《Death and Rebirth: Orange Monolith (Twelve Monoliths Book VI)》


 PROLOGUE | Of Stars and Ships

    Winter 2045


    Allison Fae


    Silence carried a mysterious rush of energy as she coiled up underneath the dome shaped metal. It covered her completely ¨Cbut it also blinded her to what remained of the outside. Uncertainty clouded her next move. At least inside her shield she could remain safe and the knowledge of the outside could be hypothetical¡ªthe unreal. Until it was revealed, it could be pretended to be safe.


    Everything had happened so fast.


    Allison Fae was in the middle of a coliseum that just until a few moments ago was so full of life¡ªthe energy of the arena had been eclectic¡ªthe noise had been deafening with the number of people that had been cheering on the tournament. The air was ripe with energy so electric that it could have powered the stadium if converted. It was so fast that the screams of jubilation shifted to terror and fear. Then next came the object crash landing from space¡ªit had been noticed just in time. She thought if there was a moment more it would have been too late for all of them.


    In that single moment the contained energy dispersed and the people began to frenzy and stampede toward safety. Allison herself had only just enough time to conjure up a shield to withstand the blast¡ªit was only thanks to the metal that now covered her that she still breathed. As she remained in the center of the pitch she breathed a heavy sigh of relief, but it had only lasted but a moment.


    Her body felt sore due to the force of the energy she had conjured, but she preferred that to the alternative. The resonant heat of the cinders nearby told her that her body would be naught but tinder if she were a microsecond slower.


    The spirits that had kept her company had vanished¡ªgone after the sound of the impact. If she were dead, she was sure that their presence would be easily felt¡ªhaunting her for failing to keep her wits about her. It would have been a sick twisted version of her own self doubts¡ªmuch like those that clung to her mind all those years ago had been. She would have been one of them, after all. But no...the spirits of Devon and Alex were gone because she was exhausted¡ªfortifying her shield had cost her an immense amount of power¡ªsomething that wouldn¡¯t have come easily if she didn¡¯t have the Red Monolith with her.


    She had thanked Issachar under her breath for indirectly saving her life, though at the same time came the doubts of if that would truly remain to be a positive. She gritted her teeth¡ªher wits had already failed her. She had entered this glorified bloodfest because of him. Zane Hannes was more monster than man and their unlikely alliance had come crumbling as the delegate of this strange land stood as a point to both of their goals¡ªZane¡¯s for power¡ªAllison¡¯s for revenge.


    She now only held onto the dull pain that rang through her head¡ªthe earth had violently shaken and the dirt had spoken in return. Its cries echoed and doubled inside the shield she covered over herself¡ªmanaged through the use of her spear¡ªa metal forged with more than a single monolith at this point¡ªthe limitless power source that lay at the end of her aspirations. The metal shaped to her will and had absorbed the brunt of the damage from the devastation outside.


    The rest of them out there¡ªif they did not make it far enough away then they were surely dead, but revealing that fact was the single fear keeping her where she lie. If she never revealed the truth then she could believe that nothing bad had ever happened. Nobody will have died and she could lay there simply with that forced belief of peace. It would not be the truth, but what use was the truth anymore when the sky seemed to fall on their very heads regardless of what was true? She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of exiting her safe space to confront the mutilated corpse of those who were unlucky enough to get away...that would be too much.


    Still, she knew eventually she would need to find out. Her body was not invincible and would soon waste away and the fear of that quickly overtook anything else.


    Okay, you¡¯re going to go on three. Just need to steel yourself together and take it one step at a time. Rush yourself and you¡¯re definitely going to regret it. She drew in a quick breath and realized how putrid the air had tasted¡ªeven under her dome. It reeked of charcoal and it brought heavy coughs to the surface. Her throat felt charred at the heat she sat in¡ªas if she were straight in the center of a giant convection oven. Then came the memories of her two year stint as a prisoner for those wretched men flooding past her eyes as the stench¡¯s familiar gruff came in. It was just as rotten then as it was now.


    She reached her limit and kicked the metal dome off¡ªit flipped unceremoniously and landed with a thud beside her. Upon making contact with the ground the metal unwound from its circular shape into the shape of the lance she had been more familiar with. She extended her left arm and the lance leapt into her grasp before snaking up her arm in a helix shape before coiling back into its place in her armlet. As soon as it slid in she wrapped her hand over it¡ªfeeling security in confirming its location and then breathing out softly in relief.


    The pitch of the coliseum had looked like the remnants of a vicious warzone. It was completely leveled and the grass burning a crimson blaze. She saw the tufts of smoke billowing toward the sky from the patches that still had yet to burn. She had known that a fire like this was hottest in its early blazes¡ªnow that the damage had been done its only purpose was to wear away the stubbles of grass that valiantly stood against its imminent destruction. In a way, she felt people were very much like the field of grass here¡ªnot much all that different if you look at them from far enough away, but if you get in real close you can start to care about a few blades more individually than others¡ªbut at the end of the day it all burns to a fire much in the same way.


    Allison stood back up to her full height and looked at the source of all this destruction. About thirty feet from her stood the broken remnants of the front of the castle was the wrecked remains of a giant silver ship. Its wings were smaller than a planes¡ªits design had looked foreign to her than any shape of rocket she had known¡ªit looked to be a carrier ship¡ªmore than just people seemed to be on board.


    Seemed, it was important to double in on the past tense, it seemed most unlikely anything on board had survived that. Though, then again, it was most unlikely that she had survived...she didn¡¯t know whether that made her more or less hopeful to encounter anything breathing on the inside. And in that fact she knew she would be exploring the ship¡¯s depths¡ªit hadn¡¯t even been a question. Something inside her was drawn to the mystery of the ship, and given the relative peace that now existed in this once bustling city¡ªit almost seemed wrong to ignore such a base impulse as to answer a question.


    But it wasn¡¯t just a question¡ªit never really was when you got right down to the heart of it, right? It was a myriad of questions whose answers teased their presence just beyond that hatch door¡ªjust further in on the inside¡ªand invariably only a few of the now dozens of questions would have their answer. Was that to be enough? Was that not the journey of life that each person travel on their own¡ªto discover how many questions is enough to have answered?


    Allison thought on the topic and figured that she wasn¡¯t satisfied yet. She didn¡¯t have enough answers, and wondered if she ever would. She continued forward walking toward the busted and broken hunk of metal¡ªwondering how much of the breaking apart had happened as it was falling versus how much of it was busted on impact with the castle.


    It looked familiar. That was one of the most pressing questions that rose to her foremind¡ªjust how and why could a ship like this look familiar? Where had she seen something like this before¡ªand she flashed back to the ejected sector that she and Zane had come across previously¡ªwhere Issachar had taken their last breath. This must have been one whole ship at one point. She wondered for but a minute on the story that must have been tied to a sector being ejected early, though she couldn¡¯t even begin to place when it would have been.


    Maybe that was something you could write yourself. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re writing anything new with the ideas already in your head.


    The thought had invaded her head out of nowhere. It was a few weeks since she¡¯d last thought about writing¡ªback in that dingy dump in Galder¡¯s Reach. She shuddered¡ªjust thinking of that place shot a chill up her spine. She shook her head¡ªthat little voice that was destined to shatter her motivation and will had tried its hardest. It would not continue. When Allison was sure she wasn¡¯t going to die she stood up to her feet and called the metal back to the spear in her hand¡ªspreading enough to replace the armor plating over her chest and torso.


    There weren¡¯t any bodies around¡ªalthough to be totally fair she couldn¡¯t see any that had been crushed by the ship in its entirety. I¡¯m going to try to not think of that.


    Allison made her way to the front of the ship¡ªit seemed most of the blaze had started in the back¡ªnear the jets and fuel source. That didn¡¯t bode well¡ªand meant this thing was probably going to blow soon¡ªyet she felt magnetized to investigate. A bloodied curiosity lie at the end of the destruction it had caused.


    Was it worth the risk of death to know the answers that lay within? The answer to that question would depend on who was answering...and to Allison, it was. The whole thing looked like it had emerged from a science fiction story. Though, what hadn¡¯t in this new world?


    Underneath the nose of the ship was an impression that looked like it was holding back a landing pad. She whipped her arm out and extended the lance upward at it¡ªthe metal of the weapon melting enough to shoot up like a whip. It hardened just before it made impact and broke the surface of the ship, implanting itself into the side of the nose.


    It almost felt wrong calling it the nose. She half wanted to call it the beak¡ªas if it were taking the full form of a bird of prey in the space outside of their planet¡ªfinally deciding on a kill right in this very coliseum.


    Placing such importance on these facts was a remnant of her writer brain¡ªwhenever something she wanted to use in a story came across her she would stop everything to make a mental note to jot it down in the mental desk. Back in the old days¡ªJace served an excellent purpose in assisting with the organization of these stray tidbits. That was, at least, back when he was still speaking to her.


    Jace was...everything. He was for all intents and purposes an imaginary friend she had made up when she was a young child. He was a constant friend when she had so often been friendless moving from foster home to foster home. She was dedicated to giving him his story¡ªto repay his infinite kindness and wisdom...which at the end of the day happened to stem from herself, even if she chose not to believe it.


    Those stories never came to be. Life happened, so they say. What any writer says when they¡¯re unable to bring life to the characters living in their heads, but Jace was special...because her powers¡ªlatent abilities shown to her in her youth had made Jace real. At least, for portions of a time.


    She looked up at the lance that had embedded itself into the ship and felt a sense of longing¡ªas Jace had sacrificed himself to create the very lance she had used since that fateful day. No...that wasn¡¯t right, she had sacrificed him. It was important to realize that no matter how real he felt, at the end of the day he stemmed from her consciousness and willpower, and he would not do anything that she had not previously willed¡ªconsciously or subconsciously.


    And so, she continued her journey, alone. And she would search this ship as she had, alone. These were her choices, as history has shown Allison that tragedy is quick to follow those that concern themselves with the matter of friendship.


    At least, she thought, she could honor Jace¡¯s memory with the story that she had promised him all that time ago. Once she was able to fulfill her goals she could finally sit down and give that final grace to the one who had helped her get to where she is going. Of course, there weren¡¯t going to be any spaceships of the sort in Jace¡¯s world. That much she knew. But still...the possibility was always open and that thought was better than berating herself for not doing the act.


    Now that the lance had sunken in nice into the ship she pulled herself up, gripping tightly over the hardened metal. Each grip was a strain on the muscles in her shoulders and biceps, but she made it to the top and swung herself upside-down¡ªthe blood beginning to rush to her head as she worked the other end of the lance up, loosening its innards. If she couldn¡¯t bash it open, she¡¯d simply sear the seal and rip it open that way. It was a rusted hulk, its exterior scarred by years of exposure to the harsh conditions of space and the heat of impact.


    As the end came up to her she worked it over the impression and felt it seep inside. She didn¡¯t need to go all the way¡ªthat would hardly be necessary. She only needed to get a corner¡ªmaybe a little bit more and...there!


    A sound clicked as the hissing died down and the panel fell open in front of her. She could see it was compressed into four sections on top of itself, so she worked to unlock the first compression, and then finally she got the landing pad fully unfolded into a set of stairs up to the entrance bay. It was damaged like the rest, but finally she could right herself up.


    The relief on her head was more than she could ask for¡ªthe resounding banging of the earth inside her shield had messed with her sensibilities more than she could have originally thought. She stood upright on the stair before grabbing the handrail and letting go completely of the metal¡ªreturning it all to her armor so she could get her balance back.


    She gripped the handrail tight and climbed her way aboard the ship. Allison was greeted by the musty smell of decay. The smell of sulfur penetrated her being as she breached the entrance bay. The rancid stench sent a shiver down her spine and she had to step back to collect herself. She knew fires could create such a smell but being in contact with a wreck like this was a whole different experience. As she let out a breath of disgust she re-entered the bay and took in her surroundings.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    The interior was dimly lit by the fires that were consuming the crates cloth out in the corner to her left. There were apparent signs of damage everywhere: ripped wires dangled from the ceiling¡ªsparking live voltage down below. She also noticed broken panels and debris scattered on the floor in front of her and her eyes traced the path from the wires to the debris to the fires. It was easy to assume how they had broken out, but it did not inspire confidence that it was safe and contained. She focused on some metal that looked like it was close to bursting above and she made a mental note to not stand close for any length of time.


    She closed her eyes and felt a rushing pressure flowing through the metal¡ªand it came to her that this was a water pipe. Water systems like this were not what she expected from a space ship¡ªit seemed almost too mundane¡ªalthough it also went to show how much she knew about the kinds of things that go into the design of them. Another reason why they will never show up for Jace.


    Allison readied her lance and launched it out, the sharpened tip pierced the side of the pipe and water burst forth onto the fire below. She then recalled the metal back and it flew to her, amorphous until she sent it out again¡ªcutting the cables that hung above. No sense letting more electrical fires continue here. Not if I have any plans of making it out of here alive.


    The cables fell to the ground and hit hard¡ªthe thud echoed down below. Interesting, there is hollow space below the entrance bay¡ªI¡¯ll have to keep that in mind.i


    The walls were shined a sleek silver and if the outside of the ship weren¡¯t halfway embedded into the pitch, she could be reasoned to believe the ship were operational. The lights that were built into the ceiling were off¡ªcut from the power supply most likely. Thankfully¡ªironically¡ªthe fire provided enough light for her to navigate safely. Plastered on the wall in white paint was ¡°SCIENTIA R&D¡±. Scientia, huh? Haven¡¯t heard of them, I wonder what they were researching?


    The mess in front of her was disarray if it could be given physical form. Crates were overturned and metal bits and pieces were strewn about everywhere. She had no inkling as to what any of them did, but it certainly didn¡¯t make for easy walking. There was so little space that wasn¡¯t already occupied by something¡ªit must have all been thrown around as the ship entered the planet¡¯s atmosphere.


    Right in front she saw a doorway that looked like its electronics had malfunctioned¡ªthe door itself was stuck halfway closed. There was enough room for her to slide on in, but to be safe she pushed on the edge of the door to move it fully open. It was a tough move at first, but it slowly began to shift under her pressure.


    As she continued her search, she came across what looked to be the passenger cabin. There were rows and rows of seats that had been stuck in place. They were covered in dust and looked like they have been unused for a very long time. Allison came across the remains of a suitcase, its contents were strewn about on the floor. There looked to be various documents stuffed into folders and stray jumpsuits that were haphazardly folded. She picked apart the clothes and heard something fall to the ground¡ªa small blue bird figurine had fallen out of the suit¡¯s pocket,


    Allison picked up the small figurine and stared at it¡ªher eyes adjusting to the low light to see that it looked to be hand-painted. Just what are you¡­? This seems important for the soul if not for anything else. I¡¯d hate for it to be lost here forever.


    She pocketed the bird and then bent down to pick up the folder, stuffing the paperwork back into it to get a good grasp. She knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to read it in here with how dark it was¡ªa lingering thought passed by that wished for another fire to erupt in this very room before she shoved it away. She looked around for anything else of note before ducking back out to the entrance bay.


    To her right she saw a doorway that looked like it headed out toward the cockpit. She had a natural curiosity over who could have piloted this heap into a planet, so she made her way first toward the cockpit. Across the Entrance Bay she saw the doors seemed to be powered by the ship¡¯s electricity¡ªa shame if it weren¡¯t all ablaze currently.


    While she had the chance she opened the folder she had tucked against her side and started leafing through the papers inside. She thumbed through maintenance records. There was generalized information about the ship¡¯s maintenance schedule, although the records notably dropped off before this last flight.


    She skimmed and followed into seeing the ship¡¯s insurance and registration documents¡ªalthough these had been long faded¡ªthey must have originated long before the rest of the paperwork. That bodes well for the purpose of this ship¡¯s final departure. She continued on and found a sheet detailing the ship¡¯s emergency procedures. Lot of good these did for those onboard. Not like they could predict coming back into orbit like they did. I wonder if they even practiced these.


    The rest of the documents held denser and denser information, safety checklists, log books, crew manifests. She finally had a list of names, but names without faces or details was useless to her. She thought back to the bodies she saw in the jettisoned sector, but found it difficult to place a connecting thread.


    She sighed and tossed the folder aside¡ªfiguring it was more important to someone who was in active use of the ship rather than someone combing through its remains. Really sucks, paperwork like that is apt to carry information on what these Scientia people were doing aboard here.


    She curled some metal from her armor into the crevice between the two slits of the door and forced them open¡ªleaving a rod of her metal to keep the doors open¡ªas it was clear they wished to remain closed forever.


    She opened it enough to slide on through and the cockpit looked almost exactly as she envisioned. There were two seats built into the front overlooking the bubble of the front pane. She saw the nose of the ship drip down like a teardrop from her vantage point.


    The one thing that caught her off guard was the old computer plugged into an outlet beside the leftmost chair. It looked dated¡ªand though she hadn¡¯t seen one like this in decades images came to her immediately of the lives that were attached to machines like this. It for a moment made her wish for the life she used to have¡ªa life where a computer could be taken for granted or chucked into the nearest junk bin. Something as simple as its owner upgrading to something new or even obsessing over old tech. Instead, here it sat as an anachronism that only further highlighted how ¡°other¡± everything seemed to be.


    Her skin felt a prickling sensation as if there was a dull hum of energy in this room¡ªas abandoned as it was. If she closed her eyes and focused entirely on the blackness she could almost sense the fear in the soul that kept company in this room. There was one as of late. I don¡¯t know who they are, but its left a remnant I can just barely see.


    The display on the computer was black, it seemed to have survived the fall¡ªshe couldn¡¯t tell if that was a miracle or not, but it felt like a sign. At least, it would had the power not been cut, so whatever had been on it would have to rest here¡­unless¡­


    She wondered if it would work¡ªshe stood and walked back toward the rear of the ship. Theoretically if she were able to isolate the power source for the ship she might be able to apply the power from the Monoliths to get the ship up and running again. She slid through the crevice back to the entrance bay and collected the remainder of her metal, reforming the lance in her hand. She stopped as something dark ran up and down her like a cold chill. She was suddenly aware she was not alone¡ªand her grip tightened on the lance.


    A shadow moved on the far right wall and she saw a long dark arm extend out toward her. She leapt to the side and tried to pin the arm to the wall, but the lance went straight through¡ªdinging off the wall itself. The arm retracted back to the wall and half a body spilled out of the wall, drooping toward the ground. Cavernous sockets where its eyes should have been glowed faintly yellow.


    If she focused on the body she could almost see a woman¡¯s form inside the darkness, but it seemed to fade in and out of existence.


    Then it clicked¡ªthe force inside that body was the remnant she felt in the cockpit. Somehow¡ªthis was the person that last manned this ship. She felt a chill inside straightening her spine stiff as there was more there. She¡ªwhoever she was¡ªwasn¡¯t piloting that body.


    The form bent and its jaw opened on a broken hinge, letting loose an unnatural groan. Allison took a step back and shot out an end of her lance toward the form¡ªnot taking a chance to let it approach further. The metal pierced the black void of its body, but on closer inspection it looked like its body had opened up and wrapped itself around the metal¡¯s edge as it impaled itself into the wall.


    ¡°Wh At hAs yoU sO sCarED?¡± The garbled voice said, its head approaching closer on an elongated neck. The body of the figure fully detaches from the wall and hangs in the air as its lower half tries to find the ground. ¡°NiGhTmareS arREnTT so BaDd.¡±


    The hairs on Allison¡¯s arms stood on end as the room went subzero in a matter of moments. The fire in the corner of the bay was hushed out and the water iced over.


    Out of the corner of her eye Allison spotted the spirit she had expected to see earlier¡ªit was Devon and Alex. The spirits that used to inhabit the Children of the Night Sakonna and Issachar. They stood at her side and through the look on their face she understood. They wanted her to move along¡ªthey were going to try to hold off this monstrosity. She didn¡¯t understand how they would be able to fare any better, but if they felt confident enough to try, she figured her best bet was to trust them.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Allison said, nodding to them as she retracted her metal back into the armor fully. She took off in a run as the form¡¯s head turned slowly to follow her, but then return to face the spirits that had remained behind.


    Allison used enough metal to open the door at the end of the bay and slid through in a hurry. Behind her, she knew that the screams she felt inside her heart were more than her fears.


    She took in a deep breath and continued through the darkness. She could barely see five feet in front of her, although it did imply she could expect that the ship from here on out would be stable enough for her to explore. She continued forward until in the distance she saw a source of light, small as it may be.


    Its source was a small blue light flashing from a button that rested on a column. It was a slow flashing that seemed to be on a haunting rhythm...one...two...three. One...two...three.


    From the light she saw there was a steep drop off toward a depth she could not see the end of. Over the depth was a straight bridge that pointed straight outward over the gap. She looked over the button and held her hand over it. As her hand hovered another scream rang out in the innards of her heart and she resolved and swallowed, pressing it. A flash of the woman pressing this same button ran across her skin and she shivered in response.


    The sound of the bridge beginning to turn was a grinding of metal on metal. The button must have been tied to the ship¡¯s emergency power¡ªwhat little reserves was tied to internal power outside of the main power source in case the crew needed to navigate this bridge if they needed.


    The bridge rotated and Allison saw that the bridge now pointed toward a different endpoint¡ªand saw clearly there were nine doors built into the walls from this central bridge, and operating this button shifted access to each of the different doors.


    Once it stopped Allison tested the bridge¡ªcautious of it falling and taking her into its depths. She placed a hesitant foot on the bridge. After confirming it was stable she let loose a breath and continued across. The door at the end was larger than the other doors she had encountered thus far. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to prop this open like the others.


    She approached the wall just beside at the edge of the light given off from the button. She saw a pad jutting out that looked like a scanner of some sort. She closed her eyes and she felt the woman from before, a ghostly whisper of a hand brushing against the pad¡ªand as she exhaled there was a moment of clarity that showed a card grasped in her hand. Card identification. Where am I going to get something like that?


    Her eyes widened as she instinctively turned to look over her shoulder. The glowing yellow horror spilled out of the door. First came its head and then an arm reaching skyward before arcing downward. The air around her immediately began to chill. The face inside the darkness phased in faintly and Allison knew where she¡¯d find that card.


    She turned on her heels and pulled the metal from her chest and formed the lance once more. She held her ground and slowed her breathing. She thumbed the edge of the lance and closed her eyes. In the darkness she saw the terrifying form of the creature¡ªits hand made contact with the ground and it continued to sink even deeper within. It stopped at a joint and propped itself up. The figure in the darkness raised its head and a mound of hair fell as if it had just erupted from its dead scalp. Its cavernous eyes hooked into Allison¡¯s gaze and she saw the gray eyes behind those holes¡ªa tormented victim who wanted nothing more than to survive.


    She felt a hotness emitting from the metal in her hands¡ªthe energy from the metals from the Red and Black Monoliths were resonating with the energy spilling from this foul creature and its captive. It was a hot pressure and it seemed unbearable.


    Allison seemed to not breathe at all as she took ten steps forward¡ªthe lance extending with each step. She wound up with her stride grunted loudly as she thrusted the lance forward. Her weight was like a boulder beginning to shift down a hill¡ªthe momentum carried her movement as the lance shot toward the form. Like before, it could not pierce the shadowy presence of the form, but as it expanded to wrap around the metal like a magnet. She grinned, knowing that her plan had worked.


    The metal glowed a bright white and she felt her essence burning and melding into the existence before her. If she couldn¡¯t fight it out here¡ªshe¡¯d have to go inside and see if she could somehow dispel it from within.


    The world around her started to whirr and she heard the long silenced scream that she latched tightly onto. She opened her eyes and the form ahead of her was gone¡ªshe was alone on the bridge, and yet the lights were on and there was an electric hum ringing in the back of her ears.


    The door in front of her slid open and in walked the woman she saw embedded in darkness. Allison stood frozen as the woman¡ªnear her own age and a short-cut brunette with those storm-gray eyes looked up at her not of fear or recognition, but of a startled confusion and the slightest tinge of hope. These were feelings that rushed Allison immediately as she pulled her name from the aether, the two of them staring at one another.


    ¡°Wynrie Herschel...that¡¯s your name, isn¡¯t it?¡± Allison asked.


    Wynrie nodded almost imperceptibly. It was as if she had resumed living from whatever point this darkness had gotten a hold of her without any interruption. She didn¡¯t vocalize her answer back, only the single nod.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m here to save you and this ship.¡±


    ¡°Really? What are you, a sign from God or what?¡± Wynrie looked up to Allison with a now confused look on her face. ¡°How do you know my name? Who are you? What is going on?¡±


    Allison took a step back¡ªholding her hands up in a defensive stance. ¡°I can¡¯t give you my name, unfortunately. I know how that sounds, but this isn¡¯t real,¡± she motioned with her hands. ¡°Of course, I mean this feeling of confusion right now¡ªthis state of being.¡±


    ¡°Real¡­?¡± Wynrie cocked her head. ¡°This¡­¡± her eyes started darting all around her. ¡°No...that can¡¯t be. That isn¡¯t right. This has to be real. I¡¯m here. I¡¯m feeling...I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    ¡°I know this is tough, but I need your help. I wish I could help you¡ªbring you back, but unfortunately that isn¡¯t possible. There¡¯s a monster here. It¡¯s consumed you in darkness. I¡¯m afraid your body is inside¡ªrotting and changed. You are the remnants of your memory¡ªnot yet decayed.¡±


    ¡°Monster,¡± Wynrie repeated, as if it were the only thing she were capable of understanding. Considering the damage that had been done to her thought threads, Allison thought it was likely. ¡°Yeah...that used to be one of the inhabitants here. His name was Robert Credonin. I think there was something here that took over¡ªI don¡¯t know what happened. The ship started breaking apart.¡±


    Allison nodded, looking down to the ground then back up to her. ¡°I think I need to go deeper.¡±


    ¡°Deeper? What do you mean? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, you will. Just give me a moment.¡± Allison closed her eyes and felt the energy of the monoliths, and the world around her started to shift. A part of her felt bad for the lie, but she needed Wynrie to feel at ease¡ªor at least as close to the feeling as possible. Stress would further degrade what little chance she had to get this right. Darkness continued as she felt herself diving deeper within.


    She opened her eyes and she was standing in front of a large building standing tall in Nevada. She was at the root of something big, but she knew frighteningly little at how big it was. On the side of the building read ¡°SCIENTIA¡±.She smirked. It¡¯s been a long time since she¡¯s had to do something like this¡ªshe was glad that she still remembered how to do it. And...she was also glad that it didn¡¯t seem so disastrous¡­She shook off the feeling and pushed her own memory down as she looked back up toward the building. Step one...she needed to find out where this ship¡¯s mission went wrong.

 Bonus | A Monolith Halloween

    The night was cold to the touch¡ªthe perfect kind of weather for the season. This was the kind of night where the air hung tight as the frozen vapor of sustained breath remained in the air. The leaves outside crinkled to the sound of the ominous chill¡ªa gust so faint if not focused on you could believe it to be the whispers of the dead. Some would wonder if the dead could whisper¡ªwhose voices one would hear in those hallowed halls.


    The house was full of energy as this time of year was special¡ªit was the anniversary of the new world¡ªat least, to those who inhabited this house. Them who the world belonged, and yet, on this day it still did. Stories told of those who haunt the night and such a word was ever so fitting for their existence. Haunting and haunted were two diametrically opposing ideas by assuming the subject of each were separate¡ªbut here in this home, the two couldn¡¯t be more similar.


    Decorative cobwebs were arrayed up in the corner of doorways and on the front awning that overlooked eternity hung a paper mache skeleton with a cartoonishly evil grin.


    ¡°Where the hell are my fangs?¡± A voice called out across the foyer.


    It belonged to Andrew Cress¡ªsometimes called Galgaliel and most times shortened to Andy. He strode into the family room as his cape trailed behind him. Set out across the side tables were ghostly ornaments and spewing fog from some unknown source. There were shapes that seemed to emit from the depths of the fog, but if one tried to focus on them for too long they would dissipate. In its entirety they seemed to glow with a cosmic resonance¡ªthe whole ordeal was made using tricks Andy picked up from Ormus¡ªsometimes called Gavin Daniels.


    ¡°They¡¯re on your dresser where you left them, remember?¡± Lindsey called from the hallway behind him.


    ¡°Oh right, I was trying them on in front of the mirror.¡± Andy said.


    ¡°Oh my, modeling now, are we?¡± Nehemoth called from the corner of the room. She was sometimes called Megan in the old world. Her blonde hair was dyed red and she was dressed in the appearance of a jester.


    ¡°I thought vampires couldn¡¯t see themselves in the mirror,¡± joked Gardov¡ªalso called Jay. He was sitting with his arm hanging over the edge of the chair.


    ¡°Yes yes, you¡¯re all very funny,¡± Andy said. ¡°Hey dear, would you mind bringing me them?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re funny if you think I¡¯m touching them after you¡¯ve taken them out of your mouth,¡± Lindsey called back.


    Andy sighed, then did his best to avoid the humorous gazes he was receiving from the others. He turned on a dime and just as he was about to leave, Gardov spoke up. ¡°Hey, if you see John, can you tell him I want to see him? Got some uh...things I¡¯d like to talk with him about.¡±


    ¡°Aw, it¡¯s the father-son talk,¡± Nehemoth joked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let him know,¡± Andy said, ignoring her jabs. ¡°I think I saw him with Ez out near the balcony.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right,¡± he said, turning back to his drink. ¡°Yes...that¡¯s probably for the best first¡­¡±


    Andy nodded and turned to find when he opened the door to the main hallway that Samael¡ªknown back in those days as Jack Adata¡ªstood dressed to the nines in an old Victorian garb with a whip at his side.


    ¡°Oh very funny,¡± Andy said, ¡°You chose the vampire hunter.¡±


    ¡°I...thought I was going as Indiana Jones,¡± he offered, putting his hands up in a defensive position.


    ¡°I think it looks dashing,¡± Megan offered. ¡°But you¡¯re missing the crystal skull thing he has, right?¡±


    Jack offered a shy smile at the sight of his daughter. ¡°Yeah, I guess I could have gone farther with it.¡±


    He stepped into the room and Andy made to leave as quickly as possible. He knew that things were different since coming to the new world, but he still had an aversion to being in the same room as him considering all their shared history.


    He continued down the hallway and saw Devon and Alex talking in the main foyer¡ªa drink was in each of their hands and he saw they had dressed up in robes that reminded him of some cultist priest. He remembered them laughing about the irony. He sort of admired their ability to poke fun at the absolutely morbid¡ªalthough he thought that was due to their younger sense of humor.


    He thought on the matter a moment longer, and realized that if time had been flowing in a linear fashion they would be about as old as his father...a strange thought to think nonetheless.


    He offered them a greeting and he continued up the staircase to the second floor. He figured he may as well tell Thag that Jay was looking for him. Might save him from the awkward moment with being outnumbered with Adatas.


    He pushed open the door to the parlor room and found Gavin and his father, Gregory staring at the painting in the rear of the room. He had a feeling they would both be here¡ªHalloween was Gavin¡¯s mother¡¯s favorite time of year. They each spent time giving her her respects around this time of year¡ªit was actually Ez who painted it for them¡ªthat day was more emotional for Gregory he thought than it was for Gavin. But that was one of the few times Andy has seen him shed a tear. He blinked and instead of seeing them dressed in fine suits¡ªthe both of them were very weird about Halloween costumes and didn¡¯t like anything restricting their vision¡ªhe had for but a moment seen them as they really were in this world¡ªshadows with the faintest colored slits for eyes. He shook his head and they were back to their fancy dress¡ªand the thought was gone from his mind.


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    He walked up to them both and put his arms around as he joined in the center. ¡°I think she would be looking down on you both with the greatest jack-o-lantern grin she could muster,¡± Andy said.


    ¡°Oh, she wouldn¡¯t for me,¡± Gregory offered with a nervous laugh. He was sometimes called Egregore in this new world. ¡°I think she would have told me she wished me to meet up with Freddy or Jason or something else equally corny but spiked with the venom we shared with each other.¡±


    ¡°You both had the weirdest relationship,¡± Gavin said, wiping a tear. ¡°How are things downstairs?¡±


    ¡°Jack¡¯s just arrived, so you can assume how that¡¯ll go.¡±


    He rolled his eyes and looked back up to the painting. ¡°Yeah...I don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to head down there, then. I¡¯ll probably start something and it¡¯ll ruin the whole mood.¡±


    ¡°Understandable,¡± Andy said. He turned to Gregory, ¡°Hey, have you seen my Dad anywhere?¡±


    There was a new unsettled look on his face, and Andy could tell it wasn¡¯t great news.


    ¡°I tried to get him to come, but he wouldn¡¯t take any of my calls. Probably still in bed and probably will be for the next day or two.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Andy said, and sighed himself. He knew his father¡ªsometimes called Scantar in this world¡ªhad been facing the extreme ends of the emotional disparity since coming over. He had found it impossible to talk with him as his emotions tended to get the better of him until he went to the extreme opposite side of the scale where he drew inward and refused to talk to anybody until he balanced out.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect him here anytime soon,¡± Gregory offered. ¡°I¡¯m...sorry he isn¡¯t here.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize...each of you is suffering in your own way, and we ours,¡± Andy said, then made an unconscious glance toward Gavin. ¡°I¡¯m going to go find Thag, he still out there with Ez? Out on the balcony?¡±


    Gregory nodded, and so Andy left. He thought he heard Gavin say something under his breath, but he had less than zero interest in confirming what it was he thought he heard.


    He continued to the door that led out to the balcony and found John and Sarah¡ªsometimes called Thagirion and Ezrael¡ªsitting across each other at a table overlooking the moon in the infinite void. The moon itself glowed a variety of vibrant colors¡ªshifting and spilling into one another.


    They had looked like they were talking about something serious before he stepped in, but Sarah turned to him and offered him a sweet smile. It was just like her to ensure everyone around her was okay first before returning to her own thoughts.


    ¡°How are you guys out here?¡± Andy asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine, just talking some things out since we have the opportunity,¡± Sarah began. ¡°I know our time is limited here...but do you know why we only seem to be here when this time of year comes around?¡±


    Andy looked out toward the void. He knew this as the place they lived, but she was right. They seemed to be more present during the Halloween season. Was there something to the ¡®spooky¡¯ season that drew out their energy more inside Noctem? He couldn¡¯t say for sure.


    ¡°I dunno, I think that might be better posed for Gavin. I think he has a closer relationship with the powers that be that might have that answer.


    ¡°That¡¯s fair,¡± Sarah said. She turned to John and her eyes quickly darted to the side.


    ¡°Oh, before I forget,¡± Andy said. ¡°John, your dad wants to see you at some point before the night ends. I think he¡¯s still down in the family room.¡±


    ¡°Is Jack here yet?¡± John asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Andy sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll come down with you, that way you aren¡¯t alone,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°No no, I¡¯ll need to face this head on sooner or later.¡± He moved to stand, ¡°I should get it done so we can see out the close together.¡± He stopped as his eyes went wide and he slowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sarah asked.


    ¡°I just...got this weird feeling of deja vu...all of us being here together. Wasn¡¯t there someone else who¡­?¡±


    ¡°Someone else?¡± Andy asked.


    ¡°No, must have been something else,¡± John said. His eyes were focused and lost in thought. He shook his head and then continued, ¡°Must be nothing. Just thought I remembered a dream or something else where all of us were together. I thought there was someone else there too. I can¡¯t place their face though.¡±


    ¡°Hm...now that you mention it, that sounds...familiar,¡± Andy said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you the details, though.¡±


    ¡°All right, well I¡¯ll meet back up with you here,¡± John turned to Sarah.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be up here.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to go as well,¡± Andy said.


    Sarah gave him a look that could mean a million things, but he knew the truth of it, and he closed his eyes and turned from her without another word.


    Having seen almost everyone, he felt a sort of satisfaction like reuniting with a bunch of old friends, even if some of them weren¡¯t as friendly in the old days, but he knew where he wanted to be when the time closed out for another year.


    He paced back to the foyer and climbed down the stairs¡ªmaking his way through the hallway to the door to the bedroom on the left.


    It was empty. It was always empty. His mind¡¯s eye saw the form of his wife finishing her hair in her vampire queen outfit¡ªthe look would have been absolutely stunning, but that¡¯s always what it would have been. He closed the door behind him and saw the pair of plastic fangs sitting alone on top of the dresser. He stumbled over toward them and held them in his hand, looking up at himself in the mirror he felt the memory caress his shoulder, but nothing more.


    This house was a place of solace for some¡ªfor John and Sarah they have love, they have understanding, and they have the makings of a family they can come back to. Gavin and his father¡ªwhile not the healthiest of relationships, have something to build off from. Devon and Alex both seemed to come to their own understanding.


    Even Jack Adata has his daughter back and Andy...he had nothing. His own father was either a menace and refused to change or a sad pitiable man who drained him of his resources. In this short time they got each year to see each other as they were¡ªoutside of the darkness where nothing was except for them¡ªhe sat alone in his room once more. Another year and he swore that feeling on his shoulder was stronger than it was last year...maybe one year he¡¯ll be able to see her smile again.


    Maybe next year he--


    The lights would soon turn off and the year would come to a close¡ªand all would return to darkness.


    ¡°Happy Halloween,¡± Andy muttered to himself and closed his eyes. This night would continue to go on...and yet his deepest desire was for it all to end.

 1 | Solitude

    Spring 2045


    Ally Fae


    Time always complicated matters. It was a struggle recollecting one¡¯s own past normally when so much ¡°life¡± happened every day. It was so easy to preoccupy life with the minutiae of living that such small but important things become callously lost to the current that was the mind and its infinite passageways to lost information. This was a challenge with a single mind. This challenge, then, was doubled when one¡¯s own life was doubled.


    Ally was currently living a single strand of that double life in a time that has intersected with her own future. Twenty-one and newly resolute in her journey to stop the plans of the Creatures of the Night has found in her desperation latent abilities to distort and tear the world around her. This included crossing through to a point fourteen years in her own future after witnessing a vision of the Allison of this time. After vowing to find her future self, she banded with some new-found friends to solve the mystery of her future self¡¯s apparent alliance with the Creature of the Night they each had history with¡ªSakonna.


    She never should have existed in this time, and yet the universe has not recoiled at her presence¡ªand time has seemed to accept her double presence within. Philosophers of the old world would have rewritten large swathes of text over the supposed will or won¡¯t of the world¡ªthe act of existing where one shouldn¡¯t, versus the very idea of a shouldn¡¯t in the first place.


    To Ally, she continued living on. The small minutiae of wills and shouldn¡¯ts couldn¡¯t be further from her frontmind as there were other, more pressing matters that deemed those thoughts as but stones to toss back into the river, coursing it upstream.


    It had been months since she separated from those friends after the events of Enforal. She lay awake on a broken down cot she had been using as a temporary lodgings for the past few weeks in a small village called Bannes. The memories of the events at Enforal ran through her restless mind.


    In her inner mind she was back at the scene when everything went wrong¡ªwhen yet again her life changed at the tick of a second on the hands of a clock. Like a car crash paused just before the impact and then fast-forwarded through only to rewind when the wounds could begin to heal.


    One moment she was sitting in the audience with LUCAS and Laven¡ªJace had been by her side¡ªalthough only she could feel him there¡ªas he had been protecting the fragments of the machine that LUCAS had told her about. That ICARUS...as much a mystery to her as much in this world, but she felt an inner calm having those pieces in her possession¡ªas if they were a solidified confidence she could hold onto and ease her worries.


    Even staring out on the field toward her older self¡ªthe person she had seen as a dark corruption of her own ideals¡ªshe felt calmed by the fragments. Curious, evermore so, but calm.


    Everything had happened so fast¡ªthat monster¡ªshe recalled its name as Zane...something so horrible being called something so normal clashed in her mind as a dissonant figure. Dissonant was a good word for whatever it was¡ªa sickly white and appendages that could erupt from its back like spider legs. And yet...so easily was it beaten down by that man in the robe. Something about him seemed...familiar. She hadn¡¯t seen his face before¡ªin the few moments it appeared on the big screen nearest the central tower, but something in her heart tugged in his direction.


    She remembered asking Jace mentally if he had any idea why she had felt such a way toward someone she didn¡¯t know, but he hadn¡¯t been able to offer anything of substance¡ªonly a sly joke that he was her soul mate. Something in her wretched at the idea, but knew he was at least in the ballpark. The man vanished as quickly as he had thoroughly trounced the monster¡ªit was honestly kind of inspiring seeing such an ugly creature beaten down so quickly.


    Jace had scolded her for judging solely based on appearances¡ªand asked her how she¡¯d feel if she were cursed to look like that. It was a thought that she had begun to consider, but then the monster let out a noise that sent a shiver running through her entire body. It reverberated deep into her heart¡ªa scream that echoed without the help of any technology. Then suddenly it was in the air¡ªaiming toward the emperor.


    Her older self appeared on the pitch, and then things only got crazier from there. The calm she had felt had vanished¡ªbeing so close to another her had undone what had solidly kept still within. Then the screams directed her vision up¡ªand she saw the great fireball in the sky.


    It looked like the kind of meteor that was always used in representations of what had killed the dinosaurs of old¡ªgargantuan in size and a color so bright she couldn¡¯t help but turn at the merest of glances at it. The screams were funneled out by the rushing of footsteps¡ªthe hollow metal of the stands echoed below and people brushed past her roughly. They stormed for the exits, hoping to find some way to escape the impending doom.


    Ally caught a glance of LUCAS as he looked up and a look of horror rang on his face. There was a fragment of familiarity behind his eyes¡ªshe didn¡¯t know how she knew, but she did. He had seen something like this before, and he looked to his left¡ªat Laven who had still been staring up.


    Suddenly, a fear struck her core. LUCAS would ensure that he and Laven would get out safely, but what of her? When things calmed down he was sure he would check on her, but his reaction¡ªimmediately turning away from her told her what she feared was true.


    She didn¡¯t blame him, they hadn¡¯t traveled together for very long¡ªand they haven¡¯t been in this kind of situation before, there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with his reaction...but it still hurt. She held Jace close to her heart and thought one single wish¡ªagainst the fear that had mounted an assault:


    I wish I was home.


    And suddenly she blinked and the world grew silent around her. Her legs failed her and she collapsed to the ground¡ªwhich had then become soft¡ªsaving her from any serious damage of the fall. Grass had replaced the surmounting number of bodies moving and a slight breeze had told her one thing immediately¡ªshe was no longer in danger of the meteor. The taste of the air¡ªthe slightest of notes plus the confidence of Jace inside her had told her that her wish had come true, although like any wish there was always a caveat.


    She had been transported to where Nassau had existed in the old world, but of course, Nassau was gone. Now, where it stood was a field on a large hill that overlooked a port town that looked...pleasant. The word hung in the air and it almost seemed a detestable word compared to what she had just been through, but pleasant was what it had been, and any other descriptor would not have fit it so kindly.


    She did not yet move, for her mind was still racing and it needed time to properly process where it had been and where it was now. She...was separated from those friends. She was separated from that monster...the being that she couldn¡¯t settle its existence in her mind cleanly. She knew monsters¡ªat least, people who were monsters through their actions. That was something entirely different. How could she reason with a world that allowed such a monstrosity like that? How effortlessly he claimed his life¡ªthe primal fear that erupted from her chest when she saw that monster and its many different appendages.


    Then as if the world had taken a breath before a final denouement came the meteor, which upon recollection came clear that it was not just a rock from the outer reaches of the planet¡¯s reaches, but instead a ship that had been crashing down to the planet¡¯s surface.


    From where did it originate, who had been on board, and why had they chosen that spot to make a landing? She figured being so far away from the scene she would not find those answers anytime soon...however she would forgo ever finding out if she could ensure that her friends made it out safely.


    I wish them to be safe.


    She didn¡¯t think that the wish would specifically come true from her desiring it¡ªJace had told her that it was the power of the fragments that allowed her so much energy to fulfill her previous wish, and her body told her she had not the fraction of energy left to even begin to think of doing something that required that much energy.


    All she could focus on was breathing, slowly. In...and out. Her mind had finally begun to catch up with itself and she simply watched the sky fade into the violet hues of the night as her eyes would begin to close.


    Since then, she has replayed those moments before arriving in the port town of Bannes dozens of times¡ªwondering if there was a way to ensure her entire group¡ªmuch less everybody in that audience could be brought to safety, but then she remembered how expended she had felt at moving just her own body¡ªshe needed two full days up on that hill solely to begin moving again. By the time she could finally move she was starving. Thank god I appeared on the outskirts of Bannes...if food and water weren¡¯t so close I¡¯d have been done for.


    Now, she awoke from a nightmare where those feelings were as bright and hot as they had been the night of¡ªthey resurfaced so simply even though it had been months at this point since their origin. The feelings came rushing back to her in that moment and she held her breath tight as she clutched her fist to her chest. It burned and she rolled into the fetal position to try to settle the feeling¡ªshe felt constricted in herself, twisted in knots and it wasn¡¯t until she felt the comforting hand on her back that it started to release.


    She stretched her legs back out on the cot she had been renting¡ªgrateful every second her hunting skills had been polished to a razor sharp edge. It had been insurmountably helpful in bartering for lodgings while she recovered and incorporated some sort of pattern of normalcy into her days as of late.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± she said, outwardly. It was the first time she had physically spoken to Jace in quite some time. They had gotten into such habits of mental talk that the physicality had seemed unnecessary.


    Jace had been kneeling at her bedside¡ªhis face was drawn downward in a silent look of concern. His blond hair looked as perfectly messy as it always had¡ªit hung perfectly in the way she liked over his eyes, mysterious with the air of edge.


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me, thank yourself. I can¡¯t tell you how many times I¡¯ve said that.¡±


    ¡°Amazing,¡± she thought back, returning to what was comfortable between them. ¡°You try to reassure me and admonish me in one breath. I am going to punish you hard for that cockiness in the book.¡±


    She felt him grin behind her¡ªshe didn¡¯t even need to see it¡ªhis form was vibrant in her mind¡¯s eye, ¡°You know me. Always aiming to surpass expectations.¡±


    She rolled over and stared at him up and down. More than looking at his face she looked past him at the wall. It was stained a faded yellow color with cracked paint that revealed the poor coating underneath. It looked like the room had at one point been painted a white-if-not-beige, but the time had worn away the attempts to fix it up.


    Bannes was a coastal town near the Scarlet Seas that extended past the edge of the world. People came and went¡ªthe town wasn¡¯t built to hold people long term. Soon she would have to leave¡ªespecially considering her few weeks here qualified her to be one of the longest staying residents. Staying too long would attract too much attention to herself. Any attention was unwanted. Anything extra...I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine how bad that would be.


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    ¡°How humble the mighty Allison grace our presence,¡± Jace said.


    ¡°Humble is quite an interesting way to say scared.¡±


    ¡°Framing, mi amigo, it¡¯s all in the framing,¡± he made a motion with his hands that made him look like a director on set.


    She laughed with a nervous sound. ¡°It¡¯s not something I¡¯m foreign to. We¡¯ll head out today. I know we¡¯ll need to.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t necessarily need to today. Only if you¡¯re feeling up to it,¡± he looked at her with a look of concern.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never feel up to it unless I start it.¡±


    Jace sighed and sat back against the wall and raised his arms behind his head. ¡°As it¡¯ll be. Now that we got the big things out of the way, decisions and all, what are you thinking about for grub today? I¡¯m sure that fisherman would love to see you again¡ªmaybe before you go you can ask for another meal.¡±


    ¡°He was nice, but he¡¯s too forward. I don¡¯t feel that way about him and if I let myself fool him into thinking so I¡¯ll feel even worse about it all. Plus, he¡¯s a terrible cook. Fisherman he may be, but he burns everything he touches.¡±


    ¡°Shame,¡± Jace said. ¡°I can only imagine a well cooked seafood dinner...it just sounds nice, you know? Maybe you can write one for me when you¡¯re feeling up for it?¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing¡­¡± Ally started. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know I¡¯ve been in a lull with your story. It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he nodded, placing a hand up on her cot and tapped twice. ¡°You haven¡¯t been feeling it since you got separated from LUCAS and Laven. I saw how happy you were in feeling like you belonged.¡±


    Ally said nothing, only wiped a tear she felt disgusted at shedding.


    ¡°We¡¯ll find them again. Or better, I know it. Life has a weird way of placing us where we need to be. Partings will only be temporary.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that sort of thing isn¡¯t fated for me,¡± Ally said. ¡°I¡¯m terribly unlucky with meeting back up with people who mean a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, that pattern is something we¡¯re going to break. If we don¡¯t try then it will forever remain the pattern.¡±


    It was Ally¡¯s turn to sigh. ¡°I know. I promise I¡¯m not giving up. I don¡¯t really believe I was left behind because I¡¯m unwanted.¡±


    Jace looked up with a look of pure passion. ¡°Now that¡¯s what I like to hear!¡±


    Ally was confused at his sudden jubilation. ¡°What is up with you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard you be this positive in a long while!¡±


    ¡°You call this positive?¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± he said, flashing out his hand and giving her a face. ¡°It¡¯s a sliding scale with you. I gotta take what I can get¡ªalmost like I¡¯m working with clay, you know?¡±


    Ally laughed. ¡°So I¡¯m clay?¡±


    ¡°Listen, clay is a respectable art form and I¡¯ll not have you slandering its capabilities.¡±


    ¡°Right, and how much clay art have you been responsible for? Do you even know the first thing of its construction?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be an artist to appreciate art, and you don¡¯t need to have written a story to know its characters¡ªyou know how much I appreciate a good model.¡±


    ¡°...Yeah,¡± Ally said, resigned. ¡°I promise I am going to work that into your character. I think it¡¯s nice you¡¯re more...worldly.¡±


    ¡°Worldly? That almost sounds like you¡¯re saying it as a detriment. You could say things like ¡®creative, knowledgeable, cultured.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, sing your praises.¡±


    Jace smiled, looking up. ¡°What key, madame?¡±


    Ally rolled her eyes and she knew this as her signal to get up. She swung her legs over the side of the cot and sat up¡ªthe headache from her dreams finally starting to fade.


    ¡°Okay, so I think we¡¯re going to head to Draymont. It¡¯s a day¡¯s walk from here but I hear they¡¯ve got a hunter¡¯s guild set up there. I think I can sign up and we can make something new there.¡±


    Jace thought on this, rubbing his chin and then turning to her, ¡°And maybe our fine friends will have already shown up there.¡±


    ¡°I wish,¡± Ally said, gripping the edge of the bed, and biting her lip. ¡°I know that they¡¯re going to be continuing their quest far from here. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve got plenty of adventures far from here they¡¯ve got planned out.¡±


    ¡°No adventure of theirs will be complete without this,¡± he held up the silvery opal and the shard of onyx. ¡°They¡¯re going to want these back at some point I assume, and we¡¯d be happy to be rid of them if you¡¯re aligned with me on that.¡±


    Ally nodded, and then she stood up and stretched. ¡°You¡¯re right. We¡¯ll meet up with them eventually. We should just work to become even stronger so when that happens we can do a better job at protecting them and ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Atta girl,¡± Jace said, pocketing the fragments. ¡°Now, let¡¯s happily leave this drab sight behind. I know you chose this place over the other spots in the area to feel bad about yourself. I¡¯m done with that for now.¡±


    Ally looked over the room and knew how drab it really was¡ªand then she saw a titan roach in the corner of the room¡ªits disgusting body wriggling in rhythm of its many legs shaking unnaturally and she knew deep down he was speaking the truth.


    ¡°I always speak the truth,¡± Jace began. ¡°You just don¡¯t always want to hear it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, accept your win and shut it,¡± she said, shaking her head¡ªforcing herself to look away from the roach. ¡°Let¡¯s get going. Maybe we¡¯ll stop by the fish market to pick something up for the trip. Something not from Tidry¡¯s, though.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. I don¡¯t think I can handle another weak man¡¯s tearful goodbye.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t tear up.¡± Ally said, stretching and imagining the sight in her mind¡¯s eye. ¡°He seemed the sort to get mad and hit a wall.¡±


    ¡°Much so the same to my point,¡± Jace said. ¡°One man¡¯s tantrum is another man¡¯s surprise gym session.¡±


    Ally shook her head and she watched as Jace faded from her view. He did need his rest¡ªshe had his assistance in training at the local sparring center the previous night. Her time in Bannes has been specifically searching out opportunities to strengthen herself and heighten her abilities.


    I refuse to be weak anymore. I refuse to rely solely on Jace to stay alive. I will get stronger. I will be my own protector. Jace had whined¡ªsure enough. But his protests are easily silenced when the protester originates from your own mind. It was a continued process, but she has noticed some progress in her muscle mass since that day¡ªher arms were something she was especially proud of. It was crazy how much a difference it had made in how other people approached her¡ªwith signs she could fight...they didn¡¯t. Before, she had to worry about being captured or overpowered. And while Jace, if available, could have been something to rely on, now, she had avoided almost ninety percent of onlookers and others she didn¡¯t want to speak to outright¡ªspeaking on the nature of those who would¡ªthey prey on the weak and those they would find no resistance from.


    She exhaled and let her frustration with the general population leave with it. It was a problem that had existed before the world had changed¡ªand she had an inner fire burning that this was a feature of humanity that carried over. She wouldn¡¯t let her feelings die¡ªonly simmer until she could do something about it. That was long term, though. First, she needed to pack her things and prepare to move on to Draymont.


    She pulled her bag up onto the bed and opened the latch on the front¡ªit contained all her life¡¯s belongings over the past few months:


    She took out the bottles of water that contributed to most of the weight of the bag¡ªthen moved out the dried meats wrapped in a strange new material that she could only imagine in the old world¡ªsuper metal that was nearly frozen to the touch. She couldn¡¯t touch it with her bare hands¡ªinstead balling her hands in the sleeves of her top to move it around. It kept the meats she had nice and refrigerated. The metal was something she had to accept and couldn¡¯t explain, as the Bannes citizens swore by its use¡ªironically of all it was Tindry the fishmonger who had introduced her to it.


    Moving the cold meats aside, she pulled out her spare clothes¡ªfabric bought from the local shops¡ªenough to fit and wear in case she was unable to clean and wear her primary clothes. This included a jacket she could put on if she goes too far past the coastal barriers where the climate was a lot colder.


    She then pulled out her spare threaded wire, adhesive, and medication. She has it in case of an emergency¡ªshe¡¯s been having bad headaches lately that have become incapacitative¡ªtoo strong for her to manage alone.


    When she has it all out in front of her and catalogued she returns it in order and re-latches the bag shut. She shoulders the bag and breathes a sigh of relief. One final look at the room that she¡¯s called hers and realizing just how disgusting it really was. She couldn¡¯t face it while she was living here¡ªbut it really was the epitome of her tanking mental health over the past few weeks.


    She could feel the darkness like a voice whispering behind her mind as she lay in her pre-sleep exhaustion. Her fears and doubts seemed to come alive inside her mind¡ªsending her images of the world upside down and burning. A subterranean terror as if the innards of the planet itself were being torn away to reveal the demons inside.


    Her dreams aside, she shook her head in a determinant stance as she said goodbye to this ratty old room for the final time. The door closed behind her and suddenly she took in the hallway of the inn in a new light, too. The wallpaper was peeling and was dyed an unhealthy yellow color.


    ¡°Gross,¡± she said, noticing one of the help-hands was approaching from the end of the hall. She looked to the side as she passed without speaking a word.


    Outside the sun had cast its crimson light over Bannes¡ªit was an unsettling feeling she felt tension from. She dearly missed how calming blue had been as a color for that peaceful sky of old¡ªnow deep scarlets painted the sky across.


    The marketplace wasn¡¯t so far from the inn¡ªa two minute walk as she joined the crowd that had been awake for hours now doing their daily activities before they moved on to wherever it was they were destined to go. The crowds were always comprised of different people, but they held the same benefit of allowing her to blend in. A part of her would miss the energy of so many people gathered together. It helped the illusion of the society of old.


    Meeting with one of the other fishmongers¡ªthankfully Tindry was nowhere to be seen in the outer markets. Either he was elsewhere or was harassing someone else¡ªalthough that possibility upon reflection didn¡¯t make her feel any better.


    ¡°There¡¯s a face I know I can sell to!¡± The fishmonger calls out, motioning for her to approach and separate from the crowd. The sun beat down and Ally stepped closer under the awning to protect herself in the shade. ¡°Mighty fine catches we have out here¡ªtell me what you¡¯re in the market for.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s the salmon look?¡± Ally asked. ¡°Either that or cod.¡±


    The fishmonger¡¯s face drooped. His form was like that of a disappointed child who had just been told he couldn¡¯t do his favorite activity. ¡°Not great. Water¡¯s still not evened out for them to continue to populate the way they used to. Still got the many head problem.¡±


    The ecosystem of the world had changed greatly since the world turned over. People largely stayed the same so if you had stayed within their bounds you could almost fool yourself to believe nothing much had changed, but taking any sort of step to the wilds abound revealed that the truth was very different.


    The different kinds of fish around the coastal regions had begun to mutate because of their new environments. For the region¡¯s salmon and cod population¡ªthey started growing additional heads off of their back fins. The picture of it was nightmare inducing, but the issue came that the second head wasn¡¯t just that¡ªbut instead an attempt to adapt to the higher toxicity waters of the coast. In an attempt to adapt the fish have formed toxic sacs that rested in the cheeks of the second face. What had attempted to be an evolutionary adaptation became the sole killer of edible salmon and cod species without specialized preparation.


    Fisherman who captured these new kinds of fish on the line would often end up hooking that second mouth that acted toward bait just like the primary head¡ªand if they did end up on the line, it was only a numbers game for hooks that would pierce that toxic sac and flood the nearby pools with the toxins. The marine life that had not yet adapted to the toxins would be killed, and those that had would only continue to propagate and continue those lines of fish.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I would have liked to have something to remind me of old times before I headed out, but I won¡¯t die if I don¡¯t.¡±


    The fishmonger moved to a look of surprise, ¡°Say it ain¡¯t so. Yer finally heading on? Where to?¡±


    ¡°Draymont,¡± Ally said. ¡°I think my next destination is waiting for me there.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a well known spot there. Plenty of folks that leave here head down that way. Might even see some familiar faces down there.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping for. What do you have for crabs and stullfish? Hopefully those are better than the others.¡±


    Stullfish were a new mutation from crayfish that had similar wiggly legs, but have formed harder calcium carbonate shells. They were an example of positive mutation¡ªat least for society nearby as the shells that had formed were too heavy for the fish themselves to navigate from out of the water so it made them extremely easy pickings for fishermen to clear up.


    The fishmonger looked down then turned to look at his ledger posted up by a spike on the wall next to him, cocking his head to read closer. ¡°Yeah...we¡¯ve got a good load of each.¡±


    ¡°Load of stullfish isn¡¯t always a surprise,¡± Ally said.


    ¡°No, but they are appreciated in fine numbers. What kind of order are you thinking for today?¡±


    ¡°Two pounds of each.¡±


    ¡°Two? Sheesh kid, you planning on feasting before you go?¡±


    Ally shook her head, ¡°No, I just have a way to store it for the long term. It¡¯ll give me something to pick at over the coming days.¡±


    The fishmonger nodded, tallying the numbers in his head, ¡°Suits you. That¡¯ll be five each.¡±


    Ally reached into her pocket and took out two silver coins. It was a sight of how conflated coins had become in the last few years. Thankfully, she was able to scrounge up a nice chunk of change offering to help others at the sparring facility¡ªit only helped to keep her in shape and earn some money on the side.


    The Fishmonger bagged up her food and she exchanged it for the coin. She took the wrapped up fish and wrapped it in a second layer of the super metal to keep it cool and stuffed it in her bag, then thanked him before heading off. She retreated from the group for the final time.


    Draymont was only a decision away.

 2 | I Contain Multitudes

    Winter 2022


    Allison Fae


    The front doors opened and the dulcet tones of some viral song played over the radio in the front lobby of the Scientia building. Allison couldn¡¯t hear it clearly¡ªbut it sounded like some old rock track with a familiar guitar riff that she remembered hearing a lot back in this time. Though, the song didn¡¯t come out then...it had come back into popularity for one reason or another and now the radio stations were eyeing it as a new top track.


    She guessed there was some clip online that had used the track as its background song which introduced it to a lot of new listeners¡ªand those same listeners were voracious. Searching the song up online and driving up its metrics that anybody in the know just had to incorporate it into absolutely everything. That kind of thing happened all the time back then.


    She remembered the excitement that traveled through school halls whenever a new song lit up the masses. Of course, it also completely burnt those who were lukewarm at best to the song and absolutely infuriated those who didn¡¯t care for it¡ªbecause like it or not they would be listening to it again, and again, and again.


    She thought then of herself in this time¡ªhow right now she was probably back at Nassau. Were the events of that tragic murder already in play? Something about how things tended to echo across history told her they were, but she knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to confirm. It wasn¡¯t as if she could just simply leave and road-trip off to Maine. Besides, Wynrie had no knowledge of that event after all. Even if she had passing knowledge and Allison was somehow able to traverse the world of memory to her old school, she wouldn¡¯t be able to change things there¡ªonly be a witness to her own trauma yet again. That wasn¡¯t something she wished to do.


    Allison looked up to see a baby blue sky and a brilliant yellow sun. The sight more than anything froze her to her core. It was something so simple¡ªthe hue that humans perceived the sky to be, but it hung almost like a tease for how things used to be. Of course, things back then were not perfect, but nostalgia makes fools of even the mightiest of humanity. One could yearn for environments of abuse¡¯s time past if you were distanced enough and suffering enough in the present.


    It might not seem as bad.


    That therein lies the folly that leads those to recreate those past traumas in their current self¡ªthose that cannot move on and see forward toward a healthier future. Knowing this...it did not help any in her yearning for when things were simpler¡ªbut that in of itself was a facsimile, as things were never simpler¡ªshe was just ignorant to the complicated facets of life.


    A rough clearing of a throat brought her back to herself as she was looking straight at a receptionist on the other side of the door in the lobby. ¡°Well, are you going to be standing there all day and letting the draft in or what?¡± The woman had a look of annoyance plastered on her face, but it looked forced. Like it was the emotion she was expected to feel instead of the feeling proper.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry,¡± Allison said, stepping inside as the doors slid closed behind her. ¡°Yeah, I guess I¡¯m just not used to being here...it¡¯s a little crazy that I am.¡± She hadn¡¯t yet known the method she wanted to attempt¡ªshe figured being amazed might play over well than the more forceful and demanding personality.


    The woman¡¯s demeanor shifted on a dime, shedding away the mask. She nodded slightly and smiled. Her bright blue eyes were glimmering and it almost didn¡¯t feel real to see someone in a service environment so perky.


    ¡°Yeah, I remember being in your shoes. It was about two months ago for me. I thought to myself, Bess, now don¡¯t you get excited. It¡¯s probably just going to be paperwork and people yelling at you all day, but you know what I said when I learned how much I actually made here?¡±


    Allison, a little taken aback at her sudden shift, shook her head. ¡°No...what was that?¡±


    ¡°I said Jeff Goldbum himself could shit on my desk and I¡¯d take it for this paycheck.¡± She enunciated each syllable with a wag of her finger and a little giggle. ¡°And you know what? I don¡¯t even have to take that...it¡¯s nuts¡ªthe things being accomplished here...oh, but look at me. Just talking like I know you. I¡¯m sorry, if anything my problem is a lack of faces around here. The whizzes are typically in the lab or the testing environment. Who were you here to see?¡±


    ¡°Wynrie Herschel,¡± Allison swallowed, regaining her ground against the strange woman. ¡°I spoke with her on the phone, she said she was going to meet me here.¡±


    ¡°Right, okay, if you want feel free to sit over there and I can page her for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s perfectly fine. She told me she was going to head up around this time. She always seems to know when I show up. Said something about not bothering you.¡±


    ¡°Oh...you know your way around?¡± The woman seemed to almost be pleading with her¡ªas if Allison¡¯s offer to take even the most menial work away from her job was the greatest of offerings.


    Allison could tell she was new at her job and wasn¡¯t exactly confident in acting fully in the role. Anyone more experienced would have fought back and went up her chain of command, but something inside Allison knew the right words to find her weakness. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been round the area here a bit. I was a contractor previously for some of their more hush hush work.¡±


    Anyone else would call the bluff, and yet¡­


    ¡°Oh wow. That¡¯s serious business...can I ask what kind of work it was? I always get curious about the kinds of things they test back there, it¡¯s amazing kind of stuff I hear, but you know how chain of command goes. Nobody tells the messenger what kind of message they¡¯re delivering.¡±


    What kind of message are you delivering? Allison thought on the matter, feeling like it didn¡¯t matter so much in the grand scheme of things and nodded, smiling small. ¡°If I told you I¡¯m sure I would be arrested six ways to Sunday.¡±


    The woman nodded and suddenly started considering the future of her job¡ªwondering if she had already asked too much. Now that she had made it this far...she needed to move on¡ªmove forward, and then unfortunately, move deeper. There was still the voice that rang at the source and it still called for her to continue in. She closed her eyes and the woman in front of her disappeared.


    There was a deep fading of the voices and music around her as the blacks and blues overtook her vision. She wouldn¡¯t be gone for long¡ªshe needed to establish her alibi. The song from the radio had faded completely to a dull hum and the world around her faded to a deep black.


    She felt as if she was sinking down below, deeper and deeper.


    Fall 2021


    Glowing lights flickered and proclaimed the bar to the residents of Vegas. Among the crowd it barely stood out¡ªat least, outside of the memories she was in it would have. To Allison, however, it stood as the lone source of light on the strip that faded on either side into darkness. This represented Wynrie¡¯s active memory of the location. Not much else had stood out during her time here¡ªwhich, being a bar in Vegas, that made enough sense. Anyone would get plastered enough that it would tear away at the familiarity. Especially when each bar looked nearly identical to one another¡ªit wasn¡¯t necessary to retain the information of anyplace you didn¡¯t visit. At the end of the day it stood among dozens, hundreds of bars just like it. Its name was unimportant¡ªit wasn¡¯t represented here as Allison saw¡ªprobably because Wynrie hadn¡¯t bothered to remember it. After all¡ªwhy would she? She was trying to drown her sorrows. Something so simple needn¡¯t be committed to memory.


    The air had tasted of something different¡ªthere was a noticeable clearer tinge¡ªlike the lack of production or exhaust. Whatever it was, it was enough that Allison knew these purveyors had it good here¡ªany closer to the old taste and the patrons would likely relieve themselves of their drinks much faster.


    Allison pushed open the doors and the dimness of the atmosphere definitely seemed like a play of Wynrie¡¯s memory rather than historical accuracy. To her sober mind it felt oppressive. To Wynrie it must have been the perfect amount of melodramatic. Allison was able to pick her out of the blurred beings sitting at the bar. The seats on either side of her were taken, but the figures in each of the seats weren¡¯t fully there. They looked as if she could get their image on the edge of her vision, but not head on.


    She moved forward and pulled back the chair to Wynrie¡¯s right and took her place¡ªoccupying the same space as the distorted figure, which then faded completely.


    Wynrie rested on her outstretched arms, eyeing a nearly-emptied glass grasped in her right hand. Her hair casted most of her face from view, but Allison was able to glance at a familiar sight. It¡¯s a feeling she¡¯s long since known and easily identified with.


    ¡°Who were they?¡± Allison asked. The world around her resumed¡ªthe chatter of the bar turned back on and the figures around them both filled in and filled with color.


    Wynrie¡¯s head turned ever so slightly. She didn¡¯t answer for a period of time, contemplating the drink once again, swirling the amber liquid until she brought the glass to her lips and finished the drink, setting the glass down and pushing it forward. Allison saw the residue of her lipstick stained on the rim of the glass. The bartender¡ªquick on the prowl took the glass and cocked his head to her. She nodded slightly and then he turned to Allison.


    ¡°And for you?¡±


    ¡°Start me with a shot of whiskey,¡± she nodded.


    ¡°You got it,¡± the bartender nodded and then left to start both of their drinks.


    Allison rested her own arms on the counter top and took in the environment¡ªfamiliar as any and remembered how awful things went last time she gave into her inhibitions. Not this time. It¡¯ll only be one. Just something to calm the nerves. Liquid courage as they say.


    ¡°You said they¡­¡± Allison said, returning back to Wynrie. ¡°You didn¡¯t say him. You¡¯re either more progressive than half this town or you¡¯re¡­¡±


    Wynrie stared back at her, but didn¡¯t say anything for a few seconds. She looked to be demanding courage from deep within. ¡°It¡¯s my...well, I guess she¡¯s my ex now. She broke up with me¡ªdumped me like the years we shared together meant nothing.¡±


    The bartender returned with each of their drinks¡ªhe slid the shot of whiskey over to Allison and handed Wynrie her next glass. She grabbed for it immediately and downed a large gulp. Allison downed her shot and asked for another, then turned back to Wynrie. Just another for courage¡¯s sake.


    ¡°We were fighting because of work,¡± she said. ¡°She works for this big shot research facility and I was trying to get my in.¡±


    ¡°Big shot research facility...around here, you¡¯re not talking about Scientia, are you?¡± Allison asked.


    Now was the time to make her offensive. It could as easily backfire, but if she was going to start making her way in she needed to take some risks.


    Wynrie let loose a hollow sound like a chuckle. ¡°Guess it¡¯s not so unknown, I almost wish she was here to hear you say that,¡± she muttered. To Allison¡¯s look of confusion, she continued. ¡°We were at university together¡ªsame discipline and working toward the same degree. We met because we were both at the top of our class¡ªalways edging the other out for top marks. I was talking with one of the head researchers at Scientia¡ªhe was interested in some of the projects I had been working on. We were talking about a possible sponsorship slash internship¡­I¡¯ve been working in neural networking and artificial intelligence.¡±


    ¡°I assume things didn¡¯t go so well?¡± Allison asked, her eyes darting from Wynrie to the bartender who had collected her glass and began to fill the second.


    ¡°Understatement.¡± Wynrie placed a hand face down on the desk as if to accentuate the point. ¡°At first, they were great. But Anabelle never stopped being competitive. Not even when we got together. Of course, we were able to keep it light most times. A little friendly competition inspires the greatest of relationships, you know?¡± She looked toward Allison and seemed satisfied with her reaction.


    In reality, she had no specific reaction as her experience in the relationship department was pitifully low, but she felt glad it seemed okay enough for Wynrie.


    ¡°...but I think something in her snapped when she learned I was in talks with Scientia. She reacted...strangely to the news. Happy on the outside, but I could tell under the surface that those gears in her head on how to come out on top. I was worried it would end in her lashing out at me or acting jealous¡ªbut of course this was my first relationship where I was out¡­I didn¡¯t want to come to terms with any of the problems.¡±


    This was a more familiar tack for Allison. Being Bi and its many social pitfalls were topics she had thought a lot on, although like many things of the old world not as much as of late. She offered an understanding nod which seemed to reassure her into continuing. The bartender filled up Allison¡¯s shot glass which she quickly finished again, setting the glass down and pushing it to be taken. As the bartender grabbed the glass he gave her a look and she motioned with her hand to take it for good. You¡¯re done. No more. If she continued then those kinds of thoughts would pour in by the dozen and she¡¯d be in just as sad a state if not worse as Wynrie.


    ¡°Those things admittedly would have been hard to deal with, but they should have been my problem to handle. Instead, she hijacked my sponsorship. She went behind my back and...well, today I got the notice in the mail that my offer was being rescinded. And...that was that.¡± She took another gulp and set the glass back down, exhaling from the force she sucked it down.


    ¡°Are you just going to leave it at that?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Going to let her win?¡±


    Wynrie looked up, a heartbroken look on her face. ¡°Won? She¡¯s already won. That¡¯s her whole gambit.¡±


    ¡°If you choose that to be how it ends. It¡¯s not over until you decide you¡¯ve given up the fight.¡± Her gaze hadn¡¯t left Allison¡¯s. ¡°Well, think about it. She went behind your back and got herself a job. If that¡¯s the game they¡¯re willing to play by those rules, you don¡¯t have to be restricted. You can march on down to that building and prove to them why you deserve to be working there.


    Wynrie took another long gulp from her glass. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I think it¡¯d just about kill me to accept the leftovers and beg. What kind of scientist would I be if my work alone couldn¡¯t get me in? She¡¯d love that though...why put myself through that torture? Why not just move on to something better¡­¡± her eyes darted down toward the floor and Allison took her moment.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m no scientist, but you¡¯re more than your work, you know,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t think many people can skate by on their work alone, you know? You¡¯re the human element. It takes what the work can do and pushes it past anything you could have tested for.¡±


    Wynrie offered a chuckle. ¡°Even if your work is in the field of developing the replacement of the human element?¡± She gave a wry smile. ¡°I seem to be at a particular disadvantage at offering the human element.¡±


    ¡°Let me be the first person to assure you I don¡¯t quite understand the nature of your work. I know vaguely about the idea of AI but aside from science fiction stories it may as well be gibberish to me, but there¡¯s always something you can do to better your situation. From someone who knows well how your heart is feeling...if you don¡¯t confront your feelings on this directly and let her control you like that...then you will live to regret it every day of your life moving forward. You don¡¯t deserve the pain I have. You don¡¯t deserve to be here like this...like I am.¡±


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Wynrie didn¡¯t look back to Allison, but from the small scared sound she could tell her words had hit their mark. They had reached her heart¡ªand mostly she knew because they were words co-opted from Wynrie¡¯s own memories¡ªher fears and doubts cut down from her own personal strength. In reality, Wynrie had come to the decision to push forward at Scientia herself, but here, Allison had inserted herself into Wynrie¡¯s subconscious¡ªrewriting what little remained while she remained consumed by the creature back in the real world. I guess you could consider me a self insert.


    ¡°You know deep down you deserve to be there. You deserve the chance to show off the fruits of your labor. And, if time and circumstances permit, I¡¯d love to have my tour of the facility be from someone like you.¡±


    Wynrie looked up, a new confused look on her face, a tear half fallen down her cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just some random person. You remember me, right?¡± Allison figured she¡¯d just go in and go for it. If she was going to get her key in, this was the time to try.


    Suddenly, the sounds around her began to fade once more and she closed her eyes. I need to go even deeper. One final level then I can work my way back up. The dim lighting of the bar faded to its final black.


    Summer 2018


    It was a bright day in the middle of July. Allison had been picking at her brain to find the next closest traumatic moment in Wynrie¡¯s memories. At first it had been such a foreign act¡ªto scope through someone¡¯s mind like a labyrinth searching for keys you didn¡¯t even know the shapes of, but the more she did it the easier it became.


    She looked down at her form¡ªnoticeably younger as to reflect the purpose of being here¡ªshe needed to establish herself in Wynrie¡¯s past so she could remember her on that fateful day in the bar...and finally give her the go ahead she needed at Scientia. Memory was a tricky thing¡ªhow interconnected it all was. How simple it was to mess up and damage the resulting image irrevocably. If Wynrie were still alive in the present Allison would fear damaging the poor girl¡¯s mind forever, but the image of her body being manipulated by that...demon reassured her that she was as good as dead¡ªso she was free to take risks here this deep.


    That did speak to the question of the location of the demon¡ªshe would have to make sure she kept an eye out, as insofar she has not made contact since going deeper within Wynrie¡¯s memory.


    The world around her filled in¡ªit was the streets surrounding Phoenix, Arizona. She had been off from the part time job she held at the local grocery store¡ªtimes were tough for college graduates back then. Overqualified and still left to manage with the scraps that remained. This was before she mustered the courage and funds to apply to graduate school¡ªthose times with Annabelle had not yet happened. It was important that Allison inserted herself before Wynrie ever met Annabelle, as she would have realistically recognized Allison much earlier if that were the case.


    She needed to be far enough back that she could have a drunken conversation before that moment of recognition hit¡ªthe pin that would drop needed to make sense within the context of her memories. This was the key to reaching past the edges of the memory¡ªof allowing her to write and insert herself into the future¡ªat least, for the purposes of her memory.


    It was a busy evening¡ªrush hour was still prevalent and this street¡ªAllison looked out toward the long stretch of road that seemed to go on for miles¡ªwell, Wynrie hated this road especially. The road was unmarked for speed so daredevils drove however fast they thought they could get away with¡ªprovided there weren¡¯t any officers posted for speed traps.


    Wynrie always feared some awful wreck happening on this road, and for a large chunk of time that she was forced to ride it into and from work her fears were unfounded. The worst she¡¯d experienced were watching some fool who passed her be immediately lit up by a stationed cop off from the side. These experiences still tensed her up something bad¡ªeven if she wasn¡¯t the one being pulled over. She was an overly cautious person and the inkling of something being wrong sent shivers up her spine.


    Today, though, something bad did happen. Allison saw her driving her used and beaten-up car¡ªAllison wasn¡¯t fond of cars and their many forms they took¡ªshe wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell what it was on her own, but Wynrie remembered it as a 1990 Chevrolet Impala.


    Allison saw the driver behind her begin to approach, slow at first and then much faster. She felt second hand the tension that rose in her as she must have been eyeing the car from the rear-view window with increasing ferocity. Something told her that this time was different¡ªsomething was wrong¡ª


    That was the last thing she thought before the car clipped her passenger side bumper. It had tried to overtake her, but it was not fast enough to clear the bumper before making contact with her car. She wasn¡¯t driving faster than what the speed limit should have been, but she spun out and let out a scream. Her car came to a stop off to the side in the ditch pointed backward the exact moment the other driver¡¯s car made contact with the side railing. It was a head on collision and she watched in horror as his body was ejected through the front window. She saw how his body collided with the ground and how it bent in such unnatural ways. Allison felt the shadow of this image back in the bar three years in the future. She knew that it never left her wildest nightmares.


    The worst thing about it was the driver was only fifteen¡ªa kid who had taken his dad¡¯s car for a joyride. She never learned more details than that of the kid¡ªshe¡¯d blocked out a lot of the details due to the trauma of the event, but that image of that poor boy made sure to imprint itself there forever in her brain.


    She made her way over to Wynrie¡¯s car and opened her car door. Suddenly, on Allison¡¯s command a car¡ªit didn¡¯t matter what kind of car¡ªthat would be one of those details that gets lost in the haze¡ªappeared stopped on the side of the road. In this memory edit Allison was a driver who had stopped upon seeing the crash. She checked in on Wynrie¡ªmaking sure her vitals were okay and pulled out her phone¡ªsomething she had to think through the act of doing¡ªit had been that long since she¡¯d ever carried a phone¡ªand called emergency services.


    This was an easy enough edit since Wynrie hadn¡¯t remembered the face of the real woman who did stop and made that very same call.


    ¡°Here, take my number, I know you might not need it, but if you need help talking through some things I¡¯m really good at listening,¡± Allison said, placing the handwritten note that had contained Allison¡¯s very real number into Wynrie¡¯s hand. She knew she wasn¡¯t going to get any positive or negative affirmation here, but Wynrie would keep that note, and because she remembered getting it she knew she would then rewrite her memories directly after this event as having included a call with Allison¡ªwhich would then lead to her talking and eventually befriending her.


    And then...


    Fall 2021


    ¡°I¡­¡± Her eyes scanned Allison¡¯s face. They were slow¡ªdelayed and genuinely trying to close the circuit. ¡°Yeah...of course. I¡¯m sorry. I think it¡¯s just been a long day. Of course...I...I am going to show up there. I am not going to let her win. I am going to do my best. God...how drunk am I that I didn¡¯t even recognize it was you,¡± Wynrie said, placing her hands over her face.


    ¡°Thatta girl,¡± Allison said. ¡°And don¡¯t worry about it. I had a feeling I¡¯d find you here, you think I¡¯m not going to know where you like to drown things out when they get tough?¡±


    Wynrie offered a small smile and then returned to her drink, finishing the glass. ¡°Thank you, it means a lot that you showed up. And you know what? I¡¯m gonna get you that tour. Bet on it.¡±


    Allison felt like her job here was done. She didn¡¯t need to add anything else¡ªif anything she risked overdoing it and introducing doubt into the system. She was playing hard and loose with Wynrie¡¯s memory so that she could let her own imagination make some of the connections herself¡ªsave her from having to go down even deeper than what she¡¯s already done to establish herself in Wynrie¡¯s life. What better a way than to let it cement itself here at a traumatic point in her life near her breaking point.


    She closed her eyes and the background noise of the bar shifted hard and fast back to that viral song on the radio. She opened her eyes.


    Winter 2022


    Wynrie was standing in front of Allison when she was standing back in the main lobby of the Scientia building. That ever familiar song had resumed playing on the radio¡ªa few verses deeper than when she had gone under.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Wynrie said, offering a smile, then came in for a hug, wrapping her arms around her and holding tight before letting go. Wynrie here looked much more confident than before. Her smile was bright and the lab coat she wore spoke to the quality of her work¡ªshe was no mere technician here. Those seeds Allison had planted seemed to have blossomed here further along in her memories¡ªshe must have remembered her as a much closer friend¡ªone that it was not odd to have come asking for a favor to take a tour of the place. She remembered the memory initially had placed her as a new employee¡ªthat must have been due to the real Wynrie¡¯s assumption by seeing her on the ship.


    Being on the ship must mean you¡¯re an employee of Scientia¡ªso this woman must have been there and come on after she did while she was busy with her projects. The thought process had now changed as Allison rewrote her memories.


    ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you,¡± Allison said, nodding. ¡°I knew you¡¯d get here.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m just that good,¡± she flashed a large grin and let out a laugh. ¡°Anabelle¡¯s still a project manager so that¡¯s still bullshit, but I have made it at least. And it was because you were there to pick me up by my bootstraps and made me see sense when I was wallowing in my sorrow.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? I saw something in you and knew you had more to you than the bottom of a bottle.¡±


    She smiled and then cocked her head. ¡°Well why don¡¯t we go see what kind of things we¡¯re working on. I¡¯m sure the article will come out great if we can detail the projects we¡¯re ready to show.¡±


    Article. I¡¯m a journalist. I can¡¯t say it¡¯s not fitting, but interesting nonetheless. I guess there was something to letting her make some of the connections herself.


    Allison followed Wynrie and she saw a few workers walking passed looked faded like the other patrons of the bar¡ªthey must have been people she didn¡¯t associate with or know enough to remember details about them. There was something to be said for the sorrow that followed an everyday affair when scanning it to one person¡¯s recollection. Allison was led to a room that was closed behind a barricade¡ªand the both of them had to gown up into a clean suit to enter. The suits themselves were bulky¡ªprobably twenty pounds combined.


    ¡°This room back here is where the heavy hitter rests¡ªit¡¯s more sterile than a surgery room here. Any sort of microfiber can seriously affect how the project¡¯s results are obtained. It¡¯s that granular.¡±


    ¡°What could require such a clean environment?¡± Allison asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the question of the day?¡± Wynrie asked with a wink. She zipped the hood over her head and there was a plastic screen she could see out of that made her look like a beekeeper. Allison zipped on her own hood and zipped the line sealed shut.


    Inside the clean room Allison saw a lot of fancy machinery in the back that housed a lot of heavy electronics. In the center of the room was a central podium with what looked like to be a solid white orb hovering a foot above.


    ¡°This...is the culmination of the work I started back in university. The result of my exploits since coming here¡ªand most importantly, it is the first project in this department that I get to manage. Meet Pneuma.


    The orb shook with anticipation and it seemed to open on itself like a pair of eyelids revealing the pitch black-to white iris within.


    ¡°I contain multitudes.¡± A hollow electronic voice rang out.


    ¡°Multitudes?¡± Allison asked. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Pneuma is a fully automatic system that is its own creative energy. It was designed to interpolate between human programming and artificial inputs to create completely new thoughts and ideas. Starting off on a micro scale it thinks, acts, and reacts to external stimuli in completely original ways outside of its original programming, but on a much larger scale¡­¡±


    ¡°I contain multitudes,¡± Pneuma said, this time in a completely different, unrecognizable voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m still having trouble picturing the scale of what you mean.¡±


    ¡°Here, it¡¯s easier with a demonstration,¡± Wynrie motioned, come and stand in front of it, and slowly¡ªmake sure you do it slowly¡ªtake off your hood.


    ¡°What?¡± Allison asked.


    ¡°Go on, you¡¯ll be the only one doing it, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± She motioned to the other workers around her. They had perfectly distinguished faces, but it was clear this wasn¡¯t a meeting to be introduced to the available team. To Allison they were faces in lab coats, all in alignment on this project that¡ª


    ¡°I contain multitudes,¡± rang Pneuma in a third, completely different voice.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Allison nodded. She stepped up to the eye which was looking around its environment before settling on her. She reached up to her neck and grabbed at the zipper and started undoing it. She pulled the hood off her head and Pneuma¡¯s eye focused on her.


    ¡°I contain¡­¡± it started, slowly thinking. ¡°Congratulations and welcome to the world of Elysium!¡±


    The world around her shifted and she saw a grand world envelop as far as the eye could see. A massive land of castles and fields expanded and a large figure in a crimson red robe with golden filigree floated in the sky. Allison was dumbfounded¡ªthe voice of an older man rang through her mind. She saw the faces of the other scientists and Wynrie around her fade in through the illusion, but something about the sounds that were coming from the world down below that seemed real. Like she could travel to any point and live there for the rest of her days.


    Pneuma continued, and suddenly the scene shifted as quickly as it had arrived.


    ¡°The worst time of the year is when all the bugs come out. It¡¯s days like this that make me want a drink.¡± This time the voice was a younger man¡¯s¡ªprobably around his early twenties¡ªand it flashed immediately across her mind¡¯s eye as Gavin Daniels¡ªher father. The world shifted and she saw him form in front of her eyes. He looked so young¡ªhe almost looked half her own age. He looked as if he were living out of the bag on his back. The voice kept rattling off words from those old worlds that were long dead and she found herself focused intently on it.


    Each time the voices changed, the world changed with it. She got closer and closer to the action and felt, heard, and saw the worlds of old with her own eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wynrie said, bringing her back to herself. ¡°It looks into the center of your deepest being and existence and it begins creating off of that. Right now it is only an ocular artifice. It looks and it repeats what it sees. But soon it will transcend form. It is going to be more than anything we can begin to perceive. We¡¯ll be able to shape reality as we see fit. The realities we dream of...they¡¯ll soon be in the palm of our hands.¡±


    Pneuma looked at Allison and blinked. ¡°You contain...multitudes.


    In a flash of an instant Allison was dragged back up a level through Wynrie¡¯s memories. She was back up to the surface level on the ship¡ªThe Lumina. Allison didn¡¯t choose to come back yet...she wanted to explore more down there. But, Pneuma brought her back.


    Wynrie vanished from in front of Allison. As she focused she could almost bring her back, but her focus was being acted upon. She thought she saw her, but as she focused she was staring at blank space. And now that she was focusing, she wasn¡¯t even in the same room she was in before. Is it possible I¡¯m one layer deeper than before? No, that wouldn¡¯t make sense¡ªthis is after Pneuma¡¯s unveiling, I¡¯m sure of it...but still, it doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m in Wynrie¡¯s memory anymore. It feels colder¡ªshifting.


    If she was on the ship, then that meant that Pneuma must have been on the ship¡ªit hadn¡¯t pushed her up a layer through Wynrie¡¯s memories, it had absorbed her into its own.


    Taking this into account, she looked around her current circumstances carefully. She felt an immense danger looming present, but she couldn¡¯t locate the exact source. Dark metal surrounded her at odd angles¡ªthe ship looked like a nightmare version of itself¡ªjuxtaposed with a hellscape of a dark design.


    The scientists she had seen in the crashed sector where Issachar had chosen to die all faded in around a cylindrical engine, an exoskeleton was housed connected to the central cables¡ªthe Red Monolith was brutally affixed into Pneuma¡¯s human-esque eye socket. The bodies she remembered as crumbled corpses were frozen in a terrifying moment of fear as the Lumina¡ªthis cursed ship¡ªhad exited the stratosphere.


    ¡°I contain multitudes.¡± Echoed the voice over the faces and Allison saw much. Pneuma was designed to create. It was given a directive to take as much external input as it desired and interpolate that information into new and original thoughts and ideas.


    On a macro scale...I contain multitudes.


    The scientists were up in the stars because Pneuma had made it so. How didn¡¯t so much matter¡ªthe how was itself as the answer. The important thing was that Pneuma desired to see the stars¡ªto see the limits of its external stimuli and use that to create. It had seen the edge of the universe and willed into its very physical construct an object of its own creation.


    Allison looked down to her hands. In the world she knew, she held a lance made of two of those very same monoliths. But here, she knew the origin of these as the device that Z-One had utilized alongside her father¡ªthey were the remains of a machine that had restarted a universe at the end of its lifespan. What did this mean? What could it mean? Did Pneuma create the previous world? Did they create Pneuma? Who was the origin and who was the¡­


    Pneuma turned slightly¡ªits shape no bigger than a small child¡ªmetal tubes and wires encasing that singular black eye staring out. ¡°I contain¡­¡±


    Allison took a step back, looking at the sudden enormity of the figure as darkness flooded its body encasing it in shadow. Its eye sockets vacant and emitting a dull yellow pulse.


    It blinked, and she sank even deeper down. She felt a warmth in her chest and realized that it was coming from her armor. She could feel it like a layer over her skin even though she couldn¡¯t see it¡ªit must have been burning in the real world and she tried to rip it off. Darkness surrounded her as eyes opened up in the infinite vastness.


    ¡°Wynrie¡¯s not here. Wynrie¡¯s not home. Wynrie¡¯s not here, I contain multitudes.¡±


    Eyes continued to open as the armor continued to grow hotter, then on her abdomen she saw an eye open up, then she realized what it had meant. If Pneuma had been powered by the Red Monolith this whole time, then her taking it back on the ship¡¯s remains...it wasn¡¯t just the Monolith. It never was. It was a trap. Did Zane know? Was that why he let it go so easily? Did he see the dark presence looming within?


    Whatever the case, she realized her folly, and knew this was her final mistake. The eye opened upon itself and doubled across her body. It left a burning sensation where it had first erupted from, and then each subsequent eye burnt across her body. She felt the fire stretching across her skin to the point where her whole body was numbed to a dull throbbing. She then heard a sudden coldness as the metallic sounds of the exoskeleton clambered in the distance. She felt its rigid arm grab hold of hers, and then the coldness brushed against her lips, forcing her mouth open.


    She was frozen to the touch as the cold metal snaked down her throat. She started gagging but her arms betrayed her¡ªshe couldn¡¯t move. She jerked up to expel the metal entering her¡ªbut a clawed hand held her back and her choking only came harder. Every instinct told her to fight back and she willed it as hard as she could.


    The metal did not listen. She heard a final voice in the darkness as the eyes completely surrounded her, staring deep into her soul, the voices coming into one perfect harmony as the worlds painted themselves across her vision¡ªtoo many to see. Too many to focus on, but all of them better than the outside where she remained.


    ¡°I contain multitudes.¡±

 3 | Diverge

    June 2022 ~ World Prime


    Z-One


    The chapter came to a close and I sat at my desk¡ªtaking in the information. From two sides of a single person I have seen multiple points of view that these two drifting souls share and differ from. Allison¡¯s fate lay like a crown of thorns¡ªbarbed and cyclical, but also capable of stemming off to unknown offshoots. Her ultimate end with her encounter with Pneuma played out in my mind like I had seen it in my dreams innumerable times. Sitting here, I was unsure of the events and how they played out.


    I¡¯ve as much as made clear my feelings on Allison as a person¡ªsurely it¡¯s not what I want for her, but then again, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s my wants that matter here. Want is such a powerful desire, but at the end of the day it doesn¡¯t overpower reality. Nothing overpowers reality, no matter how much I try. Hell, if fiction could overwrite reality then many of the people you have come across would not be suffering as they would be to this day. I am sure this wouldn¡¯t have been in a ditch for so long.


    Often when the path forward in this world comes to me I question the authenticity of the message. I put the path to scrutiny like a blacksmith forging a new blade. I have to test its resistance to the ideals of truth. If a thought comes to me and it bends or breaks to the slightest bit of resistance, then I must throw it away and start again¡ªfinding the true path forward that will lead to the truest, realest end. It is not up to me the paths these characters¡ªthese people¡¯s lives travel. And yet, it is my responsibility that they get home safe. I test its strength over my own desire to see if its truth rings hollow¡ªif so then I can easily cast aside the notion like a wisp in the wind¡ªto be forgotten about and moved on from.


    I desire more than anything to create something with the intention of solving it in the ways that make those involved happy and safe. It was natural for a creative such as myself to seek comfort for and from the things that which I create¡ªto offer problems but similarly offer solutions and chances for growth and development. It all was for the benefit in the end even if it did not seem so in the moment.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Yet, here I sit. I stare at the words knowing I¡¯ll be editing them into a more digestible format in due time, but the by and large of the events have solidified themselves into the canon of the world.


    Those words that sat on the screen, holding their weight over me. Like Atlas, he who carried the world, I too carry the weight of existence on my shoulders. The gruesomeness and the horror¡ªthese words tested their truth to me and they passed the test. They cemented themselves into the world like a hot iron branding them on the back. I wonder about the nature of betrayal and how it relates to relationships with the people in my mind.


    Do I owe a responsibility for the events that occur on these pages? My heart says yes, but the reality then says that I continue to fail those I am responsible for.


    So often do I sit by not intervening as terrible things continue to happen to good people. So often do I wonder if I am only continuing to contribute toward their suffering. Creation is a very selfish act. It implies ownership and responsibility. I have been thinking of several thousands of ways I can solve this dilemma and make things right, but every attempt seems to further prove that suffering and destruction is inevitable.


    In an attempt to make things right I assembled a team of souls from my previous works to help me fix things the right way. Anything directly on my end to force a change for a more favorable outcome would be...false. Cheap, it wouldn¡¯t feel true to the world I have created. It is up to them, and yet, I keep leading them astray.


    I think I have the solution¡ªthe way that they can finally be free. The world needs a chaos agent¡ªa being here which acts as a unifier of destruction or peace. Like a barracuda in a koi pond, the nature of the system when introduced with an apex predator will come to a natural conclusion¡ªand those that outnumber the predator will have the chance to protect the world they inhabit.


    All that remains to be determined is if the forces I have set out will work together¡ªor choose a mutually assured destruction in the presence of a common enemy. If that happens, I will follow through and complete the will of the universe as I see it.


    I don¡¯t know if it will be liked, but with everything else I will continue to write the truth of the world as I see it and trust that a most favorable end will come to greet us, and throughout it all it will have been worth it. Now, installing an artificial intelligence on the level of Pneuma may be seen as a desperate act, but at this point, I am desperate. It will now contain everything. And in everything I hope we can reach that inevitable end, together. It is now out of my hands, and up to you¡ªeach and every one of you who reads these words to make them real.


    Everyone, I trust you can take it from here.

 4 | Conflict of the Heart

    Winter 2045


    LUCAS Gray


    LUCAS held a steady hand off his forehead to shield his eyes from the blinding sun. It was an unfortunate side effect of living on the coastal south¡ªthe sun seemed to never set on this side of the country. The glare made it difficult to keep his focus, he was thankful at the least that he didn¡¯t need to adjust when the light did start to fade.


    He sat back and let loose a breath and felt the echo of his creator¡ªhis father, over his situation. Here he was doing the same kind of mechanical work that Abel had once himself worked on back inside the SubCon facility before it sank to the bottom of the ocean. When he was alone with his thoughts he found it difficult to avoid thinking of those last few moments he spent with his father before his untimely death. And...his own.


    The explosion that killed him rang deep in his mind¡ªhe could still feel the heat as it overcame him because in truth he had died in that explosion as well. Abel had selfishly not wanted to face his death alone¡ªand so he had made a copy of LUCAS to remain with him. He felt thankful that he wasn¡¯t the LUCAS that was condemned to the bottom of the sea, but he still had memories of the event¡ªof the pain and the feeling of his mind shutting off permanently. It was just as real as any of his other memories. He both died and didn¡¯t.


    His memories were simply data that was written to a processor in his head. They were human created and he was given them by choice...they lead to complicated feelings he had for his father. His real experiences stemmed from the events he experienced in the several dozen cycles of The Roulette Game¡ªwatching it through his father¡¯s eyes and listening to his thoughts again, and again, and again. It made it hard to feel his own feelings as his father¡¯s seemed infinitely more important.


    Those feelings took a lot of time to classify in his own mind¡ªto accept those complicated feelings and to move forward with goals that he continued to move forward with. He still lived with doubts over the truth of his motivations but he was thankful to have met Laven as she had helped ground him in ways he could not naturally do himself.


    He bent over and tightened a bolt and sat back, admiring his work. It was a leg of steel and rubber joints that was finished up to the thigh. He had been working on the figure for the past few weeks since settling down in Grandlythe¡ªthe nearest large settlement north of the remnants of the city that used to be Enforal¡ªthat now sat as little more than rubble and wildfire.


    Grandlythe came as a wonderful respite after a week¡¯s walking through the tunnels of the bonelands. LUCAS was grateful toward the other refugees that had helped them through the tunnels¡ªwithout their firelight navigating the underground labyrinthine passages would have been a fool¡¯s errand. He remembered the claustrophobic feelings of fear that started to surface when they had been without sunlight for so long¡ªand then the relief that came when they had started the final incline and saw the forests in the distance¡ªproving their survival through one of the most dangerous parts of the new world.


    Grandlythe had forever changed after the destruction of Enforal¡ªa lot of the neighboring communities had, although to what degree LUCAS had no clue of. There were people posted up as he expected¡ªthere were people who managed to make the trip earlier and faster than their small gathering of about two hundred, but it was very clear from the outset who was a longtime resident, who was a tourist, and who was a refugee.


    The weeks that followed were chaotic as growing pains led to new construction efforts to house as many of the refugees that were willing to stay and contribute to the local economy. There were a number of people who were looking for the same ride they had back in Enforal and those kinds of people¡ªand others like them who caused problems were promptly pushed out from the community to fend for themselves. LUCAS similarly did not know the end result of these actions, but hoped it was a lesson they learned brutally before turning over their egos moving forward.


    The local affair had heard the word of the destruction of the city¡ªand like them some of the refugees had taken up hold in Grandlythe as well, but it seemed that most of the survivors had continued further west after the initial mess had settled down. Where they ended up was another mystery that LUCAS had no clue of. LUCAS wasn¡¯t sure what lay out that far¡ªhe has since learned his database wasn¡¯t as true to the reality of the land as he would like¡ªit almost seemed any assumption he could make about the landscape would be outdated upon first question.


    He and Laven had not taken to intermingling with others who had arrived in the town with them¡ªthey were just as much strangers as Grandlythe natives, but there seemed to be an unspoken pact to not bring up the events in public. Plus, you¡¯ll never know when someone will freak and have an adverse reaction. The last thing he wanted was to get himself booted from this new place. So, things in Grandlythe seemed to continue forward as if nothing had happened.


    LUCAS thought little on things he knew little about¡ªit was a surefire way to aggravate himself and feel useless in the grand scope of his life. In its place, however, he would think on the things he knew incessantly. It was a way to reassure himself in times of doubt or hesitation. It had helped immensely during this rough transition and it had helped during late nights when Laven had already fallen asleep and he hadn¡¯t wanted to disturb her sleep.


    One of those things that ran through his mind was the day the chaos unfolded at Enforal. He remembered it well. At first he was reviewing the footage he recorded constantly to see if he could track where Ally had ended up. The part he regretted most about the situation was losing track of her. Not only had she been a friendly companion¡ªof which they definitely benefited from, but she also had custody of the fragments of the great machine ICARUS that he and Laven had been hunting down.


    He looked back on the footage less these days. It felt like a test in insanity, trying to will new information to reveal itself in the same scene that played out from his eyes. If only he could have focused more in the moment. He saw a few of the people who had been seated behind them crawling over the seats in between them¡ªhe looked in that direction before Laven tugged on his arm. He looked back toward her and he followed her as she stood up and they followed the wave and energy of the crowd as it started to move toward the exit.


    He remembered looking back and seeing the people that crawled over the seats blocking his view of Ally. As soon as he looked around them she was gone¡ªas if she wasn¡¯t there in the first place. He remembered thinking that she must have gone ahead¡ªcrawled over the seats like the others in front of her. She was a nimble girl, and she had Jace to help her. He remembered the hopeful thinking that ran through his mind as he turned back around toward Laven.


    He regretted being separated from her, but the chaos of the stampede as the citizens all ran from the coliseum was too much and it had all happened at once. Of course, he felt incredibly stupid that he let the fragments of ICARUS out of his sight. He trusted if Ally was out there she was keeping them safe, but it was a heavy ask nowadays that it be true. Hope was a very familiar friend when the fragments of ICARUS were involved.


    Since making their way to Grandlythe, LUCAS and Laven have found lodgings to gather themselves and make a plan on where to go next. They had lucked out and managed to find acceptable lodgings from a previous resident¡ªor rather, the owner of the building. The previous resident seemed to have left without letting the owner¡ªa woman named Lara who was happy to help them out.


    Laven and Lucas were young looking able bodied folks who looked like they could bring in something to barter for their stay, and so the deal was made that LUCAS would work on the physical upkeep of the place and Laven would offer support for other residents in their daily tasks.


    LUCAS knew they needed someplace stable to restart their search for the fragments. Unfortunately, since they were now lacking in available pieces, LUCAS was not able to hone in on the signal of the others scattered around the world, so their fast pace they were previously trodding on was halted to a complete stop. This meant they had to lower their ears to the ground and gather information by word of mouth of the locals.


    As the word had recently been on the events of Enforal¡ªeven if others had not wished to speak on the matter¡ªconversation always found its way back to the tournament city and it was rarely relevant to their search. The only missives they were able to hear that were of any interest were of the monster with the tendrils that had entered the competition. There was also word that he attacked the emperor¡ªthat much he could hear happen on repeat listens through the footage¡ªdissecting and isolating the audio did reveal the creature¡¯s voice and the emperor¡¯s scream. The part of the rumor that interested LUCAS the most was the talk of the monster stealing a crystal from the emperor before they had to continue running to avoid being crushed and burned.


    Other than that, they had spent their time making themselves comfortable in Grandlythe, and the new time he had that wasn¡¯t spent toward earning their keep was on this new project that stared at him¡ªthat he had now picked apart in his mind the dozens of imperfections he noticed on its creation. It was the start and restart of building an eventual body for Levi¡ªthe other AI unit that had existed in the SubCon Facility during the events of the Roulette Game.


    While they were in Enforal LUCAS had discovered within the inner chambers of his mind there was a stored version of Levi¡¯s consciousness who had helped him locate Sophie within the ruined city itself. He desired to give him a body of his own to right the wrongs of his creation and existence.


    Levi remained in his mind as the last remnant of the Arctic Systems database that had now existed at the bottom of the ocean. LUCAS was able to reawaken Levi¡¯s core consciousness deep inside the library in his head¡ªa digital reconstruction of the SubCon facility. And now, he has finished a leg. It has been a long road in constructing the piece of the whole¡ªbut he has made it, and he was proud. He had never thought himself the type to create¡ªinstead he saw the extent of his abilities in keeping himself running in the new world¡ªreplacing and outfitting the pieces he needed to survive, and yet here he had created a piece of what Levi would soon call his own leg. It had astounded him.


    He was in part inspired by the town itself. Upon entering Laven had pointed out the dozens of expressive murals that covered the town in its entirety. There didn¡¯t seem to be a wall that didn¡¯t have at least some elaborate scene plastered across its surface. He saw mountainous regions covered by thick jungles, impressive medieval castles spread out across a grand display of markets and even murals of lands above clouds that themselves looked so pillowy they¡¯d be a marvel to sleep on.


    ¡°I¡¯ve not seen art so...brilliant in so many years,¡± Laven wondered, passing the murals and craning her neck at each new one. It was clear there was a creative mind inside her that LUCAS hadn¡¯t gotten the chance before to appreciate. It was obvious that due to their situation they did not have a lot of opportunities to experience and appreciate art, but it made him happy because it made her happy.


    LUCAS had doubled her sentiment¡ªalthough he had no firsthand experience at admiring art, he had plenty of records in his database of what the feeling felt like to those sensitive. Uncomfortably enough those records sat near the records of literature and other various written works¡ªas those thoughts brought up those age old questions surrounding Gavin Daniels. Thinking of literature and written works of course brought out the existential questions surrounding the man supposedly originating from fictional works. He accepted the answer when Gavin had told him¡ªit had made sense according to the database of his mind, but logically he couldn¡¯t place the information in any neat or easy way in his brain.


    Gavin was a man of mystery¡ªeverything he did brought forward questions that couldn¡¯t seem to be answered, and he was not the type to talk much on his own life so any sort of satisfaction was best left to the wolves. LUCAS and Laven had worked in the same guild as the man of the hour¡ªLaven for much longer, although she had just about as much insight on the man as LUCAS did himself¡ªand the two of them had left him behind with the rest of the guild when they had chosen to search for the fragments of ICARUS.


    While annoying, LUCAS could be fine with not knowing anymore of Gavin...but then he just had to appear in Enforal in that accursed tournament before everything had gone to shit. Why was Gavin there...was he hunting the two of them down? If so, why did he vanish upon beating up that monster?


    LUCAS could have sworn he saw Gavin take something from the monster, but he couldn¡¯t be sure...did he find one of the fragments? If he did manage to recover one, then why didn¡¯t he stay the extra minute to see the monster recover the possible fragment from the emperor? It was possible he didn¡¯t know, but surely he could have known there were others in the vicinity? He thought he had mentioned having a sort of sensitivity to their presence...or was that not true? Mysteries upon mysteries piled up like a mountain. Questions upon questions doubled in his mind and again they return to confuse and stumble in the maze that centered around the man of the hour.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    And still, throughout all of the questions and mysteries, the two of them were able to take a deep breath and enjoy the simpler aspects of the new life they were forced to adjust to...like admiring the art that covered the new town they arrived in. Although, that was not for a lack of its own mysteries as LUCAS and Laven would soon come to know that nobody inside Grandlythe happened to know exactly when or where these murals first appeared in the town...just that they were suddenly there. Whoever had created them was yet another mystery.


    Thankfully, the two newcomers were happy to leave that mystery well enough alone and come up with their own tales of their origin. It was like a game that each of them could participate in at any given moment.


    He sat in the garage then thinking on those times, looking at the leg in front of him. He echoed his father tinkering in robotics and mechanics, although Abel was much better at constructing full designs, whereas LUCAS has restarted his project no less than five times.


    Laven entered from the back and rested a hand on LUCAS¡¯ shoulder. ¡°How¡¯s it going? I¡¯m seeing more...connected-ness here.¡± She made a motion with her hands and chuckled.


    ¡°You have no idea the amount that goes into making a leg look normal. It¡¯s been frustrating getting it just right¡ªI don¡¯t know how mine came out okay. It¡¯s like witchcraft.¡±


    Laven eyed the leg and cocked her head. ¡°Is that there supposed to be a tendon?¡±


    LUCAS sighed, his head drooped low and he dropped the wrench he was holding. ¡°I just want it to be right, you know? I don¡¯t have a lot to go off of here¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have a database in your head that could like...give you a reference?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Wikipedia!¡± LUCAS raised his voice, then realized he had overstepped and tensed his fists tight. He looked to the ground, ashamed and apologized. ¡°I¡¯m not human. I don¡¯t have inherent knowledge of how you¡¯re supposed to work. I have limited knowledge that was given to me at my creation and the rest is up to me to figure out.¡±


    Laven stared at him for a moment in complete silence. ¡°I¡¯m sure you tried very hard. I¡¯m sorry I insulted you¡ªI didn¡¯t mean it. But don¡¯t get snippy with me, okay? I don¡¯t need that.¡±


    LUCAS sighed again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just frustrated. I feel like every day I¡¯m walking on a tightrope trying to do the right thing and I¡¯m beaten down if I don¡¯t keep my balance the whole day. It¡¯s...challenging. And I¡¯m here trying to help Levi out and make things easier on him but it¡¯s just not coming to fruition exactly how I expected it would.¡±


    ¡°Well, here¡¯s an idea¡ªdon¡¯t overexert yourself to do it. You have to think about your own mental health too, you know? How can you promise your best to someone else if you aren¡¯t promising the best for yourself?¡±


    ¡°I just feel like I¡¯m failing him. Like if I can¡¯t give him a body he is comfortable in then what use am I having these abilities? What use is it giving me this responsibility if I can¡¯t give him what he needs?¡±


    ¡°Maybe what he needs isn¡¯t your vision of what he deserves? Do you think it¡¯s possible that you get him something that¡¯ll work now and over time we add to it to what he will deserve? What happens if you spend the next twenty years remaking the same leg because it¡¯s not right?¡±


    LUCAS stared at the leg again and in a second he could point out a dozen things he didn¡¯t like about it, but she had a point. How long would be too long¡­? How long would he toil and work an impossible task of making a perfect body?


    ¡°I know you¡¯re right, I just feel like I could be doing more.¡±


    ¡°We all have that feeling, human or not. It¡¯s a common thread, I think, among sapient folk. Look, sit out here and mope for another ten minutes, I¡¯m gonna go get dinner ready. If you want to join me I¡¯d really appreciate it.


    He would too, and he nodded at her in a way that he knew she would get it. When she left, he was left to his own devices and he felt the shame wash over him like a tidal wave.


    Why had he gotten so upset? He sighed and draped himself over the desk where he had been working. This isn¡¯t how he expected this would go. In his mind¡¯s eye he was traversing the landscapes and doing anything and everything he could to live up to Abel¡¯s dying wish.


    Yet he was here, picking up the pieces with someone who he cared about...spending time he enjoyed and putting work into a cause he knew fully didn¡¯t advance him any closer to his own goals...and yet he knew it was something he would do. Part of him wondered how heavy his duty weighed on him that his own personal thoughts became a barrier to their completion. Were his thoughts an expected outcome because of his design...or was some fatal flaw distracting him from his designated purpose?


    It had seemed that no matter how much time had passed since his creation he had two minds inside him wrestling¡ªaiming to kill the other in order to fulfill their prime objective. They, at times, would work together if their goals aligned, but now, in their time of peace and quiet, their fighting seemed like a grand conquest upon one another. It became a blood-sport to see which won out in each daily decision.


    It would be too much to continue housing the both of them in his head. Too many would grow to hurt because he could not separate his desires from one another. He instantly flashed back to the memories of Cain and Sophie and remembered how unhealthy a relationship¡ªas different as it was for the both of them¡ªcould be, and knew he didn¡¯t want to emulate that aspect of his forebearers.


    He liked Laven, and while these feelings were new to him, the pitfalls of the past were laid out ever so clearly and he knew that the last thing he wished to do was to simply run toward the nearest available one just because his duty told him so.


    And so there in that moment¡ªthe leg standing tall as it had when he had tightened the last bolt that he decided. It was good enough, and he did have a singular goal.


    He would try his best to lead a happy life in the new world, supporting Laven while he did¡ªgiving Levi a form as good as he could. And if life permitted it, he would return to his course to collect the fragments of ICARUS...but for now, he would leave that job to Ally.


    He set down the wrench in his hand and got up from where he sat, a smile on his face for the first time in that week. Suddenly, a weight shifted off of his chest and worries surrounding the fragments were filed away in the back corners of his memory. He burst through the door¡ªstartling Laven who had dropped the spoon she was holding into the pot of boiling pasta on the stove top.


    Looking at it¡ªtheir living space was...nice. He hadn¡¯t really taken it in before¡ªhe had seen it as a transitional place in between their larger expeditions to attempt to reconnect but if he had to give a word to it now...it was cute. The kitchen and dining room were combined with barely a divider in the island that jutted out in-between¡ªbut the space left by the high rise ceilings really gave way to the admittedly gorgeous marine art that had been painted up top. Dolphins leapt across waves toward a candy-cane striped lighthouse whose rays flashed out across back to those same dolphins.


    It didn¡¯t seem like an apartment that had been carried over from the new world¡ªhe had nothing to prove his point one way or the other, but it just felt like someone nearby had taken to painting given their new opportunities, and that thought had inspired him to...exist as more than he had before.


    He walked up to Laven and looked one final time up at the dolphins above and whisked her up in an embrace, bending her deep, the boiling of the pot bubbling softly beside them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for getting lost in my feelings. I want to help you finish dinner, and maybe you won¡¯t hate it.¡±


    She smiled, happy at his change of heart. He felt the worry over his outburst and knew it wasn¡¯t fully dissipated¡ªbut he was willing to tackle that headfirst and grabbed the spoon and began to stir the pasta inside.


    ¡°What use for you is helping out? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to partake in it,¡± Laven joked.


    ¡°Well, I may not have been made for eating, but I wasn¡¯t made for a lot of things I plan to do, so I guess we¡¯re going to be seeing a whole lot of new things, aren¡¯t we?¡± LUCAS returned.


    The two of them seemed to burst with joy as the dolphins above seemed to flow with the energy of the room¡ªit almost seemed like the ink on the walls flowed with the steam from the boiling pot. Grandlythe was a magical town¡ªthe people who lived there would have said that to any newcomer, but it was true.


    Those dolphins were alive, and to the two dancing below¡ªwith their pasta boiling¡ªto them they cried for help. It was unfortunate that the language of their pain went unnoticed. If looked closer at¡ªit could be read that the looks signaled a warning of the oncoming wave to come.


    Their cries came and went. The pair dancing below continued until dinner was ready to be served. They stared as half of their existence was bound to this world through the ink and half were off in some other place, far off at the edge of imagination. They were here, but not fully. They saw, but not wholly, and they cried, but not enough.


    LUCAS sat with a bowl of pasta¡ªsauce as red as the day sky and took in the smell. To him, he knew it as a dish that people traditionally liked. He understood the concept of taste¡ªhow different foods were assigned different flavors based on how they reacted with the taste buds¡ªand how those signals were sent to the brain. Yet, he sat in quiet anticipation as he was clueless as to how he would get that feeling himself.


    He gathered a slew of noodles and took in a mouthful. He closed his eyes and thought about what he was feeling. The pasta felt like limp thin strings of...nothing. The sauce didn¡¯t fare much better¡ªit had certainly moistened the noodles so they weren¡¯t so dry, but he couldn¡¯t parse any specific taste from either. He knew that there should be the essence of tomato in the sauce¡ªand that the sauce and pasta were supposed to pair together to make a unified taste, but it simply did not register for him. He shouldn¡¯t have been surprised, as he didn¡¯t have taste buds, but it still registered with a note of disappointment.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Laven said. ¡°I think it¡¯s bland too,¡± she tried to cheer him up.


    LUCAS shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t downplay your cooking. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s great. I just don¡¯t have the ability to taste it. It¡¯s not a surprise. Maybe I should learn to cook instead of attempting to eat without any reason to expect, least I could expect to be helpful.¡±


    Her shoulders drooped and her expression shifted, ¡°Maybe as you learn to build that body for Levi you can learn a bit about taste buds¡ªmaybe it¡¯s something you can give to yourself.¡±


    LUCAS thought about it and the idea seemed to make a sort of sense. ¡°Yeah¡­¡± he looked at Laven with a more serious look. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s actually a good idea.¡± A rising warm feeling bubbled from below and he smiled. He swiveled out of his seat and took his plate¡ªmost of the pasta was still left on the plate. He got up and scraped the rest of the food into the bin. As he was turning the faucet he felt a hot stinging sensation on his shoulder¡ªhe turned around immediately and only saw Laven¡ªstill facing away from him twirling a new forkful of pasta into her mouth. His turn caused her to look over, her eyebrows arching up in confusion.


    LUCAS rubbed his shoulder where the burn had stung him, the same confused look appearing on his face as well. ¡°Felt something strange...dunno what it was.¡±


    She shrugged, and right as she did a black droplet fell from above onto the table and singed the wood¡ªcausing a small smoke trail where it made contact. At this, LUCAS looked to the ceiling and within the next moment saw the mural above them start to melt¡ªthe final despair of the dolphins melted into black ink that fell to them all at once.


    LUCAS last remembered the first drop hitting the top of his head and then blacking out completely. He next felt like he was sinking through a black abyss. Water murkier than any he had seen before filled his innards¡ªand his eyes darted with a fervent fire to find Laven. He realized it wasn¡¯t water he was submerged in, but instead a thick black ink.


    He fell through the bottom of the ink and landed hard on a stone paved road¡ªthe orange-yellows of the remnants of wheat filling the scope of his vision. Suddenly before him a grand castle erupted from the ground¡ªtiered towers bursted out toward the sky. And even further around him the world rose from the ground until he was standing in the center of a small medieval bustling town. Even the wheat receded back into the roots of the earth as foundations for wood and iron buildings stood tall over them.


    He could not see Laven anywhere, but strangest of all was the color of the sky. It was a bright blue¡ªlike how it had used to be in the old world¡ªbut this...existence he had been dropped into seemed something of a fictional sort as well.


    Something in the back of his mind started to ring as a memory pulled forward¡ªHe and Laven were out by the library and along the side of the building was a mural of a landscape that seemed...eerily like what he was looking at now.


    ¡°Just what is this place?¡± LUCAS had asked aloud¡ªstill too stunned to do anything but.


    The world seemed to reverberate to his very question¡ªshaking and unsettling like a wave adjusting and changing to his words. He stopped¡ªhis eyes scanning his environment with intrepidation.


    Then as quickly as it had come it was gone and he felt a chill run up his back as he suddenly noticed how cold it was. There wasn¡¯t any snow on the ground¡ªbut this new environment was much colder than the tropical air of Grandlythe.


    He held himself close and closed his eyes¡ªtrying to connect the dots of how he had arrived here from where he was...and then he remembered the ink that had bled through. There must have been something about that painting¡ªa horrifying thought came to light as he thought of all the murals across town¡ªhad they all been like the one in their lodgings? He wondered at a town completely emptied¡ªabsorbed into the walls themselves.


    The breeze brought him back to himself. The air tasted of charcoal¡ªthe thought ran through his mind before he realized¡ªit tasted.


    He tasted.


    He looked down at his hands and rubbed his fingertips together as the sense of taste flooded him¡ªhe couldn¡¯t explain it but he felt the different texture on his tongue. It was rigid¡ªtaste buds formed from the front all the way to the back. His arms felt...different. Human. Somehow, he wasn¡¯t in his body, but instead a body meant to look exactly like how his had looked...only human.


    He stood staring down at his hands until a small figure bumped into him. LUCAS was sent off balance and stumbled back a few steps before catching himself.


    ¡°Watch where yer¡¯ standing,¡± came a gruff voice.


    LUCAS looked up and saw a figure with long fiery red hair draped around their shoulders. They stood a head shorter than LUCAS himself.


    ¡°Oh...sorry, I...where am I? What is this place?¡±


    The figure looked up at him with a look of irritation. ¡°Another yappy skump, ain¡¯t ye?¡±


    ¡°Skump?¡±


    ¡°S¡¯wot ye are, no needin¡¯ repeatin,¡± they offered, and LUCAS realized that they had been straining their voice on purpose to sound gruffer than how they normally spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said, offering his hands up in a defensive stance. ¡°I¡¯m not quite sure what is going on, I am a bit at a loss for lack of better words. If by ¡®skump¡¯ you mean a total newbie here, then yeah. That¡¯d be me to a T.¡±


    The redhead stared at him a moment longer and then burst into laughter. ¡°Ain¡¯t have one claim the title themselves. Well met then.¡± They motioned toward the large castle in the distance. ¡°Skumps go there once they come here. Should sort you out right.¡±


    LUCAS didn¡¯t like that answer. The information was fine¡ªhe was probably most drawn to the castle anyway¡ªbut the face that they had made and how ominous he felt their directions were brought to mind the memory of the fairy tale character of rumpelstilskin.


    While he couldn¡¯t fact check the information he had lingering memories of the kinds of dangers that led from trusting bad actors. He let loose a breath and decided whether or not it was a good idea, he would best learn more about his current situation by checking out the castle.

 5 | What Was Stolen

    Winter 2045


    Zane Hannes


    A curved slice ripped tendons from bone. The arc was like a sliver of the eclipse rending the meat from that which could be discarded. It was a mechanical process that Zane had honed in his time in this body in this new world. It was like a game¡ªlearning the ways meat tore and separated from the dead. The sooner you cut to when they were killed seemed to increase the factor of satisfaction exponentially.


    It was as if he could breathe in the escaping soul of his victim directly¡ªto steal their essence before it fled to the afterlife. Before it returned to his den where his kind would return it back out to the universe. A cackle echoed into the night as blood flew into the air like soppy paint. Each cut contained a swell in the orchestra of his mind. He was an artist. A performance to be watched by his eyes alone as they took in the disjointed angles of the corpse as its flesh was pared from the body.


    His wretched claws dug into the blood-seeped side of the beast he had killed from the comfort of his hideaway deep in the crimson hills just outside of the local settlement. The disgusting pigs who lived there called it Hetton. It existed a few miles to the west of the crater that used to be called Enforal.


    Hetton. Such a nothing, disgusting name for a nothing, disgusting set of people. He had entered the town for immediate retreat from the fallout of the meteor¡ªthe despicable woman he had traveled with was surely dead at this point¡ªand his anger reached a fever point that he couldn¡¯t have been there to see it himself.


    And now his company had to be...the Hettonites. It was as disgusting as it was bland. Probably didn¡¯t have a soul in its burrow half as bright as the corpse in front of him now. He slid the end of a long intestine past his lips and licked the droplets of blood off his cheek. His teeth tore the meat apart as the juices dripped down his chin.


    The crimson sunlight burned the horizon into his vision, in his left hand he clutched the last remnant of his stay in Enforal. The orange gemstone faintly glowed as if it receded at his very touch¡ªan act he spat on with the highest disregard. How dare you disregard me as some other creature. I am your commander and now I own all of your power. Your previous owner is nothing but ash in the wind. Nothing but dust and insignificance.


    And yet, even though he felt the force disparaging him from within the power, he felt billowing pools of energy that shot through his veins when he held it tight. He felt like he could simply close his eyes and the settlement would cease to exist.


    Parlor tricks, nothing more. For his true sights were much higher. He felt a burning hatred for that stranger who had stolen his treasure¡ªwho so effortlessly dug his face into the ground. The man in the hood needed to pay for embarrassing him so simply to that many people. The thought sent fire through his blood. He had been following the bastard¡¯s scent ever since he vanished from Enforal. The hunt had taken him across the southern border up now toward the chilly northeast.


    The beast he had killed played its own role in this cyclic game of cat and mouse¡ªas it had been one of his own kin¡ªa Chronomaly from the depths of time and space. Chronomalies were time hunters¡ªtraveling across the world searching for those thieves of time¡ªPathfinders¡ªwho lived lives a million times of their own...of course and monsters like himself¡ªex-chronomaly-human hybrid.


    It was with this pitiful human¡¯s help that his consciousness focused and formed into a personality¡ªas the existence of a chronomaly is that of a senseless beast. Still, a mindless beast has its uses, and it was an act of pure entertainment to think that something so rank and foul could even begin to overpower him.


    He slammed a closed fist into the lifeless husk he was in the middle of preparing. Blood sprayed¡ªhe had hit a rather juicy nerve and he shoved his fist in even deeper, offering a guttural scream where no words could explain his anger. Words failed to explain what visceral lashings of a body could so simply describe.


    When he finished his meal he buried the bones¡ªhiding evidence of his camp wasn¡¯t so much a necessity rather than a move out of spite. The idea of some other creature benefiting from his work had been such a disdainful idea that sparked his efforts to completely remove any such possibility from happening.


    He had begun his walk¡ªhe had hated to admit that his tendrils had pained him immensely still from his encounter with the robed menace. There were no bones in them to break, but the skin still seemed to ache whenever he had put any weight on it¡ªmeaning his primary method of travel was cut from him so coldly.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    Just another reason to tear the man spine-from- stem¡ªfor all that he had taken. So, he had walked. And he would continue walking until he could no more.


    He left the waste behind and followed the spectral scent that hung in the air¡ªso faintly guiding his senses to its source. He knew the bonelands were a threat to any creature that walked across it. He had known there to be tunnels that connected one end of the badlands to the other¡ªbut he had long forgotten the source of either exit¡ªplus, he wasn¡¯t sure if there were more entrances or if he¡¯d need to backtrack to the ruins of Enforal.


    Out beyond him the land arched up as the white-hot land stretched as far as the eye could see. The man in the hood had traveled this way¡ªof this he had no doubt. His decision was not made any more difficult than that.


    He gripped the orange crystal tight in between his fingers as he took one step forward. The pain was immediate and he looked down to see that his foot had immediately glowed a deep red. The feeling rushed up his leg and was going to continue, but a cooling sensation covered his body. He smiled and took another step. The pain was just as piercing but it soon cooled and he continued¡ªslowly taking step by step as if moving his feet through molasses.


    There was a slight moment of hesitation as the scent he was following suddenly surged¡ªhis eyes dilated and he felt almost like doubling over. Just what was this sudden sensation? He started to lick his lips and felt they were crusty and chapped¡ªhe must have overlooked his hydration during his meal. Heh, now that I think of it I did get carried away. I can¡¯t allow for mistakes like that again...I guess I do need to visit that shithole.¡±


    He turned in place and took a step back for the village¡ªlooking over his shoulder as that scent surged again through his vision¡ªbleeding in and pulling at his brain to follow. There¡¯s more...more than the man in the hood...it¡¯s tempting to forgo all his sensations and chase after it madly¡ªbut then he would be no better than that aged fool he¡¯d taken this crystal from.


    He stared down at the crystal in his hand and saw the reflection of those eyes inside. He blinked¡ªand they were gone. He shook his head and continued back toward Hetton. Maybe he could convince some poor saps to share some resources. He didn¡¯t want to expend the energy forcing his way if he could avoid it.


    Something in the back of his mind seemed to sit like a rotten seed, planting itself into his consciousness. The thoughts started and then bloomed deeper and deeper as the words repeated themselves like haunted chants.


    Absorb once and you just can¡¯t stop.


    Absorb and absorb until you drop.


    How many voices are in your head?


    Too many to count, then you wind up dead.


    He kept repeating the words as images of the old Zane flashed across his memory. He refused their surfacing. He had killed that part of Zane and buried it so deep it would never see the light of day again. And yet...bodies tended to never stay buried for that long...so why should memories?


    ¡°No!¡± He yelled out.


    Absorb once and you just can¡¯t stop.


    ¡°I devoured you! I own you!¡±


    Absorb and absorb until you drop.


    ¡°You are mine to control. I will not honor any of your thoughts!¡±


    How many voices are in your head?


    ¡°You don¡¯t belong here anymore. You don¡¯t belong anywhere anymore.¡±


    Too many to count, then you wind up dead.


    ~...~


    It was a simple task, acting like a homeless fool. The hardest part about it was killing his desire to lash out at those who passed him with nothing more than a glance. He felt a bitter hatred toward the looks they gave like he were some cretin. All this, but his face was a weak imitation of what could be seen as sickly.


    He waited until he got enough to sustain a trip through the bonelands and simply stood up and left. There had been other beggars around¡ªthat kind of thing seemed normal to them. The thought would have made him sympathetic if the people of this despicable burg had felt any sympathy toward them. He stared at the skeletal figures of starved and dying bodies who simply clung to life because dying was too inconvenient.


    There was something to be said of the food and water he had taken from them, but that was cast aside almost immediately. I am not a person. Morality can be left to the dogs.


    He wiped his forehead and left the town behind him, the sights shrinking the further away he walked. After regaining his strength he tested his tendrils and found they were less sore, but still noticeably so. He probably could move at his normal speed soon enough, but he would still have to wait on that.


    He closed his eyes once he reached the edge of the bonelands again. The ground reflected brightly and he could still sense the trail he had been following. That hooded rat was still within traveling distance. He wondered then if this was some sort of trap...surely from his hours begging the scent would fade...no?


    He thought back to how soundly he was beaten in the tournament and he cooled his anger. It was that exact anger that led him to underestimate what was obviously a most potent foe.


    Thinking on this, he had a few options, and none of them left him pleased. He figured the best option might be to play the diplomat¡ªsee if his theory is correct and forge a deal like he had with the huntress.


    And so he continued out, following the scent and a firm grip over his anger¡ªwhich had begun to rise with each pained step across the flame-hot land.

 6 | Rebirth of the Hunter

    Winter 2045


    Ally Fae


    ¡°Now!¡± Jace called.


    His voice roared in her ears and she gripped tight as she grunted and thrust the wooden spear into the orange tinted water. The momentum of the thrust sent water flying into the air when it had made contact. She had one arm latched onto the riverside and was bent down on a rock that had been jutting out. It was imperative she not fall in as this color of water was infamously poisoned with large iron deposits.


    She learned from fishmongers in Bannes that rivers that ran orange like this had all flowed from the iron mines near the north¡ªdozens upon dozens of hours away. On one hand it was amazing to hear how connected the lands could be through simple channels of water, on the opposite hand it made local fishing a very dangerous sport as the amounts of iron in the local rivers was toxic to the touch. Water this color would make her sick to the touch and it probably would be fatal if the exposure were prolonged¡ªlike if she were to fall in.


    Stories had passed about local children who had been playing around the area. One of the local merchant¡¯s had a son who had tripped when playing some game of pretend. The toxins were so concentrated that the boy was dead within the hour. She shuddered at the thought and saw the red cloud fill the area where her spear had connected. She grinned and pulled with all her might.


    Jace offered a look of excitement and she could feel him hovering over her shoulder. She continued pulling hard up on the spear and the weight of her prey had sent her reeling back on the grass behind her. The wriggling trout flailed in the air and landed on the grass as it bled onto the grass.


    The fish itself wasn¡¯t edible due to the nature of the water it was pulled from¡ªbut it would make for some good bait once she was able to prepare it right. After all, she had enough fish to eat on to last her until Draymont¡ªbut what she had her eye on was much bigger.


    ¡°You sure you¡¯re ready for this? Probably the biggest game you¡¯ve hunted ever.¡± Jace began. ¡°I mean I¡¯m more than handy to pitch in if you need me to.¡±


    ¡°No, what kind of growth would I have if I needed you to keep stepping in for me at every available opportunity?¡± Ally asked. ¡°Besides, I hunt better than you.¡±


    He flashed a smile, flashing that too-charming white smile of his. ¡°Well then at least call me your win-con and I¡¯m sure you can justify it to yourself.¡± He leaned back¡ªseemingly against some invisible wall. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me that it wouldn¡¯t be awesome, though.¡±


    ¡°If all my decisions were made based on what was awesome I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be a much more exciting individual,¡± she said, wrapping the fish in sticky plastic and covering all but the face. It looked like some freaky deformed sushi roll. ¡°Excitement is one thing I honestly believe I can do with a little less of. Come on, I¡¯m ready to move on from here¡ªthe sun¡¯s going to be setting¡­¡± She sat still as something in her changed.


    She wasn¡¯t sure the origin of the feeling, but it felt like a wave crashing over her...something told her it was related to her friends. They weren¡¯t dead, that much was a relief...but they weren¡¯t here either. She didn¡¯t know fully what she had meant by that, but they were alive somewhere else. It was as unsettling as it was reassuring.


    The feeling left as quickly as it had come, and she would have taken time to think on it longer but the rustling from the woods on the other side of the river brought her back and she tensed back into motion, nodding to Jace and pulling away from the river.


    Just in time she avoided the sight of the prowling menace who stalked these woods. Bannes children deified the creature that hunted and killed at its own leisure. It looked like a bear that had ballooned to the size of a small mountain. Its arched back arched so its silhouette through the trees looked like a shark in the wood. Its skeleton must have been bent at odd, unnatural angles to achieve that shape¡ªbut it clearly had no negative affect on its hunting abilities. Even though it was large as a house it could clear the largest distances in seconds, flat.


    Ally had ducked behind a large stone set in the field and tentatively counted from one to ten. When Jace had appeared next to her she held out her hand¡ªthe fish wrapped in plastic was aimed at him comically. He took the sign to stay one of his quips and he looked out from their space.


    ¡°It¡¯s smelled you, for sure,¡± he said.


    She shook her head, ¡°No, it¡¯s smelled the fish. I¡¯m sure its senses have been fine tuned to hunt the local fish game¡ªotherwise we¡¯d have heard a lot more stories about it coming and wreaking havoc on the town.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t the stories you heard enough?¡± Jace asked.


    ¡°Those were told by children who had very obviously invaded its territory. It¡¯s not used to hunting people...yet at least.¡±


    ¡°Yet?¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling once the fish population dries up here it¡¯ll adapt. And once it gets the taste of our kind of flesh it won¡¯t want to go back. Hence why I am taking care of it now.¡±


    ¡°Assuming it¡¯s the only one out there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I may be putting a lot of faith into that. I¡¯m pretty good at listening to my intuition though.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so a name change this late into the story,¡± Jace grinned.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t help yourself, could you?¡±


    ¡°I trust you. I¡¯ll keep a lookout in case it signals to any friends it may have.¡±


    ¡°Beast that big ain¡¯t having friends far away,¡± Ally said, but she nodded at him all the same. ¡°I¡¯m going to ready into position.¡±


    ¡°Roger roger,¡± Jace said, fading from view.


    Ally¡¯s plan was simple. She needed to get some height¡ªsomething to at least separate her by some metric from the creature¡¯s range. The stone she had hidden behind was not nearly tall enough to get her the distance she desired, then she eyed a tree off in the distance¡ªit had fused with two other nearby trees at the trunk¡ªit looked like it could withstand a bashing or two from the beast. A bashing or two was all she needed.


    She dashed out from her place of safety and made a beeline for the tree¡ªfrom where she last saw the beast it had been on the other side of the river. She felt the moment it had noticed her as her chest ran cold as if someone had dropped a vat of ice water right across it. She willed her legs to continue running and she leapt over an ingrown root as she heard the sound of water splashing behind her.


    Ally leapt and kicked off a stone onto the first branch that was just over her head. She grappled it and swung herself over on top. If she stopped to look back at the bear she knew she¡¯d freeze and not even be half its height yet¡ªand then it¡¯d be done for her. She leapt up¡ªthe force enough to crack the branch and have it dip down¡ªbut thankfully she grabbed a hold of a branch that connected the two trees¡ªas now she was above the bisected trunk as its many branches yearned for the skies above. She went up another two branches and finally held the tree tight with her one free arm around the edge.


    The bear had closed in and leapt up on hind legs Ally couldn¡¯t see, its blackened face reached just below the tier of branches she had gotten off of. Her plan had to work¡ªit was now or never. She gripped the fish and lobbed it into the air¡ªas far from the tree as she could manage. She could have just dropped it and hoped it would pick up the scent¡ªbut if it missed it entirely her life was forfeit. She had to ensure that it saw the fish and that it had to work for it.


    The fish flew in an arc, spinning end over end. The bear¡¯s eyes followed it with a devilish look in its stare. It kicked off from the tree which sent Ally sinking back¡ªthe tree itself was partially uprooted. She stumbled and used her newly freed hand to catch herself before she fell fully. From the view she saw the beast land and the ground shook around her¡ªshe didn¡¯t know if the trick had worked.


    It turned and put its nose to the ground and turned back to her. She tried to work her way back up the length of the tree¡ªbut it was a much harder task since it had been pushed.


    The bear had caught her scent and perked up.


    ¡°Well...at least you were right about it not caring about you until this moment.¡±


    ¡°Not...helping,¡± she said. Come on...it should be working right...about¡­


    The bear had begun to heave¡ªit turned its head and let out a cough. The cough turned hoarse and it stopped completely¡ªfocusing on the air escaping its lungs. The bear lashed its head around in an arc and dug at the ground, and then at its own fur. Terrible sounds erupted from the beast as it slashed at its own throat¡ªrealizing its terrible mistake.


    The fish had copious amounts of iron saturated in its meat. To a bear that size¡ªit would barely register a problem. At least, not the problem that it would register if Ally were to cook it up upon catching it. However, that iron isn¡¯t the issue. Ally had wrapped the fish up in plastic that was coated in a mixture of poisons she had made from some of the local wildlife as well as from some of the merchants in Bannes. A devious concoction which thanks to the dark titan berry completely eliminated the odor of the other poisons allowed the weapon to pass along unassuming right into the belly of the beast.


    The beat had continued suffering until it made its final move and fell over onto its side, wheezing and exhausting the last of its breath.


    Ally sighed and finally shimmied her way back down to the surface. Her problems didn¡¯t end with the death of the bear¡ªfar from it. It was progress, sure, but it was only a problem by another name. Since she had used poison to kill the bear¡ªits meat was a danger to all life that lived around this area¡ªmuch less for those that lived in Bannes.


    If stray coyotes or birds happened this way they¡¯d find meat that would carry a multitude of problems for not only them, but also their predators, and then back up to the humans. Transporting a body of its size was out of the question¡ªit must have weighed a ton. She did have a knife, but she doubted that she was going to be able to break its bones to be able to move it in pieces...and where would she even bring it?


    So, her answer was fire. She had used the remaining sunlight she had left to gather enough kindling and she began slowly with the blaze. It was enough of a stench that perforated through her make-do camp¡ªit was enough to wean her off the idea of ever thinking of a creature this large as food anytime soon.


    The moon had begun to rise and she kept the fire burning as long as she could to erase the risk this bear¡¯s corpse could continue to have on the environment around it. A few times some smaller animals like squirrels or strange mutated rodents she couldn¡¯t place approached her site and she had to shoo them away with a long stick she had used to pick at the fire.


    When the blaze had died down for good she felt a wave of exhaustion sweep over her. The sky seemed to be a lighter purple in response to the glowing scarlet embers that sent ash offerings to the void of space. She felt at peace for the moment for having done something for a greater good¡ªknowing the people of Bannes would have one less thing to worry about carried her into her slumber.


    When her eyes shut fully she opened them immediately and knew she was dreaming. She stood in a darkened void with a single spotlight over her figure¡ªilluminating a grassy field underneath her feet¡ªbut outside the spotlight the void continued.


    ¡°How long are you going to walk?¡± A voice from the depths echoed¡ªit was one part unsettling and one part familiar.


    ¡°Until I can¡¯t,¡± Ally responded. She felt an inner strength come from her voice¡ªeven if she didn¡¯t feel it within herself. ¡°I will keep going until I am satisfied.¡±


    ¡°Satisfied...will you ever be satisfied?¡± The voice boomed. ¡°How many will you try to save? How many will you fail?¡±


    Ally thought on the question¡ªit was one that long ago would send her to her knees in denial. She expelled those thoughts from her mind and took a step out toward the darkness.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how much I fail. I will not let that keep me from trying.¡±


    A second spotlight clicked on, and standing in the center of it were Rosemary and Josephine Higgins. They were some of Ally¡¯s closest friends back when she was at Nassau Middle School. They unfortunately did not make it to the end of the term as they were embroiled in the plot Lilly had cooked up to get revenge on Ashley Evans, who also did not make it to the end of the term.


    It was a strange distinction¡ªas it was most likely that none of her classmates were still alive in this new world, and that thought was the first to make her sad here. Her spotlight dimmed, closing in around her feet.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have saved us,¡± Rosemary began, but she realized her tone could have been misunderstood, she looked down and then she corrected. ¡°It wasn¡¯t your responsibility to know things you couldn¡¯t. I didn¡¯t know the whole plan...and I¡¯m attached to her.¡±


    Rosemary and Josephine were conjoined twins¡ªthat fact did not make them very popular at Nassau when the student base already had a problem with a very noticeable class divide. It was unfortunate, because the two of them were the nicest girls Ally had the pleasure of meeting¡ªeven in this new world. Their lives had ended much too soon¡ªthey could have been such a force of good in this world.


    ¡°You still can be, for us,¡± Josephine said. She looked more down than her sister, after all she must have felt responsible for having some responsibility in what happened. ¡°I¡¯m...sorry, Ally. I never wanted what happened. I didn¡¯t think it would spiral out of control...and I never knew just what Lilly could do¡ªthat power of hers.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll see her soon on this path. I¡¯ve read enough stories to tell that this is my mind healing itself¡ªmaking that take place with the images of you all¡ªthe people I loved.


    ¡°You say that as if in doubt,¡± Rosemary said. ¡°You still doubt your own power?¡±


    ¡°My power?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s something unique to you¡ªI don¡¯t fully understand why, we never were too well read, but I can see something is unique with you. You¡¯re accessing something much grander than yourself, now. Maybe someday you can do it while you¡¯re consciously thinking about it, but it is us...we are here with you now.¡±


    Ally¡¯s heart caught in her throat and she stood still, frozen. She of course knew she had the ability to make Jace corporeal¡ªand she had a power she hadn¡¯t fully understood, but was this truly a factor of that?


    ¡°How...is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking us for a concrete answer,¡± Josephine began, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± She shook her head. ¡°But if you are right, you might be able to ask Lilly.¡±


    This possibility had never occurred to her. The thought of getting the closure she had searched so long for...she felt like she could cry.


    ¡°Come here and give us a hug,¡± Rosemary looked at her with tears in her eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t move out of this light here, but I think if you come over here we can manage it.¡±


    Ally wiped a tear from her own eye and nodded, sniffling. She approached the twins and held them close, then breaking down, holding them tighter. They embraced her back and the three girls cried together.


    ¡°I think it is time for us to go, it was lovely seeing you again, Ally. You look so strong now. Older, too.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m stronger,¡± she nodded. ¡°I promised myself I would get stronger¡ªto make things better because of what happened to you guys.¡±


    Rosemary smiled. ¡°You¡¯ve become a true hero. I hope we can talk again soon, and maybe you can tell us about those stories we were planning to make together.¡±


    Ally smiled. ¡°I would love that.¡±


    The both of them smiled and they faded to black as their light started to dim. She felt a soothing wind pass her and then the voice from before returned.


    ¡°How far will you walk?¡±


    ¡°Until I am satisfied,¡± Ally said. ¡°And she had an idea of what the voice was getting at. She started to walk through the darkness¡ªthe spotlight following her every step and trailing forward a path. She would walk until she got the answers that satisfied her.


    Throughout the dark she felt another familiar sensation pulling her heart north¡ªwherever north happened to be in this space connecting her mind to¡­


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    She stopped as George Fae appeared before her. He was wearing an embarrassing Hawaiian shirt and the khaki shorts Jaclyn always threatened in jest she¡¯d get rid of. The sight of him brought such a large smile to her face she ran over to him and threw her arms around him.


    ¡°Wha-hey!¡± He called, his eyes lighting up as he saw her. ¡°Well I¡¯ll be...I never thought I¡¯d see you again, sport.¡±


    ¡°I thought so too. I...never got to tell you how...much I missed you. You and Jaclyn. I felt like¡­¡± she had to stop to keep the tears back¡ªthey came so easily now. ¡°I felt like with you I was the happiest I had been with a family.¡±


    ¡°Well, that makes my heart warm with love, but I have to ask, why did you leave? Where did you go? I...I¡¯m not really sure where I am now. Last I remember was¡­¡± He thought on it, his eyes rolling up and to the left as his mind searched for answers.


    ¡°I think...that is probably best answered if she were here too, you think?¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess so,¡± he said, placing a hand on her back. ¡°Let¡¯s see, I think she¡¯s over¡­¡± his face fell to a puzzled look. ¡°Hm, I¡¯m not sure where she is at the moment...no wait, she¡¯s over here!¡± He pointed, and she faded slowly into frame, a third spotlight clicking on underneath her feet.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± She cried as she saw both of them. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you two both since¡­¡± her face fell to the same sort of puzzled look. ¡°How¡­long have I been out? The last thing I remember is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back, but I¡¯m going to have to leave soon,¡± Ally said, drawing both of their attention. ¡°There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know, and a lot I didn¡¯t know back then, but I want you both to know I am so very thankful for you two taking me in. I...was not in a good place back then, a lot of things have happened in my past and I was on my last legs until you found me. Although our time together was short, I¡¯ve kept it close in my heart these last few years...yes, years.¡±


    She predicted both of their looks of confusion and then sudden realization that they were looking at her as she was now¡ªage 21 and not the 13 year old they had known.


    ¡°It¡¯s been almost ten years since we last saw each other,¡± she said, slowly so they could piece the age difference together themselves. ¡°The world is a lot different now...as far as I can understand it, it seems powerful creatures¡ªlike the one that cast that shield over the school¡ªhave transformed the world and how it looks. A lot of people died...including the both of you.¡±


    She expected looks of shock, but understood the both of them must have suspected it due to the gaps in their memory. ¡°It came fast, like a snap of a finger,¡± Ally spoke. ¡°That would explain why you still think it is 2022, why those days seem so fresh to you. I don¡¯t know why you were¡­¡± she let the implication hang, ¡°but I didn¡¯t. I¡¯ve been living since. Ever since that day I¡¯ve been looking for the creature¡ªthat being that did that to Nassau Middle School.¡±


    ¡°What kind of monster is it?¡± George asked, still thinking of the time he went out to try and rescue his foster daughter from the bubble of darkness.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange, but it isn¡¯t so much a monster rather than another type of¡­¡± she thought about how to word it. ¡°person.¡±


    ¡°Person?¡± Jaclyn asked. ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It had a name, it was called Issachar. It could speak¡ªalthough it acted like a ghost¡ªspeaking through others. It knew our language, knew of us as people. It was trying to solve a murder...that specific story is one for another day, I think. It¡¯s much too long for here, I think my time with you is limited as it is.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re safe...out there? Out there in that new world?¡±


    Ally looked from him to Jaclyn and nodded, her eyes welling up with tears again. ¡°I¡¯ve had to learn a lot of new things and I¡¯ve lived through some hard times, but I am safe. There are some friends I¡¯ve made I¡¯m trying to look for, but I¡¯ve...well, I guess a lot of it involves stories that are much too long for now.¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re very happy to hear that,¡± George said. ¡°You¡¯ve made me very proud. The most I could want for you is to grow into your own¡ªto move past those troubles that kept you held down. I know we were in over our heads in taking you in¡ªyou had a lot of troubles weighing in over your head and we didn¡¯t have much experience in helping with that...but if we could give you a place where you could feel safe¡­¡± he started to choke up. ¡°If you felt like you could begin to process things then I don¡¯t regret it a single moment. I am so proud of you.¡±


    Jaclyn nodded. ¡°I wish we could have spent more time together to really give you more to prepare you for what you¡¯re dealing with now, but if you¡¯ve found this way to talk to us...we would be honored to have that time where we can.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly how I¡¯ve done this to be honest, but now that I know I can¡­¡± she nodded. ¡°I am going to tell you all about how I¡¯ve honored the Fae name.¡±


    She couldn¡¯t hug them both together¡ªthey had arrived a few feet away from each other, but she hugged each of them tighter than she ever remembered doing for anybody¡ªeven the twins before them.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to move forward now¡ªI still have someone I need to speak with.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s that Lillian girl, ain¡¯t it?¡± George asked. ¡°I could never muster the courage to ask...but you liked her, didn¡¯t you?¡± He looked at her with a soft, contemplative look.


    ¡°It¡¯s complicated,¡± Ally said, ¡°but I hope this meeting will do much to uncomplicate that answer.¡± She nodded at him and smiled small.


    He nodded back, and echoed his previous pride in her. She smiled as the both of them began to fade back into darkness. When she was alone again she continued on walking¡ªthe light continuing to follow her as it had before. She knew who was next, and as scared as she was to face her, she knew this was what she had searched for all along.


    She held her breath until the light around her expanded and contracted with her own pace. If she focused it would envelop a space about three times as large as what surrounded her previously. She now walked with a confident stride in what was a hesitant pacing toward the inevitability.


    From deep within her she sought this destination as it were a finality where nothing mattered afterward, but the truth of the matter was that this was only a meeting¡ªand it was everything thereafter that mattered the most. The meeting would have happened¡ªshe believed in fate and through such it was most important her strength to face her greatest fear.


    Light bloomed in the distance and she knew she had found what she was looking for. Inside the blossom a woman came into view¡ªher jet black hair fell against her shoulders and her eyes opened slowly. As soon as the two of them made eye contact the world around them filled with virtuous light. What used to be a lush field shifted immediately into a once familiar room¡ªher bedroom.


    She stood next to her bed and Lillian Jones stood as if she¡¯s just walked into the room. The air was silent and Ally felt like her heart was tightened in her own fist.


    ¡°It has been so long,¡± she said. ¡°I have searched for you for so long¡­¡±


    ¡°Come again to my torment...this cycle never ends,¡± Lilly said, looking anywhere but at Ally. ¡°It never ends¡­¡± she whispered.


    ¡°It¡¯s me. I¡¯m here, and as much as it makes sense, you are too.¡±


    Lilly looked back up at her, taking her in now fully. To Ally, she looked as she did the last day she saw her all those years ago. The face she never thought she¡¯d see again...here she was standing right in front of her.


    ¡°You¡¯ve never answered me before¡­¡± Lilly began. A tear formed in her eye. ¡°I¡¯ve cried to you, begged for you to understand. I¡¯ve apologized, screamed, I¡¯ve tried everything in this endless torment and you¡¯ve never once answered me. You¡¯ve merely just looked at me, judging me like everybody else I see here. It¡¯s the eyes. It was the disappointment...that most of all from you I couldn¡¯t stand I¡­¡± She fell back and caught herself against the wall. Ally made no move yet. She was still feeling a sense of unreality seeing her.


    ¡°Did you ever love me?¡± Ally asked.


    Lilly¡¯s eyes darted to Ally and they met and held each other¡¯s gaze. As scared as she was, she knew the answer.


    ¡°I did. And it scared the living hell out of me,¡± Lilly said. ¡°I was scared you¡¯d see the parts of me I tried to hide.¡±


    ¡°There are parts of you that scared me,¡± Ally began. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what they were at first. I think it made you seem mythical...mysterious. It allured me to you in ways I couldn¡¯t have comprehended.¡±


    Lilly knew better than to answer this, and instead let Ally continue.


    ¡°I¡¯ve grown up a lot since I knew you. I¡¯ve fallen in love since I met you, and I lost that love similarly...but I¡¯ve grown.¡±


    ¡°How old are you now...out there?¡± Lilly asked. Her voice was little more than a whisper.


    Ally took a deep breath and blinked a few times to steady herself for the answer. ¡°I¡¯m twenty-one. The world is...much different out there. More fit for someone like you...someone with the strength to bite back. I don¡¯t think it was right what you did...but since then I¡¯ve done a lot of things like the things you did. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m any superior...I just want you to know that I forgive you.¡±


    Lilly burst into tears, and it was that sight that choked her up.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready to accept what you did to me, and how much I tried to do for you. I recognize we were not in good places, and the choices we made were what we thought were in our best interest. Justice has been handed down, and I finally...forgive you. And I forgive myself for holding onto this so long, but I couldn¡¯t let myself rest until I was able to tell you in person¡ªthe boundary of death be damned.¡±


    ¡°So...that¡¯s it, then. I¡¯m dead...my body is finally dead? In here...I just see you. I see Rosie and Josie too¡ªbut they¡¯re the same. Just silently looking at me, disapprovingly.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t control their spirits, it seems like they are still here, I would work that out with them separately, but I think after tonight you should stop seeing me, and I¡¯ll finally stop seeing you.¡± She swallowed hard.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to miss you...but that¡¯s for the best...for you. I want you to be happy...are you happy?¡±


    The figure in front of her started to fade¡ªshe knew she was on the verge of waking up. She nodded, and as Lilly faded from view she knew that was the last time her eyes would haunt her dreams.


    ¡°I am finally happy.¡±


    Ally¡¯s eyes opened and she looked at the red sky above. The sun had just started to rise and Ally was up, working and gathering branches and logs to support the idea that burned brightly in her mind. She saw a shape and so she saw fit to carve it out of anything she could¡ªthe idea came simply as Jace appeared behind her¡ªshe looked to him and in one look he knew what she had in mind.


    He handed her the crystal that reflected a thousand shades¡ªthe White Monolith. She felt the energy flowing from her fingertips as it allowed her to sculpt from the crystal¡ªas if working it like a molten metal. She said not a word and simply allowed the shape in her mind to exist in front of her. The crystal resonated and she felt like she could see eyes within¡ªthey were different colors¡ªone blue and the other hazel. They didn¡¯t seem human¡ªin fact they seemed like they came from a scaled snout.


    The eyes reflected all over what was now a shined bow fashioned from the small palm-sized gem she held before. Deep within her body she felt vibrations of a deeper presence within the gem. The drawstring was a golden thread and she saw golden etchings work their way across the bow in ornate patterns.


    ¡°Looks like your intuition was right¡­¡± Jace said, staring at it up and down.


    Allison.


    The voice stood her to attention and she saw herself not where she was¡ªbut in a vast hallway that seemed to stretch backward to infinity. In front of her was a giant pit where the form of a dragon rested. Its scales were a glistening white with similar golden markings stretching across its body. Giant butterfly wings flapped to keep it afloat¡ªa single wing looked to be several dozen times larger than her. Ally looked up in awe.


    I am Leptous. You are worthy blood to accept my power if you so accept my pact.


    Ally stared up at the behemoth and thought back in response. ¡°What power would you have to give? And why should I chain myself to another?¡±


    Bold and yet still curious. Quite unlike the other who I¡¯ve formed a pact with.


    ¡°Other?¡± Ally asked, and then she recalled the stories Laven had told of a situation just as similar as this, then she looked up. ¡°You¡¯d make me strong like Laven?¡±


    I would offer you strength when you draw from the bow. You have domain over my weapon. I seek only one thing as payment for power. And that is the elimination of the foul creature that shares my memories.¡±


    ¡°What kind of creature is that?¡± Ally asked.


    I require you to kill Ormus. I have searched your memories and know you know this name.


    Ally took a step back. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    I understand your hesitation, yet I will impart on you information before you make your decision too hastily. Will you at least hear me out?


    She stared into the eyes of the dragon and didn¡¯t feel an immediate urge to turn and run. As crazy as the thought was...she felt compelled to listen. She nodded slowly and looked up¡ªassuming a more neutral stance.


    Ormus is a shadow I have been plagued to share an existence with. You are hesitant because you believe this a journey to kill your father. Be not concerned¡ªas that shadow that wears a human face is not your father. And to make it clear, I am not your father either. We are both shades of a man that used to live in a world similar to the one you do¡ªbut specifically not the same. That man...he was your father.


    ¡°Is there really a difference?¡± Ally asked.


    All the difference in the world. Think on it, what connection do you have to this shadow? What relationship do you think you will forge with a monster like that? A monster that has left you for nothing and with nothing...do you kid yourself to believe that it would drop its ambitions to be your father?


    Ally bit her lip and thought on the shape she remembered seeing in the memories Issachar shared with her. She remembered the regret emanating off of the figure as she was dropped on the doorstep of that one couple all those years ago¡ªshe couldn¡¯t remember anything about them now.


    She hadn¡¯t been so naive to think that if she encountered Ormus that he would do as Leptous said¡ªshe honestly didn¡¯t know what she would do. She could yell, she could cry, but at the end of the day the feelings that sat deepest in her heart were sad¡ªthey were of the hurt she had felt at being rejected and left alone.


    She was far from those days now where the idea of ending her own life seemed to be the most sensible option, but that didn¡¯t mean she would forget the pain and how sharp it had inflicted on her. And this was caused by another¡ªit was directly and intentionally caused. She didn¡¯t ask to be born, she didn¡¯t ask to suffer all that she had. And she¡¯s lost so much along the way.


    ¡°You say this, but as part of my father¡¯s being, don¡¯t you take responsibility for your actions?¡± She asked, her gaze now fierce and determinant.


    I am full of memories of the life of Gavin Daniels...that was the name of your father. Ormus goes by that name now¡ªpretending like he is whole...a fool¡¯s errand. I am angered by this as I am angered by my own actions. I regret the pain I have caused, while he pretends he is still working toward good. You may wonder why I don¡¯t kill him myself...and that is because of my current state of being¡ªtrapped within this gem. I have attempted to extend my influence out to reach those who would assist me...your friend being one of them.


    ¡°And so you have them do your work for you?¡± Ally asked, a note of suspicion in her voice.


    It is not slave labor. I offer power in exchange for help. I cannot force anybody to help me, and nor would I desire so. It is most fortunate you have come into possession of my prison¡ªas I am able to offer a much clearer channel to my power...that is, if you accept my terms.


    ¡°So...you hope to fix what you¡¯ve done, is that what I¡¯m getting from this?¡±


    It is. I am. There are others like me¡ªfragments of the shadows who seek out their former power. Those who fight against the dark. If you are to meet up and assemble them¡ªeven help them unite with their treasure¡­


    ¡°You mean the Monoliths?¡±


    They go by many names to many different people. In truth they are the hearts of the world you inhabit. Powerful and unlimited in their power when gathered. They are the source of the shadows searches and if you seek to stop their goals¡ªif you wish to form the pact¡ªthen searching out the rest of them is your best chance.


    ¡°Well...you¡¯re in luck, because I was already pretty set on helping my friends find the rest of them...but unfortunately I got separated from them.¡±


    Is that an agreement?


    ¡°Yeah, I think it is,¡± Ally looked up and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly and clasping her fists together, tight. ¡°I will accept your power, and in exchange I will search out the Monoliths and the others like you...and I will put an end to Ormus¡­¡±


    Very well. Accept my strength as your own. Take hold of the bow before you and let its arrows fly as far and deep as your determination.


    Ally closed her eyes and felt a powerful surging of wind through her body¡ªworking its way from her feet all the way up to her head. She felt like she could leap off a building and take off flying into the sunset, but she opened her eyes and was back next to Jace¡ªthe bow glimmered in her hands. A name rang in her mind and she held it tight.


    Ichaival.


    Jace looked in awe from the bow to Ally. ¡°You looked spaced out there for a moment, are you okay?¡± And then sudden realization caught up to him¡ªit was perhaps the first time that something she knew was something he had not¡ªand his grin grew wide. ¡°Oh shit...wait, so are you like a goddess now?¡±


    Ally cracked a grin. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say goddess...but I am feeling...good.¡± She looked down and made a motion toward the drawstring and suddenly she felt a tension between her fingers. She pulled back and light began to pool into the shape of an arrow¡ªit pulsed as she drew it back¡ªthe strain was considerable on her arm as she was not used to the motion.


    She took a deep breath and refocused and drew back once more, looking to the sky and shooting upward. The beam of light erupted and coursed a trail into the sky until it reached its apex where it exploded like a firework.


    ¡°That would be very useful if you¡¯re ever lost and need to signal for help,¡± Jace said.


    ¡°Or if we¡¯re exploring through a cave...or need to take out multiple things at once¡­¡± the possibilities started running through her mind and she had meant what she had said before. I feel good. I feel stronger...I have to find the others. LUCAS...Laven, and anymore they may find along the way.


    Ally turned to Jace, ¡°You know...I think I did remember hearing there was a traveling seer who frequents Draymont. Do you think if I had him try he could try to find Laven? I¡¯m sure LUCAS is with her¡ªI really want to reunite with them both.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not...but what about that dragon you met...Leptous? Does he have the power to find her?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I can speak to him anymore¡ªand if I could I wouldn¡¯t know how to begin. It isn¡¯t like how I can just call you and you show up.¡±


    Jace made a mischievous sort of smile, ¡°Well now you¡¯re making me out to be a callboy.¡±


    ¡°If the shoe fits,¡± Ally grinned.


    ¡°Well maybe it doesn¡¯t fit,¡± Jace joked.


    ¡°It fits if I say it does.¡±


    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡±


    Ally held the bow down and it started to glow even brighter, shrinking back down to the size of the Monolith. It was small enough that she could fit it in her palm fully concealed¡ªbut she worried about losing such an important artifact.


    ¡°Here, I can hold onto it until you need it and can pass it to you when you do,¡± He reached out toward her.


    ¡°By pass I hope you don¡¯t mean toss. You¡¯re as bad a thrower as I am a catcher.¡±


    ¡°We really are fucked at this whole surviving thing, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jace said, and the both of them burst out laughing.


    ¡°Thank you, Jace. For being here, being someone to bounce ideas off of...and I don¡¯t want to hear any of this oh well you can thank yourself because you made me. No, I think it¡¯s pretty blatant at this point that you¡¯ve grown into your own distinct person. And that is a person I need to thank.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you really want to thank me maybe you can write some more of my story,¡± Jace winked.


    ¡°Consider it a team effort and you got yourself a deal...but we probably should meet up with the others before we lay anything concrete down.¡±


    ¡°I can agree to that,¡± Jace said.


    ¡°All right, well I think then we should get going¡ªthe sun isn¡¯t going to be up forever and I want to test how this bow affects wild game for future reference.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...I think it would be good to make sure if you¡¯re using it for stunning you don¡¯t completely incinerate your opponent with the fire of a thousand suns.¡±


    ¡°Exactly...or completely char any meat I intend to eat.¡±


    ¡°Also a valid point.¡±


    Ally handed him the Monolith and he smiled at her and he faded from view. Ally looked down at her own hands to see markings wrap around her hands¡ªthey were golden lines that ran in concentric circles up to her elbows. As she looked at them they faded to a faint blue color against the color of her skin¡ªthey looked like tattoos now more than anything.


    She secretly admired how they looked on Laven¡ªand admittedly had thought that she was beautiful the first time they had met. Though it was more than obvious that she and LUCAS were...well they were something. In her short time with them neither of them had specified¡ªit seemed they were in the early stages of their...something. The last thing she wanted to do is intrude on a something. But she had no trouble at all admitting that to herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s okay, champ,¡± Jace said. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for your next boy toy or gal pal...pal¡¯s a little to hetero for me...hm...I¡¯ll have to think on a better taunt for the female persuasion.¡±


    ¡°Or you can avoid it altogether,¡± Ally said, but he knew she smiled at it.


    Jace flashed a grin and faded once more.


    When she was ready she hiked up her bag and zipped it tight¡ªshe didn¡¯t want a repeat of the time a stray latch came loose and she lost all but her spare clothes. That was such a deflating experience.


    She began her walk and looked up at the sun who had just started to climb into the sky. She felt a resonance with the sun that she hadn¡¯t before, and felt an inner light shine just a little bit brighter.

 7 | Heart of Blackwell

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    LUCAS Gray


    Staring up at the castle, LUCAS looked in awe at the behemoth that stood twenty times taller than him. The castle was enormous, with towering walls made of black stone organized in rows. He closed his eyes to scan the environment, but his mind held no echo. There were none of the usual sounds that accompanied his thought processes¡ªthe whirring of the internal fans ensuring his systems didn¡¯t overheat. The innards of his mind were not responding to his requests.


    It rang like a hollow sound that echoed across his head space. He couldn¡¯t access the databases that had been so closely wired with his brain¡ªhe also couldn¡¯t reach Levi. It had fully seemed like he was fully removed from his previous abilities. He couldn¡¯t draw in energy and form it around his hands like he could have before...not that there were any lights around where he could take from if he could. The surroundings around him looked as low-tech as one could get.


    He took a deep breath and immediately noticed how integral it was that he keep breathing. Breathing was something he was used to¡ªbut he admitted that if he were alone he wouldn¡¯t have wasted the energy, but here he knew that somehow he just needed to keep on breathing. It seems with a lack of abilities I have a new set of limitations. He would have to keep that in mind if he had to defend himself¡ªas he was sure he would not be able to in the ways he was familiar with.


    He looked back toward the castle and took notice of its grand design¡ªthe onyx black stones looked daunting and were worn with time¡ªwhoever had constructed it had done so a long time ago. It must have been much longer than the time since the world changed over...it seemed decades old, maybe even half a century. Maybe even longer, perish the thought. He didn¡¯t know how to reason this fact in his mind¡ªanything that came from what he was experiencing was in direct contrast to everything he thought he knew about the world.


    Stepping closer, he felt the foreign weight under his feet and the strange unrealness only seemed to continue. He found the entrance to be just as daunting as the rest of the castle¡ªa heavy wooden gate lay connected to thick iron chains across the chasm that seemed to continue down into forever. His mind had played images of castles with a shallow moat underneath¡ªthen knew this was not going to be like anything he had known before¡ªor anything that was programmed into him.


    He felt a sense of weariness crossing the chasm¡ªwondering if the bridge would collapse under his weight, then once his fears were unfounded he breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching the other end.


    All these new sensations were overwhelming¡ªonce they became necessary to his survival. Breathing was strange enough as it was¡ªback then he wouldn¡¯t have been able to deduce exactly why he had subconsciously breathed the air around him¡ªsomething deep in his programming must have decided that in order to pass as human you had to breathe, and that act constituted certain kinds of behaviors.


    But now¡­he breathed because otherwise he would lose consciousness¡ªand such would lead to traumatic brain injury due to lack of oxygen. These were concepts he knew factually, but knowing something because you were told it and because you instinctively knew it were two totally different experiences.


    Upon entering the inner grounds of the castle he saw shaped topiary laid symmetrically through the path¡ªshapes of elegant knights and horses greeted his view. He also had seen a few more people off in the distance, but they were high up on higher tiers of the castle¡ªfar from his reach. He couldn¡¯t work out the design of the castle yet¡ªnor how to access those higher levels¡ªmuch less if he was even allowed up there. The last thing he wanted was to accidentally set the entire castle against him for trespassing in grounds where he was not allowed.


    He would continue forward until he could find someone that could be of some assistance¡ªmaybe someone had seen Laven. He desired to reconnect and find out the origin of this strange place.


    He stepped through a large gate whose sharp posts were raised in a locked position¡ªanother unfounded fear of them dropping and pinning his skull to the pavement urged him to quicken his pace through the gate. With his usual methods of self protection gone he realized just how paranoid about everything he was. Every sharpened feature was a probable death point¡ªevery chasm was a ditch to experience life¡¯s last moments within. He recognized that continuing to allow it access to his fear and his mind was an act reserved for fools, yet, nobody had told him just how easy it was for the brain to act a fool.


    He stepped inside the inner walls and noticed that it was just as grand as the exterior was. There were high ceilings, marble floors that looked polished to a shine, and tapestries hanging from the walls adorning several exquisite scenes.


    His thoughts were cut short as his attention was drawn to the large grand central staircase which led up to a higher level that was adorned with golden filigree and crests of some import at the end of the hallway. Empty suits of armor lined each end with their swords of silver and steel pointed toward the ceiling. Images of prisoners lining up to each suit as their hands of justice severed their heads from their necks ran through his mind.


    He shivered as the enormity of the scene around him started to overwhelm him. It would only be worse if it were full of people, and that thought then brought to mind the question of where everyone else was. Where Laven was. He hadn¡¯t seen anybody else since entering and the castle seemed a sickly quiet. He decided to continue forward and as he approached the staircase he finally heard the light thumping of footsteps off to his right. He turned and saw a person running toward him in a haphazard fashion.


    ¡°HUUUWAIIIIT!¡± The shrilly voice erupted and echoed through the chambered hall. It bounced off the walls and seemed to multiply as it continued down. The man looked frail¡ªhis body was very tall and thin, the full figure was very lanky as he ran. If LUCAS wasn¡¯t so confused he might have thought it humorous.


    He stopped just before LUCAS and bent over to catch his breath. Upon closer inspection LUCAS could see the man¡¯s hair was cut with an eccentric design not unlike a constellation in the back. There were very specific cuts made and he was curious as to the meaning behind it, if there were any. He wore glasses that greatly magnified his pupils and his nose looked like that of a witch¡¯s¡ªcrooked and broken in at least two places.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± LUCAS asked. ¡°Are you...okay?¡± He cocked his head and a look of concern crossed his face.


    The man heaved and pressed his wiry arms against his knees and coughed once, then brought a hand up as if to assuage any additional concern. ¡°Excuse me my fair lad¡ªI had heard there was a newcomer and I had been searching for you with great haste...and here you are! What a sight, what a sight!¡± He repeated and stood straight up like an arrow. ¡°Could use some work here and there, but nothing that can¡¯t be ironed out,¡± he continued, more to himself. He rubbed his thumb across his chin as he studied LUCAS up and down. ¡°Yes, I think I can finally finish pitching the squadron idea...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m having a difficult time understanding what you mean, exactly,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°What is this kingdom? And who are you?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes¡­you are like the others, yes. Come here, follow me,¡± the man said, irritated by the fact he dodged all of LUCAS¡¯ questions. He stood staring as the man had turned and taken a few steps down the western wing, his eyes following him, unmoving.


    When the man had realized LUCAS had not been following he turned on his heels and cocked his head. ¡°Come now, your questions are answered by those better than me. Our help is predicated on your help,¡± he turned back around and continued forward, this time with LUCAS following hesitantly behind.


    He passed large and exquisite looking paintings on each side of the wall¡ªthe small cards underneath listed the names of those they displayed. They were all names that sounded snobbishly made up, though. The first one had been called ¡°Regumont Fairbren¡± which then led to ¡°Isobolde Fairtriss¡±--which had a woman who seemed like a conglomeration of multiple renaissance age women into one.


    ¡°These are all our past rulers, of course their likeness is only but a fraction of their wonder in person,¡± the man said. ¡°Just don¡¯t stare too deeply into their eyes, though. You¡¯ll never know which ones stare back at you.¡±


    The sentiment would have been off-putting, if the next portrait wasn¡¯t depicting a rather plump man named ¡°Heptimus Blunt II¡±. LUCAS didn¡¯t know what was more unfortunate¡ªhis name, or the fact that he was a junior. Upon a second look at the portrait, looking at the clothes that LUCAS could best describe as an adult bib, he decided it was the framing of the portrait altogether. Whoever was in charge of such had to understand the implied infantile nature of the work.


    The man hooked a right into a room that set at the end of the final portrait¡ªit depicted Heptimus Blunt I, a man who looked the furthest thing from his son, a man with a military styled harshness and whose face looked more like a skeleton with how sunken in his face was.


    There was an innate curiosity to wonder what had happened during the rule of Heptimus Blunt II to have the next ruler stem from an entirely different bloodline entirely. Of note, he hadn¡¯t the chance to see if a portrait of the most recent ruler was laid out as the hallway certainly extended much further down.


    LUCAS left that thought trail hanging as he followed the man into the room. He felt an oppressive darkness as he stepped into the room. The light was low and the man faced the wall, placing his hands behind his back. ¡°This is our projection room¡ªhere we can display images larger than you can imagine...truly a magic unto its own.¡±


    As he said a shuttering sound clicked to life and a cone of light sprayed onto the back wall, showing an image of the black castle he stood in.


    ¡°Blackwell is full of many such magic,¡± the man continued. ¡°For we are blessed with the gift of the dragon¡¯s breath. Here¡­¡± he snapped and the picture changed to a large display of a large dragon. Its scales were a void-black so dark it was almost like a shadow. ¡°Named such after the being who bestowed upon us the very same magic¡ªThe Blackwell Dragon, our current ruler.¡±


    LUCAS flashed back to the last dragon he had laid eyes on¡ªthe one who had been for a short time one of his and Laven¡¯s companion¡¯s in the guild, Blaise...although he now saw the irony in the name. If he hadn¡¯t had the previous experience¡ªand he shuddered at the thought of experiencing that again¡ªhe wasn¡¯t sure if he would have so easily accepted the idea of another dragon.


    ¡°You seem to be one of the first to not take the history of our dragon as a surprise...interesting,¡± the man said, dragging an extended finger across his chin. ¡°Most of those that appear from the sky seem to take most a wondrous pose or declaration...or even denial at the idea.¡±


    LUCAS shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of things in my time. I can¡¯t say I¡¯m surprised by much,¡± he said, but it was in most parts a lie¡ªplenty had surprised him here, but he figured playing that off was his best bet until he knew more information.


    ¡°I see, well it is here where the excitement usually builds to confusion and bewilderment, but I see we can skip those tired acts of emotion now...that is most pleasurable.¡± The man snapped, and the display changed again. The man offered a smile and continued to explain, ¡°Here our citizens work, contribute toward the kingdom for keeping them safe from...well, there are many dangers in the world outside.¡±


    The image was of a shining white castle that was seated on an islet¡ªsurrounding it were vicious hurricane winds and gales forming large cyclones.


    ¡°Whitewing is but one of the many other kingdoms who would seek to see us burnt to little else than cinders.¡± The man¡¯s arms were crossed and obviously tense. ¡°Talks of peace have long since faded and any treaties that once existed now probably feed the fish along with the men who wrote them.¡±


    ¡°Well, that is mighty unfortunate,¡± LUCAS said.


    ¡°Quite,¡± the man said, snapping his finger again. The image shifted to a snapshot of a large field. There looked to be soldiers who were fighting off what looked to be creatures cloaked in darkness¡ªbright yellow eyes gleaming off the silver of their swords.


    ¡°And with what trouble we can spare from the other kingdoms, come in the shades...detestable beings that don¡¯t seem to take too kindly to our normal weapons here. Phase right through and what have you. Takes a great powerful magic to best even a single shade.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m starting to think there¡¯s a question buried deep in there,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°Or request¡­more like it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably very confused on your being here,¡± the man continued. ¡°For that I have an explanation, and one you¡¯ll find more relevant to your own personal queries.¡± He snapped his fingers again and an image of what looked like a cell splitting in two¡ªexcept on closer inspection it wasn¡¯t a cell at all.


    ¡°You come from a world that exists on the back of ours, and we yours. Our greatest scholars have been able to see the connecting bonds for some time now...we used to be fully unaware of your existence until recently. There was...a rift. Some sort of force out in the deep reaches of where we can see¡ªyet the dragons felt its touch¡ªthe passing and crossing of our worlds. And from them we found channels like veins running through a body where we spilled into you¡­¡±


    ¡°And you into us¡­¡± LUCAS said, not knowing where the image of the voice calling out into space had appeared in his mind, but knew it was related. Then he blinked, and thought on it...what...voice calling out into space? Was...that ship somehow involved? He closed his eyes and...yes, yes it had been. Something inside that ship had been calling out from his world...calling out until it could do more than call. It¡¯s voice was like a claw with which to rend the fabric at the edge of the universe.


    ¡°Shades filled into our land, and some manner of time-beast filled yours. We¡¯ve traded problems, and since the beginning we¡¯ve been having more and more of you intersect over on this side...and so we¡¯ve been terribly busy taking you all in, getting you up to speed¡ªthose of you that don¡¯t try open hostility as your first instance of appearance, of course.¡±


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.


    LUCAS had then been ready to ask the man the question that had been waiting to be asked since the very beginning. ¡°How am I to return from where I came?¡±


    The man sighed. He knew the question was going to come sooner or later. ¡°We have as of yet been unable to find the answer to that question. There are people on your side we very much miss in the same way you probably have over there...so please accept my apologies.¡±


    LUCAS thought about that remark, and then took a deep breath. ¡°There¡¯s someone important to me who I think crossed over here. She¡¯s a bit darker skinned than I am, has longer black hair, and her name is Laven...have you come across her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know,¡± the man said. ¡°There¡¯s been a lot of bleed over recently, and I¡¯m one of ten attendants the high court has on this duty¡ªif she came through this channel then she could have been approached by any one of us...and we haven¡¯t yet had our rounds to meet up with my group...perhaps if you wished to join me you could ask some of the others?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very trusting of someone you¡¯ve just met,¡± LUCAS said.


    ¡°I could very well say the same to you,¡± He turned and bowed. ¡°My name is Tomorrow, and I hope this mutual trust serves you a fine opinion of Blackwell.¡±


    ¡°Well, I appreciate that,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°My name is LUCAS. But I still have some questions regarding what happens next for me?¡±


    Tomorrow smiled and stood back up straight. ¡°Well, that of course is up to you. You can do whatever you choose within the bounds of our laws. If you would like to assist with the efforts in discovering more about the seams between our worlds...we have more to talk about. If, however, you find your desire to return lacking, you can feel free to apply to our transitional housing program and start a new life here. There are plenty of opportunities to support nearly any discipline you find yourself following to support the whole. This is a large choice, I am sure, so I can give you some time to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help look for a way back,¡± LUCAS said, not missing a beat.


    Tomorrow looked at him and then clasped his hands together. ¡°Excellent. Well then it looks like our time is not as of yet at an end. Come and follow me.¡± He turned and scuttled off back toward the hall as the lights faded back in and the projection stopped.


    LUCAS followed behind, but at a distance¡ªhe needed a moment with his thoughts. He knew his answer immediately, but needed the time to process the decision. Tomorrow was right¡ªit was a big decision, and the concept of a world existing like this one had certainly thrown him for a loop. This wasn¡¯t in any of the books Abel had read in The Eye of Timaeus. Was it something even the Children of the Night had known about...or even more bizarre, had it even existed then?


    Surely there is history here¡ªthe kingdoms Tomorrow has mentioned have existed for quite some time, but how long has that history existed? It wasn¡¯t the worst idea to think of living a life far from the chaos he had known back home...but the immediate counterpoint to that was he had just about as much experience with the old world. He knew memories and other people¡¯s experiences¡ªthose were full of grief, sure, but his personal experience hadn¡¯t mirrored such. And then there was Laven¡ªshe was here somewhere.


    He was sure she could defend herself¡ªshe was much more used to surviving in a world without her powers if what happened to him had similarly happened to her, but he did not feel good about making the decision for them to stay¡ªor how he¡¯d reconcile with the feeling she¡¯d have if she¡¯d found him trying to domicile in a place so foreign while she was trying so hard to help others.


    It was a simple choice, but it had also been a choice of that godforsaken duty that kept ringing in his head like an old bell. Even though it wasn¡¯t a programmed directive he could willingly ignore it still hung heavy in his mind like a conscience of a bloodied weight. I have to go back. I have to reunite with Ally and protect the fragments. And so, his decision was made in unison in his mind.


    Tomorrow cocked his head, ¡°Seems like you¡¯re wrestling with your brain itself.¡±


    ¡°Guess it¡¯s strange having one,¡± LUCAS said.


    He knew it¡¯d raise the question, he didn¡¯t have to look at the man to feel the look. ¡°In my world I¡¯m not...like this. Things are a lot different over here¡ªI¡¯m in a human body.¡±


    ¡°You make the specification,¡± Tomorrow said.


    ¡°Do you have knowledge of androids?¡± LUCAS asked. He figured it was a fair question considering the medieval look of the world that he¡¯d fallen into.


    Tomorrow laughed, ¡°We have books on many topics in our central library¡ªI think you¡¯ll find some of our theoretical novels have found their way into your world to give some of your writers the very inspiration for topics such as those. Yes, I am aware of such. So, your world has proceeded to the point to create such a being?¡± He stopped and looked LUCAS up and down. ¡°Yes...I see. Your eyes are very...analytical. I would say they belonged to a system if you weren¡¯t standing here before me.¡±


    He continued walking and LUCAS continued with him. ¡°What is this land called? I know Blackwell is the kingdom, but it¡¯s a little overwhelming knowing this just as your world.¡±


    ¡°This is the land of Rune. The totality of our lands is Rune and we are split into kingdoms across the land. I told you of Blackwell and Whitewing, but so too do the Kingdoms of Redrum, Bluefin, and Greenhorn. Each sits at the poles of our landmass. The others are...temperamental¡ªoften shifting their allegiances between black and white depending on what they think suits them best.¡±


    ¡°What are the current standings of their allegiances?¡± LUCAS asked.


    ¡°Redrum and Bluefin are currently in their own dispute over integral resources that each have proficiency in developing¡ªso it¡¯s rare you¡¯ll see them on the same side for long, though if a cause is great enough they aren¡¯t blind enough to let their petty squabbles get in the way of a great win. Currently Redrum bows its lance to Blackwell and Bluefin to Whitewing. Greenhorn is currently aligned with Whitewing, but we hear talk in the shadows of them choosing to secede to a more neutral position, but that is above what we would ask of you to deal with in a much larger scope of things. But that is a manner we¡¯ll discuss more after the meeting, sound good?¡±


    ¡°I think I understood,¡± LUCAS began. ¡°And yes, that sounds good.¡±


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Tomorrow said. ¡°Now let¡¯s pick up the pace. I fear we¡¯re going to be the last ones to arrive.¡±


    The council room was a circular affair affixed to the northernmost end of the castle and it had adornments all across the wall. Several of them bore a white crest emblazoned with gold filigree of a dragon¡¯s gaping maw and the start of flames.


    ¡°Another dreg in the pile, Tomorrow?¡± A man dressed in a wispy purple drape sat at the head of the table in the center of the room. Golden lines shone up and down the arms of the cloak that matched his golden blond hair that fell to his shoulders.


    ¡°Glad to see your cheery tidings are back in normal working order Tidmas¡ªI assume the cough has not taken you out in full?¡± Tomorrow asked, his mood unchanged. ¡°We¡¯ve got an android here, if you can believe it,¡± he said.


    Tidmas¡¯ smile did not change. ¡°First you make us wait to begin our meeting and now you speak of fiction. It seems not much has changed with you either.¡± He turned to the others in attendance. They were a gathering of men and women who were all wearing elegant clothing like Tomorrow and Tidmas. ¡°If we¡¯re all present and accounted for we should begin...with the excess stench expelled from the room,¡± his voice was stern, and LUCAS knew instantly he felt a disdain for the man.


    ¡°Therein lies the rub,¡± Tomorrow said, keeping his volume high so the others could hear. ¡°The topic of today¡¯s meeting is going to discuss the budget cuts concerning the forces on the Greenhorn border as well as bartering difficulties surrounding Redrum territory...topics we¡¯re all very frustrated by and would have a magnanimous argument over who to leave holding the metaphorical bag, so to speak. But I seem to recall a solution I pitched at the last meeting...and the last before that, and the last before that which would solve each of those problems and then some.¡±


    Tidmas studied Tomorrow¡¯s face with a harrowing gaze. He looked like he was going to speak but then another voice cut him off.


    ¡°You¡¯re well aware of the dangers your plan brings to us, Tomorrow.¡± The speaker was a woman with white hair curled to one side draping near her shoulders. She had sharp features and had her hands poised playfully on the desk in front of her. ¡°But I will agree it is sounding better the longer this farce goes on.¡±


    ¡°It is not a farce,¡± Tidmas chided. ¡°You act as if precaution is nothing but a fantasy¡ªwell let me tell you the first mistake one of these dregs makes is one too many for us to handle.¡±


    ¡°Hi, my name is LUCAS,¡± LUCAS began. ¡°Although if you want to continue insulting me¡ªthe least you could do is learn my name.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t known where the confidence came from, but something about this world felt...dream like. He figured while he still had the air of unreality he could best use it. He got a sort of satisfaction in the looks of those around him¡ªespecially Tidmas.


    ¡°So...it speaks,¡± he recovered, his gaze turned straight to LUCAS.


    ¡°I do, and as far as I¡¯m aware I¡¯m the one who¡¯s had his entire world ripped away from him. I don¡¯t seem to think you¡¯re at any more risk or danger than me or the inhabitants of my world, no?¡±


    ¡°That may be, but we have no assurance that you¡¯re of no danger to us and our people.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± the woman began, ¡°Considering we¡¯ve screened mostly common folk we¡¯ve no evidence to believe the contrary.¡±


    ¡°Listen,¡± LUCAS said, taking a step forward. He saw the reaction in each of them in the circle, and could almost feel the smile from Tomorrow behind him. ¡°If I wanted to do anyone here harm, it would have happened already,¡± he backed up the lie with what he hoped was a fierce look. ¡°You know nothing of the strength I hold inside. It would be in your best interest to recognize that and see we both have common interest¡ªyou wish to eliminate the risk outsiders present to your kingdom, and I wish to return home...among other things.¡±


    ¡°Other things?¡± A man to Tidmas¡¯ left asked. His head was shaved and his robes were a brilliant emerald. They complimented his darker complexion¡ªhis eyes looked that of an owl¡¯s¡ªstaring deep into him.


    ¡°There is a woman my friend here is searching for,¡± Tomorrow added.


    ¡°Another warrior from my world,¡± LUCAS added. She¡¯s got more heart in her than most people¡ªI¡¯d even argue in this room combined. Someone that¡¯s probably stood up to you like I have now.¡±


    ¡°The firebrand,¡± The woman to the right of Tidmas said, smiling. ¡°Yes, I recall. I had the pleasure of acquainting her into our space.¡±


    LUCAS smiled small, then turned to Tidmas. ¡°I understand we don¡¯t have much say here¡ªlike how I would expect you would not if the roles were reversed. I have no problem in respecting that, but only if you respect our desires are not different than the common good for all.¡±


    ¡°Which brings us back to the plan I brought forward,¡± Tomorrow added in.


    Tidmas sighed heavily. His shoulders sank and the red robed-woman opposite him shot him a look to disavow the motion. ¡°Fine. Your point has been made. We shall take it into consideration¡ªbut of course it shall be on terms we present to his highness. Your speech may be grand but at the end of the day we do not serve you,¡± he sent the word down like a curse of sorts. ¡°Just know if this backfires, I won¡¯t shed a second thought.¡±


    ¡°If your ruler is someone who would not listen to reason¡­¡± LUCAS shrugged, ¡°then I might just need to file an appeal with ¡®em personally.¡±


    This too shocked those in attendance, even Tomorrow was looking at him with wide eyes.


    ¡°Did you just...threaten his highness?¡± Tidmas stared at LUCAS blankly.


    ¡°It¡¯s only a threat if he makes it one,¡± LUCAS said.


    ¡°I do not think he shall,¡± Tomorrow said, regaining his composure. ¡°Tidmas is just being his usual pessimistic self. But I highly recommend we move this conversation forward before anything else.¡±


    LUCAS could tell Tomorrow was trying his hardest to keep the motion from getting tossed out, but something deep within LUCAS told him to keep his eye contact with Tidmas¡ªlike a challenge that awoken a growling force that had so long been dormant within him. The way he talked about innocents who had their entire lives ripped away to end up here¡ªsomewhere completely foreign. As if they were garbage and nothing more than a nuisance. LUCAS hated that...and if he didn¡¯t have his strength he had in the old world, he would make his own, and that started with his voice.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s,¡± he said, and then turned to the woman. ¡°Where was it you led her?¡±


    Tidmas stared daggers at LUCAS for taking control of the conversation again, and LUCAS returned the look back. This time, he didn¡¯t have to hope it conveyed what he felt.


    ¡°Well now, a fire indeed,¡± the woman said, leaning back in her seat and chuckling.


    ¡°Cherine, do not placate his behavior,¡± Tidmas said. ¡°It is reprehensible, exactly that of a¡ª¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s probably in the mess hall with some of the other travelers,¡± Cherine said, smiling as her eyes darted from Tidmas to LUCAS. ¡°If you take this exit behind you, follow the signposts til you make it there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re suggesting we let him walk the castle alone?¡± Tidmas asked.


    ¡°Oh, well I assumed you needed Tomorrow here to talk about the finer points of his plan,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°That is, unless you wanted to escort me yourself, then we could talk about the finer points of polite conversation?¡±


    Burning fury was not quite an accurate descriptor for what sat in his eyes¡ªTidmas looked a moment away from standing and yelling at him to leave his presence immediately. Instead, he closed his eyes for a moment and a grin formed on his face as he exhaled. ¡°You don¡¯t even know the full scope of Tomorrow¡¯s plan, do you child?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me, Tomorrow¡¯s told you what I was. I¡¯m no child.¡±


    ¡°Regardless,¡± Tidmas said, with enough venom to kill a snake, ¡°You should do some research on the policies you argue for...because Tomorrow¡¯s idea is to send you off as soldiers¡ªlike cattle to a slaughter. Is that what you wish for? To offer your life for a kingdom whose rules you so clearly disrespect? To not make something of yourself here and learn some proper¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know what kind of people I hate the most?¡± LUCAS said, cutting him off.


    He saw the anger in his eyes return. He caught the smallest smirk from the man on Tidmas¡¯ left and Cherine.


    ¡°I hate the person who has the power to help people, but instead chooses to preach his own parables and not do anything. Me? I consider those kinds of people cowards. I used to be too scared that I wouldn¡¯t be able to help the people I cared about, you know what I did? Well, rather than tell you a story you could write off, I¡¯ll show you. Laven and I will lead whoever we can get to wherever we need to go to find our way home. You can discuss all you want¡ªyou can even vote no and your king could put a warrant on my head¡ªI don¡¯t care. You¡¯re either for the cause, or you¡¯re an obstacle. Think on what you want to be.¡± He turned and found the door, thrusting it open and letting the adrenaline carry him down the winding halls.


    He didn¡¯t remember the rest of the way to the mess hall¡ªthe feeling of unreality had started to fade and the confidence was fleeting, but he was glad he had said what must have been welling deep within him since he was awoken back in SubCon.


    He found the mess hall after not too long and stepped into its majesty. The ceiling seemed to rise into oblivion above him and bodies were seated at the hundreds of tables that lined the main entrance. He hadn¡¯t seen so many people together¡ªnot even in any of the memories he had once had full and unrestricted access to was a gathering this large recorded. It really hit home how large Blackwell had grown over their history¡ªand he wondered how many were natives...and then thought that until they found a way home thinking like that would be nothing but detrimental.


    He scanned the crowd looking for any sign of Laven, but there seemed to be too many faces¡ªtoo many voices that even if he were to yell his own voice would be drowned out. And yet...he felt that she was here. It wasn¡¯t some internal scanner or anything that had any logical explanation. He just...knew she was. I guess I can consider this my intuition...it¡¯s so strange to consider such a thing as an emotional process rather than a logical one.


    He turned to the right half of the room and he saw her, seated and wearing a dress that looked like a cross between a sundress and a kimono. He hadn¡¯t seen anything so intricate in the other side of the world but he felt it fit her perfectly. His head was cocked and he noticed that the others around her were wearing other strange clothes that had looked like they come from some deep place within imagination. He stood staring at her and at that moment her eyes caught his and they went wide and she smiled.


    A sudden warmth flooded his chest and he couldn¡¯t help but smile in return. He ran over, slipping in between the crowd as he had her in his sights.


    Finally, I can rest easily. This place just became less scary...that is, until we¡¯re out there hunting whatever it is we need to find. He realized just how boundless the quest was he signed himself on for. For as rude and flagrantly arrogant Tidmas was, he was right on the fact that LUCAS really hadn¡¯t known the full details of Tomorrow¡¯s plan, but he had meant what he said. He was going to search for a way to get home¡ªas alluring as the idea of living in a new world to start over was¡ªhe knew the unfinished business would eat and tear away at his new heart and mind. But that would have to wait.


    We are going home, and I will do anything to make that happen.


    Anything.

 8 | Elemantics

    Winter 2045


    Gavin Daniels


    There was a period of time where Gavin was unsure if the pale monster would show. There was a risk in trusting the process¡ªthis much was always true, but still he felt like the rails he had normally walked along had since upturned and pointed toward the sky. The path was nebulous and involved a lot of patience and faith.


    His camp was not empty¡ªbut his guests were asleep as each of them had traveled long and far to their destinations. He knew not exactly how long each journey had been, but it was clear that they had been exhausting. He did not need sleep¡ªnot since crossing over into the new universe at least. That was a remnant of a need that at first he missed, but the lack of nightmares that haunted him was more beneficial than anything else. Of course, it had felt like he was walking in a living nightmare in the first days since arriving in this world.


    His waking hours brought him constant torment with the fears and doubts of those that preceded him. Those that he fought for, those he had been working toward to this very day. Gavin wore those fears on his sleeve as he continued on in those days.


    A long time has passed since those days¡ªthose first nights without sleep. He simply got used to longing for the dreams of old¡ªnot realizing how much they silenced his thoughts at all hours of the day. The thoughts of his friends and loved ones¡ªthe fragments of them who remained in this new world.


    Shattered...and too much so to even realize it. Although, of course now some of those memories have started to resurface as their own beings. Parts of his studies were into these beings named Elemantics that have surfaced over the past two decades. So many forces were coming into play he found it overwhelming sometimes keeping them organized in his mind.


    The Elemantics took the form of large and tumultuous storms of beasts. He remembered the sheet he had torn out from that cursed book¡ªThe Eye of Timaeus. It was a mystery where the book lay now¡ªand it was definitely important that it be found, but the sheet he held had been vital in his research:


    On the Topic of Elemantics, Echoes, and Reformancy


    Nothing is quite so certain in this universe but what we can archive ourselves and the most curious of oddities I¡¯ve come to know are the subject of Elemantics and their relationship to echoes. The Elemantic race are beings that do not exist of cells and atoms like you or I. They do not come from flesh and blood, but of waves. Particles that which bind to elements of the universe and thus exist as beings greater than experience. Timaeus foretells that these Elemantics exist beyond the Creatures of the Night. Unlike those that exist as pure darkness ¨C the Elemantics exist as pure light and can be seen as the natural predator to the Creatures of the Night.


    These beings exist as echoes of the Creatures from the past in the new universe. As twins that which exist separately ¨C a coexistence yet a relationship so cat-and-mouse like. I feel study on these beings is much needed...so much that we¡¯ve captured one ourselves. It is with Timaeus¡¯ help that we are able to classify the creature we¡¯ve discovered between light fractals ¨C it is draconic in nature ¨C similar to that of the terrible Sakonna. Gorgeous scales glisten and reflect all light that passes over it. We needed to construct special goggles to see it up close. Timaeus also writes on the nature of reformancy ¨C the act of rejoining the Elemantic with the Creature of the Night, but he does not describe the end result of this reformancing.


    Perhaps most interesting are the crystalline structures we¡¯ve been able to examine within the specimen. They held pictures in motion burned onto the light like a glass painting¡ªbut it seemed to play out a scene to the observers. It...


    ...and there it cut off. This was all he had to claim of the book...and he had fears that it was the only page that remained...but that was nothing more than guesswork. If that were true...would that beast they captured be somehow free?


    He knew of the book¡¯s abilities, of course. More than words were trapped in those pages. It was like a vessel¡ªhe had seen Father demonstrate its abilities once¡ªbut that was long, long ago. Much further back than any of these lands. Those powers predated this time.


    While he didn¡¯t have a guarantee...it was most likely that the Elemantic inside was Sakonna¡¯s echo¡ªthat was assuming of course that the draconic shape was no coincidence...and if it was...well, then he had no basis with which to guess. The last time he saw Sakonna was at the gorge...gods, it was nearing twenty years since the separation. Thinking back, those events had hurt him so dearly¡ªhow awful the battle at the gorge had torn open the scars of the Children of the Night.


    It still sat sore in his memories¡ªthat then was the end of their unity. It all started with the death of Z-One, and of course he hadn¡¯t let him know in advance what was to happen¡ªthat had happened frustratingly less as time went on in the new world. He felt like he was left the reins of the entire carriage and the path forward was encased both in darkness and heavy storms. Then...he was dead. He hadn¡¯t seen anything like it before¡ªhe had personally helped him pass over dozens of times over the years. It was simple, worrisome if he was being honest, but he always came back.


    He didn¡¯t this time, it seemed as if the process were interrupted, and there was little to no evidence of what had actually happened.


    Gavin was not the first on the scene, and he wondered how much would have gone differently if he was. Samael took charge of the investigation and Gavin hadn¡¯t been updated on the specifics until the others had¡ªthat much was enough to signal the start of the chaos¡ªSamael had forever been jealous of his relationship with Z-One...and in that moment he realized the momentum was in his favor to sow chaos.


    And so chaos it had been.


    Those memories hurt dearly, and if Gavin had known the person that Samael had been in the old world¡­So much information that could have changed the course of history if it had only been disseminated earlier. He shook the thoughts off and thought no longer on the fight at the gorge.


    He held the fragment of Sakonna¡¯s Monolith in his hand alongside the shimmering golden monolith he held beside it. In its reflection he saw a pair of eyes looking back at him. They embodied sorrow, and he clasped his hands tightly in response. Pain and sorrow welled in dual pools in his chest.


    It has been an eternity since he had last seen Iris McCallum, but he knew without a doubt those were her eyes that continued to stare at him. She who wished for something simple...and how much he would have loved to fulfill that wish. He would have given everything¡ªand so he did. He gave, and now he stood here in a land as far as one could possibly be from that old time.


    Although...to say he hasn¡¯t seen her since those days wouldn¡¯t be true. He closed his eyes and thought back to those days meeting with Z-One in that library. That was one of the most chilling conversations he had remembered having with just about anyone. It felt unreal...it was unreal.


    He spoke casually and offered rebuttal, but in all sorts it felt like a dream, like he wasn¡¯t piloting his own mind but to view¡ªto spectate. It was after that conversation¡ªjust before the world restarted entirely that he slipped through time¡ªone last time.


    His power back then was mighty¡ªnot more than Father¡¯s, but it seemed like a fragment of such. He had the ability to slip through time and space to many far off lands¡ªworlds back then that grew to the infinite¡ªmuch like this land had before the Collapse.


    Originally he gained this ability after his death in his world¡ªor at least what he believed to be his death. Before his understanding of the world¡¯s operation¡ªhe fell victim to being used as a tool by a man who proclaimed to be God¡ªthat man was nothing more than a tool himself¡ªa vessel through which the real god of the world told stories.


    Those stories were the lives of those he loved, and it had taken him as much time to understand it as it did to come to terms with the meaning of life¡ªhis own and of life in general.


    During those tough times he was not able to return to his original time¡ªnot until it was in danger of killing itself and all other times around it. He does not regret his actions of that time¡ªbut he still feels the heartbreak that time encompassed deep within his chest¡ªthey still powered him to this day. But after he was able to return, he was granted a final trip through those memories. This was the final gift that Z-One had granted.


    He had touched ground on what looked to be an open field¡ªcherry blossom trees had sprouted and bloomed to life in front of him. He had seen them in person before¡ªthe many worlds he saw after his own in their own ways resembled the bits and pieces of life he was familiar with¡ªbut he knew that they were not native to the area he had considered home.


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    He knew it was a facsimile¡ªit was not anything that was lasting or what would traditionally be considered real, as if they had the power to recreate the world in full as he was experiencing now, they would not need to create a new time. They would not need to lose themselves to the new world and they would not have to say good-bye.


    But for his purpose¡ªfor his desire, he knew this would be enough.


    His body had changed as the cherry blossoms grew around him, he was the spitting image of himself at twenty-one¡ªand not because of any cybernetic body he inhabited¡ªhere, he was himself fully as he used to be. It was as nostalgic a feeling as any.


    Staring at him across two sproutlings¡ªher red hair brilliantly shining against the pink of the blossoms that now floated in the air. Iris McCallum stood looking back at him¡ªshe had been in her early twenties as well¡ªthis information must have been pulled from this world before the planet was destroyed. She looked older¡ªbut the person he fell in love with was looking back at him.


    The two embraced¡ªthe silence of the world around highlighted the sparks that burst in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. Their spirits had formed a union that he wished would never burn away. Their meeting was borne of many alignments and misalignments of the stars above¡ªdirected and guided by the higher force that would soon misalign the stars permanently.


    In that sliver of space they shared everything¡ªtheir wishes, hopes, desires, and in those desires Gavin had told her of his mission. He knew the act of telling her here was hollow¡ªthat it was not truly what it looked to be, but he was different¡ªgrown. He knew of responsibility¡ªof honor, and of most, respect.


    He told her of his mission because he would have it no other way¡ªand in doing so he told her of his goal¡ªthat he would wish to see new life borne from their love flourish in the new world. They had talked¡ªbut he knew the sliver they shared would not last forever, and the time for his mission would come soon.


    ¡°Tell me, what would you name her?¡± Gavin asked.


    ¡°You know it to be a girl?¡± Iris asked, and by looking into his eyes she then knew it too. ¡°Allison. I¡¯ve always loved the name Allison.¡±


    ¡°I would see to it that she carries your name, but I¡¯m afraid I do not know what will happen when¡­¡± Gavin trailed off.


    ¡°When all this ends?¡±


    He nodded slowly. ¡°I will carry all of our hopes. If not with me, then with her.¡±


    He looked into her eyes and saw the universe beyond. An infinite vastness that he saw thousands of potential futures that he could never have. There was an ephemeral beauty to the impermanent nature of it all.


    And so...it was done. The sliver froze and Gavin looked at the face of his lover¡ªrecreated from the remaining information stored away in the Dimension Between Dimensions¡ªthe last remnant of the old world outside of his own memories.


    To him now she looked like a statue¡ªcruel in its design, but not cruel enough to discard. It was a memory in its most pure form. He looked then to the sky and nodded, the message well received to the face who had looked down on him¡ªZ-One carried a look of sorrow as it was time to begin.


    Gavin sat up looking at the stars¡ªwondering if somewhere up there he was getting the same message back¡ªif the almighty creator had looked favorably on his actions thus far.


    A sound in the distance alerted him to sit up. He was at attention with the memories of old still tightly clasped in his palm, but not fully stored away. The corner of his mouth turned up into a grin as his hopes had panned out.


    ¡°It¡¯s coming, time to wake up,¡± He turned and said to his other guests.


    Two figures sat up, one more groggily than the other. He had to say¡ªthey certainly looked different than traveling companions that he would have guessed¡ªbut their origins were certainly strange enough to fit the bill.


    Emily Majors was in her mid-twenties with long auburn hair and a fair complexion. She was wearing a skin-tight suit that was largely gray with black accents¡ªshe had been wearing it since meeting up and he had guessed it was important to her powers. A part of her abilities had resonated with him specifically as it seemed to be similar to what he used to be able to do¡ªbut on a whole different level.


    Where Gavin has lived multiple lives across many worlds in many times, Emily has managed to do this concurrently. Before the time of the Collapse she would find herself able to shift between timelines without any extra energy expense. She quickly learned to control it and she could live dozens if not hundreds of lives all at once. Stories upon stories compiling on top of each other¡ªGavin admitted that he could not imagine keeping track of that many lives running at once.


    Since the Collapse, however, she¡¯s been severely limited in her options of lives to travel between. She had mentioned that she could only travel to one other self¡ªwhich perplexed Gavin completely, as he believed this universe was now just that...and the world she described hadn¡¯t matched any of the worlds of old that he personally lived through. She spoke of castles and dragons¡ªstories of fiction, if he were asked.


    And speaking of dragons...he turned to see Blaise stretching and looking up at the sky¡ªthe mask that usually covered his face was gone¡ªreplaced with a much lower quality version of the same idea¡ªit was a blank slate carved in two¡ªthe carving looked rough and unfinished.


    Gavin had worked with Blaise previously when he overlooked the caravans on the western edge of the continent. He knew Blaise had deep mechanical and technical knowledge, but it had come to a surprise that there was an even deeper knowledge within. Blaise was born with a blood curse. It manifested early in his life but much else is only known to him.


    Gavin had intense interest as his power seemed to stem from a source not anything he was familiar with. He of course had felt anger over his actions when he learned it was Blaise who had leaked their mission details to the Kosunaga brothers, and that act had cost him the trust he had attempted to forge within LUCAS and Laven¡ªtwo very solid recruits that would have been immensely helpful for his journey moving forward, but if his hopes were right he would be able to meet with them soon when the timing was better.


    It had certainly not been opportune seeing them at Enforal¡ªbut it had been of the utmost importance that he lure his new guest away from the hotbed of activity as quickly as possible.


    The creature that wore human flesh was an outsider¡ªit originated from a space far outside any of their plans. As far as he knew¡ªcreatures like that shouldn¡¯t have even existed. He¡¯s seen the outer edges of the universe in his old world¡ªa space between time he affectionately called the Dimension Between Dimensions. If there existed such creatures as voracious and terrifying¡ªthey should have existed then.


    Everything in this world was made of the same matter that existed back then¡ªso if something like that exists now it should have in some form existed previously. That being said, but it was actively looking for power¡ªhunting down the Monoliths. That was a problem.


    That...and it had also encountered Allison. He hadn¡¯t expected this outcome and he had to do something immediately to prevent anything further from happening¡ªhe had kept tabs on her journey when possible. It had killed him to not stick around in Enforal, but he needed to get the Monolith away from the beast as quickly as possible.


    He was sure Allison could handle herself in that context¡ªbut the remnant remained in his mind that he could have done more.


    The figure appeared in the distance. Gavin was at full attention now and he turned to the others. ¡°Are you ready for a confrontation if it comes to that?¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡± Emily asked. ¡°I¡¯ve never been one for fighting myself. Escape has always been my golden card.¡±


    ¡°Noted,¡± Gavin said.


    ¡°You trounced him last time, no?¡± Blaise asked. His voice was rough¡ªit had sounded like his throat had been torn to shreds.


    ¡°I caught it off guard,¡± Gavin corrected. ¡°I was able to maintain momentum in a moment where he underestimated me. I do not believe the circumstances will be quite the same this time around. I¡¯ll have angered it most definitely¡ªand that could go either way.¡±


    ¡°Well if I need to expend some energy I¡¯m not averse to it,¡± Blaise gruffed.


    ¡°I think you should take care to not burn our camp,¡± Emily scolded. ¡°Word has traveled of what you did in the west.¡±


    He shrugged off the notion with a deep sound. ¡°You of all people should know how it feels to pretend. To despise it with your very being.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Gavin began. ¡°You were the one that stayed in the troupe so long. You could have left at any point.¡±


    ¡°And leave the crystal to you? Detestable idea.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like you made out with it anyway,¡± Emily said. ¡°These...crystals. Must be of great import.¡±


    Gavin hadn¡¯t told them of the monoliths in his possession. Such would be a grave mistake. In a way it reminded him of his time out west¡ªas he had a similar relationship with Roshe and the rest. He wondered for but a moment what had happened to him after the events of the raid, but then his mind filed it away as the figure had grown closer.


    Gavin saw and was horrified at how it looked up close. It looked like a man¡ªbut its skin was devoid of anything he could call life. It looked as if no blood ran through those veins. Scabs and burns covered its feet as it approached.


    ¡°Looks like you came after all,¡± Gavin called out. ¡°I apologize for how brief our first meeting was.¡± He stood, but saw the figure stop. It stared straight ahead¡ªbut it didn¡¯t seem to be looking at him exactly. He turned to see Emily sharing the same sort of shocked look¡ªand then he guessed at some sort of connection between the two.


    ¡°Oh, so it seems we¡¯ve more to talk about then I initially expected.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± The creature barked, there was venom laced deep in his throat. ¡°What kind of game is this...knowing I¡¯d come to you.¡±


    ¡°I had a guess...now, if you came here to scream and fight I can assure you that I am prepared to do such, but that was not my intention for sitting out here.¡±


    ¡°What is she doing here¡­?¡± He spat. ¡°I thought you were dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there is plenty we can talk about,¡± Gavin stood in between them. His presence was commanding¡ªhe knew he had to have the most dominant personality to get what he needed done. ¡°But in order to do that we¡¯ll need to actually talk.¡±


    The creature stared at him with obvious disdain. He seemed to be calculating something under the surface. ¡°Fine. We¡¯ll talk. I have a sense I would not fare well in a fight against the three of you should it come to that¡ªnot unprepared at least.¡±


    ¡°Fighting...such banal desires,¡± Blaise said, his arms crossed.


    ¡°Now now,¡± Gavin held out a hand and sat back down on the stool beside the bonfire¡ªit held on with the smallest amount of life and flickered a faint purplish hue. ¡°Come on, take a seat, we¡¯ll talk about important things and then we can go our separate ways...or not,¡± he looked up to the creature. ¡°Depending how things go I might offer you a place in our small group here.¡±


    ¡°And why would I want to join you?¡± The creature asked.


    ¡°That is the very topic at hand, now isn¡¯t it?¡± Gavin asked. He nodded his head toward an empty seat by the fire. ¡°Come on and take a seat.¡±

 9 | Congregation of the Night

    Winter 2045


    Zane Hannes


    Zane approached the campsite hesitantly, but did sit down by the fire. The sun had begun to rise¡ªand as much as he hated to admit it¡ªtaking pressure off of his burning feet was more than a small comfort. The gathering that was before him was strange indeed. The robed man was not alone¡ªnor was he even robed anymore. He had dirty blond hair that could rival his own for how unkempt it looked. He was older¡ªprobably nearing his forties and his face wore experience like a well styled suit.


    It was no surprise that he had managed to predict his movements¡ªthis man has great power...and suddenly Zane¡¯s anger started to fizzle out. The opportunities he saw in working alongside this man grew exponentially in his brain. If he were to consume such a being...it would not be by brute force. He would need to play this out, and it seems the man is fine with allowing that risk.


    Those that sat next to the man...they were different. The one that had grabbed his attention so simply was Emily Majors. She had been his original target...back when he was nothing more than a time hunter¡ªa Chronamaly. Those who searched out those who stole time by living multiple lives and reclaiming their time back.


    She was also romantically interested in the boy who owned and operated this body before he claimed Zane for himself. The look on her face was of horror¡ªit sickened him. She should be grateful she still breathes¡ªhe could have just as easily followed his inner directive and consumed her¡ªreturned to the void, and been done with it. He¡¯s done nothing to her but a favor.


    And the man to her left...he wore a mask, but something else about him was different. His build didn¡¯t seem naturally human. He couldn¡¯t gauge specifics because the clothes he wore were baggy and covered most everything except the top of his head which flowed down long raven-dark hair down to his shoulders in thick strands. The eyes that he could see through the slits in the mask were a golden wildfire, and Zane then knew what kind of beast he was sitting across from.


    ¡°Let me get this straight,¡± Zane said, eyeing them down the line. ¡°A man of complete mystery who can fight better than he lets on, a pathfinder, and a dragon have assembled together and wish to have palaver with little old me?¡±


    The man smiled small, ¡°Perceptive, I see. You are exactly the kind of person I am wishing to speak to, but clearly it seems I am not the first, so I will open the floor to allow everyone to get on an even level.¡±


    ¡°Even level?¡± Emily asked. She tensed as she said it, she was staring daggers at Zane. ¡°This is the creature who does nothing but kill for its own profit¡ªand the body its inhabiting¡ª¡±


    ¡°Was rightfully taken,¡± Zane said. ¡°If Zane wanted it more than I did, he would have offered more of a fight.¡±


    Emily bared her teeth in disgust. ¡°Normal people don¡¯t have to fight creatures like you to survive.¡±


    ¡°No, but that would be your fault, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Zane mused. ¡°I wasn¡¯t preoccupied with such drab things such as morality, manners, those were all given to me by Zane. And offered up as a gift to ensure your survival.¡±


    Emily looked away. ¡°I refuse to try to reason with a beast.¡±


    ¡°Beast or not, it seems I¡¯m not the only one in present company. What¡¯s your name, firebrand? What makes you tick?¡±


    He grunted, and spoke in short bursts, each like a spitfire. ¡°Blaise. But don¡¯t compare your demonic likeness to anything other than what it is. I am unlike you in more ways than you boast.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Blaise. How very on the nose,¡± Zane sneered. ¡°Did your mum name you that knowing you¡¯d be what you are or were the fates extra unkind to you.¡±


    Blaise offered a disgusted sound in return.


    He turned finally to Gavin, ¡°And the man of the hour. Who do I have the pleasure of keeping company with, and what task is it that you will no doubt ask of me...and do make it worth my while. I¡¯m very busy exploring and finding places of value in this new world here.¡± There was a haunting smile on his face as he said it.


    Gavin¡¯s look was neutral, he was studying Zane¡¯s every move¡ªthat much he could tell. He couldn¡¯t stand the sight of that analytical look and so he barked out another command. ¡°Just talk, damn you! Enough with the active research.¡±


    ¡°You are unnerved by my presence,¡± Gavin said. ¡°Rightly so, considering how our last meeting went. You¡¯re used to crushing opposition and gathering power like a vacuum...yet here you¡¯ve found a situation where you are unprepared, and so in order to cope¡ªin order to not give into your basest desires of unleashing your anger at me¡ªat all of us, you use a foul sense of humor. Thinking that if you can get us off our balance by being crude you can consider it victory enough.¡±


    Zane¡¯s brows furrowed as the man continued speaking. That anger he dampened started to flicker to life.


    ¡°And you hold back because you believe yourself better than your base desires¡ªto eat and to consume. You figure that kind of behavior is better suited for...nothing more than a small dog. To eat without care, so you pretend to have purpose. Donning another¡¯s skin and inhabiting their name to pretend that you¡¯ve ascended past your desires.¡±


    Like a fuse lit, Zane leapt forward. He roared and leapt toward the man in the flash of a moment¡ªbut he was restrained. As he blinked he felt arms over his and the both of them were standing. He hadn¡¯t realized the movement in the moment, but his leap had pushed Gavin back several feet¡ªthe dust around them billowed into clouds around them.


    Zane¡¯s arms shook with the boiling anger and his tendrils launched out of his skin¡ªcausing a searing sensation on his back¡ªripping them out. This had always been more painful but in this moment he didn¡¯t care. He clasped tight on the Monolith in his hand and felt power surge through his blood.


    He launched two of the tendrils from his side¡ªclaws extended to impale the man, but again found himself restrained. The man¡¯s form shifted before his eyes to a figure of what looked like golden mist¡ªheld together by a golden light and filled in by a cosmic void into the shape of what looked like a seven foot tall gecko. Three legs on each side grabbed and restrained all of Zane¡¯s appendages¡ªeven the final tendril that ended in the stinger.


    Zane growled once more and tried to free his arms¡ªhis tendrils¡ªanything.


    The gecko¡¯s eyes glowed red and a voice entered deep within his brain.


    ¡°You do not want to continue this if you wish to continue breathing.¡±


    Zane looked up into its eyes and he stopped struggling. It was one thing for a man to have the reflexes that he did...but now he understood that this was no man...they were a lot more similar than he thought. A monster wearing the skin of man.


    He realized now that his anger would get him killed if he did not reign it in and control it. He knew that. He had reasoned with himself that his anger was not the path to get what he wanted...and yet he still found himself being dominated by it when challenged. Was what he said true¡ªthat he was still nothing more than a baseless monster¡ªno matter what skin he wore?


    His anger had ceased completely and now confusion dawned on him, and it was at that point that the monster let go of him and shifted form back into the man.


    ¡°There we go...that¡¯s more like it. You¡¯re not a baseless monster because you have the capacity to learn. And it¡¯s that capacity I¡¯d like to indulge, but you have to be able to follow some rules.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name¡­?¡± Zane asked, looking up to him. ¡°Not the name of the human you stole, your real name.¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°We aren¡¯t as similar as you might think. I didn¡¯t steal this body...it was mine. I¡¯ve hung onto it all this time. So you can call me by either name. The human¡¯s name is Gavin,¡± he shifted back into the ethereal form, ¡°and in this shape I am known as Ormus.¡±


    ¡°Ormus...you mean you¡¯re one of¡­¡± Zane said, looking at him and then realizing his opportunity. His eyes widened up and then he took in a deep breath. ¡°Well it makes sense that the only kind of person that could so thoroughly match me and then some tit for tat is a famed dark one.¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Gavin shifted back into the human shape¡ªclearly the one he felt the most comfort in¡ªthat was something Zane had agreed with¡ªand a look of confusion came across his face. ¡°Well it is very interesting you know of that, but we¡¯ll discuss those matters in due time. We¡¯ve run a bit off track I believe and I would really rather not waste any time. There¡¯s something I¡¯m going to need of you and you can decide how you want to go about it.¡±


    Zane studied him for a moment. The dark ones were innate knowledge that Chronomalies come into existence with. Back in the den where they propagate they were aware of those that held domain in the darkness. The Chronomaly Den existed outside light and dark¡ªso overseeing was his duty¡ªat least before he was sent on a hunt for a known trail.


    The thing was¡ªthe dark ones were bounties so large that even a group of their hunters couldn¡¯t pin down. Their might was like gods to them¡ªso even though they compiled large swathes of time and space to themselves, they were generally considered off-limits. It made sense now why he was so thoroughly beaten down. There was no overcoming a dark one¡ªyet if Zane were able to follow the rules and control his anger, by proxy he could ensure that he stays in the dark one¡¯s good graces.


    ¡°Yes, I would love to hear your request. I¡­¡± the next words were like a venom to him, but he knew he would have to swallow his pride sooner or later. ¡°I apologize for my behavior. I did not understand my situation but now I believe I have an even greater understanding of such¡­¡± he turned to Emily and Blaise. ¡°I understand your feelings toward me are about as equal as mine toward you, and I hope in some sort of mutual disgust we can at least act somewhat cordial as we work together.¡±


    The look on Emily¡¯s face had said all that needed to be said, but Blaise seemed to more positively receive the notion.


    Turning back to Gavin, he stared. ¡°What¡¯s your request?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone who shouldn¡¯t exist in this time. I¡¯m going to need you to find them for us. I¡¯m not sure on their identity, but my research into the matter says they have a massive amount of power within them¡ªnot to mention the very act of time travel itself being a power untoward a single being...but it is likely they are using what I know you to be familiar with¡ªthe Monoliths.¡±


    ¡°That which you took from me at the tournament,¡± Zane said.


    ¡°Reclaimed,¡± Gavin corrected. ¡°And I know you to have come in the possession of another, and the only reason I haven¡¯t reclaimed that yet is a show of trust, I hope you understand. You may keep it for now if you align yourself with our little crew here, but any show of betrayal and I¡¯ll reclaim it and finish you off simply, is that clear?¡±


    Zane clasped the gem in his hand and felt a sense of ease come over him. He felt normally he would have lashed out at a threat like that, but he breathed slowly and understood the point behind it. ¡°Yes, that is clear.¡±


    ¡°Great, it¡¯s wonderful to know we have an understanding. It¡¯s also come to light that this person may have been in Enforal during the tournament. Do you have any insight on any additional people within the city¡¯s limits that had that sort of strength?¡±


    Zane smiled, ¡°Well, of course I do. I happened to enter the city with one such person. Real tough cookie that one was. And last I remember she did manage to have two of those Monoliths there¡ª¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Gavin said. ¡°Not her, I am aware of her presence. She is not your target, do you understand?¡±


    Zane was confused by this. ¡°Does she not match the description exactly?¡±


    ¡°I will not repeat myself,¡± Gavin said, this time his tone was deadly serious. ¡°She is not your target. If you come across her you are to back off immediately. The target was elsewhere¡ªI couldn¡¯t immediately sense their presence among the contenders, so it was possible they were watching the events as they happened.¡±


    Zane let the point be, he was curious as to why that girl was so special. She was plenty strong¡ªhe knew that much, but he also knew the secret of that ¡®monolith¡¯ that Gavin had mentioned. That red gem that was filled with so much delectable energy...but it had been cursed. That creatures dying place had been no coincidence, and whatever else had been inside that gem had infected it with a poison that Zane could sense from a mile away.


    He was curious how the girl was able to manage it¡ªwas she dead already...or did she find some way to conquer its toxins and wield its strength...he figured either way was dangerous for him to get involved with. He was more than happy to let that gem go until he was sure he could contain the poison within¡ªor somehow destroy it.


    ¡°I may have felt some sort of power in the stands,¡± Zane said, coming back into his front mind. ¡°I was preoccupied with the overwhelming scents coming from you, that girl, and the emperor before the ship came crashing down.¡±


    ¡°Ship?¡± Gavin asked.


    ¡°Well it seems there¡¯s plenty about Enforal you missed after you left,¡± Zane offered a smile.


    ¡°Seems so,¡± Gavin said. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss matters back by the fire and see if we can¡¯t set a course for this chaos agent.¡±


    Zane nodded and resumed sitting by the fire. SO quickly had his situation changed, so quickly had his emotions been staked and torn, and yet here at the end he felt like he was feeling better than ever. This hunt would give him the joys of his desires in the control he liked.


    You better watch out, traveler...you won¡¯t see me coming. And when that stinger impales your heart, you¡¯ll feel like your entire body is exploding from the inside out until you¡¯re finally dead.


    ~...~


    The next morning was electric¡ªif Zane had to ascribe a word to it. His wounds had fully healed¡ªhe had believed having the gemstone near him had helped in some regard in addition to his own natural metabolism. That, and the idea of hunting had encouraged him greatly¡ªhis mind had played out the possibilities of what a grand fight it would be when he had found his prey. He wondered what state they would push him too¡ªhe was hungry for a fight he could actually win that pushed him to his heights.


    Blaze and Gavin were the last to wake after their night¡ªit had seemed that the two of them had shielded the truth of how much their bodies needed rest. It was almost humorous. Emily woke first with a sour look on her face. He simply stared at her and then looked toward the two others who had rested beside them.


    ¡°You have questions,¡± Zane said. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t bite your head off...I no longer have that job.¡±


    She gave him an off-color look. ¡°You are my mortal enemy¡ªthose like you. Why is it that you hate life so much? What draws you to taking away what others have? I just don¡¯t understand how mindless one could act.¡±


    ¡°You say it as an insult, but that is the truth,¡± Zane offered. ¡°Mindless is a good way to put it. When I hunted you it wasn¡¯t because I despised you. I lived a very simple life¡ªI didn¡¯t even have to think about it¡ªconsidering I had no brain, of course I couldn¡¯t think about it. I did, however, know a few things.¡± He held up his hand with three fingers extended. ¡°One, like anything that lives, I needed to eat to survive. Problem is that where I come from¡ªfood does not grow. Two, there exists people¡ªlike you¡ªwho are living lives a thousand times over¡ªand each second you steal is like a ringing in my head like a steel gong on repeat, banging and banging incessantly.¡±


    He looked to the ground and then back up to her, ¡°And three. I can leave the den in which I inhabited but for minuscule amounts of time. So tell me, those are the three things you know¡ªthe only things you know of the world. What do you do?¡±


    Emily looked at him and her look was not sympathetic. ¡°You want me to feel sorry for you?¡±


    Zane started laughing. ¡°It says a lot that to a logical problem the first thing you think to feel is a forced empathy.¡± He shook his head. ¡°No, I do not seek pity. I give you logic. I do not apologize for trying to kill you. I can confirm your existence no longer bleeds into my every waking moment so I have no more desire to see you dead than I do to see any other person I don¡¯t know.¡±


    She looked down to the ground and sighed. ¡°I have no desire to work with you yet I understand times like these are not ones for our choosing. I can understand the will to survive¡ªit is entirely why I have explored the powers I myself have...I won¡¯t pretend to be on any moral high ground over that point,¡± She looked up to Zane with an intense stare. ¡°But for the man I loved¡ªhe who only had that single life¡­¡±


    Zane furrowed his brow, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You should still have those memories considering you stole his body,¡± Emily said. ¡°Or have you shed those as well?¡±


    Memories...huh? He did have those lingering around¡ªhe remembered the events of the Cosmic Wasteland when he had first awoken. There were lingering memories that he had believed were his until the truth of his existence was made clear. If he thought on it he could drag those feelings to the surface.


    This was uncomfortable. He looked at Emily in a new light¡ªhe felt a rush of wind that seemed to blow within his chest. It was a rumbling that stirred deep within him and he understood. He hated it, but he understood.


    He sighed and looked off to the side. ¡°I can feel the things he felt for you. He missed you...thought about your death a lot¡­¡± His eyes opened wide and he looked back up to her. ¡°He remembered you dying¡­¡±


    Now it was her turn to look confused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The memories I have of you...his memories are of you dying.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand what that matters any¡­¡±


    ¡°Think,¡± Zane said, his mind was working faster than it had for any of his own problems. It felt like a fire was lit under him and the words wouldn¡¯t come quickly enough. ¡°Think about it¡ªdid the Zane you know ever experience you dying?¡±


    ¡°No, we had...a lovely time together until you showed up that horrible night. We¡¯ve been through that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I get that, we¡¯re past that specific moment,¡± Zane said, bored of the guilt trip she kept trying to take him down. ¡°But think, the Zane I am currently inhabiting has that memory. Which means he¡¯s experienced it¡ªwhich means¡­¡± He sent the idea out to her hoping it would land.¡±


    ¡°He was like me¡­¡± the realization dawned in her eyes. ¡°Are you telling me that he was like me this entire time?!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have access to a lot of memories,¡± Zane admitted. ¡°I think most of them have worn away with time, but the most powerful ones remain if I go searching for them. And everything I encountered in that space¡­¡± he said, although turning into himself as his mind kept whirring.


    ¡°So he could be out there still is what you¡¯re saying.¡±


    ¡°I think so...I hadn¡¯t even picked up his scent on that day¡ªhe must have spent a long time in that life, but now that I think about it...isn¡¯t it strange this body hasn¡¯t started to fully decay yet? I mean,¡± he motioned to himself, ¡°obviously it isn¡¯t a looker, as if I care, but I never really had reason to stop to think why a body like this had continued to push itself to the lengths I do so.¡±


    There was something else in her eyes now¡ªhe could see tears. While he wouldn¡¯t allow them to form on his face, he could understand them. He figured the best thing to do was to say nothing and look up to the sky.


    ¡°I don¡¯t desire your forgiveness,¡± Zane said. ¡°But if that knowledge helps ease your sorrows¡­¡±


    She nodded slowly, and in that moment there seemed to be some sort of silent acknowledgment between the two.

 10 | Meeting of the Minds Part Deux

    Winter 2045


    Ally Fae


    Draymont wasn¡¯t as large as Bannes, but that didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t have its own unique energy. People seemed to rush with specific purpose as soon as she entered the outskirts. Bannes was busy¡ªbut for as large as it was it felt like the atmosphere was communal¡ªconversations that started on the street would carry into the taverns.


    Draymont here reminded her of the city atmosphere of the old world. It was organized in blocks like some of those old cities even though it only consisted of a few blocks in total. The only thing it was missing was a flood of cars and people swearing at each other and she could have been led to believe it was a small slice of Manhattan.


    She passed by a few buildings that looked to be variety shops¡ªthe kind of thing you¡¯d stop into if you were a local looking to fill your lodging with unnecessaries. The kind of thing that puts your mind at ease rather than adds any implicit value to your survival.


    ¡°Well maybe you could stop in and pick up a lucky charm,¡± Jace offered.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice thought, but I¡¯d first like to see if I can find that seer.¡± Ally thought back to him. She passed by a few passerbys who hadn¡¯t given her the time of day¡ªit was one part nice to feel like she wasn¡¯t going to be hounded by strangers, but it also gave the area a less warm vibe than places she¡¯s stayed before.


    ¡°You know, it does say a lot about people¡¯s changing views when someone with the title of ¡®seer¡¯ can be taken seriously enough to have rumors spread about them far and wide,¡± Jace said.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess that is strange to think about. I didn¡¯t ever think of what a normal person would think about the kind of things we¡¯ve seen. I guess it¡¯s a good thing overall people are willing to accept the things that are right in front of their faces.¡±


    ¡°But you know there¡¯s going to be places where that isn¡¯t true¡ªI¡¯m sure there are people even here who choose to ignore and close out the truth.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Ally looked up toward the sky, ¡°in a way they¡¯re kind of like the moon up there¡ªominous, always hanging over us...but you have to choose to look at it. You don¡¯t have to stare at its ominous mug while it hangs there. People are kind of like that, I think. If there are really awful ones, you can look away from them.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t always look away from them.¡±


    ¡°No...I guess not.¡±


    ¡°You should leave the artsy talk for the book, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    She chuckled and continued forward. There was a small gathering of people outside the market¡ªit was a strange sight to see it so full this late into the night¡ªbut people acted as people did¡ªdoing whatever their fancy was at whatever time they fancied.


    ¡°The place we¡¯re looking for should be around here¡ªI heard there was a corner that was ripe with spiritual energy.¡±


    ¡°Way to make it sound ominous,¡± Jace said.


    ¡°Not ominous, interesting. About time people with good taste congregated together.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I forgot you were into that stuff.¡±


    ¡°That stuff, I¡¯ll have you know is responsible for you being able to even have an opinion on the matter,¡± Ally chided.


    She could imagine the defensive posture Jace would have held up at this remark. His tone sure sounded as such in his reply.


    ¡°You may be right, I didn¡¯t so much as mean anything by it missy. Hopin¡¯ you don¡¯t leave me with one of those curses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging up, bye,¡± Ally said, and then continued on her path. The street she was looking for was called Astral Way. It made her think if the original settlers had decided to name it such because they intended to have a place to explore their spiritual hobbies or if it was previously named something else and then changed retroactively once the people started to take notice.


    She found who she was looking for almost immediately¡ªthere was a stand set-up next to the tarot shop. A golden eye emblazoned the cloth that was spread out over the front.


    The man standing behind the stall wore a heavy robe with the same golden eye stitched into the front. The hood was down so she could see the man¡¯s wiry gray hair that stuck up at odd angles. He wore thick glasses that looked to be tied together with a sort of twine.


    ¡°You have been watching me for a few moments now. I assume you have interest in leering beyond the void?¡± The man asked. His voice was higher than she expected¡ªit made the man seem like he belonged in a retirement home¡ªthe whispy nature of it could have led her to believe he was fragile to the touch.


    She knew the importance of not letting her initial impressions dictate her opinion of people¡ªtypically this helped to avoid offending on first meet, but in situations like these she felt it helped protect her from those who might use false fronts such as this to help talk folk out of their coin.


    She was sure he put on the voice to seem like an old fool that others should take pity on¡ªeven if they didn¡¯t believe he could actually do anything mystical. To each their own, but she wasn¡¯t going to let herself get swindled if this went south.


    ¡°I¡¯m searching for someone, and fortunately for me they aren¡¯t dead yet.¡± In truth, she hadn¡¯t really known that¡ªbut she had a gut feeling that it was true. ¡°I have something that used to be in his possession. I want you to tell me if you can trace his whereabouts.¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°Well if ol¡¯ Ryker can¡¯t find who you¡¯re looking for I can offer you my void search free of charge¡ªjust to confirm that suspicion of yours if the lad is dead and buried.¡±


    Ally¡¯s eyes widened at the comment. He must have some sort of sensitivity to be able to read my thoughts like that.


    ¡°Calling it a sensitivity would be a microcosm of the reach, my friend.¡± Ryker¡¯s eyes sharpened as he rested his palms facing down on the table and gave each side a tentative rub. ¡°Call it a silver and we¡¯ll see if you¡¯re going to get taken in...or whatever you think you fear.¡±


    A silver piece wasn¡¯t anything to cry about if it did indeed turn out to be some elaborate sham. She shrugged and dug the coin out of her pocket. She placed it down on the table and she glanced some passerbys glancing in their direction.


    ¡°They pity you, you know,¡± Ryker said, taking the coin up in his grasp, holding it up to the light. ¡°They think old Rykie¡¯s got another rube lining his wallets. They don¡¯t pity you enough to stop you, though. That¡¯s the world in a nutshell, innit?¡±


    Ally¡¯s gaze turned back to the man as she heard his accent slip through. ¡°You were from England before all this?¡±


    She didn¡¯t know exactly why she had asked, but something inside her¡ªmaybe Jace¡ªmaybe Ryker himself had prodded the question from her brain.


    ¡°Why, I thought you¡¯d never ask,¡± he grinned. ¡°Y¡¯see dearie, I¡¯m more than a parlor showman, and I sense your growing intrigue at the level at which I can operate. You are similar...I can feel it. You have this sensitivity you so mention.¡±


    ¡°So it was you,¡± Ally said. ¡°You drew out the question you already knew the answer to.¡±


    Ryker shrugged. ¡°I think of it as a subtle tug of persuasion.¡±


    She felt the tug again. She held her tongue as it dared to ask, ¡°Was that when they were going to hang you as London¡¯s first witch since the old days?¡±


    She hadn¡¯t understood the context of the question but was able to piece some of it together. She hadn¡¯t been old enough to even begin to think of international news back in the old world¡ªbut it now begged the question¡ªif she had searched online would she have seen articles of this man¡¯s exploits? Would she have seen testimonials from the witnesses¡ªthose so scared that the government deemed it necessary to execute him for fear of witchcraft? She thought so, and as she thought it she saw the grin on his face grow wide.


    ¡°Still wish to toss your silver away to the poor old beggar who can¡¯t keep his lips off the bottle, dearie?¡±


    ¡°What did you do?¡± Ally asked. ¡°Before I go any further I need to know what you did that got you where you were before the world turned over.¡±


    ¡°Making sure I¡¯m toeing the line of the law...making sure you¡¯re not dealing with a murderer or anything like that? I understand your hesitance, but is it not foundless? What use does anything from the old world have in the now¡ªin the here?¡±


    She saw images of an overturned truck¡ªthis sight wasn¡¯t given, but instead taken. Ryker was right¡ªAlly was sensitive to these subjects, and so easily was she to learn the tricks of the trade from someone who had clearly been adept at it for decades. She reached inside his mind and saw the image of the truck. It looked military grade¡ªand so was the sole driver who looked to be unconscious in the front seat.


    Ryker was standing in the street¡ªhis hair was not yet grayed, but instead the salt and pepper mix of a man who was denying his own inevitability. Reeling the sight back she saw the truck flip back onto its four wheels and the man inside¡¯s eyes opened. It floated back onto the road and away from Ryker where it stopped and then played in motion.


    Ryker stood out in the street with his hands behind his back¡ªa confident stance as the truck barreled to him. The driver slammed on the brakes, but in a crucial moment Ally had to stop the scene to notice¡ªthe man¡¯s neck twisted at an odd angle and his foot fell heavily on the brake while his other slumped on the gas. The truck seized and spun out of control before flipping over.


    Ryker stood perfectly still as the vehicle came to a stop. He slowly paced toward the rear of the truck as cars behind came to screeching halts to the accident. A sound of a hinge snapping seemed to echo throughout the busy street and the rear doors opened pitifully. Bills of all sorts spilled onto the street.


    Strangest of all, and the fact that spread the fear in the first place was what happened when the bills had touched the ground. They seemed to multiply¡ªthe stacks had doubled on themselves and soon a mountain of money towered twenty feet tall in the streets¡ªfar too much to ever be able to fit into the truck.


    Ryker made no motion to collect any of it¡ªhe simply stood and watched as others exited their cars¡ªwatching the event and then suddenly overcome by the desire to grab the money.


    Their better minds would have told them that was not the smartest idea as the bills could be traced later on, but all present would have said that they didn¡¯t know what they were thinking. Some random compulsion just came over them and in that moment they had to collect as much of the money as they could fit.


    That was all she was able to grab from the memory before it was yanked away from her and Ryker¡¯s grin had vanished. For a fraction of a second she could have sworn she saw a grimace but he seemed to quickly shift it into a neutral look.


    ¡°My...my, you are much stronger than I anticipated...it seems we have that in common. Well, now you¡¯ve seen my terrible past. I am nothing but a romantic for the people.¡±


    Ally wasn¡¯t sure she trusted that. She felt like his grip was much too strong and much too hurried there¡ªas if it would have been bad if she continued watching. She wondered what else she would have seen, but figured right now was not the time or place to test that theory. She still needed the information she originally came for after all, and prodding him any further may make getting that difficult.


    ¡°A wise decision,¡± Ryker nodded, folding his hands together and rubbing them slowly. ¡°I keep my memories to myself much as you would for yours¡ªyou keeping your privacy does not mean you are keeping secrets...and even if, what are they to you? It is as you said. The world has changed and anyone that would have benefited from my gracious acts is most definitely long since erased.¡±


    Ally looked into his eyes and saw the same neutral look and then decided to move on. She nodded and then began, ¡°Okay, now back to my original request. I would like you to locate my friend, but I¡¯m not going to give you the item he used to have.¡±


    This shocked Ryker and he looked up at her with his brows furrowed.


    ¡°I do not trust you fully, but I¡¯ve paid you the coin. You clearly are capable of much you haven¡¯t said, so you should be able to get your reading from the item on my person. You¡¯ll know which it is.¡±


    The man¡¯s eyes grew sharp again as if studying her closely. He mumbled something to himself and she felt him prodding in her mind for the shape of the Monolith.


    ¡°I see...I can indeed feel that¡­¡± he licked his lips.


    ¡°That look right there is exactly why I am not bringing it out,¡± Ally said, looking up then down to him. ¡°It is safe. You will not pickpocket it even with the deftest of hands, and your pull will not draw it from any physical space.¡±


    Ryker stared at her for a few moments longer and then finally sighed. ¡°Fine. You have tricks, I concede...but I have an offer for you.¡±


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Ally said.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even heard the terms. Besides, how can I in good faith offer my truest readings if we¡¯re not even on the same page?¡±


    Ally herself sighed and felt this was a mistake to begin with. ¡°What is your offer?¡±


    ¡°I will do your reading¡ªI will locate your friend. I¡¯ll even give you your silver back.¡±


    Ally waited for the other half of the offer, but the man simply stared at her, his grin renewed. ¡°And¡­? What would you get from the exchange?¡±


    ¡°You would accompany me back to my guild, of course. I would like to have your abilities tested. I¡¯m sure that would be of vested interest to both of us.¡±


    ¡°I fail to see what you gain from this. Besides, if I came to follow you even if I wanted to, it would go against the entire reason I spoke to you in the first place. I¡¯m searching for my friend.¡±


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


    ¡°That may be so, but people¡¯s reasons change all the time.¡± He offered a knowing smile and motioned with his hands.


    Ally shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think mine are changing, sorry.¡±


    She turned to move. Just keep the silver at this point. You¡¯ve won.


    ¡°Ah, but what of your boyfriend?¡± He asked.


    ¡°You clearly are so keen to avoid searching for him I may as well have more luck searching for him myself at this point,¡± Ally said. ¡°I¡¯m done playing into your schemes.¡±


    Ryker made a scoffing motion with his hands and rested them back down on the table. ¡°Oh, not that poor fool. I already know he¡¯s not your object of interest. I¡¯m talking about the boy you lost not too long ago. The one who¡¯s grown into a man of his own since then...Felix, was it?¡±


    Ally¡¯s blood ran cold, and she hated herself for reacting in such a way.


    ¡°It¡¯s really quite funny, it was one of the first things I picked off of you when I saw you. It wasn¡¯t sitting in your front mind¡ªof course your mission was front and center, of course. As it should be for a young lady like yourself. A strong lady, might I add. Yet buried just under the surface was this aching, crying memory of the man who I just so happen to have in employ at the Guild of Chromages.


    Ally stared at him hard and searched for any evidence of a bluff or a lie. She didn¡¯t have to search hard for the relevant memory and he let it go freely. Instantly she saw the face she had remembered¡ªalthough he was definitely older just like the older version of herself. His facial hair had filled in and his hair had thinned slightly. She couldn¡¯t get a full glimpse of what he was doing, but the short look was enough for her to know he wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet the girl he goes on about so soon, but I had a sight that I¡¯d meet up with you eventually. I won¡¯t lie and say that our meeting was the reason for my travels, as I¡¯m sure you can see the pretty profits I¡¯ve made from my ways, but it definitely was a good motivator to keep my net wide, so to speak. I had an inkling you were on this side of the continent so I figured that you would stop by Draymont sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°All so I would come with you to this guild?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t for some deep desire to reunite star-crossed lovers,¡± Ryker said, giving an off-color look to her. ¡°He looks much too old for you anyway. But my impressions mean rather little to you, I understand. My desire is what I said. I would have your abilities judged and graded¡ªwe have the equipment to properly rank you as a chromage, and if they show as pleasant as I think so, I¡¯d be fully willing to offer you employ. At which you would most definitely refuse if given that opportunity now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d have me come with you knowing I¡¯d say no?¡±


    He smiled, ¡°It¡¯s like I said. People¡¯s minds change all the time, and sometimes for the smallest of reasons. I¡¯m offering an opportunity. If by the time we return to the guild and you still wish to chase the thread of your friend I will not stop you. I will have gotten what I wished for by judging you¡ªthe resonance of those who are talented in the magical arts is increased by being in the presence of those who are like themselves. You being present to be judged for even but a fraction of time would surely be beneficial to everyone involved even if the parting is soon to follow. Plus, if you are as strong as I think you are, having one such as that graded would bring positive word to the guild¡ªwhether you remain there or not. So you see, I have a multitude of reasons to seek your companionship to the guild¡ªand very little of it is at an actual cost to you. Isn¡¯t that grand?¡±


    Ally stared at the man. ¡°I have this strange thing about trusting my gut feeling, and that feeling is telling me to run as far away from you as I can.¡±


    ¡°I know, I¡¯ve been feeling it for the last few minutes. Yet, here you remain.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡± Ally continued to stare at him, which only brought the smile back even brighter on his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I understand. And I am anything if not a man of my word. Your friend and his lover...ooh what a nice batch of complicated feelings you have there tucked away¡ªI won¡¯t delve deeper than that I promise,¡± his smile arched in a wicked cross. ¡°They are¡­¡± his look froze as his smile faded.


    ¡°Ryker?¡± Ally asked. She tried to pull for an answer from his mind, but she only got confusion back in return.


    Ryker looked back up to her with the most off-taken look she¡¯d seen on him yet. ¡°Your friend isn¡¯t here anymore. He¡¯s in the underworld.¡±


    ¡°The underworld? What are you even talking about?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°There is a world beneath our own...I¡¯ve felt its stirrings but for the average person it may not even exist,¡± Ryker said. ¡°I have heard rumors in dark places of people that have crossed into the underworld¡ªword of loved ones disappearing without a trace...barely without a trace. Yet here...I can sense they are no longer on our side of the coin as it were.¡±


    Such a thing sounded nothing more than fantasy. It was as if she were in some Greek tragedy...but at the same time it seemed to fit in perfectly with the cyclone of events that had taken control of her life for the past nine years.


    ¡°So dearie, now I think you come to what those in the business call a watershed moment. I think your life from this point forward is going to change dramatically. That of course is your choice on which direction it goes, although if you were to ask me I don¡¯t see it as a choice at all, really. That¡¯s how simple it is.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°Well, the fact that your friends have gotten themselves in the underworld makes your decision all the simpler¡ªif they were still on our side you would have had to choose which path you would want to follow¡ªyour friends or the one who has your heart. It would be tempting either way and you¡¯d end up disappointing at least one part of yourself no matter what. Yet, that isn¡¯t the situation we¡¯re in, you see? I think the best solution for you for both sides of yourself is to follow and accompany me to the guild in Achrom. You see, we have all sorts of people on site who are researching all sorts of things. One of those very subjects just so happens to be the seams that lead from our world to the underworld. Meaning¡­¡±


    ¡°That I would get to have my cake and eat it too,¡± Ally answered.


    ¡°Right you are! See, it isn¡¯t anything but a simple one way street. You could stray from that path, but I feel you would end up at the guild sooner or later. Would your mind truly rest if you had not done everything you could to set either of those matters at rest? And would you forgive yourself if something inopportune had happened if you had not taken up the opportunity when you first had the chance?¡±


    Ally took in a deep breath, processing the new information. ¡°And let me guess...I¡¯m going to take a stab in the dark and say Felix just so happens to be that research team you were talking about?¡±


    ¡°Well what would lead you to that guess?¡± Ryker¡¯s smile hadn¡¯t shifted any¡ªit unnerved her greatly. It had looked the part of a fairy-tale gone wrong in all the worst possible ways.


    She looked back up to him and hardened her look, ¡°That seems to be how these sort of things go. Go on, I¡¯m already expecting it at this point. You¡¯d be surprised by how little surprises come to me now.¡±


    ¡°No no no,¡± Ryker began, chuckling. ¡°I hate to say it dearie, but he¡¯s in a much different field than those eggheads and even than myself. You see, those investigating the underworld is only a leg of the entire whole, you get me? It¡¯s not uncommon to know a variety of people who are deep in multiple specialties and others who specialize in just the one that fancies them most. That boy there, he¡¯s definitely much of the latter. I have seen him around enough to know that not much would distract from his goals. There are beasts much fouler than your mind could describe that he¡¯s hunting after¡ªhas been ever since he showed up on the doorstep of the guild three years ago. Though as of late I hear he went on an expedition for one of his hunts, hadn¡¯t heard if he returned yet or not. We¡¯d see once we got there,¡± he shrugged.


    Of course...with how things ended that only made sense. The last time she had seen Felix was back in Home when she had encountered Issachar. She was finally about to get some answers and Felix had followed her out to that old church Father Grimsby ran his Sunday services in. Of course, Issachar hadn¡¯t known the details of their relationship or the abilities Felix had access to. He freaked and sent them both far, far away. That was when...


    ¡°My¡­¡± Ryker said. ¡°I guess you do know a fashion more than your nature lets on,¡± he smiled and she had enough.


    ¡°Quit looking into my mind!¡± Ally said. ¡°It¡¯s not yours to know.¡±


    ¡°Well I can¡¯t quite abide by rules I don¡¯t so much want to, now can I? You¡¯re going to have to close me out if you don¡¯t wish to be assailed so simply¡ªespecially if we¡¯re going to be going to a place full of chromages. That kind of attitude would have you laughed out of every building you stepped foot in. Surely that¡¯s not a way to get what you want, no?¡±


    Ally looked affronted at this. ¡°Look, first of all I never agreed to this. You keep putting the words in my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but by taking them from your mind, you see? I don¡¯t say anything you haven¡¯t thought, no? You standing here is saying just as much.¡±


    She stared back at him as that devilish grin turned back toward her.


    Ryker stared at her with a knowing look. His lips tightened and he shook his head. ¡°You have, by continuing conversation¡ªby not turning heel and running as fast as your brain is telling you. You know your goal is to come along with me and you know it¡¯s not the wisest thing...yet that¡¯s just the thing. It¡¯s the wisest act you¡¯ll do all day.¡± He started packing up his materials¡ªgathering the cloth and bundling it up. ¡°Now is the time to make your decision...or rather, it is time for you to act on the decision you¡¯ve already made.¡±


    Jace appeared at her side for the first time since she had started talking to the man. ¡°Ally¡­I don¡¯t like this, but it seems like this guild has plenty of answers for you,¡± Ally turned to him subtly but she knew Ryker had glanced at him.


    ¡°Ah...this is continuing to be a surprise that has piqued my interest,¡± he folded the cloth and started bending the table and folding it up. ¡°Well then, you mind asking your fellow to help an older man carry his wares?¡± He flashed that grin again.


    Ally¡¯s eyes shot to Jace and the unasked question was simple enough an answer. He nodded and floated over to the table and lifted it, fading slowly¡ªtaking the table with him.


    ¡°Interesting¡­¡± Ryker scanned the space the table had inhabited. ¡°And I am to believe that this strange holding space is where that great power of yours is hidden¡­¡± His look turned from avarice to confusion.


    ¡°Enough of your prodding,¡± Jace¡¯s voice flowed softly through Ally¡¯s thoughts. ¡°I will act as a shield from your intrusions.¡±


    A nasty look crossed his face and he shook it off¡ªfacing away from her. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go, then. I¡¯ve worn out my welcome here.¡±


    ~...~


    It was a matter of time until they reached the town that stood out to all others Ally had seen. Where towns and cities had been functional and efficient¡ªthey had certainly evolved a lot since the mud and wood huts that most people had to cling to when they were flung into the new world.


    Achrom was something entirely different. It was far in the northeast¡ªit had taken Ally and Ryker two and a half weeks to make it back. She stopped and stared at the marvel that stood before her. The city was large¡ªsprawling was the right word for it. Enforal in its height was the closest she had seen to a place like this¡ªEnforal may have been larger overall...but this was something else entirely.


    Colors filled her vision and the central building seemed like a dome in how everything was built around it¡ªit had looked like the city was built from the innermost point outward.


    The buildings around were all emblazoned with the similar symbol of the eye and each one seemed to glow with a golden hue in the sunlight. As she looked at it closer...there wasn¡¯t any sort of cloth, just the eyes burning like a pyre.


    ¡°The closer you look at them the more you¡¯ll feel its meaning,¡± Ryker said, he was walking up toward the center of the square. ¡°You start to see it when you close your eyes¡ªthat¡¯s when you know.¡±


    ¡°Know what?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°Know when you¡¯ve begun to drink the kool-aid,¡± Jace scoffed.


    ¡°Know what true safety feels like,¡± Ryker said. ¡°It¡¯s one of the first feats I performed when I arrived here¡ªreally impressed the folks who had been here before me.¡±


    ¡°So, this sleazeball wasn¡¯t the first one here?¡± Jace asked.


    Ryker grinned, ¡°Your friend can address me directly. I can hear you¡ªeven if you act as a guard. And I trust you can understand me?¡±


    Jace gritted his teeth. His lack of a response was response enough, it seemed.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Ryker continued on, turning on his heels toward the both of them. ¡°No, I was not the first to come here¡ªfar from it, but I am one of the most talented. I have earned the title of Archromage these past nineteen years.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the hierarchy so that doesn¡¯t mean too much to me I¡¯m afraid,¡± Ally said.


    He looked deflated from her comment. ¡°No worry, it¡¯s understandable. There are tiers one can attain based on their power and innate magical ability. Magic tends to flow strongest through those that are aligned with the chroma¡ªthe elements you see in everything around you. First are those who have no innate magical abilities. Nothing in life is certain and these may change with time and experience, but until then you are considered Achroma¡ªor without color.¡±


    ¡°Kinda like the name of this place, huh?¡±


    ¡°Quite right. Achrom and Achroma stem from the same source¡ªthis place too was without color¡ªmetaphorically speaking until the Exarchromage settled in and drew out the natural elements for those like us to attune to. The land was barren before 2024 I am told.¡±


    ¡°Going off of your comment that would mean you came into the picture around 2026,¡± Ally said.


    ¡°Yes, correct. It was about mid June if we are still using the old time¡ªpeople seem to shift if they like to or not, you see. To some folks the start of the new world should be the start of a new calendar system, yet they never seem to think past just restarting the year count at 0...the silly fools. So you could say I arrived on the fourth year.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...I don¡¯t like that,¡± Ally said. ¡°Makes it seem too reductive for the time before...like nothing before this world mattered.¡±


    ¡°I agree with not liking it,¡± Ryker said. ¡°But I disagree on your reasoning. I simply think it is cleaner for my memory personally to continue what we had going, but I am in full favor of erasing that past entirely.¡± He grinned and she had the image of all that money spilling out onto the highway. She still felt unnerved by his tone.


    ¡°There¡¯s something about that memory that is off with me,¡± Ally said to Jace. ¡°Don¡¯t answer me back in anything that¡¯ll reveal what I¡¯m thinking about,¡± she added in at the last moment.


    ¡°It is concerning,¡± Jace said.


    ¡°Concern is nothing you need to lay out here,¡± Ryker said, playing off of Jace¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Anyway, more and more people started to pool together and build up the community and eventually formed the guild. Those with natural talent are called chromages¡ªthis I mentioned. Everyone who can perform these feats, you and I included, are considered chromages. You would be considered unregistered until we enter the main building and take care of that, of course. Then, those who are able to demonstrate a significant prowess and potential with their abilities are allowed to receive the title of Archromage¡ªand are thus allowed to perform their magic outside of the bounds of the guild¡ªwhereas normal chromages would find it difficult to so much as even lift a pebble without assistance from the guild.¡±


    ¡°So, by being able to do what I can do that would mean I am at the same level as you?¡± Ally asked.


    The question brought an uncomfortable look on Ryker¡¯s face. ¡°It would suggest you have more ability in you than a typical chromage, but I would hardly think it would put you anywhere near my level.¡±


    ¡°Arrogant git,¡± Jace thought to Ally, and the look shot from her to him.


    ¡°Then,¡± he said loudly, making it clear he was going to ignore the comment. ¡°Comes the Exarchromage. She stands above us all with abilities unlike any have ever seen. She is the one I admit has power beyond even my own.¡±


    ¡°She seems like a very talented individual,¡± Ally said, and then began to think. What kind of power would someone like that even have?


    ¡°Well, that about sums it up. Chromages fill the lot here by the dozen, six Archromages and myself wander across the continent doing the work we set out to do from the guild, and the Exarchromage handles the lot here for everyone else to perform,¡± Ryker explained. ¡°And with that out of the way, we should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Ally started. ¡°You mean that your job for the guild as an archromage is begging in the streets fortune telling?¡±


    Ally hoped to off-balance the man by questioning his methods, but he still returned that damned smile.


    ¡°My efforts in Draymont are nothing more than an extracurricular I perform in order to scout out new talent. Those like yourself have an affinity toward the spiritual arts and so packing down from town to town in a close area allows me to sense those like yourself and hopefully draw you in. I won¡¯t lie and say making a silver or two doesn¡¯t hurt, but in according to any missions we take that send us afar we are to scout particular regions of the continent. Of course, those regions always have to be recontextualized whenever a new archromage comes into the picture which is highly irritating as the meetings never seem to cease...yet that is more than you need to know as you have more important matters to tend to, no?¡±


    Ally almost felt as if he were threatened by her powers...that idea seemed to make some of his off-putting comments make more sense in addition to his redirects. But at the end of the day he was right. She did have more important things to think about than upstaging this charlatan.


    Together they walked into the center-most building and Ally suddenly began to feel anxious. A wave of tension rushed over her and Jace noticed immediately.


    ¡°Is he here?¡±


    ¡°Your friend seems to certainly be back from his expedition,¡± Ryker said, nodding in her direction. ¡°We will meet with him shortly, I promise you that. He will find you in due time I have no doubt. Chromages have a sense about those they¡¯re familiar with nearby. He may doubt his feelings at first but it will in time eat away at him until he confirms such. Before that can happen though you must meet with the Exarchromage and registration must begin.¡±


    ¡°I have no desire to register as a guild member,¡± Ally said.


    ¡°Do not worry, you would not be tasked with typical guild work¡ªdid you think I know not that you would refuse any such proposition if offered due to your priorities?¡±


    His question made her feel dumb, and she hated him for it.


    ¡°No, like I previously explained I would have you registered to pool together the resources of the guild and your innate talents¡ªI told you it would attract others from the outside to feel a presence like one I get from you, no? Plus, it would allow us to get an active read on you in case you decide to start threatening civilians at any point in the future,¡± he looked at her to gauge her reaction. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you would, but it¡¯s happened before and we would like to accurately know what we¡¯re dealing with should the situation arise. Besides...it must interest you, what kind of latent abilities you have dormant, no?¡±


    The truth of the matter was that it had eaten away at her¡ªjust how strong she could get...although she was more sure of herself now than she had been in times past. She had Jace and Leptous¡¯ blessing in her corner¡ªshe knew that she was stronger than any normal person would be...and yet...knowing exactly how much would help strengthen that conviction even further, even if she had to reveal that to the others present. I just hope the only one I have to worry about is Ryker here¡­


    But that wouldn¡¯t be true no matter what¡ªbecause Felix was here. Ally felt his presence, and in the back of her mind she reached out for him...and she felt him respond.


    ¡°Allison?¡±

 11 | Onyx King

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    LUCAS Gray


    LUCAS had eaten as much as he possibly could fit into his stomach¡ªit was a jubilant feeling being able to eat¡ªand especially to share a meal with Laven who had particularly found the face he made when he had eaten too much to be rather humorous. He could tell there was going to be some level of bonding over the fact he could now share a meal with her, but that was an abstract that was so far from his mind now¡ªit seemed like it would exist in another life entirely. Now, he only desired to eat.


    ¡°You look like you feel miserable,¡± she said in-between her chuckles.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone as scrawny as you pack away so much food,¡± the larger man to her right had said. ¡°I¡¯m honestly kind of impressed.¡±


    During their separation Laven had been processed through the Kingdom¡¯s introductory session faster than LUCAS had, so she had met with the small gathering they now sat with. Everyone was brought to the mess hall once they get the basics down, but other than that they seemed to be left to their own devices. It didn¡¯t seem like they were apt to wander around the castle, however. It wasn¡¯t specifically said, but nobody desired to be the first one caught and locked up for going to possibly restricted areas.


    Before LUCAS had begun eating she had taken the moment to introduce them to him. LUCAS smiled at the fact that she introduced LUCAS as her boyfriend. Amidst his intense feelings of hunger, a very sharp and warm feeling took over in his chest. He smiled at the feeling and listened as she introduced them.


    First was Roderick Kinder. He was the man who looked like he could lift and press the entire table who sat at her immediate right. His hair was cut short and looked to be dyed a crimson red. His face was soft at contrast to the rest of his physique, but LUCAS felt it was to his benefit. He was the only one at the table who was eating at the same pace LUCAS had been, he had looked up with a mouthful and smiled wryly.


    ¡°And what¡¯s your name?¡± LUCAS turned to his left.


    The person to Roderick¡¯s left met his gaze and answered in sign language. They had darker skin and their hair seemed even shorter cut than Roderick¡¯s, but it was clear with how confident and comfortable they were with sign language that they were probably mute.


    ¡°Their name is Tabula Rasa,¡± Laven said. ¡°They¡¯re deaf-mute, and use they/them.¡±


    LUCAS looked from Laven to Tabula, who was looking at him affirmatively. ¡°Okay, thank you,¡± he said to Laven. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡±


    Laven was able to translate easily enough back to her¡ªhe was able to understand it fine enough but performing it back was something he wasn¡¯t able to do offhand unless he got his databases back. He felt bad that such a critical skill was now lost to him, and he doubted he would be able to learn himself in this new environment without heavy help from Tabula herself¡ªwhich LUCAS felt was improper to place that onus on them.


    ¡°The name was their choice,¡± Laven said. ¡°It¡¯s Latin.¡±


    ¡°Clean slate,¡± LUCAS said, looking to Tabula, and she nodded. It¡¯s good they can read lips. He would have to try to make sure he was enunciating clearly.


    ¡°Ah, right, forgot you had everything loaded up in there,¡± Laven pointed at her own head.


    ¡°Actually...that¡¯s the thing,¡± LUCAS trailed off.


    She looked at him in confusion and then her eyes went wide. ¡°Oh...I didn¡¯t even notice. You did look the slightest bit different but I couldn¡¯t place a finger at what it was.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Roderick asked.


    ¡°You guys know what an android is?¡± LUCAS asked. Both Roderick and Tabula nodded, but he could see the shift in gaze they gave to one another.


    ¡°LUCAS is one...er, was, one. Is that right?¡± She looked to him for confirmation. ¡°Oh, duh...that¡¯s how you could eat...how did that not even register to me.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°I would have probably missed it too if the shoes were swapped.¡± Tabula seemed confused at this idiom, but LUCAS continued on. ¡°Yeah...as soon as I woke up here I was flesh and blood. I was cut off from the network I used to rely on...it honestly scared me for the moment¡ªlike, how was I going to protect myself...or you? But then as that moment of fear was swept away it felt...good. Like I wasn¡¯t limited...like I could get stronger.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re feeling more confident, but it definitely does stink a bit not having access to all your information, right?¡± Laven asked.


    ¡°A little,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°But I figure there¡¯s no point feeling too upset about it. More likely I should try and find you and then figure out what our next step should be.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m honestly not too sure about that,¡± Laven said. ¡°I was going to try and find you once I ate up and do much of the same.¡±


    ¡°Did you guys hear what they¡¯re planning on having us do?¡± Roderick asked. ¡°I know the opening process told of the short history lesson, but I think I overheard some of those posh guys arguing about some of it before I came in here. It sounds like they want to send us out as soldiers or something.¡±


    LUCAS nodded. ¡°I spoke with one of them about that...not as much as I would have liked to on recollection, but such is the matter of it. I was also...involved. I¡¯ll say it at one of their round table meetings.¡±


    This seemed to drag the attention of those around him, even one of the people he hadn¡¯t known that seemed to just listen in. He hunched in closer and told them about the events at the meeting and the argument he had had with Tidmas.


    ¡°Going out as soldiers...how do you feel about that?¡± Laven asked. ¡°It sounds like they¡¯re willing to kill us off as easy as they take us in.¡±


    ¡°I thought poorly of it at first, but it really seems like they don¡¯t have any clue on how to send us back¡ªlest they¡¯d just toss us the way we came, you know? So I think the best course of action would be to find someone out there who might know how to get back...and in that case why not do so with the banner of black at our backs?¡±


    ¡°You mean for us to play along with being sheep to a slaughter?¡± Tabula signed.


    ¡°I think if we formed some sort of unified unit like they seem to want us to do we would stand the highest chance at not being led to the slaughter.¡± LUCAS said. ¡°I don¡¯t think our time here is long¡ªprobably so long as to ensure we have some sort of goal instated then I think we¡¯ll be pushed out to accomplish whatever task they deem. Whether or not we¡¯re ready for it I think we¡¯ll be outside these castle walls for long. If we can take advantage of the situation we can put ourselves in the best chances of getting back home, and I think that is together with at least a veil of support.¡±


    ¡°It makes a sort of sense.¡± Tabula signed. ¡°I simply despise acting like they¡¯re some benevolent saviors. It makes me feel like I¡¯m in some dystopian children¡¯s novel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that part makes my skin crawl. It reminds me of my father¡ªhis accords were very similar,¡± Laven said. ¡°I can¡¯t even imagine being under his iron fist again...and these feelings are bringing back familiar fears.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we have to bend over and bow to their king,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°Simply, we take advantage of them as they very clearly are of us. This doesn¡¯t need to be so wholly one sided.¡±


    ¡°That makes some sense,¡± Roderick said, rubbing his chin and then leaning back in his chair. ¡°Man, all this just sucks. I just wish I was back already.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you come from?¡± LUCAS asked, then thought to rephrase his question. ¡°Sorry, where were you back there?¡±


    ¡°Bannes. Large fishing town on the east coast and I had a nice comfy job helping some of the fishmongers out when they went on their voyages. Played nicely into my strengths,¡± he motioned to himself. ¡°Helped them heave larger fish on board and prepare them¡ªsometimes even take down the ones that still breathed on land.¡±


    ¡°That sounds...unpleasant,¡± LUCAS said.


    ¡°Well that¡¯s probably because you were a robot, eh? Short circuit near water?¡±


    ¡°Android,¡± LUCAS corrected. Slight difference, and no water wasn¡¯t so detrimental to my well-being. At least, not short exposures to it.¡±


    ¡°So, like a human then,¡± Tabula signed. ¡°At least, that¡¯s what it sounds like.¡±


    LUCAS thought a minute on the meaning and then nodded. ¡°Yeah, I remember feeling more human than not¡ªand only in specific situations my inhuman nature was at conflict with my design...such as eating.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even imagine not eating,¡± Roderick said ¡°Explains how you were going tit for tat with me at the lunch table.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I haven¡¯t felt hungry before myself, although I knew of the feeling. Getting to experience it for yourself is something else entirely.¡± He then turned back to Tabula. ¡°What about you? What have you gotten up to in the other world?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not say. Lot of it is very personal and not to be any kind of way, but I just do not know you all enough to open up that far, yet. Consider me a traveler far and wide,¡± she signed.


    LUCAS thought to ask more on the topic, but figured they must have had their reasons and let it go. At the end of the day, it was responsible of her to not give her whole hand to people she doesn¡¯t reasonably know. He could appreciate this mindset and ¡°I guess you could say the same for the both of us. We¡­¡± Wait. He stopped as he realized that he had forgotten perhaps the most important point of all¡ªthey had come through by that strange black ink that seeped in their home. He had figured that it was simply something that had been happening with the town itself that caused this seeping over, but to hear that Roderick had been in a different town entirely¡­he then thought back to what Tomorrow had explained.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°You come from a world that exists on the back of ours, and we yours. Our greatest scholars have been able to see the connecting bonds for some time now...we used to be fully unaware of your existence until recently. There was...a rift. Some sort of force out in the deep reaches of where we can see¡ªyet the dragons felt its touch¡ªthe passing and crossing of our worlds. And from them we found channels like veins running through a body where we spilled into you¡­¡±


    So, there were many veins that stretched out between worlds¡ªmany points of intersection. Just what had caused the two worlds to spill into one another...and could it be stopped? Too many questions flooded his mind and he was dragged out of his thoughts as the central door opened and a few more lost looking souls entered the hall¡ªalong with several of the robed plansmen¡ªTomorrow following in wake.


    ¡°Listen up, everybody!¡± It was the harsh and commanding voice of Tidmas that stirred everyone¡¯s attention. His voice seemed amplified¡ªso loud that even among the chatter that had still taken place outside their small group it was heard loud and clear.


    LUCAS looked out of the corner of his eye and saw Laven readying to translate for Tabula. The fact that she knew sign language was a bit of a surprise to him¡ªhe figured there was a story there he would ask her about when he got the chance.


    ¡°So, I hope you all have been enjoying our food and space,¡± Tidmas could not have sounded anymore spiteful at the words. He saw that the man had eyed directly at LUCAS himself with a look of disgust and restraint. ¡°But here in Blackwell things do not come freely. We have been discussing the price at which our services would be¡ªand considering the state of your situations we take pride in enlisting you to assist in our cause.¡±


    Tomorrow stepped forward, a noticeable spring in his step. ¡°What my colleague here is trying to say is we¡¯re going to need your help¡ªand in doing so we may be able to both benefit. I¡¯ve been given permission to launch a task force of several small squadrons going from alpha to omega. That would consist of you folks and you will be trained in all sorts of areas of particular use. This could be combat, reconnaissance, whatever may be needed of you. Once completed you will be given tasks that which our normal forces cannot¡ªwhether due to political conflict or other...various reasons.¡±


    LUCAS could tell the various reasons were most likely due to difficulty of the mission. A fact that he saw as inevitable¡ªno kingdom wished to sacrifice their own lot to the hard stuff if they could avoid it. It didn¡¯t help that smug look that crossed Tidmas¡¯ face.


    ¡°Now, I understand this seems scary, and to tell you the truth, I don¡¯t have any platitudes to offer false hope. We¡¯re navigating through an unprecedented situation and believe that there is a method to get you back home and get our families that have been spouted over to your side back here, we must simply find that out. Now, we have reason to believe that this information may lie in more than a few places¡ªand those places will be the center of the missions we task you.¡±


    This interested LUCAS, he leaned in as this seemed like new information.


    ¡°Of course, this is based on theory and you may end up exploring leads that lead to nowhere. That is the nature of this process so we hope you can trust the process. Now, since some of these tasks will have you entering borders of other kingdoms. It must be stressed that you cannot and must not do anything to stress the relations that you¡¯ve no doubt seen exist between borders.¡±


    Cherine stepped up¡ªshe looked as if she was taking in joy from all the eyes on her. ¡°You will not be wearing our banner on your persons¡ªas such would obviously stoke tensions among those who are not as skilled at the work tasked to them. Your work will be done in secret and you shall make no mention of the squadron to any soul outside this castle. This fact will be enforced with serious consequences.¡±


    Tidmas stepped back up and gave a hearty sigh. ¡°And no-one shall leave the premises of the castle until deemed ready by their given instructor. It may not sound fair to you, but that is the price you pay for safety, training, and hopefully a way out of our world. Any sign that you do not take the work we so graciously gift you seriously and we will not hesitate to throw you to the shades to deal with on your own. You have little chance for mistake. Do not soil your world¡¯s reputation for bitter acts of ego.¡±


    LUCAS could feel the heat coming directly toward him, and he stared back with a look so fierce it concerned Laven.


    ¡°Lastly,¡± Tidmas began. ¡°I would like to see you, personally.¡± His gaze still sat on LUCAS. ¡°We have a private meeting with the King arranged for your earlier threats.¡±


    All eyes were on LUCAS, and any heat he felt before were turned up to a thousand. He couldn¡¯t help but admit his fire may have been a bit misplaced in his impassioned cry to the council, but he stood and figured now was the time to stand by his ideals.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be okay,¡± LUCAS whispered to Laven. ¡°I¡¯ll be back one way or another.¡±


    ¡°The rest of you, form five lines from front to back and we¡¯ll organize you into subsections,¡± Tomorrow said, gathering himself to the center of the room. ¡°You will each be assigned an instructor and will begin immediately.¡±


    LUCAS glimpsed toward Laven again who was looking at him firmly, and between them a knowing nod seemed to tell all that needed to be said.


    ¡°Give ¡®em hell,¡± she said.


    Roderick and Tabula remained staring at him¡ªwondering just what the scrawny looking boy could have said to elicit such a reaction from the head councilor. Laven signed and said that LUCAS could take care of himself and that thought helped the dwindling confidence he had in himself. He swallowed hard and found Tidmas through the crowd as the lines started to form.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you saw reason in your vote,¡± LUCAS said, not blinking or breaking eye contact.


    ¡°Shut it, boy. We move, now. Your passion may as well have earned you the vote you want, but let¡¯s just see if you can live to see it through.¡± The man spoke with venom and he pushed LUCAS out of the crowd and through the door into the hall.


    Once they were separated from the crowd LUCAS dug his heels in and turned on the man. ¡°Listen, you can act like the jerk all you want, but you aren¡¯t going to shove me like I¡¯m some kid. If I¡¯m going to meet your king¡ªand I¡¯ll do so gladly, I¡¯m going to walk on my own two feet.¡±


    The look Tidmas gave him could kill. He held his hands in the air and then let them slowly¡ªmechanically return to his side. He said not a word and then started walking. LUCAS followed behind him and stared with a white hot anger.


    ¡°You know what it is about your kind I like the least?¡± Tidmas asked after a few more moments of silence. ¡°Your utter devoid belief that you have any matter in our world. If it were up to me I would have you all expunged immediately upon entry. No skin off our nose.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°You make no secret of your thoughts. Good thing you aren¡¯t the only one whose thoughts matter.¡±


    ¡°Your mouth is enough to sign your death, if you so truly wish to hasten it¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t want to put any extra stress on your soldiers,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°Considering how thin they¡¯ve been spread. That¡¯s why you voted yes, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Tidmas bared his teeth¡ªLUCAS saw it out of the corner of his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re scared I¡¯ll put up more of a fight than you think and then your poor castle will be susceptible to just about any kind of offensive. I¡¯m not stupid. I¡¯ve had entire databases of war strategy larger than any library you could house in my brain alone.¡±


    Tidmas was silent¡ªnot in awe or any such feeling. LUCAS could tell for sure it wasn¡¯t so, yet it seemed to be that infamous restraint.


    ¡°It is the one thing that keeps your blood running through your veins.¡±


    They eventually arrived at the large central staircase he had been close to stepping up when he had first arrived at the castle. Tidmas raised a hand and muttered something under his breath. His fingertips glowed with a black light that revealed a sort of force field around the entrance of the staircase. It began to dissipate and he turned to LUCAS. ¡°Now¡¯s the time you should think of your final thoughts. You will go up alone and face the man you so callously and recklessly threatened.¡±


    LUCAS looked at Tidmas and the two stared at one another a moment longer.


    ¡°If you do not move I have no hesitation about locking you up. You may put up a fight but I am willing to personally seal you away should you present disobedience. I have been given that clearance.¡±


    LUCAS looked him for a moment longer as if to challenge him and then he turned toward the stairs. He could feel the man¡¯s eyes on him all the way as he climbed up and even after a little after he was out of view. The more he climbed the more the adrenaline faded and he felt the totality of his situation come closer. He knew he did not have the strength he used to¡ªa part of him was glad Tidmas had not challenged him further or else he might have gotten himself killed...if he wasn¡¯t already walking to his death now.


    He entered into a large room that extended out into darkness¡ªthe room looked to be many times larger than the already-large banquet hall downstairs. He took two tentative steps into the fullness of the room before he felt a windchill that should not have existed. Then suddenly his eyes adjusted to the dark at the far end of the room and he saw the totality of the dragon that sat coiled up at the far end of the hall. It was at least twenty times his height, he had to crane his neck to see it in full.


    Its golden eyes opened and he saw they illuminated the room in full¡ªits head lifted and in a moment the room seemed to shrink alongside the dragon¡ªit shrank to a form only slightly taller than LUCAS¡ªbut he wouldn¡¯t have called it human. The figure was definitely human like¡ªbut the face shared more elements with its larger self than that of a human. Its skin was tough with the thick black scales that settled into place...and yet there was an aura about it that seemed...familiar to LUCAS, but he couldn¡¯t place where.


    ¡°So, you are the one that Tidmas says would try to kill me. I admit...I was not expecting one so scrawny.¡±


    ¡°Tidmas says a lot of things. We¡¯ve had lots of disagreements in the short time we¡¯ve known each other.¡±


    The figure looked at him for a second and then...laughed.


    ¡°I can see why he would despise you. I heard it clear as day in his voice. It was quite humorous, let me tell you.¡± LUCAS was confused at the shift in tone, he did not know how to respond. ¡°I take it you no longer wish to challenge my authority?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I specifically ever did,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°Well, unless the vote wasn¡¯t passed to make the Omegas.¡±


    LUCAS didn¡¯t know why, but being honest with the dragon¡ªwho he surmised must have been the king and their legendary dragon in one.


    ¡°You speak strong for one of little actual strength. What propels you into what must be uncertain territory?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a warrior in my world. I was on a mission that concerned the fate of the world. Tidmas to me seemed nothing more than a playground bully given bigger robes.¡±


    This made the dragon laugh again. LUCAS was sure he didn¡¯t like that laugh...something about him bothered him more than anything else and it bothered him more it escaped his tongue.


    ¡°You are a sharp mind. I can sense that. I am sure that your talents are many. I normally would execute someone with your obvious disobedience on the spot¡­¡± He stretched and sat down¡ªa shimmering throne appearing behind him to support his descent smoothly. ¡°But there¡¯s something about you that I¡¯m not going to do that. I think you will bear fruit of a lot of interesting developments.¡± He tapped razor-sharp claws against the throne and crossed a leg over the other. ¡°This is dependent on your willingness to abide by the laws of the kingdom. I take amusement in your disobedience now, but do not be fooled into thinking your fortune is lasting.¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to thank you, your highness?¡± LUCAS asked.


    ¡°If you want. That is up to you¡ªyou may find yourself regretting your decision as you begin your missions.¡±


    LUCAS swallowed hard and suddenly before him the figure changed¡ªhis shape stayed the same, but suddenly his skin shifted to a familiar golden mist and his eyes widened.


    ¡°When you finish your first mission I would love to get a personal report,¡± he said. ¡°Maybe then we can talk some more on this mission you held in the other world. I¡¯m sure we¡¯d have lots to talk about¡ªparticularly how my sister Sakonna is doing.¡±


    He¡¯s one of them. How...just how could one of the Creatures of the Night end up here? He got a flash in his mind of a golden bird¡ªa dove in his mind that came with the name emblazoned on his brain.


    Gardov. His brain racked for his old memories of the Creatures of the Night¡ªbut unfortunately that information was lost to him now.


    ¡°You may leave,¡± Gardov shifted back to the scaled form, offering a sharpened smile. ¡°You may tell Tidmas whatever you like when you return down. I¡¯m sure the look on his face when he sees you will be hilarious. I¡¯ll explain the details to him further when he stamps up here...but do make him squirm.¡±


    That was the last LUCAS heard as the room began to grow to the size it was previous¡ªGardov had begun to grow with it and suddenly the two were on opposite ends of the room once more. LUCAS couldn¡¯t work out how the magic of the room worked¡ªbut figured it was just that.


    Upon trailing back down the stairs the first thing he saw was the look of sheer disgust on Tidmas¡¯ face. If he could ascribe it a feeling it must have been a black hate and an unflinching staunchness that seemed to drill through his very being.


    ¡°Yeah it was very strange,¡± LUCAS began, scratching the back of his head. ¡°He seemed to refer to you by some rather rude names. I tried my best to defend you but¡­¡± he made a sound of exasperation. ¡°...When he gets talking he really gets going, you know what I mean? Just on and on about how small of a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Return to the central hall immediately and not another word,¡± Tidmas barked and he stamped up the steps pushing past LUCAS. His smile faded as the anxiety over the revelation took back over.


    He had to find Laven and tell her fast.

 12 | The End of the Twelve

    2022


    Gavin Daniels


    Gavin opened his eyes to the innards of the library. He was summoned by Samael for an important meeting¡ªprobably some update on the bridge that was decades too early¡ªhe was scrupulous to a fault and it surely wouldn¡¯t kill him to support some of the others in their tasks while he waited for his turn in the cycle. Just before he had been organizing things for Amnael and Issachar to continue forward with their plans¡ªIssachar had just set forward the Collapse. The next step for their plans was in Amnael¡¯s court.


    Unfortunately, Gavin knew Amnael was touchy on the subject of his work¡ªhe really didn¡¯t like being policed and Gavin wasn¡¯t the fondest of leaving him to do his work alone. It was inevitable that conflict would arise. Gavin could already feel a headache coming on. He seemed to be feeling a lot more of those as of late.


    Most of it¡ªhe thought stemmed from Samael and his complete lack of respect for the process. I wonder where Amnael picked that one up, huh. There was an irritating lack of respect for the authority he should have had¡ªSamael knew meetings like this that forced them all together were to be called for were not to be taken lightly.


    Gavin found Issachar standing by the entrance of the library. He was staring at the door¡ªthe tension was palpable. It was clear he was exuding anxiety. He was in the shape of the wolf¡ªprobably a move to counter any stress brought on by Samael who despised when his siblings took vessels¡ªbut not for any moral or ethical reason. He simply figured the shape they inhabited in this world naturally was their truest self. If only he knew.


    ¡°Hey, you look to be waiting on someone, is it Sakonna?¡± Gavin asked.


    Issachar jumped at his question¡ªturning to look at him. He tried to fix his face up but it was clear to the both of them Issachar did not have the acting ability to pull it off. ¡°Oh...yeah, uh...I¡¯m waiting so she can help clear her name.¡±


    ¡°Clear her name?¡± Gavin asked. ¡°You mean you have an idea of what¡¯s going on here?¡±


    ¡°You mean you weren¡¯t told?¡± Issachar asked. He was split between looking at Gavin and trying to keep an eye on the front door. ¡°Ah man...just what is this coming to? I thought he would have told you...you should have known. That means...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡± was all Gavin got out before he felt the appearance of others behind him. Galgaliel and Thagirion appeared¡ªthe hawk and the snake respectively as the silver bands around their golden ethereal bodies glowed.


    ¡°Ormus,¡± Galgaliel started. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s the emergency?¡± He stared from him to Issachar and then back. ¡°Have you heard anything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Gavin said. ¡°I¡­¡± He looked to Thagirion¡ªsomething seemed off but he wasn¡¯t sure what. No sooner was he able to think on it, then came Nehemoth and Scantar¡ªthe pair had looked like they had just finished an argument.


    They had always seemed like an odd pair¡ªhe never would have thought that they would have bonded in the old world. He would have even thought the relationship inappropriate given the context...but even now it seemed strange given the fact that they were in the shape of a large mantis and an otter. They said not a word to those gathered near the entrance and strolled past into the main hallway.


    ¡°Sounds like they went through something, huh?¡± Gavin asked. ¡°Though I think that¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen them since they¡¯ve made contact...I¡¯ll need to check in once I get a bearing on what¡¯s going on.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised Scantar¡¯s held off on alerting. He¡¯s been increasingly trying my patience,¡± Galgaliel said. ¡°Most of Thag¡¯s work relies on hearing from them and if he can¡¯t get his work done then I can¡¯t do my job.¡±


    Thagirion beside him looked off in the distance to this comment. He mumbled something Gavin couldn¡¯t quite hear. Gavin prompted him and he slowly eyed Gavin. ¡°They¡¯ve always been touchy. I¡¯m sure they were in the middle of something important,¡± Thagirion spoke up¡ªhis voice sounded hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve been focused myself...not been getting a lot of sleep lately.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that and Nehemoth only bending his ear further and further out.¡± Galgaliel overtook and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to try to avoid any direct confrontation if possible during the meeting but I¡¯m going to raise the point when we end.¡±


    ¡°I can understand your feelings but we have to remember we¡¯re all working toward similar goals,¡± Gavin said.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t mean I have to like it,¡± Galgaliel said.


    ¡°Well,¡± Gavin began. ¡°Why don¡¯t we head on in and see what this is about?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Thagirion asked.


    ¡°I asked him that¡­¡± Issachar said. ¡°I was shocked.¡±


    ¡°Yes yes,¡± Gavin said. ¡°We can all act shocked or we can go in and figure it out...unless Issachar wants to give us the shorthand here?¡± He looked to the wolf whose eyes refused to meet his own. ¡°Right, well, then it must be important and it seems it concerns Sakonna.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Galgaliel asked. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her since making contact.¡±


    ¡°She was assisting Father with the energy collection as planned for the past thirty years. Just off the eastern coast before the Collapse came on. Once they set up the system to run in the SubCon facility they separated¡ªFather returned here and she¡­¡± He trailed off, looking to Issachar.


    ¡°She tended to him here until further orders were to be given,¡± Issachar said. ¡°And she was doing that¡ªthere was nothing suspicious about her activity according to my link.¡±


    His link. Certain siblings of his had closer bonds to others¡ªsuch as Issachar and Sakonna. To them it seemed a mystery¡ªbut Gavin knew these were the fragments of their bonds from the old world¡ªthe universe they had all originated from. The world from before the world before, as it were. The strength of those bonds persisted even if the full amount of their emotion could not¡ªIssachar and Sakonna in the old universe had an extremely powerful connection. Ezrael, Gardov, and Thagirion were also very similarly connected, although it doesn¡¯t always manifest in similar ways if they aren¡¯t as close in the new world. Here, only Ezrael and Thagirion fostered that sort of connection.


    Thagirion, as if reading his thoughts was giving him a look that oozed suspicious energy.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tasked with aiding Father? Why would Sakonna need to assist with that? Aren¡¯t you plenty capable?¡±


    The truth of the situation was that Gavin needed to keep up appearances¡ªthe rest of his siblings could not fundamentally understand the fullness of their previous existence. It was why they only had fragments of those bonds carrying over to influence their current selves. Until they were reunited with the pieces of them they lost they would not be able to reason those halves of themselves without going mad.


    So, he had to pretend like he was in the same boat¡ªunaware of their previous halves working toward bringing back the world they knew. To them¡ªhow they were now was how they always were, and Noctem where they inhabited had been their true goal.


    ¡°You cannot convince a fish that it belongs in the sky¡ªit sees that it has fins and gills in the place of wings and it will ignore anything to the contrary...even if the fish previously soared the sky for eons and had its wings severed,¡± Father had told him.


    And because Father had told him, so he had to continue forward, lying to those he was trying to help. The worst part was at times it felt like Samael was privy to the same information but used it to make his job all the more difficult. But that couldn¡¯t be possible. There would be no logic to Father telling Samael¡ªit would go against the very job he had tasked me with.


    ¡°You are aware Father is passing over, yes?¡± Gavin said. ¡°It is a difficult situation¡ªI understand you haven¡¯t been on the planet long enough to experience one, but it has required more than myself to complete the process¡ªhe sheds the form he currently inhabits and begins again from a single cell. With just myself I am able to help assist the growth to return him to a communicable state...but it takes much longer. With Sakonna¡¯s assistance we were able to bring him forward at a much quicker rate.¡±


    Issachar had reacted negatively to what he had said...which interested Gavin highly. He knew something, he had to keep that in mind. It was possible Sakonna had done the process herself, but what if she, like him, had not been present during such? He couldn¡¯t think on it too much now, he had to keep the conversation moving.


    ¡°And as for where Sakonna is now, I am unsure. We separated and I have not seen her since. I am going to find this out...I would have assumed Samael would have ran his itinerary by me before making the call, but it seems it is much more important than even that. It seems he is not telling me much these days.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Thagirion said, still staring at Gavin. He looked like he wanted to say further, but Issachar broke the tension.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to wait for Sakonna, you all can head in, I¡¯ll take up the rear,¡± Issachar said. ¡°I think she should be here soon.¡±


    ¡°Have you just heard from her?¡± Gavin asked.


    ¡°No, but it¡¯s a feeling I have, you know?¡± Issachar asked.


    ¡°Hey what are you all doing out here?¡± Called Ezrael from the door to the main hallway. It seems she was already here. Had Samael confided in her? It was a question he couldn¡¯t quite place the answer to¡ªsurely in the past he, Samael, and Ezrael had worked as they were the three oldest Children of the Night based on formation time, but this seemed like an outright closing out of Gavin for information. Previously he had thought that Samael was simply working alone because he had something up his sleeve, but for Ezrael to not only play along but not come to him about this...he liked the intention of this meeting less and less.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to be starting soon if you¡¯re set,¡± she said. Gavin looked around, it had seemed like everyone had made it inside minus Sakonna. He looked to Galgaliel and Thagirion and nodded.


    ¡°Okay, once you see her come on and join¡ªit seems you were already made aware to what¡¯s gone on,¡± Gavin said. ¡°Deep breaths, take it easy, and I¡¯ll meet up with you after.¡±


    Issachar nodded, but his eyes darted to the floor. Just what was going on?


    The main atrium where the other Children of the Night were gathered was flexible¡ªit could be shifted in and out of the space between the entry hallway and the innards of the library. It typically existed in null space when it wasn¡¯t being used. Such was the nature of spaces that existed in the right side of their vision. It didn¡¯t interrupt any of the space inhabited in the left¡ªthe land of the light, yet when the situation called for it they could modify the space in the right at will. The library hadn¡¯t needed a lot of additional space¡ªit was merely for when they needed a larger space to commune and discuss larger topics such as this. It looked like an overly stuffy business room. These kinds of rooms were never his style¡ªyet it was made at Samael¡¯s insistence.


    Sometimes it felt like Samael was the oldest and not the other way around.


    On the other side of the room he saw Nehemoth and Scantar¡ªtheir argument looked to have settled as they looked more than comfortable. It was odd seeing them in human form¡ªthey haven¡¯t reported in at all since making contact on the planet so he hadn¡¯t known they had found vessels. There must have been some underlying memory in their being that attracted them to the middle aged man and young woman they had been in the old world.


    He shuddered and tried to push the thought out of his mind. They were adults of course, but their history made the whole ordeal more than uncomfortable. It was not his focus to police the relationships that might bud in their time here¡ªhe had to remember that.


    Ezrael was sitting center stage¡ªshe¡¯s been the most punctual of the lot of them. To them, she looked like a rabbit that stood at the height of a human¡ªbut to Thagirion who sat in next to her he figured she looked like the same old girl he fell in love with and was crudely torn away from all those years ago.


    Thagirion was the most tragic of them all¡ªhe figured. While the rest of the Children had the chance to see their old lives through to the fullest before the world turned over he had passed so young¡ªso heroic in saving the rest of them. It was for him he continued to keep focused for his goals¡ªthose who had their lives ended much too soon.


    He then thought of Lindsey, and that thread then brought him back to Galgaliel. He soon reconsidered the title of most tragic of them.


    Gardov and Egregore sat closer to the right¡ªthey looked to be in deep conversation. Gavin couldn¡¯t guess as to what it could have pertained to, and if the situation were different he would have loved to spend some quality time with Egregore, but figured more than anything it would have been more hollow than anything.


    Wait a minute, where was Amnael?


    He looked around the auditorium and could not find him seated anywhere. Last he heard he was tracking down a Pathfinder, but he hadn¡¯t heard anything since he last left out a few days ago.


    He would have to ask Samael once the meeting had concluded. He was sure he knew the specifics since Amnael tended to gravitate toward Samael¡ªperhaps due to their similar history in the old world. He looked behind him to see if Issachar and Sakonna had joined them yet, but found the door still closed and he sensed Issachar still waiting in the lobby.


    If he had known how things would have proceeded from that point...the multiple things different he could have done. Those moments in life when you can pinpoint the exact moment a situation blows up...with all the experience he had he should have recognized it. Instead, he sat in the center¡ªbehind Ezrael and Thagirion beside Galgaliel whose expression he couldn¡¯t get a clear reading of.


    Forget speaking to Samael after¡ªthat could wait. He would meet with Father and figure out just what is going on¡ªwhat the new plan was. He couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated that he was taken so off guard¡ªthat he was not in the know for what was going on. That among everything was his silver lining for making his way through the admittedly murky swamp of the choices he¡¯d been presented thus far.


    Samael stepped out from the rear of the room¡ªusually that part was hidden behind the back wall and didn¡¯t exist unless the preparations called for it. Gavin remembered using it only once before when they had all detailed the parts of their plans.


    Back then things seemed so simple¡ªeach of them were delegated tasks and they contributed toward the global good. Energy collection, conditioning, data surveyal, intel, everything leading up toward the creation of the bridge they¡¯d use to cross and reach the universe¡¯s core¡ªwhere they could use the power of the Monoliths to return everything to the way it should have been.


    Now, though, he felt fractures in their unit and didn¡¯t like the ominous feeling that rested in the center of his gut.


    ¡°I want to thank you all for coming on such short notice,¡± Samael said. ¡°It¡¯s been a very eventful day and I hope you¡¯ll forgive my lack of active prologue...hm...we seem to be missing a few faces.¡± Samael paused for a moment, and the second that he saw others move to answer he continued. Samael took the shape of a spider¡ªhe was adamant against the idea of taking human form. It was a point he had assailed on Gavin numerous times¡ªalthough Gavin had not the requisite memory inside Samael to even begin to explain why his human form was different than those the others had taken.


    There would be no understanding from his corner. Samael didn¡¯t understand¡ªhe chose to be understood. That was how he operated.


    Besides, it wasn¡¯t like his concern was for the sake of the humans that were operated¡ªit was merely an act of moral superiority. Samael always felt like he could do anything and feel superior because he did it.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    ¡°Anyway,¡± Samael returned to his focus as he continued. ¡°The meaning of this meeting is dire, I¡¯m afraid to say. We¡¯ve undergone a change that will heavily affect us moving forward. Father has been killed.¡±


    The words had hit their mark. This couldn¡¯t be true...but Samael was not one for jokes and he couldn¡¯t see anyway that this could be a subtle manipulation¡ªsomething so bold would be easily found out. So then he thought that the simplest answer must be the truth¡ªSamael was telling the truth.


    ¡°I discovered his body and I met with Issachar upon immediately discovering such. He was the last before me to see Father, but claims he had missed the body as its true nature was only seen in the Right. Meaning...the most likely cause was one of us, as in the Left¡ªto which Issachar claimed to have only looked in on his visit¡ªstill showed his afterimage. I shouldn¡¯t have to explain but because I want my meaning to be clear¡ªit means no mere being of the light could have done the deed.¡±


    ¡°Dead you say?¡± Galgaliel asked. ¡°What¡¯s the cause?¡±


    Samael¡¯s head cocked toward him slowly. ¡°You can see much for yourself after we leave. I have preserved the event in the waves. The body has been cleaned up but the record remains. You will have free access to investigate yourselves now that the main investigation is complete. I have reason to believe that Sakonna is responsible.¡±


    The tension in the room was thick and heavy. Gavin thought to Issachar¡¯s reactions that now made perfect sense.


    ¡°She isn¡¯t responsible for this! He thinks she killed him.¡±


    ¡°And so¡­¡± Samael continued, not allowing more than a single thought from those in the audience. ¡°It is with an unfortunate and heavy heart that I must brand her a traitor and to be brought in for questioning on sight¡ªyour missions are thus postponed until we can clear this matter.¡±


    ¡°Hey hey hey,¡± Gavin said, finding his voice and standing¡ªthe others¡¯ eyes were on him now. ¡°What authority do you have to change the plan? What were the results of your investigation¡ªwho supervised this? Who oversaw this?¡±


    Samael stared at him with his many eyes, and suddenly Gavin felt like this was going to go worse than he thought.


    ¡°Your suspicion is considered most important, Ormus, but I must ask you a question as an answer. You were father¡¯s right hand, and you know nothing of what¡¯s happened? Tsk tsk...I was unsure of who I could trust, so I undertook an investigation on my own and my findings are thus: Father is dead. Sakonna¡¯s ability is inducement of madness¡ªof confusion and of hallucination. It is clear that she induced hallucination to obscure the true time of death and clear her own plate.¡± Samael looked out to the group, ¡°And now I ask you¡ªwhere is Sakonna now? Surely on the run, as she felt it unimportant to return to the very meeting you all have taken the time to be.¡±


    The talking became immense, mutterings between each other as the confusion and chaos began to grow.


    ¡°Everyone, we need to take this slowly because we need to have some form of order here rather than the rampant speculation and theory-crafting¡ªthat will destroy us faster than anything else,¡± Gavin said, trying to draw the attention of the others around him.


    ¡°Ormus...silencing the masses when their voice is most important in this matter? I¡¯m ashamed to say you have lost your sensitive edge. It would seem like your motivations for silencing the others may also be attributed to malicious intent...just how do you stand to gain from covering up the crime but absolving yourself of your own complicity?¡±


    ¡°STOP!¡± A voice came from behind. Gavin turned to see Issachar burst open the door¡ªhe was in the skin of the girl he had found on his mission. It was the girl Allison had¡ª


    ¡°Ah, Issachar, welcome. I was just going over the results of my¡ª¡±


    Issachar shifted into the wolf and leapt across the bounds of the room in seconds. Just before he was about to make contact with Samael, the spider¡¯s legs went up and stopped him in mid-air¡ªthrowing him to the side where he was slammed into the wall.


    ¡°Now now, another player into the mix. It seems we have the truth¡ªit was not just Sakonna, but lover boy has been in kahoots. It would make sense since it was obviously a lie that you had not seen the corpse as it was.¡±


    The rest of Samael¡¯s taunts were drowned out. From that moment it had seemed like everything exploded. The fighting was rampant¡ªSamael had stewed the pot to ensure the perfect amount of chaos and it spilled over as Nehemoth took to the offensive, calling for the round up of Issachar and Sakonna.


    Gavin was overwhelmed¡ªeverything they had worked for was going up in flames and he had no safety net¡ªno assurety. He was on his own, and he did not know how to quell the flames.


    Issachar stood back up and was attacked from the side by Nehemoth. She and Scantar stood and looked to corner him, Gavin rushed forward to stop them¡ªbut he was pulled back¡ªSamael had grabbed hold of him and flung him back.


    ¡°No interrupting now,¡± Samael said. ¡°You¡¯ve clearly overstepped your position. Effective immediately I am forcing your resignation. You can come quietly or you can make this interesting.¡±


    Gavin gritted his teeth and in a flash he saw the man Samael used to be and it was an easy choice to make.


    ¡°You just never learn, Jack,¡± he said, and shifted into his other self, leaping up toward the ceiling and holding on tight as he approached. Gardov and Egregore were quick to enter the fray against Samael¡ªbut they found difficulty as Scantar had surprised them from behind.


    Soon, the entire amphitheater was consumed in the struggle. Ezrael from the front had called for the others to stop, she tried to block Galgaliel¡¯s advances. He was able to fly over her¡ªdodging her advance as she jumped to his pace. When none heeded her cries she screamed and the environment around them changed.


    The fighting continued as if nothing had changed but now instead of the confined room they were in before they were now in the depths of a massive valley. The crimson light of the sun bared down on the field. Issachar was falling onto a patch of ground lower than where he was before. Nehemoth had skidded to a stop at the ledge and she looked to Scantar and then around her.


    ¡°Well well it seems we have more contention than I thought,¡± Samael said. Gavin had to search for the origin of the sound¡ªhe had lost sight of him in the shift. When he finally found him he focused in¡ªhe saw the spider clinging to the side of a cliff on the opposite side of the gorge. He had projected his voice so that all could hear his declarations. ¡°We must maintain order, and if that involves subduing those who stand against us, then so be it. We cannot afford hubris to stamp us out one by one.¡± He leapt from his place and tackled Galgaliel who had been dashing toward him from above¡ªhis many legs had pinned him down as they both landed below. Thagirion was looking from Galgaliel to Ezrael¡ªand Ezrael had returned his gaze, nodding. Thagirion turned toward Gavin and leapt toward him.


    ¡°What lies have you spread¡ªwhy am I seeing the things I do?! Tell me Ormus!¡±


    ¡°Thag...I¡­¡± Gavin was unable to complete his thought as Issachar¡¯s screams came from his left. He looked and then saw Thagirion in front of him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me!¡± he cried. ¡°Ez wouldn¡¯t be wrong about this.¡±


    ¡°Samael is trying to sow chaos, can you not open your eyes to that fact?¡±


    Thagirion then looked to Samael who had Galgaliel pinned with his leg that seeped into darkness around his body. Galgaliel wretched with pain.


    ¡°He desires nothing for you, Thag. He seems to be undermining us all¡ªand is this the truth you seek?¡± He pointed at Galgaliel, and then to Issachar, and finally to Egregore and Gardov. ¡°Complete and utter destruction of us all?¡± He looked up to Ezrael. ¡°And this for you too? I would have thought if you had any doubts about my abilities you would have brought them up to me before blindsiding us all like this¡­¡±


    Ezrael had no retort, and Thagirion looked inward¡ªa sudden harshness lashing out as he screamed. He lashed out toward Samael and attempted to coil himself around his thorax, but he quickly leapt out of the way¡ªthe force around his body started distorting and sent Thagirion hurling into the wall.


    Gardov and Egregore were fending off Scantar¡ªhis wings allowed him to tackle both at once as he could pick at them from above.


    Issachar had dodged an attack by Nehemoth and he was maintaining his ground, but his mind was distracted¡ªhe needed the most help. Gavin hadn¡¯t wished it to come to this, but now he had no choice. He grunted and swept in, revealing one of the tricks he had held up his sleeve from the others.


    His siblings had powers in this new world¡ªyes, and those kinds of abilities were much different than the kind of things they could do in the old world, but because of their fractured memories they had not known the full abilities he had at his access. He swiped one of his arms and suddenly Nehemoth had stopped pursuing Issachar. The light around her immediate person was stolen from her and it gathered in the palm of his hand.


    She had to stop to keep from dashing out over the edge, but he heard her cries of frustration. She must have thought Issachar found some way to alter her vision. She was always rather slow to the draw¡ªhe figured that¡¯s what drew her to Scantar¡ªhe was able to do a lot of the thinking and she was able to put those plans into motion.


    He cast out the light he stole as a bridge for Issachar to take back up to higher ground. He nodded toward the wolf and sent out to him, ¡°You need to get out of here. Sakonna is in danger and you are too as long as you are present.¡± Gavin said.


    ¡°What about you guys? I can help,¡± Issachar said.


    ¡°Your best traits are not fighting, my young friend. Find Sakonna, find Allison. We¡¯ll hold our own here. I think I managed to talk some sense into Thag and I¡¯ll work on Ezrael. Then we¡¯ll have the advantage in numbers.¡±


    Issachar mumbled something else, but it seemed more like a resigned acceptance. ¡°Stay safe, okay?¡± He ended.


    ¡°You too, brother.¡±


    Gavin turned to assess the situation. Galgaliel, Thagirion, and Ezrael all centered around Samael, he took in a breath knowing Ezrael had thought better on her actions, the unfortunate truth was it looked like he was in control of the fight. His many legs and his ability to distort the space around him offered him more than enough opportunity to fend off the hawk, the rabbit, and the snake at once.


    Egregore and Gardov were handling Scantar better, but Nehemoth had seemed to regain her sight¡ªher anger turned toward the two as she joined Scantar in tackling them both¡ªGavin held higher above and he must have been out of her immediate view. He was now split between two groups and hoped that Egregore and Gardov could hold the pair off together.


    He rushed down toward the dip beside the edge of the southern cliff side and attempted to steal the light from Samael. All his eyes focused on Gavin as soon as he entered the fray.


    His legs shot out like tentacles and wrapped around Gavin¡¯s arms and stretched them out. Gavin closed his eyes and felt the arms get cold as he translated the heat all around him into a frozen touch and forced himself free.


    ¡°Samael, what games are you working in trying to make enemies of us all?¡± Gavin asked.


    ¡°I reveal secrets. Of which you¡¯ve been keeping from us in spades, dearest brother,¡± Samael insisted.


    Galgaliel raked his talons across Samael¡¯s back causing him to lurch.


    ¡°Galgaliel...you wound me, yet you know not that our brother has been keeping the truth from us this entire time?¡±


    ¡°What truth could possibly justify this kind of fighting?¡± Galgaliel called.


    ¡°Galgaliel...you should maybe listen,¡± Ezrael said. ¡°It sounds crazy, but I have been getting the sense that there¡¯s something else at play and I cannot abide by it any further.¡±


    ¡°My my, if only you knew the things I¡¯ve learned. It¡¯s sure mighty coincidental for Ormus that Father has fallen¡ªthat way he doesn¡¯t have to tell you about your memories¡ªthe other selves you all are missing,¡± Samael scoffed.


    Just how could Samael have learned so much? Or...was he bluffing? If so it was way too accurate.


    ¡°Speak on what you¡¯ve so called learned, Samael,¡± Thagirion said, cutting through the crowd. ¡°What truths do you say have been hidden from us?¡±


    ¡°Thag,¡± Galgaliel said. ¡°You cannot seriously be considering this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve...been seeing things in my dreams,¡± Thagirion said. ¡°I¡¯ve been having doubts myself that I am...all of me. If Samael says he might have the answer to that...that¡¯s something I need to know. That¡¯s something that nobody else has listened to me on.¡± He turned to Samael. ¡°Talk.¡±


    ¡°I understand what Thag is saying,¡± Ezrael said. ¡°I have been seeing similar, something is not right with the story we¡¯ve been given.¡±


    ¡°Ormus has had communion with Father longer than any of us, that much is common knowledge. What isn¡¯t so common¡­¡± Samael began. ¡°Is the nature of their relationship in the old world. They had congregation even then¡ªhe was closer to him in that time while we were nothing more than individuals. He knew we would be fractured as we are now...you are right, Thagirion. You are not all of yourself. We are shadows¡ªmore than literally. We all are...except him.¡±


    Gavin felt a heat bearing down on him as the others stared to him¡ªthe underlying accusation hung in the air.


    ¡°Ormus...it¡¯s true...isn¡¯t it? You know more than you let on,¡± Thagirion said.


    ¡°It is as true as you can see¡± Samael said. ¡°Think on it...how did he break free from my grasp just now? You all are aware how my abilities work. My legs should have constrained you until I chose¡ªthe space would not have allowed for any energy to flow from you to me¡ªand yet you seemed to have the ability to just...cancel me out.¡±


    ¡°Ormus, what...are we?¡± Thagirion asked. ¡°Who are we...if there are answers out there...maybe we should¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone,¡± Gavin projected his voice and suddenly all eyes were on him¡ªeven the quartet who had been fighting above them had stopped and were staring at him.


    ¡°The important thing is that you¡¯re alive,¡± Gavin began. ¡°I...I knew before we came into this that we would face difficulties--¡±


    ¡°Difficulties!¡± Thagirion called. ¡°Difficulties is putting it really fucking short!¡±


    ¡°Thag¡ª¡± Ezrael began, but Thagirion looked at her, stern.


    ¡°No, I want to speak my mind. I have been feeling like my heart is torn in two, and I¡¯ve been feeling like that for a long...long time. I¡¯ve been having dreams about people I don¡¯t know, and I¡¯ve been feeling doubt over myself and I haven¡¯t had a place to voice that. I¡­can¡¯t keep going on like this. I can¡¯t keep following someone who is leading me like a lamb to a slaughter.¡±


    ¡°Thagirion, I think what you¡¯re experiencing is a lack of faith in the way things are ordered by Ormus who clearly¡ª¡± Samael began, but Thagirion interrupted him too.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m sick of EVERYTHING. I¡¯m not going to fight for you, or you, or you, or whoever decides they¡¯re going to be in charge of this SHITSHOW,¡± he looked around and projected his own voice so loud that it echoed off of the cliff¡¯s faces. ¡°I¡¯m going on my own and I¡¯m going to figure out what I need.¡±


    ¡°I can understand where Thagirion is coming from,¡± Galgaliel said. ¡°But unfortunately I need to abide by the cause...But Ormus...if you¡¯ve not told us the truth we have some serious problems. What is going on? How did you manage that¡­?¡±


    Gavin couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing, just a moment ago they were all teamed up to help subdue Samael, but now it had turned on him, and he looked at Ezrael who looked to be on the edge of her own personal decision as well. In his second sight he saw...what was this? There was external force being pushed onto her will¡ªand then he understood.


    ¡°Samael¡ªyou¡¯re exerting yourself on the others. Even now you try to control everything so it fits nicely into your¡ª¡±


    Samael had learned the jig was up¡ªhe pushed hard on Ezrael and she opened her eyes wide¡ªher powers being used under her notice. The world began to shift underneath their feet and as it was shifting he made to run in-between the seams.


    ¡°Stop him! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± Gavin called.


    Gardov looked from Gavin and then to Samael and he tried to chase after Samael, but before he could reach him he was blown back by a blast of energy from Nehemoth. He fell and felt himself fall for what felt like eternity. In truth his body had been torn away at the molecular level and was to be spit back out somewhere else. The blast had torn a seam in the world¡ªlarger and full of the cosmos within. He was sucked inside completely and Egregore attempted to send his third eye inside¡ªhe yelled over to Gavin. ¡°I¡¯ll try to find him! I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll still work on the other side though!¡±


    Samael took another few steps into the spinning void and his body started to distort as he picked a new destination to land¡ªbut just before it vanished it looked as if he shifted into the shape of a human. Gavin got only a glimpse of it before his body was torn away from view completely,


    ¡°We have to depart somewhere,¡± Ezrael said. ¡°I can¡¯t control our end destination¡ªI think he set us on a loop. If we don¡¯t we¡¯re going to be stuck here until it finds its own destination by creating a black hole. It¡¯s going to send us far and wide, we¡¯ll have to regroup when we¡­¡± Ezrael was shocked to see Thagirion¡¯s body slip away from her.


    Gavin felt the sadness in his form immensely¡ªand he knew that his outburst¡ªhis feelings were real. All of them were¡ªthey were just prodded to speak their minds to sow chaos. That was Samael¡¯s best trick¡ªto sow chaos and reap the rewards while it burned.


    He felt his own body beginning to be spun away from itself and so he tried his best to hold onto the center of his form lest he be torn to shreds and scattered across the universe a trillion times over. He felt himself sinking into the void and closed his eyes.


    He awoke to the ocean lapping upon the edges of a beach where golden sand piled at the island¡¯s edge. The red water lapped as the pink foam sprayed onto the beach. He was on the edge of some island he had no clue the location of. His head had hurt terribly and he saw he was in his human form¡ªhe felt too tired to shed his skin and rest...heh, too tired to even rest. Give that a moment to sink in and the truth of it seems even worse.


    Upon second thought, his entire body was sore¡ªit surely had to do with the method of transport¡ªthat tearing and breaking down of everything he was into everything he is. Both thankfully and not, he was alone. He could rest here to gather his strength without being interrupted, but he was also without his siblings. He felt he needed to talk with all of them¡ªminus Samael. He figured he was a complete rogue agent now that would be working toward his own twisted ends. The part that confused him the most was that human shape he had transformed into just before leaving...he couldn¡¯t reason it together why Samael would have felt the way he did about vessels if he had too been partaking in one. He didn¡¯t recognize the figure, but it wasn¡¯t like he got a good look at it either.


    He sighed and figured he must have been keeping the secret and projecting his feelings as to erase possibility of suspicion. Who would think the one who has a vested dislike for vessels would have taken one for himself?


    And then he thought to Thagirion. It was clear he was dealing with a lot¡ªmuch more than Gavin could have anticipated. Were the fragments of his older self spilling in ways he had not known they could? It would explain the feelings he felt...but he was not warned of this. Father had made it very clear he needed to tend to them as if their other halves didn¡¯t exist¡ªat least until they could be reunited and sent back.


    He slammed his fist down into the sand. If he had known he would have helped Thagirion out more...he would have helped him understand who he was...he would have told them everything.


    It all came back to Father...and now he was dead. He didn¡¯t understand it...Samael seemed more than confident in the assertion¡ªeven willing to let them check the site themselves...although based on the fact that things ended up the way they did, maybe he only bluffed that far to begin the inciting event that led them to where they were now.


    Something was off, though. Even though Gavin had not been present for Father¡¯s passing over Sakonna still should have been there¡ªand even in the case where Sakonna was off on her own secret mission Father¡¯s passing over would have still happened. He would exist as the single cell¡ªwas it possible that happened and Samael simply mistook the situation for a murder?


    It was unlikely¡ªSamael had been present for the last passing over¡ªhe had known the process from beginning to end. There was no way he would have missed something like that. And he didn¡¯t think it was an intentional mislead either¡ªas even though they were separated it were possible they could travel back to the library to confirm for themselves...at least, when their strength returned to them.


    He tried to sense where the others were¡ªhe had a link to each of them¡ªbut...He felt a panging feeling in the center of his chest and a noticeable lack of other voices in his head.


    Normally when he quieted his own thoughts he could hear traces of the others in case he needed to locate them in an emergency...and if the time had allowed him before the meeting he would have used it to search for Amnael, but now he was left to complete silence. Was his connection severed? Did they choose to block him out?


    He didn¡¯t know which was true, and even worse among all is he did not have anyone to answer his millions of continuing questions.


    He would have to find the Monoliths to the best of his abilities...his other plans would have to wait. This needed to be fixed and if it meant keeping the Monoliths out of Samael¡¯s hands...he would do it.


    First, he would rest. He needed to be at the top of his game if he were going to take this on seriously. Next, he would travel back to the library and confirm the site of the murder for himself. And then...well, then he would do whatever he needed to in order to right this wrong¡ªto make up for his mistake.

 13 | Omega

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    LUCAS Gray


    LUCAS caught up with Laven as he was returning from his meeting with the king. He was nearly out of breath from jogging to catch up with her. She had been signing something to Tabula when he caught notice of her. As she turned around he called for her and finished running.


    She saw him and waved him over, ¡°Hey! Come here, we¡¯re heading out this way with the others for our squadron.¡±


    ¡°Great, you¡¯re not going to believe what I just found out,¡± LUCAS said in between breaths. ¡°The king...you¡¯re not going to believe it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you actually saw him?¡± Roderick asked, he turned to LUCAS and his eyes lit up. ¡°What was he like? I¡¯ve heard enough about him that I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s this really wimpy guy that doesn¡¯t live up to the hype.¡±


    ¡°Let him speak, he clearly had something he needed to say,¡± Tabula signed to him.


    Roderick nodded and then backed off. ¡°Right, sorry, you were saying¡­¡± Roderick corrected.


    ¡°Okay,¡± LUCAS nodded. ¡°You two aren¡¯t going to understand this,¡± he said, and then turned to Laven, ¡°It¡¯s one of the Creatures of the Night. The King...he¡¯s...well, it¡¯s kind of hard to believe, but he¡¯s a dragon.¡±


    ¡°A dragon?¡± Laven asked.


    ¡°Like I said,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°Hard to explain. He could shape shift between this gargantuan dragon and a...human sized dragon...human mix? It was really surreal. Looked straight out of your imagination.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still breathing so I take it he didn¡¯t so much agree with that head councilor guy?¡± Roderick asked.


    ¡°Oh, he seemed to hate him as much as I did¡ªor at least agreed that he had his head up his own ass.¡±


    This got a laugh out of him and Tabula, Laven was still staring at LUCAS as they continued to walk¡ªothers from the mess hall were starting to catch up from behind.


    ¡°What was this creature you spoke of? Creature of the Night?¡± Tabula signed.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story,¡± Laven signed back. ¡°If I¡¯m going to shorten it down, they¡¯re bad actors from our world. Real bad. They¡¯re who we¡¯ve been trying to fight against,¡± she finished, pointing to LUCAS and then herself.


    ¡°And now we¡¯re working under one?¡± Tabula signed. ¡°That doesn¡¯t bode well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s messed up. I already didn¡¯t have a soft spot for royalty for all this extra business...now I really don¡¯t like ¡®em.¡± Roderick said. ¡°Kinda wish he was a stick so we could just not worry about him. Snap him in two if we didn¡¯t agree and such.¡±


    ¡°I...don¡¯t think this is the worst thing imaginable,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°If we can get back home, that is. I mean...one less of them to deal with, right?¡± He turned to Laven, looking for her answer.


    ¡°Would you be okay in knowing that you¡¯re leaving him here to rule?¡± Laven asked. ¡°To let him do as he pleases as the king of a kingdom?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°I think it would need to be something we focused on at another time¡ªwhen we¡¯re able to regroup¡ªpreferably from our own world. I¡¯m not sure we can take something like that on right here and now.¡±


    ¡°And what if it were too late?¡± Laven asked. ¡°Would you be okay leaving it that way?¡±


    ¡°Would you?¡± LUCAS asked in return.


    ¡°I am not sure, but I¡¯m thinking about it¡­¡± Laven said. ¡°I don¡¯t have any of the answers now and I don¡¯t expect you would either, but it is something to think about.¡±


    ¡°Maybe let¡¯s put a pin in that thought¡ªmaybe until you can give us the full scoop,¡± Tabula signed. ¡°I think we¡¯re approaching our destination.¡± They pointed off toward the large doorway leading to a descending staircase.


    As LUCAS descended the stairs, he was greeted with the musty smell of damp stone and the sound of dripping water. It grew faint and then echoed as if it were bouncing in-between his brain. The light from the torches above flickered across the moss-covered walls, revealing ancient tapestries and rusty weapons hanging from their holsters.


    As he focused down toward the bottom of the staircase¡ªwhat he could see at least¡ªhe could see the afterimages of firelight at the bottom, but between the two stretches it was scratched in a black void of darkness¡ªit certainly didn¡¯t look inviting.


    ¡°And where was it we were headed, again?¡± LUCAS asked. He noticed his voice was scratchy¡ªhe had to cough to try and sound like he should be taken seriously.


    ¡°Training room¡ªconveniently placed right next to the dungeons,¡± Roderick said. ¡°The redhead said that it was to inspire us to not end up next door. I guess I now understand what she meant by that.¡±


    ¡°Oh, lovely,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°Nothing but the best for the Omegas¡­¡± he rubbed his fingers together nervously. ¡°At least we got solid ground.¡±


    ¡°They plan on making sure we¡¯re not going to go out there to get ourselves stabbed minute one.¡± Laven said. ¡°It was something I think was intended to be for our benefit, but there¡¯s always something crawling on the back that seems like it¡¯s more to cover their own ass. To say they did and such.¡±


    ¡°Well that¡¯s refreshing,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°At least they¡¯re offering...we may as well take advantage of the opportunity.¡±


    ¡°Probably shouldn¡¯t bite the hand that feeds us before it feeds us...huh?¡± Roderick said.


    ¡°Yeah, just what I¡¯m thinking,¡± LUCAS said, and he began to descend down the stairs.


    The steps themselves were large enough that he had to take two steps across as he stepped down to the next one. The light around them started to dim very quickly and soon they only had the bare embers from whatever light had been lit down near the dungeons down below to keep as a reference point to not fall on top of one another. The natural light was quickly replaced by the amber torchlight.


    ¡°The fire...it¡¯s orange¡­¡± LUCAS said.


    ¡°Yeah...like how it used to be in the old world,¡± Roderick said. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m letting something so simple astound me like that. Yet, here I am.¡±


    ¡°I noticed that with the sky outside,¡± Laven said, then turned to Tabula and signed to her what she¡¯d just said. LUCAS knew it was due to the dim light that she would not be able to read lips as easily. ¡°I was shocked but of course everything else took precedence in the moment. It¡¯s like this place is the remains of the world that used to be¡ªlike a dumping ground after it had been discarded and changed. That¡¯s just a guess, of course.¡±


    ¡°It makes me nostalgic in a way I didn¡¯t think was possible. Vicariously nostalgic, maybe?¡± LUCAS wondered. ¡°Like a dream I never had suddenly entering my brain.¡±


    The sound of their footsteps echoed off the cold stone walls as they made their way deeper into the underground prison. The smell of mold and human waste filled their nostrils, making it hard to breathe. LUCAS felt tears stinging his eyes as he had to turn to cough out the bad stench.


    In his mind¡¯s eye he saw a vision of the kinds of people that would be chained down here. The kind of depravity one would feel having your life contained within these walls. The prisoners of his subconscious were manacled together with chains and their ragged clothes hanging off their emaciated bodies, a testament to their long months of captivity. The guards would walk behind them with swords and spells, ready to off any offending member without hesitation. He imagined their blank faces as they stared at creatures they no longer considered human as they guided them to their cells.


    As they would enter the dungeon, the prisoners would see the dim light coming from the torches that lined the walls, barely illuminating the small, cramped cells that were filled with other prisoners, some of whom had been there for years. Some were lying on the ground, weak and ill, while others sat in the corner, staring blankly into space.


    In truth, the prison cells were empty and the cells each were open, but if he closed his eyes he swore he could see the shadows of those who inhabited these spaces as their final living quarters.


    When they reached the bottom some of the others from the mess hall had joined their small group and LUCAS could count an additional two faces had joined their posse¡ªthe others must have turned elsewhere. They had reached the bottom and found the hallway forked to the right and to the left.


    ¡°That Tomorrow fellow said the dungeons were to the left as he was following up with us before we headed out,¡± Laven said. ¡°Should be just up here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, is he going to be leading our charge?¡± LUCAS asked. ¡°I don¡¯t think I was there when that was decided.¡±


    ¡°He plenty well volunteered at the ready,¡± a woman behind Laven said.


    ¡°That weird fella with the weird little hat?¡±


    LUCAS turned and saw who had spoken up, she had neck length white hair¡ªit looked artificially dyed¡ªand her eyebrows looked naturally arched in a questioning pose.


    ¡°Yeah, he was trying to talk to one of the other Omegas before coming down¡ªsaid he was going to wait for...oi, that¡¯s you, innit?¡± A man responded, then pointed at LUCAS. ¡°He said he was waiting for you to come back.¡± His eyes widened as if he were looking at a celebrity. ¡°Oh, your the one who was getting reamed out by the King,¡±


    ¡°Long story, yes,¡± LUCAS nodded, realizing getting people up to speed piecemeal was going to be cumbersome.


    ¡°Oh...well it looks like we might be alone down here for a bit before he realizes that you¡¯re down here and not up there still,¡± the white haired girl said.


    Upon hearing her speak longer, LUCAS could ascertain that the girl had an accent he wasn¡¯t as familiar with. It wasn¡¯t anything like he had heard anybody talk like before¡ªif he had to guess based on the information he used to have he would have said she sounded Welsh. The man that had joined them had sounded like he had either an English or Australian accent. He would need more information to be able to make a solid deduction to one or the other.


    The group continued onto the right and the torchlight grew until it encompassed an entire space of room that had empty cells lining the perimeter¡ªcast-iron bars that ran from the ground to the ceiling.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s pleasant that by ¡®opposite the dungeon¡¯ they meant ¡®the dungeon again¡¯.¡± The man from the rear had said.


    When LUCAS looked to him he saw the man had a lean frame and was wearing what looked like to be two layers of a bland shirt and pants.


    ¡°Well, why are you all pinning your peepers this direction?¡± The man asked.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get the spare clothes?¡± LUCAS asked.


    ¡°Seems a bit much, no?¡± Roderick asked.


    ¡°Oh, I found ¡®em lying around. Figured I¡¯d put them on. Got a bit chilly up there without central heating y¡¯know.¡±


    ¡°Good grief,¡± the white haired woman called. ¡°We¡¯re supposed to be out there as soldiers soon and you can¡¯t manage with a little air chill? I swear with you...¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯m sorry!¡± The man called out. ¡°¡± He sighed. ¡°Well I figure we should at least introduce ourselves to the others if we are going to be part of the same unit.¡±


    ¡°Well go on ahead,¡± The woman beside him said, crossing her arms. ¡°We¡¯re waitin¡¯ for your special introduction, heat meiser.¡±


    The man looked affronted, but then he recovered quickly. ¡°Name¡¯s Windsor. Like the knot.¡± He could tell the woman was rolling her eyes. It was clear they had known each other, but from where or when was not clear.


    ¡°Like the...knot?¡± LUCAS asked, furrowing his brows. ¡°I...guess I remember something like that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Laven said, shaking her head. ¡°I think we should wait on introductions. I¡¯ve a feeling we¡¯ll be made to do so once Tomorrow comes.¡±


    ¡°Why would we wait?¡± Windsor asked.


    ¡°Because you annoy me,¡± Laven said. ¡°Your voice is rather loud and you seem to keep thinking that this room has chosen to mute you so you get even louder to make up the difference.¡±


    ¡°You said it,¡± the Welsh woman agreed. ¡°Name¡¯s Amber. I think we can go that far and then sit down some. I¡¯m damn tired.¡±


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°I can understand what you mean,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°My name¡¯s LUCAS, then you have Laven, Roderick, and Tabula,¡± he pointed from one to the next and then nodded as he finished.


    ¡°Some odd names you got there,¡± Windsor said, immediately drawing ire of the others in the room. They collectively ignored the comment and suddenly heard the tumbling of footsteps behind them as Tomorrow entered the bounds of the dungeon. He shambled in and looked like his mind was running at several different tracks at once.


    He regarded them with a wave and a nervous chuckle. ¡°Well, hello all, I apologize for my lateness. I had thought¡­¡± he trailed off as he looked at all of them and stopped to stare at LUCAS. ¡°Oh, you did make it back, excellent,¡± he smiled and filed the task away in his brain. LUCAS could tell he had felt relieved at not having lost him.


    ¡°Well, I am sure you are plenty excited and nervous so we¡¯re going to go over some things first, and then we¡¯re going to get some practice in with basic weapons. Now, you should know the kingdom can only spare the most basic of gear as the more advanced and sturdy material is going to our vanguard units¡± He began walking around the room and was displaying some of the gear that had suddenly appeared in front of them.


    LUCAS blinked and suddenly there lay a set of swords, lances, and maces. The condition of each looked worse for wear, but his focus had largely centered on how they had simply appeared.


    ¡°They¡¯re the front-lines and the like, you understand.¡± Tomorrow nodded and continued on as he swung his arm out and sets of training gear also appeared by his side¡ªthey looked like separated segments of some sort of chain mail¡ªsomething to cover extremities in times of short combat. ¡°You¡¯ll be given higher quality material when you¡¯re sent out as we currently are operating at a loss when it comes to steel and other precious metals.¡±


    ¡°Operating at a loss¡­?¡± Roderick asked. ¡°You just poofed those in from nowhere!¡± He looked as if he still wasn¡¯t believing what was right in front of his face.


    Tomorrow looked confused for a moment and then turned his head to see what Roderick¡ªand the rest of them¡ªhad been staring at. When he realized he shook his hands and began to laugh. ¡°Oh yes, I forgot that magic is new to many of you,¡± he said. ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t have time to go over the full history here¡ªmaybe he can tell you at some other time,¡± he pointed to LUCAS. ¡°But yes, I have the power and ability to transport material across space, but it is not comprehensive to material outside of the bounds of this castle. If we could obtain materials and perform these kinds of efforts remotely, believe you me we would need efforts of our soldiers and this squadron like yourselves.¡±


    Roderick nodded, seeming to understand. ¡°It¡¯s the castle then, is it?¡± He cocked his head and crossed his arms.


    ¡°Bit strange your magic is so limited, innit?¡± Amber said.


    ¡°Everything in this world has limits,¡± Tomorrow said, keeping the offense out of his voice.


    ¡°So, are we to then just practice with sticks and really make our foes feel it with a good ol¡¯ whack on the noggin?¡± Windsor asked. ¡°All while pretending we¡¯re not in the middle of a jail cell where we could very easily be tossed into at your whims?¡±


    Tomorrow turned to him and gave a wry smile. ¡°Only those who break the law should have concern with being held within those bars. It¡¯s really quite simple.¡±


    ¡°If it were up to Tidmas we¡¯d all be locked away for the end of time until our skeletons started to decay,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°And then it probably would be getting off easy.¡±


    ¡°Possibly so,¡± Tomorrow agreed, clapping both of his hands together. ¡°Put that thought out of your mind now, as we¡¯ve got much greater things of import to go over. I am extremely pleased that this plan is getting to proceed forward, and I understand you lot are very confused over very much, still. I apologize¡ªit seems as if the spillover has only increased in recent time and we¡¯ve not had a chance to have much of a breather to talk things out.¡±


    ¡°LUCAS mentioned that there was more to your plan than initially offered at the round table,¡± Laven said. ¡°I think before we do any training we understand what we¡¯re really getting ourselves mixed into,¡± she crossed her arms and looked at him sternly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s all the same,¡± Amber began. ¡°I¡¯m really not looking forward to being someone¡¯s whipping horse so if there¡¯s any chance of me opting out of this whole...teamwork thing that¡¯d be excellent.¡±


    The others looked to her with a shocked look, Tomorrow was the only one who hadn¡¯t. His look was neutral as he turned toward her.


    ¡°Yes, well, unfortunately your volunteering for this project is compulsory. You do have the option of bringing up these terms with Tidmas and the rest of the council, but I am afraid we¡¯ve extended the limits of his...we¡¯ll say generosity toward your people. I think your options are what I bring forward to you thus.¡± He turned toward the rest of the others and took in a deep breath.


    LUCAS could see there was a lot he had needed to say and to that he was thankful. He felt like he was so forward moving that it felt good to fully understand something in this strange world.


    ¡°And with that out of the way, let¡¯s talk details. You six are going to be our Omega Squadron. What that means is you are going to be learning combat arts and reconnaissance. Anything more would probably expend the limited energy you seem to have since coming over¡ªI will work with you one-on-one until you are comfortable pairing off and training off of each other. We will be running practice sessions and drills until you show results, and if you don¡¯t...well, I¡¯m afraid the council isn¡¯t going to see much use for you. Let me say, you do not want the council to not see use for you,¡± His face darkened to a look LUCAS could only describe as a mix between sorrowful and pleading.


    ¡°And what is our ultimate goal? What will we be sent out to find, fight, or spy on?¡± Tabula signed.


    Tomorrow raised an eyebrow, and then reactively looked to the others for an explanation of her strange hand gestures. When nobody stood to respond, Laven answered.


    ¡°Tabula¡¯s deaf,¡± she said. ¡°They asked what we¡¯re going to do once we¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°Ah...yes...hm¡­¡± Tomorrow brought a hand to his chin and rubbed it, perplexed. He stood in silence ¡°I was not made aware of this. I would¡­¡± He turned to confirm there was nobody behind him on the staircase and then bent down, urging the others to come in close. ¡°If you can help it, do not draw attention to yourself,¡± he looked at Tabula directly. ¡°His highness takes not kindly to the sick and disabled unless you make it very clear to him he gains from your presence. I do not have those same hesitations, but I must urge caution¡ªin fact I am pleased you are assigned to this squadron. I love to learn more about the other side as much as I can.¡±


    LUCAS looked to Tomorrow. ¡°What of the council-member that introduced her here?¡± He then turned to Tabula, ¡°...are you aware of the person you met when you arrived here?¡±


    Tabula shook her head, and in return she signed, ¡°Some poor sap who talked much too fast for me to catch anything important. He didn¡¯t seem to catch onto the fact, though. All in all, a net nothing.¡±


    LUCAS sighed a relieving sound. ¡°That¡¯s good at least¡ªwe can hope that the word won¡¯t travel up to the king.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would unless it was Tidmas who escorted her in,¡± Tomorrow said. ¡°And I can assure you he escorted none of you in¡ªhe found it most taxing on his time.¡± He turned to LUCAS, ¡°I think you¡¯re the only one of us here I brought in.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like he just hates doing any actual work,¡± Roderick said.


    ¡°He sounded like he had a stick up his ass,¡± Windsor added.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say he was my favorite person,¡± Laven still had her arms crossed.


    ¡°He¡¯s a character all right, but he¡¯s devoted to the kingdom. He has a positive side when he¡¯s arguing for things he believes for the good of its people. I understand what little that sounds like to you now, and I fully agree with all of your judgments of him. Trust me, you do not know how many meetings us councilors had to go through¡ªhow many arguments I had with him to get where we are today with these squadrons, but he is where he is because he is good at what he does and as much as it doesn¡¯t seem, he does serve the kingdom well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure,¡± Laven said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t help his behavior toward us, though.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Tomorrow nodded. ¡°Well, to answer your question,¡± he turned to Tabula, making sure to enunciate his words clearly, ¡°your goal as Omegas is going to be handling large shade presences in the western region¡ªnear the border of Bluefin. It is near enemy territory as Machial Fortress lies just outside the scope of your assignment.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly,¡± LUCAS began. ¡°Bluefin was allied with the Whitewing kingdom, are they not?¡± He tried remembering the list of the kingdoms Tomorrow had briefly gone over when he had first arrived.


    Blackwell was the kingdom they currently occupied and were training under¡ªfor lack of any other choice and gratitude for the help¡ªeven if it did come with strings attached.


    Whitewing was Blackwell¡¯s sworn mortal enemy. What little LUCAS knew of the other kingdom was that it was the next largest kingdom in this strange land¡ªat least, the next largest that was known of or interacted with Blackwell. On the rest of the landmass were three smaller kingdoms whose alliances tended to sway based on the current loyalty and sociopolitical climate.


    Bluefin¡ªtheir destination¡ªwas a swing kingdom that historically has allied itself with both Whitewing and Blackwell, but was currently sworn to Whitewing. The other two were Redrum¡ªwhich more blatantly allied itself with Blackwell as of recent history. The issue with this was Redrum and Bluefin were embroiled in their own, more personal conflict that assured the two kingdoms would not be on the same side for long. Greenhorn rounded out the list being firmly allied with Whitewing, much like how Redrum was most recently very much an ally of Blackwell.


    LUCAS felt it easier to remember upon repeating the set of relationships in an ever more complex political climate, then stood back amazed at the level of complexity those thoughts had developed in his head when before he wouldn¡¯t have even begun to think of relationships on such a grand scale. It made him wonder what kind of ruling power would exist in his world if he were to ever return. Was there a point to re-establishing something when the world had so inevitably refused?


    Tomorrow smiled, drawing his focus back to the front and out of his thoughts. ¡°Yes, that is correct. Their situation is...unique. They¡¯ve become reckless in recent days and there have been reports of large shade activity in the area. So, your operation will be two-fold. Preserve the safety of our kingdom and when that is done, operate in secret to discover the truth of their erratic behavior. If either of these lead to learning more about how to send you home, then it will be fortuitous for everyone. Our vanguard is currently holding the front line on the border and supporting our correspondents in Redrum, a kingdom at the far eastern pole. Since our forces are spent keeping the balance from tipping against us, you see why we would need you to work in the shadows in discovering the source of the madness.¡±


    ¡°But that won¡¯t be until we train here, right?¡± Laven asked. She cocked her head.


    ¡°That is also correct. We want to make sure you¡¯re both committed to the job and also viable to perform it. While we understand this is asking a lot of you¡­¡±


    ¡°More like demanding,¡± Amber said¡ªher arms were crossed.


    ¡°...It comes with the benefit that you seek, at least, the best chance for such, of course. Unless you think investigating enemy territory by yourself is much better?¡± Tomorrow looked straight at Amber.


    She scoffed and looked away, knowing she would lose that argument. Tomorrow took this as a sign to continue himself


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Tomorrow said. ¡°Now, before we get into the specific bouts of training I¡¯ll test you all individually so I can gauge where we¡¯re all at.¡±


    ¡°I was going to ask this earlier but the whole duty thing got in the way...you¡¯re going to be training us?¡± Windsor asked. There was a sly look on his face, ¡°Seems like you¡¯d be better on lecturing us on high school physics than throwing your weight around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m unfamiliar with the high arts that may come from your world,¡± Tomorrow began, ¡°But I¡¯ll have you know us councilors are trained from a very young age in plenty of combat styles. If we¡¯re going to be legislating for the kingdom we must have the strength to defend it should we need to.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I want to be first. I need the assistance,¡± LUCAS stepped forward and nodded his head.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Tomorrow smiled. He offered LUCAS a dull iron blade. As he grabbed for it he felt the weight immediately. Such a thing wouldn¡¯t have been a problem to him before, but here its blunt edge clanged to the ground and he almost let it go from the surprise. He heard a few chuckles behind him and he grit his teeth and held it up. It seemed so easy to others who did this in the stories. He hadn¡¯t even thought of how heavy these weapons would actually be.


    Tomorrow cleared his throat and stood opposite LUCAS. He assumed a defensive posture, ¡°All right, first we¡¯ll start off with some basic swordplay, we¡¯ll get into habits and then break those habits until you start to learn. Once you show you can retain knowledge and best me in a duel we¡¯ll advance further. Our lessons today will continue until the setting of the sun¡ªI hope you all ate well, because now it¡¯s time to work. And do not worry if you feel like it is too heavy, as the world here is suited towards assisting.¡±


    LUCAS looked at Tomorrow with a confused look. He cocked his head and asked, ¡°What?¡±


    Tomorrow raised a pointed finger¡ªa small spark of fire appeared¡ªits color seemed to shift to a magnificent violet¡ªthe color of the sky from his world. There were glimmering particles that shimmered as if they orbited around his hand. There looked to be a galaxy forming between his fingers¡ªthe particles glowing like bright stars intermingling amongst one another.


    ¡°This is not a fancy trick,¡± Tomorrow began. ¡°But a visualization of the atmosphere, here. Magic attracts magic. I mentioned the blessing we received from the dragon, yes?¡±


    The others looked around the room in confusion, but LUCAS nodded, thus drawing the eyes of everyone in the room toward himself. ¡°Yes,¡± LUCAS nodded. ¡°You mentioned it when I arrived. The dragon¡ªer, the King is the source of your magic?¡±


    Tomorrow nodded, then his gaze turned to each and every other person¡ªthe signal that this was him giving them that explanation. ¡°It¡¯s not a human exclusive thing¡ªmagic. We can channel it, yes, but it exists around us. It is in the air, as they say. As such, these particulates¡ªthe dragon¡¯s breath as it were, offer more than just the spells the mages of this land cast¡ªthey are themselves accelerant particulates.¡±


    ¡°Accelerant particulates?¡± Laven asked. ¡°That sounds dangerous to be breathing in.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not dead, no?¡± Tomorrow asked.


    ¡°Could be said I¡¯m dreaming all this as my brain inevitably stops,¡± Windsor added.


    ¡°If you really believed that you would not be humoring me any further,¡± Tomorrow chided. ¡°Anyway, the accelerant particles are best suited for growth. Physical growth is made simpler within these walls¡ªit is going to of course take as much energy, but the amount of time to grow used to become a soldier is much less than what would be out of them.¡±


    ¡°So this sword¡­¡± LUCAS said, looking down at the heavy chunk of metal. ¡°I¡¯ll be able to carry this easier the more I do it?¡±


    ¡°Well that is the general way that goes,¡± Amber scoffed, chuckling to herself.


    ¡°In any world, yes, but here, exceptionally so,¡± Tomorrow said.


    He then looked again at the sword and swung it a few times against the air. LUCAS knew a bit of the movements innately¡ªbut putting them into action was another story entirely. He felt sluggish and each time he had intended to swing one way he had to adjust because it looked like Tomorrow had already planned for his attack.


    He didn¡¯t look like it, but Tomorrow was very agile on his feet¡ªand carrying the training sword around seemed effortless to him. I guess he really wasn¡¯t kidding about needing to keep up on his combat efficiency. LUCAS tried to parry Tomorrow¡¯s blows, but each time their blades connected he felt his strength ebb away until his muscles ached.


    LUCAS bit his lip and he thrust up the sword to deflect an incoming stab and he bit too hard and he could taste the blood fill into his mouth. In that moment he seemed to freeze as his mind slowed to a standstill. He felt a rush of energy that was foreign to him¡ªadrenaline flooded his veins and the incredulity of the situation had hit him like a train. His blood was pumping through his veins which were now aching.


    LUCAS had finally felt like he could shed that which held him back before¡ªhe wasn¡¯t an android in this world, he need not focus on the strengths he lost and he need not mourn for a shard that he didn¡¯t have access to anyway. Instead, he had strengths here he could hone and really getting to his last legs he could see the potential as his brain started kicking into overdrive.


    His eyes darted to the sword Tomorrow carried and he had a pretty good feeling he was going to try and stay defensive¡ªhe knew that Tomorrow had pushed him to the edge, and if he weren¡¯t careful he could do some desperate final cling for victory that would no doubt ensure his defeat.


    He waited, and as the time came back to him he feinted left as if to strike underneath his blade¡ªbut then he decked right and aimed for Tomorrow¡¯s shoulder. The strike was deflected, but only barely.


    ¡°Whew, that was close¡ªcloser than you¡¯ve been, but still a bit obvious,¡± Tomorrow said. ¡°I could tell there was something that clicked in your brain, though. I think you have a foundation to build off of.¡±


    He was breathing heavily and could feel the sweat running down his face. Even though he had failed to land a hit, there was a surge of energy he hadn¡¯t felt at all before since landing in this world and the prospects of it excited him. Here he could build upon his strengths and become more than he ever thought he could. I think I can retire the name LUCAS. I think I should pick one that I most identify with now¡ªand not one given to me on a whim. I must think on what name I would like.


    ¡°Okay, you can take a rest over with the others, we¡¯ll round back to you shortly,¡± Tomorrow said, bringing LUCAS out of his thoughts. ¡°I will take...you next,¡± Tomorrow said, pointing to Tabula. She looked at him and nodded, then turned to LUCAS. He handed her the sword...not wanting to let go, but feeling the adrenaline start to fade he began to feel the weight of it once more in his hand, then he let go easily.


    What name would I like? Who do I want to be?

 14 | The Exarchromage

    Winter 2045


    Ally Fae


    She stood amidst the crowd of chromages as the energy seemed to blossom to a tight crescendo. Her gaze was singularly focused on the man who stood in the back of the ever-shifting crowd¡ªintermingled within the activity and energy. She could only see the top of his head over the others, but instantly she knew it was the person she had long been separated from. He had been the one she had borne a child with.


    Felix.


    Ryker was saying something but she was so zeroed in on Felix that whatever it was he said fell to the background and blurred¡ªcompletely irrelevant to who she stared at now. For all intents and purposes it could have been the buzzing of a fly a million miles away for all it mattered to her. For all she cared he could have admitted to murder and her stare would not have been shaken. When she stepped out to meet him she felt her arm yanked back and she moved as free like water¡ªspinning and in a fraction of a second she had Ichaival pointed at Ryker¡¯s throat¡ªhe let go of her arm as fast as she moved. He took the meaning well, and she was aware the crowd around her had stopped to stare at the interaction. The energy behind her had frozen and stared at the singular point of the arrow of light that had been nocked in her hands. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Felix had gone from his place¡ªshe no longer spotted his mop through the top of the crowd.


    ¡°Now now, while unexpected, we do not need any sort of fighting here unless you¡¯re training with one of our chromages. I would avoid doing this if you¡¯re unprepared, however, regardless of your talent. You¡¯ll find there are others with talents just as unexpected as yourself,¡± Ryker said, returning his hand behind him and speaking from a haughty stance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch me like that,¡± Ally said, keeping the bow drawn. It glowed in the soft light emanating like embers fluttered to the sky. ¡°Keep that in mind and we won¡¯t have any undo problems, got it?¡±


    Deep within she felt the shaky nature of her waning confidence, but she knew Jace was helping keep her stance firm and her face fierce. Ryker relented and offered a hand gesture, ¡°Yes, very well,¡± was all he added.


    The bow dissipated between her fingers and she felt the warmth leave as she nodded, then turned back to the crowd¡ªwho assumed their duties as if they hadn¡¯t been interrupted. She had lost Felix in the chaos of it all and she cursed silently, and closed her eyes. Then, she returned back to Ryker and looked at him hard.


    ¡°You¡¯ll meet up with your lost one soon enough, but that isn¡¯t the first order of our business here, now if you¡¯ll accompany me we¡¯ll meet with the Exarchromage and we can move on from there,¡± Ryker said with a smile.


    She sighed and nodded and the two paired off and walked toward the rear of the room. They passed by a few other chromages who had worn jackets of a worn leather that extended past their waists and tightened near the neck. It was an odd affair altogether and Ally was thankful she didn¡¯t have to ditch her hooded sweater and pants for their strange ceremonial garb. It looked much too uncomfortable and unsuitable for when this area got colder. As they reached the rear, a central room bellowed out from the expanse and it led to a staircase that led downward.


    ¡°Down here is where the Exarchromage works most frequently,¡± Ryker took to explaining as eloquently as a beaver took to flying. ¡°She dedicates much time to her lab as it is closest to the point from where our magic flows most freely.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like she¡¯s more like a shut-in,¡± Ally said.


    Ryker laughed, ¡°I would not say so aloud, personally, but that is probably because I have a knack at getting under others¡¯ skin when my words reach their ears.¡± There was a note of pride in his voice that was dissonant with his tone. ¡°I¡¯m sure coming from you it would be charming, even humorous.¡±


    At least he recognized it. Humility does exist in this corner in the world in some form or fashion.


    They trotted down the steps together at uneven intervals. Ally found as soon as she was walking in line with him she diverted to walking just a bit slower on purpose. It sent chills up her spine to even think of matching his pace down the steps. When they reached the lower level she saw the sight change to an unfamiliar metallic stretch of a lab that felt true to the most modern idea of the word. I honestly thought this would be a full on medieval magic hut with airy smoke and everything, guess I¡¯ve learned my lesson to not assume so quickly.


    At the end of the hall lay a large silver door¡ªit looked like it had been shined to a fault and Ally could see her own reflection as she approached it. To anyone else they would have seen her eyes and wondered what hardships she endured to have that look. To Ally, she simply saw Jace overlayed her own eyes, a fact she let slide to the edge of her thoughts as Ryker stepped forward.


    He held his gloved hand up in a curled fist and rasped the edge of the door thrice with some of the lightest knocks she¡¯d ever heard. As his hand made contact with the door Ally saw that his fingertips began to glow. He turned to Ally as the tumblers began to shift. ¡°Can¡¯t open it without a touch of color in you, you see? This is the first step to even begin to make contact with the Exarchromage. Protection from those who may feel burned from not having color themselves.¡±


    ¡°Not really a good protection against those who have magic but want more, right?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°No, I guess it¡¯s not, but that would only be a problem if the Exarchromage were defenseless,¡± he winked and turned as the door opened.


    The room opened up to a swathe of papers strewn about on desks and counter tops that lined the walls. It was the most amount of paper she¡¯d seen in a very long time. It was like coming across an ancient national treasure. And they¡¯re just being used...just like it was in the old days. What I wouldn¡¯t write down if I had that level of access.


    ¡°Well now, quite the intriguing interest for someone new,¡± a voice called from the other side of the room. Ally looked over to see a woman with reddish hair tied up in a ponytail and wearing a long white coat. Her back was to them as she was overlooking a stack of papers laid out in front of her. ¡°Plenty of energy and curiosity...a writer, I presume?¡±


    The woman turned and Ally could see her face more clearly¡ªshe looked like she was in her thirties and there was a confidence behind her eyes that Ally was instantly enamored by.


    The Exarchromage offered a smile and Ally felt herself staring into her hazel eyes. ¡°It seems you¡¯re useful sometimes, Ryker. Just when I think of why I keep you around you surprise me yet again.¡± She hadn¡¯t turned to Ryker to say this¡ªher eyes hadn¡¯t left Ally¡¯s stare as she said it.


    ¡°I aim to please,¡± Ryker had pulled himself into a bow. Ally was sure that massive smirk was plastered all over his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure all broken clocks think they¡¯re right all the time,¡± the Exarchromage said, a smirk forming on her own face. ¡°You¡¯re dismissed. I¡¯ll take over from here.¡±


    ¡°Right, my fee is the same as always.¡± Ryker nodded and stood to attention before leaving the room. There was a noticeable lightening around her as soon as the door closed behind him and the air felt...cleaner at his leaving.


    ¡°I apologize for him being the reason you stand here today,¡± the Exarchromage said, a slight sorrowful look crossing her eyes. ¡°His skill precedes him and he has a rather...electric way of getting people¡¯s attention in finding new chromages across the world. I hate to say that his ability to peek into others¡¯ minds is as useful as it is despicable. If I shared his talent I¡¯d make more use of my free time covering his area...but alas, such was not my gift to share.¡±


    Ally looked at her with a curious look, ¡°Why are you here?¡± The question brought the expected confused reaction, but Ally continued forward. ¡°I mean, I heard the story of you coming here and establishing this place up, but why? And how did you know how to do it?¡±


    The Exarchromage studied her face for what felt like an extended period of time before answering. ¡°You are very curious. I am happy that you¡¯re not afraid to ask, but I am going to go over a few things first before I go into answering your questions. Please don¡¯t think I¡¯m pushing them off¡ªyou were brought to me for a reason and I wish to conclude that business before talking pleasantries.¡± She smiled and cocked her head.


    Ally nodded and smiled too, ¡°Yes, that is fine.¡±


    ¡°Excellent. Now if you would come over here, I¡¯ll show you our process and we can get you registered.¡±


    Ally walked closer to the Exarchromage and Jace faded in just beside her. ¡°I¡¯m glad the weirdo is gone, but I¡¯m not sure how I like our new situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to keep on my toes,¡± Ally thought back to him. ¡°Can never be too safe.¡±


    ¡°Watch your step, the floor is going to open up, Mind you don¡¯t fall in when it does.¡±


    Ally looked behind her and took an instinctive step back as from a central square in the floor a slot had opened up. It looked to be about the size of her fist, and as the slot had receded the next layer out had started to recede as well. It continued until three layers had receded back to reveal a hole now much larger and could actually pose a real threat if she were to fall in.


    Then came a mechanical whirring as a spherical machine rose from the depths below.


    ¡°This is our registry,¡± The Exarchromage said. ¡°It contains numerous records on our available chromages as well as a running record of their development and similarly houses the stored chroma from the Earth. Consider this the core of Achrom.¡±


    Ally looked at the machine as the sphere inside started to glow. There looked to be a smaller sphere that had begun to spin just separate from the outer shell. Its spinning looked to be extremely hypnotic.


    ¡°It is very visually stimulating,¡± The Exarchromage chuckled. ¡°Sometimes I find myself losing time to just looking at it spin¡ªwondering at its underlying mechanics to hold all the magic within. But we should minimize that time here, now.¡± She swiped her hand over the surface of the sphere and a display projected itself in front of her face. She stopped and looked at Ally¡¯s face, which had now turned from astonishment to awe. A smile appeared on the Exarchromage¡¯s face and she looked back to the display. ¡°More high tech than you thought a place like this would be?¡±


    Ally was shaken out of her stupor, she blinked twice and looked to her. ¡°Y-Yeah. I admit I thought it would have been more Dungeons and Dragons in here and less Matrix.¡±


    Her smile remained and her eyes seemed to glow at the references, ¡°Old work. Reminds me of the world before.¡± She chuckled once more and began typing on a keyboard that visualized itself before her. ¡°Yes, this place is where magic and technology marry. Magic is insurmountable, and we can do a lot with it, but we could not reach the heights we reach for without technology. And I can¡¯t say that the registry here hasn¡¯t helped us out infinitely in organization and categorization of almost a thousand chromages in our ranks.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like a lot.¡± Ally said.


    ¡°It can be, but thankfully I have a lot of experience in managing important teams,¡± she said. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going to pass this over to you, are you familiar with keyboard inputs?¡±


    Ally nodded, ¡°It¡¯s been a while but I used to write a lot on keyboard before¡­¡±


    The Exarchromage nodded. ¡°I get it. Things are different now. You know, you should have the power to type, at least, if you¡¯re strong enough for Ryker to bring you in.¡±


    Ally looked at her, confused. ¡°I can what now?¡±


    ¡°Conjuration is the most common sort of magic we have around here¡ªit tends to flow from the color purple, hence the color of the keyboard here, but if you¡¯re capable you should be able to conjure up something like this no problem.¡±


    ¡°How would that...connect?¡± Ally thought how to word what she had concern over.


    The Exarchromage grinned, ¡°That¡¯s the fun of it. You just do. It comes with the act. If you so decided you could paint the walls with your words. Go on ahead and try it. You¡¯ll feel a sort of cooling feeling¡ªlike a breeze running through your mind to your fingertips,¡± she motioned with her own. ¡°Though I¡¯d recommend you avoid defiling property that doesn¡¯t belong to you¡ªit¡¯s hard to undo magic not originated from yourself.¡±


    Ally felt an excitement well up in her stomach. ¡°Is that true? Jace, does that sound like something I can do?¡±


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t considered it,¡± Jace said in return. ¡°but if you can summon me to reality I don¡¯t see why it wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡±


    Ally closed her eyes and envisioned the shape in her mind¡¯s eye¡ªshe then imagined a signal connecting with the central unit. She felt the familiar breeze¡ªsomething she had historically likened to a physical sensation of relief, as that was how Jace¡¯s presence had felt to her. She felt him fade as in front of her fingertips looked a glowing display that certainly looked like a keyboard.


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°That¡¯s insane,¡± she let slip. ¡°I had no idea I could do that.¡± Her hands dropped to her side and the display cut in two¡ªhovering down in front of her on each side. ¡°And I don¡¯t need to be in the position¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re reasoned enough to type without looking,¡± the Exarchromage said. ¡°Though I fear that is a skill that has passed in many ways.¡± She smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll conjure up the form for you¡ªit¡¯s nothing too invasive, just so we have some records to work with. You can fill out as much or as little in the fields but we ask you fill out all the fields noted as required. It helps us help those that are here.¡±


    Ally saw there was quite a lot of information that was being asked for. There was the obvious surface level information like name and biographical information, but then there were categories that were more specific into different aspects of herself, followed by a description of magical abilities they possess. Ally¡¯s gaze darted over toward the Exarchromage.


    ¡°We understand personal privacy is a right you¡¯re fully entitled to, but we also understand secrets of power rarely end well for both parties,¡± the Exarchromage said. She swiped her hand over the machine again and her fingertips began to glow¡ªan additional window appeared next to the form in front of Ally. ¡°If it helps, I wouldn¡¯t hide my information if I was asking of someone else¡¯s.¡±


    In front of her she saw a new form had replaced the empty one she was about to begin typing on.


    Name:


    Sarah Newman


    Height:


    5¡¯7¡±


    Age:


    32


    Weight:


    170 lbs


    Rank:


    Exarchromage


    Abilities:


    Yellow [Telekinesis, Aetherkinesis]


    Purple [Conjuration, Arcane Sensitivity (High)]


    Blue [Somnus Sight, Postcognition]


    Red [Aetheric Conduit]


    Green [Absorption]


    ¡°A lot of this...is a bit out of my usual language,¡± Ally said. ¡°And...Sarah is a pretty name.¡±


    Sarah smiled. ¡°Thank you, I tend to keep it out of my own mouth unless I need to speak it. I find people don¡¯t take me as seriously if they know me as anything else other than the Exarchromage.¡±


    Ally nodded, ¡°I get it, I can continue to call you such if that¡¯s what you prefer.¡±


    She laughed, ¡°I think you do understand my plight well. I don¡¯t mind you using my other name. But I can explain a few of those entries there to clarify¡ªwith the registry it became imperative we use shortened keywords to describe the different kind of abilities one can manifest as to keep things as organized as possible, as writing down entire backstories of how the powers manifested¡ªwhile possible, isn¡¯t a required field, I hope for obvious reasons.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d push people away and others who loved to write about themselves would fill your storage space in minutes,¡± Ally guessed.


    ¡°Correct,¡± Sarah nodded. ¡°So, I am going to assume you understand telekinesis.¡± Ally nodded, and Sarah then continued. ¡°Excellent. Somnus Sight is an ability I use while my conscious mind is asleep. I foresee potential futures based on actions taken and receive visions of events that have a chance to come. There is also the ability to connect with other somnus sensitive in their dreams, although it has been quite a while since we¡¯ve had another somnus sensitive around these parts, so largely the former is what is most relevant.¡±


    ¡°Prophetic dreams,¡± Ally said. ¡°I think I read a story about that when I was younger. Fragments are lost to me on it if you¡¯ll forgive me the chance to give a recommendation.¡±


    Sarah studied Ally¡¯s face and seemed eerily quiet. After a few seconds she nodded and continued as if the silence hadn¡¯t happened. ¡°The others are simpler to explain. Absorption sounds monstrous, but it merely is the ability to absorb magical energy from living force. It¡¯s how this whole place began¡ªit¡¯s how we siphon magic from the earth itself and convert it into usable force outside of personal ability.¡±


    ¡°Living force implies more than the earth, though,¡± Ally said.


    Sarah smiled a small look and nodded curtly, ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t make a public showing of it, but there have been situations where those with abilities like ours have threatened the safety of the guild and its people. We don¡¯t like to take life if we can avoid it at all costs, but if we can cripple the threat of those who may do us harm, then yes I am capable of stealing their magic and putting it to more positive use. I try to make myself available publicly to not have this be seen as a threat against the people who work here. Nobody wins if fear is the motivator, after all.¡±


    Ally nodded, but it would be a lie to say that it at all reduced the amount of concern over such a power like that.


    ¡°Next up is Arcane sensitivity, this should be obvious, but the listing is set to High because of the limits of my abilities stretch deeper than most around here. Given my rank as Exarchromage it only makes sense. This is not something you will list yourself¡ªwe have a separate test for that so when you begin to fill out the form you will not select that option¡ªit will be retroactively applied to your form based on the results of the secondary test¡ªand that¡¯s the last test of the registry I promise this whole process isn¡¯t painful.¡±


    Ally looked to Sarah and could feel the earnest desire to not overwhelm her in her voice. ¡°I get it. It¡¯s not as if I have a full scope of my own talents as I¡¯m still learning more under the surface every day.¡±


    ¡°I knew you¡¯d understand,¡± Sarah said. ¡°Aetherkinesis is similar to Telekinesis¡ªkinesis just being the movement or physical manipulation of some force or object.¡±


    ¡°So, movement of aether?¡±


    ¡°Yes, aether is a way to describe the energy that makes up physical being. Energy of the earth, air, and other elements. This could be similarly known as the physical control over the elements¡ªwhatever we may have at our disposal.¡± She looked from the left to the right. ¡°In a sterile environment like this there isn¡¯t much available for me to demonstrate, but if we were up back on the surface I could manipulate the winds to blow back an opponent, manipulate fire to set aflame to a fire pit, or much anything else I put my mind to.¡±


    ¡°That sounds incredibly useful,¡± Ally said.


    ¡°It is, and it¡¯s also been very helpful in showing pompous fools they¡¯re in over their head when they try to vye for my position here,¡± she let loose another smile.


    ¡°I can bet,¡± Ally said, nodding.


    ¡°There is more to aetherial magic,¡± she began. ¡°The theorist in me likens this to similarity with my somnus sight, as the two frequently bleed into one another, but this is an aetherial space manipulation magic.¡± She raised her hand and her fingertips glowed a bright blue color¡ªthe space around the two of them spilled into a starry background and blues and oranges of opposing might mixed below them.


    ¡°We¡¯re not physically in the cosmos as you see it now, but what you see is the space outside of our physical domain as it is, live. And this,¡± she raised her other arm and the fingertips on that hand glowed a muted green color. ¡°...is the way of our time, currently.¡± A burning comet trail became visible and from the tail of the comet she saw several nudges and offshoots. The head of the comet was a burning bright white that kept moving forward across the space.


    ¡°The way of our time?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a physical manifestation of the progression of time moving forward. Those offshoots are historically significant periods of time where alternate paths may have been created¡ªat least, that was back in the old world. Notice how none of the recent time here has any of those branches.¡±


    Sarah was right, there was a noticeable shift in how neat the tail looked¡ªand she could pick out the time that the world had changed over¡ªit was a very clean cut.


    ¡°I cannot interact with the cosmos here through this sight, but sometimes when I am granted sight of possible future events I can see the after effects play out on the timeline. So, I take that into account of which missions I assign the guild and attempt in keeping things moving forward as intended.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Ally said. ¡°And what sort of things would those entail?¡±


    Sarah smiled, ¡°It depends. I don¡¯t seek enslavement of the human race or decimation of the achromatic if that¡¯s what that question is meant to imply. I simply monitor for threats that would bring catastrophic consequences to the world we now inhabit and actively try to protect against those consequences.¡±


    Ally nodded, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for implying otherwise. It sounds like a very honorable thing you do here, and I¡¯m sure the people here appreciate the work and the ability to feel like they¡¯re contributing to something larger. I¡¯m just wary of those with power due to personal history.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Sarah said, and she had kept it short. ¡°Conjuration we¡¯ve gone over, the act of creating or giving physical form to matter from within your own mind. I¡¯ve a feeling you have experience with this one.¡±


    Ally nodded. She knew this was how she was able to summon Jace into having a corporeal body¡ªand likened that similar magic was used because of her pact with Leptous to conjure Ichaival¡ªthe bow she had poorly revealed to everyone above in her haste.


    ¡°And then Arcane Sensitivity¡ªthis is just the natural proclivity to magical ability¡ªthose who are more sensitive to magic are more capable to performing wider feats and acts. Most of our chromages here have at least a low sensitivity, while a large majority of them show a moderate sensitivity, and thus, a moderate amount of magical capability.¡±


    ¡°What of the Archromages?¡± Ally asked.


    ¡°They are those who are like myself¡ªthey have a higher than average sensitivity and thus a higher than average capability with magic. In my experience thus far they are all people who have had experience with magic since before the world turned over, giving them more time to come to grips with the powers they have on display.¡±


    That would make sense for Ryker¡¯s situation, but it only made her more curious about who the other Archromages were and what kind of powers they had available. She then immediately thought of those that she knew who had magical abilities back in the old world¡ªboth Lilly and Ashley who¡ªlike her could affect the world around them. Though she knew of course that both of them were dead¡ªso there was no chance either of them were in a position like that, but the fact that there were two other people like that at her old school had concerned her just how many people like that existed in the old world¡ªand how many were left nowadays.


    She then wondered if any of the others had forged pacts with the Elemantics like she had¡ªif there was ever a title who could benefit from such a magical power boost, the Exarchromage would be her first guess.


    This wasn¡¯t lost on Ally as she began typing. ¡°I hope there¡¯s no misunderstanding for my reason for being here. I am interested in the community you¡¯ve built up, but my primary purpose for registering with you is twofold. One is to reconnect with one of your own here I have not seen in a very long time, and second is to investigate the disappearance of a few colleagues of mine.¡±


    ¡°I admit I am a little disappointed, an energy like yours is something I value,¡± Sarah said. Ally couldn¡¯t help but think Sarah was looking at her more analytically now, and she was wary of how she was typing on the display.


    ¡°I have goals of my own and unfortunately once I am finished with my business here I will be leaving as those goals have me on the road. I was told that registering here would be mutually beneficial, and I can see the benefit of collaborating with the guild to research the matter of the Underworld as I am completely unaware of how to proceed further with that trail.¡±


    ¡°I see, that¡¯s why Ryker struck such an interest in you,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Hardly, he seemed to want to bolster his recruitment numbers it seems,¡± Ally said. ¡°Although I will admit his mention of such was a key figure for me coming along.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I had believed it was going to be put up to a choice of finding my colleagues or reuniting with¡­¡± she held back as she finished typing.


    ¡°It¡¯s an old love, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sarah asked. ¡°Forgive the intrusion, but it seems evident on your face.¡±


    Ally nodded. ¡°There¡¯s complications with the matter of it, I don¡¯t think anybody¡ªeven him¡ªwould understand the situation until I can fully explain it, but yes. I felt like if I were given the choice I would not have come here if learning more about the Underworld were not involved.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take it as anything personal,¡± Ally said.


    Sarah shook her head, ¡°None taken. I understand having goals that supersede personal wishes. It is a cross I carry and so I am incredibly thankful that your goals aligned to bring you here today. Let¡¯s see what you¡¯ve written down,¡± she said, swiping her hand and bringing the display back to her face.


    Name:


    Allison Fae


    Height:


    NA


    Age:


    NA


    Weight:


    NA


    Rank:


    Chromage


    Abilities:


    Telepathy


    Conjuration [Purple?]


    All in all it had seemed bare for how much she had typed, but in truth she had gone over and erased her answers to most of the questions several times over, and then finally decided to settle on NA for most of the key personal information, a fact that Sarah had raised an eyebrow to.


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to purposefully obfuscate information,¡± Ally said. ¡°I simply do not know how to answer a lot of it, the height and weight are for a simple reason, the age is for a not so simple reason. And if I¡¯m being honest I already forgot the color associations for the types of magic. Except for Conjuration, of course. I feel that one pretty frequently.¡±


    ¡°I see...I am curious as to what kind of reason would make your age complicated?¡±


    ¡°I do not wish it to become widespread information as I think it would draw more questions than I am comfortable with answering. But I am not originally from this time, I¡¯ve crossed into this time...which is fourteen years after my own. So my age is...complicated. I do not know if I will return to the time I came from or will continue to spend my days in this age...and I¡¯ve wondered if I should continue my age from what time my body would consider, or what society would expect of me.¡±


    ¡°I see...you are very interesting indeed. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve experienced anyone else who has crossed through time. I would love to talk more about this at a future time, indeed. But I think you are fine to keep the information as it stands now¡ªthe information you have been unable to add is information we can add later on if need be. And do not worry about the color coordination¡ªthat is something the system will sort after registration begins its due course. Now, if you¡¯ll come over here we¡¯ll head to the scanner where we¡¯ll take inventory of your chroma levels and abilities. This should be good for yourself as well¡ªyou¡¯ll finally be able to put your self doubts to rest.¡±


    Ally nodded and the display in front of her closed down. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Sarah¡¯s brow raised and a knowing look crossed her gaze. ¡°So, your person of interest is one of our chromages...this tale gets even more interesting the deeper it reads.¡±


    ¡°His name¡¯s Felix,¡± Ally said. ¡°I had met him...well, it was more than fourteen years ago now. There was a settlement farther north called Home where we had met and spent quite a lot of time together before getting separated. I¡¯m not sure if the settlement is even still around.¡±


    Sarah nodded, ¡°You take me for someone who would not normally be so open about talking about your woes. I appreciate you feeling so open here, but I would advise caution to be wary about how open you make yourself to someone you¡¯ve just met,¡± Sarah said. ¡°You don¡¯t know what kinds of people lurk in this new world.¡±


    Ally nodded, ¡°Nothing I¡¯ve said puts me in any danger, but I appreciate the advice. I¡¯ve gotten myself out of precarious situations before and...I dunno. I figure you¡¯re a good listener and one of the more reciprocative people I¡¯ve come across in a long while.¡±


    Sarah smiled, and led Ally toward the scanner. It lay at the rear of the lab and was a large cylindrical dome with a slot that opened horizontally. Sarah placed a palm on the front and her fingertips glowed a slight blue. The machine responded to her touch and the hatch slid open.


    ¡°All you¡¯ll have to do is step in here and close your eyes. You¡¯ll see some things that relate to your life¡ªthis happens as the machine interacts with the chroma inside you. Don¡¯t worry about this, you¡¯ll return to yourself immediately and we¡¯ll have the results,¡± Sarah explained. ¡°Once that¡¯s done I¡¯ll summon our mutual acquaintance and you can move on from there.¡±


    ¡°And what of the exploits in the underworld?¡± Ally asked.


    Sarah chuckled, ¡°Always the multitasker, it seems. Yes, I¡¯ll have Felix bring you to Orion. He¡¯s the head of our investigation team into that very matter.¡±


    Ally nodded, and she agreed. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s get this underway, then.¡± She stepped inside the machine and felt a chilling cold emanating from the innards of the machine. Jace faded in beside her and she felt a slight warmth emanating from his presence.


    ¡°I think this machine uses electromagnetism to scan this chroma stuff inside your body. I wonder what the results are going to say.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what I¡¯ll see¡­¡± Ally thought back.


    ¡°If anything goes wrong I¡¯ll keep an eye on you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Jace.¡± She closed her eyes and felt the humming wash over her in its entirety. A flash of a similar machine thousands of years ago ran through her mind and a scream of a young child was picked out amidst all the chaos.


    Who was that?

 15 | Restoration

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    Lucas Adair


    It was as simple as that¡ªto take a mechanical designation and to make it his own. It was a reclamation that he was proud of. Something he could break down and humanize, He chose it and he could shorten it¡ªhe could do whatever he wanted with the name as it was his name. His surname, of course, was the biggest change of them all. He had thought hard on the subject, but came to the decision that if he wanted to forge his name from his own hands, he had to shed the ties that came before.


    Gray was so often how he felt¡ªso torn between his ideals and the ideals of those programmed into him, but now, now he could be the shield for those he cared about. He could be the spear necessary to fight back against the dark beings that would seek control of life no matter where it flowed. At the end of the day all of these reasons were nice¡ªand definitely true¡ªbut the cleanest and easiest answer was that it was his decision and he could make it divorced from any external bias or responsibility. He could make a choice that he would live by and the world would have to accept it¡ªpast creators or wishes be damned.


    He sat on the sidelines of the training session with a grin so large Laven had noticed it from halfway across the room. He had been watching the others as they each had challenged Tomorrow¡ªmuch in the same way as he had, and the results had gone similarly for all of them. Even Laven¡ªwho Lucas had believed to handle the blade the best out of them, still had difficulty in adjusting to the weight of the blade.


    She did get used to it faster than he had, and was able to land a hit on Tomorrow before their session was over, but it was obvious that it was more than a challenge for her to get used to it, and her success only came out at the very end of her session.


    The worst of them had been Windsor¡ªhe had complained loudly about the weight of the blade from the very start and his frustration got the better of him until he lashed out and Tomorrow ended the sparring session early. Lucas found it very awkward to be standing on the side and witnessing the equivalent of a tantrum from a man who seemed so much older than he was.


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to have one of the others paired with you to begin with. I think you need alternate training,¡± Tomorrow said, and then looked to Roderick. ¡°You two, how about you pick up where we left off?¡±


    Roderick nodded, it was a simple enough request. He had handled his session pretty average. There wasn¡¯t anything he did well or not, Lucas likened it to his own experience. It was a starting point with which to build off of, but it was surprising considering the size difference between the two of them. Lucas could see that Roderick had been pushed to a sweat when he had finished his session¡ªthe jacket he was wearing had been tossed aside and the stains were prevalent on his undershirt.


    ¡°Yeah, I can,¡± Roderick said. ¡°Toss me the stick.¡±


    Tomorrow walked the dull blade up to him and Roderick watched him slowly approach and delicately hand off the sword. ¡°I¡¯m not about to needlessly cut you up by mishandling a thrown weapon.¡±


    Lucas heard Amber behind him whisper some comment. He couldn¡¯t hear exactly what was said but he figured he got the gist of it. Interestingly she has a lot to say when her attempt went about as well as anyone else¡¯s. You would think she flung herself around like a character from a story.


    Roderick accepted the blade and turned to Windsor who had been breathing heavy. It was clear the frustration had only grown as his face looked taut. It must have been embarrassing to feel like the tutor needed to give you extra work.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Roderick asked, assuming a defensive stance.


    Windsor let out a grunt and dashed to close the gap between the two. He raised the sword with both hands grasping the hilt and was working to swing it down. Roderick smiled small as he sidestepped as the blade coursed right next to him. Windsor screamed as he realized he had missed. ¡°I¡¯M GOING TO END YOU!¡± He sounded feral¡ªhis normally higher pitched voice was scratchy and full of hate. He swiped out an arm to try to catch Roderick, but he missed as Roderick stepped back.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to need to slow down,¡± Tomorrow said. ¡°If you continue flying into a rage you¡¯re never going to make contact.¡±


    ¡°If I go slow then he¡¯ll move out of the way!¡± Windsor argued. ¡°I got him!¡± He swung the sword like an axe twice, missing both times. Even with a dull blade something with that kind of power would do serious damage.


    Windsor swung again in an upward slice and he connected with Roderick¡¯s blade, but it was only the tip so he fell forward and tripped over his own feet. He stumbled and hit the ground, dropping the sword. It was hard to watch, especially when Lucas could see the sweat dripping from his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m done,¡± he cried out, slamming his fist against the ground. ¡°I wasn¡¯t built for this¡­¡± he spat out and slammed his fist down again. He brought his head up slowly to Tomorrow. ¡°I can¡¯t do it...I can¡¯t.¡±


    Tomorrow stared at him with a contemplative look across his face. ¡°I wish circumstances were different, but I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to have to. We don¡¯t have any other use for extra hands in any other contexts.¡±


    ¡°There has to be something!¡± Windsor was crying now, he gasped deeply and rested his weight on his arm. ¡°There has to be something else I can do.¡±


    Tomorrow¡¯s look darkened and he sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t have that authority,¡± he started to shake his head. ¡°If you cannot oblige then I¡¯d have to report it, then Tidmas would surely vote for...an unpleasant end.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Why would that need to escalate so far?¡±


    Tomorrow turned to Lucas. ¡°He would vote it as treason, and then we¡¯d each have to make our cases to the King¡ªus councilors, I mean. I could do my best, but I would be questioned, and the truth of the matter is plain. It wouldn¡¯t be an emotional decision, but one of facts, and the end result would be simple execution.¡±


    Windsor¡¯s eyes went wide and his breathing became more scattered. He began to hyperventilate and Roderick knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder.


    ¡°There must be some other course of action,¡± Laven said. ¡°Something must be in place for those who cannot physically fight?¡±


    Tomorrow closed his eyes and slowly nodded, ¡°That is what the other squadrons are for. We¡¯ve set up numerous teams that are set up for the most optimal performance based on internal studies of each individual within.¡±


    ¡°Internal studies?¡± Roderick asked. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°It means we have methods secret to you to judge your physical, mental, and elemental capabilities without needing to ask you. I can¡¯t explain more than that as it is a secret, but it is from those studies that the squadrons were made. Each team was constructed with each unique skill set in mind based around your abilities, so we cannot shift them around without redoing the entire system, then polling everyone to ensure that is what they want...we and you would be here for eternity finding the ideal solution for everyone, as that is hardly likely to exist.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it odd that you guys don¡¯t have a system that allows for change without upending the entire deal?¡±Amber asked.


    Tomorrow turned to Amber, ¡°Our system is not normally used for this task. If you remember, these squadrons are a direct result of your entrance in this world. We have nary the time or power to spend more resources on the system when we barely got the system going in the first place.¡±


    Amber looked deflated from the answer, she knew it to be true logically. That didn¡¯t help Windsor who seemed to sag and let his head fall to the ground.


    ¡°You are more than you say, soldier,¡± Tomorrow turned back to Windsor. ¡°Your words may ascribe low combat experience, but you fool nobody but the naive.¡±


    ¡°Soldier?¡± Lucas asked, his focus turning to Windsor. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We are able to ascertain based on various scarring across his body that Windsor has seen combat and long years of it. The types of scars match with puncture wounds by way of gunfire. That, and his muscle density heavily implies a strict training regiment. Finally, traces of your emotions have been leaking ever since you¡¯ve arrived¡ªus councilors are trained in noticing these leaks and preparing ourselves for resistance against others who have similar abilities as our own¡ªcouncilors of opposing kingdoms, mainly. But as such, there is a noticeable fear of your wounds being discovered as the connection to your previous combat experience may be linked.¡±


    ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is this fool¡¯s got more combat experience than the lot of us, but he¡¯s been hiding that and throwing his training purposefully?¡± Tabula signed. Laven repeated her question for Tomorrow¡¯s sake, and he nodded firmly.


    ¡°Yes, it seems the most likely option.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck¡­¡± Windsor spoke out. All eyes were now on him. ¡°Well so what of it? I don¡¯t care anymore. I did my time in the service. I got shot for hell¡¯s sake! I was supposed to be out of the fighting, out of the battlefield. Is that really such an evil thing? Am I to be vilified for wanting to live in peace for once?¡±


    Tomorrow clasped his hands. ¡°I understand the difficulty of your situation, unfortunately times require us to work together to accomplish our goals. If you wish to return home, then it is in everyone¡¯s best interest you work for the greater good.¡±


    Windsor¡¯s eyes went wide and something in him had started to click. ¡°I won¡¯t go home¡­¡± he said quietly. His eyes darted to Amber and then back to the group.


    Lucas turned to him and asked him to repeat what he said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go home...that¡¯s the only solution.¡± He looked up to Tomorrow. ¡°I am not going to go back. I no longer identify with the world I originated from. Therefore, I am no longer fit to partake in this squadron.¡±


    His eyes looked greedy, there was a desperation to his voice that Lucas couldn¡¯t wholly turn down. There was a part of him that could understand the motivation on wanting to avoid combat¡ªespecially having experience himself in the field. There brought forward the thought of his own feelings on the matter. Of course if he had to choose he would forgo fighting altogether, but of course he doesn¡¯t have the option to give up. If he does, there¡¯s no telling what would happen to those he conspires against.


    In that context, he could not feel as much empathy toward Windsor in this state. He looked down to the man and in the instant felt a sort of jealousy bubble up that formed into irritation. That irritation congested in his chest and he had felt no choice but to speak up.


    ¡°Nobody¡¯s forcing you to be here,¡± he said. His voice sounded different to how it normally did. He felt like he was speaking from more of a wisened authority. There was a strength there he hadn¡¯t normally noticed. ¡°You came to this castle because it offered food to eat and an opportunity to go home. If you don¡¯t want to help, you can go elsewhere.¡±


    Tomorrow seemed the most surprised at his outburst, but he kept quiet, letting Lucas continue. All eyes were on him at this point, and he didn¡¯t let the opportunity go to waste.


    ¡°Some of us don¡¯t have the option of not fighting. I have my own thoughts and feelings on going back into combat, especially because I lost a lot of my ability to fight in our world, but look at you. Throwing yours away because it is more comfortable. Everyone here wants a life without fighting. Everyone here would give it up if they could, but we¡¯re not getting that chance, because there¡¯s more important than what we individually want.¡±


    Windsor flinched at this and turned to Tomorrow. There was a mix of hurt and anger splayed on his face¡ªhe was breathing hard as the energy held close to him and he yearned to let it out¡ªto scream it out.


    Lucas could feel the sting in his face and knew his words had hit deep. His adrenaline had begun to fade, and it was clear that he had said all he was going to on the situation. Windsor got to his feet and tore off the two shirts he¡¯d been wearing¡ªrevealing that his torso was covered in scarred flesh, and Lucas could see that a few of them were from gunshots. The scarring was pooled to smaller more noticeable marks that signified where his flesh was torn after being shot. It was clear that there were others made from both sharp and blunt objects.


    He tossed the shirts to the side and then turned to Tomorrow, the sweat glistening off his chest. It explained why he desired to cover up more than anything else. ¡°Your information is scarily close to home. It doesn¡¯t change my wishes. I¡¯m done here.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Tomorrow sighed. ¡°I have to say, I agree with Lucas on this matter. I¡¯m very disappointed, and the kingdom shall offer you no more comfort. I¡¯ll have to report this to the King and you¡¯ll be considered wanted if you¡¯re found in these grounds again. If you so desire to remain in this world, you¡¯ve done a poor job at starting off fresh.¡±


    Windsor looked at the man in front of him with a tinge of annoyance. He scoffed, all humor of his previous demeanor shed to the floor. He dropped the sword and it clanged loudly as the metal made contact with the cold stone floor. He brushed past Tomorrow and those remaining felt the tension melt as he left them in their training quarters.


    ~...~


    Two weeks of unparalleled training passed within the blink of an eye. Lucas felt the habits sink in and as Tomorrow had said¡ªbroken and reforged. He felt surer of himself and it helped his self confidence blossom into a strength he could keep close to his chest. At least, it was a start.


    Each day had given them something different until they had cycled back around come the beginning of the second week. They had done weight training, agility tests, reflex and adaptability training. Lucas had felt like he had been enrolled in some military summer camp.


    He woke with a sore back and had to motivate him to sit up from the cot he was provided. Each of them was given a cell of their own¡ªthe doors had been removed from these cells to help divorce it from an actual prison cell¡ªand it wasn¡¯t like there were actual prisoners in this corner of the dungeon anyway. But it certainly didn¡¯t help to make it feel like their own space, but it was better than nothing, if only barely.


    If pattern were to hold, today was going to be focused on their cardio and team building efforts. They were nearing the end of the lengths Tidmas was willing to spend on their efforts before they were let loose on their mission. Tomorrow had estimated this would be their final rotation, and the last two expeditions of their cardio training brought them outside the bounds of the castle for the first time since arriving.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    There had been a path they had traveled and they had to work together to explore and utilize each other to ensure the survival and timely return from the path. At first Lucas hadn¡¯t felt like it was as worth it as the other exercises, as the path they had taken had been pretty linear and without much difficulty other than the expenditure of energy getting to and from.


    He should have figured Tomorrow would challenge them further. But of course, expectation was the enemy of the Omegas. At least, that was what Tomorrow had intended to set in deeply.


    ¡°You ready for our morning jog?¡± Laven was standing in the doorway to his cell. He was sitting upright on his cot with his legs swung out over the edge. He was thankful that the sides of the cell were solid concrete, as he felt a bit embarrassed about how sore his body had felt from their training¡ªhe had sat in the fetal position just letting his new muscles sit and be for longer than he would have liked anybody knowing, least of all her.


    The accelerant particles that existed to hasten their training was in full effect, but Lucas felt like the increasing soreness on his body was equally amplified at a proportionate rate. He looked up to Laven, in awe. He was continuously amazed at how effortlessly she seemed to be adapting to this new world. She was consistently at the top of performance in their training. Even adjusting to the weight of a sword as a simple transition for her. The minuscule part of him that felt jealous was easily stamped out by his admiration.


    ¡°I will be, I just need a few minutes to collect myself.¡±


    She noticed his tone and she cocked her head, her grin fading into a more contemplative look. ¡°I understand this has been hard on you¡ªand I know we haven¡¯t really had a good moment to sit down and talk about it.¡±


    It was true¡ªsince they had met back up they had been so busy or around other people that they haven¡¯t had a quiet moment alone together. He definitely felt like that contributed to his more down-trodden morning.


    He nodded, ¡°It¡¯s been tough. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I love having you hear and you¡¯ve inspired me to keep pushing, keep getting stronger, keep learning more about my new self, but I have missed the times when we used to just talk until you fell asleep.¡±


    She leaned against the wall of the cell, an amused grin crossing her face. He saw a glimmer in her gray eyes. It was the look that he liked most on her. She offered a small chuckle¡ªone ready to offer a counterpoint, but then she transitioned into a softer smile. ¡°Yeah, I get what you mean. I want you to know that even though I don¡¯t know how it feels to switch bodies like you have¡ªto transition from something cybernetic to something organic. There¡¯s a million things I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t needed to think about that are now required to live...I get that confusion. But I want you to know that you¡¯ve been doing a really good job considering all of everything that¡¯s gone on,¡± she made a gesture with her hands, waving to emphasize the incredulity of their situation.


    He looked at her with a warm feeling in his chest. He recognized this feeling as endearment, and it felt good to feel such. Back before he could understand the feeling¡ªand if asked he would say he felt endearment, but that feeling of warmth inside his chest is something he could only ever emulate¡ªplay off of feelings he had data for based on his father¡¯s life. Based on the information he knew about Cain...how strange he would consider him an uncle, but an uncle in the sense all the same¡ªhad felt about Sophie. At least, at the start before things went wrong.


    Endearment had the potential to become dangerous if left unchecked. Thankfully, he thinks the lessons Cain imparted onto him were just as important as the ones Abel had¡ªhe had the gift of learning from the mistakes of those before him.


    ¡°I¡¯ve kept a very close eye on you during our bouts¡ªnot to be weird or anything like that,¡± she nervously trailed off. ¡°I just liked seeing you find yourself in something. Of course, I feel very close to you, but I admit outside of our journey together it¡¯s been rare that we¡¯ve had a chance to explore ourselves together.¡±


    ¡°Yeah...I feel responsibile and my sticking to it has introduced some complications in our...whatever it is we have,¡± Lucas said. ¡°And I guess my unsureness of that is evidence enough of that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an entirely you problem, I¡¯m just as responsible for everything that is put in or not into our relationship,¡± she said, making sure to stress the last word. ¡°I have no conflict in calling a spade a spade, but I agree that just before we got sucked into this strange world we did have some tension that was building based off that very idea¡ªresponsibility to our mission versus the responsibility we owe to each other.¡±


    Lucas was nodding. ¡°I apologize it took an inter-dimensional world shift for us to be able to talk about it¡ªfor me to realize how much of a one-track mind I had about the whole thing. That¡¯s actually why I wanted to bring something important up.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I shouldn¡¯t have treated you the way I did. I wanted to be very clear about that. Like you said, tensions got high and I spoke out of turn. That is not the message I want to send and not the kind of relationship I want to have. I want to have a relationship,¡± Lucas clarified. ¡°And in doing so, I¡¯ve been thinking a lot of my own personal responsibility. I am obviously in a new body, but that shouldn¡¯t be the excuse for me to act more like a person¡ªI¡¯ve had my own consciousness since waking up, and it shouldn¡¯t have taken to this point to understand this. I want that to change, and in doing so, I wanted to reclaim my name¡ªto make that effort to be the best I can be.¡±


    ¡°That sounds very nice,¡± she started. ¡°I am thankful to hear you say that. It eases a weight off of my chest, but I do have to admit I am curious to what you mean by reclaiming your name?¡±


    ¡°You know how LUCAS is an acronym, right? Well, I¡¯m removing that. I¡¯m not an android here, so there¡¯s no need to use that name. I like Lucas, though. And you know me as Lucas, so I don¡¯t see any reason to change that for change¡¯s sake, but I wanted a surname. Something to make my own.¡±


    ¡°I see, and what surname were you thinking of?¡± She asked. Her eyes were studying him, as if to come up with a name of her own to test against the name he had come up with.


    ¡°Well, my knowledge of language is unfortunately limited to English as that was my default programming, back when I had my old body I did have the ability to research things on the fly in my head. I wanted to honor that memory in some way as to not totally erase my past, so I thought of something foreign. Of course, I wanted it to be something that meant a lot to me, and the last thing I wanted was to be insensitive.¡±


    ¡°Enough preamble,¡± she chuckled. ¡°You may have lost the database connection but you are still a lexicon of your own.¡± She smiled saying it, and the smile made him return one in kind.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I was thinking of the words I could pull to my brain from what I remembered¡ªwhat existed on the edge of my thought from my old processes. I settled on Adair.¡±


    ¡°Adair?¡± Laven asked.


    ¡°It is German for happy spear. It symbolizes what I want to be...happy of course is my personal responsibility. It is what I want from my relationship with you. I want to be happy, and I want to make you happy. Spear is my responsibility to our world...and now, this world, if I can. I want to be something that can help others. Something that can lessen the hurt of others and prevent the continuance of evil.¡±


    ¡°That seems like a worthy goal to sacrifice yourself for,¡± she said. ¡°But I am happy to hear that you have more than one priority to focus on.¡±


    ¡°Sacrifice, I think I understand where that is coming from,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I promise you, Natara, that I would only sacrifice if it were in your benefit.¡±


    She blushed, staring at him, silent. She stared at him over the use of her old name¡ªthe name she had discarded since coming to the new world, and something inside her felt that warmth flooding through at his remembering of such a detail. ¡°It sounds nice coming from you,¡± she said.


    ¡°I understand what you mean,¡± Lucas smiled. ¡°And yes,¡± he continued. ¡°I am ready for that jog.¡±


    She smiled and they headed out together.


    ~...~


    They had met up with the others at the castle¡¯s front gates. Tabula and Roderick greeted them with smiles and waves. Amber gave them a silent head nod¡ªLucas had learned early on that she was not a morning person in the slightest. The most one could expect out of her was a grunt and a head nod.


    The sun had just started to crest over the hills in the distance. Lucas had stopped to stare at the indigo sky. He wondered what kind of existence sat outside the bounds of space in this world.


    Tomorrow had joined them last, it was clear he was in a rush as his robes looked a mess and were haphazardly strung about him. His face was a haggard remnant and it inspired little confidence in their day¡¯s activities.


    ¡°Today is going to be a bit different,¡± Tomorrow began. ¡°The councilors are being summoned to discuss emerging concerns at the border, so your training is going to be self lead. I hope I don¡¯t have to say it, but just because you are not being guided I would hope that you do not use this opportunity to stray from the paths we¡¯ve carved out the last few weeks. I say this for your safety, as shade presences have been increased as of late. While your ultimate goal will be to take them down, you are ill prepared to handle them.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to be out, why send us out at all? We could just adjust our training to not be out on our own,¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s your choice,¡± Tomorrow shook his head. ¡°You are at the end of the day responsible for your own bodies. My regiment is untested and only theoretical. If you feel skipping it entirely is the better option, but I¡¯m unsure how your bodies will adjust to repeated training of the same parts of your body consecutively.¡±


    Lucas felt the phantom pain in his arms and shoulder blades. He surely knew that if he picked up a sword again today he would be in turmoil¡ªhe doubted he would be able to even complete it. He looked to the others around them and he could see similar looks cross their faces¡ªeven Laven¡¯s.


    ¡°We¡¯ll continue, today,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I think we¡¯re all in agreement that we couldn¡¯t handle another inside.¡±


    ¡°If I lift another thing today I feel my arms would fall off,¡± Tabula signed.


    Laven had translated for Tomorrow.


    He nodded, ¡°Excellent. If you notice any shades¡ªwhich you¡¯ll find are close when your bodies start growing cold and numb¡ªevacuate immediately and regroup at the castle. If you are followed, alert the guardsmen,¡± Tomorrow pointed toward two guards who were standing on shift. ¡°They¡¯ll alert us and we can send in our imperial reserves. At worst we can come out and dispatch the threat if they¡¯re more than the reserves can handle.¡±


    ¡°By increased activity,¡± Roderick chimed in. ¡°How much increase are we talking? What¡¯s the likelihood we come across them?¡±


    Tomorrow shook his head, concern forming on his face. ¡°I only know reports of sightings on the border and in Whitewing being normal, and more reports closer to the edge of our borders and some deepwood sightings. I couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how many are truly out there.¡±


    Roderick seemed crestfallen from his response. ¡°I see...I was just hoping we could eke out without encountering any, but I guess we¡¯ll just have to be careful.¡±


    ¡°If you reach that fork we went to last time,¡± Tomorrow stated. ¡°Head down the right path. It leads down through the rockbluffs. The ground is uneven so it will be more tiring of a trip for you, but the uneven ground will be to your benefit. Shades tend to avoid uneven ground if they can avoid it¡ªtheir existence is tied to their connection to the ground. The flatter the land the easier they can travel, and the faster, too. Bumps and cliffs deter their travel, but don¡¯t fully impede it. If you are chased, they will not stop for bluffs.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not foolproof, just a good thing to watch out for,¡± Laven summarized.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Laven nodded in her direction and offered a small smile. ¡°With that, I must take my leave. I am already late from being here to assist with questions.¡±


    Lucas nodded in his general direction, ¡°Thank you for assisting us, Tomorrow. I know this is a weird transition for everyone. We¡¯ll do our best to be safe in our travels.¡±


    Tomorrow nodded and then turned on his heels, walking at the same frantic pace as when he had first seen the man back to the castle.


    Lucas turned to the others, they looked at him each with a differing level of amusement. ¡°Well,¡± he took in a deep breath. The air tasted of salt¡ªhe could imagine the winds picking up as they headed closer toward what he assumed were the coasts of this great landmass. ¡°I guess we should get going, no?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re doing this,¡± Amber said, shaking her head. ¡°I¡¯m going...but I¡¯m just in awe how much we¡¯ve accepted this.¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s because we know there¡¯s no other good choice,¡± Laven said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure if we urged to take a day off, that Tidmas guy would move to see us expelled from the grounds and considered as much of an exile as that Windsor guy.¡±


    Laven translated for Amber, who made a face at hearing his name. ¡°That ass wipe is a good for nothing lout¡­¡± she looked off to the ground. ¡°An inconsiderate fool who cares for nothing but himself.¡±


    ¡°Did you happen to know him before coming here?¡± LUCAS asked.


    Talk on Windsor had been at a minimum since the day he left¡ªit was an unspoken rule that they would not think on what would happen to him out in the wilderness alone, that meant bringing him up in conversation as it would clearly lead to said end result.


    Amber¡¯s reaction to the question was as much of an answer as an answer itself, and she nodded. She looked to him and then her eyes darted to the others, and then returned to the ground below. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but if we want to get moving...I can talk about it.¡±


    ~...~


    Amber sat across from Windsor¡ªthen named James Kante¡ªbut he was facing away from her. They were sitting in a local eatery named Cansas¡¯ Eats that was one of two in the small encampment they lived in on what used to be the United Kingdom of the old world. He had just finished with a rather large outburst and she had returned much of the same.


    The world around them had changed greatly over the past two decades, but as they were only in their late twenties, they knew very little of the world before. Decanton was the name of their small village¡ªit had built up over the decade, but there were ever present threats of territorial conflict that had sunk villages nearby to looting and arson.


    More threatening of pressure on the two of them were their own inner turmoils. Amber and James had been together for several years, but the tension between them was palpable sitting there opposing one another, like two commanders of opposing armies¡ªjust when the treaty is burned and the command for total annihilation is called. That deafening silence was only broken by the occasional clinking of silverware against plates as they ate their meals in sullen silence. On the table were the remnants of their last row¡ªAmber had confronted James about his recent disregard for their financial situation.


    James had the bills next to his plate, scattered haphazardly as Amber had just gone through laying them all out. Among them were lists of expenses and notes from local lenders who had been approaching her more often¡ªlenders that had given the both of them money so James could continue his construction work for other villagers and their neighbors. He was supposed to have gotten enough payment from these jobs to be able to repay the lenders, but James has had a penchant for offering his work for credit instead of actual liquid currency.


    This, plus James¡¯ recent overspending of convenience items leaving him to rely on Amber to cover his other necessaries had instigated this most recent fight. They had been discussing their finances for what felt like hours, and the conversation had grown increasingly heated as the night went on.


    "I don''t understand why you can''t stick to a budget," Amber said, her voice was strained. "We''ve talked about this so many times and yet here we are, still in the same hole."


    "I''m trying," James shot back, his own frustration clear in his voice. "But you don''t understand how expensive it is to work in construction. I need to pay to have the tools made or else I can¡¯t do what I need to do to make the money I do."


    "That''s no excuse," Amber retorted, ¡°when that money you say you¡¯re earning just doesn¡¯t exist until you need a favor from someone, and that favor is something you can ask of them normally.¡±


    ¡°I feel bad about asking people for help. Not unless I¡¯m helping them first!¡± James said.


    ¡°James, the problem is that you are asking people for help. Morty¡¯s guys have been coming around when you¡¯re out working.¡± She made it clear to put the word in air quotes as she said it. ¡°An¡¯ I can¡¯t handle being harassed by those guys every day because you decided you can¡¯t ask Frank for help in actually paying you for the work you¡¯re doing.¡±


    ¡°Frank¡¯s going through a hard time!¡± James¡¯ anger was now present, again.


    ¡°We¡¯re going through a hard time!¡± Amber shouted back. ¡°Frank¡¯s been widowed for two months now. It¡¯s not long, but he needs emotional therapy, not an addition onto his house. Or if he does need that, he can bloody pay you for it. You need to learn to control your job instead of letting it control you. Otherwise it¡¯s not a job. It¡¯s a hobby, and we can¡¯t survive off of a hobby.¡±


    James¡¯ face flushed with anger. "I don''t need you to bail me out," he said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I''m a grown man and I can take care of myself. I don''t need you to control every aspect of my life. I get by."


    The argument continued, each of them growing more and more agitated. They said things they didn''t mean, and the hurt and anger in the room was palpable. By the time they went to bed that night, the rift between them felt wider than ever.


    She had decided she wasn¡¯t going to stay in the same room as him¡ªmuch too often when they fought and they tried to go to sleep he had tried to pretend things were better by buttering her up. Just because he got thoughts in his head and he saw the opportunity, he would try to tend to his needs at the cost of her comfort and emotional stability.


    Things were not good.


    Amber¡¯s eyes fluttered shut and she fell into the world of the unconscious¡ªa falling that felt so real as deep dreams oft tend to do, but it wasn¡¯t until her eyes opened in haste that she realized she was falling for real.


    The world around her was a cosmic slurry of blues and purples smearing across her vision. The colors shone brilliantly and rose in intensity. She tried to scream, but couldn¡¯t find the air to take in. Her head felt light and her consciousness waned until physical sensation returned to her body¡ªshe was rolling along the ground and she gasped for air as the world filled in around her.


    The ground was hard and tall grass stalks rose up¡ªhiding her in the depths. They irritated her skin and she sat staring at the ground as she lay on her stomach for a few minutes until she looked up and her eyes widened¡ªthe sky was blue. It had been said that the older residents of her village had lived in a time when the sky was blue¡ªbut she never had even imagined what that could feel like. It felt so foreign...and she knew immediately that she wasn¡¯t in the same world anymore.


    She scanned her surroundings and saw something a few feet off in the distance hidden by the grass. She made her way to her feet¡ªslowly taking her time as to not overwhelm her senses. When she was able to stand without feeling like she was going to fall over she worked her way over toward the other figure in the grass.


    ¡°Oh my god, James,¡± she let out an exasperated sigh and bent down to check him over. He let out a pained groan and groggily opened his eyes.


    ¡°Wh-what the hell happened?¡± he asked, coming back to himself. ¡°Where are we?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Amber said, looking around their surroundings once more. In the distance stood a grand castle.

 16 | Chain Link

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    Lucas Adair


    ¡°And there you have it.¡± Amber began. There¡¯s not much more I can say on the subject.¡± She was staring at the rest of the group. ¡°Things have just gone so far off the rails¡­not that they were really on any sort of track before coming here¡­but there it is.¡±


    The tension that emanated from one person to the next was so heavy that they couldn¡¯t help but gravitate toward her. Even as they jogged they felt their attention pull toward the center where she jogged beside them. Roderick was the first to speak up. ¡°I¡¯m very sorry to hear you¡¯ve had to go through all that,¡± he said. ¡°I didn¡¯t know it was even half that bad.¡± He was jogging at their pace beside them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Amber said. ¡°Things were trending downward for a time anyway. This just cut the cord which should have been cut already. It needed to happen. I just wish it could have been sooner...so much sooner.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Laven said. ¡°We¡¯re not here supporting men who can¡¯t understand what¡¯s actually important to them outside of themselves.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, not to dog on,¡± Roderick began, ¡°but it seems like he would have absolutely ruined you.¡±


    Amber said nothing after this, merely focusing on her pace as they continued on. It was a message of its own that they had respected.


    Lucas was thinking on how he knew Laven wasn¡¯t talking about him when she had said what she did to Amber¡ªit was all in an attempt to cheer her up, but he couldn¡¯t help but think on his own personal failings¡ªthose which he was determined to not repeat. His dedication to being better is what helped keep him moving. He caught up to their pace and exhaled and took in a breath through his nose. He would be better.


    Their path in front of them lead out toward the thickets past the fields out of the castle¡¯s outskirts. Just like it had the last few times they¡¯d gone on their runs¡ªthe further they got from the bounds of the castle the more the air seemed to feel lighter on them. There was a noticeable difference in how gravity affected them¡ªLucas figured that the heavier weight was what helped the accelerant particles build their muscles during their combat sessions. It had also been what had tired them out so much more when they were working to exhaustion.


    Laven turned back to Tabula. They were jogging with their eyes closed, but then they opened and saw Laven looking at them. Tabula nodded and signaled they were okay, and then Laven nodded in return.


    Laven smiled and began to sign out, before speaking aloud, ¡°We¡¯re going to be coming up on the fork soon,¡± she said. ¡°We all good?¡±


    Lucas nodded and felt the initial burn start to form in his lungs. It was at this point when he would normally stop¡ªthat is if he were running for pleasure. He knew though here pleasure was secondary to progress. This was but a wall to overcome¡ªthat satisfaction would come when he was able to overcome that burning sensation. Even though they were traveling farther and farther away from the castle¡ªaway from the accelerant particles, his body still seemed to carry memories of that weight and the soreness it would feel.


    Still, he looked up, making sure to carry his head high as he started, ¡°It¡¯s going to be new ground and we¡¯re not going to have someone who knows the area to help, so we¡¯re going to need to be on our guard.¡±


    The others were in agreement, and so they continued on. Their environment started getting rougher as the ground started getting bumpy and rocky. The long stalks of grass started to thin out as the sun hung overhead¡ªcasting its golden rays down toward them. If they were continuing out this way they were going to be seeing less trees and varied flora¡ªthe methodology was to keep the field as open as possible. They continued until they reached the bluffs¡ªthe run had taken them to the eastern coast where the azure seas lapped on each other.


    They had each stopped over the cliff side¡ªtaking in the sight as the wind started to blow behind them. To Lucas¡¯ right was the way forward¡ªthe path continued down the edge of the bluff¡ªhe saw the edge continued past a narrow slip where it looked like they would need to travel one by one¡ªsidling against the cliff face as they continued on.


    ¡°Is this a bad time to say I¡¯m afraid of heights? We haven¡¯t had to deal with that yet so it hadn¡¯t become relevant...but there it is.¡± Amber nearly spat out.


    Tabula came up and placed a hand on her shoulder¡ªAmber turned at their touch and Tabula nodded her head. She signed, and Laven translated, ¡°We are all scared of something. Do not let it paralyze you. I will go right behind you and can steady you if necessary.¡±


    Lucas could tell it wasn¡¯t enough to fully placate her fears¡ªhe doubted there would be anything that could fully help outside of not having to do it.


    ¡°Realistically,¡± Roderick said, ¡°We could just head back the way we came. We¡¯re probably at the apex of our journey length-wise. We can avoid going across here and save on the stress.¡±


    Lucas thought this sounded like a good idea¡ªbut as soon as she saw Amber¡¯s face he knew she voiced her fear as a first step of overcoming it. She had the burning embers of challenge in her eyes and knew what she was going to say right before she said it.


    Amber shook her head. ¡°No, no, I should face my fear. It¡¯s not exciting¡ªfar from it, but I¡¯ll fear it until the day I die. I understand that, but I can experience the worst of it here and have a baseline for the next experience. Have something I can call back to say that I¡¯ve done it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very brave of you,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I can see you mean it.¡±


    ¡°No need to prop me up,¡± Amber said. ¡°It¡¯s as dumb as it is brave. I understand that.¡±


    ¡°Probably dumber,¡± Laven said, laughing. ¡°But that¡¯s how you know you¡¯re human. Because it¡¯s important to you.¡±


    ¡°Because you can overcome it,¡± Tabula signed, and Laven translated.


    Amber took in a deep breath and arched back, stretching. ¡°Ye, it¡¯s going to be as fun as a dog in a hot spring...but I do think we have to do it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Roderick said. ¡°Set the baseline for all of us,¡± he looked right at Amber and then went to each of them in order.


    Laven nodded in response and then turned to Amber, ¡°I¡¯ll go next, and we¡¯ll each help make sure that it¡¯s safe for the rest of you.¡±


    To this, Lucas turned to Laven and raised an objection. ¡°No...no I want to make sure it¡¯s safe for you.¡±


    Laven cocked her head and smiled softly. ¡°I appreciate the words, but as they used to say in the old world...dibs.¡± She placed a hand on his face and caressed it smoothly.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Luke blushed. ¡°I¡¯ll go next, then Amber, then Tabula take up the rear. How does that sound?¡± he turned, making sure Tabula could read his lips.


    The both of them nodded and they filed into a line as Roderick placed a hand up toward the cliff face¡ªhe took a step out and placed his left foot on the edge¡ªthe space he had to walk was just barely enough to fit his foot facing sideways. The total length of the stretch was about thirty feet¡ªit didn¡¯t look like much until he took a deep breath and saw it stretch out into what seemed like ten times the size.


    ¡°Take your time,¡± Laven said.


    ¡°Got it,¡± Roderick said, and he took his next step, sliding his right foot next to his left. There was a sound out in the distance¡ªeveryone seemed to freeze as they tried to deduce the source of the sound.


    ¡°It sounded far away,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I can¡¯t quite tell what it was.¡±


    Tabula questioned Lucas on what they had been looking around for.


    Laven signed back to her, ¡°There was a sound¡ªlike something echoing in the distance.¡±


    Tabula nodded as they understood. Roderick took another step and Lucas could tell his breathing had steadied. He was taking in breaths as slowly as he could, all of his attention on slowly sidling toward the other side. He got into a rhythm and then he was halfway across. And then just as quickly he made it to the other side and nodded, letting himself deflate as he started breathing normally again.


    ¡°All right!¡± He called out across the gorge. ¡°It¡¯s stable¡ªI didn¡¯t feel anything untoward¡ªso long as you match what I did you should be--¡±


    He was cut off by the sound again¡ªit was clearer this time. It was closer. It sounded like the downing of a tree and its ultimate collapse as it hit the ground. They had passed the mass outbreak of trees long back near the castle¡ªso they had been far and few between. Just what could be making that sound?


    ¡°Amber, I think you should go next,¡± Lucas turned to her. He could see his request freaked her out more, her eyes looked as wide as dinner plates.


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, he could sense the tremor in her voice.


    ¡°I think something is coming,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Whatever is making that sound. I hate to say it, but I think it¡¯s headed this way. If it comes to it, I don¡¯t want you and Tabula to be the last ones that have to go over.¡±


    Laven looked from Lucas to the other two, and she too noticed the looks in their eyes. ¡°Yes, you both go on ahead of us,¡± she motioned and signed to Tabula¡ªwho was too busy looking past them to see what Lucas had said. She repeated it to them and they both were looking at her now.


    Lucas knew it was because Laven was a natural born leader¡ªhe had felt it from the first. There was something about the way she operated¡ªshe had a fire that inspired others to listen to her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Amber nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go,¡± she turned to Tabula, realizing they were just as afraid as she was. ¡°I want you to follow right behind me, and we¡¯ll keep an eye on each other.¡±


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Tabula nodded, and they took in a deep breath. The sound crashed in the distance¡ªit was much closer now. They made no short effort and started taking their first steps out. Amber placed both hands on the side of the cliff. She took one step onto the cliff and took in a deep breath, her hands shook and she tried to swallow it down.


    The source of the sound revealed itself finally. After the torture of hearing it approach closer and closer Lucas saw in the distance a mass of black tar that was approaching at a speed unknown to anything he had known. As it approached it seemed to shrink in size¡ªits sludgy mass seemed to glow with an ethereal light that seemed unnatural¡ªinhuman. He then recognized that the light was spilling from its cavernous eye sockets and what looked like a mouth¡ªa human mouth that was spilling amber-orange light.


    The fetid form sauntered toward them¡ªits movements looked alien¡ªas if it were piloting the body remotely. Lucas turned and saw that Amber was starting her travel against the cliff side¡ªshe had made it about a quarter of the way across as Tabula joined right behind her.


    Tabula had just started out¡ªthey had looked back to see the creature coming toward them, they saw Lucas and Laven assume stances that came to them second nature¡ªand in that moment they admired the two that clearly had a history of defending others.


    Lucas shifted his gaze quickly to Laven and saw her eyes shift to him. There was a look of acknowledgment behind both of their eyes as the words of Tomorrow ring underneath their subconscious. Run for your lives.


    They had no weapons, and they had no knowledge on what these things were capable of, and all on a cliff side with nowhere to run. They each understood their situation and what had to happen next.


    Even if we had turned back around, it would have met up with us. This was the thought they had decided on in those final moments as time felt like it slowed down. At least this way they could assure the others could make it back. Lucas doubted that anything that moved that frenetically could make it across the gorge.


    Of course, it was possible that it could, if at least slowly. If that were the case, then they had an obligation to slow it down as much as possible. If they could make it back to the castle, they could reach Tomorrow. They could have backup, they could take care of it.


    ¡°Take the right, I¡¯ll take the left,¡± Laven said, and Lucas nodded, not looking back to her¡ªknowing she had taken off and he could see the azure filigree glowing on her skin¡ªand he was glad to know her abilities seemed to be working in fine order here.


    Laven had formed a pact with a being much stronger than anything they had known. It was a spirit Lucas had seen with his own eyes through her memories¡ªit looked like a mix of an elegant dragon and a white butterfly¡ªits power was immense and it gave to Laven a channel through the marks on her skin in exchange for reliability¡ªfor her to give up her own energy each time she needed to use the power.


    It was risky, but given the situation he perfectly understood why she decided to take it.


    Lucas was not equipped with any weapons¡ªand his abilities from the other world were strictly tied to his old body¡ªbut that wasn¡¯t going to stop him from helping as much as he could. He has been practicing in hand to hand combat and while he wasn¡¯t proficient¡ªhe certainly had a confidence that he hadn¡¯t before against a lone foe.


    He reached the figure first¡ªone advantage of his lighter frame was he was faster on his feet¡ªeven compared to his old self he felt so much more agile.


    The figure turned toward him and he could smell the black tar-like substance that oozed down its body¡ªit smelled of a hot acrylic wax that was burning to a melting point. He hadn¡¯t seen it from a distance, but it was clear that heat was emanating off of it.


    ¡°Back off,¡± Lucas called out--¡±It¡¯s a hot one, refrain from physical contact.¡±


    Laven held her distance as she scanned it up and down. ¡°How do you want to proceed?¡± Her body was tense¡ªshe had maintained a prepared stance as she asked.


    Before he could answer he felt the figure overwhelm him¡ªthe shadowy black arm grabbed his and he winced¡ªexpecting the sharp and blistering pain, but it was noticeably cool to the touch. He tried to pull away, but found it was stuck to him.


    ¡°Okay, I expected it to be hotter...sticky son of a¡­¡± He called back. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Amber had just made it across, Tabula was nearing the end herself. He felt a relief in the pit of his chest, that feeling was quickly pushed away as he heard the creature move closer to him.


    He turned to see the figure¡¯s decrepit face right next to his own¡ªhe could feel its acrid breath against his skin and he shuddered. He brought his foot up and tried to trip up the creature so he could gain some leverage, but he felt his head grow light as those cavernous eyes began to glow with their haunted light.


    He felt his body begin to float and his vision was bled into a yellow light that bubbled into voices that were bleeding themselves in the distance. He felt a swimming feeling and suddenly he was looking elsewhere¡ªfar, far away.


    ~...~


    There were sounds in the background that were rising in volume¡ªit was a consistent hum that was coming to the center of his vision and the skidding of tires to his immediate right filled in his vision that he was in a car¡ªtraveling fast in a straight line. Some other car had veered out of the way to avoid being slammed into. He was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat¡ªthis feeling instantly made him sick as it reminded him of the car crash that had crippled Abel all those years ago.


    He remembered Donovan who had been racing to his death on account of that desire drawn out by GODSONG¡ªthe fragment of the great machine that was controlled by¡ª


    His thoughts ended as the car slammed into the back of a truck and his head was thrown forward against the dashboard. He felt no pain, but he saw the blood spray across the windshield as it fractured¡ªthe airbag had failed to deploy, and he felt his body dragged downward¡ªdeep into the seat. It continued sinking into the floor and through the bottom of the car. He was phasing through the car and sinking below the ground now¡ªas if his body no longer existed in the world.


    He looked around as the earth started to hum around him¡ªthere was a deep humming below him¡ªmuch deeper as he kept sinking down below the surface. He felt the hum inside his core¡ªthere still wasn¡¯t any pain which was a blessing, but he was still ultimately confused on what was going on.


    There was a voice that was echoing from down below, but he could not immediately hear what it was saying until he broke the surface of the ground. There he felt the tremors within himself start to hum a thicker sound¡ªthe kind that made his heart jump as the reverberations synced with his heartbeat.


    ¡°And now you too shall join us in the underworld,¡± the voice finally came clear enough for him to understand. It was a familiar voice, he had heard it before¡ªand recently. He felt his arms go numb and they stiffened by his side¡ªas did his legs. There was material forming on them¡ªcombining and collecting that made it impossible to move them.


    ¡°Now, you are mine, and you shall sow the chaos you so ineffortlessly sought on the surface world. Now, a prisoner to your inhibitions...Partying and clubbing like your high school days,¡± the voice continued.


    This had confused him. Partying? Clubbing? What had that meant...the last thing he remembered he was just driving...or...no, he wasn¡¯t driving. Of course not. He was out in the field¡ªhe was training with the others¡ªhe was trying to save the others.


    But ¡°he¡± was driving. He who this shadow used to be. There was something deep inside his brain that understood this fact now, and in looking through its eyes he was weightless as he was experiencing his ¡°before¡±. That was why the crash was painless¡ªhe was an observer, floating through the remnants of memory left in whatever remained of this person.


    Person. It was a person. The shades¡ªthe monsters of the wild...was a person.


    ¡°¡¯Danger Dorian¡¯, that¡¯s what they called you, right?¡± The voice called again¡ªits timbre was much deeper than he expected, and then he remembered where that voice came from.


    Two amber eyes opened up in front of him in the shape of the earth as he continued dropping down closer to the core of the planet. The eyes burned like two balls of fire¡ªthey bore holes in his wake.


    ¡°Four DUIs and a suspension of your driver¡¯s card. No matter how many layers deeper I bring you¡­¡±


    Images play out in front of Lucas¡¯s eyes. He sees another crash¡ªthis time he jackknifed a car who was turning from an intersection. Then there was another fatal collision where he slammed into another car head first, and then another where he did not break in time and his car began to swerve before its collision.


    ¡°...you keep finding ways to kill people. Looks like you could do with some time in the underworld.¡±


    He broke the final layer of the ground, and instead of a molten core like he expected to see, he had been floating upside down from what looked like the depths of space. Stars glowed brilliantly as he passed them¡ªcosmic patterns that painted the sky.


    He righted himself as much as he could¡ªthe light from the stars revealed that black substance that had coated the Shade was now covering his arms and feet¡ªit had bound them tight to his body. He saw he was falling¡ªand in the distance as large as a sun he saw the face of the king he knew the voice to belong to. Projected as large as a star itself he saw the face those eyes belonged to¡ªGardov, the Onyx King of Blackwell, and the dragon that gave the kingdom its magic.


    He started falling faster as the dragon smiled¡ªand he felt his head start to wane again¡ªhis breath was getting short, but the last thing he had seen was...no, that couldn¡¯t have been...it almost looked like another body was falling¡ªit was higher than he was, it had come to this place later than he had, but there it was. Then...ah! There was another. Shades in large amounts were falling to the world, and Lucas blinked and saw the figure in front of his face again.


    Or rather, he would have, if it was all there. His hand was raised¡ªand his hands were stinging hot¡ªthe kind of heat he expected to face when the Shade had made contact with him originally, but he realized that was not the source of the heat. Instead, it was because his hands were glowing white¡ªas bright as a sun. Light had been fired out of them in a concentrated beam and had obliterated half of the face of the Shade¡ªDorian¡¯s face.


    In the new cavity created by the blast, he saw Laven¡¯s face, who was as confused as he was at the turn of events.


    The Shade tried bringing up its other arm, but it was noticeably delayed in its movements with the damage to its body. Lucas felt the body ripped from his grip as Laven approached¡ªthe lights on her own body were glowing and she tore the rising arm clean off the body¡ªtossing it off to the side. As the figure recoiled, it dropped to the ground and died.


    ¡°What the hell was all that?¡± Laven asked.


    Lucas was still staring at his hands, they still glowed just as brightly. ¡°I...think I saw the Shade¡¯s last memories of when it was human.¡±


    ¡°Human?¡±


    Lucas nodded and looked up to her, ¡°They¡¯re from our world. Remember how Tomorrow explained how they started coming through those tears in the world?¡±


    Laven nodded.


    ¡°They¡¯re people that died in our world. This one here was a drunk driver¡ªsomething about it seemed off¡ªlike he died more than once¡ªgiven multiple chances or something like that. I¡¯m not sure on the specifics, but it seems like this world here,¡± Lucas motioned his arm in a grand fashion, ¡°...it¡¯s all underneath ours.¡±


    ¡°Underneath...how could that even be...and...this,¡± she moved to touch Lucas¡¯s hands. If it were anybody else he would have backed away¡ªfearing that he would have burned them solely by touch alone, but he knew Laven was careful enough¡ªand strong enough to handle it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I felt myself being grabbed and dragged through the Earth¡ªdragged deeper than anything I¡¯ve ever seen and then I saw the Creature of the Night¡ªthe King.¡±


    Her look was now pensive, she was analyzing it to herself quietly. ¡°So, I guess I shouldn¡¯t be surprised that he would be behind the influx of things like that here¡ªI guess that answers if we need to take care of him here. And this,¡± she looked over his hands delicately, raising them and with her touch he felt the glowing start to fade¡ªthe heat had started to normalize¡ªa feeling he was grateful for.


    ¡°It¡¯s possible that if they do come from our world¡ªthe tar-like substance they were covered with could be some sort of...physical manifestation of their death¡ªthe remnant of material from the other world. Maybe that connection to the old world reawakened some of the abilities you had back then.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not exact,¡± Lucas said. ¡°I gathered my old power from electricity. It functioned enough like light in some circumstances, but this here,¡± he held out his hands and extended his palms. A ghost of the light slowly spilled out in an arc. ¡°This feels like...well, light. Natural light, the essence of light. It feels like the natural opposite to the shadow¡ªlike it was a natural reaction.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to keep an eye on that,¡± Laven said, and she breathed heavily as her own lights started to fade. Lucas reached out to grab her as she faltered, and she thanked him for catching her mid stride.


    ¡°Sucks I used that for such a non-threat,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Well hey, it very easily could have gone awry,¡± Lucas said. ¡°And we should keep the same level of caution should we come across more of them. I think I would have been in some trouble if I didn¡¯t happen to come across this,¡± he raised his hands. ¡°And until I can learn to control it, or learn its limits, I shouldn¡¯t rely on having it.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense, and I agree with it. I guess I was just so used to being the stronger of us two that I almost feel a little jealous.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lucas asked. ¡°Of course you¡¯re still the stronger of us two.¡±


    Laven smiled. ¡°I know, I just wanted to hear you say it.¡±

 17 | Colors of the Past

    2014 ~ The Old World


    Ally Fae


    Colors spilled across her vision as the humming sound grew all around her. The sounds came from all angles and felt like they were bouncing off the inner walls of her head¡ªreverberating off of one another and multiplying in volume and depth with each point of contact. They encircled her as the voice¡ªthe wail that she had heard previously became clearer and louder. Sarah said that she would be seeing elements of her life¡ªof her memories¡ªbut where had this screaming originated from?


    She tried to pinpoint it¡ªbut felt every time that she got close¡ªit so maddeningly changed location. It was like it was reacting to her efforts to find it. She felt the dizzying effects of trying to locate it that she gave up and closed her eyes¡ªtrying to center herself back to her own body.


    The colors began to slow around her as she began to see a laboratory of a different kind spill out in front of her. It was less metallic all around¡ªit looked like something that came straight from the old world¡ªhardwood walls decorated with fine carpets and a dip in the center of the room. On the other side of the room stood a gathering of white coated scientists who were standing in front of a machine that didn¡¯t look too different from the very pod she had entered.


    A man with a thick goatee and heavy specs stood at the center of the project and it was clear from their body language that they all stood under him. There was something familiar about the energy in the room that she couldn¡¯t quite place a finger on.


    ¡°Open the chamber, testing shall resume,¡± the man called, typing some things down on a computer in front of him. ¡°We¡¯re going to be testing for reactions to Lantrate and Dicoberene, round one.¡±


    Ally tried to move to get a clearer look at the screen, but she was unable to do anything but move her head. There is a thinner faced dirty blond haired man who drew her attention next¡ªshe wasn¡¯t sure what it was about him, but something about him was drawing her attention and focus¡ªin a way much different to the man with the goatee. She was wary of that man¡ªbut the thinner faced man looked like someone who had appeared in her dreams¡ªthe kind of face you see after interacting with people all day¡ªsomeone you never met in person but imagined seeing. There was an interesting aura about him¡ªbut associating with the other man was not reassuring.


    ¡°Daniels,¡± The man with the goatee said. ¡°Bring in subject the first,¡± his eyes didn¡¯t lift from the screen.


    The colors began whirring all around her once again¡ªthe bodies shifted to blobs of whirling colors as the lights spun around herself. She was feeling nauseous as they started to slow once more and she saw the entire scene shift before her eyes.


    Some of the familiar faces from the previous scene were present¡ªbut some¡ªmost notably the man with the goatee were not present. The room was different¡ªit was not the laboratory she was in before and nor was it the laboratory back in Achrom. Instead it looked to be a meeting room¡ªone that would not be uncommon in some small business.


    The meeting room looked to be on the second floor of whatever building they were now in. It was a small square room that looked like it was hit with the budget-cut hammer. It had a small rectangular table fit better for a church benefit than an official meeting room with small fold up chairs scattered about.


    ¡°Uh, nice place,¡± one of the scientists she had seen in the other room said, looking around. He was a darker skinned man with his hair cut short and close to his head¡ªthin wiry frames rested on his nose and he had a nervous look about him.


    ¡°Yeah, it''s small, but it works,¡± a woman had responded. She was wearing attire similar to the other scientists, but she hadn¡¯t remembered seeing any women in the previous room. Her hair was shoulder length and blonde¡ªher blue eyes looked sharp and her gaze mostly kept to the man called ¡°Daniels¡± who was sitting down at the far edge of the table.


    ¡°Is this really what Valhart is funding? I think there was more put into a children''s birthday party,¡± the man called Daniels had joked.


    ¡°Well, they don''t study isotopes of human genomes at birthday parties,¡± the woman joked back, but Ally noticed more of a sting in her reply. There definitely seemed to be history between the two of them.


    ¡°Hope not, that''d take going to the swimming pool to a whole new level,¡± the third man laughed, although it was clear the other two didn¡¯t get the joke. ¡°Gene pool guys, come on.¡±


    Daniels looked to the woman, ¡°I forgot to mention, he does that sometimes.¡±


    ¡°Make bad jokes?¡±


    ¡°I think that''s an insult to bad jokes,¡± Daniels said.


    ¡°Okay, okay. Let''s skip the part then where I pull out the real jokes and get on with this,¡± the third man said, shaking his head.


    ¡°Right, I''ll be right back, stay right here,¡± the woman nodded and stood up to leave the room, leaving the two men alone together. There was an awkward silence in the room for a couple of seconds as they each waited for the other to start.


    ¡°It''s good to see that you made it out, Mason,¡± Daniels said.


    ¡°You too, Greg. I''m sorry I didn''t find out sooner about you and Gavin, if I''d known I would have done something,¡± Mason said.


    ¡°I know, and I would have found a way to call you guys if I had the opportunity to.¡±


    Mason nodded, ¡°I know, we''re going to find a way to stop him, I promise. So...that¡¯s her, huh?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°No, that¡¯s Samara. One of her friends who was on her side during the divorce...and, well, one of your coworkers now, too.¡±


    The door behind them swung open, just barely clipping the chair that sat in front of Daniels. Greg Daniels...why is that name so important to me? How do I know that name? The woman named Samara returned to the room, two older men and another woman who immediately stared daggers at Daniels walk in behind her.


    The first man was larger and looked to be of Hispanic descent. His hair bunched up around the side of his head, inconveniently leaving a bald spot right on the top of his head. The second man was leaner. He had gelled up hair that looked overdone and then some.


    ¡°Okay, everybody,¡± Samara was speaking to those who had just entered, ¡°...this here is Mason...uh,¡± Samara began, and then started snapping her finger to try and remember.


    ¡°Radica,¡± Mason finished.


    ¡°Hold on a second, I thought you were familiar,¡± the gelled guy said, stepping forward. ¡°You were a part of Just Cause, weren''t you?¡±


    Mason looked closer at Gel-Guy and saw his eyes widen. ¡°Barry? What the hell are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°I could ask the same of you. Looks like the good old US of A don''t care about the returning vets, huh?¡±


    ¡°Does everybody here already know each other and I''m just out of the loop?¡± Samara asked.


    ¡°Navy Lieutenant Mason Radica, he served with me in Panama back in 1990,¡± Barry said.


    ¡°And Army Captain Barry Rainwater, you almost got your leg blown off near the Marriott Hotel.¡±


    ¡°Guys, I''d really love to hear you catch up on old times, but we have more pressing matters here,¡± the bigger guy said.


    Daniels mouthed to Mason, ¡°You were in the Navy?¡±


    He nodded tersely in return.


    ¡°Okay, Barry here is our head engineer. If anything goes wrong with our equipment he''s the guy you go to. He''s a real genius with electronics,¡± Samara said. ¡°And this is Salvatore, he is our lead on microbiology.¡±


    ¡°It''s good to meet you,¡± he said. ¡°Sal Muhn as in moon, please don''t mispronounce and confuse me for the fish,¡± Sal said with a heavy accent.


    ¡°And it''s nice to meet you as well,¡± Mason nodded.


    ¡°And I''m sure Greg¡¯s told you about me,¡± the last woman said¡ªher eyes were a piercing green and her darker hair hung past her shoulders. ¡°I''m Lorraine,¡± she extended her hand.


    ¡°I''ve heard you were really smart and good at what you do, Mrs. Daniels,¡± Mason shook it. This seemed to make her smile, if only slightly.


    Daniels made a look she couldn¡¯t quite parse.


    ¡°I''m here from the western branch same like Greg because of Jack Adata,¡± Mason began. ¡°I presume you''ve gotten everyone up to speed so far, Greg?¡± Mason asked.


    He nodded.


    ¡°Excellent,¡± Mason said.


    ¡°Yeah, that slimy ass-clown is going to be buried six feet under if I can get my hands on him,¡± Sal said.


    ¡°Right, well, that will be a little hard considering any injuries he''s sustained in the past year he''s been able to heal at an accelerated rate. His body suffered a fourth degree chemical burn when all of this started and came back like it was a mosquito bite, we cannot under any circumstances take that lightly,¡± Mason said.


    ¡°Okay, and you mentioned earlier that he was getting stronger, mind explaining?¡± My father asked.


    ¡°Yes, this compound, Radical-9, we named it after the elements that melded together before they exploded out: Radium, Dicoberene, Calcium, and Lantrate. These four created the monster we know as Jack Adata today. When he first was irradiated we didn''t know the scope of what he would become...almost.¡±


    ¡°Almost?¡± Barry asked, ¡°What do you mean, almost, Mason?¡±


    ¡°Greg, when we took Jack to the hospital and you were in the room with Dave, you told me about this feeling you had, correct?¡±


    Daniels nodded his head, ¡°Yes, I was in there and I felt absolutely crippled from head to toe. For ten or so minutes it felt like all of Jack''s anger and despair was pouring out of him and into my soul. I still remember how cold to the bone I felt.¡±


    ¡°I believe that this was the first instance of his enhanced psyche reaching out. That ability to project emotion onto others like that, it''s astounding,¡± Mason said.


    ¡°And come to think of it, it was after that moment that Dave started acting strange, as if he had been Jack''s right hand pup,¡± Daniels said.


    ¡°Maybe whatever you felt he did too?¡± Sal asked. ¡°Maybe it hit him harder and he got scared.¡±


    ¡°It''s possible,¡± Daniels said.


    ¡°Then there was the freak out in the lab,¡± Mason began. ¡°Jay, our friend back in Denver was asking Jack if he was all right, he was acting strange and paranoid, so it seemed okay to ask. Jack nearly had a meltdown and threw a glass canister from his side without even touching it. Later on he used this ability of telekinesis to rip away chunks of a wall inside of our building to find a room hidden away on everything but the blueprints.¡±


    ¡°So, it''s more than just what you imagined in the beginning,¡± Samara said.


    ¡°Way more. That was after a few days, mind you. Let''s take it a year after¡ªhis body is dying, plain and simple. It cannot handle the Radical-9 that is in his system, much less the fact that it seems to be multiplying at an exponential rate. The more that multiplies the stronger his abilities become, the stronger he becomes the scarier he is, the less like himself he is. The less his body can handle it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so then the solution just seems to be to wait it out, right? Eventually it will be too much and he''ll just keel over, am I right?¡± Barry said, leaning against one of the chairs, supporting his head up with his right arm.


    ¡°Initially that is what I thought too, but there is a big problem with that,¡± Mason said.


    ¡°What''s that?¡±


    ¡°Radical-9 is a very reactive compound, as we''ve seen first hand, Greg. If his body shuts down from all of it in his system he will become a makeshift bomb.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°The concentrated amount of Radical-9 in his system all thrown together in someone as big as him would be enough to go nuclear. Just think of how badly we were hit with the very minimum of what this stuff has to offer.¡±


    ¡°So basically our options are to wait and die or attack him and die,¡± Sal said.


    The people all around began to shift and swirl around as the colors began to mix and return back into the swirling mix around her. Her mind was racing as she was trying to piece together the information, but so little of it made sense. There were so many names that she was trying to keep a hold of...and yet two people hung fresh in her mind¡ªGreg Daniels, and this...Jack Adata. She was sure with how they were talking about that man that it was the man with the goatee...the man who was running those tests.


    Radical-9...just what was Radical-9?


    The colors grew colder, the colors were shifting harder and she felt the time shifting on the next scene that played out before her.


    2044 ~ The New World


    She was overlooking the peak of a mountain as a familiar crimson sky streaked across the horizon. She was back in the new world, and standing in front of her was...Allison Fae. The Allison Fae that was originally from the time she traveled to. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw her up close¡ªher hair had grown long and fell past her shoulders¡ªit had darkened with age. She was wearing the same kind of garb she had seen when they were back in Enforal¡ªthe copper colored top with the brown shawl hanging over it¡ªshe was bearing the long spear she had used as a weapon.


    She looked pained¡ªstressed and otherwise beaten to shit. It did little to see herself like this, even if she ideologically opposed her mission.


    She saw what her older self had been looking at¡ªdigging into the mountain from the peak was Sakonna, a scaled body ending in a barbed tail that looked to be as thick as a tree trunk. And now she realized that this must have been just around where that vision came from¡ªof her older self flying alongside Sakonna. Allying herself with the Creatures of the Night.


    This was the most integral memory of all¡ªshe immediately discarded the lingering thoughts¡ªif at least for the time being. She was going to finally learn why her older self had allied herself to these causes. She was finally going to learn.


    She noticed the dragon emitted a glowing, ethereal quality about the skin underneath the scales that instantly reminded her of the golden wolf she had spent so much of her time searching for. She looked up to herself and saw that similar look in her eyes. Was she thinking the same thing? She took a step closer and found that her older self had taken the same step in turn.


    Razor sharp claws slashed and tore at the earth and the face at the end of the long neck was like that of a performance mask. She felt frozen to the ground as it turned to face her¡ªshe could see the vapor from her heavy exhale in the wind.


    "Sakonna, It''s been a while," The older her said.


    The dragon stopped digging, she could feel the air crack with energy. It was as if a presence turned inside the beast, yet the dragon itself did not move. ¡°Allison Fae, you still yet live.¡±


    ¡°You knew as much. You don''t need to feign surprise.¡±


    "Regardless. It brings me interest to see how you''ve grown. You are far from the scared little girl who I met in that desert. It''s good that you did not bring the human up here. I would have had no qualms about ending their life for coming up here. I have a feeling they would have been able to make it to the top."


    Was this the first time she met Sakonna since that day? That was the day she came to this time¡ªwhen she had sent Arianna¡ªher daughter¡ªaway to be safe. She trusted Sakonna because she had no other choice. She trusted her because she wanted to trust Issachar. Was this why she aligned herself with her, even now? After all this time?


    "But yet you won''t fight me," the older her said.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "Of course I am able to fight, but I would not kill. And you similarly would not do the same, because you know that it would result in the death of all of those down below and then some. This world has seen enough fighting, don''t you think?"


    Ally looked at the conflict that played out behind her older self¡¯s eyes. She saw a familiar powerlessness that she desired to have lay remaining at the bottom of the grave she used to imagine herself in. And then suddenly¡ªshe realized she couldn¡¯t sense Jace around her¡ªand reasoned that even though she was not the same Allison¡ªthat she should have been able to sense him.


    And that was when she did¡ªit was faint¡ªbut he was still there. Deep inside her¡ªbut not...her eyes scanned and fell to the lance¡ªand then she understood. All at once she understood and knew that lance wasn¡¯t just any metal...and it wasn¡¯t just metal.


    "I desire to see each of you punished for the pain you have caused, the lives you have taken, and the blatant disregard for life that you carry.¡± the older her said. ¡°However, I cannot kill you as you say. So I shall continue to find a way to stop you that does not involve such."


    "You have other desires, do you not?"


    The older Allison swallowed. "I also desire to find Issachar."


    "Still a desire to see the vessel, is that it? Even in your most honorable of motives you still allow your personal goals to intermix."


    Ally then further understood¡ªthis Allison sacrificed everything to see Lilly again. She never stopped searching. She never got to see her again¡ªand she never would. Lilly was dead¡ªthe only thing that remained was her carcass being carted around by Issachar. It was in this that she understood why Allison¡ªwhy this Allison would do what she did.


    She took in a deep breath and watched as the scene started to blur all around her¡ªspilling into the multitude of colors again. She looked down toward her hands and thought.


    I...am lucky. I have taken a different road. I have forged a new path, and I think...that path is healthier. I see what obsession could have led me toward. I see what I would do...to you Jace¡ªall in order to satisfy my own selfish desires. Those dreams I used to have¡ªthose feelings where I would give anything to see you again.


    She blinked and knew that she was dangerously close to letting the same thing happen¡ªshe was at another crossroads¡ªand supposedly the end of that crossroads awaited just outside this pod.


    Felix.


    She was determined to learn from her mistakes, and in order to do that, she had to learn from herself. She looked back up and saw that the colors started to slow once more. There was still more for her to come to terms with.


    2045


    She opened her eyes to darkness. She didn¡¯t know where she was, but she saw the older Allison once more. She was holding something in the palm of her hand¡ªshe couldn¡¯t see what it was exactly, but saw between her fingers a red light started emitting,


    The Red Monolith.


    The older Allison turned her palm over and suddenly Ally heard a voice surround her¡ªunsure if its point of origin.


    ¡°I am memory given form by your intense emotions,¡± the voice called out. ¡°You lock yourself away and yet it gives me the perfect place to hide and to be¡ªto gain strength and through me be your downfall. I am beyond your experience¡ªbeyond your time.¡±


    Beyond our time? So this voice came from...before? The old world?


    ¡°You existed in the time before¡­didn¡¯t you?¡± The older her said. ¡°You came from that old universe¡ªthat same one Alex came from?¡±


    Alex¡­?


    The figure appeared in front of them¡ªit was a teenager¡ªa boy. Ally saw that his eyes were ringed red¡ªcrimson irises staring daggers into the older Allison. Darkness surrounded the both of them until they were standing in a pitch black void.


    ¡°I am memory. I contain memory. I seek memory.¡±


    She heard many voices overlap inside her head¡ªthe name Devon rang out most of all. And then another image flashed in her mind¡ªthe face of the golden wolf overlapped the boy¡¯s face, and she understood this boy was Issachar.


    How...is that possible? So, the Creatures of the Night used to be people from the old world. Her mind began racing, and then again the name Alex rang into her head, and she saw the phantom¡¯s mask of the dragon. So, it¡¯s Sakonna, then¡­


    ¡°You still know so little about the memory of this world,¡± Devon said, his eyes still seeing past her¡ªthrough her. ¡°There is another shade you have been blind to. Another memory.¡±


    Devon faded and suddenly the world filled in around her. The sky filled in with a starry cosmic indigo that faded to black as stars flittered across the sky. This was not the sky she was used to in the new world¡ªbut that of the old one. They were not on Earth any longer¡ªand around them the metallic hull of a ship out in the vastness of space connected and latched itself around them like a diorama. Shelves rose up and Ally saw they were stacked with books from side to side. There was a window set into the wall. It revealed a starry backdrop¡ªbut space outside is a long-since foreign black and blue void. The stars shone brilliantly from the metal hull the compound existed from.


    Another shade you have been blind to¡ªa memory.


    Two figures stood opposing one another, and Ally figured the one on the left looked somewhat familiar. He looked to be middle aged¡ªdirty blond hair hung carelessly at the nape of his neck¡ªhis eyes were different colors and in those eyes she reflected she saw a familiarity to Greg Daniels. It wasn¡¯t him¡ªbut there was an uncanny likeness in his demeanor that was so similar. The rightmost one stood moderately tall wearing non-descript clothes and had dark hair kept short on the sides. He looked noticeably younger, but there was an air of authority about him.


    Two things then happened in quick succession¡ªthe name Gavin echoed in her mind¡ªsaid by Greg himself back in the meeting room all those years ago, and then the outline of a form overlapped with his own face¡ªit was the golden gecko that she had seen in her youth in the memory that Issachar shared with her. This was Ormus...this was the Creature of the Night that delivered her unto that doorstop that fateful night in Nassau.


    Was this...her father? Her mind was racing...and before she could think too long on it, the man spoke.


    ¡°You have to forgive my doubt, but it sounds¡­well, I¡¯m going to be honest. It sounds crazy.¡± His casual tone implied they¡¯ve talked at great length previously. Just what power did this other person have¡ªto be seen as this figurehead of their movement? She saw her older self lean in, and she tried to step closer to hear their conversation easier, but she still could not move from the spot she stood.


    ¡°Would it really be something I came up with if it wasn¡¯t?¡± The other man offered a laugh.


    ¡°As fair a point as that may be, it doesn¡¯t change my own. I need to hear it from you. I need to know you¡¯re going to see it through.¡±


    ¡°Have you no faith?¡± The dark haired man countered. She saw a mischievous look in his eyes behind the glasses that hung on his nose.


    Ormus chuckled. ¡°I think we both know that answer. Faith is best left to the dogs. Come on, spill it. I can¡¯t bear the anticipation.¡±


    The dark haired man offered a wry smile. ¡°I see. You¡¯re right. You know, you¡¯re closer to my own mind than I think sometimes. Okay, let¡¯s take a seat first. It really is a lot.¡±


    Ormus walked across toward a counter-top and went behind, bending down. ¡°You want the usual?¡±


    The dark haired man shook his head. ¡°No, that¡¯s fine. If you want to, I can wait.¡±


    Ormus nodded and he bent down out of sight.


    What kind of plan would the two of these have together? And if this was Ormus, did that mean the dark haired man was also one of the Creatures of the Night? He almost seemed like their leader.


    ¡°The amount of work necessary to return...I wonder if this will be worth it.¡± She heard deep in her brain. Ally saw that the dark haired man hadn¡¯t spoken¡ªthey were his stray thoughts.


    Ormus returned with two drinks in his hand. ¡°Brought you one anyway, don¡¯t forget to tip.¡±


    A shallow smile crossed Z-One¡¯s face. ¡°He¡¯s come with me this far and now I¡¯m about to ask him of the world. He doesn¡¯t deserve this.¡± He accepted the glass and the two of them stared deeply at one another. It was an invitation to drop the heavy news, and so he did. ¡°So, you¡¯re going to be the only one that remembers. You might have already guessed that seeing as nobody else is here with us having this discussion now.¡±


    Ormus took a deep breath. It was measured, but she saw how the light in his eyes was taking the realization.


    ¡°I am trusting you with a lot. You were the first...you have to understand.¡±


    ¡°I assumed¡­but I also feared. Is there truly no saving their memories? I can¡¯t think in good conscience of wasting so much life.¡±


    The dark haired man sat firm and spoke in a measured tone¡ªit had been rehearsed privately, no doubt. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to be patient with them. ICARUS only gives us so much leeway. I can only bring you fully over. The others will be with you, physically. They¡¯ll be with us, together¡­it¡¯ll just take some careful planning to reunite their memories over.¡±


    ¡°Only gives us so much¡­You made it. What do you mean, leeway?¡± Ormus was letting his emotions get the better of him¡ªthis was why the dark haired man had practiced his own words. He knew he would react this way.


    ¡°I may have had the idea, but I think we both know that it wasn¡¯t me who made it.¡±


    ¡°Well, technically,¡± he retorted. ¡°But don¡¯t you have the power to fix that? You surely must have the ability to make it so they could all make it through.¡±


    ¡°You know I have lost control of this ride a long...long time ago.¡±


    ¡°If I could affect things on such a granular level we wouldn¡¯t be here in the first place. I would have been able to save her.¡±


    Ormus sighed. ¡°Lindsey, right? Listen, Andy¡¯s made his peace with it. Sure, it¡¯s taken¡­a long time, but everything worked out, right?¡±


    More names I can¡¯t place to faces...just great.


    The dark haired man made a sad sort of smile. ¡°That¡¯s the thing I like about you. You always without fail come back around to being the optimist. Even after I put you through so much. I wish I could say that I felt the same way. To this day I regret her end. I regret the pain I caused; the pain that was caused to me. I didn¡¯t make her end¡ªI simply saw it and recorded what I saw.¡±


    ¡°We all miss her, but people die. That¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°Not if I have anything to say about it,¡± the dark haired man said. ¡°The Monoliths...they are our hope.¡±


    Ormus paused and looked down to his drink¡ªa golden drink that now looked as appetizing as swamp water. ¡°So, we¡¯re really doing this, then? We¡¯re really restarting all of creation just to undo this one mistake?¡±


    That...is a bombshell.


    ¡°Surely you know what lengths you will do for the ones that you love. I love all of you like my own. I will do anything to make things right. Is Devon ready?¡±


    Ormus sighed. ¡°Nearing. And you¡¯re sure he¡¯ll make the right choices?¡±


    ¡°I know him like I know myself¡ªlike I know all of you. It¡¯s like I said. I see things. I record them. They happen. He¡¯ll make the right choices. ICARUS will install a new universe¡ªas we are now will be overwritten, and we¡¯ll immediately start our new plans. And then eventually¡­¡±


    ¡°Eventually¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡­admit I haven¡¯t seen that far yet. I have seen scratchings¡ªmoments. I¡¯ve seen fragments that I believe I can connect to what I desire, but if I¡¯m being perfectly honest¡­I can¡¯t see it all. I won¡¯t see it all without them.¡±


    ¡°It all leads to the end...that final confrontation with Allison...unless history has changed...oh¡­¡± the dark haired man thought, and suddenly Ally¡¯s hair was standing on end.


    Just what could this person have to do with me? Did the older me hear this? She looked toward her older self and saw she was instead studying Ormus¡ªher attention was pulled away from the dark haired man.


    Ormus looked at his companion and cocked his head. ¡°You¡¯re back to riddle-speak. Them?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m just¡­thinking out loud. You¡¯ll see them, I¡¯m sure. I don¡¯t have all the details yet, but they will be here, and they will help me see more clearly.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re sure,¡± Ormus said, taking a swig of the drink in the glass. ¡°I have no choice but to follow.¡±


    ¡°You always had a choice, Gavin. But I know which one it will be.¡±


    Gavin. His name is Gavin. So then her theory on this man is correct. This...could in all likeliness be her father¡ªthen that would go on to make the man she saw before¡ªGreg Daniels, what? Her grandfather? So many things were running through her mind and she tried to take a step back to come to terms with everything that she was seeing, but she still could not move.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all then I¡¯m going to go now.¡± Gavin said. ¡°I¡­have someplace I wish to say good-bye to. If this really will be the end.¡±


    It was so strange...learning his name. Would that then make her Allison Daniels? She wasn¡¯t sure if she liked that. Something about it seemed...off. I still can¡¯t reason that versus the name that I have chosen to stick with¡ªAllison Fae feels right. Jaclyn and George are the closest things to parents I have come to treasure.


    If only I could...wait a moment.


    The pin started to drop. Words echoed in her mind. They were the words of Leptous¡ªthe Elemantic who she now had its power coursing through her veins.


    Ormus is a shadow I have been plagued to share an existence with. You are hesitant because you believe this a journey to kill your father. Be not concerned¡ªas that shadow that wears a human face is not your father. And to make it clear, I am not your father either. We are both shades of a man that used to live on a world similar to the one you do¡ªbut specifically not the same. That man...he was your father.


    ¡°Is there really a difference?¡±


    All the difference in the world. Think on it, what connection do you have to this shadow? What relationship do you think you will forge with a monster like that? A monster that has left you for nothing and with nothing...do you kid yourself to believe that it would drop its ambitions to be your father?


    This is her father, and this is the being that would then go on to split to become Ormus and Leptous. He was not yet Ormus...now she understood. This was his humanity¡ªand this plan of his to restart the universe¡ªto eliminate the old world to usher in the new was what fractured his identity.


    She now understood. Father, I knew before that it was going to be my mission to put an end to yours¡ªI had made a pact on that notion, but now I know the true course of my target. This man you have associated yourself with¡ªthis creator. He foresaw a final confrontation with me, and now I understand I am to meet him with the fullest force of my power.


    She closed her eyes and opened to a new scene¡ªshe felt in her heart that this would be the final memory. She saw a sliver of land floating in a boundless blue sky. Cherry blossom trees were taking root and the blossoms themselves were fluttering in the sky, hanging suspended above two figures in the distance. The older Allison was no longer around, and her movement was no longer limited. This...was different. She had a strange feeling about these memories that weren¡¯t hers¡ªshe shouldn¡¯t have been seeing this, but then she understood it probably was because of her pact with Leptous¡ªwith the Elemantic half of her father.


    She saw one of the figures was her father¡ªhe looked like he had when she had just seen him in the library with the dark haired man. This must have been where he headed off to just after having the previous conversation. The last important talk with someone before the universe was to be reset.


    Standing opposite him was a woman¡ªshe looked like she was in her early twenties¡ªprobably just old as she had been here. This concerned her and she looked back to her father, but then noticed that he looked to be the same age¡ªinstantly younger and his dirty blond hair was brighter.


    Her hair was red and shoulder length¡ªher eyes were bright and staring at him.


    ¡°Tell me, what would you name her?¡± Gavin asked. His hands were interlocked in the girl¡¯s.


    ¡°You know it to be a girl?¡± She asked, and by looking into his eyes she then knew it too. ¡°Allison. I¡¯ve always loved the name Allison.¡±


    Ally choked up, she didn¡¯t dare move to miss a second of their conversation.


    ¡°I would see to it that she carries your name, but I¡¯m afraid I do not know what will happen when¡­¡± Gavin trailed off.


    ¡°When all this ends?¡±


    He nodded slowly. ¡°I will carry all of our hopes. If not with me, then with her.¡±


    What is your name...Mom. What name did he wish me to have? What¡­


    And through her desires, a second, deeper, more familiar voice rang deep in her heart. It was the voice of Leptous.


    Iris. Her name was Iris McCallum.


    McCallum.


    She looked up and saw her mother was frozen like a statue. A tear ran down her father¡¯s cheek and he turned away, fading from the landscape. She looked at her mother one second longer, and knew what she wanted to do.


    The world around her faded¡ªand she felt the world grow cold as the colors began to swirl once more until they combined into a darkness that consumed her whole.


    ~...~


    There was a mechanical sound and then light pierced the darkness as the door to the pod opened and slid across the surface.


    She stood out as her eyes adjusted to the light and saw Sarah standing on the opposite side of the room, overlooking the information on the central processing unit.


    Allison waited a moment, her mind was finally beginning to slow to a halt, and she was finally able to resonate with the idea of her choice. Her eyes opened¡ªher irises were tinged with a notable golden light. Jace faded in beside her, and to her other side she felt the presence of the Elemantic¡ªshe felt even more resonant to his abilities.


    ¡°You...are different,¡± Jace said.


    She is at peace.


    ¡°Oh...he¡¯s here with us now?¡± Jace asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story Jace, you should be able to access those parts of my memories now¡ªhe¡¯s a part of me. I get it.¡± She thought back to him.


    ¡°I see...I¡¯ll look over that now, I think the grand poobah wishes to speak to you about your results,¡± Jace faded. Leptous remained by her side.


    She looked up and saw Sarah picking her own head up from the central processing unit to her. ¡°This¡­¡± she began, ¡°is unlike anything I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Sarah looked up to her, ¡°You have unbounded amounts of latent abilities within...come here.¡± She motioned for her to approach.


    Ally crossed the distance and Sarah had the list pulled up and it certainly looked like the data had filled out more based on the results of her time in the pod.


    ¡°This here should look familiar format wise...but all this,¡± she pointed toward the bottom, ¡°is what has been lurking within you.¡±


    Ally squinted her eyes and read it from top to bottom.


    Name:


    Allison Fae


    Height:


    5¡¯6¡±


    Age:


    21


    Weight:


    132 lbs


    Rank:


    Chromage


    Abilities:


    Yellow [Telekinesis (Minor / Major), Teleportation, Camouflage, Enhanced Dexterity, ???]


    Purple [Conjuration [Minor | Major | Advanced], Arcane Sensitivity (Advanced), Emotional Sway (Soothe / Incite),


    Blue [???, Postcognition]


    Red [???, ???]


    Green [Dispelment, ???]


    Gray [Immunity to Poison, Immunity to Extreme Heat, ???]


    White [???, ???, ???]


    Black [???, ???, ???]


    ¡°This is...a lot,¡± Allison said, reading over the list. ¡°And so much of it is censored.¡±


    ¡°Not censored,¡± Sarah said, looking at her with incredulity. ¡°Unknown.¡±


    Allison looked in Sarah¡¯s direction. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°You have more inside you than anyone I¡¯ve ever come into contact with...any one of our Archromages has but a fraction of this talent¡ªChromages even less so. And, well, you¡¯ve seen my own sheet.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to react to that¡ªthere¡¯s some stuff here I had no clue on.¡±


    ¡°I understand it is a lot to take in, but I think this changes things immensely.¡±


    ¡°In what way?¡± Allison asked.


    Sarah¡¯s eyes were darting around the results like she were voraciously studying it¡ªas if by searching deeper into the words hidden meanings would reveal themselves. ¡°I still need to think about that.¡± She shook her head and blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t mind me¡ªI¡¯ve got more to research than I was planning. My time here is going to be doubled at this point. But we shouldn¡¯t dawdle¡ªI promised we¡¯d reunite you with the one you sought to see.¡± She turned and began typing on the keyboard she conjured in front of her. She stopped typing and looked over her shoulder, ¡°What was his name?¡±


    ¡°Felix,¡± Allison said.


    Sarah looked to the side as if placing the name and then nodded. ¡°Talented Chromage. Got a knack for reading minds, though. Often when it¡¯s not invited.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, bad habit of his.¡±


    Sarah resumed typing, and screens appeared before her eyes as she scanned them over, and then nodded to herself, then closed out the whole array. She turned slowly, ¡°Listen...I know you have things you wish to do, but I fear there is not going to be a chance that I get this situation to ever come up again¡ªafter you meet up with Felix, could you return here? There¡¯s a small project I¡¯d ask for your assistance on.¡±


    ¡°Project?¡± Allison asked.


    Sarah nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll explain more then, I promise it isn¡¯t for want of keeping secrets, but it wouldn¡¯t do much but offer up more questions and I figure the last thing you want to do now is sit around and answer more questions.¡±


    ¡°Would this project require a lot of my time?¡± Allison asked.


    Sarah thought on it for a moment, but then shook her head. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it will. Without your help it is something I can manage on my own, but it would take significantly longer and would require a lot more than I presently have available¡ªwhereas I theorize with your help...it is something I can finish up in no time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about it,¡± Allison nodded. ¡°And not because I want to be difficult.¡±


    ¡°No no, I understand,¡± Sarah nodded. ¡°You should be on your way¡ªFelix has been summoned and shall meet you out front¡ªI assume you can handle navigating your way out yourself.¡±


    ¡°Same way I came in, shouldn¡¯t be too hard,¡± Allison said. She turned on her heels, and Sarah called out to her.


    ¡°Oh, and, I hope those memories weren¡¯t too hard on you¡ªin the pod I mean.¡±


    Allison stopped.


    ¡°I know facing your past can be quite...traumatic for some. If you ever need a place to talk, there are plenty of people who might understand the situation, present company included. So do not feel ashamed about opening up.¡±


    Allison walked out and said not a word further. The door closed behind her and Sarah was left to her own devices.

 18 | The Demon

    Winter 2045


    Ezrael


    Sarah turned and conjured up a keyboard and typed with a frenzied pace. A rectangular display appeared in front of her face and she sent the signal out.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The gruff voice answered from the other end¡ªtransmitted directly to her brain.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to believe this. I think we have an end goal in sight for the bridge,¡± Sarah said.


    ¡°Do tell.¡±


    ¡°I think Ormus had a trump card up his sleeve. And I believe it just walked into my lab.¡±


    ¡°...send the results over.¡±


    Sarah made a motion with her hands and she waited for the voice on the other end to respond. It seemed like an eternity as she awaited the response.


    ¡°Interesting developments are sure to come, indeed. I think I should come and greet our guest personally.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve got it under control. It¡¯s a delicate situation. Her memories imply she¡¯s very prone to resisting against the mission. We need to handle this carefully.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll leave it to you, then. Do not fail. We only have one shot at this.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there more?¡± The voice asked, expectant.


    ¡°It¡¯s just...how have things been...recently?¡±


    ¡°I told you. Everything is fine. There is nothing to worry about.¡±


    Sarah sighed. ¡°Things haven¡¯t been fine for years, Samael. I¡¯ve been searching for the others since¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough. Clearly you have too much time on your hands to worry about such trivial things. Report back only when you have substantial progress or if something goes wrong.¡±


    The other line cut out and the display faded, causing Sarah to let loose a breath. She hated checking in with Samael¡ªpieces of her still remembered the person he used to be¡ªthe things he used to do, but other parts of her felt surgically grafted to remember the way he had held them together upon reaching the new world. He, Ormus, and she were the glue that held the Children of the Night together when so much uncertainty had flooded their minds since coming into being in Noctem.


    It felt like what had happened then mattered less¡ªbecause of what had since happened. The big blowout at the gorge was still as fresh a wound as any would be¡ªand she dreamt frequently about having the chance to re-live that event again¡ªto be able to do it over.


    Unfortunately, the closest chance she¡¯s had at reaching out to any of them were fleeting fragments where she was able to reach out to Thagirion or Galgaliel¡ªbut never at the same time. She figured if she could round them up she could talk some sense into them at reforming some sort of union¡ªbut it¡¯s been so hard to confirm anything else of the outside world.


    She gripped the edge of the table and sighed. There was so much she was expected to do¡ªand so much she sought out to do in this world¡ªwork that Samael wouldn¡¯t have understood. He scoffed at her work at preparing those with magical abilities here¡ªconsidering it a waste of time and resources.


    She knew more than most the harshness of the world they lived in¡ªmuch of it echoed the world of before, and she remembers the fragments of powerlessness she had felt in those old times. She felt powerlessness here and now having half of her existence carved out of her¡ªsince first coming to this world it wasn¡¯t that bad. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.


    But since the days of the Collapse, her dreams have long since been flooded with fragments and pieces of her past life¡ªthe existence she used to hold and the pain that used to encapsulate.


    She shook her head¡ªnow was not a time to get lost in those thoughts. She needed to keep working. She needed to solve the mystery of these locked away abilities of this strange new addition to their cosmic equation¡ªand she needed to find out more about the demon she came across that night.


    That...was most important of all.


    2022


    Ezrael¡¯s eyes fluttered open as the world shifted around her. She had passed out after falling into the void¡ªshe didn¡¯t know how much time had passed since the battle at the gorge, but her mind was spinning and her head was aching something fierce. She slowly started to piece together the recent memory of how everything came to be where she is now¡ªbut so much of it felt like a disjointed mess. It felt like she was trying to assemble a puzzle and all the pieces were from different puzzles altogether, but something about them was just close enough where she could almost piece them together.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally awake.¡±


    She jolted upright and saw a figure she didn¡¯t recognize off to the side¡ªhe looked like a man in his middle ages, but she couldn¡¯t see his face¡ªit looked obscured by a mask that hung close to his face.


    They were sitting in a cave¡ªa small campfire crackled in the distance and she saw its embers flicker up to the roof of the cave¡ªstalactites hung precariously that looked sharpened like swords. Even though she didn¡¯t recognize the man, his voice was familiar enough.


    ¡°Samael...who...is that?¡± she asked, her voice was hoarse¡ªshe found her throat was scratched all to hell.


    ¡°Easy, you took quite a tumble going through that portal there. You¡¯re going to need to recover if we¡¯re going to get started.¡±


    Her head pounded¡ªit felt like her headache had turned sentient and worked its way through her brain¡ªfinding and tunneling through every nook and cranny. ¡°S...Started?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to complete our mission, do we not? And we have to protect ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Protect ourselves¡­¡± she repeated, the words repeating in her brain like an echo.


    ¡°Well, yes. Of course. We need to protect ourselves from those who would harm us. You know who that is, right?¡±


    Images started returning to her¡ªshe remembered Ormus¡ªhe was firing a blast out to Samael¡ªThagirion and Galgaliel were there too...so many people were upset. So many were fighting for their lives.


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ¡°Ormus lied to us all,¡± Samael said. He leaned back and stretched his arms out, ¡°I tried to let everyone know...but he got the better of us, remember?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She said, having difficulty remembering the totality of the event. Everything was so hazy. ¡°I remember the fighting.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, you know. We were just trying to help¡ªwhat with Father passing...you remember that, right?¡±


    ¡°...oh god,¡± her hand went to her mouth and tears started to well up in her eyes as she started to remember. ¡°Yes...it was...Sakonna, right?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately,¡± Samael confirmed. ¡°Partnered by Issachar, and it seems Ormus knew about the whole thing. All to keep quiet those dreams of yours you¡¯ve been having.¡±


    ¡°How did you know about the dreams?¡± Ezrael asked, taken aback.


    ¡°You mentioned them¡ªyou and Thagirion,¡± Samael nodded. He looked at her and saw his eyes through the slits of the mask, they were a very vibrant purple.


    ¡°Oh...I think I remember something like that. I...I don¡¯t remember you getting a vessel, Samael. I think I remember you hating the idea of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Things changed¡ªI needed to adapt with the new situation, which brings me back to¡­¡± He sat forward, ¡°our plan. You¡¯re still interested?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± she began. ¡°I need some time to get a hold on things...I hope that¡¯s okay.¡±


    He made a motion for her to come up and sit by the fire. ¡°Of course, just like I said, we¡¯re both going to need to recover. Lot of energy spent¡ªand I can¡¯t imagine how things have been in your ballpark¡ªthis is the perfect opportunity for us to take command¡ªyou and I.¡±


    ¡°Take¡­command,¡± she repeated, the words flowed in her brain again, echoing and bouncing off her mind.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± he pointed at her and made a motion of agreement. ¡°We can only count on those who we trust. And that means we have to return back to square one¡ªfulfilling the wishes of our goal. You still have the preparations set to begin your phase?¡±


    ¡°I have...the blueprint set.¡± She said, and blinked. She started feeling a little too cold so she got up¡ªthe haziness of her mind was clearing and she sat across from him by the fire. The heat was an instantaneous relief and she sighed a long sound. ¡°I am going to need time to set up a station to pull energy from the planet. If I recall correctly my predictions set the completion time somewhere between forty and forty-two years. The range got less accurate the further it went out.¡±


    ¡°Those numbers are acceptable for now,¡± Samael said, ¡°But I¡¯m sure with more conduits we¡¯ll be able to lessen it.¡±


    ¡°It would all depend on the strength and scope. I can¡¯t make any promises...especially now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll take all the time we¡¯ll need,¡± Samael said.


    ¡°And...when the bridge is complete, you think you have it in you to take on Ormus¡¯ role in it? I¡¯m afraid I have no inkling as to his part¡­¡±


    ¡°Always was a secretive git, wasn¡¯t he?¡± Samael asked.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Fortunately for us, I¡¯ve got the knowledge we need. I found Father¡¯s plans.¡±


    ¡°You what?¡± Ezrael asked.


    ¡°It was at the crime scene¡ªyou know how Father writes things down¡ªI didn¡¯t have the original, of course. I assume Sakonna made off with that after she did the deed...but I saw it in the waves.¡±


    ¡°You...said something about recording the whole scene to the waves.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and provided nobody else went back to disturb the scene you should be able to confirm the scene for yourself.¡±


    Ezrael shook her head. ¡°No...I don¡¯t think I can handle seeing it right now...everything is...it¡¯s just a lot.¡±


    ¡°I completely understand,¡± Samael said. ¡°It will remain there as long as I can muster it, so should you change your mind the option will be available.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Samael.¡±


    ¡°Now, you continue to rest here, and when you feel up to it, I suggest heading out and try finding a suitable place to set up.¡± Samael stood and stretched, his body cracked and it was an uncomfortable sound.


    ¡°What of you? Where will you go?¡±


    ¡°I am going to see if I can find some of the others¡ªsee if we can¡¯t unite some of our lost family back to our cause. I have a feeling Ormus will be trying to do the same, and we can¡¯t let him disturb the cause.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even imagine why he would be against the plan¡­¡± Ezrael said.


    ¡°No clue...he works in mysterious ways. Can¡¯t say I understand him¡ªcan¡¯t say I ever did.¡±


    Ezrael felt awful about it, she felt like the puzzle pieces were starting to line up clearer...but some pieces still felt...wrong. She shook her head and turned back to the fire¡ªthe embers crackling in their patterns as they highlighted the exhaustion on her face¡ªand she felt her eyes close to sleep.


    Shapes filled her unconscious mind as Samael vanished from the spot where he stood, and as soon as he did those puzzle pieces shifted¡ªher memory returned, and she remembered the full course of events of the night¡ªand a terrifying smile haunted her dreams.


    She felt a shudder as the truth rained upon her as her full thoughts returned¡ªand she knew in her deepest heart that it was his presence that locked away those thoughts that would threaten the plan he set out.


    Samael was a danger¡ªhe had organized the battle at the Gorge¡ªhe had used her to send them far away¡ªand then used her to send them both far away after the seeds of discord had borne fruit. She knew that Ormus had kept secrets, but felt like in a better situation he would have revealed the truth¡ªthat she would have understood.


    Yet, it was blocked from her mind¡ªit was so easy to say yes and to not rock the boat when Samael was leading the meeting. It was so easy to be tangled up in his words even when her deepest thoughts would struggle against them¡ªin reality that was the truth of the dreams that she had.


    She remembered a time long ago when she fought against Samael¡ªfought against the person he used to be. She had hated him¡ªhated what he had done to not just her, but her friends. She had friends. She had more than friends, but she had lost them, too. So much of it was still missing pieces...she yearned for the truth above all else. And yet, there still stuck a name in her mind that felt like it had been torn from her very existence.


    Nair¨¨.


    She had no clue what the name had meant, but something inside her was screaming that it was important¡ªthat she had to reunite...with Nair¨¨.


    Through everything, the sight that she hung on the longest in her dreams was the look on Samael¡¯s face as he vanished. He thought she was fully asleep¡ªso he had taken the mask off¡ªfor just a moment. His face looked¡ªbroken...cracked. It did not look human¡ªand it did not look like Samael. It spoke in his voice, but something about it sent chills down her spine. It housed the crooked smile she saw in her darkest dreams.


    It was a demon, and she knew if it knew that she had seen it, it would have devoured her then and there. She was terrified.


    She still desired to see her world return¡ªbut she did not want to help Samael¡ªto help the demon. Yet...there was no other choice. She had no clue where any of the other Children of the Night had gone after¡­the end of the twelve.


    She would recover her senses, and then she would think on things in the morning. She needed to do something.


    Winter 2045


    Ezrael¡¯s eyes stared out at the lab she had spent so much time building up. She hated what it had become¡ªwhat she had become. She yearned for freedom...to break away, but Samael¡ªthat demon¡ªhad regular check ups. Each time he called¡ªeach time he visited, her control was rested away from her just as easily as it had any previous time. He had gotten stronger in the time since then¡ªhis influence had lasted longer after he left. She caught herself reporting to him too late¡ªshe gave him vital information on how to further whatever agenda he had planned, and she hated herself for it more and more.


    The girl was something she hadn¡¯t planned for, and hated that she brought such progress to her doorstep, because now Samael was going to be checking in more regularly¡ªhe was going to be heavily invested in the development. He was going to seek for her death after her use was over...why couldn¡¯t she just stay hidden?


    Why couldn¡¯t she just live the rest of her life without revealing herself now...stupid. Stupid. STUPID!


    She sighed. She clenched her fists tight and knew the insults were for her. She knew the girl had only been trying to fight against an unjust fate. I wonder if she even knew I got to see those memories too...probably did with how stupidly I blurted that out.


    The truth was...she saw the perfect opportunity to make her move against Samael and now she¡¯s blown it. This could have been the thing to take him down¡ªa factor he hadn¡¯t known about...if that were even possible, but now...she went and ruined that surprise.


    She sighed again, and looked off to the side.


    Enjoy your moments with that unrequited love, I fear your opportunities for happiness are shrinking by the day...unless¡­


    She stood up.


    Wait...that could be it. She conjured up a keyboard and began searching through her database and began typing with a fury. If this works...we might still have a chance. Oh god...please let it be here.


    After a few minutes she smiled, and she immediately got to work¡ªsleep was going to be foreign to her tonight. This night was for redemption. This was a night...for reclamation. This was the night the demon¡¯s death was first penned.


    That damned smile...it would die with that smile.

 19 | In the Shadows

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    Lucas Adair


    ¡°We should handle this next part carefully,¡± Lucas had said to Laven. ¡°If the King is responsible for the Shade presences around here¡ªwe can¡¯t trust any mission of us being sent out to investigate them. It¡¯s most likely just a task to keep us busy or worse¡ªto send us to our deaths.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, then? Do we abscond to one of the other kingdoms and hope they take kinder to our situation?¡± Laven asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so...that¡¯s a heavy gambit. It¡¯s not one I think will turn out well for us¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we trust Tomorrow with this information.¡±


    ¡°I agree. I doubt he is in on the inner workings of the King¡¯s plans, but I similarly don¡¯t think he¡¯d believe us if we speak heretical against his king.¡±


    Laven nodded, ¡°But we should tell the others¡ª¡± she looked out toward the others on the other edge of the cliff face before turning back to Lucas. ¡°Though I fear their reactions may give us away.¡±


    ¡°If we let them know early enough we can prime their reactions¡ªI agree we should probably make use of the training while we have it available¡ªI couldn¡¯t have imagined how much more confident those accelerant particles have helped me out...we might be able to take advantage of this situation¡ªand then we make our escape before we put ourselves in danger.¡±


    ¡°We should probably also use this opportunity to explore about the castle¡ªmaybe we can use the dark of night to find out more information.¡±


    ¡°Maybe we can find information to sway Tomorrow to our side,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°Unlikely, but possible.¡± Laven looked back toward the others and then lowered her head. ¡°Well, ¡®bout time we reconvene, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll go first across the gorge if you want¡ªtest it to make sure it¡¯s still stable.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, prince charming,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Glad you stuck up for once.¡±


    Lucas smiled and they headed over and rejoined the others. They had each talked about what Lucas had seen¡ªand what they had planned to do.


    ¡°So you¡¯re sure you saw the king?¡± Roderick asked as they started their jog back.


    ¡°Positive,¡± Lucas affirmed. ¡°I knew I had a bad feeling about him, but I¡¯ll admit I didn¡¯t expect him to be the cause of the shades.¡±


    ¡°I cannot believe they¡¯re other people¡­¡± Amber said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t imagine living like that...do you think they¡¯re conscious?¡±


    Lucas shook his head, ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I didn¡¯t sense anything outside of a desire to overwhelm.¡±


    ¡°If Luke hadn¡¯t pulled out those fancy lights he would¡¯ve needed me to save him,¡± Laven said.


    Tabula began to sign, ¡°I did see some sort of light show appear¡ªso that was you, then?¡±


    Lucas nodded, ¡°Yeah¡­I didn¡¯t know that was something I could do here, but I¡¯m more than glad that I can do it,¡± he laughed.


    ¡°I just need to find my hidden talent and then we¡¯ll be good to go,¡± Roderick joked.


    ¡°On a more serious note,¡± Amber began. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be immediately planning our exit strategy. I think it would be more prudent to follow along with the king¡¯s plan, at least until we get sent on our recon mission, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The rest of them looked confused at her¡ªnot understanding her tack. She returned a look of confusion, as if the reason was obvious.


    ¡°If they¡¯re going to train us to be spies, the best way we could offer ourselves to an alternate kingdom would be to reveal our nature in exchange of reverse work.¡±


    ¡°Reverse work...like becoming the expendable force to another kingdom instead?¡± Roderick asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying we have to risk ourselves, but being able to get information from Blackwell and then being able to ally ourselves, even if temporarily, and gain information on Bluefin¡ªif that is the truth of our recon mission¡¯s location.¡±


    ¡°I see what you mean,¡± Lucas said. ¡°In that case I agree. How about the rest of you?¡±


    Around the group, they each had agreed with the plan, and they returned to the castle with no additional problems. Their report to Tomorrow had not included any of the details of their encounter with the Shade, or Lucas¡¯s new ability. Amber had disclosed the crossing of the cliff-side, so that it seemed like an eventful trip, but on the large whole of it they were dismissed to their bedchambers. It seemed clear that Tomorrow was still preoccupied with the events that had taken him away from their training.


    Lucas found Laven waiting for him in his cell as night had fallen completely. Being back inside the castle the both of them could feel the increased weight on their bearings. It was as if the walk back to their rooms had encapsulated the entirety of the energy they had expended on their entire jog.


    ¡°I stopped by the others¡¯ rooms first,¡± Laven said. ¡°I wanted to get them on the same page so we didn¡¯t have everyone trying to sneak out at once.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense,¡± Lucas said. ¡°That would multiply the chance of us getting caught...and it only takes once until they learn we¡¯re up to no good.¡±


    Laven nodded. ¡°I told them you would be the first one to try. I hope you¡¯ll forgive my putting you on the spot.¡±


    Lucas shook his head, ¡°No, no don¡¯t worry about it, I would have offered. I¡¯m lighter on my feet, and you¡¯ve got to rest from using your power.¡±


    Laven looked off to the side, embarrassed, but then returned his gaze. ¡°I wish it weren¡¯t so, but if I could ignore it then I would have already.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait a bit, they¡¯ll probably have patrols scouting out. I want to see if I can establish a sort of pattern.¡±


    ¡°We should try taking it in spurts. If you can try maybe making it to their guard station¡ªI assume they have something like that set up, you can try to get their schedule. I think that will make future trips that much easier.¡±


    Lucas nodded. ¡°Got it, I¡¯ll go for that.¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, I think I saw some of their sentries heading to the western side of the castle¡ªthis was back before we were tossed into the main hall with all the food. I saw a bunch of them heading out in that direction. Your best bet is going to be west.¡±


    ¡°What would I do without you?¡± Lucas asked, cocking his head.


    ¡°Suffer indefinitely,¡± she smiled. ¡°Swing by my cell to let me know when you finished. And for all sake, don¡¯t get caught.¡±


    ¡°Not planning on it,¡± Lucas said. He stepped forward and kissed her on the cheek. ¡°I¡¯ll come back for that...you hold onto it until then.¡±


    She blushed, and nodded, stepping out of the room and leaving him to his solitude. He sat, staring at the ceiling of his small cell until his thoughts ran dry of the multitude of possibilities of what would await him out in the open. Was this the right course for them? He had hoped so. He couldn¡¯t begin to describe how terrible he would feel if he got caught and ruined everything for the rest of them¡ªmaybe if that were the case he could push it in the direction of it just being his plan.


    He shook his head, he couldn¡¯t let himself worry about those kinds of things. Planning that far in advance would only substantiate his fears and worries. He needed to act, and he needed to not let himself convince his mind that he was going to fail¡ªhe needed to project the confidence he yearned to have. Fake it until you make it.


    He leapt up to his feet and took in a deep breath. He clapped his hands to his face and prepared himself. There wasn¡¯t going to be any better time to do it than now.


    Lucas tiptoed silently through the shadowy corridors of the basement dwelling just outside their cell blocks. The flickering light of the torches set far on the walls illuminated the rough stone walls, casting eerie shadows across the damp and musty space. The ceiling hung low overhead, thick with cobwebs, and he could see rusted chains and manacles hanging from the walls he hadn¡¯t noticed before.


    He shuddered as the darkness seemed to press in on him from all sides, and the air was thick with the musty scent of mold and dampness. He could hear the distant sound of dripping water and the occasional scurrying of rats hanging in the back of his mind.


    But Lucas was determined. He knew that finding these plans would be the key to unlocking the castle''s secrets, and he couldn''t let a little discomfort stand in his way.


    Finally, he spotted a faint glimmer of light up ahead, and he had made it to the staircase heading up toward the main hallway. This was when he would have to be his most sneaky¡ªit wasn¡¯t a skill he was experienced in, but he had known enough to not fall for stupid mistakes.


    He lightly started ascending up the stairs as the light around him started to fade and he was climbing the steps in total darkness. Just like they had been on the way down, the stairs were narrow and steep¡ªworn and uneven from years of disuse. Lucas made his way up slowly and cautiously. He could feel the weight of the castle above him, pressing down on him with an almost palpable force.


    At last, after what felt like an eternity of climbing, he emerged into the dimly lit hallway on the main floor of the castle. He breathed a sigh of relief, glad to be out of the dungeon and he immediately heard footsteps off to the left and he pulled back down into the shadows. He leapt down three of the steps and bent down against the side of the wall so he wouldn¡¯t be seen. He saw the form of the guard as he stumbled across view. The guard was clad in shining silver armor¡ªLucas noticed the sword held in its sheath at his side.


    He waited for the guard to pass before he emerged from the staircase and made his way down the hallway the guard had just come from. If he was correct in his assumption this hallway would bend around and round back around to the mess hall. He turned the corner and saw that the path down was clear, but then suddenly sounds bounded from behind him and Lucas started running, searching for anyplace to hide. He found a standing suit of armor standing in an alcove and he ducked behind it.


    He was breathing heavily and held his hand to his mouth to quiet the sounds of his breathing. He was thankfully thin enough to fully obscure his form behind the armor¡ªand the walls of the alcove helped shield him from view. In between the crevice of the armor¡¯s arms and waist he saw the running figure pass by in a flash. It didn¡¯t look like one of the guards who was running¡ªand the figure seemed light on their feet¡ªtoo light for a guard clad in heavy armor with all the attached gear.


    So then who¡­?


    He peered out from his hiding place and saw as the figure was just pulling around the corner and saw the edge of the councilor¡¯s garb before it disappeared.


    Well that is interesting. He seemed to remember a councilor who had run with that sort of lack of any sort of physical manner. This could be an opportunity he wouldn¡¯t get again so he decided to tail him, looking to confirm the guard wasn¡¯t going to be returning from the right.


    Lucas followed down the hallway and craned his neck around the corner and saw a door close and figured that was his best bet if he could eavesdrop. Guard¡¯s station can wait a minute.


    He approached closer and he was sure he could hear voices¡ªnot just one¡ªtalking through the door. He knew one of them was Tomorrow. The other sounded familiar¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t immediately place it.


    ¡°You sure look like you could use a breather,¡± the other voice said.


    ¡°I...can¡¯t help it,¡± Tomorrow said in between breaths. ¡°I¡¯ve been running around covering all my bases. Phi team¡¯s training went extra long. I¡¯m feeling so spent,¡± Tomorrow said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you could take some of that pressure off of yourself if you had delegated out some of those responsibilities.¡±


    ¡°I wish I could and feel good about it,¡± Tomorrow said.¡±


    He knew where that other voice came from¡ªit clicked in his mind as he remembered the woman councilor with the long cherry colored hair. Cherine had been her name¡ªand now he envisioned the both of them having their secret night time conversation¡ªhis suspicions arose even further. And...was Tomorrow tasking himself with training multiple teams at the same time? He would be lying if he didn¡¯t say he didn¡¯t have empathy for that level of work.


    ¡°What with Sigma and Theta disappearing on their last trip out¡ªI¡¯m starting to think I sent Rodmas and Quintel to their deaths.¡±


    ¡°If they weren¡¯t strong enough to handle the Shades then they went out too early. It¡¯s that simple,¡± Cherine said. ¡°They know little of patience¡ªI think you know that they were always too headstrong in that sense.¡±


    ¡°Even worse, I think Yancy is planning an expedition with his squad come morning. I passed by a guard in the hall and asked him to check out their bunker¡ªI¡¯ve got a bad feeling we¡¯ll be losing them next. I¡¯ve been trying to take over that squad too and have Yancy back in Tidmas¡¯ corner.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d give Tidmas more ammunition at calling the plan a failure?¡± Cherine asked.


    ¡°If I can restructure the Tau squad to delay their travel tomorrow¡ªI¡¯d happily accept that.¡±


    ¡°Well, I will vye my support for your corner should it come to that. You needn¡¯t worry about the Mu.¡±


    ¡°Well of course not. I have no doubts about our residential squad staying out of harm¡¯s way.¡±


    Lucas backed away from the door. He figured this was the extent of the information he was going to receive sitting here¡ªand the longer he did the greater risk he posed. He continued down the hall and checked behind him to confirm they hadn¡¯t heard him and were about to begin chasing him down.


    There were a couple of things that piqued his interest though¡ªnamely the fact that some of the other squads have had encounters with Shades. That...and Tomorrow seems to wholly be unaware of the origin of Shades as he had assumed. He felt better about putting his trust in him¡ªbut it made the feeling more tough to balance with everything in the scope of the situation. If the Shades did originate from the King, then he could not continue to remain here forever¡ªand that most likely meant he and Tomorrow would be at odds before long. However much he may have liked him as a person¡ªit seemed clear he was dedicated to his kingdom.


    He continued down the hallway¡ªthe only sounds being the faint echo of his footsteps and the occasional rustle of his clothing. As he rounded a corner, he spotted two guards up ahead, their backs had been turned to him. He flattened himself against the wall, holding his breath and waited for them to pass. When they finally moved on, Lucas breathed a sigh of relief and continued on his way.


    He approached a staircase leading up to the guard''s quarters, carefully listening for any signs of movement. When he was sure the coast was clear, he ascended the stairs as silently as he could, his heart pounding with nervous excitement.


    Finally, he arrived at the door to the guard''s room. He could hear the faint snoring of the guards within, and he cursed as he knew this was going to be trickier than he first thought. The one positive of this was that he could be sure that the door wouldn¡¯t be locked...but the cost of that had definitely sent his heart racing.


    He opened the door slowly and pulled it open as he held his breath. Opening, he saw the room expand and the enormity of his mission seemed to multiply before his eyes. He was anxious before, but now his nerves were taut as ever. He snuck into the barracks and was minutely aware of every micro sound he made as he tried with everything in him to not wake the guards that were sleeping.


    He was desperate now¡ªhe made his way over toward one of the cluttered desks at the far edge of the guard station. He knew that his team''s success in their upcoming searches depended on knowing the movements of the guards, and he couldn''t afford to miss a beat.


    As he rifled through the papers and folders on the desk, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated at the lack of organization. There were stacks of reports, memos, and notes scattered all over the place, making it difficult for him to find what he was looking for.


    He took a deep breath and tried to focus, determined to find the schedule before it was too late. He picked up a pile of papers and began sifting through them one by one, looking for any clue that might lead him to the information he needed.


    After what felt like an eternity, he finally saw a sheet of paper with "Guard Schedule" written in bold letters at the top. He snatched it up eagerly and scanned it quickly, his heart racing as he noted the movements of the guards. Yes. This is exactly what he was looking for.


    Relieved and satisfied, he carefully placed the schedule back where he had found it, making sure not to leave any evidence of his search. As he left the station, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of accomplishment¡ªhe had completed his task and secured the vital information he needed for the others¡¯ attempts.


    As he was about to make his escape, he heard a noise outside the door. Panicking, he quickly hid behind one of the lockers, hoping the guards wouldn''t notice anything amiss. The door swung open, and a guard walked in, looking around with an air of annoyance. Lucas held his breath, praying he wouldn''t be discovered. The sound had awoken two of the guards who had been sleeping¡ªand their wake has everyone else shuffling from their slumber.


    ¡°What the hells all the racket?¡± One of them called out. Lucas noted his voice was extremely gruff.


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    ¡°Shift change. You¡¯ve had enough sleep. Get your lazy asses up.¡±


    The first guard groaned and his head dropped back to his pillow. ¡°I swear you don¡¯t give an inch more than obligation.¡±


    ¡°Obligation is for the soldiers on the front lines,¡± the second guard said. ¡°All I care about is none of those scabs don¡¯t give me a reason to run them through,¡± he said, grinning.


    ¡°I swear it¡¯s like you¡¯ve got a vendetta,¡± a third guard¡¯s voice chimed in. ¡°Everything you complain about one way or the other ties back to them. Ain¡¯t they supposed to be on our side now?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re nothing more than cattle to be used in place of our men out there.¡± The first guard barked, and Lucas could see through the space that he began shedding the armor he had been wearing. ¡°Councilors may have use for them, but all they are is stinkin¡¯ up the halls with their disgusting bodies. Eating our food¡ªtaking our resources.¡±


    ¡°Yeah yeah, Godtick,¡± the second guard said. ¡°We¡¯ve heard it before. Unless you plan on staging a coup I¡¯d rather you just take your sleep and leave me to my changing in peace.¡±


    The locker Lucas had been hiding behind was opened as Godtick shoved the pieces of his armor inside and then slammed it shut¡ªthe heavy frame of the locker pushed into him and he bit down hard as it compressed his body against the back wall. He rushed his hand to his mouth to prevent any sound from leaking out.


    After what felt like an eternity, the guard¡¯s shift change finally completed and those new on the scene finally had left to begin their shift, and the old watch had retired to their beds. Of note, Lucas saw were the same beds the others had just left from. That disturbs me in more ways I can find time to express.


    Lucas waited for his opportunity to slip out of the guard¡¯s chambers unnoticed. Thankfully, because of the schedule he knew the guards would begin their rotations by investigating the areas of the castle closest to the King¡¯s chambers before fanning outward and ending on the squad¡¯s chambers. That means he had the perfect opportunity to slip back to his own cell before the guard would arrive to confirm his place.


    When he made it back he collapsed into his cot and let his head roll back on his pillow¡ªthe adrenaline flooding through his body began to fade and he smiled and closed his eyes. He had done it. He had succeeded. His mind began fleeting as his consciousness descended into dreams.


    Lucas tossed and turned in his sleep, his mind consumed by vivid and terrifying sights. He saw a sprawling landscape from a bird¡¯s eye view. It was a green landscape flushed with hills and crests. The sky was filled with enormous dragons, their scales glinting in the sunlight as they soared through the air. As Lucas looked on in awe, he realized that the dragons were engaged in a fierce battle with the people of the land. The humans were armed with swords and shields, but they were clearly outmatched by the massive beasts.


    Lucas watched in horror as the dragons breathed fire and lightning, laying waste to the countryside and decimating entire armies with a single swipe of their massive talons. He saw brave soldiers fall in battle, their bodies crushed beneath the weight of the fearsome beasts.


    As the dream went on, Lucas found himself taking up arms alongside the human warriors. He felt the weight of a sword in his hand and the heat of the dragon''s breath on his face as he charged into battle.


    Lucas stood on the front line of the army, his heart racing as he watched the sky fill with the massive creatures of every color imaginable. The beasts were huge, easily the size of buildings. He was no longer outside of the conflict, but standing on the front lines watching their shadows descend among his many comrades.


    Lucas drew his sword and took a deep breath, readying himself for the fight of his life. He knew that the fate of the world hung in the balance, and that he and his fellow soldiers were the only ones standing between the dragons and certain destruction.


    As the first dragon swooped down to attack¡ªa shimmering golden beast with fangs like a saber-tooth''s, Lucas sprang into action. He charged forward, his sword flashing in the sunlight as he slashed at the beast''s scaled hide. The dragon roared in pain and anger, sending a stream of golden fire in Lucas''s direction.


    Lucas dodged and weaved, narrowly avoiding the flames as he pressed his attack. He was joined by his fellow soldiers, each one fighting with courage and determination as they worked together to take down the monstrous creatures.


    For hours they battled, the clash of swords and the roar of dragons filling the air. Lucas fought with all his might, his muscles straining as he dodged and parried the dragons'' attacks and landed his own blows.


    Despite their best efforts, the soldiers were slowly being overwhelmed by the sheer number and ferocity of the dragons. It seemed as though all was lost, until Lucas noticed a weak spot in the armor of one of the beasts. With a cry of triumph, he lunged forward and plunged his sword deep into the dragon''s heart. The beast let out a final roar before collapsing to the ground, dead.


    Inspired by Lucas''s bravery, the other soldiers rallied, and together they began to turn the tide of the battle. One by one, the dragons fell to their swords and spears, until at last the sky was quiet and the battlefield was strewn with the bodies of the fallen beasts.


    As the army cheered and celebrated their hard-won victory, Lucas couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride and awe at what they had accomplished. They had fought against seemingly impossible odds and emerged victorious, proving that even in the face of overwhelming danger, hope and bravery could triumph. They worked together as a team, trusting each other with their lives and fighting with all their might to protect their homeland.


    As the dream began to fade and Lucas stirred awake, he felt a strange sense of both fear and exhilaration. It was as if he had just lived through a real battle, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that there was some deeper meaning behind the dream. Nonetheless, he couldn''t deny the power and excitement of the ancient war between people and gigantic dragons that had unfolded in his mind.


    ~...~


    As morning broke he gathered with the others and had told them of his exploits in the night.


    ¡°So you were successful,¡± Roderick said, smiling a big grin as he pounded Lucas on the back. The motion had surprised him, and he stumbled forward as the man¡¯s mighty force sent him off balance.


    ¡°Yeah...it was a little hairy there for a little bit,¡± Lucas said. ¡°But I don¡¯t believe they knew I was there. I also heard some things from Tomorrow about some of the other squads going missing. I can¡¯t quite confirm if they¡¯re actually dead¡ªbut the outlook didn¡¯t seem too hot.¡±


    He explained the conversation he had eavesdropped on with Tomorrow and Cherine. The others were just as hesitant in their feelings on him versus the entire kingdom as he had been, but the overall success of the mission was the prevalent feeling among them all.


    ¡°I¡¯m so glad you made it through unscathed,¡± Laven said. ¡°I knew you could do it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Lucas blushed.


    ¡°I can take tonight¡¯s shift,¡± Laven said. ¡°I think I want to investigate further into these councilors. See if I can find anything of use. If Tomorrow is someone we can turn to our side I want to see if that is possible.¡±


    The others had nodded, they seemed in agreement¡ªLucas had noticed the others seemed glad they didn¡¯t have to go in the shadows tonight. Their session this day would be another round of combat training. Lucas had felt tired from the previous day, but he was excited to excel a bit more in this area.


    When they had met Tomorrow in the training grounds he looked as if he hadn¡¯t slept a wink the night before. Lucas probably wouldn¡¯t have even noticed it had he not overheard his conversation¡ªhe probably would have been too focused on himself and Laven. He thought on her goal for the night and hoped that she would be successful. If there was a way to get him to understand their point of view and turn his allegiances against the King...that would definitely be the best case scenario. It was frustrating knowing their goal and knowing the method of bridging their way to that goal seemed to be two totally different tracks.


    ¡°Lucas, I think today we¡¯ll start off with you, and then¡­¡± he turned to the others, counting off and pairing them to fight until he stopped with Laven. ¡°Yes, you and Tabula will pair today. We¡¯ll exchange after some time, now, let me gather the weapons quickly.¡±


    Up to this point he has had quite a few one on one sessions with Tomorrow himself and could feel the weight of the sword lighten ever so slightly each time he picked it up. His body had been attuned to gaining natural muscle mass because of the accelerant particles.


    ~...~


    Tomorrow had just blocked one of Lucas¡¯ advances as he grunted and fell back. In the early days a blow like he had just blocked would have taken all his might to hold the blade back¡ªforcing him to grasp the hilt with both of his hands.


    It was a motion that brought Windsor to mind. He hasn¡¯t been seen since he walked out on them all that time ago, and as much as Lucas disliked how he had ended things, he still had a lingering thought of hoping that he was still out there, kicking. Throughout everything he didn¡¯t understand why that was the thought coming to the front of his mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re distracted,¡± Tomorrow said, closing in between the two and sneaking a cut against his arm.


    ¡°Tch!¡± Lucas called out, shaking out of his thoughts. ¡°Yes, sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize, fix the mistake. The tempo of a fight is always at a fever pitch. You don¡¯t have time to apologize when your opponent has you on the ropes,¡± Tomorrow had closed in for another strike and Lucas sidestepped him, gaining some of his momentum back and blocking a shot aimed toward his rear. He took the opportunity to push Tomorrow¡¯s blade back and backed off, all he needed was a moment to collect himself and gather space.


    He had learned over the past two weeks that he excelled in keeping distance and playing defensively. Tomorrow was capable of switching up fighting styles on the fly, but there was a noticeable period of time whenever he changed from a hyper offensive to a more reflexive stance that offered an opening. He had noticed it during their last training session but chose to say nothing. If he had spoken up about it, he might be more wary of it and take away his chance.


    One of the things that hadn¡¯t left him was his ability to strategize since coming to this world. His tools may be different, but his mind was running to calculate ways that he could best use them to overcome any odds he was facing. He was smaller than Tomorrow and while his frame was getting more lean and used to combat, he was still operating using a smaller build. This meant that he had to use quick strikes that weren¡¯t as strong as he might normally like, but being able to overwhelm an opponent was a key strategy he had to refine.


    Tomorrow took a step closer and changed his stance to a more reactive one¡ªhe was waiting for what Lucas would offer in return. He took the moment as he was shifting to step forward and he cut low. Tomorrow shifted to block, but Lucas kicked into a leap forward¡ªthe momentum pushed the sword past where Tomorrow had projected to block and he was able to scrape Tomorrow¡¯s leg. Lucas offered a quick kick at the side of his leg and turned reverse and found his blade pointed at Tomorrow¡¯s face¡ªinches from his nose.


    A smile crossed Tomorrow¡¯s face and he stood slowly, patting aside his blade and nodding. ¡°Excellent use of your available tactics to catch me off guard. That¡¯s the kind of tempo we like to see. I can tell my initial scope about you is panning out wonderfully.¡±


    Lucas appreciated the compliment and nodded in return. I really hope Laven is able to help turn him. This kind of feeling of conflict is too much.


    ¡°Okay, you go do some rounds with Tabula. Next up is going to be Laven.¡±


    Lucas instinctively looked to Laven who was smiling at him. While it felt good to get complimented by Tomorrow, it was her appreciation he cared more about. It was interesting, though, there was also a sort of competitive fire in her eyes.


    He hasn¡¯t had to do rounds against her yet as they¡¯ve spent a lot of time learning with single partners after their sparring session with Tomorrow, and after Windsor had left he had taken his place sparring against Roderick for the first week. Then after that, he and Amber got to spend the next week fighting against one another. That had been a challenge for sure as she was about as small as he was so he couldn¡¯t use the size advantage to out-maneuver her. In a lot of their sparring sessions he ended up on the losing end until he learned more of her habits and was able to exploit them successfully.


    This week seems to have him going against Tabula, who despite her inability to hear had no trouble at all navigating the way around the blade. She had gone up against Laven the last week and the two had offered sparring sessions that lasted longer than any other without anyone conceding. It was a marvel to both of their talents and the strength accelerant particulates.


    Now, however, it was his time to begin training against her. He knew that Tabula preferred fighting with the lance¡ªa familiar weapon that the older Allison Fae had used. While he hadn¡¯t gotten to see the weapon in action, he could imagine the amount of damage that could be done with such a weapon.


    The reach that it afforded her was not to be trifled with, as Lucas knew that it would be difficult to play around her defenses if he was using a sword. He stood facing Tabula with Tomorrow equidistant from either of them. She was holding her lance firm and was staring at him.


    ¡°All right, the two of you¡­¡± Tomorrow said, then looked to Tabula and his face started to constrict. ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°They can read your lips,¡± Laven reminded him.


    ¡°Oh yes,¡± he said, shaking his head quickly. ¡°You may begin.¡±


    Lucas knew that it must be strange to deal with someone who you have not had experience with, but he was starting to get annoyed at the consistent refusal it seemed by Tomorrow¡¯s brain to accept new ways to communicate. It was far from the first time now that they had been in close quarters and he still consistently acted as if it were the first time he received this information.


    He tried shrugging it off as he knew right now was not the time to be thinking of this but as soon as his eyes darted back to Tabula¡ªhe saw in their stare that she was focused with the point of her lance pointed to him. To him, this was a message. Anything else would be dealt with after, now was time for combat.


    He saw that Tomorrow was gearing up against Laven anyway¡ªso any irritations with his behavior would only bother and slow him down now. He took a deep breath and pushed any negative thoughts aside, focusing on the task at hand. He knew that he needed to be at his best and couldn''t afford to let anything distract him. Tabula was waiting for him to make the first move. It made sense, they had all the reason in the world to wait for him.


    He realized if he tried to call them on this bluff, they would both be staring at one another until the end of time. He moved forward and he raised the blade deftly. He knew his first swipe was going to be easily blocked, so he did not move to act the unexpected. His plan was to try to overwhelm them with speed. While the sword he carried was hefty¡ªand at the start it required him to use both of his hands in a full grip to get an effective swing out of it, thanks to the accelerant particles he felt much faster on his feet whereas he could bet that while the lance was easier to handle as well, it would always be bulkier than the blade. And yet, Lucas could see the determination in their eyes, but also a hint of caution.


    Tabula knew that he had experience with combat¡ªtheir time in-between training sessions was full of small talk and rest, so each of the trainees had heard the story of his and Laven¡¯s assault on the Namba brother¡¯s factory, although this kind of talk was usually met with yearning for having someone with his old abilities back. This was a thought that came as a dual edged blade to Lucas, but mostly stemmed toward honing his new strengths, as weaker as they may have been.


    Still, stories at the end of the day were just that, and with every ounce of strength came paired a strategic mind, and he knew he still had that to guide him, and they knew that just as well. They didn''t want to rush into battle without a strategy. Tabula waited for him to make the first move, watching him closely and studying his technique. He needed to be careful and not underestimate them. He approached cautiously, watching for any signs of weakness or an opening.


    Tabula was patient, waiting for the right moment to strike. They knew that if she could catch him off guard, she had a chance of winning. Lucas, on the other hand, was determined to finish the fight as quickly as possible. He charged forward, his sword flashing through the air as he aimed for their chest. Tabula expertly blocked the blow with their spear, using the length of the weapon to keep him at bay.


    They continued to clash as their weapons rang out as they struck against each other. He held his sword against their lance and he made eye-contact. They grinned and pushed him back. Without warning, Tabula charged forward, their lance extended. Lucas stepped back, dodging their attack and counterattacked with a swift swipe of his sword. But Tabula was too quick, and they sidestepped the blow with ease.


    The two fighters circled each other warily, each waiting for the other to make a move. Finally, Lucas lunged forward, swinging his sword in a wide arc. But Tabula was ready for him. She parried the attack with her lance and countered with a quick thrust.


    Lucas narrowly avoided the attack, jumping back just in time. He then charged forward once again, this time with a series of rapid strikes. But Tabula was a skilled fighter, and she deftly blocked each of his blows with her lance. It was clear they were evenly paced as they exchanged blows for another. The battle raged on, each fighter exchanging blows with lightning-fast reflexes. Sparks flew as their weapons clashed, and the sound of metal on metal echoed across the plain.


    Lucas saw his opportunity as Laven extended themselves a little too far in trying to reach him. He was able to anchor a shot toward the edge of her lance¡ªthe imbalance shook their wrist and forced them to drop their weapon. In one swift motion he had disarmed her and held the sword out in a motion of victory. He was breathing heavily¡ªshe had gotten tremendously dexterous in her time training, he lowered the sword and offered a hand for a well fought match.


    Tabula took it, and signed, ¡°Congratulations. I thought for sure I was going to have you.¡±


    He nodded, and said in return, ¡°You had me on the ropes for the most of it. I couldn¡¯t let go for a single minute.¡±


    They smiled and then both Lucas and Tabula turned as soon as they heard the clashing of blades on the far edge of the room¡ªa blade was spinning in the air after having been knocked out of the wielder¡¯s hand. It spun until it hit the ground and clattered to the side, uselessly.


    Laven was standing with her sword pointed at Tomorrow¡ªhis hands were half-raised and a smile was on his face. Roderick and Amber had similarly stopped as the clang rang out¡ªit was an impressive display and Tomorrow nodded his head.


    ¡°That was fantastic,¡± he said. ¡°You all are continuing to impress me...I dare say you are growing to be the hope I desired for this squad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame others have not spent as much time as we have,¡± Laven said.


    Lucas tried to not let his interest in the statement be so obvious. I trust she knows what she¡¯s doing with this.


    Tomorrow¡¯s eyes glanced in her direction as if the thought were plucked from his brain. ¡°I should have assumed word would spread.


    Yes. Bingo.


    ¡°I heard that some of the other squads have gone missing, is that true?¡± Laven asked.


    Yes, that¡¯s a good idea. Bring it up now so if we need to use it later, we can avoid the sticky situation of how I learned of it. That¡¯s a fantastic idea¡ªremind me to thank you later for that.


    Tomorrow nodded slowly and sighed. ¡°I figure if you¡¯re going to be hearing the rumors I may as well tell you the full story. We have lost contact with five of our total squads. Untrained at the level that you all are...their councilors unfortunately have been headstrong in their desire to utilize their squads as early as possible. I assume you are aware of the attitude some councilors have toward the people of your world.¡±


    ¡°Treat us like disposable work jockeys,¡± Laven said.


    Tomorrow sighed. ¡°I despise the fact¡ªhow I intended this to be is how I spoke it to you¡ªhow I see it with you. We work with you and you work with us and we each mutually benefit.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately it seems like that kind of thinking is in the minority.¡±


    Tomorrow nodded. ¡°I can understand any and all frustration you may have over this situation. And I also understand any fear that could stem from this¡ªI seem to have fallen short on my end of the bargain.¡±


    LUCAS could tell it was absolutely wrecking Tomorrow¡¯s confidence that the others had acted the way they did. ¡°You don¡¯t have responsibility over the others¡ªas much as it would be beneficial to us that you do,¡± LUCAS said. ¡°I think that your training has paid off.¡± LUCAS figured if they were really going to try this, he would have to give a little to hopefully get in return down the line. ¡°We encountered a Shade on our trip yesterday.¡±


    Tomorrow perked up, his expression was one of confusion and shock. ¡°You...what? Nobody had said anything about¡­¡± He looked from each face and then ended on Lucas.


    ¡°It¡¯s as you said,¡± Lucas said. ¡°Things have been unsure¡ªword had been spreading. We didn¡¯t know what information we could let slip and who we could trust.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re all still here,¡± Tomorrow said. ¡°So I assume you were able to escape it unharmed. Of that I am very happy to hear.¡±


    ¡°We killed it,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°You...you what?¡± Tomorrow asked.


    ¡°We encountered it, we initially had a little difficulty with it, and then we killed it.¡±


    ¡°That is...that is unprecedented,¡± Tomorrow said, his eyes looked aghast as he tried to process the information. ¡°We¡¯ve had our mightiest soldiers out there on the front lines and the best case scenario we¡¯ve had is they¡¯ve been able to escape with their lives...but...how did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Laven said. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can necessarily reveal that¡ªat least, not right now. Think about it¡ªat the end of the day not many people here care if we¡¯re killed off. So if we spill the beans and you guys figure out a way of handling your problem...then what becomes of us? Surely Tidmas only agreed with your plan because he understands the Shades are a problem your soldiers cannot handle themselves. This is our opportunity we can use to prove we¡¯re still useful, prove we can still help the Kingdom until we can find our own way home.¡±


    Lucas¡¯ eyes shifted over to Laven. He had worried that she had oversold it. Even if he agreed fully with the idea of what she said, he was worried that framing it as a service to the kingdom might have risked it too far.


    ¡°I...I see,¡± Tomorrow nodded. ¡°Yes, I can understand your situation. Okay, I understand. You must show me, at least, so I can help train you to better hone your skills.¡±


    ¡°An¡¯ how can we trust that you won¡¯t blab the secret as soon as we tell you?¡± Roderick asked.


    Tomorrow regarded him with a serious look, ¡°My desire is to see this kingdom safe. As of this current moment you are in this kingdom, so that includes you. Selling out this secret would lead to you not being safe, so simply, I will keep it¡ªbut only as we¡¯re using it to help others on the front lines. I can help myself sleep at night knowing if we¡¯re helping each other...you understand?¡±


    Lucas nodded, glad their wordplay had swayed his opinion, but Lucas felt a little heart-sunken about the fact that he had most assuredly confirmed that Tomorrow was dedicated to his kingdom for better and for worse. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get him to rebel against the castle anytime soon...not unless we can convince him that the safety of the kingdom is without its king...and was that ever a mighty order.


    ¡°Well, we can go over that tomorrow. Unfortunately, I have to go tend to the training of another squad,¡± Tomorrow began. ¡°You all can tidy up...or you can choose to continue should you feel up to it.¡±


    He bid them all a farewell and then they were left to their own devices in the training room. Lucas turned to the others.


    ¡°Well, I am surprised he offered to tell us,¡± Roderick said. ¡°Just like I¡¯m surprised the both of you decided to tell.¡±


    Laven looked to him, ¡°It was a bit of an improvisation, I will admit. But I definitely didn¡¯t think it would pan out the way it did.¡±


    Lucas nodded, ¡°I don¡¯t think telling him what I saw about the Shades would have helped us, so I think of the available ways it could have gone down it was the most favorable.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s all the same to you all, I think I¡¯m going to turn in early tonight. I¡¯m exhausted from all this work,¡± Amber said.


    ¡°I think I will join you,¡± Tabula signed. ¡°But first I¡¯m going to go grab something to eat.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll come and join you,¡± Lucas said, and then he turned to Laven and Roderick. ¡°How about you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for a bit,¡± Laven said. ¡°Prepare for tonight since I want to be out for a while.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good,¡± Roderick said, rubbing his stomach. ¡°I¡¯ll come grab a bite.

 20 | Allison and Felix

    Winter 2045


    Allison Fae-McCallum


    Allison stood nervously outside the central tent area. She felt Felix¡¯s presence and knew if she closed her eyes she could sense exactly where he was. Something about that seemed wrong, though. She didn¡¯t want that for their first meeting in this long. She wanted¡ª


    She saw him across the street sitting on a bench. His eyes were closed and he was staring up at the sky. His arm was stretched out over the back of the bench. She saw a smirk on his face and instantly how old he looked came over her like a tidal wave. Many things were different in this world, but seeing him there froze everything in that moment and forced her to realize how much time had passed since they had last seen each other.


    She started fidgeting with the hem of her sweater. For a moment she considered dropping everything and leaving¡ªrunning as far as her legs would take her and let the emotions crash over her. Allison considered turning around and leaving. The thought entered her brain and before it could fall Felix lowered his head and their eyes locked.


    She knew in that moment there was no turning back and this would have to be done. She took a deep breath and covered the distance between them¡ªfiguring that the best way to handle this was head on.


    ¡°Hello Felix...I¡¯m sure you¡¯re confused. Is there somewhere private we can speak?¡±


    He stared at her with a curious look and she felt Jace appear by her side¡ªand she knew that meant he was trying to probe her mind. She sighed and she looked back at him. ¡°If you want answers I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re going to have to talk to me. I¡¯m protected against those things.¡±


    He was quiet and as he stared at her he realized he wasn¡¯t going to succeed. He sighed and moved to stand. ¡°Always the stubborn one¡­¡± he said. ¡°I know a place we can talk.¡±


    She noticed how deep his voice had sounded¡ªit perhaps threw her for a loop more than anything else. They ended up in a caf¨¦ down the block¡ªit was relatively empty and they had each sat down opposite of one another. There was a worker who came by to take their orders¡ªFelix had chosen to abstain. Allison had ordered a tea¡ªwithin moments the drink was in front of her¡ªshe looked to the side as the waiter had conjured the cup before her eyes, and he left to return back to the counter.


    For a moment, there was an awkward silence between them as they tried to find their footing.


    ¡°What are you?¡± Felix asked. ¡°Surely you¡¯re not Allison.¡±


    ¡°Not your Allison, no.¡± She took a sip of the tea as she returned his look. She saw he was studying her closely. ¡°Though...since I don¡¯t see her with you I am hesitant to say your.¡± The look on his face filled her with an ominous feeling she didn¡¯t so much like. She took in a deep breath and continued. ¡°I¡¯m originally from fourteen years ago. I¡¯m twenty-one by my last count¡ªand after¡­¡± images of her last meeting with Sakonna flashed behind her eyes. ¡°...after a traumatic experience I found myself here, in this time. And after coming across my older self¡ª¡±


    Felix had looked neutral until this fact came to light. He leaned forward and placed his hand on the table. ¡°You saw her?¡±


    Allison chuckled, ¡°One track mind.¡± She looked straight into his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s just like the boy I knew...yes. I saw her in Enforal.¡±


    His eyes widened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if she made it out. I did, so it¡¯s not impossible, but she was at the epicenter.¡±


    ¡°I keep hearing stories of what happened down there, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever heard something I can reason as the truth.¡±


    She eyed Jace to her side for the moment and he faded¡ªand she showed him the scene as she had seen it. He accepted the information gracefully and she saw the memories playing out like a reflection over his eyes. His breath caught in his throat as he saw the older Allison.


    ¡°So...you speak the truth.¡±


    Jace appeared by her side again, and she closed her eyes and rubbed her temple. ¡°We can keep trying this, but it¡¯s going to end the same way each and every time.¡±


    ¡°People in this time are not the trusting kind.¡±


    ¡°You are what you put out into the world,¡± Allison rebuked. ¡°I¡¯m attempting to show you respect by not probing your mind. I would hope that you could do the same for me.¡±


    He sighed. ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°Now, I don¡¯t want you to get the wrong idea here...I don¡¯t think that anything between us as we are now would work¡ªobviously the Allison you know and the Felix I knew are different people¡ªI don¡¯t want you to think that is the end result I¡¯m desiring here.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± He asked. ¡°And...the child...our¡­¡± he had asked the question that had been sitting in the front of his mind. She closed her eyes and felt in some part she owed him an answer. It was a situation that still felt really raw, but she knew meeting him would include painful conversations.


    ¡°Her name is Arianna,¡± Allison said. ¡°After we were separated from Home¡ªwhen we had each met in the cathedral and you saw me speaking with Issachar.¡±


    ¡°The Golden Wolf...one of those creatures,¡± Felix answered.


    Allison nodded. She was curious as to how he learned of them, but he continued forward regardless. ¡°I was alone...well, not really alone, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve felt the other presence I have here with me.¡± She breathed deep and Jace faded in brighter, and Felix nodded. ¡°He¡¯s of my own creation. I was so sure I was going to die¡ªand it was there...in this old decrepit library¡­¡±


    ¡°A library¡­¡± Felix said. He cocked his head, ¡°I couldn¡¯t think of a more fitting place you would have chosen¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t choose it. I was on my last legs. I was dying...and then another one of them came to me.


    ¡°The dragon.¡±


    ¡°I told you to stop,¡± Allison said, looking at him with a sense of hurt.


    ¡°Accident,¡± he raised his hands. ¡°You¡¯ll surely remember emotions tend to leak when they are so...raw.¡±


    She exhaled through her nose and continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a choice. I wanted her to survive, but knew if I didn¡¯t ask for help we both would have died. She offered to help...and I accepted.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know where she is¡­¡± Felix said, coming to the conclusion. ¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Allison shook her head. ¡°I am running off of trust that she was placed somewhere safe. I don¡¯t know anything more than that¡­¡± she said, and then she started to feel cold. ¡°I didn¡¯t have any choice...but I still feel awful about it. About not meeting up with you...the you from back then...about not being able to find her.¡± She shook her head and attempted to shake off some of the excess anxiety. ¡°I¡¯ve been falling and trying to catch hold of something secure to find something stable but¡­¡± she motioned toward their surroundings. ¡°I keep finding myself deeper and deeper into the crazy.¡±


    Felix was silent, he looked like he was thinking intensely on her words. ¡°I am sorry you have been through so much alone. I know I haven¡¯t been a friend since you¡¯ve come here and if I¡¯m going to be honest, I thought you were some sort of trick meant to latch onto sensitive topics. I was careful...you¡¯ve deduced correctly I am currently not in contact with your older self. If you¡¯ll allow me, I can explain some of my history to fill in some of those gaps, and then we can see what happens from there of what you plan on doing.¡±


    Allison felt her breathing slow and she felt like crying. She steadied herself and a small sound escaped her¡ªand she felt the tears start to break. She closed her eyes and rested her hands carefully down on the table. She stared into the blankness and kept her breathing measured until she was able to stabilize herself.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± she nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d like to hear what happened. I¡¯m sorry...I don¡¯t talk about...that as you might understand.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry, Ally,¡± he said. ¡°I hope you understand I mean that sincerely.¡±


    She nodded and closed her eyes again. She waited for him and then she opened her eyes. He began. In his eyes she saw a world long since passed.


    Felix


    2031


    Felix slowly opened his eyes and found himself in a dimly lit room, with no memory of how he got there. As he blinked, the room slowly came into focus. The walls were made of old, worn bricks, and there were no windows to be seen. Dust hung in the air and the first thing he became conscious to was a ringing pain behind his ears that bounced all the way to the front of his head. The only source of light came from a flickering lamp hanging from the ceiling. Groggy was an understatement to how he had felt. The last thing he remembered...what was that, exactly?


    He closed his eyes, there was a voice he couldn¡¯t place and he tried to put a face...and then there it was. He had woken up¡ªworried for Ally. She wasn¡¯t in bed when he had awoken. He started to worry and he leapt out of bed. He had to find her, and fast. Something was wrong.


    He finally found her when he burst through the door to the Cathedral. Inside, the first thing he was was Ally with her back turned toward him¡ªit was clear she was speaking to someone. ¡°There you are!¡± He called. Felix stepped in and he saw her turn around¡ªas she did he saw the pastor. ¡°Jesus Christ you scared me half to¡ªwhat are you doing here with Father Grimsby?¡±


    As he approached he noticed Father Grimsby¡¯s eyes had a golden glow to them and he slowed to a stop. ¡°Woah...that¡¯s just like....¡± He froze and pulled his hands over his head. Screams escaped and echoed all around them.


    His mind was flooded with thoughts and images he couldn¡¯t make sense of¡ªand suddenly it was like he were taken somewhere else entirely. He stood in a void of darkness opposing an aged man standing with his hands behind his back. The man¡¯s pupils were fully blank¡ªbut he still looked like he was staring straight into his soul.


    ¡°Ormus...it seems we are not alone anymore,¡± the man turned his head and looked right at Felix. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s one of Sakonna¡¯s kin.¡±


    Felix took a step back¡ªscared for what the man had looked to be. He turned to run and instead found an older woman now blocking his path¡ªshe was looking past him and to the aged man. ¡°You called, Father?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it seems we¡¯ve got an on-looker, right in front of you, in fact.¡±


    This was his mother...and then standing behind them both was a younger man¡ªstill older than he was, but he had an authoritative presence. He had Short dirty blond hair and his arms were crossed. His focus returned to the woman, though. It was his mother¡ªbut before he could reach out he blinked and he was back in the cathedral. His mouth was dry and he felt a tremor and he looked in horror at Father Grimsby...although the person was no longer there, and in his place was an ethereal golden wolf.


    ¡°What kind of monster are you?¡± Felix looked up and yelled. ¡°Who¡¯s Ormus? What the hell¡­¡±


    The wolf roared. He heard a screaming sound of anger bellowed out as a vicious wind screamed from the outside. Father Grimsby¡¯s eyes return to their normal shade and he turned to the wolf behind him and screams.


    ¡°YOU STAY OUT OF THOSE THOUGHTS. THOSE ARE PRIVATE.¡± Felix heard in his head. The pain was enormous as dozens¡ªno, thousands more thoughts flooded his brain as it became a struggle to keep his eyes open. The wind blew harder and a scream louder than any other pierced all of their minds.


    Felix was back to himself. There were still so many questions running through his mind, but the most important would need to be tackled first before anything else...just where was he?


    Felix sat up and looked around. He saw a dusty, wooden desk in the corner of the room, and an old bookshelf full of books that looked like they had been there for years. A small bed, covered in a thin, rough blanket, was against the opposite wall. The room was bare except for a single, locked door. What the fuck?


    The pain localized itself to just behind his eyes and he stopped and held the butt of his palm against his eye to try to subdue the pain. It shot like a ringing force and he bent over as it finally started to fade. It took him a few minutes to get a hold of himself and return to his investigation.


    As Felix tried to stand up, he noticed that his head was pounding and his body was sore. He searched his pockets for anything he could use to help his current situation, but he remembered that he had left Rickshaw¡¯s workshop in a hurry¡ªhe had left everything he had owned¡ªwhat little of it there was¡ªback there. He cursed to himself and patted himself down to confirm that he truly had nothing on his person. He was completely alone, with no way to communicate with the outside world.


    Felix took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. He needed to figure out where he was and how to get out of this place. He carefully examined the room, looking for any clues. He noticed a piece of paper on the desk, and when he walked over to it, he saw that it was a journal that contained a note of some kind.


    It was written in a language Felix didn''t recognize, but he could tell from the handwriting that it was someone''s personal journal. He tried to piece together the meaning of the words, hoping to find some answers. The writing itself seemed to fill out half of the journal¡ªbut then there was a sudden stop. He had looked through the rest of the journal to see if there was some sort of way he could transcribe the messages within, but they truly were blank.


    He tossed the journal aside and moved next to searching for any other way out of the enclosed space. Felix looked around the room again, searching for any way out. He pushed on the walls, tried to force open the locked door, and examined every nook and cranny, but nothing seemed to work. He sat down on the bed, feeling defeated and alone.


    He sat there for what seemed like hours until he brought the journal back with him. Looking through it again...he noticed some of these strange letters appeared more often than others. And...this looked like a three letter word that had been used quite a bit...was it possible this was meant to be ¡°the¡±? If that were the case, this word could be¡­


    He began the long work of translating each of the characters into English as he could manage. The process kept him up¡ªit kept him motivated.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    After a few minutes of studying the journal, Felix realized that it was written by someone who had been trapped in this room before. The writer described their experiences, how they had tried to escape, and ultimately, how they had given up hope.


    The final page he had translated was their suicide note. They had written of their kid brother they would never be able to see again...Felix felt a chill run down his spine as he realized that he could be in the same situation. No. I can¡¯t let that happen. He looked up at his surroundings once more¡ªdesperate to find a way out.


    He searched every nook and cranny until his exhaustion had overwhelmed him. He had no clue how much time had passed since he first awoke. He fell backward on the bed and let his vision land on a spot in the corner of the room¡ªhe had seen that in the dark there were some scraps on the floor he hadn¡¯t noticed before. Curious he got back up and crawled over to the corner of the room¡ªit looked like part of the wall had started to rot away. Just how long was this room used like a prison? And...for what purpose?


    He picked at it with his fingers, and instantly knew his survival was going to be a long and arduous process. He knew he had to escape, and that escape meant he would have to pick at this rotting wood long enough that he could get enough of a hold to begin tearing. It was either that...or hope that whoever locked him in here would come back for him. If it was that wolf, he was as good as dead when that happened.


    He held his hand up to his head¡ªremembering the events that caused his exile from his previous tribe had still been a painful wound¡ªbut he aimed to seal those thoughts away as deep as he could muster. He gritted his teeth together as he continued picking at the soft, spongy texture. The smell down here was starting to make him nauseous¡ªbit by bit he felt like he wanted to turn to the side and hurl.


    He continued picking apart the wood until he was able to create a small enough hole that he could insert his fingers into¡ªattempting to rip it off more. He widened it and instantly felt a drafty breeze on his fingers as they made it through to the other side. This encouraged him and he was now working to rip the wall off.


    He saw that it opened to a crawl space. Without hesitation, Felix crawled through the hole and into the tunnel. The air was damp and musty, and he could hear the sound of trickling water in the distance. He crawled further into the tunnel until it opened up into a small chamber.


    The chamber was dimly lit, with water dripping from the ceiling into a small pool at the center of the room. Felix approached the pool and peered into the clear water. It was deeper than he had expected, and he could see that there was another tunnel in the depths.


    Felix knew he had to find a way to swim down to the tunnel and see where it led. He took a deep breath and removed his shirt, tossing it to the side. The chill was definitely getting to him¡ªhe steeled his nerves and undid the button to his pants and shed those as well. He took a deep breath before diving into the pool. The water was frozen to the touch and his muscles tensed up, but he had to push past the initial shock. The depths were murky, but he could see well enough to navigate to the bottom of the pool.


    He pushed himself down toward the bottom of the tunnel he swam towards the tunnel, he felt a sense of dread wash over him. What if this was a dead end? What if he was swimming towards his own demise? Would anyone even find him down here? But he pushed the thoughts aside and focused on the task at hand. He reached the bottom and was able to use his hands to pull himself through the tunnel¡ªit looked to be just open enough for him to slip through. It was a tight squeeze, and he had to hold his breath for as long as he could, but he kept going. After what felt like an eternity, he emerged on the other side, gasping for air. It was a sweet relief that his blind faith had been rewarded.


    He found himself in another underground chamber, but this one was different¡ªthe walls had a crystalline shine to them that reflected his face back around on each side of the cavern. On the far edge of the cave there was another outlet of water that led out to what looked to be the open sea. There was a small wooden boat at the edge of the water, it was tied to a post that was driven into the earth. What are the odds that a boat was left here for me¡­


    As much as it could have been a trap, he had no other choice. The only other option was for him to sit and await death in that locked room. He lifted himself out of the pool and felt the cold air against his skin. His teeth were chattering as he worked to undo the knot keeping the boat still. He was fumbling with the rope and was cursing to himself as his shivering was messing with his focus.


    When he got the knot undone he let loose a sigh of relief and held it with him as he climbed into the boat, pushing off of the edge of the water with his foot. There wasn¡¯t much of an oar to work with¡ªthe only other thing in the boat was a stick¡ªit wasn¡¯t going to be optimal but it was thick enough he could help use it to steer, even if it wouldn¡¯t get him anywhere fast.


    Felix paddled his wooden boat through the dark, underground waters, his arms straining with each pull of the stick. But then, he heard a strange noise¡ªa low rumbling sound that echoed through the chamber. He looked around, but couldn''t see anything in the murky water. Suddenly, the boat lurched to the side, nearly throwing him overboard. He clung to the side of the boat as it righted itself and he let loose a stray breath. Felix quickly realized that the water was full of hidden currents and obstacles that he couldn''t see. He had to be careful and stay alert if he wanted to make it out alive. He gripped the stick tightly and tried to steer the boat through the treacherous waters.


    As he paddled, he felt the bottom of the boat scrape sharp rocks that were sticking up from the depths below. He also noticed the sudden drops in the water level that threatened to capsize him, and powerful currents that pushed him off course and he fought against each new crest. Each time, he had to adjust his strategy and find a way to navigate around the obstacles. He felt a rising confidence with each paddle and he gripped the stick tightly.


    Finally, after what felt like hours, he saw a glimmer of sunlight above. He paddled harder, using every last bit of his strength to propel the boat towards the surface. With a burst of energy, he broke through the water and emerged into the bright light of day. Felix had breached the cave and he felt the sun on his skin as he entered open waters. Out of the frying pan and right into the oven. He had to find someplace to dock¡ªthe last thing that he needed was to get out lost at sea. He focused all of his energy on paddling and steering, ignoring the aches and pains in his arms and back.


    He blinked in the sudden brightness, disoriented and exhausted. But he was free¡ªfree from the underground maze, free from the darkness and the danger. He had made it out alive, and he knew that he would never forget the experience, no matter how hard he tried.


    Allison Fae-McCallum


    Winter 2045


    ¡°I assume you made it to land¡­?¡±


    Felix nodded. ¡°I did. Spent the next half a day drifting until the boat landed coast side. With the strength of the current out in open waters my puny stick wasn¡¯t getting me anywhere, so I gave up exerting that energy and kept all my focus on not capsizing.¡± He explained. ¡°When I finally landed I was exhausted¡ªI passed out as soon as I hit the sands. From there I crawled my way to the nearest human settlement¡ªI was on death¡¯s door by the time someone found me. It was so long...I don¡¯t even remember all of it. I honestly feel like my memory of that time is in patches.¡± He took in a deep breath.


    ¡°I understand the challenges of surviving in this world,¡± Allison nodded. ¡°We have to kick and scrape for basic survival through the most horrible things.¡±


    ¡°Such is life,¡± Felix said. ¡°And now I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve found others who had abilities like my own¡ªand since working here I¡¯ve been working toward...well, I guess I don¡¯t quite have a grand life goal at the moment. I was trying to meet with the older you...and that has been fraught with difficulty.¡±


    ¡°What has been difficult?¡± Allison asked.


    Felix sighed. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask for your forgiveness on this matter. I understand you are the younger version of her, but it is concerning events between us that are past your time. I¡¯d rather not go into the depths of the matter.¡±


    ¡°Would it help if I said that I have my own concerns about her?¡±


    This piqued his curiosity. His eyebrow was arched and she offered a nervous look. ¡°I admit I was a bit harsh in my initial reading of the situation--¡± She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. ¡°But I saw an out of context vision of her working together with...with one of them. Sakonna, the dragon. It was when I first came to this time. My emotions were so rattled¡ªand I initially set out to stop her and the whole lot of them by any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°You say as if your plans have changed.¡± Felix asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s something about them...the Creatures of the Night, I mean. I don¡¯t think they should have free reign to have such control over other people and cause such strife in others¡¯ lives...I mean, I understand that.¡±


    ¡°But¡­?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± she echoed. ¡°Issachar helped me learn the truth about a very traumatic situation in my youth. Sakonna helped save my...our child, and from what I now understand, my father...my father is one of them.¡±


    This threw Felix for a loop¡ªthe look of surprise on his face was not a surprise to her.


    ¡°Your¡­¡±


    Allison nodded. ¡°I think I found out the same way my older self did.¡±


    ¡°Your...so she knows as well.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell when she found out¡ªI just found out in there,¡± Allison motioned toward the center of town. ¡°Those pods they register you in that runs you through your memories and such.¡±


    He looked inquisitive, ¡°Those machines should only run through with memories you have access too...how would you have been able to¡­¡±


    Allison nodded, ¡°Ah, right. I have not mentioned one very important part.¡±


    He cocked his head, waiting for the answer. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I have also discovered recently the existence of beings who exist in tandem with the Creatures of the Night. They are like...their other halves. Beings split from the original whole,¡± she made a motion with her hands to represent one becoming two. ¡°My father was a man named Gavin Daniels¡ªthose Creatures of the Night all used to be people in a world before ours.¡±


    Felix moved to speak, but she held up her hand as if to continue. ¡°For ease of explaining, I¡¯m going to continue. It took me a long time to come to terms with everything¡ªplease let me finish before I end up getting confused and sending us down a very twisted rabbit hole.¡±


    He nodded and motioned for her to continue.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly who all the Creatures of the Night are, nor who they used to be. But I know my father was one of them¡ªand he lives in this world now as a being called Ormus.¡±


    Felix¡¯s eyes shot open wide at hearing the name, and he moved to speak again, but he remembered how that went last time and he closed his mouth just as fast, but she could see he was retreating into his mind to think on the possibilities.


    ¡°Go ahead, say what¡¯s on your mind,¡± Allison said. ¡°No point if you¡¯re going to get lost in your thoughts.¡±


    ¡°I heard that name¡­¡± Felix said, not picking up the subtler points of her tone. ¡°Back on that day we lost each other.¡±


    This interested her, so she dropped the tone and sat forward, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I told you I accidentally read that creature¡¯s mind, yeah?¡±


    ¡°Issachar, yeah...who, by the way, wasn¡¯t looking to harm me that day,¡± Allison said, stressing the point.


    ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± he motioned with his hands. ¡°I was...like thrown into his mind. I saw...well¡­¡± he said, remembering the details of the memory, and then sighing. ¡°I saw my mom...and your dad was there.¡±


    ¡°Wait a second¡­¡± she held her hand up, ¡°You saw¡­¡± her eyes squared in on him as she noticed a guilty look on his face. ¡°Okay...side tangent successfully achieved if that was your purpose,¡± she said, now sitting back up. ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to hide it from you for this long¡­¡± Felix said. ¡°I was intending on telling you¡ªof course then what happened happened. It¡¯s not so easy a thing to bring up without thought¡ªespecially since I hadn¡¯t known the full context of your situation.¡±


    ¡°Enough preamble,¡± Allison said, making a motion with her hands.


    ¡°Right.¡± Felix said. ¡°My mother is Sakonna. At least, one of the human faces she has taken¡ªit has had an overall detrimental effect on my life. Something like that isn¡¯t something you ever fully reason with, and is how¡­¡± he motioned to his head, ¡°this all started happening.¡± He bit his lip. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ever at home¡ªhome wasn¡¯t ever really a place pre-Collapse. It was a way of being¡ªthe restaurant work I told you about became my life because it was the one thing that was keeping me afloat. Then the Collapse happened and who else would scoop me back up but her.¡±


    ¡°You were with Sakonna?¡± Allison asked.


    Felix nodded. ¡°She wanted to keep tabs on me. Something about keeping track of her mistake.¡±


    Allison heard a level of venom she was familiar with when he said the word ¡®mistake¡¯. ¡°That was the tribe you were with before you were dumped on our doorstep?¡±


    ¡°Yes, quite so. If my mother had known she would have razed the village.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say she had love for me¡ªI don¡¯t necessarily think that was the feeling. It was a control thing, I think. But the others¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°There was this group¡ªDuscrans that now live out in the mountains to the northeast of here¡ªfar up in the old Adirondacks. They had enough of me, beat me and tossed me aside until you all had found me.¡±


    Allison took in a deep breath and tapped her fingers along the table. ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Felix echoed.


    ¡°I understand your situation and why you didn¡¯t bring it up. I¡¯m not mad¡ªwe¡¯re in similar situations it seems...Did you tell the older me this?¡±


    ¡°I...did not get the chance to,¡± Felix admitted. ¡°Other things took precedence¡­¡±


    She noticed his reply was dodgy, and so she continued, ¡°I understand why my older self would have felt the way she did toward you at the same time.¡±


    Felix was silent for a few moments. ¡°I am sorry. I don¡¯t have anything to derail your explanation further.


    ¡°Remind me where I left off,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°Ormus¡ªyour father¡ªis a Creature of the Night. You¡¯re unsure how many of them there are in total.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Allison said. ¡°So, through my travels I¡¯ve recently come into contact with a being of immense interest¡ªit¡¯s called an Elemantic. I met it in my dreams--¡± she motioned to address his look because she knew the reaction it¡¯d bring. ¡°I mean in the sense of the creature existing in some level of existence outside of our physical world. I think I connected with it...because of my father.¡±


    ¡°You said these were half of the Creatures of the Night...so you think it¡¯s half your dad?¡±


    Allison nodded. ¡°It was called Leptous. Looked like this giant dragon with butterfly wings. It wanted one thing from me in exchange for use of its power.¡±


    ¡°Like a bond or something?¡±


    ¡°Exactly so.¡± Allison said.


    ¡°What was it that it wanted? I hope you didn¡¯t sign your soul away or anything like that.¡±


    ¡°It wanted me to kill Ormus¡ªput an end to his schemes and put to rest that side of him.¡±


    ¡°That...is a lot heavier than I was expecting,¡± Felix said. ¡°But I guess if it¡¯s coming from your dad...that¡¯s not the worst thing? I still don¡¯t know how I¡¯d feel if I was given the same sort of mission.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something I accepted because that Ormus...he isn¡¯t my father. Leptous isn¡¯t my father either¡ªthey used to belong to a being that was, but that was a world ago. This world needs to be able to live by itself and not under their control.¡±


    Felix smiled at her determination. ¡°I think that sort of attitude is exactly what we need here.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re up for going against them?¡± Allison asked. ¡°Even if your mother is apart of them?¡±


    ¡°I am if you are,¡± Felix said. ¡°That¡¯s always been my goal¡ªerase the negative impact they have on this world. I am curious to know if you would have what it takes to stand against those that you felt a yearning toward¡ªSakonna isn¡¯t fully an enemy to you like she is to me, and of course that wolf seemed even less so to you.¡±


    ¡°I have spent a lot of time since I last saw you with those questions balanced in my mind. While I was searching for Issachar for the longest time¡ªthe truth was I was searching for Lilly...and with that I was mainly searching for closure. I can finally say I have what I need from that situation¡ªso I have what I need from that search. If Issachar or Sakonna have allied themselves with Ormus, then I will have to inevitably try and stop them.¡±


    Felix nodded. ¡°I understand you completely, I had a feeling that was what you were going to say, I just wanted to hear you say it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all,¡± Allison said. ¡°Nor is it, I think, my only important goal. I hadn¡¯t mentioned it because I feel like they¡¯re so separated because of the association, but upon closer looking they really aren¡¯t so separate.¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡± Felix looked a confused stare at her.


    ¡°After we got split up¡ªwhen I first came to this time, I met up with a small group of people. They were actually aligned with me against the Creatures of the Night. Of course, they were aligned against the older version of me too because of that vision I saw with Sakonna and her. That¡¯s a misunderstanding I can clear up, but I still believe in their ideals against the Creatures of the Night.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well that is excellent. If this is something we¡¯re going to seriously work toward, the more will absolutely be the merrier.¡±


    ¡°Therein lies the rub,¡± She said.


    Felix smiled, and now it was Allison¡¯s turn to be confused.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± she asked.


    He chuckled and looked to the floor. ¡°That used to be your favorite saying. Said you read it in a book and you just stuck with it.¡±


    Allison looked at him with a look of incredulity and in a moment she saw an echo of the boy she had loved. ¡°Hamlet, yeah,¡± she smiled. ¡°Unfortunately, you¡¯ll not find this situation anywhere in Shakespeare¡¯s dramas.¡±


    ¡°Lay it on me, they dead? Lost?¡±


    ¡°More of the latter,¡± she said. ¡°It seems they are in the Underworld.¡±


    Felix had made a face and she could tell the situation was more dire than she believed. Especially if he could have been joking a minute ago and then have this level of seriousness.


    ¡°The underworld...I see. That isn¡¯t my exact area of expertise, but I have been hearing quite a lot of talk about the groups that have been forming to investigate the tears¡ªthat¡¯s what they¡¯ve called the entrances by which people from our world end up in there.¡±


    ¡°Tears...I guess that¡¯s as good a descriptor as any.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re asking for my help in investigating these tears¡ªthat the brunt of it?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s not your area of expertise¡­¡± Allison trailed off.


    Felix shook his head and motioned with his hands. ¡°Just because I haven¡¯t dived deep into it up to this point doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m not capable of doing so. I¡¯ve got no immediate things on my plate¡ªI¡¯ve just come back from an expedition into Swarren territory anyway¡ªhad some Bogloths that were causing quite a storm.¡±


    Allison looked at him as if he were speaking a foreign language. When he noticed he corrected, ¡°Ah, sorry. Swampy marsh territory to the west here a bit. Real nasty piece of land that smells ten times as worse as anything in the old world. Bogloths are giant crab-frog hybrids with all these nasty...well, I guess you don¡¯t need to know that part. They¡¯re territorial beings and we like to try to build goodwill with neighboring areas by cleaning out pests like them when they present themselves. And since my job is done, I¡¯ve earned myself some time off while other guild members go off on their own missions. Basically, I¡¯m fully available to help you find your friends.¡±


    She looked up to him and smiled, nodding her head and feeling a warmth she had yearned for¡ªthe kind of feeling she desired for so long.


    ¡°Thank you, Felix.¡±

 21 | Amber Emissary

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    Lucas Adair


    Lucas had retired to his cell after eating out in the great hall with Roderick. The conversation they had was surface level, but Lucas was thankful for the break from the tension and the worry of the day. He stuffed his face full of meat that reminded him of memories he had no firsthand experience of. He reasoned they were leftover memories from Abel.


    Dinners sat around a kitchen table in the world before¡ªit almost resonated with him on a deep level that he no longer felt jealous of those old times. Memories that ran on a cycle back when he was a part of the SubCon Facility¡ªback when all he had known was believing himself to be someone else entirely.


    The night had come as conversation ended and they returned to their cells. When Lucas had returned Laven was gone¡ªa part of him was nervous, but he had faith that she would be successful. If there was anybody that could extract the information that they could use...it would be her.


    He sat down on the cot and took a deep breath to ease his anxiety. He stared up at the ceiling imagining a sea of stars painting themselves across the darkness. He remembered the long nights of the other world when he and Laven would sit out and stare out at their sky¡ªlooking at their stars. The thought eased his mind and his thoughts returned to those days as his eyes closed slowly. He took in a deep breath and he felt his chest rise and fall until a loud crash came from the other side of the hall.


    It sounded like a woman¡¯s scream. And then was the clanging of metal¡ªlike something had fallen.


    Lucas jolted awake. He shot up out of the cot and saw the back end of a soldier facing away from him. The soldier took a step back and looked into his cell. Lucas recognized him as the foul mouthed guard that had barged into the guard shack while he was sneaking around.


    ¡°There¡¯s that wiry frame there! He¡¯s the one who was sneaking around our station!¡± He roared, pointing an armored finger toward him.


    Shit.


    The clambering sound of the two other soldiers who had come with him down to the dungeon echoed across the room as they filled his cell. Lucas¡¯ eyes went wide as the two on each end pinned Lucas down by the arm. He struggled against their advance, but their grip on him was firm.


    ¡°Thought we didn¡¯t see you? Thought you¡¯d scurry around like a rat?¡± The soldier looked down at him as his tone turned sarcastic. ¡°Thought you¡¯d steal from the very people keeping you alive here? After all the hospitality we¡¯ve shown you? Pathetic piles of garbage.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯d you steal?¡± The man to his left barked into his ear¡ªit was louder than he anticipated it and he was dazed. ¡°We tried asking your friend over there but she was pretty hesitant to tell us anything useful.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything,¡± Lucas muttered out, and the two guards that were holding him picked him up¡ªhe felt weightless in their arms and they brought him out into the hallway and dragged him over to the cell to his left¡ªAmber¡¯s cell.


    Inside he saw her body¡ªpierced what looked like five times by a spear¡ªwhich lay on the ground in front of her¡ªred with blood. One of the guards walked over to a corner of the room and pulled her head back by her hair¡ªand he saw there was another puncture wound through her neck¡ªher blood was spilling down the front of her body onto the cot and the floor below. The sight was enough to make his stomach churn. The smell...that was something else. He tried to look away but the guard who held his right arm forced his head forward.


    "Talk," the guard demanded, his voice low and menacing. "Tell us what you know, or you''ll end up like her."


    Lucas gritted his teeth and shook his head. He couldn''t betray Laven and risk the plan being ruined. If he told them then everything would have been for nothing. He knew he had to stay strong. ¡°I didn¡¯t steal anything.¡±


    He thought of Laven, and how much she was risking right now for them all. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, summoning all his inner strength.


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.


    The guards exchanged frustrated glances, but they knew they were getting nowhere with Lucas. With one final warning, they left the room, leaving him alone with the body of his friend.


    Lucas closed his eyes and bowed his head, trying to block out the grisly image before him. He knew he had to stay strong, even if it meant enduring more torture. He had made a promise to Laven, and he wasn''t about to break it now.


    ¡°And we all know that¡¯s not true,¡± the guard barked. ¡°You could have had your pain end quickly if you owned up to it. Banishment¡¯s too good for thieves like you¡ªwe¡¯ll just beat the location of our Dragonstone out of you.¡±


    What? Something was actually stolen¡­? Surely someone hadn¡¯t gone in after he had snuck in¡­?


    ¡°Grab the rest, take them out front,¡± The guard said to the others as he grabbed Lucas¡¯s arm. Lucas winced as the force of the grip latched tightly. ¡°I got this one right here.¡±


    The other two guards nodded and Lucas was led out of the dungeon¡ªhe tried his hardest to resist and break free from his grip, but it was too strong.


    He struggled against the guard''s grip as he was dragged through the dimly lit corridors of the castle. His mind raced with fear and confusion, wondering what fate awaited him at the end of this tortuous journey. The guard''s grip tightened, his fingers digging into Lucas''s skin, as they emerged into a vast open courtyard. The moon hung high in the sky, casting an eerie glow across the scene.


    The guard dragged Lucas toward a large wooden post which stood in the center of the courtyard. The post was adorned with metal shackles, which clanged menacingly in the silence of the night. He saw posts lined up next to it identical in stature¡ªand realized what was going to happen next. The guard threw Lucas against the post, fastening the shackles tightly around his wrists. Lucas winced as the metal dug into his skin, but he refused to show any signs of weakness.


    The other two guards entered with Roderick and Tabula in tow. Roderick looked to have been stabbed with the spear¡ªhe was bleeding from a wound in his side¡ªit seems like he had put up a fight. Tabula was small like Lucas was¡ªso the guard had them completely by the arm.


    The guards had locked each of them up and then stood before the three of them. The guard in the center¡ªthe clear leader of the trio stood with his face shrouded in darkness.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to reveal its location,¡± he said. ¡°We¡¯ll beat you within an inch of your lives and then we¡¯ll kill you. It can be stopped if you just fess up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about buddy,¡± Roderick said. ¡°We didn¡¯t steal anything.¡±


    ¡°Lies upon lies,¡± the second guard had said. He stepped forward and jabbed a finger into his open wound. Roderick let out an intense sound as he bit down hard to suppress the pain.


    ¡°What is going on here?¡± A voice boomed out from above. Lucas couldn¡¯t see who had spoken, but he didn¡¯t like the sound of this.


    ¡°We¡¯re getting information out of these treasonists.¡± The guard looked up behind the three of them. ¡°They¡¯re accused of stealing a Dragonstone from our station.¡±


    ¡°A Dragonstone¡­¡± the voice above boomed. ¡°Very well, I shall take over the situation. Stand down.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir,¡± The guard nodded, and his eyes fell to Lucas. ¡°You¡¯re in for some tough shit now.¡±


    The figure appeared in front of them¡ªfading in as if he was there all along. He had a bad feeling about the voice and now he knew why. Tidmas looked down at the three of them with a look of disgust. His form was so stuck up you wouldn¡¯t have changed much if you stuck a rod up his back.


    ¡°My...my¡­¡± Tidmas said, his gaze turning from one to the next. ¡°Our Omega squadron...or what remains of them.¡± He turned to the guard to his immediate left, ¡°Where is the woman...the dark long haired one?¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t one like that in the compound, sir,¡± the guard said, his hands were held firmly behind him.


    ¡°Split up and go find her. She¡¯s somewhere around here and the fact that you idiots couldn¡¯t recognize that and lost one of our precious treasures does not bode well for your reviews.¡±


    The three guards looked at one another before returning their look to Tidmas. He looked at them with a fierce scowl and raised his voice, ¡°Why are you still HERE?¡±


    They filed out of the courtyard fast as they could after that, leaving the four of them alone in the courtyard. A brutal chill brushed passed them as Tidmas turned back to the three of them.


    ¡°Finally, you just couldn¡¯t wait to act up, now could you?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Lucas felt his throat tighten up as Tidmas waved his hand. His legs also started rising behind him as if somebody were grabbing hold of them and lifting them as high as they could go¡ªhe looked and saw Roderick¡¯s and Tabula¡¯s legs also rising. They could do nothing and say nothing.


    ¡°Honestly with how fast your contemporaries were dropping like flies to the Shades I had a hope that you would join them in no time flat¡ªit was clear Tomorrow¡¯s proposal was nothing but a waste. I was disappointed to hear that your training was continued on our time.¡± He sighed. ¡°Look, I honestly don¡¯t care if you did or did not steal from my guards. They will be punished regardless,¡± he was shaking his head. ¡°It was foolish to let that wretched tramp go free...but no matter. She will be caught within due time.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if he hated anyone as much as he hated this scumbag right here, but he couldn¡¯t even voice his dissent¡ªhis chest felt like it was held tight in a vice.


    ¡°Now, I intend to end your miserable existences and shall return to my duties without another thought of your disgusting filth.¡±


    ¡°Take one more step closer to them, and you die,¡± came a voice behind Tidmas.


    His face drooped as his eyes shot to the side and he saw the glint of a spear that reflected the moon¡¯s light pointed right at the small of his back.


    Laven stood in a confidant stance with a measured hold on the spear. ¡°I will not hesitate to run you through if you give me any reason.¡±


    Tidmas sighed heavily, ¡°If only your kind knew the might of magic so you would have even a fraction of the power you think you have,¡± he waved his hand and whispered under his breath. The spear flew out of Laven¡¯s hands and it hovered in the air as he slowly turned to her. ¡°Tsk tsk tsk¡­¡± he shook his head. ¡°What a shame. It was a valiant effort.¡±


    ¡°Sure would have been,¡± Laven said, and Lucas saw the golden lights glowing across her skin. In her palm was a small spherical shape and Tidmas seemed to realize too late. ¡°You really should be careful what you wish for,¡± she leapt toward Tidmas as the orb in her hand glowed¡ªit looked to have runic symbols etched on the side of it as a central crystal began to glow in harmony with the filigree across her skin.


    The spear shook in the air and was suddenly propelled until it soared straight through Tidmas¡¯ chest¡ªit stuck in the ground and pinned him upright. His eyes went wide and he clawed for the sky. His hand was outreached and he snapped¡ªthe sound was large and reverberating. Laven hurried past him and smashed the posts from the top¡ªstarting with Lucas and then freeing Roderick and Tabula.


    Their legs dropped back down to the ground and Lucas was able to stand¡ªhe gasped for air as he was finally able to breathe again. He coughed and spat up blood.


    ¡°Take this,¡± Laven handed him the orb. ¡°We¡¯re going to need to leave ASAP.¡±


    He held the stone in his hand. This must be that dragonstone the guards were missing. So Laven went back after all.


    ¡°What¡¯d you learn?¡± Lucas asked.


    ¡°Not the time,¡± she said. ¡°This place is going to erupt and fast. We have to leave.¡±


    Lucas nodded and he turned as a figure appeared by the west entrance¡ªit looked to be Cherine, the councilor with the long, red hair.


    ¡°Now, where do we think we¡¯re going?¡± She asked, then she saw Tidmas impaled in the center of the courtyard and her eyes went wide.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    ¡°It was self defense,¡± Lucas coughed. ¡°He was aiming to kill us.¡±


    ¡°Nothing but lies,¡± called another voice from the south¡ªanother councilor Lucas hadn¡¯t known the name of appeared.


    ¡°What is going...oh,¡± a familiar voice came from the eastern exit, and Lucas turned to see Tomorrow appear.


    ¡°Lucas, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re changing anybody¡¯s minds here,¡± Laven backed up and said to the side. ¡°Roderick, Tabula, stay close to us,¡± She was saying and signing at the same time.


    ¡°G-Got it¡­¡± Roderick said. He was holding his side, it was clear he was still in pain.


    Tabula nodded, they backed up and looked toward the only entrance that wasn¡¯t blocked¡ªright back into the castle.


    The world shook around them and a ferocious scream tore apart the air¡ªLucas turned to see the black dragon landing¡ªclawing the side of the castle and looking back out toward the four surrounded in the courtyard.


    ¡°It¡¯s the king,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°I have been told of an emergent threat to my castle,¡± his voice filled their minds. The atmosphere around them grew intensely hot as Gardov sent flames hurtling into the sky.


    ¡°Come to find out it is the boy wonder and his ragtag troupe of soldier wannabes,¡± echoed across their brains. ¡°Now, I thought Tidmas would put an end to you and I was so bored at that result...yet you lot come and surprise me yet again. If I didn¡¯t have to stamp you out I would be interested in seeing how this plays out.¡±


    Lucas felt a deep anger burning within him, he turned up toward the dragon and screamed out. ¡°You sit here and play the god of this world and all you are is the poison that is responsible for killing its people.¡±


    A great laughter bellowed out from the dragon¡ªboth out loud and in their minds. ¡°The smallest of you lot and such a big voice. Who do you lay your claim to?¡±


    ¡°Myself,¡± Lucas said. He gripped the dragonstone tightly. ¡°I am Lucas Adair. Fighting against the Creatures of the Night and I will not rest until each and every one of you is dead.¡±


    ¡°Silly child,¡± The councilor Lucas didn¡¯t know called out. ¡°You cradle that power of ours like you can do anything with it. You¡¯re nothing more than a gnat benefiting off of our king¡¯s magic.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow,¡± Lucas called out, not turning toward him. ¡°Thank you for training us in spite of all this kingdom is,¡± Lucas started. ¡°But this creature here¡ªthis king...he¡¯s from our world. And he¡¯s responsible for the Shades spilling in here.¡±


    ¡°Silly child,¡± Gardov taunted. He leapt from the side of the castle and dove down to the courtyard¡ªshifting into the humanoid form on the way down and he continued smoothly into a walking pace toward them. The councilors all bowed and took a knee as their ruler appeared before them. Even Tomorrow.


    ¡°You have piqued my interest from the very start, boy,¡± Gardov said. His gait as he walked could only be described as refined. His body shimmered with the deep black scales that adorned his flesh from top to bottom¡ªthat draconic face that tried so hard to be human but couldn¡¯t fully make it all the way. ¡°You who hunted us. You who was nothing more than a plaything in the eyes of this world¡¯s true inheritors.¡± He raised his arms. ¡°You who couldn¡¯t accept things the way they were. You, who couldn¡¯t help but stick your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡±


    ¡°I, who doesn¡¯t belong?¡± Lucas asked, taking a step forward¡ªfeeling an eclectic energy running through his blood. ¡°You never belonged here.¡±


    Gardov grinned¡ªhis sharpened teeth bearing down on them. He closed the distance between them and he pulled Lucas up by his shirt, lifting him into the air. He opened his mouth and stared deep into his eyes. The dragonstone in his hand started to heat up and Lucas felt the heat pluming up his arm. He reached up to grab Gardov¡¯s arm and a blinding white light surrounded them all.


    Gardov


    2022


    ¡°Stop him! Don¡¯t let him get away!¡± Ormus had called. Gardov turned to see Samael trying to make his escape. They had all just fended off one another as chaos ran rampant in the Main Atrium of their home base¡ªthe rural house in the middle of nowhere. Gardov had just finished trying to defend himself from Nehemoth who had taken advantage of the chaos to sow more. He had thought she was handled¡ªthat Scantar had been able to subdue her, but he had thought wrong.


    As he moved to chase after Samael he was blown back from an energy blast from behind. Time seemed to slow as his eyes darted behind him. Nehemoth had fired the shot and the next thing he knew he felt the burns all across his body. He was shoved off the side of the gorge and he felt a chilling coldness sweep across his head and then across the rest of his body.


    He tried to move and saw his legs were breaking down¡ªvanishing before his eyes. He couldn¡¯t breath and the totality of his mind could feel his body being torn apart piece by piece.


    His eyes widened as he plummeted down through the spiraling vortex, the world around him twisting and warping into a dizzying blur. As he fell, Gardov felt a sickening sensation in the pit of his stomach, as if his very soul was being wrenched apart. The air around him grew thick and heavy, suffocating him as if he was drowning in a sea of darkness.


    He tried to scream, but his voice was swallowed up by the howling wind, the only sound echoing in his ears the deafening roar of his own heartbeat. He felt as though he was being torn apart, his body and mind unraveling as he hurtled downward into the abyss.


    Gardov felt like he was falling while all of his body was exploding separately¡ªlike each individual cell was bursting, then suddenly he felt a compression that broke and rebroke every bone in his body¡ªthe waves were written and overwritten. Suffering and screaming was all he knew.


    Every second felt a thousand years. Every moment set out to play in front of what remained of his eyes until suddenly, Gardov felt a jarring impact, and his body slammed into the hard, cold ground. He lay there, gasping for breath, his eyes struggling to adjust to the darkness around him. The air was thick with the stench of rot and decay, and he could hear the distant moaning of tortured souls.


    His eyes then started to work again and the dark was replaced by the bright light of the sun as he awoke in a field of golden grass and a shimmering blue sky above. Part of him expected his pain to subside now that his body was reconstructed, but he held out his arm¡ªit looked as black as charcoal¡ªrough black scales covered the parts of his body that couldn¡¯t be reconstructed. He felt the vibrating explosions under the surface of his skin. He looked down to his legs¡ªnow humanoid in shape and he saw half of his left foot was blown off¡ªthe blood that would have been pooling out of his body was still stuck inside¡ªbut it looked to be billions of atoms shaking and vibrating violently.


    He struggled to stand, his limbs weak and unsteady, as he looked around at his new surroundings. The ground beneath him was lush and vast, but it couldn¡¯t help the rancid smell that was invading his senses.


    He shivered and felt each minute microcosm of the explosions happening inside of his body. It sounded in the back of his mind almost like firecrackers sizzling constantly. He was shocked at how much it hurt¡ªhow much it continued to hurt, and how little he desired to move. Moving only made it worse.


    And yet, he could not sit here and wait to suffer eternally. He took a step out and felt a world¡¯s amount of pain, and then he took another. He kept walking until he saw in the distance a magnificent black castle¡ªand inside he felt a cataclysmic anger as fire welled up in his chest. His body began to rise as his torso extended upward¡ªhis face stretched and he finally felt some form of relief as wings erupted from his back and a large spiked tail from behind. His eyes glowed with amber-light and the scales that streaked across his body had consumed his flesh.


    He kicked off from the ground and his wings beat against the air as he took off toward the castle. The act of flight was new to him¡ªbut it was surprisingly easy to get a handle of. It¡¯s a wonder what you can excel at when your body isn¡¯t exploding internally.


    There was something in the air flying toward him¡ªit looked like it had come from the castle. Another moment passed and he saw it was an arrow¡ªand then a second and third were not far behind it. He dove so the arrows flew overhead and he focused close and he saw on the top balcony on the outer wall of the castle were soldiers primed with bows aimed right at him.


    He could see the freckles on the man who had fired on him¡ªhis new eyes allowed him much greater sight than before.


    A flicker of an image ran through his mind of a woman and a young child...and then the woman¡¯s death...who were these people? An immense sense of loss overwhelmed him and the energy swelled in his chest. He dove further down as he let the fire erupt from his throat as the fire swept across the wall of the castle and into the courtyard as he flew over. He landed¡ªgrasping the central tower and looking back¡ªroaring to the skies above.


    He closed his eyes and felt every living being inside the castle¡ªtheir heartbeats were ringing in his ears and they echoed, slamming against his brain causing him to roar once again.


    He saw a number of bodies inside rushing toward a large presence at the center¡ªin the heart of the castle. Protecting your king, is that it? Not if I have anything to say about it. He looked up and saw an open entrance through a window on the second level of the outer wall of the central tower. He climbed over and started to shrink back to his previous size¡ªthe wings and tail shrunk as he slipped into the window in his more humanoid form. The pain returned as he moved and his body felt taut¡ªlike he could kill anything in his path just to ease the pain.


    He found himself in a hallway with several suited guards approaching him unaware of his presence. As soon as they spotted him they began to surround him.


    Gardov rushed the closest guard in a second, his hand¡ªnow talons that he saw more closely¡ªslammed into the guard¡¯s chest-piece and sent him struggling backward.


    ¡°Jay...he¡¯s beautiful¡± a woman¡¯s voice fluttered in his mind.


    Gardov¡¯s eyes went wide as the voice seemed so familiar¡ªjust on the cusp of his recall.


    ¡°We should name him after my father...he always wanted..¡±


    ¡°Karen...what¡¯s happening?¡± He found himself saying¡ªas if he had said it all that time ago. He was tackled by one of the other guards while he sat in his stupor and the voice faded from his mind. He turned to the guard who was punching him with steel fists. Each punch felt like a nuclear bomb were being set off in his insides.


    He grabbed the guard¡¯s fist and squeezed it as hard as he could¡ªthe man began screaming as the metal of the steel glove crumpled and broke with his hand. The fire swelled in his chest again and he blew flames in the guard¡¯s face¡ªmelting the armor to his flesh and he fell to the side.


    He sat up and he saw the two other guards staring at their comrade whose charred corpse was laying on its side. His face looked deformed as the headpiece had melted and grafted itself to the flesh.


    Gardov rose to his feet and he needed to end this pain now. He started to grow and the sight of his body expanding made them terrified. They started to run for their lives as Gardov¡¯s scaly body filled the hallway¡ªhis figure started to bust the ceiling of the hall as it was too contained to keep his form. He spun his barbed tail around and it slammed into a wall¡ªbusting down the bricks and revealing the room with the presence he sensed.


    The King.


    The room was large¡ªgrand like a theater with a throne at the end and waves of soldiers stood in formation¡ªlining up to protect their ruler. The king was a larger man with a face that begged to be ended. Cowering behind the fools who would defend such an obvious blight upon a nation...he was more than happy to rid this place of such a toxin.


    ¡°This wasn¡¯t supposed to happen. You weren¡¯t supposed to go...let me take your spot! How is our son supposed to grow up without his mother? How am I supposed to honor your memory...this isn¡¯t fair. This isn¡¯t fair¡­¡±


    He let loose waves of flames that incinerated the throne room from top to bottom.


    ¡°John¡­I am so sorry for what this world has already done to you. I am so sorry.¡±


    Lucas Adair


    Winter 2045


    Lucas stared into Gardov¡¯s eyes as he looked stunned. The dragonstone was still glowing red-hot and Lucas felt his body surging with powerful energy¡ªhis body began to shift as his form fought out of Gardov¡¯s grip. Lucas¡¯ body took on the texture of aquamarine scales¡ªhis face hardened and his eyes turned to slits¡ªhis body was taking on a draconic shape and the dragonstone grafted itself onto his chest¡ªthe crystal edge shining brightly.


    Gardov was sent back¡ªhe covered his eyes from the blinding light. ¡°What is this¡­? What did you do¡­¡± He then opened his eyes wide. ¡°You indescribable insect¡­¡± He turned to the councilors, ¡°Fire at will. Take them down. We need to kill this one and retrieve the dragonstone!¡±


    Cherine and the other councilor jumped into action¡ªLucas turned his now draconic neck and time seemed to slow as wings sprouted from his back¡ªhe was running off of a heightened instinct which exploded inside of him like a shot of adrenaline. He leapt into the air¡ªit was as if an inner voice had told him he could¡ªand so he followed it like a light in the dark. His azure wings flapped once, twice, and then enough to carry him into the air.


    Gardov growled and launched into the air to follow him¡ªshifting into his fullest size in midair. Even though Lucas had grown with his transformation he was still much smaller than the full scale of the Blackwell Dragon.


    Lucas soared through the sky around the imposing black castle as fast as his new wings could take him. They, like his full form were small in comparison¡ªthey had to beat frantically to keep up the pace as he coarsed through the air. If his mind wasn¡¯t running at the frenetic speed it was he would have had the opportunity to take in the fact that he was flying. The two dragons were a study in contrast as Gardov¡¯s lumbering form barreled toward him¡ªhe had been catching up as his larger body afforded him greater momentum in the skies.


    Lucas shot around the central tower in hopes to gain enough speed on the turn to add some distance between the two. The black castle loomed below them¡ªand Lucas had hoped Laven and the others could handle the Councilors¡ªhe had feared for their safety, but he had to trust they could handle themselves while he dealt with Gardov.


    With a burst of energy, Lucas flapped his wings harder and behind him he left a shockwave that slowed the black dragon¡¯s advance, but in no time Gardov was able to quickly close the gap between them.


    ¡°New tricks don¡¯t substitute for experience and skill, boy,¡± Gardov¡¯s voice echoed in Lucas¡¯ mind. ¡°You¡¯ll die the same way you lived¡ªunknown and unloved.¡±


    As Gardov closed in, Lucas could feel the heat of his breath on his scales. He tried to twist and turn, hoping to evade the larger dragon, but it was no use. Gardov was too skilled, and he seemed to anticipate Lucas''s every move. Finally, with a burst of speed, Gardov lunged forward, causing his own shockwave behind him¡ªthe foundation of the central tower shook and the entire castle rattled in its wake, his jaws snapping hungrily. Lucas tried to dodge, but he was too slow, and Gardov''s teeth clamped down on his tail.


    Lucas let out a pained roar as he felt the sharp teeth piercing his scales and then his flesh underneath. He twisted and turned, trying to escape from Gardov''s grasp, but it was just too much. With a powerful beat of his wings, Gardov threw Lucas back toward the tower. Lucas¡¯ body slammed through the bricks and tumbled into the room, bruised and beaten from the impact of the fall. He looked to have been thrown into the Castle¡¯s Astronomy room¡ªbooks and stargazing charts cluttered the space.


    ¡°I have to get up,¡± Lucas told himself as he worked his way to his feet. ¡°I have to stop him.¡± The crystal glowed brighter and he felt a welling spring of fire boiling in his chest. He looked behind him and then bent down on all fours, his tail arced up as he kicked off from the ground and leapt into the air. His wings beat frenetically as he lifted in the air¡ªGardov flew up just outside the hole his body made when he smashed into the castle. Lucas inhaled and let loose a bright azure flame as he increased his speed. He was enveloped in the fire and shot out at Gardov like a cobalt meteor. The force of his attack sent them both hurtling out toward the ground.


    ¡°You ruined everything for everybody I know,¡± Lucas was now staring at Gardov as they flew out. ¡°You and the rest of your kin.¡±


    ¡°What happens next?¡± Gardov asked. ¡°You kill us, and then what happens? You think you can handle the responsibility of what comes next here? For your world?¡± He laughed. ¡°No, of course not.¡± He grabbed hold of Lucas and held him close as they came closer and closer to the ground.


    Lucas tried to break free from his grip, but his arms were like iron bars he couldn¡¯t push free from.


    ¡°The type of world you fight for¡ªthat you envision is destined to die and be burnt away. Nothing you try will ever change what we are working toward.¡± He thrusted Lucas down to the ground and he pulled up to avoid colliding with the ground himself.


    Lucas slammed into the ground and he heard bones break as he lay there in the burning mound of earth he remained. His body felt spent¡ªdamaged was putting it mildly as he looked up toward the stars from where he lay.


    ¡°Just...one more night¡­that¡¯s all I ask.¡± His head drooped to the side and his eyes closed.

 22 | Silver Bells

    Winter 2045


    Allison Fae-McCallum


    ¡°Come along this way,¡± Felix had her follow him along after their long talk at the cafe. ¡°The friend of mine here that¡¯s in the line of work we¡¯re looking for should be back from a mission on their own, I think we¡¯ll be able to find them at the bar.¡±


    ¡°A bar this early in the morning?¡± Allison asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t let him hear you say that,¡± Felix said. ¡°Gets real touchy about his coping mechanisms. Studying the underworld can do that to you, I hear.¡±


    ¡°I...see,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°Quite familiar to you in a sense, no?¡± Jace appeared by her side.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an alcoholic,¡± Allison thought to him.


    ¡°No, but that¡¯s only because your access to the stuff has been cut clean, isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    She shook her head¡ªthinking to herself. I don¡¯t even think I¡¯d like the stuff¡ªmuch less use it to dull the pain or whatever else they tend to say.


    ¡°Regardless, you can shut it on that point,¡± Allison thought to him. ¡°There¡¯s nothing a little forward momentum can¡¯t help me with anyhow.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to call it,¡± Jace joked, then faded as they approached the entrance to the bar.


    Felix and Allison pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped into a dimly lit room that smelled of stale beer and cigarette smoke. The walls were lined with shelves of liquor bottles, and the room was filled with the low murmur of conversation and the clink of glasses. The room was giving the atmosphere of it being later in the day¡ªshe no doubt thought that was on purpose for just that kind of customer.


    Felix''s eyes scanned the room, taking in the motley crew of patrons. There were a few regulars he had recognized¡ªgrizzled old men nursing their drinks and muttering to themselves¡ªbut there were also a few younger faces, clustered around the pool table or huddled in small groups at the bar.


    Allison''s eyes were wide with curiosity as she took in the scene. She had never been in a bar like this before, and she was fascinated by the energy of the place. The air was thick with the heavy contemplation of the past¡ªit was as if humanity gathered together and decided that no matter how much the world had changed¡ªthis would stay the same.


    The person they were looking for was near the edge of the counter¡ªthey were a strong looking androgynous figure with long blond hair tied up in a ponytail. Allison and Felix approached them and Allison saw they were hunched over a glass with their shoulders arched up. Allison had recognized the stance as contemplative and almost regretful. She sympathized with the feeling. Felix approached the counter and looked to the side.


    ¡°How often am I going to find you here before the sun rises?¡±


    They didn¡¯t turn to meet his gaze, simply tapping twice on the counter top to signal they were ready for another drink. The barkeep nodded and took their finished glass.


    ¡°As often as the job takes,¡± they said. ¡°We¡¯re planning on a large-scale expedition to investigate the tear out west. So as many days as I can number up I¡¯m going to take what opportunity that I have.¡±


    ¡°Well then allow me to introduce an interruption to our usually scheduled toxic cycle.¡± Felix said as he turned to motion to Allison.


    They turned to look at Allison¡ªshe could see their eyes were a very vibrant green. ¡°What¡¯s her deal?¡±


    ¡°Allison is her name, and she¡¯s interested in the work you¡¯ve been doing..and...so am I.¡±


    Their disposition suddenly flipped on a dime as their gaze to Felix grew more intense. ¡°You¡¯re joining the squad? Well why didn¡¯t you start with that you big lunk,¡± they turned in their seat and startled the barkeep behind them who returned with their drink. ¡°Clyde, a round of drinks for my new friends here, please. Put it on my tab.¡±


    ¡°You got it,¡± Clyde, the barkeep said, then he looked up to each of them. ¡°What¡¯ll it be?¡±


    Allison shook her head and made a negative motion. ¡°No thanks, I¡¯m good.¡±


    ¡°We just ate, that¡¯s really okay,¡± Felix held up a hand. ¡°Plus it¡¯s a little early for us.¡±


    ¡°Suit yourself,¡± the patron said. ¡°Name¡¯s Veron. I¡¯m the head of the Underworld Investigation Unit.¡±


    ¡°How many people work with you in your unit?¡± Allison asked.


    Veron chuckled, but Allison could tell it was the kind of laugh that was made before laughably sad information was about to be dished out. ¡°Not nearly enough. I¡¯ve been asking Felix to transfer for the longest time now.¡±


    ¡°Asking is a bit light on the truth of it, wouldn¡¯t you say?¡± Felix offered a too-wide grin and Veron rolled their eyes in response.


    ¡°Always have to have the last word, do you?¡± Veron said, and then they turned to Allison. ¡°Regardless, some extra hands on deck would be fantastic. I¡¯m aware of Felix¡¯s abilities, what kind of specialties make you tick?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I¡­¡± Allison said, trying to look around to gather her thoughts of what that screen had said back in the underground lab. Her eyes went wide and then she made a swirling motion with her right index finger and a screen appeared beside her face displaying out toward them. Allison tried looking to her right and saw the idea she had worked perfectly. She smiled smally at her conjuration and then she motioned with her hand again to slide it over to Veron.


    They looked it over with increasing interest, and Allison caught Felix¡¯s eyes staring at the list with vigor as well.


    ¡°Well well well, kitty kitty did bring something interesting to repent.¡± Allison cocked her head at the nickname, to which they chuckled.


    ¡°Veron calls me kitty because of that old animated cat, Felix.¡±


    Allison looked from Veron to Felix, her confusion was still palpable. She could think of many animated cats, but one named Felix seemed lost to her recollection.


    ¡°Seems the nail hasn¡¯t landed, go on and show her, kitty. You always conjured better than I,¡± Veron teased.


    Felix sighed and lazily drew up his hand in a circular motion. The image of an entirely black anthropomorphic cat appeared in the air as a 2D floating image.


    ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯ve seen that in some old Disney documentaries,¡± Allison said. ¡°Long long ago, of course.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t strictly Disney,¡± Veron started, ¡°But the big WD did make his own totally not stolen version called Julius before he ever made The Mouse.¡±


    ¡°You sure have a lot of knowledge on the subject,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Veron laughed. ¡°I used to run a channel on YouTube back in the old days covering everything animation related. Used to start as a hobby until I got a lot of exposure¡ªwas able to start making money off of it.¡±


    ¡°Then...this,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°Then this,¡± Veron nodded.


    ¡°Walk through memory lanes are nice and all,¡± Felix said, dropping his hand and the cat faded from the scene, ¡°...but I like to evacuate from most conversations of the old world and seeing as I gave my word I¡¯d accompany Allison on this journey I can¡¯t as well hit the road.¡±


    ¡°You are quite the sourpuss,¡± Veron said. They grabbed for the glass and downed the drink in a few gulps, and set the glass back down and tossed some silver pieces beside it. ¡°Thanks again Clive. Same time next week?¡± The barkeep mumbled an affirmative sound as they jumped out of their seat. ¡°Okay, well if you¡¯ll follow me we can bring the good fellas the news together,¡± Veron said. ¡°The others should be heading to HQ before we head out to the site now.¡±


    ¡°HQ, now that sounds fancy,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a smaller tent with two seats,¡± Felix said with his arms crossed. ¡°I¡¯ve passed by it a number of times.¡±


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll have you know we¡¯ve upgraded to three seats now,¡± Veron joked.


    HQ was not as ragged as Felix led Allison to believe. It was on the corner of one of the intersections just past the central hub. It was different than many of the setups around because it had an actual foundation¡ªfront door and the works.


    As Allison, Felix, and Veron entered the headquarters of the Underworld Exploration Unit, they found themselves in a modestly sized building that appeared to have seen better days. The circular lobby was dimly lit, with only a few flickering fluorescent lights illuminating the space. The walls were painted a drab shade of gray, and the carpet was worn and stained.


    In front of them, Allison saw a staircase that led up to the second floor of the building. It looked to be old and creaky, and the wooden steps were worn down from what looked to be years of use.


    Allison took a closer look around the lobby and noticed a few framed photographs hanging on the walls. They depicted various expeditions to worlds that looked like they stemmed from a fantasy novel. High arching hills that led to deep valleys and brilliant blue skies.


    Blue skies. It really did depict a fantasy after all.


    Veron led them past the staircase to a door on the other end of the lobby¡ªinside there was a compact lab fit into what looked like a large broom closet. Computer displays that looked to not be connected to any power source hung against the walls on the left hand side while some stacks of papers and folders cluttered the desk on the right. There was a remnant odor of some sort of chemical lingering in the room. Inside was an older man with shoulder length gray hair in a dark jacket and pale jeans typing on a conjured keyboard in front of two of the monitors.


    ¡°You¡¯re back early,¡± he said, not looking up from his work.


    Allison saw he was wearing a rather thick pair of glasses. Probably had to do with how close he was standing to those conjurations of his.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got new recruits,¡± Veron answered, staring him down, a wry smile on their face.


    The man snorted, ¡°And pigs¡¯ll come back to life, start flying, and then go back to being extinct.¡±


    Extinct? So much I hadn¡¯t even thought of has changed in the last decade.


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to kill this country¡¯s obsession for bacon, literally.¡± Jace said beside her.


    ¡°No kidding,¡± she thought.


    The man stopped typing and then turned to look at them, ¡°Oh, you weren¡¯t kidding.¡±


    ¡°No, strange how that happens,¡± Veron said. They then turned to Allison and Felix. ¡°This is Brammond Steets. You can call him Bramm for short, but never Steets. He hates that.¡±


    Bramm stopped typing for a second, gave the slightest side-eye, and then the typing resumed.


    ¡°He¡¯s our logger, co-venturer, and overall database admin.¡±


    ¡°I also clean up around here when you¡¯re off acquainting with the bottle.¡±


    Veron rolled their eyes. ¡°Whatever it takes to make it through the day, I say.¡±


    Bramm sighed. ¡°Back in the old days nurturing an addiction brought out concern in those close to you,¡± Bramm said.


    ¡°Aw, you¡¯re finally admitting we¡¯re close?¡± Veron asked.


    ¡°I regret answering,¡± Bramm said, sighing. He finished his typing and the monitors and keyboard faded away. He turned, then his hazel eyes went wide. ¡°Oh...now this is interesting. We¡¯re honored by the legendary Mr. Nagatomi¡¯s presence.¡±


    ¡°Hello Bramm,¡± Felix said.


    ¡°Does anybody here actually like each other?¡± Allison asked, then realized it came out blunter than she intended.


    Veron laughed loudly, ¡°The coworker relationship is there, need some levity if you¡¯re working beside someone who isn¡¯t necessarily like yourself.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just that old where everyone younger than me has got it too good,¡± Bramm admitted. He chuckled, ¡°Seriously though, I know of Veron¡¯s exploits to recruit this one here,¡± He pointed toward Felix.


    ¡°Yes, and normally I would be too busy with my own work to help, and admittedly I did not have enough personal interest in the Underworld to be of any help.¡±


    ¡°Maybe so, but that¡¯s that act of selflessness we¡¯ve had many a talks on,¡± Veron chided. ¡°But regardless,¡± they continued. ¡°We¡¯ve got one more here with us¡­¡± they turned to Bramm, ¡°he upstairs?¡±


    Bramm nodded. ¡°Name¡¯s David. Bit of a bold fool, but one hell of a venturer.¡±


    ¡°It was mentioned before, but what exactly is a venturer?¡±


    ¡°One who travels across the seams,¡± Bramm explained. ¡°Easier to explain when we reach the site, I think.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Allison nodded. ¡°So you actually get to travel to the other side...is the sky really blue over there?¡±


    Bramm smiled softly. ¡°Makes you miss the old world...it sure is. Blue skies, blue water, bright yellow sun.¡± He took a deep breath. ¡°Our ventures out there are controlled, timed, and never further than what we plan. Can¡¯t afford to lose anymore workers to the other side.¡±


    Veron¡¯s smile faded and they looked down and to the floor. ¡°We¡¯ve earned ourselves a bit of a reputation, unfortunately. And that¡¯s the worst kind of business in bringing in new talent.¡±


    Felix sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve heard plenty of talk about it. Sign your life away and throw it to the Underworld early.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s why the work is so important!¡± Veron¡¯s eyes were full of fire. It was very clear to see they were passionate about the work. ¡°If nobody studies the Underworld¡ªthen all those lives are just forfeit! I can¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Allison said. ¡°I have friends that have found their way there¡ªI understand the desire to bring them back.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll go rouse David and we can head to the site,¡± Bramm said. ¡°Wait outside, we¡¯ll show you the ropes and tricks of our trade.¡±


    Bramm walked past them and let the door to the lab close behind him. Allison turned to Felix and then they all headed outside.


    David looked to be in his mid twenties with bright red hair and a scruffy looking goatee that looked like it could do with a trim. David¡¯s blue eyes were bloodshot and he looked like he would rather be anyplace else. She had heard the argument that arose between him and Bramm as he woke up the hothead.


    He hadn¡¯t said anything to Allison and Felix when he had exited the front door with them, simply hiked up the bag on his back and headed out to the buggy they had parked by the side of the building.


    ¡°Real personable guy, that one,¡± Felix said. ¡°Think I¡¯ve seen him around a bit but don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever introduced myself to him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an angry sort. Angry the world¡¯s still fucked over. Angry his previous living arrangements didn¡¯t work out. Angry that he¡¯s never gotten a quiet moment to himself thanks to his abilities,¡± Bramm explained.


    ¡°He¡¯s like you, kitty,¡± Veron said. ¡°Always listening in to other people¡¯s heads, except it¡¯s honing in to him at all times.¡±


    Allison turned to Felix, ¡°You said that it was like that for you.¡±


    ¡°In the beginning, yes,¡± Felix said. ¡°It was unbearable, and certainly led others to not want to be around me. Thankfully, since being here I¡¯ve been able to control the input so I¡¯m not constantly taking in all that information.¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not been so lucky,¡± Bramm explained. ¡°I can understand the need for wanting to be unconscious, but work¡¯s work at the end of the day.¡±


    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    ~...~


    The sky was dark as they had begun traveling out west. They packed up the buggy¡ªa rudimentary vehicle that would withstand the journey, but certainly wasn¡¯t going to be winning any awards in grand design. Allison felt the chills the higher speeds brought and felt it was fitting for the atmosphere of such an expedition.


    They broke the outskirts of Achrom, and Allison turned around to see the buildings shrinking in the distance. She had been sitting in between Felix and David¡ªso she had been trying to keep Jace close to her to prevent any of their interference from digging into her brain.


    David seemed to be similarly staring off in the distance, but it was he who broke the silence.


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve got more bait does that mean I can be the stake this time?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not bait, Dave,¡± Veron said. ¡°Stop trying to scare them off.¡±


    ¡°I can tell if they¡¯re scared or not,¡± David said. ¡°They¡¯re not. Stop babying them.¡±


    Veron sighed and then rolled their eyes. ¡°Even still, it¡¯s not good form to call the new recruits bait.¡±


    ¡°Recruits is also a poor word¡­¡± David began tapping his fingers on the side of the buggy. ¡°He¡¯s been working in Crowd Control for the past four years and she¡¯s got the powers to rival the Exarchromage. What exactly is supposed to be new to them, here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll come to understand that David is very blunt about how he feels,¡± Bramm said, grabbing the wheel and putting it into a turn.


    ¡°Blunt is another way to call the truth. I just strip away the unnecessary,¡± he groaned.¡±Wake me up when we get there,¡± and he closed his eyes.


    They navigated through the thickets and overgrown branches that threatened to snag their buggy¡ªand Allison understood its thin and wiry design was to help it navigate through these rougher terrains. There wasn¡¯t much of a body to scrape up, as it offered just enough protection from the environment. Eventually, they emerged from the thickness of the wood and the area opened up a bit¡ªthe trees that shielded them from above began to curve in wicked and wild directions¡ªalmost as if the deeper in they went were more corrupted and distorted.


    ¡°The physical impact the seams have on our world is very much a problem,¡± Bramm started as he slowed the buggy to a halt. ¡°One that we unfortunately do not have the answer for. We¡¯re going to need to continue on foot from here on out, so up and at em, David. No nap for you.¡±


    He sighed without opening his eyes.


    Allison slid out of the buggy Felix stepped out on, fearing for any adverse reaction from David. The ground was crunchy when she landed¡ªleaves covered the ground floor¡ªthey looked like they had the life sucked out of them entirely with how white they were. It almost looked like a blanket of snow¡ªand instantly she missed the feeling of seeing snow on a cold, Maine morning. Most people hated snow, but if there was one simple joy from the old world she could have back, well, it would certainly be a lot of things, but snow would be up there on the list.


    ¡°All right,¡± Veron said, gathering their bearings and picking up a hefty box in their hands that had been secured to the rear of the buggy with some taut rope. ¡°This here¡¯s going to be the gear we need when we can find the seam. Bramm¡¯s got the tracker there,¡± they pointed to a small device that looked like a walkie-talkie in Bramm¡¯s grasp. ¡°And then David usually complains until we find our spot.¡±


    David made no rebuttal, but Allison was sure he was cursing them out in his head.


    ¡°The tracker senses distortions in the area¡ªit¡¯s a conjuration of his own design. If you couldn¡¯t tell, Bramm¡¯s a genius in combining our magic and technology.¡±


    ¡°I was an engineer in the old world. Machines and how they work...or refuse to are the bread and butter of my hyperfixations,¡± Bramm said, holding the tracker up. ¡°This here works by calculating the level of distortion, or LOD in the field immediately surrounding us. The distortion is measured by a change in atmospheric pressure on a more-than-normal basis. Find the disturbances, find where they¡¯re largest in number and boom. Seam found.¡±


    ¡°What if there were two seams close by, would the tracker be able to differentiate?¡±


    Bramm¡¯s look darkened. ¡°We haven¡¯t thus far experienced something like that, and thank the gods for it. I don¡¯t dare imagine what effect that would have on our world if they were that close¡ªmy hypothesis is they¡¯d find some way to merge and then I don¡¯t think it¡¯d be possible to close them up.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s the intention,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°Well duh,¡± David scoffed. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t then this whole place would be funneled through like a vacuum, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    Veron nodded. ¡°Yes, fortunately with normal sized seams if we¡¯re careful we are able to sew them back up, as it were. And while we haven¡¯t encountered anything like that yet, I wouldn¡¯t chalk it up as something that doesn¡¯t exist lest we speak it into existence.¡±


    ¡°Lest we¡­?¡± Felix asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be questioned on my verbiage from the kitty,¡± Veron joked.


    Felix drooped his shoulders. ¡°Well I guess that put me in my place,¡± he said sarcastically.


    ¡°Can we just get a move on?¡± David asked. ¡°The sound of your thoughts all at once are overload.¡±


    The group agreed for David¡¯s sake, which in turn became for all of their sakes, and they followed Bramm as he held the tracker up and he waved it around to get a reading of the LOD in the area. They walked deeper into the heart of the woods as the trees grew more and more crooked.


    ¡°Did someone keep track of where the buggy is?¡± Allison asked as she ducked under a particularly thorned branch.


    ¡°No need,¡± Veron explained. ¡°It¡¯s a one way vehicle. Not meant for round trip. Bramm will conjure up a new one when we leave.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow, that entire thing was a conjuration?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my one talent,¡± Bramm said, nodding with a laugh. ¡°At least, the talent that the guild seems to care about, as far as magical abilities are concerned. So it tends to be more than the average chromage.¡±


    ¡°Nobody here is the average chromage, Bramm,¡± David said. ¡°Except maybe Veron.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m low in talent but high in motivation,¡± Veron said. ¡°Besides. I put up with your punk ass so that means I have high endurance too.¡±


    Allison was thankful for all of their help in acclimating for this mission, but she would be lying if she said she wasn''t excited to be able to bring her friends back to this world so she could once again experience a healthy group dynamic. I don¡¯t have a lot of experience with it, but I know when it¡¯s good.


    They continued walking until Bramm started to slow, and then he looked up, ¡°And boom...we¡¯re on the cusp.¡±


    ¡°You should cut it with the boom stuff,¡± David said. ¡°You¡¯re not twenty anymore.¡±


    ¡°You can let a man dream,¡± Bramm joked.


    He pulled back a series of branches that intertwined over one another and he opened it up to a clearing encircled by trees with similar levels of protection all around. It looked like the innards of a wooden cocoon¡ªor as if the woods were keeping its heart safe and secured.


    The seam appeared as a pulsating orb of light, its energy crackling and swirling like a miniature storm¡ªfractals split off and shot into the air. It was full of whites, blues, and swirling yellows inside its mystical chaos. The inside of the light seemed to be bleeding a black tar-like liquid sustained in the air.


    ¡°That¡¯s the force responsible for so much of our bad reputation,¡± Veron explained. ¡°Those that enter are said to never return, but in truth we¡¯ve managed to return from each of our expeditions on the other side...it¡¯s all about teamwork and being prepared.¡±


    ¡°So, what exactly is that process like?¡± Allison asked.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re the only curious one,¡± Bramm said, looking to Felix.


    ¡°I understand the concept,¡± his arms were crossed. ¡°Like I said, I¡¯m here to support Allison.¡±


    ¡°How chivalrous,¡± Bramm said, sighing. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll take it over nothing. Veron, I¡¯ll take the case and can start setting up while you give the rundown.¡±


    Veron nodded and handed off the case, letting the tracker dissipate out of his hand. Once he had it in hand he headed off toward the seam.


    ¡°So, step one is the equipment that¡¯s stored in that box. It¡¯s a device that helps stabilize the seam. It basically strengthens the connection between the two worlds to ensure that when we¡¯re diving in we¡¯re not going to be torn to shreds. You see, with the way that it is now that black gooey substance is known to tear away aspects of yourself here in this world. It¡¯s like a shredder of sorts, and early tests of those traveling over learned that just getting sucked in isn¡¯t a guarantee to make it out to the other side alive.¡±


    ¡°That sounds awful,¡± Allison said, shuddering.


    ¡°Yeah, no it is,¡± Veron continued, ¡°The machine, dubbed Polaris, helps send a negative charge to that substance. This strengthens the clarity of the connection, which is a concern because we are technically making the distortion of the area stronger, but that¡¯s why we¡¯re working on such a tight timetable. The extra clarity and the removal of the risk of entry allows us much better chances of making it through unscathed.¡±


    ¡°Much better chances...notably not guaranteed,¡± Felix said.


    ¡°Nothing in life is guaranteed, kitty,¡± Veron said. ¡°But yes, you are right. It¡¯s not 100%. We¡¯ve had recruits lose a lot when coming over. We three have still made it through unscathed, so we¡¯re going to continue going until we can no more.¡±


    Felix turned to David, ¡°I¡¯m a little shocked with your demeanor that you¡¯re so gung-ho about putting your life on the line.¡±


    David shrugged. ¡°I either get this burden of mine removed in the transition so I can live the rest of my life in peace, I die so it goes away permanently, or I manage to help someone. I¡¯m not a monster, I care about helping at least some of the time,¡± he motioned each act out.


    ¡°Duly noted,¡± Felix said, understanding his motivations made for awkward conversation.


    ¡°Once we¡¯re able to stabilize the seam, we split up our operations,¡± Veron said. ¡°We usually have one stake, or central support who remains on this side who can recall the others back in case of emergency. That is Bramm in our group. We enter with connectors he conjures up that he can effectively reel us in from.¡±


    ¡°And then you and David head on inside?¡± Allison asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Veron nodded. ¡°Where we land on the other side varies based on location. It seems that it¡¯s anchored to wherever point is exactly below us in the underworld, but there¡¯s no telling what it¡¯ll look like until you enter. It¡¯s not a 1:1 recreation of this world.¡±


    ¡°No, it looks like that picture did, right?¡± Allison asked.


    ¡°Definitely an artist¡¯s interpretation, as we¡¯ve yet to secure footage of it¡ªwe haven¡¯t had a solid enough conjurer with us considering Bramm¡¯s had to stay on the outside, but yes. From what I¡¯ve seen personally it looks just like that.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Allison said.


    ¡°Stabilization process is starting in three seconds,¡± Bramm said, and he fired up the machine that looked like a little claw that clenched into the Earth.


    The light of the seam began to oscillate until it looked to grow almost twice as large. The ground started to vibrate and Allison saw that the machine looked to be shaking in its spot, rooted in the Earth as then the vibrations started climbing up through her body. She felt them in her heart and it was an ultimately uncomfortable feeling. There was a discordant ringing in the back of her mind that was...familiar somehow?


    She didn¡¯t know from where the sounds that rang in her mind originated from, but they sounded like...the ringing tones of bells from some far off corner of her mind. Then suddenly Leptous was beside her, and suddenly everyone around her was gone¡ªthe seam had continued to vibrate in rhythm of the tones of the Earth from the Polarity, but she was the sole witness to the tones.


    Those are not your memories of bells, but mine. The bells are a calling card from the machine I was originally borne from. The bells...they signal the Creatures of the Night. They originate from the pieces of the machine I have yearned to find¡ªto reclaim.


    Allison offered a confused look and then turned to Polarity. ¡°Are you saying that machine is one of the Monoliths?¡±


    I do not think such a powerful artifact would be so wantonly given away to a group that is known for losing members so easily. No, I do not believe the fragment of ICARUS is that machine.


    ¡°Then what do you think is the cause for those bells? Also...where did everyone go?¡± Allison asked.


    They still exist in physical space. I am speaking to you in your mind. It is as if you are back where you first met and made our pact. I figured you would not prefer such a jarring transition. And as to your first question, I think it might be an emulator of sorts. Something created to mimic the power of the Monolith, perhaps even channeling its power somehow, but not fully utilizing its potential.


    ¡°I wonder what purpose they would need to build something like that...I doubt they know what kind of potential it has? Would they not just use the full thing?¡±


    I do not think these that you travel with are the inventor of the machine. Note how they had to transport the machine by vehicle and then by hand. It was not something conjured by the engineer.


    ¡°I see...yeah, that does make sense.¡±


    I would then assume that the purpose is mass production. Hm, I wonder...machines that co-exist with technology...where have we seen that before?


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Sarah, the Exarchromage?¡±


    All arrows point to the top.


    The world flickered and the others were in front of her just like they were before, but Allison was still left in her thoughts. The vibrations rattled her from the ground to her head but she kept seeing that one phrase repeated in her mind. All arrows lead to the top.


    If that were true, then Sarah either knew more than she let on about the Creatures of the Night...or was one herself. It wasn¡¯t the unlikeliest solution, but it upset her to think that so many of them that she had come across were those she in any other context could think of as someone to trust and confide in.


    If that was the case, there was nothing to say that Sarah couldn¡¯t have seen her memories. Then Ryker¡¯s insistence on her coming wouldn¡¯t have been just for the beneficial reasons she¡¯s been sold thus far. It was foolish to think there was solely benevolence behind the actions of the chromages, but it was just like Leptous had said. All arrows point to the top.


    That meant that Ryker¡ªthroughout all the red flags he rose, probably wasn¡¯t deep in on the situation, but was merely using his opportunity to field his own endeavors while following the larger goal. That much wasn¡¯t a surprise, but it did mean she couldn¡¯t trust in those orders from the top.


    Her decision was made. She would find her friends, find some way to bring them back, and then her mission to oppose the Creatures of the Night would continue. And if it came to dismantling the guild¡ªif it came to breaking apart what they had set up here¡ªfor whatever positive it may bring, if it supported a greater evil...it had to be replaced.


    She would not be made the fool again at the hands of the Creatures of the Night¡ªshe refused to fall for previously exposed pitfalls. She has grown, and she was determined to continue to grow.


    Allison stepped forward, there was an alluring call from the other side of the seam¡ªan allure that stemmed from a voice deep within her heart. It silenced everything else around her as if she were put into a lockbox.


    Allison, is that you, honey? It¡¯s¡­.I¡¯ve waited to long to see you. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s like this, I can¡¯t help but¡­.


    The voice beckoned to her heart and she knew the candor that had spoken out¡ªshe had just heard it for the first time not a few hours ago. The voice was from Greg Daniels...it was her grandfather. If that was true...how was that voice spilling over now? Just what existed on the other side of this rift?


    She was aware the others around her had noticed her approaching the seam. Yet, she didn¡¯t mind. They would join in no time, of that she had no doubt. This was their job...and if they didn¡¯t want to, like Felix didn¡¯t, well, that was okay too. Her attention was solely focused on the allure on the other side.


    Her hand was outstretched¡ªthere was an immediate chill that reached back as if to shake hands. It cradled itself around her like a ghostly presence. Allison could feel the energy of the seam coursing through her, and she knew that this was the moment she had been preparing for. Even if it hadn¡¯t come in the way they thought, contact was here.


    With a deep breath, she stepped through the seam, and the world around her transformed. The world seemed to open up like a snake unhinging its jaw, and inside the depths she saw smaller swirling pods of light exploding and bursting with color. She lost sense of the ground and suddenly she was falling. The voice had called back out to her.


    That¡¯s it. Keep following the sound of my voice. You¡¯re doing great. Keep at it. You¡¯ll make it through this just fine.


    She closed her eyes and the chilling coldness that had greeted her at the entrance had been replaced by an equally opposite warmth that felt like a tight embrace around her shoulders. The sky which had previously been a deep violet was now flowing through hues as if it were entirely replaced by a rainbow. It finally settled on a bright blue sky as feeling returned to her legs¡ªshe realized she was standing again.


    The sky had been beautiful¡ªprobably the most beautiful she had remembered in such a long time. It reminded her of the world she used to know and it brought forward an immense reaction...but the sky was the only part of the landscape that was familiar. The ground was a dark, smoky landscape full of patches of the ground that were just...missing. It looked as if they were just scooped up to be deposited somewhere else entirely. Allison could hear the distant echoes of howling creatures that distorted mid-screech. The sound was wholly foreign to her and it ran a cold spike up her spine.


    She was alone, she recognized that now. Her thoughts were her own and when trying to summon Jace her thoughts were...quiet. This wasn¡¯t good.


    It may not be what you desired, but I do not think your companion is lost to all time. I think he has been...temporarily separated.


    ¡°You¡¯re still around?¡± Allison asked.


    It seems so, yes. I had a desire to stick around, and I think that desire overpowered that of your companion. That is my guess as to why I am here with you and he is back there.


    ¡°Wait...you wanted to come? Why? And...Jace is back there. Like...actually there? Physically there?¡±


    I do not think he would exist as some phantom considering how powerful you are¡ªand you managed to collect two of the fragments of ICARUS did you not? I could imagine the seam could have started the process, and the limitless power could have done the rest of the work.


    ¡°That¡¯s...insane. To think that such a thing could be possible...and¡ª¡± She turned, looking for the seam that she returned from, but saw only vastness of the distorted gray landscape and twisted trees the color of charcoal that stretched up to the sky like the bonelands in her world¡ªonly a dim reflection.


    I do not think you will be returning the way you came. You entered without securing yourself to their methods of retrieval.


    The enormity of her decision began to weigh on her. She felt an immense regret building within and she pulled her two hands in front of her face and stared down¡ªshaking as the weight crashed down over her like a bucket of stored emotion.


    ¡°What...did I do? Why did I¡­¡±


    You heard a voice and I reacted.


    She blinked twice and she stared ahead of her, the glowing eyes of Leptous were staring back at her.


    ¡°You...it¡¯s because of you that I¡¯m here separated from Jace?¡±


    I told you, I had formed an intense desire.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the deal we had!¡± Allison threw her hands up in the air. ¡°It was your power for Ormus. That was the pact we formed.¡±


    I have not forgotten the terms of our deal. You still have my power, and you will continue to do so until the terms of our pact are made resolute.


    ¡°Well, what can be so fucking important here that you¡¯d drag me here without a way back?!¡± She shouted. All pretense of forgoing anger were gone now. She had gone so long without venting her anger because there hasn¡¯t been a good opportunity for a proper target, until now. Now she was going to let it all out.


    Two reasons have spawned my desire, both of which will be of great interest to you.


    ¡°Explain,¡± Allison said, crossing her arms. ¡°And quickly, I fear we are short on time.¡±


    First, the voice you heard was the Creature of the Night known as Egregore. He used to be the man that was your grandfather in the old world. He was the man that gave birth to the man that I used to be. That voice...it called to you because its owner is here...at least, part of it.


    ¡°Part of it?¡±


    Egregore cannot fully be killed unless all of him can be killed. He has a third eye that I have since learned has separated from the main body¡ªI know not the context, but somehow...his third eye ended up here in the Underworld. By itself it is a piece of him he cannot have much agency over¡ªit is after all only an eye, and yet, while it remains here, the Egregore up above cannot be killed.


    ¡°Cannot be...so you dragged me here just so we could kill an eye?¡±


    Your impatience is understood, but I must suggest you exercise at least the smallest portion as there is more. Your mission¡ªthe ones you search for, they¡¯re here. They¡¯re alive, although I fear they are in danger.


    Allison¡¯s eyes went wide and her thoughts traveled to them without a second thought. ¡°Where are they?¡±


    I do not have their exact location, I can only sense generalities¡ªyou see, their existence is most interesting...I wonder if fate has chosen to present you to me in more ways than one.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Allison asked.


    I have formed a pact with another person¡ªbefore I formed the one with you. Could you take a guess at who that might be with?


    Allison remembered the markings that adorned Laven¡¯s body¡ªthose golden glowing filigree that shone with the angelic blue light. She then remembered the tale of strength she had come across. ¡°No way...you¡¯ve formed one with Laven?¡±


    I made myself available in a time of need, not knowing how it would come to intersect with the person who in another life would be my daughter. You now understand the desire that formed within me.


    ¡°I do get that, but again...we could have waited another minute and we would have a secure way back.¡±


    Going back is not wise, at least. Not yet, and not back to where you entered from. I can get you back topside if you can reunite with my other pact-partner. Together you two can perform abilities stronger than any of you separately can. Since you are the epitome of dark and light matter¡ªa union of both¡ªwe can create a pathway back home.


    ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to trust that you suddenly have all this power?¡± Allison asked.


    I assume you will trust me, considering you¡¯ve come this far with our pact.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t actually had to use it yet,¡± Allison said.


    I would have thought that would be a blessing. Regardless, I would think that getting back would come second to ensuring your friends¡¯ safety and ensuring the defeat of those you hunt. I suggest we find the remnant of Egregore and then we go assist your friends.


    ¡°Point me in the direction, and I¡¯ll hunt whatever it is down.¡±


    North. It¡¯s to the north. Through the voidlands and just outside the boundaries of the kingdom of ebon. Your friends are at the kingdom¡¯s capital city, so we¡¯ll be able to be efficient with our planning. And you better hurry.

 23 | What We Leave Behind

    Winter 2045


    Jace Starr


    Jace felt a physicality he hadn¡¯t felt in quite some time. It has been a long time since Ally needed his help in that manner. She had been growing strong ever since she made the pact with Leptous, but he didn¡¯t think that she discovered his growing concern over her dependence on having that power. He had regretted that a part of him had felt that jealousy had been some part of the equation, but upon that physicality¡ªthe gravity that surrounded him that¡ªeven if he didn¡¯t understand how it had happened¡ªhe understood that he was severed from that connection with her. For however it was possible he was his own separate existence.


    ¡°Who...the hell is this?¡± David asked, and Jace remembered there were others around before Allison had vanished.


    ¡°Wait, I know you,¡± Felix said, stepping close. ¡°You¡¯re the one who Allison created.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re the one with the sticky fingers in her brain at all hours of the day,¡± Jace returned.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Veron asked, stepping in. ¡°What is the context for what¡¯s going on right now?¡±


    Jace turned to them, ¡°Hello! It¡¯s nice to meetcha. I¡¯m plenty confused myself. I used to selectively exist and now I fully do. I¡¯m not even sure where these came from,¡± he motioned toward the plain t-shirt and pants he had been wearing. ¡°Really feels ill for the climate if I¡¯m thinking on it now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a conjuration,¡± Bramm said, taking a step closer to Jace. ¡°Or...you were.¡±


    ¡°That seems to be the simplest case of it,¡± Jace said. But I¡¯ve been around a lot longer than any of these other kinds. I guess you could say I¡¯m like their great granduncle or something.¡±


    Felix turned to Bramm, ¡°So...if Allison stepped inside just now¡ªthat means she wasn¡¯t tethered. Can we bring her back?¡± Felix asked.


    Bramm looked from him to the seam. He took a deep breath. ¡°It¡¯s a tough question to answer. The seam hadn¡¯t fully stabilized¡ªit was on its way to it, sure, but I think it could be why this conjuration¡¯s here and she isn¡¯t¡ªit¡¯s been carved from her.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Jace interrupted. ¡°Conjuration? It?¡± He side eyed Bramm. ¡°How would you feel if I called you ex-fetus?¡±


    Bramm sighed, Veron chuckled, and David and Felix both looked off to the side, avoiding eye contact. ¡°What would you like me to call you?¡±


    ¡°Jace is the name. I¡¯d say don¡¯t wear it out, but it¡¯d have to actually be used in order to do that.¡±


    ¡°Your point is made, Jace,¡± Bramm said. ¡°Do you have any talents or abilities we should know about?¡±


    Jace moved to answer, but thought on the question. Did he have any talents or abilities? He was rather good at emotional support he figured, but he thought that he was more talking about tangible, physical acts. He didn¡¯t think he had any special powers¡ªand Ally hasn¡¯t written his story in quite some time so he couldn¡¯t be sure if he was intended to ever obtain any kinds of powers.


    ¡°I...don¡¯t know,¡± he answered simply, ¡°I think I was supposed to down the line? But things have really been quite busy so it hasn¡¯t been much of a priority.¡±


    ¡°All right,¡± Bramm nodded. You¡¯ll stay here while we head ins¡ª¡± He stopped and cocked his head, and then he brought a finger up to his ear and then brought his left hand up in a typing position. His fingers started dashing as a keypad faded in front of him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Veron asked.


    Bramm was silent as he brought up a display and then his eyes widened. ¡°Code red, Achrom¡¯s being invaded.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Veron asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening now? Who¡¯s stupid enough to¡­¡± David trailed off.


    Bramm turned and began bending down to shut off the machine. ¡°We¡¯re heading back.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Jace and Felix asked in unison. Jace looked down in confusion as Veron turned to help Bramm with Polarity. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Emergency situation, nothing we can do about it,¡± Bramm said. ¡°Really sorry about your friend, but she¡¯ll have to wait until we can assess the situation. The code red is coming directly from the Exarchromage. There¡¯s no other choice.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying we¡¯re just going to leave her stranded there?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like he said, we don¡¯t have a choice,¡± David said, his irritated tone was clearly showing. ¡°It¡¯s not our fault that she went in early.¡±


    ¡°Wait just a minute now,¡± Jace ran around and stood next to Bramm and the Polarity.


    Bramm looked up at him, annoyed, and obviously in a rush. ¡°What is it, kid?¡±


    Kid? First he was an it, and now he¡¯s ¡®kid¡¯? There was something about this guy that really agitated him. That agitation bubbled up to a fever point and he decided he had had enough. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you all bitching about losing people and wondering why nobody wants to join your pity party, yet the first situation that appears you¡¯re all ready at the drop of a hat to abandon a new recruit? One who you took out here, let get too close to the seam, and are now going to add to your bitch and moan campaign?¡±


    David stepped up to Jace and tried to stare him down. ¡°Listen Goldilocks, I don¡¯t know who the fuck you think you are, but nobody asked you to be here. Nobody here cares that you¡¯re here. You¡¯re free to hop in there and chase after her if you like, but when we get a code red, we respond to a code red.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, the vast majority of those back in Achrom outweigh the one person who got themselves into a problem. If she¡¯s as strong as Veron said, then she¡¯ll last out there until we come back.¡±


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


    Jace looked at each of them with a look of disgusted horror. ¡°You are all awful people¡­¡± He was shaking his head, and then he landed on Felix. ¡°And you¡­¡± Felix seemed to take surprise with being singled out. ¡°Why am I the one that¡¯s asking these questions? Why am I the one who is caring about who was supposed to be someone you cared about?¡±


    Felix looked off to the side, his usual quips seemed to be silenced. He walked past Jace to join up with Veron who had been carrying the box with the replaced Polarity inside. Bramm conjured up the buggy with a wave of his hand and a muttering under his breath.


    Jace couldn¡¯t believe it. Even this piece of shit is willing to ditch her.


    ¡°Listen kid,¡± Bramm said. ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t understand the shit situation we¡¯re in. I fully understand how hypocritical it seems, but a code red isn¡¯t some walk in the park. We¡¯ve never had something on this level before. If you ask me to weigh the lives of hundreds versus the life of one, I¡¯m going to choose the hundreds every time. It¡¯s just that simple.¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t suggest you go throwing your life away in that seam,¡± Veron said. ¡°If you go chasing after her, then the seam will tear you to shreds. I couldn¡¯t even imagine how it would affect someone who originated as a conjuration. Come back with us and lay in the back, we¡¯ll neutralize the threat, and then we¡¯ll head right back out to send out a team to bring her back.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you leave the machine, let me go into the stabilized seam?¡±


    Bramm laughed. ¡°Can¡¯t leave this out just anywhere, the Exarchromage would kill us.¡±


    It¡¯s a tempting offer.


    Felix was looking at him¡ªthere was a new look in his eyes¡ªalmost disgusted. The look angered Jace, but he figured if he was going to be of any help to Ally, he needed to comply for the moment. He sighed, ¡°Fine...let¡¯s go back, but let¡¯s put a move on it. Every second we¡¯re here bickering is another moment something bad could be happening.¡±


    ¡°We know you¡¯re only agreeing so you can come back,¡± David said. ¡°Don¡¯t get us wrong, I want to get this over with as much as you...too many voices entering lately,¡± he groaned.


    Jace looked away and started thinking to himself¡ªestablishing a barrier for his mind just as he did for Ally all those times previous. He found it easy to do, and realized he wasn¡¯t totally useless. If he could figure out how else to perform, he may be able to save Ally yet.


    He jumped in the back seat of the buggy, feeling the strange sensation of sitting down, and realized he had taken Ally¡¯s seat out of habit¡ªjust in-between the two people he had been irritated the most with. He couldn¡¯t help but staring at Felix as he entered the buggy. A million questions were running through his mind and he wished he could wring his neck now to force him to answer¡ªif only his mind were susceptible to that unwarranted probing. If only...


    ~...~


    They abandoned the buggy as Jace and the others approached Achrom, they could see the sky was filled with smoke, and flames leapt high into the air. They could see the plumes of fire from the distance.


    ¡°Oh shit¡­¡± Veron said, their eyes going wide as they stopped to take in the scene.


    ¡°No kidding,¡± Bramm said. ¡°You stay here,¡± he turned to Jace. ¡°We¡¯ll go on ahead.¡±


    Jace shook his head, ¡°No, I¡¯m already out here. I can help search for people trapped by the fire.¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going, are you?¡± David asked. ¡°It¡¯s literally a village full of people who can at the very least conjure fire themselves. Do you think for a second that our chromages would need help from escaping from a village on fire?¡± He scoffed. ¡°Please,¡± he shook his head.


    ¡°David, we¡¯re not going to turn down help,¡± Bramm chided.


    David groaned. ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go,¡± Veron said, running ahead.


    Jace followed them, unsure on what he really should do¡ªmoreso acting on instinct rather than logic. As he began to run he felt a new sensation¡ªhis lungs¡ªhe had lungs¡ªhad started to burn as he was running and the village got closer and closer. What was this feeling? Was this physical exertion? Is this the kind of thing Ally had to do constantly?


    They had reached the edge of the settlement and Jace was the last to catch up. His whole chest felt like it was on fire¡ªthis was an entirely new feeling for him. The others had split off to investigate the code red that was called, he bent over and caught his breath¡ªit was then that he realized how toxic the air around the fire was. The acrid smell of smoke mixed with the scent of burning wood was almost suffocating. Jace¡¯s eyes started to water and his throat felt like it, too, was on fire.


    The sound of crackling flames and creaking wood filled the air, accompanied by the screams of panicked villagers. David was wrong, that arrogant prick. No matter how much you knew about magic you were still susceptible to normal human fear, and fear will trump any kind of magical ability.


    Jace could feel the heat emanating from the inferno even from a distance, making him feel as if he were standing too close to an open oven. The sky was orange and red¡ªAlly had looked at these skies with such despondency, but if he were to give his honest opinion, he enjoyed the warm tones those skies elicited in his heart. He had a heart now.


    He stared up and then noticed that the smoke clouds that filled the air had started to blur out the sun. His smile turned dark as he thought on what kind of creature would cause such a disruption. What kind of being would willingly destroy such a view?


    Jace rushed headfirst into Achrom met with a scene of chaos and destruction. Buildings were engulfed in flames, and the intense heat made it difficult to see or breathe. He tried stepping over debris to avoid any of the fallen embers.


    ¡°Anyone around here?¡± He called out, and then covered his face with his arm. He heard a voice calling from inside one of the nearby buildings and he began running toward the sound of the voice.


    He rushed to the front door of the building and reached for the handle. It stung with how hot it was and he reached his hand back and shook it. Fuck.


    The voice called again from inside¡ªit sounded like a whimpering from behind the door. Jace held his hand and took in a sharp breath before he braced himself to ram the door. His shoulder connected once and it sent a shockwave of pain throughout his arm. He winced and backed up, grabbing his arm. He threw himself at the door again, teeth clenched and he let loose a scream as he barreled through the doorway¡ªbusting it down as he fell on the splinters.


    The interior of the room he fell into was much hotter and he had to turn his head to get the immediate searing sensation off of his face. He took in a sharp breath as the back of his head started to get real hot.


    ¡°He...lp,¡± came a voice off to his side.


    Jace turned to see a man trapped underneath a heavy looking bookshelf¡ªthe top of which had not been spared from the blaze. The hole in the ceiling above him told the story of how he ended up where he was.


    Jace worked up to his feet and noticed he was sore all around¡ªand the heat had still started to make his face hurt and sensitive all over. He pushed through it and bent to grab the bookshelf¡ªit looked like it had broken upon impact¡ªthat should have made this easier on getting it off, but the heat of the wood instantly made him regret that. He knew he couldn¡¯t leave this man to die. He bent again and grabbed the wood¡ªthe heat searing on his hands and he yelled out as he lifted with his legs¡ªpulling the splintered wood off the man¡¯s abdomen.


    The man started heaving as the weight was lifted off of him, Jace screamed as he shoved the shelf off to the side and it broke further. His hands were raw and red¡ªthey were in so much pain tears started forming in his eyes. He looked down to see the man¡¯s legs looked like they had open wounds, but they didn¡¯t look like they were broken. They were horribly burnt, though, as well was his back and arms.


    Then suddenly there was a large crash above and Jace leapt into action. He bent and latched his arms around the man and heaved him up¡ªthey both cried out in pain, but Jace pulled back¡ªdragging the man out of the building.


    ¡°Th..thank you,¡± the man offered out as they slid out of the doorway. His voice was ragged and barely present.


    Jace was tight as they breached the doorway and he pulled him out as another sound from the top floor erupted out. Jace looked behind him and saw that the creature he and Ally had seen in Enforal¡ªthe pale monster with the tendrils extending from its back and blood lust in its eyes. It had soared through the air from the hole that was created in the second floor of the building. He leapt on top of the building that was right across that hadn¡¯t yet been swallowed by the fire. He continued leaping off out of sight.


    If that thing was here and causing the invasion¡ªthen they were in trouble.

 24 | Amber Emissary II

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    Laven


    Everything had been happening so fast. Chaos had taken the night from under their feet. Lucas had taken the form of a dragon after resonating with the dragonstone. Laven had celebrated her theory being correct. She wished she could have explained it to him, but things were in motion and she didn¡¯t think that they would be stopping anytime soon. There was so much she barely had any time to keep the information set in her own mind.


    He and the King had each taken to the sky¡ªLucas was using his newfound wings to escape from the King¡¯s grasp. As soon as they had taken off, the councilor from the South had made his advance and summoned an orb of light in front of him that started firing off arrows of light almost immediately.


    ¡°Stand back,¡± She looked down to Tabula, grabbing hold of their arm and shoving them back to Roderick. ¡°Take care of them,¡± Laven said.


    Roderick grimaced, but nodded. Laven ducked underneath one of the arrows and breathed in sharply¡ªthe fire inside her started to glow and the lights ran across her skin with a brilliant shimmer. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the red haired councilor, Cherine, approaching¡ªa whip of fire was suspended just off both of her hands¡ªwhere the ends trailed into the grass sent sparks flying upward.


    Laven leapt back¡ªbending backwards as Cherine crossed her hands with a crack of each of the whips. They intersected just above her face, the heat rushed across her body¡ªthe sparks that flew off the end of each whip stung at her face and neck.


    Her eyes focused on Cherine and she reached out her right arm and fixed her stance to a more defensive one, bending her knees as one of the other Councilor''s arrows of light fired at her. She glanced back to check in on Roderick and Tabula¡ªbut she couldn¡¯t see them. She focused back on the two councilors in front of her and turned to Cherine as she redirected the arrow¡ªthe filigree on her skin glowing golden in response to the transfer of energy. The arrow passed through her hands and as she swung them around¡ªthe beam followed the path and she saw Cherine reach out to her side where contact was made.


    Her scream entered the air and the world returned to normal speed. Laven jumped away from the both of them to gain some distance away. She had just barely avoided another shot firing out¡ªthe ground where it had hit blew up dust and dirt into the air. Laven closed her eyes and felt the outside sounds fade to a numb resonant wave. She exhaled and pushed herself off the ground¡ªpriming back a fist and sending it forward¡ªshe felt the moment it connected with the southern councilor¡¯s sternum and she heard the crack.


    He was going to be out from that punch¡ªso as soon as he dropped she turned, but found a searing pain wrap itself around her left leg. The barbs from the end of one of Cherine¡¯s whips had sunk itself deep into her ankle.


    Laven looked up and noticed Cherine had one hand covering the bleeding gash in her side and one hand was outstretched with the whip.


    ¡°Might always trumps tricks,¡± Cherine said. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯ve got both,¡± she pulled back and the barbs of the wire dug in deeper into her foot. Laven felt the immense pain as it felt like a shark¡¯s teeth were digging around¡ªscraping for anything they could find. She felt it scraping against her bone.


    Cherine yanked hard on the whip and Laven was pulled to the ground. She hit hard and the world went dizzy for a few seconds¡ªthe pain in her foot twisted, but it didn¡¯t subside. She felt the energy start to fade from her body¡ªshe knew that this castle had affected how long she could use this power¡ªbut she feared it would be too late and too tired to continue on¡ªforced to submit and die at the hands of these councilors.


    Suddenly, a power from deep within her started to burn and she saw eyes open inside her mind.


    Connected.


    She didn¡¯t know what that had meant, but she knew that the burning digging feeling in her foot was gone. She looked down and saw the fire fade through her leg¡ªthe whip fell to the ground and started a small fire beside her. Laven looked up and saw the whip had been cut from the middle, and Tabula stood between them with a broadsword clutched in both hands.


    ¡°Seems like we¡¯ve a rat in our midst,¡± Cherine said, grunting as she stood back to her full height, some of her blood leaked out onto the ground.


    Tabula closed the distance between them and swung out the sword, but Cherine vanished before the blade could connect.


    ¡°I know when a fight is a losing one, I¡¯m not going to be throwing away my life to you folk, but I can¡¯t quite let you live, either,¡± her voice echoed throughout the courtyard.


    There was a huge crash from above and Laven looked toward the sky and saw the King¡ªhis large black scales reflected the moonlight¡ªhe was flying up toward a massive hole that was just made in the central tower of the castle.


    ¡°Laven!¡± A voice called from down below. She looked down to see Tomorrow and Roderick running toward them, Roderick noticeably had no longer been holding his own side.


    Laven smiled, ¡°You turned coat for us?¡±


    The look in his eyes explained more than she could have asked for, and he simply nodded. ¡°I recommend you escape as soon as you possibly can. I cannot go with you, unfortunately. I am dedicated to this kingdom to its very end, and mine, but I am to face my consequences here whatever they may be.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your assistance, but unfortunately I¡¯m going to be staying.¡± She looked up toward the tower, and then saw the fiery spiral erupt from the hole in the tower and she saw Lucas slam into the King. ¡°We are aiming to kill the King.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Tomorrow asked. ¡°How¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long story, one we don¡¯t have time for, and...wait a minute,¡± Laven said, turning to see that they were alone in the courtyard. The councilor Laven had beaten down had left along with Cherine, but more concerning was¡­


    ¡°Where¡¯s Tidmas?¡± Roderick asked.


    The northern gates to the rest of the castle opened up and twelve soldiers filed out into the courtyard¡ªand then joining them was another group of what looked to be ten soldiers from the eastern gate from the soldier¡¯s barracks. Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the two dragons above come together¡ªit looked like the King had grabbed hold of Lucas.


    The soldiers had begun to surround them and Laven began looking around her surroundings. She had felt more energy pouring through her body than anytime before¡ªshe felt stronger than she¡¯s ever been, but still it would be a tall ask to take on so many soldiers at once. Her eyes had locked onto the oncoming soldiers that surrounded them. She knew she was at a disadvantage, but she was determined to fight until the end.


    The courtyard was surrounded by towering stone walls, their surface weathered by time and stained with moss. A few trees dotted the edges of the courtyard, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers towards the sky. The ground was covered in cobblestones, worn down by years of foot traffic and the occasional horse''s hooves.


    The soldiers each were clad in the tightly clung armor and wielded the shimmering steel swords that looked infinitely stronger than the weapons they had gotten used to training with. They had begun to advance as one central unit¡ªcoming down on all sides. Their faces were grim and determined. She could hear the clanging of their weapons and the sound of their heavy footsteps echoing off the walls. This definitely didn¡¯t inspire a whole lot of confidence.


    If only I could know how Lucas was faring. She hadn¡¯t seen either of them since they passed overhead.


    ¡°Looks like that judgment might be coming sooner than you think,¡± She said off-hand to Tomorrow, but noticed he was gone when she looked for his reaction.


    ¡°Vanished,¡± Roderick said, gripping a spear she hadn¡¯t realized he had. He shook his head, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s just gonna be us.¡±


    ¡°Can give us weapons but won¡¯t stick around to the end,¡± Tabula signed. ¡°Quite unfortunate.¡±


    Laven nodded, then turned back around to the encroaching soldiers. She took a deep breath and charged forward, her footsteps propelling her forward and she leapt toward the front of the pack¡ªusing the chest-plate of the front-most soldier as a springboard¡ªshe heard the metal in the armor dent as she sprung off. She swung her neck around to avoid a sword swiping at her in the air and she landed in the middle of the crowd, dipping and diving in between slashes. One managed to cut the back of her left leg¡ªshe winced since it had still been sensitive from the burns, but she was able to grab at one of the soldier¡¯s hilts¡ªas he had gotten cut from one of the other soldiers in the chaos.


    They didn¡¯t have any coordination in fighting in a group¡ªthat much was clear. It¡¯s possible they were only trained to swing wildly and that was it. She could take advantage of this. She was able to shove one of the soldiers back into two of the others behind him. They toppled over which had sent two more soldiers behind them falling over as well. It gave her an opportunity to slip out from the center of the crowd.


    She looked back to see Roderick and Tabula had gotten pinned down by two soldiers closing in on them. For however good they had gotten during training, they still lacked the defensive measures the soldiers had with their armor.


    There was a sound from behind Laven that stole her attention away for but a moment. Unfortunately it was the moment one of the soldier¡¯s needed to close the distance between them. He full-body tackled her and they both went down to the ground. It had felt like she was slammed down and the wind left her chest. She felt a sharp pain in her side and it took her a moment to register that she had been stabbed with a dagger¡ªthe soldier had pulled it out from a hidden sheath inside his boot.


    She felt the pain from her foot start to flare back up as the adrenaline started to fade¡ªher entire body was sore and pain spread throughout her body like a virus.


    This is how I die. Stabbed in the side and to bleed out like some animal. This isn¡¯t right. It shouldn¡¯t have happened like this. My life should have gone in such a different direction¡ªit should have continued. It should have continued!


    The sound from behind her sounded again, and suddenly the sound of footsteps crashing on the ground. She craned her neck back and looked upside down at the sight behind her¡ªshe noticed the moving chaos of bodies stampeding in their direction. At first they looked like a mass of flesh, but then she realized that she recognized some of those faces¡ªand they had been wielding swords and spears of their own. At the rear was Tomorrow¡ªhe had led in the other squadrons to the courtyard for backup.


    Immediately the courtyard was overrun by bodies clashing and the soldier that had tackled Laven was pulled off of her. She slowly worked her way to her feet¡ªthe knife was still in her side and she held an arm up to it to keep it from slipping out. Keep it plugged until you can fix it. You know this.


    She was able to hobble away to a corner of the courtyard just behind one of the topiaries that hadn¡¯t been destroyed in the scuffle. She leaned against the wall and placed a hand around the knife. She looked and saw the filigree on her skin was glowing still¡ªeven if it had dimmed considerably. She had enough to patch up the wound, and she thanked her blessings.


    As the fight continued, Laven began to tire, her breaths coming in short gasps as she struggled to keep up with the soldiers. But she refused to give up, fighting with every last ounce of strength she had. She clasped the knife and Laven pulled on it slowly as the cooling air emitted from her hand. It brought relief, but the other pain in her leg had overpowered the relief. She bit her lip as she worked the knife out, sealing the entry wound as it left and she let loose a long breath.


    Laven collapsed against the wall and she saw the filigree darken completely¡ªher strength has left her completely as she watched the squadrons take on the surprised soldiers. Even though they were prepared, the numbers were now in favor of the squadrons¡ªTabula and Roderick had even been able to regain their ground against the soldiers that had previously pinned them down. Roderick heaved his broadsword upward, sending the soldier toppling backward before Tabula was able to follow up and send a spear through a hole in his armor.


    Laven felt a smile cross her face. She slowly turned her head to face Tomorrow¡ªthe effort required was gargantuan, but she made it happen. You gave me every reason to doubt you, but you came through in the end. Thank you, Tomorrow. I am so glad this worked out. I am glad I placed my trust in you.


    Her head fell back against the wall and she stared up at the stars, then the one thing remained in her conscious mind¡ªwhere had Lucas been? Come back. I want to see the stars with you...I want them for one more night. Those nights again...I would give¡­


    Something jolted her awake. She tensed up and felt a dreadful coldness envelop the area. Her eyes opened wide and she saw a figure of darkness falling from the sky¡ªshe squinted to try to get any sense of detail out from the figure.


    They landed and smashed into the ground¡ªsending dirt and spray flying into the air. When the dust settled the figure was in motion¡ªthey looked like...oh no.


    It was a Shade.


    Their body was entirely encased in darkness, the yellow lantern-lit eyes illuminated the darkness and helped Laven track its absurdly fast movements. The body was entirely smooth and void of detail. Void was a good descriptor...what was a Shade doing this close to the castle?


    It leapt toward one of the squadmates and shoved its arm through his chest like a knife. It pierced his heart and he dropped on the spot. The Shade danced under the corpse¡ªsinking into the ground and rose up with their arm outstretched and killing a soldier¡ªthe shadowy arm slipping easily through the armor and ending her life.


    Horror dawned in Laven¡¯s eyes as she tried to will her body up¡ªshe had to get them out of there¡ªshe had to call upon that power Lucas had when they last encountered the Shade...but her body would not move. She could not even bring her voice to speak.


    The Shade jumped over the soldier¡¯s body as it slumped to the ground and two appendages pierced two other bodies at once and then before they could even fall it used both of its arms to split Roderick in two halves.


    NO! Her mind was screaming, begging for it to end. She wanted to close her eyes¡ªto pretend like it wasn¡¯t happening, but knew she couldn¡¯t look away.


    Tabula was next, she raised her spear and thrusted it through the Shade¡¯s abdomen, but the Shade¡¯s body simply wrapped around the spear and its form traveled up the spear. Tabula¡¯s eyes went wide and Laven recognized she must have been seeing something¡ªsome glimpse of the life behind the darkness of the person it used to be just like how Lucas had before.


    Moments later the Shade pierced her heart and Tabula dropped to the ground.


    Tomorrow sent a blast of light toward the Shade¡ªhe was approaching the Shade and making hand gestures too advanced for Laven to keep up. She saw light and darkness melding together as he was using all the magic he had available to dispel the Shade¡ªbut the Shade was ducking and twisting past every shot. The yellow eyes turned to a crimson red and the Shade launched itself at Tomorrow, devouring him whole and leaping off seconds later¡ªleaving the empty husk behind which fell on its back. The Shade looked around the courtyard.


    Everyone was dead.


    Its gaze landed on Laven¡ªwho at this point had less than no energy to move. She closed her eyes and in a second found her body temperature cooling even colder. She opened her eyes and the Shade was overlooking her, those crimson lights in its cavernous eye sockets faded to an orange as it stared into her own eyes. She felt a wave crash over her as her fear mounted to the fullest feeling in her presence.


    Something deep within her started to speak, but it wasn¡¯t in a language she understood. The Shade seemed confused, curious almost, and stood to its full height. There seemed to be an echo of a memory¡ªsiting just on the edge of Laven¡¯s vision, but she couldn¡¯t reach out to grasp it. It would not move closer to her. She then saw a shadow above¡ªthe flying form of the black dragon soared in the air and the Shade stopped, then looked up at the sky toward the dragon and leapt. Then all at once consciousness faded from her like the flame of a candle being snuffed out.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ~...~


    Lucas Adair


    Lucas was floating within his own mind. His body¡ªnoticeably human¡ªrested above a colorful splash of expanse that seemed to shift hues as he looked at it. What started as a maroon depth turned brown, and then green, and then blue, and then back to maroon. The shift was so subtle he had difficulty finding a stable color to orient himself with.


    He was weightless as the world around him spun and co-existed with the untangled stream of thoughts that flowed from his head. He couldn¡¯t understand what was leaving his brain and what should have stayed. What had just happened? The last thing he remembered was flying through the sky¡ªseeing the stars above him.


    Then the crash shot through his mind like a silver bullet. He looked around and saw a bubble of sorts floating past him. He tried to navigate closer toward it, but found it was difficult to propel himself forward.


    Come back. I want to see the stars with you...I want them for one more night. Those nights again...I would give¡­


    His eyes opened wide and he brought a hand up to his cheek¡ªhe felt a warmth resonate that he knew stemmed from Laven. He reached out his other arm and found he was approaching the bubble. Inside, he saw the world he had left¡ªit was a bird¡¯s eye view of the world...it entranced him. He started to reach closer toward it, but he heard a voice behind him, so he turned slowly.


    ¡°You¡­are different,¡± a voice rang out all around the space he existed. He saw a faded ball of light appear¡ªit looked like all color had been drained of its presence.


    Then next to the first appeared a second¡ªalmost identical presence that similarly looked monochromatic.


    ¡°What?¡± The second asked.


    ¡°You are different. You are like me, but different. I woke here too, not that long ago, but long enough. I don¡¯t know exactly when it was. I had the same thoughts you have now. A recollection of a place you can¡¯t seem to put your tongue on.¡±


    ¡°Hello?¡± Lucas asked, sliding over until he was in-between them. ¡°Who are you? Where am I?¡±


    The presences continued, uninterrupted. ¡°Who are you?¡± The second asked the first.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the first answered. ¡°Those kinds of answers aren¡¯t given to me. I just know I¡¯m not you.¡±


    ¡°Hm...does the name Acheron ring a bell?¡± The second asked.


    ¡°No, should it?¡± The first answered. ¡°I¡¯m getting bored here, do you want to go somewhere else?¡± the ball of light asked.


    ¡°Somewhere else? What about that place there? I think I know those people,¡± The second said.


    The ball of light moved back and forth. ¡°There is no going back there. You¡¯re no longer welcome there.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The second asked.


    ¡°We don¡¯t seem to be welcome in any of these bubbles¡ªin any of these places. You can try all you want but you cannot go into them.¡±


    All of these bubbles? I can only see the one...what is going on here? Is this really happening...or is this something that happened a long time ago?


    ¡°You¡¯ve both done very well,¡± a new voice said, it was a bombastic presence that filled the entire void. It didn¡¯t seem to originate from any singular source.


    ¡°You won¡¯t find me by looking, I¡¯m everywhere. I am dimension you reside in.¡±


    ¡°You¡­.are the dimension?¡± The first asked.


    ¡°Indeed. I was known by the name of Friedrich Adata back when I was human, that name may mean something to you, but it also may not. I existed long before I was human, and am existing long after my death as one, but you two are different.¡±


    ¡°What are you?¡± The second asked.


    ¡°You can call me Father. I am the caretaker of Everything. You two are new. You two are the Sons. Your presence here means that you have become something more than human.¡±


    ¡°There¡­were others like us, weren¡¯t there? I have a foggy memory,¡± the First said.


    ¡°Yes, you both have very foggy memories, that is an unfortunate side effect of your ascendance. You see, when a human dies, their soul returns to me, or more specifically into The Pit.¡±


    ¡°What is The Pit?¡± The first asked.


    Lucas saw the space between them all change¡ªthe colors started to swirl as they formed at a singular point below them all. There seemed to be a cavernous pit that extended far past his vision consisting of a thick, viscous, tar-like substance. He followed the two balls of light down to the edge. He bent over and saw almost a reflective coating over the edge of slots that scaled the walls of the pit as far down as he could see. He got closer, pulling himself closer to investigate, then he turned up and saw the others looked to be frozen in time.


    I guess it¡¯s okay for me to check out exactly what this thing is. He hadn¡¯t understood fully what he was experiencing, but figured that he wasn¡¯t going to learn anything if he wasn¡¯t searching for the answers.


    He looked at one of the slots¡ªit looked like an inlet with a shimmering window that looked into admittedly a strange scene. There was a young girl inside¡ªprobably looked to be around ten or eleven. The name Abigail Aarons flashed in his mind. He also saw a flash of the young girl¡¯s death¡ªshe died when an explosion leveled central Denver¡ªher family lived in a townhouse nearby and she died instantly.


    Wait...when did an explosion like that happen in Denver? This surely must have been before the world became what it is now. Denver didn¡¯t exist anymore.


    He turned and slid deeper down to another slot. He looked inside and saw an older woman¡ªprobably looked to be in her late twenties. Lindsey Berrant-Cress. The name appeared just like the previous person¡¯s, and he learned Lindsey¡ªassuming that was her name¡ªhad committed suicide in a run down motel called The Continental Inn in 2029. This was just before the world was prevented from its destruction by way of the Radical-9 Incident.


    Radical..9? That name seemed familiar...he had heard it somewhere before, and then the memory clicked into place. It was the name of a book. The same book...or...close to it, maybe the same series that Gavin Daniels had come from. What was the point of this place? Just what was going on?


    As if to answer, the voice of the Father picked back up. ¡°This is The Pit. It is what started our life. The black tar that you see inside of it is the collective unconscious of every single human that has ever lived and passed on, their memories stored here forever.¡±


    ¡°What do they do here?¡± The First asked.


    ¡°The souls travel back to this place after death. They empty all of their memories into the Pit, cleansing themselves for future use, and then they are recycled into being used to create new universes, just like the two of you did now,¡± The Father explained.


    Is this the process in which new universes are filled with new life? If that were the case, why was there only one left?


    ¡°And how are we here?¡± The Second asked.


    ¡°Your souls are tied to this dimension now since your bodies perished inside of it. They became linked after death and you now have more mobility than a normal human soul. It triggered an ascension process.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand that, I guess. What do we do now, Father?¡± The Second asked.


    ¡°Your job is now to act as my eyes and ears throughout these new universes. You shall enter them and take on an identity there within that universe. You shall play a role until that universe ends.¡±


    ¡°Until it ends?¡± The first asked.


    ¡°You will find more about that when you begin doing so.¡±


    ¡°Okay, that sounds easy enough,¡± the Second said.


    ¡°You shall cleanse yourselves of your previous identities. No longer shall you go by your old names. Gavin Daniels will be lost to the annals of time¡ªits life shall not be stored within the Pit.¡±


    ¡°I am confused,¡± the Second asked. ¡°You said one name, but there are two of us. Which one of us was Gavin?¡±


    ¡°At one point, you both were. That does not matter now. Now, you shall go by your new identities¡­¡± the voice of the Father started to fade, and as Lucas rose out of the Pit. The two balls of light have disappeared completely.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Lucas asked, and the question echoed throughout the infinite vastness, looping on itself. He realized that there was nobody else here¡ªunless you counted the memories of those that had apparently died in the Pit.


    He felt an uncomfortable coldness emanating from the Pit and he did not like the feeling it gave him inside. Is this what human life was to be reduced to? Like a washcloth to be wrought out at the moment of death and to be repurposed back into the system?


    His eyes opened as he had an idea, and it terrified him at the same time. He looked back over the edge of the Pit and at the reflective panes as they shimmered all the way down. He traveled down the side of the pit, noticing the names of the people inside went in an alphabetical order. He stopped when he came to the name he sought after.


    Abel Gray.


    Inside he saw both the young boy who had been present in the accident that took the use of his legs as well as the older man who had constructed his original form. Both seemed to fade in from one or another, but what solidified it was the numerous causes of death that were on the record for Abel. Every death within the Roulette Game was transcribed here¡ªas Abel¡¯s soul had come back to the Pit after each death before being sprung in the next cycle. Of course, the final listing showed the explosion that sent the SubCon facility to the bottom of the ocean. He went on to look at Cain¡¯s slot, but was ultimately confused when his panel looked to be empty.


    What was this? Cain was dead too¡ªhe remembered the numerous times that he had perished after the second round of the Roulette Game. Was it possible this system was flawed?


    Or¡­


    He rose back up above the depths of the Pit. He did not like the sounds that filled his mind while he stayed down there. The eerie atmosphere and the total loneliness had set in a fear he didn¡¯t want to feel again.


    He pulled himself toward the bubble and pushed himself inside. I¡¯m done with messing with things I don¡¯t understand. I still need to get back and take care of what I do.


    He breached the surface and began falling¡ªhe looked up and saw the exterior of the bubble as he began free¡ªfalling through the air. It seemed to vanish as his weight started to return to him¡ªhe looked at his arms and body as he continued falling¡ªhis whole form looked transparent. All of this was so unreal, but that meant that he was probably still where he had fallen¡ªand he looked back down to the ground below. He saw the Underworld in its entirety¡ªit looked like a massive island with cobalt blue seas surrounding it on every side¡ªthe five kingdoms couldn¡¯t have been more distinct as their massive castles stood tall in the distance that he could see their points even from this high up.


    He saw the Blackwell Castle and aimed toward it. The feeling of flying wasn¡¯t so strange to him the second time around. He felt the wind coursing through his hair until he was closer and closer¡­


    There he was.


    He found his body and as soon as he made contact his eyes opened¡ªhe was staring back up at the stars. Those same glittering stars he was just falling amongst. His body was electric with energy and he stood tall¡ªthe crystal embedded in his chest was glowing with a bright red light that seemed to ebb and flow with his breathing. The azure scales on his body seemed to sparkle in the moonlight, and he fully took inventory of his body.


    The smallest movement in the sky alerted him and his vision honed in the black dragon flying overhead.


    Gardov.


    Lucas jumped into the air and he shot out like an arrow toward Gardov. His wings flapped and he was going as fast as he possibly could. Laven flashed in his mind¡ªhe saw her body lying limp in the castle courtyard and he tensed and felt a fire bellowing deep in his stomach. He was a hundred feet away, then fifty.


    His talons erupted in cobalt fire and his eyes burned with vengeance. Gardov turned, confused, and then Lucas reached his arms out, claws of fire stretching out as they clasped around the black dragon¡¯s neck.


    The momentum was enough to send both dragons hurtling toward the ground. Lucas was in control this time, his talons were sinking deeper into Gardov¡¯s neck and he only could make a gurgling sound as he tried to let loose his own fire¡ªbut it bottlenecked in his throat. Lucas closed his grip, severing the dragon¡¯s head from his neck and cauterizing the stump in one fell swoop.


    They hit the ground immediately after and Lucas was sent spinning and rolling until he slammed into the western wall. Gardov¡¯s body tumbled to a stop in the center of the courtyard.


    Lucas stumbled to his feet as the world was spinning around him. He saw the corpse of the black dragon and felt a voracious victory. He yearned to tear his body limb from limb and roast his remains...but then something else caught his eye. Up on the banister up on the second floor sat a Shade, legs hanging off the edge of the ledge, dangling. Almost as if it were enjoying the show.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes narrowed and he looked from the Shade to Laven in the corner of the courtyard. He noticed her chest was rising up and down and he let go a breath of relief. His attention focused back on the Shade.


    It jumped up from its place and landed just before Gardov¡¯s body. Lucas moved to close the distance, but it reached a darkened hand down and its shadow consumed the body as the lights that were in place of its eyes deepened to a blood-red.


    Lucas¡¯s nostrils flared as he prepared to stare down the Shade. He leapt out toward the Shade, but it leapt backward, its eyes fading to the lantern-yellow.


    What...it was trying to run away? Not if I have anything to say about it.


    Lucas took off and his wings flapped¡ªpropelling him forward. The Shade landed and then turned on the spot¡ªjumping high into the air. Lucas reached out an inflamed clawed hand and just barely grazed the Shade¡¯s leg¡ªa scratch leaving rainbow colored ichor stains on the ground below.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes flashed white and he saw a girl in her mid twenties with auburn shoulder length hair. She looked eerily like Allison¡ªthe young Allison that had been his companion for a short time in the other world.


    She was looking around herself in fear from her small apartment. She lived in Upstate New York¡ªshe was haunted...and then she was sacrificed.


    Archiver.


    He fell to his knees as the images faded. His eyes were darting around wildly and they landed on the pile of corpses near the western gate. He looked in horror as he saw Tabula and Roderick¡¯s bodies among the rest as well as the other squadron¡¯s bodies. Tomorrow had fallen just outside of the initial ring and then he turned slowly to Laven. He darted over to her. I knew I saw her chest moving. Please don¡¯t tell me I was hallucinating that.


    He hadn¡¯t. He lifted her back and cradled her in his arms. His heart started to slow and the fire deep within him cooled. He had felt great sorrow, confusion, anger, but those all cooled in comparison to the relief and love he felt for the woman that sat in front of him now.


    ¡°Laven, thank god you¡¯re alive,¡± he said. His voice was hoarse¡ªhe couldn¡¯t recognize the harshness of it, but there was a hint of his original voice in there.


    He felt the soft drops of rain on his head. He looked up and saw the cloudless sky¡ªyet rain had started to fall from a point out of sight. He heard a slight sound coming from Laven and he turned back to her. Her eyes were fluttering. He cradled her face with his hand and he lightly stroked her cheek.


    Her eyes opened, and she looked up to Lucas and smiled. ¡°There you are,¡± she said. ¡°Looking a bit more muscly than I last saw you.¡±


    Lucas smiled, tears coming to his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re alive. I¡¯m not sure if I can go back from this, but at the moment I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± she said softly, reaching her arm up. Her hand clasped around the crystal on his chest and she twisted it clockwise. The light in the crystal flooded his vision and he felt that similar weightlessness. He was enveloped in the light and he felt weight return to him as he sat next to her¡ªback to his normal self. He was sitting bare on the ground as the clothes he had been wearing were nowhere to be found. He was cold, but he didn¡¯t care. He was more confused than anything.


    ¡°What...happened? How did you know¡­?¡±


    She laughed. ¡°I found it in the guard station. Turns out they stole it themselves from the Councilors, who themselves were hiding their own secret from the King.¡±


    Lucas tried to connect the dots, but it took an extra minute.


    ¡°The King¡¯s dragon breath is what gave this place its magic, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lucas said. ¡°And he got that power when he entered this world¡ªit seems like how the transport changed my powers, it changed his as well.¡±


    ¡°It turns out those councilors were planning big things with that dragon breath¡ªthey were collecting as much of those accelerant particles as they could. Tidmas¡¯ quarters held the key to it all. It was in there I found the plans hidden away¡ªproposals for secret councilor meetings with a limited selection of members present. These were pretty thorough docs containing the design specifications of this,¡± she grabbed and held up the dragonstone¡ªLucas hadn¡¯t realized it had closed back up and sat between them.


    ¡°That¡¯s nuts,¡± I can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t see that when I was in there,¡± Lucas said.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it would have registered as anything important if you had,¡± Laven said. ¡°But I found it in the locker on the right hand side¡ªpretty poor planning on their part if I¡¯m being honest.¡±


    ¡°The...fuck...I was right behind that locker hiding!¡±


    ¡°This here was the culmination of their secret meetings,¡± Laven explained. ¡°They were collecting the particles and made a contained source of energy that which they would use to overtake the King and establish a new form of rule over the kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Become the new king, huh,¡± Lucas said, staring down at the dragonstone. ¡°Why do you think they didn¡¯t use it? Surely they would have had it working before it could be stolen.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have an exact answer for that, but I think they realized they weren¡¯t able to use it.¡±


    Lucas cocked his head in confusion.


    ¡°I tried to use it when I found it in the guard station. To me, it was effectively nothing more than a paperweight. My guess is it didn¡¯t work for the councilors¡ªand the guards¡ªmuch how it didn¡¯t work for me.¡±


    ¡°But how do you know that the guards even knew what it did?¡±


    Laven shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m only guessing since I don¡¯t think they would have stolen from Tidmas unless they seriously believed they had something they could avoid punishment with. Which then leads me to believe they were under the impression they saw the dragonstone as their ticket out of their own lives.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Lucas said. ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡±


    ¡°But you¡­¡± Laven said. ¡°You had the power to blow back the Shade¡ªI had thought that maybe that power was what you needed to interact with the power of the dragonstone¡ªsince it was the King himself who had summoned the Shades to this world. So I made a mad dash back to the cell block, only to find you all were gone. And Amber¡­¡±


    Lucas¡¯s eyes fell to the ground. ¡°Yeah...they woke us in the night. They had killed her trying to get info about the dragonstone out. We didn¡¯t know at the time, then they took us all out to be tortured, and then that was where Tidmas came out, and then I think you know the rest.¡±


    Laven¡¯s eyes went wide, ¡°Oh, fuck. Tidmas¡¯ body is gone. I was too busy dealing with everything else.¡±


    Lucas turned toward the pile of corpses on the other side of the courtyard...and she was right. The spot where Tidmas had been impaled by the spear was gone. ¡°Well, whether he¡¯s out there or not, we need to leave here immediately. I saw what happened to Tabula and Roderick¡­¡±


    Laven closed her eyes and sighed. ¡°It was awful¡ªit was that Shade. It acted different to the last one¡ªit was aware. It was deadly. And it hungered.¡±


    ¡°I was able to wound it, if even slightly, but unfortunately it got away. I think it was a girl, but it was strange, because she seemed to live in the world before the world changed¡ªI didn¡¯t get a lot of detail.¡± He looked down to the dragonstone and placed his hand on hers. ¡°I think I am going to have to use this if we want to get away from here with any sense of speed.¡±


    She looked to him with a concerned look, ¡°Are you sure? Did it hurt?¡±


    Lucas shook his head. ¡°No, not physically. I noticed¡­¡± he trailed off, then looked up before looking back into her eyes, ¡°I noticed that when I had thought you had died¡­I got this intense anger in the pit of my chest. It felt like it never could have been satisfied unless I tore apart his corpse and fed it to the worms, and even then I¡¯m sure it would have burned even hotter because I would have thought he deserved worse and I couldn¡¯t give it to him.¡±


    ¡°What brought you back from that?¡±


    His fingers curled around the dragonstone and he kissed her, holding her close. He backed away and clenched his fist around the dragonstone and felt its warmth surrounding him. The light enveloped his body and he took on the more draconic form.


    ¡°You,¡± he tried his hardest to speak in his softest voice, but in this form his softest voice still carried gruff undertones his human side would have dreamed of carrying.


    He wrapped his arms around her and picked her up off the ground, looked to the sky, and leapt into the air. He didn¡¯t know where they were going to go, but it would be anywhere but here.


    ¡°We should...head to the south,¡± Laven said.


    He looked down at her in his arms, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m getting this...feeling. We should be heading south.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Okay. I trust your intuition. We¡¯ll head for the south.¡±


    She nodded and curled up in his grasp. With her warmth he felt that he could fly for hours.

 25 | Third Eye Blind

    Winter 2045 ~ Underworld


    Allison Fae-McCallum


    Allison had hiked up the side of a mountain with strength and tenacity she hadn¡¯t known she had. The motivation she held onto tightly kept her moving more than any physical restraint had on her. She had been following the small voice she had been hearing since arriving in the Underworld.


    The ground was so strange here¡ªthere was a noticeable difference in the texture underfoot, it was almost like she were walking on a hollow surface. As if the echoes of her footsteps clambered and rang out underneath repeatedly.


    You have almost reached your destination.


    She recognized it as the voice of Egregore, and she envisioned the face of her grandfather and closed her eyes.


    ¡°What can you tell me about him? Surely you knew him,¡± she said aloud as she continued to climb.


    You might find it hard to believe, but I hardly knew him either. When I was alive I lived alone for a long, long time. Orphanages were my home until the world got harder to live in.


    ¡°How much harder could it have been?¡±


    We had our own issues¡ªthe world was a dangerous place. It was as if people forgot about everything except self-survival. We did not foster a lot of common ground for others to forge new relationships. It wasn¡¯t impossible, those that really sought out bonds with each other were able to do so in spite of the circumstances, not because of them.


    ¡°You sound like you don¡¯t want to return things to the way they were,¡± Allison said.


    They are the way they were. Just because time has passed doesn¡¯t mean that the world has changed. The people here are similar¡ªthe ones that search out for friendship will find themselves attracting like minds. They will find themselves earning the care they have searched so long for, and yet, there will always be hardship. Blood will spill, and there will be wonder of what kind of creator could let such tragedy to occur.


    ¡°I refuse to accept that tragedy and suffering is inevitable,¡± she said.


    Acceptance isn¡¯t endorsement. It is inevitable that pain and tragedy would paint this world as it would the world before, that doesn¡¯t negate any of the beauty and the wonder that can spring from that pain.


    ¡°I...guess I agree with that. I¡¯m surprised to hear that you feel so strongly about opposing the Creatures of the Night¡¯s goals.¡±


    I have an inherent disdain for those who choose to continue the suffering of others for the betterment of themselves. Those who self survive through the pain of others. Those are the people that are the same as those that ruined my world. Those that took my parents from me. Those that took from those who had nothing else to give. I will form a pact with anybody who has the same desire to burn those kinds of people away.


    Allison thought on this as she reached the top of the trail¡ªit sprawled out to an overlook that crested over a drop that led deeper down into a valley¡ªmountains sat on either edge leaving one true path to walk, but first came the drop. It looked like it was too high to simply fall down to avoid coming unscathed, but she did see a rocky section of the wall a few feet down that she could reasonably make the effort for a climb down.


    As she turned and took her first step down her mind began running. Rosie and Josie flashed across her mind¡¯s eye. Lilly and her final moments¡ªGeorge and Jaclyn Fae¡ªthroughout everything they deserved better. They deserved better circumstances so they could have all had better lives. She was the one thing they all had in common and she was hellbent on making sure she could do everything in her power to change the world for the better.


    She leaned down and reached out with her leg to get her bearings and take the first step down. The terrain was steep and unforgiving, with loose rocks and gravel scattered everywhere. The sound of it tumbling down the side of the cliff didn¡¯t speak highly of the descent. Allison''s heart raced as she carefully navigated her way down, trying to find stable footing with each step. The wind whipped around her, sending her hair flying in all directions. She took a sharp breath as she closed her eyes to steel her nerves.


    She didn''t have any rock climbing equipment, so she had to rely solely on her own strength and agility to make her way down the mountain.


    Didn¡¯t have any¡­


    Her eyes opened wide and she cursed herself for not trying it sooner. Stupid. Things like this will get you killed. She slowly took her left hand off the rock she was grappling and took a deep breath while she made the motion to conjure a harness and tether. Her hand made the motion¡­but nothing happened in response.


    I do not wish to alarm you, but I am not sensing the abilities you normally have with summoning objects other than Ichaival. It seems that may have been left with your other self.


    Other self. Jace¡­


    She closed her eyes. She hoped he was safe, she hated that she was separated from him, but hoped through everything that the powers could do well to help keep him safe.


    You have lost a fundamental power you have used to survive up to this point, and your first thought is grace that it will help keep him safe?


    ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡±


    Of course not. I am...proud. I don¡¯t claim to be the existence that currently is your father, I still say that that man is dead, but as the existence who has the memories of your father...I am proud of the person you have become a person your father would have wanted to be himself.


    Allison felt a knot in her stomach as she re-grabbed her hold on the rock and she swallowed hard. Someone my father would have wanted to be himself. Someone he would be proud of. All her life she had convinced herself that those words would not affect her negatively searching in vain for feelings that would never come, yet...when she was here and forced to come to terms with them, they made her happy. She was glad. It didn¡¯t make up for the years she had to find her own way, alone. She didn¡¯t think anything would, but she wouldn¡¯t deprive herself of feeling good about something that made normal people with normal parents happy.


    Normal people probably never had to worry about their parents not being around to be proud of them. What kind of life that must present for them. I can¡¯t even imagine the opportunities that would open up.


    Allison gazed up at the towering mountain looming over her. She knew that the climb down to the valley below would be a long and arduous journey, and not just physically considering current circumstances, but she steeled herself for the challenge ahead.


    With a deep breath, she set out on the trail, her feet pounding against the rocky ground as she started her descent. The path was steep and treacherous, with loose rocks and gravel threatening to send her tumbling down the mountainside at any moment. As she continued down, her muscles began to ache with exertion, and her breath came in short, labored gasps. Her chest began to spike with the beginning prickles of hot pain, but she was able to push it aside as she kept going, putting one foot in front of the other as she descended deeper and deeper into the valley.


    The wind whipped around her, tugging at her hair and clothes as she clambered down the rugged terrain. Her palms grew sweaty as she gripped onto the rocky outcroppings, trying to find a stable foothold. She knew one mistake was all it took to send everything to void¡ªto set the deck back to zero and kill any chance she had of making it out of here alive.


    As the hours ticked by, Allison felt her energy starting to flag. She had known it was going to be a labored climb down, but the physical and mental strain of the long climb was starting to take its toll. Her thoughts began to turn to giving up, to turning back and returning to the safety of the mountaintop.


    But she refused to let herself be defeated. With grit and determination, she pushed herself onward, one step at a time. Each step was another foot closer to the bottom. The valley floor seemed impossibly far away, but she could see the glimmering ribbon of a river in the distance, a sign that she was making progress.


    Finally, after what felt like an eternity of descent, Allison''s feet touched down on the valley floor. She let out a gasp of relief that turned into a scream of jubilation. She let her other foot make contact with the ground and she let go entirely and let herself fall back, laughing as she collapsed onto the ground. The hit was hard, but she didn¡¯t care. She had made it down and was still alive. She was laughing and took deep gulps of fresh air¡ªthinking she was thankful for each microsecond.


    Now that you have made it down below, I think the sense of Egregore¡¯s third eye has increased.


    ¡°Increased?¡±


    I am sensing it closer. It¡¯s like it is sending out a distress signal to you.


    ¡°That is the vibe I have been getting from it as well.¡±


    I think it might be prudent for you to probe for information if it is willing to receive it.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re speaking my language,¡± Allison said.


    It seems we are still a ways away even though it is closer.


    ¡°In that case, do you mind if I ask you something?¡± Allison asked.


    I cannot guarantee a satisfactory answer, but if I can muster it I shall provide whatever I can.


    ¡°My mother...I learned recently of her, but not nearly enough. Do you have memories of her?¡±


    There was a silence as she continued on the trail through the valley. Sticks and underbrush from the few lush trees that stuck nearby crunched as she stepped.


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    I do have some memory of her, but I fear that most of the memories surrounding your mother are with Ormus. Part of me worried about telling you this because I didn¡¯t want that fact to deter you from the inevitability from our pact.


    Allison said nothing in response.


    I am choosing to tell you because I care about you knowing above all else. And I think in the end I will make the right decision. Your mother was a firebrand, and I mean that in the most positive way. She was¡­an outcast. And I mean that in the most endearing of ways. She was not a popular kid when she was young. She treasured the friendships she made¡ªand she fought like hell to keep them. If you had become her friend, she would have fought against God for you.


    Allison stopped walking and looked down at her own hands. Seeing the life she lived echoed in her own parents¡ªlike before, it wasn¡¯t enough to forgive everything, but there was something to be said about knowing that she was carrying on a sort of legacy.


    Iris was bold when others held back. She believed in justice when others had long forgotten it. She was an inspiration to any who got to know her. She was special. She was¡­


    Leptous trailed off as if in thought on memories long not spoken of. Allison continued walking and it wasn¡¯t for a few minutes that it continued.


    You remind me a lot of her. You have a similar tenacity, and I think she would be proud to know you have taken her name. I think she probably would have words why you didn¡¯t have her name before, but it would take some talking down to realize the series of events.


    This made her laugh¡ªand she stopped to contemplate the hypothetical conversation that would stem from such a topic. Such a laugh felt natural and...she just kept laughing.


    ...Are you alright? Have you suffered a manic break?


    ¡°No,¡± she finished, wiping a tear from her cheek. ¡°No, I just haven¡¯t laughed like that in a while. Imagining her like that¡ªit kind of reminds me of an old friend. I¡¯m glad she and her were so alike.¡±


    You are so much like her, but you take a lot from¡­


    ¡°You can take credit. Even if you aren¡¯t the full existence of my father, you are part. I think that¡¯s important enough.¡±


    ...you have inherited a lot from me, and not the parts I regret,¡±


    ¡°That you know.¡±


    That is fair, but I hope that what I don¡¯t is not too damaging to your self consciousness.


    ¡°Anything that has has been worked out.¡±


    I wish it could have been under better circumstances, but I am happy that you feel such.


    ¡°Yeah¡­I do think I am on the road to being better,¡± she said. She stopped walking as she came across a turn that led upward to a cave hollowed out of the side of the mountain. ¡°I am feeling him in here.¡±


    I am feeling the same. Tread with caution.


    Allison nodded and moved aside a few of the twisting branches and began the slow ascent up to the mouth of the cave. The roof looked to drip down as if it had voracious teeth¡ªthreatening to release and bite anything that dared enter.


    Entering the cave, Allison¡¯s vision adjusted from the change in light as the only natural light was that which spilled in from the mouth. She saw the path inside continued down a curve to the left which led to a decline. She followed it down until the voice in the back of her mind started to feel closer. She took a deep breath and moved forward.


    There, at the innermost corner of the cave sat the eye which slowly looked over to Allison as she approached. The movement made her shudder.


    Allison. You have come.


    ¡°You¡¯re Egregore, am I right? Or at least, the third eye of Egregore?¡±


    That is correct. I had heard talk of you amongst my siblings. And I admit you have been a topic of much conversation, at least, before things fell through.


    Allison raised a brow as she approached closely. ¡°Fell through?¡±


    There was a massive fight...twenty three years ago. The Children of the Night have fractured¡ªgone their separate ways. Like shooting stars across a blanket cosmos. I have surveilled my siblings so I may yet help eventually mend broken bridges.


    ¡°I see. What was the big fight over? I apologize for how things went¡ªI was not aware¡ªI have been so out of the loop.¡± Allison hoped Egregore was not capable of reading minds¡ªshe was sure that he would be able to call her bluffs very easily. It seemed like Egregore was so open to talk about things he probably had been waiting to tell someone for so long. She would make the most of the opportunity.


    Allison. Your father...I have had dreams of him, and thus, of you.


    This was not what she had asked, but yet she was still intrigued. ¡°Dreams?¡±


    The subject of dreams came up on that day all those years ago. We were summoned...we were told by Samael, the second eldest of us all that our Father had been killed. The murder was pinned on our youngest¡ªIssachar and Sakonna. I¡¯m sure you are aware of those two.


    ¡°They were accused of killing your...father? I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m having a little trouble understanding.¡±


    Our father...our creator. He drew us to life and he has led us on our journey so that we may see the lives we used to live be returned to us. We¡¯ve worked our entire existences in this world under his care and effort. It is a major unsettlement that he has been killed. Unfortunately, this fact was not the only topic of the meeting. It seems it was combined as a revelation of some...distrustful manners stemming from Ormus¡ªyour father.


    The fact that Egregore thinks of Ormus solely as your father shows how limited his knowledge truly is.


    Leptous had sent the thought to her brain, it seems Egregore had not heard it, as he continued on uninterrupted.


    We learned that Ormus has not been forthcoming with us. We started to dream of the people we used to be¡ªlives previously only known to us for the fact of their loss. We previously knew nothing of the lives that came before¡ªwe could not even be sure we acted as the same people. For all we knew, we were blank slates¡­for all we knew.


    ¡°You said my father lied to you?¡± Allison asked. She figured she would get right to the heart of it.


    I didn¡¯t believe it at first. Some of the others had dreams they said, but it is very easy to convince yourself of something happening¡ªI assumed that was all this was. I have since had dreams myself. I saw the face I used to have¡ªbut crucial memories are still lost to me. I know so little still, but it is distinctly more than before. I had also seen your father...and I know I had known him in the time before. The details are...murky. But I then saw you. I saw you and saw how you looked so much like him, and how you both looked like me.


    Allison was silent. She did not want to offer up the idea that she knew more than she looked like she did. It was important to make the distinction that just like Ormus¡ªthis wasn¡¯t her grandfather, but one half of the person who used to be her grandfather. His Elemantic was still out there somewhere¡ªthe part of him that would have memory of her¡ªif such a thing existed.


    ¡°I understand there was a huge fight that splintered you all, but how did your eye end up here?¡± Allison asked.


    I admit, it was not a decision made after deliberation. Everything was happening so fast¡ªthe fight was erupting and one of our kind, Ezrael, had constructed a portal. I believe there was some interference and it changed the end destination of the portal¡ªand another of us, Gardov¡ªthe closest in me to age in this world¡ªfell inside. He was changed by the journey, I did not want to lose him forever¡ªI still believed that I could reunite us. If he went somewhere that my main body could not travel to...I couldn¡¯t risk it. I sent my in after him. It turns out my suspicions were correct, and he did land some place where my main body could not reach him. To my dismay, my eye has been trapped here as you see.


    ¡°And here you remain,¡± Allison said.


    Here I remain.


    ¡°Now, I am curious of one last thing...why are you telling me all of this? Not to say I¡¯m not thankful¡ªyou wouldn¡¯t imagine the amount of people I¡¯ve come across that haven¡¯t been as forthcoming with information, but I was led to believe that your missions were all of the highest secrecy imaginable. Wouldn¡¯t you be posing a risk to the overall goal by telling me so many things?¡±


    I know why you are here, sweet child. I understand your desire to live against our mission.


    ¡°And you still told me anyway?¡±


    There was a silence in the cave for a moment, and Leptous spoke up in her mind.


    This has become interesting.


    I did not expect the side effects of being separated from my third eye for so long. I hadn¡¯t ever attempted anything like it previously, so I assumed that it would have been fine. It has been...difficult, to say the least. As it stands now, I am unable to stand from where I last laid myself to rest three days ago. We do not eat to continue to exist in this state, but stagnation is as much as a death as any other. I was anticipating a prolonged existence where I endlessly wonder if my siblings will be able to accomplish our goal or whether they will be stopped and put to final peace as I have found. Either outcome is favorable, I think.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re waiting to die?¡± Allison asked.


    I will not die, but I will certainly not be living. I will be here...watching. Waiting. And as I sit here, I realize I desire only one thing at the end of my rope. Allison, you seek to end me, and I seek the end. I know you have a mission ahead of you, just like my siblings to¡ªjust like I did. I want you to follow your mission to its very end. If you will have tried your very hardest, even if you stop our plans...I will be happy.


    Allison began to look down at the eye with a look of sorrow. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this would be how you felt. I was expecting to argue¡ªto have to fight against you.¡±


    I dreamt of you, Allison. I know at one point there was a family bond between us. I don¡¯t know if I knew you¡ªI was dead long before you were born, but had I known you were my legacy upon my rebirth, I would have chosen against our plan to see your adventure through to its end.


    Allison, I think it is time to give him what he desires. Anything further and I believe you both will end up scarred from having to perform.


    ¡°I understand,¡± Allison said. It had been to both of the halves of her family here, and she closed her eyes. ¡°I will pity we never got to meet, but I shall give you that peace that which you ask for. I hope you can forgive the journey I must take for your siblings¡ªthe other Creatures of the Night.


    I have one last request. As you end us, please don¡¯t think of us as creatures. If you are to end our goals, remember us as children of the night. Remember the people we were, and let us return to those names in peace.


    ¡°Children of the Night...I can do that,¡± Allison said. ¡°I really do understand why you have done what you have done. It doesn¡¯t make it okay, but I do understand. I will give you that honor.¡±


    Thank you, Allison. I am ready.


    Allison took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She felt Ichaival form in her hands and the soothing voice of Leptous filled her mind¡ªhe wasn¡¯t saying anything specific, but she could tell he was offering a final prayer to the Child of the Night that used to be his father.


    She drew the arrow and the light pooled at the arrowhead¡ªthe warmth that emitted from it was almost too much. It collected and then she let loose, sending the arrow of light straight through the pupil¡ªthe entire cave was filled with a blinding white light.


    The light took a minute to fully fade, and when it did she could see that the eye was no more. The energy from the shot was so great that it left not a shred of evidence that Egregore had existed in this realm.


    You did the right thing, Allison.


    ¡°I know...but I hate that each encounter I have with the Children of the Night I grow to like them more and more. I wish I didn¡¯t have to be on this side against them.¡±


    Do you doubt your goals?


    Allison shook her head. ¡°Not for a minute, but that doesn¡¯t make me feel any better about it.


    I understand. I appreciate the difficulty this decision places on you¡ªbecause if it were easy, I would not be sure that you would grow from it...now, if you would kindly exit this cave, I sense someone has arrived for you.


    Allison cocked her head, ¡°What do you mean?¡± She waited for an answer, but it was clear then that Leptous planned to speak no more. She decided then it must be a case where she was going to have to find out for herself.


    She started to work her way out of the cave. She kept Ichaival out as the light that emitted off the bow itself was helpful for navigating down the darkened trail. As she got closer to the entrance of the cave she could hear a faint flapping in the wind.


    When she breached the mouth of the cave her eyes opened wide as they adjusted to the full light from the moon outside.


    Just outside was a cobalt blue dragon with a stone embedded in its chest with a red rock emitting like some sort of crystal heart. In the dragon¡¯s arms was Laven, who looked at her with a surprised, but joyful look.


    We have reconnected with the other pact-partner. They have overcome the challenges that had previously plagued them.


    ¡°Hello Ally,¡± The dragon said¡ªits voice was harsh and rugged, but it distinctly had the tone of--


    ¡°LUCAS?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t expect to see you here, but we are glad you are. So much has happened since we last got separated¡ªI felt so awful after Enforal.¡±


    ¡°You have a story to tell, I can see it plain on your face and how you hold yourself. You have grown a lot in the short time since we last spoke.¡± Laven said. ¡°And it seems we do too,¡± she looked up to Lucas.


    Allison looked to them and then nodded. ¡°That we do.¡± Her mind returned to the conversation she had just had with Egregore. We sure do.


    ¡°Oh, and, so we can get it out of the way,¡± she began. ¡°You can call me Allison.¡±

 26 | Memory Lane

    Winter 2045


    Zane Hannes


    Zane leapt through the air from the upper floor of the burning building. A rush flooded his bloodstream and he caught a glance of Blaise flying overhead. Flames erupted from his breath that swallowed buildings whole.


    Blaise hadn¡¯t been forthcoming about his plans, but seeing the dragon let loose its chaos was a marvelous sight¡ªhe only wished he could enjoy it more. The crackling sound of the fire threatened the memories that have been urging to resurface. He forced them down as much as he could. The plan was simple¡ªthey had tracked the presence that had been in Enforal during the tournament¡ªthey had found it to be that of a young girl.


    He was all in for taking out this girl. The closer they arrived to the settlement the more they were able to tell just from the power that had emitted from them like a radioactive element. It became clear that there were multiple sources of power emitting from her¡ªand it was most likely that she had some of those gemstones of power¡ªthe monoliths¡ªof her own.


    The dark one made it clear that the mission was to reclaim them at any cost necessary, but he didn¡¯t specify the girl¡¯s death. That was going to be a joy he would savor all on his own.


    Blaise and Emily had been along for the plan, but he still was unclear on the motivations behind their joining up. The dark one is very tight lipped about these things, and I know the each of them are apt to keep their own secrets. So long as they allow me to do what I do best, then they can keep their reasons to themselves.


    Zane landed on the rooftop of a building across the block and he closed his eyes¡ªsensing his immediate surroundings for any powerful object or person. There was an immense power near the center of the settlement, but it seemed to be different to the person he initially sensed.


    Something he learned about this place was that power seemed to swell here more than any other human settlements he had the displeasure of traversing through. It seemed like humanity¡¯s talent with power was gathered in this one central location. There were people all around who had been running and evacuating¡ªothers had been fighting back¡ªand others still seemed to be huddling in what seemed like a bunker underground based on his guess. Small enough morsels that would have been preferable to the basic stock that he had been forced to feed on over the past few weeks, but in a sea with the chance of a shark¡ªthe minnows mattered little to him.


    He had seen Emily before heading off to the settlement. She and the dark one had held back while Blaise and Zane took on the front lines¡ªhe had questioned why the dark one had stayed back, but that question was as helpful as throwing a stone to a void. But with Emily, he understood. She had no combat ability herself and her only boon seemed to be her experience and tenacity in surviving death. Not exactly the most helpful tactic.


    There was so much off with her¡ªthey had gotten to some level of understanding, but it would have been foolish to believe that there would ever be anything close to what either of them would want¡ªto truly desire.


    Still, he felt in her presence the dull thudding of that voice deep inside¡ªthat tiny flicker of emotion that he had tried to rend from this body. He wished he could rip and tear that feeling from his chest, but something about that seemed...forbidden. He didn¡¯t know how he knew, but he felt that if he fully snuffed the life of the body he inhabited, everything would be lost to him.


    If he had to juggle these memories and keep them suppressed in order to continue on his own path, so be it. That was, at least how he thought before beginning the assault on the village.


    He saw two people firing off bolts of what he could only call energy toward Blaise up above. The shots looked too weak to even cause anything more than a passing glance, but he saw an opportunity to cut down the brittle hope they had. He launched himself toward the ground and landed just behind them¡ªcausing them to turn around in surprise. He impaled the rightmost one with his stinger, and the look on the woman¡¯s face when it pierced her heart stopped him in his tracks. The woman looked slightly like Emily¡ªit wasn¡¯t exact¡ªbut she had a similar facial structure. He felt disgusted at his reaction and removed the stinger, sending it through the man¡¯s body just as fast, anger coursing through his teeth.


    The memories threatened themselves again and he brought a hand up to his head and grabbed as hard as he could¡ªhoping the pain of his grip could help him regain control. His eyes opened wide as a man stood opposite him¡ªhe looked to be wearing a robe as some of the other people had been with scraggly gray hair.


    ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve picked a poor place to stop, friend,¡± the man¡ªRyker¡ªhad said. He stood tall with his hands behind his back until he brought one forward¡ªsnapping his fingers. Coins dropped from the sky around Zane, he looked up in confusion as they sparkled in the air. He had no desire for gold. Anything he needed would be taken by force as it should be.


    The gold coins hit the ground around him and exploded¡ªcovering Zane with vicious burns and fulling his orifices with smoke and other toxins.


    He held close the form of his body¡ªthe bombs had threatened to tear his skin apart¡ªbut he had been holding the orange gemstone in his hands¡ªthe skin across his body burnt, but he was able to keep himself together.


    ¡°Fancy magic trick,¡± Zane said. He took a step forward, but he felt a pin prick on his brain that told him the person he was looking for was to the south¡ªnear the entrance of the settlement¡ªnear the building he had just leapt out of. Finally.


    He cursed, knowing he hated to ignore the magician in front of him¡ªtearing him and devouring him would be a great joy considering the pain he had delivered, but his sights were much higher.


    His head ached, and he turned and leapt¡ªclearing the distance of one of the buildings, landing on top with a roll¡ªhis skin rubbing against the top of the roof and he let loose an angry grunt, pushing past it he continued to run. His head continued to pound. He slammed a fist to his temple as he ran. Stop. Stop it. Stop it now.


    He stopped at the edge of the roof and felt his gaze turn down¡ªhe saw a lone man with blond hair on the ground with a severely burned person collapsed next to them. Not a girl from what I can tell, but this person is definitely the source of the power I was sent here to track...but something seems...off.


    He leapt and landed behind them¡ªand he saw as the both of them stared up at him with horror and disgust. Normally this reaction excited him¡ªfear was like a seasoning on the food he consumed, the more of it you could draw out the tastier his end result would be, but with the pounding on his head increasing he suddenly felt light headed. He bared his teeth and started slamming his hand to his head again, screaming. The memories would not rest now. They consumed him entirely.


    Zane sat alone in his small, dimly lit apartment, lost in thought as memories from the putrid human¡¯s past flooded his mind. The room itself was sparsely decorated, with a worn couch that had been bought for cheap at a neighbor¡¯s garage sale and a small coffee table picked up and cleaned from the local dump.


    The apartment was cluttered with various pieces of furniture obtained from every method other than buying new¡ªZane had not the funds from his work to secure nicer furnishings. Times were tough and he had to reach deep into his pockets to ensure he had something to eat on most days.


    The side table was filled to the brim with papers and magazines¡ªvarious scratchings of failed and discarded song lyrics comprising any free space available outside the print of the pages. Those were tossed to the side in frustration as his muse had not been kind to him lately¡ªbut more in truth, his motivation has been drained from most of his daytime thoughts being consumed by the malfeasances of his current situation. It was just how things were¡ªmost things sucked.


    All, except for Emily. He had met her and even though the rest of his life had been trending downward¡ªthe motivation of bettering himself for a girl who had finally seen the person he had tried to be was something beyond what he could hope for. Someone who had pushed him to be better, and someone who had understood his art and creativity¡ªshe became his intended audience.


    The only source of light came from a single lamp on the table beside him. Zane could feel the weight of the memories pressing down on him, filling his mind with images of a past he had thought long since suppressed.


    He closed his eyes and allowed himself to be transported back to a time long ago, when he was just a young boy growing up in a small burrough outside of New York City. He could feel the warm sun on his face and the grass under his feet, as he ran through the fields behind his childhood home. It was a modest house his parents could afford at the time, but the economy had toppled¡ªand those without safety nets were unfortunately caught in the crossfire, but that was still in time to come. In these treasured memories those concerns weren¡¯t in Zane¡¯s mindspace yet. The air was filled with the sound of morning birds chirping and the laughter of his siblings. His younger brother and sister each had been his steadfast companions¡ªand he remembered the early conversations he had with his mother¡ªreminding him to always be their protectors. They would always look up to him no matter what had happened in their lives. This was a promise that was encoded deep into Zane¡¯s heart.


    Zane''s parents had been his pillars of strength, always there to provide support and guidance. His father had been a towering figure of a man, with rough hands and a gruff voice that could be both intimidating and comforting. Zane remembered associating the comforting side of him more¡ªas he was an especially sweet man with him and all his siblings. He always thought of his dad like a bear, the kind who would tear down trees and scare others away if they posed a threat to his kids. Zane remembered watching him as a child, marveling at the way he could build anything from scratch with his hands. His mother, on the other hand, had been a gentle soul with a heart of gold. She had a warm smile that could light up a room, and a kind word for everyone she met. It was her warmth that helped inspire Zane¡¯s love for music later in life¡ªhe hoped to give other people that kind of warm connecting feeling she had given to others.


    Despite their modest income, Zane''s parents had always managed to provide for their family. They had taught Zane and his siblings the value of hard work and determination, encouraging them to pursue their dreams no matter what. Zane had always been a curious child, with a thirst for knowledge that could not be quenched. He spent hours poring over books in the local library, eager to learn as much as he could about the world around him. He loved reading, and of all the things that he wished could occupy his tiny apartment¡ªhe wished there could be more room for books.


    As he grew older, Zane had discovered his love for music. He had started playing the guitar when he was just twelve years old, a gift from an uncle had voraciously devoured his personal love and he had worked for hours playing and learning the strange instrument. It had been a rocky start, but upon being greeted with the challenge he had quickly become skilled at it. When he entered high school he would eventually form a band with some of the friends he had met through the school¡¯s band program. They started out by practicing in his family home on weekends when they were able to meet up together, and as any early band they started by playing the songs they loved listening to on the radio.


    Zane¡¯s father had been an immense help in supporting the group of kids by being their sole audience member while they practiced. Zane hadn¡¯t known this, but his father had been the bass player of a band that was moderately successful in his college years, but after meeting up with Zane¡¯s mother, he had parted ways with the band to focus on his relationship and his soon to be family.


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    Zane''s parents as a whole had been his biggest supporters, cheering him on at every performance and always telling him how proud they were of him.


    Unfortunately, with every sweet and tender memory of childhood, there was to be paired with it a tale of tragedy. When Zane was just nineteen years old, his parents had been killed in a car accident, leaving him and his siblings to fend for themselves. Zane had been forced to drop out of college and take a job at the local warehouse for one of the big retail stores to help stabilize the family unit. The weight of responsibility had been heavy on his shoulders, but he had never given up hope. There were plenty of times when he had to give up on eating so that his brother and sister could bring food in while they continued their classes.


    After their parents had passed, Zane had worked as much as he could to keep the house from going under¡ªbut unfortunately, said was not to be so. Zane¡¯s uncle¡ªthe same one who had given him the gift of the guitar so many years ago had offered to take in Zane¡¯s siblings, unfortunately, he could not take in all three of them as they would have to be stretching themselves extremely thin¡ªand Zane had been a legal adult¡ªit made sense at that point for Zane to take the money he had been putting toward saving the money pit that was their house and instead put it into a one bedroom apartment for himself.


    He had done so, and now he worked by day, tried to revive the embers of his creativity by night by taking his guitar and playing gigs solo at the local bar he frequented more and more often. His friends of hold had left and their band had long broken up as soon as high school was over and each friend had gone their own way for college, so the fire and audience Zane had been playing for had all but vanished.


    That was, until he met Emily. She had been in the bar one night when he was performing, and he had seen her in the crowd¡ªshe had looked like the most beautiful girl in the whole bar. Her hair was done up and it looked like she had been on a date herself, but her table was empty aside from her¡ªbut she didn¡¯t seem like she was upset, so it didn¡¯t seem like she was stood up. Dressing up for yourself¡ªfor your enjoyment. That¡¯s so incredibly confident. He remembered thinking that when he stared at her, and he knew he would have loved to be able to have that level of confidence¡ªa thought he had while he was about to prepare to play music he wrote in front of complete and total strangers. The irony of the situation was not lost on him, so he decided to throw away his nerves and played a song he had been tending to in the wee hours of his nights¡ªit wasn¡¯t completed by the time he decided to play it, there were sections that were not fitting right and the words weren¡¯t exactly to his liking, but for those parts he decided to throw away the things that didn¡¯t work and ad-libbed in new sections of what he was feeling in that moment.


    It was a slower piece¡ªmeant to share the emotions of his heart accompanied by his acoustic¡ªand he had locked eyes with Emily once and knew that the message came across perfectly. From that day, they had been talking more and more and she came to visit each one of his gigs thereafter before he got up the courage to ask her out for a coffee.


    Despite the hardships he had faced, Zane had never lost his passion for music. He continued to play his guitar in his free time, dreaming of the day when he would be able to make a career out of it. And now, as he sat alone in his apartment, he knew that he was closer than ever to realizing his dream.


    As Zane sat lost in thought in his apartment, his phone rang, interrupting his reverie. He looked down at the caller and it seemed to be an unknown number. He hesitated for a moment before answering, not wanting to be pulled out of his memories. But he knew he couldn''t ignore the call forever, so he picked up the phone and heard the voice of a patron he had spoken to after one of his shows¡ªthe man had previously brought up the possibility for playing for a larger scale New Years Eve party, and Zane had figured he¡¯d give it a shot. The man was pleased, and said he¡¯d need to clear it with his business partner, but he had good feelings about it.


    "Zane Hannes? You¡¯re going to be a lucky man after tonight. The gig we talked about? It¡¯s going to be headlined by Trevor Cassanti.¡±


    ¡°What? No way,¡± Zane said. Trevor Cassanti was a living legend in the guitar business. He was personally responsible for three legendary bands each of which had become Grammy award winning groups thanks to his guitar work. And now he...Zane was going to front line for such a big name? It was a dream come true.


    ¡°We got the I¡¯s and T¡¯s crossed and dotted. You can even bring a +1 if you¡¯re still interested.¡±


    ¡°Still interested¡­¡± Zane said. ¡°You say that as if this isn¡¯t the event of the century.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m thinkin,¡± the man said. ¡°Excellent to hear. I¡¯ve just met Trevor a bit ago, he was interested in hearing your vibe. Says he¡¯s a romantic for the scene you got going, and of course I was hyping you up.¡±


    Zane felt a surge of adrenaline course through his body as he heard the news. This was it, the chance he had been waiting for. He could feel the ghosts of his past cheering him on, urging him to seize the opportunity. He looked to the side and saw his father and mother¡ªlooking down on him with tears in their eyes. They each placed a hand on his shoulder¡ªa weightless gesture that held his heart heavy.


    Without hesitation, Zane answered, "I''m in. Let''s do this."


    He quickly got dressed, his heart beating rapidly with excitement and nerves. He was texting Emily in-between his assembly and she had been so happy for him, and happily accepted the invite. He grabbed his guitar and headed out the door. Emily lived a few blocks down from his, so he went and picked her up¡ªand he saw that she had looked as charming as she had the first time he had seen her. She was wearing the same dress as when they had first met and she stepped out to his smile extending across his face. They kissed and headed off toward the venue which had been a bit of a walk across town. He had felt a sense of purpose that he hadn''t felt in a long time, memories of his parents and his childhood continued to flood his mind. But this time, they were accompanied by a new feeling¡ªhope. He knew that his parents would be proud of him, and that their memory would live on through his music.


    ~...~


    ¡°Zane Hannes¡±


    The Chronamaly sought out Emily Majors on that night as her trail had been a long one¡ªlong had he sought out the one who escaped death so frequently. The excitement of the night had been so palpable¡ªand yet, it was not her who would be devoured on this night of a million lights.


    Throughout the excitement¡ªthe liquor, the buzz, the lights, the fervor, he saw Emily Majors hanging in back of the group. She had a bottle of her own in hand and was jogging in a rhythm of her own design. It was not hard to assume that the each of them had consumed copious amounts of alcohol at the ball drop and some time before in a crowd where they could get away with it. The Chronamaly had assumed they had been raucously partying in Times Square like all the other nameless people sent spiraling out from the crowds of bodies moving out.


    But that had not been true, they had been at a club a few blocks down from the square. They had the time of their lives, and they were on the way to head back to Zane¡¯s apartment after such a successful party. Along with the group was a few people their age they had met after Zane¡¯s performance at the club.


    Zane pulled Emily closer as he threw a hand up in the air¡ªhe had been so happy. Why was it that the Chronamaly had been blind to these details? Was it because it didn¡¯t care? Could it have been capable of caring¡­? It figured it was possible, after all, it had desire to break free from its cycle. That is why it chose the boy, after all.


    Were the memories he had seen enough to change his decision? Was it enough to induce the feeling of regret? He wasn¡¯t sure, but there was something to the point of them coming through¡ªthe fact that he had suppressed them for so long seemed to amplify the strength they carried.


    Time stopped, the group walking back were paused in mid-motion. Another set of questions lie in front of the Chronomaly. Why had he believed they were high school sweethearts? That was such an easy assumption to make, but like his others¡ªremained untrue. Zane had met Emily while playing at a bar. These differences kept adding up, and the most troubling parts of it all was how little it should have done to change his feelings on the matter.


    Did it matter that they met at a bar, and not in high school? Did it matter that they had come back from a work gig that went well versus getting wasted at Times Square? It shouldn¡¯t have¡ªhe was not human. He had no stake in the affairs of humans, and his decision was made solely because of his own desire.


    ...Or was it? Was there something deep down that considered the act of taking a high school sweetheart¡ªa typically clich¨¦ lost love away from his group of shitfaced friends? Was that something he deep down believed they would grow and recover from?


    If that were the case, it must have been too much for the Chronomaly to reason with the fact that the person he had taken had a past¡ªa history with people depending on him. A history where he was striving toward the global good. At the end of the day, was that not the job of the Chronomaly? To preserve time from those that callously took more?


    These memories were deeply troubling, and the more he remembered, the less he liked¡ªabout the situation, about himself, and about everything that had happened up to this point.


    What is it that he truly wanted? Zane was the name he called himself after consuming his prey...he had taken the name when he could have simply gone with no name¡ªor if he absolutely had to, gone with Chronomaly. Yet, he decided to use his name. For use of a name brings upon an expectation of socialization with others¡ªnames were useless as a singular being. That was how he had lived before. Was his desire a sense of other?


    Who so callously took¡­


    His mind was sent then to Emily Majors¡ªthe Pathfinder. Those who simply desired their own. The Pathfinders of their own simply wanted...just as he had. Just as anybody would. They simply had the power to get what they wanted.


    He then thought on the harsh words brought on by Arkanus¡ªthe truth hiding within as he experienced the prison of his own actions. The events of the cosmic casino had not washed away from him¡ªfar from it. It was the actions of the monstrous side of him that was to be punished. Even then¡ªwhile his other side sought and killed numerous alternate lives of Emily Majors, there had been a part of him¡ªdeep inside that had despised that monstrosity that had chased and hunted down.


    There were two dark ones at the casino. That much he remembered. But neither of them had been Arkanus, had they?


    No, the truth was that seed that had grown and taken root underneath the entire construct...that seed was his obstacle, but it was a seed borne of his own splitting consciousness. He may have destroyed the seed¡ªthe physical artifact, but had he truly removed all that doubt? He didn¡¯t think so. From that moment on he had followed a single path that had been splitting him down the middle and having both ends fighting for dominance.


    The monster had taken control because it knew brute strength. It desired power, and was able to find enough power for a time, but power only lasted so long. There would be a time when the other self¡ªthe dormant mind would begin to lash back. The self hidden deep under the surface.


    Before he could reason it out he felt a terrible sinking but familiar feeling in his gut. He knew now this familiar feeling¡ªthe darkness that held over him like a reaper. It wasn¡¯t some demon who had been judging his actions from afar¡ªit had all been within. The power to suppress his innermost desires was starting to weaken, and he...he was afraid. He was afraid of collapsing under all of the pressure.


    Here standing at the forefront of his memories¡ªthe story of the boy he had chosen to consume. He now had a choice¡ªto adapt or to die. He had pushed these memories down for so long that he didn¡¯t believe he could last any further.


    Then, his eyes opened. He was staring out at the blond and the burned. Suddenly, on the blond man¡¯s person Zane could easily sense two gemstones, and the decision was made.


    So close his two selves felt to a compromise. Their fingers were mere inches from each other before the fire resumed burning in Zane¡¯s eyes. Power was within my grasp. I can still push it down. So much further that he drowns and loses this foolish confidence.


    Zane¡¯s stinger stabbed the burned man¡¯s neck, causing blackened blood to spew as the artery was ripped and torn from his body. Zane brought the meat to his lips and wiped it across as he took a deep bite, spraying blood out onto the blond man¡¯s face.


    ¡°I will not kill you,¡± Zane said, ¡°You are not the girl that I was tasked for. I will have knowledge of her location. But first, I will strip you of the power you do have.¡± His tendrils reached out and wrapped around the blond man¡¯s arms, twisting him around and lifting him off the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never touch her,¡± the blond man said.


    In his eyes, the blond man saw a void. He could feel the fear and the joy returned. It was like a stoking of a fire in his chest¡ªthe excitement from the orange gemstone seared his flesh. He didn¡¯t care that every inch of his body was raw. He sought the power, and then his eyes turned to the dragon flying above the campground.


    I will have you for my own, and then I will conquer even the dark one...I will never stop searching for more power.


    Down beneath his front mind¡ªthe second mind, defeated, retreated under the surface. But it saw an opening today and was glad that it had taken it. Any chance it could get to break the monster¡¯s will was a chance it could use to establish dominance once more. The more it could pick and pry, the more it could do whatever it could to protect her.


    And so, it sat in the back of his mind, the cloak of the reaper hanging over the monster as he grabbed the two monoliths off of the blond haired man. One of them wasn¡¯t a full gemstone¡ªit looked like a fragment of the onyx black stone¡ªthe other piece had been with the woman with the lance. He was curious what had happened to her, but upon feeling the chilling cold of the gemstone, he saw¡ªand he grinned with a wild smile.


    ¡°I see...that is where you are. These events are shaping up to be something interesting...indeed.¡±


    A horrified look overtook the blond man. He had thought Zane had figured the location of his girl. While that wasn¡¯t true, he liked the fear emanating off of him, so he didn¡¯t bother to correct.


    ¡°You¡¯re coming with me, and we¡¯ll see how the rest of this plays out. Maybe I¡¯ll even make you into a nice pet.¡±


    Now then, Allison. What business did you have at the Cosmic Casino? Only fate would tell.

 Endgame | Indigo Dreams

    Winter 2045


    Ezrael


    The chaos had erupted not long after the Underworld Exploration Unit had gone on their trip to the Seam. Ezrael had received the report from Bramm as she learned the new recruit was going to be joining up. Of course, she had worried about her working with the highest risk of their workforce, but a part of her had assumed that it was fated to be.


    She had, after all, come to search for her friends who had been trapped in the Underworld, and it was interesting enough that she was able to convince her old love here that he should tag along. Her work would have shifted to include Underworld activity¡ªas truth be told she did have concern over those that were sent down there¡ªleast of all those of the old Children of the Night.


    Yet, another job took precedence¡ªeven amidst the destruction of the place she had worked so long to complete.


    The first alarms went out when the dragon with the faded blue scales had been seen a distance away from Achrom. She was not alone in the lab at this point¡ªshe had summoned the available Archromages to her side to delegate the responsibilities of evacuation and managing their defensive measures. Unfortunately, most of the Archromages had been away on their duties, so she could only rely on Ryker and another of theirs, Desdemona. Des had been certainly a capable Archromage in her own right, but at the end of the day she and Ryker were only two of seven who were immediately available.


    The notice has been sent out to the others, but by the time they get the message and are able to muster the power to return¡ªthey either will require rest to not be of use, or will have been too late. The odds were not in their favor.


    ¡°Des, you¡¯re going to lead the evacuation efforts by getting the lowest ranks out to safety, then you¡¯ll scan and work your way up to the next level, and so on and so forth. Chromages with more talent are to be expected to handle themselves or manage their own evacuation until you can make it to them. Evacuate to the rescue shelter, do you understand?¡±


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    Desdemona nodded. She was a well built woman with hair done up in a bun dyed blue with aquamarine highlights. She had the look of a soldier, and she carried herself with a weight that paired with her position. Ryker, on the other hand, looked to have other things on his mind as he stared up to the ceiling with his hands paired behind him.


    ¡°Ryker, you¡¯re being un-leashed. You have talents I typically despise, but unfortunately am in need of. Keep casualties low unless you need to incapacitate. We want to keep this situation handled, but we¡¯ll also want to question them if we have the opportunity,¡± Ezrael said.


    ¡°You sure know how to drive a hard bargain, but I humbly accept your request,¡± he bowed deeply. ¡°And what of yourself? What will you be doing for the war efforts?¡±


    ¡°I have an emergency project I must continue to work on. It is of the utmost imperative that I am able to finish it. If and when I am able to, I will join you on the front lines.¡±


    ¡°I understand, my lady,¡± Ryker stood from his bow. ¡°Mysterious as ever, but I have learned by now not to question your motives when you¡¯re as serious like this.¡±


    ¡°That I appreciate. Now we have no time to waste. I have called back the Underworld squad. Meet up with Bramm and David, they¡¯ll be able to aid you on the front lines,¡± Ezrael then turned to Desdemona. ¡°Then you meet up with Felix and Veron. Have them assist your team with evacuation. Then, if you¡¯re able, send our new recruit my way.¡±


    Ryker¡¯s eyebrow arched up, curious. ¡°The newbie...why, must I be left out of the loop?¡±


    ¡°No time,¡± Ezrael said, putting an end to the conversation immediately. ¡°Send her here at once, now, get a move on.¡±


    The both of them nodded, and they each left the room on their own, separate missions.


    Once Allison was able to arrive she would open up on some of the truths, she needed a way to plan against Samael, and she figured through Allison was the best available option...unless...they answered.


    She took in a deep breath and turned her back and resumed work. She had been constructing a machine with only two purposes. One, to send a message, and the second, to receive a response. If she was able to configure the parameters that she remembered from her dreams...it was a risky shot. There was no telling if the connection were stable¡ªor if it would even be received.


    It was a stone¡¯s toss of a chance, but she figured if she was at this point, then she was certainly desperate.


    She took in a sharp breath and constructed the first message. It had to be short¡ªshe needed to signal at the very least that the channel were open. If she could establish that much, then she could open further communication.


    ¡°Hello...you might not remember me, but I really need your help.¡±