《Reign of Weapons - Sentient Weaponry Progression Fantasy》 Chapter 1 - Blade Unburied PART ONE - A TALE OF BIRDS AND FLIGHT Ley loitered on a barstool in a tavern, his pockets as empty as his stomach. The runt of a man had a little sister back home to feed. He didn¡¯t care what it¡¯d take either. Thieving, begging, boot shining, you name it. Making it in Low Monestate was an uphill battle won by only the most fit and wicked. Those who failed ended up dead in the alleys and streets, their final days numbed by goblin dust. All kinds of people surrounded Ley on stools at wooden tables. Working folk like farmers and fishers got blackout drunk. Armored mercenaries and vagrants told stories, started rumors, and rounded up parties. Monestate¡¯s apathetic guards loitered at the doorways. They wore chainmail and red tabards branded by the king¡¯s insignia. The law wasn¡¯t paid enough to care about most crime, Ley¡¯s included. He picked out a victim to pickpocket among the tavern crowd without fear of the dungeons or arrest. Instead, what made his heart race was the competition from his own pond. Bigger fish nobody dared cross or poach from like Rath Ghul. Ley got up from his seat and leaned against a pillar. He stared at a lone drunk in bronze plate armor and noted his chance of success to be high. The stranger made the mistake of leaving his satchel carelessly behind his chair. Ley snuck up, nearing the prize, until noticing a copper longsword dwelling at the victim¡¯s hip. An orange dragon¡¯s eye opened on its hilt, glaring into his soul. The blade warned him. ¡°Looking to be skewered?¡± Ley jumped and backed up. A machina! With his hands up, he worked to de-escalate it from lashing out. ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. I was just passing by.¡± ¡°Leave my presence before I make you regret being born, human.¡± Ley obliged, hurrying off to the other side of the tavern. That was close¡­ Almost a millennium ago, humanity staged a great rebellion. Victorious, they sealed the gods that once ruled and graced Ailmor into metal. From that metal, the machina were forged. Those who now controlled machina controlled Ailmor. These haunted weapons and their wielders reigned. They sparked and ended wars, nations, and peoples. What could possibly go wrong with such power falling into the hands of the common man? Ley shook off his goosebumps and moved on to another target. This one was a wounded adventurer in scale armor. His elbow was in a sling. With an exhausted voice, he vented to a man undoubtably asleep across the table. Ley eavesdropped in on the one-sided conversation. ¡°So, I get to the bottom of this crypt alone, last one standing, and found nothing. Just this useless, dusty old dagger on a pedestal.¡± The guy across the table drooled, snoring. Not much a talker. The adventurer went on. ¡°Those dumb-ass skeletons were dancin¡¯ and worshippin¡¯ around it like it was a god. Four rookies died for this. For trash. No merchant will give me anything worth the trouble.¡± He slammed a rustic dagger onto the table and buried his face into his arms. ¡°Ailmoran Dream my ass. This is it for me. I don¡¯t want to go back to the fields.¡± Ley snuck up, snatched the blade, and vanished into the busy tavern¡¯s crowd. On his way out the front door, he nodded to the guard who witnessed and ignored his theft. Though old, the dagger still had an edge to it. Its unreadable decorative etchings excited him. He traveled some blocks until meeting the waterside ledge of the city¡¯s western channel used for trade and ferrying.
Ley followed it home to where his little sister, Sasha, waited. Warm, evenly spaced lantern lights hanging from chains illuminated the water. A couple chilled on the docks, legs hanging from the edge. Some shady men in suits rowed in a canoe, the centermost of the group handcuffed to an ominous steel suitcase. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. Across the channel, another man kneeled with his forehead against the ground, begging a cloaked gang to spare his life. They weren¡¯t having any of it and about beat him to death. Loan sharks? From the bricks tied to his ankles, you could guess what would come next. Ley moved on, quickening his pace, as a squeamish cry and splash echoed into Monestate¡¯s night. These sounds were the city¡¯s ambiance, no different than bird and insect chirping. They reminded some residents that they were dead. Others were reminded that they were alive. Ley flexed his hand, noting his missing ring finger, and sighed. He was lucky. The deeper Ley got into Low Monestate, the worse off it got. Multistorey buildings disappeared, replaced by cheap wooden shacks, longhouses, and dark alleyways between long-abandoned government projects. Tucked away amid an unmanaged oasis of trees and bushes sprouting to reclaim the cityscape, a shed terrible by even Low standards stood. Ley navigated through all the greenery to reach the front door. He straightened his broken posture before knocking rhythmically. The shaking of chains rattled in his ears until the front door creaked open, revealing a girl with a soft, pale face and green eyes. Sasha let him in with a tight hug. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you back in one piece,¡± she mumbled. ¡°Me too. Me too.¡± She was frail and two years younger with messy brunette hair that went to her shoulders. Ley never let it get much longer than his own hair. Before their mother died, she drilled into them a fear of Monestate¡¯s criminals who targeted women. The less Sasha looked like a girl, the better. Only so much could be done though. Sasha was maturing, and men didn¡¯t usually wear earrings. Especially emerald ones like her. She inspected Ley, expecting something. ¡°How did the day go?¡± Ley emptied his satchel on a rickety table in the center of their shed. Since they didn¡¯t have real flooring other than dirt, they sat on layers of carpets, blankets, and mats scavenged from the city. Their choices were bruised fruits and a half-eaten loaf of bread. Even though the dinner looked bleak, it still brought giddiness onto Sasha¡¯s face. Like a flower absorbing sunshine, Ley could¡¯ve run off her smiles alone. He explained the day to her. ¡°I know it¡¯s not much, but nobody was feeling charitable. Not even the churches. That old preacher, Daren, threatened to skin me. Skin me!¡± Ley showed off the dagger. ¡°But then I went and found this cool little thing, so I¡¯m feeling all better. It¡¯ll get us a silver or two if I can find a proper fool. Think of all the bread it¡¯ll buy us.¡± Sasha squinted at the dagger in suspicion. ¡°Did you steal that?¡± He danced around the accusation. ¡°I found it.¡± She pouted at him. He repeated. ¡°I found it.¡± She pouted even harder, this time with a judging squint. He shrugged. ¡°Maybe I did steal it. So what?¡± ¡°Mom raised us honest.¡± Ley raised his finger to declare a fact. ¡°Mom was honest. She died anyway. Now it¡¯s just us. We¡¯d be dead too if I was too afraid to get my hands dirty. I¡­¡± He never finished the sentence. ¡°It¡¯s just that you worry me sometimes.¡± ¡°Why? We¡¯re making it, aren¡¯t we?¡± Ley pointed at their rusted tin walls. They creaked. He wasn¡¯t making much of a great case. ¡°Because you¡¯re a dummy.¡± ¡°Dummy? I¡¯m trying my best here. Be grateful.¡± ¡°I am grateful, but you¡¯re the dummiest dummy in this city of dummies.¡± An imaginary arrow shot through Ley¡¯s chest. He looked bitter. ¡°Are you upset?¡± She shook her head. ¡°No, but you¡¯re all I have. You come home every night cut or beat up. You even lost a finger. I¡¯d rather not eat anything if it meant knowing you¡¯d be safe.¡± Ley flexed his hand. It was his favorite finger too. ¡°You¡¯re really letting me have it today, Sasha. You in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Maybe a little. I¡¯ll be the better sibling and apologize, just this once though. Sorry for hurting your feelings.¡± ¡°You really are something. It¡¯ll take much more than calling me a dummy to ruin my day, Sasha. Hell¡ªI mean heck, you could stab me and I wouldn¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Could be a good nickname though. Has a nice ring to it, right?¡± He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t have the energy for your sass right now.¡± They sat crisscross from each other as Sasha ate. Ley always waited for her to finish. If she never did, then he went to bed hungry. She gave him a curious head tilt. ¡°You going to eat any?¡± ¡°I ate earlier at the tavern. You go ahead.¡± Most of his words were lies. Sometimes small, sometimes big, he kept Sasha in the dark about anything negative that would sadden her. Problem was, nothing about their situation proved positive. Ley dealt with things she¡¯d never know. Things that would make her cry, and seeing her cry would make him hate himself. His stomach growled. The obnoxious sound embarrassed him. It irritated Sasha. She rejected whatever was left, pushing it back his way. Ley broke the silence. ¡°My bad.¡± He chewed on his share of bread. It was sour, hard, and not enough to sate himself. Later after snuffing out their candlelight for bed, Ley stared up at the ceiling restlessly. They shared a single rough mattress and blanket. As Sasha lay there passed out, the forlorn natural noises of Low Monestate kept him up. As normal as they were, he never got used to them. Sometimes, he heard the cries of children and women and wondered if they were related to the mass kidnappings. Other times, it was the footsteps and delusional rambling of drug fiends searching far and wide for goblin dust. They got too close for comfort. All Ley knew was that, if shit went down, he¡¯d be ready. He¡¯d fight tooth and nail to preserve the only thing that ever mattered to him. With that rusty dagger clenched in hand, he passed out by morning and awoke a mere hour later with Sasha. He would drop her off for work and then, once again, do his best. Chapter 2 - A Final Favor New days meant new problems. Ley walked Sasha through Low Monestate on the sidewalk to her apprenticeship as all types of people went on their ways. Some trudged along covered in dust with hands as rough as stones. Others went off to their trades and shops with whatever their nicest clothes were. Occasionally, rare beastmen would be seen on Monestate¡¯s streets. This was a generalized term for the locals of the fallen tribal kingdom, The Westwinds. When their peoples were conquered one decade prior by this land¡¯s king, they spread across the continent to find new homes. No place welcomed them though. These nomads faced the worst of the worst. Ley and Sasha passed up a towering laborer with an eagle¡¯s head and talons. From his tools, perhaps an iron worker. Ley glanced at the strong back of the birdlike man who paid them no mind. Was it difficult for someone so different to live in peace? They made it to a beat-up shop of oddities on the edge where Low Monestate met the Bazaar District. It was a dusty place with broken windows. The geezer owner didn¡¯t bother to fix the damage. Instead, he draped sheets over the holes. A wooden sign hung down over the front door displaying Troll¡¯s Treasure. Ley sighed at the many warnings scribbled to trespassers in a red paint that looked like blood. Since the ones robbing the place couldn¡¯t read, who did this scare away other than customers? They entered the building to find an old Black man in a leather apron standing behind a counter. His mustache was impeccable. He looked at bliss until realizing it was Ley and Sasha. Then he scoffed. Sasha walked behind the counter, putting on another identical apron a bit too big for her. She put up her hair out of the way to hide under a work cap. ¡°Mornin¡¯ boss,¡± she said nonchalantly. ¡°Mornin¡¯. Thought you kids were money,¡± he responded with a grumble. Ley showed off the ornamental dagger. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re looking for money, I might have an opportunity for ya, Old Man Randle. Two silver and this relic will be yours. It was found in some tomb guarded by undead. Could be a machina!¡± Randle barely glanced at it. ¡°Don¡¯t try to cheat me, boy. I know trash when I see it. And stop calling me old man.¡± ¡°It was worth a try.¡± Ley slipped the blade back into his belt. He faced Randle with bleakness. ¡°But if you could spare a minute, I¡¯d like to talk about something.¡± The shopkeeper sensed his change in seriousness. He nodded. ¡°Watch the front for me, Sasha. If any fiends come in, just look mean and swing Primus at them.¡± Sasha met his request with worry. She nervously looked at his claymore machina leaning up behind her. The silver blade almost taller than her stared silently with one blue, wide eye. ¡°Never used a machina before. Looks heavy.¡± ¡°Nothin¡¯ to worry about. He¡¯s weightless. Don¡¯t bite either. Usually.¡± Primus¡¯s eye twitched, unhinged. On the way out behind Randle, Ley raised his eyebrows. ¡°Usually?¡± A pair of customers wandered past them. Sasha welcomed the two. ¡°Thank you for stopping by. How can I help you today?¡± The machina, Primus, spoke loudly over her. ¡°I crave blood and glory, humans!¡± Sasha struggled to keep her polite work face as the blade rambled on and on to the dread of the business. She couldn¡¯t silence the damn thing. It sounded like a madman. ¡°I dream every night of my last site of slaughter. We dyed that battlefield in The Westwinds crimson yesterday in my mind. This filthy shop is a tomb, my wielder now soft and senile. Release me!¡± She clicked her tongue. ¡°Release you to go where?¡± The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°To battle!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have legs. You cannot walk.¡± ¡°Not with that kind of attitude about it!¡± Like the wind, customers turned and left Troll¡¯s Treasure as fast as they entered. Sasha slammed the counter and then shook her aching wrist, letting her frustration known with a sigh. In the alleyway outside, Ley and Randle leaned up against the cobblestone wall. The old man spoke up. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, kid?¡± ¡°You know.¡± ¡°Have they gotten worse?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve caught on to the fact that I¡¯ll never be able to pay up, and now they¡¯ll probably be coming for me soon. I¡¯ve felt eyes on the back of my head recently. It gives me the shivers.¡± ¡°Those owls are everywhere here in Monestate. Nobody runs from Rath Ghul, after all. This rotten kingdom¡¯s theirs.¡± ¡°It ain¡¯t even my debt. I can only wonder what they¡¯ve got in mind. I¡¯ll just have to grit my teeth and keep Sasha out of it. If they find out about her¡­¡± His face curled in hatred. Randle nodded as he reached for a metal canteen in his pocket. Whatever he swigged smelled like booze. ¡°Sure, kid, your father was a coward for killing himself. Nothing¡¯s fair in this world though, especially here in Ailmor. You¡¯re gonna have to learn how to carry that weight. If ya make it out in one piece, maybe you¡¯ll grow up into a strong man.¡± ¡°My shoulders can only carry so much. I¡¯m so tired. Hungry too. I stopped growing years ago.¡± After emptying out the rest of his canteen, the old man sat in thought for a bit. They stood there, sharing a low silence. Randle eventually broke it with a proposition. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinkin¡¯ about this shit for a while myself too, ya know. There might be a little dingy light at the end of your tunnel. Choose your hell.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡± ¡°A drinking buddy of mine¡¯s got a colossal crab ship floating somewhere in The Eversea. I could get you on. After your time¡¯s done, I doubt anyone with Rath Ghul would be able to recognize you.¡± Ley let a finicky smile show. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it, but if I¡¯m shooting straight, I can¡¯t leave Sasha. The Eversea is the last place I¡¯d ever see myself going too. There¡¯s too much spooky shit going on out in The Deep. Half of what goes into its fog never comes back out.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t blame you. Anybody would rather be miserable dry over wet, but there¡¯re some colonies out there, I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t help that I can¡¯t swim.¡± Ley crossed his arms, gazing straight down to his feet. He kicked at some pebbles. ¡°To be honest, I didn¡¯t bring you out here for advice. I know what¡¯s coming for me. I¡¯ve got a favor I wanted to ask of you.¡± Randle grew rigid. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When I¡¯m not around anymore, I want you to take in Sasha. You¡¯re the only one I can trust. We¡¯ve got nobody else. Protect her. These are my problems alone. Not hers. If she asks, you¡¯ve got no idea what happened to me. You hear me?¡± ¡°Boy, you know how much Sasha hates secrets. With how much you lie to her, she¡¯s bound to hate you.¡¯¡± ¡°It¡¯s better this way.¡± Ley gave Randle a slight wave, leaving him alone in the alleyway. Even though the old man hadn¡¯t answered his request, he felt oddly calm. Dagger in hand, Ley went into the Bazaar District with hopes as faint as embers. He went stall to stall and shop to shop over the course of two hours, weaving between clusters of customers and salesmen, trying to sell the dagger to his best ability. Nobody ever bought it though. Everywhere he went, there was another guy selling a dagger fancier or cheaper. Ley eventually found the light at the end of his tunnel through a Zaiban merchant with a fancy purple hat and hazel skin. The man who looked to bathe in money observed his dagger with enthusiasm only to offer a single bronze regalia. Ley snatched it back, gritted his teeth, and yelled at the man. ¡°Go to hell, you cheapskate!¡± Selling the dagger was a bust. Ley fell into the same hole as the adventurer he stole it from. Was it cursed? The Bazaar District was a different animal compared to the rest of Monestate. Bodies and wagons driven by people seeking their own dreams and riches filled the cobblestone streets. Ley was no different than a grain in a sea of rolling sand as he nudged past shoulders, wedging and slipping his way between strangers. Even now, desperation building like fog in his head, he had a plan sure to bring him a profit. Ripping off foreigners. Though Monestate was a shithole, it was still the cleanest hole in Ailmor. It attracted many types easy to exploit. Ley could spot tourists easily. Their fashions, spoken tongues, and skin tones were unique. More than anything else though, they were deaf to the rules. There were just certain things nobody with sense did in Monestate. For one, nobody greeted each other or let their hands reach too far from their pockets. If someone talked to or sought someone out, it was for a reason. They wanted something. Ley crept through a huddled-up crowd and came out the other side with his pockets full. He secluded himself away in a nearby alley, hidden behind a dumpster, to go over his reaping. A handful of bronze and silver regalia surprised him. Then there were a few mediocre-looking pieces of jewelry. Finally, a golden ring housing a purple amethyst-like gem forced a raised brow from him. His breathing lagged offbeat in anticipation. Ley bit the metal and gem too. Ley stood up to exit the dark ravine of an alley only to bump into the chest of a tall stranger. He stumbled back after seeing the owl¡¯s mask. Rath Ghul¡¯s agents wore black iron masks that mimicked the predatory bird god, Noria, with enormous haunting eyes. The owl stepped forward, calling out with an easygoing tone and hand wave. His chipper demeanor clashed with his overwhelming animosity. ¡°Long time no see! We¡¯ve been hunting you, Ley.¡± Chapter 3 - Rippers of Rath Ghul Ley glared upon recognizing the familiar voice of owl Thorin. Vile memories resurfaced in his mind. Without uttering a word, he burst off into a sprint in the other direction. Another shorter agent with seven blades sheathed across his body blocked his escape. He had appeared from thin air. ¡°Why run and not stay to talk?¡± he grumbled. Ley backed up slowly, bumping into the first one again. His enigmatic mood was unreadable. One moment, Ley felt fine. The next, he convulsed and frothed at the mouth as Thorin strangled him from behind with a rear naked choke. No clawing or kicking would do anything against the man¡¯s strengthening vice. The last thing Ley saw before flickering out, eyes rolling back, was the dumpster lid creaking open, revealing another unnerving set of eyes. Then yet another owl appeared from the shadows of nowhere to join the others. Ley awoke in a dark field filled with mist, sparse spectral flowers, and trees emitting low light around him. A great blue full moon shone down in the distance as endless rain pitter-pattered. This dream confused him like nothing else but, even so, it was far more soothing than home. Ley walked toward a cliff¡¯s edge where a wooded throne rested. Seated there, a withered man with an elk¡¯s head gazed out into a calm sea. Its horns sprawled out like branches. ¡°Where am I?¡± he asked. Without facing Ley, the elk man spoke yet its mouth didn¡¯t move. A gentle voice emerged from within his own head. ¡°You¡¯re in my realm. Quite the place, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°It sure is.¡± A flock of see-through guls, perhaps spirits, flew over Ley¡¯s head toward something far out of view. ¡°Then am I dead? Is this Yellen?¡± ¡°Not yet, but you¡¯ve been brushed by death. That¡¯s how we were able to meet. Those owls intend to kill you, Ley.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t get how you¡¯d know that. What exactly are you?¡± ¡°Once upon a time when gods ruled your world, I was one of them. Now I¡¯m bound to the pathetic dagger at your hip. You may call me Major." ¡°Ah, I see. Then you¡¯re a machina.¡± ¡°If that is what humans call us now, then so be it.¡± Ley scratched his chin. So, I guess I¡¯ll wake up and face them soon. Major read his worries. ¡°Yes, but right now, your probability to survive is zero.¡± ¡°Great. About what I figured.¡± ¡°I invited you here to offer a chance to change your fate though. Form a contract with me. Trust the blade. Perhaps it will give you the power to live.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t have much a choice, do I?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± ¡°But what¡¯s in it for you, oh great deer man?¡± Major tapped its fingers on the throne¡¯s armrests. ¡°I¡¯m on a journey to restore myself through Convergence. I require worthy hosts to wield the blade and collect the others necessary for the ritual. Upon your death, your soul will be mine, and your eternity will be spent in this realm. Then whenever the next wielder happens upon the blade, you¡¯ll aid their journey as an ancestor.¡± Ley looked back behind him. He spotted several other spirits akin to Major. The mysterious figures sized him up curiously. ¡°I¡¯m not the first then.¡± ¡°There are many, Ley. Trust in your ancestors. Become their vessel. Their shell.¡± Ley snapped awake on the hard cobblestone ground surrounded by owls and alleyway brick. Thorin now raised Ley¡¯s legs up. The other owl who appeared from the dumpster waved air on his face with a grody tin trash can lid. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. When he came to his senses, the pleasantries came to a jarring halt. Thorin decked himself out in all the jewelry he¡¯d stolen, ring on finger and everything. As the man went over the finds, the others surrounded and took turns beating Ley. He took kicks to the stomach and throat, yanking of his hair from the scalp, and ringing smashes over the skull with bottles and metal bins. Ley couldn¡¯t help but ball up and protect his vitals from the beasts. Thorin held the amethyst ring up. ¡°All of this amounts to roughly one gold regalia, most of it from this fine jewel here. Now taking that from your debt, you still owe us seventy-four gold regalia.¡± Thorin squatted down to Ley¡¯s level, forcing him to make eye contact with a fist full of his hair. ¡°What the hell is holding you up? You¡¯re on borrowed time. At this point, we might as well just whore you out or cut you up and be done with it.¡± Ley¡¯s left eye twitched as he built up the grit to argue. ¡°Not even King Andre would be able to pay off something like that, you damn idiots. You¡¯re all livin¡¯ in Monestate of all places! You should know that nobody¡¯ll ever get hold of that kinda money out here!¡± Thorin thought to himself for a bit. Ley could almost see his dumb grin under the mask. ¡°I¡¯m not that inept. I¡¯d go as far to say I¡¯m quite well-educated too. Top of my class, even. Don¡¯t lump me with this cesspit. Not everyone in this kind of work is poor. But, yea, I know you can¡¯t pay, but that doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ley¡¯s voice became hoarse. He refused to cry in front of the owls though. ¡°I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s the point of this shit if you don¡¯t really expect anything outa me?¡± ¡°Not everybody needs a reason or some deep meaning. We¡¯re just doing our jobs. People who can¡¯t pay are punished. Hey, loosen up a little. This isn¡¯t personal.¡± Thorin hesitated as if contemplating stopping there. Instead, though, he continued. ¡°But I say rats ought to stay in the slums. There needs to be an exterminator. A gatekeeper. That¡¯s me. You people are rabid animals; the lowest of the low who spread their stink everywhere. I¡¯m going to do whatever I want to you, and nobody will care. What¡¯s wrong with having a little fun with it?¡± Ley stared at him in silence. Then the tears broke, which he at once wiped away. Thorin chuckled and dug deeper. ¡°This city¡¯s a prison. We can¡¯t let retards like you ever leave it.¡± Ley stared off with an unsettled face. ¡°Your parents ever let you outside? Ever seen how bad it is everywhere? I did before things went to shit.¡± He motioned to the other owls who¡¯d taken a break from breaking him. ¡°I¡¯m startin¡¯ to suspect this captain of yours is some spoiled brat with soft hands. A milk drinker. He¡¯s never worked for anything. He¡¯s only in this because he gets off to it, right? Ain¡¯t that right?¡± His comment hushed Thorin to deadpan stillness. At first, this brought Ley gratification. Then it brought fear once the air chilled. Ley read from Thorin¡¯s partners in crime that he¡¯d probably stepped on a bear trap. Their demeanors shifted stiffer as they awaited their leader¡¯s reaction. Thorin drew the steel sword from the scabbard on his back. He twirled it around a bit before taking a firm grip. The orange cat''s eye on its hilt opened. Ley stepped back from the machina until his shoulders touched the wall, the hairs on his arm sticking up. Thorin addressed Ley bluntly, now devoid of his usual casualness. ¡°Truth be told, you¡¯ve been marked for death for a year now. Master Al Yara stamped you himself. I¡¯ve only kept you alive so long because you¡¯re fun to fuck with.¡± Ley held his hands up. ¡°Come on, man. Calm down. I don¡¯t want to die.¡± ¡°Organs fetch high prices with all the anatomy practices sprouting up. A New Age of science, aye? Helps our budget.¡± There wasn¡¯t much Ley could say to that. A rattling overwhelmed him. It took a frigid, everlasting moment for him to realize that his body wasn¡¯t the cause. The object tucked into his belt shook violently. It shook as if beckoning. Thorin reared his arm to cut him down. ¡°It¡¯s a shame that we can¡¯t play cat and mouse anymore, but there¡¯s always someone new.¡± Ley drew Major''s dagger, holding it out in front. The blade radiated blue spectral light as the elk¡¯s eye flickered open on the hilt. Antlers sprouted to replace the hilt and handle, bringing life to the dull knife. He recalled Major''s words in those ethereal woods. Trust in your ancestors. Become their vessel. Thorin swung but hit air. He stumbled over himself as Ley made space between them. ¡°Kid¡¯s got a machina?¡± A new initiative overtook the owls. Every agent drew weapons and lunged to slay Ley. To their surprise, he met the challenge with confidence. Ley dashed and danced around grazing strikes as if he was forged for war. His resistance wasn¡¯t perfect though. Slashes and bruises slowly branded across his body. For every blow to crush his bones, he struck back with threefold animosity. One owl rushed forward in desperation only for Ley to roll across his back, shoving him into another. After the collision, the man collapsed to reveal several deep punctures in his spine that no one saw inflicted. The partner to see this yelled at Thorin. ¡°He¡¯s too good for some twerp.¡± ¡°Must be the machina''s power. Just got to disarm him,¡± Thorin shot back. Ley¡¯s eyes glowed blue, his hair flowing up as if attracted by static electricity. He became a passenger to his own body, driven onward by the demonic phantom of a swordsman long dead. Showing off an eerie smile, he spoke to the owls. ¡°Ghost in the Shell. Etch the name of our power into your souls.¡± Thorin took a step back as he sized up Ley¡¯s new mannerisms. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Kafka Briar of The Westwinds. This is a great opportunity. I¡¯ve craved owl blood.¡± Chapter 4 - The Drowning Day The three surrounding Ley organized their approach. Thorin blocked one direction while the owl of many blades and a grunt took the other. ¡°At the same time,¡± the leader commanded. Then he beckoned his machina. ¡°Termination: Sleepwalk.¡± Ley¡¯s eyes darted as he watched Thorin¡¯s blade extend into a snakelike razored whip with its own mind. It zigzagged through the air toward him. He dodged it, handspringing erratically off the stone ground into an explosive dropkick aimed at the grunt attacking from behind. For the first time in the bloodbath, Ley found himself with enough space to try an escape. His knees buckled though. Legs giving out, he found himself sitting, blood pooling underneath him. The moment of weakness multiplied. It became cold, eternal reality. ¡°Major! I need to make it home! Where¡¯d that guy go!? Kafka!?¡± The Elk¡¯s voice reverberated in his head without emotion. Your body is too weak, and you are too inexperienced. I gave you a chance. Thorin¡¯s whip blade seized the opportunity, wrapping itself around Ley¡¯s blade hand. The jagged, serrated sections ripped Major from him. With contact broken between the two, the dagger reverted to its original form. Ugly. Dated. Dull. Thorin retracted his blade to its original form and sheathed it. He took a moment to catch his breath. Ley heard heavy footsteps stop right behind him. Bruised and bloody, gasping for air, one thing crossed his mind as Thorin nodded seriously to the owl of many blades. ¡°Sasha,¡± Ley mumbled. Blood dyed the stone walls rose. A head rolled over, sending a tired gaze out from the shadows of the alley. Thorin collected Major, stuffing the now stained dagger into his satchel. ¡°Made this worse than it had to be, kid.¡± He kicked blood from his boot. ¡°Shit, these are new!¡± He looked over at the last standing fellow owl who took the time to return his several lost blades. Daggers went into his boots, longswords onto his back, machetes at the hip, throwing knives hidden under the sleeve. ¡°Jericho, he got any kin you know about?¡± Jericho touched his broken nose now curving slightly off centered. ¡°Nobody¡¯s ever hurt me. Kid sure was entertaining. About pulled my machina. Did you not hear what he said? Sasha must be a loved one.¡± ¡°Sasha, aye? Then she¡¯ll pay the rest of their debt, and don¡¯t forget these damages.¡± Thorin showed his stained boot. ¡°That machina should come first. Perhaps she can unlock it. I doubt it will see us worthy, but the loved one maybe.¡± *** Sasha¡¯s shift ended at Troll¡¯s Treasure hours ago, but Ley never came to pick her up. Hiding her anxiety from Randle who looked unusually distant and drunk, she returned her cap and apron. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be going now then. Thank you again for letting me work here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m the one that should be thanking you for lending a hand. Nobody here is honest. Nobody wants to work anymore.¡± He reached deep into his pocket. ¡°Consider it a bonus.¡± He dropped about a dozen bronze regalia into her palm. The gesture left her astonished. She lit up with an earnest smile. ¡°Ley will be stoked! I¡¯ll pick something tasty up for him tomorrow.¡± Her brightness faded but gratitude lingered. ¡°I think he¡¯s been starving himself.¡± Randle avoided looking Sasha in the eyes. Something came to his mind. ¡°Oh, I forgot this.¡± He treaded over into the backrooms of the shop where he lived. She heard his voice through the wooden walls as he rustled around through his belongings. ¡°I know for sure Ley¡¯s armed you with something. Can¡¯t leave a young lady defenseless, after all, but I can do better.¡± He presented a steel knife along with its leather scabbard. It was clean and sharpened. Sasha slid a weathered hazard of a shiv from her pocket and compared the two. ¡°Thank you. This kinda feels like how I always imagined a birthday being. Well, Ley threw me one once. He gave me these emerald earrings. Still not sure when my real birthday is though.¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. She moved her hair aside to show them off before giving him a polite farewell bow. With a complicated look, Randle waved her off into the darkness. He hesitated to head back inside, instead watching Sasha¡¯s back until she left his sight. On her trip through Low Monestate¡¯s nightfall-haunted streets, paranoia shook her nerves. Every crow¡¯s cry, mysterious scurrying, and distant chatter sent jolts through her muscles. Homeless folk propped up under bridges and overhangs, huddling around fires. They minded their own business, leaving Sasha alone, other than the reoccurring stare. She avoided the darkest alleys and distant night screaming, a single thought echoing in her mind over and over. Where are you? Where are you, Ley? Her shed¡¯s door creaked open to nothingness. Curled up in the blanket she shared, on the dingy bed she split, she clenched her eyes shut with her new steel dagger held tightly. Stagnant time flowed away with her consciousness. Just when Sasha had drifted off though, knocking at the door startled her awake. She bolted up to her knees and, with a jumbled mind, called out. ¡°Ley?¡± The knocking continued, much louder and erratic. Its pattern abandoned what Sasha confused to be their secret code. A horridly unhinged voice rambled. ¡°Anybody in there? Hey! Open the door! Open it! Got any money? Any goblin dust?¡± The commotion intensified into violent banging and shaking. The entirety of the shack riveted and groaned around Sasha as she trembled wide-eyed on her knees, dagger in hand. Those chains binding the door shut sure made Ley and her feel safe in the past, but they were also never tested. Once the fiend¡¯s harassment halted, Sasha found herself left in a bleak silence only broken by cricket chirping and the heartbeat bouncing between her shoulders. She listened to the stranger wander away through the grass and bushes before stopping not too far away. His voice confronted another. ¡°Where are you from? Got any dust? Regalia? Back up now¡ª¡± A short struggle ensued. It ended with a yelp akin to a dog¡¯s whine. The scrape of heavy dragging against stone unsettled Sasha¡¯s ears. It crept toward the shed, ending in the bushes outside the door. Sasha curled up, embracing herself under the blanket. Nobody would have been able to sleep after that. Somehow though, exhaustion took its toll, and she snapped alert to the sun¡¯s rays attacking her face through a hole in the wall. With bags under her eyes, she reflected on the night before. The touch of wetness in her blanket brought a grave, disgusted look onto her face. Sasha didn¡¯t have many outfits. Neither did Ley. She looked around to confirm his absence once more before changing clothes. Every morning, her brother took the first steps of the day. Without fail, she followed whatever plan or whim occupied his mind. But now without his guidance, she would have to lead herself. Before tackling the day, Sasha sat and composed herself with eyes closed, arms wrapped around her knees. What am I¡­ exactly going to do with myself? She left the shed, knife at her hip, and stepped on a mangled corpse. With tunnel vision and her heart thumping in her ear, Sasha stiffly observed what could have only been the fiend from last night. His deflated torso had uncountable carvings and slices almost surgical. He was butchered into a sack of skin. Once Sasha¡¯s gaze met his expression twisted in horror, her panic spiraled out of control. Even his eyes were stolen. With a tightly clenched hand on her chest and tears building up, she stumbled away toward Troll¡¯s Treasure. Down the street, Old Man Randle dealt with the decade¡¯s busiest day. So busy that it almost made him suspicious. He dealt with, hustled, and watched over a steady flow of customers. Leaned up against the front counter with arms crossed, Randle sold a dusty old iron war axe to a stranger he assumed to be foreign. ¡°Yea, I know this looks mundane, but it¡¯s a relic belonging to Sir Afflictus Bigdicus of The Westwinds. The best I can do for it is three silver.¡± ¡°Three silver? That seems like a bit much.¡± ¡°Ya know, the guy who dug it up from its resting spot said it spoke to him. Three¡¯s a bargain for a slumberin¡¯ machina if you ask me. I¡¯d understand somebody like you worryin¡¯ about not being worthy though. Machina don¡¯t choose nobodies, after all.¡± The customer covered in strange purple dyed leather scoffed. ¡°You¡¯ve got no business measuring my worth. I¡¯ll prove you wrong. You¡¯ve got yourself a deal.¡± ¡°See, I knew you were a wise one. You¡¯ll go places.¡± Randle chuckled only for his headache to flare up. It¡¯s hard to sham fools hung over. Ley, you bastard¡­ You just had to leave me wanting to forget. You¡¯re slick, right? The girl¡¯s waiting. His shop¡¯s front door swung open, revealing Sasha drowning in despair with labored gasping. Even the customers fascinated by the oddities around the shop were drawn to her. Randle looked at her nervously. ¡°What¡¯s up with you, kid?¡± Sasha trudged up to him and struggled to get words out. She stuttered hics, wiping tears and snot from her face. Her limit neared. Randle held his hands up in the air before hesitantly resting them on her shoulders. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Give me a minute.¡± With even greater reluctance, Old Man Randle cleared his throat to gather the attention of the group loitering in his shop. ¡°Sorry, but we¡¯re closing for now. Leave. It¡¯s an emergency.¡± He flicked his hands at them like shooing vermin. Chapter 5 - An Awaited Return Randle locked the shop before leading Sasha into the back of the store. She¡¯d never been into his actual home before. At a closer look, the place was much homier and more expansive than expected. A full family must¡¯ve lived in it at some point. Sasha glanced around at the dusty fishing gear and d¨¦cor, paintings, and furniture scattered about neatly. He really was just some geezer. An organized one too. They sat together at his dining room table. Randle¡¯s brow furrowed as his nose curled up, making Sasha avoid eye contact in shame. He stood up, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna ask about the stench. Please just take a shower before we continue.¡± ¡°You have running water?¡± ¡°I do. It¡¯s a luxury I pay too much for, and I only get it because this place is technically zoned to the Bazaar District.¡± Sasha weakly responded. ¡°I don¡¯t really get anything about that, but I¡¯m happy for you.¡± Randle pointed to a hallway. ¡°The door to the left is the bathroom, and the one across is the guest room. When you¡¯re done, you can get changed in there. And make sure to bathe in the tub. Not the sink or toilet.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t¡­ that obvious?¡± ¡°You¡¯d be surprised by how much urchins don¡¯t know.¡± She entered his bathroom to find it in a cleaner shape than expected. Folded towels snugly stacked in the drawers while an assortment of soaps and shampoos sat on the edge of Randle¡¯s tub. Though she couldn¡¯t read the titles on the packaging, she sniffed each one in curiosity like some cat trapped in a girl¡¯s body. After undressing, Sasha hesitantly turned the faucet in the tub only to be surprised by frigid rain. It made her shrivel up. She was too young to remember the last time her family had running water, but Ley spoke about it like it was magic. Sometimes, he even told her about rumors claiming the rich could summon hot water with this dumbfounded look on his face. The world¡¯s mysteries fascinated Ley. After adjusting to the temperature, Sasha grew to find comfort in the cold water. She shampooed and dried off for the first time before leaving to Randle¡¯s guest room wrapped in a towel. Well, she thought it would be a guest room. In truth, it looked like a girl¡¯s room. Girly sheets and blankets on the made bed, stuffed animals and dolls propped up about everywhere, drawers filled with women¡¯s clothes, blouses, dresses, panties, and all. She got dressed and then checked herself out in a mirror. She left the room to find Old Man Randle sitting in the same spot as before. He swigged on a metal canteen. Upon joining him, he looked at her with uncanny surprise. He caught himself and fell back to his normal stoic look. It piqued Sasha¡¯s interest. ¡°What is it? And you¡¯re day drinking again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just been a while since I¡¯ve seen that outfit worn.¡± She glanced back at where she had just left. ¡°Is that really a guest room?¡± ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. Used to be my daughter¡¯s room. Enough about me though.¡± He pulled his chair up, straightening his posture. ¡°Tell me what¡¯s going on. Talk your throat hoarse if needed.¡± Sasha nodded slowly, a soreness building up in her chest. As she spilled her worries and heart out to Randle, he listened in silence, never averting his attention other than to drink. She got to the topic of last night and found herself stuttering again, emotions building up. Randle made a little halting gesture with his hand. ¡°Breathe and collect yourself. I can wait.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Right¡­¡± Sasha responded before taking a deep breath. After taking a minute to calm down, she finished venting with determination. Randle scratched his chin. He spoke to her carefully as if choosing what to say and not say with utmost precision. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here? That room there can be yours. You can live here as long as you need while you wait for your brother to return. There are evils in these streets far worse than you could ever imagine. It¡¯s no place for some lone girl.¡± She stared at him unblinking as he continued. ¡°And I don¡¯t think anything could explain the murder you witnessed other than the new organ black market. The rich and anatomy practices pay a fortune for the organs of fresh corpses. They¡¯re taken from trash like us that nobody bats an eye to disappearing. It happens every day. You hear the screams.¡± The casual way Randle dropped this onto Sasha brought her to stiffness. She questioned him. ¡°You don¡¯t think Ley?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he grumbled in response, avoiding eye contact. ¡°Then, sure, I¡¯ll take up your offer. Thank you, Mister Randle.¡± ¡°No need for pleasantries. You talk too polite. Just call me Randle or, like Ley, Old Man.¡± Sasha nodded. Randle looked back toward the storefront, scratching his mustache. ¡°Now, I¡¯ve gotta get back to work.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll lend a hand.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± She followed him back into Troll¡¯s Treasure, putting on her apron and work cap. Almost as soon as Randle took down the sign, strangers from afar sprinkled inside gazing in wonder at the row of plate armor suits. Next to Sasha, he rambled. ¡°Must be that Major Festival everyone¡¯s in an uproar about. People love their dead gods. Gives them excuses to go wild.¡± Sasha cleared her throat before donning her usual customer service demeanor. It was a performance clashing with her hurt. ¡°Welcome, everyone!¡±
These days swirled by with flickering cycles of gloomy light and darkness. Randle grew frailer with bones beginning to brittle. For the first time though, his shop flourished with Sasha¡¯s diligent help. He watched Sasha grow a little taller and bolder with every month as she awaited Ley¡¯s return. Most her nights were spent propped up, staring out the front window of the shop, with an expression that couldn¡¯t have been deader. Eventually, she stopped making a third plate for dinner. One night, at the end of a busy shift, Randle stumbled from his room to the mahogany wine cabinet. He¡¯d graduated from peasant booze. Wearing a red bathrobe reminiscent to a king¡¯s garb, he ran his fingers along his fancy collection before stopping at a vacant hole where happiness once existed. ¡°Heh? You¡¯ve gotta be kiddin¡¯ me.¡± He wandered out onto the shop¡¯s floor and glared at his two new guards sitting lazily in wooden chairs, their feet propped up on a glass jewelry display. They were ex-mercenaries from the arid neighboring nation, Zaibah, and wore a rare make of Eastern bronze plate layered over chainmail. Curved swords sheathed at their hips. Suspicious, Randle questioned them. ¡°Xavier. Abdul. Did you get into my cabinet? My Sage¡¯s Sanguine is gone.¡± Xavier shrugged and Abdul shook his head. The first spoke coldly. ¡°We don¡¯t drink, Sir Randle Fletcher. It¡¯s against our beliefs.¡± Then the other pitched in with a more carefree tone. ¡°I¡¯m shocked you¡¯d even suspect us. A monkey would be the more likely culprit, mischievous bastards. I¡¯ve seen them even use crossbows.¡± Xavier nudged him with a confused look. ¡°Brother, there are no monkeys in this part of the world.¡± ¡°Really?¡± His eyes widened. ¡°You mean it?¡± The mystery sketched out Randle. ¡°I see¡­ Shouldn¡¯t have even asked. Carry on.¡± Back at the cabinet, he scratched his chin. He wasn¡¯t that old, was he? After some more pacing and rambling, he found himself in front of Sasha¡¯s door. She wouldn¡¯t, would she? Randle knocked repeatedly, at first light and polite, and then with some oomph. No answer. With an ¡°Excuse me.¡±, he creaked open her unlocked door. There in the dark, Sasha laid stretched out on her bed with messy hair like a corpse, the half empty Sage¡¯s Sanguine bottle in hand. Miraculously not spilt, it was close to toppling and dying her bed red. She snored half naked, knocked out cold. Randle shook his head and sighed. ¡°Guess you¡¯re growing up, but my footsteps aren¡¯t good ones to follow.¡± He carefully pulled the bottle from Sasha¡¯s loose grip, threw a blanket over her, and snuck from the shadowy room. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed about her were those emerald earrings. She cared more about them than herself. The next morning, Sasha bid farewell to Randle and the shop guards to head out into a frigid Monestate conquered by the season of snow, coldrule. Xavier and Abdul played cards bantering in a staccato foreign language while her old guardian came off more distant than usual. Her mind foggy, she failed to pinpoint why. On this weekend day, the fifteenth of Lovecraft, Sasha spent her free time away from work carefully. She headed down Tanner¡¯s Street and turned to weave through the Bazaar District¡¯s stalls and crowds until stopping in front of the city¡¯s sprawling colosseum. Her routine date awaited. She couldn¡¯t spend too long out though. Afterward, Randle planned to have Xavier teach her to read and write. Chapter 6 - Lurking Heart Hurt Spectators, usually rowdier working men, flooded in and out The Colosseum neatly like ants. Sasha joined in line to gain entrance to the lobby where towering doors blocked by ticket keepers led to the stands overlooking the duel grounds. Instead of following the pack here, Sasha went downstairs to The Undercroft guarded by a masked seven-foot gladiator holding a mop and bucket. His iron armor rusted from the uncleaned blood staining it. ¡°Hello Miss¡¯s,¡± he uttered lowly. ¡°Hey Mr. Mercer. I¡¯m here to see Isaac.¡± Mercer nodded before opening the iron door leading to The Undercroft. ¡°Please watch your step. The duel grounds have been leaking.¡± ¡°Thanks for the warning.¡± Before moving on, she warmly grinned and complimented him. ¡°You know, your muscles sure have gotten bigger. Working hard?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. You¡¯re the first to notice.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure the others have too. Well, until next time.¡± She entered the massive lair of warriors to sights most expected to see. Half-nude bearded macho men beat up wooden dummies with their swords or wrestled with each other. Those living there drunk mead from big wooden goblets at the tables while others slept on rough-looking barebone mattresses on the cobblestone floor in lines. As Mercer foretold, blood leaked through the cracks above. It dripped everywhere, making the floor sanguine and filling the air with the scent of iron. Buckets scattered about to catch this rain. Sasha met the gazes of the arena men delighted to see her, giving each a nod or little wave. One sharpened a machete at a table, remarking to another. ¡°She¡¯s back. Makes my day every time I see her face.¡± She put her hands up dismissably with awkwardness. ¡°I¡¯m not that pretty, Spine Ripper.¡± ¡°Seeing you in one piece just relieves me. Nobody¡¯s safe from being taken by the streets. Not even me.¡± She shot him back a beaming smile and walked up to witness the recital of the main event¡¯s cheesy script. Isaac the True, the new and upcoming arena favorite, read from a small book as he gracefully parried away the noodlelike strikes of his opponent. His long blonde hair was in a ponytail, and he wore a violet headband. ¡°Oh, you, vile Boar Bandit! You will pay for what you did to that school of blind orphans and their pregnant seeing eye dogs!¡± His foe beat his bare chest with his own script, breathing heavy through a boar¡¯s mask. ¡°The only thing I will be paying for is my daughter¡¯s emergency surgery, which is a revelation that will cause much of the audience to empathize with my misaligned, villainous ways. They¡¯ll chant rabble like ¡®Boar Bandit did nothing wrong¡¯. You won¡¯t be able to do anything about it!¡± ¡°You retched fool, you shan¡¯t!¡± ¡°And yet I shall!¡± Sasha watched them fight. She almost couldn¡¯t tell that it was choreography. An act. To put it simple, their popularity in The Colosseum brought in too much revenue for the owners and stakeholders to allow them to genuinely risk themselves. The false violence ended with Isaac¡¯s victory as Boar Bandit clenched his throat, dramatically stumbling over and perishing. The coordinator, a skinny man in a flamboyant suit, yelled ¡°Cut!¡± from the side. Isaac helped the Boar Bandit up to his feet before wiping his brow of sweat. He noticed Sasha staring from the now politely clapping barbarian crowd. When the stars aligned and both Isaac and Sasha had free time, he tutored her. He taught her how to fight. It all started a year ago when Randle brought her to The Colosseum. Sasha had never seen a man with such passion. His sun-kissed skin, beard, and long hair made him stick out like a torch in darkness. He lived as a rare heir to the sword and grappling arts of The Westwinds. Some rumored he was the son of the sun. With time, Sasha grew far past the blade''s basics. She keenly watched and internalized Isaac¡¯s guidance. His footwork, his stance, his weight distribution; they became hers over countless hours. What bloomed next was her focus and confidence. Sasha was a mirror her teacher saw himself in. They sparred with wooden swords in his private quarters. Without fail, Sasha returned home sore, banged up with bruises every weekend. You should¡¯ve seen Randle¡¯s reaction to her first black eye and broken pinky. Isaac faced Sasha unmoving, his sword resting calm and ready. For the first time, he recognized something in her. It was painted across her face. Sasha had lost the fear of being stricken. Choosing to fight meant accepting great adversity. They both moved forward clashing wooden bashes. Isaac slipped her flurry with precise, waterlike head movement and slammed her in the ribcage harshly. She endured without so much a blink and whipped him back with a blow to his throat. He gave a halting sign with his hand, harshly coughing into his fist. ¡°You nicked my artery. You win. You¡¯d get to limp home while I bleed out on the street. Don¡¯t look to trade though. It¡¯s reckless.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Sasha was starstruck. She stared at her hands. Calluses started to form on the palms. They weren¡¯t pretty. ¡°I actually won. The student becomes the master.¡± He pointed at her, taken aback. ¡°Hey now, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself! You hit me once.¡± With an apathetic face, she shrugged. ¡°That¡¯s right. I killed you. I¡¯m better than you.¡± When she saw his dumbfounded, speechless response, her act broke. She giggled. ¡°Sorry, just joking. You really believed me there.¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°Girl¡­¡± His eyes sharpened. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll keep asking until I get an answer. Why the obsession with training? What drives you? This country¡¯s women don¡¯t hold blades. Is it out of necessity? Trouble? Let me handle it then.¡± Sasha avoided eye contact. ¡°This again? Knowing how you are, if I told you, you¡¯d stop giving me these lessons.¡± ¡°Just tell me. You¡¯ve got me and this whole arena of brothers ready to crash into whatever issue there is.¡± Isaac pointed out to the main hall where his companions danced drunken. Sasha thought a bit before speaking. Her most horrible feelings weren¡¯t possible to verbalize. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I just won¡¯t leave my life in the hands of anybody else. I won¡¯t lose anymore brothers. Everyone¡¯s so frail. We die before we know it. I just want to be able to swing a sword for myself, so nobody else will have to.¡± Isaac nodded. ¡°You know, back when my nation existed and thrived, we had women warriors. We called them spear maidens. They weren¡¯t as plentiful as the men, but when it came down to business, I never felt anxious having one watch my back.¡± He let out a chuckle. ¡°You¡¯ve brought back old memories. Painful ones.¡± ¡°Women warriors? I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡± Sasha slipped on her jacket with a sigh of relief. ¡°Same time next weekend?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She offered him a palm full of bronze regalia which he ignored, suggesting to her instead. ¡°Go spend it on something tasty. You owe me nothing.¡± ¡°You still want nothing? Nothing is free.¡± A troubled look fell upon Isaac¡¯s face. ¡°How do I explain this? The people here see me as a local hero but that¡¯s only because that¡¯s how it¡¯s meant to be. My character is written to win because he sells seats. In truth, I¡¯ve only ever failed to save the people around me. I¡¯m a runaway coward. As you can imagine, it¡¯s not great living a lie.¡± Sasha digested his words pensively as he continued. This was the most he¡¯d ever spoken about his past. ¡°I want to become the genuine thing. A real hero. Call it repentance.¡± They both noticed a woman leaning against the doorway nearby. She was older and more mature than Sasha, with black hair and bangs trimmed back just enough to not get in the way. The woman had a machina on her fist; a cestus studded by alloy, its lulling eye light blue. ¡°Wrapping up the training with your little soldier here?¡± she said. Isaac got flustered. Sasha had never seen him make such a face. ¡°Ah, Elise! I didn¡¯t expect you to be here so early. We¡¯re done for today. Sasha is a hard worker. She even managed to hit me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a great teacher. She¡¯ll turn out to be a real killer. I¡¯ve been excited for today. Didn¡¯t expect you to ask me out. There¡¯s this new fancy bakery a little way off. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Right now? I¡¯ll need to clean myself up first.¡± In a hurry, he turned to Sasha. ¡°Good work today! Until next time.¡± Sasha nodded, a tad awkward. ¡°Yea. Thank you.¡± As she left, Elise gave her a slight bow of respect. ¡°Travel safe.¡± ***
Later that day, Sasha stared deadpan out the shopfront window into a relentless blizzard. Twilight fell over Low Monestate and, soon, nightfall would come with echoing screams. He never told me he was seeing someone. She looked over at the twin guards, Xavier and Abdul. Abdul had fallen asleep and snored while his brother stayed on watch, leaning up against the wall with a hand resting on his sheathed saber¡¯s pummel. Xavier met eyes with Sasha and sensed her gloom. ¡°I hope my tutoring wasn¡¯t so boring to make you depressed. Everything alright, young madam?¡± he asked with concern. She nodded silently before questioning him. ¡°You¡¯re a good teacher. I¡¯m just stuck in my head. Say, what is your dream?¡± ¡°As in ambition?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°I have no ambitions. Ambition brews envy, which brews depravity, which brews sin, but¡­¡± He closed his eyes, immersing himself in warm thought. ¡°I wish for our gods to grant this moment mercy. This shelter, this job, Sir Randle Fletcher¡¯s kindness here alongside my brother.¡± ¡°Sounds nice.¡± Sasha¡¯s mental exhaustion weighed down on her like an anchor; one chained to her ankle and thrown into the nearest channel of The City of Rivers. In the fuzzy distance, she saw a familiar tin shed. Low, warm light broke through its many cracks. It fought off the sheer cold. When she focused on the building, the blizzard winds crumbled it into nothingness. There would be no rebuilding. Despite being gifted with everything she¡¯d ever wished for and needed, a vacancy within her made it feel all for nothing. I finally get it. None of this is what I ever wanted. There was only one thing. It is long gone. Ley raised me. I will never get him back. I can¡¯t even remember my own mother¡¯s face, or anything. He was the sole light that protected me, and the only reason I breathe. I owe him a debt that I¡¯ll never be able to repay. Ever since that day, I haven¡¯t stopped hurting. Ever since that day, I toil over my final words to him, and wonder why they weren¡¯t that I loved him. He knew, right? He must¡¯ve. I finally get it. Everything has started to make sense with frigid clarity. It scares me. I do not know what will become of me. In bed that night, Sasha couldn¡¯t sleep. She ended up propping up on a stool, staring out the window frosted over by coldrule once again. The screams wrung from nightfall began again as they usually did. Sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly, they rang out through the city. Bloodcurdling. ¡°Ley is dying,¡± she mumbled, wrapping herself up in her own arms. ¡°Someone¡¯s Ley is dying, and I¡¯m sitting here just listening.¡± Sasha dressed for the blizzard and set off to embark into the horrors of the night. She crept into the shopfront where both twin guards had mistakenly fallen asleep, despite their usual diligence in staying awake in shifts. Then she slid Primus, the slumbering claymore machina, from its wall mount. Sasha snuck out through the backdoor into the snow, and then took the crazy blade from its sheath. It snapped awake as if yanking off a bird cage¡¯s light-blocking blanket. ¡°Who awakens me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Sasha. You know me.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve grown taller. How long did the old man have me sealed in that sock?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while. I haven¡¯t changed one bit though. I¡¯m assuming you haven¡¯t either, right?¡± ¡°A good observation for a human. Where are we going?¡± ¡°To kill someone or something. I¡¯m gonna end whatever¡¯s causing the screams.¡± ¡°Child, those screams will never end. In this world of orphans?¡± Chapter 7 - To Kill an Owl Sasha trudged down Low Monestate¡¯s sidewalks in the direction of where the wailing faded and ceased. She spoke to Primus in her hand. ¡°How do I use you? Your power.¡± ¡°Just swing me normally. I¡¯ll act by my own will.¡± ¡°What do you even do anyway?¡± The blade sneered. Its ego annoyed her. ¡°You don¡¯t know of my might? Really?¡± ¡°Inform me.¡± ¡°I used to be a man of great gravity, so that¡¯s what I grew to control after my death. It all started many decades ago, seven-fifty-four, The Lyridian Century¡ª,¡± Sasha threatened to shove him back into his sock of a sheath. ¡°No, no, wait! I¡¯ll get to the point!¡± Sasha encouraged him to continue with a nod. ¡°I control my own weight. Light as an ant? I can do it. Unmovable as a boulder? No problem on a good day.¡± ¡°Interesting,¡± Sasha responded, slashing Primus through the air. Even as large as the hulking blade was, it felt no different from Isaac¡¯s wooden training swords. She crept up to the entrance of a dark alleyway, careful not to crunch the snow too loudly. Then there, in the distance, she saw the eyes of a great owl with a sprawling wingspan perched upon the railing of an overhanging fire escape. At her feet deep in those shadows, she spotted a wide-eyed naked elderly man, his skin dyed pale by frigidness. Like the first victim nearly a year back, surgical slits covered the body, leaving a deflated balloon of a flesh sack. Sasha¡¯s fight or flight sense forced her to stumble back, hand covering her mouth. Her heartbeat pulsing in her throat, the sudden nausea and anxiety overwhelmed like nothing else. The owl descended with a plop not too far in front of her. As the pitch-black figure stood up tall with grace, a crescent shaped shotel in each hand, Sasha realized the bird had been a man the entire time. She stood back into the tense combat stance Isaac ironed fluidity into months ago. Primus chuckled with glee, commanding her. ¡°Steel yourself, child!¡± The attacker¡¯s movements proved to be nothing like Isaac¡¯s. He stalked and jolted with jitters, his head never staying on the same level. Sasha inched forward, parrying his slashes with a tight guard. She thrusted, poking the blade at his center mass like a spear. He anticipated this though and caught Primus between both shotels. A metallic SHLING rang out as he raised the claymore into the air with ease and closed the distance. Sasha and his eyes locked. The owl¡¯s mask was forged with staggering artistry. It looked suffocating. As she readied to send a front kick to the owl¡¯s stomach, Primus rabidly giggled. Then the claymore bore down into the snow-blanketed concrete like an anchor. Everything white splattered red. With a CLANG, Sasha¡¯s attacker compressed into a twitchy, debilitated mess under her sword¡¯s weight. She looked down in disgust at the indent Primus left in the man¡¯s groaning body. Primus shouted. ¡°Praise me! Are you proud, human! Another slain by my might!¡± ¡°You almost took my fingers off.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll warn you next time then. Shall I yell bonk?¡± ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be a next time.¡± She gagged, kicking gory gunk from her shoe. ¡°I¡¯m gonna be sick. Didn¡¯t even save the victim either.¡± She avoided looking at the dead owl and stumbled from the alleyway only to fall to her knees. Vomit surged with tears and snot. Primus¡¯s chipper mood continued relentlessly. ¡°Don¡¯t lament. If I had arms, I¡¯d pat your back.¡± Sasha made her way home and into their small backyard. Coming out uninjured surprised her. More than anything else though, she wondered why she felt so relieved. Almost manic. Was the giddy tremble overwhelming her the cold or excitement? That murderer would never kill again. She cleaned Primus off in the well water after her boots. The machina apparently hated baths. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°Just leave the blood on me. It¡¯s like moisturizer. I¡¯m sure you understand. You¡¯re a logical creature, right?¡± ¡°Probably. Can¡¯t say the same for you though. Can¡¯t leave any sign that would make Randle suspicious. You¡¯ll need to stay quiet about this too.¡± ¡°You have my promise. A contract, it is.¡± Sasha slipped him into the sheath or, in his words, sock. Primus cried out in meek horror, voice slipping away, as he entered it. ¡°Ah, please, no, not there¡ª¡± She held the sheathed claymore now slumbering. It returned to its naturally absurd heaviness. ¡°I¡¯m confident shutting you up was the key to our store¡¯s success.¡± Reentering the house proved easy. Sasha tiptoed back into the twilight shopfront where Xavier had woken back up. On guard, he eyed her and cleared his throat from his chair, bronze helmet in lap. ¡°What¡¯re you doing with that demon of a machina so late?¡± He questioned. Sasha¡¯s posture stiffened up rigid as she scratched her head with a twitchy grin. ¡°Training. Night training. I couldn¡¯t sleep.¡± He crossed his arms with surprise. ¡°Sir Randle Fletcher did tell me you¡¯ve gotten rather lively lately. Nigh uncontrollable. You¡¯ve been seeking out training from those brutes at The Colosseum, right? Would have been unheard of back East in Zaibah. Women here are free-spirited.¡± She avoided confrontation and did a rigid closed eye bow. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making a ruckus. If you¡¯ll excuse me now, I¡¯ll head straight to bed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Rest easy. Oh, and I didn¡¯t mean to rattle you so bad. You look pale.¡± After Sasha¡¯s hot shower, steam so great that it labored her breath, she floated to and passed out onto the mattress about on impact. No blanket, no robe, no night gown. Just face down like a blackout drunk starfish. For the next few months, life lulled to something normal. Something grey yet hopeful. With coldrule¡¯s passing, the seasonal cold fronts and blizzards relented. Now, waves of warmth wandered in from the west to signal bloomdance¡¯s arrival; and bloom everything did. Slightly taller, Sasha listened to the neighboring baby birds on the shop roof with every departure from home. But with every trip to the bazaar for groceries or The Colosseum for training, she couldn¡¯t help but stay on guard. She¡¯d killed a man. One she suspected to be the gear to a machine much vaster. It wasn¡¯t like she truly knew anything¡­ no names, no news, no rumors. A feeling simply took grip on her; a bad one. Were there anymore of those owls out there? She often spaced out standing at the shopfront in her leather work apron and hat. When these heavy thoughts clouded her mind during work, she often disassociated at the shopfront in her apron and hat, staring blankly forward. The spacing out was bad enough for most to notice. Randle and the guards saw it as grief. They chose not to disturb her. Customers usually took it as an insult. Randle touched Sasha¡¯s shoulder. It jolted her back into reality. Her scared reaction scared him, creating a loop of flinching between the two. He looked worried. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I think so,¡± she started, biting her thumb. ¡°Randle, do you know anything about owls?¡± He gave her eerie fisheyes. ¡°The bird, right?¡± ¡°No. I ran into a man wearing a mask that resembled one a while back. Just can¡¯t stop thinking about it.¡± Randle felt around at his pockets as if impulsively looking for his whiskey flask. He gave up quick though. ¡°Rath Ghul. Remember that name. Fear it.¡± ¡°Rath Ghul?¡± ¡°They¡¯re an underground guild rooted throughout this nation. They recruit and raise coldblooded killers for contract. Everything from Ethela to New Gareth is their turf. Don¡¯t got much competition when it comes to organized crime either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s basically the entirety of Ailmor though.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t King Andre do anything about them if he knew?¡± ¡°They keep out of each other¡¯s feathers. The king doesn¡¯t give a damn about us little guys. That¡¯s why these types can walk over everybody so easy. Every slum you see will have owls.¡± Randle¡¯s eyes sharpened in hatred. He contemplated a confession but ended up gritting his teeth instead. ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t get involved with Rath Ghul. Don¡¯t take any loans, don¡¯t ask for any favors, don¡¯t even look at them.¡± His voice heightened to a growl. ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± His commotion shifted Troll¡¯s Treasure¡¯s air tense. A few noisy, nosy housewives visiting together stopped to eavesdrop, so Randle calmed himself to get back to work. Sasha stared down at her feet blankly. She rambled low just to herself, but the old man heard. ¡°It¡¯s kinda hard to remember, but I think my dad got into debt. That¡¯s what led up to his and mom¡¯s disappearances. It¡¯s what led up to Ley taking care of me in that horrible shed. He about starved himself putting me first. Rath Ghul. Rath Ghul. Rath¡­ Ghul?¡± Sasha¡¯s left eye took to twitching. Her brother¡¯s habit. Randle furrowed his brow. ¡°Sasha, I never want to be reminded about those murderers under this roof again. Forget I ever mentioned it.¡± Her shoulders slumped. ¡°Sorry.¡± Chapter 8 - Moving On? After a dizzying work shift, Sasha laid on her bed, arms crossed behind her head. She heard a firm knocking and leaned up onto the side of the bed. ¡°Come in.¡± Randle creaked the door open. ¡°We¡¯re having an important meeting in the dining room. It¡¯s about the future. You should come.¡± Sasha followed him to where the twin guards sat with wine glasses poured. Must¡¯ve been a special day for the stingy collector to share. Xavier darted his eyes between the glasses and Randle. ¡°Did you forget that we don¡¯t drink?¡± ¡°Oh, yea, I did. Just figured that this may be a good occasion.¡± Abdul sipped on his glass with a self-satisfied look, which hushed the room to silence. ¡°You don¡¯t drink, brother, but I do. I¡¯ll take your share if you really want to reject his kindness,¡± he told his stricter twin. ¡°Abdul, don¡¯t give into temptation so easy. That¡¯s devil¡¯s blood,¡± Xavier shot back. ¡°Temptation this, temptation that. Sin this, sin that. I¡¯m just living a little.¡± Xavier sighed. ¡°Whatever. We¡¯ve been estranged from home far too long, it seems.¡± Randle cleared his throat. ¡°Let¡¯s save the intervention for later.¡± He plopped down into his seat with a posture much straighter than usual. ¡°I¡¯ve been penny pinching a while now and managed to save up a bit. We even have hot water. So, it¡¯s about time some things changed. It¡¯s about time we got out of this shithole.¡± Abdul grinned as he leaned over, snatching Xavier¡¯s glass. ¡°Ah, so we¡¯re moving shop?¡± ¡°Troll¡¯s Treasure will be based in the heart of the Bazaar District. It¡¯ll be bigger and safer, and we¡¯ll get much richer. We¡¯ll get robbed a tenth as much and we¡¯ll sure as hell not have to hear the screams anymore.¡± He looked at everyone, a smug but warm half-smile sneaking onto his face. ¡°I¡¯ll be counting on all of you. Especially you, Sasha.¡± ¡°Right. I¡¯ll do my best.¡± Sasha stared down her own generously filled glass. She wouldn¡¯t have minded drowning in wine. Could something as simple as moving allow her to escape the city¡¯s suffering? It would follow her no matter how far away. Abdul clinked his two glasses together with a low ¡°Cheers.¡± and everybody went their ways. Then Sasha sighed before downing her wine as if it was a big shot. Back in her room, she eyed Primus who now rested up against her dresser. Randle let her keep it in her room to feel more at ease at night since she practically begged him. Her paranoia wasn¡¯t a lie. One day, they may have had to team up again. Better ready than not, right? Sasha passed out and slept until she didn¡¯t. She snapped awake at midnight with fading memories of nightmares, gasping for air and clenching the mattress hard enough to ache her finger¡¯s join. Horrid wailing echoed outside her window not too far away. Sasha stumbled up wobbled by slight disorientation. If she were to save the day this time around, then there was no time to think. She wrapped a scarf tight around her neck and face and snatched Primus. It didn¡¯t matter to her how close she¡¯d gotten to escaping the slums. If she were the one crying, Ley would have dropped everything to help. Isaac would¡¯ve been no different. She made a not-so-subtle departure outside out the back after fastening her boots. Even forgot to shut the door. Taken from his sock, Primus awakened with surprise. ¡°Oh, an adventure?¡± ¡°We¡ª We won¡¯t be late this time,¡± she stammered back amid her sprint down Low Monestate¡¯s streets. Her stride was frantic. Almost dazed. Primus for once showed hesitation. ¡°Sasha, are you drunk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not! Not at all!¡± ¡°My last wielder was an alcoholic. Look at him now. Gods...¡± ¡°Gods? They can fuck themselves.¡± Sasha skidded to a stop on the sidewalk and turned to face the darkness of an alley in which the screams faded to stiff air. ¡°Seems owls prefer alleys,¡± she grumbled, dragging and scraping Primus¡¯s edge across the ground in her approach to multiple shadows. Two cloaked men donning the predatory bird¡¯s mask leaned up against the wall as a third knelt to the ground over a stiff body. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! With an icebox at one side and a tray of sharp tools on the other, he wore a plague doctor¡¯s crow mask; one so realistic that some may have mistaken him to be half-beast. ¡°The swamp creeper¡¯s venom will calm him. It¡¯s an unrivaled paralytic.¡± Then his head swiveled to the right, alerted to Sasha¡¯s presence. ¡°I¡¯d advise you wander off. If you owe nothing, we¡¯ve no quarrel,¡± he calmly asserted with a raspy voice. Sasha swore his mask blinked. In the issuing silence, the two guards glared at her, bouncing ideas. ¡°Think she¡¯s the hawk from a few months back?¡± The first asked. ¡°I doubt it. The big blade fits, but bitch¡¯s too small.¡± Sasha observed The Doctor paint brisk surgical lines across the naked chest of a younger man. The victim couldn¡¯t have been older than twenty. He looked in his prime too. Unable to scream, the guy¡¯s lips and opened eyes trembled. ¡°W-What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± She sputtered out. ¡°Collecting. He¡¯s run out of luck, regalia, and use. Only thing left to take is flesh.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t let you.¡± Sasha moved forward, so much so that The Doctor¡¯s owls felt threatened. They revealed longswords and blocked her path. The tension diffused a bit though after the shorter one made a realization that made him chuckle. ¡°Are you intoxicated?¡± He asked, confusion visible even through the owl¡¯s mask. ¡°A little wine never hurt anybody,¡± she responded with a slight slur. Primus sighed and mumbled again. ¡°Gods¡­¡± The Doctor cleared his throat. ¡°She must¡¯ve been kicked from a tavern for being too rowdy. I won¡¯t permit anymore interruptions. This expensive creeper venom will dissipate soon.¡± He then motioned to the first guard. ¡°Ryan, escort the lass home like the true gentleman you are before I lose my patience and do what owls do.¡± ¡°Fine by me. Not a fan of killing women anyway. My ma raised me too decent,¡± Ryan responded, placing a hand on Sasha¡¯s shoulder to usher her away. ¡°Now, where do you live? You lost?¡± Then he pondered a second before slipping off his mask to reveal blue eyes and a smile. ¡°See, I¡¯m not actually an owl. We¡¯re human. Don¡¯t worry. You can trust me.¡± Sasha gritted her teeth and raised Primus into the air. ¡°Bonk.¡± Ryan¡¯s eyes widened as if she spoke in riddles. ¡°Bonk? I¡¯ve never heard of that street.¡± Primus repeated it too. ¡°Bonk? Right now? In this economy?¡± ¡°Yes. Bonk. Right now.¡± Ryan found the machina fascinating. ¡°And what a massive machina for a girl to carry around so easily. You must be strong.¡± Primus howled, ¡°Bonk!¡±, and slammed a dent into Ryan¡¯s skull with the umph of a descending piano. The only decent owl crashed and ate concrete to everyone¡¯s surprise except Sasha¡¯s. Ryan¡¯s partner froze before readying his blade, falling into a combat stance. The Doctor sighed. Then he groaned steadying himself up to his two feet. ¡°Interesting. So, she is the hawk. Al Yara will be intrigued.¡± The two sides halted to a cold standstill, glaring at one another. Then The Doctor shook his head. ¡°This fight isn¡¯t worth it, Hayden. You can¡¯t predict her machina¡¯s power.¡± Then he looked down at his victim who¡¯d started to regain bodily control in the toes and fingers. ¡°She just wants to save Desmond here. I¡¯ll allow it for now, but he won¡¯t be able to hide for long. The inevitable is merely delayed.¡± Owl Hayden stared down Sasha who shot daggers right back at him. ¡°But she¡¯s just a girl. I can win.¡± ¡°She killed Vance, you novice. You¡¯re nothing. Obey.¡± Hayden scoffed before sheathing his blade. ¡°I could never touch Vance in sparring. He was something else. But Ryan!¡± The Doctor addressed Sasha directly. He talked down to her as if she were an unchained heathen. ¡°Child, you vastly underestimate what adults are capable of. This isn¡¯t some fairy tale. You will pay for your actions and for the needless deaths of Vance and Ryan. Master Al Yara will call for it. You¡¯ll kneel before The Circle. You¡¯ll beg. I will never forget your face. Those green eyes, your brunette hair, and bratty voice. The day we meet again, you won¡¯t even know it.¡± His droning voice implanted a deep-seeded anxiety into Sasha¡¯s mind, dwarfing anything she¡¯d ever suffered through. It was a malicious, calculated promise. Before he could continue, she stepped forward, showing off Primus. ¡°I get it, so fuck off!¡± The Doctor nodded before slowly leaning over to pick up his belongings, grunting again. He strolled away with Hayden, gazing over his shoulder at Sasha until disappearing. She rushed to the side of Desmond whose shirt had been sliced in half. He gasped for air and strained to move up to his knees. ¡°Gods you saved me, but¡­ but¡­¡± Desmond started before beginning to rip at his own hair. ¡°They¡¯ll come back. They¡¯ll find me. They always do. They found my dad then mom then brother!¡± Sasha honestly didn¡¯t think this far. She saved him, but what next? ¡°You need to get out of here. Desmond, right? You¡¯ve gotta get as far from Monestate as possible,¡± she told him hesitantly. Desmond let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and cry. ¡°I already left New Gareth. Then Ethela. Even tried my luck with rundown villages. Rath Ghul always knew though. Somebody always hunted me. Where am I gonna go? Where? Where!?¡± He pushed her chest violently. Sasha fell backward onto her butt. Her mouth dropped agape. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Then what was the fucking point of butting in? If I¡¯m gonna die anyway, then spare me the suffering.¡± She gazed down at her hands. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Sasha scrambled up to her feet and took to biting her thumb. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± Chapter 9 - The Metamorphosis Sasha left the alleyway with a completely blank face. There was so much to worry and think about that she ended up thinking about nothing. Was this how it felt to be a ¡°hero¡±? It felt as if a balloon full of fog inflated in her head. Primus dragged across the ground again. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t feel too bad.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Well, um, if it helps any, the way you killed Ryan was totally tubular.¡± She stopped in her tracks. ¡°Thank you?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Their slow tread home continued until Primus caught her attention again. ¡°Hey, Sasha.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do I have to go back into the sock?¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like being suffocated purple, but without the sweet release of death.¡± She looked down at Primus and he looked back up at her, that supernatural eye on the hilt eerily human. ¡°Can you make me a promise?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°It depends.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about our¡­ adventures, don¡¯t scare away our customers, and don¡¯t wake the whole house up at midnight with yelling.¡± ¡°Difficult. That¡¯d mean not being myself. What would I get in return?¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re mine, I¡¯ll never put you in the sock.¡± Primus laughed softly. ¡°Sounds like living again.¡± Sasha entered the back yard to find Abdul standing there looking worried with a lit black iron lantern, staring her down. He saw her and Primus sprayed red with blood. The machina cleared its throat awkwardly. ¡°Bonk?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Sasha shot him down. Abdul ran up to her, stricken by an overwhelming mix of emotion. Bewilderment toward her disappearance and all the blood, anger toward himself for being so late, worry for his future. ¡°Augh, what¡¯s happened to you!? Are you hurt!? Randle¡¯s gonna freak out about this when they wake up. Xavier and I are as good as unemployed.¡± Sasha pondered a response, flicking through lies in her mental filing cabinet, before coming up blank. ¡°Are you the only one who noticed? Is everyone else asleep?¡± She asked cautiously. ¡°Well, yes. Why?¡± She avoided eye contact, instead gazing at her feet. ¡°Can you keep a secret?¡± *** The next day, Sasha stared at herself in the mirror with a slight tremble to her lips. They¡¯d find her if things didn¡¯t change. After taking off Ley¡¯s earrings for the first time in years, she observed an unfamiliar bottle of blonde dye her new subordinate picked up for her on his break. This was only a fraction of what she¡¯d procured. Makeup, clippers, and more sat on her bathroom counter. Sasha didn¡¯t expect Abdul to be so cooperative. So understanding. Over an hour passed before she left the bathroom. Randle leaned back in his recliner. She approached him from behind before stepping into view, arms crossed behind her back. ¡°What¡­ do you think? Do I look different?¡± She asked with hesitation. He stared at her blankly. ¡°What have you done to yourself? And where¡¯re your earrings? I figured they were a part of you.¡± ¡°Just figured I¡¯d mix things up.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°Yea, you look different. Too different. But that aside, that¡¯s way too much makeup. You look like a jester. I¡¯d understand a little touch up, but come on.¡± She frowned as he continued. ¡°Looked fine just the way you were. Ah, sorry for coming off rude though. If you really wanna look all dolled up, be my guest. I just don¡¯t get it myself.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. I appreciate you for your honesty. I figured it¡¯d look like shit. It¡¯s just that I was young when we lost our mom. She didn¡¯t get to teach me much.¡± Randle sighed. Looking the other way, he asked a tense question. ¡°I can show you the proper way if you really want.¡± She tilted her head. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Your makeup.¡± ¡°Really? Last thing I excepted to hear from you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, but I know my way around a brush.¡± ¡°Are you joking?¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s what they seem.¡± He stood up with a groan and motioned her to follow him. Then she stood rigidly straight and braced for impact as he critiqued her lack of talent in the mirror. His comments could¡¯ve made her cry if she had tears to spare. ¡°Too much eyeshadow and liner. You look like a racoon. Foundation too. Gods, this is horrible. We¡¯re gonna have to start over from scratch. Wash your face off.¡± Then he squinted staring at her. ¡°Are your eyes brown now? How?¡± ¡°They¡¯re contacts.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t know what those are but sounds like a waste of coin.¡± He shook his head in disappointment. ¡°It¡¯s a New Age of science, they say.¡± Sasha yawned as he observed her face with great focus, brush in hand, like a painter. She was gonna be there a while. Randle¡¯s brow furrowed and eyes sharpened. ¡°Stay still.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°No more sorries either. You owe nobody an apology.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± As he touched up her face, he spoke a bit less harsh than usual. ¡°When I was a kid, I had no father too. It was just me, my mother, and a ton of sisters. It was rough, but we survived. I learned everything from those women. Then when I got around your age, I met Cheryl. It¡¯d be my luck that we¡¯d only have girls.¡± Then he let out a chuckle. Sasha¡¯s eyes drew to his wrinkled dark face and grey eyebrows. ¡°Where are they? Your family?¡± ¡°One day, they got up and left. Didn¡¯t even leave a note. It was all my fault. I¡¯d turned into too sorry a drunk.¡± ¡°Do you miss them?¡± ¡°I do. It¡¯s been about a decade. The only thing I ever pray for is that they¡¯re alive, wherever they are.¡± Cold silence stung the air as Sasha¡¯s throat became sore. Randle set his brush down and uttered an unenthused, ¡°Tada. What do you think? I tried my best to preserve what makes you naturally beautiful.¡± Sasha checked herself out with a warm grin only to be surprised by quiet tears streaming down her cheek, down into the sink, down ruining Randle¡¯s precise work. His eyes widened. ¡°What is it? Why¡¯re ya crying?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know but thank you. Thank you for everything.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Sasha retreated back to her room quicker than usual. Randle just stared at her closed door before wandering off back to his duties. In the shopfront, Abdul stood on guard as usual, his twin gone on errands. ¡°Abdul, can I have your thought on something?¡± Randle asked. Abdul nodded slow. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Sasha¡¯s been weirder than usual lately. She¡¯s on edge. You notice anything I¡¯m not seeing?¡± Abdul pondered a bit before shaking his head dumbfound. ¡°Nothing in particular. The woman¡¯s mind is a book, and I¡¯m illiterate.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Just looks like she¡¯s growing up to me. Maybe she¡¯s worried about a boyfriend or something. Girls especially her age do get hit on¡ª,¡± Abdul noticed Randle¡¯s face twist to showcase a shade of animosity he never wanted to witness again. ¡°Or not. Doubt that¡¯s the case,¡± he corrected. Sasha laid on her bed, vacantly zoned into the ceiling. Primus rested unsheathed up on the wall mount, his spiritual blue eye wavering like candlelight as it watched her. ¡°Would an adventure cheer you up, Sasha? Perhaps another owl hunt?¡± The machina asked. She didn¡¯t even look at him. ¡°I¡¯ll never fight again. I¡¯ve made a horrible mistake. That guy with the crow mask was right. This isn¡¯t a fairytale. Kids that meddle too much are just killed. I can¡¯t change anything. This world doesn¡¯t care about what¡¯s right or wrong.¡± ¡°No fun or point in toiling over the past, human. All you have to do is kill them all. If no owls are left, then who will chase you?¡± ¡°You make it sound easy. There¡¯s probably hundreds.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not alone. There are the guards, the old man, and that muscle head from The Colosseum and his boys. Lean on them. They¡¯d protect you.¡± She turned over onto her side. ¡°I don¡¯t want anybody to ever die looking after me again. Not after Ley.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s truly dead. So, you gonna give up?¡± She glared at him, failed to think of a response, and then took a deep breath. What would Ley do? Against Rath Ghul? Fight? Her mind wandered to suffocating darkness. Depths lower than The Eversea. What if he actually gave up on me? Left this city, Low Monestate, to live without the burden of taking care of me? I¡­ I hope he¡¯s happy. Similar days passed until Sasha found herself with a basket navigating through The Bazaar District¡¯s bazaar. She¡¯d adapted to her new look and aesthetic morning routine with Randle¡¯s help. With the blond hair, brown eyes, and makeup, she¡¯d reclaimed at least a fraction of her confidence to be seen outside. Rath Ghul wouldn¡¯t take her. A bigger emergency occupied her mind that day though. There was no room to worry about her own safety. Randle fell sick. Dreadfully sick. Chapter 10 - Days o Drear Sasha scrambled through the markets to secure medicine. Stopped in front of one stall manned by a hazel-skinned merchant in a lavender robe, she bit her thumb at the choices among the multicolored herbs and antiquities. ¡°Well, there¡¯s the dreblum. And is that ichium?¡± A small line formed behind her. She turned to an older stranger with a greying ponytail and beard. ¡°Ah, sorry, you can go ahead. I¡¯m not very good at this.¡± His head tilted a little in interest. ¡°Are you looking for medicinal herbs? Looking to treat someone?¡± His voice sounded raspy and lulling. ¡°Yes, actually.¡± He grinned. ¡°Well, you¡¯re in luck then. I¡¯m a physician. Would you like a hand?¡± ¡°If it wouldn¡¯t be a nuisance.¡± She explained Randle¡¯s symptoms to him. Lack of breath or energy, drowsiness, and a fever. A horrible mood too, but nothing could cure his personality. The physician clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯re on the right track with the dreblum as it numbs pain, but his humours sound wildly unbalanced. Your father may be overdue for a bloodletting. I perform them, you know. I could help him. Free of charge too.¡± ¡°Nothing is free though, right? Anyway, thank you for the offer, but I¡¯ll have to decline. My father distrusts doctors.¡± Her response caught him off guard. ¡°I see. You¡¯re a careful one.¡± Then he pointed at another reddish foreign fruit. ¡°Those will help too.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Sasha nodded and collected her things. After paying the merchant, she left for home with a stride. The physician stared at the back of her head with a cold face devoid of empathy. An aloof man of many blades stood next to him in line, knives at the hip and two long bladed machina crossing on his back. His nose broken long ago healed bent slightly to the left. Jericho looked between Sasha¡¯s distancing figure and his partner blankly. ¡°Is she really the new hawk?¡± The Doctor made eye contact with him. His face said it all. Well, it was supposed to. Jericho frowned, agitated. ¡°You think I can read your mind?¡± On Sasha¡¯s way back, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling of being watched. Chills shot up her spine, which she failed to dispel by shaking her shoulders. Then, in a rush, she turned around a brick building¡¯s corner onto Tanner¡¯s Street. A stranger bashed right into her, their foreheads clacking. She fell onto her butt, rattled and dazed. Her basket spilled. Sasha stared up at the black beak of a plague doctor¡¯s mask and froze solid there on the ground, her eyes as wide as an owl¡¯s. The Doctor reached out to help her up, a cane in his other hand, but she flinched. She blocked his gesture with shaking fingers in front of her face. He sighed and walked around Sasha, leaving her there. ¡°Strange girl. Stranger city.¡± Heart beating in her ears, Sasha scrambled her mess together and broke out into a sprint. She bumped shoulders with many who shot her back pissed off glares, many on their way to or from work, many who were as sick as Randle, coughing and sneezing uncontrollably. She rushed up into Troll¡¯s Treasure before slamming the door behind her. The sound scared Xavier and Abdul to attention, the first almost falling backwards out his seat, feet propped up. Abdul caught the back of the chair. Xavier placed his hand on his heart. ¡°Gods, girl. Is something wrong?¡± Sasha struggled to compose herself a bit before shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Then she raised up the busted-up basket with a fake half-grin. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten what you asked for, Abdul.¡± Abdul stood up and stretched. He motioned for her to follow him, leaving Xavier to guard duty. Tailing behind, Sasha watched the back of his head, which towered nearly a foot over her. Back in Zaibah, he and his brother worked together as mercenaries and battlefield surgeons. He was the expert when it came to medicinal healing though. They came here to Monestate, this festering pit, in hopes of better opportunities. They were two of thousands escaping that war-torn country once beautiful and flourishing. Abdul determined to heal Randle properly. He wouldn¡¯t let any western doctor of humours and nonsense even look in their old man¡¯s direction. Before entering Randle¡¯s bedroom, Abdul looked down at Sasha. ¡°Tell me the truth about what happened out there.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ¡°I thought I ran into that doctor from before. I thought it was over. I was mistaken.¡± He was calm as usual. Even with a resting wry smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I doubt he¡¯d recognize you.¡± ¡°Right. Thanks.¡± ¡°But I do have one warning though. There¡¯re many plague doctors in Monestate now. They came with the new sickness. Only more will come too. Get used to the sight.¡± ¡°I see. So, I¡¯ll never really be able to tell whether it¡¯s him or not.¡± Abdul shrugged. ¡°Eh, no use worrying about something out of our control now.¡± Then he opened the door to greet Randle. The old man looked asleep, cool wet rag folded across his head, but he wasn¡¯t. Randle possessed a corpse''s liveliness. He barely creaked his neck to turn and face Abdul who set the basket down to rummage. Abdul assured him. ¡°Sasha¡¯s procured some good stuff. I¡¯ll be able to help you. There¡¯s the ichium, the dreblum, the¡­ wait a second.¡± He picked up a strange red fruit. ¡°Sasha, no, no, no.¡± His reaction to it washed anxiety over her. He motioned to her and then went to the hallway. She looked at Randle who seemed confused before joining Abdul. ¡°Sasha, heart of man is poisonous. Usually, it¡¯s just an irritant, but it becomes fatal when taken with ichium. What were you thinking?¡± Sasha stared up at him in disbelief as if connecting dots. Then she remembered. ¡°I didn¡¯t. A physician recommended it. He said it¡¯d help too.¡± ¡°Sure, it¡¯d help kill him. This fact is elementary.¡± His face twisted as if he was about to continue with something he¡¯d feel guilty for later. ¡°Babies know its danger before they know goo goo ga ga.¡± She raised her eyebrow at the baby thing before shaking her head. ¡°Well I¡ªI¡¯m sorry. Why would he suggest it then?¡± The physician''s face appeared in her mind. There was a falseness to his kindness. An oddness she couldn¡¯t pinpoint. ¡°Unless¡­¡± He knew it was poison. Abdul sighed then put the issue aside. ¡°I guess let¡¯s just be grateful we caught it. I¡¯ll need to make sure to wash off whatever touched it. You wash your hands too, and don¡¯t touch your eyes.¡± He moved on past this easy, but Sasha couldn¡¯t shake a new fear. Was that physician The Doctor or just a malicious stranger? As she rinsed her hands in the bathroom, she overheard Abdul speak to Randle in the other room. ¡°I¡¯m going to be borrowing your stove to make a serum. If you take it daily while staying rested and hydrated, you should feel better come a few days. This disease may be something new though. Something unrelated to our common ailments. There¡¯s no way to know if this will work.¡± Randle didn¡¯t respond. Sasha looked at herself in the mirror. She felt a soreness in her throat; one that reminded her of the night Ley never returned. Many grey days passed where Randle never moved or said a word, only disappearing to go to the bathroom. Sasha handled Troll¡¯s Treasure¡¯s hordes of customers alone other than the support of the twin guards for unruly types and the common robbery. Many of the visitors, like Randle, looked dreadfully sick with runny noses. Simply Interacting with them made Sasha nervous. Come time to close shift, she lost sleep every night struggling to ignore the heavy coughing and sneezing leaking through the walls. The last thing Sasha remembered before passing out was Primus¡¯s low rambling monologue from his wall mount. She couldn¡¯t tell if he spoke to her or himself though. All she knew was that, for once, she found his voice soothing. Perhaps even necessary. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to worry about. Only the sharpest blade may slay my ex-wielder. No sickness of body, heart, or mind will take him. If only humans lived forever like machina. These days would never end.¡± Sasha navigated the Bazaar District¡¯s abyssal midnight streets thrown into chaos. Colossal wagons and carriages hauled mounds of corpses toward Low Monestate, toward the southern gates. Everyone wore cloaks covering their faces, seldom meeting eyes, and carried torches that they chased darkness away with in a frenzy. Sasha spotted a lone orphan crying in the middle of the street. His parents were nowhere in sight. But before she could reach him, an owl boasting a twelve-foot wingspan and black iron talons screeched from its perch on the rooftop above. It swept down and snatched the boy. Sasha stared blank, not feeling a thing, as it carried him away, bloodcurdling screams echoing out. She watched Monestate¡¯s townsfolk burn accused strangers at the stake, their hands and feet tied, over roaring blue flames. They begged as their skin flayed and melted, giving off the scent of searing pork. Sasha found herself surrounded by plague doctors with chirping and blinking raven heads. They were oddly polite for murderers. She gazed at one such figure in front of her absurdly tall. Enough to spark doubt. He wore a comically large trench coat. That guy¡­ isn¡¯t he just two dudes on top of each other¡¯s shoulders? She woke up in bed, completely paralyzed but conscious. Barely able to even wiggle her toes, staring out into the void that was her room, she watched Ley stand at the side of her bed. The loudest sound Sasha could make was a tense groan. Before her eyes, her brother had been twisted, limbs broken and outstretched morbidly. His head was gone. Missing. Sasha¡¯s expression malformed and broke. Come morning, Sasha curled up in her blanket and ugly wept until lunch. She ignored any knocking. For the first time, Troll¡¯s Treasure didn¡¯t open on a weekday, despite the crowds gathering out front. Chapter 11 - The Hawk Hunt Sasha peaked into Randle¡¯s room. She expected to see him in his usual stupor, unmoving, unspeaking. Instead, he sat up on the side of his bed shirtless possessed by grogginess. ¡°I¡¯ve been out so long I just might be sober. This is horrible,¡± he groaned. ¡°How do you feel?¡± she asked. ¡°Could be better, but I¡¯m gonna be up on my feet by tomorrow. I can feel it.¡± He avoided looking at Sasha¡¯s worried face. ¡°Thank you all. I dunno what I¡¯d do without ya. Especially you, Sasha.¡± Sasha knew deep down that she was happy to see him on his feet but couldn¡¯t bring herself to smile no matter how much she wanted to. Randle noticed. ¡°Something wrong, girl?¡± She nodded. ¡°Maybe I miss my brother.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I do too. Ley was always a pain in my side, but he did his best to protect you. Now I will too. It was my promise to him.¡± He let out a deep exhale after seeing Sasha¡¯s surprise. ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°Yea. I¡¯ve been lying to you this whole time, kid. But laying here so long¡¯s made me start thinkin¡¯ I don¡¯t like the idea of dying a guilty man.¡± Her left eye twitched. She didn¡¯t respond. ¡°You should sit down. This might take a while. I¡¯ve got too much to tell you.¡± Sasha darted her focus between Randle¡¯s relieved expression and the bedside spot next to him. ¡°S-Sorry,¡± she stuttered out before exiting and slamming the door. Randle clenched his fists. ¡°Shit.¡± She retreated to her room and plopped back on her bed; door locked. Primus spoke up. ¡°If I had arms, I¡¯d pat your back.¡± ¡°I know, Primus. I know.¡± Her head filled with fog, so much so that she almost couldn¡¯t think. Maybe she didn¡¯t want to know. The next day, Randle put his words where his mouth was. He was up and running, good as new, other than the occasional sniffle. Distance grew between Sasha and him. Neither of them was brave enough to address the elephant. After a hard day at work, Randle got dressed up in his most decent leather jacket and called everyone out for a word. He leaned up against a shopfront counter, hands in pockets, as Sasha and the twin guards hung around. ¡°Good news. Today may be the day. Got word from the owner of that plot in the Bazaar District. He invited me out to meet with him tonight. Dinner at some fancy place I can¡¯t pronounce.¡± Abdul¡¯s energy broke through the dull air. ¡°Ah, nice, which restaurant?¡± ¡°What did I tell you? I can¡¯t pronounce it.¡± Randle fell into deep thought trying to recall it. ¡°Nict¡­ Nekt al¡­ Nekt al Uria?¡± ¡°Can I come?¡± Xavier shook his head. ¡°You never hesitate to voice your desires, brother.¡± ¡°So?¡± Randle shrugged. ¡°Why not. Maybe a bodyguard will make me come off as more professional. But if you don¡¯t mind your manners or end up ruining this somehow, you¡¯re fired.¡± Abdul stiffened up. ¡°Your wish is my command, Sir Randle Fletcher! I only own armor though. Got any church clothes?¡± Xavier looked like he¡¯d finally give alcohol a chance. Then Randle addressed Sasha and him. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ll be here alone tonight. Dunno when we¡¯ll be back, but it¡¯ll be late. That fine?¡± Sasha nodded. ¡°I have Primus, so I won¡¯t be alone. You two have fun.¡± Xavier did too, responding nonchalantly. ¡°It¡¯s my job.¡± Abdul sneered. ¡°Eh, you won¡¯t miss me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Rude.¡± Sasha and Xavier sent off the pair. Before Abdul disappeared through the door in a burrowed suit too tight a fit, saber at hip, his brother called out to him. He turned to face Xavier who looked worried. ¡°Don¡¯t go too crazy now with the wine. You¡¯re the worst kind of drunk.¡± Abdul just chuckled before leaving. Xavier turned to Sasha with a grave face. ¡°He¡¯s going to ruin everything. Without a doubt.¡± She returned a solemn half-grin to him. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed now, Xavier. Good night. Try not to fall asleep before they get back.¡± He bowed and uttered a low confirmation. ¡°Miss¡¯s.¡± Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. After extinguishing every light in the house other than her bedside candle, Sasha fell asleep with ease. That was until she snapped awake to the dim light snuffed out. Primus spoke down to her in chilling, harsh whispers. She could barely hear. Sasha got up onto her knees, hair a mess, confused. ¡°What is it, Primus?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t open that door, Sasha.¡± She found herself frozen there on her bed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong Primus? What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Xavier. I heard him. He¡¯s¡ª¡±, A low knocking sounded. Knocking grew louder and more instable by the moment. Primus growled. ¡°Don¡¯t open it. Grab me and run now. To the window.¡± Sasha slid off the side of her bed onto her feet. After removing Primus from the wall mount, she stepped toward the locked window and panicked to open it as the bedroom doorknob jiggled. Then the rustling behind stopped with a metallic, eerie click. The only sound now was the wind. The door creaked open a few inches, revealing a black iron mask. Wide owl eyes. With a groan, Sasha thrusted the escape route open as the visitor watched in patience. A hand crept in from the outdoors like a shade, grabbing her wrist there on the edge. ¡°Pardon my intrusion,¡± a voice mumbled. The second owl stalked in through the opened window, his head tilted to the right in piqued interest. He and Sasha¡¯s foreheads almost touched. ¡°This is our hawk? Just a girl?¡± Then the invader from behind vanished from the door, only to appear behind her. He towered two feet taller. Sasha slashed erratically at the first. Every strike missed to tear up her room. They blitzed her from both sides at once, the massive one seizing her arm and machina. Primus yelled at him, increasing his weight fifteen times. ¡°You think you¡¯re worthy?¡± The big owl caught the descending blade in between his palms, straining as if he carried the weight of the world. It brought him to his knees, bearing and cutting down into the shoulder, cracking and splintering the wooden floorboards. ¡°Arno, get her! Oh my god!¡± He sputtered out to his partner. Arno sent a right then left hook to Sasha¡¯s jaw, and then clenched her up tight with his hands grasping the back of her neck. Gut-wrenching consecutive knees to the stomach forced her to spit and wheeze for air. Ears ringing, she dropped Primus, who pierced through the floorboards into the cellar like a ballista bolt. The big owl wrapped Sasha up from behind while Arno fumbled for something in his pocket. A rag soaked in something strong. ¡°Calm down. You¡¯re lucky to be wanted alive,¡± he demanded, muffling her mouth and nose with it. She bit and kicked with tears streaming until she didn¡¯t. Randle sat at the glass table with the polite Mr. Kenway, glaring off at Abdul who¡¯d gone through his fourth glass of wine already. The guard was a horror of a lightweight gone off the rails. He had made the world¡¯s worst first impression. Just minutes ago, they¡¯d even witnessed him slap the waitress¡¯s butt. Randle soaked in contemplative bitterness. This bastard¡¯s ruining everything. My image. My future. That lass¡¯s night. Mr. Kenway looked down at his watch again, putting on a shitty masquerade of a grin. His brow twitched. ¡°It was nice meeting you gentlemen, but I must take my leave now. I¡¯ll reach out to you after I¡¯ve made my decision.¡± Randle did a slight bow in response. ¡°Thank you for your time.¡± Mr. Kenway left the two there early. Randle leaned back in his chair, arms behind his head, and cursed. ¡°Gods damn it all. Who needed dreams anyway?¡± Abdul slid the old man¡¯s glass over to himself. ¡°Cheers~.¡± Randle drug it back, downing it. ¡°Haven¡¯t you had enough, you bastard?¡± ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t wait for this new place. Maybe Xavier and I will even have our own quarters. Haven¡¯t had my own room since, well, I was a kid.¡± His excitement made Randle sigh. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here, Abdul.¡± ¡°Huh, where¡¯re we going, boss?¡± ¡°Home, but you¡¯re apologizing to that waitress first. And you¡¯re gonna mean it too.¡± ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already forgotten? What an embarrassment.¡± Abdul and Randle took the long way home amid the night, an arm wrapped around one another¡¯s shoulder. The breeze blowing through Monestate from the westward cold front proved to be sobering. Abdul looked bleak. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I acted like that. Brother¡¯s definitely gonna tell me ¡®I told you so!¡¯. Nothing I hate more than hearing that.¡± Randle broke out into a deprecative chuckle. ¡°Bringin¡¯ a bodyguard along, you¡¯d think you¡¯d get to relax a little, but here I am lookin¡¯ after your stumblin¡¯ sorry ass. I ought to pay myself instead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re stumbling too, and your accent¡¯s really showing tonight, Sir.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡°Sorry, sorry, forgive me. Can I have another chance? Am I really fired?¡± Randle scoffed. ¡°Never drink again and maybe I¡¯ll think about.¡± ¡°Says the alcoholic.¡± They made it to Troll¡¯s Treasure. Randle fumbled with the keys in the dark, leaning up against the shopfront door. It creaked open. ¡°Gods,¡± he mumbled. ¡°It¡¯d be my luck to forget to lock up in Low Monestate of all places. Can¡¯t have shit in Low Monestate.¡± Abdul followed him inside. ¡°You did lock up. I watched you.¡± The shopfront looked darker than usual. Eerier. Unable to see his other guard on duty, Randle called out into the shadows. ¡°Xavier? Where are you? You didn¡¯t doze off again, did you?¡± Abdul added in his own calls, a nervousness to his voice. ¡°Brother? Hello?¡± Randle spotted Xavier¡¯s usual wooden chair. He always leaned back in it; feet crossed up high with no fear of falling. It had slammed onto its back and snapped in two at the halfway point. A wave of anxiety washed over him, so much so that Xavier completely left his mind. ¡°Sasha?!¡± He yelled. Randle fast walked to her room uttering, ¡°Please. No. Please.¡±, over and over. He entered only to freeze at the destruction. Slash marks cut across her wallpaper while the furniture was thrown about in disorder. He walked over to the opened window, wind blowing the curtains, and knelt. Droplets dripped down to fall off his chin and wet the floor. Randle found a black feather. He glared at it before smashing it in his hand. He found a hole in the floor. Peering into it, a familiar claymore giving off blueish purple light rested on the cellar¡¯s concrete floor. ¡°Primus? That you?¡± ¡°Old master, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± the machina wailed back. Primus¡¯s mournful voice bounced in that dark chamber. An unhinged shriek sounded from the dining room. The most haunting, violent mixture of bawling and screaming Randle had ever witnessed followed. Not even the wars managed to birth such a sound. He rushed out to where Abdul fell. The guard dragged his nails across the floorboards and ripped at his hair. ¡°What is it, Abdul?¡± Randle asked firmly. Abdul tried to answer but only managed hicks that spiraled into more crying. He pointed a shaky finger upwards. Randle followed its rise until it pinpointed on a malformed, folded body. Tears broke out. He shook with rapid breaths. Somehow, they stuffed Xavier into the wine cabinet. Chapter 12 - Burrow Randle shoveled dirt into a five-foot grave in the backyard. His boots and hands covered in mud and dirt; he wiped the sweat from his brow. Primus pierced into the ground next to him like a grave marker, observing the scene with a dozing off half-shut eye. ¡°If only I had formed a true contract with Sasha, maybe she wouldn¡¯t have been taken. But to sell one¡¯s soul like that so early¡­ and so young.¡± Randle shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s time to rest, Primus.¡± The blade quivered. ¡°If this is my punishment, then I won¡¯t argue.¡± The old man unstuck the machina from the earth and sheathed it into its scabbard. Abdul walked outdoors to join him at his side. Both their eyes were bloodshot. Randle cleared his throat before speaking in a tone devoid of color. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re back on your feet. Primus told me everything.¡± Abdul¡¯s face rested in morbid rage. He barred his teeth. ¡°If only I told you the truth. If only I didn¡¯t keep her secret. I¡¯m the worst. I am trash. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s my fault.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s mine. She didn¡¯t feel comfortable enough to confide in me. I failed to protect her. I broke my promise to her brother.¡± Randle gazed vacantly at Abdul. ¡°Can I ask you for a favor?¡± Abdul nodded, returning a thousand-yard stare. ¡°Could you kill me?¡± *** Sasha hung by enchained wrists in a dark cobblestone chamber, unable to lay down or truly fall asleep. She gazed out into the dim embers of the only light source beyond the iron bars of her prison. A shadow strolled by with a lantern, stopping to relight the extinguished wall-mounted flame. Then it walked up to put its hands around her cage¡¯s bars as if observing an animal. He was a demasked runt of Rath Ghul in casual clothes, eyes devoid of warmth or sense. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re a pretty one. Just you wait,¡± he whispered to her. He jolted his head around for witnesses before intruding into Sasha¡¯s chamber. The closer he crept up, the more she shriveled up, avoiding him. ¡°Go away. Don¡¯t touch me,¡± she grumbled, jerking at her tight metal wrist cuffs. The stranger ignored her request, slipping his cold hand under and up her shirt. He held Sasha¡¯s chin tight and close, his labored horrible breaths forcing her to gag. She growled. ¡°I said not to touch me!¡± With an unhinged grunt, Sasha chomped down on his fingers. They struggled shortly over his hand until he slammed her head into the stone. The man ripped himself free with a panicked scream only to fall onto his butt. Sasha spit onto the ground in front of him. He stared at his mauled hand missing the ring finger, and then scooped up the detached digit. Groaning in pain, he cursed her. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± ¡°No, get away!¡± She yelled back. He gripped her throat with both hands and squeezed. Sasha bruised her wrists trying and failing to defend herself, her vision blurring and body¡¯s feeling rushing away. Distant footsteps stopped outside the cage. The barred door creaked open, and Sasha¡¯s attacker swiveled his head around in panic. He let go of her. She collapsed, wheezing, and coughed violently. Sasha¡¯s attacker pointed at her as another figure approached the two. ¡°Jericho, it¡¯s not what it looks like. She bit off my fucking finger.¡± Jericho looked down at Sasha and then back up to him. He rested his hand on the hilt of a rapier at his hip. Six more sheathed in other odd places from hip to leg. ¡°Ever visited Zaibah and their wildlife reserves?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°They really are beautiful.¡± Everyone exchanged odd looks until he continued. ¡°They often warn the tourists, ¡®Don¡¯t ever tease the monkeys.¡¯ Helps to avoid incidents.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°We have a similar rule. Code fourteen of the codex. Is it hard to remember?¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Apprehension manifested on the guy¡¯s face. He put his hands up in a halting position, walking backwards until his back hit the wall. ¡°Forgive me.¡± Jericho unsheathed and thrusted the rapier into his throat in an instance. The man crumbled, croaking, clenching the blade. Jericho ripped it out with a SHLING. Blood sprayed the wall. Even though the goon laid instantly slain, he stabbed him another six times for assurance. He talked down to Sasha. ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken, new hawk. I¡¯ll never be your ally. All here live under strict codes.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± she responded meekly, her head hanging limp. He started to leave, but she stopped him. ¡°Can you loosen these chains? I want to sleep. I just want to go to sleep and never wake up. Please.¡± Jericho shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I don¡¯t mind granting your wish. Make this easier on me.¡± With a groan, she straightened up as he got close, fiddling with the chains behind her. She avoided eye contact after seeing his disgusted expression. He blinked rapidly. ¡°Augh, you reek like a dead dog.¡± ¡°Was your name Jericho?¡± She asked. ¡°I never speak to corpses. No use in getting to know somebody on their way out. Don¡¯t do ghosts, and that¡¯s one of seven ways to be haunted.¡± She stared at her own feet. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you too¡­ I¡¯m Sasha.¡± ¡°Yea, whatever, here you go,¡± he mumbled before stepping back, unenthused. She flexed and moved her arms around to find much more space to work with. Maybe she could have even laid down. It didn¡¯t matter to her now that the ground was dirty concrete. At least she could rest. Jericho strolled away without a goodbye. ¡°Someone may clean up the mess,¡± he told her on his way out. Then on the other side of the bars, he stopped as if stricken by a resolution, and gazed at her in surprise. She didn¡¯t know his eyes could get that wide. ¡°Was Sasha really your name?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Did your brother go missing? Been three to four years now, aye?¡± ¡°Ley?¡± ¡°I knew I¡¯d never forget. Thorin will be excited. After his contract, you¡¯ll see. He searched a long time for you. Pray he makes it back before the day of your judgement.¡± ¡°My brother... is he here?¡± Jericho shook his head. ¡°I was the one who put him down. Chopped his head off quick and clean. His last thoughts were about you. I doubt the kid felt much pain.¡± Sasha didn¡¯t look at him. Tears welled up and spilled of course, but another strange feeling overwhelmed her. She felt loose. So much so that she could breathe like never before. Jericho disappeared, his voice fading off into the darkness. ¡°Seems your blood holds true spirit. All these owls lack such power. They¡¯re rustled and rattled.¡± *** Abdul sat on the living room recliner with his arms crossed, facing Primus tilted up against the wall. Only minutes ago, he¡¯d unsheathed the entrapped sword. ¡°Are you a strong machina? Never mind that. Of course you are. Sasha was an amateur and she could kill with you.¡± Primus¡¯s ethereal eye squinted. ¡°I¡¯ve been used to kill thousands. I was passed down countless times on both sides during The War for Lovecraft leading up to the fall of The Westwinds. Randle escaped the battlefields; brought me with him.¡± Abdul looked over to the dining room table where Randle had passed out blackout drunk. A myriad of shattered and emptied wine bottles rested thrown about in front of him, some thrown onto the floor. Thinking back with a pensive face, he couldn¡¯t believe the old man would ask him such a question. Abdul brought his attention back to Primus. ¡°Do you wish to kill again? Like back in the wars?¡± Primus fell quiet, so Abdul went on. There was no longer hatred in his voice. He spoke as if stating cold, empirical facts. ¡°I¡¯m going to rip every owl in Monestate to pieces. Then when I find Rath Ghul¡¯s home base, I¡¯ll burn it to the ground too. Will you help me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve become indifferent to violence. I only wish to save the girl if she still lives. If our needs align at least there then, sure, chop down whoever with me.¡± Abdul sighed. ¡°Didn¡¯t even mention her, did I? My bad.¡± ¡°What extent do you intend this agreement to go, human?¡± ¡°I want to become the strongest I can be, so I want a contract with you. That¡¯s how machina work, right? Just swinging you around like Sasha won¡¯t give me access to your full power.¡± ¡°You¡¯re keen in that aspect, but you fail to get one thing. A contract requires consent on both sides.¡± Abdul looked offended. ¡°You don¡¯t want to form a contract with me? Am I not enough for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saving myself for a truly worthy wielder. So far, I¡¯ve only met one person compatible enough to consider. You can swing me, but I refuse to bind our souls.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ the girl? The girl¡¯s more worthy than me? You think her strength compares to mine?¡± Primus¡¯s single eye darted to the side, avoiding Abdul¡¯s disbelief-stricken face. ¡°Brawn isn¡¯t everything. A human¡¯s life purpose is to find the ideal companion, right? Why can¡¯t I keep searching in death?¡± Abdul¡¯s expression resembled his brother¡¯s resting bitch face. ¡°You¡¯re a fucking sword though. A hunk of metal is in love.¡± Primus¡¯s eye grew wide and sharp. The blade shook, almost enough to wobble off the wall. ¡°Steel has feelings too!¡± He toppled over onto the ground with a metallic clack. ¡°But watch your mouth, human! Me? Love? Never!¡± ¡°Fuck you too. I didn¡¯t want a contract anyway. I¡¯d be miserable being stuck to you for the rest of my life. Maybe I¡¯ll go find some young, well-mannered machina with lower standards.¡± ¡°Go and try. You¡¯ll come back with nothing,¡± Primus mocked. Abdul scoffed, watched Randle who¡¯d sunk deeper into his slumber at the dinner table. ¡°Don¡¯t know how he dealt with you so long.¡± Primus went quiet. Randle didn¡¯t deal with him. Like everyone else, his previous owner shoved him in the sock when he wouldn¡¯t shut up. At the end of the day, Primus was a rightless weapon to be owned. Sasha was the first wielder to let him breathe and ramble as much as he wanted. The blade¡¯s eye sharpened. ¡°What¡¯s the first step then?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll trap our very own owl. If we can catch one alive, we¡¯ll get many things. A disguise, information, a chance.¡± Chapter 13 - Nightmare Abdul descended into the depths of Low Monestate at midnight, the southernmost crevice of filth ignored by the guard and royalty alike. With Primus hanging from his back, he held an enveloped letter. The claymore whispered to him. ¡°Why not just follow the screams like Sasha?¡± ¡°I want them to come to me.¡± He observed the instructions written by Randle. How did that old man know so much? How did he know how to contact Rath Ghul? In the center of an abandoned town square, an elder tree stood. Leafless, it twisted and twirled to an absurd height. Abdul met eyes with a grey figure perched above eager to meet him. ¡°Hoo? Hoo?¡± It asked. ¡°Hoo. Hoo,¡± he responded, waving the letter up at the barn owl. The bird blinked and chirped in twitchy movements before swooping down. Abdul flinched as the envelope was snatched from him. It flapped up to a nest, dropping the paper there. Then it went back to its perch. Abdul was dumbfounded. ¡°I wonder how much paper he¡¯s got up there.¡± The owl¡¯s head tilted to the side. It screeched at Abdul. He shrugged, putting his palms up. ¡°I get it, I get it. Bye.¡± He and Primus got out of there. ¡°The guild will bite. I gave them a request they wouldn¡¯t be able to refuse. Easy money.¡± Abdul recalled sitting at Randle¡¯s desk, writing up his masterpiece in scratchy pen ink. Problem was, the language of this country wasn¡¯t his first. Deer Rath Ghul, I¡¯m reaching to put you today to purpose a contract. A important family hairloom of mine was stolen by thief in Low Monestate. I have to get it back no matter what. In xchange for it¡¯s return, I offer three gold regalia. I will be waiting by the well behind The Church of Mura¡¯s cemetery tomorrow at dusk for an agent to give the rest the information to. All I ask for is knowledgeable owl of great compitance. Thank you for your time. Best luck, Hayne T. The next day before sundown, Abdul stood at the backdoor ready to leave. Armored to the teeth in mail and plate, his steel visor rose to show his brow and eyes. He held a heavy crossbow with Primus on his back. A suffocating black cloak concealed his might, tying everything together. Randle leaned up against the wall next to him, shaking his head. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t go. This ain¡¯t the kind of battle that will have a winner.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t intend to win. I¡¯m on my way out. May as well tear some shit up before everything ends.¡± ¡°Just stay here. Stay my guard. I don¡¯t got anybody else.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t. I quit.¡± Silence chilled the air until he stuck an accusatory finger into Randle¡¯s chest, crossbow resting up on his shoulder. ¡°Do you not want me to save Sasha? That can¡¯t be right. You loved her.¡± Randle¡¯s posture broke slightly. He refused to respond, so Abdul nodded. ¡°If you didn¡¯t want me to go, you would have kept your mouth shut yesterday. You wouldn¡¯t have told me how to contract Rath Ghul. That right?¡± Randle placed a firm hand on Abdul¡¯s shoulder. The old man couldn¡¯t force himself to look him in the eye though. ¡°Come back in one piece now. Promise?¡± ¡°Pray for the enemy¡¯s safety. They¡¯re the ones that need it.¡± ¡°I no longer follow any gods.¡± Abdul left Troll¡¯s Treasure with clenched fists. He gave his home one last long look before disappearing into Low Monestate¡¯s mazelike alleyways. Brother, I¡¯ve lost faith and lost my way. What will you think of me when nothing¡¯s left? The cemetery behind The Church of Mura expanded like The Eversea before Abdul¡¯s eyes. Peasants came here to bury nobodies without funerals. Forlorn gravestones and makeshift crosses numbered in the hundreds, the unmarked even more. Abdul climbed up to the towering clocktower atop the church. He glared down at a distant scarecrow adorned in his black cloak. Nearby, a dingey little well stood too. The steel crossbow sat on a fashioned tripod attached to the edge, tilted a few degrees upwards. Abdul focused down its wooden stock, ever-so-slightly adjusting the angle with a held breath. Primus grew suspicious. ¡°You confident in such a long shot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only roughly one hundred and thirty-seven meters from here. Well within the crossbow¡¯s effective range. I thought you were a weapon of war. How do you not know that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a sword.¡± If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°My bad.¡± ¡°But how are you so confident in that number?¡± ¡°I calculated the hypotenuse.¡± ¡°Hypote¡ªwhat?¡± ¡°It¡¯d be no use explaining it to you. All you need to know is that my mother was a mathematician. I¡¯ve defended many sieges behind crossbows and the ballista as well.¡± Primus sighed. ¡°My last wielder before the old man was skewered by a ballista. He was the best. Worthy, thirsty for blood, ambitious.¡± Abdul finished finely adjusting the crossbow¡¯s angle. He mumbled to himself. ¡°This should be perfect give or take a few feet margin of error.¡± Then Primus¡¯s words registered in his head. With an intrigued look, he questioned the claymore. ¡°You did fight in The Westwinds back then, right? Which battle were you just talking about?¡± ¡°They call it The Siege of Santa¡¯s Scalp now.¡± Abdul basked in nostalgia. ¡°I manned the ballista for the first time there. The usual operator got blown up, so I rushed up there with not much a clue how to even move the thing. I was barely fourteen. Managed to impale four tribesmen with a single bolt. From then on, when I wasn¡¯t tending to the fallen, they put me on the gun.¡± Primus¡¯s eye sharpened up. ¡°What¡¯re you getting at, human?¡± ¡°You were the enemy down there with the horde. Maybe I killed that guy. Your wielder.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dwell on the past. Never cared to choose a side myself. Blood is blood and war is war. The theatre¡¯s victor always scavenged me up from the dead.¡± ¡°I can relate. As mercenaries, Xavier and I never really stuck around either. We¡¯d kneel to a general just to end up ambushing his battalion under another flag a year later.¡± Primus let out a soft chuckle. ¡°We may have more in common than I originally thought, human.¡± Looking out into the distance, orange dusk sunlight beaming down, Abdul¡¯s face became cold and stoic. ¡°Hush. They¡¯re here now. Two,¡± he commanded with a harsh whisper. Two cloaked figures walked up to the scarecrow, stopping as if calling out to it. When the bait didn¡¯t answer, one of them yanked Abdul¡¯s disguise from it. Abdul pulled the trigger. A ringing, metallic snap sounded along with the cutting of air. He held his breath. The steel bolt struck true, folding a body to collapse on impact. It didn¡¯t kill though. A man held his knee which the arrow struck from. He inhaled deeply before screaming bloody murder. Abdul placed the crossbow onto the ground mouth first and held it there with his foot. He set the next bolt in and winded the strings back with its turning levers. Abdul snapped his focus back and forth between the crossbow and enemies. The second owl calmly stared up at him. Up at the clock tower. ¡°Coward,¡± he called out. Abdul checked the tension of the bolt and hoisted up the crossbow. He homed in and shot only for it to whiz past his head. It didn¡¯t even faze him. Primus let out a ¡°Hmm. He¡¯s right, you know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it,¡± Abdul grumbled. He ditched the crossbow and wielded the claymore. ¡°We¡¯re heading down. Looks like they don¡¯t plan to run.¡± They descended from the clock tower to the floor level. Abdul walked up a green hill to the cemetery. In the distance, he spotted that same owl unmoving, blocking the path to his fallen comrade. This guardian held a hefty pole hammer. Engravings covered the dark steel weapon. Primus mumbled to Abdul who held the claymore in a poised stance. ¡°There¡¯s no doubt. Human, that¡¯s a machina.¡± Abdul shrugged. ¡°So, what?¡± The owl looked over at his shaken and fallen partner. ¡°What a day to decide to do some field training. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll dispatch this hawk.¡± Then he turned to Abdul. ¡°You¡¯re going to wish you shot me instead of the rookie.¡± Abdul stepped toward the shot down enemy, but the supervisor stepped in the way. They glared at each other. The downed owl groaned on his back. He yelled out. ¡°Don¡¯t die, Master Ricard.¡± Ricard nodded back at him before facing Abdul. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve got against Rath Ghul, but I can¡¯t let you hunt us.¡± ¡°Why care so much? What you have is nothing special.¡± ¡°The guild doesn¡¯t discriminate. No matter your color or upbringing, you can be an owl. It doesn¡¯t even matter if you¡¯re a beast. That¡¯s something I¡¯ll protect with my life. This is my family.¡± ¡°Family, aye?¡± Ricard thrusted the handle of his pole hammer into the earth. Its purple, dragon-like eye opened and sharpened. The machina burst out into a laughing fit. ¡°This is a graveyard, if you haven¡¯t noticed, and your future is grave!¡± Its wielder then patted it, uttering a short, ¡°Good one, Alumina.¡± Primus cringed as Ricard and his machina chanted in sync. ¡°Aren¡¯t you lost? Nightmare.¡± Abdul found himself caught in the enemy¡¯s swirling luminescent eye. His feet gave out from under. He fell backwards, upside down, eternally as ¡°Aren¡¯t you lost?¡± echoed into infinite void. Everything twisted before him. Even his own face and soul. A morbid screaming and roaring sounded from within Abdul¡¯s own head. Who was so horribly furious? So violent? The sound grew and inflated until his ears rang. It reverberated until it didn¡¯t. Abdul rested near a bonfire on a stiff bedroll. The stars branched out into the depths of the night sky, outstretching forever. He looked down at his cut up, rough, unwashed hands stained by blood and then stumbled up to his feet. ¡°Where am I?¡± A vast encampment stood there in a familiar expanse of plains. Nearly one hundred other campfires and lights dotted the distance like fireflies. He saw countless men, some armored up in beat up mail, others shirtless and covered in bloodstained bandages. The air reeked of liquor and sweat as soldiers killed time, filling the air with laughter, fighting, and chattering. Stricken by a futile sense of mental exhaustion, Abdul remembered with a blank thousand-yard stare and agape mouth. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m a warrior.¡± In the distance, he saw Xavier coming his way. Something seemed off about his brother though. Something he couldn¡¯t pinpoint. Could it have been the dead eyes? He waved at him. In response, Xavier grinned and sent back a rigid wave. His brother was in a good mood for once. In the graveyard, Ricard sat meters away in front of Abdul¡¯s unconscious twitching body. His machina was nowhere to be found. He observed the hawk¡¯s sleeping face riddled with terror and sickness. The underling, arrow-stricken owl observed the scene in slight panic. ¡°Since I¡¯m not dead yet and the bleeding¡¯s calmed, maybe the bolt avoided any important shit. Can¡¯t you hurry up? Getting dizzy here. Just wack him while he¡¯s out.¡± Ricard¡¯s snapped at him as if he were a bug. ¡°Shut up, Ignazio,¡± he whispered. ¡°You¡¯ll wake him. Be patient.¡± Ignazio lowered his voice down. ¡°What¡¯s going to happen?¡± ¡°My hammer, Alumina, is festering in his head. It¡¯ll rip his will and heart apart from within. When the hawk reaches the end of his vision, he¡¯ll awaken and kill himself.¡± He linked his fingers together, chin on knuckles, elbows on knees. ¡°Nightmare is the ultimate test. No one has ever escaped it.¡± Chapter 14 - Tempest Within Abdul stood on a high hill, watching his village of Western Almura burn to ashes. The sky painted blood red with seven crescent moons glaring down at him like eyes of gods. Hooks hung from the heavens. Ever-reaching hooks hung carcasses. He found himself to be a child in the giant shoes of an adult. Xavier stood next to him three feet taller. ¡°You¡¯re trash. You shouldn¡¯t exist. You should¡¯ve died in the fire with your mother. You can still do it, you know? You can still go jump in the flames and burn. Let it purify you from the sin it is for you to live. Do it before you go and turn into a devil.¡± The kid¡¯s face blanked out. It came with the fog in the brain. The fog that numbed everything. His left eye twitched nonstop. It never stopped. ¡°I¡¯m too scared to kill myself. Would you help me get it done?¡± Xavier laughed. ¡°Of course not. How would I sleep afterward? And stop calling me brother. We were never brothers. I merely took you in because I pitied you. But what do you do with trash other than burn it?¡± I am trash. How did I forget? I hung from chains in The Red Room, three clawed blades hooking into my back, toes hovering above the ground. The culminating stench of feces and blood¡¯s iron was horrible, and the sounds even worse. In the distant room over, I caught glances of it: The Apparatus. A great machine the size of a building, eternally churning and slushing. My chained, strung-up neighbors wailed until their voices broke into morbid croaks. And when one assumed they were vocally obliterated, their lowering into The Apparatus toes first would rip out what bloodcurdling begging remained. I see malformed heads scream until the lung''s consumption. With every sacrifice to be ripped from the hooks by men cloaked in white like phantoms, blood spattering the ground, my place down the line nears the mechanism with each day. One of these men pushed a cart with a big pot through the room daily, its squeaky steel wheels rusting with blood. He injects rancid pig¡¯s slop down our throats whether we wanted it or not like livestock, and it¡¯s not FAIR. Some hangers devolved to let themselves believe it too, squawking and honking like geese when The Cart Man arrives. Release us! I AM NOT AN ANIMAL! He ignores the ones who beg for the slop while feeding and beating only those who starve themselves and AUGHHH! My Heart CRIES and MY BACK displays the scars, and I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m sorry Jericho I¡¯m so so sorry! Abdul¡¯s back displayed the stars His back displays them like coordinates His back still displayed them. A dotted map of constellations! What do you do with trash other than burn it? Grind it up to be transmuted into something corrupted. Homunculus. Abdul awakened in the graveyard with a violent roar. His entire body burst into a tempest of flames. Ripping his boiling armor from his body, he fell to his knees, and then soon his chest. His figure entombed in flame cooked on the ground motionlessly. Ricard stumbled up to his feet with a chuckle and grin as Alumina materialized into his hands from the shadows. He skipped forth and swung a finishing slam into Abdul¡¯s limp, dented helmet. ¡°Nightmare. His visions must have been horrible to summon such an end.¡± Primus laid on the ground near Abdul. ¡°Human? Answer me!¡± Ricard took off his mask of the owl to reveal emerald reptilian skin, fangs, and a lack of eyelids. Beastman. Worry washed over him when wetness hit his skin. Rain pitter pattered against the surrounding gravestones. It went out of control, intensifying into pouring storm rain so quick and overbearing that he almost suspected The Gods. Both Ricard and Ignazio looked at Abdul¡¯s extinguished smoking corpse in eerie silence. He shook his head. ¡°No, he¡¯s dead. No human¡¯s survived Alumina.¡± He helped Ignazio up onto his shoulder as dusk ended and abyssal night lurked in to claim everything. The two wobbled away with great difficulty. The owl couldn¡¯t shake a strange feeling though. A feeling that rattled his nerves for the first time in the last decade of coldblooded business for Rath Ghul. He glanced back into the dark to see nothing. Then, not too long later, he did so again. Ignazio caught him in the act. ¡°What, you scared? You toasted him, Master Ricard.¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen Nightmare cause such a suicide. How did he even light himself on fire?¡± Ignazio looked tense. ¡°Are you suggesting the fire wasn¡¯t you?¡± Ricard held his tongue. They stood at the bottom of the green hill going up to the church¡¯s cemetery. He looked back one last time. Lightning struck. It illuminated the pitch-black abyss around them for a moment. Abdul pursued them noiselessly with a limp and twitchy supernatural speed, half of his armor singed or ditched, dragging his claymore machina behind him in the mud. Ricard gasped and tripped over himself. Ignazio dropped to the ground onto his knee, reacting with a tearful yelp. Abdul stood only a meter away. He straightened up his posture, holding Primus at his side. ¡°If anybody can be an owl no matter what, then the same goes for hawks too. As long as you get to live doing whatever you want, someone like me will hunt you. Someone has to.¡± He coughed, sputtering out orange flames through his half-open visored helmet. ¡°I¡¯m gonna burn and drag all of you down to Yellen with me.¡± Primus sighed. ¡°Abdul¡­¡± Abdul looked down at the two who¡¯d frozen before him. He crossed his arms. ¡°I only need one of you. Which of you will be more useful to me? Which of you will die, and which of you will become a traitor? Beg. Choose.¡± Ricard inched back, looking between his machina and Abdul. ¡°How? How do you live?¡± Alumina trembled. The whole weapon shook in his wielder¡¯s hands. ¡°I couldn¡¯t complete my attack. He awakened to the nature of his soul. Those flames within him rejected me. They hurt.¡± ¡°What the hell does that mean?¡± Ricard shot back, bringing himself up to his feet. ¡°The hawk in his youth bore the worst of all tragedies. His flames were born from that Red Room. You can¡¯t drive a man ready dead to suicide.¡± Ricard readied into a combat stance, but Abdul jolted forward faster than expected. The right arm holding Alumina ripped off with a fountain of blood. Ricard¡¯s scaled skin faded pale. He collapsed cold and dead within moments with a whimper. Abdul pointed his claymore at the final owl. ¡°Stand.¡± Ignazio put his hands up in surrender. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t.¡± Primus chuckled. ¡°Abdul, what in the world are you?¡± ¡°Hell if I know. I remember my mother and Almura, and I remember meeting Xavier and the battlefield.¡± He hesitated, falling into speculative thought. ¡°But there are two years somewhere in the middle I can¡¯t recall at all. They¡¯re empty.¡± The claymore let out an enthused ¡°Hmm.¡± before looking down at Alumina. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you feed that hammer to me?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of this before. Will it make you stronger?¡± ¡°It will.¡± ¡°Then chow down. How do we do this?¡± ¡°Stab me into its eye.¡± Abdul followed accordingly. Alumina lay on the ground, breathing quickly. ¡°Please, no! I don¡¯t want to die! I¡¯ll do anything! I¡¯ll even form a contract with you! You can use me!¡± Abdul shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve got no use for a machina so weak.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not weak! You¡¯re just strong!¡± ¡°Tomayto, tomahto.¡± Primus giggled as he absorbed Alumina¡¯s energy through its blade. He mocked him. ¡°Looks like your future is grave! Get it? It¡¯s because we¡¯re near a graveyard. Do you get this context-based pun?! This pun that only works due to our setting?! This pun that didn¡¯t need explaining?! Not so funny now that you¡¯re the victim, aye? Ima genius!¡± The hammer¡¯s cries fizzled out. Primus chattered to Abdul. ¡°I¡¯m not old enough a weapon to know myself for sure, but the legend is that machina were made to split up and seal the power of The Gods into tiny fragments. By reuniting us, you¡¯re taking me a step closer to Convergence and godhood! Rejoice, boy!¡± ¡°You¡¯d be a horrible god though. Maybe I should have taken up the hammer¡¯s offer and fed you to him,¡± Abdul said. He tossed Primus down next to Ignazio. ¡°Stand. Use the sword as a cane or something.¡± Ignazio nodded apprehensively. ¡°Too damn heavy. Guess I shouldn¡¯t have expected you to be courteous enough to bring a wheelchair.¡± Primus looked up at their new prisoner of war. ¡°I¡¯m accessible to weaklings, feeble human.¡± ¡°Augh, let¡¯s just get this shit over with.¡± Ignazio raised his owl¡¯s mask to catch a better breath. He revealed a rather boring young face and blonde curly hair. Seeing this gave Abdul an idea. ¡°Mask of the owl?¡± He muttered before kneeling next to Ricard¡¯s corpse to retrieve his now bloodied mask. Unlike the usual black iron ones he¡¯d seen, there were accents of gold and silver displayed here. ¡°If I were to wear this, I¡¯d pass as an owl. A disguise. That right?¡± He asked Ignazio who stood leaning on Primus. Ignazio shrugged. ¡°Maybe. High owls have their own uniquely designed masks made to show their rank though. Everybody knew and respected Ricard¡­ Could cause a problem walking in there with his shit. You¡¯d want a low owl¡¯s mask instead.¡± He took his off completely and handed it to Abdul. ¡°Like mine here. Go ahead, keep it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re awfully relaxed.¡± ¡°What choice do I have right now? Can¡¯t fight or run on this luck. This sure is my luck. If I cooperate and tell you whatever the fuck you need to know, will you let me go? You gonna let me live?¡± ¡°The only good owl is a dead one, but perhaps. Depends on how things go.¡± Primus squinted, darting his focus between the two. ¡°As long as Abdul doesn¡¯t end up drunk under the same roof as you, you should be safe.¡± Chapter 15 - The Judgement Day Sasha laid limp with her dead weight hanging, feet dragging across the cold stone, as two grunts escorted her from her cell. ¡°Where are we going?¡± She asked with a pained grumbled. I¡¯m starving. Would kill for a hot shower too. One of her transporters ignored her. The other spoke up. ¡°Al Yara and The Circle of High Owls has called for you. It¡¯s your judgement day.¡± ¡°I see.¡± There, the gravity of it all finally hit her. She felt as if she was about to be tossed into The Eversea tied to an anchor. Tears built up. ¡°Shit, shit, shit.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve thought about the consequences before you became a hawk. Rath Ghul shows your kind no mercy.¡± That title struck her bitter. ¡°All of you keep talking about hawks this, hawks that. What does that even mean?¡± ¡°In the wilds of The Golden Wield outside this city, hawks are known to be one of the only owl¡¯s predators. It¡¯s a suitable name.¡± ¡°Could I have some water?¡± The silent grunt spit at her. His saliva landed on her brow, causing her to gag in disgust. She couldn¡¯t even wipe it off with her arms subdued. ¡°Shut up, bitch. Know your place. I would have strangled you myself if it weren¡¯t for our codes.¡± The more docile one barely reacted. ¡°Try to bear with his fury. You killed his friend Ryan. Ever since they were owlets, they were inseparable. Sasha tried to ignore his words but, somehow, they ate at her. ¡°Guess we¡¯re the same in a way, aren¡¯t we? You fuckers killed someone dear to me first.¡± The angry grunt¡¯s vice grip on her tightened. Her face twisted in anguish as he spoke low. ¡°If anybody would have changed this guild for the better, it would have been him. He was taken from us too soon. Rath Ghul, this damn hellhole, will only get worse. We¡¯re doomed.¡± His partner hushed him as they turned a corner. A black iron masked owl with a cold, unhinged demeanor passed them. Once the watcher was long gone, he shook his head and whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t speak of such revolution in public. That¡¯s a broken code. If you were lucky for Al Yara to be in a pleasant mood, you¡¯d get beaten down black and blue to nothing. Then they¡¯d rebuild you piece by piece in their image like some undead. Properly twisted.¡± They approached the end of the cavernous torchlit hallway to meet large, ancient double doors. After a heavy knock, they swung open. The two mercilessly tossed Sasha forward before leaving in a rush, keen to avoid the presence of Rath Ghul¡¯s upper echelon. A new pair of guards armored to the teeth in silver feather-adorned plate and bird-shaped closed helms snatched her up from the floor. They dragged her up to an iron chair with built in ankle and wrist shackles. This prisoner¡¯s throne sat in the center of a spacious chamber. Buckled and chained in, she faced multiple cloaked figures standing at their own podiums across the room. The faint orangish light from a sole wall-mounted torch made visibility difficult. Each of these high owls wore their own special masks gilded in gold, silver, or gemstones. The frontmost of the parliament, Al Yara, gazed impatiently at two vacant spots. ¡°Where are high owls Ricard and Thorin?¡± His right-hand man inched forth then bowed his head. ¡°Master Al Yara, Thorin still hasn¡¯t returned from his contract for King Andre. He should be on his way though. Ricard along with the owl in training under him, Ignazio, have been missing for a week along with seven others. We are certain another hawk is hunting our agents in the streets. It may even be a group of two.¡± Sasha¡¯s mouth fell agape. Rath Ghul worked for the king? There were more hawks? Rattled with stress to the point of nigh delirium, she exhaled then let her head hang low. I¡¯ve got no idea what¡¯s going on anymore. I wanna fall asleep and never wake up. If they¡¯re gonna kill me, then get it over with. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Al Yara grabbed a handful of the right-hand man¡¯s collar and pulled his face in close. Their masks clashed together. ¡°You imbecile, why am I only learning of this right now?¡± ¡°Master, every time I¡¯ve tried to give you my report, you¡¯ve sent me away.¡± ¡°I want the enemy dead. Dispatch our best, the avians, to hunt them down. Right now.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Of course.¡± The right-hand man bowed again, backing toward the door, and got out of there. Al Yara addressed the rest of the room. ¡°We shall continue without the full group then.¡± The others chanted in sync. ¡°Yes, Master Owl.¡± Jericho stood among them near the end of the line with his arms crossed. He was the only high owl with a normal mask. Just black iron. Nothing special at all. It looked rusted. Al Yara spoke up. ¡°So, this is it? This little woman killed two of our owls? She even killed Vance, that lunatic?¡± The Doctor stepped forth from the crowd with his crow¡¯s mask. Meeting face to face with him again made Sasha nauseous. ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate her, Master. She possessed a powerful machina. One with the might to kill with one touch. Give the credit to the sword. When you take it away, you¡¯re left with a weak girl who doesn¡¯t understand her place in the world.¡± Al Yara nodded. The pieces came together in his head. ¡°I see.¡± Jericho watched without uttering a word. Sasha wondered why he didn¡¯t speak up. She wondered why he didn¡¯t reveal her connection to Ley and their debt to Rath Ghul; the past that would surely dig her a deeper grave. As Al Yara contemplated his next words, The Doctor took the room¡¯s attention again. ¡°I suggest an execution. She should be killed immediately. If you give me your word, I¡¯ll carry it out this moment. We can get this business out of the way. There are more dire things to focus on.¡± Their Master Owl considered it. ¡°Hmm. Very well then.¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes widened immensely, but she couldn¡¯t speak. She stared at the only one she knew, Jericho. His shoulders slumped, and then he cleared his throat. ¡°I object, Master Yara. We¡¯ve lost more than twelve this week. There are strong hawks hunting us. They¡¯ve set us back a decade. We better send a message. Instead of hanging Sasha, let¡¯s make proper use of her. A public execution in Low Monestate¡¯s town square. It¡¯ll be good deterrent.¡± The Doctor stepped toward Al Yara annoyed. ¡°What a ludicrous idea. Rath Ghul operates in the shadows. Nothing good will come from making ourselves known.¡± Their leader waved Lloyd away. ¡°No. Perhaps it¡¯s time for us to show our strength. Our vigilance. Our enemies keep poking the hornet¡¯s nest because we let them push us. Sticking to the shadows is essential for criminals, but our deal with King Andre pardons us.¡± He looked over at Jericho who leant up against a wall nonchalant. ¡°Good idea, Jericho. You¡¯re not the type to ever speak up. I look forward to hearing more of your thoughts in the future.¡± Jericho didn¡¯t care enough to bow or respond. Relief washed over Sasha so much so that she could have cried. Al Yara looked down on Sasha as if she were a rat. ¡°Get this lass out of my sight.¡± Then he spoke to Doctor Lloyd. ¡°I know you seek vengeance for that youngling Ryan but be patient. Her fate is sealed. Wait for the day you see her hung.¡± With the snap of his fingers, his voice boomed throughout the room, out into the hallway. ¡°Circle dismissed.¡± Jericho worked to unbuckle Sasha as everyone else left. The Doctor watched him with a stiff posture and hands in his pockets before departing too. Sasha whispered to her savior. ¡°Why did you help me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± She sighed, looking down at her feet. Guess it¡¯s better for me to not ask questions. The man looked around for watchers before lowly mumbling back. ¡°I could care less about you. Just did Thorin a favor. He¡¯ll make it back before your hanging now, so celebrate.¡± ¡°What does he want with me?¡± ¡°When we slaughtered your brother, he picked up Ley¡¯s machina. The dagger was powerful, but it still sleeps as we speak. It will not choose its next host. Thorin wants to test you next. Maybe your blood will budge it.¡± He met unblinking eye contact with Sasha. He looked pensive up so closely. ¡°Will you truly be worthy? Machina may be priceless. Their value transcends most things. This will be your only chance.¡± After Sasha¡¯s wrists freed from the shackles, she clenched her fists and gazed at them. ¡°There¡¯s a chance that I can live?¡± Jericho knelt as he undid her ankle bindings. ¡°You¡¯ll never escape Rath Ghul but a contract with a machina may be what saves you. I¡¯ll ask you this question though. This guild would wring out your heart. Every ounce of value. Is that what you call living? Owls here live drowning in debt.¡± After being escorted back to her dark cell, Sasha laid on her back, head against the hard rock. She stared at the ceiling restlessly, imagining stars. Anxiety and depressive chills overwhelmed her. She bit her thumb. I hate this feeling. This anticipation. This unsureness. This unknowing. Before learning everything from Jericho, I¡¯d accepted that I¡¯d die. It hurt, but I knew it was coming. Now there¡¯s a chance that I could someday return to normal. I can¡¯t stop myself from imagining everyone waiting for me at home. Randle, Primus, Abdul, Xavier. I think it¡¯s hope. That¡¯s good, right? Then why does my heart hurt so much more than before? Chapter 16 - An Unlikely Duo A week passed. Decked out in a new set of light bronze plate armor, Abdul peaked around an alley corner from the dark night streets of Low Monestate. Two owls enjoyed a smoke break over the corpse of a homeless man robbed and beaten to death. What kind of contract called for that? He turned to Isaac the True who stood stoically with a dagger machina in each hand. ¡°There are two enemies. I¡¯m gonna take em out with Primus¡¯s new ability.¡± Armored considerably in lustrous scale plate, Isaac wrapped a long multicolored bandana around his forehead to keep his grown-out hair from obscuring his vision. ¡°Don¡¯t you have honor? Let¡¯s challenge them to a duel straight on. We¡¯d win anyway.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no chivalry on these streets, friend. The more we can thin their numbers, the easier it will be to crash their sanctum later.¡± They took turns harshly whispering at one another until Abdul took Primus and lightly tapped a waist-height iron garbage bin with the edge. ¡°Shut up and watch,¡± he commanded his partner before uttering to his claymore. ¡°Kite.¡± An eerie purple haze consumed and possessed the bin. Abdul raised the whole thing with one-handed ease and tossed it up into the alleyway air. He encouraged the object given flight. ¡°Bullshit, go.¡± Isaac blanked out at the absurdity of the object silently floating overhead toward the owls as if it were weightless. There was an ominous air to it. It drifted up above the targets and then rattled against the wall. They looked up. One questioned. ¡°What in The Gods?¡± Abdul commanded. ¡°Elephant.¡± In the next moment, a metallic crash and meaty splatter sounded out. Abdul avoided looking at the blood spatter and cartoonishly flattened corpses. He gagged and moved on. Even Primus gagged. The sight left Isaac speechless. ¡°After what I¡¯ve witnessed tonight, I¡¯m much more confident in this plan of yours. Do you really think we can get her back? Sasha?¡± ¡°Who knows? To be honest, I¡¯m hunting owls for my own reasons, but they¡¯ll eventually lead us to her if she¡¯s alive.¡± ¡°But shouldn¡¯t you have more pep in your step? She¡¯s been missing for two weeks.¡± He found himself reluctant to say the next words loitering in his mouth. ¡°She¡ª might already be gone by now.¡± Abdul shrugged. ¡°I get that, but rushing into the belly of the beast without the proper preparation is stupid. If you really want to do that though, then let¡¯s go. In the end, whatever happens to me doesn¡¯t matter anyway.¡± Isaac clenched his rune-engraved twin daggers tight. One¡¯s blade was forged from a black material like obsidian. The other, a sleek white metal. ¡°I would have never trained her if I knew she intended to go to war with Rath Ghul.¡± He thought back to an encounter with her long ago. It was when he questioned her reason to fight. Her words haunted him. Knowing how you are, if I told you, you¡¯d stop giving me these lessons. His face tensed up. Abdul led Isaac further on for an hour only to find nothing at midnight. Not even an owl. He eventually stopped. ¡°Running into them has gotten rarer and rarer. I think we¡¯ve properly scared them. I say we go down that well and strike Rath Ghul tomorrow.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it. I can round up the boys too. They all liked Sasha. She was The Colosseum¡¯s little sister. They¡¯d take up arms without a second thought.¡± Abdul pondered the thought of more allies then shook his head. ¡°I know they say ¡®the more, the merrier¡¯, but fighters without machina will only get in our way. Based on Ignazio¡¯s information, Rath Ghul¡¯s sanctum is tight, dark, and mazelike. Bringing too many isn¡¯t a good idea.¡± ¡°Really? It¡¯ll be rough as rare as they are, but I know a few with machina.¡± ¡°I could get behind that. We¡¯d have enough masks of the owl to disguise everyone too. I¡¯ve got a collection piling up in my drawers.¡± ¡°Ah, like stamps? It¡¯s a deal then. Let¡¯s save the girl.¡± Isaac extended his hand out to Abdul, who found the gesture odd at first. They exchanged a firm handshake. Abdul looked at his new partner¡¯s daggers. ¡°You¡¯ve got two machina? Such a thing is rare.¡± ¡°You¡¯re mistaken. They¡¯re one soul split into two, each the other side of the coin.¡± Isaac held them up for him to see closer. Their shy eyes avoided meeting Abdul¡¯s ¡°My father gave them to me. They don¡¯t speak.¡± Then Isaac encouraged them. ¡°Introduce yourselves, Dio.¡± They refused, pretending to fall unconscious like opossums. Abdul found it amusing. ¡°Meek, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°They are.¡± ¡°What do they do?¡± Isaac motioned to the white blade. ¡°Light.¡± Next, the black one. ¡°Shadow. Each blade of Dio covers what the other lacks. Put their abilities together and the capabilities are endless. I barely use the first though.¡± ¡°Something wrong with it?¡± ¡°It works too well. I like to avoid unnecessary casualties.¡± Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Seems much more useful than my machina.¡± Primus yammered back, offended. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m trying my best.¡± Loud, metallic stomping took to ringing rhythmically in the distance. Both of their heads snapped down the street. Isaac questioned it. ¡°A guard¡¯s patrol at this hour?¡± ¡°The royal guard doesn¡¯t step foot in Low Monestate. You know better than that.¡± ¡°Who are those soldiers then?¡± ¡°Who knows? They sure don¡¯t look like owls.¡± A group of seven men approached until stopping meters away. They wore silver mail and plate armor adorned with feathers. Their closed avian helmets reminded the pair of birds. Each soldier held torches, lanterns, and weaponry ranging from spears to war axes. Their tall leader shouted to the others. ¡°Suspected hawks detected. Eliminate them.¡± ¡°Yes, Sir!¡± The others bounced back. The avian knights rushed forth with animosity. Abdul planted his feet to stand his ground and glared at Isaac. ¡°I¡¯m not running! Are you?¡± ¡°Hell no! Not again. I¡¯ve disappointed my ancestors enough!¡± Vastly outnumbered, the two met the enemy¡¯s challenge. Abdul took an exaggerated breath that inflated his chest. He lifted his helm¡¯s visor and blew rolling flames across the streets. More than half of the avian knights caught ablaze and freaked out, some dropping and rolling and others beating their burning comrades. Abdul fell back into a defense stance, parrying and deflecting the downward slashes of two knights wielding halberds at the same time. He looked around for Isaac to find that he¡¯d vanished. ¡°Coward, you¡¯re not True at all!¡± His flames incapacitated two, but Abdul still found himself against five enemies. Flooded with unhinged adrenaline now, he picked up the pace and rose Primus. ¡°Meteor.¡± The claymore burst through the air and fell upon the nearest skull, causing it to explode within the helmet. Gore spattered out through the holes as a dust cloud kicked from the rumbling ground. The desensitized enemies felt nothing to seeing their ally¡¯s death. They moved to encircle Abdul, entrapping him in the center. He clashed blades with them all, tanking disorienting blows across his body. ¡°Anvil!¡± He growled at the spearhead in trajectory to pierce his chest. The spear slammed to the ground with an ear ringing bang, squashing the hands of a knight under its handle. Trapped, he groaned. ¡°My fingers!¡± Abdul gasped for air. Three was doable. A diagonal strike fell outside his line of sight, knocking him in the side of his head. It almost made his helmet twirl around backwards. He stumbled into another denting blow in the back. The third enemy rushed forward only to snag on the ground as if he¡¯d stepped in a beartrap. He shrieked in surprise, falling to his knee. The fight froze as everyone including Abdul stared at him in bewilderment. He continued to yelp and twitch. A hand armored in scale emerged from the concrete behind him. It sprouted from his shadow, grabbing his ankle. Another arm emerged from the ground too. It held Isaac¡¯s shadow dagger of Dio and stabbed into the unprotected back of the knight¡¯s calf. It cut and carved mercilessly like a butcher to a pig¡¯s carcass. Abdul took a step back, admittedly freaked out. That was when he realized what he¡¯d witnessed. Isaac hid in his shadow! Is this the power of Dio? Isaac sunk back into the ground, leaving that knight to bleed out horribly. Before Abdul knew it, he appeared behind him, watching his back in a readied stance. Abdul stood watching the two surprised enemies in front, his guard tight, as he spoke to Isaac. ¡°I didn¡¯t say you could hitch a ride in my shadow.¡± ¡°I call this power Holy Diver, but that fire of yours¡­ you can manifest your ki, and so wastefully? Such a capability is rare even among talented.¡± ¡°Is that what it is? I have no clue myself. Just woke up with it.¡± Isaac¡¯s brow raised in intrigue. His stone-cold expression broke for a moment, showing excitement. ¡°I¡¯ve trained my entire life to no avail and here you are awakening to it naturally.¡± ¡°Whatever will help me kill is welcomed.¡± The avian knight facing Isaac threw his halberd to the ground and pointed at his commander. ¡°We don¡¯t get paid enough for this shit. They didn¡¯t tell us in the briefing that they were machina wielders and ki artists.¡± He turned tail and took off running. The leader of the avian knights yelled at him. ¡°You damned rat!¡± Abdul commanded his partner. ¡°Go after him! We can¡¯t let any escape.¡± Isaac nodded and took off after the escaped foe. Without hesitation, Abdul revealed a throwing knife from his sleeve. He flung it at the commander and chanted amid its flight. ¡°Your mother.¡± Primus broke out into raging laughter. ¡°The heaviest of them all!¡± The knife bore a fist shaped hole into the commander¡¯s chest, embedding half-way through, and launched him onto his back. He grabbed at his chest with both hands, wheezing, unable to speak. The last enemy dropped his war axe, putting his hands up. ¡°I surrender. I¡¯ll do anything. Just let me live. Want information? I¡¯ve got you. Something a little more suggestive¡­?¡± He avoided eye contact. ¡°Maybe that too.¡± His nasally tone scraped against Abdul¡¯s ears. Abdul stood still a bit awkward. ¡°We don¡¯t need any more prisoners of war. Mine has already told me everything I need. He even drew a map of your sanctum for us.¡± ¡°Bastard.¡± The last avian knight was pushed down to his ass by Abdul. He put his hands up even more passively. ¡°I already told you; I surrender! Stop beating my ass! To kill me after the fact would be so unethical. You¡¯re probably breaking a war convention right now!¡± Primus sighed. ¡°Human, this is embarrassing. Just kill him already.¡± Abdul rose the claymore into the air with an annoyed expression. The knight droned on, pointing an accusatory finger at him. ¡°How would you sleep at night after this? How would you get into The Shallow of Yellen? Where is your honor? Is it that much a burden to have one teensy prisoner of war?¡± ¡°To The Deep with ethics. I¡¯m not concerned with where I will go when I die. For all I care, I could sink to the coldest abyss at the very bottom of Yellen. Stop making this so difficult.¡± ¡°As it should be! Listen to that little angel on your shoulder!¡± Isaac returned covered in blood. Abdul looked at him, looked at the sitting avian knight, and then him again. ¡°Please kill this guy for me. I can¡¯t take the risk of him haunting me. Anybody but him,¡± he asked with an exhausted tone. His partner agreed and jumped at the man¡¯s throat. Done with business, the two made their way back to their center of operations. The cellar of Troll¡¯s Treasure. Every now and then, Isaac would look back into the abyssal darkness with an eerie face. Eventually, he placed a firm palm on Abdul¡¯s shoulder strong enough to bring him to a halt. Abdul addressed him calmly. ¡°What is it?¡± He couldn¡¯t see whatever Isaac stared at. Isaac grabbed him by the top of his cuirass¡¯s chest plate, yanking him close enough for their foreheads to touch. ¡°Now he¡¯s haunting me.¡± Abdul hummed a hymn Xavier taught him long ago. It was said to offer attached spirits passage to rest. As Isaac stared at him dumbfounded, Primus pitched in. ¡°At least you¡¯ll never be lonely again.¡± Chapter 17 - Majors Reign Abdul stood at the swung open front door of Troll¡¯s Treasure, bewildered by the surge of crowds flooding the streets. Thousands of citizens and travelers alike gathered in Monestate for the Major Festival to celebrate a dead god. No matter how many times Abdul witnessed the holiday, the blinding liveliness of it all never failed to surprise him. Nothing nearly as extravagant ever happened in Zaibah. He gazed inside to Randle who¡¯d decided to take a nap on the wooden floor, neck propped against the wall. All he did now was drink, sleep, and mumble to himself like some alcoholic ghoul. The store had been closed for two weeks at that point. Abdul sighed, unable to ascertain the last time Randle didn¡¯t reek. As expected, Isaac soon arrived with the help he promised the night before. To Abdul¡¯s disappointment though, it was just one unassuming, young woman. She wasn¡¯t warrior material at all either. Though on the taller side, she lacked brawn. Isaac introduced the girl. Her black hair and bangs were cut to not be in the way. ¡°This is Elise. She doesn¡¯t like talking about herself, but the boys theorize she¡¯s a long-lost princess from somewhere. All that matters is that I and The Colosseum wouldn¡¯t be the same without her.¡± Elise furrowed her brow in annoyance at her introduction. Abdul shook her hand. Awkward silence stood between them until Isaac broke it. ¡°Oh, forgot to mention. She¡¯s mute right now. Unable to speak. There was another that planned to come, but they chickened out after I mentioned Rath Ghul.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate. Nice to meet you, Elise.¡± Elise nodded in response. Her resting expression leaned toward sly and mischievous like something funny was on her mind. Then Abdul noticed the absurd number of injuries. Elise lacked a left hand and walked with a limp. A steel prosthetic replaced the void. One of her eyes had cataracts. Isaac noticed his unsureness. ¡°She¡¯s extraordinary. I promise. Just you wait.¡± ¡°What about her machina? Her ability?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you see for yourself.¡± Elise playfully fist bumped him in the chest. Abdul looked down to notice an alloy-studded cestus armoring her knuckles. Its light blue eye stared up at him. In the next moment, his words caught in his mouth. ¡°Ughm. Am¡ª Bah¡ª.¡± Abdul¡¯s face stiffened in panic. I¡ª I can¡¯t speak! My tongue?! He reached up to his agape mouth to feel for his tongue but found a void where his left hand used to rest. Now a stub remained. Abdul gasped in shock at the sight. She flaunted his own fingers to him, speaking to her with his tongue. ¡°This cestus¡¯s name is Ween. Its power, ''Voodoo Lady''. I can switch aspects with and between anything I touch. None of these injuries are mine. I took the burden of them from a veteran to give him a better life.¡± Isaac hung over her shoulder, amped up as if witnessing a rarity. ¡°It¡¯s been a minute since I¡¯ve gotten to hear your voice.¡± Abdul freaked out even more. Elise realized and put her hand on his chest to fix the mess. ¡°Ah, sorry. You can have these back.¡± In the next moment, Abdul returned to normal, and Elise¡¯s handicaps returned. He stuttered. ¡°Holy¡ªHo¡ªHoly shit.¡± Isaac who found the whole exchange hilarious. ¡°I know, she can be devilish, but we¡¯re working on it.¡± Elise did a proud little bow with a content expression. They gathered inside and went down to the cellar. Ignazio sat on Randle¡¯s prized reclining chair; his wrists enchained to a nearby table leg. If he wanted to, he probably could¡¯ve slid it off and escaped with ease. Upon seeing Abdul and the others, he got strangely giddy. ¡°Abdul, I¡¯ve missed you. Been working on detailing out this map more.¡± Isaac crossed his arms. ¡°So, this is that prisoner you talked about? I don¡¯t get that kind of energy though. Are you two¡­?¡± Abdul planted his feet defensively. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ gotten way too comfortable down here. Reminds me of some kind of syndrome. Doesn¡¯t fear for his life in the slightest and acts like he owns the place. Damned freeloader.¡± Ignazio shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ve already talked about this, Abdul. We can work things out.¡± ¡°Like hell we can! Stop bringing it up.¡± Isaac and Elise looked like they¡¯d walked into the middle of something forbidden. He muttered. ¡°Let¡¯s leave these two alone.¡± Elise blushed. Abdul halted them. ¡°No, stay. Everything here¡¯s ready.¡± He retrieved masks of the owl from a drawer hidden out of sight and passed them out. Isaac looked impressed. Then he shot a glare over his shoulder to where a ton of nothing stood. ¡°No, you can¡¯t have one.¡± Elise found it strange. Isaac questioned her. ¡°Can you see that phantom?¡± Suspicious, she shook her head. ¡°Come on.¡± They stood around a wooden roundtable. Abdul traced his finger throughout Rath Ghul¡¯s sanctum. It was a labyrinth that might as well have been an underground town. Over eighty halls and rooms of twisting and shifting sizes and complexities over the course of three levels. Length wise, the sanctum sprawled far enough with outbranching tunnel systems to provide entrance points all across Monestate¡¯s districts. There were even hidden escape passages reaching behind the city, out into the woods of The Golden Wield. It was shaped like an upside down pyramid. Abdul sighed. ¡°I wanted to kill every owl and burn this place to the ground, but it¡¯s so damn big that it seems impossible. At least a few would end up escaping. They¡¯d travel north to New Gareth and inform that sect of Rath Ghul. We¡¯d have over twice the number of enemies after us.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Everyone looked over the map more until Isaac spoke up. ¡°Are their deaths that important to you? I thought our first and foremost goal was to save Sasha. That¡¯s why Elise and I are here at least. You don¡¯t mention her often.¡± The jab at Abdul made his shoulders slump. He avoided eye contact. ¡°Of course, I plan to save Sasha. It¡¯s just that all I think about now is Rath Ghul¡¯s destruction. I can¡¯t help how I feel.¡± ¡°But why is it so important to you?¡± Abdul faced Isaac, putting his hand on his own heart. ¡°They killed my brother. My only family. He understood me and my past more than anybody. They took something from me that they¡¯ll never be able to pay back. So, now all that¡¯s left to take is their organs.¡± His voice shook. Elise put her hand softly on his shoulder with a solemn face. He figured it was to console him. That was until he couldn¡¯t speak. She stole his tongue. ¡°I understand, Abdul. The world would be better without Rath Ghul, so I say kill them all. But Isaac¡¯s right too. I¡¯m here to save Sasha. That comes first.¡± As he had no tongue, he couldn¡¯t argue. He nodded reluctantly. She continued. ¡°But that¡¯s not to say we can¡¯t obliterate them. We can do both. We just need to hit them hard enough on our way out that they¡¯ll never be able to stand in this city again.¡± She looked in between everyone in the room including Ignazio. ¡°Is there anything in there we could use against them?¡± Ignazio rose his hand. With an aloof expression, he uttered. ¡°Oil. They store it along with a tonna other flammable resources in the second level to keep the torches, furnaces, and Al Yara¡¯s hot tub in order. They guard it closely out of worry for exactly this type of incident.¡± She blinked rapidly, taken aback. ¡°Hot tub? You said that so casually.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Ignazio confirmed. Abdul looked down at his hands. He recalled waking up from Ricard¡¯s Nightmare set ablaze. The flames didn¡¯t burn him. They were his in entirety. He tapped Elise politely, pointing at his tongue. She tilted her head before realizing what he meant. ¡°Whoops. Here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a walking lighter,¡± Abdul started. ¡°Not sure why, but if anybody¡¯s gonna burn the sanctum down, it should be me. We¡¯ll get in, get Sasha out, and then you all just leave the rest to me.¡± He shook his head. Isaac looked at him as if stricken by a bleak realization. He almost interrupted Abdul but ended up holding his words. Looking down at his feet with a blank expression, he wondered to himself. Abdul addressed everyone around that room. ¡°It looks like we¡¯re set then. We leave at dusk.¡± *** Sasha curled up in a ball on the stone ground. Having ran out of things to wonder or think about, all she did now was sleep. Deprived of water and food, she couldn¡¯t bear the dryness of her mouth and lips beginning to crack. I¡¯ll die right here before they even hang me. The sound of distant rushed footsteps brushed her ear. At Sasha¡¯s lowest point now, she didn¡¯t care. Maybe that crow masked doctor was on his way over. Maybe he¡¯d end her suffering. That¡¯s what she sensed in his malice earlier, at least. He was out for her neck. The steps stopped. Sasha barely opened her eyes to see a tall man standing outside her prison cell, hands tightly gasping the bars, forehead up and pressed against them. He observed her like some tourist visiting a rare animal¡¯s enclosure. Thorin darted his focus off to someone to his left out of her view before going right back to Sasha. ¡°This is really her. The kid¡¯s sister?¡± Jericho confirmed his fascination. ¡°Yep, that¡¯s right, you¡¯re welcome.¡± He strolled off on his own business. ¡°This will be big then.¡± Thorin knelt and went through his satchel with impatience. Still dressed in the dusty outfit from his long contract, he revealed an ornamental dagger. As old as it was frail, its steel had long lost its edge and luster. The man entered Sasha¡¯s prison and crept up to her. ¡°Give me your attention, brat.¡± Sasha didn¡¯t react. If anything, she withered away. Thorin sighed and then lowered to her side. ¡°Hey, you, wake up.¡± He jabbed her cheek with his finger until she gave him a groan and fluttering blinks. That was all he could get out of her. Thorin took hold of her limp arm, opened her fingers, and placed the dagger into them. ¡°Oy, you remember, right? Think back. Think about your brother.¡± Sasha squinted at that dagger and thought back. She recalled the vague night Ley returned with it. Even though he denied it, she knew he¡¯d stolen it. Sasha nodded to acknowledge Thorin, but speaking only reminded her of how dry her mouth was. The dagger¡¯s blade shone a pulsing blue light. An eye creaked open as its hilt morphed in shape to resemble a deer¡¯s antler. A wry, self-satisfied grin stretched across Thorin¡¯s face. ¡°Machina, what is your name?¡± ¡°I am Major. We meet again, owl.¡± Thorin¡¯s skin washed pale. He uttered out something too low for Sasha to hear. ¡°A great machina¡­ head of the pantheon too. God. Jackpot.¡± Sasha woke up amid twilight planes blanketed by fog. Spectral, see-through flowers and trees radiating low blue light sprouted up around her. A bluish giant of a full moon painted across the sky as rain pitter-pattered against her skin. She walked toward a cliff¡¯s edge where what looked to be a throne sat. Seated there, a withered man with an elk¡¯s head gazed out into a calm sea. Its horns sprawled out like branches. ¡°Where am I?¡± She asked it. The elk spoke, yet its mouth didn¡¯t move. Its voice reverberated from within Sasha¡¯s head. ¡°What is this strange feeling you¡¯re inspiring in me?¡± She walked up to the apparition¡¯s side and then observed her own translucent fingers while questioning it bluntly. ¡°Ah, so I¡¯m finally dead. Is this the afterlife then? Who ended up being right? Was it the Ailmoran Church? The Zaibans? The pagans from The Westwinds? Are you a god? Why are you a deer?¡± The elk stared at her, tilting its head in interest. ¡°As inquisitive as a toddler. You amuse me. I regret to inform you that you aren¡¯t dead.¡± It waved its hands around. ¡°I am Major. You¡¯re in my realm. My soulscape. This happens when those who are worthy make contact.¡± Sasha seemed confused. ¡°But you¡¯re just some machina, right? I¡¯ve touched others before. This has never happened.¡± Primus appeared in her mind. She missed him. ¡°You¡¯ve never initiated a contract before, have you? I can tell. Your bond with that primitive claymore simply wasn¡¯t strong enough. It didn¡¯t trust you enough to open itself.¡± Her eyebrows furrowed. She poked an accusatory finger at Major''s chest only for it to phase through. ¡°How did you know¡ª Eh, whatever. I don¡¯t care. Watch your mouth about my friend.¡± ¡°A human and machina, friends? Amusing. Our bonds are conditional, each side expecting something from the other.¡± Sasha rolled her eyes. ¡°You really like the sound of your own voice, don¡¯t you? I mean, I do too, but at least I act like I don¡¯t.¡± Major looked back out into the sea. Some ghostly guls flew overhead, cawing. ¡°You¡¯ve really grown up, Sasha. Strong-willed and much less frail. Randle raised you well.¡± Sasha noticed humanoid spectral figures out in the distance. They watched her, some closer than others. ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Each one of them once held the dagger entrapping my soul, carrying me onwards until death. They are torchbearers and passers. Ancestors. Ghosts.¡± Jericho¡¯s words bounced in her mind. She digested them. Her brother held the dagger last. Rath Ghul slayed him. Now, here she stood next in line to inherit it. Was this fate? Sasha looked at those watchers with a sore throat. ¡°Ley? Is he there? My big brother?¡± ¡°He is.¡± ¡°Can I speak to him?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Sasha took a step off into that direction, but Major stopped her with its grasp. She stared at the deer with wide, anticipative eyes. ¡°To form a contract means to sell one¡¯s soul. After death, contractors go to their machina¡¯s soulscape instead of the afterlife. You may see the image of your brother standing there among everyone else but, in truth, they¡¯re all shades. Husks. Their souls are in here.¡± The elk clenched its own furry chest. Its heart. The soreness in Sasha¡¯s throat grew. ¡°Once upon a time, I was just some god. Now I have many names though. Kafka, Evilyn, Leo, Major, Ley.¡± ¡°No. Please stop talking.¡± ¡°Yes. Sasha, I am a god but I¡¯m also now your brother. You¡¯ve gotten taller than I ever was. Don¡¯t worry about these owls. Form a contract with me and everything will turn out to be okay. I promise.¡± Chapter 18 - Of Gods and Greed Thorin chuckled to himself over Sasha¡¯s weak body. Major glared up at him from her hand. ¡°So, you plan to use me? We can arrange something. I will serve Rath Ghul in exchange for the protection of my contractor¡¯s wellbeing. I wish for her to live comfortably.¡± ¡°Interesting. It¡¯s like you read my mind.¡± ¡°Call your circle of losers together. I¡¯m sure you understand the opportunity sitting before you now. Bring me to Convergence and you get to decide this world¡¯s future once I¡¯ve been restored.¡± Thorin stumbled up to his feet. ¡°I¡¯ve got butterflies in my stomach. This is big. Probably bigger than the guild too. Some fairy tale shit. I¡¯ll need to think about this.¡± He left in a hurry. After some time passed, Thorin returned with his arms full and Jericho in tail. ¡°I¡¯m telling you! The god of gods in our hands! This¡¯ll change everything. We¡¯ll be kings of kings! All of us.¡± They approached and sat to Sasha¡¯s level once more. Maskless with his bent nose and suspicious glare, Jericho questioned the blade still resting in Sasha¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll give you seven seconds. What is your name, machina?¡± With a stupid, self-indulgent grin, Thorin gave him a punch in the shoulder that send him into a bad mood. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t be so skeptical. machina can¡¯t lie. You know this.¡± Major looked at the two as if they were rats. ¡°I am Major." Thorin lit up even more. ¡°See, I told you. God of gods. One of four great machina.¡± He picked Sasha up, leaning her back against the wall. ¡°Fuck off¡­¡± She mumbled as Thorin forced her chin up. ¡°Now, now, Madam. Drink,¡± he responded manically, forcing her to down his water canteen. Jericho found his friend¡¯s behavior odd. He questioned whether he was asleep. ¡°Am I dreaming or something? What has gotten into you? Thorin¡¯s face went cold and murderous for a moment just for his response. ¡°Sasha is Major''s precious contractor. His condition for going along with us is treating her¡­¡± His eye twitched. ¡°Like a princess.¡± He went back into mania, giving her his full attention. Jericho grumbled low. ¡°Last time a great machina was spotted, all hell broke loose. The Westwinds ripped to pieces. I¡¯ve never killed as much since. Everyone wants Convergence.¡± His buddy patted his shoulder with an eased expression. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nobody will ever learn about this outside of Rath Ghul¡¯s higher echelon. We can bring the dagger to godhood secretly. Nobody will ever know they¡¯re living in a new world. A New Age.¡± Jericho looked out into the halls for a moment. Then he snapped his focus back to Thorin with a tinge of excitement. ¡°What if we just told no one? Take the girl and disappear? We reap Convergence alone. There¡¯d only be three greats left.¡± Thorin looked unsure. He shook his head and then continued to force hydrate Sasha who started coughing. She growled at him. ¡°I¡¯m getting mixed signals from you fuckers.¡± Major¡¯s voice reverberated within her head. It warned her. Watch your tongue with these two. Their souls are powerful. Especially Jericho¡¯s. He appears to be human, but the extent of his power says otherwise. What you see is surely a guise. The voice spooked her straight. Nervous, she shut up. Thorin enjoyed her silence. ¡°You¡¯ve got a filthier mouth than even your brother, and I still think about some of the things he said to me,¡± he said dryly, revealing baked chicken breast on a platter. A fork, knife, bib, and everything. Thorin wrapped the bib around her neck like a child. ¡°Now eat, Madam.¡± She doubted whether it was poison. In the end, it didn¡¯t matter though. Sasha¡¯s nose took the scent. With a churning stomach, she ate like a starving dog. Jericho scratched his chin. ¡°Would Al Yara reject it? The chance to bring Convergence?¡± His question inspired silence over the room. Everyone including Sasha stared at him eerily. Thorin bluntly deflected the thought with gritted teeth. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t. What kid doesn¡¯t dream of it? I know I always did. I¡¯ll gather The Circle immediately.¡± ¡°Gotta bad feeling for this. The tension within is high, and rats scurry everywhere. Rats I¡¯ll have to crush myself.¡± If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Don¡¯t say that! You always say that before shit goes bad.¡± Sasha wrapped her arms around her legs. She clenched Major tight to her chest. Later that day, Thorin arrived again with a serious look unlike any other. He unchained Sasha who he trusted enough to leave the dagger with. ¡°If you want to live, then never let go of Major. It¡¯s the only thing that gives your life value.¡± Sasha stood up and dusted off her knees. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Following Thorin through the halls of Rath Ghul, she stared at the back of his head in contemplation. Her face sharpened. Could she trust them? They¡¯re my enemies too. They¡¯ll regret not tying my hands. Major looked up at her. His voice emerged within her mind. Don¡¯t fight. Let¡¯s see where this goes. It weirded her out. She shot back at the machina. ¡°Are you, like, living in my head or something? Can you hear everything I think?¡± Regretfully. Our souls are linked now, Sasha. This comes with the contract. ¡°I didn¡¯t agree with this part.¡± You didn¡¯t ask to see the fine print. Thorin looked back at her smugly. ¡°I see you¡¯ve realized. Say goodbye to any privacy you had before. Marriage doesn¡¯t even compare to contracting a machina.¡± ¡°Is there any other bullshit I need to know?¡± He unsheathed his own machina, Termination, just enough to show off its orange eye. His next words were hesitant. ¡°Since we¡¯ve sold our souls to our blades, you know what that means?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If they¡¯re broken, we die too.¡± Sasha¡¯s heartbeat badunked in her ear. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Protect that god as if its life is your own, because it is.¡± They approached those large double doors again. Thorin stopped, hovering his knuckle over with anticipation, before knocking. The doors swung open to reveal The Circle of High Owls. Al Yara stood center, annoyed, with his arms crossed. Sasha walked in behind Thorin, shielding the dagger behind his back. He pointed to that iron chair of shackles from before, so she sat. Al Yara questioned him harshly as he stood firm next to Sasha. ¡°What is the meaning of this, Thorin? Why do you protest this hawk¡¯s sentencing?¡± Thorin tensed up. He motioned to Sasha to reveal Major for everyone to see. ¡°She¡¯s kin to someone I killed years ago. Someone whose machina I looted. Connecting these two caused it to awaken. If we spare the girl, we can use its power through her¡­¡± He looked around the room to gauge The Circle¡¯s reactions. Al Yara looked intrigued but doubtful. The Doctor; pissed off. Jericho also surveyed his peers with a cautious gaze. ¡°But what I didn¡¯t expect was for it to be a great machina. The opportunity before us is historic. Its value along with the girl are priceless.¡± Eerie silence possessed the room. Soon, frantic whispers darted around amongst the masks, scraping Thorin¡¯s ears with the same question. ¡°Convergence?¡± The Doctor stepped forth, waving off Sasha. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious. A great machina? Here? In Monestate?¡± He grumbled to Al Yara. ¡°Silence these fools. Punish high owl Thorin for wasting our time for such a silly prank.¡± Al Yara shook his head. ¡°Step down, Doctor. I¡¯ll see for myself. Machina aren¡¯t capable of lying.¡± Pure quietness snapped with their leader¡¯s commanding voice aimed at Sasha¡¯s dagger. ¡°Machina, state your name! What is your purpose?¡± The dagger answered Al Yara bluntly. ¡°Major, and I seek to become whole again. You know my name. You know what that means.¡± The circle of owls fell into disbelief and chattering amongst themselves. Once one heavy word got uttered, it only went downhill from there. ¡°God?¡± This word spread like an airborne infection, so much so that it grew into something chantlike. ¡°God? God. God! Convergence is nigh!¡± Al Yara removed his mask, revealing wrinkly pale skin, rotting teeth, and shaved eyebrows. He gazed at Sasha and Major along with most in the room with widened, enthralled eyes. ¡°A god is among us. We can¡¯t deny such an honor. We¡¯d be fools not to deliver him to Convergence,¡± he declared. Sasha found herself anxious under all the eyes. Her stomach swirled with nausea. Major sensed her apprehension and spoke into her mind softly. Don¡¯t fear. They wish to make things right. To return the world to its original state before man rose against its father to seal and split its power into the machina. But humans are corrupt and filled with greed. These owls only wish to bring me to Convergence for what¡¯s in it for them. For the favor and power of a newborn god that marks them as its mother. Jericho approached Thorin who watched the chaotically manic response of The Circle. He looked perplexed. ¡°Went better than expected.¡± ¡°What we¡¯re witnessing right now is history. The beginning of the end of this so-called New Era.¡± ¡°We will need to be careful. Another war could break out. There are countless forces keen to deliver Convergence. King Andre, for example. We cannot let him find out. Can¡¯t let the Zaibans either. Everyone¡¯s our enemy.¡± ¡°Are you of all people, Jericho the Wyrm, afraid of war?¡± Jericho sighed. ¡°Never call me that again.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t choose your name. The bards did.¡± ¡°Nothing will ever scare me. It all just sounds like a drag. Like a big mess left for me. Women were made for cleaning.¡± A ruckus caught their attention. Lloyd The Doctor, pissed to the point that he¡¯d rip the crow¡¯s mask from his head, disagreed with Al Yara¡¯s decision. Looking around the room as if it were filled with madmen, he shook his head with a twisted face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this. We¡¯re going to be falling into the same trap many others have! This fad called Convergence that turns allies against each other and beckons destruction wherever it¡¯s sought. Have we all learned nothing from The Westwinds? Seriously?¡± Al Yara looked at him with stone cold dread. Many others joined him in his silent judgement. ¡°Doctor, can¡¯t you read the room? Over the last decade, Rath Ghul has descended into the shadows of obscurity. There¡¯s no stopping this guild¡¯s decadence. The rebels among us had a point. This is our chance to be rebirthed.¡± ¡°But Master Owl!¡± ¡°I tire of your interruptions. All you do is argue. I¡¯ve only permitted your outbursts until now out of respect for the years we¡¯ve served this guild together.¡± The Doctor silenced. Al Yara half-grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right. Shut up, fall in line, and watch. Watch what becomes of us.¡± Chapter 19 - To Convergence Major rested on the table next to her plate. He tried to assure her. ¡°Bear with it. You¡¯ll live, even if only because they mean to use you. That¡¯s what matters to me.¡± ¡°Right now, am I really living?¡± She grumbled back. Eventually, Sasha finished her plate, but it was only because Al Yara had left his seat and disappeared out of sight. He reentered the room with something in his hand and approached her. A black iron owl¡¯s mask laid in front of her on the table. ¡°From now on, you¡¯re one of us. You¡¯re no longer a hawk,¡± he began as Sasha stared at the gift with a twitchy lip. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t try to run away, you can walk around and get a grasp for the sanctum yourself as an owl. You¡¯ll be guarded closely of course, and it won¡¯t be for long either since we¡¯ll be setting out for Convergence soon.¡± She looked up at him blankly. Why would he trust her with such freedoms? Al Yara tilted his head to the side. ¡°I¡¯m not as worried about you as I am about those who are willful like Lloyd. It¡¯s because I know you¡¯ve resigned to your fate. You¡¯ve got nowhere to go, nobody looking or waiting for you, and no fight left in you. You understand your place in the world. You understand that you are nothing. I wish all women were like you.¡± He brushed his fingers against her cheek. With disgust, Sasha avoided his condescending look. Major burst at Al Yara with enough intensity to rattle the wine glasses set up across the table. ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± His voice resembled Ley more than the elk phantom. Al Yara yanked his hand back to his side, surprised by the machina¡¯s wrath. He did a slight bow. ¡°I apologize, my god. Please forgive me. I got caught in her eyes.¡± He strolled away toward his private quarters, looking back one last time. ¡°Later today, the most trusted few of The Circle will be reconvening to discuss pursuing Convergence. We¡¯ll create a map of the other great machina. We¡¯ll plan how we¡¯ll go about stealing them from their current wielders or crevices.¡± Al Yara looked at Major as he spoke, ignoring Sasha¡¯s existence. ¡°You can sense them, right, God? Like the legends state?¡± ¡°I can. I can feel their presences.¡± He let a wry grin show before disappearing into his personal quarters. ¡°Then enjoy your stay. Oh, what shall I wish for? Immortality? Wealth? An eight-foot shlong?!¡± His laughter sent shivers up Sasha¡¯s spine. How could such a filthy man exist? The two avian knights approached her, stopping at her sides. They towered in height and held spears. She looked between them. ¡°Your names?¡± ¡°Alphonse,¡± one responded. ¡°Wilhelm. Pleasure to meet you,¡± the other uttered, bowing. Alphonse smacked him on the back of the helmet. He replied with a short, ¡°Sorry.¡± With hesitation, Sasha donned the mask of the owl and left. She walked the labyrinthian halls of Rath Ghul¡¯s sanctum in dread but also a hint of wonder, checking out whatever rooms and chambers weren¡¯t locked. When she wore that mask, she became invisible to the owls she hated and feared. They went from glaring and spitting at her to not even noticing. The place may as well have been an underground city equipped with everything needed to run one. Bathrooms, bedrooms, and bathhouses dominated the second floor along with a giant kitchen, mess hall, and training chamber. The logistics of how it all worked without smoking up confused Sasha until she saw small tunneling vents leading upwards to what seemed to be the surface. Kids aged from eight to twelve bumbled around working their asses off. Adult supervisors micromanaged them aggressively, dishing out insults and beatings to the children who fell behind. Wilhelm noticed Sasha¡¯s apprehension toward the bleak child labor force and pitched in. ¡°They¡¯re our owlets. Orphans taken in by Rath Ghul. While training to someday become owls, they earn their keep and repay the guild¡¯s kindness.¡± Alphonse raised his hand to smack Wilhelm again, but this time the attack got anticipated and swatted away. Willhelm told him off. ¡°Bug off, Al. She¡¯s one of us now. You heard the Master Owl.¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Alphonse shook his head. ¡°No matter what, a hawk will always be a hawk. I won¡¯t forgive so easy.¡± Her brow scrunching up in frustration, Sasha shoved Alphonse in the chest, sending him backwards into a wall. ¡°Fuck you. I don¡¯t want your forgiveness, and I don¡¯t want to be here. I want to go home.¡± ¡°The feeling¡¯s mutual then. Hmm. Looks like the Master Owl was wrong about you. You do have some fight in you.¡± Wilhelm rested his hand on his partner¡¯s shoulder to ease him as he assured Sasha. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about people like Al here! This is your home now.¡± Both Sasha and Al glared at him and bounced back at the same time. ¡°Like hell it is!¡± They went onwards until meeting a dead end. Sasha stared at the stone wall holding a torch in slight disbelief. ¡°So, this place doesn¡¯t go on forever?¡± Al sighed. ¡°Obviously, dumbass.¡± Then he turned to face someone not too far behind them. ¡°Can I help you, high owl?¡± He asked the figure. Sasha faced The Doctor. He stood there with no weapon or reason, watching her through the unblinking raven¡¯s mask. Her stomach dropped. The avian knights stepped forward to protect her from him. ¡°Has he been following me?¡± She questioned, looking all around. Major worsened her worries. ¡°Perhaps Al Yara didn¡¯t entertain the thought that there¡¯d be those who rejected his judgement. I doubt that though.¡± He beckoned Sasha from within. Hold me close and trust me. Put faith in your ancestors. ¡°What does that mean?¡± We¡¯re about to be attacked. It¡¯s time for you to taste your power. There behind the avian knights, Sasha brought out Major and watched the dagger come to life with blue spectral light. The hilt twisted and contorted, reminding her of horns. Whatever energy emanated from the blade crept onto her body and coated it in bluish electric glow. It sent surges through her blood and muscles while flowing her hair like the wind¡¯s breeze. Her green eyes reflected the Elk god¡¯s ethereal realm. What was this feeling? This power? Somehow, she knew. ¡°Ghost in the Shell. I embody the spirts of everyone who fell before me.¡± Major squinted. ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯ve inherited the understanding. It speaks much on our compatibility.¡± A flood of somber, grey images crashed through Sasha¡¯s mind. There were countless: Battlefields, casualties, clashing swords, clouds of smoke, promises, and hours upon hours training. This entire, dragging life lived in an instance ended in a noose hung from a balcony. With a splitting headache, she recoiled back. ¡°I¡ª AUGH, who is this? That¡¯s¡­ NO?!¡± What horrible sadness¡­ Tranquility washed over Sasha. With it came great clarity. ¡°Leo the Great, this dagger¡¯s first wielder, is with me.¡± The Doctor snapped his fingers and disappeared into a nearby room. Three owls popped out from the closest doorways, steel crossbows in hand, and fired at Sasha¡¯s group. Her body jolted itself to the left so quick that it jumbled her brain. A crossbow bolt bounced and snapped off the wall where she moved from. A perfect dodge. Next, her eyes locked onto a round object incoming through the air. She caught and returned it to its sender. The bomb exploded on impact, sending toxic purple fumes to spew among the attackers. They coughed and wheezed, hidden by the fogging gas. A second bolt smacked Al straight in the chest and buckled his knees. He held himself up with his spear. The bolt punched through his chest plate and lodged superficially in his sternum. He groaned. ¡°Me, risking my life for her?!¡± The third and final bolt missed completely, leaving Wilhelm untouched. He braced for combat in a wide stance with his spear, dividing his attention between protecting Sasha and his downed avian partner. ¡°Damned spineless rebels!¡± He called. Two owls still coughing burst out toward Sasha from the fog. She fell back into her own combat stance but felt a wave of panic after realizing how stubby a weapon Major was. She was used to longswords. Then the small dagger expanded in her hand. A greater blade of light sprouted until finishing its metamorphosis into a luminescent claymore shining in the low-lit halls. This was Leo the Great¡¯s weapon. Sasha dashed forward to fight the owls head on as Wilhelm charged in with the spear. She cut down her foe in a moment, chopping his dominant hand off and beheading him with grace. Before she could reach the next tall brute of an owl, Wilhelm impaled and drove him into the wall. Readied for a further fight, they fell back and waited. Nobody else came though. As the fog faded, another battle was revealed right under their noses. She heard whimpering and begging. An owl limped toward them wheezing. His ally followed him only to stab him in the back with un unhinged growl. The traitor of traitors sliced him seven more excruciating times. Blood spattered everywhere. It was ruthless overkill. Sasha and Wilhelm raised their weapons, bewildered, until he lifted his mask. ¡°Never expect Jericho? Where did the damn doctor go?¡± Sasha¡¯s mouth dropped as she felt Leo¡¯s presence fade along with her spectral energy. Major''s blade of light dematerialized to leave a plain dagger. ¡°I¡¯ve got no idea what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°Your machina sure looked great.¡± ¡°Did I just do all that?¡± Perplexed, she ogled the dagger. ¡°Really?¡± Major responded within her head. Such is the power of Ghost in the Shell. You are the convergence point of an era¡¯s accumulated experience. Wilhelm helped Al up and called out Jericho. ¡°You saw this whole thing and only stepped in now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, exactly as planned.¡± He dead stared at Sasha. ¡°You were used to draw out rats. You think we¡¯d leave you unleashed?¡± She was dumbstruck. ¡°Bait? Me? Bait?¡± Major spoke out. ¡°Just as I expected. My presence has split this guild into two. Shall I bow?¡± Jericho shook his head. ¡°Do it and I¡¯ll shatter you.¡± Chapter 20 - Sanctum, Shambles The high owls stood around a wide table with Major centered as Sasha leaned up against the wall out of the way. A brownish tan parchment map of the continent, Ailmor, spread out across the surface. Thorin and Jericho rested their elbows on one side as they watched Al Yara question Major. An older scribe with thick glasses and an ink pen sat ready to write anything necessary. With a frown, Jericho clicked his tongue at their master. ¡°Lloyd is still out there somewhere. I can¡¯t focus knowing that. He¡¯s making a big ass mess.¡± Al Yara responded to him casually, refusing to take his gaze away from the map. ¡°Of course, I intend to hunt him and his little revolutionary group down, but they¡¯re targeting our god and its host. If they succeed, then we lose our chance. That¡¯s why I want to secure this information beforehand.¡± Thorin gave Jericho a bombastic side eye. ¡°Take it easy. You¡¯re worrying over nothing.¡± ¡°Yea, that¡¯s just like you, Thorin. You worry when it¡¯s too late,¡± he responded, shaking his head. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with then.¡± Everyone in the room watched Major with greed in their eyes. Al Yara started his interrogation. ¡°Where are the other great machina? Are they far?¡± Major closed its ethereal eye for a moment in contemplation. ¡°The first is the shattered remnants of Lovecraft. Although the machina was ripped to pieces in the war that ended The Westwinds, the victor collected those fragments and now closely guards them here in Monestate. Lovecraft is damned to unconsciousness by its damage, but it still possesses its complete power. Its current collector is unaware of that.¡± Thorin looked unsure. ¡°Who could even own such a thing here in Monestate?¡± Jericho¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were deaf. The Victor of the damn war. We know his name. King Andre.¡± ¡°That¡¯s awkward. We¡¯ve built our relations with him so highly. Maybe we can ask him for it.¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m not talking to the king. Choose anybody but me. I¡¯d rather die than go back.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a drama queen.¡± Al Yara cleared his throat. ¡°Quit your bickering, you two. It doesn¡¯t matter how buddy-buddy we¡¯ve gotten with the king. That hoarder would never give it up. We¡¯ll have to rip that great machina from his bony fingers.¡± Thorin picked his nose. He ate his own booger. Jericho gagged at the sight and rolled his eyes. ¡°No bigger messes than heists. On to the next great one, Major. Let¡¯s choose something easier.¡± ¡°Somewhere out in the Niben Desert in the war-torn recedes of Southern Zaibah¡ª,¡± Jericho interrupted Major with a dramatic sigh. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Nothing is more of a drag than tracking through Zaiban sand. Is The Eversea next up?¡± Al Yara slammed the table. ¡°If you don¡¯t shut your mouth, I¡¯ll be dragging my balls across your face.¡± The outburst chilled the room to bleak silence. Thorin broke it with giggling that turned into immature laughter. He couldn¡¯t read the room and the dread painting everyone else¡¯s faces. He sputtered out and soon apologized. Major picked back up. ¡°That machina amid sand is Bloodborne.¡± Jericho nodded. ¡°And what of the last great one?¡± Major grew apprehensive. ¡°The final great machina, Free Bird, is far beyond Ailmor¡¯s western shore. It¡¯s beyond The Eversea. Whether it¡¯s sunken is beyond me.¡± Al Yara and Jericho¡¯s mouths dropped, defeated, until the dagger eased them a little. ¡°But Free Bird was entrusted to an order of knights at the end of The Age of Gods to protect it from those like us no matter what. Perhaps they¡¯re based on a far colony or island.¡± Al Yara rubbed his eyes. ¡°Is your sense not certain?¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t perfect, but I know enough. Are you such a fool to doubt someone cursed to never lie?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± The Master Owl scratched his chin, enthused by the map. ¡°Nobody must find out about this. Not even the other sects of Rath Ghul. We¡¯ll lock down this sanctum and weed out any rebels before the word can spread¡­ if it¡¯s not already too late. I¡¯ll have Doctor Lloyd¡¯s head by nightfall. He can¡¯t be far.¡± Jericho stepped around the table, pointing to his own chest with his thumb. ¡°Count on me for the culling. I¡¯m an exterminator and far deadlier alone. You lot just watch our god¡¯s host.¡± Major squinted and muttered into Sasha¡¯s consciousness. These feeble humans¡­ It¡¯s a fool¡¯s errand to fight against fate. Soon, you¡¯ll all find each other lunging at the throats of enemies once brethren. Sasha mumbled, wide-eyed. ¡°Fate?¡± Convergence wrings out the most primal forms of greed from humans. When news leaves this labyrinth, Monestate will fall into frenzy by those who seek to have their wishes granted. Will this villain¡¯s order do better than the secretive royalty of The Westwinds? I doubt it. Pray Jericho succeeds in stopping the spread. ¡°Who would I even pray to? You?¡± Not in this form. She scratched her head. ¡°I¡¯m having trouble accepting that you¡¯re my brother.¡± Al Yara turned from the table to Sasha. She snapped from her thoughts to face him with an apprehensive look. ¡°You say something?¡± He asked. ¡°No. Nothing at all.¡± Thorin beckoned his leader¡¯s attention. ¡°Master Al Yara, what exactly would you wish for anyway if we succeeded?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you only if you promise not to laugh.¡± ¡°I gotcha. Tell away.¡± ¡°As old as I¡¯m getting, I know my time¡¯s about to be up soon. I¡¯ve been looking forward to it too. I¡¯m aware though that there¡¯s a special hell neck deep in some lava pit waiting for me. That sucks if you ask me. It¡¯s too bad. I want a peaceful afterlife, and I don¡¯t want my soul to rot in some machina¡¯s realm either. So,¡± He let a twisted grin show. ¡°I¡¯ll make a sinner¡¯s heaven. My very own retreat in Yellen. Paradise for those usually damned.¡± *** Abdul led Isaac and Elise through the underbrush of a forest outside Monestate¡¯s southern gate. He held an unfolded map like a lost tourist. ¡°Should be somewhere here soon. A trapdoor, right? But I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Ignazio lied to us.¡± Isaac rested his arms up behind his head casually. He yawned. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I didn¡¯t draw the treasure map.¡± ¡°Is this a tree or a rock formation? He¡¯s a horrible artist.¡± Dressed as owls, they navigated The Golden Wield which well-earned its name. Most of the tall, thick-barked trees tinted slightly gold along with their autumn hue leaves. The region was petrified to always look like the seasonal leafrot. Abdul perched on top of a piling mound of stones atop a hill and blocked the sun from his eyes. Elise tugged on his sleeve and then pointed out into the distance. ¡°What is it? Talk to me,¡± he asked. Unable to speak, she stared at him as if he were dull before delivering a soft martial arts chop to his forehead. ¡°Oh yea. Forgot. My bad. ¡° Isaac let out a sigh. ¡°A trapdoor. Under those bushes, between those rocks. See?¡± He pointed too. Abdul¡¯s eyebrows rose. The group departed and stumbled down the hill to give it a closer look. The three knelt side by side, looking down at the closed iron door in the ground, well-obscured from sight. Isaac grabbed at the handle without a thought and went to thrust it open, but Abdul clenched his wrist tight. Tight enough to make Isaac grunt. ¡°What¡¯s your deal?¡± He asked. Abdul looked between Elise and Isaac suspiciously. ¡°You don¡¯t hear that?¡± ¡°Hear what?¡± He hovered his head closer over the trapdoor, focusing. ¡°They¡¯re coming in a hurry. At least a few of em. They¡¯re close. Is someone hurt?¡± Abdul stumbled up to his feet, offering Elise his hand. ¡°Hide, quick.¡± Isaac nodded, confused, and followed them with a whisper. ¡°I can¡¯t hear a cricket, but fine. Whatever you say.¡± They scattered behind the larger of the nearest tree trunks and watched in silence. The trap door flung open, slamming against stone with a metallic ring. Abdul peaked out to see a trio emerge beat to near death. The leader had lost his mask and walked with a dragging limp. He helped two avian knights with bloodied, dented up armor out. They walked off leaning on one another¡¯s shoulders. Abdul readied Primus and nodded to the others with a glare. He planned to kill them. Isaac pondered a moment, shook his head, and then snuck in an elusive crouch over to Abdul¡¯s side. ¡°I think it might be messy down there. Mutiny? Give me a moment and I¡¯ll figure it out.¡± ¡°Fine. Be careful.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m an actor.¡± Isaac stood up, slapped himself in the cheek, cleared his throat, and then stumbled out into the open. He sprinted over to the injured owls only to trip and eat dirt. The unmasked owl, Arno, questioned him with a cold stare. ¡°Who are you? Who are you with?¡± Bending over his knees, Isaac struggled to catch his breath. Or did he? He spoke with a labored pant. ¡°It¡¯s me, Ignazio. And what¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯m with Rath Ghul, duh.¡± One of the avian knights, Alphonse, opened his visor. ¡°He went missing quite a while ago along with that high owl. Remember?¡± The other knight, Wilhelm, crossed his arms. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s in the dark about the situation then. Explain yourself, rookie.¡± ¡°Ricard is dead. We were ambushed by some hawk and I was imprisoned. This entire time, I¡¯ve been chained up in some cellar. But I finally escaped! I got away!¡± Arno shook his head, letting out a forlorn breath. ¡°This guild¡¯s done for. We¡¯re being ripped apart from every direction. First, it was the uprising of hawks. Now, madness within our own sanctum? Our own home?¡± Wilhelm groaned then responded. ¡°Don¡¯t give up though. Rath Ghul isn¡¯t dead. We¡¯ve just got to make it New Gareth¡¯s sect. We¡¯ll report Al Yara¡¯s delusions to Master Owl Leon. He¡¯ll put those foolish ambitions of Convergence to rest.¡± Hearing that cursed word, ¡°Convergence¡±, put butterflies in Isaac¡¯s stomach. Images of his now ashen home in The Westwinds painted his mind. Without fail in history, its reemergence beckoned the worst of fates. It ravaged lives and created hells like an indiscriminate force of nature. Isaac took a hesitant step back, breaking character. ¡°Why mention such a thing? What¡¯s happened? You¡­ don¡¯t mean?¡± Alphonse exchanged a suspicious look with Wilhelm before shrugging. ¡°We napped some hawk girl not long ago. Turns out she¡¯d contracted a great machina. Not only that. It¡¯s Major himself.¡± Isaac¡¯s mouth hung agape as the knight continued with a face riddled with confusion. ¡°When Al Yara found out, instead of killing her and breaking that dagger like any man with sense would, he locked himself away to obsess over bringing that god to Convergence. He¡¯s gone fucking mad and, somehow, our strongest have decided to back him instead of doing the right thing.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that this guild¡¯s been split in two over some girl? Was her name perhaps Sasha?¡± ¡°Exactly and, yea, maybe that was her name. Or maybe it was Sarah. I don¡¯t get how you¡¯d know that, but I don¡¯t care enough to ask at this point.¡± He looked at the trapdoor with furrowed brows and warned Isaac. ¡°Ignazio, you shouldn¡¯t go down there. Jericho will kill you on a whim even if you obey. He¡¯s insane too but in a different way hard to explain.¡± ¡°Jericho of all people insane? I never noticed.¡± ¡°You must be a dimwit then. He¡¯s got a big hard on for the number seven and only speaks seven syllables at a time. Hell, he probably has seven nuts and nipples too. That¡¯s not normal, right Wilhelm?¡± Wilhelm nodded with enthusiasm and added, ¡°Not at all. Normal humans only have two nuts and nipples.¡± Alphonse did a double take at his partner and then sighed. ¡°Anyway, forget about this place. You should come to New Gareth with us.¡± Isaac contemplated his request seriously for a moment, but then remembered that he wasn¡¯t Ignazio or an owl. He shook his head. ¡°Sorry, but I want to see what¡¯s going on with my own eyes. Thanks for the warning though.¡± ¡°Well, it was good knowing you. Might as well kill yourself then. Good luck.¡± Alphonse gave an unenthused wave to Isaac before motioning for the other two to follow him. As they slowly went on their way, Isaac looked back to where his partners hid in the trees. He saw Abdul unmasked. The man stood beside the trunk without a care for whether he was spotted. Then he saw Abdul¡¯s haunted, frigid expression. Isaac never saw such a thousand-yard stare even in the war that destroyed his motherland. Abdul approached, locked onto the centered owl, Arno. He ignored Isaac¡¯s existence until he got in the way. Isaac stopped his pursuit with a firm grip on the shoulder and harsh whisper. ¡°What are you doing? Ever heard that saying? The enemy of your enemy is your friend?¡± Abdul stared down Isaac as if he were a bug. ¡°Did you not hear what that one said?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Under his breath just now. ¡®I knew that girl Sasha would be trouble the night I was ordered to kidnap her.¡¯ I heard him. I really did.¡± His expression twisted further to show painful anguish. ¡°Do you know what that means?¡± Isaac audibly swallowed. In that moment, he understood everything. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± ¡°He did it. That man killed my brother. The wine cabinet. The fucking wine cabinet. Randle¡¯s wine cabinet. The wine cabinet.¡± Isaac let go of his shoulder and looked off into the distance. ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t stop you then.¡± As Abdul stalked the escaped owls, Isaac left him and returned to Elise¡¯s side behind the trees. She looked worried, but Isaac couldn¡¯t tell if for her ally or foe. Isaac rested his back up against the bark and slid down to his butt. Elise continued to watch Abdul¡¯s back. She watched him break out into a wild sprint alerting the owls. He spewed devouring fire in a maddened rage of hacking and slashing. Who screamed louder? The killer or killed? In that moment, who was more damned? Horror spread across Elise¡¯s face. She snapped her focus away from it all to Isaac who closed his eyes tight, plugging his ears. He mumbled something. Something too quiet for her to hear. Chapter 21 - The Burning Man Abdul, Isaac, and Elise descended a rickety steel ladder one after another. After the earlier massacre, the group hushed and the air chilled. They touched soil four stories down to a cold, narrow rocky cavern held up by wooden braces common in mines. Other than the embers of a dead torch, nothing provided light. Navigating through proved easier to Abdul than his partners. They reached a more treacherous, steep descent. He turned to Isaac and coldly asked. ¡°Aren¡¯t we idiots? Could¡¯ve brought a lantern or something. Shadows are your thing, right? Mind diving in to scout what¡¯s ahead?¡± Isaac looked down at the shadow dagger of Dio sheathed on the right side of the hip. ¡°Well, yea, but it¡¯s not as easy as you make it out to be though.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t see when I¡¯m submerged. It¡¯s like swimming in pitch black water. The narrower shadows of people and small objects are easy because I can use the edges as guidelines.¡± He leaned up against a wall insecurely, squinting his eyes struggling to adjust. ¡°If I tried it here, who the hell knows where I¡¯d end up? Falling from the ceiling? Off some cliff?¡± You get me?¡± Abdul nodded, unenthused. ¡°I see. I overestimated your power.¡± Isaac got struck bitter by his reaction. ¡°I am powerful. I¡¯m the strongest one here. The brawn. You¡¯ll have to settle for being the brains.¡± ¡°Yea, yea.¡± They inched down the steep rock gradually. That was until Abdul stopped and looked unsteady. ¡°Wearing boots to this was a mistake. Oh¡ª.¡± He slipped on a slimy stone on his next step and tumbled into abyssal darkness. Isaac and Elise let out gasps, cringing to each of a dozen little metallic clinks and slams ringing out on his way down. Isaac called out to him. ¡°You okay, Abdul?¡± Elise let out a low surprised grunt too. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Armor¡¯s all beat up. Be careful on your way down.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Isaac shot back only to dramatically slip on the same stone. He let out a panicked yelp, leaving Elise up there to climb down alone. No deathly impact ever sounded out though. Moments later, he shouted unnerved. ¡°I¡¯m good! The shadows caught me.¡± ¡°Huh? Impressive,¡± Abdul responded low. An epiphany hit him. It caused him to dryly chuckle. ¡°I forgot.¡± ¡°Forgot what?¡± Abdul took off a gauntlet and snapped his fingers. Sparks scattered. A radiant little flame danced on his thumb, breaking the darkness. Isaac stared at him deadpan, his hands on his hips. ¡°Guess none of us are the brains then.¡± Elise found a well-hidden ladder and made her way down quick. Isaac questioned her. ¡°Has he told you that he was a battle surgeon? Because he¡¯s told me three times now¡± Elise slipped her mask up and let a reluctant grin show. She patted Isaac¡¯s shoulder and stole his tongue. As he blabbered with panicked eyes, she spoke. ¡°He has. Many times.¡± Abdul avoided her smug look. ¡°Well, if we¡¯re a team, then we should know each other¡¯s capabilities, right? Right?¡± ¡°Sure¡­¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Isaac tapped on her shoulder impatiently for his tongue back, but she ignored him and looked Abdul right in the eyes pensively. ¡°Do you feel better now? After what you did back there? That wasn¡¯t necessary. They weren¡¯t our enemy. Our true enemy is ahead.¡± Abdul thought it over with a stiff posture, his gaze falling to focus on his own toes. ¡°I don¡¯t. Not in the slightest.¡± ¡°Remember that.¡± Elise flicked Isaac in the forehead. Finding himself able to speak again, he scolded her. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta ask me before you do that.¡± She gave him an unexpected apology kiss on the cheek. Isaac sighed and moved on from it. ¡°I can¡¯t stay mad at you.¡± Abdul led them onwards with his thumb flame. They crept through the tunnels for what seemed like an hour at their slow, cautious speed. A dim and distant door-shaped light came into view straight ahead. Abdul stepped over the corpse of an owl who¡¯d failed to escape with the others. The man¡¯s chest displayed the seven deep puncture wounds of a thrusting sword. ¡°They really are at each other¡¯s throats. Less work for me,¡± he muttered. Isaac took a deep breath and talked as they neared Rath Ghul¡¯s sanctum. ¡°Sasha¡¯s somewhere in there. The two split sides of the guild are fighting over her. We¡¯ve got to be quick. We¡¯ve got to save her, but Convergence? Her?¡± Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Abdul stopped there in the tunnel near the entrance. He looked down at his hands which trembled. Turbulent fire ran under his skin as much as it did through his soul. Would anything ever calm the burning? Brother¡­ why am I truly down here? To save the girl for Randle? To massacre owls? Whatever the true answer may be, I¡¯ve got a feeling that it¡¯s all going to end here. Isaac questioned him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, friend?¡± ¡°Nothing. Let¡¯s go.¡± Abdul strutted out into the light of the sanctum¡¯s dimmed stone halls. The three stood watching each other¡¯s backs, readied for violence. Blood spattered across the floors and walls with rare dashes even reaching the ceiling. A few corpses sprawled out within sight, some missing appendages or dragging entrails. Abdul knelt next to one of these victims propped up against the wall to observe. ¡°More of these puncture wounds. An estoc?¡± The corpse¡¯s hand grabbed his wrist, startling him. ¡°Run. Go. New Gareth must know,¡± his gurgling voice uttered. ¡°Run from what?¡± ¡°Jericho the Wyrm.¡± Abdul jolted free from the dead man¡¯s cold grip. He turned to Isaac and Elise ¡°That name rings a bell. Jericho the Wyrm?¡± Isaac took a step back, raising his hands to halt him. ¡°You fought in the wars of The Westwinds, right? Which side were you on? You really haven¡¯t heard that name?¡± ¡°Yes, but I chose no sides. My brother and I were mercenaries that fought for the highest payer. We were battlefield surgeons¡ª. Ah, never mind.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t judge you as an enemy now of all times, but I was born in The Westwinds. I defended my motherland from its invaders. The Wyrm was King Andre¡¯s monster. He turned the tides of battles and took castles by himself. Nobody could ever kill him. That was until he vanished. But if he¡¯s here, then fuck. Jericho is The Wyrm?¡± Abdul unsheathed Primus who begrudgingly creaked its eye open to consciousness. ¡°Do you know that name, sword? The Wyrm. He¡¯s here.¡± ¡°Yes, I have. Another enemy fabled or not. So, what?¡± ¡°Nothing. Just wanted to test your metal.¡± Abdul retrieved Ignazio¡¯s map from his satchel and pondered over it. ¡°We should be on the third level. If I remember correctly, Sasha should be on the second level where the residential quarters and dungeons are.¡± Isaac bounced off him. ¡°Then stairs it is.¡± They swept through the halls, peering into each room only to find nothing. No enemies. No rebels. No Jericho. Isaac wandered into an outbranching storage room with his daggers drawn as Abdul and Elise scanned the surroundings. A struggle sounded out from within the room, so they burst in. Isaac knelt next to a freshly slain owlet with dark blood staining his hands. The boy shivered and gurgled as his killer held him in his arms. ¡°Shit, shit, shit,¡± Isaac mumbled. ¡°He attacked me. Didn¡¯t see him. I didn¡¯t see that he was just a kid.¡± He gazed blankly at Elise¡¯s pained face, and then Abdul who lacked a reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me. Leave me be for just a moment.¡± He asked. They nodded and left him to his solace in the room. Leaning up against the wall next to Elise, Abdul shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this. He was a soldier, wasn¡¯t he? Getting all worked up over some kid he didn¡¯t even know¡­¡± She returned a frown. Abdul didn¡¯t know if she heard Isaac¡¯s sobbing, but he did. It reminded him of himself. It reminded him of that wine cabinet and his nails that bent and broke scraping against the wooden floors. A soreness built up at the back of his throat. How can he weep like he¡¯s lost a piece of himself? Isaac emerged with a dead demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They followed Abdul and his map until he stopped and jolted his head to the right. ¡°Do you hear that?¡± ¡°This again? You must have good ears.¡± Abdul doubted his own senses. What is that? Slamming? Repeatedly. Over and over. It won¡¯t stop. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. After we take this turn, we¡¯ll find a staircase to the second level.¡± After taking the turn, the group stopped and stared off. Over next to the staircase, a dark figure vice gripped The Doctor by the skull and split open crow¡¯s mask, smashing and smearing him into the wall. Repeatedly. Over and over. It didn¡¯t stop. The blood wetted thuds became clear. Despite the stranger¡¯s presence though, Abdul moved onwards and motioned his partners to follow. He whispered to them. ¡°We¡¯ll slip by unnoticed.¡± The murderer¡¯s growly voice echoed throughout the halls. ¡°What a mother fucking drag. Who is loyal anymore? Why is everyone a rat? I thought we were owls, damn it. This isn¡¯t on-brand at all. Decades of work down the drain.¡± The moment Abdul made it to the steps, Elise and Isaac right behind him, Jericho¡¯s head snapped up at them. He glared. ¡°How about you three tell me the flavor of your spirits?¡± He sized up the group and shook his head. ¡°No, no, I already know. You all aren¡¯t owls or rats. You¡¯re actually hawks, right? Those disguises are foolish.¡± Jericho let the corpse loose and approached with his estoc in hand. Stepping into the light, Abdul noticed the cuts and stabbings flaying the skin across his body. Instead of flesh and blood, they exposed dark metal underneath the skin. Metal that breathed. Sparks of red lightning coursed and pulsed from these wounds. Before the group¡¯s eyes, his injuries mended themselves, leaving behind wicked scars. Countless ancient scars decorated wherever Jericho¡¯s skin was revealed. Everywhere except his face featuring that nose bent to the left. Abdul unsheathed Primus with a SHING and stood his ground in a combat base. He ordered Elise. ¡°You two go on without me. Save the girl. He¡¯s strong. I want to fight him.¡± She looked back at him frozen. Isaac stepped forward. ¡°No, we¡¯ll gang up on him. We¡¯d win for sure that way.¡± Abul stiffened up. ¡°Isaac, why are you here?¡± ¡°To rescue my student.¡± ¡°Will you be able to do that if we all end up slaughtered by some legend?¡± Jericho took that as a compliment. He scoffed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you buttering me up.¡± Isaac questioned Abdul. ¡°But what about you?¡± Abdul shoved him back toward the staircase and raised his voice. ¡°Who the hell cares about what happens to me? Go! Please!¡± Isaac¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°But¡ª¡± He shook his head, motioning to Elise to follow. ¡°Fine then. We¡¯ll be back for you. With Sasha.¡± Elise hesitated, darting her head between the two of her partners, and then nodded. They rushed down the stairs. Abdul showed off Primus, speaking deadpan to Jericho. ¡°I am Abdul, brother of Xavier.¡± Flames sparked ablaze across his skin, igniting an aura of heat radiating from within the armor. He shone with the spectacle of a human lantern as his owl¡¯s mask melted. Chapter 22 - Homunculus Jericho didn¡¯t budge an inch. ¡°A machina of fire? I prefer cold showers though. I can¡¯t go easy on you.¡± He swapped the estoc into his offhand and looked up at the ceiling. Opening his mouth wide and gagging, Jericho reached down into his own throat. He dragged out a longsword machina forged from onyx. Squinting with a red dragon¡¯s eye, it rattled with enigmatic energy. ¡°Behold your death, Black Hole Sun.¡± Abdul furrowed his brow. ¡°Strike this fool down, Primus.¡± Primus shouted back. ¡°Affirmative!¡± The claymore¡¯s voice filled with excitement. A tinge of shaking nervousness showed too. Abdul burst forward with a diagonal swing descending toward Jericho¡¯s throat. ¡°Falling star,¡± he evoked. Jericho braced for impact, guarding with his dual blades. The two clashed machina endlessly, each letting battle roars loose. Dust kicked up as the force traveled from blade to legs to ground. Cracks splintered and crept away from the stone underneath. Only a step apart, Abdul and Jericho shifted their angles and footwork, both deflecting dozens of vertical and horizontal swings birthing sparks. Abdul slipped his head to the right, whizzing by the agony of a downward strike that cleaved the ground, and grabbed Jericho¡¯s face. Explosive combustion blasted from his palm to propel the foe tumbling meters off. Abdul rushed forward to grab the ankle of The Doctor. Chanting, ¡°Feather¡±, he slung up the weightless corpse with ease and added, ¡°Elephant¡±. It slammed down to pin Jericho who struggled to move, wheezing for air. The cracks below branched out further. Red electricity festered on Jericho¡¯s face as his flesh healed quicker than its boiling devastation. Abdul stomped forth and stood over him. He took a deep breath and roared raging blaze all over Jericho¡¯s uncovered torso. The heat rivaled the lava-filled lower levels of Yellen. Enduring groans intensified to bloodcurdling screams as Jericho¡¯s skin and metallic muscle melted away to reveal a charred black skeleton. He fell limp. Abdul leaned over, exhausted, and caught his breath. ¡°Regenerate from that,¡± he beckoned, walking away. Not even five steps later, a low chattering caught his attention. Abdul snapped toward the skeleton. Its teeth clattered together. Swarming crimson lightning writhed across the corpse. Jericho¡¯s bones swelled from their shriveled charcoal-like state and his muscles of devil¡¯s metal sprouted, stringing, webbing, and draping together. That clacking of his jaws was laughter. He laughed like a manic madman. ¡°What a drag! Never in my entire existence have I been brought so close to death! The boy, Ley, was the last to leave a scratch on me! I left his mark to remind me that I was alive! But this?! This?!¡± Jericho shoved the weighed corpse from his hips and stood, overwhelmed by eerie twitching. He swung that onyx machina into thin air without a target. Abdul watched an abyssal lingering line trace the weapon¡¯s path in open space. Everything existing within its territory vanished. Or was it consumed? He blinked and found Jericho inches from his face, thrusting the machina forward. Unable to fully react other than a startled step back, Abdul felt the black blade slice the left side of his neck. A void appeared there, leaving a hole and fountain of hot blood to spew everywhere like a geyser. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. For the first time in memory, the fear of death rattled him. In a panic, he planted his feet and spewed volatile flames to hold off Jericho. Tightly applying pressure to his throat, he turned and bolted off to hide behind a wall. Abdul¡¯s heart beat out his chest as echoing thoughts devoured his mind. I¡¯m gonna die! I¡¯m gonna die! I¡¯m gonna die! This primal fear now of all times confused him. In the past, he¡¯d always daydreamed about being murdered or shot on the battlefield. What way outside of war did he know, after all? And what destiny did warriors have other than death? After Xavier¡¯s death, this idea became the only future he could imagine. It became his fate. Any dreams of a life beyond war shrived up with his brother. Did he truly not want to die? His doom never came. He peeked back at Jericho who paid the flames eating his body no attention now. That freak healed faster than Abdul could hurt him. Abdul let go of the wound. He looked down at his fingers to see no blood or wound. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± He mumbled. ¡°That was fatal.¡± Primus seemed unsure. ¡°Don¡¯t ask me. I¡¯m as confused as you are right now. Just don¡¯t let that blade cleanly cleave you again.¡± ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not out of the fight yet. I¡¯ve got no idea what his machina does though. Let¡¯s tackle this from another angle.¡± ¡°A trap?¡± ¡°We can try.¡± Jericho turned the corner to face him as he continued to turn tail. ¡°Why are you running, damn hawk? Was your stoicism fake?¡± Abdul turned into a spacious dining chamber riddled with corpses, broken furniture, and debris. He scavenged around in a hurry as Jericho continued to shout out to him. ¡°You¡¯ve got me real perplexed now! That was a killing wound, right? And that machina of yours¡­ that¡¯s not the source of your flames. It¡¯s ki manipulation! You¡¯re just full surprises.¡± Jericho entered the room to corner Abdul who stood braced against the far side wall. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m mistaken¡­ your heightened soul and talent. I know because I¡¯m the same. A perfect homunculus. Damned manmade god in the flesh. Where did you come from, brethren? Tell me, which facility?¡± Hundreds of questions ran though Abdul¡¯s head, but he shook them away to focus on the current task. He glanced down at his feet where the omnipresent fissures reached. The two of them fighting for only a few minutes shook the first level to the verge of caving into the next. We¡¯re really tearing up this place. I need to be careful. They better not be under us right now. Isaac. Elise. Sasha. ¡°Anchors and anvils,¡± he spoke. Jericho only had enough time to catch a bewildered glance of his demise. A great mass of dead owls, wooden tables and chairs in disrepair, bloodstained swords and daggers, and even a loaf of bread floated above him. ¡°What in¡ª,¡± They crashed. Abdul watched them snap downward faster than expected, flattening the man. The floor crumbled and gave with a scattering cloud of grainy dust, devouring Jericho. A sinkhole tunneled deep. Abdul rushed forth and peered into the chasm to find three levels of collapse and a pile of undecipherable rubble many stories below. That massive heap dragged Jericho to the lowest, darkest pits of the sanctum. Both Primus and Abdul let out a long exhale, uttering ¡°Good grief.¡± The claymore machina looked up at his wielder. ¡°We work well together, human. Or should I say homunculus?¡± Abdul looked hesitant. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have had a chance without you.¡± His eyes sharpened and quivered. ¡°But him and I are the same? That¡¯s what I am? Disgusting.¡± What was this horrible sickness he felt? The crimson images sending his mind through cycles of remembrance, denial, and frenzy? Homunculus? Facility? Manmade machina? The Apparatus? The Red Room? The hooks? The slop? The swines? The screams? The scents? The scars? The men in white? Abdul paled as he rested his fingertips on his chest, with breath and heartbeat sprinting. What was this distance and numbing fog? Who looked through these eyes? These memories aren¡¯t mine. They can¡¯t be. That didn¡¯t happen to me. Primus grew worried. ¡°Are you okay? Need a hug? I don¡¯t have arms, but we can figure something out.¡± Abdul¡¯s face fell blank, and his mouth hung listlessly open. Now completely calm, it was as if a switch flipped in his head. ¡°What¡¯re you on about?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re sad, right? Don¡¯t those kinds of things help?¡± ¡°Sad? What I feel is¡­¡± He stared off at an unremarkable wall, voice monotone and fatigued. ¡°What were we talking about again? I spaced out for a minute there. My head hurts.¡± Focusing down to the bottom of Jericho¡¯s grave, he remembered something and got wide-eyed. ¡°I hope the others are well.¡± ¡°We should catch up,¡± Primus replied low, unable to read his wielder¡¯s mood whatsoever. Chapter 23 - Within Reach Isaac and Elise treaded along the dark second level as quietly as possible. An overhead rumble boomed, sending chunks of rock and dirt to fall from the ceiling. They looked back in apprehension. ¡°The hell is going on up there?¡± He asked before gazing around at the dead silent sanctum littered with corpses. Several avian knights laid twisted and defeated on the dusty stone, some petrified while grabbing their throats or ripping off their helmets. ¡°But more importantly, where the hell is everybody?¡± Elise looked just as confused. She focused on staying keen and quiet as she watched Isaac¡¯s back. Then she let out an intrigued, ¡°Hmm?¡± and pointed toward a straggler. They approached an avian knight leaning up against a wall. He sat with his helmet and cuirass thrown aside, clenching his neck and wheezing as if struggling for air. Glaring up at Isaac, the man lacked fight. It¡¯d already been wrung out from him. Isaac waved his hand in the air, curling his nose. ¡°Smells like the remnants of some toxin. Was this that doctor¡¯s work?¡± That downed knight, face blank as a corpse, nodded rigidly. ¡°Well, he¡¯s dead now. Jericho got him. We won. Now where is Al Yara? We¡¯re reporting back to him.¡± The avian knight struggled to utter anything in response. Instead, he looked off to the right down the halls with a slight twist to his head. Isaac gave the man a pat on the shoulder. ¡°Live long.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Isaac led Elise in their new direction with a pep in his step. ¡°Al Yara should be close. He¡¯ll have guards too. We have to hurry.¡± He let out a pumped-up growl and ripped his mask off, chunking it onto the ground. A multicolored bandana held his hair from blocking his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of being all sneaky. It doesn¡¯t fit me.¡± Elise tossed her mask into the dirt too. Flexing her fingers, she gazed down at the metal cestus machina, Ween, that rested on her right fist. Distant speaking alerted their ears from voices intensifying with every step. Isaac¡¯s pace increased so much that Elise began to struggle to keep up on her bad leg. They shot straight down a widening hall approaching vast double doors lit by nearby torches. Isaac placed his palms on the heavy slabs to push but hesitated with a long exhale. His brow furrowed in uncertainty until Elise grabbed his shoulder. She slowly nodded at him with eyes as intense as they were confident. With gritted teeth, he shoved open the entrance to Al Yara¡¯s master suite. Many people, avian knights and owls alike, gathered around the master¡¯s dining room table. Al Yara faced Isaac and Elise with coldblooded animosity. ¡°Who would¡¯ve predicted a third party now of all times? Did you hawks premeditate taking advantage of our conflict, or was it pure chance?¡± He shook his head, sighing. ¡°Never mind answering. It doesn¡¯t matter anyway. You are few and we are many, I hope.¡± Even as the man known to be a master, Al Yara didn¡¯t come off as a fighter. He lacked a machina or fiery spirit, instead hiding behind his guards with his arms crossed. Thorin stepped forward, unsheathing his blade. Its orange cat¡¯s eye opened, glaring at the intruders. Two avian knights armored to nigh juggernauts advanced up alongside him with halberds. ¡°Can¡¯t be coincidence. Ever since we took the girl, our men have been vanishing on the streets in waves. You¡¯re here for her, aren¡¯t you?¡± Thorin looked from the hawks over to the end of the dining table where Sasha sat, her hands bound tightly in rope. Isaac followed his gaze to lock eyes with her. She called out to him, panicked, as if he were a mirage in a desert. ¡°Teacher?!¡± Isaac felt an unhinged burst of energy from hearing her voice again. He ripped out the daggers of Dio, gripping them reverse. ¡°Sasha?! We¡¯re here for you!¡± He yelled. Sasha¡¯s face twisted up at the recognition of his voice. Tears broke without warning, but she couldn¡¯t compose herself enough to speak. Al Yara clicked his tongue and glared at her. ¡°You¡¯ve turned out to be nothing but trouble, but this isn¡¯t over. Just be glad that you won¡¯t have to watch your friends die.¡± He commanded Thorin who stood his ground against Isaac and Elise. ¡°You take care of them. I¡¯ll get out of here with God and the map. We can¡¯t lose them and the rite of Convergence no matter what.¡± Thorin tensed up. ¡°Guess I don¡¯t mind the workout. Not like I¡¯ll die anyway. Go ahead, Master Al Yara.¡± Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. Isaac clenched his dual daggers. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a monster too?¡± ¡°Me? A monster? No. I¡¯m the main character of this story. Why would I ever get killed off by villains of the week like you two? That wouldn¡¯t make sense in terms of writing quality.¡± Elise looked at Thorin like he was a dumbass. So did Isaac. He mumbled. ¡°This guild¡¯s just full of madmen and goblin dust addicts.¡± Thorin mocked them. ¡°I don¡¯t think a peasant would get philosophy, but I can educate you. I¡¯ve never lost, I¡¯ve never had bad luck, and I¡¯ve never died. Everything¡¯s always went my way. You exist for me to defeat you. I won¡¯t repeat myself again; I am the main character. All of you revolve around me! The world does too!¡± ¡°I¡¯m the last one you should call a peasant,¡± Isaac responded. Al Yara scoffed at Thorin¡¯s delusions. He motioned for the rest of his guard to scoop up Sasha and disappear into his master bedroom along with him. Isaac took a step toward her as owls hauled her off, but Thorin and his knights stood in the way. ¡°Sasha, sit tight! We¡¯re coming!¡± He called out as she faded away, struggling like her life depended on it. Isaac got into his combat stance and studied the dining room¡¯s lighting. Oil lamps and lanterns warmly lit up the room. The shadows of chairs outstretched across the floor, casting overlapping shades over the avian knights. Right now, no shadows directly contacted Thorin though. He spoke to Elise in a low voice. ¡°You do your thing, I¡¯ll do mine.¡± She nodded in response. Thorin struck his saber machina into the air. ¡°Termination: Sleepwalk.¡± The blade segmented and extended into an alloy serpent of a razored whip. It slithered and twisted with sentience, rearing its head back before jolting forward to strike. Isaac crossed his daggers, guarding against the wormlike blade creating sparks on contact. It curved around midair and cut across his back as an avian knight charged forth with the downward swinging halberd. Isaac growled, vanishing from thin air. The weapon bounced off the ground with a clang as he crept up from liquid shadow. The knight jolted around in confusion before shrieking, falling onto his butt. Isaac hacked away one of the few weak points in the amor: the Achilles heel. With a loud grunt, he struck away another ambush from Thorin¡¯s machina. That serpent blade danced and turned in the air as if it didn¡¯t abide by gravity. It lunged toward Isaac¡¯s throat only to snap ninety degrees and chase Elise. He warned her. ¡°Watch out!¡± Elise dodged both the second avian knight and Thorin¡¯s attacks at the same time. Nothing could stop the serpent¡¯s pursuit though. With a twirl overhead, it dragged across her neck, cutting her chest and shirt open. Her face froze as a splash of blood spattered from the crescent moon-shaped wound. She groaned as the avian knight came back with an enraged horizontal swing meant to behead. Elise ducked as low as possible, grazing past her death¡¯s trajectory, and unleashed a staggering right overhand punch with Ween into the knight¡¯s chest. The blow knocked him back, but not by that much. If anything, it just annoyed him. Harming him with that punch wasn¡¯t her goal though. The avian knight tried to insult her, but found the words stuck in his mouth. His halberd fell to the ground. He observed where his left hand used to be in shock. Elise got loose and light on her feet as blood spurted from the new gash on his neck. ¡°This is more like it,¡± she exclaimed, healed to perfect condition, and sent a wild haymaker into the knight¡¯s chin. It laid him out. A pool of dark scarlet blood formed underneath him from the lacerations meant for her. Elise switched Ween off to her offhand, unsheathing a steel saber from her back to use with her power hand. She faced Thorin who beckoned his serpent to chase Isaac around the room. She called out to her partner who ran for his life, rolling over the dining table. ¡°It¡¯s only him now. You distract that snake. It can¡¯t chase both of us at once.¡± Grazing shallow cuts covered Isaac¡¯s back and arms. ¡°Good idea. Great to hear your voice again too. Music to my ears.¡± ¡°Now¡¯s not the time, you flirt.¡± Thorin raised his eyebrows as Elise sprinted toward him with staggering speed. His serpent machina outstretched far dealing with Isaac. Even so, he lacked anxiety. A mere moment before her attack, he commanded the serpent with a smug look. ¡°Punishment.¡± His machina petrified midair, inches from Isaac¡¯s forehead, and exploded into innumerable sharp shards of steel. They shot toward both Elise and Isaac. One moment, the two were fine. The next, they writhed in agony on the ground. Elise dragged herself away from Thorin, checking on her right forearm and thigh riddled with deep slashes and punctures. She oozed blood. What were those fragments embedded into her skin? Isaac yelled out across the room. It was a cry as painful as it was existential. ¡°I can¡¯t see! He got my eye.¡± Thorin held up his bladeless machina. It was nothing but the hilt and guard. ¡°Termination: Butterfly Effect.¡± To the horrible pain and screams of Elise and Isaac, the shards of the serpent dug into their flesh ripped out, returning to Thorin. They reformed the original machina now bathed in blood. The villain questioned them. ¡°Why don¡¯t you two give up? Or would you like to meet the serpant¡¯s other forms? There are many.¡± Isaac stumbled up to his feet. He wiped the blood from his eye only to shiver once his vision failed to restore. After pulling his bandana down over the wound, he tightened it to provide pressure. ¡°Elise, stand down and surrender if you value your life. You¡¯ve no need to die for a stranger. I¡¯m not so smart though. Long ago, I promised myself I¡¯d never fail to protect someone again. I intend to go through with this to the end.¡± Elise got to her feet with a low growl, using a nearby dining chair. ¡°I may not know Sasha, but she¡¯s no stranger to me. I know what she¡¯s been through as a woman, and I know how important she is to all of you. I¡¯m here because I am not a bystander.¡± ¡°Looks like we¡¯re a full team of dumbasses then. Stalling for Abdul may be a good bet, but I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll be him or Jericho that walks through those doors.¡± ¡°We can win. I¡¯m sure of it. Stay strong, Isaac,¡± Elise demanded. She clenched Ween. ¡°How can you be so confident?¡± ¡°I have an idea involving Voodoo Lady, but it¡¯s experimental.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡± Thorin sighed, readying Termination. ¡°Sleepwalk.¡± He swung it through the air. With morbid crackling akin to dislocating bones, the blade unraveled. Chapter 24 - A Tale of Hawks and Owls As Isaac sent wild swings into the air to fend off Termination, Elise caught her breath and studied the situation. Her unhinged glare fell upon the dead avian knight she¡¯d fatally switched with. ¡°Found an organ donor. I¡¯ll heal you next, partner,¡± she mumbled at her knees next to the corpse. She slammed Ween into his chest with a metallic ring. Her mortal injuries vanished. She watched Isaac fight for his life. Thorin looked more annoyed by their interference than anything else. He ignored her other than little glances. Did he know her ability had short range? Did he judge Isaac to be the greater threat? Her partner rubbed his single eye against his reddened sleeve to clear the blood from view. If nothing changed quick, it¡¯d all be over. The ruckus of the whole encounter busted the chandelier overhanging the dining room table. Its lights toppled and extinguished against the cold ground. The level of light, already low, shrunk even further. Elise¡¯s mouth dropped as she stared at the few lanterns and candlelight sources dotting the room. Isaac needed more shadows to work with. All-consuming darkness. Isaac called out to her from across the room. ¡°If I could use my other dagger, he¡¯d be dead in no time.¡± ¡°Then use it!¡± ¡°Not here. Too dangerous.¡± Even pushed to the edge, he didn¡¯t dare. ¡°You always talk about using it, but you never do. Does it even do anything!¡± ¡°I swear!¡± Elise picked up and slung the dead avian knight¡¯s halberd across the room. It struck and shattered a lantern which toppled over. Her plan seemed foolproof; to create more shadows to benefit Holy Diver. What she didn¡¯t predict though was that it would spark an oil fire. The flames burst and crawled outwards from the exploded lantern, catching Isaac¡¯s cloak on fire. As Thorin laughed maniacally, Elise¡¯s partner caught aflame danced to avoid the heat while still evading Termination. Isaac called to her. ¡°Why, Elise? Why?!¡± Her cheeks blushed rose in embarrassment. ¡°Sorry. I thought it¡¯d help.¡± Desperate to assist somehow, she took to chunking random objects at Thorin. First a helmet. It slammed him in the side of the head. He glared at her, surprised. ¡°Oh shit.¡± Then she sent the chair, which snapped in half over his shoulder. He yelled at her. ¡°You stop that right now!¡± Then came a plate, and then another chair, and then a hatchet which clipped Thorin¡¯s ear. Termination shifted mid-air and chased after her. The instance Thorin¡¯s radiating hatred focused on Elise, Isaac vanished from sight. He reemerged in the owl¡¯s shadow with a flurry of slashes aimed at the back. Thorin¡¯s yelped in agony. ¡°Punishment!¡± He growled as the daggers of Dio carved chunks from him. The serpent machina curved away from Elise and exploded. Steel shrapnel shards shot toward Isaac. He vanished again. The projectiles missed completely. Thorin stumbled back, searching around for Isaac. His stab wounds spewed blood through his clothes. Unless he could¡¯ve pulled a miracle from his ass, he¡¯d bleed out in a minute. With a meek voice, he doubted his status as protagonist for the first time in his life. ¡°Me? lose? How?!¡± Desperate, he stared down the door to Al Yara¡¯s bedroom, and scurried towards escape only to be blocked by Elise. She crumbled him with a front kick to the body that slammed all the air from his lungs. Looking up at her, Thorin begged. ¡°Please don¡¯t kill me. I give up. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°You¡¯re like an entirely different person now. You¡¯re weak.¡± Isaac lurked up from Thorin¡¯s shadow and joined Elise¡¯s side. The villain¡¯s dread doubled as his consciousness flickered. He curled up in a terrified ball. Isaac contemplated putting him out of his misery but relented. ¡°I¡¯d finish the job, but his wounds are mortal anyway. May as well let him feel fear until the end.¡± Elise put her palm against Isaac¡¯s cheek, forcing him to look into her eyes. He raised his eyebrows, covering her hand with his own. ¡°You really in the mood right now of all times? Maybe after we save Sasha?¡± ¡°Of course not. Let me see that gash.¡± ¡°Whoops. My bad. Got my hopes up.¡± Elise shook her head, disappointed. She ordered him. ¡°Kneel next to him.¡± Isaac plopped down next to the owl with a groan. Thorin drifted asleep, blood like red wine pooling under him. Elise rested one hand on each of the men¡¯s chests. The next moment, Thorin¡¯s body fell limp and silent. Isaac stared fascinated by Elise with a new hazel eye that contrasted his other¡¯s natural blue. ¡°You¡¯re amazing.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t thank me. Thank Ween.¡± They shared prolonged eye contact before Elise shied away. Termination fell into a closed-off slumber in its contractor¡¯s hand. A metallic dragging emanated from the halls they came from. Isaac¡¯s stomach dropped as he half-expected Jericho to show up. The doors creaked open. Abdul stood there, armor melted and malformed yet flesh unharmed. He pointed at Termination laying on the ground. ¡°Hey, you gonna eat that?¡± *** Sasha struggled and strained with all her might as avian knights dragged her tailing behind Al Yara. A burst of adrenaline and energy flowed through her veins. It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t experienced before. Determination? Was she moved? This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it She hadn¡¯t been forgotten. The new hawks were there for her. Her hopes once embers rose like a depraved fire fed oxygen. Al Yara had opened a secret passageway behind a bookshelf in his master bedroom. That¡¯s where they escaped. Where were they headed? The surface where horses waited. An owl next to their leader in the front held a torch to help find their way through the darkness. That was until he slipped and ate rock. He clacked his head and went out. Al Yara stopped the group and stumbled to recover the torch, staring at the ground with pent up frustration. ¡°What are those? Pebbles?¡± He picked one up. Low and behold, a glass marble. Once of probably thousands spilled everywhere. Moments later, the avian knight next to him slipped and ate shit too, though he stood right back up. A voice echoed from afar into the darkness. One filled with cocky bravado. ¡°I see you¡¯ve noticed what you¡¯ve stepped right into. Welcome to my playground, Al Yara!¡± ¡°Who are you, you bastard?¡± A laugh shot back. ¡°I¡¯m the one you least expected.¡± The knight next to him pointed at the voice, his dented helmet now taken off to reveal a bleeding brow. ¡°I know that voice. Rookie owl Ignazio!¡± ¡®Bingo!¡± Ignazio shouted back. Al Yara sighed and yelled. ¡°Damned traitor! I¡¯ll deglove you for this!¡± ¡°Come and try. Don¡¯t be in a rush though. What other traps and cantrips may await? But they¡¯re coming behind you now, aren¡¯t they? I know it. The hawks. Maybe you do want to rush.¡± Al Yara looked behind the group in the distance to see that Ignazio was correct. An ever-so-faint light flickered down the passage. His stomach crawled. He motioned to the owls and avian knights escorting Sasha, slight panic painting his face. ¡°We¡¯ll take our chances. Charge him!¡± His men obeyed. They all rushed forward, more afraid of the threat in the back than front. One after one, they slipped and ate shit. Al Yara avoided a comedically placed leaf rake only for the owl behind him to step on it and get smacked in the face with the handle. From the darkness, axes hanging from the ceiling swung towards the group to leave a gash on the vanguard¡¯s forehead. Al Yara weaved past the antics. ¡°I won¡¯t lie, rookie, I¡¯m a little impressed. Why betray us?¡± Ignazio lit a distant torch to reveal a large chamber which led to the surface. He stood at the exit with his broken leg supported by a splint and crutch. ¡°I¡¯m a winner, that¡¯s why. I switched sides the moment I realized you¡¯re all losers.¡± The traitor played with a lighter in his hands as he looked down on his old allies. ¡°Might not want to get too close.¡± Al Yara bared his teeth. ¡°There he is. Get him!¡± His men sprinted forth, most slipping or tripping over more traps while Ignazio limped away. He¡¯d lit something. A faint fuse sizzled like a firework near detonation. One of the few near Ignazio dragged his feet to a halt, blocking the others from their pursuit. The avian knight observed. ¡°You smell that?¡± ¡°Smell what?¡± An owl responded. ¡°Gunpowder. Get back!¡± An intense light show of an explosion planted at the base of the exit blew those two apart. They ripped into gory pieces. The cavern system rumbled as dust and powder kicked up, throwing everyone into coughing fits. Rocks fell from the ceiling. It was a reckless tactic, Al Yara¡¯s last chance to escape had been blown away. Ignazio caved in the only exit in his departure. Now, the remaining way out was the way they came; the way the hawks chasing them approached. Once the dust had settled enough, Al Yara measured his options with a deadpan face and tinge of sorrow in his voice. Not many confident goons remained on his side either. He rambled, questioning everything. ¡°My heaven? Taken. Fight? Like hell. They killed Thorin, didn¡¯t they? Maybe even Jericho too. How? The Wyrm himself?¡± His uncertainty spread across the chamber, wavering the spirits of even those with utmost loyalty. One of the avian knights tasked with dragging Sasha along released her, falling to his knees. ¡°Is this really happening to us? But I tried my best,¡± he asked. Still coughing, Sasha took the opportunity to jolt free from the other¡¯s grip and make space between herself and Rath Ghul¡¯s agents. She struggled to break her shackles by any means necessary as Major¡¯s voice warned her. Something about the air has changed with Al Yara. He is as desperate as he is twisted and spiteful. Don¡¯t meet his gaze. Then, just as foreseen, Al Yara gazed at her with an eerie, skin-crawling calmness. ¡°I think I understand clearly now. Lloyd was right. Convergence is a curse. It destroys families and all that is good. I¡¯m sure of it; if this girl escapes, the rest of the world will face the same fate as Rath Ghul. It¡¯ll rip itself apart.¡± He motioned to his five remaining owls and pointed at Sasha. ¡°I cannot die here. Restrain the girl. She¡¯s our last bargaining chip. If those hawks get too close, break the dagger, slit her throat.¡± Thorin¡¯s old words bounced in Sasha¡¯s head. They bounced with her heart¡¯s beating. The destruction of a machina meant the death of its contractor. These deathbed owls planned to drag her down with them. Major¡¯s voice reverberated one last time. Do whatever you can to live. She growled back at him with a nod. ¡°I want to live. They came because they wanted me to live. I¡¯m going to live.¡± Her wrists still bound tight; Sasha beckoned the dagger to come to life hidden between her hands. Horns grew from the hilt and blue light radiated. Its spiritual energy manifested in her through her veins and hair and eyes. Her bindings strained under her strength before splitting to fall onto the ground. ¡°Ghost in the Shell.¡± Sasha wielded Major in her teacher¡¯s stance, the blade of light extending into the longsword she knew most. Al Yara shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll beat common sense into your corpse.¡± Two avian knights and an owl backed him. She stood with unbroken focus. ¡°I won¡¯t let you get away with what you¡¯ve done to countless families.¡± ¡°Family this, family that. Who cares? It¡¯s all fake. It doesn¡¯t exist. It¡¯s nothing more than a perfect tool to enslave others to responsibility.¡± Sasha looked to Al Yara¡¯s minions surrounding him. She spoke to them. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear that?! He doesn¡¯t care about any of you! You¡¯re being used! Wake up and choose what you really want to do with your lives!¡± Al Yara scoffed. ¡°Ignore her delusions. Virtue signaling brats like this always take back their words on their deathbeds.¡± He motioned to his now apprehensive men to begin their approach. Sasha stepped forward, startling Al Yara. He moved backwards to make space between them as she walked him down, beckoning him with unbroken resolve. ¡°Then come, coward. Take a swing yourself. You sure like to sit back and order people around, but in the end, you¡¯ll never raise a finger. All bark, no bite. Afraid of me? Someone who¡¯s just a simple, little woman in your eyes? Where¡¯re your balls?¡± ¡°Only an idiot would fight a machina wielder without a machina, and one never found me worthy. There must be leaders as there must be followers. I am a leader.¡± With a panicked face, he pointed fiercely at Sasha. ¡°Get her! What are you all waiting for?!¡± Al Yara¡¯s men meandered. They looked frustrated. The final owl took off his mask and threw it on the ground. ¡°We¡¯re not a family? Even after raising us up in the guild, we¡¯re nothing but slaves to you. We¡¯ve placed our blood and allegiance in the wrong place.¡± That owl looked around the room and beckoned, ¡°Any of you with sense should give up and grovel. The hawks approaching are machina users who¡¯ve beaten Jericho and Thorin. Maybe they¡¯ll spare us losers.¡± Such a demand sent a wave of bleakness over all who remained. The nearing echoes of rapid footsteps in sprint worsened the impact on morale. An expression of absolute rage painted across Al Yara¡¯s face. No matter how furious though, he still did nothing in the end. Abdul burst out from the shadows followed by Isaac and Elise. They witnessed a cavern full of owls sitting on their knees, foreheads against the ground, with their weapons thrown aside. Even Al Yara now kneeled in hesitance too, staring at the ground. He refused to even glance at Sasha¡¯s saviors, but was it out of fear for his life or embarrassment? Sasha''s heart raced. She shyly waved at Isaac and Abdul who gawked at her like she was a ghost. ¡°Thank you for coming to save me.¡± Chapter 25 - Dreams Ablaze Taking a deep breath, Isaac sheathed his daggers. While Abdul went to face Al Yara and the others who¡¯d surrendered, Sasha and Isaac ran to each other before tightly embracing. Isaac asked her all sorts of questions. ¡°Are you okay? Hurt? They do anything to you?¡± In response, Sasha couldn¡¯t keep herself from sobbing. She returned not much other than nodding and apologies. ¡°I¡¯m okay, and I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so, so sorry. I really am.¡± Abdul spoke to Al Yara who still wouldn¡¯t look at him. ¡°I overheard you all on the way here. I¡¯m sure that, at some point, Rath Ghul may¡¯ve been a decent family. That beastman high owl I killed, Ricard, seemed to think so at least. Where did it all go wrong?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Don¡¯t want to answer me? Fine then. It¡¯s too late for your words to matter now anyway.¡± Elise approached and placed her soft hand on his shoulder. At first, Abdul expected something to be stolen, but he felt nothing. She questioned him. ¡°What should we do with so many prisoners?¡± ¡°The easy answer is to kill them all. I¡¯d do it with my own two hands too, but¡­¡± He looked over at Isaac and Sasha still in each other¡¯s arms. ¡°I feel like there are other things that come first. I don¡¯t want to ruin the mood.¡± Elise nodded, a little surprised. She glared at Al Yara. ¡°There are some more deserving than others.¡± Primus, hanging from Abdul¡¯s back, went about crazy when Sasha entered its line of sight. He handed the claymore to Elise and sent her over to the others. When Sasha saw the claymore machina, her face lit up. ¡°Primus?¡± ¡°Sasha?¡± It shot back. As Sasha cradled Primus in her arms to the joy of that blade, Elise piqued her interest. Isaac noticed them staring at each other. He grinned and wrapped his arm around Elise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s right! My woman came to your rescue too!¡± Elise gave an exhausted sigh. ¡°You saying that makes it sound like you own me. Isn¡¯t it the other way around?¡± Isaac gulped. Sasha reached toward Elise to give her a handshake. ¡°I can¡¯t even put into words how much this means to me. You being here, I mean.¡± Elise accepted the gesture and then pulled her into a light hug. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Isaac talked about you all the time before your incident. Whenever he got the news that you were kidnapped, girl¡­ I¡¯ve never seen him so depressed. Events were canceled because they couldn¡¯t get him out of bed.¡± She shook her head, keen to focus on the positives. ¡°I¡¯m just glad our lives can return to normal. I¡¯ll get to see that smile of his again.¡± Isaac got awkward after this reveal. ¡°Ah, there you go, spilling my beans. She didn¡¯t need to know that I fell that low.¡± Primus, nervous, spoke to Sasha. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about this for a while now. If you would accept me, then let¡¯s form a contract. You are worthy. I want to protect you. I want to be with you.¡± Sasha looked excited but then a bit bleak. She showed off the dagger, Major, whose eye opened. Isaac and Elise gave it an apprehensive look as well. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Primus, but I¡¯ve already entered a contract. This is Major the great machina.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re taken? And by a dagger of all types? I... I see.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°They were right. A great machina?¡± He crossed his arms in contemplation. ¡°When news gets out, which it will, you¡¯ll have a target on your back visible to everyone with ambition on this continent.¡± Sasha¡¯s face stiffened up as Isaac went on. ¡°As far as I can tell, you only have two options. Either go into hiding somewhere lonely for the rest of your life, or...¡± Major interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to break it to you all, but there will be no hiding. All machina have a soul signature that makes them sensible to the most powerful cultivators. My signature as a great machina is especially distinct. With enough time, we will be noticed and tracked down.¡± This dreadful fact hit the group like a bomb. Elise looked panicked. ¡°You can¡¯t mean that! There¡¯s no way!¡± ¡°I do. They could be approaching as we speak. This continent is fated to fall into greed-driven mayhem like a gold rush.¡± Isaac shook off the tension. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing we can do.¡± He put his hands on Sasha¡¯s shoulders, giving her a fired-up declaration. ¡°You pursue Convergence yourself then. No, we pursue it together. You¡¯ll have to make that decision. It¡¯s your life on the line, after all.¡± Sasha looked down. ¡°I¡¯m not certain yet. I don¡¯t have any real ambitions, but I can think about it. The things I want are mundane¡­ like hot baths, warmth, and getting to eat every day. Such a wish would be wasted on someone like me.¡± Isaac shrugged. ¡°I¡¯d rather leave changing the world in your hands than some king like Andre or these bastards. Maybe you¡¯d even do something good with the power.¡± ¡°Does it have to be me?¡± ¡°No, but I say it should. Like your knife was saying, trouble¡¯s coming no matter your choice. They¡¯ll kill you to take Major from you. Just know that you wouldn¡¯t be alone if you decided to set out on the journey.¡± Elise looked distant. ¡°That¡¯s a big decision to make yourself, Isaac. It¡¯s dangerous. Horribly dangerous. I don¡¯t know what to say at this point.¡± Isaac took her hand, intertwining their fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. We can talk about this more together. Maybe I¡¯m getting ahead of myself.¡± They headed over to Abdul who stared down Al Yara and the last owls. The vacancy of Xavier from sight gave her chills. ¡°If you¡¯re here but he isn¡¯t, then¡­¡± Abdul nodded devoid of emotion. ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°You owe me nothing. This man does, but he seems to have lost his tongue. I suggest you decide our next course of action before I do.¡± Sasha understood what he meant. ¡°To kill them or not? Is that the question?¡± ¡°Think about it. If you decide to pursue Convergence, then letting them go means more enemies later. It means more people knowing your identity. Knowing that, I suggest we kill them all.¡± Isaac shook his head in disapproval. ¡°But they¡¯ve surrendered peacefully. It¡¯s true that they may get absorbed into another sect of Rath Ghul, but so be it. Better than sinking even lower than them. I¡¯d lose sleep over this. Wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯d sleep like a baby.¡± A few owls close enough to hear his coldness looked up at Abdul in horror. Elise pitched in too. ¡°I¡¯ve got no preference, but I can tell that these two would argue all day. Sasha, your future is what everything seems to be revolving around. I leave it to you.¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be haunted any more than I already am.¡± Abdul scoffed. ¡°Living means being haunted. Toughen up.¡± Sasha furrowed her brow at the division, ordering with firm authority. ¡°No more fighting. There are decent men here. We have much in common. We only owed different debts. They¡¯ll walk free.¡± This decision relieved Isaac and the owls but frustrated Abdul. Sasha added to the ruling. ¡°But Al Yara here¡­ he¡¯s dead.¡± Abdul looked at her with respect. With a short nod between the two, he yanked Al Yara¡¯s hair back to expose his throat and teary-eyed face for everyone to see. Sasha spoke to every owl watching. They stiffened so badly that you couldn¡¯t even hear breathing. ¡°I¡¯m choosing to let you go. You¡¯re being freed with the knowledge that I have a great machina. Do with that what you wish with that but do know that the last thing I¡¯d use it for is my own convenience.¡± She took a deep breath, keen to avoid stumbling. ¡°Use this as an opportunity to forget everything you¡¯ve seen. Live normal lives not shackled to serving this guild. I promise that the changes I bring will benefit all of you.¡± One of the furthest kneeling avian knights watched, mouth agape, in what she hoped was admiration. He wore an eyepatch, had a light beard, and looked to be in his early twenties. Sasha couldn¡¯t pinpoint why, but he stuck out compared to the others. She ended her speech with a warning. ¡°But if my words haven¡¯t reached you, then know that targeting me will end badly. If I must defend myself or those dear to me, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you.¡± Abdul went to slit Al Yara¡¯s throat, but she stopped him. Sasha looked down at her toes, unsure of herself, before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want them to fear you. I¡¯m the one they need to fear. This is about sending a message.¡± To the room¡¯s surprise, Sasha plunged the dagger into Al Yara¡¯s throat. She carved it out to his panicked cries before shoving him face into the stone. The execution was brutal, yet she felt nothing from it. The owls front row to the display jolted back with gasps, splattered with blood. Al Yara drowned in his own blood on the cold, dusty ground. Elise whispered to Sasha. ¡°You did well. Perhaps you¡¯re cut out for this.¡± ¡°For now, I only want to go home to see my father.¡± She turned to Abdul, apprehensive. ¡°Hey, how is Randle? Is he holding up fine? Not drinking, right?¡± ¡°Could be better. Seeing you in one piece is the only medicine that¡¯ll work for that man¡¯s disease though. Let¡¯s hurry.¡± *** Abdul led the group down Low Monestate¡¯s empty night streets. He shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t believe we really let all those owls go.¡± Isaac next to him sighed. ¡°Was Al Yara not enough for you? Or Jericho? Or all the owls and knights we killed? Or those men in The Golden Wield? Something¡¯s telling me that flame of yours will never stop burning.¡± ¡°I did have tunnel vision. Didn¡¯t expect to survive or want to either. ¡®What now?¡¯ is all I can think about, and I¡¯m not sure about the answer.¡± Such a reflection inspired a look of fascination from Elise. Primus on his back got to yapping. ¡°Homunculus, I want the girl to hold me! Unhand me.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call me that, and she¡¯s taken. You¡¯ll have to settle for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never met a man both hot and coldblooded. Decide your temperament!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that easy.¡± Sasha tilted her head in interest, watching the two go at it. ¡°What did you say? Homunculus?¡± Abdul shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain, so don¡¯t even ask. Just know that I¡¯m somehow different. The same kind of different as that Jericho guy. Whenever I try to think about it, my mind blanks out. Not sure if I¡¯ll ever remember.¡± He turned his attention to Isaac and Elise still with them. ¡°I¡¯ve got it from here if you¡¯d like to go get some rest.¡± Elise shook her head. ¡°I¡¯d like to see this to the end. Rath Ghul knew where you lived.¡± Sasha pondered the future the last few turns home. As an enemy of the guild, could she even live in Monestate? And what about Randle¡¯s safety? No; everything would change. Where would they even go? New Gareth or Ethela where more sects ruled? She thought back to the night she saved that man from The Doctor. He traveled everywhere only to end up preyed upon anyway. Running away accomplished nothing. Everything would have to change. Standing up to them was the only option. What did they call this dreaded thing she faced? Fate? Sasha gripped Major tightly. The dagger sensed her determination and whispered through her mind. Make up your mind? ¡°Do I even have to answer?¡± Abdul stopped in his tracks. ¡°Shit.¡± Sasha walked right into his back. It snapped her out of contemplation. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I hope that¡¯s not our house. Don¡¯t see the smoke a block away? Same street.¡± They all cast their attention to the night sky Abdul eyed. Nobody saw what he recognized. Then the scent of burning lumber hit Sasha like an axe. Her stomach coiled. She broke out into a sprint home without warning. No words were needed to explain the fear lingering in the air. It was a miracle she didn¡¯t trip as wildly as she ran. Everyone else took after her without question. Sasha turned onto Tanner¡¯s Street to see Troll¡¯s Treasure devoured by an all-consuming inferno. She fell onto her knees on the sidewalk, her mouth agape but face frozen in shock. Abdul caught up, threw his helmet and Primus to the ground, and ripped his armor from his body piece by piece. Absolute misery and panic fell over him. ¡°Old man, don¡¯t you worry. I¡¯m coming,¡± he promised. Shirtless, Abdul entered the roaring flames through the front door. He growled as the immediate heat boiled his skin. ¡°Randle, you in here? Randle!¡± He yelled over and over, descending deeper into the shopfront. Isaac rushed over to Sasha whose expression still hadn¡¯t budged. He and Elise dragged her backward from the radiating heat which now reached them. ¡°This is only the beginning of the destruction you¡¯ll see holding that dagger. I watched my home burn to the ground too, all because my family unearthed the great Lovecraft.¡± He stared off into the flames. ¡°Abdul, that crazy bastard. Does he think he¡¯s invincible?¡± Elise shook her head. She looked bitter. ¡°He just doesn¡¯t care about himself. Even if he was normal, he would¡¯ve walked into there anyway.¡± Sasha struggled to regain her composure. Getting up to her feet, she doubted herself. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m tough enough for this.¡± Isaac let a bleak chuckle out. ¡°You¡¯re doing great. Got the makings of a hero. I cry myself to sleep at least twice a week, and here I am. It never got easier.¡± A dust-covered stranger limped up next to them. It was a man with a crutch supporting a broken leg. He had curly, blonde hair, and looked at the burning house with defeat as if it were his own. Sasha questioned him with a confused face. ¡°And who are you?¡± He gazed at her blankly for a moment before grinning. ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re that Sasha girl. We succeeded then! Where¡¯s Abdul?¡± Unsureness rattled Isaac. He explained the new face to her. ¡°Oh, this is Ignazio. He was a prisoner Abdul took who helped us out a ton... their relationship has grown into something complicated.¡± Nervousness took form on Ignazio¡¯s face. He beckoned Isaac¡¯s attention with impatience. ¡°Hey, I asked you where Abdul is.¡± Everyone gazed dreadfully into the inferno. His shoulders slumped. ¡°Seriously? He¡¯s in there?¡± He asked. Sasha nodded. Without a second thought, Ignazio took to limping along the borders of the flame toward the shop¡¯s back yard. Isaac grabbed him by the shoulder. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? It¡¯s dangerous, but Abdul¡¯s different. If anyone would survive, it¡¯d be him.¡± Ignazio shoved Isaac away. ¡°And if he doesn¡¯t? You¡¯ve got a well back there, don¡¯t you? And a bucket? Right? Right!?¡± ¡°Sure, but that¡¯s not going to do anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I¡¯m going to go make myself useful and get to scooping.¡± He glared at Sasha, his face tense with stress. ¡°Care to join me?¡± She nodded. ¡°Even if it seems useless, I¡¯d rather fall asleep tonight knowing that I did what I could.¡± Chapter 26 - Best Said Sober Sasha and Ignazio made a hell of a team at the well behind Troll¡¯s Treasure. She splashed water on ravenous flames, sprinted back to switch out her empty bucket with the backup he filled, and repeated the process. The work barely dented the fire consuming their home, but they kept trying anyway. After the sixth run, Sasha rested for a moment with Ignazio. She wiped her brow with her forearm covered with dust and smokey soot. It smeared onto her face unknowingly. ¡°Hey, um, are you two¡­?¡± He picked up what she put down. ¡°Something like that. Nothing official yet. Don¡¯t go yelling it from the top of the chapel. This kind of thing isn¡¯t accepted, New Age or not. We¡¯d be arrested.¡± ¡°Hm, I see. What do you like about Abdul anyway?¡± He stared blankly at her. ¡°That¡¯s a good question. Way to put me on the spot. I¡¯ll need to think on it.¡± Eight cycles of splashes later, they both sat with their backs against the well, gasping and watching Troll¡¯s Treasure¡¯s walls begin to crumble. She bit her thumb. ¡°This really is useless. He needs to get out of there. Can a man really live through that? And my father...¡± ¡°Abdul¡¯s strong unlike me. He won¡¯t die. As for your earlier question, he saved my life by shooting me those weeks back. He saved me from being enslaved by the guild for the rest of my years.¡± ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s also a good cook. Treated me awfully well. Three meals a day and everything. It just made me think, shit, this is a good man. He¡¯d act all stoic interrogating me about Rath Ghul this, crush owls that, only to ask me how dinner tasted, and how it could be improved. I realized, shit, this guy¡¯s funny too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s an interesting story if I¡¯ve ever heard one.¡± ¡°I started to doubt my allegiances. I realized in that cellar that reality was the opposite of what it seemed. Abdul didn¡¯t imprison me. He freed me.¡± Xavier came to Sasha¡¯s mind. It made her bitter. ¡°Back before his brother died, that was more like the Abdul I knew. He loved to joke around and enjoy himself. He¡¯s the opposite now. I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve been able to find the person he really is. Not whatever he¡¯s turned into.¡± ¡°He¡¯s mourning. He just wanted someone to talk to. No, he needed someone. I like feeling needed. But don¡¯t be mistaken. The Abdul you see now is the real deal too. Even the goofiest of us guys know when it¡¯s time to get serious. There¡¯s always more to a clown.¡± ¡°I want to feel needed too, Ignazio.¡± He let some warmness show through his nervousness. ¡°You¡¯re bound to a great machina. The world needs you. You''re the most important person in this city.¡± His kindness surprised her. She avoided eye contact. ¡°You know, you have a way with your words.¡± ¡°I have no idea how. I came from a family of illiterate farmers.¡± A figure emerged from the flames groaning. Both Sasha and Ignazio stumbled to their feet, horror rattling them. Abdul limped forward with a face twisted in agony only to collapse. His skin melted and peeled from his body, exposing vascular metal more akin to machine than man. Resting and wheezing, he declared. ¡°The old man is gone. I was too late. I¡¯ve failed.¡± As tears evaporated before they could run down his cheeks singed stiff, he hiccupped over and over. ¡°It hurts." Ignazio snatched the bucket and scrambled on his bad leg to Abdul. He doused the water over him. It cooled the scorching heat, leaving only steam. Sasha and he watched in bewilderment as purple electricity sparked across Abdul¡¯s chest and limbs to course and chain like lightning. His parted skin reached together to reform. The burns healed to leave only scars. Even his hair regenerated. Abdul looked to Sasha. She realized that he¡¯d saved something from the flames, cradled out safely between his clasped hands. He opened them, revealing a pair of emerald earrings. ¡°These were in your room. I figured you¡¯d miss them.¡± A wave of emotion crashed over Sasha. She nodded. ¡°Mhm.¡± *** Everyone stood together in front of Troll¡¯s Treasure to watch it collapse into a pile of rubble. Behind the others, Ignazio and Abdul held hands. Sasha couldn¡¯t bear to see her home fade away any longer. At least she¡¯d been reunited with Ley¡¯s gift though. Her gaze affixed to the ground as a numbing sensation washed over. Isaac and Elise standing nearby looked worried. He placed his hand on top of her head. ¡°Everything will be okay. How about you come to The Colosseum? All of you. We¡¯ll sort out what¡¯ll come next later. We¡¯re worn out and need a night¡¯s rest more than anything.¡± ¡°Sure. Thank you for everything. I¡¯d like to arrange some kind of funeral for my father tomorrow.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± They set off toward his place. Sasha followed in the back of the group, unable to look up from the ground. A grumbly voice boomed from behind. ¡°Gods, what did I do to deserve this? Why do you hate me? I reject all of you! I hope you¡¯re never restored!¡± She ignored the voice and kept walking. That was until Isaac stopped and turned. He grinned. ¡°That old coot.¡± She faced the ruins of Troll¡¯s Treasure. Randle dressed in his usual going-out leather coat stared at the destruction of his shop in utter defeat, a bottle of new wine for the collection in each arm. He struggled to pop the cork from one of them with his hand. ¡°I ought to get drinking before you bastards take this from me too.¡± Sasha gawked at him like he was a ghost before shaking her head. She rushed over to him, yelling. ¡°Father!¡± Randle spotted her running over. He looked in the other direction in case she was talking to someone else. Nobody else was around though. She stopped in front of him and bent over wheezing, hands on knees. ¡°Y¡ªYou¡¯re alive!¡± He rubbed his eyes, taking a step back. ¡°So, this really was a dream. And here I was convinced my shop had burnt down.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wide awake. It¡¯s me, Sasha!¡± His brow quivered. ¡°Really?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Sasha took his palm into her own hands. With a melancholic mess of an expression, she pinched him. ¡°See? You¡¯re not waking up, right?¡± Randle sniffled. He turned away from her and sobbed. ¡°Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m letting you see me like this. And look at our home. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Seeing him start to cry made her cry like some water cycle of emotion. Still holding his hand, she spoke in between deep breaths. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so, so sorry. I really am.¡± ¡°Boy am I glad to see you. Things can finally go back to normal.¡± He looked at the smoldering rubble. ¡°Well, if and when we rebuild, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll figure it all.¡± With a trembling grip, she showed Randle her dagger, Major. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Randle looked concerned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. I forgive you. I¡¯m just happy your home now.¡± Then he noticed Major''s blue eye gazing at him. ¡°Sasha, what is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a machina. It¡¯s mine. Its name is Major. It¡¯s a...¡± He stared at her with wide, eerie eyes. ¡°Oh no. A great machina.¡± ¡°Many things happened. I¡¯m going after Convergence myself now. Everyone will be helping me. I can¡¯t come home just yet, and I¡¯m not sure how long this journey will take me.¡± His face flushed pale. ¡°Will you? I fought in the last war for Convergence. The one for Lovecraft. Everyone did. Nothing came from it other than one hundred thousand orphans.¡± ¡°I have no choice. I¡¯ve formed a contract.¡± ¡°None of us ever do, do we? Ya know, I knew from the moment I met you that you¡¯d go big places. But Convergence? This is beyond me.¡± A revelation came over him after getting a closer look at the dagger. ¡°Wait a moment. I know that dagger. It was the Ley tried to sell me. Is he in there?¡± Sasha nodded. ¡°Would you like to speak to him?¡± ¡°Oh boy.¡± She gave the dagger to Randle. He held it close to his face. ¡°Good to see an old face. It¡¯s my bad for failing to keep my promise.¡± Major chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me, old man. She¡¯s here in front of you, tall and worthy, right? You did great. More than anyone in Monestate would¡¯ve managed.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± He sighed. ¡°Do all birds gotta leave the nest? Look, if I¡¯m handing my girl over to you, then it¡¯s your turn to keep a promise. Promise that you¡¯ll protect her with just as much care.¡± Major mulled over it. ¡°You have my promise. Sasha is everything to me, and I don¡¯t say that because our souls are tethered either.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s a relief.¡± Randle let out a different kind of sigh. A weight seemed to have lifted from his shoulders. He faced Sasha. ¡°I believe in you. I¡¯ll be in the area. Whenever you¡¯re finished with your business, my doors will be open just for you. A bedroom and job too.¡± Sasha nodded. ¡°Thank you. You don¡¯t know how much everything you¡¯ve done means to me.¡± A little fidgety, she looked back at Isaac and the others who patiently waited for her. Then she embraced Randle, shoving something into his palm which she closed. ¡°I love you.¡± He silently returned her gesture, words stuck in his throat. Sasha left to join the group, giving him a few final glances. Randle stood in place and pensively watched until she disappeared around the corner of Tanner¡¯s Street. He took a deep breath and then let out a deeper exhale. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here for you until the very end. Don¡¯t die before I do, kid.¡± Randle opened his palm to meet what she entrusted to him. It was a single emerald green earring. He clenched his fists. *** Sasha followed the group through the gate leading to The Colosseum¡¯s underworks. She donned the other earring. An unshakable sting in her heart now accompanied the soreness of the throat she¡¯d gotten used to. Would she ever get to see Randle again? They went downstairs, passing by a man in bronze gladiator armor who mopped blood. ¡°Careful, lady, watch your step,¡± he warned. ¡°Thank you. Will do,¡± she responded. Isaac called out to get the attention of the main living chamber. About two dozen arena combatants stopped whatever they were doing to look at them. Some sat at the long dining tables while others slept on their bed rolls or played board games with each other, tuckered out after a long day''s work. Boar Bandit, donning the decorated skull of a boar, stood up to his feet with a jolt of energy. ¡°Lady Sasha? Isaac beat Rath Ghul?¡± Astonishment and boisterous hoorahs overtook the room. With each moment, more and more people noticed until a nameless soul called out, ¡°They¡¯re alive! This calls for a celebration!¡± To be honest, the last thing Sasha wanted was to party, but she didn¡¯t make the rules. Macho men hauled out the beer kegs as others swarmed Isaac for elaborate, unique fifteen step handshakes and brotastic slaps on the back. A seven-foot-tall stranger picked Sasha up from the ground like she was a helpless cat and hoisted her up onto his shoulders. Blushing from embarrassment, she pleaded with the grinning combatant. ¡°Come on, man. I just want to sleep.¡± Not even three minutes later, she¡¯d agreed to chug rum straight out the barrel¡¯s nozzle upside down in a handstand. Two vascular-armed men held her up by the ankles as the cheers of the crowd only grew. Isaac watched from a distance sober with Elise. He was straight edge; never drunk. The glory and praise of the room went from him to Sasha. ¡°Dear,¡± he mumbled. Abdul sat not too far from her next to Ignazio. She impressed him. ¡°And I thought the old man had a drinking problem. He observed the scars reaching from his fingers to elbow. ¡°I went into there and branded myself with these ugly things for nothing, but I guess the fact I healed seals the deal that Jericho and I are the same. Homunculus, was it?¡± Ignazio barely paid his words any thought, lost in the energy of the room. He snapped to attention, facing Abdul while sipping wine. ¡°Homuncu-what? You¡¯re still Abdul to me. Forget about it for tonight. Drink.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t. I¡¯m a lightweight. That¡¯s a part of me I may regret showing you.¡± Buzzed, Ignazio playfully nudged him. ¡°Come on~, man. Who knows? This could be the last time we¡¯ll be able to enjoy ourselves.¡± Abdul received the wine glass. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you about the future though. Such things are best done sober.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what comes next too.¡± Abdul¡¯s words grew hesitant. ¡°It seems Sasha has decided to pursue Convergence. I¡¯m going to accompany her. I have no wish for what comes of the new world, but... how do I word this right?" ¡°Take your time. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± Abdul nodded in his unsureness. ¡°I was so dead set for revenge but, in the end, it was meaningless. It changed nothing. If anything, I feel worse after fulfilling it. I just never thought about what would come after because there wouldn¡¯t be an after¡­ because I would be dead... but here I am. I don¡¯t know. I... want to know. I want it, everything, to mean something... so all the lives I¡¯ve wasted weren¡¯t for nothing. Get what I¡¯m trying to say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m having a little trouble, but maybe I¡¯ll understand someday. Do you think supporting Sasha is the right thing? Do you want to turn a new leaf?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know myself enough to tell you one hundred percent. I¡¯ve never cared about what¡¯s right or wrong, but my older brother did. I¡¯d like to live as he did.¡± ¡°Does anybody ever truly know what exactly they want from life? If you want to do it, then do it. I¡¯ll support you if it means that much to ya. When¡¯re we planning to make our next move on this grand quest?¡± Abdul looked away into the crowd. ¡°As early as tomorrow. You¡¯re not coming though. Not with that leg, and not without a machina. You¡¯d only get in the way.¡± Ignazio sighed. Despite the news, he grinned. ¡°So, you¡¯re sidelining me? I figured it¡¯d be like this.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± ¡°Why would I be? This is for my sake, right? I¡¯m happy. Get this: Not long ago, I learned that my asshole gramps back home died. Even though he beat me as a kid and sold me to the guild when he went into debt, the bastard only had my name to put in his will! Can you believe that?¡± Abdul shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go back to my farm to heal up and wait for you to come home. It¡¯s on the southern outskirts of New Gareth. I¡¯ll write down the directions for you before y¡¯all head off too. How¡¯s that sound?¡± After throwing his proposition into the air for consideration, Ignazio stiffened in fear of the answer. He barely breathed. Abdul blushed a little. He scratched his head. ¡°I would like that. That sounds nice. Peaceful even.¡± A hand on his shoulder surprised him. It was Sasha. Her expression alone informed him that she was beyond the point of no return. In that moment, an eerie yet melancholic feeling washed over him. He felt like his brother, Xavier. Was this how it felt to be on the other side, and of what? Drunkenness? Competence? He really had changed. Sasha stumbled between the two, putting an arm over each of their shoulders. Her speech was slurred. ¡°You two look so cute together!¡± Ignazio looked at Abdul but spoke to her. She¡¯d gotten too close for his comfort. ¡°Do we really?¡± Abdul sighed and stood. He lightly grabbed Sasha¡¯s wrist to guide her away. ¡°Let¡¯s go get you some water. Go too crazy and alcohol poisoning will kill you faster than our enemies. Especially as small a woman you are.¡± She stumbled along. ¡°No fun.¡± Chapter 27 - Final Respite in Night Sasha got led through halls of the underworks by Abdul. He held her by the wrist while speaking. ¡°That Boar Bandit guy said their aquifer was this way. I wonder, does he ever take that skull off? Doesn¡¯t it get hot?¡± ¡°He always wears it,¡± Sasha grumbled back. ¡°I was having fun. Why¡¯re you taking me away?¡± ¡°Because you have self-destructive drinking habits. You¡¯re the spitting image of your old man Randle. I¡¯m treating you like how I had to treat him. You¡¯ll get hydrated and then go to bed.¡± She groaned like a kid keen to throw a tantrum. ¡°Aughhhh, I don¡¯t wanna.¡± ¡°Behave and maybe I¡¯ll tuck you in.¡± ¡°Ley was the last one to ever do that for me. He was very protective. Still is.¡± The memory brought a smile to Sasha¡¯s face. Even if he¡¯d been absorbed into a machina, at least they were together. ¡°Ya know, you¡¯re pretty caring. You remind me of my big brother.¡± The well of the underworks came into view at the end of a hall of bedrooms. Abdul fetched bucket water for her. ¡°I hope that I can at least become half of the man my older brother was. That¡¯s why I plan to help you until the end, Sasha. He would¡¯ve without a doubt.¡± As Abdul poured the cool water into a mug for her, she leaned up against a nearby stone wall only to slide down until sitting on her butt. She covered her face with her hands. He walked over to her, offering the drink. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Headache?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault that Xavier was killed. If I never got involved with Rath Ghul, they never would¡¯ve come to Troll¡¯s Treasure. We¡¯d all still be together there. I feel horrible. How can you so easily help me knowing that?¡± Abdul sat down next to her. He pondered for a minute as she sat sulking in self-loathing. ¡°I never said it was easy. You¡¯ve probably heard me say this before. I¡¯ll still stand by it. No use worrying about something out of our control now. It¡¯s true that it¡¯s your fault. So many bad things happened to all of us because of you but think of how it ultimately weighs against the good.¡± ¡°The good? There¡¯s good?¡± He nodded. ¡°We tore down Rath Ghul in this city. They may come again, but their grip will never be as strong. Carry yourself with pride.¡± ¡°How could I ever be proud as horrible as I feel about myself? I did nothing. It was all you, Abdul.¡± ¡°This whole conflict is what led to me discovering my powers. If it weren¡¯t for you, I would¡¯ve lived the rest of my life knowing nothing about myself. I¡¯d still be nothing but a fool.¡± ¡°But Xavier? And our home? You can be honest. Why don¡¯t you hate me?¡± Abdul shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve got no hate left in me. Plenty of disappointment right now though.¡± He stood up, leaving the cup next to her. ¡°Forget about our brothers and homes. They¡¯re gone. Move onwards. Think about how you¡¯ll take responsibility. That¡¯s the true question you should be pondering.¡± Sasha observed the intricacies of Major in her hands, thankful she hadn¡¯t misplaced the great machina in her drunkenness. She mumbled sluggishly to herself. ¡°How to take responsibility? That¡¯s the true question?¡± ¡°We do what we can do; not what we can¡¯t. Think it over. Come back to me when your back is straight.¡± She opened up a little, grabbing the mug. ¡°Right. Thank you for the advice, and I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Unless you stab me in the gut yourself, I never want to hear a damn apology again.¡± The firmness of his demand shook her. Didn¡¯t Randle say something similar once too? He wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°Have these past weeks felt like hell? Yes, but would you undo it all if given the chance?¡± Sasha didn¡¯t answer his question, but she wasn¡¯t expected to. Abdul spoke up with bravado before she could. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. I¡¯ve met someone dear to me because of you. When all of this is over, I have somewhere for me to go no matter how broken. You do too, Sasha. Isn¡¯t that all that matters?¡± ¡°Umm, Abdul.¡± ¡°Yes? What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about your side. What do you like about him? Ignazio.¡± He looked a bit embarrassed. ¡°I never got to talk about things like my feelings until I met him. Even when he was my enemy, all he¡¯d ever ask about was me, what kinds of things I liked, and how I was feeling. Hasn¡¯t been long, but he may know more about me than Xavier ever did.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad to see that you¡¯re happy.¡± The idea of happiness perplexed Abdul. ¡°Happy? I doubt it. Wouldn¡¯t mind not dying though.¡± He pointed at the well. ¡°Make sure you¡¯re properly hydrated before you head to bed.¡± ¡°Where would I even sleep?¡± ¡°Perhaps Isaac has a place for you, unless you¡¯re keen to pass out on the floor like the others.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never sleep on cold rock again. My wrists still hurt from the dungeon. I¡¯ll find Isaac wherever he is.¡± Abdul waved and disappeared around the corner. Directionally sound was the last word that could¡¯ve described drunk Sasha, but the undercroft was engraved into her memory after so many training sessions with Isaac. She trekked the halls until coming up to the closed door to his personal quarters. A sober person would¡¯ve heard and gave privacy to the passionate noises coming from inside. A sober person would¡¯ve knocked. Sasha opened the door, waltzing right in, to witness Isaac kneeling on the edge of his bed in between Elise¡¯s legs. All she needed to see was his bare back and her lip bit in ecstasy. Sasha stumbled backwards into the halls, leaving the door open. Did they see her? She felt sick go her stomach. Mouth agape in shock and cheeks rose, she trudged around a corner out of sight and crumbled to the ground. Isaac peaked from his bedroom in confusion with pants pulled up, saw no one, and closed the door. Sasha curled up in a ball. The image of their lovemaking branded into her mind. Sickness wasn¡¯t the only feeling reducing her to nothing. Why did she, of all things, feel betrayed? By a man she knew was taken? A man who never once looked at her as a woman? This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. She knew thinking this way was irrational, yet her mind still wandered there. Its destination wasn¡¯t up to her. I won¡¯t cry, damn it. It¡¯s been this way the entire time. If Major butted into her thoughts now of all times, she would¡¯ve dropped the dagger into the well. I was not supposed to see that. I''m sleeping on the floor after all. Sasha sure tried to fall asleep on the floor but couldn¡¯t for some reason. Looking back to her time in Rath Ghul¡¯s dungeon, their stone was softer than this place¡¯s. The less drunk answer though was that she wasn¡¯t desperate anymore. You¡¯re never going to fall asleep on stone if you don¡¯t have to. A voice from above spooked her. Thinking it may have been Isaac, Sasha recoiled. ¡°Eek!¡± It was none other than the true protagonist, Boar Bandit. He pointed to a bedroom across the hall. ¡°Lady Sasha, no good man could fall asleep in comfort knowing a woman is sprawled out on rock and stone just outside. If you¡¯d prefer, we may trade places. Rest in my chamber the rest of this night while I join the lowest combatants on their barrack bedrolls.¡± She¡¯d never said ¡°Sure!¡± to something so fast in her life. Even Boar Bandit was surprised. He let her in, uttering a short, ¡°Night night.¡± ¡°Thank you! You¡¯re now my favorite hero of The Colosseum!¡± He lit up. ¡°Really? I try my best. My ratings as a villain character will never compare to mainstays like Elise and Isaac though. Viewers ask me to take off the skull, but isn¡¯t that what makes Boar Bandit not just some bandit?¡± ¡°Exactly. Just know I¡¯ll always be rooting for you.¡± ¡°And I¡¯ll be rooting for you too in your journey.¡± Sasha got settled into bed. She set Major on the pillow next to her and stared up at the ceiling. If she succeeded at gathering the four great machina, what would her wish even be? She knew nothing about the quest ahead other than that it was going to be more massive than imaginable. Major sensed her apprehension. The second great, Lovecraft, is much closer than you think. Your ruler within this city watches over it with diligence. The others, Bloodborne and Free Bird, are who you should be worrying about. They entail expeditions. Before she could respond to Major, movement in the dark room alerted her despite the nausea. She sat up in the bed to wield the dagger in defense. It illuminated the room like a supernatural night light. ¡°Who are you? Where did you come from?¡± she asked the darkness with a tense tone. A shadow approached from the corner of the room. Some barefoot man revealed himself, kneeling on one knee beside her bed. He wore an owl¡¯s rusted mask, dusty leather armor, and a cloak as pitch black as night. That cloak¡¯s green eye was unmistakable. It was a machina. The stranger lifted his mask. He had an eyepatch, light beard, unremarkable short haircut, and a face hinting he was in his early twenties. Despite his youth, though, other factors made Sasha perceive him as wiser. His visceral scars on the cheek, bangs showing early white hairs, and cold professionalism told such a story. He introduced himself. ¡°I am Simon, one of the owls you mercifully freed. I was an owl at least.¡± Sasha inched away from him until her back touched the wall. Rattled by nervousness, fighting for her life while shitfaced was the last thing she wanted to do. Should she have screamed for help? ¡°How¡­ can I help you?¡± she asked meekly. ¡°What you did and promised to us tonight moved me. I¡¯ve decided to offer you my life and fealty.¡± ¡°Eh? Seriously?¡± Understandably, a thick fog of disbelief and uncertainty uneased Sasha. ¡°I must be tired because I think I misheard you. What do you want from me again?¡± ¡°I want nothing other than to bring someone righteous to Convergence. Someone whose wish would benefit the world rather than their own pocket. Everyone¡¯s future including my own is at risk. I¡¯d rather you than someone like Jericho who¡¯d wish for everything to revolve around sevens.¡± ¡°But how did you sneak into here? I¡¯m seriously getting goosebumps right now.¡± ¡°It was my job to not be seen. What makes the magic happen is my machina, Snake Eater.¡± Simon wrapped himself in his cloak, vanishing from her sight. She stared into the now empty room. ¡°Creepy.¡± ¡°Pay me no mind. Just know that I shall always watch your back. You may sleep in peace without fear of assassins.¡± She scratched her head. ¡°Um, thank you I guess, but... always?¡± ¡°Always.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ll at least wait outside of bathrooms and bathhouses, right? Right?¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Hey, answer me!¡± ¡°...¡± Sasha let out a big sigh before putting her head under the pillow. Major spoke to her. I sense no malice in his soul. A duty-bound bodyguard as diligent as he appears will be useful. ¡°I know.¡± She looked out to where Simon may or may not have been. ¡°Do whatever you want. Just don¡¯t make it weird.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°You¡¯re making it weird by not answering.¡± ¡°Lady Sasha, it is in my humble, disposable opinion that your mentioning of how it¡¯s weird is making it weird. Perhaps I shouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± ¡°No, I take it back. Simon, sorry for my rudeness. I¡¯m grateful for the help.¡± ¡°...¡± ¡°Augh, I doubt I¡¯ll get used to this.¡± You should. As soon as news spreads of my existence, countless will begin moving to put you to death. ¡°Sounds delightful. You have a nice, worry-free rest too, Major." The next day reached her with a blink. She rose with a horrible headache and Isaac at the doorway. A cold seriousness possessed him that she didn¡¯t see often. ¡°You ready, Sasha?¡± He lowered his voice to a near hush. ¡°We¡¯re meeting to discuss the second great machina¡¯s location.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She looked down at her grimy owl''s clothes. ¡°But first, if you have anything else, I¡¯d like to change into something more suitable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send Elise over. She can help you out. You¡¯re not that much smaller than her.¡± Soon, Elise arrived. She watched from behind as Sasha got dressed in an assortment of leather, chainmail, and iron. Even though they were both girls, Sasha couldn¡¯t help but feel awkward alone with her. Elise noticed. ¡°No need to be nervous. Is this about last night?¡± Now sporting her new armor, Sasha sheathed Major into the scabbard at her belt and faced Elise. ¡°You saw me walk in on you two?¡± ¡°I did. Didn¡¯t tell Isaac though. Everyone makes mistakes. No need to make a big deal about it.¡± ¡°How was he? Isaac.¡± Elise didn¡¯t expect that. She was taken aback for a moment, and then showed a mischievous smile. ¡°Perfect.¡± They exited the room to the hall where Isaac and Abdul waited. Both were geared to the teeth, their respective machina resting in sheaths, one armored in full scale and the other in bronze plate. Isaac led the group to a secretive storage room tucked away in the back of the underworks. ¡°We can¡¯t allow anyone to hear our conversation. It¡¯s the nature of our mission,¡± he explained, opening the door to the room. Sasha looked back before entering. Nobody was there. Or were they? Simon watched from somewhere nearby. She assured the group. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you in a way that won¡¯t freak you out, but we shouldn¡¯t have to worry about anyone listening in from afar.¡± Isaac looked confused. ¡°Excuse me? Now I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Forget it.¡± ¡°Really? Tell me. I hate secrets. This is why they call me Isaac the True.¡± ¡°Ah, thanks for explaining that. I thought it was because your dick always strikes true.¡± ¡°Obscene. Are you mad at me? Why?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Elise nudged him. ¡°The holy sword, Excalibur.¡± ¡°You too? What am I missing here?¡± Sasha placed Major down on a crate in the storage room. They gathered around it in a circle. She sat on an adjacent stool and beckoned the machina to speak. ¡°Now, Major, tell them what you shared back in the depths of Rath Ghul. These are our allies, but you already know that.¡± ¡°Lovecraft is the closest. It lies shattered within the highest point of this city, Castle Hemmer. The ruler who brought The Westwinds to ruin in his war for Convergence guards it. That is King Andre of this nation.¡± Silence fell over the room. Horrible turmoil crept onto Isaac¡¯s face. He made way to the door to escape. His hands shook to such an extent that he struggled to even twist the doorknob to get out of there. Abdul looked at him concerned. ¡°You okay?¡± Isaac ripped the knob from the door and then kicked it open to storm off. Abdul nodded. ¡°He¡¯s not okay.¡± Elise bowed to Sasha. ¡°I need to go after him. I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s hard to explain, but it¡¯s personal. Nothing riles up Isaac more than that tyrant and war.¡± Abdul looked unsure. ¡°He¡¯ll be fine going forward, right? I doubt we¡¯ll be able to continue with just Sasha and I.¡± Sasha corrected him. ¡°Well, it¡¯d be three including Simon.¡± ¡°Who is Simon?¡± Sasha avoided eye contact, whistling badly. Elise shrugged and elaborated, leaving Abdul to wonder. ¡°I can¡¯t make any promises. Isaac doesn¡¯t like to bring up his past even to me. If taking Lovecraft forces him to confront it, then I don¡¯t know if he¡¯ll be able to do it.¡± Sasha got stern. ¡°I know he can. I believe in him.¡± Elise looked unsure. ¡°Me too, I think, but I can¡¯t help worrying.¡± She left the room, leaving Sasha alone with Abdul. He looked around suspiciously. ¡°Who the fuck is Simon?¡± Sasha whistled louder. Chapter 28 - Enter Soothsayer [END OF PART ONE] An old man sat in a warm leather lounge chair next to a fireplace, his legs propped up on an ottoman. The full brown beard he wore was dyed, and his ponytail would¡¯ve been blown away by a vengeful enough wind. He read a leather-bound book, its cover illustrating a closed eye. Tracing his finger over a sentence, the left side of his face curled in intrigue, the other half numbed to frozen lifelessness. The book¡¯s violet eye fluttered open. It looked bored. Ever since King Andre¡¯s second stroke, his strength withered with every week. He closed the machina, Soothsayer, leaving it to rest facing upward, and pondered resting chin on knuckle. When our new head chef Craig Wilson was a teenager, he murdered his village¡¯s local cats for entertainment. If he goes a week without butchering livestock, uncontrollable psychotic urges manifest. You¡¯d never expect such darkness from a charade of virtue so convincing. Soothsayer¡¯s voice crept into his headspace. Nothing is ever what it seems, but you can find the truth. Will you trust that man to not poison your dishes? ¡°Of course not. He¡¯ll disappear like every other,¡± he mumbled to himself. Andre looked to the darker corner of his regal study. ¡°Ashley.¡± An average woman with shoulder-length black hair and a lavender maid¡¯s uniform stood to attention. That unassuming uniform hid hardened muscles though, and her eyes possessed a veteran¡¯s cold edge. She walked forward, bowing to King Andre. ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Craig Wilson is no good after all. You know what to do.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one I can count on. I hate to burden you with carrying me around everywhere, but I would like to visit my collection.¡± ¡°Affirmative. I will now bring your wheelchair.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ashley moved the ruler¡¯s dead legs from the ottoman with care, transferring him to the wheelchair. After setting him in, she extended the bottom to support his legs, and then tucked a comfy blanket to cover them. Every movement the caretaker made showcased utmost efficiency and precision. She rolled him out from the study into the massive corridors of Castle Hemmer. Andre observed the fruits of his great, great grandfather¡¯s labor as Ashley pushed him over bloodred carpets accented by gold. The dark gothic architecture would¡¯ve disturbed the bravest of souls if it weren¡¯t for the chapel-like rainbow-stained glass windows. They morphed sunlight, shining colorful rays upon the rows of empty suits of armor and abstract paintings. One of the strangest and largest art pieces depicted a sky painted crimson. Seven crescent moons glared down like eyes of the dead gods. Hooks hung from the heavens. Ever-reaching hooks that hung headless, limbless corpses of giants by their backs. The title branded into the wooden frame read, ¡°The Red Room.¡± They turned left into another branching hall and moved on, passing an alone teen sweeping. Her shoulder-length brunette hair was curly, and she wore a maid¡¯s outfit. Upon spotting King Andre, she stiffened up and fell into attention with such a jolt that her broom fell from her hand. It swung into a vase which tipped and shattered across the floor. She darted her existentially panicked attention between her mistake and her ruler¡¯s uncaring reaction. Andre tilted his head to the right in contemplation. Throughout Mae¡¯s life, she¡¯s always been clumsy. It¡¯s caused disaster and failure for her over and over. I¡¯d go as far as to say that it was fate for her to knock this vase over. But even though nothing is going on in her head, Mae is pure of heart. She will never betray me. Ashely glared at the junior maid. She walked over to her, rearing her open hand. Mae flinched but accepted the slap to her cheek. Immediately after, she bowed rigidly to King Andre and Ashely. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Andre shrugged. ¡°Blunders come with being human, and you¡¯ve endured a befitting punishment. I accept your apology. Carry on with your duties, Miss Mae.¡± Mae knelt to one knee, looking straight to the ground. ¡°Thank you, Sire!¡± The two moved onwards toward the great chamber holding Andre¡¯s collection. Staring out through another towering stained-glass window that showed off High Monestate, he hesitantly asked Ashley a question. ¡°Will¡­ you end up betraying me too?¡± Her expression barely nudged from stoicism. ¡°Forgive my crassness, My Lord, but if you fear my treason so much, then why not use your machina on me? If I told you the truth again, would it settle your nerves? Would you trust my words?¡± Andre gazed down at Soothsayer which lay in his lap returning harsh eye contact. She¡¯s right, you know. The left half of the king¡¯s face twisted. ¡°I fear the answer I¡¯ll receive.¡± Ashley sighed. ¡°It seems we''ve went around the circle again then. Right back to the beginning. Shall we repeat this conversation same time next week?¡± This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Andre pondered before letting out a dry laugh. ¡°Perhaps.¡± She frowned. ¡°It frustrates me.¡± Silence stuck between the two until she backpedaled. ¡°Your Highness, I overstepped. Please forgive my error.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is why I value you. You¡¯ll tell anybody what¡¯s on your mind. Even your nation¡¯s ruler. I¡¯ll trust your words after all.¡± She looked away out the stained glass window as they passed two plate-armored royal guards standing statue-like on watch. Green light shone in her eyes. ¡°I see.¡± Ashely unlocked great steel double doors using the black iron key hanging from her neck. It creaked open to reveal a vast chamber keen to echo. The secluded museum-like place had a rounded far up ceiling painstakingly painted to recall The War for Lovecraft. It illustrated hordes of foreign invaders tearing The Westwinds to ash and bone. The Zaibans came from the far East with their unrivaled swarms of cavalry and The Elephant Guard. Faceless pirates, mercenary bands, and no names scattered about causing havoc. The blooming empire of Monestate used the conflict as an opportunity to test the wits of its New Age engineers. Fire rained down upon The Westwinds from merciless siege machines unimaginable a century ago. The last nation predominantly beast in Ailmor became no more, and the human led conquerors who saw its peoples as less didn¡¯t hesitate to cull whoever remained. What did these Westerners do to deserve such an ending? Nothing. One day, Lovecraft, a great machina known as The Itblade, was unearthed on their soil. What came next was Convergence, and with Convergence, consequence. Who would come out on top? Who would claim the great machina? No one would. It broke. The blade broke. Residual spiritual energy remained clouding it, but no one could harness or repair the pieces. They existed now as a simple reminder of a dismal past. As Andre rolled up to the centered pedestal displaying Lovecraft¡¯s rusting fragments, he eyed his other possessions. Rare animals preserved by taxidermy, most of them albino, extinct, or both lined up in display. An elk with three heads stood dead and frozen, staring at him with every black lifeless eye. A golden horned beetle native to Zaibah sat not too far away. Relics and sentimental keepsakes from battles like captured enemy flags and the custom armor of dead commanders scattered about in glass cases too. Andre¡¯s gaze hung especially long on a lone, crude crown of blending ivory, gold, and bronze. It belonged to the dead kingdom¡¯s final tribal ruler; King Isaac III. Andre observed the shattered silver shards of Lovecraft. The blade snapped into innumerable fragments while the hilt lay missing one of its halves. Centered below its guard, the closed eye of a great machina lulled into eternal sleep rested. The king rested his palm up against its glass display encasement. ¡°You still haven¡¯t lost your luster, my god. I can¡¯t go a night without toiling over what could have been.¡± He awaited a response that would never come. Ashley cleared her throat as her ruler sighed and rambled on. ¡°I chose the best with Soothsayer to secure you. Not an ounce of weakness existed in their souls, yet we failed. You shattered. My father, dead. A Kingdom''s slaughter all for nothing. We were convinced Convergence would be the answer, but I realize now that only fools blindly put faith in the powers of others. Power must be claimed yourself.¡± Andre scoffed, motioning to his caretaker to roll him away. ¡°Sleep forever, Dead god. I won¡¯t be visiting you again.¡± Before reaching the towering double doors to exit, Ashely pulled the wheelchair to a stop. Andre¡¯s head knocked into its rest. The suddenness of it and her frozen glare at the door surprised him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What is it?¡± ¡°I hear something. You don¡¯t?¡± Andre focused. He did. A violent havoc intertwined with grunting and growling went on just behind the doors, right out in their halls. Ashely left him there and crept up to the steel surface. ¡°Stay right there. I will check,¡± she ordered. He nodded in response. She creaked open the door just enough to see a grey-skinned humanoid thing ripping a royal guard¡¯s arm from his chest. Standing at seven feet tall, numerous slash and puncture scars lined its back. With a fountain of blood and a wail, the dismembered man fainted. As the second guard fought for his life, deflecting erratic claws and snapping bites from the beast with his shield, a crowd of five men covered by white cloaks akin to phantoms sprinted down the hall with spears and steel restraints. A jester in purple and green tights and a face painted gold led them with a syringe in hand. Ashely looked back at her ruler with a grave face. ¡°One of Mercutio¡¯s Homunculi escaped from the underworks.¡± Andre turned cold and tried his best to wheel himself over with his working arm. He stared at the monstrosity through the opening. ¡°That¡¯s no true Homunculus. It¡¯s ugly and imperfect. A monster.. Nothing like the results found at the original site of experiments. Nothing like Jericho the Wyrm.¡± ¡°Stay away from the door, Your Highness. It¡¯s angering.¡± The king shook his head with sharp eyes as a jarring howl rang out. ¡°We¡¯re still so far from replicating The Apparatus. I don¡¯t have enough life left in me to wait for that clown''s results, and not enough room to house his horde of failed freaks.¡± The men in white impaled long steel spears into the homunculus¡¯s limbs, pinning it to the ground. Mercutio knelt next to the gurgling creature, tapping the tip of his syringe. Stabbing it in the throat, he whispered. ¡°Shhhh. Rest, my child. Rest.¡± Andre bade Ashely to bring him forth, so she hesitantly obeyed. From his wheelchair, he spoke up to Mercutio who motioned for his men to drag the homunculus back down into the shadows of Castle Hemmer. ¡°How dare you lose control of that atrocious beast. I¡¯ve grown tired of your failures, Doctor. You take my patience for granted.¡± Mercutio showed a dumb, easygoing grin. He spoke with a warm tone. ¡°Atrocious? All of my creations are beautiful, Your Highness. Art is subjective though.¡± In the next moment, the jester''s expression chilled to a killer''s calculated coldness. His voice lowered so much that another person may as well have been speaking. ¡°But you should understand that mimicking a masterpiece takes time, right? I¡¯m close. On the fringe. Give me one more week. No, a few days.¡± Andre and Ashley stared at him as he exploded in a burst of anger, waving off both of them. ¡°You go play bingo and write your will, and you go paint your nails and talk about boys with the other maids!¡± Ashely stepped forward, clenching her fist. ¡°You watch your tone with your king!¡± Mercutio laughed as he walked off, not even looking back. ¡°Maybe you should let him stand up for himself! Get it!? Because he can¡¯t!?¡± Andre sighed. ¡°I got the joke. You didn¡¯t have to explain it.¡± He advised Ashley. ¡°Leave him be. He¡¯s the only one able to understand what went through the heads of whoever created The Apparatus.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Ashley responded. ¡°It takes a fool.¡± END OF PART ONE NEXT PART - A TALE OF MONSTERS WITHIN Chapter 29 - To Castle Hemmer PART TWO - A TALE OF MONSTERS WITHIN Sasha peaked from behind an alleyway dumpster into the night. Guard patrols led by torchbearers marched by. They swarmed this part of Monestate. After all, the boundary to High Monestate stood only blocks away. How else would the rich keep poor people out of their yards than military might? Abdul stood close by, leaning against a shadow-casting brick wall with arms crossed. So did Elise. They all waited for Isaac who cleared his throat and called out into the streets with an attempt at a girly voice. ¡°Kyaaaaaah! Please help me! Please~. If I only had a strong, muscular man to save me from these thieves!¡± Sasha was taken aback. She harshly whispered at him. ¡°You said you were good at impressions. Who will fall for that?¡± Not even ten seconds later, a hulking guard in full plate and a red tabard with the king¡¯s insignia appeared at the alley entrance. He boomed and rushed into the darkness they hid in. ¡°That¡¯s me! I¡¯m a strong, muscular man! I¡¯ll save you!¡± Instead of a damsel in distress, he found himself surrounded by the entire team. He nodded. ¡°Wallahi I¡¯m finished.¡± They jumped him. Fast forward half a minute, he laid on the ground face first near naked. Abdul dusted off his hands and changed into the guard¡¯s steel plate armor. ¡°A little big. They won¡¯t notice, right?¡± Isaac nodded. ¡°As drunk as they get at night, they shouldn¡¯t. Just keep the visor closed. The guard doesn¡¯t hire Zaibans.¡± Abdul dropped the visor to obscure his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t think about that.¡± He handed a sizable bag to Sasha. ¡°Could you hold onto this for me till we¡¯re in? This gear isn¡¯t my style.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± She shouldered the weight. The nigh-naked guard got up to his knees, dazed. ¡°I won¡¯t let you hooligans get away with this. You¡¯ll be in big trouble after I report your shenanigans.¡± Elise placed the cestus machina, Ween, on his forehead. A green gecko dangled from her other hand. ¡°Nobody would believe a lizard though, right? Voodoo Lady.¡± Abdul cringed. ¡°That¡¯s cruel. Might as well kill him.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll technically live. Look at it as a form of kindness.¡± The guard¡¯s face blanked out. He flicked his tongue and crawled on hands and feet into the streets. A voice rang out in the direction where he disappeared. ¡°Paul? What the hell are you doing? Paul?!¡± The gecko in Elise¡¯s palm stood up on its two little legs and stared at its own reptilian hands. She gently placed it on the ground where it fell onto four paws to scurry away. Isaac shook his head as if trying to dispel his own guilt. Such was war. They saw off Abdul who assumed a rigid march and commanded Primus hanging from his back. ¡°Right now, you¡¯re a normal sword. Normal swords don¡¯t talk.¡± Primus scoffed. ¡°You think you can make the rules?¡± ¡°If you get me caught in there, I¡¯ll ditch you on the spot. Then say goodbye to Sasha.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t, right? Right?¡± Abdul directed his attention to Elise as Isaac vanished into her shadow. ¡°When you see the smoke and commotion, get moving. I¡¯m not sure how long it¡¯ll lower their guard. I¡¯ll try to catch up soon. My enhanced senses should make it easy.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us. Worry about not getting jailed for impersonation and arson.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got a point.¡± Abdul marched out toward the walls of High Monestate. Alone now with Elise, Sasha wondered about their plan¡¯s success. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll really let him walk on through?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t. The guards are required to identify themselves too. It''ll at least let him get closer than usual though.¡± ¡°How do you know that?¡± ¡°Would it surprise you to hear that Isaac and I have spent many nights plotting for a day like this?¡± Sasha¡¯s face tensed up. ¡°I get it. You two planned to kill the king?¡± ¡°Planned to. Nothing beyond. Isaac''s hatred for him is strong, but not enough to risk his life in such a risky plot.¡± Sasha looked into Elise¡¯s shadow. ¡°Do they have a history?¡± ¡°You could say that, but it¡¯s a secret. Isaac would get upset if I told you the truth. I don¡¯t see the point of hiding it myself. He¡¯s still stuck in that past. Wants to move on but can¡¯t. Frustrating to watch, if I''m honest.¡± Sasha shied from the topic. ¡°Can he not hear us right now? I don¡¯t like talking about people behind their backs.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t, and don¡¯t worry. This is just gossip between girls. Nothing more.¡± Elise took off into the interweaving alleys. She motioned for Sasha to follow. After some turns and weaving around dumpsters, they emerged on the other side. The walls leading to High Monestate towered in the distance. She pointed at a vague figure difficult to see. Sasha focused in. Abdul scaled them. What did he use to grip such a smooth surface? Claws? Elise nodded. ¡°He¡¯s about in. Looks like his plans may¡¯ve changed.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°He¡¯s making a run for it.¡± That¡¯s right. Abdul reached the top and rolled over. He looked both directions only to see a guard aiming a crossbow at him. Undaunted, he sprinted to silence the nuisance. Before front kicking the crossbowman from the wall, the bolt struck him in the bicep. It splintered and bounced off. The guard yelled out while falling thirty feet. Abdul ran along the top of the walls, flames primed and sputtering from mouth. Sasha motioned to Elise. ¡°The show¡¯s about to begin. Let¡¯s get ready.¡± They entered the streets to hide behind an empty carriage. Elise remembered something. ¡°Abdul has a ton of experience with sieges. We couldn¡¯t have a better guy for the job. If that means what I think it means, then¡ª¡± An ear-ringing explosion rang out from High Monestate. Fire, wooden chunks, and stone rained from the sky. Sasha¡¯s mouth dropped as Elise explained with a mischievous smile. ¡°He¡¯d know where they stockpiled things you never want fire touching.¡± ¡°I hope he didn¡¯t blow himself up.¡± The guards patrolling the boundary of High Monestate were understandably surprised. The closest voice echoed "Bruh." into the night. As an intense force of soldiers swarmed into the checkpoint to investigate the chaos, Elise poked Sasha¡¯s cheek. ¡°Now¡¯s our chance. I doubt anybody will be stopping girls for their papers with hell raining.¡± They sprinted for the nearest gate entrance left opened by the watchmen that ditched it. Well¡­, all for one. He stood firm in front of them while two barracks and three watchtowers behind burnt to rubble. Didn''t care about his nearby shift partner burning alive, rolling around on the floor, either. The guard shouted at them. ¡°Halt! No peasants may dirty the pleasantry of High Monestate!¡± Sasha recoiled at his diligence. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. We need to check on our families. How can you stand here with the walls coming down?¡± ¡°I cannot abandon my position! Identify yourself! Everyone is a peasant until proven human.¡± Elise lost patience. She pulled some sort of bronze beetle from her pocket. It produced little brass notes by blowing through its bell-shaped mouth. ¡°Trombeetles live only for music though. Not some king.¡± She placed Ween on the guard¡¯s chest. His face blanked out, longsword dropping onto the ground, as the trombeetle stood on its hind legs in confusion. The guard-now-beetle made strange raspberry sounds with its mouth as the beetle-now-guard went through an existential crisis. Sasha looked back and forth between the two, equally fascinated and horrified. She¡¯d have to accept Voodoo Lady for its weirdness. Could it really switch anything? Even souls? They ran past, avoiding more raining fire which landed near their feet. Only a few more gates separated them from making it into High Monesate. After entering, they could lay low until the guard settled. Then infiltrating Castle Hemmer would be on the plate. The task seemed monumental to Sasha. The closer it neared though, the less it felt like fantasy. Smoke and flame rose into the sky. In daylight, you could see that king¡¯s castle looking down over everything. They went through a clearing centered by a bale of hay erupted in flames. Marching neared, alerting them to split to hide. Sasha peeked at a patrol of twenty soldiers armed to the teeth from behind a wall. She watched Elise whose hiding spot on the other side of the clearing was unfortunate; a thin, conspicuous bush that barely concealed. Before the patrol faded from sight, the last in line halted. ¡°Aye, Commander. I¡¯ve got to piss. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Their leader in golden ornate armor shook his head. Without a helmet, he was a hulking man far bulkier than Isaac or Abdul. Cleanly shaven with a military crew cut too. ¡°What¡¯s this I just heard from you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to piss. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care if you have to piss, but you¡¯re breaking our number one rule!¡± The last two soldiers looked at each other awkwardly. The Commander beckoned them. ¡°Go on. Recite it. You know better.¡± They spoke back in sync. ¡°Never leave your battle buddy.¡± The second soldier shrugged. ¡°I had to go too anyway.¡± They hurried back into the clearing and then to the bush Elise hid in. Sasha¡¯s face twisted in disgust. Sick to her stomach, she gawked at them standing hip to hip at those bushes to unzip their pants. They bantered with one another. ¡°Don¡¯t stand so close to me. The Commander can¡¯t even see us right now.¡± The second one bumped into him. ¡°You fool, The Commander is always watching. You want to lose your job and be thrown into the streets? To become a peasant or owl? Not me.¡± The first awkwardly stared at the bush, reluctant to go about his business. ¡°Pissing in this bush doesn¡¯t feel right. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s oddly shaped like a woman? I feel like it¡¯s judging me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. What a strange shape. Wouldn¡¯t want to sully mother nature. Any common idiot would mistake it for an intruder. I¡¯ll piss in the flames then.¡± ¡°How else would The Commander expect us to put the fires out?¡± They shifted their target from the bush to the hay bale ablaze. One of the guards snapped to attention, drawing his sword without even zipping his pants back up, shlong to the wind. He pointed to an empty void in the clearing far from both Sasha and Elise. ¡°You there, invisible trespasser! Uncloak yourself. Did you think I¡¯d be so dull to not notice how you disturb the dust?¡± Simon appeared there from thin air, masked as usual. ¡°They¡¯re perceptive. It seems I do leave a light impression on the ground.¡± He noted. ¡°An owl? Here? You must not know your place.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I don¡¯t. Why don¡¯t you show me?¡± Of course they would. They¡¯d show him. The soldiers exchanged confident nods before crying out toward their patrol. ¡°Commander, help! Help us! Help~! We don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Cowards. Calling your dad?¡± They pointed back at him. ¡°Damn right we are!¡± Their noise drew unwanted attention. Several pairs of heavy boots stomped toward them. Simon bowed to Sasha as she panicked. ¡°I apologize for blowing your cover. Shame that I¡¯m not much of a fighter. I¡¯ll make it up to you later. I promise.¡± Sasha stared at Elise who still sat stoneface in the bush. The spot triumphed over invisibility. It didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to say, Simon. Thanks for nothing.¡± That owl wrapped himself in his cloak, vanishing from sight. He left the scene just as fast as he entered. The Commander arrived backed by a crowd. He spotted Sasha and Elise instantly, glaring back and forth between both. They rushed from their hiding spots to make a break for the exit only for it to be blocked by five more emerging guards in chainmail. Sasha observed the area for an escape route but found no answer. The Commander wielded a flail. Its metal ball chained to the handle had a machina¡¯s eye. Major glared, apprehensive. It warned her. ¡°That machina of his is powerful. I can sense it. Don¡¯t get struck.¡± As if cued to show off, The Commander swung his flail in circular motions above his head. It accelerated to speeds beyond comprehension. All Sasha saw was a reflective circle of blur. The boss called out to her. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re outnumbered with nowhere to go. No fighting chance at all. You could even say it¡¯s unfair.¡± Elise rolled her eyes. ¡°Thanks for telling us. We couldn¡¯t get that ourselves.¡± A hand reached out from underneath Elise. Isaac¡¯s head poked out from her shadow as if breaking the surface of water. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± He looked around, grasping the situation. ¡°Oh...¡± The Commander chuckled. ¡°I stand for justice. Don¡¯t care for things that¡¯re unfair. I¡¯ll give you trespassers three choices.¡± He put up one finger. ¡°Surrender all your machina, be interrogated, and given due process by our judicial system.¡± When given the coldest of glares in response, he put up the second one. ¡°Resist and fight disadvantaged ten to one.¡± Isaac pulled himself up from the shadows to join them. ¡°Both of those aren¡¯t options for us. What¡¯s the third?¡± He asked. The Commander put up his third finger. ¡°Your strongest will duel me. If you defeat me, you may pass these gates. If I¡¯m the victor and your combatant isn¡¯t dead, then you¡¯ll all be subjected to fair, unbiased justice.¡± Elise put her hands on her hips. ¡°Well, we¡¯re fucked, aren¡¯t we?¡± Sasha shook her head. ¡°Not yet, we aren¡¯t!¡± Chapter 30 - Cold Trial to Wake Isaac rested his fingers on his sheathed daggers of Dio. He gave a brave face to The Commander but stared awfully long at the flail revolving in blurs above. Elise sensed uncertainty in him. ¡°You okay? Not confident you could beat him?¡± He spoke low. ¡°If I could use the dagger of light¡¯s ability, then of course I could. I don¡¯t want to hurt any of you. Not to mention that a graze of his flail could kill at such speeds.¡± ¡°Be careful. If you¡¯re hurt, at least I can heal you.¡± ¡°Voodoo Lady won¡¯t be able to prevent death if it is instant.¡± Isaac faced The Commander anyway. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I must do.¡± Sasha got a chill watching her teacher¡¯s back. Panicked, horrified thoughts bounced in her mind. No! Stop! This is bad! Just like Elise, she sensed an unusual tension in him; one that she knew would lead to his death. Isaac stepped forward only for The Commander to shake his head. ¡°I said that your strongest will duel me. Not you.¡± ¡°What do you mean? I am the strongest of us. Are you trying to get in my head?¡± The Commander couldn¡¯t have been more serious. His flail still spinning effortlessly above, he eyed Sasha as the true threat. ¡°My machina Danger Zone has always been the strongest. Even so, right now, it fears the dagger in that girl''s hands. Not everything is as it appears. I shall challenge her. Not you.¡± As everyone showed shocked reactions, Sasha stood her ground. She didn¡¯t care how thin her chances were. Watching her teacher die was something she refused to do. That fear propelled her forward. She approached with a slight quiver, Major gripped tightly. What was this feeling rattling her? Terror or excitement? She explained to Isaac and Elise who stared at her as if crazy. ¡°This is a trial. If I can¡¯t step up now, then how will I later? I can¡¯t hide behind you all forever. I won¡¯t.¡± Isaac shook his head, his voice hushed to avoid the ears of those watching. ¡°We can still try to make a break for it. You won¡¯t stand a chance here. In years, maybe, but you lack the experience. It¡¯s gotta be me, but I¡¯m¡­ weak too, aren¡¯t I?¡± Seems they weren¡¯t the only ones to notice. Isaac recognized it too. He¡¯d lost his courage. Sasha gritted her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll fight.¡± The guards encircled closer, swords and halberds braced. Crossbowmen gathered in the distance on the walls, aiming their bolts toward them. With every second, a larger army of spectators accumulated. Her eyes sharpened, Sasha bowed slightly to Isaac and Elise. ¡°Thank you for everything.¡± She turned to The Commander with her head held high and chin up. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on your challenge. What is your name?¡± ¡°Uriel. And yours?¡± ¡°Sasha. I¡¯ve forgotten my last name.¡± ¡°Me too. They¡¯re unnecessary.¡± He sized her up, weary. ¡°Your appearance won¡¯t fool me. The strength of your god ki tells me a different story. I won¡¯t underestimate the wielder of a great machina.¡± ¡°I¡¯m flattered. How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°Machina and ki cultivators far enough along can sense such things. In this case, it¡¯s my flail.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯m guessing you want Major for yourself then? Like everyone else?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in Convergence. When you lose, though, the king will strip you of that dagger without a doubt.¡± ¡°If I lose.¡± This thrilled Uriel. ¡°My machina¡¯s been going crazy with anxiety. Entertain me. Challenge me.¡± Sasha¡¯s face chilled to a haunting emptiness. ¡°I¡¯ll probably disappoint you.¡± The surrounding crowd backed up to give an ample arena stage. As Isaac watched crippled by utter dread, eyes unblinking, The Commander¡¯s underlings cheered for their leader. They didn¡¯t have a clue what was at stake. It was all just entertainment. A show to get hammered to. Sasha and Uriel assumed starting positions on opposite sides of the clearing. They fell into loose combat stances. A random soldier in plate stepped out into the center, punched the wind, and shouted. ¡°Begin!¡± As Uriel approached, his flail accelerating overhead, Sasha stood and observed. ¡°Tell me your power and I¡¯ll tell you mine.¡± She proposed. ¡°Figuring out the enemy¡¯s mystery is half the battle.¡± ¡°I figured. No fun. I¡¯ll ask the roundtable in my head then.¡± Ghost in the Shell appeared to be shallow, but so did most surfaces. Sasha realized in Rath Ghul that her true potential was buried in layers of mystery. There was more to it than just the dagger. Just as she acted as a vessel for the phantoms within, the dagger acted as a vessel for their souls to manifest. A foundation. How many shapes could it possibly form? She had to dig. She had to get creative. The knowledge pooling and flowing downriver from her ancestors was colossal. Sasha stood on the shoulders of giants. She kicked gravel up in Uriel¡¯s eyes. It would¡¯ve blinded him if he hadn¡¯t shielded them. The disrespectful act agitated him. Uriel glared back at Sasha to find her gone. She¡¯d disappeared completely. A sharp pain as hot as siege oil behind his thigh ripped a yell from his lungs. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. Sasha plunged the dagger glowing bright blue straight through his armor, carving across with coldness. It ignored the plate as if it weren¡¯t even there. Uriel shoulder bashed her away, swinging the blur of a flail her direction. Sasha tried to dodge, but its speed beat her reflexes. Out of each other''s ranges now, both caught their breath. Sasha suppressed a sudden, meek groan after noticing her offhand. It was a mangled mess. Uriel was impressed. ¡°Your blade doesn¡¯t attack the body. It cuts the soul. That spiritual aspect bypasses normal armor. Son of a bitch.¡± ¡°I learn a new thing about myself every day,¡± she replied with a groan and gritted teeth. ¡°If I were a ki cultivator, I could defend against such a thing, but for now you get plain bread.¡± Uriel stumbled, eyeing his wound. It profusely spouted blood. His flail clipped her badly. Sasha lost her pinky and ring finger. They laid a few feet away. Her middle finger shattered, swelling up limp. Her hand bled and shook tremendously. Uriel didn¡¯t celebrate the damage he inflicted though. His wound may have been worse. He recognized the crimson puddle forming under his own leg and remarked. ¡°Looks like you may have severed an artery.¡± She gave him pained silence in response. Uriel readied his machina again only to falter. He kneeled. ¡°I have not yet lost.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t either.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s call this round one. We¡¯ll dress our wounds and begin again. What glory could any of us claim from a bled out opponent?¡± Sasha sighed. ¡°You¡¯re formal for someone out for my life.¡± ¡°I bear no hatred for anyone. Take care of that hand.¡± He called off to the sidelines. ¡°Medic!¡± Isaac and Elise rushed to her side, cringing at her hand. He ripped his bandana from his head to wrap tightly around her palm. Elise stopped him though. She held her left hand out. ¡°Wrap mine instead. I¡¯ll switch her wounds to myself with Voodoo Lady.¡± He glanced between the two with uncertainty. ¡°You sure about fighting? We can still surrender. I know it was my idea in the first place, but maybe I was being cavalier. We could be in over our heads. I don¡¯t want you to die.¡± Sasha rejected his idea. ¡°That¡¯s not an option. The king would take Major from me. Uriel knew I had a great machina. He warned me. If I give up, I¡¯ll die with this damned dagger.¡± She dismissed Elise¡¯s proposition next. ¡°And I don¡¯t want your sacrifice. Wrap me up and I¡¯ll be fine. This is nothing.¡± Disbelief rattled Elise. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°This is my trial. My responsibility. These are my consequences¡ª.¡± Sasha faltered, her face curling in agony. ¡°I earned it all. Long time coming.¡± She gazed across the clearing-turned-arena to Uriel who sat without pants as a soldier tightly wrapped his leg. He met her eyes and firmly nodded. Through that exchange, they agreed that there wouldn¡¯t be a third round. Nobody could afford anything more. Isaac advised Sasha. ¡°Think about his flail¡¯s effective range. The chain is about two feet long and the handle is maybe half that. If you can enter that pocket, he shouldn¡¯t be able to hit you with it cleanly. This is especially true if you can somehow get behind him.¡± Sasha nodded, focusing on his words with all her might. He continued. ¡°Your hand got clipped on separation. He shoved you away into his effective range because he feared you staying close. If only you had a long-range attack.¡± ¡°Ghost in the Shell led me to a similar idea but thank you. You¡¯ve made it easier to understand.¡± ¡°Ghost in the Shell?¡± ¡°Major''s power. I call upon the souls of his past wielders. I can dig deep to feel their thoughts and memories.¡± She let out of an exhale of relief as the pain of her mangled hand numbed slightly due to the tight wrapping. The bleeding slowed. ¡°I¡¯ll show you, teacher.¡± Though still anxious, Isaac found himself proud of her confidence. He warned her. ¡°You still haven¡¯t seen the genuine threat of his machina either. Is his power as simple as making his flail spin fast? I doubt it. What you¡¯ve witnessed so far is only the beginning. Be careful. Observe.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Sasha waved over to The Commander to show that she was ready. She left Isaac with this: ¡°I won¡¯t tell you to not worry, but at least give me your faith.¡± He straightened his shoulders a bit. ¡°You¡¯ve already surprised me quite a bit. Go get him.¡± Sasha waited in the center of the arena for Uriel. She witnessed something that made her question reality. As he neared, his pained face and limp vanished, replaced by a half grin and confident walk. She rubbed her eyes, questioning Major. ¡°Did he always have a beard?¡± Her machina let out an enthused ¡°Hm?¡± Sasha was right. Uriel undoubtedly changed in their few minutes apart. Not only was his hair longer, but it was also greyer. Did he get more wrinkles too? ¡°I must be going crazy. He grew a beard, didn¡¯t he? His head¡¯s full of hair too.¡± What once was a crew cut grew longer and more wavy. ¡°Good catch. His control over speed may extend further than just the flail. In this case, he accelerated his own body to heal immediately.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fuck.¡± Rain poured as dark grey cumulonimbi watched from the skies. The hay bale smoldering next to them died down, leaving smoking embers. She spoke to Major. ¡°I¡¯ve never fought in weather like this before. It doesn¡¯t matter though. The people within my soul have. I see the images. Their experiences are mine.¡± That¡¯s right. Embrace them. That¡¯s the spirit you¡¯ll need to find the shape of victory. ¡°The shape of victory? Has a nice ring to it.¡± The same ringside soldier from before appeared to announce the beginning of the second round with bravado. ¡°F-F-F-F-Fight! D-D-D-Duel! Mortal Komba¡ª,¡± a buddy dragged him away by the ear as another facepalmed nearby. It only took Uriel a single swing to wind his flail to supernatural speeds. Sasha beckoned. ¡°Ghost in the Shell.¡± She passed Major to her offhand and held it out front. As if a switch flipped in the head, her expression loosened up. ¡°Name¡¯s Evelyn. Don¡¯t tell me yours. No point in rememberin¡¯ corpses.¡± Major sprouted branchlike limbs curving inwards, a phantomlike bowstring of silk weaving between them. Isaac¡¯s surprised shout in the distance reached her. ¡°A bow?!¡± Sasha pulled a spectral arrow from thin air, nocking its end against the string, and drew. As the arrow sat in tension between the bow¡¯s handle and her shattered middle finger, she focused on Uriel. With a bowstring pulled for the first time, Sasha realized that manifesting the expertise of an archer wasn¡¯t enough. Her back, trap, and arm muscles already shook. Her years of regular training weren¡¯t enough. She either never developed the proper strength or lost it to malnutrition in Rath Ghul. If she survived this duel, she would have to take training more seriously. She¡¯d have to get powerful. Seeing her bow put sheer seriousness onto Uriel¡¯s face. His flail stopped revolving, its chain falling limp by his side. He approached with utmost focus on the arrow pointed at him. Sasha shot it. The arrow whizzed straight for his chest until it didn¡¯t. Within a blink, he''d moved several feet to the left. Sasha took a step back, uncertainty causing her to grow hesitant. She drew another arrow. ¡°Fast. I couldn¡¯t even see him move.¡± He raised his palm up to the sky. ¡°Danger Zone.¡± For the next three seconds, thousands of accelerated raindrops beat Sasha down to the ground. They struck with the force of stone. This weather brought out the full potential of The Commander¡¯s ability. Could he truly accelerate anything? The scales of chance tilted in his favor. Sasha groaned face first on the ground, covering her ringing head with her hands. With a concussion and busted lip, she crawled up to her knees and wiped blood from her mouth. ¡°If you think I¡¯ll let a little rain wash me away, you¡¯re mistaken.¡± There was something sinister about Uriel¡¯s wrinkly smile. Something fatalistic. His beard doubled in length along with his long, unkempt hair now reaching below his shoulders. He took to spinning the flail again. Its speed turned rain to mist. His body sped closer and closer to its natural death. Uriel didn¡¯t care about his future or debts. He lived for this moment and nothing more. He beckoned her. ¡°Stand up. This battle is once in a lifetime. One to die for. I¡¯m giving you all of me. Give me all of you.¡± Chapter 31 - The Shape of Victory Frantic yelling from the sidelines barely reached Sasha¡¯s ears. It was Isaac. ¡°Sasha, his range isn¡¯t infinite! It¡¯s some kind of bubble! Everything outside of it isn¡¯t in his control! You¡¯re near the edge!¡± Major added onto the observation. He can even accelerate his surroundings, but at what cost? What a nuisance. Sasha rushed to make space away from Uriel¡¯s Danger Zone. She threatened his pursuit with another drawn arrow. The ringing in her head didn¡¯t make it easy to strategize. She couldn¡¯t run away forever. The circle of guards entrapped them, and getting too close brought many threats. Disarming Uriel seemed to be the best option; separate the man from his god, forcing him to fight more on her level. Sasha set out to try it. She¡¯d knock that machina from his hand. Sasha dispelled her bow, her expression shifting deathly cold. With a flash of light from Major, the spirit of the bow withered away until once again a dagger. She focused into the blade. ¡°Ghost in the Shell.¡± Sasha split Major into small, uncountable shards shining with blue radiance; throwing knives barely visible to the human eye. ¡°Kafka here. Showtime, baby.¡± She fanned them with her fingers like a deck of cards. Its power spread out thin, Major''s eye attached itself to her palm. The dagger warned her. My soul sealed within the eye is vulnerable when you divide me up so much so. Don¡¯t even let it get scratched. It could kill you. ¡°All you do is worry.¡± Sasha sprinted toward Uriel who swung his flail in anticipation. She planted her feet within grazing distance, slung her knives his way, and observed his reaction unblinking. One second, the flail ceased its spin. The next, his figure vanished to dodge her attack. He reappeared to the left. Sasha put space between them as she reflected. I¡¯m starting to get the pattern. He can only accelerate one thing at a time. His choices are between the flail, himself, and his surroundings. If I can force a reaction, will he dodge left again? Major agreed. A good analysis but watch out. Rain! As Uriel raised his hand to the sky, beckoning it, Sasha threw a dagger at him. His weathering assault started and then stopped prematurely. He teleported to the left, evading once more, distance kept between them. Sasha nodded, resolute in her observations. He should be capable of running me down, but he won¡¯t. Why? Major answered. He respects your power too much to be careless. I know what to do now. She looked off to Isaac, filled with confidence. Watch me, teacher. She materialized another set of fanned knives and sprinted full force at Uriel. He stood his ground, watching with wide-eyed focus. She reared her throwing arm and planted her feet, aiming at him. In anticipation, he teleported from sight. Sasha feinted and launched the knives to the left. Uriel appeared right into a barrage. He roared as they plunged into his face, torso, and arms. With shaken eyes and an Oh shit¡­ face, Uriel held pressure to his chin. He let go and his jaw fell open morbidly low, revealing a deep gash cut through his cheeks and tongue. ¡°Gwaugh,¡± he uttered. Blood poured from his face like a fountain. Major praised Sasha. ¡°Excellent work. Victory is yours. Accelerating now would be a bad choice. It¡¯d quicken his blood loss and kill him. His only option is to surrender. Hurry and end this.¡± She didn''t feel exactly ecstatic about her victory though. There was a part of Sasha that respected her enemy. Looking defanged, she called out to Uriel. "Give up and call this off so I don''t have to kill you! If you''re tended to right now, maybe you could live!" But was surrender an option for such a man? Uriel grinded his teeth, shaking his head sternly at Sasha''s hope-filled plea. He burst towards her with a sonic boom, exploding full force into her chest. Sasha was blown away. She tumbled and rolled a dozen times, bones cracking and muscles ripping against the stone, as he splattered into the ground on the spot of their collision. Blood spray, limbs, and gore burst from his corpse of meat and metal. Uriel accelerated himself into his own death. He¡¯d put everything into this suicide missile. Sasha lay in a twisted pose on her back with blurred vision, unable to move or breathe even an inch, her neck snapped and chest caved in. Every wheezing exhale released was impossible to claw back. She quickly succumbed to suffocation. Uriel threw away his own life to take hers, and for what? Pride? Glory? She never expected things to flip so easily. The curtains of life as she knew it closed. Her life ended before it could truly start. She didn¡¯t get to do anything with it. Ambitions? Accomplishments? Romance? All these experiences were ripped away before she could taste them. Only teary-eyed, panicked thoughts of horror and a faltering heartbeat remained. They numbed into gray nothingness. Isaac scrambled out into the arena, yelling with a cracking voice. ¡°Sasha?!¡± Countless guards gave chase after him. He planted his feet, every muscle in his body flexed to utmost tension, and roared. A fiery burst of green ki erupted from his heart, creating a shockwave of wind that blew the closest soldiers away. Raging turbulence born from his soul carved chunks from the ground beneath his feet. One guard further away shouted to his comrades as he braced against the ki¡¯s force. ¡°A ki cultivator?! Wind natured too?! Fuck us!¡± Isaac let out a ravenous growl. A vein on his forehead popped out. ¡°You¡¯ll...!¡± He twitched and frothed at the mouth as his chaotic aura expanded further with his anger. ¡°Pay!¡± Dozens of arrows and bolts shot toward Isaac only to be misdirected by his wind. He stomped toward Sasha, screaming at the soldiers in his way. ¡°Move!¡± When they didn¡¯t obey, falling into battle stances instead, a razor-sharp gust summoned by the swipe of Isaac¡¯s hand sent their heads flying. He glanced around, noting waves and waves of countless enemies, and grumbled. ¡°Sorry¡­ everyone.¡± Isaac ripped Dio¡¯s dagger of light from its sheath, wielding it two-handed. ¡°Rainbow in the Dark.¡± All semblance of light disappeared and absorbed into Dio. Torchlight, moonlight, all of it, became his. Isaac claimed authority over light as an idea as if he were the sole star in the universe. The dagger¡¯s blade extended into a great sword of pure weightless energy. He wielded a rainbow of myriad colors which blinded all who stared at it. Imagine what would¡¯ve happened if it were used under the sun. Sasha lay numbed by brain fog, curled up in utter abyss. Familiar voices echoed around her. The first was Major¡¯s. ¡°She did well. Better than some of you other wielders. I had high hopes for her.¡± Those to speak up after that weren¡¯t easily recognized. They became a ravenous swirl of noise. ¡°It¡¯ll be nice to have a girl in this soulscape for once. This place is a sausage party.¡± ¡°At least she lasted longer than Ley! Imagine contracting and losing a great machina in a single day. What a loser.¡± ¡°I guess at least we¡¯ll be together now.¡± A clearer, blunt voice pierced through all the fog. ¡°This host was going to be special. She has more potential than any of us. If her story ends here, it¡¯ll leave a bitter taste in my mouth.¡± Major faced that man. ¡°It¡¯s not often you show yourself, Leo. Have you taken a liking to the girl?¡± ¡°Perhaps. She reminds me of someone I once loved. I¡¯m going to intercept just this once. I¡¯m the only one who can make a difference, after all.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°Do as you wish.¡± Sasha felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up from the cold ground to see the phantom of an emotionless prince. He held his hand out to her. ¡°Everyone should be given a fair chance to live for what is dear to them. I¡¯ll give you a taste of this power once.¡± She gazed at him with an utterly broken will. Living again would mean dying again. It would mean seeing others die again. Why couldn¡¯t she just rest? Sasha couldn¡¯t bring herself to answer him. He continued. ¡°This will be the summit of the mountain. You¡¯ll only ever see it again by your own hard work. Will you sit here and vanish, or will you continue?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Sasha contemplated an answer with a mind and face bleak. ¡°How determined are you truly? Show me.¡± Another ancestor, Kafka, scoffed. ¡°You just want to show off, don¡¯t you? You think you¡¯re better than us.¡± Next came Ley. ¡°Thank you. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever be able to repay you.¡± Leo gave them a shrug. ¡°This isn¡¯t my decision. It¡¯s hers.¡± From the distance, a crazed yell barely reached her. It was sobering. The battle cries of a teacher who¡¯d seen his student murdered right in front of him. Isaac¡¯s voice shook her, sending shivers up her spine. It shook her soul. Sasha took Leo¡¯s hand, nodding with determination. As he helped her up, he spoke to the others warmly. ¡°I won¡¯t lie. Maybe I do want to show off a little. I¡¯ll show this girl and Monestate what a genuine bond between man and machina means. I apologize in advance for the ruckus it will cause.¡± In the arena, Sasha¡¯s mangled cold corpse got rained on as Isaac hacked and slashed away at an army of two-hundred guards accumulating more and more. Rainbow in the Dark disintegrated whatever touched its blade. You¡¯d think this would frighten and route the royal guard, but they met the challenge with unbroken confidence and morale. Uriel¡¯s sacrifice and spirit lived on in them. They believed without a doubt that they would die and reunite in glory. Isaac¡¯s enemies sung military cadences and hooted as he cut them down. One such shanty went: ¡°To Yellen we¡¯ll go! Onwards, fellows! Our mates await! We¡¯ll feast with greats!¡± Elise curled up as far away as she could get against a wall, shielding her vision from being taken away by Isaac¡¯s sheer shining. Despite that, heat still burnt her skin like being dangled over a bonfire. If Isaac got any closer, it¡¯d mean her death too. It took enough dead men to fill three graveyards before Isaac¡¯s Rainbow in the Dark fizzled out. With that, so did his ki reserve and momentum. Shoulders slumped and gasping, he sunk into the shadows. The soldiers hunted him frantically as he weaved in and out of darkness, taking lives with brutish grappling and guerilla throat slashes. A small group of archers on the outskirts noticed something. They looked like they¡¯d seen a ghost. Their leader called out. ¡°What in The Gods?¡± Sasha had risen from her back, catching her breath with shallow, wispy gasps. She sat on her butt, staring vacantly at Major in her hands. Cold. So cold. Even the weakest of heartbeats had embers. Embers with the potential to flourish into flames chaotic and all-consuming. That was the power souls possessed. An eerie clarity possessed Sasha. She spoke as if knowing both everything and nothing. ¡°God Aspect.¡± The world recoiled at her words. Lightning flashed as extreme weather, rain and snow alike, beat down over everyone. Guards dodged surprise hail. An aurora borealis formed in the night sky, a tsunami crashed on a faraway shore, and an unmeasurable leviathan deep within The Eversea awakened. Blue, volatile energy radiated from Sasha. Her aura grew so bright and reaching that staring at her was like staring at the sun. It caught the attention of Isaac and the royal guards. Everyone gawked at her, squinting, shielding their brows with their hands. What emerged from the light was no girl. Goddess was the only proper way to describe her. The dagger was nowhere in sight. A vascular, silver metal encased her entire being like living armor, hair flowing with ethereal elegance. If looked at close enough, there was no mistaking it. That was Sasha. The goddess¡¯s glowing green eyes possessed both her soul and hurt. She and Major had become one. Sasha wasted no time. Now bonded in soul and flesh, she gained the machina''s ability to read the hearts of others. Her mere presence wouldn¡¯t be enough to scare off the royal guard. They were as suicidal as they were cocky. She¡¯d need to kill almost all of them to escape. She pointed her fingertip and shot concentrated ki across the arena. It pierced through the heads and chests of a dozen, killing on touch. Their merciless deaths frenzied the ranks. Countless rushed Sasha, hitting her with spears that snapped and dented instead of damaging her or halberds that bounced, rattling their own bones instead. Once acclimated to her new dimension of perception, their movements became slow motion. Sasha dodged flurries of blows and incoming crossbow bolts from every direction with slight movements. She materialized a longsword from thin air to begin the culling. Beheading after beheading. Gutting after gutting. After two more graveyards of soldiers with such fates, what few footmen remained realized that they were outclassed. There was no more singing. No more excitement for the thrill of battle. There was only fear. Sasha didn¡¯t allow any to escape. They were cut down. The crossbowmen far off still felt safe though. That was until Sasha snapped her attention to them and summoned Evelyn¡¯s great bow. She didn¡¯t even have to draw an arrow to send them scurrying off. Death was implied. Escapes weren¡¯t allowed though. With a wave of her hand, she beckoned. ¡°Stand Alone Complex.¡± Phantoms raised up from the ground in front of the runways, possessed them by jumping into their mouths, and then brutally killed each other. At the end of the bloodbath, the only three remaining were Isaac, Elise, and Sasha. She approached the two who held each other in their arms, staring at her in fascination tinged with fear. Sasha struggled to walk straight, groaning. She looked deathly sick and pale, hugging herself as chills shot everywhere. Deep cracks formed in the metal exoskeleton of her God Aspect. Little by little, it crumbled and fell apart as she succumbed to exhaustion. Before vanishing in its entirety, the metal half of her face spoke. ¡°The girl blew through all our ki. Watch over her for me. She will be frail.¡± With those final words, Sasha¡¯s God Aspect dispelled, leaving her curled up naked on the ground, the dagger Major by her side. Both the machina and wielder sunk into deep sleeps. Surprisingly, her fatal wounds had vanished. Was regeneration an attribute of such a form? Isaac looked between Sasha and Elise bewildered. ¡°This is all some big dream, right? I did not just see her achieve that.¡± Elise pinched him in the arm. Nothing happened. He sniffled. ¡°The only other person I¡¯ve seen reach God Aspect is my father.¡± She nudged him. ¡°You shone bright too.¡± ¡°I guess I did awaken, didn¡¯t I? My soul¡¯s nature is wind?¡± He showed a little excitement but shook it off. ¡°But enough about me.¡± Isaac scooped up Sasha, darting his eyes around in fear of retaliation from the law. No one should have escaped, but there was no way to be certain. Soon, someone would stumble upon this scene too. The king would investigate and lash back with double or even triple the numbers and might. ¡°We need to get through here while we can. We¡¯ll find somewhere to lie low and regroup with Abdul.¡± ¡°I can agree on that, but...¡± Elise seemed somewhat annoyed. ¡°At least wrap her in a blanket.¡± ¡°Are you worried about that right now? I¡¯m not even looking at her. I only have eyes for you.¡± Elise shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not calling you a pervert. I¡¯m looking out for her feelings. How would you feel if you woke up and figured out everyone knew how your balls looked?¡± ¡°I¡¯d feel proud as any man would¡ª¡± Her glare made him rethink his words. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t. As any man wouldn¡¯t. I do have a blanket in my bag.¡± Carrying Sasha wrapped snugly in a blanket, they rushed beyond the final gates barring their entry to High Monestate. Isaac eyed Abdul¡¯s bag he left with them. Where was he? Had he fallen behind? Things would¡¯ve gone different if they had his help. Sasha flickered awake. Her consciousness was iffy at best. No way in hell she¡¯d be able to move. Isaac noticed and spoke. ¡°Our little goddess is awake. How do you feel?¡± She groaned, barely able to speak. ¡°Hit. By. Carriage.¡± Isaac chuckled. ¡°My father¡¯s first time went the same.¡± The streets of High Monestate were the antithesis of what Sasha and Ley called home. There wasn¡¯t a spec of trash on the sidewalks lined by iron fence wrapped trees and plants. The marble buildings towered high, colorful flowers and vines decorating everything. Lanterns hanging from posts basked most things in warm light. They tried to stick to shadows and bushes in their roaming. Isaac motioned for Elise to follow through a vineyard leading up to black iron fences. They stood along the borders of some nobleman¡¯s sprawling estate. Elise questioned the choice. ¡°Is hiding on someone¡¯s property a good idea?¡± ¡°We have no choice with Sasha like this. It won¡¯t be long until they start searching for us. Let¡¯s rest for tonight, and plan how we¡¯ll make our way into Castle Hemmer.¡± Elise pointed at the distant shadow of the estate¡¯s looming mansion beyond those fences. Stone pathways winding around sculptures, fountains, and hedges, led up to it. ¡°Every light is out. I know it¡¯s night, but you¡¯d at least expect a lantern.¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s home.¡± ¡°But if that¡¯s the case, then wouldn¡¯t there be a guard or maid left to watch over the place?¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll tie them up. It¡¯ll be easy if they don¡¯t have a machina. Just have to be careful.¡± ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve jinxed us.¡± They circled around the property but failed to find an entryway. It would be hard to scale the walls with Sasha¡¯s weight too. Isaac sighed. ¡°I could store her in your shadow while you make the climb, but I don¡¯t like the risk. I¡¯ve lost things in the shadow realm before like pens and snacks. Not things as big as a person, you know, but it could still happen.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Light footsteps from behind startled them. Isaac unsheathed his daggers out of instinct and Elise jolted back, slamming her head against the black iron poles. It rattled loudly. Abdul waved casually, covered in black soot. He smelled like a burnt dog covered in sulfur and gunpowder. ¡°Everything go well?¡± Sasha¡¯s state made him shake his head. ¡°Never mind that. What happened, and where are her clothes?¡± Elise settled down. ¡°It¡¯s a long story. You scared me. How¡¯d you find us anyway?¡± ¡°I heard your voices. Can I have my satchel back? I need a change of clothes.¡± Elise tossed it back to him. ¡°She¡¯ll need clothes too. What happened to you?¡± Abdul¡¯s guard disguise was busted and charred all over. His helmet, nowhere to be found either. Hesitant, he explained. ¡°I found their munition storage for siege defense. It was filled with weapons, oil, and explosives. I was trying to be careful.¡± He seemed embarrassed. Primus spoke up from his back. ¡°He sneezed sparks and blew up that entire place with us in it. I¡¯m surprised I didn¡¯t shatter!¡± Abdul raised his voice to try to overpower the truth. ¡°Nuh-uh, didn¡¯t happen. I can¡¯t hear you.¡± Elise sighed. ¡°Well, in the end, at least you did your job. Seems we all need a breather then.¡± Chapter 32 - Fireside Kickback With Abdul¡¯s help, the group managed to get Sasha over the estate¡¯s fences. They stood outside the massive, multi-winged building¡¯s front entrance. Dried up fountains on an unkempt lawn and brick paths led up to it. Fog as thick as grounded clouds blanketed everything. Its presence, and the way it clung to the estate, almost looked supernatural. No one sensed such energy from it though. Isaac jiggled the mansion¡¯s door. ¡°Locked. Guess we¡¯ll need to bust it down.¡± Elise moved in front of him. ¡°Wait, wait, wait. If someone is here, they would hear you.¡± Sasha¡¯s fuzziness faded by the minute. Her head still swirled though. This was a new kind of drunk. She spoke up from Isaac¡¯s arms. ¡°Of course I can hear you. I have ears.¡± Elise bounced back. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking to y¡ª ah, whatever.¡± Abdul got more suspicious and curious about Sasha by the minute. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? Is it wine? Is that why she¡¯s naked?¡± He spoke to Sasha directly. ¡°Randle rubbed off too much on you. Where¡¯d you put your clothes?¡± She shrugged, disoriented. ¡°I am wearing clothes, dummy head.¡± ¡°Dummy head?¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°Her clothes were destroyed by her transformation.¡± ¡°Transformation?¡± ¡°Somehow, she reached God Aspect. Using the form without the proper training exhausted her ki and put her into shock. She may be out of it for a night or two.¡± Abdul only got more confused the more Isaac tried to explain. Perplexed, he sighed. ¡°This is starting to sound like something out of a fairy tale. I may know medicine, but I¡¯m not sure how I would help her.¡± ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. My father called it soul shutdown. There aren¡¯t many symptoms other than dumbness and weakness.¡± ¡°Soul¡­ shutdown?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know enough to tell you everything, but our powers and contracts are fueled by ki. That same ki is our life energy. Things like this happen when you¡¯re not careful.¡± Isaac looked down at Sasha with proudness. ¡°God Aspect is the ultimate expression of the connection between man and machina. People take their whole lives to reach it. She did it this young, from her deathbed. Sasha is genuinely special like no one else.¡± Elise raised her eyebrows at the last bit but didn¡¯t dwell on it. Abdul looked at his hands. He willed them to spark aflame. ¡°I always hear ki this and ki that, but I still understand nothing about it. I don¡¯t understand anything about my power. Does an organ produce this energy?¡± Isaac found the last part silly. ¡°It¡¯s no science. Trying to measure or apply rules to souls is a fool¡¯s errand. Thankfully, though, I¡¯ve just awakened to ki myself. Let¡¯s start training together.¡± ¡°I¡­ see. I¡¯ll look forward to that.¡± Sasha squirmed around in Isaac¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Let me go.¡± ¡°Like hell you are.¡± ¡°I am! Just watch.¡± Alright then.¡± He lowered her to her feet. They watched her with low expectations. Sasha stood half a second and then fell to her butt. With a surprised face, she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself. ¡°Cold! Where are my clothes? What happened?¡± Vaporized. Gone. To ashes. That¡¯s what happened. Elise assured her. ¡°We saw nothing. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Sasha stared back at her. ¡°Promise?¡± Isaac¡¯s face got stiff and twitchy. He was as guilty as could be. Simon materialized from thin air next to the group. His owl mask jump-scared Abdul who drew Primus and swung. Elise and Isaac stumbled back, drawing their weapons, while the owl sidestepped the cut. Simon spoke to them as if he were their ally all along. ¡°Perhaps I may be useful here. I¡¯ll scout this manor ahead for you all.¡± Primus bounced off the ground and yelped. ¡°Ouch!¡± Out of revenge, the blade multiplied its weight in Abdul¡¯s hands. Abdul tried and failed to lift it from the ground, glaring at the new face. Sasha greeted Simon with a dumb smile. ¡°Hey there, best friend.¡± Her reaction threw everyone for a loop. It disarmed them. Simon waved shyly. ¡°Hey.¡± Before heading out around the building, he questioned her. ¡°Have you had anything to drink?¡± ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ve never drunken in my life.¡± She hiccupped. He pointed at her, doubtful, but let it go and moved on. Whenever Simon disappeared to find an alternate entrance, everyone gave Sasha deadpan, judging stares. Elise asked first. ¡°Who is he?¡± She scratched her head. ¡°His name¡¯s Simon. One of the owls we spared. Hoo else would it be?¡± This put Abdul off. ¡°Gods, he¡¯s the enemy.¡± ¡°Your boyfriend was an enemy too.¡± Her response caught him off guard. ¡°They¡¯re murderers.¡± ¡°We¡¯re murderers.¡± ¡°Never said I wasn¡¯t one.¡± His self-deprecating tone made her bitter. She knew it came from a place of pain though. ¡°Don¡¯t be so harsh on yourself, Avery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Abdul, but never mind that. What are his intentions? What if he backstabs us?¡± Sasha shrugged. ¡°I dunno. Maybe he thinks I¡¯m cute.¡± Major spoke from Sasha¡¯s sheath, its voice weak. The dagger had finally awoken. ¡°Ignore her nonsense. Her head is filled with nothing but white noise right now. I sense no negative energy in Simon. His loyalty should be trusted. His mind is no different than a dog¡¯s.¡± Sasha grinned. ¡°Yea, see? See? Who would ever hate a puppy?¡± Abdul didn¡¯t care anymore. ¡°I¡¯d be a little calmer if the bastard didn¡¯t sneak up on me like that. Be happy I didn¡¯t take his head off.¡± A click came from the double doors. They creaked open. Simon¡¯s owl mask peeked out. ¡°Nobody¡¯s home. Away on vacation? Enjoy your stay.¡± Abdul''s eyes sharpened. ¡°Creepy.¡± Sasha reprimanded him. ¡°Aron, be nice.¡± ¡°Abdul, you mean.¡± As fast as Simon appeared, he vanished with a sassy whisper to Abdul. ¡°I¡¯ve been called worse.¡± Elise helped Sasha up and gave her a shoulder. At least she could walk assisted. They all entered the pitch-black manor to find a vast living room with red carpets trailing in most directions. It had a massive dead fireplace filled with unused timber. There were three different wings of the building to explore along with two flights of stairs leading to the second floor. The front doors slammed behind them. Elise jumped again. ¡°Shit!¡± Concerned and scatterbrained, Sasha leaned onto her, putting their cheeks together. ¡°So jumpy. You okay?¡± Elise gave her a raised eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯re too close, and I¡¯m fine. This place just reminds me too much of home. I¡¯m not on good terms with my folks.¡± Sasha was dumbstruck. ¡°Wowzers. You lived in a place so big? I lived in a shed.¡± Simon¡¯s voice came from the darkness. ¡°Did you just say wowzers?¡± Abdul approached the fireplace. He pointed his finger aflame like a lighter. ¡°I¡¯m going to go get some lights going in this dead mansion. Just tell me when Sasha¡¯s back to normal. I can¡¯t deal with this anymore.¡± With a braindead look in her eyes, Sasha bantered with him. ¡°I¡¯m as normal as ever, Argentina.¡± ¡°Huh?! It¡¯s Abdul, I say!¡± he snapped back at her. The whole group hushed. Everyone settled down and huddled in front of the roaring fireplace. They warmed their hands as Abdul wandered around the manor, lighting any candles or lanterns he could find. Isaac laid on the carpet with his head on Elise¡¯s lap. She played with his hair. ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°Exhausted, but it doesn¡¯t compare to what Sasha¡¯s been through. I¡¯m just happy that I didn¡¯t hurt you when I went crazy back there.¡± He put his hand on his chest. ¡°First time I¡¯ve snapped like that. Never knew I had such anger in me.¡± ¡°It was dangerous. The way you rushed out there was reckless.¡± Isaac sighed, sensing a critique coming, but she ended it off with this instead: ¡°But you were so cool. You looked like a genuine hero. You convinced me to trust in you. I believed with all my heart that you were going to beat that entire army.¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. ¡°Really?¡± Off to the side alone, Sasha sat with her arms wrapped around her knees. She was close enough to the fire for the heat on her skin to slightly hurt. It was a good, sobering burn. With enough time, her mind¡¯s fatigue and dumbing faded away. All it left was a girl filled with embarrassment, stuck in her head recalling events she couldn¡¯t understand. Did I truly die back there? Major answered her thoughts. No, but the end was moments away. What happened? Leo, my first wielder, took the reins and saved you. His God Aspect regenerated you from the brink of death. It wasn¡¯t something I anticipated. Why? Out of all the ancestors, Leo the Great is the least likely to cooperate. From the beginning, he loathed his responsibility and fate as my wielder. It ruined his life. Now that I think about it, this is the second time he¡¯s helped me. The first was in Rath Ghul¡¯s sanctum. You moved him, but don¡¯t count on it happening again. Though they were vague, and more flashes than anything else, Sasha had become familiar with Leo¡¯s memories. They came with a certain sadness. A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and green eyes frequented them. She existed in most of Leo¡¯s core memories, either as a comrade of war, a lover, or a corpse. The woman haunted him in a way. Did her death drive him to his suicide? Sasha sighed. But what¡¯s the point of getting so wrapped up in the past? I didn¡¯t expect such a thought from you. Hey, I¡¯m trying to move on too. I¡¯d like to, at least. Sasha succeeded in finding a new outfit earlier in the manor but, unfortunately, it ended up being a white and black maid¡¯s dress. There were no other options. It was that or butt naked. She couldn¡¯t complain. Not after what she¡¯d been through the last few weeks. Sasha observed her left hand maimed from the fight with Uriel. She¡¯d lost her pinky and ring finger. The flesh where they were severed was already sealed and healed. At least it wasn¡¯t her dominant hand. Her memory of the whole event was foggy now. ¡°God Aspect, you say?¡± ¡°A perfect union or fusion. It occurs when the souls of man and machina align perfectly. Achieving God Aspect is the closest anyone will ever get to transcending their mortality. Reaching it is one challenge. Maintaining it is another.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m capable of such a thing.¡± ¡°You will be one day. That future is distant though.¡± ¡°Am I that far off?¡± ¡°If were to put you on a scale of ten, your current understanding is at a three. There are many things to grasp first. Ki, for example. You haven¡¯t even discovered your soul nature yet, much less learned how to manifest it.¡± ¡°I need to get stronger. Tell me the secret to it.¡± ¡°There is no magic potion. It will take time, adversity, and training. For now, rest. Cultivation will have to wait.¡± ¡°Frustrating. I¡¯m done with waiting for things to come to me.¡± A yawn from the far corner of the room caught her ear. She looked, saw nothing, and called. ¡°Simon? That you?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you join us? Come get warm.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not freezing right here though.¡± Sasha¡¯s face blanked out deadpan. ¡°There¡¯re more things to life than meeting the bare minimum.¡± She patted the spot next to her. ¡°Sit.¡± ¡°Is that an order, Lady Sasha?¡± She giggled. ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s call it that.¡± ¡°Fine then.¡± Without dispelling his invisibility, Simon walked over to settle shoulder to shoulder next to Sasha. All she could see was the carpet giving under his weight. ¡°Do you not like to be seen?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Many reasons.¡± Silence filled the air after that. She waited for an elaboration that never came. ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°This is the part where you tell me those reasons.¡± ¡°Are you bored? People don¡¯t speak to me. When they do, it¡¯s because they want something. Let¡¯s skip the journey and get to the destination.¡± ¡°Jeez. I just wanted to get to know you.¡± ¡°Who even says jeez?¡± ¡°I do. I can¡¯t take your sass.¡± She stretched out, her arm brushing up against his. ¡°You¡¯re helping me when there¡¯s nothing in it for you, but I can¡¯t accept it. It¡¯s not normal. Nothing is free. See why I¡¯m interested now?¡± ¡°Perhaps.¡± Simon¡¯s cloak of invisibility wavered, leaving the man and the mask basked in warm fireside light. ¡°Unbelievable. Of all people, you¡¯re want to know about me?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t ask again.¡± As they both gazed into the cackling flames, warming themselves, he gave in. ¡°You win then.¡± She lit up like a kid on their birthday. Simon, in contrast, sat as reserved as a rock. Their energies couldn¡¯t have been more opposite. Sasha questioned him with an intrigued head tilt. ¡°Say, why don¡¯t you wear shoes? That¡¯s weird. Weird and nasty. Are you poor? I could buy you some shoes, you know?¡± ¡°Stealth is easier barefooted.¡± That was his entire answer. Disappointed, Sasha¡¯s shoulders slumped a tad. Her smile wavered. ¡°Next question then. Tell me about yourself. Like, where¡¯d you grow up?¡± ¡°This feels like an interrogation. Is this necessary?¡± Sasha pouted. There was something almighty about her pouting face. It got her the things she wanted. He gave. ¡°I was born into Rath Ghul. Watched it crumble over the course of about two decades. It fell from justice to the lowest of filth.¡± ¡°Justice? You¡¯re telling me that you people used to be good?¡± ¡°Rath Ghul formed in response to the crown¡¯s abuse of the lower class. Monestate¡¯s authorities pretended that the city¡¯s problems didn¡¯t exist. Crime and mass murder filled the streets and yet no one would lift a finger.¡± Sasha nodded. ¡°Sounds like home. Nothing¡¯s changed, has it?¡± Simon continued. ¡°Someone had to step up and protect the people. My mother was among this city¡¯s first owls. I¡¯d like to say they made a good impact, though it wasn¡¯t a long one.¡± ¡°Where did it go wrong?¡± ¡°She died. The king hung her. Traitor and witch, he said. All the other righteous founding owls met similar fates with time. Our values and identity loosened with every new leader. You know how that turned out.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your life up to this point being wasted. At least you¡¯re free now.¡± ¡°Free? Sure, but to do what? The guild was the only thing I knew. Never held a tool, worked a field, or got an education. Owls have no place. I have nothing. No home, no duty, no family. I am nothing.¡± He said these things as if they were facts without a shred of emotional turmoil. It wasn¡¯t something to be sad about for him. It was plain reality. Sasha¡¯s throat got sore hearing such words. With a careful, soft-spoken voice, she tried to raise his spirits. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re nothing.¡± ¡°Means nothing from a stranger, but I appreciate your kindness. I wish people like you were more common.¡± Her chipper energy fizzled out. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m about to say this, but I¡¯m sure the other sects of the guild would accept you.¡± Regretting her words the next second, she waved her hands around frantically in panic. She backtracked. ¡°But I¡¯d rather you stay on our side! Don¡¯t leave me! The more, the merrier!¡± Simon¡¯s rigid posture loosened a bit. ¡°I have no such plans. The Rath Ghul I believe in is dead, but I am my mother¡¯s son. I will follow in her footsteps. I will fight for what is right.¡± He looked into her eyes with absolute resolution. ¡°I believe that the day you gather the great machina, you will do the right thing with the power you gain. Until then, I am your owl and no one else¡¯s.¡± Sasha got flustered, her face reddening and lip curling. Heh? What did he just say to me? Major interjected into her thoughts. Too dull to recognize flirting? She internally screamed at the dagger. You stay out of this! I¡¯ll break you! Scary woman! Simon noticed her bewilderment and figured it to somehow be his error. Had their faces gotten too close? Did he say something odd? Was his breath bad? He scooted away to give her some space. ¡°I apologize. I¡¯m illiterate when it comes to social cues and boundaries, especially when women are involved. My upbringing wasn¡¯t exactly normal.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, really. I can relate.¡± Sasha burst out into anxious laughter. ¡°But nobody¡¯s ever said something so cheesy to me before. Were you hitting on me?¡± She lowered her voice to mockingly match his. ¡°Until then, I am your owl and no one else¡¯s.¡± Social dread went across Simon¡¯s face. His cringe was visceral even when hidden by a mask. He resisted an urge to pull at his hair. Later, in privacy, he would yell into his pillow. ¡°Was it¡­ that bad?¡± She nodded with a carefree grin, inspiring a doomed groan from him in response. Simon changed the subject out of self-preservation. ¡°Putting that aside though, it¡¯s a common belief that Convergence is a rat race for idiots, but there is something about it not many have realized.¡± ¡°Hmm, what¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Every candidate has been a king fueled by greed. No one has ever sought Convergence for the people. It¡¯s always something like immortality, power, or wealth.¡± Sasha stared into the flames. ¡°But I don¡¯t know what my wish will be. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m any better than them.¡± ¡°That indecision is good. It means that you¡¯re thinking it through; that you understand the weight of it all. You are better than them.¡± Sasha took a deep breath. ¡°I think I needed this talk. Thank you for putting up with me, Simon.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I wouldn¡¯t be against you forcing me out of my shell again someday. This was valuable.¡± They meandered, sitting there with nothing uttered other than cleared throats. Simon broke the calmness with time. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten warm enough.¡± ¡°You can never be warm enough.¡± Like a ghost, he faded away. She rubbed her exhausted eyes. ¡°You weirdo.¡± His distancing voice bantered back. ¡°Who even says weirdo?¡± ¡°I do, damn it.¡± Sasha stretched out in front of the fireplace. Her gaze got lost in it. She questioned Major. ¡°Say, you¡¯ve talked about sensing people¡¯s feelings a few times, right?¡± ¡°That is correct. You overestimate the extent of the ability though. What I perceive is simply the soul state. It¡¯s a lost art not remembered by many.¡± ¡°What does that even mean?¡± ¡°Souls give off energy. The characteristics of this energy like color, power, and purity ultimately form a bigger truth about every human. This is the soul state. We gods judged your kind based on them in the past age. For example, if Simon were a liar with malicious intentions, his soul wouldn¡¯t match his actions. They do match though. His soul is a perfect gem.¡± Sasha smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you speak so nicely about someone.¡± ¡°I do not have favorites. All I do is recognize merit and potential where I see it. His are simply exceptional.¡± ¡°Tell me, how is my soul? Is it pretty?¡± ¡°Do you seek flattery or the truth? You were worthy. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± She cringed. ¡°Lay it out straight to me.¡± ¡°Fine then. Moderately more pure than impure, you possess a human soul unremarkable in every quality except for its unshakable fortitude and resilience. Merciless adversity breaks some. It conditions others. You are the other. Like your brother, your color is blue.¡± ¡°Felt like I just had a fortune read to me. Guess it could¡¯ve been worse. I don¡¯t care about how I¡¯m looking though. Abdul is the one I¡¯m worried about.¡± Major fell silent for an eerie moment. ¡°I feared you would ask about him.¡± Her eyebrows raised. ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Bad enough to keep within your head, but not for reasons you would expect. Abdul possesses a strong energy and will to live. He is a loyal, reliable comrade. It''s his fundamental existence that is dreadful. Sasha¡¯s eyes sharpened in anticipation. I¡¯ve never seen such a thing. All life possesses a single soul and consciousness, but his is a patchwork amalgamation of dozens of souls... somehow ripped from their bodies... sealed in a way mirroring my own fate. He is a ritualistic vessel. A site of suffering and sacrifice caused by unforgivable human meddling. Though chaotic and self-cannibalizing, powerful. A machina of flesh? But for what reason? Sasha¡¯s heartbeat bounced. ¡°I think I¡¯m going to be sick. Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? He¡¯s been dealing with that all along in silence?¡± ¡°He does not remember such traumas, and that may be for the better. He only functions without crippling consequences because of that exact unknowing.¡± ¡°What could I ever do for him?¡± ¡°I do not know. If you wish to keep him as a capable ally, don¡¯t unbury such memories. Save him from suffering from them again.¡± ¡°Trauma much worse than losing a brother, right?¡± She got up to her feet, shaking her head. Her muscles shook from fatigue simply from standing, but she could move. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time I found that bathhouse. Wonder how it compares to Rath Ghul¡¯s hot tub.¡± Elise snapped to attention at her last sentence. ¡°Bathhouse?¡± ¡°You¡¯re itching for one too?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll come with you.¡± ¡°If this place even has a running one.¡± Elise joined Sasha to help her walk. They linked arms as if going on a date. Isaac got up to follow but Elise shooed him away. ¡°You just rest and let us be. Girl¡¯s night.¡± He stuck his tongue out at her. Together, the girls explored the lower halls of the manor. They departed down the western wing. It was a dreary place kept clean but lacking warmth. The tall windows peering out into the night lacked dust. So did the empty suits of armor standing guard, spaced out evenly. Each held a steel halberd. Sasha spoke, unsure. ¡°Doubt such a rundown place¡¯s bathhouse would work, much less be clean.¡± The scenery uneased Elise. ¡°I absolutely hate this place.¡± ¡°Why not? Simon said it was safe,¡± Sasha asked. They made it to the end of the grand hall lined with doors to unoccupied guest bedrooms and storerooms. The possible directions split left and right. Elise stared at a giant portrait painting spreading across the wall. A watercolor family of four gazed back down at them. Their pale skin appeared vampiric. An emotionless, rigid mother and father stood behind a familiar little girl. Elise took a step back. ¡°I knew it. This manor belongs to my family. I had no idea they¡¯d ended up here. But if they¡¯re not here, where did they go?¡± Sasha put her hand on Elise¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You look sick. Gonna be alright?¡± ¡°No. I never wanted to see them again.¡± Chapter 33 - Painting of The Past Sasha followed Elise down the halls, curious about her past. The woman wasn¡¯t keen to bring it up though. Perhaps some things were better unsaid. Elise strolled around like she owned the place. Technically now, she did. ¡°If this place belongs to my folks, then a massive bath is here without a doubt. At our older estates, my father would go to soak in his scalding hot tub before he¡¯d even speak to us. He said that it boiled out the demons he didn¡¯t want to show us.¡± ¡°Your dad sounds odd. Can¡¯t be worse than mine though.¡± ¡°You could say that.¡± Elise swung open some fancy wooden double doors. A bath chamber extraordinarily massive came into view. Marble steps descended into a pool far larger than anything Sasha had ever seen. Clear steaming water filled it up to about waist length. The wall lanterns of the room were lit too. Did Abdul already pass by? Sasha looked over her shoulder for anyone watching before shutting the doors behind them. ¡°Are you sure we¡¯re alone? If the water¡¯s hot, then who heated it?¡± ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was magic?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell if you¡¯re messing with me.¡± As she hesitated to proceed, looking for a towel or barrier to hide behind, Elise kicked her boots off and unclothed casually. Sasha looked away. She didn¡¯t grow up around other women. Their ideas of what was socially normal weren¡¯t the same. The idea of being comfortable naked in front of anyone, no matter how close, weirded Sasha out. Maybe she was the weird one. She stripped down from the maid outfit. Now nude, Elise stepped down into the pool to sink until only her head popped out. She let out a drawn-out exhale. ¡°The rich find a way for everything. When the technology isn¡¯t there, they abuse nature instead to get what they want. Do you hear that humming? That melody?¡± Sasha paused, standing there in Elise¡¯s loaner white panties and bra a bit too big. She focused in on a tune akin to a boiling tea kettle¡¯s whistling. It played a sad song. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°An enslaved fire elemental. It¡¯s buried somewhere in the walls here. My parents probably bought the poor thing to keep their tub toasty.¡± As Sasha tossed her underwear aside and lowered herself into the water next to Elise, guilt for the spirit of flame ate at her. ¡°That¡¯s sad. I almost wish you didn¡¯t tell me. Now I won¡¯t be able to enjoy this bath.¡± She stretched out, exhaling with a pleasure-filled grin. Elise laughed. ¡°You¡¯re already enjoying it. Ever seen a spirit before? A ghoul or ghost? They avoid where people gather, but they¡¯re out there. I don¡¯t expect a city rat to know.¡± Sasha pursed her lips, a little offended. City rat? ¡°I¡¯ve never seen such a thing before. Only heard stories from my big brother.¡± ¡°No undead? Skeletons? Goblins?¡± ¡°Nope, and I never plan to.¡± Elise¡¯s tone became serious and monotone. ¡°But we never plan for things to go wrong. Tragedies are tragedies because they blindside us.¡± She leaned back, putting her arms behind her head. ¡°We¡¯ll have to travel far for the rest of the great machina after taking this one from the king. We¡¯ll run into some scary things on the way too. You prepared?¡± ¡°I¡¯m facing everything one day at a time. What about you?¡± ¡°Scared. Scared for myself but even more for Isaac. He is all I have. I decided to do this to protect him. Even though I didn¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t have to come. Neither did he. I¡¯m sorry for forcing it on you.¡± ¡°He did though. He¡¯s weighed down by some big responsibility he feels for you. He thinks everything¡¯s his fault when it¡¯s not even close. Nothing I said or did could change his mind.¡± ¡°Really? He cares that much?¡± ¡°Yep. There¡¯s no convincing him. You know, all he does is talk about you when we¡¯re together. Sasha this, Sasha that. In the end, he¡¯d choose you over me.¡± Sasha stared at her in surprise. She meant that much to him? As she contemplated this, Elise continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t want my final memory of him to be watching his back walk away.¡± ¡°Do you love Isaac?¡± ¡°I do. That¡¯s why I feel so frustrated.¡± ¡°I get that feeling completely. In the past, I did too. Then you came along.¡± Elise raised her eyebrows, challenged, and then relaxed. ¡°I figured it was like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m over it now. He¡¯s never seen or treated me as a woman once anyway.¡± ¡°You¡¯re braver than I expected to be able to tell me the truth to my face.¡± ¡°We¡¯re teammates, aren¡¯t we? We need to trust each other. Trust is the foundation to every relationship, and it¡¯s built through honesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s wise coming from someone as young as you.¡± Sasha gazed up at the ceiling, deep in thought. ¡°It¡¯s my machina¡¯s ability, Ghost in the Shell. Seems like it¡¯s changing me and the way I think the more I use it. Countless memories flood through my head. They linger and mix. It¡¯s getting hard to distinguish them from my own.¡± ¡°Sounds rough, but that comes with great power, don¡¯t it?¡± Elise looked pent up. She let out a deep sigh. ¡°I should be more honest too. I¡¯m jealous of you. I want you to fail so this journey can be over with. I know it¡¯s shitty, and I feel shitty, but I can¡¯t stop myself.¡± These negative thoughts must¡¯ve been bottled up for a while. This should¡¯ve hurt Sasha¡¯s feelings. Instead, she nodded. ¡°Mhm. Heard loud and clear. If you want, we could bring it up to Isaac. You two could leave.¡± Elise shook her head. ¡°No. As much as I like the idea, it¡¯s selfish. This isn¡¯t all about you and me. Isaac and that king have unfinished business. If we come out on top, I wonder if he¡¯ll be able to move on from it. I wonder if he¡¯d stop running in place.¡± ¡°Well, if nothing comes from this, at least we got to understand each other deeper. Thanks for bringing this issue up, Elise.¡± Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. ¡°Same for me. For someone so small, you have guts. I respect that. Maybe I shouldn¡¯t feel jealous though. I still have the upper hand in some ways.¡± Elise¡¯s gaze wandered to Sasha¡¯s breasts. Sasha covered them and sunk lower into the water. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. We¡¯re both girls anyway.¡± Elise wrapped her arm around Sasha¡¯s shoulder with a smug face. The closeness made her shrink, as vulnerable and exposed as she felt. Sasha had never felt the touch of even half that much bare skin. Elise picked on her. ¡°Why so uncomfortable? Into women?¡± Sasha gave her a burning glare. ¡°Anyone would be uncomfortable having a stranger¡¯s melons shoved in their face after bathing alone their whole life. Back off, you pervert.¡± Elise was taken aback. ¡°Melons? Well at least mine aren¡¯t small.¡± Sasha¡¯s brow furrowed. She snapped back. ¡°Huh?! They¡¯re average! And they don¡¯t get in the way either. I¡¯m fine just the way I am.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say you weren¡¯t. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be a heartbreaker when this is all over as cute as you are too.¡± She smiled and backed away. ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s just that seeing you act so unfazed and grown up this whole time started to piss me off. I wanted to see if I could make you flustered.¡± Agitated, Sasha sunk deeper into the water. She blew bubbles, violent eyes peeking up above the surface like a swamp creeper. I am grown up, damn it. The closed doors opened wide, creaking loudly. It sent a fearful jolt through both Sasha and Elise. A peeper? An intruder? They nodded to each other before stumbling out of the pool and scooping up their machina. With a towel wrapped tight around herself, Sasha snuck to the double doors and looked out into the hallway. Nothing there except suits of armor. ¡°I closed these behind me. Heard the click and everything. I¡¯d bet my life on it.¡± Elise stood behind her butt naked, breasts and all open to the wind, without a care. ¡°Let¡¯s get dressed and out of here.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your towel, you exhibitionist? You¡¯ll be giving the peeper what he wants.¡± Isaac¡¯s dumb face popped up in Sasha¡¯s head for some reason. If it was any of the three men with them, it had to be him. As far as she knew, Abdul didn¡¯t swing that way and Simon was better than that. Elise shrugged. ¡°Not a big deal but fine.¡± She went to go get dressed. With a bewildered expression and eye twitch, Sasha called out into the halls. ¡°Anyone? Simon? If that was you, I¡¯ll kill you. On second thought, that¡¯d be harsh, but I¡¯ll be super-duper mad!¡± She imagined him shooting back with something like, ¡°Who even says super-duper?¡± He didn¡¯t though. Nothing responded. Now dried enough, Elise put her gear back on. Sasha slipped on her underwear and worked on the maid¡¯s dress. Elise whistled. ¡°Cute butt.¡± Sasha rolled her eyes at her. ¡°If you¡¯re gonna be weird about it, then look the other way while I¡¯m getting dressed. I feel like I¡¯m getting ogled at by a boy.¡± ¡°Lighten up. Nobody can appreciate a woman¡¯s beauty more than another woman.¡± They left to roam the halls further. Sasha followed closely behind Elise, deep in thought. Is it cute? Really? Score. Major in her hand let out a low groan. The dagger grumbled in her mind. Sometimes, I wish I couldn¡¯t hear everything you thought. Let¡¯s establish some boundaries. She bounced back in her head. You¡¯re taking a ride in my head, not the other way around! Pissed off, Sasha mumbled. ¡°I think I¡¯m getting a case of butterfingers.¡± She dropped the blade. It bounced off the wooden floor. ¡°Ouch!¡± Major shouted. ¡°Sorry. I couldn¡¯t help it. I¡¯ll be more careful.¡± ¡°Evil woman.¡± Elise opened another door to find another storeroom. This one looked to be janitorial. Nothing but shelves filled with things like mops and unknown cleaning solutions. ¡°From what I can tell, this entire wing is dedicated to the staff of the manor, but where are they?¡± ¡°Do you think they could be dead?¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick to assume the worst. Nothing that serious. My family suffered from money issues partly because of me. My father was also stingy. Whenever they moved here, I doubt they could afford a full staff. At least one maid or butler should¡¯ve been around though. Dust builds up quick in manors this big. This place is taken care of.¡± ¡°Broke rich people? Is that even possible?¡± ¡°It is. Believe it or not, it takes money to make money. Things are never what they appear to be.¡± Elise tried the next room, nodding at the results. ¡°Another maid¡¯s room.¡± Sasha stood in the middle of the bedroom. Its vastness surprised her. It looked eerily reminiscent of her old room at Randle¡¯s. Even low wage servants lived better than she and Ley did back in Low Monestate. Could Elise¡¯s childhood in a place like this have been that bad? Elise filed through clothes hanging in a dresser. ¡°The girl only owned maid dresses, Sasha. They look to be your size. Not your style?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already wearing one. Find me some normal clothes.¡± Elise frowned. ¡°You¡¯d look cuter in pink though.¡± ¡°I. Am. Not. A. Maid.¡± A panicked, masculine yell echoed from the halls. It came from the entrance¡¯s direction. Elise got cold as she stared out into the empty manor. ¡°Isaac?¡± The hairs on Sasha¡¯s arms stood. ¡°That did sound like him.¡± Elise bowed to her, uttering ¡°Sorry. I¡¯ve got to go.¡± and took off into the halls. Sasha looked at her machina. ¡°Major, do you sense anything? Something off? If that was the case, I feel like you would¡¯ve told me by now.¡± ¡°Damn¡­ I¡¯ve let my guard down.¡± She got frustrated. ¡°Don¡¯t be so vague. It¡¯s scary!¡± ¡°I sense nothing at all. That¡¯s no good. No good at all. Everything changed in an instance.¡± Its wording confused her. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that there¡¯s no enemy, right?¡± ¡°I no longer sense the machina of Isaac, Abdul, or Simon either. Their signals are either destroyed or out of range.¡± Sasha did her best to stay calm, but her eye twitch tic from the slums returned. ¡°And here I thought we were gonna get to rest.¡± On her way out, Sasha saw a mirror. She checked out her own ass before taking off into a sprint. Elise was right. Cute. Sasha shook her head and locked in. Where were her priorities? Why did she feel so unfocused? She ran down the halls toward where Elise called Isaac¡¯s name frantically. Eventually, they met. Elise waited in the middle of the living room with a chilled expression. ¡°He¡¯s gone. Nobody else is responding either. Wasn¡¯t that Simon guy around earlier? And Abdul couldn¡¯t have been that far, right?¡± Sasha watched her back, machina drawn. ¡°You think they got together to pull a big prank on us?¡± ¡°I doubt it. Isaac and I have boundaries.¡± Major spoke to both. ¡°There¡¯s something that¡¯s been bothering me. I¡¯d like to test it.¡± Sasha¡¯s face sharpened. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Where has the natural light gone? It is too dark. We started our infiltration of High Monestate at midnight. It should¡¯ve been nearing sunrise when we stumbled upon this place. We¡¯ve all been in here for hours. Check outside.¡± Elise balled up her fists. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± All their attention turned toward the front double doors. Major warned them. ¡°Be careful. Slowly.¡± Sasha inched forth, reaching for the knob. Her hand connected and twisted. The door gave and creaked. She pushed. She pushed the wood to swing out into nothingness. Where the front stone stairs once sat now vanished. A single step outside would mean an abyssal plummet into who knew what? Sasha stumbled back with a horrified shriek right into Elise who caught her. The door slammed. With that, most lit lights within their view extinguished. Darkness. The manor became nothing but pitch black, overwhelming void. Elise shook Sasha who stared vacantly with paling skin. ¡°What did you see?¡± She flutter blinked. ¡°I saw a sea of black. It¡¯s like this manor¡¯s the only thing that exists.¡± ¡°What do we do now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Sasha held up Major, hoping for answers. The dagger sighed. ¡°We¡¯ve been fooled, and I don¡¯t even know who or what did the fooling. This was a trap. Not only that, but most likely the work of a machina.¡± Sasha recoiled. ¡°I thought you said that you couldn¡¯t sense a machina. Are your senses dull?¡± ¡°It was slumbering. We awoke it, and now it''s too late.¡± Elise¡¯s eyes widened massively. ¡°The manor is a machina?¡± ¡°I do not know. All I know is that we have been pulled into a different plane. Stay on guard. We are trapped in its territory. It should know we¡¯re here. Now it¡¯s a matter of what it has in store for us.¡± The gravity of the situation hit them. Sasha mulled over the words a few times before vocalizing them. ¡°A different plane? How can we fight it?¡± ¡°We may not be able to.¡± Elise began to panic. ¡°But Isaac? Where¡ª How is¡ª¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. Major spoke over their cowering with authority. It gazed into Elise¡¯s eyes. ¡°Here is a possibility: You are connected to this manor. Perhaps it wants something from you. Seek that out.¡± Elise scratched her head with an unenthused look. ¡°So¡­ we should be safe then?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no ¡®we¡¯ in it. Who knows how the rest are being treated? You¡¯re the only clue we¡¯ve got. Hurry and put an end to this.¡± Major directed the fiercest demand to Sasha she¡¯d ever heard ¡°Take Elise¡¯s hand and never let go of it, you hear me! I cannot predict how this will turn out.¡± The volume caught her off guard. ¡°Um, yes Sir! Chapter 34 - Death of A Man After letting out a pained shout, Isaac hopped around on his leg in the manor¡¯s living room. ¡°Ouch, ouch, ouch.¡± The flames of the fireplace cast a silly dancing shadow to the wall behind him. When nobody looked, it came to life, detached from his body, and crept across the wall into the halls. This living shadow had no head though. The fisheyes of a dead king¡¯s painting moved, following Isaac¡¯s position. A candle Abdul lit in the corner of the room gave off a loud ambient buzz like electrostatic. You had to be alone in this place for its eerie liminality to unsettle you. It existed between every concept. Loud yet silent, dustless yet antique, frozen in time yet ever-changing. Countless strange phenomena took place right under the party¡¯s noses from the second they entered the manor. Nobody ever noticed until it was too late. Simon peeked around the corner in apprehension. ¡°You scared me. Did you injure yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Just stubbed my toe hard against this table leg getting up.¡± Isaac chuckled. ¡°Surprised that didn¡¯t have Elise running, as frantic as she can be. You came from the way they went. Run into them?¡± Simon looked back down the candlelit wing toward the bathhouse. Confusion rattled him. He rubbed his eyes. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯ve been perched up in this hall and have seen no one. I last located them here with you.¡± ¡°No, they headed that way in search of a bathhouse.¡± ¡°I¡¯m diligent, Isaac. There is no way that I¡¯m wrong. Are you tired? Where is Lady Sasha?¡± The level of doubt in the air left both bewildered. Isaac joined him, eerily gazing down the halls. Sunrise had just arrived. Ever-so-soft white and blue light came in through the curtains. ¡°Now you¡¯ve got me doubting myself too. They can¡¯t be far,¡± Isaac said. ¡°Help me search. What if Lady Sasha gets lost in here?¡± ¡°Fine. You don¡¯t have to tell me twice. Cut the ¡®Lady Sasha¡¯ thing though. It¡¯s cheesy, and that¡¯s coming from me of all people.¡± ¡°I was just trying to be respectful.¡± Simon scratched his head. The two stumbled around that servant wing of the manor. Between checking empty rooms and calling the names of the girls, Isaac looked in plain spots like behind decorative suits of armor. An army of them stood in the halls against the windows, evenly spaced. He opened the visor of one feminine brass suit¡¯s helmet, peering inside. Its cuirass had breast indents. ¡°Hello?¡± His voice echoed into it. Simon muttered under his breath. ¡°Dumbass.¡± He then knelt and picked up the corner of the red rug they stood on to check underneath. Taken aback, Isaac raised his voice at him. ¡°And that¡¯s any better? How¡¯re they gonna fit under there? How, Sam?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Simon! How can you forget my name after knowing me for so long?! And a trapdoor! I¡¯m looking for a trapdoor, you imbecile!¡± ¡°We¡¯re complete strangers! Don¡¯t act like you¡¯ve been with us the entire time!¡± ¡°I have been. Do you not remember us being introduced together in chapter six?¡± ¡°Like hell we were! That was my first chapter!¡± Isaac let out a dramatic, growly sigh. ¡°Whatever! This mansion is making me go crazy.¡± Their search continued just as horribly until Isaac turned back where they came and let out a blurt of a yell. His hand resting on one of his daggers, he gazed off. ¡°What in Ailmor¡­¡± Simon turned too, startled by his ruckus. ¡°What are you crying about no¡ª,¡± he yelled too, even louder. Almost every suit of armor had moved. Most didn¡¯t show extreme changes; just slight movements, shifts of pose, and helmets turned as if watching the two. Others were unbelievable. Two suits sat playing a Zaiban board game like chess on a table that appeared from thin air. Their match was near its end. Where did the table and chairs come from? How did they play so long without being noticed? How did this all happen without a single sound? Simon approached and observed everything, nodding. ¡°Doing all this behind my back is impressive, Isaac. You scared me. If only you put all that effort into our search.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do shit, man. Real funny.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Nearing footsteps spooked shrill shrieks from both. Falling into impromptu combat poses, they faced Abdul who approached with a wisp of flame resting upon his fingertip. He looked like a cat awoken early from a nap. With a resting bitch face, he questioned them, eyeing the odd armors. ¡°What are you two bickering about this early in the morning? Playing¡­ dolls?¡± Simon glared at Isaac who returned daggered eyed. ¡°He lost Sasha, and now he¡¯s fucking with me.¡± Isaac butted heads with him. ¡°No, no, no! He lost my woman, and he¡¯s doing the fucking!¡± Abdul looked done with it all. This was supposed to be their rest night. ¡°Why do I have to fix everything? They can¡¯t be far. Try the bathhouse?¡± He led them to antique double doors. Nobody responded to their knocks. They opened it up to find a forlorn, dark room filled with moldy towels and cobwebs. Marble steps descended into a massive empty pool long dried up. Abdul observed. ¡°No telling how long this place¡¯s been out of service. Just where could they be? And what about the owners? How could anyone even live here?¡± Simon shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m unsure. What do you think, Isaac?¡± When Isaac didn¡¯t answer, they looked to where he stood a moment ago. He¡¯d vanished. One second, he stood in their peripheral vision. The next, he didn¡¯t. Abdul peeked out into the hallways to see nothing at all, calling with an unsure voice. ¡°Isaac? You there?¡± He and Simon stood speechless in the hall. They sat on the ground, staring unblinking at one another. Abdul questioned him. ¡°Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡± ¡°If we stay here within each other¡¯s sight, we should be safe, right? People only disappear when we can¡¯t see them. That¡¯s my hypothesis, at least.¡± ¡°On the money.¡± Simon blinked and Adul disappeared too. He scrambled up to his feet. ¡°No! We were wrong! What the hell is going on?!¡± Light, pitter-pattering footsteps scurried up behind him. It was too late. Simon came to his senses, heartbeat sprinting, in a snowscape amid a forest of dead trees. A wooden cabin stood in the distance. It gave off chimney smoke. Flocks of predatory scavenger birds circled overhead. He trudged onwards through the snow towards warmth. Unknown to him, a twitching man with an owl¡¯s head stalked him from the distance. Simon made his way up to the cabin, stopping outside a glass window to peer inside. The frost blurred his view, but after rubbing the glass with his sleeve, he spotted himself within. His clone sat in this toasty, cozy home with a resting smile and low fireplace fending off the outside chill. A brunette woman with a single emerald earring was next to him at the table. She looked familiar, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint her identity. They ate some sort of creamy chicken stew. The low cries of an infant across the room interrupted their meal. The woman got up to go calm it, but the clone stopped her and went instead. He rocked the child in his arms with a dutiful look, muttering to it. No matter what he did, it failed though. The crying only grew louder. His partner finished up her meal and joined his side to help. She tickled the baby, made some funny faces, and when all else failed played peekaboo with it. This just made everything worse. The baby gave them all hell. After the woman sighed, frustrated, the clone leaned his head up against hers and mouthed something Simon guessed to be ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. She could be hungry.¡± At the window, Simon felt melancholic, rattled by both bitterness and hope. A good life. A calm life. Something genuine. His inner, most existential desires manifested in front of him here. To him, though, they were unrealistic and unreachable. A man like him would never obtain such happiness. A man like him would never deserve it. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Knocking sounded at the cabin¡¯s front door. Both Simon and his clone stared at its jittering knob with cold animosity. The knocking escalated to intense slamming within moments. Someone beat the door off its hinges. It shook the entire building. It shook the sky, the infant, and Simon too. The baby¡¯s crying transformed into bloodcurdling screaming that raged both in the cabin and in Simon¡¯s head. Death wails. His face twisting in utter devastation, he gritted his teeth, fell to his knees, and fought back against the orchestra of terror with his own begging yells. ¡°Stop! Just stop! Please! I¡¯m sorry!¡± All noise ceased as soon as he commanded it. Now there was nothing except white noise and doom. There he kneeled, fists full of his own ripped out hair, with drool hanging from his lips. He collected himself from the ground and entered the cabin. The front door had been beaten down and lay in pieces. His family¡¯s home was filled with utter darkness and emptiness. The woman and infant were gone. The silhouette of his clone hung from an overhead noose. Simon stared down from the noose at the monstrous owl looking up at him. *** Isaac wandered through a battlefield that mirrored the coldest reaches of Yellen. He was fifteen again and wore a set of plate armor riddled with dents and blood spatter. The blades of Dio rested at their hilts on his waist. ¡°Guys?¡± He called, stepping over spilled guts. A sea of infinite fog and corpses stretched out before him. The sky? Crimson. Not too far away, a man stood motionless in an exhausted stance, ivory crown upon his head. The shards of The Itblade, Lovecraft, lay scattered at his feet. Isaac approached him. Waves of shivers went up his spine after recognizing the face. His father petrified into a statue of goldish metal. This was the final harmony between a man and god having pushed themselves beyond their limits. It was the consequence of his father''s final God Aspect. This was the most important battle of Isaac¡¯s life. The one he ran from. His shoulders slumped. ¡°Sorry, Father. I promised that I¡¯d watch your back until the end, but what did I do? I let the fear of certain death win. I ran. I''m still running. I wish I died protecting our people just like you.¡± For some reason, he awaited a response from the statue. Statues didn¡¯t speak though. A low groaning from the corpses around his feet warned him. ¡°Flee. It¡¯s coming.¡± He clenched his fists, shaking his head. ¡°No. Never again. I¡¯ve changed.¡± A spiritual signature got Isaac¡¯s attention. He snapped to the left, glaring deep into the fog. There stood a twisted, monstrous King Andre thirty feet tall. The tyrant looked more canine and undead than human. He frothed at the mouth and roared out. ¡°Welcome back, boy!¡± Isaac went for his daggers but fumbled them. He paralyzed in that spot, eyes haunted, as King Andre rushed closer. The only thing that moved was his heart. Thump. Thump. Thump. Ever since that day, Prince Isaac IV lived frozen in time. *** I¡¯ve been here before. I return every night, but this time Primus is at my side. It is nothing new, and it is no tragedy. Laugh. This is reality. I awake unknowing yet choking. The nightmare chips away at me. I do not know how much longer I can endure living. I hang from chains in The Red Room, three clawed blades hooking into my back, toes hovering above the ground. The culminating stench of feces and blood¡¯s iron is alluring, and the sounds even better. Right in front of me, I stare at what will now release me from my suffering: The Apparatus. A great machine the size of a building, eternally churning and slushing. My chained, strung-up neighbors sing until their voices break into morbid croaking. When one assumes they¡¯re rendered incapable of melodies, their lowering into The Apparatus toes first rips out the rest of their bloodcurdling screeching. Malformed heads giggle until the lung''s consumption. With every sacrifice to be ripped from the hooks by men cloaked in white like angels, blood painting murals upon the ground, my place down the line neared until this fated day. Everyone honks and squeals like geese and swine. It is music. They are cheering my graduation. None of it matters anymore. I have finally arrived. It is my turn. I can rest. When they lowered me into The Apparatus, I was embraced instead of obliterated. Why me? They made such a big fuss about it. They dragged and tossed me into a prison cell. They sang and celebrated. My bunk buddy was just another kid. An only child from a village halfway across the continent. With our language barrier, we barely understood one another, but it didn¡¯t matter. After weeks together in that hole, we became best friends. Jericho was enamored by the number seven and insisted that he saw it in everything. When our gods failed him, it saved him, and he saved me. He maintained his sanity by endlessly counting. He orchestrated an escape but, on that horrible day, tripped and got dragged back into the facility¡¯s depths. Out of fear, I turned and left. Out of fear, I abandoned him. I gave up on my brother. With that, a part of me now deeply buried. I fear remembering and acknowledging. Do you understand me now, Claymore? Care to stop nagging me? *** The girls held hands as they made their way deeper into the pitch-black manor in search of answers. Sasha shot her gaze back and forth between paintings and suits of armor. They all had following eyes to her. Especially the massive portrait of a little girl. ¡°That one looked at me, didn¡¯t it?¡± she asked Elise. Elise shook her head. ¡°That painting is of me. I doubt it.¡± They stopped at an unnatural, morbid split in the halls. Before their eyes, the directions to wander branched into countless ways defying common sense and architectural convention. One such choice was a downward pit which went to who knew where? Peering over the edge, Sasha marveled at how the suits of armor stood sideways as if unbound by the laws of gravity. And then upwards, another hallway expanded and twisted up through the ceiling. Doors swung and slammed above them, red carpets paving everything. ¡°Where do we even go?¡± Elise shrugged. ¡°If I¡¯m truly wanted here, then we should be shown the way.¡± They chose a random path. At the end of a hall which transformed into ascending steps halfway, a black suit of armor stood at the top. They scaled stairs as if traveling to the top of a temple. The suit awaited them. Speechless, its rattling arm pointed to a nearby antique wooden door. Red, eerie light penetrated through the cracks to shine on their faces. It concerned Sasha. ¡°Looks like that¡¯s where it wants us to go. Should we though?¡± Elise hesitated, holding her breath. ¡°We have no choice.¡± She shook her fear off and opened the door. Passing through felt like entering a portal to another world. They found themselves in a new mansion in daylight. Every decoration and piece of furniture here came off as brighter. They looked up at a new family portrait showcasing two young smiling parents with their arms around three children. Intrigue and clarity fell upon Elise¡¯s face as if she¡¯d had an epiphany. ¡°I get it now. This is my childhood estate. We¡¯re in a memory.¡± Elise pointed at a distant room at the end of the hallway. Its door was left swung open. ¡°And there¡¯s my room. Want to see how it looked?¡± Sasha looked unsure but agreed with a pensive expression. In their approach, the subdued sound of bawling came into earshot. They stood at her room¡¯s entrance. A mother cried her heart out into the dress of a young Elise sitting bedside. Older Elise next to Sasha looked away. ¡°So, it¡¯s that day.¡± Sasha gripped her hand tightly. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°My father sold me. I think he loved me, but at the end of the day, he threw me away like I was nothing.¡± Sasha¡¯s eyes widened as Elise went on. ¡°There was this powerful merchant in our city father had a business relationship with. When that hideous man visited our estate, he¡¯d watch me with these scary eyes. He took a liking to me. When he asked for my hand in marriage, my father handed me over to him. He knew that man¡¯s genuine intentions. He knew and yet he¡ª.¡± Elise faltered, clenching her fist. ¡°I was so young. No girl should ever go through such a thing. This day was the last time I saw my mom.¡± Little Elise was perplexed by her mother¡¯s breakdown. The tears and snot were ruining her favorite dress. The mother begged. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so, so sorry.¡± ¡°Is something wrong? Why are you crying?¡± The kid¡¯s eyes got watery. ¡°You¡¯re gonna make me cry too.¡± Older Elise left the room, her face bleak. ¡°There¡¯s nothing else to see here. Let¡¯s go.¡± Sasha followed. ¡°Right.¡± In the distance, another black suit of armor came to life. It marched from its resting spot against the wall and settled in front of the two. It pointed its empty, shaky gauntlet at another door. Red, hazy fog poured through its cracks. Elise approached the haunted armor. ¡°Who are you?¡± It returned no words. Only sad wheezing and breathing that sounded like someone struggling against choking. Elise knocked against its chest piece and heard the hollow thud. With low energy, she spoke. ¡°Nobody¡¯s in there. Nothing to do but move on.¡± They entered the new door. Yet another set of dark manor halls presented themselves. Elise led Sasha across scarlet red carpets. They passed under golden chandeliers, paintings of gothic gargoyles feasting on naked peasants at a dinner party, and massive windows granting moonlit views of red rose gardens. Elise dragged to a halt, squeezing Sasha¡¯s hand tensely. Disgust crept across her face. ¡°Why here?¡± They stared up at the portrait of an obese, slimy man in royal clothes. The three folds of fat under his chin and circular, unblinking eyes made him look more like a fish frog than human. Engraved letters under the painting read Magnus III. Sasha looked between Elise and him in bewilderment. ¡°We¡¯re not at the merchant¡¯s house, are we?¡± ¡°We are. What¡¯s the point of all this?¡± Elise looked back to where they came from. That door vanished before her eyes. ¡°Shit.¡± ¡°We just need to find another door then, right?¡± They strolled onwards in search of doors giving off red light or fog. Their efforts amounted to nothing though. A bloodcurdling scream echoed from afar, accompanied by a shrill, ¡°No! Please, no!¡± Elise¡¯s breathing increased rapidly. ¡°I might hurl.¡± Sasha watched her, panicked. She had no clue what she could do or say to help. Elise inhaled and exhaled slowly to calm herself down. ¡°I didn¡¯t let him win. He never had his way with me. On this night, I stabbed him with his own bedside dagger. I stabbed him and ran away into the night. I ran far, far away, and chose homelessness over going back to my father.¡± Sasha¡¯s face tensed up as she held her own moved emotions at bay. ¡°You¡¯re strong.¡± Another booming, repulsive voice rang out. ¡°Augh, Gods?! Guards?! Guards! I want her head on a stake!¡± The two watched young Elise¡¯s shadow sprint across the halls. She had a long journey ahead of her. Elise nodded, coming off as more empowered. ¡°We¡¯ve got something in common now.¡± She pointed ahead. Against the window, that black suit of armor waited with its hands on its own throat. Next to it, another door radiating a sinister crimson glow stood. The suit¡¯s horrifying wheezing only got louder. It gave both the girls chills. Elise noted. ¡°There¡¯s our next destination.¡± She locked eyes with the armor as they moved on. She felt an odd connection to it. A nostalgic one. They warped into a gargantuan throne room. Crimson red carpet trailed up a stone floor and steps to where King Andre sat limp with fierce eyes and a golden crown. A maid in a lavender dress with shoulder-length black hair knelt to his right. A personal knight flaunting gold-gilded plate armor and a halberd machina stood on the opposite side. Down the several steps in front of them was a pale man on his knees, bowing head-to-stone in prostration. He wore a merchant¡¯s fancy coat, feathered hat, and gloves. Seeing the man panicked Elise. She took some steps forward, calling out. ¡°Father?¡± Chapter 35 - Spiral of Truth Sasha tried to hold Elise from approaching the throne. ¡°Hold it. You¡¯ll get us in trouble.¡± ¡°In a memory? I doubt it.¡± Elise walked up to the throne, dragging a hesitant Sasha along. ¡°It really is him. Father and our ruler?¡± She stood in between the king¡¯s condescending gaze and the prostrating man. As Elise assumed, they weren¡¯t visible to those in the memory. King Andre looked down on him as he motioned for his attendant to scratch his beard. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Harken Allard. After all the tales of your mind for money I¡¯ve heard, I expect great things from you as our new treasurer. Have you settled into your new estate well?¡± ¡°Of course, your highness, though it¡¯s quite big for a man without a family. A single room would have sufficed.¡± Elise raised her eyebrows in surprise. ¡°Did mom leave him?¡± The king grinned. ¡°I gift land to all my council. Use it or don¡¯t but it is yours.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness. It would be gravely disrespectful to reject such a gift.¡± ¡°It is a shame a man as successful as yourself is alone. Perhaps you¡¯ll fill up your new manor with a great, big family.¡± Harken didn¡¯t make many expressions. His face rested dull and emotionless. ¡°Such distractions won¡¯t be necessary, Your Highness. I look forward to immersing myself in my work. I require nothing else.¡± Andre motioned for him to rise with the hand that still had feeling. Despite his old age and failing health, he held himself with the confidence of a king who wore his power on his sleeve. ¡°Lower your head to me no longer. Your expertise has been long overdue.¡± Perplexed, Harken obeyed. With his hands behind his back, he bowed. ¡°May I be guided to my office, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Ashley shall do so.¡± The maid bowed too at the mention of her name. She backed away from Andre, careful not to turn her back on him out of dignity, before joining Harken¡¯s side. ¡°Please follow me, Sir Allard.¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a simple maid. You are not required to address me so.¡± ¡°I am aware. It is my personal resolution to respect service workers.¡± They exited the throne room though massive double doors. A nigh endless hall with tall, arched stone ceilings laid ahead. The glass of the towering windows looking out over High Monestate were stained rainbow. What sunlight pierced through morphed to paint extraordinary colors over everything. The girls marveled at the show as they followed the father and Ashley. Elise let out a subdued growl. ¡°He respected some maid more than me.¡± Sasha looked unsure. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s got a thing for her.¡± Even when bearing witness to Castle Hemmer¡¯s fascinating design, Harken showed no reaction. Ashley side-eyed him as they walked. ¡°Is it not to your liking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. This must be the place to be at dusk.¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± Harken halted. His attention caught on to an especially gruesome painting. Words branded into its frame spelled out The Red Room. It illustrated seven crescent moons looking down upon a single man hugging himself with a smile. Hooks hung from the heavens. Ever-reaching hooks that hung headless, limbless corpses of giants by their backs. Were these supposed to be The Gods? He shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s almost like this is celebrating The Apparatus. Who the hell would romanticize such a horrible thing?¡± Ashley sharpened up for a moment. ¡°You know of it?¡± ¡°The tragedy of The Red Room has been burnt into my memory ever since the first time I read about it. Anyone with an education would say the same. Age old tale of fools playing God.¡± ¡°You should be more open-minded. There are no more gods but a large void of power where they once existed. Someone needs to step up. Would taking such responsibility be playing in such an age, Sir Allard?¡± He pondered her question, but his answer would¡¯ve been reactive and emotional. She had a point. He uttered a colorless response lacking intrigue. ¡°Hm. Is that right?¡± Ashley guided him onwards, speaking as he observed the details of the architecture. ¡°Castle Hemmer is over two-hundred years old. Its rooms number over one-hundred-and-twenty. There are thirty-two staff working here, you and I included. We all work hard to maintain it.¡± He did a double take on her. ¡°Only thirty-two? That is a skeleton crew for such a massive place. I would have expected at least seventy.¡± ¡°My lord has no heirs and sparce subjects. He doesn¡¯t trust easily. The less staff to watch, the less his anxiety.¡± ¡°That¡¯s logical. I don¡¯t hire staff because it''s cheaper to cook, clean, and never leave messes myself. Laboring the enslaved or indentured is suboptimal too.¡± Ashely gave him an eerie gaze, so he explained himself. ¡°Is it so odd to meet a man who picks up after himself?¡± ¡°It is. Is that why you wear gloves?¡± ¡°I dislike it when the oils of the skin stain my work.¡± The rest of their journey wasn¡¯t far. Every piece of wooden furniture, golden overhanging chandelier, and masterpiece of art draping the walls were crafted to perfection. It reeked of dumb money. Dumb money made Harken nervous. He was a man who slept with a pillow at his desk for efficiency¡¯s sake. A man who both had everything and nothing. Ashley stopped and pointed to their right. ¡°This door leads to your office.¡± Rather than the room she spoke of, Harken focused on the one on the opposite side of the hall. It was rusted, reinforced by steel, and locked from the outside. A thick metal bar slid across to block any who would try to open it from within. Low wailing reverberated through, barely reaching his ears. It caused his stomach to drop. Ashley watched his lips quiver in eerie silence. She warned him with an authoritative voice. ¡°Don¡¯t go into that room. Entering would be dangerous. It¡¯s blocked off for ongoing repairs.¡± ¡°What is that sound?¡± ¡°The wind.¡± Sasha walked up to the door, placing her ear against it. ¡°And the sky is red.¡± Ashley left Harken waiting outside of the treasurer¡¯s office to stare at the barred steel door. The wind? Did they think he was dumb? He sighed and ignored it to get to work. They paid him to doubt their financial decisions. Not their moral ones. The office was the most spacious room he¡¯d ever worked in. It was bigger than his smaller practices in their entirety. A desk sat centered in the circular space surrounded by expansive bookshelves reaching to the ceiling. Then a staircase revolved up to even more bookshelves out of reach. Was it clean though? Not at all. It was a horrible damn mess. He filed through disorganized papers and files thrown everywhere for an hour before sitting in his office chair. Finally, he propped his feet up, putting his hands behind his head. ¡°I feel important now.¡± Sasha leaned up against a nearby bookshelf. ¡°Well, he is the treasurer for the most important man in Ailmor.¡± Elise who sat on the ground sighed. ¡°I need to know what¡¯s behind that door.¡± Harken yawned. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. With a disturbed face, he turned to face the door to his office only for it to slam. ¡°Hello? Who is there?¡± No answer. Elise looked at Sasha. ¡°Did you see her?¡± ¡°I did. The maid. It was just for a moment, but she was watching him.¡± ¡°Are you thinking about what I am?¡± ¡°Opening the door?¡± Elise nodded and got on with it. They left to the halls where it waited, lifted the metal bar from its braces, and thrust it open. She squinted. ¡°What?¡± Nothing stood behind the doors. White void. It confused Sasha. ¡°If we¡¯re in your father¡¯s memories, I guess that means we won¡¯t know until he does.¡± ¡°You must be right.¡± The sound of repeated metallic clinging rung out behind them. They turned to find the black suit of amor leaning up against the wall, clapping with hollow gauntlets in applause. It coughed and gasped for air. The armor creeped out Sasha. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. She took a step back, questioning Major. ¡°What is that thing?¡± Major replied. ¡°I sense spiritual energy and complex, horrible emotions, but I cannot identify what it is. I only know that its soul bears a burden of guilt, dread, and sadness unlike anything I have ever seen.¡± Elise scratched her chin, pondering. ¡°Whatever it is, it must want us to know what is beyond the door. Why else would it lead us here?¡± Sasha pointed. The door to Harken¡¯s office, like the others before, gave off the same red fog. They entered and found his space completely reorganized. Not even a speck of dust or hint of disarray was in that room. The king¡¯s treasurer sat at his desk, quill pen in hand, scribbling in chicken scratch. His hat hung next to him. He¡¯d developed an unmaintained, scratchy beard. Elise watched his bleak, focused face with a solemn look about her. She turned to Sasha. ¡°Father always made sure to keep his face cleanly shaven. He couldn¡¯t grow a good beard. My mom found him more handsome without it.¡± ¡°So he doesn¡¯t care anymore.¡± ¡°Looks like it. Or maybe he was pushed over the edge.¡± A high-pitched scream barely reached their ears. Harken¡¯s quill snapped in half. With trembling fingers, he opened his desk¡¯s drawer to pull out a replacement. ¡°One hundred and thirteen days and three hours. Sixteen disturbances. The wind, aye, maid? This one sounded like my little girl.¡± He scooted back in his chair as if propelled to action only to slam his forehead against the corner of the desk. Blood dripped from a new cut. ¡°Four months. Eleven staff of Hemmer vanished and replaced. Every prior treasurer, the same, erased from history. My records are the only truth.¡± Ashley¡¯s words often reverberated in his head. So did her eerie everyday stare. She was always watching. Watching and searching. Never cleaning. Never performing the genuine duties of a maid beyond surface-level performance. ¡°If she¡¯s really just a simple maid, then I was a perfect husband and father.¡± Sasha¡¯s face tensed up. She pointed to the door now creaked open. They stared down Ashley who stood and gazed at the back of Harken¡¯s head. In that moment, her eyes were as soulless and beady black as a killer bear¡¯s. The door ever-so-slowly pushed open. Like a morbid creature, the maid burst into a soundless sprint toward him. Elise closed her eyes tightly, expecting the worst, as Sasha witnessed Ashley violently pluck hair from his head. Harken broke from his deep focus with a pained ¡°Ouch!¡± and snapped to the opened door. He rubbed his scalp. ¡°I locked that door. I¡¯m losing my mind.¡± To both the girls¡¯ horror, he never saw Ashley stalking. She predicted every turn of his head, moving with supernatural speed and silence to keep from even his peripheral vision. The maid followed inches behind him as he walked to lock the door. When he did so with a click, she reopened it, slipped out, and left it swinging. Harken turned, saw it, and grinned. He erupted into drawn out, exhausted laughter. He wiped his watery eyes with his sleeve. ¡°I understand now. I¡¯m dead. I¡¯ve been sent to some low level of Yellen.¡± A commotion out in the halls caught his attention. The voice of the junior maid, Mae, shrieked out. ¡°It¡¯s His Highness! He¡¯s suffered another stroke!¡± Harken stumbled out into the halls. ¡°What?!¡± He called back. Then he saw her to the right. Ashley. With a stone-cold expression, she sprinted with pumping arms towards Mae¡¯s voice. He¡¯d never even seen a beast so fast. What psyched him out more than anything else was her lack of sound. Ashley¡¯s footsteps were completely silent. With goosebumps, he watched her as she disappeared down the halls like an owl in flight. Harken faced the barred off door as the whimpering of a young girl from under its cracks met his ears. Such a panic overtaking Castle Hemmer never happened. If he were to find the truth, it¡¯d have to be then while Ashley was distracted. Why did it even matter now anyway? He was dead. Tunnel vision narrowed his line of sight as he threw the binding metal bar aside and thrust the door open to enter. Sasha and Elise slipped in with him. It slammed behind them. They descended downstairs consumed by darkness as the whimpering neared. So did new, terrifying sights and scents though. The combined low moans and cries of dozens created a twisted choir of suffering. A miasma of blood, shit, and body odor induced all three to gag nearly to the point of sickness. He groaned. ¡°I was wrong. Now I¡¯m in the depths. Such a place isn¡¯t meant for someone¡¯s daughter.¡± Harken entered a wide chamber with flickering ceiling lights. It appeared to be some kind of operating room. Countless tools from serrated saws to surgical blades and mouth muzzles meant for animals scattered on tables and hung from pegs on walls. He stood in the center of it, met by many directions to take. That barred door must¡¯ve led down to labyrinthian underworks. Sasha took Elise¡¯s hand again, overwhelmed by dread. Major spoke up from its sheath. ¡°I sense an extremely high concentration of souls within this facility. They¡¯re suffering in ways unimaginable. The density shifts by the minute as well.¡± Sasha looked at her dagger, her body shaking in its entirety. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°People are brought down here to die. They are replaced as quickly as they are killed.¡± ¡°Why would someone do such a thing?¡± ¡°I do not know.¡± Before choosing a direction, Harken noticed rows of racks showcasing white cloaks. Though hesitant, he put one on to disguise himself. Rescuing the little girl took precedence before anything else, so Harken approached the door straight ahead. They pushed onwards into a smaller operating chamber where loud yelps rang from. A jester with a face painted gold and a doctor¡¯s coat stood behind a girl strapped to a surgical table. She¡¯d been strapped down at the wrists so tightly that her hands were purple. As she drooled and hummed with flickering eyes, the jester hammed a sharp rod into her exposed brain. Sasha grew faint and stumbled onto Elise¡¯s shoulder as Harken gazed with frozen, wide eyes. ¡°By The Gods... Wha¡ªWhat have you done?¡± The jester addressed him nonchalantly. ¡°She just wouldn¡¯t stop begging for her daddy to save her. I found it odd that she couldn¡¯t understand that her daddy was already dead, so I deduced that she suffered from mental illness. It called for a lobotomy. Now she¡¯s stopped being such a bitch. We can harvest her soul in peace in now.¡± ¡°Harvest her soul? What are talking about, clown?¡± Confusion overcame the jester. He glared at Harken, tilting his head erratically to the side. ¡°That isn¡¯t the proper way to address your senior.¡± Harken¡¯s face twitched. This was the point of no return. ¡°I apologize, Sir. I¡¯m one of the newer ones down here. I¡¯ve forgotten your name.¡± ¡°It is Mercutio. Honorifics aren¡¯t necessary. While you¡¯re down here, lend me a hand.¡± ¡°With what?¡± ¡°I need to put her back on her hooks. Follow me to The Apparatus.¡± Harken¡¯s face fell deadpan under his cloak. ¡°Excuse me? I believe I misheard you.¡± ¡°Obey, acolyte. My patience is running thin.¡± Mercutio unstrapped the girl, ushering her up to her feet. She shimmied by inches in her permanent daze, led by the jester and hesitant assistant. A stream of silent tears and snot flowed all the way down to Sasha¡¯s chin. She hicked every now and then. Seeing her cry then made Elise start too. They¡¯d gone through so much that night already and it wasn¡¯t even close to being over. What awaited them at Castle Hemmer branded terror into their hearts. Sasha begged her. ¡°Tell the black armor to let us leave now. Please. We don¡¯t need to see anymore. We get it.¡± Elise shook her head despite her own psyche being pushed over the edge. ¡°I don¡¯t think it would listen to us. It¡¯s almost over. I can feel it.¡± They followed Mercutio and Harken onwards into a massive chamber akin to a cathedral. Ever-long chains hung from a contraption on the ceiling that cranked, cycling them closer to their destination at the back. Countless crying, suffering people from children to the elderly hung from them, hooks lodged deep into their backs and toes hovering above the ground. The Apparatus stood massive at the end of the room. It was a machine the size of a building, riddled with incomprehensible pumping liquids, spinning gears, and steaming pipes. A nude adult man lowered down into The Apparatus. There was a specific scream only those slowly ground into slush from toe to head made. That scream etched itself into everyone except Mercutio. The jester found it to be meaningless noise. ¡°Soul compression as an idea looks good on paper, but the results change drastically with the smallest changes in stimuli. The outcome is unpredictable. I toil every single day over how our precursors created a perfect homunculus. One day you¡¯ll see demigods on par with The Wyrm born here. I just need time. Until then, there will only be disappointments and monsters.¡± Major let out a frustrated growl. ¡°We¡¯ll put all these acolytes in the ground, and all these victims out of their misery. What depravity to sacrifice so much for an ugly mimicry of godhood.¡± Sasha sniffled. She tried to voice her suspicions, but the sudden shock of witnessing such mass trauma hushed her into becoming nonverbal. ¡°They¡¯re¡­ augh¡­ um.¡± Major knew what she meant and answered. ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re trying to make a god. Like machina, all humans come from gods. They possess residual soul power divine in nature but normally unreachable. These fools wish to artificially create machina of flesh by channeling the souls of countless into a single vessel.¡± ¡°Ab¡­dul?¡± Major closed his eye in resignation. ¡°That¡¯s right. He went through something similar, but a horrible machine like this will never create anything but abominations. Human souls are too corrupt. This jester doesn¡¯t know his futility. He is shooting into the dark cluelessly.¡± Her tears worsened to bawling. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. I can¡¯t forgive it. I¡ªI¡ªI can¡¯t! I won¡¯t!¡± Harken looked down at his hands and fell into silence. He left The Apparatus. Mercutio called out to him, annoyed, but didn¡¯t follow. As soon as Harken made it into the first operating room, he threw the acolyte¡¯s cloak aside, fell to his knees, and vomited all over the floor. Elise jolted her attention away, blocking Sasha''s view to avoid causing a chain of sickness. ¡°Father...¡± Clenching his stomach, Harken made his way up the steps to the barred door. When he exited, the door closed on Sasha and Elise. Wheezing came from further down the stairs. The dark silhouette of the black armor looked up at them. It pointed to their final door, a red glowing haze blowing from beneath. They entered. What waited was none other than Harken¡¯s manor before its ruin. He sat in front of and stared into a fireplace while curled up in his lounge chair. Harken sunk into a depressive state of numbness caused by the brain fog that worked to save his mind from itself. He¡¯d sipped bitter, hard liquor that entire evening now. A rope tied into a noose hung from the railings of the staircase above. A voice spoke to him within his head. Run. An intruder is rushing towards us from the western wing. Her resolve is too strong to contain. ¡°Run? Don¡¯t bother, Silent Hill. I have an idea of who our visitor is,¡± he said with slurring words. Harken looked over to his right where Ashley stood, coldly watching. He waved at her. ¡°Knew it couldn¡¯t have been my wife.¡± ¡°Hilarious.¡± Ashley wore that lavender maid dress everywhere. It was uncanny. With a stern voice, she spoke down to him. ¡°I told you it was just the wind. You should¡¯ve left it there, but you just had to go in.¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know? I¡¯ve covered my tracks and busted my ass to fix all your messes. I only fall apart after I get home from work.¡± Ashley walked over, stopping in front of him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. His Highness did. I¡¯m here on his behalf. Our Lord can know anything about a person if I collect a piece of them. I take. He reads. That is our relationship.¡± Harken felt his scalp. It all made sense now. The disappearances, the odd way she acted, everything. This was the power of King Andre¡¯s machina. That book that never left his side. ¡°Was it my hair then? I knew you weren¡¯t just some maid. Scary. Scary and impressive.¡± She let a condescending grin show. ¡°It is not often that my efforts are praised. I¡¯ll think about your words every night.¡± ¡°Gonna arrest me? Put me in some hole? Might as well kill me then.¡± Ashley grabbed hold of Harken¡¯s throat with both her hands. He never would''ve been able to overpower her. The muscles of Ashley¡¯s forearms felt like steel. Her tone grew more malicious the longer she spoke. ¡°Just know that I¡¯m not granting your final wish. Couldn¡¯t care less about what trash wants. His Highness demanded your death the moment he sensed your intentions to poison him.¡± With raspy wheezing and gurgling, Harken struggled to peel her fingers from his neck. ¡°I won¡¯t rest¡ª I can¡¯t till I know justice is coming¡­ for everyone!¡± Harken¡¯s eyes bulged from his skull. Her grip only tightened. ¡°Do you remember what I said the day we first met?¡± she asked. ¡°The Age of Gods is over. Soon, we will replace them. It¡¯s a shame. If you had just shut up, you could¡¯ve been on the right side of history when we rewrote it.¡± ¡°Fuck! You!¡± His vision faded with his final breath. Harken was too shitfaced to feel the snap of his own neck. Elise¡¯s face twisted in extreme turmoil as Sasha spaced out. Sometimes, a part of being family is loving those you haven¡¯t forgiven. Sometimes, we love when we wish we couldn¡¯t or didn¡¯t. It often doesn¡¯t make sense. Chapter 36 - Let it Out The world around Sasha and Elise wavered before their eyes as if dispelled. They returned to a dusty master bedroom with late morning light shining through the windows. It blinded them after wading through darkness for so long. The living armor stood in front of them, staring in silence as its head sagged forward in depression. It made no movements but, through its visor, something watched without a doubt. An eye beyond their physical plane of existence peered through. Major spoke up from Sasha¡¯s hip, relieved. ¡°We have been released and returned to the manor. I can sense everyone else¡¯s signatures, and a faint one within the armor too. This was the culprit; the spirit of a man or machina bound to this home by negative energy. A ghost.¡± It was easy to tell Sasha was disturbed beyond reason. She couldn¡¯t formulate her thoughts enough to respond. The screams wrung out by The Apparatus filled her head in a way much worse than the lonely streets of Low Monestate. Her face had been wiped utterly blank by emotional and mental exhaustion. Elise held her hand tight, facing the armor alone. ¡°I think I understand what this all is now.¡± She questioned it. ¡°You showed me the truth to help prepare us to face the king, didn¡¯t you? To protect me? Father, is that you?¡± A low red light shone from its visor. It only had the strength to whisper. ¡°Four years have passed since. The king nears his goal.¡± Major warned Elise, ¡°The spirit¡¯s soul is flickering. Its ki has been extinguished. It¡¯s about to vanish. Make your peace while you can.¡± Elise nodded to the dagger, releasing Sasha¡¯s hand. ¡°I appreciate it.¡± She approached and embraced the armor. ¡°I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t worry. Leave it to us. We¡¯ll destroy King Andre and what he has created.¡± The light in the armor¡¯s eye wavered. The suit¡¯s metal trembled under her touch. ¡°I lacked the courage, but you are different.¡± It stiffened up and gave a little. ¡°Thank you and stay safe. You¡¯ve grown¡­ tall. If only your mother could have seen you again.¡± ¡°Father, where is she? Tell me before it¡¯s too late.¡± ¡°Grief took her not long after you left. Life afterward was a downward spiral. It was entirely my fault.¡± The armor collapsed into pieces at Elise¡¯s feet. An empty helmet looked up at her. An ethereal wisp raised from it and spirited away, drawn toward the light of the windows. It left them. ¡°Father?¡± With a pale face, Elise got to her knees to sift through the lifeless pieces of the suit. Despair rattled both her and Sasha. They shared the fog and sting that came with it. Major spoke up bluntly. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± ¡°To where?¡± ¡°Yellen, the lands which all souls return to.¡± Elise collected herself from the ground. She sniffled with a red nose, wiping emerging tears from her eyes. ¡°I-I wanted to tell him that I forgave him.¡± Sasha shook her head rigidly in shellshocked disbelief. They¡¯d only dipped their toes into the hell that was The Apparatus. What would it look like down there now four years later? Her face curled up in absolute disgust. ¡°Monsters. I¡¯ll rip all of them to pieces. Those mother fuckers will feel pain not even their victims knew.¡± A wave of fear came over Elise. She¡¯d never seen Sasha filled with so much animosity. So much hatred. Of course, her feelings were similar, but this was an unexpected new side. Simon opened the door, indifferent to finding them. ¡°Oh¡­ Sasha¡­ Elise¡­¡± It was difficult to tell through his mask, but he was disturbed and excruciatingly tired too. Everyone was put through the wringer. Elise had other priorities. She gave them a farewell wave before leaving. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ going to go look for my prince.¡± Simon cleared his throat. He and Sasha stood there in utter quietness together until she yawned. Her yawn made him yawn, and then her again. He scratched his head. ¡°Were you two put through hell too? I won¡¯t lie, it¡¯s still got me shaken.¡± She nodded. ¡°I¡¯m too tired and beat down to explain, but hell would be a vast understatement. I can¡¯t stop thinking about it.¡± The chills came back. With them, her blanking out face. ¡°Still struggling to move?¡± ¡°A little bit.¡± He offered her his shoulder. She accepted without a second thought. They walked the halls with their arms over each other. ¡°You look tired. Let¡¯s get you to sleep. I found a serviceable bedroom. No spider webs or ruined sheets.¡± She avoided eye contact but found the gesture to be sweet. ¡°I would like that. Thank you. I¡¯d die this second if it meant I could get some sleep.¡± ¡°You stole the words right from my mouth.¡± ¡°Take me there, my steed.¡± ¡°Steed?¡± He spoke under his breath, ¡°Strange woman.¡± ¡°Sorry. I¡¯m spouting nonsense now. I didn¡¯t even feel this bad when I was imprisoned in your sanctum. At least I wasn¡¯t forced to wear a fucking maid¡¯s dress there.¡± ¡°If it helps any, Sasha, that dress suits you. I¡¯m confident you¡¯ll charm all our enemies into switching sides.¡± Sasha side eyed him, bewildered. Did Simon of all people just try to tell a joke? With that deadpan demeanor? ¡°Elise said the same thing. You two don¡¯t have any taste.¡± She looked at him for his reaction, but the mask hid too much. It frustrated her. She tugged on it. ¡°Hey, take it off. We¡¯re comrades, aren¡¯t we?¡± ¡°Access denied.¡± ¡°How am I supposed to understand you without being able to see your face?¡± He ignored her. She pouted. With a sigh, he obeyed, sliding the owl¡¯s mask off to reveal his eyepatch and light beard. His obedience tipped the scales of Sasha¡¯s mood toward her usual brightness. Positive trash was still trash though. She mumbled, ¡°Call me strange, but I think you¡¯re better this way, Simon. You should let people see your face more often.¡± ¡°And why is that?¡± ¡°Well, erm, you¡¯re handsome.¡± A subtle blush went across Sasha¡¯s face. ¡°Umm, thank you. The only woman to ever compliment me was my mother.¡± Simon guided her down halls way too bright for her eyes going on baggy. Her straightforwardness caught him off guard. He opened up to her a bit. Almost sounded lighthearted. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t judge others for strangeness though. I¡¯m weird. For one, I don¡¯t need this.¡± Simon flipped up his eyepatch to reveal a completely working, mundane eye. No scars or anything. Sasha stared at him. ¡°Ehhhh? Why do you wear it then?¡± Embarrassed, his answer was weak. ¡°Because it¡¯s cool.¡± She let out a snort of a laugh. He continued. ¡°And I don¡¯t sleep in beds. I sleep under them.¡± Sasha raised her eyebrows, fascinated. He wasn¡¯t lying. What a weird guy! ¡°The hell is with that? An owl thing?¡± she asked. ¡°Not completely. I lost a dumb bet as an owlet. Sleeping under my bed for a week was the punishment. When I got down there, I realized that it just felt safer. After the whole thing ended, I stayed under the bed every night despite being made fun of for it. A few weeks later, an owl went crazy in the middle of the night and strangled all of my roommates to death. He never saw me. Sasha, I¡¯m still alive because I slept under the bed.¡± He shared this with a resting smile. How could such a dark thing be nostalgic? ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. Sounds traumatic.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got nothing to apologize for. Reality is traumatic. The world is ruthless with no gods to protect us.¡± Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°It is. Living means enduring horrors you never earned or deserved, but that¡¯s not right. It isn¡¯t fair. I can¡¯t accept a world like that.¡± ¡°How would you change it?¡± ¡°Just say I used my wish to erase the concept of violence. What would happen to war? Murder? Rape? We¡¯d all live in peace, wouldn¡¯t we? People would still hate and argue, sure, but nobody would hurt each other.¡± Sasha stopped herself, deep in thought. ¡°Look at me. I¡¯m acting like I know the answer.¡± ¡°Perhaps you do. The more time I spend with you, the more confident I am that I made the right choice.¡± The right choice? Sasha got shy. ¡°Uh, thank you, but¡­ what I¡¯ve been through is nothing compared to what is happening right now under that castle.¡± She shivered again. They didn¡¯t stop. How did the images of The Apparatus revolt her vision and mind so horribly? ¡°What exactly was down there?¡± Sasha opened her mouth, but no words came out. Her heart accelerated to fight or flight speeds. Realizing that she ran the risk of a panic attack, she focused on calming her breathing with her hand on her chest. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you just yet. Just know that it¡¯s worse than what you¡¯re imagining.¡± Uncertain, he sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t push then.¡± Simon opened a door in the hall. He led her into a guest room with a single king-sized bed. It was stripped of everything. He scratched his beard, taking a knee next to it. He pulled blankets from the tight space underneath. ¡°I forgot that I made it for myself. Let me fix this.¡± She stopped him with the light touch of her hand on his shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Leave it like it is. I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Are you sure? This isn¡¯t normal.¡± ¡°Are any of us normal? Why not?¡± He resigned and scooted aside. ¡°Go ahead then.¡± Sasha had to lay chest down to crawl under there. She inched up to rest her head on a pillow. The sheets under her reminded her of her shed¡¯s carpets. Firm and homely. Troll¡¯s Treasure was a special place, but the mattress in her bedroom was too soft. She never felt like she deserved such comfort. ¡°This... I think I can see the appeal of this, Simon.¡± He recoiled in surprise. ¡°That¡¯s unexpected. Rest well then. I¡¯ll be around.¡± She reached out, grabbing his wrist. ¡°Are you leaving? Not going to join me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t plan on it.¡± ¡°Are you not tired?¡± ¡°I am. Just figured I¡¯d find another hole to curl up in. Wouldn¡¯t want to intrude on your personal space.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go. Stay. It¡¯s fine.¡± Dread shook Sasha¡¯s voice. Simon finally recognized her fear. ¡°I get you,¡± he mumbled, dropping down to join her. ¡°Excuse me. Coming through.¡± ¡°You¡¯re excused.¡± They laid next to each other, staring up at the wooden boards of a dusty bedframe. As crazy as the previous night was for both, it didn¡¯t take long for them to daze off together. Simon snapped awake not even an hour later though. Sasha twitched in her sleep. Although subtle, he heard crying too. He tapped her shoulder. ¡°Sasha? What¡¯s wrong?¡± She didn¡¯t respond. Whatever she went through in her dreams looked horrible. Witnessing it as a bystander overwhelmed Simon with guilt. He pondered a course of action. Leaving her alone would¡¯ve been cruel. Her fear was exactly why she¡¯d asked him to stay. Falling back asleep wouldn¡¯t happen either. But to just lay here and watch this? Simon scooted up behind Sasha and hugged her from behind. He nestled his face behind her neck and arm on her side. When he was a kid and fearful of the dark, his mother did something like this to ease his nerves. It always worked. Sasha soon calmed down. She let out a deep exhale as she relaxed and loosened up, melting into him. Simon was relieved, but something didn¡¯t make sense. If Sasha were asleep, why did her heart race so fast? It was so strong that he could feel it through her back. This stirred something complex in him. It sparked a flame. There, wrapped up with her, a wave of clarity washed over his mind. Next came butterflies in the stomach and warm fuzziness throughout his body. His composure utterly shattered. Not even his near-death experiences rattled him this badly. These feelings were foreign. What in the world was this? Sasha moved slightly. It made him jolt. Her hand slid up his bicep and forearm before landing on his. Their fingers hesitantly intertwined together. She softly asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you brave? Feeling me up when I¡¯m at my lowest?¡± His mouth dropped. Shock! Simon defended himself, letting go of her. ¡°Not at all, and that wasn¡¯t my intention. I just wanted to comfort you.¡± She squeezed his hand tight. Her tone shifted to sarcasm. ¡°That¡¯s no good, Simon. I¡¯ve caught you red handed.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t sound very angry.¡± ¡°Really? You know, I¡¯ll have to punish you for this.¡± ¡°For trying to help you?¡± He leaned up a little, catching a glimpse of Sasha¡¯s turned away face. Despite her watery, irritated eyes, she brightened up with a shy smile. He realized the obvious and sighed out of relief. Sasha was fucking with him. She nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s see. I¡¯ll let you off light with this order. H-H-Hold¡­¡± She froze with her words stuck in her throat. ¡°Hold?¡± Simon asked. ¡°Hold me closer. Would that be okay with you? Or¡­ no?¡± Her voice filled with anxiety. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Simon obeyed without question. His arm returned around her and pulled her inward. His beard rubbed against the back of her neck. She tensed up in response. He asked, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you have opened with that? No need to be so roundabout.¡± ¡°Easier said than done. I¡¯m not good at this kind of stuff.¡± ¡°I get it. Trust me.¡± Neither had gotten so close to another person. Sasha turned toward him, burying her head under his chin, and rested her palm against his chest. Her other arm wandered around his waist. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look him in the eyes. ¡°This is scary.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Bad things happen to the men that care about me. Leave. It¡¯d be smarter. Don¡¯t involve yourself with me.¡± Her conflicting actions and words threw him even more off his game. His heart could have blown up right there. He whispered, ¡°Never. I¡¯ve already decided to follow you.¡± ¡°Promise?¡± ¡°With all my heart. I don¡¯t care what adversity awaits.¡± ¡°Then don¡¯t die. I won¡¯t forgive you if you do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try my best. Focus on your goals. Leave the worrying to me.¡± Sasha snuggled into Simon as she drifted off to sleep. He was reduced to becoming her stuffed animal. Staring up at the boards wide awake, Simon resigned himself to his fate with bloodshot eyes. What man could sleep if they were in his shoes? He laid there in silence, controlling his breathing and thoughts to avoid becoming too excited. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin the moment. He focused on imagining the most ugly, unattractive things he knew like ghouls and Al Yara. Ironically, when he did pass out, he had nightmares about them. When Simon flickered to his senses, half a day had passed. Sasha was gone. He had a resting giddy grin and renewed confidence; so much so that he felt like he could punch a hole in the sun. It was as if he had been reborn. It was dusk. Warm, orange light poured in through the windows, filtered by dense curtains. He stretched, donned his owl¡¯s mask and Snake Eater, and left toward the living room where everyone¡¯s voices bounced from. Isaac, Elise, and Sasha sat with their machina on the leather lounge chairs surrounding a coffee table. Simon sat next to Sasha on a couch, attentive. Her cheeks were rosy. She avoided eye contact with him. He questioned her, impulsively putting his palm on her forehead to check her temperature. ¡°You look red. Feeling sick?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Nope. I feel fine but thanks for worrying.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. Where is Abdul?¡± The air in the room was bleak and pensive. Everyone was forced through their worst horrors, after all. Mentioning Abdul¡¯s name somehow made it even grimmer though. Isaac was the one who spoke up. ¡°I think he¡¯s had some sort of mental breakdown. When I ran into him, he ignored me and locked himself in his bedroom. He looked depressed.¡± Major spoke up from the table. ¡°I knew this would happen if he remembered.¡± The other machina next to the dagger eyed it. If they were verbal too, what kind of small talk would they make? In some way, everyone had changed. Isaac lost his confidence. He gazed aimlessly down at his feet with a slumped posture. Usually when he and Elise were together, nothing could keep him from being his old chipper self. This was different. Elise lay next to him in bitter contemplation, her head on his lap. She poked his deadpan face to not much reaction. Her family, the Allards, had unfinished business with the king. She¡¯d made a promise. Isaac leaned back, staring blankly at the ceiling. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate your father more for his favor if we didn¡¯t have to feel his wrath. That bad trip was far worse than any nightmare I¡¯ve had. It was just a bad trip though. Nothing else. It wasn¡¯t reality, right?¡± Major sighed and said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t expect human reason from a vengeance-obsessed spirit. He didn¡¯t know our souls but recognized Elise¡¯s. That¡¯s why you all were treated as enemies. This wasn¡¯t a normal spirit either. It was bonded to a machina that died with him. Silent Hill was its name, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Bound to our contracts beyond death? Unbelievable.¡± Isaac leaned forward. He rested his chin on his knuckles and strategized. ¡°So, Andre has constructed a copy of The Apparatus under Castle Hemmer, and four years have passed since? What in Yellen would it look like down there now?¡± The topic stirred Sasha¡¯s emotions up. With a glare and cold tone, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what it looks like. We need to destroy it and everyone responsible. Let¡¯s leave as soon as possible.¡± ¡°No. Be patient,¡± Isaac demanded. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re angry, but we have no clue what we¡¯re up against. If we were to rush in all fired up, we¡¯d die.¡± Elise added, ¡°The king¡¯s machina is bad news too. That maid Ashley said that he could know anything about a person after collecting a piece of them. If he completes this condition, it¡¯s over for us. There would be no hiding. Just like my¡­ father.¡± She solemnly hushed. Simon shook his head. He looked to be the least daunted of anyone there. ¡°Sure, there isn¡¯t much room for error, but do you know what we do have over them?¡± Sasha tilted her head, intrigued. ¡°What exactly?¡± ¡°The information advantage. Our enemies know nothing about us. We know their plan, secret, and King Andre¡¯s power. If we keep it this way while increasing our advantage more and more, they should never be able to catch up. They¡¯ll never be able to fulfill that condition. We should win.¡± The confidence impressed Isaac. Looking a little less worried, he said, ¡°I never thought of it like that. How would we build our information advantage though? That¡¯d take some big risks, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Of course, but I¡¯m a professional. This is my game. I¡¯ll go in alone and come back knowing everything we¡¯ll need to succeed in one fell swoop; things like entrances and routes, keys, and guard schedules. I won¡¯t leave a trace either. They¡¯ll never know I was there.¡± Sasha tensed up at the thought. Her stomach dropped. Was Simon serious? He wanted to go in there alone? Elise got suspicious. ¡°But here¡¯s the real question: Could you do it without fucking up, getting caught, and being read by King Andre?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll just have to trust me. Have I ever slipped up? Yes, but I¡¯ve also performed countless missions perfectly for Rath Ghul.¡± Simon looked at Isaac, asking, ¡°Would you rather rush in there all fired up, knowing nothing?¡± Sasha voiced her nervousness, ¡°But it¡¯s dangerous. I¡¯d rather us fight together. I can¡¯t control or protect anything out of my reach.¡± This put a tinge of pain in Simon¡¯s heart. ¡°Sasha¡­¡± Major chipped in to the surprise of everyone, ¡°Unlike most of you wallowing here in doubt, Simon believes in himself. If you ever want to achieve victory or the next level, you must believe that it is possible with all your heart. Even when it seems foolish. The second you lose faith in yourself, you fail. Find that faith.¡± This slapped Isaac right in his pride. Frustrated, he agreed with the dagger. ¡°Damn it. You¡¯re right.¡± He gave Simon a respectful nod. ¡°Let¡¯s see what you¡¯re made of then.¡± Chapter 37 - Snake Eater Simon declared, ¡°Count on me. Use the time I¡¯m gone to recoup and maybe drag Abdul out of his room. We¡¯ll need him when things get rough.¡± When given nothing but affirming nods, he continued, ¡°If things get too wild, then I¡¯ll bail. I leave at dusk. If you don¡¯t hear back from me in two days, then I¡¯m dead. Move on without me.¡± Sasha looked antsy. ¡°What will you do until then?¡± ¡°Sleep.¡± ¡°Uh, rest well then.¡± Simon took his leave into the halls. The rest of the group lingered on the living room couches. As soon as they were alone, Isaac showed a devious expression. He nudged Elise with his elbow. ¡°Sensing what I¡¯m sensing? It¡¯s like watching a bird leave its nest for the first time.¡± Elise said nothing. She just faintly smiled as he picked on Sasha. ¡°These owls must give off some kind of pheromone. First Abdul and now Sasha. Simon better not seduce me next. I¡¯m taken.¡± Embarrassed to a bright red blush, Sasha frowned at him. ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± From the table, her dagger spoke, ¡°How do you think I feel watching this? Sure, he¡¯s a man I approve of, but romance right now of all times? Think of our priorities.¡± ¡°Major!¡± Sasha got up from her chair, snatching up the dagger. ¡°I can¡¯t deal with you all ganging up on me like this right now. I¡¯m leaving.¡± Isaac couldn¡¯t back down. He lived to clown like this. ¡°Leaving to be with the one.¡± ¡°No¡­ Wine. You¡¯re making me want to drink. I¡¯m leaving to find wine. There¡¯s got to be a cabinet or something around here.¡± Even though he was just joking around, Sasha felt betrayed. She voiced her bitterness. ¡°You and Elise have been all over each other this entire time and I¡¯ve kept my mouth shut about it. Even though it hurts. Could you give me the same respect? Or would you rather me live lonely?¡± Elise pinched and yanked Isaac¡¯s ear. He winced, ¡°Ouch.¡± She reprimanded him, ¡°Be more sensitive.¡± ¡°My bad. Let¡¯s cool off. I was just messing around.¡± Sasha shook her head and left them there. This confused Isaac. ¡°I hurt her?¡± ¡°Obviously,¡± Elise answered. She knew the truth, but it wasn¡¯t in her best interest to reveal it. Isaac would have to figure it out himself. He looked troubled. Guilty even. ¡°I never knew Sasha cared about those kinds of things. She was dead set on her training. That¡¯s what I always thought that light in her eyes meant, at least.¡± *** Simon stood outside the second floor on a balcony, leaning over its railings with his mask in his hand. He watched the sun descend to disappear from the horizon. He spoke to the cloak wrapped around his shoulders, its eye resting calmly half-opened. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep after all. All these years together and I still get nervous before missions.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You know what Teacher used to say though: The day you stop fearing is the day you die. Let it happen and breathe.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯d be cool if you spoke like the other machina. I get that you understand me. I mean, our souls are bonded and all, but sometimes I can¡¯t help but wonder if anything is going on beyond that eye of yours.¡± Snake Eater blinked at him. He shook his head and mumbled. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t matter to me. You¡¯re special. A great listener too.¡± A voice startled him from behind. ¡°I¡¯m sure your machina cares about you. They feel just as much as we do.¡± He waved shyly to Sasha. ¡°Were you listening?¡± ¡°Was wandering the halls and overheard. I¡¯m bored. Did you get some good sleep?¡± ¡°Not at all. I¡¯ll regret it later.¡± ¡°Leaving soon? Expect the worst in Castle Hemmer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always prepared for the worst. Dusk will be here soon. You won¡¯t see me for a bit. I should be back soon. I should.¡± Sasha meandered a bit before going back inside. ¡°Thank you for being there for me.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything yet. Thank me after I¡¯ve proven myself.¡± ¡°But you have. Um, you know, under the bed earlier today.¡± She twirled her hair with her finger. ¡°You made me realize that I¡¯m surrounded by people who care about me. No matter what happens in Hemmer, I feel like everything will turn out okay.¡± Before disappearing back into the manor, Sasha turned and spoke with enthusiasm, ¡°Get back in one piece and I¡¯ll give you a re¡­¡± She hesitated, darting her eyes away. Simon gazed at her, intrigued. ¡°Re¡­?¡± The cutest thing about Sasha was that she always tried her best no matter how nervous or uncertain. She took every challenge head-on. This was a new kind of adversity though. It was more foreign than anything else. Simon smiled at her, asking, ¡°Reward?¡± Sasha nodded, shy. ¡°I¡¯ll see you later.¡± He watched the back of her head fade away. A new anxiety fell over him. Simon looked down at Snake Eater¡¯s wide eye. The machina was as surprised as he was. ¡°I feel sick to my stomach. What¡¯s come over me?¡± His cloak groaned at him. He shrugged as if understanding it. ¡°I don¡¯t know either, but this is the first time I¡¯ve done something because I wanted to. Not to survive. Not because I was forced or expected to. I made the choice.¡± A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. *** Simon walked up a steep hill alongside a marching patrol of royal guards. They carried torches, numbering two hundred sets of silver armor and swords. A dozen held up banners showcasing the king¡¯s red flag and insignia. Was such a display of power necessary in the safest street of the continent? At the crest of the rising street, they met Castle Hemmer¡¯s cast shadow instead of the horizon. It sprawled beyond common sense. The only way to tell that it wasn¡¯t the night sky was distant, blue lantern lights. Confronted by his absolute smallness, a single thing clouded Simon¡¯s mind staring up at it. There¡¯s a god in there, Snake Eater. He split ways with the patrol once it steered towards massive rows of rose gardens. Alone in the dark, Simon squinted at them before shaking his head. If such a force marched through Low Monestate every night, Rath Ghul would¡¯ve never gotten as big as it did. King Andre must¡¯ve not cared about his people. Simon approached the nearest entrance to the fortress: a heavy door studded with iron. It led into a tower that spiraled to the nigh top of Hemmer. If he could climb it without being spotted, it¡¯d make his infiltration into the deeper structure a sure success. Simon pressed his ear up against the door. Snoring. Snoring and the banter of men. He opened it with the loudest creak he¡¯d ever heard. The wary gazes of at least thirty men lounging around in casual and night clothes pierced through him. Countless rucksacks and helmets were shoved under their beds. Of all places, Simon stumbled into barracks. He held his breath as one soldier stood and advanced, a mace in one hand and beer in the other. ¡°Who goes there?¡± The man stopped outside, looked around, and shrugged as Simon slipped behind him. ¡°Must¡¯ve been the wind.¡± A less drunk-looking guard furrowed his brow. ¡°You¡¯ve gotta pull the door open to get in. How¡¯d the wind open the damn door?¡± ¡°Maybe it was magical wind.¡± ¡°Shut the fuck up.¡± Another theorized, ¡°It was a ghost. The place¡¯s haunted. You don¡¯t hear the wailing?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t talk about that. Are you tryna disappear? I sure ain¡¯t¡¯nt.¡± ¡°Ain¡¯t¡¯nt ain¡¯t a word, dipshit.¡± As they bounced increasingly absurd ideas off each other, aliens included, Simon hugged the furthest wall, watching his feet in worry of tripping over helmets. He made it to the winding steps. They twisted upwards for dozens of floors, each rotation housing more guards and more doors leading deeper within. This watchtower alone could¡¯ve held one thousand men, and there were many spaced throughout Hemmer. At around twelve revolutions up, Simon left to dark, window-lined halls with massively raised ceilings and scarlet carpets. It rained outside. Droplets assaulted the colored glass panes next to him as lightning flashes illuminated his way onwards. The presence of vast soul signatures put him on edge. At his low level, he usually couldn¡¯t sense ki. This was different though. These presences were so overwhelming that even he was affected. They must¡¯ve belonged to machina or cultivators of the highest echelon. Without a doubt, the second great machina, Lovecraft, was here. Simon¡¯s breath thinned. It reminded him of the atmospheric pressure of Ailmor¡¯s tallest mountain, Cloud¡¯s Breach. The aroma of baking bread caught his attention. The king must¡¯ve snacked even at night. One moment, Simon pursued the direction of Lovecraft. The next, he detoured to find the kitchen with a growling stomach. He peeked around a corner, staring into its open doorway. An eerie, predatory switch flipped in his head. How dare they use psychological warfare against me. A commonality marked every slip-up in Simon¡¯s career: his appetite and impulsion to eat. He barely met the calories required to maintain his muscle mass his entire life. What did this mean? Simon lived in a constant state of hunger and couldn¡¯t resist his drive to sate it. This, combined with the stress of the job, created a horrible flaw. He would impulsively snack no matter the situation, no matter the direness, and no matter the reason. Simon followed his nose. Lightning flashed behind him. With greedy eyes, he stared at the back of Mae¡¯s head as she admired the fruits of her labor with hands on hips. ¡°I did it right this time. Now Ashley won¡¯t hate me anymore.¡± She left from the stovetop where an assortment of pastries, pretzels, and seasoned buns rested to search through a wooden cabinet on the other side of the kitchen. Holding a wood-woven basket, she turned back to find them gone. Vanished! Poof! Where? Why? ¡°Eh?¡± Mae uttered with a wide, blank gaze. Ashley came from nowhere. ¡°I¡¯ve come to bring His Highness his nighttime snack. He is especially grumpy,¡± she said. Mae flinched. She didn¡¯t notice her arrival. It¡¯d always been like that. For as long as she could remember, Ashley stalked up to her without ever making a sound. Again, Mae muttered, ¡°Eh¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Why are you shaking?¡± ¡°Umm.¡± ¡°Where is his nighttime snack, Mae?¡± ¡°They were stolen. I swear.¡± ¡°Stolen?¡± Ashley¡¯s eyes sharpened with hatred. ¡°If you need help, just ask me. Have you even started yet?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not lying, Miss Ashley!¡± Ashley reared her hand. Mae flinched again, closing her eyes, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t hit me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re useless. I don¡¯t understand why His Highness favors you.¡± Simon scurried down the halls like a thieving goblin of the night, a pretzel in his mouth and bread wrapped up in his cloak-turned sack. He found a storeroom filled with barrels, scarfed down everything, and exited as if it¡¯d never happened. His machina, Snake Eater, was far more versatile than it appeared. It wasn¡¯t a simple camouflage cloak. It ate what light it touched and manipulated color. Not only that; the power extended to whatever Simon contacted. This included his clothes, weapons, and tools. Though it was difficult to draw a map in an invisible notebook, with an invisible pencil, this was exactly what he trained to do. Simon planned to locate both Lovecraft and The Apparatus. He¡¯d work his way backward from them, setting up ideal routes and entry points leading to each. This wasn¡¯t his first rodeo. It wasn¡¯t his first castle either. He imagined Sasha¡¯s reaction to his good work later and got amped up. His mind wandered to his reward. Simon shook the thoughts from his head and locked in. Focus on the objective at hand. A royal guard turned a near corner and approached. He wore a full plate suit made of steel and a visored helm. The inner castle guards were armed to the teeth. Instead of evading, Simon met his gaze, stopped, and waved. Solid Snake. Snake Eater sensed his intentions and morphed colors. Simon transformed to mimic the royal guard. It wasn¡¯t a perfect disguise, but the chances of it being noticed were low. Not through a visor in this darkness, at least. Simon hailed the guard, ¡°Brother, I¡¯m on my way to relieve the guard monitoring the great machina. He has fallen sick. Could you remind me of where it is?¡± ¡°Champion Gundyr is sick? That¡¯s hard to believe. No one in Ailmor has a constitution as hardy as his.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering the same thing. I won¡¯t lie, I was shocked by the order. Me of all people to replace Champion Gundyr too? They should have chosen you instead. I mean, look at me.¡± ¡°Oh, you flatter me. Be more confident in yourself. Only the best of the best are stationed here. You know how selective His Highness is.¡± The guard remembered Simon¡¯s request, adding, ¡°And the directions¡­ Four floors up. Head west. End of hall. Big double doors. Can¡¯t miss them.¡± ¡°Thank you, brother. Stay safe.¡± ¡°Affirmative.¡± They slightly bowed to each other and marched off to their duties. Once out of sight, Simon went invisible again. He searched for the nearest flight of stairs and ascended until reaching his destination, passing by two more pairs of guards on patrol. Just as instructed, the double doors to Lovecraft stood at the end of the western wing¡¯s halls. The closer he got, the more oppressive the spiritual signatures inside became. Simon pulled open the doors with caution. A tall, bulky man clad in golden ornate armor faced away from him in the chamber¡¯s center. He held a halberd machina over his shoulder as if it were weightless. Electric sparks crawled and jumped across his body. The podium holding Lovecraft wasn¡¯t far ahead. A few steps went up to its glass case. Simon inched back, furrowing his brow. That man is strong. He is a machina wielder and ki cultivator. Lightning nature too? His presence alerted the great¡¯s guard. The man glared back at Simon with an electric aura flaring up chaotically. Simon let the door shut and took off. He hid behind a wall many rooms down and looked back around the corner. The guard hadn¡¯t followed beyond the doors. He sighed. I¡¯m safe for now. Now for the part I haven¡¯t been forward to. That¡¯s right. The Apparatus awaited. Chapter 38 - Ecological Dead Zone Down we go. Simon thought. He descended the levels of Hemmer until emerging in its enormous throne room. It was pitch black. The ceiling rose so high that he felt like treading in an abyss. A dark red carpet rolled up to a vacant throne. He crossed the room to escape it and found himself in even more halls. Eventually, he stumbled into it. The door. Nobody had told him about it, but he could sense its purpose. He sensed the suffering beyond it. This door was far more rusted and fortified than anything else here. Simon doubted his senses. Maybe he was tired. It had its own spiritual signature. Bleak, negative energy radiated from it. You¡¯d think they¡¯d make it less obvious. He pressed his ear up against it and heard the ravenous mass noise of an animalistic horde. His eyes sharpened. Those¡­ aren¡¯t human. There was no telling what awaited. He heard barking, chirping, shrieking, horses dying, and apes losing their shit. It was like someone set a barn on fire. With a tremble to his hand, Simon slid out each brace lock, sliding bar, and wooden plank securing the door shut. Simon opened the door with an unbearable creak. The immediate stench of shit and death petrified him. He gagged, holding back vomit. His missions took him to the worst prisons, torture chambers, and cesspits in Ailmor. He¡¯d gotten used to enduring this kind of miasma. Even so, nothing compared to this death under Hemmer. This was evil on another scale. He went down the steps, heart racing, and checked his hands repeatedly to reconfirm his invisibility. This was his mission. His responsibility. Sasha¡¯s life and the group¡¯s preparation hinged on him. The more Simon risked now to know, the less unknown later. He entered a wide chamber with tiled floors. The rampaging, wild sounds from before grew louder and more frantic. Now close, the violent rattling and shaking of metal cages became clear. Three paths. Three steel, blood-stained doors. A single weak, flickering light hung from above. It buzzed. Surgical and mundane tools junked up the tables and floors. They hung from the walls too. Blood sept from those walls. They inflated and shrunk ever-so-slightly like lungs. This place had a heartbeat. It breathed. With each breath, a gust of air flowed throughout the underworks. Simon felt drumming beneath his feet along with pulsing ki. It was all so absurd and otherworldly that he couldn¡¯t accept it as reality. Am I losing my mind? This place feels alive. His cloak quivered. The fresh corpse of an acolyte in a white cloak lay on an out-of-place dining room table. His chunks of vacant flesh and destroyed throat suggested mauling. So did his missing fingers and mangled forearms. Simon noted these details and concluded that the sounds on the other side of the nearest door were the cause. He entered the room. What he found was an endlessly stretching, tall chamber filled with cages. Indescribable beasts were stuffed into each. Hundreds of them rattled rusting bars. Hundreds of failures. They ranged from infant-sized to as big as large animals. Some looked more insectoid, others mammalian, reptilian, or marine. Only one thing connected them: an aspect of humanity long lost. For some, it was their eyes or ears. Others still walked on two legs or rambled in something like Ailmor¡¯s common languages. No such creatures existed in this world. Not even the weirdest of the mythical and supernatural in the wilds compared. These were manmade tragedies corrupted by powers beyond. If they escape into nature, who knew the consequences? Simon was overwhelmed by bleakness and a soreness in his throat. He mourned the people they once were. Are¡­ these homunculi too? Created by The Apparatus? Simon backpedaled through the door to avoid looking any longer. He went in a different direction that took him through mazelike halls. One was lined with metal solitary confinement doors with people imprisoned on the other side. They reached their dry fingers through the tiny viewing slits. Raspy voices begged for water as a maddened man sang nonstop. A pair of white-cloaked acolytes under the command of the clown, Mercutio, rolled a cart with a pot and bowls along. One complained with a voice lacking life, ¡°It gets more disgusting down here every day. Would it kill them to hire someone to clean up a little? This miasma is going to give us a disease.¡± ¡°They tried in the past, but it returned the next day. This isn¡¯t the kind of filth you can clean up. Endure it. The money¡¯s good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like a nightmare. How did my life turn out like this? When will this be over? We¡¯ll never be able to leave, will we?¡± ¡°Beats me. Shut up. You rookies are always up in your heads. The sooner you stop thinking, the easier it¡¯ll be down here for you.¡± Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator. Simon stuck tight to the walls to avoid their path. He went on until entering a huge room with an arching ceiling. It was almost like a church. His mouth dropped agape as he stared at The Apparatus in a daze. It was half machine and half flesh. It fused into the walls, its gears and pipes intertwining with muscle tissue and veins. This was the source of the drumming and breathing. The Apparatus was alive. Two dozen acolytes tended to it and its hanging sacrifices. They fed it more and more, and it grew more and more. The people dangling from the chains no longer made sounds or expressions. They¡¯d given up on living. One acolyte got too close to The Apparatus. A slimy arm dangling from the machine reached out with unexpected speed, grabbed him by the face, and melded into him. The other acolytes tried to save him, but it was too late. He¡¯d already grown scales and wings. He frothed saliva and barked at them. This new monster lunged at the closest guy trying to help. It ripped his throat out. The rest of the group executed it with a spear through the chest before it could get to them. They dragged it and its victim off to be disposed of until it seized alive. It ripped the ears from another acolyte before being put down for good. Mercutio called from nearby, ¡°You missed its core, fools. Be more diligent.¡± His cloaked grunts obliged as they limped away, beaten up. They complained and muttered obscenities under their breaths. Simon hurried to the shadows when new voices came into earshot. Ashley pushed King Andre in. They stopped halfway across the room, overcome by dread and disgust. She uttered, ¡°Oh¡­ My¡­¡± The King¡¯s health had plummeted. He''d become lethargic and forgetful ever since the third stroke. His natural end was near. How long would it be now? Days? Weeks? More than anything else, he needed this experiment to work out for him. He needed power. He needed to live. If he failed, each death and sacrifice that led up to this point would have been for nothing. Andre struggled to speak. ¡°What in Yellen have you done, Mercutio? What is this?¡± Mercutio stood next to The Apparatus, his ear against its flesh. ¡°Progress, Your Highness. I¡¯ve made progress far beyond our predecessors.¡± King Andre could not stand. He only possessed the strength to talk up to the clown with a curled-up face. ¡°No! You¡¯ve surely gone astray at some point! Those before us had much purer results! Their homunculi were beautiful!¡± Mercutio waved his hand to the horror before them. ¡°Is this not beauty? It¡¯s speaking to me from beyond, King. I understand The Apparatus more than any of them ever hoped to. I know the truth. I know that you relate to such a pursuit.¡± This riled up King Andre. A similar madness glinted in his eyes. ¡°Then what is the truth!?¡± The clown caressed the machine¡¯s flesh. It purred. The ground underneath them vibrated. ¡°The Apparatus is a gate. A means to commune with those of power in Yellen. It has connected us to a being of almighty power at a deep level where no light reaches. Our sacrifices have been deepening our relationship with it. We''ve unknowingly signed a contract in blood.¡± ¡°A... contract? What would such a being even want from us?¡± Mercutio looked contemplative. ¡°I do not know yet. We must go further to find out. It¡¯s been whispering about ultimate boons beyond our imagination.¡± Andre¡¯s wavering focus was drawn in. Unblinking with bloodshot eyes, he asked, ¡°A healthy body wouldn¡¯t be too much to ask for, right? One to save me from my death?¡± Mercutio showed a greedy, wry grin. ¡°Dream higher, Your Highness. You could become the god of a new world.¡± The book machina, Soothsayer, rested on the king¡¯s lap. With a nervous voice, it warned, ¡°The beings sealed within Yellen¡¯s depths are there for a reason. They cannot be trusted. I¡¯m confident what lies on the other side of The Apparatus isn¡¯t a god. It¡¯s a devil.¡± Ashley looked unsure. She sided with Soothsayer. ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve always been careful to place your trust¡­ sometimes to a fault.¡± She shook her head with palpable anxiety. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t be like you to accept something¡­ so uncertain. Are you that desperate?¡± Andre was dead honest. ¡°I am, and I have no other choices. Every egg of mine was put into this basket. It''s floated off. Where will it take me? I don¡¯t know, but I must move forward. I must conquer my fate.¡± He faced Mercutio and asked, ¡°Say, does this being from The Abyss have a name?¡± Mercutio nodded. Two flies crawled across his gold-painted forehead. ¡°Black Sabbath.¡± That name silenced the room. It got quiet. They exchanged cold glares. Simon took a step back, rattled by shivers. I¡¯ve heard that name before. Where? He¡¯d seen enough. The others had to know. Simon snuck from the chamber, careful to remain quiet and not splash blood. While ascending steps back to Castle Hemmer¡¯s halls, it hit him. Fireside folk stories. A fellow owl told them while they traveled across the continent to fulfill contracts. That man was long executed, but sometimes Simon thought about his tales. They still made his heart accelerate in the dark. Black Sabbath was a fabled smiling figure in black. It stole infants and livestock. People claimed to witness its distant shadow at the scenes of murders, arsons, and miscarriages. That devil made me do it. became a common excuse among those convicted of violent crimes. When questioned further, they all gave the same two words and nothing more. Black Sabbath. Such a thing was never believed though. It was labeled widespread superstition. But if Black Sabbath was real and sealed in Yellen, how did people witness it in Ailmor? Did its influence grow powerful enough to reach beyond worlds? It may have been using The Apparatus to accumulate power. There were too many implications. Frantic thoughts jumbled up Simon¡¯s mind. He made his way to the nearest exit until feeling eyes on the back of his head. He halted, staring back at a nearby window rigidly. The hairs on his forearms straightened. Noticed? While invisible? A black, humanoid figure obscured by darkness phased through the window. Its face came first, and then its jagged claws. This thing plummeted to the carpet with a low growl and rose. Simon assumed the worst. Black Sabbath echoed in his head. The figure stepped into candlelight and Simon¡¯s eyes widened in bewilderment. The truth may have been even worse. This castle was about to be flipped on its head. Someone gazed at him through a burnt and desecrated owl¡¯s mask. They had an exoskeleton armor of vascular iron; Devil¡¯s metal. Simon took some steps back, holding his breath as its posture straightened with horrible twitching and cracks of bone. The owl¡¯s mask split and dissolved into the armor to reveal a crooked nose and face riddled with burn and laceration scars. The invader spoke with a voice lacking color. ¡°Why fear? Owl¡¯s blood binds our souls.¡± Simon dispelled his invisibility, resting his hand on his knife. His power was useless against someone who knew him so well. He asked, ¡°Jericho? I thought you were dead.¡± ¡°With this curse? You amuse me.¡± Chapter 39 - The Ghost of Rath Ghul King Andre¡¯s death would mark the end of an empire. Without sons or an heir, chaos would follow. The declining, fragmented Zaiban states would cease their civil war, reunite, and partition up the Imperium of Ailmor. The king wouldn¡¯t allow what his family cultivated for generations to suffer such a fate. All nations fell, but this one? His special heaven? No. Patriotic fog whispered in his head. Twisted, cancerous love pumped his heart. The cost didn¡¯t matter. The Westwinds? The sacrifices? Who cared? Only the end mattered. Ashley returned Andre to his bedroom. The book machina, Soothsayer, gasped from his lap. It shouted, ¡°Lord, he¡¯s back! The Wyrm has returned!¡± Andre was petrified in his chair, unblinking with a held breath. He seized, his eyes rolling back to stare up at the dark ceiling. The end had come. Ruin. The last person he wanted to discover what hid under Hemmer was The Wyrm. That monster of a man had more than enough power and reason to crush it. Ashley shook Andre to test his alertness. He slumped over in his chair, face drooping and arms noodlelike. Wide-eyed horror came onto her face. She asked, ¡°Your Highness?! Talk to me!¡± This was the last episode King Andre would ever suffer. It left nothing. His time was gone. Barely able to move, he groaned out nervous words slurring into each other. ¡°No¡­ Nononon Alhsey! Ashl! Aghuah!¡± Witnessing The Wyrm¡¯s power under his banner in The War for Lovecraft was what created Andre¡¯s obsession with the homunculus. Then, one day, his ultimate weapon fled Castle Hemmer to never be seen again. The effort to recreate The Apparatus started soon after. How did Jericho feel about it? About The Apparatus and traumas to create his existence? Unlike Abdul, he never forgot or repressed anything. He simply counted. The Wyrm remembered and mourned over every little detail. Now here he was, home, where his hell had been reborn. Andre¡¯s despair was understandable. To say that Jericho would be angry was an understatement. Soothsayer communicated in place of the disabled king. ¡°We have no more time and a single chance. Escort His Highness to The Apparatus.¡± Shocked, she nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll send for the Champion to slow The Wyrm.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother. Champion Gundyr is already moving toward his soul signature. Don¡¯t fear for your lord¡¯s safety. This is what he desires. He acknowledges the consequences.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want him to die, but to put him into such a horrible thing? It could be worse than death.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no different than a contract with a machina. Will the being on the other side find him worthy or not? That is the question.¡± *** Simon didn¡¯t expect a third party like Jericho to get in the way. This complicated everything. With a cold glare, he asked, ¡°Why are you here of all places?¡± Jericho shrugged like the answer was obvious. ¡°The same reason you are here. You seek The Itblade, Lovecraft, right?¡± ¡°I have my reasons, but why would you care about Convergence all of a sudden?¡± ¡°May as well ask why we breathe. You know small talk annoys me.¡± Simon couldn¡¯t let Jericho get to Lovecraft first. He was a big threat. It would¡¯ve been impossible to take it back. Somehow, he needed to distract him. Shake up the hornet¡¯s nest and grab the great machina amidst the chaos. As he thought up a plan, he questioned Jericho further to buy time. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ happened to you? You don¡¯t look well.¡± It worked. Jericho settled down to entertain him. ¡°I was never a human. I am a homunculus. You can only hide so long. Pretending got tiring.¡± Ah¡­ like Abdul? ¡°How¡­ do you feel about that?¡± Jericho tilted his head at him in confusion. ¡°What are you, a physician?¡± ¡°I was just curious. Does it relate to your wish for Convergence?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wish to become human. I want all the mundane things unreachable from shadows. Is anything wrong with that?¡± ¡°A little selfish for something of grand power, but I¡¯m not one to judge.¡± ¡°You never were. Say, Simon. Why not become my partner? We¡¯ll take the blade from the king. Next, the dagger from the girl. Together, we can do it.¡± Simon stared at Jericho ice cold. ¡°But how do you intend to take the girl¡¯s great machina? Once a contract is forged, it¡¯s not that simple.¡± ¡°I am going to kill her. Shame, but it¡¯s got to be done.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t join you then.¡± ¡°I expected that answer. Such morals are your shackles. Rath Ghul failed to perfect you.¡± ¡°I¡¯d more say the guild failed to ruin me.¡± Jericho scoffed. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way, brother. Turn and leave. Hide in some hole. Don¡¯t come out till it¡¯s over.¡± Simon¡¯s tension worsened the more they spoke. He needed a wildcard. The Apparatus could have worked. How would he react to revealing its existence? Jericho was the furthest you could get from an ally, but perhaps he could be turned into the enemy¡¯s enemy. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°It¡¯s good that I ran into you here though. I know something you can¡¯t ignore. It¡¯s under us. The Apparatus. This castle¡¯s king¡ª¡± His words caught in his throat. Jericho¡¯s hatred scared Simon speechless. The mention triggered something. He¡¯d never seen such a knee-jerk shift in demeanor in all their years working together. This was the first time he realized that the man¡¯s teeth were jagged, razor metal. Jericho demanded, ¡°Finish your sentence, Simon. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve lost your tongue.¡± ¡°The Apparatus. It¡¯s back. It¡¯s under us in the depths of Castle Hemmer. King Andre is responsible.¡± I should¡¯ve known he¡¯d do this.¡± Somehow, his face got even paler than its usual whiteness. He turned away and dry heaved, sickened. ¡°Get out of my sight, weakling. If all this ends up a lie, I¡¯ll force-feed you your own eyes.¡± ¡°I¡¯d never lie about such a horrible thing.¡± ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I hate you.¡± Footsteps in the distance alerted both. Simon vanished from thin air and sprinted off. Jericho stood his ground. A knight unlike any other approached him alone in silver plate armor gilded in gold. He held a halberd machina across his shoulders. Its green eye glared. As Champion Gundyr readied his halberd, Jericho beat his chest and gagged. The edge of his blade of onyx, Black Hole Sun, stuck from his mouth. He pulled the entirety of the sword from his gullet like a magic trick. He growled, ¡°Get out of my way! I¡¯ll kill you!¡± ¡°Try your best. You¡¯ll make a great trophy.¡± They both rushed forth, exchanging and deflecting blows. Gundyr was wary of Jericho¡¯s attacks, but the homunculus didn¡¯t show him the same respect. Jericho let the halberd punch through his flesh to no reaction. He healed from the damage and regenerated his fingers in an instant. The lack of fear or care in Jericho¡¯s eyes frustrated Gundyr. The Champion increased his pace with animosity. There, in those halls, the skill gap between them became apparent. Jericho got the absolute shit beat out of him as Gundyr turned him into a training dummy. The Champion was too quick to get caught by Black Hole Sun¡¯s existence erasing power. Gundyr reared a heavy attack and impaled Jericho through the stomach. The end of the damn halberd went through the other side. Jericho gripped the pole protruding from his gullet, groaning. He looked uncomfortable. ¡°Ouch. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch.¡± Then a twisted grin came onto his face. ¡°I feel it. I am alive.¡± Grey and gold energy surged from Jericho¡¯s soul. Ki flowed down through his fingers. It swarmed Gundyr¡¯s halberd. Upon contact, the halberd machina burst into pain screaming as its metal and wood shriveled. Jericho rambled, ¡°Degradation is my nature. Blight. Crumble.¡± Gundyr reached down to his side. ¡°Take this, you cur!¡± Jericho gawked down the double barrel of a sawed-off shotgun. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°A New Age innovation.¡± Gundyr blew The Wyrm¡¯s head off with an ear-ringing explosion of gunpowder and smoke. Jericho¡¯s headless body wobbled back and collapsed dead. Gundyr reclaimed his halberd from the corpse. As he opened the barrel, ejecting and replacing the spent shells, red electricity coursed across Jericho¡¯s neck. His head and face materialized from bone to flesh. Jericho cackled, ¡°An interesting weapon. I¡¯ll take it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your regeneration factor, but this is absurd.¡± They wrestled over the shotgun. Two more shells got fired into the ceiling, leaving it empty and thrown aside. Jericho snatched up Black Hole Sun and slashed Gundyr in the bicep with it. They separated, both gasping. Gundyr sneered at him. ¡°Weak! Didn¡¯t do shit!¡± The next moment, Gundyr¡¯s arm fell off. A wave of black void ate where the blade marked true. He yelled as a fountain of blood erupted from the stump. He gripped it, sending a high voltage surge of electric ki through. The wound fused shut. ¡°We¡¯re banning that one,¡± Gundyr said. He planted his halberd into the ground. An iron gear under the blade shifted, causing the air around them to change. ¡°Metal Gear: Rules of Nature!¡± The Champion left his halberd standing and approached bare-handed. Thick, static energy coated his armor and fortified his fist. The aura was overwhelming. Electricity coursed and chained across his body chaotically. It lit the carpet beneath his feet on fire. Jericho took a step back, put off. Something feels different. What did that machina just do? He had to admit that he was impressed. ¡°Your ki understanding is tenfold mine... And a lightning nature too? What a drag.¡± He blinked and Gundyr had teleported forth, sending a Mach fist into his chest. The blow tumbled him into suits of armor across the hall. His temporarily ruptured brain reduced him into a drooling idiot. Gundyr approached. ¡°Your machina is strong, but your soul is lacking. You are deaf to The Inward God. That is why you will never defeat me. Can you call yourself a genuine warrior?¡± Jericho scraped himself up from the ground. He picked up Black Hole Sun and lunged at Gundyr. Every swing of the blade phased through the Champion though. Gundyr stood there unthreatened as more and more slices did absolutely nothing. Bewildered, Jericho reached down his throat to pull out another machina. This one was a mace. He swung only for it go right through Gundyr¡¯s body with no effect. On the next swing, Gundyr blocked the arm at the elbow and countered with a straight right to the chin. Jericho stumbled back, blood shooting from his nose. The electric ki cloaking Gundyr¡¯s fists made each punch impact twice. First came the concussive strike. Then came the crackling reverberation. Gundyr sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll reveal the mystery since you¡¯re dull. Rules of Nature is a power that warps reality by altering cosmic law. I''ve overwritten the rules of our battle to disallow weapons. Your machina will never touch me now. You may only defeat me with your fists." He grinned, filled to the brim with confidence. "But can you? Someone like you?¡± Jericho dropped his weapons. He willed the owl¡¯s mask to close over his face. Serrated spears of devil¡¯s metal sprouted from his wrists. His teeth and claws malformed and lengthened. He showed his bestial nature. Gundyr commended him, ¡°If you have nothing else, at least you have balls. They aren¡¯t enough though, no matter how heavy.¡± Jericho lunged with a bladed cleave only to be parried and countered with a flurry of punches and a front kick to the face. Gundyr threw effortless jabs that looked like flickers and impacted like a war hammer. When Jericho adapted, raising his hands to protect his head, the Champion demolished his legs with low kicks and sent loaded hooks to the body. They sent air and spit flying from his mouth. Jericho shot in close and low to grapple, wrapping his arms around Gundyr¡¯s knees to tackle him over. Gundyr put him in a front headlock, planted his feet hard, and sent Jericho flying overhead with a suplex. He smashed his head open on the ground. Gundyr yawned and squatted next to Jericho, talking down to him. ¡°Ever since I was a little boy, I¡¯ve been trained to fight you. The king feared you that badly. I¡¯ve anticipated this day forever. Here it finally is. I¡¯m disappointed in you.¡± Jericho spoke up to the Champion, dazed. ¡°Give back my weapons¡­ and I¡¯ll show you¡­¡± ¡°No. This was my strategy.¡± ¡°Cowards use such strategies.¡± ¡°You¡¯re known for two things. Seven machina and survivability. Take those away and you¡¯re nothing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m starting to get that now.¡± ¡°Want to know something? Once you break a homunculus¡¯s will, it stops regenerating. You are no different. I can already see it.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you just kill me now? End this damn embarrassment.¡± ¡°His Highness wants me to take you alive. If I wanted to kill you, I would have shattered your core the second we met. That''s the only thing that kills you monsters. Surrender.¡± Jericho spat on him. ¡°Fuck you.¡± Fury snapped Gundyr''s patience. He caved in Jericho¡¯s skull with a punch as if it were a melon. ¡°Nasty bastard.¡± The Champion took a knife from his belt and imbued it with focused ki. He would carve Jericho down until he couldn¡¯t regenerate. The Wyrm would be offered to the king. Chapter 40 - Man or Monster? A large, veinous eye appeared on the face of The Apparatus. It watched silently. The heartbeat underneath Castle Hemmer amplified tenfold. Its tremors could¡¯ve been mistaken for earthquakes. Without a doubt, the rest of Monestate had noticed the phenomenon. It inspired panic in the streets. A crew of acolytes cloaked in white hoisted up King Andre from his wheelchair. Chains wrapping around his torso, he dangled in the air drooling and lethargic. There wasn¡¯t much life or light behind his eyes anymore. Ashley cringed, looking away, as the crank of a lever jerked him closer and closer to The Apparatus. Mercutio the clown watched with an excited, twisted smile, urging his goons to hurry. ¡°We don¡¯t have time, fools! Get it on with!¡± One looked reluctant. ¡°I can¡¯t take getting called a fool by this fool anymore.¡± Another said with hesitant, raised hands, ¡°If it kills him, I don¡¯t wanna be the one that dropped him in. Ain¡¯t killing the king illegal?¡± ¡°Nothing about this operation has been legal.¡± He and the acolyte beside him bickered over who would do it until Mercutio walked over and shoved them out of the way. He yanked a stiff lever with a growl. King Andre dropped right onto a steel pipe of The Apparatus, letting out a groan. Upon touch, dozens of fleshy appendages from claws to arms appeared and snagged ahold of the king. Ashley flinched, closing her eyes, as they slithered across his body. Andre¡¯s eyes rolled back as his skin bubbled and melted. Then he started wailing. His raspy screams of agony sent chills through Ashley. It scared her into praying. Mercutio observed the process, eerily quiet, until saying, ¡°Now we shall see if you were truly worthy of your crown. A greater force will decide.¡± The black bile of devil''s metal absorbed Andre completely in front of them. It spat out a picked clean skeleton of alloy onto the ground. Steam and gaseous fumes rose from the bones. Ashley fell into despair with a cracking voice. ¡°My Lord¡­?¡± Mercutio shook his head with resting smugness. ¡°You weren¡¯t worthy then?¡± Soothsayer silenced them from its spot in Andre¡¯s empty wheelchair. ¡°Humans are so quick to assume the worst. His soul is there. I can see it.¡± The king¡¯s bones rattled. Black lightning struck them in the room from thin air, causing everyone to jump. In the next moment, a broad and dark figure took their place. King Andre stood with a wicked, frozen grin spreading from cheek to cheek. It didn¡¯t budge. He''d grown to nearly seven feet tall and regressed in age to his twenties. Despite this tallness, he didn¡¯t look slender or frail. His black iron muscles filled out his form. He easily weighed three hundred pounds. There was no mistaking it. The risk was a success. A miracle. King Andre transformed from a senile elder into a walking statue perfect in design. Something about him just seemed¡­ off though. That smile? Eerie. His skin? Grey. He looked at his hands, baffled, and started stretching and popping his new body''s bones. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m alive, and my head feels so clear now. I feel¡­¡± He noticed Ashley and faced her. She was rattled by a combination of many emotions. Fear, relief, horror. Andre embraced her lightly. ¡°I apologize for worrying you.¡± ¡°I thought you were dead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s over now though. We no longer need this¡­ thing.¡± They looked up at The Apparatus. Its eye had closed and its heartbeat had stopped too. Was this the end? No more sacrifices? Andre picked up Soothsayer and left with Ashley in tow. ¡°We must get to work on rebuilding our nation,¡± he said. ¡°Our nation? You¡¯re the king. I¡¯m just a maid, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Sure, but not for long.¡± Mercutio watched the king closely with suspicion, his gaze switching between him and The Apparatus. He knew or suspected something that they didn¡¯t. Andre and Ashley stopped at the stairs before heading back up. They detoured towards the room of caged monsters. The chaotic sounds were deafening. He opened the door, stepped in, and every abomination hushed to absolute silence. They gazed at him wide-eyed. They covered their faces, trembled, and bowed their heads. He walked along the cages with that dreadful smile. It only seemed to get bigger and more malformed with jagged teeth. Intrusive whispers spiraled in his head. TAKE, CHILDREN, CONVERGENCE, BURN, FREEDOM, VELLELS, YELLEN, MEAT, THE WORLD, GRASP! He rubbed his eyes, dazed, and said, ¡°Strange. Nothing could ever silence these beasts.¡± Ashley asked, ¡°Are you happy, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Not in particular. Why do you ask?¡± She seemed put off. Staring at his teeth, she said, ¡°You''ve got quite the smile.¡± Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. He covered his mouth, apprehensive. For now, the grin went away, and the caged monsters raged on again like nothing ever happened. For now, he felt like himself. His clarity returned. He felt focused and empowered enough to solve any issue with a glance, regardless of complexity. ¡°I need time to get used to this new existence. It would be na?ve to assume that this power comes free. Nothing does, after all. Ashley, if you ever feel that I¡¯m acting oddly, tell me immediately. I must stay alert.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± They made their way up the stairs to Hemmer. ¡°Our first prerogative will be to dispose of this evidence. The Apparatus, these failures, and everything. We will build a perfect empire.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I can see the light, but not everyone can. If this darkness were exposed, no one would understand. They wouldn¡¯t understand that perfection requires imperfection.¡± Ashley tilted her head in interest, showing a half-grin. This man was entirely different from the king she knew. He was shining. Was this how Andre was in his youth as an ambitious prince? She noted, ¡°You¡¯ve become well-spoken, My Lord. It reminds me of your demeanor when I first entered fealty to you.¡± He took her hand, closed his eyes, and kissed the top of it. ¡°This entire time, you¡¯ve been my shield and blade, Ashley. When I fell ill, you threw away your noble title and responsibility to take care of me. The gratitude I have for you cannot be described.¡± ¡°I did not enjoy my rank anyway, Your Highness. The expectations were too high, and I was conspired against as the sole woman in a man¡¯s game.¡± ¡°Wait a little longer and I shall restore what you¡¯ve lost. It¡¯s the least that you deserve. Then you could wear something more befitting of your status.¡± She shrugged. ¡°I politely decline, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She walked ahead of him, arms behind her back. ¡°Many reasons. I want to continue to be by your side. My current role allows me to be closer to you than anyone else. I also like to wear these kinds of dresses. Back then, I had to dress and act as a man to be respected. I feel no such burden here.¡± ¡°You never shared that with me before.¡± Ashley scratched her head. ¡°Really?¡± They ascended to Castle Hemmer¡¯s halls only to meet Gundyr dragging a steaming corpse. The Champion threw Jericho¡¯s unconscious, mid-regeneration body before the king and knelt. Gundyr explained, ¡°I defeated The Wyrm. He was weaker than I expected.¡± Andre nodded with a somber look. ¡°He wasn''t weak. You were simply stronger. Poor thing. Where have you been all along, my son?¡± He snagged a piece of Jericho¡¯s peeled flesh and shut it between Soothsayer¡¯s pages. With the book opened to its freshest pages, he traced red, bloody ink with his finger. ¡°I¡¯ll take it upon myself to tame you properly this time. We¡¯ll need warriors of the highest echelon to lay down their lives against the Zaibans.¡± He stopped at a point, furrowing his brow. ¡°You were with Rath Ghul, under my nose, all along? Here for the great machina? Even when it is broken? Lovecraft may still have a purpose. And there is another? Here? Sasha? The cycle of Convergence comes again...¡± He skimmed further until reaching the name Simon. He shut the book, his mood completely shifting to predatory coldness. His eyes sharpened and his grin stretched. This animosity released a wave of overwhelming, alien ki that made Gundyr break out in goosebumps. The energy was otherworldly. No ki artist possessed such a thing. Andre announced, ¡°There is another intruder here with a machina granting invisibility. He is after our great machina. It may be too late.¡± Gundyr scrambled to his feet. ¡°Shit! I¡¯ll go, Your Highness!¡± ¡°No. You take my son to the supreme dungeon. We will apprehend Simon.¡± ¡°Affirmative, Your Highness.¡± Andre took off sprinting with Ashley alongside him. His footsteps rang out like heavy metal. Hers were silent. She asked, ¡°Do you wish to test your new form?¡± ¡°No. I wish to understand our intruder and this situation. If someone else kills him before I can read him, invaluable insight will be lost.¡± *** Simon shoved open the grand double doors to Lovecraft¡¯s room. With the great machina¡¯s guard gone, there would be no better chance to take it. He rushed up steps to a pedestal holding a glass display case. Within it, the hilt and shards of Lovecraft rested. His heartbeat bounced from his chest as he imagined the reactions he¡¯d get after returning to the manor. They sent him to scout and he instead returned with Lovecraft? He¡¯d earn the full trust of the party. Maybe even Abdul would come around to liking him. More than anything else, though, he imagined how happy it would¡¯ve made Sasha. Simon set the glass cover aside and collected Lovecraft¡¯s remains into his satchel. As soon as he tightened its strings, the double doors opened. He slipped behind the pedestal and hid low, peeking out from behind it. The maid, Ashley, and a tall stranger approached quickly. Simon eyed the king nervously. Who is that? His aura is weak, but what little I can sense is sickening. Is he repressing his power? Ashley spoke, ¡°You were right, Your Highness. It¡¯s gone. It must be close though. I can feel it.¡± Simon tensed up. King Andre? If he looks like that, then he¡¯s succeeded. Jericho¡¯s lost. Andre searched around the room. ¡°I can still sense the signature of Lovecraft in this room. Simon is nearby. If I were invisible, where would I hide?¡± Ashley responded, ¡°In plain sight?¡± Simon held his breath. His stomach dropped. The king knows my name. He must''ve read Jericho. This is where this mission ends. He would have no choice but to ditch Lovecraft. If he escaped now, they¡¯d track its energy and pursue him. Simon got greedy. He should¡¯ve stuck to scouting and gotten out of there. He slipped off the satchel and pulled its tying string loose. That tiny sound alerted the king. Andre jolted in his direction, asking, ¡°Did you hear that, Ashley?¡± ¡°No. What was it?¡± ¡°Something like a rope.¡± They rushed towards him. In response, he slipped to the other side of the pedestal. Simon¡¯s heart about jumped from his chest. He¡¯d forgotten something important about homunculi. Abdul showed over and over that he had heightened senses. It was most likely the same case for Andre. Simon¡¯s bag was filled with all kinds of things that rattled and moved. Any more fooling around with it could¡¯ve gotten him caught. Fuck. I¡¯ll have to leave my satchel. But this came with another danger. What if something in there could¡¯ve been used to activate the condition of Soothsayer? A loose hair? A flask with his saliva? He¡¯d have to take the risk. Simon left his satchel and snuck to freedom as the king and maid searched for him. The moment Andre found his satchel and snatched it up, he reached the closed door. Andre underestimated his strength and ripped the bag in half by accident. Its contents, Lovecraft included, spilled everywhere onto the ground. ¡°Our thief has given up. A smart choice.¡± The double doors opened and closed. Ashley gave chase after Simon, but Andre stopped her. ¡°Leave him be. I am sure we will meet again.¡± ¡°But Your Highness¡­¡± "Our halls are grand. He has escaped. His machina does its job well. It didn¡¯t only hide him physically. It wiped his spiritual signature as well. If I could sway him in the future, he would be invaluable for espionage against our enemies.¡± ¡°Right now, is he not our enemy?¡± ¡°Not until I understand him. I¡¯ll read Simon further through my son. They were both with Rath Ghul.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Ashley squatted next to the shards of Lovecraft. She sifted through Simon¡¯s belongings. ¡°And I¡¯ll see if I can find anything in here that would be of use. If that is the case, there will be no escaping for him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Andre gazed out the nearest window into the night, his devilish grin curling. ¡°Scurry to your burrow, mole.¡± Chapter 41 - Worlds Shiver Sasha sat propped up by one of the manor¡¯s windows in a nightgown. Bewildered, she stared at seven scarlet moons and a reddened sky. Lightning struck and chained across it like veins, yet they never made any sounds. Eerie, palpable energy emanated from above. It put a slight tremble to the glass of the windows. The hairs on her arms stood. Shaking, she asked, ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ dreaming, right? What is going on?¡± She picked up Major, showing the sight to the dagger. It replied, ¡°Something horrible has happened or is going to happen. I don¡¯t know where it is or when it will happen, but it will be horrible.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± ¡°This is World¡¯s Shiver without a doubt. It is the first occurrence in two millennium.¡± ¡°World¡¯s Shiver? I don¡¯t like the sound of that.¡± ¡°I forget sometimes that you¡¯re an uncultured orphan. You should grow closer to your land¡¯s folklore.¡± Sasha clicked her tongue, insulted. Major explained, ¡°The human records on it are sparce, but I can give you an idea from my memories of old. There are countless worlds that divide existence. You know of them.¡± ¡°You¡¯re talking about Yellen. There¡¯s that and our world, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got an idea, but there is more. Yellen itself exists in layers that descend forever. The Shallow planes don¡¯t look too different than this overworld. They are peaceful, and good souls rest there. The deeper you go, though, the more warped, forlorn, and hellish afterlife becomes. Then, eventually, you reach The Abyss; pure, cold nothingness reserved for the worst of the worst.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ scary.¡± ¡°Almighty creatures of pure evil and depravity are sentenced down there. The pressure suppresses their power. I sent countless to The Deep with my own hands when I was a god.¡± ¡°But what does that have to do with this¡­, um, ¡®World¡¯s Shiver¡¯?¡± ¡°World¡¯s Shiver is an omen that appears alongside spiritual threats from Yellen. The Angels who dwell up in the cosmos, watching over us, deliver it to warn our world.¡± ¡°Angels?¡± ¡°Correct, and the worse the manifestation, the graver the future. I¡¯ve never seen it so bright. The Angels are screaming at us. The Deep has breached, and the world itself fears invasion. Our goals in front of us pale in comparison.¡± Sasha froze up, worried. ¡°This is too much to take in. You¡¯re freaking me out.¡± ¡°This is what I sense from their ki. Something has gone horribly wrong. Something has escaped. Something is coming. This reaction is no different than your body¡¯s reaction to terminal sickness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got to tell the others.¡± With a blink, the World¡¯s Shiver was gone. The night¡¯s usual darkness, a singular milky moon above, returned. The whiplash of the change made her pale. ¡°W-What? Will they believe me?¡± ¡°Sasha¡­, the entire world just witnessed it.¡± She shook the stiffness from her body, mumbling, ¡°Gods¡­¡± When Sasha turned, unnerved, she met eyes with Isaac in the distance. He shared her disturbed look. He pointed at her, meekly asking, ¡°Did you see it too?¡± She nodded. ¡°Then I¡¯m not crazy. Was that World¡¯s Shiver? But what could cause such a thing?¡± Sasha motioned to a vase that had toppled over earlier in the night. ¡°Could it have related to those tremors we felt? Under our feet?¡± ¡°I¡¯m unsure. This feeling in the air is strange though.¡± He flexed his fingers with a perplexed expression. ¡°Is this ki? But from where?¡± Major answered, ¡°That¡¯s right. From the cosmos.¡± ¡°Above?¡± The dagger and Sasha¡¯s silence affirmed him. He sighed, muttering, ¡°Wow. This feels so much bigger than me.¡± Setting that aside, he asked her, ¡°I know it sure won¡¯t happen now, but get any shut eye earlier? You look exhausted.¡± ¡°Barely a wink. I tried. Every time I laid down, I got twitchy with fighting urges. You get me, right, teacher?¡± ¡°I do. Sometimes in bed, I get these random bursts of motivation and end up doing pushups at two in the morning. Elise says it¡¯s a red flag. She hasn¡¯t left me over it yet.¡± ¡°Yep. That¡¯s one hundred percent it.¡± Isaac put his hands up behind his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to half-lie to me though. You¡¯re worried about him more than anything else, aren¡¯t you?¡± She nodded. ¡°I am. I want to protect those important to me, but it¡¯s out of my hands when we¡¯re separated like this. I don¡¯t like that. It scares me.¡± Elise called for them from the living room downstairs. ¡°Isaac?! Sasha?! Get down here! He¡¯s back!¡± Isaac asked, ¡°What?¡± Sasha responded, ¡°Simon? Already?¡± They ran through halls and downstairs where Simon stood in front of the lit campfire, maskless. He looked overwhelmed by information and concern, and probably toiled over what to share first. Before he could even greet the others, Sasha tackled him over with a hug that surprised everyone. With a panicked, sputtering voice, she asked, ¡°Y-You okay?! Get hurt in there?!¡± He¡¯d bonked his head on the ground lightly. Blushing from embarrassment, he replied, ¡°I was fine before, but I¡¯m not so sure anymore.¡± Simon sat up on his butt, rubbing his scalp. ¡°I got out in one piece, but it was close.¡± Sasha stayed on her knees. With a staggeringly brighter mood, she blurted, ¡°Good! That¡¯s a relief!¡± If she had a tail, it would¡¯ve been wagging at that point. Simon shook his head, uncertain. ¡°Do you guys want to hear the bad, ugly, or horrible news first? I¡¯ve got tons to tell you.¡± Isaac squinted. ¡°There¡¯s no good news, is there? Like that king croaking?¡± Simon shook his head again, making him sigh and grumble, ¡°I figured.¡± They gathered around Simon in the living room. The fireplace¡¯s low angle projected their shadows high across the walls. Outside, sudden rain beat across the windows. Downpour. Simon started, ¡°I located Lovecraft and The Apparatus. They were there as warned. That came with some revelations though. The most obvious was that a machina wielder and ki artist would be guarding the great machina. He¡¯s lightning natured.¡± Isaac scratched his chin, intrigued. ¡°That¡¯s a rare one.¡± Simon looked to Sasha and said, ¡°And then, as you feared, their experimentations have gone much further than I expected. There¡¯s a chamber down there¡­ filled with maddened monsters. I assume they were all once human. If they were to escape¡­¡± He shook his head. Sasha leaned forward in her seat, elbows on knees. Her focus and tone sharpened. ¡°Was that all?¡± ¡°No. Not even close.¡± The room¡¯s atmosphere was frigid. Between Simon¡¯s speaking, it was so quiet that you could hear the party¡¯s breathing and swallowing. Unnerved, Elise gazed off at a window with rain pitter-pattering against it. Isaac locked in on the debriefing with a resting glare. He was amped up. Simon continued. ¡°This entire time, I¡¯ve assumed that The Apparatus was a machine, but that was no machine. It was of flesh. It breathed.¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Someone cleared their throat from a distance. Heads turned to see Abdul. He¡¯d finally come from his room. Rattled, he asked, ¡°It¡¯s alive? What in Yellen do you mean by that?¡± ¡°That jester the king has over the operation thinks he¡¯s figured it all out. The Apparatus is a portal to somewhere down in Yellen, and something¡¯s looking back at them from the other side. It¡¯s probably that thing¡¯s power or influence. They think it¡¯s granting them the power of the homunculus.¡± Major asked from Sasha¡¯s sheath, ¡°But in exchange for what? There are no favors in this world of contracts.¡± Sasha further suggested, ¡°An unwilling contract then?¡± ¡°Or one forged in ignorance.¡± Simon remembered something. His eyes widened. ¡°Black Sabbath. That was the being¡¯s name.¡± Everyone but Abdul and Isaac showed viscerally creeped out reactions to that cursed name. Perhaps it was a cultural thing. Sasha got goosebumps. With a meek voice, she revealed, ¡°When I was super little, Ley would tell me scary stories to make me behave and go to bed. Stuff like, ¡®If you let your toes stick out from under the blanket, Black Sabbath will surely eat them!¡¯ Then, the next night, he grabbed them. It scared me so badly that I still don¡¯t let my feet stick out from the blanket.¡± Simon gave her a deadpan expression. ¡°Sounds traumatic.¡± ¡°It was.¡± Major had been simmering on that name. It spoke up, ¡°I know it too. Black Sabbath and I lived in power during the same time. That devil fell from grace, got executed, and sentenced to The Abyss. I didn¡¯t take part in the ritual but witnessed the celebratory festivals afterward. They treated it like they¡¯d wiped a cancer from our world.¡± Major sighed, determining, ¡°I now understand our genuine threat. Black Sabbath must have been using The Apparatus to build enough power to escape. Existence in The Abyss is the worst. A free life here in the overworld is like heaven in comparison. The reincarnation of Black Sabbath in this world is what the World¡¯s Shiver warned us about. We cannot let that happen.¡± Elise questioned, ¡°But what about the great machina, Lovecraft? Aren¡¯t we getting distracted?¡± ¡°Our goals aren¡¯t changing one bit. We simply have one more objective after infiltrating Hemmer. Destroy The Apparatus. Sever the contract before it is too late.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so bad about this devil anyway?¡± ¡°It would be the biggest cataclysm in spiritual history. Countless would die in the worst ways imaginable. Black Sabbath would rampage with the power of an unsealed, unsplit god, and there would be no equal to stop it. Would a machina, great or not, even compare to the original thing walking unshackled?¡± Simon let out a prolonged exhale. He¡¯d gotten pale and sweaty. Isaac noticed and put him on the spot. ¡°Any other surprises? That¡¯s what your face is telling me right now.¡± Simon realized that they could¡¯ve been in deep water. ¡°Jericho. Jericho was the surprise.¡± A switch flipped in Abdul. He burst out, ¡°Jericho? Seriously?!¡± This caught Primus''s attention. "Hm? Did we not flatten him like a pancake?" Simon explained, ¡°Jericho never died at the sanctum. He showed up at Hemmer and riled everything up. Their Champion defeated him, King Andre read him, and they learned about me through him. I was found out before I could get out with Lovecraft.¡± Isaac did a double take. ¡°Wait a moment. ¡®Get out with Lovecraft¡¯? You were there to scout. You could¡¯ve ruined everything if you got caught!¡± ¡°I know. I got greedy. I regret that now though. Maybe it would¡¯ve been better to have let Jericho steal it. I doubt we¡¯ll ever get it from King Andre¡¯s hands again as he is now¡­¡± Simon relented, avoiding eye contact with Sasha especially. Isaac scoffed. With an arrogant air, he asked, ¡°¡¯As he is now¡¯? That old vegetable? What¡¯s stopping us from crushing the king? That lightning ki artist? The maid?¡± Simon gravely responded, ¡°Tonight, King Andre transformed into a homunculus. I¡¯ve never seen a man that big. I¡¯ve never felt energy that oppressive. There''s something different about him. He stands out from even Jericho and Abdul." Isaac¡¯s mouth dropped agape. He had no words. Pure shock. Abdul said, ¡°We¡¯ll see for ourselves soon. And Jericho? Do you think he is still alive?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I believe it. He¡¯s never been one to give up.¡± Abdul clenched his fists, determined. ¡°If he¡¯s imprisoned, I¡¯d like to find and free him. If our enemy is this difficult, we need all the help we can get.¡± Isaac''s hubris vanished. He thought back to the nightmare Silent Hill gave him about Andre the monster. In a way, it¡¯d come true like a prophesy. Sasha felt conflicted by Jericho. Back in Rath Ghul¡¯s sanctum, she¡¯d seen many sides of him. To her, he was more unpredictable than anything else. Facing Abdul, she questioned, ¡°Are you confident we¡¯d be able to trust Jericho? What is he to you?¡± ¡°We went through the original Apparatus together. Grew close in there. If he remembers, I could try to reach him.¡± Simon shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve known Jericho for a decade and his mind is still an enigma to me. I don¡¯t care who you think you are to him. In the end, you¡¯ll have to watch your back. He wants Lovecraft too. He¡¯ll kill Sasha for it. If we end up in a truce to put Andre down, then so be it, but such a man will never be our ally.¡± Abdul looked bitter. His hopes of reconnection were beaten down. ¡°Seriously? He said that?¡± This wasn¡¯t what occupied Sasha¡¯s mind though. Put on edge, she asked, ¡°But if the king read Jericho, doesn¡¯t he know about me now too?¡± Elise looked around, paranoid. ¡°You¡¯re right. The longer we wait, the more he¡¯ll learn too. I¡¯m sure Jericho didn¡¯t know everything, but the fact that we exist alone will put the king on our trail.¡± Simon reluctantly raised his hand. Everyone stared at him. With a low voice, he revealed, ¡°Um¡­ they¡¯ve got my satchel too.¡± Everyone except for Isaac became pale and quiet. He burst into husky laughter, slapping his knee. ¡°That¡¯s a good one, Simon. You¡¯ve got a sense of humor after all.¡± ¡°A joke? Yea. No way I would¡¯ve did that.¡± He gave them a poker face. Major spoke up, ¡°That was a lie! Simon might as well be read too!¡± Isaac blanked out. ¡°Eh?¡± Abdul threw his bag over his shoulder and headed out for the front door. ¡°If we¡¯re fucked, then we¡¯re fucked. No use dancing like headless chickens.¡± Elise found his relaxed demeanor unbelievable. ¡°You sure are taking this well. Are you not stressed? Nervous?¡± He shrugged. ¡°Such is war. As long as there is something I want to do, I won¡¯t let anything deter me. Besides, I¡¯m sure the king¡¯s supposed ¡®omniscience¡¯ isn¡¯t perfect. Off the top of my head, it takes time to read.¡± Sasha got up too. ¡°That¡¯s right. Let¡¯s get moving before we¡¯re ambushed. Let¡¯s see if we can stay ahead of his knowledge of us.¡± Isaac nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t object. We have no choice anyway.¡± He got up, offered Elise his hand, and fell in line with her. The group left that manor geared up. As bad as the weather and darkness was outside, they didn¡¯t worry too much about sneaking. At this point, speed was more valuable than anything else. Simon lagged behind the group a bit with a solemn look. Sasha looked back, noticed, and fell back to join his side. ¡°Feeling bad?¡± she asked. ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°Why?¡± He didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Come on. Talk to me. Like usual.¡± ¡°I did what I did to go beyond my expectations. To impress you all. Instead, I made everything worse. I want to be useful. I don¡¯t want to be a joke.¡± ¡°You are here. In one piece too. That¡¯s all I care about right now. You did fine, Simon.¡± ¡°You have low standards. Replace me with a pet rodent and it would accomplish more. If this were the guild, they would¡¯ve shoved me in a solitary cell for two days as punishment.¡± ¡°What? Do you want to be punished?¡± Simon sighed. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll think of something then.¡± Something to cheer you up. ¡°I said that I didn¡¯t want to be-,¡± Sasha shooshed Simon, leaving him pouting. ¡°Oh, I know.¡± Her hand wandered to his, grasping, but his fist was balled up. She asked, ¡°H-Ho-Hold?¡± her words sputtered out. She cringed at herself. Awkward! Why am I so shit at this? Get the hint and hold my hand, bastard! Simon flutter-blinked, confused. ¡°Hold what? Your bag? No problem." ¡°Um, thank you.¡± Defeated, she handed it to him. How did she feel less anxious in life or death battles than when talking to Simon? Major¡¯s pained voice echoed through her head. Gods, Sasha¡­ You need to work on this. I know! *** King Andre laid prone in his bed, wearing a robe, fluffy hat, and bunny slippers. He read Soothsayer, giggling like an absolute buffoon. Whatever he read, it was engaging enough to make him kick his feet. Ashley eyed him from afar, weirded out, and asked, ¡°What is funny, Your Highness?¡± ¡°I like this group. I almost want to route for them. They¡¯re interesting and, as far as I can tell, good of heart. They harbor immense hatred for me due to the whole ¡®mass human suffering¡¯ thing, but we could work around that.¡± ¡°You want to work with them?!¡± Ashley was usually stoic. Her king¡¯s behavior now dumbstruck her. Was this a joke? ¡°Why not? They want three things. To get Lovecraft, destroy The Apparatus, and kill me. The third won¡¯t happen, a shame, but I have no use for the others. They can do what they please with them.¡± Ashley gawked at him. ¡°Please repeat that again. I believe I misheard you.¡± Andre ignored her bewilderment. He got nervous. ¡°And I¡¯m afraid of Black Sabbath too. Such a thing can¡¯t get loose from The Abyss. It would destroy everything we¡¯ve built. I want out of this supposed contract that clown has been talking about.¡± ¡°I guess you do have a point.¡± Ashley hesitantly bowed. ¡°Although I personally think this is insane, I will support whatever your ruling is, My Lord.¡± ¡°As I expected. You¡¯re a good woman, Ashley. If I haven¡¯t convinced you enough, believe the cosmos. You can¡¯t ignore World¡¯s Shiver.¡± She lightly blushed, bowing again. ¡°Thank you, My Lord.¡± Andre closed his book, satisfied for the night. ¡°My reasons may be a little selfish, but I would like to start doing the right thing too. I owe Prince Isaac an apology for his nation¡¯s death. He¡¯s alive, and so close too. Can you believe that?¡± ¡°Barely, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Next morning, would you arrange what is left of my counsel to discuss investing in the restoration of The Westwinds? Let¡¯s give the remnants of the tribes a place to go home to.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Highness.¡± Andre couldn¡¯t go to bed after all. He got up and went to his desk, pen in hand, and rambled to himself. ¡°But unless I emancipated those who are enslaved, that¡¯d be half-assing it. Disingenuous. The Nobels would push back, but so be it. Hang a few and they¡¯ll obey. They rebel? Sick The Wyrm on them.¡± Perfection. Perfection. Perfection. No matter the cost. Ashley loosened up from her usual military attention pose when he wasn¡¯t looking. What a stranger he¡¯d become to her. She found a certain distant beauty in him though. He had one more request for her. With an enthusiastic grin, he asked, "Oh, and leave our outer doors unlocked. We''re expecting guests, after all. I''ll order the Royal Guard to ignore them too." Ashley was done. "Yes..., Your Highness, though I don''t know if calling your enemies guests is appropriate." "Why not?" "They''re out for your life." "Who isn''t? Everyone in this empire has good reason. I no longer need to read someone to know that." The gall on him. Andre had a smugness to him. "Are you worried about my safety? I''m not." "It is my humble counsel that you should be." He looked at her warmly. "I have complete faith in the abilities of my subjects. You especially. I will not fail." This flustered Ashley. She showed him a face he''d never seen. "I''m honored to hear that, My Lord." Chapter 42 - Army of Darkness Isaac led the group up High Monestate¡¯s rising streets, through darkness being pushed away by daybreak¡¯s newborn light. They headed to Castle Hemmer. With their identities and plans most likely found out, the plan was to strike before stricken. Soon, morning would make them easy to spot. Castle Hemmer¡¯s overwhelming shadow hung over them. Behind it, up in the sky, World¡¯s Shiver manifested once again. It shifted the whitish blue morning light to red. Those seven moons appeared again. The party stalled, standing stiff, and stared up into the cosmos. A low, ambient hum came from above. Its source was a mystery. Major noted, ¡°It is worsening. We must act soon. Be prepared to fight.¡± As they proceeded closer to the castle, Sasha observed the surrounding buildings and streets of High Monestate. They¡¯d been here for two days now, and she still hadn¡¯t seen a single person. They passed a huge circular fountain that was out of service. Each house and building surrounding it? Empty. Some had closed doors while others swung wide open. They were as ran down as the manor. The overgrown vegetation and dust-covered windows told the same story. It creeped Sasha out to no end. Does anyone even live here? Major spoke, ¡°I sense irregular soul signatures scattered throughout this area, but World¡¯s Shiver is interfering with my ability to pinpoint them. Be careful.¡± Abdul unsheathed Primus, asking, ¡°Enemies?¡± The claymore rested on his shoulder. Elise watched Isaac¡¯s back as they moved on. She shook her head. ¡°I hope not. After Simon¡¯s findings, though, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if we ran into trouble. There are too many uncertainties.¡± Simon answered with attentive silence and a nod. Expecting the worst, his head was on a swivel. He walked shoulder to shoulder with Sasha, his short sword drawn in a reverse grip. Sasha¡¯s anxiety calmed. She drew Major, holding it close to her chest. Simon seems to want to protect me. It makes me happy, but I¡­ Major interjected, You¡¯re over needing to be protected, right? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± She startled Simon. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Um, nothing.¡± ¡°So you were communicating with Major. Though I wish my machina could talk, I don¡¯t envy the lack of privacy.¡± Abdul overheard and agreed with Simon. ¡°Me neither. If Primus and I formed a contract, I wouldn¡¯t be able to live with him yammering in my head all day.¡± Primus got offended, flaring its eye. ¡°You should be honored to hear my beautiful voice!¡± ¡°See what I mean?¡± Their path took them winding through a cluster of tall, cramped buildings of odd rainbow colors and construction. They slanted unnaturally with windows in all the wrong places. A tumbleweed rolled across a path before sprouting legs and dancing away. Frantic, out of key and tune, piano music played in the distance. Simon and Sasha eyed surreal hexagonal and oval doors interspaced without rhyme or reason. He muttered, ¡°What in the actual¡­¡± In the next instance, the strange architecture disappeared, leaving the normal cityscape they knew. Everything became silent as buzzards circled far up in the air. It was like they¡¯d awoken from a dream. Isaac walked around, squinting up at where everything had morphed. ¡°I¡¯m guessing either something¡¯s in the air making us high or Yellen¡¯s leaking over into our world.¡± Everyone looked at Major for an explanation, but it just blinked at them. ¡°I don¡¯t have the answer to everything. You¡¯re probably right.¡± Isaac stopped, raising a hand for the group to halt. He pointed ahead. ¡°A dead rodent.¡± Not far ahead, a decapitated rat lay on the ground. It was ginormous. A puddle of fresh blood pooled under it. Where had its head gone? It twitched before standing on its two feet. The rat waved at them and then wobbled off into an alleyway. Everyone looked at each other, bewildered. Elise blurted out, ¡°Maybe we should turn around.¡± An infant¡¯s crying rang out from the darkness it disappeared into. Sasha stepped towards the alley, but Simon grabbed her hand, asking, ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± ¡°To set off their trap.¡± Abdul took the lead, blocking her path. ¡°I¡¯ll do it. You¡¯re too important.¡± He lit the dim alley¡¯s path with a flame atop his finger. They followed him, put off, until coming up to a stroller. Abdul leaned down, observing, ¡°Huh. It¡¯s actually an infant. Not a trap?¡± Isaac sighed. ¡°There are more orphans than kids with parents these days.¡± It cried up into their faces. The baby couldn¡¯t have been even half a year old. Sasha removed its blanket to get a better look. ¡°Poor thing,¡± she said, feeling a wave of bitterness wash over her. Isaac peeked from behind them. ¡°We obviously can¡¯t keep it, as much as I don¡¯t want to be the bad guy here.¡± Simon nodded, adding, ¡°There¡¯re thousands more crying out of sight. Endeavor to create a world where orphans don¡¯t exist.¡± The baby grabbed Sasha¡¯s finger. Her painful face worsened tenfold as a tremble took to her wrist. Simon noticed her discomfort immediately. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We can talk about it later if you want.¡± She shook her head with a worried face. ¡°It¡¯s not that. I¡¯ve seen plenty of dead kids. Ouch¡ª,¡± Her brow curled in agony. ¡°This kid¡¯s got a strong grip!¡± Everyone flinched as the baby snapped her finger in half with a masculine grunt and evil gaze. Sasha stumbled back in betrayal, shoving the stroller away. It rolled into the wall and toppled over. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Sasha stammered out, ¡°And I just got this finger back!¡± Elise said, ¡°Oh my Gods.¡± As Isaac and Simon drew their weapons, eerie of the baby now in a tantrum of bloodcurdling screams, Abdul splinted Sasha¡¯s fracture to the finger next to it. To their horror, the baby stood and transformed chaotically. Mercutio the clown revealed himself to them in all his naked, twisted grin glory. Mercutio glared at them but spoke possessed by manic euphoria. ¡°I¡¯ve been watching you all. I won¡¯t allow anymore meddling. Turn back. This is your final warning.¡± Sasha took a step forward, returning a look just as malicious. ¡°Or what? What¡¯re you protecting from us?¡± ¡°Our true lord is blossoming. With his great awakening so near, I cannot let you fools get in the way. I am lieutenant and I am shepherd, and the gifts granted to me for my service triumph any meaningless thing like money.¡± Mercutio hugged himself, shivering. He got a boner. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt so loved. So appreciated.¡± Sasha¡¯s mouth dropped in disgust. ¡°You freak! I¡ªI don¡¯t even know what to say to that!¡± Mercutio broke out into a giggling fit. ¡°You, I like you! It¡¯s your spunk! I¡¯ll make you mine after this is over!¡± The tension between the clown and them worsened with each moment. Major announced, ¡°Countless abnormal soul signatures are approaching at high speeds. Prepare for combat.¡± Sasha obeyed, ready to fight with the dagger. The party watched each other¡¯s backs in braced stances. That was when she realized Simon had vanished from his side. ¡°Wait, what? Simon?¡± How long had it been? She looked around for him with anxiety. Did he abandon them? Mercutio sprouted fluffy eagle wings and prepared to take flight. One of these ¡°gifts¡± he spoke of must¡¯ve involved transfiguration. In his departure, he yelled, ¡°Bye fools, and welcome to the circus!¡± The clown¡¯s wings were hacked from his back by an unknown source. He fell face first into the ground where several more lacerations formed. Simon uncloaked from his invisibility. He mauled Mercutio with his short sword and knife like filleting a fish. Mercutio squirmed, laughed, and yelped as red lightning sparks crackled across his body. His regeneration factor pulled him back from death quicker than he could be killed. The clown¡¯s arm transformed into a bone spear that he thrusted up at Simon, who barely dodged it. Between laughter and wincing, Mercutio asked him, ¡°Why don¡¯t you at least take me out to dinner first before you fuck me!?¡± The clown¡¯s body dismembered into countless fragments, each turning into a mouse wearing a top hat that scurried away too quick to catch. Frustrated, Simon roared, ¡°Gods fucking damn it! Is everyone a homunculus now?!¡± Abdul called to him. ¡°We have bigger fish to fry now.¡± Simon turned to the direction Mercutio escaped from with a wild glare. Three furry abominations galloped towards them on their knuckles. They had beady black eyes, hanging tongues, and body parts in all the wrong places. It was impossible to even suggest a species. They were both everything and nothing to the imagination. Monsters. His mind went back to the room full of them under Castle Hemmer. If Mercutio was releasing and perhaps even commanding these beasts, then they would be in for a horrible day. Abdul blocked their path. ¡°Fall back into the open! It¡¯s too crammed in here!¡± As the party fell back the way they came, Abdul¡¯s entire body burst into roaring flames. His armor steamed. Clashing with the monsters in that cramped alleyway, he looked like an emissary straight from hell. He and they brawled and hacked away at each other like beasts, dragging each other¡¯s faces against the stone, bricks flying. Isaac led the escape as crunching and armored bangs rang out. Little did they know, another horde waited for them on the other side. As soon as they broke out into the light, they were overrun by grunting and hooting abominations. Sasha and Simon hacked away at tentacles and limbs while watching each other¡¯s backs. Elise evaded a grotesque crawler and weaved between clawed swings to get to Isaac, who sent slashes of wind with his focused glare alone. ¡°Get behind me, Elise!¡± he yelled at her. ¡°I¡¯m trying!¡± Sasha chopped a head off, gasping for air. She didn¡¯t expect such numbers. More and more came. She fought off a blur of animalistic horror with her instinct and reflexes and nothing else. There was no time to think. No time to strategize. ¡°There¡¯s too many!¡± Simon took a hammer fist to his back and lost his balance. Sasha caught him with her shoulder. He stammered out, ¡°Gods!¡± ¡°Agh¡ª,¡± A talon caught Sasha by the neck. She was swept up into the air. Barely able to breathe, fighting the claws against her throat with her hands, she gazed up at the flapping of Mercutio¡¯s eagle wings. He¡¯d snatched her and now zoomed away into the sky. ¡°Now we can get some alone time!¡± he said. As Sasha struggled to defend her neck from being crushed, choking, she heard Simon¡¯s trailing off voice echo her name. Shit, shit, shit! The clown in flight dragged her away turned backwards. She couldn¡¯t see their destination. Instead, all she saw was a fatal drop into stone. How could she survive? More and more monsters appeared from every crevice tucked away in the shadows. They came from inside the dark houses, under the streets, and from the sewer system. Every being below, creature and man alike, shrunk and shrunk from her view like insects. Major advised, Don¡¯t let him take you where he intends. Let¡¯s cut the chicken¡¯s feet off. But I¡¯ll fall and die! You shouldn¡¯t if you time it right above a roof! It shouldn¡¯t?! You don¡¯t sound confident! Major¡¯s eye glared widely opened, trembling. Confident?! Have I ever seemed confident!? Ha! I¡¯ve been winging it this whole time! ¡°Fuck it all!¡± Sasha yelled, holding Major out to her side. ¡°Ghost in the Shell!¡± The dagger¡¯s handle extended while the blade morphed, curving inwards. It was the first time she¡¯d wielded an axe, but the decades of knowledge surging into her brain fooled her into thinking otherwise. She knew this axe better than anyone else. Even herself. Sasha took deep breaths to calm and mentally brace herself. This is one of the better ways to go out today. With a killer¡¯s edged eyes and a grunt, she hacked off Mercutio¡¯s bird ankles with one fell swoop. She plummeted while Mercutio writhed, growling, with flapping wings. ¡°Youch!¡± Sasha felt oddly tranquil as she fell. She was only about seven seconds from splattering. To her though, it lasted forever. What could she do for better odds? In those moments, she cycled through countless options, came up empty, and then reached an epiphany that changed everything. Death¡¯s door faded from sight. This entire time, she had only used Ghost in the Shell to shape Major into weapons, but there was no such rule that decided that. Her own lack of imagination had been the limitation. How else could her ki flow? I am an artist. You are my brush. Ghost in the Shell. Energy erupted from Major. Wispy strings shot out to catch onto a cloudlike construction of ki overhead. They snagged tight against Sasha¡¯s weight. Her plummet slowed as the ethereal parachute dragged down after her. The quick thinking wasn¡¯t enough to save her completely. Sasha crashed and tumbled down a pitched roof, sending shingles everywhere. Only inches from falling off into the streets, she morphed Major into a hook and caught the roof¡¯s edge. Her ass and legs danged below while she caught her breath. Then the barking and scurrying came. Sasha¡¯s attention snapped underneath her to where another horde of monsters had already formed. They had no way to reach her but, if she fell, they¡¯d rip her to pieces. That was more than enough motivation to get her to pull herself back up. ¡°Please give me a break,¡± Sasha groaned. Major was stunned by her. ¡°None of your ancestors have used our power in such a way. You¡¯ve made it yours. Make it out of this nightmare and you will become a wielder like no other.¡± ¡°Thank you, Major.¡± She stared back at the hordes with a twitchy face. ¡°But there are so many of these things. You and I surviving is one thing, but what about the others? How are they doing? Can you sense them?¡± ¡°I cannot. There are just too many spiritual signatures.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Mercutio landed above at the tip of the pitched roof. He walked on several bone legs that sprouted from his abdomen like a tarantula. ¡°What have you done to me, girl? Cursed me?¡± he asked. Sasha was as confused as she was sore. Mercutio pointed to his legs which were still amputated. The characteristic homunculus lightning sparked from the stumps, but there was no sign of change at all. ¡°They¡¯re not healing, you bitch!¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Major uttered. It¡¯s our spiritual aspect. A homunculus¡¯s regeneration factor may heal physical damage, but can it heal the soul once directly cut? Sasha felt empowered against these monsters for the first time in this whole conflict. So, we¡¯re the key now? The special weapon? Exactly. Then there¡¯s a chance. Waterlike ki cloaked Sasha¡¯s body. It solidified into ghostly plate armor shining silverish blue. Her eyes sparkled with genius through her ki helm¡¯s wispy visor. They burned a hole through Mercutio from the other side of her V-shaped visor. ¡°Major?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How much ki do we have stored up?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± She and Mercutio approached each other, both tense. Both on guard. The clown no longer laughed. Chapter 43 - Strange Side Sasha treaded toward Mercutio, her speed and aggression boiling higher and higher with each step. She needed to finish this quickly. The fates of the others, her friends, made her anxious. This clown was nothing more than an obstacle separating her from them. Mercutio pulled a banana out of his pocket, aimed it at Sasha, and yelled, ¡°Bang!¡± It didn¡¯t get a reaction or even a flinch out of her. He looked at his banana, wary, and threw it on the ground. ¡°That merchant lied to me.¡± Sasha¡¯s cloaking armor of ki wrapped her skin tightly. She¡¯d never felt such a tingling, surging sensation against her skin before. At her will, a translucent great sword of energy materialized in her hands. Its weightlessness reminded her of fighting with Primus. Mercutio¡¯s arms extended and morphed into jagged bone blades. If she wasn¡¯t careful, they would punch holes through her body with ease. She was unsure of how durable her armor of ki would be too. The two foes measured each other up, glancing from head to toe, before Sasha burst forward with rapid slashes. Mercutio evaded her pursuit with panicked giggling and retaliatory swipes. ¡°Oh, you. So cute when you¡¯re angry! Like a kitten.¡± Well, he giggled until he didn¡¯t. ¡°So fast.¡± Sasha cut his arm off. Mercutio screamed out as a fountain of confetti and rainbow-colored liquid flooded everywhere. With a twitchy grin, he smiled and yelled, ¡°Need a hand!¡± His detached arm landed on its fingers and came to life with an opened eye at the elbow. It lunged at Sasha, who slashed it in half mid-air. The arm inflated and malformed from the damage before exploding in her face, blowing her across the roof. Dazed, Sasha got back up to her feet. The bomb had punched through the armor and tattered her underclothes. The blue, hazy ki reformed around her gradually as a gash across her forehead oozed blood. It got into her eyes. She wiped them clean. Sasha stared Mercutio down, annoyed, as he inflated an orange balloon and fashioned it into a new arm, fingers and everything. Near the balloon¡¯s completion, his grip slipped. It launched through the air back and forth with silly fart-like noises. Mercutio stumbled around trying to catch it. Sasha asked, ¡°Do you take anything seriously?¡± He casually responded, ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m a fucking evil clown. What else do you expect? Layers? A tragic backstory? That would be completely besides my point.¡± Sasha sighed and reformed an energy sword. ¡°I guess you¡¯re not capable of making sense either.¡± ¡°In my eyes, I¡¯m the only sane one here. Too sane, truly.¡± Sasha interrupted him with a loud scoff. ¡°Forget it. Stop yapping.¡± ¡°You asked, bitch!¡± They both engaged. A comically large cloud filled with grunting and exclamation points obscured their fight. When it subsided, Mercutio laid there hogtied in chains with an apple in his mouth, and now she wore a clown costume. He struggled against the restraints to no avail, rocking back and forth. Sasha looked at herself up and down, confused by her new red clown nose. ¡°What? Why does everything get so strange around him?¡± Major sent a loud, intrigued Hmmm through her mind. She set the weirdness aside and heaved the sword at Mercutio. A moment before striking true, though, a subtle breeze blew and made her miss. She stepped back onto a leaf rake left on the roof and got smacked in the face by its handle. Her next step landed on a banana peel that launched her feet from underneath her. Sasha smacked the back of her head on shingles. She rolled over and scrambled back up to her knees. Major went Aha! in her head. She asked, ¡°What is it? Figure anything out?¡± A glance around revealed a dozen more banana peels and rakes. Where did they come from? ¡°This must be the work of an enemy machina.¡± ¡°A machina? I don¡¯t see anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t either. Then is it World¡¯s Shiver? Cosmic forces?¡± ¡°You¡¯re supposed to be the one with the answers here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know everything. I just know what I know.¡± She blinked and Mercutio somehow escaped from his restraints. He sat crisscrossed with this bored look on his face, reading a big book titled How to Cope With Your Micro Penis. He saw that she¡¯d read the title and then covered it, ashamed. ¡°Embarrassing,¡± he said. Mercutio tossed the book aside, stood, and reached his arms into the air as if addressing the gods themselves. ¡°No, girl. Machina don¡¯t got shit on me. This is grace from the touch of my Lord himself! He kissed my soul with cosmic love and luck! I cannot fail now.¡± Sasha braced herself for combat again. ¡°Oh, shut up already.¡± The clown pointed at her and, as if a switch flicked, became utterly cold. With complete seriousness and a low booming voice, he asked, ¡°Whose plot armor weighs greater? The protagonist loved by the author or the fool above the author? That is our experiment.¡± Sasha rushed at Mercutio, cutting away dozens of his tentacles as he grew them. They bounced off the ki armor, chipping away at it, but her resilient soul repaired it faster than the clown could destroy it. Now within reach. Mercutio latched onto her with a tight hug and smile. ¡°I call this The Friendship Hug.¡± ¡°N-No!¡± Sasha responded, trapped. ¡°I don¡¯t like hugs!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you for consent.¡± Crack. Sasha cringed and wheezed, unable to breathe from the pressure. As Mercutio¡¯s mania and strength increased further and further, she honed Major down into a knife and stabbed away at his stomach. In response, he let go with a wince and threw a bladed swipe at her throat only for it to be blocked with ease. The clown made space away from her and let out a high-pitched whistle. ¡°Get her, my underlings!¡± Sasha looked around everywhere but met no new enemies. Mercutio did too. Not a single monster came to join his side. Perhaps the homunculi were struggling with the rest of Sasha¡¯s crew. Distant crickets chirped and an obnoxiously loud gust of wind rolled by. ¡°Welp,¡± Mercutio said. Sore, Sasha stretched out her back to surprisingly find it feeling great. Better than ever even. She smirked, feeling twice as confident. ¡°Major, he fixed my back. I didn¡¯t even know it was screwed up.¡± Mercutio¡¯s mouth dropped. He kicked some shingles. ¡°Gods damn it!¡± Sasha transformed Major into an ethereal blue whip with a mind of its own. It coiled up in her hand. She winded up the whip and let it loose on Mercutio, who deflected it with a scythe sprouting from his final forearm. Major won the clash of weapons. The spiritually serrated whip cut through both Mercutio¡¯s scythe and arm. It whiplashed around his body several times, wrapping him up tightly. Her ki sliced away and ate at him as if it were fire injecting itself into his veins. The clown¡¯s blood felt like lava. Mercutio screamed, ¡°Holy shit! Rah! Whips are for killing vampires, not clowns!¡± ¡°Find a way to make this funny. Burn,¡± Sasha said with a determined face becoming emotional. ¡°This suffering isn¡¯t even an ounce of what you put countless through.¡± Frothing from his mouth, Mercutio cackled as if he¡¯d heard the greatest joke ever. ¡°So, the protagonist¡¯s plot armor does weigh heavier.¡± Sasha yanked the whip, sending it far deeper into his body. ¡°You¡¯re out of your damned mind.¡± Between pained growls and groans, Mercutio yelped out, ¡°Augh! Boring! You¡¯re so fucking boring!¡± His torso imploded, red lightning coursing across to no effect. ¡°I¡¯ll make you laugh one day. I promise.¡± As Mercutio lay in pieces on the ground, his corpse decaying into ash and dust, Sasha approached him with a sharp glare. ¡°You were right, Major. He¡¯s not regenerating.¡± ¡°Crush his core while it is exposed. It should be in his chest.¡± Sasha transformed Major into a hammer. She swung it overhead over and over with heavy grunts, pulverizing the clown¡¯s chest. It was the deadliest CPR anyone would ever bear. When the brutal work was over, Sasha looked tense with a raised eyebrow. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Mercutio¡¯s sternum broke open, but there was nothing inside. No core. No heart. Nothing. It was an empty chamber. ¡°Major, I can¡¯t find the core,¡± she said with an odd feeling in her gut. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. ¡°Sasha, over there! To your left! I can sense it!¡± Despite the breakdown of Mercutio¡¯s body, there was a part of it still very fresh. His forearm laid intact out of her reach with its own strong heartbeat. The clown had moved his core to this appendage in its final breaths. The moment Sasha realized this, pouncing toward the hand, it came to life and transformed. Before her eyes, it turned into a hairless doglike creature with horrible sounds of writhing flesh and breaking bones. The dog had Mercutio¡¯s face. Mercutio growled, ¡°So long, bitch!¡±, and stuffed himself down a chimney. ¡°Till we meet again,¡± echoed from the narrow brick shaft. Sasha followed with an arm but ripped it back after feeling an agonizing chomp. With a cry, she pulled it back to reveal a bleeding hand. ¡°Shit! I was careless.¡± Major squinted at her. ¡°No. You did great.¡± ¡°But that bastard escaped.¡± ¡°Sure, but he¡¯s not even a tenth of his original power. It may take him years to recover. He¡¯ll never be a true threat to us again.¡± ¡°But¡ª,¡± ¡°No buts. We¡¯ll gather the great machina long before that day, and he won¡¯t exist in our new world, right?¡± Sasha shook herself free of insecurity. ¡°That¡¯s right. I won, but we can¡¯t pat ourselves on the back just yet.¡± She walked down the arch of the roof to descend to the ground level infested by monsters. There was no other choice. If Sasha wanted to make it back alongside the others, she would have to carve a way. Were the numbers and odds against her vast? Yes, but she was no stranger to risk and stress. She¡¯d started to become numb to it, even if only slightly. Her fear wasn¡¯t what stopped her from taking the drop from the rooftop. It was the disappearance of all light. Even the sun. Bewildered, she gazed off into the distance where it all traveled and accumulated. A new sun born in flesh and blade emerged there in High Monestate. It would disintegrate anything that dared to challenge it. Looking at this supernatural light for more than a moment burned her retinas. She had to turn her head. ¡°What in the¡­¡± Sasha mumbled. ¡°Rainbow in The Dark, King Isaac¡¯s prized and passed down power. I never thought I would get to see it in person,¡± a low but young voice boomed from behind them. Both Sasha and Major were alerted by the stranger¡¯s presence at the same time. Whoever this was had hid their spiritual signature until this very moment. The act of hiding a signature took expertise, but this energy was far beyond that level. It was otherworldly, in a class of its very own. Sasha froze in her clown boots with goosebumps, turning her tense neck to meet the gaze of none other than King Andre. Major yelled in her head, Run! What are you doing, Sasha! Run! I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t move. Andre stood at the crest of the roof, looking down on her. He carried himself loosely with a relaxed expression like a gentle giant curious about fire. Despite this calm demeanor, though, his energy was killer. It inspired existential dread in anyone who could sense it. Without a doubt, the others like Simon and Isaac capable of sensing ki were affected too. Even blocks away. ¡°It is my pleasure to meet you, Sasha. I understand that it may be a bad time, but I would like to talk to you.¡± He noticed her big, red clown nose and let out a chuckle, his grin wide and eerie. Sasha barely managed to move her lips or breathe. She became a statue. The king stared at her, confused, with his head tilting to the side. ¡°Why fear?¡± Then he realized it was his doing. ¡°I see now. My apologies.¡± In the next moment, his aura was mostly repressed. Even when he tried to do this, though, it was still oppressive. Sasha was released from her petrification. She caught her breath. Her first instinct was to wring Andre¡¯s neck, but she knew more than certain now that his power was too far out of reach. If she was a peasant bound to the ground, stargazing, he lived above the clouds. Andre asked, ¡°Dare I ask about the outfit? I¡¯m not one to judge another¡¯s fashion choices.¡± Sasha clicked her tongue, snagged the clown nose from her face, and threw it off the roof. She reeled in her emotions to avoid being killed yet couldn¡¯t help but have clenched fists. The entire time she walked back up the roof to speak to Andre, hateful threats bounced within her head. I can¡¯t touch you, fucking bitch ass piece of shit bastard, but Isaac can and will! He¡¯ll turn you to dust! As if able to read her thoughts, he responded, ¡°But can he? Him? The prince who fled in our last meeting, abandoning everyone dear to him?¡± She flinched. The book, Soothsayer, rested in his hand. Sasha felt like a scared kid in the slums again. She found herself praying for her older brother, or anyone she looked up to as stronger, to step in. No such person would ever come though. They were fighting their own battles. Major warned her, You already know this, but be careful not to anger him. Let¡¯s hope his intentions are purer than that corrupt ki he¡¯s struggling to keep from leaking. His soul. Can you read it? Major was reluctant to say its next words. The dagger sighed. Sasha had never heard it sound so defeated. I cannot. His aura is too dense. The disparity between our strengths is too great. Shit. Not only that. I sense Lovecraft too. The great¡¯s signature radiates from the king. Sasha got to Andre¡¯s level but kept distance. ¡°You¡¯re way bigger than I imagined you would be,¡± she said. The king was surprised by this comment. He showed a slight smirk and probably wondered whether to take it as a compliment or insult. She was right though. King Andre¡¯s new form was supermassive. He had the physique and attractiveness of a sculptor¡¯s masterpiece. Major commanded, Show some respect! Your life depends on it! Sasha took a knee. ¡°I misspoke, King. Why are you¡­ here? What exactly do you need from me?¡± ¡°I need nothing from you or your friends, Sasha. My objective has been completed successfully. I¡¯m here to clean up messes and tie up loose ends.¡± ¡°When you say that, do you mean Mercutio¡¯s monsters or¡ª?¡± Sasha silenced herself. She wanted to ask him if she was the loose end, but that wasn¡¯t smart. The clown¡¯s name put the king in a sour mood. ¡°So, Mercutio is responsible for their escape then? We shall make him pay. He is no longer of use to me anyway.¡± ¡°How didn¡¯t you know that?¡± Sasha stared dead at the book. Andre noticed her fixation on Soothsayer and raised it up to be more easily seen. ¡°I could never read the madman. His pages are filled with cryptic jokes and children¡¯s doodles. Slivers of wisdom.¡± After returning Soothsayer to his side, he spoke to Sasha in a lulling voice devoid of malice. ¡°Before we go forward, let¡¯s get one thing straight. There will be no hiding anything from me. Just be honest. I already know everything you and your crew want. I know that you know that I know. I know that you know how I know. Ya know?¡± ¡°Yes. I do know.¡± ¡°I know that you lot intend to strip me of Lovecraft, destroy The Apparatus, and kill me, right? Right?¡± His casual tone was off-putting. Rather than someone out for his possessions and life, he spoke to Sasha like she was a disobedient child. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Well, getting everything you want isn¡¯t how the world works. Put those ambitions to rest. If you continue with your plan, you¡¯ll be lucky if one of you escapes alive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s about what I figured,¡± Sasha responded lowly. ¡°Violence is the easy path in this circumstance. Killing and forgetting you all would be easy, but do you know what else easy paths are? Coward¡¯s paths. I¡¯m here to take the difficult path. I¡¯m here to communicate. Let¡¯s find a middle ground where we can solve the issues at hand, and all go home happy and safe.¡± Sasha gawked at the king, blinking several times. ¡°What? You¡¯re not here to fight?¡± Major was just as surprised. What a twist. He wishes to cooperate. As King Andre went on, Sasha¡¯s mind blanked out. She couldn¡¯t process such ludicrous things coming from one of her greatest objects of hatred. ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m going to help you, but that means you helping me help you.¡± With paling skin, she asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Many reasons. For one, you demonstrated yourself to be stronger than Commander Uriel. If we become allies, his death will have benefited me in the end.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense in a way. Replacements.¡± ¡°Exactly. Then there¡¯s my debt to Prince Isaac IV, your teacher, for my damage to his motherland. Did you know that he¡¯s royalty by the way? He and I go far back.¡± Sasha didn¡¯t know. This entire time, she had not a clue. She couldn¡¯t even articulate a response other than frantic internal questions towards both Andre and Isaac. ¡°But putting aside all my logical excuses and rationalizations as why not to execute you all, which would be the smart thing to do, I simply like you. Do I need any more reason than my gut feeling?¡± ¡°You like me? We haven¡¯t even met until now.¡± ¡°Reading your story moved me especially, Sasha, and I would like to continue following you. If I can just disarm that anger of yours and get you to look at my side of this, I may even sponsor your journey to Convergence.¡± Sasha wiped sweat from her brow. She raised her head, speaking out. ¡°No. There is no other side to this than my own. I will never be able to look at you as an ally. You¡¯ve just done far too much.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t deal with that, then it looks like you¡¯ll just have to kill me.¡± The thought of taking orders from Andre made Sasha sick to her stomach. Witnessing The Apparatus changed her fundamentally as a person. Even if the operation was over, justice still hadn¡¯t been given. She couldn¡¯t tell if Andre looked hurt or offended. His control of his ki slipped, making her feel queasy. He responded, ¡°That¡¯s not very open-minded or rational of you.¡± ¡°I know but, just like you, I¡¯m someone who follows their gut feeling.¡± ¡°I get it. I was the bad guy. An old, senile tyrant. I committed genocide of both The Westwinds and those sacrificed to The Apparatus, but you know what?¡± She gave Andre a cold, furrowed brow, and stood up from her knees. ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I did it out of fear, self-preservation, and love for my kingdom.¡± Andre looked down at his hands, flexing them. ¡°Now the times of suffering and darkness are over. An era of rebuilding and reparations begins. The world will be made right again. The heights we reach will make those who laid down their lives for the future proud.¡± Sasha couldn¡¯t hold her tongue any longer. Her fury boiled over. ¡°Your victims didn¡¯t lay down their lives. That senseless torture you put them through wasn¡¯t by their choice. Nothing will ever make your actions redeemable or right in the slightest. I don¡¯t care if Ailmor in the distant future is a perfect utopia. The world will never be right as long as you live in it.¡± Major gasped. Sasha! Back me up or hush. You call yourself a God? Andre froze there atop the roof with an unreadable, stiff expression. There was detachment and disappointment in his eyes. He pulled a satchel tied shut by rope from behind his back. Great energy radiated from it. ¡°You wish to kill me that badly at that level? Very well. I knew this outcome was predetermined before I set out, but it hurts even so. I came with a gift for you. It is something I need no longer.¡± The king fiddled with the satchel in his hands as if measuring a decision of utmost weight. With slight hesitation, he set it at his feet. ¡°Humans are frustrating. We¡¯re bound to emotions and prone to outbursts even when it isn¡¯t in our best interest. Don¡¯t worry. I forgive you, and I love you anyway.¡± He gazed upon Soothsayer, who gazed back. ¡°I won¡¯t be swayed from my righteous path, and I¡¯ll fight for the truth within these pages if you force me to; the pages I saw the world, and you, through. Cherish my gift. It will serve you well. If you survive this infestation and reach Castle Hemmer¡¯s gates, I hope you will mature and consider peace. It would be a shame for your lives to be wasted.¡± ¡°That¡¯s if we lose, Andre.¡± He gave Sasha a playful grin and warning. ¡°As if. If you¡¯re ripped apart here, remember in your final moments that it was your fault. Not mine. You chose to deny my hand.¡± King Andre disappeared from the roof as Isaac¡¯s Rainbow in the Dark let up, returning the light of nature, the sun, back to the red sky. Sasha took some steps after him, shouting, ¡°But what about this World¡¯s Shiver? Are you to blame?¡± No response. Reluctant, Sasha approached the satchel, looking around cautiously for traps. Major croaked out, ¡°You¡¯ve¡­ got to be kidding me. The gall on him.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°Open the satchel.¡± She picked it up and obliged. Upon loosening the rope, her heart skipped a beat at what was revealed. Several rusting fragments of a blade far beyond repair lay within. On the hilt, an ethereal eye closed in an eternal slumber. An electric buzzing sensation went through her fingers on contact. Lovecraft. Andre gave her the second great machina, Lovecraft, without a fight for reasons beyond her. Why? Sasha found herself bewildered. ¡°Strange man¡­ We¡¯re enemies, aren¡¯t we? He knows that.¡± Nevertheless, The Itblade was in Sasha¡¯s hands. Chapter 44 - The Next Level, and Beyond ¡°We have no time to spare. I need to eat Lovecraft,¡± Major said. ¡°Very well then. Hurry up,¡± Sasha replied. ¡°Patience. Just put me in the satchel. Also, you may want to sit down.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Sasha placed Major inside and onto the roof. She plopped onto her butt beside it, antsy. ¡°Whatever is about to happen, I hope it doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡­ shouldn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Why do you sound so unsure?¡± Major did not respond. The silence lingered until the dagger violently coughed and cleared its imaginary throat out of disgust, startling her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°Tastes horrible.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting for this moment forever. Can you bear with it?¡± ¡°Of course I can, human. A year for you is but a moment for me.¡± ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve all been separated for a year. That¡¯s why we need to hurry¡ª GAH!¡± With a snap deep inside her body, no, her soul, Sasha and Major both fell into indescribable pain. The hurt and heat generated from within, reaching all the way to her fingers and toes. She convulsed, hands clenching her chest, as boiling spiritual venom coursed throughout her veins and nerves, trailing agony everywhere without mercy. Sasha¡¯s vision blurred. She drooled with tears falling. Major¡¯s voice distorted as it shook and walled within the satchel. She didn¡¯t even know that a machina could feel pain. It was an indescribable torture she wouldn¡¯t have wished onto anyone. Even Mercutio. Was she about to die? Had Andre given Lovecraft to her with malicious intent? Just when she thought it couldn¡¯t get worse, it did. Tenfold. A gut-wrenching, gory cracking and bouncing started within her chest. Her immune system was fighting against something and losing. Something was coming. Something was about to break out. Light. A pillar of enigmatic, prismatic light shot from her body and pierced the clouds. It went farther and farther beyond, spreading out like an aurora visible to half the planet, into the cosmoses and beyond. Her vision got fuzzy along with her other senses. They all faded until nothing was left. Sasha snapped awake on her feet. She felt twice as light on her feet and twice as aware of everything¡ªnot just of the past and present but of the future. The shingles she stood on were brown, but decades ago they were red, and they would soon lose all color when they were obliterated into nothing, but by what exactly? She didn¡¯t know yet. This¡­ projection was incredibly small. Sasha picked up Major and marveled at its transformation. Her great machina was no longer a dagger. It became a sword with a sharp blade and flared hilt, although still on the shorter side. Its ethereal eye shone with light magnitudes more vivid. She swung it through the air, producing a loud WHIP and gust of wind that way. It sent bricks flying from the chimney Mercutio slipped down earlier. ¡°Major, is this what godhood feels like?¡± She shook her head, confused. ¡°I still can¡¯t grasp why the king would give such a step up to me.¡± ¡°You are no god. Not even close. As for the king, I have no idea. His plans, and the extent of what he knows, seem complex. There may be something he knows which he hasn¡¯t shared. Something he intends to prepare you for¡­ or something like that.¡± Major trailed off. ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get to it, I guess. We have work to do.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, partner.¡± Sasha rushed to the edge of the roof and jumped. The soaring height and breakneck speed of her ascent surprised her. Arms waving with wind blowing in her ears, she landed three buildings down the block, leaving imprints of her feet in the stone. From roof to roof, she traveled. ¡°I feel powerful. I feel like I can win,¡± she said zooming through the air. ¡°Pride is fine, but don¡¯t bathe in it.¡± Something caught her attention. It was a change in the very way she perceived things. She no longer looked on the surface. She saw souls. They were burning flames of different sizes, colors, and intensities that pierced through lifeless construction and earth as easily as a seaside lighthouse through darkness. Every living thing possessed them. The souls of people stuck out from the hordes of ugly, dark red monster souls quite easily. ¡°I think I can see them. Everyone¡¯s still alive, I think, somehow,¡± Sasha said, feeling insecure but hopeful about her observation. ¡°There¡¯s a purple one on the weaker side nearby alone. It¡¯s being swarmed. I¡¯ll check it out.¡± Sasha landed in the streets, attracting the attention of a dozen beasts. As they galloped toward her, she drew Major, turning it into a magnificent double-bladed polearm. It spun at speeds faster than the eye could see, shredding not only the homunculi, but the buildings around her. She dodged a falling pillar and punched another in half to avoid being crushed. Shaking her hand off, Sasha was surprised by all the damage she¡¯d caused barely even trying. ¡°I need to be careful.¡± ¡°The power will take time to adjust to.¡± ¡°What exactly has happened to me though?¡± ¡°You are physically no different. It is your soul and, in turn, ki that has been bolstered to the next level.¡± Sasha squinted, feeling braindead. Major sensed this and further explained, ¡°Athleticism and training only bring warriors to a certain point. What takes them beyond the limits of humanity is spirituality. How dense is their ki? How much of it do they possess? How finely are they able to manipulate it? What is its nature? Think of all those things.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m getting it. I¡¯m not actually stronger then. It¡¯s this¡­ ki then? The new ki from Lovecraft.¡± ¡°Right. We have more to work with, and it is far denser, but you as an artist are still sloppy and unfocused. Do you know why?¡± Major responded. ¡°Because I don¡¯t know anything yet. Something of that sort.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t feel bitter about it. There is no helping that conflict after conflict has gotten in the way of your training. Once death no longer waits around each corner, you will have time.¡± ¡°Thank you, Major. I do want to get stronger or, someday, at least not feel so overwhelmed all the time.¡± Sasha peered down the alleyway she spotted the purple flame in. Instead of a person, the flame radiated from a metal garbage bin that had been banged around and scraped up until it looked like an absurdist art piece. Three furry, bear-like homunculi and one fishman knocked it around, convinced someone hid inside. Sasha whistled and all monsters jolted their heads at her. She bled and compressed ki in her fist while they stalked up. With a fling of the wrist, each had a hole blasted through them by crystalized needles of energy. They whimpered and dragged away out of fear. She finished each with a swing of Major in her stroll by. The lid to the garbage bin creaked open, revealing the eyes of someone put on edge. Sasha waved and the lid busted off. Simon crawled out, covered in superficial injuries and monster blood; so much blood in fact that he could¡¯ve been confused for a demon. He wobbled toward her, rattled and filled with disbelief. ¡°Sasha?¡± She nodded. They met in the middle and embraced, her arms around his hips. The moment was cut short by his meek outcry and pop from his lower back. She let go. ¡°Sorry.¡± In a rush to explain himself, Simon stumbled over his quick words. ¡°I¡ªI went to search for you, I did, but there were so many of them, and I really tried hard, and then I got lost, and cornered by some fish man thing asking me for water, and ran out of ki, and forgot which way you were dragged off, and ended up in the trash where I belong.¡± He ran out of breath and took deep ones bent over to bring himself back together. ¡°Now you¡¯re here in a clown costume and¡­¡± Gazing at her, as confused as he was intrigued, he ended with, ¡°You¡¯ve changed. Are you taller?¡± Ick! She¡¯d saved his life in a clown costume. Sasha ripped the silly ass shirt Mercutio cursed her with off without caring if only a bra was underneath. There were two ways to present herself, each embarrassing, and this one seemed like the better option for now. But was she taller? Was that a side effect? The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. Sasha asked Major, ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°You are not, but you may as well be with that ego of yours.¡± ¡°Listen here¡­¡± She shook her head, putting the dagger-turned sword aside to instead address Simon. ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain right now. I need to get to get to the others.¡± Simon shook his head up and down frantically like a yes man and limped forward, unprepared for combat. He didn¡¯t seem to care that he had nothing left to give. He was giving his smidge of might and ki anyway, no matter if he couldn¡¯t dent a cobweb. ¡°You¡¯re right. They need us. Let¡¯s go.¡± Sasha shook her head firmly. ¡°No, not you. You¡¯re done.¡± ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious. Now come with me.¡± ¡°Wait, what¡ª,¡± She picked him up like a bride and got to running. Her goal was the tallest building in sight. A clock tower. With his mouth agape, Simon asked, ¡°What the fuck is going on?!¡± ¡°I can barely tell you myself. Just know everything will be okay,¡± she replied. ¡°Whatever you say, Augh!¡± Sasha launched up into the air with an explosive jump. They reached the fourth story of the tower and met spiraling stairs, which she sprinted up, giving Simon the bumpiest ride in High Monestate. At the top, Sasha sat him down next to the massive clock with warmness about her. ¡°With how good you are at being sneaky, I know for a fact you¡¯ll be safe here. Don¡¯t you move now. Just vanish and wait here.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just do that. You know that, Sasha.¡± ¡°Please.¡± ¡°But¡­!¡± She kissed Simon. It wasn¡¯t very long or romantic, but it settled him down. He sighed and got quiet, his fingers resting upon his lips. Sasha asked again, ¡°Will you? Promise?¡± ¡°I will, and I promise, so stay safe. I¡¯ll hide here like a coward until you come back.¡± ¡°Good. That¡¯s a good boy.¡± He let out a painful chuckle. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m your dog?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re my owl.¡± Before Sasha left, they shared prolonged eye contact. Something about that silence communicated more than words. There was an awkwardness in the air. She hesitated to turn the corner to the stairs, leaving his sight, but eventually did. Rushing down, relief washed over her. No matter who or what was lost in the trouble to come, Simon would be perched there awaiting her return. He¡¯d promised, after all. *** Abdul stood atop a writhing hill of guts and flesh as Rainbow in The Dark sucked all light from High Monestate. He felt anxious. ¡°Isaac had to use it again. Are they¡­ doing well?¡± No matter how many times he cut down homunculi, they pieced themselves together and got back up while more and more flooded in from every direction. He was no different. He¡¯d already faced and escaped death four times against the horde in this battle alone. Every time he got away, they tracked and encircled him again, and slowly whittled down his flesh and spirit. It was a blurring, brutal cycle. He trudged over amputated limbs that still had life to them, stomping on and shattering gem-like, orb cores. Targeting homunculi cores worked if you wanted to put them down forever but it¡¯d turned into a nigh impossible endeavor. There just wasn¡¯t enough time to breathe or search. His ki was completely extinguished by this point, and his regeneration had ended. There were no more sparks. There were no more flames. There were no more second chances. And the more exhausted he became, the less motivated. Abdul questioned his resolve to survive and fight. He questioned why he ever came here in the first place. He wondered if he did have a place to go after it was over. Him? A monster like him? He could barely drag the claymore, Primus, despite its weightlessness. The sword wasn¡¯t the issue. It was him. His muscles were failing him. Abdul planted the edge of Primus into the stone and leaned onto it, gasping for air with lungs on fire. A large, winged beast with fur and devil horns spotted him from the sky and let out of a series of high-pitched barks. It rang Abdul¡¯s ears. Within a minute, a dozen more crept up from the sewers. In their mouths and claws, they carried the mauled remains of soldiers Abdul had never seen before, ornate plate armor and all. The Royal Guard. Foreign cries of what he assumed to be their comrades echoed out in the streets. This battle may have been far larger in scale. How were there so many? Did they multiply? Abdul stared at the winged creature zooming toward him, its tongue flapping in the wind, and sighed. ¡°They fly now, Primus. They fly.¡± Primus had always been a rambunctious machina, but it now possessed a rare seriousness. ¡°You can¡¯t fight any longer, Abdul. Either get low and hope they don¡¯t spot you or run.¡± ¡°We¡¯re far beyond hiding, my friend. Another horde is upon us.¡± ¡°Then run away, you buffoon!¡± Abdul took three steps and stumbled to a knee. ¡°You almost sound like you¡¯re caring about me now.¡± ¡°Sure, but not just me. There are others too.¡± ¡°Like who?¡± ¡°Sasha, Isaac, Elise¡­ Ignazio.¡± Hearing the last name made Abdul freeze up. With a sore lump in his throat, his lips curled up. ¡°Right. How had I forgotten?¡± Purple electricity surged and coursed across his countless wounds. With time, he would heal, but did he have time? Would he pull himself back from death five times in a row? The beasts fell upon him. Abdul aimed his palm at the winged one as it swooped in with fangs bared. He shot it down with a superhot blast that wrung out an excruciating agony in his chest. It felt like someone clenched his heart from within with intentions of crushing it. Not only that, but the heat came up short. It wasn¡¯t enough. He met the downed beast with nothing but Primus¡¯s sharpened steel and a bloody growl. His overhead swing barely punched an inch into its skull. The claymore cried out, ¡°RAHH!¡± and multiplied its weight until splitting it in half straight down the center. Primus celebrated with a victory roar as several smaller homunculi approached with caution. From around the corner, a hulking one peeked its head. It must¡¯ve been two stories tall. With a trembling voice, Primus promised, ¡°I¡¯ll protect you if you can muster the strength to swing me. I¡¯ll do all the work. So just grit your teeth and keep fighting!¡± In a daze, he nodded. ¡°Alright.¡± One agile, wolf-like beast lunged and latched onto Abdul¡¯s arm. While he fended it off, others snapped at and beat him down. He heaved Primus in a circle, cleaving their legs off, while another strangled him with tentacles from behind. Abdul sensed the giant¡¯s closeness not with his vision; everything was a shaky blur of blood and fear now. He heard its bounding footsteps. They shook the earth and his heart. An overwhelming force struck him in the back, crushing him face-first into the stone. It knocked the wind from his lungs. Primus shouted, ¡°Abdul!¡± He reached toward the claymore¡¯s handle, grazing it with his fingers, and then was crushed again. The impact flattened him back into the ground, sending fragmented stone and blood flying everywhere with a shockwave. Abdul felt something within snap and give in from that trauma. He lost most feeling in his body immediately. Some kind of important essence leaked out, and he would never get it back. All around him, homunculi screeched and cried but the sounds were laughter. They gathered around, patting each other on the back, hooting as if they¡¯d fell a god. There was much more to the minds of these monsters than just white noise. They were communicating. Their words were gibberish, but they spoke nonetheless. Abdul wheezed in and out, tensed up with muscles shaking. He reached for Primus one last time, faltered, and then relaxed. He relaxed everything. Surrounded by monsters that would soon devour him or wear him as a trophy, he fell into tranquility. Rainbow in the Dark¡¯s grip on all light faded and they were returned to reality under red, oppressing skies. They were in hell. Abdul had tried his best and it wasn¡¯t good enough. ¡°Sorry,¡± he said to Primus. ¡°I love you.¡± ¡°You fought well. Know that you are worthy.¡± Abdul closed his eyes, mumbling words barely audible. ¡°A contract. A special one.¡± ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± ¡°Live. Through me.¡± ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t do that to you.¡± ¡°Finish the fight.¡± A beam of light shot up into the atmosphere. It went farther and farther beyond, spreading out like an aurora visible to half the planet, into the cosmoses and beyond. Abdul¡¯s head sagged. He fell into a long, long slumber with a face free of weight, his vision blinding to white. Primus took a deep inhale and exhale. ¡°I will honor your wish, my friend.¡± They awoke on a Zaiban beach near Western Almura. It was Abdul¡¯s coastal home village. The ocean was known for its clear waters no matter the weather. Abdul drunk from a coconut with his feet in the shallows. He felt the sun¡¯s warm rays against his hazel skin with a smile. His body was riddled with horrible scars, but they were constellations that led him home. For that, he looked at them with gratitude. Abdul noticed Primus standing nearby and asked, ¡°Why so upset? Do you not feel the warmth on your back? No monsters are here either.¡± Primus looked away, sniffling. Not the claymore. The man. He appeared there in the form of the stout, vicious warrior he was in life. Abdul set his coconut down and came over, wrapping his arm around his shoulder. He looked up to Primus who made him appear frail in comparison. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad. I¡¯d say it beats living any day.¡± ¡°Won¡¯t you be lonely?¡± ¡°No. My family is here.¡± Abdul pointed out a villa between other homes and farms. Many people lived there. ¡°My father, mother, cousins, baby brother, and Xavier.¡± He hesitated, rubbing his irritated eyes. ¡°I finally get to be with them again, and I pray that everyone will be able to experience the same when their time comes.¡± Primus nodded, trying to keep his composure, but nothing could stop his tears from welling up. ¡°I¡¯m happy for you.¡± Filled with confidence, Abdul put his fist against Primus¡¯s chest, ¡°I have a request. Something I want you to tell everyone.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Abdul wandered away back into the shallows. The water went up to his ankles. He shared his final words staring out into the sea with the wind blowing his hair. ¡°I grew up only witnessing the worst sides of humanity. War, rape, burnings, torture, and suffering everywhere I went. Sometimes I participated. I strayed from my path, lost sight of the light, and found myself in an Eversea of darkness. A faithless, hateful creature concerned with only me. All I wanted was to feel good and forget everything, convinced I had nothing. Then I lost even that. But I was proven wrong about my verdict on humanity. I was shown the light. In death, I find myself saved, bathing in it. I know now that if people like you are out there, hope will never be lost. Light will always be fighting somewhere in the darkness, resilient, even if small. Because of that¡­ because of all of you, someone like me was redirected here instead of a cold, painful eternity in the depths of Yellen.¡± Primus couldn¡¯t respond. If he opened his mouth, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to control his emotions. Instead, he did his best to engrave Abdul into his sight and memory so that he may never forget him. ¡°Words cannot describe my gratitude to everyone, Primus. You especially.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll never forget you, Abdul. I want you to know that, out of countless wielders, you were my first true friend. And we never even made a contract.¡± Abdul smiled. ¡°Well, here we are now. It warms my heart to hear you say that. Until we meet again, my brother.¡± Primus awoke in a bloodbath. Creatures ravaged his limbs. With real pain surging through his body for the first time in centuries, he growled and yelled, ¡°Rah!¡± His voice was morphed by metallic distortion. A blast of heat exploded from his chest, blowing everything from him. The wave burned the oxygen in the air, leaving them breathless with airways now only crisps. Countless homunculi stopped, dropped, and rolled with frantic squealing while the giant patted off its skin on fire. Primus stood strong with arms crossed, asking, ¡°You chickens think you can extinguish us?! Who the hell do you think we are?!¡± He faced a three-story building and clenched his fist at it. With a single pull, the entire structure uprooted and collapsed over onto his enemies. They were all pancaked. Primus hopped to the top of the rubble. He glanced at himself up and down, confused. What had become of him? He was neither a human, claymore, or homunculus. If anything, the transformation was akin to God Aspect. Homunculi were meant to be machina in the flesh. Vessels. What did it mean for two machina to form a contract? In this case, fusion. A wave of emotions came over him. My friend, if we had done this earlier, you wouldn¡¯t have been lost, right? Right? No. One of our souls would have been lost either way. Primus stretched himself out. He looked as if Abdul had been possessed by a suit of armor shining silver. His eyes and gaps in the armor exhausted vivid, purple ki. The breathing blade spoke, ¡°Wait for me, everyone. I¡¯m coming.¡± Chapter 45 - The Summit One moment, Sasha sensed Isaac¡¯s ki alone. The next, King Andre¡¯s was there with him. Panic gripped her as she rushed down the street to his side. Not only that, but the homunculi everywhere were acting strange. They cowered where they stood. Some shook, rattled by paranoia, while others balled up and wept. One within hearing distance to her asked in broken, barely understandable words, ¡°No! Please forgive me!¡± She turned the corner into a great plaza. Isaac sat on the stone cradling Elise in his arms, utterly devastated. King Andre kneeled in front of him, surrounded by a massive entourage including nameless guardsmen and ki artists. Next to the king were most importantly the maid, Ashley, and Champion Gundyr. They all exchanged words too low to hear. Isaac let out a heavy sigh. Relief washed over him. King Andre extended his hand out to him, and he took it. Sasha trudged up, on guard, and called out, ¡°Isaac?!¡± She unsheathed Major, sending concerned expressions onto everyone¡¯s faces including the king. Champion Gundyr pulled out his long halberd, Metal Gear, and blocked her path. ¡°Care to not interrupt? This is an important meeting. I do not wish to hurt you.¡± An unknown, hooded man emanating warm ki took Elise, who was bleeding out and unresponsive, from Isaac. The stranger walked away with her, accompanied by a dozen royal guards. Andre helped Isaac up, who faced Sasha with rigid tension. ¡°Stand down! We¡¯ve spoken and come to an agreement. There will be no more fighting.¡± Sasha stared at him blankly. ¡°What¡­? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. You¡¯re negotiating with him? Him of all people?¡± Isaac pointed to Elise as she was taken away, a tremble and weakness to his voice. ¡°He¡¯s going to heal her. I must find a compromise with him here or she¡¯s dead. I knew I didn¡¯t have it in me to fight this fight. I knew it.¡± Sasha put away Major. Filled with uncertainty, she questioned, ¡°And if he¡¯s lying?¡± King Andre furrowed his brow at Sasha. She ignored him. Isaac responded, ¡°Then so be it. Nothing¡¯s in print yet. I¡¯ve made no choices for anyone but myself. All he wants from us is to hear him out. We¡¯re not bound to anything beyond that.¡± King Andre interjected, ¡°You all will be my esteemed guests in Castle Hemmer until our negotiations and the investigation of this World¡¯s Shiver are over. When it¡¯s come to an end, whether we come to an agreement or not, you will be released. You¡¯ll have the freedom to return to your journey to Convergence or your normal lives.¡± Sasha directed her animosity to Andre next, who bowed slightly when she addressed him. ¡°You. I reject you and you come to him next?¡± ¡°All of you are a team, correct? Why do your words weigh more than King Isaac¡¯s? Do you not value them? Do you think you know better, girl?¡± She shut her mouth. King Isaac? He did have a point even if said in a condescending way. Andre continued, ¡°Perhaps consulting the child first was a mistake. I should have come to you first, King Isaac.¡± Isaac shook his head. ¡°Stop calling me ¡°King¡±. I¡¯m no king. I¡¯ll never live up to that mantle.¡± ¡°We shall see about that.¡± Sasha toiled over the situation they¡¯d found themselves in. Major told her, Calm yourself. Tantrums here will do nothing more than make you look childish. They will help no one. I know. My bad. She had an important question though. One she couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Andre, what is the point of negotiating with us when you have that book? Can¡¯t you tell how we will answer already?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking at it wrong. It is because of this book that I have decided to do this instead of choosing a route more¡­¡± He looked off into the distance as if distracted. ¡°Violent.¡± His face became visibly twitchy. From the rooftops Andre glared at, an enigmatic figure appeared. A man of silver armor and tremendous purple spirit met the king¡¯s eyes staring. Andre asked, ¡°Now who is this? It¡¯s¡­ unwritten.¡± The others wondered too. Isaac asked, ¡°Abdul?¡± The man jumped off the side of the roof, landed gracefully, and walked his way over. Everyone took note of his aura. The closer he got, the more like Abdul he appeared to be, but the less like Abdul his mannerisms made him seem. The claymore, Primus, was gone too. Sasha asked, ¡°Who¡­ are you? You¡¯re not Abdul, are you? Where is Abdul?¡± Her nervousness spiked. She realized that she had yet to sense his soul anywhere. The man responded, ¡°Abdul is no longer with us. In his final breaths, he offered his body to me.¡± Sasha froze up. King Andre was fascinated by this new existence and the implications behind it. Isaac choked out, ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°I am Primus,¡± the breathing blade said. He glared at Andre, put off by his disarmed presence. ¡°And what I¡¯m seeing here would rub Abdul wrong, so it rubs me wrong.¡± He wasn¡¯t keen to get too close to who was supposed to be his enemy, so he kept space between them. ¡°Did Abdul fight well?¡± Isaac asked. ¡°He did. He fought until the end and found peace in death. Abdul¡­ wanted me to express his gratitude to all of you.¡± Primus responded. But then his eyes fell back upon Andre. ¡°He didn¡¯t have to die though. Who shall I blame for this?¡± ¡°You all took on the risk coming here, did you not?¡± Andre responded. ¡°Whether I created these monsters is up to you, but I did not release them. This is a result of a clown¡¯s antics. Anyway, shall we be on our way?¡± Sasha couldn¡¯t look up from the ground. If she had accepted Andre¡¯s deal earlier, the homunculi could¡¯ve been stopped before taking Abdul¡¯s life. If she were stronger and faster, she could¡¯ve cut them down herself. She could have saved everyone. Elise wouldn¡¯t have gotten hurt and used as leverage to bring Isaac onto Andre¡¯s side. There were so many ways it could¡¯ve gone better. All the possibilities swirled inside of her head, making her sick and dizzy. She tried to shake them off for now. She had to focus on the moment. She had to stay vigilant. ¡°Primus, it looks like, for now, we¡¯ll be going with the king. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me. I¡¯ll restrain my kill drive until I get a reason not to.¡± He glared at King Andre. Andre ignored Primus. ¡°We¡¯ll be off then. Elise is in dire need of attention from my healer. I wouldn¡¯t want King Isaac to lose his queen.¡± Sasha asked, ¡°Are you capable of such things?¡± She didn¡¯t want to make a big scene about it, but Elise did look bad. She couldn¡¯t fault Isaac for his decisions if Andre truly could bring her from death¡¯s door. Andre shot back with, ¡°Of course I can. I¡¯m the king. I house a great healer in Castle Hemmer. He possesses rare life-natured ki.¡± ¡°Life nature?¡± Major explained, ¡°One of the most valuable. They cure diseases and mend wounds. Not even he can stop the body¡¯s natural degradation, though, right Andre?¡± Andre chuckled. ¡°You know me well.¡± The now giant group headed off to Castle Hemmer together as the royal guard culled terrified, surrendered homunculi with no resistance. Sasha turned back toward the clock tower. Simon¡­ *** Ashley bowed to Sasha, gesturing to a door in a hallway deep within Castle Hemmer. ¡°This is your room, madam.¡± ¡°¡­¡± They stared at one another in silence, Sasha¡¯s gaze far colder. Ashley eventually broke it. ¡°I understand your hostility, but to think you wouldn¡¯t even try to hide it. Be generous to your king.¡± ¡°Generous? That man isn¡¯t my king.¡± ¡°If only I could kill you myself. I don¡¯t understand what His Highness sees in you. This must be some big joke.¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°I don¡¯t get it either.¡± They caught onto the fact that they¡¯d agreed on something. Both scoffed and gave each other cold shoulders. Ashley walked off to duties she found more important. Sasha called out to her, ¡°Are you not tasked with keeping an eye on us?¡± ¡°We have no such orders. Don¡¯t steal anything.¡± ¡°As if I would.¡± Sasha was left dumbstruck outside her room. Are we truly guests here? It would seem so, Major responded. A trio of royal guardsmen on patrol walked by. They didn¡¯t even give Sasha a glance. It was as if she were invisible, and her realizing that only brought thoughts of Simon. Sasha explored her giant room tiptoeing with heightened eyes sweeping over everything. There were no souls in her room, and no suspicious souls in her hallway. After letting out a prolonged sigh, she plopped down on the bed. Her palm¡¯s contact with the blanket underneath her sent projections throughout her mind. It¡¯d specifically come from sheep on the northern edge of the continent, commissioned by King Andre, and made by an old beastwoman decades ago. Sasha shook the blanket¡¯s past from her mind. ¡°Major.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°How can I have access to so much knowledge yet feel like I know absolutely nothing?¡± ¡°Youth is my answer.¡± ¡°Youth? Can you explain?¡± ¡°A normal human mind can only absorb so much information and remember so many names. It¡¯s worse in your case because your juvenile brain isn¡¯t fully developed.¡± ¡°Why do I feel offended?¡± ¡°Youth.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Major?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Should we investigate?¡± ¡°Do as you wish but just be careful. Now isn¡¯t the time to start trouble.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t start anything. I¡¯d like to visit Isaac, but I don¡¯t know if he wants to see me. And Simon? Is he still waiting on that clocktower?¡± ¡°You left him there, Sasha.¡± ¡°And for good reason. I just hope it¡¯s not cold.¡± ¡°It¡¯s most likely freezing.¡± ¡°Fuck me, of course it is.¡± Major steered the conversation away from their abandoned ally. ¡°At the very least, I don¡¯t sense lies or evil in King Andre¡¯s comrades. He himself is unreadable, but everyone else is in the same boat as us. Confused, going along with his whims.¡± ¡°So, it should be safe then? To sleep?¡± ¡°Perhaps, but who knows what will come from Andre or World¡¯s Shiver?¡± Sasha rolled over onto her side, gazing at the bedside lit lantern. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll see soon. I¡¯m leaving the light on tonight.¡± Her sleep did not last long. Sasha awoke to Major growling her name. ¡°Sasha! Girl, wake up!¡± She rolled over to a flickering lamp and multicolored whisps through the walls dashing in every direction. Souls in movement. Hundreds of them across Hemmer, half malignant red and half human. The walls shook, sending dust to fall from the ceiling. World¡¯s Shiver intensified through the windows blood red. Reality quivered. For a moment, Sasha was in a hellscape with rolling ashen hills, rivers of lava, and millions of corpses impaled on jagged stakes. Sasha burst out of bed to find her room in Castle Hemmer back to normal, though still stirring with chaos. She grabbed Major and took to the halls. She came face to face with a creature that, until now, only existed in nightmares and imagination. A walking skeleton stood eight feet tall with eight mangled arms and a skull perpetually aflame. It stepped over the burnt corpse of a Royal Guard. The flame of this hellspawn caught on a draping tapestry, spreading from there. Smoke raised to the ceiling and blanketed. The creature reached for Sasha. With her heart pounding, she heaved Major, cleaving it in half. It crumbled into a pile of bones and ash, easier than expected. Moments later, though, the thing began to reassemble itself. It roared at her, speaking, ¡°The time for reclamation is nigh! The Arbiter has arrived!¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t a homunculus. It¡¯s a being straight from lower Yellen,¡± Major said. ¡°Through The Apparatus?¡± Sasha responded. ¡°Most likely. We need to destroy it. Immediately.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll need the others though.¡± ¡°Then find them.¡± She looked back at the creature nearly back on its feet. ¡°What do I do about this thing?¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t kill it, ignore it.¡± She sighed. ¡°What is even happening anymore? It¡¯s good that I didn¡¯t bring Simon into this.¡± ¡°Is he the only one you think of now?¡± Sasha didn¡¯t answer that. She sprinted down the halls of Hemmer, going straight toward the closest human souls she could sense. Most were wounded soldiers on or nearing their deathbeds. After turning a corner, she ran into Champion Gundyr and his halberd machina Metal Gear. The warrior missing half of his silver armor, yet still helmed, loaded shells into a sawed-off double barrel shotgun. He let out an intrigued, ¡°Hm?¡± upon seeing her. Then, without looking, he aimed and blew the skull off a lunging fish-frogman. Lightning natured ki coursed across his body. Sasha yelped, surprised by the loudness. Her ears rang. Purple, steaming blood erupted from the monster¡¯s exploded head, landing on Gundyr¡¯s hand. It melted through his gauntlet, skin, and went to the bone. He dropped the shotgun and held his hand to himself, groaning in agony. It was pain horrible enough to make him froth at the mouth. Sasha approached him, asking, ¡°Gods. Are you alright?¡± ¡°I doubt it.¡± He nudged the gun on the ground with his foot. ¡°You take this. I can¡¯t use it now.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°A New Age prototype. The gun. Pick it up.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Sasha picked up the shotgun, immediately looking down the barrel. Gundyr sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t do that.¡± He set Metal Gear against a wall. ¡°Give it to me.¡± She obliged and watched him struggle to instruct her on it. ¡°First, break open the gun like this.¡± He opened it up, launching two empty shells from his side of the barrel. ¡°Give me two more shells from the satchel hanging on my left side.¡± After she handed them to him, he shoved them in. ¡°Make sure they go in this way. Not the other way. Then you close it and pull the hammer back. Pull these two triggers down here and whatever¡¯s in front of the barrel dies.¡± He shoved the gun towards her. ¡°Don¡¯t aim her at anybody you want to live. Don¡¯t pull her triggers unless you want her to shoot. Clean her. Take care of her. Don¡¯t drop her in the mud. If she breaks, don¡¯t throw her away, and don¡¯t take her to just any bumfuck for fixing.¡± ¡°Her?¡± Sasha asked. ¡°Is she a machina?¡± ¡°No, but she¡¯s a good girl.¡± ¡°What¡¯s her name?¡± ¡°Boomstick Betty.¡± Sasha hung the shotgun from its leather sling around her back and took Gundyr¡¯s satchel of shells. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of her. Thank you, but why me?¡± ¡°It could¡¯ve been anyone. If I die here, I don¡¯t want her to rot away in such a place.¡± ¡°Your actual machina must be jealous.¡± Gundyr shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re looking for your people. So am I.¡± ¡°These creatures seem to be coming in through The Apparatus. We intend to destroy it,¡± Major interjected. ¡°So, we could have a goal in common. Could work on this together, all of us, after we regroup.¡± Something came up in Sasha¡¯s mind. ¡°I do have a question. Is Jericho still alive somewhere in here?¡± ¡°Before I answer¡­, you don¡¯t mean to ally with him, right?¡± ¡°If push comes to shove.¡± ¡°Hemmer¡¯s dungeon. At the end of the West Wing. Do know that he and I won¡¯t get along.¡± ¡°Noted.¡± Sasha drew Major, alerted by a presence. ¡°More demons are coming.¡± Gundyr planted Metal Gear into the ground. ¡°Rules of Nature.¡± Its gears turned. The air around them shifted, but it wasn¡¯t in a way Sasha could pinpoint. The dark red signatures ahead slowed to a lulling pace, and their colors shifted warmer. ¡°What did you do?¡± she asked him. ¡°Erased violence.¡± ¡°What? What is violence? Major?¡± Her blade squinted. ¡°I¡¯m unsure.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll soon remember. Let¡¯s go,¡± Gundyr said. They walked past wandering otherworldly horrors that seemed to lack purpose. These creatures looked at the paintings dotting the halls and smelt the potted plants as Sasha led Gundyr to the next friendly soul signature. Gundyr spotted the utter confusion on Sasha¡¯s face. He explained, ¡°My power lets me shift reality by changing its rules. Sounds strong, but it has its catches. Temporary, ki-exhaustive, short range, and only one shift at a time. Not to mention that we all follow the same rules. It¡¯s hard to hurt enemies without hurting myself.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re power takes a lot, then you should save it. Don¡¯t waste it to help me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more so giving myself a break here. Can you handle the monsters?¡± ¡°Of course I can. I¡¯ll point them in the right direction.¡± ¡°Sasha would help anyone without a second thought. Even a monster,¡± Major added. His power was dispelled, and violence was restored. In that moment, Sasha realized what he¡¯d meant by the question. A scaly, serpentine beast raced toward them with fanged jaws wide open. It bounced off a wavy shield of ki she manifested in the last second. She drew Major and sliced its head off as Gundyr backstepped to hide behind her. ¡°Can you not fight?¡± Major asked him. Gundyr held his hand closely to his chest. He was sweating profusely with a heavy breath. ¡°No. I can barely move my power arm. If things get dicey, I¡¯ll activate my machina. Put swinging by the healer on our to-do list.¡± Sasha nodded at him. ¡°No issue with that. I¡¯ll get you there.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s only if he hasn¡¯t abandoned his station with this place going to shit.¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that, right?¡± ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t?¡± Elise and Isaac came up in Sasha¡¯s mind. If her healing was interrupted, it would be one thing to lose her, but how would he take it? ¡°We can¡¯t let that happen.¡± Their travels took them to a great bridge linking the East and West wings where another of their allies hopefully awaited. A single guard with dented up armor and a blood puddle underneath sat against the railings with agonal breathing. ¡°Put him out of his misery,¡± Gundyr ordered. ¡°Alright,¡± Sasha responded. She unsheathed Major and laid the guard to rest with a single, carefully placed swing. ¡°May you rest with your brothers,¡± he said to the man now deceased. He gave a bow that Sasha joined in on. They crossed and passed through to the West Wing. An unrecognizable corpse flew by, exploding against a bedroom wall which caved in. ¡°Bring it! Is that all you¡¯ve got?¡± a metallic voice beckoned. They met Primus as he ripped arms from demons in a pool of blood, frenzied with excitement. Who was the real monster there? Gundyr slipped behind Sasha to use her as a meat shield again. ¡°Primus?¡± Sasha asked. He dropped the demon and straightened up. ¡°Ah, Sasha! You¡¯re here in one piece!¡± ¡°How are you taking the freedom of having legs?¡± ¡°It¡¯s great. I can kill any¡ª I mean do anything I want. Were you perhaps looking for me?¡± ¡°We were.¡± Primus was elated. ¡°I don¡¯t know where these fuckers are coming from. Think this castle has an infestation.¡± ¡°We¡¯re taking care of it. We need you. Come with us.¡± The group became three, though Gundyr and Primus looked jittery next to each other. It was like they¡¯d start brawling at any moment. ¡°You look strong,¡± Primus said, sizing him up. ¡°I enjoy a challenge, but right now isn¡¯t the time to pick a bone with me.¡± ¡°Then after this is over?¡± ¡°Sure. I hope you are a good loser.¡± Sasha counted on her fingers as she went over names in her head. ¡°Now, where is Isaac at?¡± She turned to Gundyr. ¡°And who are you looking for?¡± ¡°I take orders from the king, so him. And wherever he is, the maid will be,¡± Gundyr said. Primus put his hand on Sasha¡¯s shoulder to get her attention. ¡°That¡¯s where Isaac went. To Andre. He wanted to protect his girl.¡± Sasha could see that easily. ¡°That¡¯s like him. So, we go that way and find everyone? The king, Isaac, Elise, and that maid included.¡± All eyes fell on Champion Gundyr. He met their expectations with due diligence. ¡°I¡¯ll lead you there. More the merrier.¡±