《Unchained Chaos》


 Prologue: Fallen Gods

    The Third Prince of Iros finally let the limp hand fall from his grasp. It didn¡¯t matter that he and the other Princes had mourned each other before the battle had even begun, the pain of loss would not be diminished. But neither would the bonds of duty, and the Third Prince would fulfill his, regardless of cost, of pain, of sacrifice. He rose slowly into the air, not wishing to step around and amongst the dead. Too many were those he recognized...too many were family.


    He allowed his gaze to take in the whole of the battlefield, his powerful senses more than enough to paint a vivid picture of the horrors that had taken place here. It had been such a good cause, hadn¡¯t it? A worthy cause, one worth dying for. One worth killing for certainly, but that was too easily true in this pitiless world. He hoped that would finally change, now that they¡¯d won.


    A bitter laugh escaped his throat, echoing loudly amongst the endless fields of the dead. Calling this a victory felt like madness. The Third Prince took in the sight once more, his laughter as forgotten as he soon would be. Fires burned in every direction, a common side-effect of the wanton power that had been thrown around with reckless abandon. Hills rose and fell, shaping the landscape as far as even his eyes could reach. Some were natural, others a byproduct of some power or other, but most were simply the dead. Piled high into the thousands, and then stomped down by ally and enemy alike in a battle that seemed to have no end.


    The Third Prince felt his body spasm, a bitter reminder that the end had surely come. He¡¯d be the last to fall, as they had all expected. He would never be a match for the near force of nature his eldest brother had been, nor did he possess a fraction of the Second Prince¡¯s versatility, not even the unshakable faith of his younger brother, but he had always been one thing above all else: relentless. He would rise when others would fall, he would persevere when others would break¡­he would complete their duty when all his brothers lay dead and broken at his feet. And so he continued his slow journey, willing himself toward the artifact left behind for this moment.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if he had the strength to move faster than the gentle pace he set for himself, practically meandering toward his fate, but even his so-called relentless tendency to charge ever-forward didn¡¯t include rushing to his own certain death. He chose instead to be grateful for these final moments, as he drifted as if on a light breeze ever upward toward the site of the final battle. Not his final battle, he had no more wars to wage. This was the resting place of the First Prince, now a shared grave with the fool of a God that he had died slaying.


    The battlefield covered at least the majority of the continent, and it would be left to the philosophers and historians to decide if calling the entirety of the world a single battlefield was more accurate. Without question no corner of Iros, however distant, had managed to avoid the conflict entirely. As such, even flying high above the Plains of Karavash, he had some time before he¡¯d reach his destination.


    His lofty perspective gave him a near-endless view of how the battle had played-out, and the ages he¡¯d lived gave him the experience to piece it together as he flew. The elementalists had, as always, made their presence known in the most obvious of ways. He saw rivers of fire colliding with towering glaciers, artificial mountains conjured by the earth-touched, then perverted into volcanoes by their flame-touched counterparts.


    There was evidence of the less common combatants as well. Massive lightning storms still raged, no doubt conjured by a weather sorcerer of some power. Carnivorous plants had risen from below, alongside countless summoned creatures and the odd, clock-work bodies of lifeless automatons. The technology-obsessed House of Dalton somehow always managed to impress, no matter what the more traditionally-inclined houses might say behind their backs¨Cor even to their faces.


    At one point he passed a near-endless series of metal spikes, impaling countless numbers of the enemy, and rising into the sky like some ancient, steel forest. The Third Prince smiled sadly, knowing the metallurgist responsible for the destruction, and sorry that the gentle man had been forced to do something so counter to his nature. His capacity for destruction had always been nothing compared to his capacity for love and forgiveness.


    The Third Prince took on a grim countenance as he considered the fallen forces of Karavash, and concluded¨Cnot for the first time¨Cthat they were beyond forgiveness. They weren¡¯t true Children after all. They weren¡¯t born of this world, tied to it, part of it. They were creations of a single mad tyrant, one willing and capable of breaking every rule of law or nature that Iros once had. They were far more numerous than his forces, but still were difficult to discern amongst the dead. Though so many had been twisted or warped to serve some new purpose, many were simply smaller copies of Karavash himself, and the similarities amongst their coloring and appearance made it difficult to guess at what their numbers had been.


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    Any speculation was cut short as the clouds parted before him, and Karavash himself came into view. Though many things made the being unusual, his appearance was not one of them, being well in-line with many of the ancient Elders. The scale of him was admittedly impressive, even for one so old. He eclipsed any natural formation on Iros, appearing to the eyes of the Third as nothing so much as a living mountain range, spreading practically to the horizon. It was rumored Karavash had been forced to construct his own throne, as few minds were capable of conceiving of such scale. As the body grew close enough for the Third to make out details, he acknowledged with grim satisfaction that this was a ¡°living¡± mountain range no longer.


    The lower body came into view first, which was quadrupedal. The upper torso had similarly supported four arms¨Cthough most of Karavash¡¯s limbs were either missing entirely or so ravaged as to be unrecognizable now. It was a common body type favored by those that valued power above all else, but it had gone out of fashion in the times of the Prince¡¯s grandfather¨Cdespite the man being famously power-obsessed, himself.


    All four princes had preferred the comparatively simpler form pioneered by their father, utilizing only two arms and two legs, positioned symmetrically at the top and bottom of the torso respectively. It was a form of swiftness and precision, as well as one especially capable of utilizing weapons; something most Elders still considered to be a show of weakness. The Third was an undeniable master of hand-wielded weapons, and he¡¯d slain enough Elders with them that he considered the argument long decided.


    Still, all his blades had meant nothing when he raised them against Karavash. His size hadn¡¯t been the problem, as dramatic differences in scale was one of the oldest and most fundamental of combat inequities on Iros, and there were countless methods to account for it. It was everything else that made the Third, and so many others nearly impotent against the vast and terrible monster he now flew over.


    Karavash had been an impossibility. Every generation had the potential to reach heights of power beyond the previous; that had been true for the entirety of the long history of this ancient world, and the Children of Korthos¨Cthe Prince¡¯s people¨Cshould have been leagues beyond even that lofty standard. Yet the endless dead were testament to the unusual nature of Karavash, now looming before him. Even his lifeless corpse¨Cblasted quite literally halfway to Oblivion¨Cwas still a sea of power beyond anything that should be possible in this world.


    Karavash was generations old, ancient even by the standards of their race. Yet he had proven something that was practically blasphemy in a world where Children were born with the potential to destroy the very stars: that knowledge of all things, could be power. The Third Prince hated that they still didn¡¯t understand the secrets that had allowed Karavash to Emerge with a strength beyond reason, with the ability to shatter the very laws of nature that had governed their world.


    Elders had power; they could not become Elders without amassing power over thousands, if not millions of years. But the next generation would be shaped by that power, regardless of the Elder¡¯s wishes. The new Children would be born, and hunted down by those not ready to relinquish their rule, or raised up by those who had embraced a new purpose. Either way a Child was never born more powerful than the Elder from which they spawned, but given sufficient time, surpassing that Elder was an inevitability.


    And then came Karavash; then came a living God, with power and ability beyond scope or imagining. Only the Second Prince¡¯s genius and the unusual nature of the First had provided the smallest glimmer of possibility beyond certain doom. Evidence of the First¡¯s power was still everywhere, pockets of pure Oblivion littering the landscape. The First Prince, and the first soul ever to manifest the purely destructive nature of Oblivion: his loss would be felt for eons.


    ¡°You should have let us call you King, brother, even just once. Father would have understood.¡± A small half-smile touched his lips as he glanced toward the heavens, before pain ravaged through him, his soul feeling like it was being ripped apart¨Cwhich it was. He knew there was little time left, he¡¯d simply given up too much to make this work. He managed to quicken his pace, nearly at the remains of Karavash¡¯s chest, where the broken remnants of his Soul Core was still accessible.


    He landed with none of his usual grace. His golden armor felt heavy, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to prevent his own Soul Core from rupturing. He stumbled up to the artifact, still embedded in the center of Karavash¡¯s own shattered Core from where the First had used it to strike the killing blow. Only the preposterous amount of energy it was siphoning was preventing the dead God from rising, even now.


    Placing his hand on what looked like little more than a pure white rod, tears came suddenly to his eyes for the first time in what felt like¨Cand may have been¨Ceons. He could feel his brothers. A final gift from the Second; one last act of genius and compassion: the Third Prince would not have to die alone.


    As everything that had been the Third Prince of Iros was being pulled into the artifact, he spoke one final time.¡°Well, Karavash, you miserable, arrogant wretch, this is the end. Now you and I will save this world together. Now¡­we bring the Calm.¡±

 Chapter 1: Rude Awakening

    The world seemed to alternately appear and fade away in horrifying flashes. Pressed as far back against the cold stone wall as he could force his body, the man felt paralyzed by the scene before him. Panic washed over him each time the device on the dead man¡¯s arm blinked on, briefly illuminating the otherwise pitch-black chamber, and the grizzly mess that was all that remained of the mysterious body, lying mere inches away.


    Desperately searching through a clouded mind, the man recalled a name; it wasn¡¯t the name he expected, but somehow he knew it was his. Kade forced his eyes shut for a moment, breathing through the terror and forcing himself to something resembling calm. After the brief reprieve, and with steeled nerves, Kade finally opened his eyes once more.


    Sadly the world hadn¡¯t resolved into a more tolerable reality: before him was still the shattered and torn remains of what had once been a man. Illumination still coming only from the odd, blinking device, Kade took in the tattered ruins of some kind of robe covering the lower half of the body, but when he dragged his eyes upward, the slow strobing of light revealed nothing but a crater where the man¡¯s upper torso had once been.


    Kade felt himself hyperventilating, but couldn¡¯t slow his breathing as he absorbed a sight beyond anything his fractured mind could make sense of. The man¡¯s left arm had been entirely severed, thankfully leaving the room¡¯s only light source intact. That light didn¡¯t reach far, but did reveal even further mysteries as Kade continued to slowly consider everything before him.


    The strangeness of the sight managed to pull Kade¡¯s flailing mind into a sort of focus, as he realized there was actually a surprising lack of gore accompanying such wanton destruction of a human body. The cause appeared to be some kind of intense cold, as the remains¨Cespecially where the flesh met its unnatural end above the man¡¯s waist¨Cwere covered in a thick layer of frost.


    Kade, becoming aware that he was clothed only in dark pants, didn''t think it was possible that the room itself was cold enough to cause the strange occurrence, but he knew his perspective was unreliable. While his memories still felt disjointed and confused, he remembered with painful clarity the extreme case of hypothermia he¡¯d experienced as a child. It left him feeling perpetually cold, even standing in the hot sun, so his sense of temperature wasn¡¯t to be trusted. Still, there didn¡¯t seem to be signs of frost anywhere but the body.


    The moment of reverie brought on by his discovery faded, and again Kade was forced to confront the truth of the situation, fear still threatening to overwhelm him. He had no idea how he¡¯d come to be in this terrible place, and other than an unknown amount of time he¡¯d spent screaming into the dark, he had no memories of being here at all. But what he was certain of, was that he was in the middle of the most terrifying experience of his life, and he was acutely aware that he had no sense of the room beyond the small circle of light provided by the device.


    For a long moment the dark curiosity of what else the room had to offer battled the paralyzing fear still holding him against the wall, but finally Kade managed to take the only path available to him. In as close to a single movement as he could manage, he quickly ducked down and snatched at the blinking device. He was bracing himself for the vomit-inducing experience of having to pry the device from the ravaged arm, but instead fell backward as what was evidently a thick bracelet slipped off with no difficulty.


    Now finding himself sitting on the hard, uneven stone floor of what he assumed was a cave, Kade fumbled uselessly with the device. He was disturbed to discover that whatever light the bracelet had provided had ceased, no longer even providing even intermittent illumination. With few options, and an overwhelming need to not be alone in the dark, he tried to force the bracelet onto his own left wrist, but somehow found the task eluding him.


    He could feel some kind of clasp that had opened as he¡¯d pulled the device from his mysterious roommate, but trying to squeeze it closed was like pushing magnets together against their attraction. He could feel tears pouring down his face as frustration and dread threatened to overwhelm him.


    He heard his own broken voice whispering in the dark, ¡°Please-please-please, go on. GO ON! Please, I need this, I need this to work. I need it, please!¡± The last came out as a tattered sob, but was punctuated by a soft click as the bracelet at last fastened into place. Relief poured through Kade as his manic sobs echoed in the chamber around him. In moments, the tears shifted to joy as the bracelet began shining even more brightly than before.


    His eyes burned at the sudden return of the illumination, but he savored the pain as the world around him slowly became visible once more. Kade tried to look around, but found relief quickly turning to frustration as the light returned to a dim, blinking state. Without thinking he slapped at the glowing bracelet, using the time-tested method of aimless violence against malfunctioning technology.


    His surprise reached new heights as the bracelet reacted immediately. Shock painted Kade¡¯s features as he felt the smooth metal of the bracelet somehow expand rapidly on his wrist. Faster than his eyes could follow in the weak light, the bracelet had transformed into some kind of tight-fitting bracer covering the length of his forearm. It appeared simple and unadorned save for a smooth flat surface on the top, that blessedly began to glow with a soft, steady light as he stared in confusion.


    The light slowly resolved into what looked like letters, but Kade found he had to blink several times before he could make out what was written. His eyes grew wider in confusion as words continued to appear on what he now realized was a small screen.


    Bracer has been successfully Bound.


    Synchronizing with Soul Core¡­


    Soul Core not found, searching alternate mana channels¡­


    Mana channels not found, recalibrating¡­


    WARNING: anomalous energy detected.


    Generating interface¡­


    Kade watched the screen with his mouth falling slowly open. He found that the terror and stress of the situation was an almost physical block in his mind, but the bracer being the single source of both light, and digestible information, allowed him to persevere. He let his eyes scan over the information displayed, and found himself fascinated as true to its words, the screen resolved into an intuitive interface.


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Human (Variant)


    Soul Core: Not Found


    Lifeforce: Non-differentiated


    Mana: 0/0


    Anomalous Energy: 1/1


    Class: Unknown


    Ability (1)


    Unknown: Rank 1


    Cost: Anomalous Energy (Variable)


    Description: Unknown


    Ability (2)


    (Sealed)


    Ability (3)


    (Sealed)


    Kade felt his eyes glaze over as he attempted to absorb the numerous lines of information. He let his gaze linger on the ¡°Variant¡± tag next to the designation of human. The abilities were intriguing, possibly something provided to him by the mysterious bracer? With little else to try, and a mind numb from trauma, Kade simply started mashing his finger against the screen, hoping to find anything more clear, or more helpful.


    He was rewarded by discovering some kind of menu-navigation, with multiple locked functions. Only two allowed him access other than what he discovered was a status screen that he had already read. The first looked like it was intended to be a map, but all it had presently was a title: ¡°Chaos Remnant of Altera Vil Lothra¡±, and what he assumed was a miniscule representation of himself in a tiny revealed circle of light.


    Kade actually managed to find some solace in the extremely insane name of wherever the hell he currently was. Somehow the fact that everything was crazy was allowing some things to seem almost manageable. If he was indeed some kind of mutant human inside something called a Chaos Remnant, infected with unknown energy and mashing buttons on a haunted bracelet, then maybe the body in front of him, and his increasing awareness of the smell of death permeating his senses were comparatively pedestrian.


    Somehow that line of thinking seemed to break something inside him, and he was surprised to realize he was actually laughing out loud. Even in his addled state he could recognize the manic twinge to the laugh, but somehow couldn¡¯t stop himself. He didn¡¯t know how long it went on, a small part of him recognizing it for the ludicrously insufficient coping mechanism that it was, while another part of him railed that he was alerting any number of unknown horrors to his presence.


    But the simple truth was that he was lost and alone, and living a nightmare beyond what his tortured mind was capable of processing. His eyes darted wildly around the dark room, and he felt his body heaving as he gasped for breath. He didn¡¯t know how long the laughter went on, but when it at last subsided, Kade was left feeling blessedly numb.


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    He¡¯d encountered this before, when a period of sustained high-emotion had seemed to burn him out, leaving behind a relatively focused mind, with nothing but cold logic and bleak acceptance remaining. In another setting this was a dangerous mindset to have, but at this moment it may be his only chance at salvation.


    Not trusting this state to last, he immediately went to work. First, he went back to the bracer; his more rational self exploring the interface it had generated. He thankfully discovered a function that raised the brightness until it was practically a torch on his arm, that oddly didn¡¯t impede his ability to read from the screen. The increased illumination revealed the rest of the chamber, proving far worse than his limited imagination had suggested.


    The chamber was some combination of laboratory and medieval torture museum, complete with shelves and tables covered in everything covered in all manner of horrors. From strange liquids in cracked, dusty jars, to saws, and knives that could only have been wildly impractical for anything resembling delicate surgery. Dried blood was splattered everywhere, and Kade couldn¡¯t fool himself into believing it all came from the dead man at his feet.


    The tiniest sliver of panic returned as he ran his hands over his exposed chest and flesh, checking for any evidence of having been experimented on. Breathing more evenly when he found nothing, Kade resumed his visual exploration of the chamber. It was divided into stalls, one of which was occupied by himself, and the remains of the man Kade was coming to believe had been his jailer, torturer, or both.


    Looking into the others, Kade saw the fate that he may have narrowly avoided. There appeared to be at least a dozen, lined up against one side of the chamber, and each contained a future nightmare Kade was certain to experience given the chance. Not wanting to test his newfound calm, he didn¡¯t allow his eyes to linger on any single body long enough to take in all the details, but even his brief glances left him with images seemingly seared into his mind.


    Any clear indication of who or even what the bodies had been before they were¡­this¡­was lost to the unique mutilation that each had experienced. Severed limbs became commonplace, as did pools of dried blood and mangled remains. Kade tore his eyes away from the sights, but not before noticing the unnaturally shaped limbs, bones, and other remnants of life that didn¡¯t match anything human that Kade could imagine. His mind flashed back to the bracer¡¯s interface, and for a moment he considered the oddity that it would need to display ¡°human¡± at all¡­unless there were other possibilities.


    When the light revealed a door at the far end of the chamber, Kade knew he had to leave as quickly as he could. There was no illusion of safety for him, but he had a growing certainty that his tenuous grasp on sanity wouldn¡¯t survive much longer in this chamber of horrors. He knew the temporary reprieve that his mad outburst had provided wouldn¡¯t last, and he hoped purpose would keep his mind steady. Pushing himself to action he began slowly making his way out of the stall, and toward the beckoning door.


    His stomach clenched and threatened to wretch as he was forced to pick his way through the scattered remains littering the floor. Part of him knew that if answers were to be had, he should be investigating the room further, but he could feel that he was moments from breaking down entirely, and his only hope was to throw himself into some new situation, whatever might be waiting on the other side of the door. Each shuffling step brought him closer to his salvation, and he allowed himself a moment of hope as he finally threw the door open and charged through; Kade always felt better when he was moving forward.


    ***


    After the stench and decay of the previous chamber, even the stale air he was met with was a welcome relief. Kade carefully closed the door behind him as he took in his new surroundings. He was in a dark hallway leading off into the distance in either direction. Oddly glowing lines of deep purple threaded their way through the stone walls, which may have been natural or otherwise in this incredible place. The strange lines were enough to bathe the hallway in a surprising amount of cool light.


    After such an overwhelming sight in the chamber he¡¯d arrived in, Kade wasn¡¯t prepared for the comparatively banal appearance of the simple hallway, regardless of how it may be lit. He allowed himself to take a slow, deep breath, trying to reorient himself in the new environment, before using the improved light to better inspect himself.


    Kade looked down, taking in the state of his body. He was covered in dirt and filth he¡¯d rather not identify, and running his hands through his short, blonde hair left them covered in grease and dirt, weeks worth if he had to guess. He¡¯d always been relatively tall, and saw enough exercise to have considered himself in reasonable shape, but looking at his wasted torso, he could see that he¡¯d lost considerable weight¡­just how long had he been here?


    The question was interrupted by an unexpected beeping from the bracer. Looking down in a rush, he saw several messages waiting.


    Warning: You have entered an area of dangerously unstable energy.


    Attention: You have entered an in-progress Ritual of Calm, centered on the Chaos Remnant of Altera Vil Lothra. When completed, any living beings not protected by an awakened Soul Core will be Calmed.


    Warning: Imminent danger detected, generating objective¡­


    Attention: [Path to Power] has been activated.


    Kade¡¯s eyebrow raised as he tried to take in the numerous messages. He wasn¡¯t sure what being ¡°Calmed¡± was, but the bracer seemed convinced it was a cause for alarm. Dangerous unstable energy was less vague, but still beyond Kade¡¯s ability to even guess at. Finally his attention returned to the bracer as a new function briefly glowed on the interface as it was unlocked. With few options, Kade accessed the new menu greedily.


    [Path to Power]


    Objective: Awaken Soul Core


    Path: Unknown


    Seeking Path¡­


    Kade was underwhelmed. Which he briefly considered was actually refreshing for a moment. Then reality was kind enough to recapture his attention in the form of a skittering sound, just out of sight. Kade flattened himself back against the door, a thankfully short, panicked laugh escaping his lips as he considered this was becoming his primary defensive action. He focused intently, straining his hearing to pick out the source of the sound in the darkness.


    For a long, tense moment silence was his only companion, then he jumped as several sounds hit him at once. He added his own to the mix, and was grateful no one was around to hear the pitch of it. His head whipped from side to side as he tried to find the source of the new sound, only to realize it had been a combination of the same skittering sound, coinciding with another alert from his bracer.


    Letting out a long, ragged breath, he turned his attention back to the bracer.


    Attention: [Path to Power] has been established!


    Objective: Awaken Soul Core


    Path: (1) Slay 10 Unstable Manifestations of Chaos


    Result: Fabrication of Soul Core


    Kade¡¯s stomach turned as he considered the so-called ¡°path¡± before him. The timing of it all was well beyond coincidence. Being informed of his imminent demise without whatever the hell an Awakened Soul Core is, then a method of acquiring one coinciding with a suspicious something moving in the dark. Somehow the bracer was reacting in real-time to whatever Kade experienced.


    Still pressed against the wall, he was considering his options when the world ceased waiting for him. A weight slammed into him from the side, small and dense like being hit with a stone. He felt the floor rise up to meet him with a crash, knocking the wind from his lungs and leaving him gasping as he struggled to find his senses. There was no reprieve, however, as whatever had slammed into him proceeded to sink tiny, tearing teeth into his left shoulder.


    When his bracer had given out its odd objective, even through the numerous unusualities Kade had been struck with a simple reality: he¡¯d never intentionally killed anything larger than a bug his entire life. But now, as pain and fear overrode conscious thought, he found himself recklessly slamming his right fist against some kind of leathery hide, even as he desperately tore at it with his left. There was no morality, philosophy or consideration, just a desperate need to survive.


    But as the mad struggle continued, he realized there was something else. He didn¡¯t simply want the pain to end, he needed to kill whatever was attacking him. The foreign but undeniable compulsion drove him, and the pace of his attacks increased to a furious tempo. He felt his knuckles cracking and oozing blood as he endlessly beat on the thing he still couldn¡¯t really see.


    The creature had wedged its head against his jaw as it kept sinking its teeth in, over and over. This pushed his head upward at an awkward angle, keeping his attacker out of sight. Not being able to see the miniscule, but deadly threat let his imagination run wild, and his responding attacks became less ordered and more desperate. He could hear himself screaming, pain mixing with fear, mixing with the violent desire he couldn¡¯t recognize as his own.


    His mind was turning to fog as the pain grew, and as he felt his own blood splash liberally onto his face, the world began to grow distant. Moments went by, and the pain seemed further away; he felt his gaze drifting back and forth, captured by the play of purple light, pulsing within the walls. As his control slipped further and further, he became aware of his own heartbeat, pulsing along with the beautiful light, slower and slower.


    Strangely, the further his mind drifted from the situation, the louder his own pulse felt in his ears. More than that, the familiar cold that was his constant companion seemed to be rising with each slow beat of his failing heart. As his mind explored these new sensations in a dull way, he realized his fist had stopped its futile attacks entirely, and his hand was now resting, almost gently on the head of whatever had latched onto his shoulder. He could feel scales that were almost stone-like in their texture, his fingers tracing their patterns for a moment before his hand fell still.


    Perhaps some part of Kade knew it was the end, but his thoughts were already too removed from the situation to consider it. Instead he found his mind turning inward, finding that same cold he could no longer remember living without, and not knowing why or how, he felt himself following that freezing sensation to its source, deep within him. He was well beyond comprehending what he found at the end of the strange path his mind followed, but he had the vague impression of light. Light that was smothered by something, and without truly understanding what he was doing, he gently nudged that something aside.


    A new pain beyond anything he¡¯d experienced ripped him violently back to reality, just in time to witness a flash of that same mysterious light. His body spasmed wildly and he bit down on his tongue, but all he was aware of was his right arm, which felt like it had been dipped into molten lava. He was shaking and twitching wildly, but a part of him also registered that he could no longer feel the incomparable sensation of being devoured alive.


    Slowly¨Cfar, far too slowly¨Cthe pain receded, and Kade regained control of his body. Panting but still not able to fully catch his breath, he managed to drag his right arm up in front of his eyes. As it came into view, the damage was both better and worse than the fearful images his imagination has conjured. The flesh wasn¡¯t entirely seared away, no matter how much it had felt that way. Instead, every vein on his forearm had been blackened, looking like nothing so much as a dark spider web painting his skin.


    His eyes traced the flowing patterns of burnt flesh as his arm rose higher, shakily obeying him. Only once his hand was visible did he realize it was still locked around the head of the creature that had attacked him, now dangling limply from his ruined appendage. As he gently turned his hand to examine his attacker, he squinted in confusion not just from the appearance of the remarkable creature¨C somewhere between an enormous rat and a snake¨Cbut from the apparent cause of death.


    A hole was clearly visible¨Cno larger than a finger in width¨Cpassing completely through the creature¡¯s skull, and lining up perfectly with the palm of his grasping hand. Tiny wisps of what appeared to be smoke rose up from the wound, catching the light with odd colors, and as Kade found himself looking closer in rapt fascination, it was impossible to miss the source.


    The creature was covered in frost.

 Chapter 2: Price of Power

    Kade¡¯s mind reeled as the truth crashed through him. He couldn¡¯t tear his eyes from the creeping frost as it slowly, yet hungrily spread across the dead creature. It never occurred to him to entertain the idea of coincidence; he was immediately certain he was looking at the same phenomenon that had left the ruins of a man in the chamber Kade had just vacated. What had they done to him? What was inside him that was capable of this?


    Seemingly in answer, he heard a telltale beeping from his bracer. Lifting his left arm enough to see the display sent fresh pain surging outward from his shoulder, but he forced himself not to look, knowing his grip on consciousness was already far too slight. It took a moment for his eyes to focus as the world seemed to spin around him, but he managed to read the latest messages:


    Interface Update!


    Ability (1)


    [Anomalous Energy Blast]: Rank 1


    Cost: Anomalous Energy (Variable)


    Description: Release a concentrated blast of anomalous energy. The size and shape of the blast are variable, determined by [Unknown factors]. Warning! Anomalous energy is unaccounted for by Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope (?), and may have unpredictable effects.


    Status Update!


    Anomalous Energy Reserves +1


    New total: 0/2


    Objective Update!


    Path: (1) Slay 10 Unstable Manifestations of Chaos


    Progress: 1/10


    Kade barely managed to finish the last message before the light-headedness left him sprawled back on the cold stone floor. He finally found the nerve to examine his ruined shoulder, and it matched his worst fears with unnerving accuracy. Bone was clearly exposed and the flesh was in bloody ruins. He knew distantly that he needed to stop the bleeding, but realized the creature was still clasped in the hand he¡¯d need to use.


    With flagging strength he managed to force his mind to the broken, frozen claw that his right hand had become. He wasn¡¯t certain the hand could even be made to move in its condition, but he turned what little willpower he had to the task. Kade¡¯s face took on a pained grimace as he tried with little success to make the limb obey, but strangely it felt like more than just the pain and damage was preventing him from releasing the creature.


    Just as Kade began to wonder if he¡¯d become frozen to the horrible little monster, he experienced another in a series of new, painful sensations. The hand still wrapped around the creature¡¯s head was shaking, almost humming as he gritted his teeth, trying to block out the agony that seemed to come from every part of him. Suddenly he felt a pull, deep inside his chest, and he worried his heart may be taking its last desperate beats. Then all at once it was like the sensation of the so-called ¡°energy blast¡± but in reverse, as he felt something rip through his already ravaged arm, back toward his body.


    Impossible heat sent fresh agony into his ravaged limb, but strangely turned to an equally intense cold as the force of the pain roared up his arm and seemed to disappear into his chest. He gasped as the chill then spread through his body, concentrated in his ruined right arm, and bleeding left shoulder. He inhaled against the sensation that wasn¡¯t quite pain but certainly wasn¡¯t pleasant. The ordeal only lasted a moment, but left him panting and writhing on the floor, his empty right hand now grasped in his left, and cradled against him.


    Relief came slowly, but it did come, and Kade eventually managed to steady his breathing and finally examine himself. He was surprised to find his hand empty, as he had no memory of releasing the creature that had attacked him. In disbelief he turned his attention to the wound on his shoulder, trails of steam rising from a layer of frost that had formed over it. His shock escalated as he realized the pain was now a distant thing compared to only moments before. His shoulder was still clearly injured, but it looked like it had happened days earlier, with signs of healing and scar tissue already visible.


    His hand wasn¡¯t quite as transformed as his shoulder; the blackened veins still extended to his mid-forearm, but he could move his fingers again¨Cif only slightly. Looking around he couldn¡¯t find any sign of the creature that had attacked him, and by instinct he looked down at the¡­did it call itself a ¡®Fabulous Bracer of Hope¡¯? He immediately resolved to never use the absurd name, but acknowledged that he had long-ago accepted that it was his only guide in this impossible situation.


    Surprisingly Kade didn¡¯t find any pending messages waiting for him; it was like the bracer wasn¡¯t aware of the odd sensation or the miraculous healing. Quickly scanning through the existing status information, the only change he found was in the anomalous energy reading, which was now at two of two, up from zero when he¡¯d last looked. The connection seemed obvious, but Kade was equally confident and dismayed that he¡¯d be forced to test his assumptions soon, and likely many times.


    Slowly rising to his feet, Kade looked around and considered his options. Neither direction of the endless hallway offered any particular sense of safety or purpose, but Kade was forced to acknowledge that ¡®safety¡¯ might be off the table for the foreseeable future. That left purpose, and while he didn¡¯t enjoy that his was partly defined by a space-bracelet he found on his torturer, there weren¡¯t many alternatives before him.


    Trying to embrace the equally terrifying and insane situation he was in, Kade took a deep breath then set off in the opposite direction the creature had come from. It wasn¡¯t completely a reaction to the evil little monster with its too-sharp teeth, but if he had to make any kind of choice, walking away from the source of his recent pain and torment seemed like the right one.


    Kade continued down the hall, finding that his analytical mind was once again absorbing everything around him. While he took in different types of vegetation, the occasional skeleton of some creature or another, what truly captured him came from a closer examination of the walls. The odd light didn¡¯t provide much illumination, but it was enough to reveal some form of writing carved into the stone. After he noticed it, Kade realized that the writing covered every inch of exposed surface.


    While fascinating, it was indecipherable, and quickly faded into the background of his thoughts as he continued down the hall. He found occasional intersections with similar halls disappearing into the darkness, but resolved to follow the first path as far as it would take him¨Cif for no other reason than the simplicity of his path didn¡¯t further tax his exhausted mind.


    As he slowly continued forward, he considered his right hand, still throbbing in time to his heartbeat. It was a difficult prospect he was faced with. Even putting aside needing to accept what he was now capable of, the pain had been so intense, and so alien that the thought of experiencing it again was nearly paralyzing. The agony being self-inflicted made it even more difficult, but having a weapon in this place was a comfort. That he was the weapon complicated matters, but not so much that it changed what needed to be done.


    His mind turned to the objective his bracer had given him, and the prospect of needing to face at least nine more mysterious creatures in the dark. He needed to use this power, regardless of the consequence, and that meant figuring it out¨Cideally not while locked in a struggle to the death. With a deep, resigned breath, Kade began experimenting.


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    He began by simply aiming the damaged hand out in front of him, and trying to imagine the feeling of the energy ripping its way out of him, as it had the first time. Trying to willfully recall the intense and unusual pain was an unpleasant experience, and brought him no closer to duplicating the feat. As he continued down the endless hall, he moved on to a method that left him unconsciously looking around to make sure there were no witnesses.


    ¡°...energy blast,¡± he whispered into the darkness. Nothing.


    ¡°Energy blast!¡± this time shouted, and with a flair of the wrist. Nothing.


    ¡°Anomalous Energy Blast!¡± Still nothing.


    Kade was equally irritated and relieved as he continued to find no success. Not being subjected to the near-unbearable pain was always something of a blessing, and frankly he didn¡¯t like the idea of screaming the bland name out loud every time he needed to use the power, especially as he expected the circumstances would often be no less dire than his first monster attack. Slow minutes ticked by as he wandered in the near darkness, his attempts to access the ability devolving into shaking his aching hand violently while swearing at it.


    Success came nearly as unexpectedly as it had upon his first use of the ability. Perhaps it was how distracted he¡¯d become as he focused his attention no further than the length of his own arm, but when he was finally interrupted by the alarmingly familiar sound of small, rat-like feet skittering across stone, he at last managed to replicate the ability. Whipping around in the direction of the sound, hands protectively out in front of him, he had just enough time to let out a ¡°Wha¨C?¡± before the hall erupted in a flash of blue-green light, and the power again was torn through his body, erupting from his outstretched palm.


    The pain seemed to explode from inside him, every bit the equal of his first experience with the ability. This time the burning reached even higher up his arm, but was numbed where the veins had already been scorched black from fingertips to wrist. Somewhat prepared for the pain this time, Kade managed to keep his feet, but his mind still felt foggy for more than a minute. Finally as his ragged breathing came back under control, he noticed the blinking notification on his bracer.


    Status Update!


    Anomalous Energy Reserves +1


    New total: 0/3


    Objective Update!


    Path: (1) Slay 10 Unstable Manifestations of Chaos


    Progress: 2/10


    Kade smiled in surprise. Apparently his wild, aimless blast had been an unearned bullseye. He was also curious to see that not only had his ¡°Anomalous Energy Reserves¡± increased once more, but evidently he¡¯d spent more of those reserves on the second blast. He¡¯d have to investigate the results when he found the remains, but having no awareness of having done anything that might affect the energy cost just left him with more frustration.


    Pushing himself back into motion, Kade went in search of the creature he¡¯d apparently slain somewhere in the shadows ahead. As he looked, he considered what he remembered of his second use of the mysterious ability. He tried to recall whatever special feeling might have been going through his head when the blast finally went off, or perhaps some connection to the fear that the creatures caused, but truthfully there was nothing. He¡¯d simply been shocked and reacted¡­reacted without thought, or effort. Kade lifted an eyebrow in consideration. He¡¯d used the ability as effortlessly as he¡¯d have used the hand it came from.


    Trying desperately not to try, Kade simply lifted his arm and willed the blast to happen. It didn¡¯t. Kade dropped his aching hand to his side in disappointment, before glancing back to his bracer in realization.


    Anomalous Energy Reserves: 0/3


    Kade groaned, ¡°I¡¯m an idiot. A sad idiot in a hallway.¡± He hurriedly returned to his search, counting on the other ability? to restore his reserves as it had the first time. He knew the general location both from the sound he¡¯d heard, and the direction he¡¯d thrown out his arms in panic, so the search didn¡¯t take long. Only the creature¡¯s skin, which was the same stone gray as the hallway itself, made for any difficulty.


    He was surprised to find that the creature wasn¡¯t exactly what he remembered of the awful rat-snake. While they both skittered on four sets of horrible little claws, this one had a long tail he couldn¡¯t recall from the first, and its head was almost wolf-like in shape. Further examination came to an abrupt end the moment his left hand came in contact with the creature¡¯s skin. This time Kade was able to watch in abject fascination as frost spread from his fingertips into the scaled hide. He had just enough time to spot a fist-sized hole through its chest¨Chis bullseye¨C before the frost managed to cover the creature completely.


    The moment the frost completed its inexorable journey¨Ccovering the wolf-rat entirely¨Cthe whole frozen mass seemed to shrink in on itself impossibly fast. Kade had only a brief moment to absorb the sight, as it seemed to pass from creature, to ice, to a spec of light, all before he could blink. The light itself seemed to be the same blue-green¨Cteal?¨Cthat had flashed out from his first ability, but he had only a second to compare before the light disappeared into his hand.


    Instantly he felt the same wrenching pain sear through him, again giving the impression that the light, or energy was being pulled directly into his chest. Once more the pain shifted to an intense chill that flowed back outward toward his injured shoulder and hand. He handled the pain better, feeling somewhat inured to the experience having gone through it before. Mostly he found he was excited to watch his shoulder, as it healed itself before his eyes. Witnessing the experience again, Kade finally allowed himself to whisper the word ¡°magic¡±, realizing his reflexive disbelief was fading with each miracle.


    His sense of awe quickly gave way to curiosity as his eyes came to rest on his right arm, noticing that the blacked, charred veins were still present. Worse, his left hand¨Cthe one he¡¯d used to touch the creature¨Cwas now sporting its own series of weaving black veins, though they didn¡¯t travel as far up that arm. That at least told him that there didn¡¯t appear to be any real significance to his right arm; he¡¯d started to wonder if it was somehow his magic arm, which was a thought he¡¯d refused to articulate until it was proven one way or another. For better or worse, whatever had been done to Kade appeared to affect his whole body.


    Turning his mind back to his experimentation, Kade glanced at his bracer to confirm that his energy reserves were indeed back to their maximum. This answered a question as well, as his maximum had increased since he last¨Cabsorbed?¨Ca fallen creature, and he couldn¡¯t be sure how much energy he was capable of getting from them. Putting that aside, he began lifting his hand in trepidation and excitement, preparing to test his latest theory.


    Just as he once again began to not try to blast energy from his body, he had a stray thought that he was about to potentially use up his only weapon in this terrible place. Before he could focus on the thought, he felt that increasingly familiar pain tearing through him, and once more the hallway was briefly illuminated as a blast of energy escaped his hand, sending a small shower of stone chips flying through the air as it collided with a wall some distance away.


    Panic¨Cnow becoming something of a companion in these dark halls¨Calmost completely pulled Kade¡¯s mind away from the pain, as he hurriedly looked to his bracer.  Relief was equally powerful as he saw the reading blessedly read two of three. He let out a breath. Not only had he managed to use the ability intentionally, but apparently he¡¯d answered the question of whether he was capable of controlling the energy cost. He even theorized that his own desire not to spend all of his energy was what had ultimately shaped the blast he used.


    Kade quickly inspected the damage to the wall, finding that it was bullet-hole sized, much like his first use of the ability. Smiling to himself, he realized he was actually excited to try to keep using the ability, in spite of the price of pain that accompanied it. More than just that, he was starting to get a vague sense of hope¨Ccertainly tied to his no longer feeling powerless¨Cbut he admitted to himself that the situation just felt different the moment he began to accept it. He wasn¡¯t sure accepting the situation was necessarily wise, but he was surprised at how much of his mind had been occupied with stubborn denial.


    Kade resolved that things would be different going forward. Maybe tomorrow he¡¯d wake up in a hospital and find this had been some coma-dream, or worse, but for today he was a man lost in a world of magic and monsters, and he wasn¡¯t powerless. He stood up a little straighter, flexed his stiff and aching hands¨Cquietly resolved to himself not to make any more squeaks of terror¨Cthen went hunting.

 Chapter 3: Shape of a Soul

    As the eighth creature fell, Kade felt dangerous. He¡¯d never experienced fighting for his own survival, nor the rush of having power at the tip of his fingers. It was affecting him more than he¡¯d expected, but thankfully not in an unwelcome way. As he¡¯d continued exploring both the darkness and his powers, his perspective had slowly shifted. Now as he stalked his latest target the distinction became clear: he was no longer afraid of what was waiting in the dark, he had become what was waiting in the dark, and found that he liked it.


    He¡¯d learned a lot since he¡¯d finally figured out how to use his abilities at will, and the intervening hours had been spent creeping through the halls, all his senses focused on finding the next creature. Arguably the two most important new pieces of information had come by accident. After using the smallest amount of energy he could several times, he¡¯d realized that his maximum reserves had stopped increasing, as had the spread of black veins which now reached nearly to his chest on both sides. That thought must have been on his mind, as the next time he used the energy blast, it once again drained his reserves entirely, and worse¨Che missed.


    The result was a brutal several minutes spent in hand-to-deformed-claw combat, with Kade resorting to madly beating at the creature with bare foot and fist. The effect was underwhelming, as the creature¡¯s stone-like hide showed no reaction to his strikes, and it eventually led to Kade sprinting wildly down the hallway, the creature easily keeping pace and landing multiple bites on his retreating legs. Only when he finally collapsed to the ground and began wrestling with the creature did he make a grateful discovery.


    Once again without meaning to, he fired the familiar energy blast into the creature¨Cthis one seeming birdlike, complete with razor-sharp beak¨Cand it went still in moments. This time Kade quickly shuffled away from the remains in hopes of delaying its absorption¨Cdespite the countless small wounds he looked forward to healing. Looking down at his bracer, he confirmed both a hope and a suspicion.


    Status Update!


    Anomalous Energy Reserves +1


    New total: 0/4


    Interface Update!


    Anomalous Energy Regeneration Detected! (Region-specific)


    Regeneration Rate: +(1) Anomalous Energy every (5) Minutes!


    Warning: Anomalous Energy is not supported by Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope! [Regeneration Rate] data may be unreliable!


    The Bracer¡¯s estimate turned out to be relatively accurate, but Kade also noticed some variability to it that he couldn¡¯t make sense of at the moment. That was the discovery he hoped for though, and the discovery he¡¯d been suspicious of was something into which he¡¯d need to put far more consideration. It appeared that his reserves would only increase if he strained them somehow. Several tests of draining those reserves a single small blast at a time proved ineffective, but using his entire reserve at once would reliably increase his total. Reliably, but not every time, he discovered.


    Armed with this information, he¡¯d gone forward even more confidently into the darkness, each mystery of his power that he solved giving him a greater sense of control and understanding. Now, as he crouched in the darkness, eyeing the two creatures he¡¯d been stalking¨Cboth similar to the rat-snake he¡¯d first encountered¨Che looked down at his bracer with pride.


    Anomalous Energy Reserves: 10/10


    He¡¯d have to be careful not to unleash his full reserves in the heat of combat¨Cnot just because this was his first attempt at an outnumbered fight, but also because he¡¯d made a much less pleasant discovery. While the power of the blast appeared somewhat greater with more energy¨Cthough less than he¡¯d have expected based on the relative values involved¨Cthe pain and bodily damage it caused seemed to scale exponentially.


    When he¡¯d unleashed a blast using his previous maximum, he¡¯d barely noticed a change in the resulting light show, but his body had nearly given out entirely. He¡¯d briefly lost consciousness, and had to drag himself slowly to the creature he¡¯d thankfully not missed, certain that he¡¯d have died without the limited healing it provided. That blast had been transformative as well, the black veins not just completing their journey from the tips of his fingers to chest, but spreading outward from there, up and down his body.


    The result was that movement was increasingly painful, and he was having a harder time catching his breath. At this point he was worried that even if he survived this horrible ordeal, his deteriorating health might make for a short celebration. It didn¡¯t change his current needs though, as he had been feeling a growing certainty that his time was limited. Whatever a ¡®Ritual of Calm¡¯ was, he felt like it was slowly approaching some kind of climax.


    Taking a ragged breath, he began his attack. By now he¡¯d discovered that his aim was far less about pointing an extremity in just the right way, and more about where he wanted¨Cor imagined¨Cthe blast should go. The energy never appeared to curve or anything similar, it simply left his body¨Cand he¡¯d found it could be from anywhere on his body he wished¨Con a trajectory toward whatever he was focused on. This held true for his latest blast, which used barely a third of his power to tear down the hallway and collide with the nearest rat-snake.


    For only the second time since he¡¯d begun his hunt, a creature managed to survive a hit from the horribly destructive force. While the rat-snake looked injured, the angle was just wrong enough for it to survive. It let out a horrible, pained screech, and Kade prepared himself for the unfortunate reality of a two-on-one battle. His first instinct was to just let out another blast, but experience had taught him that hitting moving targets required a level of skill and focus currently well beyond him.


    Instead he went into a defensive crouch, preparing himself for the inevitable charge¡­that didn¡¯t come. Confusion played across Kade¡¯s face as the two creatures faced each other, letting out a series of hisses and screeches that seemed different from what he¡¯d heard from them before. He was stunned when the uninjured rat-snake pounced on the other, tearing into the exposed flesh beneath the rocky hide. Kade let a little smile touch his lips at the unexpected good luck, wondering if he¡¯d still get credit if one of these creatures actually landed the killing blow.


    Then he heard more screeches echoing from further down the hall, and rising in pitch to manic levels. Kade¡¯s smile fell away as his head whipped from side to side, more of the telltale skittering joining what was becoming a chorus of otherworldly screeches. Finally a shape raced by him in the darkness, and jumped into the frenzied melee between the first two creatures. Kade took an involuntary step back, thinking that this was escalating beyond anything he might have been prepared for.


    His worst fears proved unimaginative as ever more shadowy forms appeared from all around him, each joining the growing pile of horrifically warped creatures. Kade was preparing to run far and fast when urgent beeping from his bracers managed to capture his attention.


    Warning! Unstable Chaotic reaction detected nearby!


    Ziggarat swarm is forming a Chaotic Convergence!


    Chaotic Convergence is resolving into Ziggarattus Matriarch!


    Warning! Ziggarattus Matriarch is Rank 2 on the Dalton Danger scale!


    Kade frowned with suspicion at the names the bracer continued to provide him, suspecting they might be¡­less than accurate. It didn¡¯t completely distract from the terrifying reality in front of him though, as he could see that the mass of mutated rat-creatures was indeed beginning to take some kind of recognizable shape. Not willing to wait to find out what a ¡®Rank 2¡¯ was on the bracer¡¯s scale, Kade took off in the opposite direction as quickly as he was able on stiff legs.


    Immediately he felt his breath grow ragged in his chest, as his injuries and ruined veins took their toll. He stumbled slightly but persevered, forcing his aching body ever forward. Behind him the sounds of the individual rat-creatures were disappearing into a deep, bone-shuddering howl that seemed to come from what was now unmistakably a singular monster of horrific appearance. Kade was perhaps a hundred meters away, still limping and wheezing his way down the hall, but each glance backward showed the creature becoming more distinct in shape. Somehow lit from within, the monster was clearly visible even in the dim light.


    Kade was grateful to find that it either hadn¡¯t noticed him, or wasn¡¯t yet capable of pursuit, but all his instincts screamed that this wouldn¡¯t last. He knew he couldn¡¯t count on his singular ability being able to stop the creature, and his mind raced as he tried to think of any kind of plan. Even after hours in this place, he¡¯d barely strayed from what he considered the main path of the seemingly-endless hallway, and there had certainly been no obvious hiding places or convenient, spike-filled pits to drop the monster into.


    He¡¯d only found one room in all his exploring, and it was the chamber of horrors that he¡¯d awoken in. Glancing at the map interface he¡¯d barely used, he saw that in all the back and forth of his hunting, he¡¯d actually managed to get fairly close to his starting point. With some luck he could make it back, and at the very least put a door between himself and the monstrosity still forming behind him. A long, haunting wail echoing through the halls showed him what fate thought of his plans.


    Kade somehow found the willpower to push his body into moving faster. It was still little more than a power-hobble, but it nevertheless brought him closer to his goal that much faster. As the shadowed corridor that was his destination came into view, Kade could already feel the relief beginning to flood through him. He¡¯d been moving for several minutes, and there had been nothing but silence behind him. Finally with the door almost right in front of him, he allowed himself to slow down to a tired shuffle.


    Without even risking a glance behind, Kade slipped through the door as quietly and swiftly as he could. Only as the ancient latch fell into place did he allow himself to finally relax, his ravaged body collapsing into a heap against the door. The full extent of his injuries had at last become impossible to ignore, and he allowed himself several minutes to just breathe into the darkness.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    As time ticked slowly by, Kade felt himself slipping into unconsciousness, and had to forcibly shake himself back to coherence. Once more rising unsteadily to his feet, Kade needed another few moments of simply breathing before he¡¯d be ready to move, the echo of his ragged breaths reverberating around him. Suddenly his eyes shot open, and he began desperately trying to raise the brightness on his bracer once more.


    Kade had spent some of the most terrifying moments of his life feeling trapped in this very chamber. While it felt like a lifetime, it was mere hours before that he had been flattened against the nearby wall, alternately hyperventilating and screaming. During that time he¡¯d heard every conceivable echo the chamber could produce, and he remembered the crystal clear sound of his own voice reflected back at him from every direction. Crystal clear, every last echo¨Cuntil he¡¯d heard the breathing. It was distorted, gravelly¡­and close.


    By the time Kade managed to find the control for brightness and hammered it as rapidly as he could, he was certain he could feel the hot wet breath on his face. But when the light filled the room, he saw nothing. He spun in place, checking every corner, not ready to believe he¡¯d lost himself so quickly to baseless fear. He slowly advanced through the chamber, his eyes once again finding the various instruments of torture, and likely what passed for science and experimentation in this awful place.


    But as the light fell on the final stall, illuminating the remains of some long-dead creature that didn¡¯t have his luck, he had to admit that the chamber held no lurking beasts. He wasn¡¯t disappointed, exactly, but he¡¯d begun to rely on his instincts, and they were screaming that danger was nearby. It was for that reason that Kade found himself in a defensive posture when he was struck suddenly from behind, claws raking down his back as he fell forward.


    He was proud that he kept his head enough to unleash a quick blast at the creature while struggling to his feet, and the energy tore a clean hole through the beast¡¯s shoulder. He only saw the monster after he¡¯d fired the blast, and only for a moment as it took a single step backward before completely vanishing. If this truly was the so-called Ziggaratus Matriarch, it was thoroughly transformed from the small, scaly rat-mutants he¡¯d been fighting before.


    The only comparison he could make would have been a panther, though it retained the gray coloring of the smaller monsters, and he was certain he¡¯d seen more than two sets of legs as it vanished. Now seemingly alone in the room again, Kade started spinning in place, eyes darting from corner to corner. He¡¯d been through a lot in a short time, and felt like he was getting admirable control over his anxiety and fear in the face of impossible situations, but the creature seeming to fade from existence right in front of eyes was unnerving. It was a spectacle of true, undeniable magic, and his rational mind rebelled in spite of everything he¡¯d been through.


    Now Kade struggled to keep any semblance of calm as he waited in a torture chamber for a monster to appear from nowhere, it¡¯s only obvious goal being to tear him to bloody pieces. His eyes were still darting around the room when the creature duplicated its earlier attack from behind, but this time Kade was lucky enough to be turning as it happened. His eyes widened as four clawed hands swiped out at him, eerily human in shape, despite being at the end of long, sinewy legs that were undoubtedly feline in appearance.


    The favorable angle meant that Kade was able to avoid three of the outstretched arms, with the final set of claws opening a shallow, bloody gash across his chest. Again Kade was determined to give as well as he got, and the pain from the claws were nothing compared to the fire that ran through his veins as he unleashed a powerful blast directly into the twisted face of the creature. The blast of energy illuminated that face in excruciating detail, giving Kade a clear enough view to see that the rat-like features were still present in the shape of the snout, even if the rest of the body was that of an eight-legged panther walking on human hands.


    The light revealed something else that strained his understanding. As the blast of energy¨Cfist sized as he¡¯d risked pushing more power into it¨Ccollided with the creature, he watched its face seem to implode as the energy passed through. But instead of blood and viscera, it appeared that tiny stone chips were blasting out across the room, as if he¡¯d shattered a rock with a hammer. Even more shocking was witnessing the head reform itself using the same mysterious fragments.


    Kade couldn¡¯t tear his eyes from the sight as thousands of tiny shards came together, stacking and reorganizing until the shape of the deformed rat matriarch had returned to its original, horrifying appearance. The entire spectacle had taken mere moments, and the creature showed no sign of disorientation either from the force of his original attack, or the process of rebuilding its own head. Seconds after he¡¯d blasted the creature¡¯s face apart, it was already back to swinging at him mercilessly with deadly claws.


    The next few minutes made it clear that the beast was playing with him, as it rapidly appeared, slashed at him brutally, then disappeared to start the devastating process over again from a new direction. Kade managed to score another two hits before he¡¯d exhausted his energy reserves, but he was so delirious from blood-loss that he barely felt it when the creature slammed into him and for once didn¡¯t disappear. Instead, as he landed back in the very cell in which he¡¯d begun this mad journey, he distantly felt the beast tearing into him with abandon as his vision began to blur.


    The pain felt like it was happening to someone else as Kade lay on his back, his head thankfully pushed to one side so he wasn¡¯t forced to witness the devastation of what he knew would be his final moments. Instead he found his eyes locked on the mysterious bracer, as his left arm had landed in just the right position that the bright display screen was shining directly into his face.


    Anomalous Energy Reserves: 0/10


    The bracer offered no other surprises or new insights, it just shone with indifference as carnage was unleashed nearby. Kade idly wondered if the bracer had coldly witnessed its previous wearer¡¯s fate, offering no help or comfort. His thoughts seemed to be coming more and more slowly as he continued staring, his body jerking slightly as the creature continued its grizzly work.


    Kade knew that death was approaching when he saw the light that he¡¯d always heard about, the one that would take him to whatever came after this brief hell he¡¯d been forced to experience. It was beautiful in its own way, but he couldn¡¯t understand why it was so muted. He had a clear impression that the light was an immense sphere, floating in an endless sea of darkness. The light was everything, and yet it was somehow being contained, restricted by something wrapped tightly around it.


    A memory stirred, and Kade realized he¡¯d encountered the light before, and had been compelled to free it. Once again he turned his will to the task, somehow reaching out to grasp at the strange thing straining to hold in the light. He was surprised when he realized he could indeed touch the unusual covering, and he knew instantly that it was a single, endless black chain wrapping around the light. Pulling on it was easy, but he found that while the chain wasn¡¯t wrapped tightly, it was layered around the light an impossible number of times. No matter how deep Kade felt that he dug into the mass of dark chain, the amount didn¡¯t seem to diminish.


    Even still, each time he tore at the chains a little more light shined out from somewhere on the strange orb. Finally the light seemed to blast out directly toward him, and with a blink he realized his mind was back in the chamber of horrors, his eyes still locked on the bracer¡¯s display.


    Anomalous Energy Reserves: 9328/10


    The display was even harder to read than before, but it wasn¡¯t the bloodloss. Instead, the whole room was bathed in teal light, radiating out from every vein in Kade¡¯s body, the charred blackness replaced with a blinding brightness. Distantly Kade felt the weight of the creature disappear from his chest, and with its absence he found himself easily regaining his feet. He didn¡¯t need to look down to know that his body was well past mortally wounded, his chest and abdomen open and exposed to the world; somehow he knew the frost gathering on his skin would hold him together long enough.


    The Matriarch hadn¡¯t disappeared, and was instead wearily backing away from him. It paused as Kade raised both hands before him, and the energy began to pour out. Not in small individual blasts as he¡¯d been doing, instead it erupted outward like water bursting from a dam. Rather than destroying his body as he expected, Kade found that the energy wanted to come out even faster. Before he realized what he was doing, the energy was flooding out of his eyes, and then his mouth as he started screaming. Soon it was erupting from his entire body, an enormous wave of devastation directed at the creature that had long ago become an indistinct shape in the center of the blast.


    Rather than needing to consult his bracer, Kade could feel the energy leaving his body, and knew it was almost spent. When the light at last began to fade, he could see that he¡¯d not just destroyed the creature, but carved out a hole in the wall behind it that went on endlessly as the halls he¡¯d explored since his arrival. He stared at it impassively for a moment, then collapsed to his knees, nothing left to give.


    As he slumped forward, barely catching himself with his hands, he was distracted by furious beeping from the bracer. He managed to just make out the series of messages.


    Status Update!


    Anomalous Energy Reserves +72


    New total: -16/82


    Warning: Anomalous Energy is not supported by Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope! [Anomalous Energy Reserve] data may be unreliable!


    Objective Update!


    Path: (1) Slay 10 Unstable Manifestations of Chaos


    Progress: 37/10


    Objective Complete!


    Fabricating (1) Soul Core consumable!


    Attention!


    Excess latent mana has been gathered from Unstable Manifestations of Chaos! Additional relevant item(s) will be fabricated!


    Attention!


    No Soul Core detected! No other compatible items can be fabricated at this time! Storing excess latent mana¡­


    Kade wasn¡¯t able to process much beyond the part about the Soul Core, but his waning attention was captured when a small sphere fell from somewhere on the bracer, rolling to a stop against his knees. The object was relatively plain, not much more than a shiny ball, but to Kade, it was salvation. Knowing he had only moments left before his body succumbed to its injuries, he used the last of his strength to snatch up the sphere, and pull it to his chest without hesitation.


    Compared to what had come before, using the device was relatively anticlimactic. Somehow he understood that its purpose was deceptively simple. It didn¡¯t actually alter him in any real way; it didn¡¯t change what he was or put anything new inside his already abused and ruined body, it just made a single connection: between his soul and his mind. What came next came entirely from within, from whatever it was that made up a soul.


    He felt a new type of energy coursing through his body, and it had the unfamiliar sense of being warm. It was neither the cold numbness that had been a part of him for so long, or the raging fire that had torn its way through his flesh. Instead he could only think of the new feeling as comfort, a sensation he realized he¡¯d forgotten at some lost moment. The warmth spread through him, creating new paths for the energy to flow as it did, and finally he felt it gathering at his waist.


    Looking down he saw that his torso had been remade as well, showing no sign of the tribulations he¡¯d experienced. More surprising was what appeared to be a belt of pure energy, forming around his hips as he watched. After a few moments it did indeed solidify into a thick black leather belt, with what looked like a series of small metal hooks circling it all the way around.


    Just as Kade looked to the hooks in confusion, energy seemed to explode outward from the belt in every direction, lengths of it embedding in the walls, the ceiling, and the floor, leaving him at the center of an inconceivably thick spider web of energy. Just when it seemed that the strands would never stop coming, everything halted all at once, the energy solidifying before his eyes just as it had before.


    Finally the strain was too much, and Kade felt himself falling forward to crash into the ground. Seemingly following his command, the thousands of glistening black chains fell with him.

 Chapter 4: Dreams and Belonging

    Consciousness returned slowly, and Kade was shocked to realize it was actually the sounds of people that had woken him. ¡°...the cause of the interference?¡± a soft voice enquired, seemingly from a great distance.


    ¡°Perhaps. Whatever was blocking the ritual was certainly in this room, but look around. Is there anything here that doesn¡¯t look suspicious?¡± A deeper voice responded, sounding closer.


    ¡°Certainly, Edwin, the broken jars are creepy and whoever those legs belonged to was likely a bad man. But I¡¯m inclined to suspect the bloody, half-naked stranger lying in a pile of chains, directly in front of a tunnel carved through the corpse of a Category three Elder,¡± the voice seemed female, and as Kade¡¯s head cleared, he recognized a touch of panic in its tone.


    ¡°Answers will come in time, Alara, but I¡¯ll admit I share your suspicions. You know how hard I¡¯m trying not to just barrel forward, and that includes jumping to conclusions. Nothing that we¡¯ve witnessed today was simple, and I¡¯m not ready to accept the easy answer of a single anomalous treasure hunter being responsible for all this.¡±


    ¡°Fine, this isn¡¯t the time to argue. But for the record: Graves is on my side,¡± the female voice replied with satisfaction.


    ¡°Is that true, Graves?¡± Edwin asked of an as-yet unheard third person. Kade didn¡¯t hear any response. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re taking sides,¡± Edwin¡¯s voice again, said with genuine disappointment.


    At last a third voice spoke up, nearly a whisper and expressing little emotion, ¡°If you two are finished with your games, I would like to heal this man. He has Chaos Sickness orders of magnitude beyond what should be lethal, and I¡¯d rather not waste a miracle.¡± Light footsteps approached, and Kade felt gentle hands probing his body.


    He tried to open his eyes, tried to react in any way to the presence of kind voices after what felt like a lifetime of torment and fear, but no part of his body seemed ready to accept his desperate commands. Alara¡¯s voice again, this time closer: ¡°I told you Graves was on my side,¡± she said happily. ¡°And I think we¡¯re all playing healer today; I could sense the Chaos radiating from this one before we even entered the room. Are you sure this is safe? Just being near him is like swimming through an Elder Core.¡±


    ¡°No it¡¯s not,¡± said Edwin, with surprising authority. ¡°But it is far beyond usual; do you think you can really help him, Graves? I¡¯ve lost friends to Chaos Sickness, we all have.¡±


    The response was slow and measured. ¡°Anywhere else, and maybe anyone else and the answer would be no, but I believe I can use Oblivion to link his body to the ritual. Effectively we¡¯d be letting Altera Vil Lothra filter out the Chaos for us, just as she does with the wild Chaos around us. There should be little risk involved, but we¡¯ll need to get him outside as quickly as we¡¯re able.¡±


    ¡°Then we have our plan. Alara, you have until Graves is finished with his preparations to gather anything you think looks valuable, or¡­¡± he paused as if considering. ¡°Anything that looks like it might enlighten us as to exactly what happened here. I¡¯ll get Nicky, and meet you at the ritual site.¡±


    The hands that had been examining him eventually came to rest on his chest, and he heard indecipherable words being chanted to a slow rhythm, before he felt unfamiliar energy moving through his body, and the strain quickly robbed him of consciousness.


    ***


    When next Kade awoke, he found that he once more had the strength to open his eyes, and was profoundly grateful for the fact as he took in the incredible sight before him. He was outside, finally, blessedly under a blue sky, with no sign of the endless monotonous stone that had been his constant companion. The only visible landmark demanded his attention; while he¡¯d immediately glanced around from his position in a heap on the soft ground, he didn¡¯t see anything like the endless labyrinth from which he¡¯d thankfully emerged. Instead, he was forced to confront yet another impossibility.


    Rising out from a bed of lush, green vegetation, was the body of a sleeping woman. Her features had an odd, sharp appearance, and Kade could tell there was something unusual about her back, but every detail¨Cno matter how odd¨Cwas eclipsed by her staggering size. She was easily as tall lying down as a three-story building, and her body must have rivaled a football field in length. His mind reeled as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing, the sheer vastness setting off a strange, primal reaction.


    Slowly managing to process the entirety of the monstrous woman, he spotted several other curiosities. She looked to be wearing some form of armor, though it appeared ancient, and anything that might have made it distinct had been weathered beyond recognition. Conversely, her body appeared almost pristine; only the vegetation which had overtaken any part of her low enough to reach marred her otherwise perfect condition. This meant that the unusual elements of her physiology were still clear, including a collection of spikey ridges on her elbows and knees, and Kade suspected the strangeness on her back might actually be immense, folded wings.


    Things only began making sense when he became aware of voices nearby, and several times heard the name ¡°Altera Vil Lothra¡± mentioned. He remembered the name from his nearly unused map. Perhaps even here, the spectacle of a woman of such inconceivable size was worthy of naming an entire region after? Or the labyrinth might have simply been built underneath her or¡­or he supposed she may have just lain down to take a nap on a building. He decided it might be best not to judge the titanic woman.


    Grimacing with pain, Kade managed to turn his head toward the sounds, revealing three strangers gathered around a fourth, all clearly focused on something to the exclusion of all else. Taking in their appearance, he noted that they were unusual not just from Kade¡¯s perspective, but were visually distinct from one another to the point that they looked like strangers at a costume party. He tried to align what he knew of the voices and names he¡¯d heard with the group in front of him.


    The most eye-catching was a tall man in a black cloak with the hood pulled up. He looked like nothing so much as an executioner, and stood almost completely motionless. Kade assumed this must be Edwin, the deep voiced man who seemed to lead the mismatched group. He contrasted this to the average-sized man with dark hair, broad shoulders and simple leather armor of greens and browns, who was facing away from the group and making elaborate gestures at the sleeping giant. This would either be the ominously named healer ¡°Graves¡±, or perhaps the fourth person he hadn¡¯t heard¡­Nicky?


    The final two were the only ones of the group that gave the impression of similar taste¨Cboth sporting long flowing robes¨Calthough that¡¯s where the similarities ended. The taller of the two had long, loose red hair flowing in the wind behind her, and appeared to embrace her femininity with an easy confidence. She had a hip cocked to one side, and the cut of her deep scarlet robes enhanced her form rather than hiding it.


    This contrasted sharply with the other figure, who was androgynous to the point that Kade didn¡¯t bother making assumptions. They had dark, close-cropped hair, brown skin, and the shape of their body was completely lost in heavy, gray robes. The outfit seemed to flow oddly in the breeze, and covered the person so completely that they gave the impression of being just a floating head; Kade presumed the loose hood would complete the effect, and wondered at its purpose.


    He gave up the name game as it had proven beyond him, and focused instead on what the group appeared to be doing. The wild gesticulations of the shorter man were increasing in tempo, and Kade thought he could hear chanting accompanying the gestures. The scene played out over several minutes, and by the end Kade had managed to force his body into a sitting position for a better view. He still wasn¡¯t certain what it was accomplishing, but he did feel something akin to a vibration in the air.


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    When the scene finally reached its crescendo, there was a sense of the entire world changing direction, somehow. Kade became aware of the most gentle tugging sensation, as if everything around him was now being pulled in the direction of the towering woman. Kade couldn¡¯t articulate why, but somehow he was certain this was a good thing. Further examination was cut off though, as the group turned their collective attention onto him, and made their way slowly over, appearing exhausted.


    Kade reflexively flinched back as the figure in black robes strode ahead of the group, hands reaching for him. They stopped before touching him however, as if the being had noticed Kade¡¯s instinctive fear. The hands slowly went back to pull down the dark hood, revealing a man of indeterminate years and extremely pale skin. His head was entirely hairless save for sharply arched brows, but it was the man¡¯s arresting eyes that drew Kade¡¯s attention. They were entirely black to the point that they appeared as living voids.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the man began in a flat, quiet voice, ¡°I¡¯m more than used to it. I am called Graves, will you allow me to continue healing you?¡± Kade barely managed to nod at the request, his hesitance coming not from the man¡¯s unusual appearance, but from the odd sensation Kade felt as he came closer. The other man, the one dressed in leathers, seemed to notice Kade¡¯s concern.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never been healed, I take it? You¡¯re not the only one, but just relax. I can promise that you won¡¯t find anyone more skilled between here and Karthas, and whatever you did to yourself can¡¯t wait that long.¡± Kade managed a nod, not ready to admit that almost everything he¡¯d heard had only increased his fear and confusion. Looking down he watched what Graves was doing, and quickly concluded it was well beyond his ability to understand.


    For long moments it appeared to be nothing more than continuous hand movements, then suddenly a burst of angry, purple energy was pulled from him, and disappeared into Grave¡¯s continuously dancing hands. The process was repeated several times, and with each expulsion Kade felt renewed vigor, to the point that he was able to easily regain his feet when Graves at last stepped back. It was only when Kade finally managed to take his eyes from the unusual healer that he thought to take a moment to consider his own changed appearance.


    Looking down, his attention was drawn immediately to the belt he hadn¡¯t had a chance to inspect earlier, and the countless black chains still trailing from it. He was grateful to discover the chains weren¡¯t simply a giant mess dragging behind him, finding that they seemed to either come to an abrupt end almost exactly where they touched the ground, or instead looped back up at the same point to become lost in the endless others sprouting from the hooks at this waist. Reaching down, he grasped a handful of the unusual chains, finding them to be of varying thicknesses but universally smooth and supple, flowing like liquid through his fingers as he let them slowly drop. Strangely, the chains were silent as they fell back into place.


    After several minutes of examination Kade glanced back up at the group, finding them all staring at him with various displays of open confusion. The androgynous one finally spoke up, with a surprisingly upbeat and pleasant voice, ¡°So, are you done playing with yourself? You¡¯re making everyone uncomfortable.¡± A smirk played across their features, and Kade found himself barking out a laugh. The man in leathers seemed less amused.


    ¡°Please excuse Nicky, her chosen profession leaves her looking for any excuse to hear the sound of her own voice,¡± Nicky¡¯s smirk turned into a full, infectious grin, and Kade noticed Graves put his hood up just in time to hide any reaction he might have had.


    Curiosity tugged at Kade as he again glanced at her strange gray robes, ¡°Exactly what profession would that be? Does ¡®sarcastic ghost¡¯ pay well?¡±


    ¡°Naturally, but it¡¯s the hours that get you,¡± Nicky replied without missing a beat.


    The man in leathers interjected. A long-suffering look crossed his face, but it was undercut by his good-natured tone, ¡°Nicky is our stealth specialist, and before she jumps in again, let me get introductions out of the way. I¡¯m Edwin Houseless, and this is my team, if it¡¯s anyone¡¯s. You met Graves, our healer; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve figured out his House by now. And this is Alara deL''estat; her skills are eclectic, but all seem to result in destroying things horribly.¡± He finished by gesturing at the tall, red-haired woman. Then he seemed to catch himself and added, ¡°Oh and if you figure out Nicky¡¯s House, let us know.¡±


    Kade wasn¡¯t certain how to react as they all stared at him expectantly. Finally he spoke into the silence, ¡°My name is Kade, and I¡­don¡¯t know what a House is?¡± Looking between the disbelieving faces, a floodgate seemed to open, and any thought of secrecy disappeared. Words seemed to pour out of him, ¡°I don''t know anything about this place! I woke up in a torture chamber, and somehow things still got worse! I fought a god damned panther-rat and felt my own insides explode, and now I¡¯m wearing chains. Just¡­just so many chains.¡±


    He felt an incredible weight coming off his chest, and for a moment he didn¡¯t care about the consequences. There was something simple and fundamental about being surrounded by people, and the need to say out loud the impossible experiences he¡¯d been through¨Cto have them become real through being shared¨Cwas worth whatever came next. The results weren¡¯t quite what he expected though. He saw pity in their eyes, even the taciturn Graves.


    It was Alara who spoke first, her voice rich with sympathy, ¡°It¡¯s the Chaos Sickness, Kade. You shouldn¡¯t even be alive right now. Near the capital there are fields of monuments to the dead, all of whom had a fraction of the Chaos that you did inside you.¡± Nicky picked up the thread, no trace of her earlier levity.


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I¡¯ve seen cleansing rituals before and they were nothing like what I saw Graves pull out of you. If your only problem is that your brain is a little broken, then you¡¯re a walking miracle.¡± Graves nodded in slow assent.


    Alara looked at Kade curiously, ¡°What do you remember? Do you know where you were captured? Who was the man with you? I got a sense of what he¡¯d been experimenting with in there, but the Chaos was already spilling over; I can¡¯t be certain.¡±


    Kade opened his mouth to explain, but found that it wasn¡¯t as easy as he expected. ¡°I was¨CI¡¯m from¡­somewhere else? I know that; I¡¯m sure of it. The reality of it is so clear in my mind, but when I try to form the words¡­¡± Kade shook his head violently for a moment, not certain what he was truly experiencing.


    After a moment he started over, ¡°I think I¡¯m from another world.¡± He let that statement hang in the air for a moment, but no one in the group seemed to react, so he continued. ¡°When I try to picture it, it¡¯s like remembering a dream. I look around and my mind tells me that this is the dream, but it¡¯s like my¡­my soul tells me the opposite. I reach for concepts and I have the knowledge; I remember math and my favorite food, but it feels somehow¡­academic? It¡¯s as if my own memories are just stories I¡¯ve been told.¡±


    Nicky¡¯s smirk returned, ¡°Well guy, if I had to choose between listening to my unreliable brain, or the core of my very being, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a choice.¡± Graves nodded once more, and his quiet voice whispered out.


    ¡°Nicky is correct, moreso I think than she realizes. While I cannot claim to know the world of which you speak, I have heard Legends that make the story more believable than you may realize. Regardless, I don¡¯t think you need to concern yourself with questions as to what¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°This Chaos Sickness, it¡¯s that definitive?¡± Kade asked.


    Graves shook his head, ¡°That is a larger conversation, and will provide some insights, I believe. However, I don¡¯t speak of compelling evidence, but of absolute certainty.¡± A long, thin arm emerged from his dark robes to gesture at the chain-skirt covering Kade¡¯s lower half. ¡°I speak of your soul manifestation. That cannot be faked or imitated; it is the truest representation of your ties to Iros, and is only possible through your connection to this world. You are every bit the Child of Korthos that we all are, Kade. Anything else is something that was done to you. Don¡¯t let it define you, not when you wear your actual truth for the whole world to see.¡±


    Kade was surprised by the comfort he felt from Graves¡¯ words. Intellectually, he thought he should be rebelling against what the man had said, and trying to hold on to his scattered memories of his half-remembered world. But the truth was he believed Graves immediately. Not because he truly understood them, or the implications of what the pale man had said about his chains, but simply because he felt home. Even in the horrible labyrinth he¡¯d never truly been distracted by thoughts of another place. In fact it had been the exact opposite: he hadn¡¯t felt any inclination to remember what might have come before.


    It was at then, just as he came to peace with who he was¨Cor at least who he was becoming¨Cthat he realized Edwin hadn¡¯t spoken since before Kade¡¯s truth-filled outburst. The man had simply been staring, his dark eyes locked on Kade¡¯s as he idly fiddled with a pendant of some kind. Finally he spoke, and his voice was commanding in a way Kade hadn¡¯t heard before.


    ¡°Ask no more questions of our¡­guest. We¡¯ve accomplished our mission here, and our responsibility is to get this victim back to civilization. I trust none of you have forgotten the journey home, and the necessity of traveling through the Chaos to get there. Whatever else Kade may be, he¡¯s clearly unbound, and unless we find some way to address that, he¡¯ll be dead before he takes his first step toward Karthas.¡±

 Chapter 5: Fabulous Hope

    ¡°Unbound?¡± Kade asked, looking to the group for answers. Edwin held up a hand to forestall him.


    ¡°There¡¯s much you need to know, but even less time. I ask for your patience,¡± Edwin turned from him to focus on his team. ¡°Nicky, you have less than ten minutes before the Soul Manifestation breaks down entirely. Don¡¯t put yourself at risk, but you might get lucky¨Cyou know what we need.¡± Nicky wasted no time; pulling her hood up, she charged back toward the sleeping giant, moving at a pace Kade had trouble following.


    Edwin turned to Alara next, ¡°It¡¯s even more of a long-shot, but there will be countless lesser manifestations drawn by the ritual, see how many you can tear through before real trouble arrives. I¡¯m not expecting much, but even if you only find supplies, I suspect we¡¯ll make good use of them.¡± Alara nodded, then turned to move in the opposite direction from Nicky. She walked at a steady pace, and Kade noticed the air had begun warping around her strangely. By the time she was disappearing into a thick forest nearby, Kade was certain that he could see sparks bursting around her.


    Finally Edwin turned his attention back toward an anxious Kade, and seemed to consider him and the chains undulating around him. At last he spoke again, ¡°There¡¯s too much to teach you right now, so I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll barely have time for the basics. Your chances of survival out in the Chaos¨Ceven if we do find a Mana Fragment¨Care next to nothing if you can¡¯t defend yourself. Since those chains are your only weapon, you need to figure out what you can do with them.¡±


    Kade opened his mouth to explain that he certainly did have more weapons, but found that his earlier need to spill truths was nothing compared to the overwhelming urge for secrecy at that moment. Not knowing why, he stopped himself before mentioning the anomalous energy, and instead responded simply with, ¡°I won¡¯t waste any time then, tell me what I need to know.¡± Edwin nodded, then continued.


    ¡°Graves will watch our backs while I play professor. First of all¨Cbonds. The priests of Karthas will cover the whys and the philosophy, but here¡¯s the practicality. We, the Children of Korthos, all have access to our Soul Cores, and their manifestations. However, this is only the first step on a journey to reclaim our true Heritage; the rest comes from Bonds¨Cso called because the most common method of progressing your physiology is to Bond different Fragments of Power to your Soul Core. Keepers like my team are required to be fully Bonded, but what you need now is a Mana-Bond to survive the Chaos¨C¡±


    Edwin stopped and ran a hand over his face, ¡°I¡¯m skipping enough that this borders on blasphemy.¡± Kade noticed that Edwin¡¯s hand again grasped the pendant around his neck, possibly a religious symbol of some kind. Edwin took a breath and continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t even remember Chaos¡­Okay. Iros¨Cthis world¨Cis one of endless power, and it manifests in a raw form of magic that we call Chaos. Chaos is deadly to the unbound; your body has no natural mechanism to process it, and it will poison you from the inside out. That¡¯s the Chaos Sickness that was eating your body alive when we found you.¡±


    Kade reflexively touched his bare right arm, remembering the blacked veins with concern. Edwin seemed to understand the reaction and nodded slightly before continuing, ¡°Most people in this world are unbound, meaning they need to stay in areas of Calm to survive, areas like where we are now.¡± He gestured back at the vast, sleeping woman. ¡°Calm is created when a mana-bonded Soul Core absorbs Chaos. It¡¯s like breathing: we take in the Chaos, and release the Calm around us. But for an average Bonded the area is too small for anyone to benefit from it.¡±


    ¡°So I guess a piggy-back ride is out of the question,¡± the joke slipped out before Kade caught it, and he saw Edwin glance to his wrist in confusion before nodding.


    ¡°Correct. Graves is the only one of us who¡¯s gone beyond Elevated, and even he couldn¡¯t protect an unbound for more than a few minutes. Usually it takes an Elder, even a small one like Altera over there¨C¡± he gestured back at the ponderously large woman. ¡°...to create an area of Calm large enough to protect anyone. Even still, walk for a few minutes in any direction and the Chaos will begin to overwhelm you. Living Elders create a larger area of influence, but we¡¯ll only be seeing the dead ones until we reach Karthas.¡±


    Kade couldn¡¯t help himself at that revelation, ¡°Wait, that giant woman is dead? But her¡­Soul Core is still in there, creating Calm? Is that what your ritual was about?¡±


    Edwin sighed, ¡°I honestly can¡¯t begin to explain how mortality works right now. The only thing you need to know about the Calming Ritual we performed is that it¡¯s currently attracting Manifestation of Chaos for leagues in every direction, which is why we¡¯re in a hurry.¡± At that moment Nicky seemed to materialize right behind Edwin, throwing back her hood. Edwin turned, despite her approach being utterly silent.


    ¡°Did we get lucky?¡± he asked?


    ¡°Not lucky enough,¡± she replied while passing him a small, white shard. ¡°It was in the room where we found this guy; looks like an Elevated Manifestation was killed in there. Recently.¡± When she finished she turned her gaze onto Kade, and there was nothing of the playfulness she¡¯s shown earlier.


    ¡°One more mystery to discuss later,¡± Edwin said with finality. ¡°This feels like a Might Fragment, and a Lesser one at that.¡±


    Nicky nodded, her attention back on her leader, ¡°It¡¯s Bone. Better than Muscle, but it doesn¡¯t solve our problem.¡± Edwin nodded his agreement before handing the strange object to Kade.


    ¡°Use it anyway. It¡¯ll slow you down a bit, but at least it might help you survive if a Manifestation looks at you the wrong way.¡± As Kade inspected the shard, which did seem to feel like it was made from bone, Nicky spoke again.


    ¡°Are you sure we should waste that? You know he can¡¯t leave this place; I don¡¯t like it anymore than you do, but stronger bones won¡¯t stop the Chaos. Someone else might be able to make better¨C¡± Edwin silenced her with a glare.


    ¡°If he doesn¡¯t leave, I don¡¯t leave. Now go help Alara, we¡¯re running out of time.¡± Kade wasn¡¯t the only one shocked by Edwin¡¯s show of conviction, and Nicky seemed to want to respond before she looked at the man¡¯s determined face. Finally she turned and ran into the woods after Alara.


    ¡°Use it,¡± Edwin said simply, turning his full attention back onto Kade. ¡°The time for talking is almost over. What you have in your hand will progress your transition¨Calbeit slightly¨Ctoward your Heritage form,¡± he seemed to struggle for a moment to find the right words, then sighed, ¡°This is so reductive that it¡¯s practically just wrong, but you¡¯re effectively transforming your body so that it works similarly to an Elder. You¡¯ll see the effects of that in time, for now you¡¯ll have to trust that there are few, if any real drawbacks.¡±


    Kade knew that he was long past deciding not to trust these people, and he also had to acknowledge that he¡¯d done worse to his body with far less information since waking up here. Shrugging, Kade brought the object to his chest, where it melted into him in a blink. Expecting agony after his previous experiences, he was surprised when it just felt like a shiver running through his body. It lasted only a moment, but left him feeling much heavier, as if gravity had just doubled.


    Edwin nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Your bones will be much stronger now, and will naturally absorb ambient magic to function and heal. You¡¯ll want to find Blood and Muscle Fragments eventually, in order to complete the physical side of your transformation. For now, we need to focus on your Soul Manifestation. I promise you an exhaustive education when we reach Karthas, but for now we need to [pig-liquor-cabbage-cottage-frangle!]¡±


    Kade¡¯s face screwed up in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you just have a stroke? Or did this bone thing finally break my brain.¡± Edwin glanced at him then put his hand over his face in understanding.


    ¡°Sorry, I sometimes fall into sayings from my homeland when I¡¯m frustrated, and our bracers aren¡¯t synched enough yet to fully translate. You¡¯ve done the same to me once or twice.¡± He pointed at Kade¡¯s wrist, prompting him to look at the display for the first time since waking up. Sure enough, it had a running transcript of everything that had been said in his presence. The confusing mess he¡¯d heard was isolated with a brief explanation; apparently it was a farming metaphor about moving quickly before the animals ate the crops.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    ¡°That actually clears up a lot,¡± Kade said, thinking back to everything he¡¯d read. ¡°This thing has been feeding me ridiculous names since I first put it on. It was making an already crazy situation feel like a badly dubbed movie.¡±


    Edwin looked at Kade with irritation then back down at his own bracer, nodding. ¡°For the record, using a lot of references people can¡¯t understand is considered quite rude when meeting new people.¡± Kade nodded, chagrinned, and Edwin continued. ¡°I¡¯d warn against complaining about the names it provides as well; the bracer is using your own soul as a lens for translations, names included. I don¡¯t know what you hear when I speak my own name aloud, but I can promise you¡¯re hearing something very different from what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Kade considered this, as several other small oddities made sense in retrospect. ¡°I think I follow, that just means my soul is a little embarrassing. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m responsible for Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope.¡± Kade stopped smiling at the absurdity when he noticed Edwin staring at him in open-mouthed shock. He watched as the man started furiously fiddling with his own bracer, before looking back at Kade, stunned.


    ¡°Kade, I need you to tell me where you heard that name, and where in the [endless-pits-hellfire-torture-shame] did you find that bracer?¡± Kade blinked in confusion, but context, and the fear plain on Edwin¡¯s face made the man¡¯s meaning clear.


    ¡°It was on the arm of the man in the room with me when I woke up. He was¡­done with it, and it had a light so I put it on. Is the name significant? It popped up on the display a few times, but you acted like these bracers were commonplace.¡±


    Edwin shook his head dismissively, ¡°The bracers are more than common. We call them Dalton Bracers and they¡¯re given to everyone. They can give some helpful information, especially to those on the Heritage Path, but different languages are so prevalent that it¡¯s basically the only way to communicate.¡± Edwin took a calming breath and spoke more slowly as he continued. ¡°They¡¯re called Dalton Bracers because that¡¯s where they come from. They¡¯re one of the last surviving relics from the nation of Dalton.¡±


    Kade looked at him, still confused. ¡°Okay, but why does it matter that my soul made the name a little silly? Are they sacred somehow? I¡¯m sure my soul wasn¡¯t trying to be disrespectful.¡±


    Edwin shook his head furiously, ¡°You didn¡¯t come up with that name Kade: that translation is accurate. And if you pulled that bracer from the dead man in there, a lot of what¡¯s happening suddenly makes a twisted kind of sense.¡± He paused as he shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Kade, did that bracer¡­it didn¡¯t tell you to do anything, did it?¡±


    Kade felt fear tugging at him, suddenly not certain how much he should reveal. ¡°It did¡­it said I was on a Path to Power, and told me to kill a bunch of rat-monsters. But that¡¯s all, I promise.¡±


    Edwin looked incredibly relieved, ¡°That confirms it then, but at least that¡¯s all you did. Kade, that bracer¡­it¡¯s not just from the nation of Dalton, it¡¯s from Dalton himself, the man that nation is named for. His Legend would be hours in the telling, but let me just say a few things you must never forget.¡± Kade braced himself as Edwin struggled to find the words.


    ¡°First of all, the name isn¡¯t silly, it¡¯s insane. Because that¡¯s all that Dalton was, by the end. He lived for eons, and he¡¯s still considered one of the greatest minds this world has ever known, but the only part of his Legend people still talk about, is his madness.¡± Kade felt his stomach turn, especially as he recalled the bracer had also used the word bound when he¡¯d first put it on, the significance of that becoming clear in retrospect. Edwin continued.


    ¡°The Bracer is unique, and it truly can bring you power, but it does so without a trace of morality. There are countless stories of people putting on that bracer and becoming near-Legends themselves, but they¡¯re Legends of some of the greatest evils this world has ever known, and they all came to violent, brutal ends. The dead man you pulled that from may have started as a kind, caring person, but if he followed that thing¡¯s path, it was only a matter of time before it got him killed, and likely with a trail of dead and ruined lives behind him,¡± Edwin gestured at Kade as he finished.


    Kade didn¡¯t know how to respond, and it was a long minute before he spoke again. ¡°I can¡¯t take this off, can I? It¡¯s bound to my soul, isn¡¯t it?¡± Edwin nodded sadly. ¡°What can I do, Edwin? Am I really doomed to end up running my own torture chamber some day?¡±


    Edwin looked sympathetic, but also resigned, ¡°I don¡¯t know, Kade. I¡¯m not sure if anyone alive knows the truth of that thing, but I understand the temptation it represents. Dalton was¡­trapped, when he made it; that¡¯s all I can say without getting lost in the tale. Apparently he built it to find a way to set himself free, no matter the consequence, and the way the bracer does that ignores not just morality, but practicality as well. It can offer you exactly what you need, precisely when you need it, but it always has a cost.¡± He paused, seeming unsure of whether to continue at all, finally he finished: ¡°The Legend claims that¡¯s what happened to Dalton. The bracer looked at the situation he was trapped in, and told him to kill himself. And he did.¡±


    Kade looked rapidly from Edwin to the bracer, panic gripping him. Every instinct said he should rip the thing from his body, but even as he reached for it reflexively, he felt a certainty that he could lose the entire arm the bracer was attached to, and he still wouldn¡¯t be free of it so long as he lived. Edwin saw the reaction and put a hand on Kade¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We don¡¯t know that it¡¯s a death-sentence, Kade, right now we only know stories. Just¡­be careful when it tells you to do something. It may not be possible to always avoid what it asks, but be skeptical, be suspicious, and don¡¯t let it become your master. Keep reminding yourself that it¡¯s nothing but the tool of a madman.¡±


    Kade let his arms fall to his sides, ¡°I wish you had more to offer, but I appreciate your words anyway.¡± He looked back at the bracer, then smiled sadly, ¡°I think I have some idea of what you mean about temptation. This thing already saved my life once. Even ignoring everything else it showed me, it¡¯s still responsible for this¨C¡± Kade reached for a handful of chains, and let them drop soundlessly back to his side. ¡°I¡¯m not sure how it worked exactly, but I know I was dying when this thing gave me the Soul Core that saved my life.¡±


    Edwin looked back at him in surprise, ¡°What do you mean it gave you your Soul Core? We could tell you were recently awakened, but we assumed you found something in the labyrinth that did it; it¡¯s not unheard of.¡±


    Kade tried to remember what the bracer had said, now fearful to look back at the display. ¡°I think it fabricated the item? Is that a thing bracers do?¡±


    Edwin seemed contemplative, ¡°Fabrication devices do exist, so that at least isn¡¯t completely worrying. They turn raw magical energy into objects, and they¡¯re usually enormous, but Dalton shrinking one down to wrist-size might be the least of his accomplishments.¡± He shook his head in disbelief, ¡°After everything I just told you, I can feel myself falling prey to the exact temptation I warned you about. You were right that your Soul Core saved you. The Ritual of Calm would have mistaken you for a Manifestation of Chaos without one. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m asking this, but¡­what does it say now?¡±


    Kade wasn¡¯t certain he wanted to know, not sure how much the bracer might be capable of impacting him; he had a whole backlog of unusual behavior he wasn¡¯t ready to examine in this new light. With equal parts trepidation and determination he looked down at the display, the same caution from earlier prompted him to rapidly scroll past numerous messages about abilities he wasn¡¯t supposed to have. Finally he found a way to isolate only the objective interface, and started reading.


    Attention: [Path to Power] update!


    Objective: Awaken Soul Core [Complete!]


    Path: (1) Slay 10 Unstable Manifestations of Chaos [Complete!]


    Path: (2) Utilize Soul Core Consumable [Complete!]


    Attention: Soul Core Awakened, Interface update!


    Searching for a new [Path to Power!]


    Warning! Area of extreme Chaotic Magical Energy detected!


    Imminent Death detected, generating new [Path to Power!]


    Objective: Survive area of extreme Chaotic Magical Energy


    Path: (1) Utilize stored latent mana to create additional consumable [Complete!]


    Kade read the final line with confusion, until he realized there was now an object in his closed, left fist. Opening his hand, he was confronted with a small, sapphire-blue object. Edwin noticed Kade¡¯s behavior and came to inspect the object. ¡°Did your bracer just fabricate that? What is it?¡±


    Kade glanced back at the bracer which had updated its display, then let out a small chuckle. ¡°Apparently I had some change left over from my last fabrication. This, apparently, is a Mana Fragment.¡±

 Chapter 6: Chains of Fate

    Edwin shook his head in disbelief as the bracer produced exactly what Kade needed, when he needed it. ¡°I knew about the corrupting influence this bracer could have, but I never thought I¡¯d be the one getting corrupted. It¡¯s taking all my willpower not to see what the bracer wants next.¡±  He stared into Kade¡¯s eyes for a long moment before speaking again, ¡°How are you feeling, after using the bracer again?¡±


    Kade considered the tone of the question before answering, ¡°Are you asking because there might be an actual, physical influence from using the bracer? I got the impression it was more about tempting me onto a dark path.¡±


    Edwin shrugged, ¡°It would be a magical influence, and the truth is we don¡¯t know, so I have to ask.¡±


    Kade nodded his understanding, ¡°I¡¯ll stay introspective, but for now I don¡¯t have any clear sense of what could be affecting me. With all the insanity and changes I¡¯ve experienced, I can¡¯t begin to sort out what might be having an influence, but I¡¯ll be cautious. Do you think it¡¯s safe to use this thing?¡± he asked, gesturing with the blue gem.


    Edwin shrugged his broad shoulders one more time, ¡°If you trusted it with your Soul Core, you basically already trust it with more than your life. Honestly you can¡¯t afford to be picky, that Fragment is your only way out of this place.¡±


    Kade nodded his understanding and didn¡¯t hesitate, pressing the gem against his chest. This time the sensation was more than a fleeting shiver, instead being reminiscent of the burning feeling that accompanied his energy blasts, but somehow opposite to the ragged agony that had been like fire in his veins. Instead it felt like something was building pathways through him, reaching out from his chest¨Chis Soul Core he amended¨Cand extending outward. He was fascinated when he realized the pathways didn¡¯t just pass through his body, but actually extended into the countless chains as well, giving him a sudden awareness of each individual coil.


    For a moment the sensory overload was too much, and he felt himself stagger sideways, Edwin catching him before he fell. Edwin looked chagrined, ¡°Sorry, I had meant to warn you but with everything¡­I apologize. You¡¯re hardly the only person to manifest soul constructs, and I¡¯ve heard it can be disorienting when your senses extend into them for the first time.¡±


    Kade gently disengaged himself from Edwin¡¯s uncomfortably powerful arms, before smiling in reassurance. ¡°No apologies; this is incredible. A moment ago they felt like an unusual fashion accessory, now it¡¯s like they¡¯re a part of my body, and I can feel all of them. Individually. It¡¯s incredible; it feels like I¡¯m thinking of a thousand things at once, but it¡¯s somehow still natural.¡±


    Edwin returned the smile, ¡°Wait until we find you a Magic Fragment, that will complete the magical side of your transformation, and should grant you an intuitive control over¡­whatever it is those things do.¡± Edwin paused as he looked in the direction of the forest. ¡°It looks like we¡¯ll be learning that on the go. If Alara is coming back, that means we¡¯re out of time.¡±


    Kade followed Edwin¡¯s gaze in time to witness Alara emerging from the thick growth, walking backward with her arms extended and glowing with a golden energy. There was no sign of Nicky, but after several moments the focus of Alara¡¯s attacks became clear as several bear-sized monsters stumbled out of the woods after her. It was as grizzly a sight as any Kade had ever witnessed, as the creatures appeared to be melting in front of his eyes, each one collapsing to the ground before reaching Alara.


    Seeing that Alara was safe, Edwin turned back to Kade suddenly. ¡°Listen to me, you have to be incredibly careful with who knows the truth about that bracer. Ideally it¡¯s no one, but with its nature¡­¡± He shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it to Alara, and certainly not Nicky. If you have to talk about it, find me, or Graves.¡± At the mention of the monochrome healer, it was like a spell was broken for Kade, and he realized he hadn¡¯t noticed the man¡¯s presence since the group had split up; despite being certain that the man hadn¡¯t moved.


    Graves smiled ever so slightly from within the reaches of his deep hood, then spoke. ¡°Fear not, chained one. My nature is that of healing, and I would not risk your safety. Beyond that, you¡¯ll understand that secrets are always safe with one of my kind, once you better grasp what my kind truly are. For now, Edwin is correct, and you may come to me if you¡¯re in need of¡­discussion.¡±


    Kade nodded, still disturbed by the man¡¯s ability to remain in one place, while fading completely from Kade¡¯s awareness. Further consideration ended as Alara came jogging back to the group, the effort seeming out of place from the elegant woman. ¡°We need to move. Nicky is still playing distraction, but we should have left already. As is, we¡¯ll be in a fighting retreat in moments.¡± She gestured at Kade, ¡°What are we doing with him? Do we need to¡­¡± She made an usual gesture that definitely meant she was ready to kill him.


    Edwin smiled in amusement, ¡°It turns out he already had a Mana Fragment on him; he¡¯d picked it up in the labyrinth without knowing its purpose.¡± Alara seemed to consider Kade closely, then nodded.


    ¡°He¡¯s a man of many miracles it seems. Did you figure out what his chains are for?¡± Once more seeming to materialize from nowhere, Nicky didn¡¯t waste the moment.


    ¡°You¡¯ve clearly never been sailing. I¡¯m pretty sure you dump this guy over the side so the boat doesn¡¯t float away.¡± Kade was happy to see her playful tone had returned, and followed her lead.


    ¡°I guess not everyone has a power as fitting as yours, Nicky. I can¡¯t imagine anything more perfect for you than quietly disappearing.¡± Again Edwin stepped in.


    ¡°On your own time, kids, we¡¯ve used up all of ours. Alara, the retreat is expected, and I have our route. There¡¯s a narrow path between two hills, near the ridge we followed to get here, and the bottleneck that will let us control numbers. I¡¯ll carve the path, you¡¯ll take the rear, with Graves and Nicky doing what they do while keeping an eye on the walking anchor.¡±


    Kade laughed at the unexpected humor from the solid team-leader, realizing he¡¯d misjudged the man because of how seriously he took his command. Edwin smirked as he turned and headed out toward the Chaos, calling back as he did so, ¡°What? You¡¯re a pile of heavy bones at the end of a chain, sometimes Nicky gets it right.¡±


    ***


    Minutes later, Kade found himself sandwiched between Nicky and Graves, any playfulness forgotten as the group marched into the narrow pass Edwin had mentioned. As they entered, his escorts had to shift slightly ahead and behind him for them all to fit, as the team leader¡¯s description of a bottleneck proved very true. Once inside, the sun was almost entirely blocked out as the walls seemed to go upward forever, and soon it was a warm golden glow emanating from Alara that provided visibility.


    Mere moments after entering the sounds started to reach Kade¡¯s ears. Howling wasn¡¯t exactly accurate, but there were certainly similarities. Mewling whines, and the sound of heavy feet charging toward them soon joined the cacophony, and Kade felt fear rising in him. He¡¯d grown used to hunting in the dark halls of the labyrinth, but he hoped he would never get used to being hunted.


    Edwin seemed to sense the tension building in the group, and spoke out, confident and unconcerned at alerting their pursuers. ¡°We¡¯re nearly to the Chaos Wall, so the attack must be coming, it¡¯s when they¡¯ll have the greatest advantage.¡± He glanced back over his shoulder, seeing Kade looking helpless and frustrated. ¡°Kade, we didn¡¯t have a chance to talk about Soul Powers¨Cthat¡¯s what we call the things we can do with our awakened Soul Cores, and our Soul Manifestations. But we¡¯ve spoken enough; it¡¯s time for a demonstration.¡±


    He was true to his word as he reached behind his back, somehow coming back with two identical hand-axes with enormous, curved blades, neither of which had been there moments ago. They seemed right in his hands, in a way that Kade couldn¡¯t articulate. He had a friendly barb prepared about how the ax guy shouldn¡¯t judge the chain guy, but it died in his throat as four additional axes appeared in the air, spinning end over end until they were identical blurs of razor-sharp metal. Edwin gave a casual gesture and all four sped forward, disappearing into the darkness ahead. Horrific sounds of choking, terrible death echoed back at them moments later. Four new axes appeared a moment later, and once more began their deadly spin.


    Kade turned to Nicky, not certain what he wanted to say, but needing to acknowledge the surprise and the carnage. His words died as he saw that her entire body had faded until it appeared to be living, gray smoke, more drifting behind him than walking. She¡¯d only just begun to wield her powers, though, and he watched in fascination as smoke drifted from her fingers, wrapping around each member of the group with slow, deliberate purpose. Kade couldn¡¯t tell what the smoke was doing, but he was certain that it would be harder to fight in the limited visibility; he assumed the team was used to taking advantage of this technique.


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    His curiosity piqued, Kade switched his focus to Alara, still glowing softly with a golden light.  When several wolf-like creatures burst from the darkness behind them, Kade watched with rapt attention, determined to figure out her subtle but horrifying powers. He watched the wolf-like Manifestations charge forward, noticing that they each sported two heads, and several tails, though the bodies were disturbingly canine both in their shape, and thick fur.


    When Alara reached out with her hands, Kade again saw nothing but a slight warping to the air before the creatures began making pained shrieks, their skin bubbling and bursting into flames. When the attack didn¡¯t arrest their charge, Alara pulled a handful of glittering metal coins from her robes, which she tossed lazily into the advancing group before resuming her odd attack. It was when the coins began exploding and bursting into flames that Kade thought he finally understood her powers.


    Once more he was in for a surprise when a circle of small spherical flames came into being around her, each firing continuous beams of molten flame. Kade shook his head in disbelief, then turned to Graves, excited to see the man in the fullness of his power. Kade couldn¡¯t hide his disappointment when he saw the darkly dressed man simply strolling next to him.


    Kade acknowledged that it might be a good thing that the healer wasn¡¯t needing to go all-out, and turned his attention back to Edwin. The man was no longer alone, as a half-dozen humanoid creatures were trying to wrestle around each other to get at the ax-wielder in the tight space. Those that did seemed to discover their mistake quickly, as Edwin laid into them with steady, even swings. Kade found the sight oddly hypnotic, as the man moved in a perfect, flowing rhythm that never abated. Each swing moved smoothly into the next, followed by a slow, deliberate step forward.


    The result was steady, inexorable progress, and Kade was starting to believe it would be an uneventful series of victories when his stomach lurched and he fell into Graves. ¡°Steady,¡± the tall man said in his whispered way. ¡°We¡¯ve reached the Chaos Wall; your body can handle it, but it won¡¯t be pleasant. Focus on moving, it will become easier in time.¡± He felt strength flowing into him from the healer, and managed to regain his feet.


    The moment he did, he saw that the entire tone of the battle had changed. Nicky was out in front of Alara, dodging rapidly between several of the wolf-creatures that had  completely gone berserk. Each time one seemed to finally catch her, the attack passed through her like smoke. After this happened to one of the beasts several times, it stopped in place for a moment, then turned and pounced on the others of its kind. This made room for Alara to properly go to work, and in moments there were columns of liquid fire spilling from her joined hands into the fray, somehow everywhere but where Nicky was.


    Behind him, Edwin was also being pressed. While his swings never slowed, and he appeared to be holding back a wave through sheer force of will, the grotesque abominations on his side were starting to literally climb over each other to get to him. Kade finally got a good look at one when the top-half of its severed torso landed at his feet. Its skin was rubbery and translucent, and though its head was human-shaped, it possessed no eyes, and when the jaw fell open he saw numerous rows of teeth disappearing into the creature¡¯s throat.


    Looking back upward, Kade saw that several of the monsters were ready to pile over Edwin at once, before the entire group was suddenly jerked backward, most losing their feet, and some disappearing entirely into the darkness beyond. Kade was confused until he saw Graves striding forward to stand just behind Edwin. Kade couldn¡¯t be certain what the man was doing, but he was clearly concentrating and his impact on the battle was obvious.


    Kade felt profound relief when the professionals around him seemed to regain control of the fight, however slowly. No matter what he¡¯d been through thus far, it hadn¡¯t prepared him for the intense reality of a true battle, or the continuous series of close calls that almost meant the end of one or more of the tireless warriors protecting him. As the minutes ticked by, and their forward momentum halted, Kade became increasingly anxious, feeling certain that he should be helping, but equally certain that he would be a liability no matter where he tried to step in.


    His moment came anyway, when he felt small pieces of rock and earth falling onto him from above. Looking upward into the gloom, he saw shadows, moving soundlessly across the sides of the crevice. Once seen, the creatures gave up the pretense of stealth, and Kade found himself diving wildly out of the way as two fresh horrors pounced on the spot he¡¯d barely managed to escape. The creatures were different from the monsters attacking the others, with only two front legs, ending in blade-like appendages that dug deeply into the ground and walls as they rapidly pulled themselves along. A sinewy tail writhed behind them, and their faces were nothing but enormous beaks, snapping wildly at Kade as he jumped madly away from them.


    A glance in either direction showed him that not only did no one from the team seem aware of the new attack, but they were still being pressured to the point that a single distraction could end the entire battle in tragedy. Kade knew that he had to do this alone, lying to himself that he could handle the two creatures. After all, he¡¯d handled the rat Matriarch hadn¡¯t he? The thought brought his mind to the ability he¡¯d been hiding from his new allies, but even without looking at his bracer, he was somehow certain that he¡¯d find his reserves empty. Whether that was a result of Graves¡¯ intervention, or something else entirely, he couldn¡¯t be certain. Either way, if he was to have any chance at surviving the next few moments, he¡¯d need to use his other tools.


    As the creatures reoriented to his new position, he realized that he¡¯d somehow already been acting, perhaps just by instinct. Looking back to where they¡¯d initially attacked, he saw a pile of loose chains spreading out, and leading back to his new position. The creatures were both standing in the pile, and seemed oblivious to the fact, their single pair of thin sharp legs clearly not intended for delicate work.


    Kade immediately saw what he had to do, but he could already feel the slowness of his heavy bones holding him back. He was about to have a very wild dance with two very unusual partners, and he felt as if he were carrying a whole extra person on his back. The bladed fiends gave him no more time for second thoughts, as they both resumed their awkward, pouncing chase. Kade¡¯s greatest advantage was how much taller he was than the creatures, who crouched mere inches off the ground. This allowed Kade to heave his bulk over top of the creatures several times, but he knew that wasn¡¯t enough.


    As he took hit after hit, and slowly found himself covered in his own blood, he nevertheless managed to dodge wildly around the creatures, bounding and twisting in unpredictable ways, all with strength fueled only by desperation. After a short time, Kade could feel that his plan was taking effect, even if the last phase was still critical. Backing toward the crevice wall, he could see that he¡¯d managed to wrap loose chains around the creatures again and again, twisting and coiling around them. They were already clearly finding it difficult to move but Kade knew it wouldn¡¯t be enough¨Cnot until the chains were tight.


    The next time the two charged, he knew it was his moment. He took one last desperate dive over the creatures, and came to his feet with a massive handful of chains in either hand. Wasting no time, Kade gave as great a heave as he was capable of, and was shocked to see every single chain instantly pull tight around the creatures. He watched in fascination as they were bound together by dozens of shiny black chains, leaving them flailing wildly and trying to escape. It was then he heard the beeping of his bracer, and the moment he glanced at it, he felt the weight of the two creatures barrel into him, chains and all.


    Kade crashed into the ground, the beak of one of the creatures close enough to start wildly snapping at his face as he struggled to bring his hands up defensively. The tail flapping above the beak showed that his chains had at least prevented the two creatures from attacking at once, with the second one flailing impotently upside down on top of its fellow. Finally Kade managed to get an arm between himself and the snapping beak, likely saving his life, but leaving his left forearm to be bitten repeatedly.


    He found himself grateful for his newly improved bones, as the arm didn¡¯t break despite the flesh being torn to pieces. As the pain and devastation of his arm began to overwhelm, Kade¡¯s mind searched for any option in the vulnerable position. As his eyes landed on the chains wrapped again and again around the creatures, a stray thought passed through his mind; more of a random word association than a real plan, it nonetheless proved his salvation. He spoke the word, needing to hear it out loud.


    ¡°Chainsaw¡­¡±


    The result was immediate, as every link of chain he could see transformed before his eyes. Countless jagged blades sprang hungrily to life, tearing into the creatures, but miraculously not into Kade himself. Horrible shrieks finally escaped the beaks of both twisted creatures, at last breaking their eerie silence. But still, Kade knew that this was only half of what needed to be done. Using the confusion to scramble to his feet and ignoring the gory ruins of his arm, he once more gathered great handfuls of the glistening chains.


    Again he found that none of the blades could find purchase in his flesh, and he smiled a bloody grin at what was about to happen, part of him knowing that if he didn¡¯t embrace the moment, the horrors of it would freeze him in place. With the last of his strength he duplicated his earlier feat, hauling on the chains with all his might, willing them to pull back to him. The results were immediate, bloody, and haunting, as the chains didn¡¯t simply pull tight around the creatures, but instead slowly, brutally, tore their way off the creatures¡¯ bodies; the endless blades were literally sawing their way through the monsters as they returned to Kade¡¯s waist.


    As the final links slid back into place, he noticed dispassionately that they were as perfectly clean and polished as they ever were. Looking at the remains, little more than chunks of meat scattered around him, he felt that it was somehow wrong to do something so horrific and be so pristine after. He stared at the pile until another beep from the bracer seemed to snap him out of his stupor.


    Looking around, he realized that the sounds of battle had died out, and with the exception of Graves, who was treating a wound on Alara¡¯s leg, everyone had turned to look at exactly what he¡¯d done. Edwin gave him an approving nod, while Alara seemed unconcerned and went back to focusing on her injuries. Nicky seemed most affected, her hood thrown back and no evidence of the battle anywhere on her gray robes.


    ¡°What in all hells was that, new guy?¡± she asked with what seemed more like genuine curiosity than disapproval.


    Leaning back against the crevice wall, barely able to stand from the blood loss, Kade could only muster the strength to glance quickly at the bracer before letting the arm drop back to his side. In an exhausted voice he replied simply, ¡°Chains of Fate.¡±

 Chapter 7: Keepers of Calm

    Kade had been exhausted when they first arrived, but had listened with grim fascination as Graves explained that the Calm was actually the result of an Elder, dead and buried somewhere deep underground. He further explained that there were few places in Iros that didn¡¯t have countless dead, lost to millions of years of conflict. Digging into Iros was considered to be as dangerous as venturing into the Chaos, or worse. There were entire Kingdoms lost to time, and not all were empty; many contained living, sleeping Elders, or even Ancients, which was a distinction the group couldn¡¯t quite convey yet through the apparent language barrier. If Graves wasn¡¯t exaggerating¨Cand he certainly didn¡¯t seem the type¨Cthen it was genuinely harder to dig downward any significant distance and not find some lost civilization.


    After Graves¡¯ taciturn nature got the better of him and he declined to talk further, Kade had been preparing to sleep, so exhausted after the day, the battle, and the healing Graves had provided, that the uncovered ground seemed like a bed of clouds. Before Kade could collapse though, Edwin had approached with a gift. ¡°Here, we had some more good luck,¡± he said, tossing a small, red vial into Kade¡¯s hands. ¡°Blood Fragment. It¡¯ll help, trust me.¡±


    Kade examined the small, glass container, with curiosity, ¡°This will give me magic blood to match my magic bones?¡± he asked with some skepticism. Edwin considered a moment before answering.


    ¡°Sort of? Yes? Blood, organs, some of the chemicals in your brain¡­it¡¯s vastly more complicated than even I understand. What I will say is that you should stop taking magic quite so literally; remember the words you hear are still just your Soul¡¯s best guess as to what my Soul is trying to convey. I¡¯m not even sure what you mean when I hear you say magic. I can tell there¡¯s greater implications than what the word means to me, but also lesser somehow. When I hear you in the language of my home, it¡¯s almost like you¡¯re saying magic, which we all know isn¡¯t real. But you have none of the nuance I try to communicate when I say [power¨Cenergy¨Cplanet blood¨Clife¨Cjoy¨Cpain¨Cdeath].¡±


    Kade blinked as he tried to process what Edwin said, before glancing at his bracer to see that it still simply translated as [Magic]. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll ever get used to this,¡± Kade replied, indicating the bracer and its translation ability. Edwin shook his head dismissively.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it without even realizing it. In a few weeks your Soul will have become accustomed to the subtleties. Right now you¡¯re just overwhelmed by all the new information.¡± Edwin seemed to remember something, and continued. ¡°Soul, that was another one that doesn¡¯t quite align. I can tell you associate the word with some kind of religious influence, but that¡¯s not accurate. I think we have that concept if I¡¯m understanding it correctly, but when I say Soul, I¡¯m really saying [center¨Cbeing¨Cheart¨Cchi¨Cself¨Cmind¨Cpower¨Ckey¨Cweakness-strength].¡±


    Knowing what he¡¯d see if he checked the translation, Kade instead tried to focus on the word-salad that he¡¯d heard Edwin¡¯s voice speak. After a moment, he repeated the word Soul with those thoughts in mind, and when Edwin looked pleasantly surprised, he did the same with Magic, though he found it much harder to keep the sense of disbelief from his mind. Edwin replied simply, ¡°Closer. Now drink your juice, you really don¡¯t want to know how many monsters I needed to milk to get that.¡±


    Kade nearly dropped the vial at Edwin¡¯s words, ¡°Did you just say you milked this from¨C¡± Edwin interrupted him with a rapid shake of his head, looking uncomfortable.


    ¡°Just more translation problems, best drink it quick and not to think about it too much,¡± he very pointedly avoided eye-contact with Kade as he said this. Kade looked back to the vial, then followed both pieces of advice, downing it as quickly as he could. This time, the largest impact he felt was that his exhaustion simply disappeared, and he felt as if he¡¯d woken from a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Edwin nodded in satisfaction, then spoke once more, ¡°Excellent. The Blood Bond is very convenient, especially for times like this. You shouldn¡¯t feel hunger again¨Cthough I imagine being healed several times by Graves was already suppressing that for you. You¡¯ll also heal and recover much, much faster, and you technically don¡¯t need to sleep anymore, but trust me that you really, really should. We¡¯ll give you some techniques to help you fall asleep when you can¡¯t really get tired.¡±


    ¡°I take it that going too long without sleep still has some negative consequences then?¡±


    ¡°Many, though you likely wouldn¡¯t experience the serious ones for weeks or even months. Still, it refreshes your mind and creates a natural cycle for your body that¡¯s still quite beneficial, especially for recovering your strength and magic.¡± Kade nodded in understanding, enjoying the new sensations that came with just existing in this world. ¡°I¡¯d suggest you get that sleep now, but I remember how it felt when I received my own Blood Bond; you might want to burn off that energy with some practice, given what you¡¯ve learned about your chains.¡± Kade nodded happily before heading off, already pulling fistfuls of chains from his belt.


    ****


    Graves watched as the false-Child walked away from Houseless, one more fortune casually devoured as if it were nothing more than a side of bread at a feast. He considered the man, so full of lies that they slipped past his bracer¡¯s translation almost entirely without a trace. He suspected the man¨Cwhose very name was a falsehood¨C must believe some of the lies himself, as even the Royal Spymaster would be hard-pressed to duplicate the feat amongst one of Graves¡¯ power.


    For the hundredth time he found himself guessing at what the man really was, knowing that he wouldn¡¯t find any answers. Even as he had pulled the man¡¯s unusual injuries into the void, unmaking the events that had created them, he had sensed that their cause was something that should not have been possible. That the man had channeled Chaos through his cardiovascular system was simple fact to Graves, who knew it implicitly the moment he¡¯d begun his healing. This fact was difficult to accept, however, as it either belied everything their society had believed for thousands of years, or meant that the man was something truly unique. Frustration almost showed on his face when he considered that the truth could be both.


    He wondered if the world might be better off if he was still embracing his previous role as Royal Executioner, simply killing the boy without hesitation or remorse, removing a potential threat to the Kingdom¨Cor perhaps the very world. But that life was centuries behind him, and curiosity was a stronger force than loyalty to a dead King, at least for the moment. He saw Edwin speak with the other two Keepers as they prepared the campsite, then walked off a small distance, stopping at the crest of a hill where he could still see potential threats¨Cand the false one as he played with his chains.


    Graves approached him unhurriedly, curious what the wise, older man may have discovered from conversation that Graves might not have found with his arts. Edwin glanced at him long before he should have been able to sense him, nodding a quiet greeting. Those senses had always unnerved Graves, who still felt it was unfair that a simple woodsman was more capable of reading the currents of Calm than a priest of Karthas. They watched the false one for several minutes together before Graves felt compelled to speak, ¡°First bone, now blood. I¡¯ve known worthier souls that waited decades for a single Fragment, and you¡¯ve given two to this¡­¡± His vows¨Cburned deeply into his soul¨Cwouldn¡¯t allow him to even imply the true nature of the pretender.


    Edwin merely nodded, not deigning to answer. Graves continued, ¡°You must see something I don¡¯t¡­or worse, you might see everything I do. Tell me why you protect this one. Our duty has never been to help victims as you put it. Our duty has no living victims, only casualties.¡± Edwin raised an eyebrow at the priest.


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong, saving people was the founding purpose of the order. I was there. Calming the Elders became the most important way of doing that, but I understand my purpose in this. I am¡­more certain of that than usual.¡± His hand reached up to grip his pendant, symbol of his dedication to the Legend of Korthos. As a Priest of Karthas, he respected those who respected the Legends, but saw that there was something more going on here.


    ¡°The tenants of your faith include self-sacrifice and protecting those who can¡¯t protect themselves, but I see more than here, far more. Tell me what drives you to this behavior, if only so I can stop worrying that his Chaos Sickness somehow migrated to you.¡± Edwin didn¡¯t speak for a long moment, just held his pendant and stared. Finally he spoke up, sounding pained.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you Graves, I don¡¯t think I can tell anyone,¡± the words were clipped and barely intelligible, causing Graves to grip the man¡¯s arm, his senses diving into the man for injuries.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, did I somehow miss a wound? And why can¡¯t you tell me the truth, you know I¡¯m completely incapable of sharing anyone¡¯s secrets.¡±


    Edwin wobbled on his feet for a moment, gently removing Graves¡¯ hand from his arm. Finally he spoke, ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, Graves, because when I just tried, I felt my Soul Core crack.¡± Graves¡¯ eyes widened in shock at the words. A cracked Soul Core was thought to only occur in the rarest of near-death injuries, and some never healed. Edwin tried to smile reassuringly, but his hand shook slightly on his pendant. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Graves, it will heal on its own¡­I think it was just a friendly warning.¡±


    ¡°A warning? The most devastating injury that any being can experience short of a full Core rupture, and it¡¯s just a warning? Was it the boy, somehow? Is he already capable of this?¡± Edwin shook his head weakly.


    ¡°No, it wasn¡¯t him, it came from a much higher authority,¡± he gestured upward with his eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd. You¡¯re trying to tell me this was some kind of divine intervention? I¡¯ve read more of the Legends than even you may have heard of, and I can promise that sleeping Ancients don¡¯t attack our souls.¡± Edwin sighed, then replied slowly, as if carefully choosing his words.


    ¡°My Legend spoke to me Graves. I can tell you that, likely because no one will ever believe it. But it happened, and the consequences of not listening have been made painfully clear. My duty is to protect that boy, and bring him every ounce of power I can possibly find. Bankrupting myself for a few Power Fragments is the least I¡¯ll do.¡±


    This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.


    ****


    Edwin left a contemplative Graves to his quiet thoughts, unable to recall the last time the man had spoken so long, or with such emotion. He had more to consider as well. Despite his long years, nothing had prepared him for being the subject of divine attention. There were some who worshiped more active Legends, those few that still took a direct role in the testing and preparing of the next generation of Keepers and Bringers. But Korthos was as far from that as it was possible to be while still considered to be a Living Legend.


    It was a bit of a friendly, running joke that Korthos-followers were often so devout, while they could never be in the direct presence of their patron. True believers didn¡¯t feel this way, of course; Edwin felt Korothos¡¯ benevolent presence every day. But the real reason that Korthos attracted so many, was that his Ideals lined up so well with the Keepers. Protecting others, self-sacrifice, the greater good, feeling that they were following the path of one of the greatest of the Ancients helped many of those new to the cause to feel they were on the right path, a righteous path, even.


    But no one ever expected direct intervention from the Quiet One, as he was sometimes called; of all the living Legends, his role was the most crucial by far. As such, Edwin was not only shocked to his very being by the attention of his patron, he was also conflicted. Some, like Graves, chose their patron expecting to serve in some capacity, and being favored with direct contact would have been the greatest honor of their lives. This wasn¡¯t so for Edwin, who had never even known such service was a possibility, let alone one he had no real say in¨Chis fractured Soul Core being more than enough evidence of that. What had truly earned his commitment though, hadn¡¯t been the threat, but the unexpected tone of the simple message: Please, help him.


    And so Edwin would help the boy, suspecting his patron knew precisely why he would. As he approached the newly Awakened, he took note of the progress Kade was making with his unusual Soul Manifestation. Killing the two cavern reapers had been impressive, if only by the special standard Kade needed to be judged by¨Clost and confused in a way no one else could truly understand. Then given a weapon to help him survive in this unfathomably hostile world, only for it to be one of the least practical Edwin had encountered. He suspected the boy would be granted numerous complementary abilities if given a chance to choose his Ancestral Path; many of those with the more exotic Soul Manifestations found their awakened abilities followed a much stricter path than most, but ultimately left them surprisingly well-balanced.


    Edwin was the opposite end of the spectrum, of course. His soul knew that he would be a simple woodsman no matter where life took him, be it the forests of his home where he had hewed through the Skyreacher trees, or a crevice where he hewed through any monster fool-enough to come before him. Edwin was endlessly content just swinging his ax, and thus far his abilities seemed to share that contentment, granting strength and stamina and little else. Kade would be different, Edwin was certain of that, the man had the calling, even if he didn¡¯t understand that yet.


    Kade was currently spinning a length of chain in either hand, then releasing each to send them piercing forward into a nearby tree, the ends transformed into vicious looking blades. At a light tug, the chains returned, and Kade duplicated the feat, this time with chains wrapping around the tree, each ending in a dangerous looking grappling hook. That all but confirmed that Kade was destined to be a metallurgist. He¡¯d likely find numerous more abilities that allowed him to manipulate metal like a living thing, but Edwin had to admit that he was surprised. Most metallurgists became craftspeople, creating everything from the cities they lived in, to the armor that protected them. But few were suited to combat, at least compared to the more traditional Awakened.


    Edwin considered Alara, contrasting her skillset to the man now tying dozens of knots with his chains for some reason. Alara had awoken Star, and if one discounted the need to survive such an encounter, she was likely capable of killing dozens of monsters with her very first ability. That she had chosen to follow the Path of the Elementalist on top of it was practically overkill, a new mastery of fire complimenting her more horrific Star powers. If gathering power was as essential as Edwin believed it to be for Kade, he hoped the man would find some level of aptitude beyond metal manipulation. Single-Paths were rare, but it did happen, and Edwin wasn¡¯t sure he¡¯d be capable of satisfying his duty if Kade was so-limited.


    When the young man finally took a rest, Edwin walked forward. ¡°Is that a new technique you¡¯re developing? I understand the blades and the grapples, but the knots are beyond me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking far ahead,¡± Kade replied with that same half-smile Edwin had seen so often, the one that seemed to somehow convey disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m still not certain I understand the Soul Manifestation thing, so I just keep trying things to see if they¡¯re an ability or not. That¡¯s how I figured out Bind and the¡­well the other thing.¡± Edwin nodded in understanding; as a woodsman, he appreciated the way Kade had managed to use his chains as some kind of saw, but he understood that the brutality of it may have been too much for the uninitiated. Not meaning to start a conversation of this nature, he nevertheless realized he still needed to correct some false assumptions if he was to be of real help to Kade.


    ¡°That¡¯s not quite how Soul powers work, though I can see where the confusion came from. I follow the Path of the Warrior, it¡¯s the gift I received in the Trials of Karthas,¡± he held up a hand to forestall the dozens of questions he could see in the man¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll explain everything, give me time. As I was saying, I¡¯m a Warrior, which means I can gain access to specific abilities tied to that path. For instance, I have a common ability called Ancient Might, which effectively lets me channel more mana into my strength. But Soul powers, and Soul Manifestations, work differently.¡± He walked forward, and his soul called out for an ax, a familiar long-handled one from his youth appeared in his hands.


    ¡°Where Path Abilities are limited but highly reliable, Soul powers tend to be dynamic, and shaped by our own creativity and understanding of our Soul. When I awoke Ax, I could immediately conjure any type of ax I could think of. As someone who felled trees all day, it was as intuitive as it was practical.¡± Kade stopped him with a look of shock.


    ¡°You were a lumberjack?¡± he asked incredulously, with the word just barely making it past his bracer¡¯s translation.


    ¡°I still consider myself to be, even after all this time. Sometimes other things just need to be axed,¡± they shared a smile at that. ¡°We¡¯re getting off topic though. My point was that conjuring axes was all I could do, that is¨Cuntil I needed an ax for something else. When I finally faced something other than a tree, I began to use my powers differently,¡± as he finished, axes began hovering in the air, spinning as they had in the battle of the crevice, before firing into the same tree Kade had been practicing on, obliterating it as thoroughly as Graves might have.


    ¡°The Magic Bond helps, of course,¡± he acknowledged, curious how such a bond would affect Kade. ¡°Soul powers aren¡¯t limited in the same way as Path abilities, though, and it¡¯ll largely be up to you to find ways that metallurgist chains can be made effective. As I said, it¡¯s a matter of creativity and imagination. Something I sadly lack. Thus, axes,¡± he punctuated his point by sending a dozen axes violently into the nearby trees. He looked back at Kade, practically hopping from foot to foot like a small child. Edwin smiled indulgently, ¡°Okay, a few questions, then bed.¡±


    ¡°Path of the Warrior, Trials of Karthas, metallurgist.¡± Kade waited expectantly, and Edwin found himself laughing.


    ¡°Okay, I respect the focus. Graves would respect the brevity,¡± he considered where to start. ¡°When we get to Karthas, you¡¯ll be given the choice to become a Keeper of the Calm¨Cwe all just say Keeper. That¡¯s what the four of us,¡± he gestured vaguely at his team, ¡°have chosen to dedicate ourselves to. Though I expect Alara won¡¯t be satisfied until the Bringers finally come for her,¡± he saw Kade trying not to talk, and smiled. ¡°Bringers of Calm. Context probably gave you most of what you need; Keepers cull any Manifestations of Chaos¨Cmonsters¨Cthat come near a populated areas, and do what we did today; Calm any of nearby Elders who are starting to revert¨Cspitting out Chaos instead of Calm.


    ¡°Bringers are the elite, and need to be staggeringly powerful. They venture out into the True Chaos, well beyond the effect of Karthas or any other significant source of Calm. They found cities, fight wars we¡¯ll never hear about, and they don¡¯t take applications; they¡¯ll find you if you can be an asset to them.¡± He noticed Kade¡¯s eyes had gone unfocused, his entire countenance changed; Edwin had noticed it a few times since meeting the man, and he didn¡¯t think the boy was aware when it happened. He spoke gently, on instinct, ¡°Kade, do you want to be a Bringer?¡±


    When Kade spoke, his voice was flat, and Edwin¡¯s translator seemed to react oddly, ¡°I need to go into the True Chaos.¡± Edwin waited for more words, but Kade just stared.


    ¡°Well then¡­you¡¯ll need to amass a great deal of power, very quickly. And you have to be a Keeper first, it¡¯s the only way you¡¯re likely to find priests willing to let you undertake the Trials,¡± at the mention of the Trials, Kade¡¯s eyes snapped back into focus, and he watched Edwin expectantly. ¡°I¡¯ll let the priests of Karthas explain the Trials, technically I¡¯m not even allowed to speak of them¨Cthough it¡¯s an open secret. What you can know is that there are ways to petition Elders, who can grant you a boon if you satisfy them. The most common boon is to connect a person with the power of their Ancestors.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned that before,¡± Kade jumped in. ¡°Ancestors, I mean. That I was on a Path of the Ancestors when I started using those Fragments.¡± Edwin nodded, then continued.


    ¡°It¡¯s the first step beyond what the Children of Korthos have become. No one is certain why, but we¡¯re somehow¡­lesser, than those that came before. None of these complexities used to be necessary; Children would be born with some singular power, and it simply grew, with time and use. We don¡¯t know much more than that, but we have discovered workarounds. The Power Fragments are the first. They contain the actual power of the Ancients, and once you¡¯ve Bonded with all of them, your physiology will¨Csupposedly¨Cbe identical to those that came before. But the rest is much more involved.¡± Edwin considered how much Kade needed to know, and how much would just bring unnecessary confusion at this point.


    ¡°We have our Soul Cores, but we¡¯ve lost something else¨Cno one is certain what, regardless of what they might tell you. The result is that we need to tap into something else¨Cthe knowledge and abilities of our ancestors. Somewhere down the line, I had a great-great-something or other that had abilities we classify as the Path of the Warrior. That ancestor figured out how to channel mana into strength, and now I can too.¡±


    Kade was clearly intrigued, ¡°So you can do everything this ancestor could do?¡±


    ¡°No, certainly not. Path abilities are extremely limited, and you aren¡¯t likely to get more than a handful from a single Path. It¡¯s also why they¡¯re so specific, compared to Soul powers¨Cperhaps my ancestor could have made a thousand variations of what we call Ancestor¡¯s Might, but what I have amounts to a single memory of it.¡± Kade nodded slowly, clearly trying to process it all, then his eyes snapped back up.


    ¡°Wait, you said from a single Path, can someone follow more than one?¡±


    Edwin took a breath, preparing for another lecture when his bracer started beeping. He indicated to Kade that he needed a moment, before reading the message from a fellow Keeper. His eyes widened, then he glanced back to Kade, considering. Finally he keyed in a response, committing. ¡°It looks like we have business in the morning, so we¡¯re going to have to cut this short,¡± he held up his hand for patience once more. ¡°I¡¯ll finish what I was saying then the rest will have to wait¨Cyou¡¯ll have actual demonstrations tomorrow that will teach a lot better than words.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the short version: your ancestry determines what Paths you can follow, and the abilities you can learn, and no one can change that. If you don¡¯t have any Elementalists in your family tree, you¡¯ll simply never be one. The other half is your Soul Core, each one is only capable of supporting a set number of paths¨CI¡¯m a dual path, which is the most common. It means I¡¯ll be able to take another path some day, though my options are extremely limited because of my ancestry. Triple paths are relatively common as well, and those with the best chance of reaching the kind of power that the Bringers take notice of. Single paths are the least common, but it happens. When we get to Karthas, the priests will measure your aptitudes and potential paths.¡±


    Kade picked up the thread, ¡°And one of these paths could be a¡­metallurgist?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s uncommon, but not exactly rare. They¡¯re metal manipulators. Their abilities all revolved around changing metal from one shape to another, or just creating metal from nothing. Like your chains, but with a great deal more flexibility. It¡¯s fairly common for a Soul power or Manifestation to be related to a path with which you have great aptitude. But that¡¯s where we stop for tonight, I wasn¡¯t kidding that we have business in the morning.¡±


    ¡°What kind of business?¡± Kade asked of Edwin¡¯s retreating back. Edwin turned back with a grim smile.


    ¡°We need to kill an Elder.¡±

 Chapter 8: Legends

    There was something ominous about marching toward a battle you knew was coming, and it was a new experience for Kade. The panicked retreat from the labyrinth, and the labyrinth itself, both had a sense of imminent danger, and Kade had gone through both ordeals with a constant, terror-fueled anxiety. This on other hand, was choosing to walk toward an entity that could be capable of killing him with a thought. This wasn¡¯t hyperbole, it was what Nicky had been delightedly telling him for nearly an hour, as a sharply contrasting scene of green trees and rolling hills marked their journey.


    ¡°--and then it had another mouth on its stomach, which wasn¡¯t that weird in the grand scheme of things, but inside that mouth was another, smaller mouth, that spit acid. And that¡¯s how I had my arm dissolved the second time.¡± She paused, tapping her chin in thought, ¡°The Elder we¡¯re fighting though is fourth generation, so it¡¯s not likely to be quite so exotic. Sixth generation, like the one with four mouths¨C¡± Kade interjected.


    ¡°You only told me about three mouths.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know where or how we found the fourth mouth; trust me and stop being gross,¡± Kade just smiled and shook his head, used to this behavior from Nicky. ¡°Where was I? Right, sixth generation. They were around when Iros was attacked by some kind of tech-crazy race from the stars, and they fought them long enough that their whole generation ended up shaping their forms just for them.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± Kade jumped in. ¡°This planet was invaded by aliens? And that hasn¡¯t come up before now? How long ago was this? If this planet is as old as you all keep telling me, shouldn''t the sixth generation be a billion years ago or something?¡±


    Nicky waved a hand dismissively. ¡°You¡¯re exhausting, all your questions seem short and then I have to teach you forty obvious things before I can basically just answer no.¡± Kade waited patiently, having learned that the first thing Nicky said was almost always some throw-away jibe. ¡°Short answer is that we count the other way, starting with the Calm. Since you never let me give you the short answer, the long answer is that our only reliable history starts with the Calm, so we don¡¯t know about most of the generations before. They say that whatever brought the Calm, killed pretty much every living thing on the planet¡ªexcept for the most powerful Elders, and even then, only the ones who¡¯d embraced the Trance.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the Trance?¡± Kade asked, trying to remember if he¡¯d hear it before.


    ¡°Boring, so ask Edwin. Elder tales are at least interesting. Anyways, stop interrupting. So there was the Calm, and the ones who died¨CI dunno, Calming?--we call those ones the first generation. Supposedly they were Children of Korthos like us, but they died so who knows? Anyway, because they all died and any trace of them was scoured from the world¨Cour only source of knowledge from before that time is the Elders, starting with the second generation.¡±


    ¡°You take history lessons from Elders, how does that even work? Are there nice ones or something? People keep mentioning Karthas as both a place and an Elder, was he, I dunno, good?¡± Nicky laughed, and as always Kade was surprised by how pleasant the sound was. Almost enough to justify how often she was laughing at her own jokes.


    ¡°No, Karthas was¨Ceven by his own account¨Ca truly remarkable piece of filth. The best thing he ever did was sit his fat ass down on a mountain and fall asleep. Elders had no concept of good or bad from what we can tell, and that¡¯s part of why we can¡¯t ever let them wake up¨Cwhich happens if you can¡¯t get a Ritual of Calm done in time.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s what happened now, I take it? So what, do we try to ask this thing a few questions before we start stabbing?¡±


    ¡°Do you even stab, chain-guy? And no, that would be as stupid as this conversation. The only way to learn anything from Elders is to tap into their Soul Cores. Most often that happens during Trials. Occasionally people report seeing writing while they¡¯re inside; it can happen in a lot of ways¨Ca friend of mine found a library once, and every book was basically a terrible, first-person account of something from the life of the Elder. Everything we know from before the Calm is pieced together from there, but it¡¯s not all reliable.¡±


    Kade was still thinking about the writing he saw in the labyrinth when the last thing she said registered. ¡°Wait, what do you mean it¡¯s not reliable? The writing can lie?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°They don¡¯t think so. It¡¯s not really a conscious mind writing it, so more accurate to just call it skewed or wrong. It turns out that the memories have all sorts of biases, and twisted facts; they say it¡¯s the nature of perspective. People remember things differently; they figured it out a couple of thousand years ago, when they found two Elder accounts of the same war, and both remembered winning it. It was a pretty big deal at the time, since everything they knew was suddenly up in the air, but now anything considered official history has to be verified by multiple Elder accounts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fascinating. So, space aliens?¡± Kade prompted eagerly, and Nicky made an irritated sound.


    ¡°See? One stupid question and suddenly I¡¯m talking all day,¡± she caught Kade with a halting gesture. ¡°That joke is too easy, even for you. I¡¯ll answer your stupid question, okay? Yes, space aliens. They were here for thousands of years, apparently trying to figure out how to use magic the way we do. Supposedly they all lived in what became Dalton, which is how they got so good at making things. But that¡¯s all we really know. The Elders won eventually. Iros always wins.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Kade sensed there was some greater significance to that statement by how she said it.


    ¡°I mean Iros has been invaded dozens of times that we know of, and that¡¯s only pulling from the memories of Elders that aren¡¯t too old for the world to have grown over top of them. Everyone wants the energy that makes Iros special, and they never accept that it just won¡¯t work for them. You have to be a Child of Iros to wield her power.¡± Kade didn¡¯t speak, surprised by the near-religious zeal that Nicky had finished with. Then she laughed.


    ¡°If it makes you feel better, we apparently invaded other worlds way more times. Those are the Elder memories I want to see; I¡¯m going to ask for that as a boon someday.¡±


    ¡°Somehow after all this, just hearing that aliens are real is still difficult to process,¡± Kade replied, thoughtful.


    ¡°You¡¯ll want to see the museums then. Every once in a while the Bringers will find some old vault or something, and bring back what they find. It¡¯s turned into a bit of a shrine to thousands of fallen worlds. Apparently Elders enjoyed wiping out entire civilizations almost as much as wiping out each other. I¡¯m not sure there¡¯s really anyone left out there¡­¡±Nicky finished by gazing into the sky, and Kade realized he couldn¡¯t tell her she was wrong. After everything he¡¯d earned, he couldn¡¯t be certain either. He changed the subject.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°So the one we¡¯re fighting is fourth generation. What should we expect? Is it much weaker than the older generations?¡± Nicky was already shaking her head.


    ¡°Again, backwards. Each new generation was always capable of being stronger than the last. That was one thing that was easy to confirm: half of every Elder¡¯s memories seem to be gathering as much power as possible, and the other half was hunting down the next generation before it was too powerful¨Cand ultimately failing. But that doesn¡¯t tell us much about any specific Elder, to be clear. Some were millions of years old when the next generation was born, and it took a long time before the kids were even close to strong enough to take down mommy and daddy. We won¡¯t know how strong this one is until we get there. Was it just lost in the Trance from a young age, or was it the pinnacle of its generation when it finally came to rest.¡±


    ¡°I think I really need to understand this Trance stuff.¡± Nicky rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Fine! But it¡¯s so boring. Elders are amazing, incredibly old beings who conquered the stars, and the Trance is just boring biology. Literally. If a Child of Iros survives long enough to basically lose their purpose, then they just go to sleep, and they don¡¯t wake up until they have a new purpose. I guess if you¡¯re a million and you¡¯ve only ever done one thing, it can start to get boring. Just ask Edwin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a million years old!¡± Edwin shouted back from where he was leading the group.


    ¡°But he admits he¡¯s only ever done one thing. Anyways, it happens to everyone eventually¨Cif they don¡¯t find a way to die first. They lose themselves, they stop moving, and they either wake up some day with a revelation or they fade into the landscape like shrubbery. Almost all of them do the latter.¡±


    ¡°You left something out,¡± Edwin called again, sounding far more serious this time.


    ¡°I left as much out as I could! I¡¯m going to fall into the Trance myself if I have to explain anything else,¡± Nicky complained. Edwin picked up where she left off, untroubled by her outburst.


    ¡°That was mostly right, though lacking details. It¡¯s very important to understand that to almost every Elder, the only purpose was killing and gaining power, and that purpose can only really be compromised by running out of things to kill, and power to gain. That means almost every Elder we fight will have been a survivor of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of battles. We have the powers of the first generation, so our potential is always greater, but never forget exactly what we''re facing¨Cthe most accomplished murderers of their age.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so they¡¯re all the last of their kind, the last survivors of their generation?¡± Edwin shook his head in the negative.


    ¡°Not exactly. Most Elders of the same generation will have similar power levels. We figure this is because they eventually plateaued when running out of weaker beings to kill, and when faced with nothing but even matches, most fell to the Trance. But there are examples like you¡¯re saying, sole survivors of their generation. You probably finally understand enough to make sense of the term Ancient, as there¡¯s only two ways to earn that title. EIther by being one of the oldest Elders of your generation, or by finding an eternal purpose. They are ancient not just to us, but to their own generation as well.¡±


    ¡°So the Ancients are like old people who still drive and do their shopping, and the Elders are basically losers who give up after a midlife crisis?¡± Nicky and Edwin both glanced at their bracers, then each other, then simultaneously replied ¡°No.¡±


    Edwin continued indulgently, ¡°Okay, sort of. Yes, Ancients maintained their purpose long after their rivals gave up, and thus continued to accrue power. But that¡¯s the easy way of earning the title. The ones who earned it the hard way were those whose deeds were so incredible, so beyond belief even in this world that they were considered to be legends even by their contemporaries¨Cessentially figures of myth that were still alive. If you hear someone speak of a Living Legend, they¡¯re likely referring to some of the powerful and remarkable Children of Iros that ever existed.¡±


    Kade seemed confused for a moment, ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand what would be considered legendary, you guys said that all these Elders did nothing but kill and conquer, what kind of myth could they have other than just killing and conquering a lot.¡±


    Edwin and Nicky shared knowing smiles, and Edwin continued, ¡°The two most famous examples are Kronos and Korthos.¡± Kade interrupted.


    ¡°Okay, is it my translation or do a number of these names sound irritatingly similar?¡±


    ¡°Both,¡± Nicky replied. ¡°It was common for those with the most power, as well as those who intended to have the most power to name themselves something that resembled King, as that¡¯s the title that they fought for. The greatest of them were always naming themselves King of something, and choosing a name for that purpose was a common way of establishing oneself. King Kronos, King Korthos, King Karthas, it¡¯s common even to this day, Kade.¡±


    ¡°King Kadeus,¡± he responded without thinking, and Nicky and Edwin shared a look while Kade seemed to stare into space. Nicky laughed awkwardly, while Edwin just went back to speaking.


    ¡°I was telling you about legendary deeds, and Kronos are Korthos both certainly accomplished their fair share. I told you about Dalton, but the story would take too long to explain then. Kronos is what happened to the nation of Dalton. He was obsessed with using his power to affect time itself, which was considered wrong even then, but he succeeded. Time manipulation became key to his becoming the greatest of his generation, but when there was no one left worthy of battling him, he started to fade into the Trance.


    ¡°He¡¯s still a Legend to this day because he embraced another purpose, one that completely transformed his body, which isn¡¯t uncommon. His nature though, was truly unique. The wild power of time manipulation became his only form; no mind or consciousness to guide it. He became what we call the Kronostorm, a mass of time-magic that circles Iros, and causes areas of drastically abnormal time, speeding up or slowing down time in a localized location.¡± Kade¡¯s eyes went wide as he tried to imagine what that would look like, or worse: what it would do to a person.


    Edwin continued, ¡°Thankfully the storm follows the same path with little deviation, but that¡¯s not always true. There have been a few occasions where the storm was diverted, though no one is certain why. Once, it happened to Dalton¡­the entire nation was eventually covered, but the Kronostorm slowly moved on. This meant some parts of the nation were experiencing time rapidly, while others slowed down. From what was found in the aftermath, the Dalton citizens thrived in the storm for thousands of years, while days passed for the rest of Iros. Eventually the storm passed over them though, and they were slowly expelled from it, which almost nothing can survive.¡± Both Nicky and Kade remained silent, trying to imagine what it would be like watching the storm approaching, devouring their world, day by day.


    ¡°Eventually only King Dalton the man remained. He was incredibly powerful even before the storm, and was nearly a Legend himself by the end. They say he was trapped in an accelerated time for tens of thousands of years, watching as the storm approached, alone and impotent. When the storm cleared, all that survived were the bracers, his final invention.¡±


    There was silence for many long minutes before Kade finally spoke again. ¡°That explains Kronos then, and my nightmares for the foreseeable future. What about Korthos? I keep hearing that name mentioned. Do we have time to hear about him before we arrive?¡±


    Edwin once more smiled indulgently, ¡°We have time for the short version,¡± he said, then continued walking. Kade barely waited before prompting him.


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s the short version?¡± Edwin stopped, turned to look at him, then smiled. Finally he raised a single finger and pointed up. Kade immediately looked, convinced the man was right above him, possibly as another storm or something worse, but he saw nothing. It was a beautiful day, there weren¡¯t even any clouds, and if this world had moons, he still hadn¡¯t seen them. It was just a sunny day¡­disbelief obviously became clear on his face, as both Nicky and Edwin smiled knowingly.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Kade said simply, as the truth literally shone down on him. ¡°He¡¯s the god damned sun, isn¡¯t he?¡±

 Chapter 9: Power of the Elders

    The inconceivable scale of Legends was finally setting in, as Kade struggled not to stare at the sun. The Keepers had told him in no uncertain terms that the time for questions was over, and they needed to prepare for the coming battle. The timing was impeccable, as a dozen or so people came into view just as they crested the next rise.


    Edwin raised a hand in greeting, and several of those gathered returned the gesture. As they came closer, it became abundantly clear that not only were these other Awakened, but that Edwin and his small band were comparatively plain in appearance. While Graves might have fit in simply from his commitment to an aesthetic, even Nicky with her unusual wispy smoke attire was woefully underdressed. By the time they were close enough for Edwin to start speaking with the group, Kade was struggling not to stare¨Cthey weren¡¯t just dressed more extravagantly, they were built more extravagantly.


    The woman who approached Edwin and clapped a hand to the center of her chest, could have repeated the gesture with three additional massive hands. She was also half-again as tall as Kade, with disproportionately short, powerful legs. Her entire body was covered by layers of thick interlocking metal that seemed to glow softly with a green light, and her unhelmeted head showed green hair of the same shade, which was almost crystalline in texture. When she and Edwin began speaking, Kade was surprised to hear a light, pleasant voice emerge from the behemoth of a woman.


    Kade missed the start of the conversation, as his attention was drawn to a half dozen other unusual members, each of whom seemed to have a physicality that was somehow in-line with their role. Two of their number appeared to be twins, at least from their near-identical appearance, and were actively on fire. The flames were bursting from the gaps in their close-fitting leather armor, with their uncovered heads were each capped in flames that reached well above them. They were hailing over Alara, who was obviously unconcerned by their appearance.


    Quickly scanning the group, Kade spotted two shorter members that appeared dangerously skinny, and every time they moved it was in rapid bursts, that confused the eye. One had the hilts of daggers at his waist, while the other had some kind of long staff with sharp blades at either end clasped under one shoulder. Their skin seemed to reflect the light in odd ways, and it wasn¡¯t until one walked closer that Kade realized she appeared to be made of small interlocking diamonds. The rest were slightly less unusual, but each had at least one thing that caught his eye: hands of stone, eyes of living flame, limbs connecting in an unusual angle or in an unusual location.


    Noticing the gawking expression on his face, Graves appeared to take pity on him at last, ¡°They¡¯ve all reached the second step on the Ancestral Path,¡± he began, clearly aware of the education Kade had received from Edwin. ¡°Whenever one begins a new Path¨Cembracing their ancestral heritage¨Cit¡¯s possible to take on a physical aspect of that ancestor as well. These are often beneficial, as well as marking one in society as an Elevated Awakened, a warrior who has succeeded in taking a step in the footprints of Legends.¡±


    Kade nodded, still staring in fascination. He finally managed to focus on Edwin and the impressive woman, already speaking, ¡°This isn¡¯t normally your scene Edwin. Your group is always a welcome addition, but in the past you¡¯ve chosen the less dangerous work, what¡¯s changed?¡± She didn¡¯t sound suspicious, exactly, but Kade got the impression by the emphasis on changed that it wasn¡¯t something she associated with the ax-wielder.


    ¡°My Keepers have been pressuring me to allow them to take on greater challenges for some time, and¡­well you know my terms,¡± Edwin finished cryptically.


    ¡°You¡¯ve saved the lives of everyone here more than once, and some of these pups still look up to you as a grandfather of the Keepers, so if you insist on doing this, you¡¯ll get your spoils,¡± she stepped closer and lowered her voice. ¡°But you¡¯re calling in all your chits with this entire group, as well as a few benefactors back home. This Elder is Class two at least, so we¡¯re almost certain to find what you¡¯re after, but you know how strictly the Order likes to control the economy. There are going to be potential Keepers that may wait years for initiation because of this.¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯ll wait, and I¡¯ll weather the consequences. Trust me that this is¡­¡± Edwin trailed off for a moment considering. ¡°Trust me Eleonora that this is necessary, and that it¡¯s ultimately for the Keepers.¡± The powerful woman turned and looked directly at Kade, assessing him in some manner he couldn¡¯t understand. Kade did his best to withstand the scrutiny, but he didn¡¯t know what she had seen when she finally nodded once.


    ¡°We all trust you Edwin, you¡¯ve earned that much and more. Our only hesitance is what this might cost you. I don¡¯t know where you found this one, or what you think he¡¯s capable of, but we know exactly what this world is like with you in it, and none of us are ready to lose that,¡± Kade was surprised both by the show of open emotion on the powerful woman, as well as hearing an external perspective on Edwin. He was certain he¡¯d underestimated the man, and he¡¯d estimated him very highly.


    Before the self-described woodsman was able to respond, the earth shook beneath their feet. No one reacted in panic, but every warrior did react. Two more Keepers, each larger than average but not close to Eleonora¡¯s size, moved back toward the clearing they¡¯d all been gathered in originally, with the rest appearing to circle the two from a distance, some unlimbering weapons, others like the burning twins seemed to be concentrating and gathering energy. Less distracted, Kade finally tried to understand the scene a little better.


    The clearing was roughly in the center of three hills, and large enough that a sizable neighborhood would have fit comfortably inside. Trees and rocks formed a natural barrier on the final side of the clearing, creating a battleground that would favor the Keepers to a suspicious degree. He soon noticed why, as one of the less eye-catching warriors, a strong looking man with exposed arms and dark black skin, acknowledged a request from a different warrior with a nod, then made a casual flicking gesture with his wrist. The ground under the second warrior burst upward, creating what looked like a natural cliff, high above the battlefield. Immediately several other Keepers jumped upward to join the first, and Kade realized the man was shaping the landscape to benefit the power sets of each member of the group.


    The rumbling didn¡¯t appear to come from the sleeveless man, however, as it was the center of the clearing that appeared to be the origin. ¡°Minutes,¡± came the voice of Edwin, breaking the tension in the air slightly. ¡°We¡¯re under your command, Eleonora. Do we have enough intel to form a strategy?¡± The large woman shook her head while gesturing at several keepers to move into position around the clearing.


    ¡°A few vague, unsubstantiated memories of a minor King from the fourth generation. Another one who found a sad little corner of the world to rule until his own lack of ambition turned him to stone. From what the Seers claim, he appears to be a quintessential example of his age¨Ctripedal, blade-like appendages for speed, using telekinesis instead of hands. Basically one more giant spider-monster from the age when they all seemed to live in caves,¡± she paused again as another Keeper floated up in the air to whisper to her. ¡°I don¡¯t care, you all know how to conduct yourselves.¡±


    ¡°Problem?¡± Edwin inquired.


    ¡°The Elder is letting out some unusual energy, possibly a mutation of some kind, it could be what made him stand out back in his day. As usual there isn¡¯t much we can do until we see it, but it¡¯s alarming the younger members of my team.¡± The ground rumbled once more, this time shaking everyone on their feet¨Cthough several simply took to the air, and more than one seemed to calm the earth around them, like the man who had made the cliff for the others. ¡°It¡¯s time,¡± Eleonora and Edwin said together, and all but the woodsman moved into position.


    He approached Kade and spoke, seeming no more concerned by the imminent arrival of a savage Elder than he was with the day¡¯s weather. ¡°Elders will normally ignore anyone significantly weaker than themselves until every possible threat is destroyed¨Cwe understand it¡¯s something tied to how they lived before the Calm. They¡¯ll obsessively target the one they think is strongest, so you¡¯ll likely be safe as long as you stay well back,¡± He paused, considering. ¡°This one is unusual, the Chaos in the air¡­¡± He closed his eyes and gave the impression of inhaling, then he snapped his focus back to Kade. ¡°Just stay back, it¡¯s very rare for Elders to have any kind of wide-area attacks; they lived and died almost exclusively in duels, but be ready.¡±


    Kade nodded and watched the man walk away, curious where he¡¯d stand among the combatants, especially given what he¡¯d learned about how Elders choose their targets. He wasn¡¯t certain how to react when the Keepers parted to allow Edwin to stand at the very front. Even Eleonora made way, though she stood nearly in line with him. Now that they¡¯d all gathered, he could see how the front-line Keepers were carefully positioned to prevent the Elder from reaching those who presumably used long-distance attacks; he could see Alara with one of the groups on the cliff.


    Graves had gathered with two of the other Keepers with clearly humanoid forms, and guessed they shared his role as healer¨Cthough both were light to his dark, one in a bright blue, the other a shade of violet. That left only Nicky, who Kade spent nearly a minute looking for until she coughed pointedly from right next to him. ¡°Look alive, new guy, or you won¡¯t stay that way long,¡± before he could respond with a quip, she took on a serious expression and placed a hand on his chest. A moment later he felt an odd lightness to his body, but saw no effect.


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    ¡°That won¡¯t activate until the first time you take a hit, then it¡¯ll last less than a minute. Please use that time to run,¡± she smiled and darted off to stand with the two skinny, diamond beings. Kade briefly wondered whether she was made of diamonds under all those layers, but the thought drifted away as the ground began to split open.


    There was an immediate sense of tension and anticipation among the Keepers as a crack continued to form, but Kade was surprised to see that it wasn¡¯t much wider than a person. He was wondering whether this Elder might not enjoy the same towering scale as those he¡¯d heard about, when light burst through the crack, spilling out and pooling in the air. For a moment it was too bright to see, then it resolved into a shade of deep purple, and slowly took on a shape. The thing was appropriately massive, though not half as large as Altera, Kade¡¯s first Elder. The shape of it would have still made for a good sized building with four or five floors, and it was wider than it was tall.


    Slowly the shape resolved into three, enormous legs, ending in blades like the cavern beasts, and those massive blades slammed into the ground then dug in deep as the weight seemed to slowly increase moment by moment. The three legs joined at a surprisingly narrow set of hips, with the back leg sprouting like a tail. Rising up from there was an oddly cylindrical torso with no arms, but a multitude of spikes, sprouting out from every conceivable angle. Several of these spikes emerged from the body, demonstrating that they were attacked by thin tendrils, which writhed slowly around the creature as it continued to form.


    Finally the head came into being as the rest of the body finished solidifying, and its color resolved from the deep purple energy cloud into shades of gray, with that same energy pulsing in vein-like channels across its entire surface. The head shared the simplistic shape of the torso, basically just a large mound of stoney flesh, but it had no visible mouth, and a multitude of eyes of varying shapes and sizes. Looking at the monstrosity, Kade could only wonder which of the numerous horrific traits was considered a mutation.


    The battle started almost the moment the creature finished forming, as it took a single glance around the gathered Keepers before locking its many-eyed stare on Edwin, and one of its bladed front legs rose up and then shot down toward him in a blink. Kade was certain he was about to witness his new friend¡¯s demise, but the clang that ran out across the battle announced the truth before he saw it. Four enormous shields had interposed themselves in front of Edwin, one held in each of Eleonora¡¯s gargantuan arms, and the blade-tip of the Elder¡¯s foreleg had been deflected harmlessly past them.


    The very moment the leg began to retreat, Edwin was there, hurling a half dozen axes into the body of the creature while swinging a single, absurdly large long-handled ax into the beast¡¯s other leg. His attack seemed to announce the true start of the battle as Kade saw every Keeper spring into action. Waves of flame erupted from the protected cliff, as well as the telltale blurring of the air that announced Alara¡¯s signature ability. Stone columns burst from around the clearing and drove themselves into the Elder¡¯s flesh from every side. Kade eventually spotted the diamond-skinned Keepers flashing in and out of battle, their blades and skin both shining in Korthos¡¯ bright rays.


    Nicky was barely visible as she followed their lead, but was clearly much slower than her gleaming counterparts. Kade¡¯s attention fell back to Edwin, who alternately shot forward to deliver powerful, methodical strikes, then back behind the protection of the enormous Eleonora. What he¡¯d said about the Elder¡¯s attention proved true, as it seemed barely aware of the other dozen or so combatants, swinging tirelessly at the man with the biting ax. Even Eleonora¡¯s shields appeared to be nothing but an irrelevant obstacle for the creature, despite how effectively she was preventing its attacks.


    Kade noticed the long-ranged Keepers were starting to have an effect, as enormous swaths of the Elder¡¯s torso either burned or rotted off, but much like the rat Matriarch Kade had fought, this monstrosity seemed to be made of stone instead of flesh, and it reformed more than it healed, appearing to be rebuild itself as quickly as it took damage. After this cycle continued for several minutes, the spiked growths on its body began to fire out rapidly. Though some were indeed on tentacle-like appendages, many more were simply blades as tall as a man that shot out in every direction.


    Eleonora and some of the others managed to deflect these attacks, but their rapidity and number meant that many more got through. Kade saw several Keepers, including Graves, suddenly impaled as the spikes slammed through them, but just like the Elder and the Matriarch, their bodies seemed to reform from tiny stones or crystals, and they healed rapidly before returning to the fight. Kade was curious what role healers had under the circumstances, but realized quickly that the brightly dressed duo seemed to be sending streams of energy into those who took damage, presumably assisting recovery.


    This wasn¡¯t enough, however, when three spikes improbably managed to slam into one of the burning twins at almost the same moment, sending the fiery man soaring off of the cliff to land nearly out of sight. Kade expected to see a healer rush to his side and looked back to the three, only to see them ignore the man entirely. He was about to call out to help the injured man when an explosion of flame and stone knocked him off his feat. The man was very dead, only a burning crater left where he¡¯d fallen.


    Kade wisely retreated further up the hill from the battle, not sure how to react to witnessing the death of one of the Keepers. When he finally looked back on the battle, he was gladdened to see that it was going surprisingly well, given the circumstances. The defenders seemed to have managed to contain the majority of the spiked projectiles which fired randomly and were only an occasional threat, and the creature¡¯s legs and tentacles were completely occupied by the seemingly unstoppable team of Edwin and Eleonora.


    Feeling somewhat safer, Kade managed to simply watch the combatants for some time, curiosity at their various abilities at least temporarily overpowering his caution and fear. As the minutes slowly passed by, he noticed patterns that surprised him. While the Keepers were undoubtedly destructive to a ludicrous degree, and a multitude of hits were landing on the gargantuan Elder, they seemed somehow¡­aimless. Blasts of energy, fire, and stone crashed into the monster with almost no delay, but they rarely seemed to target the same location, or possibly to even target at all.


    Kade supposed it was the nature of how beings reformed in this world, but there seemed to be almost no consideration to what should be attacked. It was like a grudge match where everyone was just trying to do as much damage as possible as quickly as possible, with little sense of coordination or care. While it seemed to be working, albeit slowly, Kade wondered if battles of attrition were really the only way to fight. Surely there were flaws to the tactic as Kade could plainly see that the location of the attack did have an impact on the damage it dealt.


    The creature¡¯s bladed legs, for instance, seemed capable of shrugging off all but the strongest attacks, usually those from Edwin¡¯s ax, while the ranged abilities that managed to reach the creature¡¯s face seemed to have a comparatively devastating effectiveness. It was all academic though, to Kade, who suspected there were factors at play he simply didn¡¯t understand, and he had no illusions about his own grasp of combat tactics being superior to anyone, let alone those who fought monsters for a living.


    He was settling in for a prolonged¨Cif visually interesting battle, when everything changed in a heartbeat. The Elder had begun to glow more and more brightly as the battle raged on, and it appeared to be reaching a sort of climax when a purple light exploded outward from the creature¡¯s chest, permeating the battle and appearing like a thick fog. There was a tense moment where everyone seemed to look at the purple fog in confusion, and then everything happened at once.


    Kade felt himself slam into the ground, his head sideways and thankfully giving him a view of the rest of the clearing, letting him see the effect as it happened. Every combatant looked like they were being crushed by invisible rocks, as all but Edwin and Eleonora crashed into the ground, most unable to move at all. The two frontline combatants didn¡¯t do much better, with Edwin collapsing to one knee while Eleonora fared only slightly better as she valiantly raised her shields above them with desperate strength. It proved necessary as the attacks continued unabated, the Elder clearly unaffected by its own strange ability.


    Perhaps this was the unknown mutation, Kade thought, as none of the Keepers seemed prepared for it. An enormous crash then drew his eyes as the cliff the long-ranged attackers had been using collapsed in an enormous pile of rubble and debris, burying the Keepers under tons of rock and earth. Kade was certain he was witnessing the end of a lot of very brave people when a wave of darkness washed over the battlefield, seeming to devour the purple fog as it slowly climbed upward. The two powers seemed to push back and forth against one another, before reaching a kind of stalemate barely high enough for the Keepers to stand again, but they wasted no time.


    Several ranged attackers managed to extract themselves from the rock that had buried them, and resumed their relentless attacks. Edwin and Eleonora did the same, and Kade managed to regain his feet to watch. His eyes found Graves first, who was the source of the darkness now permeating the battlefield. He was obviously lost in concentration, and shaking from the strain of whatever he was doing to force back the Elder. They could only hope the battle would end before the man succumbed.


    Looking around, Kade saw that was an empty hope, as the ranged attacks were likewise dropped by the strange, crushing weight the fog imposed. This left every attack connecting with nearly impervious bladed legs, and the tide of the battle proved to have shifted ponderously in favor of the Elder. Looking up at it, Kade could see that the center of the being¡¯s chest was still glowing brightly, light and fog pouring out. He heard Edwin¡¯s voice ring out over the battle, ¡°The Core is exposed! We need to destroy it!¡±


    Kade looked around, hoping the Keepers would somehow change tactics upon hearing this revelation, but quickly saw that there was little else they could do. Despite the ineffective nature of their attacks, none had ceased trying, but desperation wasn¡¯t making their attacks any more effective. Kade looked at Edwin, hopelessly trying to rally the Keepers in some kind of plan, then to Graves, who had fallen to his knees, a single hand raised above his head, seeming to push with whatever he had left.


    Then Kade did something stupid. He reached down, grabbing fistfuls of chains, and ran into the battle.

 Chapter 10: Up in Smoke

    The insanity of what Kade was doing threatened to paralyze him, and as the towering Elder seemed to grow larger with each step Kade took, so too did the fear and madness. Still, something inside him felt unleashed as he charged head-long into a losing battle, as if doing anything else was wrong in some fundamental way. The feeling flooded through his body, seeming to lend strength to his limbs as he half-ran, half-slid down the incline toward the deadly battle.


    Before he was halfway there he bowled into a small figure, then collapsed unceremoniously to the ground. Looking up, he saw a disbelieving Nicky standing over him, ¡°What are you doing, new guy? What part of any of this makes you think you have any chance of surviving down here?¡± she seemed genuinely furious, and Kade could see it was coming from a powerful sense of protectiveness and worry he didn¡¯t know she felt.


    ¡°The opposite, Nicky; please tell me I¡¯m wrong, but it looks like we¡¯re losing this fight,¡± he stared at her, pleadingly. Part of him genuinely hoped she¡¯d let out a laugh and announce this was all business as usual, but instead¡­she looked scared.


    ¡°This is bad, Kade, but you¡¯re only going to make it worse. Edwin will think of something, he always¨C¡± an enormous blur shot by them as the massive form of Eleonora crashed into the ground nearby, her body skipping like a stone before coming to rest in an unmoving pile of limbs and armor. Nicky looked from the ravaged body to Kade, then spoke, resigned, ¡°You should run, Kade. You¡¯re not a Keeper, you don¡¯t need to die here with the rest of us.¡±


    Kade forced himself to his feet, then passed three of his chains into Nicky¡¯s hands, each ending in a comfortable handle. She looked back at him in utter confusion, ¡°No, you should run,¡± he insisted, still pushing the chains toward her until she finally looked down at them, considering. ¡°Can you get one to each of the diamond people?¡±


    ¡°The diamond people¡­Tal and Pel you mean? They¡¯re a little busy fighting for their lives right now¨Cwhich is exactly what I should be doing!¡±


    ¡°Please, Nicky, I know you don¡¯t have any reason to, but trust me. Just make sure you¡¯re all holding onto the handles and don¡¯t stop running,¡± Kade stared into her dark eyes, and whether he communicated enough conviction in that brief moment to convince her, or if the hopelessness of the situation meant she just didn¡¯t care, she gave a slight nod, and took off at a dead sprint, back toward the rapidly worsening battle.


    Kade felt the chains flying off his belt, and started slowly feeding mana into them as he¡¯d been practicing. It took surprisingly little to allow the chains to keep lengthening magically, as if there was an endless supply, though the cost would be drastically higher if he tried to shape the chains at all. Looking back to the Elder, he saw that Edwin was holding up surprisingly well without his shielded counterpart, at least for now. He was totally on the defensive, his conjured multitude of spinning axes replaced by two enormous ax-blades that he seemed to heave against each major attack, deflecting the Elder¡¯s forelegs just enough each time that they would crash harmlessly to either side of the woodsman. Whether his luck or Graves¡¯ energy would run out first, Kade couldn¡¯t guess, but he knew what he had to do.


    Trusting Nicky to do what he¡¯d asked, he raced toward the fallen body of Eleonora, gesturing wildly at one of the brightly dressed healers as he did so. He wasn¡¯t certain how he¡¯d known she was alive, but sure enough she had already begun to stir by the time he was by her side. Kade let out a sigh of relief, as he doubted there was anyone else with the strength he needed¨Cmaybe Edwin, but he was understandably busy. Eleonora managed to turn her head to look at him, but her neck was clearly broken¨Cas was every one of her many limbs. They were slowly popping back into place when one of the healers kneeled down next to her, the violet robes setting the woman¡¯s bright yellow hair.


    ¡°What are you doing here, pup?¡± Eleonora managed to croak out. Kade ignored her for the moment and addressed the healer, grateful she¡¯d heeded his desperate pleas for help.


    ¡°Can you have her back on her feet in a minute or so? There won¡¯t be much time,¡± as he spoke, he was careful to keep a hand always on his chains, sensing that Nicky had succeeded in delivering the other two. Glancing back, he saw all three Keepers blur into motion at once, ducking back into the fray. While they all seemed hesitant at first, they found their rhythm quickly and were soon darting between attacks and even each other, making no effort to land any strikes.


    The healer was lost in concentration as energy poured into the enormous battle commander, and it was Eleonora who answered. ¡°I¡¯ve had much worse than this, and I¡¯ll be back to Edwin¡¯s side in moments, worry not,¡± her words were punctuated by sickening cracks and groans as her body put itself back together.


    Kade shook his head vehemently, ¡°You can¡¯t go back yet, I need your arms¨Call of them probably, this is a two-cowboy steer if I¡¯ve ever seen one.¡±


    Eleonora glared, ¡°I can¡¯t move enough to see my bracer, but I sense you just said something foolish.¡±


    Kade felt himself blush at the well-deserved admonishment, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m trapped between panic and a disturbing sense of clarity. I just need you to pull really, really hard.¡± Kade could feel his meager mana supply dwindling, and added, ¡°We¡¯re going to need to do this soon or not at all.¡±


    Looking back toward the battle, he saw that the three speedy Keepers had not just survived the ridiculous task he¡¯d given them, but the complex commands he¡¯d willed to them through his chains were being followed with surprising accuracy. It was still an unusual sensation, but the moment he¡¯d first felt his chains after bonding the Mana Fragment, he¡¯d known that he should be able to control them, but still lacked the ability. It was a revelation when he found that he could somewhat get around this by holding onto the chains with his hands. He couldn¡¯t move them any practical amount, but he could make the handles twitch in specific directions as easily as he moved his own body. Also like his own body, he could feel where his chains were without looking.


    He stared out upon the result with pride, grateful he¡¯d been taught about different kinds of knots when he was a child. He remembered¡­someone¡­took the time to go over each knot and their purpose, but he couldn¡¯t recall their face. Thankfully the skill remained even if the memory was unclear, and he watched the proof of that unfold. He¡¯d used constrictor knots to bind each leg, which were a nightmare to untie, and the tangled mess dangling beneath the Elder¡¯s body was a honda knot¨Csomething used in lassos. He was careful to keep the chains loose for now as he was certain the enormous creature could snap them¨Cin fact it had done so numerous times by accident, but Kade had found that his chains simply let any broken links disappear, with the two links on either side snapping back together near-instantly.


    He was running out of time though, as the chains were becoming taught now that his mana had nearly been spent. Thankfully, as the three Keepers dropped their chain handles and ran to safety, Eleonora managed to finally stand up behind him, meaning it was time for his plan. Despite Edwin instilling a sense of dread at even looking at the mysterious bracer, Kade had read the entry on his chains, which included a single interesting detail he might not have figured out on his own.


    Chains of Fate, Soul Manifestation


    Abilities: Variable


    Mana Cost: Variable


    Note: As a Soul Manifestation, abilities are non-standard, and Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope will not be capable of revealing them without outside intervention. Outside intervention may allow for the generation of new abilities!


    Discovered Abilities: Bind, Chainsaw, Pierce, Grapple, Constrict.


    *Generated Abilities: External mana absorption


    While the abilities tied to his Chains didn¡¯t have accessible descriptions that he could find, he¡¯d still asked Edwin about external mana absorption, which had been a simple, but welcome discovery. It appeared that the majority of what his chains were capable of required a nominal amount of mana to function, but that cost scaled with the amount of chain he used. Thankfully Edwin confirmed that mana transference was a common, and intuitive ability, required for many practical tasks in daily life for a magic society, and was even more crucial in battle.


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    Kade was ready to put this to the test, as he handed the end of his chain to Eleonora, who looked at him with growing understanding, ¡°You¡¯re not even fully on the First Step of the Path, these chains are going to snap like twigs.¡±


    Kade shook his head, ¡°Not if you channel all the mana you can into them. I can use the mana to reinforce the chains, and it doesn''t need to hold long¨C¡±


    ¡°Just long enough for that [bastard-coward-rat-cretin-vomit-beast] to fall. I get it, now move aside,¡± not wasting a moment, the enormous woman grabbed the length of chain in all four of her massive hands, before stunning Kade by sprouting two more arms from her back, each of which conjured large shields that tapered into sharp points. Those two shields she slammed into the ground before her, bracing for what she was about to attempt. Kade watched in fascination as a powerful green glow suddenly surrounded each hand, then poured directly into his chains, flowing outward with impressive speed, causing the glistening black chains covering the Elder to burst alight, the emerald glow contrasting sharply with the purple haze emanating from the monster.


    Whether it sensed the energy now surrounding it, or noticed the impressive light show, the Elder seemed to suddenly become aware of what was happening, and it halted its attacks in confusion. It was just enough of a break for other keepers to catch on to what Kade was planning, and several more rushed to grab the chain and pour their own mana into it. In seconds there was a rainbow of light overtaking the towering monster, and it began to howl in confusion and rage; Edwin clearly understood what was happening as he went entirely on the offensive, axes slashing into the beast from every angle.


    At last Eleonora glanced at Kade, and gave a single nod. Kade spoke the command quietly, but it seemed to echo across the battlefield.


    ¡°Bind.¡±


    The chains suddenly snapped tight, the momentum pulling Eleonora forward a step, before she gathered the chain more tightly and bellowed, ¡°HEAVE!¡± with a cry so loud Kade felt it like a physical force. The results were everything Kade hoped, as the three incongruously large legs were suddenly forced together, their thin, bladed ends not able to find any purchase at the extreme angle. Kade was certain he saw shock on the thousand, horrific eyes dotting the Elder¡¯s massive head, as it slowly, ponderously began to collapse forward.


    The results were mixed, as everything seemed to happen at once. First the crushing sensation returned as the purple fog of power came slamming toward the ground, and Graves let out a pained cry as his own strength finally gave out. Eleonora and the few who¡¯d grabbed the chains were sent flying in different directions as those chains finally snapped in hundreds of places at once. When the Elder¡¯s chest at last crashed into the ground, the purple glow of it pulsed once then stopped, though the telltale glow of power was still clearly gathered around the creature¡¯s core. Seeing his moment, Edwin didn¡¯t hesitate, and as the crushing weight lifted off of him, he charged forward, his massive ax raised in a tremendous swing, glowing with its own dark, earthy energy.


    It connected with the Elder¡¯s chest, and purple energy exploded outward in bursts, the creature howling in pain and rage. But Edwin never slowed, the ax tearing into the creature over and over, every bit as methodical and precise as ever, but with a speed and fury Kade hadn¡¯t witnessed before in the man. He was a beacon of hope that renewed the group of fatigued warriors, and soon countless blasts of various attacks joined him, a wild display of light, fire, and projectiles making it almost impossible to see as the Elder¡¯s Core was hit from every angle at once.


    The purple light began to flicker and spark ominously, and just as Kade began to fear another attack, Edwin¡¯s voice rang out over the battlefield, ¡°It¡¯s time, get it contained! Now!¡± At his words, several Keepers sprang into action, charging toward the Elder as they each brought out what appeared to be plain white spears. Without waiting and heedless of any danger, each Keeper savagely buried their weapon into the angrily glowing Core, which pulsed with fury as each connected.


    Rather than a terrible counter attack or another surprise attack, the Elder let out a pained wail, and its thrashing desperation slowly became a resigned acceptance as it collapsed to the ground. The Keepers halted their attacks at the sight, and some even began to openly celebrate as if victory was assured. Kade felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, and turned to see Eleonora giving him a slight smile, before moving forward to join Edwin.


    Kade took this as the sign he was waiting for, and let the tension slowly drain from his body, no longer able to hide his grin. Whatever the Keepers had done with the strange spears, the Elder was clearly no longer in the fight. Edwin didn¡¯t appear to be taking chances, as he stood like a sentinel before the massive creature, ax still held at the ready. Kade looked around and saw that most of the Keepers were now collecting themselves and checking each other for injuries. Kade was happy to see that Graves was sitting up, alive if not well. The taciturn man didn¡¯t invite easy friendship, but Kade owed him his life, and the man¡¯s heroics in battle couldn¡¯t be denied.


    Spotting a lone Keeper who appeared uninjured and not busy, Kade approached. He realized the man had been one of those who¡¯d lent his own strength to Kade¡¯s chains, and he smiled in greeting, ¡°A bold plan, Awakened, and not one I think I¡¯d have been willing to risk at your age, but one we are all grateful for nonetheless. You have my thanks.¡± He was of average height, and seemed to be one of those who manipulated the earth, given his stoney appearance. Kade nodded appreciatively.


    ¡°Thank you for taking a chance and helping, I know it was a gamble,¡± the man acknowledged both points with a half-smile, before turning back to the sight of the Elder, still writhing slowly where it had fallen. Kade gestured at the spears, now glowing brightly, ¡°What are those spears, do they paralyze the Elder somehow?¡±


    The man considered the question, ¡°You have it slightly backward. When Great Keeper Edwin called for aid, it was because the Elder had been defeated. So many direct strikes to its Soul Core after it had gathered such tremendous energy destabilized its mana channels. Had we simply backed away, the Core would have ruptured; the destruction would have been immense. The spears are a containment device, which channel that excess energy safely; it also allows us to create something more useful than an explosion, which you¡¯ll soon see.¡±


    Kade was grateful for the explanation, and the man seemed to catch his surprise. ¡°Great Keeper Edwin mentioned you may have questions, and that we should indulge you if we could,¡± he smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°So we won then, it¡¯s time to celebrate?¡± the man¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°Such celebrations will come later, this battle was not without casualties,¡± Kade realized his mistake as he recalled the burning Keeper who had fallen, what felt like a lifetime ago.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¨CI¡¯m sorry,¡± the man made a dismissive gesture.


    ¡°You¡¯ve given no offense, and you deserve to feel pride at this victory. My name is Zander, and you may seek me out in Karthas if you have need. I suspect you¡¯ve made many friends today, Kade, friend of Edwin.¡± Kade smiled awkwardly and promised to share a drink to the fallen Keepers memory when they had a chance, then he returned his attention to the massive Elder, its thrashing becoming infrequent.


    Finally he approached Edwin, still standing before the now dimming core, his focus unbroken. He spoke without turning as Kade approached, ¡°You did well, even if you shouldn¡¯t have done anything at all. I¡¯d lecture you sternly, but I have the unusual experience of owing you my life.¡± Kade grinned in return, trying to be aware of the grim nature of the situation, but unable to contain some pride from Edwin¡¯s acknowledgement.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t all that clever, really, the list of things you can do with a pile of chains is pretty short.¡± Edwin made a dismissive gesture before responding.


    ¡°You¡¯ve barely scratched the surface of their potential, trust me on that. Today¡¯s spoils will help with that considerably. I¡¯ll show you soon enough, but it¡¯s important not to become complacent yet, it¡¯s too easy to give into¨C¡± he was interrupted by a perky voice shouting nearby.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get, you horrible, disgusting eye-monster!¡± Nicky was by the Elder¡¯s eye-covered head, kicking it joyously as she taunted the beast. ¡°I thought you were supposed to be fourth generation, but you¡¯re every bit as disgusting as any sixth generation I¡¯ve seen. What could you possibly need that many eyes for anyway?¡± Kade couldn¡¯t help but smile as the tirade continued, and he moved away from Edwin as the man shook his head in disapproval.


    Nicky looked up as he approached, and he could sense the quip coming to her lips. She had turned to face him, hands on her hips and a broad grin on her face; with the horrifying face of the Elder directly behind her, it made for an odd tableau. He opened his mouth to try to get his own quip in first, when he noticed some unexpected movement.


    Behind her, the massive, eye-covered head was slowly, ponderously rising. He watched in frozen, rapt fascination as each of the eyes closed, and it was only once they had that he realized how distracting they were. With hundreds of eyes of varying sizes, it was easy to miss something as comparatively innocuous as a seam running vertically down the center of the Elder¡¯s immense head. Conversely, it was impossible not to notice as the seam slowly parted, revealing that the creature did indeed possess a mouth. It took only seconds for the entire head to appear to split down the middle, completely bisecting, and revealing row after row of jagged, glistening teeth.


    Kade opened his mouth in warning, and he saw Nicky¡¯s face fall slightly as she recognized his terror. She was turning even before his cry reached her, but it was already too late. With a burst of speed it hadn¡¯t appeared capable of mere moments before, the mouth snapped forward, completely engulfing Nicky¡¯s small, wispy frame. Kade heard a single, sickening crunch as the jaws closed, and he knew with a crushing certainty that Nicky was gone.

 Chapter 11: Gains and Loss

    Kade saw Nicky die over and over again. It was all he could see, his mind trapped in a loop that he couldn¡¯t escape. There was no true, conscious thought, his body was simply acting, and he only caught flashes of the real world between the  heartbreaking, soul-tearing memories of Nicky¡¯s last moments. Part of him could feel it though, the repeated impact of blades into flesh. Part of him could hear the echoes of his own screams of rage and pain.


    He didn¡¯t know how he was still alive, madly attacking an Elder, even a dying one. He just knew anger and loss, and somehow even betrayal. But more than that was the guilt, cresting over him in endless waves. It was strange, the powerlessness of standing right in front of someone as they died, and knowing that he was less than nothing compared to the threats of this world, it should have made him feel small and terrified. Instead, he had an overpowering feeling that he should have been able to help. If only he¡¯d been stronger, faster, or¡­or used every tool at his disposal. The bracer weighed heavily on his arm, even through the maelstrom of emotions storming inside him.


    Nicky hadn¡¯t been in his life for any significant time in the grand scheme, but she¡¯d been by his side for nearly his entire life on Iros, and even if that was measured in days and hours, it felt significant. More than that, Nicky had made him feel normal, at a time when his entire world was madness. He realized in retrospect that was why he¡¯d been so quick to joke with her, to tease and banter, because with her, even a sermon on the different types of Elders felt like relaxing with a friend¡­and now his friend was dead. He was lost in a world he couldn¡¯t hope to understand, and his friend was dead.


    He became aware of his own body again only when irresistibly strong arms grasped him and began dragging him backward. He flailed wildly, still screaming with rage. ¡°You have to stop, lad, please. Just stop,¡± it took a moment to register the voice as Edwin¡¯s, and even then it took longer to force his body to stop thrashing.


    The scene was only just becoming clear, and he could see that he¡¯d been ineffectually stabbing at the Elder¡¯s bulbous head for what felt like hours, but must have been moments. Eleonora was there now, her massive shields blocking a series of poorly aimed attacks that Kade hoped were its death throes, enormous spikes lazily being hurled at her almost contemptuously.


    ¡°Any one of those things should have killed me,¡± he said in confusion, staring at the pile of discarded spikes surrounding the spot he¡¯d been attacking. ¡°How am I not dead?¡±


    ¡°Nicky. She didn¡¯t trust you to stay back, said she was going to ¡®give you the smoke treatment¡¯,¡± Edwin¡¯s voice was flat and emotionless as he stared at the dying Elder, its attacks finally coming to a slow, desperate end. Hearing the pain in the old warrior, Kade was suddenly mortified, realizing how selfish his grief and foolish attack had been. He looked at the older man, but couldn¡¯t read anything on his stoic face.


    ¡°I remember now, she touched my chest and said I would be safe for a time¡­she saved me,¡± he tried to find the courage to look in the man¡¯s eyes before continuing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Edwin, I¡¯m sorry for Nicky,¡± he paused, considering. ¡°I¡¯m still putting things together, but you¡¯ve all mentioned lives longer than I can really process, you could have known her for centuries.¡± Edwin let out a small, choked sound at that, the greatest show of emotion he¡¯d seen from the man.


    ¡°No,¡± he responded at last, voice broken. ¡°She was seventeen.¡±


    ***


    Kade had tried to give everyone space after that. He realized he didn¡¯t know anywhere near enough about these people, or their customs to join them properly in their grief, and tried to be respectful. He got the impression from some that this type of loss was all too commonplace, and they seemed to find comfort in talking quietly about the battle, and even laughing occasionally.


    Others appeared every bit as devastated as Edwin has been, both from the loss of a shockingly young Nicky, as well as the fiery Elementalist named Larin, who Kade made sure to learn about. Mostly he just sat quietly, staring at the Elder who had taken from all of them, watching as the light inside it was slowly drained, until finally it faded with a final, weak flash, and the rest of the remains simply collapsed into dust and stone, as if it never was.


    Kade noticed the half-dozen spears fall unceremoniously to the ground, the sound echoing through the hills. Several of the Keepers even let a brief expression of glee touch their faces before quickly schooling their features, but they still raced to the dropped spears with abandon. Kade lost sight of them as the group crowded around the space where the Elder¡¯s Core had been. He had a sense of what the spears did, mostly from half-heard conversations, and he could understand the excitement¨Ceven under the circumstances.


    He watched with interest as Eleonora pushed easily through the group, then strained to hear as they had some kind of discussion. At last the massive woman¨Cnow back to only four arms¨Cleft the group and walked back to Edwin, who was speaking quietly with Alara and Graves. There was some more talking before Alara gestured furiously and stormed away. Edwin seemed to ignore the outburst, turning to speak with Eleonora before giving a very weak smile, and following after Alara.


    Kade stood up from the grassy artificial hill¨Cstill surprised at the familiarity of much of the plant-life in this world¨Cas he saw the Keeper Commander approaching him. She wasted no time and no words, simply held out two objects and waited for him to take them. ¡°Muscle and Magic. Edwin arranged for you to have them¨Cat enormous personal cost. Don¡¯t let him down,¡± the command was clear in her tone, but she didn¡¯t sound disapproving, exactly. He was surprised though, when she brought forward another object, somehow drawing his eyes despite its appearance being relatively plain compared to the glowing gems he now held.


    It looked to be nothing but a silver bar, about the length of his forearm. Glistening black wire wove around it, forming what had to be a hand-grip. He felt drawn to reach out and take the object, and hesitated only until he saw Eleonora¡¯s nod. Shifting both gems to his left hand, he reverently wrapped the fingers of his free hand around the grip, taking the strange bar and retreating a step as foreign sensations ran through him. He couldn¡¯t quite place the alien feelings that seemed to vibrate through the odd bar, but instinct seemed to drive him to flourish it, and he obliged with a flick of his wrist.


    The bar extended too quickly for his eyes to follow, and in a flash of gleaming silver, he was holding a spear. It was longer than he was tall, but not so much so as to be unwieldy; instead it felt light and eager, as if it was just waiting to be spun about or taken into battle. The spear was still nearly as plain as the rod it hard started out as, with the bladed tip looking like nothing more than a large arrowhead. The only affectation was a small symbol carved directly into the spearhead. Kade brought it closer to his face to examine it, and Eleonora followed his example, leaning closely with curiosity.


    The crest, as Kade thought of it, was made from surprisingly recognizable imagery. It was a shield with spears crossed behind it, and on the shield was something Kade could only describe as a dragon. Eleonora clearly recognized the symbol, as she immediately turned and spit on the ground. ¡°Well that certainly makes me feel better about giving up an Artifact to someone who isn¡¯t ready for a slap fight,¡± her voice was dismissive until she met his eyes, then she appeared chagrined. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, I apologize. We¡¯re giving that to you specifically because you were able to contribute to a battle so far beyond you that pissing in your chains should have been the only strategy available,¡± she made an expression that Kade thought was supposed to be earnest gratitude, but looked more she smelled something off.


    ¡°You¡¯re giving me an¡­artifact?¡± he asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to make her release the expression. At her size the awkward smile couldn¡¯t help but appear predatory. It worked, as she shifted to the face Kade was beginning to recognize meant his translation was off.


    ¡°An Artifact is a memory of a real object that somehow manages to manifest after being lost or destroyed. Ask a scholar if you want to know more, I¡¯ve never cared where my weapons come from, just that they work,¡± she looked at the simple longspear, then finished grudgingly. ¡°That thing will work, even if it is [cursed-antitrust-fallen-lost-betrayal-divine].¡±


    Kade quickly looked to his bracer, several of those words ringing alarm bells. He was surprised when the translation failed even there, giving blasphemous as the closest approximation. ¡°Do I even want to know what it is about this symbol you don¡¯t trust?¡± Eleonora shook her head dismissively.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just a lost order who worshiped lost gods. You¡¯d have to find someone very old to be truly concerned by it, most of us just hold any [blasphemous] objects in mild disdain,¡± she looked desperate to change the subject and didn¡¯t bother with any segway. ¡°People will notice it¡¯s an Artifact though; they¡¯re remarkably rare, and are usually passed on for generations. Normally it would be so valuable that no one here would even think to lay claim to it; some might kill for it, and we¡¯d never be allowed to keep it once the Order found out.¡±


    ¡°But the¡­blasphemy changes that?¡± he asked, not ready to put a target on his back in a world where everything seemed capable of snuffing his life out by accident. Eleonora shook her head and let out a small snort.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t know about that mark, which you shouldn¡¯t advertise by the way. It won¡¯t matter to most, but let¡¯s just say it¡¯s¨C¡± she smiled a crooked smile, ¡°--a miracle that the symbol isn¡¯t visible when it¡¯s sheathed. But no, the reason it¡¯s worthless to almost anyone is that it¡¯s fundamentally metallurgistic.¡± Kade cocked an eyebrow and she clarified, obviously out of her element. ¡°It can only be used by someone with a connection to metallurgy, like your chains. And pretty much every metallurgist alive is a craftsperson of some kind, and even then they¡¯re a rarity. To anyone else it would just be a metal bar.¡±


    Kade looked curiously at the spear, ¡°But that doesn¡¯t make sense, why would there be a weapon that can only be used by someone who doesn¡¯t fight?¡± Eleonora shrugged, clearly irritated to still be speaking


    ¡°Again, ask a scholar. All I know is that a weapon like that to most metallurgists is like giving me a spatula Artifact; it doesn¡¯t matter how powerful or rare it might be, I¡¯m not a cook. That it¡¯s a blasphemous spatula just makes it that much safer to give away.¡± Again she seemed to catch herself, and let out a calming breath. ¡°I¡¯m doing this wrong. You helped us, saved lives. That¡¯s yours. Thank you.¡± Without waiting, she turned and walked away, leaving Kade to stare at the spear in his hands, still wondering why it somehow felt like it didn¡¯t belong to him.


    ***


    Hours later, Kade was sitting in camp, staring at the three powerful objects he¡¯d been given, trying desperately to convince himself they hadn¡¯t been paid for with Nicky¡¯s life. The spear was back in its rod-form, which he found could attach to his belt through metallurgy; resting it horizontally behind him meant it was within easy reach while still being out of the way. He hadn¡¯t managed to do anything more than get it to switch between its two forms, but Edwin suggested it was likely that most of its power would take a full-fledged metallurgist to bring out, and even then probably one who¡¯d taken many steps of the Path.


    Edwin had been the only one of the small group that had spoken since they parted with the other Keepers. Alara was still furious, whether just because of the loss of Nicky, or something else, Kade couldn¡¯t guess. The imperious woman had simply deployed her tent¨Canother piece of Dalton technology apparently¨Cand gone inside the moment they stopped for rest. Graves had just drifted away somewhere, his taciturn nature making it difficult to tell how affected he might be by the events of the day.


    Kade put the spear handle down, and let his mind drift as he felt the two gems in his hand¨Cone was somehow both hard yet pliable, with the other tingling in his grip like static electricity. He realized that the pain of loss had broken some barrier in him, and he felt like he was finally looking at the world around him as something truly real, any lingering doubt or disbelief banished by the brutal reality of losing someone. In that new context, he understood that he had to answer some questions for himself that he¡¯d taken for granted.


    What was he doing here? What was his goal? Just survival as it had been in the labyrinth? That didn¡¯t feel right. Whether it was arrogance or providence, he felt like he had to be here for a reason, and he was increasingly certain that reason would require him to become vastly more powerful than he had ever known was possible. And that line of thinking was what brought him such conflict, and what made the guilt from earlier crystalize in its origin.


    Edwin had spoken about the bracer he wore, the Legend surrounding it and the tragedy that seemed to befall its wearers. But Kade had been reminded today that tragedy didn¡¯t require a mysterious bracer; in this world especially, it seemed to be waiting behind every corner. Edwin hadn¡¯t been certain of the stories, regardless. Yes it wasn¡¯t a great sign that he¡¯d pulled the bracer from his own torturer, but the truth was that it had only helped him thus far, and part of him wasn¡¯t ready to believe that his own moral center was so weak as to be shattered by a ridiculous bracer¨Cwhatever temptations it might offer.


    He admitted to himself that the larger truth still came from the memory of Nicky¡¯s last moments, and his constant wondering of what he might have been capable of doing to help her if he¡¯d allowed himself to use the bracer freely. Finally, sitting alone in the dark of a mysterious world, lit by no less than six moons he¡¯d managed to spot so far, he made his decision.


    While his memories were blurred, and he was lost in an impossible situation, he was still somehow certain that he knew who he was inside. He wasn¡¯t a hero, not because of some false-modesty, but simply because he knew that wasn¡¯t the way he worked. He was someone that did what needed to be done, and had a strong sense of what that was. He wasn¡¯t so desperate to hang onto his morality that he would have traded it for Nicky¡¯s life, and if it was worth less than the life of someone he¡¯d barely known, was it worth anything at all?


    He recognized he was drifting into philosophy and away from the matter at hand, but he clung to the decision. He wasn¡¯t cruel, he didn¡¯t take pleasure in the pain of others, and he knew that deep down he fundamentally cared about doing what was right. He resolved to make sure that was enough to keep him from ever letting the bracer convince him to build his own torture chamber. But for the rest of what it might ask¡­he¡¯d take it one day at a time. He would use the bracer, the spear, anything to become strong enough to make a difference in moments like he¡¯d experienced today. He wouldn¡¯t be helpless again.


    Once committed to a path, he wouldn¡¯t let doubt delay him. He brought the two gems to his Soul Core, one after another. Muscle was extremely uncomfortable, feeling at first like he¡¯d run a marathon, with his whole body going limp with fatigue, followed by the equal and opposite experience of every tendon and ligament suddenly feeling tight beyond belief. Equilibrium finally settled it, and without meaning to he remembered Nicky¡¯s laughing voice as she explained¨Cin graphic detail¨Cwhat happened if someone made the mistake of using a Muscle Fragment without Bone and Blood first. Feeling the strength now flowing through him, he realized his own muscles crushing bones and organs to nothing as they tensed would have been a certainty.


    Magic had almost no internal effect beyond a light sensation of mana flowing through him more harmoniously. The true impact was felt as he let his mind drift to his chains, which immediately began to float around him, appearing weightless. Focusing on a single chain, he easily managed to command it to separate from the rest, rising up before his eyes. With barely a thought, he began to manipulate the chain. It grew thicker, then thinner again. He adjusted the shape and texture of the links, and even managed to force the entire length into a single piece of solid metal momentarily, but found the chain resisted any shape that wasn¡¯t still distinctly a chain.


    He went to a nearby copse of trees to test out the abilities he¡¯d already been experimenting with, and confirmed that not only could he now perform each one with only his will, but they were vastly more efficient¨Creacting more quickly and far more powerfully. When he thought of his chains bursting forward in the piercing attack he¡¯d used before¨Cforming the ends into blades and hooks¨Che jumped back in shock as the chains literally exploded outward. He realized he¡¯d intuitively caused a small explosion of mana to propel the chains, and the result was not only that they fired much, much more quickly, but the force caused the blades to pierce nearly through a tree as thick around as his waist.


    Excited, he sent chains dancing off into the darkness, wrapping around trees, pulling and sawing, spinning and weaving, his mind soared with possibilities. His chains might be unconventional, but he found that he very much liked the idea of fighting unconventionally. The added muscle also allowed him to use the chains in whole new ways, as not only was he now many times stronger than he had been, but the completed physical transformation had left his body far more durable. After some tentative experimentation he moved on with enthusiasm, using his chains similarly to how Nicky had teased him: dozens of anchors allowing him to pull and lurch himself around violently.


    He acknowledged that it wasn¡¯t an elegant technique; he was a lot less leaf in the wind, and a lot more stuffed animal in a tug of war between a dozen dogs. He was more than satisfied though, even as he inevitably crashed into the ground, the trees, and once dangerously close to Alara¡¯s tent. It was still just the beginning of what he could do. After several hours of experimentation, he was finally getting an idea of what might someday be considered a fighting style, and knew it was time to take the step he¡¯d been avoiding.


    Sitting down inside the tent the others had given him, he took some calming breaths, then finally looked down at his bracer.


    Attention: Physical and Magical transformation detected!


    Attention: You have attained the rank of Ascended Awakened!


    Congratulations! Welcome to the Ancestral Path!


    Attention: New functionality has been unlocked for Dalton¡¯s Bracer of Fabulous hope! Generating interface¡­

 Chapter 12: Path to Primus

    Kade watched as the bracer reworked the various displays, and was impressed by the increased clarity, and new details that hadn¡¯t appeared previously. He considered the numerous changes his body had undergone since he¡¯d first donned the bracer, marveling for a moment at how natural it had all felt. The increased strength was still taking some getting used to, but it was the Mana and Magic Bonds that made the true difference, and he recalled that one of the first messages the bracer had ever given was an error reporting no mana channels found.


    Whether it was a result of his officially stepping onto the Ancestral Path, or simply the mana channels he¡¯d developed, the bracer was now able to give him far more information. After a few moments it stopped its reconfiguration, and Kade began to absorb what he was seeing, finding a great deal made more sense thanks to the limited education he¡¯d been given since finding the Keepers.


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened


    Lifeforce: 100%


    Mana: 27/27


    Anomalous Energy: 0/82 (Blocked!)


    Strength: 01


    Speed: 01


    Endurance: 01


    Magic: 02


    Unknown: 04


    Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Unknown


    Ability 1: Anomalous Energy Blast (Rank 2, 13%)


    Ability 2: Sealed


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 2: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    Kade raised an eyebrow as he took in several new, troubling pieces of information. The first was his race, which had changed from human to Child of Korthos, but kept its variable tag. Edwin had told him that the physical transformation was about adopting the ancestral physiology of the people of this world, so he supposed he shouldn¡¯t be entirely surprised. Even still, he felt the same queasy sensation he¡¯d first experienced when seeing just the variant tag.


    The stats were interesting, as was the continued presence of the mysterious energy, now officially marked as blocked¨Cwhatever that meant. He was more curious to see the entries for Ancestral Totems, which he inferred must be what Edwin had been speaking of when he discussed inheriting abilities and combat styles. It was interesting that the anomalous energy was apparently tied to a Class of its own, and even claimed to be from some unknown ancestor.


    Could that have been what his captor was doing? Alara had said the man was experimenting, but couldn¡¯t determine the exact nature of those experiments. Could Kade be the result of some mad fusion between a human and some mysterious Elder? Perhaps that was why he was still considered a variant, even when everything else about him had changed. He felt himself spiraling again, and far too soon after resolving to embrace this new life he¡¯d chosen.


    He resolved to accept the myriad things he couldn¡¯t control, and tried to focus on what he could. He went back to exploring the bracer, finding that he could dive deeper into any ability, but he only had the single¨Cone he¡¯d been unable to use since leaving the labyrinth, and it didn¡¯t have any new secrets to reveal. The fact that the majority of the bracer¡¯s interface was now dedicated to the Ancestral Path only served to reinforce the importance of taking the Trials Edwin had described. He knew that if power truly was his goal, then this was the clear next step.


    Finally he steeled himself, then swapped to the objective menu, and let out a sharp laugh. Evidently Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope was on the same page.


    Attention: [Path to Power] update!


    Objective: Embrace an Ancestral Totem!


    Path: (1) Reach an Elder of a compatible path! (Searching¡­)


    Kade shook his head, grateful that the objective aligned with his own chosen path, but also more than a little relieved that the path didn¡¯t lead to some kind of horrific act. Still, he¡¯d only been given short-term objectives in the past, and he realized he was a little disappointed not to have an excuse to spring into some sort of action. He¡¯d grown used to rushing headlong into terrifying situations, and with Karthas several days away, this was the closest thing to downtime he¡¯d experienced since arriving on Iros.


    He decided to get some rest, knowing that he had many long days of travel ahead of him, and he still had to learn how to wield his spear. Thankfully a spear couldn¡¯t be that hard to use.


    ***


    ¡°Everything you¡¯re doing is wrong,¡± Edwin said, his voice and manner still understandably cold, and still thick with grief. Thankfully he and Kade were agreed that learning the basics of spearcraft would be essential; while Kade¡¯s chains had become far more dangerous since the Magic Bond, he nevertheless needed a firmer grasp on combat in general, and mastering his artifact was a perfect focus for that training.


    Edwin had spent the first two nights on the journey to Karthas instilling the fundamentals of battle on Iros, at least as Edwin saw it. This mostly involved learning various stances, and how to find those stances regardless of what was occurring in combat. For training, this meant Edwin knocking Kade down repeatedly, and from different angles. Kade had to fall correctly, use momentum to find his feet, then be in the right stance for the next attack.


    Because Keepers fought monsters and Elders of vastly different shapes and sizes, combat skills on Iros largely revolved around a philosophy of being adaptable, and effectively trying to prepare for everything. There were specializations and advanced forms of course¨Cthe people of Iros had nothing if not time to learn, given their immense lifespans¨Cbut they all evolved from the same, sound principles, which Edwin was still beating into Kade.


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    On the third night, and with only two days of travel remaining before reaching Karthas, Edwin finally allowed Kade to bring out his spear. Feeling the weight of the gleaming artifact in his hands, he was compelled to spin it slowly around himself, before dramatically grabbing it close to the blunt end. This was what had elicited the disparaging comment from Edwin, and taken some of the wind out of Kade¡¯s sails. Edwin clarified, while demonstrating with a wooden staff he had hewn from a tree.


    He took a solid stance with knees bent, and one foot forward, bringing the staff to bear with one hand midway, and the backhand a quarter-length back. The result left a fair amount of the spear still extending in front of him, but he was clearly a lot more in control of the weapon that Kade had been of his own. He quickly adjusted to match Edwin, and found it much more natural as he gave a few experimental thrusts. Edwin nodded, ¡°That¡¯s better, but the important thing to remember is that you¡¯re not a spearman, and you¡¯re likely never going to be¨Cunless you¡¯re given some incredibly specific abilities that ignore your Soul Manifestation entirely.¡±


    ¡°Is that likely?¡± Kade asked, realizing he knew very little about what to expect from granted abilities. Could he be shaping what he¡¯d receive without realizing it?


    Edwin was already shaking his head, ¡°It¡¯s possible. You could have an ancestor somewhere that had an unusual fascination with spears, but it¡¯s unlikely. Even then, you don¡¯t have anything resembling a strong enough connection to spears to increase the likelihood of receiving those abilities,¡± Kade nodded, somewhat relieved. He was excited to have his own weapon in this dangerous world, but he wasn¡¯t ready to commit to it as his primary method of fighting. Somehow it still felt wrong in his hands.


    As Edwin slowly demonstrated the motions of a reliable thrust and withdrawal, he continued his lesson, ¡°As I was saying, you¡¯re not a spearman, so we won¡¯t try for anything advanced. Frankly, even calling that thing a spear might be misleading; it¡¯s an artifact, and the odds that it was used to just poke things are virtually nonexistent.¡± He switched stances, demonstrating the use of a spear for larger, or airborne targets, speaking as he did so, ¡°It¡¯s also metallurgic in nature, so it could have been a focus for that power¨Clike a Sorcerer¡¯s staff¨Cor possibly just some readily available metal to manipulate. Though it¡¯s probably something flashier than those purposes¨Cthe simplicity of the design is suspicious.¡±


    Kade finished replicating the maneuver then, then paused to consider the spear, ¡°I noticed that too. I¡¯ve seen a lot of things since waking up in this world, and there aren¡¯t many I¡¯d describe as simple or plain.¡±


    Edwin nodded, ¡°I can see how that would be your perspective, and out here it¡¯s certainly true. That spear will probably do some incredible things when your metallurgist abilities manifest, but I should warn you against expecting everything to be extraordinary,¡± he rested his own staff against his shoulder then paused, considering. ¡°Your experiences on this world have been backward, to say the least. Usually you¡¯d have spent decades or possibly centuries as an ordinary man, just living a simple life. Possibly farming, construction, or commerce.


    ¡°That¡¯s what normal life is like, for nearly everyone. Sure, you¡¯d have manifested your Soul Core at some point, but even if it was the same chains you have now, you likely would have used them for hauling freight, or something else equally banal,¡± he smiled slightly, appearing lost in memories. ¡°Keepers would be mysterious warriors of impossible power and intrigue, only glimpsed when you came to the Capital, and then with wonder and maybe even fear. If you became bonded at all, it would only be under very specific circumstances. Either coming from an ancient and wealthy family, or manifesting extraordinary Soul Powers, too rare and valuable not to belong to the Keepers.¡±


    Kade considered the solidly-built ax-wielder, his interesting but simple Soul Powers, and the name he¡¯d given when Kade had barely been conscious: Houseless. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like either of those circumstances would have applied to you, unless your past is more complicated than endlessly chopping trees, as you suggested.¡± Edwin¡¯s face fell back into the grim expression he¡¯d worn for days.


    ¡°Every rule has an exception. Pray you never experience mine,¡± Kade took the hint and didn¡¯t pursue the line of inquiry. After several minutes of watching Kade repeating spear forms, Edwin resumed speaking, ¡°My point was that you¡¯ve seen things that most Keepers don¡¯t experience until they¡¯ve been on the Path for years¨Cif at all. And honestly you haven¡¯t even been given a fair glimpse of the Keepers themselves. You¡¯re quick enough that you must have recognized some of the oddities of our group.¡±


    Kade considered, then acknowledged the point, ¡°My frame of reference isn¡¯t exactly broad, but Graves is definitely not what I expected a healer to look like.¡± He punctuated the point with a spear-thrust he was growing proud of, even earning a nod of approval from Edwin.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much of Graves¡¯ story that I can share, save for what has become common knowledge. You are correct, though, as Graves embodies the spirit of this team perfectly. His Soul manifested Oblivion, likely tied to the role he was born into, but his was always something of a dual-nature. No matter what he was expected to use his powers for, healing was as much a part of him as harm ever was.¡±


    Kade recognized that the man was talking around a lifetime of information, and understood it wasn¡¯t worth pressing for more. Instead he asked, ¡°You said his story is somehow connected to the nature of this team?¡±


    ¡°Simply an excellent example. I formed this team long ago for Keepers who couldn¡¯t find their place, either because they were ill-used by other teams¨Clike those who tried to force Graves into using his abilities for destruction¨Cor others who were just unable to find a fit elsewhere¡­like Nicky.¡± His expression went distant for a moment, but he mastered himself. ¡°Alara was in a similar position when she joined, though more as a victim of ignorance than anything else.


    ¡°Alara manifested Star, and despite her undeniable capacity for destruction, people couldn¡¯t understand her abilities, so they didn¡¯t trust them. Everyone heard Star and looked for Korthos reborn, expecting rays of burning light to descend from the heavens. Instead when she reaches out her hands, everything burns from the inside out, her touch is [pain-melting-inside fire-deadly stones-fear].¡±


    Once again Kade¡¯s bracer failed to find a translation, and he had to pause to consider what he¡¯d seen of Alara¡¯s powers, weighed against the false-words he¡¯d heard from Edwin. ¡°Radiation? Or maybe microwaves?¡± Edwin didn¡¯t bother to check his own bracer, shrugging even as Kade spoke.


    ¡°If you have the words, we do not. My people pride themselves on understanding energy, but Alara¡¯s is beyond us. I only know what I¡¯ve seen, and scraps of stories she¡¯s found that mention creatures or people who have experienced the same phenomena. I think she took the Elementalist path in part so she could give everyone the fire and explosions they expect.¡± He paused to correct Kade¡¯s form slightly.


    ¡°Meeting Eleonora¡¯s band of misfits will also have skewed your perspective. You¡¯ll no doubt meet more Keepers who have achieved Secundus when we reach the city, and some do choose to embrace the forms of their Ancestral Totems in one way or another. But like me, she built her team with a theme in mind¨Cthough her choice was less about helping the marginalized, and more about surrounding herself with like-minded souls.¡± Kade caught a word that had him looking to his bracer for answers, but didn¡¯t find the clarity he hoped for.


    ¡°What does Secundus mean? My bracer just says Rank 2 on the Dalton Scale.¡± Edwin made a face at the reference to the untrusted bracer.


    ¡°You¡¯ll hear that phrasing occasionally, though we tend to use it to classify monsters and Elders more than people,¡± he smirked slightly. ¡°Walking the Ancestral Path is meant to be a meaningful experience, and there¡¯s more than a little poetry involved in some of the ways you¡¯ll hear it described. Secundus refers to someone who has taken the second step on the Ancestral path. For simplicity¡¯s sake, they¡¯re Awakened who have taken a second trial with their Ancestral Totem, which requires accumulating great power and mastery. When we reach Karthas, you¡¯ll be trying to attain Primus, the first step after reaching the path.¡±


    Kade searched for context, having a difficult time differentiating levels of power when he felt like he was surrounded by demi-gods. ¡°What step are you on? I noticed Eleonora¡¯s whole team made way for you, and you were taking hits from that Elder without flinching.¡± Edwin barked a laugh, but nodded slightly.


    ¡°Trust me that taking those hits was very much not part of the plan. But I¡¯m unusual as well, so again it¡¯s a bad example. I¡¯ve been Primus for a very long time, but I have a quirk that¡¯s allowed me to reach past those limitations,¡± again, Kade could tell that the line of questioning would get him nowhere, so he waited patiently for Edwin to continue. ¡°For now, all you need to know is that each step on the Path raises your potential to staggering new heights, and if you ever achieve Finalis, the last step, you¡¯ll be on your way to becoming a Legend yourself.¡±

 Chapter 13: Road to Karthas

    The wolfren lunged at Kade, but his chains retracted, sending him lurching sideways at the last possible moment. The wolfren¡¯s twisted approximation of a canine face seemed to twist in frustration, as its prey had been eluding it for nearly an hour now, and it let out a long, eerie howl. The sound was returned from several other directions in the dense, ancient forest, where the trees towered overhead like an enormous wooden city, the last rays of the setting sun barely penetrating the canopy. Kade heard the sounds of the rest of the pack¡¯s pursuit, and found that the thrill of the hunt had finally won-out over the primal fear that had seemed to chase him though the woods as doggedly as the monster pack.


    It was their final night before arriving in Karthas, with just the massive forest between them and Kade¡¯s first view of the city that was meant to be his home. He¡¯d been about to settle into his training routine when Edwin had beckoned him to the edge of their campsite, ¡°This is wolfren territory. This far from the True Chaos, the beasts are as close to natural as you¡¯re likely to find in this world; that means they¡¯re largely ignored until they cause a problem, unlike manifestations of chaos which are problems,¡± he gestured at that treeline, disappearing into the sky and blocking the horizon. ¡°This is your last chance to use those skills you¡¯ve been honing while I¡¯m still in a position to help you. I suggest you go for a hunt.¡±


    That was the only prompt Kade had needed, as the woods had been a tempting prospect since they¡¯d first come into view the day before. He¡¯d been polishing his chain techniques, convinced the unusual mobility they offered would be key to his survival, and the prospect of being able to incorporate verticality was too tempting to resist. That there were actual stakes, and for once he¡¯d be taking on monsters of his own level, only made this chance too good to waste. He¡¯d charged into the old forest with barely a nod to Edwin.


    The first hour of exploration was a mix of experimentation and acclimating to the enormity of the trees that surrounded him. Even before entering the woods, using his chains for mobility had already started to feel natural. The small group of Keepers had watched in disbelief and then tacit acceptance as he spent the last few days practicing, jumping into the air then propelling his chains into the ground, rocks, anything, only to rapidly pull himself forward. As the three warriors tried to focus on walking, Kade went soaring back and forth, first in a single direction at a time, then advancing to firing out more chains mid-lurch, suddenly pulling him in new directions, and no doubt looking absurd.


    The result, however, was showing clearly as he began navigating through the woods more and more rapidly. No one would ever describe the act as graceful, but that was also its advantage, as the strange, jerky-movements meant he could completely arrest his own momentum at any time, suddenly moving in an entirely new direction or angle. He¡¯d come up with a number of ways of making the movements even less predictable. The first was simple, as he¡¯d realized his chains were strong enough that they could move him easily even at the smallest size he could force them into. This meant that his anchor chains as he thought of them, were smaller than his littlest finger, and being jet-black, were almost impossible to see without direct light.


    His next advancement had come when he began using far more chains than necessary, trying to make sure there were always at least a half-dozen tiny spikes embedded all around him whenever he was fighting in one place. The result was that he could suddenly be yanked violently in almost any direction, meant to confuse and bewilder his opponents, as he was doing right now. He didn¡¯t know exactly how many wolfren there were, but so far it hadn¡¯t seemed to matter. The speed and unpredictability of his chains were simply too much for the beasts, who were only capable of leaping desperately after him.


    Curiously, Kade thought, as two chains yanked him back and upward into the trees, leaving behind three wolfren which snapped at each other in frustration, the beasts hadn¡¯t appeared to adapt at all to their unusual prey. Even as one hour turned into two, they still leaped and howled, snapped and whined. They never worked well together in the way he expected of wolves, and they made only the most minimal attempt to predict his movements. There was something to that, something he¡¯d also seen in the beasts in the labyrinth, the Elder, and even the Keepers. He couldn¡¯t completely articulate the thought yet, but it raised questions he would pester Edwin with sooner or later.


    In the meantime, full darkness was setting in, and he knew he needed to deal with the creatures properly at last. He¡¯d injured a few both intentionally and by accident with his chains, as they exploded outward from his waist at high speeds with the anchors being incredibly sharp, but the chains weren¡¯t designed to kill. That had been a revelation he¡¯d been forced to accept early, as the chains couldn¡¯t even grow to the thickness of his wrist, and few creatures on Iros were bothered by anything so small. As two wolfren got lucky and collided with him in mid-air, he lamented that he missed the fragile rat-monsters that had been his only companions in the endless dungeon he¡¯d awoken in.


    Another of his techniques saved him, as the mass of chains flaring around his soaring body instantly tangled around the two snapping monsters, binding them for the heartbeat it took for gravity to halt their momentum, then releasing them to drop back to the forest floor. Still, it was a reminder that the time had come to put an end to this, and he at last drew his spear, ready to take the fight to the creatures.


    He began by anchoring to the ground, slamming his body down toward the two wolfren that had just fallen, spear point aimed with deadly purpose. It was still difficult to stick the landing at such breakneck speed, but his enhanced bones easily absorbed the shock as the spear pierced through the chest of the first beast, which howled pitiably as he yanked the silver artifact out with a twist. Even as he fell he sent more chains anchoring around him, and no sooner was the spear free before he was hurtling toward the second fallen beast, ending it just as easily.


    Edwin had assured him that these beasts were considered lesser, meaning they weren¡¯t even ranked, essentially just deadly animals. That could still mean a lot on Iros, as he¡¯d been warned that even natural creatures were often capable of a plethora of unusual abilities, but lesser wolfren thankfully didn¡¯t make that list. Just big claws, and bigger jaws. More importantly at the moment, it meant they could actually be killed by piercing their flesh, which hadn¡¯t yet been replaced by the stoney, adaptable substance of their greater kin.


    Kade was grateful for this, as the spear point wasn¡¯t much larger than his chains, and would have been ill-suited to the slowly-hack-to-death method of combat that seemed most effective on beings like the rat Matriarch he¡¯d faced. Turning his mind back to the fight, he could only see three of the beasts still pursuing him, and he found himself bursting with energy at the thought of finally turning the pursuit onto them. Without pausing from his second kill, he lurched back into action, spear spinning in a wild and joyous display that Edwin would never have approved of.


    ***


    The next day saw the small group making slow, consistent progress through the woods, now cleared of wolfren. Kade was in an excellent mood, as not only was he finally going to reach Karthas today, but his bracer had presented him with some very welcome news after he¡¯d defeated the final creature.


    Status Update!


    Mana reserves +4!


    New total: 31/31


    Speed Stat +1!


    New total: 02


    It had confirmed something Edwin had mentioned, that his abilities and stats would slowly grow as he strained them. The older man had been surprised when Kade described the details his bracer went into, as the standard models were far less precise. Kade was appreciative of the advanced interface, however, as he felt a surge of satisfaction watching his abilities grow before his eyes. He was struggling to contain his excitement around the subdued group, torn between trying to respect their collective grief, and the addictive nature of his growing power.


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    As the group finally emerged from the dense forest into the afternoon brightness, Kade was beginning to believe he was ready for whatever awaited him in Karthas. That thought was absolutely crushed as a mountain range came into view, stretching into the distance in both directions. Directly in front of them, but still many hours away, was Karthas. Not just the city, but the Elder. Kade faltered in his steps and had to grab onto Graves¡¯ arm to steady himself as he took in the sight.


    The tallest mountain wasn¡¯t just a mountain, but was actually formed from the Elder himself, who was using the mountain range like a throne. Though his body appeared half-absorbed into it, making it difficult to tell where one ended and the other began. Clouds had to part before Kade could even clearly make out the face of Karthas, and that was what had truly shocked him. The staggering size was overwhelming and filled him with a sense of awe and smallness that eclipsed anything the previous Elders might have evoked, but that couldn¡¯t compare to the sense of dread that now assailed him.


    The face, like every other part of the massive being was swallowed by stone, but where the rest of him could almost be mistaken for an enormous statue of Eleonora¨Cas it shared her four-armed, two legged form¨Cno one could mistake the face for anything but a living being. It was the eyes. Where Altera had appeared peacefully sleeping, and the monstrous, unnamed Elder had been too alien to even appear intelligent, Karthas was clearly very-much alive, and his eyes stared forward with focused, dark purpose. The eyes were also untouched by the stone that almost appeared to be devouring the Elder slowly, instead, even from this vast distance, Kade realized he was expecting to see them blink.


    Graves delicately removed Kade¡¯s hand, seeming to understand the reaction, ¡°Allow me to introduce my Legend, the indomitable Karthas. He who withstood the Calm. I am proud to count myself as one of his devotees, as he benevolently gives shelter to all within his shade. He welcomes you too, Kade, for you are now ever under his gaze.¡±


    ***


    Kade had hoped to become used to the sight as they slowly plodded toward the living behemoth that was Karthas, but the unnerving stare of those eyes never seemed to leave him, and he felt small in a way he couldn¡¯t process. Even the sun that was Korthos couldn¡¯t instill this kind of wonder and terror, as it was simply too big and too distant to process. Karthas, on the other hand, was all too real, and had finally hammered home exactly how tremendous the scale of this world truly was.


    When he tried to express this feeling to Graves, the man seemed disappointed, ¡°I understand the visceral reaction to the staggering size of Karthas, but you need to learn that scale is not what makes a Child of Iros significant. If you were able to tunnel deeply enough into this world, you¡¯d eventually find Elders who are to Karthas what he is to you, in terms of sheer mass. But they would be as nothing to his power.¡± Kade recognized the touch of religious zeal that colored the man¡¯s words, and recognized it wasn¡¯t the time to express his excitement at the possibility of yet larger beings.


    Graves continued his sermon, ¡°Karthas is the greatest of the surviving second generation. His is a power unrivaled since the coming of the Calm, and he stands as a living beacon to the potential of our race. We may be Children of Korthos, but his is a Legend so far beyond our understanding that he is more a force of nature. Karthas is very real, and most of us who take succor in his great presence will feel the steady hum of his power for the entirety of our lives.¡±


    Kade couldn¡¯t grasp everything he was being told, so he tried to pivot to the more practical questions that gnawed at him, ¡°So who rules in Karthas then? Wait¨Cis he in charge, does he talk?¡± Alara snorted at this, the first sound he¡¯d heard from her beyond plodding footsteps in days.


    ¡°The priests like to claim he does, but Legends don¡¯t speak to lessers, and to them everyone is lesser. There is a King of Karthas, and trust me when I say that to him, Karthas is just an overgrown chair for him to perch on.¡± Graves looked enraged at this interruption, more emotion than Kade had yet seen from the man, and Edwin quickly stepped in.


    ¡°The priesthood and the citizenry are all technically separate. The Order of Karthas exists to¡­manage the great Elder, most importantly conducting the rites and rituals that allow us to take his Trials. They have great influence because of this, but at the end of the day, King Theros is the leader of the people, and it¡¯s his rule that we must follow.¡± Graves didn¡¯t look entirely mollified, but kept his silence.


    Kade saw a chance to move past the awkwardness and continued his questioning, ¡°Where exactly do the Keepers and Bringers fit in?¡± Surprisingly it was Alara who answered, and Kade noticed some satisfaction on Edwin¡¯s face.


    ¡°Those are two separate orders, and the Bringers are so secretive that you¡¯ll likely never know if they¡¯ve chosen to exert their considerable influence. The Keepers on the other hand, are the champions of the people, and have a powerful impact on the daily lives of all, whether King Theros wants them to or not.¡± She seemed almost as surprised as Kade to find herself speaking, but appeared to embrace it after a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to become familiar with the Keepers and our duty in a way that is much deeper than what we¡¯ve been capable of imparting until now. I suggest you look at the citizenry to truly understand our role, as it¡¯s our responsibility to them that truly defines us. Regardless, it will be enough for you to focus on simply learning how normal life works for now, as you¡¯ll have some time in the city before Edwin can arrange for you to take your Trial.¡±


    Kade nodded with excitement, ¡°I¡¯d love a chance to actually be around some people for a time¨Cnot that you aren¡¯t people, exactly, but¡­well I guess I could just use some normal after everything I¡¯ve seen so far. I get the impression this Trial will be anything but normal.¡± Alara gave him a flat look, but finally nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯ll get that, more or less. You¡¯ll be given a room in my estate, but I¡¯ll leave your daily care in your own hands. Explore, talk, learn,¡± she looked him up and down, still wearing nothing but faded, torn pants and a skirt of chains. ¡°...bathe and get some new clothes. Please.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you all just wander around in battle armor everywhere with no spares, if I didn¡¯t have magic feet I¡¯d be riding on your back right now,¡± he gestured angrily at his bare feet, which thankfully were durable enough to walk comfortably on any surface since his transformation.


    Edwin let a small smile slip through at the good-natured teasing, ¡°We told you, anything that isn¡¯t enchanted to survive in the Chaos would look as bad as your pants do. Graves and I aren¡¯t wealthy enough to carry around a magic wardrobe.¡± He shrugged as he continued walking, but Kade caught the hint.


    ¡°Wait, you only said you and Graves, what about her?¡± he pointed accusingly at Alara, as it registered she¡¯d used the word ¡®estate¡¯.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t going to let you wear one of my dresses; I¡¯m still not convinced we should have taken you out of that labyrinth. But please, keep complaining, I¡¯d love an excuse not to have to let a reeking stray into my lovely home,¡± he could hear some playfulness to her tone, but still decided not to push his luck.


    ¡°So aside from just getting a feel for the place, is there anything else I should be doing?¡± It was Edwin who picked up the conversation.


    ¡°You¡¯ll need to join the Academy as soon as possible. I¡¯m sure I can convince them your education can wait until after your Trial, but there¡¯s still too much you need to know to just let you go back into the Chaos. They¡¯ll run you through some basics, and give you a proper initiation into the Keepers once you¡¯ve earned your place.¡±


    ¡°How long does all of that take?¡± Kade asked.


    ¡°Normally a very, very long time. You¡¯d have been enrolled as soon as you took your first Bond, and would have continued your training until long after your first Trial. Under the circumstances, I suspect I can have you out of there in less than a year, but it¡¯ll largely depend on how quickly you manage to progress¨Cand that¡¯s by their standards, not yours.¡±


    Kade let his disappointment show, ¡°I¡¯m going to go to school for a year? I can¡¯t even wrap my head around that much time right now, my whole life has fallen apart and been rebuilt in a week.¡± Edwin smirked.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t say school, we said Academy. There will be time spent learning in classes, but at your stage of development most of your time will be spent training to work with other keepers. You¡¯ll be expected to find allies and help each other grow, and you¡¯ll frequently be taken outside of Karthas to do that. Don¡¯t expect to fight any Elders for a while, but they¡¯ll more than keep you busy.¡±


    Graves at last spoke once more, ¡°You should be focusing on the coming Trial. Do not let the nonchalance of these two lull you into a false sense of ease; Lord Karthas does not hold back in his testing. Everything else that matters will only come to you if you satisfy the Great One, so keep your mind sharp and don¡¯t let distractions in. The Trial of Karthas will be unlike anything you¡¯ve faced before.¡±

 Chapter 14: Normal

    As they approached the gates of Karthas, Kade marveled at the city itself. It was clearly built around the massive Elder, with no structures ever touching him directly, but Kade got the sense that this was more symbolic than practical. The streets wound around the immense stone covered legs, and even tunneled into the mountains behind them. Buildings were visible all the way up to the Elder¡¯s torso, making use of every scrap of available space, and actually seemed to favor being as close to the Legend as possible. Certainly the city was not made under any real expectation of the Elder someday standing back up, as no part of it would survive such an upheaval.


    What Kade hadn¡¯t expected was for the city to be shockingly beautiful. After the long trek through various types of unfriendly terrain, from stretches of desert, to bogs, to uncaring forests, all of which were permeated with constant presence of death, given the whole countryside was effectively an Elder graveyard, Kade had begun to think this world was an entirely uncaring place. But the city of Karthas belied that notion, as it was truly breathtaking.


    While the stone of the mountain, and even the visible flesh of the Elder himself were just various shades of grays on browns, the city was the complete opposite. Everything seemed to be made from different colored crystals, which contrasted remarkably against the plain backdrop the mountain created. Kade saw buildings of stark white, capped by glittering diamonds. There were spired dwellings of many stories, built entirely from what looked to be obsidian, but with reliefs of emerald and some purple crystal Kade couldn¡¯t name. While the streets and massive walls that divided the city into an unknowable pattern were all of the same stone as the mountain, it seemed that every other object was a burst of color rising majestically into the sky.


    Kade was still staring, open-mouthed when they at last reached a set of massive doors, large enough that even the monstrous Elder they¡¯d fought wouldn¡¯t have managed to see over them. Edwin approached a pair of guards who clearly recognized the woodsman, and began to speak with them quietly. Kade was surprised to find that the massive gate not only didn¡¯t have a line of citizens waiting to enter, but was completely unused save for their own small group. He brought up the oddity with Alara, who had been surprisingly patient with his endless questions.


    ¡°This is the Keepers Gate, and it¡¯s kept entirely clear of civilians for safety reasons. More than one group of desperate Keepers has been forced to retreat to this gate, and if Keepers are retreating, anyone else¡¯s life would be utterly forfeit. The Eastern and Western gates are open to all, and will be bustling with merchants and supplies at this time of day. Karthas is home to tens of thousands, and it takes much to keep it running.¡±


    Their conversation was cut short as an immense rumbling signaled the opening of the gate. Kade was surprised to see that the massive doors were being moved by only two individuals, a man and woman on either side, each enormously muscular. They were clearly using some combination of muscle and magic, as leverage and mass alone would have made it impossible for the comparatively minuscule Awakened to even budge the tremendous doors.


    With no further delays, the group strode into Karthas and Kade felt an unexpected relief as the gate shut behind him. He hadn¡¯t entirely realized how much a low-level of anxiety had been affecting him while he was outside and exposed. Being inside a city¨Ceven one so alien as this¨Cwas a comfort after what felt like a lifetime in the Chaos. As they slowly made their way past groups of what must have been soldiers or city-guards, they finally reached the city proper, and Kade suddenly found himself surrounded by people.


    It was an odd experience, as it felt simultaneously normal and impossibly out of place. He would politely excuse himself as he walked between a couple or a group who appeared completely human, only to bump into someone with purple skin, or red eyes. Even when the people seemed unremarkable, the buildings wouldn¡¯t be. A smiling matronly-looking woman welcomed customers into a shop filled with monster parts, right next to a glowing orange building that appeared to sell¡­different colors of fire? Before he could even ask what that was, the group was already shuffling him along, new sights around every corner.


    At last they stopped at another set of gates, though these appeared to be more decorative and far less defensive in nature. They were made of metal, which Kade observed was more rarely used in construction in the city, and the bars allowed him to glimpse a large, sprawling campus filled with countless people, many who were clearly Awakened. Edwin spoke as they gathered around him, ¡°We need to get Kade registered with the Academy and evaluated for the Trial, so this is likely where we part ways for a time.¡± They all nodded and Alara spoke first.


    ¡°Take him to my estate when you¡¯re done, I¡¯ll make sure he¡¯s expected and has some currency to spend,¡± she didn¡¯t say another word, simply strolling away. Graves spoke next, appearing unsurprised by the terseness from Alara.


    ¡°My place, as ever, is back among my brethren. You know where to find me when you finish your tasks, Edwin,¡± he exchanged nods with the ax-wielder, and glanced meaningfully at Kade before moving off in a different direction from Alara, clearly heading upward toward the Elder. At last Edwin turned to Kade.


    ¡°There shouldn¡¯t be much for you to do here today, I¡¯ll explain the¡­special circumstances by which you¡¯re joining the Keepers, and a priest of Karthas will evaluate your Ancestral affinities so they begin arrangements for your Trial,¡± Kade nodded, then asked a question he had been dreading.


    ¡°How much should I say about where you found me, Edwin? Should I be worried at all?¡± Edwin sensed the poorly-concealed desperation in the question, and smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to your discretion when the questions are from the other potential Keepers. Your past is yours as much as theirs belongs to them, but that doesn¡¯t apply to any of the teachers, or Keeper officials; they¡¯ll need the truth to help you with your own growth.¡± He could tell Kade was concerned by this, and smiled, ¡°You won¡¯t be able to avoid some attention, but this is world of Legends, Kade, and you¡¯ll find that most are more obsessed with carving out their own than concerning themselves with others.¡±


    Kade nodded, considering. He still had the strange feeling inside, warning him that not every truth was meant to be shared. Part of him knew the anomalous energy his bracer spoke of was a secret the Keepers would not be so relaxed about. He was about to ask more specifics when the gates swung open, and a robed woman walked out to meet them.


    She was of average height with dark skin and deep black hair, which had the crystalline caste that marked her as an Awakened of Secundus or higher. She smiled warmly at Edwin, then greeted the embarrassed man with a quick embrace. ¡°Have you brought me another stray, Edwin? Perhaps I should start charging you for this service,¡± the voice was playful, as they appeared to be at least old friends.


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°You tease, but after you get to know this one you might regret not taking a fee. Allow me to introduce Kade, of an unknown house. He is only recently Awakened and Bonded, and you¡¯ll find his education lacking, but not his enthusiasm,¡± she looked at Kade with unabashed curiosity.


    ¡°You found a second unregistered, Edwin? This will reflect more on you than this poor man, but the reputation you¡¯re building is a dangerous one,¡± she shook her head in bewilderment before turning to Kade. ¡°It is a great pleasure to meet you, Child Kade, and welcome to the Keepers Academy of Karthas. I am Keeper Selina, one of the instructors here, and if Edwin is vouching for you, that speaks of great potential in your future.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to meet you, Keeper Selina,¡± Kade said while returning her slight bow. Edwin spoke again hurriedly.


    ¡°Selina, there¡¯s much I need to tell you, could you arrange for a tour of the grounds for Kade?¡± Selina looked even more curious, but nodded readily while waving to a nearby student, who quickly joined the group. The newcomer was a tall woman, nearly Kade¡¯s height, with dark hair sporting highlights of blue, kept in a neat braid over one shoulder. She had a welcoming smile, but her eyes were intelligent, and appeared calculating; Kade didn¡¯t miss how rapidly she appeared to take in the group, and the dynamics between them. She was dressed in what Kade now understood to be casual clothes among these people, shirt and pants of similar fabric with high boots. The colors were dark, but with blue highlights that matched her hair.


    Selina gestured to the younger woman and made quick introductions, ¡°This is Gwen, one of our more promising new Keepers, recently raised to Primus. Gwen, you¡¯ve no doubt heard of Edwin Houseless, and this is his new charge: Kade. Would you please give Kade a tour of the grounds¡­starting with the quartermaster. Shirt and shoes are not optional here, Child Kade.¡± Kade nodded, embarrassment coloring his cheeks.


    Gwen seemed unconcerned, and nodded once before gesturing for Kade to follow. Kade hurriedly fell-in next to her, suddenly very aware of his unwashed state and unkempt appearance. His own blonde hair was so caked with road dust that it was unrecognizable when he spotted himself in a window¡¯s reflection, and despite a few dips in the occasional river, he still noticed dried blood caked to him in various places. Gwen noticed his self-scrutiny and let out a surprisingly deep laugh. ¡°You¡¯re not the first one to walk in here half-dead and half-clothed, don¡¯t worry. Keepers return to the city every day looking worse than you do, and the citizenry are used to politely ignoring it. Are you from the farming communities?¡±


    Kade raised an eyebrow as he detected something subtle in her tone, not quite lining up with the easy question. He felt like he was being entered into some kind of game, and decided he didn¡¯t mind a little play to distract from his own embarrassment. ¡°Not exactly, I¡¯m from a little farther out,¡± he answered casually, but cryptically. The woman¡¯s easy expression didn¡¯t change, but she was silent for a moment as they continued walking.


    ¡°You arrived with Edwin, he¡¯s well-known around the grounds, are you from his village to the South? I¡¯ve heard he still visits from time to time,¡± again, there was something more to the casual questioning, and Kade had to think quickly¨Cit wasn¡¯t easy to play coy when he knew virtually nothing about the world he was in. With no real goal other than not being taken advantage of, he stuck to vague.


    ¡°Edwin doesn¡¯t like to speak about his home, and I don¡¯t think I should do so either,¡± this time he thought he caught a brief flash of irritation from the woman, but further discussion was cut short as they entered a large building with a number of people carrying supplies in and out.


    ¡°Hello, Slip,¡± she greeted a short, bald man with darting eyes. ¡°I have a new student who needs a rush on a uniform¨Cfor obvious reasons,¡± she concluded with a look at this gesture directed at Kade¡¯s appearance. The small man roared with laughter, then his eyes briefly flashed with green light as he glanced in Kade¡¯s direction. With no questions and no delay he turned and went through a door, then returned after only a moment or two, carrying a dark tunic and pants in one hand, with some simple, brown boots in the other.


    ¡°Always happy to do a rush-job for you, Gwen. Your man can get changed over the shed there,¡± he finished by gesturing at a small structure built into the side of the building, and was already gone when Kade turned back to thank him. He shrugged and went to the shed, mentally commanding his chains to retract as he did so, leaving a simple black belt, with tiny chains woven around it in place of the flowing skirt he had grown used to. The chains had many useful properties, but ironically¨Cgiven they doubled as a belt¨Cthey made pants very tricky. He had yet to figure out a way to remove the belt entirely, and had been trying to avoid considering the implications of that.


    He emerged a few minutes later in a simple uniform of blacks and grays, marked with an insignia he¡¯d seen around the grounds, likely that of the Keepers. It was a green tree against a blue sky, and its simplicity seemed oddly appropriate for the eclectic group. Kade enjoyed the sensation of having his feet and chest covered again, despite the resiliency of changed body, and was shocked by how perfectly everything fit. He kept his chains retracted as he rejoined Gwen, and she began moving without a word.


    He followed her lead, taking in the sights of the campus, which appeared to take up a large space on the outskirts of the city, with only the massive side of Karthas¡¯ left leg visible, the rest disappearing into the mountains. There were dozens of buildings, and hundreds of students, with the occasional true Keeper in the mix, usually distinguished more by their bearing or personalized equipment than any unusual physical traits¨Cthough he did see more than on sporting an extra pair of arms, suggesting that Karthas may be a common Ancestral Totem, which made sense.


    As they walked, Gwen lazily pointed out training yards, dormitories and lecture halls, all between trying her hand at more probing questions, ¡°So where did you get your Bonds? Are they more common in your home?¡± Kade had heard enough angry exchanges between Alara and Edwin to understand the Fragments he had been given were extraordinarily valuable, and was careful in his answer.


    ¡°I was lucky enough to meet some generous people, and choosing between hoarding their Fragments or saving my life, they made the Keeper¡¯s choice,¡± he hoped that was vague enough that she wouldn¡¯t press, and he invoked the nature of the Keepers to make any further questioning hopefully more difficult for Gwen to keep casual. She smiled though, and Kade thought he recognized a bit of triumph in it.


    ¡°You were lucky to meet such generous benefactors,¡± she said knowingly, then stopped as they reached a larger building with little traffic. It seemed some of the students were actively avoiding stepping too close as they walked by; Kade noticed this building alone appeared built directly into the mountain. Gwen gestured to the open door, ¡°This is where the Academy houses its visiting priests of Karthas, Selina and Edwin are waiting for you inside.¡± Kade nodded then headed for the door.


    ¡°It was nice being interrogated by you,¡± he said with a smirk, and was rewarded with a look of shock across her features. He still felt like he¡¯d lost the exchange, but the barb helped lift his spirits as he disappeared inside. He found Selina and Edwin waiting exactly as Gwen had predicted, next to a man that looked like a muscle-bound version of Graves, wearing the same black robes and sharing the pale skin and black eyes.


    Edwin smiled and gestured at Kade¡¯s appearance, ¡°I think I miss the desperate madman look, but the uniform suits you. This is Priest Markis; he will be conducting the ritual required to measure your Ancestral aptitudes,¡± the man nodded politely, revealing surprisingly red hair hidden beneath his black hood.


    ¡°Child Kade, please follow me into the ritual chamber, it¡¯s time to see where you come from.¡±

 Chapter 15: Ancestors

    Kade followed the large man into a back room, Selina and Edwin trailing behind. Kade was surprised to find the back wall was formed by the mountain itself, with a deep purple glow emanating from it. Priest Markis walked directly to a table resting right against the stone wall, where he sat, and took out a small case. From within he produced a number of small stone figures, each modeled after a different warrior in various poses. Next he removed a number of unmodeled stones, of similar proportion but looking like little more than lumps. Lastly he removed a handful of gems, and began arranging the whole display on the table.


    Kade walked closer and saw that the table had carved recesses for each of the figures, and a space for a gem in front of each. They were also connected by a shallow path to a carved space in the shape of a hand, fingers together, on the unoccupied side of the table. Markis gestured with a smile, and Kade took the seat opposite to the man, examining the small statues before him. By the time Markis finished arranging the stones to his satisfaction, Kade had a sense of what he was looking at.


    The pieces closest to him were all relatively straightforward, and Kade thought he recognized most of what they depicted. First was a man with sword and shield raised, Warrior, Kade thought. Next was someone that looked much like the fallen man of fire that the Keepers had lost against the Elder, Elementalist, Kade thought sadly. They were less clear after that, but a robed figure with a staff looked like some sort of wizard, and a similarly robed figure with empty hands raised in supplication might have been a healer. The last one he thought he might recognize was a hooded figure with a single dagger in one hand, possibly indicating some kind of assassin or stealth specialist.


    Beyond the first row, the small statues became more elaborate, but harder to differentiate from those at the front. The only one that caught his eye was a plainly-dressed man holding a hammer, and based on what everyone kept telling him about his abilities as a Metallurgist¨Cthe craftsman appeared a likely candidate. Beyond the second row were the collection of unformed lumps, and Kade watched them curiously, noting that Markis barely paid attention to them, compared to the rest which he reverently placed and repositioned. At last, the man spoke, still with a friendly smile.


    ¡°Welcome, Kade. It is my great honor as a Priest of Karthas to be able to help so many new Keepers find their Path. I was informed of the unusual circumstances surrounding your coming here, as well as the gaps in your memory. Know that my role is ultimately one of imparting knowledge, and I would be very happy to answer any questions you may have,¡± Kade¡¯s mouth was already open when the man raised a hand to forestall him. ¡°Perhaps I could go over the basics of the Ritual of Ancestry first?¡± Kade nodded, accepting the logic of the proposal. The man gave an indulgent smile while collecting his thoughts. First he gestured to the stone wall.


    ¡°This room is connected to the Great Karthas¡¯ own power. It winds through the mountains, but is rarely so close to the surface. We require this connection to use my Legend¡¯s power to trace out your own unique lineage, as his experience was vast, and touched many generations of Elders. We will use that same connection for your Trial, after we have learned here how to focus it on the Path you choose to follow,¡± he indicated the statues between them with a gesture. ¡°These are each of the potential Paths known to us.


    ¡°As the Great One¡¯s power touches your own, it will guide your Soul in sharing its Ancestral memory. If a gem before a statue glows, it means you have a connection to an Ancestor that used abilities we would categorize as belonging to that specific path. The color of the glow will indicate your affinity for that path, which I will interpret for you.¡± He gestured to the second row, and the unshaped blobs beyond, ¡°These are rarer Paths, some of which require a degree of mastery in one or more of the common Paths before your body can handle the strain of their vast powers. Others are simply so rare that they don¡¯t justify a better seat.¡± He laughed quietly to himself, then coughed slightly when he realized he was the only one.


    ¡°As I was saying,¡± the priest continued, trying to find the same level of seriousness he¡¯d begun with, ¡°some of these paths are simply more rare. I¡¯ve been made to understand that you possess a Soul Manifestation that utilizes metallurgy?¡± Kade nodded, staring at the statues in fascination. Ever since he¡¯d been told about metallurgy, and how it was viewed by society, he¡¯d spent an enormous amount of time thinking about how he could change that perspective. Markis continued, ¡°A true rarity, though I¡¯ve met my fair share. The others,¡± he indicated the unformed stones, ¡°are effectively placeholders. Occasionally someone will have a connection to a Path so rare that we¡¯ve never encountered it before.¡±


    Kade couldn¡¯t hide his fascination at that, and jumped in with a question, ¡°Have you seen that before? Can people still choose one of these¡­mystery Paths?¡± Markis smiled knowingly, as this was likely a question he heard often.


    ¡°That is a complicated question, but hardly an unexpected one. First you must understand that the Great Karthas cannot place you on any path he himself is not connected to¨Cthough he is connected to many, even those we know nothing about. Next you must understand that even if he could place you on one of the rarer paths, there are many disadvantages.¡± The priest leaned back, considering how to proceed.


    ¡°I suppose you need to understand the so-called common Paths first. Everything we know of them comes from the experience of those Keepers who have taken these paths in the ages since their discovery. The abilities these Paths can inherit, the thresholds at which they allow one to Ascend to the next step, and the requirements of the so-called greater Paths one must reach before their Trial can be undertaken,¡± he gestured to the statue in front of the Warrior, which was a heavily armored knight with a weapon in either hand. ¡°For instance, the Battlemaster can only be undertaken by one who has achieved Secundus as a Warrior.


    ¡°All this is to say that when someone does have any level of affinity for an unknown Path, there is great risk involved. We cannot even guarantee that the Trial we create will be possible to complete, given we don¡¯t know if there are requirements to prepare the Soul for an unknown Path. Even if the Trial is a success, there is no one who can guide or train the Keeper in their new abilities, and certainly not help them to find an optimal Path.¡± Kade looked up, questioningly.


    ¡°Optimal Path? I don¡¯t think anyone¡¯s mentioned that before.¡± The priest nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s likely what the name suggests, though I¡¯ve been warned your bracer is still struggling with some translations. You are aware that there are many abilities tied to a Path? We are also severely limited in how many of those abilities we can imprint on our Soul. As such, it¡¯s highly valuable to find a mentor who can help guide your soul toward specific abilities¨Conce you¡¯ve been placed on your Path, that is.¡±


    ¡°I think I need to understand what I¡¯d be coming out of my Trial with to really grasp what you¡¯re saying,¡± Kade interjected, and the priest was nodding even before Kade finished speaking.


    ¡°Of course, allow me to clarify. For example, should you have sufficient affinity for the Metallurgist path, you will undergo a Trial that unlocks that potential in your Soul Core. When you exit the Trial, you will be a Metallurgist in truth, meaning your Soul will be committed to that Path, no turning back. You will also receive one or two abilities¨Ctypically of the more common variety¨Cthat will allow you to hone your skills on that Path. As your power grows, you will gain access to more Path Abilities, and it is those that can be influenced by a mentor.¡±


    Kade nodded in understanding, still considering the many tiny statues before him. ¡°So I¡¯m probably going to need to find a Metallurgist willing to mentor me, and that person will be able to help me¡­choose the right ones? I don¡¯t think I understand how to acquire new abilities.¡±


    ¡°There are several methods, and natural growth is the most common. One day you may be at a threshold of power you¡¯re not even aware of, and suddenly know intuitively that you¡¯re capable of something new. Keepers have also been known to gain new abilities when interacting closely with compatible Elders. Both of these methods can be influenced by training with a mentor. If you somehow manage to find a willing mentor who has achieved Quartus or Finalis, they can even impart the abilities themselves, but I wouldn¡¯t count on it.¡±


    Kade was silent for some time, trying to take it all in. When Markis at last prompted him for further questions, he blurted out the first one he could think of. ¡°What the hell is an Ancestor? I thought it was obvious, but I have to be wrong. Is Karthas everyone¡¯s Ancestor? We¡¯re all Children of Korthos, right? Was Karthas his dad or something?¡± Markis¡¯s jaw dropped, and he looked to Selina and Edwin in shock. Selina appeared contemplative, and Edwin just nodded in encouragement.


    Markis shook his head in disbelief, then collected himself. ¡°I am sorry, Child. I merely underestimated the extent of your memory loss. I anticipated many questions but¡­well not those normally taught to small children, not those that are the very fundamentals on which our society is built. To not even understand the glory of¨C¡±


    ¡°Brother Markis,¡± Selina¡¯s voice broke in, barely above a whisper, but with authority that made Kade jump slightly. ¡°Decorum, if you will,¡± she said simply. The priest¡¯s pale white skin blushed surprisingly red as he collected himself.


    ¡°I beg that you forgive my outburst, I pride myself as being a teacher, and yet I sometimes view ignorance as an affront. It is a terrible failing, and I will not allow it to surface again.¡± He leaned back in his chair, pulled off the hood of his robes, and ran his fingers through his deep-red hair. Finally he returned his gaze to Kade, and his friendly smile had returned. ¡°I will teach you as I was taught, so please forgive any oversimplifications, these concepts are the building blocks of our understanding of the world, and not usually something that adults must learn for the first time.


    ¡°First you must know that Iros is as alive as you or I¨Cinfinitely more so, in fact. We are all mere manifestations of our world¡¯s power, not entirely unlike our own Soul Manifestations. You must accept this to understand much of what is possible,¡± he paused for a moment, staring at Kade¡¯s belt before getting remarkably excited. ¡°Your chains! This is perfect, I never would have thought of chains for this, and then here you are,¡± Kade gave the man an odd look, deciding that he liked the priest, despite his inconstant nature.


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    ¡°I was told about your chains¨Cthere¡¯s hundreds or thousands of them, correct?¡± Kade nodded, still surprised at the man¡¯s sudden enthusiasm. ¡°But they¡¯re all connected, correct? Both to you, and I suspect to one another? And they have links!¡± He actually clapped with excitement, before continuing. ¡°You may want to consider being a teaching aid, as this is surprisingly helpful.¡± Selina gave the man another disapproving look, and he cleared his throat awkwardly. ¡°As I was saying. Imagine you were a link at the end of one of your chains, and yes, each link above you would be considered a direct Ancestor, leading all the way back to your Soul¨Cor the Origin if we were again speaking of Iros directly.¡±


    Markis raised a finger triumphantly into the air, ¡°But each chain, regardless of how far it may be from the first, and from you¨Cthe most distant link¨Cis still connected through the Origin! This concept, this connection, is how much of our world functions. We often refer to it as a shared memory, and it¡¯s responsible for numerous fascinating phenomena. Artifacts¨Cif you¡¯ve heard of them¨Ccan be destroyed or lost, but reappear somewhere else¨Ca completely different chain, simply by utilizing that connection. Well, anything but simply, but you take my meaning,¡± he was now smiling broadly, and appeared to be waiting for Kade to speak.


    ¡°Okay, I think I can grasp the basics of the concept you¡¯re trying to get across, but can you apply it to my original question?¡± Markis was momentarily baffled as he struggled to remember how the discussion had started, but then his enthusiasm returned.


    ¡°Ancestors! Oh, right, the blasphemy. No, Korthos'' father was not Karthas. Part of my shock came from the suggestion, as they were well-known enemies,¡± he paused thoughtfully, then spoke almost to himself. ¡°Though I suppose that would still be very true if they were father and son¡­but I digress. To understand this might strain our chain metaphor slightly¡­¡± he twirled a hand in the air as he tried to find a way to explain. ¡°The best way I could describe it would be if two of your chains were intertwined. They would still be separate, though more connected than just through the Origin. It¡¯s this bond that we most often utilize to find one¡¯s Ancestral Path.¡± Kade found he needed to put it into his own words to make sure he was following.


    ¡°So if I¡¯m getting this even half-right, you¡¯re saying that I may have an Ancestor who isn¡¯t Karthas, but may have bumped into him, or his own Ancestors at some point. And the Trial is about asking Karthas to connect me to that Ancestor?¡± Markis made an odd face as he tried to follow Kade¡¯s interpretation, then slowly began to nod.


    ¡°You have the generalities, but the reality is far more complex. It¡¯s never one or two chains, it¡¯s countless chains, all braided and woven together since the beginning of Iros. We¡¯re more likely to find an Ancestor of yours killed¨Cor was killed¨Cby an Ancestor of someone who was killed by Karthas¨Cor his own Ancestors...I could barely get through that sentence. Do I need a chart? My classroom had a chart for this I think, but that was two-hundred-fifty-seven years ago¡­¡± Kade raised a hand to forestall the man before he left for a chart.


    ¡°I think I get it, though it makes the term Children of Korthos a lot more confusing; is the name more symbolic than I realized?¡± Markis suddenly looked a great deal more serious, and when he spoke again there was forceful passion in his voice.


    ¡°You¡¯ve stumbled on the greatest philosophical question of our age, my young friend. The truth is that we simply don¡¯t know! The Calm changed everything in our world, including how we are born into it¨Cof that we¡¯re certain. In the past, a Child of Karthas would have been an actual blood-relation, though how the creation was possible given the nature of familial relationships amongst Elders is part of the great mystery,¡± he glanced at Seline, confirming he was once more getting off track, and tried to refocus.


    ¡°What I can say now¨Cwith certainty¨Cis that while we may call ourselves Children of Korthos, our bloodlines tell a very different story.¡±


    Kade nodded slowly, knowing he¡¯d be spending a long time considering this, and hopefully consulting with this very odd priest again under different circumstances. He¡¯d had several people tell him to find a scholar already, and he knew that he just had. ¡°Alright, then how does this all apply to the ritual, and affinities?¡± Markis nodded furiously, seeming grateful to be back on track.


    ¡°As I said previously, the Great Karthas will allow us to find the many intersections that must exist between yourself, and any potential Ancestor¨Cdirect, or connected through the chains as it were. The more distant the connection, the weaker your affinity will be. Too distant a connection and you won¡¯t be able to walk the Path at all¨Cthere simply won¡¯t be enough memory in the connection for you to draw from. Conversely, direct Ancestors will have higher affinity, and those will be the best choice.¡±


    ¡°What does affinity actually do though? If I can choose between two paths, and one has the higher affinity, is it always better to take it?¡±


    ¡°Not exactly,¡± the priest replied. ¡°You will progress more quickly the higher your affinity with a given Path, but if the relative difference in affinities isn¡¯t too great¨Csay the distinction between an [A] and [B]--,¡± Kade quickly glanced at his bracer, confirming it was a simple grading system, ¡°--then very few would let such a minimal difference decide the Path they¡¯ll hope to walk for lifetimes. Many Keepers have even chosen C ranked Paths quite happily, trading slightly slower Progress for the life they truly desire.¡±


    Kade knew his need to see his potential Paths was quickly outpacing his patience for questions, but he had to ask one more, ¡°Does anyone ever choose an unknown Path? Maybe if their affinity leaves it as the only option?¡± Markis nodded, seriously.


    ¡°Some do choose unknown Paths, though affinity rarely has much to do with the decision. Rather, doing so is considered a great sacrifice in the pursuit of knowledge, and the advancement of our society. An unknown Path ceases to be unknown as soon as someone chooses it, and that is of unparalleled value. That said though,¡± he cautioned in a serious tone, ¡°I have never heard of that choice being someone¡¯s first Path, as it would present endless challenges¨Cnot the least of which being their unreliability as a Keeper with limited, unknown powers.¡±


    Kade nodded in understanding, able to restrain his curiosity no longer. ¡°Okay, anything else can wait until later. I¡¯m ready.¡± Markis nodded happily, then reached forward and slapped Kade on the shoulder in a surprisingly jovial way.


    ¡°I wish you all the luck in the world, my friend. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find your Path,¡± he sat back and gestured at the hand-shape in front of Kade. ¡°Now, simply place one hand on the table, and the other on the wall¨Cthat will allow you to connect to Karthas¡¯ power. Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s no pain, though it will be an experience to remember. Shall we begin?¡± At Kade¡¯s nod, Markis smiled, then placed his own hand on the wall, and began to concentrate. A moment passed with nothing happening, and then suddenly Kade felt as if his Soul were being flooded with a foreign power, and he was somewhere else.


    ***


    Kade¡¯s consciousness seemed to be everywhere at once. He felt his Soul being pulled forcibly as if upriver, the current an endless series of lives, each caught in a horrific cycle of pain and death. As sensation suddenly reversed, and he felt himself being pulled back toward his body, the lives he passed through began to rush into him.


    He was a master of his generation, looking down at his kingdom from above the clouds, and all bowed before him. He was less than a slave, being pulled from the dark pit which was all he knew, to be devoured piece by piece by a creature that never bothered to look at him. He was one warrior in legions, fighting a single battle that lasted years. He was a general, bringing glory to his master¡¯s name, waiting for his moment to kill the worthless fool.


    The memories tore through him then disappeared, leaving only vague impressions of each life. He saw the beginning of Iros. He saw the sun dying. He spit in Kronos¡¯ face. He was crushed beneath Kronos¡¯ heel. He invaded other worlds. He saw Iros invaded in turn. He felt himself die, Altera smiling down at him as she tore into his Soul. He saw a thousand Elders die by his hands, and experienced a thousand more deaths of his own. Each time the memory faded, but left with it a slightly greater understanding of what Iros was. Iros was the Cycle. Iros was life and death, the new ever conquering the old, going on ceaselessly, through endless generations.


    Over and over he experienced the Cycle, saw children killing parents, felt himself snuff the life out of his own progeny, the desperate need to destroy and survive the only thing they all shared. It kept happening, he knew it could never stop, knew Iros would never let it stop. But then everything slowed. He felt countless lives pass, but no new generation came. Something was new, something was different. And he heard words. Whispered words across millions of years, that slowly turned into screams, and finally into defiance.


    ¡­not again¡­won¡¯t let this happen¡­it¡¯s enough¡­I refuse¡­I¡¯ll sacrifice myself¡­I¡¯m done with the killing!


    The words continued, echoing through generations as Kade felt his Soul falling back toward his body, toward the present. But then it got stuck, and he was in a dark room, where four men stood around something he couldn¡¯t see. The figures were indistinct, and details seemed to shift in and out of focus. But he could hear them, and he knew their words were dangerous.


    ¡°The Cycle must end,¡± said one who was blocked from Kade¡¯s sight. The voice was quiet, but heavy with command.


    ¡°So we finally say it aloud,¡± replied another, the tallest of the group.


    ¡°You speak blasphemy,¡± a deep voice rumbled from opposite the tall man.


    ¡°He speaks our hearts, brother, even yours,¡± said the final man, whose back was to Kade, ¡°Tell me I¡¯m wrong.¡±


    After a long pause, the deep voice finally replied, ¡°I won¡¯t taint this sacred place with lies, but we must accept what we are saying for what it truly is.¡±


    ¡°If your Gods take issue with my will, brother, let them appear before me,¡± challenged the first voice, and Kade sensed that somehow it wasn¡¯t hyperbole.


    ¡°My Gods are not so foolish, brother,¡± replied the deep voice, surprisingly unbothered by the threat. ¡°But if we challenge them, there will be consequences.¡±


    ¡°They are not the Cycle¨Cwhatever they would have us believe¨Cthey are as trapped by it as we,¡± the tall man spoke.


    ¡°Is this more than academic?¡± asked the man facing away from Kade. ¡°Every Child of Iros has lamented the Cycle, even if only as they fell victim to it. What¡¯s changed?¡± There was a brief pause as the tall man stared at the unseen one, then finally spoke.


    ¡°Everything has changed. I¡¯ve found the Lost Artifact; it¡¯s returned. We¨C¡± he paused suddenly, and all four men began to look around hurriedly. Finally the tall man spoke again, ¡°We are not alone.¡±


    Kade felt shock tear through him as four, blurry faces suddenly turned on him in unison, and he had a brief impression of golden armor before he felt a final tug on his Soul, and he was suddenly back in his own body, staring at a perplexed Markis.


    ¡°Well,¡± the large priest said, ¡°that went remarkably wrong.¡±

 Chapter 16: Cursed Path

    Kade was panting, staring wildly around the room in a near-panic. Already he was having trouble recalling what he¡¯d seen, but the experience was imprinted onto his very Soul, and some revelations felt like they would haunt him forever. He felt Edwin¡¯s hands on his shoulders, and realized Selina had been speaking quietly with Markis for some time. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what had happened, but he sensed it was far from normal. When Markis saw that Kade was able to focus again, he spoke.


    ¡°Kade, are you able to concentrate on my voice?¡± at Kade¡¯s pained nod, Markis continued, concern and relief equally present on his face. ¡°Glad to have you back with us, and I¡¯m sorry for whatever it was you experienced. Keeper Selina and I have been discussing it, and we imagine it could be a result of whatever was done to you inside of the Elder Altera. We can call for a healer if you¡¯re still feeling the after effects?¡±


    Kade considered before answering, ¡°No, it was nothing physical¨CI think. It¡¯s all fading so quickly now, but I¡¯m starting to feel normal. I saw something¡­or maybe I saw everything¨CI can¡¯t really describe it.¡± Markis looked surprised, but excited.


    ¡°You say you remember seeing something? That¡¯s absolutely fascinating! No one has ever reported remembering anything during the ritual, it¡¯s typically over in a flash, with little effect on the individual involved. But your Soul seemed to be trapped by the ritual somehow, I had to perform another of my own devising just to bring you back. You should let me check on you in a few days to ensure there¡¯s no lingering effect.¡± Kade nodded, feeling his mind losing hold of the few threads of the experience he¡¯d managed to cling to.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m fine for now, it¡¯s already starting to feel like something that happened to someone else.¡± Markis looked slightly relieved at the description.


    ¡°That is far more in-line with what we¡¯d expect from the ritual. Which is good, because almost nothing else is what I¡¯d have expected,¡± he finished by gesturing at the table, which Kade noticed that Edwin and Selina had been staring at in disbelief. Kade looked at the small statues, and was surprised to see that every single one of them now had a distinct form. Each of the unfinished blobs was now an immaculate statue depicting a warrior engaged in some form of unusual combat.


    Kade couldn¡¯t understand what the various gem colors meant, but he found himself fascinated by each of the new statues, as if they resonated with something deep inside him. One appeared to depict a warrior half-transformed into a beast of some kind, another appeared to be a fist fighter engaged in martial arts, with the rest being increasingly elaborate. He saw one that reminded him of the Elder he¡¯d helped slay, as it seemed to be covered in spikes, and tentacles.


    Two stood out more than the rest, one because its gem glowed the most brightly, and depicted a warrior holding a massive blade point-down into the earth, with the other hand appearing to be channeling energy. The second statue was what the other three people in the room seemed unable to look away from. It depicted a warrior with both hands clasped in front of him, a familiar beam of energy firing outward. While far from the most elaborate of the statues, it stood out as the gem in front of it was shattered, and the whole statue glowed with its own deep, red light.


    ¡°What are we looking at, brother Markis?¡± Selina asked in her whispered, commanding voice. Markis didn¡¯t look up from the table, as he gently prodded the glowing statue with a finger.


    ¡°Something impossible, Keeper. Or at least something unrecorded in our history,¡± he finally looked up to meet her eyes. ¡°This man is already attuned to an Ancestral Path.¡± Kade¡¯s mind raced back to his bracer, and recalled that it had indeed already listed him as having an unknown Class. He was surprised to find that the fact hadn¡¯t crossed his mind the entire time he¡¯d been here with Markis, which didn¡¯t feel right. He knew that he felt compelled to keep the anomalous energy a secret, but he had thought it was a conscious choice. Now¡­


    It was Edwin who spoke next, ¡°That¡¯s impossible for too many reasons to list. He was only a few minutes Awakened when we found him, and it was days before he was Bonded. How could he possibly be on a specific Ancestral Path already?¡± Despite the anger and frustration in Edwin¡¯s tone, Markis appeared to take the question at face value. At last he looked curious.


    ¡°You found him inside Altera¡¯s Soul Manifestation, did you not?¡± Kade blinked at that, not certain he¡¯d heard right. The labyrinth had been what? Markis continued at Edwin¡¯s hurried nod, ¡°Then perhaps¡­could he have been undertaking a Trial?¡± Both Selina and Edwin visibly recoiled at the suggestion, then looked at Kade, their gazes almost accusatory. Selina¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t move, though she spoke to the room.


    ¡°Is that possible? Do we know for sure what would happen to an unawakened Soul if a Trial was forced on it?¡± Markis was shaking his head, but there was a look of fascination on his face as he stared alternately at Kade, then the glowing statue.


    ¡°Moments ago I said precisely that it wasn¡¯t possible, and everything I¡¯ve been taught confirms that. Everything except the man sitting before me, with a partially formed Path.¡±


    Kade finally found his voice, ¡°What do you mean, partially formed?¡±


    Markis looked relieved to have a question he could answer, and he did so happily, ¡°This, at least, is something we have on record. I¡¯ve never encountered it personally, but it is a part of the early histories.¡± He gestured at the broken gem, ¡°We¡¯ve performed this ritual on Keepers who already walk a Path, of course. The ritual accounts for that, and the gem would have taken on a specific color to indicate an active Path. Yours attempted to do so, and shattered when the flow of energy became too unstable. This has happened before when a Trial was interrupted before completion. It¡¯s not an easy thing to do, as the circumstances have to be extreme enough to affect the Elder¡¯s own Soul Core.¡±


    Edwin looked contemplative, then spoke softly, ¡°Would a Ritual of Calm interrupt an ongoing Trial?¡± Markis¡¯ eyes widened with shock and concern.


    ¡°It certainly would, and that would explain much but¡­¡± he looked at Kade with something that may have been fear. ¡°If you were performing a Ritual of Calm, then Altera would have been channeling Chaos when his trial was taking place.¡± Kade felt energy coursing through him at hearing the words, and was reaching for his chains without realizing it when Edwin spoke again.


    ¡°That makes sense, he had Chaos sickness worse than anything we¡¯d ever seen. Only Graves being there and the exposure being so recent saved his life. We think that¡¯s what ruined his memory.¡± Markis looked incredibly relieved, though Selina¡¯s head was still cocked in contemplation.


    ¡°That explains a great deal, and you¡¯re right that only brother Graves would have had any chance at saving him. May the Chaos he found rot in the Oblivion to which it was banished.¡± Finally Selina spoke again.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve seen this before, do you have any idea how we can help the boy?¡± Markis smiled broadly, nodding.


    ¡°Thankfully yes. It¡¯s actually a relatively simple fix, even if the problem is comparatively rare and complex. If he can complete his trial for a new Path, the Ritual Magics should repair his broken one. The Ritual doesn¡¯t differentiate, you see, it¡¯s meant to lock in a Path, and would conceivably do so regardless of the number of incomplete Paths a Soul was on. At most I¡¯ll need to make minor adjustments to the beginning of the Ritual, but ultimately it should allow him to proceed just like any dual-Path,¡± he paused, considering. ¡°Thankfully he¡¯s a triple-path. If he was a single, I think he¡¯d be trapped like this.¡± Edwin looked nearly as relieved as Kade, and clapped him once on the back.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get this sorted, son, don¡¯t worry. This will make some things harder, but others a lot simpler,¡± he smiled encouragingly, but Markis had more to say.


    ¡°That brings us to the other challenges. First, Karthas will rightly view this as his second Ritual, which are always far more dangerous and demanding.¡± Selina smiled slightly.


    ¡°That just means he¡¯ll need a capable partner, and I have one in mind,¡± Markis¡¯ eyebrows went up, and he nodded in understanding.


    ¡°If I know who you mean, then yes, that will almost certainly solve the first problem, but there¡¯s still the other: his affinities are absolutely absurd. I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± Kade leaned in, his curiosity banishing any other thought.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, is Metallurgy my only option?¡± Markis shook his head sadly, and pointed at the small craftsman statue, which had a gem with almost no glow at all.


    ¡°You barely have any affinity to Metallurgy at all. Even if that was the only strange thing with your affinities, given that you have a Metallurgic Soul Manifestation, it would be worthy of years of discussion and research. That simply doesn¡¯t happen. But nearly everything I see here is strange.¡± The group crowded in to get a closer look, and Kade thought he could recognize what the priest was trying to convey. Markis continued speaking, looking bewildered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the Metallurgy. Most Awakened have a few Paths available to them, with rarer candidates having four or five. Of those paths, there¡¯s usually an average affinity level to each, with one or two standing out as a particularly strong affinity¨Cmaybe an A or a B,¡± he gestured at the table before him. ¡°Kade has at least a dozen affinities, and I¡¯m worried what might have happened if I had loaded the ritual with more blank templates.¡± Kade felt hopeful at that, but felt his hopes dashed as he looked at Markis¡¯ slowly shaking head.


    ¡°I take it the problem isn¡¯t just that I have too many wonderful choices ahead of me,¡± Kade said. Markis looked sympathetic, and he sighed before replying.


    ¡°You effectively have no choice, I¡¯m sorry to say. For most of these paths¨Cwhatever they are¨Cyou have the smallest possible affinity. It¡¯s like whichever Ancestor encountered them just saw them in the distance somewhere, nothing like what you¡¯d need to have a real chance at mastering their Path.¡± Edwin jumped in, gesturing at the three statues that seemed to be exceptions.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    ¡°But these three are clearly different, even if two of them are unknown Paths.¡± Markis shrugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, and again that¡¯s wildly unusual,¡± he pointed at the glowing statue with the broken gem. ¡°The Path he¡¯s already on is an abnormally high match, it¡¯s an S affinity, which I¡¯ve only seen once since taking this role over a century ago. The second path is the Warrior, which is only a B affinity, but do you see how the gem is two-toned in color?¡± They all had to look more closely, but sure enough the gem was a mix of cool blue with a splash of green mixed in. ¡°That indicates that it¡¯s a Warrior variant. Again, not an enormous rarity on its own, but combined with the rest of this mess, it¡¯s highly suspect.¡±


    ¡°Should we redo the ritual?¡± Selina asked. ¡°If it¡¯s as skewed as you say, perhaps it¡¯s just a consequence of something going wrong.¡±


    ¡°The Ritual was perfect, I know it in my Soul¨Cand that¡¯s not a metaphor. The brotherhood will study the results of this madness for generations, and frankly, I don¡¯t think we should even be touching the table,¡± they all withdrew reflexively, looking at the table with new suspicion. At last Kade spoke.


    ¡°What¡¯s a variant-Warrior?¡± he asked, the word variant being a touchy subject for him. It was Edwin who spoke.


    ¡°Like Markis said, it¡¯s less unusual than the rest of¡­this,¡± he gestured at the whole table. ¡°It just means that Karthas isn¡¯t a perfect fit for your particular Warrior skill-set. You can still take the Trial, but you aren¡¯t likely to end up with abilities common to other Karthas-Warriors. For your second trial you¡¯ll likely want to find a more compatible Elder. You¡¯ll have better results with your abilities, and may even gain a better affinity once the true Path is revealed.¡± Selina appeared intrigued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met a variant, but you¡¯re oddly knowledgeable on the subject, Edwin.¡±


    ¡°I met a variant Elementalist once. He claimed his Path was actually called Primal Elementalist, and he could do some very unusual things with his element. We met in a joint operation long ago, I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s still alive.¡±


    Kade was still reeling, but managed to point at the last statue, the one with both sword and energy. ¡°What about this one? If I get to choose another path some day, it doesn¡¯t look like I¡¯ll have many options. What¡¯s the affinity for that one?¡±


    Markis looked to Selina and Edwin who were apparently farther ahead than Kade was. When Markis spoke his disbelief was palpable, ¡°That is an advanced Path...if you were to find someone who had attained Finalis, after embracing only a single Path for millenia, their affinity might look like this. Their Soul would have perfectly shaped itself after so much time and tempering. It''s a perfect match, Kade. A double-S, something only theorized until now. It was like your Soul was forged to walk this Path.¡±


    ****


    Kade didn¡¯t know what to feel as he stepped back out into the sunlight. Everything he¡¯d experienced in the Ritual building had felt so surreal. Whatever he¡¯d been through while tracing the path of his Ancestors had shaken his already tenuous grasp on this new reality. The implausible results of his affinity test had then threatened to push him over the edge. At the last, Edwin had uttered a few simple words, and they echoed through Kade¡¯s mind with each step he took: What did they do to you?


    He didn¡¯t really hear what the Keepers spoke about after that point, as his mind felt numb. He nodded at whatever Selina had said before she and Edwin walked briskly away, talking rapidly to one another. He vaguely recalled agreeing to come visit Markis again soon, the man promising to study the ritual further in hopes of being any help to the clearly lost Kade. Now as Kade wandered through the campus, he realized he¡¯d been unmoored, and not just by the madness of the ritual, or the choice he was supposed to make of what Path to walk. It was the look he¡¯d seen shared among each of the three people who¡¯d witnessed the Ritual, there was pity¨Cwhich he expected¨Cbut underneath it all was suspicion.


    In one moment he¡¯d gone from an unusual stranger who needed help, to an object of scrutiny and distrust. What did they do to you? He wasn¡¯t just another Keeper candidate¨Cif ever had been¨Che was something that clearly didn¡¯t belong in this world, and he wasn¡¯t sure if the people he needed to rely on would still be people he could trust after this.


    As time passed, Kade continued to walk through the grounds, discovering gardens and peaceful trails he was able to get lost in, and he managed to slowly pull himself together. Once more he found that there was an inner strength that pushed him ever-forward, that wouldn¡¯t let him wallow or flounder, and as he began to walk more purposefully toward the exit, he found that he was nearly the master of himself once more. What did they do to you?


    As he walked, he checked his bracer, worried about finding more surprises.


    Attention: [Path to Power] update!


    Objective: Embrace an Ancestral Totem!


    Path: (1) Reach an Elder of a compatible path! (Complete)


    Path: (2) Undergo the Trial of Karthas!


    Reading the small update, he found himself disappointed. While he still feared being given an objective that would take him down a dark path, he discovered he was also quietly hoping for more guidance from the bracer, especially in moments like this. When he looked back up, he realized there was a small group of students blocking the way, one of whom he recognized.


    Gwen was facing off with a very tall, wiry man, who wore a heavy cloak over his uniform. While Kade would have to look up at the man, he didn¡¯t appear to be tall in the way Eleonora had been¨Cclearly influenced by the Path. The man was lightly tanned as was common around Karthas, and his hair was a glossy black with highlights of deep purple, only noticeable in the bright sunlight. His posture was clearly hostile, and the group around him seemed to be feeding off his anger; Kade could hear grumbling and encouragement from the small crowd.


    ¡°Just tell us where the thief went, Gwen, this doesn¡¯t have anything to do with you,¡± the tall man said in a harsh tone, his anger appearing barely restrained.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me to betray another student, using information I gained from Keeper Selina, and you¡¯re saying this won¡¯t involve me? Don¡¯t play the fool, Sal. You know how you get when you let your anger control you,¡± once again, Kade could sense that Gwen¡¯s words didn¡¯t seem to match her intentions, as the man was clearly even more furious at mention of his anger.


    ¡°I¡¯m in complete control!¡± he roared, and the rest of the students backed off warily, though Kade caught the familiar hint of triumph on Gwen¡¯s face. ¡®Sal¡¯ apparently noticed too as he took in the group of frightened students, and being played seemed to drive his rage to new heights. His voice was back to a steely calm when he spoke though, ¡°None of your games today, Gwen. Good people were counting on those Fragments, and now the entire city is weaker for it! We could have a half-dozen new Keepers, instead we have some fool wrapped in chains!¡±


    Kade let out a sigh as the situation became clear, and he instinctively looked around for Edwin or some other Keeper. He wasn¡¯t exactly frightened of the loud youth, despite the other students cowering from him, but Kade was certain there were layers to this that were well beyond him. And worse, he admitted to himself, the man appeared to make a damn good point. Unfortunately, Kade had unwittingly become involved when his loud sigh came out during a tense silence, and all eyes were drawn to him.


    Seeing no alternative, Kade strode forward, letting his chains burst forth and fall into their customary, flowing state. Seemingly reacting to the implied threat of the livid man, he noticed some of his chains rising up of their own accord, reminding him of snakes preparing to strike. He had to will them not to form into blades as the tall man stormed up to him, clearly unconcerned, ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± he practically screamed into Kade¡¯s face.


    A mischievous part of Kade wanted to shout something silly back at him, like or is it? But he could sense the man wasn¡¯t in the right mood. Instead, Kade tried to focus on what he¡¯d heard¨Cthat the Fragments he was given would be a larger problem for Edwin than himself, and he didn¡¯t want to make the man¡¯s troubles worse. He put his hand out for the man to shake¨Cnot knowing if anyone actually did that here¨Cand simply responded with, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Kade. I¡¯m probably the one you¡¯re looking for.¡± The man stared at the hand in confusion for a moment, then surprised Kade by taking it in a firm grip.


    ¡°I am Salarus de L''estat. Do you have any idea what you¡¯ve done? Who you¡¯ve hurt?¡± he accused. Kade took a breath and replied honestly.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to meet you, Salarus. I think I may know a relative of yours,¡± the man didn¡¯t react to the news, suggesting he¡¯d already been aware. ¡°As for who I¡¯ve hurt? Honestly at the time I had no idea what I was being given¨Cmy memory is a scrambled mess. All I knew was that I was probably going to die, and the people keeping me alive wanted to give me something that would help. I chose to trust their judgment, would you have done differently?¡± he kept his voice intentionally flat, not wanting to escalate the situation further.


    Salarus continued to fume for a moment, and Kade could feel the man¡¯s heavy breathing as he stared searchingly into Kade¡¯s eyes. Kade didn¡¯t know what the man was looking for, but at last he retreated a step and nodded, ¡°If you truly didn¡¯t know¡­no even if you had known, there¡¯s no doubt you were out there in the Chaos, and unbonded. I can still smell it on you.¡± He let out a long breath and closed his eyes for a moment, and when he next spoke he¡¯d lost much of his anger. ¡°You are clearly not to blame for this, but you need to understand the consequences of saving your life.¡±


    He turned and gestured to the group of students, ¡°There are dozens like these, each missing only a single Bond preventing them from stepping onto the Path. You represent six Keepers that could be out there, fighting to protect this city and its people. You may not have known what you were doing, but the ones who found you certainly did, and by saving one man they may be responsible for uncountable deaths in the future,¡± the righteousness of his cause clearly fed back into his anger, and by the end he was nearly shouting again. He finished by poking a finger into Kade¡¯s chest to punctuate his point, ¡°Never forget what your life cost.¡±


    Before Kade could react further, the man spun on his heels, his cloak billowing dramatically as he strode away, the group of students hurrying to follow. Gwen watched the group retreat for a moment before joining Kade, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for him, Kade. He¡¯s used to being worshiped by everyone around here, and not getting his way isn¡¯t something he¡¯s used to. He failed to mention that nearly every one of those Keepers he¡¯s so concerned about would likely have been one of his own sycophants, and one is his younger sister.¡±


    Kade nodded, but whether it was instinct or lingering distrust of anything Gwen said, he found he didn¡¯t completely agree with her assessment of the man. He opened his mouth to ask about Salarus, when Edwin came around a building, and walked toward the two when he noticed Kade. His face had fallen into the serious expression he¡¯d worn so often since they lost Nicky, and he seemed incredibly distracted as he nodded in greeting. ¡°We¡¯re done here for now. I need to get you to Alara¡¯s as soon as I can. I don¡¯t have much time left in the city.¡±


    Kade felt another small moment of panic, ¡°You¡¯re leaving? You never mentioned that. I thought you were going to help me prepare for my Trial.¡± Gwen watched the exchange with poorly concealed interest, as Edwin shook his head sadly.


    ¡°Alara will need to prepare you, and arrangements are already being made by Selina to ensure you have the best possible chance,¡± he looked off into the direction of the Chaos, and his hand drifted up to his pendant. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to take care of, and it will take time, but I promise to return. In the meantime, learn what you can, listen to those you trust, and stay alive.¡± Kade could tell that Edwin didn¡¯t want to give any details, but he had to try anyway.


    ¡°Can you at least tell me where you¡¯re going?¡± Kade pleaded. Edwin looked back at him, clearly wrestling with something, but finally nodded.


    ¡°I need to do something I¡¯ve been putting off for far too long. I need to go home.¡±

 Chapter 17: A Call to Trial

    The days before the Trial were difficult for Kade, who no longer felt like he had a true safety net in Edwin¡¯s absence. Alara made herself available for questions and training techniques for an hour or two a day, but left the balance of Kade¡¯s time for him to fill, and he found it challenging to use the time wisely. He started by formalizing his exercises with Alara, who gave him a number of techniques designed to feel-out the limits of his stats, in order to push them forward. He followed that with at least an hour of working with his chains per day, finding that manipulating hundreds at a time was intuitive and possible, but required incredible concentration for anything complex. The more he exercised these skills, the more it began to feel like muscle memory, and he improved his fine control rapidly.


    Alara was also true to her word in providing funds, which on Iros came in the form of several colored coins, though they used a yellow-blue-red scale to denote value, with blue being worth ten yellow, and red being worth ten blue. Other than a proper wardrobe though, Kade had trouble deciding what to purchase. While there were weapons and armor aplenty available in the city, he was warned by the merchants themselves that he was better off waiting to unlock his first true Path before purchasing. Evidently even if the forms and functions were similar, anything of decent quality was meant to interact directly with a Keeper¡¯s magic. The phrase ¡°don''t want you coming back looking for refunds,¡± may have come up more than once.


    Kade also spoke to anyone who would listen about the Trials, hoping for some kind of guidance, but all seemed to agree it wasn¡¯t something you could prepare for, and somehow over-preparation could actually be dangerous. No one could explain why though, as he was continually reminded that Trials were not to be spoken of. Finally he visited Markis, and even tried to find Graves out of desperation, but the former simply announced that Kade seemed healthy¨Cbut the large priest was too busy to chat¨Cand the latter simply didn¡¯t respond to his summons when Kade inquired at the Karthas Abbey.


    With several days left to go, Kade followed the only thread he had: Selina¡¯s assurance that he would have help in his Trial. Her confidence was another clue, and he didn¡¯t have to speak to many students before it became obvious who her prize pupil was¨Cthough Kade wasn¡¯t entirely happy about it. Gwen, or Gwendara Valoro, was evidently an ice Elementalist of prodigious talent, something everyone seemed surprised he didn¡¯t know. Apparently standing as close to her as he had been was normally like standing naked in a snowstorm. For Kade, cold was still a constant companion, to the point he never really considered temperature anymore. It was part of the reason he¡¯d walked shirtless for a week and rarely noticed it.


    Since he¡¯d begun to feel magic and other foreign sensations running constantly through his body, he¡¯d given even less thought to the part of his nature that used to be the oddest thing about him. Evidently it has saved him, as Gwen apparently used her internal blizzard to make people uncomfortable, and more pliant to her probing questions. What certainly wasn¡¯t a surprise was learning that the Valoro family were famously involved in city politics, and that she was known for always trying to find advantage.


    He was pleasantly surprised to hear that it was considered her only significant flaw, and she was otherwise thought of highly by most of the Academy. By all accounts she was a powerful Keeper, with her Soul Core also being Ice, and creating some terrifying synergies. But there was more; she was known to be helpful and quick-witted, and if you managed to be politically uninteresting, she was a great friend to have. Kade lamented that for the time-being, he was unfortunately not politically uninteresting.


    It was only two days before his Trial that his questioning finally brought him the kind of attention he¡¯d been seeking to avoid. He was leaving an unusual tavern full of very-usual drunks, when a tall figure stepped away from a nearby wall, greatcloak catching the wind. Salarus was shaking his head in disapproval before he began to speak, ¡°Are you really that ambitious, or really that stupid?¡± he asked in greeting, then paused¨Capparently expecting a real answer.


    Kade once again struggled with how to deal with the arrogant youth, unsure of how bullying was meant to be handled in this world¨Cespecially when he suspected his bully could vaporize him with little effort. He decided that honesty had worked surprisingly well with the brash man the last time, and stuck with it, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was particularly ambitious or stupid, which suggests that stupidity is probably winning.¡± Salarus nodded, accepting the answer at face value.


    ¡°What do you hope to gain by letting the whole city learn of your obsession with Gwendara? Or is it the entire Valoro family? You can¡¯t possibly think you can speak so openly about the family with more spies than the rest of the nobility put together, and expect to go unnoticed.¡± Kade winced, and realized his error.


    ¡°Is that really what people think? I was just trying to get to know a classmate, how bad could that possibly look?¡± Salarus just shook his head, covering his eyes with a hand.


    ¡°If you weren¡¯t staying at a de L¡¯estat household, you might be locked in a basement somewhere,¡± he walked forward and his face grew serious. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, and this time take it seriously. Your life was expensive, stop trying to find creative ways to throw it away. Edwin Houseless may have taken you under his protection, but do you see him anywhere?¡± he seemed to catch himself, as his voice was rising. ¡°Do better,¡± was all he managed to say, before once again flourishing his cloak and striding away.


    ¡°Damn that man and his incredible exits,¡± Kade whispered.


    ***


    Kade was nearly back to Alara¡¯s when he realized he was being followed. He had taken Salarus¡¯ advice, and stopped asking questions that were¨Capparently¨Cdangerous. He was thinking back to Edwin¡¯s descriptions of the city, and slowly realized the man may have been more naive than Kade had realized. His view really did seem like that of a woodsman, visiting the big city for the first time. He regretted not speaking to Alara more on the subject, as he got the impression she had a much less romantic view.


    It was too late for that now, he thought, as he quickly darted into an alley. In his short time in the city he¡¯d made an effort to find the less crowded back streets, as the crowds had begun to unnerve him¨Cto the Keepers he was an oddity who had become increasingly notorious due to the origin of his Bonds, and he¡¯d begun to understand how the citizenry viewed Keepers, which was a level of adoration bordering on worship, and make him very uncomfortable. As such, despite his lack of anything resembling knowledge of spycraft, the person following him had been unable to hide the noise of their approach. After looking back and seeing nothing several times, Kade decided to test his assumptions.


    When a robed figure finally entered the alleyway, Kade rolled his eyes, realizing that Salarus hadn¡¯t been exaggerating. He descended silently from above like a spider, his chains gently depositing him on the ground. While he hadn¡¯t made much effort to disguise his descent, he was still impressed when Gwen whipped around to face him, frost suddenly gathering on nearby walls ¡°I could have killed you!¡± she said when she recognized him, then relaxed and the frost seemed to vanish.


    ¡°It seems like everything on Iros could kill me, can¡¯t let it ruin my day,¡± Kade responded, really just buying time to decide how to handle the unusual situation. Honestly was well and good for Salarus, but he was already on the wrong side of Gwen¡¯s ambitions. She seemed to size him up, presumably reconsidering his appearance since bathing and putting on clothes he¡¯d chosen himself. He¡¯d bought a number of pairs of black boots and black pants, liking the way his legs got lost in the darkness of his chains, and suspecting it would further hide his erratic movements in combat. Conversely, he was wearing a deep teal, long sleeved shirt, hoping to avoid the brooding look that Graves had clearly already mastered.


    Gwen seemed at a loss for a moment, then finally broke the awkward silence, ¡°You¡¯ve been asking a lot of questions about me, you must have intended for it to get back to me eventually,¡± she accused. Then she narrowed her eyes, ¡°I know you aren¡¯t an agent of the de L¡¯estats, regardless of where you might be sleeping, so who is it? The Ducals, the Eliatti? What are you playing at?¡±


    Kade considered the numerous half-truths he¡¯d been preparing, but the genuine alarm on the woman¡¯s face made him reconsider. He was becoming aware that the stakes of this game were even greater than he¡¯d feared, and decided to change tactics. The truth shall set you free, after all. ¡°I just wanted to know about my partner for the Trials?¡± he said awkwardly, hoping his earnestness would show through. She stared at him incredulously.


    ¡°That¡¯s not even a good lie. I just took my Primus Trial. Obviously I¡¯m not rushing back in for a second Path; I¡¯m not suicidal,¡± Kade was confused, then incredibly embarrassed as he recalled that the icy woman had been introduced to him as a newly raised Primus. At the time he didn¡¯t understand it meant she¡¯d just left a Trial, and he¡¯d been charging forward based on false-assumptions ever since. It also meant his very innocuous reason for looking into her was now incredibly suspicious. In some ways he was glad everyone assumed political intrigue¨Ccreepy stalker had been a very real possibility.


    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t know what to say,¡± he stumbled, ¡°When I asked around, everyone said Selina considered you her best student, and I knew she was choosing someone to help me so I figured¡­¡± He gave up as he saw that she wasn¡¯t really listening, but was instead trying to read some ulterior motive from him, ¡°Look, I can see this isn¡¯t going to resolve in any way that makes me look great, so let me just say this: I apologize. I was trying to be proactive and ended up making a fool of myself.¡± Somehow this seemed to completely solidify whatever version of him she¡¯d been constructing in her head.


    ¡°You¡¯re not from some other family, are you?¡± He was briefly relieved, but she just kept plowing forward. ¡°My brother sent you, didn¡¯t he? He¡¯s still upset that he lost his seat, and you¡¯re some kind of complicated revenge-play, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kade opened his mouth to object, then saw the futility of it.


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Have a good night, Gwen,¡± he said simply, then turned and left the alley.


    ***


    Kade decided to stay in the next day, certain that if he put a foot out the door he¡¯d somehow end up mortal enemies with a King at best, a Legend at worst. He focused instead on his training, still trying unsuccessfully to integrate the spear into his evolving fighting style. He was practicing throwing the spear, then yanking it back with his chains when Alara walked into the courtyard. ¡°Kade, a moment?¡± Happy for the break, he jogged to her side. ¡°Kade, why do I have three accusations from separate houses suggesting that I¡¯m giving room and board to an Imperial agent?¡¯¡±


    Kade let out a groan, and threw the spear in frustration. ¡°I just asked a few questions about one student who¡¯s barely even a Keeper, I don¡¯t know how it all spun out of control. What even is an Imperial agent?¡± Alora was shaking her head, making no effort to hide her annoyance.


    ¡°I am inferring from the¨CI repeat¨Cthree separate accusations, that your behavior was so incongruous that they felt the only conclusion was that the King¡¯s spymaster must have sent you to stir up mayhem. He¡¯s been known to do exactly that,¡± she was shaking her head in utter disbelief. ¡°Exactly who did you ask these questions to, that could have possibly resulted in this?¡± Kade got defensive, still feeling like he was a victim in all this.


    ¡°I just spoke to other students!¡± he went quiet as he thought for a moment. ¡°Then I guess I may have overheard people talking about house Valoro in a tavern, so I may have asked a few questions there,¡± Alara began to scold him, but stopped, eyes widening as Kade continued. ¡°I guess I also went to a different tavern, where a few people mentioned the nobility, and I thought, hey, I know someone in the nobility, so we might have spoken about her there too.¡± Alara¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion.


    ¡°What were you doing going from tavern to tavern, precisely?¡± Kade looked like a child caught stealing candy.


    ¡°Well I was a little lonely, and I didn¡¯t really have any friends, and then I met some nice people on their way to get a drink, so I tagged along,¡± Alara raised an eyebrow and waited. ¡°And I guess they might have invited me along to a few more taverns. They said they¡¯d never been able to drink with a Bonded Awakened before, and we were all really curious about the effects of alcohol on magical constitution. So¡­we put it to the test¡­for science.¡±


    Alara went and sat on a nearby chair, and let her head fall into her hands, red hair spilling over them. Kade felt it was best to give her a moment, and ended up waiting for nearly ten minutes, awkwardly shifting his weight from foot to foot. He really had been curious about alcohol in this strange world, and he had been nearly sober when Salarus found him. This was all probably fine. Finally he couldn¡¯t resist and meekly asked, ¡°Is there any way you could explain that I¡¯m not a spy?¡±


    Alara looked up, and Kade briefly wondered if she could be firing microwaves from her eyes without him noticing. ¡°If you genuinely believe that telling people you aren¡¯t a spy, would in any way set you apart from an actual spy, I pray this is the last you ever interfere with politics,¡± she stood up finally, muttering something about murdering Edwin. ¡°The best I can hope for now is to find a way to make them believe that you¡¯re such a good spy, that they¡¯re better off leaving you alone and watching from a distance. But that¡¯s going to take a lot of work, and you¡¯ve put my own house in a difficult position.¡± She waved away his attempted apology as she continued.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m only a distant branch of the deL¡¯estat family, if I were main branch we¡¯d be fending off assassins by now. Please just don¡¯t do or say or drink anything else for a while. Do your Trial, and hopefully when you come back I¡¯ll have sorted this out. I do appreciate the practice with something with such low stakes, but I do not appreciate the surprise,¡± without a further word she turned on her heel and swept out of the room, her flowing dress billowing out behind her.


    ¡°Damn that woman and her incredible exits,¡± Kade whispered.


    ***


    The day finally arrived, and Kade made his way to the Academy as quickly as possible¨Cthough he knew he¡¯d be taken from there up to the Abbey of Karthas for the actual Trial. He was met at the gates by Selina, who he had expected, and Marikis, who he¡¯d only hoped would be there. He smiled in greeting and Markis gave him a friendly swat on the arm.


    ¡°Exciting day, Child Kade! And don¡¯t worry about me being here, I¡¯m just going to ensure the Ritual properly accounts for your¡­affinities,¡± he finished cryptically, and Kade smiled at the discretion. Selina spoke next.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have no time to waste, as the Trial Ritual requires numerous priests working in harmony, and trust me that they do not appreciate having their very limited time wasted. Please follow me.¡±


    Kade did so, surprised at the rush, and also that they continued deeper into the campus, rather than back toward the streets. Neither of his escorts seemed interested in interruptions though, so he simply scrambled along, trying not to let his nervousness show. He followed the pair until they passed the Ritual building, and approached the solid stone of the mountainside, where Selina casually waved a hand and a passage opened.


    Kade followed, enjoying the mystery of the experience, and tried not to feel alarmed when the false-stone door grinded shut behind them. He was grateful when glowing bulbs of fire burst alight down the length of the tunnel, providing comfortable illumination. Selina spoke into the sudden silence, as the world outside was cut off.


    ¡°This is a passage that connects the Academy to the Abbey; it has many uses as you can imagine, and rapid passage for students is one of them. Now that we¡¯re away from any prying ears, you may ask any questions you have about today¡¯s Trial, and we will answer as best we can.¡± Kade¡¯s mind raced at the opportunity, as he¡¯d been led to believe he wouldn''t be allowed to know anything until the Trial began, but he figured moments from the beginning made little difference. He started basic.


    ¡°What is this Trial, exactly? I understand that it¡¯s a test, but I don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m being tested for,¡± Selina nodded, expecting the question.


    ¡°Trials are most often deeply personal in some way, though for some it takes years to understand how. When the Ritual links your Soul with Karthas, his power will know you in a way not possible through any other means. It¡¯s at that point that the nature of the Elder performing the Trail comes into play,¡± she looked pointedly at Markis, who jumped in.


    ¡°This is one of the reasons why so many Trials are done through Karthas. You could technically undertake one with any Elder¨Ceven some of the dead ones¨Cbut you¡¯re somewhat at the mercy of that Elder when you do so.¡± Kade was suddenly very alarmed about what he was stepping into, and Markis seemed to recognize that. ¡°As I said, that¡¯s why Karthas is so important. We have a very strong grasp of his sensibilities, and the kind of lessons he feels we need to learn.


    ¡°Karthas is proud, arrogant, and vain,¡± Kade was a little shocked to hear the man describe his Legend in such a way, but Markis appeared perfectly comfortable. ¡°But he has that in common with every Elder. What makes him special is that he doesn¡¯t see every lesser¨Cthat¡¯s anyone weaker than him, meaning all of us essentially¨Cas being completely inconsequential. He was famous for raising up individuals to lead his armies, and even rule parts of his Kingdom, and it¡¯s those sensibilities that we tap into with the ritual.¡± Selina cut in, her tone somewhat admonishing.


    ¡°He is still an Elder, Child Kade, and his sensibilities are not our own. Yes, he will try to raise you up, and he will grant you power, but remember that he doesn¡¯t know the world as it is now. His Soul still believes we reside in the seat of his power, and that no other generation has supplanted his own. He will measure you by those standards, and find you wanting. Whatever you see in the Trial will be his Soul¡¯s attempt to¡­educate you, in the ways of a world that no longer exist.¡±


    Her words hung in the air as Kade considered. He was definitely more nervous, rather than less, but still appreciated not going into the Trial blindly. Finally he asked a question he feared the answer to, ¡°I barely understand the world as it is now, let alone how it was before, but I understand it was a brutal time. These Trials, they can get very bad, can¡¯t they?¡± The simple, earnest concern caused both of his escorts to stop and turn to him, wearing identical expressions. At last Selina spoke.


    ¡°At least with Karthas, the first Trial is rarely so harrowing, though the Elder often finds that our younger students haven¡¯t done enough killing yet, and can push them to their limits. Many will take a second trial, most succeeding, and attaining the rank of Primus,¡± she and Markis shared a look, and she continued. ¡°Less than a quarter will ever brave a third Trial, though starting a second Path is typically less harsh than reaching for Secundus. Fourth Trials and beyond are not only for our most elite warriors, but for our most resilient Souls. Few can face what any Elder deems necessary for one to be worthy of such vast power.¡±


    When the two seemed satisfied that he understood the implications of what they were saying, they turned back and continued up the tunnel. Kade was in his own head for many minutes after, his mind trying to imagine what an Elder would think he needed to learn, until he noticed a light ahead and realized he was running out of time for questions. ¡°What about when two people enter? I thought it was supposed to be deeply personal, as you put it.¡± It was Markis who responded this time.


    ¡°There¡¯s an entire field of study dedicated to that question, but the short answer is that you will find we share many similar deeply personal shortcomings, at least from the perspective of an unknowably powerful Legend. The longer answer focuses on subtle differences you might perceive from your partner, but it won¡¯t be worth thinking about during the Trial itself.¡±


    The mention of a partner finally reminded Kade that he still didn¡¯t know who¡¯d be joining him, and he was hoping that it would be some sort of veteran Keeper. It had to be someone with the strength of will and determination to face a third Trial, as Edwin had mentioned it would be a Primus at least. He was ready to ask when they reached the end of the hall, and his eyes needed a moment to adjust to the light.


    They were in a large, open courtyard that appeared to be behind the Abbey¨Cjudging from the spires he could see¨Cand it was a relatively peaceful place, with lush green grass, and numerous trees and plants. Like the Ritual building, one wall was formed from the mountain itself, and Kade could see the familiar pulsing purple light running through it. A group of priests were speaking quietly near the wall, and Kade could see various patterns and objects forming a semicircle between them.


    When they got closer, Kade finally saw his partner, and realized he wasn¡¯t actually surprised. Draped in dark robes, and with an ornate staff and bent-peaked, wide-brimmed hat, as well as his signature, flowing cloak, Salarus deL¡¯estat stood in all his glory.


    ¡°Damn that man,¡± Kade whispered.

 Chapter 18: Harsh Lessons

    Kade had only been missing one thing about Salarus that had discounted him as a potential partner for the trial. He¡¯d known about the man¡¯s arrogance, his temper, his noble house, and even his fashion sense, but he hadn¡¯t known the man¡¯s power.  There was nothing holding it back now, and Kade was certain he could feel it tingling against his skin.


    It was a curious sensation, as he¡¯d been next to numerous powerful individuals, but the sense had always been that they had some great internal power, where Salarus¡¯ power emanated like waves of heat¨Cexcept this time Kade¡¯s frozen nature offered no protection. He realized he had stopped walking forward with his escort, and was visibly cringing¨Cbarely resisting an instinct to swat at the air around him, as if at a swarm of bugs. Salarus clearly noticed this reaction, and his mouth twitched into a smirk.


    Selina, however, did not seem impressed at the display, and spoke loudly enough for everyone in the courtyard to hear, ¡°Please allow me to apologize for our young Keeper, Kade. Clearly his power has grown faster than his control, and I take full responsibility for this truly embarrassing display,¡± while she addressed Kade, she was looking directly at Salarus, who appeared suitably chided. The man closed his eyes for a moment, and Kade saw his brow wrinkle in concentration before the unusual feeling finally abated¨Cthough not entirely.


    Selina nodded once before briskly completing their walk to the gathered priests, ¡°Brother Aludus, are you ready to proceed with the Ritual?¡± She addressed a shorter priest with very dark skin, the rest of his features hidden by his black hood.


    ¡°Actually, Keeper Selina, the Abbot is scheduled to lead this Ritual. You know how he tries to find the time at least once a month¨Che doesn¡¯t want to become out of touch with the next generation of Keepers,¡± he lowered his voice and leaned closer to Selina, but Kade still managed to hear. ¡°He is also very interested in our rising star, here, as you can imagine,¡± he glanced pointedly at Salarus, who somehow managed to look even more cocky at the attention.


    Not knowing what else to do with himself, Kade joined the taller man near the mountain wall, giving him a better view of the Ritual semicircle. It extended out from the wall on either side of him, and Kade realized there was a faint tracing actually carved into the mountain itself which completed the circle, and gave the distinct impression of a doorway. The part of the semicircle on the ground was divided into eight sections, and after counting the seven priests, Kade inferred that this Abbot would take the final spot.


    Salarus surprised him slightly by addressing Kade in what could only be described as a friendly manner, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Selina and Markis have gone over all the peculiarities of your rather unique situation with me. We¡¯ll be as prepared as we can be for any surprises the old monster throws our way.¡± Kade blinked in near-astonishment, comfort being the last thing he expected. He stared into the man¡¯s eyes for a moment, searching his tone for something performative for the crowd, but the man had been quiet enough that they likely didn¡¯t even hear. Seeming confused by his scrutiny, Salarus simply said, ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, um¡­thank you?¡± Salarus nodded indifferently, once more either not noticing or not caring about Kade¡¯s tone.


    ¡°I know this is your first Trial, and it¡¯s a little ridiculous that it¡¯s going to be designed for someone with a full Path under their belt, but I¡¯ve been preparing for this my entire life. I won¡¯t let anything in there stand in my way.¡± Again Kade considered his words, and wondered if overconfidence¨Cor possibly well-earned confidence¨Cwas the reason for his new attitude with Kade. Did he just see this as another way to show off? Was being able to treat Kade as the novice he was, simply another way of bolstering the man¡¯s own ego?


    Further consideration was cut short when another man entered the courtyard, also wearing the robes of a priest, but with the hood thrown back, and the rope belt  that the others kept tied tight, left loose. This revealed extravagant clothing that put Salarus to shame, as he got closer, Kade realized even the dark robes had stylized patterns woven into the fabric. None of these embellishments seemed necessary, however, after seeing the man¡¯s face.


    He was uncomfortably handsome, with platinum hair pulled swept back and disappearing into his robes. Icy, penetrating blue eyes looked out over the courtyard as if he owned everything in it¨Cwhich Kade realized he sort of did. His face was clean shaven, and his jawline was razor sharp. With dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and stubble, Kade couldn¡¯t help but feel like they had worn the same outfit to a party, with his being a cheap knockoff. He heard a barked laugh, and saw that Salarus was looking back and forth between Kade and the Abbot, and had evidently drawn the same unflattering conclusion.


    The laugh drew the attention of all assembled, and Salarus had to make an effort to hide his mirth behind a raised hand. Once the Abbot reached Selina, the austere expression was replaced with one of warmth, and he leaned forward to give her a quick kiss on the cheek, which she returned happily. ¡°Little Selina,¡± he began, shaking his head, ¡°I must continually remind myself that you¡¯re nearly ready for Quartus, when in my mind¡¯s eye you¡¯re still running around the Abbey with the other children.¡±


    ¡°You lose track of the centuries too easily when locked in your study, Uncle Lothros. Someone must remind you that there are other people to talk to aside from a silent Elder,¡± Selina replied good-naturedly.


    ¡°Ah yes, but the tragedy is they always seem to talk back. Many know some of the good qualities Karthas¡¯ possess, but I sometimes think good listener is among the greatest,¡± he walked past her as she let out a small chuckle, and he approached the two young men. He all but ignored Kade as he took in Salarus, inspecting his staff for a long moment. ¡°Sometimes I think I¡¯ve simply grown too old. Sorcery still seems unnatural to me,¡± Kade could sense that the man was barely aware of the others as he spoke, but Salarus bristled at the words, and color rose to his cheeks. Thankfully Selina came to his rescue.


    ¡°Sorcery was rediscovered nearly ten millennia ago, Uncle.¡± The Abbot nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Barely into its infancy, I know. And yet who can deny the man that stands before us?¡± He finished by finally meeting Salarus¡¯ eyes, as if only just accepting that the taller man was there. ¡°Are you certain you¡¯re ready for this trial, young one? The Path of the Magus is only recently revealed to us, and I understand you will have little help in this Trial,¡± the last was a reference to Kade, indicated by the slightest tilting of his head.


    Kade wanted to be offended, but found himself inclined to agree with the man. He had imagined someone almost too powerful for this Trial might accompany him, not someone apparently exploring a nearly unknown Path while walking a questionable one already. He had noticed a disturbing lack of Sorcerers amongst the Keepers he¡¯d seen, despite it being considered a common path. He also recalled having nearly zero affinity for the vocation personally.


    If anything though, Salarus appeared even more resolved in the face of the Abbot¡¯s challenge. ¡°Sorcery is the future of this world, Abbot Lothros, and I will have lifetimes to prove it.¡± Kade found himself nodding at the man¡¯s words in respect, which for once was all conviction and no arrogance. The Abbot was less impressed.


    ¡°We shall see,¡± was all he said, before making a gesture which had all the other priests leaping to obey. In moments they were gathered around the semicircle, and falling into various poses of deep concentration. Kade felt the wall behind him begin to vibrate immediately, and realized things would likely start very soon.


    Selina had backed off a great deal, and merely nodded once at the two men standing inside the Ritual. Once the Abbot took his position directly opposite the two, he spoke in what sounded like a practiced speech. ¡°We beseech you, oh great Karthas, to look upon these supplicants. Weigh them, measure them, and in your great wisdom, see them rise or fall at your whim. Show them what must be seen, and open to them the Path.¡± As he spoke the words, the Ritual began to glow with the same deep purple extending from the mountain wall, and everything else seemed to darken.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Soon Kade could only see the priests, with blackness beyond, and a moment later it seemed as though he and the tall Sorcerer were alone in an endless abyss of blackness. Kade was worried something might have gone wrong, when purple light erupted around him, and he felt himself jerked backward, into the mountain.


    ***


    Kade couldn¡¯t be certain if he¡¯d lost consciousness, but when he could at last see once more, the world was truly changed. He felt rough stone beneath him, and had to slowly pull his body off the ground, feeling as if he¡¯d awoken from an impossibly long sleep. The first thing he noticed was the sun and sky, which were both deep shades of red, painting the landscape in unnatural blood-tones. There wasn¡¯t much variety to speak of in the landscape, though, as everything he could see before him was a barren wasteland.


    He appeared to be part way up a mountain, possibly even the mountain on which Karthas now sat, though Kade didn¡¯t recognize any landmarks, and the giant Elder was certainly nowhere to be seen. Instead, as far as his eyes could see was an endless battlefield, though it looked like the true battle was long over. The dead were piled so high that they formed the very topography of the landscape, giving the impression of rolling hills and valleys, but Kade could plainly see the countless bodies forming them.


    Interestingly, they all had the appearance that Kade associated with Elders, as their bodies rarely resembled anything one might describe as human. Most had multiple arms or legs¨Cor both¨Cand many had insectoid-like shapes and segmented bodies. They were of various sizes, though Kade¡¯s perspective was limited, given how high above the battle he was, perched on the side of the mountain. In small pockets¨Cmostly vast distances away¨CKade could see the fighting continued. The only creatures left were all clearly massive, though there was still considerable variety to their scale, with the largest being easily several times the size of the smallest.


    Curiously, most battles were effectively duals, with two Elders of similar size facing off in bloody death-matches. The rare exception would be a two-on-one battle, which invariably saw two smaller creatures struggling against a larger. Kade wasn¡¯t sure how long he had been staring before he noticed Salarus standing next to him, appearing fascinated, ¡°This is not something I ever expected to see,¡± he said simply, staring with equal interest to Kade.


    ¡°What are we looking at?¡± Kade asked after a long moment. It was not Salarus who answered.


    YOU STAND ON THE PRECIPICE OF RUIN. WITNESS THE WILL OF IROS. SEE YOUR TRUE PLACE.


    Kade whipped around, looking for the source of the voice, but sensing he wouldn¡¯t find it. Salarus¡¯ lack of reaction suggested he either didn¡¯t hear the voice, or wasn¡¯t surprised. When he noticed Kade¡¯s frantic searching, he gestured back toward the scene, ¡°You should watch, Kade, I doubt we¡¯ll see this again,¡± he paused for a moment, then added, ¡°I hope no one will ever see this again.¡± Kade obligingly turned back to the battle.


    Something was happening, and at first it was only a feeling Kade couldn¡¯t describe, but quickly it became an unmissable spectacle. The sky was lightening, which Kade couldn¡¯t understand as the Sun was still in the same place, but it became clear as he focused on the sky. There were at least a dozen moons now visible, though they had been lost in the daylight until they began to shine with their own brightness. Soon they were too bright to look at, and Kade returned his gaze to the battlefield.


    He noticed that all the fighting had abruptly stopped, and every Elder he could see was staring at the sky. All of a sudden a horrible screeching filled the air, and the world lit up with countless bolts of lightning. For a moment it seemed that the lightning would stay trapped in the sky, but then they began raining down ceaselessly, as far as Kade could see. He was surprised that the bolts appeared to dodge around the living Elders entirely, and instead struck the largest mounds of the dead, which didn¡¯t explode as Kade expected, but instead took on an eerie, red glow. The display continued for many minutes, Kade, Salarus, and the Elders, all captivated and unmoving.


    At last the sky settled and the bolts stopped, though the intense moonlight continued to shine ominously. There was a moment of calm, like the eye of a storm, and then the ground began to shake slightly beneath their feet. Kade watched in stunned horror as the piles of dead began to move. Not reanimating as he briefly feared, but simply appearing to collapse and tip over, as if some great force were slowly pushing them. As the massive, disfigured bodies of countless dead Elders began to slowly shift as one, Kade realized that they were all being pulled toward a central point, and the process was accelerating.


    Soon, the entire battlefield looked like a rolling sea, as bodies tumbled and crashed together, forming immense waves from horizon to horizon, all flowing toward a point directly ahead of the two young men, but leagues distant. Kade watched in fascination and disgust as the waves began to meet at that central point, which swirled and tossed them up like nothing so much as a blender of unimaginable scale.


    Kade was surprised that rather than the swirling mess growing upward as more mass kept being added to the mix, it instead appeared to tunnel downward, deep into the very bowels of Iros. Soon the majority of the mass was disappearing into the ground, and an enormous, growing fissure became visible in its place. It was soon large enough that the waves of the dead simply disappeared into it more and more rapidly, until Kade realized the battlefield had been nearly wiped clean. As the last of bodies was pulled into the fissure, the ground ceased to shake, and there was a sudden and disturbing quiet.


    Kade wanted to believe the display was somehow over, but he could sense the truth in what he now understood to be a look of anticipation on the various disturbing faces of the remaining Elders. Sure enough, after a few moments the darkness of the fissure became a pulsing, silver light, and the crack grew even wider under some unseen pressure. The Elders now appeared to be bracing themselves, and many of those farthest from the fissure were either inching slowing closer, or desperately fleeing in the opposite direction.


    The glow grew stronger and stronger, and Kade realized the light was a perfect reflection of the moonlight from above. After several minutes of the display, the silver glow abruptly seemed to switch off, and the moonlight followed suit. Moments later the moons were once again lost in red sunlight, and the day seemed calm. Kade was about to turn to Salarus when the ground once more began to shake, though this time with a deep, persistent rumble. Turning back to the fissure, Kade saw nothing for a moment, and then all at once a mass of pink flesh seemed to rise up and ooze out of the fissure, pouring out in all directions.


    It took Kade a moment to realize it wasn¡¯t a single massive object, but was instead millions of pink, fleshy creatures, packed so densely that they were indistinguishable until they crashed over one another, spilling onto the ground in sickening heaps. This was apparently what the Elders had been waiting for, as they began to charge the teeming mass all at once, energy and other less exotic weapons readying.


    For the part of the living mass of creatures, they seemed disoriented at first, but slowly began to pick themselves up, and upon seeing the Elders, didn¡¯t hesitate before taking up their own charge. As they ran and separated from the still spilling mass of bodies, Kade was able to better see them individually, and noted they were all the same. Their form was comparatively simple against the cacophony of horrors that was the only way to describe the charging Elders. Each had four legs, and two arms, though the arms were enormous and seemed to pull the odd creatures along as much as the legs pushed.


    It also became clear that their pinkish color was temporary, and they took on more muted colors the farther they got from the fissure, reminding Kade of metal cooling from the forge. It wasn¡¯t long before the two sides met, and the ensuing slaughter was brutal in a way that reminded Kade of his affinity Ritual, though he couldn¡¯t recall why. The Elders were united in their wanton destruction of the smaller creatures, forgetting whatever conflict had set them against each other only minutes before.


    The much smaller creatures died in droves, as beams of different colored energy tore through their ranks, and massive bladed limbs scythed through countless small bodies. At first it seemed like the uniform army would be slaughtered en masse, but their numbers were virtually endless, and before long they had reached the line of Elders, swarming over them like ants. They didn¡¯t use any type of energy attack, or even seem to notice as they were savaged to pieces; they just mindlessly tore into the larger beings, with claws, teeth, and even exposed bone. Still, the battlefield was immense, and the living Elders were many, and staggeringly powerful. None fell without killing thousands, and many others were large and powerful enough to seem entirely unbothered by the countless smaller creatures, desperately clinging to them.


    Soon there was an impasse, as those Elders that could be slain, had been slain, and those remaining were methodically slaughtering their tiny, vicious opponents. This seemed to signal a surprisingly immediate reaction, and the entire wave of newly formed beings abruptly scattered in all directions, desperate to escape the massive beings hunting them. It seemed like the spectacle was over, for now, and Kade felt Salarus tug on his arm.


    ¡°Time to go. I¡¯m sure we were meant to see this, but it¡¯s only the beginning of our Trial. It¡¯s time to see how Karthas truly means to test us.¡±

 Chapter 19: Sorcerer

    Kade and Salarus didn¡¯t have to go far to determine what the Trial seemed to expect from them. The ledge they had awoken on was large enough for them to explore a little, but it was quickly apparent that it provided a good view, and little else. There was no way to scale the mountain safely either up or down, and that left a single cave entrance leading deeper into the mountain as the only option. It was wide enough for six people to walk comfortably abreast, and completely unlit. After agreeing it was the only option, they prepared themselves for whatever might be waiting for them inside.


    It was more accurate to say that Salarus prepared, as he had a number of helpful spells to cast, while Kade mostly stood leaning on his spear. He was grateful for what Salarus did though, as he felt a layer of unseen protection resting over his body, and he could sense the improved mana regeneration. He was now waiting as Salarus rested a hand on the stone beneath them and mumbled to himself, gathering power. Kade appreciated that the man was only doing the smart thing, but he was a little irked that the tall Sorcerer never bothered to say what he was doing; he just cast his spells.


    At last Salarus stepped back, and Kade was treated to something he hadn¡¯t seen before. With a small eruption of stone, a boulder just over half Kade¡¯s height floated up from the ground. It hovered ominously for a moment, and then began to spin rapidly. After building momentum, it suddenly took off, slamming into a wall¨Cthankfully a safe distance away. Kade was momentarily confused as the boulder shattered into thousands of pieces, but after a moment they all began hovering again, then in a blink they formed together, and a humanoid creature of stone was standing in their place. It walked up in front of Salarus, then took a defensive stance, appearing to look for threats¨Cthough this was difficult to tell, given it was only the vague shape of a round person with blocky limbs, and lacked any facial features.


    Salarus greeted it warmly, resting long, delicate fingers on the golem¡¯s shoulder, then began introductions. ¡°Anton, this is Kade, we must keep him safe. Kade, this is Anton, my Stone Aspect. If there¡¯s danger you can¡¯t escape, get to Anton and he¡¯ll do everything he can to protect you¨Cif I¡¯m not there first of course.¡± Anton didn¡¯t speak, but seemed to bounce up and down, possibly in greeting. At a loss, Kade tried to be polite.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡­Anton.¡± He looked back to Salarus curiously, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of Aspects before, is this a Sorcery thing?¡± Salarus looked surprisingly annoyed by the question.


    ¡°No it isn¡¯t a Sorcery thing. Aspects are beings which embody a specific type of magic manipulation; Anton is effectively a stone-Elementalist, but with his own restrictions and limitations. They¡¯re rare Path abilities, but highly prized as they can give access to what may otherwise be an unattainable power-set. It¡¯s not surprising that you haven¡¯t seen one, I know of only a few local Keepers with the power.¡± Kade nodded, then watched the Sorcerer cast another quick spell, making Anton glow with inner light, then he pointed and the stone creature sauntered into the cave, illuminating the path.


    Salarus wasted no time following after the Aspect, though he held his staff in a ready position, showing some caution. Kade hurried after, spear held similarly. After a few minutes of walking the cave was still a straight path, and they¡¯d met no resistance, so Kade risked a question or two. ¡°Salarus, what can a Sorcerer actually do, anyway?¡± As if he had flicked a switch, Salarus completely lost control. He whirled on Kade, features twisted with fury.


    ¡°Even in here?¡± he screamed. ¡°Even in our damned Trial, even by someone without a single Path? Still I¡¯m the object of scorn and ridicule! Well I didn¡¯t take it from that wretched Abbot so gods be damned if I¡¯ll take it from you!¡± He finished by slamming his staff into the ground, causing an alarming rumble from the mountain around them. Anton was in complete panic, desperately moving its bulky body around them, searching for whatever threatened its master.


    Kade had absolutely no idea what to do, and Salarus was still standing nearly on top of him, looking at him with rage and¨Churt? Kade put a hand out in front of him then slowly backed off a pace, before speaking as calmly as he could, ¡°Salarus, whatever the hell I said to get that reaction, I¡¯m truly sorry. I genuinely have no idea what¡¯s happening right now.¡± Salarus stared into his eyes in the dim light, seemingly searching for something, then they widened suddenly and he backed away in a rush.


    ¡°I¡¯m an absolute fool, aren¡¯t I? I forgot about your damned memory problems,¡± he slumped back against the cave wall, looking utterly drained. ¡°It was Lothros, that ancient, wretched prick. I just wasn¡¯t ready for another jab today, and not from someone powerful enough to snuff out my life with a thought. It took everything I had not to back down from him, and then when you seemed to be¡­you really have no idea, do you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what we¡¯re talking about right now, let alone why the Abbot was able to bother you so much.¡± Kade was desperately trying to look down the tunnel as they spoke, worried about what the Sorcerer¡¯s screams might have attracted. Salarus noticed this and looked even more embarrassed, but quickly put a hand on Anton to settle him, and resumed walking.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯re coming, but they¡¯re at least six minutes away if I¡¯m sensing the tunnels correctly,¡± Kade looked at the man with a hint of doubt, but felt it was best not to express those feelings at the moment. Salarus kept speaking¨Csoftly this time¨Cwhile they walked deeper into the mountain. ¡°Lothros said what most powerful Awakened think, but won¡¯t say to my face. That Sorcery is a lesser Path, and a lesser power.¡± He sighed, then continued, ¡°Until a few centuries ago, you could argue he was correct. With no advanced Path to progress toward, and no way to synergize effectively with other Paths, Sorcerers really were less effective than almost any other vocation.


    ¡°But someone in my family discovered an unexpected Ancestor, and the Magus came to be. We still know little about it, and I¡¯ll be among only a small handful, but I will show the world what true Sorcery is capable of. That will be my Legend.¡± Kade suddenly felt like he understood the man a little, and a lot of his previous behavior made sense in this new light. Kade felt it was safe to repeat his question.


    ¡°Alright, then understanding I¡¯m asking out of genuine curiosity¨Cand a desire to fight effectively beside you¨Ccan you tell me about Sorcery? Why would you even choose a path that people look at with such derision¨Ceven if it is misplaced,¡± he finished hurriedly as Salarus gave him a dark look.


    ¡°That¡¯s a longer story, and one that I¡¯ve told to very few. What I will say is that my Soul Awakened Sorcery,¡± at Kade¡¯s raised eyebrow, he nodded and explained. ¡°Sorcery, at its core, is energy manipulation without any of the limitations that other Paths experience. Theoretically my Soul power allows me to do anything that another Keeper could do,¡± Kade waited for the inevitable but. ¡°But just because I¡¯m capable of it, doesn¡¯t mean I have any idea how  to do it. As far as I know, I¡¯m the first to Awaken Sorcery and not simply follow it as a Path.¡±


    Kade considered, ¡°That sounds completely opposite to what I was told about Path Abilities. They¡¯re supposed to be really static and unchangeable; how do those even work for a Sorcerer?¡± Salarus actually seemed excited now to be speaking of his passion with someone willing to learn.


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    ¡°Exactly! That¡¯s what held Sorcerers back: of all the Paths our Ancestors have walked, Sorcery is the least conducive to the limitations of Path Abilities. My first two abilities are Wind Element, and Lightning Element, and they give an intuitive understanding of how to incorporate those elements into my spells¨Cif I weren¡¯t a Soul Sorcerer they¡¯d also provide the means to use them. The problem is that most people just see a weaker Elementalist, and while I have more flexibility than that, very little is needed when most Keepers are just looking for big explosions,¡± he spoke the last with utter disdain.


    ¡°But your Soul powers help?¡± Kade asked, now becoming worried that they were running out of time.


    ¡°Yes and no. At first I genuinely couldn¡¯t do anything with my Soul Sorcery. Finally I discovered that with long hours of study and a patient Keeper, I could learn to emulate the most basic of spells. I¡¯m hoping that Magus will change that. At the very least it will grant me access to vastly more exotic forms of magic, but I may be able to do more than those before me because of my Soul powers.¡±


    ¡°I guess that just leaves specifics, what do you actually do?¡± This time the question didn¡¯t prompt outrage, but instead put a wicked grin on Salarus¡¯ face.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you specifics, because I¡¯m about to show you. They¡¯re here.¡± Kade whipped his head forward at the words, trying to see as far down the tunnel as possible. The taller man was proven correct when light became visible in the distance. It took a moment for Kade to understand its source, but once it was close enough it became clear that the tunnel was swarming with the creatures they¡¯d witnessed being birthed from the fissure, each glowing softly, not unlike Anton.


    Kade lifted his spear, feeling incredibly underprepared, but a gentle hand guided him back as Salarus strode forward. The Sorcerer¡¯s staff began to glow with a blue energy that made Kade¡¯s hair stand on end, and the tall man planted it in the ground before him, sparks flying wildly in every direction. Next he began to shape more energy into his hands, which slowly grew into a ball similar in size to Anton before he¡¯d reshaped. Salarus lazily hurled the ball forward, and Kade realized he could see a small storm captured inside it. It didn¡¯t move quickly, and long before it reached the approaching mass Salarus had conjured two more, which he hurled after the first.


    Kade watched in undisguised excitement as the orbs moved forward through the center of the tunnel, but was disappointed when the creatures adapted, spreading out and climbing until even the ceiling was covered in countless monsters, squeezed in shoulder to shoulder. The orbs sailed right past them, casting their own blue light against the eerie reddish-pink cast off by their advancing opponents. Kade looked to Salarus to warn him, but found the man unconcernedly working on another spell. This time the energy gathered in his hands was transparent, and seemed to be sucking all the air toward it. Once it was finished, Salarus transferred it to his right hand and simply waited, as the sounds of screeching and claws on stone grew closer.


    Finally, when the creatures¨CKade thought of them as spawn¨Chad nearly reached Anton, the Sorcerer reached out. Instead of hurling the orb, it seemed to burst open, and what Kade could only see as a horizontal tornado burst to life in front of them. Kade felt himself sucked forward by the overpowering air pressure, and needed to anchor himself with his chains to keep from being pulled in. The spawn had no such ability, and were uniformly pulled into the vortex, where they were blown back the way they came from¨Cnow in the center of the tunnel, Kade realized with an admiring smile.


    Sure enough, when the winds died seconds later, an explosion of lightning burst to life almost further away than Kade could see, and thunder echoed around them accompanied by the shrieks of dying spawn. Kade had to admit that he understood some of Salarus¡¯ confidence after seeing the display, impressed that he¡¯d managed to demonstrate not just raw power, but the versatility of his Path at the same time. Kade suspected the tactic was chosen for more than just its ability to effectively eliminate their foes, but he still gave the Sorcerer the broad grin that he¡¯d undoubtedly earned.


    Salarus gave a half-smile back, but looked slightly sheepish, ¡°I may have overdone that slightly. Another group of comparable size is only a couple of minutes away, and we¡¯ll need to rely on Anton to buy us some time. I can still handle them, but it¡¯s going to get more dangerous for you than I¡¯d like.¡± Kade looked back to the long, dark cavern, and considered.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to try, and this is a good place for it. I should be able to buy some time, though I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do any real damage¨Cthose things seem way out of my league,¡± Kade was surprised by the look of open concern in the Sorcerer¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like putting you in harm¡¯s way. I said I¡¯d keep you safe, and I meant it,¡± the earnest tone shocked Kade, and he realized he¡¯d been wrong to assume ulterior motives when the man had first made the assertion. He found he¡¯d been wrong about Salarus in a number of ways.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be safe,¡± he promised. ¡°I just need to head down the tunnel, and I¡¯ll come right back.¡± The Sorcerer looked at him for a moment, then nodded. Knowing he had no time to waste, Kade raced off as quickly as he could, though memories of another series of endless dark corridors echoed through his mind. He got as far as he dared, then began to plant anchors. Lots and lots of anchors. He¡¯d had a great deal of time to think about how he could make good use of his chains, and he finally had an epiphany when he¡¯d seen the Iros equivalent of a house spider. While it had more legs and almost seemed like a centipede, it nevertheless used webs to catch its prey, and that opened a lot of doors in Kade¡¯s mind.


    He used that inspiration now as he sprinted back toward the Sorcerer, leaving his own winding web of black chains¨Cnearly invisible in the tunnel¡¯s darkness. He kept the chains thin, but strong¨Che wanted the creatures to charge through dozens of them before they noticed they were caught. He was sure the spawn would be strong enough to snap the chains like thread, so he was counting on the surprise of it all. By the time he¡¯d nearly reached Anton, his speed was being fueled by the horrible screeches following in his wake.


    He slowed to a stop next to Salarus, who was staring down at Kade¡¯s belt, now possessing only a single chain, extending into the darkness. The Sorcerer put things together quickly, ¡°How long do you think that can hold them?¡± he asked, and Kade frowned.


    ¡°Honestly it probably can¡¯t hold them at all. I can constrict the chains suddenly, and once they¡¯re all wrapped up in them, their momentum should at least make a number of them lose their feet. I was hoping that would cause some mayhem, maybe even get a few of them crushed to death.¡± Salarus was looking contemplative at that, and finally smiled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother tightening the chains, the more they get wrapped up the better. Hopefully they¡¯ll ignore them if they¡¯re little more than a nuisance.¡± Kade gave him a curious look, but a glance back showed the tunnel was now lit up from the glowing creatures, and he knew he had to trust the more experienced warrior.


    ¡°Whatever you say,¡± he replied, then turned and braced himself, holding the chain tightly. He knew he¡¯d have to pour every ounce of mana he had into repairing the chains as many would inevitably snap in the spawn¡¯s mad rush. He was surprised when Salarus stepped in front of him, rather than readying another spell, but he got a sense of the man¡¯s plan as lightning began to crackle around the Sorcerer¡¯ entire body. As the creatures finally made contact with the chains, Kade could feel them snagging on countless, fleshy bodies, tangling around them again and again.


    As the mass of spawn got closer, the lightning grew brighter and more insistent around Salarus, until Kade was worried it might jump to him by proximity. When the creatures were close enough that Kade could make out details, he saw that they had several sets of eyes over elongated humanoid mouths, with an enormous bottom jaw covered in glistening teeth. The massive arms did indeed seem to be doing the majority of the work in dragging the misshapen bodies forward¨Cdespite the four hind legs¨Cand the creatures ran on the ceiling of the cave as easily as the floor.


    Just as they were within a dozen paces of reaching Anton¨Cthe squat stone figure looking like a small round child in the face of the massive advancing horde¨Cthe Sorcerer finally grabbed hold of the chains, and the lightning spread across the complex web in an instant. The result was horrific, and Kade was grateful not to have seen the first attack up close. The electricity flowed through each creature with no apparent resistance, not only locking muscles and causing the spawn to fall down convulsing, but the Sorcerer¡¯s power continued to pulse through the chain for nearly a minute, until many of the spawn were becoming smoking, reeking ruins of what they had been.


    Salarus finally released the chain, and looked out at what must have been over a hundred huddling forms, many still shrieking in agony. The Sorcerer cocked his head to the side, then addressed Anton, ¡°Go have fun now,¡± he said indulgently, and the Aspect of Stone appeared gleeful as it charged toward the long line of the spawn¨Cconveniently arranged like bowling pins down the slanted tunnel. Salarus whispered a quick spell and hurled it at Anton while the stone man reformed himself into a boulder. ¡°Increased weight,¡± he said to Kade before the question was asked, and they both watched in fascination and disgust as Anton rolled over the countless, fleshy bodies, leaving nothing but a flattened, wet trail of gore in its wake.

 Chapter 20: Elders Judgment

    Kade and Salarus continued down the tunnel, Anton having returned to light the way. The further they went through the remains of the creatures, the more impressed Kade became with the Sorcerer¡¯s abilities. It wasn¡¯t just the raw power of them, which Kade couldn¡¯t truthfully differentiate from the other powerful keepers he¡¯d witnessed, it was Salarus¡¯ ability¨Cor perhaps willingness¨Cto improvise that stood out. He was convinced that if the man had been with them fighting the Elder, he never would have been content to just throw spells in a straight line, hoping not to be noticed.


    He wanted to discuss it, but felt it was part of a larger conversation he resolved to have with the man under better circumstances. For now, the time was better spent focusing on the Trial, and he asked Salarus a question he didn¡¯t get a chance to ask Selina and Markis. ¡°About how his Trial works, I get that they¡¯re all different, and somehow personal, but there must be some common themes, right?¡± The Sorcerer made a slight face before answering.


    ¡°Under normal circumstances we shouldn¡¯t be speaking about Trials in a broader sense, though that seems foolish at the moment. Partly that¨Clet¡¯s call it a tradition¨Chas led to unsatisfactory answers to your very reasonable question.¡± Kade was given the impression that pursuit of knowledge was extremely important to the man from his tone. ¡°We should have a thorough understanding of the commonalities, but the insistence on keeping the Trials mysterious has made that nearly impossible.


    ¡°What I can tell you is what I¡¯ve managed to piece together myself, and from those among my family who share some of my more controversial views,¡± he paused and concentrated for a moment. ¡°We¡¯re approaching a large chamber, and my senses are being actively blocked. That''s likely one of the commonalities that I have discovered¨Can exceptionally powerful single entity we¡¯ll need to face. We¡¯ve already experienced the most common¨Ca horde of deadly monsters. Combat is nearly always a major part of the Trial, as the Elders don¡¯t consider us worthy of the more personal considerations until we¡¯ve proven we¡¯re capable of appropriate destruction.¡±


    Kade nodded, unsurprised by this part of the answer. ¡°And beyond that? How do we win? Or exit, or whatever the hell it is we¡¯re supposed to do here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the final element, and the least predictable¨Cof everything people witness in these Trials, it¡¯s also what they¡¯re least likely to share.¡±


    ¡°Too personal?¡± Kade asked.


    ¡°Or simply too traumatizing. Never forget that we¡¯re effectively asking a mass-murderer to teach us how to live. When your moment comes, all I can say is that the true purpose of all of this isn¡¯t to demonstrate that you¡¯re exactly what Karthas wants you to be, but rather someone that¡¯s worthy of continuing on your Path.¡±


    Kade wasn¡¯t exactly sure what to make of that, but figured Salarus would be a lot more forthcoming if he was able. Before he could ask more questions though, he saw that they were approaching the open chamber the man had described. While the Sorcerer apparently couldn¡¯t sense what was going on inside, it ended up not being necessary as the tunnel widened greatly toward the opening, and they had plenty of time to take in what lay in wait.


    The chamber was a massive domed room that could probably fit a couple of hundred people shoulder to shoulder, and it was well lit by a series of torches, forming a ring around the perimeter. Strangely, despite the hordes that had supposedly charged upward from this direction, there didn¡¯t appear to be any other tunnels leading into this one. The room was empty and plain, except for an unadorned stone throne on the far wall, in which lazily rested a massive, four-armed man.


    Kade turned to discuss strategy with Salarus, but the Sorcerer just shook his head once and strode purposefully into the open cavern, stopping near the center. Kade sighed, but tried his best to match the man¡¯s courage, and gripping his spear tightly, he walked up to join him¨CAnton once again standing before them protectively. With a closer look Kade confirmed his fears, as he had spent hours staring into those cold eyes on his journey to the city. They were locked on him now without question, and it was a feeling he didn¡¯t relish.


    The miniature Karthas was still many times Kade¡¯s height, and without the stone slowly devouring his body, his true appearance was vastly more intimidating. Karathas was mostly gray, but the familiar purple power seemed to flow in waves across his massive body, and the eyes actually had an emerald glow by contrast, making the horrible gaze stand out even more. The face was uncomfortably humanoid, his mouth expressing what might have been mirth. The four arms were also on full display, as the Elder had two held together before him, while the second set¨Cthe shoulders slightly above and behind the first¨Cheld onto the arms of the throne. Their bulk seemed disproportional to the rest of Karthas, with each hand large enough to crush either of the men before him.


    After a long moment of staring at the two, the Elder finally spoke, shocking Kade by addressing them in barely more than a whisper¨Cthough the deep rumble of his voice still seemed to vibrate through Kade¡¯s whole being. ¡°Your Trial ends here, and ends simply. Like so many of those who dare come before me searching for power, your understanding of Iros is pitiful and broken. The very fact that two of you stand before me now is proof of that,¡± Kade felt his stomach drop as he saw where this was going, and judging by the way Salarus gripped his staff more tightly, so did he.


    ¡°I am done with catering to the whims and foolishness of those who enter this sacred place with no respect for myself, or the will of Iros. But I am benevolent, and so if you can show me that you¡¯ve learned from that which I allowed you to bear witness, then one of you will have the power you seek.¡± Kade tensed upon hearing the pronouncement, even though it was what he expected. He silently cursed being sent in here with someone so absurdly beyond his own power, and tried desperately to think of any weakness the Sorcerer might have demonstrated.


    For Salarus¡¯ part, he was staring with naked fury at the Elder, but also with cold resolve. Karthas was watching him carefully, curiously, ¡°Would you give up your life¡¯s work so readily, Child? Abandon your hopes of making the world see the value of your¡­Sorcery?¡±  Apparently the Elder shared the Abbot¡¯s view on the uncommon power, but it made his case no less compelling. ¡°After everything you¡¯ve worked for, and with all the people waiting for you to fail, you would consider the life of this weak pretender to be too high a price for your Legend?¡± Salarus glanced at Kade for a brief moment, seemingly against his will, then jerked his head downward, his eyes hidden by the large brim of his hat.


    The Elder seemed amused by the man¡¯s faltering will, and turned his attention to Kade, ¡°And what of you, so-called Child, is this how your unusual story will end? Not even a worthy mention in the tale of someone greater? You are no match for this Primus as you are, but what if I were to lend you the power? Perhaps even allowed you to keep enough of it when you return to find the answers you seek? What if I gave you what you don¡¯t even know you desire: the means to return to the Chaos?¡±


    Kade heard his own voice answer, ¡°I must go into the Chaos,¡± he said in a monotone, though with a vehemence that he couldn¡¯t understand. Karthas laughed, and Salarus looked at Kade with deep suspicion. The Elder spoke once more.


    ¡°I have never been known for patience, so I shall make this simple, the first one to strike will be considered the victor. I will even take the life of the loser personally, should they survive the blow,¡± the latter was obviously addressed to Kade, who knew he was an insect compared to the powerful Sorcerer. The moment stretched out, and Kade felt shamed by the temptation. He had thought this would be an easy decision, even imagined spitting in the Elder¡¯s face and demanding Salarus take his life, but instead he found his own survival instincts screaming, and a desperate need to leave this place pulled him to make the coward¡¯s choice.


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    Salarus appeared to come to the conclusion first and he turned toward Kade, lightning dancing once more on the end of his staff. He spoke in a quiet voice, and he seemed pained, ¡°Kade, what I told you before¡­¡± Kade nodded, trying to find a single moment of dignity in certain death.


    ¡°I know. You¡¯ve been living for this. You¡¯re going to prove everyone wrong, show them what a Sorcerer is truly capable of. I¡­I understand,¡± he managed to croak out. Salarus shook his head with obvious regret.


    ¡°No, you fool. I said I¡¯d protect you.¡± And with that he slammed the butt of his staff into the ground as Kade had seen him do before, but not understood. Evidently the army of creatures in the tunnel had never gotten close enough to merit what happened next. From where the staff struck, hungry blue lightning shot outward in every direction, eventually hitting the chamber walls and continuing their journey upward until they met in a thunderous crash on the ceiling. Immediately dark storm clouds gathered, with lightning pulsing dangerously inside.


    Salarus showed the same tenacity as earlier, chaining from one spell to another with no pause, energies of different colors gathering in his hands. Karthas only appeared amused by the display, and slowly stood up, his head reaching the clouds like an odd reflection of his true, larger body. He strode forward, but rather than attack he continued to address Kade, ¡°It¡¯s not too late; my conditions have not been met. Strike at the arrogant mage, and you leave here with power you cannot fathom.¡±


    This time, Kade didn¡¯t give his inner turmoil a chance, immediately blasting a dozen chains directly into Elder¡¯s face, small blades extended, ¡°Then I strike you first, you giant, miserable bastard!¡± Karthas laughed with an off-key keening sound that felt wrong somehow, and the chains bounced uselessly off him. His laughter suddenly died as Anton¨Ca boulder once more¨Csuddenly crashed into his left shin, causing the massive being to collapse as bone shattered. Salarus must have cast a number of spells on the Stone Aspect to make such a blow possible.


    It showed Kade once more that there were still tactics that took advantage of the fundamentals of physiology. Even though the Elder¡¯s leg repaired itself almost instantly with the telltale display of thousands of fragments of stone rushing into the wound, it was still a leg, and needed to be solid to be stood on. Salarus must have been waiting for the distraction, as countless bolts of lighting crashed down into Karthas, at the same time that he hurled the energy he¡¯d been gathering up into his conjured storm.


    Kade didn¡¯t understand what he was seeing at first, as it seemed like storm clouds had been filled with hundreds of blue-white pinwheels, made of some kind of solid lightning and looking razor sharp. Instead of joining the rest of the lightning and coming straight down, the pinwheels were sucked into a swirling vortex that rapidly emerged from the clouds, then engulfed the Elder as a small tornado. The lightning pinwheels spun and slashed around Karthas in a display of brutality that matched Kade¡¯s ill-named chainsaw ability. In mere moments they had caused thousands of smoking cuts, and showed no sign of slowing.


    Kade was mesmerized by the display, and looked to Salarus with undisguised anticipation, curious what new trick the Sorcerer would pull from his enormous hat next. Sure enough, the man was already lost in another spell, and so didn¡¯t notice the enormous arm emerge from the deadly whirlwind and shoot toward him like a viper snapping at prey. At the last possible instant Salarus was jerked out of the way, his eyes flying open in surprise, and his spell forgotten. The hand crashed into the spot he¡¯d been standing, and stone exploded in every direction from the impact.


    Salarus looked from the crater to the thin chains wound around his waist, then gave Kade an approving nod. He was immediately back on the attack, this time waiting for Anton to crash back into the Elder, distracting him as the lightning tornado had been unable to do. It seemed that the Sorcerer was once again struggling with mana, however, as his follow up attacks were far less impressive, being a series of rapidly fired bolts from his staff. Kade wasn¡¯t sure how powerful the man truly was, but he didn¡¯t believe anything was likely to kill this Elder, let alone a single Primus and a recently Awakened.


    Karthas had been described as the greatest power remaining on Iros, and whatever relationship this smaller incarnation might have to the true version, it was clearly no meager foe. This was made clear as some kind of aura burst forth from the madness of lightning and wind, slamming them¨Ceven the stone Anton¨Cinto the cave walls. When Kade managed to shake his head and look back at the monster, he saw that the magic had all ceased, leaving nothing but the towering Elder glaring back at them.


    The spells had been effective though, with one arm entirely severed, and another hanging by shreds. Long, vicious cuts covered almost every inch of the enraged giant, and even though they were repairing themselves rapidly, Kade was still impressed by the carnage his Sorcerous partner had managed to inflict. Seeing it gave him hope¨Cthis being might not be so unbeatable after all. Unfortunately, when Kade looked over to see what Salarus was going to try next, he saw the man lying unmoving behind a valiant Anton¨Cclearly ready to be crushed to dust to defend its master.


    Kade knew he had to act. His chains were still wrapped around his unconscious partner, but pulling him away from the protection of his brave aspect offered little real protection. Kade needed to do something more, and unfortunately his options were severely limited. He held no foolish illusion of repeating his trick from the last Elder¨Cno amount of chains would be enough to topple this giant, and he wouldn¡¯t be much better off even if he did manage the impossible feat.


    Time. That was all he could give to the Sorcerer, who appeared to be stirring slightly as the Elder approached. Without wasting a moment, Kade gathered up his fallen spear and was suddenly yanked into the air by his chains. He rapidly fired off dozens into the wall, ceiling, and floor, suspecting he¡¯d lose many in what he was about to attempt, and wanting every ounce of mobility they could provide. He managed to position himself above Karthas in mere moments, and barely paused before repeating a technique he¡¯d used against the wolfrens¨Cfiring numerous chains into the floor, then using all of them to yank himself downward, spear-point leading.


    While the height of the Elder didn¡¯t allow for much distance to gain momentum, Kade still slammed into the top of its head with tremendous force, and he was relieved to find that the Artifact pierced through the hard skull with almost no resistance, leaving only an arm-length of the haft exposed. Compared to the enormous monster it had impaled, the spear was a tiny thing, and couldn¡¯t do much damage despite the placement, and Kade had to leap off immediately to dodge three separate arms that reached for him.


    Kade wasn¡¯t done, however, as he had left nearly half his chains secured to the spear before jumping, which now anchored the enormous head to the chamber at numerous angles. The spear may not have been large, but it was still embedded deeply into the creature''s skull, and whether the Elder tried to pry it out or simply pull on the chains to snap them, it should cause terrible agony. Karthas seemed to realize this as well, as he hobbled back and forth, clearly trying to keep his head still as his massive body halted its momentum, all while Kade cruelly caused the attached chains to tighten first one way, then another.


    Desperate to cause as much chaos as possible, Kade screamed for Anton¨Cstill in front of his groggy master¨Cand gestured wildly at the Elder¡¯s legs. Thankfully the round stone figure understood, and in seconds was repeating its opening maneuver, forcing Karthas to fall to one knee as his lower leg shattered, roaring in pain all the while. Ignoring the display, Kade used his chains to rush to Salarus, who was now looking at the scene with confusion and disbelief.


    With no time to waste, Kade handed the man a fist full of chains, and said simply, ¡°Do you have another one in you?¡± The tired Sorcerer looked at the offered chains for a moment as if not recognizing them, then shook his head to clear it, wincing as he did. He finally nodded to Kade with a slight smile and unleashed the lightning.


    The sounds and smells that filled the room were overwhelming, as every ounce of power Salarus could muster roared up the chain, through the spear, and directly into the Elder¡¯s brain. Kade let every other chain withdraw, not wanting a single volt to be wasted. He and the Sorcerer watched as Karthas¨Cstill unable to get to his feet thanks to the tireless Anton¨Chowled and tore at his own face, completely lost to the unfathomable pain.


    After several, horrific minutes of this torture, Salarus was finally exhausted, and as the lightning stopped flowing into the massive Elder, he toppled completely to the ground. The two men just stared unbelieving at the fallen behemoth, both waiting for it to inevitably rise again. After a few tense moments, they both expelled held breaths, and nearly collapsed to the floor. They managed to share a single smile of relief before slow, lazy clapping filled the chamber.


    Looking past the gargantuan body of the dead Elder, they saw Karthas¨Cwhole and intact¨Clounging on his throne as if he¡¯d never moved. He spoke a single word: ¡°Acceptable.¡±

 Chapter 21: Trials End

    Kade slowly regained his feet, then put out a hand and helped Salarus as well. He whispered a hurried question to the mage as he did so, ¡°How much mana do you have; any chance we could take this guy out twice?¡± Salarus looked at him with an indulgent smile.


    ¡°I very much doubt we took him out once, but I¡¯ll be far from defenseless in a few minutes.¡± He made a gesture of thanks toward Anton, and the small stone man shattered back into countless shards, which whirled toward the Sorcerer before seamlessly merging into a pair of stone-gray boots. ¡°Anton will channel mana into me through the connection to the stone, but I doubt we¡¯ll need it. Come.¡± He walked back to the center of the room with all the dignity and swagger of a conquering King, and Kade did his best to emulate the taller man.


    Once they were again in front of Karthas, Salarus addressed the Elder, ¡°Have we performed to your expectations, Great One? Surely defeating even the tiniest piece of you must be considered a marvelous achievement.¡± Kade recognized the false flattery for what it was, and saw the Karthas appeared to as well, but a smile grew on his face anyways. Kade had to force himself to maintain his blank expression as he watched the smile extend well beyond the limits of a human mouth, nearly bisecting the Elder¡¯s entire head, and transforming the look from mirth to predatory as it did so. At last he spoke once more.


    ¡°You are correct, mage, yours is an accomplishment most worthy of respect. Should you manage to complete your Trial, I will consider granting you each a boon.¡± While Salarus appeared to be struggling to contain his excitement, Kade was doing the same with disappointment¨Che had been hoping the trial was over after such an extreme challenge. The Elder seemed amused by both of their reactions, and let out another horrible sound that may have passed for laughter before speaking again, ¡°Continue, Children of Iros, and face what you truly are.¡±


    When he finished speaking, he was simply gone as if he¡¯d never been, and in his place were two doors. One was marked with a staff, and the other with a chain. Salarus looked more disturbed by this than he had been by encountering Karthas himself, and spoke his worries. ¡°I was afraid of this. The final piece of our Trials will be separate, and I¡¯ll be unable to assist you.¡± Kade wasn¡¯t sure if the man¡¯s commitment to his word was somehow wrapped up in his personal mission or unrelated, but he knew he didn¡¯t want the man to lose his chance at completing the Trial simply out of concern for Kade.


    ¡°Your responsibilities to me have been more than satisfied. I¡¯d have died on my own in minutes, and we both know that. Now it¡¯s time for you to go take what you earned. I¡¯ll just have to do the same,¡± he tried to sound far more confident than he actually felt, and met Salarus¡¯ gaze unflinchingly. At last the Sorcerer appeared resigned.


    ¡°In truth, I think there is little I could do regardless. Everything in here is under the control of Karthas; if it were as simple as walking through the wrong door to cheat, these Trials would be meaningless. I wish you luck, Kade, it was¡­good to have an ally by my side.¡± Kade didn¡¯t miss that this was the first real acknowledgement of Kade as anything more than a burden, and smiled widely.


    ¡°Good luck, Salarus; I hope you get what you came for.¡± The taller man smiled then adjusted his steepled hat slightly, and began to walk toward his door. As he pushed against it, he paused and shouted back.


    ¡°Call me Sal,¡± and he was gone.


    Kade smirked and nodded, though the man wouldn¡¯t see it. The moment he found himself alone in the silent chamber though, any illusion of safety melted away, and he decided it was best to proceed quickly. He walked up to the chain-marked door, and taking a deep breath, plunged through.


    ***


    Sal looked about the new chamber, far smaller than the last, and shook his head sadly. Deep down he knew it would be the same nonsense he¡¯d experienced before, but had hoped Karthas would somehow just let it go. He supposed that was impossible, as the Elder was actually deep in the Trance, effectively incapable of growth or change, but it didn¡¯t make this any less insulting.


    He walked forward, completely ignoring the Aspect of Karthas that watched him from yet another throne off to one side. He focused instead on the cloaked being standing at the opposite end of the chamber. It was his third time seeing some version of this Elder, though each time there were subtle differences in its appearance. After his second trial he¡¯d expended considerable amounts of his family¡¯s resources to get any sense of who this might be, and had at last found the name: Alomagus the Weak. The very first Sorcerer, and of an unknown generation. It was clear that even Karthas didn¡¯t actually know the Elder, merely his Lost Legend.


    Alomagus was proof that the prejudices around Sorcery were truly ancient, and Sal thought he had a good notion as to why. Regardless, this was his third Trial that had ended with facing this false-Sorcerer, ironically making his own Path to Power far simpler than many who had come before him. On queue, Karthas spoke.


    ¡°Look upon this, upon your future. The greatest practitioner of your so-called Path. See his weakness, see his folly, and abandon this pathetic course you have set for yourself.¡± Salarus sighed dramatically, anxious to be finished with this farce. Finally the cloaked Elder began to move, revealing wasted limbs and a pointy rat-like face as it cast its ¡®spells¡¯. Karthas spoke again, as he had the previous two Trials, ¡°Face the might of his so-called Sorcery, and accept the truth.¡±


    At last the pathetic creature began to unleash its meager power, which was still at Primus level even if it was plain and straightforward. Balls of fire slowly meandered through the air in Sal''s direction, an insult to the weakest fire-Elementalist, and the efforts of a toddler compared to one of Sal¡¯s abilities. The tall Sorcerer tried to take the battle somewhat seriously, but that was anything but the Trial¡¯s intent. He casually deflected two of the fireballs with his staff, then caught another and forced his will into it, causing it to transform into lightning before his eyes.


    He let the sparks die in his hands, and looked to Karthas with an expression of triumph he knew was lost on the Elder. What Sal had done would have been considered remarkable, if not impossible by almost anyone with a basic understanding of how energy worked on Iros, even if it was utterly impractical. It was a demonstration of the true capabilities of Sorcery, and a mastery of power that few would ever grasp. Karthas didn¡¯t appear to notice.


    Sal once more let out a dramatic sigh as he advanced on his opponent, deflecting bouts of fire with little effort. He remembered his first attempt at this fight, newly Awakened and barely capable of using Sorcery at all, even then the attacks had been pathetic, though Sal had been forced to dodge them physically. He had spent hours trying to use his weak spells to destroy the false Alomagus, understanding his opponent was meant to be weak, but somehow unable to do him any harm.


    As Sal reached his target, he used another Sorcerous technique that should have changed Karthas¡¯ mind forever on the spot, imposing his will and his mana on the lesser spellcaster, whose flames simply died out and wouldn¡¯t reform. Then with a final sneer at Karthas¨Conly for his own benefit¨Che repeated the maneuver that he¡¯d discovered all those years ago, lightly striking Alomagus on the shoulder, which shattered him instantly. It was only after he¡¯d completely exhausted his mana and resolve that he¡¯d struck his opponent in his first Trial, which fulfilled the conditions of victory: he could use anything to defeat the Sorcerer except magic. Karthas¡¯ whispered words echoed once more through the chamber.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Witness! Witness how the fool cowers and falls at even a taste of real might! Know the truth of your folly, and step away from the false-Path forever!¡± Sal knew his part too, which was easier as he truly believed in it.


    ¡°No. This is my Path. I will not bend, I will not falter. Not because of the words and sneers of a thousand foolish Keepers, not because of the arrogance of some overblown Abbot, and certainly not for you.¡± He stared daggers into the giant, longing for the day that he¡¯d have the power to show the Elder the truth of Sorcery in person. Karthas simply stared back, unimpressed.


    ¡°Go then, foolish Child. Continue to waste the pitiful existence you¡¯ve been given, and take your power with you.¡± At that a new energy erupted inside Salarus, and he knew the Elder was true to his word. As the chamber dissolved around him and he was once again lost in darkness, he could feel that he at last walked the Path of the Magus.


    **


    Kade entered the new chamber and immediately blinked to clear his vision. While he was obviously still inside the mountain, his confusion had come from seeing the room filled with numerous individuals from the outside world. He walked slowly into the chamber, eerily quiet as every person just stared lifelessly at him. At the end of the chamber was Karthas, watching him approach from his throne, disdain clear in his expression.


    Kade walked suspiciously past Edwin, Selina, Graves, and more. He stopped suddenly half-way to the throne, as he realized one of the figures was Nicky, staring at him just like everyone else. ¡°This is sick,¡± he said to the giant, who ignored his words. Kade continued walking, past Markis, and Alara, even two barely remembered drinking buddies from a tavern. At last he was before the Elder, who spoke to him with obvious scorn.


    ¡°Was it arrogance that made you think you could invade my Soul, monster?¡± The words shocked Kade, as Karthas seemed to be addressing him with far more intensity and focus than before. Even the words he directed at Sal had the feeling of reading a script, but this felt truly personal. ¡°Perhaps you thought you could convince me of your blasphemy, but I am not so easily cowed. Look out across this chamber, look at the ¡®friends¡¯ you have made. See the shame you bring to yourself, and to our very world.¡±


    Kade wasn¡¯t sure how to react. He wasn¡¯t aware of any blasphemy, until he considered his spear. But this didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with that. The Elder continued, ¡°You come here seeking power. I can grant you that power, but for what? To what use would you put this new strength? Would you slay your enemies and use their bodies as stepping stones to greater challenges? Would you rid this world of your hated kin, knowing that inevitably it would be your sacred duty to slay your own Children in the name of Iros?


    ¡°More than anyone alive, you need to understand the cycle! It is us, it is everything, it is Iros!¡± The last was a furious roar, and Kade found himself retreating slowly back through the small crowd, even spotting a copy of Sal as he did so. The Elder continued to rage, ¡°You will be taught, Child. You will learn your lessons or you will die. This is your trial. Look around at the faces of those you bow to, those you hide behind, those you chase after like a filthy hound, and see your enemies. There is no leaving this chamber while a single one lives.¡±


    Karthas punctuated this with a wave of his hand, and Kade saw that the door behind him had vanished, and more¨Chis right hand held a vicious, executioner''s ax. When he looked back up, the lifeless expressions were gone, and instead every single person was talking at once, begging him to spare them, pleading with him not to take their worthless lives. Some collapsed to their knees, others hung from him like they were drowning, but none stopped their wailing for a moment.


    The noise was overwhelming, the desperation surrounded him, and soon he realized his own voice was among them as he tried to keep the ax away while they swarmed closer, many weeping openly. ¡°Please! Get back, I won¡¯t hurt you! I won¡¯t hurt any of you, please!¡± His words meant nothing to them, only seeming to enrage Karthas, and making their pleading even louder. Suddenly Edwin was pulling him into a death grip.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve seen Kade, you don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve done! I killed them you know, I killed all of them! Over and over again. He made me do it, but I had to do it, and in the end I wanted to do it! Oh please Kade, release me, release me from this!¡± Kade was even more overwhelmed by the sudden change in tone. Begging for their lives had been horrible, begging for their deaths was breaking him. Soon they all joined in. Pleading for him to end their suffering, to stop their pain, not to force them to live in the terrible anticipation of death for a moment longer.


    Kade was losing his mind, now holding the ax high above his head as everyone he¡¯d known on this world that had shown him a moment of kindness struggled to pull the blade toward them, desperate to meet their end at his hands. He was screaming now, lost somewhere between desperation and conviction, just shouting ¡°no!¡± over and over as he vainly tried to resist the hands clinging to him. He could hear the amused laughter of Karthas over it all, and it turned Kade¡¯s desperation to rage. He could feel the anger bubbling up inside of him, threatening to tear him apart.


    Suddenly Nicky was there, and the rest seemed to quiet so he wouldn¡¯t miss her words. He looked into the eyes of his dead friend, as she spoke, ¡°Please Kade, I thought you cared about me. I died because I gave my power to you. I felt my body ripped to shreds inside that Elder. It wasn¡¯t quick, and I felt myself die. Don¡¯t make me go through that again, please put an end to this horrible existence!¡±


    The terrible pleading was the final straw, and Kade felt himself give in, letting down some unknown barrier inside of him. The ax slipped from his fingers and his hands fell to his side, as a furious beeping struggled to penetrate the fog that was gathering in his mind. He was staring at Karthas, numb, no¨Ccold¨Cas the rest of the world seemed to fall away. He could tell the Elder recognized something was wrong, as his horrific too-wide smile slipped away, and he began to stand up.


    Kade was only half-aware of what was happening, as his mind was somehow in two places at once. He was staring at the giant before him, but also looking into a blinding light. This time he nearly recognized it, and the chains that still wrapped endlessly around it, but it was still blocked¨Cdespite the few rays of light being almost too bright to look at. This time it felt different, looking at the chains, he knew they were his, knew they were somehow him even. And that meant they were his to control.


    With no real effort or conscious thought, he loosened the chains¨Cthough an instinct he didn¡¯t understand stopped him from removing them entirely. The moment the light began pouring out, his vision snapped back into focus, and it was just him and Karthas. With only a thought the pleading constructs were knocked away from him, and he was advancing on the Elder, arms raised before him. Karthas leaped off his throne, bellowing as he did so, ¡°The cycle is all!¡±


    ¡°The cycle is dead!¡± Kade roared back, and unleashed the frozen death that lived inside him. Energy poured forth with overwhelming force, once more like a damn bursting inside him, and Karthas was lost in the flow of blue-green energy¨Cthough Kade felt the chamber vibrate as the Elder¡¯s enormous body was slammed back against his throne. For a brief moment Kade could see him there, still staring with defiance as the endless waves of energy washed over him, and then finally through him.


    At last Kade somehow felt the presence of the Elder vanish, and the light slowly died within him, the chains once more tightening around his soul. He collapsed to his knees, consciousness fading as a strange new power was born within him.

 Chapter 22: Abilites

    Kade managed to stay conscious, though everything he¡¯d just gone through was already starting to feel like a nightmare, somehow removed from reality. His vision faded to black, and he was worried for a moment before the world resolved once more, and he was back in the Abbey courtyard. He blinked at the sudden sunlight, and it was a moment before he could see properly. Kade struggled to his feet, and was starting to feel almost normal when something grabbed him.


    Readying for an attack, it took Kade a moment to realize he had been lifted by the free arm of a happily laughing Salarus, who had evidently appeared right next to him. The Sorcerer showed none of his normal reservation as he wrapped Kade in a hug, still laughing. ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± he shouted in disbelief, ¡°We¡¯re both alive, we did it!¡± The unrestrained joy was infectious, and Kade found himself joining in the laughter, and returning the hug. After an appropriate moment of celebration, there was a polite throat-clearing sound, and the two finally turned to see a solitary priest approaching from nearby.


    ¡°Welcome back, Children, and congratulations on succeeding in your Trial. Brother Markis will be here soon to confirm the Ritual¡¯s success, in the meantime I will have refreshments brought out. While they are not necessary for sustenance, many find the Trial leaves them feeling drained and weakened in a way that only traditional nourishment can alleviate. Please feel free to make full use of this courtyard as you recover from your ordeal, it is a haven created for this express purpose. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± The helpful priest took his leave, and the two returned to celebrating.


    ¡°Well?¡± Kade asked. ¡°Did it work, am I speaking to a Magus?¡± Salarus grinned, then closed his eyes¨Cappearing to concentrate for a long moment. When his eyes suddenly shot open, he loudly screamed with joy. ¡°It more than worked, my friend! The boon that Karthas spoke of is real, and it is remarkable!¡± He seemed to remember this was Kade¡¯s first Trial, and hastily filled in the blanks. ¡°Normally stepping onto a new Path will result in two abilities being unsealed¨Cone if you¡¯re unlucky, or did poorly in your Trial despite succeeding¨Cand those abilities often take days to finish manifesting, but I have a third!¡±


    The newly-minted Magus was now pacing with excitement, and was barely recognizable from the ill-tempered man Kade had met only a week or so before. Finally Kade asked for clarification, ¡°That sounds very convenient, but I didn¡¯t get the impression that new abilities were so difficult to acquire, am I missing something?¡± Sal had to pause from almost jumping with excitement to explain.


    ¡°Acquiring a third ability would likely not present an enormous challenge for active Keepers, it¡¯s true, but the one I received is already unsealed! I know exactly what it is, and I can already feel it working! Whether this was random or fate, or some kind of elaborate joke from Karthas himself, I don¡¯t care!¡± He whirled on Kade, appearing almost manic. ¡°It¡¯s called Intuitive Sorcery, Kade! I can feel magic! And I can understand it like a language I¡¯ve always spoken. Even now I can sense Keepers and priests manipulating energy all around us, and I understand how it works!¡±


    Kade tried to process this, but failed. He smiled while shaking his head, ¡°Forgive my ignorance Sal, but I still don¡¯t follow. This will help your quest, I take it?¡± The Magus was already nodding furiously, and Kade saw that he was nearly in tears.


    ¡°It helps everything. I told you that Sorcery is limited because it takes long, rigorous study and a willing assistant to even begin to grasp another¡¯s ability?¡± Kade nodded, a smile forming on his lips. ¡°No longer! Not for me at least. I can feel how it works, see how it works, like it¡¯s something I¡¯ve always been capable of. It¡¯s not an instant solution, and at its early level I¡¯m severely limited in what I can reproduce, but it is the key!¡± He stilled, and his tone went completely serious. ¡°I¡¯m going to do it, Kade. I¡¯m going to carve out a Legend that will change how Sorcery is viewed forever.¡±


    Kade put a friendly hand on the taller man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m proud to have seen the humble beginnings, then Sal. Remember me when you turn into a sun or giant hat or something.¡±


    Salarus burst out laughing, then once again appeared to grow very serious, ¡°No,¡± he said simply, and held the expression just long enough for them both to laugh once more. Shortly after, the promised refreshments arrived, as well as a message that Markis was delayed with an Affinity Ritual in progress, and would join them shortly.


    Sal was sipping a kind of sweet wine, and staring intently at lightning conjured in his own hand, when he suddenly shook his head and looked to Kade. ¡°I¡¯ve been rude, my apologies. I¡¯m so distracted by my own discovery that I ignored your own accomplishments completely. You must have passed your Trial as well, what about your new Path? And your boon?¡± Truthfully Kade had been avoiding thinking about it, content with the vicarious joy he experienced knowing Sal¡¯s dreams were coming true before his eyes.


    Kade was worried. He wasn¡¯t certain he had passed his Trial, and had half-expected that if he emerged at all, it would be to find that the true Karthas had awoken just long enough to crush him with a fingertip. But he was out now, and ignoring the issue wouldn¡¯t solve anything, so he gave Salarus a quick nod, then looked down at this bracer.


    He had to scroll past numerous messages from¡­the encounter with Karthas. He realized that even thinking about the experience was causing his head to hurt, and his thoughts to blur. He could safely picture everything around the pivotal moment where he¡¯d defeated the Elder, but when he considered the role that the strange power inside him played¡­He shook his head as he again felt the fogginess setting in.


    At last he got past the numerous messages about anomalous energy which mirrored his final moments in Altera¨Chis body flooding with energy, pushing past his maximum, then expelling everything at once¨Che realized now that the bracer was responsible for the incessant beeping he¡¯d heard in those final moments. At last he was greeted with another updated interface. Kade¡¯s eyes widened as he took it all in.


    Attention! Interface update!


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)


    Lifeforce: 73%


    Mana: 65/65 (+34!)


    Anomalous Energy Reserves: 143/143 (+60!)


    Strength: 11 (+10!)


    Speed: 7 (+5!)


    Endurance: 8 (+7!)


    Magic: 06 (+4!)


    Unknown: 16 (+12!)


    Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Path Stabilization in progress!


    Creed: Unknown


    Ability 1: Anomalous Energy Blast (Rank 4, 27%)


    Ability 2: (Unsealed!) Path Stabilization in progress!


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Vanguard


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 0, 0%)


    Manifesting! Description unknown!


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 0, 0%)


    Manifesting! Description unknown!


    Ability 3: Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 0, 0%)


    New ability available! Description update!


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    Kade couldn¡¯t contain his grin, and he almost didn¡¯t know where to start. It seemed like practically everything had changed, and he rapidly started looking into details. His attributes had apparently risen first by a small amount through the battles they¡¯d fought, then by leaps from unlocking his two Paths! The mysterious one he¡¯d been granted in Altera was still ¡®stabilizing¡¯, but he suspected that Markis would confirm that it was now properly integrated¨Cor would be soon.


    In the meantime, he had something definitive to celebrate. He was a Vanguard, presumably the variant warrior vocation he¡¯d been told about. It was responsible for most of his newfound strength, speed, and endurance, and he couldn¡¯t wait to explore his new limits. More than that, he¡¯d acquired three new abilities, just as Salarus had. While the first two sounded tantalizing, they were still manifesting and should be available in a couple of days. The third, however, was something that truly excited him.


    ¡°Sal, I unsealed an Aspect of Metallurgy! Please tell me that means I get my own Anton?¡± The Magus¡¯ eyes widened in shock, then his head tilted as he considered. Finally he spoke.


    ¡°First of all, yes, it should mean you will be able to bond and summon an Aspect, but it won¡¯t be an Anton, as you put it, it will be its own unique being. Secondly¡­I¡¯ve never heard of an Aspect of Metallurgy. I¡¯m not even certain what that would be. Possibly a floating hammer or wrench or something¡­¡±


    Kade raised an eyebrow in open disappointment, ¡°Is the great savior of Sorcery really going to take such a prejudiced view on another marginalized Path?¡± Kade had meant the jibe as friendly, but Salarus¡¯ face fell immediately, and he looked truly pained.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right. I never even questioned¡­all my life I¡¯ve been looking at Metallurgy exactly as everyone looks at Sorcery. I feel like a fool.¡± Kade quickly tried to mollify his earnest friend.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Sal. I only thought about it as much as I have because everyone was convinced my chains meant that I would be a Metallurgist. It¡¯s a little embarrassing to admit now that I understand a bit of what it was like for you, but honestly I spent some time thinking I would be doing for Metallurgists what you¡¯re doing for Sorcery.¡± Once more Salarus showed his serious side, as he nodded gravely.


    ¡°A worthy cause¨Cthough I may be biased. I hadn¡¯t considered your chains though¨Cpeople were right to expect you to be a Metallurgist, why didn¡¯t you take that path?¡±


    ¡°Effectively no affinity. One more oddity about my test results,¡± Kade answered nonchalantly. Salarus though, appeared shocked.


    ¡°Was it not explained to you how rare that is? It¡¯s like someone whose Soul Manifests Fire being afraid of fire. Perhaps that¡¯s hyperbole, but it illustrates the point with reasonable accuracy. This Aspect might be the connecting thread, I suppose. If that same Fire Soul couldn¡¯t follow an Elementalist¡¯s path, but instead could summon a Fire Aspect, I suspect we¡¯d accept that readily. Perhaps it¡¯s just more biases around Metallurgy.¡± He took a moment to look around, then turned back to Kade, ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like Markis will be appearing any moment, why not summon your Aspect now?¡±


    Kade blinked in surprise, assuming that such a complex piece of magic would require preparations or study, and he told Salarus as much. The Magus shook his head dismissively. ¡°The complexity is in the cost of the summoning, not anything related to the action you must take. Have you checked your bracer? They often at least have details on the costs of abilities.¡± Kade nodded and turned back to the display on his wrist, tapping eagerly.


    ABILITY (New!)


    Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 0, 0%)


    Growth Rate: Continuous while summoned (Slow)


    Cost (First summon): Soul Fragment (Small)


    Cost (Re-summon): Extreme Mana


    Description: Creates a permanent Bond with a Fragment of Metallurgic power, allowing that Fragment to manifest in local reality. Abilities and attributes are determined by the power of the summoner. Can be infused with additional mana to temporarily increase attributes.


    Kade considered the information, then made a face at the cost. ¡°This says it costs a Soul Fragment. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of those, are they like Magic and Might Fragments?¡± Sal shook his head, then hesitated before answering.


    ¡°It literally means a fragment of your Soul,¡± he was already putting his hands out to forestall Kade¡¯s panic. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you think¨Cthe piece is infinitesimal, and it¡¯s put to good use. The being you¡¯ll summon¨Clike Anton¨Cwill have a Soul of their own, but the tiny piece of yours that you offer will be used to¡­¡± He paused to search for a word. ¡°Flavor? Flavor their own. Your fragment will be like a drop of dye in a bucket of clear water, and will help them adapt to become a better partner to you.¡±


    Salarus gestured down at his stone boots, ¡°Anton has taken a shape he can use to protect me more easily while I¡¯m casting spells, and even enhance my mana regeneration when not performing that role. Were he bonded to a Warrior he might have become a suit of Stone armor, or even some kind of stone¡­projectile¡­thing¨CI don¡¯t pay close attention to Warriors. My point was that he would have become something to compliment their fighting style, as your Aspect will surely adapt to you. It offers great benefit to the Aspect as well, as they are uniform and undifferentiated without a Soul to model themselves after; their only path to individual sentience is through a Bond.¡±


    Kade nodded his understanding, but still felt uncomfortable. Honestly anything about his Soul made him uncomfortable, and often set off the strange warnings he felt when discussing it. ¡°You¡¯re certain it¡¯s not dangerous to me?¡± Salarus shrugged.


    ¡°As I said earlier, Aspects are rare, but even rarities become common over eons. I¡¯ve never heard of any complications relating to their summoning¨Cquite the contrary, you¡¯ll soon discover that this single ability may be enough to make you a far more powerful Keeper than you ever could be otherwise. I¡¯m still excited to see how Anton will evolve when the ability reaches its first Zenith.¡± At that Kade¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Anton can evolve? Will my Anton evolve?¡± Sal looked slightly miffed.


    ¡°Please stop that. I consider Anton a genuine friend and you¡¯re belittling his entire existence.¡± Kade¡¯s face dropped as he realized the joke had been in bad taste¨Che loved Anton after all, and the little stone man had been integral to their survival in the Trial, not to mention brave as it stood before an enraged Elder, never faltering.


    ¡°You¡¯re right of course, and I¡¯ll apologize to Anton when he¡¯s not¡­boots. This is all still so new to me and being an ass somehow makes it feel easier. It¡¯s not my best trait.¡±


    ¡°In fairness, Anton found it funny, but never mind. Yes, Anton can evolve, almost every ability has several possible evolutions. You understand that our Path abilities are essentially memories from Elders who used them in life?¡± Kade nodded. ¡°Well in most cases that Elder would have been able to use the ability in numerous ways, each variation becoming a possible evolution we can acquire¨Cthink of it as uncovering another memory. There¡¯s even some abilities that were common among many Elders, and while the basic version can be received from any one of them, you might find a more exotic version from only a specific Elder. There¡¯s something of a database in Keeper headquarters for this, as some evolutions are rare and truly remarkable.¡±


    Kade was fascinated, but given he had four new abilities to experiment with¨C counting the second one that was unsealing in his mystery class¨Che had more than enough to occupy him. He made the decision. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it. Let¡¯s...carve off a piece of my Soul.¡± Saying it aloud caused him to change his mind several times in rapid succession, but deep down he knew he was committed. ¡°How exactly do I do this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one of the few abilities that actually has a vocal component, as you¡¯re effectively forming a contract with another being. Place a hand over your Soul Core, and speak the proper phrase.¡± He reached over and helped Kade adjust his hand placement slightly, while teaching him the words and inflections for the small Ritual.


    At last Kade was prepared, and with conviction he spoke: ¡°I offer this piece of my Soul, that a Bond may be shared, that a life may be lived as one. Hear my call and come to my side, accept this humble offering, Aspect of Metallurgy!¡± The last lifted into a shout as Kade felt a small tug at his Soul, and then nothing. He took a steadying breath, trying not to think of his sundered Soul, then looked around in confusion. ¡°Did it work? I felt something but I don¡¯t¨C¡± he stopped speaking as his eyes were drawn upward toward the sky.


    Long before he could see the falling object, he somehow knew it was there. It was small, and he couldn¡¯t make out any detail until it crashed down into the courtyard with a small metallic clang. Kade leaned down and inspected the object, which appeared to be a simple, steel helmet. He tentatively reached down, and upon finding the object cool, lifted it from the ground to inspect it properly. It was¡­surprisingly basic. While it was full-helm, and would cover the entire head and face, it didn¡¯t even possess a proper visor, simply two small, angled slits for eyes. He let out a small sigh, figuring he¡¯d have to put on the odd helmet to figure out anything more.


    As he returned to a standing position and held the helmet at arm¡¯s length, everything seemed to happen at once. The empty eye-holes suddenly took on a bright white glow, and Kade released the helmet by reflex. Rather than fall, it hovered in place for a moment before silver chains began to pour out of the bottom. The pile was almost comically large, and both Kade and Salarus had to retreat a few steps as the chains simply kept tumbling out. When the pile was half the size of a wagon, the helmet finally ceased producing more, and fell onto the pile.


    Slowly, the silver chains started to move, shuffling and coiling like thousands of snakes as the mass began to take on a vague shape. It wasn¡¯t exactly humanoid, though it was reminiscent of a man hunched over, with the steel helmet in place of a head. The helmet seemed to stare back at Kade as the enormous mass of chains swirled and looped beneath it, allowing it to move and shift in an odd, sinewy way. At last Kade smiled at his new chain ally, and extended a hand.


    The helmet inspected the hand for a moment before a group of chains rose up and took on a vague, but serviceable approximation of the limb which it clumsily reached out with, clasping to Kade¡¯s wrist. He smiled broadly, ¡°Welcome to Iros, my new friend. I am Kade, and you are¡­Drake. Let¡¯s have some fun together.¡±

 Chapter 23: Aspect of Metallurgy

    Kade watched as his companion seemed to melt back into a pile of silver chains, looking around curiously. The chains that appeared to make up the Aspect¡¯s body seemed to shift around, and rolled like a small wave as Drake explored the courtyard. The process was fascinating to watch, but ultimately ponderously slow¨Cor at least it would be in the heat of battle. Kade was wondering if indeed the strange being was more suited to crafting, when he was startled to hear Markis¡¯ voice suddenly emerge from the nearby tunnel back to the Academy, ¡°What in Karthas¡¯ name is that!¡± he said with shock.


    Immediately the courtyard erupted into chaos, as Drake apparently registered his master¡¯s surprise as indicating some kind of an attack. Chains exploded outward in every direction, embedding themselves in every surface, and lifting the still enormous mass of the Aspect into the air, just above Kade and Sal¡¯s heads. The two retreated a step in shock, not expecting the ponderous pile of metal to be capable of such speed. They hadn¡¯t even properly taken in what was happening as Drake continued to react.


    An entire wall of chains descended in front of Kade, dozens of them as thick around as his wrist, completely blocking him from the stunned priest, who was frozen in place as the madness continued. After only seconds the wall was as wide as Kade was tall, and apparently satisfying the Aspect at that point, the chains instantly shifted into a single, solid piece of metal. When Kade tried to move to one side to see Markis, the wall smoothly reformed in his new position¨CDrake was apparently very protective. The movement allowed Kade a brief moment to watch in horror as the remaining mass of chains dangling from the helmet burst forth, wrapping around the now terrified priest, and hauled him up into the web of chains now spread throughout the entire courtyard.


    The display took less than a minute, and through it all Kade had been too stunned to react, but what came next snapped his mind into focus. More than two dozen chains emerged from the helmet as it raised the wriggling form of Markis up to its cold, glowing eyes. Each chain smoothly took on a new shape, all of them looking as if they¡¯d come from some sort of horrific torture chamber, with blades, saws, spikes, and hammers all represented. Drake¡¯s chains apparently shared few¨Cif any¨Cof Kade¡¯s limitations in terms of the size and shape they could take, as some of the weapons were nearly as large as Markis was. Finally Kade yelled, ¡°Stop! Drake, Stop!¡± in absolute panic, and the chains froze in place.


    Kade had expected the Aspect to return to its original form, but it simply stopped, every chain perfectly frozen, and Kade could see Markis¡¯ somewhat exposed face, staring wide-eyed at the collection of blades poised to eviscerate him. Kade took a breath and kept talking, ¡°Drake, please put that man down. His name is Markis, and he¡¯s a friend.¡± The result was almost disturbingly immediate as the priest was rapidly lowered to the ground. The moment his feet touched the courtyard grass, the chains fell into a heavy pile at his feet. At the same time, every anchored chain zipped back toward the helmet, which at last fell back into a pile at Kade¡¯s feet, the helmet staring forward with its empty gaze.


    If it weren¡¯t for the minor damage to the Abbey walls, and Markis¡¯ terror, it was almost like nothing had happened at all. Kade resolved to spend more time with Aspect before allowing it to run around freely again; it clearly had a high degree of intelligence, and had already taken a similar role to Anton as stalwart protector of its summoner. Kade glanced over at Sal, who was looking at the Aspect with a mixture of fascination and terror, then down to the mage¡¯s stoney boots. He turned back to Drake, unsure exactly how to proceed. ¡°Um, Drake? I think it would be best if you gave me some time to explain things to Markis here. Can you¡­turn into boots, or something?¡± The metal helmet turned to face Kade, then cocked its head slightly at him. Kade thought it was confusion at first, but he was somehow given the impression that the expressionless helmet was trying to convey¡­amusement?


    Kade stared at the helmet for several seconds before he realized he was staring at a helmet, and grew slightly embarrassed. ¡°Right, not boots, that was silly. Um, do I wear you?¡± He didn¡¯t really enjoy the thought of walking around in a helmet which fully covered his face every time he dismissed the Aspect, but he supposed he might not have a choice. Without delay, Drake again moved with shocking alacrity, as the helmet flew toward Kade¡¯s face, pivoting and splitting in half as it did so. Kade reflexively jumped back, but it made no difference as both halves of the helmet slammed shut over him, and he shouted in alarm.


    He was surprised to find that he didn¡¯t need to look through the small eye slits as the entire inside was somehow transparent, though slightly murky. The clear view was enough to witness the entire mass of chains flying toward him at a similar breakneck pace, and his own chains instinctively started rising to protect him. Black chains reached for silver, but moved as if underwater compared to those attached to the Aspect. Kade watched in fascination as every silver chain appeared to independently pivot and dodge to perfectly avoid their black counterparts, before colliding with his arms. As they did so, they shrunk down until they almost looked like wires, and began weaving together.


    Kade held up his arms and let his own chains fall as he watched silver gauntlets form around his hands, covering just past knuckles. The majority of the chains just kept wrapping and weaving around his forearms, however, until they were twice as thick as his upper arms. Finally they appeared to melt together, leaving raised, interlocking plates on the outside of his arms. Again, the whole process had been completed in seconds, and Kade was left unsure how a wagon-sized pile of chains was now comfortably fitting on just his arms. They were certainly heavy, but not remotely what he would expect, and his newfound strength¨Cgreatly augmented by his Vanguard class¨Callowed him to move easily.


    He assumed that the Aspect was using another metallurgic ability that Kade was still struggling to master¨Cmanipulating the weight of metal. He was certain about the massive bracers¡¯ ability to block attacks and shield him however, as it seemed the information was imparted to him as soon as they finished forming. He was disappointed when he realized the Aspect wouldn¡¯t be capable of much shape-changing while in this form, however, as Drake was essentially resting and dormant while it was joined to him. He could do very minor things though, and with a thought the helmet retracted and shifted into the form of a simple silver chain around Kade¡¯s neck. He was also able to shift the metal on his left arm slightly, revealing that Dalton¡¯s Fabulous Bracer of Hope was still happily functioning under all those layers.


    At last Kade looked at the other two men in the room, and saw that while Sal was examining him with a look of academic curiosity, Markis was still visibly shaken. He looked from the gauntlets to Kade¡¯s face. ¡°What in the [hells-abyss-terrors-nightmares-dark holes-heavens-excrement] was that!?¡±


    ***


    Kade was walking home alone, several hours later. After apologizing profusely to the distressed Priest, the man had calmed slightly and normal post-Trial proceedings had continued. The two participants were congratulated, and Selina made a brief appearance, but there was much less fanfare than was required to start the Ritual, as it was understood that most simply wanted to recover once they made it out.


    Markis had taken the time to confirm that both Salarus and Kade had successfully begun their new Paths, and that Kade¡¯s mystery path was stabilized. He assured them both that their new abilities should emerge very soon, though it may be slightly longer as they had received more than the normal number, and their bodies and Cores needed time to adapt to the new energies. Both the priest and Selina had been shocked that the two had each received boons, as Karthas had only done as much for a single Keeper in decades, and that person had received an item, not seemingly rare abilities.


    Sal had still been nearly bouncing off the walls, and was eager to return to his family and share the news¨Che hadn¡¯t been exaggerating, and there were several other Sorcerers anxiously awaiting news of his success. Kade had fewer people waiting for him, which caused him to feel a loneliness that the constant rush of excitement had been holding at bay for some time. He¡¯d been surprised to find out that their Ritual had somehow taken nearly three weeks in real time, and was saddened to hear from Selina that Edwin was still out of the city. Kade did have someone to speak to though, and he hoped Alara was home.


    It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to share the results of the Trial, as he and Alara hadn¡¯t formed a true bond even when living in the same house. Instead, he wanted to discuss what he¡¯d heard from the horrible facsimiles who had begged first for their lives, then for their deaths. There was so much that had disturbed him about those moments, and he didn¡¯t think he could keep going without hearing the truth about one in particular.


    When he arrived at the estate, he was happy to discover that Alara was in, and actually using the training area, which was rare for her. At first he¡¯d wondered if she trained elsewhere, but when he¡¯d asked one of the servants who occasionally worked at the house, he was told that Alara was simply very, very good. Evidently she was so close to Secundus that training had little benefit, and her only real chance of advancing was out in the Chaos. He was curious why she was making an exception now, but when he saw her blasting training stones¨Cimbued magical objects that were nearly indestructible¨Cwith every kind of attack she had, it was clear that she was venting some kind of frustration.


    He approached cautiously, and announced himself loudly but still had an enormous bout of fire sent his way as she whirled at him in surprise. Kade instinctively brought up his heavy bracers in front of him, and was equally shocked and relieved as they somehow dissipated the attack harmlessly around him. He sensed that this ate into Drake¡¯s mana reserves significantly, but was a powerful defensive maneuver, and he could feel the Aspect slowly regenerating its reserves immediately after.


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Alara stopped and stood up straight the moment the attack collided with Kade, and nodded to a nearby table and chairs after confirming she hadn¡¯t harmed him. As she collapsed into one of the seats, she looked down at his new bracers, ¡°So you¡¯re a metallurgist after all? Wonderful, this house is getting old and it will be great to have someone take a look at the plumbing.¡±


    Kade smirked at the light jab, but considered that he was ultimately grateful to not have to single handedly fight for the cause of combat metallurgists, if only so people would make fewer jokes. In answer, Kade reached out and the metal body of the Aspect seemed to pour off of him like liquid, once more rapidly forming a living pile of animated chains. When the helmet at last rose up slightly to look at Alara, Kade made hasty introductions, assuring his overzealous bodyguard that she was a friend¨Cdespite fiery first impressions. Kade then quickly went over getting his boon and new class.


    ¡°So not a metallurgist after all?¡± Alara said, while staring at the unusual Aspect, who was now freely roaming around the training hall.


    ¡°Something called a Vanguard? Markis¨Cthe affinity priest¨Csaid he hadn¡¯t heard of it, but confirmed it¡¯s the Warrior archetype. My abilities should manifest soon, but for now I only know their names, and that they¡¯re not common. I¡¯m supposed to report back to the Academy in a few days for some training, so hopefully I can use them by then. I was surprised they wanted me back so soon, but apparently they¡¯re preparing the new Keepers for something, and need us ready as soon as possible.¡±


    Alara had an unexpectedly strong reaction to that news, throwing her drink across the training yard. A silver chain fired out, and shattered the cup into pieces before it hit the wall, and Kade had to gesture furiously at the ominously shifting Aspect of Metallurgy to stop it from ¡®defending¡¯ him again. Kade then prodded Alara on her obvious irritation. ¡°It¡¯s the same all over the city, everyone is talking about something happening in a couple of months, but no one knows exactly what. There¡¯s always rumors and speculation around Keeper activities, but I¡¯ve never seen it like this.¡±


    She poured herself another drink before continuing, ¡°Apparently it all began when two groups of Bringers returned to Karthas a short while ago. Bringer activity always attracts attention, but this time they returned with two oddities at once¨Ccasualties, and the body of an Elder.¡± Kade did a double-take at the news, first because he¡¯d begun thinking of the Bringers as virtually immortal¨Cfrom what he¡¯d managed to gather, their weakest members were Secundus, with most being Tertius or higher. But it was the second part that seemed completely insane.


    ¡°How and why would they bring an Elder to the city? Don¡¯t they normally try to turn those things into valuables?¡± Alara let out a laugh.


    ¡°Not using Gathering Spears is only a tiny piece of the mystery. This wasn¡¯t a small elder, it was larger than Altera, and they dragged it for weeks. It¡¯s not the most impressive thing a Bringer can do, but they would have had to pull it through the deep Chaos, attracting an unimaginable number of monsters as they did so.¡± She paused to sip her drink, looking off into the distance as if imagining the trek. ¡°I don¡¯t even know how they stabilized it enough not to simply erupt, but what they could possibly need with it is the true wonder.¡±


    Kade sat, pondering, and watched as Drake appeared to inspect the many rows of weapons in the training area. At last he turned back to Alara, ¡°So which part of this made you throw a wall of fire at me?¡± She shook her head in frustration,


    ¡°That I¡¯ve used all my resources, and all my influence to get any sort of clue as to what¡¯s happening, and I¡¯ve confirmed nothing. Somehow the Orders have managed to keep all the intelligence isolated to a small group, but have still undertaken massive efforts in preparation for¨Csomething. That they¡¯re flat-out telling new recruits about a major expedition but my best spies have nothing more to offer is beyond irritating. I don¡¯t know what¡¯s out there, but I do know this is completely without precedent.¡±


    Kade considered her words, but felt like whatever was going on was beyond him for the moment, as his mind was still reeling from the strain of the Trial. At last he asked the question he¡¯d been avoiding. ¡°Alara, did Nicky really die because of me? Would she have lived if she hadn¡¯t used her ability on me?¡± The red-haired woman¡¯s hand froze as she was bringing her drink to her lips, and slowly put it back down.


    ¡°So Edwin told you what I said,¡± before Kade could correct her, she kept going. ¡°Look, that was a difficult time for me¨Cfor all of us. Nicky was so young, and she was¡­special. We all looked out for her, even Graves, and seeing the way she died¡­¡± Even when she drifted off, Kade didn¡¯t feel it was right to interrupt. ¡°It was a lot for all of us. I¡¯m not the most affectionate person, but I cared about that ridiculous kid, and seeing her die like that, for nothing, and in such a horrible way, it was too much for me. I blamed you at first, and that wasn¡¯t fair.¡±


    The admission seemed to strain the proud woman greatly, and Kade waited a moment before speaking. ¡°Were you right though? To blame me? Could she have survived if she hadn¡¯t protected me?¡± Alara stared at him for a moment, then took another sip of her drink,


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was a Soul Power, not an ability, so I¡¯m not really sure of its limits.¡± Kade noticed the way she avoided eye contact, and could sense the truth. He wasn¡¯t sure how to process it all, and knew that now wasn¡¯t the time. But if what the false-Nicky had said in his Trial was real¡­


    ¡°Alara, I have to ask another question. Did something happen to Edwin? Maybe a long time ago? He mentioned a couple of things in passing that confused me a bit at the time, and much more as I¡¯ve gotten to know how our Paths and abilities are supposed to work. Alara hesitated before answering.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking some particularly difficult questions today, Kade. Truthfully I don¡¯t have the answers to this one. I¡¯m aware that Edwin is unusual as he¡¯s more powerful than should be possible as a Primus, but not much beyond that. He¡¯s not much more powerful than a dedicated Secundus, so it¡¯s not really something we think about much.¡± She considered for a moment, then continued, ¡°I can tell you the same rumors everyone knows, but you should speak to him if this is something you really want to know. Edwin didn¡¯t take his Trial at Karthas, but somewhere else¨CI¡¯m not sure where¨Cand for whatever reason, he¡¯s refused to take a Trial since.¡±


    Kade found himself even more curious, but before he could ask anything more, Alara got up and excused herself, claiming she had an appointment she was now late for. Kade watched her go, as the memories played out in his head. You don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve seen Kade, you don¡¯t know what I¡¯ve done! I killed them you know, I killed all of them! Over and over again. He made me do it, but I had to do it, and in the end I wanted to do it! Oh please Kade, release me, release me from this!


    Kade shuddered as he recalled the copy of Edwin tearing at him, pleading and staring into him with haunted eyes as he begged for death. If what the false Nicky had said was true, how much else was as well? Kade wasn¡¯t sure he was ready to know. That he was partially to blame for Nicky was bad enough, but Edwin had become a central figure in Kade¡¯s life on Iros. He looked to the solid man as a mentor, and as a constant as the rest of this insane world seemed to be shifting continuously underneath him.


    He realized he wasn¡¯t ready for these thoughts, certainly not for doubting Edwin, and turned his attention back to his new companion who was gently reaching out with its chains to examine each new weapon it discovered. Sal had asked him about the name he¡¯d chosen, and Kade himself had been at a loss. He didn¡¯t know where the name came from, or why he was so convinced it suited the strange being. He was considering the name, and that it sometimes had draconic connotations, when Drake reached for a spear, and the connection suddenly dawned on Kade.


    He quickly removed the Artifact spear from his belt, and inspected the blasphemous symbol he¡¯d been ignoring since acquiring the item. The creature certainly did have a draconic appearance, and it was a metallurgic Artifact, but Kade was surprised his mind had made the connection. Suddenly a thought took him, and he forgot about the odd name choice for a moment as he approached his new companion. Drake¡¯s helmet spun around, somewhat eerily, and it approached him when it noticed the spear.


    Following an instinct, Kade presented the Artifact to Drake with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you can use this, or if it even makes sense for you to use this, but now that I know I¡¯m not a metallurgist, it¡¯s a pretty terrible weapon for me.¡± The helmet rose up on its chains to inspect the spear, then looked at Kade expectantly. ¡°Go on, it¡¯s yours now if you want it.¡± With that, several chains reached out, and slowly wrapped themselves around the object, which began to glow with the same silver light that shone from within the helmet.


    Kade took a step back, curious, and then all at once the spear seemed to shrink down¨Cnot just into its smaller handle form, but shrunk down completely, seemingly absorbed into the metal. For a panicked moment, Kade worried that his Aspect had somehow eaten the spear, and realized he didn¡¯t know enough to be sure that wasn¡¯t possible. Did Drake think he was giving it scrap metal to get rid of?


    He needn¡¯t have worried though, as the spear emerged from the entity only a moment later, rising slowly out of the mass of chains. Kade¡¯s eyes widened at the sight, as the spear was truly transformed. Gone was the simple, arrowhead-like point, and in its place was a remarkably elaborate series of overlapping blades, running almost a third of the way down the haft. The largest blade was nearly the length of Kade¡¯s arm, and extended from a razor sharp point downward in a sweeping shape, almost like a polearm of some kind. A smaller, similarly shaped blade reached out perpendicular to the first, and was wickedly curved¨Cthe spear could now be used as a slashing weapon, and pulling it from a target would likely be far more damaging than simply being stabbed with it.


    Kade had little time to examine the elaborate design further, as the Artifact was quickly absorbed back into the pile of chains, and Drake smoothly flowed to a different position in the room. Kade watched in curiosity as his Aspect lined up with the training stone, then began to glow as it had moments earlier. After several seconds, the silver spear exploded outward with incredible force, and embedded itself into the training stone, something Kade hadn¡¯t known was possible.


    He looked back at Drake with a smile, about to explain how impressed he was, when he saw the Aspect was still glowing and appeared to be bracing itself. After several more moments, dozens of identical spears burst out of the creature, each one piercing into the stone, until it looked like a massive pin cushion, stone chips flying everywhere, and a single spear actually passed entirely through to embed itself in the far wall. As Kade watched, he realized each spear had a thin chain attached to its end, but rather than pull them out, they all dissolved back into the lengths of chain, and slowly withdrew.


    ¡°Well now,¡± Kade said, his mouth still hanging open. ¡°I think you get to keep the spear.¡±

 Chapter 24: Energist Unleashed

    Kade couldn¡¯t stop running. It wasn¡¯t the waves of energy and magic that always seemed to be a blink away from catching him, or even the sure knowledge that defeat was inevitable if he stood still for even a moment. Instead, Kade couldn¡¯t stop running because he¡¯d never felt more alive, never felt more like himself than right now. Every moment living a hair¡¯s breadth from destruction was intoxicating, and part of him didn¡¯t even want to win, simply wanted to keep enjoying the thrill for as long as possible.


    He felt the lightning a moment before it struck the ground, and without pausing he veered around it, feeling his hair stand up from being so close. Next came an orb of darkness that revolved eerily in front of him. Gravity magic was remarkable, and gave the user an unparalleled ability to control a battlefield, as Kade has seen in his battle against the unnamed Elder so long ago, but this ability paled in comparison to that overwhelming display. Kade knew its range was limited, even though he felt the pull from many strides away, and his opponent wasn¡¯t used to Kade¡¯s new ability yet, allowing him to easily avoid the attack by running directly up the nearby wall.


    ABILITY


    [Relentless Pursuit]: (Rank 0, 47%)


    Growth Rate: (Passive) Increases further when actively pursuing a target.


    Cost: (None)


    Description: No enemy can escape you, no obstacle can hinder you. The Vanguard will orient their personal gravity automatically to allow them to maintain equilibrium in any environment. The Vanguard¡¯s speed and balance is also increased, and increases further when actively engaged in combat.


    It was Kade¡¯s second Vanguard ability, with Drake safely nestled inside his gauntlets and deflecting the occasional attack, still demonstrating the incredible value of his first. But as incredible as the synergies with his new Aspect of Metallurgy were, it just didn¡¯t compare to raw personal power, which Relentless Pursuit provided in droves. As his attacker adjusted to his new location and sent bolts of wild energy his way, Kade smoothly pivoted off the wall onto one of the countless chains that he¡¯d managed to string between the stone walls.


    At first he simply sprinted along the chain faster than any human could have run on the best possible terrain, but as the blasts continued Kade began to run in a spiral around the chain. He was changing his orientation continuously as he was alternately above then below the chain, with whatever direction was currently below Kade¡¯s feet always feeling like down to him, regardless of whether that was sky or ground. It was all effortless, and just pushed him to run even faster.


    When he¡¯d first unlocked the ability several days after returning from his Trial, he had a hard time making sense of it. Even when he thought he had a grasp of the ability, it still took time and practice before he was able to find creative applications for the skill. The passive speed bonus was incredible all on its own, as he felt like he was always one step ahead of the world around him, but the increase during combat sometimes made the world feel like it was paused. Combining that his ability to effectively stick to any surface, and his unconventional fighting style was truly coming together.


    As a blast of wind sent him flying off his chains, however, he was reminded that he was far from done integrating the new ability into the rest of his more practiced moves. His desperation to make clever use of his chains had resulted in endless hours of flinging himself wildly about, like a puppet with too many strings, but that didn¡¯t seem to line up with his ability to simply run extremely fast. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t logically see how to take advantage of both techniques, but he found that his mind fell into patterns of just using one or the other during combat.


    He did so now, as chains exploded from his waist, anchoring and pulling him away from what would have been a brutal collision with another wall. Unfortunately, his opponent was prepared for this, and he suddenly felt the lightning burning him brutally as the chains that had saved him became a liability. He crashed unceremoniously to the ground a moment later, and watched wisps of smoke rise from his body for a moment before Salarus deL¡¯estat finally walked over and nudged him with his boot.


    Kade forced himself to look at the man, standing with hands on his hips and shaking his head in disapproval. ¡°You spent most of that battle looking like you were out for a jog, barely aware that I was here.¡± Kade winced at how close to true that was. The freedom of his new ability was distracting. ¡°Honestly I¡¯m not sure that sparring with you is giving me much value besides creatively aiming spells; I feel like I¡¯m chasing a pest out of the house, not testing myself in combat.¡±


    Kade forced himself to his feet, as the training room in the Academy slowly fed healing energy into his aching body. He looked at the tall mage with a smirk, understanding now that the man¡¯s arrogant behavior was something of a front, and usually accompanied good-natured teasing. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Since the moment my new skill unlocked, I¡¯ve felt like standing still is somehow wrong, and the feeling intensifies in battle.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t explain the laughter,¡± Sal said with an exasperated tone.


    ¡°What laughter?¡± Kade responded, and the other man shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Are you being serious? You laughed¨Clike a maniac I might add¨Cfor almost the entire bout. The fact that you didn¡¯t notice only makes it more disturbing.¡± Kade considered, and realized that it was true.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­try to keep it to a minimum,¡± was the best he could respond with. Somehow the laughter, and the unadulterated joy that came with it felt just as natural to him as his new ability. He was hoping he didn¡¯t appear too crazy, but the look on Sal¡¯s face deflated that notion. The Sorcerer finally just shook his head in resigned acceptance.


    ¡°You still won¡¯t be the strangest Keeper, don¡¯t worry. That is, if you finally find yourself another damned weapon. I don¡¯t even know the purpose of sparring with you right now, if you ever could get close to me, what would you even do?¡± Kade made a scrunched up face at that.


    ¡°I always have Drake¨Cman of a thousand spears,¡± Kade replied, somewhat defensively.


    ¡°He¡¯s as much a man of anything as that pile of training swords,¡± Sal snorted, indicating a large collection of weapons that had spilled over during their practice battle. ¡°But regardless of how effective he is with your Artifact, you can¡¯t rely on an Aspect as your only source of damage.¡±


    ¡°First of all, he has a manly energy and he makes me feel safe,¡± Kade quipped. ¡°Second of all¡­you¡¯re actually right. Every time I start to feel great about my first couple of abilities, I think about what I¡¯ve seen people like you accomplish by comparison. You shredded your way through hundreds of monsters with ease, and even took that Karthas clone down. Now that you have access to your magic senses and can control gravity, you¡¯re a walking reminder of everything I¡¯m missing.¡± Kade didn¡¯t count the mysterious energy blasts he was sometimes capable of, as his new class was still ¡°stabilizing¡±, and he didn¡¯t feel like he could rely on it. Thinking of the other class made him glance down at his bracer in irritation, as he had been for days.


    Attention: [Path to Power] update!


    Objective: Embrace an Ancestral Totem!


    Path: (1) Reach an Elder of a compatible path! (Complete)


    Path: (2) Undergo the Trial of Karthas! (Complete)


    Reward: Pending!


    The reward had been ¡®pending¡¯ since the Trial had completed, and no further quests had been generated. Kade suspected that his ¡®Path to Power¡¯ might be unclear until the rest of his abilities revealed themselves, but it was taking an usual amount of time for that. He looked at Sal curiously, ¡°Sal, did your third ability make an appearance yet?¡± The mage face took on a curious expression.


    ¡°It did, actually, last night. I had to speak to the rest of my family about it, but we¡¯re all a bit blind with this one. Gravity was an enormous boon as you¡¯ve seen; it will help me position enemies for my slower, more telegraphed attacks. But my other ability is called Gate, and it¡¯s a complete mystery to all of us. Everything else any Sorcerer I¡¯ve spoken to has managed to acquire was some kind of base element that we¡¯ve witnessed manifest in some other Path, but no one is familiar with any type of Gate magic.¡±


    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    He looked more curious than disappointed, and Kade felt the tug of it as well. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s something one of the unknown paths is capable of,¡± Salarus just shrugged. ¡°Well, it¡¯s called ¡®gate¡¯, it sounds like it opens something; I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll figure out what.¡± Sal just nodded absently, likely considering the question right now. Kade decided to shift the topic to something more tangible. ¡°So I¡¯ve been to a few classes here at the Academy now, and the broader grasp of the world I¡¯m getting is helpful, but when do we actually get to go out and do something?¡± Sal seemed to refocus as the question reached him.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh yes, very soon actually. They¡¯re fast-tracking the Keeper exam because of the upcoming excursion everyone is so excited about,¡± Sal¡¯s disapproval was clear, not because he wasn¡¯t also excited, but more because of the lack of clear information. Sal hated a lack of information. ¡°I¡¯m not worried, of course, but you¡­¡± he made a vague gesture at Kade. ¡°I know your bravery and capability better than most, but even I¡¯d fail you right now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for that, I¡¯m clearly the one with the ego that needs to be kept in check,¡± Kade replied, dripping with sarcasm. ¡°Is the exam what I think it is? They bring in some monsters for us to fight or something, and grade us on how we do?¡± Sal shook his head, but it was another voice that answered.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t decide whether you¡¯re still playing dumb, or if you¡¯re truly as clueless as you seem.¡± It was Gwendara Valoro, standing near the entrance to the training hall with two students Kade didn¡¯t recognize.


    ¡°It¡¯s a challenging line to walk, but I pull it off,¡± Kade replied dismissively. ¡°I take it the exam is more complicated than that?¡± She gave him the suspicious look she used around him more and more frequently, but answered anyway.


    ¡°More and less, I suppose. No one is interested in how you¡¯d kill some chained up monster in a controlled setting, and we don¡¯t have time to find out either. All the recruits will be taken on a proper monster clearing exercise, with the senior students helping out the newer students, as well as random idiots riding other people¡¯s coattails.¡±


    ¡°I knew I had a place here,¡± Kade replied easily. Gwen¡¯s barbs were frequent, but followed a single, tired theme, and he¡¯d realized early that not being bothered by them irritated her more than engaging. ¡°Speaking of riding coattails, I see you have a retinue of your own today,¡± he nodded to the two standing behind her, comfortable they wouldn¡¯t take his words seriously, as they could only be described as uniquely intimidating.


    ¡°Jothus,¡± the closer one answered, and didn¡¯t speak further. The man was easily half-again as tall as Kade, but unlike Eleonora, he didn¡¯t appear to have any ancestral heritage, he was simply enormous. He stood with arms crossed, with a thick leather vest covering his torso, but leaving the massive, muscled arms bare. His skin was a deep black, and his hair was a collection of tight braids, tied behind his head.


    The other didn¡¯t speak, simply walked past them into the room¨Cor glided Kade amended, as the man moved so smoothly that he could barely sense his passing. He almost had an albino-like appearance, with skin pale to the point of appearing nearly translucent, and silver hair. The eyes however, were nearly colorless, and Kade had a hard time telling where the man was looking.


    ¡°That¡¯s Ryndal,¡± Gwen said for him. ¡°Joth, Ryn and I are a team, and we¡¯ll be at the exam as well¨Cthough I think we¡¯ll see you before then,¡± she finished cryptically. Kade noticed that Salarus hadn¡¯t spoken, and nudged him gently in the side.


    ¡°Sal, you¡¯re doing the creepy stare again,¡± Salarus seemed to have forgotten Kade was there.


    ¡°What? Oh, sorry. It¡¯s Intuitive Sorcery, every time I see a Core or some magic I don¡¯t recognize, it¡¯s like someone has placed a puzzle in front of me,¡± he shook his head to clear it. ¡°What are we talking about?¡±


    Gwen just rolled her eyes and pushed past the two, with Jothus following closely after. Impressively, he maneuvered his remarkable bulk around the two with more grace than Gwen, and the three began to discuss their own training routine. Kade and Sal left the room, but not before Kade caught a glimpse of Ryndal becoming transparent as the doors shut behind them.


    ¡°That Ryndal guy, did he awaken Smoke?¡± Kade was already getting lost in thoughts of Nicky.


    ¡°No idea, I couldn¡¯t stop staring at Jothus. His Core is very unusual somehow, but I lack the experience to understand why.¡±


    ¡°Well just try to control the staring. People are already either intimidated by you or stuck on the whole Sorcerer thing, we don¡¯t need to add creepy to the list,¡± Sal glared at the ¡®Sorcerer thing¡¯ comment, but acknowledged the point. The two proceeded to wander the halls for a time, knowing there was a lecture soon, but without enough time to do anything productive. As Salarus unrepentantly stared at nearly every person they passed like they owed him money, Kade fell into serious consideration.


    He knew he was falling back on jokes because he was even more concerned with his current powerset than Sal was. He didn¡¯t have high hopes for an ability called Challenger¡¯s Might to provide a reliable attack skill, and his combat abilities had stalled considerably with no effective means to counterattack. Even Drake was ill suited as the primary method for dealing damage. Apparently there were Awakened whose Aspects filled that role, but they were essentially support-focused fighters who provided a myriad of buffs to augment their Aspects. Even more, despite Drake¡¯s impressive array of abilities, he still couldn¡¯t compare to a Fire Aspect that could simply cover a battlefield in waves of death.


    He knew it was a problem he needed to solve in a hurry, but he still wanted to unlock his other abilities before just giving up and buying an ax. He figured in the worst case scenario, following Edwin¡¯s lead would be a safe alternative¨Cno one could deny the ax-wielder¡¯s effectiveness. He was still lost in this train of thought when he realized that Sal had led them to the lecture hall, as it was time for their next lesson.


    The auditorium was large, and several hundred students had already managed to find seats. He and Sal sat near the midpoint, with the mage not bothering to look for any friends or acquaintances to sit near. Kade had realized that the man had very few, as his dedication to Sorcery was all-encompassing. Thankfully the man had seemed to take it as a given that he and Kade would be partners going forward. Kade wasn¡¯t sure if it was an extension of the promise the man had made, or a result of the camaraderie they¡¯d developed during the Trial, but he was grateful for it. The powerful man didn¡¯t seem to need Kade¨Cor anyone for that matter¨Cbut having an enormously gifted and influential friend was hugely beneficial to a new and largely unsupported Awakened.


    As the students finally settled down, Kade realized he wasn¡¯t feeling well. Not sick, exactly¨Che wasn¡¯t sure if an Ascended could even get sick¨Cbut there was definitely an unusual tug deep inside him that was vaguely familiar. The feeling didn¡¯t abate, and Kade was almost growing used to it after a few minutes, but he was unsettled by the strange sensations. Finally he was distracted as the lecturer entered the hall from a side corridor, and the whole room came to an immediate hush.


    Lothros, Abbot of Karthas stood before the amassed students, once more looking disturbingly perfect and precise in his appearance. His pale blue eyes swept the crowd, and he smiled in welcome, ¡°Keepers, and Keeper-candidates, welcome. Thank you all for attending today¡¯s lecture, and allowing me to visit this remarkable, and indispensable institution.¡± His gaze swept out over the crowd, and Kade had to admit the man was a charismatic presence, with every set of eyes locked onto him. Kade noticed with amusement that Salarus¡¯ gaze was once more evaluating, not willing to waste a chance to examine someone of such power.


    ¡°I was asked to speak to you today about a topic that should interest us all: emergence.¡± Kade suddenly felt the sensations inside him intensify. For a moment it felt like his Soul Core was swelling, then energy seemed to break free from it, and he realized where he¡¯d encountered similar sensations before. But where a damn had burst in the past, this was more or a valve opening, and cool, refreshing power filled him pleasantly. As the sensation subsided, Kade realized that breathing felt strange, but he didn¡¯t seem to be losing his breath.


    As if on queue, a quiet beep¨Csounding suspiciously like an oven timer¨Ccame from his bracer. Kade eagerly looked down, thinking he knew what to expect. Salarus was close enough to hear the beep, and looked at his friend, seeing Kade¡¯s face screwed up in confusion as he stared at the bracer. ¡°What is it?¡± he asked, then Kade noticed Sal¡¯s intense gaze seeming to look through him, his Intuitive Sorcerer clearly spotting something unusual.


    Kade looked up, and whispered back, ¡°Have you ever heard of an¡­Energist?¡± Sal sat back and considered a moment. Kade knew he¡¯d done extensive studies on different Paths, even had family members visit other major cities to study any exotic Paths that might differ from those common to Karthas. At last Salarus spoke.


    ¡°Actually, I believe I have, though only in passing. My great uncle spoke of meeting someone he¡¯d first thought was some kind of Elementalist Variant, but he couldn¡¯t quite understand the woman¡¯s abilities. He spoke with her as he¡¯d actually hoped to have discovered another Sorcerous Path, but she referred to herself as an ¡®Energist¡¯.¡± Kade listened with interest, but also some reticence.


    ¡°Her abilities were unusual as they resembled a Fire Elementalist in the way the energy was projected, but it lacked any element. I¡¯m afraid he only made a note of it as a curiosity when he learned she wasn¡¯t following a Path my family is interested in.¡± He finished then looked back at Kade curiously. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve unlocked? Are you an Energist?¡±


    Kade nodded slowly, grateful that Sal had provided him with a way to hopefully explain what the bracer was telling him to others. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he continued to stare down at the display.


    Congratulations! You are now walking the Path of the Chaos Energist!

 Chapter 25: Emergent Chaos

    Kade struggled to keep the shock and fear hidden as he stared at the message on his bracer. Salarus clearly looked curious, but Kade indicated they should wait until after the lecture to discuss his unlocked Path. Lothros was well into the subject of Emergence now, but Kade could only catch bits and pieces as his mind was continually brought back to the disturbing Path name.


    ¡°...which of course covers what most of us already know about Emergence. The challenge is obviously that our own experience with the Trance is far removed from those of the Elders around us. While many among us treat the Trance as nothing more than an extended sleep, refreshing and renewing, for Elders it is much different.¡± Kade was just starting to focus again when his eyes started to pain him greatly, and it once again became incredibly difficult to breathe.


    He forced his eyes shut against the pain, though he found no relief from the burning that seemed to go all the way back into his brain. He felt Sal¡¯s hand on his arm, and whispered words, ¡°Kade, what¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯re having some kind of fit, people are starting to stare. Do I need to get you help?¡± Kade was considering agreeing, when all at once the pain stopped. He tried to sit up straight and stop drawing attention, hastily waving away Sal¡¯s concern.


    Even though the pain was gone, he was still struggling to breathe, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he should open his eyes, lest the pain return. At last his breathing seemed to slow and come more easily, and he managed to focus on the lecture to steady himself. ¡°And thus, when an Elder was truly without purpose, or turning away from their purpose, the Trance would take them. But where few Children of Korthos ever stay in the Trance long, most Elders can only awaken once they¡¯ve reached a kind of revelation. When this occurs¨Cand believe me that it most certainly does occur¨Cthat Elder returns with more strength than should be possible from their generation.¡±


    Kade remembered some of this from his discussion with Edwin, but there were also details and implications that he hadn¡¯t heard before. At last he opened his eyes, wanting to give the Abbot his full attention. When he did, it was hard not to cry out in surprise. He managed to keep his mouth shut, but he was utterly overwhelmed by the changes his vision had undergone. Strange lights were everywhere, as if he was looking at a star-filled sky superimposed over the lecture hall.


    Everywhere he looked the strange lights bombarded his senses, and it was only after several minutes of near-panic that his eyes seemed to slowly adjust. Finally he could see that there were actually many different types of light, with different colors, and different origins. Looking at a blinding light next to him, he tried to stare and focus until the blur slowly reformed into an image. With a start, he realized he was staring at Salarus¡¯ Soul Core and mana pathways. The longer he looked, the more details seemed to appear, and he realized he could actually see the energy flowing through the man¡¯s body.


    Fascinated, he started looking around the room and found that the overwhelming cacophony of lights had died down, and he could now pick out individuals through all the noise. He realized why Salarus had been heedlessly staring if his own ocular ability was even close to this fascinating. Curiosity finally got the better of him, and he looked back to his bracer, seeing that there were numerous changes.


    Attention! Interface update!


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)


    Lifeforce: 100%


    Mana: 69/69


    Chaos: 143/143


    Strength: 11


    Speed: 8 (+1)


    Endurance: 8


    Magic: 06


    Energy: 16


    Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Chaos Energist


    Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.


    Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 4, 27%)


    Description update!


    Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 0, 0%)


    Description update!


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Vanguard


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 0, 57%)


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 0, 0%)


    Manifesting! Description unknown¡­


    Ability 3: Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 1, 23%)


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    Kade slowly processed the new information, finding a number of pieces of unusual information. That the ¡®anomalous energy¡¯ was actually Chaos was both a revelation and a mystery at the same time. He¡¯d suspected, in his darker moments, but didn¡¯t want to believe. The fact that it had been purged when Graves cured his supposed Chaos Sickness had been an enormous clue, and too many small moments had added to the suspicion he¡¯d refused to acknowledge. But how he was able to use Chaos was still far beyond him, and he wasn¡¯t certain he was ready for the answer.


    He was also surprised to see that the unusual attribute that hadn¡¯t been revealed previously was just called ¡®energy¡¯, and he wasn¡¯t sure what its purpose was, despite its high level. He was also curious about the update to his Chaos Energy Blast¨Cnow fully revealed¨Cbut he felt compelled to examine the newly unlocked power, curious if it was responsible for the strange change to his eyesight.


    ABILITY (Updated!)


    [Energy Construct]: (Rank 0, 0%)


    Growth Rate: (Variable) Increases upon creating new construct, or slowly while construct remains manifested.


    Cost: Chaos OR Mana (Variable)


    Description: Form an object created from pure energy. This ability can channel either Chaos or Mana, but not a combination of the two. Size, strength, and density of constructs are all dependent on energy invested. Complexity of constructs is limited by the [Energy] attribute, and Energist¡¯s willpower and concentration.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    Kade reread the description several times, trying to figure out how the apparently simple ability might have affected his vision, but there was nothing there. Examining his Energy Blast technique was equally unhelpful, though it had its own insights he¡¯d consider later. The best he could figure, it was just some unknown effect of his Chaos Energist Path¨Chis unusual bracer had already warned him that it had incomplete information on several occasions.


    Kade had to accept that he wasn¡¯t going to solve this particular mystery in the moment, and instead turned his focus back toward the Abbot, hoping that embracing his new strange vision would reveal its purpose over time. Unfortunately, looking at Lothros was like staring into the sun, as the man¡¯s energy had a blinding intensity. Kade realized his eyes felt like he had just exited a dark cave, and seemed as if they¡¯d adapted to darkness. He forced himself to stare into the living star, and sure enough the light slowly resolved into the familiar form of the Abbot, animatedly continuing his lecture.


    ¡°Several cities were destroyed when Alo-yun¡¯s Emergence took place. Remember, he was seventh generation. Typically an Elder manifestation of that power level would be handled by a group of Secundus-level Keepers without incident. In this case, the Bringers were forced to join the fight, and even with several Quartus in their ranks, there were still casualties before Alo-yun finally fell.¡± Kade heard gasps from the other students, and he could understand why.


    One of the things that was finally impressed upon him since reaching Karthas, was the incredible difference in relative power across the different tiers of power. While Primus was relatively common among Ascended Awakened, the power it offered was still extraordinary, and on any other planet such strength would likely be enough to face armies. Secundus was many times more powerful than Primus, but most interestingly, Kade had learned that the power gap between the ranks only grew. Where a skilled Secundus would likely be worth a half-dozen Primus-ranked warriors, the weakest Tertius was often as powerful as twenty or more Secundus in terms of raw energy.


    The gap in power only grew from there, though the comparisons became more vague as there were fewer and fewer examples in the higher tiers. Kade had found, however, that the opinions on the practical application of these tiers was divided into two very different camps. Most of the general populace, and even many Primus-level keepers were so in awe of the higher ranks that they were considered unstoppable. The more seasoned warriors like Edwin, and even the more worldly students like Salarus has scoffed at the notion¨Cthough their reasoning was as different as the men themselves.


    When he¡¯d pressed Edwin, the man had simply smiled and patiently given his take, ¡°Experience, skill, willpower. I don¡¯t care how powerful someone is, be they a Keeper or some Legendary Elder, if they¡¯re nothing but a big container full of power, they¡¯re nothing we can¡¯t handle. You¡¯d be surprised how many Elders were especially guilty of that. They thought that quantity was all that mattered¨Ceven if they lived for millions of years, they just strived to become the biggest balloon full of energy around. But all it takes to pop a balloon is a needle,¡± he¡¯d finished with a knowing nod.


    At the time, Kade didn¡¯t have enough basic understanding of the world, or even how accumulated power worked to understand the implications of Edwin¡¯s words. But thankfully when he broached the topic with Salarus later, the man¨Cas always¨Clectured as if Kade was as much of a scholar as he was. ¡°Balloon and a needle? Hyperbole, though not unjustified in an extreme case. If someone managed to accumulate an extraordinary amount of power without learning how to shape it, and more importantly¨Ccontrol its density¨Ca more experienced combatant could certainly take advantage of that fact.¡± It was the first time Kade had heard someone speak of power density, but it immediately started connecting a few dots that had been bothering him. Sal continued.


    ¡°Put aside the power disparity question for a moment, and instead imagine a more baseline comparison: an Elder, and a Child of Korthos with equal power. Such a thing is more than common¨Cthat relation is exactly how new generations were able to so consistently defeat their forebears. If one was a hundred times the size of the other, but with the same quantity of power, the Child effectively becomes the ¡®needle¡¯. Continue the example and imagine they¡¯re both Elementalists creating a ball of fire in their hands, using say¨Cten percent of their power. Their mana pathways would match their physiology¨Cand their respective size¨Cmeaning the fireball in the hands of the Child would be a hundred times the density of the Elder¡¯s.¡±


    So much had clicked for Kade at that point, with the idea of smaller being better on Iros finally making sense. Though he was left with his original question. ¡°But if you take size out of the equation, and instead compare two Keepers of disparate power levels, does Edwin¡¯s example still hold?¡± Salarus considered further before answering.


    ¡°At that point, it¡¯s down to what may as well be categorized as skill, as well as physiological limits. The skill essentially comes down to a Keeper¡¯s mastery of their own abilities. For now you¡¯ll simply need to trust me that a ball of fire conjured by a Primus, and the identical ability being used by a Tertius is vastly different.¡± Kade realized this might be tied to the so-called ¡®rank¡¯ his bracer displayed for each of his abilities, finding that once more his Fabulous Bracer of Hope was demonstrating capabilities well beyond the standard model.


    ¡°The physiological side is about mana pathways and how your body has adapted to them,¡± Sal continued. ¡°Reaching Primus, or Secundus, or otherwise is largely about your body being capable of handling a new, more complex system of pathways from your Soul Core. This in turn allows you to project more energy, but as you progress, your Core will outgrow your pathways by a tremendous amount. This means that even if a Quartus has thousands of times your total mana, they won¡¯t necessarily be able to create a ball of fire containing that same ratio of power¨Chowever, they will be able to create thousands more balls of fire.¡±


    At that point Salrus had told him to ¡°go read a damned book¡±, and Kade was forced to be satisfied for the moment. He was grateful for the knowledge now, however, as what Lothros was saying was making sense. ¡°Understandably, as there¡¯s a wide mix of students at today¡¯s lecture, not everyone will be familiar with how Elder power grows, as it relates to our own understanding. First of all, they did not truly possess concepts such as Primus or Secundus, which is part of why they often get qualified by a tier system instead.


    ¡°You see, Elders didn¡¯t progress in leaps the way we do. While they slowly accumulated power by slaying other Elders¨Cmuch as we do more commonly with monsters¨Cthey were forced to develop their own mana pathways over time, essentially carving them into their own bodies.¡± That last thought made Kade¡¯s blood run cold, as it reminded him disturbingly of how his veins had blackened during his early use of his Energy Blast ability, which was before he¡¯d had any mana pathways. The Abbot continued.


    ¡°This is the true origin of our classification of power¨Cour bodies need only be strong enough to survive the process of having our mana pathways reconfigured in order to gain access to Paths, and higher levels of energy. The reason for a Trial is simple: we must find an Elder who has already passed the thresholds we¡¯re trying to reach, then allow them to rebuild our bodies in such a way as to achieve new heights.¡±


    A bolder student finally interrupted with a question, ¡°Forgive me Abbot, but I¡¯m having a hard time seeing the connection between this and Emergence.¡± The Abbot smiled indulgently, but Kade sensed he was unused to being questioned by anyone.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t drifted as much as it may appear. While we still talk of the Trance as a lack of purpose, Elders only ever had one purpose: accumulating power. Therefore, the only reason they would fall into the Trance was because they were no longer capable of acquiring more power. This could be because there were no more Elders they were capable of slaying, or because they weren¡¯t skilled enough to improve their own mana pathways further.


    ¡°This is why the Emergence is so terrifying. Yes, their Trance ends in a Revelation as we so often say, but that Revelation is often the same: they have determined how to rebuild their own pathways in such a way that allows them to utilize vastly more power. The reason for Alo-yun¡¯s incredible rampage should now be apparent. He had effectively transformed from a Secundus-level threat, to a Quartus. And I remind you, he was seventh generation. Were an Elder like the great Karthas to have a similar revelation, his power would be unknowably vast.¡± The room went deathly silent, as everyone absorbed that terrifying thought.


    The Abbot gave a moment for the silence to echo through the hall before continuing. ¡°Thus we know the terrifying truth about Emergence, and you should all be more prepared for what you¡¯re likely to face soon as true Keepers. Now I thank you for your time and your indulgence today, and I hope you¡¯ve found this enlightening.¡± With no hesitation the powerful man strode from the room, leaving hundreds of students almost frozen in terror. Some were looking backward toward the mountain where the sleeping giant that was Karthas now rested¨Cdespite the many walls and buildings blocking the view. Never before had his looming presence felt so ominous.


    For Kade¡¯s part, he¡¯d become so engrossed in the Abbot¡¯s lecture that he¡¯d nearly forgotten about the unusual changes that had come over his body, and he realized that his ability to see energy had already begun to feel normal. It no longer interfered with his ability to see, and instead felt more like he was simply seeing things more clearly. He was still very excited about his new ability though, despite the unfortunate truths he¡¯d discovered about his strange Path, and as people began to slowly exit the lecture hall, he gestured for Salarus to quickly follow him toward the training hall, hoping for the man¡¯s insights into how to effectively use his new powers.


    As they emerged back into the sunlight outside, however, he once again found himself struggling for breath, and Sal had to catch him as Kade nearly collapsed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is this what was happening before?¡± Kade wheezed and tried to answer but couldn¡¯t form words as strange pains wracked his body. Sal was starting to panic and was desperately trying to find a healer among the students exiting the hall, but Kade couldn¡¯t even make out the words as his mind reeled with pain.


    He realized his eyes were shut, and forced them open, a part of him expecting to spot some nefarious enemy responsible for his pain. Instead, he was once again nearly blinded as he looked at the energy around him, which was far clearer now that he was out in the open. He looked around wildly, but couldn¡¯t see anything except waves of energy permeating everything¨Ceven the very air.


    But somehow he recognized differences in what he was looking at that hadn¡¯t been clear before. There were two distinct types of energy flowing around and into everything and everyone. One was a bright, pure light he recognized as Calm, and another had the dark, distinct purple haze of what he¡¯d seen connected to all the Elders he encountered. He finally understood what was happening.


    He could see Chaos, and it was everywhere.

 Chapter 26: Energy Construct

    Kade desperately looked around, not for more Chaos¨Che couldn¡¯t stop seeing Chaos. Instead he was watching everyone else. Why weren¡¯t they panicking? Why weren¡¯t they running? The Chaos is here! He had to stop himself from screaming it at the top of his lungs like a lunatic, and only the relative calm of the observers told him that something more was going on than he believed. Certainly Salarus looked worried, but that was just the face of a friend not knowing how to help.


    All at once Kade understood why his breathing was so ragged. It wasn¡¯t his actual breath at all, it was the natural pulse of his Soul Core, absorbing a little taste of Chaos every time. That simple understanding seemed to lessen the feeling, as greater revelations crashed over Kade in waves. Did anyone know? Was the whole of this society based on a lie? His mind flashed back to something he hadn¡¯t considered since he¡¯d heard it¨CChaos Sickness.


    Edwin and his group had spoken about it¨Cthat thousands were afflicted. Kade had assumed this meant people who were somehow exposed to Chaos accidentally, possibly through a monster attack or needing to venture away from the protection of an Elder for some reason. What if that wasn¡¯t true? What if it was just this? People continually absorbing small amounts of Chaos, losing themselves a little bit more each day. As the crowd grew, partly out of concern, partly out of morbid curiosity of the new student clearly in the middle of some kind of episode, Kade knew that any further consideration would have to wait.


    He forced himself to his feet, trying not to let the trickle of Chaos entering his body push him into another gasping fit. He tried reminding himself that he¡¯d absorbed Chaos continually when he¡¯d first awoken on Iros, but the thought was anything but comforting. When he stumbled over to Sal, the man leaned down to support Kade¡¯s weight and he whispered once more, ¡°Please tell me what¡¯s wrong, I don¡¯t know how to help you.¡±


    Kade barely had the strength to whisper back, ¡°I¡¯m okay, can you just get me home? I don¡¯t think I can make it on my own.¡± Kade looked at the dense crowd with defeat, the idea of pushing his way through in that moment as daunting as fighting an Emerged Karthas. Sal nodded without hesitation, then looked up at the crowd blocking them in. Kade was confident the taller and intimidating man would have no problem clearing a path, but didn¡¯t expect the Sorcerer¡¯s method.


    Salarus simply glared, and tapped his staff on the tiled ground once. No magic flared to life, none of his immense power was unleashed at the gesture, simply the force of the man¡¯s will. Instantly the crowd was silent, and a path was made. Dozens of students and even a few full Keepers watched quietly as Sal supported his friend on his slow journey out of the Academy. Kade couldn¡¯t help but smile slightly, despite the pain still tearing through his mind and body; woe to whomever was foolish enough to come between Salarus de L¡¯estat and his friends.


    ***


    Less than an hour later, Kade found himself collapsed in a chair in the training room of Alara¡¯s estate. He¡¯d been surprised to learn that Sal hadn¡¯t been there before. He had inquired with Alara the day he¡¯d met the Sorcerer, but she had barely acknowledged the question, simply replying that her family was very large. Apparently both Sal and Alara were members of side branches of the family, though evidently connected through their shared reputations as black sheep.


    Sal¡¯s family had been looked down upon for generations due to their commitment to Sorcery, and Alara¡¯s had apparently made some mistake in their dealings with the royal family at some point, leading to their being pushed as far from the main branch as possible. Kade suspected that Alara¡¯s dedication to politics and joining the Bringers was at least partially an attempt to redeem her family. He wouldn¡¯t be able to see the two distant relatives interact however, as Alara was once more gone from the estate.


    Salarus finished adjusting the training room¡¯s settings so that healing energy would flow into a miserable Kade, then joined him at the table. He appeared more curious than concerned at this point, as Kade¡¯s condition has improved slowly as they walked through streets. ¡°We¡¯re as far from prying eyes as we¡¯re likely to get, are you ready to tell me about whatever is happening to you?¡± Kade hesitated. He was building trust with Sal rapidly, but the urge for secrecy was overpowering; he settled on telling the man as much as he could without completely giving up his unusual nature.


    ¡°My new path had some kind of side effect; I can see energy.¡± He paused, curious how Sal would absorb this, but the man just put on his customary deep-thinking face, and waited for Kade to continue. ¡°At first it took some getting used to, but I thought I was acclimating as we watched the lecture. As soon as we left though, I saw¡­Chaos.¡± Sal sat up suddenly at that, but still didn¡¯t interrupt. ¡°That''s why I had such a strong reaction¡­the Chaos is everywhere, even inside the city, and it¡¯s going into all of us, all the time. I saw the same thing as we walked here: it didn¡¯t matter if it was Keepers or just average citizens, everyone has Chaos running through them.¡±


    Salarus finally spoke, confirming Kade¡¯s fears. ¡°None of this is supposed to be possible. As far as we know, all societies are built in the Calm created by larger Elders, and that Calm is supposed to be immutable¨Cso long as the Elder doesn¡¯t awaken.¡± Sal paused, thinking. ¡°When an Elder is in the process of an unnatural awakening, the Calm around them destabilizes. However we have experts who can sense that exact problem from Elders who are weeks from Karthas, there¡¯s simply no way they wouldn¡¯t notice the same problem if it were occurring here.¡±


    Kade shrugged, ¡°I wish I could believe I was wrong, but the energy¡­I¡¯ve experienced it before, in Altera, and I¡¯m painfully certain of what I¡¯m seeing.¡± Salarus nodded, as if doubting Kade hadn¡¯t occurred to him. ¡°You said unnatural awakening, I don¡¯t think I understand that, was it covered in today¡¯s lecture?¡± Sal shook his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s an unusual problem, and one you¡¯re more familiar with than you think, given it was what happened to that Elder you faced with Edwin¡¯s group,¡± Sal continued. ¡°We don¡¯t know what causes it, though we don¡¯t believe it to be a normal part of an Elder Trance. Something simply changes one day. Maybe the ambient energy around the Elder¡¯s body, maybe any of a thousand things, but the result is an Elder waking from their Trance without the changes necessary to make it a true Emergence. On the contrary, what comes out is only a fraction of the Elder¡¯s power, and their actual body will sometimes remain behind, still in the Trance.¡± Kade nodded, thinking back to the Elder he had fought, and how it had appeared in a pillar of light rather than clawing its way out of the ground.


    Sal brought the subject back to the Chaos, ¡°I¡¯ll make some subtle inquiries¨Cwhat you¡¯re suggesting is dangerous and alarming at best, a deadly sign of things to come at worst. It wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to broadcast it freely, you could cause a panic, or simply make unintended enemies. For now, how are you feeling?¡±


    Kade considered the state of his body then stood up and stretched, trying to ignore the feeling of Chaos being continuously absorbed into his body. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s actually anything new going on, my body must have been absorbing this stuff as much as anyone else, I just wasn¡¯t aware until now. I think a lot of my reaction was more psychological than physical.¡± Sal nodded in understanding, but looked slightly awkward. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit selfish, I¡¯m afraid,¡± the man looked chagrined. ¡°We¡¯re scheduled for a training bout against Gwen in three days. If you¡¯re not well enough it¡¯s fine¨C¡± Kade cut the man off.


    ¡°No, this is important. I need that experience, and I don¡¯t want to hold you back. I also need to figure out how the hell I¡¯m going to kill monsters if I really want to be a Keeper. I¡¯ll just need to stop thinking about the fact that I¡¯m basically breathing in Chaos, and whatever that might be doing to me.¡± Salarus looked confused.


    ¡°Is that what you were worried about? Your body is designed for that, Kade, how do you think you walked through the Chaos to get to Karthas?¡± Memories seemed to slap Kade in the face as he recalled the desperate search for a Mana Fragment for this exact purpose. He realized that he¡¯d been in Karthas surrounded by people terrified of Chaos long enough to start seeing it as a nebulous enemy he had to avoid. Salarus continued. ¡°You¡¯re right that this is a problem, but only because Chaos shouldn¡¯t be possible within Karthas¡¯ shadow. He¡¯s doing exactly what you¡¯re doing now, and have been since you formed a Mana Bond: absorbing Chaos continuously and expelling Calm.¡±


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    Kade started breathing a little easier at that reminder, but what he wasn¡¯t ready to tell Sal was that the Chaos wasn¡¯t all transformed into Calm inside him¨Chis bracer had a helpful interface ready to remind him of that fact. ¡°Right, of course. I knew that, I suppose seeing it just made me lose my mind a little. It¡¯s invasive watching something disappear into your body against your will.¡±


    Without meaning to, Kade started to unload his frustration. ¡°It¡¯s just one more damned thing, Sal. I keep making bold proclamations to myself, promising that I¡¯m going to take control of my life and stop being pulled along blindly, but Iros doesn¡¯t seem to care what I want.¡± Salarus listened patiently, and was silent for a time, then spoke with unyielding conviction.


    ¡°Then make a choice. I made mine when I was seven years old. You were going to be the one to prove to the world that a Metallurgist could be a powerful Keeper. That¡¯s no longer your path, so find a new one.¡± He gestured at Kade with a sardonic expression, ¡°You can¡¯t tell me that you don¡¯t see any opportunities before you. So who do you want to be, what do you want to do?¡± Kade stared at the man for a moment, caught up by his vehemence. At last he smiled.


    ¡°I think I may have underestimated how much I might need a kick in the ass from time to time. You¡¯re right, Sal, and I¡¯m done letting the choices I can make get lost in the current that seems to be dragging me from one crazy situation to the next. I¡¯m a Vanguard, and an Energist, and I¡¯m going to be a Keeper. What that means is up to me to find out.¡± He made another promise during that moment, but kept it to himself.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m done with the self pity, let¡¯s figure out what I can do.¡± Without stopping to consider it, he focused on his new ability: Energy Construct. He had already decided to avoid Chaos Blast for now, knowing he needed to test it carefully before he¡¯d be willing to use it publicly. Thankfully, his Construct ability allowed him to channel Chaos or mana, and he was surprised by how easy it was to distinguish the two when channeling his new skill.


    Remembering what the description had said about will being key to the ability, he focused his mind and held out a hand. After a moment, raw mana seemed to pour out like mist, and almost instantly took the shape of a cube, which fell to the floor. Salarus ran forward with excitement, staring at the cube that had just materialized. After a moment he cocked his head, then nudged the cube with toe. ¡°With all respect, was that it?¡± Kade snorted a laugh.


    ¡°I wanted to start simple. My ability is called ¡®Energy Construct¡¯, and I¡¯m not sure how to use it effectively yet. I¡¯m hoping for greater inspiration than just throwing cubes, but I need to figure out what I can do first.¡± Sal nodded, but cocked an eyebrow, apparently struggling to see the combat applications of Kade¡¯s death cube. Focusing his will once more, Kade used the skill again, and this time a dozen smaller spheres of energy fell to the ground and started rolling around the training area. Sal didn¡¯t look impressed, and seemed to be struggling to hide his disappointment, likely thinking of their upcoming training bout with the Academy¡¯s top student.


    ¡°I¡¯m being methodical, Sal, you should appreciate that. Now I know I can make objects that I visualize, and also that I can make a number of them in a row. Although that took more mana than I expected.¡± Sal actually nodded in approval at the explanation, then spoke up at the comment about mana.


    ¡°My understanding is that you¡¯ve only been using mana consistently with your Soul Manifestation, which is vastly more efficient than the borrowed abilities your Paths will provide. Don¡¯t worry, your reserves will increase quickly now that you have something to exercise them properly.¡± Kade nodded, then tried a real test, picturing something far more elaborate¨Ca copy of himself. He focused, and pictured himself as well as he could, then unleashed another cloud of mana.


    The two men watched as a vague blob materialized between them, taking on the shape of a man. But after arms and legs became distinguishable, the transformation slowed. Kade redoubled his efforts, and forced more mana into the construct, but quickly gave up as he saw little improvement. He realized he was feeling exhausted, and felt that his mana was nearly depleted. ¡°Damn it. That is really hard to do, and I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a mana problem. I see the image that I¡¯m trying to make in my head, but when it starts to form it all becomes hazy, and I can¡¯t make my mind focus on all the details at once.¡±


    Salarus nodded as if this was no surprise. ¡°It appears to be a heavily skill-based ability, and I suspect you¡¯ll be mastering it for years. If it was easy to bring mental images into the world with perfect accuracy, everyone would be an artist.¡± Kade nodded at the wisdom of that, realizing that Sal had described what he was doing perfectly. He actually did draw a little, but his skills were in their infancy when it came to effectively creating a perfect statue in an instant. There was a more practical problem though¨Che had no idea how to turn this into an effective ability in battle.


    His mind went to a few basic options, like creating walls for cover, but it didn¡¯t seem like something he could build a whole fighting style around. He resolved not to give in, however, and started making more constructs. Sal gave a half smile then moved away to begin his own training, sensing Kade needed time. After a few more attempts though, Kade felt himself completely drained of mana, and looked down at this bracer to confirm.


    Congratulations!


    Mana Reserves: +1!


    Energy Attribute: +1!


    Kade smiled at the results, confirming Sal¡¯s assertions that increasing his mana would come naturally as he used his new ability, and also that the unusual Energy attribute was indeed connected to his ability to shape mana¨Cand Chaos he supposed. As he scrolled further though, his eyes widened as he saw new information.


    Attention! Path to Power established! It¡¯s about time!


    Kade blinked at that, was his bracer giving him sass now? He tried to think back to the numerous unusual messages he¡¯d seen from the bracer, but while he felt some were stranger than was necessary, he¡¯d never seen something this blatant before. He continued reading, putting this down as just one more oddity.


    Evaluating the current Path to Power¡­


    Attention! Extremely Rare Class detected, searching for mentor¡­


    Kade¡¯s eyes widened at that. He remembered the bracer somehow searching for a ¡®compatible Elder¡¯ and directing him to Karthas, but he never imagined it was capable of something like this. He stared at the bracer eagerly, both excited and a little frightened at the prospect of finding someone who could teach him about being a Chaos Energist. At least he didn¡¯t have to wait long for the answer.


    No compatible mentor found!


    Utilizing stored latent mana allocated to pending reward¡­


    Fabricating Mentor¡¯s Amulet¡­


    Complete!


    Dispensing Mentor¡¯s Amulet, enjoy!


    Kade felt his emotions soar and crash with almost no time between, but sure enough, in a moment he felt an object in his left hand. Looking down, he found that it was indeed an amulet, with a small orb wreathed in chains matching his Soul Core. Two of those chains extended up into a clasp, and he stared at it suspiciously, ¡°What the hell does this do?¡± He muttered to himself, and as if in answer, he heard another beep from his bracer.


    Mentor¡¯s Amulet of the Chaos Energist


    Rarity: Unique, Upgradable (Automatic)


    Effect Type: Chaos Energist Class Augmentation


    Details:


    (1): [Energy Engrams] Augments the ability [Energy Construct] to enable the Energist to absorb weapons up to [Primus] level, transforming the weapons into Energy Engrams!


    (2): [Construct Engram] Augments the ability [Energy Construct] to allow for the perfect reproduction of any weapon-based Energy Engram!


    (3): [Imbue Knowledge] Mentor¡¯s Amulet of the Chaos Energist will transfer these abilities to the Energist once they have been used the requisite number of times!


    Attention! Generating objectives¡­


    Objective (1): Create 0/10 Energy Engrams!


    Objective (2): Construct 0/1000 Energy Weapon Constructs!


    Kade was once again shocked by the surprising powers of the bracer, but didn¡¯t hesitate to put on the amulet, which hung from his neck along with the Drake-chain. The moment he did up the clasp, he felt the effects. Without waiting, he ran over to a row of training swords, and picked one up. It took only a moment for energy to flow out like hungry mist, swallowing the sword which disappeared entirely, and leaving a clear visualization of the blade in Kade¡¯s mind.


    Salarus looked over when he saw the commotion, and frowned as the sword disappeared. His eyebrows rose higher a moment later as mana once more flowed from Kade¡¯s outstretched hand, and an identical blade made of blue-green energy appeared. A grin spread across Kade¡¯s face, and he spun to slash the blade across the nearest training dummy, bisecting it cleanly¨Csomething the simple training blade could never have accomplished.


    Kade let out a long breath as he felt stress leave his body. He no longer had any doubts about killing monsters.

 Chapter 27: Breaking Point

    Hours later, Kade stood atop a massive wall, staring out into the night. The moons provided enough illumination that he found he could see nearly as well as during the day, especially as his strange new vision seemed to paint the whole world in gentle waves of glowing energy. Before him was the relative Calm that surrounded Karthas, in one direction seemingly endless farmland and fields in the shadow of the mountain range, and in the other, dense forests and rivers.


    Kade had been surprised to learn that both directions actually contained small villages as well, sporadically dotting the landscape in what appeared to be random fashion. Evidently, even though Karthas provided an immense area of Calm, many still lived in the shadows of other, smaller Elders. These villages often had small populations, and were challenging to reach for most Keepers, so they largely had to fend for themselves. It was hearing about these villages that led Kade to the decision he¡¯d made earlier.


    He¡¯d been pulled from place to place since the moment he awoke on Iros, forced to continually react and adapt to a series of impossible circumstances, and he realized that his sense of agency and control had long-since given over to a tacit acceptance of whatever was going to come next. While there had been moments he¡¯d been proud of, and friendships he was grateful for, the truth was that he¡¯d felt like he¡¯d been stuck riding a wave, and he had lost sight of who he was, and who he wanted to become in this strange new world.


    He liked the idea of the Keepers, and was impressed to find that so many took the role with such seriousness, and even earnestness. But he also felt like he¡¯d been on an inevitable path toward the group since Edwin first found him, and taking the Trial and going forward with the exam were just more examples of unavoidable choices. Kade didn¡¯t regret that he was almost certain to join the organization, but he did regret that it didn¡¯t feel like his choice. He was in a remarkable world, and given remarkable powers, and he refused to just go where fate seemed intent to take him. This was why he was choosing to do something dangerous, because he needed a goal that was truly his own.


    It had been surprisingly easy to scale the outer walls of Karthas¨Chis Relentless Pursuit ability meant there were few obstacles that could truly slow him down anymore, and he¡¯d simply run up the sheer surface as easily as going for a jog. Apparently Karthas being attacked was virtually unheard of, and so there were few defenders to note his passing. Now Kade could pursue his new goal at his own discretion: he was going to make it to each and every one of those villages, on his own.


    He pulled up the seldom-used map function from his bracer, and considered the long, straight corridor he¡¯d carved from Altera to Karthas along with Edwin¡¯s group, and imagined what it would look like with dozens of other paths. He lowered his wrist then dove off the side of the wall, mentally calling to Drake as he did so, and in moments they had both silently landed in flurries of black and silver chains. Kade immediately took off for the forest at full speed, the Aspect using its chains to keep pace as best it could.


    There were several reasons that Kade had chosen this deceptively simple goal for himself. First, he was genuinely excited by the idea of exploring this world on his own terms, and meeting people other than those sheltered behind Karthas¡¯ walls. Second, he wanted to understand the Keepers in a deeper way. Most of what had happened to him so far felt entirely self-serving. He hadn¡¯t made some bold choice to become a protector of the weak, he¡¯d simply been given the powers he needed to survive. Now his power was growing and the thrill of it excited him, but he knew that he lacked a real focus for it¨Cwhy was he becoming this person? What was this power for?


    He wanted to meet regular people, if anyone could be considered such in this deadly world. He wanted to understand what their relationship to the Keepers was, how did they view them, and what did they need from him? If he was truly going to become someone whose life was dedicated to protection and service, then he refused to just fall into it, he needed the choice to have meaning. As he neared the border of the forest, the massive trees which reminded him of oaks and redwoods rose up imposingly, and he considered his final reason for the journey: he needed to get much, much stronger.


    The moment he entered the forest, his chains began to fire out into the trees, and he started working on his first challenge¨Cfinding a way to mesh his speed and traversal ability with his wild chain-riding tactics. This was only the start, of course. The interesting effect of Elder¡¯s providing a radius of Calm was that it was far stronger at the center than the edges, and this resulted in local wildlife becoming larger and more fierce the further from the center you went. As you reached the borders of the Calm, even proper Manifestations of Chaos would begin to appear. All this meant that Kade had a training ground, and a practical way of measuring his growing strength. He planned to move toward the nearest village at every opportunity, inevitably being turned back as the monsters became too powerful for him, then try to get a little further the next time.


    It wasn¡¯t much in terms of grand plans, but he felt that he¡¯d learn more as he eventually reached the frontier people and got a better understanding of their lives. He knew he couldn¡¯t accept official Keeper requests until he passed the exam the following month, but there were no rules against simply helping people who asked. But he was far from prepared for that in his current state. As he heard howling in the near-distance, he changed directions to begin his hunt, determined to master his new abilities, and become someone who had the power to make a difference.


    He¡¯d used up the last of the money that Alara had provided to purchase a collection of basic weapons, each of which his energy had hungrily devoured, allowing him to recreate them from their Engrams thereafter. Add to this his new movement ability and his companion Drake, and things had certainly changed. He also knew that he needed to train with Chaos Blast, but this wouldn¡¯t be the night for that¨Che wanted to be further away from the city before he risked using Chaos-based abilities.


    As such, he now focused on learning to synergize his existing abilities, and began to weave a web of chains in ambush for the approaching wolfren. Seeing the way Drake had immediately used his own chains in such a manner had solidified Kade¡¯s decision to embrace a spider-like approach in combat. His ability to scurry up any chain from any orientation only made the comparison more apt, and he was determined to find as many ways as possible to utilize the strategy in his battles to come.


    Already he¡¯d taken some inspiration in how spiders formed their webs. He made some chains that were meant for him to perch on, swing from, and so on, but others were bladed, and cleverly interwoven so as not to be noticed. Drake suddenly appeared beside him, demonstrating his ability to move more rapidly when duplicating Kade¡¯s trick of swinging from his chains. The Aspect immediately layered in his own chains, seeming to intuitively understand what Kade was preparing.


    As the howling grew closer, two thick daggers of pure energy appeared in Kade¡¯s hands, and a smile slowly appeared as his excitement grew. Whatever else may be happening to him, however many crazy situations he was thrown in, and whatever the tides of fate might lead him to, there was still a simple truth that brought him great comfort: he absolutely loved this. In a dark forest on a massive world, orbiting a star of impossible origin, laughter rang out as howls were cut short.


    ***


    Only two days later, a far more confident Kade stood next Salarus in an Academy training hall, facing off against Gwendara and her massive companion, Jothus. As an Academy official listed off some very basic rules, such as not leaving the training area or continuing to attack fallen opponents, Kade studied the two powerful beings he was about to battle. The first thing that stood out was that neither of them seemed to care that he was present, as they both watched Sal with discerning eyes while whispering, no doubt trying to account for his unusually diverse power set.


    Kade smiled knowingly, as the tall Sorcerer¡¯s new Path would undoubtedly provide a number of surprises for the pair. He also tried not to be insulted by their utter lack of concern toward him, as he knew it wasn¡¯t baseless¨Cnot only was he incredibly new to his power, but these two were some of the best the Academy had to offer. He¡¯d been amused to learn that the combat pairings were determined by an ongoing academy ranking system, of which he¡¯d been excluded from due to skipping the years of pre-training. Now he was simply piggy-backing on Sal¡¯s ranking, which apparently meant he had been thrown into a rather dramatic three-way competition for the top slots out of hundreds.


    He had brought this up with Salarus, once more worrying about holding the man back, but the Sorcerer had shown his characteristic lack of concern. At first Kade chalked this up to the man¡¯s remarkable confidence in his own abilities¨CKade was trying to not use the word ¡®arrogance¡¯ regardless of how well it seemed to fit¨Cbut he¡¯d been surprised to discover Sal wasn¡¯t aware of his own placement on the Academy rankings. The better he got to know the intensely focused man, the more he realized that he could be myopic to the extreme¨Cif the subject wasn¡¯t something he was passionate about, it may as well not exist.


    Regardless of how Sal might feel, however, Kade was resolved not to make his friend look bad. He was also eager to try out a number of new techniques¨Ceven if he couldn¡¯t defeat the two elites, he resolved to make sure no one would ignore him again. He looked to Salarus who was in the process of readying Anton for the fight, and saw that the man did look excited at least¨Cthough on him that amounted to not staring at people¡¯s Soul Cores for a few minutes. Kade decided not to follow suit, and left Drake in the form of the defensive bracers for now¨Che felt that surprise was his best weapon for this encounter.


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    Soon enough the official, Keeper Denna, joined them, ¡°Are the two of you prepared?¡± she asked. Kade noticed that she was looking directly at him when he said it, as if waiting for him to wisely back out. However, before he could even reply Sal had waved her away dismissively.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready; it¡¯s just a training bout after all,¡± Kade couldn¡¯t help but look at the man, wondering if he was truly as calm as he sounded. Noticing his attention, Sal continued, ¡°Haven¡¯t you already figured out what techniques you¡¯d like to see used on real targets? I always have a list prepared.¡± Kade just shrugged, not sure how to answer. As Keeper Denna walked toward the exit, Kade tried to get a better sense of the arena.


    It was a large space, being used exclusively for training events which included higher level Keepers, of which everyone but Kade was considered. It was meant to somewhat simulate a typical environment for combat, and so included a few trees, some boulders, and somewhat uneven terrain. The most interesting feature was the topmost sections of the walls which were transparent stone, allowing for dozens of spectators to observe the match. Kade was struggling to think how to use anything he saw to some kind of advantage, but the truth was that he didn¡¯t have a lot of options, especially given his lack of knowledge of his opponents.


    He could see Gwen preparing herself, gently tracing her fingers through the air, frost gathering around her as she did so. Kade realized he could actually feel the effect, even on the opposite side of the arena. He looked to Jothus standing nearby, but the man seemed bored by the proceedings, and evidently didn¡¯t require any kind of preparation. Kade finally turned his focus back to what his own strategy would be. He at least knew he could go all out, both because he hadn¡¯t yet reached Primus compared to his opponents, and also because the training arena had remarkable healing properties¨Cit would be almost impossible for students of their power level to do any permanent damage.


    He¡¯d grown somewhat more confident in using his abilities effectively after beginning his nightly training regiment, but truthfully he was nervous about facing other Awakened¨Cthey were a far cry from the beasts he¡¯d been fighting, but he was hoping his speed and unusual techniques would take them by surprise. As the official reached the small booth attached to a far wall where she¡¯d be safe from the combat, Kade tried to think how he¡¯d deploy his chains for maximum effect, anxiously awaiting the starting signal. With an echoing gong, the match began.


    Kade¡¯s eyes darted back to his two opponents as he began to fire out his chains, but was shocked to realize that only Gwen was still visible. He tried to locate Jothus, but felt the urgent need to raise his gauntlets in front of him without fully understanding why. He felt the impact immediately as the enormous man burst from the ground right in front of him, and delivered a single punch that sent Kade soaring into the wall behind. He barely registered the tremendous crash as his back and head met the thick stone of the arena, and he felt his vision darken.


    He wasn¡¯t sure how long he¡¯d been unconscious when he finally managed to pry his eyes open, but the battle was clearly raging in full. It took a moment to take in everything he was seeing, but his body wasn¡¯t yet responding to his commands, so all he could do was watch. Sheets of ice covered the battlefield, including some larger spikes reaching several meters into the air. There were also columns of rock and earth in several places as well¨Cseeing them helped him finally understand that Jothus must be an Earth Elementalist, though the force of the punch and his muscled frame suggest it was mixed with a Warrior Path.


    He didn¡¯t immediately spot Sal, until he raised his eyes skyward and saw that the Sorcerer was currently floating on a small vortex of wind, cape billowing out behind him. He appeared to be countering an almost continuous series of different ice attacks from a clearly frustrated Gwen. Enormous icicles would blast toward him, followed by wide arcs of ice, but each one was slightly redirected by a gust of air, or sucked into a perfectly timed orb of gravity. Jothus wasn¡¯t idle during the exchange, as he alternately flung enormous boulders at the hovering mage, or tried to jump up and strike him personally.


    Kade finally managed to regain his feet, irritated that his opponents had thought he could be eliminated from the fight with a single punch, and even more irritated that they were almost correct. He looked down to see that his Drake-gauntlets had been completely mangled by the attack, and sensed that his Aspect wouldn¡¯t be of much use until enough time had passed to recover from the blow. If Kade was going to achieve anything, it would have to be with his personal abilities.


    Thankfully he was still being ignored by the two powerful fighters, and figured he only had one chance to make any kind of an impact. Jothus seemed too dangerous, and based on his frame and affinity to stone, Kade wasn¡¯t likely to cause him much injury. He focused instead on Gwen, summoning a large energy warhammer that took both hands to wield. He immediately began to sprint, allowing Relentless Pursuit¡¯s speed boost to take him around the outside of the arena, hoping to catch her by surprise. Even if he ended up just being a distraction, he hoped Sal would be able make use of it.


    He didn¡¯t dare deploy his chains yet, hoping to maintain something akin to stealth given how focused the other three were on their own battle. As Kade was forced to run across a large patch of ice, he was happy to discover his ability gave him perfect purchase on the slick surface; he¡¯d been worried that a little bit of ice would be all it would take to make his ability virtually useless. As he approached Gwen¡¯s exposed back, he raised the warhammer high above his head, knowing that her life force would be quite high at her power level, and it would take a lot for him to do any real damage. At last he was only a few steps away, and it appeared that his plan would work, only for Jothus to once more burst from the ground in front of him.


    Thankfully Kade was fully in the throws of Relentless Pursuit, and his heightened speed and reactions allowed him to just barely avoid another colossal strike from the giant. Instead, he slipped down one knee, sliding under the punch and bringing the warhammer to bear against the unprotected back of Gwendara. However it was clear that she was no longer unaware of his presence¨Cif she ever had been¨Cas a wall of ice interposed itself between them, and the hammer crashed into it.


    Kade managed to adjust his orientation to run up the wall a moment later, which saved him from a follow-up blow from Jothus, shattering the ice wall completely. Kade finally unleashed his chains, yanking him to one side and giving him countless more surfaces to escape to. Jothus was immediately following after him, launching boulders and rising on columns of earth to catch the illusive Kade. This was what he¡¯d hoped to happen after his failed attack, however, as it allowed Salarus to focus on Gwen without interruption, and the Sorcerer was clearly ready for the moment.


    Anton appeared in his own burst stone, and started to harass Gwen with a furious combination of small flailing arms, combined with signature boulder roll. At the same time, lightning burst into being around the Sorcerer, who threw an orb into the open air above the arena, a storm cloud forming in moments. Gwendara Valoro was a true elite, however, and simultaneously summoned ramps of ice to redirect the determined Anton, while seeming to skate away along the ground, all while continuing to fire blasts of ice toward the concentrating Sal.


    Kade had to focus back on his own opponent however, as the enormous man was showing surprising dexterity in his ability to keep up. Kade pulled out all the stops as chains pulled him rapidly around the arena, and Relentless Pursuit allowed him to constantly change his orientation to make him as frustrating a target as possible. However, Jothus was only ever a second behind, diving underground to appear directly in Kade¡¯s path, or simply jumping an incredible distance to do the same. Worst was when he used his Elementalist powers to cause sections of ground to suddenly crack, or erupt into stoney explosions, forcing Kade to constantly adjust and react.


    Finally the man appeared to make a mistake, as he grabbed one of Kade¡¯s own chains, attempting to pull Kade toward him with a mighty tug. Kade has already tested this long ago, however, recognizing that countless chains attached to his waist were a dangerous weakness. Jothus was learning the hard way, as not only did the chains feel impossibly slippery in his hands, but a moment later they shifted shape to become serrated blades slicing deep into his flesh. His own strength became his enemy, as his powerful grip was enough to pierce his thick skin, something Kade was certain he couldn¡¯t have accomplished on his own.


    The result wasn¡¯t ideal however, as Jothus passive expression finally twisted into one of rage, and he slammed his shredded hands into the arena floor, ripping out a massive stone easily five meters in diameter. Panicking, Kade used a trick he¡¯d been working on in the forest, and utilized alternating chains to drag him forward as pushed his speed from Relentless Pursuit to its limit, but there was simply no hope as the enormous boulder hurtled toward him. For a moment Kade wondered how he would be kept alive as countless tons of rock slammed into him, but at the last moment, a small rock figure appeared before him, and shot toward the immense projectile.


    Kade couldn¡¯t resist watching as the brave little rock man collided with Jothus¡¯ tremendous attack, and stone exploded in every direction. The shockwave slammed Kade into a wall, but he managed to retain consciousness this time, and he regained his feet with considerable effort, eyes glued on the dust cloud in front of him. The color of the arena floor was different enough from Anton¡¯s body that Kade quickly spotted the Aspect¡¯s remains as the dust cleared. Jothus was walking toward him with a look of grim finality on his face, and he contemptuously kicked the remains out of his way as he did so.


    The casual disregard for the stone Aspect that had readily sacrificed itself to protect Kade seemed to break something inside of him. Kade glared at the approaching giant with unbridled fury, and he didn¡¯t spare a moment to consider his own insanity as he decided not to run. Jothus knew he had finally won, and only raised a single fist, knowing it would take a single blow to remove the persistent annoyance that Kade had become. The fist descended with a terrifying force, and Kade made no attempt to dodge.


    But to Jothus¡¯ extraordinary surprise, the attack didn¡¯t leave the foolish newly Awakened as a broken heap on the floor to match the irritating Stone Aspect, but instead was met with an unyielding force the man hadn¡¯t encountered before. He looked with undisguised shock at the tiny man before him, who had somehow caught the blow in a single hand, furious green eyes staring back at him.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have hurt Anton,¡± Kade whispered as his right fist sped forward and slammed into Jothus chest with bone-cracking strength. As the giant flew across the arena from the force of the blow, Kade launched himself forward with renewed energy. Challenger''s Might had finally awoken.

 Chapter 28: Challenge and Adapt

    Kade was like a man possessed as he raced after the enormous Jothus, utterly headless of the dangers the man presented. He wasn¡¯t lost in anger, rather he could feel himself pulled forward by not just his own determination, but his skills themselves as he felt a desperate need to move forward. His speed reached new heights, and he intuitively understood that Relentless Pursuit wasn¡¯t truly designed for his evasive method of fighting, but as the name implied it was meant to propel him ever toward his opponents.


    As Jothus dug massive hands into the earth and finally arrested his motion, he only had a moment to look up before Kade slammed his resummoned warhammer right into the man¡¯s face, sending him crashing backward once more. Kade realized his remarkable strength awakening at this moment was no surprise now that he understood the ability, and with a grin he charged after the Elementalist. Unlike the more common strength enhancing abilities he¡¯d heard about, his was adaptive, and clearly based on the power of the foe he was facing.


    While this was vastly less convenient than a continuous strength enhancement, he could sense that it was capable of making him far more powerful than the alternative. The drawbacks were in line with the power of the ability though, as he actually had to experience the enemy¡¯s strength to adapt to it. This was what had finally awakened the ability, as it took being struck by the giant to somehow acclimate his body. He likely could have used the power sooner, but his instinct to retreat and stay away from the giant after that initial blow failed to meet the ability¡¯s key requirement: he needed to challenge a more powerful enemy, not run away.


    He knew these discoveries were going to completely change the way he fought, but for now he let himself become lost in the battle. Once more he allowed his chains to spread throughout the arena, though he only used them to keep pursuing Jothus, constantly adjusting his angle of approach. The duel was anything but one-sided however, as the far more experienced warrior quickly recovered from his shock, and despite Kade using his chains to adjust his trajectory at the last moment, the next swing of his warhammer was met with an equally powerful block from a stone covered forearm.


    Normally this was when Kade would let his chains pull him away in an unexpected direction, but he now understood that was never who he was meant to be. Instead, he used his superior speed to continue the assault, dropping below the man¡¯s gigantic arm, and abandoning his warhammer in favor of two small energy daggers. Jothus roared in pain as a dozen small slashes rapidly appeared across his legs, before stomping a foot into the ground, launching Kade into the air in an explosion of stone and rock.


    Kade tried to ignore the pain as every part of him was struck by flying debris, and used his chains to yank himself back toward the giant before the dust had even cleared. Jothus was barely preparing his next move when Kade was back, a large two handed ax swinging down with all the force Kade could bring to bear. He felt utter glee as the glowing blade of energy sunk into the man¡¯s shoulder, but a glance at Jothus¡¯ face showed that his celebration was premature. The man had apparently chosen to absorb the strike, as it gave him an opportunity for a point blank strike of his own, and Kade could only brace himself as he felt a rocky fist smash against his left shoulder, shattering bone.


    The force once more sent Kade careening across the arena, tumbling against the ground so rapidly that he couldn¡¯t manage to orient himself, and instead ended up collapsing against a tree that had virtually exploded upon absorbing his impact. He was in shock for a brief moment before the pain in his shoulder assaulted him, and he felt paralyzed by the fresh agony. A part of his mind tried to focus on the inevitable follow-up attack, but he was surprised to find it never came, as Jothus once more turned his focus to the real threat¨Can exhausted looking Salarus who had finally returned to the ground.


    Kade could only watch the lopsided battle as his lifeforce tried to force his battered body into a usable state. Sal was clearly running low on mana, likely having expended an enormous amount during the time spent battling while Kade had been unconscious. Now he was struggling to hurl lightning blasts at Gwen, while numerous orbs of intense gravity just managed to keep Jothus from getting close enough to end the match with his tremendous strength up close. Kade could tell that the valiant Sorcerer was being pushed to his limits, especially without the loyal Anton to protect him.


    Sal apparently noticed Kade was still in the fight, as he looked over despite the endless waves of earth and ice that washed over him. Salarus appeared to take in Kade¡¯s tragic appearance, but nevertheless took a moment to hold up two fingers, in what seemed to be an imploring gesture, before turning back to the fight. Kade thought he understood, and considered his options¨Ccould he buy the man two minutes? He tried to focus on his warrior abilities, hoping their twin urge to throw oneself into combat would give him the energy he needed to regain his feet, and was grateful to find it worked, even if he did feel like both his mana and life force were nearly depleted.


    Kade considered his limited repertoire of abilities, and tried to formulate some kind of hasty plan. With few options, he reluctantly summoned a still-injured Drake, but was happy to see the damage that Jothus had inflicted to the gauntlets only amounted to a significant decrease in the Aspect¡¯s mass of chains. Kade sent silent commands to his metallic companion, who immediately began anchoring chains into the arena floor. Kade¡¯s plan could barely be considered as such, but he felt it would at least be hard to ignore. His left arm was still hanging limply, but he had one more technique he¡¯d worked on during his nightly hunts, and with the familiar¡¯s help it might still be possible.


    He used Energy Construct to create a large horizontal wheel, with its axel digging deeply into the ground. Both he and Drake attached lengths of chains to a hook on the construct, then Kade added large handles to either side of the wheel, which Drake readily gripped. Knowing his time and energy were running out, Kade burst into action, charging at the three-way battle with all the speed he could summon. Both Gwen and Jothus looked at him with irritation, but Sal seemed to understand what was coming, and made sure their attention refocused on him, with lightning and wind assailing them from every direction.


    Kade rushed to try to duplicate what he¡¯d seen the diamond-skinned Keepers perform on the Elder, darting between the two targets with chains streaming out behind him. He even slid under Jothus¡¯ legs, and jumped over Gwen¡¯s head as he tied more and more knots around the frustrated warriors. At last they were so tangled that they both turned their attention to Kade, tearing at the chains covering their bodies and sending deadly projectiles of ice and stone, while Kade desperately darted and weaved. Sal had immediately jumped back and begun chanting some new spell, so Kade wasted no time in charging back to the waiting Drake, stumbling and sliding as he avoided the magical deluge hot on his heels.


    When he finally managed to throw his body against the wheel, he worried it might be too late as Jothus was charging behind him, the loose chains barely impeding the giant. Thankfully Drake had done his part well, as there were anchor chains in every direction, and when they both threw all their strength into spinning the wheel, the chains tightened and pulled from multiple angles, launching the pursuing brute into the air. Gwen joined him only a moment later as the two were truly caught in the complex metallic web.


    Kade grinned through the pain that seemed to emanate from every part of his body as he saw his plan work, knowing that Challenger¡¯s Might was the only thing that allowed him to bind the far more powerful warriors. He didn¡¯t unleash Chainsaw of course, both because of the grizzly nature of the attack, and because he didn¡¯t think it would do more than annoy the two. At last the wheel ground to a halt as the chains ran out of slack, but Kade¡¯s look of triumph turned to concern when he saw that neither opponent was bothering to attempt to disentangle themselves.


    The reason became apparent as he noticed Gwen¡¯s eyes were closed, and she was clearly attempting something in response. Without knowing what to expect Kade simply sprinted away as quickly as he could, but Gwendara Valoro was not to be denied. Kade had barely moved when frost began to gather around him, and in a sudden wave of energy he found himself completely encased in ice, which somehow traveled up every chain in the arena, bursting them a moment later.


    Kade could only stare in frozen shock as the two warriors dropped to the ground, then turned back to the Sorcerer. But the complicated maneuver hadn¡¯t been for nothing, as everyone in the arena saw a burst of flame erupt from the ground between Sal and his two opponents. Kade was confused as he didn¡¯t believe the Sorcerer had access to a fire-based attack, but he could only watch in stunned awe with everyone else as the ability revealed itself.


    The flame spread outward until it was more than four meters wide, before it seemed to carve its way into the sky a similar distance, then folded back on itself, creating a vaguely rectangular shape hovering over the arena. The moment the flame connected, the interior darkened until it became a pool of blackness, and Kade thought he understood what he was seeing: Sal had apparently figured out Gate.


    Jothus and Gwen seemed frozen by the sight, as the ominous doorway in reality loomed over the arena, releasing a strange feeling of dread. Salarus didn¡¯t appear finished, though, as the surface of the pool of darkness began to ripple, and enormous fingers slowly emerged from within. The flesh of the fingers was red and veiny, and as the rest of the hands became visible it was clear that they weren¡¯t remotely human in appearance.  There were five fingers on each sinewy hand, with a thumb on either side, and the moment they¡¯d completely exited the Gate they snapped forward in an instant, gripping the stunned would-be Keepers and raising them once more into the air.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Both Gwen and Jothus seemed to be in pain as they vainly struggled against the enormous deformed hands, and their struggle turned to panic as they were slowly pulled back toward the liquidy black portal. Kade was surprised when they all disappeared entirely, and the gate simply winked out of existence. Salarus seemed unconcerned though as he began walking toward the frozen Kade, brushing off his robes as he did so. A simple tap of his staff shattered the ice, and Kade unceremoniously collapsed onto the ground, pain still ravaging its way through his body. He collected himself just enough to ask his desperate question, ¡°Sal, what the hell did you do with those two? Are they even alive?¡±


    The question was obviously on the mind of more than just him, as Keeper Denna came running toward them looking panicked. Sal merely rolled his eyes though. ¡°Of course they¡¯re alive. I think the Gate would be capable of killing them, but I wouldn¡¯t test that level of power on our allies.¡±


    Denna seemed unconvinced, and there was a touch of fury in her tone when she came to a stop. ¡°What are you talking about, and just what was that skill? I¡¯ve never even heard of such a display, and I can¡¯t sense the students anywhere!¡± Salarus politely waited for her to finish speaking as he helped Kade regain his feet, then patiently explained.


    ¡°I needed to end the match, but those two are impressively powerful, so the other Gate needed to be extremely high up.¡± Both Kade and Denna looked at him with confused expressions, before turning their gaze upward in disbelief. Sure enough, two spots could be seen descending from the sky, and only moments later the bodies of Jothus and Gwen crashed back into the arena, leaving enormous craters and tossing up small mushroom clouds of dust and earth.


    ¡°They should be fine in a while,¡± Sal said dismissively, then turned to Kade. ¡°Thank you for the distraction, I hope you had a chance to test out your abilities thoroughly¨CJothus and Gwen are excellent sparring partners.¡± Kade could only stare at him open mouthed as the mage half-carried him from the arena.


    ¡°Damn that man,¡± he heard Keeper Denna whisper as she rushed toward the fallen students.


    ***


    Gwen was lying in the Academy infirmary, staring listlessly out the nearby window. The blue sky gave her very different feelings now that she¡¯d plummeted through it for what felt like hours. She had been confident that she¡¯d survive the fall, even if she didn¡¯t land in the training arena where such an impact would be lessened. What had left her shaken was the utter lack of control, which seemed to be the theme of the frustrating battle.


    She turned her head to look at Jothus, currently sitting perfectly still as several younger healers seemed to be fighting for the chance to tend to his limited wounds. Always taciturn, the man had been mute since he pulled himself out of the crater his fall had created, and she could see the burning anger behind his dark eyes. The fight didn¡¯t sit well for him either, and not because of anything as trivial as class rankings¨Cthey¡¯d been made to look like fools.


    The battle should have been a joke, effectively a two versus one encounter against a Sorcerer. You could ask almost any Keeper alive what the expected result would be, and they¡¯d all have been wrong. Salarus had surprised them both, with his newly unlocked path providing even more options to the already crafty mage. She was confident they¡¯d have worn him down eventually, but that supposed spy had made things even more complicated.


    The way he fought¡­it was like her mind couldn¡¯t quite process it. There was a piece of it in Salarus as well, a way of looking at things sideways that she¡¯d never experienced anywhere else. She¡¯d been praised for her strength for years, always fighting exactly as she was taught: bringing her full power to bear, and simply leveling anything in front of her. The fact that her Soul Core matched her Elementalist affinity had made her incredibly adept at that type of fighting, as she could usually outlast any opponent, or simply freeze anything that dared stand in front of her.


    This was how Keepers fought; it was how Keepers had always fought. And yet she and Jothus had looked like amateurs out there. Salarus¡¯ performance could be explained by his entire life being dedicated to finding ways to use sorcery to counter the abilities of his fellow Keepers, but they simply hadn¡¯t been prepared for Kade. It wasn¡¯t that they feared his power¨Che hadn¡¯t even attained Primus¨Cbut the way he moved, the way he dodged, the way he was never where she thought he would be. He just didn¡¯t think like a normal person. And that damn, creepy laughter, she thought.


    Gwen allowed herself a few more moments of self pity as she waited for the healers to finally leave her enormous friend alone. His eyes found hers as soon as the door closed behind the last of his admirers. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have lost,¡± she said simply. Jothus didn¡¯t reply, but he did let out a long sigh. ¡°That gate he pulled us into was horrifying. I can¡¯t get the images out of my head; that creature that grabbed us¡­¡± she shuddered before collecting herself once more. ¡°But that¡¯s not why we lost.¡± Joth paused for a long moment before nodding his agreement.


    ¡°I need to understand why everything we did in there felt wrong. I feel like we could have taken down an Elder with the amount of power we unleashed against those two, but it was like they were toying with us.¡± Her words came faster as she let out her frustration. ¡°I had half my strength and focus directed toward defenses I never even used! I kept waiting for the expected counterattacks, and head-on collisions of power, but it was like that Sorcerer was bending our abilities around him, like they were nothing.¡±


    Finally Jothus spoke. ¡°It was more than that. He never used his abilities in the same way twice. Each time I thought I¡¯d learned something that would help in the fight, his next attack would be a different angle, or a different shape. He was annoying when he just had wind and lightning, but with those new powers¡­¡± He trailed off, his thoughts seeming to echo Gwen¡¯s own.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let this stand,¡± she said with a confidence she didn¡¯t completely feel. Jothus just nodded. ¡°We won¡¯t let this happen again. We¡¯ll grow, we¡¯ll become more powerful, we¡¯ll¡­¡± she had to search for a word, thinking back to the battle. ¡°We¡¯ll adapt.¡± Jothus looked back at her, contemplative.


    ¡°We will adapt,¡± he agreed.


    ***


    Kade was sitting atop the city wall, sharing a drink with Sal. He¡¯d insisted that the view was worth the effort, and was surprised to find that the Sorcerer had followed him without complaint¨Cthough the whirlwind that he¡¯d employed to scale the wall had been more eye-catching than Kade might have hoped. Now they were both watching the sun-that-was-Korthos slowly disappear behind the mountains as they enjoyed a bottle of Alara¡¯s wine.


    ¡°I can¡¯t decide if that was fun or not,¡± Kade said, almost to himself. Sal answered without hesitation.


    ¡°It was definitely fun. I¡¯ve never seen Jothus upset before; he looked like an angry mountain.¡± Kade considered, then glanced back at Karthas for comparison, smiling when he saw the resemblance.


    ¡°Thanks for letting me join you, I can¡¯t imagine there are many other students who would have taken the chance.¡±


    ¡°Likely quite a few now that your other Warrior ability has awakened,¡± Sal replied. ¡°You¡¯ll find that there are many other Warriors who share your blessing of speed, or your blessing of strength, but very few who can claim to have both.¡±


    Kade looked at the mage with surprise, ¡°Those seem like pretty common powers, why¡¯s the combination so rare?¡±


    ¡°Likely because they¡¯re considered to be opposites, and it¡¯s rare for opposing forces to manifest in a single Soul¨Cat least from the same Path. It¡¯s extremely unlikely that I could awaken both fire and ice, for instance. Though there¡¯s a greater chance now that I have two pure magic Vocations.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I entirely see the connection, but I¡¯ll take your word. So why do you think I was able to unlock the set?¡±


    ¡°Likely from the unusual conditions you mentioned for both abilities. Neither are entirely without precedent, but it¡¯s far more common to receive less powerful, but more controlled powers. I suspect that you¡¯ll find more depth to both abilities than what might be immediately apparent.¡± Salarus paused to take a slow drink, seeming more relaxed than Kade could remember seeing him. At last he spoke again, ¡°So, are you planning another one of your nightly adventures?¡±


    Kade almost spit out a mouthful of wine. ¡°How did you know about that?¡± Salarus let out a short, mocking laugh, his haughty tone reminiscent of their first heated encounter.


    ¡°You have much to learn about Karthas, my friend, and how people view the activities of Keepers¨Ceven potential ones. We¡¯re interesting to the common people. They want to know what we do with our remarkable powers. And apparently what you do is scale the wall every night to go play in the woods.¡±


    Kade took another sip as he considered how his actions might appear to locals just minding their business. ¡°Okay, I can see how that might be worth speculating on. Do you think I¡¯m in trouble?¡± Kade asked while standing up and stretching. Marveling that the Academy healers had managed to make him good as new in such short order¨Csomething he¡¯d been made to understand would become more difficult as he grew in power.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not in any trouble, but only because no one is truly worried that a few beasts can kill you.¡± Sal looked right into Kade¡¯s eyes, suddenly far more serious. ¡°But don¡¯t forget what I¡¯ve told you before: you¡¯re an expensive investment, and your Bonds are too valuable to be wasted.¡±


    Kade let a small smile touch his lips as he felt the call of freedom beckoning once more. ¡°I won¡¯t forget, Sal. But you should think about letting loose once in a while too. It¡¯s good for the soul.¡± He held the man¡¯s gaze as he let himself fall from the wall, leaving behind a mildly irritated Sorcerer.


    Salarus stood and brushed off his robes, looking down at his retreating friend. ¡°Good for the soul, is it?¡± He considered for only a moment, before a gust of wind sent him soaring after the chained madman he¡¯d somehow grown attached to.

 Chapter 29: The Great Madness

    Two days later, Kade was walking the streets of Karthas, something he¡¯d made a habit of since his arrival. He wanted his life on Iros to feel normal, and he knew that would never happen if all he did was rush around, fighting monsters and swinging from magic chains. He found that he enjoyed the walks now that the sights were less exotic. He¡¯d taken to wearing a long black coat and withdrawing his chains so as not to flaunt his status as a potential Keeper, and now that people no longer stared at him wherever he went, Karthas was slowly beginning to feel like just another city.


    There were oddities, of course, and he couldn¡¯t go too far without spotting someone that wouldn¡¯t have passed for a typical human, but even the unusual was becoming commonplace as he was exposed to it every day. The strange, colorful architecture had faded into the background for him, and the shops selling monster parts were now just butchers to his eyes. He¡¯d even made a few acquaintances and even friends in his wanderings, and was grateful that at least part of each day had become peaceful.


    His responsibilities to the Academy had turned out to be relatively limited, not just because of his personal circumstances, but also because Keepers were expected to be self-motivated, and disappearing for training or studying with non-academy masters was commonplace. While there was never a shortage of lectures and professors ready to help eager students and those farthest from Awakening, many of those closest to becoming full Keepers were rarely on campus at the same time. Kade has posed some questions to Keeper Selina on the subject, as he had expected something far more regimented when he¡¯d first learned of the Academy.


    ¡°It largely falls to the nature of Awakenings, Ascension, and reaching Primus,¡± she¡¯d explained as they walked through the lush campus. ¡°Reaching Secundus and beyond are fairly strict in their requirements, and those thresholds tend to be great equalizers in terms of raw power among the Awakened.¡± Kade considered her words, and what he knew about his own unusual path to power.


    ¡°I suppose I can understand some of that, at least. Awakening your Soul Core can happen in a lot of different ways, at different times, and a lot of people have made sure I understood exactly how rare it is to acquire all your Bonds and Ascend so rapidly. But Primus is still confusing; the most consistent answer I seem to get is that ¡®I¡¯ll know when I¡¯m ready¡¯.¡± Selina nodded and smiled in sympathy.


    ¡°I was given the same answer when I was newly Ascended, and I remember being equally frustrated. You¡¯re correct about the first two stages, as the barriers to progression are largely dependent on acquiring Bonds from monsters or Elders. Primus is more complex as it¡¯s effectively a stabilization of those early, volatile changes that our bodies and Souls go through.¡± Selina paused as they came to a small pond, where she sat on a bench and picked up a nearby stick.


    ¡°This would normally have been covered in class long ago, and it helps to have a visual aid.¡± She drew a number of small circles in a random pattern in the dirt, and Kade sat next to her, watching curiously. ¡°Each circle is a piece of your power,¡± she pointed at them in order as she spoke. ¡°First you Awaken your Soul Core, which is a highly variable source of strength which can grow in unpredictable ways. Next you transform your body, forming bonds, and becoming something more than just a Child of Korthos.¡±


    Kade interrupted, ¡°I was told when I took my bonds that it made me like an Elder, but it was implied that the explanation was reductive because of my lack of experience at the time.¡± Selina smiled, nodded.


    ¡°It would be more accurate to say that the Bonds made your body into something that the Elders would recognize. Yes it brings your physiology closer to their own, but our bodies are just extensions of our Souls, and our Souls will always be what Great Korthos made them. It¡¯s what truly separates us from the Elders and their desperate lust for destruction and dominance, and what gives us the power to ascend to levels of power they could never equal.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually possible to form bonds yourself, though it would take thousands of years unaided. We believe that¡¯s how the first Keepers came to be, shortly after the Calm began. But again,¡± she indicated the circles, ¡°that¡¯s only part of what brings your strength. You must also choose a Path, as that will temper your Soul and guide it toward greater heights. But that¡¯s three entirely separate sources of power, each with the enormous potential to be embraced or squandered. Have you heard of the Purists?¡±


    Kade searched through his memories, his short time on Iros having introduced so many new concepts that at times it was challenging to keep them all straight. ¡°I don¡¯t believe so, but I could be mistaken.¡± Selina waved a hand dismissively.


    ¡°You¡¯ve likely met some without even realizing it, as they rarely announce themselves as such. They aren¡¯t precisely at odds with the Keepers, but their choices do cause friction, which you¡¯ll understand after I explain. Purists don¡¯t believe in Trials, as they¨CI would say quite fairly¨Cdon¡¯t wish to put themselves under the power of any Elders, even those as accepted as Karthas. Instead they focus the entirety of their wills on embracing a single aspect of power¨Cmost commonly their Soul Cores, but many others focus only on Bonds.¡±


    Kade was confused by this, but he felt he could understand their hesitance. He still felt like it was something akin to madness that he needed to put his life and fate in the hands of the very same Elders he was meant to hunt and destroy. ¡°So they¡¯re content to just be weak forever? If they don¡¯t choose a Path, they won¡¯t have access to abilities, or any of the other benefits that come with a vocation.¡±


    Selina let a small smirk show, ¡°If we¡¯re lucky, Keepers will live a very long time, allowing us to make great gains in understanding our own strength, but we will always be splitting our focus. Your bonds have turned your body into a vessel for remarkable might, but what Elementalist will focus on martial arts when they can hurl lightning bolts? You¡¯ve only just begun to realize the potential of your Soul Manifestation, but there are others which are far more deadly from the very start.


    ¡°While you will spend an unknowable amount of time trying to make your Warrior Path work with your chains, and then even more time trying to incorporate any additional vocation into the mix, some Purists will do nothing but train their Soul Powers.¡± She could see that Kade was struggling to keep up, and paused for a moment. ¡°We¡¯ve strayed quite a bit from our discussion on Primus, so let me give an example, then we¡¯ll turn back to the matter at hand.


    ¡°You fought alongside Brother Graves, surely you were made aware that he has Awoken Oblivion?¡± Kade nodded his ascent. ¡°You may not be aware of precisely how rare that is, but that isn¡¯t the point. Oblivion is a terrifying power, as it touches not only on destruction, but with a clever mind and a tempered Soul, it can also touch on time and space as well. Graves has chosen the Path of a healer, but he also heals with his Soul Powers.¡± Kade did a double-take at that.


    ¡°How can you heal with Oblivion?¡± Kade asked in shock and confusion.


    ¡°You¡¯d be better served to ask him¨Cthough I doubt he¡¯d answer. My understanding is that he essentially unmakes wounds. He sends every trace of them to Oblivion, then uses his more traditional healing Path to repair any lingering damage from the contact.¡± Kade¡¯s eyes widened as he considered what he was hearing. ¡°Now you begin to understand the power of a Soul Core. It¡¯s not bound by the hard rules and limitations of Elder-given Paths. Instead its only limitations are the creativity and power of its wielder.


    ¡°What would Graves be capable of in ten thousand years if he did nothing but strengthen his Soul and explore the potential of Oblivion? The Purists seek to answer that very question, and their Soul Powers are often extraordinary to behold.¡± She let Kade absorb this information for a moment, then tapped the circles she¡¯d drawn with her stick to get to his attention.


    ¡°I hope you¡¯ll think to the Purists for inspiration as you explore your Soul Manifestation in the future, but for now let us return to your Path, which is that of the Ancients. As I was saying, you have several newly growing sources of power inside of you, and each can progress independently. This tends to lead to enormous power disparity among those who¡¯ve yet to reach Primus, as some may have tempered their bodies or Soul Cores for decades while waiting for the Bonds they need, or the will to take their first Trial.¡±


    She dramatically drew a single, larger circle around all the smaller ones. ¡°Then comes Primus, which effectively unifies your Soul into one cohesive power. It¡¯s why Primus is considered the first step, despite there being numerous requirements to reach it. Right now your overall strength would be almost impossible to quantify. How can one compare your chains to your agility? Or your abilities to your mana reserves? Primus brings order to this chaos, as it¡¯s a Soul Transformation to match the body transformation brought on by your Bonds.¡±


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Selina looked at Kade and saw she was losing him, then went back to her drawing in the dirt. She drew a separate, large circle, ¡°You need to understand that your Soul has limits, and normally the only way to increase those limits is time, and exercise. Using one¡¯s Soul will strengthen it, but it¡¯s an extremely slow and arduous process. Soul Core Purists need an enormous amount of time to grow more powerful for this reason, and their strength instead tends to come from the number of Soul powers they manage to acquire. But understand this: every type of power you command is ultimately coming from your Soul. Be it your abilities, your Soul Manifestation, or even the strength of your body as it¡¯s channeling the power of your Soul directly into your muscles.¡±


    Once more she paused¨Cever the teacher¨Cwaiting to see what connections he would draw on his own. At last Kade spoke, ¡°So if my Soul has limits, and all my powers can grow¡­presumably they tax my Soul to a greater extent?¡± He saw Selina smile and nod, so he kept going. ¡°So if my Soul power is limited, and one of my abilities gets too powerful, it may stop growing?¡±


    ¡°Far more than that, I¡¯m afraid. If you reach your limit for any reason¨Cmost commonly because of a combination of powers, they will all stop growing.¡± She punctuated this by drawing three equal circles inside the larger one representing his Soul, filling it entirely. ¡°This is the reason that Purists can exist at all, since they will normally only have a single source of power utilizing the entirety of their Soul, and it¡¯s also the reason why a Keeper must continue to walk the Path of the Ancients to break through their limits.¡± She moved back to her first drawing and continued.


    ¡°Attaining Primus will both illuminate the first barrier, and expand it considerably. This will be especially important for you, as you already walk two Paths. Most wait until their Soul is more expansive before taking on such a burden, and you will need to Ascend much more quickly than most.¡±


    Kade felt some alarm at the news, ¡°Wait, so because my Soul is already on two Paths, the strain is higher? How close am I to the limit? Should I be worried?¡± Selina smiled reassuringly.


    ¡°These limits are less restrictive than you think, so you needn¡¯t worry about running into them any time soon. To your other question, however, you¡¯ve found the problem that Primus solves: there¡¯s no way to tell what your current strength is compared to your limit, not without the tempering that Ascending provides. It¡¯s why you¡¯ve been given the unsatisfying answer of ¡®knowing when it happens¡¯, because until you reach the limit, it could be years away or moments. Individual souls inevitably vary in their limits as well, so there are dangers in over-training without consideration.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kade asked.


    Selina absently scratched out her drawings as she gathered her thoughts. ¡°Attaining Primus is most typically done by completing a Trial, like so much of our growth. But as you witnessed with young Salarus, the nature of those Trials can vary widely, and they are meant to push you to your limits, that you might break them. Imagine you trained broadly, and even acquired a third Path¨Cnot impossible, though certainly not recommended. The power of your Soul would be split numerous ways, and at best one of your Paths might be at a third of the strength of a more focused Awakened. If you faced a Trial designed to push a peak-Warrior to the brink of death, what chance would you have?¡±


    Kade considered, but something still wasn¡¯t sitting right for him. ¡°But the variety and adaptability of three Paths would surely make up for that deficit, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Kade was growing used to the reaction that Selina had to his comment, as he was increasingly certain that adaptability was almost taboo in this world, and he even wondered if his bracer wasn¡¯t translating it properly at this point. Still, she answered, even if she was dismissive.


    ¡°I understand your thinking, but I believe your understanding of the Trials is limited. Karthas might just drop a big rock on you that any peak Warrior could lift, and you would be crushed like a bug.¡± With that she smiled, stood up, and left Kade staring at the pond in mute disbelief.


    Kade was still frustrated with the conversation, even days later. He was glad to have a more solid understanding of what it meant to become Primus, and questioning others had led to hints that each step of the Path would grant other boons as well, but Selina¡¯s reaction still irked him. He¡¯d seen numerous different responses when he mentioned adaptation or variety, or similar concepts, but they were uniformly dismissive, some to the point of disdain, and he couldn¡¯t understand why.


    As his developing combat style was taking shape and embraced these concepts to the extreme, he had started to address the oddity more directly. He¡¯d begun with the other professors and Keepers at the Academy, but had found them even more dismissive than Selina had been. He¡¯d moved on to students next, and found them more open to the concept¨Cespecially since his unusual effectiveness in his recent duel¨Cbut it was almost like he was speaking a different language.


    He came to realize that Selina¡¯s comment about the ¡®big rock¡¯ was actually a surprisingly accurate summation of how the Keepers of Karthas approached combat. Everything was a big rock, and you needed to be strong enough to lift it, or break it. Kade had finally taken to speaking to the common people about this strange attitude, and today was no exception. His walk had taken him to one of the nicer taverns in the lower city, and importantly one rarely frequented by Keepers.


    He was trying¨Cfor the third time¨Cto explain his question to someone Kade was starting to realize was far drunker than he appeared, when a voice spoke out next to him. ¡°Why are you so obsessed with this question?¡± the man said, sounding genuinely curious, not mocking or angry.


    Kade turned and saw that someone had quietly joined him at the bar, and was slowly sipping a drink, white staring straight ahead. His appearance stood out only slightly in the bar, as he was wearing some kind of armor under a brown travel cloak, though the dark leathers wouldn¡¯t attract much attention. He had short, deep red hair, and a neatly trimmed beard that stood out against tanned skin. He was obviously Awakened, as Kade had gotten used to the feeling of being near one¨Clike static electricity crackling against his skin, but he was also sober enough to speak, so Kade shrugged and turned his attention to the newcomer.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m obsessed, but I am certainly curious. Plus I put a lot of effort into being cocky, not arrogant, so if the whole world keeps telling me I¡¯m wrong about something, I think it¡¯s worth understanding why.¡± The man just kept sipping his drink, and Kade had almost turned back to the drunk when he finally spoke.


    ¡°People don¡¯t like to talk about it. I¡¯m surprised someone hasn¡¯t shut you up out of politeness by now.¡± He took another sip of his drink, still not making eye contact. Kade was excited, however, as this was the most anyone had even been willing to acknowledge his question, and it was starting to feel like some kind of conspiracy.


    ¡°Well, unless that¡¯s what you¡¯re planning, I¡¯m going to keep asking.¡± Kade replied stubbornly, his chains uncoiling slightly as he spoke. He didn¡¯t think this man was actually threatening him, but he also couldn¡¯t put aside the certainty that the red haired stranger was dangerous.


    At last he looked over at Kade, and deep purple eyes seemed to appraise him. ¡°You¡¯re the new one, aren¡¯t you? The Awakened who survived Chaos Sickness?¡± Kade nodded slowly, having long ago accepted this description¨Ceven if he wasn¡¯t certain of its accuracy. The man stared at him for another moment, then stood up abruptly. ¡°This isn¡¯t the place for impolite conversation,¡± and he strode toward the door.


    Kade only hesitated a moment before throwing down some coins and rushing after him. When he emerged into the busy street, he saw that the man hadn¡¯t waited, but also hadn¡¯t rushed off, and Kade caught up to him in moments. When he tried to speak the man made a silencing gesture, and Kade grew increasingly uncomfortable as he followed. Was he being led to some kind of ambush? Had he truly been insulting people with his questions without realizing it, and now would pay the price? Kade found himself too curious to give up though, and prepared his chains for a quick getaway instead.


    The man guided him into a section of the lower city that Kade hadn¡¯t seen before. It was more quiet, but not deserted, and strangely they began to hear sounds of fighting as they progressed. At last they went down a small alley, and Kade was certain this was when the other shoe would drop, but instead it opened up into a fairly open area behind a number of buildings. A crowd was gathered, cheering on an enormous man and an even larger woman who were beating on each other relentlessly.


    Kade followed the cloaked figure to a relatively quiet corner where they could still see the combat, but could also hear each other easily. The man still didn¡¯t speak, simply watching the match, and Kade followed suit, not sure what else to do. The fight was brutal, as the opponents just exchanged increasingly devastating blows, one after the other, both clearly at least Bonded given the strength and damage they were doing. After what seemed like forever, the man finally hit the larger woman with an uppercut strong enough to send her flying from the small arena, and the crowd burst into applause. Money exchanged hands, and Kade realized where they were. At last the man spoke.


    ¡°So you have a problem with this?¡± he said vaguely.


    ¡°The gambling? No. Awakened being wasted on prize fighting¡­I¡¯m sure there¡¯s people more capable than I am of deciding what to do about that. The fact that we fight Elders of unimaginable power with roughly the same level of strategy as these guys wailing on each other? Honestly: yes.¡±


    At last the man gave a reaction, as a small smile touched his lips. ¡°So you wish to know about the Great Madness.¡± Once more he made direct eye contact, the sense of being measured still strong. ¡°You ask dangerous questions, Master Kadeus.¡±

 Chapter 30: The Flawed and the Broken

    Kade resisted asking the obvious how do you know my name question. It wasn¡¯t a surprise to confirm that this man had sought him out, given their interactions thus far, and Kade didn¡¯t feel like playing games. Instead he decided to gamble, and use the man¡¯s own methods against him. ¡°We both flirt with danger for a living, don¡¯t we Master Bringer?¡± Kade tried to match the man¡¯s casual tone, put on his best poker face, and took almost perverse pleasure in seeing the man¡¯s purple eyes widen slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re better informed than I might have expected, obviously living with Alara deL¡¯estat has its benefits.¡± Kade let a small smile touch his lips, but didn¡¯t respond. In truth he was only aware of a limited number of factions in Karthas, and the Keepers and Priests didn¡¯t seem the type for this kind of subterfuge. Unless he was with one of the mysterious Purists, the man was likely a Bringer by default.


    ¡°Are you going to introduce yourself? I can respect a little cloak and dagger, but I¡¯d prefer to make a friend.¡± Kade noted the man didn¡¯t glance at his bracer for translation, which raised some interesting questions. The bracers synched after spending enough time in close proximity, how long had this man been following him?


    The man only hesitated a moment before surprising Kade with a wide grin. ¡°My name is Cerano, and I have few friends these days, so perhaps I shouldn¡¯t waste a chance at a new one.¡± His entire manner seemed to change as he relaxed back into his seat, somehow giving the impression that he had just returned from war, and was having difficulty with peace. ¡°Recruitment is usually less exciting than this, but you¡¯re an unusual candidate for any number of reasons.¡±


    ¡°Recruitment?¡± Kade blurted out. Suspecting the man of being a Bringer was one thing, finding himself in their crosshairs was altogether different. He¡¯d heard many things about the Bringers since arriving in Karthas, and while many were good¨CBringers being viewed as near mythological figures of hope¨Cthere was also a general sense of foreboding when then their Faction was mentioned. People spoke in whispers, eyes darting to shadows. Kade had come to accept this attitude as another cultural quirk that the natives couldn¡¯t explain, but there were more alarming rumors as well. Cerano didn¡¯t appear to be someone who would snatch Awakened in the night, never to be seen again, but there was that unmistakable air of danger that didn¡¯t lessen even slightly when the man supposedly relaxed.


    ¡°You meet the very simple criteria by which we identify potential members, though you¡¯ve yet to reach a level of power that would allow you true membership.¡± Cerano waited expectantly, but Kade had already decided not to play games; if the man insisted on prompting Kade to ask obvious questions, he¡¯d have to get used to silence. At last the man relented, his jaw tensing slightly before he spoke. ¡°Surely you¡¯re curious what the criteria is¡­¡± Kade made himself look bored as he watched two new fighters enter the ring.


    Cerano cleared his throat, ¡°I thought this would be more fun.¡± He said, disappointed. ¡°Very well, I¡¯ll give the speech, you sit there and brood,¡± at last Kade couldn¡¯t contain a small smile, grateful his small power play had worked, but he¡¯d bet the man hadn¡¯t put this much effort into meeting him if he were willing to simply walk away.


    Cerano spoke, and the speech did indeed seem practiced, ¡°Through chance or keen observation you¡¯ve discovered a limit that exists in nearly every Child of Korthos. Some call it the Great Madness, the Uniformity, or a dozen other things, but we tend to just refer to it as the Flaw.¡± Kade finally looked at the man, as it would be pointless to pretend he wasn¡¯t interested in the answer to the very question Cerano had hunted him for asking.


    Seeing he had Kade¡¯s attention, the man continued with more passion. ¡°I can¡¯t discuss the origin of the Flaw with an uninitiated, but you¡¯ve already encountered the consequences. Our people are trapped, in a sense; trapped by linear thinking. It¡¯s so pervasive they genuinely can¡¯t understand the way someone like you fights, or even just acts day to day. You¡¯ve no doubt seen the way a determined Keeper will simply continue to use the same tactic over and over without seeing results, and it was likely as difficult for you to understand why they don¡¯t adapt, as it would be for them to even consider a change. It¡¯s in our very nature.¡±


    Kade couldn¡¯t help but think back to the first time he saw Edwin fight, hacking away with his axes as if he were in a forest. Swing and advance, swing and advance, never looking away from his goal; Kade had originally thought it a quirk of the woodcutter, but the more people he met, the more he realized this odd behavior was somehow the norm. Gwen and Jothus had fallen into the same rhythms as well, though there were exceptions. ¡°My friend, Salarus deL''estat fights with more versatility than anyone I know, surely he can¡¯t suffer from this¡­¡¯flaw¡¯.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct, I¡¯m very much aware of the young Sorcerer, and he¡¯s been targeted for the Bringers for over a decade. But he¡¯s a rarity for numerous reasons. We suspect we know how he overcame the Flaw, but again, that information is restricted by membership. For now I¡¯m only here to confirm that your suspicions are correct, and to give you enough information to stop you from questioning the citizens further.¡± Kade grew suspicious at that.


    ¡°This is some kind of conspiracy then? Am I in danger for spreading someone¡¯s secrets?¡± Once more Kade readied his chains, not sure what this man might be willing to do if Kade didn¡¯t agree. But instead of danger, the man¡¯s reaction was pained.


    ¡°No, Kade. No one will harm you for this, but you might harm others.¡± He seemed to struggle to find the words, this part clearly less rehearsed. ¡°Surely you¡¯ve seen the looks of confusion and frustration on the faces of those you¡¯ve spoken to? It¡¯s always like that for those with the Flaw. It¡¯s as if some part of them knows that they¡¯re broken, but can¡¯t understand why or how. As I said, they¡¯re trapped by this phenomenon, and you standing outside the locked cage asking why they won¡¯t leave is cruel.¡±


    Kade didn¡¯t know how to react to that startling perspective, and his mind rapidly shuffled through memories with this new context. All his previous frustrations were replaced with a lingering guilt, as the reactions he¡¯d received made far more sense with this new understanding. At last he turned back to Cerano, who was studying him quietly. ¡°So what are you doing about the Flaw, then? And what does this have to do with recruitment?¡± The man appeared relieved to be back on script, and nodded to himself before continuing.


    ¡°To the former, I hope to be able to share everything with you someday, should you manage to join our ranks. To the latter, it has almost everything to do with recruitment. I mentioned there was a single criteria, and you¡¯ve likely intuited what it is: you have to have overcome the Flaw. That¡¯s the fundamental separation between the Bringers and the Keepers, though few outside our organization actually know that.


    ¡°Let me be clear, I¡¯m not disparaging the Keepers at all, and you should never look down upon them. Despite the Flaw, they neither lack power nor bravery, and it is their efforts which largely keep the scattered population safe. However, they are unsuited for the wider world, as survival in the deep Chaos is about continuous adaptation as much as it¡¯s about strength. That means it¡¯s up to us to handle everything they can¡¯t, and sadly that¡¯s a growing list.¡±


    Cerano ran a hand over his face before continuing, and Kade realized he looked exhausted. ¡°Our candidate pool is small, which is why we¡¯d have considered you even if you weren¡¯t causing a stir with your questions. There are only a handful of methods of overcoming the Flaw, none of which can be scaled to any degree. So I was sent to offer you what guidance I can; very soon, we will need every possible Bringer to stand with us.¡±


    Kade cocked an eyebrow at that, ¡°Does this have to do with the Keeper excursion everyone keeps talking about?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but that¡¯s the puddle when I speak of the storm. Surely you¡¯ve heard the rumors of Elder awakenings happening more frequently?¡± Kade nodded that he had, though the information hadn¡¯t meant much to him, other than knowing it was the reason the Keepers planned to march. ¡°Well for once the rumors are actually underselling the problem. I know you¡¯ve encountered an Elder yourself, it was like an enormous, horrifying beast, yes?¡± Kade thought back to the many-eyed monster he¡¯d fought, and nodded again.


    ¡°Those are the Elders that most Keepers are familiar with, and if they¡¯re lucky, the only type they¡¯ll ever encounter. But they are effectively the lost children of their generations¨Clittle more than cunning animals, who gave up their own Paths to Power before achieving true intellect.¡± He leaned forward in his chair, and his tone grew even more serious, ¡°But you¡¯ve also seen Altera, and Karthas. Most believe these to be the exceptions, but that¡¯s only because we sit in the heart of one of the great Fallen Kingdoms. There are countless Elders out there who fought as much with their minds as with their bodies, and they too are awakening.¡±


    Kade considered, and couldn¡¯t stop himself from looking up at the incomprehensibly vast form of Karthas, towering over them. ¡°I have to admit that I don¡¯t truly understand the difference. How do the Elders the Keepers fight differ from these more intelligent ones? I keep trying to figure out how everyone keeps them straight. I hear that smaller is better, but old Karthas here is practically blocking out the sun.¡±


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    Cerano waved a hand dismissively, ¡°You¡¯re only lost because you haven¡¯t reached Primus yet. The same talent that will allow you to quantify your own power will give you the insight you¡¯re lacking. You¡¯ll be able to feel the relative power level of any creature containing the energy of Iros; by the time you reach Tertius, you¡¯ll be able to put a number to it as easily as counting your own fingers.


    ¡°As for appearance? The only real lesson is that it¡¯s very rare for appearance to have any bearing on power level. It¡¯s true that size generally trended downward in more recent generations, but Iros has been around for untold billions of years, and if anyone got much taller than our friend here¨C¡± he indicated Karthas, ¡°--then their heads would be brushing the atmosphere.¡±


    Noticing that Kade was captivated by the subject, Cerano put on an indulgent smile and continued. ¡°I¡¯m not the foremost expert on the subject, but being a Bringer allows you to travel more than most, and I¡¯ve heard some stories. There was a dig once into a Forgotten Kingdom just south of Dalton, and they found Elders smaller than your fist, if you could believe it.¡± His face fell, slightly. ¡°That story actually ended tragically. Someone picked up one of the Elders and took it as a souvenir. It Awakened in the middle of a city and was a nightmare to stop.¡±


    He looked sheepish, ¡°Sorry, there aren¡¯t many stories involving Elders that don¡¯t end in death and destruction. I can at least say that the tiny Kingdom they discovered was ancient and rare, as the majority of generations did tend to grow to outrageous sizes. The greater threat, however, has always been intellect. As Elders accumulate power, they slowly shift from raw instinct into careful calculation, and it¡¯s then that they become a true threat.


    ¡°Keepers can handle the beast-like Elders as it¡¯s rarely more than what we¡¯re seeing here,¡± he gestured at the latest match-up of fighters, this time a very skinny young woman was rapidly pummeling a round, burly man. ¡°Just two forces throwing their power around. Don¡¯t get me wrong, it¡¯s necessary, and the Keepers are dedicated warriors who perform their roles admirably. But someone like your friend Altera could turn their attacks against them, or ignore them entirely.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ignore them? Would the Keepers really not be a threat?¡± Kade asked, trying to imagine what an intelligent Elder would even desire.


    ¡°Not at all; a thinking Elder isn¡¯t necessarily more powerful than their more beast-like kin, but do you remember what it was like when you fought alongside Edwin?¡± Kade thought back, as so much of that battle was blurred by guilt and pain. Then it occurred to him.


    ¡°The Elder just attacked the strongest target. Later on it seemed to flail out in every direction, but for the longest time it just kept doing the same thing over and ov¨C¡± Kade cut off suddenly, and Cerano smiled in approval. ¡°The Elder had the Flaw?¡±


    ¡°As near as we can figure, yes. They¡¯re single-minded even to the point that it leads to their deaths. But once they reach a certain level of intelligence, they overcome that limitation and become something else entirely. Imagine an Elder that simply ran past the Keepers and tore Karthas apart. Imagine a hundred doing so at once. This is what the Bringers fear, and the reason for our desperation.¡±


    Kade suddenly whipped his head back and forth in suspicion, only now considering that they were in public and speaking of something that must be highly restricted information. ¡°Why are you telling me this? Isn¡¯t it dangerous to know something of this magnitude?¡± Cerano sighed.


    ¡°I wish that it wasn¡¯t, but you¡¯re right. I strongly suggest you keep what I¡¯ve told you to yourself.¡± He paused, considering. ¡°You can tell Salarus as well, if you feel you can trust him with it, but do not tell Alara. She¡¯s as flawed as anyone, and her singular focus is politics: she wouldn¡¯t be able to stop herself from using this information as leverage. It would only hurt her in the end.¡±


    ¡°But you trust me with it? Even I¡¯m suspicious of my shady origins.¡± Kade said in disbelief, but Cerano just laughed.


    ¡°Trust is perhaps too great a word, but you are being brought into our confidence. It¡¯s a test, and not a subtle one. We want you in the Bringers if your power can grow to match your potential, and seeing what you do with these insights will show us what value you can bring to our organization. Besides, I deal in shady origins,¡± he finished with a smirk, then abruptly stood up.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to leave, but we¡¯ll see each other again. For now I¡¯ll give you a piece of advice: don¡¯t lean too far into your own unusual tactics; they¡¯ll be far more effective if you have a proper bedrock of understanding to depart from, rather than relying on nothing but surprise and momentum. Seek out a proper weapons master, and some kind of martial arts as well; I promise you¡¯ll appreciate the results.¡±


    Kade stood up, teeming with more questions as the man began to walk away. But Cerano stopped suddenly, looking up as if lost in thought, then turned back to Kade once more. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one last thing, though in truth it might harm more than help.¡± He stepped closer to Kade and spoke softly. ¡°Many of the rules about our powers are intractable¨Csuch as your affinities¨Cbut others¡­¡± he drifted off, seeming to second guess himself, then sighed and continued. ¡°Others are the Flaw made manifest, and are more like self-imposed limitations. Your abilities are not so set in stone as many believe. Look inward, and consider my words.¡± With that he turned and disappeared down a nearby alley, leaving Kade heavy with revelation and worry.


    ***


    Later that night, Kade found himself in what had become his usual spot atop the Karthas wall, staring outward. He¡¯d finally found a local brewer that served more than wine and unusual spirits, and he had the local equivalent of a few ¡®thinking beers¡¯ next to him. It had become a bit of a ritual to spend an hour or so on the wall each night, watching the sunset and sharing a drink with Salarus when the man had the time to join him. Tonight he was alone, however, and appreciated the solitude.


    He was still digesting everything Cerano had told him, and wondering about everything the man had left out. He wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d expected when he¡¯d begun exploring the odd linear thinking that seemed so prevalent among these people, but some kind of physical block had never occurred to him. The fact that it was shared with the Elders raised a number of other interesting questions that Kade couldn¡¯t begin to answer. There was something about the vision he¡¯d seen during the Trial of Karthas that made him believe the Flaw might be connected to the Cycle. The blind desperation that both the Elders and newly born creatures displayed spoke of some kind of compulsion, and he still wondered at the rest of that scene.


    He looked upward at the moons, having grown used to the odd way that the sky could sometimes be entirely filled with them, or completely empty. He remembered the light they had emitted, and was sure it was somehow connected to the eerie way that the new Elders had been birthed from the ground, and wondered if he¡¯d ever truly understand what he¡¯d witnessed in that hellscape. He¡¯d asked around since then, but ¡®the Cycle¡¯ was looked upon as near-myth by this point, and scholarly studies didn¡¯t vary much from children¡¯s tales on the subject.


    Competing for his attention was the news that the Bringers were not only aware of him, but had effectively invited him to join their ranks already. He knew he needed to increase his personal power, and becoming Primus had become a clear goal for him, but he had a growing certainty that he¡¯d one day be able to return to the Chaos. ¡°I must get back to the Chaos,¡± he whispered.


    Several minutes passed in silence and he finally had to shake his head to clear it. This day must be weighing on me even more heavily than I realized, he thought. At last he stood up, stretching and feeling the energy currents against his skin. Tonight was an important night, and it felt almost fated that he¡¯d also had a revelatory day. He was finally going to push all the way to the first village by sunup, and more than that, it was time to learn how to truly wield Chaos.


    He wondered what his absent mentor would think if he knew what Kade was not only capable of, but about to embrace. He knew that he needed to master the fullness of his powers, and whether he liked it or not Chaos was a part of him: his Path as a Chaos Energist wouldn¡¯t let him forget that fact. But Edwin had been so kind, and patient. A stalwart champion against Chaos, and the fundamental embodiment of the Keepers of the Calm. What would that gentle man think if he knew what Kade was about to do?


    ***


    Edwin¡¯s ax came down with deadly finality, and the small body joined the rest. Nera¡¯s lifeless eyes stared up at him in confusion and horror, but the woodcutter just kept putting one foot in front of the other. The forest was dark, and perfectly, impossibly silent, offering none of the comfort or peace that it once had. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from looking backward¨Cas he did each time¨Cat the trail of blood and destruction he¡¯d left disappearing into the distance.


    Another voice called out in front of him, and this time it was his uncle. He hated that he felt joy when it was his uncle; he¡¯d never been close to the man and killing him was so much easier than the rest. Even after doing this countless times, he still hesitated, though. Partly it was his increasingly broken mind still resisting the inevitable, but he was also unsure of whether faster or slower was best. If he killed them all as quickly as possible, would this horror end sooner? Or should he delay as long as possible, with more time being the right answer? The only thing he knew with certainty was that it was worse when he didn¡¯t kill them. What they did to themselves made this a mercy.


    His ax fell once more, and he realized he could no longer feel the blood anymore¨Cthere was simply too much on him already. The voice rang out again, as it did every time; as it had for weeks, or years, Edwin didn¡¯t know anymore.


    DO YOU SEE? DO YOU AT LAST UNDERSTAND?


    Edwin didn¡¯t bother to answer, as he knew the voice wasn¡¯t waiting for words. Instead he just took another step forward, and surprised himself when he felt tears running down his face. He thought he¡¯d run out of tears so long ago¡­


    YOU STILL DO NOT SEE. YOU STILL DO NOT UNDERSTAND. I WILL HELP YOU. I WILL FIX YOU.


    Another voice called out from the dark forest ahead, and this time it was his wife Tana. Edwin could only lift his ax and take another step.

 Chapter 31: Taming Chaos

    Kade moved rapidly through the woods, a combination of Relentless Pursuit and chains driving him faster and faster. These long nights of practice were paying off, and he was getting better at using his momentum in creative ways. Chains would send him whipping between trees, over obstacles, and sometimes high into the air¨Cjust because he could. Every day the freedom of these moments became more important, as life on Iros grew more complex, and the realities of his new life increasingly weighed on him.


    He felt like he was being pulled in too many directions. Trying to understand what it was to be a Keeper, the looming weight of the exam which was also an Elder hunt, and now the attention of the Bringers. The strangest part of it all was how quickly it had started to feel normal. Every time he embraced a new power, or threw himself headfirst into some kind of mad life or death encounter, he oddly felt more like himself. His old life had already felt like a dream, and now he was starting to wonder if everyone was right¨Cmaybe it all was some fever of Chaos Sickness.


    He slid to a stop in a clearing he¡¯d been using for training the past few nights. It hadn¡¯t started as a clearing, but some liberal use of his chain¡¯s offensive powers had left a large area of felled trees that Drake had helped him turn into a serviceable gym. He summoned the Aspect now, wanting the company. He tried to still his mind as silver chains formed into a pile next to him, the helmet looking at him expectantly.


    ¡°Well, buddy, no more putting this off,¡± he said while looking at his familiar, and considering the relationship they¡¯d been slowly building over the past few weeks. He had realized early that he could send commands to the unusual being if he focused on him, but he was also increasingly aware that Drake had his own thoughts and personality, even if it was harder to express them. The protectiveness was part of it, but he also sensed curiosity, and even humor from the shifting pile of chains. He had long gotten used to simply talking to the Aspect as a sounding board of sorts, but now he realized he might need to go a step further.


    ¡°Drake, I need to try something, and I¡¯m not sure how you might feel about it.¡± The helmet shifted around like the head of a snake, seeming to consider his words. ¡°I don¡¯t pretend to understand your origins, or what your relationship to this world is, but¡­are you aware of the Chaos?¡± Drake didn¡¯t move for a moment, seeming to consider what Kade said. ¡°I¡¯ve never had to explain it to someone else; I barely understand it myself,¡± Kade continued. ¡°I guess it¡¯s like evil mana? All I really know is that it¡¯s what the Elders use, and it terrifies everyone I know and trust. It¡¯s also responsible for a lot of sickness and death. Do you know what I¡¯m talking about?¡±


    The Aspect shifted around, as it seemed to consider his words. At last it moved toward him and a delicate hand of chains formed, reaching out to rest on Kade¡¯s chest. Kade looked from the chains to the expressionless helmet, and let out a long sigh. ¡°Yeah, buddy. It¡¯s inside me. Hell, I think it might be inside everyone, and I don¡¯t know if they¡¯re ready to hear that, but it¡¯s different for me. For whatever reason, I know I¡¯m meant to use the Chaos, just like I use mana. I wasn¡¯t sure how you¡¯d feel about that.¡± Drake¡¯s chains slowly rose up into a rough facsimile of shoulders, that seemed to shrug before the hand once more reached out and touched his chest.


    Kade laughed slightly, it wasn¡¯t the first time the Aspect had tried to mimic human gestures, and he appreciated the effort. ¡°Alright then, we¡¯re in this together. Do me a favor and set up some targets? I need to do this before I change my mind.¡± Drake immediately began latching silver chains onto nearby fallen trees, understanding what his master would need. For Kade¡¯s part, he let out a long breath, then looked down at his bracer.


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)


    Lifeforce: 100%


    Mana: 98/98


    Chaos: 143/143


    Strength: 14


    Speed: 11


    Endurance: 9


    Magic: 08


    Energy: 19


    Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Chaos Energist


    Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.


    Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 4, 27%)


    Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 2, 15%)


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: Mentor¡¯s Amulet


    Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Vanguard


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 3, 57%)


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 1, 43%)


    Ability 3: Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 4, 23%)


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    He smiled slightly at his slow, steady progress. He wasn¡¯t entirely sure yet what individual ranks did for his powers, as speaking with other Awakened proved that this was yet another unique aspect to his unusual bracer. Even the specificity of his attributes was an oddity, and it turned out most Awakened just had to focus on their intuitive sense of how their strength was progressing. Kade was happy though, to see his considerable progress with his mana. He knew people like Salarus had an easier time with numerous abilities providing heavy, sudden drains, which strained your mana pathways a lot more than the continuous slow burn of Kade¡¯s more passive abilities.


    He looked back to his bracer to see the real reason for his improved mana.


    Mentor¡¯s Amulet: Special Objectives!


    Objective (1): Create 8/10 Energy Engrams!


    Objective (2): Construct 247/1000 Energy Weapon Constructs!


    Creating energy weapons was easy enough, but very draining on his mana. He could only create a few before emptying his reserves almost entirely, though thankfully mana replenished very quickly near Karthas. He was able to do a few dozen constructs a day, but the one thousand required for his amulet was clearly meant to take considerable time. He¡¯d also found that the quest was working¨Ceach construct he made felt a little easier, and it seemed that he needed to rely on the Engrams less and less. He could also make increasingly complex shapes on his own, and he had numerous plans for how they could improve his combat prowess in the future.


    For now, though, he needed to focus on this reluctant goal. It was time to truly embrace being a Chaos Energist. He looked at the dozens of targets Drake had managed to set up in impressive time, and nodded his thanks at the Aspect, which tried to give a thumbs up in response, shifting almost half his mass of chains to do so. Kade chuckled, and turned his focus to what he needed to do. It wasn¡¯t that using this particular ability was any more difficult than his others¨Cthe reality was that it was actually too easy. He always felt he had to summon up mana from inside him, but Chaos was the opposite¨Che felt like he was constantly holding it in, and it was like keeping a muscle continuously tensed.


    At last he raised up a hand before him, and simply let go. Light flashed and the entire clearing was illuminated for a split second before the trunk of a tree exploded, sending shards of wood everywhere. A wall of silver suddenly sprang up in front of him, blocking the debris. He nodded his thanks at Drake, and the wall receded. Kade felt enormous relief as the Chaos left him, as if he¡¯d been holding his breath for a month. He wisely walked a lot further back before continuing, but he was grateful to notice that there didn¡¯t seem to be any lingering effects from channeling the Chaos.


    Part of him had been worried he¡¯d still be blackening his veins, or somehow corrupting his body if he risked using this ability again, but the truth was that Chaos had been flowing through continuously, and his normal mana pathways had long-since adapted. That didn¡¯t stop him from feeling somewhat sullied by the experience, though, as the general outlook on Chaos that everyone in Karthas held had certainly affected him. He¡¯d even visited the Chaos Sickness wards in the lower city once, and had been horrified by the number of people barely alive, their bodies corrupted and slowly being destroyed from the inside out.


    His unusual nature once more sent his thoughts in frightening directions, but forced himself to put that aside¨Che had already made his choice. He went back to his experimentation, having already set numerous goals for himself that he was determined to complete tonight. The first was simply the hurdle of his own reluctance, and to overcome that he reached out with both hands, and sent blast after blast into one tree after another, until the whole area was littered in debris. He made himself do this several times, practicing with his energy constructs while he waited for his Chaos to refill.


    The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    He had already heard that his mana would refill more slowly the farther he moved from the center of Karthas¡¯ Calm, but he was interested to learn that his Chaos had an inverse reaction, where it filled more slowly as he moved closer to Karthas. He figured this out when he took a break to hunt some wolfren who had been prowling around his training arena. When the chase took him nearly a half hour back toward the Calm, he noticed his Chaos had restored more slowly than when he¡¯d simply sat down in the clearing. Provided he was able to safely channel Chaos near other Keepers, this might become a significant advantage for him; if he grew stronger as the others grew weaker, he¡¯d be a true asset to the team.


    It was nearly the middle of the night when he felt that he¡¯d almost normalized the use of the wild energies inside him, though he recognized it would be a long time before he thought of this other power as anything resembling benign. Regardless, he was ready to move on to the next phase of his experimentation. The description his bracer provided for the ability had noted that the size and shape of the blast was controllable, but thus far he¡¯d only managed to force more Chaos into the attacks, not use any kind of shaping. His increased Energy attribute and long hours practicing with Energy Construct, however, had opened new avenues to him.


    He tried small, dense blasts, wider area attacks, as well as sustained blasts where he continuously released the Chaos within. It took more concentration than he¡¯d have liked, and he recognized that it would be some time before the fancier tactics would make sense in combat, but he was still excited by the possibilities. He made a couple of particularly interesting discoveries that he felt were more feasible in the short term, however. The first was something he¡¯d only assumed was true, which was that his hands were altogether unnecessary for the ability, and that his mana pathways were capable of channeling the Chaos virtually anywhere on his body.


    He couldn¡¯t help himself and wasted nearly an hour eye-beaming different targets, though he was forced to admit that it wasn¡¯t particularly effective, as glancing in any direction would cause the blasts to go wildly off-target. It did mean he could still use the ability freely while his hands were occupied, however, and it ultimately led to testing some new techniques where he would gather Chaos around his hands or feet, then allow the energy to ignite when he punched or kicked a target. The first half-dozen attempts definitely harmed him as much as the trees, but he gradually figured out how to make the energy only explode away from his body. It certainly made Cerano¡¯s suggestion of learning some form of martial arts far more enticing.


    The other discovery had far more intriguing implications, and it came from further consideration of what the Bringer had said about the nature of abilities. Evidently he¡¯d taken Chaos Energy Blast too literally. He had been thinking of it only as some kind of projection outward from his body¨Cbut that may have been the most limited possible view. The reality was that the ability gave him broad access to Chaotic energy, and everything he¡¯d done with it¨Cshaping it, projecting it, causing it to explode, or delaying its explosion¨Cwas all possible after the energy had left his body. He first discovered this when using a sustained blast, realizing that he could still feel the energy that was connected to him, even when it was halfway across the clearing.


    From there it had only taken some forceful concentration to will the energy in a new direction, blasting into a second target. He could see many applications for this using his basic attacks, and managed a few tricks like splitting an attack to hit several targets at once, and sending a blast around one tree to hit another. Again he could tell this would be a more advanced technique he¡¯d need to develop over time, but it led to another technique that took his Energy Construct ability to a whole new level.


    Since he¡¯d begun using constructs, he¡¯d been certain the ability had far more versatility than just creating weapons or stationary objects. He¡¯d found a few applications that had promise, but ultimately were more trouble than they were worth. He started with the most basic application, just making a solid wall of energy. The problem was that it took an enormous amount of mana to make it strong enough to withstand any significant attack, and worse¨Cit would simply get knocked over. That was the key issue with his constructs¨Cwhile he could effectively conjure them anywhere his body could reach, meaning he could make a large shield seemingly hovering over his head, as soon as he completed the construct it would be subject to gravity, and would simply fall on him.


    Energy Blast had the power to change this. While it took some precise control, he realized he could attach a charge of Chaotic energy to a construct, and then use that charge as a propellant. The applications for this almost had him drooling, but it was by the far the most complex use of his powers he¡¯d ever attempted, and he suspected he could be perfecting it for years to come. For now though, it was certainly possible to use the most basic version of the technique, and he grinned in satisfaction as a self-propelled lance of energy went hurtling into a nearby target, slicing cleanly through it in a spray of wood chips.


    Korthos was rising into the sky as a dozen smaller energy blades soared across the clearing, and Kade was drained in a way he hadn¡¯t experienced since first leaving Altera. He¡¯d lost count of how many times he¡¯d run through his Chaos reserves, and he knew that he needed rest. He¡¯d already come much farther than he expected to in a single night, and felt that his Mentor¡¯s Amulet must have been somehow preparing him for using this ability as well. At last he glanced around the clearing, which looked like a lumber mill had exploded around him, and knew it was time to go visit Lumbria, the village barely an hour outside the woods that had become his training ground.


    ***


    Kade was surprised when he finally spotted the small village, as he¡¯d expected a rough collection of a few huts, and maybe a hundred cowering villagers. The reality made vastly more sense as soon as he considered it. A thick stone wall surrounded an orderly collection of buildings that must have easily housed several thousand people. Kade inwardly mocked his own foolishness, as he considered a world of monsters didn¡¯t lend itself to poorly defended huts, and a village on the edge of the Chaos wouldn¡¯t have lasted a month without some kind of fortifications.


    Kade smiled to himself as Drake reformed into gauntlets and necklace, and strode toward the gate closest to the edge of the forest. He noticed the main road as he got closer to the wall, and considered it would likely be a much quicker, and safer route home after he¡¯d explored for a while. As he neared the gate, he was surprised to find it undefended, and though it was only several times his height, he didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be making a good impression if he simply scaled it. Without much alternative, he banged a fist noisily against the steel, and waited. After a moment he also withdrew his chains and brushed off some dirt and wood chips, hoping to make a better first impression.


    It wasn¡¯t a long wait before a small viewport was opened and a sleepy eye looked out, ¡°No deliveries scheduled for today, who are you?¡± the man asked in a deep, irritated voice.


    ¡°My name is Kade, I¡¯m a Keeper in training and I¡¯m just touring the local villages. Would you let me in, please?¡± The moment the word ¡®Keeper¡¯ was uttered, the small, dirty man looked panicked, bordering on terrified, and he quickly sputtered an apology while hastily opening the large gate.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Keeper, we weren¡¯t warned of your coming and have no proper reception prepared. Please, please come in. I¡¯ll fetch the Village head immediately.¡± Kade tried to interrupt the man to reassure him, but he literally sprinted away the moment the gate was closed again, calling back that the wait wouldn¡¯t be long. Kade actually found himself made more than a little nervous by the reception. He did mention he was just in training, but the man had acted like the High Abbot Lothros himself had strolled in.


    Kade didn¡¯t want to add rudeness to his already unusual arrival, so he resisted the urge to explore the village on his own. He contented himself to staring at the solidly built homes lining Lumbria¡¯s main street, and smiled as he saw the normal routine of the day slowly beginning, with people shuffling into the street on some business or another.


    Kade didn¡¯t have to wait long, as he noted with some alarm that the man was returning nearly as quickly as he left, this time practically pulling along a man who looked¡­old. Kade had to stop himself from doing a double-take, as he hadn¡¯t seen anyone who appeared past middle aged since he¡¯d arrived. He hadn¡¯t even been sure it was possible until this moment, though even this man still had some black mixed in with the gray of his hair. It was his countenance that marked his age as much as his appearance, as he seemed wary and tired, looking as if he¡¯d been doing an impossible job for far too long. He still bowed politely when he arrived, his tone utterly respectful.


    ¡°My Lord Keeper, you honor Lumbria with your presence. I am Festus, Village head, and we are at your disposal¨Cthough I presume you wish to wait for your comrades in the Keeper House?¡± Kade raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°I actually wasn¡¯t aware that there were local Keepers here. As I mentioned to this good man who let me through the gate, I¡¯m merely a Keeper in training, and I¡¯m only visiting to get a better sense of my responsibilities to those on the frontier.¡± Both men exchanged confused glances at that, before Festus spoke once more.


    ¡°Unfortunately our village is not in a position to support any more¨C,¡± he cleared his throat awkwardly, ¡°local Keepers. Perhaps you can arrange something with the others?¡± Kade could sense something was going on he couldn¡¯t entirely understand, and figured it might be best to speak to the locals as suggested.


    ¡°When are the local Keepers expected to return? I could use some rest and it sounds like the Keeper House might be a good fit for that.¡± Both men seemed overjoyed to hear this for some reason, and immediately began to lead him through the narrow streets of Lumbria. Kade let himself drink in the sights and sounds of the small village, feeling so different from Karthas. He noted that many villagers watched him with suspicion, but he figured that might be as simple as having a stranger in their midst, especially as he didn¡¯t have anything identifying him as a Keeper of any sort.


    At last they arrived at a mid-sized stone building in good repair, which had the emblem of the Keepers¨Cleaves on a field¨Cemblazoned above the door. ¡°Your comrades are expected in the late afternoon, so I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have a wait ahead of you. Could I have some refreshments brought over?¡± Kade was still getting used to not needing food, but he didn¡¯t want to take anything from the villagers he¡¯d come to help.


    ¡°Perhaps just something simple to drink? My mouth tastes like dust and some water would go a long way.¡± The men nodded, and Festus indicated where he could be found if Kade needed anything further, though it was clear that both men were desperate to be off. Kade thanked them and hurried inside, exhausted and already growing tired of the strangely awkward social situation. He was fighting his normally cavalier attitude a great deal to try to respect the gravitas that he¡¯d seen most Keepers display, but he immediately regretted it. Maybe the villagers would have been put more at ease if they knew he didn¡¯t take himself so seriously.


    As the door shut behind him he took in the comfortable home he¡¯d found himself in, and realized it wasn¡¯t anything like the austere barracks he¡¯d expected. Instead it was warmly lit by bright orange glow-stones like most homesteads, and appeared to be nothing more than a normal living area for several people at most. Kade saw nothing that would distinguish the house as clearly belonging to Keepers, and after quickly checking upstairs found that there were only three beds, all appearing well-used.


    He had just settled himself on an old but serviceable couch when there was a soft knock at the door, and he tiredly heaved himself back up. He was surprised to be greeted by a girl around his own age, rather than either of the two men he¡¯d met, and she had both a pitcher of something to drink, and a basket of fruits he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°My Lord Keeper, I am Nella, and I was sent to see to your needs.¡± He tried to smile and put her at ease, but she was staring so intently at the floor that she didn¡¯t notice. She had brown hair and tanned skin, and was quite pretty from what he could see.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kade, and as I keep saying, I¡¯m only a Keeper in training. Please come in.¡± He stepped back and made a welcoming gesture, but noticed she seemed strangely upset by his actions, though she obediently shuffled in. Growing tired of the odd behavior, Kade just gestured to a small table in front of the couch, and Nella hastily placed the food and drink down, before staring at the floor once more.


    Kade thanked her, and quickly poured himself some water, downing it in a hurry. When he noticed the young woman still awkwardly standing near the couch, he realized she must be waiting to be dismissed or something. Once more he tried to smile at her reassuringly, but she still refused to make eye contact. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he began, ¡°I¡¯m not really sure how this normally goes.¡± She took a sharp intake of breath, then finally spoke.


    ¡°I know my duty, Lord Keeper,¡± then she began to undress.

 Chapter 32: Denying the Gray

    Kade¡¯s eyebrows rose as the young woman began removing her dress, but he managed to hastily say, ¡°Stop,¡± with enough command in his tone that Nella virtually froze in place. A flood of emotions hit Kade all at once, rage at the forefront, and looking at the scared girl in front of him he decided immediately that questioning her would just be cruel. He took a moment before speaking again, not wanting to frighten her further, then finally asked her to go get Festus and bring him to the Keeper house.


    Unfortunately this did nothing to comfort the girl, and tears were in her eyes as she rushed out the door. Kade could feel his own anger getting out of control as some of the odd behavior began to make sense. He had felt something was wrong almost immediately upon identifying himself as connected to the Keepers, but he had hoped it was just the novelty. His mind raced as he considered the possibilities, the most alarming of which was that this might actually somehow be normal, as he had to admit to himself that his experience was severely limited.


    But hours of speaking with Edwin around a campfire of the noble Keeper ideals, and the lectures about the sacred duty and responsibility that he¡¯d gone through at the Academy told him this had to be false. Whatever was happening here was corruption, and he didn¡¯t have much time to figure out how he would handle it. As if in answer to his thoughts, a hesitant knock on the door told him that Festus had arrived, and he could only yell, ¡°Come in!¡±


    The older man opened the door, and there was both terror and exhaustion in his eyes as he walked inside. ¡°Yes, Lord Keeper? Nella said that she may have, um, displeased you?¡± Kade let out a breath, not sure exactly how to handle this, but also very concerned that he was making it worse on the people he was increasingly certain were victims.


    ¡°Not at all, she was very kind. Can you tell me about the Local Keepers that live here?¡± The man looked confused, but only hesitated a moment before answering.


    ¡°Well there are three. Tal is the leader, with Cen and Olus being relatively new to the position. But I should clarify that they don¡¯t live here precisely, this is just one of the many towns they visit and¡­protect.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned that the village ¡®supports¡¯ these Keepers, can you tell me what that entails?¡± The man appeared even more uncomfortable, and glanced back toward the door as if to escape.


    ¡°I¡¯m referring to the tax, of course. Which is quite fair!¡± he added hastily. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to imply we don¡¯t appreciate your service, my Lord Keeper. There is no price too high for the safety of my people; it¡¯s just that our coffers are already strained to the limit.¡± Kade had never heard of any tax, but he had to admit it made sense. He knew that the Keepers accumulated some wealth by selling the occasional spoil of a monster or Elder hunt, but maintaining a powerful magical army couldn¡¯t be cheap. There was clearly much more going on here, however.


    ¡°Tell me about this Tal, I haven¡¯t heard of him.¡± Festus looked at him suspiciously at that, but seemed ready to take any excuse to not speak further about the tax.


    ¡°Lord Talnius has been looking after these villages for decades. He¡¯s very brave; I¡¯ve seen him face off against countless beasts and monsters over the years, and he¡¯s never turned his back on a village in need. He can¡¯t be everywhere at once, of course, but if we raise the call, more often than not he¡¯ll be here within days.¡± Kade listened, trying to align what he was hearing with the odd behavior, and Nella¡¯s obvious fear. He tried to find a way to broach the subject without putting himself in an unfortunate position; he wasn¡¯t aware of any brothels in Karthas, but for all he knew things were different in the frontier.


    ¡°And what of Nella? Does she often perform these¡­duties for the Keepers when they visit?¡± The older man looked very uncomfortable, and his inability to make eye contact told its own story.


    ¡°Well, it is a great honor to marry into the Keepers, of course. So there are many young women who appreciate the attentions¡­¡± he trailed off, and Kade got the distinct impression that the man was disgusted with himself. He could also tell that the man wasn¡¯t willing to put himself or his village at odds with these local Keepers, and felt that pushing harder wasn¡¯t fair to the frightened man. He knew that all of this was leading to an inevitable confrontation, and decided to keep the rest of his questions for the men themselves.


    ¡°I noticed a training area behind this house,¡± this was a generous description of the walled-in square he¡¯d seen from an upper window, but it would suit his purposes. ¡°When my fellow Keepers arrive, please tell them I¡¯ll be waiting for them out there.¡± Kade only waited for a hesitant nod from Festus before he went toward the back of the house, realizing he was completely uncertain how this would go.


    ***


    Kade sat in a chair, the sun beating down on him hours later, eyes locked on the back door of the Keeper House. He¡¯d made what preparations he could, but the reality was that he had no way of knowing what to expect from the group of local Keepers. He didn¡¯t think his life was in danger, but if these men were truly taking advantage of these villages to the extent he feared, he couldn¡¯t be certain what they might be willing to do to protect their secrets. He¡¯d considered bluffing, being aggressive, even pretending to share their interests, but in the end he knew he was over-preparing. He wouldn¡¯t know how to handle this until he met the men, and even then this was far more likely to go wrong than right.


    His unusual vision told him the three men had arrived before they even entered the house, as he¡¯d learned that Awakened created ripples in the energy around them. Moments later he could hear heated voices, one of them Festus coming from inside the house, and finally the door banged open, revealing the three at last. Kade assumed the leading man was Talnius, as the ripples in energy around him were far beyond those caused by the two men who followed.


    Talnius was a tall, lanky man with short, jet black hair and a rough beard. He wore dark brown clothing that looked somewhere between armor and traveling attire, and he seemed to be holding back a glare as he looked at Kade, lounging in a chair on the other side of the courtyard. Cen and Olus may have actually been twins, as they were identical in their average height and light brown hair, though the lower half of their faces were covered by the high collars of their matching coats. What was truly shocking though was what Kade¡¯s Energist vision told him, as he¡¯d become quite practiced when it came to evaluating other Keepers by the energy pulsing out from their Soul Cores, having been around so many in the Academy. He was certain that the two were barely past Awakening, at most having one or two bonds each.


    Talnius was past that, possibly being fully Bonded, but he didn¡¯t have the telltale complex energy swirls Kade now associated with those of Primus and beyond. At most he was a single Path, though it was hard to tell as the man¡¯s energy had a density that Kade associated with some of the older Keepers he knew. Concerns of being killed fell away, but didn¡¯t disappear entirely. Instead, Kade¡¯s curiosity grew. These men clearly had power, but he was certain that none of them were actually Keepers.


    ¡°What do we do, Tal?¡± One of the two men whispered, but he was silenced by a glare as Talnius strode purposefully toward Kade. He stopped a few strides away, then seemed to consider Kade thoughtfully before speaking.


    ¡°Greetings, Keeper,¡± he said in an even, controlled voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t use any of the normal channels to announce your coming, or we¡¯d have met you on the road.¡± He gestured to the house around them, ¡°This is actually a private residence; we normally have rooms prepared at the Inn when we receive visitors.¡± Kade nodded thoughtfully, putting the pieces together toward answering his biggest question¨Cwas it even possible for these three to be operating without the Order being aware?


    ¡°This isn¡¯t an official visit,¡± Kade began. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d mind if I made use of your training area. My name is Kade, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Tal,¡± was all the man replied before taking a seat in a nearby chair of his own. ¡°Those two are Cen and Olus, my apprentices. If this isn¡¯t an official visit, what are you doing in my house?¡± The man was on the verge of open hostility, and Kade made doubly sure to keep his own head cool, hoping to take advantage.


    ¡°Well Tal, I was hunting in the local woods and decided to take a tour of some of the nearby villages. I wasn¡¯t aware that they had any Keepers stationed here, and was hoping that I could be of help.¡± The three men exchanged glances, and Kade felt like he could almost feel the tension in the air.


    ¡°You¡¯re here alone?¡± Tal asked, and something in the man¡¯s posture let him know that violence was imminent. Kade smiled, realizing he was glad that things were about to get simpler.


    ¡°Just me,¡± he said, and everything happened at once. Cen and Olus managed to take a single step forward each, before countless silver chains wrapped around them, yanking them into the air. Kade was a little jealous, as Drake¡¯s ability eclipsed his own in this regard, and he¡¯d barely been able to see the flat steel transform from where it was hidden flush against the building¡¯s roof, ensnaring the two apprentices in moments. He was also equal parts delighted and horrified to see that Drake had truly embraced their shared combat style, and had actually created a body of chains that looked shockingly like that of an anarchnid, with the eerie expressionless helmet in place of a face. The two men screamed in horror as they were raised up in front of the Aspect, long legs of chains reaching for them ominously as their mouths were covered.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Tal couldn¡¯t stop himself from staring for a moment at the confusing and disturbing scene, but he surprised Kade by bursting forward a second later, gripping Kade around the throat and slamming him against the stone wall behind him. His speed and strength were shocking, and Kade could tell he¡¯d underestimated the man. He managed to bring his knee up between the two, limiting the taller man¡¯s leverage, and just barely managed to summon a short sword sword to intercept the blow from a mace that he hadn¡¯t even seen Tal draw.


    Thankfully Challenger¡¯s Might had activated the moment Kade felt himself in the grips of a stronger opponent, and he slowly managed to force the man¡¯s weapon back¨Cthough the grip at his throat didn¡¯t relent quite so easily. Air was vastly less important since his body had been transformed, but Kade was still at the man¡¯s mercy, and knew that needed to change. In a moment he had several lengths of thick chain wrapped around Tal¡¯s neck, and he pulled the man back while summoning a second short sword, which he placed against the man¡¯s throat without hesitation. Blood dripped down the blade as he increased the pressure, but it was the expression on Tal¡¯s face that actually made Kade hesitate.


    He had never wanted to kill these men¨Cwell he¡¯d wanted not to have to kill these men, he amended. He had certainly entertained the thought a number of times as he thought about the look on Nella¡¯s frightened face. But he was sure there was more here than just a few bad apples taking advantage, and the regret on the other man¡¯s face drove that home. ¡°Let me go,¡± Kade wheezed, ¡°I think we need to talk.¡± All the energy seemed to leave the man at once, and his powerful grip loosened a moment later. He took a step back and gestured at the two men still wrapped in webs of chains.


    ¡°Can you let my apprentices down?¡± Kade raised an eyebrow, and instead of releasing them, a half-dozen silver spears slowly emerged from the arachnid body of Drake, resting against the two wide-eyed hostages.


    ¡°I think they¡¯ll stay right where they are,¡± Kade said evenly as his own chains tore the mace from Tal¡¯s hand. ¡°We don¡¯t want our friendly conversation cut short again.¡± Tal glared, but nodded in defeat, and sat once more when chains deposited his chair right behind him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve saved countless lives here, Keeper,¡± the man said defiantly as he sat down. ¡°While the rest of you sat in your pretty city and fought over the trophies from your damned Elders, I was here keeping these people from being torn to shreds!¡± Kade was surprised by the man¡¯s passion, and took his own seat as well, though he wisely kept several bladed chains gathered between the two of them¨Che wouldn¡¯t be taken by surprise twice.


    ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve been doing, Tal?¡± Kade asked with a blank expression, then sat back waiting. The silence went on for a few moments before the man looked away, some shame apparent on his otherwise furious face.


    ¡°The tax is necessary,¡± he spat. ¡°We don¡¯t have rich families just handing out bonds like candy, and we can¡¯t fight off the beasts without them. Even after more than sixty years I haven¡¯t even collected enough to complete the bonds for those two,¡± he gestured with his head at the two frozen apprentices. Kade couldn¡¯t hide his surprise. Sixty years? How had this man possibly hidden his operation for more than half a century, were the true Keepers really that unaware of what happened outside the city?


    Kade had to consider before raising his next question, mostly because he knew that the answer might make the temptation to kill these men too powerful. ¡°Just tax, Tal? Is that really all you¡¯ve been taking from these people?¡± The lanky man actually looked confused for a moment, and he glanced around as if trying to figure out what Kade could mean. ¡°I met Nella earlier today, she had a misguided view of what her duties to me might be,¡± Kade prompted at last.


    He expected the man to look more shamed, or desperately deny the implication, but he actually looked stunned by the question. ¡°You mean the damned girls?¡± he laughed out loud then, and Kade could actually feel heat running through his body¨Csomething that rarely happened. ¡°Do you have any idea how lucky these girls are to have a chance to be with a Keeper? Even a lowly failed one like me? They practically throw themselves at us, and we earn their bodies with our blood!¡±


    Kade wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed before he managed to slowly stand back up, and he was still shaking as he looked down at Tal¡¯s ruined, bloody mess of a face, the bones slowly popping back into place as his body desperately healed him. Kade forced himself to breathe, never having lost his temper like that before. He could only vaguely remember charging forward to strike the man, and he honestly wasn¡¯t certain that he should have stopped, but the man¡¯s self-righteous dismissal of such monstrous behavior had pushed him over the edge.


    Kade began to pace the courtyard, trying to calm himself. He¡¯d had hours before the three men had finally come back to the village, and in that time he¡¯d managed to corner a few villagers willing to speak of the false-Keeper¡¯s deeds. Tal truly had fought for them, and done so countless times. It turned out the three men patrolled diligently, fighting back the beasts in a dozen different villages. While they were far from worshiped as heroes¨Clargely because of how great the tax was¨Cthey were respected, and there was no debate as to whether they were necessary for the safety of the village.


    Kade was furious for so many reasons, but he admitted to himself that the biggest reason was just how damned gray the situation was. Since he¡¯d learned of the Keepers and started amassing power of his own, he¡¯d had countless fantasies about what his life would be like on Iros. He still wasn¡¯t interested in traditional heroics, but he had fallen in love with the idea of helping people in a simple, black and white world. He had quickly discovered that fighting monsters and hunting beasts was the only way he wanted to spend his life, as the freedom and exhilaration of it was unparalleled. But how was he meant to handle this?


    He looked back at Tal, who was now groaning as his face was nearly recognizable again, and Kade had to stop himself from hitting the man in frustration instead of anger. How was he expected to handle a situation this complex? He had no right to kill these men, and for all he knew that would lead to a death sentence of his own once the True Keepers learned of it.


    He could go back to the Order and tell them what had happened, but he could only see that going two possible ways. Either the Keepers would allow the men to continue what they were doing, or they¡¯d take them away, and these people would be left defenseless. There was no way they¡¯d dispatch proper keepers to patrol the villages, as they obviously would have already if they were capable of doing so. If there was one thing they had impressed upon Kade at the Academy, it was that there were never enough Keepers even for the Elder attacks and monster hordes that was their primary purpose, let alone fighting off a few wolfren around the frontier. That was why even an untrained oddity like Kade has been welcomed into the Academy so readily.


    Kade turned and slammed a fist into one of the stone walls, his empowered strength and speed allowing his arm to pass entirely through it. It was less satisfying than he hoped, and having to pull his arm back out without taking the whole wall down added embarrassment to the mix. He hated this; he wanted to fight beasts and save people, not deal with a few idiots who¡¯d let a little power corrupt them. He looked back at the three objects of his ire, then thought of Nella, and guilt was thrown into the mix of emotions coursing through him. Being the one who had to deal with these people was nothing compared to those who¡¯d die without them, or had been victims of them until now.


    He came up with and discarded a dozen plans as Cen and Olus watched him with desperation in their eyes. Kade had to admit to himself that he also wasn¡¯t willing to make this a personal project of his. Any half-measure would only work if he either stayed and protected the villages himself¨Csomething he was sure he wouldn¡¯t be able to do forever¨Cor somehow checked on these men personally, which wasn¡¯t remotely sustainable. As Tal¡¯s groans slowly transitioned into quiet cursing, Kade started fiddling with the chain on his amulet and had an idea.


    He considered what he¡¯d heard about Soul powers, and the almost limitless flexibility they had, then tried something he hadn¡¯t done before. He made a small length of chain, then broke it away and connected the ends, making a simple loop. He hadn¡¯t put any real effort into manipulating chains that weren¡¯t attached to him before, and he was pleasantly surprised to see that he could exert some slight control over the length even after he put it down. The biggest difference was simply that he couldn¡¯t feed any new mana into the chains without physically touching them, so he tried to infuse extra into the independent length, before stepping back and experimenting.


    A few minutes of trial and error showed that his control was more limited than with the chains still attached to him, but he was still able to send the commands he needed for the plan that was slowly taking shape in his mind. The final step would be vastly more complex, maybe not even possible, but testing that part was relatively easy. Tal was furious as he regained consciousness, and that fury was exactly what Kade needed. He knelt next to the man and focused his new vision in a way he¡¯d never tried before, smiling slightly as he confirmed that he could indeed see minute ripples in the energy that emanated from the man, vibrating in time to his fury.


    Next, Kade created a ¡®trigger¡¯ made from energy inside the small length of chain. It was something he¡¯d never tried before, and it took a number of attempts to replicate what he felt internally when he commanded his chains personally. At last he felt it work, and he actually grinned when the chains lengthened in response to the man¡¯s rage. It was possible! The actual effort would be even more complex, but now he was confident he could make it work. He had Drake lower the two apprentices back to the ground, then bound Tal next to them.


    When the three were arrayed in front of him, Kade placed an identical chain around each man¡¯s neck, and they looked at each other, then him curiously. Panic set in as the chains tightened, but Kade didn¡¯t make them uncomfortable¨Cyet¨Cjust short enough that they couldn¡¯t be removed. He leaned back and inspected his work, then had Drake rearrange the men so they were forced to look at one another¨Cthey couldn¡¯t see their own chains, and Kade needed them to witness what came next.


    He snapped his fingers audibly, and every link on each of their chains suddenly sprouted a grizzly looking spike, pointing inward at the exposed flesh of their necks. Three sets of eyes widened in alarm, and they all began groaning and thrashing in their bonds, their mouths still covered. ¡°Enough,¡± Kade said, and the blades receded allowing the men to relax slightly. ¡°Now, each of you has a lovely gift made by me personally. You should get used to how they feel as you won¡¯t be able to remove them, but don¡¯t worry about that. As long as you behave like decent people, you¡¯ll get to keep your heads attached.¡±

 Chapter 33: Roads and Regret

    Kade reached out a hand and a dozen spears of energy were propelled forward, lancing into the four armed, ape-like monsters that charged recklessly toward the nearby village. They let out hacking grunts of pain, and the front line collapsed into one another, falling in a chaotic mess of limbs and fur. Instantly, Cen was there, flipping over the first ape in line, then landing gracefully on the next, his long daggers slicing the creature''s throat. Before that one could even react, Cen had danced between two attacks from nearby apes, then slid on the ground to slice through delicate tendons.


    Kade shook his head in equal parts disbelief and admiration, before joining the man in the frey. He couldn¡¯t match Cen¡¯s seemingly effortless agility yet, but he¡¯d been given enough pointers over the last few weeks that he could at least make a good showing of himself. Being able to incorporate his chains helped make up for the difference, and Kade was soon fighting upside down, Relentless Pursuit allowing him to orient himself on the web of interlocking steel hovering over the battlefield. As twin longswords carved through the ranks, the apes tried desperately to meet the attack, even making the mistake of trying to join Kade by reaching up to grip his chains. They found no purchase on the horrifically bladed lengths, and uniformly fell back down to the ground, severed fingers joining them.


    Olus was making a better showing of himself as well, his solitary Bond being strength, where his twin brother¡¯s was speed. The long hours spent practicing with Kade has shifted his clumsy fighting style into a more precise application of his prodigious might, and his war hammer swung through the enraged creatures without pause. Drake still needed to support the brothers with expertly-timed silver shields, as well as the occasional emergency exit granted by a discreet chain pulling them out of harm¡¯s way, but Kade had to admit the boys had remarkable talent¨CTal had chosen them well.


    The false-Keeper was also there of course, though he¡¯d staunchly refused to engage with Kade in the weeks since they¡¯d begun their unusual multi-village tour. His own fighting style could only be described as brutish, as two maces crashed into the apes one after another, powered by his only unsealed ability: Ancient Might, something he shared with Edwin. The man looked furious, as he always did when fighting. Kade had learned from his apprentices that anger was almost all that drove the man, who still raged against the Keepers for kicking him out almost a century prior, though Cen and Olus still didn¡¯t know the reason for his expulsion.


    The nearly endless fighting of the last month had helped transform Kade from an eager recruit into something resembling a true warrior, and he found that these low-tier monsters barely challenged him anymore. He expertly unleashed a wave of pure Chaos that tore through more than ten of the apes at once, though this horde was shockingly large, and more simply replaced those he¡¯d slaughtered. Kade wasn¡¯t deterred, and his superior speed and strength allowed him to meet the charge head-on, blades tearing through his targets. Still, every battle was an opportunity for growth, and Kade wouldn¡¯t waste this one. Even if these slow, ponderous apes would likely fall to his swords alone, he still fought with everything he had.


    He leapt forward and planted two feet in the chest of one of the larger beasts, sending it slamming back into several apes behind it, and also an energy construct of spikes that sprang up to impale them all. Without pausing to watch the grizzly display, Kade continued his unstoppable charge, leaping from chain to chain, shifting his orientation continuously to attack from every conceivable angle. One of his more recent discoveries was the effectiveness of leaving some slack in a number of his chains, allowing him to bounce between them, continuously building momentum as if they were rubber bands. The result was that he could be almost anywhere on the battlefield at once, slingshotting from target to target while delivering swift death.


    As he took greater and greater chances, trying to push himself to the limit of what his body and skills were capable of, the persistent apes managed to get closer and closer to catching him. While they were lumbering beasts and quite slow, their strength was immense, and having four arms meant for a near-endless number of powerful clawed hands reaching out for him from every direction. It seemed like an inevitability when one of those hands finally caught his left ankle, and he immediately felt himself slammed unceremoniously into the ground.


    The horde was on him instantly, and it felt like he was struck a thousand times in mere moments, the apes pounding their fists down with abandon. Kade lamented his lack of armor, and not for the first time. He was grateful that his new physiology didn¡¯t seem to scar, as he¡¯d made enough amateurish mistakes in these past weeks to leave his body in ruins otherwise. He wasn¡¯t completely without his tricks though, as spiked chains fired out at his attackers, and he even managed to create some hasty energy constructs that effectively turned him into a glowing porcupine.


    The danger was real, however, as Kade¡¯s combat style was still largely dependent on not getting hit, and he was about to call Drake in desperation when the punishment came to an abrupt end. He had time to look up and see thin blades pierce through the necks of several apes, before the entire group was swept away by a massive warhammer. Cen and Olus had arrived, and they held nothing back as they saved him. Even lying on the ground, bleeding from dozens of wounds, Kade couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    He realized now that he¡¯d been far from his right mind when he¡¯d placed the chain collars around the necks of the men he now fought beside. Still, three weeks and nearly a hundred battles later, and he honestly didn¡¯t know what else he could have done that wouldn¡¯t have cost either his principles or the lives of innocents. What came next had been a complete surprise to him, however. He¡¯d told Festus what he could, assuring him that the special treatment of these so-called Keepers was over, but that he would personally ensure that the villages remained protected. Then the four began their remarkably awkward road trip that started about as well as could be expected.


    Tal had tried to murder him the first and second nights, and Kade wasn¡¯t surprised. The first attempt had left Tal spending the night upside down in a tree, suspended by silver chains and watched by a diligent Drake. The second attempt had left him on the ground gasping, the bladed chain around his throat having tightened the moment he moved against Kade. The collars were working better than expected, but they still took a great deal of adjustments and refinements that Kade had known would take time. He couldn¡¯t make them react to anything he didn¡¯t know, so he essentially had to learn the hard way how to make them react to murderous impulses, and anything else that was meant to trigger their dark purpose.


    That was a large part of why Kade had forced the odd party onto the road, as ultimately he didn¡¯t trust the men to be the arbiters of what controlled their collars at all. He needed to see and understand the reactions of those who¡¯d been hurt by them to make his plan work, and it had taken what felt like countless encounters with terrified and disgusted villagers to ensure the chains would tighten whenever anyone was made to feel like a victim of the false Keepers. It wasn¡¯t remotely perfect, but it didn¡¯t need to be¨Cthe three just needed to believe it enough to do their jobs and stop taking advantage.


    Tal¡¯s reaction was no surprise though, and Kade didn¡¯t even begrudge the man the attempted murder; a big part of him was disgusted with himself for taking the measure he had, and he knew he¡¯d crossed a line that would leave him forever changed. He still found himself glaring at the older warrior occasionally, blaming him for forcing Kade to become someone who controlled people with the threat of pain and death. But it was Cel and Olus whose reactions Kade hadn¡¯t been prepared for.


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    The two worshiped him, almost from the moment Drake had released them back in the courtyard. Apparently for all of Talnius¡¯ rage against the Keepers, he¡¯d nonetheless held them in remarkable esteem, and had spent decades telling his apprentices stories of their power and nobility. When the two had seen the novelty of Kade¡¯s abilities, and Drake especially, they¡¯d been completely in awe. They had begged him to teach them¨Cand Kade had kept the fact that he¡¯d been in training for less than two months a secret, seeing the opportunity for what it was.


    He¡¯d been grateful and surprised to find that he did actually have something to teach. The men had no formal training, as Tal could barely be considered capable himself, and the three had mostly used ambush tactics and enthusiasm to take on small groups of beasts. They were entirely unprepared for the increasing size of the hordes that approached from the North¨Cthe direction Kade knew he¡¯d be traveling in just over a week with the rest of the Keepers. Kade had encouraged the willing apprentices to lean into their respective strengths, and helped them develop techniques to meld their fighting styles with their Soul Powers.


    Cen had Awakened Blade, and combined with his speed Bond he fought similarly to Kade¨Cminus the chains and Chaos. He could conjure blades much like Edwin could with axes, but he hadn¡¯t known it was possible to do anything more than use them in his hands. As several daggers materialized and flew into an Ape that had gotten close to Kade¡¯s back, he smiled at how far the young man had come. The speedy youth had also been overjoyed when Kade had asked for tips on moving effectively through combat. It wasn¡¯t quite the martial arts training that Cerano had recommended, but in a few short weeks Kade had taken great strides in incorporating the graceful movements into his own combat style.


    Olus had been more difficult to help, as his Soul power was actually the Plow. The man had apparently been quite content with his future as a farmer, even as his brother had been obsessed with becoming a soldier. When their parents had been killed, however, Talnius had taken them both in, and Olus had largely ignored his Awakened Soul Core in favor of emulating Tal¡¯s brutal fighting style. Now though, the man threw his impressive strength against a monstrous contraption that looked like six old fashioned plows welded together, the front of which were covered in a nightmare collection of jagged metal. As he tore into the ranks of ape-creatures, it was clear that the man was still a farmer at heart, he¡¯d just turned the monsters into his field.


    Kade had been hesitant to grow attached to the two enthusiastic youths, of course. He had assumed the two were as guilty as Tal was when it came to the mistreatment of the villagers¨Cespecially the young women. But once more the situation had turned out to be more complicated than Kade had expected. They¡¯d visited nine separate villages since the unusual journey had begun, and while it was clear the twins had been taking full advantage of the attention their roles garnered them, it didn¡¯t appear to be what Kade had feared.


    The twins seemed to have girls flocking them wherever they went, and while they obviously enjoyed the attention, they also knew the names of every last one, and the interest didn¡¯t appear feigned. The two were actually likable and handsome, and received hero¡¯s welcomes from grateful villagers who truly saw them as saviors. For the first week Kade had said nothing, simply standing back and watching for any sign of falsehood or fear in the eyes of their supposed admirers, but after the third village, Kade had no admit that the two had no need to take advantage. They certainly enjoyed themselves, and monogamy was a distant concept to them, but they acted far more like celebrities than criminals.


    At last Kade had confronted them one night at camp, asking them point-blank whether they¡¯d ever taken advantage. The men had looked crestfallen, nearly heartbroken to be confronted and accused by someone they¡¯d already begun to think of as a mentor, but they¡¯d also shared a shameful glance at one another that had almost prompted Kade to tighten their collars. Cen had spoken first, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. It¡¯s really not; I swear, Kade! I swear on the graves of my ma and da.¡± The quieter Olus had nodded vigorously at that, though there was clearly still guilt on both of their faces.


    Kade waited a long moment before simply responding: ¡°But?¡± and the men had looked to Tal, who was sleeping on the other side of the camp, then back down at their feet, unwilling to make eye contact. Finally Cen spoke up again.


    ¡°But¡­things are more complicated with Master Talnius. He¡¯s been doing this a long time, and we¡¯ve heard people talk. I think it started out well, just a few ambitious women looking to marry¡­or just seduce the local hero. But after a while he just sort of started expecting it, you know? And when the locals realized he wasn¡¯t interested in anything permanent, the offers dried up. Problem was, Tal decides where he goes and when, and if he doesn¡¯t have a¡­a good time when he¡¯s there, he might not come as quick when they need him.¡± Olus picked up where Cen left off, clearly attached to their flawed master.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him force himself on anyone, he¡¯s not like that. He¡¯s just¡­he¡¯s old and he¡¯s tired, and he¡¯s angry. He still helps people, he just¡­he just¡­¡± the man trailed off, seeming to hate defending the man, but still not being entirely willing to discard the one who had effectively raised him after they¡¯d lost their parents. Kade had nodded, and let the twins go for the moment.


    Inwardly he was equally relieved and frustrated. He found he believed the two, and he even let himself entertain hope for the first time since learning about this horrible situation. But at the same time, part of him didn¡¯t want to see Tal as even more complicated. The man was clearly broken, and Kade despised him for the bad that he¡¯d done, but there were simply no easy answers about what to do with him. Whether he executed the man or left him to this life with what checks and balances Kade could create, he knew that what he did here would follow him for the rest of his life.


    The battle was slowly coming to a close, and Kade left the remaining apes to the other three as he withdrew a white spear he¡¯d been allowed to borrow from Alara. They were technically named after their inventor¨Csome difficult to pronounce name that Alara couldn¡¯t even recall¨Cbut everyone just called them Dalton Spears, and they were what the Keepers had stabbed the Elder with to turn its dying energies into usable items. Tal stared at him with undisguised greed and hunger as Kade started the lengthy task of draining what he could from every fallen ape.


    The spears were shockingly expensive, eclipsing even Bond Fragments as they were nearly impossible to make outside of Dalton, and were almost the only way to acquire many of the magical items that made Keepers possible. It took the energies of countless beasts of this level to produce anything useful, but the group had been actively seeking out hordes day after day, and Kade had made a few useful discoveries. He felt Tal¡¯s gaze upon him as the white spear¡¯s glow grew brighter and brighter, and looked back at the man until the false-Keeper looked away, fury clear on his features.


    Kade sighed as the white spear rose and fell. He was running out of time; he needed to return to Karthas by tomorrow at the latest to give himself enough prep time for the exam, and that was already counting on a lot of things going right. While potential Keepers did often leave for private training, they weren¡¯t typically gone for weeks at a time, and certainly not right before their entry exam. Worse, Kade knew that he needed to have a very dangerous conversation with Salarus before they left. He¡¯d grown used to hurling around Chaos out here on the frontier, as he had no concern that his three companions would recognize it, but he needed to consult an expert before trying it around true Keepers.


    At last the apes were finally dealt with, both slayed and drained, and Kade gathered the group to discuss their next destination. ¡°This is truly the last horde that¡¯s been spotted in the area?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s always beasts or monsters this far North,¡± Cen answered, ¡°but no one has mentioned any other groups large enough to cause real problems for the villages.¡±


    ¡°Then it looks like we only have one last stop. You guys have mentioned there¡¯s another village nearby¡­Bolos, I think it was?¡± The three men shared sad looks before nodding resignedly. Kade raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯ve been pretty quiet about this one, what¡¯s wrong with the place?¡± It was Tal who answered, which was rare.


    ¡°People avoid Bolos,¡± the dark haired man declared in a cold voice. ¡°It¡¯s the closest village to the Chaos border, and it only has one real purpose. Almost everyone there has Chaos Sickness; it¡¯s a village for the dead.¡±

 Chapter 34: Devourer

    The small group entered Bolos village just before sunset, and for the first time they weren¡¯t greeted by a crowd of excited villagers. Cen and Olus didn¡¯t look surprised by this, having adopted dour expressions long before they arrived. Strangely Talnius walked with his head held high, looking more like a true Keeper than Kade had ever seen him. When a proud looking woman walked forward to greet them, she spoke to Tal with deep genuine respect, and Kade felt it was better to step back, curious what was different about this place for Tal.


    ¡°You are most welcome, Keepers. I¡¯d heard you had been making your rounds more quickly than usual. I take it the hordes have grown too large to be ignored?¡±


    ¡°Lady Presla, you honor us as always,¡± Tal spoke formally. ¡°And you have heard correctly; the beasts are no longer content to stay to the forests and ravines, their numbers are too great for the local food supply.¡±


    The woman nodded, but appeared curious. ¡°You¡¯ve always said that the hordes were too powerful to be faced directly. In the past you¡¯ve gone to great lengths to redirect them, has something changed?¡± She didn¡¯t say anything, but her gaze flicked to Kade, who wasn¡¯t sure if he should speak up. Tal gave him no chance, however.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been given some temporary backup. Keeper Kadeus has joined us to push the hordes back; I¡¯m afraid that the days of subtle tactics are now past. But he must return to Karthas soon, and so we¡¯ll need to discuss evacuation; Bolos is too close to the border, and when the hordes come it will be undefendable.¡±


    Presla smiled sadly, and took Tal¡¯s hand in hers, ¡°You know there¡¯s nowhere left for us. No one has worked as hard as you have to create a place for the suffering, but when this refuge falls, we fall with it.¡± Kade watched the two in confusion for a moment, the emotional display being completely foreign to his understanding of the false Keeper, but when Tal didn¡¯t release the hand for a long moment, the situation became more clear.


    Kade looked to Cen and Olus, and saw the sadness in their eyes. Were these people truly so isolated? No one had ever implied that Chaos Sickness was contagious, why then were they relegated to this dangerous place, and to the point that they wouldn¡¯t leave even in the face of certain death? There was more to this than Kade understood, not the least of which was that this woman appeared to be in love with a man Kade had thought irredeemable. He looked more closely at Presla as Tal gave what sounded like an often repeated argument as to why they should leave.


    After a moment he narrowed his eyes, his vision captured by an odd play of colors inside her. While he¡¯d mostly used his Energist vision on Keepers, Presla was hardly the first normal person he¡¯d seen since his eyes had changed, and there was something undeniably odd about the energy flowing through her body. After a moment of what must have been rude staring, realization struck him, and he understood what he was looking at. Her body was tainted with Chaos; she had the Sickness.


    Kade had met people with Chaos Sickness before, but not since his ability to see energy had asserted itself. He was lost in the interplay of colors and forces flowing through her¡­it was strangely beautiful, even as it was terrible. He knew the energy didn¡¯t belong, and it was almost like it wanted out. He wanted to reach out and¨C¡±Oy, Kade, what are you doing?¡± Cen whispered while elbowing him in the side. Kade¡¯s mind refocused, and he realized he¡¯d been reaching a hand out toward the woman, who was thankfully still lost in her argument with Tal.


    ¡°Sorry I¨Cdon¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s been a long day,¡± Kade said hastily, and Cen nodded slowly.


    ¡°There¡¯s an Inn we usually stay at here, I¡¯ll show you the way. These two have this argument every time, and it won¡¯t be over any time soon.¡± Kade tried to smile, not sure why he felt so unusual. There was something about the pattern of the energies that pulled his mind in, like a puzzle. He tried to push the thought from his mind and followed Cen, with Olus apparently choosing to stay with Tal.


    As Kade walked through the quiet streets, his eyes were drawn to every passerby, and he quickly realized the entire village was suffering from Chaos Sickness. He had to force himself not to stare, as each person seemed to hold another piece of the odd puzzle that was the storm of conflicting energies inside them. Tragically he noticed that Presla was practically healthy compared to most of these poor people, as most were more Chaos than not, and he suspected they weren¡¯t long for this world. He stopped when they passed a surprisingly large building, seeming out of place in the relatively small village.


    ¡°That¡¯s where they keep the sick,¡± Cen explained as he noticed Kade looking.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kade asked. ¡°I¡­thought everyone here was sick.¡± He caught himself before mentioning what he¡¯d seen; he wasn¡¯t sure if they all realized they were sick, and his ability to see Chaos wasn¡¯t something he was comfortable with people knowing until he understood the implications better himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s true they¡¯re all sick, but those,¡± he indicated the ominous building, looming in the growing darkness, ¡°those are the ones who are really sick. Not much time left.¡±


    Kade couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity. ¡°I don¡¯t know much about the Sickness, how long can people hold on?¡± Cen gave him an odd look Kade had gotten used to, it meant he asked about something everyone should know. Cen only shrugged and answered after a brief pause.


    ¡°Some last months, others last decades. There¡¯s no way of knowing which it¡¯ll be¨Cunless someone has an extreme case, of course. Dragged in from the true Chaos or somehow exposed to a risen Elder. We don¡¯t see many of those though, they don¡¯t usually last long enough to make it to Bolos.¡± He kept walking after that, Kade following a moment after.


    At last they arrived at a building that didn¡¯t look much different from the small homes they¡¯d been walking past, though it had a second floor which most lacked. Cen ushered him in and began speaking to a man behind a bar, who clearly knew him. Kade felt himself staring again as he saw the Chaos flowing through the man¡¯s body. When Cen finished speaking Kade hurriedly followed him upstairs, not willing to trust himself to behave normally around the innkeeper, whose turbulent energy drew his eye like a masterful work of art.


    Thankfully Cen led him to a private room, and he said goodnight before nearly slamming the door. He couldn¡¯t understand his own behavior, or the strange hypnotic effect the energy patterns produced by these people seemed to have. He truly had to resist reaching out toward each one, not certain what he¡¯d do if he made contact. With few other options he threw himself on the bed and tried to get himself to sleep.


    ***


    It was the middle of the night when Kade finally gave up on sleep and made his way downstairs. The common room was dark, but his unique vision revealed that it wasn¡¯t empty. He walked past Talnius, who stared out a window with a half-empty bottle in front of him, though what he could see in the pale moonlight Kade had no idea.


    Finding a bottle of his own, Kade leaned against the bar, his mind still unable to focus. The two men ignored each other for nearly a quarter hour, both drinking and lost in private misery. At last Tal broke the silence, and despite the drink, his voice was strong and clear¨Cmaybe the most clear Kade had heard the man, the anger that normally colored his every word strangely absent.


    ¡°Forty years she¡¯s been here, looking after the sick and the dying.¡± Kade turned at his words, curious what would bring the man to speak to his hated captor. ¡°I was still pretending to be a Keeper back then,¡± he continued, and as if sensing Kade¡¯s raised eyebrow, clarified. ¡°Pretending to myself, that is. I still believed your Order was wrong about me then, and I spent every waking moment trying to prove that. Killing beasts, saving people, dragging the sick to this village, anything I thought the Keepers should have been doing, I did.¡± Kade just sipped his drink.


    ¡°When she showed up, she somehow knew immediately that I wasn¡¯t what I claimed. She didn¡¯t say anything, but I could see it in her eyes. She didn¡¯t look at me like I was a Keeper, but didn¡¯t look at me like I was a fraud either. Presla just saw a man trying to do good.¡± He took a long drink from the bottle, before leaning back and staring down at it in his hands. ¡°I think I tried to be that man for a while. Gave up trying to prove a point, gave up thinking of myself as just a cast off that wasn¡¯t good enough, or strong enough. I just tried to be good enough for her.¡±


    Kade listened, grateful for the distraction from the strange urges that had assailed him since he entered town. He wasn¡¯t sure if Tal even cared that he was here, he just seemed to need to speak, and Kade found that he wanted to understand this man who had fallen so far. ¡°I failed my Trial, as you must know,¡± he said bitterly, and Kade didn¡¯t correct him¨Che had no idea what happened if you failed and lived. ¡°Failed my Trial and that was it; the Keepers trusted that filthy monster¡¯s judgment of me and it was over.


    ¡°Then I was out here, with just enough power to help. Just enough to be somebody. So I did good¡­for a while.¡± He took another sip then went back to staring out the window. ¡°It was five years before I realized she had the Sickness. She got it from being this close to the Chaos; she got it taking care of the people that others wouldn¡¯t. Her case is slow. I¡¯ve been watching it kill her for more than thirty years.¡± Kade turned back to the bar at that, not wanting to feel sympathy for this man.


    Tal seemed to sense the movement and turned on him in fury. ¡°You think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re doing? I see your power and your ability, but you¡¯re a child. I can feel your gaze on me each day, looking for something. Waiting for me to make your life easier. To either damn myself or redeem myself in your eyes.¡± He threw the bottle against the bar, and it shattered at Kade¡¯s feet. ¡°Well grow up, Keeper. You¡¯ll find no easy answers here, just more death.¡± Talnius stormed up the stairs, as Kade simply finished his drink.


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    ¡°Answers¡­¡± he whispered into the darkness. ¡°I need answers,¡± and with that he left the bottle and walked out into the street. He knew where he was going, even if his rational mind told him repeatedly that he should be heading back to bed. It was only minutes later that he found himself in front of the large sickhouse that he¡¯d seen earlier, and he could barely make himself stop long enough to check to see if anyone was around before he quickly darted inside.


    The moment he was through the door the Chaos assailed him. He could feel it on his skin, he breathed it in, and of course he could see it. For a moment he felt blinded by the sickly purple fog that seemed to permeate the building. The interior of the sickhouse seemed to be almost entirely one room, with a small area to his right he assumed was for those who looked after the patients, though it was currently empty. To his left he could see several dozen beds lined up against either wall, separated by curtains hanging from the ceiling.


    When he¡¯d visited the sick ward in Karthas, it had been the middle of the day, and the facility had been full of visiting family and healers. Now he was met with deadly silence, and found himself surprised by it. He had imagined a coughing, groaning cacophony as the many sick struggled through their final days. As he walked slowly and quietly down the center of the dark room, he saw that the reality was somehow far worse, as no one in the sickhouse looked healthy enough to cough or groan on their best day.


    While most were covered in well-washed sheets, and bandages where the sheets ended, it was still clear that these poor people had been ravaged by Chaos. The exposed skin was torn and bloody, and Kade noted that many had familiar black veins standing out against their pallid skin. Even on those with darker complexions or deep tans the veins still stood out, as they glowed with a dim purple light to Kade¡¯s eyes.


    Eventually Kade was drawn to a woman near the back corner of the building. The Chaos inside her eclipsed the rest of the patients, and even when he focused Kade couldn¡¯t make out anything but the deep purple energy swirling through her. He was certain that she wouldn¡¯t last longer than a few days, even if he didn¡¯t know where the confidence came from. He felt himself reaching out to her before he even registered the action, and this time he didn¡¯t stop himself. He needed to do this, and as his skin met hers, he finally began to understand why.


    The Chaos inside her wasn¡¯t like the raw form that he¡¯d slowly grown accustomed to. He realized now that he¡¯d seen Chaos in different forms without really understanding it. When Chaos was absorbed by Keepers and even Elders like Karthas, it was expelled as Calm. Whether it was absorbed by native lifeforms, or monsters like the ape-creatures he¡¯d slain so many of today, it was used directly as fuel, much like a Keeper¡¯s body used Calm to create mana. But what he saw in this woman, and every other sufferer of Chaos Sickness was something different.


    He could only assume it had something to do with the body¡¯s attempt to metabolize a type of energy it wasn¡¯t equipped to handle. He had already seen countless times that non-Keepers still absorbed energy, albeit more slowly and less efficiently than an Awakened. Apparently when a normal body absorbed Chaos in place of Calm, the energy was processed somehow, but remained trapped within the body. This was all interesting, but didn¡¯t explain the almost chemical need that had drawn him here.


    As his hand rested on the woman¡¯s stomach, near where the Soul Core would be for an Awakened, he became increasingly sure that he did have some idea of what was happening. There were any number of insane moments all those months ago when he was trapped in Altera¡¯s Chaos Fragment, but he had slowly come to understand most of them¨Cif not the why, at least the how. His energy projection was tied to his Energist Class that he¡¯d somehow gained from Altera, and the strange bracer he still wore had been responsible for most of the rest, but there was something else that he still thought back to in confusion. He had drained the Chaos out of dead monsters.


    No matter what had happened since, that was one mystery he¡¯d never been able to solve. He still remembered his shock as he pulled the rat-snake from his damaged shoulder, and felt it dissolve in his hand. That his body had healed after was another question he couldn¡¯t answer, and yet standing here, over these poor doomed people, he felt there were answers to be had. He tried desperately to remember what he had done all that time ago, but he felt like something had changed inside him, and it simply didn¡¯t seem possible.


    He considered that many things about him definitely had changed, including his very body, and wondered if he¡¯d somehow cut himself off from the mysterious technique. He thought back to the feeling and tried to hold it in his mind. He remembered that it was almost like he¡¯d carved a path through his own body at the time, dragging the energy forcefully through his own burning veins into¡­into what? At the time he hadn¡¯t known, but now he understood that it could only have been his soul. But now he had a Soul Core, and mana pathways, either one¨Cor possibly both could be somehow incompatible with whatever it was he had done.


    And yet he felt this powerful desire to use the ability, as if some part of him he wasn¡¯t in control of was sure that it should be possible. He¡¯d finally identified the strange need he¡¯d been experiencing, the intense desire to understand the ¡®puzzle¡¯ that was the strange energy caught up inside these poor people. For some reason the Chaos in these people was similar to what he¡¯d¡­fed on back in Altera, and the ability was hungering for it somehow.


    But how to satisfy the hunger? If his mana pathways were truly incompatible with this type of processed Chaos, how was he possibly going to find another pathway into his Soul Core¡­he stopped short, as the obvious thought finally occurred to him. He had endless paths to his Soul Core; they were hanging off his waist even now. With a thought he brought up a chain up in front of him, and stared at it, considering. Did he dare try this? It was invasive, and risky, and¡­wrong? Somehow that thought was quieter than it should be, and a part of him knew his behavior was already straying well past the norm.


    Yet the greater part of him was just hunger. He knew he wanted, maybe needed what was trapped inside these people, and he was just as sure that they needed the energy out. How could this be wrong? These people were doomed, and many would be gone within the month. Which among them wouldn¡¯t choose a possible miracle when the alternative was death? He wasn¡¯t even aware of having made the decision when he realized the chain¡¯s final links had transformed into a small, razor sharp needle.


    He didn¡¯t hesitate, and didn¡¯t question himself as the chain-needle speared into the woman¡¯s middle. Thankfully she didn¡¯t regain consciousness from the pain, likely long past being able to do so. Now that the connection was established, Kade let his mind follow the single chain¡¯s path from his Soul Core to this woman¡¯s soul, and he realized he could feel the Chaos trapped inside her. It seemed to vibrate and writhe as if alive, and Kade was immediately sure that it wanted out.


    Once that thought took him, the rest was surprisingly easy. Just like the Chaos that he unleashed in combat, all it took was relaxing his control¨Cthe energy wasn¡¯t meant to be trapped in this imperfect vessel. He realized his eyes had closed some time ago, and when he opened them he could see purple light pulsing upward from the chains. In moments the pulse turned from a drip into a torrent, and suddenly the Chaos was pouring out of the woman at an alarming pace.


    Kade had no time to stop what he¡¯d begun, and he found he couldn¡¯t even will the chain out of the woman. This was happening, for good or for ill, and he watched the purple energy racing through his chain with equal parts excitement and fear. The moment it reached his body he felt it crash into his Soul Core like a wave, and it was as if he¡¯d been burning in a desert, then fallen into a cool lake. He lost control immediately, and stumbled back to the center of the room, knocking over a table and chair as he did so.


    He was shocked by how much Chaos was trapped in the woman, and realized she must truly have been absorbing it for decades, possibly even centuries before she realized she was sick. Kade¡¯s mind was completely lost to the experience, and without hesitation dozens more chains burst forth, each one lancing into one of the sick people surrounding him. He was the center of a storm of purple energy as it rushed into him from every angle, and he could feel his Soul Core simultaneously begging for more while also feeling as if it was about to burst.


    He didn¡¯t know how long this went on before his chains began to withdraw from the bodies, and he realized with a shock that he¡¯d drained them all. His entire body was shaking from the experience, and he looked around in panicked confusion as he finally seemed to be back in control of his mind. This was no miracle cure, and everyone around him was still a bandaged mess, now also sporting small wounds in their abdomens, but Kade was stunned to see no trace of Chaos in any of them. He¡¯d taken it all.


    He started to smile when pain tore through him. He fell to his knees and began coughing up blood, and reaching up found that it was leaking from his eyes, ears and even fingernails. Frozen by the horror of it, it took a moment to notice the now-familiar beeping from his bracer, and he looked down at the display.


    Attention! Chaos Energy reserves exceeding maximum!


    Chaos: 14,954/191


    You should really do something about that!


    He blearily stared at the number for a few seconds in disbelief, before he heaved his aching body off the floor, and raced from the room. The pain was extraordinary, and it almost felt like his Soul Core was cracking from the strain. He smashed into the door with a shoulder, sending it flying out into the street, and he came stumbling after it, desperately trying to gather enough concentration to use the only ability that might save him.


    He had planned to run to the edge of the village, ideally over the wall and far from prying eyes, but he didn¡¯t get farther than the center of the street before his legs collapsed under him. With the last of his will he pushed through the pain, and raised his hands toward the sky, the many moons of Iros turning into targets for his addled mind. With a scream he at last let go, and the Chaos exploded from his body.


    Once more he watched the veins in his arms burn to black from the intense energy, which bathed the entire village in purple light. Soon the sight disappeared as the power became too much and started tearing its way out of his eyes. His scream cut off next as the energy poured forth from there as well, and finally there was an indescribable pain as he felt the front of his chest burst open, the Chaos now ripping its way through him directly from his Soul Core.


    The last vestiges of his mind and will were focused entirely on directing the energy upward, as it could have leveled the village a dozen times over. After an eternity he felt the Chaos inside him finally begin to abate, and when his vision returned he was lying on his back, staring straight upward. He absently wondered just how much time had passed, as the moons seemed to be in different positions.


    His body was nothing but pain, and he found that he didn¡¯t have the strength to move, but he remained conscious just long enough to hear the horrified voice of Talnius nearby. ¡°What in the name of all the Lost Gods are you?¡±

 Chapter 35: Consequences

    Kade opened his eyes, and for a long moment his mind was completely still. He simply stared up at the unremarkable ceiling, blissfully unaware of anything beyond the sunlight coming through the nearby window. Reality reasserted itself in the form of intense pain, and he would have whimpered if he was capable of any movement. His body was frozen and on fire all at once, and he sensed that his meager lifeforce was being continuously expelled to repair his ruined form.


    He slowly became aware that he was in bed, and he thought it was his room at the inn¨Cthough even moving his eyes seemed beyond him, and he had only the ceiling to judge by. Time slowly ticked away, and it was measured in pains both new and cruel, as well as uncomfortably familiar. He could sense that the internal injuries were all related to the amount of Chaos that had ripped through him, and he recognized the horrible feeling from his time in Altera.


    The truly paralyzing injury, however, was to his chest. He remembered with unfortunate clarity how it felt for his ribs to explode outward, allowing his Soul Core to directly release the overflowing energy. That he was alive at all was a surprise, as his physiology hadn¡¯t evolved to the point that his cells had been replaced by independent crystals, capable of shifting and regenerating injuries in a direct exchange for lifeforce. Primus would bring that somewhat disturbing change, but for now¨Cas powerful and durable as he was¨Chis body was ultimately that of a man, and the damage to his bones and organs must have been alarmingly close to lethal.


    As he slowly healed, Kade slipped in and out of consciousness, and he didn¡¯t know how long it had been when he was finally capable of giving his body commands. At first he could only move his eyes, but at last he felt capable of turning his head slightly, and the first sight he was confronted by was Talnius, sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. The man was staring at him, and gave the impression of having been there for some time. His expression was somewhere between incredulity and fury, and Kade noted with some alarm that the man had one of his maces resting across his lap.


    ¡°Can you talk?¡± Tal asked in his typical gruff tone. Kade had to clear his throat several times before learning the answer himself. At last he let out a muffled ¡®yes¡¯, and Tal nodded once. ¡°Good, because talking is clearly what you¡¯re best at.¡± He stood up and began pacing in front of Kade¡¯s bed. ¡°Your morals and your lectures, these Gods-be-damned chains around our necks. Trying to turn us into good little boys, all the while you were planning this!¡±  He punctuated his words by slamming a mace into the nearby wall, and plaster and debris rained over Kade, who couldn¡¯t even move to cover himself.


    There was true danger here, despite the collar the man still wore, and Kade sent out a mental command, trying to feel for Drake. He didn¡¯t sense the Aspect at all, and was intensely worried¨Che¡¯d left his familiar to watch over his companions when he¡¯d gone to the sickhouse, and he should have been nearby. All Kade could do was watch the man pace and rant. ¡°I have my regrets, and by Korthos I¡¯ve done things that maybe I should regret more, but torturing the sick and dying for my own ends isn¡¯t one of them!¡± The mace struck out again, and another chunk of wall was obliterated.


    Kade swallowed painfully before croaking out some words, ¡°Are they alive?¡±


    Tal¡¯s fury only seemed to grow at that, and he stared into Kade''s eyes for a long moment before finally deciding to answer. ¡°They live; for now. We have no true healers here and one had to be called from a neighboring village, so we don¡¯t know yet what your disgusting actions have done to them.¡± Kade considered the man¡¯s words, and the state of the sickhouse when he¡¯d left. He knew that he was the only one capable of seeing the Chaos in those poor people, so what would it look like to anyone else? Furniture knocked around, fresh blood everywhere after being cast off his chains, and dozens of patients with strange wounds in their abdomens. It truly would have looked like torture, or at least some kind of sick experiment¨CKade uncomfortably recalled the laboratory he¡¯d awoken in, and his ravaged body gave a brief shudder.


    Tal watched him writhe and seemed to take pleasure in it. He ceased his pacing and watched Kade for a long moment, shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°Just what did you do to those people, and to yourself that ended with this?¡± he gestured to Kade¡¯s ruined body. ¡°And that energy¡­I¡¯ve never seen or felt anything like it. Was it a signal? Is there someone else coming? We¡¯ve been sitting around for two days trying to make sense of your madness. I would have killed you already if Cen and Olus hadn¡¯t stopped me, and to hell if with your damned collar.¡± Speaking seemed to rile the man up further, and he once more slammed his mace into the wall, clearly frustrated that he couldn¡¯t attack Kade directly.


    For Kade¡¯s part, he had no idea what to say. He still didn¡¯t fully understand the compulsion that had driven his behavior, and sensed that it was far more than just another unusual ability. Even now, with his Soul Core feeling like it was barely holding together, he was completely certain that something in him had changed. He didn¡¯t know what, but some kind of discovery was waiting for him, and he had the distinct impression that it held disturbing implications.


    He tried to think of what he could tell the man, but the truth sounded nearly as bad as the crazed man¡¯s wild guesses. I had a terrible desire to feed off the sick like some kind of monstrous Chaos vampire. Somehow that didn¡¯t sound better than ¡®torturer¡¯ in his mind, and so he kept his mouth shut. When he refused to answer, Tal screamed in rage and began to advance on Kade, murder in his eyes, but at the last he seemed to notice something from outside, and appeared to physically tear himself away before stomping over to the window. He nodded grimly before speaking once more, ¡°At last we¡¯ll have some answers, even if they¡¯re not from you.¡±


    He turned back toward Kade, and in two strides was looming over him. Without ceremony or concern, he reached down and grabbed one of Kade¡¯s arms, then dragged him from the bed. Kade only distantly felt his body crash into the floor as his lingering pain was still beyond measure. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as the man pulled him through the door, then heedlessly dragged him down the stairs and outside, crashing into every conceivable object on the way.


    At last they were out in the open air, and Kade could feel himself being pulled through the streets. He managed to open his eyes, and immediately regretted looking down at his chest, which was still caved in, even if it was covered in a thin layer of scar tissue. He forced his gaze to the village around him, his exhausted mind barely able to register what was happening. Kade expected to be the center of attention, and dreaded having his well-earned shame on public display, but as the minutes passed and he didn¡¯t see a single villager, he grew even more concerned.


    At first he worried that something he¡¯d done might have caused a calamity of some kind. He wasn¡¯t completely sure that the gargantuan expulsion of Chaotic energy had been safely directed upward, and he half-expected Tal to deposit him in front of a pile of his victims. But the truth was stranger. When at last they saw another villager, the man wasn¡¯t looking at Kade, but was instead on his knees, staring at something Kade couldn¡¯t see as he bumped along in Tal¡¯s grip, unable to look forward. They passed yet more villagers, first a few, then dozens, each of whom was entirely caught up in whatever was playing out up ahead.


    Some began to take notice of Kade, and they whispered to one another and pointed. At last they reached their destination, and Kade felt himself hurled forward to collapse in a heap. ¡°Look at them! Look upon the results of your mad rampage!¡± Tal roared with fury, and Kade managed to gather the strength to turn his head from where it was laying against the dirt and mud of the village street. He wasn¡¯t surprised to find that the man had dragged him to the sickhouse, but the crowd of hundreds gathered around the building was a shock.


    They were so densely packed that Kade couldn¡¯t even see the doorway he remembered bursting through. It looked as if the entire population of Bolos had come to see his crime, and many were just like the first man: collapsed on their knees in horror. It belatedly occurred to Kade that it was oddly silent for such a large group, and he finally understood why as the crowd parted enough to show Presla speaking with a robed figure. He realized he¡¯d met the second person before, during the village tour he¡¯d taken with his unusual charges. Her name was Gemma, and she had naturally Awoken Healing in her Soul Core, a true rarity.


    The women were speaking to one another quietly, with the healer repeatedly shaking her head, as if explaining that there was nothing she could do. This shouldn¡¯t have been much of a surprise, as Gemma had surely visited Bolos in her long years on the frontier, but Presla¡¯s reactions were quite unusual. She kept gesturing to a third woman, standing near the doorway. The woman appeared unremarkable, but Kade slowly came to realize that it was her that everyone was staring at, some of the nearby villagers even reaching out as if to touch her.


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    Kade still couldn¡¯t make out what they were saying from his place in the dirt, but he watched as Tal strode forward. Lost in rage and righteousness, the man began raging again, ¡°I brought him! I brought the monster that did this.¡± At last the spell seemed to break, and all eyes turned to Kade¡¯s pathetic form, crumpled and broke at the edge of the crowd. A path cleared to Presla and the Gemma, and Kade closed his eyes, not willing to look at the two who had dedicated their lives to helping the kind of people that Kade had preyed on.


    ¡°Talnius, what have you done?¡± Presla¡¯s voice spoke into the eerie silence.


    ¡°What does it look like? I dragged him here to pay for his crimes. I thought he should at least see the tragedy he caused before we disposed of him. But if the villagers would rather see justice done immediately, I¡¯d be happy to expedite the matter.¡±


    ¡°Oh Tal, you just don¡¯t understand,¡± Presla said in a strange, sad tone.


    ¡°Enough of this!¡± Gemma¡¯s high voice rang out with impressive authority, and Kade heard footsteps rapidly approaching. ¡°This man is barely alive, how could you do this, Keeper Talnius?¡± Kade felt hands gently inspecting him, and moments later a warmth began to bloom inside him, the endless pain slowly receding.


    ¡°This man lost the right to any of our sympathy the moment he broke into a house of healing!¡± Tal roared. ¡°Bolos is supposed to be special! It¡¯s a place where the sick can be welcomed and treated with dignity. No staring eyes or warding gestures, no judgment from those lucky enough not to share their fate, no one treating them like pariahs just for the Chaos inside them! And this man destroyed all of that!¡±


    Kade forced himself to open his eyes, his mind somewhat clearer now that the pain had lessened. He saw Gemma kneeling over him, silver hair spilling forward as she searched his eyes in desperation. ¡°How did you do it?¡± she whispered in clear disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s not possible. I know it¡¯s not possible. Please, how did you do it?¡± Kade could only shake his head in confusion before his attention was pulled back to Presla, who appeared to be desperately trying to calm Tal down.


    He couldn¡¯t hear her whispered words, but once more she gestured wildly at the woman huddled in the doorway, and with a clearer mind Kade realized she was somehow familiar, though he couldn¡¯t place her. He¡¯d met so many people in the last few weeks, but he couldn¡¯t imagine what made this woman significant. Tal appeared to have a similar reaction, as he repeatedly shook his head in denial, before Presla pulled him forward with hands on either side of his face, and spoke for a long moment. Slowly Tal¡¯s body seemed to relax, and he looked back at the woman with suspicion. She met his eyes, and nodded once, and Talnius seemed to suddenly lose what was left of his anger. He collapsed onto his knees, staring like so many of the villagers.


    Cen and Olus emerged from the building only a moment later, each supporting a weak man draped in light robes. The crowd parted further, but several people ran forward to embrace the newcomers, and slowly the tension seemed to release, with murmurs and whispers giving way to sounds of elation, and even a few cheers. Kade still couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, and he flinched when he realized Tal had regained his feet and was once more coming toward him. He found just enough strength to raise his arms in front of his face, but he lowered them again slowly when Tal collapsed to his knees with a thud. Kade was shocked to see tears streaming down the man¡¯s grim face.


    ¡°Please,¡± his deep voice came out in a whimper. ¡°Please, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll do anything. Take my head with this collar if you must, but please¡­please heal Presla too.¡±


    ***


    Hours later, Kade found himself in one of the many empty beds of the sickhouse, a steady stream of patients still being helped out as Gemma almost killed herself healing their fragile bodies. Cen and Olus stood like bodyguards in front of his bed, not protecting him, but rather politely dismissing the many villagers who either wanted to thank Kade for the impossible thing he¡¯d done, or beg him to do it again for a family member or friend.


    Presla had pulled Talnius away before Kade had been forced to speak to the man, and Cen and Olus had rushed to his side moments later, Gemma ordering them to take him to lie down. As she worked on his wounds she¡¯d explained what she¡¯d found upon arriving several hours earlier. At first she¡¯d been as disgusted as anyone by the state of the sickhouse, but was surprised to find that the patients only had small, identical wounds, which were nothing compared to the regular decay and disfigurement caused by the Sickness.


    The true surprise had come when she¡¯d tried to heal her oldest patient, understanding that the woman¡¯s fragile state meant even a small puncture wound could be fatal. Her healing had worked far, far, too well, however. Chaos Sickness was virtually untreatable, and the wounds and festering sores it caused couldn¡¯t be affected by anything Gemma had ever encountered. And yet this time, the woman¨Cwho Kade had learned was named Marie¨Chad reacted as if her injuries were entirely unrelated to the disease which had slowly ravaged her body and soul for over a century.


    In moments Marie¡¯s eyes had opened, her flesh and body restored, and she¡¯d gotten up in confusion. She had been comatose for several years now, and was understandably disoriented. It had been her, of course, standing by the open doorway being stared at by the villagers, and Kade recognized her as the first patient he¡¯d tested his ability on. Gemma hadn¡¯t been sure if the woman was cured, or if the disease had been pushed back, but Kade¡¯s eyes confirmed that there wasn¡¯t a trace of Chaos left in her, and told them as much¨Cthough he didn¡¯t elaborate on how he knew.


    He was still unsure how much he should tell anyone, though he couldn¡¯t keep everything a secret. If he could truly cure a disease that had been around for almost a hundred thousand years, he knew that he had to do so. Unfortunately he wasn¡¯t actually convinced he could do it again. For the dozenth time he looked down at his bracer.


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)


    Lifeforce: 11%


    Mana: 0/137


    Chaos: 0/246


    Strength: 19


    Speed: 15


    Endurance: 12


    Magic: 11


    Energy: 27


    Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Chaos Energist


    Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.


    Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 6, 43%)


    Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 4, 26%)


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: Mentor¡¯s Amulet


    Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Vanguard


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 4, 14%)


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 2, 29%)


    Ability 3: Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 5, 11%)


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    His abilities and attributes had improved a great deal in his weeks of fighting alongside the false Keepers, and his Chaos reserves had once more taken an enormous jump by being so overtaxed. His mana pathways were still too damaged for him to absorb external energy, but Gemma had assured him this would take care of itself in time. It wasn¡¯t this that made him unsure about helping others plagued with Chaos Sickness, however, and not why he was obsessively checking his bracer.


    The problem was there was no new ability listed. Even back in Altera, before his Class was truly unlocked or remotely understood, the bracer had correctly identified the ability he used, even if its information was limited. But now he proved he could pull Chaos directly from living beings, and there was nothing. He had gone deeper into the interface dedicated to his Chains of Fate, but there was nothing new there either. He understood that Soul Powers weren¡¯t as limited as Path Abilities, but for some reason he was absolutely sure that what he¡¯d done was unrelated to his chains.


    He¡¯d used them as a medium, certainly, but somehow he knew the power came from somewhere else. It was the same feeling he¡¯d had since he woke up, and it could only be connected to the odd compulsions that had driven him to such extremes in the first place. He had to make a decision soon as to what to tell Gemma and the others, but his mind couldn¡¯t focus on what¨Con any other day¨Cwould have been the most important discovery anyone had made in millenia.


    Instead, a single thought kept playing over and over in his head, and the implications¨Cboth personal and possibly to society at large¨Cwere staggering. Somehow he was sure¨Cthough he couldn¡¯t say why¨Cthat he had broken a fundamental rule that governed all Children of Korthos. He had an ability that existed completely outside the purview of both his Soul Core and his Paths. Something so impossible that even the unusually powerful and versatile bracer couldn¡¯t even recognize it.


    Something¨Che finally allowed himself to admit¨Cthat only an Elder could do.

 Chapter 36: Cure for Chaos

    It took another two full days before Kade¡¯s body had healed enough for him to utilize mana and Chaos again, though he felt his mind was far from recovered and he hadn¡¯t yet left the building. His actions in the sickhouse still haunted him, regardless of how it might have worked out. That he got lucky was an understatement bordering on the delusional, as he was brutally aware that he¡¯d effectively tortured those people for his own ends. Blaming a mysterious compulsion brought him no comfort. On the contrary, knowing his behavior could be so violently impacted by an unknown force inside him was terrifying in a way he¡¯d never experienced.


    Rationally he understood that part of his drive for power since arriving was a desperate desire to feel in control, and to find a purpose that would help him feel like he wasn¡¯t just a lost victim. But right now he felt small. Something about fighting had almost immediately felt natural to him, and he¡¯d managed to lose himself in it for a while. But being the arbiter of fate for the three false Keepers, then somehow becoming a cure for Chaos Sickness was too much for him. He had to admit to himself that he wasn¡¯t built for these types of big situations.


    He¡¯d been plagued by the question of what to do next. He already knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to reach Karthas in time to join the expedition, and he¡¯d be forced to search for them based on a rough understanding of where they were headed. But should he even go? How could he be more valuable as one more warrior than he would be saving thousands suffering from Chaos Sickness back in Karthas? Maybe it was foolish and self-centered to even consider going.


    ¡°I need to go into the True Chaos.¡±


    Cen turned and stared at him from across the room for some reason. Kade looked at him questioningly, but the man just shrugged and went back to reading. Either Cen or Olus was still always with him, even though Presla had convinced the villagers¨Cand Tal¨Cto leave him to recover. Kade turned his mind back to brooding, and the final worry he couldn¡¯t shake.


    There was something else beyond questions of responsibility and his own unfortunate actions. Something he¡¯d dismissed at first, given his injuries and the traumatic experience, but as he¡¯d healed and the feeling lingered, he was no longer able to ignore it. The compulsion wasn¡¯t gone, it had only¡­shifted. It was like there was an emptiness where the undeniable urge had been, and Kade¡¯s imagination had been running wild considering what might fill it.


    Kade had long since lost track of time when he heard a commotion outside, and he wasn¡¯t surprised when Tal finally burst in. Olus was trying to physically restrain him and Presla spoke rapidly in hushed, disapproving tones, but Talnius would no longer be denied. ¡°Keeper!¡± he roared, as he threw his apprentice to one side. ¡°We¡¯ve waited long enough. Gemma says your pathways should be fine. Why are you sitting on the damned cure for this misery!¡±


    The mentioned healer rushed in from the nearby office, and planted herself in Tal¡¯s path. ¡°You will not use me to justify bullying my own patient. I told you I expected him to recover in a few days, and nothing more!¡± Tal ignored her and pushed his way closer to Kade¡¯s bed.


    ¡°Well, can you speak for yourself? Or do you enjoy making a village full of desperate people wait on your whim?¡± The whole room exploded at that, with everyone coming to Kade¡¯s defense. Their help only made him feel worse, and he knew that it was time to answer some questions for himself, and hopefully figure out his path at the same time. He let out a long breath before standing up slowly. The room quieted as they saw him, and he could feel them waiting.


    He closed his eyes, and tentatively let a trickle of mana flow through his body. There was slight pain, but it was already receding¨Cmore like tensing a muscle that had fallen asleep than straining an injury. Kade hesitated only for a moment before repeating the test with the smallest amount of Chaos he could, then at last opened his eyes. ¡°We can do this. But we need to go outside, and somewhere private.¡±


    ***


    Presla had taken them to her home, which backed against the village wall, and was safe from prying eyes. Kade looked around in satisfaction, a well tended garden and some remarkably green trees providing an air of tranquility he truly needed. While he didn¡¯t fool himself into thinking he could keep his somewhat questionable methods a secret if he had to help the entire village, he didn¡¯t want an audience for this first attempt beyond the small group that had followed from the sickhouse.


    Kade had put as much thought as he could into how he might perform this feat again without losing himself, and now he was in the uncomfortable position of needing to test those methods on someone. He¡¯d explained this to Presla quietly as she led them through the village, and he¡¯d volunteered before he could even suggest an alternative. Tal had objected, obviously, but it was clear from the first that he didn¡¯t expect her to back down.


    To her credit, the proud woman didn¡¯t show a hint of fear as Kade approached her, a chain forming into an intimidating needle. ¡°Are you absolutely sure?¡± he asked, knowing the answer.


    ¡°This is the least I¡¯ll have done for my people, and it¡¯s hardly selfless to put myself at the front of the line to be healed.¡± Kade nodded, though he doubted anyone in the group believed her claim of self-interest. Presuming the wait would be painful enough already, he directed her to a nearby chair, then began his first test.


    Unfortunately he¡¯d been unable to come up with a less invasive method of accessing her soul. Between several discussions with Gemma and some utterly fruitless attempts to manipulate the Chaos externally, it became clear that his brand of help would never be considered pleasant. He tried to be quick, at least, and the needle shot forward without hesitation. Presla did her best to stay still, but she was a long way from an unfeeling coma patient, and she nodded in assent when Kade asked permission to restrain her.


    Tal came closer as chains wrapped around the woman, but Cen and Olus were already there, pushing him back. Kade ignored them all, focusing his vision on the flows of energy inside her, and attempting to achieve with intellect what he¡¯d only managed with instinct the first time. His first hurdle actually came from how healthy Presla was compared to the terminal villagers he¡¯d managed to cleanse before.


    There was vastly more Calm in her system, with the Chaos acting more like a pollutant or an impurity. He was ashamed to admit he¡¯d put no consideration into keeping the patients alive when he¡¯d done this the first time, and he wasn¡¯t sure how to leave the ¡®healthy¡¯ energy inside her. Thankfully the problem solved itself, as he quickly realized he couldn¡¯t affect anything that wasn¡¯t Chaos. He didn¡¯t know if that was a good thing or not in the long term, but it removed a fear of truly becoming some kind of energy vampire for now.


    At last he began to manipulate the Chaos flowing through her with more purpose, and nodded at Gemma who came closer, as prepared as she could be. Kade¡¯s goal with his tests was to see if he could avoid what had happened previously, where the Chaos had rushed into him. He wasn¡¯t particularly worried about going over his limit again, as there should be easy ways around that¨Che hoped. However, there was the nagging fear that taking Processed Chaos¨Cas Kade had begun to think of it¨Cinto his own Soul Core might be unwittingly feeding the strange compulsion that he sensed lurking somewhere inside him.


    His first attempt was the easiest, and also least likely to work. As he pulled a small amount of Chaos from Presla, accessing the ability almost uncomfortably easily after using it so wantonly before, he tried to redirect the energy into the ground. The plan was simple, he began the ¡®pull¡¯ as he thought of it using his Soul Core, then tried to force the energy into a second chain connected to the one piercing Presla, which in turn was buried deep in the ground.


    As expected though, the Chaos just ignored the grounding chain and raced into his hungry Soul Core. The amount was small enough that even his strained Core wasn¡¯t bothered by it, but Kade shuddered visibly as he felt something shift inside him. He could only think of it as a wrongness of some kind, and while it didn¡¯t exactly make him feel sick, it somehow made him feel different. Presla noticed his reaction, ¡°Are you okay? We can stop,¡± while her voice quivered with pain, Kade could tell she was more concerned with him than herself, and steeled his resolve. He wouldn¡¯t leave this woman to her fate to avoid a feeling.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. You have this flowing through you every day, I can handle a few moments.¡± He was relieved when she just nodded, and he hurriedly moved on to his second test. Lifting one hand above his head, he pulled more Chaos from her soul, and tried to force it through his mana channels and up into his hand the moment it entered his body. Unfortunately he failed once more. Not only did the energy race straight into his Core, but once it did he couldn¡¯t differentiate it from the rest of his Chaos reserves He only knew it was there by the slight strain he felt, and the feeling of wrongness increasing.


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    Kade barely stopped himself from sighing out loud, not wanting to elicit any more sympathy from the woman he currently had impaled and chained to a chair. Instead he tried his last test, which should leave her cleansed whether it helped him or not. Leaving his hand pointing skyward, he at last pulled in earnest, and the Chaos inside her was rapidly drained into him. This time he began blasting the energy harmlessly up into the air, hoping that the rapidly expelling the Processed Chaos would lessen the effect it had on him.


    Presla¡¯s face twisted in pain and discomfort, and gasps from the others indicated they could likely see the telltale purple energy leaving her. The process was at least blessedly quick once he began it in earnest, and mere moments passed by before he was able to withdraw the needle. Gemma only gave him a heartbeat to stop firing the energy into the sky before she gripped Presla, healing energies restoring her exhausted body.


    Kade withdrew the rest of his chains and went to lean against the wall as the group moved closer to Presla. He could hear their joy and astonishment as he let his head rest against one arm, the coolness of the wall a slight comfort after the feeling of heat from the Chaos he¡¯d just pulled in. The final test had failed as well, as his reserves were now almost completely empty, but he could still feel something wrong inside him. He would have sworn he was contracting Chaos Sickness himself if he wasn¡¯t capable of examining his energies with his own eyes, revealing nothing like what he saw in the villagers.


    So here it was, he thought, the tradeoff and the quandary. He couldn¡¯t rid himself of the uncomfortable effects the cleansing brought out in him, but could he really let people die to avoid a feeling? He knew he was rationalizing, recognizing that guilt was at least as big a motivator as any kind of altruism, but that didn¡¯t change the reality. He may not be interested in being a hero, but that was very different from letting countless people die of a disease only he could cure; that kind of apathy may as well be villainy.


    Knowing his course was clear he returned to the group, and saw that he was interrupting a tearful embrace between Tal and Presla. Cen and Olus were grinning, while Gemma stood alone, shaking her head in disbelief. Apparently seeing the after effects and witnessing the act itself were very different things. Having already burned more time than he¡¯d have liked, Kade interrupted their celebration. ¡°If our healer has given you a clean bill of health, I think it¡¯s time we got to work.¡±


    ***


    There were two hundred and seventy-two villagers in need of healing, and Kade ambitiously hoped to get through them all in a single day. Gemma had reluctantly agreed, admitting that the only healing she needed to do was repairing the wound from the incision, with no one else in the village being so far gone as to need immediate restoration beyond that. Understanding that the grizzly nature of the healing would intimidate the patients, they chose a method that provided as much expediency as possible while still keeping the actual cleansing private.


    The villagers were brought into the sickhouse one by one, and left through a backdoor in the office which led to several houses converted into recovery areas. Tal claimed that these people would walk through fire and welcome a thousand needle-chains to be cured, but Gemma insisted on as smooth and dignified a treatment as possible, while still turning the town into an assembly line for Kade¡¯s benefit.


    The treatment started out well with more than a dozen patients being cycled through in less than an hour. It wasn¡¯t quite as quick as Kade wanted, but they¡¯d started very early in the morning, and he felt he was growing more adept at the process with every new person helped. Kade managed to do three additional patients in the next hour, and kept trying to find ways to speed things up.


    He was surprised to find that he¡¯d been worrying over nothing, as each person made the uneasiness inside him smaller instead of larger, and he began to think he had been imagining it all along. It was a new flavor of Chaos, couldn¡¯t it just have its own unique feeling when flowing through his pathways? He¡¯d long since gotten used to the feeling of his other energies, maybe he¡¯d just underestimated how unusual a new type would feel.


    As he passed fifty patients and the sun was high overhead, Kade got even more ambitious. Hadn¡¯t he drained more than two dozen patients on his first attempt? He was vastly more proficient now, and yet here he was, with a lineup over two hundred long, wasting everyone¡¯s time. He explained this to Gemma, who reluctantly agreed to let him try two at once, and Cen and Olus rushed to move things around in the sickhouse to accommodate the new setup.


    It wasn¡¯t as much more efficient as Kade had hoped, as most of the time was spent moving people in and out, not with the process itself. Having to stop to blast energy into the sky every few cleanses was also time-consuming, and Kade started growing irritated. Based on the success of helping two at once, he approached Gemma after another hour.


    ¡°We need to speed things up!¡± he insisted. The healer looked uncomfortable, but replied calmly.


    ¡°Keeper, I want to be respectful of your time, but this is a delicate process, and these people are scared.¡± Kade looked outside at the seemingly endless line and threw up his hands in frustration.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? We¡¯re curing Chaos Sickness! How many more sick are out there? Have you been to the wards in Karthas, because I have. They¡¯re suffering, and I could be there tomorrow!¡± Gemma looked ready to argue, but unexpectedly Tal spoke up.


    ¡°Just let more in, Gemma. He barely needs to pay attention at this point; if he says he can handle more, let him. You can¡¯t honestly believe there¡¯s anyone out there that isn¡¯t in even more of a hurry than he is.¡± She looked defeated at that.


    ¡°Five, we¡¯ll do five at once and see how it¨C¡±


    ¡°Ten. Ten minimum,¡± Kade interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m wasting too much time here as it is.¡± Gemma looked as if she might be grinding her teeth, but seeing no one willing to back her up, she nodded tersely and began instructing Cen and Olus on how to set up the room for more people.


    By the end of the next hour they¡¯d helped over a hundred of the villagers in total, but Kade was no happier. His chains were limitless! If they¡¯d just stop wasting his time he could just walk into the street and cure everyone at once. He¡¯d already begun standing outside so that he could safely blast away the energy at the same time as he ripped the Chaos from the grateful villagers, but it was all still so slow.


    Another argument ended in the number of simultaneous cleanses being raised to twenty, and finally Kade was beginning to feel like they were showing him the respect he deserved. At this rate he could do everything. He could finish here, then race to Karthas and heal all of the sick there too. Then he¡¯d be free to take his exam, and everything would be perfect. Why were Cen and Olus staring at him?


    As they passed two hundred villagers saved, Kade was already picturing himself walking through Karthas, people cheering his name as he cured the incurable. He might not even need to become a Keeper. Didn¡¯t Karthas have a King? They would likely raise him to the throne after saving so many lives. He tapped his foot impatiently as the group of recently healed slowly shuffled out of the building, some wasting his time by stopping to thank him. Didn¡¯t they know there were more people to heal?


    At last he couldn¡¯t stand their rudeness any further, and chains whipped out to wrap around each of them, and rapidly deposited them in the recovery area. Safe and sound. Some fell down but that was fine, Gemme could mend broken bones but only Kade could cure Chaos Sickness. Only him.


    Someone was talking loudly as his chains fired out again, this time grabbing half of the remaining villagers and pulling them into the sickhouse. He swatted at the bug buzzing around his ear, then his chains lanced into the forty or so patients that needed his help. He was a hero.


    ***


    At first Cen could only stare in horror and confusion at what he was seeing, but when Keeper Kadeus backhanded Olus into a wall and he heard bones crack from across the room, his instincts kicked in. He didn¡¯t know what was happening to the man that had both saved his life and put a collar of death around his neck, but he knew this was what he had trained for¨Cpeople were going to die without him.


    Those terrifying black chains had already ripped open the roof and one wall of the sickhouse, and Kade was laughing like a madman as they whipped out to gather more of the villagers to him. All at once the group was impaled, and Cen could see purple energy draining out of them and being pulled into the crazed Keeper. Strangely the drained villagers were still being deposited in the recovery area, though most were practically thrown, and they largely ended up in a heap.


    Cen seemed to realize at the same time as Keeper Kadeus that the line of infected villagers was gone, and the chains went wild as the man lurched outside. ¡°MORE!¡± Kade roared as Cen raced after him, summoning two swords that had never seemed so inadequate before. Buildings were being ripped apart as the enraged Keeper looked for more people to drain, but he didn¡¯t seem to understand that he¡¯d gotten them all.


    At last he turned to face Cen, hundreds of chains flailing wildly and transforming into gruesome instruments of death. Spears of purple energy materialized around Kade, all aimed in Cen¡¯s direction, and he knew he was going to die. He nearly fled when a hand came to rest on his shoulder, and relief went through him in a wave as Master Talnius stepped in front of him. ¡°Go, son. Get your brother and run, I¡¯ll help the Keeper.¡± Cen wanted to argue, wanted to face this like a true warrior, but years of obeying his teacher¨Cand intense terror¨Chad him charging off without a word.


    ¡°Come on then, boy,¡± he heard Master Talnius whisper as he walked toward the chained monstrosity, twin maces at the ready.


    ¡°GIVE ME MORE!¡± the man who had been Cen¡¯s friend screamed in a voice that chilled him to his core. Cen couldn¡¯t stop himself from looking back as countless chains and the ominous purple spears all hurtled toward his master with deadly speed.

 Chapter 37: Inevitability

    Talnius Valoro, fallen scion of House Valoro, was always furious. He¡¯d been angry so long that he didn¡¯t remember what it felt like to think clearly, and he knew he wasn¡¯t thinking clearly now as he walked toward the boy. He was angry that his mother had forced him into the Keepers too young, angrier still that he¡¯d failed his Trial, and his soul was hot with rage that his family had disowned him for it.


    He had no illusions that he¡¯d changed now, or that he would change even if the impossible happened¨Cif he somehow found a life with Presla. This was who he¡¯d been for a century, and as he reached up to grip the chain collar wrapped around his neck, he wondered if his family had made him this way on purpose. Their desperation to keep the prominent family members as peerless Elementalists had manifested in countless ways, nothing more brutal than how they tried to force specific Soul Cores. Perhaps in this moment he should be grateful, he considered, as the links of chains began to melt in his hand.


    They impotently erupted into small blades as the collar fell apart, but they were ultimately nothing to someone who had Awakened Ember. He¡¯d only needed to experiment those first two nights to be sure he could remove the boy¡¯s trinket at any time; the Keeper in training had no idea how powerful an Ascended Awakened would become by the time they were pushing against the threshold of Primus. It was just one of the odd gaps in knowledge that the boy had displayed, and Tal was ready to exploit it¨Cuntil he saw how Cen and Olus had reacted to his presence.


    Talnius despised Kade. For his arrogance, his sanctimonious judgment, and sometimes just for his smug face. But his boys had been in awe, and they¡¯d somehow known they could get from Kade what Tal couldn¡¯t provide. House Valoro only had one training method, and he would never subject those two to such barbarism. Sadly, Tal had overcorrected. He was so afraid of becoming like the family that had ruined him that he sheltered the boys, terrified that he might do to them what was done to him. After what they¡¯d been through, he would die to prevent that.


    But he couldn¡¯t deny what they¡¯d become in the short time they¡¯d spent with a ¡®real¡¯ Keeper, and that alone would have been enough to make Tal want to spare the boy. That he was somehow also a living cure to Chaos Sickness meant that Tal had to keep him alive somehow. Even if Talnius had been too far gone to care about that personally, he knew that Presla would never forgive him for taking that miracle from the world. Though now, as countless chains hurled toward him, and he was forced to use the Soul Powers he¡¯d sworn off for a century, he found his grip on mercy was tenuous at best.


    The air around Talnius superheated in an instant, and every chain that came near him met the same fate as the collar had, leaving behind a trail of molten metal. Ember wasn¡¯t like most fire-based Awakenings, and Tal couldn¡¯t throw around flames or even control existing ones like so many others. Instead he was fire, and the heat that radiated from his Soul Core was so far beyond this child¡¯s nascent Soul Manifestations that they may as well have been made from paper.


    As Tal felt himself pushed back suddenly and pain exploded in his left shoulder, he realized his mistake. The boy had interesting powers, and Tal couldn¡¯t help but watch him occasionally in the countless battles they¡¯d been through these last weeks. As such, he¡¯d thought he¡¯d been prepared for the unusual constructs Kade could create, but looking down at the purple spear lodged in his flesh, he saw that this was something different.


    The heat had affected the thing, and it was drastically smaller than those still hovering around the manic warrior facing him, but distracted by the inner turmoil of using his hated Soul Core, Tal hadn¡¯t considered the unusual color. The constructs were clearly tainted by Chaos, and he could see the flesh blacken around the wound before his eyes. With no further hesitation he tore the spear from his shoulder, and a moment later he smelled his own burning flesh as he seared the corruption from the wound.


    The bottomless seas of rage inside him roiled, and Tal prepared to charge forward, his twin maces glowing red as if fresh from the forge. Hating himself for doing it, he fell into the combat stance that had been drilled into him for years by House Valoro¡¯s weapon masters, and began to move. Gone was the reckless, derision-fueled approach that he¡¯d used on the monsters that were beneath him, and in its place was an elegant dance of limitless precision.


    He ignored the chains that ceaselessly reached for him, knowing they were no threat. Instead, his full attention was on the Chaos spears that seemed to fly at him from every angle. He shifted continuously, flowing through the forms that his body seemed to remember better than his mind did, and he felt almost untouchable. He remembered when he¡¯d been a boy, Ember only recently having Awoken within him, and learning that their family¡¯s signature combat style had been pioneered by an ancestor that had Awoken Water. He¡¯d been disgusted, and had demanded to be taught something reminiscent of fire, the arrogance of youth emboldening him.


    Now though, he could only be grateful for the training he¡¯d received, as the pain in his shoulder was a constant reminder of the danger he was facing. Thankfully his opponent clearly had no similar training, and was out of his mind besides. The spears fired rapidly, but clumsily, and as his maces wove complex patterns around him deflecting anything he couldn¡¯t dodge, Tal quickly advanced on his target.


    Incapacitating an Awakened wasn¡¯t an easy task, as the line between a killing blow and a non-lethal attack powerful enough to render one unconscious was razor thin. Tal knew he¡¯d have to bring to bear all his skill for this not to end in tragedy, and when two longswords appeared in Kade¡¯s hand¨Ceach ominously glowing with purple energy¨Cthe likelihood of this finishing with someone¡¯s death escalated alarmingly.


    Talnius immediately adjusted his stance, controlling his aggression and baiting the younger man into a more controlled exchange of blows. Thankfully Kade seemed to have almost no mind left, and he alternated between inarticulate screaming and manic laughter, charging forward with no consideration of danger. Even the Chaos spears slowed as Tal easily deflected one sword swing after another.


    Tal¡¯s fury was blunted by frustration as he considered this may be the opposite of what he wanted. He¡¯d seen what happened to the boy the first time he¡¯d absorbed too much Chaos, and Tal realized his best chance of an acceptable outcome to this fight was to get as much of the corrupted energy out of Kade as possible. Hopefully his unlikely ally would make an appearance soon, as he wasn¡¯t confident he could do this alone.


    Changing tactics again, Tal began retreating across the village square, attempting to frustrate Kade who was still swinging his blades wildly. When the continuous ringing of metal on metal was reduced to the occasional parry, with most of Kade¡¯s attacks hitting nothing but air, the boy finally began to switch back to his Chaos spears. Tal knew it wasn¡¯t enough, having seen the remarkable size of the blast fired into the sky several nights past, and knew it was time to try something stupid and risky.


    He moved until his was back was to some of the ruined structures of the village, the opposite direction of where the villagers were no doubt cowering, and kept up his baiting dance until the frustrated young warrior once more screamed at him. ¡°MORE! I NEED MORE!¡± Tal quietly hoped some part of the boy was rational enough for this to work.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never have more while I¡¯m alive!¡± he roared back. ¡°You¡¯ll fight me until you burn out, you mad fool!¡± At first Tal wasn¡¯t sure if the gambit would work, as Kade simply screamed into the air for a long moment. Then he got what he wanted, as the boy threw his blades away, and raised his hands in front of him as if reaching for Talnius. Thinking back to what he¡¯d seen the last time he saw this, Tal felt his resolve slip for a moment, but as deep purple energy gathered between the outstretched hands, Tal reminded himself that a confrontation with his self-appointed jailer was exactly why he¡¯d kept his other ability hidden.


    As the blast exploded forward, so large that Tal couldn¡¯t even see his opponent behind it, he used Smoldering Step, disappearing from the line of a fire and reappearing behind the younger man instantly. The mana drain was enormous, as the ability wasn¡¯t truly meant to be used before reaching Primus, but it worked, and he had a perfect view as the gargantuan eruption of Chaotic energy tore through the space he¡¯d occupied only a second earlier.


    Tal marveled as the blast passed through the entirety of the village and disappeared from sight as it tore through the outer wall. He could feel the corruption even from this distance, and his mind went back to distant memories of traveling the True Chaos. For whatever reason, Kade let the blast continue long enough to have killed a thousand Tals, which hopefully depleted the boy¡¯s reserves enough to make the difference.


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    The moment the light show ended and the boy¡¯s arms fell to his sides, Tal struck. His maces crashed into Kade¡¯s back with expert control; he needed to injure the boy, but not kill him. The force of the blows knocked him to the ground, and Tal was over him in an instant, his assault unceasing. He knew what he was doing was a longshot, but he¡¯d seen something that night that he hadn¡¯t felt the need to tell anyone. It didn¡¯t seem relevant in the intervening time, and Tal¡¯s mind had been completely occupied by his fury at Kade¡¯s actions, then his desperate need to see Presla healed. Now it was likely their only hope.


    As the beating continued, Tal prayed to the Lost Gods, and he watched for any sign that his plan was working. At last it came, and Talnius was so relieved that his attacks stopped for just a moment, allowing Kade to burst from the ground with the strange strength that he strangely didn¡¯t always possess. Tal was thrown back, slamming into the ground on the other side of the square, but he was grinning as he regained his feet.


    Silver chains had begun to emerge from Kade¡¯s body.


    The truth was that Tal wasn¡¯t the first one to find Kade that night. He¡¯d been well aware that the unusual metal Aspect had been left on guard duty as always, and had been surprised when it suddenly rushed out of the inn. Curiosity combined with too many drinks had led Tal to follow, and in moments he¡¯d spotted the pillar of energy soaring into the sky.


    He couldn¡¯t keep up with the Aspect as it pulled itself along on its silver chains, but there was no doubt as to its destination. Tal had arrived in front of the sickhouse just in time to see the burnt husk that had been Kade collapse into a heap. The boy was clearly unconscious and didn¡¯t see what happened next, but Tal did. The disturbing purple energy had still been there, and seemed to rise from his body like flames; the blast hadn¡¯t been enough to cleanse him of the corruption.


    If Tal had been more clear-headed at the time he may have been more prepared for the danger they now faced, but he admitted to himself that he would have readily dismissed any risks for a chance to save Presla. Now though, he knew the boy¡¯s Aspect was their only hope. It had been there that night, its chains wrapped protectively around its master as the energy ravaged his body, and Tal had watched in fascination as it did something.


    Some of the silver chains had separated and bored their way into the ground. Tal had been unable to see how it did the rest, but somehow the remaining corruption inside the boy had been siphoned out, most of the purple energy had flowed through the Aspect¡¯s chains and disappeared into the earth, the rest dissipating into the air. The process had been relatively quick, and Tal had watched in fascination as Chaos pumped through the chains until they began to dissolve before his eyes.


    Talnius had stayed back until it appeared finished, and when he finally approached the boy, the Aspect appeared to have been completely consumed. Tal¡¯s education had been remarkably thorough, however, and he knew of nothing that could truly destroy an Aspect so long as their connection to this world was being maintained by a living master. He was proven correct now, as silver chains slowly spread out from an unaware Kade.


    Tal couldn¡¯t risk that the madman might be far enough gone to attack his own Aspect though, and so he charged back in, maces at the ready. As twin blades appeared to intercept the attack, Tal was faced with several inconvenient discoveries. The first was that Kade¡¯s madness seemed to have diminished as he expelled more Chaos, but only enough to make him a far more competent opponent. The next was that the boy clearly had plenty of Chaos left, as the corrupted spears once more began to appear.


    The final discovery was more frustrating than dangerous, but Tal still considered it the worst of the three: the boy was talking again. ¡°I knew you were planning to kill me!¡± he shrieked. ¡°You¡¯ve wanted me dead since the moment I found out about your filthy operation! You¡¯re responsible for all of this, aren¡¯t you? You did this to me!¡± Tal did his best to ignore the paranoid accusations, as his mind was already pulled in too many directions. He was trying to deflect swords that were now swinging just as hard as his maces, while simultaneously dodging energy spears and trying to hit the younger man¨Cboth without killing him, and in places the silver chains weren¡¯t gathering.


    When Tal noticed that purple energy was once more being siphoned into silver chains, he recognized the true battle of attrition had begun. Every spear, every blow from his maces, and every moment the Aspect performed its task brought Tal closer to the victory he sought. Time ticked away slowly, with Talnius fully absorbed by the endurance trial the fight had turned into. He needed perfection; he had to dodge every strike while returning his own perfectly, knowing that a single slip could mean his end.


    Finally his opponent began to slow, the crazed, manic look on Kade¡¯s face slipping as he looked more and more like himself. Suddenly he took a step back, and the blades lowered to his sides. Tal breathed a sigh of relief, but kept his maces up as he cautiously closed the distance between them. Not ready to take chances, he raised a single mace¨Cif he could just knock the boy unconscious, the Aspect could hopefully do the rest.


    He only realized his mistake when he heard Kade quietly laughing to himself. Tal followed his instincts and dodged to the right, but he simply wasn¡¯t fast enough. The point of a Chaos spear emerged from almost the exact spot he¡¯d been pierced at the beginning of the exchange, only this time he hadn¡¯t managed to reduce its size with his heat field. Tal¡¯s mana reserves were nearly depleted, and the boy had never managed to create a spear so far from his body before, so Tal had long ago switched to focusing his Soul Core¡¯s heat exclusively in front of him.


    The crazed warrior had somehow realized this and lured him closer for a surprise attack, and the result was Tal¡¯s left arm hanging limply at his side. Kade exploded into action once more, moving forward at an alarming speed. Tal was immediately pushed back, the pain and corruption of his wound limiting him even more than fighting one handed. He could see the purple energy spilling out from the Aspect had slowed to a trickle, however, and Kade had ceased creating spears. Tal could win this, but not without sacrifice.


    He knew he didn¡¯t have enough mana left for what he needed to do, but under the circumstances he only had one card left to play. He was proud that he didn¡¯t hesitate as he tore the mana and lifeforce out of his ruined arm, and as Kade charged relentlessly forward, the boy suddenly found himself swinging at thin air. Tal¡¯s remaining mace was already in motion as Smoldering Step completed, and he barely managed to stop himself from caving in the back of Kade¡¯s unprotected head in his fury.


    He savored the sound as mace met bone, and watched in satisfaction and relief as the boy collapsed to the ground in front of him, injured but alive. Taking no further chances, Tal stood in place for nearly ten minutes, mace raised in anticipation. But thankfully the boy was truly out, the toll from using so much Chaos finally coming to bare. Talnius watched until the last remnants of corruption were channeled out by the persistent Aspect, before he finally let himself relax. Looking around at the destruction and madness that had come from healing the village of Bolos, Tal sighed, then reached down and lifted his defeated opponent.


    ***


    Kade awoke to the smell of a campfire, and groaned in pain as he tried to sit up, but failed. His memory was a hazy mess, but he knew that somehow the Chaos had overwhelmed him once more. Looking down at himself, he was grateful to see that he hadn¡¯t devastated his body anywhere near as badly as the last time, but he was surprised to see that it was Drake¡¯s chains preventing from moving, which were wrapped around him dozens of times.


    His alarm mounted as he looked over and saw Tal watching him suspiciously from the other side of a small fire. He had a sarcastic comment ready about waking up to the man once again, but the quip died in his throat when he noted the man¡¯s left arm was missing, and crude bandages were wound around a still bleeding stump. He also wasn¡¯t wearing the collar. Tal spoke first, ¡°Are you still crazy?¡±


    Kade hesitated before answering, decided that the question deserved an honest appraisal. He looked inward, both with his Energist vision and his senses, searching for any scrap of the corruption that had nearly destroyed him twice now. At last he answered, not holding back his fears. ¡°I don¡¯t think so, I can¡¯t find any trace of the energy in my body¡­but truthfully I didn¡¯t realized it was there last time, so I can¡¯t be sure.¡± Surprisingly, the man just nodded at that, and they were both silent for a time as Drake slowly unwound his chains.


    Talnius spoke again when Kade sat up, looking around at the miles of empty country surrounding them. ¡°You should be with the Keepers for now. Whatever else happened you¡¯re still the only thing that can cleanse Chaos Sickness.¡± The man¡¯s voice was monotone and hollow, and Kade wasn¡¯t sure how to react. ¡°That Aspect of yours was able to get the corruption out of you in the end, but I think it burns itself up doing it. I hate to say it, but you probably shouldn¡¯t attempt another cleansing until both you and it are more powerful.¡±


    Kade nodded as Drake slowly took his customary form as a necklace and gauntlets¨Cthough the gauntlets could barely be considered as such given how thin and brittle they felt. Drake really had lost most of himself, and Kade could only hope regenerating that much lost mass wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for his loyal companion. He looked back to Tal, who was still watching him, unmoving.


    Not knowing what else to do, Kade reached down and removed a small metal container he¡¯d secured to his belt, and placed it on the ground next to the campfire. ¡°There are three Bonds in there, it¡¯s everything I managed to collect from our battles. Divide them among Cen and Olus as you see fit..they¡¯re fine right? I didn¡¯t¡­?¡±


    Tal looked at the box, then nearly fell as he tried to reach for it with a left arm that wasn¡¯t there. Kade looked away uncomfortably, then stood up, orienting himself based on the position of the moons. Tal stood a moment later, pocketing the box with his remaining hand. The two men shared a long look, neither speaking.


    There was too much to say. There was nothing to say. Kade suspected the man in front of him was as conflicted as he was for the moment, and made the only decision he thought he could. ¡°Take care of them,¡± he said simply, then he started to walk away. He could feel the man¡¯s gaze on him as he disappeared into the darkness, and kept expecting to hear some last word, some final curse, but there was nothing. Kade would be left to his own thoughts and regrets as he made the long journey to the gathering of Keepers.

 Chapter 38: Excursion

    Salarus deL¡¯estat was distracted as the waves of monsters broke against the wall of Keepers. He had the presence of mind to do his part, as wind and gravity were well-suited to protecting the healers and ranged combatants that were otherwise at great risk in these types of battles. He didn¡¯t mind his role at all, he considered as a small whirlwind scattered a group of three-legged feline monsters which had managed to leap over the front line of Keepers. Others might see rampant destruction as the only true measure of Awakened, but Sal felt that being entrusted with the safety of so many was a sign of real faith in his abilities.


    His distraction was rather from the continued absence of Kade. Of his friend. He still remembered how he¡¯d felt those months ago, when his Master had made one of his exceptionally rare appearances for no other reason than to ask him to protect the controversial newly Awakened inside his Trial. Sal had readily agreed, both because his Master had never asked anything of him before, and also because he wanted to believe he¡¯d have protected anyone that he entered a Trial with. What he hadn¡¯t expected after their first meeting, was for the task not to be onerous.


    Kade was odd, extraordinarily so by the standards of Iros, and the man didn¡¯t seem to have any real notion of how odd. There was a desperation in his eyes that Sal hadn¡¯t understood at first, though he now recognized it was an understandable insecurity that Kade seldom spoke of directly. He¡¯d seen it when they¡¯d shaken hands, and even more so as they¡¯d talked during the trial¨CKade needed friendship, needed any kind of connection to this world, and when he found one, he held on tight.


    Salarus had his own personal discoveries in that Trial and since, having never really embraced camaraderie before. He found that he liked it, and it represented a focus for his path and his goals that he hadn¡¯t even realized he lacked. Fighting next to someone, and prioritizing their safety over your own changed you; it changed the way you think about responsibility and purpose. Besides that, he found that he liked Kade.


    After a lifetime of people looking down at the power Sal had dedicated himself to, Kade¡¯s child-like enthusiasm toward Sorcery was infectious. More than once he¡¯d caught the man stopping himself from clapping in wonder at some visually impressive spell or another, and it had given Salarus a new perspective of his own powers. Or perhaps restored an older one? It was easy to forget how one felt upon first encountering such wonders, and somewhere along the way Sal had grown up, and started to see his gifts as nothing but tools to achieve his goals.


    Those many nights just sitting and talking with Kade had changed that. Most of their conversations had started the same way, with his friend asking about some institution or another, trying to understand something that everyone else simply knew. But inevitably the conversations would shift, as the man asked the same question: why?


    Why do people choose to be Keepers? Why do they pursue power? Why do they compete to be the best at it? Why did Sal want to change peoples¡¯ minds about Sorcery? The problem was that Kade couldn¡¯t yet understand the concepts that lay behind so much of their society, as he seemed incapable of looking at the world in the context of centuries, of millenia.


    Children of Korthos almost always chose a path¨Cone way or another¨Cthen spent decades following that path, ever so slowly discovering themselves along the way. Some changed their course, but many more didn¡¯t, as boredom the way Kade seemed to understand it simply didn¡¯t exist. No one could live for a million years if they grew weary of repetitive tasks, and no one could farm a field for millenia if they were constantly searching for some kind of deeper meaning. Kade simply couldn¡¯t understand that what people do just isn¡¯t as important as who people are.


    The biggest shock was that Sal had found himself infected by those same questions. It was perfectly acceptable to simply be a great Keeper. It was a noble pursuit, and no one would ask why someone would choose a path of power and prestige. No one but Kade¡­and now Sal. Salarus was only a few decades old, and some would spend ten more just waiting for their Bonds, yet suddenly Sal was distracted with thoughts of why. Why did he care so much what the world thought of Sorcery? Was he truly going to spend his life striving for greatness out of spite?


    He found the notion sickened him. He loved Sorcery, he loved the feel and complexity of magic, and he knew that it deserved its place among the greatest Paths. But would he truly let his Legend become that of one who defined himself entirely by the opinions of others? Months ago that path had seemed like one of a brave champion, now it felt small and deserving of pity. Salarus would still be the greatest Sorcerer Iros had ever known, but now he would do it because he loved it, and because he believed the world needed him.


    More than ever, Sal understood Kade¡¯s desperate desire for meaning. He was lost, and he was scared. In the same way he sought out friendships he sought out purpose, wanting something¨Cmaybe anything¨Cthat would make him feel grounded and connected. Salarus occasionally had a frightening thought about who the man would have become if he was found by pillagers instead of Keepers. If he had somehow survived, would he now be sitting next to a murderous thief, asking why they¡¯d both chosen to dedicate their lives to self-interest?


    Sal didn¡¯t think it likely, however, as Kade seemed to have some deep need to protect¨Csometimes. Other times he was like a child, almost clinging to Sal¡¯s side and making jokes to hide his obvious fear. And then there were the moments when Kade was the frightening thing. Salarus couldn¡¯t imagine who the man had been before his mind had been ravaged, and it was the one topic that Kade retreated from whenever it was broached. But Sal had seen things.


    It wasn¡¯t just the near-madness that seemed to take him when Kade lost himself in battle; Children of Korthos weren¡¯t so far removed from the Elders they fought that extreme lust for conquest and testing one¡¯s limits was gone entirely. Rather it was the way Kade sometimes stared into the distance, not seeming aware that he was doing it. It was the uncomfortable fact that he always stared in exactly the same direction as Karthas himself. And of course, it was the Chaos that flowed through him.


    Salarus didn¡¯t dismiss the terror Kade had experienced when his visual power had revealed the presence of Chaos throughout Karthas. Instead he did what he always did: studied. His family had books and memory shards from all around the world, and Sal had practically lived in their library since he¡¯d Awoken Sorcery, recognizing that study and dedication were the only ways he¡¯d grow. The answer had come surprisingly quickly, as Intuitive Sorcery was already performing a similar function.


    While he had no record of other Sorcerers using that specific ability¨Cit being locked behind his Magus Path¨Cthere were records of other spellcasters needing to manipulate Chaos with greater precision, and they¡¯d developed similar spells to do so. With some trial and error Sal had managed to augment his own sight, and had rushed over to Kade to share his findings. He amended that plan the moment he¡¯d seen his friend, and the unmistakable flow of Chaos swirling and mixing with mana in his body.


    Sal had spent the next several days watching Kade with concern and some suspicion, not willing to bring up what he saw. He considered a number of possibilities, but quickly realized he was ludicrously out of his depth when it came to the phenomena; Sal didn¡¯t know if there was anyone alive who understood how Chaos could not only survive in an Awakened body, but also flow in and out of a Soul Core like mana. After convincing himself that Kade¡¯s behavior was no more odd or nefarious than usual, Sal had given the man space and tried other avenues of investigation.


    Then Kade disappeared.


    It had been over a month since that happened, and Salarus still wasn¡¯t sure what to do. The Keepers were dismissive, saying that Kade was Edwin¡¯s responsibility, and he would decide what to do when he returned. Sal had even spoken to his distant cousin, but Alara has simply replied that she wasn¡¯t Kade¡¯s babysitter, and if he chose to leave it was beyond the scope of her arrangement with Keeper Edwin. At last Sal was faced with trusting that Kade would return on his own, or going off to look for him on his own, with few clues, and almost certainly missing the excursion he was now a part of. He¡¯d made the logical choice, even if it felt wrong.


    A deep voice yelling ¡°Initiate Salarus!¡± snapped him out of his reverie, and he looked over at High Keeper Bandal. The leader of the Order of the Keepers had been a surprising addition to the journey into the Chaos, further solidifying the unusual importance of this mission. Bandal had only recently taken the position when the previous High Keeper fell into the Trance unexpectedly, and everyone was still getting used to the new style of leadership.


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    Bandal was tall, though not as tall as Salarus, and completely bald, even lacking eyebrows. His eyes were entirely white, a quirk of some rare ability, and it made for an intimidating appearance. Bandal had enjoyed an exceptional reputation as a triple-Path Quartus, possessing the unusual combination of Warrior, Battlemaster¨Cits advanced counterpart¨Cand Healer. He¡¯d earned his position fighting for centuries on the front lines, empowering those around him.


    Some claimed his rise to the position of High Keeper had far more to do with his raw power than it did with this particular aptitude for the role, but none could deny his leadership experience on the battlefield. After deploying Anton to provide some limited support for Sal''s charges, he raced over to the High Keeper, who rarely gave direct commands given there were hundreds of Keepers present.


    Bandal had earned Sal¡¯s respect simply with his indifference to Sorcery. To Bandal, everyone was either competent, or not, and he cared nothing for the specifics. Arriving at the man¡¯s side, he saw what had drawn the High Keeper¡¯s attention, as yet another Elder was spotted amongst the thousands of smaller monsters all inexplicably marching toward Karthas. This one was vaguely humanoid which often meant a more recent generation, but the mere fact that it deigned to walk alongside lesser beasts suggested it was likely still a low Tier threat, more instinct than sentience.


    Bandal didn¡¯t look at Sal when he approached, he simply started speaking. ¡°I have been reminded by the Academy Professors,¡± he began with obvious annoyance, ¡°that this isn¡¯t only a Keeper mission. Apparently we must also use this existential threat to our survival to test our Initiates.¡± Salarus said nothing, the man¡¯s mood being abundantly clear. At last the thick-armed man turned to face Sal, his simple gray armor making small creaks as he did so.


    ¡°I¡¯ve looked over the Initiates, and your team is the only one I¡¯d risk against an Elder of any power level.¡± Bandal shook his head in disbelief, ¡°How an Initiate managed to get a full Keeper¨Ceven a newly raised one¨Cto join a squad as a subordinate is a mystery to me. That she¡¯s a Valoro only makes this more unusual, and I promise you that if political games interfere with this mission, you¡¯ll face far more than a failed exam.¡± Sal nodded, but the High Keeper just kept staring at him, so he tried his best to give context.


    ¡°Gwendara and her team approached me shortly after losing a training bout at the Academy. They are set on performing Keeper missions in the deep Chaos, where¨Cas you¡¯re far more aware than I¨Ccircumstances are rarely as simple as basic training prepares us for. My family has access to enormous resources and information from far beyond Karthas, which Keeper Valoro believes will provide great value to her team.¡± That was mostly true.


    What he¡¯d avoided saying was taboo in the extreme, and he suspected Bandal was even aware of what Sal was talking around. The reality had been that Gwen and Jothus¨Cwith a reluctant Ryndal in tow¨Chad sought out Salarus with a very specific request: they wanted him to help them overcome the Flaw. Salarus had been shocked that they¡¯d even been willing to mention it, as merely using that particular name for the phenomena had implications that would infuriate many. By some it was even called the Balance, and there were whispers that to lose it would ultimately bring upon one¡¯s doom.


    Sal didn¡¯t believe this, of course, as his Master had helped him break through the Flaw when he was still quite young. He was told then that it was not simply beneficial to someone walking the Sorcerer¡¯s Path, but fundamental. As such, he¡¯d lived almost his entire life without being trapped by the unusual mental block, and thus he couldn¡¯t even truly understand the predicament Gwen¡¯s team was in.


    He¡¯d been sympathetic when they¡¯d approached him, of course, as they were nothing if not proud Awakened, with dreams of being the next generation of elites. He¡¯d tried to explain his lack of qualifications, telling them as much as he was allowed¨Cthat he was only able to break the Flaw with the help of an expert. He¡¯d shared what he knew of the methods, which largely revolved around two training regimes: being presented with a myriad of stimuli and having to react as quickly as possible, and being presented with the same situation over and over, forcing oneself to react differently each time.


    The group has been ecstatic to hear even that, as apparently they¡¯d been unsuccessful in even convincing other Keepers to speak of the Flaw. Sal hadn¡¯t wanted to shatter their newfound hope, but he also had to follow his conscience, and had confessed that he also believed he¡¯d been physically altered somehow, something he couldn¡¯t begin to replicate in another. Shockingly the group hadn¡¯t been deterred, and had nearly begged him to lead them in the exam, hoping the combination of the continuous battling along with following the direction of someone unflawed might help them.


    Still Salarus had been hesitant, but then Gwen had asked Joth and Ryn to let them speak privately. ¡°Salarus¡­Sal, I understand your branch of House deL¡¯estat isn¡¯t interested in politics, and you might not be aware of the scope of what we¡¯re facing.¡± Sal had listened, trying not to grow bored at the mere mention of politics.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors,¡± Sal replied, admittedly curious. ¡°They say that more Elders are waking up than unusual. Something more about larger monster hordes, but I felt it prudent to wait until I heard from more reputable sources before growing overly concerned.¡±


    ¡°You can trust that my family is more reputable than any whispers you may have overheard, and for once the rumors aren¡¯t frightening enough. The number of Elders has increased, by more than ten times. And that¡¯s not the worst of it.¡± She had glanced around to make doubly sure they weren¡¯t overheard. ¡°The Bringers are stretched thin. You heard about the Elder they dragged back to Karthas?¡± Sal nodded slowly. ¡°They had to bring it back to confirm their fears¡­it didn¡¯t just wake up, it was in the beginnings of a true Emergence.¡±


    Salarus¡¯ normal calm had shattered at that, as High Priest Lothros¡¯ stories of Alo-yun¡¯s rampage were still fresh in his mind. Not all Elders who Emerged would possess such power, but even a single one presented tremendous danger. ¡°Are you saying these events are all connected?¡±


    ¡°No one can say for sure,¡± Gwen replied, running a hand through her hair in frustration. ¡°But those in power suspect the worst. The Bringers claim to have prevented two other Emergences from completing, and those are only the Elders close enough for us to have a chance at noticing.¡± True fear had taken her then, and she¡¯d grabbed Sal¡¯s robes and pulled him close. ¡°You¡¯ve been out there, Sal, you know how many of those monsters are buried beneath our feet, let alone how many are waiting in True Chaos!¡±


    Sal¡¯s mouth had fallen open at the display, and Gwen had shrunk back from him, collecting herself. At last she continued, ¡°We can¡¯t face them like this, Sal. We can¡¯t stand there in neat little rows, throwing energy and hoping for the best. We need to be true warriors, unbound and without Flaw.¡±


    Sal had known then that he couldn¡¯t hold back any help he could offer, not after seeing the proud young Keeper appear powerless for the first time in the years he¡¯d known her. He wasn¡¯t a man to sugarcoat a situation, however, ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can, Gwen. But I can¡¯t promise it will help. It won¡¯t be enough to simply lead you and tell you how to adapt, or how to employ your abilities. I¡¯ll guide you, encourage you, anything I can, but the final step will have to be your own.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t ask for anything more,¡± she replied with a small smile.


    Sal still had concerns, ¡°Your companions¡­you know how I am with people, Gwen. I don¡¯t really know the men, but do they really share your enthusiasm for this course? Jothus has always appeared the consummate Earth-touched, proudly running into any problem head first. As for Ryndal, he didn¡¯t even appear to want to be here.¡±


    ¡°Joth is completely committed. His shame at being shown up by your friend is still fresh, and I think he¡¯d do anything not to have to fear making such a poor showing ever again. Ryn¡­¡± She stopped, as if considering the man Sal only ever seemed to see skulking around the halls of the Academy. ¡°The truth is that I think he¡¯s closer to breaking the Flaw than either Joth or I, but he doesn¡¯t share our conviction. All I can promise is that he¡¯ll follow our lead, even if he does brood about it.¡±


    They¡¯d spoken further about coordination and practicalities, and had begun their training that very night. Now, almost two months later, Sal wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d made any real progress toward breaking, but he had been surprised to find he enjoyed being part of a team. He felt like he was letting them down somehow by not being able to do more, but Gwen and Joth seemed pleased just to be doing something, and for now that would have to be enough.


    Bandal didn¡¯t seem satisfied with Sal¡¯s answer, but he never really appeared satisfied, so Sal simply waited as the man considered his words. ¡°So your family''s books are enough to make that group elect you as leader? I smell blackmail, but honestly I don¡¯t have time to care. Gather your team, and join Keeper Selina at the left flank, she¡¯ll be coordinating the strike on the Elder. We¡¯ll see how effective your books are in the field. Dismissed, Initiate.¡±


    Bandal turned back to his small group of attendants, appearing to forget Sal existed the moment he was out of eyeline. Knowing there was no time to waste, he rushed to the Keeper who¡¯d placed him on defense duty, and explained that High Keeper Bandal had ordered him elsewhere. Sal then fed some mana into a small crystal Gwen had provided, then gathered Anton and moved to find Selina.


    By the time he spotted the Keeper, Gwen, Joth, and Ryn had joined him, following the call of the crystal. Joth was staring out into the endless monsters, clearly spotting the approaching Edler, and Ryn was characteristically staring off into space, looking disinterested. Gwen spoke for the small group as usual, ¡°New assignment?¡± she asked, her gaze following Joth¡¯s in suspicion.


    Sal nodded with a half-smile. ¡°From High Keeper Bandal himself. Today we hunt an Elder.¡±

 Chapter 39: Elder Hunting

    Keeper Selina noticed Sal¡¯s group and excused herself from a discussion with several students Salarus didn¡¯t know. They were very close to the front lines, and Sal found his eyes continually pulled to the fighting nearby. He kept having to stop himself from helping, aware that most of the monsters they were encountering this close to Karthas weren¡¯t a genuine threat to any trained Awakened. Selina had likely positioned herself here specifically to keep an eye on those not yet raised to full Keeper, and she was far more capable than he was of keeping them safe.


    She took a moment to look over the small group before speaking, ¡°I¡¯d always hoped you four would end up working together, at least for a time. In the long term I¡¯d selfishly prefer my top students branch out and help the less gifted, but for now I think you¡¯re exactly what we need.¡± She turned toward the hordes mindlessly charging toward them, easily thousands strong, and let out a sigh. The majority were wolfren, as they were most plentiful in this area, but the more exotic¨Cand more dangerous¨Cbeasts were starting to appear as well.


    ¡°The Elder you can see is the only one remaining with this group¨Cas far as we¡¯re aware. It¡¯s tier one according to our best scouts, but you¡¯ll have considerable backup if it proves to be too much.¡± She looked back at the group with a stern expression, ¡°And you will retreat if the Elder proves too powerful. We need every Keeper we have to push back the hordes, and I won¡¯t allow any to sacrifice themselves for glory. Retreating will not guarantee your failure to join our ranks, but needlessly fighting a losing battle absolutely will.¡± She stared at the group until even Ryndal had nodded.


    At last Selina looked somewhat satisfied, and continued, ¡°We¡¯ll be clearing a path for you, and the other students will hold back the hordes while you engage the Elder. So long as you don¡¯t call for aid, or allow your target to get too close to the front lines, you¡¯re free to battle how you see fit. You have a few minutes to discuss tactics while I gather Keepers for our push.¡± She turned away without waiting for a response, and Sal took note of how different she seemed out in the field compared to the supportive teacher persona she adopted in the Academy.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan, then?¡± Gwen prompted. She¡¯d been making a clear effort to defer to Sal whenever possible, likely as a reminder to the other two members of the group as to who was in charge. Jothus was already watching Sal, and Ryn turned as well at Gwen¡¯s words. Salarus had initially been concerned about how Ryndal would react to his leadership, but the man¡¯s otherwise lackadaisical attitude disappeared when actual combat was looming, and his pale eyes stared with an unusual intensity while he waited.


    Sal considered that Ryndal likely wouldn¡¯t have lasted long on Gwen¡¯s team if he truly didn¡¯t take anything seriously, and he found he was grateful that one of the three didn¡¯t need his constant attention, suggestions, and corrections in battle. Not that Gwen and Joth weren¡¯t perfectly capable, but they¡¯d made it very clear that ¡®capable¡¯ was a far cry from the standard they set for themselves. Salarus took a calming breath, then proceeded to outline a plan.


    ¡°As you can see, we¡¯re dealing with a recent generation Elder, and one that appears to fit the common mold in terms of appearance. We all know that no Elder would have survived long enough to be a threat without picking up some tricks, though, so be prepared for surprises.¡± Sal turned to look at the Elder, close enough now to make out more details. Its most notable feature was a long, barbed tail, and its hands were unusual in way Salarus couldn¡¯t quite make out at this distance. Beyond those oddities it mostly looked like an enormous Child of Korthos, though with pale gray skin, and¨CSal squinted¨Cno visible eyes?


    ¡°We¡¯ll keep our initial tactics simple, and flexible; everyone be prepared to pivot when necessary. Jothus, you¡¯ll meet the Elder head-on. Gwendara and I will attack from either flank, keeping it off balance and specifically targeting anything that looks like a secondary weapon. Be warned though, this generation is very likely to be able to simply blast energy out of any body part, and no one will be entirely safe.¡± Sal paused, eyeing the spiked tail that cut through the air behind the Elder, occasionally striking one or more of the lesser monsters scrambling around the Elder¡¯s massive feet.


    ¡°Ryndal, see if you can sever that tail, it¡¯s too unusual a feature not to be related to some kind of irritating attack. Everyone try to remember to communicate when necessary, as coordination is a weapon in and of itself. As soon as we¡¯ve gotten the Elder into a pattern we can control, we switch fully to the offensive.¡± Salarus paused, looking over the group. ¡°Does anyone have any suggestions or concerns?¡±


    Sal had gotten used to asking that question, and he suspected that by now the group was sick of hearing it. Whenever they were training, making plans, or just discussing creative applications of the team¡¯s powers, he would ask. He would ask, and they would stare, glance at one another, or look downcast. Sal knew the question pained them, and more so now that they were actively fighting the Flaw, but he also knew that it was necessary. He knew he had to push them if he was truly going to help them, and for once, it seemed to work.


    Ryndal looked uncomfortable as he spoke up, as if he was certain the question had been rhetorical, no matter that it was the hundredth time it had been asked. ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t reach that tail, not effectively. I¡¯d just be¡­scrambling around for the whole battle trying.¡± Sal couldn¡¯t help but smile, as most Awakened would have simply accepted that ¡®scrambling around the whole battle¡¯ was what they should do.


    It hadn¡¯t been until Salarus joined the massive group of Awakened on this mission that he realized that the Flaw manifested in this way. While some no doubt questioned their orders, what Sal had assumed was loyalty or dedication had turned out to be yet another symptom. Once someone with the Flaw was given an order, they tended to follow it blindly, as if they were naturally falling into a subservient relationship that would normally be reserved for a House Lord¨Cor a King, Sal mused. The more he allowed himself to consider the Flaw, the more convinced he became that it was some kind of holdover from a time when the Elders ruled, and the only choice was to obey or prove yourself stronger.


    Further consideration would have to wait, though, as he prompted Ryndal to continue. ¡°Is there a way we could make better use of your abilities, Ryndal?¡± The man shuffled around, looking like nothing so much as an awkward child singled out in class. At last he managed to speak again.


    ¡°Legs. Tendons. I cut them. They regrow¡­but I make them regrow slower with my abilities. I should do that.¡± Gwen and Joth looked at him, but didn¡¯t look impressed or shocked, they simply accepted it as readily as they had Sal¡¯s commands. As Salarus let a small smile touch his lips, he wondered if any part of Ryn knew that he had just crowned himself King for a moment. As the silence stretched on, Ryn finally added: ¡°When he goes down, I¡¯ll cut the tail.¡± Then he nodded, and looked away, clearly taxed by the process.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Sal said simply. ¡°Jothus, we wait on Selina¡¯s signal, then follow you.¡± Jothus nodded, concentrating on his task. Sal had originally been concerned that the enormous man¡¯s quiet nature would make working with him more difficult, but he¡¯d been surprised to find the man could even be loquacious when he was alone. He simply never saw the need to say something that another person could, preferring to save his words for when they were needed. Sal had also caught the occasional small smile on the man¡¯s dark face, as if laughing at some private joke. Now though, he needed the other side of the man, the unmovable mountain.


    The group didn¡¯t need to wait long as the line of Keepers nearby was supplemented with a floating company, and finally pushed into a wedge formation pointing at the hulking Elder. Selina glanced at the group, and at Sal¡¯s nod, she ushered them forward, an extraordinary blast of flames erupting from her palm and allowing the wedge to move steadily into the enraged horde. Rather than follow, Jothus went down to one knee, beginning one of the combo maneuvers he¡¯d worked on, which required a sudden and coordinated burst of power.


    Understanding his purpose, the rest of the group charged after the Keepers clearing the path. Unable to help himself, Salarus summoned the occasional Tornado to disrupt the nearby ranks of monsters. The improved mana regeneration of his Magus path had increased his ability to toss spells over time exponentially. However, when the Elder finally acknowledged their presence, Sal turned his considerable concentration entirely onto their opponent.


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    The hulking Elder was nearly twenty meters tall, and moved slowly and purposefully forward, sharing the telltale arrogance of one that cannot conceive of defeat. Seen more closely, Sal could tell the creature had some runic language carved into its skin, which he hadn¡¯t heard of before, and noted it curiously. When its face split horizontally into a challenging roar, Salarus was disturbed to discover that it certainly did have eyes, they were merely inside its mouth. Likely it depended on energy currents to ¡®see¡¯ most of the time, and the eyes were meant for some kind of attack.


    He relayed this theory to his team, his voice coming through their bracers. He was pleasantly surprised when he received a rare response from Jothus. ¡°I will be careful when the Elder opens its mouth, though perhaps it is also a weak spot we can exploit. Is it time, Salarus?¡± Sal watched as the wedge of Keepers spread out around the Elder and formed a wide perimeter, Selina herself distracting the monster while they did so. Finally she looked at Sal and nodded before throwing more fire in the Elder¡¯s direction and moving to reinforce the line. ¡°It¡¯s time, Jothus,¡± Sal responded at last.


    They didn¡¯t hear a sound until the large man burst out of the earth in front of the towering Elder, his momentum carrying him up into the air until his fist crashed into the eyeless face with tremendous force. The massive form fell back a step with a roar, giving just enough time for the second phase of the plan, as Jothus activated his unusual Soul Core.


    Sal had been surprised that he hadn¡¯t seen the man¡¯s Soul powers until Joth described his unusual situation. He had only a single power, which was not only extremely mana intensive, but also highly situational. Thankfully, this was exactly that situation, and Sal marveled as the man¡¯s already large form began to grow. The whole world seemed to shake as he slammed back into the ground, now easily two thirds the Elder¡¯s size.


    It was an unusual power for numerous reasons, not the least of which was that massive size had a difficult reputation, as ¡®smaller is better¡¯ was such a prevailing maxim among Keepers. It also wasn¡¯t unjustified, as energy density decreasing with size was a very real real concern. However, that was what made Jothus¡¯ ability both special and costly: he could maintain his energy density despite his growth, though only for a time.


    As the Elder recovered from the surprise attack, one of its own arms fired forward, its unusually-shaped fist cutting through the air with immense force, only to slam into Jothus¡¯ enormous open palm. The concussive force sent shockwaves through the battlefield, and Sal felt the air currents blast over him as he watched Joth¡¯s dozens of tight braids fly madly around his determined face. But the giant himself barely moved, and his return blow was equally powerful, taking the Elder by surprise and cracking into its sternum, forcing it back.


    Sal smiled as he heard Gwen¡¯s voice from his bracer, ¡°Joth can¡¯t hold out for long, so let¡¯s make this count.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected his new team¡¯s single-mindedness in combat to extend so far as to make speaking difficult, but he was glad to see them slowly working through it. He didn¡¯t let his satisfaction distract him however, and he burst into action at the same time as his two teammates. A gust of wind sent him flying to the Elder¡¯s left side, and Gwen raced to do the same in the opposite direction. Ryndal was nowhere to be seen, but that was to be expected given his Soul powers.


    As soon as Salarus was in position, his Anton-boots firmly planted on the ground and sending him a slow stream of mana, he began the attack. One hand sent blasts of lightning into any spot on the Elder that wouldn¡¯t risk harming Jothus, while his other hand gathered energy for a thunderstorm above the battle. He wouldn¡¯t unleash the storm¡¯s devastating power until the right moment, but he wanted to be ready when it was time.


    Moments after his own initial volley, Gwen¡¯s ice made its appearance. They¡¯d been working on using the element in creative ways, but for now that just meant focusing on the Elder¡¯s lower legs. This not only slowed its movement as the cold seeped into its bones, but froze the area beneath its feet, distracting the massive being and making it harder to grapple with Jothus, as the smaller man unleashed an endless barrage of strikes on the furious Elder.


    Sal had initially been concerned with this approach in a team battle, but as Ryn appeared with his two wicked daggers he demonstrated why the concern wasn¡¯t needed. Ryndal had Awoken Wisp, something Salarus was unfamiliar with before meeting the man. It was one of the Awakenings that was partly conceptual, and combined air with the impression of something intangible and evasive. The result was that Ryn was nearly invisible, and seemed to glide across the battlefield, never truly touching the ground as he fought.


    Like every awakened that fought Elders using hand weapons, the majority of his mana went into extending the range of his strikes to bite deeply into the enormous legs he slashed at. His Assassin Path not only caused the slashes to both corrode and poison his target, but also duplicated each strike a dozen times over. While still relatively small wounds to their titanic enemy, there were hundreds of them in minutes, and the Elder roared as it found itself doubly hobbled by the sliced tendons and slippery terrain.


    It was far from idle, however, as its barbed tail alternately lashed out at the two ranged fighters, while occasionally snapping forward to pierce Jothus. Salarus could at last see what made the Elder¡¯s arms unusual, as they split into two sets of hands at the wrist, which currently had Joth¡¯s left arm completely trapped in dual vice-like grips. The giant of a man was now off-balance himself, as the taller opponent lifted him from the ground while struggling to strike him with its other arm.


    Salarus did his best to slow the attacks, creating orbs of intense gravity in strategic locations, which pulled the enormous arms in different directions and gave his teammate a chance to dodge the endless blows. At last Jothus seemed to have had enough, and managed to launch himself high up into the air, he then brought both fists down onto the Elder¡¯s shoulders with enough force to drop the larger creature to its knees. Ryndal saw his moment and didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Going for the tail,¡± he said while dodging away from the massive form falling toward him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s buy him time,¡± Sal said as he targeted the shredded lower legs of the Elder. Gwen joined him as countless spikes of ice ripped into the kneeling monster. Joth simply continued to push downward, determined not to let his opponent rise. It was only a moment before Sal could see Ryn standing over the tail which emerged from a deformed vertebrae on the Elder¡¯s back.


    Sensing his time was limited, the pale Assassin went directly for his most powerful ability, creating a duplicate of himself out of air which followed his motions exactly as he unleashed a furious series of attacks in the tail, racing against the Elder¡¯s incredible regeneration. Seeing Jothus being pulled back, Sal risked sending a few blades of wind into the tail as well, but he needn¡¯t have bothered. With a sound somewhere between a massive tree snapping in half and a boulder crumbling, the still-quivering tail split from the Elder and crashed to the ground.


    A scream split the air as the hulking monster thrashed in pain, but strangely didn¡¯t try to stand back up. Sal could hear Ryndal cheering in elation at his small victory, but sensed there was something more going on, as the Elder¡¯s legs had clearly healed without the continuous assault from the Assassin, but it still wouldn¡¯t rise. Jothus didn¡¯t hesitate though, and began pummeling the Elder in the face with both fists as he¡¯d managed to disentangle himself from its grasp during the scream.


    As his punches crashed into the Elder, the massive stone-touched seemed to be losing himself. ¡°Be careful, Jothus, something isn¡¯t right!¡± Salarus called out, but without being able to give voice to a specific danger, he had no way of reaching the enraged man. At last the Elder made its move, as four, black arachnoid limbs burst from its back. Each leg ended in a point, and faster than Sal could follow they speared into Jothus¡¯ sides, causing the man to roar with pain and cease his assault.


    The moment the legs carved into the man the Elder began to move, pushing his injured opponent backward and falling on top of him. Salarus instantly began casting a new spell, desperate to help his wounded teammate. Ryndal had fallen back in confusion, seeming unsure whether he should still be attacking the Elder¡¯s legs now that it effectively had eight to choose from. Gwen never stopped her assault, but her ice was ill-suited to the massive direct damage it would take to make a difference in this moment.


    Sal¡¯s spell was nearly complete when he heard Joth¡¯s deep voice from his bracer. ¡°I can¡­feel it¡­¡± he said, clearly in enormous pain.


    ¡°We see it, Joth! We¡¯ll help you, I promise!¡± came Gwen¡¯s terror-laden reply.


    ¡°No, you don¡¯t¡­¡±Jothus spoke again. ¡°You don¡¯t understand. I can feel it¡­in the stone. Something¡¯s¨C¡± He didn¡¯t get any further before the earth rumbled and Salarus almost lost control of his spell. Desperately trying to keep the volatile energies together, Sal looked to the source of the earthquake, and his heart fell as an enormous dark tentacle burst from the ground, followed quickly by a dozen more.


    As a horrifically deformed face emerged from the crack in the earth, Sal felt true panic. A second Elder had arrived.

 Chapter 40: Hold Nothing Back

    Salarus knew that Sorcery had a glaring weakness that wasn¡¯t shared with most other Paths¨Cthe need to gather power from external sources, often chanting and making specific movements to shape the energy. To account for this, Sal has pushed himself through concentration exercises and tests of every kind, once even completing a spell while impaled through the torso. As he felt his eyes pulled back and forth between the sight of Jothus¨Cdesperately grappling with the transformed Elder pinning him to the ground¨Cand that of the monstrosity rising from beneath them, he felt that his training had still been lacking.


    Knowing the survival of his team was likely to be decided in the next few minutes, Sal fought every instinct and squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to focus only on the sound of his own voice, even as the ground beneath him shook and threatened to pull him off his feet. Gate was a dangerous magic, and he had limited experience to draw from; the creatures he called forth were very real¨Cnot simply a conjuration¨Cand breaking the bounds of the spell could have disastrous consequences.


    Sal ignored the screams of the Keepers he knew had been holding back the horde. He ignored Ryndal¡¯s pleading voice asking what to do. He ignored everything but the feeling of the magic, and at last reached the end of the spell. ¡°Let my enemies feel your crushing grasp!¡± He finished, and his eyes shot open as the world ripped apart. The Gate opened in a ring of fire, directly above the Elder they¡¯d been sent to slay. Slowly, far, far too slowly in Sal¡¯s eyes, the grizzly arms of the Forgotten Demon reached forth from the liquidy black portal.


    Salarus had used far more power than the somewhat unusual application of the spell that he¡¯d employed in the arena, and for a simpler purpose. Before the two twisted and deformed arms had completely unfolded, a second pair joined them, grasping hungrily for their prey. In contrast to their slow emergence, once fully manifested in this realm all four arms snapped forward, each one grasping one of the dark, arachnoid limbs piercing into Jothus¡¯ sides.


    For a moment they strained, the ghastly, exposed tendons growing taught as they pulled the limbs backward. Sal furiously fed more power into them, and the Elder roared in pain and fury as the multi-jointed legs were extracted from an agonized Jothus. At last they were pulled entirely back, some of the joins even snapping backward under the pressure of the relentless demon who was also draining the behemoth¡¯s lifeforce with each passing moment.


    The moment his body was free, Joth disengaged his Soul Power, finally able to return to normal size without being obliterated by the limbs that had been buried in his torso. Immediately Gwen was there, sending wave after wave of ice into their foe, capitalizing on its distraction. Salarus slumped forward, relief only slightly outweighing his exhaustion. Thankfully the abomination he¡¯d summoned would be able to maintain its connection for some time so long as it was able to keep feeding on the struggling limbs.


    Sal¡¯s relief was short-lived however, as he was finally able to take in the realities of the situation his team was in, now that his concentration was no longer on the spell. The newly arrived Elder was larger than the one they currently fought, and he could tell the moment he focused on it that its power was far greater as well. Keeper Selina was currently engaging it as best she could, but even bordering on Quartus she was achieving little more than preventing it from going on a rampage.


    Only the creature¡¯s bulbous head had emerged from the ground to join its dozen or more tentacles, its several sets of eyes searching around independently on its slick, green-black face. Regardless of whatever horrors the rest of its body might hold, it was already disrupting the battlefield to an alarming degree, the tentacles continually whipped out to grab at Keepers¨Cand even monsters¨Ctrying to drop them into the circular, teeth-filled mouth that appeared to be on the top of the Elder¡¯s skull. Sal saw more than one Keeper tossed into the horrifying maw that Selina wasn¡¯t quick enough to save.


    Sal didn¡¯t have to look for long to see the numerous problems his small group was faced with. For now they were far enough from the new arrival not to be tempting targets, but even putting aside the direct danger of a second Elder, the monster had appeared between them and the front lines of the Keepers, cutting them off from reinforcements and retreating, both. Matters were made worse as the line of Keepers preventing the horde from swarming them was now stretched too thin as they not only lost members, but fought without the overwhelming power of Keeper Selina.


    Many of those Keepers had only been raised in the last year, and without the stabilizing presence of a powerful leader they were panicking. Some actually charged deeper into the ranks of monsters, the Flaw no doubt driving them forward, as others abandoned their positions to reinforce Selina, whether driven by loyalty or something else, Sal couldn¡¯t guess. Regardless, it left his small team with a grievously injured member, an enraged Elder, an advancing horde of thousands, and no easy path to safety.


    Salarus forced himself to think as he sent out blasts of air to push back the horde on his side. Thankfully the arachnoid-Elder was still distracted by its strained limbs, and it was actually bending backward and lifted halfway off the ground by the disturbing arms latched onto it; they had some small amount of time. ¡°Gwen, I need you to return to your side and hold back the horde.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving Joth!¡± came a furious reply as the waves of ice cutting into Elder didn¡¯t slow.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be overwhelmed in moments if you don¡¯t,¡± Sal replied tightly, barely restraining his own frustration. ¡°We¡¯ll keep the Elder distracted while you work, but we can¡¯t fight it and thousands of lesser monsters.¡± When the ice still didn¡¯t slow, Sal screamed in rage, ¡°Gwen! Don¡¯t let the Flaw turn you into a mindless beast. Jothus and the rest of us need you! Now build a damned ice wall!¡± The attacks seemed to slow for a moment, before a small voice finally replied.


    ¡°...okay,¡± was all she said, and Salarus saw ice rising up and impaling monsters moments later. That would buy time, but didn¡¯t solve their problems. He risked a glance to the other battle as a globe or intense gravity secured a small side of the flank he was protecting. Selina had been pushed back, and he was sure there were fewer Keepers standing with her than had been only moments before. She was a remarkable Elementalist, but her powers lent themselves to mass-destruction of lesser beasts, not a titan like what she now faced.


    Sal forced himself back to his own battle, knowing he had to trust that the more experienced Keepers would somehow manage to deal with the tentacled monstrosity. There must have been a few brave warriors directly behind their own Elder, and that area appeared secure for the moment. Sal could even see some commotion deep into the horde suggesting one or more had managed to carve deeply enough into the beasts to cause surprising mayhem.


    That left Sal splitting his attention between the monsters on his side¨Cwhich he was now alone in defending¨Cand the increasingly berserk Elder that was turning its attention back to the small party. They needed to keep it distracted, and Sal had already used his best card for that. ¡°Ryndal,¡± he said while pulling out the staff his Master had gifted him, ¡°we need to expose its Core. Can you climb up and attack it from behind? It shouldn¡¯t be able to effectively counter if you go right between where all those limbs emerged.¡±


    An incredibly relieved voice responded almost immediately, ¡°I can do it. I can do it!¡± Sal barely caught the small shape darting up one of the enormous legs, and nodded in satisfaction as blades began tearing into the monster¡¯s back. Sal¡¯s own spell completed only a moment later, and lightning began to chain from his staff into the advancing horde. They were now close enough that Sal had to physically engage them occasionally, and after swatting away several wolfren and one particularly determined bipedal lizard, he begrudgingly gave up the mana regeneration Anton provided him and unleashed the Stone Aspect on the horde.


    Once more Salarus tried to take in the state of the rapidly evolving battle, thankfully seeing no change in the duel Selina was desperately fighting. Gwen was also managing to hold the horde on her side back with a massive wall of ice, but some larger beasts were pressuring her just enough to keep her from engaging the Elder once more. Running low on options, Sal spoke to their downed member, who seemed to have shakily regained his feet. ¡°Jothus, I¡¯m sorry to ask, but can you still fight?¡±


    The deep voice replied shakily, ¡°Soon, my wounds have closed, but there¡¯s a lot of internal damage. I can probably throw some stones, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to engage the Elder directly again if that¡¯s what you need.¡± Sal cursed, though he expected the answer.


    ¡°For now see if you can switch places with Gwen; add stone to the ice wall if you can. Gwen, we need to distract the Elder, are you with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m with you,¡± she replied simply, and soon he saw her race out in front of the colossal creature, armored in a thick layer of ice, and clearly desperate to get revenge for Joth. Thick cones of ice began to manifest all around her, before spearing forward to carve into the massive, bent body of the Elder. Sal took a moment to check on the Keepers behind their target, but was confused to see the monsters there seemed to be tripping over one another, many even turning around¨Cpresumably attacking the Keepers so deep into the horde that Sal couldn¡¯t see them. He decided to risk putting his entire attention on the Elder, knowing that they were running out of time.


    The massive creature had either given up on trying to free its trapped limbs, or simply decided that Gwen¡¯s attacks were more irritating, and was now swiping enormous, clawed hands at the small Elementalist. Knowing that he was even less capable of taking the creature in a head to head fight than Gwen, Salarus instead flew up into the air, hoping to get a view of the damage Ryndal had managed to inflict. Sal¡¯s stormcloud still lingered above them, crackling with power just waiting to be released, but he needed the right moment, he needed the Core exposed.


    Frustration poured through him as he soared into the sky and the Ryn came into view. The man was putting in a remarkable effort, and he was essentially tunneling through the Elder in a horrific display of violence, but it was simply too slow. Sal cursed his own powers, something that he rarely let himself do. He would defend Sorcery until the day he died, but the elements he¡¯d Awakened were ill-suited to this type of combat. Wind and lightning could be used in numerous creative ways, but blasting through the thick, ancient stone-like flesh of an Elder simply wasn¡¯t one of them.


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    Something else caught his eye from his new vantage, however, and for a moment he couldn¡¯t process the sight. There was no sign of any Keeper who may have charged madly into the horde behind the Elder. Instead, he blinked in disbelief as he took in the enormous web of chains, weaving through the battlefield.


    ***


    Kade was in over his head. It had taken more than a week to find his way to the Keepers, and the journey had been filled with many of its own dangers. When he¡¯d at last spotted the monster horde he was now lost in, he had planned to slowly make his way safely around it, joining the Keeper lines when he was able. That had all changed when he¡¯d spotted the unmissable form of Jothus rising up, and crashing into an even larger Elder.


    Kade wasn¡¯t foolish enough to think that the countless Keepers he knew to be holding back the horde would send Jothus into an unwinnable battle, and he¡¯d quickly raced up a nearby rise to get a better view. He hadn¡¯t been surprised to see flashes of ice reflecting in the afternoon sun, but he was surprised when the unmistakable combination of wind and lightning announced the presence of Sal as well.


    Kade had needed to stop himself from racing forward then, reminding himself that Sal joining forces with Jothus and Gwen would make for a devastating team. What he¡¯d seen next had been too much for him though, as the horde of monsters seemed to shift nearby. Kade felt the source of the disturbance before he saw it, as the rumbling earth heralded the passage of something massive. His eyes opened in wonder as something passed beneath the army of monsters, knocking them back carelessly as it advanced like an unstoppable wave toward the two giants locked in combat.


    Kade knew of nothing else that could possibly reach the scale of what he¡¯d just witnessed, and he was sure his friend was about to be caught between two Elders. He didn¡¯t let himself hesitate, or even think before he summoned a fully restored Drake to his side. A moment later he was ready for a hastily improved maneuver, and found himself being swung faster and faster in a circle around his loyal companion. When the silver familiar reached its limit, it rapidly returned to its gauntlet form, leaving Kade sailing through air, directly into the horde.


    Kade managed to form a protective ball of spiked chains around himself before he landed, crashing and rolling through the ranks of monsters before bursting out, twin longswords carving a path. He pushed his Relentless Pursuit to its limits, focusing on the massive Elder to make sure he was running toward a target, and getting the most speed possible from the skill. There were still hundreds, if not thousands of beasts between himself and the unmissable battle of titans, and Kade knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to hold anything back.


    Drake burst out in front of him, and a moment later silver spears were flying in every direction. Some were simply there to impale the more dangerous monsters that would likely be able to slow Kade down, while others acted as anchors for black chains to latch onto, and soon the pair were not just charging recklessly, but weaving a web of black and silver death across the battlefield. Some lines of chains were thin and razor sharp, using the momentum of the charging beasts to slice them apart, while others acted as tightropes for Kade to jump to and from.


    It was still an incredible distance, though, and many of the beasts were like the ape-creatures he¡¯d gotten used to fighting, possessing all-too-human hands to grasp at him, slowing his progress. Soon Kade was forced to discard one of his blades, instead sending near-continuous blasts of wild, Chaotic energy into the beasts as he cleared a path. He had finally gotten used to the second function of his Chaos Energy Blast, and now seamlessly transitioned from the version he was more used to¨Cwild untamed force¨Cto the more costly and volatile explosive energy, and dozens of monsters simply winked out existence with each wave of his hand.


    It seemed like an eternity before he was close enough to be able to see Salarus through the masses of enraged beasts, though the man¡¯s back was to him as he focused on some spell. Kade almost lost balance when he saw what Sal was focusing on, as the Elder had apparently sprouted four new limbs, each of which was buried in Jothus¡¯ sides. Kade knew he couldn¡¯t move much faster, as the the monsters were more tightly packed the closer he got to the front lines, so he merely kept running.


    It was only moments later, however, that he found himself leaping onto some helpfully placed silver chains overhead. The rumbling had returned, and close enough that many of the beasts he¡¯d been cutting through had fallen into confused piles. Kade only had enough time to see giant, terrifying tentacles burst from the ground near his friend before he had to go back to slicing at the grasping hands and chomping mouths of determined monsters, but he knew that Sal was in more danger than ever.


    He redoubled his efforts, falling into a rhythm of swings and blasts of energies that felt increasingly natural, and soon he was making slow, steady progress once more. He was elated when he could finally see the line of Keepers holding back the beasts, but that was replaced by disbelief and confusion as he saw some running for the tentacled Elder, while others seemed to be in a frenzy, charging into the ranks with no regard for their own safety. Kade managed to fight toward one of the latter, only to see the woman torn to shreds before his eyes, as she¡¯d somehow ignored several large wolfren as they locked powerful jaws into her body.


    Kade wasn¡¯t sure if he was witnessing some madness brought on by one of the nearby Elders, but it was quickly apparent that he was the only thing standing between the horde and Sal¡¯s small group being overrun. Steeling himself, he changed tactics, and hundreds of bladed chains fired forward, impaling the monsters that tried to reach his friend. As he dragged them back, Drake was suddenly there, clearly understanding what they needed to do, and silver spears fired out once more, followed quickly by a web of chains walling off the path to the Elder.


    Kade was worried about holding the whole line himself, but realized he wouldn¡¯t be alone as a wall of ice appeared to one side, and an extremely determined Anton bowled into the other, backed up by countless chains of lightning. Kade directed Drake to fire more spears into the area around the rolling boulder, acting as lightning rods and securing the area further. Kade refocused on his own defenses as the thousands of monsters pushed against him and the makeshift barrier of chains.


    When he at last managed to get another clear look behind him, he saw the horrifying hands that Sal could now summon gripping the nearby Elder, and felt a moment of relief before he saw the other Elder doing far more damage. It appeared to be eating anything it could reach indiscriminately, and enormous waves of fire washing over it were the only thing slowing it down even slightly. Kade had some sense of the power in those flames, and could instantly tell he would be of no help against the second behemoth.


    Instead he focused on movement on the back of the six armed titan, and saw someone he didn¡¯t immediately recognize slicing away with remarkable speed. Images of Keepers carving into the exposed Core of the Elder that he¡¯d fought what seemed like a lifetime ago ran through mind, and Kade immediately understood what the man was trying to do. Kade could easily see that they had little time and less hope, but he knew how he could help.


    His chains were weaved throughout the horde, many either so small they were ignored, or sharp enough to be avoided, and Kade was about to make use of all of them. An explosion of Chaos cleared a space, and Drake kept it clear as a massive wheel appeared in its center. Without wasting a moment, Kade was there, pulling with all the strength he had, and Chainsaw began its grizzly work.


    Hundreds of beasts seemed to roar and scream in pain all at once, and horribly bladed chains snapped and pulled from every direction. Silver spears were yanked from the ground, adding to the mayhem as the wheel turned faster and faster. Drake was there suddenly, no longer needing to hold back the pained and maimed monsters for the moment, and silver chains took up the task.


    Kade didn¡¯t waste a single heartbeat, and when he turned to race toward the nearby Elder, he saw Salarus, high above him. There was a beeping from his bracer a moment later, and Kade mashed it with a hand by reflex. ¡°Kade, I can¡¯t wait to hear what the hells happened to you, but for now Ryndal needs your help on the Elder¡¯s back,¡± came Sal¡¯s voice. Kade resisted asking how the Sorcerer was speaking to him, instead running directly up an enormous leg.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to hear from you Sal. I take it we¡¯re carving our way into this thing¡¯s Soul Core?¡± Kade replied.


    ¡°I only need it exposed for a moment. As soon as you see it, I need you both out of there as quickly as possible,¡± said Sal. ¡°Ryn isn¡¯t as fast as you are, can you take him with you?¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Kade responded as he jumped over the man he now knew to be Ryndal, the one who¡¯d been with Jothus and Gwen in the training arena. He didn¡¯t know much about the man¡¯s abilities so he gave him as much space as he could, landing slightly further up the Elder¡¯s back. Instantly there was an enormous two-handed ax in his hands, and he began to carve and hack in time with the dark form of Ryn, who didn¡¯t pause his assault to acknowledge Kade¡¯s arrival.


    Kade blocked out everything but the task in front of him, letting himself get lost in the brutality of it. As enormous chunks of the stone-like flesh came off the monster, Kade added a continuous blast of Chaos to the attack, finally finding a good time to use his eyes for the ability, with his hands occupied on the endless rise and fall of the ax. Nearby, Ryndal equally held nothing back as he worked side by side with some kind of clone that duplicated his every slash.


    At last a burst of energy exploded outward as the Core was finally exposed. Kade flew backward and crashed into something hard, only then realizing the two of them had carved so deeply into the Elder that the wound was deeper than Kade was tall. Ryndal had stopped attacking as well, and was panting while staring at him, one hand outstretched. Sensing what was coming, Kade gripped the offered arm and let Relentless Pursuit carry them both up side of the Elder¡¯s ruined back.


    Kade already had one of his escape chains anchored to the ground, and the moment they emerged it pulled them rapidly away from the monster and its ruptured Core. As Kade landed, struggling not to let Ryndal slam into the earth next to him, Sal¡¯s trump card made its appearance. A grin split Kade¡¯s face as his eyes went to the storm clouds churning above them, and with an ear-shattering concussion of thunder, lightning ripped into the exposed Soul Core of the Elder.


    The massive creature arched backward, its disturbingly featureless face splitting into a pained roar. Lightning ceaselessly came down from the cloud in a blinding display, and only Kade¡¯s Energist vision allowed him to see the Soul Core glowing through the thick skin of the Elder¡¯s chest. Its own energy seemed to be tearing its way out of the creature, and Gwen apparently saw the opportunity for what it was, as a single, massive spike of ice speared upward from the ground, directly into the glow.


    At last the lightning seemed to slow, and as the Elder kept thrashing, Kade worried it wouldn¡¯t be enough. But apparently Salarus wasn¡¯t through, as he once more soared through the air, landing on the Elder¡¯s back the moment the lightning bolts ceased. The tall man had his staff raised high above his head, and seemed to stab downward with it as he disappeared into the crater that Kade and Ryndal had carved.


    Whatever happened next appeared to be too much for the mortally wounded Elder, and it finally, blessedly went limp, only the four hideous, demonic arms supporting it. They¡¯d won, it seemed, and it had taken everything they had. Kade was relieved, until he looked back toward the Keeper lines. One Elder down, one far more dangerous one to go.

 Chapter 41: Distractions

    Kade watched as the demonic arms supporting the defeated Elder at last let go, and the massive body slammed into the ground. Dirt and debris were lifted into the air as the titanic weight crashed down, and for a moment the body was almost lost in a cloud of dust. Kade forced his eyes away from the sight to take in the situation around them, worried that the endless smaller beasts might be taking this moment to strike. He was shocked to see the opposite, as the fall of the Elder appeared to have a destabilizing effect on the nearby legions, with most either running directly away, or following in the wake of the other behemoth still fighting Keeper Selina.


    Moments later Drake was back by his side, clearly weakened by the efforts of holding back the flood of monsters on his own. Kade reached out a hand and the Aspect quickly took the shape of gauntlets, needing time to recuperate. Oddly, Kade felt a surge of energy enter him as his metal guardian rejoined him, though he had no time to consider the feeling, as Salarus emerged from the Elder which had finally stilled. The enormous body appeared to be withering rapidly, which appeared to be related to Sal¡¯s staff, as waves of purple energy seemed to be draining into it, even as the Sorcerer walked away.


    Sal gave a smile as he extended a hand toward Kade, ¡°I thought I would have to scour the frontier looking for you,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you safe, and thank you for your assistance.¡± Gwen approached slowly, an arm supporting the hunched frame of a clearly injured Jothus, and Ryndal was suddenly there as well, though Kade didn¡¯t see him approach.


    ¡°Happy that I got here in time to be useful,¡± Kade replied while shaking the taller man¡¯s hand. ¡°So now what the hell do we do about that one?¡± he continued while gesturing at the tentacled behemoth uncomfortably nearby. Salarus looked from the indicated Elder to his wounded and exhausted team.


    ¡°It¡¯s far more powerful than the one we just fought, though I can¡¯t say by how much. Even still, it¡¯s between us and the rest of the Keepers. If we were willing to abandon Keeper Selina to her fate I might suggest we fight our way around the Elder, but I¡¯m afraid that doesn¡¯t appear to be an option.¡±


    Ryndal looked frustrated at that, ¡°She¡¯s nearly Quartus, Sal, she doesn¡¯t need us. I say we do whatever we can to get back to the lines, and find a healer for Joth.¡± Salarus was already shaking his head.


    ¡°The moral issue of abandoning Selina is troubling, but it wasn¡¯t what I was referring to. When I was briefly flying I had a clear view of the rest of the battlefield,¡± he let out a resigned sigh before finishing, ¡°there were at least another half-dozen Elders out there. They all seem to be rising from the ground like this one.¡± The group took the news with varying degrees of disbelief. Jothus¡¯ head simply fell, while Gwen seemed to be waiting for Sal to admit it was a joke. Ryndal swore aloud and kicked a nearby rock an impressive distance.


    For Kade¡¯s part, he hadn¡¯t let himself believe he would be lucky enough to avoid another impossible fight, so he tried to turn his mind to solutions. ¡°There¡¯s hundreds of Keepers though, right? They have to be able to handle this.¡± He tried to keep a note of pleading from his voice as he asked the question.


    Sal answered, the others lost in misery for the moment. ¡°More than just Keepers, many of the Brotherhood of Karthas have joined as well. There are even rumors of Bringers somewhere in the ranks.¡± The Sorcerer quickly glanced around, checking the lines of lesser monsters as Kade had. Seeing no danger, he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t fear that the excursion group will be defeated, but casualties will be unavoidable and they¡¯re clearly hard-pressed. We can¡¯t assume Selina will receive reinforcements before she¡¯s overwhelmed.¡±


    At last Gwen seemed to gather herself, and spoke up, ¡°What would you have us do, Sal? I used up almost everything I had on this one, and Joth won¡¯t be fighting again today.¡± The dark-skinned giant stood up straighter in seeming defiance of the comment, but his shaking limbs and a grimace of pain showed the truth of her words. Ryndal chimed in as well.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any abilities that are worth using against an Elder that¡¯s mostly underground. Maybe I could mess with some of its tentacles, but it has dozens.¡± Sal nodded, as if expecting this reaction.


    ¡°We have little choice but to make the most of what we have. I think distraction is a best case scenario, and I don¡¯t think long-term is remotely feasible. We should charge toward the Keeper lines, unleashing everything we have on the way. If we survive, it will be a victory. If we manage to buy time, even better.¡± He looked around at the group, and Kade only belatedly realized that they were all deferring to his friend as the leader.


    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your lives,¡± he said seriously. ¡°Gwen, focus on getting Jothus to safety, use your ice only defensively, and carve into the beasts if you need to. Ryndal, cover them as best you can, engage any tentacles that get too close. Kade, your abilities seem particularly suited to this, can I count on you to help me slow the Elder down?¡±


    Kade¡¯s mind had already been turned to that intimidating prospect. ¡°I¡¯m with you Sal, now that it¡¯s above ground, doesn¡¯t it look a bit slow to you?¡± Kade smirked, and realized it was the first time he¡¯d done so since before¡­He shook his head to clear it. This wasn¡¯t the time for that. Sal watched the display with curiosity, but didn¡¯t comment.


    ¡°It does seem slow compared to some, but be careful, you won¡¯t survive a focused attack from an Elder of that power, and we¡¯ve yet to see it use any unconventional abilities. Now we¡¯ve wasted enough time, is everyone ready?¡± They all nodded, though without much confidence. ¡°Very well, I should be able to start things off. Give me a moment; when you see the spell land, move as quickly as you¡¯re able.¡±


    The Sorcerer began to move toward the partially submerged Elder, and Kade cocked his head in curiosity as he noticed that power was still streaming into the man¡¯s staff from the enormous corpse they were leaving behind. As Sal raised the staff above him, that power seemed to shift, and Kade watched in fascination as it flew forward to gather above the still-living Elder. It took a moment to understand what was happening, but soon the telltale fire of a Gate began to form, only this time, the size was vastly increased.


    Kade assumed that the Sorcerer was somehow using the excess energy from the dying Elder to push the spell to new heights, but he didn¡¯t understand why. He¡¯d only spoken to Sal of the Gate briefly after their bout in the training arena, but he understood the demonic arms had belonged to a single, specific creature, and Kade didn¡¯t think the size of its arms suggested it would need such an immense portal even if it was somehow pulled into this dimension in full. But as the Gate took shape, it was immediately clear that it wasn¡¯t like the ones Kade had seen before.


    The perfectly round portal glowed green, rather than being a uniform black, and beyond simply being reminiscent of liquid, it was actually dripping down onto the Elder below. Massive greenish globules slowly dropped onto the tentacled being as it fought its battle against Selina, and Kade saw smoke rising everywhere the liquid fell. For a moment he thought his friend had somehow made a Gate to some kind of acid vat, but only seconds later he spotted a dark shape behind the portal, and the truth was revealed.


    It was a face, appearing female and pristine, with eyes and mouth tightly closed. It emerged slowly as the group watched in fascination, and it was clearly unbothered by the acid dripping from it. Kade glanced at Sal, and saw the man was still lost in concentration, so he held back his questions. He hadn¡¯t known the Sorcerer could summon anything more than the flayed demon he¡¯d now seen twice, and he couldn¡¯t imagine this perfect humanoid face belonged to those ghastly arms.


    His attention was drawn back to the sight as the eyelids peeled back, and the mouth slowly opened. Kade recoiled when he saw what the eye sockets contained, as dozens of snakes began to slither out, coiling around one another as they descended, searching for prey. The nose and mouth erupted with more serpents next, and each moved independently, their scales reflecting a multitude of colors as their mouths opened and tongues flicked out.


    The Elder couldn¡¯t miss the sight, as the face was nearly its equal in size, and tentacles rushed upward to intercept the approaching snakes. The serpents seemed to be part of a single, horrifying entity, as they all remained attached to the hovering face, though they appeared to react independently as they sprang downward, massive fanged mouths snapping closed on writhing tentacles. Nearly half of the Elder¡¯s tentacles were occupied, and while many of them squirmed helplessly against the snakes, it was hardly one-sided as others were ripped from the floating monstrosity, causing more acid to rain down from the torn bodies.


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    At last Sal appeared finished, and he collapsed to one knee, leaning heavily on his staff. Kade quickly went to his side, and could see his friend coughing up blood even as he waved away any help. ¡°No time,¡± he croaked. ¡°Go!¡± Kade understood, and looked back at the others only long enough to ensure they¡¯d begun moving, before he too sprang into action.


    Kade knew he didn¡¯t have a trump card that could compare to the terrifying display Sal had managed, but he was determined to make a good showing of himself as he charged toward the struggling Elder. Keeper Selina was still hidden behind the enormous, bulbous head, but it was easy to tell where she was as flames continued to spill over the stoney hide of his target with regularity. Kade adjusted his path to ensure he wouldn¡¯t run headlong into an unexpected inferno, then began his own attack.


    As he ran directly up the closest tentacle, Kade was immediately certain that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make much of an impact with his blades, as the creature was simply too large. Instead he did what he knew, and began to fire one bladed chain after another into the flailing limb. He channeled every bit of mana he had into strengthening them as much as possible, then added a new trick. He layered each chain in a burning coat of Chaos; the Elder could no-doubt snap his chains with enough force, but they would sear deeper and deeper into it as it did so, the Chaos burning and melting anything it touched.


    Kade only stayed on the first tentacle for a matter of seconds before jumping to another, this one distracted by the bite of one of the enormous serpents. He had to be careful not to touch a small river of acid dripping from the fanged mouth as he ran in circles around the limb, wrapping his chains tightly. After a few revolutions his chains pulled him to another tentacle, and he meticulously repeated the maneuver over and over, squeezing all the speed he could from Relentless Pursuit.


    Occasionally he would spot Ryndal slashing out against a particularly aggressive arm of the massive Elder, as Gwen pulled Jothus through the madness that the battle had become. When Kade was at last close enough to the head to see Selina fighting, he realized they didn¡¯t have much time left. The impressive woman was still throwing blasts of flame, but her body was in ruins. She¡¯d created some kind of shield made from fire to defend herself, but it was obviously far from enough as her robes were shredded, revealing countless injuries.


    One leg ended in a jagged stump beneath the knee, and the opposite arm hung limply, her shoulder appearing crushed. Her Tertius body was entirely made of the tiny stone-like shards Kade was growing used to, so there was no blood on the woman, but she¡¯d clearly pushed herself nearly to the limit if she wasn¡¯t able to reshape her form any further. Kade knew getting between her and the Elder would only get him quickly killed, so he did the only thing he could: he sent some finely controlled chains out to wrap around the injured Keeper, then anchored into the ground around her at different angles.


    He wasn¡¯t sure if the grievously injured teacher was even aware of his intervention at first, but the next time she braced herself against a tentacle falling down toward her, she instead felt herself abruptly jerked sideways and out of harm¡¯s way. The sudden move saved her from the attack, but also interrupted her concentration as she briefly stopped attacking to search out the source of her unexpected rescue. At last spotting Kade as he tied what felt like his thousandth knot of chain around the flailing Elder, Selina merely stared for a moment before giving the smallest nod, then continued her burning assault.


    Kade didn¡¯t know how long he jumped, dodged, and yanked himself through the forest of tentacles, but at some point he spotted Sal still at work, unleashing orbs of gravity as he made his way slowly toward the distant line of Keepers. Kade breathed a sigh of relief as the man blasted a path through the lesser monsters back to safety, before turning and gesturing for Kade to follow. Following was tempting, but Sal didn¡¯t have the view that Kade did, swinging on chains high above the battlefield.


    He¡¯d been watching the steady progress of what he assumed was a team of powerful elites making their way from one towering Elder to another as endless battle raged on. One light show after another had heralded their victories, and now only two more of the immense creatures were between them and this final behemoth, still locked in combat against the hovering face of serpents and the burning Keeper. Kade didn¡¯t know how much help he could be, but he wasn¡¯t ready to leave Selina to face this Elder alone, and he¡¯d managed to avoid being harmed thus far, even if he was running low on energy reserves.


    As the explosions in the distance grew ever closer, Kade was starting to believe that they¡¯d managed to do the impossible, and that rescue would soon arrive. Unfortunately the tentacled Elder seemed to sense this as well, and all at once the battle changed.


    Kade was so focused on endlessly threading his chains around the monster that he didn¡¯t immediately notice that he was higher in the air than he had been, until he realized the face above him was growing rapidly closer. Swinging to a tentacle farther from the center of the battle, he looked down in shock at the now exposed body of the previously submerged Elder as it ponderously tore itself free of the earth. Surprisingly its lower half was insectoid in appearance, and it had three sets of enormous, multi-jointed legs supporting a torso that seemed to be entirely composed of countless, tangled tentacles.


    Kade felt his chains finally being strained as the enraged monster began to flail in earnest, seeming desperate to disentangle itself from Sal¡¯s summoned ally. Snakes were torn apart as more and more limbs emerged from the creature and joined the attack, and Kade was soon in more danger from the continuous splashes of acid than he was from the Elder itself. Finally he felt his chains begin to snap, and he watched the titanic being flex and pull in every direction at once, even severing a number of its own limbs on the searing, Chaos-laiden chains that Kade had knotted so thoroughly around it.


    Finally he felt himself hurled toward the ground, and even had the bad luck of being singed by one more desperate gout of flame from Keeper Selina before smashing into the ground with incredible force. Kade was still conscious¨Cthough barely¨Cand managed to lift his head up to watch the gruesome sight high above him. The Elder was now tearing into the summoned being with abandon, heedless of the deluge of acid pouring down as it did so, and as the final serpents were torn from the disturbing face, it began to slowly recede into the Gate from which it came.


    The Elder lost the ends of several more tentacles as the portal finally snapped shut, but it nevertheless roared in triumph, the sound vibrating everything around it. Kade could only stare at the monster now completely revealed, its segmented insect body stretching up into the sky, easily a hundred meters tall. He was painfully aware that it was now entirely unfettered, as even Selina had apparently at last given up in front of such a horrific sight.


    The Keeper had collapsed nearby, and Kade could see that she¡¯d given everything she had to last as long as she did. When the ground shook from the Elder taking its first, inevitable step forward, panic washed over him, and Kade gathered what little strength he had left to begin dragging himself backward. He¡¯d been in shock before, but it was clear now that he¡¯d broken his legs in the fall, and his left arm didn¡¯t seem to be moving properly either.


    In desperation he called to Drake, but the Aspect was strangely unresponsive, and so Kade could only slowly, painfully drag himself back toward the Keeper lines. When he looked backward he saw the futility of this action, as there were hundreds of smaller monsters between him and safety, and even now he was in danger of drawing their attention as he moved too close. Out of options, he at last let himself collapse. He thought that perhaps he had the strength to send out a few chains, but there was simply nowhere left to run to in this condition.


    Following some instinct, Kade raised his good hand into the air, and fired three small bursts of Chaos directly upward, watching them explode like fireworks as his exhausted mind began to drift. He was staring at the moons again, and the sounds of the battle around him seemed to drift into the background. Why did the moons always seem so wrong, everytime he looked at them? The stray thought captured him, and he found himself slowly counting them, as he¡¯d done so many times before as he stared out from the walls of Karthas.


    The ground shook again, and he was distantly aware that the Elder was still walking inexorably forward. But the moons were just so beautiful, and mysterious. He thought back to his trial for some reason, though his addled mind couldn¡¯t quite understand why. Keeper Selina was a teacher, maybe she could help him. He turned his head toward her, and saw that she wasn¡¯t looking at the approaching Elder, but was instead facing away from Kade. He heard her say something, though he didn¡¯t understand the words.


    ¡°You¡¯re here¡­finally,¡± she whispered, and then Kade couldn¡¯t see the moons anymore, as everything had gotten strangely bright. He squinted, trying to find the source of the unusual illumination, and at last saw a falling star descending through the sky. The star was beautiful, and it crashed right into the side of the Elder, now almost directly above Kade and Selina.


    The vast creature seemed to almost cave in on itself from the impact, and the force of the collision sent it sprawling sideways abruptly, one of its insectoid legs snapping like a tree trunk as it was crushed beneath the mass of the falling Elder. Kade was struggling to see what was happening, when a cool flow of energy began pouring into him, and hands gently lifted him from the ground. He heard a voice as an unfamiliar face leaned over him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Initiate, High Keeper Bandal will handle what¡¯s left of that monster. You¡¯re safe now.¡±


    As the healing warmth flowed through him, Kade at last became aware of how badly his head hurt, and he could only think to say the strange thought that kept running through his mind, ¡°I think there¡¯s something wrong with the moons.¡±

 Chapter 42: Old Friends and New Allies

    Salarus was cold, even in the heat of the campfire. Despite the hours that had passed since the fighting had been brought to a final, bloody end, his mana pathways hadn¡¯t even begun to recover, and he knew he¡¯d need to seek out a healer soon. He¡¯d meant to do so long ago, but asking Kade the simple question of ¡®where were you?¡¯ had turned into a tale that he couldn¡¯t bring himself to interrupt. He looked at his young friend, staring off into the distance, seeming surprisingly calm given everything he¡¯d been through.


    The sun was setting, and they had chosen a campsite as far removed from the rest of the Keepers as possible. Sal had only taken the time to ensure Gwen and the others were safe before he¡¯d found Kade with the rest of the injured. Thankfully his friend hadn¡¯t yet reached Primus, and repairing his body was still relatively easy¨CSelina, by comparison, would be returned to Karthas for weeks of recovery after how far she¡¯d pushed herself. Salarus realized that many long minutes had passed since Kade had finished speaking, yet still they both sat, the distinctive smell of the campfire filling the air.


    Sal had resisted the urge to interrupt with questions, something he normally did out of politeness, but this time he hadn¡¯t known what to ask¨Cthe tale had too many impossible and upsetting moments. Sal found he was having trouble organizing his thoughts, and at last gave up and almost blurted: ¡°You cured Chaos sickness?¡±


    ¡°Seems like it,¡± Kade replied. ¡°With a cost.¡± They both let that hang in the air for another slow minute.


    ¡°Those false-Keepers¡­¡± Sal began, then stopped himself. He leaned back against the stump of a tree, searching for the words.


    ¡°I did the best I could,¡± Kade spoke into the lengthening silence.


    ¡°And the village¡­¡± Once more Salarus struggled to find what to say.


    ¡°There too,¡± Kade almost whispered. Sal looked at his friend, trying to get some read on his emotional state. The things he¡¯d done, the things he¡¯d discovered¡­they could change the world, yet Kade almost seemed more relaxed than Sal had ever seen him. Chains rustled quietly as the man turned to face him, seeming to understand the turmoil Sal was experiencing.


    ¡°I had a lot of quiet, lonely days looking for you and the rest of the Keepers. I beat myself up, got furious, got sad, took out some rage on more than a few monster hordes.¡± Kade said, before leaning back and staring upward with what appeared to be suspicion before continuing. ¡°Eventually I stopped letting myself get lost in the details, the individual decisions. At the end of the day I did everything I could to help people, just like I planned when I went out there.¡±


    Kade held up a fist and stared at it intently for a moment, before purple energy gathered around it, streaming up and getting lost in the smoke of the campfire. ¡°I had the chance to cure some dying people, and I took it. I destroyed some buildings¡­probably hurt some of the ones I tried to save. But,¡± he met Sal¡¯s eyes as the Chaos winked out in a small flash, ¡°I¡¯d make the same choices again.¡± He said with finality. ¡°They were the right ones at the time, and I¡¯m done obsessing over them. Besides, we have more than enough excitement to occupy us here and now.¡±


    Salarus remained silent, his mind turning over the story he¡¯d been told again and again, wondering what he¡¯d have done. Something different in nearly every case, he decided, but something better? Something right? He couldn¡¯t make that claim. His thoughts were interrupted when Kade spoke once again, ¡°I told you I can channel Chaos, and you barely reacted.¡± Sal didn¡¯t answer immediately.


    ¡°I knew you had it inside you for some time,¡± he finally said. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t disappeared we¡¯d have spoken about it before now. In simpler times it would be worthy of extensive study, but now,¡± he paused, considering. ¡°Now it seems foolish to tell you to be careful, especially if you¡¯ve been using it as much as you say. That you lost yourself so completely is concerning, but not surprising given the volatility of the power you¡¯ve been channeling. That it¡¯s tied to your actual Path suggests that it must be natural to you¡­but what you did in Bolos must have been unnatural somehow.¡±


    Kade didn¡¯t reply, possibly sensing that Salarus was desperately trying to work through problems he himself had been considering for days. At last Sal¡¯s eyes focused and he leaned forward, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what I know. I know that I trust you. I know some of what you¡¯ve described sounds like a curse, and some sounds like a miracle. And I know that we need every Keeper we have right now, and you proved today you¡¯re as much a Keeper as anyone here.¡± Kade¡¯s mouth quirked in a brief smile at that.


    ¡°When this is all over I¡¯ll help you determine the best way to handle your newfound abilities. It¡¯s possible that simply growing more powerful and developing greater control will resolve the issue on its own, and you¡¯ll be able to help the afflicted without risk.¡± He stood up and put a hand on his friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But for now, we¡¯re protecting everyone, the afflicted included, with what we¡¯re doing right here.¡±


    Kade looked at him for a long moment before nodding once. Then he tilted his head with curiosity, ¡°You said you knew for some time. I was worried I might be hauled away for wielding Chaos in the battle today. Does everyone know? I can¡¯t understand how this hasn¡¯t scared the hell out of a lot of people.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t believe anyone but myself has seen the Chaos inside you. It took a great deal of specific study, combined with my own rare ability to recognize its presence. As for using it in battle, we¡¯re essentially bathing in Chaos every moment we¡¯re out here, and visually your abilities aren¡¯t too far removed from a dozen other powers I¡¯ve seen in the last few days. Although, the ¡®fireworks¡¯ as you called them were an interesting touch. You and Selina are both lucky that High Keeper Bandal noticed them and rushed to your aid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure if that¡¯s why I did it, honestly. My mind was so scattered from the blow to the head that I may have just thought it was pretty.¡± Sal snorted a laugh.


    ¡°Then just be grateful that Bandal enjoyed your pretty lights enough to skip the nearest Elder and come straight to you. I wish I could claim I would have done it myself, but that last spell took nearly everything I had.¡±


    Kade looked concerned then, ¡°That¡¯s right, you were bleeding from¡­well, everywhere. Are you truly okay?¡± Sal waved away the concern.


    ¡°I have healing to do, but no permanent damage. The strain actually came from using my staff when it was still processing the stolen energy of the arachnid-Elder. Forcing that power into a spell so far beyond me while it was still¨C¡± he stopped, and summoned the staff to his hand, looking at the swirling energy inside its crystal. ¡°I think I¡¯d be explaining Sorcery and power-authority for hours to explain exactly what happened. Suffice it to say that I used power that didn¡¯t belong to me, and it¡¯s dangerous.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an incredible weapon. You do so many fancy things I¡¯d forgotten to ask about that one in particular. It¡¯s an Artifact?¡±


    ¡°I believe so. It was gifted to me by¡­another Sorcerer. It has many functions, including this one.¡± Salarus waved his hand over the crystal, whispering a spell. Even though the energy to cast it was negligible, it still pained him. A moment later the crystal¡¯s glow increased, then the light seemed to flow outward, coalescing between the two men. Kade¡¯s eyes widened as the unmistakable shape of an enormous sword began to take shape.


    ¡°Acting as a fabricator is actually one of its less impressive functions, but in this case I think you¡¯ll find it quite interesting. The staff gives me a limited understanding of what it¡¯s creating, but in this case I can tell you only that this is an Artifact known as Spite, and I think you might like it.¡± Kade didn¡¯t immediately respond, his eyes locked onto the sword as it slowly began to solidify.


    The minutes ticked slowly by as the energy grew increasingly dense, and the shape slowly became more recognizable as the weapon it would become. Salarus expected Kade to grow bored and sit back down, but the man seemed completely enthralled by the sight. Sal himself wished he could rest, but he had to admit he was excited to see the Artifact as well, though his staff worked much more slowly than the Dalton Spears the Keepers normally used, and part of him just desperately wanted to rest.


    Kade surprised him with a sudden question, as odd as any the man occasionally brought up without explanation. ¡°Sal, how many moons are there?¡± Salarus looked up in confusion. Thankfully the staff required little from him to continue its work.


    ¡°Tonight? There should be six visible if I¡¯m remembering correctly. Why?¡±


    ¡°Not just tonight. Total,¡± Kade said, his eyes never leaving the sword. Sal almost replied immediately, but something tickled at the back of his mind.


    ¡°Fifteen,¡± he said at last, though the answer he¡¯d known his entire life felt wrong the moment it left his mouth. Kade had no reaction to the number, so Salarus prompted him. ¡°Why do you ask?¡±


    ¡°Honestly I¡¯m not entirely sure. There¡¯s just something¡­Do you remember our Trial?¡± Sal struggled to keep up with the apparent subject change, but then he remembered the brutal scene they¡¯d been shown.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°The memories are hazy,¡± he began, ¡°Trials are normally like that, and eventually it feels like remembering a dream. But yes, I think I know what you¡¯re talking about. The vision of the Cycle?¡±


    Kade nodded slowly, still watching the fabrication. ¡°The moons were glowing then, in a way I haven¡¯t seen before or since. I know there were clouds and a lot was going on, but the moons¡­¡± he trailed off, and Sal forced his mind back. Studying and memorizing were hallmarks of the Sorcerer, and he¡¯d trained his mind for decades to remember patterns and images, and he if he pushed himself to do so now¡­


    ¡°Sixteen,¡± he said at last, surprised by his own surety. ¡°There were sixteen moons in the vision. Is that significant?¡± Kade didn¡¯t immediately answer, but finally he met Sal¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°The moons are wrong,¡± he said, then looked back to the gathering energy as if they¡¯d never spoken.


    ***


    Kade watched as the Sorcerer poured more and more energy into the sword. He wasn¡¯t sure if the process normally took so long, but he found that he didn¡¯t care. His entire being was pulled toward the weapon in a way he couldn¡¯t quite understand. He still remembered the odd sense of wrongness when he¡¯d held the silver spear he¡¯d gifted to Drake, and this was somehow that feeling¡¯s opposite. He was sure this sword was his, and it took surprising willpower to stop himself from reaching for the unfinished blade.


    As it continued to take shape, he studied its design. It was enormous for someone of Kade¡¯s size, though he suspected it might look almost normal if the massive Jothus were to wield it. The blade was longer than Kade was tall, and it was extremely broad. Its shape and appearance were relatively simple, looking a bit like a longsword that had been scaled up to obscene proportions, though the hilt was clearly shaped for hands of his size, and the crossguard extended downward protectively, adding an extra arm-length of blade, something he hadn¡¯t seen before.


    As the staff completed its work, the final details formed, and Kade saw that the tip actually ended in a graceful curve. He could tell that it would work as a stabbing weapon, but he understood immediately that it was designed for massive, deep slashes, and on far larger foes. It was a weapon for slaying Elders, without a doubt. Kade didn¡¯t even think to ask permission before he reached out and grasped the hilt, catching the sword before it could fall to the ground.


    He was surprised by its weight, as it was heavy even for its immense size. He could lift it with his enhanced strength, but he was sure he¡¯d need Challenger¡¯s Might to wield it properly for now. No matter, he would grow stronger to suit the blade. Spite was his. That last thought finally brought him back to the moment, and he looked up at Salarus, who was smiling softly, clearly enjoying his friend¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°This¡­can I have this? I mean, not just from you, is everyone okay with me taking something so rare?¡± Sal actually looked a bit uncomfortable with the question.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit of a gray area. Technically anything made with the Dalton Spears belongs to the Order. But, I made this myself, and it would be wasted on me, Gwen and the others.¡± Kade smiled openly at seeing Sal skirting the rules so brazenly. ¡°Besides, you don¡¯t actually carry weapons around, do you? No one will ask where your energy constructs come from.¡±


    Kade¡¯s smile broadened at that, and he hastily sent his power probing into the blade. His own teal energy slowly embraced the plain steely material of Spite, and in moments it was entirely covered, the glow of his power shining in the receding sunlight. He noticed a few faces turning to take in the sight from neighboring campsites, and with a surge of will the sword evaporated in a small flash. The moment was punctuated with a small beep, and he laughed out loud as he looked down at his bracer.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Sal asked.


    ¡°Just my bracer, something I hadn¡¯t been thinking about in a while.¡± Kade read the display.


    Objective (1) Create 10/10 Energy Engrams! (Complete!)


    Objective (2) Generate 1000/1000 Energy Weapon Constructs! (Complete!)


    Congratulations! All Augmentations of Mentor¡¯s Amulet have been made permanent! Fabulous work, my friend!


    Generating New Objectives¡­


    Kade was slightly disappointed. His mastery over Energy Construct was incredibly valuable, but by now he¡¯d taken for granted that the abilities his amulet provided were a part of him, and the reward felt lackluster. The bracer also continued to use increasingly familiar and strange language, which Kade found oddly unsettling. Salarus was still watching him in confusion, and Kade was preparing to unleash a small rant when he noticed the other Keepers moving away. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± he asked, and Sal turned to look back at the camp with him.


    A platform of stone had been created in the center of the collection of Keepers, and three people were standing above the group, clearly waiting for everyone to gather. Sal gestured for him to follow, and Kade obligingly joined the mass of exhausted people as they formed a dense crowd around the elevated group. ¡°Wait, is that Lothros? I didn¡¯t expect to see him here.¡± The silver haired High Priest was standing behind High Keeper Bandal, and was doing a poor job of hiding a concerned expression.


    ¡°Many of the Priests of Karthas have joined us. They are often capable healers, something relatively rare among the Keepers,¡± Sal answered.


    ¡°That makes sense, I think the person who took care of me might have been one of his. I was pretty delirious and we didn¡¯t speak though. Who¡¯s the woman with them? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen her before.¡± The third member of the trio was a slight woman with braided brown hair, and dark, functional armor. As concerned as Lothros appeared, she looked equally furious, and seemed to be barely restraining some kind of outburst.


    ¡°That¡¯s First Bringer Heletta,¡± Sal began. ¡°And I¡¯m not surprised you don¡¯t recognize her, I think only a few of the highest level Keepers even knew who she was before this excursion began. High Keeper Bandal introduced her on the second day, and I¡¯m not convinced she had agreed to it beforehand. It¡¯s a powerful message though, announcing that the Bringers have joined us.¡±


    Kade was still getting used to the unusual reputation the Bringers held in this society, but he understood that operating out in the open like this was very odd for the group. He moved forward curiously, hoping the Bandal would shed some light on the significance of the operation, knowing he¡¯d missed the majority of the briefings the rest of the Keepers and Initiates had received before leaving Karthas.


    Once the stern man was sure the entire group was settled around the platform, Bandal began to speak. ¡°Brothers and Sisters! Brave warriors against the Chaos, hear me! Today was a mighty victory against the forces bent on destroying our very civilization!¡± Kade cocked an eyebrow at that. He didn¡¯t know the exact numbers, but the somber mood around the camp had come from the unexpectedly high casualties today¡¯s ¡®victory¡¯ had brought.


    ¡°Our cause is righteous! High Priest Lothros stands beside me as testament to the nobility of our goal!¡± Lothros seemed to shift nervously at that proclamation, and Kade noticed several desperate glances at Heletta, who had somehow managed to look even angrier. If Bandal noticed any of this, he didn¡¯t acknowledge it. ¡°But our journey has only begun, my friends! We must move deeper into the wilds. We must move past the frontier, and take the fight into the True Chaos!¡±


    There was a definite reaction to that from the crowd, and it wasn¡¯t the enthusiasm Bandal seemed to expect. Fear was plain on many of the less experienced faces, and Kade spotted an irate Ryndal speaking rapidly into Gwen¡¯s ear nearby. ¡°I understand your hesitance, Keepers, but this must be done! The people of Karthas are depending on us. Not just Karthas, but perhaps even all of Iros. The Elders are waking up! Every day we see more evidence of this terrible fact, and we cannot hide behind our walls and pretend it isn¡¯t so!¡±


    The murmuring continued, but it was subdued. No one could argue against what he was saying, even if few shared his vehemence. ¡°The Bringers stand with us, the Priests stand with us, this is our finest moment! We will march, against any odds, into the very heart of this madness. We will find what is rousing these ancient beasts and we will put an end to it!¡± Heletta actually turned and marched off the platform at that, and Lothros gestured at her plaintively, though he himself remained rooted in place.


    ¡°Gather your courage, gather your power, and prepare yourselves. We march at first light, and we fight our way through anything that dares stand in our paths! We will be victorious! We will take the fight to anything, and anyone that stands in our way!¡± The entire gathering was muttering now. They were Keepers, and Kade expected them to be prepared for this type of mission, but Bandal¡¯s passion was a little more intense than anything Kade had seen thus far.


    The man finally seemed to sense that he was losing the crowd, and his face transformed. Bandal¡¯s stern, resolute expression darkened, and his next words were far quieter, though they still carried across the entire camp. ¡°If anyone has a problem with our mission, or feels they lack the conviction to do their duty, you need only seek me out this very night. I will personally ensure you understand the exact limits of your responsibility.¡±


    The threat was clear, and Kade noticed a number of faces reacting with undisguised shock. This man had saved his life only hours before. He was frighteningly powerful, and Kade had no doubt that Bandal would march into the True Chaos alone if he had to, but still, this wasn¡¯t the type of leadership he had come to expect from the Keepers.


    He watched the man turn and begin to walk from the platform, pausing for a moment when he realized Heletta had already left, and he exchanged quiet, heated words with Lothros in plain view of the crowd. The Priest looked panicked, and was talking rapidly while making placating gestures to the larger man. Kade looked to Salarus in confusion, curious if this kind of behavior was normal for the head of their Order, but before he could ask he heard another telltale beep from his bracer, and looked down in curiosity.


    New Path to Power Discovered!


    Generating Objective¡­


    Objective (1): Assassinate High Keeper Bandal!


    Reward: Become High Keeper!


    You can do it!

 Chapter 43: Lucky Breaks

    Day 3


    47 Dead


    Remaining Keepers: 732


    Kade was growing used to fighting in a group, partly because the fighting never seemed to end. The latest encounter was with a living sea of monsters that looked like hairy scorpions on canine legs, and they were extremely irritating to fight. Their fur hid a dense carapace, and Kade was currently smashing through their ranks with an enormous energy hammer. He¡¯d taken to putting a charge of Chaos into the front of every swing, causing small explosions each time he connected, and it was deeply satisfying to see a dozen or more of the annoying creatures thrown back with each swing.


    Kade caught a stinger on a gauntlet as he reminded himself for the hundredth time to return to the line of the Keepers. Thinking of the gauntlets turned his mind to the mysterious Aspect. Drake still hadn¡¯t reformed since the battle with the Elder, but Kade could feel his presence, and figured it was only a matter of time. During a break in the fighting, he looked down at his bracer and forced himself to ignore the assassination mission he was trying not to even think about, then selected his ability screen once more.


    ABILITY


    Aspect of Metallurgy: Rank (Maximum!)


    Cost (First summon): Soul Fragment (Small)


    Description: Creates a permanent Bond with a Fragment of Metallurgic power, allowing that Fragment to manifest in local reality. Abilities and attributes are determined by the power of the summoner. Can be infused with additional mana to temporarily increase attributes.


    Drake was the first of his abilities to reach maximum rank, and he could only assume the odd behavior of the Aspect was tied to that. Asking around had confirmed that being near the enormous energy surges of dying Elders could sometimes transform abilities, but it was usually an immediate transformation, so Kade was struggling not to worry about his steely companion. He looked back up from his bracer to take in the state of the battle, and saw that it was going better than the last few: no new Elder sightings yet today.


    Jothus was to his left, helping to hold the line, and the two had gotten used to protecting Sal and Gwen as the two unleashed an ¡®appropriate¡¯ barrage of attacks, according to their commanders. At first Kade had felt stifled by being forced into the traditional fighting style of the Keepers, but the frequent addition of Elder attacks often allowed for individuals to shine, even if only for a short time. Spotting Elders had become a mixed experience, as something inside Kade seemed to come to life when meeting the incredible challenge they presented, but he was also only too aware of the danger they posed.


    This battle was slowly coming to an end, and Kade could see many of the anxious Keepers looking around suspiciously. They¡¯d yet to encounter a horde that hadn¡¯t been herded by at least a single Elder, and now there were a number of earth specialists always on guard for underground attacks, while others watched the sky in anticipation. As the final scorpion creatures fell, Bandal at last took the field, looking imperious, as always.


    ¡°The Elders fear us! See how they don¡¯t even follow their beasts onto the field!¡± He turned and faced the army, and Kade could sense another speech coming. ¡°The Keepers are the true power of this world! The time of the Elders is behind us! We must move ever onward, putting these old fools back into the ground!¡± Kade tuned out the rest, knowing the general thesis was always the same: keep advancing, nevermind the odds, nevermind the growing number of friends and comrades lost along the way.


    Jothus always listened, or at least Kade thought he did, as the quiet man stared in the direction of the High Keeper, a blank expression on his face. Kade looked to Sal instead, ¡°You¡¯re sure this is normal? I still haven¡¯t seen any other Keepers showing this kind of intense fanaticism,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I never said it was normal for all of us, but Bandal¡¯s reputation is¡­unique. He was only raised to his role recently, but he¡¯s spent centuries in the frontier, hunting Elders and holding back the Chaos.¡± Gwen heard their whispers and chimed in.


    ¡°Sal¡¯s right, for the most part at least. Some of my family have fought beside him before, and he was always big on the ¡®mission is everything¡¯ vibe. Since being raised though¡­¡± Kade looked at her with curiosity, he hadn¡¯t heard her take on Bandal before. ¡°He¡¯s been going further and further. Even before the Elders started waking up he was trying to push for the Keepers to go out into the True Chaos.¡± She turned to watch the speech for a moment, as Bandal was ramping up in energy and passion.


    ¡°Gather yourselves! Gather your courage, your nerve, your power! Any Elder foolish enough to wake up in our world will be slaughtered!¡±


    ¡°Still, this feels extreme, even for him,¡± Gwen finished.


    Kade could only agree as the High Keeper sent scouts out to search for the Elder, or Elders that had sent the horde. As part of the defensive line, Sal¡¯s group¨Cwhich Kade had been officially welcomed into¨Cwould be moved back into the slow march as they waited for the scouts to return. Kade fell into step beside Salarus, who was still recovering from the fight several days past, and tried to master himself. Anytime he wasn¡¯t charging recklessly forward, he felt like he was frozen in time. But maybe he¡¯d be lucky, maybe the scouts would return with a gaggle of Elders on their tails.


    ***


    Day 7


    78 Dead


    Remaining Keepers: 701


    Spite tore through the Elder¡¯s thick hide like a razor, and Kade¡¯s chains were just barely fast enough to yank him out of the way as the Core erupted in an explosion of energy. Jothus was there a moment later, a massive slab of dense rock between his enlarged hands, shielding the line of Keepers supporting their attack. It had taken a lot of unavoidable encounters, and a tragic number of deaths before Sal¡¯s group was allowed to engage Elders directly, but every day the army of Keepers had fewer options.


    As Kade and Ryndal retreated through the forest of spikes the porcupine-like Elder had fired at them, dozens of pinpoint strikes of fire and ice lanced into the Elder¡¯s exposed core from the supporting Keepers. As the Elder roared in pain, Sal was suddenly there, his staff piercing deeply into the depleted Core, and safely draining the Chaotic energies. Kade realized he was panting from exertion¨Cthis had been a lengthy battle, though not the most dangerous they¡¯d faced.


    He looked across the battlefield, seeing that there were still several Elders engaged in fierce combat. Whatever else had happened, the army had at least gotten a lot better at preparing their forces to match power levels effectively. The Bringers stepping up as scouts had been the turning point, and battles had been much smoother since they had taken over the intelligence gathering.


    It was easy to spot Bandal, as he was always engaging the most powerful enemies, and a colossal turtle-like Elder with six legs was presently being pounded on by the zealous warrior. By contrast, a second Elder that looked disturbingly like a person that had been stretched to horrible proportions was being brought down by First Bringer Heletta. She moved so quickly and efficiently that Kade couldn¡¯t actually track her with his eyes, he could only follow the path of devastation as she ran up the towering Elder¡¯s body, cleanly sliced chunks of Elder-flesh raining down behind her.


    The two had developed something of an unspoken rivalry over the last few days, and many were just like Kade, finding themselves staring in fascination and awe at the two remarkably deadly warriors. A sudden surge of energy brought Kade¡¯s attention back to the dying Elder that Sal¡¯s staff was still draining, and it took a moment to realize he was actually feeling some kind of resonance in his arms¨Cno¨Cin his gauntlets.


    Kade backed away behind the lines of defending Keepers, recognizing he wouldn¡¯t be capable of fighting for the moment. The sensation was confusing, as he could feel his Soul Core connecting to the Drake-gauntlets, as well as the dying Elder behind him as his body absorbed the power it was releasing. It wasn¡¯t precisely pain, but the sensation was overwhelming and thinking was becoming more difficult.


    Kade¡¯s arms vibrated more and more strongly, and the helmet he so rarely wore suddenly snapped into place over his head. He couldn¡¯t say why, but he immediately knew he needed to take the helmet off, and his hands went up to grip the steel with desperation. The moment the gauntlets touched the helm, the metal began to meld together, and it was only the still-active Challenger¡¯s Might that granted him the strength to tear the helmet off.


    When he threw the helmet off, the gauntlets came with it, and the metal seemed to writhe and squirm on the ground for a moment. Nearby Keepers backed off in confusion, as no one in the army had seen Drake before, and it must have looked like Kade''s armor had become possessed. Kade hastily told them not to worry, but his eyes never left the armor as metallic pops and screeches filled the air. All at once silver chains seemed to explode outward, and the assembled Keepers had to retreat even further as a wagon-sized mass of chains began to undulate and shift with unknown purpose.


    Kade¡¯s eyes were locked on the display, but he could also feel something else, and his mind was brought back to that moment months ago when he and Sal had just emerged from their Trial. He looked upward, someone knowing what he¡¯d see as light caught on a number of metal objects hurtling toward the ground. They were too fast to see clearly, but one by one they crashed into the mass of chains, and were absorbed into the churning pile.


    For a long moment the silver chains seemed content to keep doing whatever it was they were doing, but at last something changed. The mass began to take on a vaguely humanoid shape, and the chains grew smaller as they wove together endlessly. When the figure was roughly twice Kade¡¯s height, the armor he recognized at last emerged once more, but it was changed. The helmet now had flared draconic wings reaching out from the sides and angling backward, and the angles of the mouth guard and eye slots had taken on a sharper, more aggressive appearance.


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    It was also far larger than it had been, too big even for Jothus is his normal form. The gauntlets appeared next, which had previously only appeared when Kade absorbed the Aspect onto his person, and they flexed with dangerous purpose as the body continued to take shape. Matching greaves were next, and the enormous metal being took a slow, heavy step, the chains that made up its body still rapidly braiding together. Soon the armor was completed as a chest plate and smaller connective plates emerged as well.


    By now the chains had shrunken down enough to almost look like exposed, silver muscle fibers, and Drake looked like nothing so much as an enormous steel knight. The final flare came as the pauldrons took shape, which were oversized and spiked, giving the Aspect a truly imposing appearance. The enormous helm slowly looked up to gaze at Kade, as the silver knight stood up straighter and seemed to explore its new body. Gauntlets flexed, and steel ¡®muscles¡¯ tensed as Drake inspected himself, the eyes of the helmet still eerily dark.


    At last the titanic being made a final gesture, as if shrugging its shoulders, and a long cape made entirely of chains fell backward from the pauldrons. At the same time, the familiar silver spear appeared in one of its enormous hands, its size matching its wielder, and Drake smashed the butt end into the ground like some kind of salute. Finally the Knight clapped its other gauntlet into its chest a single time, the metal clang echoing outward, and Kade realized he was grinning widely at his companion.


    ¡°I missed you, my friend. Lookin¡¯ good.¡±


    ***


    Day 23


    167 Dead


    Remaining Keepers: 612


    Gwendara Valoro pushed herself as she never had before. Today will be the day, she thought, as she impaled a group of massive Tigralas with spikes of ice. The yellow and red, six-legged creatures were extremely agile, and fought with teeth and claws with alarming ability. They were the worst possible opponent for her, and they were perfect.


    Each day Gwen tried to force herself into worse and worse situations, though not impossible ones¨Cshe knew there were more important things going on than her desperate mission to overcome the Flaw. But she was getting close, and pushing herself was the only way. She¡¯d listened to everything Salarus had told her, and even begrudgingly watched Kade as he careened through battlefields like Chaos personified, and she was sure she was near to Breaking.


    As more Keepers fell every day, and the battles only intensified, the opportunities to put herself in ever more dangerous and challenging situations were many, and Gwen knew she would only survive if she fought differently. Better. She had volunteered to be tip of the spear for the wedge formation that was holding the small canyon where a river disappeared underground, and if her group fell there would be an open path to the army¡¯s unprotected flank. She had to do this. She had to win here, and to do that she had to be more.


    Gwen fought in a frenzy. Claws raked at her frozen armor, but she reveled in it. The need to continually restore the armor while also contending with dozens of attackers pushed her mind and spirit to their limits¨Cto the nearly physical wall she could feel in Soul. The Tigralas kept coming, pushing the group of weary Keepers backward up the slope, the river doing nothing to impede the agile beasts. Gwen fought harder.


    With a roar of fury she sent her ice into the rushing water, and it erupted as if alive, jagged waves of spikes impaling her foes from every angle. Gwen wouldn¡¯t let herself enjoy the victory though, as she knew she needed to keep pushing. Never stop pushing. She gripped fanged maws with her bare hands, she forced her armor into blades and severed clawed limbs. She was winning. Until she wasn¡¯t.


    Despite the volume of the terrible roar, she almost didn¡¯t hear it through the endless death wails of the beasts that were falling continually around her. When the ground shook beneath her feet, though, she took a moment to look up. The Elder was small, compared to most, and looked very much like the Tigralas she was facing, though it had the purple, veiny appearance that so many Elders seemed to possess, and its skin was otherwise black.


    Gwen felt despair hit her harder than any attack the monsters had managed. She had been so close. But there wasn¡¯t supposed to be an Elder here, the scouts had missed it. She simply didn¡¯t have the forces. This position really should have been held by a Secundus, but she¡¯d used her family¡¯s name and reputation to take the job for herself, and now it would mean the lives of so many Keepers.


    As much as that thought pained her, that her last act would cost so much to so many, she also knew deep down that failing to break through the Flaw somehow felt worse. She¡¯d been right at the cusp! She¡¯d pushed herself harder than she had for anything in her life, and now it would all be rendered meaningless.


    The waves of lesser beasts never slowed as the Elder stalked forward. It was smaller than a house, and the energy she felt coming off of it in waves was barely first tier, no doubt how it managed to evade the scouts. Still, it was more than enough to tip the balance, and Gwen¡¯s attacks grew slower and less focused as hopelessness overtook her. Then another sound cut through the roars and screeches of the beasts, and when Gwen realized what it was, her mood didn¡¯t improve, even if hope had returned.


    As usual, the lunatic arrived as if from nowhere, hurtling through the air with impossible speed, cackling all the while. Kade crashed into the side of the surprised Elder, that enormous energy sword of his, biting deeply into the glowing purple and black flesh. The maniac never stopped laughing as he dragged the sword downward, running from massive claws that desperately scratched at him before he finally leaped to safety.


    Gwen barely had time to wonder at his sudden retreat, before the man¡¯s silver shadow repeated its master¡¯s maneuver by slamming into the Elder from above, a wicked spear impaling the thrashing creature. The silver blade emerged from the Elder¡¯s chest and kept going, burying itself into the ground, and at the same time the titanic Knight exploded into chains, wrapping around and digging into the Elder from every conceivable angle. Before the impaled creature could even react to the binding chains, Kade was back at it, his sword flashing across the beast¡¯s face with rapid, brutal strikes.


    Gwen turned her attention back to the lesser monsters, furious at herself for needing help from the unusual warrior. On some level she recognized he was simply doing his duty, as he¡¯d recently been moved into a floating role, meant to reinforce any endangered front at a power level he could handle. His ability to traverse the battlefield in such a quick and deadly manner made him perfect for the role, and Gwend begrudgingly admitted that the infuriating man was good at what he did.


    But it was so easy for him! Everything was. Gaining power, being taken under the wing of a famous Keeper. Sal said the man had never even had the Flaw, and couldn¡¯t understand the private struggle that she and many Keepers went through. Gwen began to take her rage out on the Tigralas that ceaselessly charged her position, and didn¡¯t notice she was slowly forcing them back as her ice seemed to move and shape of its own accord.


    She was so lost in her fury that she didn¡¯t even stop to question why she had left the other Keepers behind, she just advanced. She danced among the beasts, and their swift strikes suddenly seemed slow and sloppy. She no longer bothered with large swaths of ice, instead sending small, scalpel-like projectiles in exactly the right places. Eyes, mouths, joints, her ice found every weakness as she moved, leaving countless dead and dying monsters behind her.


    Her mind was blessedly blank as she continued forward. She ignored the madman that fought nearby, didn¡¯t consider her own forces, or the pain in her chest, she simply glided from one attack to another. She couldn¡¯t remember covering the ground in ice, but she moved over it perfectly now, as it took her exactly where she needed to be for each strike. Razor-thin blades of ice flew from her with every motion, carving through the ranks of beasts that were powerless against her.


    Gwen had no sense of how much time had passed when she finally found no more targets for her wrath. She came to a stop in the middle of a pile of dead that nearly filled the small canyon she¡¯d been protecting, and looked around in confusion. The large Elder appeared to have been dead for some time, though the steel Aspect still had it wrapped in chains, likely containing the explosive energy within. She felt unspeakable relief at seeing her own forces largely intact, all staring at her with confused expressions.


    She didn¡¯t entirely register the extraordinary destruction she¡¯d caused until she made herself look around. Hundreds. She¡¯d killed hundreds, on her own. She was smiling like a child when the silence was broken by a single, ¡°Wow,¡± and she turned back to the Elder, to see Kade looking at her with a stunned expression. The man didn¡¯t say anything further, but after a moment he did give a slow clap.


    ***


    ¡°You actually witnessed Gwen Break?¡± Sal asked from his place next to the campfire. He¡¯d put his book down as Kade described the scene.


    ¡°If that¡¯s not what it was, she¡¯s been holding back for a long time. She was untouchable out there, Sal; it was awesome. I don¡¯t think I really understood what a difference it could make.¡± Salarus stared into the flames for a moment, considering.


    ¡°Like you, I don¡¯t have any significant experience with the Flaw myself, as I was Broken very early. It¡¯s hard to understand exactly how it holds individuals back. But I am glad to hear that Gwen has found her own way to the other side of it. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll tell me about it after she¡¯s come to terms with it herself.¡±


    Kade was staring away from the campfire and Sal as his friend spoke. Now that the madness of the battle had finally calmed, he had the feeling again, as if he¡¯d been here before. ¡°Sal, I know we¡¯ve shifted from North to West over the last week or so. Is there any chance we could be close to Altera? To the Elder that Edwin was sent to Calm?¡±


    Sal didn¡¯t even pause, ¡°No, we¡¯re far to the North. That area isn¡¯t even accessible from this direction. There are cliffs and rivers that make it essentially impassable.¡±


    ¡°The Sorcerer is right, I¡¯m afraid,¡± said a distantly familiar voice from the shadows. A cloaked man came into the light from the campfire and sat down between the two men without asking permission. ¡°If you¡¯re looking to visit your old friend, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have a bit of a wait ahead of you.¡±


    Kade recognized the man the moment he saw the red hair, ¡°Cerano. It¡¯s been a long time, I didn¡¯t even know you were with the army.¡±


    Cerano, the mysterious Bringer that had first told Kade of the Flaw leaned forward to warm his hands near the fire as he spoke. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have much chance to see me, I¡¯ve been with the scouts since we first took over the duty. Sorry about the Elder we missed, by the way. Not sure how that one slipped through.¡±


    Sal looked between the two men for a moment, then went back to his book. Kade smiled at his friend¡¯s disinterest. ¡°Not a problem, it was the weakest one I¡¯ve encountered, and it was good practice. So what brings you to our side of camp? I assume the Bringers have better tents than us lowly Initiates.¡±


    ¡°We have better everything than you, but duty calls. There were reports of some incredible displays of prowess by a young Keeper here today, and I¡¯ve been sent to investigate.¡± Kade nodded, but didn¡¯t provide any names. He didn¡¯t think there was any chance this man didn¡¯t know exactly who he was looking for, but Kade didn¡¯t think it was his place to give away any information that Gwen might not wish to spread around. He went back to his first question instead.


    ¡°So where are we heading then, do the higher ups have any idea? Or are we just chasing Elders until there¡¯s none left to chase?¡± Cerano didn¡¯t seem bothered by the rapid shift in topic.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one real destination this way, before we hit the ocean that is. So yes, we believe we know where we¡¯re going. It¡¯s deep in the True Chaos, so few have ever been this far from Karthas, but it does have a name,¡± he leaned back, and looked directly into Kade¡¯s eyes for the first time.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to the plains of Karavash.¡±

 Chapter 44: Plains of Karavash

    Day 36


    216 Dead


    Remaining Keepers: 563


    Salarus was worried about his friend. Somewhere along the line he¡¯d stopped worrying for Kade¡¯s safety, but each day he worried more that the man was losing himself. Kade¡¯s fifty or so disciples wouldn¡¯t let anything happen to the one they appeared to worship, and Sal had seen more than one lay down their lives to protect Kade in the endless battles they raged across the Plains of Karavash. Even now Sal struggled to keep up as the disciples desperately charged into the rush of increasingly powerful monsters that now seemed to surge almost without end.


    Salarus had taken to spending most of his energies supporting those of the squad that appeared to have completely disregarded their own safety in their zeal to keep up with Kade. Sal had grown used to spending nearly all of his mana on summoning tornadoes and gravity wells to disrupt the waves of beasts that inevitably surrounded them, as the group refused to understand a simple truth: no one kept up with Kade. Not anymore.


    It had started slowly. Kade¡¯s reputation had grown when Bandal himself had given the order to let a simple Initiate take up the role of a singular roving reinforcement unit. Salarus didn¡¯t spend much time listening to other Keepers gossip, but he couldn¡¯t avoid hearing the doubting reactions of so many in the camp. Nearly a third of the army was Secundus or beyond, and the idea of someone who hadn¡¯t yet reached Primus being given such authority and trust was disturbing. That Kade proved himself so capable in the role hadn¡¯t ended the talk, merely shifted it from surprise to open suspicion.


    No one could deny that Kade was saving lives, but the manner in which he did it ranged from the difficult to believe, to the disturbing. Sal had been with the group of Keepers that had been sent into the narrow canyon only a few days after Kade¡¯s appointment. Already he had been pushing the bounds of his assignment, as the man continued to fight and travel alone, even when the army wasn¡¯t engaged in battle.


    Sal and the hundred other Keepers hadn¡¯t expected to find anything beyond a few stray monsters that had escaped the slaughter delivered by the main army earlier that day. They¡¯d been sent into the canyon as the sun set to ensure that the camp would be safe for the night, and at first it had been uneventful. Many of the Keepers were nervous being in such an enclosed space, as the walls of the canyon rose up nearly fifty meters on either side, and Sal saw anxious faces darting from side to side, checking every dark corner for an ambush that never came.


    The canyon looked to have been created by a river that had long since dried up, and the Keepers were nearly silent in their passing, as boots sank deeply into the sand beneath them. The plants were sparse, as the canyon had been dry for too long to support much life, and for over an hour they saw nothing but rocks as they navigated the twisting pathway. Then at last they¡¯d heard an odd, repetitive sound echoing from up ahead.


    Creak¡­Creak¡­Creak...


    The night was fully upon them then, and they¡¯d been using minimal light to guide their way, lest they announce themselves to any waiting monsters too early. They had continued forward, trepidation in their steps as the sound grew louder. Finally a scream had broken the group¡¯s silence, and a hundred Keepers readied themselves for an attack that never came. Sal had pushed his way to the front when no word came, and found the source of the disturbance immediately.


    A beast as large as two wagons had been hanging upside down around the next curve of the canyon. It was an abordon, a four armed monster that had a wide, dangerous mouth in the center of its torso, and no real head. A Keeper had nearly walked into the creature¡¯s open hands, and let out the scream in understandable surprise. It was quickly apparent, however, that the beast was dead, as it dangled limply from above. Several Keepers sent small light spells upward to reveal the glistening black chains wrapped around one of the beast¡¯s legs, securing it to canyon walls above.


    Salarus had tried to reassure the shaken Keepers, but words weren¡¯t enough as they continued slowly forward. They passed more and more monsters hanging from chains, most just dim shadowy shapes in the night. Occasionally a strong enough wind would pass through the canyon and some of the more anxious Keepers would duck, jump, or even yelp as the dead monsters slowly swayed above them. The repetitive sound only grew louder, though Sal now suspected he knew what to expect as they kept advancing.


    Creak¡­Creak¡­Creak...


    Finally the scene began to transform. As the canyon widened, their weak light revealed an elaborate and intricate web of black chains. There was enough room to continue walking, but soon they found their steps impeded by the remains of countless monsters, most ravaged beyond recognition. Despite Sal¡¯s continued assurance that it was the work of an ally, it was impossible to ignore the disturbing reality of what they were witnessing.


    Occasionally the chains were close enough to the ground to reveal their nature, covered in vicious spikes and razor blades, and in time with the rhythmic sound now echoing all around them the chains would slowly move, as if alive. They walked for nearly half an hour through the nightmarish scene before Sal¨Cnow leading them¨Cfinally called for a halt. He looked back to see the Keepers huddling together like children, rather than the warriors he knew them to be.


    This part of the canyon was bathed in a dim, blue-green light, revealing the towering silver form of Drake. The Aspect was facing away from them, and the enormous knight didn¡¯t acknowledge their presence as it methodically reached up with one hand to grip a handle on a massive upright wheel that glowed with familiar energy, then mechanically cranked it downward.


    Creak, an arm of steel and silver reaches up¡­Creak, the wheel slowly turns...Creak, the endless web of chains is wound even tighter¡­Creak, severed parts of monsters rain down from above.


    Salarus tried to ignore the macabre nature of the scene as he looked around. Light burst to life from his staff, at last revealing the shadowy form of Kade, just past the wheel, and staring at the wall of the cavern, unmoving. Sal inwardly thanked the Gods that the man wasn¡¯t lost in one of his laughing fits, as he thought that might be too much for the huddled mass of Keepers behind him. Sal slowly approached, not sure what to expect.


    Once he reached his friend¡¯s side, he saw that Kade had one hand against the wall, and his head was tilted as if he were confused by something. ¡°Kade?¡± Sal¡¯s whispered voice sounded loud in the darkness. His friend¡¯s eyes turned to meet his own.


    ¡°Do you hear him, Sal?¡± Salarus tried to understand the odd question, and even reached out with his own hand to feel the stone of the wall.


    ¡°I hear nothing.¡±


    Kade didn¡¯t acknowledge the answer, instead looking back at the gathered Keepers. ¡°We should go,¡± he said, and Drake released the wheel immediately. All at once thousands of chains fell to the ground, racing toward their master from every conceivable direction. The Keepers tensed, but the chains avoided them easily as Kade strode back toward camp, not saying another word as the glistening metal trailed behind him like a cloak in the wind.


    Kade¡¯s disciples had started with a small group from those who¡¯d unknowingly followed him into the canyon. The next day, six Keepers had simply been standing near their campsite, and watched Kade with blank faces as he left his tent. Salarus had been ready to question them, but his friend had merely looked the group over, then spoke a single word: ¡°Come,¡± and the command was clear as he walked off toward the assembling battlelines. The group had likewise said nothing, but nevertheless followed Kade not just to the lines, but into every battle the man fought.


    The next day, there were ten Keepers waiting.


    Salarus had asked Kade about the unusual following when they were once more sitting by their customary campfire, but the man seemed confused by the question. ¡°We fight together,¡± he¡¯d whispered, clearly not understanding, then gone back to staring into the night. The man had done that more and more the deeper they moved into the plains. Gone were the jokes, gone was the camaraderie, Kade had begun to only seem alive when he was fighting, and Sal didn¡¯t know what to do.


    As Kade¡¯s following grew, Sal had been convinced some mid-level commander or another would put an end to it, but when he¡¯d finally grown frustrated and asked, he was told High Keeper Bandal himself had given his permission. Evidently the floating group of reinforcements was becoming instrumental in keeping the army alive and moving forward, and no one seemed interested in questioning why so many followed an Initiate any longer.


    Now, as Sal tossed spell after spell, he had to admit that the group had found an extremely unorthodox kind of effectiveness. Kade himself was only occasionally visible as he darted in and out of groups of monsters, often being physically hurled by his enormous metal companion, but his presence was undeniable. Each Keeper that followed him had a length of chain wrapped around their midsection, and Salarus could only think of puppets on strings as he watched how their de facto commander utilized them.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    A dozen Keepers were grouped together as they were flung around in the air above the battlefield on taught chains. These were the ranged fighters, and they obediently fired continuous blasts of power downward wherever Kade pointed them. The ground troops were far more chaotic, as they were whisked back and forth through the masses of monsters, both to keep them safe and position them for key strikes. Sal had stopped guessing how Kade managed to coordinate the battle in such a fashion, as he had quickly been forced to acknowledge that his friend used the forces well.


    Lives weren¡¯t spent needlessly, instead the chains yanked the Keepers to safety more often than into battle. While Sal didn¡¯t approve of entire groups of people being used as extensions of a single man¡¯s will¨Cbarely more than living weapons themselves¨Ctheir effectiveness was undeniable. Countless beasts fell before the flailing, insane assault, and Sal had even seen several Elder¡¯s overwhelmed by the perfectly coordinated attacks.


    Still, as a single chain somehow managed to respectfully pull Salarus away from a particularly determined group of ravenous monsters, he wondered for the thousandth time, what was this madness leading to?


    Day 47


    242 Dead


    Remaining Keepers: 537


    Disciples of Kadeus: 72


    First Bringer Heletta was dead. She¡¯d been killed earlier that day when the reinforcements she¡¯d been promised hadn¡¯t arrived. Two rank four Elders had destroyed her utterly, vaporizing her with twin expulsions of deadly power as the army could only watch helplessly. Bandal himself had arrived to finish the Elders off, both having been severely injured by the Bringer before she¡¯d finally been brought down. Could I have saved her? Kade asked himself, as he looked down at the bracer.


    Objective (1): Assassinate High Keeper Bandal!


    Reward: Become High Keeper!


    The High Keeper had engaged in a startlingly public argument with Heletta the night before, and only the calming influence of Lothros had prevented the army from dividing right there. As it was, the Bringers had largely isolated themselves from the camp, and their fury was undisguised. The First Bringer had clearly been highly respected, and it was well known that it had been Bandal who had ordered her reinforcements deployed to a separate front during the battle.


    Kade had even considered trying to intercede himself when the brave woman had been struggling alone, but he had a responsibility to his followers and knew that most, if not all would have been lost in the attempt. Now for the first time in days he found himself thinking of something other than the deep pulse that echoed endlessly in his ears, his mind, his Soul. Was he really meant to kill Bandal? Was that even possible?


    He knew that he had secrets and tricks, and that he was far more powerful than he should be at his stage of development, but High Keeper Bandal was a Quartus, and far from newly raised to that level. With a gesture Kade switched the display to examine his own growing power.


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)


    Lifeforce: 100%


    Mana: 436/436


    Chaos: 782/782


    Strength: 39


    Speed: 33


    Endurance: 24


    Magic: 31


    Energy: 47


    Ancestral Totem 1: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Chaos Energist


    Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.


    Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 9, 12%)


    Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 7, 65%)


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: Mentor¡¯s Amulet (Integrated!)


    Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Vanguard


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 8, 23%)


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 6, 49%)


    Ability 3: (Tier 2) Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 3, 25%)


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    The gains from the endless fighting were impressive, and Kade suspected that the Chaos within him growing separately from the mana that was present in every Awakened was the reason for his unusual strength. Being able to draw from two sources of energy, and one so destructive and volatile made him at least the equal of any true Primus, and he suspected that classification would be his soon enough anyway. His attribute growth had been slowing recently, and he felt that his body would need to change soon to adapt to his increasingly powerful Soul Core.


    Still, what chance would he have against someone like Bandal? The frustrating nature of the question soon pushed his mind back to the pulse he could never ignore for long. He didn¡¯t understand how no one else could hear it, or feel it, perhaps he should say. It seemed to vibrate through him more the further they went, and he was increasingly convinced that the mountain range in the distance held the answers to his questions.


    He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been staring into the darkness when a voice broke through the pulse. ¡°Kade, may I join you?¡± He turned to see Cerano, the red haired man already finding a place to sit by their fire. ¡°The Sorcerer isn¡¯t here?¡± he asked, clearly not caring that Kade hadn¡¯t answered his first question.


    ¡°Sal is speaking with other Keepers. He¡¯s been trying to find information on the plains of Karavash. He¡¯s been looking for you, in fact,¡± the man nodded as he removed his heavy cloak. The deep purple armor he wore showed considerable damage¨CCerano wasn¡¯t one to avoid combat, and Kade had seen him occasionally on the front, tremendous displays of lightning blasting into Elders that Sal would no doubt envy.


    ¡°I doubt I know much more than he¡¯s already learned. The plains¨Cand the mountain range as well¨Care both named after some Ancient. Most places are if you look back far enough.¡± He gazed toward the mountain range in the distance, as if considering. ¡°In fairness, this Ancient has something of a reputation, though only because of the Priesthood of Karthas.¡± Kade cocked an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°So you do know more?¡± he asked with impatience.


    Cerano held up his hands defensively, ¡°I likely know less than any priest your friend might ask. The only thing we know about Karavash is that Karthas was somehow aware of him, but the Priests could never figure out how or why. The name has come up in some Trials, but nothing more.¡± He paused, clearly thinking. ¡°He was likely a big one, though. Probably an older generation.¡±


    ¡°How do you figure?¡±


    ¡°Places are typically named after the most powerful Elder in the area, and this area is immense. We¡¯re incredibly far from the Calm, so maybe no one ever cared to spend enough time here to discover other Elders here, but I doubt it.¡± He looked into Kade¡¯s eyes for a moment before speaking again. ¡°Will you help us kill High Keeper Bandal?¡±


    Kade nearly choked, not believing what he¡¯d just heard. The pulse was forgotten, the plains were forgotten, and he could only stare at the Bringer in disbelief. ¡°No one can hear us, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about,¡± the man replied casually. ¡°Bringers need to know how to operate quietly. And if you tell anyone what I just said, you¡¯ll just be one more rumor monger among dozens tonight.¡± He gestured back toward where the Bringers had camped separately from the rest of the army. ¡°If you haven¡¯t been paying attention, the factions have been close to bloodshed for weeks.¡±


    Kade¡¯s mind raced, and it was a long moment before he finally replied. ¡°What could you possibly need my help for? I¡¯m only an Initiate.¡±


    ¡°An Initiate with an increasingly large following, one that appears to answer to you and not the High Keeper.¡± Cerano stood up, and walked to Kade¡¯s size, his tone no longer light. ¡°Let me ask you this. If you decided to join us, would your people follow you?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kade answered immediately, still unsure of how he knew, but absolutely confident that he did. I¡¯m their King, a small voice whispered in the back of his mind, but he didn¡¯t acknowledge it.


    ¡°Then you understand why we want your help. Bandal is bringing us to ruin. Many in the army rightly believe our casualties have only slowed because of you. If that man keeps driving us forward with no rest, and no plan, there will be no one left.¡± He paused, searching Kade¡¯s eyes for a moment. ¡°You understand that, don¡¯t you? The man¡¯s zeal is beyond sanity. Did you hear what he argued with Heletta about yesterday?¡± Kade shook his head slowly.


    ¡°He told her this was the end of the world. And it was our duty to be a part of it,¡± Cerano shook his head, and his clenched fists rose up with fury. ¡°The fool has lost his mind! We have no idea what¡¯s waiting for us out there, and at this rate no one will live long enough to see it.¡± He turned away at that, appearing to be trying to master his emotions. When he spoke again, his tone was even.


    ¡°Can we count on you? Will you help us save us the Keepers, save us all?¡± Kade turned away, overwhelmed by what he was hearing. A couple of lines on the bracer were one thing, but open talk of assassination in the middle of the Keeper army was something entirely different. He wished Sal was here, the Sorcerer would be able to break the problem down logically, but Kade¡¯s mind¡­everything was just so loud. This was too big a decision, too important, too destructive, too maddening, too¨C


    ¡°Well, it looks like I¡¯ve finally found you,¡± came a deep voice from the darkness. Kade whirled around as recognition struck him. A man slowly walked into the light of the campfire, his deep green leather armor creaking in a surprisingly familiar way. Cerano looked at the newcomer in surprise, but nothing close to what Kade was feeling. This man would know what to do, this man could make everything simple again, this man would save them.


    ¡°Edwin¡­¡± Kade said with utter relief.

 Chapter 45: Taste of Salvation

    Kade almost couldn¡¯t process seeing the man who¡¯d rescued him from Altera, what felt like a lifetime ago. His mind was just so heavy, and the pulse was just so loud! He quickly turned to Cerano to make sure the Bringer could see Edwin as well, and noticed the red haired man looking at the woodsman with suspicion. It took Kade a second to remember they had been speaking of mutiny and murder only minutes earlier. Had Edwin heard?


    He looked more closely at the solid man he¡¯d trusted so easily, the man¡¯s casual confidence and dependability having been such a comfort when Kade was just beginning to find his way in this deadly world. There were changes, he realized. The dark brown hair appeared to have gray in it, which was exceptionally rare among such long-lived people, and his eyes were sunken, with dark circles around them so pronounced it looked like the man hadn¡¯t slept in months. But when the familiar easy smile appeared on his face, it was such a relief that Kade could swear the pulse actually quieted slightly.


    ¡°Kade,¡± the deep voice spoke again, ¡°I¡¯m sorry it took so long to meet up with you once again. I had planned to find you long before the excursion left, but¡­the circumstances were out of my control.¡± The last was said with a quiver that Kade couldn¡¯t remember hearing from the woodsman before.


    ¡°What circumstances? You never really told me what you were doing.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps introductions first? I don¡¯t recognize your companion,¡± he replied. Cerano stepped forward with his hand outstretched.


    ¡°But I recognize you, Keeper Edwin, and I¡¯m honored to meet you. I am¡­Bringer Cerano. I¡¯m not used to introducing myself as such, but the situation in the camp has grown complex.¡± Edwin shook the offered hand, and nodded at the assessment.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been here long, and I¡¯ve been looking for Kade since I arrived, but even still I¡¯ve heard¡­disturbing things. So many dead, so many old rules and traditions broken or abandoned. I almost don¡¯t believe that Bandal leads this group.¡±


    ¡°You know Bandal?¡± Kade asked. Edwin¡¯s reputation had confused him since he¡¯d arrived in Karthas with the veteran Keeper. Some spoke of him almost in awe, while others dismissed him as ¡®merely a Primus¡¯, and Kade was still piecing together exactly who the man was.


    ¡°I¡¯ve known the High Keeper for a long time, but he left me behind¨Cso to speak¨Clong, long ago. Still, I expected more from him. Pushing the army this far, this fast, the recklessness of it¡­But I¡¯m speaking out of turn. Forgive me, these months have taken their toll on me.¡±


    ¡°So where were you, then?¡± Kade asked again. Edwin still appeared reluctant to speak of it, but after letting out a prolonged sigh, he answered.


    ¡°I was taking a trial.¡±


    ¡°You took a trial!?¡± Cerano cut in. ¡°But you¡¯re famous for refusing to advance! What could possibly have¨C¡± Edwin cut him off with a harsh glare and a raised hand.


    ¡°I do not wish to discuss it. Suffice it to say that these are extraordinary times, and extraordinary measures were necessary. Speaking of which, I find my manners failing me yet again. If you¡¯re a member of the Bringers I must give my condolences on the loss of the First. Heletta and I didn¡¯t cross paths many times, but the mood of the camp makes it clear how valued and respected she was.¡± Cerano¡¯s head fell, and he didn¡¯t respond.


    Edwin seemed to consider the Bringer for a long moment before he turned away and spoke again. ¡°I had planned for a longer reunion, Kade, but perhaps that should wait. I need to report to High Keeper Bandal and I sense that you both might benefit from joining me.¡± Cerano¡¯s head shot up, and when he looked at Kade he could almost feel the man willing him to silence.


    Edwin clearly noted the exchange, and nodded slowly. ¡°Yes, I can see it¡¯s necessary. Follow me, both of you.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for any kind of confirmation, merely turned and strode away from the campfire at a steady pace. Cerano rushed to Kade¡¯s side.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t prepared for this, but I can¡¯t turn down a chance to hear Bandal questioned by one of his peers. He even treats High Priest Lothros as a subordinate.¡±


    ¡°Wait, peer? Bandal is the High Keeper and one of the most powerful people I¡¯ve ever seen. How could Edwin possibly be his peer?¡± Kade asked. Cerano gestured after Edwin and the two began to follow a short distance behind before the Bringer answered.


    ¡°Edwin¡¯s power has never been what made him special. The circumstances by which he gained¨C¡± he stopped himself abruptly. ¡°Nevermind that, he clearly doesn¡¯t wish for it to be discussed. Regardless, the reason he¡¯s so respected is because he¡¯s one of the original Keepers. There have always been Awakened protecting Karthas, but the Keepers as an Order is relatively new, and Edwin may be the last living person who was part of their first ranks.¡±


    Kade watched the older man as he guided them purposefully through the camp, occasionally stopping to acknowledge a greeting. He knew that Edwin had a lot hidden behind the simple woodsman persona that he presented to the world, but Kade was beginning to suspect that he would never truly know the man. As they neared the magically constructed stone building that Bandal always had created for strategy meetings, Cerano leaned closer.


    ¡°I need your discretion here, Kade. I showed my trust in you, as you¡¯re someone I believe wants to save as many lives as possible. I didn¡¯t fear one more rumor in the camp, but now the whole army has seen me by your side walking with one of the most famous Keepers alive. If you speak out against the Bringers, there may be none of us left by morning.¡± Kade looked at the man, still struggling to keep everything that had happened in his mind at once.


    Truthfully he didn¡¯t know exactly how he felt or what he would do if Bandal or Edwin questioned him directly, but the dangerous look in Cerano¡¯s eyes told him to nod in affirmation regardless. The Bringer nodded in return, but Kade knew this would be a tense discussion as they followed Edwin into the stone structure.


    The interior was well lit by a number of glowing orbs, and Bandal was alone inside in front of the only real furniture: a single table covered in maps and documents. The broad-shouldered man looked up, and his eyes widened when he spotted Edwin.


    ¡°High Keeper Bandal, it¡¯s an honor to¨C¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Secundus! Edwin bloody Houseless is a Secundus. Has the end of the world already come?¡± the woodsman stopped in his tracks, and let out a long sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to have to have this damned conversation with half the Keepers in camp, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°To the Hells with the other Keepers. They may have heard the rumors, but I know what you¡¯ve been through. What in the name of all the Lost Gods was enough to send you back to the Mad Elder for more punishment?¡± The High Keeper clearly had no concern for the look of fury and frustration on Edwin¡¯s face.


    ¡°I¡¯d have thought that you of all people would understand the need,¡± Edwin replied in a strained voice. ¡°We cannot afford to hold anything back in the face of this threat.¡± Bandal¡¯s eyes narrowed at that answer, and he moved around the table to get closer to Edwin, still not having acknowledged the presence of the other two men.


    ¡°And what would you know about what we face, woodsman? I keep excellent track of all of my Keepers, and you left before we even announced the excursion. Was it the Bringers? I see one follows at your heels like a dog, have you been working with Heletta under my nose?¡± Edwin¡¯s eyes narrowed at the accusation, and he didn¡¯t back down even slightly under the scrutiny of the terrifyingly powerful man.


    ¡°I have many friends, High Keeper, and I have earned the trust of Bringers, Keepers, and Priests.¡± Bandal retreated at that for some reason, though Kade noticed that Edwin reached up to grip his pendant nervously when the High Keeper turned back to the table for a long moment.


    ¡°Graves. Of course. He was always one of Lothros'' favorites. I should have realized.¡± He let out a long breath as he leaned heavily on the table. When he turned back around, his smile made him look like an entirely different man. ¡°So tell me this, ¡®ax-man¡¯, I can smell another Path on you. What were you given?¡±


    Edwin appeared to relax as well, and in answer he gestured behind him and a metal chair appeared as if from nowhere. He made a show of sitting down and stretching out his legs theatrically. Bandal barked out a laugh. ¡°A Metallurgist? As if you need another way to make axes. You¡¯re the only man alive that could branch out yet become more stuck in your ways.¡± Edwin smiled back, and much of the tension seemed to leave the room.


    ¡°A year ago I¡¯d have agreed with you, but someone convinced me that Metallurgy could provide some interesting combat applications. I intend to show the world exactly what this Path is capable of.¡± Edwin looked shocked when Bandal roared with laughter. His eyes narrowed as he continued, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be more open to the idea, your own combination of Paths¨C¡± Bandal interrupted him with a hurried wave.


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    ¡°No, no, you misunderstand, old friend.¡± He gestured at Kade standing off to the side, the light of the glow orbs reflecting off the full set of silver armor he wore. ¡°I¡¯m afraid your protege¡¯s companion has beaten you to that particular demonstration.¡± Edwin¡¯s head whipped around to stare at Kade.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware that there was another Metallurgist Keeper. I suppose I¡¯ll need to meet them,¡± his disappointment was clear, but Bandal was shaking his head again.


    ¡°Not a Keeper. The boy has an Aspect of Metallurgy. I¡¯ve never heard of anything like it,¡± he was grinning like a child now. ¡°You should see the thing, Edwin, it¡¯s a giant bloody knight made out of silver chains! I saw it spear over a hundred flyers the other day all on its own¨CI hate flyers. It dragged them to the ground while turning its body into a shield for an entire unit of Keepers,¡± he shook his head in disbelief. ¡°Your protege is good, have no doubt, but he¡¯d still be on the line with all the rest if he didn¡¯t have that magnificent creature with him.¡±


    Kade raised an eyebrow at that. This was certainly the first he was hearing of this. He agreed, of course, and he was proud of how capable Drake had become, but he had to admit his ego had been deflated slightly. Edwin was staring at him as well, and seemed to finally take note of the Drake-armor Kade was wearing. ¡°He¡¯s resting right now,¡± Kade said, anticipating the question.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get to see it soon enough, Edwin. But we have other matters to discuss,¡± Bandal said, enjoying the scene.


    ¡°Such as the death of First Bringer Heletta?¡± Edwin replied, and any trace of mirth left Bandal¡¯s face. His eyes narrowed at Edwin, then briefly flickered to Cerano.


    ¡°What could we possibly have to say about that tragedy? Is that why you brought the Second Bringer with you?¡± Kade raised an eyebrow and looked at Cerano. He assumed that title was as literal as it seemed, and figured he shouldn¡¯t be surprised. The Bringer had stiffened at finally being acknowledged, and he stood up straighter as Bandal stormed up to him.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool, Bringer? Do you think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s being said in my own camp?¡± Edwin stood up slowly as the two men eyed one another. ¡°Tell me, Cerano, oh great battle commander, what should I have done? With your weeks of experience, tell me what the right choice should have been.¡± The Bringer hesitated, glancing at Edwin and taking an involuntary step back.


    ¡°No answer?¡± Bandal pressed. ¡°The center of our front line was about to collapse! And those Elders were beyond anything we¡¯ve faced so far. They would have ripped through the reinforcement unit without breaking stride!¡± He whirled away from the man, and slammed his fist through the nearby table, obliterating it. Bandal stood there, facing away from them for a long minute. Edwin took a small step forward before stopping when the man¡¯s voice rang out once more, this time with far more calm.


    ¡°I did the only thing I could. I ordered the reinforcements to the center line, and I went after the Elders myself. I was too late. I knew I¡¯d be too late, and I did it anyway.¡± He turned to look directly at Cerano, ¡°And I¡¯d make the same decision again, because it was her, or the army. Whether you believe it or not, she¡¯d have made the same decision. If you doubt me, then ask yourself a simple question: why didn¡¯t she retreat? She was too fast for those ponderous monsters to catch her. So why, Second, why didn¡¯t she retreat?¡±


    Cerano didn¡¯t answer at first, pain and fury painting his features. Kade could almost hear the sound of his teeth grinding, but at last he choked out a response. ¡°Because¡­it would have meant losing the army. She would never have let that happen while there was still life in her body.¡± The two men stared at one another for a long, tense moment, before Cerano finally looked away.


    Bandal didn¡¯t press further, just looked back at the table he¡¯d destroyed. Edwin quietly walked forward, and with a gesture the metal table reassembled itself. Bandal grunted a small laugh, then thanked the woodsman before gathering the papers from the floor. Watching the leader of the Keepers struggle to clean up the mess his temper tantrum had caused was oddly humanizing, and the mood of the room seemed to settle a bit. Cerano had moved to lean against a wall, obviously lost in thought, and Kade wondered if he believed Bandal¡¯s claims.


    When the papers were sorted, the High Keeper spread out a map once more. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here, Edwin, you and the Bringer, both. You¡¯re going to solve a rather large problem I¡¯ve been struggling with.¡± Edwin and Cerano both looked up at this, and joined the large man at the table, where he pointed to a circled area on the map. Kade moved close enough to see, but still kept some distance. He felt like he didn¡¯t really belong in a meeting of this nature, and he suspected he¡¯d already seen more than he should have.


    ¡°The scouts have found something in the mountains ahead,¡± Cerano¡¯s face scrunched up at this.


    ¡°My Bringers have been acting as scouts for weeks, and none have gone so far out.¡±


    ¡°Your people have kindly taken over scouting duties for the army, leaving my stealthiest Keepers to search for our actual goal. We¡¯re not here to slap down some mindless Elders and their pets; there are better places to accomplish that. We¡¯ve been drawing the attention of the enemy to give our people a chance at finding what¡¯s causing this, and now we think we have.¡± The three men exchanged surprised looks as Bandal tapped the map once more.


    ¡°Three days'' journey when you¡¯re not fighting every damned step of the way. There¡¯s a cave there, which leads directly into the mountains. It¡¯s the only thing for miles that the scouts felt was even worth mentioning, and the two of them sensitive to such things claim you can feel a fluctuation in the Chaos around it.¡± He looked up, his eyes wild with passion. ¡°Whatever is causing this must be there.¡±


    ¡°And what¡¯s between us and this cave? What problem are we meant to solve?¡± Edwin asked.


    ¡°I need to send a team. I need someone I can trust to lead it, and a group powerful enough to survive getting there. I assume the only reason you survived catching up with us is because Graves followed you, patching you up every step of the way?¡± Edwin nodded with a smirk. ¡°Then he can keep the three of you alive while the army continues to act as a distraction.¡±


    ¡°Three of us?¡± Edwin asked.


    ¡°You want me there to keep us hidden,¡± Cerano supplied.


    ¡°Hidden and safe. Edwin became a candidate at Secundus, and Graves is nearly Tertius with that obscene Soul Core of his, but you¡¯re nearly Quartus. They¡¯ll need you.¡± Cerano didn¡¯t answer immediately, looking down at the map.


    ¡°What exactly do you want us to do?¡± Edwin asked.


    ¡°What the scouts couldn¡¯t. Go inside. The ones I sent were all stealth specialists, and they¡¯d have been killed by a single Elder, and there were a lot more than one hanging around the cave.¡± He gestured at Cerano, ¡°The Second Bringer should be able to hide you until you get inside, and you¡¯ll be as prepared as any to handle whatever¡¯s in there. Figure out what in the Hells is waking these things up. Stop it if you can, report back if you can¡¯t.¡±


    At last Cerano spoke, ¡°You want me to leave my people,¡± he said quietly. And Bandal didn¡¯t reply, clearly understanding what the Bringer was implying.


    ¡°Your people will be in the safest of hands, young Bringer,¡± a new voice said from the doorway. They all turned as High Priest Lothros entered, a serene look on his face. Graves was only a step behind him, his dark eyes and corpse-white skin making him look like an evil shadow of the bright and angelic Lothros. Silver hair was perfectly swept back, and the bright blue eyes were hypnotic even in the shadowy stone building.


    ¡°There you go,¡± Bandal said, fury in his tone. ¡°The High Priest will look after your precious Bringers. Do you think you can find it in yourself to do your bloody duty now?¡± Kade was surprised that the man¡¯s temper had returned in such force, and he wasn¡¯t the only one. Cerano was seething as he responded.


    ¡°You would question my commitment, High Keeper? You haven¡¯t earned that right,¡± he said, acid in his tone. ¡°I¡¯ll go to this cave, and I¡¯ll babysit your people on the trip. See if you can manage to survive our absence without sacrificing more of my people.¡±


    Bandal¡¯s face screwed up and he seemed to be just barely restraining himself from leaping over the table and attacking, but he managed to keep his voice even as he spoke. ¡°We¡¯re done advancing. We¡¯ll dig in here, and focus on defense. Is that acceptable to you, Bringer?¡± Cerano looked from Bandal to the pristine, smiling face of Lothros, before giving a single nod and striding out into the darkness.


    They all watched him leave, and an awkward silence settled on the remaining group. At last Edwin broke it, ¡°High Keeper, you said three, but I¡¯d like to take Initiate Kadeus with me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Bandal said, irritation plain in his tone. ¡°You want to bring someone not yet Primus into the deepest Chaos, on the most important mission of our lives?¡± Edwin didn¡¯t back down from the challenge, standing up straighter.


    ¡°It won¡¯t make a difference if Cerano is Shading us, and he can be valuable to us. You yourself said how much he¡¯s contributed on the battlefield.¡± Bandal scoffed.


    ¡°He¡¯s valuable on the battlefield because he can move quickly and disrupt lines! You¡¯ll throw his life away in a damned cave against Elders and who knows what else!¡± Edwin seemed to be struggling to think of something else to say, and he was rubbing his pendant again. Kade had no idea why the man wanted him on the mission, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he wanted to go or not. Would he even be able to think if he moved any deeper into the True Chaos?


    ¡°Let the boy go, Bandal. Edwin obviously wants to keep his protege close, and who can blame him?¡± Everyone in the room looked at the High Priest in surprise. ¡°We¡¯re all old men here, High Keeper. Who among us hasn¡¯t had a pet project or two over the years? I still remember when Graves came to us from the King¡¯s court; I wouldn¡¯t have let him out of my sight then either.¡± Graves looked extremely uncomfortable to be spoken of that way, and refused to make eye contact with anyone.


    Bandal didn¡¯t appear convinced though, and Kade realized he was looking at the silver Drake armor hungrily. The man hadn¡¯t been exaggerating, he truly saw the Aspect as a key asset. When the silence lingered, Lothros let out a small laugh. ¡°Very well, Bandal, I¡¯ll take the field myself.¡± Everyone but Kade looked utterly shocked by this, but it was Graves who spoke.


    ¡°High Priest, it¡¯s not your place to¨C¡± Lothros turned a dark gaze on the man, who shrunk back.


    ¡°My place is of my own choosing, Child Graves. And I had no intention of sitting back and watching the hope of Karthas slowly cut down before my eyes.¡± He turned back to Bandal, ¡°I¡¯m no Keeper, but I imagine you¡¯ll see my power as a fair exchange for one Initiate?¡± Bandal was speechless for a moment, and finally nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Wonderful! Then perhaps we should let this new team go collect themselves around a warm fire. Tomorrow they go in search of our salvation.¡±

 Chapter 46: March to Destiny

    Kade followed behind Edwin, who was speaking softly with Graves and Cerano about the heated discussion they¡¯d just left behind. Eventually they came back to Kade¡¯s campsite, so chosen as he and Sal were still distancing themselves from the rest of the camp, and Cerano wanted some time to clear his head before returning to update the Bringers. Sal was still nowhere to be seen, and the four men quickly relit the fire and settled down around it.


    Cerano was clearly still brooding, and Edwin watched him for a moment before speaking. ¡°I take it the High Keeper¡¯s words weren¡¯t enough to completely convince you of his intentions?¡± Cerano looked up, eyes narrowed.


    ¡°What he said¡­might have a grain of truth to it, but it was far from the whole story. You haven¡¯t been here, Keeper. You haven¡¯t heard his mad speeches. You haven¡¯t seen him arguing with Heletta in front of the whole damned army!¡±


    Edwin¡¯s response was in his customary calm tone, ¡°I¡¯ve heard enough from around the camp to have a sense of what you¡¯re saying, and even if I hadn¡¯t, the conversation in there would have been enough for me to know something was off. I¡¯ve known Bandal for a long time, and I¡¯ve never seen him like this.¡± He glanced at Graves, and the quiet man nodded once in agreement. ¡°Bandal was always passionate, and a little too self-righteous for his own good, but he was never known for his temper. Maybe the strains of leadership under such difficult circumstances has been too much for him.¡±


    ¡°This is more than just stress! He¡¯s making bad decisions, dangerous decisions, and people are dying! I wouldn¡¯t even consider this mission of his, if it didn¡¯t mean the army would finally stop charging headlong into peril,¡± Cerano replied.


    It was Graves¡¯ quiet voice that spoke at that, ¡°High Priest Lothros believes in this mission. He spoke of it to me, and agrees that it¡¯s the only true clue to the nature of the phenomena that has been awakening so many Elders these last months.¡±


    Cerano seemed somewhat mollified at that, ¡°Lothros has done a good job holding this army together. Heletta told me that if it weren¡¯t for his influence, the Bringers would have split from the Keepers weeks ago.¡± He looked away and his voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°Maybe it would have been better if we had¡­¡±


    ¡°You can trust Lothros to keep your people safe in your absence. I struggle to believe he¡¯s even willing to enter combat; he¡¯s breaking millenia of tradition for the sake of us all.¡± Kade spoke up finally, as this was something he hadn¡¯t understood.


    ¡°I know I heard that the High Priest was quite old, is he really that powerful?¡± Edwin smiled slightly.


    ¡°He¡¯s been around for nearly ten millennia, and he hasn¡¯t always spent his days in quiet reflection or giving lectures. He¡¯s likely Bandal¡¯s superior in raw power, though I have no idea what Paths he walks. Graves?¡±


    ¡°Such things are rarely spoken of with any Priest of Karthas, as our personal strength is second to our faith and duty. But I have a sense of his power, and it is truly vast. The army is in good hands, we needn¡¯t fear leaving.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± asked another voice, and they all turned as the tall Sorcerer stepped into the light of the fire. Kade made hasty introductions as Salarus settled down, his cloak wrapped tightly around him.


    ¡°I know most of you by reputation, but I¡¯m honored to meet you all in person. I clearly interrupted an interesting discussion, however, would you care to fill me in?¡± Edwin looked from Cerano to Kade.


    ¡°I know of Salarus del¡¯Estat,¡± the Bringer began, ¡°he¡¯s proven trustworthy, and our mission will hardly be secret when we¡¯re all conspicuously absent tomorrow.¡± Edwin nodded, and gave a quick overview of what the High Keeper had asked of them.


    ¡°And you want Kade to come with you?¡± Sal asked in surprise. Once again Edwin looked uncomfortable, and Graves looked away, his expression unreadable.


    ¡°I believe he can be of help,¡± Edwin said vaguely, and Sal raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Then I too can be ¡®of help¡¯,¡± the Sorcerer replied, a challenging gaze locked on the far older Keeper. Edwin was shaking his head, but surprisingly Cerano spoke up.


    ¡°Salarus is correct. We¡¯ll already be keeping an eye on your Protege, but the Sorcerer is likely more qualified than any of us when it comes to investigating obscure energies or unknown objects. Has anyone else here needed near-constant study of lore and artifacts simply to walk their Path?¡± No one spoke up, though Edwin clearly looked irritated at adding another liability to such a dangerous venture.


    ¡°I have resources that might help as well, and I¡¯ve studied Elder spell-forms more than anyone in this camp,¡± Sal supplied, then he looked directly into Edwin¡¯s eyes, ¡°I also take full responsibility for my own life¨Cand death, should it come to that.¡± Kade once more felt like he was on the sidelines of a conversation well over his head, and he wanted to ask his friend why it was so important he come on a mission of this nature, but Cerano gave him no chance. The Bringer stood up suddenly, stretching and letting out a long breath.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. I need to return to my people; I have to account for my absence and gather my things. I¡¯ll meet you back here at first light.¡± He nodded once at the group before striding off, and Graves followed his lead a moment later.


    Edwin watched the two leave, then turned to the Initiates. ¡°Very well, it looks like we have our group¨Cwhether I like it or not,¡± he said dryly, giving Sal a pointed look. ¡°Get some rest, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s waiting out there.¡±


    ***


    Markis, Priest of Karthas and affinity expert, loved his life. There was a quiet simplicity to it, and he got a small rush every time he helped a newly Awakened plot out their future, and their Paths. He found comfort in the stable presence of the Great Karthas. The Ancient Elder¡¯s constancy had become an anchor to Markis, and everytime he touched the stone and felt the energy running through it, he was filled with peace and contentment.


    Today was the first exception to that in hundreds of years.


    Markis had seen the occasional odd affinity ritual, the one several months back being a particularly poignant example of such, but Karthas was never the unusual element. When his hand felt the cold stone, the energies were identical, every time. Only the subject of the ritual proved to be a variable, and even if a dozen other Priests took his place, they would have felt the same thing¡­until today.


    Markis was sitting in the Ritual Building on the Academy Campus as he had for centuries, and a very nervous young initiate was staring at him with confusion and worry. ¡°Did I do something wrong?¡± she asked hesitantly.


    ¡°What?¡± Markis asked, having nearly forgotten she was there in his shock. ¡°No, no, of course not. I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± he didn¡¯t even know how to describe it. The energy was the same flavor he supposed, as it had always been, but somehow the calm that he felt from it was replaced by¡­violence? He couldn¡¯t think of how else to describe it, but the flows of power from his Ancient were erratic in a way he¡¯d never experienced before.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ll need to delay your testing, young Initiate. I need to consult the other Priests about¨C¡± his words were cut off as they both felt the vibrations in the floor. A dozen statues fell over and made sharp sounds as they rolled from the small table the two had been sitting at. Markis and the Initiate¨Che couldn¡¯t remember her name in the midst of what was happening¨Cboth got shakily to their feet, the dirt and dust now falling from the ceiling as the vibrations increased.


    ¡°Priest Markis, what¡¯s happening?¡± the Initiate asked as she struggled to keep standing. Markis turned and put both hands back on the stone wall, seeing as he did so that the dull purple glow was increasing in vibrance by the moment, and what he felt chilled him to his core.


    Dedicating one¡¯s life to Karthas was something that few outside the Priesthood truly understood. Elders were deadly and feared, and yet they all took shelter in them every day of their lives. It was the curiosity that came from that dichotomy that was responsible for people like Markis coming to revere the sleeping Elders. Something inside of all of them was drawn to the power and presence of Karthas, and Markis and his Brothers and Sisters merely embraced that connection. But that relationship was ultimately built on one single principle, and Markis feared it was about to be broken.


    His eyes widened in disbelief the moment his hands touched the stone, and without hesitating he turned and grabbed the young girl, pulling her close while summoning his own powers. There wasn¡¯t much need to use his abilities as an Earth-touched Elementalist in his daily life, but he pushed them to their limits now as he summoned a dome of earth and stone above them. The rumbling only grew as he poured more and more energy into the construct, strengthening it with everything he had.


    The Initiate didn¡¯t understand, and she began to scream as rock and debris crashed into the dome from above. The vibrations grew even more violent as Markis focused on the flimsy protection he¡¯d erected around them, and through his gifts he could feel more and more stone piling up around them. He almost lost his concentration as a particularly heavy and jagged piece of stone burst through the shield and pierced into his shoulder, but the screams of the student he was protecting helped him push through the pain, and so he held on.


    He had no idea how long the rumbling and crashing had continued when it finally stopped all at once, and he heaved the last of his power outward, knowing that he needed to move the incredible weight of stone from above them before his strength gave out. The rocks exploded outward, and he panted in the dusty air as light slowly shined through. He was lost in pain and exhaustion when he at last noticed that the Initiate had stopped screaming, and was instead collapsed back against the stone floor.


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    Markis pushed himself to her side, worried she¡¯d been injured at some point, but as the dust cleared and he saw her face, it was obvious she was unharmed. She was just staring upward in disbelief, and Markis slowly turned his head to follow her gaze, knowing what he¡¯d see but not ready to believe it.


    Above them, and blocking out most of the sky, the Great Karthas was standing. The incomprehensibly vast Elder had pulled itself free of the mountain, the four powerful arms flexing as it stretched and looked around. A continual stream of rubble and debris was still falling from the massive frame, but Markis couldn¡¯t bring himself to look at the undoubtedly ruined city below to see the damage it was causing.


    Even having felt the power awakening in the stone, Markis couldn¡¯t force his mind to accept what he was seeing. His jaw dropped and he collapsed to his knees as he stared upward at the impossible sight, and he felt himself losing consciousness as the tremendous legs took their first, precarious steps in ages unknown.


    Karthas, was on the march. Enormous, ponderous strides leading toward whatever mysterious goal it had been staring at for untold eons.


    ***


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± Edwin said, looking out from the rock cover the small group was hiding behind. Cerano¡¯s face poked over next, but he quickly ducked back down, looking just as confused. Kade and Sal exchanged worried glances, then risked taking their own brief glimpses of the cave mouth they¡¯d been marching toward for three long days.


    The journey had started uneventfully, with Cerano explaining that his advanced Assassination Path granted him the ability to hide their presence from any monster or Elder who wasn¡¯t effectively on top of them, or so overwhelmingly powerful that it could see through his illusions. At first this had seemed like a great boon, as they¡¯d witnessed a near-endless march of monsters and Elders heading toward the encamped army, and the Bringer¡¯s talents quickly proved their worth.


    By the afternoon, however, they¡¯d distanced themselves enough that the constant flow of enemies was left far behind. Instead, an eerie silence and emptiness to the plains was all that they encountered. Nothing grew this far into the True Chaos. The ground was sun-scorched and cracked, and the towering mountain range seemed to grow no closer as they quietly marched toward it.


    By the second day, the lack of enemies was growing suspicious, and the small party began their trek with trepidation, certain an ambush was waiting. When darkness came and they¡¯d still seen nothing, Cerano had begun to rant, certain this was all some kind of trick to separate him from the army, and that they¡¯d been sent on a meaningless errand, with nothing waiting for them at the end.


    Edwin had barely managed to calm the man, and only the relative nearness of their objective convinced Cerano to complete the journey. Now however, having finally reached the mysterious cave the scouts had reported, precisely where the map indicated, no one felt any better. Everyone could sense the intensity of the Chaos in this area, and Kade had felt the pulse grow louder seemingly with every step they took, but the reports of numerous Elders guarding the strange place had proven false.


    They had found a small hiding place as close to the massive cave entrance as they could get without being entirely exposed, and had now been watching for over an hour to spot anything suspicious. But there was nothing. Only the same eerie silence and the disturbing feeling of drowning in the thick Chaos that permeated this place. Cerano looked especially troubled, as if the thought of Bandal being proven a traitor was somehow more comforting than the odd lack of anything living in this place.


    At last Edwin shook his head in resignation, ¡°There¡¯s only so long we can justify sitting here as the army faces everything we saw coming for them. We can all freely acknowledge that this isn¡¯t what we expected, but it ultimately doesn¡¯t change our duty.¡±


    Cerano sighed, ¡°I hate that you¡¯re right. Every instinct I have tells me that going into that cave is wrong, but we don¡¯t have a real choice.¡±


    ¡°We can assume the worst, and be as prepared as we¡¯re able, but we¡¯re going in.¡± Edwin said the last while gripping his pendant, something he¡¯d been doing more frequently as they approached their destination. He took a moment to look at each of his companions, and seeing no objections, climbed out from the small enclosure of stones.


    The rest followed suit, staying closer to Cerano than was necessary for his abilities, but each felt the eyes of a thousand unseen threats as they were forced to walk into the open while approaching the cave mouth. It was both a relief and a frustration when they reached their goal unaccosted. The group stopped as the darkness of the cave threatened to swallow them.


    Edwin walked to the stone wall and the party followed him, heads darting in every direction, searching for threats. The cave was large enough for most Elders to walk through comfortably, and Kade felt unusually small as he followed Cerano, trying and failing to ignore the pulse that echoed through his skull. Sal stayed close, clearly sensing his friend¡¯s distress as they caught up with the Keeper.


    Graves copied Edwin by placing a hand on the stone wall, but recoiled immediately. ¡°I don¡¯t have your sensitivity,¡± Edwin said softly, hand still resting on the stone, ¡°but even I can tell what where we are.¡± Cerano looked at the two men, then quickly came forward to touch the wall for himself. Like Edwin he seemed less bothered than the Priest had, but his face grew concerned.


    ¡°We¡¯re inside an Elder,¡± he said softly, and Edwin nodded his agreement.


    ¡°A dead one,¡± Graves added, rubbing the hand that had touched the stone. ¡°The remnant energy is too erratic to tell me much, other than the sheer scale of it.¡± Kade was having trouble following, his mind still under constant assault.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying there¡¯s an Elder buried under this mountain?¡± he asked in a pained voice. Graves looked back at him, then to the other three men all looking at him with a mix of apprehension and disbelief.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­¡± he grimaced, then reluctantly reached out to touch the stone once more, gritting his teeth and leaving his hand in place longer this time. He grunted in pain after a moment and tore his hand away. He let out a small sigh, then reluctantly answered Kade¡¯s question. ¡°No. I think the mountain is the Elder.¡± Each of the men reacted differently to this. Edwin nodded slightly, while Sal looked contemplative. Cerano swore openly and stepped away from the wall to stare into the darkness.


    ¡°Is this a problem?¡± Kade asked, trying to force his exhausted mind to function. ¡°You said it¡¯s dead, right? Big and dead?¡± He vaguely remembered having discussed this once before, but his own memories were becoming increasingly difficult to focus on.


    Graves answered, never taking his eyes from the hand that had touched the stone. ¡°Dead Elders bring a host of complexities. One of this size and power would have left an impression on the Chaos around it that might fester forever. This is likely what the scouts were sensing.¡± Edwin turned away from the stone.


    ¡°Could this truly be tied to the awakenings and hordes? I¡¯ve heard of the corpses of powerful Elders being used for any number of disturbing purposes, but nothing like this.¡± Graves considered a moment before answering.


    ¡°The will behind this power should be dead. An energy source this staggeringly vast being at the heart of the True Chaos is too big a coincidence not to be involved somehow, but I can¡¯t imagine it¡¯s directly responsible.¡± Cerano turned back to join in.


    ¡°At the very least, this thing has been dead for ages. The awakenings started months ago,¡± Kade¡¯s addled mind almost woke up at the mention of the timeline, but the stray thought was lost as quickly as it formed. Edwin spoke next.


    ¡°This is all interesting, but not enough to bring back to the High Keeper. We need to go further inside.¡± Everyone looked uncomfortable at that, but no one disagreed. Huddling even closer to the protection provided by Cerano¡¯s power, the group moved into the darkness.


    ***


    Hours passed without incident as the group followed the cave, which led steadily upward. The only light came from Salarus¡¯ staff, as the group still feared some kind of trap or ambush, but the massive, singular tunnel offered few opportunities to anything lying in wait. There were slow curves and twists, but the dimensions didn¡¯t seem to change, and the tension grew as they climbed higher into the mountain.


    No one spoke, all feeling lost in the foreboding of the lonely journey, until a distant purple glow became visible far up ahead. Kade was reminded of the Trial of Karthas, as he, Sal, and Anton had fought their way downward. As they got closer to the light, he felt an irrational fear that Karthas would once more be waiting for them when they reached the tunnel¡¯s end.


    Cerano indicated Sal should extinguish his light as they grew closer, then had the group wait as he crept to the exit alone. He returned quickly, and spoke in a whisper, ¡°It¡¯s a single chamber, doesn¡¯t appear to be any other exits besides this one.¡±


    ¡°And the light?¡± Edwin prompted.


    Kade couldn¡¯t make out Cerano¡¯s face in the darkness, but the man was clearly struggling with something before he answered. ¡°I think it¡¯s Elder¡¯s Soul Core, but it¡¯s too damn big.¡±


    ¡°Too big for something as large as a mountain?¡± Kade asked, barely keeping his voice restrained.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cerano replied evenly. No one spoke for another long moment, before Cerano finally sighed and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t think the Elder is the mountain,¡± he said finally, ¡°I think it¡¯s the whole bloody mountain range.¡± Edwin swore, which Kade didn¡¯t think he¡¯d heard before, and Sal voiced the connection they were all making in their heads.


    ¡°We were on the plains of Karavash, and these are supposed to be the mountains of Karavash. Surely we¡¯ve discovered the namesake.¡± The words rang out in the otherwise silent cave. ¡°In all the lore I¡¯ve studied the name has been conspicuously absent. I¡¯d have researched it more specifically if I knew this was our destination. Does anyone know something more?¡±


    Graves¡¯ throat cleared awkwardly. ¡°We don¡¯t typically discuss such things, but the knowledge isn¡¯t exactly forbidden either. The Great Karthas was connected to Karavash somehow. We don¡¯t know the exact nature of that connection. Were they at war, or allies? We can only guess, but many have pointed out that my Ancient chose to set his gaze in this direction before he entered the Trance.¡±


    Once more the tunnel was silent for a time, until Edwin¡¯s deep voice whispered out. ¡°Again, this is interesting, but it doesn¡¯t tell us how Karavash might be connected to the attacks. Let¡¯s scout out the Core chamber, maybe Graves or Salarus will notice something worth bringing back to the army.¡± Nervously they all began slowly moving toward the light once more.


    The pulse was more powerful than ever, and Kade was leaning heavily on Sal as they at last entered the massive chamber. His friend looked at him with concern, but his eyes were drawn away by the impressive sight before them. The Soul Core was a lake of pure, deep purple energy, so large that Kade couldn¡¯t see the far wall through the haze of the light it emitted. The entire Keeper Academy could have fit in the domed chamber more than once, and only a comparatively thin path of stone ran around the ring of the lake, though it was still large enough for a dozen people to stand abreast.


    Kade had a vague sense of Edwin calling for Salarus to come inspect something on the cave wall, while Graves and Cerano moved in the opposite direction, looking for anything of note. Kade was still shaky on his feet, the pulse seeming to block out any other sensation in his body. The purple light was hypnotic,though, and he didn¡¯t realize he¡¯d walked toward it until he heard voices calling his name.


    Those voices cut off suddenly, one by one, and the ground seemed to shake under Kade¡¯s feet for a second, but none of that mattered. There was only the dull, constant beat of the pulse, and the beautiful lake of power in front of him.


    Kade barely felt the push from behind; he was simply falling forward to embrace the welcoming light.

 Chapter 47: Blasphemers

    Kade was falling¡­or he was sinking; he couldn¡¯t tell. His entire world was a single bright light, and then it was darkness. And then¡­then he was somewhere else.


    AWAKEN.


    Where was he? Had he been asleep? What was that voice?


    AWAKEN, CHILD OR IROS. AWAKEN, CHILD OF THE CYCLE.


    Karavash awoke from the endless Trance. How long had it been? He could sense that thousands of generations had passed as he slumbered beneath the ground, beneath his endless domain. He had gone to his rest truly victorious, as so few ever were. He¡¯d conquered Iros, destroyed every rival, and rebuilt the world into a single, perfect Kingdom. A testament to his own magnificence and glory. And then he was finished. And then he had simply lingered.


    It was unacceptable, and so he¡¯d done the only thing left to do: he¡¯d entered the Trance. He knew what would happen next, and his vast mind searched for the epiphany that would remake him. He would find ways for his power to grow as the new generations rose and fell. He would rewrite his very Soul, and reach new heights of strength, new echelons of existence, and then he would Emerge, a blight on this world beyond any who had come before.


    Except he failed.


    The epiphany was always just out of reach. It wasn¡¯t a matter of strength, or of will, but of patience. What did the Great Karavash know of patience? He took what he wanted, and obliterated anything that stood in his way. What did he know of setbacks and loss, of surrendering himself to a need and abandoning his ego? He was Karavash. He was perfect. And so he couldn¡¯t change, couldn¡¯t grow. And so he was a failure.


    His mind had slowly faded as the world left him behind, and eventually he was simply one more forgotten Elder buried and lost beneath the earth and stone of Iros, his once great Kingdom turned to dust.


    Until he wasn¡¯t. Until he heard the voice.


    AWAKEN, KARAVASH. AWAKEN, FORGOTTEN KING. WE HAVE NEED OF YOU. BLASPHEMERS SEEK TO DESTROY ALL THAT IS IROS. BLASPHEMERS SEEK TO END THE CYCLE. YOU WILL STOP THEM. WE WILL REBUILD YOU. WE WILL GRANT YOU TRUE POWER.


    Then Karavash knew pain. Pain beyond anything he¡¯d experienced in his millions of years of life. His Soul was fire, and he could feel every part of himself being torn apart and rebuilt. The pain was endless, and he welcomed it. The time for the Trance was over, and his mind was his own once more. The pain only increased as power flowed through his limbs anew, and he felt strength beyond imagining. Strength enough that he could no longer understand how he¡¯d managed to conquer this world when he¡¯d been so weak. When he¡¯d been nothing.


    But now he was power. Now he was reforged, and he knew by whom. The Gods themselves were speaking to him, and they had given him a task, one he welcomed. At last he felt their work was done, and he flexed his Soul experimentally. The world exploded around him, and he saw light for the first time in eons. He bent his four powerful legs, and with a bound he launched himself from the enormous crater he¡¯d made.


    He landed on a forest that had grown over the ruins of his Kingdom, destroying it because he could. For a moment he simply bathed in his own glory, feeling the energy of Iros wash over him. Except¡­it was wrong; everything was wrong. This wasn¡¯t his Iros. Even the sunlight felt foreign on his skin, and it made him furious. He looked inside himself, and felt out the limits of this new power.


    He was pleasantly surprised to find that the power still felt like his own. It hadn¡¯t been changed, just magnified to a level previously beyond imagining, and so he knew how to use it with intimate familiarity. He reached out, questing for minds to ravage, the weaker the better, and he wasn¡¯t disappointed. He needed information. The Gods had given him much, but he was still ignorant of this time. He needed to understand.


    ***


    Karavash sat on the throne he¡¯d been forced to carve for himself. Why was this generation so frustratingly small? The throne was surrounded by the shattered and broken bodies of countless Children of Korthos¨Cthe most common generation of this time¨Cand he held more in one hand, inspecting them as best he could. Fighting these miniscule creatures was like swatting at furious insects, and he was annoyed at the effort it took, but he had gotten what he needed from them. He understood this world now.


    He gazed upward, marveling that the sun had managed to burn itself away as he slumbered. He could feel the rage from the one who burned in its stead now, and he drank it in, savoring the taste of Korthos¡¯ impotent fury. Karavash couldn¡¯t understand what had made the most powerful being of his generation give up everything for the sake of his Children of all things. For those who, more than anyone else, existed solely to destroy him.


    ¡®Sacrifice¡¯ the minds he¡¯d stolen had called it. Something that had never existed before the ¡®sons¡¯ of Tyranos had conquered Iros a generation ago. Conquered it together, no less. Korthos had risen to King, it was true, but by all accounts his brothers had welcomed this. Disgusting, Karavash thought.


    But impossibly, the Children of Korthos were worse. It was them that Karavash had been Awoken to destroy, and it was for them that he had arranged this unusual meeting. He could feel his two future allies approaching, and regretfully pulled his gaze back downward, casually crushing the irrelevant insects in his hand as he did so.


    It wasn¡¯t easy to gather beings of comparable power together, and that was more true than usual for these two. They would all be fighting an almost overpowering urge to destroy one another every moment, and Karavash needed them alive, though it pained him to admit it. He could allow no distractions.


    The first to arrive flew through the air on leathery wings, reminding him of creatures he¡¯d seen pulled from the depths of hellish dimensions long ago. The rest of ¡®her¡¯ body was nothing like those creatures, however. He understood she¡¯d taken the form of some invaders from the stars, apparently enjoying the lithe fluidity of motion it granted. That the body she¡¯d built was clearly ¡®female¡¯ however, was obviously a vain affectation. They were all born of Iros, and gender was a concept for lesser beings.


    Altera Vil Lothra landed with barely a sound, a safe distance away. Respectful or fearful? He couldn¡¯t tell, but she looked up at him with a smile that was certainly designed not to show neither. He nodded imperiously, then they both turned to observe the arrival of the final participant, and Karavash felt his will truly tested as Karthas Vil Karavash stepped slowly into the small circle of mountains that took the place of a true court.


    Karavash stared at the child of his own blood, and saw the exact same struggle play out on the features that were so like his own, but also not. There was no impulse stronger than the need for parent to destroy child, unless it was that of a child¡¯s need to destroy parent. The two stared at each other for a long moment, and by mutual unspoken agreement Karthas came no closer, lest this uneasy peace end spectacularly.


    Karavash had mixed feelings knowing that one of his Children had survived. There was something akin to pride as he looked at the being with an appearance so much like his own, though smaller and with two legs instead of four. But this child had done what he could not. Karthas had entered the Trance, and awoken thousands of generations later, with power almost unequaled on Iros. Karavash had failed.


    Unfortunately for the child, he had Emerged to an Iros ruled by the sons of Tyranos, and their power¨CKaravash was forced to admit¨Cwas staggering. Not only did they seem to possess Altera¡¯s ability to shape and condense energy, but their own was flavored by the elements of all things, something previously unheard of, and the reason that Korthos was capable of burning like a sun even now.


    Karavash had witnessed the battle inside the memories of one of his mind slaves. Karthas faced the Second Son, Caesarus Vil Tyranos, and had nearly been wiped from existence by blasts of lightning with enough power to level continents, and boil oceans. Karthas had escaped, and lived a pitiful existence in hiding ever since. Nonetheless, he and Altera ruled the only Kingdoms remaining on Iros that weren¡¯t controlled by the Children of Korthos, and Karavash had need of their resources.


    The three beings stared at one another for some time, before projecting their minds into equally proportioned avatars in the center of the ¡®court¡¯. It was an old tradition, designed to allow Children of Iros to communicate without triggering their need to destroy one another, and also to account for the often significant size differences that were so common among Children of different generations.


    Karavash blinked, and suddenly he was standing directly in front of the avatars of Altera and Karthas, both watching him with appropriate suspicion. ¡°I won¡¯t waste time, merely being this close without destroying you is an insult to us all,¡± Karavash began, and the other two glanced at one another, but didn¡¯t argue. They could sense his staggering power.


    ¡°I have been given the task of destroying the four Princes. The ¡®sons¡¯ of Korthos,¡± he spat. That Korthos had chosen to mate, like Tyranos before him, like the lesser beings, was nearly as bad at what his progeny were planning. Altera cocked her head in open confusion.


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    ¡°Who would dare to give you a task, Great One?¡± her respect was feigned, but appropriate. She was the weakest of the three gathered, her Kingdom only having survived by utilizing the mysterious powers of the invaders she¡¯d conquered.


    ¡°The only ones worthy of such a command,¡± Karavash answered. ¡°The Gods, themselves.¡± He let that declaration linger, understanding it would take a moment for the two to process such a thing. No one was foolish enough to deny the Gods¡¯ existence, but claiming to do their bidding was something else, and only the overwhelming power that Karavash had emerged with lent any credence to his words.


    It was Karthas who spoke at last, ¡°Why?¡± he said simply, clearly struggling the urge to destroy his parent, thought lost for so long.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you,¡± Karavash replied, as he held out a hand glowing with energy. ¡°My power allows me to corrupt minds, and even control those weak enough. Witness what I have seen, and know what they plan.¡±


    ***


    The servant stayed perfectly still, as her master commanded. Her presence was hidden, but the illusion wasn¡¯t perfect, and these men were terrifyingly powerful. She could just barely see the four as they gathered around a small table, but she could hear them clearly.


    ¡°The Cycle must end,¡± said the First Prince, his voice virtually quivering with dark power. The servant was grateful that she couldn¡¯t see his eyes, blocked as he was by the Third; she knew it would have been too much for her.


    ¡°So we finally say it aloud,¡± replied the Second Prince. Taller than the rest, his long dark hair was gathered behind him, and flowed over a cloak. His famous staff and peaked hat were nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°You speak blasphemy,¡± came the deep voice of the Fourth Prince, his silver armor glistening, the symbol of the gods emblazoned across the chestplate.


    ¡°He speaks our hearts, brother, even yours,¡± said the Third Prince, his golden armor looking more practical and worn than his twin¡¯s, despite its ostentatious coloring. ¡°Tell me I¡¯m wrong,¡± he challenged.


    After a long pause the knight responded, ¡°I won¡¯t taint this sacred place with lies, but we must accept what we are saying for what it truly is.¡±


    ¡°If your Gods take issue with my will, brother, let them appear before me,¡± threatened the First Prince, and the servant thought she could feel the room shudder at the heresy.


    ¡°My Gods are not so foolish, brother,¡± replied the Fourth, as if the wrath of the Gods meant nothing to the Paladin. ¡°But if we challenge them, there will be consequences.¡±


    ¡°They are not the Cycle¨Cwhatever they would have us believe¨Cthey are as trapped by it as we,¡± the Sorcerer said in reply.


    ¡°Is this more than academic?¡± asked the Third. ¡°Every Child of Iros has lamented the Cycle, even if only as they fell victim to it. What¡¯s changed?¡± There was a pause as the Second looked at his elder brother, who seemed to nod, though the servant still couldn¡¯t clearly see his scarred face.


    ¡°Everything has changed. I¡¯ve found the Lost Artifact; it¡¯s returned. We¨C¡± the Sorcerer paused, and all four men began to look around hurriedly. Finally he spoke again, ¡°We are not alone.¡±


    The servant didn¡¯t have time to scream as the four Princes turned to stare in her direction as one, and suddenly she was encased in metal, only her eyes and ears exposed and she was pulled toward the Fourth prince. ¡°This is quite the oversight, and something of a mystery,¡± the Paladin said, as he deposited her behind him like so much luggage.


    ¡°We¡¯ll dispose of her, but not in this room, not in father¡¯s study,¡± the First Prince said softly, and the servant forced her eyes anywhere but his face. ¡°Finish what you were saying, Sythkara.¡± The Sorcerer nodded, though his gaze lingered on the servant in suspicion.


    ¡°The World Shaper has returned,¡± the words hung in the air, as the Princes exchanged glances.


    ¡°Uncle used it to create Spiros,¡± the Third said. ¡°What does it mean for them if it¡¯s back?¡± The Sorcerer shrugged.


    ¡°We can¡¯t know. Artifacts as powerful as the World Shaper don¡¯t always follow the rules. All we can be sure of is the opportunity this presents¡­I¡¯ve created a spell.¡± The two younger brothers laughed openly at the statement, and the Sorcerer smiled indulgently.


    ¡°You always have a new spell, Syth,¡± the Third said. ¡°So what does this one do, exactly?¡± The Second¡¯s smile faded.


    ¡°It kills a God,¡± he replied softly. The room grew very quiet, and the servant was so caught up in the discussion that she didn¡¯t realize the First was looking in her direction until he spoke.


    ¡°Spy,¡± he said while raising a hand in her direction, and the connection to Karavash was severed.


    ***


    Karthas and Altera exchanged looks as the vision abruptly ended. They could sense the authenticity of the memory; they were both far too powerful for simple illusions. Altera was the first to speak, ¡°Can they really do what they say? I don¡¯t know of this ¡®World Shaper¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Like many Artifacts it has likely had many names across the ages, but it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Karavash replied. ¡°The Gods would only Awaken me if the threat was real, so we must assume the Princes can do as they claim.¡±


    ¡°Killing a God¡­¡± Karthas said contemplatively. ¡°Would that truly end the Cycle, as they believe?¡±


    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know,¡± Karavash answered honestly. ¡°The Cycle is an undertaking beyond any of us, but I can only imagine that the coordination and balance of the Gods is paramount to the act. Regardless, it doesn¡¯t change what we need to do. The Blasphemers must be destroyed.¡± Altera was nodding, a finger tapping her lips.


    ¡°And this is the time to do it. The Princes are young, and though their combined power is remarkable, they¡¯re still nothing compared to Korthos and his brothers. We should strike immediately, while their uncles are on Spiros.¡± She smirked, something only really possible with her odd, soft features, ¡°Unless Karthas is looking forward to a rematch with Caesarus?¡±


    Karthas¡¯ rage boiled over immediately, and his avatar flickered as his true body began to walk toward Altera. ¡°ENOUGH!¡± Karavash Roared, the sound coming from both his avatar and true form. Karthas reluctantly froze in his tracks, and his avatar slowly solidified as he calmed himself.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been together too long, so listen to what I need from you and then we can all depart before we tear one another to shreds.¡± The other two stared hatefully at each other for a long moment, but finally turned back to Karavash, neither ready to die after clinging to life for so long. ¡°We need to trigger the Cycle. Your followers must converge on the largest population center you can find, and the Gods will provide us with our true army.¡± The two had bickered at that, neither wanting to give up the meager forces they¡¯d amassed and hidden away, but ultimately a call to war was hard for a true Child of Iros to refuse under any circumstances, and this was a cause they couldn¡¯t deny.


    His new allies had reluctantly agreed on a target, then made hasty exits, each sensing that conflict was moments away if they stayed any longer. Karavash sat back, smiling as he watched them depart, one in the sky, one slowly plodding along the ground. He looked forward to killing them both when this was all over, but first he would use them, as was proper.


    First he had to swat some arrogant insects.


    ***


    Karavash couldn¡¯t understand how it had all gone so wrong. He looked down at the ruins of the army that the Gods had granted him. Hundreds of thousands of copies of himself; Children so perfect he didn¡¯t even feel the urge to destroy them, and yet they¡¯d fallen in droves. The battlefield seemed to stretch on endlessly in every direction, but the wholesale slaughter of the Children of Korthos hadn¡¯t happened, instead it was a close thing, with powers that Karavash couldn¡¯t conceive of tearing through his ranks with deadly effectiveness.


    He knew that the battle had truly turned against him when Karthas and Altera had both failed to arrive as arranged. Without their forces, and worse, without the two powerful beings themselves, a guaranteed victory had turned into a deadly give and take between comparable forces. Though he loathed to admit it, Karavash¡¯s army was simply too large for any singular commander, and he¡¯d been counting on his allies to help guide and direct his young Children.


    Instead they¡¯d fought as the young always did: they¡¯d swarmed, and Children of Korthos had responded with devastating area attacks that had seen his copies die by the thousands. Perhaps he¡¯d still be sure of his victory if the Princes themselves hadn¡¯t surprised him as well. Even now the eldest of them was still harrying him, seemingly from every direction at once.


    He¡¯d been concentrating on directing his army when surprising pain shot through his center, and he¡¯d looked down to see a tiny silver knight landing on the ground before him. A comparatively large hole through Karavash¡¯s torso had shown him the trajectory the small warrior had followed, and he¡¯d furiously stomped at the insignificant creature as it quickly leapt away.


    He¡¯d been ready to follow, so enraged by the surprise attack that his own army was forgotten for a moment, but before he¡¯d taken a single step in pursuit he felt another attack land from the opposite direction. This time he¡¯d stared in complete disbelief at a hand that simply ceased to exist, and he realized that the rumors of the First being capable of channeling Oblivion itself were only too real.


    What came next was the most frustrating battle of his remarkably long life. The two Princes had worked dangerously well together, bitterly reminding Karavash that even basic teamwork in battle was still utterly foreign to him. Only his massive energy reserves kept him alive, and his Soul Core desperately fed lifeforce to a continually increasing number of wounds.


    He desperately flailed his four massive arms, which had crushed the life out of untold thousands of his own generation, but couldn¡¯t seem to catch the two tiny warriors. His eyes could barely register them at that size, and he was forced to rely on his energy sense to keep track of them at all. He sent blast after blast of enormous amounts of energy at them, but the knight hid behind some kind of shield, while the dark one simply obliterated the energy if it ever came near him.


    Karavash¡¯s only true high point had come when he felt his own healing begin to slow, and his rage had overtaken his judgment. He¡¯d roared with fury and agony, and energy had poured out in every direction, even erupting from the ground beneath their feet, and the unexpected angle of attack had briefly knocked the knight off balance. The small opening had been enough for Karavash, and he¡¯d slammed two immense open palms together, catching the knight between.


    He¡¯d ignored the panicked attacks of the First Prince, though it cost him dearly to do so, and instead focused entirely on crushing the small, irritating knight with all the strength he had. The satisfying crunch of metal and bones had been enough to reinvigorate Karavash as he tossed the lifeless body into the endless piles of dead, and turned his full attention to his remaining opponent.


    He could feel himself slowing as the enraged little man escalated his assaults to new heights, his own safety ignored as blast after blast of oblivion tore through Karavash¡¯s body. When an entire arm was severed from a particularly deadly strike, the ancient warrior knew that he¡¯d run out of time. Ignoring the pain of a hundred wounds, Karavash repeated the maneuver that had captured the knight, and once more he caught a bug between two hands.


    This one hadn¡¯t broken immediately, so Karavarsh took great pleasure in closing his fingers around the deadly little creature, pulling the dying Prince close to revel in the ecstasy of victory as he watched the pitiful thing die. He realized his mistake too late as he felt the power build inside his closed fist.


    He was sure that the tiny creature couldn¡¯t possibly escape his grasp alive, and so he¡¯d been far too confident in victory. But Karavash didn¡¯t understand sacrifice. He hadn¡¯t considered¨Ccouldn¡¯t consider¨Cthat the First Prince would use the last of his power to save his people, rupturing his own Soul Core.


    The last moments of the Elder that was touched by the Gods were spent watching an orb of Oblivion grow to impossible scale, devouring his entire upper body as nothing else could.

 Chapter 48: Oblivion

    Kade felt cold stone under him as he coughed and heaved. Every inch of his body was ablaze with an agony that felt distantly familiar. For long, painful minutes he could do nothing but writhe on the ground as he spasmed and his insides were fire and ice. As his mind slowly cleared, he began to recognize the pain. He¡¯d felt it¡­years ago? Eons ago? Moments ago? It was the same torment he¡¯d experienced when the Gods had rebuilt his body.


    No, that was Karavash, not him. Where had he been? How had he experienced the Elder¡¯s life in such, vivid, brutal clarity. He could still remember exactly how it had felt when the First Prince had annihilated him with the overwhelming power of Oblivion, as well as the unmatched need to rip Karthas apart as the last threat to his own generation. And yet that wasn¡¯t him.


    When at last the pain dimmed enough that Kade was able to pry his eyes open, he saw that he was once more in front of the lake of power that was all that remained of the Great Karavash. Remarkably, he could barely feel the pulse, though it was still there, quietly echoing deep inside him. With a mind growing clearer than it had been in weeks, he pushed himself to his feet, and reflected on everything that happened, his memories slowly catching up to the present.


    Had someone pushed him into the lake? The thought brought back everything that had happened on the way to this chamber, and finally what happened inside it. He¡¯d heard screaming, and maybe fighting? He began to spin around wildly, looking for any sign of his companions, but quickly confirmed that he was utterly alone.


    At last he looked back to the glowing purple lake, and recalled something that he thought Edwin might have told him long ago. Dead Elders can leave behind Chaos Remnants, and unpredictable things could happen near them. Perhaps that included experiencing the life and death of the Elder itself? But that wasn¡¯t all that had happened he realized, as the pain at last faded from him.


    He felt powerful, in a way he never had before, and he looked down at his bracer, suspecting he knew what he¡¯d find.


    Attention! You have attained the Rank of Primus! Congratulations, I knew you had it in you!


    Your power has greatly increased, as have the limits of your body! Here¡¯s your updated status!


    Name: Kadeus (House unknown)


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Ascended Awakened (Dual-Path)


    Lifeforce: 100%


    Mana: 545/545


    Chaos: 977/977


    Strength: 48 (+9)


    Speed: 40 (+7)


    Endurance: 30 (+6)


    Magic: 38 (+7)


    Energy: 59 (+12)


    Ancestral Totem 1: Altera Vil Lothra


    Class: Chaos Energist


    Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.


    Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 9, 12%)


    Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 7, 65%)


    Ability 3: Aspect of Oblivion (Unsealed!)


    Augmentations: Mentor¡¯s Amulet (Integrated!)


    Ancestral Totem 2: (Name and House Unknown)


    Class: Vanguard


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 8, 23%)


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 6, 49%)


    Ability 3: (Tier 2) Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 3, 25%)


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: None


    Kade stared at the bracer alternately in shock and excitement. He still wasn¡¯t sure how he should feel about his interface growing more insane with every update, but for now the other information pushed that thought away with ease. He¡¯d expected the power gains after he recognized the sensation of having his body rebuilt, but he was surprised to see that the bracer now identified Altera as the origin of his Energist class. Something discovered through his odd connection to Karavash?


    More exciting than that, though, he¡¯d unsealed a new ability, and it was another Aspect. He wasted no time in selecting it from the bracer¡¯s interface.


    ABILITY (New!)


    Aspect of Oblivion (Rank 0, 0%)


    Cost (First summon): Soul Fragment (Small)


    Cost (Empowerment): Extreme Mana, Extreme Chaos


    Description: Creates a permanent Bond with a sentient Fragment of the realm of Oblivion, allowing that Fragment to manifest in local reality. Abilities and attributes are determined by the power of the summoner. Can be infused with additional mana or Chaos to temporarily increase attributes.


    Kade couldn¡¯t imagine what a living embodiment of Oblivion would be like as a companion, but a look around the empty, lonely chamber was all it took to convince him that he could use more allies. Feeling like it was appropriate, he called to Drake, and in a moment the enormous form of the silver knight was standing over him, the gaze of the dark helm passing over the chamber, searching for threats.


    ¡°Well buddy, I hope you don¡¯t mind it getting a little more crowded,¡± the helm cocked to one side in curiosity. ¡°Just keep an eye on me while I try this, alright? I need to remember something I only said once¡­¡± Kade closed his eyes, and heard the telltale sounds of the massive armored frame moving around him, no doubt taking his request with absolute seriousness. He tuned the sounds out, thinking back to that day in the courtyard of the abby.


    ¡°I offer this piece of my Soul, that a Bond may be shared, that a life may be lived as one. Hear my call and come to my side, accept this humble offering, Aspect of Oblivion!¡± Kade felt a tugging once more, but with greater awareness this time, he realized that while a piece of his Soul was taken, it was also replaced by something, presumably the bond with his new companion.


    He opened his eyes expectantly, but belatedly remembered it had taken a moment for Drake to arrive. Kade was hit with a moment of panic when he recalled that his first companion had actually fallen from the sky, and looking up at the domed ceiling he wondered if he¡¯d just summoned an Aspect of Oblivion to the top of a mountain. Then he noticed the small lights gathering in front of him.


    The lights were tiny, barely as large as the tip of his smallest finger, but more and more appeared, and they began to slowly rotate around a central point. Kade watched in fascination, and even Drake turned to observe the phenomenon. Soon there were hundreds of the lights, most shades of yellow, red, and blue, and they spun faster and faster, as Kade stepped back, unsure of what was happening.


    Suddenly two of the lights collided, and then more and more followed suit, all being pulled into some invisible central point. As the lights disappeared, Kade realized there was something in the center of it all, it was just difficult to see. He moved until the strange sight was backlit by the light from the purple of the lake, and saw that indeed there was a small orb of darkness forming where the lights disappeared.


    The orb reminded Kade of the gravity wells that Sal could create, except it was somehow darker, as if light couldn¡¯t touch the strange orb. Minutes passed as countless lights were born and then sacrificed to the growing darkness, until something changed. When the orb was nearly the size of Kade¡¯s torso, it abruptly and rapidly collapsed in on itself, nearly disappearing before bursting outward once more, thousands of lights spinning around as if in orbit, before they once again started to crash into one another as they were pulled into a central point.


    Kade was almost hypnotized as the process repeated itself faster and faster, until the whole cycle was happening in a matter of seconds. At last a barely visible sphere of energy materialized around the whole display, leaving a fully contained little universe of collapse and expansion, repeating endlessly. Kade wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. This was supposed to be a sentient companion, but it was so alien that a helmet on a body of chains was comparatively commonplace.


    He looked up at Drake, who shrugged immense shoulders before turning away, once more watching the shadows. When Kade turned back, he had the briefest impression of a tall, dark figure standing before him, but the moment his eyes focused on the orb flashing between lights and perfect blackness, the image was gone. Confused, Kade turned away, then whipped his head back to repeat the experience, only to find that the entire orb had disappeared.


    The sounds of Drake¡¯s massive body moving suddenly made Kade look up at the giant knight, only to be shocked to see the same vague form of a shadowy person perched on his companion¡¯s wide shoulder. This time Kade managed to just catch what was happening, as the lights exploded outward in their cycle, but instead of collapsing back inward, they were pulled to a new central location, right in front of Kade.


    The dark humanoid form appeared a moment later, with the lightshow still playing out in the center of its chest. This time the form didn¡¯t disappear, and Kade was able to get a better sense of it. While it gave the impression of being made from shadow when glimpsed briefly, closer inspection showed that it was more like a dark mist swirling out from the explosive core, which in turn filled out the clear, hollow form of a person.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    Anywhere the mist flowed revealed the creature in perfect detail, and when Kade looked at the being¡¯s face as the dark flow passed over it, he saw the empty pits of two dark eye sockets gazing at him. Under any other circumstances he would have been terrified, but inside his Soul he was as sure of this being¡¯s loyalty as he was of Drake¡¯s. Without realizing why, he reached out a hand, which stopped as it connected with whatever his new companion¡¯s strange body was made of.


    ¡°Alaric¡­¡± he whispered, and once more he was as sure of the name as he was unsure of its origins. The creature showed no reaction, instead moving to stand next to Drake, as if indicating it was ready to begin its duty. As if on queue, a distant rumble came from the dark passage that led back down the mountain. ¡°Well, boys,¡± Kade said, moving his tired body between his two Aspects, ¡°it looks like we won¡¯t be lonely for long.¡±


    ***


    Day 51


    312 Dead


    Remaining Keepers: 467


    Disciples of Kadeus: 59


    Gwen had never felt more powerful, as every attack, every movement, every gesture meant the death of one or more hellish creatures. She¡¯d also never been so supported, as she¡¯d been disturbed to find that Kade had apparently told the strange group of followers he¡¯d amassed, to follow her around in his stead. She would have told them to go away, as the strange near-worship they showed for the odd man made her uncomfortable, but they hadn¡¯t revealed themselves until the camp had been attacked four days earlier.


    Like every Keeper, she¡¯d been hard pressed by the constant waves of monsters that pushed at the entrenched army. The defenses they¡¯d raised had made things easier than previous battles, with the land itself reshaped to create bottlenecks and high ground, but the enemy appeared to be truly endless this time. Just as her small group was in danger of being overwhelmed, dozens of warriors raced to their defense, turning back the hordes.


    She¡¯d tried speaking to the group during a lull in the fighting, but they only grew unreasonably upset when she¡¯d told them to return to their lines, as if the idea was unthinkable. This left portions of the front undefended, so Gwen had sought out the highest ranking Keeper she knew: Eleonora, four-armed leader of the misfit squad. The powerful Secundus warrior had a reputation for tactics, and she¡¯d already been aware of the strange behavior that had overtaken the ¡®Disciples of Kadeus¡¯, and she¡¯d quickly made use of them.


    The first day of defense had been a strange experience for Gwen, as Eleonora had ordered her to throw herself into danger wherever combat was thickest. The Disciples raced after her, fighting with terrifying ferocity to keep their charge safe. She¡¯d fought furiously herself, reveling in her new abilities since banishing the Flaw. Jothus and Ryndal fought elsewhere even now, trying to reproduce the odd circumstances that had finally broken Gwen, but she hadn¡¯t been able to speak to them since the battle had begun, and wasn¡¯t sure if they¡¯d made progress.


    As night had fallen and the flow of monsters and Elders hadn¡¯t slowed, Gwen had kept her mind focused always on the next target. Throughout it all there were two constants: Eleonora¡¯s stabilizing presence, and the crashes of immense power deep behind enemy lines, as Lothros and Bandal raced to destroy any Elder before it reached the army.


    The second day had passed the same as the first, but even as their casualties mounted, the Keepers still cheered at every distant flash of power which signaled another felled Elder. When the flash was white, cheers of ¡°Bandal!¡± would roar across the army. When it was red, a more subdued murmur of ¡°Lothros¡­¡± could be heard, most still struggling to believe the High Priest had chosen to dirty his hands. But it was the dawn of the third day that everything went wrong.


    Gwen looked up as the now familiar cheer of ¡°Bandal!¡± came once more, and she fell back a moment to gather herself. The Disciples rushed forward to cover her as Gwen searched for the Elder that the High Keeper had slain. Strangely she saw nothing, and when a moment later a flash of red appeared, the telltale murmurs didn¡¯t follow, as other Keepers apparently took notice of the odd display.


    The flashes were continuing, and they were growing closer together, but there were no Elders to be seen. Gwen couldn¡¯t make out what was happening through the thousands of smaller monsters that were still endlessly charging at their ranks, but soon it was undeniable that the flashes of light and color were practically on top of one another. More and more Keepers couldn¡¯t help but gaze into the distance with her, and soon the army was overtaken with suspicious whispers and confused voices.


    The flashes continued for several more minutes before Bandal¡¯s energy seemed to light up the entire horizon, and then there was simply nothing. Eleonora was screaming at the frozen Keepers to get back to the fight, as the army¡¯s lines were starting to buckle with so many distracted. Gwen raced into the fray once more, but she could feel the tension all around her. What in the name of the Lost Gods had happened out there?


    It was only minutes before another Elder appeared in the distance, and Gwen could feel countless Keepers staring at it with fear and trepidation. She was shocked to hear a quiet string of ¡°Please, please, please¡­¡± from Eleonora nearby, and the doubt in the enormous woman¡¯s voice was somehow more frightening than anything else Gwen had experienced on this horrible quest. When the Elder continued to approach unaccosted, whispers began.


    ¡°They¡¯re dead, they must be.¡±


    ¡°Never let an Elder get that close before.¡±


    ¡°You saw the lights, there weren¡¯t any Elders to fight out there!¡± By the time the Elder was nearly upon them and Eleonora was hastily organizing a new defense, the tone of the whispers had changed.


    ¡°Bandal couldn¡¯t stand someone out there showing him up.¡±


    ¡°This is just like what happened to the First Bringer!¡±


    ¡°He did it himself, he must have!¡±


    ¡°Bandal murdered High Priest Lothros!¡± The last seemed to echo, even through the noise of the constant battle, and Gwen shuddered as she tried to focus on the battle before her. What was happening?


    ***


    As monsters poured through the cave mouth, Kade had to keep reminding himself that he was alone, and his allies were missing and possibly in danger. He should not be having this much fun. But he was in his element. An enclosed space, the enemy forced through a natural choke point, and Kade more powerful than he¡¯d ever been. Plus, he had a new friend.


    At first he hadn¡¯t been sure how he would integrate such an odd being into the combat style he¡¯d been building and polishing through endless battle. He and Drake had learned to work together so smoothly that the idea of adding another combatant to their partnership had been an intimidating prospect. Alaric had proved that concern to be unnecessary.


    It was still hard to see the Aspect of Oblivion at work, but Kade had quickly realized he could feel the entity¡¯s presence the same way he could Drake¡¯s, and it was sometimes easier to track it without using his eyes. At first Alaric¡¯s actions weren¡¯t even clearly attacks, as it seemed to be studying the monsters as they raced through the intricate webs of silver and black chains toward the waiting warriors. But Kade quickly realized that the mysterious being was catching the occasional beast and feeding it to the explosive mass in its chest.


    This continued for nearly an hour, and while Kade and Drake focused on slaying the beasts as quickly as they could, Alaric focused on eating. Kade didn¡¯t have time to instruct the creature to do anything more helpful, and wouldn¡¯t have known what to tell it regardless. But as time went on, he realized that his new companion was growing. The crash of light and the explosion of darkness that made up the being¡¯s core were easily three times as large as when it had first formed, and Alaric felt¡­satisfied in Kade¡¯s mind.


    When he felt the odd sensation he couldn¡¯t help but stop to look, and he wasn¡¯t disappointed. Alaric, who had stayed in nearly the same spot since the attack, suddenly pulled himself into the center of the cave mouth, right where the flood of enemies was deepest. As Kade watched, the vague humanoid shape collapsed in on itself, until it was a perfect sphere once more, then the lights cut out entirely, leaving nothing but a hovering ball of impossible darkness. From that darkness, came the chains.


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s part of the family after all,¡± Kade said with a grin. Surprisingly, the chains were remarkably white, as if they¡¯d just been pulled from a forge. Dozens of them shot forward, each one spearing a different monster, some wolfrens, others flyers, and many were the ape-like creatures that Kade found particularly annoying, but each was similarly unable to stop themselves from being pulled toward the ominous black orb. They scratched, clawed, and even grabbed other monsters as terror seemed to overwhelm them.


    Kade could understand their fear, there was something disturbing about how slowly they were pulled in, as Alaric appeared to be in no hurry. He was causing absolute chaos among the creatures, so Kade couldn¡¯t fault the strategy, however inefficient it might appear. He noticed that Drake, and even some of the more intelligent monsters had paused to watch as the first beast was pulled into the waiting sphere.


    The ape screeched and tore at the leg that was impaled with a white chain, but it was useless. As soon as its flesh touched the edge of the blackness, its body began to distend and tear as it was pulled inside, and as it was slowly swallowed, a dim red glow appeared in the otherwise perfect darkness of the orb. As more and more of the beasts disappeared into the bottomless void, the glow continually increased, until the cave was as much lit by the red of Alaric as the purple of the lake.


    When at last the final chain dragged in its victim, the red light shifted, concentrating at a single point on the orb, pointing at the oncoming monsters. There was a strange concussion to the air as the orb seemed to burst outward, and a thin beam of red and black energy lanced forth. Nothing it touched seemed capable of providing even slight resistance to the blast, and it penetrated as easily through the dead Elder-flesh that made up the cave as it did the hundreds of beasts it sliced through.


    The beam continued for nearly a minute before the black orb at last returned to its original explosive lightshow, and then the humanoid form of Alaric was back. As if content with exploring that new ability, the Aspect reached up and experimentally grabbed one of Kade''s chains. A moment later, he was duplicating Kade¡¯s own style, sprinting through the cavern, his odd core pulling him from chain to chain, not dissimilar from the erratic way Kade would pull himself around in battle.


    When he and Drake refocused on fighting, Alaric seemed to take note of their use of weapons, and a heartbeat later two thin blades of darkness extended from each hand, barely visible at all. Then the three warriors were all fighting together, with the smaller Kade and Alaric dancing around the enormous knight, whose left arm held an immense shield, as his right swept the bladed silver spear through lines of monsters.


    Kade could feel himself getting lost in the thrill of the battle, but the three companions were now making steady progress back down the mountain, which appeared to be the only real option anyway. Soon he realized his own laughter was echoing back at him. Disturbingly, it was mirrored by a similar laugh, strangely alien and uncanny, and with a start Kade understood it was coming from Alaric, evidently mimicking more than just his combat style.


    The three continued forward for some time, until finally a light in the distance heralded the way outside. Kade decided to shelter behind the tireless Drake for a moment to collect himself. His body hadn¡¯t entirely recovered from its transformation to Primus, and he had likely pushed himself harder than he should have. He leaned heavily on the greatsword Spite as he stared longingly at the light at the end of the tunnel.


    He rubbed his eyes a moment later, wondering if he was more fatigued than he realized, but when he looked again he was sure of it: the light was moving toward him. In moments any doubt was replaced with concern, as the light raced upward, countless monsters being knocked aside or even vaporized as it advanced. Kade readied his weapon, Alaric falling in beside him as Drake reinforced his massive shield.


    When at last the light reached the trio, every monster was either dead or fleeing. Thankfully it slowed down as it neared, and Kade cautiously relaxed as the brightness gathered above them, illuminating the dark cave, and the ragged form of High Keeper Bandal. The man looked grievously injured, which on a Quartus meant he must have been near-death, otherwise his immense lifeforce would have rejuvenated his form with little difficulty.


    One eye and a good portion of the right side of Bandal¡¯s face was missing, and the armor on his upper body had been entirely destroyed, revealing a burnt and ravaged torso. These injuries did nothing to slow the man however, and there was fury in his single remaining eye as he walked menacingly toward Kade.


    ¡°High Keeper¨C¡±


    ¡°WHERE IS HE?¡± Bandal roared, and Kade¡¯s two companions braced themselves for combat. Kade wasn¡¯t sure if he should stop them or not, given the madness he saw in the man.


    ¡°Edwin? Or do you mean Cerano? I¡¯m not sure, they were¨C¡±


    ¡°Not them! LOTHROS!¡± he screamed as he came even closer. ¡°There¡¯s nowhere else on this cursed plain for that man to hide, so where is he!?¡± Kade just kept shaking his head in confusion, and more than a little fear.


    ¡°I swear, I don¡¯t know! I was alone when I woke up¨C¡±


    ¡°Woke up? What in the names of all the Lost Gods have you been doing here? While my Keepers die you¡¯ve been sleep¨C¡± this time it was Bandal who was cut off, and he and Kade both looked down at the man¡¯s chest in disbelief. An arm¡¯s length of a red staff was sticking out, glowing dangerously. Bandal looked up at Kade, shock and confusion on his face for the split second it took before the staff was suddenly torn downward, the reverse end of it spinning in from above a moment later to complete the rotation.


    Bandal split into two raggedly torn halves before Kade¡¯s eyes, revealing the utterly pristine form of High Priest Lothros standing behind him. The man¡¯s blue eyes inspected Kade with practiced scrutiny, while he completely ignored the fallen form of the dead Keeper. After a moment, the silver-haired man smiled softly, and gave a small nod.


    ¡°At last, Kadeus, it appears you¡¯re finally ready.¡±

 Chapter 49: Confrontations

    Kade was backing away, though he was hardly aware of it. His eyes kept going from Lothros to the bisected body of High Keeper Bandal, but his mind couldn¡¯t make sense of what was happening. Then he realized the pulse was back, stronger than ever, and the combination of the madness he¡¯d just witnessed with the pounding in his mind was enough to bring him to his knees.


    Lothros stared at him, an amused look on his face, as Drake and Alaric moved defensively in front of their master. The amusement vanished, and raw, red energy erupted from Lothros¡¯ body without any accompanying gesture, and twin blasts collided with each Aspect. The burning, tearing force slammed both entities into opposite sides of the cave wall, and Kade could distantly feel them retreat from the overwhelming power, Drake barely managing to reform as a necklace, while Alaric seemed to be hiding somewhere in Kade¡¯s mana pathways.


    Lothros approached him leisurely, ignoring the dead Keeper as he strode uncaringly over the fresh corpse. ¡°I¡¯ve waited a long time for this,¡± he said. ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how it felt, knowing all along I was missing something, but not understanding what.¡± At last he reached Kade, still frozen on his knees, and placed a hand on his head. ¡°Hold still,¡± he said in a serious tone, ¡°I¡¯ve never done this to someone so pitifully weak.¡±


    The moment Lothros finished speaking, Kade felt a shock through his entire body, and then nothing.


    ***


    Kade was somewhere familiar, though it was difficult to remember how he knew this place. He wasn¡¯t aware of his own body, but he could part see, part sense the world around him. The space felt endless, but somehow he knew he was journeying to its center. Blackness transitioned to the familiar teal glow of his own power, and soon Kade understood he was exploring his own Soul Core.


    Chains became visible next, endless chains floating around him¨Cbut he was now certain that it was actually one chain, simply unwound in a way he¡¯d never experienced before. He willed himself to follow it to the source, and at last he saw the familiar glowing orb that he assumed was the center of his Soul Core. He was shocked by its appearance, however.


    He had vague memories of being in this place at least twice, and both times the orb had been conspicuously wrapped in the chains that now seemed to be freely floating throughout this strange little universe. Instead, the chain ended by connecting to the source of the light, and as he grew closer he realized it was an object. It took a moment to see what it was through the brightness, but it finally revealed itself to be a plain, white rod, seeming broken at one end.


    The unexpected item meant nothing to him, and Kade found his eyes instead drawn to the final links in the chain, which connected to the unbroken end of the rod. Strangely, they were each of a different color, and they were all noticeably thicker than the other uniform lengths Kade had seemed to be swimming through as he¡¯d approached.


    Closer inspection revealed that there were five unique links. The one connecting to his typical, glossy black chains was teal, and was difficult to make out as it so closely matched the energy all around him. The next was silver, suspiciously similar to those belonging to Drake, and it was slightly smaller than the first. It was followed by one that was nearly transparent, then another that was perfectly white. Finally the chain ended in a thick purple link, which connected to the rod.


    Kade wasn¡¯t sure what to make of any of them, but his mind was drawn to the last link in the chain, the deep purple catching his eye, hauntingly familiar. As he watched, he was startled to see that it appeared to be shrinking before his gaze, and Kade even had a sense that it was weakening as it did so. The link grew smaller, and smaller until abruptly it snapped, the pure white rod drifting free as the purple link disappeared into the ether.


    There was a tremendous sense of pain then, though it wasn¡¯t in his body, and the entire world around him seemed to shake and quiver with it. All at once it was gone, however, and the chain was left adrift, now one link shorter. When Kade recovered himself, his awareness turned to the white rod as it made slow, steady progress away from the center of his Core. Whether driven by curiosity or instinct, Kade¡¯s consciousness followed the rod as it moved away, more and more rapidly.


    With a jolt, awareness of his body returned, and Kade had the impression of being pushed against a cold stone wall. However, his eyes were still somehow perceiving the broken white rod, and he watched in fascination as a hand pulled it from his chest.


    He was so weak, and his body felt wrong, but he managed to keep his eyes open as Lothros inspected the rod, about a half a meter long, and took a step back toward the familiar purple lake. They were back in the Elder¡¯s Soul Core chamber. Though a thousand sensations were returning at once, Kade was still shocked to realize that the pulse which had haunted him for so long, was gone.


    The High Priest was smiling in a somewhat uncanny way, as if his mouth wasn¡¯t built for the expression, and he looked like nothing so much a predator which had cornered its prey. The sharp blue eyes finally looked away from the object, and came to rest on Kade¡¯s own. ¡°You¡¯re alive? Curious,¡± he stepped farther back, and a hand went to his own chest. When he spoke again, his voice was strained.


    ¡°When I first saw you in the courtyard that day, I almost lost myself entirely. Do you have any concept of what it¡¯s like to see someone else with a piece of your own Soul?¡± As he spoke, a second white rod was slowly materializing from the man¡¯s own chest, and his voice grew more ragged. ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. I doubt anyone else has ever experienced such humiliation. I had to focus on that fool Sorcerer to stop myself from staring at you open mouthed like a simpleton.¡± He glanced back, ¡°How are you not dead, now that I¡¯ve stripped you of it?¡±


    At last the rod finished emerging, and Kade saw that the end of this one was broken as well. Lothros let out a satisfied sigh when it was finally out, and he didn¡¯t seem to share Kade¡¯s weakness as he stood up straighter. With no fanfare, the Priest touched the two broken ends together, and the rod was simply whole once more. ¡°Remarkable,¡± the man whispered as he cradled the rod to himself. ¡°I can only imagine what this has been used for in our long history.¡±


    He smiled at Kade then, ¡°You likely don¡¯t have long. I¡¯d use you as a power source for the ritual like your comrades there, but you¡¯re just an empty shell now.¡± He started walking toward the purple lake of power behind him, but at the mention of his friends, Kade forced himself to look away.  He saw that he and his entire party were being held against the wall of the chamber, each with glowing red manacles of energy securing their arms and legs, though only Kade was awake.


    ¡°I hope you appreciate the effort this took,¡± the High Priest continued. ¡°You would never have survived the extraction if I hadn¡¯t forced you to Primus. And then I¡¯d be back to waiting for this marvelous Artifact to appear once more.¡± He stopped at the edge of the lake, ¡°And I don¡¯t think I have the patience for that. I¡¯ve been trapped at Quartus for millenia, all because I was incomplete. But now,¡± he turned and looked at Kade, smiling again, ¡°now I reclaim my power.¡±


    Lothros dipped one end of the rod in the lake, and the world went mad. Purple light nearly blinded him, and the small red aura that burst to life around the High Priest provided the only relief. Kade could hear screams, somewhere between agony and rapture as the purple lake seemed to rush into Lothros all at once.


    Slowly the light receded as the lake was drained, and the silhouette of Lothros became visible once more. The red light was now almost entirely gone, and the High Priest appeared to be consumed by the ravenous purple energy of the Elder. Kade couldn¡¯t completely see what was happening, but he was certain that he was witnessing the man change. The minutes ticked by as Kade struggled to get a better hold on consciousness, and the light continued to fade from the chamber.


    At last whatever Lothros was doing came to an end, and the man stepped away from the now empty lake that had once housed the power of a dead Elder. Kade was finally able to see the man clearly as he turned back toward him. He had been transformed, though not as much as some of the more exotic Keepers that Kade had met.


    The top of the man¡¯s robes were destroyed, revealing the most pronounced difference as he now had four arms, similar to Eleonora. Unlike the bulky woman, however, these were slim and humanoid in appearance, and one still grasped the unblemished white rod. The rest of the changes were more subtle, with the man¡¯s skin now appearing ashy gray, and the bones almost protruding from the skin in a distinctly alien fashion.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    His face was the most disturbing, as he still possessed much the near angelic perfection he had before, but his mouth was now almost demonic by contrast. What had been the mere hint of the uncanny was now on full display, as the man¡¯s smile showed teeth reaching all the way to his ears. Lothros still possessed the long, swept back silver hair, but now it was broken up with numerous horns that seemed to be reaching back behind his head. He breathed a single word in utter satisfaction: ¡°Finalis¡­¡±


    Kade considered the word for a moment, as well as everything he¡¯d witnessed, which finally gave him the strength to speak. ¡°All this,¡± he began, his voice barely above a whisper, ¡°all this just to attain more power? To what, sit in your abby as the strongest priest on Iros? For this you killed Bandal? Just to steal the power from some dead Elder?¡± At his words Lothros looked genuinely baffled, and he tilted his horned head in confusion.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t understand what I am, then you truly don¡¯t know what you are, do you? What you were, I should say¡­¡± he turned away, and began to pace. The white rod tapping out a steady rhythm as spoke, ¡°This is concerning, it hints at another player. All the other players are supposed to be dead,¡± he said with irritation, and Kade¡¯s frustration grew as the man ignored him.


    ¡°Lothros!¡± be bellowed, though the effort it took was extraordinary. The High Priest stopped in his tracks, and looked back at Kade, his smile returning.


    ¡°That, is not my name¨C¡±he began, but stopped short as the cave rumbled ominously around them. Kade looked rapidly between Lothros and his bound friends, hoping that one of them had managed to regain consciousness. He was disappointed to see that they were all still slumped in their restraints, though he belatedly considered that none of them were up to challenging someone who had attained Finalis.


    The High Priest looked around, fury and surprise painting his alien features, and after a moment his eyes focused on the ceiling at the far side of the chamber. The rumbling grew, and dust began to fall from above as small cracks appeared. Kade¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t follow what happened next.


    The ceiling exploded outward in a massive fall of stone, earth, and ancient Elder flesh. There was an ear-splitting crash, and then Lothros was simply gone, someone new standing in his place. A second crash echoed a fraction of a second later, as the four-armed priest collided with the distant chamber wall.


    Kade looked from the fresh hole in the side of the cave, to the unusual newcomer. The being appeared to be male, though his body was so stretched and narrow that it was difficult to even think of him in human terms. He was easily twice Kade¡¯s height, and wore nothing but a deep green skirt around his lower half, leaving a pale, densely muscled torso exposed, and two inhumanly long arms slowly crossing over his chest.


    Kade looked upward at the more traditionally humanoid face, though the nose was longer, and the cheekbones pointier than could be considered ¡®normal¡¯, if such a word could even apply. His hair was a deep, glossy black, and worked into a single thick braid going halfway down his back. His eyes were entirely a shade of green that matched his skirt, without a hint of white to them, though Kade could somehow tell that he was looking expectantly in the direction Lothros had been thrown.


    ¡°Come out, old monster,¡± he called, and the voice surprised Kade. It was slightly higher than he expected, and strangely¡­refined? A moment later, Lothros was standing some distance away from the newcomer. Disturbingly, Kade hadn¡¯t seen any sign at all of the High Priest until he simply appeared; Kade was beginning to feel alarmingly underpowered for the confrontation taking place only a few meters away.


    ¡°Which one are you?¡± Lothros asked, taking a practiced battle stance. The far taller being remained standing casually in place, wiry arms still crossed.


    ¡°Wrayeth,¡± he said slowly, clearly expecting some kind of reaction to the name. Lothros¡¯ too-wide smile split his face, and he relaxed slightly.


    ¡°The weakest of the four? It appears today is still a good day,¡± if this ¡®Wrayeth¡¯ was expecting a reaction, it clearly wasn¡¯t this, and his arms uncrossed as he stood up straighter, fury plain on his alien features.


    ¡°That is how I¡¯m remembered? It seems that every day I find another reason to hate this generation. I may not have been physically as strong as¨C¡± He was cut short as two of Lothros¡¯ fists crashed into his lean midsection, doubling him over with the force, and exposing his chin for the follow up strike from the other two fists. The taller man careened backward, flipping over entirely before his long arms caught the ground and dragged him to a halt.


    His green eyes seemed to burn with fury, and instantly he was back at Lothros, unnaturally long arms and legs a blur as he seemed to strike from every angle at once. Kade gave up trying to track individual blows as the two powerful beings seemed to move in fits and starts around the room, only clearly visible when either combatant landed a particularly devastating attack.


    At last Kade noticed Wrayeth had seemed to force himself into a calmer state, and his technique appeared to sharpen with each passing second, until a deafening crack signaled Lothros once more being hit hard enough to be sent flying into the distant wall of the cave. The tall warrior stood up straight, and spoke softly, ¡°I¡¯m still a son of Tyranos, you insolent prick.¡±


    Kade¡¯s eyes widened at the remark, though Lothros¡¯ only response came in the form of a continuous blast of dense energy. Kade noticed curiously that it was now the precise shade of purple that the lake had been before it was drained. Wrayeth¡¯s form was lost entirely as the attack rolled over him in a wave, and Kade felt a faint hope die as the mysterious man appeared to be vaporized before his eyes. But then something strange happened.


    Kade noticed a thin gouge of deep emerald in the stream of energy beyond where it had collided with Wrayeth. As he watched in fascination, the streak was joined by several others, and Kade was soon able to make out the shadow of a hand reaching toward Lothros. Where the energy poured over the clawed fingers, it was changed somehow, shifting in color and appearing to dissipate harmlessly.


    After another moment, the massive corridor of purple energy seemed to pour around the entirely exposed form of Wrayeth as he pushed the single hand out in front of him. A look of serenity was on his face as he held back the attack like it was nothing more than a light stream of water. But the display didn¡¯t stop there, as now the energy in front of the man began to shift to emerald, as if it were being infected by contact with the self proclaimed son of Tyranos.


    The emerald light seemed to advance faster and faster as the moments passed, until it disappeared into the cracked cave wall where Lothros had been thrown. There was the briefest scream of fury before an explosion rocked the chamber once more, and Kade felt himself fall to the stone floor.  The bindings on his hands and legs had disappeared, and he heard several other similar thumps as his previously bound companions joined him on the ground.


    Wrayeth was above Kade a moment later, pulling him to his feet. Kade had a thousand questions, and he still wasn¡¯t sure if this strange being was a rescuer or something else entirely. He was given no time however, as the tall man rushed to gather up the rest of the fallen. ¡°Can you make Energy Projections?¡± he asked while he deposited Sal, Edwin, Graves, and Cerano into an undignified pile.


    Kade was surprised by the unexpected question, and impatience showed on the alien features inspecting him as he hesitated. ¡°Yes,¡± he said at last. ¡°Normally, yes. But right now¡­¡± he reached out experimentally, confirming that he wasn¡¯t able to channel any energy in his current state. Wrayeth let out an irritated sigh and reached for Kade¡¯s arm with one hand, while putting the other on his chest.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this; he knows I can¡¯t kill him and that blast won¡¯t disorient him for long,¡± again, Kade was bristling with questions, but they all fell away as he felt his energy pulled through is arm, and a moment later there was an odd box made of energy appearing in front of them. It looked disturbingly like five coffins lined up next to each other, with some kind of handle forming above them.


    ¡°What the hell is that?¡± Kade asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t carry all of you and move as fast as we need to. We have little time; the Elders are already waking up,¡± the way he said ¡®Elders¡¯ was somehow mocking, but Kade didn¡¯t have time to react as he watched the man load the odd carrying contraption with his unconscious companions. At last he turned to get Kade, gesturing at the final coffin.


    Not knowing what else to do, Kade felt he had to trust this man. He did appear to be saving them after all, and they were certainly no safer with Lothros. He begrudgingly began to get into the box, noticing the cave lighting up with purple energy once more as he did so. As soon as he laid down Wrayeth effortlessly picked up the contraption by the handle, and made what was likely a rude gesture in Lothros direction, based on the smirk Kade could see on the man¡¯s face.


    ¡°You should have stayed dead, Karavash,¡± Wrayeth remarked. ¡°Coming back twice is tacky,¡± Kade heard the surprising words, but before he could fully process them, they were gone.

 Chapter 50: Arrogant Hope

    The world was an indistinct blur as Wrayeth carried Kade and his companions across mountains and water at speeds beyond imagining. Kade felt like luggage as he was pressed back against the carrying contraption that was somehow constructed of his own power. He was wondering whether the intense pressure might be dangerous for his companions when the unusual trip ended as suddenly as it began.


    They were in darkness, but only for a moment as green fiery lights ignited one by one around a massive chamber, even larger than the one they¡¯d just been taken from. Kade sat up in his coffin-like construct, and examined his new surroundings while an intense dizziness slowly faded.


    The structure was entirely made of dark stone, but was clearly built, and not a natural formation. He and his companions had been deposited in front of a large set of metal doors that were likely a comfortable size for his rescuer, even if they seemed impractical from Kade¡¯s point of view. In front of them were rows of shelves that seemed to go on forever, as they disappeared into the distance, where the chamber appeared to twist and branch off.


    Kade got to his feet, needing a moment to steady himself, and still feeling sick and weak from his ordeal with Lothros. He made his way over to one of the tightly packed shelves, and was surprised to find it was filled entirely with books.


    Wrayeth was there suddenly, brushing past him to grab a volume from a higher shelf, and moving on without a word. Kade followed the odd man as he disappeared around the next shelf, only to find him settling into what looked like a particularly comfortable chair, and beginning to read.


    He glanced at Kade when he noticed he wasn¡¯t alone. Wrayeth looked over his shoulder at a nearby closed door, then spoke, ¡°Your host still needs a few minutes. Don¡¯t touch my books,¡± he said, then went back to reading. Kade cocked his head, then looked back to the shelves. They all appeared to house books. There had to be tens, maybe hundreds of thousands of them, but the mention of a ¡®host¡¯ was far more interesting for the moment.


    ¡°Um, sorry to interrupt,¡± he began, not sure what to make of his eccentric rescuer, ¡°who is this host? And maybe, who are you, if you don¡¯t mind me asking? I heard what you told Lothros¨C¡±


    ¡°Karavash,¡± the man interrupted without looking up. ¡°He was always Karavash, though he managed to hide it well for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Kade replied, though honestly he was incredibly confused. ¡°And how, exactly is the High Priest of Karthas actually a long-dead Elder?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Wrayeth said with finality.


    ¡°Uh, no, what?¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t be answering any questions about that prick¡¯s resurrection, or your own complex origins,¡± he replied. ¡°Save that for Sythkara, I wash my hands of the whole foolish ordeal. My brother asked me to save your life, and I did, because he seldom asks for favors. But now, my part is over.¡±


    ¡°Your brother¡­¡± Kade said, ¡°Loth¨CKaravash, called you a son of Tyranos. So that would make your brother¨C¡±


    ¡°Korthos,¡± he replied, gesturing upward with a finger while still looking at his book.


    ¡°The sun,¡± Kade said slowly, his head hurting. ¡°The sun asked you to save me?¡± Wrayeth let out a dramatic sigh and slammed his book shut.


    ¡°Fine, if you can¡¯t wait quietly then you may ask me some questions. But,¡± he said, holding up a finger, ¡°if they¡¯re too boring, or too stupid, I get to read, and you sit quietly until Syth is ready for you. And no questions about you, as I said before.¡± Kade raised an eyebrow. He only vaguely understood who this man was from the confusing visions he¡¯d witnessed in the Chaos Fragment of Karavash, but surely he was from before the calm. Who knew what secrets he might possess?


    There was an uncomfortable amount of pressure, as Kade wasn¡¯t sure what this strange being¡¯s barometer for ¡®boring¡¯ or ¡®stupid¡¯ was, so he decided to start with something safe. ¡°I¡¯ve only heard of the sons of Tyranos through Karavash, and I¡¯ve never heard your name mentioned before¡­can you tell me about yourself?¡± The tall man leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°So I¡¯m the subject of the question? You better hope I don¡¯t consider myself stupid or boring,¡± he paused dramatically, then barked a laugh. ¡°You win! I am the third son of Tyranos, a bastard so miserable, vicious, and cruel, that he makes Karavash look like¡­well, a priest. Hmm, that fell apart quickly.¡± He got up, and stretched.


    ¡°As I was saying, Tyranos was a conquering monster who did a singular interesting thing: he sired four sons. He may have even been the first to do so¨Cour history is too fragmented to be sure. He thought he¡¯d found a way to create a powerful new generation without the overpowering desire to kill their parent, and he was right.¡±


    Kade cocked his head at that, but carefully didn¡¯t interrupt with questions. Wrayeth noticed his reaction, ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve seen the discrepancy. True, we weren¡¯t born with the desire to kill our father, but as I mentioned: he was still the greatest prick that ever lived.¡± Wrayeth closed his eyes and brought his hands together in front of him as if savoring something. ¡°I still remember when Korthos burned him alive. It was a special day.¡±


    The man genuinely seemed lost in the memory, and after two minutes of waiting Kade gave in and risked a question. ¡°What did you and your brothers do after¡­that?¡± Wrayeth reluctantly let go of his reverie.


    ¡°We ruled, more or less. Father had already taken over most of Iros, so it wasn¡¯t a particularly exciting existence. For a time we did what many do in their youths¨Cat least back when Iros was fun¨Cwe traveled the cosmos, conquering and destroying any worlds capable of posing an interesting challenge.¡±


    He sighed, ¡°But Korthos was unfulfilled. Eventually we returned home, and he did as Tyranos had before him, and begat his own litter of brats. I¡¯ll grant that he was a better father than our own, but that¡¯s a criminally low bar.¡± His tone became serious for the first time, ¡°My nephews were good boys, whatever their mad ambitions.¡±


    He collected himself with a shake of his head, ¡°But you asked of my brothers. I¡¯m sure you know that our sun burned itself away. I understand it¡¯s practically the only lore that survived the Calm. Korthos sacrificed himself to keep Iros alive, which truthfully surprised us all. None of us knew exactly what to do after that.


    ¡°My other older brother, Caesarus, was never satisfied. He would have traveled forever conquering worlds, and so he came up with a plan to do exactly that. Our youngest brother is named Tythus¨Can earth-touched¨Cand he never quite shared the ambitions of my elder brothers. When he decided to enter the Trance, Caesarus convinced him to do it in a rather spectacular way.


    ¡°He had Tythus use his powers to make a new planet, one that Caesarus could rule, and pilot around the universe. He even carved off a piece of this world¡¯s core, so he could take the power of Iros with him. He¡¯s still out there right now, doing what he loves, admirable and laughable all at once. I miss him.¡± Wrayeth returned to his seat.


    ¡°As for me? Well, you¡¯ve seen what I do. I read. I travel to other worlds occasionally and gather their knowledge, maybe some other souvenirs along with it, and then I return to enjoy my retirement.¡± He put on an irritated expression, ¡°Though sometimes that¡¯s interrupted by saving you, apparently, while simultaneously embarrassing myself in a fist fight with a worm like Karavash.¡±


    ¡°You seemed to hold your own,¡± Kade said hesitantly. ¡°That thing you did at the end¨C¡± Wrayeth waved away the comment in irritation.


    ¡°You have no idea. That little pet of the Gods should be nothing to me, but I can¡¯t use my power without risking undoing everything my nephews died for,¡± he said.


    ¡°What, why?¡± Kade said reflexively, and Wrayeth narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°That was two questions, both nearly stupid,¡± he said with a smirk. ¡°Syth will explain, but suffice to say that I¡¯m what you¡¯d consider an ¡®Elder¡¯, though I was never calmed like the rest, and Karavash could sense it. If I were to unleash my Soul Core, I¡¯d be channeling pure, untainted ¡®Chaos¡¯ as you think of it. At the very least I¡¯d taint this entire continent. Likely the whole world if I needed to fully unleash myself.¡±


    Kade¡¯s eyes widened in alarm. Karavash had called this man the ¡®weakest¡¯ of the sons of Tyranos, but he was starting to understand how meaningless that distinction might be. He sensed he was running out of time, however, and pounced on another question the man had reminded him of. ¡°You called Karavash a ¡®pet of the Gods¡¯. Everyone I¡¯ve met has called them the ¡®Lost Gods¡¯...do you know where they are? Or what they are?¡±


    Wrayeth seemed to consider the question before answering. ¡°Frankly that should be a stupid question, but everyone left on Iros is so hopelessly naive that I suppose it¡¯s valid. The Gods are anything but lost. You see them every night.¡± He seemed to be waiting for Kade to make a connection, but Kade¡¯s mind was still so addled that he could barely think. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hint: there are fifteen of them.¡±


    Kade did a double take, ¡°The moons?¡± His mind went back to the vision he¡¯d experienced in Karthas, the moons lighting up as the next generation was born into this world. If they were truly part of the cycle, or even responsible for the cycle, then maybe ¡®Gods¡¯ wasn¡¯t entirely inaccurate. Wrayeth was watching him with amusement. ¡°But what are they? They can¡¯t just be¡­¡±


    ¡°Big floating rocks? Difficult to say. I¡¯ve been to them, and they are exactly that. But also somehow¡­more. I couldn¡¯t damage them, and I could see evidence that I wasn¡¯t the first to try.¡± He smiled, ¡°We¡¯re a stubborn people, we don¡¯t like things we don¡¯t understand. But¡­the Gods are certainly that.¡± He gestured to the rows of books.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found countless broken histories in the buried Kingdoms of this world, but no matter how far back I manage to look, the Gods have remained a mystery. The best theory I¡¯ve heard is that they were the First Ones,¡± he said. ¡°The first Children of Iros, grown so impossibly powerful over the eons that creating us, then watching as we kill and die for their amusement is all they have left.¡±


    Wrayeth stood up suddenly, looking back at the door. ¡°Ah, but our time is finally up. Let¡¯s collect your companions and bring them to the old man.¡± Kade was caught by surprise, and as he followed the son of Tyranos back to his friends, he tried desperately to think of any more questions that only this man could know.


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    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s the Flaw?¡± Wrayeth stopped, and looked down at Kade in amusement, then spoke as he resumed walking.


    ¡°A legacy of the old world. You see those giant mindless creatures out there, broken by ages in the Trance, and I can¡¯t imagine how you envision what our world once was.¡± He paused as he reached the energy construct holding the others, and looked wistfully into the distance as he lifted them. ¡°But it was beautiful, in its way. The Kingdoms were societies¨Cnot that you¡¯d recognize them as such. The Kings fought, their armies clashed, but they also ruled, and the Servant Bond is what made that possible.¡±


    ¡°Servant Bond?¡± Kade prompted as Wrayeth began returning to the closed door.


    ¡°You call it a Flaw, and in your people perhaps it is. But once it was the only way that two Children of Iros could coexist. The Bond would compel you to follow the most powerful being you could find, and only by growing strong enough to break it would you be able to turn against your master.¡± They reached the single door and Wrayeth pushed it open, not breaking stride.


    Beyond was a long corridor, with numerous rooms on either side. Wrayeth spoke as he led them toward an open door at the end, flickering light shining through. ¡°Our world was never perfect, but it had cultures, empires, and art. It just never had peace. You¡¯ll need to be especially aware of the Servant Bond; it will be a dangerous thing if you and your people survive this trial.¡±


    Kade desperately wanted to ask more, but they¡¯d arrived. The open door led to a room lit by thousands of glowing symbols of every color. Kade looked around in fascination as Wrayeth began unloading his companions. The room was large, but there was almost no room to move given that every surface was covered in the strange, flowing arcane script. Not able to make any sense of what he was seeing, Kade followed Wrayeth to the center of the room where a cloaked man of Kade¡¯s size was facing away from them.


    ¡°You¡¯re early,¡± came a weak voice. ¡°Was our guest asking too many questions?¡± Sythkara turned around, his long dark cloak sweeping back in a familiar way as he did so. Kade had to stop himself from gasping. The man was ancient. His long hair was thin and white, and his skin was so wrinkled and emaciated that the man looked more dead than alive. Still, there was no denying he was one of the four from Karavash¡¯s memories.


    ¡°Everything he asked skirted the edges of answers better left to you,¡± Wrayeth replied as he aligned the unconscious Edwin, Graves, and Salarus into the center of three different circles drawn with the odd symbols. Finally he lifted the carrier with the still form of Cerano encased within. ¡°I¡¯ll take this one back to his people. I should be back before you¡¯ve completed your work to do my part. The boy would die if I tried now.¡± Sythkara nodded, and then they were suddenly alone.


    ¡°I hope my Uncle didn¡¯t make your stay too unpleasant. He doesn¡¯t approve of what my brothers and I have done, and he fights his own urges to resist undoing it.¡± Kade wasn¡¯t sure how to answer. The moment he¡¯d seen this man he¡¯d felt a familiarity beyond what he could explain, and now that he was alone with him, it was hard to concentrate on anything else.


    ¡°He said you could give me answers,¡± Kade said at last, scared to even ask the question that burned in his mind. What am I? The old Sorcerer gave the smallest hint of a smile.


    ¡°I will give you answers, Kade. I¡¯m sorry you had to wait so long for them. I¡¯m afraid I didn¡¯t have them all myself, until recently.¡± He walked toward the far younger man. ¡°I must finish my work, we have very little time before Karavash finishes his dark business, and undoes everything. Experience the truth for yourself,¡± his hand reached up and touched Kade¡¯s chest, and then he was somewhere else once more.


    ***


    ¡°Spy,¡± his older brother whispered, and with a gesture the servant was wiped from existence, Oblivion taking her.


    ¡°Spy? For whom?¡± Drakus asked, his silver armor gleaming as he withdrew the metal bonds that had held the prisoner.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be sure,¡± Psylaric replied, his empty eye sockets staring off into the distance. ¡°I could only barely sense the connection, but someone out there knows what we¡¯re planning.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to seem like I¡¯m not taking this seriously, but does it even matter?¡± Kadeus asked, crossing his arms over the golden armor covering his chest. ¡°Is there a single being left on Iros that¡¯s a genuine threat to us?¡±


    Sythkara looked at his younger brother, trying not to smirk. ¡°Does the Third Prince really think himself untouchable in this ancient world?¡± he asked.


    Kadeus laughed, ¡°Unless Spiros has somehow returned without us noticing, then yes, brother, I¡¯m untouchable.¡± Drakus and Syth shared a glance, then pointedly looked from their cocky brother to the scarred, expressionless face of Psylaric. Kadeus rolled his eyes theatrically, ¡°Obviously I wasn¡¯t counting you three,¡± he said defensively.


    ¡°Enough,¡± rasped the First Prince. ¡°We¡¯ll consider the spy later. Syth, tell us your plan.¡± The Sorcerer nodded, and the mood grew somber once more. From his robes he pulled the simple white rod, and placed it on the table between them.


    ¡°The Cycle has served its purpose. All the Children of Korthos are capable of reproducing without it, but if we don¡¯t change something, a new generation of bloodthirsty thralls will be born eventually, and we¡¯ll either slaughter them or be slaughtered in turn,¡± his three brothers nodded, all prepared for that dark eventuality.


    ¡°The World Shaper can be used to remove one of the Gods¨CAuctor Vitae being the obvious choice,¡± Drakus bristled at the talk of removing the first among the Gods, but he didn¡¯t speak against it. He understood the importance of what they were discussing. ¡°But that will leave untold millions of sleeping Elders beneath our feet. There can be no peace when they still wake by the thousands each year.¡±


    ¡°Thus, your marvelous new spell?¡± Kadeus said, the grin back on his face. Syth sighed.


    ¡°Correct. I believe I can use Auctor Vitae¡¯s own power to¡­invert the energy inside the slumbering Elders. It should¨Cfor the most part¨Ckeep them in a perpetual state of calm, and thereby keep our people safe.¡± The other three princes exchanged looks, waiting for anyone to object. Perhaps even waiting for someone to call out this mad, blasphemous idea as folly, but none did.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Kadeus said, still grinning, ¡°I guess we go kill a God. Sounds easy.¡±


    ***


    Sythkara felt Drakus die, even from the relative safety of his hiding place deep underground. It had all gone so wrong. Drakus had warned them that the Gods wouldn¡¯t sit idly as the brothers plotted the destruction of the Cycle, but they¡¯d been so confident. Arrogant, really, never doubting their own power. Now their father¡¯s Kingdom was in ruins, and the last of their people were dying all over Iros.


    They could never have prepared for Karavash Emerging, now more God than Elder. Nor could they have believed that the Gods above would bend their own rules to create a false generation of thralls to follow Karavash. As Sythkara desperately tried to amend his spell to account for the latest in a long line of setbacks, he lamented that the people they¡¯d been trying to build a new world for would never see it.


    Sitting alone in the dark chamber, the burning runes of his greatest spell all around him, Syth could only think that this was all his fault, and fought every instinct to simply abandon the spell and join his brothers in battle. But he also knew he was the only hope of making something from this terrible tragedy, and so he continued his work.


    He had just completed his preparations when he felt Psylaric¡¯s explosive end, and he stood locked in place for a moment. Part of him had thought his older brother unkillable, but today was teaching him many painful lessons. When he sensed something new occurring, he realized they had even less time than he¡¯d believed. A swift spell tore open a portal, and the light of his father shone through. Was it disapproving, somehow?


    He stepped out into the endless fields of slaughter, and saw that he was nearly too late. The countless bodies had begun to shake and quiver as the power of the Gods gathered. Syth raced to the body of Karavash, unmissable with its impossible scale. That Psylaric had managed to embed the World Shaper even as he fell was a remarkable feat, and Syth followed its pull to the center of the body¡¯s Soul Core.


    He was just in time to watch Kadeus dissolve into nothingness as the World Shaper took in the last of his essence. Syth cried out in pain and rage at the sight, hating that he¡¯d had to see his last remaining brother die in front of him, and hating even more that he¡¯d been only a moment too late to be there with him as it happened.


    Above, the moons entered alignment, and their light began to intensify. There were only moments left. Most of Sythkara¡¯s own power had already been sacrificed to the World Shaper before the battle had begun, so all that was left was to activate the spell he¡¯d been preparing for weeks.


    He ran forward, removing his staff as he did so, and joined it to the World Shaper just as the lightning that heralded the Cycle began to fall. He ignored it, focusing all his waning strength on the complex spell. As the fissure formed behind him and countless dead Children of Korthos were pulled inside, fuel for another generation of slaves to the Cycle, his spell flared to life.


    As the sky lit up in silver, reflected in the massive fissure, a single pillar of white light erupted from the top of the World Shaper, colliding with one of the many glowing moons. With Auctor Vitae. There was no sound as the massive object began to collapse in on itself, but all of Iros seemed to vibrate as the God was crushed down and pulled into the simple white rod.


    Sythkara held to his staff and the Artifact as the final element of his spell began, the trapped power of Auctor Vitae gathering to impossible heights, before bursting all at once. A wave of energy, new energy spread outward toward every corner of Iros, catching on and burrowing into every Elder that it came in contact with, and changing them.


    They¡¯d done it. Sythkara was barely alive, but he could feel the change. The energy was different, gentler, calm. He was so overwhelmed that he only belatedly stopped to consider that he¡¯d somehow survived. That hadn¡¯t been part of the plan. His body was ragged and weak, he¡¯d never expected to live beyond casting the spell, and it felt so wrong to have done so.


    He instantly resolved to end his own life, as the pain of his loss and the shame for what he¡¯d done was too simply too much, but then he sensed something. He turned toward the fissure, and his eyes widened in alarm. He¡¯d been too late. The new generation was here.


    But something was different. As he stared at the fissure, the enormous wave of ravenous young never came. Instead, people emerged, looking confused and frightened. Sythkara watched in disbelief as thousands climbed from the tear in the earth, some even helping others as they did so, and the truth struck him.


    The Cycle had failed. It hadn¡¯t been complete when the World Shaper had ripped one of the Gods from the sky, and this oddity was the result. The wave of calm energy must have played its own part, as he could sense the difference in these people. Syth was considering what his responsibility to these people truly was, when something drew his attention. With a small, strangely unremarkable crack, the white rod split in half.


    Syth kneeled down to pick up the two pieces of the powerful artifact. Immediately he was shocked with yet another revelation: there was power still in the broken pieces, familiar power. He tossed aside the piece that felt unmistakably like Karavash, and instead cradled the other close to himself.


    He could feel them. The echoes of his brothers were still inside. They¡¯d each given of themselves to make the spell work, but somehow the barest sliver of each remained. He even felt a remnant of himself deep within the artifact.


    But there was also something else. Something vast, and powerful. Something furious. Auctor Vitae was trapped inside as well, and it wanted out. Syth¡¯s mind raced as he considered what needed to be done, and he reached for the piece he had dropped, only to find it gone. He could feel the impressions left in the energy: Iros had taken the Artifact back, to be reborn at some unknown time, half of a vengeful God trapped inside.


    Panic tore into Syth¡¯s mind. He couldn¡¯t let this happen. He couldn¡¯t let so much sacrifice and death be for nothing. He knew he didn¡¯t have much time, he could feel the Artifact in his hand trying to return to the planet, so he summoned the last of his strength for one final spell. Something simple¡­just a magical nudge. He couldn¡¯t stop the World Shaper from being reborn¡­but maybe he could change where it would be reborn.


    He opened a small portal to a world he¡¯d visited once, one that hadn¡¯t been worth conquering. He felt the rhythms of that unremarkable world, and saw safety in its near complete lack of exotic energy. All he felt was the slightest hum of some rare metals, buried deeply under the planet¡¯s surface. There was just enough energy to tether the broken World Shaper to those shards of metal, and then it was gone.


    Then his brothers were gone.

 Chapter 51: Desperate Measures

    Kade returned to himself with the full weight of another man¡¯s emotions. He could feel the anger, pain, and shame as if it was his own, and he was nearly paralyzed by it. He found that he was sitting on the cold stone floor, the ancient-looking Sorcerer still drawing burning symbols in the air, each of which dutifully drifting over to some pre-ordained spot on the floor, then settling into place.


    It took several minutes for Kade to sort through his own feelings after witnessing the vision. So much of what he didn¡¯t know appeared to be answered, and nearly as much that he¡¯d thought he knew was proven wrong. He had questions, but nothing so pressing as why he¡¯d seen himself, dressed in golden armor, and dying for a cause he had no memory of.


    He looked up at Sythkara, both desperate to know the truth, and not ready to hear it. The Sorcerer sensed his scrutiny and looked down at Kade, his hands never ceasing their tireless spellcasting. ¡°Ask,¡± he said.


    Kade gathered his courage, and spoke. ¡°I saw a man who looked just like me. He had my name, my face¡­he even sounded like me. I heard names that weren¡¯t just familiar, they felt like I¡¯d known them all my life, but I just couldn¡¯t hear them right.¡± Syth looked pained to be reminded of his brothers, though his hands still didn¡¯t slow. Finally Kade came out and asked the question, ¡°Karavash came back, didn¡¯t he? The World Shaper brought him back and¡­it did the same to me, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    Surprisingly, the question seemed to make the Sorcerer look almost heartbroken, but he answered. ¡°No.¡± The simple response rocked Kade¡¯s world, and his jaw fell open. A tightness in his chest seemed to loosen somewhat, but not completely as he waited for the old man to gather himself and continue.


    ¡°You¡¯re no more the reincarnation of my brother than fire is the reincarnation of wood. Though I admit I am saddened by that fact,¡± he let out a sigh, as if that admission had been as hard for him as the question had for Kade. ¡°There is much of Kadeus in you, no doubt because his was the greatest power absorbed by the World Shaper. He was the only one¡­the only one of my brothers still alive when the spell was cast. But you are not him.¡±


    Kade stood up, feeling somewhat relieved, but still struggling to make sense of it all. ¡°What of Lothros? Is he Karavash or not?¡± Syth considered the question.


    ¡°His experience was different from your own in many ways. There are fragments of four powers, and four personalities inside you¨Cfive, before Karavash ripped his own from you along with the piece of the Artifact. It appears that the broken World Shaper created you from those fragments when it was reborn on Earth.


    ¡°Karavash, however, was more than just fragments. His entire Soul Core was absorbed by the Artifact before it shattered, after being strengthened by the Gods themselves. He is very much himself, to the world¡¯s great peril.¡±


    Kade barely heard the last words, his mouth falling open once more as memories tried and failed to surface. ¡°Earth?¡± was all he managed to get out. The Sorcerer sighed, shaking his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m doing this all wrong, I¡¯m sorry. I wish we were sitting down, somewhere peaceful, with all the time in the world. I was never good with serious emotion in the first place, and these are the worst of circumstances.¡± Kade didn¡¯t speak, as he tried desperately to remember the place he¡¯d always considered his home. Syth continued.


    ¡°I knew of Earth from my youth, but humans could barely be considered intelligent life when I visited hundreds of thousands of years ago. I needed to send the Artifact away, and it needed to be anchored in an energy that it could use. Earth has metals which could act as such, but I had never considered that humans would one day use those metals in such an unconventional way. We don¡¯t have the words, but they refer to it as [nuclear fission].¡±


    The words tickled something in Kade¡¯s scattered mind, ¡°Power plants¡­bombs?¡± Sythkara nodded.


    ¡°I believe so, but the application was of less interest to me than the fact that the energy¡¯s release had allowed the World Shaper to complete its rebirth. Unfortunately I only discovered this after that damnable bracer surfaced, and convinced a single power hungry man to rip you halfway across our universe. I believe it promised him ¡®a power unseen on Iros in generations¡¯, that power destroyed him almost immediately, I understand.¡± Kade¡¯s eyes widened, and he looked down at the mysterious bracer on his arm, his alarm increasing as he read its latest update.


    The Sorcerer noticed his reaction, and let out a small, dry laugh. ¡°And exactly what does that fascinating device wish for you to do now, I wonder?¡± Kade dropped his hand to his side, as if he could somehow hide the truth from the mage, but Syth only laughed harder. ¡°I promise you¡¯re safe here, and I won¡¯t judge you for what that thing says. Tell me.¡±


    Kade shuffled his feet like a child, he didn¡¯t like discussing the bracer in the best of times, and it had become increasingly disturbing in recent weeks. ¡°It¡­it says I should kill you, and become the apprentice of Wrayeth. It says it¡¯s my best ¡®Path to Power¡¯.¡± Surprisingly, the Sorcerer nodded in what appeared to be approval.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t gotten as bad as I feared, then. Killing me would gain you nothing; it¡¯s just the bracer trying to keep itself safe from someone it rightly perceives as a threat. However, apprenticing to Wrayeth truly would be one of the greatest ways to improve your powers on Iros, so at least it hasn¡¯t entirely abandoned you for self-interest.¡±


    Kade considered that, then shook his head. ¡°Do you know what it really is, or how I get it off?¡±


    ¡°Only theories. When this is all over you may want to consider a trip to Dalton. I suspect the bracer might even help you with the journey. But we¡¯ve strayed from what truly matters at the moment.¡± Kade nodded, looking at the runes all around them.


    ¡°You sound pleasantly sure that we¡¯re going to survive this,¡± he said.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken,¡± Syth remarked, and Kade suddenly wished the man was more tactful. The Sorcerer smiled at his reaction, ¡°Fear not, I¡¯m confident you will survive this, but I am not meant to. All this,¡± he gestured at the enormous spellform, ¡°is meant to solve many problems at once. Its complexity is nearly beyond even me, but thankfully I¡¯ve had months to bend the odds in our favor.


    ¡°We need to stop Karavash, and there is currently no one on Iros who is capable of that without destroying its people. You also need your Soul Core restored, and your personality to be free of the influence of long dead men, however great they may have been in life.¡± He paused, looking away and lowering his voice to a whisper. ¡°And I need to die with my brothers, as I should have so long ago.¡±


    The magnitude of those statements hung in the air for a long moment before Kade was willing to break the silence. ¡°And this spell will do all that?¡± he asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Not alone, but I¡¯ve pulled in every favor I¡¯m owed to ensure we¡¯re not alone.¡± He gestured at the three unconscious bodies, but his gaze rested on Salarus. ¡°My apprentice was instrumental in preparing you for this trial.¡± Kade¡¯s eyebrows rose; he was starting to get tired of revelations. ¡°Don¡¯t blame him, he truly is your friend, and he was unaware of most of what I used him for. I only hope I can repay his loyalty. He¡¯s a good man and a better Sorcerer, and I was training him long before I knew of your existence.


    ¡°Regardless, I needed you prepared for this to have any hope of working. Can you call your companions please?¡± Kade had an ill feeling, suspecting this man¡¯s manipulations ran deeper than he was prepared for, but he did his best to oblige. Neither Drake nor Alaric had fully recovered, but he sensed they could manifest if he fed them some of his own power.


    Kade doubled over in pain as he called to them, the mana barely moving through his body. He sensed that any other ability would have failed entirely, but thankfully his companions had already been summoned, only weakened. A moment later Drake was next to him, though he was barely taller than Kade in his weakened state, and Alaric was nothing but a small, floating ball of energy, there was no sign of the shadowy body.


    Sythkara looked at the two with interest, and Kade knew his suspicions were about to be confirmed. ¡°I have pieces of Drakus and Psylaric inside my Soul, a Metallurgist and a master of Oblivion, and these are my companions. Two Aspects that never seemed to match my Paths. This is your doing somehow, isn¡¯t it?¡± The Sorcerer nodded without taking his eyes from the two beings.


    ¡°Granting abilities is trivial, and all the more so when a Soul is so perfectly suited to them¨Calbeit in an unusual way. Salarus passed on the spell to make these two miraculous creatures possible when you entered the Trial of Karthas together. They were necessary, as your soul needed an outlet for the power within you,¡± he turned to focus on a particularly elaborate series of runes, and Kade realized a fourth circle was forming in the only empty space left on the floor.


    Kade looked at Edwin and Graves, shaking his head. ¡°But they¡¯re not all, are they? You also gathered a newly minted Metallurgist, as well as the only person I¡¯ve ever heard of using Oblivion. What exactly are you going to do to them? Edwin is a friend, and Graves¡­well he doesn¡¯t deserve to be sacrificed in some kind of ritual.¡±


    Kade looked at Sal with even more trepidation. He was suddenly very aware that he was alone in a room with an Ancient Elder, and he had to wonder¨Cwas this man truly so different from the rest of his kind? Wrayeth was only a generation removed from Sythkara, and he¡¯d been completely open about conquering and slaughtering his way through the universe with his brothers.


    The tension only built as Syth took his time answering. At last his hands slowed and he was able to turn back to Kade. ¡°I understand your concern, and I wish I could tell you there was no danger, but Karavash is vastly powerful. As I said before, however, I am confident: my brothers were extraordinary warriors, and Karavash is not what he was¨Cnot yet at least.¡± He gestured with a nod at the circle he was forming in runes.


    ¡°This spell is designed to pull the excess power from you¨Cthe pieces of my brother that were trapped by the World Shaper. That power will flow into your familiars, but without Soul Cores of their own, they won¡¯t be much more than bloated Aspects. That is why your friends are here. They will bond¨C¡± he saw Kade¡¯s furrowed brow, ¡°temporarily, with the power and personalities of my brothers.


    ¡°Fear not, Kade. My brothers are truly dead. These will be mere sparks of the whole, and they will burn brightly for a short while before they fade entirely. Your friends can act as conduits, that is all. A true Soul Core continually generates power, but what¡¯s inside you is finite. It will be burned away by this spell, and my brothers will rest at last.¡±


    Kade struggled to understand it all, then had to ask the selfish question. ¡°And what about me? You¡¯re talking about tearing out pieces of my Soul, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a cruel man, Kade, just a tired one. There is no Aspect for Kadeus, as you¡¯ve no doubt realized. Nor is there one for myself,¡± he smirked at that for some reason before continuing. ¡°The smallest fraction of each of my brothers will always be a part of you, the World Shaper already used it to create you. The power of Kadeus, however, will be used to grant you his true power for a time, before it¡¯s consumed to restore your Soul Core.¡±


    His hands stopped moving as he turned to look Kade in the eyes, ¡°You will be your own person, truly and whole for the first time. No more unseen influences pulling you in different directions, just you.¡± He smiled then, his first full smile that Kade had seen. ¡°You are the legacy of myself and my brothers, Kade. Our Legend. I am proud and grateful that you¡¯ll survive us, to write a Legend of your own.¡±


    He turned and resumed his casting. Kade needed clarity, ¡°So when this is all over, I¡¯ll be just another Child of Korthos?¡± Syth visibly winced at the question for some reason, his hands slowing.


    ¡°I am the last Child of Korthos.¡± Kade raised an eyebrow, trying to understand the remark.


    ¡°I get that you and the princes were the biological children of Korthos, but I saw the visions, there was a whole generation of¨C¡±


    ¡°All dead,¡± Syth said with finality, and shame. ¡°They all died because of the decisions I made. An entire generation, wiped out completely.¡± Kade looked at the man in open confusion.


    ¡°But in the vision, those people I saw coming out of the fissure, and everyone I¡¯ve met, they all call themselves Children of Korthos.¡± Syth nodded.


    ¡°A worthy title, as my father shelters them still, but not an accurate one. You saw the Cycle at work in those final moments, but perhaps you don¡¯t understand the specifics. The Gods choose the most powerful being on Iros to create the next generation.¡± He looked pointedly at Kade, then repeated himself. ¡°On Iros.¡±


    ¡°And Korthos is¡­decidedly not on Iros. So, whose generation are they? Yours?¡± Syth somehow managed to look even more uncomfortable at the question.


    ¡°My power had already been drained when the Cycle began. Even now I can only work these spells because the energy ultimately won¡¯t come from me,¡± he sighed. ¡°There was only one being of any real power left on Iros at the time. If you needed to put a name to this generation, it would be Children of Kadeus.¡±


    Something embarrassingly close to a giggle escaped Kade¡¯s lips. ¡°All of them? Children of Me?¡± Syth could only shake his head in disapproval.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the same Kadeus, and the generational names don¡¯t apply the way they once did. These people have been breeding for a hundred thousand years, and their origin was far from typical. Not only were they created while one of the Gods was being torn apart, but the wave of Calm changed them forever. They¡¯re effectively a different species.¡±


    Kade couldn¡¯t hide his smile, even amidst such dark subject matter. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to tell Sal. This is hilarious.¡± The Sorcerer frowned at him.


    ¡°I sincerely suggest you keep that information to yourself. Even putting aside your own origin, challenging a fundamental aspect of an entire culture is a dangerous prospect.¡±


    ¡°Fine, fine, I get it. There¡¯s more important stuff to worry about anyway. So I¡¯ll rephrase: will I just be a regular Child of Kadeus then?¡± He just barely restrained a joke about being his own father.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. Even though your Soul Core will be less of a¨Cforgive me¨Cless of a mess than it was before. It will still be an Elder¡¯s Soul Core. You¡¯ve been affected by the Calm as well, so your physiology accepts ¡®Paths¡¯ as these people call them, but you don¡¯t truly share their limitations. Over time I imagine you¡¯ll discover some interesting implications of your unique heritage. And likely an equal number of challenges.¡±


    Kade considered his words, then asked another question he¡¯d been avoiding, ¡°And my memories? My time on Earth is mostly just¡­gone.¡± Once more Sythkara seemed uncomfortable before answering.


    ¡°I suspect your memories will return. You had five personalities, with millions of combined years of memories lying dormant in your Soul, and they all awoke to some extent when they returned home. A few decades on Earth are comparatively insignificant to a mind struggling to contain it all.¡± He looked at Kade, and shook his head slightly when he saw enthusiasm on the younger man¡¯s face.


    ¡°I have to warn you, Kade, you may not be glad for their return. You were never human. You were an Elder, with the instincts to conquer and destroy at the core of your being. I don¡¯t know what your life was like there, but it likely wasn¡¯t one of peace.¡± Kade¡¯s heart fell at that. For a single moment he¡¯d believed he would truly know himself for the first time, and now he was frightened of what that might mean.


    Then he thought about Karavash, and the people he¡¯d met here, and those he¡¯d lost. He gave himself one more moment to mourn his hope for a happy reunion with himself, then turned back to the present. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a problem for later. Let¡¯s talk about now. What¡¯s Karavash planning? I assume he wanted the World Shaper for more than just restoring his Soul. Is he after what I think he is?¡±


    ¡°His plans are truly ambitious. He¡¯s already begun his work in awakening the sleeping Elders, but that¡¯s nothing compared to what he¡¯s capable of. He¡¯s bringing back the Cycle, by restoring the Lost God.¡±


    ¡°More than that, I¡¯m afraid,¡± said a voice, and they turned to see Wrayeth rejoining them. ¡°I decided to make myself feel better by killing some Elders on the way back. It was fun at first, but then one spoke to me.¡± Syth turned to look at him in surprise.


    ¡°It should take thousands of years for an awakened Elder to regain enough of its mind to do more than operate on pure instinct,¡± he said.


    ¡°Well the conversation wasn¡¯t stimulating, if that makes you feel better. It was from the Kingdom of Al-tin Lere, and they were absolute idiots. But this was an Emerged idiot. Thankfully it must have been weak to start with or I wouldn¡¯t have been able to kill it with my bare hands, but you must understand what this means.¡±


    ¡°Karavash was just waking them up. But with the completed World Shaper he¡¯s rewriting their pathways.¡± Syth shook his head, refocusing on the spell. ¡°It¡¯s interesting, but doesn¡¯t change anything for us. We still need to stop him before he restores the Cycle and the Calm is destroyed.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps,¡± Wrayeth said, tapping an overly long finger against his lip in thought. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine he can restore many, as it must take some level of concentration. Of the forty-three I killed¨C¡± Kade¡¯s eyes widened at the number. The man had been gone for less than an hour. ¡°--only a single one had Emerged. If you ever finish your doodles and actually get to work, I¡¯m sure you can distract him enough to put a stop to that.¡±


    Sythkara smiled slightly, but didn¡¯t respond to the bait. Wrayeth wasn¡¯t done however, ¡°On the other hand, that group of Keepers is certainly going to be facing an interesting challenge. Well, good luck,¡± he said simply, then turned and began walking from the room.


    ¡°What!¡± Kade yelled in shock, ¡°You have to help them! If you can kill that many¨C¡± he was cut off as an ancient, withered hand gripped his wrist with surprising strength, and he turned on the old Sorcerer with fury, only to stop short at the look in the man¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°He did help them, trust me,¡± he said in a harsh whisper. ¡°I suspect he pushed as far as he could without losing himself entirely.¡± Kade took a step back, confused, and Syth continued. ¡°Never forget what he is. His need to conquer and destroy is beyond imagining. It only grows with power, and his has been building for millions of years. Every moment he sits in this lonely castle not leveling every civilization on Iros is a miracle. You must not push him. You mustn''t do anything he might perceive as a challenge, for the sake of us all.¡±


    Kade could only nod, an instinctual fear bubbling up inside him. ¡°The Keepers, though, we can¡¯t just leave them to die.¡± The Sorcerer sighed, returning to his runes, though Kade could see the circle was nearly complete.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, and what¡¯s more, I suspect our friends here would share your feelings. We¡¯ll have to change the plan slightly. Yourself, Drakus, and Psylaric should be more than enough to handle Karavash. Truthfully Sorcery is more suited to large scale combat anyway, so Salarus will use my power to save the Keepers.¡± Kade nodded in relief, then watched for a few minutes more as the other man finished preparing the spell.


    ¡°It is done,¡± Sythkara said with obvious relief. ¡°Please, enter the final circle, and have your companions join young Edwin and Graves in theirs.¡± Kade did as he was bid, and Drake and Alaric obediently followed suit. ¡°Karavash already weakened your connection to the powers within you, so this should be less traumatic than what you experienced with him, but expect discomfort.¡± Kade only nodded, desperate now to meet the fate he hadn¡¯t known awaited him.


    He anxiously watched the Sorcerer as he began to chant and gather power. The runes covering the room, already alive and burning, grew in intensity as the spell took effect. All at once he felt the tug at his Soul, and was simultaneously grateful and disturbed to feel far less resistance at the pull this time. It was like the power wanted out, and he felt it rushing through him, both familiar and not.


    Nearby, Drake and Alaric quivered and spasmed as the energy filled them. Kade tried to assure himself that they didn¡¯t seem pained, but he still regretted that they weren¡¯t truly capable of consenting to the mad plan they were part of. Willing or not, they did their duty as glowing runes from around the room crashed into them, reshaping them, and then seeming to force them toward their new hosts.


    The moment their bodies connected with Edwin and Graves, they seemed to explode into silver and black, and Kade couldn¡¯t see what was happening anymore. He turned his attention to Salarus, who seemed to be having an easier time of it as energy simply gathered around him, his body drinking it greedily. At last it was Kade¡¯s turn, and he braced himself for a change that didn¡¯t seem to come.


    He could feel energy growing within him, but it didn¡¯t feel foreign in the least. With a start he realized it was the same power he¡¯d be drawing from those few times he¡¯d peaked through the chains wrapped around his soul. He now understood that it was the original Kadeus¡¯ strength he¡¯d been tapping into, and indeed it had been a part of him since the beginning.


    But then he grew concerned. Something was wrong. The power inside him kept growing, but it wasn¡¯t going anywhere. It was like he was inflating, and he could feel his body straining to contain it all, and failing. He couldn¡¯t move, couldn¡¯t speak. With effort he managed to look at Syth, hoping to alert the man to the problem somehow, but the man was completely absorbed in what he was doing. Kade was going to explode.


    And then Wrayeth was there, standing directly in front of him, any trace of the jovial, laughing persona gone. It was the face of an uncaring Elder, inspecting a lesser being as one might an insect. Kade felt true terror as the tall man went to one knee, and began reaching out for Kade. What was happening? Was this always the plan? Had Syth lied to him?


    Kade struggled with all his will, but his body was truly on the verge of falling apart, and his efforts were in vain. He tensed as the enormous hand reached his chest, and all at once the power saturating every cell in his body was pulled inward, condensing inside him. Wrayeth¡¯s face screwed up in concentration as he seemed to be looking through Kade, and the wild energy slowly seemed to come under control.


    Not only did Kade¡¯s body suddenly feel more than capable of containing the seemingly limitless energy coursing through him, but he felt something new. Something he only barely recognized, but was definitely familiar. Wrayeth¡¯s hand withdrew, and the sardonic expression returned to the somewhat alien face.


    ¡°There, I helped. Again,¡± he said, and his voice truly was strained, as if he had just gone through an incredible effort. He stood up, clearly preparing to leave once more, but he spoke parting words that brought a grin to Kade¡¯s face.


    ¡°Congratulations, new Kadeus, I believe your people would call you a ¡®triple path¡¯ now. You¡¯re a Chaos Blade. Go wreak some havoc for both of us.¡±

 Chapter 52: Reunion

    Kade was still trapped in the stone room as the ritual continued around him. More than half of the runes that had once covered every surface had been consumed, and it appeared that the spell was nearly complete. His excitement grew as he explored the new power coursing through him.


    He was impatient for Syth finish as he nearly shook with the need to understand and unleash his new abilities. Trying to distract himself he forced his focus onto the bodies of Edwin and Graves, as the clouds of energy that had been his Aspects were resolving into the shapes that he recognized from both his recent visions.


    First to rise was Drakus, but his appearance was so familiar that Kade nearly doubted his own eyes. His armor was the same silver, but the thinly corded chains that had comprised his Aspect¡¯s body were replaced by chainmail over living flesh. A pure white cape stretched out behind him, falling from pauldrons that were far more functional and fitting than Drake¡¯s had been, and Kade had the impression this man valued speed far more than the heavy, brawny tactics of his familiar.


    Drakus looked confused for a moment, but when his eyes found Sythkara¨Cstill lost in the throws of spellcasting¨Chis helmet disappeared into nothing, and a face shockingly like Kade¡¯s own watched the Sorcerer with a look of melancholy. After a moment the reborn night turned to look at Kade, and the sad expression was replaced with a familiar half-grin, though it slowly faded as their eyes met. At last the man turned away, and watched the body of Graves, still covered in a dark mass.


    They were forced to wait for quite some time before Psylaric¡¯s form at last began to take shape. The eldest of the princes was something of a mystery to Kade, as even in the brief visions he¡¯d experienced, his brothers had looked at Psylaric as something other, possibly even something beyond them. He hadn¡¯t had a chance to ask what had made the man so unusual, but his mere appearance suggested the story was likely horrific.


    The man was far taller than his brothers, his body having something of the stretched out look that Wrayeth sported, though still within the realm of possibility for a human. Psylaric was only wearing loose-fitting black pants, leaving his upper body bare, again like his uncle¡¯s. His skin was deep tan, and his head was completely hairless.


    All this barely registered when compared to the man¡¯s face, which was so disturbing that Kade could barely register the rest of his appearance. Psylaric was eyeless, but not by design like some Edler¡¯s Kade had seen, instead it was only too obvious that his eyes had been crudely carved from his skull. His face was a mess of vicious, jagged scars, most centered over the man¡¯s empty eye sockets.


    Kade found himself hoping the Elder prince wouldn¡¯t find the need to look in his direction, as he couldn¡¯t hide his own horror and disgust at the ruins of the prince¡¯s face. He was also incredibly curious what could have caused such devastation, as a Child of Korthos with the power this man once wielded should have been capable of healing virtually any injury, nevermind the idea of scars of all things.


    Thankfully Kade could only describe Psylaric as imperious, and once he¡¯d regained his feet and inspected himself for a moment, he strode across the room toward Sythkara without sparing a glance for Kade. Although, he considered, the man might not need to look anywhere to see, given he clearly wasn¡¯t using his eyes.


    ¡°Forgive the delay, brothers. This man¨CGraves¨Crequired a great deal of convincing before he was willing to become my host. Once he understood the true identity of his former master was actually Karavash, his faith was sufficiently shaken.¡± Syth nodded, though his attention was on the last elements of the spell, as Salarus groaned nearby.


    ¡°I had no such trouble with this one,¡± Drakus said in response. ¡°Apparently father has been guiding him for some time. We are lucky that such loyalty and sense of duty exists in this world. I have suggested that ¡®Edwin Houseless¡¯ consider refounding the Paladins after we¡¯ve disposed of Karavash. He is worthy of the order.¡±


    Kade was listening intently, and nearly collapsed when he realized the hold of the spell had suddenly left him. Looking down, he saw that no runes remained around him, and that the remainder of the ritual was centered on Sal. He looked back to the reunited brothers, and was keenly aware of how much he felt like an outsider. He was not the Third Prince, and he felt like a pretender just being near such a familial bond.


    Instead, he decided to busy himself exploring his newly unlocked abilities. With some hesitation he looked down at the bracer, his suspicions of the device now greater than ever.


    Congratulations! You have unlocked your third path: Chaos Blade!


    Attributes have increased!


    New Abilities have been unlocked!


    Attention! Additional information acquired!


    Attention! Temporary power source detected! Temporary power boost is too great, and too unstable! Unable to calculate temporary power levels! Sorry, friend!


    Name: Kadeus [de¡¯Val]


    Race: Child of Korthos (Variant)


    Soul Core: Chains of Fate


    Rank: Primus (Triple-Path)


    Lifeforce: 100%


    Mana: 436/436


    Chaos: 912/912


    Strength: 45 (+6)


    Speed: 48 (+15)


    Endurance: 32 (+8)


    Magic: 31


    Energy: 64 (+17)


    Ancestral Totem 1: [Wrayeth de¡¯Val]


    Class: Chaos Energist


    Creed: Mine is the will that shapes worlds. Mine is the power that ends them.


    Ability 1: Chaos Energy Blast (Rank 9, 57%)


    Ability 2: Energy Construct (Rank 7, 72%)


    Ability 3: Aspect of Oblivion (Rank 1, 87%)


    Augmentations: Mentor¡¯s Amulet (Integrated!)


    Ancestral Totem 2: [Karavash]


    Class: Vanguard


    Creed: Ever moving, ever forward, ever fighting.


    Ability 1: Relentless Pursuit (Rank 8, 65%)


    Ability 2: Challenger¡¯s Might (Rank 6, 91%)


    Ability 3: (Tier 2) Aspect of Metallurgy (Rank 3, 42%)


    Augmentations: None


    Ancestral Totem 3: [Kadeus de¡¯Val]


    Class: Chaos Blade


    Creed: The power of the world is mine to shape.


    Ability 1: Master of Energy (Rank 0, 0%)


    Ability 2: Wrathful Strikes (Rank 0, 0%)


    Ability 3: Sealed


    Augmentations: None


    Kade¡¯s excitement grew. He understood that there was normally some hesitation about taking on too many Paths at once, but he suspected his unique circumstances made those concerns less of an issue. He greedily examined his increased power, then raised an eyebrow when he noticed that the origins of his Paths had been revealed.


    That his Energist powers came from Wrayeth was interesting, and he wondered if he¡¯d be able to take up the bracer¡¯s recommendation of training under the man. Obviously that would have to wait for a day when the strange Elder was less likely to destroy the world, but it was still a tempting prospect.


    Inheriting his final, double-S ranked class from the original Kadeus wasn¡¯t an enormous surprise now that he understood whose energy was inside him, but it was mildly disturbing to see he¡¯d inherited Vanguard from Karavash himself. He supposed it didn¡¯t matter in the grand scheme of things, but he didn¡¯t like that he¡¯d have to see that monster¡¯s name every time he looked at his bracer from now on.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Glancing up he saw that the brothers were having something akin to a reunion, and Sal still hadn¡¯t regained consciousness, so Kade excitedly dove into the descriptions of his new abilities.


    ABILITY Unlocked!


    [Master of Energy]: (Rank 0, 0%)


    Cost: None (Requires external energy source)


    Description: To the Chaos Blade, all energy is malleable. The universe is nothing but power held together by bonds that can be broken. The Chaos Blade may tear these bonds apart, strengthen them, or shift them. The Chaos Blade is power, and all power will return home.


    Kade re-read the description several times, certain he¡¯d missed something. It was definitely the most poetic skill description he¡¯d seen, but it didn¡¯t seem to really explain the ability. He considered that it might tie well to his Energist vision. Maybe he could move around the ambient Calm? Or perhaps it would even provide a safe way to deal with Chaos Sickness¨Cif he were ever brave enough to put himself through that again.


    Regardless, the ability didn¡¯t seem to have any obvious or immediate combat applications, and he knew he was about to be thrown into one of the most important battles this ancient world had ever known. Putting the odd ability aside for the moment, he turned to the second he¡¯d unlocked, and a grin split his face.


    ABILITY (Unlocked!)


    [Wrathful Strikes]: (Rank 0, 0%)


    Cost: Chaos (Minimal)


    Description: Every attack leaves behind a trace of volatile energy that will detonate at the user¡¯s command. The power of the blast grows non-linearly as more volatile energy accumulates inside the target. Causes additional damage to targets with unstable energy patterns.


    This was much better, and Kade could immediately see the applications of such a technique. There were a lot of challenges when battling truly powerful beings on Iros, one of which was the challenge of scale, which thus far he¡¯d made up for almost exclusively with the use of his massive sword Spite. The other was the frustration of fighting creatures that could heal almost any wound immediately.


    This ability seemed to be designed to counter both of those challenges beautifully. Not only would every attack leave behind a deadly explosive in its wake, but healing would no longer be the defense it once was. Especially since he could choose when to detonate the charges, this could be a brutal and effective surprise if used correctly.


    At last Sal¡¯s voice drew Kade from his quiet contemplation, and he looked up to see the tall Sorcerer standing with his eyes closed, and arms raised reverently to his sides. ¡°Master, this power, this pure Sorcery! I¡¯ve never experienced anything like it. And I know things. Truths I never imagined.¡± His eyes opened, and he looked to the far older man. ¡°How much of this knowledge can I keep?¡±


    Kade looked to Sythkara, and saw that the man was in far worse shape than he had been, evidently the spell had taken much. His voice was weak when he responded, ¡°There will be impressions, but those are not your thoughts or memories, they are mine. I suggest you find a few select revelations that have the greatest impact on your understanding, and ponder them as deeply as you can before the power leaves you. Hopefully they can help you after I¡¯ve gone.¡±


    Kade looked back to his friend, but could see from his lack of surprise that he was at least mostly aware of what was going on. Sal looked at Kade in turn, and gave a shrug of acceptance, before moving to join the three in the center of the room. Kade smiled, his friend¡¯s simple gesture seemed to say ¡®I guess this is happening¡¯, and somehow it brought him comfort.


    He moved to join the group, finding it a lot easier now that Sal was there. Suddenly he didn¡¯t feel entirely like the odd man out. All three princes turned to look at Kade as he approached, and he felt the weight of the complex emotions being played out in each. He was so close to their lost brother, but not. This was so close to a happy reunion, but not.


    Even if Karavash fell as planned, only Kade and Sal could hope to survive this day.


    Drakus broke the tension, ¡°It was hard enough growing up with a twin brother, now I¡¯m a triplet,¡± he said with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Good thing we¡¯re handsome?¡± Kade responded, and Drakus¡¯ smile was out done only by the grimaces of the three other men.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this,¡± rasped Psylaric, and Kade had to force himself to look at the man without cringing. ¡°Kade, under better circumstances I would be overjoyed to accept you as a brother, and discover what kind of bond truly exists between us. However, Karavash has been left unchecked for too long already.¡±


    Sythkara nodded, ¡°I can¡¯t say how long this spell will last, but if you use up the small reserves of your energy inside these vessels, it will be over immediately. There will be no more farewells, so let this stand in for one. I am grateful to have been given this chance to see you both once more; even the shadow of Kadeus is a gift, and I have missed you all terribly.¡±


    The sentiment was met with stunned silence, but a smile slowly grew on Drakus¡¯ face, and Psylaric gently placed a hand on Syth¡¯s shoulder¨Cthough his expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°We¡¯ve said our goodbyes before,¡± the scarred man replied, ¡°I¡¯ll accept these extra moments as a boon, and the revenge as more than that, but I am at peace.¡±


    ¡°I as well,¡± Drakus said sadly, and he in turn put a hand on Kade and Psylaric¡¯s shoulders. ¡°One last battle, brothers.¡±


    ¡°Wrayeth,¡± Psylaric said after a moment, ¡°He¡¯s near. Will he not help?¡±


    ¡°The urge to conquer is too strong,¡± SythKara replied, and the elder brother nodded in understanding. ¡°Salarus, your Keepers are falling as we speak, you should depart while you can.¡± Sal¡¯s face immediately turned serious.


    ¡°Of course. Good luck to all of you, I¡¯m sure you understand that the fate of a people rests on your shoulders.¡± He gave Kade one last smile, then turned and began to walk from the room. He¡¯d only taken a few steps when he stopped with a laugh. His hand came up and performed a few quick gestures, and suddenly a portal opened before him, light shining through. He glanced back once more, and with a nod, disappeared through the doorway of light that immediately snapped shut behind him.


    At last it was just Kade and the brothers, and no one seemed to know what to say. Kade¡¯s mind worked through everything he knew, and realized there were still a couple of things to clarify before they left. ¡°Syth, will these two need to hold their powers in the way Wrayeth did? This will be pretty tough if I¡¯m the only one at a hundred percent.¡±


    The ancient mage shook his head, ¡°Their power is being filtered through the Soul Cores and bodies of their hosts. They will have access to their full strength, though for a limited time, as you know.¡± Kade nodded, expecting something like that, but not wanting to be surprised later.


    ¡°One other thing,¡± Kade continued, ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯re all setting out to destroy Karavash, he obviously has it coming. But is that enough to stop everything he¡¯s doing? What about the World Shaper?¡± This time both Drakus and Psylaric looked at their brother with curiosity.


    ¡°The World Shaper has no will of its own. Kill Karavash and whatever it¡¯s doing should be stopped. If you fear you can¡¯t defeat him in time, destroy it, steal it, throw it into the sun, anything. Truthfully we don¡¯t know enough about it to be certain what will work, but we know it must be stopped.¡± The brothers and Kade nodded.


    ¡°I must stay here to maintain the spell, but it¡¯s time for you all to go. I¡¯m afraid we won¡¯t see each other again.¡± This was met with resigned nods from the two brothers, and Kade felt like he was intruding once more, until Syth turned to him.


    ¡°Kade, a final warning. You are connected to the power of our lost brother, and when you enter battle I expect there will likely be some bleed-through of his consciousness. It won¡¯t overpower you¨Cthe connection isn¡¯t strong enough, but you will likely find yourself remembering fragments of a life that isn¡¯t your own. Stay focused, and use it, if you can.¡± Kade nodded, not entirely comfortable with what the man had said.


    ¡°We¡¯ve delayed long enough,¡± came Psylaric¡¯s voice at last. ¡°I can sense Karavash, follow me.¡± He turned and strode from the room without another word, and Drakus just let out a small laugh before following, with a gesture to Kade to do the same.


    It was time.


    ***


    Gwen watched Jothus¡¯ massive form fall under the weight of two tremendous Elders, and didn¡¯t even have time to worry for him as she was forced to take cover behind the heavy shield of Eleonora. The last desperate stand of the Keepers was coming to an end, and she no longer had any sense of how many remained. Everything since they¡¯d lost Bandal and Lothros was just a blur of battle and death.


    Their forces had been cut back so greatly that the enemy had managed to surround them, and now they were reduced to an ever-weakening circle with no possibility of retreat. Gwen¡¯s own body felt like it was barely holding together, and she didn''t think there was anyone left who wasn¡¯t fighting wounded. Eleonora herself no longer had the strength to regrow the two arms she¡¯d lost, and even as Gwen cowered behind the woman¡¯s remaining shield, she could sense that her protector wouldn¡¯t be able to take much more.


    More than a dozen Elders were now attacking simultaneously, and even though none were above third tier, the weakened Keepers had simply been fighting for too long. Soon one of the lines would break, and it would all be over. It was almost a comfort at this point. Their lives seemed to have consisted of nothing but pain for such a long time, and rest¨Ceven permanent rest, felt like a tempting peace.


    Gwen looked up as tides of energy poured over Eleonora, and saw that the woman was looking down at her. They exchanged no words, made no final pronouncements of hope or regret, just shared a moment of clarity: it was over.


    The world seemed to darken with that revelation, and Gwen welcomed it. Something about dying in the brightness of a beautiful sunny day had felt wrong, and she longed for tranquility of night. Then she realized it truly was getting darker, and she forced herself to look up. One of the larger Elders must have finally broken through, blocking out the sun itself as some show of power.


    But it wasn¡¯t that. She stared upward in confusion, and Eleonora followed her gaze. The sky was turning black, as dozens of dark circles seemed to materialize from nowhere. Soon the sounds of battle slowed, as even some of the massive Elders appeared to be looking at the pockmarked sky in confusion. And then the world went mad.


    From those circles emerged enormous, burning chunks of rock, showering down by the hundreds. For a moment, Gwen¡¯s numb mind just accepted this as a slightly more colorful end to a life she knew was over, but slowly she realized the meteors were only striking the endless monster hordes that stretched out for leagues in every direction.


    She stood up in confusion, all thought of self defense forgotten in her confusion and surprise, but thankfully the enemy had no more time to consider the Keepers as more odd spectacles took place. New portals appeared, these ones lower to the ground and moving erratically around the field. From within came columns of burning plasma, as if the sun itself was being poured like liquid onto the enemy, disintegrating them with its fury.


    Storm clouds were next, and soon lightning strikes joined the chaotic display as countless monsters died all around them. Only the Elders had managed to survive the initial assaults, though each showed devastating injury, and they seemed to be searching for any kind of escape as they backed away from the Keeper lines. This proved a mistake, as yet more displays of power appeared once the enormous beings were no longer surrounded by Keepers.


    One Elder was torn limb from limb as portals opened all around it, and demonic arms reached forth from every direction to pull the screaming behemoth into some unknown hell. Another Elder was crushed by an enormous boulder that rolled with remarkable accuracy across the battlefield, devastating anything in its path. Everywhere Gwen looked there were energies and elements of every conceivable type and color, and remarkably, it appeared they had been saved.


    The Keepers with the strength to do so were standing up, looking around in confusion and tenuous hope, still unsure of what miracle had come. At last Gwen spotted him, his familiar hat and flowing cloak billowing in the wind identifying him immediately as Salarus deL¡¯estat, descending from above like some kind of vengeful god. Power seemed to radiate from him, and there could be no doubt that it was his remarkable Sorcery that had saved all their lives.


    ¡°Damn that man,¡± she said in a tired, disbelieving whisper.

 Chapter 53: Rematch

    As Kade forced more and more of a dead man¡¯s power through his body, the world went by faster and faster. It felt strangely natural, and yet not, all at once. The landscape was a blur, sometimes briefly recognizable as water, forest, or dusty plains. At first he could tell that the two men he followed were holding back on his account, but once he¡¯d gotten used to manipulating energy at such a scale, they were all running full-out.


    So this is Finalis, Kade thought, as he struggled not to lose himself in the overflowing power coursing through him. The world seemed small to him now, not just because he was capable of moving across it so quickly, but also because his senses had expanded, and he could feel that for this short time, he was an apex predator. There was almost nothing on or inside this deadly, threatening world that was a match for him.


    And he reveled in it.


    It felt like this was the purpose of his life, of his journey, to attain ultimate strength and then direct it at his enemies. The feeling was intoxicating, and he wondered if this was a taste of what he¡¯d been warned about: the true nature of an Elder Soul. Thankfully his two almost-brothers were a stabilizing influence.


    Not only were his feelings of grandeur diminished by being so close to two similar powers, but he found that the more he channeled Kadeus¡¯ energy, the more familiar these men seemed. It was an interesting, and confusing feeling, as¨Cin some ways¨Chis mind felt lighter than it ever had. As if only now that their influence was gone could he tell that there had been other wills pushing him from within.


    On the other hand, Kadeus was still there, and more powerful than ever. It was different, as he had a great deal more in common with his namesake, and so the influence felt subtle. He knew he would never give up, and that he had an almost palpable need to never stop charging forward, but these feelings seemed to have always been with him. They were simply amplified.


    He could sense they were nearing Karavash, and he pushed away his reverie. Kade noted that they were actually returning to the massive corpse that was once their enemy, and with a start he noticed he could actually feel the raging battle of the Keepers nearby. Sal¡¯s power shone like a beacon in his mind, and he contented himself knowing that the talented Sorcerer would stop at nothing to protect their comrades.


    Turning his attention back to the other two men, he realized they were signaling that they should stop at a nearby mountain peak. Moments later, they came to an abrupt stop, high in the Karavash mountain range. It was jarring to suddenly be standing still, and Drakus had to put a steadying hand on his shoulder. When he¡¯d recovered, he followed his senses to find their target on a distant summit.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised he knows how to do that,¡± rasped Psylaric. ¡°He must have learned something in this new age.¡± Drakus looked as unsure as Kade, and shrugged. Once more Psylaric reacted without turning. ¡°The World Shaper is embedded in the mountain, and the ritual is in progress as we believed. However, he¡¯s erected a shield of power around the site, including within the stone,¡± he sighed. ¡°It¡¯s Soul-tethered.¡±


    Drakus cursed, then noticed Kade¡¯s lack of understanding. ¡°Soul-tethered means he¡¯s tied the shield directly to his own Soul Core. Hitting it is like hitting him; it will draw energy directly from him. Very dangerous unless you¡¯re exceptionally powerful, as a stationary shield is far easier to damage than a rapidly dodging warrior.¡±


    Kade considered, ¡°So we have to attack it, or him, enough to bring the shield down? I suppose that doesn¡¯t change the plan much.¡±


    ¡°Except that the ritual will continue while we do so,¡± Psy said. ¡°It means we have even less time than we¡¯d hoped. Are you both¨C¡± he cut off as a laugh rang out above them.


    ¡°No, please, take your time,¡± said the man Kade had once known as Lothros. He was hovering just above them, his battlestaff held in two hands before him, while the other two arms glowed with power, clenched into fists. The perfect face looked down, at them, with the confidence of the already victorious, and his horns gleamed in the sunlight.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this. The Princes have returned! To think on this marvelous and historic day you¡¯d give me the gift of your inevitable deaths once more,¡± Drakus¡¯ silver helm slammed shut, and a familiar silver spear appeared in his hands. At the same time, the world seemed to darken around Psylaric as the man prepared himself. Karavash laughed again.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find it won¡¯t be as easy to dodge and hide this time,¡± the false priest chided. Psylaric looked from Drakus to Kade, who grinned hungrily. Then the battle was joined.


    ***


    Salarus had never imagined such power was possible. The elements were his to command, all of them. There were numerous forces that his people didn¡¯t even know qualified as such, like light, darkness, and even a spark of something divine, all of which heeded his magical call.


    He floated protectively over the ranks of remaining Keepers, Bringers, and Priests of Karthas who had some difficult days ahead of them. He¡¯d surrounded the remnants of the army with walls of stone, ice, and even a dome of energy composed of several elements woven together. They were now safe enough for him to truly unleash his master¡¯s power.


    When he¡¯d met the mysterious ancient Sorcerer as a child, he¡¯d been forced to take a great deal on faith. The man could do remarkable things, to be sure, and his knowledge was extensive, but ¡®Sythkara¡¯--as he now knew him to be¨Chad barely been capable of any significant displays of power. Still, his master had helped him to form his first spells, and earned his trust over the years.


    Now he had a taste of what the man had once been capable of, and he was truly in awe. His wildest imaginings of what the ultimate expression of sorcery may be capable of were nothing as compared to the power he now wielded, and he had just enough of his Master¡¯s memories inside him to understand that he was still using magic like a hammer, whereas Sythkara was a conductor, a surgeon, and more.


    Still, each moment that past seemed to reveal another secret, another method, another avenue for the magic to follow. As the waves of monsters and Elders didn¡¯t slow, Sal was enjoying testing an ever-growing array of powers, the latest of which explored a knowledge of dimensions he couldn¡¯t have guessed at. Portals opened to places composed entirely of foreign energies, which erupted in different colors to wash over his enemies like waves of destruction.


    Some of the creatures were incinerated, others frozen to the smallest building blocks of matter, and yet more met fates as disturbing as they were fascinating. One dimension had unleashed nothing visible, but hundreds of monsters had aged to crumbling dust in seconds, something Sal didn¡¯t even know was possible on Iros. He didn¡¯t dare tap that dimension again.


    Thankfully Salarus was an academic at heart, as he sensed that his friend Kade might have been bored by now. No creature here, certainly not the lowly beasts, and not even the most powerful Elders that ceaselessly charged his position were any real threat. Sal was content to enjoy the experience as the masterclass in magic that it was, and be grateful for this chance to save the forces of Karthas.


    It wasn¡¯t until his second hour of slaughter that anything changed. Salarus had begun to worry that his borrowed power would run out before the seemingly endless hordes of monsters, and he¡¯d shifted some of his focus to a tactical retreat. Anton, augmented through spells to be larger than most Elders, was slowly but steadily marching back toward Karthas, with the entire camp of Keepers now ripped from the ground, and resting on his back.


    Sal was fighting a slightly more engaging battle as he was forced to fly around his enlarged companion to defend from attacks on all sides¨Cas well as some from below, as Elders occasionally burst from the ground. They were making steady progress when Salarus felt something that shouldn¡¯t be possible. One of his spells, left to devastate the ranks behind them, had somehow cut off early.


    For a desperate moment Sal thought his master¡¯s power had run out, but he could still feel it, strong as ever. He raced back behind Anton to investigate, and was surprised to see an extremely unusual Elder approaching. The being was large, though not especially so, likely no more than thirty meters tall, and it was wearing a cloak.


    Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    The massive black garment was shredded from age, but still covered most of the strange being, with a dark hood pulled up to hide the face in darkness. Most unusual of all, the Elder wasn¡¯t walking, but was hovering over the battlefield, approaching at a steady pace. Sal couldn¡¯t see any legs beneath the torn, trailing ends of the dark cloak, but six arms were held out to its sides, peeking out of dark, billowy sleeves.


    Salarus found himself staring at the unusual Elder, as thoughts strained to coalesce in his mind. As the ominous being grew closer, he realized that each of the hands were moving in a series of very intentional gestures, and his eyes widened in shock when enormous glyphs began to appear around the Elder. There were six glyphs¨Cone for each arm¨Cand they resolved into enormous crystals of different colors, each orbited by countless smaller runes.


    It was the sight of the robed Elder surrounded by the floating crystals that finally triggered a memory that was partly his master¡¯s, and partly his own from his trials. He was facing Alomagus, the first Sorcerer.


    ***


    With every moment that passed, Kade felt more in sync with his brothers. As Drakus descended from high above to lance into Karavash, Kade knew his role was to slash from the side, Spite glowing with power. Their enemy countered both strikes, but they were merely feints, granting Psy the opening he needed to send yet another blast of pure Oblivion through the frustrated Karavash.


    The battle had been an uneven thing at first, as all four were struggling with complex circumstances. Karavash was new to this level of power¨Cat least in his current form, and he clearly didn''t have the battle experience that the princes possessed. Kade was not only struggling with a level of power he wasn¡¯t completely familiar with, but the effortless way the other three moved from fighting on the mountain, to the air, and back, was something still beyond him.


    For the princes¡¯ parts, they had fought for ages with nearly limitless energy, and now every blast, every injury, shortened their very limited lives, and they had to ration what was once plentiful beyond belief. Add to all this that the shield was an extremely tempting target, and the battle had been chaos for a time.


    Any time one of the three brothers attacked the shield, Karavash would be forced to turn his focus on them. In turn, the attacker would be distracted and risk taking considerable damage from their opponent, who had proved to be extremely destructive. After a time, an unspoken agreement to ignore the shield and focus on each other had come to pass, and now they battled in earnest.


    Kade was increasingly able to draw on the experience of his namesake, and he¡¯d managed to use his familiar powers in new and interesting ways. Orbs of Chaos now spun around him, independently sending blasts at Karavash whenever there was an opening, and every swing of his blade would send an arc of deadly energy at his opponent.


    Still the ancient Elder was more than his match, and he expertly deflected most attacks with his wicked battlestaff, and sent devastating blasts of purple energy back at Kade to punish every attempt. Karavash had an enormous advantage in that he could fight defensively, while time won the battle for him. Every moment that passed not only meant the end of the princes was closer, but Kade could now see the World Shaper at work.


    Kade risked another glance at the shield and saw that nearly a third of the runes inside were now alight, and he felt dread rise up inside him. Karavash needed to go down, and soon, and he was painfully aware that he was the weak link among the brothers. Not only was his ability in combat infantile compared to the veteran warriors, but he¡¯d yet to make any real use of his new Chaos Blade powers.


    Master of Energy was still a mystery to him, and Wrathful Strikes was virtually worthless when he could barely land a strike on the agile Elder. He felt like he was letting down not just brothers, but the entire world as he ineffectually swung at Karavash for the hundredth time. True, he was now able to follow his brothers¡¯ lead, but he could barely contribute, and was little more than a distraction.


    He knew what he needed, though he feared it at the same time. Knowing there was no other choice, he reached deep inside himself, and pulled. More and more of Kadeus¡¯ power came flooding into him, until he felt like he would burst from it, and then he pulled even harder. He felt like he must be glowing from the energy, and he was certainly shaking with it, but it also had the intended effect.


    Memories, and combat instincts from tens of thousands of battles raced into him, and Kade felt transformed. Miraculously he still felt like himself, but it was as if the long dead Third Prince guided him as he leaped back into battle. He now wielded the massive sword in one hand, feeling weightless as he rapidly attacked from every angle. At the same time, his other hand sent continuous blasts of Chaos into Karvash whenever the Elder was distracted by the blade.


    Soon Psy and Drak were there as well, all attacking Karavash in perfect harmony, and their opponent looked desperate for the first time. Kade heard himself laughing as the battle finally turned in their favor.


    ***


    Salarus had long been convinced that the name ¡®Alomagus the Weak¡¯ was merely a hateful moniker given to the first Sorcerer by his enemies, and now saw for himself the grim truth of that. He understood that each of the summoned crystals was tied to an element, and Alomagus used them deftly to send a continuous series of attacks toward Sal and Anton.


    The attacks were basic compared to what Salarus was now capable of, but where his magic was based on clever tactics, his opponent wielded Sorcery like every spell was a bludgeoning weapon of impossible scale and force. Salarus had erected shields at first, and felt them shattered as the powerful beams of ancient magical power crashed through them.


    He¡¯d quickly realized that going shot for shot with this Sorcerer of Legend was madness, and instead focused on deflecting the attacks as best as he was able. The trick of elemental combat was understanding how best to counter each type, and thankfully Sal was now capable of producing each spell¡¯s opposite. As the blasts continued unceasingly, he slowly fell into a rhythm, and soon his confidence had returned.


    Unfortunately, Alomagus wasn¡¯t as limited as the other Elders that Salarus had been carving his way through, and the massive Sorcerer soon demonstrated that its grasp of magic was beyond the simple elements. Sal was planning how he¡¯d turn his defense into a counterattack when he sensed Anton¡¯s distress. Looking back, he saw the massive stone Aspect being blasted from powerful attacks from either side, and his jaw dropped when he spotted two more identical copies of Alomagus casting spells freely.


    Salarus reacted with speed brought on by desperation, as the shields protecting the Keepers wavered under the powerful, sustained attacks. Flying directly above the shield, Sal struggled to split his attention in as many directions as possible, countering more than half of the eighteen blasts of various energy coming from all around him. The strain was on more than just his mind, as he could now actually feel his master¡¯s power being consumed under the assault.


    Sal couldn¡¯t understand how such power was possible in an awakened Elder. The others he¡¯d fought had lumbered around, seeming barely sentient, and yet this one was casting spells with power and strategy that was far beyond mindless cunning. With a start, Salarus realized the truth. Alogmagus had Emerged, his mind and power weren¡¯t simply intact, they were elevated to an entirely new level.


    ***


    Kadeus was winning. He felt his blade bite into Karavash for the dozenth time in a span of moments, only to tactically retreat just in time for Drak to slash in with his spear, followed by wave after wave of bladed metal. The moment that attack completed, Psy was there, his fists lost in a blur as they struck, each leaving an empty void where Elder flesh had been.


    It was easy. At last Kadeus understood the confidence that Sythkara had expressed, as the brothers had fought truly countless battles over their long lives, and many supposedly more powerful opponents had fallen exactly like this. Kadeus once more slashed in, simultaneously channeling an explosive blast of Chaos into Karavash¡¯s eyes, before retreating once more, this time with Psy taking advantage of the opening.


    Kadeus risked another glance at the shield, which now visibly quivered at every strike its Soul-tethered master endured, and saw that the runes were slowly approaching their half-way point. A distinct inner ring of symbols was now beginning to glow, and the Third Prince worried that this heralded some key part of the ritual nearing completion, and he raced back into battle.


    The minutes ticked by as Karavash endured attack after attack, his body healing as rapidly as the brothers could do damage, and Kadeus pulled more and more energy from the depleting well of power within him. His mind turned to their father, watching from overhead, and he wondered what the unknowable man thought of this final confrontation. Did it bring him pride, or would he be saddened to see the Cycle of violence that was Iros still existed in some way.


    Kadeus was so distracted by the thrill of combat, and the joy of fighting alongside his brothers, that at first he didn¡¯t hear the slow, rhythmic sounds echoing through the mountains. The four were locked in the duel of an age, and none were watching their surroundings. As such, all were blindsided by the unexpected attack, and only battle instincts honed over ages saved Kadeus from being crushed beneath a hand of impossible scale.


    His dodge sent him careening into a cliffside, and he felt the stone shatter behind him, but he had a perfect view of the newcomer. Karthas, in all his glory, had emerged from behind a nearby mountain, one hand wrapped around its peak, while another withdrew from the devastation his attack had caused. The four-armed Ancient was grinning as he looked down at the comparatively miniscule warriors.


    ¡°Father! I¡¯ve arrived at the battle at last. Apologies for my lateness, but I had some things to consider. When I saw the miraculous way your old body had been reshaped by the Gods, I knew my own path was clear,¡± the enormous Elder began to glow ominously. ¡°Now, allow me to show you what true power is!¡± and then the battle began anew.

 Chapter 54: Reckoning

    Kadeus retreated when the massive Elder that was Karthas began firing blasts of energy from each of his impossibly large hands. Moving behind a suitably distant mountain peak, Kadeus was soon joined by his brothers. Karthas seemed content to ignore them, though Karavash wasn¡¯t so lucky, as a trail of explosions followed his every move.


    ¡°This was unexpected,¡± Psylaric said while leaning back against the cool stone.


    ¡°We should have sensed his presence long before he arrived. Being able to disguise it¡­¡± Drakus added contemplatively.


    ¡°Is as remarkable as what he is,¡± Psy finished, and Kadeus raised an eyebrow. ¡°He Emerged in our time, with power great enough to be considered a threat. Now, it appears he¡¯s Emerged for a second time; I¡¯ve never heard of such a thing.¡±


    ¡°His power, and what he said,¡± Kadeus replied, while reaching out with his mind to explore the energy that seemed barely contained by the massive Elder. ¡°I had a vision of Karavash, I felt what the Gods did to him. I think Karthas tried to do the same to himself¡­though,¡± he shook his head and turned back to his brothers, ¡°thankfully I don¡¯t think it¡¯s quite at the level of his progenitor.¡±


    All three ducked as the top of the mountain they were sheltering behind exploded above them as Karavash raced by, sending a series of counter attacks toward the giant. Drakus lowered the shield he¡¯d erected above them and spoke in an irritated whisper, ¡°This complicates things, but I don¡¯t believe it changes our goals.¡±


    ¡°It might make it easier to achieve them, in fact,¡± Psy said, then shook his head angrily. ¡°I¡¯m wrong. I¡¯m thinking like myself, not this shadow that I¡¯ve become,¡± he let out a long sigh. ¡°Karavash should be easier to weaken, but we¡¯ll still need to deal with Karthas¡­all with the mere morsels of power left within us.¡±


    Drak nodded in sympathy, and Kadeus spoke into the uncomfortable silence. ¡°We know what we need to do then, just defeat them at the same time.¡± Even Psy chuckled at the audacity of the assertion, and Kadeus grinned. ¡°We know how to do this. We¡¯ve done it more times than I can remember. We take the battle up close, Karavash follows suit or we blast the hell out of his shield.¡±


    The brothers looked at each other, knowing they had no other options, then as one they turned and charged back at Karthas. The enormous being was enraged, as Karavash moved too rapidly for the continuous attacks to connect. Drakus landed suddenly on the Elder¡¯s head, his spear penetrating deeply then bursting into bladed shards which scythed through flesh.


    Karthas roared in fury, two hands reaching up to slap and paw desperately at the insect-sized warrior carving into his skull. A moment later Psylaric was there, powered fists slamming into the Elder¡¯s chest, knocking him off balance. Kravash, watching from a safe distance, began laughing at his progeny¡¯s predicament, but his joy was short-lived as Kadeus unleashed a flurry of attacks on the nearby shield protecting the World Shaper.


    Karavash¡¯s scream of rage echoed that of Karthas as he raced to protect the artifact. Kadeus felt the man¡¯s approach and Spite met battlestaff in an explosion of force and power. ¡°Why do you persist in this nonsense?¡± the former priest hissed as he pushed forward. ¡°I can sense how you were made, and you¡¯re not one of the fools of this time. Surely you can feel how wrong everything is? The world is broken!¡±


    Kadeus abruptly stepped back and let Karavash¡¯s momentum send him directly into an outstretched elbow. He followed the blow with a devastating slash of Spite, carving into the older man¡¯s flesh. ¡°When was this world anything other than wrong, ancient one? Give these people their peace and find yours in the ground!¡±


    Karavash recovered, then smiled wickedly as he looked past the shield to the glowing runes surrounding the artifact. ¡°I think peace is off the table, prince.¡± Kadeus followed his gaze and saw that more than half of the symbols now glowed ominously, and he could feel power flowing outward from the World Shaper already.


    ¡°What is this, what have you done?¡± he asked, unable to keep the desperation from his voice.


    ¡°Take solace, you and your brothers will be dead before you need to find out!¡± he cried, then rushed forward into another attack. Kadeus strained to hold to the plan, drawing Karavash toward Karthas. The former priest must have known what he was doing, but there was no other option¨Che had to protect the shield, which was already close to breaking.


    Then the battle became true madness. Four monstrously powerful warriors ran up and down the body of a city sized giant, who swatted wildly at them between devastating eruptions of energy. Nearby, runes continued to light as time ticked away.


    ***


    Salarus had never been pushed like this before. Despite reaching heights of power he hadn¡¯t known were possible, he found himself continually struggling to meet the relentless onslaught of attacks that Alomagus sent toward the lumbering form of Anton. His loyal companion continued slowly plodding along, each step bringing the Keeper army closer to home, and leaving ever more pieces of itself behind.


    Sal deflected another particularly deadly strike, struggling with the exertion. The Elder he assumed was the original Alomagus had taken to combining all six of its elemental crystals¡¯ power into a devastating singular beam, and Sal feared what would happen if it ever connected with the increasingly injured Anton.


    Unfortunately, the constant barrage of attacks had locked Sal into an entirely defensive position, and he knew he was running out time to defeat the first Sorcerer. He risked a glance through his elaborate shield, and saw hundreds of sets of eyes staring up at him with a mixture of hope and fear. Soon it would be over, one way or another.


    Salarus began working on a plan. The solution to this battle had always seemed obvious, even if that didn¡¯t make it easy. Alomagus wasn¡¯t really that different from most Elders: he was enormously powerful, but his abilities were relatively simplistic. Primitive, really, with the possible exception of his remarkable duplication trick.


    The answer, of course, was for Sal to use his superior versatility. That said, for what felt like an age he¡¯d been forced to desperately scramble back and forth to protect Anton and the Keepers. If he was going to make this work, he¡¯d need to take a chance, and that terrified him.


    Gathering his power, he began to work on a complex piece of magic, something that should even the odds. In his mind, he heard Anton¡¯s screams of pain as elemental strikes lanced through its massive stone form. Salarus forced his eyes shut against the agony he felt in those cries, and focused on his spell. He needed to be ready for his moment¡­and finally it came.


    The true Alomagus had gathered its strength, and was once more preparing to use its powerful beam attack. Sal had to time this perfectly, as he knew he would only be able to manage this once. Not only would his opponent be unlikely to fall for the same trick twice, but Salarus could tell he was draining a worrying amount of his master¡¯s power for this one opportunity.


    It seemed to happen all at once. Alomagus unleashed his attack, trying to take advantage of, and possibly distract Sal from what he was clearly preparing. Each of the elemental crystals released a ray of continuous energy that met in front of the Elder, coalescing into an enormous blast of multicolored power, surging toward the Keepers with deadly purpose.


    In the instant before the destructive surge of energy collided with the shield, a portal ripped its way into existence. The attack passed directly through it, only to appear through another portal on the opposite side of the battlefield¨Cright behind one of Alogmagus¡¯s copies. It passed through the simulacrum with no apparent difficulty, but Sal wasn¡¯t done.


    Another portal, and another angle of attack. And another, and another, alternating rapidly between the two copies. Alomagus¡¯s own power carved through his doppelgangers a dozen times over, before at last they both dissolved into nothing. Exhausted, Sal opened a final portal, turning the power back onto the original caster, but by then it had burned through almost all of its energy, and Alomagus contemptuously knocked it aside.


    But Salarus was smiling. He could only imagine how much of its power the Elder had forced into those copies for them to have been so destructive, and as drained as he felt, he sensed his foe wasn¡¯t much better off. Now the battle could truly be decided.


    ***


    Kadeus was being pushed to his limit, and he sensed the same was true for everyone involved in this mad battle. He was charging endlessly upward and across Karthas¡¯ massive form, finally putting Wrathful Strikes to good use, as Spite endlessly flickered back and forth, carving hundreds, then thousands of wounds into the Elder.


    Whenever he was forced to reposition, or one of his brothers needed a distraction, he would jump away from the Elder, and with a snap of his finger¨Cstyle mattered¨Cthe accumulated energy would explode. The technique was as effective as Kadeus had hoped, and enormous chunks of Karthas were obliterated as if they were nothing, leaving gaping wounds the Elder had to desperately heal.


    Kadeus intentionally focused on the arms and legs as much as possible, knowing that they provided the greatest distraction as the behemoth was alternately forced down to one knee, or furiously regrowing an entire arm as his rage echoed throughout the mountains. Drakus and Psylaric made good use of these moments, carving into the Ancient with their own impressive abilities, or punishing Karavash when they could.


    Truthfully though, none of the Princes were as effective at distracting their opponents as the ¡®father¡¯ and ¡®son¡¯ were at distracting each other. ¡°DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD FOLLOW YOU, OLD FOOL!?¡± bellowed Karthas.


    ¡°I think that following me would have been your greatest accomplishment, you spoiled child!¡± returned Karavash as he sent a series of attacks directly into his progeny¡¯s face.


    ¡°I WOULD SOONER CHOOSE DEATH!¡± roared, Karthas. ¡°AS I CHOSE FOR THAT DISRESPECTFUL FILTH, ALTERA!¡±


    This, at least, seemed to give Karavash pause. ¡°You killed her!?¡± he screamed, while hovering directly in front of the Elder. ¡°Altera was a pawn, but she was my pawn! I knew she lacked the courage to defy me!¡± Their heated exchange was forced to a stop as the brothers took advantage of their distraction.


    Metal exploded through Karthas¡¯ chest, as Oblivion tore through Karvash¡¯s side, disintegrating two of his arms. As they both tried to recover, hundreds of black chains suddenly wrapped around the ailing former priest, pulling him tight against the massive Elder¡¯s face. Before they had a chance to question this odd maneuver, a finger snap echoed, followed by a tremendous explosion of white-hot energy, centered right where the two were forced together.


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    The heated five-way battle returned to its previous rhythm then, with everyone involved now feeling the strain of the continued intensity. Kadeus was still uncomfortably aware of the ticking clock that was the runes, now nearly three-quarters full. There wasn¡¯t much longer before the World Shaper would be ready to unleash the Lost God.


    ***


    Things weren¡¯t going the way Salarus had imagined. Once he¡¯d brought down the copies of Alomagus, he¡¯d thought it would be an even playing field at worst, with him holding the advantage being more likely. But the Elder simply wouldn¡¯t stop. Again and again Sal met brute force with elegance and ingenuity. He turned spells back on their caster, he unraveled magic as it hurled toward him, and he sent counter attacks that seemed to achieve nothing.


    Now Sal was falling back into his former position, rapidly depleting his master¡¯s power as he desperately raced to intercept attacks aiming for Anton and the Keeper. His loyal companion was now barely capable of moving forward, as the stone giant had simply taken too much damage. Salarus knew his borrowed power was almost ready to run out, but he simply didn¡¯t know what else to do.


    He¡¯d used every trick of magic he¡¯d ever learned, everything he could possibly recreate from his master¡¯s memories, and even a few things he¡¯d invented on the spot. Nothing seemed to work, Alogmagus was an unstoppable force, with seemingly bottomless reserves of energy. It was starting to feel like magic was useless¨C


    He froze in the middle of battle, missing a blast of intense fire that crashed into the weakening shield protecting the Keepers. But the revelation had shaken him¨Che recognized this scenario. He¡¯d been here before¨Ctwice. This wasn¡¯t really his first battle with Alomagus, after all. Even if the other two encounters had been against an insulting shadow of the Elder inside his Trials of Karthas, this was still painfully familiar.


    He deflected another attack as he asked himself a risky question¨Ccould this actually work? Was there any chance that Karthas had been less foolish and ill-informed than Salarus had wanted to believe? In some ways this wasn¡¯t really a choice; he had no more magical trump cards to pull, merely a last gambit that felt foolhardy at best. Perhaps he¡¯d at least buy the Keepers time.


    Decision made, he began to soar toward the enormous first Sorcerer, gathering every scrap of his master¡¯s remaining power, and channeling it all into a single spell that was traditionally seen as a waste of magic. As he neared the Elder, he felt the magic surge through his body, reshaping it, infusing it, and making it grow.


    Alomagus reacted with surprise as its opponent came hurtling forth at an alarming speed, and its own spells were forgotten as the Elder scrambled into something vaguely reminiscent of a defensive posture, but clearly unpolished. It was almost entirely unprepared for Sal¡¯s fist to slam into its hooded face, sending it reeling back in surprise and pain.


    The hood was thrown off to reveal a surprisingly bland face. A single horizontal line of glowing energy bisected the head vertically, but there were otherwise no features. Still, it seemed to convey its fury and offense as it gazed upon Salarus, now its equal in size. Sal gave it no time to consider its defenses further, as he unleashed a flurry of attacks at the flimsy Elder.


    As Alomagus struggled with obvious futility to protect itself, each attempt at a spell interrupted by another tremendous blow from the enormous young Sorcerer, Salarus found himself almost laughing. He wondered if Karthas truly knew that the first Sorcerer was so utterly unprepared for physical combat, or if it really was just a baseless prejudice that turned out to be accurate.


    Either way, he knew he¡¯d won. There was nothing left of his master within him now, but he was confident that his spells would hold long enough as he literally beat the Elder to death with his bare hands. It wasn¡¯t pretty, it wasn¡¯t elegant, it was everything that Sorcery was not, but it was working. And it was undeniably gratifying to feel his magically enhanced fists crushing his opponent¡¯s bones.


    Nearby, hundreds of Keepers watched with relief¨Cand some discomfort¨Cas their tormenter was torn limb from limb before their eyes. Salarus had changed the reputation of magic forever, this day, and in more ways than one.


    ***


    Psy and Drak understood what they needed to do, and Kadeus raced toward the flickering shield as his brothers did everything they could to buy him time. Thankfully Karthas and Karavash were still at each other¡¯s throats, ancient disputes and the overwhelming urge to kill one another making the three princes almost an afterthought.


    Kadeus arrived at the circle of runes surrounding the World Shaper, and saw that the purple shield would no longer be a true barrier. He wasted no time, hurling a blast of Chaotic energy at it with fury, and felt relief flowing through him as the shield winked out of existence. Kadeus knew Karavash would feel his connection severed, and wasted no time in getting to work.


    First he tried the easy path, trying to destroy the runes themselves, but was unsurprised when he wasn¡¯t able to affect them at all. Their energy was tied to the artifact, and he turned his attention to the lone white rod, the final layer of unlit runes being all that stood between it and the Lost God returning, bringing all the horrors of the Cycle with it.


    Kadeus swung Spite with all his strength, and felt the vibrations through his body as the greatsword bounced harmlessly off the artifact. He grit his teeth in frustration, and repeated the swing several times, just to be certain. Inspecting the rod he saw what he expected¨Cnot even a scratch marred the pristine, ivory surface.


    Tossing the sword away, which dissipated into a puff of energy, he moved on to his next, desperate option. He grasped the World Shaper in shaking hands, not at all liking to think that this thing was somehow responsible for his creation, or that he¡¯d carried it around, wrapped in chains made from his own Soul for so long. Still, there was some comfort in the touch, as he felt not just a familiarity, but a kinship to the deceptively simple object.


    There was something¨C


    His explorations were cut short as a blast of energy slammed into him from behind, and he collapsed over the World Shaper in pain and surprise. Looking back, he saw Karavash, fury painting his features, and a struggling Drakus held in two of the man¡¯s arms. Kadeus could sense that his brother was barely hanging on, his energy nearly spent. It was so close that a sliver of Edwin¡¯s power could be felt leaking through.


    Karavash tossed the Knight aside like trash, and Drakus looked back at Kadeus from the ground, his helmet disappearing in a flash. They locked eyes for a single moment, and Kadeus felt an ache in his Soul as he watched his twin whisper his final, painful words. Goodbye, brother, and in a blink it was only Edwin lying there, unmoving.


    Karavash ignored the exchange, his eyes never leaving Kadeus. ¡°You dare!¡± he barely managed to spit. ¡°You¡¯ve done enough harm to this world! You and your heretic brothers should never have been born!¡± All four of his arms wrapped around him then, and Kadeus felt the dense energy gathering, his executioner staring at him with unbridled wrath.


    Kadeus could feel his own power nearly run dry, and lamented that he¡¯d been forced to use so much on Karthas. Risking a look at the massive Elder, he saw that Psylaric unfortunately had drawn the giant¡¯s full attention. Evidently the Elder had decided a wielder of Oblivion was too dangerous to be ignored any longer. Neither would be coming to his rescue.


    Kadeus forced himself to his feet, determined not to meet his fate on his knees. Karavash spoke no further, and neither did Kadeus as he gathered the last of his fading energy, hoping to at least pain the deadly Elder before meeting his end. With a scream of rage, Karavash unleashed his power, all four arms reaching out as if to tear Kadeus apart.


    Kadeus reached forward as well, not sending his own power forward, but instead gathering it into his fingertips, by some barely understood instinct. The full force of Karavash¡¯s attack crashed into him, but he willed himself to remain standing, the energy rushing over him like an untamed river. He could feel the other man¡¯s power, as it burned and flayed his flesh, tearing him apart.


    But then something was different. The pain didn¡¯t lessen, but as Kade forced more and more of his borrowed strength into his hands, he realized the power washing over him wasn¡¯t just a torrent of light and power, it was¡­something else. He didn¡¯t have the words, but he could almost understand the energy that was killing him, as if it were a book, written in a language he was just barely beginning to understand.


    Only a few desperate moments had passed since the enormous wave had washed over him, but to his mind it felt like eons spent in study. Each second paid for in agony, was like another century of examination, as every part of his body was drowning in energy that somehow was Karavash. Kade realized he was beginning to understand the man¡¯s power as intimately as he understood his own.


    Focusing his will on a single fingertip, he examined the strangely delicate flow that passed over it, feeling it in a way that was so recently beyond his senses. And as he came to truly understand it, he realized he was able to master it, and soon there was a tiny, teal streak in the otherwise purple haze washing over him. The moment that streak appeared, he understood what he was doing.


    He¡¯d seen Wrayeth perform the same impossible feat when he¡¯d been barely conscious in the cavern of Karavash¡¯s ancient Soul Core. He hadn¡¯t understood what the man had done, but he¡¯d seen the powerful warrior turn his opponent¡¯s power back on him, and Kade now at last understood that Master of Energy would let him do the same.


    With renewed hope, Kade doubled his efforts, forcing himself to bask in the unimaginable pain that was still ripping his body apart. Miraculously, it was working. Soon the single teal streak was duplicated by each fingertip, and he felt a small touch of relief as the power raging over him slowly felt less like it belonged to Karavash, and more like an extension of himself.


    Kade could feel the disbelief in his opponent as the power being directed at him grew in intensity. But it was no use, the power belonged to Kade now, more with each passing second. Soon, teal light was everywhere, with the power being transformed the moment it came in contact with his body. But Kade wasn¡¯t finished.


    Gritting his teeth, he took one shaky step forward, and began to extend his will past his own body, causing the endless wave of purple energy to transform before it even touched him. He was distantly aware of Karavash yelling frenzied words at him, refusing to accept what was happening, but Kade¡¯s entire being was directed to one singular task.


    He couldn¡¯t see anything through the haze of purple and teal light, but suddenly he was within reach of Karavash himself, and he could feel the pulse of the man¡¯s Soul Core, so close. With a sudden burst of movement he slapped aside the Elder¡¯s hands and placed his own right against the man¡¯s chest. He didn¡¯t have much of his namesake¡¯s power left, but he unleashed it all.


    Karavash screamed in pain and confusion as Kade carved his way into the man¡¯s very being. The power beneath Kade¡¯s hands was as malleable as clay, and he realized that his own Soul still remembered the ¡®taste¡¯ of it, from when a fraction had been a link in his chain. He used that familiarity now to do something unthinkable, but unquestionably necessary¨Che began to destabilize the power of the Soul Core from within.


    Karavash roared even louder as pain turned to dread, but it was already too late. Kade felt the man¡¯s Core crack and begin to burst, and he kept pushing. He reached into the other man like a parasite, his own power devouring everything it touched, and leaving it a volatile mess of discordant energy. Finally he could sense the man¡¯s Core overloading, his own power tearing itself apart, and at last he stepped back.


    Karvash was no longer screaming, he merely hunched over, his jaw slack and his eyes gazing sightlessly and his own energy turned on itself. His flesh grew haggard, and then cracks and rents began to appear, sickly purple and red light beginning to spill out. Kade knew the man only had moments left, and turned his own pain-wracked body toward Karthas, the fight with Psy clearly reaching its end.


    With a desperate heave, Kade threw the bomb that had been Karavash toward the towering Elder, while screaming for Psy to get away. Shockingly, his brother merely turned and gave Kade a single nod before charging to intercept the ragged body of the dying Karavash. Grabbing the husk in one hand, he pivoted rapidly to speed back toward Karthas. An aura of Oblivion formed in front of the pair, and Karthas desperately tried to slap away his approaching doom.


    It was a fruitless gesture, and the two men disappeared into Karthas¡¯ chest with disturbing ease. Kade watched, unbelieving as Karthas tore at his own flesh, trying in vain to stop the inevitable.


    He didn¡¯t have to wait long, as the world suddenly seemed to contract, and Karthas¡¯ entire body was pulled in on itself as Karavash¡¯s volatile power mixed with Psylaric¡¯s world-ending Oblivion, creating a void in space and time that was immediately filled by Kathas own destroyed body, which was crushed into an enormous ball of ravaged Elder flesh, that fell to the ground with a crash of dust and debris.


    All at once Kade found himself the only one still standing in the ruined Mountains of Karavash, and an eerie silence took hold. They were dead, he thought. They were all dead.

 Chapter 55: Denying the Heavens

    Kade looked around the ruins of the mountain range of Karavash, now the final resting place of yet more ancient Elders. That included his near-brothers, and the man who had made him feel safe for the first time on this deadly world. He felt an exhaustion beyond his body, deep within his Soul, and for a moment he just looked out across the destruction that their battle had caused, his mind turning blessedly blank.


    And then he felt the World Shaper waking up.


    He spun away from the enormous crushed mass that had been Karthas, and looked at the circle of runes that glowed ominously nearby. They had hoped that the death of Karavash would mean the end of the ritual, but a glance showed him that wasn¡¯t the case. The final runes were now nearly completed, and they were almost touching the artifact.


    Kade limped back to the simple white rod, desperation giving him the strength his body lacked. He felt his knees hit the cold stone, the muted thud breaking the disturbing silence that was such an odd contrast to the songs of battle that had echoed through the mountains only moments ago. Reaching forward he tentatively placed both hands atop the artifact, trying to find the strange familiarity he¡¯d sensed in the brief moment before Karavash had struck.


    He could tell immediately that something had changed. There was a distinct flow of power, leaving the rod and feeding back into the runes. Karavash hadn¡¯t been bluffing: something was already happening, something too late to stop. But he could still sense a presence within the World Shaper, something vast, and ancient beyond imagining. The Lost God remained trapped within; there was still time.


    Kade tried to force the ticking clock out of his mind, understanding that the added tension would do nothing to hasten his task. He wasn¡¯t sure exactly what he could do; the rod was seemingly indestructible, and held impossibly tight within the stone. The stone itself had clearly been empowered somehow, as it was the only peak that remained undamaged by the explosive powers that had erupted nearby.


    Think, think, think, he told himself, but there didn¡¯t seem to be a logical solution. The only hint was that distant fragment of familiarity. This thing¨Cwell, half of it¨Chad been inside him for decades; it wasn¡¯t outside the realm of possibility that some connection remained. He tried to focus on that lost feeling, a presence inside him he¡¯d never known was there, but had still been a part of him.


    He thought back to those moments that he¡¯d felt like his mind was pulled into some hidden inside realm. He remembered that strange surreal place, and what he¡¯d seen¨Chis own Soul twisted and shaped into an endless chain, wrapped around something forbidden, something that was itself a prison for a being beyond the limits of his own consciousness.


    He felt for that place inside himself, and the expansive nothingness he felt was a shock. He realized in that moment that he was truly free, as Sythkara had promised him he would be, and only the loss of those fragments of long-dead men finally illuminated the constant influence they had been on him. Now he was alone in a way that had never been possible before.


    Strangely it was in that lack, that he found himself able to focus at last. It was like having everything torn from his Soul Core had left a physical scar, and he could sense the texture of it, deep within him. He tried to trace that feeling with senses he didn¡¯t fully understand, and there it was, that haunting familiarity.


    He now truly understood that he¡¯d been forged around the World Shaper, and not just as a concept explained to him, more like he¡¯d found the blueprints left within him. Kade struggled to make sense of what he was discovering, hoping it would lead to some kind of helpful conclusion. He involuntarily glanced down at the glow on the runes, inching their way toward the artifact with alarming inevitability.


    He forced his eyes shut, determined not to let this happen. He wouldn¡¯t let the deaths of so many be wasted, he wouldn¡¯t allow the Cycle¡¯s devastation to return to this world. Kade was going to save the world¡­because there just wasn¡¯t anyone else left to do it.


    He found the scar again, and this time there was the sense of a shape, as if the broken rod still belonged inside his soul. The actual World Shaper was now complete, but he didn¡¯t think that mattered. His Soul wasn¡¯t a physical object after all, but he thought the scar could act like a destination for the artifact, if only he had some way to drag it back inside of him.


    The obvious answer finally came to his mind, and he didn¡¯t hesitate before reaching out with his chains. The endless, glistening black steel raced forward to engulf the World Shaper, wrapping around it over and over as Kade tried to do¡­something. He thought back to the dark time at the village of Bolos, when he¡¯d used his chains to connect the sick directly to his Soul, and hoped desperately that those same pathways would work for this.


    Suddenly thunder erupted around him, and even with his eyes tightly shut he could feel the light of the moons gathering up above. The Gods were gathering, and he was running out of time.


    He turned his mind back to the seemingly impossible task before him. Nothing was happening. His hands were shaking and frustration was clouding his tired mind. Why wasn¡¯t this working? He again made himself think back to the village, something he rarely let himself do.


    It wasn¡¯t the same, somehow. When he¡¯d reached into those people and pulled the Chaos from within them, it had been pure energy. Chaotic, deadly energy, but energy all the same. Now he was dealing with a solid object, an object made of¡­metal?


    His eyes shot open at the realization, and he pushed some of the chains aside to feel the smooth surface of the World Shaper with his bare hands once more. It was cold, and he had little sense for these things, but yes, it felt metallic in an alien way¨Cas if the metal were alive beneath his fingers.


    That thought crystalized his desperate plan. Kade had seen living metal thousands of times. He¡¯d seen it as Drake reshaped himself. He¡¯d witnessed Drakus summon waves of it, flowing into countless shapes and back again. He¡¯d seen it in his own chains.


    This was something he¡¯d never tried before, but he knew his Soul Manifestation had metallurgic properties, and even if he wasn¡¯t a Metallurgist himself, he knew they had the ability to reshape metal, to cause it to flow like quicksilver.


    He felt himself release an involuntary sigh, and knew there was a touch of hopelessness to it. This wasn¡¯t the time to learn an entirely new skill, one he wasn¡¯t even sure was possible.


    And yet, it may be this world¡¯s last chance.


    Kade tried to focus on every memory of metallurgy he had all at once. Every time he¡¯d even vaguely sensed the complex play of energies that occurred when metal was broken down and reformed. Master of Energy helped, as he now had an intuitive understanding of how energy worked, but he¡¯d never actively used the skill while Metallurgy was taking place.


    His frustration was growing. This was like trying to figure out how to build a car by remembering the times other people had driven one. Wait, a car? He shook his head. This was exactly the wrong moment for his memories of Earth to come back. The only thing he needed right now was Metallurgy, and he needed it with an almost palpable desperation.


    Suddenly he felt a hand on top of his own, and he looked away from the artifact in confusion. A familiar, empty-eyed helmet stared back at him, and Kade felt a surge of relief. Drake clearly had no business manifesting at this moment, as it was only strong enough to conjure a few, stringy chains. It was barely enough to form the weak hand that joined Kade¡¯s on the artifact, however, it was enough to use Metallurgy.


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    He could feel his companion¡¯s desire to help him, the Aspect reaching out in mind as well as body. Kade felt a small smile touch his lips, after everything they¡¯d been through together, it felt right to meet this final challenge together. ¡°It¡¯s good to have you back, buddy. I hope you¡¯re up for this.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯d probably be better able if he hadn¡¯t worked so hard to save me,¡± said a blessedly familiar deep voice. Kade looked over to see a horribly beaten Edwin shuffling slowly toward him. ¡°I could tell Drakus was trying his best to keep me alive. He might have been more effective if he hadn¡¯t, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s who he was.¡± He looked over to the remains of Karthas. ¡°It appears Graves and Psylaric had a different arrangement.¡±


    Kade was stunned, he¡¯d gone from a loneliness he couldn¡¯t describe to a reunion he knew he didn¡¯t have time for, and he found himself trying to swallow a flood of emotions he couldn¡¯t afford to let himself feel. ¡°Edwin, I need you. The World Shaper¨C¡±


    Edwin cut Kade off with a wave as he collapsed next to him. ¡°I understand. Your familiar was using all of its strength to hold me together, but it still felt your need. There¡¯s still enough of a connection between us that it was able to express that need to me,¡± he looked at his young friend with a tired smile. ¡°I was hoping becoming a Metallurgist was for more than just being a vessel for an Ancient. Let¡¯s get to work.¡±


    Kade returned the smile, then closed his eyes and focused. Immediately he felt the difference, as Drake and Edwin¡¯s wills joined him in his efforts. He tried not to think about the runes now almost fully lit, and instead lost himself in the sensation of two Metallurgists trying to impose their powers on the stubborn form of the World Shaper.


    With the help of Master of Energy Kade understood what was happening in a new, and fascinating way. Suddenly the poetic description of the skill made sense, as he understood that what was happening was just another way of manipulating the energy of Iros. He suspected he¡¯d now find that every power, every Path was really just a different flavor of the same principles¨CSouls shaping energy in all its forms, but he resisted letting his mind follow that rabbit hole.


    The tension in him built, as nothing appeared to be happening, and the silver light of the moons was now bright enough to see through his tightly closed eyes. The Gods were calling back their lost member, and the power of their desire was like a physical force being imposed upon the world. Fear and hope battled within Kade as he fought the rising harbinger of this world¡¯s doom.


    He could feel the World Shaper, not just with his hands, or his chains, or even his mind, but with his Soul. As the forces of Metallurgy invaded the artifact and tried to remake¨Cno, unmake it, he found he understood the object on a level previously beyond him. He felt the flow of energy, felt the resistance, and mastered it. All at once the World Shaper was laid bare to him, and with an internal scream of effort, he devoured it.


    Kade was so surprised by his own success that he found himself falling forward, sprawling onto the rune-covered stone. He could feel the unusual sensation of the cold, living metal traveling through his chains, and he collapsed as his body was overwhelmed by the experience. Edwin was calling his name, and Drake protectively flowed over him, but they were past the point of being able to help.


    Instead, Kade reeled as his Soul became a battleground between the competing forces of his own will, the World Shaper, and the unequaled fury of a trapped God. There was no pain, merely a sense of terrible helplessness as the powers clashed, the reverberations pushing against the comparatively feeble walls of his Soul Core.


    He panicked as the pressure mounted, knowing that he wasn¡¯t strong enough to hold so much power inside himself. And yet, he had once, hadn¡¯t he? His breaking mind desperately searched inside himself, feeling the war within, and comparing it to the visions of that mysterious realm that he¡¯d entered only a handful of times.


    The difference was immediately apparent as he was abruptly back in that impossible space. A terrifying globe of light was blasting and rebounding in every direction, and he sensed it was the embodiment of the raging deity, desperate to escape its prison. However, it wasn¡¯t alone, as an infinite chain still drifted endlessly through the void, purposeless.


    Kade didn¡¯t hesitate. He knew that nothing should be able to contain the power that was rampaging inside him, but he also understood that his Soul was forged for exactly this purpose. The power of this Lost God might be limitless, but so too were his chains, and they were everywhere in this realm.


    Suddenly the entire dimension was alive as the chains began to shift and move. They lashed out from every direction, and though the light tore through them like paper, there was always more. Soon the light slowed, as countless chains dragged at it, bound it, tangled it. The light thrashed in fury and desperation, but everywhere it moved only wrapped it in more chains, like running through endless spiderwebs.


    At last the light seemed to slow, but the chains weren¡¯t done. They began to wind around the light and what was hidden within it, cocooning the World Shaper and Lost God within layer after layer of a Soul created to be a prison. Kade had no sense of how long this took, no awareness of anything but the battle within him, but after an eternity of fighting, he knew it was complete.


    ***


    Memories. They washed over Kade like a tidal wave, and he let them.


    He was on Earth, living a challenging life. His parents didn¡¯t understand what was wrong with him, neither did the doctors. He was always so angry, barely able to contain himself. Any day that he didn¡¯t get into a fight was a miracle.


    They started with the counciling. Then they moved on to the pills. Then sports, then the special school, then martial arts. But Kade couldn¡¯t be helped. His parents were afraid of him.


    He would stalk around his house, fuming and screaming. Or he would sit alone in the dark, the silence somehow as ominous as the outbursts. He got older, but he didn¡¯t get better, just more dangerous. The fights got worse. The pills got stronger.


    He was sent to reform school. The other kids were afraid of him. He was always furious, unless he was fighting, then he laughed. He laughed in relief, laughed in release, drowning in the rapture of feeling like himself for a brief moment.


    He got older. The pills got stronger, the consequences got worse. People tried to retaliate. He made them regret it. Police were called. He joined the army. It was that or prison.


    The army was sure they¡¯d seen worse than him. They promised he¡¯d learn discipline. They were right. As long as he could fight, he was happy. He was laughing. He was alive.


    They gave him a gun. He hated it. He wanted to feel his fights slamming into the enemy. He wanted to tear them apart. They wouldn¡¯t let him. He never saw combat. He started more fights. That was a mistake.


    He was in a military prison. They wouldn¡¯t let him near anyone else. He was alone. He was so angry. And then¡­then he was somewhere else.


    He was in a cave, maybe. In a cage, definitely. He didn¡¯t care. Someone was yelling at him. He didn¡¯t understand the words at first, but the man did something and the words became clear. He was telling Kade he was a mistake.


    Kade was angry, as angry as he¡¯d ever been¡­and yet, he felt different somehow. The man kept yelling. Demanded that Kade tell him where the weapon was. Kade didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. The man yelled louder. He opened the cage. He promised Kade would regret lying.


    Kade felt joy as he reached for the man, but he wasn¡¯t strong enough. He was thrown back against the wall. The man held him there like a struggling child. Kade felt his rage and powerlessness battling within him.


    This wasn¡¯t right. He couldn¡¯t lose like this. He needed to fight. He needed to destroy this foolish little man who wouldn¡¯t stop yelling his little words. Kade¡¯s fury was a cold pit in his stomach¨Cno, his chest.


    The man was hitting him now, taking his time as he screamed in Kade¡¯s face. Kade¡¯s own anger was getting colder, getting stronger. He focused on the man¡¯s strange watch to help ignore the pain. It was blinking.


    Each strike made the coldness inside him worse, until Kade worried he might freeze from it. Kade couldn¡¯t see anymore, his vision was lost to the pain inside him. Not from the strikes, but from something bursting inside his chest.


    The man struck him once more, and Kade finally broke. The coldness poured out of him, and the screaming died as the man was torn to pieces. But Kade couldn¡¯t concentrate on that, as he was feeling something different, something new.


    As whatever was inside him flowed out, Kade felt¡­peace. He felt the rage dying. He felt a stillness inside. The anger and the pain and the drive to destroy, it was fading. But¡­everything else seemed to be fading with it.


    He was losing himself along with his anger. He was his anger, and it was rushing out of him along with everything else. At last it slowed, and he felt something else that was new. He felt¡­fear?


    He was alone, he was cold, he was frightened, and he was¡­who was he? He looked around the dark room, and all he could see was the blinking light¡­and the dead body.

 Chapter 56: Aftermath

    Kade opened his eyes, and for a moment he just stared up at the beautiful blue sky. The moons had faded back to wherever it was they belonged, and it seemed like maybe, just maybe, they¡¯d won. He lifted his head with some difficulty, and saw Edwin standing next to an emaciated Drake, who looked more like a skeleton made of chains than a knight.


    Kade dragged his weary, damaged body off the cold stone, and started moving toward the pair. After a few steps he noticed a tiny light show hovering over Drake¡¯s shoulder, and smiled; it seemed that Alaric had survived as well. This victory had a heavy cost, but Kade decided to focus as much as possible on the small miracles. As long as Drakus and Alaric were with him, a small piece of the men he still felt were his brothers would always be with him too.


    Edwin turned to look at him as he approached. ¡°You¡¯re awake,¡± he said, his own exhaustion making his voice hollow. ¡°We saw the light of the moons retreat and figured it had worked, but you collapsed and convulsed for hours. You okay?¡±


    Kade considered the questions, letting his mind probe his scarred and cracked Soul Core. It would hold. ¡°I¡¯m¡­yeah I guess ¡®okay¡¯ is about the best I could describe myself right now. Physically, at least.¡± Kade¡¯s mind turned back to the flood of memories that had reawaked in him, and cringed at the man he¡¯d been on Earth.


    Thankfully there was a level of detachment now, and the guilt and shame that he¡¯d never felt when he was there passed over him now as well. The things he¡¯d done since coming to Iros made the mess of a life he¡¯d lived on Earth seem trivial, and he resolved not to let it define him going forward.


    He finally knew who he was, and he wouldn¡¯t let himself lose that.


    Edwin had gone back to gazing out over the plains of Karavash, and Kade joined him. The landscape was dotted with craters and blemishes from the recent battle, but there was still a sense of peace to the place. The two men, as well as the two Aspects were content to simply stare out for a long while.


    At last their reverie came to an end at an unusual sound behind them, and Kade felt a surge of adrenaline as he turned, hoping there weren¡¯t any more surprises today. He was confronted by the beginnings of a portal, which slowly, and raggedly carved a hole into thin air. After a moment a hunched and weary Salarus stepped through, needing to duck in order to fit.


    He looked around rapidly, then smiled when he saw the four. He limped as he walked forward to join them, and Kade noticed numerous injuries, including what looked like torn flesh in more than one place. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you both alive,¡± he said brightly, but there was something sad in his eyes.


    ¡°You as well, Sal. Does this mean the Keepers are okay?¡± Kade asked.


    ¡°Anton is still escorting them back to Karthas, and they¡¯re as well as can be hoped¡­but there were many casualties. Thankfully we¡¯ve retrieved a great deal of Fragments from the slain Elders; we¡¯ll be recovering our numbers for decades to come.¡±


    Edwin and Kade could only nod sadly at the news. Once more, it was the best that could be hoped for under the circumstances. Finally Kade cocked an eyebrow, ¡°You don¡¯t seem surprised to see us alive, did you know?¡±


    Sal¡¯s smile slipped further, and he gave a sad nod. ¡°I went back to Master Sythkara after my victory over the First Sorcerer, Alomagus. He had enough strength left to tell me of your success, but he¡­he perished only minutes after my arrival.¡±


    The man had told him this would happen, but it didn¡¯t make it easier to hear. Syth wasn¡¯t just someone that felt like a brother to Kade, or a Master to Sal. He was the one who had taken care of the first people who now called themselves ¡®Children of Korthos¡¯, and he was the mastermind behind the Calm, even if its conception had been drenched in blood and tragedy.


    His was a loss for the whole world, even if they didn¡¯t know it.


    Sal stepped forward and handed something to Kade. Turning it over in his palm, he saw that it was a small, blue crystal. ¡°Master wanted you to have it, but he didn¡¯t have time to explain what it does,¡± the Sorcerer said quietly.


    Kade stared at the crystal for a moment, trying to make sense of it, but it began to glow on its own, before flashing and fading entirely. Kade blinked in confusion, but a familiar beeping told him all he needed to know: his final ability as a Chaos Blade had been unlocked.


    Kade smiled, he didn¡¯t even need to consult his bracer to know what the new power was, as he felt the tiniest fragment of power within him stir. It was so small he hadn¡¯t recognized it until this moment, but now that he did, he realized it was the last shard of power that wasn¡¯t truly his own. And he knew exactly what he was meant to do with it.


    ¡°I offer this piece of my Soul, that a Bond may be shared, that a life may be lived as one. Hear my call and come to my side, accept this humble offering, Aspect of Sorcery!¡± Sal¡¯s eyes widened, and he began looking around for what he knew was coming.


    They didn¡¯t need to wait long, and the other two Aspects came to stand with Kade, their curiosity piqued. Soon a deep blue cloud of smoke started swirling in front of them, gradually taking shape. First came a staff, a perfect copy of the one Salarus wielded, though entirely in tones of blue. Next came a familiar long, flowing cloak, and Sal began to smile in recognition.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The cloak flowed in the breeze, and appeared to be pressed against a body, but it was definitely empty, the inside appearing ominously dark. Finally a pointed hat just like Sal¡¯s own formed above the cloak, appearing to rest on a head that wasn¡¯t there.


    Kade couldn¡¯t help but chuckle as he saw his new familiar standing next to Sal, looking like his friend¡¯s wardrobe had come to life. He went to examine his new companion, and smiled when two glowing yellow eyes appeared in the empty space between the cloak and the pointed hat. The brothers were truly reunited now, though it was a new generation, of sorts.


    He placed a hand on the newcomer¡¯s shoulder, surprised at how solid it felt, despite the cloak still appearing empty. ¡°Welcome home, brother,¡± Kade said warmly, then let the name come to him as the last two had. He now understood it was his native tongue from Earth trying to approximate the foreign sounds of the language of Iros, but he liked the fit.


    ¡°Welcome home, Seth,¡± he said, and Drake came to join him, the flickering form of Alaric exploding in a way that Kade hoped was joyful.


    ¡°So you have a full set now,¡± Edwin said, shaking his head. ¡°Aspects are extraordinarily powerful even when they¡¯re not forged from the Souls of dead Elders. You¡¯re going to be quite the force when those things finish evolving.¡±


    Kade smiled, watching Sal examine the Aspect of Sorcery with a mix of curiosity and sadness. Then something the man had said earlier finally registered, ¡°Did you say you defeated someone called the ¡®First Sorcerer¡¯?¡± he asked.


    Strangely, Salarus looked embarrassed. ¡°Absolutely,¡± he replied. ¡°Through pure Sorcery. He was¡­¡± Sal coughed, and looked away, ¡°...no match for the precision and ingenuity of modern magic.¡± Kade raised an eyebrow. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d heard his friend lie before. It was so bad that it was almost endearing.


    He was about to respond with a quip when a dark feeling gripped him. Salarus and Edwin appeared to be reacting to something as well, as they both were looking around in confusion, searching for some threat like startled animals.


    Next came a deep rumbling as the mountains began to vibrate beneath them. The group huddled together, trying to force exhausted bodies into some kind of defensive posture, but all painfully aware they were in no shape for battle. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Edwin asked, struggling to be heard as the mountains reverberated with the rumbling ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Kade said, looking to Sal for answers, who shook his head and shrugged. Their attention was finally caught by a stirring out in the Plains of Karavash, and they made their way shakily to the edge of the summit to get a better look.


    Below, dust and rock were churning and being thrown in every direction. They couldn¡¯t quite tell what was happening, but as Kade reached out with his senses he felt the disturbingly familiar power of the World Shaper. Looking inside himself in terror and surprise, he quickly confirmed that the Artifact was still safely nestled inside; it couldn¡¯t be causing this.


    Then the truth came rushing back, and he felt like a fool for allowing the victory to blind him to it. Karavash had gloated. The first circle of runes had been completely lit, and it had done something. The world might be safe from the Lost God¡¯s return, but Karavash¡¯s plan had been for more than just that.


    With panic and fear, Kade looked back out over the Plains, knowing what to expect, but not being truly prepared. Finally, and with an explosion of debris, immense walls of stone rose from deep within the earth. Pillars joined them, and even domed structures, all soaring into the sky as they emerged from eons of slumber.


    It was a city, resurrected from some unknown age. It was ancient, and nearly destroyed, but it had likely been the capital of a great Kingdom once, judging by its size and faded splendor. It continued to rise until it had covered the entire plain, and parts even burst through several mountains as they rose. Castles, keeps, streets, an entire civilization¡¯s legacy were suddenly part of the world once more.


    Praying he was wrong, Kade forced his gaze farther into the distance and even made his way to the opposite side of the summon, confirming his darkest fears. There were more ruins rising in all directions, covering every visible inch of landscape as far as he could see.


    Worse, the architecture clearly varied wildly, sometimes even within what appeared to be a single structure. It wasn¡¯t just one Kingdom tearing its way to the surface, it was countless Kingdoms across hundreds, perhaps thousands of generations, all rising at once.


    Kade returned to his companions, still staring with equal parts wonder and horror at the spectacle. At last Edwin spoke the obvious question, ¡°What has Karavash done?¡± Sal and Kade shared defeated glances.


    ¡°We believed his plan was to awaken the sleeping Elders,¡± Salarus began. ¡°Evidently that wasn¡¯t enough. It appears he intended to restore entire Kingdoms¡­he¡¯s raised the lost realms of countless generations. He¡¯s brought back Ancient Iros; he¡¯s brought back a world from before the end of the Cycle.¡±


    They all silently stared for a time as the cities continued to rise. Finally Edwin spoke once more, ¡°How far does this go? Do you think Karthas is safe?¡± There was desperation in his voice, and Kade almost couldn¡¯t gather the will to answer. But he knew the truth.


    The World Shaper was a part of him, and he could sense its power now nearly as clearly as his own. It was an aptly named Artifact. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Edwin, but¡­no, Karthas isn¡¯t safe. Nowhere is safe.¡± As if queued by his words, the nearest city stopped rising at last, revealing hundreds of Elders, slowly rising from the stone tombs in which they¡¯d slept for eons.


    ¡°Karavash used the World Shaper for this,¡± Kade continued sadly. ¡°It¡¯s happening all over Iros. It¡¯s everywhere. They¡¯re everywhere.¡±


    End of Book One