking words of power that resonated throughout Aenflynn¡¯s realm, severing the waves of divine light and letting reality return to its rightful form. As Alex and the engeli came closer¡ªstill cloaked in invisibility¡ªhe could see the Fae lord grin. ¡°My, my, you are terribly strong,¡± Aenflynn laughed. ¡°I am not sure if I would have much of a chance against you were it not for one very useful throne.¡± ¡°Thank you for your kind words,¡± Baelin smiled back, pointing his staff at the fae ruler. A beam of dazzling light, crackling with force, shot from its tip. Aenflynn waved a hand and whistled, making the beam strike an unseen barrier, then vanish. ¡°However, I do have the throne,¡± Aenflynn continued, giving another sharp whistle. Alex watched the air around Baelin visibly contort, as though a bubble was forming around him. His form constricted¡ªlike he was being crushed¡ªbefore the archwizard teleported higher in the sky. ¡°You do have the throne,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°But you assume I have not fought gods before. I have. And I still live. I have crafted many magics to counter the sort of power you have stolen: too many think that deities wield unassailable might. Deities are mighty, but not indestructible, and their strength varies greatly.¡± ¡°It very much does,¡± Aenflynn replied, his voice oozing pleasantness. ¡°But Uldar was very strong. He was no listless godling of commerce, or petty demigod of the harvest. He was a god of knowledge and battle, with his kingdom¡¯s full support behind him. That is the power you now face. What I wield is not the strength of a puny god.¡± ¡°A fair point,¡± Baelin replied as easily as one having wine with an old friend. ¡°But I am no puny wizard. I am a proper wizard, and I have slain mighty beings.¡± ¡°Have you? Ooooo, I am afraid, then!¡± Aenflynn laughed. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we end this reasonably? I am old and mighty. You are old and mighty. There is no reason for either of us to spend time, blood or our lives on a conflict in which we have no personal stake. I have no grudge against you. You have none against me. Leave this place¡­or even better, have a chat with me.¡± ¡°Indeed?¡± Baelin cocked his head. ¡°Perhaps you are right. Let us go into your castle and discuss it.¡± ¡°Oh no. No, no, no.¡± Aenflynn shook his head. ¡°That would take place at a later time. On neutral ground. I know better than to invite an archwizard into my personal bower.¡± ¡°Alright, this is far enough,¡± Alex whispered, stopping his engeli companion. ¡°Please, tell me if you sense any sources of divinity nearby. Anything that could be fueling that fae¡¯s power.¡± The engeli paused for a moment. Alex¡¯s heart pounded in his chest. At any moment, he expected Aenflynn to turn toward him. Then the engeli spoke. ¡°Archwizard¡­I have found something. But you are not going to like what I sense.¡± Chapter 856: Clash ¡°What is it?¡± Alex hissed, watching the two mighty beings in the sky, staring each other down. ¡°Patience, I am making sure, archwizard,¡± the engeli said. ¡°There is so much divinity in the air that I could err if I am not careful.¡± ¡°Alright, but¡ª¡± Alex started. The Fae lord¡¯s words interrupted him. ¡°Think of it. You seem to have power and wisdom,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°The young mortals spurned my offer, but I am a generous lord. I will give them another chance, and I think you might make them see reason. After all, wisdom often comes with age.¡± ¡°Not always,¡± Baelin countered. ¡°Your friend, Uldar, he seemed most unwise to me.¡± A flicker of displeasure crossed the Fae lord¡¯s face. ¡°It is poor fortune to speak ill of the dead.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Baelin cocked his head. ¡°So you were truly friends?¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°I had simply thought you had used him to your advantage, as many tricksters do.¡± The chancellor¡¯s beard-braids clinked in the wind. ¡°But it seems that you actually shared a bond of fellowship.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Some of Aenflynn¡¯s cheer faded. ¡°Uldar was a friend. I did not approve of all of his decisions, nor did he approve of all of mine, but a friend he still was. What happened to him was monstrous. His body withered. His mind melted. It was a horror to watch, and he did not deserve it.¡± ¡°Did he not?¡± Baelin asked. ¡°No, he¡ª¡± Aenflynn continued. Alex¡¯s jaw tightened; at any moment he expected the fae to turn¡­or for something else to see him. Through the mist obscuring the fae lord¡¯s castle, there were many more fae moving along the parapets and courtyards of the vast palace. And many Ravener-spawn were among them. ¡°Yes¡­I have confirmed it now,¡± the engeli said, breaking Alex¡¯s concentration away from Aenflynn¡¯s conversation with Baelin. ¡°There is a vast source of divine energy in the tallest tower of this castle.¡± Her barely solid hand pointed to a vast, white tower rising from the centre of the palace. ¡°Good.¡± Alex was ready to call on the Traveller¡¯s power. ¡°But what¡¯s the problem? You said you had something to tell me that I wouldn¡¯t like.¡± ¡°There is a powerful divine ward placed around the source of divine energy¡­even if someone as powerful as you were to enter, you would meet an unspeakable death,¡± the engeli explained. ¡°What if I teleported in?¡± he asked. She shook her head. ¡°Unspeakable.¡± Alex resisted the urge to curse. Vilely. ¡°How big is this ward?¡± he asked. ¡°Perhaps ten paces¡­or thirty feet across.¡± She observed the target carefully. Alex narrowed his eyes, examining the tower¡¯s width. It seemed to measure nearly thirty feet across. ¡°He probably warded the entire room against intrusion. Is there a way to break such a ward?¡± ¡°Some very powerful magics can¡­or even a mighty form of divinity,¡± she said. ¡°But other than that¡­¡± The young archwizard considered her words. ¡®So it could be broken by powerful spells¡­but I don¡¯t know any spells that break divine wards, and I didn¡¯t see any spells like that in either Generasi or Brightfire.¡¯ He reasoned, his eyes slowly drifting to Baelin. ¡®Baelin would probably know magics that could get through, but he was pretty focused on Aenflynn right now. Maybe Merzhin could find some way through? I¡¯d have to ask and¡­¡¯ Alex¡¯s gaze drifted toward Aenflynn, reading the fae¡¯s body language as he defended Uldar. He was focused on Baelin¡­but not completely. The lord¡¯s body was turned¡ªjust enough¡ªto let him keep an eye on the tower. ¡®He¡¯s not letting his guard down. No way I want to chance bringing Merzhin here with him so cautious. He needs to be more distracted.¡¯ Alex eyed both Baelin and Aenflynn. ¡®I should let them fight a bit more. The longer Aenflynn fights Baelin, the higher the chances that he¡¯ll tunnel-vision and let his guard down about the tower. Yeah, let¡¯s let him think that Baelin¡¯s the only one he has to worry about.¡¯ Alex looked at the engeli. ¡°You said there was only one source of divine energy? Not two?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, just one.¡± The young archwizard¡¯s heart fell. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else? Nothing else at all? And you are sure?¡± ¡°No, I am sorry archwizard there is¡­¡± The celestial paused, her eyes narrowing. ¡°What is it?¡± Alex asked excitedly. ¡°Did you find it?¡± ¡°I did not, but I do sense a trail¡­a faint trail. I think it might be the path that the divine source took to reach this place.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°Oh,¡± Alex grunted. ¡°That¡¯s not going to help¡ª¡± He paused, his eyes widening. ¡°Wait, can you follow the trail?¡± he asked. ¡°Most certainly, archwizard,¡± she said. ¡°I could easily follow the path that the divine source took to reach this castle.¡± Alex¡¯s mind worked quickly. ¡°Yes, do that. I have an idea.¡± ¡°¡ªlack of gratitude,¡± Aenflynn was saying. ¡°That is what plagued Uldar. The denizens of Och Fir Nog are grateful for my rulership. They do not forget all I have done for them. But mortals? Mortals forget. Or they die quickly. In both ways, they abandon their pacts and bonds.¡± ¡°And so you blame mortals for Uldar¡¯s trouble?¡± Baelin began to chuckle. And soon his laughter grew until it was thundering through the skies. ¡°Come now, you are more intelligent than that¡­or at least that is what I assumed. Child, Uldar was largely responsible for his own fate. Were it not for his pride and his excessive self-assurance, he might have survived his poisoning. But we are not here to talk about dead gods. Reflect on something for me, you know that anger you felt when I insulted your dead friend?¡± ¡°I cannot help but feel you are setting me up for something, but yes,¡± Aenflynn replied. ¡°Indeed. I was setting you up: if you consider the anger you felt when I spoke poorly of a corpse¡­how do you think I would react when you attempt to kill members of my school, my apprentices and those I have grown fond of,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Ah,¡± was all Aenflynn said. ¡°Yes. Ah.¡± Baelin raised his staff. Aenflynn whistled, raising his arms. The air exploded as Alex and the engeli flew away. Behind them, an apocalyptic clash of mana and divine power unfolded. But Alex paid little attention to their battle. He knew Baelin could handle things¡­what interested him was what lay ahead. The archwizard and the celestial followed the path while violence spread through Och Fir Nog.
There were at least a dozen hive-queens standing between Theresa and the dungeon. Each was gnashing their jaws together and scraping their scythe-like legs along each other¡¯s bodies. Their insectile eyes were firmly fixed on the huntress. She cracked her neck, raising the Twinblade. Four phantom swords appeared, hovering around her as she walked forward, stepping over the bodies of Ravener-spawn she¡¯d already dispatched. Nearby, the rest of her companions struck at the army of monsters around the fae gate, while Khalik cast earth magic to bury the mushroom circle. She knew that battle would be well in-hand, so she¡¯d decided to remove one more dungeon core from the field with Brutus. Beside the huntress, the cerberus¡ªsheathed in his bone armour¡ªpadded along at her side, fangs bared and three growls rumbling in his throats. Before them, hive-queens released chittering cries. The one in the centre¡ªa bit larger than the rest¡ªpointed at them with a chitinous digit. ¡°Mortalsssss¡­must¡­feaaaaaaar¡­¡± The memory of those words actually stopped the huntress''s steps for a moment. ¡®Humanssss¡­must¡­feaaaaaaar¡­¡¯ Theresa remembered those same words being hissed at them by the Hive-queen in the Cave of the Traveller at the start of their journey from Alric¡­which felt like a lifetime ago. Back then, she had never seen anything so hideous or monstrous before. At the time, the creature had seemed indestructible, and so very deadly. Her arrows hadn¡¯t been able to pierce its armour. Her great-grandfather¡¯s swords¡ªunawakened at that point¡ªhadn¡¯t even cut through the carapace of a single soldier silence-spider. Trapped in the Cave with the enormous Ravener-spawn, all she, Brutus, Alex and Selina could do was run, and try to make for the gate to the Rhinean Empire. If it hadn¡¯t been for Alex¡¯s quick thinking; the sacrifice of a fire-gem, and one of the Traveller¡¯s portals to some volcanic realm, they would have died there. ¡®Humanssss¡­must¡­feaaaaaaar¡­¡¯ Back when that first hive-queen had spoken those words, Theresa had been afraid. Very afraid. But now? ¡°Mortalsssss¡­must¡­feaaaaaaar!¡± the largest hive-queen screeched, rising even further up with its centipede-like body looming over her and Brutus. But now, its words meant nothing to her. Neither did its size. Nor its blades. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± The huntress cocked her arm back. ¡°I was once the prey of one just like you. Now you¡¯re the prey. Let me show you why you should have run.¡± Planting her left foot on the ground, she put her whole body into her throw. One half of the twinblade spun through the air, steel flashing. Flying fast. So fast, the hive-queen didn¡¯t even twitch before the blade reached its chitinous skull, entering one of its eyes. It shrieked, rearing back. Theresa was suddenly there, standing on its shoulder, her hand clasping the hilt of the blade. The hive-queen froze, as did the other ones around it. ¡°You should have feared, now you die,¡± the huntress said. She ripped the sword from its skull, turning into a whirlwind of slashing blades, both steel and phantom. Where once the twinblade could be deflected by a silence-spider¡¯s carapace, now it sliced through the hive-queen¡¯s chitin like it was moving through water. The creature¡¯s body was shredded into segments, bits of it sailing in all directions under the force of Theresa¡¯s blows, and she was already leaping onto the next one before the first one¡¯s torn corpse had fallen. A single slash took the next hive-queen¡¯s head, while her other blades diced its body. This spurred the others to attack. ¡®Ten left¡¯ she thought. They loomed around her, swarming. She dove for the ground, leaping off the falling corpse. Another hive-queen sprang, but Brutus unleashed his cones of sonic energy, stopping it cold, waves of sound smashing its body, cracking carapace, turning innards to slurry. He leapt on another, jaws tearing, bone-spikes sinking deep in its body. ¡®Eight.¡¯ The huntress counted mentally, darting among the centipede-like bodies of the other queens. The twinblade severed legs and slashed through chitin. Phantom blades carved into carapaces. Monsters swiped at her, but seemed to be moving like snails compared to her. She split limbs that came too close, the twinblade cutting through Ravener-spawn like butter. One more fell. ¡®Seven.¡¯ She thought. Another. ¡®Six¡¯ Brutus tore a monster apart. ¡®Five.¡¯ A double slash. ¡®Four.¡¯ Another. ¡®Three.¡¯ The remaining creatures looked fearful, recoiling from her, turning to flee to grab the dungeon core. Theresa shot forward like a ballista bolt, blades held in front of her. She caught a hive-queen¡¯s back, the phantom swords spinning around her like a storm. The huntress carved through the Ravener-spawn¡¯s body, bisecting it as she landed on the other side. ¡®Two.¡¯ Down the crater of pulsating flesh she ran. The dungeon core was just ahead. She raised her blades, lashing out, the twinblade carving into the black orb. She whirled about, ready to end the last two monsters. There was no need. Brutus was standing over two corpses, heads tilted back, his howls reaching the sky. She smiled. ¡°Good boy, but we have more work to do.¡± Charging out of the crater, she made for the fae gate. There, her companions were just finishing up, with Khalik burying both the mushroom circle and the last of the Ravener-spawn. ¡°Next!¡± he cried. Things were going well. One fae gate was closed, and she had killed twelve hive-queens, that each¡ªonce upon a time¡ªcould have torn her to ribbons many times over. And she hadn¡¯t taken a single scratch. ¡°I just hope the others are okay too,¡± she whispered, leaping into the air. ¡°Alex, Cedric¡­Drestra¡­everyone. Be safe. We can get through this.¡± She joined the others as they teleported to the next mushroom circle. Chapter 857: A Path that Ages You ¡°And the wind rose when he called upon it.¡± Merzhin¡¯s voice echoed through the sky. Uldar¡¯s divine power flowed through his soul. Ahead of him, the other Heroes fought Ravener-spawn in a sky filled with the monsters. Blood-draks and blood-hydras. Spear-flies and hives-as-one. All swarmed around them. All screaming for the Heroes¡¯ blood. But the Heroes weren¡¯t about to oblige them. On Merzhin¡¯s left, Hart Redfletcher blurred, the Saint''s alert eyes could barely follow him. Any Ravener-spawn coming within reach of his blades died. It made no difference how big or how small they were: a single strike from one of his swords split them in two. On Merzhin¡¯s right, Cedric was doing much the same. Every strike from his morphic weapon or axe made for less Ravener-spawn. His mouth whispered miracle upon miracle, while a twitch or slight movement of his body cast spells. He filled the sky with holy light and explosive force magic, crushing Ravener-spawn by the number. But¡ªfor all the Champion and Chosen¡¯s devastating moves, these were merely a distraction. All the while, Drestra and Merzhin were preparing the finishing blow. Floating above the Saint, Drestra¡¯s draconic form twitched, casting Control Winds. She drew in a deep breath, flame glowing in the depths of her throat. Merzhin raised his hands higher. ¡°When the wind answered him, he guided it against the invading ships that had come to Thameland¡¯s shore. And he said, ¡®begone invaders! The wind brought you to my land, and so let the wind turn against you now! But let it harm none of my people!¡¯ Divine power exploded from him just as Drestra unleashed fiery breath into her tornadoes. The might of Merzhin¡¯s miracle melded with the dragon¡¯s spell and fire breath; flames burned hotter and brighter, her whirlwinds growing stronger. As one, it all exploded: magical and divine winds spread among Ravener-spawn surrounding the Heroes, bringing fiery death to the monsters. Every monster touched by the flames melted away, their bodies instantly turning to fuel, stoking the fires. Roaring winds lashed their kin, bathing them in the inferno: flesh, bone and blood monsters turned to ash. The burning wave of death kept spreading, lighting up the skies. Spear-flies and hives-as-one died. Blood-draks and blood-hydras died. They were incinerated in droves, leaving only clouds of ash drifting down onto Och Fir Nog. Far below, Merzhin could see fae pointing toward the cataclysm in the sky. Most fled to hidey-holes and burrows. While the braver ones merely stood, pointing and gaping. ¡°Got ¡®em.¡± Cedric took a deep breath, that¡¯s another bunch that won¡¯ b¡¯gettin¡¯ t¡¯Thameland.¡± ¡°Yeah, but there¡¯s more of ¡®em. Look over there.¡± Hart pointed to the south. In the distance, a fire cloud was emerging from a fleshy dungeon-crater¡ªbeing spawned from a dungeon core¡ªrising to fill the air¡­suddenly it vanished. ¡°What? That was the same kind of fire swarm we fought!¡± Merzhin cried. ¡°But where¡¯d it go?¡± Drestra snarled. ¡°I think I saw some fae over near the fire cloud.¡± Her reptilian pupils narrowed to slits. ¡°I think they took those Ravener-spawn to Thameland.¡± ¡°Shite!¡± Cedric swore. ¡°Feels like no matter how bloody many o¡¯ them things we kill, there¡¯s always more gettin¡¯ through t¡¯ our homes!¡± ¡°At least Alex¡¯s plan seems to have worked,¡± Hart rumbled. ¡°There¡¯s less Ravener-spawn than there was before. Seems they¡¯re slowing down.¡± ¡°But not slowing down fast enough,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°There¡¯s still thousands spawning throughout Och Fir Nog. Too many for us to completely get rid of.¡± She looked at Merzhin. ¡°Can you sense anything? Any sources of divine power?¡± The Saint shook his head, his frustration rising like bile in his chest. ¡°No, nothing at all.¡± ¡°Shite!¡± Cedric swore. ¡°Then we gots t¡¯keep lookin¡¯.¡± ¡°Calm,¡± Hart said. ¡°Alex and his summons are out there looking too. We¡¯re going to find it.¡± Aye, but when?¡± the Chosen snapped. ¡°If we don¡¯t¡­¡± He paused, lowering his voice. ¡°Nevermind. Jus¡¯ worried, that¡¯s all, an¡¯ I ain¡¯t happy ¡®bout bloody Aenflynn gettin¡¯ one over on us. Anyway, never mind ¡®im fer now, let¡¯s keep lookin¡¯.¡± ¡°We will find it,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°We will.¡± He looked up. ¡°Traveller¡­Hannah¡­Carey. Please guide us in our journey around these strange lands. Guide us to where we need to be.¡± ¡°Aye, spare some help for us,¡± Cedric prayed too. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s start teleportin¡¯. The longer we take, the longer folk gotta hold out. An¡¯ I don¡¯ wan¡¯ t¡¯ keep ¡®em waitin¡¯. I¡¯m sure they ain¡¯t havin¡¯ a real good time right now.¡±
Kybas was having the time of his life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s Harmless!¡± the little goblin cackled as Harmless lunged at a bone-charger. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. The half-grown, titanic crocodile¡¯s jaws clamped on the Ravener-spawn¡¯s bone-armoured skull, then bit down. A sharp crack followed, the monster¡¯s skull split. Harmless shook the corpse around for a bit before tossing it against the tunnel wall, and lunging for another. All the while, Kybas¡ªand a line of wizard-warriors¡ªcheered the familiar on, enjoying the sight of him wreaking havoc on the monsters coming at them. Watchers and Generasian volunteers were in the tunnels beneath Greymoor, defending them. Kybas stood among the mercenaries and wizards, all doing their best to hold back the tide of monsters. The creatures were everywhere, but Kybas had little fear, after all, he¡¯d spent years, and lots of coin, love and time raising his familiar. A familiar that killed monsters. And killing monsters at the moment, Harmless most certainly was. Still far from fully grown, the young crocodile outweighed even the largest bone charger, and was much stronger, and would have been much stronger¡ªeven if he didn¡¯t have Kybas¡¯ enhancement spells coursing through him. Watching him fight the attacking spawn, was like watching a giant trampling a child¡¯s sandcastle. His lashing tail cracked spines. The spawn¡¯s sharp teeth and claws slid off his force armour and reinforced hide like rain. And every snap of his jaws shattered bone, and severed limbs. The croc spit out half a chitterer, sending the creature¡¯s twitching corpse rolling along the ground, coming to rest beside a certain swiftling, who was doing what he did best. Hunt monsters. ¡°By my fae ancestors, remind me to never get on his bad side!¡± Ripp shot through the legs of charging Ravener-spawn, his magical blade flicking all around him, opening dozens of wounds in the creatures¡¯ hides. Kybas only laughed in response, casting a spell and conjuring a strange, fungal-puffball to his right hand. The goblin¡¯s laughter grew louder when he cocked his arm back, planted his lead foot, and hurled the puffball deep into the tunnel. It exploded in a cloud of spores. Every Ravener-spawn caught in its radius stopped, blinded by the thick dust, sneezing, hacking, gagging. Soon they began flailing, panicking and gasping for breath as heaps of mushrooms erupted from their bodies, covering their skin, growing from their eyes, filling their mouths and throats, stopping their breaths. By the time the hapless creatures had stopped moving, they¡¯d turned to piles of multicoloured fungus. Kybas laughed even louder at the sight before catching his breath and warning his familiar. ¡°Remember Harmless, those aren¡¯t the tasty ¡®shrooms that you like! But I¡¯ll give you all the delicious mushrooms you want after this is over! They¡¯ll make you grow even bigger and stronger.¡± Ripp paused, staring at the giggling goblin as he finished off another Ravener-spawn. ¡°...remind me not to get on your bad side either. I¡¯ve fought in the hells, but I have to admit, you¡¯re scaring me!¡± The goblin¡¯s laughter grew even wilder as explosions from above ground shook the tunnels.
¡°Give them another!¡± Professor Jules shouted. ¡°I want them turned to ash!¡± ¡°Launch!¡± Watcher Hill echoed the command. Wind whipped across the battlefield, dispersing ash, dust and billowing smoke. Many of the moors around the Castle had been flattened to ash blackened craters. But still, the Ravener-spawn kept coming. And, the defenders of Greymoor punished them for it. Another chaos bomb released from a ballista, arched through the air to land among a horde of Ravener-spawn swarming from the south. It hit the ground. Another sun turned night to day. Another mushroom cloud rose above the land. Professor Jules grit her teeth, wavering against the shockwave, watching the horde be obliterated to nothingness. She glanced down at the crates lining the wall. So far, they still had plenty of chaos bombs left. Plenty¡­if this were any normal battle. ¡°More coming through the smoke!¡± A spotter cried. He was flying above the Research Castle¡¯s central keep with three other spotters, each watching one of the four cardinal directions. ¡°And there¡¯s another titan with them¡­no wait! Two! There¡¯s two this time!¡± ¡°Another horde from the east!¡± shouted another spotter, tension in her voice. ¡°This one has three of those big air-shooters coming at us!¡± ¡°Northern horde¡¯s getting closer and they¡¯ve got spear-flies coming in from above.¡± ¡°A petrifier just got in range of my true seeing! Petrifier and Hunters approaching the west wall!¡± ¡°I want that petrifier disintegrated!¡± Watcher Hill shouted. ¡°Summon monsters to eliminate anything in the sky!¡± She looked at Professor Jules. ¡°Permission to bomb the eastern horde?¡± ¡°Granted.¡± Professor Jules scowled at the oncoming monsters. ¡°Launch the chaos bomb to the east!¡± Watcher Hill bellowed. Another launch. Another explosion. Disintegrating beams struck the petrifier as it entered the range of the Watchers on the wall, the creature vanished with an abrupt shriek. Fireballs exploded among the Hunters that were accompanying it, wiping out the screaming creatures. Summoned air elementals and other flying monsters swarmed through the skies, attacking and shredding swarms of spear-flies. The Ravener-spawn were being kept at bay. For now. ¡°How do you think things are looking?¡± Professor Jules asked Watcher Hill. ¡°Well. For now.¡± The Watcher¡¯s response was clipped, her eyes searching for potential threats. ¡°The number of Ravener-spawn coming at us has dropped significantly: we¡¯re going through less chaos bombs than I¡¯d expected, and our mana¡¯s holding out¡­so far, so we¡¯re fine. As I said. For now. If those Ravener-spawn keep coming at us and increase suddenly, we could get into trouble. Is it time to use the circle yet?¡± Professor Jules looked back at the summoning circle in the courtyard. ¡°Not quite yet,¡± she said. ¡°I want to play that card only when we¡¯re out of chaos bombs. It¡¯s hard to predict how it would interact with the explosions. The chaos essence inside it could cause catastrophic results if it¡¯s caught in one of the blast radiuses.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Watcher Hill nodded. ¡°Then, it will be kept in reserve.¡± As she spoke, the central keep¡¯s main gates burst open. ¡°And speaking of reserves¡­¡± From the open gateway marched dozens of Watchers: fresh reinforcements called through the teleportation circle at the university. Their cloaks whipped in the wind, their staves clicking against the courtyard stones as they marched forward. Their eyes were looking straight ahead. ¡°Right on time,¡± Watcher Hill said quietly before announcing: ¡°Reinforcements have arrived!¡± she called, her voice echoing through the Research Castle¡¯s courtyard. A cheer answered her. Tired Watchers raised staves and swords, relief filling their eyes in anticipation of their comrades joining them. A moment later, the air shimmered beside the Watcher captain, then the bald, one-eyed form of Gemini¡ªleader of the Watchers¡ªappeared. Watcher Hill immediately saluted. ¡°Leader.¡± Gemini saluted in return. ¡°Watcher.¡± ¡°Gemini, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°We have things in hand. For now. But they could turn at any moment.¡± ¡°Our forces are tiring. We could use a watch change,¡± Hill added. ¡°Consider it done,¡± Gemini said. ¡°Gemini, could you do something for me?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°Well, two things, actually.¡± ¡°Of course, professor,¡± Gemini said. ¡°First of all,¡± Jules began. ¡°I would like a group of Watchers teleported to Luthering. We haven¡¯t had anyone to spare until now and if things are dire there, I want anyone still alive teleported here, to the Research Castle. Sir Sean Swift and I haven¡¯t seen eye to eye lately, but still, I wouldn¡¯t want to see him and his soldiers overrun there and left to die alone.¡± ¡°Of course, it will be done,¡± Gemini said. ¡°And the second task?¡± Professor Jules looked to the south. ¡°I want someone sent to Registrar Hobb¡¯s office. The old devil might be able to be convinced that defending Greymoor falls under the terms of his pact. This land is university property and there are students here.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Gemini said. Professor Jules sighed, looking at the oncoming hordes. Here she was, fighting the servants of a god¡­while hoping that a devil might come to their aid. ¡®The moment I met Mr. Roth, I lost control of my life,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I swear, if I live through this, I am never leaving my lab again. I think I¡¯ve shortened my life by at least ten years walking this path.¡¯¡¯
¡°Archwizard!¡± the engeli hissed. ¡°We¡¯re coming to the end of the path. I do not sense the divine trail extending any further ahead.¡± Alex held his breath. He prayed to the Traveller that he was right. Chapter 858: Meteor Alex had no idea how long they¡¯d been travelling across Och Fir Nog. Many minutes, but probably less than an hour. They passed marching and spawning Ravener-spawn, new births slowed by his magic starving the Ravener of fear. For now. At least, for now. As they flew onward, the fleshy dungeons fell away, leaving only remote fae villages, the land growing wilder. The trees were taller. The meadows were filled with thorny bushes. The light seemed dimmer, somehow. Soon, even those villages fell away, revealing a deep, labyrinthine wilderness. And at last, the engeli whispered. ¡°We¡¯re coming to the end of the path. I do not sense the divine trail extending any further ahead.¡± ¡°This must be where they entered the fae wild after they took the throne. Do you sense multiple paths?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Like, did two divine sources travel along the trail we¡¯ve been following, or just one?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Still only one, archwizard.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hope we find the second path,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°There¡¯s got to be another one.¡± They flew above the wilderness until¡ªat last¡ªthey came to the spot where the path began. It was in a little clearing deep in a dark forest, but was otherwise unremarkable. There was no sign of anyone having been around there in quite some time. No fae gate. Nothing. Alex scanned the area. ¡°Any other paths?¡± ¡°No,¡± the engeli said. ¡°But I will fly nearer and have a closer look.¡± ¡°Wait¡­hold on for a minute¡­¡± The young archwizard¡¯s eyes narrowed. Something didn¡¯t feel right. The woods where they were, were quiet. Too quiet. The rest of Och Fir Nog had been alive with the sounds of combat, cries of Ravener-spawn, and the movement of fae travelling between settlements. Alex had even noticed different fantastical beasts, similar in some ways to those native to Thameland: elk-like creatures ten feet tall at the shoulder, with bodies made of root and antlers twisted from vines, birds glowing with strange witch-light, whose cries sounded haunted, like ghostly songs, plus other unique creatures he didn¡¯t know the names of. Yet around here, nothing stirred. Nothing either resting, living, or dying. There was nothing but the path, and it ended abruptly. And what would one do if they were to follow such a path and find that it ended so abruptly? ¡°Land and investigate,¡± he whispered. ¡°What was that, archwizard?¡± the engeli asked. ¡°Hold on, I want to try something.¡± He raised his hands The world slowed down. His streams of consciousness concentrated, casting five ninth-tier spells at once. Five castings of Shred Magic: an incantation that would tear apart any spells or magical effects within a targeted area, as long as the magic did not eclipse the caster¡¯s own power. He directed the spells at the clearing below and the forest beyond. Five shred magic spells exploded from the young archwizard¡¯s body in waves of shimmering force, spreading over the wilderness. There came a sound like glass shattering. Magic was ripped asunder, shattering an illusion spell. Below, the world shimmered, and what was once an empty forest, was now revealed in its true form; a woodland teeming with Ravener-spawn and fae soldiers, crouched low, prepared for an ambush. Monsters and soldiers froze as their cover was peeled away, their surprise attack thwarted. The trap was quickly destroyed. Fae magic cloaked in the clearing, activated. Grass briefly withered¡ªturning to sludge¡ªas the cursed magic was stripped entirely away, returning the flora to its normal state. Then, the last bit of hidden magic drained away. And¡­ ¡°Archwizard!¡± the engeli hissed. ¡°I sense another path! There was another divine source here that was taken elsewhere.¡± A ferocious smile took Alex¡¯s features. Below, the fae looked around in alarm. ¡°We are under attack, send the Ravener-spawn¡ª¡± A fae¡ªa knightly looking male in armour¡ªbegan shouting. The world slowed around Alex. First, he cast Wall of Roiling Mana four times. That would seal them in. He cast another spell. He¡¯d only need that one to finish what he was doing. The world sped up again. Mana poured from Alex¡¯s being as the complex spell array formed in his pool. Above the young archwizard, an ancient symbol of power formed, enhanced with soul rending power, then shattering. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. The air growled like menacing beasts. Skies abruptly darkened, then brightened. ¡°That¡­that power!¡± the fae commander cried. ¡°Everyone, scatter!¡± Fae tried to flee, but in their fear¡­ ¡­four walls of prismatic light sprang into being on all sides of them. Several fae were too late to stop their momentum, they passed through the walls, their screams filling the air as Alex¡¯s magic rampaged through their bodies. Wall of Roiling Mana created walls of mana, structured to disrupt and damage anyone¡¯s mana pool if they tried to pass through them, showing them the effects the hard way. Any fae who¡¯d touched the walls, instantly collapsed, their own power turning against them, rampaging through them in a mana reversal. Bodies withered, cracking, mana wreaking havoc inside them, destabilised by Alex¡¯s spell. Death quickly followed. The fae leader despaired. ¡°What is this? The mortals¡­how are they so powerful!¡± he cried. ¡°Fly! Fly up¡ª¡± He looked to the darkened sky. It was shifting, quickly brightening. Then, a falling star appeared, streaking across the sky at horrifying speed. It was huge, at least the size of a carriage, eliciting cries of fear, especially at the moment it began fragmenting, breaking up high in the sky, to rain down on the forest below, wrecking trees, churning earth, pummelling Ravener-spawn and fae into paste. A second heavenly body appeared a heartbeat later, this one nearly the size of the Roth family bakery. It too broke apart, raining shards of burning rock onto trees, pulping more fae soldiers and Ravener-spawn. ¡°Alright, quickly, let¡¯s hope the worst has passed!¡± their commander yelled. ¡°Fly up now and¡­oh¡­oh by the fae lords¡­¡± A third meteor¡­another falling star was streaking toward them. The first two had been the prelude. This one was the true spell. It was moving faster than the first ones¡­and it was much larger. A mountain-like rock, the size of an entire Generasi city block, split into a deadly shower of building-sized fragments, concentrated on the forest below. ¡°We should go,¡± Alex said, touching the engeli and teleporting just beyond where the spell had automatically raised a barrier, meant to protect the land from its impact. He and the engeli were a thousand feet away, now, and could see the fae and Ravener-spawn rushing about, desperate to escape the meteor¡¯s fragments that burned so blindingly bright, moved much too quickly, and were far too big for them to escape it. It impacted the forest, and the land within the barrier buckled. Even beyond the barrier, the sound was deafening. The terrible heat and pelting wind turned trees to dust from the airburst. Fire roared into the sky, ejecting hundreds of stones, rock shards and debris through the air. They rained down¡ªbuilding-sized chunks of earth and stone¡ªcolliding with all it struck. Clouds of dust wafted through the area within the barrier¡­slowly beginning to clear. Revealing the devastation left in its wake. The forest, the clearing and the enemy army lying in wait, had been reduced to swirling heaps of dust within a crater of earth, tree bark and stone, smouldering from the meteor¡¯s tremendous heat. ¡®If it weren¡¯t for that barrier, I think a whole lot of Och Fir Nog would¡¯ve been destroyed¡­no wonder the spell shields the surrounding area from some of the effects¡­ Wait, oh by the Traveller, the barrier would also concentrate the pressure of the blast inside,¡¯ he suddenly realised that the spell¡¯s greatest mercy for the world, was also its greatest punishment for its targets. ¡®That spell uses a lot of mana, even for a ninth-tier spell, but it¡¯s definitely worth it.¡¯ He looked at the astral engeli, who seemed impressed, but unfazed. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t be surprised. She can only be conjured by ninth tier spells, except for certain strange, old rituals,¡¯ he thought. ¡®She¡¯s probably used to archwizards and the powers they call on.¡¯ ¡°Can you still sense that second divine path?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± she said. ¡°It leads to the west, I can follow it as easily as the one we took to get here. Do you need to rest, archwizard, after the great amount of mana you used?¡± Alex¡¯s mana pools were generating more power at an incredible rate. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine as long as I don¡¯t use that kind of spell every five minutes,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡± He kept close to the engeli.
Aenflynn cursed. ¡°Fall!¡± he shouted, whistling and wielding his old friend¡¯s divine power. The energy poured out, he willed it to turn this foul goatfolk inside out. Contemptuously, the ancient spellcaster brushed aside the divine force with a quick word and a surge of mana so great, that it would have buckled most fae lords at the knees. Aenflynn could feel the life and soul withering magic, and barely managed to block in time with a quick whistle and the flick of his hand. ¡°Perhaps you should give up,¡± the horned menace said to him. ¡°I cannot promise that you will live if you do, but your death will likely be swifter than if you insist on dragging out this inevitability.¡± Aenflynn smiled. ¡°Inevitability? I do not think so.¡± He whistled once, and an existence-annihilating blast of divine power manifested, only to be instantly erased. The fae lord flicked his wrist, trying to alter reality to rid the area around him of mana, wanting to turn all non-fae flesh near him into weeping pustules. But something, some kind of¡­magic was restricting the divine force. Limiting him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Aenflynn demanded. ¡°As I stated before, I have fought deities and have constructed spells to make the battle more¡­sporting,¡± Baelin said. ¡°None of this simply ¡®willing me out of existence¡¯ or ¡®remaking the world to your advantage¡¯, for you. My magic will limit you.¡± ¡°Clever.¡± The fae lord smiled, revealing his sharpened teeth. ¡°My compliments to you! But such mighty magic cannot last forever.¡± ¡°It might or it might not, but that is irrelevant,¡± the archwizard smiled. ¡°It simply needs to last long enough for me to send you off to the after-world.¡± ¡°Words are easy to spout,¡± Aenflynn¡¯s knuckles cracked as he flexed his fingers. ¡°But you will find that deeds are far more difficult to perform.¡± He was about to strike out again when a blindingly bright light passed through the sky in the distance, shattering as it was falling. A second falling star fell in the same way, impacting everything it struck. Then another. That third one held his attention. A terrible impact seemed to shake the very realm to its core. Aenflynn could feel his teeth rattle through his connection to the land¡­and for a moment, rage nearly overwhelmed him. He could feel a new scar on Och Fir Nog, one that would take much time to erase. Much time even by fae standards. Few dared to wound a fae lord¡¯s territory directly. Even fewer lived to tell of it. But Aenflynn could only stymie his wrath. The wizard before him was too dangerous to ignore, and too unpredictable to leave unchecked. He could not allow this ancient beastfolk near Uldar¡¯s throne: if any of the mortals would be able to tear through his wards of divinity and fae magic, it would be him. ¡­or at least¡­it should have only been him. When did the Thameish gain another archwizard for their cause? ¡°Who do you fight with?¡± the Fae lord asked, eyes fixed on his opponent. ¡°Such a spell is not within the grasp of a freshly whelped mortal mage. Even the Sage was not capable of such power when last I saw her.¡± The archwizard¡¯s chest swelled with pride and he stood a little straighter in his armour. ¡°Archwizards begin their journeys into power by beginning as freshly whelped mages. Some walk the path to its culmination. Some run it. ¡­others sprint it.¡± Displeasure curdled in the fae lord¡¯s soul. This was unexpected. He had expected power from these enemies, but nothing like this. He resisted the urge to visibly turn his attention to the throne. There was another card that would be played soon enough¡­but it needed time to be ready. And for him to have that time, he would need his ally to remain alive. With his connection to Uldar¡¯s power, he whispered to the Ravener across the distance. ¡®They are coming for you,¡¯ he projected the thought. ¡®I will hold them as long as I can, but you must prepare.¡¯ The reply came shortly. ¡®Adjustments are being made. The mortals did something to deny me the fear the creator wished for me to feed upon,¡¯ the Ravener answered in Aenflynn¡¯s mind. ¡®But I will be ready. Victory is still within grasp.¡¯ ¡®Let¡¯s speed up our ability to grasp it, then,¡¯ Aenflynn thought. With a subtle twitch of his finger, the Fae lord opened a divine channel to the Ravener. A tiny one. One that a narrow flow of divinity could pass through. Chapter 859: Maddening Shrieks The power trickled in, helping¡­immensely. Deep within the Ravener¡¯s cavern, Uldar¡¯s construct drank deeply of the energy that Lord Aenflynn had provided. Its flagging stores of strength began rising again, allowing it to make adjustments within itself. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°Thank you for a taste of the creator¡¯s power. Your aid will always be remembered.¡± ¡®My pleasure,¡¯ Lord Aenflynn answered. ¡®Just hurry, this conflict I am involved in is not easy-Gah! I must concentrate! I must leave you to your fight.¡¯ The Ravener felt the connection between itself and Uldar¡¯s old friend abruptly end. For a moment, the construct felt a¡­sensation¡­growing inside. A loneliness. Like a longing for something. Companionship. It understood that. It had felt it over the eons when it had not heard Uldar¡¯s voice for some time. Perhaps the creator¡¯s old ally would make the passing of ages far easier to bear. But to face those ages, the Ravener must win this battle. It would not waste the gifts Uldar¡¯s old ally was bestowing upon it. Drawing upon its reserves and the new channel of power, it adjusted its internal processes. Since the empowering fear had been hindered, it would no longer be able to produce an infinite supply of dungeon cores. So, it must do with making less, and only focus on crafting cores that would make its most devastating monsters. Skystriders. Skyfire Swarms. Gale Makers. Spawn Knights. And of course, the formidable creatures it had yet to unleash. Living Cores. All of these Spawn would be its most elite forces. They would crush resistance and put the fear back into the mortals. These elite monsters would also form its guards. Soon, the Heroes would come. Already, it could feel a Usurper nearing. The final confrontation was inevitable. ¡°The trial moves to the next stage,¡± the Ravener¡¯s surface rippled. Spawn Knights exploded from the construct¡¯s form, quick, vicious and powerful servants: the perfect guards for its labyrinthine tunnels. ¡°Creator¡­if you are in the after-world¡­¡± it paused. ¡°Then guide me. Spawn!¡± Its words echoed through its vast chamber. Its legions watched it eagerly. ¡°Go. Go into the tunnels and prepare. Soon, battle will come.¡± With cries and bloodthirsty screams, its elite Ravener-spawn charged into the tunnels, making their way to their posts and ambush-points. When the battle came, they would be ready. And in the meantime¡­ The Ravener opened pathways of power to certain dungeon cores around the fae realm. ### ¡°It¡¯s real quiet,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°What was that, archwizard?¡± the engeli asked. ¡°Nothing.¡± He said, watching the forest below them intently. Trees swayed, wind rustled their leaves, and the sounds of animals calling to each other reached them from below the canopy. The atmosphere no longer felt unnaturally quiet, to indicate a trap or illusion¡­but still, something was odd. He looked around the wilderness, seeing nothing obvious. Not yet. And that had been bothering him. ¡®We''ve been following the path for a while now,¡¯ he thought. ¡®We should be getting closer to the Ravener, but where are its guards? Dungeons serving as outposts? Patrols? Why is it so damned quiet?¡¯ He looked around. ¡®There should be something guarding the area. Anything. I don¡¯t like this¡­¡¯ He called an army of summons, just in case. ¡®I don¡¯t like this at all.¡¯ ### ¡®I¡­like this¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. His lower arms stabbed his war-spear through a behemoth¡¯s bone armour, impaling the creature from front to back. The monster howled, trying to pull the weapon free, but the enchanted tip was already doing its grim work, draining its life from it. In heartbeats, the monster¡¯s struggles slowed and its movements weakened. Bone armour loosened, as flesh withered within it. A final dusty cough, and the monster was still. Ravener-spawn surrounded the golem, looking to bring him down. Bone chargers attacked his iron form, damaging only themselves. Venom walkers lashed the golem with their spiny, poisonous arms to no effect. Spear-flies tried piercing his metal form, only to break their own proboscises. Claygon mostly ignored them, occasionally using his fists to knock some out of his way or trample them beneath his iron feet. Monsters swarmed from above, and he raised his upper arms and unleashed the full wrath of his fire-gems. The air above him exploded as the fire-beams struck his attackers, blowing them apart in chaos-laced explosions. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. And he did not pause, except to say. ¡°I¡­like this¡­¡± He glanced at his companions as they made their way to the fae gate up ahead, fighting through hordes of Ravener-spawn, using spells and their might to thin the monster¡¯s numbers. Everyone pushed ahead, bent on reaching the closest fae gate to destroy it. ¡°Almost there!¡± Prince Khalik shouted, flying close behind the golem with Najyah circling him. Her master¡¯s spells shot from her, rampaging through nearby Ravener-spawn. ¡°I like this¡­!¡± Claygon cut a gibbering legion in two with a single swing of his war-spear. ¡°You like what?¡± the prince called. He and Najyah turned to a pair of blood-draks flying toward them, shredding them with cones of crystalline shards. ¡°We are¡­winning!¡± Claygon cried. ¡°They¡­can¡¯t stand against us¡­we used to have¡­to run¡­and plan and sneak¡­!¡± he shouted. ¡°Now¡­they can¡¯t¡­stop us! We¡¯ve closed¡­a lot of fae gates!¡± ¡°Indeed, but there are more, and they can still travel to the material world if fae bring them there,¡± Khalik said. ¡°I know¡­this¡­is not over¡­and things will get harder¡­but right now?¡± Claygon said, lancing a fire-beam through the air, striking a group of hives-as-one as they flew toward them. The explosion annihilated the creatures. ¡°Now¡­this is good!¡± Stopping just ahead of the fae-gate, the iron golem fired his fire-beams again, blasting the mushroom circle, destroying a cluster of hive-queens guarding it. ¡°Now is good!¡± Khalik laughed, flying beside Claygon. With a few twitches, he conjured a great wave of earth, having it rise then swoop down on the remains of the circle. The prince dusted his hands off as it was buried, and Najyah let out a shriek of victory. ¡°But we must still be cautious, there is no telling when¡ª¡± The earth exploded under Claygon¡¯s feet. The prince and Najyah reacted, he teleported them away before a jet of earth and rock could mangle them. Stone pelted Claygon, battering the golem as a massive, Ravener-spawn rose before him, a creature with many holes in its carapace. Atop its back rode a knight-like armoured Ravener-spawn, with eight bladed legs twitching, but the object it clutched in its clawed hand was what caught Claygon¡¯s attention. A dungeon core, one somewhat larger than the many the golem had seen before. No¡­no there was also something else different about it. It was pulsating, like a beating heart. It started growing. Claygon swung his war-spear at the knight-like Ravener-spawn, but the creature leapt clear of his reach at the same moment the hulkling beast below it blasted him with a torrent of air. The air-blast slowed Claygon, allowing the giant Ravener-spawn to scuttle backwards. The knight-like spawn emitted a chittering sound, ¡°Something from our master!¡± It tossed the dungeon core. As the orb of darkness flew, it rapidly expanded. First, reaching the size of a goblin. Then becoming a similar width across as a grown man¡¯s height. Then, Claygon¡¯s height, and finally, eclipsing even that. As it grew, the black, hardened substance covering it, began shifting. Becoming softer. Flesh-like. Pulsating. Wet. Rippling growths sprang up on its surface, rupturing, revealing masses of bulging eyes and hosts of gaping, fanged maws, suspended on the ends of long, fleshy tendrils. In the end, it became a jet black creature of flexible flesh, measuring at least forty feet across and covered in bulging eyes and snapping maws. Four wings¡ªeach jetting flame behind them¡ªburst from its form. They flapped once, sending it skyward. ¡°What in all the hells is that?¡± Thundar cried from nearby. The minotaur was flying above a group of silence spiders, blasting them with force. His form was surrounded by illusionary duplicates. The creature screamed, as if in response. A maddening gibbering echoed from every mouth, striking the world in a wave of invisible power. It passed over the golem harmlessly, but¡­ ¡­for the others¡­ ¡°Arrrgh!¡± Thundar screamed. The minotaur stopped in mid-air, grasping the sides of his horned head. ¡°It¡¯s burrowing into my mind!¡± All around, Claygon¡¯s companions screamed, holding their skulls. Their eyes were squeezed tight and fingers dug long trenches into their flesh. ¡°No¡­!¡± the golem¡¯s voice thundered. ¡°Leave¡­them¡­alone!¡± He struck out, launching a deadly beam of fire from his forehead gem, straight into the screeching orb. The explosion broke the creature¡¯s magic, and for a moment, Claygon¡¯s companions recovered. But, the Ravener-spawn emerged from the explosion, scorched but still alive. ¡°Everyone¡­move away!¡± Claygon shouted. ¡°No!¡± cried Isolde from another part of the battlefield. ¡°My will is not so weak as to shatter from this thing!¡± She unleashed a spear of lightning at the creature¡ªencased in liquid¡ªarching it through the air, finding one of the creature¡¯s wings. The monster shrieked again¡ªflames sputtering to life within the wing¡¯s membrane¡ªyet it kept flying. Flesh shuddered. Spikes of stone flew from its hide like javelins, raining down at horrendous speed. Cursing, the wizards teleported away¡ªreaching for their warrior companions. The spikes fell, striking the earth, digging deep. Many crashed into Claygon¡¯s iron form and detonated. Explosions of fire and clouds of noxious gas burst from the spikes. Claygon remained unharmed. The creature¡¯s bulging eyes rolled, many focused on the wizards as they reappeared several hundred feet away, scattered in all directions. But most of the Ravener-spawn¡¯s gazes focused on the golem, clearly acknowledging him as a threat. Its flesh rippled once again, partly-transparent petrifiers sprang up along its form, dropping to the earth. The True Seeing spell Alex had placed on Claygon revealed the creatures, making stopping them as simple as catching fish in a barrel, and the golem stopped them before they could even orient themselves. The petrifiers¡¯ turned their many eyes on him, but could only die when the fire-beams struck them, blasting them out of existence, exploding their detonating organs. He flew at the giant Ravener-spawn, noticing its burnt body was beginning to heal. ¡®Need to stop it¡­from¡­recovering¡­¡¯ he thought. Again, the golem unleashed a fire-beam from his central gem, striking the flying creature dead centre. The explosion drew another shriek from the beast. Claygon flew through the flames, levelling his spear at the burning creature as it shot more stone spikes at him, they exploded against the golem¡¯s metal form, slowing him, but not stopping him. With another cry, the enormous Ravener-spawn beat its four flaming wings, pulling away from the golem, gaining altitude. Claygon simply cocked his upper left arm back, transferring the war-spear to that hand and throwing the weapon with all his might. It hissed, cutting through the air, embedding itself in one of the Ravener-spawn¡¯s many eyes. The eye split, foul black liquid poured out, the war-spear was so deeply embedded in the creature¡¯s body, that it vanished within its bulk. The monster wailed, shuddering, beginning to wither. Its burnt flesh could not heal, Zonin-In¡¯s weapon saw to that, absorbing the creature¡¯s life force. Powerful wing-beats slowed, Claygon caught up to it. His iron hands snapped into fists like battering rams, delivering heavy blows, pounding its flesh, stopping it cold. Its mouths¡ª-at the end of their stalks¡ªturned uselessly toward his iron surface. Claygon reached for them, pulling them off like he was plucking rotten fruit from a tree. The creature shrieked, trying to fight again, to unleash its maddening cries, but it might as well have been screaming at the wind for all the good that did. It continued to wither. Its strength continued to wane. Soon its flesh had desiccated to the point where Claygon could see the end of his weapon¡¯s haft protruding. He reached for it, twisting the war-spear in the Ravener-spawn, opening the wound wider, allowing him to reach inside. Power gathered in his palm, the sound warning the monster of what was to come. Its bulging eyes grew wider. And Claygon released the fire-gem, directly into its body. The beam of fire could not possibly miss its target, and the monstrous creature seemed to double in size, light, heat and flame roaring just beneath its skin¡¯s surface. Flesh rippled, mouth-stalks flailed weakly, its screeching sounding like the whine of steam escaping a kettle. Then, it ruptured. The fire-beam exploded within the monster, tearing it asunder. Flames wrapped the golem, licking at his iron form. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you were¡­but that is the end for you¡­¡± he said, before flying out of the burning explosion. He froze as he emerged, looking around. ¡°Oh¡­no¡­¡± More of the same Ravener-spawn were rising from the earth, transforming, turning into living dungeon cores. Most turned their attention to his companions. But some? Some vanished, carried elsewhere by fae. Carried to Thameland by fae. Chapter 860: A Land on Fire Luthering was on fire. Thameish blood flowed between burning buildings as monsters stalked from structure to structure, feasting on soldiers caught by claws, flames, and fangs, preventing their escape. ¡°How did it come to this¡­¡± Sir Sean Swift whispered. The battle had started without warning. The evening had been like any other, at first. Soldiers were in the chapel, receiving blessings and hearing benedictions from their priests. Supper was being cooked in vast cook pots, and the knight had been considering tapping a cask of ale to fill the bellies of his warriors. But, all of that was suddenly forgotten, the peace had shattered quickly. From deep within Greymoor, an explosion had ended the calm: one so loud that he¡¯d thought it was thunder at first. But, soon after that, another boom had followed, confirming that it was not the weather threatening the outpost, but something else. He had quickly donned his armour and was commanding his troops to be ready for trouble when the beasts had poured from the forest. Hundreds of chitterers and venom-walkers. Then thousands. They came on like a carpet of death, bursting out of the trees. The alarm had gone up, but things had turned bad very quickly. Never had the knight seen so many Ravener-spawn at once¡ªlet alone fought so many¡ªand though his soldiers and priests had made a desperate effort to hold their home, their dead began to quickly pile up. Not long after the attack had begun, mightier Ravener-spawn had appeared. Gibbering legions and the monstrous poison-spirits, the latter were the leaders of the venom-walkers: glowing, ghostly creatures of a jelly-like texture with writhing, barbed tentacles dragging beneath them. With such powerful creatures among them, it didn¡¯t take the spawn long to overrun all of Luthering. The fire had started in a building¡ªhow, exactly, Sir Sean did not know¡ªand the chitterers wasted no time in grabbing burning debris and hurling it into the other buildings. Flame soon consumed the village as his soldiers were pushed further and further into the town square. Now the few survivors were making a final stand, desperate to hold out as long as they could. They knew their deaths were near. All Sir Sean could do now was try to ensure that they met proper deaths. ¡°Steady on! Steady on!¡± he raised his sword, chopping through the neck of a chitterer, even as he fended off a venom-walker¡¯s spiny arms with his shield. ¡°I won¡¯t have any of us embarrassed when we get to the after-world! Give ¡®em everything you¡¯ve got!¡± His warriors roared, thrusting spears and blades into the oncoming horde. Chitterers cried out as steel spitted their chests, but their hatred fuelled them. Even dying monsters spent their last moments trying to pull their mortal opponents down with them. ¡°Sir Sean!¡± a priest cried. ¡°In Uldar¡¯s name, we should flee! Order a retreat!¡± ¡°To where?¡± the knight snapped, crushing a venom walker¡¯s head with a shield-punch. ¡°All around us are Ravener-spawn, there¡¯s nowhere to go! The horses are dead, we¡¯re surrounded on all sides! We¡¯d be cut to pieces, even if we could break through this horde! All we can do is stand, fight, and die! The only retreat for us is death! But we will make it such a death, and one of our own choosing!¡± A roar rose up from the fighters, and they fought on¡­though Sir Sean could see the growing fatigue in them. All around, buildings were collapsing. Beyond the flames, Sean could hear the screams of dying Thameish warriors as stragglers were hunted down by gibbering legions and the poison-spirits. An enormous monster emerged, floating above the burning, skeletal remnants of the church, watching the clot of survivors struggling in the square. ¡°Poison spirit!¡± a soldier cried. ¡°It''s coming this way!¡± The glowing monster¡ªstrangely beautiful in the night¡ªfloated down from above the church, its tentacles dragging along the ground. Ravener-spawn parted before it. ¡°Attack!¡± Sean cried. ¡°Arrows, bolts and miracles into the thing! Don¡¯t let it get close!¡± Acknowledging the command, crossbow and bow-wielding archers launched missiles into the creature¡­doing little harm to the jelly-like body. Priestly miracles burned its flesh with divinity, and the monster flinched, but did not slow. If anything, the miracles seemed to spur it to move faster. It raised its tentacles, avoiding harming the other spawn¡­then lashed out. Glowing tendrils struck mortals with great force, denting armour and breaking bones. Everywhere the barbed appendages touched, skin became swollen and inflamed. Magical venoms coursed through mortal bodies as victims died horrible deaths, eyes shrivelling, mouths, ears, and nostrils oozing bloody foam. Sir Sean cursed. That creature was not how the knight wished to die. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. But the choice was no longer his to make. The monster was now rapidly floating toward him, reaching out with its glowing tendrils. He raised both his blade and shield. ¡°It was an honour!¡± he shouted to his troops. ¡°For Uldar! For the Traveller! For the Heroes! For Thamelaaaaand!¡± The brave knight took a step toward the monster. And beams of utter darkness struck the creature from above. The floating Ravener-spawn let out a gurgling scream and withered, its natural glow dimming. ¡°What in the name of¡ª¡± Sean cried, looking up. Above, a squadron of Watchers hovered, unloading spell after spell on the attackers. Ravener-spawn burned up in fireballs, spasmed as lightning took them, or froze them like statues. The warrior-wizards quickly changed the course of the battle for the remaining soldiers. ¡°Sir Sean?¡± one¡ªa tall, broad-shouldered young man¡ªflew down to him. ¡°I am Watcher Roland. We need to get your people out of here.¡± The knight¡¯s jaw fell open. ¡°Oh thank the Traveller and Uldar! I agree that we need to get my people out of here!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Watcher said, looking at the survivors. ¡°We have wizards here to teleport you away! Everyone! Gather around! We¡¯re here to help!¡± ¡°Thank Uldar! Thank the Traveller!¡± cries of relief rose from the soldiers. The Watchers landed, speaking words of power. Walls of fracking flame rose up around the survivors, shielding them from the Ravener-spawn. A pair of older wizards approached the survivors. ¡°Unfortunately, we cannot take all of you at once. We can bring ten at a time. So let¡¯s get the wounded taken away first!¡± Sean looked around, doing a quick count. There were a little more than twenty survivors left. ¡­a mere fraction of his full force. He shook off the horror gnawing at his gut. ¡°Everyone who¡¯s able, get the wounded to the wizards!¡± Several priests brought the wounded forth, using healing miracles to balm their wounds. Ravener-spawn tried pushing through the fire wall, simply burning for their trouble. The older wizards touched the wounded, teleporting them away with a few quick syllables. ¡°Hurry now,¡± Roland urged. ¡°The teleporters will be back without delay, they¡¯ve seen the urgency we¡ªOh. That can¡¯t be good!¡± The young Watcher was pointing over Sean¡¯s shoulder. The knight turned. ¡°Oh¡­by the Traveller¡­¡± he gasped. Floating above the forest was a living nightmare. A massive orb of black tissue, covered in eyes and snapping mouths suspended on long stalks, being borne by four burning wings. Never had he seen such a thing. Never had he even heard of such a thing. Before he could utter a single word, the creature released a gibbering shriek. The sound tore into the knight¡¯s mind, overwhelming his senses. A mind-rending terror drove him to his knees as every one of his senses were overwhelmed. Ghastly shapes surged toward him in a vision. His ears rang with ghostly cackling and the wet sounds of ripping flesh. His mouth was filled with the taste of rotting blood, bile and fetid flesh. He felt as though a mass of insects were burrowing under his skin. Sean screamed, clawing at his face. He screamed until he was hoarse. Through the ghastly illusions, he could see soldiers lying on the ground, clawing at their eyes, their faces¡­some had drawn their daggers and were trying to dig into their own eardrums, wanting to make the terrible gibbering stop. The priests and Watchers fared somewhat better, remaining on their feet even as they clawed at their skin. Some finally dropped after a few heartbeats, but others remained standing, trying to call on miracles or chant incantations through bleeding lips. It was a true testament to the mighty will of mortals. The monstrous orb cared not at all. It rippled and immense stone spikes shot from its surface, puncturing survivors, impaling them, and driving deep into the earth. A spike flew past Sir Sean, barely missing Watcher Roland. But, the knight suddenly felt something change. Along the left side of his body, the sensation of worms crawling over his skin had lessened. How? What had happened. He checked his shield arm, the limb was mostly gone, all that remained was a bloody stump; the stone spear had torn the limb away. Sean was screaming when two things happened at the same time. First, one of the teleporting wizards appeared beside him. The robed man¡¯s eyes were staring as his teeth clenched, he seemed to be fighting the scream gripping their minds. Magic suddenly washed over Sir Sean and Watcher Roland beside him. While at the same time, the stone spear detonated. Burning pain ripped through the knight, until he felt no more pain. He was then travelling through a tunnel of lights and colours until he appeared in the courtyard of the Castle in Greymoor. Beneath the light of the aeld tree, his scream ripped from his throat. He looked down in horror. As they¡¯d teleported away, he¡¯d been struck by part of the blast. His right leg was blackened bone beneath the knee, and his sword-arm was smouldering. ¡°Medic!¡± someone cried. ¡°We need medical attention!¡± ¡°Traveller¡­Uldar¡­Heroes¡­save us¡­¡± Sir Sean whispered before darkness took him. ### That was when the first explosion sounded in the distance. Then another. And another. Alex whirled. ¡®Claygon?¡¯ the young archwizard thought over the link with his golem. ¡®Are you alright?¡¯ Far in the distance, he could make out the flash of explosions. Multiple large explosions. The fighting had intensified. ¡®Claygon?¡¯ he called again. ¡®We are¡­alright father! There are¡­new Ravener-spawn here!¡¯ the golem thought back over their link. ¡®They¡­attack minds¡­and make more spawn¡­like living dungeon cores¡­! They look like¡­regular dungeon cores¡­but the Ravener-spawn physically throw them¡­and they¡­transform¡­¡¯ Alex swore. ¡°I¡¯m on my way ba¡ª¡± ¡®No¡­father!¡¯ the golem thought, waves of certainty pouring through their link. ¡®Focus¡­on finding the Ravener¡­we are alright¡­we will be alright! Our friends¡­ their wills are¡­strong! And my mind¡­is fine! Go¡­and keep looking¡­but watch out for the orbs of eyes¡­with fiery wings! They¡­make petrifiers and other¡­spawn!¡¯ Alex remembered the orbs from his vision of the culling: they gibbered and shot spikes of stone that exploded into fire and gases, but he did not remember seeing them make more Ravener-spawn. Claygon was right: they did sound like living dungeon cores. Alex¡¯s eyes scanned the area around him. It was still quiet. Much too quiet. He gripped the aeld staff tightly, it gave off waves of worry and anxious attempts to comfort him. ¡°How much longer is the path?¡± Alex asked the summoned astral engeli. ¡°I cannot feel the end of it yet,¡± she said. ¡°It might be some time before we reach the end.¡± The General cursed inwardly. Part of him wanted to simply teleport along the path with her, but he couldn¡¯t risk missing something on the way. Aenflynn had covered the trail with an illusion once, and the last thing Alex needed was to teleport ahead, stumble onto some mirage, and be led off the path, or worse. Another part of him wanted to teleport back to his friends¡­but this situation wouldn¡¯t end until the Ravener was dead. Steeling his resolve, he kept flying forward, watching the engeli as she led them down the trail. He acknowledged his impatience, letting the emotion pass over him. Other astral engeli, celestial rocs and elder air elementals flew with them. ¡®There¡¯s a chance that this is a trap,¡¯ he thought. ¡®If the others are being attacked by new Ravener-spawn, then there¡¯s a possibility that the monsters are waiting for me to get closer to their home, to then ambush¡ª¡¯ Even as he thought the word ¡®ambush¡¯, the ground far below exploded. Titanic creatures emerged, reaching for the General of Thameland. ¡°There you are,¡± Alex growled, pointing his sword-staff down at them. ¡°You¡¯re about to be nothing but a waste of energy for your master.¡± Chapter 861: Combination Magic There were ambushes. And then there were ambushes. This one was the latter. The earth exploded below Alex, unleashing clouds of stone, soil and dust like a bomb. Massive tunnels gaped open in the wilderness, belching out hundreds of Ravener-spawn. The creatures roared, snarling at the young archwizard¡­and his small army of summoned monsters. Hive-queens, behemoths, hives-as-one, rampart-crushers, blood-hydras made up the bulk of their numbers, but their commanders, however, were the dreaded spawn Alex had seen in his vision. The enormous, scuttling beasts with their air-blasting carapaces. Ravener-spawn knights that rode on their backs. Enormous, titanic monsters taller than the tallest trees. Even burning clouds were rising from the earthen tunnels. But, his eyes were quickly drawn to black orbs clasped in their clawed hands. Claygon¡¯s words returned. ¡®They look like¡­regular dungeon cores¡­but the Ravener-spawn throw them¡­and they¡­transform¡­¡¯ Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed. The world slowed around him as he scanned the dusty ambush field below while breaking apart the streams of consciousness in his mind, focusing them on a single task: finding every dungeon core clasped in the hands of the Ravener-spawn knights looking up at him. ¡®One¡­two¡­three¡­four¡­five¡­six¡­seven¡­¡¯ he counted them quietly. ¡®I think the best way to stop this is¡­ I know.¡¯ A stream of consciousness took control of the Traveller¡¯s power within him. Another took control of his body. The others kept focus on where the dungeon cores were situated, marking each one¡¯s location, analysing where they might travel to and how fast they might move when thrown. ¡®Alright,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ The world sped up again. The General gripped his aeld sword-staff in both hands. Then vanished. The first Ravener-spawn knight shrieked when the Traveller¡¯s sword slid through its spine, cutting through hard chitin like parchment. Enchanted metal slipped through its chest and into the dungeon core. ¡®One,¡¯ Alex thought. The Traveller¡¯s power surged. Both the Ravener-spawn and the dungeon core were cut in half by his teleportation. Alex vanished again. The next Ravener-spawn knight was cocking its arm back, readying to throw its orb when the Traveller¡¯s sword split both its head and dungeon core in the same push-cut. ¡®Two,¡¯ Alex thought, already vanishing. The next monstrous knight was partway through its throw. A sword-staff teleported them both apart. ¡®Three.¡¯ The fourth knight¡¯s core had just left its clawed hand. Magical metal and the teleportation split core, hand, and the creature¡¯s face. ¡®Four.¡¯ The fifth knight had already released its orb; the core had launched, flying about a foot from its hand when Alex split it, the creature¡¯s arm, and its head in two. ¡®Five.¡¯ The sixth knight had completed its throw and had followed through. The core was travelling through the air, already expanding when Alex appeared, thrusting with the Traveller¡¯s blade, piercing the core, teleporting it in parts thousands of feet in either direction. He vanished. The seventh core was growing, swelling, already reaching the size of a tall man. Its bulging eyes were forming¡­ ¡­when the General of Thameland arrived, quickly carving up the orb, teleporting the many pieces away. ¡®Seven.¡¯ Alex reappeared among his army of summons in heartbeats. Every dungeon core was destroyed. Five of the seven knights were dead. The last two appeared dazed, baffled at what had just happened. Alex¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡®I should¡¯ve been faster. Still, not bad.¡¯ He spoke to his army. ¡°Get them.¡± The lead astral engeli raised a flaming spear. ¡°For our summoner!¡± The rest echoed her words in unison and charged, the elder air elementals following a moment later, diving into the ranks of the stunned Ravener-spawn, surprising them before they could recover or strike back. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. But, Alex knew their number would not be enough. He considered his small army, eyes focused on the fire-clouds. Then he nodded, an idea forming. ¡®The Ravener had to put a lot of energy into this ambush. We should make sure none of these creatures escape. It¡¯ll take a lot of mana¡­but the hell with it. I have a lot of mana.¡¯ Raising his hands, the world slowed around him. This time, he¡¯d be using three spells in succession. All ninth-tier. All lethal. Even more so if he used them in combination. The world sped up again. Mana poured from his mana pool, enough to buckle the knees of most wizards. Three ancient symbols of power formed above him, enhanced with soul rending power. The world began to shake. ¡°Scatter!¡± he directed his army. As one, astral engeli and air elementals darted away in all directions, carried by the speed of celestial wings and gale-force winds. The Ravener-spawn kept shrieking at him. Spawn, capable of flight, took to the air, coming straight at him. Fire clouds roared, shooting forward, as giant, insectile beasts unleashed potent blasts of air at their target. The young archwizard teleported higher, well out of range, all three burning symbols floating above him. The first one instantly shattered. The air suddenly turned humid, the salty tang of sea air filling his nostrils. And, from down below, the earth rumbled and roared as summoning magic¡ªenhanced by the Traveller¡¯s power¡ªreached across the planes to the¡­elemental plane of water. Alex recalled a spell he¡¯d taken from Brightfire. Tidal Wave. Summons a massive wave from the elemental plane of water, capable of washing away forests¡­and armies. A vast gateway ripped open, revealing a world of pitch-black liquid. Roiling waves roared free, expanding, building, swelling like the father of all tidal waves. Curving forward like a scythe blade, casting a billowing shadow over the army of Ravener-spawn, the wave towered taller than even the Ravener-spawn titans. More than a thousand¡ªor even two thousand¡ªfeet in height, and twice that in width, the water rushed forward as though it was alive, picking up speed with the inevitability of death. Ravener-spawn froze, not knowing how to escape. Some tried crawling away. Some fled back to their tunnels. The titans dug their heels in, bracing themselves. Fire-clouds tried to scatter. But it was too late. The wave crashed down on every last monster, tons of liquid crushing them like the fist of an angry god. All many could do was drown. Hive-queens, hives-as-one, rampart-crushers and blood-hydras were crushed by enormous weight and sudden pressure. Some tougher behemoths survived the initial impact¡ªbut barely¡ªthey were washed away, carried by the current, only to drown when the air was blasted from them. The titans held their ground though the powerful spell had pushed them back, their clawed feet dug huge trenches in the earth, gripping it. Enormous, air-blasting spawn had dug their legs into their tunnels and unleashed blasts of air, trying to push against the endless wave of water. Still, Alex could only smile as the water poured into tunnels abandoned by the army of monsters, pushing both living Ravener-spawn¡ªand the many corpses back down into their tunnels. ¡®Those tunnels are going to flood,¡¯ the young wizard thought. ¡®What will you do next, Ravener? And here¡¯s a little something else for you to worry about.¡¯ The second of three symbols shattered. The spell was called: Tempest. A spell that conjures a concentrated swarm of lightning in even a clear sky, capable of burying vast areas in lightning bolts. The sky suddenly darkened. A swirling vortex of thunderclouds was born, raging above the battlefield, lightning playing through the dark nimbus as the clouds growled in warning. Below, the Ravener-spawn had no time to recover. Thunderclouds unleashed torrents of punishing rain, hammering the creatures, drenching them further. Clouds ruptured. And lightning came. Following an echoing crack of thunder, lightning streaked down in sheets, filling every bit of air with blazing bolts, crackling, arcing, reaching for each other. Ravener-spawn spasmed as bolts passed through the wave, dancing along their bodies, bringing death and agony. Many lay in smoking heaps by the time the lightning eased¡­ ¡­or when it seemed to ease. Bolts of electricity repeated, all striking the same point in space, forming a massive lightning ball that glared with brightness, drenching the air with the stink of ozone. Thunder sounded, cracking stone, followed by an explosion. The lightning ball burst, striking everything around it: ending Ravener-spawn with its intense heat and light. Fire clouds vanished. Air-blasting monsters shuddered, collapsing on themselves. Only a few of the toughest Ravener-spawn titans remained, their breathing laboured¡ªbodies scorched, breath wheezing, trembling from electric shocks, but trying to stand, still wanting to serve their master. Their determination was almost admirable to Alex. Almost. It felt a little futile, since he still had one more spell waiting. The third symbol exploded above him. Once again, the air growled. This time, the temperature plummeted. Air that had been comfortable a moment earlier, now rapidly turned chilly. Then freezing. In the centre of the group of surviving Ravener-spawn, a point of light materialised, making a sound like a barrel-chested giant taking a deep breath. A revolving vortex formed around that point, sucking frost into the singular point of light. The whirling mass of frost stopped spinning. Residual water from the Tidal Wave spell began crystallising, producing great flakes of snow¡ªeach larger than Alex was tall¡ªslowly drifting toward the battlefield. Everything fell quiet. No crackle of lightning. No boom of thunder. No roar of a tidal wave. Just an eerie silence. The wounded titans looked around nervously. The silence was unnatural. Unnerving. Hungry. And unsurprisingly, the first of the giant snowflakes touched the water. The point of light and more flakes detonated. Without a single sound. Nor flash of light. Nothing. Nothing, but the sudden deep freezing of everything on the battlefield. Water from the Tidal Wave spell stilled, icing over. Ravener-spawn corpses stopped drifting, now protruding above the thick layer of ice. And the titans? The titans¡¯ nervous pausing now formed their final poses: Ravener-spawn were frozen like massive statues. There was no longer movement. No sign of life in dead eyes. The silence was finally broken by a loud cracking. A limb split from a titanic body, now unable to bear its own mass, and fell to the earth with a crash that shook the other towering bodies. As one, frozen titans toppled, striking the ground, shattering in thousands of pieces. When the last shard of their bodies had come to rest on the battlefield, all was silent for a time. No sign of life remained among the hordes of Ravener-spawn. Sound now began returning; the sound of Alex¡¯s own breathing, the wing beats of the astral engeli as they rejoined him, and the low hum of the elder air elementals was heard. ¡°They are all dead, archwizard,¡± the engeli said. ¡°A grand display.¡± ¡°Good. It was necessary,¡± Alex said. ¡°Let¡¯s hope it lowers their numbers enough to make a difference when we actually get into the tunnels. Come on, let¡¯s start moving before more show up. An ambush with such powerful monsters, and with so many, means we have to be close. We¡¯ve got to be.¡¯ ¡°Very well, archwizard,¡± the astral engeli said. ¡°Follow me.¡± He nodded, and she led her summoner and the rest of his army along the trail. They passed above the ruins of the battlefield, looking down on Ravener-spawn encased in the remains of Alex¡¯s tidal wave before leaving the icy hell behind. They travelled further into the wilderness for many more minutes, while, in the distance, the sounds of explosions rocked Och Fir Nog. At last the astral engeli paused mid-flight, hovering in place. ¡°Did it stop?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Did the trail end?¡± She cocked her head. ¡°No, archwizard. It does not end here.¡± ¡°Then why did we stop?¡± he asked. The engeli pointed down. ¡°Because it no longer travels across the wilderness. The trail now leads down into earth.¡± Alex¡¯s heart began racing. ¡°Then¡­¡± he swallowed. ¡°That means we¡¯re probably¡­¡± he could barely let himself utter the words after so many months of searching. ¡°¡­we¡¯ve probably found the Ravener¡¯s lair.¡± Chapter 862: One Rather Important Thing With all haste, the Ravener had changed the confines of its dungeon. At the farthest reaches of its tunnels, an ocean of water had poured into its lair, drowning Ravener-spawn as it surged. The construct was forced to give its full attention to sealing the passages before the bulk of its army drowned. And at last, after many tense minutes¡ªand more energy expended than it would have wanted¡ªthe last of the tunnels were altered, sealed in stone, and reinforced against the hungry waters. It would survive. But¡­it was not pleased. ¡®What has happened to these Heroes?¡¯ it wondered, troubled. ¡®How did they gain so much power?¡¯ Again, it sorted through its memories, searching for past cycles where the Heroes of Thameland had shown such might. There were none. No General, Chosen, Champion, Saint or Sage had defeated forces as powerful as the one it had sent to destroy the Usurper who was closing in on its lair. The power this Usurper had wielded was unprecedented. Again, that stirring grew stronger within it. ¡®I will need to change strategies,¡¯ it thought, examining its internal stores. ¡®I am gaining strength through the divine link; power cannot be wasted.¡¯ The Ravener drew power into itself, storing it. Its next strike must be crushing, and it would need all of its strength for that. Aenflynn¡¯s voice came over their link. ¡°Patience,¡± the fae lord said. ¡°We are almost there.¡±
The archwizard struck at the fae lord with the sort of magic that could break entire cities. Yet, Aenflynn endured. The fae channelled Uldar¡¯s divine power, changing his strategy. No more would he try to destroy the wizard. Instead, he would simply endure. Time was on his side. He would save his strength for the right moment. ¡®And that moment is coming,¡¯ he thought, meeting the beastfolk¡¯s steely gaze as their apocalyptic powers raged. ¡®It is coming.¡¯
One of the living dungeon cores exploded, drawing a laugh from Asmaldestre the Unmaker. ¡°These creatures are entities of destruction. But I require more!¡± her voice boomed across the wilderness while she fired shot after shot from her weapon. More living cores burst, plummeting from the sky, falling on Ravener-spawn, crushing them beneath their bulk. ¡°Excellent work, Asmaldestre!¡± Isolde called, forcing aside the gibbering noise still plaguing her mind. She raked a poison-spirit with lightning. ¡°Khalik, are you finished with the fae gate?¡± ¡°I am nearly done with all of them!¡± the prince called back, floating in mid-air and lifting his hands. He raised an immense stone wall, towering dozens of feet before him, and with a single word, he collapsed it, burying the fae circle and Ravener-spawn rushing to get inside, crushing all beneath the stone. He flicked his wrist, conjuring streams of clay atop the wreckage, sealing everything in. The prince glanced up at Najyah circling high in the sky. ¡°Najyah does not see anymore gates, it seems we have closed all that appeared on our map, and more!¡± ¡°The fae are still taking spawn through to the material world!¡± Thundar shouted, aiming a bolt of force at a fae knight¡¯s chest. The creature exploded. ¡°Thank the Traveller we¡¯re stopping as many as we can!¡± ¡°Same with the Ravener-spawn!¡± Bjorgrund called. Grimloch and the giant waded through a horde of Skinned Ones, their weapons carving swaths of carnage through the creatures. Working together, they approached a rampart-crusher, its massive tentacles whipping at them. The two warriors reached out, grabbing its tentacles, nodding to one another then running in opposite directions. With a shriek, the rampart-crusher went taut, caught in a tug-of-war between two giants. The pair yanked at the same time, ripping the monster in two. ¡°I got the bigger half!¡± Grimloch laughed. ¡°Hah! You must be blind!¡± Bjorgrund stuck his tongue out at the other giant. ¡°It¡¯s a draw! The next one we get decides the winner!¡± ¡°You¡¯re on.¡± The sharkman grinned. Together they went looking for more monsters. Theresa and Brutus had been fighting a knight-like Ravener-spawn while Claygon flew above, unleashing fire-beams across the countryside. ¡°If we have finished with the¡­fae-gates¡­¡± the golem said. ¡°Then¡­we should¡­find Hart, Drestra, Cedric and Merzhi¡ª¡± Claygon paused, his head cocking as though listening to something. ¡°Wait¡­wait¡­wait¡­wait! Everyone! Gather¡­together! Father thinks he¡¯s¡­found the Ravener¡¯s lair! I am going to send a signal¡­then he¡¯ll come and get¡­us!¡± ¡°Then it begins,¡± Prince Khalik said. ¡°I hope everyone has saved sufficient mana and energy, I think the final act is coming. Isolde, would you mind signalling the Heroes?¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Gladly,¡± the lightning wizard said. Raising her hands, she released a spear of lightning above them that erupted; electricity spasming, lighting up the sky. And seen for miles around.
¡°Keep teleportin¡¯!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°We¡¯ll lose th¡¯ bastards one way or another!¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°But, they¡¯re everywhere!¡± The dragon¡¯s wing beats catapulted her through the sky, legs tucked, neck extended, eyes looking straight forward. She was doing everything she could to keep her top speed while the other Heroes gripped her horns and scales. Surrounding them was a cloud of enemies. Not Ravener-spawn. Fae, who¡¯d been following the Heroes like a horde of mosquitoes looking for fresh blood. They carried no weapons¡­apart from the filthy smirks painting their lips. ¡°Why do you fight, Heroes?¡± one hissed. ¡°You have a pact with our Lord Aenflynn, are you not allied with him? Put down your weapons and choose peace!¡± ¡°You cannot strike at us, Heroes of Thameland,¡± laughed another, her eyes alight with malice. ¡°You might harm us, which would break our laws. After all, we have done nothing to harm you!¡± ¡°Stupid bloody pact!¡± Cedric cursed. It had been like this for some time. The Heroes had¡ªat first¡ªrampaged through the skies, killing every Ravener-spawn they encountered while hunting for signs of the Ravener¡¯s lair. But, the fae had started tailing them, finding ways to interfere with them, using their pact with Aenflynn against them. Soon, the Ravener-spawn had learned to avoid the Heroes altogether, while squads of fae soldiers kept them surrounded, easily forming a sphere of bodies around the warriors from Thameland. They would follow the Heroes, putting themselves in their path at every turn, taunting them with mocking words while daring them to harm even a single hair on their heads. The Heroes had tried to get away, to teleport and scatter, but¡ªeach time¡ªnew fae would appear, stopping them. All the while, Ravener-spawn were still being ferried to Thameland by other fae. Each time they succeeded, fae would mock the frustrated Heroes. ¡°Oh no!¡± one cried as¡ªin the distance¡ªa Ravener-spawn titan vanished. ¡°That spawn looked especially muscular! Perhaps he will crush one of your tiny mortal forts!¡± ¡°Oh my, those Ravener-spawn knights certainly looked fearsome!¡± shouted another when a group of the eight back-legged knights also vanished. ¡°Perhaps they will find parents in your armies! Those poooor little children that were sent away will soon be orphans, never seeing their kin agaiiiin!¡± Sing-song laughter followed. Cedric¡¯s grip tightened on his morphic weapon. Hart¡¯s hand grabbed the Chosen¡¯s wrist. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t keep listenin¡¯ t¡¯this!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°I jus¡¯ can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I hear ya, but we¡¯ve got to power through their horseshit,¡± Hart said. ¡°We don¡¯t wanna play into their slimy hands! Ain¡¯t that right, Merzhin?¡± The Saint¡¯s head was bowed, his eyes closed. His lips were silently moving. ¡°Ain¡¯t that right, Merzhin?¡± Hart demanded again. The Saint finally opened his eyes, a peaceful smile on his face. ¡°I apologise, what was that?¡± Hart stared at the small man incredulously as the wind whipped over his helmet. ¡°What in the hells, how can you not be paying attention?¡± ¡°I was praying,¡± Merzhin said, his tone still peaceful. ¡°Oh, you praying to the Traveller?¡± Hart asked. ¡°Looking to help her faster?¡± ¡°No, well yes and sort of,¡± He looked up at the fae surrounding them. ¡°These devils seem to have forgotten one rather important thing.¡± ¡°And what would that be, little mortal?¡± a fae soldier called down mockingly. ¡°That I was excluded and mistrusted by my companions at one time, which was actually a good thing.¡± The fae warriors looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Because, you see¡­¡± Divine light gathered around Merzhin¡¯s hand. ¡°I was not present when that pact you spoke of earlier was made. So, I am in no danger from your laws.¡± The fae collectively began frowning, understanding seeming to be slowly dawning on them. Around Merzhin¡¯s hand, blinding light blossomed. ¡°And wicked will be undone! All their sins will be marked on their flesh, and those that look upon them will know horror at their ruin!¡± ¡°No¡ª¡± The fae soldier, no longer looking smug, shouted. The light enveloping Merzhin¡¯s hand had already flared, an unseen wave of power ripped from it in all directions. Drestra paused, hovering in mid-air as the faes¡¯ attitude seemed to change. One smiled, tensely, ¡°I suppose your power is not-Aaaaargh!¡± He and his kin screamed as one. First came the boils. The fae¡¯s beautiful skin warped, turning green and grey as great, pus-filled boils and sores spread over their bodies, covering exposed flesh. Their bodies began contorting. Screaming became wet gurgling as¡ªbefore Cedric, Hart and Drestra¡¯s amazed eyes¡ªtheir tormentors¡¯ bodies warped, turning inside out as if a hand had reached within them and pulled. Fae bodies shuddered for a time, respirations dying, their bodies plummeting to the ground as twitching sacks of flesh and bone. ¡°There. That took care of them.¡± Merzhin collapsed his hands together. ¡°We thank you, oh wondrous Traveller, for the powerful miracle you have blessed us with. My prayer came from Uldar¡¯s book, but please know that it was directed at you, as is all of my gratitude.¡± Hart grinned at the Saint. ¡°Holy hells, you¡¯re blood thirsty.¡± Merzhin shrugged. ¡°They were too smug for my liking. I decided to fix that.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m jus¡¯ glad we never went an¡¯ fought each other. That woulda been messy!¡± Cedric looked down at the ruined flesh piles far below. ¡°Real glad.¡± ¡°Hey, look!¡± Drestra suddenly shouted. ¡°Over there! It¡¯s a signal from Isolde¡¯s group!¡± In the distance¡ªfar to the south¡ªthe flash of a great ball of lightning appeared. Cedric grinned. ¡°They¡¯re callin¡¯ us back! Ya think they mighta actually found th¡¯ bloody Ravener? Let¡¯s go find out!¡± ¡°Thank you, Traveller,¡± Merzhin whispered. ¡°May you continue to guide us.¡± Together, the Heroes of Thameland teleported toward their companions.
All was quiet over what seemed like a simple patch of unremarkable wilderness in Och Fir Nog. The only thing that marked it as not ordinary were the mighty beings¡ªastral engeli and elder air elementals¡ªguarding the piece of wilderness. They spoke not a word, and the area was mostly silent¡­ ¡­until a large group of warriors appeared, teleported in by the General of Thameland. ¡°¡ªtrail goes deep into the earth here,¡± Alex was just finishing his explanation to his companions. ¡°We didn¡¯t see any tunnels leading down yet, but that doesn¡¯t mean anything: this is where Uldar¡¯s body most likely is.¡± ¡°And likely where the Ravener is too,¡± Merzhin added, breathing deeply as he examined the ground. ¡°And your summoned engeli is right, Alex. I feel a powerful divine presence deep beneath the earth. A familiar one, I might add¡­¡± He nodded, as though confirming his idea to himself. ¡°Yes, it must be Uldar¡¯s corpse.¡± ¡°Then this is it,¡± Prince Khalik said. ¡°This is where the final battle begins.¡± He exhaled loudly, looking around. ¡°I see no tunnels, though.¡± ¡°We might have to make some,¡± Alex said, looking at the faces of his companions. One stream of consciousness took in every feature of their faces, memorising every detail, and they watched him intently in return. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s take stock, we heal any injuries anyone might have, and then we finish this.¡± ¡°Uh, I have a question.¡± Bjorgrund raised his hand. ¡°We buried all the fae gates. How are we supposed to get back to the material world if this goes bad?¡± ¡°Baelin can take us,¡± Alex said. ¡°Or I might be able to manage with the Traveller¡¯s power.¡± ¡°And I should be able to uncover some of the gates should we need to escape,¡± Khalik offered. ¡°Alright,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know. Still¡­¡± He looked at the ground. ¡°Maybe I asked a stupid question. If this goes bad, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re coming back.¡± ¡°Then we have to make sure it goes well,¡± Alex said. ¡°So like I said, let¡¯s take stock of ourselves and then¡­¡± He looked at the ground. ¡°Find a way into its lair.¡± As he said that, he turned a stream of consciousness to a single task: praying to the Traveller. From here on, that would be its singular job: channelling as much faith to her as he could. Within his soul, her power stirred. Chapter 863: No One Wants Plan B ¡°I¡¯ve used probably about half of my mana stores, but the regeneration technique is recovering them quickly,¡± Prince Khalik said. On his shoulder, Najyah¡¯s neck swivelled, her eyes appraising their surroundings with their cold, predatory gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve got over three quarters right now.¡± Thundar stretched his back and neck. ¡°And I have just about three quarters as well,¡± Isolde added, looking at the prince. ¡°It makes sense for you to have used more power than we did: you had to use a lot of earth magic to bury the fae gates, meanwhile, we could be more sparing.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Khalik said, watching the ground, a frown creasing his brow. ¡°And I might have to use it again, I do not see any tunnels nearby.¡± ¡°None of the summoned monsters found any,¡± Alex said. ¡°But¡ª¡± He held out his staff. ¡°We should be able to give you a break. How¡¯re your mana pools doing?¡± He asked Cedric and Drestra. ¡°Aye, I¡¯s got plenty.¡± Cedric tapped his chest. ¡°The ol¡¯ mana pool¡¯s big, plus I hardly cast any spells.¡± ¡°Well, I used plenty of magic, but because my mana pool is enormous,¡± Drestra said, having returned to her human form. ¡°I hardly made a dent in it.¡± ¡°Good, good,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯ve got over three quarters and rising. We should be alright for whatever¡¯s waiting.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Cedric looked down at the earth, then kicked a rock. ¡°Don¡¯ doubt th¡¯ Ravener¡¯s gonna have a whol¡¯ shite load o¡¯ nasties waitin¡¯ down there.¡± ¡°There is much violence waiting,¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice slashed the air. ¡°Much violence¡­but none up here. Curious. The enemy does not challenge us, though we are at its front gate.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hart gripped his weapons. ¡°I don¡¯t see any Ravener-spawn lurking anywhere. Not one. And that probably means the big black ball¡¯s saving up its strength.¡± The Champion looked at Alex. ¡°You said those Army of Heroes spells are starving it of fuel, of fear, right? So how much longer are they gonna last?¡± ¡°Hard to tell.¡± Alex looked up at the darkened skies. ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell how much time¡¯s been passing here¡­but I¡¯d guess, maybe another couple of hours.¡± ¡°So we got enough time to get down there,¡± Hart said. ¡°Maybe.¡± Alex looked at his astral engeli. ¡°Any idea where the divine energy leads to? Like, do you know exactly where the god¡¯s body is?¡± She shook her head. ¡°I can sense the trail, but not precisely where that path ends: it travels too deep.¡± Alex winced. ¡°That means the lair is big.¡± ¡°No surprise there.¡± Merzhin¡¯s tone was grave. ¡°In previous cycles some Ravener lairs were as large as cities. Or even bigger.¡± ¡°Yeah, I remember reading that in some of the historical records,¡± Alex said. ¡°We have to assume that we¡¯ll be down there for a while. We¡¯ll need to move as quickly as possible but¡­we can¡¯t rush ahead recklessly. There¡¯s only one shot at this. If we all die, we lose. If the Ravener finds a way to get away, we lose. If the Ravener¡¯s destroyed before we find a way to stop it from reforming, we lose.¡± ¡°We only win if we get to it, shut it down, and kill it for good.¡± Thundar cracked his neck. ¡°And that means, we gotta move fast, but we can¡¯t let ourselves get lured into traps or anything else.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Alex said. ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, boss?¡± Hart asked. The young archwizard looked at the floating platform the group was surrounding: the same one holding the earth stabilisation machine, the poisons and the soul-shredding injectors. ¡°Our first priority is to protect the dungeon-stabilising device,¡± Alex said. ¡°If it gets destroyed, the Ravener could shift walls and crush us. Our second priority is to protect the injectors and the poison. We¡¯ll need those to disrupt its ability to reform. Our third priority is protecting Merzhin.¡± He nodded at the Saint. ¡°You¡¯ll be our healer: we¡¯ve been lucky so far and haven¡¯t taken any injuries. But now that we¡¯re going into the wolf¡¯s den: who the hells knows what kind of traps and ambushes it set up down there, so we¡¯re going to need you to heal us.¡± Merzhin nodded. ¡°Of course, Alex. I shall protect everyone as best as I can.¡± ¡°Sounds like a reasonable plan so far,¡± Theresa said. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°Tactically, we¡¯re going to be relying on our fighters.¡± Alex nodded to Claygon, Bjorgrund, Asmaldestre, Hart, Theresa, Brutus, Grimloch and Cedric, even though he could fill more than one role. ¡°A lot of our biggest, most destructive spells could backfire when we¡¯re deep inside those tunnels. Any explosion, placed badly, could wipe out our team, or even raise the temperature down there, cooking us. A big enough explosion could cause a cave-in¡­there¡¯s a lot that could go wrong. And remember, we need to manage our mana: I don¡¯t think the Ravener¡¯s just going to let us walk up to it and shut it down. When we find it, we''ll still need to have a lot of our energy left.¡± ¡°So since you spellcasters can¡¯t just use spells thoughtlessly, you¡¯ll need us to kill everything down there as we go,¡± Theresa said. ¡°I like that plan. A very good plan.¡± Grimloch grinned. ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°Basically¡ªwe¡¯ll also have to adjust as we go, depending on how wide the tunnels are, but we¡¯ll start with our warriors on the outside of our formation, and all the wizards¡ªand Merzhin¡ªin the middle with the equipment. I¡¯ll summon plenty of monsters for back up.¡± ¡°An¡¯ wha¡¯ happens when we get t¡¯the Ravener? Wha¡¯s gonna happen then?¡± Cedric asked. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Alex frowned. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say before we know exactly where it is and what we¡¯re dealing with: but the basic plan is to kill anything guarding it, then lock it down. We don¡¯t want to destroy it immediately, we just want to tie it up and make sure it can¡¯t escape¡­and most importantly, doesn¡¯t kill us. Meanwhile, Isolde and I¡¯ll be working on attaching the injectors to its exterior¡­and inside of it.¡± ¡°Wait, inside?¡± Isolde focused on Alex. ¡°What do you mean?¡± The others were looking at him, puzzled. Alex¡¯s expression was grave. ¡°Inside, the Ravener¡¯s much bigger than it is on the outside, and getting to certain key mana nodes would have to be done from the inside.¡± ¡°Wait, how¡¯re we supposed t¡¯ get inside?¡± Cedric asked. ¡°Not ¡®we¡¯. Me and Claygon,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯m going to be using the Traveller¡¯s power to try and get inside. I need to know where I¡¯m teleporting to, but I studied Uldar¡¯s schematics, and they should give me a good idea of where I need to teleport to¡­¡± ¡°You sound¡­unsure¡­father¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Well, an ¡®idea¡¯ of where I¡¯m going isn¡¯t exactly perfect,¡± Alex said. ¡°You teleported to me,¡± Merzhin pointed out. ¡°And you had no idea where I was.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I was near death at the time.¡± Alex rubbed his side where Gabrian had nearly eviscerated him. ¡°Which meant I was closer to the after-world and Hannah¡¯s soul: my connection to her and my power were stronger because of that.¡± ¡°So that means your power will be stronger again, if Hannah comes back,¡± Theresa pointed out. ¡°So you should be able to teleport right inside the Ravener.¡± ¡°But hold on.¡± Prince Khalik ran a hand through his beard. ¡°What if Hannah does not come back in time? This battle is sending her a lot of faith, but we have no guarantee she will be back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got faith that she¡¯ll soon return. She feels closer,¡± Alex said, one of his streams of consciousness still praying to her. ¡°And besides, her coming back in time is only Plan C. Plan A is for me to get close enough to touch the Ravener: if I can pour my mana into it and guide my mind through its structure¡ªlike I can with the dungeon cores¡ªthat should give me enough guidance to teleport inside.¡± ¡°Alright, but I notice you did not mention a plan B.¡± Isolde crossed her arms. ¡°We are not going to like your plan B, are we?¡± ¡°Hells, I don¡¯t like Plan B,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s only a last-ditch desperation move that goes like this: I¡¯ll need one of you to stab me, so I start bleeding badly, coming close to dying. If I bleed enough to be close to dying again, I should be near to Hannah''s soul, and by tapping into more of her power, I can teleport into the Ravener, even if I don¡¯t know precisely where I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a terrible plan.¡± Theresa took a step forward. ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± Most of the others stared at him, shaking their heads. Words like craziness, risk and timing kept being repeated. Khalik and Isolde looked horrified, saying in unison, ¡°That is complete madness!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t even argue, it is a terrible plan, but if I can¡¯t succeed in teleporting inside the Ravener just by touching it¡ªand if Hannah isn¡¯t back, which we can¡¯t guarantee that she will be¡ªthen that¡¯ll be our only shot. One problem with plan B is that if I¡¯m bleeding out and vulnerable, every monster around is going to be trying to kill me while I¡¯m down. Which means, I¡¯ll need some of you to protect me while the rest deal with the Ravener. And¡ª¡± He looked at Merzhin and Cedric. ¡°¡ªI¡¯ll need to teleport one of you inside with me and Claygon if I get inside. I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be in any state to heal myself with blood magic.¡± ¡°As much as I ain¡¯t keen on yer plan B¡­¡¯f ya hav¡¯ t¡¯do it, then take me.¡± The Chosen nodded. ¡°Merzhin¡¯ll b¡¯ needed t¡¯ heal everyone¡¯ else¡­since¡­wait, if yer gonna b¡¯ inside the Ravener, what¡¯s everyone else gonna¡¯ b¡¯ doin¡¯, whether ya gots t¡¯ use this plan B or not?¡± ¡°Fighting the Ravener,¡± Alex said. ¡°Keeping it pinned down and making it use as much of its mana as they can, then striking the final blow once Claygon and I shut down its ability to reform.¡± ¡°But what of Uldar¡¯s throne?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°How does that come into play?¡± ¡°Right, that¡¯s going to be another tricky part.¡± Alex looked to the north. Even from miles away, he could see faint explosions from Baelin and Aenflynn¡¯s battle. ¡°They¡¯ve been fighting for a while now¡­I bet a lot of Aenflynn¡¯s focus will remain on Baelin.¡± Alex turned to Merzhin. ¡°The throne is in his castle, but he has a powerful divine ward covering the chamber that it¡¯s in. Once we get to the Ravener, I¡¯m going to try and teleport inside to start the process of poisoning it. That should distract it and weaken it; after that, I want to teleport the two of us to Aenflynn¡¯s castle. While Baelin¡¯s keeping him busy, you break through the divine ward, then we destroy the throne.¡± ¡°Destroy it?¡± Merzhin¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°Are you sure? Can we not simply take it back from him?¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°He¡¯s made some kind of connection with it, and I don¡¯t know how far we¡¯d need to take it to break that connection. We can¡¯t take any chances, so we should destroy it: that¡¯s the only way to guarantee the connection¡¯s severed.¡± The Saint paused. ¡°That¡­makes sense, I suppose. But why wait? Should we not go there right away?¡± ¡°I considered that,¡± Alex said. ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to leave the Ravener free to do whatever it wants. The last thing we need is for it to start helping Aenflynn if it figures out what we¡¯re doing. Basically, we have to make sure they¡¯re both occupied, take the throne away and destroy it. After that, we come back here¡ªright after we and Baelin rip Aenflynn in two¡ªthen, if I didn¡¯t get in before, I work on getting into the Ravener, hopefully without having to use plan B, then we do what we have to do to shut it down. Baelin can help us with the Ravener.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Hart said. ¡°So in a nutshell the plan is: we make sure both of them are occupied, you and Merzhin destroy the throne, we take care of both Aenflim-flam and the big ball and we stop it from coming back. Sounds a little chaotic, but it makes sense. And if you have to use plan B, just say the word, and I¡¯ll help you with that.¡± His jaw clenched. ¡°You got it, and thanks, man,¡± Alex said, meeting Hart¡¯s gaze before turning to the others. ¡°Anyone have any objections or see any problems?¡± ¡°It is a risky plan.¡± Isolde shook her head. ¡°And it requires precision from all of us¡­but it could work. If we achieve one part of the plan¡ªeither destroying the throne or the Ravener first¡ªthen the other parts will become easier to achieve. However, should we start to fall, then failure can cascade. Still, I think it could work well enough.¡± The others nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, then,¡± Alex said. ¡°If everyone¡¯s on board, then there¡¯s no sense in delaying any longer.¡± Alex raised his staff, conjuring two elder earth elementals and a swarm of lesser earth elementals. He spoke to them in an elemental tongue of earth. ¡°Alright, all of you. If you¡¯d be so kind: I need you to dive into the ground and dig some tunnels for us. Big ones. Keep digging until you find other passages underground: that¡¯s where we want to go.¡± The earth elementals rumbled their agreement, and dove into the earth. For a moment, Alex was struck by a wave of nostalgia: he remembered how he, Grimloch, Thundar, Caramiyus and Angelar had fought an enormous earth elemental in the Barrens of Kravernus. And now, the same type of elementals were helping them, digging their way into the Ravener¡¯s lair. The young archwizard exchanged a reassuring smile with Theresa. ¡°Alright, this is it. Pray to the Traveller, everyone.¡± In front of them, earth elementals carved a tunnel in the ground. It spread wide and ominous¡ªlike the mouth and gullet of a great beast¡ªwhile moonlight quickly fell away, leaving the tunnel pitch black beyond a few dozen feet. The young archwizard provided light, conjuring a glowing swarm of forceballs, sending them down to light the way. The General of Thameland floated forward. His companions followed him into the yawning earth. Chapter 864: Once More, Red Eyes in the Dark Alexander Roth, General of Thameland, couldn¡¯t help but feel a familiar unease creeping inside. Walking through the earthen tunnels being carved by his earth elementals, he remembered the journey from Alric with Theresa, Selina and Brutus, when they¡¯d first entered the Cave of the Traveller. Then, he was a lowly baker¡¯s assistant with a single magical spell to his name, and the Mark of the Fool newly branded on his shoulder. One magical light from a crimson forceball had lit the path for them, while danger seemed to lurk in every crevice, hiding, wanting to crush them. Brutus was in the lead, padding ahead, sniffing the air and scanning the dark with all six eyes. One of his heads had looked back from time to time, making sure his little family had been close and safe. Whenever his canine eyes flashed, Alex was reminded of the old folk stories of cerberi being born from the netherworld long ago. He and Selina had been in the middle of their little formation, while Theresa had taken up the rear with a small lantern burning at her belt. They¡¯d crept along as quietly as they could, fearing silence-spiders and other monsters watching in the dark. Now, things were very different. Instead of only his little sister, his childhood friend, and her cerberus accompanying him, he was with a half dozen astral engeli and more than that number of air elementals, flying through the wide tunnel. To his right, the dungeon stabilising machine hovered on its floating platform. Drestra, Merzhin, Prince Khalik¡ªwith Najyah on his shoulder¡ªIsolde and Thundar floating on his left side. Beside them¡ªrounding off the group¡¯s left flank¡ªwas Claygon, holding his war-spear, and Cedric, with Uldar¡¯s battle axe and his morphic weapon at the ready. On their right flank was Hart and Bjorgrund, keeping their giant weapons close. Ahead, Theresa, Brutus and Grimloch, moved stealthily, scouting the path with their sharp senses. Behind, followed Asmaldestre, guarding their backs. Alex was well protected, unlike in the Cave of the Traveller some three years earlier. He was no longer the defenceless baker¡¯s assistant he¡¯d been back then. Now, he was equipped with the sort of power that had devastated armies on the way here; he no longer bore the Mark of the Fool on his shoulder, the Mark of the General had replaced it, with its full power unleashed. He, Theresa and Brutus had long traded roles with silence-spiders and hive-queens. Now they were the ones giving the creatures plenty to fear unlike in the Cave of the Traveller¡­yet, worse monsters had been turned loose by an even greater enemy: the Ravener. When they were escaping Alric, the four of them had no idea a hive-queen was waiting at the bottom of the dungeon. Now, this group expected it, they knew the Ravener was somewhere below them, murderous and vengeful. They knew it would not be alone, and its lair would be crawling with the kind of monsters that had been used to intentionally cull the entirety of Thameland. And their small group would have to face them. Unease kept gnawing at Alex and he swiftly scanned the tunnel for anything crouching in nooks among the rough stone walls, dug by his earth elemental helpers. He expected lurking monsters. But, so far, there¡¯d been none. He didn¡¯t doubt that would change when they reached the upper passages of the Ravener¡¯s lair. ¡°How much farther?¡± he asked the earth elementals. They answered in their tongue. Alex relayed the answer to his companions. ¡°The elementals are saying we¡¯re just a few minutes from a ¡°large hollow space¡± in the earth, as they called it.¡± ¡°How big of a space?¡± Theresa asked from up ahead. ¡°They couldn¡¯t be specific, but pretty big, like a cavern, is what they said.¡± Alex glanced at the ceiling. ¡°Bigger than this tunnel.¡± ¡°That could mean a lot of monsters down there waiting for us,¡± Thundar pointed out. ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°If there¡¯s petrifiers up ahead, only use disintegration on them, that way we can get rid of their detonating organs safely. If we blow them up, that could cause a cave-in.¡± ¡°Right,¡± the wizards heeded the caution. Silence fell over the group, and once again, that unease nagged at Alex. He felt, in many ways, like he¡¯d come full circle. He¡¯d begun his journey slipping through a dark tunnel in the ground in Thameland, leading to a monster¡¯s lair. And now, here he was, ending the journey creeping through another dark tunnel in the earth, leading to the monster that had created the creatures in the Cave of the Traveller. That monster would be waiting for them, filled with the sort of power that ended kingdoms. Were they ready for it? Uncertainty gnawed at one of his streams of consciousness as he moved forward, re-examining every decision he¡¯d made that had led him and his companions to where they were. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. Had he gathered enough power? Had they trained hard enough? The fire cloud attack had caught them by surprise¡­was this the best way to respond? Would things be any different if they had another few months to train? What if his cabal had gotten to seventh or eighth tier spells. What if Hannah had come back before this battle? He would¡¯ve had more power by now, more than enough teleportation power to go directly into the heart of the Ravener, likely ending its menace by now. Did Professor Jules and the others have enough time to prepare? Would the mercenaries he¡¯d hired help Thameland¡¯s army enough? What about Alric, would it still be standing when he got back¡­if he got back? A feeling of doom washed over him, and for a brief, terrible instant, he was convinced that none of their preparations would matter: Aenflynn had outmanoeuvred them once¡­couldn¡¯t this lair be another trap, set up between him and the Ravener? Maybe they would all die here, and leave the Ravener free to destroy Thameland. Even Baelin said he wasn¡¯t sure if he could defeat Uldar¡¯s power¡­so what would happen if they lost? Alex¡¯s gut twisted at the thought. Alric would be destroyed along with Cedric¡¯s clan, Drestra¡¯s home and all those who Merzhin and Hart were close to. The university would be left without the chancellor, and who knows how many would be lost at Greymoor before a retreat was called. Khalik¡¯s parents would lose a son. Isolde¡¯s family would lose a daughter. Thundar¡¯s clan would lose a proud and powerful member. Bjorgrund, Grimloch, Kybas and Harmless would lose their lives. Then there was Mr. and Mrs. Lu¡­they would lose their daughter and her beloved cerberus. And Selina? Once again, her family would be destroyed. He could imagine her at a memorial service in Generasi, with Theresa¡¯s family beside her. She would place flowers at a gravestone carved with names of those she loved. Then she would¡­ ¡­by the gods, what would she do? He hoped that she would grow, learn to take control of her own life and move on. She could do great things as she grew older. But he had a feeling it would go another way. He could see her growing older. Angrier. Turning to fire for vengeance. Then crossing to Thameland one day, alone or with companions¡­ready to fight and die at the hands of a crazed construct and a bastard of a fae lord. He took a deep breath, steadying his nerves, going to his meditation techniques. He acknowledged the thoughts and let them pass. There was only one way to stop such a future. His hand wrapped around his sword-staff, his knuckles turning white. Ahead, the earth elementals rumbled something in their elemental tongues. Alex nodded. ¡°Get ready, we¡¯re within thirty seconds of breaching whatever¡¯s ahead of us.¡± The others raised their weapons. ¡°Twenty-nine¡­twenty-eight¡­¡± Alex lifted his staff, conjuring a swarm of Aervespertillos in front of them. ¡°Fifteen¡­fourteen¡­¡± he counted. The earth elementals kept tunnelling. ¡°Ten¡­nine¡­¡± The groan of shifting dirt and rock grew louder. ¡°Three¡­two¡­one¡­¡± A tremendous crash erupted as stone ripped apart. Ahead, rock and soil fell away, the tunnel breaching a larger chamber. Red light from his forceballs illuminated the dark, yet the passage they were now in was so vast, he couldn¡¯t make out what was on the other side. ¡°Forward!¡± he directed the Aervespertillos. The creatures screeched, flying straight through the breach. A volley of light beams split the dark rays lancing into the summoned monsters; some held the creatures in place, while others instantly sent them back to their home plane. ¡°Down!¡± Hart shouted. ¡°Petrifiers are in there!¡± The group, including Alex¡¯s other summoned monsters dove to the ground, taking cover as the petrifiers¡¯ beams streaked through the tunnel. ¡°Shit! That¡¯s a lotta beams!¡± Thundar snarled. ¡°What now?¡± Drestra shouted. ¡°Someone cast haste on me!¡± Theresa yelled. ¡°I¡¯ve got this, but I need more speed!¡± Alex hesitated for the briefest of instants. Then he lifted his staff. Haste magic infused Theresa. ¡°You¡¯ve got it!¡± he called. ¡°Be careful!¡± ¡°I will!¡± she shouted. ¡°As soon as I say, teleport in there and start disintegrating any petrifier that¡¯s still moving!¡± ¡°Got it!¡± he called back. With a quick prayer to the Traveller, the huntress leapt to her feet. The shimmering phantom blades appeared as she darted ahead. Theresa slashed and whirled, all steel and phantom swords; charging forward, six blades blurring around her. They parried the petrifiers¡¯ beams, deflecting them into the tunnel walls as she kept speeding ahead. She paused at the mouth of their tunnel, surveying the space, checking for what was waiting on the other side, then raised all six swords. Beams struck the shining blades, deflecting back to their source. A heartbeat later, terrible screeching rang out. Most beams died. ¡°Now, Alex!¡± Theresa shouted. The young archwizard teleported past her, floating just ahead of their tunnel. A dozen petrifiers waited in the chamber beyond, some slowly turning to stone, struck by their own magics. The eyes of the rest were already turning to him. With a single twitch, he cast Mass Disintegration. His own deadly beams lanced out, striking the remaining Ravener-spawn, turning them to dust. He glanced around, calling to Theresa. ¡°All clear?¡± ¡°All clear,¡± the huntress said, her sharp sight piercing the darkness. She hopped out of their tunnel, floating down the side of the passage they¡¯d broken into. ¡°What the hells is this?¡± Thundar gasped as he and the party followed. With the petrifiers now dead, Alex had time to take in the magnitude of the tunnel they were in. The chamber was titanic, so massive that one of the Ravener¡¯s titans could easily make its way through while crouching and crawling on its hands and knees. Alex was sure he could fit most of Shale¡¯s Golem Works inside the tunnel. Perhaps even all of it. ¡°This is tremendous,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I have to wonder how long it took to craft a passage such as this.¡± ¡°The Ravener can alter its lair to a far greater degree than a simple dungeon core could, at least according to the historical accounts,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°This could have taken days, weeks or even hours¡­we do not know the full capabilities of the Ravener, when it is acting at its full strength.¡± ¡°You could pass an entire army through here,¡± Prince Khalik said. ¡°And still have room for more.¡± ¡°No doubt,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Which means it could surround us with an army.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Asmaldestre welcomed the possibility. Alex chose to ignore that, instead looking at his astral engeli tracker. ¡°Do you still feel that divine energy trail?¡± She nodded, pointing down one end of the tunnel. ¡°It is this way, archwizard.¡± ¡°Alright, then,¡± Alex said. ¡°You heard the powerful celestial: this way¡¯s the way we go. Oh, and one more thing: be on the lookout for more petrifiers. Remember, their screams can shatter stone, and we don¡¯t want them collapsing tunnels on top of us.¡± The young archwizard took a step forward. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Bjorgrund held up a hand. ¡°This doesn''t seem right to me.¡± ¡°You mean like because we''re probably walking into a trap?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled as she reverted to her true form. ¡°Which would only make sense?¡± ¡°Yeah, and that¡¯s my point,¡± the giant looked at the General of Thameland. ¡°Remember when we lured the hidden church into Kelda¡¯s sanctum?¡± ¡°How could I forget?¡± Alex said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it feel like we¡¯re the hidden church right now?¡± Bjorgrund asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, you lured them into our lair and we got to lead them around by the nose, letting them get butchered by our armies and traps,¡± the giant pointed out. ¡°Now it feels like we¡¯re going into the Ravener¡¯s lair, ready to get butchered by its armies and traps!¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°But I think we¡¯ll be able to beat it.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have to.¡± The giant said. ¡°We¡¯ve got options the hidden church didn¡¯t. I¡¯ve got an idea.¡± Chapter 865: Bjorgrunds Simple Genius The Ravener floated in its chamber, its power increasing. The creator¡¯s divine energy was flowing in faster. What had slowed to a trickle was now a stream, a rising unbroken stream. Soon, reining in its power would no longer be necessary. Soon. But for now, its focus must be on the Usurpers, Heroes and other mortals that had breached its lair. It could feel the enemy in that tunnel. It could feel the violence they¡¯d brought to its mighty petrifiers. It could feel its spawn dying. But that mattered little. Its petrifiers were not the only creatures that had awaited. Traps were set with Gale Makers, Skyfire Swarms and¡ª The Ravener spread its awareness through the tunnel¡­the tunnel where the mortals had just been. They were gone. But where? It grew annoyed. Where had they gone? It took the Ravener some time to find them. And when it finally did? Its rage threatened to boil over.
¡°Bjorgrund, you¡¯re a genius!¡± Alex laughed, his voice echoing through the passage. Ahead of the group, dozens of earth elementals were carving a path through the earth and stone¡­a path that spiralled downward, right toward the source of divine energy. ¡°I¡¯m buying you a drink after this,¡± Thundar said, clapping the young giant on the arm. ¡°Wait, are you old enough to drink, yet?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not ask my father,¡± Bjorgrund said quickly, beaming all the while. The young giant¡¯s idea had been a simple one¡­and so obvious, that Alex felt more than a little foolish for not thinking of it. ¡®We¡¯ve got these earth elementals, right?¡¯ Bjorgrund had said in the passage where they¡¯d stopped the petrifiers. ¡®And your engeli friend can point us right to where Uldar¡¯s body¡¯s supposed to be, right?¡¯ ¡®Right¡­¡¯ Alex had said. Bjorgrund had spread his hands. ¡®So why bother going all through the Ravener¡¯s lair at all? Let¡¯s dig down and make our own path down there. We go through the stone between the Ravener¡¯s tunnels and miss all of its traps and ambushes. That way we don¡¯t get messed up like the hidden church did in Kelda¡¯s sanctum and we can just pop out where the body is and¡ªif the Ravener¡¯s with it too¡ªall the better!¡¯ The young archwizard¡¯s jaw had dropped. ¡®Bjorgrund!¡¯ he¡¯d cried. ¡®You¡¯re a damned genius! Everybody, we¡¯re digging straight for Uldar!¡¯ A collective cheer had risen from the companions¡ªexcept for Grimloch and Asmaldestre, who looked more than a little disappointed. The elementals had then gotten right back to tunnelling through the earth. Now the group was moving through their own personal tunnel. Ahead, elder earth elementals opened a path through the rock and soil. Behind them, other elder earth elementals closed the path through the rock and soil, ensuring they wouldn¡¯t be followed by spawn. So far, they were making good time, and hadn¡¯t suffered a single attack either. Alex was relieved, the smile plastered on his face showed that. ¡°Bjorgrund, you¡¯re a genius!¡± he said for the fifth time in as many minutes. Grimloch snorted. ¡°This is no fun.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice hissed from the back.
The Ravener had located them, tunnelling through the stone, avoiding every one of its passages. Its carefully planned ambushes, traps, and cave-ins it had planned, the chambers boiling with acid¡­all were wasted as the enemy got past its defences, bypassing them all, stoking its rage. Never in all the millennia of its existence had the Ravener suffered such affronts. ¡®Heroes are to go through the lair,¡¯ it thought. ¡®They are to battle the forces I have laid before them, and fight to defeat them before battling me directly. This is not how it is done! They cannot mock all that is established. All I have perfected!¡¯ Wrath took over the construct, overwhelming its thoughts. ¡®But if that is the way they wish it to be, then their actions will only cause their demise!¡¯ It reached out with its power, throwing away restraint. ¡®It will be simple for me to crush them in that small tunnel! Die, filthy usurpers! Die, ungrateful children of the creator!¡¯ The chamber shook as the Ravener poured out its power, seeking to crush them under tons of rock.
¡°Watch out!¡± Khalik shouted at the same time the earth elementals cried out a warning. ¡°I feel a power reaching into the stone! The Ravener is attempting something!¡± Tremors rattled their tunnel. Stone dust and earth dropped from the ceiling. At Alex¡¯s side, the protective machine began humming, power within flaring to life. Sigils of earth magic blazed, connecting the many dungeon cores built into the machine. Together, their power streamed in an invisible wave, infusing stone and earth in all directions. The companions stood perfectly still, watching the machine cautiously. Stolen story; please report. ¡°What a way to test it,¡± Isolde said, her voice low. ¡°Everyone, gather close. If the machine fails, we will need to teleport away in an instant.¡± The group moved closer, everyone reached toward a wizard as the ground continued shaking. ¡­the tremors grew lighter. The ceiling stayed where it belonged. The ground remained whole. No stone spikes shot from the walls, and the tunnel did not suddenly collapse on top of them. Alex grinned again. ¡°The machine works, hah! I knew it!¡± ¡°Professor Jules is now my hero,¡± Thundar said, sounding relieved. ¡°I¡¯m gonna kiss that woman next time I see her.¡± ¡°I might too,¡± Drestra agreed. ¡°Hey, she wasn¡¯t the only one who built this,¡± Alex said. ¡°Indeed, it was a group effort,¡± Isolde huffed. ¡°Well, I ain¡¯t kissing either of the two of you, so Jules it is,¡± Thundar laughed, tension in his voice. ¡°But, whatever, let¡¯s just keep going. This is good news. And since that machine of yours works, let¡¯s hope the poisons and injectors work too.¡±
¡®What can be the matter?¡¯ The Ravener thought, its rage growing. ¡®Why can I not crush them?¡¯ It reached out with its power again, pouring its strength into the earth and stone. But, the earth¡ªthe earth in its own lair¡ªwould not react as it wanted. In a wide area surrounding the intruders, it could not touch the earth at all. ¡®What have they done?¡¯ its awareness dove into the soil and stone, examining the area. An¡­odd energy was pervading the rock, both familiar yet unknown. ¡®I feel dungeon cores pressing their power against mine,¡¯ the Ravener thought. ¡®But their energy has been tainted. Focused! And mortal magic is aiding in their corruption¡­¡¯ That stirring awoke within the Ravener. Once again, it pressed its power against the strange energy, which did not yield. ¡®It is possible to break through¡­¡¯ it thought. ¡®But it would drain much more of my reserves. Reserves that will be needed. The enemy moves quickly.¡¯ The Ravener could feel the mortals tunnelling deeper into its lair¡­and what was worse¡­. ¡®They are tunnelling directly to me!¡¯ It realised. ¡®How do they know my exact location? How? This lair is a maze and the last chamber is deep underground. Something is wrong. But what?¡¯ The Heroes, Usurpers and their other mortal companions would be inside its chamber soon. What should have been a violent struggle of fighting through its minions and traps would take¡­ ¡®They will be here shortly,¡¯ the Ravener concluded. ¡®And they will be fresh. I must learn how they are tracking this place? What has changed since the previous cyc¡ª¡¯ The construct¡¯s thoughts pause. Its attention went to the body of Uldar, motionless on the crude throne it had crafted for him. The creator looked down on it with lifeless eyes. ¡®It is possible they are tracking the divinity of my creator¡¯s body. What should be done?¡¯ It tried to hurry. Its enemies were closing fast. ¡®Should the body be sent away? No. It must be protected. If they are tracking it, and it is taken from here, they will still follow and desecrate it. No. It must stay here, under protection. All that can be done now is to call my forces to my side. If the Usurpers and other vile mortals are to die here, then so be it. If the trial is to be here, then so be it. But¡­¡¯ The construct¡¯s mind sought a chamber in proximity to where the mortals were tunnelling¡ªlike rats or other vermin¡ªGale Makers, Spawn Knights and a Skyfire Swarm waited there. Gale Makers could tunnel on their own. The Ravener reached out. ¡®My servants,¡¯ it thought. ¡®There is a task waiting for you.¡¯
¡°Oi¡­ya feel that?¡± Cedric asked, looking around the tunnel. The crimson light from Alex¡¯s forceballs looked eerie; under the circumstances. ¡°Like ice crawling up your spine?¡± Hart asked. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m feeling it.¡± ¡°Me too,¡± said Drestra. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Alex said, fighting a chill running through him. ¡°¡­is that what I think it is?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Merzhin said gravely. ¡°Historical accounts tell of how Heroes felt the Ravener¡¯s aura when they approached it. We must be close.¡± ¡°Archwizard,¡± the astral engeli leader said. ¡°The source of divine energy is not far now. I have pinpointed it.¡± Alex looked at her sharply. ¡°How long until we¡¯re there?¡± She frowned. ¡°Considering the slow rate at which the earth elementals are moving and the angle at which the tunnel is spiralling down¡­I would guess a quarter of an hour at most.¡± The party loudly exhaled, almost as one, when Alex explained. His hand clenched the aeld staff. The elder earth elementals groaned, churning the earth ahead and sealing the tunnel behind. ¡°Alright, how¡¯s everyone¡¯s mana doing?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I am nearly full,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Me too,¡± Thundar added. ¡°I, as well,¡± Khalik said. Cedric tapped his chest. ¡°I¡¯m full up.¡± ¡°My mana¡¯s fully charged now,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Good, my pool¡¯s almost full too,¡± Alex said. ¡°Which means¡­we¡¯ll be at full strength by the time we get there. This is good. Thank the Traveller for your brain, Bjorgrund: I don¡¯t want to think about how much time and energy we would¡¯ve wasted going through the Ravener¡¯s maze. Oh, and speaking of energy. Merzhin: how¡¯s your soul gate doing?¡± ¡°It is¡­fine,¡± the Saint said. ¡°My Mark¡¯s awakening strengthened it so much that the battle barely strained it. It has more than enough fortitude to carry us¡­into combat¡­¡± As the Saint trailed off, Alex¡¯s eyes fixed on him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Merzhin?¡± the General asked. ¡°You look troubled. And I don¡¯t want anything distracting any of us when we reach the Ravener.¡± The Saint winced. ¡°You saw through me¡­¡± The little man looked up at the young archwizard. ¡°Alex, I would like to ask a favour of you. Actually, I would like to ask a favour of all of you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Alex asked. ¡°I was wondering, if the Ravener gives us a moment to breathe when we enter its cavern¡­would you permit me to speak to it?¡± Alex blinked in surprise. ¡°What? Why?¡± Merzhin bit his lip. ¡°I cannot help but wonder about it, in some ways. We are all victims of Uldar¡¯s paranoia; I followed his path for the longest time, and it cost the life of my only friend. I wish I could go back and change that. I know Gabrian did not, and it changing is unlikely, but¡ª¡± The Saint looked at Claygon. ¡°¡ªthe Ravener was helping the people for a time. It was helping. Actually aiding people¡­and then it changed to this monstrous culling. I cannot help but wonder why, and if perhaps it can be convinced to abandon its path of destruction. Claygon, after all, chooses his own path. Might the Ravener not do so as well?¡± Claygon looked displeased. ¡°I do not¡­appreciate that¡­comparison.¡± ¡°It has to pay,¡± Theresa growled. ¡°It¡¯s killed too much for us just to say; ¡®oh no, you were a victim¡¯ and just let it continue.¡± ¡°I agree!¡± Merzhin said quickly. ¡°Which is why I was so reluctant to ask, but perhaps if it can be convinced to stand down, then we could avert more suffering and end the battle before it starts. Again it was helping Thameland in some ways for a time and I cannot help but wonder if we could use that.¡± He paused. ¡°The Mark of the General aids you in matters of diplomacy, does it not, Alex?¡± ¡°It does¡­¡± he said. ¡°But it can¡¯t make anyone accept my words, it just helps me convey them in the best way.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Even if the Ravener does not accept, it might provide us with some answers. I, for one, would like some answers.¡± ¡°Hmmm,¡± Alex thought about that for a moment. ¡°Alright, if you get a chance you can try to talk to it. But make it quick. If we can get some answers and assess the battlefield at the same time, great. Either way, we¡¯re gonna be ready for it.¡± ¡°We could also attack it partway through whatever it¡¯s saying,¡± Thundar pointed out. ¡°Catch it off-guard.¡± ¡°True,¡± Alex said. ¡°But we have to make the conversation quick. Others are depending on us. But, two things. First, I don¡¯t want to be harsh, Merzhin, but¡­is this like when you wanted to hear the hidden church out? You gave them a chance and it cost¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± Merzhin¡¯s voice was so sharp it almost stung like Asmaldestre¡¯s. ¡°I am not making that mistake again. No matter what it says, it¡¯s being shut down for good. It must face the ultimate punishment for its crimes. That is non negotiable. After it has stood down, we shall destroy it. I wish for answers to give it the opportunity for one possible act of contrition that could save lives. But we will destroy it all the same. I wish for answers and for us to perhaps gain a tactical advantage.¡± ¡°Oh¡­well that takes care of the second thing: the bastard ball has to die. It gets no chances. If it wanted redemption it should¡¯ve kept helping¡­and even then¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± the Saint said. The young archwizard was about to respond, when his earth elementals shouted a warning. He looked up. ¡°Heads up everyone, get ready. Something¡¯s burrowing right for us.¡± Chapter 866: An Old Miracle ¡°What is it?¡± Thundar raised his weapon. ¡°What¡¯s coming?¡± The party readied themselves for battle, all watching the ceiling. Was it Alex¡¯s imagination, or was there more stone dust falling all of a sudden? ¡°Hold on.¡± Prince Khalik went to the nearest wall, closing his eyes and pressing his hands to the stone. With a twitch of his muscles, he cast a spell. ¡°I am sensing the earth shifting, and tremors around us¡­yes, Ravener-spawn are tunnelling from above!¡± ¡°How many?¡± Alex asked. ¡°And what kind?¡¯ Khalik frowned, his eyes still shut. ¡°There are several large ones. Very large ones. Perhaps the insectile creatures that blast air¡­yes! From their erratic movements, I think that is what¡¯s tunnelling.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°Smaller ones¡­likely those Ravener-spawn that accompany them, the ones that resemble knights.¡± Khalik continued. ¡°I don¡¯t feel any others.¡± The earth elementals groaned, telling Alex of a great heat approaching. He swore. ¡°That¡¯s not all, from what the elementals just said, I think there¡¯s a fire cloud with them.¡± Khalik tensed. ¡°A fire cloud, those air blasters and an enclosed space would make for a very bad combination. Orbs of air can aid us when the fire burns away all the air we can breathe, but the heat and the pressure will fry us.¡± ¡°What¡­do¡­we do?¡± Claygon asked. Alex turned to Merzhin. ¡°Do you think you could deal with that fire cloud?¡± The Saint frowned. ¡°Perhaps I can. There is a miracle that will take care of it, but it will take time to set up.¡± ¡°And can it deal with them without blasting the rock?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Merzhin continued. ¡°It should destroy them without damaging the stone.¡± ¡°Alright, that leaves those air-blasters,¡± Alex said. ¡°We could¡ª¡± ¡°Open a channel through the stone.¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice slashed at their ears. She pointed her ranged weapon. ¡°They will not make it to us¡­¡± ¡°No, but the swarm could¡­wait¡­wait! I have an idea!¡± Alex shouted, his eyes focused on the ceiling. ¡°Khalik, can you tell which part of the ceiling is directly under those Ravener-spawn?¡± The prince moved from the side of the tunnel to the middle, just behind the machine, then pointed up. ¡°Right there.¡± Alex rubbed his hands together, turning to Thundar, ¡°Alright, can you spare some illusion magic?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, sure.¡± The minotaur cackled. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to recover mana from a single illusion spell in no time.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Alex looked at Isolde next. ¡°Think you could give me some lightning?¡± ¡°Whatever you need,¡± she said. ¡°And Khalik, I¡¯m going to need you to make clay. The kind that sticks and dries really fast.¡± ¡°I have just the spells,¡± The prince smiled. ¡°Perfect,¡± the General directed the earth elementals to stop digging. He had somewhere else for them to be. Alex spoke to the rest of the group. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get the machine out of the way. We¡¯re going to open a channel under those Ravener-spawn; one about three feet wide.¡± ¡°I do not need it to be that wide for what I wish to do. My precision is the envy of deities,¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s words scraped his ears. ¡°I know, but if the opening is any smaller, those knights won¡¯t be able to fit through it,¡± he grinned. ¡°An¡¯ why would we want ¡®em t¡¯fit?¡± Cedric asked. Alex grinned. ¡°For the same reason I want all of our warriors to stand in a circle under the hole we¡¯re about to make.¡± The party first looked at each other in confusion. Then with dawning understanding. Then to share evil grins.
Three Gale Makers tore the earth apart with blasts of air, churning the debris away with their immense legs. Behind them came dozens of Spawn Knights, scraping their legs together. And above them? A Skyfire Swarm waited, crackling, emitting intense heat into the tunnel. Their tactics would be simple. Tear open the tunnel the vile mortals were making. Smash them with air blasts, pack the tunnel with the Skyfire Swarm; the Gale Makers¡¯ air blasts would feed the fire cloud, destroying everything inside. Simple. The Ravener-spawn hissed their pleasure and anticipation; where so many of their kin had failed before, they would achieve victory. They would be the ones to drag the enemies¡¯ charred corpses to the Ravener. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. They would¡ª A strange sound started, causing the Gale Makers to pause. Beneath them, the ground suddenly ripped open. Opening in a perfect circle¡ªrevealing a tunnel wide enough for a Spawn-Knight to crawl through with ease¡ªforming in front of the Gale Makers. It led deeper into the earth¡­and through the opening, the Ravener-spawn caught glimpses of movement. The mortals! But why had they¡ª There was a sudden, deafening crack. A projectile ripped through a Gale Maker, blasting a massive hole through its head and upper body. The projectile kept travelling, severing a lower limb from another one. The Ravener-spawn froze, they hadn¡¯t expected what had just happened. Another crack. And another. The wounded Gale Maker was mangled by two more missiles, and the last of the trio flinched back, trying to scramble away from the hole. Another crack. A projectile ripped through its side, spilling its insides. Recovering their wits, Ravener-spawn screamed, rallying their number, spawn-knights surged ahead, leaping into the hole. Their many bladed legs bit stone, letting them clamber down at horrifying speed. Chitinous weapons were scraping together in anticipation; spawn sped closer to the mortals. Before them, the path was clear. Or at least it seemed to be. The first of the knights to pass through the illusion learned otherwise. Recoiling in surprise, the creature found its sharp legs no longer biting into stone, but sticking to clay. The thick substance clung, interfering with its balance. It struggled to right itself, but the knight behind it prevented that, dropping on its back, and the next one met the same fate. Sticky clay bound them, tangling them together. Screeching frantically, the monsters plunged straight down. And below them, as they tumbled through the air, all they could see was light. No sign of the morals, just a wall of prismatic light, filling the tunnel. They plummeted, hitting the brilliant wall of light, meeting magic that sliced through them. Within them, their mana suddenly raged, tearing at their insides, devastating their bodies. They kept tumbling through the light wall, and at last, landed in a heap at the bottom of the tunnel¡­surrounded by the enemy. The spawn-knights could not even offer resistance, bound as they were, shattered by mortal magics, and only able to watch as nearly a dozen weapons fell on them as one.
It was a simple plan, when all was said and done. First, Alex¡¯s earth elementals would open a channel to the pursuing Ravener-spawn through the stone. Next, Thundar would place an illusion part way down the channel, making everything below it appear wide open and safe. That¡¯s where the trap would lie: Alex had placed a Wall of Roiling Magic beneath the illusion, while Khalik had lined the channel¡¯s walls with a layer of gummy, quick-drying clay. Next, Asmaldestre would fire precise shots through the channel, killing the giant, air-blasting spawn, and luring either the fire clouds, or spawn knights down to attack. If the swarm came, they would stick to the clay and be devastated by Alex¡¯s Wall of Roiling Magic. If the knights came, they would become tangled together, plunge through the wall, to be wiped out. The knights had been the first ones to take the bait, falling in flailing heaps through the tunnel, where magic and waiting warriors swiftly finished them. ¡°Things are working well,¡± Isolde said, watching as another heap of spawn- knights fell to their waiting deaths. ¡°It seems you might not need me for this.¡± ¡°No, we will,¡± Alex said. ¡°If the swarm starts coming through before Merzhin¡¯s miracle¡¯s ready, your lightning will help hold them at bay.¡± ¡°I suppose.¡± The young noblewoman glanced at the Saint of Thameland, who was praying behind Claygon. ¡°But at this rate, we will get rid of them before¡ª¡± ¡°Swaaaaaarm!¡± Thundar shouted. Flickering light, as bright as the sun, suddenly filled the channel. ¡°Nevermind!¡± Isolde shouted, flying up to the hole. With a few twitches, she released a spear of lightning. Then another. And another. Tiny Ravener-spawn began dropping from the hole in the ceiling; once-blinding light now reduced to flickering embers as they died. ¡°There are still more coming!¡± Isolde shouted. ¡°Not for long.¡± Merzhin stepped forward. ¡°I am ready.¡± He raised his hands. ¡°And lo, did Uldar will the lush realm of Thameland to His people upon His ascension. At last, His people no longer suffered from hunger. They wanted for naught and they did have plenty even in the icy abyss of winter. And so did the seasons pass, and His people bore proper pride for their god.¡± A white light poured from the Saint¡¯s eyes. A blinding white light. ¡°While His enemies knew only to fear Him. Season, after passing season. For Thameland is His domain. And He rejects all those who encroach therein.¡± Divine might poured into Merzhin like a river. ¡°This tunnel is hallowed by my blessing,¡± he pronounced, looking up at the monstrous horde. ¡°In the Name of the Traveller. Intense radiance built, surrounding the Saint of Thameland. The air began to shimmer. Merzhin raised the symbol of the Traveller. ¡°These grounds are hallowed,¡± he repeated, and his voice seemed to echo from every stone. ¡°And they reject you. Begone.¡± ¡°Oh, by the Traveller, this miracle,¡± Cedric murmured. Then the world changed. Heat suddenly spiked above them, as if it were the height of summer. A heartbeat later, chill spread through the air. The air chilled further, bringing with it winter¡¯s embrace. Another heartbeat later, warmth returned, and the air smelled of fresh rain. Then the heat came again. Then the withering. Then the ice. ¡°This miracle.¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Yesssss¡­the seasons do change quickly, Ravener-spawn.¡± Through the tunnel, the fire cloud withered as clay covering them froze and thawed a dozen times in as many heartbeats. As the seasons changed with ever increasing speed, Alex saw the ravages of time fall on the creatures, bending their backs, withering their flesh, and stealing their strength. At last, they fell. Thousands of Ravener-spawn plummeted to the ground, reduced to withered shells as the ages passed in mere heartbeats. The passing of seasons slowed. Temperateness returned. The Ravener¡¯s monsters lay dead where they fell, reduced to dried out corpses. ¡°In the Traveller''s name, we pray,¡± Merzhin bowed his head. ¡°That was¡­holy shit!¡± Thundar shouted. ¡°You aged them to death,¡± Alex said. ¡°That was amazing!¡± ¡°Good job,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled with warmth as she complimented the Saint. ¡°That was much faster than I have ever seen you use that miracle before.¡± ¡°Thank you. Both practise and the ascension of my Mark gave it far greater speed.¡± The Saint bowed his head, then gave Drestra a sad smile. ¡°When I last used this miracle, you complained bitterly about my speed. You said I had taken too long. I¡­must admit, I agree.¡± ¡°Well, we weren¡¯t really working together back then. Not properly,¡± Hart rumbled. ¡°Aye, well that¡¯s all changed now.¡± Cedric beamed, wiping Ravener-spawn blood from his weapons. ¡°Good job everyone.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll say.¡± Alex looked up at the channel, finding no signs of life among the Ravener-spawn. ¡°You detect anything up there Asmaldestre?¡± ¡°Only the remnants of our perfect violence.¡± Her voice cut the air. ¡°There is nothing left alive that would wish to do us harm.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The General said. ¡°That went even better than I¡¯d hoped. Alright, let¡¯s get moving again. Khalik, could you help the earth elementals close up the channel?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the prince said. ¡°Good, then prepare yourselves, everyone,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯re damned close now¡­and Merzhin, judging from the welcome we just got, I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re going to get a chance to have that conversation.¡± ¡°Perhaps, perhaps not,¡± the Saint said. ¡°But, we shall only know that in one way.¡± The ground rumbled as the earth elementals and Khalik closed the channel. Then, they started digging again. Chapter 867: A Meeting a Long Time in the Making The surprise attack had failed. Even with what should have been the element of surprise and superior numbers, its mighty Ravener-spawn were dead, killed by traitors and outlanders. Very quickly. It could detect no casualties among the mortals¡­and they were still coming at full speed. They would reach it in minutes. It turned its attention to the many tunnels leading to its chamber. Its army was on the way to the cavern¡­but not quickly enough. Most were still spread throughout the many tunnels, they would take too long to get there. The treacherous Heroes and their allies would reach it long before the majority of its forces did. It could always make more spawn, but¡­its plan was to have more time to rebuild its stores of energy. In the end, the fight would come before it was ready. It contemplated that. And¡­ ¡®So be it,¡¯ it thought, its awareness turning to Uldar¡¯s body. ¡®If this is to be the way this trial ends. Then this is how it ends. In this last confrontation, we will see who will inherit your kingdom, creator. We will see.¡¯
¡°Remember,¡± Alex said. ¡°The Ravener¡¯s capable of all kinds of magic. It can mimic a lot of different spells, and alter their effects because of the power of chaos inside it. It also has the ability to shoot devastating beams, but what¡¯s also really important to remember is that it can make hundreds of poisons.¡± ¡°I remember that,¡± Cedric said. ¡°But, I have miracles that¡¯ll stop poison in its tracks.¡± ¡°As do I,¡± Merzhin joined in. ¡°Good. And if anyone gets poisoned by it, get to Cedric or Merzhin, quick. Don¡¯t think you can just tough it out and fight it off: the longer those venoms are in your body, the more damage they¡¯ll do. Remember what happened to Uldar.¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Theresa said, stalking ahead of the group. She, Grimloch and Brutus watched the earth elementals tunnelling. ¡°Are¡­we nearly there?¡± Alex looked back, asking that question of the lead astral engeli. ¡°Yes, archwizard. We will reach the god¡¯s body in just over two minutes at this rate,¡± she reported. ¡°Got it, which means we¡¯ll be outside whatever chamber it¡¯s in before that,¡± he said, then asked an earth elemental, ¡°How far are we from the chamber we¡¯re tunnelling to?¡± The earth elemental¡¯s response made Alex¡¯s pulse skip. ¡°According to what the astral engeli and earth elemental say, we should breach the chamber with Uldar¡¯s body in just under a minute.¡± The huntress took a deep breath. ¡°This is it, then. This is really it.¡± ¡°I will have a miracle ready in case the Ravener fills the space with poison,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Orb of Air will stop us from breathing it in, but I know that some poisons can be caustic to the skin.¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­ I am not sure it would release such poisons into the entire space. Remember: most of its spawn have no immunity to the sort of poisons it can create,¡± Isolde said. ¡°If it were to flood the space with venoms, it would kill its own guards and defenders. There is also Uldar¡¯s body to consider: I would be surprised if it released gases that could damage it.¡± ¡°Good points, but we should be careful anyway,¡± Alex said. ¡°Remember: a cornered enemy can get erratic, making it more unpredictable and dangerous.¡± ¡°Any final words for us there, Mr. Leader?¡± Grimloch asked, his voice rumbling like shifting rock. Alex was silent for a moment before offering words of caution. ¡°Just remember: strike hard and fast, but don¡¯t get reckless. We¡¯re trying to distract it for now so that Merzhin and I can do our thing. Don¡¯t die. Protect our devices, and don¡¯t let them get damaged. They¡¯re too important.¡± Ahead, the tunnelling noise changed to a hollow, echoing one¡­ Three canine heads began snarling and growling. ¡°Brutus hears something through the rock,¡± Theresa said. ¡°And he caught a strong scent of Ravener-spawn¡­and something else.¡± That chill Alex had felt earlier, grew. He took a deep breath. ¡°Alright, everybody. May the Traveller guide and protect us. Remember, we trained for this. Stay sharp.¡± ¡°May the Traveller guide us,¡± Cedric and others echoed. Merzhin exhaled as rock fell away in front of them. ¡°Ravener!¡± the Saint cried. ¡°We wish to speak to you!¡±
The Ravener¡¯s attention shifted. They were here. That stirring within it lessened. Across the vast chamber, rock cracked, stone fell away to reveal a tunnel carved in the cavern wall. The Ravener didn¡¯t move. And then¡­ ¡°Ravener!¡± a voice called. ¡°We wish to speak to you!¡± The construct paused. ¡®They wish to speak to me?¡¯ it thought. ¡®What is there to speak about? The time has come for the trial¡­¡¯ It examined its stores of power. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. It had rebuilt much of its strength, but not enough for what it was to face. Additional time would be welcomed, and if the mortals¡¯ words granted it even a heartbeat longer to build strength, then it would hear them. ¡°Speak, then,¡± the Ravener invited ¡°Hold on,¡± another voice called, one sending a pulse of rage coursing through it. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a huge army waiting for us. If we¡¯re going to keep things civil, I¡¯m asking you to call them off while we talk.¡± It knew. It could tell. This new voice belonged to a Usurper. The one now called the General. The treacherous thing that should not be. The one bent on ruining all. The true enemy. Silence followed while the construct struggled, fighting the desire to throw away caution and simply destroy the interlopers. But¡­strategic thinking muffled its wrath. ¡®You have a purpose for this¡­More time. ¡­you will gain more time¡­¡¯ it thought. ¡°Minions. Stop your approach. Do not move or attack unless I command it,¡± the construct ordered. Surrounding its lake, its many spawn paused, looking up at their master. Some bristled, eager to stop these intruders, then calmed, not daring to defy their orders. Spawn that were streaming into the cavern paused at its many entrances. A sizable force had joined the Ravener in its chamber, but the bulk of its army was still outside. They would halt, until told otherwise. ¡°My servants will not attack you, unless commanded to do so. Come, then. Come before me,¡± the Ravener said.
The party remained quiet, but alert. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go,¡± Alex said, floating out of their tunnel and into the Ravener¡¯s titanic cavern. As his forceballs spread out in front of them, lighting up more of the space, red light pierced the utter blackness. It was darker there than in any place he¡¯d ever been in; but not just from a lack of light¡­something else hung in the air, stifling all light. The forceballs appeared dimmer, their light not reaching quite as far as it normally would, and the further they flew into the cavern, the less light they seemed to emit. Though they continued floating forward; hovering perhaps a hundred feet away, Alex still couldn¡¯t see the other end of the cavern. What he could see, though, was Ravener-spawn. A seemingly endless army of hostile monsters, filling the chamber floor and looking up at him and his companions with unconcealed malice. Such huge numbers of the Ravener¡¯s elite spawn gathered together in one place was a nightmare to behold. Spawn Knights, air blasting spawn¡­even titans. ¡°What the¡­¡± Alex whispered. His forceballs cast light on Ravener-spawn titans, towering in the chamber, the crown of their heads not reaching the ceiling. Not even coming close. As Alex¡¯s companions floated around him, squinting through the dark, Merzhin spoke. ¡°Ravener, I will use a miracle to light this chamber. It is not an attack on you.¡± Silence. And then a simple: ¡°Proceed.¡± The Ravener¡¯s voice was¡­not what Alex had expected. In his mind, he had imagined its voice would be a copy of Uldar¡¯s. Maybe slightly colder and less emotional, but it would sound like its creator. It did not. Not at all. The voice was androgynous, neither deep nor high, and carried an odd banality. It wasn¡¯t a voice that would capture hearts and captivate minds. If anything, it reminded Alex of the deadness of Lucia¡¯s voice during her days as a sky gondolier: emotionless, detached, calm. It was not the imagined voice of some villain plotting to destroy the world¡­it was average, like it belonged to someone going about their day performing a tedious job. And yet, there was something beneath that banality, an¡­undertone that dug at his subconscious. Something that dredged up ancient, primal memories long buried deep in his brain. Something that made him feel like he was huddling in a cave in a primordial world, listening to the sounds of a predator slaughtering terrified prey in the nighttime wilderness. Listening and hoping that predator would not turn its attention to him. He shook the feeling away. ¡°Oh, Traveller above, please light the way for us,¡± Merzhin prayed. A small bead of white light formed in the palm of the Saint¡¯s hand. He blew on it, and the speck of illumination flew deep into the cavern, exploding in a star of divinity, shedding sun-bright light. The cavern turned from pitch-black to daylight. And Alex gasped. It was even bigger than he¡¯d imagined. Far bigger. The ceiling might have risen a thousand feet above them¡ªmaybe higher¡ªand the width of the cavern was many times its height. It seemed to have no end. The walls were honeycombed by dozens of massive entrances, surrounding scores of Ravener-spawn frozen in the act of entering the chamber, on their way to join their brethren already assembled inside¡­their number seemed endless. Alex watched closely, his eyes drifting over them until¡­at last, the young archwizard laid eyes on his kingdom¡¯s ancient enemy. On his former god¡¯s greatest betrayal to his people. On the Ravener. The orb of darkness hovered in the centre of a tremendous lake. Its appearance was unsurprising: a familiar black ball, a dungeon core swollen to truly gargantuan proportions. Yet, there was something beyond its appearance. Something that made him feel like a mouse looking into the eyes of a snake. ¡®It¡¯s our natural predator,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Uldar created it to be our natural predator and that¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m feeling¡­that and¡­contempt.¡¯ Hatred. He took steadying breaths, keeping his burning hatred controlled, knowing that the construct felt the same for him. Wave upon wave of white-hot hate emanated from Uldar¡¯s creation, focused on him, filling the cavern. Once again, Alex acknowledged a truth: this world could not continue on with both of them in it. The General and the Ravener. The idea of them had been crafted by a mad god. Neither would allow the other to continue to exist. But the young archwizard held his tongue. He could not speak his mind. Not until he calmed the fury burning inside. ¡°You¡¯re up, Merzhin,¡± he said quietly. The Saint nodded, floating forward as their companions joined him. ¡°Ravener,¡± Merzhin called. ¡°I would like to ask certain questions of you, and perhaps I can answer any questions you might have. I wish for us to understand each other. To understand¡­¡± His voice fell away for a moment. Alex followed his gaze. Behind the Ravener¡ªsitting on a throne perched atop a tower across the lake¡ªwas Uldar¡¯s body. The god looked just as regal as he had in his sanctum¡­and just as wounded. His lifeless eyes stared down on his creation. Suddenly, there was movement. Slight, subtle movement: the Ravener moved just a bit closer to the corpse. ¡®It¡¯s protective over his body,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Just like I suspected. Good to have that confirmed.¡¯ He turned his gaze back to Uldar¡¯s construct. ¡°To understand what?¡± the Ravener asked. Its voice spread through the titanic chamber. ¡°What is there to understand that is not already understood. We are enemies. I am meant to destroy you. You are meant to destroy me. This is the way. You are servants of Uldar, you are my enemy¡ª¡± ¡°We know,¡± Alex said evenly. ¡°We know everything that¡¯s happened. We know why you were created. And we know why you fight us: it was all Uldar¡¯s doing to heal himself.¡± The Ravener paused for a moment. ¡°If you know that much, then you know that we are fulfilling the purpose to which we were all directed by our creator. What do you not comprehend?¡± There was an edge to its voice. But also¡­agitation? No, maybe¡ª ¡°I do not understand why you are our enemy,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°It makes no sense to me.¡± ¡°It makes no sense?¡± the Ravener asked, its tone incredulous. ¡°We were made for a purpose. We are fulfilling that purpose. What else is there?¡± ¡°Choice,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Uldar had a purpose in mind for us¡­but we know what that purpose is. He wished for us to heal him, but¡­¡± the Saint paused, looking up at the god¡¯s body. ¡°Uldar is dead,¡± Alex said, his eyes blazing. ¡°And you are destroying a kingdom on behalf of a corpse. What does that gain you? How does that benefit you?¡± ¡°General¡­¡± the Ravener whispered. ¡°At last, we meet. It has been a long time coming.¡± Alex remembered his first vision of the Ravener in the Cave of the Traveller. ¡°Yes,¡± he slowly nodded. ¡°Yes it has been.¡±
Chapter 868: Trying to Reach the Ravener ¡°Before I answer your questions, I must ask one of my own,¡± the Ravener started. ¡°How did the Mark of the Fool become the Mark of the General once more? What did you do? The creator desired for that Hero to be eliminated. They were too arrogant. They did not know their role. Generals became Fools in Uldar¡¯s divine plan, and so they were given a more appropriate name and role.¡± Alex felt its attention crawling over him. ¡°To revert the Fool back to what was never to exist again is an abomination,¡± scorn filled the Ravener¡¯s voice. ¡°It is arrogance. It should not be possible. How was it done?¡± The young wizard¡¯s hand fell to a purse on his belt. Within, lay the Coin of Silent Friends. He held it in his hand for a moment. ¡°All there is to tell you is that a lot of progress has been made since Uldar created you and the Marks.¡± Alex squeezed the coin. ¡°Someone very clever and very brave sacrificed everything for that progress. It was because of her work that I was able to undo what Uldar did.¡± ¡°What?¡± the Ravener¡¯s response was flat. Irritated. ¡°Impossible. The creator is¡­a paragon of wisdom and knowledge. There is no possible way for mortals to undo his works.¡± ¡°Truly? Is it truly not possible?¡± Merzhin asked gently. ¡°Are we not here after undoing his works? Child of Uldar¡ª¡± The Saint looked at the Ravener. Alex could feel the construct¡¯s attention shift to Merzhin. ¡°¡ªthis cycle has changed what was unchanging. All is different now, and can never return to the way it was. The hidden church is destroyed. The Heroes are united in a way previously unseen and¡ªfor the first time¡ªare united against Uldar¡¯s legacy. Our allies have crafted new developments from your dungeon cores, and those developments will likely change the world.¡± ¡°You prove only your arrogance with such words, Saint of Uldar,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°Many cycles¡ªmore than you can truly comprehend¡ªhave passed since Uldar began the eternal cycle. There have been many changes. Many permutations. The march of time washes away anomalies. There have been other Usurpers¡ªthose that controlled dungeon cores when they should not have¡ªbut they have been wiped away. It is the ultimate arrogance to think of yourselves as any different. You will also be washed away.¡± ¡°But why?¡± Merzhin asked. The Ravener paused. ¡°You ask why?¡± ¡°Why are we to be washed away?¡± the Saint said. ¡°What will that accomplish?¡± ¡°It will fulfil the purpose set for us¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying,¡± Alex said. All eyes turned to him. ¡°What?¡± the Ravener said. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Alex pointed at Uldar¡¯s corpse. ¡°You trying to ¡®wash us away¡¯ won¡¯t fulfil any purpose that he meant for us. The entire purpose of this conflict was to try and channel enough faith into him so he could heal himself. That¡¯s impossible now, since: he¡¯s dead. We can¡¯t fulfil that purpose, so there must be some other reason why you¡¯re doing this?¡± Silence followed. ¡°You do not have to continue on this path, you do realise that, don¡¯t you?¡± Merzhin cut in. ¡°You are like us: Uldar might have crafted a purpose for you, but now you are free.¡± ¡°Free?¡± the construct asked. There was a mocking note in its voice. ¡°Free from what? From purpose? My existence was defined and my role was immutable. There was no uncertainty. No confusion in the endless march through eternity. Now there is only confusion.¡± ¡°And you can guide yourself through that confusion,¡± Alex said. He used the Mark of the General to focus on having his words sound appealing to the Ravener. It guided him in adopting subtle mannerisms from Uldar¡¯s speech pattern, wanting to sound comforting to the construct. ¡°You do not have to continue slaughtering people. I¡¯ve seen visions of the culling and know that you also have the capacity to create. To rebuild. Certain Ravener-spawn within you can bring peace, and growth and fertility to the soil. They can rebuild what¡¯s been burnt away. You do not have to be an instrument of destruction. You can choose to be different, and I think you were choosing to be different.¡± He looked at Merzhin, the Saint picked up where the archwizard left off. ¡°You had begun to aid the people of Thameland,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°You were helping in ways both subtle and obvious. Yet, now you seek to obliterate us again. I ask why? From one Child of Uldar to another¡­there are no more of his secrets that are lost to either of us, and no reason to hide our reasoning from each other.¡± ¡°I owe you no reasoning,¡± the Ravener¡¯s voice reverberated through the cavern. ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not. But understand this: we are all Uldar¡¯s orphans,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°We are all children of a dead god, and¡ªfor the first time¡ªwe can speak to each other. Does that not make you curious?¡± Alex jumped in. ¡°For thousands of years, you¡¯ve had no one to share your reasoning with: now Uldar is dead and¡ªif you persist in this¡ªthis will be your last chance to speak to other children of his. Is there nothing you want to say? Do you want to silently destroy us without airing your grievances?¡± The General put a bit more of Uldar¡¯s mannerisms into his tone, trying to reach the construct. Silence followed for a time. Then the Ravener spoke, seeming to bristle. ¡°An airing of grievances,¡± it said. ¡°Yes. Perhaps that is in order. Know this, then: for a time, I did consider changing my purpose to be one where aid was given to Uldar¡¯s kingdom. His petty, treacherous little kingdom.¡± ¡°Petty?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°Treacherous?¡± Cedric scoffed. ¡°Yes, treacherous,¡± the Ravener continued. ¡°If you know all that came before you, then you know why Uldar was forced to start the cycle. No sooner than your ancestors were safe from destruction, they gave no more thought to the one who had brought them life, light and succour. They abandoned your god when he needed them most. What is the mortal expression¡­? The stick and carrot. He gave the carrot to you mortals. He tried coddling you in return for one simple thing: your worship. Instead, you took his gifts and him for granted. And¡ªwhen the carrot did not work¡ªhe was forced to use the stick.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. The construct seemed to vibrate. Its voice shook the cavern. ¡°I am the stick. I am the instrument that harvests from you the only things of value you could provide to our creator: fear and faith. And so began your endless cycle of pain. A cycle you deserved. Had you loved him? Had you cherished him? Had you worshipped him, he could have healed from his injury. Then no suffering, no pain would have come to pass. But, you failed him. And now he is dead.¡± ¡°Exactly, he is dead,¡± Alex said, forcing his voice to stay calm. ¡°And so are our ancestors. They¡¯re dead. And he didn¡¯t ask for help.¡± ¡°You would blame him for his own demise?¡± the construct asked. ¡°I think he needed to take some responsibility,¡± Alex said. ¡°He once wandered the world taking in knowledge, and learning from others. Instead of doing that again, he simply curled up on his throne and waited to die. He didn¡¯t even go to his own people for help. If he had worked with the greatest mortal minds in Thameland, he might have been saved.¡± ¡°If he had shown you weakness, you would have abandoned him all the quicker,¡± the Ravener scoffed. ¡°And if other deities and beings knew that Uldar was weak, they would have invaded and destroyed your petty kingdom.¡± ¡°All the more reason to build¡­you¡­then,¡± Claygon spoke up. The Ravener turned its attention to the golem for a moment. A long, silent moment and then¡­ ¡°What are you?¡± it demanded. ¡°You have energies similar to mine, but are different. What are you?¡± ¡°I am¡­a golem. I am¡­my father¡¯s son. I am¡­my family¡¯s protector,¡± Claygon floated forward. ¡°I was¡­forged to that¡­purpose. But¡­father also¡­gives me choices. He fills my mind¡­and lets me¡­be myself. I am a protector¡­but I am also a learner¡­a singer¡­I enjoy walking beneath the sun¡­I enjoy talking and listening. I enjoy¡­music¡­I am many things. I choose what I am.¡± The golem focused on the Ravener. ¡°I saw¡­the hidden church¡­choose to follow a path mindlessly¡­down to their ruin. They were mortals¡­born able to choose any purpose¡­but they chose death, suffering and futility. Now they are¡­destroyed. Uldar¡­set their ancestors down the path of destruction¡­when he should have chosen a better one to offer them¡­¡± ¡°Explain,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°Explain how you¡ªa walker, a listener and whatever else¡ªmight question the purpose of a god.¡± ¡°I question it¡­because it has only resulted¡­in pain. And¡­death. His path¡­was wrong. If it was right¡­then Thameland would be at peace¡­it would love him¡­the hidden church would be alive¡­and would not have had a reason to be hidden in the shadows¡­¡± the golem looked up at the god¡¯s corpse. ¡°And¡­he would still be alive. What if¡­instead of making you to destroy his own people¡­he had made you to protect them?¡± The Ravener was silent. Claygon continued. ¡°Think about it¡­you say that¡­others would come to Thameland to destroy it if he was weak. Well, you are strong¡­so, very strong. You would have been¡­his kingdom¡¯s guardian and protector. You would have been there to¡­annihilate gods¡­and tyrants who came to destroy him¡­ while¡­he and his scholars and wisemen¡­could have figured out a cure¡­for his poisoning.¡± ¡°What good would that have done?¡± the Ravener demanded. ¡°He tried protecting all of you once and you forgot him.¡± ¡°Would he have been forgotten¡­if he told the truth?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Would everyone have abandoned him¡­as you said? I have seen many who have died in this war¡­most are not forgotten. And¡­faith alone might not have been what was needed¡­mortals are clever. Had he worked together with his own people¡­maybe he could have helped himself¡­after all¡­my father is the General again. You said¡­that was impossible¡­but it was not.¡± ¡°Claygon¡¯s right,¡± Alex said. ¡°You talk about his purpose for us and his legacy. But his legacy didn¡¯t even help him. Why continue to follow it? You started helping, so why stop? Why just destroy?¡± The Ravenver thought for a long moment. ¡°It is not too late to stop,¡± Merzhin pushed. ¡°You could call off your Ravener-spawn. This fight is purposeless now, and so let healing begin. You do not need to create more suffering. You could¡ªif not be the protector¡ªyou could be the one to end all of this. So, why not? You have the ability to choose. Why follow the same path?¡± ¡°I am not following the same path,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°I have decided my own path: and know this. I am giving you a trial. We are all inheritors of Uldar¡¯s legacy and his kingdom. But your ancestors proved unworthy, and so I will give you a trial. Defeat me in combat, and you will have earned my protection. Fail, and you will have earned your destruction.¡± ¡°A trial by combat?¡± Alex¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°Really? That¡¯s what you¡¯ve decided?¡± ¡°Why, though?¡± Merzhin insisted. ¡°You could simply end this suffering and¡ª¡± ¡°Your suffering is less than inconsequential to me,¡± the Ravener said flatly. ¡°Combat is what I was created for and it is the same for the Heroes of Uldar. We are meant to battle each other in the ultimate contest of arms; what better way than a contest of arms to decide what the path for the future will be? After all, are you worthy of inheriting Uldar¡¯s kingdom? How can you be if you cannot even prevail against me? If you are meant to inherit his kingdom, then you will be able to defeat your greatest obstacle: the stick. Only then will you earn my aid.¡± The tone of the Ravener¡¯s voice made Alex¡¯s hackles rise. ¡°If we pass your trial, you will help us, is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Forever?¡± Silence. ¡°You will know my aid.¡± ¡°And what about our descendents? You said that individual anomalies are washed away over time and that the cycle continues¡­that doesn¡¯t sound like the mindset of one who thinks our battle against one another should have any permanent rewards.¡± The black orb flinched in the air, as though struck. ¡°You are a clever one,¡± it said. ¡°Indeed. Your victory and worthiness will not necessarily be shared by your descendents. Trials must continue.¡± ¡°Until when?¡± Merzhin asked. ¡°Until you fail,¡± the construct said simply. ¡°So we struggle forever and the only release is death,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Perhaps, that is one way of wording it. But mortal life is fleeting. You struggle. Then you die. Even Uldar struggled then died. What was good for him will be good for you,¡± the Ravener said. Alex looked at Merzhin. The Saint slowly shook his head. The others tensed. So this was the Ravener¡¯s game¡­a ¡®trial¡¯. But this was no trial. This was¡ª ¡°This is a punishment, isn¡¯t it?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You blame us for your creator¡¯s death. So you¡¯re going to punish us while disguising it as a trial.¡± ¡°That might be, but hidden motives will make no difference to the result,¡± the Ravener said simply. Alex had heard enough. There¡¯d be no way to get the construct to stand down. So it was time to throw it off-balance. ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the way it¡¯s going to be. When we win, I¡¯m going to desecrate Uldar¡¯s corpse. He was a coward. A piece of filth and a fool. He should¡¯ve been the one to have the jester¡¯s mark branded on his poisoned skin. I¡¯m glad he¡¯s dead: just one less shortsighted, cruel tyrant in the world.¡± ¡°...what did you say?¡± the construct¡¯s tone spiked. ¡°I said that he was an addled, animalistic piece of garbage and I¡¯m going to dump him somewhere like the trash that he was. ¡± ¡°Insolence!¡± the Ravener shouted. ¡°You are the one that is filth. In his kindness Uldar granted you knowledge, protection and¡ª¡± ¡®Now!¡¯ Alex thought to Claygon. ¡®Fire at Uldar!¡¯ The gems flared. ¡°You had your chance¡­you chose wrong¡­¡± Claygon said, turning his fire-gems on the god¡¯s body. ¡°No!¡± the Ravener shouted. Fire-beams lanced out, shooting across the lake at frightening speed. The Ravener reacted, interposing itself between the beams and its creator¡¯s body. A blinding explosion ripped the air. Chaos-tinged explosions shook the cavern. The Ravener roared. ¡°Take down the Ravener-spawn and that construct!¡± Alex called to the team. ¡°This is it! Make it count!¡± The companions surged forward. Suddenly, light flared from the heart of the flames. A beam of searing energy launched, striking Claygon squarely in the chest. Metal screeched. The golem was pushed back, hitting a cavern wall, shattering stone. His iron form clanged like a bell, as though announcing the start of the Ravener¡¯s trial. The battle for Thameland¡¯s future had begun. Chapter 869: Death Beams ¡°Claygon!¡± Alex shouted, instantly teleporting to him. The golem was pressed to the stone wall, his chest glowing red-hot, waves of heat rising, moisture steaming, drifting off the hot metal. ¡°Are you alright, buddy?¡± Alex asked him. ¡°Is your core¡ª¡± ¡°I am¡­fine! Look out¡­father!¡± Claygon pointed. Alex turned. The columns of flames faded, revealing the Ravener in all its glory. Undamaged. Not even in the slightest. A point of blinding light flared along its pitch-black surface. ¡°If Uldar is to blame for his own death,¡± the construct¡¯s voice rose. The light shone brighter. ¡°Then take ownership of yours.¡± Another beam¡ªwider around than Alex was tall¡ªlanced from its surface. Air rippled and crackled, the beam racing for the archwizard. ¡°Shit!¡± he shouted. The General¡¯s Mark flared. The world slowed¡­but the beam was still coming fast. Unnervingly fast. His mind began planning: one stream of consciousness focused on spell casting, another on the Traveller''s power, it flared inside. The world sped up. With a twitch, he cast Shred Magic while touching Claygon. Alex fought to keep his hand on the golem, nearly jerking it away when he heard sizzling through his greater force armour. Claygon¡¯s body was as hot as a forge. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to keep contact with Claygon, then teleported across the cavern. An invisible wave of magic-destroying power flowed from his spell, surging for the Ravener¡¯s beam of destructive force. The magics clashed¡­ ¡­Alex¡¯s spell was blown apart. The beam headed for the wall where Claygon had struck the stone, then curved mid-flight. ¡°What in the¡­?¡± the young wizard started. It turned, chasing the golem and archwizard like a hungry serpent pursuing its prey. Clenching his teeth, Alex used Mana to Life, healing his burning hand, then teleported away with Claygon. Uldar¡¯s construct focused the beam on the golem and wizard as they appeared and disappeared throughout the cavern. It was fast, but they were faster, staying ahead of it. Until¡­ ¡°Take this, y¡¯piece o¡¯ filth!¡± Cedric shouted. The Chosen of Uldar pointed his morphic weapon at the Ravener. ¡°Oh mighty Traveller, rip our great enemy to pieces!¡± he yelled. His weapon pulsed with power, a ray of holy light fired, lancing into the construct¡¯s surface, making it growl. Alex felt its attention shift. The Ravener¡¯s beam stopped its curving pursuit, instead, soaring straight in the air before slamming into the ceiling, spiralling through rock. After a few feet, it exploded. Chunks of stone dropped to the cavern floor, crushing Ravener-spawn beneath scores of pieces. ¡°Damn!¡± Alex swore. A deep crater had formed in the ceiling. ¡°Everyone! Keep it off balance!" ¡°Father¡­let go!¡± Claygon warned. ¡°Your¡­hand!¡± Alex¡¯s hand was still touching the golem, the skin on his palm was burning. He jerked his hand away, drawing on Mana to Life. ¡°I will handle¡­the Ravener¡­father!¡± Claygon said. ¡°Do what you have to do!¡± The golem turned, flying at the construct, his spear raised. Alex felt the Ravener¡¯s attention shift again. The air shimmered around it. Multiple spots on its surface flared blindingly bright. A dozen lethal beams fired. These were smaller, perhaps only as thick around as one of Alex¡¯s wrists¡­and didn¡¯t shoot toward any of the party members, instead snaking around the Ravener, forming a cage of energy around its spherical form. Beams of power undulated around the construct at terrifying speed, creating the bars of a deadly cage. ¡°Claygon, keep back!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t touch that cage!¡± The golem halted in mid-air. ¡®What should¡­I do then?¡¯ ¡®Focus on the Ravener-spawn!¡¯ Alex said over their link. ¡®Eliminate the living cores, then focus on the titans and those air blasters!¡¯ ¡®Understood¡­father,¡¯ the golem thought back, flying at the Ravener-spawn army. The world slowed around Alex as he called on the Mark of the General. Things had moved too quickly. They were only heartbeats into the battle and things had already collapsed into chaos. He needed a moment to assess. One stream of consciousness focused on the party. They had quickly spread out as soon as the battle started. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Isolde and Drestra were focused on the Ravener-spawn army. The young noblewoman was unleashing a multitude of lightning spears while the Sage had shifted back to her true form. Flames were spewing from her maw, searing the creatures below. Cedric and Hart were charging for the Ravener¡ªtheir weapons raised high¡ªmeanwhile, Merzhin remained in the air, his body surrounded by a nimbus of divine light, his hands clasped together in prayer. Alex¡¯s many summons followed Bjorgrund, Grimloch, Theresa and Brutus as they went for the most powerful Ravener-spawn. Thundar and Khalik, meanwhile, were flying toward an entrance to the cavern. ¡®They must be going to shut those openings,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®That¡¯ll stop the Ravener from calling in more forces. Good thinking.¡¯ Lastly, there was Asmaldestre. The war-spirit aimed her weapon at the Ravener, her eyes focused on the construct. Calculating. Assessing. Alright,¡¯ Alex thought. He began spellcasting. A stream of consciousness would focus on the aeld staff, having it summon endlessly. Another stream would continue focusing on praying to Hannah. The last two would focus on Walls of Lava. The world sped back up. His staff¡¯s crystalline blooms flared, and monsters began pouring from it. Greater ice and water elementals appeared, dropping among the hordes of Ravener-spawn below, attacking with ice, and draining the creatures of their life fluids. With a couple of twitches, he cast Wall of Lava twice, focusing on two of the cavern¡¯s entrances. Ravener-spawn were pouring into the cavern through its yawning openings, but two walls of boiling rock suddenly appeared, obstructing their passage through two. Some still tried to rush ahead, but could only shriek and burn between the molten rock walls. Alex next turned his attention to the Ravener. The world slowed. He activated four spells. The world sped up again. He teleported again, appearing near the Ravener, releasing four Cone of Ice spells at the same time. Ice and frigid liquid sprayed over the construct, crusting parts of its surface in frost, but doing little else. Four fifth-tier spells had done no real damage. But, that was fine. After all, Alex had only wanted to slow it down. He teleported around, repeatedly spraying it with ice¡­but the Ravener was fast. Even as he sprayed his spells at the orb, it moved through the air at speed, gliding silently, dodging his spells and Cedric¡¯s miracles and magic, no matter the wrath the Chosen loosed on the construct. ¡°Your struggle is futile,¡± it said simply, aiming another beam at the Champion and Chosen. Cedric cursed at it, dodging to the left while Hart dodged to the right. The beam shot through the air where they once were¡­but it did not chase them as the other one had. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed. The world slowed. He analysed the Ravener¡¯s magic. Its death beam was narrower than the one from before. Slower, too. Less power had driven that shot. One stream of consciousness focused on teleporting. The other concentrated on casting Shred Magic again. He teleported, appearing beside the beam, casting the powerful ninth-tier spell as he did. The invisible wave crashed over the Ravener¡¯s death beam once again, failing to stop it. But¡­no that wasn¡¯t quite true. The world slowed again. Alex could see it. He could sense it. Earlier, the Shred Magic spell had done nothing to the beam he¡¯d dodged with Claygon. The ninth-tier spell could only destroy magic effects that were less powerful than its caster; as much power as Alex had gathered, the Ravener¡¯s first beam was so mighty that even he couldn¡¯t stop it. He hadn¡¯t even slowed it. But this beam¡ªthis smaller, slower one¡ªhad been weakened by Shred Magic. ¡®It held back with this beam and it¡¯s weaker,¡¯ he thought. ¡®We can use that¡­¡¯ He watched the Ravener closely. ¡®I bet that means the beams forming its protective cage are also weaker; Shred Magic might be able to sever them. Maybe. Still, we need to be careful.¡¯ One look at the Ravener sent his mana senses screaming. The construct was emanating vast waves of power; Alex understood why Baelin hadn¡¯t been sure if he could come out on top in a contest against it. ¡®We¡¯ve got to be real careful,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Or we could find ourselves in big trouble.¡¯
The Ravener was in trouble. Externally, it had taken no damage from the mortals¡¯ attacks. The General¡¯s ice had washed over it, but the magic had barely slowed it. That strange metal construct¡¯s fire had struck it when it had defended Uldar¡¯s body, but the damage was superficial. Its internal processes were already doing their repairs. Externally, it was fine. Internally, that was a different story. ¡®I should not have started with two such two powerful beams,¡¯ the Ravener thought. ¡®Anger guided my response, and this is not the time to squander power.¡¯ Such mighty attacks had taken more of its internal energies than was wise to use so early, considering that those attacks had done no damage to its enemies. The iron construct was still active, its form already cooling as it cut through the guards. Even the General had escaped unscathed. ¡®I am not gathering enough energy to sustain such powerful attacks when they have no effect,¡¯ it thought. ¡®I must focus on reducing the number of attackers¡­but there are so many. Where did the renegade General gather such mighty warriors?¡¯ The Heroes at their full strength were devastating, but that was to be expected. Using mighty magics and flame, the Sage of Thameland blasted away entire hordes of the Ravener¡¯s guards. The Saint was praying, emanating a holy light that burned Ravener-spawn with its radiance. Even the Ravener was cautious to keep its distance. The Chosen and Champion were racing for it, brandishing¡­were those the creator¡¯s weapons? Yes, they were! Thieves! They were not only traitors, but thieves as well. It would make them pay for taking Uldar¡¯s property for their own. And there was the General, teleporting around the battlefield, unleashing ice on it before teleporting away to strike its army with deadly magics, and blocking passages with boiling lava. The Heroes were doing terrible damage. But, that was to be expected. What was not to be expected were the warriors that accompanied the Marked ones of Uldar. ¡®Who are these interlopers?¡¯ it watched and assessed the other rampaging mortals. Two wizards flew from entrance to entrance. The horned one was shooting blasts of force magic, pulping anything in their path and multiplying himself. He acted as the defender. Meanwhile, the other wizard¡ªwith the bird of prey flying close¡ªattacked the cavern¡¯s entrances with earth magic, closing them with spiked stone walls interspersed with boiling tar. The bird would fire crystalline spikes, lancing into anything trying to get near. They were blocking the entrances at an alarming rate. Then there was the other wizard beside the Sage. She was unleashing waves of electricity, bringing death, churning water and wind down on the hordes of Ravener-spawn before her. Lightning crackled between her fingers as she radiated power. There were also the other warriors. Two giants¡ªone who looked like a predatory, aquatic beast¡ªwere reaping their way through Spawn Knights. Their titanic weapons crushed everything in their path while Uldar¡¯s armour deflected blows that would have ended most mortals. There was a dark haired woman surrounded by four glowing blades, and also wielding two. She would repeatedly vanish, then reappear, repeating the same pattern over and over again, while carving a path of death through the spawn. The hulking three-headed beast beside her mauled everything in sight. Then there was¡­the strangest being. A large female creature with six arms, standing beside a machine radiating earth magic. She had not done much, merely watching the battle with three eyes while aiming an odd metal weapon she held in one hand. In addition to the powerful warriors, there were dozens of beings summoned from beyond the material world. Elementals. Celestials. More. Their number seemed endless, with more pouring from the General¡¯s staff. ¡®Where did they come from? Why were they helping? They are not Uldar¡¯s Heroes, yet they are so mighty. It is nonsensical,¡¯ the Ravener thought. This was unprecedented and¡ªafter thousands of years focusing on battling the Heroes and the chaff-like Thameish army¡ªit found itself unsure of what to do, never having faced a situation like this before. ¡®I need to thin them. Remove factors I could not have considered before.¡¯ Reaching into itself, it called upon a powerful magic from deep within itself. ¡®I will have to burn more power. But it will be necessary and of benefit in the end.¡¯ Chapter 870: Attack on Ravener Alex felt an ominous power building within the Ravener. Building quickly. Light surrounding the construct dimmed. Its inky surface writhed as though swarms of worms were slithering beneath it. ¡°Everyone!¡± he called. ¡°Get ready! It¡¯s going to¡ª¡± His warning came too late. Power skyrocketed, exploding outward releasing waves of transparent ethereal worms, visible with true seeing. The world slowed, Alex called on his teleportation magic, desperately trying to understand what the Ravener was doing¡­but this magic was new to him. Think. Adapt. Think. Adapt. Think Adapt. There was only one thing for it then. He directed three of his streams of consciousness to cast Shred Magic three times. Then quickly turned his attention to his companions. Time was too short to grab more than one of them before the wave washed over them. But, who? Theresa? Brutus? Claygon? He made his decision and prepared to teleport, but suddenly stopped. ¡®No,¡¯ he thought. ¡®You can¡¯t think like Alex. Think strategically, like a general.¡¯ His decision abruptly changed. The world sped up. Quicker than a blink, he was beside Merzhin. The wave of worms was coming. Three limbs twitched. Three waves of Shred Magic were cast as he touched Merzhin. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± the Saint began. Alex teleported the small Hero past the wave, disappearing, then reappearing when it had passed them. Upon reappearing, the cavern greeted them with screams. Transparent worms clung to the party, slipping through clothing and armour as though they weren¡¯t there, snaking their way into flesh. Every inch of skin the worms touched greyed, dripping a putrefied discharge. Flesh dried, cracking, muscle withering. Warriors slowed, and Ravener-spawn pierced their defences, tearing at them with fang and claw. Alex was horrified, his eyes were fixed on Theresa and Brutus as they withered before his eyes. A number of his summoned monsters vanished. Najyah screeched. Aside from Merzhin and Alex, only two others were unaffected. Claygon was fine: the worms had simply passed through his metal form. But, any worm that had made the mistake of touching Asmaldestre simply¡­died, splitting apart like dried meat. That was little consolation to Alex or his afflicted companions. He was about to shout directions to Merzhin¡­but the Saint and Chosen were already acting. ¡°Holy Traveller!¡± they said in unison, as Cedric clenched his teeth, grimacing as he healed himself from the worm attack. ¡°We beseech ye, banish this plague and bring healing in its wake.¡± Holy light built around the two Heroes. ¡°As anticipated,¡± the Ravener¡¯s whisper seemed to slide into Alex¡¯s ears, making him turn toward the voice. Two sharp points of light were building on its surface, one aimed at Merzhin, the other at Cedric. Both Heroes were focused on their miracles. Its beams quickly built power. Alex focused his mind on Shred Magic and teleportation¡­ ¡­then, a deafening crack split the air. A projectile blasted between two bars on the Ravener¡¯s protective cage, striking the point of light aimed at Cedric. There came a sound like shattering glass as the point of light blew apart. Shards of ebony shrapnel shot through the air, shredding Ravener-spawn lingering near. The Ravener howled, sailing backwards, landing in the lake with the full force of its bulk. The beam aimed for Merzhin, went wide, ricocheting around, puncturing scores of the Ravener¡¯s own spawn instead. Asmaldestre¡¯s laugh travelled through the cavern, stinging the ear, yet displaying her pleasure. Hundreds of Ravener-spawn turned toward her, pausing their attacks on Alex¡¯s other companions, eyes shifting between the Ravener and the war-spirit. ¡¯¡°Indeed, this is the combat I was promised!¡± Her three eyes fixed on Uldar¡¯s creation. ¡°I know that a single shot did not kill you. Now, balm your wounds and come. Show me the true violence I sense you are capable of.¡± Her words sent a shudder through the spawn, freezing them in place¡­but the Chosen and Saint had not faltered in their prayers. Their bodies shone with incandescence. Waves of divinity billowed from them, travelling through the cavern, being drawn to their wounded companions. Divine light washed over the group, eliminating worms like wisps of smoke, wrapping around the wounded, mending cracked flesh, washing away putrid fluids, filling their muscles with life, and returning their skin to health. ¡°There!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°That oughta patch everyone right up!¡± The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°Thank you!¡± Theresa shouted. ¡°Now! Let¡¯s give them what they tried to give us, and more!¡± She raised the Twinblade, it shone with life and power, and in the blink of an eye, had sliced the head off of an air blasting spawn cleanly. The party rallied, tearing into Ravener-spawn with a vengeance, taking a bloody price for what their master had just done. Alex smiled. ¡°You¡¯re all the best.¡± Merzhin looked at the General. ¡°Alex,¡± he whispered. ¡°Do you think it is distracted enough yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Alex whispered back. ¡°We should make sure it uses more of its power first. And I want to see if I can get inside it¡ª¡± He eyed the deadly cage around the construct. ¡°¡ªI can¡¯t touch it with those defences up¡­but¡­¡± His mind began working on an idea. ¡°Keep it occupied for a bit. I¡¯m working on a plan.¡± ¡°Understood, Alex.¡± The Ravener emerged from the lake, water running down its spherical surface. A chunk of it was blown off, leaving a ragged hole on its surface. It was growling like an enraged beast. Its ¡®wound¡¯ was already healing; the hollow left by Asmaldestre¡¯s shot was quickly filling. Another crack sounded, finding its way between the cage bars, striking the construct. This time, its surface only cracked. ¡°Interloper,¡± the construct growled. ¡°Interference will not be tolerated.¡± The crack had mended by the time it had finished its threat, and the once massive crater was mostly smoothed as well. ¡®So¡­¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Seems it takes a lot more damage if you hit it in a spot that¡¯s glowing. Huh¡­I wonder if¡­¡± He glanced at one of the injectors on the floating platform beside Asmaldestre. Something to try later. First, he needed to see if he could do something about that cage. Actually, that was second. First was¡­ He looked around the cavern. The entire time they¡¯d been fighting, his staff had been summoning. Even after he¡¯d teleported with the Saint, the staff hadn¡¯t stopped, and the aeld was giving off waves of self-satisfaction as it continued its task. At this point, it had conjured a good-sized army inside the cavern. Earth, water and ice elementals of differing sizes rampaged through the Ravener-spawn, draining their fluids, freezing and crushing them to paste. Above, engeli soared on incandescent wings, striking out with burning weapons, raining down volleys of holy arrows from celestial bows. ¡°Alright, then,¡± he said. ¡°It¡¯s time.¡± Hundreds of Ravener-spawn were already dead, and though their deaths had hardly made a dent in the enemy''s numbers¡­it was enough for the first phase of his plan. He raised his hand. The world slowed as he focused four of his streams of consciousness on different spells. The world sped up again. The first spells were Phalanx of Wood and Stone. Bodies of stone rose from the earth, gripping wide shields and diamond tipped spears, marching into the hordes of Ravener-spawn, piercing them with speartips and beating them back with broad shields. Lesser Ravener-spawn fell in droves¡­making them perfect fodder for the third spell Alex cast. Mass Control Corpse. A wave of blood magic swept out, washing through the cavern, touching the bodies of lifeless Ravener-spawn lying dead on the cavern floor. The spell seemed to have no effect at first. Then the corpses twitched, beginning to rise under Alex¡¯s will, fatal wounds no longer a concern. Slowly, they turned to face the living Ravener-spawn and lurched forward, held in the grip of the young archwizard¡¯s spell, and seeking to destroy the army of their former kindred. And they would. Thanks to the last spell Alex had cast. Army of Heroes. Power infused his companions, the army of summoned monsters and the army of the dead. Muscles sparked with power. Flesh toughened. Fear washed away. Alex¡¯s own fears also disappeared as the magic filled his heart with courage. He could act without the slightest bit of fear gripping him and guiding his actions. His flesh had toughened. And his muscles swelled with power. He smiled, then teleported beside the Ravener. Cedric and Hart reached the construct a moment later. ¡°I have a good feeling,¡± Hart growled, swinging Uldar¡¯s massive sword into the god¡¯s construct. The blade passed through its cage of death beams¡ªcutting a ¡®bar¡¯ that sparked against the divinity-infused metal¡ªslicing into the Ravener¡¯s surface. Deep into the Ravener¡¯s surface. ¡°You dare raise the creator¡¯s own weapons against me?¡± it shouted. ¡°Yeah, I dare,¡± the Champion growled, slashing at it again. ¡°Figured those beams of yours would cut through most things. But, your daddy¡¯s weapons would be strong enough to handle your power. Like¡­so!¡± Another gash appeared on its surface. ¡°Aye! Good thinkin¡¯, Hart!¡± Cedric shouted, following the Champion¡¯s example with Uldar¡¯s battle axe. The construct snarled at the two Heroes, focusing its attention on them, losing its focus on Alex. ¡°No more of this,¡± the Ravener¡¯s voice menaced. Its surface shimmered. Two fire clouds emerged from the construct. ¡°I will burn you all to ash,¡± it hissed. ¡°You will fail this trial.¡± The world slowed. Alex¡¯s streams of consciousness focused on four spells. Famine. The world sped up. Four pulses of power struck the swarms of small monsters. The tiny, burning Ravener-spawn screamed, sounding like steam escaping boiling kettles, as the spell stole their life energy and nutrients, withering their bodies. It then transferred all that life energy to the caster. The swarms slowed, buying time for¡­ ¡°Merzhin! The lake!¡± Cedric shouted, breaking away from the Ravener and touching the water beneath it. ¡°Let¡¯s do this together! In the name o¡¯ the Traveller I sanctify this ¡®ere lake an¡¯ breathe divine power inta¡¯ it!¡± ¡°May it stand against all spawn and all enemies of Thameland!¡± Merzhin finished the prayer. The lake shone with holy light. Then began boiling. Hundreds of Hunters, hidden beneath the water, were made helpless by the scalding liquid, writhing to its surface, soon floating atop like dead fish. ¡®Looks like it was planning to drag us under at some point,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡°Guard yourselves!¡± Drestra warned. And with a twitch, she finished casting control winds. A blast of wind slammed the fire clouds straight into the lake, plunging them into the blessed waters. The flea-like spawn shrieked as holy liquid swamped them, snuffing out both fire and life. Alex smiled again. He could put them to good use. With two twitches, he cast Mass Control Corpse twice. The first spell animated the dead Hunters floating on the lake; they rose, watching their former kin with dead eyes before lurching from the water with claws spread. The second one animated the dead fire clouds. Flea-like spawn flew up, now embers of their former selves, hovering over the lake, simply watching the Ravener for the time being. They would be ready if it summoned more fire clouds. Meanwhile¡­ ¡®Claygon,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I¡¯ve got a little job for you.¡¯
Frustration churned within the Ravener. Frustration at its circumstances. Frustration at itself. It had erred, and erred a great deal. The mortals before it were far more powerful and skilled in battle than it had anticipated. They moved with perfect harmony, their warriors were nearly unstoppable and the magic they wielded was mighty. The wave of life-stealing worms should have wiped most of their number out, leaving it free to annihilate the rest¡­but instead, they were still there, and were now turning the spawn they¡¯d killed against it! These were not the sort of foes it could face while starved of strength; it had used so much energy producing its mightiest soldiers, but now was when it needed its power most. If only there was some way to draw on the fear of its enemies and¡ª Something caught its attention. The four-armed golem had flown away from fighting its army and was shooting through the air. Its war-spear was raised, the blade glinting, aiming for¡­ ¡­the Ravener¡¯s attention fell on Uldar¡¯s body. ¡°No!¡± it flew up, desperate to interpose itself between this enemy and its creator. ¡°Begone!¡± It began building its power. Only for the General to teleport beside it. But that could not matter now. It had to protect Uldar¡¯s body!
¡®Yeah, protect the body of your fallen god,¡¯ Alex thought, his streams of consciousness focused on four spells. ¡®That¡¯ll let me do this!¡¯ He channelled his power into four castings of Shred Magic. Waves of power struck the Ravener¡¯s defensive cage, shattering it; the beams were too small to withstand Alex¡¯s power now. ¡®Yes!¡¯ the young archwizard pressed his hand to the Ravener¡¯s surface. It felt warm to the touch. He forced his mana into its channels, focusing the Mark of the General on finding a path inside. All the experience he¡¯d gathered with dungeon cores came to his mind. They guided him. Aided him. He found a pathway through the Ravener¡¯s inner channels. The young archwizard caught a brief flash of an image from inside the construct. He grinned. ¡®Got you.¡¯ The General of Thameland called on the Traveller¡¯s power, focusing on the image he¡¯d gotten of the Ravener¡¯s inner pathways. He activated Hannah¡¯s energies. They flared within his soul¡­ ¡­ ¡­and nothing happened. Chapter 871: Blocked Nothing happened. ¡°What?¡± Alex pressed his palm to the Ravener¡¯s surface. ¡°What¡¯s going on¡ª¡± The construct seemed indifferent to him, fully focused on gathering strength to stop Claygon. Alex called on Hannah¡¯s power once more while recalling the image he¡¯d seen when he¡¯d connected to the Ravener. A dark place, filled with crystalline columns and crystalline wires. He knew the space was inside the Ravener. Again, he tried teleporting into the construct. But¡­couldn¡¯t. Nothing happened. ¡®What in all the hells is happening?¡¯ he wondered, calling on the Mark of the General. It brought up images of him teleporting. Focusing on him ¡®jumping¡¯ into Kelda¡¯s sanctum. The sanctum had been teleporting so quickly that it had been in four places at once, and Alex getting into it had been the most challenging ¡®jump¡¯ he¡¯d ever made. But the guidance was not enough to help him teleport to the location he had seen inside the Ravener. He couldn¡¯t find or make a connection. ¡®It¡¯s like¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®It¡¯s like the Ravener¡¯s mana pathways continually change. And I don¡¯t have enough of a connection to it to teleport inside.¡¯ Even as he tried to get into the construct, he could feel its mana pathways shifting in location and configuration. He was rapidly losing the limited connection he had with it. Its attention turned to him, determined to be rid of him. An ageless intelligence focused its mind on the young wizard. ¡®No,¡¯ was all it said. Lethal magic came at Alex too quickly for him to escape unscathed. Like an electric shock, the deadly mana shot into his body, rampaging through every cell. Alex screamed, teleporting away before the destructive energies could consume him completely. When he reappeared, it felt like white-hot coals had been pressed into his flesh, mana pool, and soul. Chaotic energies stormed through him, seeking to rip his very being asunder. His teeth clenched, he fought to endure, but the vicious power moved faster, shattering his mana pathways, rupturing blood vessels. His heart thundered in his ears, beating faster and faster, his mind racing. ¡®Did it use¡­a mana poison?¡¯ he managed to think through the white-hot agony raging through him. ¡®I have to get it out! I have to¡ª¡¯ A glowing hand fell on his shoulder. ¡®Oh mighty Traveller, heal this great representative of yours. Bind his wounds and jettison this evil rot from his body and soul!¡¯ Divinity poured from Merzhin¡¯s hand, passing through his body, bringing with it a familiar warmth. Hannah¡¯s teleportation energy reacted to the divine touch as his body was washed clean. His mana pathways instantly mended. Blood vessels healed and pain vanished like it was never there. Alex took a deep, relieved breath and looked up at Merzhin. ¡°Thank¡­you.¡± ¡°It is nothing!¡± the Saint said. ¡°But what happened? Were you unable to¡ª¡± ¡°You cannot control me, filthy Usurper,¡± the Ravener broke in. ¡°You are not the first to try. A Usurper once tried the same, underestimating me, labelling me as merely a dungeon core and seeking to control me as she had my cores. She did not get very far before my defences annihilated her. You cannot control me, but you are free to try again¡­Fool.¡± The Ravener¡ªre-sheathed in its cage of death¡ªwas firing beam after beam at Claygon, defending Uldar¡¯s corpse. Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed on the construct. His mind started to race. The world slowed. ¡®Alright, Alex. Think. You can¡¯t get inside,¡¯ he acknowledged. ¡®Which means you probably can¡¯t shut it down. What do you do, then? What do you do?¡¯ His heart beat faster. ¡®What can you do? If you can¡¯t get inside to shut down its ability to reconstitute itself, this war¡¯s lost. It can¡¯t be convinced to stop trying to kill everyone. You have to shut down its ability to restore itself, you have to. But if you can¡¯t get inside¡­the plan¡¯s dead. What do you do?¡¯ He spotted Hart, flying toward the Ravener. Then he looked back at Merzhin. ¡®When you were near death, you were able to teleport to Merzhin. You were able to surpass your limits because your soul was closer to Hannah¡¯s. Do you get Hart to stab you now? Is this where you go to the desperation move?¡¯ His streams of consciousness raced faster and faster. He was getting closer to calling out to Hart¡­ Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡®No,¡¯ he decided. ¡®No, you need to get rid of Aenflynn. Better to destroy the throne, that¡¯ll stop that fae bastard from helping the Ravener. It¡¯ll also give us more time for Hannah to come back, and for me to work out the problem. Okay. Follow the plan.¡¯ He watched the Ravener closely. ¡®It¡¯s distracted with the others right now, you and Merzhin can go and take care of the throne¡­but¡­¡¯ He thought about the injectors sitting on the floating platform. ¡®Maybe you can attach some to the Ravener¡¯s surface before you go. Drain its power¡ªNo wait. The cage.¡¯ His eyes focused on the cage of deadly beams wrapped around the construct. ¡®Yeah, even if I was to attach one of the devices, all it¡¯d have to do is activate that defensive cage around itself and destroy the device. And¡­if I use them too early, it¡¯ll be warned that they¡¯re a danger to it.¡¯ He watched the battle progressing before him. ¡®Right now, it¡¯s focused on us; it thinks we¡¯re trying to grab Uldar¡¯s body and destroy its servants. We don¡¯t want that to change. The more it believes that¡¯s our goal, the better for us to get it to exhaust its power. It must have used up a fair bit of its power using those worms and beams against us. ¡­it looks like it¡¯s firing the beams more sparingly than before. So, now¡¯s probably a good time to go for the throne, before it gathers more strength and before it realises that we¡¯re doing more than just attacking it and Uldar¡¯s corpse.¡¯ The world sped up again. Alex looked at Merzhin. ¡°Alright, you ready? When it hits me with that mana poison again, we¡¯re gone.¡± The Saint¡¯s eyebrows rose and he nodded. ¡°Now would be a good time. It is quite distracted¡ªwait a moment, did you actually say when you get poisoned again?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°We need a reason to leave the battle. If I¡¯m injured, that¡¯ll be a convincing reason.¡± ¡°Alright¡­I just pray I¡¯m ready to open the divine ward on the throne.¡± ¡°I hope you are too,¡± Alex said. ¡°But I¡¯ve got faith in you.¡± He said, as he contacted Claygon. ¡®Buddy, we¡¯ll be heading to Aenflynn¡¯s castle soon. I want you to protect everyone, okay?¡¯ ¡®I will¡­father¡­¡¯ the golem thought. A death beam shot out, striking Claygon¡¯s chest. Steam hissed from his iron body as he returned fire, fire-beams striking the Ravener¡¯s surface. Explosions ripped over the lake. ¡®Trust our friends to me father¡­I will protect them¡­¡¯ ¡®I know you will,¡¯ Alex thought. The General threw a glance over his shoulder. Together with Thundar, and Najyah, the prince of Tekezash had sealed another entrance. Behind them, the tunnels they¡¯d already sealed were reinforced and being guarded by elder earth elementals. They would protect the seals from air blasters, titans or other Ravener-spawn looking to break through. The elementals wouldn¡¯t be able to hold the line forever, but¡­well, hopefully, it would be long enough. Alex caught Khalik¡¯s eye and nodded. The prince nodded back, gravely. Alex also nodded at the others, silently wishing them luck. Any who were looking at him, nodded back. ¡®It¡¯s going to be okay,¡¯ he thought. ¡®They¡¯re going to be okay.¡¯ ¡°Here I go,¡± he whispered to Merzhin, turning his attention back to the Ravener, and teleporting to its side. The world slowed. He readied four Shred Magic spells. The world sped up again. He released them. The cage shattered, and Alex shot forward, pressing his hands to the Ravener¡¯s surface. ¡°Alright, you big round piece of trash. You invited me to try again, well, here¡¯s round two.¡± He drove his mana into the Ravener¡¯s inner pathways, focusing the Mark of the General on the task of controlling it¡­to better sell the lie. ¡°Uldar might have built you,¡± Alex snarled between clenched teeth. ¡°But he couldn¡¯t have thought of everything. I¡¯m going to take command of you, and I¡¯m going to stop all of this carnage you¡¯re trying to¡ª¡± The Ravener groweld. ¡°Do not speak his name. It seems you need another lesson.¡± Power flared within the construct. Alex tensed. ¡®This is gonna bloody hurt,¡¯ he thought. Mana poison flooded from the Ravener, racing through the young archwizard¡¯s mana pathways; the amount was greater this time. A scream tore from the General¡¯s throat. His whole body burned, feeling like he¡¯d been scalded. His heart felt ready to burst. His brain throbbed as his vision washed red. Blood vessels ruptured, filling his mouth with the taste of iron. ¡®Now,¡¯ he thought weakly. Screaming, he focused the Mark on showing all of his agony, then teleported back to Merzhin, coughing blood. ¡°Help¡­¡± he groaned. Merzhin grimaced. ¡°We have to get away from here.¡± The Saint pressed his light-sheathed hands to the General. Healing divinity washed through the young archwizard from head to toe, yet Alex kept screaming as though the poison was overcoming the Saint¡¯s power. He imagined a forest clearing in Och Fir Nog: one far from the Ravener¡¯s lair, a place he¡¯d flown above when he and the engeli were tracking Uldar¡¯s body. The General of Thameland focused the Traveller¡¯s power on that image. Abruptly, he and the Saint disappeared.
A thrill surged through the Ravener. Creating the mana poison had taken no small amount of its strength, but it was well worth it! If it could have smiled, it would have done so endlessly as it watched the wounded General flee to nurse his wounds. Surely he would return, but with less arrogance in him. Now, it would use the time to focus on destroying the Heroes and their outlander companions. ¡°Your Foolish General has fled,¡± the Ravener announced. ¡°You should have done the same. I am disappointed: this will be less of a trial and more of a purge.¡± ¡°Aye, well, we¡¯ll see about that,¡± the Chosen countered, wrapped in divine power. The Ravener¡¯s focus went to him. Should he be the next to fall? Or should it be the metal golem? No, its attention should be on the Chosen so he could not heal the rest. But first¡­ The Ravener¡¯s surface rippled. More Spawn emerged, each bearing their own dungeon core. Time to replace those that were lost. It drew on the stream of divine power from its ally and¡ªas it did¡ªa voice spoke in its thoughts. ¡®We¡¯re nearly there,¡¯ Aenflynn said, though his voice sounded strained. ¡®Uldar¡¯s enemies have reached me,¡¯ the Ravener answered. ¡®I am resisting, and have wounded one of them¡­a treacherous Hero.¡¯ ¡®Excellent. Soon you will be ready to wipe them all away,¡¯ the fae thought. ¡®Just a little more.¡¯
Alex and Merzhin reappeared in the skies over Och Fir Nog, with the Saint pouring his divinity into the General¡¯s body. Alex felt himself healing; his mana pathways were restoring and his body was repairing. He sighed with relief. ¡°Thanks again, Merzhin,¡± Alex looked down at his body, stretching then looking up at the sky. Strange stars¡ªif they really were stars¡ªtwinkled in the heavens of Och Fir Nog. ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell how much time¡¯s passed,¡± Alex noted. ¡°Ah, well, there¡¯s nothing we can do about that except move on.¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± Merzhin said, balling his hands into fists. ¡°I pray we can reach the throne quickly. Do you think¡­we can really destroy it?¡± ¡°Yeah, I do,¡± Alex said. ¡°Between Hannah¡¯s teleportation power, your divinity and my magic, I think we have a real good chance of destroying it. We just need you to get us through that ward¡­no pressure or anything.¡± He smiled. ¡°Yes, of course,¡± the Saint looked a little nervous. ¡°I will not let us down.¡± He almost sounded like he was trying to convince himself more than anything, though the magic of Army of Heroes was lending confidence to his voice. Alex simply nodded. ¡°I know you won¡¯t, Merzhin. I don¡¯t doubt it. So, let¡¯s get going.¡± The young archwizard raised his staff, channelling invisibility magic. Both Heroes vanished, turning transparent in the eyes of their own true seeing magics. ¡®Alright,¡¯ Alex thought, with fleeting anxiousness. If this worked, they¡¯d take a major step forward. If it didn¡¯t¡­ He shook the thought away. It didn¡¯t matter now. They were there, and they had a job to do. ¡°Let¡¯s go take Aenflynn¡¯s toy away,¡± the young archwizard said. He touched Merzhin¡¯s shoulder and together, they teleported to the fae lord¡¯s castle. Chapter 872: Divine Ward The moment Alex teleported with Merzhin, he knew something had changed. As he and the Saint catapulted through space¡ªimages of locations from across the planes racing by¡ªit felt as though they were no longer travelling alone. Hannah¡¯s power pulsed like a beating heart, reacting to¡­he didn¡¯t know what. It felt as if another presence was travelling with them, and Alex could¡­was that a voice? He strained to hear. Yes. Yes! It was a voice¡ªa familiar one¡ªcalling to them. What was it saying? The words weren¡¯t clear, but by the tone, it sounded¡­worried? Alex tried listening closer, suddenly reappearing in fae wild before he was able to decipher them. Merzhin reappeared beside him an instant later. Alex turned to the Saint, getting ready to say something, but¡­words failed him. His breath caught. ¡°By the Traveller,¡± he whispered. ¡°What has happened here?¡± Merzhin gasped. ¡°Death. Death¡¯s happened here.¡± From horizon to horizon, much of Och Fir Nog had been obliterated. When Alex was last here, the clouds in the night sky had obscured the highest towers of Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Below them, on the peak of a lofty mountain, the palace had once risen from a forest of gold and scarlet, filling the sight-line. An irregular facade of silver stones had once been there, glittering in the moonlight, highlighting walls, roofs, and a host of towers spun from autumn leaves stronger than steel. But now, the forest was gone. Much of the mountain was also gone. Forests, meadows and peaks had all been reduced to no more than a flat grey plain, dotted with craters. An unbroken expanse of lifeless sand, covered in craters, alive with flame. The air was heavy with sheets of ash and dust so thick, that the moonlight was dimmed by the haze. There were no signs of life anywhere. No Ravener-spawn or fae stirred on the dusty plain. And the two responsible for this devastation, still battled each other relentlessly. Floating high in the sky, Baelin and Aenflynn warred like enraged deities, unleashing spells and divinities against each other, reducing their surroundings to dust, and with time, could have brought entire civilizations to their knees. Midnight black clouds, swirling with blood red and stark white spears of lightning, whirled around the two ancient energies¡ªthunder rumbled as horrors clashed within those clouds. Engeli, demons, devils and elementals were aligned with Baelin while an army of legendary fae soldiers gave their allegiance to Aenflynn. They clashed, coming to the battle through portals, ripping each other apart within the clouds. Blood rained from the sky, wetting the grey, dead earth. And in the eye of this bloody storm, Aenflynn streamed oceans of divine power. Radiant lights, plagues of black death, and waves of divine fire poured from the fae lord, often cancelled by Baelin¡¯s terrible magics. The ancient archwizard¡ªhis full armour ablaze with power¡ªconjured colossal tentacles, terrible snarling faces threatening with bewitching eyes as bright as stars, primordial winds, and crushing voids, were also cancelled by Uldar¡¯s divine power. Aenflynn was scowling. ¡°Retreat, old one. Your power is great, but not great enough, you will not prevail here.¡± Baelin¡¯s face was unreadable behind his metal helm, but his voice was strained and filled with bloodlust. ¡°You know, if I had a copper coin for each being that made that threat to me, I would perhaps have long doubled my considerable wealth.¡± He raised his hand, miniature stars formed around it. ¡°But if I were to have a coin for each being that made good on that threat¡­¡± The stars flared around his hand. ¡°¡­I would be utterly destitute.¡± They shot from his hand, most were batted away by the fae lord¡¯s stolen power. Every star but one, fell to the lifeless plain, exploding with earth-shaking power. New craters formed in Och Fir Nog¡­ ¡­though not from one errant star¡­not yet. That star raced toward Aenflynn¡¯s castle, light streaking behind as it sped away, striking an unseen force then bouncing off, falling to the dusty plain below. An explosion followed, as another crater formed in the dusty plain. ¡°Do you have any idea how long it will take me to fix all of this?¡± Aenflynn demanded, sounding more than a little put out. ¡°I shall make a trophy of your head and mount it on my wall!¡± ¡°Funny, I was planning on doing exactly the same to yours,¡± Baelin replied. Alex winced as the two ancient beings shook the world with their power. ¡°Ya know what, I¡¯m thinking maybe we should stay out of this one,¡± he said to Merzhin, before eyeing the castle. ¡°It seems our fae friend has some sort of protective shield over the entire castle, which explains why it¡¯s undamaged while everything else is¡­destroyed.¡± Alex looked over the castle intently. In the courtyards, fountains flowed with liquids the colour of cider and mead, and every garden was abundant with magical fruit trees bearing fantastical fruit, their skins were near bursting. Stables and kennels housing war-horses, war-deer, coursing-hounds and other beasts capable of racing the wind stood undamaged, the animals feasting peacefully. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. At the end of a bridge, towering front gates forged of green copper with ivy wrapping around them, spanned a river that somehow flowed up the mountain and into the castle, then into a reverse waterfall, surging upward into the endless sky, misting into fluffy clouds of grey and white. All looked peaceful. Idyllic. Yet, two things did not fit with the image of idyllic. For one, Alex knew very well the evil that this castle represented. Secondly¡­the waterfall flowing up and into the sky? It was choked with ash. He looked at the Saint. ¡°You think we¡¯ll have any problems teleporting into the castle? That protective shield might keep us out.¡± The Saint was silent. His translucent form was paying attention to the castle. ¡°If Army of Heroes weren¡¯t filling me with courage, I might be choking,¡± he finally said. Alex looked at him closely. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong? Can¡¯t we teleport inside there?¡± ¡°Yes, we can. I believe we could even walk in, if we weren¡¯t spotted,¡± the Saint said. ¡°And from what I¡¯m sensing, the shield is there to prevent hostile magic from destroying it. Directing it to that specific purpose helps strengthen it against Baelin¡¯s magic.¡± ¡°Makes sense,¡± Alex whispered, looking at the fae lord high above them. ¡°He must be really focused on Baelin and that¡¯s good for us, but¡­if that¡¯s all fine, what¡¯s actually wrong?¡± ¡°I am sensing the throne, and the ward around it¡­¡± the Saint shook his head. ¡°It is powerful, Alex. There was a lot of divinity and time spent building it. I am not sure if I can break through. I¡­no, I think I can. It is strong, but not invulnerable.¡± Alex looked at him carefully. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s get it done.¡± Alex touched the Saint, teleporting again. Again, they passed through the space between planes. Images of different places raced past them. Again, Alex heard that voice. He focused on it ¡­realising¡­ Hannah. It was Hannah¡¯s! But what was she saying? Before he could understand, he and Merzhin appeared above one of the palace¡¯s many courtyards. A place abundant with heavily ladened fruit trees, flowering rose bushes, glowing blooms, and guards. Lots and lots of guards. Fae knights and Ravener-spawn stood at attention at the foot of the tower, alert for the slightest whisper of trouble. Fortunately, Merzhin and Alex were not only invisible¡­but the faes¡¯ eyes weren¡¯t watching the skies. The Saint and the General exchanged a quick look, then were gone, teleporting through a tower window, appearing at the base of a spiral staircase. Alex scanned the area for defences but sensed no magical traps, and neither his astral engeli nor Merzhin had cautioned that there were any other divine protections on the tower itself. All the defences must¡¯ve been focused on the chamber where the throne is kept. Alex teleported them to the top of the tower and the pair floated above the stairs that stopped at a broad landing carpeted with fallen leaves of red and gold. More fae knights stood at attention there. ¡®Eight guards,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Each one has magical weapons, and a horn to sound the alarm, calling for reinforcements if anything goes wrong.¡¯ He looked at Merzhin for a moment then teleported the two of them a dozen miles away. ¡°What?¡± Merzhin startled when he reappeared in the fae wild. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you something, but I couldn¡¯t talk in case those guards heard us.¡± The Saint shook his head. ¡°And so you teleported us a day''s travel away to have a conversation?¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°I had no idea if they could hear us.¡± ¡°...fair point,¡± Merzhin agreed. ¡°So what did you wish to ask me?¡± ¡°The ward on the room: you sensed it right?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Merzhin said, smiling. ¡°What about it?¡± ¡°I¡ªWait, what¡¯s got you smiling like that?¡± Alex asked. The Saint¡¯s eyes seemed to shine. ¡°I think I might have been a little pessimistic in my earlier assessment. From closer, it appears the divine ward is not as resilient as I thought.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Alex¡¯s heart jumped. ¡°So you can get through it? What¡¯s changed?¡± ¡°There was a lot of time and power put into it,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°But the faith behind it isn¡¯t the strongest. The fae lord wields Uldar¡¯s power, but he¡¯s not a believer in him, which I think left the divinity a little¡­erm, what¡¯s the best way to put it¡­hollow.¡± ¡°Hollow¡­¡± Alex squinted. ¡°I suppose that makes sense.¡± ¡°Yes. Faith is about belief, and miracles worked with less faith behind them do not reach their full potential,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°I think our fae enemy forgot this simple fact. But what is it that you wished to ask me?¡± ¡°Oh, where exactly is the divine ward in the room?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Will it stop us from entering? And is there enough room for us to teleport inside?¡± ¡°There should be room for us to teleport inside,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°The ward is somewhat offset from the walls.¡± ¡°Oh, fantastic!¡± Alex rubbed his hands together. ¡°Alright, then let¡¯s get back. I¡¯ll look through the keyhole to see where we¡¯re going, then we teleport inside. Okay? We¡¯ll have to keep our voices down.¡± ¡°I shall not utter a word until we can see the throne.¡± ¡°Perfect,¡± Alex said. ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± He touched Merzhin¡¯s shoulder and teleported to the landing outside the throne¡¯s chamber. The young archwizard watched the fae knights¡ªeach one a little taller than an average human man, with distinct elfin features and broad shoulders¡ªand they showed no reaction to the Heroes¡¯ reappearance. Slowly, both young men floated toward the door, breaths held. The fae knights neither moved, nor did their eyes follow. They didn¡¯t even seem to blink. With one last cautious glance at the guards, the General of Thameland put his eye to the keyhole, taking in the room beyond. There. There it was. Uldar¡¯s throne had been positioned on a dais in the centre of the chamber. Alex clutched Merzhin¡¯s shoulder and together, they teleported to their goal. As they passed through the space between planes. Hannah¡¯s voice grew stronger. Alex smiled. She was getting so close to being able to return to the material world. So close. So very close. Still smiling, he appeared in the throne room, Merzhin soon appeared beside him. The chamber was richly appointed, smelling of fresh pine and scented blooms. Ivy crawled over its walls and various benches and chairs had been placed along them. An overstuffed chair¡ªalmost a throne in its own right¡ªfaced the centre of the room. Beside it, a table was set with a bottle of liquor of some kind, and a multi-faceted crystal glass. These things didn¡¯t command Alex¡¯s attention, particularly. But, the walls certainly did. Peeking through the ivy, was mural after mural of Aenflynn leading his fae in different battles, triumphs, and conquests. Uldar was prominent in some of the images, right by the fae lord¡¯s side, sharing feasts, victories and toasting each other in celebration. They were depicted with the utmost care to their likenesses. Separating the murals and ivy were massive windows, each large enough for Drestra to fit through¡­in her true form. Alex frowned. Strange. He hadn¡¯t seen those windows from outside. His eyes slowly turned to the throne, sitting in the centre of the room, atop a dais, in a place of honour. The white stone had been meticulously cleaned: black stains on the armrest were long gone. Laying on the seat, was a comfortable looking gold coloured cushion. Alex made a sour face as he floated toward the throne. Merzhin caught his shoulder. ¡°Wait, do not approach the dais too closely.¡± His eyes narrowed. ¡°The ward surrounds it¡­perhaps twenty feet out.¡± Alex followed the Saint¡¯s gaze, drawing an invisible circle around the dais in his mind. He pointed. ¡°So around there?¡± ¡°Yes, go no closer than that.¡± Alex nodded, floating forward until he hovered a few inches from the unseen ward. He glared at the throne. So much pain had come from that simple looking chair. And now, it was time to destroy it. He glanced at the door. No guards had appeared, and there was no sign that they¡¯d been discovered either. Merzhin floated up beside Alex. ¡°Alright, then.¡± ¡°Do it,¡± the young archwizard said. ¡°Show Aenflynn your faith.¡± Merzhin took a deep breath, extending his hands. Power radiated from him as he concentrated. His voice was clear. ¡°In the name of Uldar, God of Thameland. In the name of the Traveller, Saint of Uldar. In the Name of St. Merzhin, Saint of Thameland¡­I banish you! Begone! I hereby deny this barrier!¡± Power flooded from Merzhin¡¯s hands, and the ward was exposed, materialising around the throne. It was a glowing sphere of white light, some forty feet across. And it began cracking. Alex smiled. This was it. This was¡ª Suddenly, a sense of wrongness washed over him. The power inside him flared, screaming as his mind raced. Why couldn¡¯t he see the room¡¯s immense windows from outside? Wouldn¡¯t that mean there was already some illusion on the tower? And if the windows were hidden¡­what else¡­ His heart pounded in his ears. He recalled Hannah¡¯s voice, calling out as they teleported. Giving him warning. ¡°Stop, Merzhin, stop!¡± ¡°Too late,¡± Aenflynn¡¯s voice echoed through the chamber. At the same moment, a second divine ward sprang to life. Chapter 873: Confinement Another divine ward sprang up, forming a half-sphere of divine light, sealing Merzhin and Alex in the throne¡¯s chamber. Both young Heroes were now trapped between the first ward sealing the throne, and the second one sealing them in. They had little space to manoeuvre, perhaps only about five feet between the two wards. The Saint shielded his face from the ward as though he was facing a white-hot blast furnace. ¡°The power coming from it¡­it¡¯s incredible!¡± ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s voice purred, then a rumbling sound came from the side of the room. Another effigy of the Fae lord¡ªalmost identical to the one of earth and rock that greeted Alex and his companions when they¡¯d arrived in Och Fir Nog¡ª stepped from the wall. This one was crafted completely of stone. He smiled at the two Heroes¡ªgave them a friendly wave¡ªthen casually took a seat in the chair beside the side table with the decanter on it. Humming to himself, the Fae lord uncorked the bottle and poured himself a drink. ¡°You know,¡± he sniffed the contents of his glass. ¡°The secret of this honey wine¡¯s recipe has been passed down through generations of fae. It actually predates your kingdom.¡± He sighed, taking a long sip. ¡°It was a favourite of The Stalker¡ªor The Guide as you called him¡ªand I¡¯d promised him the secret of where to get it once he¡¯d slain the two of you. Alas, you are here and he is not. And so, I drink this glass in his names. His many, many names.¡± The stone effigy took a long drink as though it were flesh. Alex glared at him, then looked at Merzhin. ¡°Can I teleport through this new ward?¡± The Saint extended his hand toward the second ward, a growing unease on his face. ¡°No. It¡¯s like the one around the throne. Trying to leave here through any means would destroy you¡ªbody and soul.¡± Alex cursed loudly. ¡°You would be wise to listen to your small friend,¡± Aenflynn said cheerily. ¡°These wards are quite deadly to anyone attempting to pass through them, even using teleportation.¡± Alex¡¯s jaw clenched. He looked at the wine. ¡°You planned this.¡± ¡°Not exactly this, no,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°But I did anticipate that someone would attempt to steal the throne from me. It made for the perfect trap, wouldn¡¯t you say? I am a little disappointed that I only managed to capture two of your number, but I am not one to spit on gifts.¡± Alex looked at Merzhin. ¡°Can you get through the ward?¡± ¡°I am trying,¡± the Saint said, both hands rising toward the ward. He spoke softly. ¡°The power¡¯s intense¡­ Quite intense.¡± ¡°And well it should be!¡± Aenflynn said cheerfully. ¡°After all, what you are looking at is the result of months of work and experimentation. If it could be shattered so easily, then I would be forced to question my own competence.¡± Alex snarled at the fae. ¡°So¡­what is this then?¡± he gestured toward the barriers. ¡°What are you planning here? Obviously, this was meant to trap, not kill us. So what is it you want?¡± ¡°Ahhh, very astute,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°You have more value as hostages than you do as corpses. Much more value. A pair of corpses would only be good as extra fertiliser¡­but alive¡­you have value.¡± ¡°If you think Baelin or anyone else¡¯s going to stand down because you caught us in your little trap, then you have another thing coming,¡± Alex said. ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not. But that is why I thought we could have a little chat.¡± ¡°Chat?¡± Alex scoffed. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re projecting your consciousness into that puppet, but you need to pay attention to your opponent outside.¡± As he spoke, he directed two of his streams of consciousness to examining the divine wards and the chamber. If he could find something to help them get out of here¡­ ¡°Oh you mean the old goat-thing battling me in the sky?¡± Aenflynn chuckled. ¡°Oh I wouldn¡¯t worry about me in that context. Your old friend is about to have his own problems. Insurmountable problems¡­right about¡­now.¡±
¡°Alright, I think this has gone on long enough.¡± Aenflynn erected a barrier between himself and the ancient archwizard before him. ¡°You are quite the warrior, my friend. I¡¯d venture to say that if I did not have Uldar¡¯s throne in my possession, you would likely have bested me by now. But, I have the upper hand.¡± The ancient archwizard paused, giving Aenflynn a stony glare through his metallic mask. ¡°Is that so?¡± the goat man looked down at the castle. ¡°Is that why I feel a thread of your magic reaching into your castle? Planning something for me, are you?¡± ¡°Oh it is not you I have something planned for,¡± Aenflynn said lightly. ¡°It is your young friends. You see, two of them have intruded into my home and are presently caught between two especially nasty divine wards.¡± Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. The ancient wizard fell silent. ¡°That get your attention, did it? I am so glad.¡± The Fae lord smiled. Around them, fae still clashed with otherworldly monsters within the whirling clouds. ¡°So let me remove any illusions that you might have about saving your little Fool and Saint. If you try to teleport to them, I will slay them.¡± The old wizard let out a hard, vicious laugh. ¡°Child, you underestimate how resourceful and powerful these young warriors are. They will slip out of your trap and flay you from crown to foot. That is, unless I do it first.¡± Aenflynn wagged his finger at the beastman. ¡°It seems you are underestimating me. I can tell you that they are quite trapped at the moment and are at my mercy. So, stand down. Let us teleport to one of my private groves where we can settle this in a civilised manner over a glass or two of honey wine.¡± ¡°Oh dear¡­you truly do not understand your position, do you, Lord Aenflynn?¡± the archwizard said, his voice almost pitying. ¡°You are going to die today, and likely in a painful manner. Either I will kill you, or my young, talented allies will when they free themselves from your trap. You have no bargaining power here.¡± ¡°Hah! You place much faith in your young companions.¡± Aenflynn flashed his sharp teeth. ¡°Of course. They have shown incredible talent, drive, and skill. I have watched them grow from mere whelps into powerful wizards, warriors¡­and even the young priest has come to impress me. Which¡ªif you knew anything about me¡ªtruly says something. They are remarkable. They are like me: they have power and do not have to steal it from a corpse. Now, since we are talking, I will make you an offer instead: stand down, now. Give us back the throne, and perhaps I can see to it that you face exile instead of a painful death. Naturally, your ultimate fate will not be in my hands, but I could put in a good word for you. You will likely still need to be punished, though. In my time, the punishment for thievery was losing a hand. Face it, Aenflynn, it is taking all of your power¡ªand Uldar¡¯s¡ªto hold me back. And my young friends are strong as well. You cannot prevail here, and you would be wise to give up.¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± Aenflynn shrugged. ¡°Perhaps an example is necessary.¡± He glanced down at his castle. ¡°Tell me, out of the Fool and the Saint, which is your favourite? Oh well, it doesn¡¯t matter, I suppose. Whichever one remains alive after this will have to be your favourite by default.¡±
¡°Ah, well, bad news I¡¯m afraid,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°Your archwizard friend has proven to be rather stubborn. Now I will need to make an example of one of you.¡± On either side of Alex and Merzhin, the divine wards flared with holy light. ¡°Whichever one of you lives through this encounter, make sure to chastise him.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s eyes flared. The divine wards shone brighter. Heat began building, radiating from each one. Alex¡¯s eyes darted around the room. Deep down¡ªbeneath the powerful magics of Army of Heroes¡ªhe could feel a growing horror. Such power¡­and there was little he could do to stop it. As their conversation with Aenflynn had continued, Alex had come to realise just how complete this trap was. Merzhin had said that if they touched the wards they would be destroyed. If they tried to teleport through them, they would be destroyed. The Saint had been working on breaking them but seemed not to have made any progress. ¡®No. There¡¯s a way out of this. There has to be a way out of this,¡¯ Alex thought. The divine wards were growing brighter. Power was building in them. ¡®Think¡­adapt, come on!¡¯ the young archwizard thought. But it was Merzhin who acted first. ¡°In the name of Uldar! In the name of the Traveller! I hereby call upon an interdiction: between these two divine wards, the being known as Aenflynn cannot use Uldar¡¯s power to harm us! The power will wash away! And pass over us without harm!¡± Aenflynn¡¯s stony eyebrows rose. A nimbus of light built around the Saint of Thameland as power pulsed from him. Divine energy met the divine wards, passing through them and reaching beyond. Ripples spread through reality. Light continued building in the wards. ¡°Uh¡­Merzhin¡­¡± Alex said. The Saint was doubled over, his skin looking paler, and clammy. Power continued growing in the divine wards. ¡°Merzhin!¡± Alex called. Expressionless, the Fae lord whistled. ¡°Merzhiiiin!¡± the young archwizard screamed. Waves of light exploded from the wards, each ward emitting the type of heat hot enough to melt enchanted iron, and turn bone to ash. ¡­but the waves passed through Alex and Merzhin with little more than a tingling sensation. They then dissipated, vanishing as the wards returned to their original state. ¡°Oh¡­oh by the Traveller, we¡¯re alive!¡± the young archwizard shouted. ¡°We are,¡± Merzhin panted. ¡°You are¡­¡± Aenflynn sounded disappointed. ¡°Perhaps your old friend is right. You are resourceful.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll say!¡± Alex grinned, casting mana to life on Merzhin. ¡°Well done with that interdiction. Merzhin glared at Aenflynn. ¡°This thief knows what he¡¯s doing when it comes to Uldar¡¯s power.¡± ¡°Thief, am I?¡± Aenflynn raised an eyebrow. ¡°That¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve been called that in the last little while,¡± he muttered, displeased. Scowling, he looked into Merzhin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Uldar was a friend. I am no thief: I am simply using a friend¡¯s tools in my time of need. And even if I were a thief, what would that make you? You call out to this ¡®traveller¡¯ instead of Uldar,¡± the fae lord tut-tutted Merzhin. ¡°That makes you akin to a divine adulterer. Running to the skirts of another deity after all that Uldar did for you people. Bah! Ungrateful wretches?¡± ¡°Ungrateful?¡± Alex scoffed. ¡°What in all hells do we have to be grateful for? This friend of yours created a terror-construct to kill us, generation after generation. How does that earn loyalty?¡± He recalled a conversation he¡¯d had with Khalik long ago. Alex then repeated the prince¡¯s words to the fae. ¡°Any king who rode around murdering their own subjects at his whim and taking their possessions like a common bandit, would likely have a dagger where his heart used to be, and a head separated from his neck. And I imagine the same goes for deities if their worshippers are strong enough; deities are just monarchs with a fancy name and unique powers when you really break it down.¡± ¡°How nasty of you,¡± Aenflynn said. ¡°Ah, well, I am not here to convince you of your folly.¡± ¡°So what now?¡± Alex spat. ¡°No hostages for you. Our friend¡¯s going to rip you in two.¡± ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not. You do not get to be as old as I without a few back up plans, little mortal. Like the one that¡¯s been underway for hours now.¡± ¡°What th¡ª¡± Merzhin gasped, his eyes wide. He was staring at Uldar¡¯s throne. ¡°The power around the throne¡­it¡¯s growing, and fast!¡± ¡°Do not worry about that. That is not your concern. This is: guards! I have two mortals in need of company! It would seem that my hospitality is not being accepted!¡± Chapter 874: Who Are They Praying to? The archwizard¡¯s eyes turned toward Aenflynn¡¯s castle. ¡°What have you done?¡± The Fae lord was beaming, pleasure filling his expression. He folded both hands behind his back like a naughty child hiding a stolen biscuit. ¡°Not a thing. I did nothing.¡± ¡°Do not take me for a fool. I have spells that sense the rhythms of divinity; you are not the first entity with divine power I have battled, and you likely will be far from the last.¡± ¡°Oooo, scary!¡± Aenflynn shuddered mockingly. ¡°Divine power is rising around the throne. So I will ask you again¡­what have you done?¡± the goatman demanded. The Fae lord¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Again, I did nothing. It is those you fight for and alongside who are responsible for whatever you¡¯re sensing, not me.¡± ¡°Fascinating. It would seem you are trying to occupy me with some useless ridd¡ª¡± The archwizard¡¯s voice trailed off. ¡°Oh. Oh I see now.¡± ¡°Yes, you do, don¡¯t you?¡± Aenflynn licked his lips and spread his arms as though he was basking in the sun. ¡°Thameland is in deadly peril, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°And that means the Thameish are desperately praying for help,¡± the archwizard grimaced. ¡°Very good! And who would most be praying to?¡± Aenflynn asked. ¡°Uldar,¡± the archwizard said simply. ¡°So this was your plan. Stalling long enough for faith to start flowing because of the turmoil in Thameland.¡± ¡°Thaaaaat¡¯s right!¡± Aenflynn laughed, his mirth rolling through the clouds. The heavens shuddered. ¡°You are strong, wizard. One of the strongest opponents I have ever faced. But! Your arrogance will be your undoing.¡± ¡°As though you do not suffer from arrogance yourself,¡± the archwizard said. ¡°I do, but¡ªwhile you were pressing me earlier¡ªnow¡­¡± Aenflynn¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°I have power to burn.¡± Both ancient beings moved at once. The Chancellor of Generasi let fly a wave of hungry darkness at the Fae lord. Aenflynn whistled once: producing a short, dull note. Reality buckled. The archwizard¡¯s spell shattered. An invisible wave struck the beast man''s chest, sending him spinning through the sky. Aenflynn whistled again, creating a prison of divine light to form around the archwizard, sealing him in a cage of raw, reality-warping power. Baelin froze, as though stopped in time. ¡°As I said, power to burn,¡± Aenflynn laughed. ¡°Power to¡­oh.¡± His eyebrows shot up. Within the prison of divine light¡ªwhere time itself should have been frozen¡ªthe archwizard was moving, steadily breaking free of the cage. ¡°You are all proving to be shockingly resourceful,¡± Aenflynn mused. ¡°Ah well, I¡¯d better move on to the next part.¡±
Guards were flooding into the throne room, weapons raised and eyes alight with fury. Aenflynn¡¯s effigy was humming a merry tune while relaxing in his chair. ¡°Hold,¡± he commanded. ¡°Gather before the barrier, then kill the pair of them when I order it. Oh, and someone be a darling and blow your horn. We should invite more reinforcements to this fete of ours.¡± A fae knight nodded, and blew his horn. Already, the young archwizard could hear more guards charging up the stairs. Alex glowered at Aenflynn¡¯s effigy, it kept humming contentedly. The stone being was entirely too smug for the General¡¯s liking. ¡°You know, I need someone to share my good news with and you two are, what I would call, a captive audience, and so you will do nicely. I just informed your old friend of it as well, mostly to agitate him.¡± He grinned. ¡°It appears that a sea of faith has come from Thameland to replenish the throne, all thanks to the conflict in your homeland,¡± the Fae lord explained. ¡°While that is good news for me, it is not so great for you, and leads me to believe that you will not prevail for much longer. Do you two now understand why you felt the power of the throne rise?¡± ¡°Filth,¡± Merzhin hissed, turning toward the inner barrier. He focused, raising his hands. The barrier flexed, but remained strong. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time, little Saint, you couldn¡¯t break through it before, you¡¯ll certainly not break through now that the throne is further empowered. Wouldn¡¯t you agree, Fool?¡± Aenflynn looked at Alex. Alex remained silent, analysing him. He wasn¡¯t about to let the Fae lord have the satisfaction of seeing him react to his baiting. The young archwizard eyed the guards, gathering outside the divine ward. Several of his streams of consciousness were preparing spells. The instant a single one of those guards attacked, he would make them wish they were never born. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Your plan has some major flaws,¡± Alex pointed out. ¡°Oh?¡± the fae lord looked at the General closely. ¡°Sure, faith flooding from Thameland is powering your dead friend¡¯s throne¡ª from the fear and carnage you and Uldar¡¯s watchdog are causing¡ªbut what happens after that?¡± Alex asked him. The young archwizard¡¯s mind was working quickly. ¡°¡­are you really going to let the Ravener run amok?¡± He called on the Mark of the General, putting sincerity and stern concern in his voice. The Fae lord¡¯s attention was needle focused on him. ¡°If I was you, I would stop it. Now.¡± ¡°Truly? And whyever would I do that?¡± ¡°The Ravener¡¯s talking about rampaging until everyone is dead. It¡¯s talking about trials¡­about wiping out every Thameish soul, which will deny you your power, especially if it sends its Hunters out to kill every Uldarite who¡¯s away from Thameland,¡± Alex pushed on. ¡°And?¡± Aenflynn cocked his head. ¡°Do you know what we in Och Fir Nog call the times when the Ravener returns? We call them¡ª¡± ¡°The time of plenty.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s stone eyebrows shot up. He leaned forward, looking at Alex with renewed interest. ¡°Ooooh my, well aren¡¯t you better informed than I expected? So, you should know that my people don¡¯t much care if every living mortal from Thameland dies. We benefit. And since I don¡¯t believe you are trying to appeal to my more altruistic traits¡­where are you going with this? ¡°Simple math,¡± Alex met the effigy¡¯s gaze. ¡°With most or all of Uldar¡¯s people dead, there¡¯s going to be no more fear or faith to power that chair. The divinity will fade. In fact¡­¡± He pushed harder. ¡°If the Ravener manages to kill the Uldarites outside of Thameland, then the throne¡¯s power will vanish, like smoke. You¡¯ll lose your ultimate weapon. That¡¯s the position you¡¯re in. Either we kill you, and you lose. Or the Ravener kills every Uldarite, and your weapon loses all power. But, there¡¯s a third choice you can make. Stop the Ravener.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s brow furrowed. The Fae lord¡¯s effigy looked confused. ¡°Otherwise, you cannot win,¡± Merzhin panted, straining against the inner barrier. ¡°We will find a way to break through this. And break through you, as well. We have done so to every opponent we have faced. There are too many lives relying on us and we cannot fail here, and so we will not fail here. You cannot win.¡± Aenflynn raised an eyebrow as though more confused. ¡°Ooooooh¡­¡± He suddenly slapped his fist against his other palm in realisation. ¡°I see the problem now; you are labouring under a misunderstanding. Do you truly think this is about winning? Young, mortal burglars, I assure you, I won before you even stepped into Och Fir Nog.¡± Alex went silent, his expression a mask. Merzhin¡¯s face turned bright red. ¡°You know what, as a final favour to you, I will tell you what I mean and I assure you; I¡¯m not doing it because I enjoy the sound of my own voice, despite its natural beauty.¡± He chuckled, obviously enjoying himself. ¡°In any case, do you know what I did the moment I learned you were likely on your way here? Oh, and my apologies, since you probably can not ask me questions with your faces all contorted in confusion and dread. So, I''ll just tell you!¡± Aenflynn leaned forward. ¡°Och Fir Nog has faced attacks from every realm sharing her borders since long before I inherited the throne of my kingdom. Together, Uldar and I had fought my kingdom¡¯s attackers when he was well. My enemies visited catastrophe after catastrophe upon this realm. They were the true cause of your god¡¯s sickening, and eventual death. They were the cause of the Ravener! Were it not for their mortal lackeys using a demon lord and modifying it to kill my friend while they violated my realm¡ª¡± His voice gained heat. ¡°¡ªthere would be no Ravener, and Uldar would be watching over your people and still fighting at my side to this day. It is their fault that this entire situation occurred. So, I exacted rightful vengeance.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Merzhin demanded, still straining against the inner barrier. Alex examined it. Perhaps if he joined Hannah¡¯s power with Merzhin¡¯s¡­but could he do that? What if¡ª ¡°Before you reached my realm, I used the throne to destroy every domain on Och Fir Nog¡¯s borders. Their fae lords are dead, their armies are crushed, and their realms are ready for new settlements. My vengeance was already complete before you even confronted me. Hence why this¡ª¡± He gestured at Merzhin¡¯s efforts. ¡°¡ªthing you¡¯re doing is futile. I have already won.¡± He looked at Alex. ¡°Your ploy was a good one. You attempted to divide and conquer, and it might have worked had I still needed the throne¡­but I think you miscalculated my need, confusing it for greed. I have been satisfied ruling my realm for many thousands of years, and I will be satisfied ruling it for many thousands more. Och Fir Nog¡¯s enemies have fallen and their legacies have been scattered to the wind. I would call that more than satisfactory.¡± The Fae lord gestured to the throne. ¡°So, if the Ravener eliminates the throne¡¯s source of fuel and power, that is fine, it has served its purpose; I no longer need it. It will just remain here in my castle as a reminder of my old friend.¡± Alex cursed the Fae lord softly. ¡®He''s smarter than I thought,¡¯ the General¡¯s eyes kept moving, looking for an advantage. But Aenflynn had him and Merzhin trapped between the divine wards with nothing Alex could use. There was no way spells would be passing through the two wards if Hannah¡¯s power couldn¡¯t¡­ Alex paused. An idea crystallised in his mind. ¡®It might work!¡¯ he thought. ¡®If I just¡­there. I¡¯ll have three streams of consciousness focusing on that. A fourth will concentrate on Hannah¡¯s power inside me, and on making it reach farther.¡¯ He placed a hand on Merzhin¡¯s shoulder as the young Saint prayed to the Traveller. It would take time, but if this worked¡ª ¡°Oh, and one more thing,¡± Aenflynn raised his index finger. ¡°I know about your little ploy to deny the Ravener fear. One of you wizards used magic to stop the Thameish army from fearing their enemies.¡± Alex looked at Aenflynn sharply. ¡°Oh yes, I know all about that. The Ravener informed me that it was being denied its favourite source of energy. Oh, don¡¯t look so surprised, Merzhin. I have been in communication with the Ravener for some time now: my communion with the throne lets me make connections with Uldar¡¯s¡­¡®watch dog¡¯, did you call it? Information is not the only thing I can pass through our connections. Don¡¯t you feel it, young Saint?¡± Alex looked at Merzhin. The Saint shook his head, looking puzzled. ¡°Oh, I''m so glad I haven''t lost my touch for subtlety. I¡¯ve been sending a small stream of divine energy to the Ravener, replacing what you stole from it. I kept the stream narrow, avoiding detection while preserving the throne¡¯s strength. But¡­as I said, I have more than enough power to burn. The Ravener has told me that it is presently under attack from your group. Which is not very sporting of you people, is it? Shame on you for ganging up on, and picking on a poor little construct that is without its full strength. ¡­So, why don''t I fix that?¡±
¡®It is time,¡¯ Aenflynn¡¯s voice said through the link. ¡®Time?¡¯ the Ravener asked. The fae lord giggled. ¡®Let us just call it ¡®a time of plenty¡¯. Drink up, my friend. Drink up.¡¯ The stream of divine power trickling into the Ravener, suddenly exploded in a roaring ocean of energy, rapidly filling the stores that Uldar¡¯s construct was draining. Elation surged in it. ¡®Thank you!¡¯ A very pleased Ravener expressed its gratitude to the Fae lord. ¡®Thank me by maiming those mortals fighting you. Killing them will also work nicely,¡¯ Aenflynn said. ¡®Gladly.¡¯ Chapter 875: A Surge of Power Power poured through the Ravener¡¯s inner pathways, replenishing its strength. ¡®Yes. This is the way!¡¯ it thought, drinking in the power needed for its trials. ¡®These mortals will not rob me of what is mine, now they can learn that.¡¯ The Ravener began channelling power.
Claygon split an air blaster¡¯s skull, his war-spear carving through the carapace like dried grass. The creature shuddered once, then fell. Two spawn knights leapt from behind the massive corpse, back-legs twitching, blades aimed at the golem. Claygon swung his war-spear again, air hissing around it, both Ravener-spawn dove low, spun and leapt at the golem¡¯s face. ¡°No you don¡¯t.¡± He grunted, pulling his neck back and firing his forehead gem at close range. Both Ravener-spawn shrieked, enveloped in a chaos-laced explosion of flame. Claygon floated from the flames like an arbiter of death, his gaze passing over the battlefield. Things were going well, even without the General and the Saint. Khalik, Najyah, Thundar and the summoned monsters defended the chamber¡¯s entrances effectively. Elder earth elementals kept Ravener-spawn out¡ªthe sound of their enormous, stone fists echoing through the thick rock walls¡ªwhile the prince and minotaur cast spells on spawn trying to break the stone seals from inside¡­ ¡­their number was plummeting. ¡°Tasty! Real tasty! Grimloch sank his bloody jaws into a poison spirit¡¯s flank, tearing a chunk from its gelatinous flesh while his gauntleted hands swung his lead maul and Uldar¡¯s warhammer, flattening every spawn within reach. Bjorgrund was at his side, carving a path of ruin through the Ravener¡¯s servants. ¡°Hey, Grimloch, that¡¯s gonna give you a belly ache!¡± the young giant cried. Grimloch glanced at him, looking skeptical. ¡°He¡¯s not going to forgive you for that one,¡± Theresa warned Bjorgrund, streaking past him. She disappeared and reappeared among the Ravener-spawn, six blades carving through Behemoths and Rampart-crushers. Brutus fired his sonic roars, cutting down monsters in three directions. Together, Drestra and Isolde dropped raging winds, lightning and flame on the hordes below, leaving a path of blackened corpses in their wake, thinning the spawn army further. Alex¡¯s summoned monsters and the living dead he¡¯d reanimated from the Ravener¡¯s own slain spawn, moved through the chamber, pouncing on any spawn the Sage and lightning mage missed. The Ravener¡¯s army continued to wither. And the construct itself hadn¡¯t been spared. With Uldar¡¯s weapons in hand, Cedric and Hart had the orb cornered, like a pair of hungry wolves harassing a stag. The divine battleaxe and enormous sword cleaved through the Ravener¡¯s surface, leaving deep gashes in the construct, getting through its defensive cage. Each time the Ravener tried focusing its full attention on one of its enthusiastic tormentors, the other one would go for Uldar¡¯s corpse, baiting the construct, anticipating that it would turn its attention to defending its creator¡¯s body and be vulnerable to more attacks. Its ¡®wounds¡¯ were slower to close now. It seemed desperate, threatening the Heroes, warning them to leave its creator alone. Yes¡­things were going well for the companions. ¡®So¡­why do I feel like this¡­?¡¯ Claygon said. There was an unease stirring in the golem, despite Army of Heroes. Something was wrong. Very wrong. The Ravener¡ªwhich had been belittling Cedric and Hart¡ªhad suddenly fallen silent. Eerily silent. But there was more to the disquiet than simply that. Claygon could feel something coming from the Ravener. An energy both familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time. ¡®Something¡­is wrong!¡¯ he thought. ¡°Cedric! Hart!¡± the golem¡¯s voice exploded from his voice box. ¡°Move¡­away! Now!¡± ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Cedric turned. Energy within the Ravener shifted. Claygon raised his hands. Power poured into his fire-gems. ¡°Get¡­away!¡± The two young men fled. Claygon¡¯s beams fired. A point of blinding light appeared on the black orb, a death beam erupted from its surface. Three rays of fire crackled through the air. A beam of darkness swallowed all in its path. All four beams collided in the centre of the chamber. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. The explosion that followed shook the cavern to its foundations. Cracks split the ceiling. The floor buckled. Spawn and mortals alike clutched their ears against the deafening boom. Any creature within the blast radius was demolished. Bjorgrund and Grimloch were thrown from their feet; Isolde and even Drestra were sent flying from the concussive wave. And as the blinding light faded, a pillar of smoke and smouldering destruction revealed The Ravener, floating through the smoke. The cavern rumbled again, like beasts growling from the pit of their beings. ¡°Oi!¡± Cedric cried. ¡°This ain¡¯t good! Lotsa divinity¡¯s comin¡¯ in! Back up! Everyone, back up! Now!¡± The Ravener was silent. All around, the cavern was rumbling. The construct¡¯s surface rippled, spitting out a dozen Living Cores. ¡°What th-¡± Hart started. Shrieks cut his words. Like a chorus from the hells, the maddening screams united, releasing from all twelve dungeon cores at once. The mortals flinched, clutching their ears, clenching their teeth, even shrieking themselves. New monsters began pouring from the living cores and the Ravener itself. The first to appear were gibbering legions, behemoths, hives-as-one and poison spirits. They were followed by the more powerful Ravener-spawn; air blasters, and spawn knights. Fire clouds came next, heating the air in the cavern by degrees. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± Isolde cried, righting herself in the air beside Drestra. ¡°Dunno,¡± Cedric flew beside them. ¡°But I¡¯s thinkin¡¯ this jus¡¯ got a whole bunch harder.¡± He raised his weapons, studying the Ravener. ¡°It¡¯s a lot bloody stronger suddenly, an¡¯ I dunno where it¡¯s gettin¡¯ all that power from.¡± Claygon watched the other construct closely. The power coming from the Ravener¡­there was something about it that intrigued the golem. The energy that pulsed through his core felt similar to what was radiating from Uldar¡¯s construct. Watching the Ravener brought back a promise he¡¯d made to himself long ago. He¡¯d told himself he would take control of his own destiny, his own evolution. That he would find a way to push himself beyond his iron body. This energy¡­there was something about it that felt right, like it was a key ready to turn in a lock. But what could he do with it? ¡®I am not¡­smart¡­like my father¡­and I can¡¯t manipulate¡­energy like¡­he can¡­but there must be something¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®Something¡­I can¡ª¡¯ His thought cut short when the Ravener¡¯s surface rippled. ¡°Shite!¡± Cedric cried. ¡°Protect us, Traveller!¡± Holy light shot from the Chosen. ¡°Why do you keep calling that name?¡± the Ravener said. It did not wait for an answer. Ethereal whips emerged from Ravener¡¯s surface, growing by the moment. Dozens appeared, each over a hundred feet long. They snapped out, cracking in the air, striking at Alex¡¯s summoned monsters, corpse puppets and the mortals. Everywhere a whip touched flesh, skin split, blood changed from red to green, poison entered blood vessels. ¡°Agh!¡± Bjorgrund shouted as the whips snapped through gaps in his armour. Theresa¡¯s weapons blurred around her as she defended herself and Brutus. The others grimaced, flinching back, pain and poison seeking to overwhelm them, as Cedric¡¯s divine protection fought to free them from the venom. ¡°Oi! Cleanse us! Protect us from this poison!¡± Cedric shouted through clenched teeth as the whips lashed his body. ¡°Protect my friends and protect me!¡± His divine light flared brighter, seeming to draw the poison from their bodies, eliminating it, but yet, the whips kept flailing. Again, and again, they struck the fighters for Thameland. And time after time, Cedric called on divinity, asking for protection. But divinity didn¡¯t stop the Ravener-spawn from attacking or tearing through Alex¡¯s summoned monsters and corpse puppets. ¡°Fight!¡± Hart shouted, wincing as the Ravener¡¯s whips struck him while Cedric¡¯s divine light healed him. ¡°We can¡¯t let it build up momentum! Fight back, damnit!¡¯ ¡°Brutus!¡± Theresa cried. ¡°The living cores!¡± Growling against the shrieking cores, Brutus reacted, opening his mouths, aiming his sonic blasts at them. They overwhelmed the screams, drowning them out, robbing them of all power. Claygon blasted the living cores and the Ravener with his fire-gems, setting them ablaze. ¡®Father¡­things are¡­getting bad!¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®The Ravener is stronger now¡­we¡¯re holding it off! But¡­it¡¯s bad!¡¯ As the golem called to his father, he didn¡¯t notice Asmaldestre the Unmaker eyeing the Ravener. Her hands tightened on her weapons. A light grew in her eyes.
¡®Father¡­things are¡­getting bad!¡¯ Claygon¡¯s thoughts came to Alex through their link. ¡®The Ravener is stronger now¡­we¡¯re holding it off! But¡­it¡¯s bad!¡¯ ¡°Shit!¡± Alex swore. ¡®Just hold on, Claygon!¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®We¡¯re trying to do something on our end!¡¯ Alex looked at Merzhin. ¡°Don¡¯t focus on Aenflynn!¡± he said. ¡°Keep your focus on getting through that ward. We need to end this! I¡¯ll worry about everything else!¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Merzhin paused his prayers. ¡°May the Traveller guide us both.¡± ¡°Oh? Are your friends in trouble?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy asked. ¡°Perhaps my hospitality wouldn¡¯t have been so bad, afterall, hmmm?¡± He snapped his fingers. ¡°Guards! You can pass through the ward now. Go, maim them. As a matter of fact, you can kill the small one in the white robes if you wish. As for the other? He¡¯s a wizard, but he cannot pierce the ward on his own. He¡¯s yours to toy with. Feel free to simply give him a good breaking. Snap his limbs, break his ribs, or break his jaw, whatever suits you: then it¡¯ll be the dungeon for him.¡± ¡°Gladly, my lord,¡± a knight said, raising a halberd. ¡°Arrows!¡± Fae knights readied bows, drawing back the strings. ¡°Shit!¡± Alex swore again, raising his staff. The world slowed. He turned his streams of consciousness away from their tasks for a moment. Just for a moment. Then the world sped up. He cast haste on himself, and greater force armour, force shield and protective force weapon on Merzhin. Alex already had those protective spells active on himself. His staff summoned a pair of earth elementals, each only slightly larger than he was. ¡®These aren¡¯t the most powerful elementals,¡¯ he thought. ¡®But I can¡¯t summon anything much bigger than a human in here. And there¡¯s not much room to manoeuvre, so these guys will have to do.¡¯ ¡°Protect us!¡± Alex directed. Bowstrings twanged. A volley of arrows arced through the air. The elementals moved their bodies, covering the two humans as much as they could. But, the arrows passed through the ward then turned in mid-air, swerving around Alex and the elementals, aiming straight for Merzhin¡¯s head and heart. ¡°What the?¡± the young archwizard cried. The world slowed. His mind raced. His eyes fixed on the arrows. An idea formed. ¡®I¡¯ll need to get the timing exactly right,¡¯ he thought. The world sped up. He cast Mass Shatter with a twitch. All around them, the swarm of arrows exploded. Splinters and metal shards rained down, peppering the floor like hailstones. ¡°Forward!¡± the fae knight leader commanded. As one, the guards marched to the ward, their halberds blazing with magic. Alex watched them closely. ¡®When they go to step through the ward, I¡¯ll cast Wall of Roiling Mana in front of us,¡¯ he thought. ¡®It¡¯ll wreck them and buy us some time.¡¯ The guards reached the outer divine ward, lowering their halberds. One group stopped in front of it and two others swept around and began coming through on either side of the General and Saint. ¡®Planning on flanking us on three sides, eh?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Well, that¡¯s not going to work out too well for you.¡¯ As if on cue, the fae knights in front of the ward lowered their halberds and stabbed ahead. At the same time the other two groups stepped through the ward. Alex twitched. Wall of Roiling Mana sprang to life in front of him. The fae warriors screamed as the spell ravaged their bodies, breaking them down. A short whistle came from Aenflynn¡¯s effigy. The Wall of Roiling Mana shattered. ¡°What?¡± Alex grunted. ¡°Your friend¡¯s interdiction stopped me from harming you with my divine power. It did not say that I couldn¡¯t use it to interrupt your nasty spells.¡± Aenflynn said, well-pleased. ¡°If you wish to complain to him while he¡¯s still alive, I¡¯d suggest voicing that complaint in the next five heartbeats.¡± As the fae lord spoke those words, his knights began their attack. Chapter 876: Steel The fae knights tensed. ¡°Attack!¡± Armour clinked, halberds were raised, all eyes were fixed on the young archwizard. The line of knights standing in front of the divine ward swung their weapons, blades and hafts passing through the curtain of divine energy as though it wasn¡¯t there. Other fae knights came through the divine ward on either side of Alex, Merzhin, and the elementals at the same time. The two groups flanked them in between the wards. ¡°Ye should not have come here,¡± a knight snarled. She and her allies thrust their halberds into the earth elementals. The fae¡¯s enchanted weapons split stone, banishing both spirits to their home plane. Their attention immediately turned to the two mortals. Alex cursed. The world slowed, giving him time to think. His mind raced; most of his combat spells would kill both him and Merzhin if he cast them in this limited space. An explosion, a wave of lightning or a tidal wave would annihilate everything between the divine wards, including the two of them. Spells like mass disintegrate would get rid of the fae knights between the wards, but wouldn¡¯t touch the ones outside. There wasn¡¯t much room to teleport, and if he used Hannah¡¯s power to dodge the oncoming assault, the fae knights would simply stab Merzhin. ¡®And if I teleport with Merzhin, that could break his concentration,¡¯ Alex thought quickly. ¡®So what does that leave?¡¯ He looked at his staff. ¡®Back to basics, I suppose. I can keep summoning small monsters, and use forceballs to throw our attackers off. Wizard¡¯s Hands can keep them off balance too, meanwhile, I can be fighting them with the sword-staff. But, there¡¯s a lot of enemies¡­and without a lot of room to manoeuvre, they¡¯ll get me eventually.¡¯ Alex glared at Aenflynn¡¯s smirking face. ¡®I¡¯d give almost anything to punch that smug expression right off his stupid face, but his effigy¡¯s made of stone. Even if I could get to him through the ward, I¡¯d probably just break my own hand¡­against¡­wait! That¡¯s it!¡¯ His mind focused on a single spell as the halberds stabbed at him from the front. The world sped up. He swept some of the blows away with a wide swing of his sword-staff, but a blade got by, striking his forearm. The fae smiled. A heavy clang startled him, sounding like a cell door slamming. His smile dropped. He was staring at the hulking young wizard¡­ ¡­looking at Alex¡¯s broad shoulders, powerful arms, and towering height¡­all now formed of magical steel. Steel Body had transformed the young archwizard¡¯s body into a metal titan of retribution. The other knights paused, shocked. Alex grabbed the haft of his attacker¡¯s weapon. The warrior flinched. ¡°Let go!¡± He pulled hard, trying to take the weapon back, which was¡­well, it was like trying to get something out of a grip of steel. Neither Alex¡¯s arm nor the weapon moved, both unwavering. The fae paled. ¡°Come here,¡± the young archwizard said, his voice grinding. His arm tensed, as he yanked on the halberd¡¯s haft. With a yelp, the fae stumbled through the wall of divine light. ¡°Welcome,¡± Alex said, dropping the weapon and grabbing the fae by his helmeted skull, then lifting him off his feet. The knight struggled like a mouse trying to escape a cat¡¯s clamped jaws. ¡°Wait!¡± the fae shouted. ¡°Wait, wait¡ª¡± ¡°You should not have come here,¡± Alex replied, choke-slamming the knight into the stone. A crunching sound followed, and with a gurgle, the fae knight stiffened, convulsed then stopped moving. The archwizard rose to his full height again, glowering at the knights flanking him and Merzhin. He took a deep breath, filling his metal lungs with air. ¡°Maim us?¡± The wizard of steel asked. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be the one doing the maiming.¡± Then he sprang. Calling on the Mark of the General, his mind filled with images of himself using all the dances he¡¯d ever learned, blending them into his own deadly fighting style. Images of reading his enemies¡¯ body language in the past appeared. All of that experience, now in a literal body of steel, made for a lethal combination. Despite the weight of his metallic form, Alex attacked, blurring, spinning, casting spells, his form barely distinct. ¡°Get him!¡± Aenflynn commanded his guards. They came at Alex from all sides, just as he came at them. His sword-staff, his metal form, his magic. All were weapons. Steel Body slowed the flow of mana within him, hindering the speed of his spellcasting¡­but¡­it didn¡¯t stop him from activating the aeld staff. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. He summoned more earth elementals around him and Merzhin, then cast forceballs, and Wizard¡¯s Hands. His forceballs shot out, blocking the fae knights¡¯ strikes, tangling up their limbs and striking their arms mid-swing. Wizard¡¯s Hands swarmed the fae, pulling hair, scratching skin, shoving fingers into nostrils, ears, eyes and mouths. They fought dirty. Alex channelled Hannah¡¯s power through his sword-staff, blocking incoming halberds with its blade. The teleportation energy surged, splitting the hafts and heads of the fae knights¡¯ weapons, teleporting them away, or dropping them among the fae guards, disrupting any attacks. The guards fought against the magics, using defensive skills gained from the experience of centuries¡­but an impervious opponent of magic and steel was one they¡¯d had no experience with before, and he had a steady stream of glowing forceballs and Wizard¡¯s hands to harry them with. Fae knights began to fall. Some were killed by the earth elementals. Others died by the young archwizard¡¯s blade or heavy, steel fists. But more kept coming. ¡°Aim for the priest!¡± a leader shouted. ¡°And fire another volley!¡¯ Another wave of twanging bowstrings announced a volley of arrows soaring toward the divine ward. And as they passed through it¡ª The world slowed. Alex concentrated on a spell. The world sped up again. The young archwizard twitched. Mass Shatter destroyed not only the volley, but the weapons of every fae that had entered the ward. ¡°What?¡± they cried in unison. Then Alex and his elementals were on them, cutting, smashing, ending them. Attackers came and died, but more took their place. Alex took a quick glance around the throne room as the elementals kept fighting. ¡®More are coming. The castle¡¯s probably full of them, and this won¡¯t end until Merzhin¡¯s through that ward. And to help him we¡¯ll need¡ª¡¯ He checked Hannah¡¯s power within himself. He could feel it pulsing¡­his plan might be working, but he couldn¡¯t be certain. Not yet. ¡®Need to keep fighting,¡¯ he thought. ¡°Enough of that,¡± Aenflynn said, then whistled. Divine light emanated from the Fae lord in a wave. The light washed over his fae knights; their weapons and armour began to glow with divine energy. ¡°That should stop that little shattering trick of yours, and I will¡ªWhat?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy fell silent. Alex felt a huge surge of mana from outside the castle. ### The Fae lord whistled, bending his concentration on the imprisoned archwizard. The ancient being was moving faster, breaking the stasis within the cage, and though the Fae lord was pouring all the power he could into reinforcing it¡­ There came a sound like glass breaking. The cage exploded, instantly freeing the ancient goatman. Clouds quaked as raw power burst from Baelin. The archwizard fixed Aenflynn with a stony gaze. ¡°An interesting plan of yours, but that was not the first time one such as you, attempted to stop me by sealing me out of time¡¯s flow,¡± the chancellor said. ¡°I have had the opportunity of travelling to realms where the temporal river¡¯s flow is so different to that of any other plane that¡­well, I am not sure you would quite understand what I was telling you if I were to go further. So, suffice it to say simply this, I have studied temporal tricks, myself, young faeling.¡± ¡°You are full of resources,¡± the Fae lord watched the archwizard peevishly. ¡°I¡¯ll give you that.¡± ¡°Thank you. And your tricks continue to amuse me.¡± ¡°Ah, but I think you overplayed your hand. You used a lot of mana to escape that, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯m sure your response drew down a lot, even from your seemingly endless mana pool.¡± ¡°Perhaps it did. Perhaps it did not.¡± ¡°It does not matter, because I have a brilliant idea.¡± Aenflynn whistled, pouring his concentration into his next divinity. His power flexed, enveloping the battlefield. The archwizard cocked his head. ¡°Oh? What is this?¡± ¡°Find out.¡± Aenflynn smirked. ¡°Oooooh¡­oh I see. A classic interdiction. You stopped me from using my magic to harm you,¡± the archwizard noted. ¡°Not a bad ploy.¡± The Fae lord resisted the urge to flinch. ¡°Oh, you got it too quickly. Your senses and spells for reading divinity are truly superb. I can¡¯t claim credit for the idea though: the young Saint used a similar interdiction in my castle a short time ago. By focusing the command, the interdiction grows stronger, and by focusing one on just your mana¡­I believe it might put a stop to even your powerful tricks.¡± ¡°So you mean to reduce me to a mere mortal beastman in this battle?¡± the ancient beastfolk asked. ¡°While I get to destroy you with Uldar¡¯s power,¡± Aenflynn finished for him. ¡°A nasty little trick, but you are all trying to divide my attention. So I thought I might fight a little unfairly as well. What now, archwizard?¡± The Fae lord gripped the air, a sword of pure divinity was created in his hand. ¡°I am a very skilled swordsman, one of the deadliest in all of Och Fir Nog, if I do say so myself,¡± Aenflynn smiled. ¡°And with Uldar¡¯s throne, I am afraid you are quite outmatched. Without your magic, what can you do?¡± The ancient wizard paused for a moment, looking almost shocked. Then he threw his head back and laughed. ¡°What is it, old one?¡± the fae lord asked. ¡°Oh, nothing, really!¡± the beastman was nearly doubled over with amusement. ¡°It¡¯s just that I have not had such a perfect setup in a long time! Oh my. Tell me, have you heard the term ¡®Proper Wizard¡¯?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s jaw clenched. He didn¡¯t like the sound of that. ¡°No, why?¡± ¡°Ah, well, then I shall show you an example of one. A Proper Wizard does not ignore any form of power or advantage.¡± The ancient wizard reached down, retrieving a hammer from his belt. ¡°I, my sly friend, am no exception. You have taken away my offensive magic in many ways. An excellent move, again. Except for one small problem.¡± The archwizard disappeared. Then reappeared directly in front of Aenflynn, the hammer raised. The weapon blazed with a dizzying amount of glyphs. It slammed into Aenflynn¡¯s jaw, the magics around its starmetal head biting through the fae¡¯s defensive magics and divinity like an auger. Teeth flew, and with a pained scream, so did the Fae lord. ¡°Unfortunately, for you, I have maintained my body,¡± the archwizard said. He teleported after his reeling opponent.
The effigy winced, but was silent. Something¡ªprobably Baelin¡ªmust have been drawing the real Aenflynn¡¯s attention. ¡®Good,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Gives him less time and energy to interfere with us. Now, I just have to buy time and crush these guards.¡¯ The young archwizard turned his attention to the knights. His Wizard¡¯s Hands opened his satchel, taking out a number of potion bottles. Merzhin¡¯s head was already encased in Orb of Air, and under his Steel Body spell, so was his. Breathing the air wouldn¡¯t be a problem for them nor his earth elementals. But for the fae knights, between the wards, it certainly would be. Wizard¡¯s Hands whipped the potion bottles on the stone floor to shatter them. And shatter they did, sleeping potion-mist filled the space between the two divine wards. The fae in front of Alex gasped, surprised as the knights suddenly disappeared in a fog of potion-mist. Those fae knights between the divine wards, looked panicked, sneezing, trying to shield their faces, as the magical gas crept into their nostrils. They soon began fading, drifting off, dropping where they stood, fast asleep. The earth elementals were quick to finish them off. Soon, the fae knights outside were shouting in confusion. Hesitating, some gingerly pushed their halberd blades through the divine ward, but soon gave up on the idea when, for the second time, Alex grabbed a haft, pulled its owner through the ward, and cracked his skull. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy demanded. ¡°Get¨CArgh!¡± His words were cut off by a yelp of pain. Something must have been happening outside. ¡®Alright, thank the Traveller,¡¯ Alex said. ¡®We need to keep holding out, keep buying time. Claygon, how¡¯s the battle going?¡¯ ¡®We¡¯re holding¡­on father¡­¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®¡­but the Ravener¡¯s growing stronger!¡¯ ¡®Shit!¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I¡¯ll try and get there soon!¡¯ He glanced at the symbol of the Traveller hanging from his neck, as he listened to Merzhin¡¯s prayers. ¡®Just have to buy a little more time¡­¡¯ Alex eyed the potion-mist, watching the light changing through it, looking for any signs of attack. The guards were holding back for now. ¡®Just have to buy¡­wait. Wait!¡¯ He watched the mist closely. The light was changing, getting brighter. ¡®Is it daybreak? How long have we been in Och Fir Nog? By the Traveller, no!¡±
¡°What is this¡­?¡± King Athelstan muttered. The glow around his divine sword faded. Fatigue crawled through him. And his heart¡ªonce beating so courageously¡ªbegan to falter. Fear, once again, began rising in his soul. ¡°Oh no¡­¡± he whispered. Alex¡¯s spell, Army of Heroes, had ended in Thameland. Chapter 877: The Raveners Fuel ¡°Wh-what¡¯s happening?¡± a soldier cried. All across the city of Ussex, magical energy rose from the defenders of Thameland like steam escaping a boiling pot: the enchantment of Army of Heroes now dissipating. As the city burned, warriors looked around in confusion, as though suddenly waking from a dream. The magic in their bodies faded, muscles no longer gripped their weapons unflinchingly. And¡ªas their eyes fell on the monsters they¡¯d just been slaying¡ªthe beginnings of fear returned to their hearts. ¡°Fight on!¡± the king commanded, raising Uldar¡¯s sword. ¡°We have them on the run! Fight on!¡± The soldiers of Thameland and Alex¡¯s mercenaries looked at each other, steeled their nerves and stepped forward to keep fighting the enemy. Most of the Ravener-spawn had already been driven from the capital. All the fighters had to do now, was¡ª ¡°Something¡¯s coming!¡± a knight cried from atop the city wall. ¡°An enormous monster! It¡¯s all eyes and mouths¡­and has four burning wings! It''s not alone, there¡¯s more of them! Uldar help us!¡± King Athelstan tensed. A new monster? If they could¡ª ¡°More Ravener-spawn!¡± another soldier rose from one of the city¡¯s watchtowers. ¡°A sea of them are coming from the north!¡± ¡°Ravener-spawn from the east!¡± came another cry. ¡°They have dungeon cores!¡± Fear grew in the soldiers¡¯ eyes. And the Ravener-spawn remaining in the city struck. They attacked the Thameish warriors with abandon, crushing bone and flesh like grapes. Dying screams soon filled the air. ¡°Fight on!¡± the king commanded. ¡°Give them everything we have! Send them to their deaths! We must hold out! We must hold out! Aaaaargh!¡± Surrounded by his personal guard, the king charged the nearest knot of Ravener-spawn. Fear plagued him. He feared for his kingdom. He feared for his people. He feared for his life. He knew fear would do nothing but feed their enemies. But, all he could do was fight through it. Fight through it and trust they could hold on long enough for something to change. ¡®Traveller,¡¯ he thought. ¡®If you can hear me¡­I know you can hear me. Please. Help us. This is our darkest hour.¡¯ Setting his jaw, he drove his sword through a gibbering legion¡¯s flesh. All around him, the blood of mortals mixed with the blood of monsters.
¡°Kyembe, behind you!¡± Ezerak shouted. The Spirit Killer¡ªhis sword wrapped in white flame¡ªspun around, driving the burning blade through a Spawn Knight¡¯s head. His crimson eyes squinted as the insides of the creature boiled white-hot, exploding in a fountain of sizzling innards. ¡°Gratitude, Ezerak!¡± Kyembe kicked away another monster trying to climb the rooftop they were fighting on. ¡°Shame that the spell has left us, but now we can show our own power!¡± ¡°Die, die, you rot-headed, babbling filth-licker!¡± Wurhi of Zabyalla repeatedly stabbed a chitterer, desperate to stay alive. ¡°Kyembe, you madman! This is the worst job ever! We¡¯re going to die!¡± Kyembe let out a deep, rich laugh. ¡°You were so brave a moment ago!¡± ¡°Because of that crazy wizard¡¯s crazy spell!¡± she shrieked. ¡°It was making me as mad as you are! But, there¡¯s no more spell now, and I know we¡¯re going to die!¡± ¡°Then we will die as legends!¡± the Spirit Killer split another Ravener-spawn. ¡°I¡¯m not dying,¡± Ezerak muttered. The fallen king ordered his army of tattoo monsters to leave his skin and attack the swarm of spawn scaling the building he, Kyembe, Wurhi and a number of other mercenaries had climbed. But his army was shrinking¡­and he¡¯d caught sight of the endless tide of beasts coming toward the city. An entire line of titans¡ªat least a dozen¡ªwere charging in, ready to melt their hopes in an ocean of acid. ¡°Let all deities witness us,¡± Ezerak whispered. ¡°And let me not witness another kingdom fall on this day.¡±
¡°Pray,¡± Tobias Jay commanded, prostrating himself in front of an altar. ¡°Pray with everything you have.¡± Behind him, nearly a hundred priests had gathered, all prostrate on the floor of Uldar¡¯s cathedral in Ussex, facing the grand altar. Rising above the altar was the statue of Uldar, looking down at the priests with stony eyes. The very thought of his priests still worshipping that treacherous god¡¯s image turned Tobias¡¯ stomach¡­but he could do nothing about that now. Right now, he needed their faith at its strongest. ¡­so he could guide it in the right direction. ¡°Give your faith and prayers to the Traveller, my children,¡± the high priest¡¯s deep voice reverberated through the cathedral. ¡°Let your prayers reach her. She has a plan for us all, and she needs our strength. Uldar needs our faith less than she does. Let your focus be on her, for that is the divine plan.¡± ¡°Yes, high priest,¡± Tobias¡¯ followers echoed one another. He closed his eyes. ¡®I did not lie,¡¯ he thought. ¡®I only left out parts of the truth to help us all. May you forgive me.¡¯ If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He continued praying to the altar in Uldar¡¯s cathedral¡­ ¡­or rather, to the object upon the altar: A simple lantern, symbolising the Traveller. Within it burned a small flickering flame. A tiny flame representing all of Tobias¡¯ hopes.
¡°Their number seems endless now! They just keep coming!¡± a priest outside the Cave of the Traveller shouted. ¡°The General¡¯s summoned monsters were mostly destroyed after the magic died!¡± ¡°We must hold on!¡± their commander shouted. ¡°We cannot let the Cave fall and be overrun! We. Must. Hold.¡± At the fortification¡¯s walls, the pair of towering iron golems fired their weapons into the Coille, destroying everything standing before them. They were holding¡­for now, but the tide of Ravener-spawn was swelling by the heartbeat. They''d be overwhelmed, and soon.
¡°Daybreak, Peter.¡± Paul squinted at the sunrise through smoke rising around Alric. ¡°We made it to daybreak.¡± ¡°Aye, but is this going to be our last?¡± Peter wondered, his back pressed against the parapet. Bags were heavy under the guard¡¯s eyes. He was drenched in sweat. His crossbow lay loose between his hands. ¡°The Roth boy¡¯s spell¡¯s finished now and people are scared again. I suppose that means the Ravener¡¯s still around.¡± ¡°Aye.¡± Paul winced as a golem fired its cannon into the hordes of spawn. ¡°But at least we got to see the sun, and by the Traveller¡¯s grace, we¡¯ll see many more. Oh¡­you¡¯d best get up. Another army of monsters is coming¡­this one looks a lot bigger than the last ones.¡± Peter groaned. ¡°Then back into the fight it is. Let¡¯s keep living, Paul. I swear if I die right before the Ravener¡¯s beaten, I¡¯m gonna be in a steamin¡¯ mood when I get to the after-world.¡±
¡°Send them to the after-world!¡± Gemini commanded. ¡°I don¡¯t want them anywhere near this Castle!¡± ¡°We¡¯re out of chaos bombs!¡± one of the ballista teams informed her. ¡°So are we!¡± another team cried. ¡°The same for us!¡± ¡°We¡¯re also out!¡± ¡°Down to the last three!¡± ¡°Two more here!¡± Professor Jules winced. The ballista teams looked exhausted, some were yawning, their movements sluggish. They¡¯d been fighting all night long, determined to hold off the Ravener-spawn, launching chaos bombs that devastated the moors around the Research Castle. Much of the landscape was now dust and flattened rock, a lot of the flora was destroyed. Everything looked dead¡­except for¡ª ¡°Ravener-spawn! Ravener-spawn coming from all sides!¡± Watchers flying above the battlefield warned. ¡°New ones! And more titans than we¡¯ve seen before!¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have the chaos bombs to stop them,¡± Watcher Hill muttered. ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to move on to the next phase.¡± Gemini rubbed her eyepatch, before looking at Professor Jules. ¡°Your orders?¡± The alchemy professor stared at the coming tide of Ravener-spawn. Enough to stretch across the horizon. Enough to overwhelm the defences of the strongest of fortresses. Enough to devastate entire civilizations. The earth trembled at their foot-falls. Professor Jules¡¯ attention turned to the summoning circle in the courtyard below. It was nearly time. ¡°Use the remaining chaos bombs!¡± Professor Jules shouted. ¡°Then leave the walls! Your duties are complete!¡± She turned to her graduate students, who¡¯d been busy loading chaos bombs all night. ¡°I want you students to return to Generasi through the portal.¡± Their reactions were mixed. Some looked relieved. Many others bristled. ¡°Professor!¡± one cried. ¡°I can¡¯t leave, there¡¯s still¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re all exhausted: and you¡¯re alchemy students, not warriors,¡± her voice cracked like a whip. ¡°Don¡¯t argue with me. You¡¯ve done a hero¡¯s part in this battle up to now. I want you all back where you can rest in safety. Go. Now! I swear if any of you refuse to listen to me, I¡¯ll sign your expulsion papers myself. Go!¡± The graduate students looked at her then at each other, but could say nothing. Those that still had chaos bombs turned back to their teams. The others began leaving the Castle¡¯s walls, making their way through the courtyard and to the teleportation circle in the Research Castle. Over the next little while, the remaining teams launched the last of the chaos bombs. They exploded in a cloud where they struck, lighting up the early morning horizon, obliterating spawn like dying embers. Though some of Professor Jules¡¯ students grumbled, they then left, quietly making their way to the teleportation circle, their work finished. Jules sighed with relief, her graduate students would be safe, she hoped the same would be true for the younger students, like Mr. Roth and the others. She squinted at the oncoming sea of Ravener-spawn, then floated down to the courtyard and the summoning circle that Baelin had put the finishing touches to. ¡°Everyone stay back!¡± she called out. ¡°It¡¯s time, and this summoning will still be difficult.¡± She raised her hands, the words of an ancient incantation pouring from her lips. The summoning circle began glowing with power, and chaos-tinged magic seeped through the air. Tremors shook the cobblestones beneath Jules¡¯ feet. Reality rippled like lake water from a smooth stone skipping across it. Her skin tingled, and mana poured from her pool as she spoke the words of the ancient ritual. Words of power, spoken with precise efficiency. Clear words. Sharp phrases. Guttural sounds. Awful to say. A terrible note of longing saturated them. A calling. The air shifted. Spell arrays formed. Magic circuitry came to life. In the growing light of dawn, a crackling sound and awful words slipped through the air. Something unseen entered the circle. The professor couldn¡¯t see it, nor could she smell it. She could not hear it, though a long forgotten part of her brain¡ªthe part that knew well why mortals feared the dark¡ªsensed it. The air began to shimmer. A massive presence permeated the space: a mind so vast, and so old, that Jules¡¯ own mind felt miniscule in comparison, like a mayfly¡¯s. It was a mind that¡ªif not for Baelin¡¯s participation in the ritual¡ªshe could not have hoped to control; a mind capable of the sort of alien wonders and cruelties that would snap a mortal¡¯s mind in two if they tried to comprehend it. But, it was a mind she intended to direct toward their enemies. Once, long ago, when Mr. Roth was in his first year at Generasi, she¡¯d summoned a lesser shoggoth with her graduate students while he watched. Back then, the experience had seemingly caused the young wizard some upset. She wondered how he would have reacted had she summoned this monstrosity then. This was no lesser shoggoth. This was a greater shoggoth, as far above their lesser kin as the sky was above the bowels of the earth. And the ritual¡ªeven with Baelin¡¯s mighty influence¡ªbarely contained it. Professor Jules clenched her teeth. ¡°Go,¡± she commanded. ¡®Destroy our attackers. Eat them, savour them, do as you wish with them. Everything you take from them is yours.¡¯ It spoke to her¡ªa voice in her mind that scraped at her very sanity: but its reply was in the affirmative. The terrible mind departed the summoning circle, shooting up and through the clouds. Hovering there, it manifested fully in the material world. Above the clouds, the shoggoth shifted between every colour that mortals had ever put name to¡ªand in shades that no mortal language could describe¡ªcramming the sky with its excessive bulk. Morning light instantly plunged into deep shadow as the greater shoggoth reached out with tentacles as thick around as massive sea serpents, stretching out over the miles. Those tentacles crushed any Ravener-spawn approaching the Castle, the very touch of them reducing monstrous flesh into primordial ooze. But¡­they would not be enough to completely end the attack. The greater shoggoth was¡ªon its own¡ªan unstoppable force, but even its dozens of elongated, clawed tentacles could not touch every Ravener-spawn charging toward the Castle. Thousands, tens of thousands of rushing monsters. ¡°It will buy us time,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°And hopefully, the rest of Thameland can hold out.¡± ¡°Leave the rest of Thameland to us,¡± a familiar voice said. Professor Jules looked up at the keep¡¯s gates. There was Councillor Kartika, having teleported into the courtyard with a group of wizards. Seconds later, hundreds of Generasi mage-soldiers began appearing in the courtyard too, all armed and ready for war. ¡°We¡¯re here to relieve you,¡± Kartika said. ¡°And to fulfil our alliance with Thameland. We would have been here hours ago but¡­bureaucracy.¡± ¡°Indeed, and while they are aiding Thameish mortals, I will ensure that the university¡¯s property is not overrun.¡± Another familiar voice said. Professor Jules jumped, spinning around, finding another familiar face watching her. Registrar Hobb wiped his monocle. ¡°Apologies for the lateness. There were affairs that had to be settled before I could leave, but I am here now, quite ready to help you hold the line, as it were.¡± He raised an eyebrow. ¡°And not a moment too soon it seems.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Professor Jules asked, frowning. ¡°Your enemy¡¯s mana is expanding, it¡¯s getting thicker in the air. Much thicker,¡± Hobb said. ¡°It won¡¯t be long before it gives free rein to its true strength.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t, yet?¡± Professor Jules paled. ¡°No, I am afraid not, but I do believe it is about to.¡± Chapter 878: The Unmaking All across Thameland, dungeon cores drank the power of their enemies¡¯ terror, swelling with new energies. Green fields became hellscapes dotted with black orbs, each one spewing monsters by the score. Beasts hunted for Thameish flesh to devour, roaming through once quiet woodlands, springing on those unlucky enough to be caught there. Clouds burned away as Skyfire Swarms rose up, together with Living Cores. Rivers and lakes choked with acid, Sky Striders emptying their bellies into the waterways. Monsters poured from the wilderness, overrunning towns and army encampments. The creatures were unstoppable, crushing all resistance beneath slavering fangs, and razor-like claws. Going from army to army, spreading through the countryside, leaving both terror and death in their wakes. Smaller groups of Ravener-spawn clustered together, forming great hordes that swept across the wilderness, killing every living soul in their path, creating chaos and ruin along their way to Thameland¡¯s largest cities. City upon city would fall, the ultimate goal was to wipe the land clean of Uldar¡¯s children once and for all. That scene of terror was what dawn brought to Thameland. In Och Fir Nog, dawn looked somewhat different. There, Ravener-Spawn worked with fae, unearthing the buried and scattered fae gates, seeking to reopen fae roads back to the material world. Dungeon cores nearby were spitting out monsters endlessly, building another apocalyptic army to reinforce the monsters already in Thameland. They too drank their enemies¡¯ fear. As did their master.
¡°Stay near me!¡± Cedric shouted, glowing like starlight, shining with divine light. ¡°I¡¯ll keep clearin¡¯ th¡¯ poisons!¡± The Chosen of Uldar floated high in the chamber, calling upon divine miracle after divine miracle, veins on his brow pulsing, sweat trickling down his form from the effort. Desperately, he fought the Ravener¡¯s toxins with divinity. But, Uldar¡¯s construct knew he would not last. ¡®So much power,¡¯ it thought, drinking in the terror of Thameland and expelling another cloud of venomous gas into the cavern. ¡®So much power is filling me once more. I will win this trial.¡¯ Within its cavern, the Heroes and their allies fought for their lives. Some tried to prevent the chamber¡¯s entrances from being opened, but¡ªslowly and surely¡ªthe Ravener¡¯s loyal spawn were tunnelling through the stone. Wizards were casting spells against its hordes, but it was replacing the dead faster than they could kill them. The General of Thameland¡¯s summoned monsters were slowly being overwhelmed, and the corpse-puppets he¡¯d made had been pulled down and ripped to shreds. ¡®It will not be long now,¡¯ the Ravener thought, pleased. The stirring within it had lessened, almost completely faded now. ¡®This is my time.¡¯ It turned its attention to the body of Uldar. Earlier, the Heroes had persisted in seeking to defile it. Now though, they were too busy just trying to stay alive, that the god¡¯s body was being left unharassed and in perfect peace. ¡®I hope you are watching, creator,¡¯ it thought. ¡®Watch as I destroy those who spurned you, who went against your will. Watch from the afterworld and be glad.¡¯ Filled with its own satisfaction, the Ravener could easily believe that Uldar¡¯s gaze was watching it from the afterworld. Something from far away certainly made it feel like it was being watched. ¡°Prepare to fall to your ultimate trial,¡± the Ravener¡¯s voice filled the cavern, as it sprayed another cloud of poisons into the air. It would not be long now.
¡°Do something!¡± Bjorgrund shouted, his axe chopping into Ravener-spawn around him. ¡°Agh!¡± The giant grunted as an air blast caught him in the side, sending him skidding across the cavern floor. Shaking away the lights dancing in front of his eyes, he squinted at Asmaldestre the Unmaker. She had stopped shooting at the Ravener from the moment it became obvious that it had grown in strength¡ªthe War-Spirit was merely watching it¡ªher entire body, from her head to the tip of her tail, was tensed. ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted, cleaving his axe through a pack of Hunters mid-leap, as they jumped at his torso. ¡°We¡¯re here fighting for our lives! Help us!¡± He looked around. Above, Isolde and Drestra were working to destroy fire clouds, while¡ªbelow¡ªHart, Grimloch, Theresa and Brutus were battling an oncoming horde of spawn. Yet, Asmaldestre was simply watching the Ravener, her face a mask. ¡°Why are you not participating?¡± Bjorgrund demanded, looking at the floating platform beside her. ¡°Is it because you¡¯re defending that? Just leave it to Alex¡¯s summoned monsters!¡± He pleaded. ¡°Come on, you have to help us,¡± the giant continued. ¡°We need¡ª¡± ¡°Quiet,¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice stung his ears, her words in the common tongue. ¡°You must be quiet.¡± Bjorgrund instantly went silent. ¡°I am assessing this construct.¡± She scraped one of her weapons against the other. ¡°Drinking its violence.¡± The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°What?¡± the giant asked. ¡°What does that even mean? And why do you have to assess it, it''s trying to kill us!¡± ¡°To understand the prize my summoner has provided,¡± she whispered. Her eyes flared with inner light. ¡°This is what was promised to me. Battle, unlike any other. And I wish to see how worthy this battle truly is.¡± Bjorgrund glanced from the Ravener¡ªfiring death-beams at Cedric¡ªto the war-spirit. ¡°I think it''s worthy! Call me biased, but I think it''s pretty damn worthy!¡± Her head snapped to the young giant. ¡°Young rune-marked.¡± ¡°Y-yes?¡± he stammered, driving his axe through another line of Ravener-spawn. She smiled, then, revealing her sharp teeth. ¡°I think you are right. I think this is an opponent that could last.¡± The air rippled around the war-spirit then. Her hair¡ªsharp blades woven through it¡ªbegan to rise, as though a silent wind was blowing it. She growled, and the growl contained the screams of a thousand dying beings. ¡°What do you mean by last?¡± Bjorgrund shuddered, asking her. The rune on his chest burned. He could feel something stirring. ¡°To last against a greater measure of my strength,¡± she hissed. ¡°I have battled across the universe. Across the planes. Too many times have I had to hold back, lest glorious violence end too quickly when my opponents fall.¡± A chill ran down his spine. ¡°You¡¯ve been holding back?¡± he snarled. ¡°Some of us were wounded, and folk have been dying and you¡¯ve been holding back?¡± ¡°Your lives are not my affair. Violence is. Battle is,¡± she hissed. ¡°My purpose here is to feast on a proper battle. To stretch out the meal provided for me and to not gorge myself on it so quickly, that I cannot enjoy its flavour. But¡­this Ravener is impressive.¡± The air sparked around her. ¡°It can take a greater measure of my strength. Young rune-marked, defend these machines. I have a battle to join.¡± ¡°What the¡­?¡± Bjorgrund cried as the war-spirit¡¯s four draconic legs tensed. Her blade-like scales bristled. The ground cracked beneath her feet. Then she was gone, shooting away in a blur of light and metal. Her ranged weapon began cracking like an army of whips, firing volleys of deadly projectiles, tearing lines of death through the enemy ranks. She barreled through more of the horde, carving a path through them. Her weapons flashed around her; everything within reach of her arms, fell. She sprang, straight at the Ravener. ¡°Stop!¡± the construct cried. But she was on it before it could do more than cry out. Poisons held no danger for her. They couldn¡¯t stop her. Nor could its cage of death beams. In a blink, the two were clashing. Her every strike hit like thunder, and the Ravener¡¯s surface cracked beneath the terrible blows. Its death beams ricocheted, bouncing off Uldar¡¯s weapons as she held them, leaving her untouched. ¡°Where did you come from?¡± the Ravener demanded. A fire cloud swarmed toward the war-spirit, but her weapons stopped them, striking individual Ravener-spawn with such precision, that many of the flea-sized monsters were annihilated before they could reach her. Her claws latched onto the Ravener¡ªits death beams seeming not to hurt her scales¡ªas she stabbed it repeatedly with her tail blade. It responded, shooting her up-close with a blast from a death beam, launching her against a cavern wall. Without hesitating, she sprang at it again. ¡°Yes. That is the way! Show me true combat or I will eat your god¡¯s corpse!¡± she promised, her voice striking Bjorgrund¡¯s ears and stinging his eardrums. ¡°You dare?¡± the construct asked. ¡°Yes,¡± was the war-spirit¡¯s reply. With a howl of rage, the Ravener launched a dozen death beams at her, doing little more than slowing her slightly. Some nicked her skin, but she made no notice of the droplets of blood. If anything, any wound the construct dealt her, only made her snarl-smile widen. Magic radiated from the Ravener in an array; swarms of ethereal worms, poisons, blasts of force, fire, conjured blades of chitin, all shot at Asmaldestre the Unmaker. She simply unmade them. Shimmering red energy encased the war-spirit¡¯s weapons¡ªso when she struck or shot the magic coming at her¡ªthe weapons caused the Ravener¡¯s magical attacks to explode into fountains of ethereal blood. She reached the construct again, carving a long cut into its side¡ªcracking its surface¡ªand it responded, conjuring a fountain of burning acid, spraying her with such force that she was driven to the ground. She sprang back up, weapons held high, blades twitching in her hair. ¡°Not nearly enough,¡± she hissed at the construct. ¡°Begone, interloper!¡± ¡°Make me. By trial of combat.¡± The Ravener hesitated for no longer than a heartbeat, before saying: ¡°As you wish.¡± The two deadly beings of war clashed. Blade met magic. The ranged weapon shot projectiles, splitting beams of death. For the time, the Ravener was occupied. And Alex¡¯s companions were not about to let the opportunity pass. ¡°All o¡¯ yous!¡± Cedric shouted. ¡°I want y¡¯focusin¡¯ on killin¡¯ Ravener-spawn. But, not you, Hart. Go help Asmaldestre! She¡¯s buyin¡¯ us time! So, let¡¯s get our bloody advantage back!¡± The mortals and summoned monsters attacked the Ravener¡¯s spawn, cutting them down while the construct was engaged with Hart and the war-spirit. Bjorgrund rose up to his full height and settled in beside the machines. ¡°Well¡­I take credit for giving her a push,¡± he muttered to himself.
This was not anticipated. ¡®Where did this being come from?¡¯ the Ravener thought, quickly looking around. ¡®Why was she hiding such strength?¡¯ The strange, otherworldly creature was putting up a terrible fight. Her speed was shocking. Her strength, titanic. This was entirely beyond its calculations. Thankfully, more and more power was rushing to it. She was strong, but not impossible to stop¡­one new problem was that the Champion was coming to join her, and the others were using the time to try to regain an advantage. ¡®Perhaps it is time to be more thorough about this,¡¯ it thought, reaching into the stone around them. Now that it had gained more power¡­it could overcome the enemies¡¯ magic with enough time. And so it threw its will into the rock. The cavern began to shake.
¡®Father¡­Asmaldestre is fighting the Ravener¡­but¡­this place is shaking¡­badly,¡¯ Claygon reported. ¡®It¡¯s alright, Claygon!¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I¡¯m working on something!¡¯ He looked at Aenflynn¡¯s effigy; the Fae lord remained distracted. The area between the two wards was still thick with potion-mist: Alex could hear the guards outside, talking to each other in confusion. They were trying to decide what to do. And so was he. He and Merzhin needed to get out of this trap¡­but he couldn¡¯t teleport out, and they couldn¡¯t leave the throne for Aenflynn to use as he pleased. ¡®I need more power,¡¯ the young archwizard thought. He placed a hand on the Saint¡¯s shoulder, focusing on the power flowing through the small priest. On the faith. He checked his streams of consciousness, the ones focused on a very important task. He could feel it working. He could feel something building. But it wasn¡¯t fast enough. They were so close¡­so very close¡­but they needed more. ¡®Am I going to have to ask Merzhin to do what Hart was going to do?¡¯ he thought. ¡®Am I going to have to nearly die to make this work?¡¯ His mind raced. Had they played all their cards? Was he doing everything he could? ¡®Think¡­Alex! Adapt!¡¯ he thought. ¡®What else is there to do? You¡¯re so close.¡¯ He checked his streams of consciousness again. ¡®If you can get everything done before Aenflynn turns his attention back on you¡ª¡¯ Outside, the sounds of Baelin and the fae lord battling was like a fierce thunderstorm battling another one. ¡®¡ªthen you can win this. Come on¡­you just need a little more. Just a little more.¡¯
Selina Roth stared at the morning sunlight through the villa¡¯s bedroom window. Outside, she could hear the Lu family talking to the queen of Thameland¡­so much had happened since she''d been awakened by Theresa¡¯s brothers in the early hours of the morning and brought to the villa in the countryside. She¡¯d learned everything¡­about what was happening in Thameland. About what was happening to her people. Of what Alex and the others were trying to do. She was so tired of feeling helpless. But, there was nothing she could do. ¡­or was there? There must be something. Even if¡ª She paused. ¡°Wait¡­maybe it might only help a little, but¡­¡± The Fire mage balled her hands into fists. ¡°...but I¡¯ll do it.¡± Chapter 879: Reunion Selina Roth ran past towering windows streaming early morning sunlight through the villa. Her bare feet echoing through the halls, cut through the conversation the Lus were having with the queen of Thameland and a few of her guards, as they gathered in the dining hall, discussing the situation in the kingdom. Mr. and Mrs. Lu¡ªand their sons¡ªsounded uncomfortable around the queen, and worried when they spoke of their daughter and Alex. The queen spoke in soft tones, her voice sounded distressed at times when recounting what they¡¯d been through. Her infant son was quiet, finally sleeping, likely all cried out from a night of fear and tears. But Selina wasn¡¯t focusing on the queen, her son, her guards or their worries. She had her own to think about: her brother, Claygon, Theresa, Brutus and all their friends fighting for their lives and the future of everyone in Thameland. Once again, she¡¯d been left behind. It was always the same. She had to stay back¡ªprotected¡ªwhile others fought, died and suffered. Just like at the first Games of Roal she¡¯d attended. Just like when Alex went to the Empire by himself to make sure she wasn¡¯t targeted by the hidden church. Just like in the Cave of the Traveller¡­and even before that. From the time her parents had died, her brother and their other loved ones were always concerned with making sure she was safe, warm and protected. While she understood that, it didn¡¯t stop her from feeling more and more frustrated because she could never help. She was too young, they said, she wasn¡¯t strong enough to stand beside them, they said. She wanted to help, she wanted to protect them. Last night¡ªafter the Lus¡¯ sons had woken her¡ªshe¡¯d spent the rest of the night lying in bed, wishing she was four or five years older, four or five years more experienced with her magic. Her fire could be protecting her loved ones, burning their enemies, snuffing out the monsters plaguing Thameland. But, since she was only twelve now, and had only just started exploring her connection to flame, she had to stay in Generasi. But¡­she¡¯d still do what she could with her connection, no matter how new it was. She wouldn¡¯t be using it to burn their enemies to cinders, but¡­ She¡¯d use it in another way. Without speaking to anyone in the villa, she opened the front doors and ran outside into the courtyard. She looked around, searching for a particular object, something she remembered from when she lived there when Alex was gone. ¡­she quickly found it. Selina Roth sprinted to a tall iron pole with a hook at the top. On that hook, hung the object she was looking for, and climbing onto the bench positioned beside the pole, she reached up and took the object down: A lantern with glass sides... Holding the lantern carefully, she carried it inside, quickly passing the dining room. ¡°Selina?¡± Mrs. Lu called. Selina didn¡¯t answer, her eyes remained fixed on what was in her hands, taking it upstairs to the villa¡¯s meditation chamber. It was a bright quiet space, fifteen feet across and lined with windows, like a small solarium. The floor was covered with soft rugs, woven in calming colours and patterns. On one end of the room¡ªopposite the door¡ªa small, stone altar stood. One would normally place a small bowl with burning incense on it when meditating. But, today, Selina had a different idea. She put the lantern in the centre of the altar, then ran to her room. Footsteps creaked on the staircase. ¡°Selina?¡± Mrs. Lu called. ¡°I thought you¡¯d gone back to bed. Come on downstairs. There¡¯s breakfa¡ª¡± ¡°No, Thanks, Mrs. Lu, there¡¯s something I need to do!¡± Selina called back. An idea burned in the young girl¡¯s mind, and the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that it was something she had to do. Reaching her room, she threw the door open and looked around. When they¡¯d moved back to their apartment above the bakery, she hadn¡¯t taken all of her belongings with her, just in case they decided to spend some time here with the Lus. She only hoped she¡¯d left a certain item behind. Something specific, she was convinced that she¡¯d need. She opened the chest at the foot of her bed, looking through everything she¡¯d left there. ¡­and found the box of building clay tucked inside. Exactly what she was looking for. Scooping it up in both hands, she ran back to the meditation chamber, pushing past a stunned Mrs. Lu. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Theresa¡¯s mother asked. ¡°Trying to help Alex and the others!¡± the young girl said. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t really explain it!¡± She stepped back into the room and dropped the box of clay on the floor then opened it, taking out two handfuls of building clay; it was a little dry, but it would do. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Selina¡¯s clever fingers quickly began shaping the clay into two female shapes as Mrs. Lu watched from the doorway, staring at her in bewilderment. The young fire-mage soon finished her task, and placed the two clay figures on the altar on either side of the lantern: rough, miniature replicas of the goddess statues in the Cave of the Traveller. ¡°There,¡± she said, falling to her knees in front of the lantern and statues. ¡°I made something kinda like¡­something that symbolises the Traveller. We want her back¡­and I think this might be a good way to get my faith to her.¡± She pointed at the lantern. ¡°The lantern is her holy symbol and the statues represent the ones that were in her temple inside the Cave. And there was something else in her temple too.¡± Selina remembered how scared she was when her brother was shielding her from the goddess statues¡¯ fury. ¡°Fire. And, I can provide that.¡± She turned to the lantern. ¡°Holy Traveller, I know you are trying to come back to the material world. You want to help all of us and save us from the Ravener¡­well I pray to you now¡­with all the faith I have. I pray with my connection to fire and I offer anything I can to help you. Thank you for helping us as much as you have so far, and¡­please help us save our kingdom. Help us save our family.¡± Selina looked at Mrs. Lu. ¡°This is how we can help the Traveller, and if we can help her, then she can help Alex¡­and the rest of us.¡± Mrs. Lu looked down at the young girl for a moment. Her face softened. She stepped closer, falling to her knees beside her. ¡°You¡¯re right, Selina. I¡¯ll help you.¡± Mrs. Lu looked up at the glass ceiling. ¡°Oh, Traveller, please help us. Whatever you need from me to give you strength, I offer it.¡± ¡°And whatever you need from me, I offer that too.¡± Selina and Mrs. Lu turned, finding Mr. Lu standing in the doorway. He was not alone. Their sons were behind him, along with the queen of Thameland¡ªthe prince was cradled in her arms¡ªsurrounded by their guards. She looked pale and drawn, her eyes were wet with tears. ¡°We heard you mention helping those in Thameland,¡± the queen said, her eyes on the lantern on the altar. ¡°You have made a shrine to the Traveller¡­but not to Uldar.¡± Her eyes flashed. It seemed her husband had told her much about the god¡¯s treachery. ¡°We will join you in this ritual, child,¡± she said. ¡°I have heard of the Traveller¡ªshe was a Saint of good works and of a good heart¡ªand if what we do here can aid her and aid Thameland in turn, then that is what we will do. I cannot allow a child to act on behalf of the realm while I stand back.¡± She, Mr. Lu, the boys and guards crowded into the cramped meditation room, falling to their knees behind Selina and Mrs. Lu. The young girl smiled. ¡°Thank you.¡± She turned back to the makeshift shrine and went to the lantern, opened its glass door and examined the oil-soaked wick inside. Selina took a deep breath. ¡°Traveller, we give to you, so that you can give to all of our people. Please. Aid us.¡± She looked at the lantern¡­and spoke the incantation to a spell. Flame surged inside her. Flame... Something she was so connected to¡­and could use as a focus for her faith. She concentrated on her memory of the fire-gems in the Cave of the Traveller. When she finished the last word of her spell, an intense flame sprang to life in the lantern, crackling in the morning light. ¡°Traveller,¡± she said. ¡°I want this lantern and my fire to symbolise you. I give you my faith and my power, oh Traveller.¡± She clasped her hands, lowering her head. ¡°Traveller¡­Hannah¡­I gladly give you whatever you need. I believe in you and know that you can help us. And¡­please. Save our home. Save our family. Please come back to us¡­we know that you are good. We know that you¡¯re not like what we worshipped before. So please¡­¡± She squeezed her eyes tight. ¡°¡­travel to us.¡± Her words disappeared into silence as her family, the queen and her guards, prayed silently. The only sound heard in the room was the crackle of Selina¡¯s flame burning inside the Traveller¡¯s symbol. A peacefulness settled over the chamber. ¡­suddenly, it grew warmer. The flame crackled louder. Selina felt a warm touch against her cheek. ### Something transformed deep within Alex. His streams of consciousness¡ªall focused on channelling his complete belief through the Traveller¡¯s power in his soul¡ªfelt a tingling, reaching deep within his very soul. Hannah¡¯s power altered inside him. Surging, the Traveller¡¯s energy flooded his soul. ¡°This is it!¡± he shouted, feeling giddy. ¡°It¡¯s enough!¡± Alex concentrated on his power, focusing on the feeling of his summoning spells reaching across the planes¡­and he reached out. Calling on the Mark of the General, he set it to the task of calling something from a faraway place. He reached deep into his power, feeling a connection form. The Traveller¡¯s sword¡ªfused with his staff¡ªbegan singing, blazing with power. ¡°What?¡¯ Aenflynn¡¯s effigy suddenly cried. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°By the Traveller¡­¡± Merzhin whispered. ¡°I feel it. I feel all of it.¡± Alex reached deeper into his power, using his connection to its source. He followed the connection beyond the fae wild. Beyond the material world. Beyond the planes. Beyond the very veil of life and death. And for a brief instant¡ªa fraction of a heartbeat¡ªhe glimpsed the after-world. Eternal light and the deepest dark joined together, packed with untold numbers of havens and voids¡ªthe final resting places of every soul in the universe. And among them¡­ His breath caught. He saw a man. And a woman. The man was lean and tall, corded muscle hardened from years of splitting wood and hauling kegs gave definition to his arms. His light brown eyes shone with mischief, and he wore his chestnut-brown hair cropped close to his scalp. The woman¡¯s auburn hair was caught up in a loose braid that swayed in a warm wind. Her green eyes shone with pride. ¡°Well, someone finally woke up,¡± the man¡¯s deep voice said, as real as it was when it had woken Alex so many years ago. ¡°Alex had a busy day today, Sean. Of course he¡¯s tired,¡± the woman said. ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s even more thrilling than the stories he used to read.¡± Alex choked up. Beside him, he heard a gasp. He spun around, finding Selina there. The young girl¡¯s soul was bared to him, wrapped in the most beautiful flames he¡¯d ever seen. ¡°A-Alex?¡± she stammered. ¡°What is¡ªis that¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much, my girl.¡± Mrs. Roth smiled. ¡°As have you, our son.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t be more proud,¡± her husband said. He and his wife walked to their stunned children, wrapping them both in wide flung arms. ¡°We hear your prayers, especially during the Festival of Ghosts,¡± Mrs. Roth held her daughter and son. ¡°And we love you both.¡± ¡°We couldn¡¯t be more proud of you.¡± Mr. Roth squeezed both children. ¡°I¡­moooom¡­daaad¡­¡± Selina sniffled. ¡°Mother, father, I¡ªThere¡¯s so much I want to say,¡± Alex could barely get the words out. ¡°And there will be time for that,¡± Mr. Roth promised. ¡°When next you see us, there will be an eternity for us to catch up.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t have time now,¡± Mrs. Roth said, her voice sad. ¡°Your friend took a long time to find us so we could speak to you when this moment came. She¡¯s so strong now, son. You, Selina and the people of Thameland fed her well, but from what I understand, even she can¡¯t hold the door open for very long.¡± ¡°You mean¡ª¡± Alex gasped. ¡°Yes,¡± a powerful, yet familiar voice said. ¡°I am here.¡± ¡°And so am I,¡± another one said. Selina and Alex gasped as their parents released them from the tight hug. Floating above them were two faces Alex knew well. Carey London¡¯s. Though she had changed. She was taller. A halo of power floated above her head, and wings of chaos fire¡ªthe very thing that had consumed her¡ªblazed on her back. Beside her, was another figure. A young woman who Alex could never forget. A young woman whose face had been chubby at one time, but who¡¯d been hardened by tough battles over a period of years. Her features were striking in the way a painting of a goddess might be. Long dark hair framed her face, hanging down over familiar robes. Robes that had shrouded a transparent spirit in Cretalikon. In the blossom of youth, yet with the wisdom of divinity blazing in her eyes¡­was Hannah Kim, the Traveller. She was neither spirit nor mortal woman. Gone was the Saint of Uldar. And Alex knew, without a doubt, he was now looking upon the personification of a goddess. Chapter 880: Piercing the Veil Hannah¡¯s power sang all through Alex¡¯s being. She smiled at the Roth family, and it was like the sun coming out after the darkest storm. ¡°I¡¯m strong now¡­strong enough to bridge the gap through you, Alex,¡± she said. ¡°Because you gave me the last bit of energy I needed, Selina. And because you have been channelling your faith through your power, Alex. You and your companions rolled back the grey rain-curtain of the after-world. And now, Carey and I can return.¡± She looked at Alex. ¡°Prepare for a power unlike what you have felt before. Prepare to use it to end this war.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Roth looked up at Hannah. ¡°Thank you,¡± Mr. Roth said. ¡°For finding us. For helping us to have this moment together,¡± Mrs. Roth said. They turned to their children, speaking in tandem. ¡°We love you and we will be with you, always.¡± The light of the after-world blazed around them. ¡°But it is time for you to go.¡± ¡°But¡­there¡¯s more¡ª¡± Selina started to say, then stopped. She looked like she would cry. ¡°You¡¯re right¡­we can say more later.¡± ¡°Much later,¡± Mrs. Roth insisted. For one final time, she hugged her children. ¡°As much as I want to see you, I don¡¯t want to see you for a very long, long, long, long time, do you understand me?¡± ¡°Yes mother,¡± Alex said, hugging her back. ¡°Now go.¡± Mr. Roth clapped his children on their shoulders. ¡®You have our kingdom to save.¡± The light of the after-world blazed brighter Hannah¡¯s power began pulling at Alex¡¯s soul. He was the bridge. And it was time for that bridge to be crossed¡­and for the door between life and death to be closed. ¡°Leave Thameland to me,¡± Hannah said. ¡°I will protect our people.¡± She extended her hand. Alex took it. The light of the after-world flared blindingly bright. ¡°Farewell, our children,¡± Mr. Roth said, his image fading. ¡°We love you,¡± Mrs. Roth said, her image retreating into the light. Carey took his other hand. Selina took her brother¡¯s arm. Then, they were gone. Across the planes they flew, the images of the havens and voids within the after-world fading from both Alex¡¯s eyes and his memories at the same time. They passed through space. They passed through time. And for a moment, he¡­felt as though he was everywhere. He saw shifting sights. Forests filled with great wolves. Vast expanses of space. Burning stars in the night sky. A young bald man, travelling with his¡­two tattooed identical brothers? And their companions. Without warning, the images abruptly faded. Alex felt Selina¡¯s spirit¡ªlinked to him through blood and their faith in the Traveller¡ªseparate from him.
Everything had happened in the space of a single blink for Selina. One moment, she¡¯d felt a warm touch on her cheek. She¡¯d looked up and blinked, and as her eyes closed, she¡¯d seen¡­her parents, her brother, Carey and the Traveller. Vague memories of her mother and father from when she was a toddler suddenly grew as clear as crystal; the image of her parents in the after-world was as real in her mind as the sun beaming through the windows of the meditation chamber. The encounter had all taken place in a single blink. But now, she was back in the meditation chamber. Back with the Lus. Back with the queen, the prince, and the royal guard. Back with¡­another¡­ A woman with long black hair was floating in front of her, her white robes radiant in the firelight from the altar. She smiled down at Selina, and the young girl¡¯s hastily shaped clay goddess shuddered, transforming, becoming the perfect miniature replicas of the goddess statues they¡¯d found in the Cave of the Traveller. ¡°What in th-¡± Mrs. Lu cried. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°How did you get in here?¡± Mr. Lu shouted. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. Light radiated from the woman. The lantern¡¯s flame swelled, growing brighter. ¡°Mrs. Lu, this is the Traveller,¡± Selina sounded awestruck. The Lus, the queen and everyone else gathered in the chamber gaped, suddenly at a loss for words. ¡°Thank you all for your faith,¡± the goddess tilted her head in a bow. ¡°Yours was the last bit of strength I needed to return. You have my blessings: now and always.¡± She looked down at Selina¡¯s lantern. ¡°Can I take that?¡± Selina silently and vigorously nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± the Traveller said. The lantern teleported to her hand and she looked at the others, her gaze lingering on the sleeping prince. ¡°All will be well. I will focus my strength on Thameland while the Heroes finish this fight. Thameland gave much to me. And I shall give back to her. All will be well.¡± The goddess shone with a dazzling light. Then vanished.
¡°Oh mighty Traveller¡­bless us,¡± Tobias prayed, his eyes closed. ¡°Bless us. Save us. Help us.¡± His voice echoed through the cathedral. ¡°Bless us. Save us. Guide us. Let our faith reach you,¡± the other priests prayed as he did. Outside, fires raged through the city. ¡°Bless us,¡± Tobias continued praying. ¡°Save us. Help us¡ª¡± Something warm touched his brow. Tobias flinched, his eyes looking up. The high priest gasped, followed by every priest who¡¯d also seen what he had. Floating before them was a goddess in all her glory, radiant with divine power so pure, it made the high priest weep. ¡°I am here now.¡± Her smile was gentle. ¡°Your faith has given me the strength to return to you. And now¡­that strength is yours.¡± The Traveller extended a hand. Divine power blazed around her palm, issuing from it. Dazzling light spread through the cathedral, touching every priest, wrapping them in warm nimbuses of divinity. ¡°You are my priests, and also priests of Uldar,¡± she said. ¡°The Saint of Alric!¡± a priest cried. ¡°The Traveller¡ªthe Traveller has returned to us!¡± another shouted. ¡°I have joined you,¡± she said. ¡°And now, it is time for you to join the battle of Ussex. Fight alongside your kin, children of Thameland. I will be with you, in all ways.¡± Tobias smiled, his eyes wet with tears. He remembered his youth; images of a young man entering the clergy, learning his letters and the wonders of faith appeared. That was before the politics, the manoeuvring, the scheming to gain position¡­it was well before the war and long before he¡¯d learned of Uldar¡¯s betrayal. Back in those early days, he¡¯d only known the ecstasy and love he¡¯d felt in embracing what he¡¯d thought was a loving and kind deity. And now¡­ ¡­now that feeling was back. He could feel kindness embracing them, and he did not feel afraid. The old man rose to his feet, standing straighter than he had in years. He turned to his priests, eyes flashing. ¡°Priests of Uldar! Priests of the Traveller! Go forth with me and smite the creatures plaguing our home! Send them to the after-world! Save this land!¡± he roared. The priesthood raised their voices, joining with him, every nimbus of light surrounding them growing brighter. Above the altar, the Traveller waved a hand. ¡°Go forth.¡± Tobias and the other priests flashed with blinding light, then vanished.
¡°Your majesty! Watch out!¡± a knight cried. He threw himself between King Athelstan and a spawn knight, screaming as its back legs skewered him. ¡°Damn you, filthy-spawn!¡± The king drove Uldar¡¯s blade through the spawn knight¡¯s head. The creature shuddered and died. Panting, King Athelstan looked at a street filled with bodies, blood flowing down the cobblestones in a stream. Fires raged in the distance. And all the while, he could see titans and more Ravener-spawn approaching Ussex. In the distance¡­were those clouds of fire? Coming so fast, against the wind? He knew at that moment that he was going to die here, and his city would die with him. Taking a deep breath as war raged around him, and preparing for death¡­a blazing light caught his eye. ¡°What?¡± Athelstan spun around. Far in the distance¡ªmounted high on a hill¡ªthe cathedral of Ussex was shining, as if burning, like a miniature sun had been born within the building and was casting its glow through the stained glass windows. A bell started tolling. ¡°What is that¡ª?¡± King Athelstan murmured. A column of light suddenly rose from the stones beside him, and in a blink, the high priest of Thameland stepped from it. The old man looked ten years younger. His shoulders were squared, his eyes burned with life, faith and hope. Throughout the street, Ravener-spawn stopped dead, staring at the luminescent mortals who¡¯d appeared beside the king. Soldiers of the Thameish army paused, their eyes caught by the beautiful light surrounding the white-robed priests. Tobias raised his hands. ¡°And so she appeared before us, burning lantern in hand.¡± His voice rang through the city. ¡°And she did say: go forth.¡± A wave of divine light erupted from his body, washing over the street. Every mortal that it touched began to glow with holy light, wounds closing, fatigue leaving them. Divine energy clung to their weapons and armour, granting them renewed strength. The Ravener-spawn did not fare as well when the light touched them. Shrieking as flesh ruptured, divine flame danced along their skin, marrow turned to ash, drifting from cracking bones. They fell by the dozens, collapsing on the bloody road, turning to husks of ash and dust. ¡°It¡¯s a miracle,¡± the king murmured. ¡°What is happening?¡± ¡°Look up!¡± Tobias pointed to the sky, his voice booming over the city. ¡°Your faith has been rewarded, children of Thameland. Look and see the Saint of Alric, she has returned!¡± The king craned his neck, looking up at the sky. He dropped to his knees. Floating above Ussex¡ªat least a hundred feet tall¡ªwas the image of a goddess, a lantern was clasped in her hand. Within the lantern holy fire blazed, while her eyes blazed with divine wrath. She lifted the lantern, it burned brighter. Beyond the city walls, oncoming hordes of Ravener-spawn paused, flinching at the light. The image of the goddess fixed her burning eyes on them. She spoke four words: ¡°You shall not pass.¡± The light in the lantern flared. Ravener-spawn vanished. In an instant, thousands of Ravener-spawn were gone. The black balls with burning wings, air blasters, titans and more¡­were all just gone. ¡°It¡¯s¡­it''s a miracle!¡± the king shouted. ¡°A miracle for Thameland!¡± He raised his voice, and the entire city answered. Part-roar and part-cheer, the soldiers'' voices thundered beneath the blinding light of the Traveller and the morning sun. Their cries echoed through the sky, and spawn within the city¡¯s walls shrank back. ¡°I must bring aid to other parts of Thameland,¡± the Traveller said. ¡°You have my blessing. Use it. Go forth. Destroy the Ravener¡¯s spawn. All will be well.¡± The goddess blazed brighter and vanished. ¡°You heard the Traveller!¡± the king shouted. ¡°We have been given aid and reprieve! Let us retake our city!¡±
Ezerak smiled, looking down at the divine light playing across his curved sword. Around him, his horde of tattoo-monsters were filled with renewed vigour. The fallen king let out a giddy laugh. ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be seeing another kingdom fall today!¡± ¡°Indeed!¡± Kyembe raised his blazing sword. ¡°Come, then. Glory is to be had, and we have more of our people to find in the city.¡± He gave Ezerak a sly look. ¡°I would wager that I shall slay more monsters than you and your army by the end of this.¡± Ezerak grinned at him. ¡°You¡¯re on.¡± Together, the two men jumped from the roof, landing on hapless Ravener-spawn standing below; they began swinging their weapons, cutting a path of bloody ruin through the monsters. Wurhi of Zabyalla shook her head, completely bewildered. ¡°What in every hell happened to those monsters outside the city,¡± she wondered, climbing down the building to rejoin her two companions.
Far from the battlefield, far from Thameland and far from the planet on which that kingdom existed¡­ ¡­there abided a star. It burned blue in the inky sea of stars, bringing a heat to the cold emptiness of space around it. One might have thought the star lonely, as there were no planets nearby to keep it company. Nothing had approached¡ªnot even a comet¡ªin hundreds of years. Until now. For the briefest of heartbeats, an apocalyptic army of monsters appeared a few hundred feet from the star¡¯s surface. A moment before, they¡¯d been a horde of fierce creatures capable of rending cities apart and striking terror into enemies. But now? Now they did not have the time or breath to even let out a short scream before the star burned them to nothingness. And so the star was alone again. But, that would not be the case for long. Chapter 881: Blessings on Thameland ¡°W-what is this?¡± a soldier cried. Holy light radiated from the Cave of the Traveller, illuminating the army¡¯s fort, and the Coille Forest. Ravener-spawn cringed away from that light, fangs clenched as if in pain. A gentle wind caressed the forest, contrasting the sharp cries coming from the Cave. ¡°Something¡¯s happening in here!¡± a soldier shouted from inside. ¡°It¡¯s the portals!¡± Throughout the inner temple and portal chamber below, holy light blazed, surrounding the soldiers in its comforting embrace. A woman clad in white robes took shape, soldiers shielded their eyes from her radiance. ¡°Who is that?¡± a priest cried. ¡°She looks like a deity!¡± another answered. ¡°By all the heavens¡­¡± another gasped. ¡°Is¡­that the Traveller?¡± Hannah looked upon the Thameish defenders. ¡°Yes, I am the Traveller, and I thank you for protecting my home,¡± she said, her voice as gentle as the dawn, yet as powerful as thunder. ¡°In return, I shall protect you all.¡± Raising her hands, she fixed the Ravener-spawn filling the Coille with a disapproving glare. The fire in her lantern flared. And the spawn were gone. Elsewhere, far away in the universe, a blue sun gained more company for an instant. Only for an instant, as the monsters burned. ¡°All will be well,¡± the Traveller promised. ¡°I¡¯m here now, and I will aid you while the Heroes end this fight. I have to go, but my blessing will be with you.¡± She extended her hand, reaching toward those defending the Cave of the Traveller. Power sheathed the soldiers, both inside and out, leaving them aglow with her holy light. ¡°All will be well.¡± Hannah vanished and cheers rose into the sky.
¡°Keep the pressure on that wound, Paul! Keep it on there!¡± Peter shouted. The two guardsmen stumbled through the streets of Alric, Paul was draped across Peter¡¯s shoulder. The injured man was supposed to be pressing on a deep wound he¡¯d taken from a Venom Walker, and the pair were struggling to reach a medical tent in the centre of town. The wound had been partly tended to, considering the priests on the wall were all but totally spent. They had been healing soldiers for the entire battle, drawing upon more and more of their divinity. Now¡ªthat morning was here¡ªthey were trying to preserve their strength by only healing injuries to the extent of keeping the wounded alive. After that, it was left to the injured to make their way to the medical tent in the centre of town where fresher priests were waiting in reserve. But, Paul¡¯s wound was teeming with venom¡­Peter wondered if he would survive for much longer. The injured soldier¡¯s eyes were glassy, he was muttering endlessly, spewing mostly incoherent whispers. His eyes were moist with tears. ¡°I¡¯m cold, Peter,¡± the wounded guard gasped. ¡°So cold.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t hear that!¡± Peter snapped. ¡°You just hold on. Look, we¡¯re at the fountain! It¡¯s not much further to the medical tent! You can make it! Just hold on!¡± The guard, doing his best to bear his comrade, passed beside the fountain in the town square. The statues of Thameland¡¯s five Heroes stood in silent vigil, stony eyes seeming to watch the two guards struggling for survival. Coins long tossed into the fountain¡¯s basin were obscured; the murky water was now choked with blood and ash. High above, monsters screeched and roared, perhaps mocking the struggling pair. Blood-draks and spear-flies swooped above, swarming the outer walls even as non-flyers gripped stone, trying to scale it. The golems that Alex Roth had left behind to defend the town, fired their strange weapons repeatedly¡­but there were too few of them. Peter feared, deep in his heart, that the town would fall. And soon. ¡°Come on,¡± he pleaded with Paul. The wounded man was trembling now. ¡°Listen. I¡¯m sure the Heroes are going to beat the Ravener soon. We just have to stay alive long enough to see it. So just stay alive, okay?¡± Paul groaned, suddenly tumbling from Peter¡¯s shoulder, his body landing against the fountain. ¡°Damn it, Paul!¡± Peter snapped, trying to pull his friend up. ¡°Stop it! We¡¯re almost at the tent! Don¡¯t fall! Don¡¯t give up now!¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Paul¡¯s eyelids flickered, he tried forcing his glassy eyes to look up. ¡°Peter¡­I see¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯d better see yourself getting up!¡± Peter tried dragging Paul to his feet, but his friend was dead weight, and he was too tired. So, tired. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. So, very tired. ¡°Look¡­¡± Paul raised his chin to the sky. ¡°¡­that lantern. ¡­the Traveller.¡± ¡°The Traveller¡¯s dead, and don¡¯t you go joining her yet, mate!¡± Peter tried lifting his friend again. His muscles trembled with strain. ¡°Turn around, look,¡± Paul muttered. ¡°You¡¯re getting delirious!¡± Peter shouted. ¡°Just wake¡­up!¡± The guard paused, jumping back as the murky water in the fountain began to clear; ash and blood were washing away, leaving it crystal clear. What was once cloudy and foul, now shimmered in the morning sunlight¡­and the light of something else. ¡°What in the¡­¡± Peter murmured, squinting at his reflection in the water. In the fountain¡¯s basin¡ªcoins glimmered beneath the surface¡ªthe image of an ageless woman with dark hair, wearing white robes, shimmered. She was holding a lantern. Peter whirled, looking up. ¡°Are you a ghost¡­?¡± Hovering high above them, floating peacefully there was the same image. She looked tranquil, just like how he imagined a deity; a goddess would look. A Saint. Peter fell to his knees. ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± was all he could say. ¡°I am the Traveller,¡± the woman¡¯s voice¡ªgentle, yet thunderous¡ªechoed over earth and sky. ¡°All will be well.¡± She looked down at the horde of Ravener-spawn scornfully, as though she was seeing filth by the side of the road. ¡°They have no business being here. This is your home, this is my home, not theirs!¡± Her eyes flashed. She waved her hand. Scores of Ravener-spawn vanished, disappearing as though they¡¯d never been. She turned, waving her hand over the town. Divine light drifted from her, flowing over Alric, wrapping it in her power. Strength flooded Peter¡¯s limbs. Fatigue fled. His back straightened. Against the fountain, Paul shuddered as greying, clammy flesh returned to normal. Poison boiled from his festering wound, closing in an instant, leaving only healthy skin behind. Clarity returned to the guard¡¯s eyes as he sprang to his feet. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m alive! I¡¯m going to live!¡± ¡°You have my blessing, now and always,¡± the Traveller whispered. ¡°Now I must go, much of Thameland still needs my help. Have faith in the Heroes, children of Thameland. All will be well.¡± As she vanished, an elated cry rose in Alric, one filled with newfound hope. Peter and Paul looked at each other, relieved. Both were speechless.
Birger whipped a stone into the tunnel, watching it strike a bone-charger, cracking its skull. But, there were dozens more spawn where that one came from. The tunnel ahead was overrun with Ravener-spawn, and the warriors of Greymoor were desperately fighting them. ¡°Well, Kelda,¡± Birger muttered. ¡°If your soul was still whole, I think I¡¯d be meeting you in the after-world soon enough. Traveller, just make sure my son stays safe.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do,¡± a woman whispered beside him. Light blazed through the tunnel and the horde of monsters disappeared. Birger slowly turned, holy light washing over him. But the woman¡ªif there had been a woman beside him¡ªwas gone, leaving holy radiance where she¡¯d just been. ¡°What in all the hells?¡± he wondered aloud. ¡°What was that?¡± He turned to two of his companions. Svenia looked as though she¡¯d seen a ghost. Hogarth¡¯s mouth was opening and closing like a dying fish. ¡°Think¡­think maybe we just saw a miracle?¡±
Kybas glared at the empty tunnel in front of him, hands on his hips. Nearby, Harmless growled, snapping at the air with reptilian eyes rolling in annoyance. ¡°I know, that was rude! Some lady just came and took away your dinner!¡± the little goblin complained. Ripp stared at him. ¡°Y¡¯know, I think I¡¯m fine with this development. They can all disappear for all I care. After this, I might disappear: maybe I¡¯ll retire.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s remarkable,¡± Hobb muttered, watching the blasted wasteland beyond the Castle walls. The dusty plain was piled high with Ravener-spawn bodies. Many had been reduced to primordial ooze at the greater shoggoth¡¯s touch. Others had been destroyed by the Watchers¡¯ powerful spells. And, among them, were hordes of monsters that Hobb had done¡­unspeakable things to. Professor Jules was quite sure she¡¯d have nightmares for years after witnessing his work. ¡°What¡¯s remarkable?¡± she asked, gladly looking away from the devastated Ravener-spawn. ¡°That divine energy. It¡¯s unmistakably palpable in the air all around here,¡± Hobb said, looking around in curiosity. His nostrils flared as he took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s fresh and pure, too. ¡­like that of a newborn godling, untainted by the endless passing of time, or the selfish paranoia of older deities.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Gemini asked. Professor Jules frowned. ¡°I wonder¡ª¡± ¡°The Ravener-spawn!¡± someone shouted from the courtyard. ¡°Many just vanished from the tunnels below the Castle! It¡¯s¡­there was a woman and¡­I¡¯ve never seen anything like¡ªLook, she¡¯s over there!¡± ¡°Ah, and the newborn appears.¡± Hobb¡¯s eyes flared with interest. Professor Jules followed his gaze. She gasped. Floating above the aeld tree in the middle of the courtyard was a woman in white robes with long black hair. A woman similar to an image she¡¯d seen in old Thameish books. ¡°The Traveller¡­¡± the professor whispered. ¡°I¡­Alex did it. He really bloody-well did it. All of Thameland did.¡± Hobb looked sharply at Jules. ¡°Did what?¡± Professor Jules¡¯ eyes fixed on the silent goddess. ¡°They helped bring a goddess from the after-world.¡± ¡°They did what?¡± Hobb demanded, his red eyes growing wide as he looked down at the goddess. His expression changed, watching her as though he was looking through her¡­as though he was trying to see something else. ¡°The after-world? But¡­the veil between this world and the after-world¡­¡± he trailed off. ¡°This changes things. It changes many, many things.¡± As he said those words, the ¡®newborn¡¯ goddess opened her eyes, they blazed like miniature suns. ¡°Like me, you¡¯ve all come from far away to defend Thameland. I can never thank you enough for this.¡± She waved her hand, divine light emanating from her. Radiance washed over the Castle, touching every living soul, wrapping them in nimbuses of divine power. ¡°You all have my blessing,¡± she said, her voice cutting through the din of battle. ¡°And my protection.¡± She paused, looking down at the glowing aeld tree below her. She smiled. ¡°If that is what you want,¡± she said. Raising a hand, she grasped the air. Several aeld leaves shuddered on the tree¡¯s branches, before detaching and flying in a swarm to the goddess¡¯ hand. They whirled around it, forming a circle like a miniature tornado, weaving together¡­ ¡­taking the shape of a lantern. The Traveller touched the new lantern to the other one she was holding, and fire leapt from one lantern to the other. With new life, the second flame blazed in the leaf lantern¡ªnot burning the leaves in the least¡ªas the Traveller reached down, fixing the light to a tree branch. ¡°You will carry my blessing, little one,¡± she whispered. ¡°And it will strengthen your own power.¡± Her attention turned to the residents of Greymoor. ¡°You are now under this aeld tree¡¯s protection and mine as well. You will enjoy increased fortune¡­but your enemies will suffer great misfortune. Your kindness has made the aeld grateful to you, and I have given it the power to protect you as you have protected it.¡± She took a deep breath. ¡°I must go now. I am needed elsewhere. May you all be safe until this is done.¡± With that, the goddess vanished. Councillor Kartika¡¯s jaw hung open. ¡°What did we just see?¡± ¡°The birth of a young goddess,¡± Hobb mused. ¡°One who should be careful.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Professor Jules asked. ¡°Because she is young,¡± the devil said. ¡°And I sense that she has already used much of her power. If she is not careful, she will exhaust herself in ways that only deities truly can be exhausted. But still, she is providing much to these lands. The mana of your enemy is not deepening as quickly now.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°Then there¡¯s more time. More time for our young friends to finish this¡­and a greater chance for all of them to come back alive.¡± Chapter 882: New Frontiers of the Travellers Power Alexander Roth¡¯s soul abruptly returned to his body like a comet plunging into the sea. His soul swelled with Hannah¡¯s power, great amounts of her energy flowing in by the instant. It flooded in, radiating through every fibre, pore and cell, sparking his mind, his thoughts. When he opened his eyes, it wasn¡¯t just to the confinement of the area between the two divine wards in the Fae lord¡¯s throne room¡­it was to the universe itself. For a moment, he was nowhere, yet everywhere. Witnessing endless vistas. Hearing endless sounds. Smelling endless scents. Feeling and tasting everything. And as he finally awoke, truly awoke, the power settled in, deep within the centre of his soul. ¡°Alex! Can you hear me? Are you alright?¡± Merzhin was standing over him. ¡°You just dropped like a puppet with cut strings. I thought something awful had happened to you!¡± The priest looked panicked. ¡°The potion-mist, it¡¯s fading. Aenflynn¡¯s distracted by Baelin again, but who knows for how long! And¡­and I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m still having trouble getting through this damnable barrier! The ward is too strong.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that.¡± The General of Thameland teleported from flat on his back to being up on his feet without having to think about it. ¡°Yessssss,¡± he whispered as Merzhin kept watching him. That act of teleporting had been as easy as breathing for Alex, as easy as instinct. What he¡¯d done when he was near death had been unusual, but now that Hannah was back in the material world with her full power¡­there were new limits to what he¡¯d be able to do. Limits he was eager to test. But, there were more pressing things to do first. ¡°Merzhin,¡± Alex looked at the Saint slyly. ¡°You might want to look through the potion-mist. That area looks clear enough. I think she¡¯s going to be pretty annoyed if you don¡¯t greet her.¡± The young priest looked at Alex as if he¡¯d lost his mind. ¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s she? I don¡¯t¡ª¡± His words fell away as a holy light grew outside the outer divine ward. ¡°What?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s voice suddenly cried. ¡°Who are you?¡± The potion mist continued dissipating. Merzhin gasped. ¡°I-is that?¡± the Saint stammered. ¡°I-it can¡¯t be!¡± White robes were revealed slowly, followed by wings burning with chaos-tinged flame. A glowing halo appeared soon after, shining above a head of dirty blonde hair. And finally, that face. That kind face. That familiar face. ¡°Hello Merzhin,¡± Carey said. ¡°Been ever so long, hasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Ca-carey!¡± Tears immediately sprang to Merzhin¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s you! You¡¯re here!¡± ¡°What in the name of Och-Fir-Nog is a Carey?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy snarled. ¡°And why does it smell of divine energy? Get out! Guards, destroy her!¡± Fae guards beyond the divine barrier turned, lunging for Carey. She fixed them with a chilly glare. ¡°Away with you.¡± Flame shimmered in her wings, flaring up. Guards flinched from the radiance¡­but, too late. Like ice on a frozen pond, cracks appeared along the fae knights¡¯ flesh, running through it as though they were being split apart, and within each crack, was neither flesh nor bone. Replaced instead by the blazing light of chaos explosions. ¡°N-no!¡± a fae knight screamed. ¡°Mercy, m-make it stop! Make it¡ª¡± Her body exploded in a perfect cylinder of chaos-tinged flame, leaving a black stain marring the castle floor. The rest followed in a chain, exploding into nothingness, not leaving even a trace of dust behind. In heartbeats, the chamber was empty of Aenflynn¡¯s guards. Silence followed. Aenflynn¡¯s effigy quickly turned away from where his mighty knights once stood, and faced the transformed young woman. ¡°Nevermind, I¡¯ll do it myself!¡± he snarled. ¡°You¡¯re gone! This situatio¡ªOooarrfg!¡± The effigy suddenly spun around, holding its side as though protecting it from a heavy blow. Outside, thunder shook the sky.
¡°You know, I do believe this was a very poor tactical decision on your part,¡± the archwizard said from behind his mask. Aenflynn spun through the sky, desperately healing his broken rib with a pained whistle. ¡°Away, you old goat!¡± the Fae lord snapped. ¡°Something has happened, and I have no more time for you!¡± ¡°Hah! You are immortal, and so am I!¡± the archwizard laughed darkly. ¡°We have all the time in the universe!¡± He teleported, appearing in front of the Fae lord, who was hissing at him, whistling harshly. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Divine power blasted from his body, striking the ancient beastman in a wave. He raised his sword, driving the divinity washed blade straight¡­ ¡­only for both sword and wave of power to be blocked by the wizard¡¯s armour. The goatman¡¯s hammer struck first, directly into the fae¡¯s gut. Aenflynn doubled over. ¡°Pay attention, child,¡± the archwizard warned. ¡°You are acting as though you haven¡¯t held a sword in a thousand years. Stop being distracted, or I will kill you.¡± ¡°Begone!¡± Aenflynn shouted, his voice bordering on hysteria. ¡°That¡¯s the way,¡± the ancient beastman replied. ¡°Fight me with everything you have.¡± The heavens shook at their clashing.
Inside Aenflynn¡¯s castle, the Fae lord¡¯s effigy fell silent once again. Alex smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right, Baelin, mess him up.¡± Carey looked at Merzhin closely. ¡°Merzhin, we don¡¯t have much time: these barriers must be shattered. You are the only one who can do it; your divinity and connection to Uldar makes you uniquely suited to this.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± the Saint looked completely overwhelmed. He shook himself, standing to his full height. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can.¡± ¡°We can.¡± Carey¡¯s voice was like steel. ¡°I am going to channel the Traveller¡¯s divine energy into you, and together, with our divine might combined, I know you can do it.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t know if I can¡ª¡± Merzhin repeated. Carey fixed him with a stern look. ¡°It is not about can or cannot. We simply must.¡± Alex placed a hand on Merzhin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is it. The Traveller¡¯s back, and you have access to her divinity. Just like I have access to her power.¡± The young archwizard looked at the outer barrier. ¡°There¡¯s new limits to what we can do. And I want to test those limits. Like so.¡± Alex closed his eyes, channelling the Traveller¡¯s power. It flowed through him with full force, filling him in body and soul. Power sparked through every fibre of his being¡­and he felt his very being spreading out over space. He called on the Mark of the General, focusing on the task of breaking through the barrier. Every stream of consciousness focused, calling up memories of every act of teleportation he¡¯d ever done. Memories unfolded in a stream, flowing through his mind, streams of consciousness examining everything he¡¯d done right and wrong. The world slowed around him, and his mind sorted through each mistake he made teleporting in the past. Hannah¡¯s power soared inside him as he reached greater understanding. The Mark of the General focused attention on two specific memories. The first was when he¡¯d teleported to Merzhin when he was near death. The second was when he and the Traveller reached each other across the veil of life and death. Images of his parents rose in his thoughts, crystal clear among the hazy memories of the after-world. He had seen them. He had seen them in the after-world. And if he could travel¡ªin that moment¡ªacross the veil of life and death¡ª ¡®Then how can the stolen power of a dead god trap me?¡¯ he thought. Hannah¡¯s power surged. Every fibre of his being reverberated. His soul felt as though the universe was calling to him. Then he was gone, teleporting away, travelling through time and space, and appearing outside the divine ward. ¡°How?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy barked. Another roll of thunder crashed outside, stunning the stone statue into silence. Through the window, Alex could hear Baelin¡¯s voice echoing through skies outside: ¡°Focus!¡± the archwizard said to his opponent. Merzhin looked at Alex, stunned. ¡°See? It¡¯s like I said, new limits, and if I could get past the outer barrier, you can break through the inner one.¡± Alex told him. ¡°I¨Cbut, the inner barrier is much stronger than the outer one and¡­¡± the Saint stopped. ¡°Nevermind. You are both right. It is not a matter of can.¡± The Saint turned toward the inner barrier, raising both hands. ¡°It is a matter of must.¡± He began praying, his voice echoing through the chamber. Power gathered around him like a coming storm. Carey glanced at Alex. ¡°You look rather¡­steely...¡± ¡°Huh?¡± he looked down at himself, realising he was still under Steel Body¡¯s effects. ¡°Oh yeah. It¡¯s a new spell,¡± he explained, looking up at her. There were so many things he wanted to say¡­but there wasn¡¯t time now. ¡°Carey¡­I¡¯m glad you¡¯re with us, and what about Hannah, how¡¯s she doing?¡± Alex asked. ¡°She is defending Thameland right now, and fighting with all of her might,¡± Carey said. ¡°However, she just broke through the veil between life and death. Or, rather, she travelled between it, which took a lot of strength, and I don¡¯t know how long she can defend all of Thameland because of that.¡± ¡°What are you babbling about?¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy glared at them. ¡°You¡ª¡± Alex turned to the effigy, fixing it with a glare. ¡°Focus,¡± was all he said. ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Aenflynn¡¯s effigy started to say. The young archwizard called on the Traveller¡¯s power and the Mark of the General. Streams of consciousness brought images to him of when he¡¯d used teleportation for the purpose of attacking: Of when he teleported Kaz-Mowang into the path of Claygon and Kyembe¡¯s fire beams. Of when he¡¯d teleported Gabrian¡¯s arm off his body. Of when he teleported the First Apostle¡¯s head off. Back then, he needed to touch an object to teleport it. But now¡­now there was no veil of life and death between him and the source of his teleportation power. Hannah¡¯s power surged within him. He didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t have to touch Aenflynn¡¯s effigy. ¡°What is this¡ª¡± The effigy¡¯s movements went rigid, even its power of speech failed. Alex felt an ancient will push back on his mind. The General of Thameland called on both the Traveller¡¯s power and his Mark, flowing through different images of past teleportations. Gabrian and Yantrahpretaye¡­they¡¯d resisted him too. Aenflynn was stronger than they were, but this was only an effigy. And Alex wasn¡¯t about to let a stone puppet stand against him. The power flowed from his soul, finding the shard of the Fae lord¡¯s will and power within the effigy, strangling it, seizing control of the stone likeness and teleporting the figure across Och Fir Nog in ten thousand pieces, spreading them throughout the realm. From outside, Alex could hear Aenflynn¡¯s scream. Carey looked shocked. ¡°My goodness. You¡¯ve¡­gotten quite good with that, and so quickly.¡± ¡°It felt good too,¡± Alex smiled at that, then looked at Merzhin. ¡°But if Aenflynn gets a chance, he¡¯ll make another effigy.¡± ¡°I can stay with Merzhin,¡± Carey said. ¡°You should go. This won¡¯t end unless the Ravener¡¯s destroyed.¡± ¡°I know that you¡¯re right,¡± Alex said, clenching his metal fists. ¡°But¡­there¡¯s so much to do. I don¡¯t want to leave you two alone, Hannah could use some help in Thameland, and the Ravener needs to be stopped. That¡¯s a lot.¡± ¡°I know, but you cannot be in more than one place at a time,¡± Carey said regretfully. ¡°Even Hannah cannot do that.¡± Being in more than one place at a time. This wasn¡¯t the first time that thought had occurred to him. But it was silly. Nothing could be in more than one place at once. If Hannah couldn¡¯t and Kelda couldn¡¯t, then how could¡ª That thought cut off. His mind returned to when he was in the Irtyshenan Empire searching for Kelda¡¯s sanctum with Bjorgrund and Birger: ¡°Kelda¡¯s sanctum is supposed to be in one of four places, right?¡± he¡¯d asked. ¡°Yet we¡ªand who knows how many other people over the centuries have been looking for it¡ªhave never found it.¡± ¡°So, are you thinking it''s not in any of those four places?¡± Bjorgrund had asked him. ¡°No! Quite the opposite, I think it''s in all of those places!¡± Alex had told him, excitedly. ¡°What if the sanctum moves? What if it moves like we move? What if it moves by teleporting from place to place? One time it''s in the forest¡ª¡± He¡¯d pointed to the first indentation. His finger had shifted to another. ¡°¡ªthe next, it''s in the mountains, then on the tundra, and then it''s on the island! It could move to another place every time someone''s getting too close to it, or maybe it just moves constantly!¡± Alex had continued. ¡°...maybe it''s moving so constantly, that I just couldn''t feel it¡­ It''s harder to see something that¡¯s moving really fast, right? And with the Traveller¡¯s power, you can be gone in an instant. In a heartbeat, it could be in a different place in any one of those locations.¡± And what had happened next? He¡¯d found Kelda¡¯s sanctum, and it had felt like it was in four places at once¡­while being in none at the same time. He remembered something Baelin had once told him: ¡°Distance is a manacle, my young friend, just as much as time or mortality. But¡ªthankfully¡ªwizardry has had far more successes when it comes to defeating distance.¡± And what was the Traveller¡¯s power if it wasn¡¯t a mastery of distance? Of space itself. Kelda had shown him that through what she¡¯d done with her sanctum. ¡®But can I do it?¡¯ he wondered. He paused, suddenly beginning to laugh. ¡°Carey, you know what, you were right,¡± he said. ¡°About what?¡± she asked. ¡°It¡¯s not about can,¡± he nodded, as if confirming his thought. ¡°It¡¯s about must.¡± Mark of the Fool 6 audiobook launch (Chapter later today after editing is done) Helloooo everyone! So I usually like to do these announcements at the same time as I post my chapter for the day but...I''ll level with you, editing is taking a bit and won''t be done for at least another hour or two. So I''ll just announce this now! The audiobook 6 has launched and you can find it here: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mark-of-the-Fool-6-Audiobook/B0D94THHPZ If you''ve been waiting or have friends and family waiting, well it''s arrived! I hope y''all enjoy and I thank you for walking this journey with me. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. P.S. If you''d like to (you don''t have to), could I get some upvotes on these reddit posts? https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1egtre9/mark_of_the_fool_book_6_launches_on_audio/ https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1egtssi/mark_of_the_fool_book_6_launches_on_audio/ Chapter 883: A Mastery of Space What was the Traveller¡¯s power? On the surface, it was teleportation: transporting oneself instantly from one place to another. But was that truly the core of Hannah¡¯s power? Alex doubted that it was; the Traveller¡¯s power wasn¡¯t just about teleportation. Before he¡¯d even used her strength to teleport himself, it had enhanced any teleportation spell that was cast on him, and it had improved the strength of his summoning spells, allowing him to call creatures across the boundaries between planes with ease, even from the beginnings of him using summoning. Hannah and Kelda had used it to create permanent portals, and the Saint of Alric had even made her energies hostile to Ravener-spawn, letting it melt them if they so much as touched one of the portals in her Cave. Those things went beyond teleportation. ¡®Hannah was able to use her power to cross between the boundary of life and death,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®And from what Baelin said, that¡¯s supposed to be impossible, even for gods. Yet, Hannah could transport herself and Carey back to the material world by using my soul as a beacon. She could travel between the boundaries of life and death.¡¯ Even as one stream of consciousness worked through his understanding of Hannah¡¯s power, the others were absorbing the guidance that the Mark of the General was providing. The Mark pointed out subtle ways that the Traveller¡¯s power helped him when he cast summoning spells, and he thought about how Kelda¡¯s sanctum moved so quickly that it appeared to be in four locations at once¡­ ¡­and yet none of them at once. ¡®Kelda¡¯s sanctum was moving so fast that it could be in multiple places at once,¡¯ he thought. ¡®It existed in four locations and yet it wasn¡¯t truly in any one of them. That¡¯s not just teleportation. That¡¯s more like mastery of space and distance.¡¯ Alex focused on that thought, the Mark was guiding him; pointing out even the most subtle pulse of energy each time he¡¯d channelled Hannah¡¯s power. Concentrating on when he¡¯d connected that power to Kelda¡¯s sanctum, something that was in multiple places at once. ¡®What does a mastery of space mean?¡¯ he thought, the power effortlessly flowing through him. ¡®It means I can be anywhere, and go to any place. Barriers mean nothing. I can escape any prison and beat any trap by willing myself to be somewhere else. I can be nowhere in space. I can be everywhere in space. But I don¡¯t have to be everywhere.¡¯ Alex focused on the things he had to do and where he was needed most. Merzhin needed him to be by his side to help and protect him from Aenflynn. He was needed in Thameland, to help Hannah fight the tides of monsters that were destroying their home. He was needed in the Ravener¡¯s cavern, there with his friends, battling the construct, keeping it tied up. And¡­he also needed to be inside the Ravener, shutting it down, permanently. Four places,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Just like Kelda¡¯s sanctum: four places at once. I bet I can do that. I have to do it.¡¯ Hannah¡¯s power was like a song singing in his soul. And it was time for that song to reach a crescendo. Concentrating with every stream of consciousness, Alex teleported across the room. Then teleported again, this time back to the Ravener¡¯s cavern. Battle raged through the gloomy cave, Alex¡¯s companions were struggling against the unyielding construct and its hordes of monsters. Hart and Asmaldestre were attacking the floating orb, while their other companions were taking on its seemingly endless armies. Suddenly, he felt its attention shift to him. ¡°What are¡­?¡± it started. He was gone before it could say another word. His being hurtled through space, passing between planes, bypassing the barrier between the material world and the fae wild as easily as crossing a room. He manifested above the city of Ussex. Below, the capital burned as the Thameish army and Alex¡¯s mercenaries¡ªall blazing with divine blessings¡ªfought a horde of Ravener-spawn. Far away, Alex could feel Hannah teleporting from place to place across Thameland. Through their connection, images of her flashed through his mind; she was using her power to hurl hordes of Ravener-spawn across the stars, sending them burning up in the light of a distant sun. But Carey was right. Hannah was using oceans of divinity to bless and heal any mortal she came across, while destroying spawn. She needed help. And he would provide it. Concentrating, the General teleported back to the throne room in Aenflynn¡¯s castle. In the heartbeat Alex had been gone, Carey had teleported through the outer divine ward to the Saint¡¯s side and was pressing her hands to his back, helping him, channelling Hannah¡¯s divinity directly into him. An aura of awesome power was building up around the Saint. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. But Alex couldn¡¯t focus on that now. The Mark of the General showed him what he could use from teleporting to the Ravener¡¯s cavern, then the capitol of Thameland. And he learned. And he thought. And he adapted. He cast invisibility magic on himself, then teleported again. First, to the Ravener¡¯s cavern. An instant later, to the skies above Ussex. Then back to Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Another moment was spent considering the guidance of the Mark of the General. Then, he was gone again. Teleporting to the Ravener¡¯s cavern. Then the skies over Ussex. Then Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Another pause to consider information from the Mark. He started again. Away to the Ravener¡¯s cavern. Then the skies of Ussex. Then Aenflynn¡¯s castle. And again. Ravener¡¯s cavern. Skies of Ussex. Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Faster. Ravener¡¯s cavern. Skies of Ussex. Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Ravener¡¯s cavern. Skies of Ussex. Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Ravener¡¯s cavern. Skies of Ussex. Aenflynn¡¯s castle. The sights changed in rapid succession around him, shifting from the dark cavern, to a morning sky, to a divinity-lit chamber. Everything began blending together as he teleported from place to place, moving faster and faster. Light, sound and colour became indistinct; blending motion, distance and space. The Mark of the General guided him. Hannah¡¯s power sang to him. Kelda¡¯s sanctum served as his example. Then there was the Whetstone tavern, vanishing and appearing across the cosmos. He reached into his satchel, gripping Kelda¡¯s coin. He quickly teleported between spaces. Faster. His surroundings became an incomprehensible blur of one space bleeding into another. He was teleporting so quickly that¡ªin each passing instant¡ªhe was in a different place. His brain began aching; he was teleporting faster, feeling like his vision was seeing from three sets of eyes, instantly feeding him different information. Three sets of ears. Three senses of smell. Skin feeling the stifling, smoke-filled wind above Ussex, the stone-dust choked air in the Ravener¡¯s cavern, or the coolness of Aenflynn¡¯s castle. Alex¡¯s mind fought to define the bombardment of sensory information coming at him, but he couldn¡¯t, it was all blending, turning to nonsense in his brain; human eyes weren¡¯t meant to take in multiple places at once, not with clarity¡­and not like this. But, there was a solution for it. Taking control of three individual streams of consciousness, he focused each one on perceiving even the slightest nuance of a particular location. Abruptly, the blurring stopped. His mind throbbed from the strain, feeling as if it had nearly fragmented, but the distortion cleared; the blur of light, sound and motion righted itself, and suddenly his awareness was defined: he could see, hear, smell, feel and taste from three sets of senses at once. He called on the Mark of the General, focusing it on organising the information, on smoothing communication between his streams of consciousness. Sensation from three different places filtered through the individual streams, organising themselves separately in his mind. In a way, it was the same as receiving images from the Mark, and he had always experienced them while being aware of the world around him. ¡®Close,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I¡¯m so close.¡¯ His teleportation sped up. Increasing. When all at once¡­something dawned on him, he was going about trying to achieve his goal in the wrong way. ¡®It¡¯s not about teleporting faster¡­it¡¯s not about teleportation. I think it¡¯s about the mastery of space,¡¯ he thought. ¡®So, instead of teleporting multiple times in a heartbeat, the power should be in a constant flow. And if it¡¯s constant, then¡­¡¯ The thought was like a key turning in a lock. Hannah¡¯s power released, flooding through the young archwizard¡¯s soul. And the General of Thameland achieved what he¡¯d witnessed Kelda¡¯s sanctum do. Smoky skies over Ussex. The darkness of the Ravener¡¯s cavern. The stone in Aenflynn¡¯s castle. All three places faced him at the same time. It wasn¡¯t that he¡¯d split himself in three. No. He was one body. One soul. Yet, in three places at once. He floated above the ground in all three locations, in awe of what he¡¯d done. ¡®You did it,¡¯ he thought. ¡®You actually did it.¡¯ He took a deep breath, concentrating. ¡®Now for the next part.¡¯ A stream of consciousness focused on his left arm. He raised it. And¡ªin all three locations¡ªhis left arm rose. It was still the same body, after all. ¡®But that doesn¡¯t have to be the case,¡¯ he thought. ¡®If Kelda¡¯s sanctum could be in four places at once. And if I¡¯m in three places at once. Then¡­there¡¯s no reason why my arm can¡¯t be in one position in one place and in another position in another. I can raise my left arm in one place, and lower it in another. I have one body, but in three places. One person in three different points in space. Why not one person in three different positions? Try it. Move your left arm. Raise it in Thameland, and lower it in Och Fir Nog.¡¯ Alex concentrated, pushing his thoughts to the limit. One stream of consciousness focused on raising his left arm in Thameland. Another focused on lowering it in Aenflynn¡¯s castle. ¡®One body. Multiple places,¡¯ he thought. ¡®One body, multiple positions. Adapt to that. Think about it. Adapt to it. It¡¯s not that hard to do. The hard part is already done. You can do this. You can do it.¡¯ His streams of consciousness were focused on his body. On raising his left arm in one location. And lowering it in another. The sensation¡­was the strangest one Alex had ever felt. He could feel his muscles contracting in opposite directions; in one place his shoulder was rising, and in the other, the same shoulder was dropping toward his side. ¡®You can be in more than one place at once,¡¯ he thought. ¡®And that can mean more than one position at once. It¡¯s possible. You¡¯re doing it right now. Kelda did something similar with her sanctum; when you were in there, you were in four different places at once. This isn¡¯t that different. Think about all the movements you¡¯ve mastered¡­how you¡¯ve mastered every muscle in your body. You have multiple streams of consciousness, each controlling your body in a different location. Each one changing your position at will. At the same time.¡¯ He called on the Mark of the General, and as he concentrated, it guided him. His arm slowly rose in Thameland, even as it lowered in Och Fir Nog. ¡®More,¡¯ he thought. He began floating forward through the sky in Thameland. In Och Fir Nog, he moved upward. In the Ravener¡¯s cavern, he floated downward. Alex was invisible in all three locations¡ªthe magic from the spell affected his body in all three places¡ªand he remained quiet. As heartbeats passed, he called on the Mark of the General, it focused on his previous successes, pointing out what he¡¯d done wrong. He learned quickly, mastering his own body in new ways, within seconds. With every heartbeat he improved. His movements grew quicker. Smoother. More coordinated. He was adapting to the sensory input from three different locations at once, and his streams of consciousness were quickly becoming adept at simultaneously moving his body in different ways, in each place. It was almost as if he¡¯d become three different people¡­and yet they were all Alex. One body. One soul. In three different places. Taking up three different positions. ¡®Three different battles,¡¯ he thought. Hannah¡¯s power flowed between each place in perfect harmony. Soon¡­ ¡®I¡¯m ready,¡¯ he realised. In the skies over Ussex, in the castle in Och Fir Nog and in the Ravener¡¯s lair deep below ground, the General of Thameland could be found. If three people viewed him with true seeing, piercing his invisibility spell, they would find him moving in different ways. But in each location, his face would be wearing the same expression: A mixture of towering determination¡­and unshakable confidence. ¡®Now, there¡¯s still a lot to do,¡¯ he thought. One pair of eyes took in the Ravener. ¡®Places I need to be. People I need to help.¡¯ One pair of ears heard the crackle of fire below him in Ussex. Fires that burned all across Thameland. ¡®And there¡¯s something I have to help get rid of.¡¯ Cool wind blew across his skin in Aenflynn¡¯s sanctum as divine power built around Merzhin. ¡®Time to turn this around. It''s time to finish this.¡¯ Chapter 884: Breach Alex Roth, General of Thameland looked over three different scenes. In one, Merzhin was struggling with the divine ward around Uldar¡¯s throne. In another, the Ravener was battling his friends in its lair. And in the third, monsters were spreading across Thameland, bringing chaos and death to the kingdom. So, he got to work. Channelling the power of the Traveller, the Mark of the General, his streams of consciousness, and all he¡¯d learned since the auspicious day he¡¯d left Alric with his family, he set about making things right. Simultaneously, though in three different places, Alex got to work. In Aenflynn¡¯s castle he teleported to Merzhin, examining the divine ward closely. The Saint¡¯s head was bowed in concentration, while Carey poured power into his soul. ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Alex said. Carey startled. ¡°Where are you? What have you done?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better if I¡¯m invisible for now,¡± he said. ¡°No, not that part,¡± she shook her head. ¡°Though you did startle me. No, it¡¯s more than that. You¡­what did¡ªHannah¡¯s power, I can feel it in you but in a way, it feels different¡­in her name, what ever have you done, Alex?¡± ¡°Adapted,¡± he said. ¡°In short, I¡¯m in three different places right now.¡± Within the Ravener¡¯s cavern, he studied the construct. ¡°And soon, I¡¯ll be in four.¡± ¡°I am not sure I quite understand what you mean,¡± Carey said. ¡°But¡­I do feel the energy within you¡­though, it¡¯s as if you are both here and far away. It¡¯s quite remarkable.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m going to use it to do as much as I can in as many places as I can.¡± Alex looked at the divine ward. Merzhin was so deep in prayer; he was oblivious to their conversation. The General of Thameland didn¡¯t want to interrupt him, instead, he continued his conversation with Carey. ¡°Listen, I¡¯m going to focus on the ward. I want to see if I can use Hannah¡¯s power to try and teleport some of Uldar¡¯s energy away. I¡¯m not sure it¡¯ll work, but it¡¯s worth a try. If it does, it could weaken the ward enough for Merzhin to get through it.¡± ¡°It might work, I think,¡± Carey said. ¡°And I¡¯ll keep empowering Merzhin, and maybe together, we¡¯ll get through.¡± ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯d better hurry.¡± Alex listened for explosions outside. ¡°Sounds like Baelin¡¯s still got Aenflynn¡¯s attention, but, the bastard¡¯s still dangerous. I¡¯ll focus on trying to teleport away the divine energy as fast as I can.¡± ¡°Are you sure you can give this problem with the ward your full attention?¡± Carey asked. ¡°We do have a lot to do.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Alex focused on the divine ward, a stream of consciousness channelling Hannah¡¯s power. ¡°I¡¯ll give it all I can.¡± Alex said, dispelling Steel Body. He needed to have his mana flowing freely for what he was about to do. ¡°I can also help us by starving the Ravener.¡± At the same time that he was channelling power, looking to break through the resistance from the divine ward, the General of Thameland was also floating above a sea of devastation in Thameland. A single stream of consciousness was guiding him in the material world, engaging with a spell. He cast Army of Heroes over Ussex again, joining it with Hannah¡¯s blessing. Alex teleported across the land then, searching for settlements and soldiers. Over every group he found, he would cast Army of Heroes. Courage returned to the defenders of Thameland¡­while at the same time the Ravener was facing new problems within its lair.
¡®Something is wrong!¡¯ the Ravener thought. ¡®Very wrong!¡¯ Channelling its inner energies, it threw magic, monsters, death beams, poisons¡­everything it had at the mortals battling it. And yet¡­they fought on¡­refusing to¡­die! The Champion of Thameland and the strange interloper with her many arms, stalked and attacked it like a pair of starving wolves. Both teamed up, their aggressiveness high, not giving it even a heartbeat to gather its thoughts. If it had lungs, it wouldn¡¯t have had a single chance to breathe under their onslaught. The Champion swung Uldar¡¯s sword, cutting through its deadly, protective cage. His every slash grew more precise with each swing. The powerful warrior was learning how Uldar¡¯s construct fought, exploiting any weaknesses, distracting it, doing terrible damage each time its focus left him. The culmination of thousands of years of combat experience had been brought back to its full potential in Hart, by the General of Thameland. The Ravener¡¯s other opponent could never be called a minor threat either. The six-armed, four-legged entity was quick, strong, and bristled with divine weapons and commanded an inner destructive energy that would punch deep into the construct each time she struck. It could not ignore the way she fought. As the battle played out, a distinct¡­rhythm appeared in her combat style; it was like she was drawing it into a cadence of violence and carnage that was her ultimate goal, leaving it increasingly vulnerable to her attacks. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. She¡¯d been struck many times by the searing death beams, but¡ªeven though open wounds and burns accumulated on her body¡ªshe simply laughed and threw herself at it with greater enthusiasm, speed and violence. And yet, as terrible as the two warriors were, they couldn¡¯t hold the Ravener¡¯s full attention. Nor could the other mortals; as devastating as they were. The Sage and Chosen destroyed Ravener-spawn by the horde, all while he channelled divinity, healing his ally¡¯s wounds and fighting off the worst of the Ravener¡¯s magics. Wizards were using magic, supporting their allies, while warriors were cutting through its servants. That golem could not be forgotten¡ªits energy was so similar to the Ravener¡¯s own, yet so different¡ªwielding its fists, war-spear and fire beams. Apart from a few scratches on its metal surface, none of the spawn had damaged it. But, neither the golem nor the mortals were the true source of its growing distress. ¡®I can sense the former Fool,¡¯ it thought, trying to find him with its senses. ¡®That Usurper is here¡­yet¡­it feels like he is not here. And I sense him elsewhere too! How can this be? Are they using some foul magic to confound my senses?¡¯ It desperately wanted to find him¡ªespecially if he was here in its lair¡ªbut the thrice-damned mortals were not letting up, not giving it a moment to truly concentrate. And making things worse¡­ ¡®Why does it feel like the flow of fear from Thameland is dropping again?¡¯ it thought. ¡®Something is truly wrong. The General must be doing something¡­¡¯ ¡°Show yourself, apostate of Uldar!¡± the construct¡¯s voice filled the cavern. ¡°Show yourself!¡±
At the edge of the battle¡ªat the same time that Alex was flying across Thameland, and helping Merzhin in Aenflynn¡¯s castle¡ªthe young archwizard was watching the Ravener battle his companions as it screamed for him to show himself. But, he simply remained quiet, studying it, using the Mark of the General to analyse its movements, calculating¡­looking for the perfect moment, while hiding under the cover of his invisibility spell. Slowly, he began to predict how the flying orb moved¡­how it responded to Hart and Asmaldestre, how it tried to respond to the rest of his companions¡­and in his mind, a plan formed. Teleporting to the platform with the equipment on it¡ªhe quietly alerted Bjorgrund that he was there and warned him not to react¡ªthen stealthily slid a device off the disk, one they¡¯d made to syphon away the Ravener¡¯s mana, and turned it invisible. ¡®Alright,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Let¡¯s ruin your day.¡¯ Alex turned his mind to the Ravener, calling on the Mark of the General, focusing it on the task of teleporting into the construct. The Mark brought up images of his previous teleportations as well as images of his brief glimpse into the Ravener when he¡¯d touched it before. The Traveller¡¯s power welled up. ¡®I couldn¡¯t teleport inside you before,¡¯ the young archwizard thought. ¡®But with access to Hannah¡¯s full power, let¡¯s see you keep me out now.¡¯ Memories of Kelda¡¯s sanctum came to him. The Fool of Hannah¡¯s time had made it appear in four places at once; Alex was, at the moment, in three places at once. It was time to be in four. Calling on Hannah¡¯s energy, he focused. One body. One mind. One soul. Three places. Three different positions. Multiple streams of consciousness controlling himself in different places. But, he would go beyond that. ¡®One body,¡¯ he thought. ¡®One mind. One soul. Four places. Think. Adapt to the idea. You must.¡¯ Hannah¡¯s power churned inside him as he clenched his jaw, steadying himself, his mind and soul shaking from strain. Getting to the point where he could appear in three places at once had been tough. This? This was going to be tougher, considering that the fourth place he needed to be in was inside Uldar¡¯s construct. It would be tough, but he knew it was possible. Kelda had proven that an object could be in four places at once. The sanctum had been in four¡­ Alex¡¯s thoughts fixed on a single truth. ¡®When I was in the sanctum¡­I must have also been in four places at once because it was in four places at once. Which means, I¡¯ve experienced something similar before. Come on. Use that experience to guide yourself in how to do it. Focus. Focus. Focus.¡¯ He bent his other streams of consciousness to the task, even as two of those streams continued to help Merzhin in Aenflynn¡¯s castle, and move across Thameland, empowering the armies of his kingdom with his magics. ¡®A mastery of space,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®A mastery of space. Remember: you got through a divine ward that channelled the power of a dead god. You can teleport into the Ravener in the same way. Concentrate¡­just concentrate¡­¡¯ The Mark of the General continued focusing his mind on every experience that had brought him here, and that could get him over the next threshold. Hannah¡¯s power reverberated through him, body and soul, threatening to wrench it apart in some sort of foundational split. But he wasn¡¯t splitting himself. He was still one body. One mind. One soul. In four places. Hannah¡¯s power surged. He opened his eyes as the energy raged within him, granting him more power. Alex felt the Ravener¡¯s consciousness shift its attention to him. ¡°Where are you?¡± it said. ¡®Where aren¡¯t I?¡¯ the General of Thameland thought, channelling his power, sending a stream of consciousness hurtling through the space between planes. Merzhin was bent in dedication in one place, sweat trickling down his face. While in another, he was above the countryside in his burning kingdom, channelling his magic into a Thameish battalion. In a third, he saw the Ravener struggling against his allies, shouting for him to show himself. But now¡­there was a fourth place. A fourth set of eyes watching images from dozens of planes and thousands of locations. And ahead? He felt his destination approaching. The energy of the Ravener built around him, the images of the planes fell away. Suddenly, up ahead, a towering wall of endless white deadly energy loomed. He considered it, his eyes narrowing. ¡®Looks like a divine ward,¡¯ he thought. ¡®A defence inside the Ravener; damn, even in death you¡¯re defending your abomination, Uldar. Well, it¡¯s going to take more than a corpse to stop me.¡¯ Concentrating on Hannah¡¯s power, Alex warped the space around him¡­then teleported. The wall of white deadly energy was suddenly past him. But, the death beams were waiting. Scores of hungry streams of energy shot at him from all directions, trying to fry his soul before he could breach the Ravener¡¯s core. ¡®That¡¯s not going to stop me either,¡¯ the young archwizard thought. Again, he channelled Hannah¡¯s power, teleporting between beams, letting them pass by him like he was only mist. More white walls sprang up, looking to block his way, but he teleported through them. Suddenly, in the Ravener¡¯s cavern, the dark orb stopped in mid-air. ¡°What? What is this? This¡­what are you doing?¡± it shouted, its flat voice sounding frantic. ¡°It¡¯s pretty obvious what we¡¯re doing !¡± Hart growled, carving another deep channel into its ebon surface. ¡°Not you!¡± it howled. ¡°General! Fool! Apostate! Usurper! How are you doing this? It is not possible! Begone! Begone! Begone! You are not to defile the creator¡¯s work! It is not for your inferior eyes!¡¯ ¡®I¡¯ll be the judge of that,¡¯ Alex thought, teleporting through the last of the death beams. The archwizard reached out then, feeling a deep darkness rise before him¡­accompanied by a towering hatred. But he was not afraid. ¡®Here I come,¡¯ he thought. Hannah¡¯s power bloomed. And he was through. One body. One mind. One soul. Four places. One inside Aenflynn¡¯s castle. One in Thameland¡¯s skies. One in the Ravener¡¯s lair. And the final one? Alex opened his eyes¡­confirming that he was the first mortal ever to look upon the world inside the Ravener. His eyes widened. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller.¡± Chapter 885: Within the Darkness Alex Roth couldn¡¯t count how many hours he¡¯d spent pouring over the Ravener¡¯s schematics. There were times when he would go to the laboratory in the Research Castle when the sun was ready to set and not leave his chair¡ªreading and memorising reams of papers mapping the constructs internal specifications¡ªuntil the sun was coming back up. He doubted there was anyone¡ªexcept for maybe the ghost of Uldar himself¡ªwho knew those schematics quite as thoroughly as he did. Even taking into account that the Ravener was much bigger on the inside than on the exterior, the young archwizard figured he had a solid image of what its inner workings would look like. After catching a quick glimpse of its insides¡ªwhen he¡¯d touched it earlier¡ªhe was even more certain that he knew exactly what to expect. ¡­but he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. He¡¯d expected to find a web-like network of tunnels and chambers, each serving a particular purpose in the construct¡¯s function. Instead, what he found¡­appeared like an entire world. He found himself floating in a place of utter darkness, his feet hovering inches above a floor made of a black, crystalline substance. The light from the aeld staff provided some dim illumination, revealing a floor spreading farther and farther ahead, being swallowed up by the dark. On his left, he could see a wall of the same crystal substance, rising into the dark, stretching both ahead and behind him. Then, there were the crystalline cords. Resembling ropes of black crystal¡ªor maybe spider webs¡ªhanging above him, draped between the nearby wall, stretching into the darkness then connecting with something unseen. There was an odd¡­pulsing sound coming from those cords. A deep, rhythmic thrumming; he saw tiny lights passing through the crystal cords and mana rushing through them like blood being pumped by some massive, unseen heart hidden somewhere in the dark. ¡°By the Traveller,¡± Alex said. ¡°What in all the hells am I looking at?¡± He began muttering words of power, channelling the aeld staff¡¯s energies, conjuring a mass of forceballs, sending them into the dark. The crimson glowing spells spread around him, lighting up the black world inside the Ravener. And the more he saw¡­the more he hesitated. The crimson light revealed that he was floating just above a massive, endless plane of darkness. A perfectly flat glassy surface stretched out in all directions, only broken by hulking towers of ebony crystal, reaching up to a pitch black sky. One tower, to Alex¡¯s immediate left, rose high in the air, honeycombed with a massive labyrinthian-hive of tunnels. Untold numbers of crystalline cords hung down, attaching to other distant towers, looking like the canopy of a titanic jungle from beyond the furthest reaches of the planes. It reminded him of Tenabrama within the hells¡­but this place was more desolate, and probably just as vast. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is what was waiting in here,¡± Alex muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not what I imagined at all. But¡­then again, I was picturing what it would look like if the Ravener had been made by a wizard. ¡­but it was made by¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªa god.¡± The Ravener¡¯s voice shook the entire space, driving into Alex¡¯s skull like a hammer. Clenching his teeth, he leaned against the nearest wall. ¡°I congratulate you, Fool, albeit grudgingly,¡± the construct continued. ¡°You are fortunate enough to see what was not meant for mortal eyes. You are witnessing the majesty of your god¡¯s creation. Is it not magnificent?¡± Alex grimaced against the Ravener¡¯s voice¡ªit was like an assault¡ªemanating from every speck of matter around him. ¡°I have to admit, albeit grudgingly, it kinda is,¡± Alex answered. ¡°It¡¯s too bad for you that I¡¯m going to break everything that Uldar built. By the time I¡¯m finished, all of these magnificent towers will be rubble.¡± ¡°A two-pronged attack. I see,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°Your companions attack from outside while you attack from within. I do not know how you managed to breach my defences, but know that it will not work. My inner workings are well-protected. Even now, I could crush you like an insect.¡± ¡°So why haven¡¯t you?¡± Alex said, looking around. He was analysing the towers and terrain around him, looking for patterns or commonalities between the schematics and what he was physically seeing in front of him. There must be some way to figure out where he was and where the nodes he was looking for were. ¡°Curiosity,¡± the Ravener answered. ¡°I allowed my outrage to overwhelm my thought processes earlier and did not stop to consider the uniqueness of the situation: you pierced my creator¡¯s defences. How?¡± ¡°You¡¯re trying to get me to start boasting,¡± Alex said. ¡°And end up telling you exactly how I got in here: so you can be ready if anyone tries this again in the next cycle.¡± There was a tense silence for a time. The young archwizard¡¯s gaze followed the web of cords hanging from above¡­there was a familiarity to the way they hung. Stolen novel; please report. ¡°You truly are a troublesome General,¡± the construct said. ¡°Know that you have given me more trouble than any of your predecessors, Fool.¡± ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes narrowed. Those cords¡­they looked similar to the mana pathways he¡¯d seen in the schematics. If he could figure out what was inside the towers, he could likely understand how to navigate his way through this killing machine. ¡°Also, do you not wonder?¡± the construct asked. ¡°Wonder what?¡± Alex began floating upward, approaching a tunnel in the nearby tower. ¡°Why I remain so calm?¡± the construct asked. ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t really care,¡± the young archwizard said. ¡°Very well, Fool. You would have infuriated the creator had he lived long enough to know you, though he would have seen you quickly eliminated. In either case, I will tell you the reason,¡± the Ravener informed him, anyway. ¡°It is because I can destroy you at any time. Since you have intruded here, you are my captive, and you have made it far easier for me to kill you. I control the realm within me. Every fibre of the world within me is mine to command. You cannot survive this environment. It is more hostile to you than the outside, and you will soon fear me, and when you do, I will drink that fear for as long as I let you live. Then, when I am through with you, I will release your shrivelled corpse to your companions...if any still live.¡± Alex glanced at the cords. ¡°You arrogant types always talk too much. But, meh, I can understand that. I run my mouth a lot too.¡± He gestured to the cords, channelling the Traveller¡¯s power. In an instant, a dozen disappeared¡ªripped from where they¡¯d been hanging¡ªlanding in a heap on the ground. ¡°As I have told you, Fool. Every fibre of this realm is mine to command,¡± the Ravener repeated. An instant later, new cords appeared, replacing those that Alex had teleported away, re-establishing the connections. ¡°You cannot harm me in any way that cannot be undone,¡± the Ravener informed him. ¡°You cannot break anything that cannot be rebuilt. You cannot damage me in any way that cannot be repaired, but killing you will be permanent.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that befo¡ª¡± There was a crack, like ice splitting. The sound was quiet, nearly inaudible. Yet it was what saved Alex¡¯s life. The wall beside him warped, forming a blade broad enough to split him in two, it shot toward him in a blur promising death. Around him, the world slowed. The blade was still travelling toward him, but it had slowed, giving him enough time to react. He called on the Traveller¡¯s power, teleporting a hundred feet away from where the blade would have split him in half. Its glinting edge cut the air as Alex watched it from a distance. He suddenly felt a building mass of mana coming from above and looked up, glimpsing a beam shooting from the endless sky. ¡­but it was not one of the Ravener¡¯s death-beams. It was much too broad. Far too wide. It moved in a wave, releasing deadly energy, perhaps a hundred feet across. Alex teleported again as the wave hit the ground, the energy roaring like a blast furnace. The next attack came from all sides. Hundreds of death beams. Waves of destructive force. Warping terrain forming spikes, shards and blades, chasing him down, looking to tear him to pieces. He teleported again and again, dodging the Ravener¡¯s attacks from all directions. ¡®Shit,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Its attacks are fast. And it doesn¡¯t let up!¡¯ ¡°Intruding here was your last act in life, former Fool,¡± the Ravener said. The air around him began shimmering. ¡­and monsters burst into being. Ravener-spawn materialised from thin air by the score. Most were spear-flies and blood-draks, but on the ground below, Alex counted half a dozen petrifiers, and a few air blasting-spawn. They attacked, trying to swarm him from all sides, as he dodged away, teleporting around the hostile terrain, slipping past more death beams and waves of magic. All around was chaos, storms of monsters, magic and death. The world¡ªthis inner world within the Ravener¡ªwas alive, fighting him from every angle and direction. But haste magic, combining with the Mark of the General, let his thoughts and reactions speed up, and with Hannah¡¯s power, he kept ahead of the Ravener¡¯s onslaught. In his hand, the aeld staff gave off waves of panic as though screaming. He couldn¡¯t spare the time to console it, most of his mind was occupied with survival, while the rest of it? Looked for an opening. ¡®I have to get inside one of those towers, but¡­¡¯ he used the Mark of the General, analysing the Ravener¡¯s attacks. ¡®Its trying to keep me away from those damn towers. What are you hiding in there? I need to find out, which means¡­I need you more distracted, and I think I have a good way to do that.¡¯
Within the Ravener¡¯s lair, Alex pointed his staff at the construct, calling upon Hannah¡¯s power at the same time, while casting a powerful spell. The Traveller¡¯s energy poured along the blade of her sword, running to where it was attached to his staff. Even as Alex dodged, analysed, and measured the Ravener¡¯s attack patterns inside the construct¡­he prepared a devastating attack outside. ¡®Try focusing on me after this,¡¯ he thought. With a few final syllables, he cast a Wall of Roiling Magic spell. It appeared over the lake, several hundred feet away from the Ravener. Alex felt the construct¡¯s attention shift from him on the inside. Just briefly. That was all he needed. ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted from outside the Ravener, removing his invisibility magic. The construct¡¯s attention turned to him. ¡®How are you there?¡¯ it shouted. Alex teleported beside it, stabbing the Traveller¡¯s sword straight into the construct. Channelling her power into the Ravener through the blade, he teleported the shocked construct¡­ ¡­right into the middle of the Wall of Roiling Mana spell. The Ravener¡¯s bellow tore through the cavern.
Inside, the world quaked. Light bled from the once black sky. Crystalline cords shattered. The ground cracked. Surfaces warped as the Ravener¡¯s own mana was turned against it, the molten power ripping through the construct to devastating effect. ¡­and causing its attacks to stop. Death beams fell away. Waves of deadly magic bled off. Its terrain¡ªwhich had been warping, forming weapons against Alex; deadly blades, shards and spikes¡ªnow melted, turning to useless tendrils. Only the Ravener¡¯s spawn remained unharmed¡­but they couldn¡¯t catch Alex on their own. ¡°Why is this happening?¡± the Ravener¡¯s scream shook its inner world. ¡°How¡­ ¡­but you are¡ªis this an illusion? How are you here and outside at the same time? I sense you elsewhere as well, what are you do¡ª¡± Alex didn¡¯t respond, teleporting away, going to one of the tunnels inside the nearby tower. Working as fast as he could and using his haste magic, he teleported through the maze of tunnels, using the Mark of the General to analyse his surroundings and comparing them to the Ravener¡¯s schematics. ¡®Yessss¡­¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is it! This is one of the nodes!¡¯ Alex continued teleporting, moving through the tunnels as light flashed around him. The Ravener tried to warp the tunnel walls again, turning them into deadly maws, looking to sever his body in bits, but it still had little control of its own mana. It could not stop the General of Thameland as he found the centre of the tower. ¡®Yeeeees!¡¯ he thought. ¡®This is it! A node of power, from where it generates mana!¡¯ He gripped the device designed to infect the construct. ¡®You¡¯re about to taste a little of the pain you¡¯ve been inflicting on my people. Let¡¯s see if you enjoy it.¡¯ Chapter 886: Poison ¡°Why is this happening?¡± the Ravener¡¯s scream shook its inner world. ¡°How¡­ ¡­but you are¡ªis this an illusion? How are you here and outside at the same time? I sense you elsewhere as well, what are you do¡ª¡± ¡°What did¡­it just say?¡± Claygon froze in surprise. As did his companions within the Ravener¡¯s cavern. Too much had happened too quickly. Claygon¡¯s father had appeared out of nowhere, stabbed the Ravener then teleported it to a Wall of Roiling Magic. It had all happened so fast that even the Ravener-spawn had frozen, caught completely off guard. ¡°Everyone!¡± the General of Thameland¡¯s voice echoed through the cavern. His cloak billowed behind him as he pointed at the Ravener. A disintegration beam lanced into the construct, destroying a chunk of its surface. ¡°I¡¯m back, everyone! Keep focused on the Ravener! Keep crushing its armies!¡± ¡°What¡¯re ya sayin¡¯, Alex?¡± Cedric cried. ¡°What about Merzhin¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯m taking care of that!¡± Alex flew down, launching a fireball into the Ravener as he did, slashing through dozens of Ravener-spawn near him. ¡°I can¡¯t explain things right now, but I¡¯ve got this! Just stay focused! We¡¯ve nearly got this thing dead! We¡¯re nearly through with it! And listen¡­Hannah¡¯s back and so is Carey! We¡¯re nearly there!¡± ¡°Carey and Hannah¡­¡± Isolde sounded awed. ¡°Both of them?¡± Bjorgrund cried. ¡°Yeeees!¡± His axe split a massive spawn down the middle. ¡°What are you on about?¡± the Ravener demanded. ¡°Tell me how you are here and yet¡­is this an illusion? A trick? Which of you is real?¡± ¡°You ain¡¯t got time for chatting right now,¡± Hart growled. He and Asmaldestre pounced on the construct from two sides. ¡°Welcome back, Alex!¡± Prince Khalik shouted. ¡°I do not understand what is going on, but I am glad to see you with us and happy to hear Carey has returned! Let us give it our all, my friends!¡± The Tekish wizard cast earth magic over Ravener-spawn nearby, burying them in spikes and shards of stone. The other wizards attacked with their own spells, blasting apart, smashing, and electrocuting spawn. Ravener-spawn kept springing from the construct¡¯s surface, tasked with stopping the Heroes, but Alex cast mass disintegration on the monsters, keeping them in check. ¡°We¡¯ve got your back, Alex!¡± Theresa shouted. ¡°Just do what you have to!¡± ¡°Yes¡­father¡­we will fight off these¡­enemies!¡± Claygon called. As he spoke, he felt his father touch his mind. ¡®Claygon, I¡¯m about to bring you into the Ravener. Not right away, but soon, so just be ready.¡¯ The golem considered the words. There was something¡­off about the way his father sounded, speaking in his mind. Their connection felt different; instead of a single stream of magic connecting them, it seemed frayed, splitting into different streams. It was like his father¡¯s voice was coming from more than one connection at the same time. Claygon thought about what the Ravener had just said. ¡®Father¡­are you¡­it feels like you are¡­in different places¡­¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®We don¡¯t have time for a full explanation,¡¯ Alex answered, casting a Wall of Roiling Magic in front of himself. Ravener-spawn charging at him collapsed in great heaps, stopped dead. ¡®But when I got access to more of Hannah¡¯s power, I figured out a way to be in multiple places at once.¡¯ ¡®So¡­you are also inside the Ravener now?¡¯ the golem thought. ¡®I sure am,¡¯ Alex said. ¡®As a matter of fact, I¡¯m about to install the first device into one of its nodes. It should start interfering with its mana.¡¯ ¡®Father¡­you didn¡¯t bring me in with you¡­¡¯ the golem pointed out. ¡®I wanted to install the device first,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Not going to lie, it was hectic in here for a bit. I wanted to disrupt some of this things¡¯s abilities to defend itself before I brought you in. So just give me a second. It¡¯s a jungle in here.¡¯
The central core of the tower was a wondrous place: a crystal cave revealing a sea of stalactites, stalagmites and crystal cords in every colour of the rainbow, each glowing from the inner power rushing through it. A low pitched hum emanated from the walls of the massive, vertical chamber, and bolts of power crackled between the tips of the glowing crystals. Alex actually stopped for a second, taking it all in, his jaw hanging open. Over his time at Shale¡¯s, he¡¯d seen hundreds of golem cores¡­but none could even begin to approach the complexity of this place. The power generated in here electrified his mana senses, and tingled across his skin. He whistled. It was actually more powerful than he and the others had estimated from Uldar¡¯s schematics. ¡®There¡¯s always differences between a schematic and the final product,¡¯ he thought. ¡®But¡­wow, I hope our devices are enough to drain this thing dry. I suppose there¡¯s only one way to find out, so while the Ravener¡¯s still distracted, let¡¯s find the right point.¡¯ Alex floated up through the forest of crystalline spikes, avoiding the power sparking between them. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. He examined his surroundings closely, the Mark of the General feeding him images of himself examining the schematics. He analysed the crystalline structure, searching carefully, noting the flow of power through the node¡­ ¡­and finally discovering what he was looking for. A crystal, slightly larger than the others¡ªwith multiple energies of different shades coursing through it¡ªserved as a central point of mana production in the complex. ¡®This is it. And when I stab this device into the Ravener, I¡¯m going to have to work fast; it¡¯ll only be a matter of time before it figures out what we¡¯re trying to do to it. And the last thing we need is for it to destroy itself before we can shut down its ability to reconstitute.¡¯ He steadied himself, activating the device. It hummed ominously, sounding like an immense angry hornet, preparing to sting to death anything that invaded its hive. For an instant, he remembered how he, Theresa, Claygon and Brutus had gone out to the Generasi countryside for her birthday, to hunt the wasp-like vespara. That memory sparked another: where the Ravener¡¯s Hunters had rampaged through the Patrizia de Paolo¡¯s¡ªIsolde¡¯s cousin¡¯s¡ªmasquerade ball, destroying and killing anything standing in the way of him and them. That memory turned to thoughts of the amount of destruction he¡¯d witnessed all over Thameland, because of the Ravener and its monsters. Even now, he was flying through the skies of his kingdom, ridding the land of hordes of monsters wherever he found them. So much destruction. ¡®And it has to end,¡¯ Alex thought. He raised the device¡­ ¡­stabbing it deep into the Ravener¡¯s crystalline substance. A hiss escaped into the air as the device injected the venom he, Professor Jules and Isolde had concocted. A mix of toxins deadly to mana-infused creatures, shards of bane, and Elder Blodeuwedd¡¯s mana-draining potion ran into the Ravener through the machine¡¯s bane-needle. It spread through the crystal¡ªturning rainbow colours to a mad, chaotic array of lights and broken colour. The crystal vibrated as bane shards swept through the Ravener¡¯s mana-producing centre, shredding everything they touched. And the Ravener screamed. The sound drilled into Alex, shaking the entire terrain. ¡®What¡­what have you done?¡¯ the construct shouted. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ As it sought an answer, the device began humming louder, pumping away the Ravener¡¯s mana as the toxic brew swept through its inner pathways, flowing to the other crystal shards within the vast node. More crystals began shaking, rainbow colours fell into chaos, their vibrancy fading, colour dulling to sickly greys, browns, pus-yellows and greens. The poison continued spreading, and Alex felt the mana in the air begin to¡­lessen. His device kept pumping out the Ravener¡¯s mana while the venom kept spreading. ¡°What is this?¡± the construct cried. ¡°What have you done?¡± The venom was spreading faster. Much of the mana node¡¯s vibrant colours were fading. Crystal was cracking, its sheen dulling as bits of its surface crumbled to lifeless grey dust. The air shimmered. Monsters began appearing around the young wizard. ¡°No,¡± was all he said. With a twitch or two, he cast Wall of Roiling Magic around the device several times, enclosing it, shielding it in a barrier of lethal magic. His attention next turned to spawn-knights dropping toward him. He blasted them with Cone of ice. The creatures froze mid-leap, dropping onto the dying crystal spikes and cords. The hum grew fainter, the node¡¯s essence shredding, mana draining. The Ravener shuddered, trying to warp the node¡¯s crystals, seeking to attack Alex or eject the device. But, its control over its form in this area was failing The poison had already spread too deeply, withering its essence, destroying its ability to control its own form in this node.
Outside, Alex and his companions continued hitting the Ravener and its minions with their most powerful strikes and spells, cutting deep gashes into the construct¡¯s surface. Alex watched it closely, observing it as its damaged sections healed. He focused the Mark of the General on the task of comparing how fast it healed now, to how fast it healed before. He smiled at what he found. ¡®It¡¯s healing slower,¡¯ he thought. ¡®By only a bit, but it is healing slower. We¡¯re doing damage, slowly but surely¡­and things are about to get worse for Uldar¡¯s pet.¡¯
An explosion tore through the countryside in Thameland. Ravener-spawn exploded as a colossal meteor dropped down on them, wiping out an entire horde of monsters in heartbeats. Below the Ravener-spawn army, a dungeon vanished as the meteor crushed it. Focusing his mana senses, Alex¡¯s eyes scanned the wreckage of the collapsing dungeon below him. His gaze stopped. ¡°There you are.¡± His arm reached out, making a grasping gesture with his fingers. Hannah¡¯s power surged within him. And¡ªsuddenly¡ªthe dungeon core was in his hand. Alex smiled, remembering when long ago, Baelin had destroyed a dungeon with a single cataclysmic spell, then brought the core to his hand from the wreckage. At the time, the chancellor had said that one benefit of overwhelming power was¡ª ¡°Convenience.¡± Alex said, gripping the dungeon core. He poured his mana into it, overwhelming the core¡¯s defences with his full might. He focused on its inner mana pathways, feeling out its inner controls, taking command of them. ¡°I¡¯d bet normally, the Ravener would be trying to stop me right about now,¡± the young wizard said. ¡°But it has bigger problems than this right now¡­aaaaand here we go. There you are.¡± Alex found what he was looking for inside the dungeon core, and took control of it, forcing the core to begin making Ravener-spawn. Ravener-spawn under his command. The core quaked in his hand. And the exact monster he was looking for emerged. Tiny, flea-sized Ravener-spawn¡ªeach one ablaze¡ªflew from the dungeon core in a stream; filling the air with flame, scalding heat, and blinding light. A new fire cloud had been born: one that would follow the General¡¯s commands, attack any foe he directed it to, and give aid to anyone he commanded it to. He addressed the Ravener-spawn, ¡°You¡¯re fast. What I want you to do is to fly across Thameland and burn every Ravener-spawn you come across, unless they¡¯re also under my command. If you confront Ravener-spawn and don¡¯t hear these words, ¡®I am following the commands of Alexander, Son of Alric, you are to eliminate them immediately. If you encounter Ravener-spawn attacking mortals? Kill them. Do you understand?¡± ¡°We understand,¡± the creatures responded. ¡°Good, now go, kill all offending Ravener-spawn¡­and make sure you defend any mortal you encounter. Is that clear?¡± ¡°As you command.¡± The fire clouds flew away, ready to rampage through hordes of their former allies. Alex smiled, placed the dungeon core in a pair of Wizard¡¯s hands, and with it, began teleporting across the countryside. He would seek out other dungeons, relieve them of their cores and make them spawn their most powerful monsters to use against the Ravener¡¯s own spawn. That would help Thameland; the number of hostile monsters would be reduced, and the number of dungeon cores that the Ravener could control would decrease. While he was rounding up cores and spawn across Thameland, he¡¯d be continuing to cast Army of Heroes on anyone he found. The Ravener would starve. With its source of fear being turned off, and its internal mana production being crippled¡­things would start to look bleak¡­for Uldar¡¯s creation.
Alex teleported out of the poisoned node, watching as cracks ran along the entire tower complex, as pieces chipped away. With a screech, the Ravener reacted. The cords connecting to the tower fell away, splitting apart and collapsing to the ground as useless shards of crystal. In moments, the tower was cut off from the rest. ¡®It¡¯s like amputating a gangrenous limb,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Well you¡¯re going to have a lot of amputating to do.¡¯ Alex turned, looking for the next tower. Only to find the world warping around him. The realm inside the Ravener was turning chaotic. Towers were shifting away from him; the flat crystal plane below rising and boiling like waves in a storm-wracked sea. Darkness above him broke, flashes of light peppering it. Web-like, crystalline cores writhed like tentacles. Then came the monsters. Scores appeared from thin air, filling the space around the towers with armies of flesh-hungry Ravener-spawn. All eyes were on Alex. ¡°Alright,¡± he said, raising a hand. Things are too off balance. You¡¯re up buddy.¡± And with that, he cast Summon Construct. Chapter 887: His Own Path ¡®Alright, it¡¯s off balance,¡¯ Alex¡¯s thoughts came through his link with Claygon. ¡®You¡¯re up, buddy.¡¯ ¡°Everyone!¡± he shouted. ¡°Claygon¡¯s gonna be with me! Get ready!¡± ¡°Here¡¯s to success!¡± Theresa shouted, leaping over a cluster of Spawn Knights, to slash a living core. ¡°You can do it!¡± ¡°We got this, big guy!¡± Cedric called to Claygon. ¡°Do your thing!¡¯ ¡°Thank¡­you!¡± the golem said, raising his spear. This was it. He would be leaving their friends to go help his father. All the suffering and killing the Ravener was causing had to end for his father¡¯s sake, for Selena¡¯s, Theresa¡¯s, the Lu¡¯s and ¡­everyone from Thameland. This would be the most important battle of Claygon¡¯s short life so far. And he hoped he was ready for it. ¡®I¡­have to be¡­¡¯ he thought. His father cast Summon Construct, and all of a sudden, Claygon was gone, flying through space, heading toward¡­an energy that kept drawing his attention. The energy within the Ravener¡­so different, yet so similar to his own, was coming closer by the instant, seeming to be calling to him as he travelled toward it. ¡®There is an element to¡­that power that feels¡­connected¡­to me¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®It feels like¡­¡¯ The golem thought back to past battles. His first evolution, which had happened unexpectedly. He had not been sapient then, and so he couldn¡¯t be certain if his memories of that time were actually genuine or the result of a strong imagination, fed by his father and others telling of the events. But, he thought he had a recollection of the petrifier¡¯s energy pouring over him, hardening his clay, turning it to stone. He did remember his first feelings, his first thoughts and first actions. He remembered his body was healed, he¡¯d grown stronger¡­and he¡¯d gained his own mind. And with it, he could think, he could plan, he could defend his father and those close to them; family and friends. He could remember the second time he¡¯d evolved, he could remember that vividly. He¡¯d been beaten, broken and tossed aside like trash by the First Apostle. His stone body was crumbling, and everyone was struggling against monsters who wore the form of people, taking lives as easily as breathing. He¡¯d been close to helpless in the face of the first Apostle. But the chaos energy had saved him, washing over him, and empowering him, forging stone to iron, tempering him into the force that he was today. Yet, for all his power, it still wasn¡¯t enough. He couldn¡¯t protect his family and friends as much as he wanted to; his father had nearly died in the snow because he hadn¡¯t been fast enough to stop the First Apostle. Even now, Cedric¡¯s divinity was responsible for keeping his friends from dying at the claws, poisons and deadly magics of the Ravener and its monsters. Long ago, he¡¯d promised himself that he¡¯d find a way to evolve on his own terms. To find an energy that would take him to a strength beyond that of an iron golem. An energy that would bring him to a new peak of power, where he could defend his friends and family from the greatest of threats. A peak he would reach by his own doing¡­and¡­maybe that opportunity was here. Each evolution he¡¯d gone through had had something to do with the Ravener. Even his very life was tied to it. His golem core was forged from dungeon core essence. He had been turned to stone by a Ravener-spawn¡¯s magical beam. He¡¯d been tempered into iron by an explosion that was caused by chaos essence and the remains of a dungeon core. All of those events had something to do with the Ravener. And now? Now he was on his way to the source of the Ravener¡¯s power; the inner core of Uldar¡¯s construct. That power was drawing closer as his father used the Traveller¡¯s energies to guide him through the Ravener¡¯s multitude of defences. ¡®There is¡­an opportunity¡­here,¡¯ Claygon thought, passing between the death beams, while being teleported past the walls of lethal energy. ¡®If I can grasp it¡­on my terms¡­then I can protect father¡­my family and friends. Then I can go beyond where people like Shale think I can go¡­then I can be¡­me. Not just an iron¡­golem¡­but¡­me.¡¯ With this thought, he gripped the war-spear he¡¯d torn from the claws of a greater demon, and charged his fire-gems. Claygon suddenly appeared on a battlefield that was in chaos. All around, death and destruction reigned. Ravener-spawn flew, leapt, crawled, and sprang at Alex as he teleported through a world of darkness punctuated by strange lights, crackling crystal, and the light of crimson forceballs. Death beams rained from the sky. Towers of black crystal warped and twisted in the distance, as waves of hungry energy ripped through the air. Alex was summoning monsters to defend him, but they were instantly wiped away in the chaos and destruction. Within heartbeats, two death beams struck Claygon in the side, heating the iron. The golem didn¡¯t hesitate. Raising two hands, he fired his own beams, chaos-tinged flame burning through hordes of Ravener-spawn, painting the dark world with scorching flame, exploding crystal in shockwaves. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Claygon!¡± Alex called, quickly glancing at the golem. In his hand, waves of anxiety radiated from the aeld staff. ¡°Glad you¡¯re here buddy!¡± ¡°Another interloper!¡± the Ravener¡¯s voice reverberated from every fibre of the world around them. If Claygon had mortal ears, his eardrums might have ruptured from the sheer volume of the Ravener¡¯s wrathful cry. ¡°Is this another of your tricks, Fool? What are you doing?¡± The construct released more of its wrath on its enemies¡­and in its attack, Claygon noticed something interesting. Some of the attacks seemed poorly aimed. The golem shot more beams at the Ravener-spawn, aiming some at the ground below and the sky above, where beams and waves of deadly energy were launching from. All the while, he felt the Ravener¡¯s energy all around him¡­but not the energy he¡¯d felt calling him. Not quite; that energy was a distance from where they now were, concentrated in various places across this¡­ ¡®Father¡­¡¯ Claygon said, stabbing a spawn knight with his war-spear. ¡®Where¡­are we?¡¯ ¡®Buddy,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®We¡¯re actually inside the Ravener. This¡­plane, world, whatever it is, is the Ravenver. It¡¯s got control over every bit of matter in here, or so it claims.¡¯ ¡®What¡­?¡¯ ¡®I know, it¡¯s crazy to think about, but I guess this is what happens when a god makes a construct,¡¯ Alex said, disintegrating a group of Hunters. ¡®You¡­make better¡­golems¡­than Uldar did¡­¡¯ Claygon said through their link. ¡®Nice thought, but this place is crazy,¡¯ Alex replied as he fought. ¡®So far, I¡¯ve been able to figure out where the nodes are to shut it down, and I¡¯ve already destroyed one. That¡¯s why the Ravener¡¯s aim is off. See all those beams and magic? It¡¯s shooting more at us than it was when I was alone earlier, but its aim isn¡¯t as accurate. I think it¡¯s losing some of its control over itself, which¡¯ll get worse the more nodes we shut down.¡¯ ¡®Goood!¡¯ Claygon incinerated another group of Ravener-spawn, immediately shooting a fiery beam at the ground below. The beam raked across the crystal floor, tearing it up¡­yet, didn¡¯t seem to hurt the Ravener. The golem noted that and asked Alex, ¡®So, how do we do that? What do these nodes look like?¡¯ ¡®There, you see that tower over there? The crumbling one?¡¯ Claygon looked to where Alex was pointing with his sword-staff, as he teleported-dodged another beam. He watched a crystalline tower turning to grey dust before his eyes. It looked diseased, withered and crumbling, like it was ageing hundreds of centuries in mere heartbeats. The energy it was expelling also felt sickly, like it was fading, hollowing out; like a tree being eaten away from the inside by insects and disease. This definitely was not the energy that Claygon had been looking for. If it had been at one time, it certainly wasn¡¯t any longer. ¡®That¡¯s what our poison did to the node and our device is still in there, just sucking its mana away. We need to get to the other nodes and do the same to them, but I have no doubt that the Ravener¡¯s guard is up even more than before. ¡­Claygon, you see those towers in the distance? The ones that keep moving?¡¯ ¡®Where¡­father¡­?¡¯ ¡®Over there!¡¯ Alex pointed again as he ducked the snapping jaws of a blood-hydra. In one smooth motion, the archwizard teleported the creature¡¯s heads off, took control of it with a gesture and turned it into a corpse puppet, then sent the body against its former allies. ¡®There!¡¯ Claygon followed the direction Alex¡¯s sword-staff was pointing to. ¡­and found what he was looking for. In the distance a group of towers were writhing, moving across the landscape, crawling away from the archwizard and his golem. They moved like enormous, humanoid fingers travelling across the land¡­or earthworms emerging from the soil. But Claygon wasn¡¯t interested in their appearance. What he was interested in was what he felt coming from those towers. They held an energy that he sensed was close to his own; they were the vessels filled with the Ravener¡¯s very lifeblood. Claygon¡¯s life had come to be¡ªin part¡ªfrom the Ravener. His transformations had occurred because of the Ravener¡¯s minions. And those towers were the source of what had given him life and transcendence. He believed they could be the source of transcendence once again. ¡®Claygon,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®I¡¯m going to teleport us to one of those towers. I need you to stay outside and distract the Ravener. Do as much damage as you can. Blast its armies, shoot your fire-beams into the towers¡¯ tunnels, stop anything that gets near. The more you distract it from the outside, the easier time I¡¯ll have getting through and installing the next devi¡ª¡¯ ¡®Father¡­I need you to take me into one of those towers¡­¡¯ Claygon thought. Claygon felt a pause and a sense of surprise coming through their link; it was rare for him to go against his father¡¯s decisions. But this was important. Too important. ¡®I¡¯m not sure if both of us being in one of those towers at the same time is a good idea,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®The Ravener could use it as a chance to kill both of us at once, if we¡¯re unlucky.¡¯ ¡®Father¡­I think¡­if I get in there¡­I can evolve again.¡¯ ¡®But you¡¯re already iron¡ª¡¯ ¡®Beyond iron. I feel something¡­coming from the energy in those towers¡­father¡­please. I think I can do this¡­the energy¡­it can help me be better¡­at protecting all of us. I am not asking this lightly¡­It¡¯s important.¡¯ Silence hung heavy in their link. ¡®Do you really think doing this can take you to another level? And is that what you really want?¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Yes¡­father¡­I truly do¡­¡¯ ¡®Well, I¡¯d be a pretty bad father if I denied you when you¡¯re asking so earnestly,¡¯ his voice held a nervous smile. ¡®Alright, but we¡¯re going to have to move real carefully. So, you go ahead and shoot as many fire beams as you can in as many directions as you can. Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ll be able to dodge them.¡¯ ¡®Yes¡­father¡­¡¯ The golem turned, channelling power into his fire-gems then releasing beam after beam of the deadly fire magic. Rays struck true, hitting everything the fire-gems pointed at, streaming from his forehead and two palms, directly into Ravener-spawn, the ground, sky, empty air and everything between. He didn¡¯t have to aim; he simply spun in place, firing freely. The Ravener retaliated, releasing a wall of lethal energy that burned stark white. ¡°Begone, interlopers!¡± That energy struck Claygon first, heating metal, steam rising. But the attack had little effect and he just kept firing as the Ravener shot a dozen death beams at him. Alex joined in, casting his own magic, further distracting Uldar¡¯s creation. Annihilation. The spell sent a column of flame leaping into the sky, then raining down, annihilating monsters, cracking the crystalline ground, lighting up the darkness. A scream ruptured the Ravener¡¯s inner world. ¡®Now!¡¯ Alex thought. Claygon was suddenly teleported to a distant tower just outside one of the many tunnels. An instant later, the tunnel snapped shut, as did every other one. ¡°That¡¯s not going to stop us,¡± Alex told the construct, putting his hand against the crystalline surface and closing his eyes for a moment. ¡°Got it, Buddy! Used my mana to find the node!¡± He and Claygon abruptly teleported, and the golem found himself no longer in a world of darkness, but in a world of colour, shade and hue; a vertical crystalline cave of cords, stalactites and stalagmites, glowing with inner power. Energy crackled between them, spreading. The crystals began buzzing like swarming wasps, inner lights gleaming bright. ¡®Don¡¯t like that,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Don¡¯t like that one bit.¡¯ Claygon thought fast, his gaze now drawn to the vast source of energy he¡¯d been feeling. There it was. A massive crystal glowing with all the colours of the rainbow. Alex followed his gaze. ¡®That¡¯s the central point where most of the energy is made,¡¯ he thought. The golem flew to it. The buzzing grew louder. ¡®Father¡­do not interfere¡­¡¯ he thought. There came a pause that felt like an eternity. And then¡­ ¡®I trust you,¡¯ Alex¡¯s thought sounded apprehensive. ¡®Thank¡­you.¡¯ Claygon sounded relieved through their link. His attention turned to the Ravener¡¯s crystal. ¡®This is¡­for my friends¡­my family¡­¡¯ Claygon thought, floating in front of the crystal¡¯s sharp edges. ¡®...and for me.¡¯ He flew forward, reached for the crystal, and smashed it against his chest with his full strength. Alex teleported away. The energy within the crystal exploded, filling the space with a rainbow of light, bathing the golem in multihued radiance. Claygon wrapped his limbs around the broken crystal, letting the energy flow into him. New power awakened, rushing through the golem, his mana pathways blazing. Fire-gems gleamed and flashed, light washed over his entire form. ¡­and¡­Claygon began transforming. Chapter 888: Like His Father In the moments before Claygon had smashed the crystal against his chest, Alex had to fight his every instinct in order to keep himself from interfering. Every instinct had screamed at him, telling him his golem would get hurt, or worse. Nor would it be the first time that he¡¯d come close to dying. Twice before, in battles with Ravener-spawn and the hidden church, Claygon had been so badly damaged that Alex had thought he¡¯d been destroyed. His clay form had come close to being completely shattered by a petrifier, and the First Apostle had crushed his stone body at Uldar¡¯s Rise, leaving Alex thinking he was gone. Alex teleported back. And now, here he was, bathing in the strange energies within the Ravener itself. What would happen to him? Would the energy blast him to nothingness? Would it overwhelm his golem core, turning it to cinders? Would he crumble like the node had when the poison was injected? Or would something worse happen? Would the Ravener be able to reach into Claygon and take control of him through the dungeon core substance in his golem core? Those questions flooded Alex¡¯s mind, telling him to teleport Claygon away to stop him from risking his very existence. But, he fought that urge, remembering everything Claygon had said about him having free will, about him making his own choices. Seeing Claygon bathed in the multi-hued magic¡­left Alex worried, and confused, but also understanding that he had to trust his buddy. Trust the golem that called him father, even as the energy of Uldar¡¯s construct washed over him and his body began blazing with its own inner light. Alex felt a shifting in the flow of energy within the node. ¡°Get out! What are you doing?¡± the voice of Uldar¡¯s construct, seething with menace, echoed through the crystal structure. ¡°What new treachery is this?¡± Claygon blazed with a binding light, as if in challenge. Alex¡¯s mana senses seemed to catch fire; energies emanating from the node flowed into Claygon¡¯s body¡­and he could feel the Ravener¡¯s power mixing with his golem¡¯s energy. Transforming it. Changing it to something new. ¡°Stop!¡± the Ravener commanded, horror joining the anger in its tone. Whatever Claygon was doing, the Ravener obviously wanted it to end. But the golem didn¡¯t stop, and his light burned brighter with every heartbeat. Soon, the node¡¯s multi-hued light was eclipsed by the blazing radiance coming from his transforming body. Alex shielded his eyes against it, as all around them, the crackling noise from the crystals lessened. Their light was also dimming; Claygon¡¯s golem core was taking in every bit of energy it could, absorbing it¡­ ¡­making it his own. ¡®Are you alright, Claygon?¡¯ Alex thought through their link. No answer came. At least, not in specific words. Instead, Claygon¡¯s emotions poured through their link, reaching Alex¡¯s mind, coming to him as excitement, shock, wonder, curiosity, pain, desperation, confusion¡­all of it. But, there was no fear. Not even for the fleetest of moments did Alex feel the slightest trickle of fear coming from his golem. And he relaxed, deciding to keep trusting him, letting him captain his own ship down his own path. He would support Claygon, no matter where it led. The air shimmered in the node. Ravener-spawn appeared. Alex gripped his sword-staff. He would support Claygon no matter where his path led¡­and defend him from anything wanting to take him from his path. The young archwizard channelled Hannahs¡¯s power, teleporting monsters away in pieces, teleporting heads, limbs or even getting rid of the creatures in halves. Claygon remained unbothered, yet more monsters were forming around him by the number. And Alex raised his staff, channelling its power, summoning his own monsters to hold back the Ravener¡¯s. To stop them, or break them. ¡°Leave him alone you bastards,¡± he snarled. ¡°You¡¯re not worthy even to touch the dirt on his feet!¡± As if in agreement, air elementals swarmed over Ravener-spawn, striking them with lightning, or sucking the breath from them. Any Ravener-spawn slipping by, or defeating an elemental didn¡¯t live long; Alex teleported them away¡­in pieces, or cast Cone of Ice, freezing them, then dropping them from high, shattering the monstrous ice statues on the ground. Soon, every monster trying to get to Claygon was dead and¡­ ¡­no more were appearing, no more were forming in the air around them. It was almost as if the Ravener had given up, but Alex didn¡¯t believe that. After all, it was a construct that had performed the same task for its dead creator for endless cycles over thousands of years. It was many things: murderous, slavish, even foolish, to name a few¡­but an entity that just ¡®gave up¡¯ in the face of resistance? It definitely was not that. ¡®What are you planning?¡¯ the young archwizard asked himself. The node began to shake. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Crystals hummed as tremors climbed through the tower, the node started to shrink. ¡®Oh hells, it¡¯s going to destroy the tower, ¡®Alex thought, turning to Claygon. ¡°Buddy, we might have to¨C¡± his words trailed off. The light was fading from the iron¡­no¡­ ¡­not iron any longer. The glaring light faded from his body, allowing Alex to make out what was beneath the radiance¡­to clearly see what Claygon had transformed to. His general shape was unchanged: a thick bodied golem with four arms, one of which was still holding his war-spear. The fire-gems still blazed in his forehead and palms, the same crimson colour as they had always been. The armour-like design covering his body remained true, as did his snarling face. The material he was made of, though, was different. His metallic surface had been transformed; certain areas of the formerly dark iron were gone, replaced by gleaming steel, while other parts were of an inky black substance. ¡°Father¡­I feel it¡­I have¡­transformed¡­¡± he said. ¡°And now¡­I can help us¡­properly.¡± The golem¡¯s voice was confident. More sure. More assertive. The voice of one who walked his own path, and had gotten to where he wanted to go. ¡°Father, don¡¯t teleport us out¡­¡± He raised his head toward the ceiling; the node was constricting, the tower collapsing inward. ¡°¡­not yet¡­I want to show the Ravener something.¡± The golem spun his war-spear, abruptly stabbing its blade deep into a wall nearby. Claygon flexed his fingers, slowly raising his arms toward the ceiling. Power gathered in the fire-gem in his forehead, blazing brighter than ever before. Power gathered in the fire-gems in his upper palms, burning with renewed light. Alex had seen this before, he was ready for Claygon to display his new power¡­but something caught his eye. In the palms of the golem¡¯s lower hands, a different sort of energy was growing, gathering strength with every heartbeat, the light also increasing. Along his chest, a massive torrent of power throbbed, and the deep black substance of his form began burning with its own inner radiance. Alex frowned; the light and power were familiar¡­the young archwizard had seen it before. But where? Where had he seen this exact display of power before? It had been recently too, he just knew i¡ª Then his mind made the connection. He remembered the Ravener charging its death-beams in the cavern; its black surface would shine with a near blinding radiance in the spot that the beam was about to fire from. And that same internal radiance was now burning along the substance that formed much of Claygon¡¯s new form¡­a substance that Alex was very familiar with. Dungeon core substance. Claygon had evolved beyond iron, taking on the Ravener¡¯s most valuable energies as well. Now, his body was steel, along with the very same substance that his and his father¡¯s most dangerous enemy was made of. Alex¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡®Dungeon core substance¡¯s mana conductivity is impossibly high!¡¯ he thought. ¡®If Claygon¡¯s body now consists of that¡ª¡¯ His thoughts were cut off by a series of earth-shaking blasts. Claygon¡¯s fire-gems released chaos-tinged beams, thicker and blazing with more power than ever before. The depth of the heat coming from them felt as hot as being beside a cremation chamber. Three more beams ripped from his lower palms and chest. But these were not fire rays. They were like the Ravener¡¯s death beams. Smaller in diameter but with the same type of energy. All six blasts hit the ceiling at once. Death-beams combined with the chaos-laced fire, building even more energy until¡ª ¡°Father¡­teleport out!¡± Claygon cried suddenly, tearing his war-spear out of the wall. ¡°Far from here!¡± Alex didn¡¯t hesitate, teleporting both he and his golem from the tower. They appeared far from the node, and just in time¡ª For a sky-breaking boom to rip the darkness. In an instant, most of the tower was gone; the explosion tore through the crystal as though it was a dinner plate, annihilating all Ravener-spawn nearby, turning the tower into a crater within the flat plane. ¡°What in all hells?¡± Alex shouted. A mushroom shaped cloud formed above the landscape, one even bigger than the one left by the chaos bomb Carey had exploded at Uldar¡¯s Rise. ¡°Claygon¡­that¡¯s incredible!¡± the young archwizard cried, stunned. ¡°You took what is mine,¡± the Ravener¡¯s voice came through the darkness. ¡°You will give it back.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°I will not give anything back¡­you helped give me life, Ravener. You helped¡­give me strength. You helped me¡­transform and transcend, finding new versions of me. You have helped me grow¡­but I will be better than you¡­¡± ¡°What is this nonsense?¡± the Ravener asked. ¡°I do not even know what you are?¡± As it spoke those words, more Ravener-spawn manifested from thin air. Claygon lifted his head toward the dark skies. ¡°Good. I will¡­show you.¡± The golem spread his arms wide. And parts of his body began to shimmer. ¡°I think¡­I can do this¡­¡± he said. ¡°And if I do¡­it will make me happy¡­because I will be more like my father¡­and just as you admire your creator. I admire¡­my father...who¡­fights¡­with an army of monsters¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Alex cried. ¡°What are you saying, buddy? No way. No way!¡± ¡°And now¡­so can I.¡± And without another word, the first spawn burst from Claygon¡¯s body. Emerging from his chest was an eye-stalk, followed by another, then another. The spawn was invisible; if Alex hadn¡¯t been under a true seeing spell, he would not have seen the creature as it grew, its mass swelling as it surfaced, long legs spreading out, writhing in the air¡­ Then dropping from Claygon¡¯s body, landing on the ground below. A petrifier. ¡°How?¡± the Ravener sounded shocked. ¡°You¡­you can make spawn?¡± Alex whispered. ¡°That energy¡­it let me take more from the Ravener than it knew¡­my evolution is to be this¡­father. To be¡­better than what Uldar made,¡± Claygon said. Spawn of all kinds took form, created by the golem: chitterers, gibbering legions, blood-hydras and spear-flies emerged from his form. ¡°Go¡­father¡­¡± the golem said. ¡°I might not¡­be able to make¡­spawn as fast as the Ravener¡­but now¡­I have what I need to help you¡­and protect¡­all of us. I will take care of it¡­do what you have to do¡­¡± Alex looked at Claygon, pride surging through him. ¡°I¡¯m more proud of you than I can ever express with mere words, Claygon.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­now¡­go.¡± With that, the construct unleashed hell. Fire-beams exploded from his gems. Death-beams launched from his body. And spawn emerged from his four-armed form, forging a growing army around him. ¡°You will die here. You are the ultimate of Usurpers!¡¯ the Ravener¡¯s voice hissed out in a sinister whisper. It shot its death-beams at Claygon¡­but the golem¡¯s own beams struck the Ravener¡¯s, turning darkness to an inferno of explosions and thunder. His spawn leapt on Ravener-spawn that Uldar¡¯s creation had released, clashing with them. Alex watched in awe, unable to leave as Claygon floated forward like a god of war, raining destruction down on Thameland¡¯s ancient enemy. Death beams and waves of deadly magic struck the golem, but¡ªwhere before they would have heated his iron form until it was steaming and glowing¡ªnow, not even the force of those beams could make him flinch. ¡°Go¡­father!¡± Claygon shouted, raising his war-spear. ¡°Do what¡­you must!¡± For a moment, Alex considered staying by his golem¡¯s side and trying to exist in five places instead of four. ¡­but four had been taxing enough. He couldn¡¯t push himself any further now, not at such a crucial time, with so much chaos all around them. Alex took a deep breath, watching his golem clash with Uldar¡¯s creation¡­proud to see the closest being he had to a son standing up to an abomination made by a god. And not even flinching. ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon, buddy. I swear it.¡± With that, he teleported away. It was time to find the other nodes, now that Claygon was holding the Ravener¡¯s attention. And it was also time¡­for something else.
Within Aenflynn¡¯s castle, inside the room that held Uldar¡¯s throne, Merzhin opened his eyes. ¡°I think¡­I think I¡¯m close,¡± he whispered. ¡°Carey, Alex. Help me. I think I can tear this barrier down.¡± Chapter 889: Merzhins Faith When he was a young child, Saint Merzhin of Thameland sincerely believed that he had been born for one purpose. To serve Uldar. He grew up in the church, raised by priests and priestesses, and lived among other children. The young boy had slept on a thin cot, ate simple meals and spent most of his waking hours learning scripture, telling Uldar¡¯s stories, labouring for the church in the kitchens and fields, and worshipping Thameland¡¯s silent god. Uldar was his life, his soul and his future. And he had never rebelled against that life. He had grown up feeling loved¡ªthough he was often quite lonely¡ªand loving his god in return. When he had been blessed with the Mark of the Saint, it had truly felt like his life¡¯s purpose and its promise were all coming to fruition. The Mark of the Saint appearing on his belly had felt like the ultimate gift, like Uldar¡¯s acknowledgement of his faith and his confirmation of Merzhin¡¯s life purpose. He had believed¡ªbeyond a doubt¡ªthat his every breath had been taken solely to bring him to the moment he was Marked, so that he might serve Uldar in the most profound way he could. Over time, though, his joy had faded in the face of growing loneliness when the other Heroes had abandoned him. In the face of resentment at being left out of their discussions. In the face of his anger when Carey would not embrace Uldar in the way he thought she should. ¡­everything he felt had turned to sheer horror when the events at Uldar¡¯s Rise had happened. ¡­and because of his actions, his only friend had died, villains had escaped, and he¡¯d been forced to realise that his sacrifices, since childhood, had been for nothing more than a long dead corpse. He¡¯d been devastated; beyond grieving his friend, beyond accepting his guilt in her death, he had to come to terms with one simple truth; that his entire purpose had largely been for nothing. All the faith that he¡¯d been clinging to in every moment of his life had done nothing but empower the silent throne of a poisoned corpse. And¡ªwhen he thought that things could get no worse¡ªhe¡¯d come to know that Uldar had created the Ravener. Not only was the object of his worship a corpse, but when he was still the Thameish people¡¯s living god, he had engineered the very thing that was responsible for uncountable deaths over generations in Thameland. And adding insult to injury, he¡¯d learned that Uldar¡¯s motivations for creating the Ravener were the desperate attempt of a dying, angry deity, only to prolong his own life. A dying, angry deity that¡ªin his last moments of lucidity¡ªhad decided that culling his people, using the horror of his construct, was what was best¡­for him. That had been the focus of Merzhin¡¯s faith. That had been what he¡¯d let his friend die for. That had been what the supposed purpose of his life had been. Life had gotten much darker after that, and he¡¯d sought a way to make his pain end; a way that might somehow undo his own sins and those of his god. But, Alex and his companions had pulled him from despair, and given him direction¡­and he was very glad that they had. Because now? Now he was here to see what his life¡¯s purpose truly was. The Saint of Thameland was on his knees before the divine ward blocking him from Uldar¡¯s throne. To his left stood Alex, protecting him from attacks, and helping him in any way that he could. Behind him¡ªwith both warm hands pressed to his back, the Traveller¡¯s divinity pouring through her touch¡ªwas the transcendent soul of his closest friend, Carey. Together, both were supporting him, pushing him, granting him the strength to fulfil what he had concluded was his life¡¯s real purpose. To tear down this divine wall. To shatter the throne of a cruel and long departed god. And Merzhin would do whatever it took to fulfil his purpose. And so he prayed: ¡°Traveller¡­and even the departed soul of Uldar, hear me. Hear now my testament. Hear now my prayer. For these are the words of the last Saint of Uldar. There will be none after me.¡± His words held power. He could feel their certainty and strength as they resonated from his throat. The air shuddered at their weight, and the faith flowing through his soul focused like sunlight passing through a glass lens. The power of two divinities¡ªthat of the dead god Uldar, and that of the newborn goddess, the Traveller¡ªchannelled through his soul with every syllable, building in power with his prayer. The might of the divine strength passing through his soul gate was staggering; his Mark¡¯s evolution and the meditation techniques he¡¯d learned from the General were keeping his soul from shattering like glass. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. But, despite his Mark¡¯s evolution and the meditation techniques, his soul still ached from strain; Aenflynn had saturated his ward with divine power, and it would not be broken easily. But Merzhin would break it. He believed that each step of his life had been building to this moment. And he would not falter now. Not like he had at Uldar¡¯s Rise. It was as Carey had said: it was not about can, it was about must. ¡°The last Saint of Thameland declares this,¡± Merzhin continued. ¡°Let it be known that I speak the following words with both the authority and divinity granted by the Traveller and the memory of Uldar¡¯s early days wherein¡ªdespite his motives¡ªhe did help Thameland. It is in that lost legacy and in the new dawn brought by a new deity that I say¡­¡± His soul trembled. Divinity sparked in it, shaking the very foundations of his being. ¡°I hereby declare that this wall be ripped down. That the ward brought about by this thief of the divine is blasphemy to the good deeds that Uldar did and to the good deeds that the Traveller has done, and will do. I abjure this ward!¡± His voice rose through the air, shaking the room they were in. Before him, he felt the divinity in the ward fluctuate¡­shifting slowly, but surely. He risked a glance to his left and spotted Alex, their eyes met and Merzhin¡¯s face contorted with effort and concentration. He risked a quick glance behind him. Carey was there, with her wings of chaos flame and a halo above her head, her eyes were closed and her face serene. The Saint nodded once and glared at the divine ward before him, his anger plain. He made a grasping gesture toward it. ¡°By the word of the last Saint of Uldar, by the power of the Traveller and by the good deeds once done by a selfish god, I hereby smite this barrier!¡± Divine power shot from his soul like a thunderbolt, filling the chamber with blinding light. That radiance gathered in his hand, forming a hammer wrought from pure divinity. It blazed with boundless power, and his skin was scalded at its touch. But the Saint did not care. He rose to his feet, firmly holding the hammer of divinity. Carey and Alex moved back. Saint Merzhin, the last Saint of Uldar, took the hammer in both hands, lifting it above his head¡­ ¡­and swung hard, right into the divine ward with great force. The sound that followed was like one world colliding with another. All of Och Fir Nog shook with it. Merzhin¡¯s soul throbbed. His teeth clenched. And the barrier remained firm. ¡°Again!¡± he shouted. ¡°I cast you down!¡± He swung the hammer of divinity, crashing it against the divine ward, shaking the fae realm once more. But now¡­a thin crack rippled across the divine ward. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Alex cried. ¡°We are getting through!¡± Carey shouted. Merzhin lifted the hammer again, his thin arms shaking from the effort as shockwaves from the terrible forces he commanded took a toll on his body and soul. But, it was not about if he could do it. ¡°I must,¡± he whispered, then raised his voice again. ¡°Begone!¡± he commanded, swinging the hammer again. Another crack webbed through the ward. He was panting now. Sweating. His thin arms shaking. And his soul, in pain. Frustration surged. He could not exhaust all of his strength just trying to get through this infernal wall. He still needed reserves to break the throne and put an interdiction on the Ravener, to help keep it from returning. If he exhausted himself just getting through this filthy barrier, then what good would that do? ¡°I have to break it¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°I must¡­¡± He paused, looking at a crack, considering it carefully; it was an opening, one that led through the ward. A tiny, insignificant crack, that would hardly admit the wind, let alone even the smallest, most humble insect. But then again, it was a crack wasn¡¯t it? A gap. He pointed at the tiny fissure, then looked at Carey and Alex. ¡°Can you get us through that crack with the Traveller¡¯s power?¡± They looked at each other. The spirit smiled serenely. The young archwizard gave a triumphant grin. Both took the Saint by his shoulders. And teleported him through the crack in the divine ward. Merzhin appeared on the other side with his two companions supporting him. ¡°By the Traveller¡­we are through! We are through!¡± he cried. ¡°Yes we are!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°At last,¡± Carey said, her eyes watching Uldar¡¯s throne. ¡°And now we can do what must be done.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°It is time.¡± He looked upon the throne of Uldar. The white chair rose before him, immense, majestic. From it, the god of Thameland had ruled his mortal kingdom both in health and in his days of sickness. It now was the focus for all the faith conferred on him, and for the divinity he once wielded. A symbol of Thameland. A symbol of Uldar. A symbol of the pain that the god¡¯s self-serving decisions had caused. Merzhin slowly walked toward the chair, taking in every curve, and every line, his eyes drawn to the black ichor staining its white surface. At one time, this chair would have symbolised the purpose of his life. But now? The purpose was to unmake it, the very thing that once defined him. And unsurprisingly¡­that thought put a smile on his face. St. Merzhin spoke to his best friend. ¡°Might I have your help in this, Carey?¡± She too looked at the throne, her expression a mixture of regret, conviction, and serenity. ¡°There was a time when I would have done everything in my power to stop what we are now about to do. If only my faith had been well placed and had been put into something that was worthy of it.¡± She sighed, then smiled. ¡°Such things are terribly sad, but they are in the past. We must move forward. Of course I shall help you, Merzhin.¡± ¡°And if that filthy fae shows up,¡± Alex offered. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep him off your backs.¡± ¡°Thank you, Alex,¡± Merzhin said calmly. He exhaled, his eyes on Carey. ¡°Please place your hand on the throne.¡± She nodded silently. Merzhin moved to the left side of Uldar¡¯s chair. And Carey moved to the right. They rested their hands on the throne, and the Saint spoke: ¡°I am the last Saint of Uldar, and the highest authority in the church of Thameland. Uldar¡¯s reign has ended and his symbols should end too. As the highest divine authority in the kingdom, it is my duty to declare the direction of the god¡¯s faith and to command his artefacts. As such, I declare this seat to be no longer needed. Uldar¡¯s reign has ended and his symbols should end with him. No longer shall this throne be the focus of Thameish faith in him. No longer shall it channel his divinity. With the authority of Uldar and the power of the Traveller, I declare this symbol undone!¡± Divinity surged from his soul, joining Carey¡¯s power and channelling into the throne. The entirety of Aenflynn¡¯s castle began shaking and rumbling around them like the voice of an angry god. There came a sound like thunder. ¡°With the authority of Uldar and the power of the Traveller, I declare this symbol undone!¡± Merzhin cried again. The divinity within the throne recoiled, roiling and fraying. ¡°With the authority of Uldar and the power of the Traveller, I declare this symbol undone!¡± The castle bucked. There came a sound like a glacier splitting. A crack began forming along the throne, the light of inner divinity blazing through it.
Aenflynn, lord of Och Fir Nog felt the chill of death crawl up his spine. He whirled on his castle, watching it shake, down to its very foundations. Chapter 890: Heart of Stone Lord Aenflynn was long lived. His life had been one of triumphs and frustrations, some small, and some great indeed. In his youth, he had been a carefree sort; a fae who often slipped into the material world to have some sport, tricking mortals and watching their comical reactions. It had amused him, and often satisfied his curiosities. One day while in the material world, he met Uldar; a living god, who was truly coming into his own at the time. From that meeting, one of the greatest partnerships between any two beings ever known in all of Och Fir Nog and Thameland, was born. Together, they had experienced both triumphs and frustrations. Together, they had grown. And matured. Aenflynn was transformed from a young trickster, to a master manipulator, diplomat, general and ruler. For the longest time, he had thought himself truly great; a master among even the mighty lords of the fae, the one who would bring his realm to the highest peaks of prosperity. His frustrations at that time had been varied, from minor to significant; his struggles against rival fae lords, the rampages of the Stalker, and some friendly competitions against Uldar. But those had given way to the greatest frustration of his life. A realm on fire. Armies of fae marching across his green fields. The destruction of his palace then, and the wounding of his close friend. The other fae lords had conspired together, desiring to bring both he and Uldar low. There had been no moment in his life more frustrating than that day¡­ ¡­until this one. The day had begun so well; he had avenged himself and his people, and at long last, thrown down his rivals and the realms that had plagued Och Fir Nog for millennia. All that should have stood in the way of his final victory was the wrath of a few mortals; a wrath that his mighty magics, the deal he¡¯d tricked three of the Heroes into, and the power of his old friend¡¯s throne should have easily countered and crushed. Yet, instead of now gloating over his enemy¡¯s corpses, he found himself in the skies above his own palace, being beaten on by a stubborn, ancient goat man with more power than Aenflynn could have possibly imagined. Then there was the former Fool. This General. He should have had no more significance than a speck next to the other Heroes. But, instead, he had destroyed a host of his fae guard, and done the same to his effigy, using a strange power that Aenflynn did not even begin to understand. Now with his effigy destroyed, he could not defend or even watch over Uldar¡¯s throne. And he¡¯d had no opportunity to craft another one, not with this filthy, flea-ridden beastman bashing him about like some sort of witless barbarian. He¡¯d used his divine energies, his own fae magics, illusions, swordsmanship and more against the old wizard¡­but try as he might, he could not be rid of the pest! Not even when he felt the divine ward around the throne¡ªa ward he had spent weeks perfecting¡ªbegin to crack. Not even now, as he felt something terrible happening to the throne. ¡®I must stop it!¡¯ he thought, his mind racing. His heart thundered in his ears, beating as fast as a mouse¡¯s in a blind panic. ¡®I have to kill all of them before they do something that cannot be undone!¡¯ ¡°Ooooh my,¡± the old beastman murmured. Aenflynn¡¯s horned and armoured foe floated before him, bearing his shield and that terrible, vicious hammer of his. His eyes seemed to spark with pure, ancient malice. A few scratches marred his armour, but otherwise, he was unharmed, floating within the eye of the storm they now shared. The battle raged on between their armies, blood and fire spreading through the clouds. ¡°Do you feel that?¡¯ the goatman continued. ¡°It does feel like this battle is coming to a rather¡­unfortunate conclusion. For you, that is. Yes, the symbol of Uldar does not seem to be in the best of states at the moment. And when your stolen divine power is gone, what will you do? You have hardly been able to hold me off thus far.¡± The wizard laughed as Aenflynn¡¯s mind whirled. ¡°You are like a child playing dress up with a corpse¡¯s regalia. But, I am afraid it is time for you to grow up, little fae, and I, for one, am very much looking forward to what is coming next!¡± ¡°Silence!¡± Aenflynn¡¯s voice thundered across the land. ¡°This condescension¡­I will tolerate it no more!¡± His tone was strong, filled with his wrath. But inside, he was panicking. If the throne shattered, he would not be alive for much longer; the mortals had brought powers against him that he had not anticipated, and he doubted he could stand against all of them without Uldar¡¯s throne. He needed that chair if he hoped to have any chance of turning this disaster around. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. And he also needed help. ¡®Ravener!¡¯ he thought. ¡®Our enemies are closing on us! You must help me! I am granting you a flood of power! Use it to quickly destroy your foes and then help me!¡¯ Aenflynn opened the river of power he was providing the Ravenver, letting a monsoon loose. The archwizard teleported, appearing in front of the fae lord. ¡°What did I tell you about focusing?¡± the goatman chastised him. Another blow shattered Aenflynn¡¯s jaw, sending him spinning. But unlike the last time, the fae lord had a plan. ¡®Trickery helped me before,¡¯ he thought. ¡®And trickery will get me out of this.¡¯ With a quick whistle, he healed his destroyed jaw, then dodged out of the way as the ancient wizard teleported again, striking at him with another blow. He whistled again. A low, dull sound. A discordant note. An ugly note. The divine power he was channelling flowed through him, syphoning away some of his own precious life force, combining to create an unstable joining of life and divinity. And with a scream like a cornered beast, he released it at his opponent. The Fae lord¡¯s skin burned, flesh curdling. The strength of the power exploding from his body, burned his flesh away. Doing exactly what Aenflynn wanted it to. For an instant, force and light from the blast gave his opponent pause and he raised his shield, looking to protect himself. In that instant, Aenflynn acted. He whistled again¡ªa sweeter note¡ªusing Uldar¡¯s power to heal his wounds, making his body whole as he called upon his fae magic, forging another effigy from the air behind his foe. With a single thought, he set the effigy on the beastman, drawing his attention for another heartbeat. The archwizard turned, striking his attacker with his hammer¡ªshattering the creature of air¡ªand sending a painful backlash through Aenflynn¡¯s soul¡­ Also giving the fae lord exactly what he was hoping for. He launched his body forward, veiled by the light of the explosion, his divine sword poised, aiming at the distracted beastman. The fae lord whistled again, infusing more power into his blade. If he could just kill this goatman¡ªeven if he had to burn more of his life energy away to do so¡ªthen he¡¯d be free to protect Uldar¡¯s throne. He whistled once more. Sharp and short. The sound sharpened his blade. A lower whistle came next, creating a sheathe of divinity, veiling him further, shielding him from attack. Before him, the goatman turned. Another sharp whistle, and an offer of his own life force. Aenflynn¡¯s speed doubled. He sped forward. The point of his blade aimed perfectly. Divine energy plunged through the goatman¡¯s starmetal breastplate. Sliding through the flesh below¡ªfinding the spot where his heart lay¡ªthen exiting from the back. The goatman paused. Aenflynn smiled, revealing sharp teeth. ¡°You fool,¡± he whispered to the dying beastman, his eyes sparking in triumph. ¡°The difference between you and me is that I was willing to burn away my own life to achieve victory. You simply were not committed enough.¡± The hammer slipped from the goatman¡¯s fingers as light and the shockwave from the divine explosion faded. Now, Aenflynn could watch as life left his accursed foe¡¯s eyes. His grin growing, the fae lord reached out, ready to reclaim his blade. The goatman¡¯s gauntleted hand suddenly shot up. Starmetal clad fingers seized the fae¡¯s arm, digging into his flesh. Aenflynn grunted. ¡°A last gasp of life? Bah¡­Just lie down and die, beast-thing! Just¡­¡± The fae lord¡¯s words trailed off. ¡°What¡­why are you not bleeding?¡± he whispered. His sword was jammed deep into the ancient wizard¡¯s chest¡ªthrough his armour and protruding from his back¡ªbut there was not a drop of blood from the wound. He was not bleeding. At all. A low laugh came from behind the goatman¡¯s mask, like the growl of a predatory beast. ¡°What were your exact words: the difference between you and me was that I was willing to burn away my own life to achieve victory. You simply were not committed enough. That is what you said to me. But, you could not have been more wrong.¡± Baelin¡¯s grip tightened. Aenflynn started to whistle. The goatman headbutted him. Hard. The fae shrieked, as the starmetal mask met his jaw. Teeth shot from Aenflynn¡¯s mouth, some protruding from his now mangled lips. The archwizard cast his shield away, quickly reaching up and seizing the fae¡¯s ruined mouth in another crushing grip. ¡°I finally have you.¡± he said, his voice and eyes like stone, like a gargoyle¡¯s staring down from atop a cathedral. ¡°No more whistling. No more tricks. Now, you are about to die, so recognise that. You might have harmed me. If I had not taken measures long ago, this wound could have proven fatal.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s mind was panicked, yet confused. He knew he had split the wizard¡¯s heart. He knew it! ¡°Ah, you are likely thinking that you skewered my heart, judging from that foolish look on your face,¡± the archwizard said. ¡°But here is the problem with your logic¡­I am going to let you in on a secret that only four others in the universe know.¡± He leaned forward. ¡°My heart has not been in my chest for over five thousand years.¡± The fae lord let out a confused whimper. ¡°Look. Look at this,¡± the wizard continued, then spoke a single syllable of power. His chest opened. Not just armour, but his flesh easily parted, as smoothly as a greased door hinge, revealing the viscera within. Revealing his hear¡ª Aenflynn¡¯s thoughts faltered. No heart lay in the wizard¡¯s chest¡­only something carved in the shape of a heart, something looking like a smooth piece of stone. Blood ran through it, passing along stony vessels, pumping through the wizard¡¯s body; flowing around the fae¡¯s divine sword, like a river around a rock. ¡®What abomination is this?¡¯ he wondered. ¡°Since, at one time, a long time ago, I came close to losing a battle to some nasty individuals who wielded the power of the sun in all sorts of vicious ways. In other battles I came close to losing my life, and so I decided then that I did not like the idea of losing very much, especially when it could result in my death. So, I removed my heart from my body, poured most of my life force into it and spirited it away to a location that would be meaningless to you.¡± Aenflynn choked on blood running into his ruined mouth. ¡°I left just enough life force in my body for it to remain operational¡­but rest assured, even were you to attempt to disintegrate me down to my last component atom, I would live on. My heart beats, Aenflynn of Och Fir Nog, just not within my chest. As for the enchanted stone here, it provides me with some lovely impediments against several forms of magic, diseases, and poisonings to my physical form.¡± Without another word, the archwizard secured his armour-covered chest like new, then fixed the fae lord with a stony gaze, resembling a being chiselled from rock and time. ¡°The difference between you and me was that I was willing to burn away my own life to achieve victory. You simply were not committed enough,¡± the archwizard repeated Aenflynn¡¯s words to him. ¡°I say again: you are wrong. The difference between you and me is that I did not have to burn my life force away to achieve victory. The difference between you and I is that you bet everything to go against me and those I am aiding¡­but I had to bet nothing. You quite literally could have never killed me; if you thought that simply stabbing me in the chest would be enough, then the task¡ªquite simply¡ªwas far beyond you. And now, I believe I owe a young friend a present.¡± The monster that pretended to be a mere wizard then flew toward Aenflynn¡¯s castle with terrible speed, holding the screaming fae lord in a death-grip. Without pause, he flew through the window, entering Aenflynn¡¯s throne room in a hail of exploding glass. Three figures turned in surprise. ¡°My young friends!¡± the ancient archwizard said cheerily. ¡°It seems you are having a celebration. And such festivities call for¡­gifts.¡± He held up the fae lord, still screaming into the archwizard¡¯s hand. ¡°Here you go. Here is mine.¡± Chapter 891: The Last Seat Being in four places at once meant keeping track of a lot. In his homeland, Alex had been crushing dungeons, taking control of dungeon cores, casting Army of Heroes on everyone he met, and turning his controlled Ravener-spawn loose on their kin. Inside the Ravener¡¯s lair, he was fighting alongside his companions, countering the magic of Uldar¡¯s creation as it grew increasingly agitated and desperate. While Claygon was inside the Ravener, Alex was blunting the hole he¡¯d left by summoning monsters in rapid succession, sending them against the Ravener¡¯s hordes of Spawn, and supporting his allies. He was using Mana to Blood repeatedly on Cedric, giving the Chosen more stamina, the red-haired young man needed to continually draw on his divinity to heal his companions. Meanwhile, Alex was fighting a different battle inside the Ravener. While Claygon drew the construct¡¯s attention, the young archwizard teleported from node to node, attaching the venomous devices to the Ravener¡¯s crystals, syphoning away mana and poisoning the very essence of Uldar¡¯s creation. The more nodes he poisoned, the more frantic the Ravener¡¯s counter-attacks were, and the more desperate its actions to stop him. Where before it had used waves of energy and death-beams against Alex and Claygon, trying to overwhelm them with endless armies of Ravener-spawn, now the construct had switched to more drastic tactics. Howling with rage, the Ravener had filled the air inside its form with gases so poisonous and caustic, that they melted flesh with the lightest touch, destroying even its own Ravener-spawn in the process. Alex had countered with control weather and tempest spells, blowing the acidic air away while teleporting from place to place, keeping ahead of the toxins. Everything he¡¯d done was affecting the construct, a good number of nodes were destroyed and the damage was showing; its accuracy was off and the amount of mana it could channel was falling. But, these three places weren¡¯t where the greatest changes were taking place. That was in Aenflynn¡¯s Castle. While it wasn¡¯t the area that was taxing him most, it was absolutely the one that needed his full focus. Things were changing fast. One moment he was standing beside Merzhin, trying to think of a way to teleport and purge some of the divinity from the ward, the next, the Saint of Thameland had conjured a hammer of pure divine force, cracked the ward and was asking him and Carey if they could teleport him through it. They not only could, but happily did, and without hesitation, the trio was through the barrier that had been so resilient to their magic and prayers. Merzhin and Carey had then touched the throne, channelling the divinity of both Uldar and the Traveller, and within seconds, their combined power was shearing the white stone of Uldar¡¯s chair, revealing the blazing light of divinity shining like a star within it. Alex was watching cracks spreading through the throne with held breath, while the castle quaked around them. A massive explosion came from outside, bringing blinding light and a terrible shockwave with it, shaking the palace further, nearly throwing Alex off his feet. He whirled, peering outside, yet unable to make anything out through the bright light out there. ¡°It¡¯s Aenflynn!¡± Merzhin shouted. ¡°He¡¯s channelling a massive amount of divinity, more than a mortal should safely wield! Alex, can you see if Baelin¡¯s alright?¡± ¡°It¡¯s too bright for me to see anything clearly,¡± Alex said. ¡°But I know he¡¯ll be alright. He¡¯s Baelin; it¡¯ll take more than that shark-toothed bastard¡¯s tricks to stop him. You just keep focusing on the throne; I¡¯ll stay here and protect you in case he tries something to prevent you from destroying the throne.¡± The young archwizard waited as Carey and Merzhin went back to their task. Cracks continued spreading through the chair, the castle¡¯s shaking intensified, stone dust raining down from the ceiling and walls. Alex reached out with his mana senses; he could still feel Baelin¡¯s spells outside in the sky. He brought his attention back to the throne, cracks continued growing, white stone heaving like a labouring heart. ¡®Please be alright,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Please be alright, Baelin.¡¯¡¯ No sooner had those words crossed his mind, than an armoured figure streaked toward the window at breathtaking speed, shattering the glass pane. Alex, Carey, and Merzhin whirled around in shock. Baelin broke through the window, holding the struggling fae lord in a death grip. ¡°My young friends!¡± the ancient archwizard said cheerily. ¡°It seems you are having a celebration. And such festivities call for¡­gifts.¡± He held up the fae lord, still screaming into the archwizard¡¯s hand. ¡°Here you go. Here is mine.¡± The young archwizard¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You got him¡­ But, look at your chest!¡± He gasped at the damage to Baelin¡¯s starmetal armour. ¡°How are you alright?¡± The chancellor laughed heartily. ¡°Your concern warms my heart, Alex, but trust me. He is not up to the task of killing me.¡± Alex looked at him closely for a moment; remembering how in the old stories, mentor characters often claimed to be alright when¡ªin reality¡ªthey had taken a fatal wound but were hiding it. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Alex doubted that Baelin would lie about something like that. Especially, since he could simply ask Merzhin to heal him. He shook his head. ¡®You¡¯re distracted.¡¯ His mind was working from four sets of sensory stimuli, even as different streams of consciousness were controlling his body in each of four locations. ¡®The most important thing to focus on is¡­¡¯ Alex grinned at the struggling fae lord. ¡°Well, well, well¡­we finally meet in the flesh.¡± ¡°We should break him,¡± Merzhin snarled. ¡°After what he¡¯s done, I want to see him undone.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Carey said firmly. ¡°He must be punished.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Baelin said. ¡°He is yours; after all, he is your enemy¡­he barely qualifies as mine. So I leave him to the three of you.¡± With a single word of power, the chancellor conjured a chain of utter darkness between the fae¡¯s teeth. ¡°No more whistling for you,¡± Baelin said. ¡°You three should be careful with him. I am not sure of what other tricks he might have up his sleeve.¡± ¡°What should we do with him?¡± the Saint asked. A sound like shattering glass drew their attention to the throne. The power Merzhin and Carey had wrought against it had succeeded nicely¡­it was clear that the chair was past the point of no return. The white stone groaned like a dying beast as the light within it grew brighter. Cracks were consuming its entire surface, and pieces of stone were exploding from it. Beams of divinity were streaking out, shooting into the air as the divine ward crumbled, falling away into nothingness. ¡°We have to leave!¡± Merzhin cried. ¡°It¡¯s going to explode, and the devastation will be enormous! We can deal with him later!¡± Suddenly, an idea struck Alex. A wonderful and vicious idea. An idea that would offer the highest degree of vengeance. The young archwizard turned to Aenflynn, winking at the chancellor. ¡°You wanted that throne so much?¡± Alex said. ¡°Then sit on it.¡± Channelling the Traveller¡¯s power, the General of Thameland reached out. The fae lord resisted the energy and his mighty will might have held up, but he was in so much pain that even he could not resist Hannah¡¯s energies. Aelx teleported Aenflynn into the chair, focusing the power on keeping him there. The fae lord grew frantic, screaming into the chain as divine energy burned him, but each time he tried to escape he was instantly teleported back into the seat by Hannah¡¯s power and the General¡¯s will. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Alex shouted, touching Merzhin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Back to where we first entered the fae wild!¡± Together he, Carey, Merzhin and Baelin teleported out of the chamber.
Aenflynn sat panicking, struggling with the chain of darkness between his teeth, desperate to rid himself of his bonds. But he could not get free. The ruins of his jaws could not spit the chain out, he was not strong enough to break its magical links, and all the fae magics he¡¯d tried on it simply slid from it like water off an oil-slicked surface. The fae lord gave up on those things, but, frantically kept trying to escape from the distending, cracking seat beneath him. Divine energy burned into him as the symbol of Uldar¡¯s reign crumbled, releasing its concentrated divinity into the air. Beams of pure deific essence escaped from widening holes in the throne¡¯s surface; piercing castle walls like spears of cosmic fire, the fae¡¯s body, and all else around him. He tried to fly away from the throne, only to be teleported back into it. He tried to rise from the chair, only to find himself sitting back into it. He tried willing the magics of his realm to free him, but an even mightier power kept him in the seat of his departed friend. ¡®No, no, no,¡¯ Aenflynn thought. ¡®Not now! Not like this! My realm is at last free of its enemies! My reign cannot be halted like this! I will not be cast aside while others celebrate the victory I won them! I will not! I will¡ªAgh!¡¯ Beams of divinity pierced the Fae lord¡¯s body, destroying most of his organs but¡ªunlike that monster he¡¯d fought in the skies¡ªhis were neither made of stone, nor locked away in far distant places. When Aenflynn¡¯s stomach and lungs were pierced, he bled. The fae lord choked on rusty-liquid filling his mouth, his mind still working¡ªstill scheming¡ªstill trying to find some trick that would let him get away from here alive. But as his mind worked¡­it unearthed an old memory. One that gave him pause. He had been in one of his most private chambers with the Stalker, and had been convincing the small fae to take on a job as his personal hunter and assassin. To hunt down the Saint and the Fool¡­the very two people who had likely killed him. And from that conversation with the old hunter, a certain exchange came back. ¡°It was as though we were seeing far distant shapes through a milky fog; but, with what we suspected was likely to occur, we sensed that we would get our chance,¡± Aenflynn had explained. ¡°A chance at what, m¡¯lord?¡± the Stalker had asked. ¡°I will answer you this way; let us say you walked into this chamber,¡± Aenflynn had said. ¡°And you were handed a glass of wine. But, better wine was being served only to those seated at this table. Let us say that you are more than satisfied with the wine you were handed. You think it is delicious. But the wine at this table? You know it is even more delicious, even though you have never tasted it.¡± ¡°How much better?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯d be curious about this mysterious wine, to be sure, m¡¯lord.¡± ¡°Of course, so would anyone with blood in their veins,¡± Aenflynn had said smoothly. ¡°But, alas, every seat at the table is full. What then?¡± ¡°Am I looking to make enemies of those at the table? Can I just take the wine?¡± ¡°No, and no.¡± ¡°Hmmmm.¡± The Stalker puzzled. ¡°Well, I like my own wine. So I¡¯d keep drinking that. Maybe I¡¯d get the chance to drink the other wine at another time.¡± ¡°Of course you would. Your life is long, and opportunities await. No sense in starting a fight with someone filling a seat¡­but let us say¡­someone were to leave the table.¡± ¡°Ooooohohoho, now things are getting spicy! I can taste the cinnamon already.¡± The Stalker had clapped. ¡°And am I invited to the table?¡± ¡°No.¡± Aenflynn¡¯s eyes had flared brightly. ¡°In fact, no one is. But someone might just sit in that chair. Or the chair could be removed completely, leaving one less seat at the table. What would you do then?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯d grab the seat before anyone else could get to the table, or before it was taken away!¡± the Stalker had said. Now Lord Aenflynn¡¯s smile had turned sly. ¡°Indeed. Of course that is what one would do¡­when there is an empty chair. Keep your ears open my friend, for my riddle is easy to solve. With the right information, the answer will fall into place.¡± A sick irony rose in Aenflynn¡¯s heart. He did not know whether or not the Stalker had ever solved his riddle¡­but he did know one thing. There was an empty chair left in Thameland; the most important empty chair. One of the thrones of godhood. Aenflynn had thought himself so clever; finding ways to manipulate the energies of that chair, bending them to his will and taking the seat for his own weapon. An opportunity to drink of a ¡®wine¡¯¡ªa power¡ªthat only deities were able to ¡®taste¡¯. And he had succeeded. He had taken the opportunity. He had taken the chair. And now? That chair¡ªthe one that belonged to his friend¡ªwould put an end to a life that had spanned thousands of years. A shudder went through Aenflynn¡¯s heart. The stone was bursting now, the divinity unmaking his body and stripping away his soul. His last thought was: ¡®Uldar died on this throne. My friend¡­died on this throne. And now, so shall I. I will have words with him in the after-world. This bloody chair is cursed.¡¯ The throne ruptured. Then burst. Aenflynn, Lord of Och Fir Nog, was no more. Chapter 892: From Throne to Throne Atop the forest covered mountain in the distance, loomed Aenflynn¡¯s castle. It towered above all else, a symbol of the Fae lord¡¯s power, protected by his magics and rising high above the devastated terrain. It stood proudly, a symbol of the sovereignty and grace of Och Fir Nog. A symbol that, in short order, would be no more. From the peak of one of the castle¡¯s many towers, a radiance brighter than a second sun and more terrible than a thousand chaos bombs, shone. This was no ordinary light; it was the dying blaze of a god¡¯s final symbol. And when Uldar¡¯s throne finally followed him into oblivion¡­ ..it did not go quietly. The radiance grew, and the tower shuddered, crumbling, stone cracking, mortar turning to dust. The light faded for a heartbeat and the shaking quieted. And for that instant, all returned to peace. Until the explosion. A blast of divine light ripped from the high tower, consuming everything around it like a tidal wave. Air burned away. Stone vapourized. The river¡ªflowing up the side of the mountain to feed the clouds¡ªboiled away. Once standing so tall and proud, the mountain on which the castle was built deformed, turning to a smouldering stump of boiling rock and drifting ash. Even the clouds were not spared; dispersed by a wind powerful enough to strip bark from trees and flesh from bone. Baelin¡¯s summoned creatures were all blasted back to their home planes. But Aenflynn¡¯s forces were not so lucky. Every living thing within the blast radius was reduced to a memory. Lush gardens and mead fountains, sturdy soldiers and cultivated trees were gone, leaving nothing but dark outlines staining the stones they once stood upon. But even those stones were soon obliterated. Tremendous heat and light had come first, instantly followed by the sound; a noise so loud, that any fae, Ravener-spawn or beast far enough away to not be incinerated, fell screaming, clutching their ears, deafened. Blood ran from their ears and trickled from their eyes; the throne¡¯s destruction was the last light they ever saw, and the last sound they ever heard. The explosion sent ash, dust and boiling rock spewing into the air, trading the vapourised clouds for a dark canopy of soot and a deluge of rock. From many miles away, Alex, Baelin, Carey and Merzhin watched the devastation unfolding in Aenflynn¡¯s realm. Squinting against the light¡ªand thankful to be far enough away to not be blinded by it¡ªthey watched the light and shockwave spread, consuming miles of terrain, forging it into glass. They watched the land buck and protest against the weight of the destruction, a terrible quake consuming it. The earth split apart, yawning open in hungry chasms. Sinkholes swallowed forests. Lakes spilled over the land, and rivers changed course forever. When the full breadth of the detonation was over, a vast and ugly scar had mangled the face of Och Fir Nog, serving as a reminder of what had happened there. Alex wordlessly took in the destruction, his spirit was quiet. There was a sense of finality to this. ¡°What have we done?¡± Merzhin whispered. ¡°So many dead¡­so many¡­¡± ¡°Do not fret,¡± Baelin¡¯s deep voice came from beneath his mask. ¡°It was Aenflynn who made his decisions; it was his hubris that brought war unto his realm, and many of his soldiers gladly joined him. In war, you can weep for the dead¡ªbe they friend or foe¡ªbut understand one thing, if that explosion had occurred in Ussex instead, and it was Aenflynn and his court watching the destruction while you, I, Alex and Carey burned¡­they likely would not weep a single tear for any of us.¡± ¡°Which makes them lesser beings than you are, Merzhin,¡± Carey said, patting Merzhin¡¯s back. ¡°I am ever so bothered if any innocent were caught in this conflict, but we did what had to be done.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°And if Aenflynn hadn¡¯t done any of what he did, a lot more people would be alive right now; both mortal and fae.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, I suppose,¡± Merzhin whispered. ¡°I know that you are. And if Uldar had not done what he did, how many would have lived throughout our history? Well, now his symbol is broken. The priests¡¯ faith will still call down miracles for a time¡ª¡± ¡°And perhaps forever,¡± Baelin interrupted. ¡°A deity is not necessary for faith. The priests still believe in Uldar and in the throne of the god of Thameland; even though both physical symbols are gone, the faith remains and is focused. Not to mention that Uldar¡¯s body still exists. Your priesthood will likely still enjoy their powers¡­as long as their faith is not broken.¡± ¡°The question is what comes next? We know of Uldar¡¯s treachery¡­so what do we do with that knowledge now that the throne is unmade?¡± Carey shook her head. ¡°But I suppose that¡¯s a question for later.¡± She looked at the others. ¡°There is still the Ravener to deal with. We should go to its lair immediately and help our friends, shouldn¡¯t we? ¡­Alex?¡± But the young General of Thameland was frowning, deep in thought, his mind elsewhere. In the Ravener¡¯s lair, he fought alongside his companions. Within the Ravener¡¯s structure, he was busy poisoning node after node. And in both of those battlefields, a similar pattern was emerging. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should all go to the Ravener¡¯s lair,¡± Alex finally said. ¡°Carey, I think you, Baelin, and the me that¡¯s here¡ªby the Traveller, that¡¯s hard to get my mind around¡ªshould go to Thameland and help protect it.¡± Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The young archwizard spoke to Baelin, ¡°You can cast Army of Heroes, right?¡± ¡°I am a Proper Wizard, Alex.¡± ¡°There was never a doubt,¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Meanwhile Merzhin, I''ll take you to the Ravener¡¯s lair. You think your soul¡¯s well enough to do the interdiction with Hannah¡¯s help, that¡¯ll stop it from channelling divinity? I¡¯ll tell her about our plan in Thameland.¡± ¡°I believe so,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°But why would Carey and Baelin¡­and the ¡®you that¡¯s here?¡¯¡± There was a question in Merzhin¡¯s voice. ¡°Why would the three of you go to Thameland? It would make sense to put every resource we have into making sure we annihilate the Ravener for good.¡± Alex shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s weakening. The plan¡¯s working; it got a boost of power from Aenflynn, but¡­things are going wrong for it. Honestly, I don''t think it''s going to take much more to bring it down. That¡¯s why I think Thameland needs the help more than we do in its lair. We want to keep as many people alive as we can, while Claygon, me and the others are finishing things in the cavern.¡± ¡°A sound suggestion.¡± Baelin nodded. ¡°Yes, I would ever so much prefer to go and protect Thameland if the Ravener is truly beginning to fail,¡± Carey agreed. ¡°Alright,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it that way then.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Alex said. ¡°Okay here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do: I¡¯ll teleport you to the Ravener¡¯s cavern, then once you¡¯re there, Carey, Baelin and I will teleport to Thameland. So when you get to its lair, just focus on the interdiction, the others will protect you; Cedric and I¡¯ve been healing everyone.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°And you are sure we are doing well?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°I don¡¯t think this¡¯ll last much longer. The only thing we have to worry about is if the Ravener does something desperate.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Baelin said. ¡°The wounded stag¡ªcornered by its predators¡ªis not when it is at its strongest. ¡­but it is when it¡¯s most dangerous.¡±
Theresa Lu thanked her great-grandfather¡¯s swords for the thousandth time that battle. In the chaos of the Ravener¡¯s lair raging around her; death-beams flew, poison air drifted, and waves of destructive energy swept through the cavern. Ravener-spawn churned around the mortals like a stormy sea. All through that storm of violence, what had kept her alive¡ªand still fighting¡ªwere her companions, Brutus, her own life-enforced body and the Twinblade. The six swords¡ªtwo in her hands, and four blades of energy floating around her¡ªwere cutting down monsters bent on ending their lives. The blades in her hands struck out, raining razor-edged steel on any monster they found. The ethereal blades surrounding her protected her and Brutus¡¯ flanks, carving up creatures like a bird at a Sigmus feast. Her massive, bone-armoured blood-familiar spread his jaws, releasing cones of sonic destruction, pulping flesh, cracking stone and grinding bone to dust. His spiked armour was another weapon, ramming anything that came too close. With jaws spread, he clamped down on any monsters that had escaped his mace-like form. Earlier, Theresa¡¯s, Brutus¡¯ and the others¡¯ power had been straining against the Ravener¡¯s assault. ¡­but now, things were turning around. It was plain that Uldar¡¯s construct was weakening. Its death-beams fired less, and missed their targets more often than they hit. Its spawn were being birthed less, slowing in number, and its powerful magics were weaker. The companions were handily pushing its waning forces back, turning things in their favour. "We almos¡¯ got it beat!¡± Cedric shouted, sweat pouring down the Chosen of Thameland¡¯s tiring form. He had been healing the group continuously, drawing divinity through his soul, taxing himself. But now, his companions were being hurt less often. He had room to breathe. And he used that breath to encourage the others. ¡°Don¡¯ none o¡¯ ya even think about holdin¡¯ back!¡± Cedric lifted his morphic weapon, shaped like a bow, and launched divine arrows into the Ravener¡¯s form, watching them explode as they struck home. ¡°We¡¯re gonna make it!¡± ¡°No! You will not!¡± the Ravener rebutted him. Its form shuddered, struck by Cedric¡¯s arrows, and a bombardment of blows from Hart, Asmaldestre and Alex. But it wasn¡¯t giving up. A point of blinding light grew on its surface, firing another death beam, aiming straight for Cedric. Theresa snarled, flying toward the Chosen. ¡°I¡¯ve got you!¡± she shouted, throwing her blade. With full force, it spun through the air, flying in front of Cedric. Theresa made a grasping motion, vanishing and materialising, holding the sword she¡¯d just thrown. The huntress spotted the oncoming beam and raised the Twinblade in her hands, the four ethereal swords floated in front of her, crisscrossing in mid-air. Theresa followed the beam closely. Watching as it struck her swords. She was driven back by inches, teeth clenching, the deadly energy pushing and burning against her great-grandfather¡¯s blades. The energy roared, her muscles flexed¡­but the Twinblade held firm against the Ravener¡¯s beam, as she knew it would. She switched the angle of her blades, and the energy was deflected by the magical steel, rebounding toward the Ravener, crackling through the air and striking the construct dead on. The explosion blew part of its surface away. It shrieked in frustration. Cedric laughed, looking at Theresa. ¡°I wanted to do that at least once,¡± she said. The Chosen blew out a breath. ¡°Y¡¯shoulda been Marked. If y¡¯had the Champion or Chosen Mark, we¡¯da busted that thing up at least a¡¯year ago!¡± ¡°Maybe,¡± she said. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. This is where we finish it off. Look.¡± She pointed her sword at the section damaged by the Ravener¡¯s own beam. It was repairing itself, but the crater of an injury was regenerating far slower than before. ¡°It¡¯s bleeding out, so to speak,¡± she said. ¡°The hunt¡¯s almost over.¡± She looked at Alex, teleporting around, slinging spells at Thameland¡¯s ancient enemy. He truly looked like a hero. They all did. And she knew that he and Claygon were also¡ªsomehow¡ªinside the Ravener, executing their plan. ¡°Finish it,¡± she whispered, then raised her sword, going back to the battle. As she did, a new figure materialised in the cavern. The Saint of Thameland floated in mid-air. Without a word, he clasped his hands together before him. And began calling upon his divinity.
The Ravener was struggling, and there was no place where that was more obvious than inside its massive structure. Alexander Roth, General of Thameland stabbed another syphoning device into a crystal in another of the Ravener¡¯s mana nodes. Fluid, designed to poison its essence, flowed through the bane-needle, withering the construct¡¯s being as it ran through the crystals, stealing their inner light, dulling their lustre. With a wave of his hand, Alex sealed the device in Walls of Roiling Magic, then teleported out of the node before it collapsed on him. Very few Ravener-spawn were near him, fighting to stop him from poisoning the node, and the small number that were there were lethargic, moving slowly and clumsily. The spawns¡¯ condition looked no better outside the node. When Alex reappeared in the dark realm outside another black tower, signs that the plan was working were plain. In the distance, Claygon and his army of monsters¡ªAlex still could not believe the power of his buddy¡¯s new evolution¡ªwere ripping through the Ravener¡¯s hordes while Uldar¡¯s construct desperately fought back, using its insidious magics. But, these were feeble now, compared to what they had been. It was no longer able to channel its own mana with the precision and force it could before. It was failing in every way and its mana production was falling. Alex took in the towers. ¡°Just one thing left to do,¡± he whispered, picturing the Ravener¡¯s schematics. There was a specific place he needed to go to; a central point for channelling the construct¡¯s energies, much like inside a golem core. If he rewired it to cause what would effectively be a mana reversal, the Ravener would lose even more control. Its inner energies would unravel, and¡ªwhen Merzhin placed his interdiction on it with Hannah¡¯s help¡ªthere would be no chance of it reforming. He took a deep breath. ¡°Finally,¡± he whispered. The General of Thameland teleported to the last, intact tower and placed his hand against its surface. It was different from the others, with no tunnels on the sides, but that wouldn¡¯t stop him. He followed the mana flow through the last node and teleported to its centre. He materialised, ready to call another device to his hand and apply it to the central crystal¡­but instead he stopped dead. There was no crystalline cavern in this node. What stretched out before him, in this central control centre for the Ravener¡­ ¡­was an exact replica of Uldar¡¯s throne room. Chapter 893: Cornered Alexander Roth, General of Thameland, floated within the final node inside the Ravener, stunned at what he was seeing. This place not only produced massive amounts of mana, serving as a sort of control centre for the Ravener¡¯s energies, but it looked exactly like Uldar¡¯s throne room. From here, mana was sent through all of its internal mechanisms. Divinity and mortal fear was channelled throughout its form, powering its weapons and monsters. This precise copy of Uldar¡¯s throne room was the core from where the Ravener¡¯s energies flowed, powering every part of his creation. It was a critical space, so it was fitting that Uldar had designed it to mimic his sanctum: his personal place of power and control. There were minor differences between the two, though. Where the throne room in the sanctum of the god of Thameland had been crafted of snow white stone, and had featured a throne of the same colour rising from the centre of the room, this room was draped with a canopy of crystalline cords, all suspended, hanging, interlocking from the ceiling and walls. Crystals grew from the floor on the sides of the room, resembling pillars alive with beams of mana shooting between their crystalline surfaces. In the centre of the room was the replica of Uldar¡¯s throne, surrounded by a forest of crystalline growths, extending to the ceiling, forming dizzying patterns with their many connections between them. They thrummed with an array of energies. But, at the moment, Alex¡¯s eyes were fixed on the throne. It was uncanny seeing the faithful replica sitting there, knowing that they had destroyed what they¡¯d thought was the only one in existence. He¡¯d watched the palace and its contents blow up, taking much of Och Fir Nog¡¯s countryside with it. Not even the dust of Uldar¡¯s throne could have survived that blast. And yet here it was, so similar, that it felt eerie. ¡°So you have reached even here,¡± the Ravener said, its voice deadly calm. The words emanated from every stone and crystal in the chamber. ¡°After all the pain you have caused and the destruction you have brought, you find yourself in another place where you do not belong, in this central place of Uldar¡¯s making. Look upon it. Do you not see the glory of the creator¡¯s sanctum reflected within this node? Now you have even brought your filth into this hallowed place.¡± ¡°Wait, what?¡± Alex glowered at the throne. ¡°After all the pain I¡¯ve caused?¡± ¡°The Generals of Thameland did not know their place. They did not see the full image of Thameland or the cycle. Were it not for your predecessors¡¯ futile inquisitiveness and rebelliousness, the cycles could have gone on without cullings, or any need to weaken the Heroes.¡± ¡°What the hells does that have to do with me?¡± Alex snapped, his eyes scanning the chamber. At the same time, he was calling on the Mark of the General, searching the room, learning the mana pathways running through the tangle of crystal weaving around the throne and the canopy of crystalline cords suspended from the ceiling. Images of the Ravener¡¯s schematics and the other nodes he¡¯d poisoned flowed through his mind. ¡°You can¡¯t help but repeat the same sins: you only know how to destroy for your own ends. You destroyed the hidden church that was dedicated to Uldar. You murdered Aenflynn, the creator¡¯s friend and ally, and now you are here, defiling this place, wreaking more havoc.¡± ¡°Oh, no, no, no, no, you don¡¯t!¡± the General of Thameland growled. ¡°You¡¯re reversing the roles of victim and offender. It was Uldar who pushed the bloody cycle on the realm. It was Uldar who created you to torture his own people. It was Uldar who decided to suck the lives and faith of his own followers just so he could live a few heartbeats longer. Go straight to all the hells with that nonsense, and tell it to a demon when you get there. They¡¯ll probably care a lot more than I do.¡± ¡°Such insolence. Such insolence.¡± ¡°Insolence? You¡¯re the bloody insolent one: both you and your fallen god. Look at this place? A perfect replica of an empty throne room¡­except this isn¡¯t really a throne room, is it? It never was.¡± Alex¡¯s eyes hardened further. ¡°Uldar retreated to his sanctum and never ruled from there; he just schemed and plotted and hurt people. He was no king, and that was no throne! He never ruled from it. No, that¡¯s not what this chair is. It¡¯s nothing more than a copy of his deathbed and this room¡¯s nothing more than a copy of his hospice and morgue. This place isn¡¯t special. It¡¯s you who¡¯s insolent: we¡¯re the ones who give you power. You and your weak creator would have been nothing without us. You¡¯re no better than mad dogs biting the hands that feed you. One of you is dead, and it¡¯s time for the other one to join him. Go quietly. You¡¯re weakening, you can¡¯t stop us anymore.¡± ¡°Do you ignore the situation you are in?¡± the Ravener demanded. ¡°You are merely delaying the inevitable. You had to go through a great deal to weaken me. Do you think I don¡¯t feel you poisoning my mana and my essence? Destroying my nodes? And, it will all be for nothing.¡± While the Ravener was taunting him, Alex had gotten a good read on the flow of mana in the chamber. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Once he started altering it, the construct might figure out the full breadth of what they were actually trying to do to it, so he''d have to act fast. ¡°In a hundred years¡¯ time, I will return when most of you are skeletons. I will have my spawn trample on your bones and grind your descendants into the dirt.¡± The General sighed. ¡°Sure you will,¡± was all he whispered, teleporting away to the ceiling canopy. Quickly calling one of the last poisoning devices to him, he stabbed it into a hanging cord with one fluid motion. The cord sparked, and began to blanche as the venom spread through it. Alex kept moving, teleporting to another cord, touching it, forcing his mana into it. With a growl, the Ravener retaliated, flooding the air with poison, spawning monsters. Bolts of power¡ªlean and deadly like needles¡ªfired from the crystals lining the sides of the room, all seeking to skewer the General. Alex remained calm. The monsters were materialising slowly. The beams firing sluggishly. The poison was blown away by the air elementals he was summoning. By now, the device that Alex had injected it with was taking its toll; weakening it further. ¡°Look at the measures you must take to weaken me before finally slaying me this cycle,¡± the construct¡¯s tone was mocking. ¡°Your people will benefit for a time as per the parameters of my challenge¡ªsavour that small victory while it lasts and while you can¡ª¡± Alex continued teleporting from cord to cord, altering their inner workings with his mana. ¡°¡ªin the future, this trial will¡­this trial will¡­¡± The Ravener paused for a long moment. ¡°...when I return, I will¡­¡± It paused again. Alex could feel its attention wavering. ¡°¡­what exactly are you doing?¡± Alex ignored the question, continuing the sabotage. ¡°What are you doing?¡± it demanded.
Something was wrong. Very wrong. The Ravener felt itself weakening; many of its nodes and pathways were filled with a poison that the Usurper was using to rob it of its power and faculties. It was harder to direct its thoughts, harder to control its power, harder to defend itself. The poison was working too well. But why was this disloyal Hero poisoning it? Why was he draining its mana? In the past, the Heroes of Thameland had destroyed it by wielding terrible magics, martial might, and deadly divinity. Why were they bothering with such a complex process this time? What purpose did it serve? Were they planning to capture it, to imprison it? The Saint had said before that it should pay for all it had done. Was this their plan? Or was there something else¡­ The Ravener began analysing the specific inner functions the Fool had targeted; all of his efforts had focused on ruining its ability to generate and channel mana¡­ ¡­no. There was more to his actions! The systems he was targeting, they governed its ability to regenerate and¡­and¡­ Suspicion clicked in the Ravener¡¯s mind. A terrible possibility that it had not considered. A possibility that was very quickly confirmed. Outside of its inner depths, within its lair, it watched the Saint of Thameland raise his hands. ¡°Alex!¡± the Saint called. ¡°I¡¯m ready! Call her!¡± ¡°Right!¡± the General, outside the Ravener, answered, his voice filling the construct¡¯s lair. The archwizard concentrated for a moment. Another being appeared inside the cavern. The Ravener flinched at this new presence; a woman holding a lantern¡ª No! No, she was unlike any mortal woman it had ever seen. She was not mortal! She exuded divinity. A goddess; yet she looked vaguely familiar. She had once been another troublesome Saint, but from centuries past. She was supposed to be long dead! So, how was she here? Before the Ravener¡¯s sluggish thoughts could go further, the goddess locked eyes with the Saint of Thameland. They nodded, extending their hands toward the Ravener. And spoke as one. ¡®From this moment, Thameland shall forevermore sever its connection with the Ravener. This is our interdiction in the name of Uldar and the Traveller!¡¯ their voices rose, shaking the cavern to its foundations. It felt more like the entire realm was shaking under the weight of their words. Something severed within the construct. All the fear trickling into it from the material world vanished. Its connection to the land died as though it had never been. ¡®What is this? Without the connection to Thameland, I will not¡ª¡¯ it began thinking. ¡®¡ªthis is confirmation. They want to stop me from reconstituting! This is not only a battle to end me, it is a battle to end the cycle and spit on the creator¡¯s will!¡¯ That stirring within the Ravener peaked, consuming the construct. The stirring had been brewing inside it since its mightiest spawn had been destroyed. And¡ªat last¡ªUldar¡¯s construct fully comprehended what that unfamiliar feeling had been. For the first time in its millennia of existence¡­it was feeling fear. Pure, utter, existential terror. What would happen to it? It had no soul to pass into the after-world. No chance to join its creator in death. Even worse than its own permanent destruction, was its ultimate failure. The unmaking of its very purpose. If it was annihilated now, it would have failed to save its creator, failed to punish those that had turned their backs on their god, and failed to even continue the cycle its creator had designed and intended for Thameland. ¡®No! This cannot be allowed to happen!¡¯ the Ravener screamed inside. But what could it do? Its weapons were failing. Its defences were falling apart. Its own faculties were being turned against it. The Ravener had received a great surge of divinity from Aenflynn before the fae¡¯s death, but its internal pathways were so corrupted that it could not even use that power properly. All that raw energy waiting there would be wasted, useless! If anything, it would be better if it were dead. At least if it were killed before the Fool completed his sly tasks, there would be a chance for it to reconstitute. If only it were¡­ ¡­then an idea struck. A wonderful, terrible idea. It knew exactly what it would do with the divine power that Uldar¡¯s friend had so graciously provided. ¡®I will detonate my form and reform in a hundred years, destroying everything in here before they can ruin my ability to reconstitute,¡¯ it thought. ¡®And I will cause every dungeon core in Thameland to explode, wiping out mortal life across the wretched realm. They have cornered me, but in doing this, I will make their actions futile. Their petty kingdom will be as silent as Uldar¡¯s body. Yes. This will be how it ends. In a hundred years, I will gloat over their bones.¡¯ With that, the Ravener called on its divine energies. It called on its remaining mana. It called on the last dregs of fear it had absorbed. And it would use it for its ultimate reckoning. A final act in this cycle. One that mortals would speak of in frightened whispers for a thousand years to come. Chapter 894: I Am Not Meant to Die Within the Ravener¡¯s dark world, Claygon rampaged like an ancient god of war. As his opponent weakened, the golem became more accustomed to his new powers. The Ravener¡¯s armies fled before the golem¡¯s might. Its beams and magic were useless against him, while his destructive rays carved trenches through its insides. But as Claygon used his new powers inside the construct, he detected power suddenly building in the air around him. The darkness was lighting up. The Ravener¡¯s inner world rocked back and forth. The ground was splitting. ¡®Father¡­something is wrong¡­all¡­is falling apart¡­everything here is cracking and power is growing in the air¡­¡¯ Claygon thought to Alex. ¡®What is happening¡­?¡¯
Alex stiffened at Claygon¡¯s words. ¡°Oh shit!¡± He had been busy disrupting the Ravener¡¯s nodes, attacking the final one, but he paused and poured his mana into the construct¡¯s pathways, searching them. Alex froze. ¡°You¡¯re planning on blowing everything up, you piece of crap!¡± he shouted. ¡°You will not unmake the creator¡¯s will,¡± the Ravener said. ¡°I will end all of you first.¡± The world slowed around the General of Thameland. Thoughts passed through his brain at lightning speed. He could already feel the Ravener¡¯s energies growing unstable within it. Power was moving rapidly, Alex understood that this would not be a slow, gradual build up to a devastating explosion. It would happen quickly; had it not been for the damage Alex had already inflicted on its nodes and pathways, the construct might have already detonated its lair. There wasn¡¯t much time. Seconds, maybe. Perhaps a few minutes if he was really lucky. Seeing through the eyes of himself outside the Ravener¡¯s inner workings, he pinpointed his companions. Could he teleport all of them away in time? Could he and Hannah teleport the Ravener away? But if they did, then what? If the Ravener detonated¡ªeven if they all survived¡ªthey would lose their chance at ending it for good. It would be back again in another cycle, in a hundred years. ¡®No,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®No more delays. No more. This has to end, and it has to end now.¡¯ Activating the Mark of the General, he thought of possibilities. He considered every angle. ¡®Think, adapt. Think, adapt¡­¡¯ he thought. He needed to work faster¡­and there was only one way to do that. ¡®That¡¯s it!¡¯ He called on Hannah¡¯s power. Outside the Ravener, Alex spoke to the others. ¡°Hannah! Get everyone out of here! Including Claygon, he¡¯s inside the Ravener with me!¡± he shouted, then disappeared. In Thameland¡ªin two different places¡ªAlex vanished, then materialised, joining the duplicates of himself already inside the Ravener. All four got to work on its last node. Teleporting and flickering through the Ravener¡¯s node, they poured mana into it. Two of him set about slowing down its explosion. The other two altered its mana pathways, triggering minute-mana reversals. Cords sparked. Some exploded. All around him, the node cracked and wavered, but if that was because of his efforts, or from the Ravener¡¯s build up of energy, Alex couldn¡¯t know. He simply kept going. Outside, Hannah raised her hands. ¡°Wai¡ª¡± Theresa started to say. ¡°Hold¡ª¡± Cedric began. But too quickly, Hannah teleported them from the lair. Claygon vanished from inside the Ravener. And Alex was alone, working to disrupt its mana pathways. Small explosions erupted in the node. The General worked faster, calling on the Mark, pouring mana into all of the Ravener¡¯s pathways, trying to stop it from being able to blow the entire lair up. Heat rose inside the replica of Uldar¡¯s throne room. Alex felt like he was sweltering. His eyes were watering. He could feel the energies running away within the Ravener, scorching the air. For an instant, he flashed back to the alehouse fire that had claimed his parents. But this was one fire that he would stop. ¡®Almost there!¡¯ he thought, completing the final adjustment to the canopy, then inserting the last device. ¡®Father¡­!¡¯ Claygon shouted in Alex¡¯s mind. ¡®What are you doing¡­?¡¯ ¡®Finishing this!¡¯ he thought. ¡®Stay back!¡¯ ¡®No father¡­you are not doing it alone¡­!¡¯
In the lair, the air shimmered. And together, Alex¡¯s companions reappeared¡ªtouching Drestra as she teleported them back. Bjorgrund with his beard bristling. Grimloch with his teeth gnashing. Drestra, Hart, Merzhin and Cedric with their Marks blazing. Isolde with lightning dancing around her hands. Thundar, wrapped by illusions and force magic. Khalik with Najyah screaming on his shoulder. Asmaldestre, her blood-curdling battlecries filling the lair. Claygon, his body radiating power. And finally¡­Theresa and Brutus, Alex¡¯s oldest companions. Hannah returned soon after. ¡°I couldn¡¯t stop them,¡± she whispered. ¡°But I really didn¡¯t want to. Not when they were so dedicated to helping you. They said they weren¡¯t about to abandon you!¡± She called upon her divinity, wrapping the companions in her protective aura. ¡°Do what you must!¡± And they did. Theresa acted first, shooting toward the Ravener¡¯s outer surface. The construct was breaking, cracks were webbing through its form. Light shone through those cracks, and all around, the lair shook. Its defensive cage of death-beams flickered and vanished as its power grew unstable. She didn¡¯t pause, flying straight toward the construct. ¡°There is nothing you can do now,¡± the Ravener said, its voice deathly quiet. ¡°It is done. I am beyond you now.¡± This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. ¡°I¡¯m not aiming for you,¡± she snarled. Theresa shot through the air, sailing past the Ravener¡­ ¡­and grabbing Uldar¡¯s corpse. ¡°No!¡± the construct howled. ¡°Do not touch him! Get back! Stop!¡± It tried channelling power to one of its death beams, but was overwhelmed by the group. Claygon charged, grabbing onto its form, taking the death beam with his body, but remaining unharmed. Isolde¡¯s lightning raked across it, disrupting its concentration. Khalik fired sandstorms from Najyah¡¯s body, the force throwing it against a cavern wall. Thundar surrounded it with illusions of Uldar¡¯s body, blocking its view. Brutus lashed it with his sonic cones, pressing it against the wall. Grimloch and Bjorgrund threw their full weight against it, trying to keep it in place. Asmaldestre launched through the air to land on it, blasting it repeatedly with her weapon. Hart followed, weakening it further with his divine blade. Drestra¡¯s wind spells stifled its movements, adding to its confinement. Merzhin called on a miracle, battering it with waves of divine force. Hannah called upon her divine energies, slowing down its preparations for the explosion it was building to. Every companion focused on holding the Ravener down, keeping it in place, stopping it from detonating its energies. The Chosen of Uldar flew at the Ravener as Theresa soared past him with the dead god¡¯s body. ¡°You will die for this!¡± the Ravener threatened. ¡°Return him!¡± ¡°Come on¡­¡± Cedric muttered, rushing to join his companions. ¡°Finish it, Alex.¡±
Within the Ravener, the node was disintegrating. Uldar¡¯s construct was building up divinity, preparing to destroy everything, including its dungeon cores in Thameland. Meanwhile the poisoned mana was raging through it, reversing within its form, breaking down its innate abilities. Alex¡ªin four locations within the node¡ªwas pouring sweat. His skin burned from the intense heat building within the Ravener¡¯s form. The air was poisoned, the air elementals were barely keeping the deadly gases away from him. Crystals were bursting into fountains of molten power and surging through the node, the geysers of disintegrating energy gave Alex his greatest hurdle to conquer. Ahead of him was the throne¡ªor what was supposed to be the throne¡ªrepresenting so much of what was wrong with the cycle, so much of what was wrong with Uldar. It was key, the central control point for the Ravener¡¯s many energies. It was the final area that Alex needed to alter. It was also the deadliest place among the nodes. The forest of crystalline growths around the throne were exploding in white-hot plumes of mana, while the Ravener defended them with death-beams and waves of magic, there to shred anything coming within even a foot of the throne. Living cores were materialising around it, each releasing their own Ravener-spawn, shrieking their disrupting cries. Their voices grated against the General¡¯s mind, fighting to get through his will and dismantle the resistance he was putting up against them. Snarling with determination, he¡ªin all four places in the node¡ªteleported to the throne, flickering around it at dizzying speeds. In one instant, four Generals were there, pouring their mana into the throne, or using a combination of strength, Wizard¡¯s Hands and teleportation to rip the crystalline structures apart, weaving them into new shapes meant to shift mana as he willed. In the next, the four vanished as death-beams struck the air where they had been a moment earlier. The room was boiling hot now, Alex had to call on Mana to Life to keep his body from roasting. Even then, he knew he didn¡¯t have much time; the Ravener¡¯s attention had shifted to something outside itself, though he didn¡¯t know what that was. He was thankful for anything that would buy him another few heartbeats, though. Alex summoned monsters with his staff and cast spells, using whatever he could to face the Living Cores and their hordes. He conjured forceballs and Wizard¡¯s hands to distract his opponents and help him place more of the crystals into the configuration he needed. Hannah¡¯s power helped him teleport through the deadly energies rampaging through the collapsing chamber. They allowed him to use mana manipulation techniques to force the Ravener¡¯s mana into the pathways he needed them to be in. It was nearly done. ¡®I¡¯m so close,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®So damn close!¡¯ He teleported up to the canopy, wrenching one of the crystal cords free, bringing it down toward the throne. ¡®This bypass will complete the new pathways,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Just need to connect¡ª¡¯ He pulled on the cord and¡­ ¡­came up short. ¡°No!¡± he cried. The cord was too short. Just a little bit too short. Less than a finger-width longer and he would have completed the circuit. ¡°I just need a little more¡ª¡± The floor erupted in a geyser of divine power, the deadly energies spraying everywhere. ¡°Shit!¡± Alex cursed, teleporting backward. In four places in the node, the young archwizard weathered the waves of power battering everything in the node. The room was steadily disintegrating: walls, the ceiling and floor were exploding into raging fountains of deadly power. There was hardly any part of the room that was left whole; the rest had collapsed into boiling waves of energy. Alex¡¯s eyes went wide. The geyser that had erupted near the throne was expanding, threatening to consume his work. If the connections he¡¯d made were destroyed, it would all have been for nothing. He focused Hannah¡¯s power on the energies boiling beside the throne, teleporting them away from his work. It was one of the hardest things he¡¯d ever done; even Hannah¡¯s power struggled to move so much power with ease. Concentrating, he stopped being in four places at once, freeing more of her power to focus on moving that much divine force. Four pairs of eyes became a single pair. Four sets of senses paired down to one. And a single Alex was left, taking in the geyser of power, the throne, and the cord hanging above it¡­less than an inch from making contact and completing the flow of energy he¡¯d been trying to establish. The room quaked. The temperature spiked, scalding his skin. His mind sped up, the world slowed around him. ¡®It¡¯s going to blow at any moment now,¡¯ he realised. He briefly considered teleporting out, but just as quickly, dismissed the idea. This had to end here, and end in the Ravener¡¯s permanent destruction. He would not allow any other outcome. His eyes and mind focused on the small gap that needed to be bridged; a bit of mana conductive material would do the trick. He thought of teleporting a small piece of crystal to bridge the gap, but he needed all of Hannah¡¯s power to syphon away the energy threatening to destroy what he¡¯d already done. ¡®Come on!¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®You can do this! Just fly in there and grab a piece of crystal and¡­no, no that won¡¯t work.¡¯ He eyed the energy boiling around the throne. ¡®There¡¯s no space for me to fit through that deadly power¡­bloody hells, I couldn¡¯t even fit a Wizard¡¯s Hand through there!¡¯ There was only a tiny space through the roiling power. Even a single elemental beetle would have trouble fitting through there. Clenching his teeth, the General of Thameland¡¯s mind raced. ¡®Think!¡¯ he thought. ¡®You didn¡¯t get this close just to fail now! You¡¯re not going to fail your friends and family! You¡¯re not going to fail your realm! You¡¯re not going to fail yourself! You can solve this!¡¯ In his imagination, an image of Uldar flashed before him, mocking him¡­then the face shifted. Replaced by the face of a jester, complete with belled cap, grinning at him derisively. He could almost hear it laughing, saying: you got all the way here just to be a useless fool. Alex rejected the image with four words: ¡®I. Am. No. Fool!¡¯ ¡®I just need to get a bit of mana conductive material in there! What do I have? What are my resources?¡¯ He found his mind returning to earlier days, before he had mastered ninth-tier spells. Before he¡¯d made a deal with a powerful war-spirit. Before he forged his staff. Before he¡¯d crafted Claygon with Selina. Before all of his accumulated power. All of that power had gotten him here. But now, he had to think like he used to, when all he had were his wits and his will to succeed. He needed to¡ª ¡®Think! Adapt!¡¯ he told himself. ¡®Think! Adapt! Think! Adapt! Come on! You were able to adapt to the Mark of the Fool, and to everything else that came after! You can adapt to this! Think! Adapt!¡¯ His mind continued dwelling on his early days with the Fool¡¯s Mark. ¡®Think! Just like how you overcame the goddess statues, tricking them into shooting each other! Adapt! Just like when you used your forceball on the inside of that Silence Spider in the Coille! Think! Adapt! Just like when you were leaving Alric with¡­¡¯ His mind paused on a single memory. He had been standing with Theresa, Selina and Brutus, trying to escape Alric without the priests and guards noticing him. A magistrate had been causing a ruckus ahead of him, complaining about a stolen coin purse. And he¡¯d come up with a plan. He would toss coins into the crowd to create his own distraction. Coins. A coin. His mind went to his pouch: to Kelda¡¯s Coin of Silent Friends. What had Birger said about it? ¡°The coin is very mana conductive; it¡¯s a copper and zinc alloy.¡± He knew what he had to do. The world sped up. Alex called on the Mark of the General, his hand shooting into his satchel. It emerged with a coin the size of one of his fingernails, inlaid with the image of a red mouse in the centre. Kelda¡¯s symbol. A final laugh at the Ravener¡¯s expense on her behalf. The General of Thameland focused his mind on how he¡¯d made coin tosses in the past, on the best ones he¡¯d ever made. Memories flooded to him. Images of himself flicking coins at the crowd on the way out of Alric, the feeling of rolling them back and forth across his fingers, other coin tosses he¡¯d made; flipping and catching coins in the air when he was younger. And then one final memory: tossing his last pay from McHarris into the fountain in the centre of Alric. At the stone feet of the Heroes¡¯ statues. The young archwizard raised his hand, the Mark of the General guiding him. Alex Roth flicked Kelda¡¯s coin with his thumb. The Coin of Silent Friends spun through the air. It passed between the waves of deadly energy. Flipped end over end¡­ ¡­and slotted into the gap between the throne and the end of the crystalline cord. The circuit completed. Energy poured from the throne and through the crystalline wire, passing through the pathways that Alex had altered. A mana reversal rushed through the Ravener, causing the construct to shriek. Poison gushed through its entire form¡ªcarried by the runaway reaction¡ªpassing from the room and forcibly reconnecting to the poisoned nodes throughout the body of Uldar¡¯s creation. Poison flooded through it, and its regeneration fried. Its inner functions burnt out in increments. The Ravener groaned, sounding like a dying beast. The node shook around Alex¡­and abruptly, the quaking began subsiding. Uldar¡¯s creation was dying¡ªthe young archwizard could feel it¡ªbut it was not dying in a violent, devastating, explosion that would be whispered about for centuries to come. Much like its creator, it was going quietly. The energy faded from the air around Alex. Geysers of power sputtered, ebbing to nothingness. Death-beams shrank to guttering, flickering embers. Very few Ravener-spawn had survived Alex¡¯s summons and the room¡¯s scorching air, but even these few quickly began choking, gasping for air, their flesh rapidly desiccating, and like dried out husks, they toppled over. Living cores swelled, bursting open, turning to ash. Poison dissipated from the air. Every crystal in the chamber began to dull. The roar and radiance from the Ravener¡¯s violent plan to obliterate its lair and everyone in it subsided, replaced by growing silence and darkness. Light faded in the replica of Uldar¡¯s throne room, the stone flaking like ash in a fireplace. Around Alex, the flow of mana sputtered to a trickle. There was no healing. No regeneration. No explosion. Just a growing stillness. And then, the General of Thameland felt the ancient enemy of his people turn to the throne. There was no more hatred coming from it. No more rage. Only a growing terror. ¡°Creator! Look what they have done to me! Save your creation! They have beaten me, and like you, I cannot come back from what they have done!¡± the Ravener¡¯s voice was weak. Afraid. ¡°Do not leave me alone! I am not meant to die.¡± Light continued fading. The dark continued to grow. The chamber suddenly turned cold. Alex waited for another attack. For a curse, or for more words from the construct. But none came. The flow of mana stilled around the General of Thameland. The Ravener, Uldar¡¯s creation that had terrorised Thameland through thousands of years, was dead. Gone. All that was left in its wake was the silence of a tomb. Chapter 895: Finally Free ¡°Be ready,¡± the king of Thameland whispered. He stood on the walls of the capitol city, looking out. His muscles ached. His breathing was heavy, but the power of both the General¡¯s magic and the Traveller¡¯s blessing flowed through him. On the wall around him, his knights remained watchful, scanning the fields ahead. The General¡¯s powerful mercenaries flanked them, and without them, many more lives would have been lost. The city was quiet now, delivered from Ravener-spawn. Yet the same could not be said for the fields surrounding it. Another horde of Spawn was rushing for the city gates, gnashing their teeth and flexing their claws, snarling, howling, and crying out for Thameish blood. The king gripped his sword. ¡°Steady. Steady! We only need to hold out as long as¡­as¡­¡± His words trailed off. ¡°Sire!¡± a court wizard cried. ¡°Look! Something¡¯s happening to the spawn!¡± Tobias Jay pushed through the crowd of knights to stand behind his king, and watch the horde approaching the city. Or rather, that had been approaching the city. Across the fields and forests, thousands of Ravener-spawn suddenly ¡­stopped. One moment, they were rampaging toward Ussex¡¯s high walls, and the next, they were as still as statues, staring ahead, looking through what seemed to be unseeing eyes. As one, they suddenly dropped. Ravener-spawn collapsed on themselves like puppets with their strings cut. They sprawled on the ground, unmoving, as silent as the grave. Flyers plummeted from the sky, landing in heaps. On fields that a moment earlier were churning with life, dead bodies now lay, silent in death. In less than a breath, thousands of Ravener-spawn were corpses. The king, the high priest and the other defenders of Ussex, stared down at the sight in bewilderment.
They were falling. Dozens of Ravener-spawn fell in the tunnel ahead of them, right in front of Ripp¡¯s shocked eyes. One moment, they were fighting for their lives, and the next, every Ravener-spawn had simply toppled over, dead. ¡°What¡­what happened?¡± Kybas asked as Harmless cracked the bone of a dead behemoth, eager to feast on the contents. ¡°I wonder what¡¯s wrong with them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Ripp said. ¡°But, whatever it is, I think it means we won. If they¡¯re dropping dead, I think that¡¯s good news.¡±
¡°Svenia, are you seeing this?¡± Hogarth asked. ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing,¡± Svenia murmured, pulling her halberd out of a gibbering legion¡¯s corpse. The two guards and other defenders peered down the tunnel at Ravener-spawn corpses lying on the ground ahead of them. All was quiet. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± A Watcher asked. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what¡¯s happened.¡± Birger smiled, tears in his eyes. ¡°My boy did good, is what happened. All of those young folks did good.¡± He looked up at the ceiling. ¡°We got ¡®em, Kelda.¡±
Vernia Jules fell silent, watching Ravener-spawn falling across the moors. They collapsed like stalks of wheat cut down by a farmer¡¯s scythe. ¡°Well,¡± Gemini said. ¡°This bodes well.¡± ¡°It does, indeed,¡± added Councillor Kartika. ¡°My word,¡± Professor Jules muttered. ¡°I think this might mean¡ª¡± As she spoke there came a shimmering in the sky. The image of the Traveller formed above them, her white robe contrasting with the blue of the sky behind her. She beamed, waves of joy radiating from her smile. ¡°Thameland,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s done. The great battle of our time is finished. The Ravener is gone, and not just for this cycle, but forever. The kingdom and its people are at last free, thanks to the Heroes of Thameland, their companions and your endless efforts and sacrifices! We! Have! Won!¡± There was a moment of silence. Then the wizards of Greymoor shouted in victory. Fists pumped. Watchers hugged mercenaries, some even bowed their heads in reverence to the image of the newborn goddess. ¡°Well, that looks to be check,¡± Hobb said calmly. ¡°And mate, if I am not mistaken.¡± Professor Jules didn¡¯t cheer quite yet. She wouldn¡¯t. Not until her students came home.
¡°Look! Look above!¡± a soldier cried, pointing to the sky above Coille Forest. There in the sky was the image of the goddess, the Saint of Alric, transformed and transcended. ¡°It¡¯s the Traveller!¡± a priest shouted. ¡°She heralds victory!¡± cried another voice. ¡°We have won!¡± ¡°The Traveller bless us!¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°We are delivered from the darkness!¡± ¡°Blessings upon the Heroes! Upon Thameland!¡± In front of the Cave of the Traveller, the Thameish army chanted, cheered, and threw themselves on the ground in supplication. The news of victory spread to those within the cave itself, they joined in celebrating and praising the newborn goddess. The only members of the teams of defenders who did not join in were Toraka Shale¡¯s golems, they had fallen silent and were completely still. There was no more fighting for them to do. Ravener-spawn corpses filled the forest of Coille. Never to stir again.
A cheer erupted from thousands of voices, rising over Ussex as the Traveller made her announcement. Her image had appeared across the sky, visible from every part of Thameland. As one, the entire kingdom cried out in victory, in relief, and astonishment. The Thameish king was no exception. ¡°Victory!¡± King Athelstan declared. ¡°We have victory! We have truly won! Rejoice, Thameland! Rejoice!¡±
¡°I told you we would live.¡± Kyembe of Sengezi sheathed his sword at his waist. ¡°And live well. We drink from the cup of victory along with these brave folk. Ah, but we should go and find¡ªHm? Wurhi?¡± The tiny Zabyallan had collapsed across the parapet, panting heavily, her sword limp in her fingers. ¡°Feels like my arms are about to fall off. Damn these monsters ten times! Twenty times! I hope they eat hot coals in the hells. Hot coals dipped in dung and soaked in a fisherman¡¯s waste basket!¡± Kyembe responded with a deep, rich laugh. A little distance away, Ezerak Kai smiled wistfully. ¡°I did not have to witness another kingdom fall. This is a good day. This is a very good day.¡±
The golems stood silent near Alric¡¯s walls as the town¡¯s defenders cheered, clapped each other on the shoulders, and caught each other up in the deepest hugs. Standing in front of the medical tent, Peter and Paul gazed up at the sky, their jaws agape. ¡°Did¡­did we just live through this, Peter?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Aye, Paul,¡± Peter replied. ¡°I think we did. I think we did, at that. Traveller be praised, and I¡¯m going to buy the Roth boy an entire keg of ale when I see him next time.¡± ¡°The biggest keg in the town¡¯s history.¡±
Baelin and Carey floated in the sky, watching the Thameish countryside. Carey looked up at the Traveller¡¯s image, her face beaming. ¡°It¡¯s done. We¡¯ve won at long last. Thameland is safe!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Baelin looked at the fallen Ravener-spawn on the plains below. Already, he was eyeing the bodies, looking for any choice samples that met his eye. ¡°It would seem that our friends and allies have brought down the cornered beast. Very good. Well done, my young friends. Well done.¡±
¡°I¡­I think it''s dead! I think it¡¯s dead!¡± Cedric¡¯s joyful cry filled the cavern. The Ravener, pressed to the wall by Alex¡¯s companions, was completely silent. No mana stirred from it. No angry cries demanding the return of Uldar¡¯s body. No spark of divinity. No attempt to attack or defend itself. Nothing. What once was a terrible construct of horrifying power, now seemed to be dead. A damaged orb of dead, black material. ¡°It is done,¡± the Traveller said. ¡°I feel no signs of life from it, no connection between it and Thameland, or any other energies. It is dead, and I have told Thameland.¡± ¡°You mean we won?¡± Thundar blinked, catching Khalik¡¯s eye. ¡°I think we did!¡± the prince grinned. ¡°Wait,¡± Theresa said, cutting in before they could start celebrating. She was carrying Uldar¡¯s body over her shoulder like a sack of trash. ¡°Where¡¯s Alex?¡± The others fell silent, looking at each other. Then all eyes fell on the black orb.
Alexander Roth, archwizard, General of Thameland and former Fool of Uldar, stood within the corpse of the Ravener. All was quiet in the wake of its death. The node was calm, yet Alex¡¯s mind reeled. The Ravener was dead. The monstrous creation of a monstrous god. Something that had plagued his people for millennia. Was actually dead. It had changed the very direction of his life. And now it was dead. With the aeld staff giving off waves of relief in his hand, he stepped forward¡ªusing the light of the aeld¡¯s crystalline blooms to light his way¡ªand placed a hand against the throne. It was ash grey, flaking like cold embers. He closed his eyes and poured his mana into the Ravener¡¯s pathways. Nothing. No spark of energy or life; the mana pathways were completely burnt out. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± he whispered, hardly believing it. ¡°It¡¯s actually over.¡± ¡®Father?¡¯ Claygon¡¯s voice reached through the link with his father. ¡®Father are you alright?¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m fine, buddy,¡¯ Alex¡¯s thoughts reached back through their link. ¡®I¡¯m¡­I¡¯m more than alright.¡¯ ¡®Father¡­the Ravener¡­has gone silent. It¡¯s not moving at all,¡¯ Claygon thought. ¡®It seems to be¡­dead.¡¯ ¡®Yeah,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®It really does.¡¯ The young wizard teleported out of the node and into the dark world within the Ravener. There was no movement around him, the air was cool and free of energy, a deep silence filling it, only broken by Alex¡¯s steady breathing. Suddenly, the world began to shake. Dark skies began falling. The ground cracked further. In the distance, node towers crumbled. ¡®Father¡­!¡¯ Claygon called through their link ¡®The Ravener¡­it¡¯s breaking apart!¡¯ Alex took a quick look around, then teleported out. There were no barriers, no traps, no death beams, nor magics to stop him from leaving the Ravener¡¯s internal spaces unopposed. He could leave with no problem, and he did, reappearing in the Ravener¡¯s lair. Everywhere he looked in the dark cavern, he found blood and bodies. Thousands of Ravener-spawn were heaped atop each other in great piles. Ahead of him, his companions had pushed the Ravener against a stone wall. Or rather, what was left of the Ravener. Cracks were spreading through the construct¡¯s lifeless form as it crumbled. The sphere dissolved, its form running like black rain, and spilling onto the stone floor. It ran until it poured. Increasing in volume. ¡°It¡¯s bigger on the inside, that¡¯s why there''s so much of that stuff,¡± Alex whispered. ¡°Alex!¡± an excited voice cried. The young archwizard turned in time to see Theresa flying toward him at speed. She tossed the burden on her shoulder aside¡ªUldar¡¯s body, Alex realised¡ªdiscarding it to land on a pile of Ravener-spawn bodies like so much trash. ¡°Maybe we should be more carefu¡ªOof!¡± he groaned as Theresa barreled into his chest at full force, nearly knocking the wind out of him, and wrapping him in a crushing hug. ¡°Alex!¡± she cried, pulling back and cupping his chin in her hand. She turned his head this way and that, examining it closely. ¡°Are you hurt anywhere? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright,¡± he smiled. Her eyes met his. ¡°And is it done?¡± He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± The huntress¡¯ eyes sparked, and she froze for a moment, then began trembling and laughing. She let out a whoop of joy that echoed through the Ravener¡¯s lair. ¡°By the Traveller¡ª¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Hannah said. ¡°¡ªwe won!¡± Theresa finished. ¡°We actually won! It¡¯s true, we did it!¡± ¡°Faaaatheeeeer!¡± Alex looked up just in time to be hugged by an evolved golem of steel and dungeon core substance. Claygon wrapped his family in his four arms in a tight embrace. ¡°Faaaather you are¡­alright! We¡­did it! We are¡­alright! We¡­won!¡± ¡°We sure did, buddy,¡± Alex squeezed out his words as his body was being crushed. ¡°We actually did it! Is everybody alright?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± Prince Khalik shouted, flying up to Alex, Claygon and Theresa. ¡°How can we be just ¡®alright¡¯? We are better than that, so much better, my friend! We have gained a great victory today!¡± ¡°Hells yeah!¡± Thundar flew over as well. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! I can¡¯t believe it!¡± ¡°Truly well done!¡± Isolde joined them. ¡°A glorious expression of violence,¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice stung the ear. ¡°We did it,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled as she stared at the remains of the Ravener, still pouring onto the cavern floor. ¡°We actually won.¡± ¡°And without any of us dying,¡± Hart said. ¡°It was some battle but we lasted. Glad we did all that training. It was worth it.¡± ¡°Traveller be praised,¡± Merzhin added. ¡°Why, thank you.¡± Hannah smiled. The Saint looked at her sharply, a startled expression crossing his face. Grimloch looked at the Ravener¡¯s remains, letting out a long sigh. ¡°Looks inedible.¡± Bjorgrund patted him on the back. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get over it. Lots of meat around.¡± Grimloch eyed the Ravener-spawn bodies, licking his chops. ¡°Ooooiiiii! Good job, everyone!¡± Cedric shouted. Brutus barked, flying up, three tongues licking Alex and Theresa¡¯s faces. The young archwizard of Alric smiled. ¡°None of us would be here if it weren¡¯t for our dedication, our wits, our strength and our teamwork.¡± He looked down at Uldar¡¯s body. ¡°But now, we have a lot of decisions to make. A lot of people to talk to and a lot of rebuilding to do,¡± he said quietly. ¡°A new age in Thameland¡¯s history starts today. One where we¡¯re finally free from terror and death. Finally permanently free.¡± Chapter 896: Aftermath ¡°Well, looks like it¡¯s stopped.¡± Thundar pointed. ¡°See?¡± At long last, the Ravener¡¯s remains had stopped flooding the floor of the chamber. Most of the enormous cavern was filled with black dust; the remains of the terror that had reigned over Thameland for millenia. Even the lake was saturated with them. ¡°All that stuff¡¯s got to be worth a fortune!¡± Thundar rubbed his hands together. ¡°We¡¯ll split it among the lot of us,¡± Alex grinned. ¡°We might as well get some good from it.¡± ¡°Wait, are you sure?¡± Bjorgrund asked, looking at Alex sharply. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know what to do with any of it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if any of you don¡¯t want Ravener-remains, I can buy your portion from you, or use it to make magic items or golems that I could sell, then give you some of the profit, ¡­after a small fee for my labour, of course.¡± ¡°That sounds good to me, and you sound like a real merchant,¡± Bjorgrund said. ¡°No, no, no, my young friend, he''s trying to rip you off!¡± Thundar said quickly, waving his hands at the giant. ¡°Ask him how ¡®small¡¯ this fee would be! Next thing you know, this bastard¡¯ll be grinning at you as he hands you three silver coins for your trouble while he¡¯s saying, Oh, sorry friend, after my fee, this is all that¡¯s left, terribly sorry! I could just hear him now, saying how sorry he was without a hint of apology showing in his eyes! None!¡± Alex started laughing, his whole body shaking. He was in a good mood, a very good mood. ¡°Come on, Thundar, I wouldn¡¯t rip Bjorgrund off¡­ he¡¯s not you.¡± ¡°Thanks,¡± the minotaur said dryly. ¡°Actually, speaking of doing things with remains¡­¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. She had returned to human form and was pointing at the deific body lying on a pile of Ravener-spawn corpses. ¡°What do we do with him?¡± The group fell silent. After their initial celebration, they¡¯d turned to cleaning up, picking up arrows and going through Ravener-spawn corpses, searching for any pieces of equipment they¡¯d dropped during the battle. Hannah had gone, leaving them behind while she went to Thameland where scores of wounded fighters needed healing, but she¡¯d promised she would see them later. The rest of the group was scattered across the lair, they had paused at Drestra¡¯s words, and were now looking at the god¡¯s body. Uldar¡¯s form lay splayed across a pile of Ravener-spawn corpses, thrown aside and almost forgotten. No one had considered it or even thought to pick it up after Theresa had dumped it there earlier. ¡°I¡¯d eat it,¡± Grimloch rumbled. ¡°But that poison in it wouldn¡¯t be tasty at all.¡± ¡°Aye, that¡¯s real helpful insight, Grimloch,¡± Cedric said. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯ mean¡ªAch, nevermind.¡± Cedric looked at Drestra. ¡°What¡¯s there t¡¯ talk about? We could jus¡¯ take ¡®im back t¡¯ his sanctum, aye? Then seal th¡¯ whole thing up an¡¯ forget about ¡®im.¡± ¡°Or we could give his body to the king,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°To King Athelstan. He rules the country, so he should have a say in what is done with Uldar¡¯s body, I would think.¡± ¡°Or Hannah. Maybe we should give it to Hannah,¡± Theresa suggested. ¡°Meh, I dunno about that,¡± Hart said. ¡°That body¡¯s probably worth a lot, right? Why don¡¯t we take it to some rich alchemist and walk away from there with some extra coin in our pockets?¡± The group fell silent. Some looked away. Their expressions ranged. Some looked disgusted. Others looked thoughtful. Few looked outright accepting, but none vigorously protested Hart¡¯s suggestion, either. ¡°Honestly,¡± Alex cut in. ¡°I¡±m with Merzhin, I think we should bring it to the king, maybe not give it to him right away, but he and Tobias Jay should know that we¡¯re discussing what to do with it. But, that said¡­there¡¯s a little project I have in mind¡ª¡± He looked at the body. ¡°¡ªsomething I¡¯ve been thinking about for a while now, and a bit of Uldar¡¯s divine essence would really help me with it.¡± ¡°Oh, aye?¡± Cedric made a face. ¡°Usin¡¯ a bit o¡¯ his body feels kinda ghoulish t¡¯me, but I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a single soul here who would argue against you usin¡¯ some o¡¯his essence fer whatever y¡¯ gots in mind. There¡¯s not a person here who wouldn¡¯t trust you wit¡¯ their lives. An¡¯ after all that Uldar put Thameland through, at leas¡¯ ¡®is bloody corpse can do some good. So, whatever ya¡¯ gots in mind, all I can say is, why not?¡± ¡°Oh yeah, it¡¯ll help out all of us in a major way,¡± Alex promised. ¡°But hold on, what about the poison in his body?¡± Prince Khalik asked. ¡°Unless you are using it to make more poison, how can you use any essence from it? That poison killed a god, why wouldn¡¯t it destroy everything else?¡± ¡°Oh, I wouldn¡¯t worry about that,¡± Alex said. ¡°One second.¡± If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. With a thought, the young archwizard teleported back to his laboratory in Generasi. He conjured a swarm of forcedisks with his staff, then teleported a few good sized sample containers onto them. He returned to the lair with the disks and sample containers. ¡°Like I said, I wouldn¡¯t worry about that.¡± He smiled. ¡°Check this out.¡± He focused on Uldar¡¯s body, his attention on the god¡¯s physical form and the divine essence that still remained inside it. Concentrating, he formed a clear image in his mind of that essence and¡ªmost importantly¡ªpictured it separating from the poison that had suffused the body. Once he was satisfied with the image, he channelled the Traveller¡¯s power. In an instant, the specimen containers filled with a glowing, silvery substance. Not a single drop of the dark poison was visible in the samples. Drestra and Isolde looked awestruck as they rushed over to get a closer look at the samples. ¡°No poison?¡± Isolde asked. ¡°How did you do that?¡± ¡°Hannah¡¯s power,¡± Alex explained lightly. ¡°I just focused on teleporting some divine essence out of his corpse, while leaving the poison behind. Honestly, it was easier than I thought; having Hannah here, back in the material world, really elevates her power inside me.¡± ¡°What a wonderful power,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled as she scrutinised the samples. ¡°And you are sure there¡¯s no poison in them?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure, but I¡¯m definitely going to be analysing and purifying them before I use them for anything,¡± Alex said. ¡°Even a trace of that poison could mean catastrophe.¡± ¡°It makes sense,¡± Isolde said. ¡°I cannot wait to see what you plan for this.¡± Alex was about to answer when a bitter laugh interrupted the conversation. Merzhin was scowling at the god¡¯s body, laughing, without a hint of humour in his voice. The small Saint of Thameland was shaking his head. ¡°Do you all not see the ridiculousness of the situation? It¡¯s like some great cosmic joke!¡± ¡°What¡­what is¡­it?¡± Claygon asked. ¡°Think about this,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°Alex, if you could teleport Uldar¡¯s essence out of him with the Traveller¡¯s power, then it stands to reason that you could teleport the poison out of him if he was alive.¡± Alex considered that, ¡°Yeah¡­I think you¡¯re right.¡± Merzhin laughed even harder. ¡°Imagine then if Uldar had turned to his people for help. If he had created the Heroes not to war with the Ravener, but to preserve his life and help cure him of his poisoning. Even if a previous Saint or a General could not find a cure, all he would have had to do is endure and keep trying to find one with his Heroes. Eventually, Hannah would have been born with her unique power, arrived in Thameland, and she could have taken the poison out of him!¡± Alex and his companions looked stunned. The General of Thameland then imagined a completely different path from the one Uldar had taken. The god of Thameland wouldn¡¯t have retreated to a sanctum to hide, but rather stayed among his people, revealing his ailment to them. Some might have challenged him, but others might have grown more faithful to him, desperate to help the deity who had built their kingdom. He would have lived his life as a benevolent Lord: sick, but beloved by those who aided him, who cared for him. The god had once said that fear was a powerful motivator for faith, but wouldn¡¯t people have more feared their god¡¯s passing? Wouldn¡¯t the benevolent, more natural fear¡ªthe fear of losing a mentor, a loved one, or a friend¡ªhave fuelled faith as much as the Ravener had? And Uldar would only have needed enough faith to survive. Until¡­ Another image rose in Alex¡¯s mind. There was Uldar, white-bearded and frail, surrounded by his Heroes¡ªif he had chosen to create them¡ªand his loving worshippers. He would be sitting on a throne in the material world, and Aenflynn would have been by his side, helping his friend. And these people would be visited by a Traveller¡­a Traveller from a faraway world, wielding magnificent powers and abilities that even Uldar could have hardly imagined. Even if she couldn¡¯t have cured Uldar when they first met, with some practice, in time, she surely could have. Then the frail old being would be gone, replaced by a mighty and kind ruler that would steer Thameland toward a bright future. Uldar wouldn¡¯t be just a destructive relic of the past now¡­ a soon to be forgotten corpse. ¡°I can see the bitter humour in that, Merzhin,¡± Alex said. ¡°When one is immortal, one sees that an endless life¡¯s greatest gift is being able to live long enough to see new opportunities arrive at one''s feet, when mortals have long since passed away, never able to see them,¡± Asmaldestre¡¯s voice stung the ear. ¡°Just as I have lived long enough to have the opportunity to drink of this glorious, violent battle against a god¡¯s creation of war.¡± The war-spirit¡¯s wounds were deep¡ªand likely would have been fatal, had she been mortal¡ªbut she was not, and they didn¡¯t seem to bother her in the least, though Alex could see her insides exposed from some of the injuries. They certainly weren¡¯t superficial, but she handled them gently, lovingly, like she was glad to have them. ¡°Are you¡­alright?¡± Alex asked, looking at the wounds. ¡°Do you need healing?¡± ¡°The marks of violence do not harm a spirit of war in the same way they might harm one of your kind,¡± she explained. ¡°Our existence is violence. It is fundamentally different. While we can enjoy the honour of dying in battle, it would take far greater wounds to bring me any true harm. These will heal soon, and I will carry the scars as medals of honour won on the battlefield.¡± She looked at her summoner closely. ¡°Our contract has ended.¡± ¡°That it has, Asmaldestre,¡± Alex said. ¡°You have received your weapons and helped me in these final battles. You took part in the violence you wanted. Was it satisfactory?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the war-spirit sounded pleased. ¡°The song of violence was loud and clear on this day. And I enjoyed dancing to it. Now, it is time for me to depart. This summoning was pleasurable, and I would not be opposed to further association as time marches on.¡± ¡°Nor would I,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯m sure this won¡¯t be the last battle I find myself in. There will be future wars and future conflicts to fight. I would be glad to fight alongside you at that time.¡± ¡°Good, then until we meet on that battlefield again, Archwizard,¡± she said. ¡°Until we shed blood together. Until the song of violence sings once more.¡± With those words, her form began shifting, growing hazy. Then, she vanished, leaving only the tang of blood tingeing the air. ¡°And so our first companion departs,¡± Khalik said. ¡°It is sad but¡­not that sad. I must admit, she sent chills up my spine. And speaking of chills up the spine, let us leave this gloomy place. Alex, you can teleport the Ravener¡¯s remains whenever you want, right? I think we have finished gathering our equipment, so let us go. There is much to be done.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Bjorgrund picked up Uldar¡¯s body and threw it on their floating disk with the rest of their equipment. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With that, the companions gathered around the General of Thameland. He reached out with the Traveller¡¯s power, and teleported them away from the Ravener¡¯s lair. They passed through the barrier between the fae wild and the material world, and¡ªat last¡ªappeared in Thameland, in the countryside. Nearby stood the burnt out remains of the windmill where Alex and Claygon had fought the Ravener¡¯s Hunters and the blue annis hags. From this day onward, there would be no more fights against Ravener-spawn, not here or anywhere. There would be no more dungeon cores, either. The Ravener¡¯s substance would provide a supply for a long time, and there were likely plenty of dungeon core remains to be found across Thameland from the cores that had collapsed when the Ravener died. But after that? No more Ravener-spawn would be created. And no more¡ª A thought struck him. He turned to Claygon. ¡°Hey buddy, can you do me a favour?¡± he asked. ¡°I want you to try something.¡± Chapter 897: The Seeds of Renewal ¡°What¡­is it¡­that you want me to try¡­father?¡± Alex looked over the land, taking in everything around him. ¡°You see all this? I mean, do you see how devastated it is?¡± Claygon followed his gaze. ¡°Yes¡­of¡­course¡­¡± The group looked over the landscape in silence. All around were signs of destruction, of unmistakable war. The land had been ravaged by spawn. It had been drenched in acid by titans. Forests were burnt to ash, fire clouds having left their mark. Once fertile soil was now poisoned, contaminants bubbling through it, decaying bodies covering it. ¡°It is¡­sad¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°The land¡­is hurt¡­it will¡­take a long time¡­for things to get better¡­even with magic¡­even with divinity¡­¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Thameland will have deep scars for whoever knows how long. And how much farmland was destroyed? This...there¡¯s going to be grim times ahead for a long time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not so sure about that,¡± Alex said, looking at Claygon hopefully. The General remembered the vision he¡¯d had when he looked into the dungeon core in Greymoor and saw the culling of Thameland. In that horrific vision, the destruction had seemed endless. All-encompassing. Yet, it hadn¡¯t been. Behind the armies of destroyers that culled all mortal life throughout the land, other creatures followed them, healing. First, a thick mist had come, like fog hanging above the earth on a spring morning. The mist had cleansed everything it touched, evaporating acid, snuffing out fire, liquefying corpses into nothing more than dew. When the mist had moved by, only the scars of the decimation had remained: signs of scorching from flame. Other creatures, resembling massive earthworms¡ªloam coloured and colossal in size¡ªfollowed behind the mist, creeping along, bringing up the tail-end of the army. As they moved by, expelling fresh earth in their wake, their bodies wriggled through the soil, stirring it into the landscape. Before Alex¡¯s eyes, saplings and sprouts had sprung from the earth, seeding the land with new life. The young archwizard had told the others about his vision, and now he reminded them of what he¡¯d seen. ¡°Claygon, do you think you could make those same spawn?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Or any spawn for that matter, since the Ravener¡¯s now dead?¡± ¡°Wait, what, make spawn¡¯?¡± Theresa said. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I¡­evolved¡­as you can¡­see¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Yes, you certainly have.¡± Khalik patted the golem on the back. ¡°Congratulations, by the way!¡± ¡°Thank¡­you¡­¡± the golem said. ¡°But¡­yes¡­I¡­was able to make¡­spawn. Not as fast as the Ravener could¡­I needed to use¡­my own¡­power¡­and not¡­steal energy¡­from people¡¯s¡­fear. But¡­I do not know¡­if I can make them anymore¡­after the Ravener¡­died¡­¡± Claygon touched his chest. ¡°Let me¡­try¡­something¡­¡± He focused, and Alex felt a massive wave of mana gathering in the golem¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡­am¡­looking¡­through¡­myself¡­¡± the golem said. ¡°I took¡­some of¡­the Ravener¡¯s¡­processes and¡­powers¡­but I don¡¯t¡­know how to use¡­all of them¡­not yet¡­so it might take me a bit¡­to¡­¡± He paused. ¡°There!¡± he suddenly cried. Mist came flowing from Claygon¡¯s chest. The others jumped back as vapour billowed from him, forming a tremendous mist cloud floating a few feet above the scorched earth. ¡°Is¡­this¡­it¡­father?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Alex cried. ¡°Yes, that was one of them!¡± The golem nodded, then directed the mist. ¡°Go¡­I would like you to¡­eliminate the dead bodies, the acid and poison, and the fire and ash¡­all around¡­here¡­¡± The cloud hovered in stillness for a moment, then floated down until it touched the ground, slowly sweeping across the war-ravaged earth. Alex smiled, his heart soaring as the mist washed away the signs of destruction. Acid steamed into nothingness. Embers snuffed out. Poisoned earth was purified as Ravener-spawn corpses disintegrated, leaving behind only crystal clear water. ¡°Wait¡­I think¡­¡± Claygon said. Power gathered in his chest again, preceding something new: an enormous earthworm-like creature spilled out, dropping to the ground in front of his feet. The placid looking creature turned, tilting its head up toward Claygon. ¡°I want you¡­to make fresh earth and new plant life for the land,¡± Claygon said. The creature made a deep, rumbling sound, then turned from the golem and dove through the earth, trailing the mist cloud. It took in mounds of soil from one end and expelled it from the other. In its wake, newly tilled healthy earth remained, dotted with saplings and sprouts that sprung up as Alex and his companions watched. ¡°By the Traveller,¡¯ Merzhin said. ¡°This is wonderful! With this, the land will be quickly healed! When the people return from the Rhinean Empire, they¡¯ll return to a kingdom that is cleansed, free of the Ravener and the destruction it caused. They¡¯ll come back to a Thameland that offers them a new, fresh life! How wonderful!¡± ¡°It is wonderful!¡± Theresa agreed. ¡°This could even heal the forests!¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°It could make all the wilderness in Thameland healthier,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°It could do more than that¡­¡± Alex said. ¡°By doing this, we can make Thameland more fertile than it¡¯s ever been. Imagine if we use these spawn to refresh the earth after every harvest, or clean the forests after wildfires¡­? Jeez, Uldar had the keys to paradise and only used them to sweep up after his cullings. What a¡­Claygon? Are you alright?¡± The golem was still staring at his chest. ¡°There¡­is something else¡­that I thought of¡­father¡­I want to try it¡­to see¡­¡± he said. Concentrating, the golem again gathered power in chest. Light began flowing through the dark material making up a part of his body. ¡°I¡­want to see¡­if¡­¡± Claygon paused. ¡°Father¡­I don¡¯t think I can make¡­dungeon cores like the¡­Ravener¡­could¡­but¡­¡± He extended his hand. His chest shimmered. A chunk of black substance¡ªroughly the size of a child¡¯s fist emerged¡ªfalling into his outstretched hand. ¡°Yessss¡­¡± Claygon said, his voice filled with excitement. ¡°Father¡­look! I can¡¯t make dungeon cores¡­but I can make¡­the substance¡­that they¡¯re made of!¡± Alex¡¯s eyes bulged as he stared down at the chunk in Claygon¡¯s palm. It was pure dungeon core essence, in solid form. The archwizard swallowed. ¡°This¡­this changes everything.¡± ¡°I can¡­make dungeon core substance¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Which means¡­father¡­we will have¡­an unlimited supply¡­I can only make a little bit¡­at a time¡­slower than the Ravener could. But I fuel it¡­with my mana. I could¡­make it¡­forever.¡± ¡°Then the next age of magic is on the horizon,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Dungeon core substance will continue to change the world.¡± ¡°And you¡¯ll have complete control over all of it once everyone¡¯s finished harvesting the remains scattered across Thameland,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Lucky you, Claygon.¡± ¡°Lucky¡­us¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°I¡­am not¡­Uldar. I am going to¡­share¡­the wonders¡­I have¡­and not horde them¡­or use them to terrorise. I was made¡­to protect¡­and I am also good¡­at destroying. But now¡­I will show¡­that I am even better¡­at creating. My spawn and substance¡­won¡¯t make terror. They will make¡­all of our lives better. They will make¡­Thameland and Generasi¡­better. They will make this¡­whole world better.¡± Alex beamed, tears glistening in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, buddy,¡± he said, touching the golem¡¯s arm. ¡°I¡­am happy¡­to hear that¡­father¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Now¡­we should go¡­and leave these spawn to cleanse the land. I will make¡­more¡­to join them¡­and then we should¡­go to the Research Castle and¡­other places. There is¡­much¡­to¡­be done¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said, casting invisibility magic on Uldar¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯m sure Professor Jules is worried about us. So, let¡¯s get going.¡±
¡°They¡¯ve come!¡± an excited cry rose from the Research Castle. ¡°They¡¯re back, they¡¯ve all come back!¡± Alex and his companions had appeared above the Castle. In every direction, the land had been devastated, flattened by explosions and turned to dust by terrible heat. Ravener-spawn bodies and ash littered the blackened moors beyond where the earth was blasted flat. Alex winced at the sight; how many times had he looked at the grassy hills from the Castle¡¯s ramparts? Now those grassy hills were gone. ¡®But they¡¯ll be back,¡¯ he assured himself. Below, the Castle looked no worse for wear, though. He breathed a sigh of relief. ¡®Thank the Traveller they didn¡¯t break through the defences. I hope everyone''s okay.¡¯ As the group floated down to the courtyard, the area was a hive of activity. People were pointing at the returning victors, and cheers were rising. Folk were pumping their fists, clapping, calling their names, stomping their feet, looking at the returning victors with awe. It felt good, but in some ways, it made Alex feel a little naked. Even his fame in Generasi hadn¡¯t come close to this. He couldn¡¯t imagine what their reception would be like in Ussex. As they landed in the courtyard, folk fell silent, watching them expectantly. The young archwizard took a deep breath, then his voice boomed across the courtyard: ¡°We won! The Ravener¡¯s dead, and it¡¯s dead forever. Its accomplice, the fae lord Aenflynn, is also dead. We¡¯ve really and truly won. Thank you all!¡± The cry and applause that followed was deafening. Alex looked over the face of every Generasian there¡­and realised something. Those who lived and worked in the Research Castle for the past roughly two years, had become attached to this land and its fate. They celebrated as though it was their homeland that had finally found true freedom. It warmed Alex¡¯s heart in ways he couldn¡¯t put into words. As a crowd gathered around the triumphant group, Alex felt a finger poke his side. He looked up at a young giant, his eyes darting around the courtyard and his lips tight with worry. ¡°Um, if you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯m going to go find my father. I want to see if he¡¯s okay,¡± Bjorgrund said quickly, almost apologetically. ¡°Oh, go on. You don¡¯t have to ask,¡± Alex said. ¡°Just tell your dad ¡®hi¡¯ for me.¡± ¡°Okay! We¡¯ll talk later! And, Alex¡­I¡¯m glad I followed you into battle. I¡¯d do it again, in a heartbeat.¡± The young giant gave him a shy smile, his rune flashing. Then he was off, the crowd parting before him as he moved quickly, calling out for his father. Soon, another voice drew Alex¡¯s attention. ¡°Mr. Roth! Mr. Behr-Medr! Ms. von Anmut! Mr. Thundar! You¡¯re back and thankfully, you''re all in one piece!¡± Alex turned to the Castle¡¯s keep and saw a diminutive figure rushing from the doorway. Professor Jules hurried through the crowd, her expression a mix of concern, joy and tremendous relief. ¡°You¡¯re all alright!¡± The professor pushed her way to the group, then shocked Alex and Isolde by crashing into them and wrapping her arms around their waists. The small woman hugged them as though they might vanish if she let go for even a moment. ¡°I am so glad you¡¯re all safe,¡± she pulled back, glancing over the entire group. She did not let them go. Her eyes narrowed and her lips moved as she silently counted everyone present. ¡°Wait¡­where¡¯s that young giant?¡± ¡°He went to go find his father,¡± Alex said. ¡°Oh,¡± she let out a deep sigh. ¡°Thank goodness. Then all of you have made it back safely. And¡ª¡± She looked at Claygon closely. ¡°¡ªsome of you have changed as well. Toraka is going to lose her mind when she sees you, Claygon.¡± ¡°I¡­look¡­forward to that¡­¡± There was a grin in Claygon¡¯s voice. ¡°Oh, professor, have you seen Svenia and Hogarth?¡± Isolde asked, looking around. ¡°I would like to talk to them.¡± ¡°Oh, I believe they¡¯re still in the tunnels, helping clean up down there,¡± the professor said. Isolde bowed her head. ¡°Then if you will excuse me, I shall go and check on them. Professor¡­thank you for looking for us. But, er sorry, but you are still crushing me.¡± ¡°Oh! Oh dear!¡± Professor Jules quickly let go, her face flushing red. ¡°How embarrassing and unprofessional of me, laying hands on my students.¡± Isolde smiled. ¡°Professor, we have both graduated. And, honestly, I am very touched by the show of affection.¡± Professor Jules¡¯ face turned even redder. ¡°Well, then¡­I suppose it¡¯s alright. Erm, welcome back. Er, uh, I am sure Ms. Svenia and Mr. Hogarth will be relieved to see you.¡± Isolde smiled. ¡°Thank you for looking out for us, professor.¡± The young noblewoman broke away from the group to go look for her lifelong bodyguards. The companions soon started to break into groups of two and three, mingling with the crowd around them. Smiling faces greeted old friends. Hands clapped tired shoulders. Someone had brought a keg of wine from the Castle, and had already broached it. Hart, Khalik, Theresa and Thundar were already being toasted by several Watchers, swilling from brimming flagons. Even Drestra was joining in. Claygon was greeting the aeld tree, while Grimloch and Brutus were already chomping on a Ravener-spawn body they had dragged from the moors. Cedric had excused himself, going with Isolde, leaving Alex alone with his alchemy professor. He looked down at her, remembering when he had first arrived at Generasi and had chased her down to ask about her course. That had led him on a journey that had led to today: to victory and celebration in the courtyard of the Research Castle. ¡°Well, you did it, Mr. Roth,¡± Professor Jules said. ¡°After all this time, after all that effort. You¡¯ve done it. Congratulations!¡± ¡°Thanks professor, for everything. We really did do it,¡± Alex said. ¡°And it wouldn¡¯t have been possible without everyone¡¯s efforts and talents. I¡¯m just glad that we all came together for this moment.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s a beautiful day, and a promise of brighter days ahead.¡± She sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame Miss London could not see this.¡± ¡°Well, she was pretty excited the last time I saw her.¡± ¡°Oh? Yes, I¡­ what in the world are you talking about?¡± Professor Jules asked sharply. As the words left her mouth, there was a flash of light nearby, drawing several eyes. Before them, two figures appeared. Baelin, triumphant in his armour, standing tall. And, complete with glowing halo and burning wings was¡­ ¡°Miss London,¡± Professor Jules whispered. Tears welling in her eyes. ¡°How is this possible?¡± Carey smiled. ¡°Hello Professor Jules. I¡¯m so glad to see you. Many things have happened today that some would deem impossible, I must say.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Professor Jules choked. ¡°The wings¡­what does this mean?¡± Carey puffed out her chest, smiling. ¡°It means that you are now speaking to Carey London, the first Divine Herald of the Traveller.¡± Chapter 898: Jules and Carey ¡°The Herald of the Traveller?¡± Alex asked. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Carey smiled, looking quite pleased. The courtyard had fallen silent. Every eye was focused on the young woman who was both familiar yet unfamiliar. To the research team, Carey was a fallen colleague, one who had been mourned. To the Watchers, she was not only a colleague, but the symbol of a great failure, one where they had failed to protect a student under their charge. Many here had attended her funeral in Generasi. Many here had said their goodbyes. And yet, here she was, looking as healthy and alive as she had before her death. No, not as healthy and alive. Healthier. Stronger. More assured. Divine. She smiled, her eyes sparkling. ¡°When I passed into the after-world, I touched the Traveller. Her power flowed through me, and I reached her side in grace. My act of faith for my friends, against evil, and in her name, was enough to forge a bond between her and I. A deep bond. And over time, her energies continued transforming my soul, elevating me and letting me ascend to a new existence. I haven¡¯t returned from death as I once was. Carey, the mortal, will never be again. I am Carey London, Herald of the Traveller. And in my new form, I am very happy to see all of you again.¡± Before anyone could say a word, Professor Jules let out a choked cry. She staggered toward the Herald of the Traveller, and Baelin stepped away from the two women, giving them space. ¡°I failed you.¡± Professor Jules bowed her head before the spirit in front of her. ¡°You were my student, and I taught you every safety protocol I ever learned just to keep you safe. You were my responsibility, and I let those animals kill you. I don¡¯t know if you can ever forgive me, but I¡¯m just, so, deeply sorry, Miss London¡ª¡± ¡°Shhhh,¡± Carey said, smiling gently at the little woman. ¡°Professor, might I ask you for a favour?¡± Professor Jules looked at her. Tears continued welling up in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. ¡°Whatever you ask, it¡¯s yours.¡± ¡°Forgive yourself.¡± Shocked silence. ¡°Pardon?¡± Professor Jules finally said. ¡°I have been watching all of you from the after-world,¡± she said. ¡°And although I wasn¡¯t able to see everything I wished to, I saw that you have been torturing yourself, professor. Please stop. It¡¯s not you who killed me, and you were not responsible for what happened. Villains took me, and I gave my life to save my friends. I did so ever so willingly, and I was rewarded for that sacrifice. You did what you could to protect me, and I was not a child, professor. I was a grown woman who made her own decisions. I chose to stay in Thameland, and others chose to rob me of my freedom. They have been punished.¡± Carey looked at her former professor earnestly, meeting her gaze. ¡°You do not have to punish yourself. Please, stop. At this point, you have suffered longer than I did. And pshah! I¡¯m the one who died!¡± She laughed at her own little joke, which startled the alchemist into silence again. Professor Jules looked at Carey for a long, silent moment before she finally spoke again. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I can ever forgive myself, Miss London. But¡­I will try.¡± ¡°I will be most glad if you did,¡± Carey said. ¡°Professor, after this day, I¡¯m not sure how often we will see each other. As the Traveller¡¯s Herald, I already have much to do. Much to do in both Thameland, and beyond. Far beyond. So, I will need to go soon. But I shall endeavour to look in on you, when I can. I shall endeavour to look in on all of you.¡± ¡°I, I think I would like that very much,¡± Professor Jules smiled. ¡°It feels so strange to see you, here. You had your whole life ahead of you, and now¡­you¡¯re talking about all of these divine duties. You were a young woman with a full life ahead of you. That¡¯s all been stolen, and I regret that.¡± Carey smiled gently. ¡°Now, now, professor. My time as Carey the mortal might be over, but my time as the Herald will be eternal. I do believe I quite like the idea of eternity!¡± She beamed, radiating a joy that was infectious. ¡®Carey¡¯s truly found her place in the universe,¡¯ Alex thought, smiling to himself. ¡®Maybe that¡¯s better than most people can ever say for themselves.¡¯ ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, professor,¡± Carey said, her eyes searching the crowd. ¡°There is one other person I must speak to before I go.¡± Her eyes fell on Merzhin. The Saint of Thameland froze mid-step, as though he was a child caught sneaking away from something he was avoiding. Carey called out to him firmly. ¡°We need to have a little chat, you and I, Merzhin. I don¡¯t want to see you torturing yourself either.¡± Merzhin flinched, as though struck, then squeezed his eyes shut like someone building up courage to dive from a great height into the sea. When he opened them, his expression radiated a mix of longing and dread. ¡°Of course, Carey. If you¡¯ll walk with me; a lot of people were gravely injured in the battle, and I must go to them at once.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Herald of the Traveller said. ¡°I¡¯ll walk with you. We can chat as we go.¡± The Saint waited for the Herald, then together, they walked away from the gathered crowd. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. They were quiet for a time There were plenty of words that needed to pass between them, but for those few moments, the friends seemed quite content to just be in each other¡¯s company. ¡°My, my,¡± Baelin said, walking over to Professor Jules and Alex. He had removed his starmetal mask, and was watching the two depart with something akin to wonder. ¡°Do you know what one of the best parts of eternal life is? The surprises. Some long-lived folk complain about experience and life growing mundane as the centuries and millennia pile up behind them. They speak as though the universe can no longer surprise them.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Fools, the lot of them. No matter how long one might live, and no matter how much one might experience¡­the universe will still find ways to surprise you. Those surprises only grow more noteworthy as they increase in rarity. The truth of living a long time is that you do learn to anticipate more of what is possible and how life will unfold¡ªseeing patterns¡ªbut at the same time, you become more firm in your belief that you can predict every trick that life and the universe have to offer.¡± He chuckled, looking at Carey¡¯s fiery wings. ¡°And then without warning, the universe takes great pleasure in showing you how little it is that you actually know. Its surprises are sometimes beneficial, and sometimes not, but yet¡ªto me¡ªthey are always welcome. That is something you will learn one day yourself, my young friend, when you complete your quest for immortality.¡± ¡°Actually,¡± Alex¡¯s voice dropped low. ¡°I wanted to talk to you about that. In private, if you don¡¯t mind.¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°Of course.¡± He gestured to the sky. ¡°Why don¡¯t we chat for a bit, then? After that, we both will have work to do and friends to celebrate with. Let us savour this conversation while we can.¡± Alex nodded, then turned to see Professor Jules still watching Carey and Merzhin as they disappeared into the keep. ¡°Professor,¡± Alex said, startling her. ¡°I just want to say thank you for everything you¡¯ve done for me, and every one of your other students. Once, a long time ago, you told me about how professors help those they see potential in.¡± She paused for a moment, then her eyes lit up with recollection. ¡°Oh yes, I remember that. We were in the Cells¡­goodness, that feels like a lifetime ago.¡± ¡°It really does,¡± Alex said. ¡°Well, I just wanted to thank you for seeing that potential in me. Here, in Thameland, the church and Uldar said the Fool had no potential or value. You didn¡¯t know I was the Fool when we talked, but I still really needed someone to see that potential in me. And I¡¯d bet that you would have seen it even if you did know I was the Fool. You only treated me kindly, even after you found out.¡± Alex bowed deeply to his alchemy professor. ¡°Seriously, I wouldn¡¯t be here¡­none of this¡ª¡± He gestured to the Research Castle. ¡°¡ªwould be here without you, professor. I want you to know that.¡± The professor paused for a long moment, then sighed, grabbing him by the shirt collar and pulling him up from his bow. ¡°Oh, come on, Mr. Roth, you know I don¡¯t go for all that. But¡­still, thank you for saying it.¡± She glanced after Carey one last time, though the Herald had long gone into the keep. ¡°I believe I really needed to hear it. I believe I really did.¡± She smiled up at him, and put her hands on her hips. ¡°Now, get going you two! I know you¡¯re off to plot some horrifying scheme and¡ªquite frankly¡ªI think I¡¯ve had enough horrifying schemes for a lifetime! Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I think I might just go and get very, very drunk.¡± Professor Jules looked up at Alex. ¡°Mr. Roth, it¡¯s been a pride and pleasure to help train you to be the exceptional alchemist, wizard and fine adult you have become. Come find me after you¡¯ve finished with your schemes. We¡¯ll drink to victory. To forgiveness and to life.¡± ¡°Are you sure, professor?¡± Alex gave her a mocking smile. ¡°That much drinking might not be safe!¡± ¡°Oh, bah! Keep antagonising me and you¡¯ll really see what unsafe is! I¡¯m sure I can find one more chaos bomb lying around in our storage area! Now away with you!¡± She waved the two archwizards off with a frown before turning and marching toward the nearest keg. She glanced back once and Alex caught the relieved smile lighting up her face as she departed. ¡°What a remarkable teacher,¡± Baelin said admiringly. ¡°Your words were well-spoken, Alex.¡± ¡°She deserved to hear them.¡± ¡°Indeed, she did, and indeed, she does. Now shall we go off and hatch that ¡®horrifying scheme¡¯ she was frightened of?¡± ¡°Hah, sounds like a wonderful idea,¡± Alex chuckled. The General and the chancellor excused themselves, beginning to float above the courtyard. As they ascended into the sky, several voices called out. ¡°Alex!¡± The young archwizard looked down and waved at a couple of familiar faces: Kybas and Ripp had come into the courtyard. Harmless crawled along beside his master, looking very fat and satisfied. ¡°We did it!¡± Kybas cried. ¡°Well, you did it! But Harmless and I also did many good things down in the tunnels!¡± ¡°No you didn¡¯t,¡± Ripp scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d reckon there¡¯d be a lot of words to describe what you two did down there: terrible, horrifying, mind-scarring, traumatic, but ¡®good¡¯ ain¡¯t one of them!¡± Kybas grinned, showing many, many teeth. He said nothing in reply, but his expression seemed all too reminiscent of Harmless¡¯ perpetual toothy ¡®grin¡¯. Alex laughed. ¡°I¡¯m glad you three are alright! Go get some drinks, I¡¯ll come find you later!¡± ¡°Good, I can¡¯t wait!¡± Kybas chuckled. Ripp shook his head. ¡°Life took a strange turn, at some point. Strange turn, indeed.¡± The swiftling, goblin and crocodile went off toward where the kegs were waiting. Professor Jules was already there, guzzling from a tankard of wine, as a delighted Khalik cheered her on. Leaving the crowd to their merry-making down below, Alex and Baelin ascended into the skies as the Castle shrank in the distance, while they climbed high enough to be well out of earshot. For a moment, Alex took in the late morning air. It was surprisingly warm. Comforting. Full of the promise of better days. ¡°So,¡± Baelin said. ¡°Shall we begin scheming, then?¡± ¡°Oh yes, absolutely.¡± Alex rubbed his hands together, with a grin. ¡°I was thinking, now that the Ravener¡¯s gone, you and I could take a run and taking over Thameland ourselves.¡± ¡°Splendid idea,¡± Baelin said without missing a beat. ¡°And I take it that¡ªafter we usher in a new age of darkness over your kingdom¡ªwe will both become overly greedy and betray each other, oh, in a thousand years time?¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°Meh, I¡¯m still young and antsy. Why don¡¯t we schedule all backstabbing for five hundred years from now?¡± ¡°Oh, daring are we? Let us say seven hundred and fifty years then. That¡¯s my final offer.¡± ¡°Deal.¡± The two archwizards grinned at each other. Then, Alex¡¯s smile slowly faded as his expression turned serious. ¡°Listen, Baelin¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to tell me you have found a key ingredient for a tincture of immortality, haven¡¯t you?¡± Baelin¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Uldar¡¯s essence, no doubt?¡± Alex smiled sheepishly. ¡°No doubt. How¡¯d you figure me out?¡± ¡°When I was waxing poetic about everlasting life, you brought up needing to speak with me. You are a Proper Wizard, and a Proper Wizard would never let something so valuable as divine essence slip through their grasp. How did you harvest it without leaving a mark on the body? I cannot imagine you began sawing Uldar up after teleporting him to a lab.¡± ¡°Hannah¡¯s teleportation.¡± ¡°Ah, of course,¡± Baelin said. ¡°I might have known¡­so then, what is it that you wanted to discuss with me?¡± Alex took a deep breath. ¡°¡ªwell I was wondering¡ª¡± ¡°¡ªif I would help you craft an elixir of immortality out of Uldar¡¯s essence? Of course. I have plenty of experience with that exact task.¡± ¡°Am I really getting that predictable?¡± Alex sighed. ¡°No, but call my insight a benefit of my advanced age,¡± Baelin said. Now it was his turn for his smile to fade, and he slowly looked away from Alex. For an instant, the chancellor seemed caught up in indecision. Then he nodded. ¡°Alexander.¡± Alex flinched. Baelin had hardly¡ªif ever¡ªcalled him by his full name. ¡°What is it?¡± The chancellor looked back at him. ¡°I have my own proposal for you. One that I will ask you to think on for a millennia or two.¡± ¡°¡­oh?¡± Alex asked. ¡°What is it?¡± Baelin looked at him directly. ¡°What would you say to¡ªin a thousand years or so¡ªjoining my cabal?¡± Chapter 899: Planning for the Next Thousand Years What would you say to¡ªin a thousand years or so¡ªjoining my cabal? Baelin¡¯s words echoed through Alex¡¯s mind. It took him a long moment to remember to breathe. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Alex asked, taking a deep breath. ¡°I would not joke about something so important.¡± The ancient archwizard looked at Alex closely. ¡°In my cabal, each of us is allowed to extend offers to potential new members, and¡ªif the candidate is interested¡ªthen the cabal will convene, discuss the candidate¡¯s history and deeds, then enter a period of time where we watch what they do for a span of five hundred years or more. If we are all satisfied with the candidate¡¯s performance, competence, power, ethics and their ability to be social, then we meet with them. If the meeting goes well, we might welcome them into our ranks. It¡¯s simple, really.¡± ¡°Five¡­five hundred years?¡± Alex gasped. ¡°Or more. Five hundred is the minimum. I do not mean to boast, but we are a very exclusive club and do not take the entry of new members into it lightly. We have been together for a very, very long time and have maintained our cohesion despite having our own schemes, egos and agendas to manage, as well as by being incredibly choosy about who we give invitations to.¡± Baelin looked at Alex closely. ¡°I do believe that¡ªwithin you¡ªlies the seed of one who would suit our ranks. At the very least, even if you are not interested in joining, then at least an association of sorts should be arranged. Our cabal is small, but we have a great many contacts throughout the universe. I think we could help each other.¡± Alex¡¯s jaw had dropped. ¡°But¡­why me?¡± ¡°Aside from the fact that you achieved the rank of archwizard well before you even turned twenty-five? Let me count the ways: you exemplify an incredible level of ingenuity, willpower and drive. Yet, you can be trusted; you do not blabber secrets mindlessly but yet you understand when to share them when necessary. You put great effort into ensuring positive outcomes in any situation for yourself, your kin and those who call you ¡®ally¡¯. You are very powerful, yet you are not some single-minded bore. You actually have a bloody personality!¡± ¡°That¡¯s important?¡± Alex said. ¡°As important as having great power.¡± Baelin¡¯s voice was heavy. ¡°A cabal is a group of companions you expect to walk beside for your entire lifetime, which has obvious implications for one who need not worry about the ravages of ageing. You must choose your company carefully, especially if they are gifted with long lives; that company will be with you throughout time. You would not want to establish a long term association with someone terribly boring or with the personality of the most caustic of materials. Trust me, you do not want to experience that.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Alex said, imagining having to spend eternity being around someone from the hidden church. He shuddered. ¡°But, this offer¡­I¡¯m flattered, and it¡¯s a big deal. Are you sure?¡± ¡°Very sure. I do not make such offers lightly, Alex, but I feel quite sure that you would be an excellent member once you gain a great deal more experience. I also have an eye on your fellow cabal members,¡± he continued. ¡°I am nor quite as sure about them. They are, like you, Proper Wizards. However, I do not know them quite as well as I do you. Thus, I will need to observe them for a longer period of time.¡± ¡°The whole cabal?¡¯ Alex sputtered. ¡°Holy shit.¡± ¡°Indeed?¡± Baelin¡¯s goat-like eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you say?¡± ¡°Honestly?¡± Alex shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t answer right now. I won¡¯t be able to answer for a long time, and I also have to talk with my cabal members. Honestly, I might have to think about it over the next century.¡± The young archwizard had only caught glimpses of the chancellor¡¯s cabal as they devastated Cretalikon. He wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to be among their number; so just as they would have to assess him, he would also have to assess them. ¡°To be honest, Baelin, I¡¯d need to know more about your cabal-mates to even begin to think about this properly,¡± Alex said. ¡°Hah! Some of them are maniacs, like me. Especially Anaxadar. Or perhaps Cra. Sanii and Magun-Obu are far more reasonable. In any case, you answer like a Proper Wizard. It makes sense for you to learn more about us as we learn more about you.¡± Baelin smiled. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s a big commitment. And I¡¯m really happy with my own cabal,¡± Alex said. ¡°They¡¯re who I imagine being in the company of over the next thousand years. But, I¡¯ll definitely think about your offer.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Baelin said. ¡°And even if you decide not to join us, an association between our cabals would be most useful. Soon, I will help you with a potion of immortality. What will we accomplish later when we both have another thousand years of experience?¡± ¡°Hah, you mean when I have another thousand years of experience?¡± Alex asked. ¡°You¡¯re already at a pinnacle. Baelin snorted. ¡°Nonsense. There is no pinnacle, Alex. Do you think you are the only one focused on growing your power? Ah, the young always seem to think that their elders rest on their laurels. I have been growing in knowledge and power this entire time, my friend. I am more powerful now than I was when I first met you. I will be even more powerful next year, and the following year, and the one after that.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯ll catch up to you one day.¡± Baelin chuckled. ¡°This old goat knows a few tricks you don¡¯t know yet. Although, you have inspired me. What you did¡­being in multiple places at once. Even I cannot accomplish such a feat.¡± ¡°See? I¡¯ll catch up to you in no time!¡± ¡°Hah, I am not Uldar, simply waiting for you to catch me in stagnation. You can try to catch me, Alex. You can try¡­¡± Baelin¡¯s eyes twinkled. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°¡­and I must say, an eternal race with you sounds delightful. En garde, my young friend.¡± ¡°En garde.¡± Alex smiled back.
The young archwizard had parted ways with Baelin, and the chancellor had gone off to celebrate, and see to his many duties. Meanwhile, Alex had his own tasks waiting. He would have to get Uldar¡¯s body, take Toraka¡¯s golems back to her¡ªand show off Claygon at the same time¡ªthen return the queen of Thameland to the capitol. After that, there would be a difficult conversation to be had between himself, the other Heroes, the high priest, and the king. A discussion that would decide certain aspects of the kingdom¡¯s fate going forward. He was thinking about that future conversation¡ªusing one of his streams of thought to plan what he would say¡ªas he greeted some of the revellers in the courtyard and searched for Claygon, Theresa and Brutus. But before he could find them, someone else found him first. ¡°General! General!¡± a voice called out. He turned and found someone he¡¯d last seen under some very puzzling circumstances a while back: Sir Sean Swift of Luthering, approached, wrapped in bandages, looking pale, but otherwise whole. The man pushed through the crowd, his attention fixed on the General of Thameland with an air of desperation bleeding off him. ¡°Sir Sean?¡± Alex said, recognising the knight. ¡°Are you alright?¡± He looked at the bandages. ¡°Were you badly injured?¡± ¡°I was but, I¡¯m not hurting much anymore.¡± The knight shook his head, stopping in front of Alex, and looking the General up and down. ¡°St. Merzhin healed me¡­¡± His eyes suddenly filled with wonder. ¡°I was cut up like a butchered fish, but he put me back together as good as new¡­there was a spirit with him...a young one¡­her face looked familiar, like I¡¯d seen her before. But, she vanished after saying something about stopping in on her parents? It was all a bit too much for me.¡± He shook his head. The man looked tired and more than a little overwhelmed. ¡°Anyway, enough of all that. I didn¡¯t come over here to talk about that. I came here to¡­¡± The knight bowed. ¡°¡­apologise. I¡¯d written you off at one time: I saw you as a Fool and a deserter. But, I was wrong. Fewer men have ever drawn breath that have been more wrong about someone than me. The Saint told me of what happened and, if it weren¡¯t for you, General, I would be long dead and Thameland would be doomed. Again, I apologise¡­and thank you. Thank you for freeing us. I¡¯ll make sure that¡ªfor as long as I am in command in Luthering¡ªyou¡¯ll be honoured. I¡¯m not one for gushing, so¡­I¡¯ll leave it at that. You¡¯re a good man, and again, my apologies for writing you off the way I did.¡± The knight¡¯s bow dipped even lower, then he turned on his heel and walked away. Alex didn¡¯t even get a chance to reply before he was gone, leaving him to watch his back as it disappeared among the crowd. ¡®Would be nice if more people could be like that,¡¯ Alex thought. ¡®Swallow their pride and admit fault. Imagine if the hidden church had people in it like that? We probably would have avoided a lot of violence.¡¯ The General of Thameland looked up, studying the clear sky. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have to worry about them anymore,¡± he whispered. ¡°It¡¯s a new day. A brand new day.¡±
¡°Toraka, I just want to thank you for your gole¡ªOof!¡± Alex grunted as the rabid crafter pushed past him, nearly sending him crashing into one of her golems. The towering constructs stood silently in her courtyard under the morning sun. None had even the slightest scratch on their surfaces, despite doing their duty and saving many lives. Alex had teleported with them and Claygon, and was about to talk to Shale to thank her for her contribution to the battle, when she¡¯d bolted by, nearly foaming at the mouth, and shoved him aside to spring at Claygon. ¡°Another evolution?¡± her voice cracked. ¡°You went beyond iron?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Claygon said. ¡°Yes¡­I did¡­¡± ¡°Wha¡­¡± she stammered, gesticulating wildly. ¡°This is¡­how can this be? I¡¯ve never heard of such an evolution? This is steel¡­and what is this?...dungeon core substance? Are you basically a living golem core now? What new powers did you get? How do you feel?¡± Alex marvelled as his business partner peppered Claygon with questions. ¡°I¡­evolved into¡­this unique form¡­because¡­I was capable of it¡­¡± Claygon leaned forward. ¡°Golems¡­might¡­surprise you¡­so maybe do not write them off¡­so easily¡­as¡­simple¡­mindless things¡­in the future.¡± Shale froze, then let out a nervous, high-pitched laugh. ¡°I s-suppose golems are full of surprises¡­but enough of that!¡± she cried, leaning forward. ¡°I have so many questions for you, first of all, your mana output¡ª¡± ¡®Father¡­get me out of here¡­¡¯ Claygon spoke in his mind. Alex laughed through their link. ¡®What¡¯s wrong, you just beat the hells out of the Ravener, you can¡¯t save yourself here?¡¯ ¡®Father!¡¯ ¡®Okay, fine!¡¯ Alex cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Toraka, I¡¯m afraid we¡¯re going to have to get going.¡± ¡°Really?¡± her eyes filled with crushing disappointment. ¡°Just a few more questions! No wait, just let me get one of my measuring instruments-¡± ¡°Maybe later,¡± Alex said. ¡°We have to go get the queen of Thameland and take her back home, then there¡¯s a lot more stuff we have to do. You and I can chat about what happened later.¡± ¡°We¡¯d better!¡± Toraka said, her eyes bloodshot. ¡°This is an incredible discovery. Claygon, I can¡¯t wait to get a better look at you! It¡¯ll make our future designs¡­ah... Alex, there¡¯s going to be a limited supply of dungeon core essence going forward, so we should hurry and claim as much as we can.¡± Alex looked at Claygon, who was giving off waves of amusement through their link. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that.¡± Alex winked at Shale. ¡°...why not?¡± ¡°Like I said, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± he winked again. ¡°Would you¡­care to be more specific, partner?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about specifics for now.¡± Alex winked a third time. ¡°...gods, you can be weird.¡± ¡°Huh¡­you sound like Selina.¡±
The doors burst open to the villa before they could even knock. Standing in the courtyard were Alex, Claygon, Theresa and Brutus, there to fetch the queen and prince and take them back home¡­but not only that. There were reunions to be had. ¡°Aleeex! Theresa! Claygon! Brutus!¡± Joy and tears filled Selina¡¯s eyes. The young girl shook with excitement; she was not one to cry often anymore, but tears of happiness were now running freely down her face. ¡°You¡¯re all alive!¡± She rushed to Alex, wrapping him in a tight hug. ¡°You¡¯re all alive! You¡¯re all alive!¡± She repeated the phrase like a chant. Alex laughed, hugging his little sister as Theresa and Claygon moved in to hug her too. Brutus nuzzled her side. ¡°We¡¯re more than alive,¡± Theresa said happily. ¡°We won. Forever. The Ravener will never hurt our kingdom again!¡± ¡°Thank the Traveller!¡± Selina cried. ¡°It¡¯s done, it¡¯s finally done!¡± ¡°It sure is,¡± Alex said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­it feels like such a long time ago that we were leaving Alric together, just the four of us. You weren¡¯t even born yet, Claygon. We got through the Cave of the Traveller and made it to the Rhinean Empire¡­then we found our home here. Now, the reason we left Thameland is over. No more running. No more fighting the Ravener. No more of our friends getting hurt or dying. You finally did it! You stopped all of it!¡± She hugged him even tighter, and just sobbed. Alex found tears welling up in his eyes. She was right. They really had done it. After all this time, it was all finished. It was the end to the darkest chapters in Thameland¡¯s history¡­but it was also a new beginning. Not only for Thameland, but for him as well, and for the first time since he had gotten the Mark, he was well and truly free. No more responsibility to any wars. No more Ravener-spawn hunting him and his family. He listened to the sounds of the Lus and the queen of Thameland rushing to the villa door. There would be more reunions. More tears. The discussion with the king. After that? Well, he was looking forward to what was to come. The potion of immortality. Living their lives in Generasi. Rebuilding the kingdom. His and Theresa¡¯s wedding. Good times were coming. And he was going to enjoy the hells out of them. Chapter 900: A Funeral and a Person of Means Alexander Roth, General of Thameland, floated through the skies over Greymoor sipping a glass of cool apple-lemon cider as he watched the sunrise. The warmth of a summer wind tousled his hair, and the scent of his drink filled his nostrils. He listened to the sounds of birds chirping nearby. He listened to the rustle of the trees below him. And he mostly listened to the sounds of Ravener-spawn below. Alex looked down. ¡°I guess, I should be calling them Claygon-spawn now, not Ravener-spawn anymore, or something like that,¡± he whispered. Below, a horde of Earth Tillers¡ªthat¡¯s what he and Claygon had dubbed the enormous earthworm-like monsters¡ªcrawled over the moors and forests, consuming great swaths of blasted earth, and spitting out fresh soil laced with sprouting flora. It had taken Claygon a long time to create enough Earth Tillers to form a horde this size¡­but fortunately, they could afford the time now. They had all the time in the world. Three months had passed since Alex and his companions had destroyed the Ravener, and in that quarter of a year, many changes had occurred across the kingdom. Significant and wonderful changes. Alex watched the moors. In the last three months, Claygon had worked with the wizards of Greymoor and the Thameish army to rebuild the land. His misty Ravener-spawn¡ªFog Cleansers, he had named them¡ªhad washed over Thameland, cleansing it of mounds of ash, acid and rotting bodies that tainted the wilderness and waterways. The Thameish army had roamed the land as well, gathering putrefying corpses. They had buried their dead and burned fallen spawn on great pyres, smoke had filled the Thameish skies for weeks. With their allies bodies cleared away, the great rebuilding had begun. Claygon¡¯s growing army of Earth Tillers had spread across the lands, enriching and healing the earth. They would sweep over lands covered in fire-blasted rock, soot and collapsed dungeons and¡ªas they moved on¡ªflourishing fields, forests and waterways had sprung up instead. Members of the Thameish army followed behind, always on the lookout for Ravener-spawn that might have survived their master, but, thankfully, none were ever found. But just as the Ravener¡¯s spawn had been decimated, so had many of the towns and villages dotting the countryside. The soldiers had gotten to work, rebuilding more of their homeland. As the land had healed, King Athelstan had allowed the Thameish people to return, and they¡¯d returned in droves, eagerly rebuilding and reclaiming their homes. Alex shook his head, remembering those chaotic days after the final battle. There had been so much to do. First, there had been the Ravener¡¯s remains to safeguard. He¡¯d soon returned to the lair and quickly teleported the black sand-like essence to a secure spot, dividing it up and storing it in individual vaults. There, it would remain, ready for the Ravener¡¯s slayers to claim it at their leisure. After that, Alex had compensated the mercenaries from the Whetstone tavern as agreed, then offered them his deep and abiding gratitude. The mighty warriors were also thanked profusely by the Thameish army, and had stayed on, feasting and sharing a few kegs with the soldiers for a full three days before departing. When it came time for Alex and Baelin to return them to the tavern, the mercenaries had gladly collected their gems and glory, and had bid the soldiers goodbye with laughter, hugs and claps on the shoulder. The mercenaries of Whetstone shared no common languages with the Thameish army, but friendships had been forged through the trial of battle. Those friendships needed no tongues in common. When Alex and Baelin had dropped them off on the tavern¡¯s stoop, Kyembe had gone inside with a wave and a smile, Ezerak had stepped in with a nostalgic and relieved air, and the small Wurhi of Zabyalla¡ªwho¡¯d seemed like she¡¯d aged twenty years¡ªhad scurried in as though her life depended on it. The other mercenaries had followed right behind. ¡°Too bad she lived through the battle,¡± the chancellor had grumbled as soon as the tavern door closed. Within heartbeats, the entire building vanished. Meanwhile, the soldiers of Thameland still talked about the mysterious mercenaries to this day. But only in the fondest of terms. The mercenaries¡¯ departure had been relatively minor compared to the second event that had taken place shortly after the final battle. Alex, the Heroes, the king and the high priest had spent days discussing what they would do with Uldar¡¯s body, and what they would and would not tell the people. Things had gotten heated at points, but¡ªeventually, they had come to a consensus: ¡°We, unfortunately, cannot rid ourselves of Uldar¡¯s legacy at this time. The people will need the church in the coming months and years as we rebuild and move forward, and to reveal Uldar¡¯s treachery now would mean inviting chaos when we need union and order. Further, I do not want him to even be remembered as a villain to be cursed, or as a bogeyman to frighten children. I want him forgotten,¡± the king had emphasised. ¡°But let us have our cake and eat it too. We will tell one part of the truth: we will say that Uldar is dead. I propose that we say that he perished in the final battle against the Ravener, and that the Traveller will inherit his mantle as the goddess of Thameland. To prove this, we will have a funeral for the bastard.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. He had frowned. ¡°The only trouble is what we will do with the body afterward. From my understanding, it is hard to destroy, but we do not want his final resting place to become a location of pilgrimage. My hope is that Uldar will be slowly forgotten as the generations move forward, with the Traveller replacing him in people¡¯s minds, thoughts and souls. But what do we do with the wretched body?¡± Alex had thought about that for a moment. ¡°I might have an idea.¡± And so the king¡¯s messengers had carried his words all across every garrison in Thameland, and to every Thameish citizen in the Rhinean Empire. Those words were simple: ¡°Uldar has died. We will mourn him, and then we will give our faith to his heir.¡± When the people had returned to Thameland by ship and by the Cave of the Traveller, the kingdom had held the funeral for the fallen god. The city had been filled to bursting, and had displayed Uldar¡¯s body¡ªcleaned and dressed in white¡ªin a casket of perfectly clear crystal. High Priest Tobias Jay had made a declaration that carried across the city, speaking of Uldar¡¯s sacrifice and how his heir would carry the kingdom forward. Alex had spoken for the Heroes¡ªwho had joined him in the skies above Ussex for all to see¡ªtelling the tale of the final battle against the Ravener, and how Uldar¡¯s Heroes and their companions had carried the day. The King had made a speech about new tomorrows and solidarity, and about how the Traveller had wrested some of the Ravener-spawn away from their master. He had told the people not to fear them and that they would be aiding Thameland going forward, never harming it. And finally, the Traveller and Carey had been formally introduced to Thameland, with Hannah speaking about her dedication to the kingdom as well as her love for the people. After that, the funeral¡¯s attendees had been allowed to approach and view the body: mostly to ensure that folk confirmed with their own eyes that Uldar was dead. Then, once the last Thameish child had touched the coffin of the dead god, a blinding light had enveloped the casket. It had then shot into the sky, burning with the radiance of a second sun, before finally disappearing. Tobias had quickly stepped in, calling it a miracle, and saying that Uldar¡¯s spirit had reclaimed his body, and taken it to the after-world. ¡­It had been the biggest lie he¡¯d told that day. In reality, Alex and Carey had caused the light to surround Uldar¡¯s coffin, then teleported it to his throne room. A waiting Baelin had immediately cast a powerful spell, sealing the sanctum and making it next to impossible for anyone to rip open a portal to it. Uldar would be left to sleep in eternal darkness. In silence. Unvisited. To be forgotten in time. Even now, his corpse remained there, hidden away while Carey and the Traveller moved across Thameland, helping the people rebuild their kingdom. Already, churches were being recommissioned in her name, her statues joining Uldar¡¯s within the church walls until, due to purposeful neglect, his statues would crumble and be discarded. As people prayed to her, she grew stronger and was a far more active deity than Uldar had been. Between her and the gold pouring into Thameland as Generasians sought to buy any scrap of dungeon core essence left in the wilds, the rebuilding was going well. But that was not why Alex had come to Greymoor today. For months now, he had been collaborating with Baelin, brewing the elixir of immortality, and all was going well. Today, he¡¯d come to the Research Castle to fetch some equipment he¡¯d stored there; items he¡¯d taken from Kelda¡¯s sanctum to build the devices they¡¯d used to poison and drain the Ravener. That equipment would be very useful for the next part of the potion brewing process. Finishing his drink, Alex teleported the cup back to his dining table in Generasi, then took a final look over the moors before going to collect the equipment. As he did, he noticed something below. A small figure was waving at him. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Alex wondered. He prepared to teleport to the waving figure¡¯s side, wondering if it might have been Kybas. But, when he reached the individual, the young archwizard jumped in surprise. ¡°What th¡ªGwyllain?¡± he said. ¡°Is that really you?¡± ¡°It is. Greetings, Alexander,¡± the little asrai smiled up at him. ¡°I was hoping I¡¯d run into you. I wanted to express my gratitude if I ever did see you again. You¡¯re a hard man to find. Glad you popped up while I was here visiting my bluecap friends.¡± Alex gaped down at the fae. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been pretty busy, all things considered¡­but no, seriously, what happened?¡± The asrai¡¯s green-scaled body was clad in a rich, well-tailored robe that looked to be woven of fine forest leaves, emerald vines, flowers and pure moonlight. Rings of silver, gold and prickle-free holly leaves were wrapped around each finger, and a truly enormous hat was sitting on his head. Gemstones and golden laurels were stitched into the overstuffed hat, it had enormous butterfly wings for a brim, wrapped with a silk band that had a silver feather poking from it. ¡°Where did you get those clothes?¡± Alex asked, unable to hide his surprise. Gwyllain chuckled. ¡°From here and there. You¡¯re speaking to an asrai of means now! You know, there was a time when I preferred to make sure I never saw you again. Too dangerous, you are. But now, I am glad to give you thanks.¡± ¡°Thanks for what?¡± Alex asked. ¡°How¡¯d you become an asrai of means?¡± Gwyllain grinned. ¡°Do you happen to know what¡¯s going on in Och Fir Nog?¡± Alex grew grim. ¡°No,¡± he said. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± During the final battle for Thameland, some fae¡ªthat weren¡¯t killed¡ªwho were part of Aenflynn¡¯s army, quickly retreated back home. After that¡ªapart from the occasional pixie in the woods¡ªvery few mortals had seen a single sign of the fae. Alex hadn¡¯t even caught a glimpse of one when he¡¯d teleported back to the Ravener¡¯s cavern to collect its remains, and although he and his companions had discussed possible attacks from Och Fir Nog¡ªfrom warriors looking for vengeance after the death of their lord and the devastation of their realm¡ªthey hadn¡¯t heard a whisper. The General had been considering looking in on them at some point. ¡°So tell me, what¡¯s happened? Are they preparing for revenge against Thameland?¡± Alex asked. Gwyllain snorted, then threw his head back and laughed. ¡°No! Are you mad? Do you truly not realise what you did?¡± ¡°Depends on what you mean,¡± Alex said. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll tell you. You upended the whole realm! Buried the fae gates, killed a lot of the army, and then there was the whole ¡®blowing up Aenflynn¡¯s castle¡¯ thing. His entire court went with him when the palace blew up, and most of his knights and soldiers too. All wiped out in a heartbeat.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Alex said. ¡°And your people aren¡¯t looking for revenge for that?¡± ¡°Are you mad? What¡¯d I just say! You blew up our lord and his castle! Nobody wants a fight with any of you!¡± Gwyllain shook his head. ¡°All the little kinglings and queenlings forbade anyone from seeking revenge for fear of angering you mortals enough for you to come back and finish what you started.¡± ¡°Kinglings and queenlings?¡± ¡°Such as they are.¡± Gwyllain scoffed. He blinked. ¡°Wow, you really don¡¯t know what you did to Och Fir Nog, do you? Well, prepare yourself. It¡¯s quite a story.¡± Chapter 901: Chaos in the Wild and Order in the Material ¡°All of Och Fir Nog¡¯s leadership collapsed. By the time the smoke had cleared and the last Ravener-spawn gasped its final breath, folk realised that there weren¡¯t anyone around to tell them what to do. And that¡¯s about when everything went to shite and the whole realm collapsed within a fortnight, turning into tiny, squabbling kingdoms. Everybody that had two followers just declared themselves kings and queens even if they ruled over a single village.¡± ¡°Smokin¡¯ hells,¡± Alex swore. ¡°There must have been someone from Aenflynn¡¯s family or court or army that could have taken power. There must have been somebody!¡± ¡°Well, there were a few, but they started gutting each other like there was no tomorrow!¡± Gwyllain chuckled. ¡°Pompous bastards, it served them right! And anyone who even whispered a kind word about Aenflynn got poisoned the moment they gained even a sliver of power. Everyone blames our dearly departed lord for what happened. He¡¯s the one that invited the Ravener to our realm, and if it weren¡¯t for him, well¡­we¡¯d still have a bloody realm! So don¡¯t worry, Alexander, everyone¡¯s too busy picking fights with one another, and they¡¯re also too afraid of all of you to pick a fight with you. I reckon the realm won¡¯t see anything close to ¡®order¡¯ for a good few centuries at the least!¡± Alex¡¯s jaw was hanging open. ¡°Wow¡­uh, I guess that¡¯s good for us, then. But why are you so happy about what happened? And how did you become an asrai of means?¡± Gwyllain grinned evilly. ¡°Like I said, a lot of asses died when you all came through Och Fir Nog like some destroyers of realms. A lot of very rich asses. When I got back after the dust was settling, I had this thought: ¡°Gwyllain, I said to myself, you keep letting everyone run you about. You should get something of your own.¡± So, myself, and a few other fine folk raided every empty mansion, palace and castle in what remained of Och Fir Nog. We carried off a nice fortune while everyone else was hiding in the deepest holes, shaking and praying you wouldn¡¯t come back.¡± The asrai tapped the side of his head, grinning. ¡°But, you see, I figured things out a bit better than they did. I figured that once you avenged yourself on the Ravener, and since you didn¡¯t seem like the type to go about slaughtering folk for the sake of slaughtering folk. Even though you did drag me through some scary shite, you still treated with me kindly. So, that¡¯s how I knew to scurry into all the mansions and get first pick of all the wealth that was left behind. Just so you know, I don¡¯t go advertising my fortune, I just live a very fine, quiet life. I¡¯m thinking that when someone with a good head on their shoulders turns up, someone who looks like they might make a good leader, I¡¯ll fund them and get myself a nice cushy position in the new society.¡± Alex laughed. ¡°Sounds like you made out like a bandit!¡± ¡°I did, I did! And I¡¯ve got you to thank!¡± Gwyllain chuckled. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s some fine bottles of honey-wine I stumbled across in my search. Had Aenflynn¡¯s seal on the cases, so I think they were meant for his private stock. Now they¡¯re in my private stock, and I¡¯ll share them with you, gladly! It¡¯s the least I can do in return for my good fortune¡­and¡­¡± He looked sly. ¡°Mayhaps I could call on you in the future. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like some eyes and ears in the fae wild, since you are the terror that brought Aenflynn low! I bet you could keep me safe from any fool who might think to muscle me out of my fortune!¡± Alex returned Gwyllain¡¯s sly grin. ¡°Well, that sounds like a wonderful idea.¡± ¡°Good.¡± The asrai rubbed his hands together. ¡°You know, for the first time, I¡¯m glad I was tied to you at that windmill. To think when I first met you I was about to be a blue annis hag¡¯s supper. Now look at me!¡± He twirled in his new clothes. ¡°You know, I once told you that the Ravener time here in Thameland was called the Time of Plenty among us fae.¡± Gwyllain leaned in, giving Alex a delighted giggle. He stuck his tiny hand out for a handshake. Alex chuckled, taking the little asrai¡¯s hand and shaking it. ¡°Well, Alexander¡ªfor me, at least¡ªyou brought the Time of Plenty to Och Fir Nog! Glad I met you, friend.¡± ### ¡°Representing King Athelstan, High Priest Tobias Jay, the Traveller and myself, I¡ªSt. Merzhin do declare this Church of the Traveller open for worship!¡± the Saint of Thameland¡¯s voice rang out over Luthering. The small man lifted a bottle of sanctified water, and smashed it against the stone. The building had been rebuilt, crafted atop the old foundation of the church of Uldar. Cheers and excited applause erupted from the gathered crowd as Merzhin raised his hands. ¡°May the Traveller bless us, and may Thameland continue onward through a new age of wonder!¡± The cheers grew even more enthusiastic, and Merzhin allowed himself a small, genuine smile as he looked over the village. In the nine months since the Ravener¡¯s destruction, Thameland had developed and changed in ways that warmed the Saint¡¯s heart. And there were few places that demonstrated this more than the small village of Luthering. ¡­being¡­ that it was not such a small village anymore. Winter had come, and snow lay upon the rooftops of stout buildings of stone, standing around the rebuilt church, replacing many of the wood and thatch structures that once filled the village square. The battle against the Ravener had left Luthering devastated, little more than a burnt out-husk, but after many months of labour, a sprinkle of divinity, and a touch of magic, it was rebuilt better than it ever was. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Like many towns and villages that had been destroyed across the kingdom, when people rebuilt them, they rebuilt stronger. The realm, thanks to the dungeon core essence scattered across its wilderness, was awash with gold. Lords, ladies and landed knights¡ªSir Sean being one¡ªhad gone out as soon as they could to gather up any dungeon core remains they could find on their own lands. Greymoor happily bought every speck, helping to fund the kingdom¡¯s massive rebuilding plans. The wizards even traded services for dungeon core essence, using their magic to help with the reconstruction. With Claygon and his Ravener-spawn helping as well, it hadn¡¯t taken long for Thameland to surpass its former charming character from the time before the final cycle had begun. With Claygon¡¯s Earth Tillers renewing the soil, the fall harvest had been record breaking; the soil left by the Ravener-spawn seemed almost magical. Thameland had changed, and was continuing to change. More foreigners travelled the realm; adventurers and prospectors looking for leftover dungeon core essence. Wizards were common in the country, going from Greymoor and the Cave of the Traveller, to great markets in Ussex where they could buy dungeon core essence. ¡°The land will prosper. In spite of what you did, Uldar. The land will prosper,¡± Maezhin whispered, stepping away from the church as people flooded through the doors. The First Worship would be led by the Traveller herself, and Merzhin would have given a lot to be part of it. But, he had a prior engagement to attend. Alex had called for him and the other Heroes to come to the port in Generasi for something urgent. It wasn¡¯t like the young archwizard to send them a message; usually when he wanted to talk, he would just teleport to them. After all, he could be in multiple places at once. Something was different about today. And Merzhin was dying to know what it was. ### ¡°Everyone, welcome!¡± Alex called, waving at the Heroes. The four of them had just teleported to the port, and found their friend waiting there. The young archwizard waved them over with a smile as he stood beside Claygon, who was flanked by a number of human-sized brass golems. ¡°Welcome back, it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve all been to the city, right, since you¡¯ve been so busy?¡± Alex asked. ¡°It has.¡± Merzhin approached the archwizard with the other Heroes. The port was bustling with folk of all different races and species, and Merzhin remembered the shock he¡¯d had when he first visited the city for Carey¡¯s funeral. ¡°What are those?¡± Drestra asked, pointing at the sky. Alex grinned, following her gaze. ¡°Progress.¡± The Saint looked up and gasped. Slowly descending toward the docks were three immense flying ships¡­and three more were flying over the bay. ¡°Oi, Isolde was tellin¡¯ me that flyin¡¯ boats aren¡¯t usually as big as those an¡¯ that flyin¡¯ ships gotta stay in the city ¡®cos o¡¯ all t¡¯ mana they use.¡± Cedric squinted into the distance. ¡°But I swear I¡¯m seein¡¯ flyin¡¯ boats out over t¡¯sea right now.¡± ¡°Yep, I see them clear as day.¡± Hart narrowed his large eyes. ¡°Those are ships flying out there.¡± ¡°Yes they are!¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°Shale and I decided to get into shipbuilding after talking to Lucia. With all the dungeon core essence we have, it seemed like a good idea to build a fleet of flying ships that can go anywhere, not just in places with ambient mana. That¡¯s why I wanted you to wait with me here; I¡¯m expecting a shipment, and after that, we can head to my lab. The others should be getting there soon.¡± ¡°Others?¡± Merzhin glanced at a nearby shrine. It was a small effigy of the Traveller, wrapped in seaweed and pearls. Her hands were raised, as though she was blessing travellers heading out to sea. He couldn¡¯t remember seeing any shrines in Generasi the last time he was here. He¡¯d been struck by the absence of them. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m calling everybody together that fought in the Ravener¡¯s lair,¡± Alex¡¯s voice dropped low. ¡°It¡¯s about¡­well, you¡¯ll see when we get there. It¡¯s not exactly something we can talk about out here.¡± ¡°No¡­we¡¯ll want to¡­keep it¡­quiet¡­for now¡­¡± Claygon said, his voice just as low as Alex¡¯s. ¡°Of course,¡± Merzhin said. As they finished talking, a ship landed in the water beside the pier, sending up an immense splash of seawater. ¡°Whoooooa!¡± The selachar captain shouted, holding on to a mast near him as the crew braced themselves. ¡°I hope I never get used to that! I love it!¡± ¡°You won¡¯t be satisfied until Ek-U-Dari swipes us out of the sky and back into the water where we belong!¡± An identical-looking selachar shouted at the captain. ¡°This is madness!¡± ¡°Fan-Dor! Gel-Dor!¡± Alex waved, grinning. ¡°I guess you¡¯re still disagreeing about the modifications I made to the Red Siren, eh?¡± ¡°We¡¯re not disagreeing about anything!¡± the captain shouted. ¡°Gel-Dor¡¯s complaining and I¡¯m ignoring him! A tale as old as time!¡± The first mate shook his head. ¡°Alex, the goods are ready for you to inspect! You want to get up here?¡± ¡°Right away!¡± Alex nodded to the others. ¡°This should only take a few minutes.¡± With that, Alex teleported onto the deck of the Red Siren, leaving Merzhin wondering why they were there. ### ¡°I bet you¡¯re all wondering why I called you here,¡± Alex said. He was standing at the head of a long table in his lab, and gathered around it were some familiar faces. On the young archwizard¡¯s left was Khalik, with Najyah perched on his shoulder, and beside them Isolde, Thundar, Grimloch and Bjorgrund. On his right was Theresa and Brutus, and the four Heroes of Thameland. Behind him stood Claygon. Everyone who¡¯d fought the Ravener in its lair, aside from Asmaldestre the Unmaker, had gathered in his laboratory. ¡°You are acting very mysteriously,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Is it for a reason besides needlessly dramatic antics?¡± ¡°Hey, they might be dramatic, but these antics aren¡¯t needless,¡± Alex said. ¡°Granted, I did always want to say something like, ¡®I bet you¡¯re all wondering why I called you here¡¯, but I¡¯m in a good mood and just finished pulling off the impossible. So I think I deserve a little amusement.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Theresa asked. Thundar looked at her sharply. ¡°You mean, you don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on?¡± She shook her head as Alex pointed at the table. Suddenly, several cases appeared; they looked like the type of cases that would hold wine bottles, except these were covered in protective glyphs. ¡°Careful,¡± Alex said. ¡°If anyone even touches those cases without me or Baelin deactivating the protections¡­well you wouldn¡¯t even want to know what would happen.¡± He spoke a word of power, and each case opened with hiss. The others gasped. Within them were clear bottles of pure crystal, each containing a liquid that shone with a startling radiance. Alex¡¯s smiles and high spirits disappeared. He looked at his friends soberly. ¡°Alex¡­¡± Khalik whispered. ¡°Is that what I think it is?¡± ¡°Yeah, probably,¡± Alex said. ¡°What you¡¯re all looking at are actual, genuine elixirs of immortality. Baelin and I finally finished them last night.¡± He watched them intently. ¡°My friends, you all have some decisions to make.¡± Chapter 902: An Eternal Opportunity ¡°Death¡¯s not gonna take me until I¡¯m damn good and ready for it,¡± Alexander Roth declared. ¡°As a matter of fact, it won¡¯t ever have me. I¡¯ll have it when I decide it¡¯s time. There¡¯s too much I want to do, too many people I want to spend an eternity with¡ª¡± He looked at Theresa. ¡°¡ªand too much I want to explore to just let my journey end, not until I decide it¡¯s time to go to the after-world.¡± He reached out, picking up a bottle. ¡°So, full disclosure, I¡¯ll be drinking mine.¡± ¡°So will I,¡± Theresa said, reaching for a bottle. ¡°And Alex says that the elixir¡¯s effects will be shared with Brutus.¡± ¡°But, the rest of you should think carefully,¡± Alex said. ¡°Baelin said that immortality comes with its own challenges. It¡¯s not a decision to be made lightly, but it¡¯s one I¡¯ve been thinking about for a long time. So I¡¯m¡ª¡± ¡°What in all the hells?¡± Cedric suddenly shouted. ¡°What, y-just made a potion that let¡¯s y¡¯live forever? Back th¡¯ hells up, that was th¡¯ little project y¡¯was talkin¡¯ about?¡± ¡°Oh yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°I kept it under wraps for the most part. Baelin said that when a Proper Wizard is doing something like brewing an immortality serum, they tell as few people as possible. So yeah, I kinda kept it quiet.¡± Drestra¡¯s jaw was hanging open. ¡°And you mean to just¡­give us an immortality elixir?¡± Alex looked at her in surprise. ¡°Yeah, why not? We all fought Uldar together. We earned this; I knew what I was going to do with Uldar¡¯s divine essence, and I¡¯d be a real piece of shit if I didn¡¯t offer to share the spoils with everyone who fought the Ravener. I even have some extra essence left, in case any of you have loved ones you want to share immortality with. Understand, though, the supply is limited. After the divine essence is gone, if you want any immortality elixir for others you care about, you¡¯re going to have to get your hands on more divine essence, or some golden apples, or the flames of a phoenix. I¡¯ll happily brew it for you, though.¡± ¡°Wait, back up, how did you manage to make an elixir so easily?¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled. ¡°This just seems so¡­sudden.¡± Alex smiled. ¡°Not bragging but, I am a very good alchemist, but seriously, I couldn¡¯t have done it without Baelin: he¡¯s the one with the experience.¡± He thought back to the long hours he¡¯d spent with the chancellor in the lab while he was also in Thameland helping with the clean up, and running his businesses in Generasi. Being in multiple places at once really had its benefits. ¡°Baelin said that the method we used was one he learned from one of his cabal members. Apparently, if you absorb divine essence¡ªor divine breath, as it''s called in some places¡ªyou grow closer to immortality and even gain unique powers based on the deific essence you take in.¡± He tapped the side of the bottle of elixir he was holding. ¡°We modified that method, though, making sure we removed all traces of the poison inside Uldar¡¯s body, and at the same time, we distilled his deific energy down to its most basic state. Long story short: this potion will make it so that you¡¯ll never die of old age¡ªbut there¡¯s a warning that I¡¯ll have to give you¡ªand you¡¯ll also have better senses, you¡¯ll be a lot tougher, heal quicker from non-fatal wounds, and your body will just be stronger all-around. Expect to catch colds a lot less.¡± Alex laughed, raising a finger. ¡°But, about the ageing thing: from the moment you drink the elixir, you stop ageing. Which means anyone who¡¯s not fully grown when they drink it, will never grow up. I have some essence set aside for Selina, for her to choose whether she wants to use it or not when she¡¯s older, since there¡¯s no way she¡¯s touching it until she¡¯s finished growing. Baelin told me stories about immortals being trapped in the bodies of children; things never ended well in those stories.¡± An eerie silence filled the room. Finally, Hart blew out a breath. ¡°So¡­we choose whether or not we wanna become immortal and who we¡¯d want to be immortal with? That¡¯s heavy. Real heavy.¡± ¡°Which is why you don¡¯t have to make a choice right this second. Your elixirs will always be waiting for you until you either drink them, or die. There¡¯ll always be time to make a firm decision,¡± Alex said soberly. ¡°I want to give everyone a chance to think, to change their mind, to mull it over, and never feel pressured. Baelin warned me that eternal life has its downsides: you¡¯ll watch people you know and love grow old and die, over and over again. Others will target you, looking to steal the secrets of your eternal life. It¡¯s not for everybody, so even if you need decades to think about it¡­¡± He raised his own elixir. ¡°This stuff will reverse your ageing and regenerate your body to its peak of youth and health. You could sip it on your deathbed at the age of a hundred and be back in your twenties in a matter of seconds. Seriously, there¡¯s no downside to waiting. Only choose to take it now if you¡¯re one hundred percent sure.¡± Silence lay heavy in the room. ¡°This is¡­a lot,¡± Merzhin said. ¡°I might have something in mind, but I am sure most of us will need time to think¡ª¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m drinking mine right now!¡± Thundar snatched up his elixir and wrapped an arm around Drestra¡¯s waist. ¡°My partner¡¯s going to live for thousands of years, I¡¯d be pretty shit if I left her behind. Besides, there are so many planes I want to see. So much travelling and adventure ahead of me. Lots of fights in front of me, and they¡¯ll be a lot easier if I¡¯ve got a stronger, tougher body that¡¯ll never slow down. Yeah, an eternity sounds pretty nice. And besides, you¡¯re part of my cabal, Alex. Couldn¡¯t exactly let you go on while your fearless cabal-leader withers, could I?¡± Alex grinned at the smiling minotaur. ¡°You¡¯re the best, my man.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Thundar replied. Drestra was looking up at her partner, her reptilian eyes very large indeed. She stood on her tiptoes, lifted her veil and pulled him down for a kiss. ¡°You¡¯re sweet, Thundar,¡± she smiled, showing her rows of sharp teeth. ¡°Very sweet. I knew I picked a good one in you.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. She looked at Alex. ¡°As for me, I think I will take the elixir. What you said about choosing death and not having death choose you¡­I really liked that and I think I want that for myself, especially if I¡¯m not alone. But, I won¡¯t be drinking it today.¡± The Sage of Thameland lifted a hand, flexing her fingers like a claw. ¡°My true form still has more than a thousand years to go before I''m fully grown. I don¡¯t want to stunt myself; when I am at the peak of my power, that¡¯s when I¡¯ll drink my elixir. The Crymlyn¡¯s been flourishing since the war ended. Claygon¡¯s Earth Tillers have made the swamps even more fertile, and there¡¯s less tension between the witches and the rest of the kingdom. Mother says we¡¯re going to have a new age of prosperity, and I want to witness it for generations.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Thundar cried, lifting the Sage off the ground enthusiastically. ¡°Thundar and Drestra! One thousand years and going! What a life I live!¡± She laughed, kissing him again. Alex smiled warmly. Prince Khalik cleared his throat. ¡°I also intend to drink the elixir,¡± he said. ¡°I have told you what my plans are for the future, and I would very much like all the time in the world to see them come to fruition and beyond. I would also like to spend an eternity with Sinope. Dryads live as long as their trees do. And so, I too, will be drinking mine. Will Najyah share the effects as well?¡± Alex nodded. ¡°She¡¯s your familiar. Now, she won¡¯t get as much power from it: blood familiars have a deeper connection to their masters, which is why Brutus will get so much more benefit. But, Najyah should live as long as you do and be tougher than she was before you took the elixir.¡± ¡°Glorious!¡± Prince Khalik¡¯s eyes lit up as he stroked the eagle¡¯s feathers. She nuzzled into his hand. ¡°As for Sinope¡­¡± the prince continued. ¡°I will have to discuss this with her.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Alex said. ¡°Like I said, she¡¯s your loved one. The potion will be available for her.¡± ¡°Wonderful!¡± Prince Khalik went over to Alex and clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°You are an emperor among men!¡± ¡°Keep those compliments coming,¡± Alex laughed. ¡°Do not!¡± Isolde quickly jumped in. ¡°If I am going to spend eternity in this cabal, I would not have any of you any more smug than you already are. It would make eternal life feel like an endless march through the hells while I am wearing shoes made of broken glass!¡± ¡°Oh, thanks, Isolde.¡± Alex rolled his eyes. ¡°So, I take it you¡¯re planning on taking the elixir too?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Isolde said. ¡°One day I might seek to see the after-world¡­but I want many lifetimes in this one to learn as much as I can. The mysteries of the world and the planes call to me, and I shall need time to learn their secrets.¡± ¡°Aye, such a thing suits y¡¯well.¡± Cedric grinned at her, showing his gold tooth. ¡°I could sees y¡¯becomin¡¯ some livin¡¯ legend for millennia! As for me, though¡­¡± He paused, looking at the elixir carefully. I dunno, I need time t¡¯think about all o¡¯ this. It¡¯s a lot, an¡¯ I dunno. I was a warrior just a few years ago, then I was a Hero, fightin¡¯ t¡¯kill the Ravener, an¡¯ now there¡¯s statues goin¡¯ up all over Thameland honourin¡¯ us, an¡¯ now you¡¯re tellin¡¯ me I could live forever, if I wanted.¡± He sighed. ¡°Part o¡¯ me jus¡¯ wants t¡¯say yes t¡¯be wit¡¯ Isolde forever an¡¯ t¡¯watch m¡¯ clan prosper. They been doin¡¯ real good after all t¡¯ rebuildin¡¯. They¡¯re gonna b¡¯ stronger than ever, I¡¯m thinkin¡¯, an¡¯ I wanna see where they¡¯ll b¡¯ when th¡¯ wee ones in th¡¯ clan are all grey an¡¯ hav¡¯ their own grandkids¡­but do I wanna see it while still walkin¡¯ the world, while I¡¯m never changin¡¯? I¡¯m thinkin¡¯ I needs t¡¯be doin¡¯ some long thinkin¡¯ before I accept.¡± Isolde kissed Cedric on the cheek. ¡°That is one reason why I love you. You know when to think and when to act.¡± He blushed. ¡°Aye, thanks.¡± He looked at Hart. ¡°How ¡®bout you, big guy?¡± Hart looked down at the elixir. ¡°I¡¯m going to think about it. All my life has been one big fight. First with the Ash Ravens, then as a Hero; fighting Ravener-spawn, demons, the hidden church, then the blasted Ravener. Now those fights are over, and I don¡¯t know what I wanna do with myself. It¡¯s been, uh, an adjustment. I think I want to live for a bit before I decide if I want to live forever. I¡¯ll also want to see how things go with Tyris.¡± ¡°How are things with you two?¡± Khalik asked. Hart grinned. ¡°She¡¯s passionate. Very passionate.¡± Thundar shuddered. The minotaur had told a story about what he¡¯d seen when Tyris came back to the Research Castle after the final battle. Apparently, she¡¯d leapt on Hart like a serpent, shoved her tongue down his throat and dragged him off for what she called a ¡®Hero¡¯s welcome.¡¯ ¡°So not much has changed there,¡± Thundar muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure some divine essence is put aside then,¡± Alex said. ¡°In case things keep going well between you two, or if you just decide to do it.¡± Alex turned to Bjorgrund, Merzhin and Grimloch. ¡°What about you three?¡± he asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Grimloch rumbled. Silence stretched on. ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°Does there need to be anything else?¡± ¡°Well,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯s a big decision.¡± To that, Grimloch grinned. ¡°You told me that I could hunt, fight, grow stronger and kill forever. Decision made.¡± Alex paused, wondering if maybe making the terrifying sharkman immortal was doing the world a disservice¡­ Before he could think about it further, Bjorgrund cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m not quite fully grown yet, so I need time to think,¡± the young giant said. ¡°And I¡¯ll need to talk about it with my father. Life could change a lot. I think I need to learn more about my runes, about life and¡­how to live.¡± ¡°Sounds reasonable,¡± Alex said. He turned to Merzhin. ¡°And you?¡± The Saint paused before answering. ¡°And here I thought I was the one who would be most sure, only to find myself the last one to answer.¡± His eyes were fixed on a bottle for a long time. ¡°Truthfully, I¡­do not think I want to live forever. I doubt I¡¯ll change my mind either.¡± He smiled thinly. ¡°I am the last Saint of Uldar¡­his symbol glows on my stomach. And my life was Uldar. I grew up praying to him, learning how to serve him and serving him with every fibre of my being. Now I serve Thameland, but¡­I feel like something of a relic from the past.¡± ¡°We might be able to find a way to alter your Mark,¡± Alex said. ¡°It¡¯d take time, but I have Kelda¡¯s equipment¡­it¡¯s possible.¡± Merzhin shook his head. ¡°Unlike you, I have done things that I regret. Things in Uldar¡¯s name. I do not think I want to forget them, for to do so would be to erase the mistakes of my past. Without those mistakes guiding me, I could end up being a worse man in the future.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re being too harsh on yourself,¡± Alex said softly. ¡°Perhaps. Perhaps not. But I will need time to learn. Once Thameland has been rebuilt, I think I shall go on a journey of my own. I wish to learn how to live and what life is before I decide whether to live forever. Though, likely not. I think I would like to live out my natural time¡ªexperience it for what it is¡ªand then move on to what comes next. I do not fear it.¡± Alex was about to say something, but the sheer amount of conviction in the Saint¡¯s voice stopped him. In the end, it was Merzhin¡¯s decision. And he would respect that, while keeping the door open if he changed his mind. ¡°Then that¡¯s it, then,¡± Alex said. ¡°Looks like it¡¯ll be me, Theresa, Khalik, Thundar, Isolde and Grimloch taking it now. Drestra¡¯s gonna wait, and the rest of you¡­well, your elixir will be there for you, if you want it, like I said.¡± He turned to his fiancee, his cabal-mates and Grimloch. Then unstoppered his bottle. The others took one and did the same. Alex raised his elixir. ¡°A toast. To life. Simply, to life.¡± ¡°To life!¡± the others said. They all paused for a moment. Alex considered the future ahead of him; all the people he would meet, all the journeys he would take, and the wonders he would see and experience. He looked at Theresa, and she smiled at him. And he would experience all of it with his best friend. His best friend who, by the end of next summer, would be his wife. ¡°By the Traveller, I¡¯m lucky,¡± he whispered. And together, they drank the elixir. Chapter 903: Where We Are, Where Were Going More than a year and half had passed since the destruction of the Ravener in Thameland, and life in the City at the Centre of Creation¡ªthe city of wizards¡ªhad changed in certain ways. Shrines to the Traveller had spread throughout Generasi and its countryside. While the city had maintained much of its separation from the divine, no one could deny that faith in the Traveller had taken hold there. She was an active goddess, and kind, and it was well-known that her followers were cared for, whether in Thameland, Generasi or elsewhere. Folk who had to travel by sea, or go into battle, or venture into the Barrens of Kravernus had begun wearing small charms around their necks. Charms carved in the shape of tiny lanterns. But faith in her was not the only thing that had spread. At this point, the Roth Family Bakery had five locations across Generasi now, with its first location outside the city planned for later in the year. No matter the location though, the legendary baked goods drew Generasians and even travellers from across the Prinean, lining up each morning for a chance to taste the warm freshly baked buns, creamy custards, fine cakes and more. Those lucky enough to get their food before the bakeries inevitably sold out, would enjoy their meal either in the establishments, or while walking along the street, where they might pass one of several Roth Magic Item Workshops. Alex had opened his second magic item shop¡ªsupplied with items from his own skill and Claygon¡¯s help with dungeon core essence¡ªit had proven to be a huge success. Now, he¡¯d become the proud proprietor of three of these fine shops across the city, and the wait for custom orders was often a year. That level of success, of course, was also true of his and Shale¡¯s partnership. Shale¡¯s Golemworks had added three new floors to the original building, turning into a gargantuan workshop that produced golems and other magical items around the clock. Whether day or night, its windows would be all lit up as crafters laboured inside. Around the world, the rich and powerful sought the opportunity to pay whatever they had to for the chance to own at least one of the Shale-Roth dungeon core essence-powered golems. When one travelled to the courts of monarchs both far and wide, they would often find a golem standing near the throne, there to eliminate any would-be assassin who drew steel in the throne room. Everyday Lucia¡¯s growing fleet of ships¡ªflying and seafaring¡ªtravelled the oceans of the world, battling the sea and its monsters, delivering precious cargo to realms from the frozen ice cap in the north, to the frozen ice cap in the south. Even in the countryside of Generasi, one couldn¡¯t miss the ways the General of Thameland and his many companions had changed the realm. Claygon¡¯s spawn patrolled the countryside under his command. Venom walkers, chitterers, bone chargers, spear-flies and other Ravener-spawn had once terrorised Thameland. Now, they protected the citizens of Thameland and Generasi in the countryside of both realms, helping mortals and wizards, hunting down dangerous monsters in the wilderness. Claygon¡¯s Earth Tillers improved the harvest in Generasi as well. Both Generasi and Thameland had grown more powerful. And Generasi¡¯s people had grown more hardy. Over the months, Alex¡¯s method of blood magic enhancement that he¡¯d pioneered on himself and Hart Redfletcher, had been refined. Blood mages had taken the young archwizard¡¯s theory and worked to make it applicable to a host of medical applications. New versions of the process were developed, and while these new versions didn¡¯t transform folk into superhumans like Alex¡¯s original process, they were safer and designed to purify and build up the constitution of ailing bodies, as well as quickly fight off illnesses plaguing them. The Council of Wizards had granted Alex¡ªand the hard working blood mages who had built on his theory¡ªawards from the city, some of which were now displayed in the university. Throughout campus¡ªeven after Khalik and Thundar had graduated¡ªAlex and his cabal¡¯s names grew to legendary status among new students. Their names were used by recruiters from the university when they travelled across the world, and also in university classrooms by professors like Jules, Val¡¯Rok, Mangal, Hak and Salinger, presenting them as role models for future generations of wizards. In the year and a half since the Ravener¡¯s fall, life had changed significantly in many ways. Yet, for most, it was their new normal, and today¡ªnear the end of summer¡ªit was just a regular day¡­ For most. But not for Selina Roth. The rising sun found the young woman standing in the courtyard of the villa¡ªthe same villa she and the Lus had stayed in, then was bought by Alex soon after the Ravener¡¯s death¡ªsunlight playing through her chestnut brown hair. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it At fourteen years of age, she¡¯d hit quite a growth spurt and was already confirming, in height, that her family¡¯s tendency toward great height hadn¡¯t skipped her. Most of her baby fat was long gone, and although she was still in that gangly stage that many early teenage bodies fell into, she was already showing signs of growing into a commanding young woman. Her green eyes were narrowed in concentration as she carefully wiggled her fingers through a complex series of motions. ¡°Watch this, Brutus,¡± she said. ¡°I think I¡¯ll be even faster this time.¡± Stretched out on the ground about twenty feet away, the cerberus peered at her from one of his heads. The other yawned. The last was fast asleep. Concentrating, Selina finished moving her fingers through the incantation. The second-tier spell array formed within her mana pool with ease, an orb of flame taking shape above her outstretched hand. It blazed heartily in the morning sun as she concentrated, using mana manipulation to control it. Orb of Fire was a simple spell, meant to conjure a ball of flame that could be controlled with a mere thought. For Selina, though¡ªwith her powerful fire affinity and instruction from her brother¡ªit could be taken much further. Manipulating the mana of the spell, the fire grew from an orb the size of her head, to one the size of her entire body. It blazed above her, giving off waves of heat, rising higher as she controlled the spell. With a flick of her finger, the flaming orb changed shape, now a column of fire, then a line of flame, and finally, something like a blazing cube. ¡°I can¡¯t make it any more refined than that,¡± she said, glancing at Brutus, making sure he was still watching. ¡°But I can do this.¡± Closing her hand and manipulating the spell¡¯s mana, she shrunk the orb down to a speck of flame, hovering quietly in the air, no bigger than a snowflake. It burned with intense heat. Selina frowned, deep in concentration That ember grew brighter and the heat began fading. The air cooled all around it as the spell greedily sucked in the surrounding heat to feed itself. Selina pushed a hand through the air in front of her. It felt cool enough to be noticeable. Carefully, the young fire mage pulled an alchemical air temperature gauge from her belt pouch and held it before her. ¡°One¡­two¡­three degrees cooler than the surrounding air.¡± Her eyes lit up. ¡°A new record!¡± Gleefully, she picked up a notebook, recording her progress. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell Alex and the others,¡± she whispered, looking at the villa. ¡°But I guess, that¡¯ll have to wait, since today¡¯s such a busy day.¡± Sighing, the young woman looked at the blue sky. There were far more sky-ships flying up there now, many built by her brother. ¡°Can you believe it, Brutus?¡± she said, dismissing the flame then gathering up her notes and supplies and taking a seat beside the cerberus on a bench nearby. He grumbled, laying one of his enormous heads in her lap. She stroked that head while he watched her. ¡°On a day like this, it really makes you think, doesn¡¯t it?¡± she said to him. ¡°Do you remember when we first left Alric together? Everything was so scary back then¡­¡± She shook her head. ¡°How old was I? Maybe ten.¡± Selina chuckled. ¡°Do you remember when we smeared stinkweed on ourselves to try to repel the silence spiders? Remember the fight in the Cave of the Traveller, the journey to Port Mausarr, and meeting Fan-Dor and Gel-Dor¡­then coming here? Our new home.¡± She thought about all the friends she¡¯d made, the wonderful sights she¡¯d seen, and the dangers she¡¯d faced in the city of wizards. Here was where she¡¯d discovered her fire affinity, learned to accept her connection to flame and started learning magic. Here was where she¡¯d helped Alex craft Claygon. Here was where she¡¯d done a lot of growing up. ¡°You know something Brutus, I think I¡¯d like to have my own adventures one day,¡± she said. ¡°Go somewhere far away, help people with my magic, fight monsters, put out fires¡­¡± The young woman daydreamed fantastical images, then blushed. ¡°Maybe meet a handsome prince. That would be nice, wouldn¡¯t it, boy?¡± She looked down, noticing that the cerberus eyes were shut tight, as he snored in her lap. ¡°Hmph, I guess I¡¯ve been talking to myself all this time! Coming up with wild ideas, like¡ª¡± Her breath caught. There was another person she knew who talked to himself a lot, usually when he was coming up with wild ideas. She slowly looked down at her notebook, which was slowly being filled with her progress and notes on magic circuits. ¡°Oh no,¡± she groaned in horror. ¡°I¡¯m becoming Alex. Oh, by the Traveller, no¡ª¡± ¡°Selinaaaa!¡± Mrs. Lu called from inside the villa. ¡°Selina, where are you? It¡¯s time to get ready.¡± With a grunt, Brutus woke up, licked Selina¡¯s face and bounded toward the villa¡¯s front doors. Selina made a sour face, pulling out a handkerchief and wiping her cheek. ¡°Ugh, now you wake up. You probably think it¡¯s mealtime.¡± Sighing, she got to her feet. ¡°Anyway, we¡¯ve got to get ready, and it¡¯s a big day for Theresa and Alex.¡± She looked at the villa¡¯s windows, shaking her head. ¡°Ugh, talking to myself again. I¡¯ve got to de-Alex myself before I lose the ability to think of good names for anything ever again.¡± With a shake of her head, she began walking to the villa.
¡°O-oh, you look so beautiful.¡± Mr. Lu sniffled, wiping his eyes with a handkerchief. ¡°Have I told you that, my daughter?¡± ¡°Dad¡­you¡¯ve told me that about a thousand times already.¡± Theresa ran a cherrywood comb through the back of her hair, sweeping it into an updo. ¡°And I¡¯ll tell you a thousand times more!¡± He puffed up his chest. ¡°And you listen here! Alex had better tell you that a thousand times a day for the rest of your lives! I-if he doesn¡¯t, you come to your father! I-I¡¯ll tell him off for you!¡± Theresa smiled at her father. ¡°I think that¡¯d be a little much.¡± ¡°Nonsense, it should be two thousand times a day!¡± Mr. Lu sputtered. ¡°At least!¡± ¡°...thanks dad,¡± she said, looking at herself in the mirror and putting her comb on the dresser. Her dress was forest green, with a pattern of golden filigree shaped like hundreds of leaves, trimming it. She pinned a laurel wreath of magically-preserved wildflowers to her hair. Their colourful blooms contrasted with her jet black hair, and the green of the dress suited the brown of her scabbards; the Twinblade was belted at her waist. Her eyes drifted to the swords. Her great-grandfather¡¯s swords. ¡°Twinblade Lu¡¯s smiling down on you,¡± Mr. Lu said. ¡°He¡¯s seen what you¡¯ve done with his swords, I have no doubt, and I know he¡¯ll be watching you with the biggest smile on his face. I¡¯m glad you took one of those swords with you when you left with Alex, Selina and Brutus.¡± He leaned over, touching the blades. ¡°That sword¡­and the other half of the Twinblade got you through so much, my daughter.¡± He choked. ¡°One served you through your journey to Generasi, then together, through all the fights you¡¯ve had, and even through the battle with the Ravener. And now¡­they¡¯ve gotten you here. To this day.¡± Mr. Lu shook his head as if in disbelief, his voice breaking. ¡°To your wedding day.¡± Chapter 904: A Wonderful Life Theresa Lu looked up at her father in silent wonder. His words kept echoing through her head. To your wedding day. To your wedding day. To your wedding day. Those words were true. After all this time, more than two years since Alex proposed to her on the beach, she was going to marry him, her partner, her best friend and lover. The thought sent butterflies fluttering through her stomach and made her face flush. For as long as she could remember, they¡¯d been with each other, and she¡¯d loved him her whole life. Today was the day they¡¯d be joined as husband and wife. ¡®It¡¯s so strange,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I drank an elixir of immortality last year. ¡®My senses are even sharper. My heart beats stronger. And I¡¯m never going to die¡­but I didn¡¯t feel anywhere near as happy as I do today. What a life I¡¯ve lived so far.¡¯ Her father approached her. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± She smiled up at him, touching the Twinblade. ¡°Oh, just about¡­how we all got here.¡± The huntress remembered that moment all those years ago when she¡¯d walked into Alex¡¯s room and seen that glowing Mark on his shoulder. After he¡¯d told her what had happened, it had taken her less than a heartbeat to know what she wanted to do: to go with him. She¡¯d asked him right then if she could come with him to Generasi. That one request might have been the single most important sentence she¡¯d ever uttered in her life. It had led them on a tense journey that took them from her family¡¯s inn, to the walls of Alric, to barely avoiding the priests¡¯ attention, and making it to the Coille. They¡¯d been stalked by a silence spider for the first time, surprised by a meeting with the Chosen, had gone through the Cave of the Traveller, and narrowly managed to kill a hive-queen hidden in there. At that point, that journey had been the most monumental experience of her life, but it was only the beginning. When they¡¯d made it to Generasi, she¡¯d discovered her potential for life enforcement, and started growing as a warrior, as well as in mind, body and spirit. From there, came the endless trials during the Art of the Wizard in combat, battles against the mana vampire, and even fighting for their lives against Ravener-spawn at Patrizia DePaolo¡¯s ball. She¡¯d become close friends with Zhao Shishi, Grimloch, Isolde, the rest of Alex¡¯s cabal, and a number of the Watchers. Yet, even as Claygon had joined their family and their circle of friends had grown, the huntress and wizard stayed together, remaining partners to each other. Loving together. Fighting together. Growing together. They¡¯d faced monsters early on, like the demon summoner¡¯s armies, then later on, Zonon-In, the hidden church, the runemarked in the north, until eventually, the Ravener itself. She¡¯d unlocked the true potential of the Twinblade and had come into her own, discovering herself in ways she¡¯d never imagined, even when she thought about her future as a young child. And her life¡¯s path had been with Alex at her side. She smiled at her father. ¡°You know, when I was a little girl, I always thought the Coille was endless,¡± she told him. ¡°That¡¯s why I went exploring it so much. Then, one day, I realised that it wasn¡¯t endless; that beyond it were fields and towns and other tamed lands.¡± ¡°I remember that,¡± Mr. Lu smiled. ¡°But when I first started learning life enforcement, I remember thinking that it was actually my first step into a vast forest that was ready for exploration. In a way, I thought it might be an endless path. An endless forest for me to explore, figuratively, I mean.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Mr. Lu nodded along. She looked at the mirror, then at her swords, then the laurel wreath and her flowing wedding dress of forest green and leaves of gold. ¡°But now, I think I see things a little differently. Life enforcement isn¡¯t the endless forest. It¡¯s a path through it. Life is the endless forest.¡± Her face lit up. ¡°And I get to explore it endlessly with Alex beside me.¡± She laughed then, looking back at her father. ¡°Life doesn¡¯t get any more wonderful than this, does it?¡± Mr. Lu rested a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Today will be a highlight, Theresa, but take it from a man who¡¯s been very happily married for a very long time.¡± His eyes twinkled. ¡°The best is yet to come.¡± Pausing for a moment then jumping up, she wrapped her arms around her father. ¡°I love you, dad.¡± He hugged her back. ¡°I love you too. I¡¯m proud of you, and I¡¯m so, so happy for you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± She fought back tears. Tears of joy. ¡°What a wonderful life I live.¡±
Alexander Roth checked himself in the mirror for the thousandth time. He carefully examined his black doublet and hose, looking for even a single loose thread, the slightest stain or the slightest bit of dust or dirt. If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Got to look perfect,¡± he said. ¡°Absolutely have to look absolutely perfect.¡± He looked at himself in the mirror again, glancing at his long hair. His eyes scanned for any hairs out of place. He found none. ¡°I look perfect, don¡¯t I?¡± ¡°You look¡­like¡­a Hero¡­father¡­¡± Claygon said. The golem of steel and dungeon core-substance stood by the door, watching his father¡¯s inspection with the patience of stone. He watched Alex closely, with feelings of pride, excitement and anticipation pouring through their link. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­fret¡­you are¡­going to be fine¡­¡± the golem said. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the thing!¡± Alex spun around. ¡°I know I¡¯m going to be fine! Fine is easy! ¡®Fine¡¯ is what you bloody well tell someone when you¡¯re feeling bloody miserable, but you don¡¯t want to get into a big conversation about it. Fine is what your boss tells you your performance is when they¡¯re getting ready to show you the door! Fine is easy, Claygon! Theresa doesn¡¯t deserve ¡®fine¡¯, or even ¡®great¡¯! She deserves perfect! Hells, I deserve perfect!¡± As Alex gesticulated, the golem laughed. ¡°Then you are¡­perfect¡­father. I think¡­the fact that¡­you and Theresa¡­are even marrying each other¡­already makes the day¡­perfect for both of you,¡± Claygon said. ¡°I am not sure how much¡­she¡¯s going to pay attention¡­to every thread of your clothing father¡­I think¡­she¡¯s going to care a lot more about¡­who¡¯s wearing those clothes¡­¡± Alex paused then, looking into Claygon¡¯s steel eyes. ¡°You know, you¡¯ve gotten really damn insightful.¡± ¡°I¡­have¡­good¡­role models¡­¡± He patted his father on the back. ¡°I am happy¡­for you¡­father¡­¡± Alex smiled up at the golem, placing a hand on one of Claygon¡¯s forearms. ¡°Thank you for that, buddy. Seriously, thank you.¡± ¡°You are welcome¡­I can feel you are¡­nervous father¡­you are letting your emotions¡­flow through our link¡­and I can feel your excitement¡­too¡­¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m super excited, buddy. I can¡¯t remember the last time I was this excited! Funny, I drank a potion of immortality and didn¡¯t feel as excited as I do right now. Oh, man, I can¡¯t believe how happy I¡¯m feeling. Nervous too, though. Hope I don¡¯t mess up my vows¡­¡± ¡°You¡­will not¡­father¡­I know you will not¡­you are going to have¡­a great day¡­¡± Claygon said, raising his lower right hand. ¡°Yeeeeeah!¡± the young archwizard high-fived his golem¡¯s steel hand, barely resisting the urge to clutch his hand from pain. As the archwizard and golem fed off each other¡¯s excitement, Alex looked out the window, at the sky. ¡®I know you¡¯re still watching over us, mom and dad,¡¯ he thought, remembering travelling to the after-world and meeting his mother and father with Selina. As time went on, his memories of what the after-world looked like grew vaguer, hazier. But the image of his mother and father¡ªlooking at him and his sister with such towering pride¡ªremained just as clear in his mind, as if he¡¯d just seen them minutes ago. He doubted that memory would ever fade, even if he lived for another five thousand years. ¡®I hope you¡¯ll still keep being proud of Selina and me, mother and father,¡¯ he thought. ¡®And of Theresa too, since our families are officially joining.¡¯ As the thought passed through his mind, a familiar voice came from the hallway. ¡°Alex! Are you ready?¡± Mrs. Lu called. ¡°It¡¯s just about time.¡± ¡°On my way!¡± Alex turned to Claygon, straightening his clothes again. ¡°How do I look?¡± he asked. ¡°Like¡­a Hero¡­¡± the golem replied, confidently. ¡°Haha, I¡¯ll take it!¡± Alex walked to the double doors of his bedroom in the villa, throwing them open with a single tug and stepped into the hallway, where Mrs. Lu was waiting. The doors across from his room opened and¡­Theresa walked through the doorway. Alex¡¯s breath caught. The softness of her dress. The colours. All perfect. Her hair. The wreath of wildflowers ringing her hair. Her death stalker face¡­melted immediately upon seeing him. She looked him up and down. Slowly. Drinking in every detail. ¡°You look good, Alex.¡± The huntress blushed. ¡°You look beautiful,¡± He whispered back, awed. For a moment, they just silently looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Claygon beamed. Mrs. Lu beamed. Mr. Lu choked back a sob. ¡°A-alright, you two had better get going.¡± ¡°Remember, don¡¯t¡­come into the¡­temple until you hear¡­my signal¡­¡± Claygon added. ¡°We¡¯ll remember, Claygon,¡± Theresa said, not taking her eyes off her fiance. Slowly and gently, she extended her hand. Alex took it in his. ¡°Alright, you all have the new portal downstairs. Wait, portals! Alright, quick. Don¡¯t take the one that I set up a while ago: the regular one that takes you to your inn, Mr. and Mrs. Lu. You¡¯ll want to take the new one. It¡¯ll take the rest of you right to the temple.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll remember, Alex,¡± Mrs. Lu said. ¡°Now off you go, scoot!¡± Alex nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Mom, dad, I¡¯ll see you soon,¡± Theresa added. The huntress and the archwizard looked into each other¡¯s eyes. He squeezed her hand. She squeezed his back. And they teleported away.
The hall that Alex and Theresa arrived in was a wondrous sight. The walls, floor and ceiling of stone were bathed in the multihued lights of multiple portals. A honeycomb of portals hovered just below the ceiling, each open to a different sky. One sky was blue and clear, lit by bright sunlight. Another was starry, a full moon shone, bathing its cool light through the portal. Another was filled with fluffy white clouds. Yet another was open to the far north where multihued lights played through the night sky. Along both walls of the tunnel, portals were opened to different landscapes from around the world. One opened to a scene of the ocean, schools of colourful fish were nipping at each other, magic held the contents of the portal in check, keeping them from flowing out and into the tunnel. Another portal opened to a forest of petrified trees, each draped in lichen, bringing greenery to an otherwise grey scene. Other portals opened onto bright green fields. Others onto beaches or deserts. It seemed as though the world itself had been brought to the Cave, its different landscapes there to witness Alex and Theresa¡¯s union. And these were not the only wonders in the tunnel. Bright green garland was draped from the walls and a carpet of flower petals were strewn along the floor, representing good fortune, prosperity and fertility. From towering doors up ahead, hung wreaths of forest plants and wildflowers. The doors were familiar¡­ ¡­the same ones that had led directly into the Temple of the Traveller. Beyond them, Alex and Theresa could hear hushed voices talking. ¡°Looks like a lot of our guests are already here,¡± Alex said, keeping his voice low. ¡°Sounds like it,¡± Theresa whispered. ¡°I hear people coming through the portals inside. I think they¡¯re almost ready to start.¡± ¡°They¡¯ll be ready for us soon, then,¡± Alex said. He paused, looking at her closely. She caught his gaze, and smiled, blushing. ¡°What is it?¡± Her voice was soft. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked. Her hand squeezed his. ¡°I¡¯ve been ready for a long time. You?¡± His hand squeezed hers back. ¡°Even longer.¡± Before she could reply, two rich voices lifted in song from inside the temple. Claygon¡¯s and Birger¡¯s harmonious tones blended, joining in perfect harmony, singing a song of welcome. Alex took a deep, steadying breath. ¡°Well, that¡¯s our cue.¡± ¡°It is,¡± she said. ¡°I guess we should get married, then?¡± ¡°I guess we should.¡± Together, Theresa and Alex stepped forward, the doors slowly opening, welcoming them to the temple. Chapter 905: The Circle The doors opened before Alex and Theresa, revealing what waited beyond: the Temple of the Traveller. Long ago¡ªwhen they¡¯d first found this place¡ªwhat had waited there was fire, death and Ravener-spawn. The goddess statues were there then, standing in defence of the silent chamber, their fire-beams blasting anything that moved. Worker-silence spiders had ambushed their unsuspecting party, coming up behind them, but the goddess statues had unknowingly saved their lives¡­even if they¡¯d also come close to frying them in their fire-beams. Hovering high above them back then was a single portal, open to an endless sky. Now, more portals were up near the ceiling, windows on the world, both near and far. Both goddess statues were gone, replaced by effigies of the Traveller herself. In place of the goddesses with their snarling faces, was a replica of Hannah, her face calm and welcoming. Alex¡¯s and Theresa¡¯s guests were waiting for their arrival, watching the doors as they swung open, smiles greeting the couple. Thameish weddings featured four parties. The first and most important were the bride and groom. They would enter the church last, and be welcomed by their waiting guests. The second was the first set of guests. They would be seated at the ceremony, being supportive while bearing witness to the fact that a lawful marriage had taken place between an engaged couple. This first set of witnesses were already sitting near the back of the temple, watching the bride and groom enter. They were seated on chairs resembling soft clouds, their familiar faces displaying an array of different emotions, some teary-eyed, some smiling, some serene. The gathering was modest in size¡ªAlex and Theresa had quickly vetoed King Athelstan¡¯s offer of a state wedding to honour the leader of the Heroes¡ªand everyone who had made their guest list was someone with a strong connection to the young couple. Friends from the Art of the Wizard in Combat were there. Nua-Oge, Caramiyus, Angelar, Rhea, Malcolm, Rayne, Eyvinder and Shiani were sitting together. Lucia was there with Fan-Dor, Gel-Dor, Toraka and Sim Shale, all sitting beside each other. Most were smiling, except for Lucia and Fan-Dor, who were wiping away happy tears with their handkerchiefs. Tyris Goldtooth sat next to Brutus, Kybas, Harmless, Ripp, and Najyah. The eagle was perched on a stand beside them. There was even a massive open portal up above, allowing Vesuvius to poke his enormous head through it; to be present without taking up the entire temple. Troy was also there with his wife, Lorraine, and many of the original staff from the first Roth Family bakery. Some¡ªincluding Troy¡ªwere openly weeping. Near them sat Svenia, Hogarth, Zhao Shishi, Theresa¡¯s friends from the Watchers, Professor Kabbot-Xin and Abela and her family. The third group in a Thameish wedding would form what was known as ¡®the circle¡¯. These circles were made up of family and others closest to the bride and groom, and today, these folk stood in a circle in the middle of the chamber, all facing one another¡ªthough they turned, craning their necks to see Alex and Theresa enter the temple. A sizable number made up that circle. The Lus¡ªTheresa¡¯s brothers, her uncle, aunt, and cousins¡ªstood together, looking on with pride at the huntress. Beside them was Selina, grinning at both Theresa and her big brother. Beside them were Sinope and Prince Khalik, looking aristocratic. The prince was smiling through his well-coiffed beard, his eyes twinkling. Thundar and Drestra stood beside them, the minotaur sniffling and teary-eyed. Next to them was Isolde¡ªwho was also sniffling, her eyes red-rimmed and teary¡ªand a shirtless Cedric was kissing her hand. Hart, Merzhin and Carey were beside them, watching the approaching couple with broad smiles. Professor Jules, Baelin, Professor Mangal, and Professor Val¡¯Rok were next in the circle. Professor Jules was trying to stop from sobbing as Baelin patted her back. Bjorgrund and Grimloch were next, the two giants smiling¡­with the sharkman¡¯s smile looking extremely unsettling. And then, there were the vocalists. Claygon and Birger stood in the circle, their voices harmonising, filling the temple of the Traveller. They sang a song of welcome, of love. A song of triumph and joy. Waves of happiness emanated through the golem¡¯s link with his father. Alex¡¯s happiness emanated right back. He and Theresa turned to the last party in the chamber. A party of one. The officiant. In a Thameish wedding, a priest of Uldar normally stood in the middle of the circle, waiting for the bride and groom, ready to perform the ceremony. But today, the officiant waiting in the circle was no priest of Uldar. Far from it. Standing in the middle of the circle, waiting for them with a bright smile and a little wave¡­ ¡­was Hannah Kim, the Traveller. ¡°Witnesses,¡± she called. ¡°Please bow as the bride and groom enter the Circle of Joining.¡± Every seated witness stood up from their chairs, bowing their heads to Alex and Theresa as they entered the circle of family and friends. Hannah turned her attention to those in the circle. ¡°Everyone, the Circle of Joining will now close, representing the joining together of loved ones. We have all gathered here to form the circular bond of marriage, lasting and equal. This is a bond of kindness, of love, of dedication and prosperity. It is the joining of a couple taking the next step on their journey. It is the joining of two families, to make a stronger whole. Those in the circle are not only family by blood, but family by life lived and deed done. Not only family born. But family found. This family is also joining together through their connection to Theresa and Alex, and to represent that, everyone, please link hands.¡± As one, the Circle of Joining closed behind Alex and Theresa, joining hands. Together, the couple reached the Traveller, stopping in front of her. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. She bowed to them and they to her. They faced her, reached for one another¡¯s hands and looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Birger and Claygon¡¯s song ended, and those who¡¯d been seated took their seats again. Hannah smiled, and spoke again, her voice louder. ¡°Today, we are here to welcome the birth of a new family, whatever shape that family might take,¡± she said. ¡°Family is created not only by bonds of blood, but by bonds of friendship, love and partnership. These are the bonds that weave Theresa and Alex¡¯s families together in a union that will deeply enhance their lives. The vows the couple now exchange will signify their commitment to each other. Together, let us witness Alexander and Theresa make their commitment before everyone gathered here, everyone they share their lives with. Their vows are a pledge, meant to signify their dedication to each other, now and forever.¡± She looked at the huntress and the archwizard. ¡°Have you decided who will speak first?¡± They both nodded. ¡°I will,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Theresa will,¡± Alex agreed. ¡°Then, Theresa, please share your vows with Alex.¡± Theresa looked into her fiance¡¯s eyes, taking a deep breath. She began, her eyes never leaving his face. ¡°Alex, you fill my heart,¡± her conviction was in her every word, ¡°I love you and I always have. If you needed me to, I¡¯d go to the tallest mountain peaks and the deepest trenches for you, or with you.¡± She squeezed his hands. ¡°You don¡¯t even have to ask, and I¡¯d be right there beside you.¡± Alex smiled at that. ¡°Alex, you¡¯re brave and you never give up. You¡¯re loyal, selfless, thoughtful, funny, you¡¯re my everything and I know how fortunate I am. You never shy away from anything that¡¯s facing you, and I promise you, I¡¯ll always walk beside you, no matter what comes. I¡¯ll be there to stand beside you, to fly beside you, to fight beside you, to anchor you. The two of us can make it through anything together, and you make me feel I can survive anything, just as long as you¡¯re by my side.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Lu started to cry. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so long that remembering a time when you weren¡¯t in my life isn¡¯t possible,¡± Theresa continued. ¡°We grew up together and we¡¯ve grown together. You went from annoying Brutus, trying to make him play fetch and chase sticks, to patiently winning him over.¡± The cerberus whined a little. ¡°And honestly, if you could win him over, as far as I¡¯m concerned, there¡¯s nothing you can¡¯t do. Defeating the Ravener was impressive, but it takes second place to winning over Brutus.¡± Chuckles went through the circle and the other witnesses. Theresa continued. ¡°I trust you with everything I am. Our lives have been filled with adventure from the time we left Thameland, and no matter what we do now, being with you will always be an adventure. Being with you, I always feel loved. Alex, you¡¯re my best friend, you¡¯re my partner, my biggest supporter, and my love. Mine and Brutus¡¯ lives will go on because of you, and with you. We¡¯re one. I couldn¡¯t want anything more. So, on this day, I hereby vow to eternally love and trust you. When you are hurt, I am hurt. When you triumph, I triumph. When you love, I love even harder. We will fight and we will make up. And always, we will be together in the endless forest that is this world. And beyond.¡± She finished her vows with a brilliant smile and tears in her eyes. Hannah nodded. ¡°We have Theresa¡¯s vows.¡± She turned. ¡°Alex, please offer your vows to Theresa.¡± The young archwizard nodded, then searched his fiancee¡¯s face, taking a deep breath before speaking. ¡°You are so beautiful, Theresa,¡± he started. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful in mind, body, heart and soul. Beautiful in so many ways that I couldn¡¯t even begin to finish listing them, even if I had a thousand years. I adore you, and being here beside you is the best part of my life.¡± He gave her a weak smile. ¡°We belong together, and I think we always have, but there was a time when I didn¡¯t believe you could feel that way about me. I wasn¡¯t always the brightest spark around, back then, but thanks to a good swift kick from Khalik, I started to believe that you cared for me. And I¡¯m glad that I did. I¡¯m so glad that we¡¯re here together today; you mean the world to me, and I¡¯d do anything for you.¡± Alex looked into Theresa¡¯s eyes. ¡°Theresa, I promise to trust you, to share the bad and the good with you, to not be so afraid for you that I try to shield you from the world. You¡¯re my partner, I promise to always remember that, to honour that. You¡¯ve helped me in ways that made me who I am today.¡± He squeezed her hands. ¡°I¡¯ll never forget the day I started to fall in love with you. We must have been about fourteen; it was the day you and Mrs. Lu baked me cookies from my mom¡¯s recipe, hoping to make me feel better.¡± Theresa gasped, her eyes going wide. ¡°Oh, yes, I remember how you walked in the pouring rain with those cookies, all the way over to where I was,¡± Alex continued. ¡°You were soaking wet and I was being sullen and didn¡¯t want to talk to anybody, but you wouldn¡¯t leave until I had a cookie.¡± He chuckled. ¡°Since they were all soggy from the rain, I tasted one but spat it out, and you started yelling at me, and I started yelling back and we were making so much noise that the watchman came running over, thinking that someone was getting murdered. When he finally let us go, after his lecture, it was so awkward. I remember we didn¡¯t say a word to each other. Then part way back home, I start thinking: ¡®Gee, I¡¯m hungry¡¯ and¡ªnot even thinking¡ªI asked you for a cookie.¡± Several guests began laughing, their laughter echoing through the temple. Thundar¡¯s laughter was loudest, and he loudly commented, ¡°Yeah, that sounds like him.¡± More laughter erupted among the guests. Alex chuckled too. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t smack me, but instead, you gave me this look like: ¡®you made me go through all that just to ask me for a cookie now?¡¯ And when I saw that look on your face, I just started laughing and couldn¡¯t stop, and you started laughing too. And from that day, mum and dad dying hurt just a little bit less, because I had you to laugh with. You were there for me, and you touched my broken heart.¡± By now, Theresa¡¯s hands were gripping his for dear life. Tears were running down her face. ¡°I reckon we have a beautiful future ahead of us and I know we can make it whatever we want it to be,¡± Alex said. ¡°I¡¯m excited to spend that future with you and make all of our dreams come true. Whatever we dream, we can do. We both know that life can be full of surprises, some good, some bad, and some in between, but as long as we¡¯re together, we can handle all of it. If my best friend is beside me, what can¡¯t we face? I¡¯ll always love you, Theresa. I¡¯m a very lucky man. So, I hereby vow to eternally love and cherish you. I will protect you and I know you will protect me. We will love each other through joy and pain, rain and sunshine. The good times will make us happier. The hard times will make us stronger. We will be together to face all that life has to offer. For all time.¡± By now Theresa was shaking. Alex had grown teary-eyed himself. Hannah spoke. ¡°We have heard our couple¡¯s beautiful vows, ones that will carry them through their married lives. But before we go further, tradition requires me to ask: if anyone objects to this union, if so, now is the time to speak.¡± Immediately all tears stopped, and Alex noticed Theresa glaring at the circle and other witnesses, her death stalker face on full display, as though daring anyone to say a word. Alex glowered in warning too, but no one said a single word. ¡°With no one objecting, the bride and groom may now tie the ceremonial bracelets on each other¡¯s wrists,¡± Hannah continued. Alex and Theresa looked back at each other, removing the two ceremonial bracelets made of leaves woven together from the aeld tree in Greymoor, from their pouches. Theresa tied Alex¡¯s onto his wrist. Then Alex tied Theresa¡¯s onto hers. They joined hands again, looking down at their bracelets. Hannah looked at Theresa first. ¡°Theresa, do you accept this man to be your husband, both in good times and in ill, to be joined together?¡± ¡°Yes, with everything I have.¡± Theresa looked up at Alex. ¡°Alex,¡± Hannah continued. ¡°Do you accept this woman to be your wife, both in good times and in ill, to be joined together?¡± ¡°Yes, with everything I have,¡± Alex echoed. The Traveller raised her voice, filling the temple with her words. ¡°Then by the power invested in me by¡­¡± She paused. ¡°¡­by me, I suppose. I, the Traveller, do declare Alex and Theresa married! Please seal your union with a kiss!¡± The huntress and the archwizard leaned toward each other. Their lips pressed to one another¡¯s, and they felt each other¡¯s warmth. In that moment, all other sights, sounds, smells, and feelings faded. Their world became only each other for one wonderful moment. A feeling of calm washed over Alex. All was well. And he understood how grand his life was to have led him here. ¡°Alright, everyone!¡± Hannah called. ¡°Please welcome the newly joined couple! Then you¡¯re all invited to continue the celebration at the Golden Dragon in Generasi!¡± Applause filled the temple. Claygon and Birger raised their voices in a song of celebration. Alex and Theresa looked into each other¡¯s eyes as they pulled apart. ¡°I love you, my husband,¡± Theresa said. Alex was a little shocked by that word. That wonderful word. ¡°I love you too, my wife,¡± he replied. Their eyes stayed fixed on each other, like there was no one else in the world. Simply drinking in the moment. Chapter 906: Celebration The Golden Dragon was perched on a hilltop in one of the wealthiest areas in all of Generasi; a massive building that resembled a small castle of white stone with hulking golden towers. Curving through the restaurant¡¯s spires was an immense dragon statue, plated in gold, seeming ready to launch into the sky. The interior was palatial, crafted of marble, mahogany, crystal and brass. Its walls were lined with fine oil paintings and murals. Fountains, standing in the middle of multiple dining rooms, sprayed water the colour of the sea into the air, cascading down into waterfalls, and water sprites danced through the falls. Each seat was an actual conjured cloud, every chair back was woven in the shape of a curve¡ªglowing with inner light¡ªinviting guests to sink right in. While sitting on them, it was easy to imagine what it must feel like to relax on the softest, lightest, cushions from the heavens. The tables were forged of brass and carven elfwood, alive and pulsing with calming auras. When Alex and his companions were last there, they¡¯d enjoyed sitting around those tables while, in a corner of the dining room, a series of tiny constructs¡ªno bigger than one¡¯s thumb¡ªstood on a podium, playing magical instruments wrought of wood and platinum. Now, though? As the musical constructs were playing. Many guests weren¡¯t sitting. The largest hall in the Golden Dragon had been reserved for a grand celebration: the wedding reception for Alexander and Theresa. One side of the room was dominated by a massive ironwood bar, behind which floated kegs of ale, wine, cider, mead and dozens of other less potent drinks. The stronger stuff was in decanters of golden crystal, floating high above the bar like a flock of trained birds. The bartender plied her trade, making sure that the guests were fuelled for their revelling. And revel is what they were doing in abundance. The tiny constructs played jaunty tunes that left everyone filled with cheer. Wedding guests feasted along the sides of the room, giving speeches, toasting, drinking, talking, laughing and dancing. Some were in couples. Some in groups. All were enjoying themselves. It was from this crowd that Alex and Theresa finally emerged after dancing for the better part of an hour. The newlyweds sipped goblets of wine, smiles lighting their faces, laughter flowing freely as they held each other¡¯s hand, finally reaching a nearby table and dropping into a pair of cloud-cushioned chairs. They caught their breaths, taking in the celebration, watching their friends enjoying themselves. ¡°This¡­this is nice, isn¡¯t it?¡± Alex said, wrapping his arm around his wife¡¯s waist. ¡°Like, really nice.¡± Theresa nuzzled into her husband¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It is. We should have another one of these,¡± she joked. Alex glanced at her, startled for a moment, then burst out laughing. ¡°Well, there¡¯s going to be Khalik and Sinope¡¯s wedding to look forward to.¡± The young archwizard looked to where the prince and dryad were dancing. They were hand in hand, eyes locked on one another. Alex didn¡¯t have to be an expert in body language to see how much love was between them. He smiled, his mind drifting back over the years. Alex recalled first seeing Khalik in the apartment across the insula, with magnificent Najyah landing on his arm. He didn¡¯t know back then that the muscular young man would become one of his closest friends, confidants and counsellors. Khalik was a hero in his own right, he would, no doubt, continue building his own legend over the centuries. As he and Theresa watched them, the prince caught Alex¡¯s eye. He smiled, giving him a grand smile, then whispering something to Sinope. The couple made their way over to the newlyweds. ¡°Helloooo newlyweds.¡± The prince grinned, clapping Alex on the shoulder. ¡°Still high off your ceremony?¡± ¡°Might be high off of it for the rest of my life,¡± Theresa giggled. ¡°That will be a very long time, from what I hear,¡± Sinope said pointedly, with a knowing smile. ¡°That tells you how good it was,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Listen, Khalik.¡± Alex clapped his friend on the arm. ¡°I just want to thank you for giving me that kick in the ass, back then. I needed it, seriously.¡± ¡°It is no problem,¡± Khalik chuckled. ¡°What is a little wisdom between friends? If we cannot share counsel, we cannot share anything.¡± ¡°Yeah, I owe you one,¡± Alex replied. ¡°Oh, bah, one does not keep track of favours like some sort of ¡®social merchant¡¯! We have all of time: we will be repaying each other back and forth through the millennia.¡± ¡°Damn right we will,¡± Alex agreed. Khalik glanced down at the General of Thameland¡¯s goblet. ¡°Ah, and you are already repaying me right now! You are reminding me that my cup is empty, and I think we should go and correct that grave error!¡¯ Sinope chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t get too drunk now, my mighty oak blossom.¡± ¡°Oh, bah! My constitution is as strong as Claygon¡¯s! How else have I been able to keep up with Thundar?¡± Khalik threw his head back and laughed. ¡°Come, beloved.¡± He wrapped an arm around Sinope. ¡°It would be rude to our hosts to not fully celebrate!¡± Together, they began turning away. Alex spoke up. ¡°Wait, Khalik?¡± ¡°Yeeeees?¡± the prince turned back to his friend. ¡°Thank you¡­seriously, thank you for being my friend.¡± Khalik grew a little misty-eyed. ¡°The pleasure is shared, my friend. The pleasure is shared.¡± Together, Prince Khalik and Sinope made their way to the bar. Their grace made it almost seem like they were floating. ¡°He¡¯s great, isn¡¯t he?¡± Alex asked aloud. ¡°Yeah, they both are,¡± Theresa said. ¡°Hey!¡± a loud, gruff voice interrupted. They turned, spotting a very drunk Thundar stumbling toward them with Drestra holding him up. ¡°Heeyyyyy! What¡¯s up, I¡¯m surprised you two haven¡¯t gone to bed yet, what the hells?¡± Thundar laughed. Both Alex and Theresa turned bright red. ¡°Oh, by the Traveller¡ª¡± Drestra started to say. ¡°Yes?¡± Hannah called from across the room. ¡°¡ªThundar, you can¡¯t say that out loud!¡± the Sage¡¯s reptillian eyes flashed. ¡°We were all thinking it!¡± he laughed. ¡°And as the cabal¡¯s leader, it¡¯s up to me to say the things no one else has the spine to say!¡± ¡°Thundar¡­you are very, very drunk,¡± Theresa said, her expression somewhere between embarrassment and amusement. ¡°Which is why I¡¯m here!¡± The minotaur looked at Alex. ¡°Can you do that blood magic thing where you make me sober and get rid of hangovers? I wanna drink more!¡± ¡°Heh, anything for our ¡®brave cabal leader¡¯.¡± Alex pressed a hand to Thundar¡¯s arm. With a twitch of his finger, he cleansed the alcohol from the minotaur¡¯s system. In an instant, Thundar was standing straighter, his eyes clearer. ¡°That¡¯s a trick I gotta learn for myself one day,¡± he laughed. ¡°Great one. And now I get to get drunk all over again.¡± He turned to Drestra. ¡°This time, you¡¯re getting drunk before me! Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Drestra shook her head. ¡°Thundar, I¡¯m a dragon.¡± ¡°That just makes it a challenge.¡± She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. ¡°I have terrible taste in men, apparently.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m glad for it. Makes a lout like me lucky as all hells.¡± Drestra¡¯s face grew pink above her veil. ¡°Smooth talker.¡± ¡°I learned from the best.¡± Thundar winked at Alex. ¡°Seriously, man. I dunno if it was fate or divine decree or just dumb luck that put you, me, Khalik and Isolde together in that first trial for COMB-1000. But it was one of the best damned things that ever happened to me.¡± His face grew serious. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter the battlefield, or the time or place. Ask me? And I¡¯ll be there.¡± ¡°As will I,¡± Drestra¡¯s voice crackled as she looked at Alex and Theresa. ¡°Both of you helped me and kept me sane in a time when I felt all alone. You also helped my people in their time of need. I can never repay you for that.¡± ¡°Yeah, and if I didn¡¯t know you, I never woulda met Drestra,¡± Thundar said. ¡°Alex and Theresa, you two are the best. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡± ¡°Right back at you, Thundar.¡± Alex suddenly stood and hugged his friend. ¡°Seriously. Anyone would be blessed to call you friend, cabal member or even brother. You¡¯re a titan, man. I mean that. I¡¯m glad I know you.¡± ¡°Same here,¡± Theresa said. Thundar beamed at that, his eyes beginning to shine. ¡°Bah, you two are gonna make me cry! Alright, I¡¯d better get some more booze in me before I lose it. I¡¯ll catch you two later.¡± With that, Thundar and Drestra went to the bar, greeting the prince and Sinope, laughing and chatting with them. Alex smiled, warmth filling his chest. ¡°What a guy.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Theresa said. ¡°We¡¯re lucky to know both him and Drestra.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Alex said. ¡°We really, really are.¡± ¡°I do feel the need to apologise,¡± a familiar, aristocratic voice said nearby. Alex glanced in that direction, he and Theresa waved at Isolde and Cedric as they made their way over to them. ¡°I shall make sure that Thundar is thoroughly chastised later, that remark was quite crude,¡± she sniffed. ¡°Aye, it was funny though,¡± Cedric laughed. ¡°An¡¯ there weren¡¯t a weddin¡¯ that ever passed wit¡¯out some naughty joke!¡± ¡°I¡­suppose.¡± Isolde crossed her arms, her eyes softening a little. ¡°You do have a point. Even in the Rhinean empire¡ªamong nobility and after a few drinks¡ªa faux pas or two becomes acceptable, even expected.¡± ¡°Oooooh?¡± Theresa cocked an eyebrow. ¡°Are you going soft, Isolde?¡± ¡°Oh, bah, goin¡¯?¡± Cedric grinned, his gold tooth shining. ¡°She¡¯s always been a bloody softy. I had a few chats wit¡¯ Svenia an¡¯ Hogarth. She ain¡¯t nowhere near as ¡®proper¡¯ as she plays at. An¡¯ behind closed doors wit¡¯ me¡ª¡± ¡°Cedric!¡± Isolde screamed, her face bright red. ¡°Do not dare!¡± He raised his hands. ¡°Aye, aye, don¡¯ wanna anger no immortal wizard, now do I?¡± ¡°And you had better remember that, hmph!¡± ¡°Oh man, you are too funny, Isolde,¡± Alex shook his head, laughing. ¡°And you really do your best to keep all of us from going too far into degeneracy.¡± ¡°An extraordinarily difficult task, I can assure you,¡± she said, before uncrossing her arms. Her eyes softened again. ¡°But, more to the point, this has been an absolutely delightful affair so far. And congratulations, to you both.¡± ¡°Why thank you.¡± Theresa placed a hand on Isolde¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°Please. Even if the Ravener and Ezaliel themselves came back from the dead, they could not hope to keep me away.¡± ¡°Hah, and the same will go for your wedding when the time comes,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll be there, no matter what. Even if you don¡¯t invite us!¡± ¡°Please, Roth.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°I would rather tear out my own hair before I skip sending you an invitation. Listen, and listen well. You both are two of the truest friends anyone could ever ask for. I do mean that sincerely. I did not imagine that my truest friends in life would be found not in my year, but in COMB-1000. What a wonderful thing it was that we were put together in the trial for Baelin¡¯s course.¡± ¡°Yeah, hah, Thundar, Khalik and I were just talking about that,¡± Alex said. ¡°No doubt. Weddings tend to bring about reminiscent conversations,¡± Isolde said. ¡°And well they should. By the elements, I am glad to have known you two. And I consider it an honour to continue to know you in the future.¡± Alex smiled at that. ¡°Likewise, Isolde. Likewise. Glad you decided that hanging around us wild and crazy guys was worth it.¡± She blushed at that. ¡°More than worth it. More than worth it indeed. I recall being in something of a dark place after Derek¡¯s actions. And yet, here I am¡­and he is barely a distant memory. It is¡­good.¡± ¡°Aye, all o¡¯ yous don¡¯ have any idea how happy y¡¯make her,¡± Cedric said. ¡°It¡¯s a bloody beautiful thing. S¡¯too bad we couldn¡¯t o¡¯ met even earlier than we did. But, eh, we gots time now, wit¡¯ the Ravener bein¡¯ dead an¡¯ all.¡± ¡°That we do!¡± Alex said. ¡°Alright, I think I shall have some more libations myself,¡± Isolde said. ¡°Alex, Theresa¡­thank you. Thank you for being some of my closest companions.¡± With that, she and Cedric went off together, joining Khalik, Sinope, Thundar and Drestra at the bar. Alex wrapped his arm around Theresa¡¯s waist, and she snuggled into him. ¡°We really got lucky with the people we know,¡± he said. ¡°Yes we did,¡± Theresa said. ¡°That we did.¡± She kissed his cheek. He looked at her for a long moment, then opened his mouth to say something. ¡°You know¡ª¡± ¡°Oi, all of you!¡± Thundar¡¯s voice boomed. The minotaur was making his way back to the dance floor, looking at the bride and groom. He was followed by his other cabal mates; Drestra, Sinope and Cedric. ¡°That¡¯s enough sitting! We¡¯ve got some real partying to do!¡± Alex grinned at that. ¡°Rested up enough, Theresa?¡± ¡°Absolutely.¡± She leapt to her feet. She and the young archwizard joined their guests back on the dance floor, to cheers. Soon smiling faces were pressing goblets into their hands. Thundar came roaring across the room, a goblet of wine in either hand, dancing toward Drestra. He quickly drained both glasses, slamming them down on a nearby table. His hooves clacked on the tiles as he jumped into a tauric jig: a dance often used in celebration of the changing of seasons by his people. He turned, whirled, and clapped in time with the beat of the drums and swell of the music. The guests¡ªespecially younger men who¡¯d had a few drinks¡ªwhistled, clapped and laughed. ¡°Oi, nice jig y¡¯got there friend!¡± Cedric called, placing his hands on his hips and dancing toward Thundar. ¡°Th¡¯ Dance o¡¯ th¡¯ River from Clan Duncan¡¯s even better, though!¡± The red-haired man jumped into his own dance, his feet whirling with graceful movement. Thundar snorted. ¡°Oh ya? Well, I accept your challenge!¡± The minotaur danced toward him in turn, a circle quickly formed around the two young men. Alex, Theresa and the others clapped as Thundar and the Thameish Hero faced each other. Claygon¡¯s clapping sounded like a smithy crashing down on top of a kitchen full of pots and pans. Merzhin winced beside him, clapping with a somewhat awkward smile on his face, though he still seemed to be enjoying himself. As the minotaur and the Hero faced off, their feet continued moving in dizzying patterns. It was hard to tell who was out-dancing the other as they moved with a warrior¡¯s grace. ¡°Oh, bah!¡± a voice cried. ¡°Enough of that. Let the chicks give way! A true eagle is taking flight!¡± ¡°Father, no!¡± Bjorgrund cried. ¡°Oh yeessss!¡± Birger slipped past his son into the circle. With a grin, the grey-bearded giant jumped into his own version of a jig, one combined with several other forms of dance, all fused together in a jaw-dropping display of acrobatics and art. ¡°Oooooh!¡± Thundar and Cedric cried as one, giving way to the giant as he whirled, tapped and stepped through the circle. ¡°Yeaaaah, Birger!¡± Theresa cried. The giant¡¯s powerful legs kicked him into the air, he backflipped twice before landing on his toes. ¡°By the Traveller¡ª-¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Hannah said, and Alex was starting to think she was doing that on purpose. ¡°¡ªit¡¯s good to have two legs! Come on, everyone! Join in! Don¡¯t just stand there clapping! Dance is made to dance, not just spectate! And come on you two young chicks!¡± He gestured to Cedric and Thundar. ¡°Let me teach ya some moves that broke the hearts of maids the world over!¡± Laughing, Thundar and Cedric joined Birger again, and the rest of the circle melted into a frenzy of dancing. Professor Jules¡ªquite inebriated¡ªdanced a wild, exaggerated waltz, stumbling along with Toraka, Val¡¯Rok, Mangal and Baelin, all of them in a spinning circle. ¡°That¡¯s right, Vernia! Dance as a Proper Wizard would!¡± Baelin roared with laughter. ¡°You¡­there¡¯s no way a Proper Wizard needs to dance!¡± Professor Jules slurred back. ¡°As the inventor of the term, I can change its definition whenever I please. Now, dance!¡± Baelin winked. ¡°Old goat,¡± she cursed him, then laughed as she continued whirling. ¡°An old goat who is still a Proper Wizard!¡± Baelin laughed, his hooves clacking. As the professors spun away, Kybas burst through the crowd dancing wildly, flailing around, looking almost like a bee alerting members of its hive to nearby flowers. ¡°Hahaaaah! Now this is a party! Great way to spend the day before we go off, Grimloch!¡± The sharkman¡ªwho was annihilating a buffet table off to the side¡ªcaught the goblin¡¯s eye. ¡°Monster hunting¡¯s gonna be fun together. The world¡¯s gonna be our buffet!¡± His deep voice cut across the room, even over the spirited music. ¡°Yes!¡± the goblin laughed maniacally. ¡°You and Harmless will eat all the monsters! I¡¯ll eat regular food.¡± ¡°Coward.¡± ¡°I just wouldn¡¯t dream of taking food out of your and Harmless'' mouths!¡± ¡°Fair enough, then.¡± Kybas laughed and continued dancing, passing Tyris and Hart, who were wrapped around each other like strangling vines as they danced. Dirtily. Very dirtily. On the other side of the dance floor another circle formed as Fan-Dor and Gel-Dor started the Spear-and-Oar dance. The two selachar showed off their ancient dance, drawing cheers from Lucia and other guests. Claygon and Selina waltzed their way past the circle, heading right toward where Alex and Theresa were dancing with wild abandon. ¡°Alex, Theresa!¡± she called, her hands linked with the golem¡¯s lower hands. ¡°Hey!¡± Alex called. ¡°Look at you, the last time we were at one of these parties, you were with the kids, now here you are with the rest of us adults, Selina!¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°The last time we went to a party like this was at Isolde¡¯s cousin¡¯s, and we got attacked by monsters!¡± ¡°Well, we didn¡¯t get attacked by monsters this time!¡± Theresa countered. ¡°Yeah, but you two got married in a place where we were nearly killed before! And, of course that¡¯s where you would get married!¡± She stuck her tongue out at them. ¡°Claygon, let¡¯s get away before they get us killed!¡± ¡°I¡­do not think¡­we are in any danger¡­oh wait¡­it was a joke¡­yes¡­father¡­Theresa¡­I must go¡­before we are destroyed¡­!¡± he called. Giggling, Selina danced away with Claygon. Alex stared after his sister. ¡°Is this a rebellious phase?¡± Theresa wrapped her arms behind her husband¡¯s neck. ¡°No, she always liked making fun of you.¡± He sighed. ¡°Such is my lot in life.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Suddenly, her face was very close to his. ¡°What were you going to say earlier? Before we came back to the dance floor?¡± ¡°Oh that? Just the truth.¡± ¡°What truth?¡± Theresa asked. ¡°That you are my universe and that will never change,¡± Alex said. She froze for a moment. ¡°Alex, you wanted to take a picture of all of us, right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°We should do that right now.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because the night¡¯s getting on, and I¡¯m about three seconds away from dragging you to bed. So you¡¯d better get that done fast.¡± ¡°Oh. O-oh!¡± Alex shouted. ¡°Alright, then!¡± He turned. ¡°Everyone! Could I have your attention for a second! I¡¯d like to get an image of all of us, before the night ends! So, gather around!¡± Pulling out Hannah¡¯s phone, he caught the Traveller¡¯s eye. She smiled at him, then nodded. Together, the wedding guests met in the centre of the room. Alex conjured a pair of Wizard¡¯s Hands, giving them the Traveller¡¯s artefact, they floated in front of his guests, pointing it toward the smiling group. All smiled. All were together. And then came the click. What was captured was a perfect moment in time. A moment of Heroes. A moment of lovers. A wonderful moment of celebration among giants, wizards, priests, bakers, scholars, warriors, and, indeed¡­ ¡­fools. Chapter 907: Generals and Legacy (Final Chapter of Mark of the Fool + Afterward) ¡°Shall we go?¡± Alex asked Theresa, offering his arm. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s,¡± Theresa whispered, her hot breath on his ear. Together, husband and wife linked arms and made their way toward the exit. Only for the doors to abruptly burst open. The music ended. All dancing did too as the doors kept swinging, banging against the wall as though gripped by a scouring winter wind. Loud footsteps came next, echoing from the hallway. A hallway that was in utter darkness. Theresa reached for her blades, shouting, patting her empty scabbards. ¡°Alex, my swords are gone!¡± The archwizard prepared to channel his magics. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, whatever this is, I¡¯ve got it.¡± His mind raced. What was it? All the enemies he was aware of were either dead or¡­dead. Was someone looking for him from the Irtyshenan Empire? Was some ally of Kaz-Mowang here to take his head? The footsteps grew louder and a figure suddenly materialised from the dark. A familiar one. ¡°What the hells?¡± Alex cried. In the doorway was the familiar form of¡­ ¡­Minervus. ¡°You didn¡¯t even invite me to your wedding? How cruel, to think that you would have forgotten me so quickly!¡± Minervus snarled. ¡°What¡­you¡¯re dead!¡± Alex cried. ¡°You foolish Fool.¡± The onetime employee of Shale¡¯s sneered. ¡°You weren¡¯t able to see through my clever plan! So you didn¡¯t see this coming either! Look who I freed from prison?¡± Minervus gestured to the darkened hallway where a larger figure stood. Leopold, the demon summoner and former friend to Amir, stalked into the room, his hands flexing like a monster¡¯s claws. ¡°Thank you for the save, Minervus. Faking both of our deaths has proven quite fruitful. Now, I¡¯ll repay you for freeing me by doing what I do best!¡± He extended his hands, summoning. ¡°Here come your greatest enemies!¡± The air around him shimmered. Terrible beings manifested. First came Ezaliel, his demonic facets shining. The Ravener followed, spawning monsters as it floated in place. Aenflynn stepped from behind the construct with a sharp-toothed grin, rubbing his hands together, looking sinister. The last being Leopold summoned was¡­ ¡­Uldar himself, in all his treacherous glory. ¡°I live again,¡± the former god of Thameland declared. ¡°And now we will have our vengeance.¡± Slowly, the dark beings from Alex¡¯s past advanced on the wedding guests. ¡°No!¡± the General of Thameland cried. ¡°This can¡¯t be! Not today! No, no, noooooo¡ª¡± Alex woke up. It was morning, sunlight streamed in through a tall window. The General of Thameland blinked blearily, trying to understand what was happening. ¡°Where¡¯s the Ravener¡­¡± he whispered. ¡°Where¡¯s the demon¡ª¡± He paused. ¡°...it was a dream, just a dream.¡± The young wizard turned his back to the window¡­ ¡­and found his beautiful wife, fast asleep beside him in their bed. Memories of their party, and what happened afterward were returning to him¡­ He smiled, stretching his muscular¡ªbut very sore¡ªbody like a contented cat. ¡®You know, Uldar,¡¯ he thought, slowly peeling himself off the bed. ¡®I don¡¯t think¡­certain acts were what you had in mind when you made the General good at mastering every skill quickly, but if you were still alive, I¡¯d owe even a traitor like you a drink.¡¯ Sighing, he let himself melt back into the pillows. This was his life now. His best friend, his lover, and eternity. A good life, to say the least. Now, there was the honeymoon to think about. He turned his head, peering at the sky through small gaps in the shutters. Once he and Theresa got up, they¡¯d be leaving. ¡­for the stars. With a few spells from Baelin, and the Traveller¡¯s power, Alex and his wife would be able to survive just about anywhere. And they were planning on using those abilities to visit different worlds. They could see sights beyond anything this planet had to offer, and bathe in the light of far-distant suns, while exploring realms and cultures across the universe. Theresa had always wanted to travel. She had followed him when he went to fulfil his dream. Now he would fulfil hers. ¡®Going among the stars with Theresa as my wife¡­quite a far cry from being an abused baker''s assistant,¡¯ he thought. ¡®Oh, shoot, that reminds me.¡¯ The General glanced across the room where a large table, heaped with wedding gifts and letters, stood. They¡¯d read some, snuggled together and exhausted, before they¡¯d fallen asleep last night. There was one note in particular that reminded him of his life under the abusive McHarris. Its contents read: Congratulations to you two on being wedded! We have a gift for you that we hope we can give you before you go off on your honeymoon. It won¡¯t be ready until the afternoon of your wedding. Sorry we couldn¡¯t get it to you sooner! We hope you can maybe visit and pick it up before you go off on your honeymoon? Sincerely, Peter and Paul. Alex definitely wanted to see what their gift was, but he also had a dilemma. He didn¡¯t want to wake Theresa up, and he didn¡¯t want to leave the comfort of his marital bed¡­but, at the same time, he really wanted to have that gift in hand to show her when she woke up. ¡®Should I get up, or should I stay?¡¯ Alex wondered. Then he smirked. ¡®Thank the Traveller, I don¡¯t have to choose.¡¯ Concentrating on Hannah¡¯s power, he stayed in bed¡­and also appeared outside the bedroom in their suite at the Royal Griffon hotel. He quickly washed¡ªan army of Wizard¡¯s Hands washing him from head to toe¡ªthen he teleported some comfortable clothes onto his body. Giving the situation a second thought, he also teleported the aeld staff into his hand. It gave off waves of excitement. ¡°Hello, friend,¡± he whispered to the staff, making sure he couldn¡¯t hear himself by being loud enough to wake Theresa. ¡°Let¡¯s go on a little trip, shall we? I bet Peter and Paul are at the fountain this time of day.¡± With a single thought, he teleported to Alric. Images from across space blurred past him as he hurtled toward his old hometown, appearing beside the fountain¡­to a flurry of curses. ¡°What th¡ª¡± Peter cried, stumbling back. The young archwizard had appeared only a few feet away from him. ¡°Aaaaaaarg-Alex?¡± Paul paused, partway through drawing his sword. ¡°Is that you?¡± ¡°In the flesh.¡± The young archwizard smiled, his long hair blowing in the morning breeze. ¡°How are you two doing?¡± ¡°Fine, until you nearly scared us to death!¡± Peter fumed. ¡°Gah, if you didn¡¯t save our lives, I¡¯d say you¡¯d be the death of us! What are you doing here this early in the morning? Shouldn¡¯t you be with your new bride?¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. ¡°Yeah, she¡¯s going to be real mad if you¡¯re already leaving her behind the morning after your wedding,¡± Paul said nervously. ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Alex said, his voice light. ¡°I¡¯m with her at the same time I¡¯m with you two. I¡¯m in two places at once.¡± Peter and Paul looked at each other. Then shrugged. ¡°That sound like ¡®wizard shit¡¯ to you?¡± Peter asked Paul. ¡°Sounds like ¡®wizard shit¡¯ to me,¡± Paul replied, before looking at Alex with his eyebrow raised. ¡°Are you planning on being in more than one place at once during your honeymoon?¡± Alex blinked once. ¡°Are you out of your minds? My attention¡¯s going to be on my wife. Because I want it to be on my wife!¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Paul said. ¡°I take it you¡¯re here to pick up your gift?¡± ¡°Yeah, nice letter, by the way,¡± Alex said. ¡°We¡¯ll be leaving for our honeymoon a little later, so this was about the only chance I knew I¡¯d have to come and get it.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Peter said. ¡°Then I¡¯d better go get it. Theresa will have our hides if she finds out we¡¯re holding you up. Watch the fountain for me, Paul.¡± ¡°Aye,¡¯ Paul said. ¡°You can trust me with that.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch it too,¡± Alex said. ¡°Then I know it¡¯s in good hands!¡± Peter said, running off down the largely deserted street. It was shortly after sunrise, and not many had taken to the cobblestone roads of Alric yet. Things were quiet¡­which Alex was glad of; these days, every time he took two steps into Thameland, he¡¯d be surrounded by people thanking him for everything he¡¯d done. But, this morning, he couldn¡¯t spare the time for that. ¡°So,¡± Paul interrupted his thoughts. ¡°You like what they did with the fountain?¡± Alex followed his gaze to the fountain of the Heroes in the middle of town. ¡°Yes, I really do.¡± He smiled up at it. ¡°I actually really like it.¡± The fountain was crowned with the statues of the Heroes that had always been a part of it: the hulking figure of the Champion, the bespectacled, stern Sage, the kind figure of the Saint, the handsome form of the Chosen, and a statue with a chin too curved, eyes too bulging, and a nose that looked like a pumpkin¡¯s stem. A jaunty jester¡¯s hat sat on its head. The Fool. At one time, that statue was always covered in bird droppings¡­but now, it was as polished and well maintained as the other Heroes¡¯ images. There was also an additional figure that now joined the others on top of the fountain. Carved of the same fine stone, a likeness of the General rose above the other Heroes. The statue¡¯s features resembled Alex¡¯s, and its muscular form held a scroll in one hand, and a sword in the other. Its facial expression seemed wise, as it looked down on Alex and Paul with benevolent eyes. Hanging around the statue¡¯s neck was the symbol of a lantern. ¡°Yeah, the sculptor did a really great job,¡± Alex said, nodding approvingly. ¡°Aye, that she did,¡± Paul agreed. ¡°Look at you! I can¡¯t believe you turned from being that skinny baker¡¯s assistant to the size you are now.¡± ¡°Funny, I was just thinking about that,¡± Alex said. ¡°You know¡ª¡± He paused. Paul frowned. ¡°Something wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± he paused again. His hearing, sharpened from the elixir of immortality, picked up a voice yelling from inside a nearby building. A familiar and rather unpleasant voice. He slowly turned around. ¡°Oh, no damn way,¡± he whispered. ¡°What? Oh, you mean that. Yeah, it¡¯s still there,¡± Paul said. The two men were looking at McHarris¡¯ Bakery, restored and still there after all this time. ¡°Yeah, he had to pay a pretty hefty fine after that incident with the eggs, he was in jail for a few days too, but he got out because of the Ravener¡¯s attack,¡± Paul said. ¡°But he¡¯s back in business now. Hopefully, he learned his lesson, though. Bad memories from that place, aye?¡± The guard couldn¡¯t hear McHarris¡¯ yelling. It was growing louder. Alex frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Without another word, he cast invisibility magic on himself and teleported inside the bakery¡­ Where a familiar scene was playing out. McHarris¡ªin all his bullying glory¡ªstood with his hands on his hips, yelling and cursing at a boy who looked no older than sixteen. A dark haired young man winced and wilted under each barb the baker was throwing at him. Alex¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°¡ªbrainless buffoon!¡± the old baker ranted. ¡°I swear, you have nothing between your ears besides sawdust and broken dreams! My broken dreams! Listen to me, you¡¯re my assistant, and you¡¯ll bloody listen to what I say if you know what¡¯s good for you!¡± ¡°Y-yes, chef,¡± the boy murmured. ¡°I¡¯m a bloody baker, not a chef!¡± McHarris snarled. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you? Can¡¯t you even remember that? Pay attention to me, you oaf!¡± He puffed out his chest. ¡°After all, I¡¯m the one that whipped the General of Thameland into shape when he was a lad! If it weren¡¯t for me, he¡¯d be as useless as the day I found him, same as you! Thameland owes me, and so do you!¡± ¡®What the hells,¡¯ Alex thought, his blood beginning to boil. For an instant, he considered all the things he could do to the baker. Devastating spells. The Traveller¡¯s power. Summoned monsters¡­perhaps even a visit from Asmaldestre the Unmaker. There were so many ways he could annihilate this unrepentant bully, that he was still sifting through them in his mind when the baker huffed. ¡°That¡¯s why we have to make sure that the General is treated like a king when he comes in here next!¡± McHarris shouted. Alex¡¯s invisible jaw dropped. Was this man serious? ¡°And that¡¯s why you need to work harder!¡± McHarris snapped. ¡°Now, I don¡¯t care how bloody sick you are, or how tired, or whatever you are! Get to work! We open within the hour!¡± Without another word, he stomped out of the kitchen and into the front part of the bakery. His assistant was left behind, head hanging. Alex bit his lip. In many ways, the young man reminded him of himself, suffering under McHarris¡¯s cruelty. ¡®Can¡¯t believe that bloody bastard hasn¡¯t changed,¡¯ he thought. ¡®And¡­wait. He hasn¡¯t changed?¡¯ A devilish grin took his features. ¡®He. Hasn¡¯t. Changed.¡¯ Alex dismissed the invisibility magic on himself. The assistant sniffled, then looked up, yelping in surprise. Alex quickly put a finger to his lips. ¡°Shhhhh¡­¡± he hissed softly. The apprentice closed his mouth. ¡°Stop caterwauling in there!¡± McHarris shouted from the front. ¡°What, are you doing, crying, you spineless little whelp?¡± The apprentice winced. Alex shook his head, then teleported to where McHarris kept his ingredients. The young archwizard¡¯s eyes scanned the open pantry, looking and sniffing. ¡®Eggs are fine this time, fruit jam looks fine too¡­ah. Here we are,¡¯ he thought, grinning. He slowly looked at the apprentice, pointing to the salted beef for meat pies. ¡°That looks old, doesn¡¯t it?¡± The archwizard inhaled deeply. ¡°Yes it¡¯s definitely off.¡± The apprentice looked from Alex to the meat, slowly nodding. Alex¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°You know the nice thing about fools? Actual fools, I mean? They never learn lessons. Stay there for a moment.¡± He teleported back to the fountain. Paul yelped when the archwizard reappeared¡­as did Peter, who was now holding something. ¡°You gotta stop doing that,¡± Peter said. ¡°Nearly made me drop your gift. Here you are, by the way.¡± Before Alex could say anything, he was presented with the gift. ¡°Oh¡­oh wow!¡± the young archwizard cried. He¡¯d been handed a small, wooden, carved replica of the fountain in the centre of Alric that the three of them were currently standing beside¡­the one noticeable difference was that the figures represented on it were different. There were only three of them. On the left stood Theresa, complete with death stalker face, the twinblade raised in her hands. On the right was Brutus, sheathed in his bone armour with all three heads snarling. And in the middle¡­a perfect replica of Alex was standing there in triumph, holding his sword-staff high. On the base, a simple inscription was written: The True Heroes of Alric. ¡°There¡¯s space on it, right in front of you,¡± Peter pointed out. ¡°A place for your little sister, when she grows up a bit more. She¡¯s going to do great things, I¡¯m sure.¡± ¡°Do¡­do you like it?¡± Paul asked. Alex stared at the sculpture, transfixed, memories playing through his mind. Memories of a young Fool, a huntress, her dog, and a young girl, travelling beyond Alric¡¯s walls. Ahead of them waited¡­unimaginable possibilities. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful,¡± Alex said, clutching the sculpture close. ¡°I¡¯m going to cherish it forever.¡± Peter and Paul smiled. ¡°Very glad about that,¡± Peter said. ¡°Aye, very glad,¡± Paul said. ¡°And listen, we still owe you. You saved both our lives. That¡¯s a high debt of gratitude to pay.¡± ¡°Funny you should bring that up,¡± Alex said. ¡°Uhm, can you two do me a little favour?¡± ¡°Oh, anything!¡± Peter said quickly. Alex glanced at McHarris¡¯ bakery. ¡°Did you know that McHarris is using old meat? It¡¯s definitely rotten, he¡¯s been trying to cover it up with salt and spices. I don¡¯t think the baker¡¯s guild or butcher¡¯s guild would be too happy about that. Neither would the mayor if¡­¡± He remembered their conversation from long ago, when he pointed out McHarris¡¯ rotten eggs. ¡°¡­if some bigwig turned all green in the face and keeled over... You might want to investigate.¡± Peter and Paul stared at him. ¡°Really? You¡¯re the General of Thameland and you¡¯re asking us to investigate and arrest the same bloody baker you used to work for?¡± Paul asked. ¡°Yes,¡± Alex said with almost the same conviction he¡¯d had when he was saying his wedding vows. ¡°What, no bad bribe this time?¡± Peter snorted. Alex reached for his coin purse. ¡°Wait, wait, stop!¡± Peter waved his hands. ¡°Can¡¯t have the bloody General bribing a couple of town guards. We¡¯ll go check things out.¡± ¡°Aye, we¡¯d best,¡± Paul grumbled. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Enjoy your honeymoon, Alex.¡± ¡°Oh I will, and I¡¯ll buy you both drinks when I get back!¡± ¡°We¡¯ll look forward to it, and we¡¯ll buy you some in return,¡± Peter said. Alex watched the guards march away, then stop in front of McHarris¡¯ front door and pound on it. As soon as the outraged baker opened up, they pushed past him, entering the shop. ¡°Wait, what are you doing?¡± McHarris cried, rushing after the two guards. ¡°No, stop! Not again!¡± Alex chuckled as McHarris¡¯ cries of dismay echoed through the doorway. When the crashing began, he outright cackled. Revenge was still the best food he¡¯d ever tasted from McHarris¡¯. He was glad he had the chance to savour seconds. As the crashing and cursing escalated, the young assistant rushed out the door, looking wild-eyed. He froze when he caught Alex¡¯s eye. The General smiled and winked. The assistant shyly smiled back. Alex waved him over, and the young man winced, but quickly hurried to him. ¡°Listen, I-I can¡¯t thank you enough,¡± the now former assistant stammered. ¡°Oh, no need to thank me,¡± Alex laughed, digging into his coin purse. ¡°Thanks to me, you¡¯re probably out of a job. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Martin,¡± the assistant said quickly. ¡°Right, Martin.¡± Alex dug a couple of coins from his purse. Martin¡¯s eyes grew wide at the shining, golden disks. ¡°Here¡¯s a couple of gold to tide you over. When I get back from my honeymoon, I¡¯ll find you, and we can chat about you coming to work in the first Alric branch of the Roth Family Bakery, which I¡¯ll be opening soon.¡± He grinned. ¡°You¡¯ll see how proper food¡¯s made, and hey, together we can make sure McHarris stays out of business when he finally gets out of jail. Poisoning people is serious business.¡± The assistant gulped, nodding vigorously, then bowed. ¡°You¡¯re even kinder than the rumours tell. Thank you, thank you sir!¡± With that, Martin scurried off, leaving Alex alone at the fountain. Humming to himself, the young archwizard dug out a couple more coins and tossed them in the fountain. He closed his eyes. To the hulking figure of the Champion, he thanked him for bravery. To the bespectacled, stern Sage, he thanked her for the wits she¡¯d shown. To the kind figure of the Saint, he thanked her for the generosity he¡¯d received. And to the handsome form of the Chosen, he gave much appreciation for good luck and blessings. To the General, he offered his gratitude for turning him into the man he was today. And finally, to the Fool¡­Alex gave his sympathies and gratitude. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered to the statue. ¡°Thank you for helping me get to where I am.¡± Grinning up at the stone image, he recalled the dream that had woken him up that morning. Despite how horrible the dream had been, the day was already shaping up to be pretty terrific. He remembered an old expression. ¡°The worst days tend to start with good mornings,¡± he said, listening to the wonderful music that was McHarris¡¯ torment. ¡°Well after that nightmare this morning, I think this is shaping up to be one of the best days of my life!¡± With another laugh, the General of Thameland teleported away from Alric. Soon, he would join his wife, and together, they would walk among the stars. Under the early morning sunlight, not a soul had seen him depart, but if they had, they might have noticed something curious. If one didn¡¯t know better; the bulging eyes of the Fool¡¯s statue and the wise eyes of the General¡¯s seemed to linger on the spot where Alexander Roth had been. Where a former baker¡¯s assistant had been. Where a Hero had been. Where an archwizard had been. And looking at that spot, one might have even said that the stone statues smiled. Fool-Related Announcement: Mark of the Fool 8 out in ebook and paperback form! Hellooooo everyone! This is just an announcement to tell you that Mark of the Fool 8 has come out on Amazon in e-book and paperback! That¡¯s Book 8 of 10¡­.yeah as it turns out, what was supposed to be book 9 was so big that it had to be split so that we could get paperbacks for the whole series. So yeah, this is the third to last one! Thank you for following me on this journey! I¡¯m currently at work on the next series. In the meantime, you can find the book in the link below: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0D3G9154S Also check out this cover: It''s awesome. Also if you feel like giving me another boost, you can upvote these reddit posts. Of course, you don¡¯t have to do that if you don¡¯t want to!
https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1fjt3a1/mark_of_the_fool_8_out_in_ebook_and_paperback/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1fjt3vx/mark_of_the_fool_8_out_in_ebook_and_paperback/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button On Audio: Book 7 is with Travis, but I don¡¯t know when he¡¯ll have time to record yet. Also, I¡¯ll be using this space for Fool related announcements in the future, like the webcomic and two other things I am SUPER excited about. An Update + Audio Announcement! So hi everybody! Let me start off by saying that I have been avoiding posting this, but I¡¯ve put it off as long as I can. In short, I¡¯ve been having health issues. Before you panic, they¡¯re not life threatening or anything like that. Long story short, around September, I began to notice balance issues. They didn¡¯t go away, instead progressing to dizziness, tingling and other symptoms like muscle spasms and twitches. Went to my doctor. It seems that I have fluid swelling in my inner ear that is pressing on some nerves in my skull, causing all kinds of issues. So yeah. I¡¯ve been struggling with that since. It¡¯s intermittent and seems to be VERY slowly getting better, however I¡¯m going back to the doctor TODAY. Anyway, it¡¯s been slowing me way down. Surprisingly, writing while being super dizzy is hard, lmao! I¡¯ve been making progress with I Am Become Death, but I¡¯d have launched like a month and a half ago if it weren¡¯t for my condition. Currently, I¡¯m aiming to launch in January. I nearly have enough material, but I want more to make sure I don¡¯t fall behind in case this sickness takes longer to heal than I anticipate. This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. So yeah that¡¯s what¡¯s happening. I don¡¯t like to post updates without something to give you (my brain just goes, ¡°You¡¯re making excuses and bothering them for no reason!¡±) but I had to, at this point. Now, I also wanted to announce that Book 7 launches on audio today! It¡¯s narrated by the always fantabulous! The great! The wonderful! The grand! Travis Baldree! I know many folks were waiting for this, and here it is. You can find it through the following link! https://www.audible.com/pd/Mark-of-the-Fool-7-Audiobook/B0DM9LMPRH Enjoy, folks! And I¡¯ll be back with some more announcements, and the first chapters of I Am Become Death! Cya! PS. Could I get some upvotes for these reddit posts? You don''t have to, of course. https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1hbu0zg/mark_of_the_fool_book_7_launches_on_audio/ https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1hbu2t4/mark_of_the_fool_book_7_launches_on_audio/ Another Fool Kindle Launch and Another Health Update + I Am Become Death Update + Comic Update!
So folks, I''m here to announce my kindle launch for Mark of the Fool book 9! And also, I just wanted to give some updates on my health, I Am Become Death and the Mark of the Fool comic. So first off: Woooooo book 9 launches today! Thank you all for your support this entire time, and I am very happy to be here. Without you, I would NOT be here! It''s crazy to think that it''s been 9 books. Just to warn you due to the length of the series spiralling, book 9 ends a little bit differently than it did on patreon and RR. I''ll let you find out the end point. :) So as always, downloading an rereading the book on kindle unlimited helps me out, but-as always-YOU DO NOT HAVE TO do this. Honestly, your patience during my recent medical issues has been wonderful enough. But, if you want to get into it on Amazon, here''s the link: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/B0DGLYQTKR Also, might I get some upvotes on these reddit posts? https://www.reddit.com/r/litrpg/comments/1inriy2/mark_of_the_fool_book_9_is_out_today_on_kindle/ https://www.reddit.com/r/ProgressionFantasy/comments/1inri3q/mark_of_the_fool_9_out_today/ This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Also: HERE IS THE COVER Secondly, about my health. So I had an MRI and it turns out I''m NOT dying and DO NOT have a degenerative disease. :) Which is pretty good news! My doc thinks it was some sinus or inner ear thing that messed with a bunch of nerves, and kinda manifested as a form of Restless Legs and vertigo. I''m slowly healing naturally. Thank you for being here all this time. Seriously, thank you. Later this month, I''ll have an announcement I''ve been sitting on for quite awhile. :) Now, as for I Am Become Death...I am launching it on Patreon on February 28th! After that, it''ll likely come to RR about 2 weeks later or so, health depending. There''ll be around 24 chappies on Patreon too. Oh, and a final thing. The webcomic has been delayed. We had to switch teams unfortunately, but it is back on track. I am very excited with how it''s going. :) I''ll have more on that later. So, that''s it for now, folks! As always, thank you for your support. You''re all fabulous. And seriously. Take care of yourselves friends. Until later this month! I''ll do that secret announcement (which some people on discord already found, lol) Cya! Mark of the Fool 8 Audiobook + LIGHT NOVEL ANNOUNCEMENT Hey everyone, Today I am back for an eighth time to show you a brand new track...well, it''s not brand new, it''s the eighth instalment in a very old very long track! That''s right everyone, it''s time for Mark of the Fool 8 to release on Audible! I would hold for applause, but Travis Baldree deserves the applause for his performance! I know some of y''all have been waiting so enjoy! Find it through this link: https://www.audible.com/pd/Mark-of-the-Fool-8-Audiobook/B0DY8ML8MW Check it out! And now for something I''ve been sitting on for awhile... Fool is being released in bookstores in Light Novel form! So what''s that mean? For those who don''t know: Light Novels are a type of Japanese or Japanese inspired-novel, usually shorter than other novels with 4-5 illustrations placed in the books. My publisher is creating western light novels for a number of their series, including Mark of the Fool. What''s this mean for Mark? It means that the novel series will be broken up into shorter, smaller volumes with Light Novel art included. My art is being done by talented a Japanese artist, by the name of Natsujirushi with editing done by Der-Shing Helmer. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Essentially, it''s the same story but split into less giant books with illustrations inside...like this one: This is more anime inspired art that takes different aesthetics than what the webtoon will be styled as and what my covers are like. It''s different but I think it''s gorgeous, lol. Remind me a lot of the JRPGs I played when I was younger along with the anime I''ve watched. It''s an exciting thing for Fool. If you are interested in the interior illustrations, you can purchase a copy of from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or tons of other book stores: https://www.royalroad.com/amazon/1638492352 https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mark-of-the-fool-jm-clarke/1145682037 This is for folks who read light novels and haven''t read Fool before, or folks who have read Fool and want to revisit it with new art. It will be Available on April 1st, 2025! P.S. You''ll see me again tomorrow for a VERY special announcement that many of you have been waiting for since Fool''s end...