| Status | ||||
| Name: | Victor Sandoval | |||
| Race: | Human - Base 1 | |||
| Class: | ¨C | |||
| Level: | 0 | |||
| Core: | ¨C | |||
| Energy Affinity: | 6.1 | Energy: | 0/0 | |
| Strength: | 9 | Vitality: | 10 | |
| Dexterity: | 9 | Agility: | 10 | |
| Intelligence: | 8 | Will: | 8 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | ¨C | |||
| Skills: If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. |
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| Strength: | 82 | Vitality: | 90 | |
| Dexterity: | 40 | Agility: | 48 | |
| Intelligence: | 32 | Will: | 123 | |
| Points Available: | 10 | |||
| Energy Affinity: | 3.1, Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Inspiration 7.4 | Energy: | 9274/9274 (4274/4274) | |
| Strength: | 202 (93) | Vitality: | 302 (153) |
| Dexterity: | 82 (38) | Agility: | 105 (48) |
| Intelligence: | 74 (34) | Will: | 455 (209) |
Victor, Well done with the Free Marches! Congratulations! I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s been a few days since I received your message, but I was rather busy with a challenge of my own¡ªsomething we can talk about next time we¡¯re together. My response was further delayed by my having to communicate with First Landing via another Farscribe book. It took a few days to relay the significance of your victory and for the Council Parliament to come up with a proper response to your good news. Forgive the cross out¡ªI¡¯m still getting used to the new system. Along with the new government, First Landing has expanded. It seems we¡¯ve unlocked the option to purchase town stones from the colony stone, so two new settlements are being developed out there in the frontier. As much as I was against it, some of the low-affinity species we rescued from another world¡ªthis is a very long story I¡¯ll share with you sometime¡ªhave decided to found their own town half a day¡¯s journey north of First Landing. Thanks to the colony stone providing the town stone for them, they¡¯ll be a member of our budding, as-yet-unnamed, and unofficial¡ªmore on this in a moment¡ªnew country. Similarly, we¡¯ve purchased another stone to make the mining community south of us official; the people have decided to name it Clearwater because of a lovely little stream that flows through the canyon. You can imagine the Ridonne Empire won¡¯t be pleased if they catch wind of our steady growth. You know that my friend, the aptly named champion of our people, Morgan Hall, traveled to the capital, Tharcray, to treat with them, right? Well, that¡¯s another very long story, and it¡¯s not resolved yet, but Morgan¡¯s last message to us was something along the lines of, ¡°The Ridonne have their hands full.¡± Still, he cautioned us to stay in the frontier and to keep a low profile as we continue to expand. You know humanity, Victor. We¡¯re working to replicate much of the tech we lost to the System with Energy-based versions, and frankly, if Morgan¡¯s right and the Ridonne are too busy to bother with us for much longer, I feel we¡¯ll be in a position to demand our place in this world when they finally get around to us. That¡¯s without considering you and your allies in the Free Marches. What a great name for a country, by the way! So, on to the business at hand. I¡¯m going to be tied up with some academy work, a special project for my sponsoring professor, for another month before I can take a break. The Coun Parliament has appointed a very good man, Alec Green, a dear friend of mine, to visit you as an ambassador. You mentioned that your friend, Lady Rellia, will be opening portals from Gelica and Persi Gables to your new settlement. I was going to send Alec to you with one of Morgan¡¯s tower portal stones, but we, too, have some artificers who¡¯ve finally reached the skill level required to create them. Would it be possible for Alec to travel through Persi Gables to you? If so, he¡¯ll bring a portal stone, and we can set up a direct connection to First Landing. If we did that, you could visit! Wouldn¡¯t that be great? I¡¯ve rambled on enough for now. I¡¯ll await your response about Alec and directions for how he might access the portal in Persi Gables before I get lost on another tangent. I¡¯ll look forward to your reply. With affection, Olivia Bennet¡°Jeez.¡± Victor snapped the book shut. ¡°I thought I was already busy.¡± 7.2 A Short Goodbye Victor squatted down to better look into Deyni¡¯s dark turquoise eyes. He remembered the first time he saw her; he¡¯d been behind bars, waiting for his big duel with Rellia. He¡¯d noticed how her skin was more purple than red and how her hair and eyes were different from the Shadeni he¡¯d met¡ªmost of them had red-toned eyes from pink or magenta to deep crimson. He reached toward her, picked up one of her long, greenish-blue braids, and held it between his fingers. He knew now that her coloring had much to do with her father, an Ardeni man she¡¯d never met. ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°What, Victor?¡± She always grinned when she spoke to him, like she was anticipating him teasing her or, at the very least, saying something silly. ¡°I never put two and two together, but have you noticed how your hair and eyes are similar to Valla¡¯s?¡± ¡°Lady ap¡¯Yensha?¡± Deyni¡¯s eyes opened in wonder, and Victor knew she was picturing Valla as she looked now with her glorious wings and silver highlights. ¡°Yeah. I wonder if maybe you two share a common ancestor. I¡¯m trying to remember, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever met another Ardeni with such a pretty color in their eyes.¡± Deyni¡¯s skin was far too dark to show her blush, but her eyes squinted in a bashful smile as she looked away. ¡°Stop teasing me, Victor!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not, silly!¡± They were outside of Victor¡¯s old wagon, and he was waiting for Tellin and Thayla to come to see him¡ªChalla had run to fetch them when Victor approached. He gave Deyni¡¯s braid a little tug and laughed. ¡°Sorry if I embarrassed you. I¡¯ve been thinking a lot about bloodlines lately, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°I wish I could have your bloodline!¡± Deyni puffed out her chest and began to stomp around, arms out to her sides, her hands balled up in fists. ¡°I¡¯d smash my enemies and throw the Ridonne off the nearest mountain!¡± Victor laughed and, tired of squatting, fell back onto the grass, folding his legs in front of himself. ¡°You¡¯re still angry about the Ridonne?¡± ¡°Of course! They killed my friends!¡± ¡°Well, the ones who did that have been punished. It¡¯s not healthy to hold onto a grudge, but it¡¯s probably smart to keep a wary eye on the North. We don¡¯t want them to surprise us someday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! I¡¯ll help to guard the Free Marches!¡± Victor plucked a long blade of blue-green grass and stuck the stem in his mouth. When he chewed the juicy end, it was almost sweet. ¡°Mm! I can see why Thistle likes this stuff.¡± A new voice spoke up behind him, ¡°I¡¯ve seen you eat! You couldn¡¯t live off grass.¡± Victor turned toward the voice, squinting into the bright sun. Chandri stood there, the sunlight like a halo around her short, spiky hair. For the first time in quite a while, she¡¯d washed the warpaint from her face, but she bore some new tattoos¡ªa fanged skull on her throat and, along her jawline, a series of crossed bones. She had other, older tattoos to commemorate her hunts, but these were the first she¡¯d added since Victor had known her. ¡°Hi, Chandri.¡± ¡°Milord.¡± She mock curtsied, and Deyni broke into a giggle. ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad to see you smiling. I like your new tattoos.¡± Victor pulled up the sleeve of his comfortable gray shirt, or tunic, as the people in this world kept calling it, and displayed the tattoo she¡¯d given him. ¡°You do good work; this one¡¯s lasted through quite a few racial advancements.¡± Deyni stepped closer and leaned in to look at the markings. ¡°What does it mean?¡± Chandri squatted beside her and pointed to the blade-tipped hand. ¡°This is the hand of the monster Victor slew.¡± Her finger traced upward to the spears. ¡°These are the six hunters whose lives he saved.¡± She touched the bright orange sun. ¡°This is the dawn that came, though we¡¯d all thought we¡¯d die before we saw it.¡± Her voice was soft and her touch very gentle, and Victor was suddenly hit with a deep, gut-wrenching sense of wistful melancholy. Though it felt absurd, he couldn¡¯t help wondering what his life would be like if he¡¯d embraced his feelings for Chandri and never returned to Persi Gables. For the first time, he thought he understood the emotion that lurked behind Chandri¡¯s outwardly smiling eyes. ¡°I wonder if I¡¯ll earn a tattoo someday.¡± Deyni¡¯s innocent remark broke the spell, saving him from further contemplation. Chandri sat down at his side and closed her eyes, lifting her face to soak in the sunlight. Without opening them, she said, ¡°You¡¯ll have to be choosy about what tattoos to put on yourself; otherwise, you¡¯ll run out of room. You¡¯ll be a famous beast tamer and adventurer, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Victor laughed, reaching out to pluck another blade of grass. ¡°And you, Chandri? Do you still dream of exploring beyond the Silver Sea?¡± ¡°More than ever. I think my brush with death has only deepened my desire to see more of the world.¡± ¡°I get that.¡± ¡°I hate it! I want you to stay with us.¡± Deyni stepped behind Chandri and began to pull her fingers through her hair. ¡°I¡¯d braid it for you, but it¡¯s not long enough yet.¡± Chandri smiled and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not going to leave right away, and when I do, you can bet I¡¯ll be back often.¡± She leaned back, clearly enjoying Deyni¡¯s attentions, and narrowed her eyes at Victor. ¡°I wonder if Victor can say the same.¡± ¡°Well, Victor?¡± Deyni continued to stroke Chandri¡¯s hair as she locked eyes with him. ¡°The only thing I can promise is that I want to visit you. I want to spend time with you. Of course, I¡¯ll try. My first priority is helping Edeya, and I don¡¯t know what that will take. I bet I can visit after she¡¯s better, though.¡± ¡°Just visit?¡± Chandri asked, relentless in her desire to keep him on the spot. ¡°Come on, Chandri. You know I¡¯ve got other things calling me. Challenges I need to pursue, people I¡¯ve made commitments to.¡± ¡°People? Commitments? I only hear rumors; you haven¡¯t told us much.¡± Now Victor heard a touch of bitterness in her tone, and he began to sense a clue to her recent distance. ¡°Is that what you¡¯ve been bothered about? I thought you were mad at me about the attack . . .¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°What? I¡¯m not mad at you!¡± Chandri scrunched her eyes shut and leaned back toward Deyni, who was listening and watching Victor¡¯s face while she massaged Chandri¡¯s scalp. ¡°I would like to know more about you, though. I¡¯d like to be more than an afterthought . . .¡± ¡°Come on, Chandri! We¡¯ve been over this, haven¡¯t we? You¡¯re important to me! I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve been so preoccupied, and I know I should spend more time with you,¡± Victor paused, looking at Deyni and winking, ¡°and other people.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just spending time; I know you¡¯re busy. I just think it would be nice if we spoke about more meaningful things more often. Like, just whom do you have commitments to out there?¡± She waved a hand toward the sky, and Victor figured she meant out in the world or perhaps beyond it. ¡°Yeah!¡± Deyni nodded and winked at Victor, and he almost laughed, wondering if she had any idea what he¡¯d meant by his earlier wink. ¡°I¡¯ll give you an example. I mean, you already know about Edeya. I visited another world where an evil Warlord has dominated society for a thousand years or more. He¡¯s almost destroyed a species of titan there, and I befriended some of them. I sort of promised to return and try to restore them to their former strength. It¡¯s a big job because they had an artifact called an Ancestor Stone where they¡¯d somehow preserved their titanic bloodline and the powers that come with it. The Warlord shattered it, and finding all the pieces will take a lot of work. Look!¡± Victor held up his wrist with his silver bracer and the single pink fragment of the ancestor stone. ¡°I have one piece, but I have to find sixteen more.¡± ¡°And it has to be you?¡± Deyni pressed, apparently taking over the questioning for Chandri, who¡¯d leaned further back, soaking in the sun while Deyni played with her hair. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m the only ¡®titan-blood¡¯ who¡¯s been to their world and offered to help.¡± He shifted and looked past the wagon to the bustling activity of the Shadeni clan as they hurried to finish their travel preparations. He wondered what was taking Tellen and Thayla so long. ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, trying to wrap up the topic neatly, ¡°you both should know this feels like home to me here on Fanwath. Especially with you and other people I care about here. I¡¯m going to build a house or . . . something near to where you all settle, and, of course, I¡¯ll visit when I can.¡± ¡°A house?¡± Chandri opened her eyes. ¡°I thought that keep to the south was on your lands. The one guarding the pass.¡± ¡°Yeah, but I haven¡¯t laid eyes on it, and I want to be near the sea, anyway; I¡¯m not sure I want to move into a castle up there in the mountains. Besides, the lands I granted to your clan aren¡¯t far from the sea. According to Rellia, there¡¯s an easy ride over some grasslands and low hills, and then, there you are.¡± ¡°Victor!¡± Thayla called out, breaking into a jog over the patchy grass. Tellen wasn¡¯t with her, but her smile was bright, and she seemed untroubled. ¡°Mom!¡± Deyna gave Chandri a quick kiss on the forehead, then let go of her hair and ran to greet her mom. ¡°She¡¯s so sweet,¡± Chandri said, sitting up to watch Deyni run. ¡°I¡¯m truly happy that Thayla and Tellen found love.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor nodded, suddenly a little choked up. ¡°I¡¯m glad that Deyni has you, Chandri. I hope you realize how much she looks up to you.¡± ¡°Huh. Seems like you don¡¯t realize that everyone looks up to me!¡± Her tone was bright, and Victor had to give her a double-take. ¡°Hey! There¡¯s the old Chandri I knew.¡± His words made her smile, and though it looked like she might want to reply, Thayla and Deyni arrived and plopped down in the grass. ¡°Sorry it took me so long! We¡¯ve been drawing plans for our new settlement, and some of the families are arguing about . . . things. It¡¯s not easy for a community used to a nomadic lifestyle to trust that they have nothing to fear, no reason to believe an army will try to take their homes or property. Many want to keep to the old ways, and we¡¯re trying to find a compromise.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about me. I just wanted to say goodbye; I thought you were heading out today.¡± ¡°We are! We¡¯ll likely continue the debate on the trail.¡± She paused, looked around for a few seconds, and then looked him right in the eyes. ¡°Victor, how long do you think you¡¯ll stay here? Don¡¯t you need to establish your home? Set up some land grants to build up your income? You need to have a garrison or something in your keep . . .¡± Victor held up his hands and groaned. ¡°Thayla! You sound like Rellia and Borrius. I guess it¡¯s safe to say that I¡¯m going to be terrible at this governing business, at least for right now. I¡¯m probably going to appoint a governor. Someone to run the place and set up just the sorts of things you¡¯re asking me about, at least for now.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re certain this person will respect your wishes and the promises you¡¯ve made to us and the Naghelli?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll be certain about that! More importantly, Rellia knows what I¡¯ve given you, and she supports it completely, Lam, too!¡± He gestured to the wagons. ¡°The land grant I¡¯ve written for you is legally binding and endorsed by all the stakeholders in the Free Marches. Your lands are completely yours. Once the landholder republic is established, you¡¯ll only have to pay taxes for services that benefit the whole of the Free Marches¡ªgame wardens, roads, a standing military to protect the border, etcetera.¡± Victor laughed and shook his head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know any of that if I hadn¡¯t had a dozen lectures from Rellia over the last couple of weeks. Anyway, the governor I put in place will have to abide by the rules. Your lands are yours. I¡¯ve relinquished all claims.¡± ¡°And if you don¡¯t return?¡± Thayla frowned and leaned forward to grasp Victor¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to be a problem, but this is the sort of argument we¡¯re hearing from our people, the ones reluctant to build a permanent settlement. ¡°Thayla, you have your deed, in writing, sealed by me, Rellia, and Lam. No matter how land is split down the road, your deed was written and approved by one hundred percent of the landholders in the Free Marches. I know you¡¯re worried that something will happen, but if, for some reason, I die or get captured, your rights won¡¯t go away. Valla says I should set up a trust or something so that, even if I never returned, my share of the Free Marches will continue to be governed the way I would like.¡± ¡°Thank you, Victor.¡± Thayla nodded. ¡°That will help with our arguments, to know that even if you disappear, things will continue as you¡¯ve promised. I know our deed entitles us to the lands, but we¡¯ll be surrounded by yours. Regardless, I pray that you won¡¯t disappear. Do you think we could share a Farscribe book?¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely! We¡¯ll do that, and I¡¯ll also give one to my governor. We¡¯ll make sure things continue smoothly here whenever I¡¯m away.¡± Victor was glad to see the conversation moving along; he felt like they were going in circles, but he supposed it made sense considering the history of the Shadeni Clan with the Ridonne. They¡¯d been displaced many times and often despite promises to the contrary. He offered Thayla another smile and looked past her to the largest cluster of Shadeni, imagining Tellen at the center, busily trying to calm people¡¯s worries. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll be able to break free?¡± ¡°Tellen? He¡¯ll say goodbye before we roll out, but he¡¯s going to be with those elders for a while. I¡¯m sorry, Victor.¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s no problem. I¡¯d offer to speak with them, but I doubt it would help. Would it?¡± ¡°No, they trust you. It¡¯s just a general distrust of circumstances that has everyone worried. It¡¯s no secret that you plan to leave soon. How¡¯s Edeya, by the way?¡± ¡°The same. I wish I could do something for her. As I¡¯m sure you know, it''s frustrating not having someone here who¡¯s more knowledgeable about the subject. I mean, as little as I know, I¡¯m finding that I know more than most when it comes to spirits and spirit Cores.¡± ¡°Believe me, I know. Old Mother used to talk about how she wished she could offer you more guidance, but it¡¯s an affinity type that¡¯s been greatly maligned in this world. Most of what she knew, she taught herself. I hope that you¡¯ll be able to learn more when you travel, and ancestors willing, bring that knowledge home to us.¡± ¡°Please, Victor!¡± Deyni said, scooting closer to Thayla so her mother could wrap an arm over her shoulders. ¡°You better believe I will, Deyni. We¡¯ll give you everything you need to grow your Core into something special.¡± He glanced at the sky, judged the sun to be just a bit past its midpoint, and said, ¡°Since Tellen¡¯s tied up, I think I¡¯ll run a different errand. I left an artifact in Sea Keep and want to pick it up. If I can¡¯t figure it out here, I¡¯ll bring it with me when we travel.¡± Chandri perked up at Victor¡¯s words, sitting up straight and blinking her eyes against the sun''s glare. ¡°What sort of artifact?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a crown made of dark stone with weird runes all over it. Dunstan, the wampyr lord, was wearing it when I killed him. I didn¡¯t want to put it in my storage ring because it felt powerful and, I¡¯m not sure why, but I had a feeling that it might be, you know, conscious.¡± Thayla nodded, distracted while she worked on fixing one of Deyni¡¯s braids. ¡°So you hid it in the keep before you left?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Chandri jumped up. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Thayla frowned and opened her mouth, but Victor could almost see the second thought cross her mind as she reconsidered what she¡¯d been about to say. ¡°That¡¯s up to Victor. We can spare you for now.¡± ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Victor clambered to his feet as Deyni also jumped up. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Oh no, sweetie! I need your help with Starlight and Thistle. We must brush and feed them before we harness them to the wagon for days and days.¡± Thayla snatched Deyni¡¯s hand and pulled on her to help herself stand. Victor squatted down and held out his arms. ¡°Give me a hug, you little huntress. I¡¯ll surely see you again before you leave, but I can never get too many hugs.¡± Deyni didn¡¯t need to be asked twice¡ªshe crashed into him and wrapped her arms around his neck. While he squeezed her, she whispered in his ear, ¡°Promise this isn¡¯t a forever goodbye.¡± Victor felt that familiar lump in his throat and the sting in his eyes as tears tried to fight free. He wasn¡¯t sad or upset; he was just happy to have such an innocent, sweet person giving him her love. He hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he felt like his home was there with the people he cared about. ¡°No, mija, it¡¯s not forever. I promise. This is just a short goodbye.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate at all to break his earlier commitment about making promises. As he realized how much he wanted to return, how much he cared about Deyni and so many others, another realization hit him¡ªthe reason he hadn¡¯t been very excited about the news from Olivia that an ambassador and a portal stone to First Landing would be on the way, was because, to him, they were just strangers, regardless of their origin. He was more eager to see how the Naghelli made out than he was with First Landing¡¯s prospects. He supposed that would change as he came to know them. He hoped he might make friends there and figured he ought to work to build a relationship with Olivia. Sighing, he gave Deyni one last squeeze, then stood up and pulled some Energy out of his Core to summon Guapo. As the Mustang burst out of the pool of sparkling glory-attuned Energy, he turned to Chandri and grinned. ¡°Ready to see how fast this guy can run?¡± Guapo interrupted her answer by rearing onto his hind legs and whinnying mightily. Victor laughed and slapped his rump. ¡°You big showoff!¡± 7.3 Ambassador Victor sat in the grass beside Edeya, watching Valla, Polo Vosh, Kethelket, Lam, and Lesh have a wild practice melee a short way down the slope. He¡¯d already been in half a dozen brawls that morning, and it was his turn to sit out with the incapacitated young woman. It had been Polo¡¯s idea¡ªhaving ¡°last one standing¡± contests once a week. There were rules, of course. Victor wasn¡¯t allowed to go berserk; two hits from any source meant you were ¡°out,¡± and, because of the wild nature of a free-for-all, no blows to the head or neck were permitted. That was just for starters; others also had limitations on their powers. For instance, Kethelket couldn¡¯t use his full shadow speed, and Lesh couldn¡¯t belch acid. Victor snorted a quick laugh, gently squeezing Edeya¡¯s tiny, limp hand in his. ¡°He hates it when I say that, chica. ¡®Belch.¡¯ That¡¯s what it looks like, though! He doesn¡¯t breathe acid out in a spray. It¡¯s more like he coughs up a big glob of the stuff.¡± Victor had spoken a lot to Lesh over the last few weeks, and he¡¯d come to understand that Lesh¡¯s decision to reject the System¡¯s quest to kill him had been primarily because he¡¯d witnessed Victor breathing his ancestor¡¯s fire. Breath Cores were a big deal among Lesh¡¯s people¡ªthey weren¡¯t born with them and had to evolve to gain one. Once done, the stronger a dragonkin¡¯s breath, the more respect he or she might earn. Apparently, Lesh had never seen anything like what Victor had done to Eric¡¯s army of reavers. Victor laughed as Polo roared in frustration, stomping off the field with his great axe hung over his shoulder. ¡°Too many fast ones in there. I¡¯d gain more with a long fight against that dragon friend of yours.¡± ¡°This was your idea.¡± Victor chuckled and patted the grass beside him. ¡°Take a load off.¡± Polo glanced at the sun, saw it was nearly midday, and shook his head. ¡°I would, Victor, but I¡¯m already pushing it. Rellia¡¯s finally going to sit down with me and talk about my land grant. I¡¯ve got family arriving in a day or two through the new portal, and we¡¯ll be surveying for a suitable building site.¡± ¡°Oh? That¡¯s exciting, isn¡¯t it? I don''t remember you talking about your family, Polo. Will I get a chance to meet them?¡± ¡°Aye! Of course! Perhaps I¡¯ll invite you to see the building site, or,¡± he paused, eyeing Edeya¡¯s motionless form, ¡°if you need to leave soon, maybe when you return, I¡¯ll have a proper dining hall and kitchen constructed.¡± ¡°Okay. Whichever works out, you know we¡¯d love to come by. You¡¯re right about Edeya, however. I¡¯m hoping we¡¯ll have world portals accessible sooner rather than later. As people come through from the cities and claim their citizenship, the advancement options on the stone are opening up quicker than ever.¡± ¡°Aye. I heard as much from Rellia when I was pestering her about my lands.¡± Polo squinted toward the sun again and raised his voice to be heard over the clash of weapons, shouts, and curses as the nearby fight escalated. ¡°Tell me, Victor, what have you decided to do about your holdings? Borrius mentioned you approached him about governing for you, but he¡¯s going to be busy with his own claim.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d hoped he¡¯d be interested, but he wanted farmland, and I guess Rellia put him further north, near Old Keep. He doesn¡¯t want to split his time visiting my properties.¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°He told me he¡¯d speak to some qualified people he knew.¡± ¡°Aye, that¡¯s why he brought it up with me.¡± Polo laughed, shaking his head. ¡°Not because he thought I should do it, mind you, but because he knows I am good friends with a man named Gorro ap¡¯Dommic¡ªhe¡¯s currently acting as the steward for my estate near Tharcray. Well, he was until I put him in charge of its sale. He should be arriving through the Gelica portal in a few days.¡± ¡°Oh yeah? Borrius thinks he¡¯s the man for the job?¡± Victor shifted, leaning back to look up at the big furry Vodkin more easily. ¡°Yes, and I won¡¯t need his services on these new lands; my family and I will have things well in hand.¡± Polo turned toward the melee and laughed as Lam threw her hammer to the ground in frustration, stomping toward them. ¡°Gorro is a very experienced steward. I hired him right after Lam and I cleared the Dolondric Ruins¡ªI was flush with treasure, and he¡¯d just left the service of a Ridonne who¡¯d granted the estate he was managing to a cousin. He¡¯s been at it for decades¡ªgot his start in the Legion, of course; that¡¯s how Borrius knows him.¡± ¡°Kethelket cheats!¡± Lam announced, flopping onto the grass beside Edeya. ¡°Hah!¡± Polo laughed, and Victor just grinned, plucking a blade of grass to chew on. ¡°In any case, Victor, shall I send him to see you when he arrives?¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great. Thanks, Polo.¡± ¡°A pleasure.¡± The Vodkin bowed at the waist toward Lam, a comical maneuver for a man as bulky as he, and then waved. ¡°I¡¯m off to see Rellia, then.¡± As he turned to leave, he hollered at the three combatants left on the field, ¡°Good luck!¡± Then, he strolled down the grassy slope toward the ever-growing settlement. ¡°What was that all about?¡± ¡°He¡¯s recommending someone to be my governor. Is that the right word? He said the guy was a steward. Maybe I should be calling him that.¡± ¡°No. Not with lands as extensive as yours. The person you hire will need to manage settlements, attend political meetings, and maintain your militia. Governor is the right term.¡± Lam leaned forward and shouted, ¡°That¡¯s it, Valla! Keep his flank!¡± ¡°You want her to win?¡± Victor grinned around the blade of grass. ¡°Of course! She eliminated me, so if she wins, that makes me look better.¡± Lam sighed, turning to examine Edeya and lifting a handkerchief to wipe at the corners of her eyes. ¡°This breeze is making her eyes water. That damn circlet doesn¡¯t make her blink often enough.¡± ¡°Shit. Does it control that much? I thought her blinks would be automatic.¡± ¡°No. She¡¯d be unconscious without it. Even her breathing is shallow and barely enough to keep her alive without it.¡± Lam tucked her handkerchief away and gestured toward the slope leading down to the settlement. ¡°The stone¡¯s level eight, and you know Rellia¡¯s literature says we should start seeing world travel options at level ten. Will you be ready to leave as soon as it opens up?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be ready. It could be sooner, you know; we¡¯re only a few steps away on the advancement tree. Rellia¡¯s been steering the colony''s development toward our goal. By the way, I¡¯ve been corresponding with my cousin, and she says the human colony stone is almost level twenty, but they don¡¯t have any options for world travel yet. I guess they¡¯ve been very general about their advancement, not focusing the way we have.¡± It had been a week since Victor¡¯s first message from Olivia, and since then, they¡¯d written back and forth several times. ¡°That makes sense. We¡¯re missing many System-developed infrastructure items¡ªwe¡¯re building our own walls, our own plumbing and sewage system, our own roads, and so much more. We could have spent advancement points on all of those things, had them done instantly and, probably, a lot more seamlessly integrated with the landscape.¡± ¡°Yeah, but we¡¯re getting all sorts of intangible benefits going down the tree toward world travel¡ªEnergy storage, mapping, trade beacons, communication relays, the astral observatory.¡± Victor pointed to the enormous white tower jutting up from the sea¡¯s edge. It looked very out of place among all the half-constructed structures, but it was undeniably awesome. Victor liked how the top was made of some kind of crystal, and he knew that the more prominent facets were lenses. He¡¯d been in it a few times, peering through the weird brass and crystal scopes that could be aligned and moved to face the different external lenses. It was fun and interesting, but, in the end, to him, it was just like looking through a telescope, and he¡¯d never been into that sort of thing. Lam nodded. ¡°That one took much of our savings, but it ranked the stone up from five to seven. Perhaps the next . . .¡± Lam was cut off as Lesh jogged over to them and flopped onto his back, shaking the ground enough to jostle Edeya and send her toppling backward. Lam caught her, scowling at Lesh. ¡°Have some care, you thunderak!¡± Lesh looked at Victor and narrowed his green, reptilian eyes. ¡°Thunderak?¡± ¡°Uh, giant lizards they use to pull heavy loads.¡± Victor grinned, finding the moniker rather apt. ¡°Pardon my bulk, Lady Lam.¡± Victor nudged the giant man¡¯s shoulder with his boot. ¡°Who got you?¡± ¡°One from Kethelket and one from the angel.¡± Victor chuckled at Lesh¡¯s nickname for Valla¡ªVictor had started it, calling her an angel. When he¡¯d described what he meant by the word, some of the others had taken it up. Valla certainly fit the bill with her big silvery wings and beautiful countenance. She¡¯d paid one of the better armor artisans who¡¯d come through the Gelica portal to adjust the enchantment on her wyrm-scale armor, giving it the ability to open holes to accommodate the wings sprouting from her back. With that armor, her shiny silver helm, and, well, everything else about her, she either looked like an avenging Valkyrie or, yeah, some kind of angel. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Anyway,¡± Lam said, pointedly looking over Lesh¡¯s thick body toward Victor, ¡°We just need the travel beacons, the astral cartography crystal, and the portal enclosure. Whether we need rank ten or not, I think we¡¯ll be there soon.¡± ¡°Yeah. As more citizens arrive and we continue to collect Energy, our advancement credits build up pretty fast. Still, another Energy bead infusion might not go amiss. I¡¯m still holding my million from the conquest . . .¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need that,¡± Lesh said, rolling to his side and lifting his head on an elbow as he watched Kethelket and Valla weave their lightning-quick dance. ¡°There¡¯s no telling what things will cost in the world hub, and you know, the System won¡¯t let you travel for free just because you rule these lands.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor sighed, shaking his head. Nothing was ever easy. ¡°Right. Well . . . Oho! Good job, Valla!¡± She¡¯d done some sort of rolling maneuver using her wings, curved before her like a moving shield, and come around behind Kethelket, giving him a swift gash on his left calf. ¡°Is that the match?¡± he asked Lesh. ¡°Aye! They each had one mark already.¡± Victor stood up and reached down to take Edeya¡¯s hand. As he gently tugged it, she stood up¡ªthe artificed circlet she wore made her very compliant, moving with gentle prompts from her caretakers. Lam also stood and took the young Ghelli¡¯s hand from him as Valla strutted over the grass, her sword, Midnight, resting on her armored shoulder and a very self-satisfied smile on her face. ¡°I heard you grousing!¡± she laughed, pointing at Lesh, still lying like a small hillock on the grass. He didn¡¯t respond, just grumbled and yawned. ¡°Nicely done, Valla.¡± Victor looked past her to Kethelket and nodded when their eyes locked. ¡°Not bad for your farewell match.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± Lam looked up from where she¡¯d been straightening Edeya¡¯s coat collar. ¡°Your people will fly tonight?¡± ¡°Aye! We¡¯ve resupplied and rested and are eager to begin the construction of Nighthome. We¡¯ve three Ghelli families already committed to joining us, Lam¡ªveterans from the conquest eager to help mend old rifts. I hope you and Edeya will visit when you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure we will, Kethelket. I¡¯m just as eager to bandage over old wounds.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Lesh rumbled, and Victor turned to follow his gaze. An Ardeni man wearing Rellia¡¯s house livery was running up the well-worn path from the settlement. ¡°Hmm.¡± Victor frowned. ¡°Rellia should be meeting with Polo.¡± The whole group grew quiet as the man made his final approach, his breath huffing heavily as he came to a stop twenty paces away. ¡°Lord Victor! A man is requesting you! He¡¯s just come through the portal from Persi Gables.¡± ¡°Oh yeah?¡± Victor looked at the others, all staring, waiting to hear more. ¡°See you all a bit later. If we don¡¯t speak before you leave, Kethelket, you know how to get ahold of me.¡± The two of them had exchanged Farscribe books. He shook his hand, and Kethelket stared into his face, suddenly serious. ¡°Of course. Thank you again for letting us select such a fine location for the new town.¡± ¡°Are you kidding me? Your people earned it. It¡¯ll be nice having such good neighbors, anyway.¡± Before he and Kethelket could go further down their mutually congratulatory path, Lam called out to the messenger, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Oh, um, it¡¯s a man from the human colony in the Ridonne frontier. Alec Green.¡± The messenger looked at Victor almost apologetically. ¡°That¡¯ll be our ambassador from the humans,¡± Valla explained when she saw Lam¡¯s blank expression. Victor let go of Kethelket¡¯s hand and turned to the messenger. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Valla; you can make sure I don¡¯t say something too stupid.¡± ¡°You think she can save you from that?¡± Lam chuckled, and Lesh snorted, shifting his bulk to wink at her more easily. ¡°All right, all right. Don¡¯t make me drag you both out there for a quick thrashing.¡± Victor grabbed Valla¡¯s hand and started walking down the slope. He gestured to the messenger. ¡°Lead the way.¡± ¡°Farewell!¡± Kethelket called. ¡°Don¡¯t make promises you don¡¯t intend to keep!¡± Lesh rumbled. Lam didn¡¯t say anything more, but Victor could feel her smiling eyes following him and Valla as they walked down the slope. ¡°They¡¯ve lost all their respect now that the war¡¯s over.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t begrudge them their laughs. They only tease you because they know they can¡¯t compete with you in other ways.¡± Valla tightened the grip on his hand and lifted it to her chest, pulling it close as she cupped it with her other hand. ¡°Like neither will ever have someone like you? How¡¯d I get so lucky? Have I mentioned I love you?¡± Victor almost laughed when he saw the messenger¡¯s hurried but stiff, awkward gait. He was clearly embarrassed to hear their conversation. Victor decided to spare the poor guy and change the subject, ¡°You¡¯ve really gotten good at dealing with Kethelket¡¯s two-weapon style.¡± ¡°I know! He¡¯s a difficult opponent, but I¡¯ve made some good gains over the last weeks. It helps to have your inspiration active while we spar. Well, and let¡¯s not forget he¡¯s only using a fraction of his full speed.¡± ¡°Even so. Your grace with those wings is really something. I notice you¡¯re using Midnight one-handed more and more; have you ever thought about a second blade or maybe a shield?¡± ¡°Perhaps someday. I enjoy having the option to grip her hilt with both hands for more powerful swings.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know jack about sword fighting, so I¡¯ll leave that to you.¡± ¡°Jack?¡± Valla laughed as they stepped off their gravel path onto the new cobbled roadway that led east out of town. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s short for jack-shit, and no, I have no idea where it comes from.¡± ¡°Colorful.¡± Victor, currently only a little taller than she, looked into her smiling eyes above her flushed, pale blue cheeks and paused to lean down and kiss her on the lips. As always, she reciprocated, and Victor marveled at his luck for the second time in just a few minutes. When he straightened up, he said, ¡°Does my word choice embarrass you?¡± ¡°No! I love how you can sound stiff and formal as though you¡¯re channeling Borrius one minute and then break into a string of curses that would drain the color from a soldier¡¯s face the next.¡± They¡¯d stopped, and the messenger had taken a few steps before realizing it. Victor could feel him turn to observe them. When Valla refused to look away, Victor stared into her silver and teal irises and wondered if it was true about eyes¡ªcould he see her spirit in there? He almost thought he could, which made him want to try harder, but her smile widened, and she gave him a playful shove. ¡°Come on, Lord Victor! The ambassador is waiting.¡± ¡°Fair enough. Messenger! Where¡¯d you leave the ambassador?¡± ¡°In the new gardens adjacent to the travel pavilion, Lord.¡± ¡°Ah, good choice. Near my travel home?¡± ¡°Aye.¡± He gestured to the road. ¡°Shall we continue?¡± ¡°Proceed.¡± Victor laughed at his formality. He was fairly sure of the answer but asked, ¡°Were you part of the campaign?¡± ¡°No, Lord. I¡¯m a member of Lady ap¡¯Yensha¡¯s household staff. I came through the portal from Gelica.¡± ¡°Ah. Well, welcome to the Free Marches.¡± The man paused, turned, and performed a short but slow, deliberate bow. ¡°I¡¯m eternally grateful for the opportunity to make a life here, Lord.¡± When the young man turned and continued walking, Victor followed, suddenly sobered by his show of respect. He¡¯d been about to judge the messenger, almost mocking him mentally for calling him ¡®lord¡¯ when any of the men and women who¡¯d fought in the campaign would have been addressing him as ¡®sir.¡¯ He chastised himself¡ªnot every man or woman was cut out for war, and those who¡¯d come through the portals to join the colony were just as valuable right now as anyone else; without their numbers, their contributions, the growth would have been much, much slower. It would have taken years to open the deeper advancement options on the colony stone. ¡°Something on your mind?¡± Valla asked, still holding his hand with both of hers. ¡°Nah. I just have a lot to learn, Valla. Every time I think I¡¯m getting a grip on things, I realize how much I don¡¯t know, how much of what I think I know is wrong.¡± She smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder, speaking softly, ¡°And that makes you a good leader. The worst kinds of leaders are those who think they know everything and refuse to admit when they¡¯re mistaken.¡± When they arrived at the gardens, the messenger bowed and took his leave, and Victor led the way through the curved pathways, his boots crunching on the deep bed of round, rust-colored pebbles the herbalists, Nature Casters, and engineers assigned to them had imported. Beds of new flora¡ªherbs, flowers, and plants of a thousand different varieties¡ªlined the walkways, and a fountain burbled at each junction of paths. It wasn¡¯t pristine yet; dirt and mud marred the marble steppingstones and benches, the beds were only about half planted with their future occupants, and trellises were still under construction. Still, it was a good deal more done than when Victor had decided to move his travel home in, placing it at the end of one of the far-flung paths. They found Alec Green sitting on a bench, admiring a little fountain shaped like a bulbous flower with long thorny stems adorned with tiny, delicate songbirds. The water trickled out of the pale-yellow stone flower petals and dribbled pleasantly into the basin. Alec was a slender, average-looking fellow, but his sandy brown hair was neatly combed, his short beard well-manicured, and his soft brown eyes were full of wonder as he took in the sight of Victor and Valla as they rounded a bend in the path. He jumped to his feet, straightening the lapels on his plush, velvety gray jacket. ¡°Victor?¡± He stepped toward them, holding out a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Alec Green from First Landing.¡± Victor grinned and reached out to wrap the man¡¯s slender hand in his own, giving it a¡ªto him¡ªgentle squeeze. ¡°Nice to meet you, Alec. This is Valla ap¡¯Yensha.¡± As soon as he released the man¡¯s hand, Valla took it. Alec smiled and stared, perhaps a little dumbstruck, into Valla¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nice to meet you!¡± Still shaking Valla¡¯s hand, he forcefully turned back to Victor. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you¡ªfrom Olivia Bennet and also people in Persi Gables. Hah! From the tales, I¡¯d expected you to be twenty feet tall!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Valla laughed, ¡°sometimes he¡¯s nearly that tall.¡± When she winked, Victor had to laugh¡ªpoor Alec¡¯s face said he didn¡¯t know whether or not he was being teased. He decided to bail him out and change the subject. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve come to represent the other humans, Alec. I want to build a relationship with your colony, but if we can advance the stone enough, I¡¯ll be leaving soon. It¡¯s good that I¡¯ll get a chance to introduce you to everyone around here before I go.¡± Alec took a step back and looked Victor up and down. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± ¡°I have a friend who needs to travel to a more advanced world, one with more world portals open.¡± ¡°Ah! Olivia said something like that in her messages, something about you all focusing on advancing your colony to open world travel.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°You couldn¡¯t travel from one of the other cities?¡± Victor sighed. He didn¡¯t want to get into a lengthy explanation, so he tried to summarize things quickly and with some finality, ¡°The Ridonne haven¡¯t opened much world travel for their subordinate cities, and if I went to Tharcray and asked to use their colony stone . . . Well, let¡¯s just say the journey is long, and I¡¯d as likely as not start a war I don¡¯t think we have the stomach for right now.¡± ¡°I see. Well, perhaps my proposal will be of interest.¡± ¡°You come with a proposal?¡± Valla asked, wrapping her fingers around Victor¡¯s elbow, leaning into him a little while she smiled at Alec. Alec nodded, grinning. ¡°We¡¯d be willing to kick in a substantial sum of Energy beads toward your stone¡¯s development if you could do us a little favor.¡± 7.4 The Proposal Victor felt a sudden urge to direct Alec toward Sea Keep, where Rellia was currently managing her operations. He¡¯d been speaking to the guy for less than a minute, and he was already talking about favors. Victor knew relationships between towns, countries, and political factions were built on mutual benefits, but he¡¯d hoped to just talk to the guy and show him around, not start wheeling and dealing immediately. His scowl must have been more evident than he¡¯d intended because Alec held up his hands and, after a quick, shaky laugh, said, ¡°Let me stress, it¡¯s not a big favor. I mean, it¡¯s not for you, but for us, it might mean the difference between continued existence and destruction¡ªOlivia¡¯s words, not mine.¡± Valla squeezed Victor¡¯s arm, her cool fingers pressing into his biceps. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him, Alec. He¡¯s always frowning like that. Why don¡¯t we show you to Victor¡¯s home, and you can tell us about this favor over a cup of tea and a crumble cake one of Victor¡¯s admirers gave us?¡± Victor chuckled at Valla¡¯s description of the cake one of Dunstan¡¯s former thralls had baked for him. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a good idea. I bet you¡¯ll be interested to hear about the woman who baked it. She¡¯s a human from a world other than Earth.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Alec¡¯s eyebrows rose, his surprise evident. Victor nodded, gesturing toward the path that would lead to his travel home. ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a coincidence or . . .¡± Victor laughed at himself, shaking his head. ¡°No, never mind that. It¡¯s definitely not a coincidence. The System chose vampires and their undead minions to invade these lands. The world they came from was settled by Death Casters who¡¯d fled Earth when the Energy stopped flowing there.¡± ¡°Ah, seriously? So, your ¡®conquest¡¯ was against invaders from another world?¡± Alec turned when Victor gestured to his left. Straight ahead, down a long, flower-lined gravel lane, sat Victor¡¯s jade travel home. ¡°Oh, what an interesting dwelling!¡± ¡°It¡¯s Victor¡¯s travel home. He¡¯ll build something more substantial eventually.¡± Valla led the way up the steps, and Victor stood back, holding the door as she and Alec stepped inside. ¡°Ah! Dimensional magic. We have a few structures employing it back in First Landing, but not so heavily as this one! Well, other than Morgan¡¯s tower, I suppose.¡± ¡°Morgan . . .¡± Victor frowned, scratching his chin. ¡°That¡¯s the one who went to Tharcray, yeah? Olivia told me about him.¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°How¡¯d that go?¡± Valla asked, taking the lead down the hallway toward the dining area. ¡°Um, he hasn¡¯t brokered any sort of lasting deal, but he did manage to get some assurances that the Ridonne don¡¯t care too much about us at the moment. They¡¯re dealing with some inner strife and political issues concerning their presence in other worlds. In fact, Morgan¡¯s gone off-world, which threw our little community for a bit of a loop . . .¡± Alec trailed off as he stepped into the dining hall and the adjacent kitchen area, his eyes taking in the big table, the bright daylight streaming through the kitchen windows, and the vaulted ceiling with the skylight. ¡°What a space! I¡¯d never have guessed looking at the exterior.¡± ¡°Take a seat there with Victor, and I¡¯ll put together a snack.¡± Valla didn¡¯t wait for any objections, walking past the table and into the kitchen. Victor rapped his knuckles on the table¡¯s smooth surface. ¡°Anywhere you like, Alec.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Alec sat down in the chair closest to the head of the table on the near side, so Victor moved around to sit across from him. As soon as he¡¯d taken his seat, Alec hit him with some questions, ¡°You¡¯re saying you had to fight invaders from another world to win these lands? I thought the ¡®conquest¡¯ would just involve fighting monsters or, well, natives, is the right word, I guess.¡± ¡°I¡¯d have a hard time justifying something like that, but yes, the System made that part easy by filling these lands with undead monstrosities.¡± Victor shook his head, grinning wryly. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s interesting to learn that there used to be Energy users on Earth powerful enough to flee through portals they created?¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than interesting. It conflicts with what we thought we knew of the System. Morgan was the first human to wake here on Fanwath, and, according to him, the System didn¡¯t recognize humanity right away. It makes you wonder how broad the System is and how often each part of it communicates with the others. Does it send out updates once a month, once a century? Does it need to do that, or does it just know everything that¡¯s happening everywhere all the time? Sounds more like God than a ¡®system,¡¯ if so.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m pretty damn sure the System isn¡¯t God.¡± Victor chuckled and looked over his shoulder to check on Valla. He hated being responsible for entertaining strangers. ¡°What makes you say that?¡± ¡°Uh, the fact that there are plenty of species that existed and worked with Energy long before the System came around. My ancestors, for instance.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s one of the things you might be able to help us with. How about I go over my little proposal? Is it too soon? I hope I¡¯m not overstepping . . .¡± ¡°Nah, it¡¯s fine.¡± Victor was annoyed, but he also was happy to let Alec talk for a while. It would give Valla time to rejoin the conversation. ¡°Well, Olivia indicated in our communications that when she¡¯s brought up the idea of you coming to First Landing, you¡¯ve been less than enthusiastic. She¡¯s a bit of an outlier among our citizenry, what with her unusually high affinity with multiple attunements and her unnatural proclivity for mastering new magic.¡± Alec held up a hand and laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªfrom what we¡¯ve gathered, dealing with some unpleasant nobility and the locals in our neck of the woods, it seems humans generally have high Energy affinity, but Olivia¡¯s a standout. I¡¯m bringing this up because she¡¯s often banging the drum about how important advancing in levels and gaining power is when she comes to town, and her words are often less than enthusiastically received.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Victor was having a hard time figuring out why he should care. ¡°Yeah. I mean, there are some who are pretty gung-ho about leveling and exploring, but oftentimes, their abilities and enthusiasm don¡¯t exactly match up. Take me, for instance. I was pretty happy just running a business in town; I opened the first tavern and made a killing. I expanded the business, and now I¡¯ve got a full-blown hotel; well, ¡®inn¡¯ is probably more accurate. I¡¯m a level eighteen Tavernkeeper.¡± Alec smiled, shaking his head at a pleasant memory. ¡°When I first told Olivia that was my Class, she laughed and laughed. She¡¯d already been at Fainhallow, you see, and was studying about Classes with a great deal more . . . gravitas, shall we say?¡± ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Victor nodded, glancing again for Valla and sighing with relief when he saw her approaching with a tray. ¡°Here we go. You¡¯re going to love this cake, Alec.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m certain you¡¯re right.¡± He paused his discourse to watch Valla set down the tray with three steaming mugs, a crock of whipped butter, and the sweet, nut-and-fruit-loaded crumble cake. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Help yourself.¡± Valla smiled and sat at the head of the table between the two men. ¡°Don¡¯t mind if I do.¡± Alec grinned, took one of the mugs, and then slathered a slice of the cake with some of the soft, creamy butter. Once his little plate was before him, he sipped the tea, smiled and sighed, then took a bite of the cake. ¡°Mm!¡± His eyes glazed over as he chewed. Valla helped herself, and Victor, of course, carved off a generous slice. The conversation was put on hold for a few minutes once they were all working on their snack, and Alec continued to exclaim about how good it was. ¡°So,¡± Valla said, pushing her plate away. ¡°You were telling Victor that there are some ambitious folks among you, but they¡¯re a minority? Is that the right way to explain things?¡± ¡°Ah, no, not exactly. I was about to use myself as an example of how most of us are ambitious but not in the way that makes us personally powerful. I¡¯m very interested in seeing my business grow, gaining wealth, and buying properties. Back on Earth, such success would eventually have made me a powerful person. Here, according to Olivia and our few run-ins with less-than-savory folks, I¡¯ve learned that that kind of success can be very fleeting. Everything I have can be taken away in a snap.¡± To illustrate, Alec snapped his fingers. ¡°I believe it, Olivia believes it, but many of the people in our settlement think that our government will protect them and that they can continue to focus on finding success as they¡¯d always done.¡± ¡°Well, they¡¯re not exactly wrong.¡± Victor shrugged, not seeing the problem. ¡°It¡¯s the same in native cities; not everyone is out challenging dungeons or going to war. Plenty of people build businesses or lead small service-oriented lives.¡± ¡°Right, but according to what I¡¯ve learned from Morgan¡¯s correspondence and Olivia¡¯s studies, this world has been rather sheltered. Haven¡¯t the Ridonne limited travel beyond this world? Haven¡¯t they, themselves, grown powerful beyond even the ¡®heroes¡¯ who make their living facing ¡®dungeons¡¯ and whatnot? Isn¡¯t it only a matter of time before a more dangerous world connects to this one? What if a true powerhouse comes through and makes some real trouble for us? If I can read between the lines well enough, that¡¯s what¡¯s happening in Tharcray. I think the Ridonne have stunted the growth of this world to their own detriment. I believe they¡¯ve encountered something they¡¯re struggling with and, due to their imposed limitations, the rest of the populace isn¡¯t in a position to help them.¡± ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard, but the ¡®trouble¡¯ the Ridonne have been having might just be me . . .¡± ¡°Oh, I heard about your encounter with their Legion. Talk of it was all over Persi Gables when I passed through. That¡¯s not it, however. Morgan contacted us about the Ridonne¡¯s ¡®troubles¡¯ a good four months prior.¡± ¡°Why so cryptic? Can¡¯t he just tell you what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°I would think so, but he¡¯s . . . incommunicado.¡± Valla set her steaming cup down and cleared her throat. ¡°Okay, Alec, we¡¯re losing sight of what you actually want.¡± ¡°Right! I was hoping that Victor and you, of course,¡± he nodded at Valla, ¡°would speak to our populace. I was hoping you¡¯d sit down and have a sort of town hall where you speak about what you¡¯ve seen on other worlds, or from other worlds, and why it¡¯s important to . . . What¡¯s the word they use, um, cultivate power? That¡¯s it, cultivate. Why it¡¯s important to build up a Core, to gain levels, and advance your bloodline.¡± Victor grunted, shaking his head. ¡°It seems pretty damn obvious to me, Alec. You really need me to tell people why power is important?¡± ¡°Our people are stubborn, Victor. We¡¯ve got a hundred engineers working on reinventing automobiles and airplanes using Energy-driven engines. We¡¯ve got people making repeating cannons, landmines, and machine guns. I mean, it¡¯s great, but Olivia says one ¡®elder¡¯ being could wipe them all out, that someone who¡¯d achieved tier ten or, hell, even tier five could probably ignore most of the war machines we can come up with. What¡¯s worse is that our Artisan Class citizens are far outstripping the cultivators¡ªwe¡¯ve learned to build portal stones, for instance. What¡¯s going to happen when we open a connection to a high-tier world, and someone truly powerful sees our potential as, well, as slaves?¡± ¡°So you want me to come there and scare them?¡± Alec laughed, shaking his head. ¡°I mean, that might work, but Olivia had the idea that you could just talk about your time in, um, I have it in my notes, but what was the name of the world where . . .¡± ¡°Zaafor?¡± Valla supplied. ¡°That¡¯s it! She says you met many powerful beings and that you had to flee because of a villainous warlord or some such. Is that right?¡± Victor sighed and nodded. ¡°Sure, Alec. You¡¯re right that opening yourselves up to advanced worlds and powerful people before you¡¯re ready is a real risk. In fact, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Ridonne¡¯s tight control over world travel has a lot to do with that, but that won¡¯t stop travel in the other direction. The System can be a real bitch, but it won¡¯t send a ¡°challenge¡± here that¡¯s much beyond you. That doesn¡¯t mean a powerful individual or, yeah, warlord couldn¡¯t find their way here. If they did, if they opened their own gateway without the System¡¯s help, then they could easily dominate this planet.¡± ¡°So, just a town hall?¡± Valla pressed, trying to pin down the commitment Alec was looking for. ¡°And perhaps a demonstration. Our Artificers have been building war machines¡ªEnergy-driven automatons. Think of a tank crossed with a robot. There¡¯s a faction in our government who think we¡¯re already strong enough to take on the Ridonne, that they¡¯re just backward, medieval tyrants whom we can steamroll like Patton taking on a Roman legion.¡± ¡°Patton?¡± Valla frowned, slowly turning her cup between her palms. ¡°He¡¯s talking about people from Earth.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, Lady ap¡¯Yensha! I was trying to draw a comparison between a modern military with guns and heavy artillery versus an army using spears and swords.¡± When Valla continued to frown, her eyes betraying her confusion, he added, ¡°I mean, I¡¯m sure Victor has described our world to you a little, yes? We didn¡¯t have Energy or magic, but we had technology far beyond what you see on Fanwath. We had weapons that could strike a person down instantly from great distances. We had bombs and missiles that could destroy entire cities. Olivia worries we¡¯ll go down that road again, become too sure of our capabilities, and then run into someone with deific powers. Victor, here, might be able to give our populace a taste of that. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying.¡± Valla nodded and, to Victor¡¯s delight, continued leading the conversation. ¡°If you want Victor to do battle with your automatons, you¡¯ll need to tell us what you¡¯ll put on the table.¡± Alec nodded. ¡°I understand you want to advance your colony stone.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We need to advance at least two more ranks before we can open world travel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what we can help you with. We¡¯ve stockpiled a lot of Energy beads through our own development and from trade with neighboring towns and villages. I have it on good authority from our development committee that a million beads will go a long way in the early colony stone ranks.¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯re offering? A million beads?¡± Valla didn¡¯t betray much, but Victor knew her well enough to hear the excitement in her voice. A million beads would probably get them where they needed to be. ¡°That¡¯s right. What do you say?¡± To Alec¡¯s credit, he didn¡¯t break eye contact with Valla to gauge Victor¡¯s response. It was probably a good thing because Victor was sold and didn¡¯t have a good poker face. ¡°Victor and I will visit your town, answer your questions, and Victor will destroy your automatons for one and a half million beads.¡± Victor almost laughed, surprised to hear Valla being so cutthroat. However, Alec didn¡¯t laugh and didn¡¯t even look surprised. He smiled, nodded, and said, ¡°It¡¯s a deal, but you¡¯ve reached the limit of my negotiation authority, so please don¡¯t push it any harder.¡± ¡°Okay, Victor?¡± Valla looked at him for the final word. ¡°Hmm, I guess. I don¡¯t mind beating the shit out of some robots, but I¡¯m not really excited to be on the spot answering questions on a stage. I¡¯ll do it for Edeya, though.¡± ¡°Edeya?¡± Alec was smiling ear-to-ear like he¡¯d just made the deal of the century. Valla began gathering the empty plates, stacking them on the tray. ¡°Our friend. She¡¯s the reason we need to open world travel as soon as possible. That said, Ambassador, when shall we depart for your town?¡± ¡°I left the portal stone with the steward of your, um, travel pavilion. I¡¯m ready to go whenever you¡¯d like, though I¡¯d hoped to meet the other leaders here and perhaps establish a residence¡ªI intend to participate in the community you¡¯re building.¡± Victor pushed his chair back and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s early still. Let¡¯s take him around. Rellia and Borrius will want to meet him. We¡¯ll get him a room in the inn, and then,¡± Victor paused for breath and to lock eyes with Alec, ¡°if you¡¯re feeling up to it, we can go to First Landing in the morning. I¡¯m sorry to rush things, but I feel like I¡¯ve put my friend¡¯s welfare on hold long enough. She needs help, and if you¡¯re offering the Energy to advance the stone, I¡¯d like to do my part as soon as possible.¡± Alec, too, stood, slowly nodding his head. ¡°The inn, hmm? Well, it¡¯ll do for now. Will I be permitted to build an official embassy eventually?¡± ¡°Definitely. If Rellia won¡¯t allow you one here, then you can build it on my lands.¡± ¡°Your lands? They¡¯re separate from these?¡± Alec looked confused, and Valla chuckled. She stood and moved beside him, taking his elbow and steering him toward the front of the house. ¡°There¡¯s much you need to understand, Ambassador. I don¡¯t know how much Victor told Olivia, but these lands, the Free Marches, are more vast than the entirety of the Ridonne ¡®frontier.¡¯ Even after gifting deeds to his allies, Victor¡¯s share of the conquered lands numbers nearly thirty million acres. That¡¯s assuming we don¡¯t continue to expand, pushing into the untamed lands further south.¡± Victor listened to her as she and Alec walked ahead, his mind struggling to stay focused as he thought about everything Alec had told him. The idea that humans had come to this world and were immediately trying to recapture the way of life they¡¯d left behind didn¡¯t surprise him, but it certainly bothered him. Of course, they¡¯d try to make planes and tanks and machine guns. Of course, they¡¯d see Energy as just another fuel source, a way to power their tech. He hoped they weren¡¯t all focused on such things. They couldn¡¯t be, could they? Some among them had to have awoken spirit Cores. Surely, some of them had learned to see their inner selves and auras. There was so much more to Energy than, well, energy. It was the essential, vital force of everything and the connection every cultivator had to the universe. If a person didn¡¯t see that, didn¡¯t internalize and process the gifts Energy could grant, they¡¯d never understand. Victor would have to show them. He¡¯d have to give them a glimpse of the power of a sleeping god. 7.5 First Landing Victor sat on the stone bench in the new travel pavilion and watched Valla speak to Alec Green about the structure. They were waiting for the other members of their ¡°delegation¡± to First Landing, and he was trying to relax, trying not to think about having to answer questions in front of hundreds or maybe thousands of strangers. He¡¯d opted not to wear his armor, at least not at first, and he felt comfortable in his silky gray button-up shirt and soft, slim-fitting black trousers. Valla had gotten them for him from a tailor she knew¡ªa man who¡¯d come through the portal from Gelica. He appreciated that they weren¡¯t overly fancy but simply very well made from materials that were clearly a cut above what he¡¯d been wearing for most of his time on Fanwath. His new silver-toed black boots were polished to a glossy sheen, and Lifedrinker rested comfortably behind his shoulder, held snugly by the new magical harness that matched his belt and boots. All-in-all, he felt good because he knew he looked good. Valla said that was important when you were speaking in public¡ªto look and feel good about yourself. In all honesty, Victor knew he shouldn¡¯t be worried; he was Quinametzin, and all he had to do was relax his hold on his alter ego a little, and he¡¯d have no trouble speaking on just about any topic in front of just about anyone. ¡°We¡¯ve built a similar structure ourselves, though we¡¯ve been calling it a portal hall¡ªso far, we¡¯ve only set up a portal to Persi Gables and, now, to your settlement. Olivia will undoubtedly pick up a portal stone to bring to Fainhallow next time she visits home.¡± Alec was nodding, rubbing his chin, staring at something across the open-air structure. Victor followed his gaze and saw that he was looking at the shimmering, mirror-like portal to Gelica on the other side of the pavilion. It wasn¡¯t usually open, and Victor watched as what looked like a large family began to come through, gathering on the stone dais on this side of the portal. ¡°Looks like more new citizens,¡± he grunted. ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Alec nodded, watching as one of the yellow-robed concierge staff Rellia¡¯s people had appointed hurried forward to greet the new family and guide them to the settlement registration center. ¡°Here comes your aide, Victor.¡± Valla pointed as Nia strode through the big archway that led toward the center of town. The former vampire thrall had changed quite a lot in the weeks since the end of the campaign, and Victor could see she¡¯d made an effort to look nice for their visit to First Landing. Nia had exchanged her black clothing and leather for a knee-length, flowing blue dress with long sleeves trimmed in lacy blue gauze. She still wore high leather boots, which Victor thought was kind of cool, but he wondered what the locals thought of her style. She¡¯d washed out the black oil or grease or whatever she¡¯d used to slick her hair back but still styled it in braids adorned with polished ivory charms and jewels. Victor could see she¡¯d recently scrubbed her face from the rosy, pink hue of her cheeks and the somewhat inflamed nature of her many scars. When she approached, Nia bowed quickly and nervously, her eyes darting from Valla to Alec and then settling on Victor, reclining on the bench. ¡°Lords, Lady.¡± Victor found it strange to see her standing beside Valla. In the old days, when he¡¯d been an average human back on Earth, he would have thought Nia was tall, imposing, and, despite her scars, quite beautiful. Beside her, though, Valla looked like a demigod coming to walk among mortals. She towered over the woman, her silvery, pale blue skin glistening in the diffuse sunlight that filtered through the trellised roof of the pavilion. Valla¡¯s hair was delicately styled, held in tight, elegant curls with jeweled combs. She wore the silver choker Victor had given her with its carved sapphire runes. And, as if to highlight her Ordeni skin tone, she was dressed in flowing, silky, silver and blue robes that, as far as Victor was concerned, clung to her in all the right ways. He shook his head, forcing himself to quit staring at Valla, and stood up. He nodded at Nia and smiled. ¡°You look nice, Nia. Thanks for agreeing to come with us.¡± ¡°Of course, milord.¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s a habit, but you don¡¯t have to address us as lords and ladies, Nia,¡± Valla said, saving Victor from having to say the same thing for probably the twentieth time. ¡°If you take a permanent position in Victor¡¯s household, you can use that honorific, but for now, we¡¯re all members of a delegation to First Landing, and there¡¯s no need for such deference.¡± Victor thought Valla was being nice, and he was sure that was her intent, but Nia¡¯s face paled, and her eyes widened as she looked toward Victor. ¡°I thought my position was permanent!¡± She stepped past Alec, looking up to lock eyes with Victor. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t . . .¡± Valla started to say, but Victor waved his hand, chuckling. ¡°It¡¯s just a miscommunication, Valla. Nia, of course, as long as you want to work for me and help me manage things here, I¡¯ll have plenty to keep you busy. I think Valla simply means we haven¡¯t established any formal agreements.¡± ¡°Then, as the lord of the lands on which I serve, I will address you as such.¡± Again, she bowed at the waist, and Victor saw a smile behind her blue eyes. He looked at Valla and shrugged slightly. She arched an eyebrow, perhaps amused by Nia¡¯s persistence. ¡°Where the hell is Borrius?¡± Victor turned in a circle, looking at all of the entrances to the pavilion, wondering if the old general was coming from a different direction. He¡¯d asked him to come along primarily because the man loved to hear himself talk, and Victor figured he¡¯d take some of the pressure off him in the town hall. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be along. Relax, Victor. We¡¯re still early.¡± Valla moved to stand beside him, clasping his hand. Her wing brushed his shoulder, the feathers twitching and shivering against him as she shifted. Her feathers were incredible things; they almost tinkled metallically as she moved. He¡¯d spent many a long evening with her, feeling those wings, playing with her feathers, and he knew they were incredibly resilient, though they were light as air. Valla had gotten very comfortable with her new appendages and moved so gracefully that it was hard to remember how awkward she¡¯d been at first. Alec shook him from his reflections by asking, ¡°Is he the last member of your party? Borrius, um, what was his surname?¡± Valla answered him, ¡°Borrius ap¡¯Gandro¡ªhe¡¯s a former commander of the Imperial Legion, a legate, and now a landholder and nobleman in the Free Marches. We feel he¡¯ll be invaluable when it comes to explaining the dangers of having a populace controlled by more powerful Energy users. Whatever you know of the Ridonne, I can assure you, Borrius knows more.¡± Valla pointed over Alec¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Here he comes with his aide, Lieutenant Darro.¡± Victor exhaled a pent-up breath as he watched Borrius and Darro stride into the pavilion. Of course, they wore their military uniforms. ¡°Well met all,¡± the old commander said, striding up the marble path. ¡°Am I tardy?¡± ¡°Not at all, sir!¡± Alec smiled and strode forward, offering his hand. ¡°I¡¯m Alec Green from First Landing, and I¡¯ll be serving as an ambassador to your fine settlement here. I¡¯d hoped to meet you yesterday, but Lady ap¡¯Yensha indicated you were busy with other matters.¡± ¡°Ah, yes, quite. It¡¯s a pleasure, young man.¡± Borrius took Alec¡¯s hand in his and gave it a firm shake. Handshakes weren¡¯t as common on Fanwath as on Earth, but Borrius was a well-traveled man and wasn¡¯t put off by the custom. ¡°Well? Shall we? Are we waiting for any others, Victor?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Nope. We¡¯re all here. Alec?¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready if you folks are.¡± He stepped onto the nearby dais where the travel pavilion attendants had set up his portal stone and approached the big marble archway. Victor could see the portal stone at the center of the arch¡ªdarker than the surrounding stones and adorned with silver-inlaid runes. ¡°Let¡¯s see, I think I¡¯m just supposed to put my hand here.¡± Alec placed his hand on a cluster of runes on the side of the arch. ¡°Then, I, what? Do I just feed it some of my Energy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Valla stepped up beside him. ¡°Just as you would use any magical item, for instance, a glow lamp.¡± ¡°Right, right.¡± Alec closed his eyes momentarily, and then Victor felt the surge of Energy as the portal stone activated and a shimmering blue sheet of Energy filled the archway. It rippled and crackled almost like electricity. It didn¡¯t look like any of the other portals he¡¯d stepped through, and he wondered at that¡ªwas a portal¡¯s appearance dependent on the person who¡¯d created it? Was it affected by the destination? ¡°Interesting,¡± Borrius said, perhaps thinking along the same lines. ¡°That Energy feels like a mix of air and water attunements. Do you know the Artificer who crafted that stone?¡± ¡°I do! Boris Saltzki¡ªhe¡¯s our highest-level artificer.¡± Alec jerked his thumb at the shimmering electric doorway and grinned. ¡°I suppose I should be the one to demonstrate it¡¯s safe, huh? I¡¯ll see you all on the other side!¡± With that, he stepped through in a sizzling shower of blue sparks. ¡°Huh.¡± Victor chuckled and stepped up to the archway. ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t expect to be nervous about the portal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it¡¯s fine.¡± Valla smiled encouragingly. ¡°Right.¡± Victor took a deep breath and stepped through. He felt the magic tickling his flesh as he passed through. When his foot set down on springy wood and he walked into a brightly lit hall the size of a high school gym, he looked around, taking in the scene. He¡¯d been right about the floor; polished, pale wooden planks covered the expansive space, running to white-plaster walls that rose to a high vaulted ceiling held up by beams of the same pale wood. It was a lovely building, but very empty. The only adornments were the massive Energy-powered chandeliers that hung from the rafters. ¡°This is our new portal hall,¡± Alec said, taking Victor¡¯s shoulder and directing him away from the portal. ¡°Don¡¯t want your friends to bump into you when they come through.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Victor turned and watched as Nia and then Valla came through the portal, blinking in the bright lights and looking around the space. ¡°Sorry, there isn¡¯t much to see in here. It¡¯s brand new, and we figured we should keep lots of space open for delegations or trade materials going through the portals.¡± As he finished speaking, Darro and Borrius came through with a shimmer of blue, electric sparks. ¡°That¡¯s all of us! Just a moment while I close the portal.¡± Alec held his hand to the side of the archway, and then, with a sizzling pop, the blue gateway disappeared. ¡°There we go! Well, I know it was early morning in your settlement, but it¡¯s the middle of the night here. How about I show you to my inn, get you settled, and then we can go over your schedule? I¡¯ve been communicating with the committee responsible for setting up your town hall and the ¡®military demonstration,¡¯ as they¡¯re calling it, and a representative will meet us at the inn.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me.¡± Victor shrugged and took Valla¡¯s hand. He¡¯d, as usual, altered his size to be close to hers, which was still quite tall by human standards. He¡¯d been anticipating a lot of strange looks as they walked through town and was almost relieved to find that there was a significant time change. When they followed Alec outside through the big, double doors of their ¡°portal hall,¡± he was surprised. He¡¯d been picturing First Landing as a quaint little village, but from the raised ground on which the portal hall sat, he had a rather expansive view of a sprawling, busy-looking town. He almost wanted to revise that and consider the place a city, but he could see it wasn¡¯t as extensive or populous as Persi Gables or Gelica. Still, it was a good deal more than he¡¯d expected. ¡°Impressive!¡± Valla said. ¡°I thought you¡¯d only been here a few years.¡± ¡°Oh, we have, but we¡¯ve been hard at work, and our open policy with new citizens has helped us to proliferate.¡± Alec pointed down the cobbled road toward a distant cluster of tall buildings. ¡°That¡¯s the center of town¡ªwe built outward from the colony stone, which is on a hill you can¡¯t see thanks to that big rectangular building. That¡¯s my inn.¡± He gestured past that to a distant row of lights that encircled the town. ¡°Those lights are on the top of the wall. We¡¯ve outgrown that wall but kept it as a second line of defense. We have a bigger one about a mile out and have begun expanding the residential areas into that outer circle.¡± ¡°How many people . . .¡± Victor started to ask. ¡°Well,¡± Alec chuckled, ¡°we started with about five thousand humans. The first year was kind of harsh¡ªwe had a conflict with some local, um, low-affinity types and lost a few hundred. The children have more than made up for that, however. We¡¯re prospering. Um,¡± he glanced at Valla and smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you wanted this much information, but we¡¯ve found that humanity is quite compatible with Ardeni, Shadeni, and Ghelli as far as, well, children go. We¡¯ve had quite a few people from neighboring towns and villages settle here, and we took in a large number of refugees . . .¡± Alec groaned and rubbed a hand through his short, brown hair. ¡°Oh, brother, I¡¯m rambling. The point I¡¯m trying to make is that upwards of twenty-thousand people live in First Landing.¡± ¡°Very interesting,¡± Borrius said, stroking his chin. ¡°I can see the lights of airships if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡± ¡°Oh, yes! We¡¯ve got three cargo ships and seven warships.¡± ¡°No planes yet?¡± Victor asked, remembering Alec¡¯s words from the day before. ¡°There are some, but they¡¯re still inferior to the airships when it comes to cargo capacity and durability. The engineers are excited about their progress, though.¡± He started down the cobbled road. ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll show you to the inn. By the way, I¡¯m sorry we don¡¯t have a big welcoming committee here for you¡ªIssa didn¡¯t think you¡¯d appreciate that.¡± ¡°Issa?¡± ¡°Oh, Issa ap¡¯Roald; she¡¯s the member of parliament who¡¯s heading up the committee that organized my appointment as ambassador to the Free Marches and your visit here.¡± He started walking as he spoke, and they all fell in around him. They were the only people on the narrow, slightly winding road leading down from the portal hall. However, Victor could see hundreds of lights in the buildings around them and, further down the road, some sparse pedestrian traffic. ¡°You have an Ardeni on your ruling council?¡± Valla asked. ¡°Ah, yes. Issa¡¯s been a part of this community since near the beginning. She¡¯s engaged to Morgan Hall¡ªwould be married, certainly, if not for his prolonged absence. Still, the people here generally love her, and she didn¡¯t have any trouble getting elected to one of the parliament seats. She¡¯s also an impressive crafter. She¡¯ll meet you all in the inn when the sun¡¯s come up.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking, Alec, and please don¡¯t take this the wrong way, but why do you think Issa thought we wouldn¡¯t like a welcoming committee?¡± Valla wrapped her fingers around Victor¡¯s elbow, walking in step with him as she spoke. Alec looked over his shoulder and smiled, nodding toward Victor. ¡°Hmm, well, I suppose it¡¯s due to Olivia¡¯s correspondence. She sort of indicated that Victor, here, was reticent to visit and wouldn¡¯t enjoy a bunch of fanfare. Was she wrong?¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Victor grunted. ¡°Excuse me, dear boy,¡± Borrius said, quickening his stride to walk beside Alec. ¡°I¡¯ve only had a cursory briefing about why we¡¯re coming here aside from meeting a community similarly in poor favor with the Ridonne, but I do have a bit of a concern itching the back of my brain.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°Yes, well, you see, Victor seemed to think that we¡¯re meant to speak to a large gathering about the dangers of allowing oneself to fall behind on Energy cultivation, about the dangers of growing complacent in a universe full of powerful beings who could make their presence known on our little backwater world.¡± Alec nodded. ¡°Um, that¡¯s accurate, I suppose.¡± ¡°Well, what sort of opposition should we expect? It stands to reason that if the people here need convincing, there must be others working to shore up the opposing argument, namely that your current trajectory is the way to go. There must be some profit involved, I¡¯d think.¡± ¡°Ah, yeah.¡± Alec nodded enthusiastically. ¡°I see your point, Lord Borrius.¡± It wasn¡¯t lost on Victor that Alec was buttering the old commander up. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly profit in riches that they¡¯re after, but there is a faction here trying to profit politically by arguing against Olivia¡¯s frequent warnings and trying to marginalize those on Parliament who side with Issa.¡± ¡°As I thought,¡± Borrius said, turning to Victor and winking at him in an utterly uncharacteristic move. ¡°We¡¯re being used as pawns for someone¡¯s political gain. I hope the rewards will be adequate.¡± ¡°Ah . . .¡± Alec seemed a little lost for words, and he glanced at Victor and Valla, then turned back to Borrius. ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s exactly like that, but I won¡¯t deny that there¡¯s a faction of very good people in this settlement who will definitely benefit if you can shut some of the louder know-it-alls up.¡± ¡°Well, Alec,¡± Valla chuckled, breathing in through her nose and twitching her wings as a cool breeze passed over them, ¡°You can rest assured that if there¡¯s one thing Victor¡¯s good at, it¡¯s shutting up know-it-alls.¡± 8.1 Nightmare Manifestation Victor and Ranish Dar sat together on a low, freshly oiled wooden pier that extended from the grounds of his mentor¡¯s house into the placid, deep blue waters of a lake. Sojourn¡¯s atmosphere was thin, though the dense Energy of the small world served to make life comfortable for the people living there. The overall effect, however, was that the stars were almost always visible, especially away from the city. It also made the water look dark and almost like a mirror of the star-filled firmament overhead. The lake was beautiful, and the soft breeze tickling his bare chest as he dried off put Victor at ease as he dangled his feet over the edge. ¡°Enjoying the view?¡± Dar asked, his bright gaze aimed at the brilliant expanse of stars above. ¡°How could I not? When I heard the guide say Sojourn was a ¡®city world,¡¯ I¡¯d thought countryside homes and lakes were out of the question.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a small world, and much of it is taken up by the city. People want to be where the action is, so the vast majority of the populace lives in, around, and above its streets.¡± ¡°Like the, uh, Arcanum where we met?¡± Victor pictured the floating spires on their stony, rune-etched platforms. ¡°Exactly. It doesn¡¯t hurt that grounds such as mine are prohibitively expensive. Those of us who own the lakes, forests, and valleys would charge a dear price for the city to expand.¡± ¡°But no one owns the sky,¡± Victor said, connecting the dots. ¡°That¡¯s why the Arcanum is floating above the city?¡± ¡°Perhaps, though, it¡¯s likely that the first towers were simply put up as a show of power.¡± Dar shrugged and leaned back, basking in the sunlight. ¡°I received word from my driver; your friend is en route.¡± ¡°Lam? That¡¯s great.¡± A knot of tension Victor hadn¡¯t acknowledged melted away. Thanks to the way he''d dominated the challenge dungeon, he knew his friends weren¡¯t exactly safe around the city. He sighed, closing his eyes, enjoying how the cool water lapped on his shins with the gentle waves stirred by the breeze. ¡°I share Farscribe books with Edeya and Valla, so when they finish their dungeons, I¡¯ll pick them up.¡± ¡°Providing you¡¯re available, aye, that¡¯s a good enough idea.¡± ¡°You think I might not be?¡± Victor opened one eye and regarded his stone-fleshed host. ¡°I have tasks and training for you. The city may reach out with one of their demands.¡± He shrugged, both of his blazing eyes still closed. ¡°The future is fickle; don¡¯t make too many plans, especially about trivialities. If you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll see your friends home safely.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Victor started to relax again. ¡°Speaking of tasks, there¡¯s the matter of the Fae girl.¡± ¡°Sora. Right.¡± Victor had been dreading the topic ever since Dar had mentioned it on the coach ride from the city. He didn¡¯t like thinking about his time as the Aspect of Terror, let alone looking at the aftermath. ¡°She¡¯ll likely have a fit and regress when she sees you. Well, perhaps not. In your current form, you don¡¯t resemble the one who terrorized her. You can make yourself smaller, yes?¡± Victor nodded. He was naturally close to Dar¡¯s size, closing in on ten feet, and with just the two of them on the pier, it felt perfectly natural. Still, he¡¯d recently improved his Alter Self spell and knew he could bring himself down to a much less intimidating stature if he wanted to. ¡°Yeah. You think I should be smaller when I see her?¡± ¡°I do. I¡¯m also quite interested in that spell. I noticed a curious lack of its mention in your journal.¡± ¡°Yeah . . .¡± Victor didn¡¯t know how to proceed. Dar was easily one of the top five most powerful people he¡¯d ever known, and he didn¡¯t want to offend him by lying or holding back information, but he also didn¡¯t want to betray Tes¡¯s trust. Now that he¡¯d visited Sojourn and learned about some of the power scales of people in the universe, he couldn¡¯t help wondering how she¡¯d stack up. She hadn¡¯t ever mentioned ¡°iron ranks¡± or ¡°tests of steel,¡± let alone the ¡°lustrous veil¡± that lay beyond. He knew those were terms coined by the old masters of Sojourn, but surely other civilizations had names for the same stages. Or did they? Tes came from a world of dragons, a place where Elder magic reigned, and the System held no sway. Perhaps things were different in that case. How would Tes compare to Dar? Victor had only seen her true form in a couple of illusory glimpses, but he¡¯d felt her aura, or, at least, the part of it she let loose to make a point. What¡¯s more, she¡¯d been altering herself down to the size of a petite human. If Victor changed himself so much, his Core would be a fraction of itself, yet Tes had been starting from the size and shape of a dragon! Even so reduced, she¡¯d been immensely powerful. ¡°My innocent question seems to have set your mind¡¯s gears spinning,¡± Dar chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m trying to think of a way to explain to you, without offending you, that a very powerful being taught me how to do that magic and made me promise not to spread that knowledge.¡± ¡°And you fear angering this being?¡± Dar¡¯s stony brow lifted over one eye. ¡°I . . . fear what it would do to my spirit if I betrayed her trust.¡± ¡°Ah! Don¡¯t lose sleep over it. We¡¯ve years of study and work ahead of us. Perhaps one day you¡¯ll introduce me to this friend of yours, or perhaps you¡¯ll realize the secret isn¡¯t something you need to fear sharing. It¡¯s possible I know more about it than you think.¡± Dar winked at him, and then, with a grunt, he stood, water streaming off his stone legs. Victor shook his head; he kept thinking of Dar¡¯s flesh as stone, but he knew it wasn¡¯t. It moved and felt like flesh. ¡°Come, it¡¯s time you faced your handiwork.¡± Victor swallowed a groan as it tried to escape his lips and hopped up, nodding. He summoned a clean pair of pants and a comfortable, loose, linen shirt. Dar gestured to the house. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you on the deck if you want to change.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Victor watched his retreating back, and then he quickly slipped out of his damp, homemade shorts; he¡¯d cut the legs off a pair of torn pants. He pulled on his dry clothes, shrugged into Lifedrinker¡¯s harness, and then, still barefoot, made his way up the long, steep flight of sandstone steps to the house. It was situated on a hill, but the slope was severe enough that Victor couldn¡¯t see the house until he stepped onto the upper landing. The back of the residence was set with windows that opened onto a broad wooden deck that overlooked the lake, and Dar stood near one of the big glass doors, waiting for him. It was a beautiful, well-appointed home, but it wasn¡¯t ostentatious. It had a few large living spaces¡ªa dining room, two parlors, a library, and half a dozen or so bedrooms. Everything was open and bright, and Victor had the distinct impression that it was designed as a place for Dar to relax. Victor liked the white-washed brick exterior walls and the tarnished copper roof; it looked like it belonged to the rocky, hilly landscape. Soft-spoken servants, all wearing the same uniform of pale blue shirts over tan pants, could be seen here and there, cleaning, cooking, and basically waiting on Dar¡¯s every whim. In the few hours Victor had been at the house, he¡¯d seen at least four different servants, but they all looked related¡ªgreen skin, yellow eyes, and pointy ears. He was curious whether they worked for a company or directly for Dar and, if so, why they all looked so similar. The topic hadn¡¯t come up yet, so he pushed the thoughts aside as he stepped across the deck and followed Dar through the giant-sized glass door into one of the home¡¯s parlors. ¡°The Fae girl is in one of the bedrooms. My steward restrained her for her safety.¡± He didn¡¯t elaborate, but Victor could read between the lines. Whatever his alter ego had infected her with might drive her to harm herself. ¡°I¡¯m going to explain what you must do, but then I¡¯ll leave you to it. My presence seemed to alarm her.¡± ¡°Oh, you checked on her already?¡± ¡°Yes, while you were swimming, I took a look.¡± They were standing in a hallway now, and Dar nodded toward one of the closed wooden doors. ¡°Fear not; these doors and rooms are enchanted against prying ears. When I examined her, I could see the infection you caused, and while it would be devastating if left unchecked, it¡¯s nothing a strong Spirit Caster with the proper affinity couldn¡¯t remedy.¡± He inclined his head toward Victor. ¡°It should be trivial for the original caster to rectify.¡±Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say the other guy . . . what was his name? I wanna say Eleanor . . .¡± ¡°Elandor. Yes, his mentor came to me distraught, but I¡¯ll be surprised if he hasn¡¯t paid someone to fix the lad by now. I¡¯ll check on it before I send you there.¡± ¡°I thought you were going to give me a choice.¡± Victor¡¯s objection was half-hearted. He and Dar both knew he¡¯d do it. As if to illustrate that point, Dar ignored his words. ¡°When you look with your inner eye upon the girl beyond yonder door, you¡¯ll see that your fear-attuned Energy has manifested into a sort of pseudo spirit and is assaulting her on two fronts. It attacks her Core on this plane, and on the Spirit Plane, it attacks her very spirit. It¡¯s powered by your will, so it shouldn¡¯t be difficult to command it to return home. Pull that Energy out of her, and, if you must, Spirit Walk to claim any that resists.¡± ¡°Seems easy enough.¡± Victor scratched the back of his neck, wondering if he¡¯d missed something. Dar was quick to drop the other shoe: ¡°There will be a small challenge involved. Your fear manifestation has been corrupting her Energy, attuning it to fear, making it something you could cultivate if you wanted. You may find it difficult to resist the urge to drain her dry, which would kill her just as surely as if you opened one of her veins.¡± ¡°Shit. Is that going to mess up her Core?¡± Dar clapped him on the shoulder. ¡°Not permanently. Once you remove the influencing corruption, her Core will slowly cleanse itself. You have a powerful will. Use it. Silence your urges and command your Energy to return. This is an excellent chance for you to practice¡ªa safe exercise; if she dies, none will come looking for her.¡± ¡°What the fuck, Dar?¡± Victor looked at his new mentor with sudden anger flaring behind his eyes. Dar scowled at him and shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m simply trying to put your mind at ease. This woman has no family or sponsor in Sojourn. Her homeworld is distant, as are her kin, and none know that I brought her here.¡± His big hand was still on Victor¡¯s shoulder. It was heavy, but none of his aura leaked out, and though his face was scowling, Victor didn¡¯t feel any anger. Was the man testing him? Was he making light of Sora¡¯s life to see how Victor would act? ¡°I¡¯m not going to kill her.¡± Victor turned to the door and took a step, part of him bracing, wondering if Dar would tighten his grip and stop him, but the giant let his hand drop. Victor stopped before the door, concentrated, and cast Alter Self, shrinking himself back to his old human proportions¡ªjust a fit, broad-shouldered man of about six feet. Without looking back, he opened the door and stepped through. The first thing he noticed was the stench. It smelled like sweat and piss and fear. Idly, he wondered when he¡¯d begun to be able to smell that scent. Had he always? ¡°No,¡± he whispered as his eyes caught up with his nose, and he took in the scene. The curtains were mostly closed, allowing only a sliver of light into the spacious suite. Closed doors on the left and right led away to other rooms, but there, in the main chamber, the space was dominated by a big, four-poster bed draped with gauzy, pale blue curtains. A table, bookcase, and several comfortable chairs filled the rest of the space. Victor stepped onto a plush, dark carpet and moved toward the bed, noting the shadowed, veiled figure writhing there. He could hear ragged breaths, whispered words, and the soft clink of chains. Victor reached up a hand to Lifedrinker¡¯s haft, seeking some comfort as his nerves suddenly turned to ice. He¡¯d seen countless horrors, from monsters to evil men to the terrible aftermath on a battlefield, but this was something different. Sora wasn¡¯t a monster. She wasn¡¯t a dead soldier. She was a person twisted by the dark side of Victor¡¯s spirit, made ill and mad by the force of his will. Lifedrinker¡¯s haft was warm, and he felt strength radiating from her. Suddenly, he felt ashamed. Who was he to hide from his own handiwork? Did he answer to his fear, or did it answer to him? Growling, Victor summoned a torrent of inspiration-attuned Energy and cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin. As his eyes flared with the white-gold Energy, the shadows fell back, driven away by the clarity of his mind. He strode forward, and in three long steps, he was at Sora¡¯s bedside, throwing aside the gauzy curtains. She lay there, wrists and ankles bound by padded silver chains to the bed¡¯s posts. Sora¡¯s eyes were wild, wide open, and bloodshot. Her gray, nearly white hair was a sweat-matted mess, and he could see the sheets around her were drenched¡ªsweat or urine or both; Victor wasn¡¯t sure. It smelled like both. She wore the same clothes she¡¯d had on in the dungeon, though someone had removed her leather armor, leaving her in a soft, earth-toned, close-fitting vest over stained, tan pants. Her lips were pale and cracked with dehydration, her cheeks devoid of color, and when she briefly focused on him, a whisper croaked in her throat, but Victor couldn¡¯t make out the words. ¡°Shit, chica,¡± Victor sighed, reaching down to grasp her wrist. She tried to pull away, but Victor¡¯s fingers were like iron bands, his arm an immovable force. Still, he held her gently and willed his inspiration to extend, to include her. ¡°Come on, focus on me. You¡¯re okay. Whatever you''re seeing or feeling¡ªit¡¯s not real.¡± She continued to writhe, her knees going up and down, her hips shifting left and right, her head flopping about on the pillow. It almost seemed like she was trying to get something off herself. ¡°Goddamn it,¡± he hissed, ¡°If I knew this was so bad, I wouldn¡¯t have been swimming like an asshole while you were suffering. Fucking Dar should have said something.¡± Victor¡¯s frown deepened, and he closed his eyes, turning his gaze inward, starting with his Core and pathways as he always did to open his inner eye. He quickly let his gaze travel out of himself, and that¡¯s when he saw and felt the rich, roiling storm of fear-attuned Energy raging at the center of Sora¡¯s being. Despite himself, something in Victor felt excited, like a wolf eyeing a wounded rabbit. It would be so easy to pull that Energy out of her, to add it to his Core, swelling it, pushing it toward another advancement. Victor looked at the temptation abstractly, almost like he was outside his body, watching himself figuratively salivate over the feast his corruption had created for him. He squashed that feeling, crushing it into nothing with his will, and then he turned back to Sora and traced the corruption away from her Core into her pathways. He could see his Energy there, and, almost like an echo of one of his spirit companions, he recognized the shape of his spirit. Dar¡¯s description was apt; his spell had created a pseudo-spirit entity that was carrying out his Aspect of Terror¡¯s will. With a surge of focused will, Victor walled off Sora¡¯s Core and pulled the corruption, dragging it through her pathways and into his, through the connection where he held her wrist. It resisted at first, hungry to complete its task, but once it felt his touch and tasted the familiar grounds of his pathways, it practically charged toward his Core. It rejoined the glowering ball of purple-black Energy from whence it had spawned. When nothing more came out of Sora, Victor stared for a long time at her Core, watching to see if it would begin to recover, to drive away the corrupted, fear-attuned Energy. If Dar hadn¡¯t warned him, Victor might have tried to help, to siphon away some of that tainted Energy, but he knew better. Her Core needed time to cleanse itself and generate new, properly attuned Energy. If he pulled all of that tainted Energy out, she would die. ¡°Did I get it all?¡± he asked softly, not expecting an answer. Sora¡¯s writhing had ceased, and she lay with closed eyes, still pale and slick with sweat but quiet. Victor kept hold of her wrist, then sat on the side of the bed, shifting her slightly to make more room. He needed to see how things looked on the Spirit Plane. He wasn¡¯t worried about his body; he was in Dar¡¯s home, and there wasn¡¯t any way anyone would get to him to cause harm without the powerful Spirit Caster knowing. Additionally, if Dar wanted to harm him, he didn¡¯t need Victor to be on the Spirit Plane to do so. He closed his eyes, built the pattern for Spirit Walk, and flooded it with Energy. When he looked around, the house was gone, and he was sitting on a large, flat stone overlooking the twilight landscape of Sojourn. Before he could take in the vista, marveling at the changes between the world¡¯s Spirit Plane version and that on the Material Plane, he noticed the coiled, black-feathered serpent on the stone beside him. It was both alien and familiar, and Victor knew it was the manifestation of the pseudo-spirit his Aspect of Terror had created to infect Sora. It watched him through hooded eyes, black with vertical red pupils. As he regarded it, the serpent¡¯s tongue flicked out and seemed to lap up some misty white Energy that coalesced in the air before it. ¡°Is that Sora¡¯s spirit?¡± he growled. The serpent unwound and slithered toward him, but Victor didn¡¯t flinch. It was probably four feet long with weird, glossy black feathers adorning its scales that invited his touch as it slithered into his lap, slowly sliding up along his chest, resting against him like it was coming home. Part of Victor wanted to recoil, but part of him recognized the serpent as part of himself. Its weight was comfortable, its chilly aura a perfect echo to the resonance of his fear-attuned Energy. ¡°Okay, hombre. You¡¯re done. Leave her alone now and come home.¡± The serpent¡¯s head was on his shoulder, and it lifted further still, bringing its face close to his and looking him in the eyes. Its dark tongue flickered out again, and then it simply burst into a cloud of purple-black smoke. Unlike natural smoke, though, it didn¡¯t waft away. Rather, it settled on Victor and sank into him, and regardless of his wants or desires, he felt a massive influx of fear-attuned Energy. Victor grunted in surprise as his Core swelled, stretching to bursting and then compressed with a soul-jarring pulse of Energy. ***Congratulations! Your Core has advanced: Advanced 9.*** ¡°Shit,¡± Victor muttered, then he cut the Energy feeding his Spirit Walk spell. As the material world slammed into his senses, he jerked his head, looking at Sora, hoping she was all right. To his relief, some color tinted her cheeks, and her eyes were closed as she breathed deep, steady breaths. He reasoned that the serpent had been the spiritual manifestation of his spell and had been slowly feeding on the corrupted Energy from Sora¡¯s Core, siphoning it like a leech. Using his inner eye, he looked at her Core again and saw it was still roiling with fear-attuned Energy, but that, at its center, a tiny, pale pearl of pale shimmering Energy slowly grew. Victor was reasonably sure that as her Core recovered, it would slowly push out the corrupted Energy, and she¡¯d be okay. ¡°Are you in there, Sora?¡± He squeezed her wrist, still cool to the touch, but then, everyone¡¯s skin felt cool to Victor¡¯s hot hands. Her eyelids fluttered, and she took a slow, wheezy breath. It took a few seconds, but her gray eyes finally focused on him. She licked her cracked lips and croaked, ¡°Victor?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Victor summoned a copper water bottle from one of his rings and handed it to her. ¡°Drink that.¡± ¡°What . . .¡± Her eyes widened, and something flickered behind her irises like a shadow, and she shuddered. She squeezed them shut, took the bottle, gulped several mouthfuls, and then handed it back. ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to say that I feel terrified right now. My Energy feels wrong, and I keep having flashes of . . . nightmares. Has my Core been poisoned?¡± ¡°Sort of. I removed the infection; it¡¯ll recover. You¡¯ll probably feel much better if you can sleep until tomorrow.¡± ¡°You removed it? Why?¡± ¡°I caused it! I guess I tore you with my talons or something; it¡¯s all a blur to me. I mean, whenever I wear that aspect, things are unclear afterward.¡± She closed her eyes, and he could tell she relived some painful memories. When they opened again, he could see she had more questions, but she looked around, taking in the gauzy curtains around the bed and the dim room beyond. ¡°Where am I?¡± ¡°At my, uh, mentor¡¯s house. He had you picked up when he saw you didn¡¯t have anyone looking after you.¡± Sora glanced at his hand, where it held her wrist, then up into his eyes. ¡°Weren¡¯t you taller before?¡± Before he could answer, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re not angry?¡± Her eyes pooled with tears. ¡°Seriously? I thought you were going to be pissed at me. I mean, you just went through a day of hell.¡± ¡°It¡¯s . . . I don¡¯t remember it all.¡± Her voice was quiet and soft, and he could see her eyes getting heavy. Whether she remembered it or not, Victor¡¯s nightmare manifestation had done a number on her. He found himself feeling more than a little responsible for her. Learning that she had no mentor or family in the city and that one of Dar¡¯s people had found her alone and taken her without any objection¡ªit all felt a little sad. He recognized the feeling as different than guilt; they¡¯d been fighting, and she¡¯d known the risks. He wasn¡¯t guilty. He supposed he just empathized with her. Even he, the only earthling in this part of the universe, had a support group here in Sojourn. How bad would it feel to not only lose but to find yourself alone afterward? ¡°All right,¡± Victor shook his head, standing. ¡°Time for you to get some rest. We can talk more tomorrow.¡± His musings loosened his tongue, and he added, ¡°Hey, you know what?¡± ¡°What?¡± He couldn¡¯t help noticing how she turned her hand up, her fingers stretching toward his. Victor took a step back, but he smiled and said, ¡°I guess we¡¯re more than just dungeon friends.¡± 8.2 An Earnest Appeal Lam sighed and stood, stretching as she took another deep breath of fresh lake air. She¡¯d been relaxing on the little sandy, gravel-strewn beach outside the entrance to the Grotto, reluctant to leave in case Edeya and Darren found something was wrong and came out prematurely. She¡¯d hardly noticed the hours ticking by as she lazily soaked in the sun and listened to the water lapping against the stony shore. She wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d been enjoying the day; ten or so others, even a couple with a child, had been picnicking on the sand. It was strange to think that children could be playing just a stone¡¯s throw from the entrance to a dungeon. It said a lot about how tame and regulated Sojourn was. ¡°Guess they¡¯re not coming out early,¡± she sighed, brushing the sand off her butt. With just a touch of obsessiveness, she pulled out the Farscribe book she shared with Edeya and flipped to the last page, ensuring she hadn¡¯t missed a message. The last note was still the same: We¡¯re in. Everything¡¯s fine¡ªwrite to you before we camp for the night. Lam couldn¡¯t argue with that, so she tucked the book away and started following the path out of the narrow lakeside gorge. The cave entrance and the beach were at one end, while the access road and public transportation were at the other. Looking up, squinting into the setting sun, Lam was tempted to flutter her wings and fly to the top, but she saw other flight-gifted folks soaring by occasionally, and she wasn¡¯t sure of the etiquette of it all. If she were honest, she might admit that she didn¡¯t want to flutter around while people soared past¡ªGhelli flight was best used for flitting between branches, not gliding through canyons. She¡¯d met a few who were fast and could fly great distances, but they had other, more advanced bloodlines. Lam¡¯s race was listed simply as ¡°Ghelli,¡± and when she¡¯d pushed it into advanced, her wings had grown, and she had gotten faster, but nothing like how Valla could fly. ¡°A strange tangent,¡± she muttered, shaking her head. Was she already talking to herself? ¡°I¡¯m not that lonely!¡± She blushed a little when a pair of youngsters hurried past her, eyeing her strangely as they went. Sighing, she inwardly admitted she was, indeed, lonely and, on top of that, worried. It was quite normal for her to find odd topics to think about to keep from obsessing over Edeya. To her, it seemed mad to send her into a dungeon after all that she¡¯d been through, but everyone disagreed. Victor was the only one who¡¯d been partially on her side, but only because he worried too much. In a way, his agreement had helped Lam to take a second look at herself and realize she was being just as bad. Ultimately, it hadn¡¯t been anyone¡¯s decision but Edeya¡¯s. Well, she supposed, Edeya¡¯s and Darren''s. They were both adults, and they both wanted to go in. ¡°That was that,¡± she sighed, rounding, she was reasonably sure, the last bend before she¡¯d climb a slight slope to the cluster of carts and temporary storefronts. Apparently, many trailheads started at the same point, and people came out this way for recreation, nature walks, and access to not only the Grotto but several other low-level dungeons. The city rented space near the road to merchants¡ªfood vendors, general suppliers, alchemists, and even taxidermists who would buy pelts and monster trophies. As she crested the rise and saw more and more people, Lam took in the eager faces and the bouncing steps and felt a little jealous. What would she have given to grow up in a place like this? What would she have given to have parents who supported her, whom she didn¡¯t have to flee to seek a life of fortune, selling her early years to the Empire and its Legion? The thought brought her round full circle to Darren and Edeya, and she nodded, a little pride swelling her chest. If she couldn¡¯t have it, then they would. She couldn¡¯t have it, could she? A far-fetched idea began to tickle the back of her mind. ¡°Excuse me, miss,¡± a tremulous voice called from a nearby open-backed wagon. Lam paused and turned toward it, her hand opening, ready to summon her hammer from her ring. A girl, maybe seven years old, looking very much like a little red-skinned Shadeni with red, almost pink irises, looked back at her. She was sitting at the back of the wagon, her legs dangling, and beside her was a box of polished stones. Lam was curious about seeing a Shadeni there, so she stepped toward the wagon, looking for an adult that might belong to the girl. When she didn¡¯t see anyone, she said, ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Yes, miss. Are you from Fanwath?¡± She had a sweet, sing-song voice, and Lam smiled at her, nodding. ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°My da has friends who look like you.¡± ¡°Your father?¡± ¡°Aye, miss. He works in Lord Warin-dak¡¯s household.¡± That statement made everything fall into place. Of course, the Ridonne would bring servants over with them. ¡°And you, sweetling? What are you doing here?¡± ¡°My da drops me off some mornings so I can sell some little enchantments. Luck stones.¡± She smiled with pride, exposing her pointy canines as she gestured to the case of polished rocks. ¡°Luck stones, hmm?¡± Lam looked again at the sun moving toward the western horizon. ¡°And you¡¯ve been here all day? By yourself?¡± ¡°Aye, miss. My da will pick me up when he¡¯s done for the day in the lord¡¯s kennels.¡± Lam stepped closer, peering at the colorful, smooth stones. ¡°What do they do?¡± ¡°Well, miss, I¡¯m a Spirit Caster like my granny, at least that¡¯s what my da told me. I was born here in Sojourn, so I¡¯ve never met her. I have an affinity for luck, and I put a bit of my spirit into these stones while I polish them. If you have one of my stones in your pocket, you''ll find things looking up for you!¡± Lam narrowed her eyes and looked more closely at the little girl. She didn¡¯t seem to be lying. She reached for one of the stones, ¡°May I?¡± ¡°Please!¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Lam hefted the little, smooth stone. It was striated with shades of orange and gray, but she felt some warmth emanating, just a hint of Energy. ¡°Luck, you say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, miss.¡± Lam idly rubbed the stone with her thumb, enjoying the sensation. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Dalla, miss.¡± She ducked her head subserviently. ¡°Well, Dalla, I know a very strong Spirit Caster, and he¡¯s going to be thrilled to learn about you. Would you mind if I bought a few of your stones?¡± ¡°A few?¡± Her reserved formality faded as her bright eyes widened. ¡°Oh, aye. I can¡¯t buy one for just one of my friends. Let¡¯s see. I need . . .¡± Lam counted on her fingers as she silently recited the names of her friends. ¡°Six of them.¡± ¡°I sell ¡®em for three beads each, miss. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Oh, sure. Pick me out your best six, and I¡¯ll get your payment.¡± While she fished out one of her sacks of Energy beads, Lam couldn¡¯t help thinking of the strange coincidence. She¡¯d run into Warin-dak himself just the other night, and now she¡¯d come across one of his servants¡¯ children? Was this an elaborate ruse? The stones were harmless, and she couldn¡¯t deny the positive nature of the Energy within them. Victor would likely know more¡ªReading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Ahem, would you be the Lady Lam?¡± a stodgy voice behind her asked. Lam whirled, once again ready to summon her hammer, Victor¡¯s warning fresh in her mind. She relaxed immediately when she saw a small, elderly man with wrinkled green skin and bright white hair. He wore a coachman¡¯s livery¡ªa tall black hat, black jacket, and a striped gray and blue shirt tucked into black pants. She nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m one of Lord Dar¡¯s coachmen.¡± ¡°Dar? Oh! Ranish Dar?¡± The man nodded, the folds of skin on his neck piling up into four distinct layers. ¡°Yes, my lady. Your companion, Victor, has requested you join him at Lord Dar¡¯s lake house.¡± ¡°Really? My, how things change! Back home, it was I sending coaches around for Victor.¡± Lam sighed, shaking her head, then turned back to the little girl. She carefully counted out eighteen beads into her cupped hands, then added three more and offered her a wink. ¡°Those are for you, just in case your father¡¯s counting your profits.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, mi . . .¡± She caught herself, looked at Dar¡¯s driver, and quickly said, ¡°My lady.¡± ¡°Sweet girl, you can call me Lam. I hope we meet again.¡± ¡°Me too!¡± Darra said, quickly looking down. Lam knew if her skin weren¡¯t so red, she¡¯d see her cheeks flush with color. She laughed and reached out to tousle the girl¡¯s thick black hair. ¡°Did you pick me six good ones?¡± ¡°Aye! The best!¡± She scooped up a little pile of the stones she¡¯d gathered by her knee. ¡°They¡¯re all good, but this one,¡± she held up a gray, silver-flecked, flat stone, about twice the size of Lam¡¯s thumbnail, ¡°is very lucky.¡± She smiled again, her sharp, white teeth flashing. Lam nodded and took the stones into her palm. ¡°Then I¡¯ll keep that one with me.¡± ¡°Thank you again, Lady, um, Lam.¡± Again, the little girl ducked her head, and Lam¡¯s heart almost burst. Did she want a child so badly? She sighed, gently tousled her hair again, then turned back to the driver. ¡°Well? Shouldn¡¯t you show me Lord Dar¡¯s sigil or something?¡± ¡°Of course, my lady.¡± The driver opened his black jacket, displaying a complicated pattern on his vest¡¯s left breast. It meant nothing to Lam, but from what she¡¯d gathered about Dar and the city of Sojourn, it would be suicide for someone to go around pretending to be a member of his household. She nodded and gestured down the row of carts, wagons, and stands. ¡°Lead the way.¡± He pivoted on his heel and began striding toward a hovering, brass-colored metallic conveyance shaped vaguely like a coach¡ªone with no need for wheels or a tongue to tether animals. The inside was spacious, decorated in plush burgundy velour fabric and buttery smooth leather. Lam was the only occupant; the coachman closed her in and entered a different compartment. She sighed, leaning back in one of the soft couches, and opened the perfectly tooled little cabinets, curious about what a man like Ranish Dar stocked in his coach. As her stomach flipped, indicating the vehicle had lurched into motion, she found a collection of liquors and crystal tumblers. Lam smiled as her mouth began to salivate at the idea of a strong drink; she¡¯d been too stressed lately. Didn¡¯t she deserve to let go a little? Edeya was ¡°safe¡± in the dungeon; none of Victor¡¯s enemies could reach her there. Lam nodded to herself and poured a quarter glass of a rich, caramel-colored liquor into it. The smell wafting from the glass reminded her of decadent spices and brown sugar. The first sip altered that opinion as she coughed, wondering if her breath had turned to fire. The second sip went down easier, and Lam was certain the liquor was her new favorite by the third. She wasn¡¯t sure how long the ride took because, as the tension left her body and the warm buzz of the alcohol brought a silly smile to her face, she began to doze. Of course, her half-waking thoughts were focused on Edeya. She saw her smile and heard her laugh. She watched her shouting, her face fiercely determined as she worked to be just as tough as Victor and the other Deep Delvers. The coach vibrated slightly, startling her awake, and Lam chuckled as she tried to snatch at the dream, adding it to her waking memories. When was the last time she¡¯d thought of the mine? What a strange life! ¡°We¡¯ve arrived, Lady Lam,¡± the coachman said, standing just outside the open door. Lam yawned and stretched, then, graceful as a cat, slid out of the coach and onto the pink and tan cobbles of a walkway leading to a charming little estate with a tarnished copper roof and white-washed stone walls. In the distance, she could see a long, narrow, landlocked lake, its waters so dark and reflective that they looked like a mirror to the dark, starlit sky. ¡°Lovely,¡± she said, smiling. ¡°Yes, my lady. Lord Dar is proud of this property. He and your friend await within.¡± He gestured toward the house. ¡°Excellent.¡± Lam nodded to him, fished out a handful of Energy beads, and held them out. He accepted them with a smile, and Lam winked, breezing past. At least that was common ground between Fanwath and Sojourn¡ªthe servant class was eager for a few extra beads. Or, she supposed, he may have been humoring her. Perhaps she¡¯d just gravely insulted him. The idea made her laugh, and she enjoyed her sudden good mood. A green-skinned, bald man with sharply pointed ears stood near the front door and pulled it wide as she approached. ¡°Welcome, Lady Lam. The Lord and his guest are on the rear deck. Shall I guide you?¡± ¡°Just point the way, good man.¡± As he did so, she paused on the threshold and gave him a closer look, peering into his yellow irises. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the hour?¡± ¡°Just past seven.¡± ¡°Ah, not so bad. I had such a restful ride in Dar¡¯s coach.¡± Lam stretched again, then asked, ¡°Does your culture see gratuities favorably?¡± ¡°Gratuities are always welcome, my lady.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a relief.¡± She smiled and handed him a few Energy beads. ¡°Thank you for your candor.¡± She followed his directions, walking through the foyer, past a small library, a well-appointed parlor, and then into another living area with great, crystal-clear windows open to a deck and the picturesque starlit lake beyond. She saw Dar and Victor right away, standing near the far railing, each holding a glass, talking animatedly. Other green-skinned servants bustled about, nodding deferentially to her as she passed. She stepped onto the smooth, polished decking and said, ¡°Lovely place you have here, Lord Dar.¡± The two men stopped talking, and Victor smiled brightly, his eyes twinkling in the starlight. Dar¡¯s eyes were blazing like tiny suns, per usual, but he offered her a smile and gestured for her to approach. They were both gigantic, making her feel small¡ªan absurd notion considering she was a foot taller than an average Ghelli. Still, as she approached, she had to crane her neck to continue looking them in the eye. ¡°Welcome to my lake house, Lam. Victor¡¯s told me a bit about you today; I understand you¡¯ve a few lovely properties of your own.¡± ¡°I have some nice homes and recently have gained some beautiful acreage, but this is something quite different. Standing here, with the lake below us and the night sky above, it almost feels like we¡¯re soaring through the stars!¡± ¡°Aye! That was my thought when I chose this spot to build. I rather enjoy your description. I may use that to impress the next guest I invite out this way.¡± Dar gestured toward one of the servants and said, ¡°Bring Lady Lam a glass of the forty-year Rovahl.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to like it, Lam,¡± Victor said, grinning, and Lam realized his cheeks were flushed; was the giant idiot drunk? She supposed if anyone had liquor that could get the titan buzzed, it would be Dar. ¡°Your young prot¨¦g¨¦s are safely ensconced in their dungeon?¡± Dar asked, leaning on an elbow, likely putting a tremendous strain on the railing, as he tried to lower himself more to Lam¡¯s level. ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s the right word.¡± She didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d call Edeya, and to avoid having to think about it too much, she turned the topic to a target closer to hand. ¡°One time, I might have tried to call Victor that, but he quickly outpaced my grasp.¡± ¡°I know a very abbreviated version of Victor¡¯s history. He mentioned the mine and your role in his escape. I understand you must have been walking a fine line, trying not to anger the lords and ladies you served while attempting to retain some semblance of morality.¡± ¡°I . . .¡± Lam sighed, and it was her turn to feel flushed. How did the topic get around to this? ¡°I¡¯m not really proud of that time, Lord Dar. Things changed when I met Victor and took Edeya under my wing. I used to do anything possible to improve my lot, to gather wealth and power. I sought a place among the nobility, too blinded by my ambition, my desire to reach a place of respect among them, to see that there were other ways to surpass them. I¡¯m happy to say that, rather than pay homage to their gatekeepers, I joined with Victor, and we made our own gate.¡± ¡°You disagree with the notion of nobility?¡± Dar asked, and Lam wondered if she¡¯d just put her foot in her mouth. ¡°The notion of it?¡± She glanced at Victor and saw that he wasn¡¯t really drunk by the clever gleam in his eyes. He nodded, and Lam pressed on, ¡°I have a problem with nobility as it pertains to people being born into positions of power. I¡¯m far more impressed by those who earn their power.¡± ¡°Hard to argue with that,¡± Dar nodded. He gestured to her right, and Lam turned to see one of his servants holding a tray out to her, a tumbler like Victor¡¯s, but smaller, at its center. She lifted the chilled crystal and smelled the amber liquor within. It reminded her quite a lot of the alcohol she¡¯d helped herself to in Dar¡¯s coach. A sip confirmed it was the same stuff, and her smile widened as her tastebuds woke up. ¡°Excellent stuff, Lord Dar.¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of my favorites. Well, Lam, tell me, what will you do with yourself for the next few days?¡± ¡°Honestly? I had an idea, Lord Dar. I know Victor¡¯s going to be learning from you for the next, um, few years.¡± She knew she was making an understatement; Victor had agreed to ten years of servitude, though honestly, it didn¡¯t exactly look like Dar intended to make him work in a quarry. Victor shifted, perhaps uncomfortable with the reminder. Lam smiled and fluttered her wings, sending motes of golden Energy sparkling down behind her. She watched as both men¡¯s eyes followed the motion, distracted as people always were by the display. She fished her hand into the pocket where she¡¯d stowed Dalla¡¯s stone and gently rubbed it with her thumb. Grinning, she continued, ¡°Dar, might I bargain for your help?¡± She purposefully left off his honorific. ¡°Hmm?¡± He looked into her bright emerald eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this. Should I sober up before I hear your proposal?¡± ¡°I would think a great man such as you could match wits with a lowly soldier like me, no matter the drink involved!¡± Again, she fluttered her wings and leaned closer, resting one of her hands on the railing between Dar and Victor. ¡°What¡¯s this got to do with me serving Dar, Lam?¡± Victor¡¯s tone proved her right; she was making him nervous. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re going to be in Sojourn for years, and Edeya¡¯s going to be here learning and challenging dungeons and . . . other things, I don¡¯t see me running back to Fanwath to live.¡± Dar took a big sip from his very large tumbler of alcohol. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Well, when you saved Edeya, and she lost all those levels, you mentioned something I found very intriguing. You said something to the effect that there were powerful people who paid greatly for opportunities to have a second run at gaining their levels and Classes, that they sought out master Spirit Casters to perform something very much like what Edeya went through.¡± ¡°This is true,¡± Dar nodded. ¡°Lam . . .¡± Victor started to say. Lam put her hand on Victor¡¯s wrist, startled by how hot his flesh felt. She licked her lips, swallowed, and, in a rush, asked the question, uttering the idea she¡¯d barely realized she¡¯d formed in the back of her mind, ¡°Well, what would it take for me to get you to do that to me? What favor or price could I pay to get you to wash away my accumulated Energy and bring me closer to Edeya¡¯s level? 8.3 Dinner Time As Lam uttered her request, Victor felt his eyebrows shoot up, and even Dar grew quiet, staring with his blazing eyes into Lam¡¯s. Was she serious? Victor couldn¡¯t imagine the Lam he knew giving away most of her levels and power. He found his brain scrambling for explanations. Was it all about Edeya? Was she going through some kind of identity crisis? He knew Kethelket had saved her from Catalina; had that near-death experience made her reconsider her strength, seeing weakness where once she¡¯d seen power? While his tongue was tied with too many questions to choose from, Dar simply said, ¡°Why?¡± Lam smiled, perhaps taking the lack of an instant refusal as a good sign. Victor saw her thumb moving, rubbing against her palm or something small she clutched there. She looked up, her eyes filling with moisture as she gathered her thoughts. ¡°Many reasons,¡± she finally said. ¡°I¡¯d like to hear them before considering your request.¡± Dar¡¯s voice was softer than Victor had ever heard; there was no grating of boulders for Lam, but rather the soft susurration of gravel washed along stone by a gentle stream. ¡°To begin with, there¡¯s the obvious,¡± Lam said, wiping her eyes and smiling. ¡°I love Edeya, and I want to be close to her. It could take years for her to approach my level. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll find it hard to advance, knowing I¡¯d continue to leave her behind. Valla and Lesh invited me to their dungeon dive; part of me wanted to go, but another part hated the idea of gaining another level while I¡¯m already nearly forty ahead of Edeya.¡± ¡°How do you love her? As a mother? An older sibling? In such a role, being more powerful is natural, it¡¯s . . .¡± ¡°Not like that,¡± Lam said, smiling and, to Victor¡¯s horror, blushing. What had become of the stoic champion he¡¯d so idolized? Blushing? ¡°Ah,¡± Dar nodded. ¡°What else?¡± ¡°I had a base-tier Class until twenty. I¡¯ve only had an advanced Class since. I was preoccupied with fast levels and gaining wealth; I took Classes with those short-sighted goals in mind. I¡¯d like another chance to make those selections, to earn more powerful options.¡± As Dar nodded, she continued, ¡°More than anything, I crave the experience of adventuring with friends and learning for the sake of it. I never had friends or companions when I was at a low level. I joined the Legion, and everything was competitive; everyone was scheming. The few friends I made died or moved on, constantly transferred. I didn¡¯t see my first dungeon until I was tier-three, and that wasn¡¯t a fun experience, though I did make a valuable ally.¡± She looked at Victor and smiled, ¡°Polo.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Victor said, nodding as he finally found his voice. ¡°Is this really something people do, Dar?¡± Dar leaned back on the railing, causing the wood to creak ominously, though he seemed unbothered by the sound. ¡°Very few, for obvious reasons. First, it takes a great leap of faith to relinquish decades worth of growth for the chance at a second run. Few people consider their lot so bad that it¡¯s worthwhile. I had an heir to an imperial throne from a world called Rikahl as a supplicant because he¡¯d failed to earn the Class all of his forefathers had held. He gave away eighty-nine levels. I wonder how he did on his second attempt . . .¡± Dar rubbed his chin, shrugging. ¡°Well, no matter. The second reason is that only a few Spirit Casters on a handful of worlds know how to perform the ritual. Yes, and I suppose there¡¯s a third factor: cost.¡± Victor sighed, knowing Lam had nothing Ranish Dar needed. He could only think of one thing that might pique the Spirit Master¡¯s interest, and there wasn¡¯t any way he was giving that up, not unless it meant saving someone¡¯s life¡ªthe ivid royal jelly. Lam, apparently, didn¡¯t share his pessimism. ¡°I¡¯m not one to be scared away by high costs, Ranish.¡± Victor almost snorted, hearing Lam use Dar¡¯s first name. Had he heard anyone call him Ranish? ¡°No. No, Lady Lam, I¡¯d be inclined to believe that statement. You¡¯ve quite a determined look in your eye. In fact, you remind me of my young prot¨¦g¨¦ here. It¡¯s no wonder you took to each other when he was naught but a slave.¡± Lam looked at Victor, and when their eyes locked, Victor couldn¡¯t help smiling. He remembered the first time he saw her back in the mines, how he¡¯d been utterly struck dumb by her beauty and power. The memory made him consider what she was asking of Dar in a different light; she was fearless. When she saw something she wanted, she took it. If she couldn¡¯t, she changed her life around that goal until she could. He nodded, deciding to take up her cause. ¡°You should do it, Dar. Earning Lam as an ally is worth it¡ªshe has a spine of solid steel.¡± ¡°Is that what you¡¯re offering, Lady? An alliance? A favor owed?¡± Something about Dar¡¯s tone and the way his eyes blazed gave the words a lot more weight than their simple nature warranted. Dar was a man who might be thousands of years old; he had the patience to make long, long bargains. Lam seemed to understand the weight of his words, too. She locked her emerald eyes on Dar¡¯s blazing ones, and her green irises sparkled with the reflected light. They stared at each other for several long seconds, and then she nodded. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll pay.¡± Dar straightened up, and Victor imagined the railing breathed a sigh of relief. Dar gestured for Lam to sit down around a small outdoor firepit one of his servants was stoking. The chairs arranged around it were of various sizes. Some were just right for Victor or Dar, but several were perfect for people of Lam¡¯s stature. Once they¡¯d all taken a seat and were comfortably looking at one another over the faintly crackling fire, the Master Spirit Caster said, ¡°I¡¯d like to explain a few things to you before we continue this negotiation.¡± ¡°I¡¯m all ears, sir,¡± Lam said, suddenly more deferential. ¡°Ensure you pay attention, Victor. This may become one of your first lessons.¡± Victor was already quite piqued, but the idea that Dar might teach him how to do the, apparently, secret ritual really got his attention. He nodded and leaned forward as Dar continued speaking, ¡°Lam, you need to know that there¡¯s some risk involved. What you ask for is known as a type of resurrection: we¡¯ll have to take your spirit from your body, leaving behind a tiny shard that I¡¯ll cleave from the whole. Once that¡¯s done, the ritual, which I won¡¯t explain at this time, will require the greater part of your spirit to pass through a crucible, testing it and burning away your Energy to protect it in the process. Your spirit, newly reforged in the process, will be reunited with the tiny shard in your body, bringing you back to life with a stronger spirit and broader karmic ties. You¡¯ll have a new chance at all the things for which you yearn.¡± Lam¡¯s eyes were wide, and she leaned forward, hanging on to every word of Dar¡¯s. As he finished, she nodded and fervently whispered, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°However!¡± Dar held up a thick, stony finger, wagging it back and forth. ¡°The crucible must be designed with precision, providing the perfect resistance to your spirit¡¯s passage. If I miscalculate, or your will is too weak, you may not make it. You may fade from this plane of existence, lost to wander the Spirit Plane until such a time that you gather the Energy to breach the veil and begin the journey meant for all once-living spirits.¡± ¡°Do you think you can do it?¡± ¡°Oh, aye, I think so. I¡¯ve been wrong about important things before, however. Bear that in mind.¡± Dar looked at Lam and seemed to like what he saw. He nodded and said, ¡°Dinner then, we¡¯ll toast to our bargain, Lam.¡±This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Truly? You¡¯ll do it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here in Sojourn to recover and amuse myself between tribulations. Victor has already proven his value in that regard, but I wouldn¡¯t mind seeing what you do with yourself if given a second run. I¡¯ll hold you to your word, however, Lam. There¡¯s no escaping an oath to a master of the spirit.¡± Lam launched herself out of her chair, and her wings veritably blazed with golden motes, showering the deck in a carpet of bouncing, sparkling Energy as she fell to her knees before Dar, grasping one of his great, stony hands in her slender, tanned, well-scarred fingers. ¡°Thank you, Lord Dar. Thank you!¡± He nodded, suddenly sober. ¡°You thank me now, Lady Lam, but someday you may find yourself cursing my name.¡± When Lam¡¯s expression didn¡¯t waver, he nodded and said, ¡°Victor and I can perform the ritual. I have plans for him in two days, but if you¡¯re ready, we will do it tomorrow.¡± Victor was almost startled by the use of his name. ¡°You have plans for me . . .¡± ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Lam said earnestly, cutting him off. ¡°Tomorrow, then. Victor, this will be a good lesson for you, and the day after, a good friend of mine, Lo¡¯ro the Grim, will help you start work on a cultivation chamber.¡± Victor heard him, and he nodded, but his mind had drifted back to Dar¡¯s words to Lam. Someday, she may curse his name? Was he trying to say that the payment he took, whatever favor he collected, would be unbearable? He didn¡¯t doubt that Dar could collect what he wanted; he¡¯d keep tabs on Lam, and she¡¯d never be able to outstrip his power before he came calling. Half his mind wanted to warn Lam off, to discourage her from bargaining with the man; wasn¡¯t one of them under his yoke enough? The other half thought about how he¡¯d feel. If someone tried to talk him out of doing whatever he could to be closer to Valla or acted like he was too weak or stupid to enter into a bargain . . . Victor shook his head at the thought¡ªenough to say he¡¯d be pissed. ¡°Why not you?¡± he asked, suddenly snapping back to the current topic. ¡°What, boy?¡± Dar¡¯s chuckle sounded dangerously like a growl. ¡°I use up a precious favor to have one of the most powerful men in Sojourn spend his equally precious time helping you earn the heart of your cultivation chamber, and you dare to imply that I . . .¡± Victor held up both hands in surrender, ¡°No, no! I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I just meant, is there something your friend can do that¡¯s, I don¡¯t know, like, a specialty?¡± ¡°Yes. He can pierce the veil in the Spirit Plane and open a gateway for you. With Lo¡¯ro¡¯s aid, you¡¯ll find spirits twisted into manifestations of your affinities. You¡¯ll need to capture and bring them back to add to your chamber.¡± Victor¡¯s mind painted wild images for him at those words. He¡¯d seen Belikot trying to pierce the veil, pulling spirits through to inhabit his undead armies. It didn¡¯t surprise him that Dar¡¯s friend could easily do what Belikot had been working for years to accomplish, but it also gave him pause. ¡°I¡¯ve seen tormented spirits brought through the veil before. They weren¡¯t happy to be enslaved . . .¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave the finer explanations to Lo¡¯ro, but you won¡¯t deal with intact, mindful spirits. You¡¯re going to be looking for spirits who have been twisted beyond rationality by their obsession with certain darker emotions. Can you guess which ones I mean?¡± Victor didn¡¯t have to think very hard. ¡°Fear and rage.¡± ¡°In one try!¡± Dar chuckled, snapping his fingers with a loud crack. He turned back to Lam, still kneeling on the floor before him. Her eyes had gone distant as she either listened to their side conversation or, Victor guessed, thought about what she¡¯d just agreed to. ¡°Dinner?¡± Dar raised one side of his stony brow. ¡°Yes!¡± Lam jumped up, her wings fluttering to make the move look magical. Victor laughed and also stood. He was hungry and all too willing to push his darker contemplations aside. He¡¯d had a hell of a few months¡ªyears, even¡ªand he was pretty damn sure Dar wasn¡¯t going to be easy on him, so he planned to grab any chance he could to enjoy life. If Lam wanted to be happy right now, if she wanted to celebrate, then Victor wouldn¡¯t throw shadows on the occasion. ¡°All right,¡± he said, ¡°I¡¯m fuckin¡¯ starved!¡± # Darren lifted his boot from the cold water onto the stone and smiled, realizing his feet had survived the passage without getting wet. ¡°These are damn good boots,¡± he whispered. Edeya had already scolded him several times for being too loud. ¡°Victor appreciates good footwear,¡± she laughed, making herself a hypocrite. She visibly winced as her high-pitched voice echoed down the partially submerged passage. ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°Do you think anything¡¯s down there?¡± Darren pointed to the opening they¡¯d spied upon rounding the bend. So far, they hadn¡¯t encountered anything other than cold, damp tunnels, stony caves, and lots and lots of lichen, moss, and, probably, mold. Darren wasn¡¯t great with identifying fungi and the like, but it seemed like all sorts of things were growing in the grotto. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of a dungeon without monsters and traps, so, yeah, be ready,¡± Edeya whispered, shifting her grip on her spear. ¡°Make your light a little brighter.¡± Since he had no other abilities to use his Energy on, he was in charge of providing the light. He pushed a little more Energy into the little, faintly buzzing orb of red electricity floating above his head, and the sparks intensified, losing some of their red tint and shedding a lot more light in the dark tunnel. The walls lost some of their gloomy shadows, and the lichen and fungi brightened, displaying a remarkable array of colors. ¡°Oh, nice,¡± Edeya whispered, ¡°It¡¯s not as red when you brighten it.¡± Darren nodded, feeling proud of his light for some stupid reason. He chuckled, gripped his staff, and gestured toward the tunnel opening. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°We shall!¡± Edeya grinned, and he saw her spear blade start to rime over with a thin layer of frost. He''d learned she had a water affinity, which allowed her to deliver extra cold-based damage with each strike. She said she had other, more potent spells but that she¡¯d have to wait to use them until her level increased and she gained more attribute points and, consequently, more Energy. She stalked toward the opening. His light reflected off the Shimmersteel rings on the back of her vest, and Darren pressed his palm to his own chest, reminding himself he had armor on. He didn¡¯t know if he was terrified or excited, but his hands felt shaky, and his breaths were quick and shallow. ¡°Okay, Darren,¡± he mouthed, not really vocalizing, ¡°get it together. It¡¯s a newbie dungeon. Edeya¡¯s a good fighter. We got this.¡± Just then, Edeya stepped through the opening and froze. When he caught up to her, she pointed, and Darren followed the gesture, taking in the enormous cavern. It was wide but had a low ceiling, covered with more moss or whatever the green, orange, yellow, and white fuzzy stuff was. Water dripped from a dozen shallow points into pools, and about halfway across the expansive space, Darren saw some honest-to-God frogmen lazing about, in and around a large pool of water. ¡°Frogmen?¡± he whispered an inch from Edeya¡¯s ear. She flinched and brushed at her ear, and he could see she wanted to scold him, but she regained her composure and nodded. ¡°Never seen ¡®em before, but they look amphibian. See the clubs?¡± Darren nodded, eyeing the big, polished, yellowed bones some of them clutched. He scanned the cavern, trying to get a count, and came up with five. He whispered as much, ¡°I see five.¡± Edeya nodded. ¡°Same.¡± ¡°Is there a chance they¡¯re friendly?¡± Edeya slapped a hand over her mouth, stifling a snort of laughter. ¡°Friendly frog people? In a dungeon?¡± ¡°I guess that was dumb,¡± Darren sighed. ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s channel our inner Victor,¡± Edeya said, grinning wickedly. ¡°Uh,¡± Darren pictured Victor smashing his tanks, charging headlong into ordnance that would¡¯ve turned an average person to paste. ¡°There are five!¡± ¡°I¡¯m level seven! C¡¯mon, Dare! Get my back!¡± Before he could object further, she turned and charged, spear gripped tightly in both hands. Darren stood dumbfounded for a moment, watching as she fluttered her blue, dazzling wings like a dragonfly, turning a hop into a twenty-foot leap, clearing one of the pools of water. She came down, stabbing her spear into one of the lounging frogmen. Darren¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the freezing Energy stored in her spear rush out into the little humanoid¡¯s flesh, freezing a significant portion of its torso. It croaked and thrashed weakly, and then the other frogmen jumped into action, clamoring in a cacophony of alarm. Their croaks echoed in a dozen different tones throughout the cavern. ¡°Shit!¡± Darren said, realizing he was still standing there. He lifted his quarterstaff over his head and charged, skirting the pool of water Edeya had flown over, aiming for her right flank. Meanwhile, she began to dash and fly about, dodging the frogmen¡¯s retaliation and delivering punishing blows with her spear. It was clear to Darren, for the first time, that she really did know a thing or two about fighting. The frogmen might be a mottled green with yellow spots, but their blood splashed bright red as Edeya laid about with her wicked, ivory, enchanted spear. Darren arrived in time to crack his staff into a frogman¡¯s skull, shocking himself with the decisive blow. Victor had promised the staff was enchanted to increase its bludgeoning damage, and Darren was inclined to believe him after hearing the crunch of bone. Considering how Edeya was thrashing the frogmen, Darren realized there had to be more than the five they¡¯d counted. It was hectic in the melee, but he swore he counted more than five still up and about, warbling, croaking, and flailing about with their primitive weapons. Darren used his quarterstaff¡¯s reach and his superior height to keep them at bay, delivering jabs and overhead chops whenever possible. ¡°Good job, Dare! Keep ¡®em busy!¡± Edeya shouted, and a spray of something hot hit him on the back of the neck. He spun to see she¡¯d impaled a frogman holding a sharpened bone that might have managed to stab him in the ass if not for her intervention. ¡°Don¡¯t stare at the dead ones! Look behind you!¡± Darren whirled, swinging his staff in a wide arc out of reflex. The length of heavy, polished wood cracked another frogman in the side of the head and carried through to drive back another two. Just as he began to fear they¡¯d be overwhelmed, the handful of frogmen left standing began to try to flee, and Edeya pursued them, stabbing them in their backs. She was relentless and fast, using her wings in bursts, streaking forward on showers of blue Energy motes to drive her spear home over and over. Darren knew he couldn¡¯t keep up, so he watched her flitting around the cavern, finishing them one by one. He was leaning on his staff, amused by the show and proud of their victory, when he heard a wet thwap, thwap, and turned to see an enormous toad, probably two hundred pounds of warty green-brown flesh, crawling out of the pool behind him. It opened its wide mouth, bulged out its huge, beady yellow eyes, and croaked a challenge. ¡°Ah, shit,¡± Darren said, lifting his staff, holding it sideways before himself as Lesh had told him to do when he needed to defend. ¡°Edeya!¡± he called. Then the frog flicked out its big pink tongue. It was faster than Darren¡¯s eye could follow as it streaked out and slapped against his armored chest. ¡°Hah!¡± he chortled when it didn¡¯t even hurt. Then, as it began to tug him forward, he realized it wasn¡¯t trying to hurt him. It was trying to eat him. 8.4 Grotto Talk Darren panicked. His first instinct was to pull back, but the damn toad was twice his weight, and its tongue, well, it had to have some sort of magical effect because it wouldn¡¯t loosen its sticky grip. When he found himself losing the tug of war, he slammed his staff into the rubbery pink flesh, hoping to knock it loose, but only managed to get it caught in the sticky slime coating its surface. ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± Darren yelled, a note of hysteria tinging his voice. He bunched his legs and, with everything he could muster, leaped backward. He was awarded for his efforts; the tongue ripped free from his armored vest, but he also lost his grip on the staff. Darren scrambled backward, his hands scraping over the damp, stony cavern floor, his feet scrabbling for purchase as the toad struggled with the eight-foot length of hardwood it had inadvertently pulled into its maw. Suddenly, motes of blue Energy showered Darren as Edeya flitted over his head, streaking toward the monstrous amphibian, spear out like a lance. She drove it straight into the soft, cream-colored flesh under the monster¡¯s mouth, punching the frost-coated, silvery blade all the way through until it poked out the back of its neck, up near the base of its skull. Frosty rime spread from the devastating puncture wound, and the toad flopped onto its belly, legs splayed, red and yellow fluids gushing from its burbling lips. Darren was on his feet in an instant, pumping his fist, ¡°Nice one!¡± ¡°Good job keeping it busy, Dare!¡± Edeya laughed, jerking her spear free. She scanned the cavern, ensuring nothing else would jump out at them. Then her eyes lit up, and she said, ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°For?¡± Darren looked around, trying to see what was coming. She pointed to the first cluster of frogmen she¡¯d fought, and he saw tiny orbs of golden Energy gathering in the air above them. ¡°Your first Energy infusion!¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Of course, he¡¯d heard tales of the System awarding battle victors some of the Energy from their defeated foes. He looked back to Edeya, and sure enough, there were now a few fat blobs of Energy drifting up from the dead toad. They gathered in two clumps, one a bit larger than the other, and as he watched, they streaked toward them, one directly to Edeya and one to him. The other motes of Energy around the cavern had done something similar, so both adventurers were struck by several thin streams of Energy at once. ¡°Holy cow!¡± Darren said, inadvertently using one of his father¡¯s favorite exclamations as the Energy poured into him. It wasn¡¯t like anything he¡¯d ever felt¡ªshudders and chills wracked his body as he tried to wrap his mind around the physical euphoria that almost felt orgasmic. He swore he saw stars and flashes of rainbow light, and when it ended, there was a message before his eyes¡ªfaintly transparent white letters on an opaque gray background: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 2 base human. You have 5 attribute points to allocate.*** ¡°It¡¯s true,¡± he breathed, finally experiencing what so many of his colleagues back in First Landing had tried to explain to him. He looked at Edeya and saw her smiling at him, her big gold-flecked blue eyes bright in her lean, angular face. She looked vibrant and alive, far more than he¡¯d ever seen her. ¡°Did you level, too?¡± ¡°Nope, but I reckon I¡¯m close. You¡¯re two now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Darren leaned over, bracing his hands on his knees, still feeling woozy from the burst of Energy. A few seconds later, he saw the butt of his staff thump into the stone before him and looked up to see Edeya grinning as she offered him his weapon. ¡°Gonna allocate your points?¡± Darren smiled and took the staff, standing up to lean on it instead of his knees. ¡°I guess I should. Lesh says I should focus on will and vitality.¡± Edeya nodded, rubbing her chin. ¡°I agree, especially after knowing Victor. I bet you wouldn¡¯t guess his main attribute.¡± ¡°Uh, strength?¡± He said it as though only an idiot would think otherwise. ¡°Wrong¡ªwill.¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± ¡°Yep. But he cheats; somehow, he can use his spirit magic to add some of his will to his physical attributes. So, in a way, you¡¯re right.¡± She thumped him on the shoulder. ¡°How¡¯d your master tell you to do it?¡± Darren sighed and chuckled. ¡°I know you¡¯re trying to get a rise out of me. Lesh isn¡¯t my ¡®master.¡¯ Anyway, he said to put five into vitality at level two, then five into will at level three, and alternate like that until ten. He thinks it will result in me getting some Class options that will complement my affinities at level ten.¡± Edeya frowned. ¡°He wants you to try to become some kind of spell flinger? No, no, I suppose not. He¡¯d have you take intelligence and some dexterity, too. Lesh is a strange one, but he knows a lot. I guess do what he says.¡± Darren shrugged. ¡°I suppose it¡¯d be foolish not to take advice from someone with so much experience.¡± ¡°Still, even if you wanted to be some kind of lightning master, you¡¯re going to need dexterity too¡ªweaving complicated spell patterns isn¡¯t easy. I guess at level ten, depending on what kind of Class you get, you can cross that bridge.¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Darren had already made up his mind that he¡¯d follow Lesh¡¯s advice. So, as Edeya surveyed the cavern, he opened his status sheet and added all five of his new points into vitality. Back in Sojourn, when he¡¯d imagined this moment, he¡¯d wondered what it would be like to boost his vitality by five full points, nearly doubling his starting amount. He was a little disappointed by the reality. Thanks to the Energy infusion, he already felt fantastic, so he hardly noticed anything more¡ªsome general well-being, maybe, but it was impossible to tell if it was all in his head. Nevertheless, he looked at his status sheet with pride:
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Darren Whitehorse | |||
| Race: | Human - Base 1 | |||
| Class: | - | |||
| Level: | 2 | |||
| Core: | Wildarc Class - Base 1 | |||
| Energy Affinity: | Lightning 8, Chaos 7.4, Unattuned 6.1 | Energy: | 97/97This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. | |
| Strength: | 6 | Vitality: | 12 | |
| Dexterity: | 5 | Agility: | 5 | |
| Intelligence: | 9 | Will: | 3 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | - | |||
| Skills: | ||||
| System Language Integration | Not Upgradeable | |||
| Wildarc Cultivation Drill | Basic | |||
| Spells: | ||||
| Arclight Wisp | Basic | |||
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Darren Whitehorse | |||
| Race: | Human - Base 1 | |||
| Class: | - | |||
| Level: | 5 | |||
| Core: | Wildarc Class - Base 1 | |||
| Energy Affinity: | Lightning 8, Chaos 7.4, Unattuned 6.1 | Energy: | 113/113 | |
| Strength: | 6 | Vitality: | 17 | |
| Dexterity: | 5 | Agility: | 5 | |
| Intelligence: | 9 | Will: | 13 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | - | |||
| Skills: | ||||
| System Language Integration | Not Upgradeable | |||
| Wildarc Cultivation Drill | Basic | |||
| Staff Mastery | Basic | |||
| Spells: | ||||
| Arclight Wisp | Basic | |||
| Shocking Arms | Basic | |||
Victor, All is well, though we are exhausted and drained. More battles await us after our rest, and I¡¯m on watch. Lesh already snores nearby. I¡¯ll share more news when we¡¯re out, but for now, I¡¯ll give you this good news: We¡¯ve each gained two levels! I love you, VallaVictor smiled and closed the book. He¡¯d write her a response once he was sitting in the sun with a big glass of something fresh and still full of life, something like orange juice. He clutched the ivory box and started for the house, wondering when Dar would make his next appearance. 8.13 Personal Time When Victor entered Dar¡¯s lake house, it was quiet, and the servant who opened the door for him said, ¡°Your guests are down at the lake, swimming, I believe.¡± He nodded, smiling at the woman. He tried to look her in the eyes while he spoke, but she kept looking down, and he didn¡¯t want to press the issue; he couldn¡¯t tell if she was trying to be respectful or if it was some cultural thing. ¡°I¡¯ll join them soon.¡± He gestured with the smooth, ivory case, ¡°I¡¯ll stop by my quarters first. Any word from Dar?¡± ¡°Lord Dar has indicated that he¡¯ll be here for dinner. He does not expect you to join him. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll communicate his expectations. Do you share a Farscribe boo¡ª¡± ¡°Shit!¡± Victor slapped his head, interrupting her. ¡°I do. I better check it. Thanks!¡± He hurried to the rooms Dar had given him to use and closed the door. He sat at the suite¡¯s study desk, pulled out the Farscribe book Dar had given him, and flipped past the several dozen pages he¡¯d written in already. On the furthest, script-covered page, he found a short note from Dar:
Victor, Lo¡¯ro has indicated to me that you were successful. He has reported that the experience was hard on you and that your connection to the Plane of Spirits and your ancestors is particularly sensitive. Given your history, I should have anticipated that. Do not be alarmed; when you stepped through the rip in the veil, no doubt your ancestors sensed it and grew concerned. If they weren¡¯t trying to guide you to join them, they certainly, at least, wanted to know where you had gone. Perhaps they sought to aid you. In any case, their unrest will ease knowing you are back among the living. Take the next few days for yourself. See to your prizes from the competition, consume that monster¡¯s heart¡ªI see no reason to delay that process. I¡¯ve made the decision to allow you and your guests to stay at my lake house until such time that you¡¯ve built up your fortune and can afford a home more suitable to your stature. At first, I thought it was too much, that I¡¯d spoil you, but I believe the natural environment is vital to your spiritual development. That said, if you need funds, sell your home in the city. To avoid my ire, check this book each day at sunrise and sunset for my instructions. When we next meet, I¡¯ll guide you to a proper location in the caves beneath the lake where we can begin the construction of your cultivation chamber. Congratulations on your success, Ranish DarVictor read the text twice, feeling strangely comforted by the Spirit Master¡¯s words and concern. He looked around the room and smiled; it was a damn sight nicer than the one he and Valla had claimed in his townhome. She was going to love it at the lake house. ¡°How the hell did he find all that out so fast? Lo¡¯ro just left!¡± He chuckled at his muttered words. He supposed he could assume the two masters had some way of communicating that he didn¡¯t understand. Maybe Lo¡¯ro spoke to Dar while Victor had dozed, having his ancestor¡¯s dream. ¡°Before I burned up the couch!¡± he laughed. He reached up to his chest, feeling the vault pendant under his shirt. He supposed Dar¡¯s idea of building his cultivation chamber in a cave was smart for now. Victor liked having the vault with him, storing his treasures and secrets, apparently keeping them safe even from people as powerful as Lo¡¯ro and Dar. Nodding with purpose, he left the room, still clutching the ivory box, and made his way out onto the deck. Before he descended the stairs to the pier, where he could hear laughter and splashing, he took his necklace off and opened his vault on a clear section of the deck. The tiny metallic ball rapidly expanded with clicks and gouts of steam. The deck groaned a little under the weight, but Victor figured Dar had built it to accommodate people of his stature. How much would a dinner party of giants weigh? He chuckled at the image that conjured and opened the vault, stepping inside. His ivid royal jelly, wrapped in the ivid silk, still sat in a satchel against the wall, and Victor set the ivory box containing his two trapped geists down a few feet away from it. That done, he stepped out, closed the heavy vault door, and twisted the key until it began to shrink again. One of Dar¡¯s household staff had approached, a look of concern on his face, but he relaxed and offered a quick nod as Victor bent to pick up the pendant, hanging it over his neck. ¡°Just had to put something away.¡± ¡°Of course, sir.¡± He gestured toward the stairs leading down to the lake. ¡°Would you like us to prepare refreshments?¡± ¡°Yeah, that would be great.¡± When the man nodded and turned back to the house, Victor started down the steps. As he walked, he pulled off his shirt, sending it into the ring where he kept most of his clothes. The sun and lake air felt terrific against his skin, and he let it soak in while he took in the sight below. Lam and Edeya sat at the end of the pier, wearing garments that looked more like underwear than swimsuits. Their wings were spread wide, fluttering in the warm breeze while they dipped their feet in the water. A splash drew Victor¡¯s eyes out to the lake, and he saw Darren floating on his back, his long black hair splayed out in the water behind him like a fan. They were certainly enjoying the setting. None of them had noticed him yet, and an evil grin spread on Victor¡¯s lips as he silently sat on the steps and reached down to send his boots, socks, and pants into his dimensional ring. He stood, wearing just his boxer-like underpants. With an effort of will, he clamped down on his aura, ensuring none of it leaked out, and, like a hulking, musclebound barbarian sneaking up on a foe, he stalked down to the pier. He crept over its twenty-five-yard length until he was just a few feet behind the two women. He then bunched his thighs and leaped over them, cannonballing into the water. Screams and curses greeted his ears when he surfaced, and Victor laughed, shaking his head and wiping the water off his face. He looked up with glee, observing the chaos he¡¯d caused. Lam was on her feet, a hammer much smaller than the one she usually used in her right hand. Edeya was hovering in the air behind her, her ivory spear in her hands. Her wings hummed and shed thousands of motes of blue-tinted Energy, and both women scowled, dripping water onto the drenched decking. ¡°What?¡± he asked with mock innocence. ¡°Victor!¡± Edeya screamed, diving toward him, swinging the spear like a club, intending to clobber him. Lam chuckled, shook her head, and sent her hammer back into her ring. Of course, Victor knew more about horseplay in a pool than Edeya was prepared to handle. He snatched the spear haft as she swung it close, and with just a fraction of his titanic strength, he used it to launch her toward the center of the lake. Edeya howled, her wings humming with effort to correct her flight. She almost succeeded, righting herself and slowing her descent, but not quite enough; she splashed into the water a dozen yards beyond where Darren floated. Victor laughed and reached the spear toward Lam so the other woman could take it and lay it on the pier. ¡°She¡¯s going to be angry!¡± Lam said, shaking her head. ¡°Nah,¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°She enjoyed that. See?¡± He was right; Edeya¡¯s wings buzzed and splashed, and then she shot out of the water, streaking back toward the pier. He wasn¡¯t sure, but he thought she was flying faster than she used to.Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Bully!¡± she cried as she settled onto the pier, then plopped down again beside Lam. Victor flopped onto his back in the water, letting his momentum carry him a little further away from them. When he surfaced, he chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m going shopping soon; I¡¯ll buy you all some swimsuits.¡± He stared up into the hazy sky, amazed by how many stars he could still see, even in the middle of the day. ¡°What?¡± Edeya asked, but then Lam laughed, and Victor heard her whisper. ¡°He thinks our impromptu swimming garments are too immodest!¡± ¡°Well,¡± he said, trying not to sound like a prude, ¡°I mean, when they got wet, I could see through ¡®em.¡± ¡°Creep!¡± Edeya howled, and when he smiled her way, he saw she and Lam were both shrugging into loose-fitting shirts. ¡°He¡¯s not a creep,¡± Lam said, lifting an arm over Edeya¡¯s shoulders. ¡°He¡¯s just a man. He didn¡¯t have to say anything.¡± ¡°I know,¡± Edeya sighed. ¡°You know he and I like to tease. Don¡¯t fret. Besides, when I tell Valla . . .¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Victor splashed a wave of water her way. ¡°Don¡¯t make me pull you down to the bottom!¡± She kicked water back at him, and when he finished laughing, he said, ¡°So? What did you think of Lam¡¯s news?¡± Victor heard splashing behind him and turned to see Darren slowly swimming back toward the dock. He had a smooth way of moving in the water like he¡¯d done a lot of swimming in his life. Meanwhile, Edeya gushed, ¡°It¡¯s amazing! We¡¯re going to level together! Can you think of anything more wonderful?¡± Victor had expected her to be a little upset with Lam, considering the risks involved in the process. When he peered at the older woman, she narrowed her eyes and ever-so-slightly shook her head. That clarified things: Lam had omitted some of the facts. Victor figured she¡¯d give Edeya the details as time passed and the younger woman grew more and more comfortable with the idea. He considered Edeya¡¯s question and shook his head. ¡°No, I really can¡¯t. I want to do the same with Valla; I wish circumstances allowed us to do more together.¡± Lam looked at Edeya and sighed. ¡°I keep trying to tell her that I wanted a second go at leveling, at Classes, skills, and rewards. It¡¯s not all about you, Dey-dey.¡± Victor could see Edeya wasn¡¯t buying it. ¡°Of course, of course.¡± She grinned, eyes twinkling. Then she gasped and turned to face Victor. ¡°You gave her a spirit Core! And we both have new Classes!¡± Victor knew what she wanted, so he asked, ¡°Well? Tell me about your Class, then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a Nimbus Reaver, and as soon as I chose it, I gained a skill! Improved flight!¡± ¡°I thought you seemed faster. Nice one, Edeya. Nimbus Reaver, huh? Sounds tough.¡± He nodded in approval. ¡°You can still use the spear?¡± He¡¯d given her one of the finer, though not overly heavy and powerful, spears that had belonged to Karnice, the one-time champion of Coloss. He knew the question wasn¡¯t necessary; hadn¡¯t he just flung her with that same spear? But he knew she wanted to talk about the Class, so he thought it was a good opening. ¡°Yes! It¡¯s a Class that will take advantage of my water affinity while nourishing my bloodline development and combat abilities.¡± ¡°Should go nicely with Lam¡¯s new Class, too.¡± Victor nodded and turned to look at Darren, who¡¯d been treading water nearby for a while. ¡°Getting close to ten, Darren?¡± He nodded. ¡°Level six, but close to seven, I think.¡± ¡°Cool. Nice job, man.¡± Victor wanted to go for a swim, but he figured he should share some of his news. ¡°Dar gave me permission to live here, and he explicitly said me and my ¡®guests,¡¯ so I think I¡¯ll head into town and pick up our belongings from the villa. I think I might sell it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Edeya squealed, and Victor saw her grasp Lam¡¯s hand, squeezing it tightly. ¡°Yeah, he thinks it¡¯ll be good for my development.¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°Speaking of development, Lam, I have a few spell patterns I should teach you.¡± ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± Her surprise caught Victor off guard. He nodded and shrugged. ¡°Of course I will.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Lam squinted down at him between the fingers of her hand, fighting to make eye contact in the bright glare of the sun¡¯s reflections, ¡°I really appreciate that, Victor. We¡¯re talking about heading into another dungeon soon. If Lesh and Valla get out in the next day or two, do you think Dar would be okay with us having a dinner party here? Edeya and I want to cook for you.¡± Victor grinned at the idea. ¡°He said I could live here with my guests, so there¡¯s no way he¡¯d say we can¡¯t have a dinner party. Besides, who knows how many houses that guy has? I¡¯ll write it into the Farscribe book when I make my report tonight.¡± ¡°Yay!¡± Edeya said, throwing an arm around Lam¡¯s neck and squeezing her close. ¡°We want to invite someone for you to meet. She asked us to join her party to go into a kind of exclusive dungeon, and we want your opinion about her.¡± Lam held up a hand. ¡°That¡¯s Edeya¡¯s idea. I haven¡¯t met this girl.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine with me. Maybe I could invite a friend, too.¡± Victor was thinking of Sora. He flopped back and kicked his legs, moving further into the water. ¡°I¡¯m heading to town in an hour or so if any of you want to come. For now, I¡¯m going to try to swim across the lake.¡± With that, he turned and struck out, swimming over the surface, face down, marveling at how good it felt to exert himself in the cool water with the sun on his back. While he swam and considered the idea of hosting a dinner party, he pictured a few other potential guests. Would Drobna, the turtle-like berserker, want to come? Victor thought it would be fun to chat with him about the things they had in common. He grinned as he imagined inviting Cam, too, just to put him on the spot to see how he acted toward Sora. Would he hold a grudge? Then, there was the giant armor-plated warrior and his wife¡ªthey¡¯d be fun to talk to, wouldn¡¯t they? When he realized he was thinking of inviting the people he¡¯d thrashed in the dungeon, Victor rolled onto his back and laughed. Was he so eager for some drama? Was he trying to stir shit up, or was he trying to clear the air? He liked to think it was the latter. He stopped halfway into the lake, not because he was tired but because it was taking too long. He didn¡¯t want the whole afternoon to slip away while he swam. When he returned, the others were already on the deck, comfortably dressed and enjoying a light lunch. Victor¡¯s stomach rumbled, but he knew it was just habit; he felt amazing after the swim and knew the rich ambient Energy on Sojourn was doing plenty to nourish his body. Still, he sat down with the others and ate a plate of cold meats, each marinated or cured with different seasonings and spices. The meats were rolled and skewered with toothpicks, along with complementing cold, crisp vegetables, and he wished he had some kind of guide to explain what each of them was. ¡°This is so good,¡± he mumbled around a mouthful. ¡°Valla would love this.¡± ¡°Lesh wouldn¡¯t,¡± Darren laughed. ¡°He¡¯d take a tray, pull out all the toothpicks, and then eat the meat in one or two bites.¡± Victor laughed and raised an eyebrow at the guy. He was a damn sight different from the suit-wearing politician from First Landing that he¡¯d been. He wore a loose, button-up linen shirt, the collar hanging wide, over soft-looking gray slacks. His feet were bare, and his long, black hair hung loose over his shoulders. The guy looked like a lounging movie star. ¡°You¡¯re looking better, Darren. Just a few levels, and you already seem more . . . solid, I guess.¡± ¡°Dare was great in the dungeon, Victor!¡± Edeya said, licking her fingers after a bite. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yep. I was worried he¡¯d be, you know, maybe a little hesitant, I guess, but he was positively brave. He fended off a toad boss that was twice his size!¡± ¡°Dare, huh?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°I like it. Well, good job.¡± Victor stood and walked toward the house, pausing on his way to clap Darren on the shoulder. He was careful not to knock him out of his seat, and he could see the man¡¯s smile broaden at the gesture. ¡°Anyone going with me?¡± ¡°I will,¡± Lam said. ¡°I want to shop for new hammers and a shield. I¡¯m going to try to be a front line for these two.¡± She looked at Victor. ¡°Will that be all right? Are you going to a weapon shop?¡± ¡°Better, I¡¯m gonna check out the auction house. Sora mentioned it to me while I was in the dungeon. I¡¯m pretty sure we can find you what you need.¡± Victor planned to try to trade one of the five set-piece items he had for a pair of pants in the set; he was tired of his pants getting shredded all the time. He also had his prizes from the campaign back on Fanwath to look into¡ªthe magma attunement gem and the lava king hide. ¡°After that, I want to speak to my realtor and stop by the house.¡± Edeya gestured a toothpick toward Darren. ¡°I¡¯m going to help him cultivate.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°When you get to level ten, Darren, if that staff isn¡¯t going to be ideal, I have a shitload of other weapons. We¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re ready for the next dungeon.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Darren stood, and it looked like he was about to bow, but he just nodded respectfully. ¡°I wish there was a way to level without going into a dungeon. Wouldn¡¯t it be great if I were ten before then?¡± ¡°A level or two from cultivating and learning spells isn¡¯t unheard of,¡± Lam said, ¡°But four levels in just a day or three won¡¯t be likely.¡± ¡°Speaking of spells,¡± Edeya said, leaping up. ¡°Victor, will you see if you can find any cheap, lower-level spell patterns for water or lightning affinities? I mean, chaos, too, but that sounds scary, so . . .¡± ¡°Uh,¡± Darren said, holding up a hand, ¡°don¡¯t go out of your way or anything . . .¡± ¡°Relax,¡± Victor chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ll check the auction house.¡± Lam gestured to the door. ¡°Come on, Victor. Before our shopping list grows any more. You can talk to me about courage affinity spells while we ride in the coach.¡± Victor shrugged and waved at Edeya as he followed Lam through the door. It was nice to have friends around him, but he missed Valla. While he followed Lam to the coach house, he thought about the Gargantuopod heart in his dimensional ring. Should he eat it that night? He had Dar¡¯s blessing but didn¡¯t want to get knocked out for days. What if Valla came home, and he missed her? He didn¡¯t think that was all that likely¡ªhe¡¯d eaten a few potent hearts, and none of them had knocked him out for all that long, unlike the bloodline evolution treasures he¡¯d consumed. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, though all he got from Lam was a puzzled look. He winked at her, adding, ¡°I¡¯m going to have a busy night.¡± 8.14 Upgrades ¡°So,¡± Victor said as Dar¡¯s coach pulled away, sending his stomach sinking as it lurched into the sky, ¡°Edeya seems happy.¡± ¡°She is! Thanks, Victor, for not mentioning the risks of the ritual. I¡¯ll let her warm up to the idea and put a little distance between us and what I did before I give her those details.¡± ¡°Yeah, I figured.¡± Victor smiled and leaned back, enjoying the comfortable ride; like Dar¡¯s other coach, this one had plenty of room for him at his normal stature. ¡°So you need a new hammer?¡± ¡°My current favorite requires a good deal more strength than I can muster. Oh! Speaking of equipment, though, I got you something.¡± She produced a small, flat, circular stone and handed it over. Victor took it, feeling a slight warmth and a tiny tingle of Energy. It felt good. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°I met a girl by the path to the lower-level dungeons. She claimed to have a luck affinity and sold these stones for extra money. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s real? I already gave one to Edeya and Darren.¡± ¡°There''s definitely something in here.¡± Victor narrowed his eyes. ¡°Luck, huh? Is that a spirit affinity?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking me?¡± Lam laughed but nodded and added, ¡°She said it was. I liked the way it felt, and I think mine already brought me some luck. I was rubbing it when I asked Dar to help me.¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°Well, thanks, Lam. I won¡¯t turn down a bit of luck.¡± He tucked the little stone into a pocket. ¡°How about I give you a spell to study? From what I¡¯ve been able to figure out, it¡¯s a courage affinity¡¯s version of Berserk. I don¡¯t use it much, so I only have it at the basic level, but I bet it gets better and better as you improve it.¡± Lam leaned close and gripped his wrist in her much smaller hands. ¡°That would be amazing!¡± Victor smiled and produced a sheet of paper and one of the magical quills he¡¯d picked up while browsing curio shops. ¡°I have this pattern memorized and could probably draw it blindfolded.¡± As he began to trace the lines, he continued, ¡°It¡¯s called Heroic Heart. The basic level of the spell will give you immunity to fear effects and make it hard for anyone to affect your mind with spells that might confuse or even control you. Your will is important, of course, but the spell gives you a massive boost to any resistance you put up.¡± ¡°That sounds incredible!¡± ¡°Yeah, this is the basic pattern I used to create most of my most potent spells; I just try it with different affinities as I gain them. My first was Berserk, then I gained my inspiration affinity and learned to weave that with rage to create courage-attuned Energy. That¡¯s how I figured this one out.¡± ¡°So, mixing other spirit affinities can create a different one?¡± ¡°Yep! It¡¯s not just mixing, though.¡± Victor finished the pattern with a flourish. He had to admit that his higher dexterity and intelligence were really starting to show in his control of the pen; his lines were straight, his curves perfectly formed, and his artistic flair matched what he imagined in his mind. He¡¯d added shading and contours without even thinking about it. He handed the sheet to Lam. ¡°When you combine different spirit Energies, you have to use the right weave, which takes some guidance to learn the first few times. I¡¯ll help you, but first, we need to find a second affinity for you.¡± Lam took the pattern almost reverently, and her eyes widened as she studied it. ¡°This is so different from the other spell patterns I¡¯ve learned. It resonates with me somehow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s meant to use the Energy in your Core, which is now a reflection of your spirit. I bet that¡¯s a lot different than learning spells for generic Energy.¡± Lam only nodded, her eyes glued on the pattern. ¡°I have a few other spells I should teach you before you go getting into fights. When we get back to the house, I¡¯ll write ¡®em out for you, okay?¡± Lam nodded, blinking her eyes and laughing, looking away from him. ¡°I¡¯ve been so stupidly emotional ever since the ritual. Thank you, Victor.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry about it. If you think you¡¯re emotional now, wait until I show you what cultivating is all about as a Spirit Caster.¡± Victor chuckled ruefully. ¡°Be thankful your first affinity isn¡¯t rage.¡± He left it at that, and Lam was too engrossed in the spell pattern to dig further into his meaning, so Victor sat back and enjoyed the rest of the short ride into the city. Their first stop was the Sojourn Auction Hall, something he¡¯d heard Cam and Sora talking about during their initial, meandering trip through the ruins toward the stairs of the competitive dungeon. When they arrived and the coachman opened the door, Victor looked at him and asked, ¡°Mister Qwor, should we find another ride back to the lake house?¡± ¡°No, sir. My latest instructions are to serve as your coachman until Lord Dar instructs me otherwise. I¡¯ll remain in the vicinity. If I¡¯m forced to move the coach while I wait, simply tap your signet ring three times, and I¡¯ll locate you.¡± Victor looked down at his ring and frowned. ¡°It can do that?¡± ¡°Oh yes. Three taps for your coach, two to summon a servant in the house. It has other functions, but I¡¯m sure Lord Dar has given you those details.¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± Victor shrugged, adding it to the list of things to write to Dar about that evening. He nodded to the driver, then turned, joining Lam near the steps leading up to the auction house. ¡°Quite a building.¡± She only nodded, staring up at the massive, blue-crystal rectangular edifice that soared into the sky before them. The crystalline walls were dark blue at the base, in the shadows of the other towers of Sojourn, but grew progressively lighter as they gained altitude and were exposed to more and more light. Near the top, high in the sky, the building blended with the sky to become almost invisible. ¡°Incredible,¡± Lam said, finally gathering herself and looking to Victor to lead the way. ¡°Right. I¡¯m not sure how this place works. Like, I wonder if there¡¯s always an auction going on or if there¡¯s some kind of listing. Let¡¯s go in and check things out.¡± Quite a crowd walked by at the street level, and a constant stream of people climbed the steps to and from the building. Victor had also noticed entrances in the clouds on the crystalline walkways of the elite. ¡°Popular place,¡± he remarked, nodding to Lam and starting up. When they entered the open archways in the crystal walls, the ambient temperature dropped a few degrees, and the lighting reflected the blue of the structure. It wasn¡¯t a deep, off-putting color but a calming tint that fell on the pale gray marble floors. Beings of gas and light operated hundreds of kiosks in the big, open hall. They were members of the same alien species Victor had seen in other official capacities around the city. He¡¯d heard Dar mention their species name when they¡¯d had to go to the ¡°inquest¡± after his dungeon run, but Victor had already filed it away somewhere too difficult to retrieve. He picked a kiosk without a queue and approached, smiling toward the floating, pulsing ball of yellow light. ¡°Greetings, Sojourner. I am V-eleven. Are you here to access the auction listings?¡± The creature spoke directly into his mind, or so it seemed, but Lam¡¯s body language indicated she¡¯d heard the voice, too.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn more about it. Is it difficult to put something up for sale? When are the auctions held?¡± ¡°Ah, my apologies,¡± the smooth, genderless voice replied. ¡°When I saw the signet of Ranish Dar upon your finger, I assumed you were more familiar with Sojourn. This auction house is, essentially, a large, never-ending silent auction. You can access the items listed for sale using a menu on your city tablet. I¡¯ll gladly take any items you¡¯d like to list on the auction and store them in this building. I¡¯m sorry to say that we cannot list items that aren¡¯t in the custody of the Sojourn Auction House.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s even better than I¡¯d hoped.¡± Victor looked at Lam, raising an eyebrow, wanting to ensure she¡¯d heard everything the helpful being had said. She nodded. V-eleven pulsed, and Victor felt as though it exuded pleasure at his words. ¡°If you would like, I¡¯m happy to help you search through the listings. Is there anything you¡¯re interested in finding?¡± ¡°Yeah, we have a few things. Can we start with this?¡± Victor fished his Cloak of Sojourn out of his storage ring and set it on the counter. ¡°It¡¯s really nice, and I like it, but I¡¯ve never been a guy to wear a cape or a cloak, and, honestly, I never get cold. I was hoping to sell or trade it for some pants in the set.¡± ¡°Direct trades aren¡¯t offered through the auction house. However, we can list this item. Similar items have an average list-to-sale time of four days, rounded up. I can see nine different ¡®pant¡¯ variations of items for this set. Would you like me to elaborate?¡± ¡°Are the pants different?¡± ¡°There are seven cloth variations and two leather. My database indicates that materials, regardless of their starting variety, can be altered by purchasing set upgrades at the Sojourn City Stone.¡± Lam helped Victor move things along, ¡°What are the prices?¡± V-eleven pulsed and said, ¡°The cloth variations range in price from 15,000 Energy beads to 27,000. The leather variations are 20,000 and 24,000.¡± ¡°What about this cloak? How much can I expect?¡± ¡°Seven others are listed for an average price of 18,000 beads.¡± Victor nodded. If he¡¯d known there were so many set pieces in the auction house, he wouldn¡¯t have bothered Sora for the cloak. He shrugged and said, ¡°List it for me, will you? Put it up for 17,000. Also, I¡¯ll buy the leather pants for 20k.¡± Almost before he finished his sentence, the cloak disappeared, clearly snatched away to some dimensional container, perhaps the building itself. V-eleven pulsed again and said, ¡°I¡¯ve listed the cloak with a 20,000-bead buyout and a one-month auction period with a minimum bid of 10,000 beads. If that¡¯s not acceptable, I can change those terms.¡± Victor thought about that, having never really dealt with an auction house of any kind. It sounded like anyone could bid as little as 10,000 beads, and if no one else bid, they¡¯d get the item in a month. However, if anyone bid 20,000 beads, they¡¯d get the item immediately, just as he would for the pants. ¡°Is someone likely to get it for the minimum bid?¡± ¡°Minimum bids for such items have a sub-one-percent chance of success on items in the Sojourn City set.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m fine with those terms.¡± V-eleven pulsed several times, then said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but unless you¡¯d like to open a credit account with the auction house, I¡¯ll need to collect payment for the pants before taking them off the listing.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Victor dug around in his bag, frowning at his dwindling hoard of Energy beads, and pulled out a large sack of them. ¡°May I?¡± the pulsing light asked. ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Victor watched as the sack shrank in on itself, the proper number of beads pulled away by some magic. A couple of seconds later, a pair of fine, supple, chocolate-colored leather pants appeared on the counter. Victor collected the remainder of his beads and the pants, sending them into storage. ¡°Thanks. I have a few more things to shop for, but talk to my friend here first. This is Lam, and I believe she¡¯s in the market for a warhammer.¡± He listened while V-eleven helped Lam narrow down the thousands of options, settling on a hammer that could be wielded one-handed by someone of her current strength while also providing two magical combat bonuses¡ªreverberating impacts and a paired ring that allowed her to recall it, if thrown, at the expense of Energy from her Core. Victor liked that idea and wondered if there was any way to add such functionality to Lifedrinker. He almost felt like he should be able to talk to her about it and, as he¡¯d been doing a lot lately, added it to his list of things to do. Lam also purchased a sturdy round shield, and it was Victor¡¯s turn again. He spent more time than he wanted to, if he were honest, trying to find spell books or just single spell patterns for Edeya and Darren. There were a lot of possibilities, but spell patterns weren¡¯t so blithely traded away, it seemed, and there were a lot of restrictions on some of the cheaper ones¡ªexacting affinity requirements, Class prerequisites, attribute prerequisites, and even disclaimers of potential harm if used ¡°incorrectly.¡± In the end, Victor decided to try to buy some well-known, stable offensive spells for each of them. He almost bought a Lightning Strike spell for Darren but stopped when he considered the sheer foolishness of spending nearly 40,000 Energy beads on a spell that Valla could probably teach him. So, he asked for any chaos-attuned spells, and that¡¯s when he had a much more difficult decision to make: only one chaos-attuned spell was on the entire auction house and it was selling for 95,000 Energy beads. ¡°Fractured Reality?¡± he asked, frowning. V-eleven pulsed rapidly and said, ¡°The listing describes the spell as ¡®causing distortions and illusions that disorient and confuse enemies in a targeted area.¡¯ It¡¯s listed as rare.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy it,¡± Lam offered. Victor opened his mouth to argue, but Lam pressed, ¡°No, really. I¡¯m going to be spending time in dungeons with him, and I can afford it. Let me get this one. You buy one for Edeya.¡± Victor thought about it and nodded. He didn¡¯t know how much money Lam had squirreled away, but he knew it was probably more than he did. ¡°Okay, cool. In that case, V-eleven, I¡¯ll buy the Frozen Aura spell you told me about.¡± It was a spell that would persist as long as Edeya fed it Energy and was supposed to slow enemies she engaged in melee range, at least at the ¡°basic¡± level; it might become even more effective if she could rank it up. He handed over another 33,000 beads, and Lam paid for Darren¡¯s spell. ¡°Where now, Victor?¡± she asked as they stepped away from the kiosk. ¡°We¡¯re near the building that houses the System Stone. Let¡¯s go there next; I want to check out what I can do with this armor set I¡¯ve got.¡± She nodded, and Victor led the way. When they passed by the coach, he let Mister Qwor know where they were going, and the driver said he¡¯d be waiting outside. Victor enjoyed watching Lam¡¯s reaction walking around downtown, especially when they stepped into the hall where he¡¯d claimed his prize from the dungeon. Her mouth fell agape, and she marveled at Sojourn¡¯s enormous, massively upgraded System Stone. ¡°Imagine the millions of beads they¡¯ve put into that!¡± Her neck craned back as she sought the highest point of the stone with her eyes. ¡°More like billions, I¡¯m pretty sure.¡± The hall was busier than when he¡¯d come there with Dar. Hundreds of people milled about and moved to and fro, and lines of citizens led up to each side of the stone, waiting for their turn. Victor led the way up to the shortest queue on the far side of the stone, and they waited for their opportunity to interact with it. They made small talk about spirit Cores, Energy weaves, spell patterns, and how Victor had learned what he knew. He found it sort of cathartic to talk about Gorz and Old Mother. He spent half an hour or more talking about the old Shadeni and how she¡¯d reminded Victor of his own grandmother. When he finally got around to mentioning Khul Bach, though, he felt a surge of guilt and hastily changed the subject; he didn¡¯t want to think about how annoyed the sleeping Degh spirit would be when he finally got around to filling him in on everything that had happened in Sojourn. When it was his turn to approach the stone at last, Lam accompanied him up to the dark surface with its hundreds of drifting golden runes. He navigated a simplified menu offered to the public until he came to a section titled EXCLUSIVE, SYSTEM-GRANTED EQUIPMENT SETS. He selected the option and found five options:
IRON-RANKED, FIVE-PIECE ARMOR SET
IRON-RANKED, TWO-PIECE WEAPON AND ARMOR SET
IRON-RANKED, THREE-PIECE ARMOR SET
IRON-RANKED, THREE-PIECE JEWELRY SET
LUSTROUS SET
Please remove the set piece items from storage and place them before the stone.Victor did as prompted, pulling out the helmet, belt, gauntlet, boots, and pants and setting them on the smooth marble floor next to the stone. Another System message appeared on the weird, floating display that, apparently, only he could see:
This five-piece armor set can be upgraded with Energy-rich materials and enchantments prior to choosing set bonuses. If you wish to do so, place the materials before the stone.Victor thought about it for a moment, then dug through his rings until he found the ¡°legendary-tier, magma-attunement gem¡± and the ¡°master-artisan-grade hide of a lava king¡± he¡¯d won during the conquest of the Untamed Marches. He set the heavy, incredibly dense, red, smoldering gem on the ground beside the thick roll of supple, deep crimson, mottled leather. Another message appeared:
Analyzing.¡°Can it use those treasures?¡± Lam asked, finally unable to maintain her silent observation. Victor grinned at her. ¡°I¡¯m about to find out.¡± He watched the word pulse for several seconds, and then another message appeared:
Lava King Hide is of sufficient Energy density and size to imbue all five items as follows: Helm of Sojourn: Infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage, enhanced density, and rapid damage regeneration. Belt of Sojourn: Infused with the volatile Energy of the Lava King: Once-daily activation to boost the wearer¡¯s agility and dexterity. Partially infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage and rapid damage regeneration. Gauntlet of Sojourn: Infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage, enhanced density, and rapid damage regeneration. Boots of Sojourn: Infused with the swiftness of the Lava King: Permanent movement speed boost to the wearer. Partially infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage and rapid damage regeneration. Greaves of Sojourn: Infused with the stability of the Lava King: Enhanced stability and balance for the wearer, regardless of terrain. Partially infused with the resilience of the Lava King: Immunity to fire damage and rapid damage regeneration. Magma Attunement Gem is of sufficient Energy density to imbue one of two items. Please make a choice:¡°Holy shit,¡± Victor laughed. ¡°I¡¯m about to get some massive upgrades, Lam, but let me run some options by you. I could use a second opinion.¡± 8.15 A Need for Funds As he eagerly explained his choices to Lam, Victor''s eyes gleamed with anticipation. He glanced over his shoulder at the line of people waiting, his annoyance at the rush fading into the background. This was a moment of significance for him, and he saw no reason to feel guilty about utilizing a service the city provided. He reasoned that the city must benefit from the transaction, and if it took him a few minutes, that was just the way it had to be. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you say that you wish you had a weapon to use when Lifedrinker isn¡¯t handy,¡± Lam said, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. ¡°The ability to control flames is nice, but what if there aren¡¯t any?¡± ¡°I guess I could make some,¡± Victor chuckled, thumping his chest. ¡°Ah! That¡¯s a good point. Still, a lash that can stretch to hit ¡®distant¡¯ targets might be just the thing you need. I¡¯ve seen you fight. You¡¯re a terror up close, but you do have to get close.¡± Victor nodded, smiling at her a little sheepishly. ¡°I wanted the whip, so I¡¯m glad you¡¯re not convincing me otherwise. One time, I channeled one of my ancestor¡¯s powers, and she gave me a magical whip to use. God, it was incredible. I¡¯m not saying this will be the same, but the idea that I might recapture that feeling even just a little . . .¡± He shrugged, trailing off, as Lam reached up to squeeze the meaty part of his shoulder. ¡°Do it then!¡± Victor turned to the stone and selected the second option, choosing to put the power of the magma attunement gem into the gauntlet. Suddenly, a new message appeared: Imbuing items with selected treasures in 5 seconds. To cancel, select the option now. Victor didn¡¯t cancel it, and he watched the items lying at his feet, wondering what the process would look like. As he mentally counted out five seconds, a shimmering cloud of gray and yellow fog erupted around the items. He heard crackles and pops and felt a wash of potent System Energy, and then the cloud dissipated, and he saw the objects had changed drastically. ¡°Roots!¡± Lam breathed, suitably impressed. Victor grinned, studying the set. The gauntlet and helmet had changed the most; they weren¡¯t leather any longer but seemed to be made from a lustrous, deep red, almost black metal. Was that because they¡¯d gotten the full ¡°resilience of the Lava King?¡± More than their material, they¡¯d changed in form. The helmet looked like a scowling monstrous reptile¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s almost like a dragon¡¯s head. Even more than a wyrm.¡± He could only say that with any authority because he¡¯d seen Tes¡¯s draconic form. It looked like his face would peer out between the metallic fangs that stood out from the draconic snout. The beast¡¯s angry eyes would be on his forehead, and the long, black horns would sweep back from there. It was an intimidating countenance. The gauntlet was similar in style, made of the same dark red metal, and would sheath his entire arm up to the elbow in reticulated scale plates. Spikes protruded from the knuckles, and he could see it was, like the helmet, lined with supple, red leather. The pants, belt, and boots retained their original leather material but underwent a transformation in appearance, mirroring the deep red-black hue of the metal components. The leather now appeared sleek and supple, as if infused with the essence of the lava king''s hide. Each piece was meticulously tooled with intricate patterns and adorned with small, gleaming studs that caught the light with a faint, fiery shimmer. ¡°Fancy,¡± Lam said without a hint of sarcasm. ¡°It¡¯s not done,¡± Victor said, studying the System display: Treasure imbuement complete. Sojourn five-piece set enchantments are available. Note: This set may be imbued with up to three Class A enchantments, two Class B enchantments, one Class C Enchantment, and one Class D Enchantment. Prices are based on material imbuement and enchantment value. Options are dependent on material imbuement. Set bonuses do not have to be purchased at this time and can be purchased separately at different times. Set bonuses cannot be removed or changed. Class A:Once you have made your decision, these items will be imbued, and then you may select and purchase the Sojourn set bonuses.
- Helm of Sojourn: Flame Control ¨C Channel Energy of any type into this helmet to gain the ability to manipulate and control any existing flames.
- Gauntlet of Sojourn: Magma Lash ¨C Channel Energy of any type into this gauntlet to create a whip of stable magma, usable as a melee weapon capable of extending to strike even distant enemies.
Victor ¨C We failed the boss fight but escaped without serious injury. We¡¯re resting at an inn near the entrance. We¡¯ll return to the house after breakfast.¡°Shit,¡± Victor grunted, sliding out of bed and pulling on his clothes. A glance at the window told him it was still early; the sky had yet to brighten with sunrise. He summoned a pen and wrote a quick reply:
Valla ¨C We¡¯re all staying at Dar¡¯s lake house. I¡¯m coming to pick you up. Wait there!That done, Victor went into the kitchen and asked the staff, the only people already awake, if one of them could wake Mr. Qwor to let him know he wanted to leave even earlier than planned. When a young woman nodded and hurried away, Victor went outside and stood by the cobbled drive, waiting. The coachman was quick to arrive, and Victor had a feeling he was an early riser because he was dressed sharply in his uniform, looking alert when he pulled the levitating vehicle around. ¡°Good morning, sir.¡± ¡°Hey, Mr. Qwor. Sorry to change things up, but I just found out some friends are out of a dungeon and need picking up. Do you know about a dungeon called ¡®Desperation Gap?¡¯ They¡¯re waiting at an inn near the entrance.¡± ¡°Of course, sir. It¡¯s southwest of the city near the Opal Sea. I¡¯ll have you there in an hour.¡± So, Victor climbed into the coach, wrote Valla another message saying he¡¯d be there in an hour, and then leaned back in the cushions, comfortable and relaxed, knowing he¡¯d soon be with her again. The Opal Sea wasn¡¯t as big as the lake on Dar¡¯s property. Victor looked out the window to watch as they approached, and that was his first thought. Not only was it smaller, but the shoreline was rocky, barren, and lined with hundreds of piers, all crowded with fishing boats of varying sizes. The sight gave Victor a new perspective on Dar¡¯s power and influence. Clearly, this ¡°sea¡± wasn¡¯t privately owned and was in high demand for fishing, if nothing else. How much would the working-class folk of Sojourn love to gain access to the beautiful, clear, fish-filled waters on Dar¡¯s vacation property? The inn at the mouth of a narrow canyon where the Desperation Gap dungeon was situated was a tall, five-story, asymmetrical building that looked like only the force of Energy-fueled enchantments was keeping it upright. Victor stepped out of the coach amid a busy little market square. They¡¯d flown over many homes, and it was evident that this area near the Opal Sea was sort of a smaller town center away from the larger city. Victor wondered if it was still considered part of Sojourn, which made him wonder just how things on the ¡°city world¡± were structured. The world and city were called Sojourn, but was every other community part of that? Were they all ruled by the same council of powerful beings? He¡¯d reduced his size to that of the majority of the local populace¡ªsomething close to an average human¡ªso he didn¡¯t have to duck when he stepped into the tavern on the inn''s ground floor. Valla had yet to respond to his messages, but he hoped she and Lesh would be waiting there. When he pushed open the door, still clad in regular clothes but with Lifedrinker on his back, it looked to him like the inn was still waking up and that breakfast was being served. The space was noisy and crowded, and Victor had to stand there for several seconds before anyone gave him any notice. He didn¡¯t care, though; he was scanning the crowded tables for Lesh¡¯s hulking form or Valla¡¯s silvery wings. To his relief, he spotted them in the front, far corner by a window, and when he started toward them, Lesh caught sight of him first and stood up, knocking his chair back with a clatter. ¡°Lord Victor!¡± he roared, which got Valla¡¯s attention, whose back was to him. She shifted to look his way, and Victor almost fell over when he saw her face. She had a bandage over her left eye and, above and beneath it, on her forehead and cheek, was a deep, fresh scar that stood out, red and swollen, on her beautiful silvery-blue flesh. Victor rushed to her, indiscriminately shoving people, chairs and all, out of his way. He hadn¡¯t realized he was doing it, but by the time he stood before her, he¡¯d released his size-altering spell and easily lifted her into an embrace, gently cradling her head onto his shoulder as he held her. ¡°Pobrecita! What happened?¡± Valla squirmed in his embrace, and he heard her muffled reply, ¡°Victor! Put me down!¡± He did as she asked, gently lowering her, oblivious to the outraged clamoring of the customers he¡¯d left in his wake. He had eyes and ears only for Valla. As for her, all she could see was Victor, his giant form looming before her. She sighed and reached out to take his left hand with both of hers. ¡°I knew you were going to overreact! I got hurt; that¡¯s the whole story. Nothing more to say. It¡¯s a risk that comes with the territory¡ª¡± ¡°Fuck, Valla!¡± Victor reached toward her bandage, but then he was jostled, and a heavy hand gripped his biceps, pulling with enough strength to turn him. A deep, guttural voice growled, ¡°You owe me a gods-damned breakfast, you great oaf!¡± Victor released Valla and whirled, rage rushing into pathways primed by his shock at seeing Valla wounded. His vision turned red, and he laid eyes on the man accosting him and . . . fought to get himself under control. The man was old and gray with a bent, hunched back, but judging by the size of his forearm and powerful grip, Victor knew he was someone who¡¯d worked hard his whole, very long life. More sobering than that was the mess he saw behind the old fellow. In his haste to get to Valla, Victor had overturned several chairs, sent a few folks sprawling, and even upended an entire table. ¡°Shit,¡± he said, his eyes widening. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. I, uh, saw my¡ª¡± ¡°He saw me, sir,¡± Valla said, stepping around to get a look at what Victor had done. ¡°He saw me and my injury and lost all sense. We¡¯ll pay for the damages, of course.¡± The old man released Victor¡¯s arm and nodded. ¡°Shoulda guessed. Well, I¡¯ve lost my head a time or two for a pretty face.¡± He nodded and turned, stooping with a grunt to lift his table upright. ¡°Help him!¡± Valla hissed, and Victor, his rage utterly washed away by his embarrassment, cast Alter Self again, reducing his size so he could more nimbly help pick up the mess he¡¯d created. He was still worried about Valla, but the initial, instinctual need to get to her had been banished by shame, especially as he watched her, injured as she was, helping to clean up. When the innkeeper came around to see what the fuss was about, she was the one who handed him a pouch full of beads and said that she wanted to buy everyone¡¯s meal. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. Lesh, too large to help efficiently, sat back down and continued to eat while he watched. When all was righted, Valla urged Victor to sit at the table. She gave him a long look, staring into his eyes with her single, unbandaged one. Victor tried not to stare at her bandage, forcing himself to peer into her silvery-turquoise iris. ¡°I know this looks bad, and I know how upset you are, but I will recover. My eye was damaged beyond a healing potion, but a regeneration mixture will probably restore it. I have one, a treasure from the war, but Lesh and I also won racial advancement elixirs, and my hope is that the process will mend my eye.¡± ¡°You did?¡± Victor glanced at Lesh and saw the big dragonkin grinning a toothy, reptilian smile. ¡°Aye, Lord Victor. We gained three levels, too, and a great many minor treasures. We got far, much farther than the guidebook said we would as a duo.¡± ¡°The truth is, we went too far!¡± Valla chuckled. ¡°We should have stopped before the boss encounter.¡± ¡°You got to the boss?¡± Valla shook her head. ¡°Only of the section we were in. The dungeon is strange; it¡¯s not arranged in levels but rather like a long beach along a stony cliff. There are inlets and coves, caves, and beached ships¡ªall swarming with scaly, water-breathing men and women. Some are small and come in great numbers, while others are huge and monstrous and fight alone, too savage for even their own kind to approach. It was one such that seemed to be the ¡®boss¡¯ of the area we were exploring, and it was he who took my eye and forced us to retreat.¡± Victor found his vision clouding with red again and clenched his fists until his knuckles noisily popped. Valla grabbed his hand. ¡°Stop it! Stop acting like I¡¯m a doll you have to protect. I¡¯m an adventurer, Victor.¡± He could hear real frustration in her voice, which, more than anything, allowed him to push the rage out of his pathways. While Lesh continued to feed his bottomless hunger and Valla looked away, perhaps trying to think of the right thing to say, Victor struggled with his conflicting emotions. Part of him wanted to tell Valla it wasn¡¯t worth it. What was she trying to prove? He loved her and didn¡¯t care if she was as powerful as he was. Didn¡¯t she understand that? She didn¡¯t have to go into dungeons and push her limits; he wouldn¡¯t leave her. Their relationship was based on more than that. Of course, Victor wasn¡¯t stupid, not if he really tried to think through a problem, and he knew that saying those words would only infuriate her. He knew they weren¡¯t fair. If he didn¡¯t think Valla had anything to prove, then what was he doing? How was it fair for him to constantly push himself if he didn¡¯t want her to do the same? Worse than the hypocrisy of his feelings was the knowledge that he had another objection that would only hurt and alienate Valla if she ever knew he harbored it: he didn¡¯t think she would be able to catch him, so what was the point of risking her life? It was a shameful thing to admit to himself, but Victor knew he wasn¡¯t normal. He¡¯d thrashed not one but several tier-nine combatants in the challenge dungeon. He sparred with Valla frequently¡ªshe wasn¡¯t a match for those folks. Victor knew that if he wanted to challenge himself, he¡¯d be doing things that she couldn¡¯t participate in, whether she was level sixty or a hundred. Would things be different if they both broke through the ¡°iron ranks?¡± Would it be different once they passed their ¡°test of steel?¡± He wanted to hope so, but that would also mean that other people at that level would be a risk to him and, by that virtue, a risk to Valla. Would they be safer at that tier of power, or would they simply have more dangerous enemies? After all, the only thing keeping Victor safe from the masters of Sojourn was their self-imposed code of conduct¡ªthe rules and laws of the city-world. Would that even matter if he didn¡¯t have Dar¡¯s backing? He supposed the city''s laws stood for something, even to those without an influential mentor. While he sat there, lost in thought about his self-centered ambition and desire to keep Valla safe, he must have worn a look that betrayed his disgust because she eventually said, ¡°I¡¯ve upset you.¡± Before he could deny it, she scowled further and pushed back her chair. ¡°Amazing. I¡¯m the one who should be irritated, but you¡¯ve somehow made me feel like I¡¯ve done something wrong!¡± ¡°No, I¡ª¡± His objection died on his lips as she walked stiffly past him to the door and out. ¡°Deep thoughts?¡± Lesh rumbled, wiping his toothy maw with a napkin. ¡°Unpleasant ones.¡± ¡°Valla grows powerful, Victor. She has more than one solution for the eye.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the eye. It¡¯s . . . I guess it¡¯s my own insecurity. She¡¯s trying so damn hard to catch up to me, or, if not that, at least keep up. What will she do if she can¡¯t? She¡¯s not a housewife, Lesh.¡± As he said the words, his real fear clicked into place, and sudden understanding dawned on him. The root of all of his angst wasn¡¯t that he feared leaving Valla behind or that he was already too far ahead; it was more that he was afraid she¡¯d figure it out and realize she couldn¡¯t catch up. Would she be willing to live a life in his shadow? Before Lesh could respond, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t repeat that.¡± ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t. You speak to me from the heart and seek advice; how could I even consider betraying that trust?¡± He made a face, and Victor wondered if he¡¯d alienated yet another person. Lesh didn¡¯t storm off, though. He took a moment to consider and then said, ¡°Why do you worry about something you can¡¯t control? You are what you are. Valla is what she is. You both love each other, and, at least for the moment, you¡¯re together. Enjoy that.¡± Victor knew Lesh had a strange perspective on love. He¡¯d given up his life with his actual wife to follow Victor. Thinking about that and realizing they were talking about personal things, he voiced a question that had been on his mind since he¡¯d learned about the man¡¯s wife. ¡°Will your wife wait for you? Are you planning to return to her someday?¡± ¡°Yassa is my mate. I suppose it¡¯s similar to a wife in your culture, but . . . it has some nuances. She will wait for a time, but if I tarry too long, she will seek another.¡± Lesh¡¯s words were matter-of-fact, but Victor could feel some emotion behind them. ¡°I mean, do you hope to get back to her?¡± ¡°Ah, Victor, I know you mean well, but this is a topic I¡¯ve settled my mind about. I¡¯d rather not dwell on what may have been or what may be; I¡¯ve set my course for different shores. Fate¡¯s winds move me now.¡± The dragonkin¡¯s mild rebuke stung more than it should have. Victor realized he¡¯d been harboring some hope for wisdom or advice to see him through this, hopefully, minor conflict with Valla. As he had the thought, he wondered if the conflict was really with Valla or with himself. Sighing, feeling like nothing had been resolved, he pushed his chair back and stood. ¡°I better go after her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right behind. I need to visit the toilets.¡± Lesh stood and lumbered toward the back of the restaurant, and Victor silently wished the plumbing luck. He went outside to find Valla sitting on the edge of the wooden boardwalk that lined the row of buildings. Her feet dangled toward the cobbled street, and she held her wings slightly open to make it easier to sit down. When Victor hopped down to the cobbles and turned to face her, she scowled and pointedly looked to the side. ¡°That mad? Won¡¯t even look at me?¡± A corner of her mouth quirked up, and he knew he had her on the ropes. ¡°Come on! I¡¯m sorry I reacted that way.¡± He reached out to take her chin and turned her face toward him. ¡°Let me see that cut. I bet you look tough as hell.¡± To his surprise, her cheeks flushed, and she looked away again. ¡°Are you being shy?¡± ¡°Stop it, Victor!¡± She slapped his hand, and he sighed, turning his hand so his palm was facing up. ¡°Well, take my hand at least. I¡¯ll walk you to the coach.¡± She relented at that and put her hand in his, and he pulled, making it easy for her to slide to the edge of the boardwalk and hop to her feet. ¡°You¡¯re going to like Dar¡¯s lake house.¡± ¡°How long will we stay there?¡± Victor paused, looking back at the inn. ¡°Let¡¯s wait a minute so Lesh can follow us. The coach is over there.¡± He pointed to the oval, black-lacquered vehicle, where it floated a few feet over the cobbles on the other side of the square. ¡°Dar said that we can stay at the lake house until I¡¯ve got enough money to buy a house that, uh, ¡®suits my station¡¯ or something like that.¡± To his further surprise, Valla sighed and shook her head. ¡°I like our little townhome. It¡¯s cozy, and it, well, it¡¯s ours¡ª¡± She was looking up at him while she spoke, and Victor¡¯s guilt must have been apparent because she cut off her words and took a step away, turning to look at him more directly with her single eye. ¡°Why do you look like that? Did something happen to our house?¡± ¡°I . . .¡± Victor had that feeling he¡¯d had too many times in his life when he realized he¡¯d been stupid, and it seemed so obvious after the fact that he couldn¡¯t quite believe the extent of his mind¡¯s betrayal. Of course, he should have spoken to Valla before emptying the house and putting it up for sale. They¡¯d picked the place together. They¡¯d moved in together. What would it say about his opinion of her that he¡¯d just undone all of that without so much as asking her what she thought? ¡°Is that the coach, Lord Victor?¡± Lesh asked, once again being overly formal for some damn reason. Victor nodded, his mind still on Valla and how hurt she looked. He hadn¡¯t even told her what he¡¯d done, but she was more than clever and could read his face like a book. She slipped her hand from his and walked with Lesh to the coach. Victor followed, trying to think of a way to smooth things over. Nothing brilliant came to him. When he climbed into the vehicle''s spacious interior, he wasn¡¯t surprised to find Valla sitting in one of the bucket seats rather than the longer benches, so he sat alone. ¡°I have to go to an enchanter¡¯s shop to get my armor. Should I take you two home first?¡± Valla nodded. ¡°Yes, please.¡± Frowning, almost scowling, Victor slid open the little window to the driver¡¯s compartment, ¡°Back to the lake house first, Mr. Qwor.¡± After a few minutes of silence, Victor looked at Lesh. ¡°Tell me about the dungeon.¡± ¡°Ah, my pleasure,¡± the big man rumbled, and Victor tried to relax, sitting back in the cushions, listening to Lesh recount their experience, describing the dungeon, the denizens, and the fights. Every so often, Victor would glance at Valla, but she refused to meet his gaze, and he decided the best thing he could do was give her some space. There wasn¡¯t always a quick fix, some magical combination of words, that would end a fight, and he figured he just had to give her some time to cool off. If their differences were just about the house and his unilateral decision to sell it, he wouldn¡¯t have felt so troubled as he sat there listening to the dragonkin. His earlier thoughts, though, his admission to fearing Valla would grow tired of being in his shadow, weighed heavily on him. He wondered if she also suspected there was more to the anger she felt. He wondered if she was sitting there drawing her own conclusions, finding rifts where before she¡¯d thought things were smooth. He hated how he felt. He hated that Valla was upset with him. He hated that he hadn¡¯t said or done the right thing when he¡¯d seen her injury, and rather than make things better for her, he seemed to have made them worse. He tried to listen to Lesh, nodding along and acting impressed at the right moments, but he was only half-present as he replayed one conversation after another, trying to think of the right things to say. When he failed, he finally closed his eyes and leaned back, hoping he was right and that a bit of time was all it would take. 8.18 Trust and Paranoia Victor was heartened when Valla looked at him and smiled as she exited the coach at the lake house. Even so, he found his tongue sluggish when he tried to think of the right words. The moment passed, and she stepped away from the coach, briskly walking toward the waiting staff member by the front doors. Lesh clapped his shoulder on his way out. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if I rest? I¡¯d go with you if you need someone to watch¡ª¡± Victor waved him off. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s nothing. I just need to run a couple of errands.¡± He watched the dragonkin turn to close the coach¡¯s door, then signaled Mr. Quar to leave. Once he was flying toward town again, alone in the coach, Victor sighed and leaned back. Feeling Lifedrinker press into his back reminded him that he wasn¡¯t really alone. He smiled at the idea and almost reached up to pull the axe free of her harness but stopped himself¡ªhe wanted his mind clear, and he knew Lifedrinker would just take his side in any sort of conflict. She was wonderful for her fierce loyalty, but she didn¡¯t give impartial advice. He rode in silence, and though he tried to think about Valla and their issues, his mind wouldn¡¯t stay focused, and he thought about other things. His thoughts often wandered toward Coloss and their time in that strange, savage city. Victor wondered about the Warlord and how far beyond level one hundred he¡¯d reached. Had he completed his ¡°test of steel?¡± Had he honed his Class to the point where he¡¯d entered his ¡°lustrous veil?¡± He knew the Warlord wouldn¡¯t call those stages of progression those names; they were unique to Sojourn and the worlds under its influence, but he imagined the process was the same no matter what someone called it. Remembering his fight with Karnice, Victor wondered how small the Warlord kept his little club of enlightened people. Karnice had been a common iron ranker, somewhere in the eighth tier. Were the Warlord¡¯s ¡°War Captains¡± beyond the iron ranks? Were they ¡°steel seekers,¡± or were they beyond that point? Victor remembered feeling War Captain Black¡¯s aura and his power. He remembered bowing to it, knowing the man far outstripped him, but he¡¯d changed a lot since then. Still, the man had been stronger than Karnice; there wasn¡¯t any doubt of that in Victor¡¯s mind. ¡°So, maybe I¡¯ll have to deal with some people beyond the iron ranks.¡± He nodded to himself. Then, realizing what he¡¯d said, he wondered what had made him contemplate returning to Zaafor. He had to admit that maybe he was looking for a way to get away from things, to give himself something else to focus on. When the coach arrived, and Victor stepped out to collect his armor from Tria, he resolved to meet with Khul Bach when he returned to the lake house. Considering all he¡¯d learned since coming to Sojourn, he and the Degh spirit had much to discuss. Tria didn¡¯t fail to deliver on her promise; his wyrm-scale vest was in perfect condition, and the new enchantment worked flawlessly. When he put the vest on and trickled a little Energy into the new rune, he felt a flicker of Energy over his skin, and then he was wearing the shirt he¡¯d purchased the day before. The shirt was made of a blend of fabric that breathed like cotton and hung luxuriously like silk. The fabric was dyed a rich gray-black, but Victor knew he could make it match just about any color he could imagine with a simple focus of his will and touch of Energy. ¡°This is great, Tria.¡± ¡°Well, the shirt is lovely, but I didn¡¯t make it.¡± ¡°No, I mean the enchantment. It¡¯s nice to walk around in comfort, knowing I can have my armor on in an instant.¡± ¡°Yes. Invaluable for a man of action, I¡¯m sure.¡± She made a funny chirping sound after her words, and Victor wondered if she was laughing at him. With a wave and a promise to return soon, he left and had Mr. Qwor take him back to the Sojourn City Hall, where the System Stone stood. He didn¡¯t want to empty his pockets by purchasing any of the massively expensive set bonuses for his new armor, but he figured he¡¯d buy the ¡°class A¡± enchantments so he could wear the new armor in comfort. He especially wanted to equip the gauntlet so he¡¯d have the option of using the magma whip if he got into a fight. Either the early hour proved fruitful, or his luck was better that morning because not a single person stood in line when he arrived. He went straight to the Stone and selected the three class-A bonuses he wanted: the resizing enchantment, the self-cleaning and self-repairing enchantment, and, of course, the enchantment to disguise the armor as clothing. Altogether, it cost him 35,000 standard beads, which he paid for using some of those he¡¯d won in the challenge dungeon. When he returned to the coach, Victor took a minute to put the armor on, switching Khul Bach¡¯s bracer to his right arm until he had a chance to stow it in his vault. The armor was comfortable, and even the dense, metallic gauntlet and helmet felt like they were made for his body, flexing and moving easily when he twisted and turned his wrist and neck. Still, he activated the disguise runes and was pleased to find that everything morphed into clothing that wouldn¡¯t be out of place among the finely dressed individuals he¡¯d seen around Sojourn. The red leather pants seemed to take a cue from the shirt he wore, becoming dark, narrow-legged slacks of fine material and craftsmanship. The boots changed from heavy, combat-oriented adventuring boots to fine, polished leather ones, easily the most comfortable Victor had ever worn. The belt went from a girdle-like piece of heavy ¡°lava king¡± hide to a supple leather strap that matched his boots. Even the bracer and helmet changed to something far more comfortable¡ªsoft leather bands that looked almost stylish on his wrist and around his forehead. Looking closely, he saw that they were stitched with angular designs in a faintly metallic thread. Pleased, Victor closed his eyes and tried to relax during the short flight back to the lake house. Upon arrival, he walked through the house and onto the deck, looking for any sign of Valla and their friends. Following sounds of splashes and laughter, he looked down the steps to the pier, where he saw Edeya, Lam, and Darren playing some convoluted game of keep away with Lesh. Darren leaped out of the water, something bright red clutched in his hand, and Victor could hear the breathless, almost panicked nature of his laughter as Lesh erupted like a damned crocodile, roaring as he gave chase. Edeya¡¯s high-pitched cackle was too much, and Victor turned away before he jumped down there and joined the fun. Of course, he wanted to, but he wondered where Valla was, and he¡¯d also made a promise to himself to meet with Khul Bach before he found another excuse to put it off. So, he returned to the house and proceeded down the hall to his bedroom. He found Valla inside, sound asleep under the covers, her left eye still covered by a thick white bandage. He knew she didn¡¯t need the bandage, that she was just hiding the damaged eye, either because she was self-conscious or because it was unpleasant to look at. He wanted to pull it aside, wanted to see what some pinch¨¦ monster had done to her face, but he knew it would add to her list of grievances with him. Victor quietly passed through the room into the adjoining study. It was a relatively large space with a big round table and chairs at the center, a large desk on the left-hand wall in front of a window, and built-in bookcases lining the right-hand wall. Victor carefully paced across the room and determined that if he removed the table and chairs, he should be able to open the vault.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Rather than drag the furniture around, moving it to the other room, he just pulled the table and chairs into one of his storage rings; he didn¡¯t think Dar would mind as long as he put them back when he moved out of the house. He closed the study door, then, on the big woven carpet, he twisted the key in the marble-sized vault and watched as it hissed with steam, slowly expanding to fill most of the empty space in the room. Victor opened the door and removed the key; he would be inside for a while and hated the idea that someone might lock him in. Inside the vault, he regarded the ivid royal jelly and the ivory box containing the geists. He worried that Ranish Dar, or anyone, really, might step into the vault while he was in there talking to Khul Bach, so he contemplated the door and noticed a keyhole on the inside. ¡°Huh.¡± He inserted the key, ensuring it fit. He pulled the door shut and then turned the key until it clicked. He was reasonably sure the keyhole hadn¡¯t been present before. Was that because the key had been on the outside? He wondered if he could keep turning the key, shrinking the vault down with him inside it, but the idea sent shivers down his spine, and he refused to try it. Instead, he took a step back and sat down in the middle of the spherical chamber. He removed the bracer he¡¯d made to hold the seventeen Ancestor Stone shards and touched the only occupied slot. After a moment to clear his head, Victor sent Energy into it, summoning the crystal''s weird, white-gray, angular landscape. ¡°You¡¯ve changed much, student of mine,¡± Khul Bach rumbled, suddenly sitting a few feet away, his countenance creased in its usual glower. He sat with his legs folded before him, his big, scarred knuckles resting on the ground at his sides. ¡°Hello, Khul Bach. I¡¯ve changed a bit and learned a lot. Have you been doing well?¡± ¡°You know how things go for me¡ªtime passes, and I hardly notice. How long has it been? A year? Twenty? More?¡± ¡°Nah, not all that long. Less than a year.¡± ¡°Yet you have a gravity about you that speaks of great advancements. Tell me, then, lad, what have you been about?¡± Victor nodded, and, slowly at first, but then, in a rush of words, he told the old spirit about the Free Marches and all about his mistakes and triumphs in the war. He told the giant about First Landing and how he¡¯d smashed the human-made constructs before traveling to Sojourn. The giant grew quiet and very attentive when he described the power of the great masters of the city and then about his journey to the ivid hive world. When he mentioned Ranish Dar and his bargain with the Master Spirit Caster, Victor thought he saw a flicker of something odd on the giant¡¯s face¡ªdoubt? Fear? Worry? He supposed any of those reactions would be reasonable. ¡°So,¡± the giant said, resting one elbow on a knee and placing his chin in his palm. He looked almost depressed. ¡°So?¡± ¡°So. You¡¯ve no need for me and my backward ways.¡± ¡°Oh, come on!¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re still old as hell; you¡¯ll always have things to teach me.¡± ¡°My age?¡± the giant roared. ¡°Of all my qualities, you choose my age as my saving grace?¡± ¡°Khul Bach! Come on, I still plan to talk to you regularly, and yes, I intend to fulfill my promise to you. I¡¯m going to free your people from the Warlord.¡± The Degh spirit nodded, somewhat mollified, and lifted his chin out of his palm. Sitting up, his backbone rigid, he said, ¡°You¡¯re stronger, but I still think Thoargh will beat you. He was strong when the Degh were yet whole.¡± ¡°I know I¡¯m not ready yet. Well, no, I don¡¯t, but I¡¯m not planning to go back soon. I have a lot to learn here. Khul Bach, do you know about what happens after level one hundred?¡± ¡°Aye. Endless, slow cultivation. Years spent in meditation to eke out a bit more Energy at glacial paces. A rare level here and there that seems a hollow echo of those in the lower tiers.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know anything about something that might be described as a ¡®test of steel?¡¯ A custom Class that you need to improve and refine?¡± ¡°I know people who reach level one hundred are given a new choice of Class based on their earlier experiences. I don¡¯t recall anything about refining and improving that Class. Victor, very few Degh reached such a level, and few lingered on Zaafor; most are in the Ancestor Stone.¡± ¡°Well, there¡¯s more to the process of advancing after level one hundred, Khul Bach. I don¡¯t know the secrets yet; I¡¯ve only heard hints, but I¡¯m going to learn them before I go back to Zaafor. The Warlord might know the secrets; he might have advanced past his ¡®test of steel,¡¯ or whatever he called it. He might not, however. He seemed pretty damn frustrated with his progression . . .¡± Victor trailed off, letting the implications of his words speak for themselves. Khul Bach nodded. ¡°You should pass that milestone before you return.¡± ¡°Yeah, maybe. I¡¯ll see what Ranish Dar thinks. Is that all right with you? Are you doing okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, lad. I¡¯ve languished for millennia. My people await, but another year or twenty won¡¯t change much. No, I¡¯d rather you were ready and met with success than attempt to take on Thoargh ill-prepared and fail.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°I have another question for you. Have you ever heard of the idea that some people who become obsessed with or overwhelmed by a negative affinity like rage or fear might carry that Energy with them into the Spirit Plane when they die? That they might go through the veil with it, driven mad, wandering in a kind of purgatory with their delusion?¡± ¡°The lure of a strong emotion is powerful. You should know this. Haven¡¯t you tasted the power of fear? Of rage? Imagine you succumbed to the call of your fear and never gave it up. Imagine you feasted on the emotion to the exclusion of all else. Now, imagine doing that for hundreds or thousands of years. What would be left of Victor when you died? Your spirit would be twisted and shunned. I¡¯ve seen it. I¡¯ve seen Degh who lost themselves to greed or envy, to vengeance or lust. Their spirits were pushed away from the Ancestor Stone and driven through the veil. Such poison couldn¡¯t be allowed to fester among us.¡± Victor folded his arms and frowned. ¡°Ranish Dar sent me with a death caster through the veil. He had me capture two such spirits. One full of rage and the other with fear. He wants me to use them for cultivation, to gather their attuned Energy.¡± Khul Bach frowned, rubbing his prodigious jawline with a thick thumb. ¡°It may be my ignorance speaking, but that sounds like a dark dealing to me, Victor. Use caution.¡± ¡°He says that we¡¯re helping the spirits by pulling their rage and fear off, helping them to recover faster than if we¡¯d let nature take its course.¡± ¡°An optimistic outlook. I won¡¯t pretend to know as much as this man, this Ranish Dar, who has lived for thousands of years and reached pinnacles of power unheard of on Zaafor. No, learn what you can, but please be cautious, Victor. You are a gifted warrior. A man with potent blood and deep potential. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time, nor even the millionth, that a powerful man promised great knowledge to a prot¨¦g¨¦ who had something he coveted. Perhaps my caution is misplaced, and your new mentor is so far beyond you that anything he may gain from your abuse would be too small, too trifling, to warrant such betrayal, but . . .¡± It was Khul Bach¡¯s turn to let his words die out, leaving Victor ruminating on them. ¡°All right. I appreciate the advice, Khul Bach. I¡¯ll try to keep a clear head and not get overwhelmed by the wonders I see.¡± Victor chuckled, trying to lighten the mood a little. ¡°Do that and keep working on your skills and spells. How many have you lifted into the epic tier?¡± Victor sighed, wishing he¡¯d said goodbye just a little quicker. ¡°Only two. My Iron Berserk and Inspiration of the Quinametzin.¡± ¡°What? All this time? All this advancement in power, and you¡¯ve neglected your Sovereign Will?¡± The giant Degh spirit leaned forward, his eyes boring into Victor¡¯s. ¡°No! I haven¡¯t neglected it. I use the damn skill all the time, but it won¡¯t move past advanced.¡± Khul Bach stared into his eyes for several seconds but finally relented, nodding with a grunt. ¡°I see you speak the truth. Well? Ask your new master for insight. There must be a way to push it forward, and push it forward, you must; it¡¯s a central, defining skill of yours. Don¡¯t let it languish.¡± Victor nodded, opening his mouth to reply, but Khul Bach waved him off. ¡°I must rest and think on all that you¡¯ve revealed. Come again soon, Victor.¡± Victor felt Khul Bach¡¯s push and relented, pulling his Energy back into himself and slipping out of the domain of the Ancestor Stone shard. He looked around the curved, rune-inscribed walls of his vault and let his eyes drift toward the ivid royal jelly. The fact that he was hiding it in there said a lot; he clearly didn¡¯t fully trust Ranish Dar. Was there something to Khul Bach¡¯s warning? He sighed and stood. Moving over to the satchel, he slipped the bracer with the Ancestor Stone shard inside next to the silk-wrapped jelly, and then he stooped to pick up the ivory box containing the geists. Dar would want to see them when he helped set up Victor¡¯s ¡°cultivation chamber,¡± and he didn¡¯t want to have to awkwardly try to sneak them out of the vault, exposing the jelly. He turned the key counterclockwise until it clicked, pushed the door open, and stepped out. He was still alone in the study. Victor locked up the vault, and when he had it hanging from around his neck, tucked under his shirt, he breathed a sigh of relief, letting go of some stress he hadn¡¯t even been aware of. Was he being paranoid? He didn¡¯t think so. He didn¡¯t know what the royal jelly would do, but he knew it was powerful, the most potent stuff he¡¯d ever laid eyes on. Dar might be a good man who wanted to do right by him, but Victor didn¡¯t see any reason to tempt his good nature. When he opened the study door and walked into the bedroom, he tried to move silently, but he saw the light streaming through the window reflected in Valla¡¯s eye as she peered at him from her nest of blankets. ¡°Hey,¡± he said softly, almost a whisper. She didn¡¯t reply, but she pulled the blankets down, revealing her naked chest, and then gently patted the sheet beside her. Victor wasn¡¯t stupid enough to question such an invitation. 8.19 The Pull of Glory Sometime later, Victor lay on his back, one arm behind his head on the pillow and the other outstretched, cradling Valla. She lay on her side, looking at him, and after several minutes of silence, reached over and began to trace little circles on his chest. Her fingertip felt cool to his hot Quinametzin flesh, and he loved it. While he luxuriated in the attention, Valla softly asked, ¡°You know why I was upset, why I¡¯m still upset, right?¡± Victor inhaled deeply through his nose. ¡°I guess ¡®cause I was impulsive and didn¡¯t ask you about selling the house.¡± ¡°You guess?¡± The finger stopped moving, pressing into his breastbone. ¡°No, Valla, I know. I also know that¡¯s not the only thing that got you pissed at me. I shouldn¡¯t have freaked out in the restaurant when I saw you. I shouldn¡¯t have, but,¡± Victor turned slightly so he could look down into her good eye, ¡°I worry about a lot of things, and I¡¯m not good at explaining what I¡¯m feeling.¡± ¡°So try. Just tell me what was going through your mind.¡± Her finger started moving, gently tracing the outline of his pectoral muscle. ¡°If I say it, you¡¯re going to think I¡¯m an even bigger asshole. It¡¯s a feeling I¡¯m not proud of.¡± ¡°Whatever kind of asshole you are, however big you are,¡± she chuckled, ¡°I still love you. So?¡± Victor¡¯s mind raced, and he wondered if he should be honest. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to hide his feelings from Valla, but in this case, he honestly thought his feelings made him seem like a prick. ¡°Even if I know my thoughts make me seem, I don¡¯t know, conceited? Full of myself? Insecure?¡± Valla¡¯s thumb joined her finger, and she squeezed his skin between the two¡ªa clear threat of a wicked, incoming pinch. ¡°Easy! Easy,¡± he laughed. ¡°Let me gather my thoughts.¡± ¡°Just say what you¡¯re feeling. Don¡¯t spend time twisting words to hide the truth!¡± ¡°Really? Well, get ready to be pissed again.¡± Victor took a deep breath, then began letting his thoughts fall out of his mouth in a rush, ¡°When you were telling me how you got hurt, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how I wished I¡¯d been there, that I could have killed that pinch¨¦ boss. Of course, that made me think about how you and Lesh were just about my level, so why was I so sure? I am sure, though, which makes me sound like a conceited asshole, but, shit, Valla, I¡¯ve beaten several tier eights and nines at once.¡± Valla was quiet, and she released his flesh and started to withdraw her hand, so Victor rushed to try to explain, ¡°It¡¯s not that I was sitting there thinking you guys are weak or anything. I was worrying about how you might not be able to catch up to me. Ever. It¡¯s not just about levels, it¡¯s about . . . shit, I don¡¯t know. My bloodline? My Class? The goddamn freakish synergy of everything that makes me into some kind of monster. What if you get tired of trying? What if you decide it¡¯s not worth it? What if we grow further and further apart? I hated being away from you for just a few days, but honestly, it looks like there¡¯s more time apart than together in our future.¡± ¡°Oh, Victor,¡± Valla sighed, flopping over onto her back with a huff and a faintly metallic rustle of feathers. ¡°Do you think I only want to gain levels and strength to ¡®catch up¡¯ to you?¡± The blunt question drove home the point so clearly that Victor, as usual, felt like an idiot. ¡°No. I guess not. But, even so, Valla, what about,¡± he reached out and gently touched the scar on her forehead, just above her bandage, ¡°the rest of it. What about me getting pulled into more and more situations where you¡¯d be at risk if you were with me? What about me, during my downtime, sitting around missing you ¡®cause you¡¯re doing your thing?¡± ¡°Well, what did Lesh tell you?¡± The question seemed to come out of left field, surprising Victor and putting him even more off balance. ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°You sat at the table for a while after I walked out. My hearing¡¯s not as good as yours, but I heard your voices. What did you tell him?¡± Something told Victor she¡¯d heard much more than she was letting on. She¡¯d been sitting right outside the window, after all. Was that why she¡¯d made the peace overture after her nap? Had she heard him stumble upon the truth of his self-centered concern? ¡°Well, he basically told me that I should be happy for the time I have. I should be happy for what I can grasp and stop trying to control what I can¡¯t.¡± He sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t remember the exact words.¡± ¡°So?¡± Valla turned toward him again, reaching to gently scrape her nails through the rough, short stubble on his jawline. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happier having grasped this moment?¡± ¡°Yeah. Of course. I don¡¯t like feeling like you¡¯re angry or that I¡¯ve messed things up. I just also wish I could count on some stability in our future together¡ª¡± ¡°Victor!¡± She spoke sharply, but her lips and eyes smiled as she leaned closer, pressing her forehead against his. ¡°The only way that will happen is if we both decide we¡¯re content with what we have, if we both stop going out and risking ourselves. We¡¯d have to decide we don¡¯t need more levels, more knowledge, or more strength. We¡¯d have to admit that we¡¯re okay with a huge portion of the population being stronger than us and having power over us. Even if we returned to Fanwath, we¡¯d need to worry about the next threat that might come through a gateway. Could you do that?¡± His voice was quiet and a little thick with emotion when he eventually responded, ¡°No.¡± Valla smiled and leaned close, kissing him softly. ¡°I have to confess that I was feeling a similar way. It¡¯s why I got upset about the house. For a tiny moment, when we first moved in there, I could picture a life with you, making a home together. I¡¯m not saying we won¡¯t do that. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s impossible, but I think when I realized you sold the house, I recognized the fantasy for what it was. So, let¡¯s do our best. Let¡¯s find ways to improve while spending as much time together as possible. Let¡¯s try not to be irritated with each other and spoil our precious time with fights.¡± ¡°All right.¡± He moved his hand to the side of her face, gently stroking her cheek with his thumb. ¡°You know, it¡¯s not sold yet. I could tell the realtor to stop trying¡ª¡± ¡°No. You made the right decision. A home isn¡¯t the right place to tie up our money right now. Besides, if we want to spend time in a place that¡¯s truly ours, we can visit home.¡± Victor smiled at the words; having a place to think of as home was nice, and the Free Marches fit nicely. She grasped his hand, halting his gentle exploration of her injury. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the scar. I¡¯ll consume the racial advancement elixir I earned in the dungeon. If it¡¯s not enough to repair my eye, I¡¯ll use the regeneration tonic I saved.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I don¡¯t give a shit how many scars you have!¡± Victor growled, his voice gaining some volume and a bit of a rumble. ¡°You¡¯re the most beautiful woman in the universe. Any scars you get only make things a little fairer for the other goddesses out there.¡± That brought a giggle burbling out of Valla¡¯s throat, and she bounded atop him, her wings spreading wide. ¡°Did you just call me a goddess?¡± ¡°Obviously¡ª¡± Victor started to say, but then a knock at the door interrupted his further efforts to earn her good favor. ¡°What?¡± he barked, more harshly than he intended. A muffled voice came through the door, ¡°Victor, sir, Lord Dar would meet with you. He awaits you in the library.¡± ¡°Shit,¡± Victor sighed. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not in trouble. I wrote in the damn Farscribe book like he asked¡ª¡± ¡°Go!¡± Valla rolled to the side and nimbly off the bed. She padded, barefoot and naked, toward the bathroom. ¡°I¡¯ll be here. I¡¯m going to consume the racial advancement! Check on me later.¡± ¡°I will.¡± Victor sat up on the side of the bed and quickly began pulling on his hastily discarded clothing. He thought she was gone, out of sight in the bathroom, but after a few seconds, she spoke up from the doorway, her voice very sweet and almost a little plaintive, ¡°I love you, Victor.¡±If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. He jerked his head up to lock eyes with her and immediately replied, ¡°I love you too.¡± She smiled at that and pulled the door closed, and then Victor finished getting dressed and hurried out. When he stepped into the brightly lit Library, shielding his eyes from the sun reflecting off the lake shining through the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, he found Ranish Dar sitting at one of the study tables, thumbing through a text so thick that it would have put his abuela¡¯s old-school dictionary to shame. ¡°Thank you for hurrying, Victor. I hope I didn¡¯t interrupt your nap.¡± Victor tried to hear sarcasm or wry humor in the man¡¯s deep, grating voice, but the words felt sincere. ¡°No, I was awake.¡± He strode over to the table and gestured to the empty seat across from Dar. ¡°Should I sit down?¡± ¡°Yes, by all means.¡± Dar closed the thick book with a thud and turned his smoldering eyes toward him, watching Victor take a seat. ¡°You¡¯ve made yourself small again?¡± He chuckled, clearly finding Victor¡¯s human-sized form in his oversized chair amusing. ¡°Well, I was with Valla,¡± Victor mumbled, reaching into his Core to cut the connection to the Alter Self spell. As he surged in size, filling the chair out and putting himself eye to eye with Ranish Dar, he shrugged. ¡°It makes things easier.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Dar rubbed his stony chin. ¡°No doubt it does.¡± He leaned back, causing the dense hardwood chair to creak. ¡°I read your reports in the Farscribe book. I appreciate you asking if I mind you and your friends hosting a gathering here, but, as I told you before, I want you to consider this your home for now. I generally don¡¯t entertain, so you needn¡¯t worry about my schedule. Once I get you started on some rigorous practice routines, I will return to the tower and give you some space.¡± ¡°Oh. Well, thanks.¡± Victor smiled, knowing Lam and Edeya would be pleased. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about your ritual. The heart, I mean. We spoke only briefly after you consumed it, but I was serious about finding you some worthy opponents, enemies whose hearts might be worth claiming. I believe I¡¯ve stumbled upon a solution in the most unlikely of places¡ªa letter from one of my grandchildren.¡± ¡°Your, um, grandchildren?¡± ¡°Have I not mentioned that I¡¯m old, Victor? Some might say ancient.¡± He chuckled. ¡°When a man conquers worlds, a few dozen children here and there are to be expected.¡± He looked hard at Victor, and his stony brows lifted in amusement. ¡°Unless his heart is claimed, perhaps. Love? I¡¯ve had love, Victor, but centuries tend to pull even the most desperate lovers apart.¡± Victor was silent, contemplating Dar¡¯s words. Was it a coincidence? It felt strange to be hearing about love and centuries ¡°pulling people apart¡± directly after the discussion he¡¯d just had with Valla. Was Dar teasing him? Offering him advice in a strange, roundabout manner? Despite Victor¡¯s preoccupation, Dar continued speaking. ¡°When I was younger, I conquered a kingdom in a world called Ruhn. I lived there for quite some time and built up a rather extended family before my yearnings for knowledge, adventure, and power called me away. My wife was gone, and my children had either left to seek their own glory or had become elderly due to their lack of ambition. I didn¡¯t feel compelled to stay.¡± That got Victor¡¯s attention, and he pushed away his unquiet thoughts and tried to pay attention to the master Spirit Caster. Dar noticed his renewed focus and smiled as he continued, ¡°These days on Ruhn, you can find many high-tier individuals in the iron ranks and even a few hundred working through their tests of steel. However, only a very few have entered their lustrous veil. According to my granddaughter¡¯s letter, ten such individuals watch over the world, and they are, to put it simply, hands-off.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Victor liked the sound of that, but probably only because he was still an ¡°iron ranker.¡± He didn¡¯t enjoy having hundreds or even thousands of people at Dar¡¯s power level hanging around, reminding him of his insignificance. ¡°Yes. Ruhn is, in effect, ruled by an empire of which the kingdoms, like the one I left to my descendants, are member states. The kingdoms are often vying for power and influence. The most influential will occasionally force a war of succession, changing the empire¡¯s rulership. I¡¯ve lost touch with the world and my children¡¯s children, but this letter surprised me recently. Well, it was recent to me¡ªsomething like four years ago. It was after our discussion last night, following your ritual, that I was reminded of my granddaughter¡¯s plight.¡± ¡°Her plight?¡± Victor was trying to keep track of Dar¡¯s rambling tale and how it might impact him. He¡¯d yet to figure that part out. ¡°Yes, the point of her letter¡ªmy kingdom, well, hers now, is beset by hostile neighbors who¡¯ve been putting tremendous strain on her economy and infrastructure. She fears they¡¯ll soon challenge her and lay claim to her lands, destroying my descendants¡¯ legacy.¡± Dar spoke matter-of-factly, betraying no emotion at all, and his uncaring demeanor brought storm clouds to Victor¡¯s narrowed eyes. ¡°She wanted your help? Four years ago?¡± He couldn¡¯t keep the snarl out of his words. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Dar nodded, drumming his fingers on the table, ignoring Victor¡¯s evident judgment. ¡°At the time, I contemplated a walk back to Ruhn, but that would throw me into conflict with the ten veil walkers of that world. No, someone of my stature could not aid her. So, I set the letter aside with plans to find a solution, and now I have!¡± ¡°But . . .¡± Victor started to object, wanting to chastise his ¡°master¡± for taking so long to help his descendants, but something else had caught his attention. ¡°What do you mean you were thinking about a ¡®walk¡¯ back to Ruhn?¡± He quickly followed up with, ¡°And what¡¯s a veil walker?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right.¡± Dar looked at him with an even expression, and Victor got the distinct impression that he was pitying him. ¡°I let slip my mind your lack of formal education. Fear not; I¡¯ll spend some months giving you lessons before I send you on your way.¡± ¡°Send me¡ª¡± ¡°But, to answer your questions.¡± Dar held up a finger, interrupting Victor. ¡°When I ¡®walk¡¯ somewhere distant, I use the Spirit Plane. Yet another lesson I must add to your long list of study topics.¡± ¡°You can¡ª¡± Dar brandished his finger again. ¡°Veil walker is a general term for those who¡¯ve completed their test of steel and moved into their lustrous veil.¡± He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. ¡°Now, to the point: I told you we need to find you more hearts from worthy foes. On Ruhn, wars are decided by battles between two kingdoms¡¯ champions. The fools pressuring my distant granddaughter won¡¯t be worthy hearts for you, but after you¡¯ve vanquished them, you will champion my granddaughter as she begins a war of succession. You and she will conquer Ruhn.¡± ¡°Seriously? When? How long will that take? Why wo¡ª¡± Dar held up a hand. ¡°Victor! Such panic from a titan? Calm yourself and think. There are more than a hundred kingdoms on Ruhn. Of those, twenty-two are formidable and will have champions that will truly test your mettle. When you face the seven great houses, you will earn hearts that will make the one from the behemoth seem a mere snack! Of course, those champions will likely all be steel seekers, so you¡¯ll have your work cut out for you.¡± Victor opened his mouth to reply, but Dar pressed on, ¡°There are several ways to gain raw power for a standard cultivator¡ªvanquish foes for their Energy, cultivate Energy from other sources, and improve one¡¯s species or bloodline. You have another method that does all three and more!¡± Dar¡¯s passion broke through to Victor, and he nodded, his eyes narrowing as he scowled in determination. Dar was right. He gained a lot of Energy from every heart he consumed, sometimes improved his bloodline, and often gained traits from his enemies. Even his breath Core came from eating a heart. ¡°Are the fights always to the death?¡± ¡°Always. It¡¯s meant to deter conflict.¡± ¡°So, I have to win a hundred duels?¡± ¡°Once the war of succession has begun, other kingdoms will likely seize the opportunity to remove enemies, claim weaker neighbors, or even unite in mutual defense. Many may kneel to my granddaughter, accepting her claim.¡± Victor¡¯s scowl deepened. He wanted to have an idea of what he was up against. ¡°How many? Will I have to win fifty? Twenty?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no telling. The last champion to lead a claimant to the imperial throne won sixty-four duels.¡± Victor shook his head, baffled by the strange custom. ¡°So that¡¯s all it takes? One champion kills another, and they lose their kingdom?¡± ¡°Not quite. Wars of succession are much more complicated. You''ll be dealing with shifting alliances, resource management, and political intrigue. A kingdom is not required to accept a duel, and should they refuse, my granddaughter will need to coerce them. That¡¯s what has been happening to her. Her hostile neighbors have been putting pressure on her in myriad ways¡ªcutting off food supplies, severing communication with the greater empire, destroying resources, assassinating members of her court, and even kidnapping civilians.¡± ¡°How do you know she hasn¡¯t fallen?¡± ¡°Because I used a treasure to scry her this morning. Her current champion yet lives; she¡¯s close to breaking, but her neighbors feel no hurry; they slowly bleed her of resources and know she¡¯ll be forced to accept the challenge eventually. A year or ten is nothing for people who count their lives in centuries.¡± Victor sighed and reached up to run his fingers through his short, stiff hair as though he could stimulate his brain by pulling on it. ¡°You said her neighbors are weaklings. Now you say they count their lives in centuries.¡± ¡°Few people push much past the middle of the iron ranks. Why would they? They feel not the pull of glory! The competition for resources becomes deadly, the grind of cultivation becomes an all-consuming obsession, and the pace of progress becomes glacial.¡± He snorted softly, amused by some private thought, as he eyed Victor knowingly. ¡°For most. Nevertheless, reaching level thirty or fifty greatly extends a natural life, yes? So, most people in worlds like Ruhn will gain levels while it is easy or entertaining and then fall back into rather mundane lives, enjoying the gains they¡¯ve accumulated for hundreds or thousands of years.¡± Victor slowly nodded, lowering his hands to the arms of his chair as he thought about that. His perception of the worlds he¡¯d visited was badly skewed; he was always seeking to advance, so he encountered other people on that path, whether it be in arenas, on monster hunts, in wars, or even in dungeons. Still, he encountered seemingly mundane people daily¡ªservants, officials, merchants, and countless people on the street about whom he knew nothing. Suddenly, Valla¡¯s point that he and she would need to agree that they were content before having real, quality time together took on a new light. The truth was, Dar was out of touch. Victor knew that it wasn¡¯t just people who no longer found gaining levels ¡°easy or entertaining¡± who stopped. He knew that life wasn¡¯t fair and that on many worlds, maybe most of them, the people with power actively worked to keep others from acquiring it. All he had to do was remember the Wagon Wheel and the Greatbone Mine to cement that point in his mind. He turned his attention back to the topic of their meeting. ¡°So your granddaughter needs to force the other kingdoms to accept her challenges before I¡¯ll need to fight?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. She may need your help with some of her strategies, but, for the most part, you¡¯ll remain in her court, training and making yourself available for duels. If a kingdom bends the knee to her rather than having their champion duel you, you¡¯ll receive a portion of the tribute they pay¡ªa tariff for your formidable intimidation value. I¡¯ll instruct my granddaughter to demand growth items as payment for your services.¡± ¡°How long?¡± ¡°Before I send you? Two to six months, I¡¯d say. There¡¯s the matter of your education¡ªetiquette, the laws of succession on Ruhn, and some general knowledge about advancement. More than that, I want to get you started on methods of training that you can practice while away.¡± ¡°And my companions?¡± Victor already felt like he knew the answer before Dar shook his head. ¡°They must remain here. I will extend my hospitality to each of them; I know their safety is important to you and won¡¯t have you distracted with worry. Besides, I rather like Lam, and I¡¯m eager to see how she advances. I can see you formulating an objection, especially with regard to your lady love, but Victor, she will languish on Ruhn. There aren¡¯t easily accessible dungeons, and once it begins, the war will turn the countryside perilous with lurking assassins and saboteurs. She¡¯d have to stay at court and watch as you grew ever more powerful, winning duel after duel. No, I think it best you leave her here with your dragon-blood friend.¡± Victor felt that earlier dread, that cold, hard grip on his heart, slide back into place. Had he somehow felt this coming? Had he known Dar would be sending him places for God knows how long? He must have suspected it on some subconscious level. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t she have the option?¡± ¡°Yes. Talk to her. Explain that Ruhn is four jumps away via a System Stone and that when I help you make the journey, you¡¯ll use the Spirit Plane¡ªa method unavailable to anyone without a sufficiently sturdy spirit Core.¡± Dar pushed his chair back and stood. ¡°Go now. I have things to arrange.¡± He scowled at Victor, but the slight tilt of an eyebrow made it clear he wasn¡¯t really upset. ¡°Primary among them, I must negotiate with the Sojourn Council in an attempt to release you from your debt of three tasks.¡± ¡°So that I can leave?¡± ¡°Exactly. Now, enjoy some time with your friends. Come dawn, we will build your cultivation chamber and begin your training in earnest.¡± 8.20 Making Plans When Victor returned to his room, he found Valla lying on the carpet beside the bed, dressed in loose, silken pajamas. She was clearly unconscious, her body slowly emitting wispy vapors of golden Energy. She¡¯d consumed her ¡°racial elixir,¡± and Victor had a feeling she¡¯d be out for a while. It wasn¡¯t a particularly potent treasure, according to Lesh, but even a single racial rank could take time, and no one knew that better than Victor. Even so, he sat on the edge of the bed and watched her for a while, taking the moment of quiet to unpack everything Dar had told him. Victor was torn. On the one hand, he was drawn to the idea of aiding a struggling nation, especially one led by the descendants of Ranish Dar. On the other, the thought of facing off against the champions of numerous enemy nations, particularly the more formidable ones who had honed their skills for centuries, was daunting. He pondered Dar¡¯s words and how he¡¯d described these champions as ¡°steel seekers,¡± indicating they were beyond level one hundred and had crafted custom Classes with the System¡¯s aid. From what Victor had gathered, a person¡¯s test of steel could span years or even centuries. Some individuals were ¡°steel-bound¡± and never transitioned into their lustrous veil, whatever that entailed¡ªVictor was growing increasingly frustrated by the enigmatic secrecy surrounding that particular stage of advancement. The crux of the matter was that Victor knew he¡¯d be pitted against champions who¡¯d honed their skills for far longer than he¡¯d even been alive. It was one thing to face off against some iron-rankers outside his level range, but did Dar genuinely believe it was prudent to match him against adversaries so much more powerful? If Dar¡¯s reasoning was simple confidence in his strength, Victor supposed he found it encouraging, but after listening to Dar talk about his granddaughter and the kingdom he¡¯d left behind, almost like they were a footnote in the long history of his life, Victor wasn¡¯t so sure Dar cared if he won the duels. As far as he knew, Dar was just throwing him out there as a longshot; if he survived, great, but if he didn¡¯t, some other distraction would surely already be in place by the time Victor died. Regardless, Victor knew he was going. Dar had baited the trap well, speaking of glory and spinning the tale in a way that had Victor envisioning himself standing up for a smaller nation and turning the tables, helping the underdog to rise against its oppressors. It didn¡¯t hurt that he¡¯d be fighting out of his weight class, something Victor found he truly enjoyed. The prizes of potent hearts, growth items, and tribute from the conquered nations were certainly enticing, too. Victor liked the idea of leaning into his rare ability to gain power from his vanquished foes and was glad Dar was encouraging it. He liked fighting and eating hearts a lot more than he enjoyed cultivating for long, slow hours. Looking at Valla, he was reminded of his other reservations; he¡¯d be leaving her behind. Even if she wanted to spend the exorbitant price to purchase four different System teleports, he wouldn¡¯t want her to come. Dar had said it perfectly: she¡¯d languish while he gained more strength. Wouldn¡¯t it be better if she stayed in Sojourn with Lesh and continued to utilize the more accessible leveling opportunities? Maybe she¡¯d get lucky, find more racial advancements and other rare boosts, and surprise him by gaining ground. ¡°How long?¡± he whispered. How long would he be gone? He didn¡¯t know, but he couldn¡¯t imagine a succession war was easily or quickly wrapped up. Sighing, Victor reached down and took Valla¡¯s hand, speaking softly as though she might hear him, ¡°If it takes a long time, though, and I¡¯m winning enough duels, I could pay for you to visit.¡± He could imagine winning ¡°wars¡± for a kingdom would bring a fair amount of riches. Besides, wasn¡¯t he going to learn how to walk through the Spirit Plane, not just as a spirit, but bringing his body along for the ride? It sounded like Dar felt he¡¯d have to help him, but maybe while Victor was on Ruhn, training and gaining more power, he¡¯d master the skill himself. Perhaps he¡¯d be able to visit Valla! He sighed and stood. A lot remained to be seen, but he needed to keep hopeful, or he¡¯d let himself spiral into a foul, despondent mood again. He left his room and went looking for Lam; he wanted to give her the good news. He wasn¡¯t surprised to find her and Edeya on the deck, lying in the afternoon sun. ¡°Hey, ladies.¡± ¡°Victor!¡± Edeya sat up, grinning, and Lam opened her eyes, peeking through her fingers to avoid the direct sun. ¡°I have good news, Lam. Master Dar,¡± Victor grinned, using the honorific¡ªhe only did it because he knew Dar was home and he was trying to earn some points with the man, ¡°says you can host your party. Any idea when?¡± Lam nodded, also sitting up to look up at him more easily. He stood a few paces from their lounge chairs and shifted to the side to put himself in front of the sun. Lam smiled as she lowered her hand, safe in his large shadow. ¡°At the end of the week¡ªfour days. I want to make sure everyone has time to respond.¡± ¡°That means I have your party this weekend, and then I have to go to some other damn party for Lo¡¯ro next week.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget about the Ridonne¡¯s party!¡± Edeya added cheerfully. ¡°What?¡± Victor¡¯s scowl at the mention of the word ¡°Ridonne¡± was automatic. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell him?¡± Edeya eyed Lam. ¡°It never came up. Besides, we never agreed to go.¡± Lam held out her hand, and a small piece of stiff, creamy paper appeared on her palm. It looked almost like a business card. ¡°This is Chal-dak¡¯s calling card. We ran into him while watching you in the challenge dungeon. He invited us to attend a ¡®victory¡¯ party for his brother, Warrin-dak. He was sure he¡¯d win.¡± Lam shrugged and flicked the card his way. Victor snatched it out of the air and frowned. ¡°Not really looking to make nice with the Ridonne.¡± Lam shrugged. ¡°Tear it up if you want. If you change your mind and decide to go, we¡¯ll come along.¡± She smiled and lay back, flopping her arm over her eyes. Lazily, she said, ¡°He might have changed his plans when his brother got beaten by that death caster. He hasn¡¯t exactly reached out to us.¡± Victor lifted an eyebrow. ¡°Arona beat him?¡± ¡°Yes, according to Lesh.¡± Lam yawned, and Victor could see she was trying to check out of the conversation. ¡°Thanks for the spell, Victor,¡± Edeya said. ¡°The Frozen Aura. It¡¯s perfect for me when I¡¯m engaging with my spear or when enemies are flanking me.¡± ¡°You like it?¡± Victor gave her a good look. She was wearing a new swimsuit Lam had purchased when they were in town, and he had a hard time reconciling her appearance with the skinny, dirty, tough-looking girl he¡¯d met in the mines. She looked so clean, happy, and healthy that it brought a big, stupid grin to his face.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. ¡°Of course I do. Don¡¯t worry, though; as soon as I find something worthwhile, I¡¯ll pay you back.¡± ¡°Hey! Friends don¡¯t expect to be paid back. Remember that.¡± He shaded his eyes and looked around, gazing at the lake over the deck railing. ¡°Where are the boys?¡± ¡°Lesh is sunning down by the water. I¡¯m sure his ¡®fosterling¡¯ is with him,¡± Edeya giggled. Victor nodded, his grin only growing wider as he started down the steps. Sure enough, he saw Lesh¡¯s big, dark form lying on the pier. Darren was out in the water. When he reached the bottom of the stairs, and his boots echoed hollowly on the planks, Darren looked up from where he floated and waved. ¡°Hey, Darren.¡± His voice brought a stir to Lesh¡¯s slumbering bulk, and the big dragonkin, naked other than a pair of knee-length leather trousers, pushed himself into a sitting position to regard him. ¡°Lord Victor,¡± he rumbled. ¡°How goes it?¡± ¡°Good, Lesh, but I need to talk to you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m at your disposal. Shall we go inside?¡± Victor stretched, pressing his hands into his lower back as he looked out over the water. ¡°Nah, this is good. Let¡¯s talk here.¡± With that, he sat on the pier and began pulling his boots off. # Darren floated, watching Victor sit beside Lesh, both men dropping their feet into the water. They were giants, and Darren felt tiny in their shadows, treading water beneath them. While he contemplated getting out, Victor said, ¡°I have to speak to you about what Dar has planned for me.¡± Lesh rumbled his acknowledgment, then looked at Darren. ¡°Should I send my fosterling to train?¡± Victor looked at Darren and locked eyes with him for a moment. It was intimidating, and Darren shuddered to think what it would be like to stare into those bright, golden, hawkish eyes if Victor let his aura loose. ¡°No,¡± he said, scratching the rough stubble on his jaw. ¡°You can hang out here, Darren, but don¡¯t repeat any of this until I¡¯ve had a chance to speak with Valla. It may be a day or two.¡± The flush of pride that swelled his chest would have been embarrassing if he wasn¡¯t so damned happy to be included in the men¡¯s private talk. Darren nodded eagerly. ¡°Of course! I won¡¯t repeat a word.¡± Victor nodded and turned to Lesh. ¡°Well, Dar is going to send me to a world that¡¯s four jumps away from here. He wants me to help his distant granddaughter conquer an empire and, along with it, her entire world.¡± ¡°That sounds a worthy cause!¡± Lesh nodded, smashing a heavy, scaled fist into his palm. ¡°When shall we be ready?¡± Victor sighed and kicked his foot through the water. ¡°That¡¯s the thing, Lesh. The fighting between kingdoms in that world is kind of strange. Wars are settled by dueling champions. If you came, you¡¯d be bored watching me fight one duel after another.¡± ¡°Ah. It becomes clear. You are releasing me from your service.¡± Lesh sounded so despondent that Darren wanted to swim over to him and offer a comforting word, but Victor laughed and put his arm over the hulking warrior¡¯s shoulders, jostling him. ¡°No, Lesh! Not unless you want to be free, and then I¡¯ll let you go, though it would be painful. I have other plans for you if you¡¯ll stick around. I want you to stay in Sojourn and continue running dungeons with Valla. I need you to keep an eye on the others, too. Listen, man, I¡¯ve sparred with you a lot; you¡¯re a match for most of those pendejos I fought in the dungeon. If you keep up the training and keep winning treasures from the dungeons, you¡¯ll be one of the strongest iron rankers in Sojourn. You and Valla, both.¡± ¡°And your master?¡± Lesh looked around the lake pointedly. Darren knew what he was thinking; he obviously loved the water and the sun. ¡°He wants you all to stay here. He says it¡¯s important I¡¯m not distracted with worry, and he wants to extend his hospitality to each of you. Darren, Edeya, and Lam can continue adventuring together, too.¡± Lesh nodded and grunted, ¡°Yes.¡± Victor held out a hand. ¡°You¡¯ll stay? You¡¯ll watch Valla¡¯s back?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Lesh took his hand with a meaty thwap, and the two squeezed each other¡¯s palms. Darren watched, inwardly amused but also a little awed at the bulge of their muscles, the gravity of those grips. ¡°How long until you leave?¡± ¡°Leaving in less than six months. I think Dar¡¯s eager to get me out there. That¡¯s the other thing I wanted to talk to you about. I¡¯m going to bug Dar for information about breath Cores. If he doesn¡¯t know anything, I¡¯m sure he can come up with a book or point me at another master who might owe him a favor. He wants me to have something to study while I¡¯m there, so I think he¡¯ll be generous with his help. Anyway, whatever I learn, whatever knowledge I get ahold of, I¡¯ll pass it on to you. I even have a means to copy books.¡± ¡°I would be in your debt!¡± Lesh started to bow his head, but Victor laughed and pushed his shoulder. ¡°Cut that shit out, hermano! I¡¯m the one who owes you! So, Dar will go over my training schedule with me tomorrow. I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s at least an hour set aside for sparring every day. You and me, brother. We¡¯ll go at it hard until I leave, all right?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lesh¡¯s voice was full of swelling pride and eagerness. Darren could see he¡¯d been yearning for some attention from Victor, and he had to admit, he knew how that felt. It was nice when someone you admired took notice of you. It was nice when they included you in their plans. He¡¯d felt the same from Lesh. He felt something similar from Edeya and Lam, too¡ªhe was thrilled to learn they¡¯d have the older, more experienced woman with them the next time they went out. He was more thrilled to learn they still wanted him to come along now that the women had each other. He floated there, listening to Victor and Lesh make plans, and then, as it seemed their conversation was coming to a close, Lesh turned to him. ¡°We¡¯ll surprise Lord Victor with our gains while he¡¯s gone, won¡¯t we, fosterling?¡± Darren quickly straightened up and nodded. ¡°Yes! We¡¯ll bring pride to your house, Victor!¡± Lesh rumbled his approval, and Darren could see the amusement in Victor¡¯s eyes as he nodded and held up his thumb. ¡°Good, Darren. Kick some ass out there. I want to see you gain some inches, so find a racial advancement, huh?¡± ¡°Will that make me taller?¡± Darren couldn¡¯t keep the excitement out of his tone. Lesh laughed and nodded. ¡°Almost everyone gains some height on their first few advancements; it¡¯s your body reaching the potential you were born with. If you can unlock a bloodline, things could change even more; you might grow smaller, or you might become much larger.¡± He elbowed Victor, eliciting a laugh, then added, ¡°Or you might stay the same.¡± Darren nodded, grinning at the small joke, and then a thought came to his mind. ¡°Victor, are you worried about the duels? For Dar¡¯s granddaughter?¡± ¡°Worried? Not too much. I guess quite a few of the champions are well over level one hundred, though, so that¡¯ll be interesting. Hopefully, I¡¯ll make some gains before I fight them.¡± Darren wasn¡¯t sure why he¡¯d asked, but he thought Victor might appreciate it. He was always concerned about everyone else, but Darren rarely saw anyone worrying about Victor. Even Valla treated him like a rock, at least in public. ¡°Dar must be pleased,¡± Darren said. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯s worried about his family.¡± Victor chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Maybe, but I¡¯m not too sure. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s returned to that world for hundreds of years¡ªmaybe thousands. I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s ever met this woman, and I¡¯m not even sure how many generations removed she is from him. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter. It¡¯ll be a good experience for me, and I¡¯m glad I have a purpose¡ªI¡¯m not just fighting to fight.¡± He laughed and elbowed Lesh. ¡°Not that that would stop me.¡± ¡°Well, I think it¡¯s commendable. Imagine it, Victor!¡± Darren stretched his arm up to the sky, the atmosphere so thin you could see the stars clearly, even in the afternoon sunlight. ¡°One of those stars could be the one where you¡¯re going. The world you will conquer could be floating out there before our eyes.¡± Victor and Lesh both leaned their heads back, staring up, following Darren¡¯s gaze, and, for perhaps the first time in his life, Darren felt like he was being respected. He¡¯d had people show him respect before, but it wasn¡¯t because they respected him. Usually, it was because they feared whatever office or position he held. If not that, they were simply respecting his station''s status, whether at a political event, in court, or in the board room. None of them really respected him, however. Victor and Lesh were different. There sat two men who were so beyond him that they could literally squash him like a bug. Yet, rather than dismiss him, they included him in their conversation. They listened to his words, and they demonstrated expectations of him. That was genuine respect, given, not earned, but still far better than the false respect, which was all he¡¯d ever felt. For the first time, as they spoke with him, Darren didn¡¯t feel like an imposter. He felt like he belonged and felt confident that he¡¯d continue to earn his place among these people. With a broad smile, he said, ¡°Elder Lesh, would it be all right if I seek out my party members? I think we should do some training.¡± Lesh nodded, grinning at Darren toothily. ¡°Go, fosterling. I¡¯m pleased by your ambition. Master Dar has a sparring court on the far side of the house. Go through the front door, turn right, and follow the cobbled path through the citrus grove.¡± As Darren swam to the pier and pulled himself up, Victor raised an eyebrow. ¡°Seriously? I didn¡¯t even know that.¡± Lesh nodded. ¡°I scouted the grounds before swimming this morning.¡± ¡°Shit man,¡± Victor groaned, rubbing a hand through his hair. ¡°I¡¯m going to have to get my shit together. It¡¯s going to suck not having you to rely on, hermano.¡± Darren smiled, listening to Lesh rumble a reply, placating Victor. He hurried up the steps, still in the swimming trunks Lam had given him. When he burst onto the deck, he saw the two Ghelli lounging in the sun, both with their eyes closed. He suddenly wished the water was closer; they were perfect splashing targets. ¡°Hey!¡± he shouted, clapping his hands. ¡°Dey-dey and Lammy!¡± He laughed as he said Lam¡¯s new nickname, already anticipating the beating she would give him. Edeya¡¯s eyes sprang open, and she leaped up, her wings buzzing, ¡°What? Is something wrong?¡± Lam lazily opened her eyes. ¡°He¡¯s laughing, Dey-dey. I doubt anything¡¯s wrong.¡± Darren growled and clapped his hands again. ¡°Something is wrong, lazy bones! I¡¯m not level ten yet. Come on, let¡¯s go spar!¡± 8.21 Renewed Focus ¡°Have you seen a cultivation chamber before, Victor?¡± Dar asked, looking around the small cave. He¡¯d brought Victor down beneath his lake house again, not far from where they¡¯d performed Lam¡¯s ritual. ¡°Yeah. The Warlord in Coloss had one. He let me and Valla use it for a little while before I figured out he was going to try to steal my bloodline.¡± Dar nodded. Victor had given him most of the details of his adventures on Zaafor, back when he¡¯d written in the Farscribe journal and recently when they¡¯d spoken about his ability to claim power from the hearts of his defeated foes. ¡°From what I¡¯ve surmised about this ¡®Warlord,¡¯ I think it¡¯s safe to say that he¡¯s steel-bound. His frustrations sound like those of a man who hasn¡¯t been able to break through.¡± ¡°Does that mean I might be able to take him?¡± ¡°Perhaps, but I think caution is advisable. Someone who¡¯s been steel-bound for centuries, especially a man holding sway over an entire planet, may have gained enormous power, even though he never broke into his lustrous veil.¡± Victor sighed as he watched Dar slowly unpacking materials from a dimensional sack he¡¯d carried down, grasped in his thick, stony fist. At the moment, he was making stacks of plate-sized, slightly concave stones that looked almost like they could be used for paving a garden. He held the sack, and it took no effort to summon the objects out, or Victor would have asked to help unload the supplies. He would have, that is, if his mind weren¡¯t fixated on something Dar had said. ¡°I¡¯m starting to get frustrated with the constant mentions of the ¡®test of steel¡¯ and the ¡®lustrous veil¡¯ when I really don¡¯t understand them. Is it such a mystery? Can¡¯t you tell me what to expect? ¡°You know more than you think. When you reach level one hundred, what will happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have to choose a new Class?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have to create a new Class.¡± Dar looked at Victor and moved his shoulders in a gesture he¡¯d had come to recognize as his best attempt at a shrug. ¡°There¡¯s a reason it seems mysterious; the process differs from person to person. Once you create your Class, you¡¯ll need to continue gaining levels, using a portion of the Energy to improve the Class¡ªanother ¡®mysterious¡¯ process in that it, as you may guess, isn¡¯t the same for any two individuals. If you think that¡¯s frustrating, understand that things only worsen. Your breakthrough will likely take you by surprise, and when it happens, you¡¯ll slip into your ¡®lustrous veil¡¯ and face new, unique roads to advancement.¡± ¡°Why ¡®lustrous veil?¡¯ I mean, the term sounds¡ª¡± ¡°Frilly? Overly poetic? Think of it this way: in the iron ranks, you¡¯re building up your foundation, your core of strength. During the test of steel, you¡¯re refining all of that iron into something stronger, sharper. The lustrous veil is named so for two reasons: you¡¯re adding the shine to your steel, and your process is hidden, obscured in the mystery of your individualism. No two people will hone their steel to a mirrored, lustrous shine in the same way.¡± Victor sighed, realizing he wasn¡¯t going to get much help. Dar continued to look at him and chuckled. ¡°You think you¡¯re the first iron ranker who felt frustrated by this? Listen, Victor, I won¡¯t tell you what to do in your test of steel for a simple reason¡ªif you try to repeat what worked for me, you¡¯re likely to set yourself back. Things might seem to be working, and you may advance partially over the course of years or decades, only to find that the foundation you built with my guidance won¡¯t work for you. There¡¯s no surer way to become steel-bound.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s something I need to figure out myself.¡± ¡°Not entirely. I¡¯ll guide you as you move from stage to stage, which should help you gain an advantage over this insular Warlord enemy of yours. He¡¯s done himself no favors by keeping to his world, refusing to learn from the greater universe.¡± ¡°I still don¡¯t get it, though.¡± Victor chuckled at himself, shaking his head. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m stupid, but can you tell me how it¡¯s different after level one hundred? I get that the System will help me build a new Class, but so what? I choose the Class I like, and then I gain levels; what¡¯s different?¡± Dar set down his sack and turned to face him, a broad smile exposing his teeth. ¡°I see what¡¯s got you confused. You don¡¯t pick a Class and move on. You have to build your Class. Up to now, you¡¯ve been given a Class by the System. You have no idea how that works, how it molds the Energy into your body with each level. At level one hundred, you¡¯re going to have to do things the way our ancestors did before the System arrived. You''ll understand why you need that foundation when you enter your veil. As for the System, it won¡¯t give you much help. It¡¯ll start you on the first stage of creating your Class, and after that, you¡¯ll only hear from it when you succeed in forming and refining it.¡± Victor nodded, feeling his frustration slipping away. ¡°I think I¡¯m starting to see the picture more clearly.¡± He wondered if the Warlord had even finished building his Class. If the System only got him started and he had no idea what was expected, being the only person on Zaafor to reach that stage . . . Victor shook his head; it wasn¡¯t worth speculating. He¡¯d find out when he faced the man. ¡°Good. Now, let¡¯s talk about cultivation. There¡¯s a reason the Warlord had a cultivation chamber. A person¡¯s advancement has three interlocking restrictions. One, you must build up Energy in your physical form. The System measures that in ¡®levels.¡¯ Two, you must strengthen your Core, building it, compacting it, and expanding it. The System measures that in Core ranks. Finally, you must also improve your body with racial advancements. If you don¡¯t, two things will happen. Do you know what they are?¡± ¡°I know I can¡¯t gain levels past a certain point if I don¡¯t advance my race.¡± ¡°Exactly! How can you advance in levels, enhancing your physical aspect with Energy, if your body cannot contain that Energy without being destroyed? The second?¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing it has something to do with advancing my Core?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! Just as you can¡¯t gain levels beyond the limits of your body, your Core cannot outstrip your physical form, else it, too, could destroy you with the Energy it contains.¡± ¡°So, the Warlord?¡± ¡°Yes, the Warlord¡ªhe likely spends much of his time cultivating because he¡¯s grown too powerful for his world. The Energy he takes from slaying the beasts or people on Zaafor likely doesn¡¯t impact him much. You¡¯ll learn that if you push your Core, reaching the limit of your racial tier, then you can use the excess cultivated Energy to advance your level. Again, you can only do that until you reach the peak of your body¡¯s capabilities. With an ¡®epic¡¯ race or bloodline, that peak is well over level two hundred.¡±Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°So, if he has an epic racial tier, he could be level two hundred or more?¡± ¡°Yes, and likely with a Core in the epic tier as well. Do you see how, even steel-bound, he could be formidable? Even so, it''s not as dire as it may seem. Levels gained while steel-bound are far less impactful than levels gained in the iron ranks.¡± ¡°Are all people who¡¯ve entered their ¡®lustrous veil¡¯ that high level?¡± ¡°Some. Some might break through early and quickly. I know a woman who was only level one hundred and eight when she broke through.¡± ¡°So, the Warlord could be stronger for staying steel-bound for so long?¡± Dar barked a quick laugh, shaking his head. ¡°No, lad. He¡¯ll be stronger than any iron ranker and some other steel-bound folks, but anyone in their veil will have glimpsed true power. They¡¯ll have abilities that he simply cannot fathom or counter.¡± Victor nodded, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. Was Tes in her lustrous veil or whatever name the dragons had for that stage of advancement? He had to think she was; she¡¯d been utterly fearless when facing the Warlord. Was her ¡°elder magic¡± a clue to the test of steel? Was it what masters in their lustrous veil used? He hoped her early lesson in the pre-System magic would aid him when the time came, and he resolved to practice with it and try to learn new applications for it like he¡¯d done with the spell to summon his spirit totems. ¡°Was the Warlord¡¯s cultivation chamber a spherical chamber?¡± Dar asked, interrupting his thoughts. Victor looked up to see his mentor was once again piling what looked like building materials on the cave floor. ¡°Yeah, it was. He had a platform suspended in the center so a person could sit in the middle of the chamber.¡± ¡°Mmhmm. I imagine he had many treasures in there, considering he¡¯s lord over the entire planet. I¡¯ve done something similar in a world or three. I don¡¯t think you quite understand how wondrous your ability to build up your Core via the heart ritual is. Your tale of running through the wastes of Zaafor, eating the hearts of great spiders and minor wyrms, each time flooding your Core with Energy . . . Honestly, Victor, I wonder if we waste our time with this chamber. It might be wiser to simply send you into dungeons to rip the hearts from every monster you encounter.¡± Victor looked at him, not sure what to say. If he were honest, he¡¯d be just as happy to do what Dar suggested; the act of cultivation was sometimes cathartic, but frequently, for him, it dredged up painful memories as he forced himself to relive and work out what made him so angry and fearful. Dar saved him from a reply by saying, ¡°No. Cultivation isn¡¯t only about building Energy, not for a Spirit Caster. You must inure yourself to the Energies with which you toil. In any case, we won¡¯t try to match the Warlord¡¯s chamber with your first one¡ªa flat floor, curved walls, and a domed ceiling will suffice.¡± He grunted as he shifted a large stack of lumber. ¡°I sent Drema to collect these building supplies, and she did you some favors. She had the timbers cut to the exact lengths I specified and purchased brackets to join them. You¡¯ll have an easy time of it.¡± Victor surveyed the stacks of stone, the bags of mortar, the large metal buckets, the sacks of nails, and the piles of wood. ¡°What am I building?¡± Dar smiled, produced a large roll of parchment, and unfurled it, holding it out to Victor. It was densely inscribed with the detailed plans for a domed, stone-lined room. Victor could see the blueprints for a wooden framework and instructions for building it down to the individual nails. The next stage showed where to place each octagonal, plate-sized stone, with precise instructions for mortaring them into place. ¡°Huh. I thought there¡¯d be more magic involved.¡± ¡°Sometimes it¡¯s good to do things with your hands, Victor.¡± Dar nodded and moved toward the tunnel leading back to his house. ¡°While you construct the chamber, I¡¯ll procure the other cultivation items you¡¯ll need. Normally, I¡¯d send you on quests to gain each one, but we¡¯re a bit pressed for time. Speaking of which,¡± he pulled a golden watch from the pocket of his bright orange, silken pants and studied it, ¡°I also need to stop by the council building. They¡¯re making a decision about releasing you from your debt.¡± ¡°You think they¡¯ll let me off?¡± ¡°I have my enemies on the council, but I¡¯m hopeful that a bit of wealth and a favor owed will move things our way. The truth of the matter is that they cannot stop me from sending you away, though it could make your return problematic if we disregard their decision.¡± Victor wanted to tell him to forget it, that he¡¯d do the three tasks, but he knew Dar didn¡¯t want the Sojourn council to interrupt his training or delay his departure. Nevertheless, he hated that his debt to the master Spirit Caster was mounting by the day. Thinking of debts, he frowned, looking at the building supplies. ¡°Are these magical materials?¡± ¡°The tiles, aye. They¡¯re a dense material, resistant to the passage of Energy and further enchanted to reflect it. Don¡¯t fret; they''re cheap in the greater scheme of things. It¡¯s the cultivation sources that are going to cost me.¡± ¡°Nothing I can do?¡± ¡°Nay. Again, don¡¯t worry; the service you will provide to my neglected descendants on Ruhn will be worth the meager investments I make in you. Let¡¯s see here.¡± He paused by the tunnel opening and gave Victor a long look. ¡°You¡¯ve got fear and rage, so I need inspiration, glory, and magma, yes? Nothing else you¡¯re keeping secret?¡± Victor looked up from his study of the blueprint and narrowed his eyes at Dar. ¡°You expect me to believe you can¡¯t see my different affinities?¡± Dar smiled and shrugged. ¡°I believe you have a secret or two you¡¯ve yet to entrust to me.¡± When Victor¡¯s eyes widened, he held up a stony hand and said, ¡°No matter. I trust you¡¯ve told me what¡¯s important. We¡¯re all entitled to a closely held secret or three. Build this chamber, and we¡¯ll speak again tonight.¡± As his mentor turned to leave, Victor said, ¡°Dar, wait. Um, I promised Lesh I¡¯d try to get a regular practice schedule planned out. He¡¯s a good sparring partner, and I also was wondering if there was anything you could tell me about breath Cores¡ª¡± ¡°One thing at a time, Victor. Finish this construction, then spar with your friend. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll add your treasures to this chamber, and then we¡¯ll talk about your schedule. And yes, I have a few things I can tell you about breath Cores; it will be part of your training. Now, I¡¯m off.¡± With that, he turned and almost seemed to flicker out of sight as he employed some skill or spell to whisk himself away. Victor straightened the blueprint in his hands and looked over the steps Dar had outlined for him. Had he written this out? It wasn¡¯t exactly something only a master Spirit Caster would know; basically, Victor was going to do some wood framing and then build up an interior stone fa?ade. The whole thing made him think of corny movies where a martial arts master would make the student do sweeping or carry stones, driving the student crazy with frustration. Then, the master would laugh and explain how the chore movements were the martial arts techniques. Victor chuckled as he began hammering nails into the pre-cut wooden frame pieces. The blueprints said to start with the base, so that¡¯s what he did, using metal brackets to connect each length of wood as he placed them around the edge of the cavern. Dar must have measured the space because the framework filled it as much as possible while maintaining a roughly circular shape. In reality, it would have sixteen sides, with each face aiming directly at the center of the space. His hands were nimble and strong, and Victor no longer grew tired from manual labor, at least nothing he¡¯d been able to throw at himself. Perhaps if he went to a world rich in Energy and had to dig or mine dense, powerful ore, he¡¯d find that exhausting. He didn¡¯t know. As it was, he had the frame built in less than an hour. Fifteen minutes later, he¡¯d nailed up all the backer boards for the stone fa?ade. He set to work mixing the mortar, and when it felt thick enough to spread, he used the trowel Dar had given him to begin mounting the bottom row of eight-sided, concave stone tiles. While he worked, Victor¡¯s mind wandered. He thought about the dinner parties he had lined up and began to warm up to the idea of meeting and speaking with some of the people he¡¯d fought in the dungeon. He felt it was the right thing to do, inviting those folks. Even the ones who¡¯d talked trash in the dungeon might be totally different in a social setting. He¡¯d known wrestlers like that. Shouldn¡¯t he work to mend fences and build peaceful relations before leaving his friends here? Lam had said she would invite them, so he didn¡¯t feel he had to do anything more. If some showed up, great, and if none did, so be it. Thinking of parties reminded him of Fanwath and the people he¡¯d left there. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to visit? Wouldn¡¯t it be fun to invite them to see Dar¡¯s lake house and experience Sojourn? Deyni would be in heaven! He wished he could afford a permanent portal like the ones connecting the cities of Fanwath. Something told him such a gateway between worlds would require an order of magnitude more power and know-how. Even setting that aside, though, he knew some people could open temporary gateways between worlds. He wanted to learn that kind of power. Would the ability to walk through the Spirit Plane be similar? How hard would it be to bring people? Dar acted as though it wasn¡¯t trivial. The instructions on the blueprint were to trickle Energy into each stone after setting it, and when Victor did so, they grew solid and unmoving, the mortar beneath completely cured. The ability to instantly set the tiles made for easy and quick work, and, despite the chamber being a good fifteen feet in diameter, he rapidly built up the stone fa?ade. Seeing the chamber take shape around him was gratifying work. Victor was relaxed, and his mind gradually stopped worrying at all the things going on in his life, and he lost himself to the work, utterly zoning out. When he finished, he was almost disappointed that he was done. He¡¯d enjoyed the honest labor, seeing the room taking shape and feeling a little accomplishment as each stone tile fit snugly into place. He thought those feelings said a lot about what was going on with his life. He was trying to control too much. He was wracking his brain trying to understand love, trying to keep track of too many, sometimes conflicting, goals. He needed to take Lesh¡¯s advice and focus on what he could control, grasp the joys within reach, and make the best of the hand he''d been dealt. Building the enclosure perfectly¡ªand it was perfect¡ªhad been an excellent example of that. He felt better having done it, having let his mind rest, and having focused wholly on the task. It was an introduction to what he needed to do for the next few months. He needed to give himself over to his training. When he wasn¡¯t training, he needed to make the most of his time with Valla. He needed to let go of the many worries that gnawed at the fabric of his sanity. ¡°Yeah,¡± he said, stooping to pick up the tools and leftover building supplies, stuffing them into the dimensional sack Dar had left behind, ¡°that feels good.¡± 8.22 Promises When he emerged from the underground, it was only an hour or so after noon, and Victor found Lesh more than eager to get some sparring done. They made their way to the area Lesh had dubbed Dar¡¯s sparring ground, only for Victor to question the designation; to him, it felt more like a fancy courtyard meant for entertaining. Stone columns lined the space, and off to one side was a covered area that looked like an outdoor kitchen. Still, Victor couldn¡¯t argue that the sandy center of the space made for a perfect place to do some fighting, especially considering how everything about Dar¡¯s home was giant-sized. They worked out like usual, falling into old routines. Victor used Inspiration of the Quinametzin, giving them both a little more insight into their training, and neither of the two used any Energy abilities, at least not at first. Victor wore his armor, wanting to see how Belagog, Lesh¡¯s cudgel, fared against the set pieces and their lava king materials. A few glancing blows got past his guard now and then, and the leather held up fine, though it wasn¡¯t adept at stopping bludgeoning damage. The helmet and heavy gauntlet were another matter; the dense material easily rebuffed the blows. About an hour into their practice, after a particularly violent exchange, Victor backed off and said, ¡°I want to try my new weapon.¡± ¡°A new weapon?¡± Lesh eyed Lifedrinker resting on Victor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah. I enchanted this gauntlet with the, um, magma attunement gem that I won from the conquest chest.¡± ¡°Ah! What will it do? Punch with fire damage?¡± Lesh readied Belagog, holding the great metallic cudgel in a two-handed grip before himself. ¡°Actually,¡± Victor said, channeling some Energy into the gauntlet, ¡°it¡¯s supposed to be a whip.¡± As the Energy fed the hungry runes along the back of the gauntlet where the metal wrapped around his wrist, hot, dripping, liquid fire began to drizzle from his palm into the sand, cooling with sizzling pops into beads of porous stone. Victor pushed more Energy into the gauntlet, increasing the steady flow from his Core. The trickle of liquid fire turned into a stream that partially solidified into a flaming, smoking coil of magical magma that hung down from his gauntleted hand into the sand, where it sizzled and smoked. ¡°You wish to strike me with that?¡± Lesh backed up, eyes narrow, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ve the blood of dragons in my veins, but fire can still harm me!¡± ¡°Yeah, I, uh, guess I need some practice with it before I can promise not to do any real damage. Can you hold Belagog out? Let me see how hard it is to control.¡± ¡°Aye. Some fire won¡¯t hurt this lad,¡± Lesh chuckled, his voice deep and rumbling, as he extended the long, metal cudgel before him. Victor nodded and jerked his left hand back over his shoulder and then forward, whipping out his ¡°magma lash¡± a little awkwardly. His much-improved dexterity and agility made him more adept than he had any right to be on his first attempt at such a feat, but the whip of smoking, glowing lava still missed the cudgel. It snaked out and snapped in the air beneath it, cracking like a gunshot, spraying sizzling magma onto the sandy ground. ¡°Oho!¡± Lesh crowed, enjoying the show. ¡°That would sting!¡± Victor grinned, pleased by the savage crack and spray of magma. He pulled his wrist back, swinging the lash of magma around behind him with a whoosh. He tried again, adjusting his wrist movement slightly, and this time, the lash snapped around the cudgel, coiling with a splash of magma and billowing black smoke as it fought to transfer its fiery heat to Lesh¡¯s weapon. The cudgel was made of nigh-indestructible stuff, though, and Lesh laughed as he pulled against the lash, trying to unbalance Victor. Victor grinned, jerking his fist against Lesh¡¯s pull, and the two came to a stalemate. ¡°Not bad!¡± Victor panted as he and Lesh continued to strain. ¡°The lash is durable; we¡¯re putting a lot of strain on it!¡± ¡°Aye! It¡¯s made of your Energy. I bet you can learn to guide and control it more than any physical whip; use your will!¡± Lesh grunted as he spoke, still straining to pull Victor off balance. What he said made sense, and Victor reached out with his will, urging the lash of magma to uncoil so he could pull it back. To his amazement, it worked. ¡°That is badass!¡± he howled as the lash snapped in the air beside him, moving as much with the force of his will as the motion of his wrist. He turned and jogged to the far end of the sandy ground and then, still targeting Lesh¡¯s cudgel, some thirty yards distant, whipped the magma lash forward, guiding the fiery tendril with his will. He howled with delight when it stretched out and struck home, snapping its distant, smoldering end around the weapon. ¡°You¡¯re a genius, Lesh!¡± After that, Victor spent another hour with Lesh as a willing participant, learning the ins and outs of his new weapon. He quickly realized that his first somewhat ranged attack was near the extent of the whip¡¯s reach¡ªsomething close to thirty or thirty-five yards. He learned that he could nudge the whip with his will, making minute targeting adjustments, and direct it to either coil around a target or lash it with devastating results based on how he flicked his wrist. Belagog was a good test subject, but Victor wanted to see how something less durable would hold up, so he destroyed several pieces of furniture he¡¯d stored in one of his dimensional rings. The whip blasted them to fiery splinters in just a few strokes. By the time they called it a day, he felt good about the new weapon but knew it would require a lot of training to use effectively in conjunction with Lifedrinker in an actual combat situation. As they walked along the path leading back to the house, Lesh said, ¡°I will use my racial advancement elixir now, so I will likely be out for a while.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°This is a good time. Valla¡¯s still out, and I¡¯m gonna be training with Dar. When you wake up, I¡¯ll hopefully have something to share with you about breath Cores. I know you¡¯re eager to improve yours.¡± ¡°I am, though I always thought it was dependent upon improving my bloodline. I hope there¡¯s something more¡ª¡± Victor looked at him with raised eyebrows and interrupted, ¡°I mean, you know how to cultivate Energy into it, right?¡± ¡°Into my breath Core? When I cultivate Energy, it enters my pathways, which lead to my Energy Core¡ª¡± ¡°Holy shit! Seriously, Lesh? But, like, you come from a world full of dragonkin!¡± The truth of the matter was that Victor had only recently learned to cultivate with his breath Core, and that had been out of necessity, trapped in the caldera of a volcano by Hector. Still, once he¡¯d made the breakthrough, he thought it must have been something obvious to people born with one.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. Lesh stopped in his tracks and looked at Victor with a scowl, though whether he was angry at Victor or irritated in general wasn¡¯t clear. ¡°Not all of us have a breath Core. We sometimes gain one when advancing our race, but it¡¯s not a guarantee, and my people are . . . combative. Having scales,¡± he held out one of his arms, clenching his fist so the faintly glossy, black scales along his forearm flexed, ¡°is a mark of power and dominance¡ªa breath Core even more so. I was rising quickly in the esteem of my people, but those above me, those with the ability to send forth plumes of destructive breath,¡± he narrowed his eyes at Victor, reaching out to tap a long, thick claw into his chest, ¡°like you, don¡¯t share their knowledge. It¡¯s something that must be discovered.¡± Victor stared at him, sudden comprehension dawning on him, all of his conversations with Lesh taking on a new light. ¡°I¡¯m such a self-centered dumbass.¡± ¡°Self-centered?¡± Lesh let his claw slide off Victor¡¯s scaled vest, his hand falling to his side. ¡°Yeah, Lesh. I listened to you ask to follow me. I listened to you say you turned against the damned System when you saw me breathe my ancestor¡¯s fire, but I never fucking sat down with you and asked what that meant. I thought you were . . . I don¡¯t know, weird! God! I¡¯m so sorry, man. Listen, when you get done with your racial advancement, we¡¯re going to sit down, and I¡¯ll teach you how to cultivate your breath Core. I need to find a source for mine, and while I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll find one for yours. I¡¯ll go shopping tomorrow after Dar gives me my cultivation lesson. Deal?¡± ¡°A source?¡± ¡°I need something that gives off magma-attuned Energy. I can use fire, but it¡¯s not as effective¡ªturns out magma has the rage of a volcano mixed into it. Your breath affinity is acid, yeah?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Lesh leaned forward, speaking forcefully, and Victor could see the excitement in his eyes. ¡°All right, hermano! When you wake up, we¡¯re going to get to work. Promise.¡± He held out a fist, and Lesh smashed his rough knuckles into it, nodding with a wide grin, exposing the many pointy teeth along his short, snout-like mouth. ¡°Yes, brother!¡± With that, the two continued walking toward the house, but Victor felt a certain warmth of camaraderie that hadn¡¯t been there before. He had been preoccupied with all of his own problems and had been taking Lesh for granted. It was good that he¡¯d acknowledged it, and he meant to make things up to the man before he left Sojourn. They parted ways in the hallway, Lesh turning to enter the bedroom Dar¡¯s staff had assigned him. When Victor returned to his room, Valla was still out, but the cloud of Energy-filled steam that had gathered around her was much thinner, and he didn¡¯t see any new vapors rising from her body. He leaned close, studying her face, and he was relieved to see the scar above and below her bandage was much fainter, just a thin, dark silver line in her pale flesh, almost more like a tattoo than a scar. He was tempted to peel the bandage aside and look at her eye but knew it would irritate her if she were awake, and doing it while she slept felt wrong. Her skin felt cool, and she breathed peacefully, almost like she was simply sleeping. He leaned down and kissed her forehead before going into the bathroom to clean up. Part of him hoped the gesture would wake her, but another part was pleased to see her resting so deeply. The bathrooms in Dar¡¯s house were marvels of magical ingenuity, especially the showers. The one in Victor¡¯s room was a sunken, tiled enclosure with a row of windows high in the wall, beneath which half a dozen lush ferns grew in a planter. When he stepped into the basin, some enchantment he couldn¡¯t see caused miniature storm clouds to form near the ceiling, and then, accompanied by the rumble of distant-sounding thunder, they began to shed gentle, warm rain. It was difficult not to overindulge; Victor lost himself as he stood in the refreshing rain, occasionally breaking from his reverie to soap off a body part, scrub his hair, or carefully scrape a razor-sharp blade over his soapy stubble. There didn¡¯t seem to be any sort of time or Energy limitation on the shower, at least not one he¡¯d yet run into. By the time he got out and the storm cloud dissipated, he was pretty sure he¡¯d spent nearly two hours in there. He donned his wyrm-scale vest and new armor in its clothing form, first holding it up to his nose to ensure everything was still smelling fresh. ¡°It¡¯s damn nice never having to do laundry,¡± he chuckled, stepping out of the bathroom. ¡°Finally!¡± Valla said, sleepily stretching on the bed. ¡°Hey! You were out cold when I went in there.¡± She smiled, and Victor¡¯s gaze was drawn to her eye, devoid of its previous bandage. He stepped close and grinned when he saw her tracking him with both eyes. When he leaned close, the only sign of her earlier injury was a very faint line of silver in her teal iris. ¡°Looks all better!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t looked in a mirror but can see fine.¡± She pulled him close, squeezing him in a tight hug. ¡°I was more worried than I let on. It was the worst injury I¡¯ve ever had. Before Lesh poured a healing potion over the wound . . .¡± She trailed off, and Victor hugged her again. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s all right. How many ranks did you get?¡± ¡°Just one. My bloodline is advanced-six now.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s pretty great that your eye basically regrew with just one racial rank.¡± ¡°How did¡ªDid you look?¡± She pushed him back, narrowing her eyebrows. ¡°No, I was just assuming, Valla. I mean, you wouldn¡¯t let me see it, so I figured it was bad.¡± He chuckled and backed away from her. ¡°You never said anything about my new clothes. Check this out.¡± He trickled some Energy into the runes on his armor, and suddenly, he was clad in his dark crimson and black wyrm-scale vest, his glowering lava king helm, deep red, metallic gauntlet, and the rest of his thick, red leather armor. ¡°Ancestors!¡± Valla said, leaning back and clapping. ¡°Fierce! Is that helmet supposed to look like a dragon?¡± ¡°Nah, I think it¡¯s what a lava king looks like.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re related¡ªyou know, like wyrms.¡± Victor made a slow turn, giving her a view of every angle, then sent Energy into the disguise runes, swapping the armor out for his clothing again. ¡°Pretty cool, huh?¡± ¡°Lava king? Isn¡¯t that the hide you won for the campaign?¡± She reached out to feel his shirt. ¡°But what about your armor? How are you changing it so quickly?¡± He chuckled, then spent a few minutes explaining the set pieces and how he¡¯d added his treasures from the Free Marches. When he told her about the matching enchantment he¡¯d gotten on his wyrm-scale vest, she interrupted with a gasp, ¡°Victor! That¡¯s so helpful! I want it, too!¡± ¡°No problem! I¡¯ll introduce you to Tria.¡± Victor sat beside her and held her hand. ¡°Hey, you remember how Dar wanted to talk to me before you drank that elixir?¡± ¡°Yes. Was it bad?¡± ¡°Depends on how you look at it.¡± Victor inhaled deeply. ¡°I guess there¡¯s not an easy way to say this.¡± ¡°Just tell me, Victor.¡± She squeezed his hand. ¡°Are you going away?¡± He looked at her for a long minute, shifting sideways to stare into her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re pretty damn smart, you know that?¡± When she didn¡¯t reply, he sighed and told her, haltingly at first, then in a rush of words, about Dar¡¯s distant granddaughter and the plight of her kingdom. She tried to interject mid-way through, saying she¡¯d come with him, but she slowly began to nod when he got to the part about fighting duels and not actual wars. ¡°You want me to stay here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to. I think it¡¯ll be smarter, though. You can continue to dungeon delve and train with Lesh. There are other things in the city, too¡ªnon-lethal tournaments, even some weird sports, according to Mr. Qwor.¡± ¡°Sports?¡± ¡°Yeah, games for prizes. They have rules about Energy usage, I guess, and they vary in terms of physical conflict, but I think they might be worth looking into. The point I¡¯m getting at is that there¡¯s a lot for you to do here. There¡¯s a shitload of ways you can advance. If you came with me, the best thing you could hope for would be sparring with me or other people in the granddaughter¡¯s household. The world will be at war, and the only open part of it will be the champion duels. Everything else is going to be fucking cloak and dagger bullshit¡ªkidnappings, assassinations, sabotage, you name it.¡± Valla frowned, thinking things over for a few moments before replying, ¡°You¡¯ll have dozens of duels, maybe more? Against people who are all likely at a higher level than you. You¡¯ll make huge gains, maybe not early on, but when you face the stronger champions. You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll fall further behind if I come along with nothing much to do but watch your duels? Does that about sum it up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to earn hearts, Valla¡ªhearts and tribute for my victories. I¡¯ll make gains in many ways, not just Energy from my kills. Don¡¯t you think it would be better if you and Lesh were here, earning treasure, gaining levels, and improving your bloodlines?¡± ¡°Of course, logically.¡± She chuckled and stood up, summoning some clothes from her storage ring. She began to change out of her pajamas as she continued speaking. ¡°I suppose things will be easier for me if I¡¯m not there to watch you fight champions who are beyond level one hundred. I understood that correctly, yes? Dar says many of the champions are steel seekers?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor looked at the floor as he answered, his voice low and resigned, expecting Valla to start another argument. ¡°Well, I¡¯d rather not witness that. Fine, I¡¯ll stay here with Lesh, but you must promise to write to me daily in the Farscribe book. You have to promise you''ll visit me if you earn lots of tribute and have some time between duels.¡± She¡¯d pulled on a knee-length, pale gray skirt and a breezy white blouse, tying its tails in a knot at her waist. ¡°For now, though, let¡¯s go see this lake you were going on about to Lesh in the coach. I went straight to bed when we arrived, and I¡¯d like to get a little sun before it sets.¡± Victor looked at her, perhaps a little hungrily. ¡°I do, Valla. I promise. Have I told you I love you lately?¡± ¡°Not enough.¡± She stood on her tiptoes to kiss him quickly before darting toward the door, her wings rustling with faint metallic tinkles. Victor gave chase, and soon, she was giggling in near hysterics as the two exploded through the open door and onto the deck. Victor was right on her heels when she spread her wings and, with a crack, snapped them down, launching herself over the rail and into the air. She soared out over the lake, and Victor laughed, too amazed by her grace to be bothered by her cheating escape. 8.23 The Councils Response When Victor woke the next day, he saw that the sun had yet to rise, which was good because he was supposed to meet Dar in his new cultivation chamber at dawn. He concentrated, reactivating Sovereign Will, which had a tendency to drop while he slept, and pushed his bonuses into dexterity and agility. With his already nimble body boosted, he practiced his stealthy movements, sliding out of the bed and creeping toward the door. He only paused to pick up Lifedrinker and the ivory case containing his captured geists before carefully pulling the door open, inch by inch, until he could slip through. He was certain he hadn¡¯t made any more noise than a feather falling onto grass, but Valla still rolled over and mumbled, ¡°See you for lunch.¡± He chuckled. ¡°See you.¡± Then he slipped out and, standing in the dim, quiet hallway, got dressed. ¡°That was pointless,¡± he muttered, imagining one of the staff coming upon him half-naked outside his room. With a grin and a shake of his head, he hurried to the kitchens, pausing to use the bathroom, where he cleaned his teeth and splashed water on his face. That done, he descended into the tunnels beneath the house. They were wide, well-lit, and sized for a giant, so it wasn¡¯t an unpleasant walk to his cultivation cave. Victor arrived before Dar, which had been his main goal for not lying in bed, waiting for the sun to brighten the sky outside his window. Smiling at his small victory, he sat in the center of the chamber and set the box before him. He hadn¡¯t opened it, let alone touched the bones since Lo¡¯ro had dropped him off at the house, and he was a little nervous. He¡¯d thought long and hard about the bone where the fear-attuned geist dwelled, wondering if he should mention how it spoke to him. Would Dar be angry? Would he destroy the spirit and force Victor to find another, less . . . conscious one? He didn¡¯t know, and part of him wanted to speak to the spirit again to see what it thought and discover the ¡°secrets¡± it had promised before Dar arrived. Another part recognized the danger of it and couldn¡¯t see a real downside to asking his mentor. He was trusting the master Spirit Caster with a lot, more than anyone outside of Valla or Tes¡ªit felt like the right move would be to ask him for advice on the matter. So, he sat there, staring at the box, trying to clear his mind, until he heard the faint scuffs of Dar¡¯s bare feet on the stone. ¡°Ah, apprentice,¡± he said as though he was surprised to see him sitting there. Victor wasn¡¯t buying it¡ªhe was pretty sure Dar could feel every presence, down to the smallest rodent, on his property. ¡°Eager to renew your studies into cultivation?¡± He stepped out of the oval opening in Victor¡¯s stonework and surveyed the chamber before sitting across from him. The two giant men made the chamber feel small even as they sat on the floor, legs crossed. When their eyes met, and Dar¡¯s smoldering orbs peered into Victor¡¯s mind and soul, he said, ¡°I can feel a question burning your tongue.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more like a confession.¡± Dar¡¯s stony brow lifted. ¡°Oh?¡± Victor bit the bullet and decided to get straight to the point, ¡°Yeah. When I went through the veil with Master Lo¡¯ro, I deceived him.¡± Dar¡¯s brow fell, his eyes narrowed, and Victor felt the tiniest fragment of the man¡¯s aura pressing against him. Even that brief touch felt like a mountain grinding against his spirit, vast and possessing a gravity that defied common adjectives. ¡°Yet you intend to speak plainly and expose the deception to me. I am placated.¡± No hint of the weight remained, and Victor breathed out the breath he¡¯d been holding. ¡°That¡¯s right. When we were collecting the geists, trapping them in the bones,¡± Victor gestured to the ivory case between them, ¡°I managed to capture a powerful fear-attuned spirit. Lo¡¯ro was impressed, but the truth is, the spirit came willingly. There was no battle of wills. The spirit spoke to me, told me not to reveal that fact, and that she would share ¡®secrets¡¯ with me if I took her out of that place with me.¡± Dar looked at the case. ¡°And has ¡®she¡¯ spoken to you since?¡± ¡°No. I haven¡¯t touched the bone.¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯re both an idiot and wise, it seems.¡± When Victor opened his mouth, unsure if he should object to the label or just apologize, Dar held up a thick, stony finger and continued, ¡°An idiot for risking your mind and spirit by pulling this geist into the containment vessel, wise for not trifling with the thing before first speaking to me.¡± He turned the box so the clasp faced him and opened it. His eyes brightened momentarily as he stared at the two bones, and then he snatched the rib bone out, holding it before him. Suddenly, Victor felt a flare of potent, brilliant Energy, and though he wasn¡¯t the focus, he felt the edge of Dar¡¯s formidable will. He stood beside a mighty river as it carved a canyon from the stony ground. His mind filled with the image, unable to resist visualizing the metaphor, watching as waters deeper than an ocean and broader than most continents dug through a Jupiter-sized planet of solid rock. The water broke it up, transforming the world as it went, sending life-giving tendrils through the stone, enabling trees and grass and . . . The feeling abruptly ended, and Victor opened his eyes, his mind once again his own. He saw Dar before him, holding the bone in his palm as half a dozen new runes etched themselves into it, glowing with brilliant white Energy. ¡°This enchantment will harmlessly prevent the spirit from interacting with you. I¡¯m quite impressed by the being lurking within this vessel, Victor. You¡¯re not ready to deal with such as she, however. You¡¯ll need to advance your will; I¡¯d say you¡¯re about halfway there. When you can easily wipe these runes free with your own Energy, then it will be safe for you to commune with the spirit who dwells within.¡± He set the bone back in the case. ¡°Thank you, Dar. Did she plan to harm me?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a being utterly consumed and twisted by fear. Her intentions are less than lucid. She¡¯s ancient, even to me, but her potency in death is a fraction of what it might have been in life. Still, she wouldn¡¯t reveal her so-called secrets, even in the face of my wrath. I might have wrung them from her, but she entered a contract with you. I could feel the karmic ties. Fragile though they are, I won¡¯t be the one who severs them; the repercussions may be far-reaching.¡± ¡°A contract?¡± ¡°Did you not agree to bring her forth in exchange for her secrets?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± ¡°Victor, you¡¯re no longer a boy with no weight in the universe. As your power grows, so do the impacts of your actions. Everything you say, especially where emotions are involved, bears weight¡ªeverything you do, even more so.¡± He held out his hand and wriggled it in the air. ¡°Someone like you, someone with an intense, potent spirit, sends ripples through the ether with every meaningful act. Making deals with desperate, powerful spirits is not something the universe takes lightly. There are beings even I cannot grasp who take notice of such things.¡± ¡°Gods?¡± Dar shifted his boulder-sized shoulders in an attempt at a shrug. ¡°Perhaps. There are people on myriad worlds who would see me and name me a god. Am I? I think not. I¡¯ve visited a thousand worlds, and my travel has taught me that I¡¯ve only scratched the surface. There are many millions of planets in the System-controlled part of the universe. I¡¯ve talked to scholars who speculate that the System is relatively new, that there are more worlds outside its control than within. There are beings out there with the mystery and power to be considered godlike to even the likes of me. Knowing that, knowing how little I know. Who am I to say what a god is and whether they exist?¡± Everything Dar said made Victor think of Tes, and he asked, ¡°Have you ever been to one? I mean, a world that resisted the System?¡± ¡°Aye. The Fae don¡¯t traffic with the System, and I¡¯ve visited a world controlled by them. It¡¯s a lengthy tale, but I¡¯ll say this: I stood before the Winter Queen and felt insignificant. I finished my business and haven¡¯t looked back in centuries.¡± Dar sighed and pulled a small ring off his pinky. He held it in the palm of his hand, and Victor leaned close to look at it. ¡°Enough philosophizing. I have gifts for you.¡± The ring looked like it was made of polished, gray stone, though he saw a vein of silvery metal running through it. It was pretty and lustrous, and when Victor squinted, he could see that it gave off a tiny amount of light against Dar¡¯s black, stony flesh. ¡°Nice,¡± he said, waiting for further explanation.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°It is nice.¡± Dar chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a dimensional container, though far finer than any of those you wear. This container has limited space, but it can contain objects of power, such as these bones and the other cultivation items I¡¯ve acquired for you.¡± Dar moved his hand over the ring and suddenly held a perfectly round orb. It looked like the glass part of a snow globe, but inside, Victor could see the swirls and sparkles of bright, golden Energy that could only be glory. He knew he was right when his Core flared in response. ¡°Glory.¡± His voice was barely a whisper. ¡°Aye.¡± Dar set the orb on the dark blue, silky padding inside the case, next to the two bones. He waved his hand over the ring again, producing another orb, this one full of bright, misty, white-gold Energy that Victor immediately knew was inspiration-attuned. Dar set it in the case, then, from the ring, produced a third¡ªthis one roiling with a heart of molten magma, white-hot in spots and cooling toward somber orange-red in others. After he¡¯d set it in the case, Dar touched the two bones and said, ¡°These captured spirits are more potent than these hearts, but¡ª¡± ¡°Hearts?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Dar clicked his tongue and shook his head briefly before saying. ¡°When a cultivator enters their lustrous veil, they become capable of creating these Energy hearts using a process similar to the creation of Energy beads. This heart,¡± he tapped the glory-attuned globe, ¡°is a hundred-thousand times more potent than a glory-attuned Energy bead you might create.¡± ¡°That¡¯s worth a hundred thousand beads?¡± ¡°Hah. No, lad, as flat currency, Energy hearts are useless¡ªthe System will not accept them at its city stones. I¡¯m not sure why, but people speculate that it doesn¡¯t want to destroy its economy for the vast majority of Energy users. Still, they can be used in trades; creating one is a lengthy, tedious process, and they can be valuable for someone who might need a particular Energy type.¡± He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Let¡¯s not get distracted by trivia. These three hearts will serve as potent cultivation sources for you until you reach your test of steel. After that, you¡¯ll need to find sources with more depth.¡± ¡°The bones will last longer?¡± Dar snorted. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s like asking if your spirit is more potent than a single Energy bead.¡± ¡°Are they hard to get?¡± Victor could see the crease in Dar¡¯s brow as his questions began to irritate him, so he hurried to explain, ¡°I¡¯m just asking because I feel a, well, a duty to my friend, Lesh. He followed me here, hoping that I would help him advance, and I¡¯m leaving him behind to go to your granddaughter¡¯s world. I wanted to give him something he could use to cultivate his breath Core.¡± Dar frowned, but it seemed more contemplative than angry. ¡°An acid attunement?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll acquire one for him. However, that will be the last gift I will freely give to your comrades. I¡¯ve already offered my home¡ª¡± ¡°No, no. I understand, Dar. If you think it¡¯s within my means, I¡¯ll gladly get Lesh a source for cultivation. He doesn¡¯t have to have an Energy heart.¡± Dar rubbed his chin and nodded. ¡°Actually, there is a way for you to accomplish just that. Yes, that would be better than creating more debt between you or your companions and me. I was saving this news until after I¡¯d taught you your new cultivation technique, but I suppose it¡¯s something we can discuss now. Yes, perhaps that¡¯s best¡ªwe¡¯ll speak, I¡¯ll teach you the technique, and then I can leave you to practice.¡± ¡°News?¡± Victor didn¡¯t like Dar¡¯s almost ominous tone. His mentor shifted, pressing one fist into the stone floor and leaning into it, bringing himself closer to Victor as he replied, ¡°I told you I have some enemies on the council, yes?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The question told Victor precisely what this was about; the council wasn¡¯t going to let him off when it came to the three ¡°tasks¡± he was supposed to perform. ¡°Well, that faction has made matters a touch difficult for us. Rather than accepting my generous offer to pay the Energy debt in full, restoring the city¡¯s coffers after the repair of the training dungeon, they¡¯ve countered with an offer of their own.¡± He paused, ensuring he had Victor¡¯s attention, then continued, ¡°They¡¯ve agreed that if I pay for the repairs, they¡¯ll release you from two tasks. They claim the remaining task was already decided upon and that losing you would greatly increase the risk of death for the others involved.¡± ¡°Others?¡± ¡°Aye. Two others. Do you recall me mentioning a prison dungeon beneath the Sojourn City Council?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Victor nodded, his mind racing with the implications of the question. ¡°Well, it¡¯s called the Iron Prison because it¡¯s meant to contain iron rankers¡ªnothing higher. It was specifically purchased from the System with that restriction, and there¡¯s no altering that. The council cannot send anyone over level one hundred into that place.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, the council has sent quite a few powerful iron rankers into it over the years. Unfortunately, evidence has surfaced indicating that one such individual was unjustly imprisoned, and they want him extracted. The System provides an interface for the dungeon, allowing the council to see who still lives in the dungeon, and they assure me that this man, Rasso Hine, has not been slain.¡± Victor groaned and put his elbows on his knees, resting his chin in his palms. ¡°Why am I the only one who can do this? That¡¯s what you¡¯re about to tell me, right?¡± Dar chuckled, the sound deep and coarse. ¡°I asked the same. There are restrictions on dungeon entry¡ªone person per hour. In the last few weeks, as they¡¯ve attempted to retrieve Hine, each emissary has been killed within minutes. Apparently, they¡¯ve lost half a dozen promising iron rankers.¡± ¡°And this guy, Rasso Hine, is worth all those lives?¡± Dar nodded, his eyes dimming from their usual hot glow. ¡°The council believes the information he holds is that valuable, aye. I tend to agree with them after hearing the details of the case.¡± Before Victor could ask, he held up the hand he wasn¡¯t leaning on, forestalling his question. ¡°I cannot share those details.¡± Victor wanted to growl in frustration, but he settled for narrowing his eyes in a half scowl. ¡°If I have to go in alone, what¡¯s the deal with the two others you mentioned?¡± ¡°One is a Death Caster. You know her¡ªArona Moonshadow, the one from the challenge dungeon who outsmarted you.¡± Victor wanted to object, but he¡¯d reflected plenty on that dungeon challenge and had to agree¡ªhe hadn¡¯t exactly acted cleverly. Dar continued, ¡°They want her to accompany you because she¡¯s one of the top Death Casters still in the iron ranks, and the dungeon is death-attuned. The other is Arcus Volpur¨¦, another friend of yours from the challenge dungeon.¡± ¡°Why is that name so familiar? I mean, I feel like I¡¯ve heard it since the dungeon.¡± ¡°He¡¯s an incredibly powerful Elementalist, and his master is Lord Roil, one of the Consuls. There¡¯s little love lost between Roil and me, if you¡¯ll recall the inquest. He claims to want Arcus to accompany you and Arona because his fire magic will be a potent aid, but I suspect he intends to betray and kill you.¡± ¡°Lord Roil was the guy in the black robes hiding his face with smoke, right?¡± ¡°Aye, though the smoke is a part of him, not a disguise; he¡¯s partially taken the aspect of an elemental.¡± Victor thought about that, about how powerful Dar was and about how he walked on eggshells around Roil. Was this the sort of enemy he wanted? ¡°So, they want me to go in first and clear the entrance so the other two can come in safely.¡± Victor smiled grimly as Dar nodded. ¡°Then we¡¯re supposed to find this dude, Rasso, and get him out? How¡¯s that work?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be given an attuned recall item that will function on yourself and one other. Arona and Arcus will also have such an item. Because they¡¯re attuned, no one else can use them to escape.¡± Dar shifted to his other fist, pressing it into the stone floor as he leaned the other way. ¡°And Arcus? Am I going to get in trouble if I kill that asshole?¡± ¡°As long as you don¡¯t start the conflict, I can shield you from Roil¡¯s temper. I believe you can count on the Moonshadow girl to be a neutral party. I know her master, Vesavo Bonewhisper, quite well. He¡¯s a cruel man but honest. We¡¯ve been aligned politically in the past, and I know he has no love for Roil.¡± Victor groaned again, dreading the answer to his next question. ¡°When?¡± Dar nodded, grinning widely, ¡°The day after your dinner party. They wanted quicker action, but I explained that you were hosting an event at my house and that several of their pupils were invited, including Arona and Arcus.¡± ¡°Ah, shit. That¡¯s where I heard that name. Lam was talking about him or . . . was it his sister?¡± Victor shook his head. ¡°Whatever. So, I have a few days before I get sent into a meat grinder?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Rasso has been in the dungeon for more than a decade¡ªa few more days shouldn¡¯t hurt. I thought to argue about this task, to claim it was unjust and that it was a clear conspiracy to rid me of a promising prot¨¦g¨¦, but then I thought about you and how you tend to rise to challenges. I¡¯ve decided to treat this as an opportunity in disguise. I managed to squeeze some additional promises out of the council. If you succeed in this task, there will be additional compensation.¡± Victor grinned, matching his mentor¡¯s expression. ¡°That¡¯s where you think I can get Lesh¡¯s cultivation item.¡± ¡°Precisely. I won¡¯t be very surprised if you also gain some valuable treasures from the dungeon. Some of the criminals still lurking within are sure to have amassed rewards from the denizens, and they¡¯ll also be worth significant Energy infusions.¡± ¡°I can kill the prisoners?¡± ¡°I would hope so; they¡¯ll surely try to kill you! No soft men or women could survive in that vile place. It will be a good challenge.¡± Dar chuckled and straightened up. ¡°Now, let¡¯s talk about cultivation. First,¡± he stood and scooped up Victor¡¯s cultivation items, ¡°place the items around you in a loose circle. Because you¡¯ve built your chamber to contain and gather Energy, you can put them near the wall. As they emit Energy, the tiles will contain and condense it. Moreover, as you cycle the Energy¡ªin a way I will teach you¡ªthe shape of this chamber will help you focus it on yourself.¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I have built a door to cover the tunnel opening?¡± ¡°In an ideal world, yes, a sealed cultivation chamber is best. You¡¯ll only be here a few months, though, and this is not your primary means of advancement, so I cut a few corners. The chamber will still contain most of the Energy emitted from your treasures.¡± ¡°Oh, will I leave them here?¡± ¡°While you¡¯re here on Sojourn, yes! That way, the Energy will gather while you''re gone, making your next cultivation session more fruitful.¡± As Dar spoke, Victor nodded along, but all the while, he couldn¡¯t help but imagine how his ¡°vault¡± container would make a perfect cultivation chamber. Victor tried to pay attention to Dar¡¯s lesson, picturing the flows of Energy and how he was supposed to weave them together as he drew them into his pathways. He told Victor it would be challenging to weave more than two differently-attuned Energies as he cultivated, but practice would make it easier. He was confident that Victor could eventually pull all five, including the magma he¡¯d send into his breath Core. The problem was that Victor felt distracted. Just as he¡¯d been learning to let go of the things he couldn¡¯t control, Dar had thrown another at him. He was literally going to step into a trap that had killed a ¡°handful¡± of promising iron-rankers ahead of him. Was Dar that confident in him, or did he simply not value Victor as more than an amusement? It was the same question he¡¯d had about the duels on his Ruhn¡ªdid Dar really think he could win against people well above level one hundred? ¡°You¡¯re not listening, Victor,¡± Dar growled. ¡°I have men and women scheming and killing for an hour of my time, and you sit there daydreaming while I explain the fundamentals of cultivation?¡± His eyes had taken on the dangerous gleam Victor had only seen a couple of times, and it brought his mind back into focus. ¡°Sorry, Lord Dar. I keep thinking about the trap waiting for me as I step into that prison.¡± Dar nodded and sat down in front of him again. ¡°This is why I think you must continue to cultivate, despite your ability to strengthen your Core through the consumption of hearts. When you cultivate, Victor, you must face all facets of your spirit Core. You must confront your fear, your rage, your glory, and even your inspiration to understand how they rule your spirit. You must master them. The fear, though, that¡¯s the biggest challenge for you. You mask it well, usually using your rage, but it runs amok in your mind.¡± He reached out and¡ªalmost gently¡ªpunched Victor¡¯s knee. ¡°Come, pay attention. Using this new drill, you¡¯ll learn to master your fear.¡± 8.24 Core Consolidation Victor sat before Dar, waiting for his next words. His master¡¯s face was relaxed, the fire in his eyes simmering low, but he knew, like coals, they were ready to ignite with the faintest breath of oxygen. So, he waited patiently, not willing to provide that fuel. The Spirit Master had just spent nearly two hours describing the method of gathering Energy from his various sources¡ªhow to weave the different aspects together and pull them into his Core. Victor had been about to make his first try at it, when Dar had said, ¡°I must study your Core.¡± And then he¡¯d, apparently, begun to do so, staring at Victor, unblinking for nearly another hour. Finally, just as Victor was starting to fear Dar had fallen asleep with his eyes open, the man¡¯s stony countenance shifted, his eyes moving to lock onto Victor¡¯s. The master took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. ¡°The cultivation method I just described isn¡¯t going to work. Not yet. The entire point of cultivating for you, rather than growing your Core, is to learn to harmonize your affinities and embrace every aspect of your spirit whilst tempering the more destructive aspects through the lens of the more positive. Your Core, however, is in disarray. I see what you¡¯ve done. I believe I even understand why you did it. It¡¯s simply not ideal. No,¡± he chuckled, ¡°not even an approximation of ideal.¡± ¡°What I¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°In the development of your Core. It makes a kind of sense; I can see how you¡¯ve tried to create counterbalances between your various affinities¡ªinspiration against rage, glory against fear, a sort of light versus dark side in your spirit, pushing and pulling against each other. The problem is that your affinities aren¡¯t equal, and even if they were¡ªa near impossibility¡ªthey contend with each other rather than building upon each other.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I had a teacher. Not really.¡± Victor¡¯s mind flitted to Gorz and then Old Mother¡ªboth had provided guidance, but neither had ever talked to him about the actual structure of his Core. Not even Khul Bach had broached the topic. ¡°I know. I can see the logic in your efforts. Energy tends to compress into a sphere; it¡¯s the easiest way to build up the density and then break it through into the next stage. As you gained more affinities, you naturally assumed you should have more spheres of Energy. It¡¯s not a terrible thing, but there¡¯s a much better, more elegant design that I want to teach you. It¡¯s better because it will shore up the less volatile aspects of your spirit, using your stronger affinities to compress them. ¡°You see, Victor, considering this formation, I¡¯m somewhat astounded by the strength of your spirit and Core. You¡¯ve essentially split your Core into four smaller ones. Rather than compounding them, using the weight of each affinity to compress the ones beneath it, your cultivation has revolved around building each one individually, pushing them to a breaking point before advancing the level of your Core. I¡¯m not sure you¡¯d ever break through into epic tier with this structure. ¡°The design I¡¯ll teach you will combine the weight¡ªthe gravity¡ªof each affinity, creating a single Core that will be far denser and stronger than these four individual ones. Moreover, it will take your most valuable aspect and put it closer to your spirit while keeping the others, the ones that tend to overwhelm your spirit, at a bit of a distance.¡± ¡°My most valuable aspect?¡± Victor guessed Dar would confirm his suspicion that his rage was the most valuable part of his Core, but he was surprised by the master¡¯s response. ¡°Your inspiration, lad. It¡¯s quite a rare affinity and one that any Spirit Caster would be wise to cultivate if they could. In fact, I suspect that affinity is responsible for much of your uncanny success and strength. You may feel you¡¯re ¡®lucky¡¯ for learning a rare, treasured ability like Sovereign Will or that your hard work is what led you to the Paragon of the Axe, and to some degree, you¡¯d be right, but I believe your easily inspired nature has been a large influence in your growth. Thank the old gods that you¡¯ve had some positive influences in your recent development.¡± When Dar said the last bit, Victor saw a parade of faces run through his mind¡¯s eye: Yrella and Vullu from the Wagon Wheel, Lam in the mines, Old Mother, Thayla, Tellen, Tes, and even his enemies, like the Warlord and his subordinates. He did take inspiration from many sources¡ªthere was no denying it. ¡°So, even though it¡¯s not my strongest affinity?¡± Dar chuckled, clicking his tongue and shaking his head in admiration. ¡°Aye, you lean toward the others more, but your affinity to inspiration is by no means weak. All of your affinities are absurdly strong.¡± Victor nodded. He didn¡¯t want to argue. His rage had, without a doubt, kept him alive in many desperate situations, but he liked his inspiration more. If Dar thought he should bring that closer to his spirit, whatever that meant, then he wouldn¡¯t argue. ¡°What do I do?¡± ¡°This will not be easy, especially with your Core sitting on the cusp of epic. If I recall correctly, you told me it is ranked advanced-nine, yes?¡± Victor nodded but looked at the Energy and Core section of his status again to be certain:
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 3 | ||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Advanced 9 | ||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2200/2200 |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 25407/25407 |
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 3 | ||
| Core: | Spirit Class ¨C Epic 1 | ||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2200/2200 |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 30507/30507 |
| Name: | Darren Whitehorse | |||
| Race: | Human - Base 1 | |||
| Class: | - | |||
| Level: | 10 | |||
| Core: | Wildarc Class - Base 1 | |||
| Energy Affinity: | Lightning 8, Chaos 7.4, Unattuned 6.1 | Energy: | 140/140 | |
| Strength: | 6 | Vitality: | 32 | |
| Dexterity: | 5 | Agility: | 5 | |
| Intelligence: | 9 | Will: | 28 | |
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Darren Whitehorse | |||
| Race: | Human - Base 1 | |||
| Class: | Chaos Sorcerer - Advanced | |||
| Level: | 13 | |||
| Core: | Wildarc Class - Base 2 | |||
| Energy Affinity: | Lightning 8, Chaos 7.4, Unattuned 6.1 | Energy: | 602/602 | |
| Strength: | 6 | Vitality: | 47 | |
| Dexterity: | 20 | Agility: | 5 | |
| Intelligence: | 27 | Will: | 43 | |
Victor, What am I to make of this macabre letter you just sent me? The courier refused to say anything about where you were or what you were doing as he delivered a fistful of letters. Lesh says his note isn¡¯t anything so gloomy and morbid¡ªno dwelling on death and spirits and the next life! Have you done something foolhardy? If I don¡¯t hear from you soon, I¡¯ll go mad with worry!Victor raised an eyebrow and shook his head, scratching his rough, stubble-covered jawline. ¡°Shit,¡± he mumbled. ¡°Pendejo!¡± As he cursed himself, he summoned a pen and rapidly scrawled:
Valla ¨C All is well. On my way home. See you soon. -V¡°Are you upset?¡± Lam asked quietly. When Victor heard her hushed tone, he looked around the carriage to see that Cora had also fallen asleep, her head resting on Efanie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I, uh, might have done something stupid again. I mean, with Valla.¡± Lam chuckled. ¡°You seem to do that a lot¡ªfind a way to anger the women in your life.¡± ¡°Is that fair?¡± Victor sighed, leaning back. ¡°I mean, most of the people in my life seem to be women. Far too man¡ª" Victor¡¯s words were cut short by a grunt as Edeya surprised him with a jab in the ribs. ¡°You love it,¡± she murmured before adjusting her position to lean more fully against his side. Lam smiled and leaned back, and Victor could see she also intended to nap. The metal bench wasn¡¯t exactly built for comfort, though, and she grumbled something softly to herself, then summoned a pillow and blanket from a storage device and made herself a good deal more comfortable. Efanie watched her and took inspiration, conjuring a blanket and draping it over Cora. The girl partially awoke, but only long enough for Efanie to urge her to spread out on the bench and lay her head on her lap. After a while, Efanie looked at Victor and whispered, ¡°I¡¯ve seen her around the manor, but she never spoke to anyone. Loyle kept her close; he was a very strange man.¡± ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m hoping¡ª¡± Victor stopped short as a lightbulb went off in his head. He dug around in his pocket for the four rings he¡¯d stripped from Loyle¡¯s dead fingers. The four rings were weighty, and Victor could see the gleam of rare materials in the moon''s dim light. Most were inset with precious gemstones, but one was a simple, thick, silvery band. It felt weighty in Victor¡¯s palm, heavier than it should be even if it were made of gold, which it wasn¡¯t. ¡°Let¡¯s see here,¡± with just a tiny trickle of inspiration-attuned Energy, he attempted to bond with the ring. As soon as he did, his mind became aware of an enormous dimensional space, larger than all his current containers combined. Moreover, the space was sturdy, and he could feel the dense weaves of Energy holding it together even more strongly than the dimensional ring Dar had given him, which held a comparatively tiny space. Victor let his mind drift over the ring''s contents, and he found himself holding his breath as the treasures mounted in his awareness. There were millions of Energy beads. He only knew that because they were kept in stacks of sturdy crates, each labeled with numerals that the System translated as 100,000. Victor counted more than fifty such crates. Beyond the beads, he found chests filled with precious gems, golden coins, and bars of rare metals. He found stacks of fine materials¡ªfrom a dozen varieties of silk to refined leather to lengths of Energy-dense hardwood. Along with the riches were more mundane things¡ªfurniture, tapestries, rugs, and hundreds of finely tailored articles of clothing. Before he pulled his mind out of the space, feeling slightly overwhelmed, Victor saw two weapon racks, one lined with swords of all kinds and another with staves, rods, and wands. He looked down at his hands. They were adorned with not one or two but five different dimensional rings. Grunting, he slid the new one over his left thumb, watching as it stretched to fit the massive digit. He figured it would be wise to sort through his other rings and pare down their number sometime soon. Looking up, he realized Efanie was staring, waiting for him to finish his sentence. He held up his fist of rings. ¡°Hoping to find some kind of, I dunno, will or estate document.¡± ¡°He may have accounts with one of the banking houses. I could go into town tomorrow to learn what I can. If¡ªif it helps.¡± ¡°Yeah. I¡¯d appreciate that, thanks.¡± Victor lifted another ring between his thumb and forefinger, examining the deep blue stone set in a golden band. He sent some Energy into it and was awarded with a System message: ***Ring of Safe Harbor: The wearer of this ring is shielded from most scrying attempts and made impossible to summon against their will, regardless of any power disparity between wearer and summoner.*** Victor grunted softly and immediately jammed the ring onto his right-hand pinky. He felt a cool breeze tickle the hairs on his forearms briefly, but other than that, he couldn¡¯t discern any difference. The next ring he inspected was also gold but was set with a black opal, or so he guessed. When he sent Energy into it, he received another System message: ***Ring of Communion: The wearer of this ring can send mental images and messages to the wearer of its twin.*** Victor looked up and peered over at Cora. The blanket covered her arms, but he leaned across the space and gently lifted the edge to reveal her hands where she held them tucked up near her chin. Sure enough, she had a similar but smaller ring on her right-hand ring finger. He put the larger one back into his pocket. The final ring was made of a black, exceptionally light metal and was carved in whorls and loops with what looked like pearls set into them. He counted seven of the lustrous little orbs. As he sent some Energy into the ring, he hoped it would be mundane; the gaudy aspect wasn¡¯t his style. When he saw the System message, he almost groaned: ***Ring of Recall: Two charges remaining. This ring will transport the wearer to their home System Stone. Beware, the effect requires several minutes to gather the requisite Energy.*** Considering he was still a System ¡°citizen¡± of the Free Marches, Victor reckoned that those two recalls could save him a fortune in visits back home. Of course, it was also nice to know he had a free teleport if he ever got stuck somewhere, and with Loyle¡¯s stash of Energy beads, he wasn¡¯t exactly hurting for money. He tucked the ring into his pocket, glad he didn¡¯t have to wear it all the time. He zoned out for the rest of the coach ride, his mind drifting to topics that weighed heavily on him. He worried about Cora and his responsibility for the girl. It felt absurd to him that she¡¯d been foisted onto him after he had killed her father. What kind of society condoned such a thing? Then there was Valla; he hoped she wasn¡¯t truly upset and that his note in the Farscribe book would put her at ease. He wondered how Dar would treat him; the master Spirit Caster hadn¡¯t seemed bothered when he¡¯d saved Victor from the madness of his Volcanic Fury. Thinking of that reminded Victor of his fight, and he grinned stupidly, reliving the battle in the theater of his mind. When Trin brought the carriage down to land outside Dar¡¯s house, Victor was the first to disembark, and he let Efanie and Lam push Darren out to him. Cradling the injured, unconscious man, he said, ¡°Lam, will you show Efanie and Cora around? Ask Mr. Ruln to find beds for them, please.¡± ¡°Yes, I can do that. Then I¡¯m going to bathe for a month.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be doing the same,¡± Edeya sighed, hopping out of the coach with a flutter of her sapphire wings. Victor grunted and turned to the house, only to find Lesh and Valla coming outside. Almost happy to have Darren as a shield against the world, he started forward, trying to keep his face pleasant and relaxed. ¡°Victor!¡± Valla called before he¡¯d managed a few steps. She ran toward him, her wings fluttering with the breeze of her rushing progress, and, for a moment, Victor thought she¡¯d slam into him, regardless of his burden. She slowed, though, and when she came close enough, she grasped his shoulders and leaned down to kiss him softly. ¡°I was worried!¡± Victor looked up at her, confused, then laughed; he¡¯d forgotten to relax his Alter Self spell. She was nearly a foot taller than he. ¡°Sorry to worry you,¡± he sighed as the mirth died down. ¡°I wanted to write you a note and figured I¡¯d make use of the scribe the asshole I challenged sent to me¡ª¡± ¡°Asshole? Challenge?¡± Victor hefted Darren. ¡°I had to get them out of a dungeon against the, uh, owner¡¯s wishes.¡± He gestured with Darren¡¯s body toward the house. ¡°Come on, Valla. Let me put him down in his bed, and then we can talk. I¡¯ll tell you all about it. How long was I gone, by the way?¡± He threw the last question out in an attempt to shift the focus of their conversation away from the duel. It worked, but he knew the reprieve would be short-lived. ¡°More than two weeks. I know it wasn¡¯t as long for you, but I was beginning to grow desperate. Only Ranish Dar¡¯s confidence and assurances kept me from pulling my hair out!¡± ¡°He was confident, huh?¡± Victor smiled as Valla followed him toward the house. ¡°Very. He seems to be quite well-informed. He assured me you were still alive, even yesterday.¡± They came to the front door as she spoke, and Victor nodded to Lesh. ¡°Hey, man. Ready to get some serious training in?¡± ¡°Aye, Lord Victor. Welcome home. I was betting on your success.¡± The way he grinned and the glint in his eye told Victor he was being literal; he¡¯d found a way to bet on him completing the Sojourn Council¡¯s quest. Laughing softly to himself, he carried Darren into the house. He caught sight of one of the servants. ¡°Hey, Wensa, can you get some clean bandages for Darren? I¡¯m betting he¡¯ll be out of it for a day or two.¡± ¡°Right away!¡± As she scurried off, Victor looked at Valla. ¡°Come on. Let¡¯s get him to his room. Shit, Valla, I¡¯ve got some crazy stories to tell.¡± Valla nodded, and Victor was relieved to see a genuine, relaxed smile on her face. He supposed he owed Dar for that¡ªhis mentor had kept his friends from panicking about his prolonged absence, which made him wonder how much Dar already knew; could he somehow scry Victor in the dungeon? Did he already know about Ronkerz? He supposed he¡¯d find out soon enough, but he hoped not too soon; he wanted to spend some time with Valla. He was eager to tell her about his time in the dungeon and about the duel, but he wasn¡¯t so anxious to explain the fallout. How would she react when he told her about Cora? 8.48 Advice ¡°And this fellow, this ¡®Ronkerz,¡¯ made you fight his champions?¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°Well, only one.¡± He hadn¡¯t said anything about Ronkerz being a veil walker or his champions being steel seekers, but it wasn¡¯t because he was trying to be dishonest with Valla; he simply felt he had to honor his vow to Ronkerz not to talk about his strength with anyone other than Ranish Dar. Valla nodded slowly. ¡°So, they underestimated you. I suppose when your companions lost their fights, it only encouraged the prisoner king¡¯s confidence.¡± She smiled and squeezed Victor¡¯s wrist. They were sitting together in one of Dar¡¯s smaller parlors, waiting for the lord of the house to summon Victor. As soon as he¡¯d put Darren to bed, Dar¡¯s steward, Mr. Ruln, had told him to wait there. ¡°A mistake too many make, hmm, love?¡± Victor chuckled, perhaps a little nervously. He felt like he was walking a fine line between truth and lie. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. The Big One he chose for me put up quite a fight. I had to get creative to find a way to harm her.¡± ¡°What an odd name¡ª¡®Big Ones.¡¯ It¡¯s very strange to imagine a town inside a dungeon. What were the people who lived there like?¡± ¡°Um, for the most part, desperate and dirty. I think that¡¯s part of Ronkerz¡¯s thing¡ªthe whole ¡®Big Ones¡¯ act and naming the place ¡®Rumble Town.¡¯ I think the fighting and the showmanship all have to do with his attempt to keep people motivated for his cause.¡± ¡°And what is that? His cause, I mean.¡± ¡°Well,¡± Victor sighed, hating that he was hiding things from Valla, but if he were to take Dar¡¯s warnings about karmic bonds seriously, shouldn¡¯t his promise to Ronkerz have ¡°rippled¡± through the universe? As Valla stared at him and a scowl began to mar her smooth complexion, he shook his head. ¡°Listen, I don¡¯t want to make shit up, but I promised Ronkerz I wouldn¡¯t talk about his goals with anyone but Dar. He could have kept me in there, Valla. I made the promise so I wouldn¡¯t be stuck.¡± ¡°So, you can tell Ranish Dar but not the woman you love? The woman who spends all her time with you?¡± The frown line between her eyes deepened, and she leaned back in her chair. ¡°With whom do you fear I¡¯ll share this secret?¡± ¡°No one! It¡¯s not that I think I can¡¯t trust you; it¡¯s just that, shit, Valla, I¡¯ll know I broke the promise. It¡¯ll bother me. Dar¡¯s been talking to me about karmic ties and debts and¡ª" ¡°Oh, put it aside, Victor.¡± She folded her arms over her chest and looked through the window toward the night sky and the distant but very bright moon. After a moment of awkward silence, she asked, ¡°Are you allowed to tell me what happened when you left? Can you tell me the story behind your duel and the situation with Lam and the others? Must I be the only one who has no knowledge of your dealings?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. It¡¯s a pretty straightforward story. Arcus told me that his father was holding Lam and the others inside his dungeon, so I went there to¡ª¡± ¡°So, he made peace with you before he died?¡± ¡°Um, yeah.¡± Victor looked down and knew he¡¯d made a mistake when Valla snorted and stood up. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re being so duplicitous, but I can¡¯t imagine this conversation will get any better. If I¡¯m not wrong, the next thing you¡¯re about to tell me is that you challenged Lord Volpur¨¦ to a duel, then fought his steel-seeker champion without first letting me know. Would it have been so hard to come here before flying off in a rage to the Volpur¨¦ estate? Would it have been hard for you to write me a plainly worded note in the Farscribe book? I suppose I should be thankful that you remembered me at all, what with that strange note that demonstrated your willingness to die in that duel¡ªwithout seeing me!¡± ¡°Valla, they were in trouble in that dungeon! I had to hurry¡ª¡± ¡°They¡¯d been in there for more than a week. I think another hour or two¡ª¡± ¡°Maybe not! Their next battle was imminent!¡± ¡°Did you know that?¡± She didn¡¯t wait for an answer. She fled the room in a flutter of tinkling feathers, leaving Victor sitting, stunned, alone in the parlor. He didn¡¯t know what to think of her sudden anger, but he knew he felt like the bad guy again, and he was getting damn tired of feeling like the bad guy. When one of the servants, a man whose name he hadn¡¯t yet learned, cleared his throat from the doorway, Victor looked up, his growing anger and frustration instantly replaced by embarrassment. ¡°Terribly sorry, sir, but Lord Dar awaits you in the library.¡± ¡°Oh, um, thanks.¡± Victor stood and smoothed his shirt, then moved toward the doorway. As the servant stepped aside, he nodded and reached up to pat Victor¡¯s shoulder. He didn¡¯t say anything, but the act was definitely out of character for Dar¡¯s staff. Victor wondered if his face looked so troubled that a veritable stranger thought he needed comfort. He made a conscious effort to unfurl his brow and offered the man a nod and an anemic smile. As he walked through the hallways of Dar¡¯s home, he fought to bring his mind back into focus, but a particular train of thought kept pushing its way to the forefront, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling some despair at it. Looking objectively at his feelings, Victor realized he felt bad about hurting Valla¡¯s feelings but was also annoyed and exhausted by the drama. What was worse, he found his feelings of guilt weren¡¯t any different from how he might feel if Lam or Lesh¡ªthe idea made him snort a short laugh¡ªwere hurt by his actions. Shouldn¡¯t he feel despair in his heart at the thought of Valla being pissed at him? She¡¯d made a rather good point: shouldn¡¯t he have been desperate to see and hold her when he survived the dungeon? Shouldn¡¯t he have at least considered going to her before rushing off to the duel? Altogether, the strange, conflicted feelings roiling through his mind as he walked to the library culminated in a series of questions he couldn¡¯t answer¡ªdid he love Valla, or did he only care about her? Was his attraction to her more physical than emotional? Was there any difference? Victor knew why he couldn¡¯t answer: he lacked experience, and, the more he thought about it, that was a problem, too. Groaning, shaking his head in frustration, he fought to push the unquiet thoughts from his mind as he approached the library doors. He stepped into the dimly illuminated room and was greeted by the scent of woodsy incense and the unmistakable aroma of fresh coffee. Dar sat in one of the comfortable, high-backed chairs, wearing one of his usual, brightly colored pajama-like ensembles, this one an eye-popping electric blue. When he saw Victor, he smiled and leaned forward, pouring some steaming black liquid into the mugs on the small table before him. He nodded at one of the empty seats and rumbled, ¡°Have a seat, Victor. We¡¯re past midnight, and I doubt you¡¯ll sleep tonight, so have some coffee with me.¡± Victor did as he asked, sitting down with a sigh. ¡°Is it that late already?¡± ¡°It is.¡± Dar pushed the coffee to him, then, without preamble, jumped into the thick of things. ¡°As you no doubt recall, I witnessed your duel with Fak Loyle. I took my leave after cooling your fury, so give me the details of what I missed before and after the fight. You may as well begin by describing what happened inside the dungeon. I can feel the weight of a bargain on your spirit. Is that why you fled the Council Spire so rapidly? Were you avoiding Roil and his lackeys?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°You don¡¯t miss much, do you?¡± Victor picked up the little carafe of cream and poured a healthy splash into his cup. Dar only grunted, so Victor began to speak, pausing occasionally to sip the hot, soothing drink. ¡°Well, first of all, that woman¡¯s bomb nearly killed me. Maybe pass along my thanks, though, because it blasted me right through one of the rune-covered pillars those ambushers were using to seal off the entrance area. Once I was out, I kicked their asses easily enough¡¡± Victor spoke for nearly an hour, going over the nature of his encounters in the prison dungeon and then talking about Ronkerz and how he¡¯d made the three of them fight his ¡°Big Ones.¡± As he finished the tale, describing how Arcus revealed his father¡¯s plans for extortive vengeance, Dar chuckled and shook his head. ¡°No wonder you raced out of the city. I¡¯m quite pleased you didn¡¯t lose your temper before you managed to extricate yourself from the Council Spire.¡± Victor nodded, smiling ruefully. ¡°It was a close thing for a minute, there. Before I go into the situation with Volpur¨¦, can you tell me what you think of Ronkerz? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s messed up that kids are being born in that dungeon?¡± ¡°Messed up?¡± Dar sighed and rubbed his temples between his two stony thumbs. ¡°We¡¯ll need to work on your vernacular before I send you to be a court champion on Ruhn. I suppose your description is apt, however. I never considered the idea that people would form rudimentary societies within a dungeon nor that the System would continue to grow the place to accommodate them. I¡¯m not too surprised to hear about Ronkerz, nor am I surprised to learn that Roil has been hiding the true nature of the situation from the rest of us¡ªConsul Rexa would likely force him to close the place down, regardless of the lost investment with the System.¡± ¡°Really? She could do that?¡± ¡°Rexa? She¡¯s more powerful than any three of us combined. Should your path cross with hers, always be deferential.¡± ¡°Are you going to tell her¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to weigh the consequences. It seems to me that Ronkerz has made a sort of overture in that he¡¯s asked you to tell me and me alone about the situation in that dungeon.¡± He paused to sip his coffee, then shook his head. ¡°Let me handle the politics, Victor. You¡¯ll soon have your own schemes to manage. For now, be content knowing that I won¡¯t allow children to languish long in that dungeon. As for your debt to the council, it¡¯s clearly been paid, and now they¡¯ll need to supply a promised bonus. I take it you still wish for me to request a cultivation item for your friend¡¯s breath Core?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Yeah, I owe him.¡± ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll meet with the council in the morning and extract what¡¯s due. Now, the duel. Were you not concerned that Bohn¡¯s champion was a steel seeker?¡± ¡°I mean, I guess so, but Arcus told me everything about the guy.¡± Victor thought about his battle and shook his head. ¡°Almost everything. It seemed he had one trick up his sleeve that he hadn¡¯t ever used before.¡± ¡°His invasion of your blood?¡± ¡°Yeah. I forgot you watched the fight.¡± ¡°Blood Mages are dangerous, and Loyle fought so much with his nature affinity that people often overlooked the true danger of his secondary aspect. I¡¯m pleased you thought of burning the blood from your system with your magma-attuned Energy. I suspect your elder bloodline helped buy you time to think of it. Didn¡¯t you tell me that you have a feat that makes you naturally resistant to poisons?¡± Like a lightbulb, the thought illuminated Victor¡¯s mind, and he nodded. ¡°Yeah! I didn¡¯t think of that. I suppose someone else¡¯s blood in my veins could be considered a kind of poison.¡± ¡°So, in the end, your victory was partly due to Loyle¡¯s affinities meeting very hard counters with your own. No doubt, a man of Loyle¡¯s power was able to read a good deal from your Core despite your aura veiling. It was his folly to underestimate the strength of your breath Core. I suppose he couldn¡¯t know that your Volcanic Fury increases the potency of the magma¡ªon the surface, your breath Core is less than impressive.¡± Dar chuckled. ¡°Not for long, if I were to wager.¡± ¡°Heh, yeah. After the fight, I was thinking about how badly I need to cultivate my breath Core. I¡¯ll work on it before I leave.¡± The idea of leaving brought some questions to Victor¡¯s mind, but before he could ask them, Dar cleared his throat and brought up a new topic of his own. ¡°I noted that I have new house guests.¡± Victor blew out an explosive breath, then leaned back in his chair. He¡¯d almost let Cora slip his mind, and the reminder, combined with his stress about Valla, was enough to make him reach up and vigorously scratch the short hair above his ear. ¡°I could use your advice about that.¡± Dar chuckled. ¡°So, the duelist''s child was foisted upon you? I¡¯m surprised Volpur¨¦ didn¡¯t insist on caring for the girl if only to save some face.¡± He sipped at his second cup of coffee, then shrugged. ¡°It was wise of you to steal away the other woman¡ªthe fae-blood. A familiar face will do wonders to ease the girl¡¯s transition. I assume Loyle had some riches in his dimensional containers?¡± ¡°Oh yeah. Millions of beads and plenty of precious metals and gems.¡± ¡°Good. You were eager to visit your home, yes? I suggest you do so. Take a week¡ªbring the child and your new employee to your estate there; ensure her education is well-funded and she has a place to call home. I will prepare your course of study while you¡¯re gone and when you return, you will devote yourself to preparing for the trials and tribulations that await you on Ruhn. I¡¯ve contacted my granddaughter¡ªshe expects you in one hundred and nineteen System-standard days.¡± ¡°Seriously? Um, yeah, actually, that sounds great. I could introduce her to Thayla and her little girl. I could¡ª¡± ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Dar held up a hand, forestalling more of Victor¡¯s mentions of people and places he didn¡¯t know. ¡°I suggest this not because I¡¯m trying to be kind¡ªI am, but that¡¯s not why. I want your head clear, and having that girl here will only distract you. Now, while I¡¯m on the subject of distractions, do you have something else weighing on you?¡± Victor frowned, feeling some heat entering his pathways. Was Dar admitting to eavesdropping on his conversation with Valla? Inhaling deeply, he pushed out the rage that had begun to trickle into his pathways and, instead, consciously pulled inspiration-attuned Energy out. With a clear mind, he said, ¡°I suppose our conversation wasn¡¯t exactly quiet or private, huh? The door was open.¡± ¡°Even if I hadn¡¯t heard a word, I¡¯d know you were troubled. Victor, I know I¡¯m not your peer, and I often express how valuable my time is, but I want you to know that you¡¯re beginning to be¡important to me. Don¡¯t let that go to your head, but understand that I am here if you need advice. My long life has been lived in¡phases, for lack of a better word¡ªsometimes alone, sometimes with companionship. Though I may not seem it, I¡¯ve had many romantic liaisons and many long and devoted relationships. I¡¯ve also been party to many failed loves. I¡¯ve witnessed and analyzed those losses, and I might have a word of wisdom for you if you but ask.¡± Victor nodded, slowly coming to grips with the idea that Dar had just indicated that their relationship was no longer simply contractual. He didn¡¯t want to help Victor just because he wanted to use him¡ªhe cared. Of course, Victor knew he might be manipulating him, but his words felt genuine, and he wanted to think Dar was sincere. As he spoke, Victor slowly began to nod, and tried to gather his thoughts, tried to think of a way to express his feelings. Finally, he leaned forward and tried to voice his fears: ¡°I guess it boils down to passion. When I thought about Valla before my duel, I thought about what I ¡®should¡¯ do, not what I wanted to do. I wanted to fight, but I wrote Valla a note because it felt like the right thing to do. If I really loved her, I mean loved her, would I have wanted to go to her more than I wanted to fight? Wouldn¡¯t I have wanted to feel her lips on mine?¡± Victor remembered who he was speaking to, and his face flushed with embarrassment. Still, he pushed ahead, ¡°I mean, when I think about passion¡ª¡± He shook his head, trying to find the words, afraid to say the ones on the tip of his tongue. ¡°Go on, Victor. What are you passionate about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know, Dar.¡± Victor sighed. ¡°I love Deyni, and Thayla, and Chandri, and Edeya, and yeah, Valla fits in there, but shouldn¡¯t I feel something a lot more for her?¡± ¡°Putting people aside, Victor, what ignites your passion?¡± ¡°You know,¡± Victor sighed, shrugging helplessly. ¡°Fighting, winning¡ªthe rush of battle. I don¡¯t even know what your granddaughter is like¡ªwhat her country stands for, but I¡¯m excited to fight for her. Is there something wrong with me?¡± ¡°Not wrong. You are what you are. You don¡¯t pick fights, but you certainly love to win them. I can admire that trait, Victor. Perhaps love isn¡¯t something you should concern yourself with in this stage of your life¡ª¡± ¡°But I do love, Dar! I feel it so deeply, so hard, sometimes that I can¡¯t think of anything else. If I love to fight, half the time, it¡¯s because I think I¡¯m protecting someone I love! But¡yeah, I¡¯m not sure how to reconcile the idea that I feel just as strongly about protecting and caring for other people in my life as I do for Valla.¡± Victor sighed, feeling empty and defeated and utterly unresolved. Dar chuckled. ¡°Love is a funny thing. It can be hot and fiery or warm and comforting. It can bring tears of joy or sorrow; it can make a man or break him. I¡¯ll tell you this: time apart from one¡¯s love can clarify things. If your heart begins to ache and you desperately want to be with your love more and more, then you might realize your love is more important than your desire to fight and your hunt for glory. If, however, you don¡¯t find yourself lying awake at night, thinking of your distant love, perhaps it might be time to be more honest with yourself and your lady.¡± ¡°So, wait and see? Shit, thanks for the help, Dar.¡± Victor laughed, and Dar chuckled. ¡°Yes, I began to curse myself the moment I offered advice. It¡¯s not an easy thing to figure out¡ªthe heart. Talk to Valla. Be honest. That¡¯s the best counsel I can offer. Perhaps she¡¯ll have more insight.¡± Dar shifted in his chair, and Victor saw he was ready to be done with the subject. ¡°Right. I¡¯ll do that. Thank you, Dar.¡± ¡°Take your week. Leave as soon as you can and bring her with you. It will be good.¡± Dar looked ready to dismiss him, but he held up a hand and added, ¡°On the topic of my granddaughter, you should rest assured that she is no despot. She rules with kindness, and her citizens are guaranteed certain rights and freedoms. I believe you should be proud to defend her¡ªmany nations on Ruhn are not so egalitarian.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good to know. Yeah, I think, despite my earlier words, I would have had trouble standing up for her if she turned out to be a tyrant.¡± He stood and smiled, and surprisingly, the expression came a lot more easily than he¡¯d expected. Despite the lack of a resolution to his problems, he felt better having confided in someone. It was good to know he wasn¡¯t the only person in the universe feeling the way he did. ¡°Thank you, Dar.¡± His mentor stood and clapped one of his stony hands against Victor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My pleasure. Make haste now. The sooner you¡¯re gone and back, the sooner your training can begin.¡± His eyes opened wide, and he snapped his fingers with a crack. He leaned close and, in a much quieter voice, said, ¡°I do have some advice for you! Dig through Loyle¡¯s belongings for something very beautiful, rare, and expensive, and give it to Valla. I think it might make her more receptive to your further confession.¡± ¡°Confession?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve yet to tell her about your young ward, correct?¡± ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Victor groaned. 8.49 Hearts and Bones Victor wasn¡¯t sure where to go when he walked out of the library. He wanted to find Valla and talk to her, but at the same time, he wanted some space to think¡ªto breathe. With that impulse taking control, he meandered back to the main parlor, dark and quiet at that hour, and then slipped out the door to the rear deck. That close to the lake, the night air was always a little chilly. Victor hadn¡¯t been there long enough to know if that changed with the seasons or if there even were seasons on Sojourn, but he supposed it didn¡¯t matter; he was never cold, and conversely, no amount of heat in the air seemed to make his hot blood uncomfortable. He stepped toward the railing, found he had too much anxious energy to stand and think, and turned to walk along the house to the side deck. He caught a glimpse of Dar through a window, still sitting in the library, writing into a book on his lap. It felt strange to peer into the room after wandering through the house, like he was purposefully being sneaky or something, so he hurriedly looked away and hustled down the steps to the pathway that wound through Dar¡¯s manicured gardens. Nightbirds chirped and sang, and the breeze through the trees rustled the leaves in a melancholy whisper, making it easy for Victor¡¯s mind to wander and drift. After a while, he¡¯d passed by the ¡°sparring ring¡± and entered a part of the garden he hadn¡¯t explored. Night blossoms bloomed, and the cloying scent of orange and cherry filled the air. It was peaceful and relaxing, and Victor found his earlier irritation melting away. What did he have to be upset about? A woman who loved him was angry¡ªit wasn¡¯t the end of the world. He¡¯d accomplished something tremendous earlier that day. He, a middling iron ranker, had conquered a steel seeker! Victor grinned and, spying a small bench on the hillside, sat down to look out over the terraced gardens to the starlit lake below. It was a beautiful view, and to his heart¡¯s relief, he found himself wishing Valla were there beside him. A tree to his left rustled, and Victor looked up to see a black feathered bird with a long, fanning tail perched on one of the lower branches. A shock of bright yellow plumage atop its head drew Victor¡¯s eye, and when it felt Victor¡¯s gaze, it spread broad wings and fluttered away into the night. As it went, it uttered a trilling cry that sounded like a stuttered question, ¡°Wha-why, wha-why?¡± Victor chuckled at the funny sound, then, as he turned back to the big tree with its drooping branches and pale, birch-like bark, he remembered Arona¡¯s bone. He reached into the storage ring Dar had given him and pulled out the thing. It was heavy and felt colder than before. Seeing it reminded Victor of when Arona had passed it to him in a cave even darker than the night where he now sat. Glancing at the moon, Victor chuckled. To his eyes, it wasn¡¯t all that dark; things were still shaded in terms of moonlight and shadow, but he could see the leaves in the trees, the tiny night creatures rustling through the undergrowth, and even the gentle waves lapping on the distant lake shore. He rubbed his thumb along the silvery runes in the bone, noting how they shimmered, and he wondered if they¡¯d been like that before. Had they been so bright with Energy? Arona had said her undead creature needed rest, that he wasn¡¯t ¡°ready¡± for another fight. Had he recovered? ¡°Guess we¡¯ll never know, eh, hermano?¡± Victor chuckled as he carried the bone over to the tree. ¡°You¡¯re going to sleep until another Necromancer finds you, I guess.¡± He thought about that word. ¡°Is a Death Caster the same as a Necromancer?¡± He shook his head, smirking at his mumbled rambling, and knelt on soft turf, summoning a knife from one of his other rings. He''d just stabbed the blade into the grass when a cold shiver ran down his spine, and a raspy voice whispered, ¡°It would be accurate to say a Necromancer is a type of Death Caster.¡± He recognized the voice, so he didn¡¯t respond violently, but Victor whirled around, all the same, scrabbling backward so his back rested against the tree trunk. A ghostly, luminescent version of Arona hovered in the darkness near where he¡¯d been kneeling. ¡°You returned more quickly than I feared. I¡¯m pleased you survived your battle, Victor.¡± Her lips didn¡¯t move, but she seemed to sway with the words as they hissed through the night air to him. ¡°The hell? Are you a ghost now?¡± ¡°I suppose so. More precisely, I¡¯m a disembodied spirit bound to that bone¡ªmy first phylactery. I prepared it as we lay in that cave ¡®sleeping.¡¯ Thank you for bringing it here and for not mentioning it to anyone. You didn¡¯t, did you?¡± Victor shook his head. ¡°Nah, I only just remembered it. I wouldn¡¯t have, though. I promised you.¡± The spirit wavered, shifting oddly in the moonlight. ¡°You don¡¯t seem very surprised to see me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not the first Death Caster I¡¯ve messed around with, and this isn¡¯t the first phylactery I¡¯ve held. I should¡¯ve probably guessed what you were up to. I take it you didn¡¯t explain your plan because you didn¡¯t want Ronkerz to overhear?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was afraid he¡¯d force you to give him the phylactery so that, even in death, he could bind me to his service.¡± Victor nodded as he grunted, climbing to his feet. He held the bone out toward the glowing, faintly translucent figure. ¡°Well, for what it¡¯s worth, I¡¯m glad you aren¡¯t, like, totally dead. Uh, what do you want me to do with this thing?¡± ¡°Thank you, Victor!¡± The spirit drifted back from the bone, and Victor felt a sinking sensation as he anticipated her next words. ¡°I have another favor to ask¡ªwell, perhaps several favors.¡± When Victor sighed and lowered the bone, a faint smile flickered over her ghostly features, and then her disembodied voice came to him again, ¡°I asked you to bury that bone here, in Dar¡¯s gardens, because I knew that once you removed it from your storage device, my spirit would be drawn to it.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± Victor was waiting for the other shoe to drop. ¡°Yes. However, I¡¯m still quite helpless and at the mercy of your willingness to aid me.¡± When Victor only frowned, she continued, ¡°I told you in the dungeon that I wasn¡¯t undead yet. That wasn¡¯t a lie. My master, whom I shall not name in the air of the world where he walks, had tried for years to get me to complete the process, to create a phylactery and perfect my undead vessel, becoming a lich like so many powerful Death Casters do. I¡resisted because I hate him, Victor. I hate him and every other Death Caster I¡¯ve ever studied under.¡± Victor moved over to the bench and sat down. When Arona¡¯s spirit drifted closer, he motioned for her to continue. ¡°But?¡± ¡°Yes, well, when I saw that Ronkerz would make us fight and I knew there was a chance I wouldn¡¯t win, I devised a scheme to escape both Ronkerz and my master. Again, please don¡¯t say his name; I don¡¯t want to draw his attention.¡± She paused, and her ghostly black eyes stared until Victor nodded. ¡°When a Death Caster typically becomes a lich, they must spend time preparing their phylactery, then, after they¡¯ve voluntarily forfeited their mortal life, an ally prepares their body to accept the undead spirit and death-attuned Energy, completing the process.¡± ¡°Your body isn¡¯t exactly in one piece or, you know, here.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Yes, which brings me to the favor I would beg of you. I cannot seek aid on Sojourn; my master is too well-known, and he¡¯d likely get wind of my efforts. I beg you, Victor, will you bring me to the next world you visit? The ring where you stored my phylactery is sufficiently advanced to hold my spirit without making me mad. Once I¡¯m free of Sojourn, if we could find a Death Caster to aid us¡ª¡± ¡°We? Us? Arona, I¡¯m not so sure I¡¯m up for all that. I¡¯m not exactly fond of Death Casters¡ª¡± ¡°Victor! I beg you!¡± Her spirit flickered as she shifted to a kneeling position while still somehow seeming to float in the air. ¡°I¡¯m at your mercy! I beg you not to think of me as a Death Caster but as a friend. I didn¡¯t want this, but I saw it as the only way I might free myself. My master has lived for thousands of years, and I owed him centuries of servitude. He is not a pleasant man.¡± ¡°Well? Why did you owe him?¡± ¡°My family sold me to him when I was young. On my homeworld, my father is a king, and a Death Caster to boot. He bargained with¡the man I seek to flee, and I had no say in the matter!¡± Victor sighed, then gestured to the bone. ¡°So, what? You get into the bone, I put the bone in my storage ring¡ªthe good one¡ªand then you just ride there quietly until I take you out again?¡± ¡°Precisely! Once we¡¯re in a different world, I can help guide you to a Death Caster who may be able to help me construct a fitting vessel¡ª¡± Victor groaned and set the bone on the bench beside him. ¡°You mean a body, right? You¡¯re going to need a body, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes¡ªbut, Victor, people die all the time! We needn¡¯t kill anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not excited by the idea, Arona, but I did think of you as a friend, and as long as you don¡¯t ask me to do anything messed-up, I¡¯m willing to help you out.¡± ¡°Hear my vow, Victor: I will never act in a manner you find vile or wrong, and, as soon as I have a vessel with which to turn the pages of texts, I will search for a way to rid myself of this death-attuned Energy! I hate it!¡± Victor watched the specter floating before him, still in a kneeling position. The ghostly version of Arona looked very much like she had in life, only washed out and gray-tinted with faint luminescence behind her flesh that made her seem transparent. It was a trick of the light on the eye, though¡ªwhen he tried to see through her, he couldn¡¯t. Curiosity got the better of him, and Victor reached out to touch her sleeve, only to find his fingers passing through what felt like cold water. When he pulled back, he found no residue on his fingertips. ¡°Why do you hate your master?¡± Arona shivered, her ghostly figure flickering with the motion. ¡°As I said, he¡¯s vile. He counts his apprentices as his property, and he knows no boundaries of the flesh. His hands grasp and touch where he wills, and to defy him is to face confinement for years, bereft of all but the slightest trickle of Energy¡ªa harsh lesson to mold an unruly student¡¯s behavior. Of course, his nature isn¡¯t so plain when he courts a new apprentice, and the contracts are cleverly worded. My father wouldn¡¯t have cared what it said, in any case. He convinced me, the first of his seven daughters, with lies and promises, to go along with¡my master, to sign the document with blood and seal it with Energy. Too late did I learn¡" As she continued, detailing the cruel practices of Vesavo Bonewhisper, Victor could hear the emotion in her voice, and it touched a nerve. He wanted to help her, but more than that, he wanted to remove a potentially potent Death Caster from the universe. If he could help her to find a way to convert her Core from Death Energy once she¡¯d recovered, what sort of precedent might that set? Were there other Death Casters trapped by cruel masters? What about Dark Ember? If he went there, intent on freeing the humans of that world, wouldn¡¯t whatever he learned in his quest to aid Arona help with that goal?He realized she¡¯d grown quiet, and he¡¯d utterly missed half of her tale, so lost had he been in his own thoughts. ¡°All right, Arona. I, um, I agree; it sounds like you got a raw deal. I¡¯ll be traveling away from this world in a few months. Can you manage to wait that long?¡± Victor meant his trip to Ruhn¡ªthere was no way he¡¯d unleash a tier-nine Death Caster on Fanwath. ¡°I can! I wandered the Spirit Plane until I felt my phylactery¡¯s pull, but, within that bone, I have a rudimentary home; I surreptitiously transferred many of my belongings into it before I passed it off to you. Moreover, I can pass the time by improving it as I await your summons.¡± ¡°How? Wouldn¡¯t that require Energy? Can you draw Energy while in a dimensional container?¡± ¡°The ring you stored the bone in allows the flow of Energy, Victor¡ªhow else could you store powerful, conscious objects within it?¡± Victor realized she was right as his mind flickered to the fear geist he had stored in that ring. Did that mean he could, theoretically, put Lifedrinker in there? He slowly began to nod, then locked his eyes on Arona¡¯s. As he stared into those depthless pools, he had a shiver of doubt. With a slight scowl, he demanded, ¡°Swear to me again. Swear that you¡¯ll never betray me. Swear it on your spirit because I swear, Arona, if you¡¯re somehow scheming against me, I¡¯ll rip apart what¡¯s left of you and scatter the pieces all over the Spirit Plane¡ªI¡¯ll feed it to the angry spirits I find dwelling there!¡± ¡°I swear it, Victor! I swear that if you¡¯re true to me, I will always be true to you. I already owe you a great debt, and know I ask much.¡± Victor nodded, then held up the bone. ¡°In you go, then. I should get back to the house.¡± ¡°One more thing, Victor. Please don¡¯t mention this to anyone! If Ve¡ªmy master were to learn of my continued existence¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t tell any¡ª¡± Victor started to say, but then he remembered Valla and the secrets he¡¯d already kept from her. ¡°I¡¯ll only tell Valla. I have too many secrets from her already.¡± Arona began to object, but he shook his head. ¡°You have to trust me that she¡¯ll keep your secret. I won¡¯t help you otherwise.¡± After a long, silent second, as her ghostly figure wavered and flickered oddly in the moonlight, Arona¡¯s raspy voice came to him again, ¡°I agree, Victor. Thank you.¡± With that, her image seemed to burst apart into mist and pale light that streamed directly into the bone. Victor watched the last of it disappear into the vessel. The silvery runes flared briefly, and he was sure the bone felt even heavier and colder than before. Sighing, he returned it to the storage ring with his other valuable possessions. He sat in the resulting quiet for a few minutes, determined to find the peace and relaxation he¡¯d felt before Arona¡¯s spirit had made her surprise appearance. After a while, as the moon dipped lower and the eastern sky began to lighten from midnight black to deep blue-gray, he felt his stomach gurgle. Victor knew he didn¡¯t have to eat¡ªhe could go weeks without food¡ªbut he liked to do it, and the idea of some breakfast sounded good. He wasn¡¯t too sure he felt up to going into the house, however. There were a lot of early risers staying in the lake house, and Victor didn¡¯t feel like talking. As he contemplated the dwindling food supplies in his storage containers, Victor felt his mind¡¯s eye drawn toward the heart he¡¯d pulled from Loyle. Rather than feeling repulsed by the raw, bloody organ, he felt his mouth begin to salivate. As his hunger quickened, Victor chuckled at the dominance of his savage Quinametzin greed. He withdrew the heart and held it in the palm of his large hand. ¡°Why not?¡± Victor canceled his Alter Self spell, expanding to his natural size, but he didn¡¯t cast Iron Berserk; the heart wasn¡¯t overly large. In fact, in his broad palm, it looked more like a turkey heart than something that had come out of a man. Victor lifted it to his nose and, as the coppery scent of blood generated more saliva, plopped the entire thing into his mouth. His eyes had almost been bigger than his mouth¡ªhe had to tilt his head back as he chewed to avoid juices sluicing out, and his gluttony made him laugh, further disrupting his attempts to masticate the tough meat. Even so, Victor found the taste and texture intoxicating, and the euphoria of the Energy escaping the flesh as he began to swallow the chunks of meat his teeth tore from the organ made the morsel all the sweeter. There really wasn¡¯t anything like it¡ªno other food, as far as Victor¡¯s Quinametzin palate was concerned, could compare to the heart of an enemy. When he swallowed the lion¡¯s share of the organ and heaved in a deep, cleansing breath, he felt the fire roiling in his belly¡ªsomething was happening. Energy, hot and roiling, spread from his stomach into his body. When he closed his eyes, he could imagine his body had been frozen, and he¡¯d swallowed an ember that slowly thawed his flesh. Of course, that wasn¡¯t anywhere close to the situation at hand¡ªhis body was hot already, so the heat rushing through him, from his gut to his fingertips, toes, and the top of his scalp, was something different. It was alive, tingling with Energy and purpose, and, unlike some other instances when Victor had consumed something potent, almost pleasant as it did whatever it was doing. When the sensation had passed through his entire body, and he began to feel normal again, he received some System messages: ***Congratulations! You have gained a new Feat: Blood Supremacy.*** ***Blood Supremacy: Your blood, already potent with the might of an elder species, has gained the ability to carry your aura and will. Species and individuals with the ability to infect, consume, or subvert another¡¯s blood will have to contend with your innate willpower and the effects of your aura. Moreover, those who come into contact with your blood will feel its weight until it has been cleansed. This effect would be particularly daunting to any individual who consumed your blood.*** As he read the message, Victor couldn¡¯t help imagining a vampire drinking his blood and suffering the effects of his new feat. He laughed, despite himself, especially when he pictured some of the vampyrs and wampyrs that had invaded from Dark Ember, most notably the reaver baron, Eric Gore Lust. ¡°Yeah,¡± he laughed, ¡°try drinking this shit, pendejo!¡± 8.50 Changes When Victor returned to the house, the sun was well up, and he could hear voices coming from the dining room. Peering in through the arched opening in the hallway that separated the room from the kitchen, he saw Valla sitting beside Lam, and across the table from them was Efanie. He looked further into the room, to the smaller table near the far windows, and, sure enough, there sat Cora, by herself, absently picking at a plate full of food. Part of Victor wanted to retreat, to face these people later and well after he¡¯d had a chance to speak with Valla alone, but he forced himself to step into the room. ¡°Hey, good to see you¡¯re getting acquainted.¡± Valla looked at him, arching a silver-teal eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m sure you were going to introduce us, but I couldn¡¯t sleep, and we ran into each other.¡± Victor nodded and moved to sit down. He was still his natural size, so he selected one of the larger, Dar-sized chairs, which put him beside Efanie. He saw the food on everyone¡¯s plates¡ªbacon, eggs, grilled veggies, and thick hunks of buttery toast¡ªand his stomach instantly began to grumble. Efanie chuckled and pushed her plate toward him; it was largely untouched. ¡°I¡¯m not all that hungry¡ªtoo much going on, and my nerves are shot.¡± Hearing those words was like a splash of cold water to Victor, reminding him that he wasn¡¯t the center of the universe, regardless of how it seemed most of the time. ¡°Yeah, I guess last night¡¯s events kind of turned your world upside down, huh?¡± Efanie nodded and gestured with her thumb toward Cora over by the windows. ¡°Mine and Cora¡¯s both. Still,¡± she nodded to Valla and Lam, ¡°we¡¯ve been treated very kindly here, and I think we¡¯re both hopeful.¡± Victor nodded, trying to show understanding, but, if he were totally honest with himself, he was glad Cora wasn¡¯t at the same table. How would she feel sitting in the presence of the man who¡¯d killed her father? It was enough to make him want to get up and leave. It wasn¡¯t enough to stifle his appetite, however, so he covered his discomfort by stuffing a large hunk of buttered, honey-dipped bread into his mouth. Valla nudged him under the table with her boot. ¡°I was just telling Efanie how cruel life could be.¡± She lowered her voice and continued, ¡°I spoke with Cora briefly, Victor. She told me that she understood that our friends¡¯ lives were on the line and that her father made his living by fighting another man¡¯s battles. A very mature outlook for a girl who¡¯s just recently seen her twelfth birthday, don¡¯t you think?¡± Victor swallowed¡ªtoo soon¡ªand had to fight to clear his throat before speaking. Efanie took the opportunity to voice her opinion on the matter. ¡°She doesn¡¯t hate you, Sir Victor. She¡¯s cross but more at life and circumstances¡ªat her father¡ªthan at you. I think I was able to make her understand that you fought for a righteous cause.¡± ¡°Well¡ª¡± Victor began to say, but it seemed Efanie wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°I hope you know that I don¡¯t expect you and your lady to be the girl¡¯s new parents. Neither does she. If you¡¯ll just give us a small allowance, enough to furnish a home and pay for a tutor, I think we¡¯d be more than happy to move out from underfoot.¡± She took a breath and might have continued, but Victor was through being steamrolled. He locked eyes with Efanie and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be doing more than that. I¡¯ve taken responsibility for her, and that means something to me.¡± He nodded to Valla. ¡°I¡¯d like us all to take a trip back to our homeworld. I have a sizable estate there, and I think it would be a good place for her to grow up.¡± ¡°Fanwath?¡± Valla¡¯s eyes almost sparkled as she said the word, and Victor was reminded of all the times he¡¯d stared into those orbs, lost in their colorful depths. ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor smiled, then turned back to Efanie. ¡°It¡¯s a lower-tier world than this, but the nation Valla and I helped to found is growing rapidly, and many opportunities abound. I have influential friends there who can see to Cora¡¯s safety and education, so if you have something binding you to Sojourn¡ª¡± ¡°N-no! No, Victor, I would be most pleased to visit your home. What was it?¡± She glanced at Valla. ¡°Fanwath?¡± Valla nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. Victor is lord to quite an estate there, though we haven¡¯t seen his manor yet. It was just breaking ground when we came to Sojourn. You see, we¡¯d just conquered an invasion in what was considered untamed lands.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Efanie nodded, then turned to Victor. ¡°Are you certain it¡¯s a good place for a young woman to come of age?¡± ¡°Yeah. As I said, it¡¯s growing quickly, and I have people there I trust and think of as family. I think it would be good for Cora to be away from this city and the¡¡± Victor trailed off, wanting to say, ¡®memory of her father,¡¯ but was too worried the girl could hear what they were talking about. With that in mind, he asked, ¡°Would you talk to her about it?¡± Lam cleared her throat and leaned forward, breaking her silence in a hushed voice, ¡°I think you need to sit down with her, Victor. She must know that she wasn¡¯t given over to a monster.¡± Valla nodded and reached across the table to grasp Victor¡¯s wrist. ¡°I agree. As harsh as it may seem, this is her new reality. The longer you avoid confronting the facts, the longer she¡¯ll build up whatever monstrous version of you is living in her head.¡± Victor looked at her, a little surprised by how pleasant and supportive she was being despite their last conversation. He supposed it had something to do with the seriousness of the situation¡ªCora was a young girl going through a hell of a lot more than a couple¡¯s disagreement. He glanced around the table, from Valla to Lam to Efanie, and quietly asked, ¡°Now?¡± Lam nodded, Valla squeezed his wrist again, and Efanie leaned close and whispered, ¡°She understands your situation. Just be kind.¡± With a sigh and grunt, Victor pushed himself away from his plate of food and stood. As he approached Cora, he cast Alter Self, straining to get the most out of the spell. When he sat across from her, she glanced up but then quickly back down at her food¡ªhardly touched. To his horror, Victor found himself channeling every dopey adult he¡¯d ever spoken to as a child. ¡°You¡¯ve got to eat to keep up your strength.¡± She picked up a piece of potato and tucked it into her mouth. ¡°As you say, milord.¡± ¡°Ah, forget I said that¡ªpretty stupid.¡± Suddenly, Victor was stricken with the urge simply to be honest. ¡°Look, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing here. I think this whole situation sucks. I know I said that before¡ªkind of¡ªoutside Volpur¨¦¡¯s estate, but it¡¯s true. I understand you¡¯re in a bad place right now. You¡¯re probably mad, sad, and everything in between, right? You¡¯ve got every right to be. I¡¯m sorry about your dad, but you understand I was fighting for my life, for my friends¡¯ lives, right?¡± ¡°I understand, milord.¡± She still hadn¡¯t looked up, and all Victor could see of her face was her pale forehead beneath unruly, thick, curly brown hair. Victor decided to try a different approach. ¡°Do you like Sojourn? Do you have friends here?¡± ¡°I¡ª¡± For the first time, she glanced up, and her chocolate eyes touched his for just a second before she looked back down. ¡°I¡¯ve spent most of my time at the Volpur¨¦ estate with my father. I don¡¯t have friends.¡± ¡°Um, I know this is probably not a fun topic, but can you tell me a little about that? Why did your dad keep you so close? I know they told me he was your only family, but do you, um, know about your mom at all?¡± Her head shook from side to side, bouncing her thick curls, but she didn¡¯t speak. ¡°All right. Well, I have an idea I¡¯d like to run by you: I have a lot of property on another world where some very good friends live. I¡¯d like to take you there¡ªget you away from this place. There are children who live on my lands and people who can look after you and give you the kind of attention you deserve. I think you¡¯ll like it there.¡± She didn¡¯t speak or look up, so Victor asked more bluntly, ¡°What do you say?¡± When she looked up this time, she stared into his eyes and didn¡¯t look away. ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± ¡°Um,¡± Victor frowned, unsure of how to proceed. Finally, he settled on what he¡¯d want to hear if he were in her shoes. ¡°I want you to come with me and see the place. I want you to meet some of the people who live there. After that, you can decide if you want to stay or come back to Sojourn.¡± She glanced at the other, larger table. ¡°Will Efanie come?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s eager to go; I don¡¯t think she loves Sojourn.¡± Cora stared at him for a moment longer, and Victor saw much in the depths of those dark eyes, but she didn¡¯t speak, only nodded, then turned back to her food, scooping up a large bite of scrambled eggs. Victor felt like he¡¯d been dismissed, so he went with it. He stood and pushed his chair in. ¡°When I said we¡¯re going, I meant, like, today. Efanie will help you get ready.¡± With that, he walked back over to the large table.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°Well?¡± Lam asked. ¡°She¡¯s open to the idea.¡± Victor looked from Efanie to Valla. ¡°I want to leave today. I know it¡¯s short notice, but Dar¡¯s only given me a week, so I want to make the most of it.¡± They both inhaled and looked ready to ask him questions, but he turned to Lam. ¡°I can probably afford it if you and the others want to come.¡± ¡°I think¡ª¡± Lam stopped and frowned, shaking her head. ¡°I think I¡¯ll wait. I don¡¯t want to return until I¡¯ve regained more of my former strength. Edeya is with Trin, watching over Darren, but I¡¯ll ask her what she thinks. I doubt Darren will wake in time to join you.¡± Victor nodded, once again reminded that other people had important things going on and considerations of their own. ¡°What level are you now?¡± She grinned and thumped the table with her palm. ¡°All of us are closing in on tier two. Say one thing about that deathtrap of a dungeon¡ªit provided quite a growth opportunity.¡± ¡°Well, let me know if you change your mind. Tell Edeya we¡¯ll be leaving in a couple of hours if she¡¯s interested.¡± Efanie pushed her chair back. ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°Yeah. I was serious about wanting to get this going. I¡¯ve got a lot I want to do and only a week to squeeze it all in.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡ª¡± She glanced over at Cora. ¡°I should take Cora into town for a little shopping. I have a few loose ends I¡¯d like to tie up around here. Despite Bohn¡¯s awful nature, there are many in the Volpur¨¦ household I¡¯d like to part with on good terms. I think a few gifts and letters sent via courier should do the trick. Would it be all right if the two of us meet you at the World Hall?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor rubbed his chin while he thought. ¡°I think I¡¯m being unreasonable. Two hours isn¡¯t enough time¡ªmeet us at the ticket counter at noon. Is that fair?¡± ¡°More than fair!¡± She stood and started toward Cora, but Valla cleared her throat. ¡°Wait, Efanie!¡± Valla looked at Victor. ¡°If she¡¯s going to buy things for Cora to travel with, shouldn¡¯t you give her some funds?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡ª¡± Efanie started, but Victor laughed, shaking his head in chagrin. ¡°Yeah, sorry. I¡¯ll need to get used to this.¡± He hadn¡¯t sorted the massive crates of beads in Loyle¡¯s ring into more convenient containers, so he lifted out a sack from his previous stash. It held nearly ten thousand beads in value¡ªmost were double or triple-attuned. He handed it to Efanie. ¡°That should do for now. I guess you can consider anything left over as a retainer; we can negotiate a contract for you when we get to Fanwath, all right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fair. Thank you, Sir¡ª¡± ¡°Just Victor, Efanie.¡± She smiled, then curtly tilted her head and waved to the table, including Lam and Valla in the gesture. ¡°See you soon.¡± As she strode toward Cora¡¯s table, her voice became strident, ¡°Up you get, young lady. We¡¯ve much to do and little time in which to do it!¡± Lam glanced at Victor and then Valla and pushed her chair back. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit back down and finish Efanie¡¯s breakfast, Victor? I¡¯m going to go check in on Edeya and tell her what you said about returning to Fanwath.¡± ¡°Um, yeah. Not a bad idea.¡± Victor sat down again, well aware that Lam was trying to give him a chance to speak with Valla. It made him wonder if Valla had been venting, but he supposed he couldn¡¯t blame her if she had been. As she left, Lam walked behind Valla. Catching Victor¡¯s eye, she nodded and winked. ¡°About as subtle as a thunderak in a jewelry store,¡± Valla chuckled. Victor shrugged. ¡°She¡¯s trying to help me out. Don¡¯t you agree I could use it?¡± Valla sighed. ¡°Oh, Victor! I know I wasn¡¯t exactly rational earlier, but you must admit that you don¡¯t make it easy for me. I¡¯ve spent some hours thinking and a bit of time chatting with Lam, and, honestly, I don¡¯t know what to say other than that. I think I need more time to think about things. Don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I¡¡± Victor frowned as he let his impulsive objection die on his tongue. Did he need more time to think? Was he sure about everything? Or, failing that, was he at least as sure as he used to be? He supposed the answer was no¡ªthere had been some changes in his feelings that bore further thought. ¡°I guess some time to think would be nice.¡± ¡°Exactly! Some time away from Sojourn is exactly what we need. Some time away from all the high stakes, the life-or-death battles, the schemes, and future plots. Let¡¯s make a promise¡ªno talking about any of our¡problems until the night before our scheduled return. I want to enjoy a small vacation with you and forget about all of our worries for a few days. Let¡¯s give our minds and hearts time to breathe and think. Can you agree with that?¡± Victor held his hand, palm up, across the table, and Valla eagerly took it in her slender, cool fingers. ¡°Yeah, I can agree, Valla. Honestly, it sounds great.¡± # When Darren opened his eyes, he was swept away with almost nauseating disorientation. He saw wooden rafters overhead, but they seemed curved, like he was looking at them through a fish-eye lens. He blinked his eyes and tried to focus, but then his world was blotted out by wood grains, splinters, and a nail head the size of a dinner plate. ¡°Ungh,¡± he grunted, feeling even more queasy. He closed his eyes and, as the world faded to peaceful black, began to recall strange, vivid dreams of flying through clouds, basking in the cold air of the heights and the warmth of the sun. How long had he slept? With the question came a surge of other memories¡ªwaves of monsters, Lam and Edeya and Trin, all fighting for their lives, an axe blade cleaving his clavicle and slicing deep into his chest, and worried whispers and the taste of something incomprehensibly sweet and good as it was stuffed into his mouth. He opened his eyes again, hoping to see one of his friends, but this time, instead of just the wooden ceiling, he saw a bird¡¯s head. No, he corrected himself, an avian woman¡¯s head. Black feathers adorned her crown, and a dark yellow beak sat beneath giant, yellow, and brown-banded irises that narrowed in contemplation as he continued to blink. ¡°Try to relax and let nature do its work. Your eyes are much stronger than they used to be, Darren. My name is Brimi, and I¡¯m here because your friends were worried about you.¡± ¡°Worried?¡± Darren asked, but his voice was strange in his ears, and it sounded garbled, more like, ¡°Ooried?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, love, you¡¯ve been out for a few days. Try to lie still and take in everything I¡¯ve got to say. It seems you ate a racial advancement cake, and it woke something up¡ªa bloodline.¡± ¡°Uhdline?¡± he asked, his voice rising toward a squawk as he tried to form the word with his strange-feeling mouth. ¡°An avian bloodline. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here. I can help you to figure out how to manage the things that have changed about you.¡± ¡°Aieeen?¡± Darren tried to say ¡®avian,¡¯ but, again, it sounded more like a squawk. His heart had begun to hammer, and despite Brimi¡¯s protestations, he struggled to his feet, pleased that his arms, hands, and legs were responding normally. He looked around, frowning at the strange perspective. Was he taller than before? The avian woman held out her arms, trying to steady or restrain him; he couldn¡¯t tell. She was much shorter than he, and as he looked around, his vision kept zooming in on every little detail. He almost fell several times as he stumbled to his bathroom and finally managed to fight his way through the door to peer at himself in the mirror. ¡°What the hell?¡± he cried, though, again, it came out like, ¡°Aaah-kah-ell!¡± Darren had, indeed, changed. He was easily a foot taller than before, looming over the sink, stark naked, save for a pair of tight underwear. His body didn¡¯t look all that different, but there were a few disturbing changes: his head was covered in lustrous brown, mottled feathers, his eyes were enormous, angular things like you might see on an eagle, the irises golden and beautiful, and his nose and mouth had been replaced by a long, hooked beak. Darren, too stressed and, frankly, panicked to speak, turned to look at his back and saw faint lumps along his spine just beneath his shoulder blades. ¡°No wings?¡± he tried to ask, too distracted to worry about what the words came out sounding like. ¡°You¡¯ve just barely awoken your bloodline, but, as is usual when something like this occurs, the first changes are to your sensory organs¡ªyour eyes, mouth, nose, and ears. As you advance your bloodline¡¡± She kept speaking, but Darren couldn¡¯t hear her over the pounding of his heart, the roaring of his thoughts. He mentally called up his status sheet and scanned what he saw:
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Darren Whitehorse | |||
| Race: | Human - Base 5 - Thunderbird Bloodline | |||
| Class: | Chaos Sorcerer - Advanced | |||
| Level: | 18 | |||
| Core: | Wildarc Class - Base 2 | |||
| Energy Affinity: | Lightning 8, Chaos 7.4, Unattuned 6.1 | Energy: | 1445/1445 | |
| Strength: | 6 | Vitality: | 72 | |
| Dexterity: | 45 | Agility: | 5 | |
| Intelligence: | 57 | Will: | 68 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | - | |||
| Skills: | ||||
| System Language Integration | Not Upgradeable | |||
| Wildarc Cultivation Drill | Basic | |||
| Staff Mastery | Basic | |||
| Sense Chaos | Basic | |||
| Spells: | ||||
| Arclight Wisp | Basic | |||
| Shocking Arms | Basic | |||
| Fractured Reality | Basic | |||
| Chaos Storm | Basic | |||
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Victor Sandoval | |||
| Race: | Quinametzin Bloodline - Epic 2 | |||
| Class: | Herald of the Mountain''s Wrath - Legendary | |||
| Level: | 68 | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 3 | |||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 1 | |||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2200/2200 | |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 34045/34045 | |
| Strength: | 466 | Vitality: | 611 (672) | |
| Dexterity: | 190 | Agility: | 213 | |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 649 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | Titanic Rage, Ancestral Bond, Flame-Touched, Greater Titanic Constitution, Titanic Presence, Desperate Grace, Challenger, Elder Magic, Born of Terror, Battlefield Awareness, Battlefield Presence, Aura of Command, Epic Quinametzin, Mountain''s Resilience, Behemoth''s Regeneration, Blood Supremacy | |||
| Skills: | ||||
| System Language Integration | Not Upgradeable | |||
| Spirit Core Cultivation Drill | Advanced | |||
| Breath Core Cultivation Drill | Advanced | |||
| Cooking | Basic | |||
| Animal Taming | Basic | |||
| Unarmed Combat | Basic | |||
| Knife Mastery | Basic | |||
| Spear Mastery | Basic | |||
| Bludgeon Mastery | Improved | |||
| Axe Mastery | Epic | |||
| Grappling | Advanced | |||
| Sovereign Will | Advanced | |||
| Titanic Leap | Improved | |||
| Aura Veil | Basic | |||
| Spells: | ||||
| Iron Berserk | Epic | |||
| Inspiration of the Quinametzin | Epic | |||
| Channel Spirit | Improved | |||
| Enraging Orb | Basic | |||
| Globe of Insight | Improved | |||
| Project Spirit | Improved | |||
| Dauntless Radiance | Basic | |||
| Heroic Heart | Basic | |||
| Spirit Walk | Basic | |||
| Tether Spirit | Basic | |||
| Harsh Light of Justice | Improved | |||
| The Inevitable Huntsman | Improved | |||
| Aspect of Terror | Advanced | |||
| Imbue Spirit | Improved | |||
| Honor the Spirits | Improved | |||
| Alter Self | Improved | |||
| Energy Charge | Basic | |||
| Banner of the Champion | Basic | |||
| Wild Totem | Advanced | |||
| Impart Nightmare | Improved | |||
| Guard Ally | Basic | |||
| Volcanic Fury | Improved | |||
| Wake the Earth | Basic | |||
| Roots of the Mountain | Basic | |||
| Greater Spirit Binding | Advanced | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 3 | ||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 2 | ||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2200/2200 |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 35045/35045 |
| Name: | Victor Sandoval | |||
| Race: | Quinametzin Bloodline - Epic 2 | |||
| Class: | Herald of the Mountain''s Wrath - Legendary | |||
| Level:This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. | 69 | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 3 | |||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 2 | |||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2200/2200 | |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 433/35458 | |
| Strength: | 478 | Vitality: | 628 (691) | |
| Dexterity: | 190 | Agility: | 213 | |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 661 | |
Victor, I recently traveled to Rellia¡¯s budding city in the Free Marches¡ªSeaside. While there, I was regaled by tales of your adventures in the city of Sojourn. I¡¯m jealous! It seems that the people of Fanwath have, indeed, been intentionally kept ignorant of the greater universe around us. Of course, the Ridonne are to blame for that, though my investigations into similar matters have led me down strange paths that indicate that some of the blame is on the System, itself. It seems that when a new ¡°System¡± world is formed, it makes certain demands on the ruling factions. I don¡¯t hold the Ridonne blameless¡ªregardless of the System¡¯s demands, they took things too far. Still, it¡¯s an interesting topic to my mind, and I would enjoy learning more. The travel cost to Sojourn is steep, and I have many demands on my time here, but I intend to make the journey sooner rather than later. I wonder: will I see you there? I look forward to hearing from you, OliviaVictor thought for a moment, then with a shrug, he took one of his favorite pens and began to scrawl out a neat reply: Hey Olivia ¨C Things are good here, and I¡¯d love to show you around, but my mentor, a very powerful and influential man here, is sending me on some pretty important business soon. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªI¡¯m not trying to sound like a big shot. It¡¯s just that Dar has some family who are in trouble; their kingdom is under attack, and he thinks it will be a good learning experience if I help his granddaughter kick a little ass around that place for a while. Anyway, I have a lot of friends and connections here, and I¡¯ll give you their names. Shit, I¡¯ll leave a letter of introduction for you at Dar¡¯s place. Any coach for hire in the city will know how to get you there. If you¡¯re hurting for money, I can leave you some funds, too¡ªenough to purchase some books or buy you access to one of the better libraries. Just let me know.
I¡¯m not sure what level you are now, but be careful while you¡¯re here. There are people on Sojourn who could flatten you with a thought. Don¡¯t worry too much¡ªlaws here prevent the powerful from squishing us mere mortals. You¡¯ll love it, by the way; there are tons of opportunities for growth for ¡°iron rankers.¡± That¡¯s what you are, by the way¡ªeveryone under level 100 is called that. Shit! I just thought of something: Lam, Edeya, and Darren¡ªhah! Remember him from First Landing?¡ªare all closing in on level 20. They might be over that by now, in fact. If you¡¯re not too much higher than them¡ªI¡¯d say under level 40¡ªyou might have a good time adventuring with them in the dungeons around the city. I¡¯ll write you again with more instructions about how to get in touch with everyone. Stay safe! Your cousin, VictorVictor was smiling hugely by the time he put the pen down. It was nice to remember the people he cared about were still there, even though he was alone at the moment. He figured it would be even more important to remember that when he was on Ruhn, separated by billions or trillions of miles from all those people. As he stowed the Farscribe book away, the coach set down, and he heard Mr. Qwor climbing out of his compartment to open the door. Victor climbed out with a heavy sigh, looking up the steps to the massive, crystalline heights of the Council Spire. ¡°Time to get some shit done. See you in a few minutes, Mr. Qwor.¡± 9.9 Departure Victor stood in his room, staring at himself in the mirror. The figure looking back at him was monstrous¡ªhuge, dragon-faced, with scales, leather, and thick, metallic plates hiding all but his muscular right forearm and strong, clenched fist. His armor had taken on a new kind of vibrancy since he¡¯d fully imbued it at the Sojourn City Stone. He¡¯d spent more than two million beads to get the enchantments, and each one had altered his armor-clad appearance. Of course, he¡¯d already had some ¡°class A¡± enchantments: self-cleaning, repairing, sizing, and disguising. The two ¡°class B¡± enchantments he¡¯d chosen were a bit more combat-oriented. He¡¯d decided to shore up his resistance to electrical damage, largely because he¡¯d been shocked and stunned in battle more than once. The second enchantment was a boost to his fire-attuned damage¡ªwhy not capitalize on one of his strengths? His armor also had slots for one ¡°class C¡± and one ¡°class D¡± enchantment. The ¡°C¡± choice was easy¡ªbetween enhanced mass or a ¡°Lava Blast¡± ability, he¡¯d taken the one he felt would always benefit him. Enhanced mass meant that he¡¯d be harder to move, he¡¯d resist physical damage more efficiently, and his own attacks would have more weight. Looking at himself in the mirror, he, once again, marveled at the enchantment¡¯s visual effect. The metal of his helm and gauntlet looked weightier. The scales and plates were denser and more prominent, and the horns and fangs glimmered with golden undertones. His leather pants, belt, and boots were now decked in red-gold scales that complimented his wyrm-scale hauberk''s dark red-black ones. The ¡°class D¡± enchantment was another story altogether. Once he¡¯d selected the one he wanted¡ªFlight of the Lava King¡ªhis armor had begun to glow with an inner, fiery illumination that was subtle but present enough to catch the eye. It was almost like it smoldered¡ªlike it was always on the verge of bursting into flames. He¡¯d tried the ability a few times over the last couple of months, and, while it wasn¡¯t true, limitless flight, it was incredibly useful. When he activated it, great fiery wings sprouted from his shoulders, and they carried him wherever he focused his gaze, ripping through the air on currents of fiery Energy. The wings only lasted about ninety seconds, but, in Victor¡¯s estimation, that was plenty of time to bring down a flying foe. He turned left and right, inspecting himself once more. The draconic, lava king maw that obscured his face did so via some kind of magic. He only saw shadows within, no matter the angle from which he peered into the maw. Meanwhile, the fierce, ruby-red draconic eyes looked alive and seemed to focus on whatever Victor stared at. It was an imposing visage. The reason he studied himself so was that he was torn, unable to decide if he should wear his armor when he traveled to Ruhn, or if he should keep it hidden until he needed it. He hadn¡¯t asked Dar, but he had an idea what his mentor would say. Inside his helmet, he grinned as he spoke to himself, ¡°Something like, ¡®Victor, only reveal your cards when you need to play them.¡¯ Hah!¡± He laughed at his near-perfect impression. His mind made up for him by an imaginary Ranish Dar, Victor sent some Energy into the runes that converted his armor to simple, fine clothing. He touched the key and marble-sized vault hanging from the chain around his neck, almost like he wanted to ensure it was still there, and then he looked through his rings, reviewing the things he was taking with him to Ruhn. Dar had given him nearly a library¡¯s worth of books to study. Victor had sorted them as neatly as he could, but he still felt overwhelmed by the stacks of books in the enormous, high-quality storage space he¡¯d taken from Fak Loyle. As the thought crossed his mind, Victor thought about Cora, and his lips spread into a smile; he¡¯d received a note from Efanie just the day before describing the girl as ¡°increasingly happy and making fast friends with Deyni and Chala.¡± He shook his head, pushing the happy thought aside, and refocused on the books. Foremost among them were his tomes on runes, sigils, and glyphs. He¡¯d made much progress with Dar over the last few months, but there was still a lot to learn, especially where Elder magic was concerned. Dar had, begrudgingly, taught him one set of glyphs, but he¡¯d also given Victor tomes on two others, again urging caution and patience in their study. Beyond those books were ones on spell patterns, enchanting, and artificing. Dar had expectations for Victor to study them while he was away, along with several accounts of military history and other general areas of study like¡ªto Victor¡¯s dismay¡ªmath, poetry, literature analysis, and even philosophy. The enormous list of study materials and lessons Dar had given him¡ªenough to fill a small leatherbound book¡ªdrove home the point that Victor would be on Ruhn for a while. In his estimation, Dar had given him at least two years'' worth of study materials, and that only accounted for the academics. Victor would also be expected to continue to practice his martial prowess between duels, maintain his daily Spirit and Breath Core cultivation, and, of course, pursue his social duties and goals among the elite of Gloria. After several minutes of perusal, Victor felt satisfied that he had everything he needed packed away in his storage rings, and he began to feel a twinge of nervous energy as he realized he¡¯d run out of excuses to stall. It was time to say his farewells and meet with Dar. With a heavy sigh, he gave his room a final, lingering look and then left, walking quickly down the hall and into the main parlor. Just as they¡¯d promised they would be, Lam, Edeya, Darren, and Lesh were all there, ready to see him off. Edeya was first on her feet, fluttering her blue, shimmering wings as she raced across the large area rug to wrap her tiny arms around his waist, hugging her cheek against his stomach. ¡°Promise you¡¯ll visit when you can!¡± she said as he gently pressed her close. Victor laughed and nodded. ¡°Dar says it''s cheaper to stop here on my way to Fanwath if I want to visit home, so you can believe I¡¯ll spend a day or two catching up with you all.¡± He directed his words to the others who¡¯d all stood and approached. Darren cocked his head, eyeing him down his beak with his predatory, perpetually angry seeming eagle face, and Victor couldn¡¯t help a chuckle as the tall, feathered man made deep, resonant clicks in his throat. ¡°Oh?¡± Lam asked, arching an eyebrow. ¡°You¡¯ll only stop here because it¡¯s cheaper?¡± At her teasing tone, Edeya tightened her squeeze, and Victor laughed. ¡°No, of course not. I suppose I was just saying I could kill two birds¡ª¡± He stopped abruptly, glancing at Darren with wide eyes. ¡°Oh, very funny!¡± Darren chuckled and folded his arms, putting on a show of being offended. Victor could tell he wasn¡¯t, though, because he was still making that happy click in his throat. He and his groupmates, including Trin, had been running through dungeons nonstop over the last few months. They were all well into tier two but had, thus far, failed to pull any treasures to advance Darren¡¯s bloodline further. Victor had offered to help him buy one, but, to his credit, Darren insisted he wanted to earn it. Lesh stepped closer, holding out a hand. ¡°If it weren¡¯t so many jumps, I¡¯d travel with you to see you settled in, Lord Victor.¡± ¡°Oh, come on, hermano! Don¡¯t start with the ¡®lord¡¯ this and ¡®lord¡¯ that again.¡± He grasped the dragonkin¡¯s hand and squeezed. Lesh chuckled and returned the pressure. ¡°I¡¯m feeling formal, seeing as you¡¯ll soon be gone. Rest assured that Darren and I will continue to make a name for your household here on Sojourn.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Edeya released her grip around Victor¡¯s waist and turned to glare at Lesh. ¡°We¡¯re all making our names known here, and, of course, we know it reflects on Victor.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean¡ª¡± Lesh floundered. ¡°Well, you big, scaled¡ª¡± ¡°Whoa!¡± Victor laughed, wrapping an arm over Edeya¡¯s shoulders and pulling her into his side. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you all, and I know one thing: there¡¯s nothing any of you can do to mess up whatever reputation I have around here. Hah! That¡¯s the last thing on my mind. I¡¯m just going to miss you all, but I know you¡¯ll be doing great things while I¡¯m gone.¡± He turned to Darren. ¡°Did the page I gave you work?¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ¡°Yes! I messaged Olivia, and she¡¯s aware that if she writes on that page of the Farscribe book, I¡¯ll see the note. So far, she doesn¡¯t have a firm date for her arrival, but I¡¯ll be checking the page daily.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Victor looked at Lam, met her eyes, and smiled, then at Lesh and nodded his head. Finally, he squeezed Edeya¡¯s shoulders one more time. ¡°I guess that¡¯s that. I gotta meet Dar down in the catacombs.¡± Lam¡¯s wings flickered, and golden motes sprinkled to the carpet like fairy dust. ¡°Where he helped me?¡± ¡°Yep. I guess the veil is thinnest there.¡± ¡°Bye, Victor,¡± Edeya said, turning into his embrace so she could look up into his eyes. ¡°I love you, you know?¡± Sudden moisture sprang into Victor¡¯s eyes, and he blinked, looking up. ¡°I love you too, dummy.¡± ¡°Hey! That¡¯s my name for you!¡± With a chuckle and a sniff, Victor looked around the room one last time. ¡°Stay safe.¡± He turned and started toward the hallway, but plenty of well-wishes chased him as he made his way to the kitchen. ¡°Be safe, yourself!¡± Lam called. ¡°Take care!¡± ¡°Thanks for everything, Victor!¡± Darren¡¯s newly deep voice rang out. ¡°We¡¯ll speak soon! Good luck, brother!¡± Lesh boomed. Only Edeya was quiet, but her earlier words still rang in Victor¡¯s ears. She loved him, and that felt wonderful. Of course, he knew it before then. He knew there were people here and on Fanwath who loved him, but it felt good to hear it, just the same. He was surprised to find most of the staff lined up in the kitchen, waiting to watch him pass through on his way to the cellar. Several of them called out fond farewells and urged him a speedy return, and Victor could only smile and wave as he hurried past. Dar was waiting for him in the cave where they¡¯d done Lam¡¯s ritual. Victor, as always, had a sneaking suspicion that the Master Spirit Caster could somehow sense his location on his property and would use the Spirit Plane to travel quickly ahead of him. Victor grinned when he saw his mentor in his orange-and-teal, flowing, silken outfit and sketched a formal bow. ¡°Good morning, Lord Dar.¡± ¡°Ah, excellent form on that bow, Victor. You¡¯ll make me proud on Ruhn.¡± He gestured to the stony ground before him. ¡°Come close. You should find it easier than usual to pull your physical form onto the spirit plane from here. Are you ready? Have you meditated on the toil ahead of you?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been holding myself on the spirit plane for nearly an hour these last few days.¡± ¡°Good. Perhaps, after some study and advancement, when you visit me next, you¡¯ll be ready for me to teach you the secret to bridging worlds on the spirit plane.¡± He chuckled and shook his head. ¡°It depends on how long you wait to come for a visit. Don¡¯t expect me to teach you if you come running home after a week or two.¡± ¡°Nah, I won¡¯t.¡± Victor smiled, inhaling deeply through his nose. ¡°I think it¡¯ll do me good to be on my own for a while. I¡¯ve got my Farscribe books if I need to hear from some familiar people.¡± ¡°Good. You have everything? Your books? Your weapons? Your gift for Queen Kynna?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°All set.¡± Dar looked him up and down, nodding. ¡°I¡¯m pleased you chose to keep your armor concealed. Best to avoid using it until you must. I won¡¯t be joining you for an introduction. Instead, I¡¯ll deposit you outside the city walls. My welcome will be very short-lived; the veil walkers who watch over Ruhn will not tolerate my presence for more than a few moments. It¡¯s best that I don¡¯t attempt to interact with any of my descendants or those poor people foolish enough to worship my memory.¡± ¡°Will I stand out?¡± Victor gestured to his clothes. ¡°Like this?¡± ¡°Not especially. Your attire is suitable, and your Quinametzin blood makes you resemble the primeval Fae quite a lot. Some of my kin will be darker or lighter, depending on the amount of Igniant in their blood, but the primary ancestral heritage of the people of Ruhn is, as I told you before, one of giantish Fae.¡± ¡°Is that a word? Giantish?¡± ¡°Did I not use it? Could I utter it otherwise? It means descended of, related to, or appearing like a giant.¡± ¡°Am I giantish?¡± ¡°Hah! Until you grow to your full potential, aye. When you¡¯re enraged and fully in your titanic aspect, people will know that ¡®giantish¡¯ doesn¡¯t measure up when it comes to your description.¡± Dar grinned and grasped Victor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well? Have we dawdled enough? Are you ready?¡± Victor returned the gesture, clapping his hand on Dar¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m ready! Let¡¯s do this.¡± ¡°Right. See you on the spirit plane.¡± With that, Dar faded from sight. Victor steeled his will, looking inward as he built the pattern for Spirit Walk. He wrapped his aura around himself, grasping hold of his every component cell, and as he cast the spell, he willed his body to come with him. He¡¯d done the same every night before sleeping, holding himself longer and longer on the spirit plane each time. As Dar had promised, it was almost effortless by then, especially from inside the cave beneath his home. When he appeared on the Spirit Plane, Dar stood there, solid and real, just like him. ¡°Good! Now, concentrate on keeping yourself whole. Don¡¯t let your body try to slip away from you. Moving will burn your Energy faster than simply standing still, but not by much. If my estimation is correct, we¡¯ll reach Ruhn long before you run dry.¡± ¡°How will I guide myself? Usually, I have a destination in mind¡ªa person or place I know.¡± ¡°Leave the guiding to me. Focus on my presence and simply move with me. This will be another test of your will: you must not let your gaze wander. If you see something that takes your attention, you will fall away from me, and then we¡¯ll have to waste precious minutes looking for each other. Where we¡¯re going¡ªbetween worlds¡ªvast distances can be crossed in a single heartbeat, and it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to become lost. Even I would have trouble finding you.¡± ¡°And if I run out of Energy out there?¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll be pulled out of the spirit plane onto the material¡ªin the void of space. Even a sturdy Quinametzin couldn¡¯t last long in such a state.¡± Dar grabbed his shoulders and focused his blazing eyes on Victor¡¯s. ¡°Stay with me!¡± With that, Dar turned and began to walk, and Victor fixed his gaze on a spot of teal fabric on his mostly orange tunic as he followed. The spirit plane passed in a blur as they gained momentum, but Victor refused to break his gaze from that spot. He didn¡¯t blink; he hardly breathed as he focused on following his mentor. Soon, his vision tunneled as their speed became immense. They raced through the spirit plane as Dar guided them, and Victor focused on keeping up with him. They never ran; it was always a normal walking pace, but that was the magic of the spirit plane; it wasn¡¯t properly tangible. It was a place of Energy and light and the stuff between the material and the metaphysical. With an act of will, a desire to be somewhere, a spirit walker could bend the reality of distance and move great distances with a thought. Victor never noticed when they moved beyond the bounds of Sojourn into the space between worlds. He couldn¡¯t tell if Dar had changed directions or performed some action to create a bridge between the worlds. All he knew was that spot of teal on orange and the blur of the universe speeding by on either side. He was acutely aware of his Energy levels; he could feel how his reserves dipped below half, then a quarter, and when he began to get nervous as he lost half of that again, Dar suddenly stopped. ¡°We¡¯ve arrived,¡± he announced, gesturing around the spirit plane. They stood in a meadow of ethereal grass dotted with shimmering blue flowers. The stars above were brilliant and clear. Looking around, Victor saw distant luminescent trees and the faint purple outlines of mountain ranges in nearly every direction. ¡°The city walls are a mile or so distant; you¡¯ll see them when you look around. I won¡¯t cross over. This is where we part for now.¡± ¡°Um¡¡± Victor nodded, licking his lips. ¡°And Kynna? Do you have a message for her?¡± Dar waved a hand. ¡°Your arrival is message enough. Victor, I know I speak flippantly about duels and family and¡well, many things. Listen to me now, though, as I impart some final, serious words.¡± He stared at Victor, waiting for a response. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± Dar nodded. ¡°Good. One: a final warning about Elder magic. Tread lightly. Two: I¡¯ve put much faith in your ability to win lopsided contests. If you get to a point where defeat seems inevitable, I will not hold it against you if you counsel Kynna to cease her attempts to expand her nation. I¡¯d rather you backed down than died.¡± Those words were the first sign of any doubt Dar had that Victor could win his fights on Ruhn, and they tickled his spine like cold fingers. ¡°She¡¯s expecting to force a war of succession, though.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t pressed that issue yet in my correspondence with her, but once it¡¯s begun, she will understand if you don¡¯t believe you can win against the great nations. She¡¯ll have to. Remember, her original request was for a champion to fight off her neighbors. This expansion is entirely my idea¡ªa plan to gain you worthy hearts for your ritual. I didn¡¯t want to fill your mind with doubt, but I feel I must tell you that the length of this campaign is entirely in your hands. You will be the judge of how far to push things.¡± Victor wasn¡¯t sure what to say, so he stood there, clenching and unclenching his fists. After a moment, though, he nodded. ¡°All right, Lord Dar. I¡¯ll try to be smart about it. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯ll look forward to your weekly reports. Farewell, Victor.¡± With that, Dar was gone, and Victor stood alone on the ethereal grassy plain. Looking inward, he saw that his Core was nearly drained dry, so he reached into his pathways and severed the connection to his Spirit Walk spell. The world shifted, flashing brightly as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight, and then he felt the cool breeze, smelled the fresh air with a distant odor of woodsmoke, and heard the steady trundling rumble of a massive wagon rolling on nearby cobbles. Victor turned toward the sound and saw, down a grassy slope, a broad, brown-brick paved road leading toward a tremendous city wall in the distance. Dar had said he was a mile from those walls, so Victor took a moment to appreciate their size. They had to be a hundred feet high with an outward-flaring base that made the gatehouse tunnel look deep and cavernous. Squat ballistae towers lined the wall, and, as he squinted to look more closely, Victor counted more than a hundred soldiers patrolling just the area above and near the gate. ¡°If they settle wars with duels, why the hell do they need walls like that?¡± He looked back to the wagon he¡¯d heard earlier and saw that it looked almost like a rolling fortress. It had four axles, was plated with heavy-looking metal, and looked to be propelled by some kind of Energy engine that hummed and glowed with orange light, belching black smoke out of a chimney stack near the rear. Half a dozen guards lined the top of the wagon, all wielding glowing crossbows. Victor could only assume that the roads and wilds of Gloria weren¡¯t safe. He didn¡¯t see any other traffic on the road, but looking away from the city, he saw massive forests and looming mountains in the distance. One of the peaks was enormous, with smooth white shoulders and a rounded top shrouded in black, dark clouds. ¡°A volcano?¡± He grinned at the idea. Maybe he¡¯d get a chance to visit. He turned back to the wagon and watched it approach the gate. Despite the size of the vehicle, it easily disappeared into the gaping maw of the gatehouse tunnel. Victor saw a couple of dozen guards form up ranks behind it, facing outward, toward the road, apparently awaiting the next traveler or, perhaps, a hostile force. ¡°Or maybe a damn monster.¡± Victor shrugged and strode down the grassy slope to the road. ¡°All right,¡± he sighed, squaring his shoulders. ¡°Time to meet the people of Gloria.¡± 9.10 A Gift As he approached the gray stone city walls, Victor realized his earlier estimation was off; he¡¯d been gauging their height based on the size of the people he saw. His mind had let slip an important detail Dar had given him about the folks on Ruhn¡ªthey were almost all giant-sized. With that realization, he figured the walls were closer to two hundred feet high. The soldiers standing in the shadow of the gatehouse were loosely arranged in two ranks of ten, and they all watched the road through the eye slits of heavy plate helms as he approached. The soldiers in the back rank were armed with long spears, and those in front wielded heavy metal pikes. To Victor¡¯s eye, their uniforms made them look sort of like conquistadores¡ªblack uniform pants, polished boots, and shiny helmets and breastplates. They each wore a sky-blue sash emblazoned with a yellow rose¡ªthe sigil of Gloria. Of course, when everyone was a giant, no one really seemed like one, so it wasn¡¯t particularly imposing for Victor, who was easily a match for the soldiers when it came to bulk, to step toward the armed, combat-ready men and women. ¡°State your business in Gloria!¡± the centermost soldier shouted when Victor was no closer than thirty yards from the gatehouse. The term ¡®Gloria¡¯ referred to both the nation and the capital city of Dar¡¯s descendants, so Victor wasn¡¯t sure of the spokesman¡¯s exact meaning, but he supposed it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°I¡¯m here to see the queen.¡± Murmurs and even a few sniggers broke out among the soldiers, and the speaker turned to shout, ¡°Quiet!¡± before addressing Victor again. ¡°The queen is quite busy. If you¡¯ve no other business in the city, then it would be best to turn around; we¡¯ve little room or charity to spare for a vagabond.¡± Victor chuckled and stepped closer. ¡°That¡¯s quite an assumption. ¡®Vagabond?¡¯ Why not wanderer or stranger? It seems you¡¯ve chosen to label me with negative connotations.¡± Victor laughed inwardly at his words; if the man he¡¯d been a few years ago had heard those words come out of his mouth, he would have lost his shit laughing. What a poser! ¡°Whatever you call yourself, we¡¯ve no room. Do you wish to declare yourself? Are you from Frostmarch? Xan? You had to come through their blockades! Turn around or be seized for questioning. This is your final warning.¡± In unison, the guards took a stomping step forward and lowered their polearms so the points aimed toward Victor. He wondered what hidden signal the leader¡ªcaptain?¡ªhad given. He didn¡¯t back down, in any case. Instead, he stepped forward again, closing the distance between himself and the soldiers to just a few long strides. He sighed, shaking his head. ¡°Is this the welcome I¡¯m getting? I expected more.¡± The guard began to speak, but Victor held up a hand. ¡°You asked me to declare myself, so I will. I¡¯m here at the behest of Ranish Dar to serve as a champion to Queen Kynna, and I¡¯d appreciate you guiding me to her. If you can¡¯t do that, then at least get the fuck out of my way.¡± To his amazement, a good third of the soldiers fell to their knees at the mention of Ranish Dar. As he continued speaking, many of the other soldiers lifted their polearms, perhaps loathe to seem threatening to a man making claims like the one Victor just had. The captain, though, stepped closer, his pike still leveled menacingly. ¡°Have you any proof of these claims?¡± Victor held up his right hand, displaying Dar¡¯s signet. ¡°I have Ranish Dar¡¯s signet. Maybe you could recognize that? If not, just take me to the queen, and she will verify my words. I would have thought she¡¯d put out word that I was on my way, but¡¡± He trailed off, sighing, as he looked past the soldiers into the depths of the cavernous gatehouse tunnel. His gaze drifted down to the now-quiet soldiers, especially those kneeling. Did they worship Dar like a founding ancestor, or was it something more? They certainly seemed pious in their bowed obeisance. ¡°Will you demonstrate your strength to back up your claim? A show of your aura, perhaps?¡± The captain had stepped even closer, and now, if he wanted to lunge, Victor felt sure the man could bring his gleaming pike into play. ¡°That¡¯s an odd thing for a captain of the queen¡¯s soldiers to ask. Why would I display my strength so that spies could run tattling to the borders and alert the Kings who hold this nation under siege?¡± Victor stepped toward the captain, allowing his pike to brush against his hip as he held out a hand. ¡°I¡¯m Victor, and I come from a place called Tucson. Ranish Dar has seen the plight of his nation on Ruhn, and he wants me to help set things right. Now take my hand and then guide me to the queen.¡± He¡¯d rehearsed such words with Dar that they were starting to feel natural on his tongue. He hoped he was convincing to the soldiers. Something about his tone and the sureness of his body language must have convinced the soldier because he slung his pike onto his shoulder and then clasped Victor¡¯s hand. He had a firm, strong grip, and when he nodded, looking through the slit of his visor, Victor saw hard, pale eyes. The soldier released his grip. ¡°I¡¯m Captain Wash. Red Wash¡ªif we meet again while I¡¯m not on duty, please call me Red. The queen has people who can verify the signet you bear. Please follow me to the palace.¡± With that, he turned and began striding through the ranks of soldiers, who were either bowing or kneeling by that point. Victor could tell the soldiers were struggling to remain disciplined, and by the time he¡¯d marched halfway through the gatehouse tunnel, one of them, a woman, called out, ¡°Is it true? You¡¯ve seen Ranish Dar?¡± Victor smiled and turned, walking backward as he waved. ¡°It¡¯s true! He¡¯s doing well and sends his regards to the people here! He¡¯s proud of your hard work!¡± Dar never said such a thing, but Victor thought it wouldn¡¯t hurt to boost morale a little. As he turned and continued to follow Red, he could hear the excited chatter behind him, and his grin grew. As they exited the tunnel, several soldiers approached Captain Wash, but the man waved them off and hurried onto the street that ran parallel to the wall. Victor followed, his neck craning to give him a view of the tall stone structures. Gloria reminded him of what he¡¯d always imagined a true medieval metropolis would look like. The buildings were mostly built from stone blocks like the great wall surrounding them, and they were tall, with many towers and minarets capped in glittering metallic and glass-studded tiles. Those tiles and the many crystalline windowpanes picked up the light of the pale yellow sun, bringing the heights to life with their reflections. More than that, pennants and tabards flew from nearly every structure. They bore coats of arms and fanciful designs and added splashes of color everywhere. On every corner and in the courtyards of every great building, rose bushes bloomed, and their pleasant aroma was ever-present as he and the captain made their way through the clean, orderly streets. The populace was another story. Everywhere Victor looked, he saw gaunt, hungry faces¡ªmostly among the young. He¡¯d been prepared for this; Dar had explained that while Ruhn¡¯s population was largely of a high iron-rank average, the children would be the ones who suffered the most when there was a shortage of supplies. The adults, who¡¯d had time to gain levels, didn¡¯t require as much food to survive; the Energy was rich, and their bodies would sustain themselves on it. The children, however, were still low-tier, and the Energy in the air did little for their mostly normal, mortal constitutions. When he saw those groups of sickly children with wan faces and wide, staring eyes, he felt warring emotions¡ªanger at those responsible and pity for the pathetic individuals before him. He wanted to stop and hand out food, but he knew it would cause a riot and that he¡¯d, at best, put off their suffering for a day or two. Instead, he steeled his resolve to end the stranglehold Gloria¡¯s neighbors had on the nation¡¯s supply lines.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. As for their looks, Dar hadn¡¯t been wrong; for the most part, the people of Gloria looked like large humans. Here and there, Victor saw signs of Fae bloodlines¡ªlarge, bright eyes, pointed ears, and a general beauty and grace that outshone some of the more mundane-looking folk. He and the guard captain didn¡¯t draw many stares; Victor was dressed nicely but plainly, and he wasn¡¯t so out of line with his looks that he stood out. Plenty of the Ruhnish folk had dark hair and tanned skin, and, as he¡¯d observed earlier, the people who weren¡¯t ¡°giantish¡± were few and far between and obviously not native to the world. The palace was an imposing and beautiful structure, and it reminded Victor that, while Gloria was down on its luck as a nation, it had a proud heritage. It was a sprawling compound with many courtyards, gardens, wings, and outbuildings. He saw minarets domed in turquoise and glittering precious metal, stained-glass windows, and structures built entirely of seamless, polished marble. Everywhere his eye went as he followed Red through the echoing corridors, Victor saw liveried servants but only caught glimpses of the nobility through archways or around corners. He wasn¡¯t sure if Red was trying to keep him away from those folks or if they were just very thinly spread out on the palace grounds. After a while, they came to a room with a vaulted ceiling, plush carpets, and many antique-looking, high-backed chairs lining the walls. Red pointed to one of the chairs and said, ¡°Please take a seat, and I¡¯ll fetch the chamberlain.¡± ¡°If you must.¡± Victor sat down and folded his arms over his chest, glaring as the captain hurried to a closed door. He then paused and looked back. ¡°Please don¡¯t wander.¡± Victor¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°If you thought I meant harm to the queen, it would be foolish to leave me alone here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Red cleared his throat and spoke again, ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re lying. Having the chamberlain inspect your signet is merely a formality, um, sir.¡± With that, he bowed briefly and then departed. The gesture reminded Victor of his lessons on Ruhnic tradition, especially those regarding honor. If Red had indicated that he thought Victor was being dishonest, it would have been within his right to call him out, forcing an honor duel. He shook his head, tsking, as he thought it through. It wasn¡¯t two minutes later when he heard the click of bootheels on marble, and then the door swung wide, and Red appeared with another, older man. He was dressed in attire similar to the servants but finer: black pants, a sky-blue, silken shirt with a yellow rose embroidered over his left breast, and polished, black leather shoes. He looked very sharp¡ªeverything was pressed to perfection, and his curly gray hair was coifed like he¡¯d just come out of the barbershop. Victor stood, and though he, too, was nicely clothed, he somehow felt sloppy as the man stepped toward him, looking down his long, sharp nose at Victor¡¯s hand. Red cleared his throat and announced, ¡°Chamberlain Thorn, may I present Victor of Tucson, emissary of the great Ranish Dar and prospective champion to Queen Kynna Dar.¡± At his words, Victor grinned. He wasn¡¯t sure why he¡¯d said he was from Tucson, but it was nice to hear the name again. He¡¯d learned the customs well, so he bowed deeply at the waist. Chamberlain Thorn also bowed, then stepped forward and held out his hand. ¡°May I see Lord Dar¡¯s signet?¡± Victor held up his hand, making a fist so the signet ring stood out proudly among his plainer storage rings. Thorn leaned forward, and Victor felt a small surge of Energy as his gray eye glittered with silvery sparkles. A moment later, he straightened, and his smile was enormous as he said, ¡°Welcome to Gloria, Champion.¡± He sharply about-faced and barked, ¡°Hurry! Assemble the Court. I¡¯ll present Victor to the queen personally!¡± Red turned and bolted, his clomping boots loud at first, then fading with distance. Chamberlain Thorn¡¯s smile never faded as he slowly studied Victor from head to toe. ¡°It¡¯s truly a miracle! I can¡¯t tell you how wonderful it is to see you, sir! There have been rumors, of course. The queen¡¯s attendants whispering about secret correspondence. Of course, we all dreamed. Surely, the great Ranish Dar wouldn¡¯t let his first kingdom come to ruin. Still, it¡¯s many a generation since anyone has seen or personally heard from him. Yet here you are, bearing his signet, with a promise to fight for us! Queen''s mercy!¡± The man had tears in his eyes, and Victor struggled to maintain a little distance between them as the fellow kept encroaching into his personal space. ¡°Well, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re happy, Chamberlain. Now, since I seem to have you in my corner, can you give me any information about those who might wish to see me fail?¡± Thorn¡¯s eyes shot wide at those words, and he nodded emphatically. ¡°There are those among the nobility¡ªlandholders and distant relatives of the queen, who would benefit if they made underhanded agreements with the Kings of Frostmarch and Xan. I¡¯ll draft you a document, sir, an accounting of Gloria''s great lords and ladies. Will that be suitable?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s one thing Ranish Dar couldn¡¯t properly prepare me for; he¡¯s lost touch with the political scheming of the noble houses of his former home.¡± ¡°I will be your guide, milord.¡± He opened his mouth to say more, but just then, many stomping boots sounded from the corridor outside, and soon Red was striding through the door, flanked by four other soldiers in matching attire. Victor didn¡¯t love that all the household guards seemed to wear full helmets; he liked seeing a person¡¯s facial expression when he spoke to them. Still, he couldn¡¯t argue that it made for a more imposing presence. ¡°Lord Thorn, Her Majesty awaits in the throne room.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Thorn turned to Victor. ¡°Please accompany me to meet the queen, milord.¡± Victor nodded and gestured for the man to lead the way. Dar had driven home that it would be fruitless to insist on informal titles in the court of Queen Kynna. The Ruhnians put a lot of weight on the formality of rank. Chamberlain Thorn led the way through a new corridor, this one very broad and with a soaring ceiling. Paintings of stern-looking men and austere ladies lined the walls above the fanciful, pale-blue wainscoting, and Victor occupied his mind wondering who they were as they approached a junction. He saw servants scurrying in the distance and imagined they were scrambling to do whatever servants did when the queen called an impromptu gathering of the royal court. Red and the other soldiers stomped in near unison behind them, and when they turned the corner, Victor saw four more similarly armed men standing guard outside an ornate, massive double door. Two guards pulled the doors wide as they approached, revealing a picture-perfect, fairytale throne room. The cynic in Victor remembered the hungry, haunted faces of the children in the city outside, and he wondered if some of the opulence on display before him could be somehow traded for food. The silver-flecked marble floors shone with a high gloss, reflecting the dazzling sunlight streaming in through high cathedral windows, and, at the center of their focal point, a dais rose to support a massive throne of blue crystal. Victor lost track of everything else¡ªthe nobles lining the sides of the room, the elegant furnishings and art, even the softly playing string quartet in the corner. All he could focus on was the incredible vision of the queen sitting atop that crystal throne. Queen Kynna was, as Dar had supposed, far more Fae than Igniant, but Victor could see traces of her ancestor in her visage. Her skin looked like flesh, unlike Dar¡¯s stony appearance, but it was a lustrous pale-gray color with hints of something beneath the surface that sparkled like glitter or maybe diamonds. Her eyes drove home her relation to Ranish Dar, though; they shone like two tiny suns, brilliant nuclear reactions beneath heavy, black brows. Victor couldn¡¯t deny she was beautiful, if a bit severe and cold. Kynna had high cheekbones, a regal countenance, and full lips, painted a shade of blue that picked up highlights in her dark eye shadow and the midnight blue, gem-studded, form-fitting gown she wore. As for a crown, five sharp, black crystal spires rose up through her thick, curly black hair, gleaming with some kind of inner light. She looked statuesque¡ªtoo perfect to be real¡ªeven as she leaned on one elbow on the arm of her throne and gazed down at Victor and his procession. As Victor stood, a little dumbstruck, Chamberlain Thorn stepped forward and bellowed, breaking the spell, ¡°I present to you Lord Victor of Tucson, disciple of Ranish Dar, whose lineage and wisdom are reflected in the grace of our queen and whom we revere for the founding of this great nation.¡± Thorn bowed so low that he continued down onto his knees and lay prostrate by the time he finished speaking. Victor took the hint and performed a perfect, formal bow at the waist. He didn¡¯t wait to be given permission to stand, however. He straightened and moved into the suddenly silent hall. He could hear the nobility breathing to either side of him, but not a soul uttered a word as his boots clicked on the marble. Kynna straightened, shattering the illusion that she was a statue carved from crystal. He stopped a few strides away from the dais where her throne sat and waited, locking his eyes with Kynna¡¯s blazing ones. After a few heartbeats, her voice rang out, strong, strident, clear, but utterly feminine, ¡°You may approach.¡± Victor stepped forward to the edge of the dais and fell to one knee, summoning the spear he¡¯d had crafted for this occasion. He held it aloft on the palms of his hands¡ªno easy feat, for the thing weighed several hundred pounds. The haft was crafted from something called ebon oak and was sturdy enough to withstand everything Lesh and his other sparring partners had been able to dish out. They¡¯d tried cutting it, smashing it, and snapping it with a hundred different methodologies, but, just as the weaponsmith had promised, it was very sturdy stuff. The top three feet of the spear were taken up by the blade¡ªa length of magically hardened steel that the weaponsmith had staked his reputation on. Victor wanted something sturdy, something he could drive through a hunk of similarly hard metal, digging for a gap without worrying about snapping the blade. It had held up to the demand through quite a lot of testing. The blade gleamed and winked in the light, a shimmering length of razor-sharp, mirror-finished metal that ended in a point so needle-sharp that Victor felt confident he could use it to dig a splinter from a child¡¯s foot. Edeya had given him a ¡°charm¡± to loop around the butt-end of the spear haft¡ªa couple of Darren¡¯s Thunderbird feathers fastened by a thin lock of Lam¡¯s golden, wire-hard hairs. It didn¡¯t do anything except make the spear look cool, and Victor figured, knowing the way he fought, that it¡¯d be ruined soon, but he liked it. The weapon was heavy for two reasons: the materials were tough and dense, and it was enchanted to grow with him, doubling in size if he took on his titanic form. With all that being said, the gathered nobles¡ªand Queen Kynna herself¡ªcould not deny the quality of the spear Victor held aloft as he knelt. He let the anticipation hang heavy in the air before speaking, ¡°Queen Kynna, I offer you a gift for this auspicious occasion. I present this spear and vow to wield it in your name, vanquishing the champions of Frostmarch and Xan. The time has come for your house to ascend to its rightful place of prominence on Ruhn.¡± 9.11 Faith As Victor¡¯s words rang out in the hushed anticipation that hung heavy in the throne room, Queen Kynna¡¯s eyes flew wide at their implication¡ªa promise far beyond simply defending her beleaguered borders. The room was silent for several heartbeats¡ªthe assembled nobles seemed to be holding their breath¡ªand then it erupted in a buzz of excited whispers, though Victor¡¯s ears detected a good amount of grumbling. When Kynna stood, the room grew silent again. Victor looked up at her, his golden-brown eyes peering up from beneath his heavy brow, his arms steady though the muscles strained to hold the dense spear in its awkward position. The queen stepped down from her throne¡¯s dais, looming over him as she ran her gaze from one end of the great spear to the other. Victor could smell her perfume¡ªsomething floral that tickled a memory he couldn¡¯t quite grasp. Her deep blue gown glittered like a million stars were woven into the fabric, and, as she reached out a long, slender arm to touch the weapon, lightly grazing it with her fingertips, Victor couldn¡¯t help noting the many glittering jewels adorning her fingers and wrist. ¡°You come, warrior, to stand as my champion?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°And what of dear, brave, loyal Foster?¡± At her words, Victor heard boots click on the marble, and he knew Kynna¡¯s champion had stepped forward. He didn¡¯t look at him, though; he kept his eyes trained upward at Kynna¡¯s face beneath the wild tangle of her curly black hair and the high, glittering spires of her crystal crown. ¡°Let him rest.¡± Victor knew the question was for show, a way for Foster Green to save face and be acknowledged. ¡°What say you, Champion?¡± Queen Kynna asked. Victor, still looking up, saw her chin turn to the right. ¡°I am ever ready to serve, My Queen, but it has been many long years since I rested.¡± Foster¡¯s voice was gravelly and deep, and Victor could hear deep emotion behind the words. He hadn¡¯t really considered that¡ªhow it might feel to be asked to step down after a lifetime of service. Dar had made it seem that Foster would be relieved, knowing he wouldn¡¯t be asked to fight the battles he and his queen had been avoiding¡ªknowing he wouldn¡¯t win. Still, it had to sting his pride a little, being pushed aside by a young stranger. ¡°You have earned your rest, Foster, but make it short; my close council has room for another chair.¡± As she spoke, Victor heard dozens of murmured conversations pick up. He caught words and phrases here and there, primarily people speculating about the implications of another seat on Kynna¡¯s council. He also heard a few exclamations of disbelief¡ªhow could she take on an untested stranger when wolves were at the gates? Kynna looked down, her bright eyes finally falling on Victor¡¯s face as she traced the spear with her fingertips. For a moment, he wondered if she¡¯d grasp it and try to lift it, but she withdrew her hand. ¡°I accept your gift, Victor, disciple of Ranish Dar. Though I must insist you hold this weapon ready until such time that you no longer need it to fight Gloria¡¯s battles.¡± She lifted her hand and rested her fingertips on Victor¡¯s forehead. They were cool to his hot flesh, but he could feel the thrum of some kind of potent Energy in them; he wondered what affinity or affinities she had. ¡°Rise, Champion of Gloria.¡± Victor did so, straightening in a fluid motion, snapping the spear around in a half twirl, thudding the feather-adorned butt against the marble. He¡¯d gained much understanding of the weapon over the last few months of practice¡ªnot only his own experience but the knowledge the System granted him when he broke through into the ¡°advanced¡± stages of mastery. He knew he had a long road to walk before he attained epic-tier mastery of the weapon, but he felt good with it in his hands. His guilty conscience was quick to remind him that Lifedrinker would be better, but he pushed the feeling down, knowing she¡¯d come out when the time was right. The crowd lining the sides of the throne room began to clap¡ªnot a raucous applause or boisterous cheer but a gentle, polite patter of fingers against palms. Victor frowned, glancing side to side for the first time, taking in the assembled nobility. They were, like their queen, austere in posture and expression. The women and many men wore makeup, darkening the skin around their eyes and brightening the red of their cheeks and lips. Their clothes were fine¡ªsilks and satins, capes and capelets, jewels on necks, fingers, and brows, and not a single one of them looked like they¡¯d missed a meal or suffered during the years-long siege of their nation. Victor¡¯s burgeoning disdain was interrupted by the queen¡¯s words. Her words were directed at him as she spoke, but she projected them, ensuring all could hear. ¡°My ancestor¡¯s most recent missive indicated a man named Victor would be coming. He didn¡¯t say how soon, though, and I¡¯d honestly begun to lose hope.¡± Victor had become distracted in his study of the nobles, and, as she spoke, his eyes fell on the man who had to be Foster Green; he was tall, swarthy, lean, and had steel-gray hair, cut short in much the style that Victor preferred. He was the only person in the room who looked like a fighter without the armor and livery of the queen¡¯s guard. When their eyes locked, Kynna was just finishing her statement, and Victor exchanged a solemn, knowing nod with the old fighter. He turned to regard the queen, pressing his lips together to avoid frowning as he replied. ¡°Ranish Dar is a man of his word¡ªI am here.¡± ¡°My people suffer, though you wouldn¡¯t know it looking around this room, Victor.¡± Her eyes flared briefly, and Victor wondered if she¡¯d read more in his expression than he¡¯d intended. ¡°How soon will you be ready to accept a challenge?¡± Victor, perhaps a foot taller than Kynna, took a step back off the dais to more easily look her in the eyes. He nodded slowly and then turned to more deliberately regard the assembled nobility again. This time, he allowed some of his scowl to enter his expression as he locked eyes with any who dared to meet his gaze; only a few did so. When he finished his more obvious perusal, he turned back to the queen. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready after a bit of rest. The journey was arduous.¡± Finally, some of the gathered nobles reacted with more than whispers, titters, and tepid clapping. He heard exclamations of relief and, unsurprisingly, fear. One man called out, ¡°My Queen! I beg your caution! Should he lose, we all will suffer!¡± ¡°Be still, Rannick,¡± Kynna snapped. ¡°Did you not hear what was said? Lord Ranish Dar has sent this man! He is here to elevate us, not to sit and fawn while we slowly wither! While our children starve!¡± Looking at the man in his finery, Victor had a feeling his children weren¡¯t lacking food. He had a feeling these nobles had storage devices holding years and years¡¯ worth of sustenance for the people they loved. His scowling gaze didn¡¯t quiet the murmurs. In fact, they grew louder, and a woman from the other side of the room cried out, ¡°Have you no eyes? No senses? I can read this man¡¯s Core like a child¡¯s! I¡¯d wager most of us out-rank him!¡± Her words were almost enough to get a reaction from Victor. He wanted to unleash his tightly held aura, he wanted to swell his pathways with rage-attuned Energy and expand to his true, titanic form, but he didn¡¯t. Dar had instructed him well on his strategy; he was to play all of his cards close to his chest, including the strength and weight of his aura. He might be able to hide his Core from most of these folks, but there were, indeed, many people on Ruhn in the high iron ranks. Even if he wanted to block them from viewing his Core and guessing his tier, it wasn¡¯t a battle he should fight. Their guesses were immaterial; whatever they thought they knew was only that¡ªa guess. Dar¡¯s strategy involved people underestimating him, and letting them see his Core was part of that plan. He glared at the woman who¡¯d spoken and growled, ¡°Is that a challenge?¡± A sudden silence fell over the room. Nearly everyone ceased even breathing, and Victor was sure he could hear the quick, nervous pants of the woman he focused his scowling countenance upon.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. As Victor continued to stare, she held a hand to her silk-covered bosom, glancing around nervously and stammering, ¡°N-no! I¡¯m not a fighter!¡± ¡°Outrageous!¡± someone muttered loudly enough to draw Victor¡¯s gaze. As he stared toward the voice, inviting the speaker to elaborate on his outrage, everyone grew very still. The tension grew thick as Victor¡¯s heart thudded slowly and steadily in his chest. ¡°Well,¡± Queen Kynna gracefully returned to her throne, ¡°if no one would like to challenge Victor for his new position as my champion, perhaps you all should leave. He and I have much to discuss.¡± ¡°You heard Her Majesty! Clear the throne room!¡± Chamberlain Thorn bellowed, still standing near the doors. Victor sent his spear into a storage container and stood, arms folded, watching the nobles clear out. The musicians, who¡¯d long ago stopped playing, gathered their equipment and scurried out a side door, which drew his eye to a row of servants holding trays of drinks and hors-d''oeuvre vying for the same exit. ¡°I see your nobles don¡¯t deprive themselves.¡± He nodded toward the last of the servants who hastily rushed through the door. ¡°I¡must find a balance between currying favor among the nobility and succumbing to my desire to throw every last scrap of food we all have to the masses. You must understand that the palace storehouse would only feed the city for a day or two, no? Many nobles are opening their personal stores; our people will not starve today or tomorrow. No, they¡¯ll last months and maybe years, though the discomfort on the children''s faces will bring daily shame to those of us who feast mostly on the ambient Energy. For that reason, many nobles will shun the populace, hiding away behind these walls or in their own keeps.¡± Victor regarded her, pleased that she was so open about the subject. Though her skin was smooth and flawless, she struck him as being experienced; she didn¡¯t seem young. ¡°You have to curry favor?¡± ¡°There are many among my kin with ties in our neighboring kingdoms¡ªfamily members bonded through marriage, for instance. If I push them too far out of their comfort, their disloyalty might move beyond simple spying and missives regarding the state of our capital and into true treachery. Gloria would have fallen years ago if I hadn¡¯t been working to appease the nobility.¡± Victor nodded. His arms were still folded over his chest, and he lifted a foot, resting it on the edge of the queen¡¯s dais. ¡°Well, that ends today. Schedule the first duel. We¡¯ll get one of your enemies off your back, and then, with a little breathing room, we¡¯ll start eliminating the nobles who aren¡¯t cut out for the struggle to come.¡± ¡°Excuse me, sirrah?¡± the queen arched an eyebrow, tapping one of her blue-polished nails on the arm of her crystal throne. The sound it made was almost musical¡ªting, ting, ting. ¡°I appreciate your confidence, but Embry wasn¡¯t wrong; you seem to lack the weight of a high iron ranker. You certainly are no steel seeker!¡± ¡°Listen, My, uh, Queen: Ranish Dar has given me a strategy to follow. Do you trust your ancestor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t¡¡± She frowned and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Victor. When I first wrote to him, it felt very strange; imagine praying to a long-dead ancestor, and you¡¯ll know what I mean.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯d be surprised.¡± Victor chuckled and added, ¡°Anyway, Dar ain¡¯t dead.¡± He frowned as he caught his tongue running away, forgetting all the lessons on etiquette Dar and Mr. Ruln had put him through. Kynna leaned forward, her black crystal crown tilting precariously. Something must have held it in place¡ªmagic or something mundane like clips attached to her thick, curly black hair. ¡°He may as well be for all the interest he¡¯s shown in our plight!¡± Victor smiled grimly. ¡°I know, but I¡¯m here now. What do we need to do to arrange a duel?¡± ¡°The challenge was issued; I¡¯ve been avoiding it. It shouldn¡¯t be difficult to get Vennar or Groff to agree to terms.¡± ¡°Good. The sooner, the better, Queen Kynna. Now, is there someone who can show me around this place?¡± ¡°We have much to discuss, Victor. There¡¯s more to your role than fighting duels.¡± She shook her head, forcing an almost delicate smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You must be exhausted from your journey. I¡¯m sure Foster stayed near at hand; I¡¯ll have him introduce you to the staff and show you the palace grounds and your quarters.¡± Victor rubbed his chin. ¡°Is he going to be¡¡± He let his words trail off, leaving Kynna to make assumptions about his meaning. ¡°He¡¯s eager to retire, Victor. He only stayed on to avoid one of my cousins trying to claim the throne. I have many asps and adders in my court, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll soon learn.¡± She touched something on the side of her throne, and the large double doors opened almost immediately. One of the helmeted guards stepped into the opening, staring intently at Victor and the throne. ¡°Fetch Chamberlain Thorn and Foster Green.¡± Victor was tempted to say he wasn¡¯t tired at all and that they could chat for a while, but he had an image to uphold; being exhausted from travel was natural for a ¡°champion¡± out of his depth. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me taking some time to get my feet under me, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°No, I understand. It¡¯s only¡¡± She frowned, an expression that made her look like an angry goddess come down from Olympus. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this? Are you certain we should schedule the duel? I¡¯m sure Ranish Dar told you that if you lose, my throne is forfeit.¡± ¡°Just like you, My Queen,¡± Victor grinned, enjoying the roleplay, ¡°I must put my faith in Ranish Dar. He said I was ready, so I must assume he is correct.¡± Part of him wanted to reassure her and display some of his strength, but another part was profoundly enjoying the game he played. He knew she had advisors and that she¡¯d speak to them. If any were disloyal¡ªand Victor believed that was likely¡ªthen word of her concern would travel, making it easier to schedule the duels. He just hoped he wouldn¡¯t have to blow all his cards in the first fight. Bootheels clicking on marble signaled the arrival of Foster and Thorn, and Victor turned to regard them as they approached. Foster moved like a dancer, and Victor figured he was a formidable fighter. The fact that he was avoiding the challenges from Gloria¡¯s neighbors was a little worrying, but Victor had to remind himself that Foster wasn¡¯t hiding anything. The people here knew him. If Victor were enraged, with his aura flowing freely and his axe in his hand, he didn¡¯t think Foster would be very intimidating. ¡°Goodman, Foster,¡± the queen said, gesturing to Victor. ¡°Would you kindly show my new champion around the palace? Put him in the purple rooms.¡± ¡°I could vacate my suite¡ª¡± The queen chopped her hand in the air, cutting him off. ¡°I¡¯ll not hear of it! You¡¯ll stay at the palace until we¡¯ve won free of this siege and your family is home safe.¡± ¡°As you say, My Queen.¡± Foster bowed deeply. Seeing his excellent etiquette reminded Victor of his manners, and he turned to face the throne again. ¡°I¡¯ll await your call, My Queen. Will it be early?¡± ¡°I am an early riser. Will two hours past dawn suit you?¡± Victor rubbed his chin¡ªfreshly shaven¡ªand slowly nodded. ¡°I think I can be ready by then.¡± He inwardly sniggered, wondering what they all thought of his need for rest. Fighting to hide his grin, he bowed low, holding it until the queen dismissed him. ¡°Very good, Victor. You may take your leave.¡± ¡°Until tomorrow.¡± Victor slowly straightened, then turned and descended the steps, nodding to Foster, who turned on his heel and guided him out. He heard the queen say, ¡°Stay a moment, Thorn. I¡¯ve a matter or two to discuss¡ª¡± The doors clicking shut cut her voice off, utterly masking any sound from within the throne room. Foster turned to look over his shoulder and nodded briefly. ¡°This way, Victor. We¡¯ll start with a tour of the grounds¡¡± # Kynna looked down her nose at Thorn, her oldest confidant¡ªthe only man her father ever trusted. ¡°Are you absolutely certain of his signet¡¯s authenticity?¡± ¡°It is genuine. I¡¯m certain. My Truth Sense is infallible. His confidence is also true. He believes he will win the duels, and when he says he intends to bring Gloria to a place of prominence, he means it. Now, whether he¡¯s a deluded fool¡¡± Thorn shrugged, putting on a face that said, ¡°I wish I knew.¡± ¡°Would Ranish send me a lunatic? Would he send a man to his doom, thereby dooming us?¡± ¡°I have only the records of your great ancestor¡¯s time here to go by, and I fear there are more than a few accounts of Ranish Dar acting impulsively and without logic. He was young, then, or so the story goes, so much might have changed in the interceding millennia. Was his letter not reassuring?¡± ¡°He hardly spoke of Victor! He said his name and said he was a man of high potential with a courageous heart! When I described Foster Green, I thought that Ranish would at least send us someone sturdier than that good man!¡± ¡°He did seem rather¡¡± Kynna saw Thorn struggle to find the right words. His eyes narrowed, and he pursed his lips. Finally, with an explosive sigh, he blurted, ¡°Mundane! His attire, his appearance, his demeanor¡ªI¡¯ve seen Obert fight, My Queen, and his presence sends shudders down a man¡¯s spine! This man, this Victor¡ªhe¡¯s tall, he¡¯s strong-looking, but I don¡¯t sense any weight behind him. Embry wasn¡¯t wrong, either. Did you sense his Core? He can¡¯t be much beyond tier seven. How will he face a tier-nine champion? If he truly means to elevate Gloria, he''ll face much worse than that!¡± Kynna nodded, tapping her nails on the crystal of her throne. As they chimed melodically, she thought about the plight of her people, about the children in the city and the feeble trickle of her nation¡¯s economy. Thorn stood still, patiently waiting, knowing she was weighing matters. She ran through the many risks of trusting Victor, and she weighed them against the scant few options at her disposal. After a time, she looked up. ¡°We could test him.¡± ¡°A challenger?¡± ¡°Someone to question his strength. Someone to cast doubt on his claims.¡± Kynna didn¡¯t like the idea, and it showed. Her frown felt like it might become permanent as the corners of her mouth twisted down and her brows narrowed. ¡°And if he takes the insult and fights? If he¡¯s not boasting a strength beyond his means? Whose life would we throw away to make that test?¡± Thorn stepped close and hissed, ¡°My Queen, you wrote to Ranish Dar! Victor arrived with his signet, just as your progenitor said he would. When does faith come into play?¡± Kynna snorted, shaking her head in disbelief. ¡°My dear, Thorn, did you just counsel me to have faith? I¡¯m stunned!¡± Thorn started to sputter a response, but she held up her hand. ¡°No, don¡¯t be chagrined. I¡¯m rather pleased by your advice; I grow weary of this gilded cage. I grow weary of seeing my father¡¯s great kingdom brought low. Our borders have shrunk for a dozen generations. Our coffers have shrunk along with them. We once boasted the greatest champion on the Western continent! I rather like the idea of ¡®faith,¡¯ my dear, loyal chamberlain. Let¡¯s put Victor into play and see what fate has brought us. Arrange the first duel.¡± 9.12 Terms Victor stood behind Queen Kynna¡¯s high-backed, hand-tooled, gold-filigreed chair and listened to her and King Vennar hash out the terms of the duel. The king sat in a similar chair on the opposite side of an equally ornate table. It was Victor¡¯s job to appear imposing, and he did his best. Still, with his aura tightly in check, his armor all stowed away, and his Core locked down like a bank vault the day before payday, he didn¡¯t think he was imposing anyone, least of all Vennar or his champion, Obert. Obert, on the other hand, was putting on a show of deadly force and barely restrained potential for destruction. He was an eleven-foot-tall man built like a ballet dancer. He walked more gracefully than a panther and projected a ferocity that would make a tiger seem cuddly. His long, lithe limbs were corded with hard muscle, his skin was tan and glistened as though oiled, and he wore armor consisting of a shiny breastplate, an eagle-visored helm, shiny bracers, and rune-inscribed greaves. Victor considered it ¡°shiny,¡± but the armor was more than that. It shone with the inner light of dense enchantments and radiated with a lustrous greenish-blue tint. Victor forced his face into an unimpressed, almost lackadaisical expression as he regarded him. Still, inwardly, he was impressed, especially by the man¡¯s eight-foot longsword that hung from a scabbard on his back. Victor could only see the hilt and pommel¡ªa glowing tiger¡¯s eye gemstone¡ªbut the thing had a presence he couldn¡¯t deny. Still, Victor didn¡¯t react. He didn¡¯t smile or glower. He didn¡¯t let his gaze linger. He constantly surveyed the room, the table, the monarchs, and even the motes of dust gently drifting through the beam of sunlight streaming through the high window. He could tell his inattention was bothering Obert. The man stared at him as though he could melt Victor¡¯s heart with his gaze. Victor almost smirked at the thought¡ªmaybe he could! He let his eyes drift past Kynna¡¯s crown to King Vennar, a very different sort of man. Short¡ªfor a Ruhnian, with very dark, nearly black skin and eyes that glowed much the same way as Kynna¡¯s and Dar¡¯s. Was he a distant relation? His flesh certainly reminded Victor of Dar¡¯s. It wasn¡¯t quite the same¡ªit didn¡¯t look exactly like stone, but it had a porous, uneven quality that made it difficult to imagine how it would feel. The king¡¯s voice was certainly far smoother than Dar¡¯s. ¡°I understand you feel backed into a corner, Kynna¡ªmay I use your given name?¡± ¡°We¡¯re both monarchs here, Wil. I won¡¯t complain if you don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Very good. First, let me thank you for responding to me before King Groff. I assure you, Frostmarch will offer better terms than Xan.¡± He glanced at Victor and ran his eyes up and down his figure, from his well-polished boots to his freshly cut hair. Victor thought he saw a smirk hiding behind his bright eyes. ¡°I¡¯m pleased you¡¯ve found yourself a young champion willing to stand for you. I¡¯d heard rumors but hadn¡¯t let myself fully believe them.¡± His lips curled into a more pleasant smile, and he leaned closer to Kynna over the table. ¡°I¡¯m not ashamed to admit that I loathed the idea of a great old warhound like Foster dying to save a lost cause. Will your new man take the knee, as Foster never would?¡± ¡°Oh no. You mistake me, Wil. I¡¯m not here to negotiate a surrender. Today, we will agree to the terms of the duel.¡± Chamberlain Thorn and his counterpart¡ªa small woman Victor hadn¡¯t caught the name of¡ªsat at the left-hand sides of their monarchs, and it was the woman who reacted first to Queen Kynna¡¯s words. She audibly choked and had to hold the back of her hand to her mouth and look down, coughing softly to clear her windpipe. Everyone ignored her as the king once again looked at Victor. ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± ¡°Quite so. Shall we begin?¡± Victor couldn¡¯t see Kynna¡¯s face, but she sounded very prim. King Vennar, still staring at Victor and attempting to make eye contact while Victor continued to study the empty space in the air between himself and the far wall, could barely contain the lascivious expression on his face¡ªa dog eyeing a child¡¯s abandoned hamburger. He slowly nodded, cleared his throat, and elbowed the woman beside him. ¡°Certainly. Let¡¯s discuss terms.¡± Kynna inclined her head slightly, her tall, crystalline crown glittering in the light as it dipped forward. ¡°Have you any thoughts about sovereign succession?¡± King Vennar brushed the back of his hand over his lips, almost like he had to physically push away the hungry grin. ¡°I see no reason to be overly harsh. I would think banishment will suffice.¡± ¡°Of only the monarch or their entire lineage?¡± ¡°Oh, I would think the entire lineage.¡± He tsked and, again, leaned forward with an earnest expression. ¡°You could avoid that if you¡¯ll just have your new champion take the knee. I¡¯d keep you on as a Duchess.¡± ¡°No, King Vennar, I believe we should do this properly. I have my ancestor¡¯s reputation to manage.¡± ¡°Ah yes, the great Ranish Dar.¡± Vennar smirked, shaking his head. ¡°So. Are we agreed then? Banishment for the ruling family?¡± Kynna nodded. ¡°I believe that will suffice. No need for a grisly display of beheadings.¡± At her words, both chamberlains began to write on the documents before them. She tapped one of her hard nails on the table¡ªclick, click, click. ¡°And the Oaths of Submission?¡± ¡°One hundred years,¡± Vennar spoke firmly, and Victor saw Obert shift in the corner of his eye, but he refused to look at the other champion to see his expression. Instead, he continued to let his eyes wander around the room, staring at the art, the furniture, and even the tiles along the far wall. Kynna glanced to her left, looking at something Thorn had written, then nodded. ¡°Very well. All nobility, minor and major, shall swear peace and allegiance to the victor for a term of no less than one hundred years. We¡¯re in agreement?¡± Vennar nodded. ¡°We are. Tribute and Taxation?¡± Again, Kynna looked to Thorn. ¡°What is our proposal, Chamberlain Thorn?¡± Thorn cleared his throat and lifted his notebook, speaking clearly, almost like he was presenting to a room full of people, not just the three at the table with him. ¡°We propose the following: The vanquished shall be bound to deliver tribute unto the victor in the form of wealth, crops, and provisions. The amount paid shall be no less than thirteen percent of each season¡¯s surplus, verified by the Crown¡¯s agents, who shall be given full access to all records upon request.¡± Vennar frowned, looking at his chamberlain. She didn¡¯t speak but tapped something in her notes as she nodded. Vennar looked back to Kynna. ¡°I agree.¡± ¡°This has been painless, Wil!¡± Kynna sounded borderline patronizing, but Victor couldn¡¯t see her face, so he couldn¡¯t be sure. Vennar didn¡¯t look angry, though; in fact, he looked like he¡¯d just been given a gift. ¡°There¡¯s just the matter of the Right of the Chosen Blade.¡± Vennar barked a short, harsh laugh. ¡°Forgive me, Kynna, but do you even have a cadre? I¡¯d thought Foster was your last champion until¡¡± He glanced at Victor again, this time doing nothing to hide the smirk on his face. ¡°Recently. Still, I¡¯ll bite. How many champions should the victor claim?¡± Kynna stiffened her back, squaring her shoulders. Victor imagined she was putting on a show of indignation at Vennar¡¯s dismissive attitude. Even so, she spoke very precisely with perfect decorum, ¡°I would think a single choice will suffice.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Vennar leaned back in his chair, pushing away from the table as he waved a dismissive hand. ¡°Very well.¡± He looked to his chamberlain. ¡°Is there aught else?¡± ¡°Just secondary terms, Your Majesty¡ªthings like hostage exchange, judicial authority, cultural exchange¡ª¡± Vennar sighed. ¡°You can handle this with goodman Thorn here, yes?¡± Kynna spoke before the diminutive woman could reply, ¡°I¡¯m in agreement. These lesser matters can be handled by our people. However, we have one final matter to discuss. I¡¯m assuming the duel will be held here, at the ring at Westhome. Have you looked at the schedule?¡± Vennar nodded, reaching up to adjust his golden, diamond-studded crown. It wasn¡¯t a bulky crown, but it gleamed and sparkled impressively. ¡°It¡¯s clear for months. Not many duels these days.¡± Kynna¡¯s response was immediate. ¡°Sunrise, then?¡± ¡°So eager?¡± Vennar chuckled, glancing over his shoulder at Obert. ¡°What say you, Champion? Will you be ready at dawn?¡± ¡°To slay this whelp?¡± Victor could feel the heat of his stare and the sloppy, or perhaps deliberate, slip of his aura that felt like iron and blood and somehow made Victor think of burning flesh. Even so, he refused to look at him and kept his face fixed in his simple, almost idiotic half-smile. ¡°Aye, I¡¯ll be ready,¡± the champion growled. Vennar nodded and pushed his chair back. ¡°We¡¯re agreed, then?¡± Kynna also stood. ¡°We are.¡± ¡°So witnessed,¡± Thorn and the other chamberlain said in near unison. For the first time, Victor let his eyes drift over to Obert¡¯s face, and he locked his gaze with the fierce, golden eyes behind his eagle-beak visor. He didn¡¯t do anything more than smile, a genuine, eager grin that exposed his bright, straight teeth. Still, Obert took a step back, perhaps caught off guard by the idiocy suddenly fleeing his opponent¡¯s gaze. Or, Victor reasoned, maybe Obert saw something in his eyes that was at odds with his display of weakness. Victor continued to stare and grin as the man turned on his heel and led the king and chamberlain out of the room. ¡°You did well, Victor,¡± Kynna said as soon as the door clicked shut. ¡°Assuming your intentions had anything to do with your¡less than significant bearing. If King Vennar thought there was any chance he¡¯d lose, he would have bargained much more viciously.¡± Chamberlain Thorn gathered up his papers and nodded. ¡°Yes! These terms are wonderful.¡± He looked at Victor and inclined his head. ¡°Ahem, assuming you win, sir. Do excuse me, Your Majesty; I¡¯ll need to catch up with Lady Foi to finish the negotiation.¡± Kynna nodded. ¡°Go on then.¡± She watched him exit, then turned to Victor. ¡°If you fail, you realize my entire family, from my son to my fifth cousin, thrice removed, will be forced to leave Ruhn, yes?¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°Well, My Queen, if I fail, I¡¯ll be dead.¡± Kynna¡¯s face, never exactly cheerful, fell into such a dour expression that Victor instinctively wanted to proclaim his innocence, though he¡¯d done nothing wrong. ¡°You¡¯re awfully flippant about this whole ordeal. You saw Obert! I¡¯m sure you felt him, too. Tell me this now, Victor, is there more to you or not?¡± She gestured to him in exasperation, indicating his current state, no doubt¡ªdressed in the same clothes he¡¯d worn the day before, only this time he¡¯d tweaked the colors of his attire to be more complementary to Gloria¡¯s heraldry; his shirt was pale yellow, his pants and leather pieces black. ¡°I am what I am, My Queen.¡± When Victor saw her irritation fall away, only to be replaced by something closer to despair, he almost confessed his game. He settled on a compromise, saying, ¡°Maybe you fear that your ancestor has sent me here to fail, maybe to teach you a lesson or to play a cruel game. Maybe you¡¯re wondering if he wants your family to be forced to leave Ruhn¡ªthat he has some sort of plan for you beyond this world.¡± Kynna took a breath to speak, but Victor rushed to finish his statement, ¡°You should know that he¡¯s a prideful man, and he wouldn¡¯t enjoy seeing his descendants chased off their homeworld. I also don¡¯t think I¡¯ve done anything to deserve being sent to my doom.¡± He finished with another shrug. ¡°Try to stay confident, Kynna.¡± ¡°Your enigmatic nature is rather maddening, Victor.¡± She sighed and pointed to the door from which they¡¯d entered. ¡°Our portal awaits. By the way, I¡¯ll put aside your lack of propriety for now, but do remember to address me properly in the future.¡± With that, she turned and marched to the door, and Victor followed, trying to replay his words in his mind. When had he addressed her inappropriately? It took him a minute, and by then, he was already through the door and marching down the hall to the portal chamber, flanked by four of Kynna¡¯s guards. ¡°Ah!¡± he said, as he recalled calling her simply ¡°Kynna¡± after telling her to be confident. She turned to regard him as they walked. ¡°Something amiss?¡± ¡°No. My apologies, Your Majesty.¡± He turned to the guard on his left, meaning to grin or wink, but thought better of it when he saw her stern eyes through the slit in her helmet¡¯s visor. When they entered the portal chamber, the magical gateway was already active, glowing with deep blue Energy that hummed and buzzed as it crackled faintly. It would take them straight back to Gloria; the two delegations had met on neutral ground¡ªa city called Westhome, which was the seat of the Ruhnic Empire on the Western Continent. Victor had seen it on a map and knew it was close to two thousand miles south and east of Gloria. Part of him wondered if the place would still be neutral after he began to enact Dar¡¯s plan¡ªpushing Kynna into kicking off a succession war. There were many rules, laws, and customs he had yet to master in this strange, new world, but so far, he was rather enjoying himself. Kynna interrupted his thoughts by striding through the portal without hesitation. Victor hurried to follow her, cringing slightly as he anticipated the portal''s hot, shocking embrace. When he stepped out on the other side, Kynna stood facing him. ¡°You¡¯ve only about twelve hours before you¡¯ll be fighting for your life. Is there anything you need to prepare? Anything you¡¯d like to put in order?¡± Victor rubbed his chin as he looked around the dim, circular chamber. The portal crackled behind him as the guards followed them through. And then it sizzled and disappeared, throwing the room into deeper shadows. ¡°I¡¯ll take some time to myself, I suppose. Do you mind if I go to my chambers to write some correspondence?¡± ¡°By all means.¡± She stepped closer and spoke in a less imperious tone than usual, ¡°I am worried, and it makes me unpleasant. I understand you¡¯re putting your life on the line tomorrow, and while the consequences would be dire for me and my loved ones should you lose, I want you to know that I understand the point you made earlier. You may die tomorrow. It¡¯s not a small thing you do for me, and¡ª¡± ¡°Um, My Queen?¡± Victor grinned at the wide-eyed disbelief on her face after he interrupted her out-of-character attempt at sympathy. ¡°I certainly don¡¯t mind helping you, but there¡¯s no need for any guilt. I¡¯m not doing this for you.¡± He grinned wickedly and winked at her. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for the glory.¡± Kynna scowled and pressed her blue-painted lips into a thin line as she glanced at the nearby guards. Victor wondered what was running through her mind. How ruthless could she be? Would she banish these soldiers because they¡¯d witnessed him interrupting her? He didn¡¯t believe she was a tyrant, but it was kind of fun to test her. If he wanted to gauge her response, he was left disappointed because she just nodded and turned to stride out of the chamber, followed by three of the four guards. ¡°Well,¡± he muttered several seconds after the door had clicked closed, ¡°I guess, technically, not responding is a response.¡± The remaining guard didn¡¯t comment. Victor looked at her, standing at attention just behind him. ¡°What¡¯s your name, soldier?¡± ¡°Bryn, sir.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the same guard who was waiting for me at my chambers this morning, right?¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Assigned to me permanently?¡± ¡°Until you die or leave, I suppose.¡± Victor laughed. ¡°I like you, Bryn.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Champion. May I speak freely?¡± Her voice echoed from inside her helm¡ªstern, husky, and confident. ¡°I¡¯d be angry if you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t reciprocate your feelings. I think you¡¯re awfully rude. I think Queen Kynna ought to have your tongue stabbed through with a hot poker, and I think you¡¯re probably going to die tomorrow.¡± ¡°As my auntie would say, ¡®qu¨¦ encanto!¡¯ Hah! Did that translate? I can never tell what the System¡¯s going to make sound like English¡ªer, Rhunish?¡± ¡°You said I¡¯m charming,¡± Bryn replied in a tone that made the words wonderfully ironic. ¡°Perfecto!¡± Victor laughed and started for the door. ¡°I¡¯ll need your help finding my way back to my chambers. This is a big palace.¡± ¡°Take a right after the door.¡± Victor grinned, pleased that he¡¯d scored a blunt-speaking, no-nonsense escort. As they walked, he slowed and gestured for her to hurry beside him. ¡°Tell me about Obert. You ever seen him fight?¡± ¡°I have. He¡¯s a devil with that long sword of his. Most people agree he¡¯s deep into the epic tier of mastery.¡± ¡°Mmhmm. And what sorts of affinities does he have? Any spells that stand out?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how true it is, but I¡¯ve heard his strongest affinity is for momentum, but I¡¯ve also heard he has a touch of the void. I don¡¯t know much about his abilities, sir, but I¡¯ll say this much: the longer you fight him, the more deadly he becomes.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Victor nodded, sighing as he pressed his hands into his lower back, stretching as they walked. ¡°You¡¯re not concerned?¡± ¡°Sure, but I figured he¡¯d be good with that sword. I mean, it¡¯s no secret that he¡¯s dangerous. I guess, if anything, your words make me feel a little better. Now I¡¯ve got the beginnings of a strategy: kill him quickly.¡± As he spoke, his lack of sleep got to him, and Victor yawned hugely. ¡°Sorry about that. I didn¡¯t sleep much last night.¡± ¡°Nerves?¡± ¡°Hmm? Oh, no. I was reading. My mentor sent me with a huge list of topics to study.¡± ¡°Your mentor?¡± For once, Bryn sounded respectful. ¡°Do you mean Ranish Dar?¡± ¡°Yeah. I tried to get him to cut out some of the more boring-sounding stuff, but¡ª¡± ¡°Boring? You have books from Ranish Dar, and he personally told you to read them? Boring?¡± Her voice rose stridently as she hurried to keep pace with him, so much so that a pair of housekeeping staff looked up from the cabinet they were dusting, staring after them with wide eyes. ¡°Easy, Bryn. You¡¯re going to get me a bad reputation around here.¡± Bryn scoffed. ¡°Too late to worry about that!¡± Victor smiled again, genuinely enjoying her acerbic nature. ¡°Yeah? People are talking?¡± ¡°Do you want the truth, or do you want me to be ¡®easy¡¯?¡± ¡°The truth, but don¡¯t yell about it!¡± Victor recognized the stairway down a long gallery of stately portraits to his right, so he turned that way. ¡°Well, most everyone thinks you¡¯re a madman or a criminal paying penance to the great Ranish Dar. People are getting their affairs in order and packing their belongings. Most agree that we¡¯ll be released when Her Majesty, Queen Kynna¡ªlong shall she reign¡ªis ousted and banished. Not many are happy with you for forcing the duel; there was some hope that another neighboring kingdom would put pressure on one or both of Gloria¡¯s enemies, thereby granting us a reprieve. That hope is dashed now that¡ª¡± ¡°All right, all right. I get it. Listen,¡± Victor pointed down the hallway toward the purple-black pair of doors at the end, ¡°there¡¯s my room. I¡¯m going to go in there and write some letters to people who don¡¯t hate me. Then I¡¯m going to try to get a little sleep. Can you make sure I don¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°Oversleep?¡± Bryn slammed a fist against her shiny, silvery breastplate. ¡°It¡¯ll be my pleasure, Lord Champion.¡± ¡°Jesus, chica,¡± Victor laughed, ¡°Do you have to make it sound like an insult?¡± ¡°Win tomorrow, and then maybe I¡¯ll change my tune.¡± ¡°Hah! Right on. Say it like it is! You know I like it.¡± Victor turned to face her more squarely, then stood to attention as though he was back in the Free Marches preparing to address his troops. He slammed his fist to his chest in salute, stared into her eye slit soberly for a moment, and then smartly turned on his heel and strode to his room. He had a lot of letters to write. 9.13 Playing the Fool Victor sat on a stone bench, one of several in the ready room of the arena at Westhome. He¡¯d only caught glimpses of the city as they traveled from the portal hall, but he¡¯d been rather impressed by its austere beauty. The streets were wide and cobbled with smooth stones laid so closely together that the carriage had hardly rumbled as it rolled through the city. The buildings were spaced apart from each other, and they all had matching marble facades; it was like riding through his imagined version of an ancient Greek or Roman capital. Everything was clean, gardens and parks abounded, and, most striking of all, he only saw a handful of citizens; the place was a ghost town. Kynna had explained the lack of populace as a byproduct of every kingdom having portals to the true imperial capital on the eastern continent. This city existed as a formality, a foothold for the empire on the western continent where parades, ceremonies, and celebrations could be held for the nearby population. She¡¯d indicated that duels between champions were one such ceremony. Victor wondered if he¡¯d see any representative from the Ruhnic Empire attending his duel. Surely, they were interested in such a thing. There may be nearly a hundred kingdoms in the empire, but it wasn¡¯t every day that a war was settled. ¡°Damn,¡± he sighed, squeezing his spear in his hands. He was nervous and desperately wanted to talk to someone he could trust. He''d been true to his word the night before, crafting letters to most of his loved ones. He didn¡¯t want people to worry, however, so he hadn¡¯t exactly confided in them. What he wanted was to talk to Valla. He wanted to hold her and have her stroke his hair and tell him he would be fine, that he hadn¡¯t overdone his playacting, and that he¡¯d be able to beat this champion without showing all his cards. She wasn¡¯t there, though, and he had to accept that. He¡¯d been trying. He''d written to her half a dozen times in his journal; he just didn¡¯t have the guts to put any of those words into the Farscribe book they shared. ¡°If I win,¡± he promised no one in particular. He looked at the fancy bronze clock ticking away on the wall near the portcullis that would let him into the arena. ¡°Twenty minutes.¡± Victor stood and began to rehearse his battle plan. He thrust with his spear, parried an invisible sword, dodged, and even rolled on the hard marble floor, trying to build up a sweat. When he looked at the clock and saw it said five minutes, he stood before the gilded iron bars and went through some calisthenics, keeping his heart rate up as he waited. He did that for several minutes before a crystal mounted near the clock glowed orange, and a man¡¯s voice resonated from it, ¡°Champion of Gloria?¡± Victor stopped moving. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Apologies, but the Grand Judicator has requested a late start. Please remain ready; the duel will begin in half an hour.¡± Victor sighed heavily and turned back to his bench. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Thank you. Do you require anything?¡± He waved a hand in the air dismissively. ¡°No.¡± The crystal stopped glowing as he sat, and he was once again alone. He scanned the room, ensuring no other crystals were mounted on the walls, and then he summoned Arona¡¯s phylactery bone from his storage ring. As soon as it was in his hand, her ghostly, ethereal form began to coalesce in the air, raising goosebumps on his arms as the temperature near him plummeted. ¡°Victor! We¡¯re no longer on Sojourn!¡± ¡°Yep!¡± He smiled and shifted his spear so it leaned on his shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re on Ruhn. I haven¡¯t got any news for you, but I have a few minutes to kill and thought maybe you could stand a little company.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to be out of that bone for a while!¡± She turned in a small circle, observing the room, her gaze lingering on the portcullis. ¡°I¡¯d ask if you were imprisoned, but you¡¯re armed.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ready room. My first duel is coming up.¡± He might have thought she paled at the words if her face wasn¡¯t already ghostly and near-translucent. Her eyes widened, though, and she drifted closer. ¡°Are you worried?¡± ¡°Honestly? Maybe a little. If I¡¯m going to pull off Dar¡¯s strategy, I have to hold back most of my abilities, and this pendejo seems pretty tough.¡± ¡°Strategy?¡± ¡°I have to come off as kind of a dipshit for a while, I guess.¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°It¡¯ll make it easier for the queen to get people to agree to duels and then to get the terms she wants out of them. Dar wants her to have ¡®momentum¡¯ before people realize I¡¯ve been sleeping on my skills.¡± Arona frowned. ¡°What do you mean ¡®sleeping on¡¯¡ª¡± Her lips curled into a smile as understanding lit up her eyes. ¡°You mean downplaying.¡± ¡°Right. And this pinch¨¦ asshole seems like he¡¯s going to be a real bastard. Rumor has it that his main affinity is momentum. I was told that he gets stronger the longer he fights, so it seems like my strategy of bleeding him out, bit by bit, might be problematic.¡± ¡°Well, you know I¡¯m not a martial expert, but I¡¯ve seen many physical contests. Might I suggest something?¡± ¡°It¡¯s why I summoned you, chica. I¡¯ve got ideas, but, at this point, I¡¯m kind of just planning to go with the flow and see how things shake out.¡± Arona nodded. ¡°Well, if you¡¯ve already been playing the fool, why not lean into it? Struggle. Barely escape his deadly blows but let some others through. Fumble your attacks; fail to show any rhythm or grace. Let him build his confidence and goad him into trying to humiliate you. When he thinks he¡¯s won, when he¡¯s so cocksure that he lets his guard down, destroy him.¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°Just let him carve me up for a while, huh? Easy for you to say! You haven¡¯t seen his damn sword.¡± Arona nodded. ¡°True. I doubt I could perform such a strategy, even if I were inclined to fight with my hands.¡± ¡°Yeah, well¡I¡¯m sure there are some things you can do that I wouldn¡¯t even think of trying.¡±Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. She smiled, drifting toward the gate and then back. ¡°I¡¯d like to see what this world looks like. Is it large?¡± ¡°Yeah, I can show you a map sometime. There¡¯s a detailed one in Kynna¡¯s palace. There are four continents. Something about the way it orbits the sun makes the southern continent a harsh desert, and the northern one is mostly ice. The two in the middle are broken up into almost a hundred kingdoms.¡± ¡°Are there mountains? Forests?¡± ¡°Oh yeah. It¡¯s a big damn world. Bigger than Fanwath, from what I can gather. When I get done here and get back to the palace, I¡¯ll show you the vista from my balcony. It¡¯s pretty great.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that.¡± She drifted over to the bench and sat beside him, though she didn¡¯t actually touch the surface. ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve had time to look into my¡situation?¡± ¡°No. Believe it or not, I¡¯ve only been here two days. Things are moving kind of fast, but I¡¯m not surprised; the queen¡¯s people are suffering, and she¡¯s trying to get this blockade situation resolved.¡± ¡°Yes, understandable.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask around, though. Assuming I pull this fight off, I think people around the palace will be a little friendlier to me. I mean, some are already kind of¡strange; it¡¯s weird as hell, but I think they kind of worship Dar. Some of them, I mean¡ªplenty others think of him as kind of an asshole.¡± ¡°And your lady? Valla? Is she getting along well?¡± The question felt so far out of left field that Victor felt his heart lurch into his throat¡ªlike he¡¯d been caught doing something wrong. ¡°Um, huh? No, Valla¡¯s not here. Didn¡¯t I tell you that? I came alone.¡± When Arona raised an eyebrow, he clicked his tongue and added, ¡°Almost alone.¡± ¡°Well, you must be missing her.¡± Victor didn¡¯t have to pretend when he replied, ¡°Yeah, actually, I miss her a lot.¡± When he¡¯d summoned Arona, the last thing he¡¯d wanted to do was talk about Valla, so he cleared his throat and stood up. ¡°Anyway, I should get ready¡ªfight starts soon. Thanks for your advice.¡± ¡°Good luck, Victor. I know you¡¯ll win.¡± Her voice, strangely hollow and slightly delayed from the movement of her lips, echoed oddly in the room as she broke up into mist and streamed back into the bone. Victor put it in his storage ring and then, as before, stood before the gate, trying to keep warm and limber. It wasn¡¯t long before the crystal lit up again, and the same voice said, ¡°Champion of Gloria, please proceed into the central arena. Stay within the black section of sand. If you cross to the red before the Grand Judicator gives his approval to the fight, then you will forfeit, and your nation will lose the duel. Do you understand?¡± Victor gripped his spear and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± At the sound of his voice, the portcullis slid noiselessly upward, and Victor stepped into the well-lit, very clean passage. After just a dozen steps or so, he noticed black sand under his feet, and another dozen steps brought him to the arena. His breath caught in his chest when he saw what awaited him. The city''s empty streets hadn¡¯t prepared him for the size of the place¡ªit was like a college football stadium back on Earth, only crafted of white marble and gleaming metal. The arena floor was round and had to be seventy-five yards in diameter. One half¡ªVictor¡¯s¡ªwas covered in black sand, the other half with red. The walls around the perimeter were probably fifty feet high, and rather than plain marble, they were reinforced with straps of gleaming metal. Above those walls rose maybe a hundred rows of stadium seats, and they were filled with people. The rumble of the crowd felt distant, like subdued thunder in the background, but when he stepped onto the sand, the noise grew to a steady roar as he realized most of the people in his half of the arena were cheering, and most of the people on the other half were booing. So many people being so vociferous was a sound he¡¯d never experienced. He¡¯d come close, sure, in the Coloss arena, but this place was ten times the size! He figured there were fifty thousand people or more up there, and as the noise got to him, he felt himself swelling. Victor straightened his shoulders, lifted his heavy spear over his head, and walked back and forth on the black sand. He saw, on the top edge of the wall, at the very center of the arena, two boxes, one on his left and one on his right. They were like miniature stages with a railing, and Victor recognized the two monarchs and their retinues. Queen Kynna sat on his left, and King Vennar on the right. Victor moved toward the center, wondering where his opponent was. He¡¯d just formed the question in his mind when he saw him striding out of a gate on the red side of the arena. He looked just as Victor had seen him at the meeting between monarchs¡ªclad in his shiny breastplate, eagle helm, bracers, and greaves. The only difference was that his enormous longsword was naked, held in both hands before him. Obert¡¯s sword flickered with pale, white flames as he held it in the air, and the blade gleamed like liquid silver as it shifted in the light of the sun. It was a beautiful weapon. However, Victor had tested his spear against the edges of many powerful weapons, and he felt confident it would hold up against Obert¡¯s. If Dovalion Boarheart couldn¡¯t chip the dense wood, surely Obert couldn¡¯t cleave through it. Obert played up the crowd, raising his sword high and turning to glare into the stands. If Victor had thought they were loud before, he learned his mistake. The ground shook, and the sand danced like it was layered atop a snare drum. Victor wanted to summon his banner and go berserk. He wanted to summon Lifedrinker and wave her massive axe head through the air with great whooshing cleaves. He didn¡¯t, though; it was still time to ¡®play the fool,¡¯ as Arona had said. He waved up at Queen Kynna, Chamberlain Thorn, a little boy he¡¯d yet to meet, two other nobles he recognized but didn¡¯t know the names of, and the guards arrayed around them. He thought he recognized Bryn among them; she had a certain judgmental posture that was hard to mistake despite the visored helmet. ¡°Citizens!¡± a voice boomed out, and Victor looked up to see a disc of perfectly clear glass or crystal floating in the air above. A man rode the disc like a surfer on a board as it swooped around the arena. He was tall, with flowing silvery hair and a robe that shimmered like spun silver as it fluttered in the breeze behind him. ¡°I am Grand Judicator Lohanse, and I am here to ensure all rules of law are abided by, that the agreed-upon terms are upheld, and that no outside interference mars the sanctity of this most venerated ritual of succession. Do any dare challenge my authority in this place?¡± A hush fell over the arena, and Victor lowered his arm as he recognized the man for what he was¡ªa veil walker. He¡¯d assumed the ¡°Grand Judicator¡± would be a representative from the empire, but he¡¯d apparently underestimated the level of participation the veil walkers of Ruhn took in the political affairs of the empire. He supposed it made sense; there were a lot of rules and ceremonies these people abided by, more so than seemed likely for people of great power. The only thing he¡¯d ever known to control men and women like the kings and queens of the Ruhnic Empire was fear. He chuckled softly to himself. ¡°Always a bigger fish.¡± ¡°I have read the terms of this duel of succession. Queen Kynna of Gloria, do you agree to abide by them?¡± ¡°I do!¡± Victor was surprised by how Kynna¡¯s voice rang out. Was the veil walker amplifying it? Was she? He shrugged. For all he knew, it was just a function of the box seats. ¡°King Vennar of Frostmarch, do you agree?¡± ¡°I do!¡± the dark, stony man boomed. ¡°Champions! You will not be permitted to access storage devices or use potions, tinctures, salves, or other consumable aids during this duel. Are you each equipped to your satisfaction?¡± He swooped down close to Obert. ¡°Champion of Frostmarch?¡± ¡°I am ready!¡± Obert howled, hefting his massive sword. The Judicator circled him once, examining him closely with his bright, pale eyes, and then he swooped over to Victor. ¡°Champion of Gloria?¡± ¡°Um, one moment, sir.¡± Victor held up a finger and shrugged sheepishly as he looked up at Queen Kynna¡¯s box. ¡°Bryn!¡± One of the soldiers jerked her head down toward him, and despite the distance and the narrow gap in her helmet, Victor imagined he could see the mortification in her gaze. She turned to Queen Kynna. When the queen nodded, shielding her eyes, perhaps embarrassed, Bryn leaned over the railing and called down, ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Can I borrow your, um, bracer? The left one.¡± Again, Bryn looked to the queen, and again, Kynna nodded; this time, she shrank down in her seat as the crowd began to murmur. ¡°What¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± the Judicator boomed, swooping toward Victor. He was a very tall, very imposing man. His skin glowed with inner light, and his hair flowed in a mystical breeze that only it could feel. Victor felt himself being weighed and dismissed behind that severe gaze. Victor set his spear down, leaning it against his shoulder, and slapped his wrist with his open palm. ¡°I saw that guy¡¯s sword and figured I should have something to block with.¡± The Judicator looked from Victor to Bryn and then back again, narrowing his eyes. In a voice pitched so that Victor was fairly certain only he could hear, the man growled, ¡°Don¡¯t make a mockery of this ritual, titan.¡± Victor replied in a normal voice, figuring the veil walker would mask it if he didn¡¯t want others to hear. ¡°The only person I¡¯ll be mocking is myself, sir.¡± He glanced at Obert and added, ¡°And I guess that cocky pendejo.¡± ¡°I recognize your game. It¡¯s within the bounds.¡± He nodded solemnly, then drifted up to the box seats where Bryn still stood, staring uncertainly, gripping her silver bracer. The Judicator took it from her and then tossed it to Victor. Victor grinned and held it up. ¡°Thank you, Bryn!¡± While the crowd began to murmur, laugh, and even applaud, he snapped the bracer around his wrist. It wouldn¡¯t resize, thanks to likely being bonded to Bryn, but he shoved it on, bending the metal so it clung to his forearm like an oversized bracelet, not the heavy length of armor it was intended to be. He nodded to the Judicator. ¡°Ready, sir!¡± Victor gripped his spear, stepped to the middle of the arena, facing Obert, and readied himself. He lowered his center of gravity, renewed Sovereign Will to boost his agility and vitality, and then cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin. It was a potent spell, but not a flashy one. Only Obert would experience its effects and only second-hand as it boosted Victor. Even if he survived, he wouldn¡¯t be able to explain it. The world became a little brighter, Victor felt lighter on his feet, and Obert didn¡¯t seem so intimidating¡ªhe was just a man¡ªa man with a deadly sword, an unknown number of magical abilities, and a hunger for Victor¡¯s blood, but still, just a man. The Judicator swooped high into the sky, and his voice reverberated through the enormous arena: ¡°Fight!¡± 9.14 First Duel Obert moved through the sand like an adder. He kicked up sand with each step, weaving and feinting, but Victor just stood still, aiming the point of his enormous spear at the man, bracing himself. In a fight between equals, minus the interference of Energy abilities, Victor didn¡¯t doubt that a competent fighter with a spear could kill a master swordsman. It was simply a matter of reach. The problem was that this wasn¡¯t a match between equals, and energy was a factor. Obert didn¡¯t try to dart past Victor¡¯s spearpoint; he surged with hot, tingly Energy and then exploded with speed. He ripped through the sand, throwing it up in a red wake, and darted to Victor¡¯s flank. Victor was no slouch, and he spun, tracking the man¡¯s movement, but Obert didn¡¯t try to close further; he hacked his sword through the air, and, again, hot Energy flared, and a blade of cutting, brilliant light tore away from his sword and straight at Victor. Victor figured he could dodge it; it wasn¡¯t that fast. He also figured he could knock it aside with his heavy, sturdy spear. He didn¡¯t, however. He stepped to the left, just enough to avoid most of the blade, then he feigned a stumble and cried out as the hot Energy sliced into his ribs and over his back, biting deeply into the thick muscles beneath his shirt. Hot blood sheeted down his side and back, and he made a show of rolling over his shoulder and wincing as he scurried to avoid a follow-up cleave. He¡¯d taken a risk with his armor; he wasn¡¯t wearing his disguised clothing for the battle. He¡¯d put on a simple yellow shirt with short sleeves and a pair of soft, pale gray trousers. He fully intended for them to be red with blood before long. The cut on his back was a good start; it was a real gusher and took several seconds to close despite his enormous vitality and inherent regeneration. Obert wore a grin as he watched the blood soak the fabric, circling him. Victor grinned back, but he did it in a lopsided, idiotic manner. ¡°What a fool.¡± Obert closed with him again, driving forward with big sweeping cuts that batted aside his spear. Victor could have pulled the spear back, avoided the cuts, and then thrust into the man, breaking up his momentum, but he couldn¡¯t appear too competent. Instead, he widened his eyes and took far too long correcting his spear¡¯s guard as Obert fought his way in and, quick as a wink, thrust his blade into Victor¡¯s chest, just beneath his right shoulder. Victor saw the blow coming and stepped back just enough so the sword didn¡¯t impale him more than a couple of inches. Still, he cried out and scurried away, whipping his spear around to prevent Obert from following up. A new sheet of blood ran down the front of his shirt. ¡°Come on, pendejo,¡± Victor hissed. ¡°You can¡¯t hit harder than that?¡± He wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d wanted Obert to hear him, but the man did, and fury ignited in the golden eyes within that eagle-mask helm. Obert went wild, surging with Energy, blurring as his momentum began to mount, and he pounded great flaming hacks into Victor¡¯s spear as he kept him at bay, but just barely. # ¡°This is the end, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kynna hissed. She looked away from her beleaguered champion and locked eyes with Thorn. ¡°Get Tomorran away from here. I don¡¯t want him to¡ª¡± ¡°I¡¯ll not leave, mother!¡± Tom jumped up, dodging her attempt to snatch his wrist. ¡°If this is the end of our house, I¡¯ll see it with my own eyes!¡± Kynna stared at him for a moment, listening as the crowd gasped, cheered, and jeered as the sounds of weapons colliding rang through the arena, accompanied by Obert¡¯s fierce grunts and Victor¡¯s belabored breathing. Finally, she nodded. ¡°Very well. You should bear witness. You¡¯ll be a man soon enough.¡± She looked back to the arena floor and her blood-drenched champion. Had he delivered a single injury to Obert? ¡°Dead Gods! How much blood can he have? If the sand weren¡¯t red and black, we¡¯d see the path of his progress.¡± No one responded to her words. The mood in the box was grim, and why shouldn¡¯t it be? Most of the staff¡ªthe guards, the soldiers, the bureaucrats¡ªwould be dismissed. She and her kin would be shipped off-world. Would they get a say in their destination? She¡¯d failed to look into that detail. Thorn would know¡ª A hoarse scream from below jerked her thoughts back to the debacle of Victor¡¯s battle, and she saw him rolling away, cradling his right arm. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Obert near took his arm off, Your Majesty,¡± Bryn, the one who¡¯d given her ¡°champion¡± a bracer, replied. ¡°It¡¯s over then. He could barely stand against him with two good arms.¡± Thorn nervously clenched his hands together. ¡°Don¡¯t lose hope, My Queen.¡± Even he sounded unconvinced. Kynna watched Victor, saw the pain and fear in his eyes as he crouched, his spear loosely gripped in his right hand, while his left hand seemed to be holding his gushing right arm together. Obert stalked toward him, a hungry smile on his face. Kynna groaned. ¡°He¡¯s going to finish him. Watch, then, Tom. Watch and see our nation crumble.¡± Kynna followed her own advice, sending Energy into the pattern for Clear Sight and filling her vision with a view of Victor as though she stood but a stride away. His chest heaved for breath, his face was drenched with bloody sweat, and his clothes¡ªhis clothes were shreds of crimson-stained cloth. She looked to where blood gushed between the fingers of his right hand as he held his ruined arm together. Kynna stared and frowned. Something wasn¡¯t right. Nothing gushed between those fingers, and she was sure she could see the biceps beneath his shredded shirt flexing as his hand adjusted itself on the spear. Even so, he still crouched there, his footing all wrong for a man in a deadly battle. He looked defeated, but¡ª Thorn gasped as Obert surged with Energy and streaked over the sand. His passage was difficult to track as he wove left and right, leaping and redirecting himself. He flanked Victor, streaked up, into the air, and then down, like a fisher eagle going for a carp in the Cray River. In Kynna¡¯s heart, she knew it was over. Obert was about to impale Victor, about to cleave his mighty sword, Brightfire, through his body, spilling his insides out onto the sand¡ªclang! The sound rang out, and blood fountained into the air. Kynna¡¯s eyes struggled to make sense of the scene. She stared at Victor, trying to see where Obert¡¯s sword had cut him, but the image didn¡¯t match what she knew she should see. Victor stood tall. His spear was thrust into the air, and dangling from the blade was Obert¡¯s lifeless body¡ªhis head fully impaled on the spearpoint. Victor had driven the spear under his chin and out through the top of his skull! Brightfire lay in the sand, her flames flickering faintly, and Victor slowly turned in a circle, displaying Obert¡¯s corpse to the suddenly silent crowd like a grisly banner.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Dead Gods!¡± Thorn cried, leaping to his feet. ¡°He did it!¡± Kynna couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. She¡¯d utterly missed it. How had that dolt moved so quickly? How had he moved so perfectly? What was the clang she¡¯d heard? Staring at Victor, looking to where his muscles bunched on his shoulders as he held Obert¡¯s tall corpse in the air on that heavy, ugly spear, she saw what she¡¯d missed: Bryn¡¯s bracer was bent nearly in half, barely hanging onto Victor¡¯s wrist. He¡¯d blocked the killing blow and driven the spear up¡ªa perfect kill with Obert helpless in the air, descending to put his hapless foe out of his misery. ¡°Maybe not so hapless,¡± she whispered, earning herself several glances from the celebrating members of her delegation. Celebrating! Kynna felt her lips spread in a smile as she listened to the crowd''s roar. Everyone liked a good upset. Everyone wanted to see an underdog come up from behind and take the win. Victor¡¯s flawless blow was a reminder that, no matter how powerful and proud you were, this life was not guaranteed. Anyone could die in an instant. Kynna stood and moved to stand beside Tomorran, resting her hand on his shoulder. He looked up with wide, bright blue eyes¡ªhe¡¯d failed to inherit the fire eyes of his Igniant ancestry. ¡°He did it! Our house won¡¯t fall today!¡± His voice was bright with excitement, and Kynna nodded, smiling as she stroked his hair. She turned her gaze to the other side of the arena where King Vennar stood. He was pacing and fuming; she could see his mouth moving as he jerked his hands this way and that. No doubt, he was struggling to believe what just happened. Soon enough, he could struggle in another world. ¡°What world?¡± she asked, glancing at Thorn. ¡°Hmm? ¡®What world,¡¯ My Queen?¡± ¡°Where will they send Vennar and his kin?¡± ¡°It¡¯s at the discretion of the Grand Judicator. Speaking of whom¡¡± Thorn pointed as the Judicator¡¯s sky sled drifted down. His voice boomed out. ¡°Champion of Gloria. Release the corpse of your tormentor.¡± # Victor heard the judicator¡¯s words and realized he might be going a little too far. He lowered his fourteen-foot spear and, with it, Obert¡¯s dangling corpse, letting it fall into the sand. The Judicator¡¯s floating disc descended to the arena floor, and he stared hard at Obert¡¯s body for several seconds. He then turned to Victor. ¡°I pronounce the Queendom of Gloria victorious!¡± Everyone had grown quiet when the judicator first spoke to Victor, but they erupted in cheers again. His pronouncement wasn¡¯t necessary; Obert¡¯s corpse began to glow as thick orbs of rainbow-hued Energy coalesced around it. They rapidly multiplied, flowed together, and streamed into Victor as the crowd roared. He held his arms wide, grinning, soaking in the euphoria of the thick rush. His lingering wounds closed, his Core flooded with Energy, and a sense of well-being entered his mind as he tingled from his head to his spine to the heels of his feet. He could hear the Judicator speaking but couldn¡¯t make out the words. As soon as it started, it was over, and Victor fell to his feet, dazed as System messages filled his vision: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 70 Herald of the Mountain¡¯s Wrath and gained 12 strength, 17 vitality, and 12 will.*** ***Level 70 Class refinement is available. Class refinement is permanent. Quinametzin Energy cultivators will next be offered a Class refinement selection at level 80. To view your options and make your selection, access the menu through your status page.*** He pumped his fist in the air, excited by his message, and the crowd reacted, roaring in response. Victor¡¯s glory-attuned Core flared, and he wanted to let it loose. Again, he yearned to summon his banner and pump his fists in the air, but he simply turned to Queen Kynna¡¯s box seats and bowed. ¡°Champion.¡± The judicator stepped into his line of sight. ¡°You may claim a prize from your foe. The rest of his belongings will go to his heirs.¡± Victor looked long and hard at the sword, flickering in the sand, but ultimately decided not to take it. It wasn¡¯t a matter of impulse; he thought hard about it. When he considered holding that sword, though, he imagined someone who killed him holding Lifedrinker. She wouldn¡¯t like it. More than that, Victor wasn¡¯t skilled with the sword; he could learn, true, and it was a fine weapon, but he didn¡¯t need it. Instead, he stomped over to Obert¡¯s corpse, grasped his thick, shiny breastplate, and pulled until the strap broke and he could hold it out of the way. Then, Victor summoned a sharp blade, drove it into Obert¡¯s corpse, and¡ª A hand like a metal vise gripped his wrist. ¡°What are you doing?¡± the judicator asked. ¡°I¡¯m claiming his heart.¡± ¡°You¡¯d take that over the conscious weapon in the sand, there?¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t his heir be served better by that sword than this lump of flesh?¡± ¡°Very well.¡± The judicator let go of his wrist, and Victor plunged his hand into the still-hot chest cavity, wrapping his thick, strong fingers around the organ. He pulled it out with several wet, visceral pops, and then he stood, holding it aloft. The judicator¡¯s voice rang out above the crowd¡¯s hysteria, ¡°The champion of Gloria claims his opponent¡¯s heart!¡± Again, the crowd erupted, but this time, there was a mixture of sounds¡ªsome cheering, sure, but also gasps, laughter, screeches, and outraged curses. There were too many sounds for Victor to discern them all; to him, it was just a crowd roaring, and that made him smile. ¡°Leave the arena, Champion. I must see to the house Vennar and their removal from this world.¡± With that, the Judicator climbed atop his flying disc and whisked through the air to Vennar¡¯s boxed seating section. It was vacant. Victor glanced over to Kynna¡¯s section, and it, too, was empty. He shrugged, waved the heart through the air one more time, basking in the noise from the enormous crowd, and then stomped over to the tunnel that would lead him to his ready room. When he stepped out of the sun and the crowd''s noise, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief and sent the heart into his storage container. He flexed his shoulders, rolled his neck, and looked at his arm. ¡°That son of a gun almost cut you off!¡± It had been a close thing; Victor had misjudged a glancing blow and caught almost the full brunt of Obert¡¯s magical sword strike. If not for his hard-as-rocks titan bones¡ª ¡°Victor!¡± He looked up to see Kynna and his usual escort, Bryn, standing in the ready room. ¡°Oh, hello, My Queen.¡± He bowed low, his shredded shirt hanging in bloody tatters, dripping on the ground. ¡°Stand, Champion.¡± When Victor complied, she folded her arms over her chest. She was dressed in a lovely yellow gown that really made the deep blue crystals of her crown pop with color. ¡°Tell me now, was it luck? Did the grace of a sleeping god touch you? How did you win when all was so dire?¡± ¡°Oh, hrmm.¡± Victor frowned and rubbed his chin. ¡°I guess it was mostly luck¡ª¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Bryn cried, striding forward to yank her bent bracer from his arm. ¡°I suppose you ¡®accidentally¡¯ blocked his killing blow with my bracer?¡± She put it on her arm, and the metal smoothly reformed to its original shape. ¡°Guard Bryn!¡± Kynna¡¯s voice was sharp, and Bryn whirled to face the queen, falling into a bow that nearly had her on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, My Queen! He frustrates me so¡ª¡± ¡°Be still.¡± The queen stepped past her to confront Victor. ¡°I¡¯ll not have you play games with my family, Victor¡ªmy house. Was it a lucky accident or not? If you say yes, I¡¯ll remove you from your position and put in the champion I earned today¡ªmy pick from Vennar¡¯s cadre.¡± Victor sighed and shook his head. He looked from the queen to Bryn, still on her knees. ¡°Do I need to worry about my words leaving this room?¡± The queen glared down at Bryn and flicked her fingers to the door. ¡°Leave us.¡± Bryn scrambled to her feet and hurried out, joining a small group of people waiting in the hall. When the door clicked shut, Victor said, in a low voice, ¡°No accident. I wasn¡¯t going to lose, but did you want me to trounce that guy? Do you want the negotiation with Xan to go well? If I didn¡¯t look like a lucky idiot, King Groff wouldn¡¯t negotiate so easily¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¡± Her eyebrows rose, and she regarded his shredded, bloody clothing. ¡°You went through that torture for¡for easier negotiations?¡± Victor lifted his sleeve and rubbed the dried blood covering his shoulder and biceps. ¡°I heal fast. See?¡± ¡°But it must hurt¡¡± She stepped back and ran her eyes up and down his figure. ¡°I mean, in the middle of a fight, all pumped up with adrenaline¡ªit¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡°What¡how¡¡± She clenched her fists and took another step back. ¡°Who are you, Victor? What are you hiding? Obert was tier-nine. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re so high.¡± She tapped her temple behind her right eye. ¡°I can see your Core¡¯s Energy levels.¡± ¡°My Queen,¡± Victor sighed, stepping toward the door. ¡°There are many factors to a person¡¯s strength. You must know that. It¡¯s not all about level.¡± He turned to her and grinned. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m that far below some of these guys.¡± In his mind, he chuckled at the idea that he had a heart to eat and a Class refinement to go through. ¡°Now, Your Majesty, if you wouldn¡¯t mind, I could use a bath, some clean clothes, and a quiet place to reflect on the strange customs in this world.¡± Kynna¡¯s crown glittered and twinkled in the light as she shook her head, pressing her dark, blue-stained lips together. ¡°Our customs are strange? I feel I should ask what you intend to do with that man¡¯s heart, but¡I don¡¯t want to know. Come, then, Champion. Let us return to Gloria; we have much to celebrate. The entire city will feast tonight.¡± 9.15 All is Well Victor sat alone in his quarters at Queen Kynna¡¯s palace. He was tired¡ªtired from the stress leading up to his duel with Obert, tired from the fight, and tired from the aftermath. When he¡¯d gotten back to the palace, it had felt like a blanket of dread had been lifted off the city, and everyone had been given leave to live and celebrate¡ªsomething they¡¯d been denied for, apparently, years. Of course, Victor had been expected to attend the Queen¡¯s celebratory banquet. He¡¯d had to stand at the high table and tell a story to entertain the guests¡ªanother reason for his current mental exhaustion. The dinner had gone fine, of course. He hadn¡¯t had any trouble coming up with a story to tell; he had a thousand fights he could describe, but feeling alone among all those strangers, he¡¯d chosen a story about the Great Bone Mine and how he¡¯d first seen Lam fly, descending among a horde of mad beetles to save him and the other delvers. The feat itself wasn¡¯t impressive to the nobles gathered around Kynna¡¯s table, but the way Victor described his awe and how the event became the key to unlocking his inspiration-attuned Energy had kept their rapt attention. The dinner had taken hours and hours, and, as far as Victor knew, the feast was still ongoing; Kynna had proclaimed a week-long national holiday. He¡¯d finally begged off, claiming exhaustion, and though his many new fans among the nobility had protested, Kynna excused him, and now he sat alone. His chair was comfortable; the little parlor in his suite was luxurious with fine, high-grade leather furniture that fit his frame like a glove. His little bar was stocked with potent liquors, and his view was incredible. Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see over the city''s rooftops below and beyond to the rolling green countryside. Great forests covered much of Gloria, and to Victor sitting there, the expanse of tree-covered hills looked almost primeval, so unmarred was their wild majesty. He could see the road leading away from the city, but in just a few miles, it was swallowed by the forests. From there, he saw nothing but green all the way to the distant, towering purple mountain ranges. For someone who grew up in Arizona, Victor found himself easily enthralled by a view like that. Still, his mind wandered, and he found himself wishing he had someone to talk to, someone familiar. He was half tempted to summon Arona from her phylactery again, but she wasn¡¯t the voice he wanted. He knew Bryn was standing guard outside his door, and the thought of making her take a drink with him and suffer through some teasing was an amusing proposition that he toyed with for a while but ultimately set aside. It was bad enough that the poor woman had to stand guard and watch over him; he shouldn¡¯t torment her to boot. No, he had to admit, the truth was, he missed his friends, and, most of all, he missed Valla. When he¡¯d sat down with a glass of something called ¡°Turnback Rye,¡± he¡¯d intended to go through his Class refinement, but his mind kept returning to the simple promise he¡¯d made before the duel: if he won, he¡¯d write to Valla. So, with a troubled heart and a not-insignificant buzz, he took out his Farscribe book and turned to the latest message she¡¯d sent him:
Victor, I wish you¡¯d write to me, but I know you need time. At least, that¡¯s what I keep telling myself. In any case, I have something I wanted to share with you. I¡¯m leaving for a new world tomorrow¡ªan ocean world populated by aquatic people who live on islands and swim and breathe freely under the water. It¡¯s called Crydagh, and there are rumored to be creatures living in those waters that rival dragons! Fantastic beasts called Booraghi roam the oceans, unafraid of anything¡ªeven your mentor, Ranish Dar, would think twice about crossing one of them. If treated with respect, they¡¯re peaceful, though, and will sometimes speak to lesser beings who visit them. I¡¯m going to seek one out; rumors have it that they¡¯ll grant boons to visitors they take a fancy to. Even if they refuse to speak to me, which I¡¯m told happens often, I believe the trip will be worthwhile. Wouldn¡¯t seeing such a creature be a reward in itself? Despite my excitement, I¡¯m sorry to leave Fanwath. Uvu found his way home shortly after you left, and I¡¯ve been spending time with him daily. He¡¯s gotten a bit feral, though; I think he has a mate out in the wild, so he¡¯ll likely be fine when I leave again. Of course, I¡¯ll miss Rellia, but she¡¯s so busy governing that I doubt she¡¯ll remember I¡¯m gone most of the time. Please write soon, Love, VallaVictor had received the message nearly a week ago, and, reading it again, he felt a surge of guilt for putting a response off. He knew he¡¯d feel worse if he went back and read through the other four messages she¡¯d sent him. With a resigned sigh, he took up a pen, and, mustering courage on par with what it took him to face the lord of the dungeon near Great Bone Mine, he began to write:
Valla, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve taken so long to write to you. It¡¯s not right, I know. You probably know from Lam or Edeya that I¡¯ve left Sojourn, but¡ª Victor groaned and put the pen down. He didn¡¯t know how to do this. Grimacing, he returned to the note, skipping a line: Look, I¡¯m not going to sit here and write a bunch of bullshit about how nice the world is, or how the people here are all giants, or that we had a big feast after I won my first duel. None of that really matters for shit. The truth is that I¡¯m still raw as hell on the inside. I think about you all the time. Before my duel, I wanted to talk to you. When I saw my quarters, I thought about how much you¡¯d like how everything was in shades of blue and purple¡ªthe sheets, the wallpaper, the vases, even the upholstery and carpet. When I was training back on Sojourn, I couldn¡¯t sleep in the bed ¡®cause I kept picturing you in it. I couldn¡¯t enjoy the lake ¡®cause I kept seeing you soaring over it. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get over you and the missing piece of my heart that you took with you, but I¡¯m going to try. I¡¯m going to try to remember that no matter what, I love you, and I don¡¯t want you to be gone from my life. So, yeah, I¡¯ll try to be better about writing, but I can¡¯t do it every day, every week, or even every month. I have to give myself room to breathe, to experience life without you, ¡®cause that¡¯s what you wanted, and it¡¯s too hard to let you go if I¡¯m constantly reminding myself about how much I miss you. It sounds like an amazing place you¡¯re going to, and I hope you really enjoy it. I hope you¡¯ll write to me about it after you¡¯re done, but let¡¯s wait until then, all right? In the meantime, I¡¯ll try to live my life and experience something worth sharing, too. -VictorVictor closed the book with a heavy sigh and a feeling of finality that he wasn¡¯t sure he liked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s done.¡± He could go back in and cross out the words, but there wasn¡¯t any guarantee Valla hadn¡¯t already read them. Even if he ripped the page out, it would still be there in her book. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, anyway. I meant it all.¡± He tucked the book back into storage, sat back in his chair, and downed his glass of, if he were honest, extremely potent whiskey. He wanted to keep talking to himself, but he felt strange doing so without his usual crutch, so he reached into his high-quality storage ring and summoned Lifedrinker, allowing her massive, incredibly heavy axe-head to rest on the carpet before him while tilting the handle so he could grasp it as he reclined. ¡°Hey, chica.¡± Is it time, at last? Will you carry me into battle again?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Sorry, not yet.¡± Victor chuckled at how his tongue felt thick in his mouth. Whatever else you said about Ruhn, they made good booze. ¡°I still have to fight with that pinch¨¦ spear for a while. It¡¯s a tough weapon, but nothing like you. I¡¯m saving you for when the fights get hard.¡± I yearn to feel your hands as I smash bones, spill blood, and drink the Energy of your foes. Victor arched an eyebrow as he looked down at the enormous axe. Her dark blade was like glass with its depthless, black, mirrored sheen, but as he stared, he saw the thousands of tiny motes of light deep in those unknown depths, almost like he was looking through a window into space. It was mesmerizing, and he nearly forgot what he was going to say. As her handle vibrated with impatience in his hand, he startled out of his reverie, chuckling and reaching for the bottle of whiskey to refill his glass. ¡°I miss fighting with you too. It¡¯ll be soon, though. Things are going to keep getting crazier and crazier around here.¡± She was quiet after that, and Victor enjoyed the simple comfort of her presence for a while. He sipped his whiskey, watched the view outside, and after a while, he opened his status sheet and selected the Class refinement option, looking over his new options: ***Class refinement option 1: Warlord - Legendary. Prerequisites: 1. Prior Class levels in Battlemaster, Martial Sage, or Combat Savant. 2. Sufficiently advanced bloodline. 3. Sufficiently advanced weapon skills. 4. Sufficiently advanced attributes. 5. A sufficiently advanced Core with appropriate affinities. 6. A history of leading followers into large-scale conflicts and achieving victory. Class attributes: Vitality, Intelligence.*** ***Class refinement option 2: Colossal Spirit Champion ¨C Legendary. Prerequisites: 1. Titan, giantkin, leviathan, behemoth, or colossus bloodline. 2. A significant portion of your total Energy earned from solo combat. 3. An affinity for glory, valor, justice, or honor. 4. Sufficiently advanced will attribute. 5. Sufficiently advanced Spirit Core. Through your many victories against difficult odds, you¡¯ve gained the favor of your ancestors, and they see you as a living champion of their ideals. You embody titanic power, standing for glory, justice, and honor. Through your Spirit Core, your ancestors will unleash their fury on those who defy the might of their bloodline. Class attributes: Will, Vitality, Intelligence.*** ***Class refinement option 3: Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum ¨C Legendary. Prerequisites: 1. Epic-tier bloodline with a storied history of warriors or berserkers. 2. Rage, fury, or related affinity. 3. A significant portion of your total Energy earned from combat with heavy melee weapons. 4. Berserk or berserk-like ability. 5. Sufficiently advanced strength and vitality attributes. So long as you hold this Class, your strength, speed, and resilience will be fueled by combat. Every wound you take, and every blow you strike will drive your battle lust to new heights. The enhancements of this ¡°battle momentum¡± will stack with traditional berserk-type abilities, but so will the madness. Class attributes: Strength, Vitality, Agility, Dexterity.*** ***Class refinement option 4: No Refinement - You are pleased with the path on which you find yourself and choose to continue until your next refinement option.*** ¡°Damn, chica, three legendary options.¡± Lifedrinker pulsed under his hand, and Victor took that to mean she was listening. He read the options aloud, and though he could feel Lifedrinker¡¯s presence and attention, she didn¡¯t speak. It didn¡¯t bother him; she was an axe of few words, and her company was enough for him. Part of Victor wanted to seek out advice. He wanted to write to Dar or Kethelket. He wanted to break out the ancestor shard and speak to Khul Bach. Still, another part of him rebelled at the idea. He was alone on a massive world, about to embark on a series of brutal single combats. He¡¯d be tested physically and mentally as he struggled to navigate the murky waters of negotiations, subtle deceit, and overt hostility. Wasn¡¯t it time he began making decisions for himself? He chuckled, shaking his head. No one ever made him choose a Class, but he¡¯d certainly always felt like he had to hear other peoples¡¯ opinions. So, determined to figure out the best choice on his own, he thought about each option, beginning with number four¡ªshould he keep his current Class? It was something he¡¯d never done before. He didn¡¯t even know what would happen; would he gain further Class abilities if he kept it beyond the requisite ten levels? The question reminded him of the veritable library he had in his storage ring, so Victor perused his books, looking for a title that might give him the answer. He found several promising candidates, spent another hour skimming through the pages, and came up with a resounding ¡°maybe.¡± Sometimes, when kept beyond the first ten levels, a Class would grant more Class-specific abilities, but sometimes, it wouldn¡¯t. That same book took Victor down a rabbit hole, reading about how difficult it was to predict what unfamiliar Classes would grant in terms of skills, spells, passive abilities, and even titles. There were some well-documented Classes, like the basic ¡°fighter.¡± He read the account of a man named Goh, who took sixty levels as a fighter, always foregoing a Class change. He gained a few skills in the first ten levels but didn¡¯t begin seeing new ones until he¡¯d reached his forty-second level as a fighter when the System granted him something called ¡°martial mastery,¡± which boosted every single one of his weapon abilities by an entire tier. As he closed the book, Victor told Lifedrinker about what he¡¯d read. ¡°So, that would be cool, but I¡¯m not sure I want to stick with the same Class for that long. I couldn¡¯t, really¡ªI have to start building my own at level one hundred.¡± Class this, and Class that¡ªall you need is me. Victor snorted, choking on a sip of whiskey. She had a point. After he¡¯d cleared his airway, he looked back to the Class refinement screen. It seemed the System wasn¡¯t done offering him Warlord. It was tempting, but considering his current situation, he didn¡¯t feel it was the best option; he wouldn¡¯t be fighting many¡ªor any¡ªlarge-scale conflicts. If he was reading them correctly, the other two, newer options, were both geared toward the kind of fighting he¡¯d be doing. ¡°Well, my first instinct is that the Colossal Spirit Champion is the smart move here. I think the Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum is another rage-based Class, I think, and I¡¯ve been working to keep my head during fights. Do I want a passive ability that will force me to build up to a berserk state? If I need to cast Iron Berserk or Volcanic Fury on top of that, how insane would I get? I can¡¯t even imagine being more crazy than Volcanic Fury already makes me.¡± Lifedrinker remained reticent, and since no one was there to do it for him, Victor voiced the contrary opinion, ¡°But that passive ¡®battle momentum¡¯ sounds damn nice when you think about a duel. When you think about the fact that I don¡¯t want to be using many abilities until I have to, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have one that just sort of made me stronger and faster the longer I fought? What would it look like to other people? Would they think I went berserk, or would they just think I was getting pissed off?¡± He supposed it wouldn¡¯t matter; if they thought he was berserk, they¡¯d have a big surprise coming when he actually did. In the end, the fact that he was level seventy helped him make the decision. He¡¯d learned from Arona and Arcus that levels got progressively slower and, specifically, that gaining levels in the seventh tier took a fraction of the Energy for levels in the ninth. If he was going to experiment with a dangerous-seeming Class choice, it was probably now or never. The thought of that battle momentum in a one-on-one fight was too tempting, and Victor reasoned that if he hated it, he only had to make it to level eighty to change it out. So, perhaps a little impulsively and perhaps a little too loose of inhibition, thanks to the strong whiskey he continued to sip, he selected the option he had initially dismissed. ***Congratulations! You have refined your class: Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum.*** ***Congratulations! You have earned a Class Feat: Furious Battle Momentum.*** ***Furious Battle Momentum: Every wound you take and every blow you strike will drive your battle lust to new heights. Your strength, vitality, and speed will increase with your lust for battle, as will your fury and hunger for violence. These enhancements will stack with traditional berserk-type abilities, but so will the madness. Unless altered or improved, this feat will be removed if your Class changes.*** For the first time, Victor felt his Class change as it occurred. He felt something inside him changing, burning from his Core out through his body. It was almost painful, but he could feel the euphoria of Energy masking the pain, twisting it into an almost pleasurable experience. Looking inward to see what was happening, he saw a slender pathway running parallel to his thick, well-developed Energy pathways. Intuitively, he knew what it was; it was meant to carry his rage into his body without interfering with his other spells and abilities. It was meant to feed his ¡°Furious Battle Momentum.¡± When he tried to push Energy into the new pathway, he couldn¡¯t, driving home the point that this ¡°ability¡± wouldn¡¯t be something he could control. ¡°Shit, chica. I hope I didn¡¯t just mess up.¡± Can you still wield me? Victor downed the last of the ¡°Turnback Rye¡± and laughed. ¡°Hell yeah, I can.¡± Then all is well. 9.16 - Help for a Friend Victor slept until nearly noon the next day, and when he opened his eyes, blinking in the diffuse light coming through the partially closed curtains, he was surprised by the silence and the fact that nobody had felt the need to wake him. With his head propped up on his plush feather pillows, he yawned and stretched, enjoying his room''s calming, purple-blue color palette. Even the gauzy curtains were tinted a soft blue, which, in turn, tinted the light coming in. He enjoyed it and found it a nice change from the reds and burgundies of his quarters at Dar¡¯s lake house. He took his time bathing and grooming himself, dressed in his usual disguised-armor clothes, and then prepared to leave, intent on finding some breakfast. He paused near the door and, thinking it over, decided to return to his suite¡¯s little parlor, where he¡¯d spent the night drinking and making impulsive choices about his Class. He sat in front of the little coffee table where his empty bottle of whisky and dirty glass awaited¡ªevidence of his crimes. A blue crystal bowl also occupied the table, piled with various fruits. Victor scooped the plums, apples, and pears out of the bowl, setting them on the table, and then he reached into his storage ring and pulled out the heart he¡¯d taken from Obert. Thanks to the magic of his dimensional container, it was still warm in his hand, the blood tacky and damp. Victor set it in the crystal bowl and stared. His body¡¯s physiological reaction to the raw hunk of, if not human, then at least humanoid flesh, was a stark reminder of how much he¡¯d changed. He wasn¡¯t just Victor Sandoval from Tucson anymore. He was a Quinametzin titan, and his mouth filled with saliva at the thought of chomping down on a person¡¯s raw heart. Worse, Victor didn¡¯t feel ashamed or dirty or even bothered by the idea. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that if he presented Victor, the teenage wrestler, with this heart and told him to eat it, there was no way it would happen¡ªnot without a fight. ¡°Well,¡± Victor chuckled, ¡°I guess some shit¡¯s different.¡± He summoned one of his cooking knives, a very sharp, narrow-bladed one meant for deboning a piece of meat but that he used far more universally; he liked how it cut, and it was sharper than most of his proper ¡°chef¡¯s¡± knives. Fighting to contain his eager hunger at the sight of the bloody organ, Victor sliced it into bite-sized cubes. Then, one by one, he speared the hunks of flesh and chewed them down. He could feel the Energy in the meat, and it was potent, but it wasn¡¯t anything like the hearts of the great beasts he¡¯d claimed. The wyrm and the gargantuopod, for instance, had overwhelmed him with their potency. This heart felt more like the giant spiders he¡¯d slaughtered on Zaafor. It infused him with Energy, and he could feel his Core swelling, climbing toward the next rank. He also knew the Energy was infusing his flesh, inching him closer to level seventy-one. Victor wouldn¡¯t deny a bit of disappointment; he¡¯d believed the rumors that Obert had a ¡°momentum¡± affinity, and he¡¯d thought it too much a coincidence that his new Class featured a type of battle momentum¡ªsurely the fates or karma or just the System had conspired to grant him a boon. He was embarrassed to admit that he¡¯d begun to believe that Obert¡¯s heart would infuse him with some sort of momentum Energy and help his new feat to improve in some way. Unfortunately, when the waves of euphoria faded and he looked inward, all he was sure of was that his Core was heavier and denser, scraping the surface of the next rank. Victor carried the bowl into his bathroom and rinsed it before returning it to the table. He felt good¡ªwell-rested, energized, and eager to see what lay next for him. Even if he tried, he couldn¡¯t be disappointed in the heart; an ordinary cultivator would have to work day after day for weeks or months to advance their Core by a single rank in the epic tier. Victor had nearly just skipped an entire rank by having a delicious snack. So, it was with a grin on his face that he opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Bryn was there, her face, as always, obscured by her helmet, but he could see her eyes, and they looked stormy. ¡°Something the matter?¡± The act of speaking triggered a yawn and a stretch, and Victor almost laughed as Bryn¡¯s dark brows furrowed behind the slit in her visor. ¡°Why would you ask that, milord?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Victor shrugged, ¡°no reason.¡± He looked down the empty hallway, admiring how the high windows reflected on the polished marble floor. ¡°Is anyone waiting for me?¡± ¡°Sir, I do not have your appointment book.¡± ¡°Well, Bryn, while you were standing watch here, did anyone come calling?¡± ¡°No, milord.¡± ¡°Has there been any talk of the next duel?¡± ¡°I believe an emissary from Xan arrived last night.¡± Victor smiled, chuckling at her reticence. ¡°But no one¡¯s been looking for me?¡± ¡°No¡¡± ¡°Okay, well, I¡¯d like to have a look around the city. Can you direct me to¡ª¡± ¡°Milord, I don¡¯t think that would be wise.¡± After a moment¡¯s pause and perhaps in response to Victor¡¯s arched eyebrow, she added, ¡°I apologize for interrupting, sir.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be wise?¡± ¡°There are factions in the city who worship Ranish Dar, and there are factions who view you as the harbinger of an apocalypse. Were you to wander the streets, I fear it would be akin to pouring water on a grease fire.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll need to ensure people don¡¯t recognize me, then.¡± Victor grinned as an idea came to him. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to lose that armor.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll need to report our outing to my captain, and I think¡ª¡± ¡°Bryn, do I, technically, outrank your captain?¡± ¡°As the crown¡¯s champion, sir, you hold the highest military office in the nation.¡± ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll keep this outing between us. Now, can you go ahead and change into something less conspicuous?¡± Bryn looked around, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go to my quarters and return after¡ª¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Victor opened his door and held it for her. ¡°Go ahead and use my room. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Her helmet inclined briefly, and then she stepped through. Victor pulled the door shut and looked through his storage rings for a hooded cloak. He had a few, though he rarely wore them; thanks to the constant heat produced by his Quinametzin blood and his feats, he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d felt chilly or even the need to protect himself from the elements. When he pulled forth a dark gray cloak with silky, rust-colored lining, he remembered when Valla had given it to him and felt a surge of melancholy that threatened to send him back to his room to curl up on the bed. He shook it off, though, and was just slinging the cloak over his shoulders, pulling the hood up, when Bryn emerged from his room. She¡¯d changed out of her gleaming armor and wore a simple blue tunic over black leggings tucked into sturdy-looking boots. Of course, her belt sported not one but two heavy-looking swords, one a little shorter than the other. As Victor fastened the clasp, securing his cloak, she frowned, and Victor got his first good look at her face. He liked it immediately. She looked like an athlete who spent a lot of time messing around with sharp objects. Her jaw was strong, her nose was a little flat, her lips were thin, and her brow was heavy and dark. Altogether, she looked healthy, strong, and dependable, especially with all the tiny scars on her cheeks, chin, and forehead. He almost commented on them. He nearly said, ¡°You like to practice without your armor, I see.¡± But he caught himself at the last minute, realizing not everyone might be proud of their scars. Luckily, Bryn had her own acerbic comment, saving him from second-guessing himself, ¡°I don¡¯t think a cloak and hood will suffice to keep folks from noticing you.¡± Victor held up a finger, grinning as he cast Alter Self, reducing his height to just around six feet. He was positively tiny by Ruhn¡¯s standards. ¡°How about now?¡± he asked from the depths of his cowl. ¡°Ah, well, um,¡± Bryn took a step back to look him up and down more easily. ¡°I suppose folks will think you¡¯re a traveler, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll suspect you¡¯re the queen¡¯s champion. You feel reduced in more ways than simply size. Have you hidden your power?¡± Victor waited until the cloak¡¯s resizing enchantment caught up to his smaller body, and then he nodded. ¡°It¡¯s part of the spell. Anyway, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll follow you. Maybe avoid people who will ask us questions.¡±Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°Um, milord,¡± Bryn reached up to scratch at her very short, stiff brown hair, narrowing her perpetually scowling dark eyes. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Oh, right! I need to speak to someone knowledgeable about magical¡stuff. Someone who knows a thing or two about Death Casters and phylacteries, but hopefully a lot more.¡± Bryn¡¯s scowl didn¡¯t relent. If anything, it deepened. ¡°Is there something more about you that¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s just some information I need, Bryn.¡± Victor chuckled, shaking his head within his deep cowl as he looked up at her. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to turn into a lich or anything¡ªat least, not yet.¡± He laughed and reached up to clap her on the shoulder. It felt like slapping a brick wall. Bryn continued frowning for a moment, and Victor thought she was angry or was trying to think of a response without cussing, but after a minute, he realized it was just her regular expression. Just when he thought he¡¯d need to prompt her again, she nodded slowly. ¡°I believe I know someone who might have the knowledge you seek.¡± With that, she turned and began striding down the hall. Victor had to double-time it to keep up with his much shorter legs. They didn¡¯t encounter many palace denizens; the passages were broad and convoluted, and though they walked by several guard stations, Bryn just nodded at the men and women on duty, and they let them pass without a word. Victor chuckled at one point when he had the stray thought that maybe the other guards thought he was Bryn¡¯s kid. When she looked down at him with her usual stern expression, he couldn¡¯t help laughing. ¡°I wonder if they think I¡¯m your son.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You don¡¯t move like a child. My comrades simply know I can be trusted, so they don¡¯t ask questions.¡± After a minute, she looked down at him again, and this time, her thin, stern lips were curled into a smile. ¡°Besides, I¡¯d be too embarrassed to bring such a scrawny child to the palace!¡± Victor¡¯s laugh renewed and, in high spirits, he and Bryn made quick time out a side entrance, then through the gate where, once again, the soldiers waved her through and Victor too after she jerked her thumb his way and said, ¡°I¡¯m escorting this one out.¡± Things were different in the city. The palpable pall of despair was gone, and the evidence of the night''s revelries was everywhere. Victor saw people passed out in parks, empty kegs, and tankards on nearly every garden wall, and the folks who were up and about cradled their heads and moved very slowly. Seeing those things, he had to bark another laugh as he attempted to jostle Bryn¡¯s shoulder¡ªhis small hand was rebuffed by the meat of her muscles. ¡°I can see why no one came looking for me! I wasn¡¯t the only one sleeping in!¡± ¡°Yes, well, some of us have duties.¡± ¡°Was that a complaint?¡± Victor crowed. ¡°My stoic guardian wanted to be partying last night?¡± ¡°I had a few drinks. You didn¡¯t know it, but one of my fellow guards relieved me for nearly four hours.¡± ¡°Four hours off? What did you do with all that time?¡± ¡°Hah, hah.¡± Bryn waved a hand dismissively, further improving Victor¡¯s good mood. He was happy to be getting some personality out of her. She surprised him further by asking, ¡°Why the heart?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the things everyone is asking me about. It¡¯s no secret around the palace that I¡¯m your escort, so people think I know things. Everyone wants to know why you took Obert¡¯s heart.¡± Victor thought about the question, and it reminded him that he didn¡¯t really know Bryn. He was trusting her, in a way, because he had a¡ªperhaps unhealthy¡ªlack of fear when it came to people harming him. If he were being clever, he might have considered the fact that he¡¯d just let a single individual lead him out into the city, unbeknownst to anyone. If Bryn were a traitor, she might be leading him into quite a trap, and no one would even know to look for him. No one would even know he was missing until, probably, the next day. He shook his head as the paranoid thoughts began to spiral. ¡°Why do you think I took it?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Perhaps to make you seem mad. Perhaps as a show of intimidation. Perhaps you have some sort of grisly ritual passed down by your primitive ancestors¡ª¡± Victor couldn¡¯t help the growl in his voice as he snapped, ¡°My ancestors would think you were the primitive.¡± Bryn clamped her mouth shut and held up a hand. ¡°I overstepped. I¡¯m sorry, milord.¡± Victor sighed, tamping down his Quinametzin pride with a frustrating effort of will. ¡°Nah, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m sorry I bit your head off. My, uh, bloodline carries a lot of baggage¡ªI have to fight the pride of my ancestors constantly.¡± ¡°Is your bloodline so potent?¡± She glanced at him as they walked, and he could see the confusion in her eyes. He figured a half-truth wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Yeah, my distant ancestors were great beings, and I don¡¯t think they really exist on this plane any longer. I guess you could say that when I claim an opponent''s heart, it¡¯s a way to honor the rituals of my ancestors and also my foe. When I take that piece of an enemy, it''s not about disrespect; it¡¯s the opposite. I wouldn¡¯t take the heart of an opponent I didn¡¯t respect.¡± Bryn¡¯s scowl turned contemplative, and she sounded sincere when she said, ¡°I see.¡± They walked quietly for a while longer, and Victor¡¯s earlier paranoia kept him alert, watching for signs of ambush or betrayal. They traversed busy streets, though, not back alleys. Bryn stopped before a large building with a tavern and tailor on the ground floor and pointed to the upper level where a sign read, ¡°Trobban¡¯s Enchantments, Rare Books, and Artificing.¡± Victor had a hard time imagining the shop could be a trap. ¡°This is the place?¡± ¡°I hope so. Troban is well respected by many, at least among the guards.¡± Victor started up the stout wooden stairs on the side of the building, chuckling at his own awkwardness as he stretched his legs between the wide steps. When he reached the top, he looked down to see Bryn hadn¡¯t followed. ¡°Not coming in?¡± She shook her head and sat on the bottom step. ¡°I¡¯ll await you here.¡± Victor shrugged and pulled the heavy door open. A chime sounded from within, and a voice called out, ¡°Welcome in.¡± The shop was neat, with a sitting area in one corner, a sales counter on the rear wall, and a workbench taking up the left half of the room. A giant-sized man stood at the workbench, deftly using a wood chisel to smooth the contours of something that looked a lot like a doll¡¯s head. ¡°Come around the bench, will you? I can¡¯t look up right now; this is a critical step.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Victor walked around the workbench, feeling kind of ridiculous with just his head and shoulders clearing the surface, but he¡¯d chosen his disguise, and he meant to stick with it. He watched for a minute while the man worked. He had curly white hair and bushy white eyebrows, but his face looked young, and his golden eyes were very sharp as he scrutinized his work. ¡°What brings you in, stranger?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find some help for a friend of mine, but the nature of the information I¡¯m seeking is kind of a specialized topic. I also think she¡¯d appreciate it if I kept my inquiries discreet.¡± ¡°Well, discreet I can be, especially if I don¡¯t know the topic.¡± For just a fraction of a second, the man looked up and locked eyes with Victor despite his deep cowl. Victor felt like the man measured him with that brief look. When he broke the gaze and looked back to his work, he said, ¡°I¡¯m Trobban, by the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Victor.¡± ¡°Ah, the name is familiar, though not your¡stature.¡± ¡°I told you: discretion is important to me.¡± ¡°A disguise!¡± Trobban clicked his tongue. ¡°Intriguing!¡± He carefully smoothed the wooden head¡ªVictor had seen enough of its features to name it so¡ªand nodded. ¡°That¡¯ll do for now.¡± He looked at Victor, smiling as he blew some wood dust from his fingers. ¡°Now, what¡¯s the topic I can help you with?¡± ¡°Are you familiar with death-attuned magic? With phylacteries?¡± ¡°Certainly. How could a well-learned man not be? I¡¯ve read a dozen books on the topic at least.¡± ¡°That¡¯s encouraging.¡± Victor wanted to lean on the table, but it was too tall for him. He settled for moving around to the end near the wall and leaned on that, folding his arms over his chest. ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s a death caster. She had to flee into a hastily prepared phylactery because her body was¡destroyed. Now she¡¯s kind of trapped in the phylactery with no vessel prepared to house her.¡± ¡°Ah! Do you seek my help in preparing a vessel? I¡¯ve read of several ways to do so. There are rituals from¡ª" ¡°There¡¯s more to it,¡± Victor interrupted, holding up a hand. ¡°You see, my friend, she¡¯s never loved death-attuned magic. She hates her former masters and loathes the idea of becoming like them. We¡¯re hoping this transitory state she¡¯s in might lead to something of a rebirth, a way to help her change her path, avoiding something she¡¯d feared was inevitable.¡± Trobban mimicked Victor¡¯s posture, folding his arms over his chest. ¡°Death Casters and their apprentices are a complicated subject. I¡¯d hate to come between a master and his¡ª¡± ¡°She¡¯s free from her master. He believes she was destroyed.¡± ¡°Truly? And you have access to your friend¡¯s phylactery? Her, um, master isn¡¯t aware of it?¡± ¡°I can access it, yes. And no, her master isn¡¯t aware. He¡¯s not even on this world or even close to it.¡± Trobban nodded, stroking his chin, picking at some flecks of sawdust he found in the stubble there. ¡°In that case, there are some options we could explore. If I could speak with this friend of yours¡¡± He trailed off, arching an eyebrow in question. ¡°I¡¯ll need to run it by her. Listen, Trobban, it¡¯s not convenient for me to wander the city. Do you think you could come by the palace?¡± The crafter¡¯s eyes widened, and he leaned across his worktable, staring hard at Victor. ¡°I would be honored! I have a wagon constructed just for such a cause¡ªa mobile workshop! Why, it would do wonders for business if people saw me driving it through the palace gates!¡± Victor moved back around the side of the table, holding out a hand. ¡°In that case, let me extend a formal invitation. Can you make it this evening?¡± ¡°Ah, but the revelries¡¡± Trobban shook his head. ¡°I think it would be safer in the morning hours, sir. I¡¯d hate for my wagon to be caught up in the mayhem, not if it¡¯s going to be anything like last night.¡± ¡°All right. Tomorrow morning, then. I¡¯ll let the guard captain know.¡± Victor shook the man¡¯s hand, then let himself out, and as he descended the steps, he called out, ¡°Bryn, let¡¯s grab some food! Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Before she could respond, he added, ¡°Also, there¡¯s no trouble with me inviting this guy to the palace, is there?¡± Bryn stood and squinted up the steps to him, shading her eyes from the sun. ¡°Um¡ª" Victor hopped down the steps, stopping on the third from the bottom so he could look her in the eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be, but you should check with Queen Kynna about your schedule. You may have term negotiations tomorrow.¡± Victor nodded, frowning. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, all right, Bryn. Let¡¯s get some food, then it¡¯s back to the palace for me.¡± He continued to the ground, gesturing to the people moving about on the street. ¡°Looks like folks are waking up! I¡¯m in the mood for soup. You know any place that¡¯s good?¡± After a bit more back and forth, Bryn settled on an idea for a restaurant, and Victor followed her through the streets. On the way, he thought about how he was using the poor woman, basically an employee who was forced to spend time with him, for company, and he decided it wasn¡¯t probably healthy for either of them. He needed to make some friends in Gloria, and though he was working to help Arona escape her bodiless state, it probably wasn¡¯t wise to put all his eggs in that basket. Still, it was something, and he was looking forward to telling her that help was on the way. 9.17 A Suitable Vessel ¡°¡seems these terms are amenable.¡± King Groff folded his fingers together, peering at the document his chamberlain pushed before him. Behind the king, Qi Pot, the champion of Xan, stood. He wasn¡¯t as feared for his martial prowess as Obert, but he looked competent enough to Victor. He was a wiry, lean fellow who wore a rapier that seemed to exude shadows. They drifted out of the tooled scabbard like smoke, obscuring the weapon¡¯s hilt and darkening the air around him. Qi Pot wasn¡¯t particularly tall, but he had a way of leaning forward that emphasized his lean, predatory posture. He didn¡¯t glower or try to intimidate Victor, which, if Victor was honest, was more intimidating than outright hostility. Still, the man¡¯s seeming competence made it all the easier for Victor to look the fool. Queen Kynna had done her part to make that job easier, too. It seemed that, during the celebratory feast, she¡¯d ¡°had too much to drink¡± and had gone on and on to anyone who¡¯d listen about how she was eager to replace Victor with a new champion claimed from Frostmarch. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t happy with his ¡°lucky¡± victory. As one might expect, word of her disgruntled displeasure with Victor spread rather rapidly. So, Xan had come calling, offering favorable terms to move up the duel before Queen Kynna traveled to Frostmarch to claim a champion from the former king¡¯s cadre. As the delegation from Xan stood and departed, Queen Kynna dismissed Chamberlain Thorn and then turned to Victor. ¡°That went very well.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°If I understood things correctly, you only stand to lose what you gained from Frostmarch? You¡¯ll remain queen of Gloria even if I lose?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. So, whether you win or lose, Victor, you¡¯ve saved Gloria. At least for the immediate future.¡± Smiling, she tried to push her chair back, but it was heavy, and the feet were caught in the plush rug that ran the length of the table. Victor hurried forward and lifted the back, helping her to slide it out. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°No, not the chair. Thank you for risking your life to help my people.¡± ¡°Um,¡± Victor smiled, backing up a few steps as the Queen stood, ¡°you¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°And the timeline is all right with you? You¡¯ll be ready to fight tonight?¡± Victor glanced at the big, ornate clock standing in the corner of the negotiation room. It was nearly noon. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready, My Queen, but a craftsman is waiting at the palace. Do you mind if we hurry back?¡± ¡°A craftsman? I¡¯d hoped to have lunch with you. You¡¯ve been here a handful of days, and we¡¯ve hardly had a chance to talk.¡± ¡°Well, I mean, you were busy at the feast, and before that¡¡± Victor shrugged¡ªthere was no need to recount all the hectic activity since his arrival. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sorry about missing lunch, but when I invited this guy to the palace, I didn¡¯t realize we¡¯d be meeting with Xan so soon. I guess I could reschedule¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± The queen waved her hand and walked to the door leading to the portal room. ¡°We¡¯ll have more time after this duel.¡± She paused to look at him again, her brows drawing down as her expression became more serious. ¡°You will win, won¡¯t you?¡± Victor grinned. ¡°That¡¯s my plan.¡± ¡°Qi Pot is well-respected¡ªnot as feared as Obert, but that¡¯s largely because he¡¯s younger and has fought fewer duels.¡± ¡°I have a plan for him.¡± Victor tried to smile reassuringly, hoping the queen wouldn¡¯t ask for details. He doubted she¡¯d feel encouraged if she heard the outline of his strategy. ¡°Good. Very well, then, Victor. Go to your appointment. I¡¯ll see you before the duel.¡± Victor bowed. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Before she had time to second-guess his release, Victor hurried out, and a few moments later, he was stepping out of the portal, back at the palace in Gloria. Bryn awaited him, and he smiled and nodded when he recognized her posture and scowling eyes through the gap in her visor. She saluted and stepped away from the other guards in the chamber. ¡°Where to, sir?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my guest waiting?¡± ¡°The eastern parlor, sir.¡± Victor nodded and looked at the group of four guards at their posts on either side of the door. ¡°Can one of you fetch Artificer Trobban from the eastern parlor and bring him up to my suite?¡± They all saluted, but one junior member¡ªVictor could tell because he only had one yellow rose embossed on the gorget of his breastplate¡ªhurried through the door. Victor gestured toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bryn.¡± He followed her back to his quarters, though he probably could have led the way. He had a decent mental image of the palace layout, at least the parts he¡¯d frequented over the last few days. Still, it was customary for his ¡°escort¡± to take the lead, so he humored her. Along the way, she asked, her voice echoing hollowly from the inside of her helmet, ¡°How did the negotiation go?¡± ¡°Pretty good, I think. The queen seemed happy. I have to fight at sundown.¡± Bryn¡¯s steps faltered, and she looked over her shoulder. ¡°Are you prepared?¡± ¡°I better be!¡± ¡°Must you always jest?¡± A moment after speaking, she hastily added, ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really joking. There¡¯s not a lot I can do between now and sundown. I came to this world to fight duels, so, yeah, I think it¡¯s fair to say I better be ready.¡± Bryn was silent after that, and when they reached his quarters, she took up a guard position beside the door. ¡°When¡¯s the last time you had a break?¡± ¡°During your negotiations, sir.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So you¡¯re good?¡± Her helmet inclined marginally, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Let me know when Trobban gets here.¡± Victor let himself into the room and smiled at the scent of fresh flowers and clean air; the housekeepers had flung the windows wide and tidied up while he was gone. The central room in the suite was dominated by a long, darkly stained wooden table, and he walked over to it, pulling out a chair that afforded him a clear view of the door. Then he rummaged through his storage ring, taking out Arona¡¯s phylactery. Almost before he had time to set the dark, rune-etched bone on the table, a cold, blue mist began to gather in the shadows under the table. A moment later, they swirled up, coalescing into the shape of a slender woman in dark, layered robes. ¡°Hello again, Victor.¡± She looked around, squinting at the light streaming through the tall windows. ¡°Your quarters are quite fine.¡± She¡¯d only seen the sitting room with the curtains drawn the night before. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not complaining.¡± Victor smiled, leaning back. ¡°The artificer I told you about should be here in a minute or two.¡± ¡°Wonderful! I¡¯m excited to hear what he thinks of my predicament. And how are you? When we last spoke, you mentioned negotiations?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. Everything went fine¡ªI have to fight tonight.¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly figure moved to hover near the chair on Victor¡¯s left. ¡°Are you as nervous as the first time?¡± Victor took the hint and pulled the chair out for her. ¡°No. Partly because Kynna¡¯s negotiations went so well. Even if I lose, she and her people are going to come out all right. At least for a while.¡± Arona nodded, sliding her ethereal figure into the seat. ¡°So you don¡¯t feel the same pressure. That should help you relax and do what you do best.¡± ¡°I hope so. I¡¯ll find out how effective my new Class refinement will be.¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Her dark lips spread into a sly grin. ¡°A new Class? Now that you hold my very existence in your hands, are you willing to tell me what tier you¡¯ve reached? If I were guessing, I¡¯d say the eighth.¡± Victor chuckled and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Really? Only level eighty?¡± ¡°Oh, am I so far off? Have you reached the ninth tier?¡± Before Victor could answer, a knock sounded on the door, and Bryn called out, ¡°Sir Victor, your guest has arrived.¡± Victor looked into Arona¡¯s dark, ethereal eyes. ¡°Ready?¡± She nodded, and he called, ¡°Send him in.¡± He watched as the door swung wide, and Trobban came through, dressed much the same as he¡¯d been in his shop, though with a fancy red, silken cloak thrown over his shoulders. ¡°Hello, Trobban.¡± Victor stood and gestured to the chair across from Arona. ¡°Please sit down.¡± Trobban approached, and when he saw Arona¡¯s ghostly figure, he paused and retrieved some spectacles from his pocket. He put them on, adjusting a tiny dial next to the hexagonal, blue-tinted right lens. ¡°My, my. Hello there, Champion Victor, and what should I call you, lovely lady?¡± Arona smiled and waved a ghostly hand. ¡°Flattering phrases won¡¯t win you favors with me. Call me Arona, for I¡¯ve no pride in my many titles and feats.¡± ¡°Very well. It¡¯s my pleasure to meet you.¡± Trobban sat at the table, and his gaze drifted to the rune-etched bone. ¡°Is this your work, Lady Arona?¡± ¡°It is, though I must confess I finished it in haste.¡± Trobban stared at the bone through his strange spectacles, slowly nodding. ¡°Hasty you may have been, but here you sit¡ªa spirit whole, a mind intact. You¡¯ve done fine work here.¡± ¡°Have you thought about Arona¡¯s situation, Trobban?¡± Victor wasn¡¯t in a big hurry, but he also didn¡¯t want to sit and listen to Trobban flattering Arona all afternoon. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to confirm a few things with your charge, Sir Victor.¡± Trobban focused his gaze on Arona. ¡°Is it truly your wish to alter your primary Energy affinity?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Have you considered the potential for a loss in potency? I mean, should your Core be so fundamentally changed?¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly hood moved up and down. ¡°I¡¯ve read about the topic at great length. There are records of people changing their Core and primary affinity without a significant loss of power. There are a handful of complimentary attunements and, if I could awaken one¡ª¡± Trobban nodded. ¡°Awaken or gain. I¡¯ve thought long on your situation. Are you set on inhabiting a vessel born by natural means?¡± Victor frowned and interjected, ¡°You mean a person¡¯s body?¡± ¡°Yes; typically, a lich will have a corpse prepared to receive their spirit. Usually, it would be a stronger vessel than they gave up. The process involves replacing certain organs and enriching the flesh with Energy, rituals, and artifacts. Obviously, whatever caused the vessel¡¯s original death must be repaired, and¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be a lich, Artificer Trobban.¡± Trobban nodded. ¡°There are other means of inhabiting a living vessel. There are ways to preserve the life of a body while the spirit is removed.¡± He looked at Victor. ¡°You should be familiar with that possibility, being a Spirit Caster. Once the spirit is out, we can¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t steal another person¡¯s body!¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly fists clenched. ¡°Then, we must consider my original question. Are you willing to look into vessels not born by natural means?¡± Arona frowned. ¡°A construct?¡± Trobban nodded. ¡°Just so.¡± ¡°They¡¯re so limited, though. I¡¯d never have the potential of a true Core or a proper bloodline. Racial advancement treasures wouldn¡¯t work, and¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, pardon me, Lady Arona, but I believe your knowledge about constructs is lacking in some departments. There are ways to create vessels every bit as potent as an epic-tier natural species. It¡¯s all a matter of preparation, Energy infusion, and, of course, the acquisition of appropriately powerful artifacts¡ªa heart, a mind, a Core, the materials for the flesh and bones, and other special organs like eyes, sexual¡ª¡± Arona¡¯s frown had fallen away as the man spoke, but she waved a hand, cutting him off. ¡°To make a living construct equivalent to an epic-tier species would be an enormous undertaking with expenses rivaling even my former master¡¯s greatest projects. I refer to a man who is a veil walker and has been for thousands of years. I don¡¯t have access to those sorts of resources.¡± Victor frowned, contemplating everything he¡¯d heard. He could offer to help, but he understood Arona¡¯s objection; he had a few million beads, but that likely wouldn¡¯t come close to scratching the surface of what Trobban was proposing. Before he could think of a comment that wouldn¡¯t sound inane, Trobban spoke again, ¡°There are other options. There are ways to create living vessels that do not require the sacrifice of another soul. Certain trees have the potential¡ªif we could graft a branch from the Er¡¯va¡¯leigh oak, I could encourage it to grow into an approximate replication of your former body¡ªI¡¯m assuming that¡¯s what your spiritual projection is based upon?¡± Arona nodded. ¡°It is. Will it be able to accept my full Energy level?¡± ¡°I believe so, though it may take some time to mature to that potential.¡± Trobban frowned. ¡°Speaking of growing, how do you feel about embryonic spiritual implantation?¡± ¡°You mean for me to inhabit the body of an unborn being?¡± She frowned. ¡°My old master spoke of it. I¡¯d have to supplant the nascent spirit of the being, and then I¡¯d also be forced to grow at a natural pace. I don¡¯t relish the thought of another childhood.¡± ¡°So, that brings us back ¡®round to the idea of a properly prepared undead vessel. With enough time and the right affinity, it''s possible that you could spark life within such a body. If we could convert your death-attuned Energy into a new Core¡ª¡± ¡°How much are we talking?¡± Victor interrupted. ¡°I mean to build her a proper vessel from natural artifacts and whatnot.¡± Trobban smiled and shrugged. ¡°Each treasure would be a monumental expense, and we¡¯d need many.¡± Victor rubbed his chin, stroking the stubble along his jawline. ¡°Trobban, will you please step out? I¡¯d like to speak to Arona alone for a moment.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± His chair scraped noisily on the tile as he slid it back. Arona stared at Victor as Trobban¡¯s heels clicked on the same tile, hurrying toward the door. ¡°Shall I wait without?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t go far,¡± Victor called. When the door clicked shut, Arona said, ¡°It¡¯s too great an expense. This is something a veil walker might attempt, someone who¡¯s gathered treasures for millennia.¡± ¡°Listen, I didn¡¯t want to say this in front of Trobban because no one knows yet, but Dar didn¡¯t just send me here to fight off a couple of champions who are threatening Kynna. He wants me to help her conquer this world. We¡¯re talking nearly a hundred nations. I¡¯ll have to fight a shitload of champions, but there will also be many nations who won¡¯t want to fight, who will take a knee, offering tribute and swearing fealty to Kynna. I get a piece of all that tribute. I can demand certain things. It¡¯s customary.¡± ¡°And you¡¯d squander part of your well-earned treasure to help me build a body? I won¡¯t allow it. I¡¯d rather create a proper undead vessel, and then I can seek my own solution.¡± As Victor¡¯s countenance grew increasingly stormy, she asked, ¡°Why, Victor? Why would you offer so much to someone who, really, hasn¡¯t done anything for you? To someone whom you hardly know?¡± He shrugged and spoke his mind, tired of games and duplicity. ¡°Mainly because I like you. I don¡¯t know why, but every time we¡¯ve been thrown together, I thought you were pretty cool. Then there¡¯s the fact that I don¡¯t like Death Casters, and I can¡¯t stand the idea of you being forced to be one. Once you¡¯re properly undead, tell me, do you think you¡¯ll lose some of that yearning you feel to get away from death-attuned magic?¡± Arona¡¯s raspy voice grew quiet and small, and Victor could hear the fear in it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It would change me, but I don¡¯t know how much.¡± ¡°Right. Besides all that, you should know it¡¯s worth a lot to me to hold up a middle finger to a guy like Vesavo. The guy gave me the creeps and reminded me of all the assholes I dealt with from Dark Ember, especially Hector. You know, there are a ton of high-tier assholes on that world, and I still feel like I need to pay them a visit. They treat humans like cattle there!¡± Victor growled and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m getting off track, but my point is that if I can help you, a person I think of as a friend, escape the curse of being like those pinch¨¦ mother¡ªEh, you get the idea. I want to do it.¡± Arona stared at him for a long minute, but she slowly nodded. ¡°If you can help me build an epic-tier vessel, and Trobban can convert my Death Core into something else in the process, then I will swear fealty to you, Victor. I will serve you until such time that we both feel I¡¯ve earned what you¡¯ve given me. I will go with you to crush the Death Casters on Dark Ember. With an epic-tier vessel, I can reach veil walker status! I can grow to be a proper companion to someone as mighty as you. I will dedicate my¡ª¡± ¡°Easy!¡± Victor laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves, all right? First, we need to get all the shit together. Now, don¡¯t mention the succession war to Trobban, all right?¡± When she nodded, he called out, ¡°Trobban, get in here.¡± The door opened, and Trobban veritably ran back to the table. He seemed eager, as though he had an idea of what Victor was about to tell him. ¡°Yes, Sir Victor?¡± ¡°Sit down, please.¡± Trobban nodded and dropped into the chair, leaning an elbow on the table as he stared intently at Victor. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going to do an epic-tier vessel. Are you capable of craft¡ª¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! I can do it, Lord Victor! With the proper materials, we can create the perfect vessel for you, Lady Arona! Why, I can¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on, man!¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°Listen, you need to talk with Arona. You need to consider every possibility. It¡¯s imperative that she comes out of this without losing any potency but also with a new Core and, at least, a new primary affinity. You should know that I have a potent Spirit Core, and if I can be of any help, I¡¯ll be willing.¡± ¡°I will endeavor to meet your demands, milord.¡± He ducked his head, and Victor sighed. It wasn¡¯t lost on him that the guy had gone from calling him ¡°sir¡± to ¡°lord¡± now that he thought he was about to bankroll an extravagant project. He thumped his thumbs on the table, thinking. After a moment, he nodded. ¡°Listen, Trobban, it might take us some time to gather everything we need, but you need to make a list, and I¡¯ll work on it. More importantly, you need to understand that you and I are the only people on this entire planet who know about Arona. If word gets out, I¡¯ll know who to blame. Understood?¡± ¡°Absolutely, sir! My lips are sealed. I¡¯ll do nothing to jeopardize a project like this; I stand to gain too much!¡± Victor nodded. He hadn¡¯t considered that. For an Artificer, crafting an epic-tier body for Arona would probably be the equivalent of¡Victor couldn¡¯t think of a proper comparison. Maybe it would be like killing a legendary beast, like a great ancient wyrm, all alone. ¡°All right,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to talk and consider all the options. I have a duel to fight soon, and I¡¯m damn hungry.¡± 9.18 Furious Momentum Victor could feel the rage building. He could feel it streaming into the special pathways that ran parallel to the more robust ones he¡¯d built up along with his Core. Each time Qi Pot struck a painful blow with that deadly, slippery, shadow-clad rapier, another surge of the potent heat rushed out of Victor¡¯s Core and into his body. Despite his awareness of it, despite knowing how it affected him, Victor couldn¡¯t keep the fury from creeping into his mind, clouding his vision with a red lust for vengeance and slaughter. He gnashed his teeth and growled, grunting as he fought, jabbing his great, heavy spear more and more deftly. His defensive battle had slowly shifted to the offense as he cared less and less for his health and slowly stopped trying to avoid Qi Pot¡¯s slashes and stabs. He¡¯d known this would happen. He¡¯d planned on it. When he first saw Qi Pot in the negotiation, taken in his lengthy, wiry fencer¡¯s build and seen his long, slender rapier, Victor had known how this fight would go. Qi Pot¡¯s strategy was clear: he saw Victor as a brutish, barbaric berserker who relied on his overwhelming strength and ferocity to win fights. In that case, Qi Pot intended to wear him down much as a matador bleeds out the great bull, so much stronger and fiercer than himself. His speed and grace were remarkable; at the start of the fight, he¡¯d deftly maneuvered around Victor¡¯s spear, scoring gashes on his hands and arms, stabbing the tip of that lightning-fast weapon into his ribs, stomach, chest, and back. He stabbed it into his thighs, his glutes¡ªeverywhere. Victor was crimson with his blood, and if the arena''s sands weren¡¯t black and red, they¡¯d be painted, too. Even so, the dark, wet streaks were plain for all to see. Victor had lost gallons of blood. The problem for Qi Pot was that Victor was more than enormously resilient. A man like Qi Pot could cope with resilience. Despite his great vitality and the durability of his Quinametzin flesh and bone, Victor bled, and if something could bleed, it would eventually grow weak and slow. With the accumulation of hundreds or thousands of wounds, Victor would be vanquished. Unfortunately, Victor was more than resilient. Victor had the regenerative capabilities of a monstrous behemoth; as Qi Pot lashed that wickedly fast, wickedly sharp rapier in and out, Victor bled, his wound closed, and his body regenerated the lost blood. Before the rage began to overtake his mind, Victor wondered where his new blood and flesh came from. Was it manifested from Energy? Was it pulling molecules out of the air and altering them? Was he somehow splitting and multiplying his cells? His mind didn¡¯t linger on the question long; each cut added to the other half of the equation that summed up Qi Pot¡¯s doom: his rage. Victor¡¯s ability to heal and stay fresh despite his mounting wound tally was one thing, but every cut and stab also added to his ¡°furious battle momentum.¡± As rage filled Victor¡¯s extra pathway and began to infuse his flesh, he healed even more rapidly, and, worse for Qi Pot, he became stronger and faster. And so, after dragging the fight out for nearly twenty minutes¡ªa short time in the grand scheme of things but a very long time in a life-and-death contest¡ªVictor¡¯s fury became unbearable, and he lost all sense of strategy. He lashed out with the spear, and the rage fueled his movements. The great, weighty weapon was like a feather in his hands, and it ripped the air with whistling shrieks as he stabbed and hacked the double-edged spear blade about. For the first time, he fought like he meant it, and despite his blind fury, he used the weapon¡¯s length to his advantage, bullying the rapier-wielding Qi Pot into a full-blown retreat. Qi Pot wasn¡¯t just a fighter, though; he was a man who¡¯d achieved great heights as a cultivator of Energy. He gathered shadows and fire, making himself momentarily ghostly, flickering with dark flames as he streaked around the arena, seeking to find Victor¡¯s flank again. Victor was so fast, so strong, so utterly dominant that Qi Pot had to burn more and more Energy to move outside the arc of the berserker¡¯s enormous reach. He became a specter of black flames, and his rapier thrusts shot forth like arcs of molten metallic fire that splashed against Victor, charring his bloody clothes but hardly marring the titanic warrior¡¯s flesh. Victor began to laugh¡ªa maniacal, madness-tinged sound that echoed hoarsely through the arena, silencing the crowd as they watched him glide over the sand, a predator closing in for the kill. His eyes blazed with molten fire, smoke drifted from his nostrils, and though Qi Pot continued to score magical blows, burning enormous torrents of Energy to stay ahead of Victor¡¯s lightning pursuit, he only empowered the berserker further. The onlookers had been raucous at first, cheering for both warriors at the start of the fight. As Qi Pot bled Victor bit by bit, skillfully dancing in and out, leaving a bloody mark on Victor¡¯s flesh or plain yellow tunic with each attack, the crowd had cheered. They¡¯d grown wild with adoration for Qi Pot¡¯s flourishes, and he¡¯d put on quite a show for them, whipping his rapier through the air as he performed mocking bows, his face full of contempt. Now, though, Qi Pot¡¯s confident smile was gone; his movements were precise and lacked extraneous flourishes. Victor couldn¡¯t savor the destruction of Qi Pot¡¯s morale. He was too busy fantasizing about dismembering him. Red visions of bloody destruction ran through his mind as he pursued the smaller man, and each time those dark, fiery shadows lashed out, the red filter on his vision grew darker, and his muscles surged with renewed strength and speed. He hacked his spear like a club or sword¡ªor axe¡ªand it shrieked through the air, never intended by its maker to be used in such a manner. Still, the force of those hacks was undeniable; the weapon''s length and the absurd power behind the blows made it harder and harder for Qi Pot to avoid, even in his dark, shadowy, fire form. Eventually, it hit home. The first hacking blow of Victor¡¯s spear caught Qi Pot at the knee and snipped through his flesh and bone like a cleaver through a carrot. The man could barely scream before a follow-up, backhanded, upward slash brought the side of the spear blade into Qi Pot¡¯s armpit, severing his rapier-wielding right arm. After that, Victor dropped the spear and pounced, preferring the feel of flesh and bone crunching under his knuckles, savoring the hot sprays of blood and the coppery taste of victory. When the veil walker, Grand Judicator Lohanse, gripped his arm and tried to pull him off, Victor instinctively rolled his wrist, grappling with the man out of pure muscle memory. He wrapped his powerful fingers around the veil walker¡¯s wrist and, to the stunned gasps of thousands of spectators, threw Lohanse to the side so he could resume his bloody destruction of Qi Pot¡¯s corpse. Of course, Lohanse wasn¡¯t a child or a mere mortal to be so easily dismissed. He gathered his aura and let it loose indiscriminately, bringing most of the people in the stands to their knees. Victor felt the aura. It was thick and hot like molten iron, with depthless chasms of pride and mountains of knowledge. It pulled and pressed on him like it might fold his molecules into each other and erase him from existence. Even so, a small part of Victor¡¯s mind, a tiny piece of his rational self, recognized that he¡¯d felt worse. With that little kernel of thought in his barely lucid mind, he growled and stood up from the ruined corpse, his fists dripping blood as he looked with furious, bloodshot eyes into the stunned countenance of the veil walker. ¡°You will kneel!¡± the grand judicator growled and clenched his fist. Searing bands of lightning-charged Energy wrapped around Victor and hurled him face-first onto the sand. Even influenced by his furious battle momentum, he couldn¡¯t move his arms inside those straps of burning Energy, and as the lightning crackled, he felt the veil walker¡¯s probing Energy in his pathways, grasping the rage-attuned Energy there and ripping it out. As the fury left Victor, his tense, rigid body relaxed, and Lohanse released his bonds of electrical force. Victor struggled to his hands and knees and was acutely aware of the quiet. The only sounds coming down to him from the stands were those of people groaning and grumbling as they returned to their seats and recovered from the veil walker¡¯s show of force. Murmurs turned into hushed whispers as they looked down to the sands where Victor knelt beside the ruined corpse of Qi Pot with Lohanse standing tall over him, arms folded. To Victor¡¯s relief, it seemed the veil walker wasn¡¯t one to hold a grudge. ¡°Stand up then, warrior. You¡¯ve won.¡± With a grunt, Victor clambered to his feet. Lohanse raised his voice, holding his arms outstretched. ¡°I give you Victor, Champion of Gloria, the winner of today¡¯s contest!¡± The crowd¡¯s reaction at first was tepid¡ªsome cheers and claps sounded from the stands near Queen Kynna¡¯s boxed section. After a few seconds, though, people began to feel encouraged, and fear of the veil walker¡¯s wrath subsided. More and more cheers resounded, and then Lohanse spoke to Victor, his voice easy to hear despite the din. ¡°Well? What prize will you claim?¡± He glanced at the bloody mass of flesh and bone that used to be Qi Pot soaking into the sands. Victor frowned, suddenly unwilling to claim the heart of his demolished foe. His anger was gone, and, it seemed, much of his pride and lust for glory were, too. Glancing inward, he saw that this Core was dim. Lohanse had relieved him of more than his rage. Still, he was Quinametzin, and he¡¯d not be so easily cowed.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. ¡°I will have my enemy¡¯s heart.¡± Lohanse sighed, tsking. ¡°As you wish.¡± He raised an arm and announced, his voice booming through the arena, ¡°As his prize, Victor will claim the heart of his foe.¡± To Victor¡¯s surprise, the crowd¡¯s cheers surged with the announcement, and he felt the adulation tickling his Core, lifting his levels of glory-attuned Energy. He laughed and raised his hands, making bloody fists as he turned in a slow circle. He saw Kynna leaning forward in her throne-like chair, her hands grasping the arms. Her eyes were bright, and when those eyes locked on Victor¡¯s, she inclined her head slightly, dipping her tall crystal crown. That was when the Energy hit him. As he¡¯d been basking in the roars of the crowd, it had gathered around Qi Pot¡¯s corpse, and the System didn¡¯t care if he was ready or not. It struck him like a poleaxe, knocking the sense from his mind and lifting him off the sands as it poured into his pathways, refilling his Core and then spilling into his flesh as it pushed him toward the next level. It felt like a lot, and Victor wasn¡¯t disappointed when he opened his eyes to a System message: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 71 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ¡°Claim your grisly trophy, warrior,¡± Lohanse said. ¡°I¡¯ve the nobility of Xan to deal with, but I¡¯d rather you were clear of my arena before I left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay now, Grand Judicator.¡± Victor glanced at him and quickly added, ¡°Thanks for helping me cool off.¡± He knelt by the body of his former adversary, summoning a knife from his ring. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first rage-attuned fighter I¡¯ve dealt with. Even so, I¡¯ll wait for you to finish. You¡¯re quite impressive, Victor, and I can see you play a long game with these fools, hopefully with the good of Gloria in mind. Even so, don¡¯t become so enamored with yourself that you fail to realize you aren¡¯t the only special fig on the tree. As your queen works to negotiate further duels, your contests will become more difficult. Have you fought a steel seeker yet?¡± He waited until Victor yanked the heart out of the body and looked up to nod before continuing, ¡°I suspected as much. Your will is powerful, and for an iron-ranker, your aura is prodigious. You¡¯ll be formidable when you break through to the steel ranks, but only if you live that long. There are those who will recognize the threat you pose. I¡¯m sure many already have. This window, when you are still fighting your way up to the first ceiling¡ªthis is when they¡¯ll strike. Be wary of ¡®new¡¯ champions in your coming battles.¡± Victor peered up from where he knelt, locking eyes with the enigmatic veil walker, but the man only nodded once, and then he was gone, like ashes in a stiff breeze. Victor stood, held his bloody prize aloft, smiling fiercely as the crowd roared their approval, and then he walked out of the arena, his mind more troubled by the veil walker¡¯s words than he¡¯d like to admit. He¡¯d gone further than he¡¯d wanted during the fight; no one would see the way he absolutely dominated Qi Pot and think he wasn¡¯t a threat. Worse, he¡¯d stood up to a veil walker, brushing off his aura like it was a minor discomfort. ¡°Pinch¨¦ rage,¡± he sighed as he stepped into the ready room and found Bryn already waiting. ¡°You lost control of your affinity?¡± ¡°Did it seem that way?¡± ¡°I could only imagine that was the case. Why else would you risk death with the judicator?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Besides, I just heard you cursing your rage.¡± ¡°True,¡± Victor laughed. ¡°Was Kynna angry?¡± ¡°Queen Kynna was pleased to have her aggressors dealt with! She asked me to see that you are ¡®well treated¡¯ this evening so that you¡¯re ¡®fresh and relaxed¡¯ for tomorrow''s award ceremony.¡± Her inflection made it clear that she was quoting Queen Kynna. ¡°Award ceremony? I didn¡¯t have one for the first duel.¡± ¡°She¡¯s aware and asked me to thank you for your patience. Between the celebratory feast and the rapid acceptance of Xan¡¯s duel, there wasn¡¯t time.¡± Victor frowned, looking toward the closed door behind Bryn. ¡°She sent my escort to tell me all this? I feel a little snubbed if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Bryn stared at him for a long moment, then reached up and lifted her helmet off, cradling it in the crook of her left elbow. To Victor¡¯s horror, she fell to her knees and bowed her head. ¡°My apologies, Lord Champion. I have failed to convey our nation¡¯s gratitude properly. I did my best, but surely Chamberlain Thorn or Queen Kynna, her exalted self, would have been better suited to deliver you home to the palace. I will convey news of my failure to my superior officer, Guard Captain Wash.¡± ¡°Damn, Bryn!¡± Victor chuckled nervously. ¡°Will you please get up? I didn¡¯t mean that¡ªI was just curious why they sent you alone this time.¡± ¡°In truth, milord,¡± Bryn said, head still bowed, ¡°the Queen was eager to hurry back to the palace ahead of you. She has much to prepare for your celebration tomorrow, which will be difficult to orchestrate considering the city is in the midst of a week-long, debauchery-laced festival. When news of this victory reaches the populace, it will be difficult to get anything done.¡± She cleared her throat and glanced up at him. ¡°And, with a plea for your discretion, I will venture to say that Chamberlain Thorn was afraid to come here after seeing your performance in the arena.¡± ¡°All right, all right. Get up, will you?¡± Victor walked over to the counter where refreshments were on display and used the wash basin there to clean the blood from his hands and arms. Bryn approached and, while he was scrubbing, poured a glass of chilled wine. ¡°You must be parched.¡± ¡°Yeah. Have a glass. We¡¯ll head out after I wash my face.¡± ¡°I was going to suggest that; it¡¯s caked with dried blood.¡± ¡°I can feel it.¡± Victor stoppered the drain and let the ornate faucet, cast in the shape of a swan neck, fill it with cool water. While the water ran, he said, ¡°So, what¡¯s on the agenda tonight? How will you see that I¡¯m, uh, what was it? ¡®Fresh and relaxed¡¯ tomorrow?¡± He glanced at Bryn and saw that his attempt at humor had struck a little too close to home; her cheeks were flushed, and she was trying not to look at him. Hastily, he said, ¡°I think a big dinner and some good booze will suit me just fine. Maybe you could invite the old champion. What was his name? Foster? I wouldn¡¯t mind having someone to shoot the breeze with before I hit the sack.¡± Bryn¡¯s relief was palpable. Victor could only imagine what she feared he¡¯d ask for. ¡°I think that should be easy enough to arrange! I thought perhaps you¡¯d enjoy a bath and massage¡ªwe have a very skilled Elemental Therapist at the palace. I was awarded a session when I was promoted, and it was the most wonderful experience I¡¯ve ever had.¡± ¡°Sec.¡± Victor dunked his head in the basin and scrubbed his hair and face vigorously for several seconds before lifting it out. The water was deep red. ¡°I think a bath would be great, and, shit, yes, I¡¯d like a massage.¡± He grabbed a towel, dried his face, and gestured to the door. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bryn lifted her helmet to her head, then led the way down the corridor to the portal room. ¡°I enjoyed watching your fight tonight, Victor. I could tell some of the others were worried at the start, but I could see you weren¡¯t bothered much by the wounds Qi Pot delivered. He chose the wrong sort of weapon to face one such as you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor looked sideways at her. ¡°What kind of weapon do you think would be better?¡± ¡°Ideally? Something that would be harder to heal from. A projectile weapon, perhaps. A powerful bow¡ªan artifact that could generate its ammunition, for instance. If the bolts or arrows were driven deeply and difficult to remove, surely they¡¯d take a toll, even against someone with your constitution.¡± ¡°Hmm. Yeah, I don¡¯t love arrows. What other ideas do you have?¡± ¡°Anything other than a dagger or rapier!¡± She snorted. ¡°Perhaps a great blade, though everyone saw how you dealt with Obert¡¯s sword. If not a weapon, then perhaps devastating Energy attacks. I think you¡¯d need to take great damage quickly¡ªI can¡¯t see how anyone could win by trying to wear you down inch-by-inch.¡± She sounded excited to be given leave to discuss strategy, and Victor nodded, encouraging her. ¡°Can you tell me, Victor, how you could bleed so much and still fight? Is it your bloodline?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll share some secrets with you, Bryn, but not yet. Let¡¯s get through the next couple of days, find out who I¡¯m fighting next, and then maybe we can talk strategy. Would you like that?¡± ¡°Very much, sir! I think you¡¯ll like Foster, too. He knows a great deal about the empire and the many men and women who fight as champions.¡± Victor clapped her shoulder as they entered the portal room. ¡°That¡¯s great, Bryn. You¡¯ll join us, of course. Bring a friend, if you want. I mean, you can put that together while I¡¯m getting that massage, yeah?¡± She stared at him with wide eyes. ¡°I, um, of course, I¡¯ll be on duty, sir. I¡¯ll be glad to watch over you during your dinner with¡ª¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll protect myself tonight, Bryn. Seriously, bring a friend or two. Heck, are you married? Bring your, uh, significant other¡ªwhoever you want. We¡¯ll have the meal in my quarters, then sit around and talk about fighting. Yeah, I guess whoever you invite should be interested in that.¡± Victor nodded, gave her shoulder another slap, then stepped through the portal. She joined him on the other side of the portal and, as though they hadn¡¯t just traveled thousands of miles, said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the Elemental Therapist sent to your rooms, sir. In the meantime, I¡¯ll begin making the arrangements for the dinner.¡± After a moment, she added, ¡°Thank you for the invitation.¡± Victor smiled, ignoring the other guards in the chamber as he regarded her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it? Go ahead and get started on all that. I can make it to my quarters.¡± She bowed, and Victor left, grinning stupidly. In a way, he was messing with her; he had a good time putting people off balance, and he thought Bryn was kind of funny when she got flustered. Still, he wanted to make some new friends, and he thought she was pretty cool. As he strode through the palace, heading for his rooms, he couldn¡¯t help but feel good, despite a distant, niggling worry about the veil walker¡¯s words. It only made sense that powerful people were watching the duels. There were tens of thousands of people in those stands; Gloria¡¯s upset victories were sure to draw attention. When he talked Kynna into challenging some neighbors, life was going to get¡dangerous. He was ready for it, and as far as scheming steel seekers might go, Victor figured he¡¯d just have to stay a step ahead. 9.19 The Road Ahead Victor walked through the remnants of his impromptu, celebratory get-together, idly counting the empty liquor bottles on his way to the balcony doors. He stopped at thirteen, shaking his head and chuckling. Foster, Bryn, and her two friends from the palace guard were all above tier eight, and they hadn¡¯t struggled in the least to clean out Victor¡¯s liquor cabinet. He pulled the doors wide, letting in the fresh, late-morning air, then stepped out, turning his face to the sun, soaking it up. He felt remarkably good. Bryn hadn¡¯t been lying about the ¡°Elemental Therapist.¡± The fellow had used water and fire affinities to do incredible things to Victor¡¯s muscles. Besides his ability to chill and warm his tendons and muscles from the inside out, the man had been a skilled masseur, something Victor couldn¡¯t remember ever experiencing, at least not for a long, dedicated session like that. He stretched, arching his back, then patted his stomach, not surprised to find it still satisfied after the food and drink he¡¯d consumed late into the night. Bryn had arranged quite a feast, and though Victor could recall enjoying the company of her friends, he honestly couldn¡¯t remember much about the conversations they¡¯d had. ¡°Now, though, it¡¯s time to get to work.¡± With a sigh, he turned away from the sun and walked to his door. When he opened it, he didn¡¯t find Bryn, but one of her comrades. ¡°Good morning, sir.¡± ¡°Good morning. Will you advise the queen that I¡¯d like to meet with her at her earliest convenience?¡± ¡°Right away, sir!¡± The young man slammed his fist to his chest and took off at a jog, his plate armor clanking with each stride. Victor closed the door and spent the next few minutes getting ready for the day¡ªshowering, shaving, cleaning his teeth, and putting on the perfectly clean clothes that he wore almost every day. While he waited for word from the queen, Victor pulled some of his study materials out of his storage ring and stacked them on the small round table in the central parlor of his suite. He planned to do a little more research into Elder magic, and along with it, he intended to mess around with one or two of his older, lesser-utilized spells. It had been many months¡ªyears?¡ªsince he¡¯d figured out how to create weaves of his affinities that produced justice-attuned Energy. He¡¯d even discovered a powerful spell to use with it, The Inevitable Huntsman, but he''d so rarely had occasion to invoke the magic that he wondered if he couldn¡¯t improve or alter it somehow. He had beautiful, large, thick sheets of paper that he¡¯d gotten from Dar for writing out spell patterns, and he¡¯d just taken one out and begun to delicately sketch the pattern for the huntsman spell when there was a tap on his door. ¡°Come in,¡± he called. He had his back to the door, but he heard it open, gliding near silently on its well-oiled hinges, and then a strident voice startled him into nearly dropping his pen, ¡°Her Majesty, Queen Kynna Dar!¡± Victor spun in his chair to see Kynna gliding into his quarters, the jewels sewn into her dazzling pale gray and blue gown glittering in the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her crown nearly brushed the lintel, but the palace had been designed with massive statures in mind, and it missed it by an inch or so. Mortified by the state of his quarters and ill-prepared state, Victor jumped to his feet and sketched out a hasty bow. The queen smiled at him, then turned to the man holding the door. ¡°Thank you, Seneschal Lovalle. Please wait without.¡± The slender, neatly coiffed man stooped into a low bow and swept out of the room, closing the door behind him. ¡°Good morning, Champion.¡± ¡°Um, good morning, My Queen.¡± Victor straightened and gestured to the empty seat to the right of his own. ¡°Would you care to sit?¡± The truth was, he was trying to get her to look his way before her gaze lingered on the mess in the sitting area near the windows. It seemed it was too late, in any case. As she glided into the suite and approached the table where Victor was working, the queen said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Thorn speak to your housekeeping staff. This is no fit state for a royal champion¡¯s chambers.¡± ¡°Um, no, Your Majesty, please don¡¯t. I asked them to come back later. I, uh, didn¡¯t know I¡¯d have a guest.¡± Kynna froze halfway to the table, staring at him with a blank expression. Her eyes weren¡¯t particularly bright, generally, not like Dar¡¯s, but at that moment, they were hardly glowing¡ªalmost like they were veiled by mist. It made Victor wonder about the nature of the eyes themselves. Were there actual fires burning in the sockets? Were the flames inside a transparent shell of something¡keratin? ¡°Did you not summon me?¡± ¡°I, uh, sent my guard to let you know that I wanted you to summon me whenever it was convenient.¡± Kynna started forward again, shaking her head and tsking. ¡°Perhaps the young man was overzealous. No matter. I¡¯m here. What can I help you with, Victor?¡± She sat down, gracefully folding one leg over the other as she turned the chair to look at him more easily. ¡°Um, do you want a refreshment?¡± Victor prayed she¡¯d say no. He had no idea what was appropriate to serve a queen. ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Right, well, I wanted to talk to you about our strategy moving forward. I mean, now that your immediate threat has been dealt with, we¡¯ll need to start implementing Dar¡¯s plans.¡± ¡°Ranish Dar? What further plans are there? I assumed you¡¯d linger here a while, ensuring no further encroachments, but I have a new cadre of champions now that we¡¯ve conquered Xan and Frostmarch; I don¡¯t think you should feel bound to further service.¡± She spoke plainly and seemed so oblivious that Victor had to lean back in his chair and think for a moment. Hadn¡¯t he said he was there to help Gloria rise to¡glory? He strained his brain, trying to think of his words when he¡¯d first met the queen. ¡°My Queen, has Ranish Dar not conveyed his further wishes for my, uh, service to you? Didn¡¯t I make it clear why I was here when I presented you with my spear?¡± ¡°You said that the time had come for my house to ascend to its rightful place of prominence on Ruhn.¡± She spread her hands and gave a slight, elegant shrug. ¡°Both Xan and Frostmarch had recently conquered one of our other neighbors. With your two victories, we now sit at the head of a five-kingdom hegemony¡ªmore power than Gloria has held in twelve centuries.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good start.¡± ¡°Start?¡± Kynna raised a delicately feathered black brow, and Victor thought he saw the fire in her eyes grow brighter. ¡°Yeah. Ranish Dar believes it¡¯s time for a new empire to rule Ruhn, and, naturally, he wants his descendants to be in charge.¡± Both of Kynna¡¯s brows shot up, and her eyes widened further as she leaned forward and hissed, ¡°He wants me to initiate a war of succession?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ªinitiate and win.¡± She reached up to her crown and tapped a nail against the crystal. A chime rang out, reverberating as a pale blue dome of Energy surrounded Victor, Kynna, and the table where they sat. ¡°Such words will bring imperial assassins!¡± ¡°You think spies are listening?¡± Victor scowled and looked around his room. ¡°When such words are spoken, one must always assume! Victor, what you suggest is insanity. Do you understand what such an action entails?¡± ¡°I have some idea, yeah. Your ancestor schooled me a bit before he sent me here. Still, let¡¯s review. What do you think it entails?¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Even at the head of five nations, Gloria amounts to less than a tenth of the power of one of the great houses, of which there are seven. They all rule hegemonies of at least five major nations on the eastern continent. Consider that Khaliday, the imperial seat, is equal to any three of the great houses. Now, consider that, in order to challenge Khaliday, we¡¯d need to conquer one of the great houses and to challenge a great house, we¡¯d need to fight our way through dozens of lesser kingdoms here, on the western continent.¡± ¡°Hmm, actually, that sounds a little better than I¡¯d feared. So, we¡¯d snap up five or more nations by beating a great house? On top of that, once you rule a great house, you can challenge the emperor directly?¡± Kynna stared at him like he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°Victor, the champions of Frostmarch and Xan were formidable by the standards of far-flung western kingdoms, but they were children compared to the veritable demigods who fight for the great houses.¡± Victor nodded slowly. ¡°I know. I know we¡¯ve got a ways to go before we challenge a great house, too, but we need to start making moves that way. We need to start strategizing about which kingdoms here, on the Western continent, will most easily be bullied or tricked into a duel. Which kingdoms will bend the knee? We need to build momentum quickly to make it harder for the great houses to prepare and to minimize the time they have to try things like assassination.¡± The queen stared at him for a long time, and he could only imagine the wheels turning in her head. If Victor left, she¡¯d have a very real chance to spend centuries in peace, ruler of a powerful mini-empire. If she went along with Dar¡¯s idea that she should try to conquer the entire planet, in her mind, she would be walking a path where defeat wasn¡¯t just possible but likely, especially considering what she thought she knew of Victor¡¯s capabilities. ¡°Are you in contact with my ancestor?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Then I must choose my words carefully, mustn¡¯t I?¡± She shook her head; whether it was at Victor or her own words, he couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°I didn¡¯t bargain for this when I appealed to Ranish Dar for help. You speak blithely, but there will be no peaceful resolution for a nation that instigates a succession war¡ªeither we win, or the emperor will wipe out my bloodline. Of course, you bear the same risk as a champion, at least personally, but tell me, are you also putting your loved ones at risk?¡± Victor had to admit she made a good point. It was one thing to risk yourself, but to risk your entire family, from your children to your distant cousins, was another matter. ¡°I understand your concern.¡± ¡°I must think on this. I know I risk my ancestor¡¯s wrath, but¡¡± She trailed off, shaking her head. ¡°I must seek the counsel of people I trust, Victor. Tell me one thing: did you truly hold back so much against Obert and Qi Pot, or are you mad? I do not lie when I say that Obert would never dream of challenging one of the champions of the great houses.¡± ¡°I might be crazy, Queen Kynna, but I¡¯m not here for any reason other than I need some tough pendejos to fight. If Dar just wanted to beat the guys putting pressure on your family, he could have found someone in Sojourn to do the job. I¡¯m here for the guys no one else wants to fight.¡± Victor shrugged as if that was all he had to say. She tsked. ¡°Such pride! Do you not fear death?¡± Victor sighed and leaned back, drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair while he thought about how to answer the question. ¡°I have a Spirit Core. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I can discern that much.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen the other side. I¡¯ve seen spirits and even spoken to a loved one after she passed. I¡¯ve had my ancestors talk to me while I fight. They¡¯ve even offered me boons. I don¡¯t view death as the end anymore. I might once have worried about dying, worried I¡¯d leave things unfinished in this world, but that worry has changed. Now, I worry I won¡¯t do enough in this life to earn a proper place among my ancestors. ¡°I¡¯m a fighter, Queen Kynna¡ªit¡¯s pretty much the only damn thing I have a hope of being excellent at. I won¡¯t earn glory for my ancestors by choosing easy battles.¡± Victor leaned forward, his eyes intense beneath the glower of his dark, heavy brow. ¡°I need you to start this war because I don¡¯t see another easy way to get a fight with those pendejos on the eastern continent.¡± For the first time, Victor let his aura slip a little in the queen¡¯s presence, giving her a taste of the heat and weight of it, the bloody taste and sharp edge, the hunger for glory tinged with the stomach-turning scent of fear and the blood-boiling fury of the mountain. She leaned back, and her pale gray skin paled further as she visibly swallowed. She glanced toward the door as though weighing her odds at making a hasty retreat. Victor only let his aura ripple out for a second, though, and when it passed, it was like the room grew brighter. Kynna cleared her throat and nodded. ¡°I have much to think on. Please delay your next message to my ancestor until we¡¯ve spoken again.¡± ¡°I will.¡± As she stood and started for the door, Victor stood. ¡°My Queen?¡± When she turned, he held his massive black spear in his hands. To her credit, Kynna didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I promised you this spear and swore to use it to vanquish the hounds on your borders. Will you take it now?¡± Victor fell to a knee and held the spear out. Kynna took a quick breath, and he could tell she¡¯d had words on her tongue that she halted just before they escaped. After a moment¡¯s consideration, she reached out, rested her fingertips on the sturdy weapon, and nodded. ¡°I will. My thanks, Champion of Gloria.¡± As she finished the words, the spear disappeared, summoned into a storage container, no doubt. ¡°I look forward to your award ceremony this evening, Victor. Will you wear a proper uniform if I have one sent here?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Victor nodded as he stood, then walked over to the door, pulling it open for her. ¡°Thank you for coming to see me so quickly. I didn¡¯t expect such a courtesy.¡± Kynna seemed to appreciate the chance to retake the upper hand. She smiled crookedly and glanced toward the mess in the sitting area. ¡°I can see that.¡± Victor wanted to deny having drunk all those bottles of alcohol, but he just nodded with a slightly chagrined smile. And Kynna stepped through the door. Over her shoulder, as her entourage formed around her, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll have that uniform sent over soon. See you tonight, Champion Victor.¡± ¡°Tonight, Your Majesty.¡± Victor watched the group of guards, ladies in waiting, and officials make their way down the hallway, wondering what they all did while they waited outside a door for their queen. Returning to his chambers, he retrieved Arona¡¯s phylactery from his storage ring. Her spirit rapidly materialized as he moved over to his sitting area to gather up the many empty bottles, dirty plates, and soiled linen napkins. He stacked them on the oversized ottoman that ran the length of the central couch, and Arona drifted over. ¡°I see you survived your duel.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry I didn¡¯t summon you right away, but I had to¡entertain last night.¡± He gestured to the mess. ¡°I was just going to leave it for the cleaning staff, but now I feel guilty; I had a pop-in visit from the queen.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Arona moved to ¡°sit¡± on the couch, even though she didn¡¯t really touch it. ¡°Yeah. She was slightly more clueless about Dar¡¯s plans for Gloria than I expected. I suppose I should be irritated with Dar for leaving me to break the news, but I guess it¡¯s on me, too, for assuming. Anyway, how¡¯d it go with Trobban? When I got back, your phylactery was on the table, but I didn¡¯t see any notes or anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I missed you. I was exhausted¡ªkeeping myself outside the phylactery takes much effort. As for Trobban, he¡¯s quite knowledgeable, but for each idea he has, he insists he¡¯s seen another dozen in texts he¡¯s read, so he wanted to do some research before devising a final plan for the components of my vessel.¡± ¡°And you? I didn¡¯t get to speak to you without him listening. How do you feel about everything?¡± Victor couldn¡¯t help imagining a robot or a Frankenstein¡¯s monster when he thought of a ¡°vessel¡± being created for her. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t be like that, but what did he know? ¡°I¡¯m excited but apprehensive. Trobban believes there are natural treasures that can be used to form a Core, one that will absorb the Energy I¡¯ve built up in this phylactery so that it will gain ranks nearly equivalent to what I had in life. He insists that he¡¯s read accounts of people¡¯s affinities changing when they adopted such a Core. In his opinion, it won¡¯t be difficult to change my affinity, but rather a byproduct that would be more difficult to avoid.¡± Victor plopped down on the couch. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s good news, right?¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly face brightened as she smiled, and her raspy voice smoothed out slightly as she replied, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful news. Wouldn¡¯t it be grand to grow strong enough to face the likes of Vesavo? I¡¯d so love to confront him about the torture he put me through¡ªabout the horrors he¡¯s committed on various worlds.¡± Victor nodded, smiling grimly. He could relate to the sentiment. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to want to force powerful people to confront their bullshit, but let''s not get ahead of ourselves. Even Dar is leery of insulting Vesavo.¡± ¡°True. Still, if I could drink, I¡¯d toast to our future goals. I¡¯m glad I met you, Victor. I wonder where I¡¯d be right now if I hadn¡¯t¡ªserving Ronkerz? No, I don¡¯t think that foolish mission into the Iron Prison would have happened if you weren¡¯t around. I¡¯d be slaving away on some horrid project for Vesavo, likely dreading his next summons.¡± She surprised him by visibly shuddering. It made Victor chuckle as he tilted his head, looking at her sideways. ¡°It¡¯s crazy how your spirit-form mimics how you were in life. Even your voice¡ªraspy and low. Do you think your new body will change you much?¡± She smiled, exposing her sharp canines. ¡°It depends on how talented Trobban is. I¡¯ve seen constructs that looked just like living, breathing people. The artifacts and natural treasures he¡¯s researching will play a part. I¡¯m excited, Victor!¡± She leaned forward as the truth of her emotions came out. Victor laughed and nodded, smacking his fist into his hand. ¡°Me too, Arona. I mean for you, but also me. When I look down the road ahead, the various crossroads and one-way turns, I see some that lead to victory and some that lead to death, but almost all of them lead to glory.¡± 9.20 A Gilded Cage Victor stood in the wings of the stage, waiting for his name to be called. He shifted, strangely nervous about being the center of attention in such a stolid, formal ceremony. Victor liked attention, but he was far more at ease giving an impromptu speech or, if truth be told, fighting in front of a large crowd. He didn¡¯t like the idea that he was expected to dress and act a certain way. In his mind, it was almost like a wedding ceremony or, more to his experience, a confirmation. He was dressed in his new official uniform¡ªsimilar to the guards¡¯ uniforms, only fancier, made of some kind of silky, Energy-rich material with a subtle inner luster. Even the dark gray pants, boot-cut to accommodate his polished, shiny black boots, seemed to gleam in the darkness of the shadows where he stood. Tucked into the pants was a gray, form-fitting, long-sleeved shirt, over which he wore a royal blue uniform coat emblazoned with a brilliant yellow rose on the breast. The jacket was festooned with gilt embroidery along the sleeves and on the edges of the high collar. He felt he looked all right but really wasn¡¯t a fan of the getup. He fidgeted, Kynna¡¯s voice echoing back to him as it was projected out to the audience¡ªthousands of nobles and ten times as many commoners who¡¯d won a ¡°lottery¡± for tickets. Kynna was going on about the tribulations they all had suffered through together, about how the foes of Gloria had been given justice for their crimes, and how Gloria was rising as a nation of import on the western continent of Ruhn. Overall, she was whipping up the people¡¯s pride, invoking past greatness and hinting at future growth and influence. Only about half a day had passed since he¡¯d spoken to the queen, so Victor didn¡¯t view it as strange that he hadn¡¯t heard from her one way or the other about proceeding with Dar¡¯s plans for a succession war. He figured she had a lot of thinking to do and would probably want to speak in seclusion with a few people she trusted. The prospect of war was a big deal, and he could see why she wouldn¡¯t want to do it, but he also understood the implied threat¡ªDar had sent him, and if Victor returned early, what might a powerful, deity-like ancestor do? Despite everything he knew about Dar, Victor still wasn¡¯t sure about the man¡¯s motivations. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d punish Kynna, but what if he pressed the issue? As Kynna¡¯s speech rose to a crescendo and the audience¡¯s reactions grew louder, he contemplated helping Kynna get out of the situation. All he had to do was claim that he felt victory wasn¡¯t likely and didn¡¯t want to risk his life to challenge further champions. Dar had given him that out; he¡¯d said something along the lines of this ¡°campaign¡± lasting only as long as Victor thought it should¡ªthat he could withdraw when he felt victory wasn¡¯t achievable. If Victor left now, Kynna¡¯s people would be safe for a long while¡ªdecades or centuries¡ªand he¡¯d have done something great. Why did he feel like that wasn¡¯t enough? He supposed part of it was that he knew he¡¯d be lying and that Dar would see through it. Victor was not worried about his next fight, regardless of who it would be against. He and Kynna had a lot of work to do before they could challenge a great house, at which time Victor might feel his first genuine fear of defeat. Was he being cocky? Sure, he was, but that was his nature. He¡¯d been that way before he¡¯d woken up his Quinametzin bloodline, before he¡¯d walked with the righteous fury of an awakened mountain, and before he¡¯d embraced his affinity for glory. Now, the idea of backing down from a challenge such as the one posed by a succession war felt almost as unnatural as trying to breathe water. ¡°That¡¯s your cue, milord,¡± the retainer holding the dark wing curtains aside said, startling Victor out of his ruminations. ¡°She announced me?¡± How had he missed that? ¡°Aye, milord,¡± the young man said, smiling and ducking his head. Victor cleared his throat, straightened his shoulders, and marched through the gap in the curtain. The stage was bright, illuminated by brilliant glow-lamps high above, and the audience was thrown into shadows as a result. Still, with his Quinametzin eyes, he could see them¡ªthousands and thousands of faces staring, silent in their rapt attention. He shifted his gaze to the center of the stage where Queen Kynna stood, glorious in her jeweled gown, her crown glittering with the inner fire of whatever great magic it contained. She beckoned him to come forward, and he did. When he stood before her, she looked to the audience and, in a voice that carried as though amplified by a hundred hidden speakers, she said, ¡°People of Gloria, I present to you our champion, Victor of Tucson.¡± The applause and cheers were thunderous, and Victor felt his heartbeat quicken under the focus of so many cheering folks. His Core surged with glory-attuned Energy, which leaked into his pathways. Unable to restrain himself, he lifted a fist high, and the crowd redoubled their cheers. It was deafening. Queen Kynna delicately raised her right hand, and the assembly hall grew silent almost instantly. ¡°Champion, for your victory over Obert and the kingdom of Frostmarch, I present to you one of the most valuable treasures recovered from the vaults of our foe.¡± She held out both hands, cupped together, and a glittering, gem-studded, gold-foil package appeared there, about the size and shape of a large orange. Victor could hear the collective intake of breath as the gems picked up the lights and sparkled, creating a dazzling display that seemed almost like illusory fireworks around Kynna and Victor. ¡°This beautiful package contains the egg of a creature of myth here on Ruhn, a Coldwater Sea Wyrm.¡± Again, the audience collectively gasped, and a single strident voice cried out, sounding more dismayed than excited. ¡°You can hear from our citizens¡¯ reaction, Victor, that this is a treasure dear to the people of Ruhn, for Coldwater Sea Wyrms have not been seen in our seas for nearly a thousand years. You see, their eggs are known to wake the secrets in a person¡¯s blood, sometimes bringing forth latent attributes but always advancing a person¡¯s racial status.¡± Kynna paused for a moment, then turned and held the egg high, greatly expanding the size of the mystical light show it projected. ¡°Do any of the fine people of Gloria begrudge our champion this prize? Is there any more worthy?¡± The response was silence, though Victor swore he heard people weeping. Kynna turned back to Victor and proffered the egg. ¡°Will you accept this gift, Champion?¡± Despite a small surge of guilt, a tiny voice in his mind that couldn¡¯t believe he was going to receive something so treasured by these people after only being there a few days, Victor saw the egg for what it was: the whole reason he¡¯d come to Ruhn¡ªadvancement. ¡°I will.¡± He held out a broad palm, and the queen gently placed the egg in the center of it. Victor held the egg carefully but lifted it high, turning to face the enormous crowd. ¡°Thank you, people of Ruhn!¡± His voice carried, just as the queen¡¯s had, and the crowd once again erupted in cheers. The queen allowed the cheers to go on for a moment, smiling at Victor with her hands delicately folded before herself. ¡°Nicely done, Victor. Please store away your prize, and then, if you would, please kneel before me.¡± Her voice didn¡¯t carry this time, but Victor heard it clearly. He sent the egg into his storage ring, then looked at the queen. ¡°Kneel?¡± ¡°Please, Champion. I will award you your second prize.¡± Victor hated to kneel, especially with an audience, but he¡¯d already done so to Kynna several times, so it seemed strange to balk. He nodded, then, smooth as a panther might crouch in the tall grass, he lowered himself to one knee. Queen Kynna held up her hand again, and the audience grew so silent that Victor could hear her quick, shallow breaths. Was she nervous? ¡°People of Gloria, today we stand free, our chains shattered and thrown to the side, and our future bright with the potential for true glory¡ªa virtue for which our great nation was named! This turn of events is thanks to the valor of one man, a man who, until now, had no ties to our world. He served my ancestor, the great Ranish Dar, but he was a stranger to us, a visitor. Nevertheless, he came and fought not only the champion of Frostmarch but that of Xan. In the face of overwhelming odds, he struck down our enemies and lifted the grip of their cruel blockades. Today, Gloria breathes again, thanks to his courage.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Kynna paused, allowing the audience to absorb the impact of her words, then turned and faced Victor fully. ¡°For such heroism, words are not enough. Treasures are not enough. Deeds of such magnitude deserve deeds in return. Thus, Victor of Tucson, I bestow upon you not only our nation¡¯s eternal gratitude but also something far greater.¡± The queen turned back to the audience, spreading her arms for effect. ¡°From this day forward, Victor shall be named Duke of Gloria, a title that carries with it the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that few have known. With that title, he shall take possession of the richest lands in all of Xan¡ªthe Duchy of Iron Mountain.¡± For the first time, the crowd wasn¡¯t silent or cheering deafeningly; they murmured, a buzz of surprised reactions to the proclamation. Kynna turned to look Victor in the eyes again. ¡°The estate and all its wealth are now yours, including the stewardship of its people. As Duke, you shall oversee the noble Haveshi Family, Qi Pot¡¯s surviving kin, and see to their well-being and livelihood as a testament to your honor.¡± Her tone grew soft, though her words were still carried out to the audience, ¡°These lands will prosper under your care, just as our nation has thrived under your strength. Let this be a bond between us, Victor¡ªa stake in the future of Gloria and a reminder that the freedom you fought for is now tied to you. The people you are responsible for will flourish or fail depending on our great nation''s course in the coming years.¡± As the crowd buzzed, and Victor frowned, absorbing the import of the queen¡¯s words, one man¡¯s voice cried out, rising above the general clamor, ¡°Who will be champion?¡± The queen smiled and turned. Again, she spread her arms gracefully. ¡°Rest assured, dear people, that Victor, Duke of Gloria, will remain our champion as long as he so desires. The offices of Duke and that of Royal Champion are not mutually exclusive.¡± She turned back to Victor. ¡°Rise, Victor, Duke of Iron Mountain, Champion of Gloria. Rise and greet the people of your nation.¡± Still frowning, well aware of the snare Kynna had just tightened around his ankle, Victor stood and turned to face the crowd. When he didn¡¯t speak, and the crowd¡¯s murmurs turned into a hush, Kynna cleared her throat. ¡°Fear not the glower on our champion¡¯s face¡ªhe¡¯s a fearsome man; how else would he defend us? Now, feed his lust for glory, Gloria! Cheer your new duke! Cheer your champion!¡± Once again, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, and Victor, ever slave to his pride and hunger for glory, couldn¡¯t help grinning fiercely as he held his hands above his head. He wanted to summon Lifedrinker, to let her bask in the glorious attention, but he knew better; his axe was still a secret on that world. Still, he pumped his fists in the air, pacing back and forth. After the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm refused to wane for several long seconds, he began to shout, bellowing into the air, roaring as his Core swelled with the glory-attuned Energy that found its way into his pathways. After nearly a minute of that, Kynna used whatever uncanny ability she had to silence the crowd, and Victor calmed himself, lowering his fists and heaving for breath as he turned to regard the queen. ¡°I¡¯m pleased that our champion is so fierce and that you love him so, Gloria. Now, please follow your ushers¡¯ instructions as you safely exit the hall¡ªit¡¯s time for you to return to the festivities! I¡¯m extending the national holiday for another week!¡± Victor was saved from further bouts of cheering as the heavy, midnight-blue curtain dropped from the rigging in the loft to conceal the stage. Alone on the stage with the queen, Victor glowered at her. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Of course you do, Champion. You¡¯re an intelligent man.¡± She looked like she¡¯d say more, but a dozen attendants had rushed the stage, and they were no longer alone. ¡°Let us speak soon? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about your new holdings and how they might affect the¡course of our diplomacy.¡± Victor stepped close and spoke as plainly as he could without providing fodder to the many spies, no doubt listening to them, ¡°I know how I want things to go. You know how Dar wants them to go. I don¡¯t think my new connections to your world will change much. Still, yes, My Queen, let us speak soon. I¡¯d like to review how my role will play out now that I have a great duchy to manage.¡± ¡°Excellent. Tomorrow?¡± Victor forced a smile. ¡°If it pleases you.¡± She shooed away a lady trying to help her doff the long, jeweled gloves she¡¯d worn for the ceremony. ¡°Unless you intend to consume the egg, that is. The literature all says that a person who eats one is likely to be incapacitated for upwards of a week.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait until we¡¯ve spoken.¡± ¡°Very well. Congratulations, Duke Victor¡What was your surname? I know I¡¯ve been told-¡ª¡± ¡°Sandoval.¡± ¡°Duke Sandoval, then. It has a nice ring. Until tomorrow.¡± With that, she allowed her attendants to sweep her off the stage, and Victor was left standing in the gloom behind the dark curtains. He pulled off the fancy jacket, sent it to storage, then stomped out of the enormous assembly hall, using the side exit where he¡¯d been let in a couple of hours earlier. Of course, Bryn saw him as soon as he came through the door into the cool night air and hurried forward. ¡°Your coach is ready, sir.¡± ¡°Too much to ask that we walk?¡± ¡°The streets are crowded, especially around the hall¡ªthey¡¯re still releasing the audience.¡± She hesitated a moment, then added, ¡°I heard the news. Congratulations on your elevation.¡± ¡°Elevation?¡± ¡°To the noble class. The Duchy of Iron Mountain is well known, even here in Gloria. There are stories about those lands¡ªyour wealth, in property alone, is now second only to the royal family.¡± ¡°A pretty trap,¡± Victor sighed, walking toward the bulbous, living-wood coach that had earlier delivered him. ¡°A trap?¡± Victor ignored her until they were inside the plush leather interior of the coach, and he felt it gently lifting into the air. ¡°Kynna wants me to have something more to lose than just my life.¡± He frowned, and Bryn stared into space, perhaps trying to make sense of the statement. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the Haveshi family? Why am I in charge of Qi Pot¡¯s kin?¡± ¡°Because he was a duke, and there was no clause in the terms of the duel requiring his family to be slain or banished with his death. Queen Kynna is now the de facto ruler of Xan, so she can grant the various holdings of that Kingdom to people she views as loyal. Having given you Iron Mountain, Qi Pot¡¯s heirs will be stripped of their inheritance and most of their wealth. She¡¯s making you the honorary patron to their clan.¡± ¡°Was his full name Qi Pot Haveshi, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m unsure.¡± Bryn shrugged, making her armor clank. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard him called Qi Pot. Perhaps it''s an assumed name or a title he earned with one exploit or another.¡± ¡°Goddammit,¡± Victor sighed, viciously scratching the sides of his head with his nails. ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve been given responsibility for the survivors of someone I¡¯ve killed in a duel. It¡¯s bullshit. The first time was just a single girl¡ªnow I have a whole clan to look after? And how many will try to kill me in my sleep? I doubt they¡¯re all children, right?¡± ¡°That would be suicide for them. Their futures are now tied to yours. With your demise, they will be at the queen''s mercy, or should you die in a duel, whatever ruler seizes the queen¡¯s power and lands.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And most rulers would simply banish them to avoid trouble.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Banish or kill.¡± ¡°So, are they expecting that now?¡± ¡°Possibly. Queen Kynna is known to be kind, so they likely aren¡¯t afraid they¡¯ll be executed. However, banishment is surely on their minds. Keep in mind that while you are irritated by this turn of events, the Haveshi are only one noble family the queen has to sort out among dozens¡ªnay, hundreds. She will have a very busy few months consolidating her grasp of the political landscape in her new hegemony.¡± Victor¡¯s stomach rumbled, and he frowned, leaning back and thinking. He was irritated, but Bryn had made a good point; Queen Kynna had a big headache on her hands, and if Victor and Dar got their way, things would only get more complicated for her. He was complaining about being responsible for the fate of a single family and a single¡ªalbeit apparently large¡ªduchy. At first, he thought she was just trying to tie him to something on Ruhn, and he felt like that was still true, but he also thought she might be trying to give him a glimpse into the complexity of taking on the rulership of an entire empire. There were millions of people living on Ruhn. Millions of lives would be impacted by a succession war. Just because the nations of Ruhn didn¡¯t fight openly with armies didn¡¯t mean people wouldn¡¯t die. It didn¡¯t mean that people wouldn¡¯t be forced from their homes. It was a lot to think about. His stomach rumbled again, and Bryn cleared her throat. ¡°Dinner, sir?¡± Victor shook his head. ¡°I have something I¡¯ve been wanting to eat back in my quarters. I need to do some thinking¡ªlet¡¯s head straight to the palace.¡± She nodded, and Victor smiled. He wondered what she¡¯d say if he told her the thing he was hungry for was Qi Pot¡¯s heart. 9.21 A Meeting With the Queen Victor sat, sipping a cup of spiced coffee, heavy with cream, looking out over his balcony as he contemplated the changes Qi Pot¡¯s heart had wrought in him. The heart had been potent, though nothing more than Obert¡¯s. It had been different, though; Victor had felt Qi Pot¡¯s strange, hot, shadowy Energy coursing through his pathways. He¡¯d felt it trying to do something, but it hadn¡¯t taken; either his body had resisted it, or the heart hadn¡¯t been potent enough. Whatever the case, Victor hadn¡¯t gained any new feats, affinities, bloodline alterations, or anything of that sort. However, he¡¯d earned a rank to his Core and advanced to level seventy-two. He hadn¡¯t been too surprised by the level; he felt he¡¯d been close to seventy-one before killing Qi Pot, so the additional Energy infusion from the heart had pushed him over the edge to the next. With a sip of hot, cinnamon-flavored coffee, he sighed and looked at his status sheet:
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Victor Sandoval | |||
| Race: | Quinametzin Bloodline - Epic 2 | |||
| Class: | Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum - Legendary | |||
| Level: | 72 | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 6 | |||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 3 | |||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2500/2500 | |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 36871/36871 | |
| Strength: | 508 | Vitality: | 673 (740) | |
| Dexterity: | 208 | Agility: | 231 | |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 673 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | Titanic Rage, Ancestral Bond, Flame-Touched, Greater Titanic Constitution, Titanic Presence, Desperate Grace, Challenger, Elder Magic, Born of Terror, Battlefield Awareness, Battlefield Presence, Aura of Command, Epic Quinametzin, Mountain''s Resilience, Behemoth''s Regeneration, Blood Supremacy, Furious Battle Momentum | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Advanced 5 | ||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 3 | ||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9, Blue Ice - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 5900/5900 |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 36871/36871 |
Bryn ¨C Don¡¯t go any deeper than where I left you. Everything should be fine, though. There aren¡¯t hordes of demons or anything on their way up. Haha. Guard that door, and I should be back before too long. I¡¯ll update you if anything delays me too much. -Your BossHe chuckled at his lame attempts at humor and almost scratched out the ¡°Your Boss¡± part, not sure Bryn knew him well enough to realize he was being stupid. He shrugged, though, and left it. He knew, if he were being truly conscientious, he¡¯d warn her about the sleeping god-like being on whose resting site they were treading and probably about the dungeon he¡¯d entered, but some lingering paranoia kept him from doing so. As far as he was concerned, the fewer people who knew exactly what he was up to, the better. Shrugging, he walked the rest of the way through the gatehouse and laid his eyes on the second part of the ¡°crucible.¡±The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. The sharp, black gravel road continued for a hundred yards and ended at the edge of a lake of bubbling lava. Victor could feel the deep well of magma-attuned Energy out there and briefly contemplated pausing to cultivate it for his Breath Core. The oxygen in the air was thin, and Victor knew if he weren¡¯t Quinametzin and if he didn¡¯t have a magma affinity and the feats that made him resistant to poisons, he¡¯d be suffering from the gases that hung above the burbling, hissing, smoldering semi-liquid. As it was, he simply breathed shallowly and narrowed his eyes as the caustic blend made them water. Stepping closer to the edge of the lake, he saw solid stone platforms or pedestals dotting its surface, leading away to the distant shore where, another hundred yards further on, he could see the next gate. ¡°So, I need to cross, huh?¡± He almost laughed. The lake was maybe a quarter-mile across, and he figured he could cover the distance in a few Titanic Leaps. Even easier, he knew he could use his armor¡¯s enchantment, Flight of the Lava King, to clear the distance in a matter of seconds. He wouldn¡¯t need to hop from platform to platform. Nodding with a grin spreading over his face, he held Lifedrinker before himself, channeled some Energy into his armor, and activated the Flight of the Lava King. With a crackling woosh, his fiery wings sprouted from the air near the center of his back and cracked down, sending black smoke and ash whirling behind him as he sprang into the air, streaking across the lake of lava just as he¡¯d envisioned it. He moved his gaze toward the far, rocky shore and descended, ripping through the air with no resistance. When his feet set down and he jogged toward the gate, gradually slowing his momentum with each step, he wondered if he¡¯d cheated somehow, breaking the gauntlet by trivializing a crossing that was supposed to be a challenge. When his fiery wings faded, and he stood a dozen yards from the gate, he stared at it, waiting. He wondered if something would come through that he¡¯d have to fight or if the entire point of the second gate was to see if he could cross the lava. The gate didn¡¯t move, but after two or three minutes, he heard a noise behind him¡ªa squelching, hissing, burbling sound. At first, it had blended in with the usual sounds of the hissing magma as its surface broke with giant, swollen gas bubbles. Victor whirled, lifting Lifedrinker high, only to see dozens of dark lumps of cooling magma forging through the barely liquid surface of the lava lake. They looked like stones being pulled by invisible lines through the thick liquid, moving quickly enough to leave short wakes. Victor narrowed his eyes, watching as the first of the dark lumps reached the shore, and then, with a squelching surge, it exploded out of the lava to land on two lumpy, magma-coated legs. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Victor readied Lifedrinker and pulled a rope of furious rage-attuned Energy into his pathways, preparing to cast Iron Berserk. As he did so, more and more of the magma-covered humanoids lurched onto the shore, dripping molten rock around them that hissed and sizzled. They weren¡¯t huge¡ªsomewhere between a human and a giant in size, but they were bulky, and their very nature sent a shiver of doubt down Victor¡¯s spine. How could you kill something made of lava? ¡°One way to find out,¡± he grunted, striding toward the nearest one. It didn¡¯t seem to have eyes or ears, but somehow, it knew he was coming. It squared off with him, spreading broad hands with glowing-hot fingers. Victor grunted, hacking Lifedrinker down in an overhead chop, aiming her massive, gleaming axe-head at the monster¡¯s crown. To Victor''s amazement, the thing reached up and grasped the sides of Lifedrinker¡¯s blade, halting her momentum cold. Victor¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock as the creature pulled, nearly yanking his axe from his hands. ¡°Hell no!¡± Victor roared and cast Iron Berserk. Victor gave in to his rage as his muscles exploded with unnatural growth, and his figure stretched, towering over the monster. How dare this thing try to strip Lifedrinker from him? He ripped the axe back, viciously raking her blade over the creature¡¯s fingers. They fell to the stone ground with little plops, but by the time Victor turned, lifting the axe high, ready to hack into the monster, he saw that they¡¯d regrown. Worse, five more of the monsters were closing in on him. In his titanic form, they were like children to him¡ªstocky, fiery, faceless, extremely strong children. Victor, his vision clouded with crimson, stepped forward and heaved Lifedrinker in a broad, flat cleave. Her impossibly sharp obsidian edge split the magma creature like a cleaver through taffy. As the top half flew to the side and the bottom staggered and fell, Victor bore down and roared at the other approaching magma-men, activating Voice of the Angry Earth. The roar echoed through the vast canyon, shaking the ground, sending waves of magma over the lake, toward the far shore, and, nearer to hand, the magma-men fell to their knees or toppled backward, stunned by the force of his voice. Victor gleefully, madly, strode among them, ripping Lifedrinker left and right, sending chunks of semi-liquid magma sliding over the ground on steaming, hissing skid marks like monstrous versions of a snail¡¯s trail. All told, he slaughtered thirty of the magma things, killing them before they could even muster an attack, thanks to the stunning effect of his furious sonic attack. When he stood on the shore, and no further creatures approached, he whirled to face the gate, only to see that the magma-men he¡¯d first slain were climbing to their feet¡ªnew, bubbling magma-meat growing to replace the parts he¡¯d cleaved away. Worse, the pieces he¡¯d cut off were growing new parts! As Victor stared, his enemies recovered and more than doubled in number. ***Congratulations! You have reached the second gate of the Crucible of Fire! Survive the magma sprite onslaught!*** Despite his rage, Victor¡¯s will and the magic of Iron Berserk allowed him to regain his senses. Enough so, that he realized he might be working against himself if he went on another rampage. Would they continue to multiply? Victor bolted down the shore of the lake, breaking out of their midst and taking advantage of their plodding movement to give himself time to think. ¡°Let¡¯s try something, Beautiful,¡± he grunted, lifting Lifedrinker high. He darted forward and brought her down, just hard enough to cleave into one of the sprite¡¯s shoulders but not split it in half. Once she¡¯d gotten a good, deep bite, he let go, allowing her to do her thing. ¡°Drink!¡± he screamed, kicking another sprite away and then jogging off. When he turned to see how Lifedrinker¡¯s ability to drain Energy was progressing, he was horrified to see another of the sprites grab her handle and yank her out of his comrade. As the little pendejo lifted her high, looking almost comical with the oversized weapon, Victor growled and ran toward him, channeling his Energy Charge spell. He slammed into his enemy, leading with his shoulder, and when he made impact, it felt like he¡¯d tried to tackle a brick mailbox¡ªback when he was an ordinary human. The crash was thunderous, the shockwave enough to knock all the nearest magma sprites onto their asses, and Victor felt his Core pouring Energy into the shield to protect him from the forces generated. The sprite was a sturdy, heavy, strong creature, but it wasn¡¯t powerful enough to withstand those torrential forces. As the creature exploded, hunks of magma flying in every direction, Lifedrinker fell to the ground with a tremendous thud, splitting the stone like a ball-bearing hitting glass. Victor yanked her up immediately, feeling relief and pride vibrate through her and into his hand. ¡°Sorry, chica!¡± he cried, mortified that an enemy had held her against her will. Let us slay! Victor grinned madly despite his lack of a plan. He turned and jogged ahead of the small horde of magma sprites, wracking his brain for a new idea. He¡¯d killed one, hadn¡¯t he? Could he just whittle them down with Energy Charge? As he turned to assess the field, he had a rapid change of heart. The magma sprite he¡¯d ¡°killed¡± was coming back to life¡ªa hundred times! Each chunk that had resulted from Victor¡¯s explosive impact was growing into a new sprite. ¡°Chingado!¡± Victor spat, then jogged closer to the wall, running parallel to it to give himself more space as the much larger horde of magma sprites inexorably advanced. Mentally, he ran through his abilities, trying to think of one that could kill a sprite without splitting it. His gauntlet¡¯s lava lash would be useless, likewise his berserking abilities; what good would it do to make himself more deadly with an axe that could only increase the count of his foes? He could switch weapons, but to what? A spear, a sword, a hammer? What difference would any of them make? If he hammered one hard enough to kill it, would that not splatter the magma? He could pull them apart¡ªsame problem. He could throw them into the lava, but that would only delay them. He could summon coyotes or his bear, but again, they couldn¡¯t harm the sprites without increasing their numbers. In the end, Victor figured he had two possible strategies. His nightmare alter ego, Terror, could probably kill the creatures, draining them of Energy, but only if they were capable of feeling fear. Victor wasn¡¯t sure about that, and he wanted to keep his wits about him as much as possible, so he decided to go with his other idea. He sent Lifedrinker into her storage container, and then he began to pace back and forth, waiting for the horde of magma sprites to get closer. While he paced, he breathed in and out, deeper and deeper, gathering his breath, channeling the Energy that hung thick in the air. As the front row of the magma men closed the distance to twenty yards, Victor grinned at them. ¡°Okay, assholes. You like fire, huh? How do you like ice?¡± 9.34 Elemental Lessons Victor exhaled, infusing his breath with frigid Energy. A plume of frosty air exploded from his lips, instantly dropping the ambient temperature and bathing the front line of the magma sprites in its icy embrace. Victor¡¯s affinity wasn¡¯t with water or even simple ice¡ªit was with something called ¡°blue ice,¡± and, though it might be related to a typical water affinity, it was different¡ªalways frozen. He¡¯d tried to manipulate the output, but just like his magma, it was what it was; there was no liquid component. He''d even experimented, spraying his frozen breath with its flecks of brutally cold ice onto the ground, watching as it took ages to dissipate, never leaving any water behind. So, while his Breath Core¡¯s capacity wasn¡¯t nearly as robust as his Spirit Core, the Energies inside were exceptionally potent. Like his magma, his blue ice went a long way, and when that foggy, bitterly cold air hit the sprites, it bit into the molten material of their flesh and froze it on the spot. There was no eruption of steam; that would imply the sprite¡¯s heat was sufficient to alter the state of Victor¡¯s breath. It wasn¡¯t. Victor¡¯s breath weapon wrapped its glacial embrace around the leading sprites and almost instantaneously extinguished the heat radiating from within them. They shrank in on themselves, contracting as their molten flesh turned to solid stone in a series of rapid gunshot-like cracks that rang through the cavern. Their glowing, fiery bodies turned dark, and as Victor backed away, peering through the icy fog to see the results of his efforts, he found that nearly a dozen of the sprites had slumped down, looking more like inert basalt boulders than monstrous humanoids. ¡°Hell, yeah!¡± he grunted, backpedaling, giving himself a little more room for his next blast. He moved to his right, angling for the edge of the oncoming horde, and unleashed another gout of frozen air. As his breath stole the vital force from the sprites, he worked his way around his slow, trudging foes, jogging along the shore of the molten lake. When he¡¯d reached their back line, he blew forth another great plume of frozen air, catching a swath of them in its icy embrace. Victor turned his gaze inward, weighing the Energy left in his Breath Core, and saw that it was low, just tiny globes of magma and blue ice swirling in the space, languidly chasing each other¡¯s tails. ¡°All right.¡± Victor began to pump his lungs like a bellows, drawing the magma-thick air into his chest, siphoning off the rich Energy, and exhaling plumes of black smoke. Quietly, he thanked whatever magic in his Breath Core allowed him to use one Energy type to fuel both his attunements as he stoked his ball of magma-attuned Energy into a massive, blazing orb. As soon as his Breath Core felt full to bursting, he pulled a strand of the blue ice Energy into his lungs and blew out another plume of frozen air, this time only catching half a dozen of the sprites in its cone. Even so, he¡¯d whittled their numbers down significantly. Where before, he¡¯d faced more than a hundred and fifty of the things, he thought he was down to something closer to a hundred. Their formation was shaped like a teardrop¡ªthick, where they drew near to him and tapered where the stragglers got hung up on the inert forms of their frozen brethren. Victor continued to lead them in a circular chase as he, once again, drew magma-attuned Energy from the air. It seemed that, as long as he had even a tiny bit of blue ice Energy in his Breath Core if he started a breath attack with it, his Core would convert his magma-attuned Energy on the fly, bolstering his attack. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem to be a one-to-one conversion. Fueling his icy breath with mostly magma-attuned Energy drained his Core rapidly. It didn¡¯t matter; Victor had everything he needed to keep recharging his Core, and the creatures were incredibly easy to lead on a merry chase. As he worked, he contemplated the challenge of the second gate; it was a good trap, he supposed. The magma sprites were tough, and killing them with anything other than ice seemed nearly impossible. Still, if this dungeon had been designed for ¡°groups,¡± what would the odds be that at least one member couldn¡¯t produce a similar attack? He honestly didn¡¯t know¡ªwould regular ice work? Was his attack only so effective because of the extreme coldness of his ¡°blue ice?¡± On the other hand, if the sprites were faster or had ranged attacks, it would have been a lot more difficult, even for Victor. As it was, he took his time, circling his growing garden of inert, seemingly dead sprites, dragging the living ones through it, getting them hung up, and blasting them with frozen breath whenever he had enough Energy. It took him nearly an hour, most of that time spent building up his Breath Core¡¯s Energy, but he did it, whittling them down until, with a final blast of frigid air, he leeched the smoldering, life-giving Energy from the final cluster of magma sprites. He''d breathed his icy breath so many times that the ground was white with it. The temperature had plummeted on that side of the lava lake so much that the surface of the bubbling, roiling body of molten stone had solidified for nearly a dozen paces out from the shore. Victor stood, hands on knees, regaining his breath as the System confirmed his victory¡ªthousands of motes of Energy began to gather around the basalt garden of dead, inert sprites. The Energy gathered into a great pool of shimmering white, luminescent liquid-like pools and then, in a rush, flowed toward Victor. As before, he was struck dumb¡ªblinded and deafened by the euphoria that sent his mind tripping through now-familiar scenes. Later, as his conscious thoughts began to reform, he thought he understood something about the visions, a sort of pattern. They all had to do with growth or strife or creation¡ªgreat challenges overcome by tremendous forces or effort. It was the inkling of an idea, but it was there, tickling the back of his mind as his subconscious worked on it. When he opened his eyes, he found more System messages awaiting his attention: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 76 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ***Congratulations! You have increased your Breath Core¡¯s Rank: Advanced 6.*** ***Congratulations! You have learned the Breath Weapon Mastery skill: Basic.*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the second gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the second wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor initially celebrated another rapid level gain, but when he read the line about ¡°breath weapon mastery,¡± he stood, dumbstruck for several seconds, trying to wrap his head around the idea. How had he only just now gained such a skill? Thinking about it, he realized that, despite knowing how to breathe magma for a good long while, he¡¯d only done it a handful of times. He never used it during sparring because who would want to be bathed in magma? Even Lesh wasn¡¯t fireproof. In this battle, he¡¯d crossed some invisible threshold of understanding, and the System had recognized his efforts. Searching the contents of his mind, thinking about ¡°breath attacks,¡± he found new thoughts¡ªthings he¡¯d ¡°learned¡± via the System¡¯s instantaneous delivery of knowledge. He understood better how to posture his chest, how to control his airflow, and how to properly feed the Energy in his Breath Core into the wind he exhaled. He understood that his natural form of ¡°breath attack¡± was a cone but that there were other variants available if he¡¯d only practice them. ¡°Holy shit,¡± he laughed, surprised by the sudden windfall of knowledge. Of course, his celebrations made him reconsider his dark musings about the System only hours earlier. Was it overbearing? Was it a leech? Or did it provide an opportunity for people to wield power that might have, otherwise, been hoarded by beings like Titans, Dragons, and the Fae, to name just a few of the ¡°elder¡± races Victor had heard of? If nothing else, the reward reminded him that the System and its designs weren¡¯t a simple matter of black and white. As he walked toward the now-open gate, his thoughts of dragons brought his mind around to Tes. Had she been ¡°against¡± the System? It didn¡¯t feel like it to Victor. She¡¯d mentioned that her homeworld, Aradnue, had driven the System away when it tried to insert itself into their affairs, but the dragons weren¡¯t exactly at war with the System, were they? Wasn¡¯t Tes working within the rules? Wasn¡¯t she, in fact, a member of some group called the Celestial Envoys? She¡¯d been careful to warn Victor about Elder magic, insisting he not share it, hadn¡¯t she?The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Maybe that would be the path for him, too¡ªapart from the System, but still working within it. Was it right to try to destroy something that benefited other people? Again, the questions only reminded Victor that he had a long way to go and a lot to learn before he declared war on the System. His actions in this dungeon, whatever they turned out to be, were a favor to an ancient, powerful being¡ªnothing more. He chuckled as he lifted the lid to his second chest. ¡°Yeah, keep telling yourself that, pendejo.¡± Inside, he saw something that made him frown and nervously press a hand to the wyrm-scale hauberk Tes had crafted for him¡ªput her own blood into. It was a breastplate, a piece of armor obviously finely made and practically humming with the Energy that thrummed through its dense material. Victor tentatively stretched out his left hand, touching the cool, deep blue-black surface. It was smooth and slick, reminding him of the paint on a fancy sports car; though it was clear the metal wasn¡¯t painted or enameled, the luxurious sheen was due to the material itself. Gorget plates rose up on either side of the neck-hole, and around them and down the sides, the armor was lined with engraved and faintly glowing silver runes. Victor¡¯s studies with Dar¡ªthe many books the master had assigned him to read¡ªfinally paid off, allowing him to discern the import of those magical letters: they were enchantments for resizing, repair, and Energy absorption. It wasn¡¯t until Victor reached down to lift the breastplate out of the chest that its potency really sank home. He couldn¡¯t lift it with one arm. Grunting with stubborn effort, he grasped the neck, sinking his fingers into the supple black leather of the lining, and pulled, only managing to tilt it up against the side of the chest. ¡°What the hell?¡± The thing was heavier than Lifedrinker. Victor brushed his hands together and then grasped it by the armholes with both hands, heaving in a proper deadlift posture, and managed to pull the absurdly heavy armor out of the chest, staggering backward with the weight. He had a feeling that, if he bonded with the thing, it would get easier for him to carry, but he¡¯d stubbornly wanted to see if he could lift it. Thus, having proven himself, he sent a trickle of Energy into the shiny blue-black metal, and a System message crowded into his vision: ***Aegis of Charyssor: Crafted from the discarded shell of Charyssor, an abyssal leviathan found in the depths of the Umbral Sea of Maersh, this armor has been painstakingly cut from one of the densest, most Energy-rich natural substances in the known universe. Originally designed for the Behemoth-King Dotra the Ever-hungry, it was stolen by the master thief Lonagan Heart and discarded into the Endless Pit of the Vas¡¯ra Wasteland during the Entorridian Uprising. With Dotra¡¯s demise, the armor is free to be bonded by a new bearer. It is a living artifact, capable of growth, healing, and the consumption and dispersal of tremendous amounts of Energy.*** Victor read the paragraph, still staggering from the weight in his arms, his eyebrows arching in surprise. He¡¯d never read a System item description like it, and it was clear that the artifact he held in his arms was special. What wasn¡¯t clear was whether he was even capable of wearing it. He knew he was strong, especially for his level, but even with Sovereign Will pumping his strength close to a thousand, he was struggling to hold the armor. It would be easier if he cast Iron Berserk, but he still doubted it would be bearable for more than a few minutes. He shook his head in dismay. Was he honestly going to have to set this thing aside until he got stronger? Even as he contemplated it, he¡¯d had to set the armor at his feet, unable to hold it even waist high any longer. If he somehow managed to wear it, he wasn¡¯t sure how long he could stand under its enormous downward pull¡ªeven berserk. ¡°Well,¡± he grunted, ¡°at least I have something to look forward to.¡± He reached down and sent the armor into his largest, high-quality dimensional container ring, the one he¡¯d taken from Fak Loyle. Almost immediately, the ring grew hot on his finger, going from an elegant silver-colored band to red to orange to white-hot in seconds. In a panic, Victor reached in and summoned the armor out, dropping it to the stone floor with a thunderous crash that dislodged stones from the gatehouse ceiling. ¡°Chingado!¡± Victor punched his fist into his palm, then shook his hand as the ring rapidly cooled. He¡¯d almost destroyed it! He stared at the armor where it sat on the crumbled stone pavers. There was no way he was going to leave it behind; it seemed like it was more than just a magic item; it was a legendary item. He reached to his chest, where the vault sat under his armor. ¡°If it can hold the ivid royal jelly, then it can hold this armor. Right?¡± When the empty air didn¡¯t provide an answer, Victor lifted the vault off his neck and backed out of the gatehouse. He set it on the field where he¡¯d killed the magma sprites and twisted the key, allowing the vault to expand with its usual show of sparks, steam, and clacking, clicking hops. He¡¯d never put something too powerful into a storage ring before, and, in a way, he was glad to see what would happen; at least he¡¯d had a little warning before the ring blew up or collapsed or whatever it would do if it actually failed. With that in mind, he comforted himself as he dragged the armor into the vault; he figured he¡¯d have a few seconds to get it out if things went badly. With the armor leaned against the vault wall, opposite his satchel with the royal jelly, he stepped out and closed the door. He stood for several long minutes, watching the vault, his hand held against the side, waiting to see if it would warn him in any way that the contents were too potent to contain in its miniaturized state. Nothing happened, though, and Victor, holding his breath, turned the key, activating the vault¡¯s shrinking magic. It seemed to contract at its usual rate, and Victor didn¡¯t notice any more steam or sparks than usual. When it stopped, and he picked up the marble-sized vault, it wasn¡¯t hot. Still, he held it for several minutes, and when nothing happened, he expanded it again, looking inside to reassure himself that his two most valuable treasures were still intact. After he¡¯d shrunk it again and hung the marble and key back around his neck, Victor quietly thanked the invaders from Dark Ember for the powerful, Fae-crafted vault. With that handled, Victor touched his hand to his wyrm-scale armor again, almost glad that he hadn¡¯t had to choose his new treasure over Tes¡¯s gift just yet. He strode through the gatehouse into the third section of the ¡°crucible¡± and stopped in his tracks, feeling like he was being watched despite the empty, black gravel road that stretched ahead, meandering through the strange canyon walls to the distant third gate. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the walls of the canyon and peering up into the impenetrable darkness of the dungeon¡¯s ¡°sky.¡± Nothing moved. He continued forward, his boots crunching on the sharp obsidian gravel, and summoned Lifedrinker to his hands. It was almost funny to feel her weight, in comparison to the breastplate, and find her easy to wield. ¡°Okay, chica, something¡¯s out there. You ready for¡ª¡± Victor¡¯s words were cut short as the road a dozen yards ahead of him exploded in a shower of stinging, razor-sharp, stony projectiles. He leaped backward, ducking his chin to protect his eyes as the shower continued. He heard his enemy before he saw it, a rough susurration, as scales slid over stone and then great hissing screeches as it tore out of the ground and slithered toward him. It was a wyrm¡ªa big, red-scaled one with a crown of smoldering horns. Victor didn¡¯t need to think about it; he cast Iron Berserk instantly as he lifted Lifedrinker and got ready for the assault. The creature didn¡¯t charge him, though; it didn¡¯t try to clamp down on him with its jaws that could probably bite through a small passenger car. It reared up, trying to match Victor¡¯s enormous height, and belched forth a massive cloud of black smoke followed by a hissing, crackling gout of fire. The flames hit Victor full in the chest, washing over him in a wave that felt oddly like standing in a hot shower. In his fury, Victor laughed cruelly, baring his teeth and roaring into the wyrm¡¯s fire. The poor creature couldn¡¯t have known how ineffective its flame attack would be. How could it know that Victor had a magma-attuned Breath Core? How could it know that his titan bloodline was resistant to the elements? How could it know about his brush with fiery death and his acquisition of the Flame-Touched feat? How could it know that his armor was incredibly resistant to fire? As the thing continued to belch forth a truly prodigious jet of flames, Victor lifted Lifedrinker high and cast Energy Charge, streaking into those flames and bringing the axe down with unimaginable force, splitting the wyrm¡¯s horn-covered crown to tear through scaly hide and bone, to bury her blade into its enormous skull. Victor wasn¡¯t sure if that was a wound a wyrm could normally live through, but Lifedrinker didn¡¯t give it any chance to regenerate. She drew torrents of fiery Energy into herself as the wyrm collapsed, falling like a smoking, smoldering giant serpent from a King Kong movie. Victor watched as the great corpse twitched and the light faded from its saucer-sized yellow eyes. It was dead. Before he could even wonder if there were more enemies en route, he saw the Energy gathering around the serpent¡¯s body, and he knew he¡¯d passed another obstacle. The System might not announce it yet, but it wouldn¡¯t grant him Energy unless the fighting was over. ¡°That was quick,¡± he commented as the surge of Energy slammed into him. 9.35 Wyrm Dreams When Victor recovered from his Energy infusion, he was almost surprised by the scant couple of System messages waiting for him: ***Congratulations! You have cleared the third gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the third wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** ¡°No level?¡± he chuckled, grunting as he pushed himself to his feet. He regarded the gigantic corpse of the wyrm at his feet. It wasn¡¯t close to the size of the one he¡¯d helped kill on Zaafor, but it was definitely no baby. He figured, from the tip of its fang-filled maw to the tapered point of its distant tail, the thing was seventy or eighty feet long. He might not have gained a level or any skill advancements from his quick battle with the thing, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t claim his own bonus reward. Grinning, Victor summoned a sharp knife from his storage ring and ran his eyes over the lengthy corpse. ¡°Where¡¯s your heart, eh, hermano?¡± He got to work trying to find it, slicing lengthwise along a tough ridge of thick, scaly flesh between the wyrm¡¯s under-scales and its much harder back scales. When he found the heart, something in his gut told him it was wrong, and that¡¯s when he remembered that the great, ancient wyrm they¡¯d slain on Zaafor had multiple hearts. Would it matter which one he ate? It felt like it would. He couldn¡¯t verbalize the reason, but instinctually, he knew he had the wrong one. So, nearly forty minutes later, Victor sat staring at not one but three bloody organs, one of which was a good deal larger than the others. ¡°So, this was your first one, wasn¡¯t it, hermano?¡± He had a vague memory of Tes explaining that Wyrms developed extra hearts as their bodies grew too large for one to circulate the blood properly. It didn¡¯t quite make sense to Victor; when he doubled in size, so did his heart, but maybe it had something to do with the length of a wyrm¡¯s body. Shrugging, Victor picked up the big, glistening organ and contemplated storing it away. As he hefted it, though, sticky and lukewarm in his hand, his stomach rumbled, and a slow grin spread his lips. Without further ado, he bit into it, savoring the hot, coppery tang and the surge of Energy that seeped into his blood, even as he chewed the tough meat. It took him a few minutes to chew through all the tough meat¡ªthe heart was the size of a Christmas ham. Still, it was good, at least to Victor¡¯s Quinametzin tastebuds, and when he swallowed the last bite, he could feel it churning in his gut, spreading its potent elixir of Energy, spirit, and secrets of the blood. He took a staggering step back, his heel catching on the downed Wyrm, so he fell against it, sitting on the sharp, bloody obsidian, his back against the great creature¡¯s still-warm flesh. He tried to focus, instinctively resisting the pull of oblivion as a wave of tingling, itching, numbing sensation spread through his body, starting with his gut and working outward toward his extremities. His vision darkened, and a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Victor closed his eyes, succumbing to its embrace. All he knew was hunger. All he knew was the need to fill his belly with something warm and bloody. He slid through dark passages, his body undulating, speeding him along with the contractions that rippled through the muscles under his scales. When the passage ended, he continued, ripping the soil with his breaker-horn, shoving aside rocks, and pushing through the dirt. It was dark when he exploded into the open air, but his eyes were keen, made for a life hidden from the sun. He saw them below, hundreds of warm bodies, standing amid the tall, soft, cool grass. What a strange world! The air tickled his scales, and the lack of heat cooled his blood, but his Breath Core saw it reheated. He flicked forth his forked tongue, tasting the air, and his stomach clenched with desire when he caught a whiff of the creatures¡¯ blood. He tore over the grass, sliding between tall, smooth-barked trees until he broke into the clearing where the warm creatures grazed. They caught wind of him, but too late. He spread his jaws and bit down, his great fangs sinking through hide and muscle, piercing organs and snapping bones. As the thing thrashed, bloody and broken in the grass, the wyrm¡ªfor he¡¯d yet to earn a name¡ªreared up and pumped the bellows of his Breath Core, sending a stream of orange and yellow flames down to cook the thing. As the rest of the creatures fled, he crunched and swallowed the charred corpse, working the four-legged, stupid, but delicious thing into his throat. As he snapped his jaws back together, he turned, savoring the satisfying lump still working its way down to his stomach, and began to glide back the way he¡¯d come; he¡¯d seek out his lair and sleep, allowing his body to use the fuel he¡¯d given it to build his strength. Victor coughed, waking with a start. He shook his head, disoriented, but not for long. He recognized his surroundings and knew what had just happened: he¡¯d dreamed a vision of the wyrm¡¯s former life. Before he could reflect on it much, he noticed System messages and focused his bleary eyes, reading them: ***Congratulations! You have increased the rank of your Breath Core: Advanced 7.*** ***Congratulations! You have gained a new feat: Wyrm¡¯s Fervor.*** ***Wyrm¡¯s Fervor: When you slay a creature and cook its meat with your breath weapon, you create a special form of sustenance that will enhance your strength and aid your growth. This is a cumulative effect and will be most pronounced after significant milestones have been reached.*** ¡°Chingado!¡± Victor laughed as he cussed, shaking his head. ¡°What a fucked-up System!¡± He looked around for Lifedrinker and picked her up, hefting her to his shoulder. ¡°Did you hear that, chica? I guess I¡¯m not done growing.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Chuckling, he looked at the corpse and contemplated trying out his new feat, but he could see it was stone cold, and it didn¡¯t appeal to him. His instincts were telling him the thing wasn¡¯t fresh enough. How long had he been out? Frowning, he set Lifedrinker down and summoned forth Bryn¡¯s Farscribe book. He flipped to the message he¡¯d sent her and saw two replies: Your Grace, I appreciate your update, however curt it was. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, but the mountain moved for the first time in decades, and Magus Florent and I have been fielding quite a few panicked messages from the queen¡¯s people. I¡¯ve assured them that you had nothing to do with the event. Since it seems to have calmed, I¡¯m hopeful that our operation here will go unmolested by the queen or her agents. Your man, Trobban, has been hard at work disassembling the giant automaton. He¡¯s rather thrilled with what he¡¯s found thus far, though I¡¯d be lying if I said I could repeat any of the specifics¡ªI tend to tune such matters out. Ever your loyal retainer, Bryn Tama, Unofficial Executor of His Grace¡¯s Orders Victor snorted at the title she¡¯d given herself but also resolved to give her some official authority in the duchy; he was asking a lot of her, so it only made sense that she should be able to back herself up with the weight of a proper title. His eyes narrowed as he let them drift down to the next message. Your Grace, We¡¯ve not heard from you for a week now, and though the mountain is quiet and no horrors creep up from beyond the amber-ore wall, I must confess some worry. I do hope that you¡¯ll spare a moment to peruse this correspondence and deliver some small update. Thus far, the queen has only inquired about your progress once, and I fended her off with a rather clever response¡ªthat you were, indeed, progressing. I¡¯m rather sure she¡¯s not happy with me, and I worry that her next request for information will be delivered in person.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. With a heart ever-hopeful that I shouldn¡¯t be spending my time hunting for a new employer, Bryn Tama, Unofficial Executor of His (missing) Grace¡¯s Orders Victor laughed and summoned a pen, eager to respond: Bryn, I¡¯m alive, and you still have a job. I was out of it for a short while there, but I¡¯m good now. If the queen puts pressure on you, go ahead and tell her that the mountain was stirring because it wanted me to do something and that if I don¡¯t do it, there might be a much bigger rumble, if you get my meaning. Tell Trobban I¡¯m looking forward to hearing about his progress. As for you, Bryn, keep up your excellent work. I¡¯ll see you rewarded for your efforts. By the way, how long has it been since that last message? I lost track of the time while I was¡out. -Victor Victor put the Farscribe book away and, while he was at it, looked guiltily at some of the others in the same container¡ªhis book with Valla, the one he shared with Olivia, the book Thayla had given him, the one for Dar, and the one he used to keep in touch with Edeya and the others on Sojourn. Those were only about half of the books he needed to read through, but he couldn¡¯t do it now. He had work to do. So, with a rather heavy sigh, he turned his attention away from the storage ring and picked up Lifedrinker. ¡°Let¡¯s go look in our chest, chica.¡± ¡°With luck, the dungeon¡¯s ancient bounty will award us well!¡± Victor thought about her words. He was surprised she hadn¡¯t clamored for blood or battle. He voiced the other thought that came to mind: "You think maybe that¡¯s why the monsters and the treasure have been worth a lot? ¡®Cause the dungeon is old?¡± ¡°I know not how I have this understanding, but yes, blood-mate¡ªthis dungeon has languished unchallenged for long and long. Its denizens grew in age and power, and its treasures multiplied and compounded.¡± Lifedrinker¡¯s voice always strummed a chord in Victor¡¯s heart that somehow put him at ease, even before a fight¡or during one. He loved it when she was in a talkative mood, so as he walked to the third gate, he asked, ¡°Do you feel like you understand a lot more since your evolution?¡± ¡°I think more. I feel more. I want more. More battle, more blood, more of your hands on me, more of your spirit mingling with mine. I want more metal and Energy! I yearn to be greater than I am. Together, we should slaughter all who stand before us, all who threaten those we love, all who dare to think of parting us!¡± ¡°Holy shit, Lifedrinker,¡± Victor was embarrassed to chuckle nervously at her fervor. He gripped her haft with both hands, keenly aware of her weight on his shoulder. ¡°Listen, I want that stuff too, mostly, but there¡¯s more to life than that, right? I know, as an axe made for war, you don¡¯t really understand the concepts of things other than that, but maybe, well, think about what you saw me doing back when I didn¡¯t carry you in a dimensional ring. I wish¡I wish there were a way you could experience something other than fighting¡ª¡± ¡°But I love to fight! I love to bathe in the blood of your foes! I love to feel your righteous fury course through me! I love our time together as we conquer fools who challenge your nature!¡± ¡°I know, I know, chica. That¡¯s great, and I love you for all you¡¯ve done for me, too. Let me think about this, though. I feel like there has to be more to your¡development.¡± ¡°Think all you like, my gore-mate, my blood-heart. I will continue to dream of red rain and songs of terror.¡± Victor didn¡¯t respond, his mind too overwhelmed by the mix of emotions coming from the axe; she was happy and content but hungry for violence, and none of those feelings seemed wrong to him, which was another thing for him to contemplate. He suddenly wished intelligence was his highest attribute. As he stepped into the gatehouse, he walked over to the chest, identical to the previous two, and lifted the lid, waving away the cloud of golden Energy mist that burst forth. He almost laughed when he saw what sat within: a crown, obsidian-black and set with four hooked teeth or talons rising from the top edge, pointed slightly outward. When he reached into the chest to lift it out, it felt dangerously cold to the touch and strained his muscles with its weight. ¡°What is it with this dungeon and heavy equipment?¡± Grunting with the effort, he held it up between his hands, inspecting the thing. Its face was broad, probably the width of his giant-sized palm, and the inside was lined with supple black leather that, to Victor¡¯s memory, seemed a lot like the lining of the breastplate he¡¯d received in the previous chest. The face of the crown was worked in an angular pattern and set with seven black gemstones. At first, he hadn¡¯t noticed them because their glossy surface matched the polished black sheen of the crown¡¯s metal. It was a beautiful thing, sturdy though it was. With a slight frown of apprehension, Victor trickled some Energy into the metal through his hand and read the System¡¯s description: ***Crown of the Dark Colossus: Forged in the fires of the World Heart of Tor-Bahl for the Colossus King, Brome, the metal of this crown is vester-steel tempered with dragon¡¯s blood. Set with the fangs of Angra¡¯lovis¡¯brakaan, the dragon-born assassin whose blood was used to temper the steel, and adorned with umbral opals, this crown is rumored to greatly enhance the wearer¡¯s strength, though only a mighty will can silence the whispers of Angra¡¯lovis¡¯brakaan¡¯s mad spirit.*** ¡°What the hell?¡± Victor frowned, tilting the massive, heavy crown in his hands. Those were dragon¡¯s teeth? It was tempered in dragon¡¯s blood? Part of him found the prospect thrilling, while another was revolted. How would Tes react to such an artifact? Were dragons sentimental about such things? She¡¯d sort of made a big deal about using her blood to craft his armor, hadn¡¯t she? Or had she just said it was only fair, considering he¡¯d given her some of his? As important as it was to him, the memory was a little foggy. Victor wasn¡¯t an idiot; he could see how this item seemed to go with the armor he¡¯d received from the previous chest. If it could really ¡°greatly enhance¡± his strength, maybe he¡¯d be able to wear his new armor. Was his will high enough to deal with the whispers of a ¡°mad spirit,¡± though? He didn¡¯t want to try to find out in the middle of a dungeon with no one to back him up. With that decided, he took a few minutes to add the crown to his growing pile of treasures in the fae vault. After he slipped the key and vault back around his neck, Victor picked up Lifedrinker and proceeded through the gate into the fourth section of the crucible. Again, caustic gas and smoke filled the steamy air, and he saw another lake of magma stretching away into the dungeon¡¯s strange midnight canyon. This time, rather than tiny islands dotting the magma intended for someone to leapfrog across, the road continued, though it became a stone bridge where it met the lake. The canyon had a bend about half a mile from where he stood, making it impossible for Victor to see the next gate, nor could he see any defenders. Remembering how the lava sprites had climbed out of the last lake and how the fire wyrm had exploded out of the ground, he readied himself just the same. He summoned his banner, ensured he was still bolstering his strength and vitality with Sovereign Will, and hefted Lifedrinker, holding her ready as he stalked toward the lakeshore. Nothing attacked him on his way to the bridge, and when he stepped onto it, out of the rough, sharp gravel and onto dark basalt stones, nothing exploded out of the semi-solid surface of the magma lake. Victor chuckled¡ªhe¡¯d expected to be swarmed when crossing the lake. With a deep breath of less-than-pleasant air, he started forward, crossing the molten surface under a haze of gasses and vapors. He idly wondered what the temperature was in that canyon and how bad the air would have been for a normal person. Could he have even walked in this dungeon when he was new to Fanwath¡ªa human with no Core? How different he was! How different his life was! Could he ever have imagined that he¡¯d be striding over a bridge crossing a lake of magma, carrying an axe that a pickup truck would struggle to haul? He laughed, and his voice echoed oddly over the molten lake. If he saw himself now, bigger than any NFL linebacker could ever dream, wearing armor that bullets couldn¡¯t touch, flickering with flames like some kind of hell-born warrior, his old self would have shit himself. As he walked, the rest of the canyon, up to the next gate, slowly revealed itself, and Victor saw that an expansive open area stretched out from the lake shore, and an army stood there, arrayed for battle. They weren¡¯t monstrous humanoids like at the first gate. No, these beings looked far more formidable. They were humanoid in shape, but they weren¡¯t misshapen or stricken with seemingly random mutations. These figures were lithe and graceful in their movements¡ªtall, angular, and dark, their flesh glinting like polished black glass. He figured they were all between ten and fifteen feet in height, but their arms and legs were long and lean, their hooked fingers resting on the ground as they stood ready. A thousand smoldering red eyes stared at him as he stopped and took in the sight of the army. They wore no equipment, but it didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d need any; their hook-like fingers looked like they could rend steel, and their skin looked harder than metal. As he stood there, wondering if he should lure them onto the bridge so he wouldn¡¯t have to face so many at once, he heard something behind him, the click of stone on stone, and whirled to see, halfway between him and the far shore, another army of the dark figures advancing. As he watched, slowly nodding, his mind grappling with the challenge before him, stone rumbled, and a hundred cave openings appeared in the canyon walls. Glowering red eyes tracked him from their depths. ¡°Shit,¡± he breathed. ***Congratulations! You have reached the fourth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Survive the obsidian lurker ambush!*** 9.36 Lifedrinkers Bite Victor existed in a haze of mad fury and a blind need for destruction. His consciousness had narrowed to a pinpoint focus on the world in front of him and the target of his axe. Besides rage, the only other emotion that brushed the surface of his waking mind was wild, cruel glee as he slaughtered one foe after another. If he could step outside himself and watch the destruction he wrought, he might have been stunned by the carnage. He moved like a piece of construction equipment¡ªa backhoe or bulldozer or excavator¡ªponderous and unstoppable as he waded through the hordes of obsidian lurkers. Lifedrinker¡¯s razored, glass-smooth blade glowed white-hot with her matching fury and battle lust, and as she bit through each gemstone-hard lurker carapace, the sound of her rending echoed through the canyon like the screams of dying angels. The lurkers felt no pain. They didn¡¯t cry out or stop fighting as Lifedrinker took their limbs¡ªthey pressed the fight, scrambling over each other for a chance to stab their diamond-hard hooked talons into Victor. When the battle started, Victor wasn¡¯t so incensed, so incapable of strategy. He¡¯d cast Iron Berserk and gotten to work on the hordes of monstrous creatures, using his Energy Charge and Flight of the Lava King whenever they were off cooldown to keep from being swarmed. Even so, each engagement resulted in stabs and gashes, and with the very first wound, his Furious Battle Momentum began the countdown to his unshackled, mindless fury. And so it went, for minutes and minutes, Victor battled, and inch by inch, he lost his mind. With each hard claw that punched through his wyrm-scale vest, more rage surged into the special pathway that ran parallel to his other one, mingling with his blood, his bones, and his very cells, driving him wild with anger. His thick hide leggings could slow the piercing, grabbing claws, but not enough to keep his flesh whole. Blood flowed, and Victor screamed, and the battle raged on. Despite his madness, Victor kept to the bridge. They came to him, a never-ending tide of heaving, thrashing, clawing, long-limbed, silently menacing foes. His blows were wild and powerful, his axe like a bladed wrecking ball as he stood and cleaved, throwing bodies and parts of bodies over the sides of the bridge into the barely liquid magma-filled gorge. The piles of obsidian-fleshed corpses mounted upward, macabre tributes to the destruction he wrought. Despite his strength and speed, his wounds added up, and though his rage-fueled regeneration mended his cuts and his armor worked to repair itself, his Core drained at a steady rate. If he¡¯d had the mind to wonder, he might have been worried about what would happen when his Core ran dry. His Furious Battle Momentum wasn¡¯t something he controlled¡ªthat tendril of rage-attuned Energy flowed into its pathway regardless of his desires¡ªbut what would happen if there was no more rage to pull? As the count of his defeated foes climbed into the hundreds and Victor¡¯s frenzied swings became so fast that even Lifedrinker, in all her thousands of pounds of impossibly dense metal, cut the air in a blur, the Paragon of the Axe showed its first ghostly visage. Lifedrinker¡¯s blows began to land against foes lined up behind the front row of Victor¡¯s aggressors. As she cleaved a row of lurkers physically, the paragon did its psychic damage to the poor wretches behind them. With each mighty, lightning-fast sweep of his great axe, Victor demolished a dozen or more of his enemies. The press of obsidian bodies grew less intense as he swept the bridge before him clear, hacking, turning, hacking, and so on. Hunks of his foes flew through the air, their black, ichor-like blood spewing into the air to fall like a dark, tacky rain that sizzled and popped on the magma lake¡¯s surface. Steam filled the air, and Victor¡¯s maniac grin widened as he advanced along the bridge. His armor hung in shreds, too torn to rapidly mend. His body was drenched in sweat, blood, and the steam of his foes¡¯ blood. His flesh was whole, however, and the drain on his Core had lessened now that the Paragon of the Axe was with him. That ghostly blade, echoing Lifedrinker¡¯s white-hot shape, stretched out, effortlessly slicing through the lurkers that dared to crowd closer or failed to retreat as he pushed forward. Lifedrinker¡¯s reach was enormous in his titanic grip, but the paragon added another ten feet. As he whipped Lifedrinker in cutting arcs, he decimated the foes before him. When he felt them crowding close, he¡¯d whirl, acting on pure battle instinct, and hack her in a great cleave that slaughtered tens of the things. The vile, murderous lurkers had ceased their endless streams out of the caves, and, for the first time, their numbers began to dwindle as Victor pushed toward the distant gate. If he could speak or understand the question, Victor wouldn¡¯t have an answer to why he fought toward the gate; perhaps some instinct drove him, some fighting desire to constantly press the attack. He was like a rabid panther set loose among similarly wild-eyed rats. The obsidian lurkers knew no fear and didn¡¯t hesitate in their relentless desire to rip Victor to shreds, but each time they were close enough, Victor swiped them away, torn to pieces. The fight went on and on, and after a time, Victor reached the end of the bridge and pushed into the dwindling lines of lurkers, gaining a foothold on the solid ground before the gate. He didn¡¯t have to chase after enemies to fight; they kept coming¡ªmeat into a grinder. It wasn¡¯t until his rage began to fade and fresh-born lucidity blossomed in his mind that Victor realized he was still hacking his axe, though no further foes advanced. He turned in a slow circle and surveyed the carnage. Thousands of corpses littered the field or burned on their pyres¡ªgreat heaps of the hard-fleshed creatures piled high on the semi-sold surface of the magma lake. Some still twitched; one nearby clung to life and tried to crawl toward him, using its pointed hook fingers to drag its severed body forward. Victor stomped its hard skull, grinding it like the shell of a coconut into the stony ground. He spat, realizing some gore clung to his lips, and wiped his face on his forearm, only to smear more gore across his cheek. He looked down at himself, at his still-shredded pants and armor drenched in black filth. He hoped his armor would recover and clean itself, but his flesh beneath was hopelessly soiled. Victor walked through the carnage until he came to a relatively clean section of the gravel road. There, he retrieved a barrel of water and some towels from his storage container and prepared to clean himself. Even as he pulled off his damaged armor, though, the System finally acknowledged his victory. A tremendous rush of Energy knocked him off his feet, lifting him into the air, driving his muscles into rigidity and his mind into senseless wandering. He experienced a familiar cascade of visions, the kind that always flooded his mind when struck by an overwhelming surge of Energy: mountains erupting, planets forming and colliding, shadowy figures locked in titanic struggles¡ªhow he knew what each meant, he couldn¡¯t say; he simply understood. Though the scenes were like those he¡¯d seen before, each was distinct, and this time, something new emerged toward the end. He saw a landscape of pastoral beauty, a hillside blanketed in lush, green grass. Resting there, bathed in sunlight, was a blue-tinted dragon¡ªscales bright and metalline. Her golden eyes shifted upward to meet his, shining with a glint of recognition. When he came to himself, it was like waking from a deep, restful slumber; he knew he¡¯d dreamed of something meaningful but struggled to recall it. Victor traced the fragments of his memories, trying to pull the images into his conscious mind¡¯s eye, but he only saw pieces¡ªsnatches of color, feelings, and impressions. Had he dreamed of someone he knew? He thought for certain he had. He was sure it had been someone he missed, someone he wanted to see again, though he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on who it had been. ¡°Valla?¡± he wondered aloud, but it didn¡¯t feel right. With a mental shrug, he looked to the System messages crowding his vision: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 77 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ***Congratulations! Your feat, Challenger, has been upgraded! New Feat: Unyielding Challenger.*** ***Unyielding Challenger: Time and time again, you have not only faced powerful foes but held your ground against entire armies, emerging victorious through sheer will and skill. The strength of your aura has become a force of nature, radiating defiance that breaks the spirits of those who stand against you. Effect: Enemies within range of your aura will feel the weight of inevitable defeat more keenly, further reducing their resistance to fear and causing those of lesser power to hesitate or falter when facing you alone.***If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fourth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fourth wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor stood and stretched, smiling at what he¡¯d read. After finishing what he¡¯d started with the barrel of water, rinsing himself thoroughly, he picked up Lifedrinker and hefted her onto his shoulder. Though he wasn¡¯t berserk, she felt more manageable in his hands and didn¡¯t pain his shoulder as her tremendous weight pressed down on him. He¡¯d gained a few levels, and each one gave him nine strength and fourteen vitality; it added up. Grinning, still feeling good thanks to his dreams and the good news from the System, he walked over to the gatehouse and approached his fourth chest. If he¡¯d known the battle experience and loot that awaited him in the dungeon, Victor wouldn¡¯t have needed any sort of quest from a primordial titan to enter. How could he complain about gaining levels, treasure, and feats? Chuckling, he lifted the lid and waited for the Energy mist to fade. Looking inside, he saw a single object, a bottle with dark green glass. He lifted it out, palming it, figuring it was about the size of a beer bottle. To his surprise and delight, it bore a label affixed to the cork stopper: Concentrated distillate of a Qo¡¯lorian Essence Drifter¡ªDrink to gain a permanent boost to one or more attributes. ¡°Nice!¡± Victor almost pulled the stopper and tilted it into his mouth immediately, but he paused, rethinking the action. If it was a significant boost, and judging by his other awards in the dungeon, he figured it probably was, it might knock him out for a while¡ªdays or weeks, even. ¡°Better save it.¡± Wincing and ready to pull it back immediately, he carefully sent it into his storage ring. The ring immediately began to heat up, so he yanked it out. While it was irritating to have to go through the process of putting it into his vault, the fact that his ring couldn¡¯t hold it portended good things about the ¡°distillate.¡± So, with a cheerful demeanor, he activated his vault, stowed his new treasure away, and then closed it up. He secured it around his neck, some deeply buried part of him thrilling at the idea of his growing hoard. With a sigh and a stretch, he stepped toward the gate but paused to examine his armor. His pants had recovered, and so had his wyrm-scale vest. He ran his fingers over the scales, pressing and tugging on them. They seemed fine, but how many times could they regenerate? Was it an infinite process, or were they growing slightly weaker with each repair? He wished he could ask Tes about it. The thought brought to mind a faint memory¡ªa great blue dragon in the sun¡ªand suddenly Victor remembered his dream. ¡°I saw her.¡± His voice was hushed, a whisper, but Lifedrinker heard him. ¡°Who, war-heart?¡± ¡°Tes. I think I saw her when I leveled¡ªwhen the Energy overwhelmed me.¡± ¡°The one who hid her teeth as she guided you through the wastes?¡± Victor snorted, smiling. ¡°Yeah, that was her.¡± ¡°She liked me, battle-love. She said I was special¡ªwould that she could see me now!¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯d be impressed, chica. For sure.¡± Victor patted Lifedrinker¡¯s haft and then stepped through the gate. The distance to the next gate was much shorter than the previous ones. He could see it across a barren plain of rocky, broken obsidian shards. Of course, he could also see its defender. The metallic warrior reminded Victor of the automaton he¡¯d destroyed outside the amber-ore wall. There were distinct differences, however. This being didn¡¯t strike Victor as being a construct. To Victor, it looked very much like a gigantic, metal human man. It didn¡¯t have seams at its joints, nor did the expression on its shiny gray face look devoid of emotion. Its gleaming black eyes traced Victor¡¯s movements, and a scowl creased its metallic forehead, drawing its brow down as it snarled. It was titanic in size, something between twenty or thirty feet tall, and powerfully built. The giant stepped forward and stretched out an arm from which a blazing spear of light erupted, stretching to a length of twenty or thirty feet, flickering with the potent charge of its Energy. ¡°Mano a mano, eh, pendejo?¡± Victor grinned as he channeled Energy into Iron Berserk. His form exploded with size and power, and in seconds, he stood, eye to eye, facing the metal giant over the length of the battlefield. He took a single step, and the System chimed in: ***Congratulations! You have reached the fifth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Defeat the Iron Colossus to advance!*** Victor hoped the description was accurate. He hoped the thing was made of iron; Lifedrinker would cut it like butter. In a way, the defender reminded him of Lira, Ronkerz¡¯s Big One, who¡¯d clad herself in a gigantic metal shell. Lifedrinker hadn¡¯t been effective against her, but that was before she¡¯d grown, before she¡¯d absorbed the ¡°soul ore¡± and massively increased her¡mass. ¡°Okay, chica. Time to show this big metal asshole how you can bite.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± she practically screamed. ¡°Yes, blood-heart! War-mate! Let us test my edge!¡± Grinning, Victor cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin, and as the clarity of its wonderful Energy washed over him, he crouched into a battle stance and stalked toward his enemy. The colossus moved, and it wasn¡¯t slow or ponderous. It leaped forward and to the left, significantly closing the distance between them. As Victor shifted to square off with it again, the thing pivoted and bolted into a charge, its great metal feet thunderously pounding into the hard gravel surface. Victor lifted Lifedrinker, contemplating how to parry a spear of pure light, but even as the colossus closed to a mere fifty feet, it lunged, and the spear shot forth, lengthening to close the gap and punching into Victor¡¯s chest, just beneath his left collarbone. It had been aiming for his heart! The pain was enormous; it seared his flesh like no fire could. When the shaft of light recoiled, shortening to its regular length, the colossus raised it high, readying another blow. The entire attack took less than a heartbeat, less than a single inhalation. The speed of the graceful metal giant combined with the lightning flash of the spear¡¯s attack was enough to confound any attempt to parry the blow, but Victor was no slouch, and he knew what he was up against now. As his titanic constitution and berserk regeneration worked to reverse the damage to his chest, he braced Lifedrinker before him and cast Energy Charge, fueling the spell with inspiration-attuned Energy. When he streaked over the ground, closing the gap between them in a flash, Victor was confident that he¡¯d strike his foe; had any enemy managed to dodge his charge? He was too focused to dig through his memories of countless fights, but he didn¡¯t think so. It was with some shock, then, that he realized the colossus wasn¡¯t standing where it should be, and he tore over the empty gravel-strewn field. When his charge ended, he whirled, only to be stabbed again, this time right in the center of his stomach. The pain was enormous, and he faltered for a moment, stumbling to his knees as the shaft of burning light burned through his spine. Such a blow would have ruined most fighters; how could a man fight with his spine severed? It wouldn¡¯t be easy, certainly, but Victor didn¡¯t have to figure it out. He¡¯d barely inhaled to roar his fury when his incredible regeneration reknit his spinal cord, and he leaped to his feet, his fury mounting by the second. This time, as he sprinted toward his foe, he watched that spear, and as it lanced out again, Lifedrinker¡¯s mirrored black blade deflected the shaft of light, and she screamed her pride and bloodlust. The colossus drew its spear back, ready to launch another blazing attack, but Victor had closed the distance, and Lifedrinker was already arcing out in an upward-angled backswing. Her brilliant, white-hot edge met the colossus at the hip, and she tore through the fabric of his being like a hatchet through an aluminum can. Light exploded from the rend, blazing forth with burning intensity, and Victor had to use Titanic Leap to launch away from the burning plume. As he sailed backward, he watched the colossus stagger, its Energy bursting forth like air from a balloon, and then it stopped, and Victor could see that its right leg, the one Lifedrinker had cut, had gone inert, like solid, dead iron. The rest of the colossus was still vibrant, still alive, and it took a step with its good leg, dragging the other as it rotated to put Victor in its sights. It drew back its spear, tracing Victor as he descended from his leap, and launched another lance-like stab. Victor, mid-air, focused on the colossus¡¯s waist and activated Flight of the Lava King, streaking down beneath the arc of the spear¡¯s lance of light. He flew through the air, trailing flames and black smoke as he crashed into the colossus, his shoulder smashing into its rock-hard stomach. It might have hurt if the thing didn¡¯t move, but it did, toppling back like an unsecured light pole, crashing onto the ground with an earth-shaking clang. One thing about Victor: he wasn¡¯t one to hesitate to press an advantage in a fight. The colossus bounced once, and then Lifedrinker was buried in its chest, slamming it into the ground. As light exploded from the massive tear, Victor leaped backward, out of the burning rays, and watched as Lifedrinker began to thrum and vibrate, drawing that explosion of Energy into herself, stifling the leak, and singing her bloody war cries as she tore the vital force from the colossal being. ¡°Hell, yes! Get it, chica!¡± Victor roared, his voice hoarse with rage, his mouth frothing as he worked to control the effects of his Furious Battle Momentum. He still had his mind, and the fight was well and truly over, so it didn¡¯t take long for the rage to bleed from his pathways. When Lifedrinker stopped vibrating, and the entire colossus was dull, dead metal, he reached for her haft and pulled her out, widening the cut in the strange giant¡¯s metal. Lifedrinker¡¯s blade throbbed with veins of blinding light, and he knew it would be a while before she processed her massive feast. Victor only had a moment to wonder if the fight was truly over, if there would be another defender of the gate before he saw an enormous puddle of glittering, ghostly-white Energy orbs begin to bubble up out of the colossus¡¯s metallic form. The sight answered his question¡ªthe fight was done, and he was about to get knocked out again. 9.37 Horde ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fifth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fifth wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor blinked, reaching up to rub his eyes as he read the notifications. Was that his first victory in the dungeon that didn¡¯t result in a level? He supposed it had to slow down at some point, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight twinge of disappointment. With a grunt, he pushed himself to his feet and regarded the cold, iron corpse of the fifth gate¡¯s defender. It looked smaller, somehow pitiful, in its inert, lifeless state. With a shrug, Victor picked up Lifedrinker and stalked toward the open gate. As he walked, thoughts of his most recent visions crowded his mind. He hadn¡¯t seen Tes again, had he? As always, the memories of his visions were far less vivid than he¡¯d like, but he was left with the impression of colossal trials being overcome. Was the System responsible for the strange dreams? Were his ancestors guiding his mind as it was touched by torrents of rich Energy? Were the things he saw just random, or were they messages buried in his blood, in the fabric of his DNA? Sometimes, he felt like his mind was loose, ripping through the cosmos and experiencing things and places incomprehensibly distant from where he¡¯d left his body. Sometimes, he also felt like the distance was even further¡ªseparated from his current reality by not just space but also time. Victor had heard people speak in terms of the ¡°universe,¡± and he¡¯d heard people offhandedly pluralize that word, speaking as though there were multitudes. Were there more than one? Did they exist on different timelines, or were they separated by some fabric of reality he couldn¡¯t perceive? Could people move between them? Had he? ¡°The same old question,¡± he sighed, reminding himself that he¡¯d get nowhere down that line of thought. He¡¯d chased it to too many dead ends when he¡¯d learned about Olivia and the timeline of the people from First Landing, which forced him to view his abuela and his time on Earth as something that happened hundreds of years ago. But if they were from different timelines¡ Victor shook his head. ¡°Focus on the now,¡± he sighed, stepping toward his latest reward chest. He rested Lifedrinker against the wall of the gatehouse. She¡¯d been quiet, but he wasn¡¯t surprised; the evidence of the enormous feast she was processing still flickered in her mirrored black surface¡ªspider webs of brilliant solar Energy, throbbing and flaring. Victor flipped the chest open, and when the Energy mist cleared, he frowned, initially thinking the chest was empty. When he leaned closer, though, he saw a black, silken package on the bottom, blending with the shadows. Victor tried to lift it out, but the hard, rectangular object inside the silk wrapping resisted his efforts. Victor¡¯s fingers found the edge of the wrapping and pulled it away, heaving as the material beneath the object slowly slid free. Setting the silk aside, he looked again and saw a brick of red, silver-veined metal sitting on the bottom of the chest. It was the second brick of ore he¡¯d received from the dungeon, though it was far heavier than the silver-hued one he¡¯d gotten from the first gate. Victor refused to be bested by something so small; he wrapped his hands around it, heaving with his back to pull it out of the chest. Grunting, he shrugged and curled his arms, lifting it to his chest to look down at the metal, wondering if there were any clues to its nature or origin. No engravings or labels met his eyes, so he set it down until he could take a minute to open his vault. He had a feeling that such dense, Energy-rich ore wouldn¡¯t sit well in one of his lesser storage devices. As he worked, Victor thought about the two bricks of ore he¡¯d received in the dungeon. Surely, they were meant as rewards meant to be versatile to adventurers¡ªthey could be crafted into armor, weapons, jewelry, and even art. But Victor had another use in mind, and he gave it away with glances he stole at Lifedrinker, leaning against the wall. She¡¯d feasted on Energy aplenty since her evolution, but was she still hungry for metal? What would she do with these new materials? He wanted to find out, but a small part of him also worried that she¡¯d become too unwieldy for him¡ªthat he wasn¡¯t ready for her to advance too much yet. This latest piece of metal was nearly as heavy as the soul ore he¡¯d given her back on Sojourn. Would she gain so much weight, or could she shed some of her less potent material? Could she alter the nature of the materials she absorbed? He had no idea. As he hung his vault key around his neck, Victor walked over to the axe and hefted her to his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you about it when you¡¯re more talkative. Maybe you know more, now that you¡¯ve done it once.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Victor chuckled and stepped outside the gate, fixing his eyes on the next section of the crucible. The dungeon¡¯s canyon walls widened before him, stretching to the point where a mile or more of space lay between them. In the distance, Victor could see the sixth wall and gate¡ªjust a thin dark band on the distant horizon, and between him and it was arrayed a vast, dark army. The first rank was probably a quarter of a mile distant, and Victor, counting by tens, could estimate their number at two hundred. Two hundred in the first rank, and behind them were hundreds more ranks¡ªVictor couldn¡¯t be sure because they grew tiny with the distance, but he thought there had to be four or five hundred. Adding the zeroes together, he chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°A hundred thousand?¡± He didn¡¯t fully step out of the gate; he wasn¡¯t sure he was ready for such a challenge. Instead, he dug around in his rings for the weird little scope he¡¯d gotten during the conquest for the Untamed Marches¡ªsomething he¡¯d failed to use so many times that it was almost funny to try to think of them. The thought made him laugh, chagrined as he scolded himself. He lifted the scope to his eye. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to know how tough your enemies are sometimes, you pendejo?¡± The view the scope presented to him brought more humor to his heart. The enemies in that first row of the enormous army were skeletons. Undead creatures in dark, tattered armor, with rotten flesh hanging from their bones. Their eyes glowed with baleful red light, but each was limned with a green aura; the scope was saying they were all well beneath him. Lowering the glass and sending it into storage, Victor still hesitated. A hundred thousand! Even if he killed each enemy with a single blow, could he even swing Lifedrinker that many times? As he envisioned the battle and thought about how long it would take and how much Energy he¡¯d have to conserve, he couldn¡¯t keep the smile from returning to his lips over and over. To say he¡¯d fought an army of a thousand was one thing. He¡¯d done it more than once now. To say he stood before a hundred times that many? The grin pulled at his cheeks, a hungry gleam in his eyes to match it. ¡°So I won¡¯t cast any spells. I¡¯ll let my Battle Momentum do its work. He figured if he reserved the Energy in his core for the rage generated by the ability, it would last a very long time. Victor was certain of one thing: he wouldn¡¯t be turning around. Accepting that fact, he lifted Lifedrinker and stepped through the gate. ***Congratulations! You have reached the sixth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Defeat the undead horde to advance!*** Victor heard a distant rumble and, at first, thought the dungeon would throw him a curveball, adding in some artificial storm or lightning. It took him a minute to realize the host before him was marching, a great cloud of dust lifting into the air above them. They weren¡¯t going to wait for him to come to them. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do this!¡± He stalked forward, wondering when he¡¯d begun to accept the inevitability of injury and pain without a second thought. He understood he¡¯d be wounded; his strategy was banking on it. How else could he get his Furious Battle Momentum to kick in, enhancing his strength and speed to the point where he could possibly consider a battle against such overwhelming odds? Those skeletal warriors might be beneath him, but green was different from gray¡ªthey were strong enough to register. As they grew closer, he saw them running, saw their long, skeletal limbs, and realized they were all giant-sized. For the first time, a sliver of doubt entered Victor¡¯s heart¡ªhow prideful must he be to think he could face down a hundred thousand giant skeletons? Had he lost his mind? He glanced over his shoulder, saw the closed gate, and laughed; his chance for rational behavior was gone. ¡°Fuck it,¡± he growled and lifted Lifedrinker high, charging forward to meet the endless-seeming sea of foes. As he closed the distance, the thunder of the tens of thousands of stomping feet under massive, bony bodies clad in all manner of armor was enough to drown out even Victor¡¯s titanic roar as he broke his promise with himself and cast Energy Charge to start the battle. On a trail of cloudy, purple-black, smoky shadows, he streaked toward the front line of undead, and the resultant impact utterly shattered half a dozen of the fiends. Those six, exploding into bone fragments and broken, shattered gear, destroyed another twenty and knocked back a hundred, leaving Victor standing alone, chest heaving, Lifedrinker poised, for nearly five heartbeats before the horde fell on him. The undead were big and strong and never grew tired, but they were fragile compared to Victor¡¯s titanic figure. Lifedrinker exploded them effortlessly, though the effort of swinging her was likely to take a toll on his muscles, eventually. Victor¡¯s vitality was over twelve hundred with his various boosts, though, and he felt like he could run a marathon up the slopes of Mount Olympus at a sprint and still have energy left over. Even so, could he fight a hundred thousand foes? He shook the thought aside, allowing his mind to drift and willing his fury to take over.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. When he¡¯d fought the reaver army in the Untamed Marches, Victor used all of his abilities. He ran himself dry and would have succumbed if not for his ancestor¡¯s fire. He knew he had to be smart if he was going to fight a hundred times that many foes. He had to leave his Core full and let it slowly feed the rage into his pathways as Furious Battle Momentum called for it. His passive regeneration was enormous, thanks to his prodigious will, but even so, eventually, the ability would run him dry. He just hoped he¡¯d finish the undead before then. At first, the weight of the waves and waves of giant skeletons was too much. He¡¯d cleave with Lifedrinker, but as the axe swung out, shattering five or six foes, twenty more would fill in, piling on him, pounding, stabbing, grabbing, and biting. Victor would take fifty or more wounds before he could throw them off with another enormous swing. None of the injuries were severe, nothing he couldn¡¯t recover from in a handful of seconds, but they triggered his Furious Battle Momentum, flooding him with rage. This happened five, ten, twenty times, and then something changed. Lifedrinker began to do more than cleave or dismember the undead; she began to explode them. Victor¡¯s strength and speed had mounted to the point where it was a matter of simple physics¡ªa multi-ton implement of war was impacting heavy, dense things at speeds that obliterated anything in her path. Each swing didn¡¯t just cut through bone; it reduced the undead to clouds of dust and fragments, sending shockwaves that rippled outward, staggering those further back. The ground trembled with each impact, and the force of Victor¡¯s strikes sent shattered remnants flying through the air, piercing and scattering the ranks before they could close in. Lifedrinker was no longer just an axe in his hands¡ªshe was a force of devastation. No longer did the hordes close in before he could swing again; Victor had to stand ready, his vision lost in the blood-red insanity of his momentum, waiting for the untouched lines to climb over their staggered, broken comrades to attempt to swarm him again. This carried on for a time, but Victor had lost all sense of strategy and didn¡¯t bother to clear his flanks. He simply drove forward, pushing himself into the surging sea of the undead until they began to close in around him. Once he couldn¡¯t destroy all his nearby foes with a single swing, they began to fly at him from the sides and rear. They drove spears into him, punched knives through his armor, and pounded heavy maces against his helmet, his back, and his shoulders. Victor screamed an endless warcry, his eyes alight with smoldering red flames, his mouth frothing with bloody saliva, his corded muscles standing out like coiled anchor chains. Black smoke drifted from his figure as he grew ever more incensed, a mindless killing machine. Lifedrinker answered the heat building from his fury and his impossible physical activity; she blazed white-hot, further magnifying the terrible explosive impacts of her booming sweeps through the air. Bone dust ignited in the air, filling the canyon with black smoke. When Victor staggered from a blow mid-swing, and Lifedrinker impacted the stony ground, it may as well have been a meteor strike for all the damage it did. Rock fragments erupted from the resultant crater, vaulting up and out to tumble into the horde, smashing more of the undead. All the while, Victor roared and screamed until he tore his vocal cords and blood flecked his heaving exhalations. He fought his way through the horde once, and when they were all at his back, his madness forced him to turn and charge into them again. That first passage through the sea of undead took him hours. The second, back to the start of his mad battle, was much quicker¡ªa few dozen minutes. Even so, Victor was constantly beset, surrounded, stabbed, hammered, bitten, and his rage increased. If he knew anything other than a need to kill and destroy, he might have begun to wonder if his body could take much more. He might have wondered if his Core was running low, and if it wasn¡¯t¡ªif it kept feeding the fury that continued to build his speed and power¡ªcould he take it? How fast could he swing a weapon like Lifedrinker without ripping his arms from his torso? How much rage-attuned Energy could swell his muscles and bones before they came apart at an atomic level? Whatever the answers to those unasked questions might be, Victor had no such worries. Most of what made him ¡°Victor¡± was gone¡ªunconscious¡ªdrifting through a dreamlike haze, unaware of the toll on his body or the cataclysmic forces roiling through it. The part of him that existed in the dungeon, that drove his body, had but one desire, one goal: destroy everything. And so he did. He waded through the horde again and again, each time more quickly and more easily. By the end, when he swung Lifedrinker at the final cluster of undead giants, the impact of her blade exploded them into fiery showers of bone dust. Nothing remained of them. Even after they were gone, Victor fought on, his madness utter and complete. He smashed his axe into the ground and against the canyon walls. He even waded back and forth across the battlefield, pulverizing the bits of skeleton that weren¡¯t already dust. The only thing that saved him was the nature of his momentum; it wouldn¡¯t increase if he didn¡¯t take damage. As his wounds healed and he burned off the rage in his system, Victor slowly returned to himself. When his consciousness fully returned, Victor looked around to see himself sitting atop a mound of bones and broken armor in a devastated wasteland. Craters and trenches filled the battlefield. Piles of rubble lay everywhere. The canyon walls were slumped and broken up like there had been landslides, and the ruination of the undead horde was utter and complete. Not a single skeleton remained intact. Not a single skeleton remained half intact. Lifedrinker¡¯s haft sat in his hand, her axe-head on the ground before him. She was cool to the touch, but he could see from the molten ripples on the stone where she rested that she¡¯d been very hot indeed when he¡¯d stopped fighting. Victor looked at himself; his armor was mostly intact, but many large rends still struggled to close. His hands were black with soot and blood¡ªhis own¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t hurt. When he stood, his knees and hips were stiff, but only for a moment. How long had he sat, waiting for his mind to return? ¡°How long¡ª¡± He started to ask his question aloud but stopped when he saw the System messages crowded to the side of his vision. Had he swiped them aside in his madness? He focused on them, pulling them into view: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 79 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 18 strength, 28 vitality, 18 agility, and 18 dexterity.*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the sixth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the sixth wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor blinked. Gaining two levels was great, but¡was this the first time he¡¯d been so mad with rage that an Energy infusion after a battle hadn¡¯t sobered him? How far gone had he been? He squeezed Lifedrinker¡¯s haft. ¡°Chica, do you know how long I fought? How long I was out of it?¡± ¡°Our dance of death and destruction was glorious, blood-mate! Long did we tear the life force from our foes! We fought on and on, ruining the fools who thought to overwhelm you with their numbers. Like ants into a fire, they fed us! I only wish they¡¯d had blood, my battle-love. What glory to wade through a lake of it! Time isn¡¯t easy to mark in this strange, sunless place. But, blood-heart, I processed the metal man''s Energy, which should have taken me days.¡± Victor licked his lips, a sudden cool shiver licking the back of his neck. He summoned his Farscribe book for Bryn and flipped to the last message he¡¯d sent. There was a new one beneath it:
Your Grace, Her Majesty, Queen Kynna Dar, has requested your presence. She¡¯s scheduled your next duel, and the meeting for terms will take place fifteen days hence. Please contact us as soon as possible to confirm your receipt of this message. Your humble servant, Bryn¡°Shit!¡± Victor summoned a pen, but when he turned the page to write a response, he saw another message from Bryn.
Your Grace¡ªVictor, The queen¡¯s new chamberlain was watching me write that last message, so I couldn¡¯t add a few details. There are people here. The queen¡¯s people have set up a camp and brought in Elementalists to assess the situation beyond the amber-ore wall. I¡¯ve been able to fend them off, warning them that you¡¯ll be furious if they interfere with your activities, but as the days pass and we don¡¯t hear from you, the queen grows increasingly impatient, and her servants here grow more and more bold. Please respond! Your duel is in four days! There are rumors among the servants that come and go¡ªsome say that Queen Kynna has reached out to her new stable of champions and is interviewing for the best candidate to face Lovania¡¯s champion. I will be watching this page, Victor, until the last possible moment. Please respond! Bryn¡°Shit, shit!¡± Victor repeated, then quickly scrawled a reply.
Bryn, you there?A response immediately appeared.
Victor? Thank the gods!Victor smiled, then wrote the only question that mattered:
How much time do I have? I was out of it again.The response sent his mind spinning:
Three days!Victor exhaled loudly, blowing his stress with the breath. He stretched his neck, popping it, then wrote:
I¡¯m almost done in here. Tell those fuckers to stay out, or they might bring the mountain down on us all, and I think I¡¯m the only one who might survive that. The mountain doesn¡¯t give a shit about Elementalists. You have my permission to tell them that. Tell Kynna I¡¯ll be ready to fight for her again soon¡ªI¡¯ll make it to her duel. I¡¯m coming, Bryn, and I¡¯ll be bearing gifts.Victor slapped the book closed and hefted Lifedrinker, chuckling at how she felt almost comfortable in his hands. He broke into a jog toward the sixth gatehouse. If he understood things right, he had one more gate to get through, and then he could face the boss and, if things went well, destroy the dungeon Core. Jogging through the ruin of the battlefield he¡¯d created, he shook his head, chuckling. His Furious Battle Momentum was formidable as hell, but it was also insane; he¡¯d been out of it for days¡ªat least! He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before Bryn¡¯s first message. At the gate, he turned to examine the destruction one more time. ¡°A hundred-goddamn-thousand undead!¡± As he ducked into the gatehouse, Victor hoped he¡¯d gain a level before he fought the dungeon boss; he couldn¡¯t deny the potency of the ¡°Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum,¡± but he didn¡¯t like losing himself so much, and he certainly didn¡¯t like losing days or weeks as he recovered his senses. Was there a chance that he might not come back to himself? The System hadn¡¯t sent him any fine print. Was it possible for him to lose his mind for good? He didn¡¯t want to find out. 9.38 Death Trap The sixth chest contained five Energy hearts¡ªfive globes of potent Energy that required a veil walker¡¯s level of power to create. Victor remembered when Dar had given him Energy hearts to cultivate his glory, inspiration, and magma attunements. His mentor had said that each heart was as potent as a hundred thousand Energy beads but that they were, potentially, far more valuable if traded to the right person¡ªsomeone who needed a powerful source of a particular brand of Energy. The five globes of potent power that the dungeon awarded him seemed exotic. So much so that Victor could only guess at their contents. One was filled with brilliant light and warm to the touch. It reminded him of sunlight, and so he guessed that was what it was¡ªa heart of solar-attuned Energy. Another was black, but when he held it to his ear, he could hear the crackling potency of its power, and the sound triggered memories of Florent¡¯s portals. Was it a void-attuned heart? The third heart was also warm but had a different nature than the solar heart. It radiated pink Energy and tickled Victor¡¯s skin with its delicate, gentle touch. He wondered if it had something to do with healing. The fourth pulsed with a strange, cloudy Energy that reminded him of static. It numbed his hand, and when he held it to his ear, it dulled his thoughts to the point where he yanked it away, fearing it was doing some harm. The final Energy heart was filled with a deep silver Energy that barely glowed at all. It was cool to the touch, but Victor could feel its signature tingling through his palm, reminding him of Lira¡¯s power in the Iron Prison. He had a feeling it had to do with metal and briefly contemplated trying to feed it to Lifedrinker. ¡°Maybe when we¡¯re done in here,¡± he muttered, slipping the orb with the others into the ring Dar had given him, the one holding his cultivation items and Arona¡¯s phylactery. That done, and feeling some pressure to hurry thanks to the time he lost while being out of his mind with rage, Victor grunted, lifting Lifedrinker to his shoulder, and stepped into the gate opening, taking in his first view of the last stretch of the canyon before the dungeon¡¯s end. This time, he could see the next gate clearly, only a quarter of a mile distant or so. No enemies lay between him and it. His gaze met nothing but hard, stony ground strewn with sharp, jagged obsidian gravel. Scanning left and right, Victor took in the steep red-brown canyon walls and frowned in suspicion as he noted dozens of small cave entrances. He couldn¡¯t be sure from his vantage, but they all looked roughly the same size¡ªten feet high if he were guessing. It was probably safe to say that no giants would be swarming out of those caves, but there were plenty of smaller horrors that might emerge. He gave his armor a final once-over. The cuts and tears were repaired. His vest¡¯s missing scales had regenerated, once again leaving him to wonder how many times it could do so. Victor secured his helm, ensured he was boosting his strength and vitality with Sovereign Will, and then cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin. With the spell''s influence guiding his eyes, he gave the canyon another thorough look. Nothing new jumped out at him¡ªfiguratively or literally¡ªso Victor gripped Lifedrinker in both hands and stepped through the gate. He took one, two, three steps before he heard a low buzzing in the distance that reminded him of cicadas but louder and deeper. As the volume mounted and multiplied, he realized it was coming from the caves, and, as he scanned the cliffsides, he saw his first glimpse of the source: football-sized, red and black flying insects with stingers visible from a hundred yards away as they spiraled toward him. They exploded from the caves like billowing, buzzing smoke, circling high and then descending toward him¡ªa red and black tsunami of promised pain. Victor watched the cloud approaching¡ªthousands of menacing insects with dripping stingers flexed toward him. He had a hell of a constitution, and his Quinametzin ancestry made him resistant to poison, but he didn¡¯t relish having gallons and gallons of caustic poison pumped into his flesh. As the last insects cleared the caves and joined the swirling storm of murderous wasps, a flicker of a plan ran through his mind, and he began to run. ***Congratulations! You have reached the seventh gate of the Crucible of Fire! Defeat the swarm to advance! Beware their deadly sting!*** Victor charged toward the cliffside on the left, set his eyes on a distant cavemouth high on the sheer wall, and activated Flight of the Lava King. Great fiery wings erupted from his shoulders, and he surged into the air, throwing a cloud of smoke and heat behind. A heartbeat later, his feet impacted the stone of the cavemouth, and he squatted low, ducking inside. Moving toward the depths of the cave, he could hear the swarm behind him getting close to the cave mouth, a susurrating buzz that grew so loud that it vibrated the dust on the cave walls, sending it sheeting toward the ground. Just as he¡¯d figured, the dungeon was only an imitation of a real-world place; the cave wasn¡¯t very deep. After only fifty feet or so beyond the mouth, he came up to a solid stone wall. Victor turned and faced the pale circle of light that was the tunnel mouth, waiting, slowly inhaling, stoking his Breath Core. The light dimmed, then turned to blackness, and the buzzing grew unbearably loud¡ªa sound that vibrated his bones and made his skin crawl. Victor¡¯s Quinametzin eyes weren¡¯t blinded by the darkness the swarm tried to impose. He could see their shapes, faintly luminescent with green Energy¡ªthe faint aura of these creatures that his epic-tier eyes could sus out. They came at him like floodwaters, pouring into the cave at breakneck speeds. When they were halfway to him, Victor inhaled massively, and when he could almost reach out and grab one of the fat, throbbing, buzzing things, he blew out a gout of magma-infused breath. In the confined space of the tunnel, it was like a bomb going off. Victor¡¯s breath weapon wasn¡¯t just fire; it was molten stone. He¡¯d often wondered how that worked; where did the matter come from to make up the lava that poured out of his mouth like a fire hydrant of superheated liquid rock? Somehow, his mind could accept ¡°fire breathing,¡± but ¡°lava breathing¡± was another matter. It wasn¡¯t like his lungs were full of magma. His Core was, though. His Breath Core was packed with the stuff, somehow holding it there, dense and churning and ready to flow forth in its violent, flaming, molten brilliance. The insects in front of Victor for twenty feet were doused with the stuff, and they burst with the heat. Weighed down by the lava, their parts fell to the floor or were blown back by the continued stream as Victor charged forward, pushing through the hellish nightmare-scape of the tunnel toward the mouth of the cave. His magma Core pulsed and throbbed, releasing more and more of the superheated stuff into Victor¡¯s lung pathway, and he breathed it out, roaring as he did so, annihilating hundreds¡ªthousands¡ªof the bugs before he came to the ledge and leaped. He angled his jump toward the distant canyon wall, narrowly arcing past the still-swarming cloud of bugs. He wondered how many he¡¯d killed¡ªwhat percentage of the swarm he¡¯d dealt with¡ªas he flew. His wings were on cooldown, but his Titanic Leap had explosive power, and he surged past the swarm, most of which were still confused by the heat and smoke he¡¯d generated. He tried to aim for another cave mouth, but his leap was off target, and he saw he¡¯d impact the opposite cliff a good ten feet to the left of the mark. Victor lifted Lifedrinker and aimed for the stone wall, and she eagerly began to smolder. Her blade bit into the stone like it was made of cheese, and Victor grunted as he caught his momentum on the soles of his boots. Then, with a herculean surge of strength, he swung himself toward the cavemouth, trusting Lifedrinker to pull herself free as his outstretched arm tugged. She did, having heated her blade to white-hot intensity, melting the stone around herself. In the new cave, Victor charged forward and found this one a good deal deeper. He glanced inward at his Breath Core and saw he still had about two-thirds of his Energy. ¡°Good,¡± he grumbled, hunched over, hurrying toward the back of the cave as fast as he could. Already, he heard the swarm coming. Having tested his tactic, he decided he could improve on it. This time, when the swarm came and blotted out the light this time, he waited for them to get close and then annihilated them with a jet of magma, stopping the flow after a few seconds. The insects were mindless and kept coming, refilling the passage, and he did it again. The tunnel was alight with smoldering, burning insects and pools of still-glowing lava as he waited for a third wave. It was slower coming, the bugs comprising it having been outside, swarming around the cave opening. Victor¡¯s Breath Core was down to a quarter of its power when he blasted them, and as they burned, he ran forward, cleaning out the tunnel. A small swarm still lingered near the cave mouth, and he used his Spirit Core to finish them, casting Energy Charge at one of the center-most bugs. He closed the last ten yards on a streak of rage-attuned Energy and burst through the swarm, pulverizing them to a paste as he tore over the ledge and soared out into the air, free-falling toward the distant ground.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Victor bent his knees and landed with a tremendous thud, sending up clouds of dust and shattering obsidian chips. He looked over his shoulder to see a much-diminished swarm coming his way¡ªthe straggling insects that had been buzzing around the cavemouth and out of range of his explosive exit. He backpedaled as he watched the approaching wasps. As far as he could tell, it was just a few hundred insects. Much better than however many thousand had first swarmed him, but Victor didn¡¯t want to feel a single one of those stings. Something about how those stingers dripped their thick, syrupy poison and the fact that the System had mentioned their ¡°deadly sting¡± told him to avoid it at all costs. He turned to jog, glancing over his shoulder as he checked his Breath Core¡ªten percent or so. He could feel them gaining on him, but his Flight was probably ready again. He glanced up and to the right, saw a cave entrance, much larger than most of the others, and activated his Flight. Flaming wings burst forth, and he streaked up, black smoke trailing. This time, when he landed, he reached out and gripped the stone cave mouth, stopping himself. He turned and watched the much-reduced swarm coming, ensuring they saw where he¡¯d gone. ¡°Come on, you little assholes!¡± he laughed, looking into his Breath Core again and seeing it had swelled a little. He had enough for one good blast. As the enormous wasps flew toward him, Victor turned and ran toward the back of the cave. It was only fifteen feet deep. He turned, frowning. Could he do it? Could he get them all in there before one of them stung him? He wished he had a way to bunch them up. At that thought, he realized he did: he could summon his bear and have it fight at the entrance. Would their poison hurt a spirit totem? It wasn¡¯t that he worried about the bear dying. He knew his totem would just go back to the spirit plane, but was it right to summon one of his brave companions only to use him as a buffer, to absorb damage that might be torturous to it? Shouldn¡¯t he only summon his brothers when he thought they had a chance of winning? But why wouldn¡¯t his mighty bear have a chance? Didn¡¯t bears deal with bees all the time? Victor began to laugh madly as he stared at the cave mouth, and just before the first wasp crossed the threshold, he cast Wild Totem with a torrent of rage-attuned Energy. His bear burst into being near the cavemouth, huge, hulking, and furious. He crowded the cave mouth despite its high ceiling. The bear could barely turn left to right, he filled the space so thoroughly. ¡°Come on, hermano! Gather those little pinch¨¦ fuckers up!¡± His bear roared, and Victor watched his mottled, thick hide ripple as he swiped his powerful arms, trying to bat the insects aside. He couldn¡¯t see beyond his companion, but Victor figured the swarm must be gathering close. His bear roared again, and then he was gone¡ªvanished in a puff of red-tinted Energy steam. ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± The swarming insects buzzed madly and surged into the cave. Had they killed¡ªdispelled¡ªhis totem with a single sting? He felt guilty but hadn¡¯t felt anything from his bear; usually, when his totems were fighting desperately, he could feel their wounds, excitement, anger, or fear, but his bear hadn¡¯t sent a single emotion his way. Whatever had snuffed his totem had been quick and decisive¡ªlike an instantly lethal poison. Victor focused on the swarm with renewed concentration as he gathered his breath and met them with a torrent of crackling, brilliant lava, spraying the product of his magma-attuned Energy in a cone that enveloped every one of the creatures. They exploded in ash and steam and fell burning to the ground, sizzling in the puddle of Victor¡¯s lava as it rapidly cooled. He stood ready, Lifedrinker up, prepared to cast Energy Charge if more appeared in the cave mouth. Nothing came, though, and after a moment, he saw the Energy gathering around the mutilated bodies in the cave. ¡°That was it? Just a big swarm of bugs?¡± His hopes of gaining another level began to fade, but then, as the misty, wispy white Energy bubbles lifted into the air, they were joined by a river of the stuff spilling into the cavemouth. It hit Victor, and he arched his back, his mind fleeing the joyous rapture of his body as it embraced the flood. Sometime later, he blinked his eyes, refreshed and reinvigorated as System messages crowded his vision. Blearily, he read through them: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 80 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ***Level 80 Class refinement is available. Class refinement is permanent. Quinametzin Energy cultivators will next be offered a Class refinement selection at level 90. To view your options and make your selection, access the menu through your status page.*** ***Congratulations! Your Breath Weapon Mastery is now: Improved.*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the seventh gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the seventh wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared a deadly encounter with flawless success, ensuring that none of your party members were slain, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** ***You have cleared all seven gates of the Crucible of Fire! Make your way through the final gate to face the Lord of the Crucible.*** Victor couldn¡¯t help a snort of laughter when he read about his bonus for not letting any ¡°party members¡± be slain. ¡°Well,¡± he sighed, resting a hand on Lifedrinker¡¯s haft, ¡°we did it. Eighty.¡± ¡°I wish I could have fought in that battle, heart-mate. I yearn for the taste of your enemies¡¯ blood!¡± ¡°Heh. Soon enough, chica.¡± He summoned his Farscribe book with Bryn, turning to the last page to ensure he hadn¡¯t somehow slept for days again. Luckily, there weren¡¯t any new messages. Just to be sure, he wrote a note: Bryn, how much time has passed since our last message? He stared at the page for several seconds, and then Bryn¡¯s neat printing began to populate the following line: A bit more than two hours. Is something the matter? Victor smiled, stretching his neck until it popped. No. Everything¡¯s good, just checking. Talk soon. He closed the book and stood. Grabbing Lifedrinker¡¯s haft, he lifted her to his shoulder and walked to the edge of the cave, dropping down with a ground-shaking impact. He turned to the final gate and jogged to it, covering the distance in a few seconds. When he was inside, he turned to the little alcove where he always found his chests waiting, and this time, he was pleased to see one nearly twice the size of the previous containers. He was eager to see what was inside, but he was just as anxious to look at his Class refinements. Victor walked over to the chest and sat atop it. He canceled his Sovereign Will boost and then pulled up his stat menu, looking at his attributes and appreciating how they¡¯d changed during his very brief time as a Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum:
| Strength: | 580 | Vitality: | 785 (864) |
| Dexterity: | 280 | Agility: | 303 |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 673 |
| Strength: | 580 | Vitality: | 785 (864) |
| Dexterity: | 280 (297) | Agility: | 303 (320) |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 673 |
Victor, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been gone nearly two months already, but when I think about it and remember that you might be gone for years, it makes me sad and regretful. Why didn¡¯t I take advantage of our time together? I wish we had spent more time talking about important things¡ªdreams, love, family¡ªyou know, the things that really matter. Instead, I bugged you about spells and sparring and¡well, and things that won¡¯t make a bit of difference in ten years. I know I¡¯m probably not supposed to know anything about you and Valla, but I¡¯m not blind, and I have friends on Fanwath, too, you know. I hope you¡¯re doing all right! I hope your heart doesn¡¯t ache. I hate that you¡¯re all alone on that distant world full of ancient kingdoms and strangers. Can¡¯t you visit? Surely, you¡¯re doing an impressive job there and making Dar¡¯s family proud. Shouldn¡¯t they reward you with a break soon? I¡¯ve tried to speak to Dar about it, but he¡¯s never around, and when I catch him coming or going, he only offers platitudes. I don¡¯t know if you can write back easily, but I hope you do. In the meantime, I¡¯ll give you an update about things here: Lam, Darren, Trin, and I have been delving into dungeons nonstop. We¡¯re all closing in on tier three, and even more exciting, your cousin, Olivia, joined us for a dungeon run last week. She¡¯s amazing, Victor! I¡¯ve never seen anyone wield the elements the way she does. She melds fire with lightning and fire with earth and lightning with frost and¡ I could go on, but just know that she¡¯s incredible! In the dungeon, we came to a locked metal door where we were meant to find a key to get an extra chest. Olivia melted the door. She reduced it to slag! She¡¯s only tier three, too. Did you know that? Imagine what she¡¯ll be like when she gets some more ranks. I hope she¡¯ll stay and adventure with us some more. I think she will; she¡¯s a little secretive, but I get the impression she¡¯s not happy with the politics at the academy where she¡¯s been working and studying. I have good news about Darren! We found him another racial advancement, and he¡¯s grown his wings! They¡¯re huge! I¡¯d be happy for him, but he¡¯s gotten a little full of himself. I suppose I can¡¯t put all the blame for that at his feet. It¡¯s the avian folk here that are causing the problem. They fawn over his ¡°good looks,¡± and he eats it up! Oh well, he¡¯s actually been really great. Considering how he fled First Landing in disgrace, I thought he¡¯d have a problem with Olivia, but they¡¯ve been getting along well. I¡¯m sure most of that is due to Lesh¡¯s influence¡ªhe and Darren are always talking about the ¡°honor of our house¡± and things like that. Lam and I are getting along well. I told you I regretted not talking to you about love, so I won¡¯t hold back now. Lam loves me fiercely, Victor. I¡¯m her everything, and sometimes that¡¯s wonderful, and sometimes it¡¯s a¡lot. Do you know what I mean? Don¡¯t get me wrong! I love her too, and I never want to be apart from her, but I worry about how invested in me she is. It¡¯s a lot to carry, even if she doesn¡¯t realize it. If something happened to me, I think she¡¯d be ruined. I suppose you saw that when I was unwell. Of course, I didn¡¯t, but I¡¯m beginning to understand how desperate she was to see me made whole. Love like hers is wonderful and terrifying. I¡¯m blessed, I know, but sometimes I wish I had my old friend from the mines to talk to about things like that, you know? I miss you, Victor, and I hope you¡¯ll write back soon. Love, EdeyaVictor closed the book with a sigh, shaking his head as he chuckled softly. ¡°Edeya, you crazy girl.¡± He wanted to write back to her immediately, but he had more books to get through, so he pulled another out, one he shared with Efanie, the fae-blooded governess he¡¯d hired to take care of Cora Loyle. There were several entries in the book, and Victor scanned through them until he came to the most recent, then settled back to read it:
My Lord Victor, I hope this note finds you well. It¡¯s been a month since my last correspondence with you, and there is much to share. I¡¯m pleased to report that Cora has settled in nicely here at your home overlooking the Silver Sea. She¡¯s made fast friends with Deyni and Chala; they spend most days together. Your friend, Lady Thayla, has helped immensely in seeing us settled, even going so far as to include Cora in the lessons and tutelage the other girls enjoy from the experts in the area. The girls learn about tracking, hunting, and animal taming from the Shadeni, and twice a week, they receive weapons training from a man in the Naghelli settlement. I met him, of course, and learned that he¡¯s a good friend of yours¡ªKethelket. He¡¯s humble in nature, but beneath his unassuming demeanor, he carries wisdom that speaks of extraordinary accomplishments and great trials. I¡¯ve enjoyed visiting with him after the girls¡¯ lessons. Of course, I¡¯ve continued Cora¡¯s training in literature, mathematics, decorum, and my own brand of fencing. We¡¯ve fallen into a routine, a structure that she clearly craved whether she knew it or not. Occasionally, Cora brings up her father, and we talk about him and his life, as well as the mistakes he made. You might be intrigued to learn that I¡¯m not the only one she confides in; a few days after you left, she and Chala came to me asking if I had any objects that might represent her father. Of course, I did; I have the objects in the storage ring you gave me to hold for Cora¡¯s sake. I gave her one of her father¡¯s pipes. He was well known around the Volpur¨¦ estate to be a prolific smoker, spending many evenings on the balcony of his suite overlooking the gardens with a pipe held between his teeth. Cora took the pipe, and she and Chala ran off with it. Of course, I was curious as to what they were up to, so I employed some stealth and shadowed them. To my surprise, they went down to the beach and conducted some sort of ceremony. They buried the pipe in the sand at low tide, stacking a cairn of stones atop it, and then, Chala burned a fistful of pungent herbs, and they spoke to their ¡°ancestors.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. I¡¯m not sure of the ritual¡¯s origin, but I believe it was good for Cora; it seemed to give her some closure, and ever since then, she¡¯s been more open to speaking about her father and her feelings. Chala is a fierce young woman, but she¡¯s clever and crafty, too. I¡¯m very happy that she and Deyni are friends with Cora; she¡¯s learning to be a child, a girl, and a member of a community¡ªthings she sorely missed out on growing up under Fak Loyle¡¯s strict control. As for our new home, neither of us could possibly ask for a more wonderful place to live. The wilderness is wild and beautiful, and the beach and ocean offer endless opportunities for adventure for the girls. The vistas in every direction are inspiring, and I know they do much to feed Cora¡¯s soul¡ªshe dreams big, wondrous dreams, Victor, and I know that you and she might not realize it yet, but she has much to thank you for. I¡¯ll write again soon with more updates. In the meantime, I hope you accomplish your goals and keep yourself safe. Warm regards, EfanieVictor found his eyes brimming with unspent tears as he finished reading the letter. He wasn¡¯t sad or ashamed or anything like that; he was just happy. He was pleased that Cora seemed to be doing well despite what he¡¯d done to her father. As that thought crossed his mind, Victor shook his head and tried to reorganize how he viewed that situation. He hadn¡¯t done anything to Fak Loyle. Fak Loyle had chosen to be a champion for a scumbag. He¡¯d chosen to step into the ring with the intent to kill Victor. Was it Victor¡¯s fault that he didn¡¯t let him win? Was his life less valuable than Fak¡¯s just because he had a daughter? Wasn¡¯t it important that he put an end to Volpur¨¦¡¯s crimes? To do so required Fak Loyle¡¯s defeat. It didn¡¯t take much effort to transfer that same logic to his current situation. Was it his fault that Trinnie Ro had chosen to be a champion? Her dossier had painted quite a picture of her life. After the tragedy of her family¡¯s destruction, she¡¯d competed in back-alley bloodsports, some kind of game that sounded like a cross between rugby, wrestling, and gladiator brawls. She outlived everyone on her team time and time again until one of the legitimate leagues picked her up. Then she¡¯d risen to stardom competing in coliseums, rapidly gaining levels through victory after victory. It didn¡¯t take long for someone to recruit her away, taking her to train in proper fighting techniques. A decade later, she¡¯d returned as a duelist, a champion in training, and five years, a dozen levels, and twenty victories later, here she was, coming to put a stop to Victor and Queen Kynna. ¡°Not my fault,¡± Victor growled. He stood and summoned a pair of pants and a shirt. Once he¡¯d dressed, he walked to his door and looked outside. As he¡¯d suspected, Feist was on duty, idly flipping through a slender book as he kept an eye on Victor¡¯s elevator. He didn¡¯t notice Victor staring at him until he cleared his throat, and then the young man nearly jumped out of his skin, dropping the book and exposing a page featuring a surprisingly lifelike image of a woman¡¯s naked chest. ¡°Oof! Er, sorry about that, Your Grace.¡± He stooped to pick up the book and sent it away to a storage container. ¡°Fetch Draj Haveshi for me.¡± ¡°Right away, milord? Or first thing in the morn¡ª¡± ¡°Right now.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± He hurried into the elevator, and Victor closed the door. He paced around his foyer for several minutes, waiting, and when he heard the elevator opening outside, he yanked open the door and motioned for Draj to enter. Draj was surprisingly well put together. He wore a suit, though his shirt was rumpled and his hair a bit disheveled. ¡°Your Grace, is anything amiss?¡± ¡°Only my state of mind. Come in; I have a few things to discuss with you. I¡¯d wait for morning, but I fight at dawn.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. How might I be of service?¡± Victor closed the door behind him, then led the way into the parlor, where he resumed his seat before the fire. ¡°Sit down, Draj.¡± He waited until the older man was sitting across from him and then spoke, putting voice to the thoughts that had been running through his mind. ¡°I understand the conceptual reasoning for duels always being settled by the death of one champion or another. If a champion could yield to save their own life, how could any nation ever trust that their champion would give their all? Knowing that the only options are death or victory assures the combatants hold nothing back.¡± ¡°That is so, my lord.¡± ¡°So, here¡¯s my problem: I made the mistake of learning about my next opponent, and I find myself deeply sympathetic to her plight¡ªthe adversity she¡¯s overcome and the tough road she battled down to get where she is today. I don¡¯t want to kill her, Draj.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, the queen sought advice about this duel while you were away. It took her by surprise when her inquiries revealed the change in Lovania¡¯s champion. She wondered if any of her other champions would stand a chance against her. The consensus was no. Forgive me if this sounds patronizing, Your Grace, but Trinnie Ro is not a delicate flower that needs your protection.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that.¡± ¡°If you had learned more about my brother¡¯s life, do you think you would have sought a way to keep from killing him? If you¡¯d known that he spent three years of his youth hobbling on one foot because he kicked a Trejice viper away from our sister, saving her life but costing him a limb, would that have swayed you? If you¡¯d known that he sacrificed most of his earnings to build institutions of learning here in the duchy or that¡ª¡± Victor sighed. ¡°I get it, Draj. Everyone has a backstory. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that I don¡¯t want to kill this woman.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about killing her, then. Think about keeping her from killing you. I promise you, she¡¯ll have no qualms. She wants you dead, and those who sent her want Queen Kynna and all of us other, lesser nobles, dead or gone. In my case, I can hope for banishment, but I believe the queen¡¯s life will be forfeit¡ªthe queen, her son, and likely all of her first cousins and their families. ¡°I hope you read more about Trinnie Ro in that dossier than the historical fluff about her tragic upbringing. Did you read that she can harden her skin to the point that iron will shatter against it? Did you read that she can instantly teleport to any location she can see? She wields a ghost-cobalt glaive that can shear through solid steel. She¡¯s going to try to cut you to pieces, and she¡¯ll have no mercy in her heart for you, My Lord Duke. ¡°Trinnie Ro is a killing machine. Before she was a duelist, she played in the Crimson League, and she killed more men and women than anyone else on record¡ªin a sport that allows for mercy, mind you. She didn¡¯t have to kill those people! Put aside the fantasy you¡¯ve created in your mind. She must be taken seriously, and you mustn¡¯t hold anything back.¡± Draj didn¡¯t stop there; he continued to list the ways Trinnie Ro could kill him, and then he spoke at length about her gruesome exploits in the Crimson League. Victor wasn¡¯t sure what that even was, but he didn¡¯t care. He felt a knot loosening in his chest, and he began to breathe more easily with each barbaric exploit. It was almost like every horrifying fact about Trinnie Ro that Draj listed served to soothe Victor further, and by the time the man paused to gauge the effects of his diatribe, Victor wore a broad smile. ¡°Holy shit, Draj. You were the right guy to bring here tonight. Thanks for helping me see things straight. You¡¯re right; I built up a fantasy in my mind, and I think a lot of it had to do with me imagining this woman as a little girl, and, well, I¡¯ve got a soft spot for little girls. I have to remember she¡¯s not that girl who lost her family so tragically anymore. She¡¯s a killer, and I need to treat her that way. Thanks, man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Your Grace. I am here to serve; I know a great deal about the key players in the empire. I¡¯d be more than happy to advise you in a similar capacity anytime you need it. Was there anything else I can help you with tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah, actually. You know Bryn?¡± ¡°Your guard?¡± ¡°She¡¯s more than a guard. She¡¯s like an assistant and confidant. I want to award her some land and a title.¡± ¡°Ah! Do you mean to elevate her, then?¡± ¡°Elevate?¡± ¡°To the noble class, milord. If so, you should speak to the queen. I do not doubt that she¡¯d support your wish.¡± ¡°Okay, well, you know the duchy better than anyone. Find me a good holding to offer Bryn: a hunting ground, an orchard¡ªsomething like that. I¡¯ll talk to the queen about her title. Good?¡± Draj nodded, smiling. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Victor stood and held out his hand. Draj hurried to his feet and grasped it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I woke you up in the middle of the night, Draj, but I think it was worth it for everyone involved. You¡¯ve helped me clear my head, which means everything before a fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to be of service, milord.¡± ¡°All right. Get out of here. Go get some sleep.¡± Victor clapped him on the shoulder and ushered him to the door. When he closed it behind him, he turned to his bedroom and shook his head. He wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, not when he had to wake up in four hours to fight. Instead, he went back to his parlor and summoned his Farscribe book. He¡¯d write back to Edeya and Efanie, and then he¡¯d go through his other books. He was due for a check-in with Dar and might have messages from Lesh or Gorro ap¡¯Dommic. Hell, he might have a message from Rellia, though he¡¯d been avoiding that book since Valla and he had split. So, with a busy mind, he whiled away the hours corresponding with the many people in his life, near and distant. When his thoughts drifted toward Trinnie Ro and their upcoming fight, he forced himself to picture her as Draj had painted her¡ªa merciless killer who meant to end Victor and destroy Gloria. The more he built up that blood-soaked image, the more he smiled and relaxed, and the more his correspondence took on a light-hearted tone. 9.45 All Out When Victor stepped onto the black sands of the arena, his chest swelled with the cheering roar of the crowd. He wasn¡¯t the first to arrive. Trinnie Ro stood on the red sands, watching him with narrowed eyes, but Victor avoided looking her way. Instead, he lifted his fists and walked in a slow circle, staring up into the stands, trying to lock eyes with as many spectators as possible. He thrived on the crowd¡¯s attention; it fed his very soul and lifted his mood despite the many conflicted emotions going through his mind. He didn¡¯t wear his armor¡ªneither his new nor his old. He wasn¡¯t quite ready to wear the enormously heavy stuff he¡¯d pulled from the dungeon, and if everything he¡¯d read were true, his Sojourn set would be like paper before Trinnie Ro¡¯s glaive. Even his wyrm-scale vest, crafted lovingly by a genuine dragon, wouldn¡¯t stop that blade. No, it was better that he rely on his speed and his sturdy body to avoid being chopped to bits. Besides, wouldn¡¯t it provide a better show if he stood against the steel seeker champion wearing nothing but some comfortable, loose linen pants? The sand felt good on his bare feet, and the cool morning air tickled his naked shoulders. Holding his fists above his head forced his back and shoulder muscles to expand, exposing the incredible V shape of his torso, his enormous strength evident in the way the minor muscles flexed and contracted with the movement of his arms as he pumped one fist and then another into the air. Victor knew Grand Judicator Lohanse would take his time to appear; he always did, so he paced back and forth, whipping up the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm, at least on his half of the arena, while he basked in the glory of it all. He made a show of not looking at Trinnie Ro. He¡¯d missed the terms negotiation meeting, so the truth was that he was very eager to take her measure, but he didn¡¯t want her to know that. He¡¯d caught a glimpse, which was enough¡ªtall, wiry, wearing close-fitting leather clothes trimmed in white fur, leaning on the haft of her enormous, gold-bladed glaive. She reminded him of a cat, and that wasn¡¯t something anyone wanted to see in a fighting opponent. He was saved from the temptation to look at her again when Grand Judicator Lohanse appeared on his flying disc and boomed his usual greeting to the crowd, ¡°Citizens! I am Grand Judicator Lohanse, and I am here to ensure all rules of law are abided by, that the agreed-upon terms are upheld, and that no outside interference mars the sanctity of this most venerated ritual of succession. Do any dare challenge my authority in this place?¡± As always, a hush fell over the arena, and Victor stopped pumping his fists and lowered his arms, not wanting to irritate the man. He moved to stand near the edge of the black section of sand, looking up to his left where Kynna and her retinue sat. She met his gaze, her blazing eyes hooded beneath worried brows. Lohanse flew around the space above the sands, his gauzy, elaborate robes flowing as he went through his usual spiel, ¡°I have read the terms of this duel of succession. Queen Kynna of Gloria, do you agree to abide by them?¡± Kynna¡¯s voice rang out in an immediate response, ¡°I do!¡± ¡°Queen Fabaj of Lovania?¡± ¡°I will abide by the terms, Grand Judicator.¡± Victor looked toward the source of the sing-song voice and saw a willowy, ebon-skinned woman with bright, luminescent blue eyes. She stood near the edge of her platform, her diamond-studded crown glittering like a halo of stars trailing wispy white flames that faded into mist behind her shoulders. Those ghostly flames reminded Victor of the spirit flames that consumed his offerings to his ancestors. He wanted to stare at the woman, he was so stricken by her beauty, but he forced his attention back to Lohanse as the judicator spoke again. ¡°Champions! You will not be permitted to access storage devices or use potions, tinctures, salves, or other consumable aids during this duel. Are you each equipped to your satisfaction?¡± Victor swore the words were exactly the same every time, even the man¡¯s mannerisms as he swooped down to hover in the air before Trinnie Ro. ¡°Champion of Lovania?¡± ¡°I am equipped to my satisfaction,¡± she replied, her voice clear and strong, each word enunciated perfectly. Lohanse nodded and whipped his magical sled around, gliding toward Victor. ¡°Champion of Gloria?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ll permit me a small indulgence, Grand Judicator, I have a weapon I¡¯d like to make ready.¡± Victor spoke naturally, but his voice echoed around the arena, amplified by the Judicator¡¯s magic. The man¡¯s neutral expression faltered for just a fraction of a second, the corners of his mouth flickering downward, but he nodded nonetheless. ¡°Very well, Champion. You¡¯re entitled to an indulgence or two before you put your life on the line.¡± Victor smiled and then summoned Lifedrinker from her container. Before coming to the arena, Victor had cast Alter Self, reducing his height to ten feet, which was tall but not uncommon for the people of Ruhn. That said, the axe looked enormous in his hands, and he made a show of struggling to hold the blade up, allowing her axe-head to fall to the sand. He propped the handle up on his shoulder, smiling with chagrin. Lifedrinker was more than fourteen feet long from the tip of her upward-swooping blade to the butt of her haft. Her blade was a crescent that measured more than four feet from tip to tip. Victor smiled at Lohanse and then, shrugging, dragged Lifedrinker toward the arena wall behind him. ¡°I¡¯ll just keep her back here, sir, in case I have need of her.¡± The axe plowed a deep trench in the sand as he pulled her behind him, grunting with each long step. As he walked, he heard the crowd reacting to his antics, and Victor found it easy to affect a lopsided grin. Lohanse spoke, and he knew the words were for him alone, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what game you play now, young titan, but if you¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t make a mockery of your duel, sir.¡± ¡°See that you do not.¡± Victor smiled, and then Lifedrinker spoke into his mind. ¡°Are you well, heart-slaughterer? Why do you drag me so?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good, chica. Don¡¯t worry. Just a little show,¡± Victor whispered, trusting that Lohanse wouldn¡¯t amplify the words. When he reached the arena wall, he propped Lifedrinker¡¯s haft against it, then turned back to the center where he saw Trinnie Ro watching him with a glower, still leaning against her enormous, bladed polearm. When he stood empty-handed, directly across from the other warrior, he nodded to Grand Judicator Lohanse. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡± To his credit, Lohanse ignored Victor¡¯s lack of a weapon and nodded. ¡°Very well.¡± He swooped up into the sky on his see-through disc and banked in a long, slow loop around the arena before he stopped directly above and shouted, ¡°Fight!¡± Victor lifted his fists and stepped back, waiting to see what Trinnie Ro would do. He¡¯d thought about using a different weapon during the battle, something to throw off future challengers, but reading Trinnie¡¯s dossier had dissuaded him of that notion. He¡¯d begun to suspect that she¡¯d been chosen to ¡°step down¡± into her current role in order to put a stop to him for a reason. That reason was her ability to harden her flesh to the point where few weapons could penetrate it. Everyone in the empire knew about Victor¡¯s use of a spear and, in particular, the heavy, dense spear he¡¯d given to Queen Kynna. They wouldn¡¯t have chosen the woman before him now if they hadn¡¯t thought her armored flesh could withstand that weapon. Nothing in his storage rings was better at breaking through armor than the spear he¡¯d given Kynna. If he went shopping for something else, he didn¡¯t know how successful he¡¯d be, and, besides, he hadn¡¯t had much time for something like that. So, Victor had concluded that he needed to either beat her without a weapon or use Lifedrinker. Of course, he wanted to save Lifedrinker, but he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to leave himself without the option of winning if it came down to him needing her. Hence his little performance, dragging her to the wall, struggling with her weight in his ¡°reduced¡± state. If nothing else, he hoped it made Trinnie Ro wonder what he was up to, which would mean at least a small part of her mind would be distracted.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. He was currently channeling his Sovereign Will boost into agility and vitality. Again, he¡¯d wanted to look weaker than usual, so he¡¯d decided speed and resilience would be the order of the hour, at least at the start of the fight. It was a good thing, too, because Trinnie Ro moved like quicksilver, sliding over the sand, whipping her massive polearm around in a diagonal overhead cleave that left no evidence save for a flash of golden light as it split the air like a thunderclap. Victor couldn¡¯t see the strike to avoid it, but he could see Trinnie. He could see the shift in her center of gravity and the tilt of her shoulders, so he ducked and glided forward to his left, and the terrible blade carved the air a fraction of an inch above his right shoulder. Victor dropped and kicked out with his left leg, but Trinnie Ro danced back with a grunt, heaving her weapon around to slice in a flat arc. Victor narrowly rolled to the side, avoiding having his leg truncated at the knee by a hair¡¯s breadth. Victor rolled onto his feet, but he could feel another cleave of that massive blade coming, so he launched himself up and forward with Titanic Leap, mostly escaping the cut, but not entirely¡ªa razor-thin slice split the flesh down the center of his back, weeping blood for a heartbeat before his regeneration sealed the cut. The wound hurt far more than it should have, and Victor realized her blade was likely poisoned, probably meant to weaken him or slow his healing. He¡¯d certainly put his regeneration on display in the previous duels; it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if his enemies would be trying to counter it by now. As he soared through the air, Victor wondered how strong that blade of hers was. Could it cleave through his titan bones? Part of him wanted to step into a blow, catch her polearm¡¯s shaft with one hand, and beat the hell out of her with the other, but not if doing so would cost him a limb or his life. He had a dozen strategies like that in mind, but for now, he wanted to keep testing, feeling out Trinnie Ro¡¯s capabilities, waiting for the right moment to¡ª Victor¡¯s world exploded in white light as thunder erupted through the arena, and a bolt of lightning like something thrown by Zeus himself exploded into him, knocking him out of the sky, sending him flopping and bouncing through the arena, his flesh smoking, his back blackened and scorched. The crowd let out a collective hiss of disbelief and sympathetic awe as another cacophonous crack of thunder rolled through the air, and a second blast of lighting hit Victor, drilling him into the arena as the sand beneath him turned to white-hot glass. Trinnie Ro stood where Victor had left her, her golden Glaive held over her head, her long, silvery hair standing on its ends as static electricity coursed through her. She was channeling enough electricity to power a small city as lightning bolt after lightning bolt arced out of the sky, blasting Victor again and again. Victor hated being struck by lightning. He hated it so much that when he¡¯d read Trinnie Ro¡¯s primary affinity wasn¡¯t steel or whatever let her harden her flesh, but air, he¡¯d almost decided to pull out all the stops and try to end the fight as rapidly as possible. He hadn¡¯t, though. He¡¯d contented himself with the knowledge that while lightning hurt and tended to stun him, it couldn¡¯t kill him, especially when he was grounded, and the electricity would just course through him. In fact, after the third blast, he found himself able to grit his teeth through it, and by the tenth, he hardly noticed the new discomfort as his body worked to undo the damage. Nevertheless, he laid still, letting Trinnie believe he was dead or stunned or wounded beyond recovery. When the world stopped thundering and the burning, jolting shocks stopped coming, he kept his eyes closed as his regeneration worked from the inside out, repairing his nerves, his tiny vessels, his organs, his eardrums, and eyeballs. With his senses destroyed by the onslaught, he opened his inner eye, turned his gaze away from his blazing Core, and saw Trinnie¡¯s aura approaching¡ªa curtain of sharp, hungry power, eager to destroy and dominate. Victor could feel her killing intent in that razored wave of electric death, and he watched the ripple of hate and bloodlust arc through it. He knew it would spike before she struck and wanted to wait until the last possible second. As the aura approached and the killing momentum rose to a crescendo, a wave about to break, Victor willed his body to heal, willed his nerves to reconnect and prepare for what he would demand. Victor knew his ears were recovering. The blasted drums were reknitting, conveying the stunned babble of the crowd, the sizzling of the molten sand around him, and the distant echoes of thunder yet to fade into nothing. He opened his eyes at the last possible instant, pleased to see vivid colors and movement. He focused his gaze on Trinnie Ro and, from a prone position, cast Energy Charge, fueling it with a dark torrent of fear-attuned Energy. Trinnie had her glaive held high over her head, ready to sweep down and cleave his body, but when Victor exploded off the ground in a streak of volatile purple-black shadows, she swung it down instinctively, hoping to split him in half even as he slammed into her. Victor was inside the arc of the cleave, though, and the haft of her weapon met him on the crown of his head, which the powerful Energy of his charge protected. He drove forward, slamming the glaive upward as he plowed into Trinnie, and dark, wailing, shadowy, fear-attuned Energy erupted from Victor¡¯s Core to protect him from the immense forces of the collision. At first, he thought he had her. He thought he¡¯d caught her with her guard down and that he¡¯d shatter her bones before she could brace for the impact. He watched in slow motion, though, like he was caught in an instant that lasted an eternity as she absorbed the impact. As he slammed into the woman¡¯s slender figure, he watched her eyes widen, and then he watched her tan, vibrant flesh crystallize with tiny flecks of gleaming metal, molecule by molecule. When the spell broke, and that instant was over, Trinnie was tumbling head over heels toward the arena wall, and Victor stood cloaked in swirling black shadows. To her credit, Trinnie didn¡¯t drop her glaive, and when she impacted the arena wall, the thunderous report was reminiscent of a cannonball hitting home. The reinforced magical materials of the arena didn¡¯t crumble, but they cracked. Trinnie¡¯s body jerked and crumpled with the impact, but when she slid to the sand, she was whole. As the crowd roared with surprise and excitement for Victor¡¯s sudden recovery, she braced herself with her glaive and, haltingly at first, but then more smoothly, pulled herself to her feet. Victor frowned as she began to gather electrically charged Energy into herself again, her hair dancing wildly as she reached up to wipe away a single drop of blood from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Damn,¡± he grunted. ¡°She¡¯s hard.¡± Growling, finding it harder and harder to hold the rage in his Core, he began stalking toward her. He flexed his neck, clenched his fists, and took a deep breath, finally feeling normal after the last barrage of lightning bolts¡ªhe wasn¡¯t eager to go through it again. Trinnie Ro lifted her golden glaive high, and Victor braced himself, expecting a massive bolt of electricity. When she screamed and thunder crashed, though, lightning didn¡¯t fall from the heavens. Instead, Trinnie Ro vanished, and then Victor felt her glaive bite into his shoulder. He screamed in agony as it cleaved through his thick, corded muscles, bit through his clavicle, and wedged to a halt in his sternum. Victor tried to turn, but Trinnie Ro was stronger than she looked and used the length of her weapon as a lever, pushing him away, her glaive¡¯s hot, golden blade grinding into his bones as he fought to grasp onto it somehow, desperate to rip it out of his flesh. It was doing something to him. Where Lifedrinker drained the Energy of his foes, this glaive seemed to want to impart something to him¡ªnot Energy, but something that burned and coated his bones and flesh, tainting them with its oily touch. For the first time since coming to Ruhn, Victor felt a bit of panic, a little twinge of, ¡°Oh, fuck, what if I miscalculated,¡± and he cut the flow of Energy to his Alter Self spell. The Energy the spell had siphoned away from his Core and away from every single cell in his body snapped back into place, and he surged with renewed strength and expanded to his full, natural, nearly fifteen feet in height. The explosive growth, coupled with Victor releasing his hold on his aura, brought a gasp from Trinnie Ro, and she found herself dangling from Victor¡¯s back, hanging from her weapon, her weight acting as a counterbalance, inexorably drawing the blade out of Victor. Victor reached over his shoulder and snatched the back of the glaive¡¯s blade before she could pull it free. He whirled and glared down at her, him holding the caustic, golden metal of her weapon and her the haft. ¡°Let go,¡± she hissed, and Victor saw her teeth were black and needle-sharp. Before he could reply, Trinnie¡¯s hair danced on static winds, and her glaive exploded with electricity. He was thrown back, his size made irrelevant by the powerful discharge. Victor landed flat on his back again, stunned but not out. He shook his head, realized his shoulder still ached, and glanced down to see the cut was still there, sickly black veins probing out of it into the meat of his pectoral. ¡°Fuck,¡± he grunted, rolling to his knees in time to see Trinnie Ro go through a metamorphosis of her own. At first, he thought she was going to blast him with lightning again; she stood with the glaive held high, her hair dancing on the wind again, the air palpably thick with ozone and electricity, but instead of calling down lightning, she seemed to be swelling with the Energy. With each of Victor¡¯s beleaguered heartbeats, she grew, the lightning sparking brighter and brighter in her eyes as the force of a hundred lightning bolts built her up. Her skin shimmered with the power of her invulnerability, brightening like electrified silver, and Victor began to realize something: this might be the wrong opponent to hold back on. In fact, he might have waited too damn long already. She¡¯d done something to him, poisoned or corrupted him, and his right arm wasn¡¯t working properly. ¡°Fuck that,¡± he grunted, growling as he ground his fists into the sand, pushing himself up. ¡°If it¡¯s time to go all out, then it¡¯s time to go all out.¡± 9.46 Loyalty Victor knew his plan to hold back all of his abilities, to hide the nature of his Core and beat Trinnie Ro without revealing what he could do, was a lost cause. He wasn¡¯t sure it was even much of a loss; it was clear that the powers that be, the ones who¡¯d decided to send Trinnie Ro down to fight him, had guessed or learned plenty about his skills. It wasn¡¯t like Victor¡¯s battle in the palace at Gloria had been a secret. They¡¯d tried to keep a lid on things, but people will gossip, and there had been a lot of servants whose whereabouts during the battle hadn¡¯t been accounted for. That said, was he suffering for nothing? Shouldn¡¯t he have maybe gone all out from the first second of the battle and tried to end things quickly? Had it just been stubbornness that made him try to play his game? Now, he had a corrupted wound splitting his right shoulder and an opponent powering up, displaying that she wasn¡¯t a slouch when it came to steel seekers. Victor could feel the Energy flowing out of her, and it was on par with anything he¡¯d seen from Ronkerz¡¯s Big Ones. Hoping to seal up his wound and put an end to things, Victor cast Iron Berserk. He expanded with size and power, surging to more than twenty feet in height, exploding with hard, cable-like muscles, and grunting an almost involuntary warcry as his chest expanded. The rage coursing through his pathways felt good and right, and Victor could feel it fighting against the corruption in his chest, pushing it back, knitting his flesh together¡ªif not perfectly, then enough to allow him to move normally. Trinnie Ro was still expanding, still coursing with electrical Energy, crackling and sizzling as sparks and ozone-rich air pulsed around her. She held her golden glaive high, and it gleamed so brightly that Victor couldn¡¯t look at it directly. It made him want to pick up Lifedrinker, but some part of him still hoped he could finish this battle without showing all his cards. Instead, he stalked toward her. He was now a good five or six feet bigger than even her charged-up form, and while she was still screaming soundlessly, channeling her torrents of Energy, Victor wound up his right fist and smashed her in the chest. Electricity coursed through him, but not before Trinnie Ro was flung back, stumbling, arms cartwheeling, her ¡°power-up¡± rudely interrupted. As for Victor, he bared his teeth and let the lightning-charged Energy run through him, dispersing in the sand, melting it to glass at his feet. Trinnie, eyes wide, perhaps surprised by his size or the strength of the blow, readied her glaive and then, in an explosion of lightning, disappeared, only to crackle into existence behind Victor, her glaive hacking sideways at his exposed flank. Victor punched down, his knuckles impacting the flat of the blade, sending it down to his thigh, where it sliced deep through his flesh and muscle and ground against his femur. He was his full, titanic size now; the bone was like a tree trunk but harder than steel. The glaive skittered over it, and, meanwhile, Victor backhanded Trinnie Ro across the bridge of her nose, sending her reeling. He stalked toward her, snaking out a hand to snatch the electrified haft of her glaive as she raised it. Trinnie tried to pull it away, but Victor¡¯s strength was inexorable, and he jerked it to the side, exposing her midriff to more vicious punches and jabs as he drove her back toward the wall of the arena. Victor was beyond words or taunts¡ªhe growled and grimaced, punching and kicking, constantly gripping her weapon to keep her from retreating outside the range of his blows. Of course, she could release the polearm, but he knew that wasn¡¯t an option; she wouldn¡¯t drop her golden glaive any more than he¡¯d drop Lifedrinker involuntarily. Victor was lucid; his rage was a cool, calculated one, and he knew his blows weren¡¯t doing any damage. Each time his fist or foot impacted Trinnie, her skin hardened like diamond, and she grimaced, but that was all. He wondered how long she could keep it up. Was it effortless, that armored flesh, or did it take Energy? Was she depleting her Core, or would she easily outlast his rage? Growling, Victor closed with her and caught her triceps in a grapple with his right hand while still wrestling with her over the glaive with his left. Then he focused on the arena wall some twenty yards behind her. Grinning with grim brutality, he cast Energy Charge. Dark shadows enveloped the two of them, and he exploded over the sands, driving her to impact the wall. The enchanted marble split, the world echoed with the thunderous crash, and Victor slammed his knee into Trinnie Ro¡¯s abdomen, screaming with frustration at his inability to harm her. Trinnie Ro, for her part, grimaced and grunted, and then she erupted with electricity, sizzling with the charge of her Energy as she snapped out of existence, only to reappear behind Victor, hacking her glaive in a blinding X across his back, flaying him to the bone. ¡°Just die,¡± she hissed, her voice sizzling like the electricity that coursed through her veins. Victor bunched his legs and, using Titanic Leap, launched himself away from the shattered marble, vaulting over her as his flesh worked to knit itself back together. His healing was slow and imperfect. Each cut took longer to knit, and Victor knew her glaive had done something to him. He could feel the oily corruption sliding along his bones, getting under his skin, twisting and breaking down the tiny vessels as his skin came back together. It was a horrifying sensation, and if they weren¡¯t already trying to kill each other, if he hadn¡¯t already tried shattering Trinnie¡¯s invulnerable flesh, he would have gone mad with the frustration of it all. As it was, he found a large part of him begging for release, begging for him to let go of his control and let his rage really take over. As he closed with Trinnie, he ran through his other abilities in his mind, seeking a strategy to deal with her obstinate, unbreakable form and her deadly lightning-charged abilities. Seeking inspiration, he knew he was a fool for holding back that particular ability, so he cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin. He supposed he hadn¡¯t used it thus far in the hopes of saving it or not revealing it. He also had to consider that he couldn¡¯t channel Iron Berserk, Inspiration of the Quinametzin, and a third powerful ability like Banner of the Champion. Still, inspiration was what he needed, and as the glow of that golden-hued Energy entered his rage-filled vision, Victor began to calm down and think around his rage rather than with it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first conclusion he came to was that he had to change his tactics. Why was he trying to fight this woman with his bare hands? Was Lifedrinker such a secret? He¡¯d already exposed her. Veil walkers and steel seekers were observing the battle, and they could learn much simply by studying Lifedrinker with their inner eyes, with their Energy sense. Victor stopped in his tracks and watched Trinnie Ro approach. He needed to break with her long enough to pick up his weapon, so he watched her, waiting for the tell-tale surge of electrical Energy. He doubted she¡¯d come at him directly. No, she¡¯d teleport and hit his flank. Victor would, of course, try to avoid the blow, but he figured he might need to eat at least one more painful cut before he could get his hands on Lifedrinker¡ªbefore he could feel her encouraging weight and power and start to turn things around. # Queen Kynna Dar watched Victor and felt her world begin to crumble. Just as the black lines of corruption ate at his flesh, leaving his cuts half-healed and his moves lethargic, she could feel the impending gloom encroaching on her queendom. She couldn¡¯t fault Victor, could she? He was giving his life, after all. Had he been a fool set on his own destruction? Was his weapon a bluff? Could he not wield the mighty axe? Hadn¡¯t he done so in her garden? The questions raced through her mind as she watched him slam Trinnie Ro against the arena wall again, recoiling as her wicked glaive sliced him. Kynna felt sick about Victor¡¯s likely doom but also for the disloyal part she¡¯d had to play¡ªdisloyal but not traitorous, she comforted herself. She¡¯d done nothing to influence his performance, only hedged her bets, guarding the fate of her queendom in the event he¡¯d overplayed his hand, which seemed more and more likely. Kynna glanced at the guardswoman whose promotion, requested by Victor himself, had come across her desk that very morning. Bryn. Her eyes were red beneath the visor of her helm, but she didn¡¯t weep. Not yet. A commotion behind her and the stammered words, ¡°Imperial Highness,¡± startled Kynna out of her melancholy reveries, and she stood, clutching her thick, formal gown as she turned and prepared to curtsey. Sure enough, Grand Prince Troyssas was entering her viewing box, her guards practically prostrating themselves in his presence as he stepped past them. Kynna curtseyed low, tilting her crown and staring at the man¡¯s glittering crystalline slippers as he approached. ¡°Kynna.¡± He chortled, no hint of formality in his tone. ¡°Do relax. I¡¯ve simply come to pay my respects; I doubt I¡¯ll stay to see the end of this sad display.¡± Kynna straightened, fighting her bristling pride and irrational desire to defend Victor to this man, perhaps the fourth most powerful on the planet. ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you to think of me, Your Imperial Highness.¡± ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯ve done much to offer entertainment over the last months. What a wonderful surprise it was to see you come out from beneath the bootheels of old Groff and Vennar. Hah! I bet they rue the day they encircled Gloria, hmm?¡± He stepped past Kynna, his bulk like a small planetoid beside her, pulling against her like gravity. He peered down into the arena, watching for a moment as Victor, again, leaped away from Trinnie Ro, trailing buckets of dark, black blood. ¡°What a strange champion. He certainly took you far, in any case. Far enough to negotiate a proper outcome to this contest, at least.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Imperial¡ª¡± ¡°Highness will do, dear Kynna.¡± ¡°Yes, Highness.¡± ¡°So, what was the settlement? Iron Mountain and a hundred years of peace? Something you can live with, at least, yes? A bit of a pity you won¡¯t have your vengeance; Bandia will escape Gloria¡¯s wrath for the moment.¡± He winced and moved a massive, thick hand to his blush-covered cheek, suddenly holding a jade-inlaid fan to shield his eyes. ¡°My, but he does bleed, does he not?¡± ¡°He¡¯s full of surprises, Highness. I wouldn¡¯t count him out¡ª¡± ¡°Come, enough fantasies. Take your medicine, love. He¡¯s a brute¡ªa barbarian with a berserker¡¯s talents. His healing¡¯s been dealt with, and, as you see, even his rather unique bloodline isn¡¯t enough to overcome a proper steel seeker with talents and equipment to match.¡± Kynna looked past Troyssas to the arena floor and saw Victor backing away from Trinnie, his hands out, somehow managing to avoid most of her hacks and cleaves without further injury. Troyssas wasn¡¯t wrong, though; the damage had been done. Victor¡¯s vibrant, tanned flesh was tracked with black veins, and his cuts hung partly open, spilling dark, stained blood to the sands. They were on the black side, so it wasn¡¯t obvious how much he was bleeding, but when Kynna squinted, she could see the damp, glittering nature of his blood on the sands. She felt eyes on her and glanced to her left where Bryn stared, eyes wide, horror marring her expression. She must have realized what Troyssas meant about Iron Mountain. Kynna had negotiated very favorable terms, indeed. If Victor were to win, Lovania would be her subject state, but if he lost, Kynna simply had to give up her most valuable duchy¡ªIron Mountain¡ªand swear a non-aggression pact. No one could blame her. The terms were too good to pass up; after all, she had her people, her family, to consider. The terms were, in fact, too good, and Kynna knew why: the imperial family had made a point of pushing this duel forward. They¡¯d created openings for other champions, clearing the path for Trinnie Ro¡¯s placement with Lovania. They wanted Victor killed and Kynna¡¯s ambitions along with him. Kynna met Bryn¡¯s gaze, daring her to speak, but the woman knew her place; she jerked her chin back to the arena, watching the man she¡¯d come to admire fight to the last. How long would it be? How long could a man, even one as great as Victor, function with such injuries? Something in Kynna made her want to argue with Troyssas. Perhaps she simply didn¡¯t want her guards¡ªand Bryn¡ªto hear her blithely accept Victor¡¯s fate. ¡°Are you sure you must leave, Highness? Victor may yet surprise us.¡± Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Nonsense! He¡¯s suffered an unfortunate turn of fate, finding himself up against Trinnie Ro, but misfortune is what it is. She¡¯s quite thoroughly adept at countering his strengths. Her glaive poisons the berserker¡¯s blood, canceling his regeneration, and her durability is without peer; even his prodigious strength cannot harm her. What other little tricks does he have? He was mediocre with that spear, and, for some reason, he eschews his axe, not that it could harm Trinnie Ro¡¯s flesh. He¡¯s let things go too far, in any case. I doubt he could even pick that weapon up in his current condition. No, I think the most we can hope for is a mercifully quick death for the poor man. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°¡can do much more than that¡¡± Bryn¡¯s whisper was muttered between clenched teeth, but Kynna heard her. If Troyssas heard her, though, he didn¡¯t react. Likely, he hadn¡¯t registered the noise of vocal cords so far beneath him. He fluttered his fan and turned toward the steps leading down from Kynna¡¯s viewing platform. ¡°Thank you again for looking in on me, Highness.¡± The imperial prince turned and favored her with a thick, burgundy-lipped smile, fluttering his perfumed fan again, this time wafting some of the jasmine scents toward Kynna. ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry you won¡¯t have your vengeance for Thorn¡¯s betrayal, but mind your opportunities, dear Kynna. Perhaps a place at the imperial court is in your future. If nothing else, this barbarian has reminded people of Gloria¡¯s past greatness.¡± Kynna curtsied low again and watched the enormous man¡¯s bulbous figure descend the steps. Shame turned her neck hot as she straightened and turned back to the arena. None of her guards, none of her attendants looked her way. It was like they could feel the guilt radiating off her. Why was she guilty, though? Should she have bet everything on Victor? Should she have refused terms that so blatantly favored her? Should she have tried to avoid the duel? Should she have given Victor time to prepare for such an opponent? Hadn¡¯t she asked him? Hadn¡¯t she told him how dangerous Trinnie Ro was? She sat down, resting her elbows on her knees and staring at the glittering, sapphire-studded silken slippers on her feet. She was happy that, at least, she hadn¡¯t allowed Tomorran to attend the duel. Better that he hear of Victor¡¯s demise than to see it. The crowd had taken on that weird, shell-shocked nature that often occurred when a fight was one-sided. It was almost like they were reluctant to cheer for Trinnie Ro¡ªlike the torture she was doling out was shameful. Instead, they ¡°oohed¡± and gasped, even moaned, with each new spray of black-tinged blood that her golden glaive wrung from Victor¡¯s flesh. Kynna had grown so used to those resigned, wincing collective gasps that when the tempo changed, and an underlying current of excitement bubbled up through the enormous arena, Kynna glanced up, her eyes wide. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He picked up his axe,¡± Bryn said through clenched teeth, her hands white-knuckled where they gripped the balcony railing. # ¡°Blood-mate! You bleed, and your touch is cold and soft! What ails you? Guide my edge to the foes that beset you!¡± Victor couldn¡¯t help the mad smile that split his blood-stained lips as he felt Lifedrinker¡¯s eagerness. He was hurting, no doubt about it, but he hadn¡¯t played all his cards yet. It was clear that Trinnie Ro thought he had. She was content to wear him down, bleed him out, and poison his body while she was at it. Victor had taken his sweet time getting to Lifedrinker. He¡¯d danced a good long time with Trinnie Ro, trying to get her to reveal her cards. Was she done? Was this the extent of it? She¡¯d shown him her teleportation ability. She¡¯d shown him her glaive¡¯s wicked, quick edge that could taint his very blood. She¡¯d powered herself up with lightning-attuned Energy, making herself nearly titanic in size and fast and strong, to boot. Finally, she¡¯d shown him how she could call lightning from the heavens to blast the ever-living shit out of him. Wasn¡¯t that enough? Did she have to have something more held in check? He¡¯d tried to get it out of her if there was something. He¡¯d let her carve the hell out of him, poisoning him down to the marrow in his bones. She hadn¡¯t done anything else, but maybe she didn¡¯t realize she needed to. ¡°Okay, chica. Don¡¯t worry yet. Just cut this bruja for me.¡± With those words, Victor hefted his wonderful axe and strode toward Trinnie Ro, content to let his reflexes, instincts, and Lifedrinker run the show for a while. He¡¯d been nursing his rage, letting it fill his pathways, but no more. He could feel the corruption in his bones and knew even his Quinametzin constitution was struggling with whatever taint his tormentor¡¯s glaive was leaving behind with each cut and gash. He wondered how long he would have lasted without his titan blood, without his titan¡¯s pride that wouldn¡¯t easily allow poison to take root. Trinnie Ro¡¯s glaive flickered like a golden serpent¡¯s tongue, and Victor¡¯s forearms twitched, lifting Lifedrinker¡¯s prodigious blade into its path. For the first time, metal on metal rang through the arena, and blazing golden sparks flew as Lifedrinker carved a sliver of metal from the poisoned weapon¡¯s edge. Victor¡¯s grin turned savage, and he licked his bloody lips as Trinnie backpedaled, her eyes wide with concern for her precious weapon. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he grunted, breaking his rule about shit-talking. ¡°If you think an axe will save you, fool, you should step outside yourself to see your ruined flesh. You¡¯re dead; you just don¡¯t know it yet.¡± Victor hawked a loogie, spitting a thick, black wad of bloody phlegm onto the sand. ¡°What, this? I¡¯m Quinametzin, pendeja; your poison isn¡¯t going to end me.¡± With that, Victor darted forward and began to weave Lifedrinker in a dizzying array of feints, hacks, thrusts, and cleaves, driving Trinnie back as she had to work extra hard to keep the edge of her glaive from meeting Lifedrinker¡¯s hungry blade. Their metal rang and howled as they clashed, and the spectators¡¯ reactions took on a new life as it became more and more apparent that Victor wasn¡¯t out of the fight. Cheers resounded with each clash of the mighty weapons, and when Trinnie tried to teleport to Victor¡¯s flank, attempting to catch him off guard, the crowd went wild when Lifedrinker was there, ready for that golden blade. With Victor¡¯s guiding hands, she rebuffed the attack, and the glaive rebounded, a new notch at the top of its sword-like edge. Trinnie scowled and redoubled her efforts, and their battle went on. The fight was far from one-sided, but there was some truth to the idea that Victor had waited too long. He was weakened and slowed by the toxins coursing through his body. Even as his Quinametzin constitution worked to eject the poison, it seemed to multiply on itself, thickening in his blood and spreading through his marrow¡ªthe source of that infection being his split clavicle. He had an idea for how to purge himself of the poison and turn the tables, but Victor was reluctant. He wanted to see how far he could go as he was. He wanted to see what Trinnie Ro was made of. Could their dance bring out the Paragon of the Axe? # Grand Prince Troyssas of Khaliday held up his thick hand, and Ambassador Voolian clamped his mouth shut. Troyssas turned to Brinnit, the captain of his personal guard, and barked, ¡°What¡¯s happening in there?¡± Clangs rang out, and the crowd was energized. He could feel it from there. ¡°I¡¯ll check, Highness.¡± Brinnit took the stairs up to the imperial box three at a time, and Troyssas contemplated returning to his seat to view the rest of the match. Surely, it was nearly over, but why the sudden change in tone? It had been a massacre; the foreign berserker had been on his last legs when he¡¯d gone to taunt Kynna. Gods! That little wretch, Trinnie Ro, had better not be squandering the opportunity he and his sister had fed her. ¡°Is something the matter, Your Imperial Highness? If there¡¯s aught that I can do to improve your experience, you have but to ask. Perhaps you¡¯d enjoy viewing the rest of the battle from the comfort of my airship? I noticed you came through the teleporter, and I¡¯m sure I have more comfortable accommodations than those in the viewing boxes.¡± Voolian mewled, his worthless, obsequious flattery falling on deaf ears. Troyssas was focused on the stairs, watching for Brinnit¡¯s return. She reappeared almost immediately, descending to the breezeway in a single light-footed bound. ¡°The barbarian has picked up his axe and seems rather skilled in its use.¡± ¡°He still bleeds?¡± ¡°He does, Highness.¡± ¡°And Trinnie?¡± ¡°Unscathed, Highness.¡± ¡°Enough, then. Escort me to the portal chamber.¡± ¡°As you say, Highness.¡± Brinnit snapped her fingers, and Troyssas¡¯s guards melded out of the stonework around him, forming a protective wedge and marching along with his enormous, rolling steps as he left Voolian babbling about how pleased he¡¯d been to chat with him again. In all honesty, Troyssas couldn¡¯t recall a single word of their conversation; it had been as meaningless as breathing or taking a piss. He glanced at Savinicus, his Master of Revels. ¡°See that my baths are well staffed. I¡¯ll be going in for the night.¡± ¡°Of course, Highness, any particular flavor?¡± ¡°I require soft comforts tonight, Sav. Ensure one of my singers is there.¡± Troyssas shuddered, appalled by the sliver of stress that had wormed its way into his mind. How dare that barbarian last as long as he had? Some folks just didn¡¯t have the decency to die when the time was upon them. He caught Brinnit eyeing him, her expression hard, as usual, though she usually had the good sense to drop her gaze when he caught her looking. ¡°What?¡± he barked. ¡°Will all be well if he doesn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°God¡¯s damn it! Why would you ask that?¡± Troyssas threw out a thick, meaty fist, blasting one of his guards into the wall with the crunch of shattered bones. Two of his retinue slowed to help the poor fool recover, but Brinnit didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I ask because I saw the glimmer of a paragon on his blade. If the poison doesn¡¯t do him in, he may well cut Trinnie Ro, regardless of her diamond-hard flesh.¡± ¡°Damn you for saying so!¡± Troyssas pouted. He stopped in his tracks and folded his enormous arms over his bulging chest, contemplating things. If Kynna Dar¡¯s champion managed to win, she¡¯d be one step closer to challenging Bandia. If she won that contest, then she¡¯d own a coastal kingdom, which would open the way to challenges on the eastern continent. She could be a dozen well-planned challenges away from threatening one of his borders. She claimed she was aiming to conquer Bandia because of Thorn¡¯s betrayal. If that were the case, her little conquest would end there. If not¡if not, then the great houses had champions that would make Trinnie Ro seem a child. No, things weren¡¯t lost, even if that barbarian managed to win the day, however unlikely that might be. ¡°Brinnit, you will stay and observe the rest of the fight. Carpecus,¡± he turned to his chief advisor, ¡°I¡¯ll need you to make a report to my sister. We may have much to discuss.¡± # Victor¡¯s rictus smile grew wider and wider as he began to drive Trinnie Ro back. His axe hummed through the air, an instrument of death that weighed thousands of pounds and moved like the flicker of a murderous thought. Trinnie¡¯s glaive was a nuisance, a feather-light obstacle that he could bat aside, cut through, or dismiss as the ghostly edge of his paragon began to appear, slipping past Trinnie Ro¡¯s guard and slicing through her impossibly hard flesh. Panic entered her mean-eyed glare, and instead of asking him why he wouldn¡¯t simply die, she began to pant for breath, baring her sharp, black teeth in ever-increasing stress. Victor was past the point of sympathy. He never hesitated to follow up his attacks, watering the sands with Trinnie¡¯s bright red blood. As more and more shreds of golden metal flew through the air and the cuts on Trinnie¡¯s flesh mounted, Victor found himself feeling better. Slowly but surely, his body was pushing the poison out, even without him burning it from his veins with an infusion of magma. His Spirit Core was flaring brightly; he¡¯d only used about half his Energy to maintain his Iron Berserk and his Inspiration of the Quinametzin. He¡¯d saved most of his trump cards: his Volcanic Fury, his Glacial Wrath, his Aspect of Terror, even his Banner and Wild Totem. He''d gone through hell for nearly thirty minutes, but had it been worth it? Would saving all those tricks up his sleeve and not exposing his Breath Core pay off down the road? Anyone who fought him now would know that Lifedrinker was a force to be reckoned with. They¡¯d know he was a master of the axe. They¡¯d know that while poison might weaken him, it would take a hell of a corruption to kill him. Was it time to stop caring? Was it time to just put his cards on the table and straight up beat the hell out of all comers? Trinnie Ro was tough, but was she the toughest? They¡¯d brought her down to put an end to him, but had they held stronger champions in reserve? Victor knew damn well the great houses wouldn¡¯t leave themselves defenseless. If they gave Trinnie Ro to a lesser house, you better believe they thought their own champions could end her. All those thoughts ran through his mind as his frustration fed the fury of his lethal combinations, and he pushed Trinnie Ro into a fatal error. When she charged herself with lightning, and Victor knew her teleportation was imminent, he watched the corners of her eyes where she¡¯d tell him where to strike. Sure enough, just for a fraction of a second, the whites tilted to the right, and Victor whirled, hacking Lifedrinker in a broad, screaming cleave, the Paragon of the Axe extending her edge by six feet. Trinnie Ro flashed with lightning and reappeared in Lifedrinker¡¯s path, and Victor cleaved her in half, splitting her just above the hips in a shower of crimson droplets. As half of Trinnie Ro fell to his left and the other toppled to the right, Victor lifted Lifedrinker high and roared into the crowd¡¯s answering cheers. He was just starting to feel normal again, and he knew his roar was amplified by his Voice of the Angry Mountain. He could feel it shaking the ground around him. He could see the arena walls where he and Trinnie had cracked the marble, showering dust and debris down onto the sands. His voice echoed and reverberated back to him, and, to Victor¡¯s rage-addled mind, it made him imagine other titans were answering his cry. He screamed all the louder, and the people in the stands went wild with his enthusiasm. When he turned to look at Kynna, he saw her standing, her face stunned, her eyes wide. He¡¯d done it, and she couldn¡¯t believe it. He laughed at the expression and shook Lifedrinker in victory, and the axe screamed with him, her bloodlust unquenched. ¡°Let us kill all these fools, blood-heart! Let us dance on their bones!¡± Victor laughed and shook her harder in response, so proud of his wonderful axe, so amazed by her ability to outclass that golden glaive. His heart was swollen with his pride for her, and as he screamed his victory cry, tears filled his eyes, and he choked out a softer declaration, just for her, ¡°I love you, chica! Thank you for saving me so many times.¡± 9.47 What the Heart Wants When Victor recovered from his influx of Energy, it took him several seconds to remember where he was. His knees were resting on hot, black sand, and Lifedrinker sat before him, her blade baleful in the mid-morning sunlight. Recognizing the stupor of being drunk on Energy, he wasn¡¯t surprised to see a System message waiting for him: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 82 Warlord and gained 24 intelligence and 17 vitality.*** ¡°Champion,¡± a familiar voice said from behind him, ¡°Will you claim a prize from your fallen foe?¡± It was Lohanse, and as Victor recognized his voice, everything fell into place, and he remembered where he was. He squinted up at the stands, unsurprised to see less than half the seats occupied. How long had he been senseless? With a grunt, he stood, gripping Lifedrinker¡¯s haft like a lever to haul himself up. He looked at Lohanse, resplendent in his fine ceremonial robes. ¡°You know what I¡¯ll claim.¡± Suddenly, the air felt thick, and the murmurs and noise of the stadium faded, sounding like they were coming to him through a thick veil of water. Lohanse spoke, and his voice¡¯s pitch made it clear that only Victor would hear his words, ¡°I would beg a favor, Victor. I knew Trinnie Ro¡¯s father well. Will you leave her body whole, that she might travel untroubled through the veil?¡± Victor frowned. ¡°The champion?¡± ¡°Yes, he was. A very good man.¡± Victor nodded to Trinnie Ro¡¯s broken body, lying in two halves, her flesh unnaturally pale. ¡°You think it makes a difference?¡± ¡°I know not what ritual you perform with the hearts of your foes. However, watching you pull those grisly trophies, I¡¯ve witnessed shreds of spirit clinging to the organs. Do you deny it?¡± Victor shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± ¡°So? Will you honor my request?¡± Victor¡¯s lust for blood and death was thoroughly satiated, and the idea that Lohanse, a man of immense power, was asking him for a favor meant something significant to him. He clenched his jaw and nodded. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Will you claim a different trophy, then?¡± Victor let his eyes drift over Trinnie¡¯s ruined body again. He stared at the golden glaive lying not far away. Should he take the weapon that had tormented him so? Would he ever use it? He frowned, considering an idea that danced through his mind, and then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll take that wicked polearm of hers.¡± As Lohanse moved to pick up the weapon for him, Victor touched Lifedrinker¡¯s haft. ¡°I¡¯ll speak to you soon, chica. I have gifts for you.¡± ¡°I will wait for you, battle-heart.¡± Victor smiled grimly, sending her away to her storage ring. When Lohanse stepped toward him, Trinnie¡¯s beautiful glaive in his hands, Victor studied the long, sword-like blade¡ªit was already whole, having mended itself of the damage Lifedrinker had dealt it. ¡°Does it live?¡± he asked. Lohanse nodded. ¡°I believe so, though it doesn¡¯t speak to me.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll put it with Lifedrinker; it won¡¯t suffer in that storage device.¡± Lohanse nodded, offering Victor the haft of the polearm. ¡°Your axe is something remarkable, young man.¡± ¡°She is,¡± Victor agreed, touching the golden glaive¡¯s haft, wincing slightly at the cold, electric tingle that ran through his fingers. He sent it to storage, wondering if the two weapons would be aware of each other in there. He looked up and saw most of the remaining spectators streaming out of the arena. Kynna¡¯s platform was empty. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s time to go.¡± ¡°Aye, lad. The people who waited around for you to regain consciousness hoped to witness another brutal heart-taking.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Victor nodded, then turned toward the tunnel leading back to his ready room. He took one step before he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. ¡°I promised you a debt, and I¡¯m a man of my word. I¡¯ll offer you a word of caution for free, however. Will you hear it?¡± Victor turned to regard the veil walker, arching a heavy black eyebrow. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Know this, then: the great houses have taken note of you. Trinnie Ro wasn¡¯t here by some obscene coincidence. There will be schemes within schemes to keep Gloria from rising to power again. If Queen Kynna intends to do more than conquer Bandia in retaliation for Thorn¡¯s betrayal, then you should expect danger around every corner, behind every curtain, and, certainly, at every duel. It might be time to stop playing games.¡± Victor absently rubbed his right shoulder where Trinnie¡¯s golden glaive had sliced through his flesh and bone. He contemplated the man¡¯s words for a moment, more in a show of respect and to let Lohanse know he was taking his words seriously than because he felt he needed the warning. After a moment, he looked at the veil walker in his depthless, power-filled eyes. ¡°I came to that conclusion during the battle, Grand Judicator. I appreciate the warning, nonetheless.¡± Lohanse nodded, then released his grip on Victor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Until your next battle, then.¡± Victor turned and stalked down the corridor into his waiting room. When he arrived, he was a little surprised to find only Bryn waiting. He¡¯d thought Kynna would be eager to congratulate him, though he had to admit, she¡¯d looked a little distraught at the end of the fight. Had the battle taken a lot out of her? Had she thought Victor would lose? He¡¯d be lying if he hadn¡¯t had some doubts during the fight. How would the witnesses have felt? ¡°Hello, Bryn.¡± ¡°Your Grace! Congratulations!¡± She still wore her helmet, but Victor could see her eyes were bright with good cheer. ¡°I knew you had more fight in you!¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°Ah, so there was some speculation about my demise?¡± ¡°The atmosphere in the queen¡¯s box was grim for a while there, milord. The queen has returned to Iron Mountain to arrange the festivities.¡± Victor frowned. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t they already be arranged?¡± ¡°Indeed, milord. I believe it was an excuse to leave and gather her¡wits.¡± ¡°Was she stunned by my performance?¡± As he approached Bryn, Victor realized he was towering over her, so he cast Alter Self, bringing himself down closer to ten feet so he¡¯d be comfortable in doorways and on the furniture back at the palace. ¡°I believe she suffered a wide range of emotional responses to your performance.¡± Bryn moved to the door, pulling it open for him. ¡°I¡¯ll gladly give you more details back at your palace, Your Grace, but¡¡± She gestured to the glowing crystals near the clock on the wall. Victor got her meaning; this wasn¡¯t the place to speak openly. He nodded and followed her through the door into the tunnel, where he found half a dozen more of the queen¡¯s guards waiting to escort him to the portal. Back at the palace, Victor made his way directly to his quarters. He wanted to meet with Kynna, and he wanted to get an update from Trobban, but more than anything, he wanted to have a long hot soak in his bath. He was tired¡ªnot so much physically as mentally. He¡¯d worn himself out worrying about fighting Trinnie Ro, and now that it was over, he felt like he¡¯d shed a mountain of stress, and all he wanted to do was soak and forget about the whole damn thing. When he stepped out of the elevator and Bryn exited behind him, he turned to regard her. ¡°You should take the rest of the day off.¡± ¡°I¡¡± She looked like she wanted to say more but stopped to breathe or think, and then she just nodded briefly. ¡°Thank you, Victor.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Victor held up a hand, ¡°one thing before you go.¡± He reached into his storage ring and summoned out Trinnie¡¯s golden glaive. ¡°I got this for you.¡± Bryn gasped and took a step back, shaking her head vehemently. ¡°I cannot!¡± ¡°The hell you can¡¯t. I want you to have it. I don¡¯t know if the queen or Draj Haveshi has spoken to you yet, but I¡¯m also going to, um, elevate you. I¡¯m going to award you some land and a title.¡± ¡°Victor!¡± Again, Bryn shook her head, waving both her hands in negation. ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing to earn¡ª¡± Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. ¡°Bullshit, you haven¡¯t!¡± Victor thrust the glaive toward her, noting how it seemed to caress his flesh with tiny electric tingles. ¡°Bryn, you¡¯ve been by my side on Ruhn since day one. You put your life on the line more than once, and I intend to hold you to that standard for the rest of my visit here, and that could be years. I demand a lot from the people who work for me, and in return, I like to think I offer appropriate rewards. ¡°Now, this glaive represents something important to me¡ªTrinnie Ro was a hell of a fighter, and I learned a lot while fighting against this weapon. I want it to go to someone who will respect and use it, not stick it on a shelf or hide it away in a storage ring. It¡¯s a conscious weapon, Bryn. Don¡¯t insult¡¡± Victor paused and considered the feelings he was getting from the glaive through his hands. He grinned and nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t insult her by refusing.¡± ¡°Her¡¡± Bryn¡¯s voice was full of wonder as she stretched out trembling hands to grasp the glaive¡¯s haft below Victor¡¯s. When she felt the weapon¡¯s electric touch and accepted the weight of it, her eyes flew wide and Victor could see the smile on her face through the grill of her visor. ¡°There. Now, I don¡¯t know exactly where your land will be, but you¡¯ll need to hire an estate manager, anyway, ¡®cause I¡¯m not letting you go. Not yet.¡± Bryn reached up and touched her helmet, sending it away to storage, and Victor saw her big brown eyes were streaming with tears. She blinked them several times, then fell to a knee, pressing her forehead to the glaive¡¯s haft. ¡°I swear, Victor, Your Grace, I swear I will serve you faithfully with this weapon.¡± Victor stepped forward and rested a hand on her shoulder, looking into her eyes. ¡°I know you will, Bryn. Now stand up and go enjoy the rest of your day.¡± ¡°Your Grace, there¡¯s something I should tell you.¡± Victor arched an eyebrow. ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Bryn stood, then glanced around the little antechamber between the elevator and Victor¡¯s quarters. ¡°Can we step inside?¡± Victor¡¯s curiosity was piqued, and he nodded, pulling open his suite door and stepping inside. The rooms were dim; the curtains on the balcony were drawn closed. He didn¡¯t go and open them; instead, he pulled the door shut and stood with his back to it, regarding Bryn. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°While you were battling, a visitor came to the queen¡¯s box, one of the Grand Princes¡ªTroyssas.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡¡± Victor thought about the name, trying to remember where he¡¯d heard it. ¡°That¡¯s one of the emperor¡¯s sons?¡± ¡°Yes, milord.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°He spoke to the queen, and, well, their conversation made it sound like she¡¯d arranged favorable dueling terms, perhaps at the expense of your preparation.¡± Victor sighed and reached up to scratch his nails through the stiff stubble along his jaw. ¡°Elaborate.¡± ¡°She arranged terms that permitted Gloria to continue with her as the queen. Her only loss, should Trinnie Ro have won the duel, would have been this duchy.¡± Victor sniffed and nodded. ¡°So when she learned about Trinnie Ro, instead of backing off the duel or delaying it, she accepted some favorable terms to make it happen immediately. That¡¯s the gist of it?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± Bryn looked down, something like shame in her eyes. Victor forced a smile, then reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Thanks for coming to me with this, but don¡¯t mention it again, okay? If you¡¯re worried about the queen¡¯s loyalty, then don¡¯t be. She¡¯s loyal, but first and foremost, she¡¯s loyal to her family. After that, she¡¯s loyal to her nation. There are probably a few more things in between that and me. I¡¯m aware of that, and I¡¯ll keep my eyes open, okay? Don¡¯t get yourself in trouble sticking your neck out.¡± Bryn nodded, sniffing and wiping at her nose. ¡°Did I overstep? Was it wrong to doubt the queen¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°The only thing I¡¯m worried about is someone misunderstanding your loyalty, Bryn. I¡¯m counting on you to keep your eyes open, but caution is always paramount. Understand? I can protect you from much, but not everything.¡± ¡°Understood, Your Grace.¡± She straightened the glaive, haft resting on the floor by her boots, and brought her other fist to her chest in a smart salute. ¡°Thank you¡Victor.¡± Victor smiled and turned to open the door for her. ¡°My pleasure. Enjoy the rest of your day.¡± He watched her leave, then shut the door and went to his balcony, pulling the curtains wide. He inhaled deeply, sighing with pleasure as he took in the view of Iron Mountain. His place on Fanwath was lovely, and he enjoyed the view of the Silver Sea it provided, but this was on another level. Iron Mountain was otherworldly in its majesty and evoked something in his chest that the sea couldn¡¯t match. He turned and went into his bathroom, which also featured a wall of glass that provided a view of the mountain. He ran hot water into the enormous tiled tub, then undressed and sank into the hot water. He felt good. He felt good about Bryn and was only moderately disappointed to learn that Kynna hadn¡¯t prioritized his safety. Could he really blame her? She was given a chance to have her cake and eat it, too. If Victor won, her conquest continued. If he lost, she was mostly left intact with a kingdom facing hundreds of years of peace. Even so, it stung a little when he remembered her words before the fight¡ªhow she¡¯d said it felt like he could share her burdens. It had seemed like they¡¯d made a connection in that moment. Had he imagined it? Maybe it was real, but to a woman who was closing in on a hundred years old and who had a million responsibilities, maybe that connection hadn¡¯t been as meaningful. ¡°And that¡¯s life,¡± he sighed, slipping deeper into the hot, soapy water. He wondered how long it would take to arrange the fight with Bandia. He doubted they¡¯d be eager to do battle, having seen Victor beat Trinnie Ro¡ªa steel seeker. He figured Kynna would need to apply some pressure and maybe some subterfuge. It might take months to set up the duel in that case. In a way, Victor hoped it wouldn¡¯t take that long; he was eager to get things moving and finish up with his battles on Ruhn. He had people he wanted to see and¡obligations he wanted to complete. Khul Bach was waiting to be reunited with his kin, and Victor owed the Warlord of Coloss a visit. Even more than that, Victor wanted to make good on his implied promises to Nia, Agnes, and the other surviving thralls from Dark Ember; the people living under the horrific rule of the undead ¡°great lords¡± deserved a chance at freedom. By comparison, this burgeoning war of succession felt almost petty. Still, Victor owed Ranish Dar, and the master Spirit Caster wanted his granddaughter to rule the empire, so it was a task he had to face. ¡°I wonder,¡± he mused aloud, ¡°if I should eat that Lava King heart.¡± His mouth filled with saliva at the prospect, and a grin spread his lips as he dunked his head to rinse soap from his short, stiff hair. Why shouldn¡¯t he? It was as good a time as any. He had the ¡°distillate¡± to drink, too. ¡°And Lifedrinker has some metal to consume!¡± Anticipation making him hasty, he leaped from the tub, thankful for his absurd, cat-like reflexes as he caught himself sliding on the wet, soapy tiles. He dried off and pulled on his pants, then, gripping his vault key necklace, he left the bathroom, only to stop in his tracks when he saw Kynna sitting, perfectly at ease, on the sofa that looked out on his balcony. Victor dropped the vault, letting it bounce against his sternum as he fumbled through his storage rings for a clean shirt. ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he sputtered, settling for a black cotton shirt with silver buttons. ¡°Victor, I¡¯m sorry I let myself in.¡± She gestured to the open balcony doors, and he wondered if she meant that was how she came in. Could she fly? He supposed it only made sense; she was a high-level iron ranker with the resources of a queen¡ªshe probably had a dozen ways to fly. ¡°Uh, no problem.¡± He stood back, buttoning his shirt, and she remained seated, her face focused on the view outside the window. Victor realized she didn¡¯t wear her crown. Was that the first time he¡¯d seen her without it? He was pretty sure it was. ¡°I figured you¡¯d summon me to speak with you.¡± ¡°I would have, but I couldn¡¯t wait. I¡¯m overwhelmed by strange emotions. Will you sit?¡± Victor stepped forward, walked around the couch, and sat beside her, leaving a cushion between them. ¡°Everything all right?¡± ¡°Yes, I believe so. Do you feel that everything is well?¡± Victor nodded, stretching out his legs and propping his feet on a cushioned ottoman. ¡°I didn¡¯t enjoy fighting Trinnie Ro¡ªI prefer my opponents to be less¡heroic¡ªbut it¡¯s over, and I¡¯m ready to move on.¡± ¡°Are you? Do you not harbor any doubts about the nature of her appearance? Do you not feel that I should have, perhaps, objected to the change in champions? I could have delayed the duel. I could have¡ª¡± ¡°You asked me if I could beat her. I told you yes. There¡¯s nothing more to talk about.¡± Kynna looked at him, her eyes locking on his. They burned white, as always, but seemed softer¡ªlike incandescent bulbs in fog. ¡°Do you mean that? Would it matter if I told you that I was offered very favorable terms, enticing me to push the duel forward?¡± ¡°Do you feel guilty about it? If so, Your Majesty, that¡¯s between you and your conscience. I came to fight for you, and that means against any champions that stand in your way. I¡¯ve accepted that. If you haven¡¯t, perhaps you should reevaluate your commitment to this campaign. I mean to conquer Ruhn for you. I can¡¯t go hiding from this or that champion and expect it to happen anyway. So, yeah, if you¡¯re wondering if we¡¯re good, we are. You do the politics bullshit, and I¡¯ll do the fighting.¡± ¡°You¡¡± Kynna licked her lips and shook her head slightly. ¡°People thought you were losing. I have it on good authority that Grand Prince Troyssas boasted of champions that could make Trinnie Ro seem a mere gifted child. The great houses haven¡¯t been involved in duels, not in recent memory, so I don¡¯t know how braggadocious he¡¯s being, but, Victor, you seemed to struggle with Trinnie Ro!¡± Victor thought about being honest with her. He thought about setting aside bravado, but when he heard about the ¡°grand prince¡± talking shit, his Quinametzin pride bristled, and he chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. ¡°Just because I put on a good show doesn¡¯t mean there was any real danger. I¡¯m ready to face whatever steel seekers they throw at me. Now, Your Majesty, I have a, um, natural treasure to consume and may be out of it for a few days. Is now an appropriate time to do something like that?¡± ¡°Now?¡± She reached a hand across the cushion between them, lightly brushing his knee with her fingertips. Victor frowned and stood, pacing to the balcony. He wasn¡¯t sure why. Was he irritated that she¡¯d called his performance into question? Was he more bothered about her political scheming than he let on? Was he just uncomfortable with the idea of taking their relationship beyond professional? Maybe he was still hung up on Valla. Whatever it was, he did a good job of signaling his reticence because, as he stared at the mountain, Queen Kynna stood behind him and spoke to his back. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it, then Victor. You have my gratitude¡ªour nation¡¯s gratitude. I¡¯ll have your trophies delivered to your chambers, as it seems you won¡¯t be attending the celebratory banquet this evening.¡± Victor didn¡¯t turn around. He nodded, gripping the marble balcony railing, and stared at the mountain, drawing strength from it. ¡°I appreciate that. I hope you understand that I¡¯m weary.¡± ¡°Of course. I should have thought of that. Please seek me out when you¡¯re rested.¡± Victor closed his eyes and breathed deeply, listening to her steps retreating to the door. When he heard it open and then click closed, he exhaled, sighing heavily. He hoped he hadn¡¯t insulted her too much. He was his own person, though, and he might not know what his heart wanted, but he was reasonably sure, at least at that moment, that it wasn¡¯t Kynna Dar. 9.48 A Visitor On wings of fiery rage, the Lava King soared through his domain, his blazing eyes hunting for the interloper. This was his hall, his kingdom. This was where his Ash Queens laid their eggs, this was where his father and his father before him had fought free of their shells, and this was where he had fought for the right to call himself King! His domain was deep under the earth, caverns through which lava rivers and lakes stretched farther than the eye could see. His domain was vast, his dominance absolute, and any fool that thought to breach his defenses would feel his claws and taste his fiery breath. He banked, channeling more Energy into his wings, surging forward faster than any creature with his bulk had a right to move. He passed through a great, natural stone arch, his wings scorching the stones on either side. Once through, he swooped up toward the mile-high, domed stone ceiling, and from that lofty vantage, he scanned his largest cavern, his eyes piercing the darkness, snatching out the blues and greens of things with blood too cool to dip into his molten domain. ¡°There,¡± he growled, diving toward four green and blue figures. They were large and bipedal, and they clutched their steely fangs in their forelimbs like so many of their kind. It didn¡¯t matter. The Lava King gathered a great lungful of air, expanded his chest, and, with a spark from his Breath Core, doused the cool-blooded fools with an avalanche of lava. By the time he set down on the steaming, ticking stone shelf where they¡¯d stood, naught but bones and some bits of charred flesh remained. The Lava King turned to face the center of the cavern and roared his victory, signaling to his brood and his mates that their subterranean world was safe once again. He settled his great bulk on the hot stone and folded his forelegs beneath his chin as he lazily allowed his fiery wings to fade. Absently, he stretched his neck to snatch up one of the hot bones, a bit of flesh still clinging to it. He crunched it, savoring the hot marrow, and then swallowed it whole. Life was good. # When Victor woke from his vision, he felt so good that he laughed, realizing his cheeks were already sore from the smile plastered on his face. He stretched and rolled over and lay there for a good minute, trying to figure out where he was. Slowly, as the d¨¦cor of his ducal suite began to register with his sleep-addled mind, he remembered he was in Iron Mountain and that he was Victor¡ªa Quinametzin Titan from Earth. He remembered eating the lava king''s heart, and then he remembered his vision, and the smile returned. What a life! He chuckled again but then noticed, on the edge of his vision, System messages that he¡¯d somehow brushed aside: ***Congratulations! You have gained a new Feat: Flight of the Lava King.*** ***Flight of the Lava King: Your species is gifted with the ability to channel Energy into powerful wings capable of providing flight to even the great, scaled, densely boned bodies of your kind. This ability is innate and requires only the fiery Energy in your Core to function.*** Victor blinked, staring at the message for several long minutes. It was the same ability his Sojourn armor set provided. However, if it proved to be anything like the flight he¡¯d experienced in his vision, then it would be far more versatile and last a good deal longer. The System had written the message as though Victor were a lava king. Was that how it was when his titanic nature absorbed the ability of his vanquished foes? Was that what a titan was¡ªa conglomeration of the species it absorbed? Victor stretched out his arms, clenching his ring-covered fingers into fists, turning them left and right. He hadn¡¯t grown scales or anything. He brought forth his status page:
| Name: | Victor Sandoval | |||
| Race: | Quinametzin Bloodline - Epic 5 | |||
| Class: | Warlord - Legendary | |||
| Level: | 82 | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Advanced 7 | |||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 3 | |||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9, Blue Ice - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 6100/6100 | |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 43812/43812 | |
| Strength: | 580 | Vitality: | 819 (867) | |
| Dexterity: | 280 (302) | Agility: | 303 (325) | |
| Intelligence: | 220 | Will: | 673 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | Titanic Rage, Ancestral Bond, Flame-Touched, Greater Titanic Constitution, Titanic Presence, Desperate Grace, Unyielding Challenger, Elder Magic, Born of Terror, Battlefield Awareness, Battlefield Presence, Aura of Command, Epic Quinametzin, Mountain''s Resilience, Behemoth''s Regeneration, Blood Supremacy, Wyrm''s Fervor, Warborn Mind, Flight of the Lava King | |||
| Strength: | 680 | Vitality: | 819 (867) |
| Dexterity: | 280 (302) | Agility: | 303 (325) |
| Intelligence: | 220 | Will: | 673 |
¡I¡¯m leaving for a new world tomorrow¡ªan ocean world populated by aquatic people who live on islands and swim and breathe freely under the water. It¡¯s called Crydagh, and there are rumored to be creatures living in those waters that rival dragons! Fantastic beasts called Booraghi roam the oceans, unafraid of anything¡ªeven your mentor, Ranish Dar, would think twice about crossing one of them. If treated with respect, they¡¯re peaceful, though, and will sometimes speak to lesser beings who visit them. I¡¯m going to seek one out; rumors have it that they¡¯ll grant boons to visitors they take a fancy to. Even if they refuse to speak to me, which I¡¯m told happens often, I believe the trip will be worthwhile. Wouldn¡¯t seeing such a creature be a reward in itself?He wondered if she¡¯d seen the great sea creatures that had so intrigued her. He supposed that was a good place to start, assuming she hadn¡¯t already written to him about her experience¡ªhe hadn¡¯t looked. The thought brought his mind around to the words he¡¯d used in the last letter he¡¯d written. He scanned over them, groaning as he read.
¡I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get over you and the missing piece of my heart that you took with you, but I¡¯m going to try. I¡¯m going to try to remember that no matter what, I love you, and I don¡¯t want you to be gone from my life. So, yeah, I¡¯ll try to be better about writing, but I can¡¯t do it every day, every week, or even every month. I have to give myself room to breathe, to experience life without you, ¡®cause that¡¯s what you wanted, and it¡¯s too hard to let you go if I¡¯m constantly reminding myself about how much I miss you¡He hadn¡¯t written to her since, and it had been a lot longer than a month¡ªcloser to six. With something like dread in his heart, he turned the page to see if she¡¯d written any sort of response. His feelings were a mixture of relief and guilt when he saw two new letters from her. One was short and quick to read:
Victor, I¡¯m so sorry for the pain I¡¯ve caused you. I hope you know that my heart is heavy, too, but, as you said, it will be good for you to find room to breathe. There¡¯s so much in the many worlds available to us; I want you to experience the peaks that I¡¯m not ready to climb. Don¡¯t you see that it was a burden on me, too, when I saw you being held back? Don¡¯t you see that I, too, must ¡°find room to breathe?¡± I love you, and I will write again. I look forward to hearing from you when you¡¯re ready. Love always, VallaVictor couldn¡¯t help a smile from creeping onto his lips as he read. It was just like Valla to use his words against him. She was right, he supposed; if anyone in their relationship had made it hard for the other to ¡°breathe,¡± it was Victor. He let his eyes drift down to the next, lengthier message:
Victor! I have amazing, wonderful news! My journey to Crydagh has proven fruitful beyond my wildest dreams. Oh, I have so much to tell you, but I doubt you want to read a book-long entry, and besides, I don¡¯t want to use up all of our pages, not until we can meet again and exchange a new Farscribe journal. Let me just say that this world is truly a wonder. As I told you, the natives breathe freely in air or water, and the chamber where the System Stone deposited me was like a great, inverted fishbowl at the bottom of a shallow sea. I stood in wonder, watching the colorful fish, beautiful people, and strange, moving plants for hours before seeking out a guide. I¡¯ll get to the good part: I joined an expedition to seek out the Booraghi, and we found one of their caravans¡ªthat¡¯s what the people here call their nomadic family groups. They¡¯re simply breathtaking creatures! Bigger than a house¡ªno, half as big as one of the crystal spires at the center of Sojourn! They¡¯re not scaled like a fish but have beautiful, colorful flesh¡ªyellow, orange, pink, blue, and purple. And their many fins flow through the water like colorful wings, though I dare say they aren¡¯t feathered. Rather, they¡¯re like gigantic, elegant fronds¡ªalmost plant-like. I¡¯d purchased an apparatus to allow me to breathe underwater, and, with the rest of my tour group, I swam out with the desperate hope that one of the creatures would speak to me; they don¡¯t use words, but project a surprisingly beautiful song. To most, it sounds like meaningless music, but if they direct it at an individual, it can be understood. So, as the water filled with the trilling music, everyone grew hopeful. I waited and listened, swimming desperately to keep up with the tremendous leisurely creatures, and then, to my delight, one of them spoke to me. His name is Oomah, but he tells me it¡¯s much longer and more beautiful in song form. To make a very long conversation short, he saw something in me, Victor. A potential he described as ¡°remarkable.¡± He¡¯s offered to take me on as a student, something so rare, that only a handful of such cases have been recorded in all of the Crydaghian¡¯s history. To my great wonder and delight, he invited me to join his clan on their migration¡ªto perch upon his enormous back as a passenger. You wouldn¡¯t believe the envy of the others in the tour group! When we arrived in the Booraghi¡¯s summer waters, Oomah taught me how to create a dwelling for myself, though there are other structures here; it¡¯s apparent that I am not the first or only land-born person to live among them here. Still, for now, Oomah keeps me apart from any others, aside from the Booraghi; he¡¯s teaching me a new way of living and thinking, and it¡¯s been a truly inspirational few months for me. I catch my own fish and cook it with spices and herbs I¡¯ve harvested from the sea bed. Oh, goodness! You wouldn¡¯t believe the many elaborate steps I went through to come up with something that tasted like pepper. I¡¯m getting lost in anecdotes again! I¡¯ll end up writing a novel, after all, if I¡¯m not careful. The point I¡¯m working up to, Victor, is that Oomah has an interesting way of teaching and philosophies about life that I¡¯ve never seen before. He¡¯s not entirely selfless, either; his tutelage comes with strings attached. There are worlds where the Booraghi cannot easily travel, and he has¡quests for me in such places. He says they¡¯ll all contribute to my development, but I can¡¯t help but be reminded of Ranish Dar and his strange way of ¡°teaching¡± you. I hope things are going well in that regard, by the way. Victor, I know you¡¯re taking a break from the Farscribe journal, and I will respect that. Still, Oomah doesn¡¯t mind me communicating with you, and though I have many new Booraghi friends here, sometimes I feel a little lonely. They¡¯re all so vast and they send their words to me from distances that sometimes make it hard even to see to whom I¡¯m speaking. So, when you feel up to it, please send me a note to let me know how you¡¯re doing. Missing you, VallaThe whole while Victor read the letter, his smile strained the muscles in his cheeks, and he found himself picturing Valla in a beautiful, colorful, underwater landscape, living in a bubble and swimming in the shadows of colossal creatures that¡ªin his head¡ªlooked like gigantic whales. He was proud of her for earning the attention of one of them and being singled out to be a student, though he had to admit some worry entered his mind. Regardless, he was no one to talk; his current circumstances on Ruhn were tenuous at best. Still smiling, he picked up his pen and wrote a response:
Valla, I can¡¯t tell you how happy I was to open this book and find such a wondrous tale to read. I¡¯m so proud of you! The Booraghi sound like amazing creatures, and I hope your new mentor has a lot to teach you. I got a strange feeling, though, when you said he¡¯s teaching you a new way to think; don¡¯t let him change you too much, okay? There¡¯s a reason people love you. There¡¯s a reason you stood out to Oomah; don¡¯t ever lose the things that make you¡Valla. Yeah, yeah, I know: who am I to give advice like that? Anyway, I¡¯m happy for you. I wish I were there to see what they look like. On my homeworld, there are creatures called whales that live in the oceans, and they, too, communicate with strange songs. That¡¯s kind of what I picture when you describe the Booraghi. As for me, I think I¡¯m over my sulking. The sting of our parting has begun to fade, though I won¡¯t lie; I think about you all the time. That¡¯s part of the reason I¡¯m writing. I had a chance to take a small break, and I¡¯m currently visiting Fanwath. Everywhere I look in my¡ªour¡ªrooms, I see your touch. It makes me a little melancholy and sharpens feelings that had grown dull, but it¡¯s also nice to see these reminders of you. I know we¡¯re very far apart right now, but as you and so many others have said, a lot can change in the course of years and decades and centuries. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Do you note a difference in my writing? I¡¯ve taken the Warlord Class, and while I¡¯ve only gained a single level in it, I swear it¡¯s been affecting my thinking. It doesn¡¯t hurt that I¡¯ve made some bloodline advancements and gained some new feats, either. I suppose being forced to deal with some politics has affected me more than anything. Using that less-than-elegant segue, I¡¯ll just say that things are progressing well on Ruhn. They could be worse, but an unexpected visitor and her tutelage are, in my opinion, turning the tide in my favor. Speaking of inartful segues¡ªTes is the unexpected visitor. She came to see me on Ruhn because of some¡waves I stirred up. She¡¯s very worried about you, and I know she¡¯ll be delighted to hear about your experiences on Crydagh. I don¡¯t suppose Oomah will allow you to visit Fanwath? I¡¯ll be here three more days. I don¡¯t even know how long it¡¯ll take for my message in this book to find its way to yours.Victor paused, wondering how much he should say about Tes. Should he reassure Valla that nothing had happened between them? He felt like broaching the topic unprompted would be crass. He and Valla were just coming to terms with their new status; why should he bring up romance involving anyone else, even if it were simply to deny it was happening? More than that, a denial felt dishonest; he might not have made anything happen with Tes, but he wanted to. Clicking his tongue with faint frustration, he finished his letter:
I¡¯m going to let Tes read your last message as I think it¡¯ll make her very happy, and I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯ll give her the opportunity to write a note to you in this book. In the meantime, please write again whenever you like; I¡¯ll be checking this book far more frequently. Love always, VictorVictor closed the book and leaned back with a sigh. He felt lighter, like he¡¯d shed a burden he hadn¡¯t known he was carrying. It was good to have all that off his chest. It was good to know Valla was doing well. A sudden yawn gripped him, and he arched his back, wringing forth several pops. Grinning, he got ready for bed and climbed into the soft sheets, letting the enchanted feather mattress engulf him. In moments, he was asleep, his chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths as his untroubled mind drifted into oblivion. When Victor woke and went downstairs to find some breakfast, he found Tes in the kitchen, teaching the cook, an elderly Ardeni woman named Grissa, how to make what she claimed was the ¡°flakiest, tastiest, tart crust in seven universes.¡± Victor was no tart expert, but when the timer dinged, and the little pastries came out of the oven, he couldn¡¯t stop eating until he¡¯d consumed seven sweet fruit tarts and three savory sausage ones. When Grissa tried to hand him another, he laughed and shook his head. ¡°I could eat twenty but save some for the rest of the household.¡± ¡°But, milord, they¡¯re all away!¡± ¡°No, Grissa, I meant you and the others working today. Enjoy yourselves!¡± As she blushed, curtseyed, and thanked him, Victor turned to Tes. ¡°Care to join me outside? I figure I¡¯ll try another one of our patterns before we fly off to visit the Shadeni.¡± ¡°T¡¯would be my pleasure.¡± She stood, smiling in that confounding, ¡°I know something no one else does¡± way of hers, and followed him to the gardens where they strolled down the trail to the beach. After they¡¯d put a bit of distance between the garden wall and themselves, she looked up at him. ¡°You seem different this morning. Lighter. What happened?¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Victor looked at her, shaking his head. ¡°Is that a dragon thing or a Tes thing?¡± ¡°What? Being able to read someone close to me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm, maybe a bit of both. So? Out with it!¡± ¡°I read Valla¡¯s latest letter and wrote back to her.¡± He smiled, nudging Tes with his elbow. ¡°I¡¯ll show you if you like. I told her I would.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that! Nothing too personal?¡± ¡°Nah, nothing you don¡¯t already know.¡± They were both quiet for the rest of the walk to the beach, but when they arrived, Victor looked at Tes, clasping his hands behind his back. ¡°You pick the spell I do this morning.¡± ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d ask! Let¡¯s see how your new light spell works.¡± Victor smiled and nodded; he was eager to try it, also. If it worked the way they hoped, his new spell would replace several others: Enraging Orb, Globe of Insight, Dauntless Radiance, and Harsh Light of Justice¡ªall his light spells. They all had almost identical patterns, only slightly altered by the System when Victor channeled different Energy affinities into his Globe of Insight pattern. This new spell took that pattern, added to it, perfected it, and, just like his new Core Domain spell, contained a matrix for altering and modifying the spell based on what Energy Victor channeled into it. In other words, if things went right, the new pattern would be a more powerful utility spell that would work with any Energy type; he wouldn¡¯t have to build four subtly different patterns to effect different outcomes. Those thoughts idly passed through Victor¡¯s mind as he reviewed the spell¡¯s pattern. Despite only being a ¡°light¡± spell, it wasn¡¯t exactly simple, consisting of three pages of densely packed designs. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right¡¡± ¡°Hmm? Found a mistake?¡± ¡°No, a mistake in my thinking. It¡¯s not just a light spell anymore.¡± ¡°No, each of your affinities should provide different benefits. Will you start with inspiration?¡± ¡°Yeah, I actually really like my Globe of Insight spell, so I¡¯m nervous about losing it. I¡¯ll feel better when I see the new one isn¡¯t any worse.¡± Tes chuckled and plopped down on the sand. ¡°It won¡¯t be.¡± Victor knew she was right¡ªin theory. They¡¯d built the pattern together, after all. He knew the matrix would take the spell¡¯s attuned Energy and run it through a refinement algorithm¡ªa construct in some elder spell patterns that would alter the spell¡¯s final effects to maximize the potential of the Energy running through it. ¡°Here,¡± he summoned the Farscribe journal he shared with Valla and handed it to Tes. ¡°Write her a note if you want.¡± Tes took it, her eyes bright, and suddenly, a fancy, sapphire-studded onyx calligraphy pen appeared between her fingers. Victor turned back to his pattern, slowly building it in his pathway as he worked his way through it. It wasn''t easy, but not nearly as hard as the Core Domain spell. The funny thing was that it was a similar spell¡ªjust a much cheaper, watered-down version. Like the domain spell, this light spell would affect him, his allies, and his enemies, though the effects would be less significant and wouldn¡¯t affect the environment beyond the obvious¡ªlight. When he stood, Tes looked up from her writing and watched as Victor finished the last flourish of the pattern in his pathway. The spell flashed, began to fill with Energy, and then, to no one¡¯s surprise, the System stepped in: ***Warning! The spell being cast incorporates and alters other System-granted spells. If you complete this casting, your System-granted spells will be removed.*** ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** With a resigned sigh, Victor quickly selected ¡°NO.¡± The spell finished populating with Energy, and then, to his delight, a blazing orb of white-gold light appeared in the air before him. It almost looked like the old iteration of Globe of Insight when he overcharged it with Energy. He noticed a difference in the effects, however. As always, the world seemed brighter, and everything he focused on was sharper and more detailed, somehow made bigger and clearer without actually being any bigger. He turned in a slow circle, staring at the waves as they crashed, wondering what it would take to build a pier. Could he do it himself? He started imagining where he¡¯d put the piles and what type of wood or stone he¡¯d use, and then he thought about how he¡¯d place the beams and joists. ¡°Man, some teak planks would go nicely for decking. Imagine! We could walk out there and fish; how relaxing would that be?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Tes asked, her voice a little dreamy. ¡°I was thinking about building a fishing pier out there.¡± ¡°Funny, I was just thinking about your armor. We¡¯ve put off evaluating your new pieces too long. You have to fight soon! Old gods! When was the last time you checked on Lifedrinker?¡± ¡°Hah! Not long ago. She¡¯s almost done, I think. We can both look in on her after our visit to the Shadeni. How¡¯s that sound?¡± Lifedrinker had taken a lot longer to consume her latest bit of magical metal¡ªthe second of the two he¡¯d gotten in the Iron Mountain dungeon. Tes thought it was mostly Victor¡¯s fault; the axe had barely finished incorporating the silvanite when he¡¯d given her the ferrithium to process. Tes had been annoyed to hear about it, saying he should have spent some time with her, learning what had changed with the silvanite, but the damage had been done; he couldn¡¯t interrupt the process half-done. ¡°It sounds good¡ªVictor! This light is quite impressive; I¡¯ve felt your old orb, and this one is certainly a great deal stronger as far as the inspiration influence goes. Was the System pleased with your work?¡± Victor chuckled and looked at the messages awaiting him: ***You have discovered a new spell: Prismatic Illumination ¨C Epic.*** ***Your new spell renders System-granted spells obsolete. Removing.*** ***You have lost the spell: Harsh Light of Justice ¨C Improved.*** ***You have lost the spell: Dauntless Radiance ¨C Basic.*** ***You have lost the spell: Globe of Insight ¨C Improved.*** ***You have lost the spell: Enraging Orb ¨C Basic.*** ***Prismatic Illumination ¨C Epic: You wield the power of light itself. This spell will conjure a multi-faceted aura of illumination, capable of banishing darkness, revealing hidden truths and insights, or striking fear or blind rage into the hearts of foes. Depending on the Energy channeled, the light shifts in nature, offering a spectrum of boons to allies and banes to enemies. Whether bolstering resilience, confounding senses, or unleashing destructive brilliance, Prismatic Illumination adapts to the given affinity. Its intensity and duration scale with the Energy invested. Energy Cost: Variable.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** Victor read the spell description to Tes, and she clapped her hands. ¡°As we anticipated! Well done, Victor! Your second epic-tier design!¡± She wasn¡¯t counting Core Domain, as it was complete in the book he¡¯d found. ¡°Well, I had your help.¡± She didn¡¯t reply, and he added, ¡°I¡¯m interested to see how the new Alter Self works.¡± She¡¯d helped him make nearly a hundred adjustments to his first elder magic spell. When he¡¯d created the pattern so long ago, struggling simply to comprehend the notes Tes had given him, he¡¯d made a few mistakes, and Tes had admitted that she¡¯d left out a few components to simplify it. ¡°Now? Let¡¯s fly! You can do it later! You¡¯ve only three more spells to try out, and we still have three days of vacation!¡± ¡°Vacation? Is that what this is?¡± ¡°For me, yes! You wouldn¡¯t believe the nonsense I¡¯ve been putting up with since Coloss.¡± Victor folded his arms over his chest. ¡°I might believe it, you know, if you told me about it.¡± Tes nodded, sighing as she reached out to rest a hand on his folded forearms. ¡°Fair. I¡¯ll try to communicate better. But, seriously, can we please fly?¡± Victor answered by summoning his fiery wings, but Tes grabbed his wrist, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°Don¡¯t make me take my natural form to show you what true speed is! Let¡¯s make it a fun flight, not a race! I want to see some of the sights.¡± Victor nodded, gently extracting himself from her grip. He turned his gaze to the north along the beach. ¡°Want to see where I killed Karl the Crimson?¡± 10.7 Gifts 7 ¨C Gifts As they descended toward the Shadeni settlement, Victor had to make some mental adjustments; his expectations and memory of the nomadic tribe had him looking for something far less permanent. He saw cobbled roads, tall, artful stone structures, and even a park near what had to be a market square. He saw roladii and carts in great numbers, indicating a bustling, thriving local economy. As he and Tes swooped in from the northwest, he steered toward the park, sure they were drawing a lot of attention thanks to his flaming wings; they were hard to miss, even in the bright sunlit sky. As he¡¯d suspected, when they made their final descent, Victor¡¯s wings crackling in the wind and Tes gliding far more gracefully, a crowd of Shadeni were already running toward the park. Victor extinguished his wings as his feet neared the ground. He¡¯d already dropped some magma into the grass, creating little blackened circles, and he didn¡¯t want to do any further damage. His feet thudded down, and he ran a dozen steps or so to kill his momentum. Tes, meanwhile, landed smoothly, her wings fading away as she lightly touched down. Well aware that he no doubt looked like a threat soaring into the settlement on fiery wings, Victor lifted a hand and waved toward the approaching Shadeni. He could see Tellen among them, so he called out his name, ¡°Tellen!¡± He heard several whoops and Tellen laugh as his jog broke into a run. ¡°Victor!¡± As they closed the distance with each other, Victor spread his arms, and Tellen charged into him, whooping as he squeezed him around the ribs and lifted him off the ground¡ªVictor had reduced his size significantly¡ªlaughing as Victor pounded him on the back. ¡°Brother! You can fly?¡± ¡°I can!¡± Victor laughed. ¡°Now, put me down before I start squeezing you back.¡± He hadn¡¯t seen Thayla or the girls among the welcoming party, but Victor recognized many of the Shadeni hunters. He waved and grasped hands with any who reached out to him, and then he took a step back and pointed to Tes. ¡°This is my friend, Tes. I¡¯ve known her a while, and she was eager to see what our home was like.¡± He pointed to Tellen. ¡°This is Tellen, the Ban-tok of the Shadeni tribe living here.¡± Tes, of course, curtseyed elegantly, her smile bright enough to endear even indifferent strangers to her. ¡°Ban-tok, I am honored.¡± ¡°You will call me Tellen as most do!¡± He laughed. ¡°It is my honor; any friend of Victor¡¯s is welcome, indeed.¡± He turned to Victor. ¡°Shall I give you a tour, or would you rather look in on Thayla and the children? I¡¯m sure they noticed your arrival, though they may be waiting for my hunters to announce the all-clear.¡± ¡°They¡¯re all together?¡± ¡°Yes! Thayla¡¯s teaching some advanced tracking techniques.¡± He turned toward the hills to the south, shading his eyes with his hand. ¡°They¡¯ll be up that holbyis track in the meadow just past the first hill.¡± Victor looked at Tes. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Oh yes! I¡¯m eager to meet your charge and also Deyni.¡± She turned to Tellen. ¡°When I first met Victor, he couldn¡¯t stop talking about Thayla and Deyni.¡± ¡°Hah! A more beloved ¡®uncle¡¯ you¡¯ll be hard-pressed to find.¡± Tellen thumped Victor on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying for dinner, yes?¡± ¡°For dinner? Hell yes¡ªwouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± ¡°Come on, then. I¡¯ll guide you to her. Let¡¯s walk through the park and pass through the market; you can see at least part of the settlement and the hard work we¡¯ve put into Brighthome.¡± ¡°Brighthome? Is that the name of your town, then?¡± Victor felt a little stupid asking the question before so many witnesses; shouldn¡¯t he know the names of the towns and villages springing up on his lands and borders? ¡°It is, Victor, and it¡¯s with thanks to you that we have such a bright, hopeful future. Some of the veterans from the war wanted to name the village after you¡ª¡± ¡°Yes!¡± one of the burlier nearby Shadeni shouted. ¡°Victorhome!¡± Victor laughed, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯m glad you chose Brighthome, Tellen.¡± ¡°Well, come on, then.¡± Tellen walked back toward the street on the park''s edge, and Victor and Tes followed. The rest of the crowd did, too, though Victor thought most would go back to whatever had occupied them before he and Tes had fallen from the sky. As they walked, Tellen looked at Victor, grinning as he asked, ¡°Was I supposed to know you were coming today? Thayla doesn¡¯t always tell me everything.¡± ¡°No.¡± Victor shook his head and glanced at Tes. ¡°It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I only have a few days before we have to leave.¡± Tellen nodded, glancing at Tes, who happened to be looking about and taking in the scenery. Victor could tell he wanted to ask why she was with him, but the Shadeni leader just nodded and moved past it. ¡°Last I heard, you were on another world¡ªnot Sojourn. Hmm, something like helping a queen to regain her throne?¡± ¡°Not exactly. She still has her throne, but we¡¯re trying to, uh, conquer the world now.¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s one of the reasons Tes is with me. She¡¯s sort of¡training me.¡± ¡°Ah, I see, I see. Well, that¡¯s certainly ambitious, though nothing I¡¯d put past you.¡± His nearly wincing expression said he knew he was pushing his luck when he asked, ¡°Any word from Valla?¡± Of course, Tellen knew they weren¡¯t together; Victor had written to Thayla about it. Even so, he nodded, smiling to reassure his old friend. ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s on some world that¡¯s covered in water. There are powerful creatures there, and one of them took her on as a student.¡± ¡°Ah! That¡¯s exciting. I¡¯ll have to ask Rellia for more detail next time I visit the capital.¡± Victor grunted in assent, glad that he wouldn¡¯t keep pressing the subject. ¡°I like the style of your buildings; they¡¯re graceful.¡± It was true; the shops and homes near the square were tall and slender with rounded corners, and the bricks or stones they¡¯d used to construct them were covered with pale mortar-like stuff that reminded Victor of stucco. He especially liked the windows, which had a hand-blown look with bubbles in the glass that sparkled in the sunlight. ¡°This is a traditional Shadeni building type. You¡¯ll find some neighborhoods in cities like Persi Gables with this sort of construction, but not many entire towns any longer; the Ardeni prefer right angles, and the Ghelli use more living material. Don¡¯t get me started about the Bogoli and Cadwalli.¡± He chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I prefer doors I don¡¯t have to crawl through.¡± ¡°Hah, right.¡± Victor gripped Tellen¡¯s shoulder, jostling him. ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you, old friend. It¡¯s strange to think of the time we¡¯ve spent apart now that I stand beside you; it feels like only a few days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what friendship does, Victor. You¡¯ll always be comfortable in my presence, and I yours, because we know we can be ourselves among friends.¡± He looked past Victor to Tes, and when he caught her eye, he said, ¡°I hope you know that I¡¯ve heard your name in a tale or ten, Tes. Victor spoke highly of you.¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯d better!¡± They all laughed and spent the rest of the walk making small talk. Tellen pointed out features in the town as they went by¡ªshops and their wares, a well, a watchtower and barracks, and then, as they passed it, a holbyis farm. The sheep-like animals were far from the track, bunched together, busily munching on the blue-green grass. When the trio crested the hill, Victor immediately saw Thayla in the distance. She was kneeling in the grass, pointing something out to her five young students. Before they moved closer, Tellen slowed and said, ¡°I¡¯ll let you say hello. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll go finish a bit of clan business so I can meet you back at the house without any burdensome thoughts on my mind.¡± ¡°Yeah, of course, that¡¯s fine.¡± Victor smiled and shook Tellen¡¯s proffered hand, smiling broadly. ¡°See you soon, right?¡± ¡°Yes, just an hour or so.¡± With a smile and nod at Tes, the Ban-tok turned and retraced their steps. Victor looked at Tes. ¡°Ready?¡± ¡°Of course! I wasn¡¯t lying when I said I was eager to meet these people.¡± Looking into her eyes, Victor could see she meant it. He gave a quick nod, then started toward Thayla. Her back was to them, but the children saw them approach, and, of course, Deyni immediately shrieked, ¡°Victor!¡± She charged toward him, leaving the others behind, her turquoise braids bouncing off her back with each stride. Victor laughed, squatted, and held out his arms. When she slammed into him, he grunted and stood tall, squeezing her to his chest. ¡°You¡¯re getting big! Sheesh! I think you grew a foot since I was last home!¡± The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. ¡°Really?¡± She leaned back, her big teal eyes wide. ¡°Yep.¡± Victor squeezed her tight; he wasn¡¯t exaggerating; Deyni had hit a growth spurt. Over her shoulder, he saw Thayla and the other children approaching, including his ward, Cora. Her thick brown curls were also pulled back into braids, giving her a very different look than when he¡¯d left. On top of that, she was dressed like a Shadeni hunter¡ªas were all the children¡ªin leathers and furs. As they approached, Victor set Deyni down, surprised, yet again, by her size compared to Cora, who was a few years older. He was smiling, about to call out a greeting to the orphaned girl, but Chala charged forward and grabbed him in a hug. ¡°Victor! You¡¯re smaller than last time!¡± she laughed. He grunted, surprised by the strength in the girl¡¯s wiry arms. ¡°Someday, maybe I¡¯ll teach you how to do that.¡± Thayla stepped close and took ahold of Chala¡¯s arm. ¡°Let him loose, Chala. He hasn¡¯t even said hello to his ward.¡± ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t go away, Victor! We have a new pet for you to meet!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± Victor looked at Cora, flanked by two older boys whom he¡¯d never met, or, if he had, he couldn¡¯t recall their faces or names. ¡°Hello, Cora. I¡¯ve read many reports from Thayla and Efanie¡ª¡± He paused, frowning, and looked at Thayla. ¡°Where¡¯s Efanie?¡± ¡°She¡¯s back at our home; it¡¯s her turn to feed these brats lunch, so she¡¯s working on that.¡± ¡°Brats?¡± Chala howled, whirling on Thayla. Deyni, too, was outraged by the label, and they both expressed their displeasure while Victor squatted before Cora, speaking more softly now that the attention was off the two of them. ¡°I¡¯ve heard good things. It seems you¡¯re making lots of friends. Are you well?¡± She nodded, a tiny dimple forming on her right cheek as she smiled tentatively. ¡°Yes, milord.¡± She folded her hands in front of her, nervously entwining her fingers. ¡°You¡¯ll have to do better than that! What¡¯s your favorite thing to do these days?¡± ¡°Swim!¡± Deyni answered for her. ¡°We swim near your house all the time when Miss Efanie is teaching us.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Victor knew the girls often spent time at his home with Efanie, but not the details of their every activity. ¡°Is that right, Cora?¡± She nodded, her dimple deepening as her smile reached her brown eyes. ¡°Yes! I love the sea!¡± While she spoke, Thayla took the two boys aside, and Victor heard her say, ¡°Sorry, lads, we¡¯ll cut the lesson short today. Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯ll pick up where I left off tomorrow. Run along now, and tell your mother that we¡¯re spending time with visiting family.¡± As their footsteps thumped away on the grass, Victor felt his heartbeat quicken, and his eyes fill with moisture. Could he really be so emotional at just the idea that Thayla thought of him as family? Blinking rapidly and clearing his throat, he stood and pointed to Tes. ¡°I want you all to meet a dear friend. This is Tes, and she¡¯s saved my life more than once.¡± ¡°Tes!¡± Thayla exclaimed. ¡°I never thought we¡¯d meet you, but I¡¯ve heard so much! Valla and Victor both sang your praises when they returned from¡¡± She trailed off, wrinkling her nose. ¡°Zaafor,¡± Victor finished for her. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve heard no end of good things about you, Lady Thayla.¡± Tes put her hands on her knees, leaning closer to Deyni and the other two girls. ¡°And very much about all three of you. I even brought you gifts!¡± ¡°Gifts?¡± Chala repeated, eyes flying wide. ¡°For me, too?¡± ¡°Of course, Chala, sister of Chandri, fierce huntress of the Shadeni. How could I leave you out, especially when you¡¯ve helped so much with these other two?¡± Tes smiled brightly as she nodded toward Deyni and Cora. ¡°In fact, I¡¯ll present you with your gift first.¡± Victor cleared his throat, feeling a little uneasy. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of that? Kids loved getting little presents, and he didn¡¯t see them very often. He should bring them something every time he came home! Now Tes was rescuing him once again. He almost laughed at the silliness of the thought but only smiled, shaking his head ruefully. Thayla caught his eye, and her arched eyebrow said she knew what he was thinking. ¡°Now, as I understand it,¡± Tes said, glancing at Thayla. ¡°Chala is allowed to hunt on her own. Is that right?¡± Thayla nodded. ¡°She is.¡± ¡°Would it be appropriate, Lady Thayla, for me to gift her a weapon?¡± ¡°A weapon!¡± Chala howled. Thayla only smiled and nodded, once again displaying her trust in Victor; he¡¯d told her Tes was a friend, and she knew how much she¡¯d helped him and Valla. ¡°If you think it¡¯s appropriate for a young huntress, I¡¯ll trust your judgment, Lady Tes.¡± Tes¡¯s face grew solemn as she held out her hands. A moment later, she held a sleek, silvery bow with a golden bowstring that reminded Victor of a piano wire. It was short¡ªwoefully undersized for someone like him¡ªbut in Chala¡¯s hands, it would be perfect. ¡°This was a weapon I used to hunt for food when I made a pilgrimage through the forests of Wan¡¯lo¡ªa world where my mother¡¯s ancestors lived for many millennia. It served me well, but I¡¯ve since found other ways I prefer to hunt. Will you put it to good use, Chala?¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Thayla said as Chala nodded vigorously. ¡°I will! This is perfect! I¡¯ve been using the spear, but my bow skill is close to improved; I¡¯m sure of it!¡± ¡°Practice with this a while, and you¡¯ll be improved in no time; if your skill hasn¡¯t ranked up to advanced by next summer, I¡¯ll be shocked.¡± Tes handed the bow to Chala, and the Shadeni girl practically wept with excitement as she stepped back, her eyes tracing every line and curve of the elegant weapon. Tes turned to Cora and smiled, a gesture immediately mirrored on the young girl¡¯s face. ¡°I¡¯m very pleased to hear you enjoy swimming.¡± ¡°You are?¡± ¡°Yes! It means the gift I chose is just right.¡± She held out her hand, and a silvery bracelet dangling with polished seashells appeared on her palm. ¡°This is a magical bracelet. If you wear it in the sun until the shells begin to glow, it will allow you to breathe underwater for as many minutes as there are shells.¡± She held it up, and Victor watched Cora count the shells. There were twelve. ¡°I can swim underwater for twelve minutes?¡± ¡°Yes! When you come up for air, just hold the bracelet in the sunlight until it starts to glow again. It only takes a minute or so¡ªLook!¡± She twisted the dangling bracelet so everyone could see how the shells were beginning to glow with a faint silvery light. ¡°It¡¯s working already.¡± Thayla cleared her throat, a note of worry in her voice as she asked, ¡°And if she¡¯s deep underwater, when the magic wears off?¡± Tes nodded knowingly. ¡°Let me see your wrist, Cora.¡± Cora held out her arm, and Tes secured the bracelet around it. As soon as she fastened the latch, it shrank to fit perfectly around her narrow bones. ¡°This enchantment is two-fold, Lady Thayla. As soon as the magic fades, it will become incredibly buoyant. If Cora is deep underwater, the bracelet will rapidly pull her to the surface.¡± ¡°Ah¡¡± Thayla sighed, nodding. Tes looked up at her and winked. ¡°She¡¯ll be safer than ever.¡± Cora was staring at her wrist in wonder, and Thayla, reminding Victor of his failings as a steward, nudged her. ¡°What do you say, sweet girl?¡± Cora¡¯s fingers trembled with hesitant excitement as she gently touched the bracelet. At Thayla¡¯s prompting, her eyes jumped to Tes, and she blurted, ¡°I love it! How can I thank you, Lady Tes?¡± Tes grabbed her into a hug, pulling her tight. ¡°Oh dear. It¡¯s nothing! Just a plaything from a different world. I hope you enjoy it.¡± When Tes released her, Cora¡¯s eyes were moist, but she looked happy, and that¡¯s all Victor wanted for her. Thayla looked at him, and her eyes said the same thing¡ªit was good to see the girl openly happy. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too much?¡± She asked, again glancing at Chala and her beautiful bow. Victor knew she meant the value of the two gifts. Before he could answer, Tes did: ¡°Nonsense. These are trinkets, nothing more. I¡¯ve gathered many such treasures over the years, and it gives me far more joy to see them used well than stored away forever in my storage containers!¡± She looked at Deyni. ¡°Now, you, young lady, are something of a beast tamer, is that right?¡± ¡°Well, we all are!¡± Deyni pointed to Cora and Chala. Chala shook her head and poked her smaller step-sister. ¡°We all have many pets, but Deyni makes bonds with them. She can feel their thoughts!¡± Tes smiled and reached out to grip Deyni¡¯s wrist, turning her hand so her palm was facing up. Deyni¡¯s skin was deep purple-red, but her palm was different¡ªa pale shade of violet. Victor had noticed that before, but the stark contrast caught his eye. When she opened her fingers, it was almost like a flower unfolding, revealing softer, more delicate petals. ¡°I have a gift for you that might be something very special or might just be a lot of work ending in some heartache and frustration. Do you want a challenge, or should I find something simpler?¡± ¡°I want a challenge!¡± Deyni answered immediately. Tes grinned. ¡°I thought you might say that.¡± She still gripped Deyni¡¯s wrist, but now she held out her other hand, and a small, gray egg, speckled with yellow dots, appeared there. It was maybe a little larger than a chicken¡¯s egg. ¡°This is a spire drake¡¯s egg. It¡¯s dormant and will never hatch in its current state. Spire drakes are special creatures from my homeland. They¡¯re friends to my people and very intelligent, though they¡¯re still beasts.¡± Deyni stared at the egg, eyes wide with wonder. In fact, everyone had gotten silent, leaning closer to the two, trying to see the egg more clearly. Chala asked, ¡°It won¡¯t ever hatch?¡± Tes shook her head. ¡°Not if left alone like this. In order for it to hatch, the little drake inside has to feel a bond with someone outside. In nature, that would be its mother. Now that it¡¯s been taken from its home, it will have to be someone else.¡± Deyni caught her breath, and the look of hopeful excitement she gave Tes brought tears to Victor¡¯s eyes again. He blinked them away, smiling as she asked, ¡°Could I do that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m hoping, Deyni. If you can keep this egg nice and warm and spend lots of time with it¡ªtalking to it, singing to it, rolling it very gently in your palms, the little seed of a drake in there might feel the connection with you and start to grow. It will take a long time, and it might be very frustrating. Are you sure you want this, or would you rather I gave you something you could use right away, like Chala¡¯s and Cora¡¯s gifts?¡± ¡°N-no! I want the egg, Lady Tes, please!¡± ¡°Okay then, young Tamer Deyni. I pass this responsibility on to you. I hope you have luck.¡± She placed the egg in Deyni¡¯s hand, and the girl gently cupped her fingers around it, pulling it close to her chest. ¡°It¡¯s warm!¡± ¡°Just a little. That¡¯s from my touch. You should make a bed of coals for it each night. Don¡¯t worry about burning the unborn drake; it would take something like a smithy¡¯s forge to hurt it.¡± Tes straightened up, smiling, and then she produced a small blue scale. Victor immediately recognized it as one of hers. She held it out to Thayla. ¡°Lady Thayla, should Deyni succeed in getting this egg to hatch, please channel some Energy into this scale. I will feel it and visit as quickly as possible to help Deyni get started training her newborn companion.¡± Thayla took the scale delicately, smiling and chuckling as she nearly dropped it. ¡°It¡¯s heavier than I expected.¡± She tucked it into a small beaded pouch on her belt and then looked up. ¡°Thank you, Lady Tes. Now, if you¡¯re done spoiling these rascals, would you like to see our home?¡± Victor laughed and stepped forward, grabbing Thayla into a hug. ¡°Not before I collect a proper hello from you!¡± He squeezed her and buried his face into the crook of her neck. Thayla laughed at first, but then she began to kick her feet. ¡°Your whiskers are scratching me! Oof! Too tight!¡± Victor put her down, smiling ear-to-ear, then he whistled for show and summoned Guapo in a swirl of glittering, golden, glory-attuned Energy. The stallion, massive compared to a roladii¡ªthe most commonly used mounts on Fanwath¡ªreared and whinnied. When he settled, Victor laughed and grabbed Deyni, hoisting her up. Then, he reached for Cora. ¡°Deyni, hold his mane; Cora, hold Deyni, and¡ª¡± Victor laughed as Chala leaped atop the enormous stallion, vaulting onto her belly behind Cora and sliding a leg over. ¡°Good! He¡¯ll take you three ahead. Hold on tight!¡± 10.8 Good Things 8 ¨C Good Things Victor and Tes spent the night and the next day with the Shadeni tribe. At night, they ate and drank and laughed, and during the day, Victor spent time with the children. He showed off his spirit companions, and, of course, Guapo stole the show. He used his new Core Domain ability, dazzling the children and adults alike with his inspiration domain. The children showed him their many semi-tame animals, and, all the while, Deyni clutched her drake egg close to her chest, held there in a soft leather sling Tellen had immediately crafted her. The busy night and day rejuvenated something in Victor¡¯s spirit, and when he woke the day before their departure, he sought out Thayla before the sun came up and asked her if she¡¯d like to talk a walk. Looking up from stirring a pot of stewed grains, nuts, and dried fruit, she smiled and nodded. ¡°I¡¯d love to, Victor. I promised the kids we could get back to their training today, though. Will we be back before they finish breakfast?¡± Before Victor could respond, Tes spoke up from the hallway, surprising them both. ¡°I¡¯d love to spend the morning with the children. Do you mind if I teach them a few old tricks I learned for making snares in the wild?¡± Thayla set her wooden spoon on the counter and turned toward her. ¡°Really? You don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°Not at all. I think it¡¯ll do you and Victor some good to have a moment of peace! The children are wonderful, but they¡¯re demanding. I can see why you and Efanie split the duties.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not bad.¡± Thayla smiled softly and looked at Victor. ¡°They just want to be involved in everything because he¡¯s here.¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m famous.¡± Thayla grabbed a dish towel and snapped it at him. ¡°Well, come on, then. It¡¯s been a while since I stretched my legs into a proper hike.¡± ¡°Victor, while you¡¯re out there, why don¡¯t you try one of your spells? The rescue one shouldn¡¯t be dangerous.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Yeah. That¡¯s probably a good idea.¡± He waved, snatched a blue apple-like fruit from the counter, and then stepped out the back door onto the expansive wooden deck Tellen had crafted. Thayla followed him out and then led the way down some steps and out the back gate onto a trail that Victor could see meandered up the hillside into the woods on the distant slopes. Thayla looked over her shoulder at him. ¡°She¡¯s very nice, Victor.¡± ¡°Yeah, I know. When I first met her, it made me suspicious of her. It didn¡¯t make sense that someone so powerful was being so damn nice to me.¡± He frowned. ¡°Well, she helped Valla a lot, too, so not just me.¡± When Victor caught up to her, and they walked side by side, she arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°I was surprised you wanted separate rooms. I thought you were bringing a new love here for my approval.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Victor chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°Nah, we¡¯re friends, despite any intentions I might have.¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s just being careful with you. I get the feeling she¡¯s not exactly¡inexperienced.¡± ¡°Hey,¡± Victor jostled her with his elbow. ¡°I hope you¡¯re not saying¡ª¡± ¡°No, I mean, in love, Victor. In life. Maybe she¡¯s just forcing you to take things slowly. After all, you don¡¯t want another situation like¡ª¡± She stopped abruptly and grabbed his hand. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. My foot keeps finding my mouth. Are you still hurting from Valla?¡± ¡°My heart¡¯s not gushing blood anymore,¡± he said with a chuckle, ¡°only a little sore.¡± Desperate to change the subject, he asked, ¡°And Tellen? Are things still good? It seems like it.¡± ¡°Things are wonderful!¡± She laughed, slapping his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to push you into sensitive topics. What did your friend mean by new spells?¡± ¡°Oh, well, like I¡¯ve said¡ªshe¡¯s spending time with me to help me prepare for some difficult duels, and part of that is helping me develop some new spells. It¡¯s the main reason we came home, other than my desire to see you all, of course.¡± ¡°Why¡¯d you have to come home for that?¡± Victor clicked his tongue and kicked a rock off the trail. ¡°There are some nosy pendejos on Ruhn. They¡¯re veil walkers who¡ª" ¡°Like your mentor, Dar?¡± ¡°Right. So, anyway, they¡¯re very powerful, and one thing I¡¯ve learned about people with that kind of power is that they can snoop on us little people pretty easily. They¡¯re supposed to be neutral, but even Tes agrees with me that they¡¯re probably not. The ¡®great houses¡¯ on Ruhn have been in power for a long, long time, and I think it would be foolish to think none of the veil walkers are related to them one way or another.¡± ¡°So you don¡¯t want them to see you working your new magic?¡± ¡°Basically, yeah.¡± He looked at her sideways. ¡°Hey, speaking of magic, how are things going for you? How¡¯s your Core coming along?¡± ¡°Do you fear I¡¯ve let your gift go to waste? Fear not! Old Mother taught me a thing or two about cultivating my courage-attuned Energy before she passed, and I¡¯ve been diligent. The band of moonlight-hued Energy that circles my death-attuned Energy has grown thick and vibrant, compressing that cold blue center into a smaller, denser heart. It¡¯s there but never leaks out unless I call upon it. Meanwhile, the courage you gifted me is a boon to all the Shadeni I care for.¡± Victor smiled, his heart warmed by the success. He put his arm over her shoulders and squeezed her tight to his side. ¡°I¡¯m happy about that, Thayla. Do you Spirit Walk often?¡± ¡°Oh yes. I have duties as the mother of this clan that require it.¡± She tugged him to the side, and they left the main track on a narrow game trail, weaving between tall, mature trees up into the hills. They walked quietly for a while, and then Thayla stopped, turning to look back the way they¡¯d come, sighing happily at the vista. The sun was turning the eastern horizon yellow and orange, and the thin, wispy clouds were painted with the same shades. ¡°I haven¡¯t watched a sunrise from this spot yet. Thank you for getting me out so early, Victor.¡± ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t it¡ªthis land we took from the undead?¡± He moved to a flat spot on the ridge and summoned a chair from his storage ring, setting it down for Thayla and then pulling forth another for himself. Thayla sat, but her face had gotten serious, her smile fading. ¡°It is beautiful, but we paid dearly.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Yeah, and not just to the undead¡ªto the Ridonne on the way here. Your people paid more than most.¡± Thayla shook her head. ¡°Not as much as the Naghelli or the people from Nia¡¯s world.¡± ¡°Dark Ember,¡± Victor growled, the words coming from his lips like a curse. ¡°I want to go there. I want to help the people there, but Tes thinks the ¡®great vampire lords¡¯ are probably veil-walkers¡ªsteel seekers, at least.¡± Thayla nodded, watching him sit beside her. ¡°And you¡¯ve many other commitments. Is it up to you to save everyone?¡± ¡°No, not everyone,¡± Victor sighed, summoning a small camp stove and setting it up before his chair. ¡°I feel like I ought to help those I know about, though. Of course, I promised I¡¯d help the giants of Zaafor deal with Warlord Thoargh, too. I¡¯m actually looking forward to seeing his pinch¨¦ smug face again.¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Thayla laughed. ¡°Glad you¡¯re still the same old Victor in there underneath all those layers of power.¡± ¡°Layers of power? Do I seem different?¡± ¡°I can feel your Spirit Core. It¡¯s like being a little too close to a campfire.¡± ¡°Oh, shit.¡± Victor looked inward and ensured he was holding his aura well in check; he was. ¡°Is it uncomfortable?¡± ¡°No!¡± Thayla laughed and smiled at him, her eyes crinkling at the corners. ¡°It¡¯s not like that; it¡¯s more, well, it¡¯s more that I can tell you¡¯re holding back¡ªlike a compressed spring. It¡¯s different with Tes. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think she was just a normal tier-two or tier-three cultivator. Why is that?¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°I think it has to do with her being past the iron ranks. Like, she¡¯s as strong as a veil walker, but she doesn¡¯t use that terminology. I think once you reach that kind of power, it¡¯s easier to hide it somehow. Dar seems perfectly harmless half the time, too¡ªother than his size and pissed-off expressions.¡± Victor laughed. He leaned forward and summoned a little kettle, setting it on the stove to heat up. ¡°What are you making?¡± ¡°Some coffee. I bought it in Sojourn.¡± While he spoke, he summoned a little table and set it beside the stove. Then he brought out his coffee pot, strainer, two cups, a bowl of sugar, and a carafe of cream. He loaded some fresh coffee grounds into the metallic strainer and placed it atop the pot. ¡°I think there are better ways to make it, but I never really learned before leaving home. My abuela always made it in an old electric coffee pot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m eager to try it!¡± ¡°Well, while that¡¯s heating up, wanna help me try out one of my new spells?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± Victor stood and held out a hand, pulling Thayla to her feet. Then, he pointed to a spot a bit further away, near a large fallen tree. ¡°Stand over there by that tree and pretend a bunch of monsters are surrounding you, getting ready to kill you.¡± Thayla laughed, shaking her head as she walked over to the tree. ¡°How am I to pretend that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Hold up your hands and cower.¡± ¡°Hah! I wouldn¡¯t! I¡¯d die with spear in hand!¡± ¡°Okay, fine¡ªdo that!¡± Victor watched as she summoned her spear and began jabbing it at imaginary enemies, then he pulled out his elder magic book, flipping to the spell he had in mind. ¡°Perfect! Keep that up for a few minutes while I review this pattern.¡± ¡°What? A few minutes?¡± Victor chuckled, nodding as he examined the pattern. It was one of the easier of his new spells, only filling a couple of pages. He started building the pattern in his pathway, using, per usual, his inspiration-attuned Energy. Two minutes later, he turned the page and continued, delicately weaving multiple threads of Energy in and out of the intricate pattern. In the end, it had two complex sections¡ªone that was very familiar to him and part of a System-granted spell meant for shielding and another that was totally new to him, something Tes had guided his hand on. When the pattern flashed and solidified in his pathway, the System brought forth its now-familiar complaints: ***Warning! The spell being cast incorporates and alters another System-granted spell. If you complete this casting, your System-granted spell will be removed.*** ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** He glanced at Thayla and saw her seemingly frozen in place, fighting her imaginary enemies. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see how this works.¡± Victor mentally indicated he wanted to proceed with the spell, and then Energy poured out of his Core, empowering the magic. With a flash like a bomb going off, a brilliant, white-gold ball of Energy enveloped Thayla. At the same time, with a dizzying surge of power, Victor¡¯s stomach fell away as he was ripped through the fabric of reality and, in the space of a single heartbeat, brought back exactly where Thayla had been standing. Meanwhile, she had gone to his previous location, her golden shield still intact. ¡°What¡ªack!¡± Sounds of retching emerged from the shield of inspiration-attuned Energy surrounding Thayla, and Victor understood why; he was dizzy, and his stomach was churning from the sudden relocation. He leaned forward, hands on knees, as the sensation faded. Blinking away watery eyes, he read the System messages: ***You have discovered a new spell: Guardian¡¯s Rescue ¨C Epic.*** ***Your new spell renders a System-granted spell obsolete. Removing.*** ***You have lost the spell: Guard Ally ¨C Basic.*** ***Guardian¡¯s Rescue ¨C Epic: You have mastered the art of tactical intervention. When cast, Guardian¡¯s Rescue encases your chosen ally in a cocoon of Energy. This protective cocoon absorbs incoming damage and rebuffs attackers with damage based on the attunement used to cast it. Simultaneously, the spell triggers a teleportation effect, instantly swapping your position with that of your ally, provided they are within your line of sight. Whether to pull an ally from danger or place yourself at the heart of the fray, Guardian¡¯s Rescue grants unparalleled control over battlefield positioning, offering a lifeline in critical moments. Energy Cost: 10,000.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** ¡°Not bad!¡± Victor laughed, straightening up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Thayla called from within the blazing shell of Energy, though she sounded a bit put out. ¡°How long will this persist?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Hang on.¡± Victor summoned the fancy broadsword he¡¯d gotten inside the Iron Prison. It was a heavy, wonderfully crafted weapon with a faintly luminescent silver-flecked dark-metal blade that was, if Victor remembered correctly, crafted from sableglow steel. It felt comfortable in his hand, and the balance made him want to swing it, almost like it had its own inertia. He stepped closer to Thayla, and then, careful that his blow would hit the shell of magical Energy but not her, he swung the sword at it. His blade impacted the barrier and penetrated it, though barely. Meanwhile, a wave of doubt and discouragement washed over Victor, and he gasped, ¡°Shit! Are you okay?¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Thayla narrowed her eyes at him through the haze of Energy. ¡°Why? That sword didn¡¯t even come close to me.¡± Victor stepped back, his hand shaking, his mind clouded by confusion. After a minute, he started to laugh. ¡°Holy shit! That¡¯s what my own Energy did to me! It basically did the opposite of inspiration.¡± He stepped close again. ¡°Hold still.¡± With a grunt, he lifted the sword and brought it down even harder on the shell. This time, the barrier shattered, but Victor fell back, his mind racing for answers to questions he couldn¡¯t grasp. He stumbled and fell onto his butt, pawing at the ground with his hands as he crab-walked away from Thayla. She looked at him like he was mad, laughing as she asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± It took a good twenty or thirty seconds before Victor could form a coherent thought and piece together what was happening. ¡°I just blasted myself with confusion or doubt or something. Holy shit, that¡¯s cool.¡± ¡°You teleported me and shielded me! If I hadn¡¯t gotten sick, I¡¯d congratulate you.¡± She stepped close and held out a hand. Victor smiled and took her hand in his, laughing as she grunted and failed to pull him to his feet. ¡°Help me a little, you oaf!¡± ¡°All right, all right.¡± When she tugged again, Victor surged to his feet and smiled. ¡°Sorry about the upset stomach; I didn¡¯t know it would do that.¡± ¡°That spell is amazing, Victor. Do you think I could learn it?¡± Victor frowned, turning to walk over to the kettle. It was bubbling, so he slowly drizzled its contents onto the coffee grounds, watching as the darkened water dripped into the pot. ¡°I think you could, eventually, but, for starters, it takes ten thousand Energy to cast. Also, the System doesn¡¯t like it.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Thayla moved to sit in her camp chair. ¡°It¡¯s not a System-granted spell. It¡¯s built using a kind of magic that I¡¯m nervous even mentioning to you because I don¡¯t want you to gain some new enemies¡ªthe kind of enemies that can appear out of nowhere and kill you with a snap of their fingers.¡± He illustrated by holding his hand in front of her eyes and snapping. She slapped his hand away. ¡°They¡¯d kill me?¡± ¡°Well, they might not kill you for learning, but they¡¯d certainly put me on a to-be-killed list for teaching you. I don¡¯t think we¡¯re ready to face that risk yet. Let me get more powerful, and you need to gain some strength, too.¡± He paused his pouring and looked at her. ¡°Do you think you want to do that? I mean, keep gaining levels? Now that you know what¡¯s out there?¡± ¡°I think so, but I¡¯m in no hurry, Victor. I¡¯ll content myself with this quiet life for a decade or two¡ªI¡¯d like to see the children grow up and start their lives. Then, maybe I¡¯ll visit one of the worlds you¡¯ve discovered. Maybe you can give me a suggestion.¡± Victor grinned. ¡°Hell yes, I can.¡± After a while, when Victor finished the coffee and poured them each a cup, she held it close, savoring the aroma as she looked out over the hillside. ¡°Are they more beautiful?¡± Victor poured some cream into his cup and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Not people. I mean those other worlds you¡¯ve seen. Are they more beautiful?¡± ¡°Than this?¡± Victor looked out over the countryside, taking in the blue-green treetops and the great fields of shimmering grass reflecting the morning¡¯s bright rays. ¡°Not a chance, Thayla. Some of the worlds I¡¯ve been to were godawful¡ªwastelands filled with poisonous air or deserts with hardly a thing growing in them. Sojourn is pretty in a way; you can see the stars all day and night like you¡¯re practically in space, and the city is wondrous. Ruhn is pretty, too, but no more than Fanwath, though Iron Mountain is something awesome. You¡¯ve got to see it to know what I mean.¡± Thayla smiled at that and took a tiny sip of her coffee. ¡°Oh,¡± she said, holding it out to peer at the dark liquid. ¡°It smells better than it tastes.¡± Victor laughed and took her cup. ¡°You might like it more with some sugar and cream. It takes a little getting used to.¡± She smiled at him and squeezed his shoulder. ¡°Like many good things.¡± He knew what she meant: she hadn¡¯t exactly been fond of him when they¡¯d first met. He nodded, grinning as he scooped a tablespoon of sugar into her cup. ¡°Yeah, Thayla. Like many good things.¡± 10.9 Glacial Wrath 9 ¨C Glacial Wrath Victor and Tes spent their last night on Fanwath back at his estate. He hadn¡¯t wanted to say goodbye to Thayla, Tellen, and the girls, but he was thankful for the pleasant visit, and he thought it had been good for Cora and Deyni, in particular. They¡¯d gotten to see that he still thought of Fanwath as home and meant it when he said he¡¯d be back to visit whenever possible. He wasn¡¯t under any sort of delusion that Cora loved and missed him, but he felt like she thought of him as responsible for her, and some consistency was important in that regard. In the morning, considering their travel time home would be instantaneous, he and Tes decided to go down to the beach again so he could practice his last couple of elder magic spells. One of the remaining spells was a modification of a System-granted spell, like the one he¡¯d cast with Thayla, but the other was something else: the spell Azforath had gifted him¡ªGlacial Wrath. He¡¯d spent a long time studying the complicated pattern¡ªseveral days. That was nothing, however, compared to the weeks Tes had helped him puzzle out how to apply the elder magic modification that Azforath had written for him separately. It was a component that would allow him to remain conscious and free-willed while the deep rage of the glacier simmered under the surface. Of course, he¡¯d done other things in those weeks; Victor¡¯s mind could only focus on the twisting, multi-faceted spell pattern and its intricate lines for so long. In the end, they¡¯d succeeded, but only with the Glacial Wrath spell. He¡¯d tried to apply what he¡¯d learned to Volcanic Fury, but there was something about the folds of rage-attuned Energy in Glacial Wrath that fit more easily into the modification. Tes theorized that the rage was different, that the anger of a glacier had a different quality than the fury of a volcano. Victor thought she might be right, but it didn¡¯t matter to him; he was happy with the success and would continue to work on Volcanic Fury as his skill with elder magic progressed. As they walked down the path toward the beach, Tes skipped ahead but slowed after only a few steps, turning to walk backward, graceful as always. ¡°You had a nice day with Thayla?¡± Her eyes were bright, her smile impish. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I mean, you were much renewed after your time hiking in the hills. It was nice, was it not?¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°Yeah, it was nice. I trust Thayla, so it¡¯s easy to talk to her.¡± ¡°Mmhmm. That¡¯s good, Victor. It¡¯s not so common to meet people who¡¯d put your interests above their own. I think Thayla would do that for you.¡± She laughed, a light trilling sound, then added, ¡°You know, there are quite a few folks you¡¯ve told me about who might do that for you. Maybe I should say it hasn¡¯t been easy for me to cultivate such friendship.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do anything to help you, Tes. Valla would, too.¡± ¡°Yes, but I think you¡¯d struggle to name someone you wouldn¡¯t aid¡ª¡± Victor started holding up his fingers, ¡°The Sojourn Council, Warlord Thoargh, any kind of pinch¨¦ Death Caster¡ª¡± Tes laughed and darted forward to poke him in the chest. ¡°You can¡¯t just list off enemies. We¡¯re not talking about those. Besides, half of that is bluster; you¡¯re spending a fortune to help a Death Caster who happens to be waiting in your palace back at Iron Mountain!¡± Before he got dragged into a frankly bizarre tangent, Victor asked, ¡°How was your time with the kids? I know you told Thayla and Efanie it was a lot of fun, but was it really?¡± ¡°It was! Those girls are something special, Victor. I can feel karmic ties forming between them. They¡¯ll be hard to separate. Already, Deyni talks about seeking out her step-sister across the sea, and, of course, the other girls want to join in the adventure.¡± Victor frowned. ¡°Yeah? Well, according to Thayla, Chandri plans to return before winter. She¡¯s found dungeons, mines, ancient ruins¡ªall manner of resources¡ªand charted them all. Thayla thinks Chandri will try to sell her maps to me, Rellia, and Lam.¡± ¡°A reasonable thing to do, don¡¯t you think? She risks much adventuring into unknown lands.¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely. I¡¯ll have Gorro check them out to see if he thinks any would be a good investment for me. As for the girls, I won¡¯t approve of them running off with Chandri until they¡¯ve reached tier two. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s also reasonable?¡± ¡°Well, Victor, Chala¡¯s nearly a woman grown, but as Cora¡¯s guardian, you have the right to keep her home. As for Deyni¡ I¡¯m sure Thayla would listen to your opinion, but you should respect the fact that you aren¡¯t that girl¡¯s father.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor sighed and roughly rubbed his fingers through his hair. ¡°I spoke before thinking. I know I don¡¯t control them. I just¡ª¡± ¡°Relax, Victor!¡± Tes laughed. ¡°It¡¯ll be years before Thayla and Tellen think Deyni should go off exploring. You have time to adjust to these sorts of ideas.¡± Victor nodded, laughing. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°What spell will you try first? The Glacial¡ª¡± ¡°The other one. Let¡¯s save the big one for last.¡± ¡°Well, you should step into the surf a ways before you cast it. If it works as we hoped, it might make a mess of the beach.¡± ¡°Yeah, all right.¡± Victor reached into his pathways and severed the Energy threads that maintained his Alter Self spell. As he surged to his normal size, he strode across the sandy portion of the beach into the rougher, rocky area closer to the water, and then he waded out nearly a hundred yards until the water was up to his chest. He shivered a little; one thing the Silver Sea wasn¡¯t was warm. When he turned, he saw that Tes had waited on the beach, watching him, the ocean breeze flapping her yellow skirts around her knees. Her hair, woven with matching ribbons, streamed behind her, and Victor stared for a while, admiring her beauty. ¡°Well?¡± she called, her voice muffled by the crashing waves and wind. He lifted a hand to wave, and then he summoned his elder magic book, glad for its many enchantments; he could drop it in the ocean, and not a molecule of water would cling to its pages. He turned the page to the spell he wanted to cast, and then, after carefully studying the entire pattern, he began to craft it in his pathways. This spell didn¡¯t have a matrix that would differentiate Energy types and provide varied results. It would behave the same way no matter what Energy he fed into it. Even knowing that, Victor chose to craft the pattern for the first time using inspiration-attuned Energy. He wondered if his preference for working with that Energy type was due to its nature; was it more willing to go where he wanted it to? Was it the Energy that guided him, or was he guiding the Energy? He chuckled at the thought, then flipped the page to finish the second half of the spell. Ten minutes later, the pattern flared with Energy¡ªanother success¡ªand the System froze the world around him, blaring its usual warnings: ***Warning! The spell being cast incorporates and alters another System-granted spell. If you complete this casting, your System-granted spell will be removed.*** ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** Victor watched the waves around him, fascinated by how they seemed to hang in place, even the frothy bubbles refusing to burst in the System¡¯s iron grip. Before he received a scolding demand to make a decision, he looked at the question and selected NO. The world moved again, and Energy rushed out of his Core to fill the pattern. The waves that had been jostling him suddenly stopped having any sort of effect. They broke on his back, and he didn¡¯t move even a millimeter. A second later, the world exploded in steam as geysers of lava burst out of the ocean floor. They sprayed in fan-like eruptions in every direction around him, sizzling and popping as they instantly cooled in the endless supply of salt water. As soon as the eruption started, it was over, and Victor once again felt the push and pull of the waves as the enormous cloud of steam slowly wafted away in the breeze. ***You have discovered a new spell: Roots of the Angry Mountain ¨C Advanced.*** ***Your new spell renders a System-granted spell obsolete. Removing.*** ***You have lost the spell: Roots of the Mountain ¨C Basic.*** ***Roots of the Angry Mountain ¨C Advanced: You have harnessed primal Energy to anchor yourself to the very fabric of the world. When activated, the spell will render you immovable, making you as unyielding as the mountain itself for several seconds. Any force¡ªphysical, elemental, or magical¡ªwill struggle to shift your position during this time. The spell will call forth the mountain''s roiling blood, causing it to erupt violently from the ground in an explosion centered on you. This explosive release will not discern between friend and foe. Energy Cost: 7,000.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** When the steam cleared and he¡¯d wiped away the System messages, Victor looked to the shore to see Tes clapping her hands and whooping. Victor grinned and jogged toward her, easily pushing his legs through the chilly water. ¡°That was spectacular!¡± Tes cheered. ¡°Imagine your foes surrounding you, thinking you overwhelmed¡ªwhat a bitter pill you¡¯ll make them swallow!¡± ¡°That was pretty cool in the water, wasn¡¯t it? Like a bomb going off. It wasn¡¯t epic, though. Just advanced.¡± Tes laughed, repeating his words, ¡°Pretty cool. Don¡¯t complain about an advanced spell. A bit of tweaking or maybe adding in additional functionality, and you can make it epic.¡± Victor smiled at her teasing tone and looked past her, down the shore and to the east, where some of the village buildings were visible in the gray morning light. ¡°You sure it¡¯s safe for me to try the spell from¡you-know-who?¡± This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Your titan friend? Yes! His design was flawless, and I¡¯m quite certain we integrated the modification he gave you properly. Besides, if you lose your mind and threaten innocents, I¡¯ll pick you up and carry you into the ocean!¡± She winked at him, and Victor shook his head, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°Could you pick me up like that, or would you have to take your true form?¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll have to see how large this spell makes you, but I fear there might be some villagers who would witness their first dragon.¡± ¡°All right, well, here¡¯s hoping that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Victor pulled out his elder magic book again, but he only had to study the spell for a few seconds before he began crafting it in his pathways. He¡¯d grown intimately familiar with this pattern over the last few months. Even though it was more complicated, he found it easier to weave than some of the other spells simply because he was working with two types of Energy. He drew a thread of blue ice out of his Breath Core and, of course, rage from his Spirit Core. With those two threads in hand, he focused his will and got to work. Tes watched him, her eyes glowing faintly, and he wondered if she could see what he was doing with the Energy in his pathways. As he worked, he asked, ¡°Can all veil walkers do that? See into a person¡¯s Core or their pathways?¡± ¡°No. People who reach that level of power are as varied as iron rankers. They¡ªwe¡ªvary in power too. For instance, I¡¯m much stronger than most veil walkers you might find in Sojourn. And, as you no doubt have guessed, there are stages beyond. Remember our talk about your titan kin and the ivid queen?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So, focus on your task at hand. There¡¯s an ocean between you and the need to worry about what a veil walker can do.¡± Victor smirked; he wasn¡¯t so sure it was as wide an ocean as she implied. He could feel the power he was awakening with each of these epic spells. He was determined to reach level 100 and begin his ¡°steel-seeking¡± journey as soon as possible. The veil walkers of Ruhn constantly watching, judging, and controlling him felt like a collar around his neck, and Victor didn¡¯t like collars. As part of his mind went down those prideful paths, most of his concentration remained on the spell he was building in his pathways. He thought it was beautiful. The pattern was a delicate, multi-pronged galaxy of bright blue and smoldering red suns interlocked with a weave of glittering, contrasting ribbons of Energy. When he finished the final loop, sweeping the rage through the control structure Azforath had designed for him, the spell flared brilliantly, and Victor felt a rush of accomplishment as the System slowed his perception of the world. ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** ¡°No,¡± Victor said, his voice like thunder in the silence the System had wrought. Instantly, the world continued its usual course, and Energy siphoned out of his Cores, feeding the hungry, powerful, elder magic transformation. Victor arched his back and roared as ancient might swelled his body. His muscles and bones, his organs and flesh¡ªall exploded with rapid growth as sulking, malevolent cold radiated off of him, steaming like dry ice. Victor was only partly aware of his body¡¯s transformation. His mind had become focused on the many things that nagged at the corners of his awareness¡ªthings that angered him, that deserved a thoughtful, calculated destruction. He thought of how it chafed, knowing he was beholden to Dar for simply wanting his friend¡¯s spirit returned from the undead scum who had stolen it. He contemplated the veil walkers who controlled his every move on Ruhn. He thought of the Warlord of Zaafor and his betrayal. His fists clenched, and white fog rolled out of his nostrils. He thought of Valla and how she¡¯d decided life apart in the hopes of coming together again was better than grasping every moment together. Visions of opponents, people he¡¯d fought, rushed across his mind. Images of friends he¡¯d lost danced through his thoughts¡ªYrella, broken and pitiful; Sarl, torn to shreds by ghouls; Oynalla¡ªold mother¡ªgone, abandoning him to seek a new life; and hundreds of other faces, from slaves in the mines to soldiers on the battlefield to fellow iron rankers forced to fight him to the death. Victor stomped toward the ocean and bellowed his fury, but he didn¡¯t lose himself. No, though his rage was monumental, and he practically vibrated with the need to destroy, he managed to whirl and narrow his eyes¡ªpale blue-white like windows onto a glacier¡¯s slopes¡ªat Tes. ¡°I don¡¯t like this feeling,¡± he growled, his voice echoing strangely off the icy ground. Had his presence frozen the moisture in the sand? ¡°Push the fury aside, Victor. Tell yourself you¡¯ll brood about it later. Instead, savor the power that flows through you. Do you feel your strength? Do you comprehend the destructive potential and resilience?¡± Victor nodded. He did. He knew his sulking rage was ready to explode if he needed it to, but he could keep it back. He could bide his time. He was a glacier incarnate. His progress was inevitable. He would grind away whatever opposed him. His mighty form was built for destruction; like the glacier, any scars his foes piled upon him would smooth out as the inevitability of his nature froze the very air, filling the gaping chasms of destruction on his slopes. Tes, shielding her eyes and looking up at him, called out, ¡°You¡¯re enormous! Look beyond me. How far can you see?¡± Victor let his frozen gaze travel up the sloping hill toward the village, and there, he could see dozens of buildings all the way to his home. People stood about, some of them gaping and pointing his way. His frigid vision turned things cold and lifeless. Colors were bland, and people looked frightened. Victor didn¡¯t like it. Without another thought, he reached into his pathway and yanked the threads of Energy away from the spell pattern, shattering the magic and ending the transformation. As his Cores reclaimed their Energies, Victor fell to his knees, his body rapidly decreasing in size. He cradled his face in his hands, shaking his head. ¡°So much,¡± he groaned. ¡°So much?¡± Tes hurried to his side, gently cradling the back of his neck. ¡°So much that I¡¯m pissed off about¡ªthings I never think about.¡± He looked up at Tes¡ªshe must have increased her size to match his unmodified bulk. ¡°The blue ice is different from magma. Magma has hot, passionate fury, but the blue ice is more brooding, calculating, and cold. It had me thinking about all the little things that have upset me over the years: insults, lost friends, lost loves, enemies¡ªeverything!¡± ¡°But you were in control¡¡± Tes trailed off, gently kneading his neck. ¡°I know what you mean, however. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant state of mind.¡± Victor inhaled a deep breath and then blew it out shakily. ¡°Right. It worked, though, Tes. Oh shit¡ª¡± Victor turned his eyes to the System messages in the corner of his vision: ***You have discovered a new spell: Glacial Wrath ¨C Epic.*** ***Glacial Wrath ¨C Epic: Prerequisites: Affinity ¨C Rage, Fury or Hatred, Affinity ¨C Blue Ice. You channel the cold, patient anger of the glacier. While affected by this transformation, you are immune to fire-based or cold-based attacks. While the spell persists, abilities that make use of your blue ice attunement double in effectiveness, and you benefit from modified Berserk effects: Double strength, massively increased resilience, and powerful regenerative capabilities. Be cautious, for while your mastery affords you control over this deep anger, it may take a toll on your psyche. Energy Cost: 5,000 ¨C scalable. Cooldown: Long.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** Victor read the description to Tes, and she nodded sagely, continuing to rub his neck. ¡°Save this for a last resort, Victor. As you continue to strengthen your will, it will grow easier and easier to control how that cold anger affects you.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± He sighed and stood, taking another cleansing breath of the sea air. ¡°Thank you, Tes.¡± ¡°For?¡± ¡°For being here.¡± He gestured down the beach toward the trail that would lead them up to his home. ¡°Let¡¯s go get a bite to eat and say goodbye to Gorro. I¡¯m ready to get back to work.¡± Smiling, trying to put the raw emotions behind him, he led the way back home. As they walked, he took a moment to look over his spells, enjoying the warm glow of satisfaction as he saw all the new entries:
| Spells: | |
| Iron Berserk | Epic |
| Inspiration of the Quinametzin | Epic |
| Channel Spirit | Improved |
| Prismatic Illumination | Epic |
| Project Spirit | Improved |
| Heroic Heart | Basic |
| Spirit Walk | Advanced |
| Tether Spirit | Basic |
| The Inevitable Huntsman | Improved |
| Aspect of Terror | Advanced |
| Imbue Spirit | Improved |
| Honor the Spirits | Improved |
| Alter Self | Improved |
| Velocity Mantle | Epic |
| Banner of the Champion | Basic |
| Wild Totem | Advanced |
| Impart Nightmare | Improved |
| Guardian''s Rescue | Epic |
| Volcanic Fury | Improved |
| Wake the Earth | Basic |
| Roots of the Angry Mountain | Advanced |
| Greater Spirit Binding | Advanced |
| Voice of the Angry Mountain | Basic |
| Locate Ally | Basic |
| Core Domain | Epic |
| Glacial Wrath | Epic |
| Strength: | 680 (780) |
Victor, I wish you¡¯d write to me, but I know you need time. At least, that¡¯s what I keep telling myself. In any case, I have something I wanted to share with you. I¡¯m leaving for a new world tomorrow¡ªan ocean world populated by aquatic people who live on islands and swim and breathe freely under the water. It¡¯s called Crydagh, and there are rumored to be creatures living in those waters that rival dragons! Fantastic beasts called Booraghi roam the oceans, unafraid of anything¡ªeven your mentor, Ranish Dar, would think twice about crossing one of them. If treated with respect, they¡¯re peaceful, though, and will sometimes speak to lesser beings who visit them. I¡¯m going to seek one out; rumors have it that they¡¯ll grant boons to visitors they take a fancy to. Even if they refuse to speak to me, which I¡¯m told happens often, I believe the trip will be worthwhile. Wouldn¡¯t seeing such a creature be a reward in itself? Despite my excitement, I¡¯m sorry to leave Fanwath. Uvu found his way home shortly after you left, and I¡¯ve been spending time with him daily. He¡¯s gotten a bit feral, though; I think he has a mate out in the wild, so he¡¯ll likely be fine when I leave again. Of course, I¡¯ll miss Rellia, but she¡¯s so busy governing that I doubt she¡¯ll remember I¡¯m gone most of the time. Please write soon, Love, VallaVictor had received the message nearly a week ago, and, reading it again, he felt a surge of guilt for putting a response off. He knew he¡¯d feel worse if he went back and read through the other four messages she¡¯d sent him. With a resigned sigh, he took up a pen, and, mustering courage on par with what it took him to face the lord of the dungeon near Great Bone Mine, he began to write:
Valla, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯ve taken so long to write to you. It¡¯s not right, I know. You probably know from Lam or Edeya that I¡¯ve left Sojourn, but¡ª Victor groaned and put the pen down. He didn¡¯t know how to do this. Grimacing, he returned to the note, skipping a line: Look, I¡¯m not going to sit here and write a bunch of bullshit about how nice the world is, or how the people here are all giants, or that we had a big feast after I won my first duel. None of that really matters for shit. The truth is that I¡¯m still raw as hell on the inside. I think about you all the time. Before my duel, I wanted to talk to you. When I saw my quarters, I thought about how much you¡¯d like how everything was in shades of blue and purple¡ªthe sheets, the wallpaper, the vases, even the upholstery and carpet. When I was training back on Sojourn, I couldn¡¯t sleep in the bed ¡®cause I kept picturing you in it. I couldn¡¯t enjoy the lake ¡®cause I kept seeing you soaring over it. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get over you and the missing piece of my heart that you took with you, but I¡¯m going to try. I¡¯m going to try to remember that no matter what, I love you, and I don¡¯t want you to be gone from my life. So, yeah, I¡¯ll try to be better about writing, but I can¡¯t do it every day, every week, or even every month. I have to give myself room to breathe, to experience life without you, ¡®cause that¡¯s what you wanted, and it¡¯s too hard to let you go if I¡¯m constantly reminding myself about how much I miss you. It sounds like an amazing place you¡¯re going to, and I hope you really enjoy it. I hope you¡¯ll write to me about it after you¡¯re done, but let¡¯s wait until then, all right? In the meantime, I¡¯ll try to live my life and experience something worth sharing, too. -VictorVictor closed the book with a heavy sigh and a feeling of finality that he wasn¡¯t sure he liked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s done.¡± He could go back in and cross out the words, but there wasn¡¯t any guarantee Valla hadn¡¯t already read them. Even if he ripped the page out, it would still be there in her book. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, anyway. I meant it all.¡± He tucked the book back into storage, sat back in his chair, and downed his glass of, if he were honest, extremely potent whiskey. He wanted to keep talking to himself, but he felt strange doing so without his usual crutch, so he reached into his high-quality storage ring and summoned Lifedrinker, allowing her massive, incredibly heavy axe-head to rest on the carpet before him while tilting the handle so he could grasp it as he reclined. ¡°Hey, chica.¡± Is it time, at last? Will you carry me into battle again?Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. ¡°Sorry, not yet.¡± Victor chuckled at how his tongue felt thick in his mouth. Whatever else you said about Ruhn, they made good booze. ¡°I still have to fight with that pinch¨¦ spear for a while. It¡¯s a tough weapon, but nothing like you. I¡¯m saving you for when the fights get hard.¡± I yearn to feel your hands as I smash bones, spill blood, and drink the Energy of your foes. Victor arched an eyebrow as he looked down at the enormous axe. Her dark blade was like glass with its depthless, black, mirrored sheen, but as he stared, he saw the thousands of tiny motes of light deep in those unknown depths, almost like he was looking through a window into space. It was mesmerizing, and he nearly forgot what he was going to say. As her handle vibrated with impatience in his hand, he startled out of his reverie, chuckling and reaching for the bottle of whiskey to refill his glass. ¡°I miss fighting with you too. It¡¯ll be soon, though. Things are going to keep getting crazier and crazier around here.¡± She was quiet after that, and Victor enjoyed the simple comfort of her presence for a while. He sipped his whiskey, watched the view outside, and after a while, he opened his status sheet and selected the Class refinement option, looking over his new options: ***Class refinement option 1: Warlord - Legendary. Prerequisites: 1. Prior Class levels in Battlemaster, Martial Sage, or Combat Savant. 2. Sufficiently advanced bloodline. 3. Sufficiently advanced weapon skills. 4. Sufficiently advanced attributes. 5. A sufficiently advanced Core with appropriate affinities. 6. A history of leading followers into large-scale conflicts and achieving victory. Class attributes: Vitality, Intelligence.*** ***Class refinement option 2: Colossal Spirit Champion ¨C Legendary. Prerequisites: 1. Titan, giantkin, leviathan, behemoth, or colossus bloodline. 2. A significant portion of your total Energy earned from solo combat. 3. An affinity for glory, valor, justice, or honor. 4. Sufficiently advanced will attribute. 5. Sufficiently advanced Spirit Core. Through your many victories against difficult odds, you¡¯ve gained the favor of your ancestors, and they see you as a living champion of their ideals. You embody titanic power, standing for glory, justice, and honor. Through your Spirit Core, your ancestors will unleash their fury on those who defy the might of their bloodline. Class attributes: Will, Vitality, Intelligence.*** ***Class refinement option 3: Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum ¨C Legendary. Prerequisites: 1. Epic-tier bloodline with a storied history of warriors or berserkers. 2. Rage, fury, or related affinity. 3. A significant portion of your total Energy earned from combat with heavy melee weapons. 4. Berserk or berserk-like ability. 5. Sufficiently advanced strength and vitality attributes. So long as you hold this Class, your strength, speed, and resilience will be fueled by combat. Every wound you take, and every blow you strike will drive your battle lust to new heights. The enhancements of this ¡°battle momentum¡± will stack with traditional berserk-type abilities, but so will the madness. Class attributes: Strength, Vitality, Agility, Dexterity.*** ***Class refinement option 4: No Refinement - You are pleased with the path on which you find yourself and choose to continue until your next refinement option.*** ¡°Damn, chica, three legendary options.¡± Lifedrinker pulsed under his hand, and Victor took that to mean she was listening. He read the options aloud, and though he could feel Lifedrinker¡¯s presence and attention, she didn¡¯t speak. It didn¡¯t bother him; she was an axe of few words, and her company was enough for him. Part of Victor wanted to seek out advice. He wanted to write to Dar or Kethelket. He wanted to break out the ancestor shard and speak to Khul Bach. Still, another part of him rebelled at the idea. He was alone on a massive world, about to embark on a series of brutal single combats. He¡¯d be tested physically and mentally as he struggled to navigate the murky waters of negotiations, subtle deceit, and overt hostility. Wasn¡¯t it time he began making decisions for himself? He chuckled, shaking his head. No one ever made him choose a Class, but he¡¯d certainly always felt like he had to hear other peoples¡¯ opinions. So, determined to figure out the best choice on his own, he thought about each option, beginning with number four¡ªshould he keep his current Class? It was something he¡¯d never done before. He didn¡¯t even know what would happen; would he gain further Class abilities if he kept it beyond the requisite ten levels? The question reminded him of the veritable library he had in his storage ring, so Victor perused his books, looking for a title that might give him the answer. He found several promising candidates, spent another hour skimming through the pages, and came up with a resounding ¡°maybe.¡± Sometimes, when kept beyond the first ten levels, a Class would grant more Class-specific abilities, but sometimes, it wouldn¡¯t. That same book took Victor down a rabbit hole, reading about how difficult it was to predict what unfamiliar Classes would grant in terms of skills, spells, passive abilities, and even titles. There were some well-documented Classes, like the basic ¡°fighter.¡± He read the account of a man named Goh, who took sixty levels as a fighter, always foregoing a Class change. He gained a few skills in the first ten levels but didn¡¯t begin seeing new ones until he¡¯d reached his forty-second level as a fighter when the System granted him something called ¡°martial mastery,¡± which boosted every single one of his weapon abilities by an entire tier. As he closed the book, Victor told Lifedrinker about what he¡¯d read. ¡°So, that would be cool, but I¡¯m not sure I want to stick with the same Class for that long. I couldn¡¯t, really¡ªI have to start building my own at level one hundred.¡± Class this, and Class that¡ªall you need is me. Victor snorted, choking on a sip of whiskey. She had a point. After he¡¯d cleared his airway, he looked back to the Class refinement screen. It seemed the System wasn¡¯t done offering him Warlord. It was tempting, but considering his current situation, he didn¡¯t feel it was the best option; he wouldn¡¯t be fighting many¡ªor any¡ªlarge-scale conflicts. If he was reading them correctly, the other two, newer options, were both geared toward the kind of fighting he¡¯d be doing. ¡°Well, my first instinct is that the Colossal Spirit Champion is the smart move here. I think the Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum is another rage-based Class, I think, and I¡¯ve been working to keep my head during fights. Do I want a passive ability that will force me to build up to a berserk state? If I need to cast Iron Berserk or Volcanic Fury on top of that, how insane would I get? I can¡¯t even imagine being more crazy than Volcanic Fury already makes me.¡± Lifedrinker remained reticent, and since no one was there to do it for him, Victor voiced the contrary opinion, ¡°But that passive ¡®battle momentum¡¯ sounds damn nice when you think about a duel. When you think about the fact that I don¡¯t want to be using many abilities until I have to, wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have one that just sort of made me stronger and faster the longer I fought? What would it look like to other people? Would they think I went berserk, or would they just think I was getting pissed off?¡± He supposed it wouldn¡¯t matter; if they thought he was berserk, they¡¯d have a big surprise coming when he actually did. In the end, the fact that he was level seventy helped him make the decision. He¡¯d learned from Arona and Arcus that levels got progressively slower and, specifically, that gaining levels in the seventh tier took a fraction of the Energy for levels in the ninth. If he was going to experiment with a dangerous-seeming Class choice, it was probably now or never. The thought of that battle momentum in a one-on-one fight was too tempting, and Victor reasoned that if he hated it, he only had to make it to level eighty to change it out. So, perhaps a little impulsively and perhaps a little too loose of inhibition, thanks to the strong whiskey he continued to sip, he selected the option he had initially dismissed. ***Congratulations! You have refined your class: Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum.*** ***Congratulations! You have earned a Class Feat: Furious Battle Momentum.*** ***Furious Battle Momentum: Every wound you take and every blow you strike will drive your battle lust to new heights. Your strength, vitality, and speed will increase with your lust for battle, as will your fury and hunger for violence. These enhancements will stack with traditional berserk-type abilities, but so will the madness. Unless altered or improved, this feat will be removed if your Class changes.*** For the first time, Victor felt his Class change as it occurred. He felt something inside him changing, burning from his Core out through his body. It was almost painful, but he could feel the euphoria of Energy masking the pain, twisting it into an almost pleasurable experience. Looking inward to see what was happening, he saw a slender pathway running parallel to his thick, well-developed Energy pathways. Intuitively, he knew what it was; it was meant to carry his rage into his body without interfering with his other spells and abilities. It was meant to feed his ¡°Furious Battle Momentum.¡± When he tried to push Energy into the new pathway, he couldn¡¯t, driving home the point that this ¡°ability¡± wouldn¡¯t be something he could control. ¡°Shit, chica. I hope I didn¡¯t just mess up.¡± Can you still wield me? Victor downed the last of the ¡°Turnback Rye¡± and laughed. ¡°Hell yeah, I can.¡± Then all is well. 9.16 - Help for a Friend Victor slept until nearly noon the next day, and when he opened his eyes, blinking in the diffuse light coming through the partially closed curtains, he was surprised by the silence and the fact that nobody had felt the need to wake him. With his head propped up on his plush feather pillows, he yawned and stretched, enjoying his room''s calming, purple-blue color palette. Even the gauzy curtains were tinted a soft blue, which, in turn, tinted the light coming in. He enjoyed it and found it a nice change from the reds and burgundies of his quarters at Dar¡¯s lake house. He took his time bathing and grooming himself, dressed in his usual disguised-armor clothes, and then prepared to leave, intent on finding some breakfast. He paused near the door and, thinking it over, decided to return to his suite¡¯s little parlor, where he¡¯d spent the night drinking and making impulsive choices about his Class. He sat in front of the little coffee table where his empty bottle of whisky and dirty glass awaited¡ªevidence of his crimes. A blue crystal bowl also occupied the table, piled with various fruits. Victor scooped the plums, apples, and pears out of the bowl, setting them on the table, and then he reached into his storage ring and pulled out the heart he¡¯d taken from Obert. Thanks to the magic of his dimensional container, it was still warm in his hand, the blood tacky and damp. Victor set it in the crystal bowl and stared. His body¡¯s physiological reaction to the raw hunk of, if not human, then at least humanoid flesh, was a stark reminder of how much he¡¯d changed. He wasn¡¯t just Victor Sandoval from Tucson anymore. He was a Quinametzin titan, and his mouth filled with saliva at the thought of chomping down on a person¡¯s raw heart. Worse, Victor didn¡¯t feel ashamed or dirty or even bothered by the idea. He knew without a shadow of a doubt that if he presented Victor, the teenage wrestler, with this heart and told him to eat it, there was no way it would happen¡ªnot without a fight. ¡°Well,¡± Victor chuckled, ¡°I guess some shit¡¯s different.¡± He summoned one of his cooking knives, a very sharp, narrow-bladed one meant for deboning a piece of meat but that he used far more universally; he liked how it cut, and it was sharper than most of his proper ¡°chef¡¯s¡± knives. Fighting to contain his eager hunger at the sight of the bloody organ, Victor sliced it into bite-sized cubes. Then, one by one, he speared the hunks of flesh and chewed them down. He could feel the Energy in the meat, and it was potent, but it wasn¡¯t anything like the hearts of the great beasts he¡¯d claimed. The wyrm and the gargantuopod, for instance, had overwhelmed him with their potency. This heart felt more like the giant spiders he¡¯d slaughtered on Zaafor. It infused him with Energy, and he could feel his Core swelling, climbing toward the next rank. He also knew the Energy was infusing his flesh, inching him closer to level seventy-one. Victor wouldn¡¯t deny a bit of disappointment; he¡¯d believed the rumors that Obert had a ¡°momentum¡± affinity, and he¡¯d thought it too much a coincidence that his new Class featured a type of battle momentum¡ªsurely the fates or karma or just the System had conspired to grant him a boon. He was embarrassed to admit that he¡¯d begun to believe that Obert¡¯s heart would infuse him with some sort of momentum Energy and help his new feat to improve in some way. Unfortunately, when the waves of euphoria faded and he looked inward, all he was sure of was that his Core was heavier and denser, scraping the surface of the next rank. Victor carried the bowl into his bathroom and rinsed it before returning it to the table. He felt good¡ªwell-rested, energized, and eager to see what lay next for him. Even if he tried, he couldn¡¯t be disappointed in the heart; an ordinary cultivator would have to work day after day for weeks or months to advance their Core by a single rank in the epic tier. Victor had nearly just skipped an entire rank by having a delicious snack. So, it was with a grin on his face that he opened the door and stepped into the hallway. Bryn was there, her face, as always, obscured by her helmet, but he could see her eyes, and they looked stormy. ¡°Something the matter?¡± The act of speaking triggered a yawn and a stretch, and Victor almost laughed as Bryn¡¯s dark brows furrowed behind the slit in her visor. ¡°Why would you ask that, milord?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Victor shrugged, ¡°no reason.¡± He looked down the empty hallway, admiring how the high windows reflected on the polished marble floor. ¡°Is anyone waiting for me?¡± ¡°Sir, I do not have your appointment book.¡± ¡°Well, Bryn, while you were standing watch here, did anyone come calling?¡± ¡°No, milord.¡± ¡°Has there been any talk of the next duel?¡± ¡°I believe an emissary from Xan arrived last night.¡± Victor smiled, chuckling at her reticence. ¡°But no one¡¯s been looking for me?¡± ¡°No¡¡± ¡°Okay, well, I¡¯d like to have a look around the city. Can you direct me to¡ª¡± ¡°Milord, I don¡¯t think that would be wise.¡± After a moment¡¯s pause and perhaps in response to Victor¡¯s arched eyebrow, she added, ¡°I apologize for interrupting, sir.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be wise?¡± ¡°There are factions in the city who worship Ranish Dar, and there are factions who view you as the harbinger of an apocalypse. Were you to wander the streets, I fear it would be akin to pouring water on a grease fire.¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll need to ensure people don¡¯t recognize me, then.¡± Victor grinned as an idea came to him. ¡°You¡¯re going to have to lose that armor.¡± ¡°Sir, I¡¯ll need to report our outing to my captain, and I think¡ª¡± ¡°Bryn, do I, technically, outrank your captain?¡± ¡°As the crown¡¯s champion, sir, you hold the highest military office in the nation.¡± ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll keep this outing between us. Now, can you go ahead and change into something less conspicuous?¡± Bryn looked around, then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go to my quarters and return after¡ª¡± ¡°Nah.¡± Victor opened his door and held it for her. ¡°Go ahead and use my room. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Her helmet inclined briefly, and then she stepped through. Victor pulled the door shut and looked through his storage rings for a hooded cloak. He had a few, though he rarely wore them; thanks to the constant heat produced by his Quinametzin blood and his feats, he couldn¡¯t remember the last time he¡¯d felt chilly or even the need to protect himself from the elements. When he pulled forth a dark gray cloak with silky, rust-colored lining, he remembered when Valla had given it to him and felt a surge of melancholy that threatened to send him back to his room to curl up on the bed. He shook it off, though, and was just slinging the cloak over his shoulders, pulling the hood up, when Bryn emerged from his room. She¡¯d changed out of her gleaming armor and wore a simple blue tunic over black leggings tucked into sturdy-looking boots. Of course, her belt sported not one but two heavy-looking swords, one a little shorter than the other. As Victor fastened the clasp, securing his cloak, she frowned, and Victor got his first good look at her face. He liked it immediately. She looked like an athlete who spent a lot of time messing around with sharp objects. Her jaw was strong, her nose was a little flat, her lips were thin, and her brow was heavy and dark. Altogether, she looked healthy, strong, and dependable, especially with all the tiny scars on her cheeks, chin, and forehead. He almost commented on them. He nearly said, ¡°You like to practice without your armor, I see.¡± But he caught himself at the last minute, realizing not everyone might be proud of their scars. Luckily, Bryn had her own acerbic comment, saving him from second-guessing himself, ¡°I don¡¯t think a cloak and hood will suffice to keep folks from noticing you.¡± Victor held up a finger, grinning as he cast Alter Self, reducing his height to just around six feet. He was positively tiny by Ruhn¡¯s standards. ¡°How about now?¡± he asked from the depths of his cowl. ¡°Ah, well, um,¡± Bryn took a step back to look him up and down more easily. ¡°I suppose folks will think you¡¯re a traveler, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll suspect you¡¯re the queen¡¯s champion. You feel reduced in more ways than simply size. Have you hidden your power?¡± Victor waited until the cloak¡¯s resizing enchantment caught up to his smaller body, and then he nodded. ¡°It¡¯s part of the spell. Anyway, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll follow you. Maybe avoid people who will ask us questions.¡±This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Um, milord,¡± Bryn reached up to scratch at her very short, stiff brown hair, narrowing her perpetually scowling dark eyes. ¡°Where are we going?¡± ¡°Oh, right! I need to speak to someone knowledgeable about magical¡stuff. Someone who knows a thing or two about Death Casters and phylacteries, but hopefully a lot more.¡± Bryn¡¯s scowl didn¡¯t relent. If anything, it deepened. ¡°Is there something more about you that¡ª¡± ¡°It¡¯s just some information I need, Bryn.¡± Victor chuckled, shaking his head within his deep cowl as he looked up at her. ¡°I¡¯m not planning to turn into a lich or anything¡ªat least, not yet.¡± He laughed and reached up to clap her on the shoulder. It felt like slapping a brick wall. Bryn continued frowning for a moment, and Victor thought she was angry or was trying to think of a response without cussing, but after a minute, he realized it was just her regular expression. Just when he thought he¡¯d need to prompt her again, she nodded slowly. ¡°I believe I know someone who might have the knowledge you seek.¡± With that, she turned and began striding down the hall. Victor had to double-time it to keep up with his much shorter legs. They didn¡¯t encounter many palace denizens; the passages were broad and convoluted, and though they walked by several guard stations, Bryn just nodded at the men and women on duty, and they let them pass without a word. Victor chuckled at one point when he had the stray thought that maybe the other guards thought he was Bryn¡¯s kid. When she looked down at him with her usual stern expression, he couldn¡¯t help laughing. ¡°I wonder if they think I¡¯m your son.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! You don¡¯t move like a child. My comrades simply know I can be trusted, so they don¡¯t ask questions.¡± After a minute, she looked down at him again, and this time, her thin, stern lips were curled into a smile. ¡°Besides, I¡¯d be too embarrassed to bring such a scrawny child to the palace!¡± Victor¡¯s laugh renewed and, in high spirits, he and Bryn made quick time out a side entrance, then through the gate where, once again, the soldiers waved her through and Victor too after she jerked her thumb his way and said, ¡°I¡¯m escorting this one out.¡± Things were different in the city. The palpable pall of despair was gone, and the evidence of the night''s revelries was everywhere. Victor saw people passed out in parks, empty kegs, and tankards on nearly every garden wall, and the folks who were up and about cradled their heads and moved very slowly. Seeing those things, he had to bark another laugh as he attempted to jostle Bryn¡¯s shoulder¡ªhis small hand was rebuffed by the meat of her muscles. ¡°I can see why no one came looking for me! I wasn¡¯t the only one sleeping in!¡± ¡°Yes, well, some of us have duties.¡± ¡°Was that a complaint?¡± Victor crowed. ¡°My stoic guardian wanted to be partying last night?¡± ¡°I had a few drinks. You didn¡¯t know it, but one of my fellow guards relieved me for nearly four hours.¡± ¡°Four hours off? What did you do with all that time?¡± ¡°Hah, hah.¡± Bryn waved a hand dismissively, further improving Victor¡¯s good mood. He was happy to be getting some personality out of her. She surprised him further by asking, ¡°Why the heart?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s one of the things everyone is asking me about. It¡¯s no secret around the palace that I¡¯m your escort, so people think I know things. Everyone wants to know why you took Obert¡¯s heart.¡± Victor thought about the question, and it reminded him that he didn¡¯t really know Bryn. He was trusting her, in a way, because he had a¡ªperhaps unhealthy¡ªlack of fear when it came to people harming him. If he were being clever, he might have considered the fact that he¡¯d just let a single individual lead him out into the city, unbeknownst to anyone. If Bryn were a traitor, she might be leading him into quite a trap, and no one would even know to look for him. No one would even know he was missing until, probably, the next day. He shook his head as the paranoid thoughts began to spiral. ¡°Why do you think I took it?¡± She shrugged. ¡°Perhaps to make you seem mad. Perhaps as a show of intimidation. Perhaps you have some sort of grisly ritual passed down by your primitive ancestors¡ª¡± Victor couldn¡¯t help the growl in his voice as he snapped, ¡°My ancestors would think you were the primitive.¡± Bryn clamped her mouth shut and held up a hand. ¡°I overstepped. I¡¯m sorry, milord.¡± Victor sighed, tamping down his Quinametzin pride with a frustrating effort of will. ¡°Nah, don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m sorry I bit your head off. My, uh, bloodline carries a lot of baggage¡ªI have to fight the pride of my ancestors constantly.¡± ¡°Is your bloodline so potent?¡± She glanced at him as they walked, and he could see the confusion in her eyes. He figured a half-truth wouldn¡¯t hurt. ¡°Yeah, my distant ancestors were great beings, and I don¡¯t think they really exist on this plane any longer. I guess you could say that when I claim an opponent''s heart, it¡¯s a way to honor the rituals of my ancestors and also my foe. When I take that piece of an enemy, it''s not about disrespect; it¡¯s the opposite. I wouldn¡¯t take the heart of an opponent I didn¡¯t respect.¡± Bryn¡¯s scowl turned contemplative, and she sounded sincere when she said, ¡°I see.¡± They walked quietly for a while longer, and Victor¡¯s earlier paranoia kept him alert, watching for signs of ambush or betrayal. They traversed busy streets, though, not back alleys. Bryn stopped before a large building with a tavern and tailor on the ground floor and pointed to the upper level where a sign read, ¡°Trobban¡¯s Enchantments, Rare Books, and Artificing.¡± Victor had a hard time imagining the shop could be a trap. ¡°This is the place?¡± ¡°I hope so. Troban is well respected by many, at least among the guards.¡± Victor started up the stout wooden stairs on the side of the building, chuckling at his own awkwardness as he stretched his legs between the wide steps. When he reached the top, he looked down to see Bryn hadn¡¯t followed. ¡°Not coming in?¡± She shook her head and sat on the bottom step. ¡°I¡¯ll await you here.¡± Victor shrugged and pulled the heavy door open. A chime sounded from within, and a voice called out, ¡°Welcome in.¡± The shop was neat, with a sitting area in one corner, a sales counter on the rear wall, and a workbench taking up the left half of the room. A giant-sized man stood at the workbench, deftly using a wood chisel to smooth the contours of something that looked a lot like a doll¡¯s head. ¡°Come around the bench, will you? I can¡¯t look up right now; this is a critical step.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Victor walked around the workbench, feeling kind of ridiculous with just his head and shoulders clearing the surface, but he¡¯d chosen his disguise, and he meant to stick with it. He watched for a minute while the man worked. He had curly white hair and bushy white eyebrows, but his face looked young, and his golden eyes were very sharp as he scrutinized his work. ¡°What brings you in, stranger?¡± ¡°I¡¯m trying to find some help for a friend of mine, but the nature of the information I¡¯m seeking is kind of a specialized topic. I also think she¡¯d appreciate it if I kept my inquiries discreet.¡± ¡°Well, discreet I can be, especially if I don¡¯t know the topic.¡± For just a fraction of a second, the man looked up and locked eyes with Victor despite his deep cowl. Victor felt like the man measured him with that brief look. When he broke the gaze and looked back to his work, he said, ¡°I¡¯m Trobban, by the way.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Victor.¡± ¡°Ah, the name is familiar, though not your¡stature.¡± ¡°I told you: discretion is important to me.¡± ¡°A disguise!¡± Trobban clicked his tongue. ¡°Intriguing!¡± He carefully smoothed the wooden head¡ªVictor had seen enough of its features to name it so¡ªand nodded. ¡°That¡¯ll do for now.¡± He looked at Victor, smiling as he blew some wood dust from his fingers. ¡°Now, what¡¯s the topic I can help you with?¡± ¡°Are you familiar with death-attuned magic? With phylacteries?¡± ¡°Certainly. How could a well-learned man not be? I¡¯ve read a dozen books on the topic at least.¡± ¡°That¡¯s encouraging.¡± Victor wanted to lean on the table, but it was too tall for him. He settled for moving around to the end near the wall and leaned on that, folding his arms over his chest. ¡°I have a friend who¡¯s a death caster. She had to flee into a hastily prepared phylactery because her body was¡destroyed. Now she¡¯s kind of trapped in the phylactery with no vessel prepared to house her.¡± ¡°Ah! Do you seek my help in preparing a vessel? I¡¯ve read of several ways to do so. There are rituals from¡ª" ¡°There¡¯s more to it,¡± Victor interrupted, holding up a hand. ¡°You see, my friend, she¡¯s never loved death-attuned magic. She hates her former masters and loathes the idea of becoming like them. We¡¯re hoping this transitory state she¡¯s in might lead to something of a rebirth, a way to help her change her path, avoiding something she¡¯d feared was inevitable.¡± Trobban mimicked Victor¡¯s posture, folding his arms over his chest. ¡°Death Casters and their apprentices are a complicated subject. I¡¯d hate to come between a master and his¡ª¡± ¡°She¡¯s free from her master. He believes she was destroyed.¡± ¡°Truly? And you have access to your friend¡¯s phylactery? Her, um, master isn¡¯t aware of it?¡± ¡°I can access it, yes. And no, her master isn¡¯t aware. He¡¯s not even on this world or even close to it.¡± Trobban nodded, stroking his chin, picking at some flecks of sawdust he found in the stubble there. ¡°In that case, there are some options we could explore. If I could speak with this friend of yours¡¡± He trailed off, arching an eyebrow in question. ¡°I¡¯ll need to run it by her. Listen, Trobban, it¡¯s not convenient for me to wander the city. Do you think you could come by the palace?¡± The crafter¡¯s eyes widened, and he leaned across his worktable, staring hard at Victor. ¡°I would be honored! I have a wagon constructed just for such a cause¡ªa mobile workshop! Why, it would do wonders for business if people saw me driving it through the palace gates!¡± Victor moved back around the side of the table, holding out a hand. ¡°In that case, let me extend a formal invitation. Can you make it this evening?¡± ¡°Ah, but the revelries¡¡± Trobban shook his head. ¡°I think it would be safer in the morning hours, sir. I¡¯d hate for my wagon to be caught up in the mayhem, not if it¡¯s going to be anything like last night.¡± ¡°All right. Tomorrow morning, then. I¡¯ll let the guard captain know.¡± Victor shook the man¡¯s hand, then let himself out, and as he descended the steps, he called out, ¡°Bryn, let¡¯s grab some food! Aren¡¯t you hungry?¡± Before she could respond, he added, ¡°Also, there¡¯s no trouble with me inviting this guy to the palace, is there?¡± Bryn stood and squinted up the steps to him, shading her eyes from the sun. ¡°Um¡ª" Victor hopped down the steps, stopping on the third from the bottom so he could look her in the eyes. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure it will be, but you should check with Queen Kynna about your schedule. You may have term negotiations tomorrow.¡± Victor nodded, frowning. ¡°Yeah. Yeah, all right, Bryn. Let¡¯s get some food, then it¡¯s back to the palace for me.¡± He continued to the ground, gesturing to the people moving about on the street. ¡°Looks like folks are waking up! I¡¯m in the mood for soup. You know any place that¡¯s good?¡± After a bit more back and forth, Bryn settled on an idea for a restaurant, and Victor followed her through the streets. On the way, he thought about how he was using the poor woman, basically an employee who was forced to spend time with him, for company, and he decided it wasn¡¯t probably healthy for either of them. He needed to make some friends in Gloria, and though he was working to help Arona escape her bodiless state, it probably wasn¡¯t wise to put all his eggs in that basket. Still, it was something, and he was looking forward to telling her that help was on the way. 9.17 A Suitable Vessel ¡°¡seems these terms are amenable.¡± King Groff folded his fingers together, peering at the document his chamberlain pushed before him. Behind the king, Qi Pot, the champion of Xan, stood. He wasn¡¯t as feared for his martial prowess as Obert, but he looked competent enough to Victor. He was a wiry, lean fellow who wore a rapier that seemed to exude shadows. They drifted out of the tooled scabbard like smoke, obscuring the weapon¡¯s hilt and darkening the air around him. Qi Pot wasn¡¯t particularly tall, but he had a way of leaning forward that emphasized his lean, predatory posture. He didn¡¯t glower or try to intimidate Victor, which, if Victor was honest, was more intimidating than outright hostility. Still, the man¡¯s seeming competence made it all the easier for Victor to look the fool. Queen Kynna had done her part to make that job easier, too. It seemed that, during the celebratory feast, she¡¯d ¡°had too much to drink¡± and had gone on and on to anyone who¡¯d listen about how she was eager to replace Victor with a new champion claimed from Frostmarch. Apparently, she wasn¡¯t happy with his ¡°lucky¡± victory. As one might expect, word of her disgruntled displeasure with Victor spread rather rapidly. So, Xan had come calling, offering favorable terms to move up the duel before Queen Kynna traveled to Frostmarch to claim a champion from the former king¡¯s cadre. As the delegation from Xan stood and departed, Queen Kynna dismissed Chamberlain Thorn and then turned to Victor. ¡°That went very well.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°If I understood things correctly, you only stand to lose what you gained from Frostmarch? You¡¯ll remain queen of Gloria even if I lose?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. So, whether you win or lose, Victor, you¡¯ve saved Gloria. At least for the immediate future.¡± Smiling, she tried to push her chair back, but it was heavy, and the feet were caught in the plush rug that ran the length of the table. Victor hurried forward and lifted the back, helping her to slide it out. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°No, not the chair. Thank you for risking your life to help my people.¡± ¡°Um,¡± Victor smiled, backing up a few steps as the Queen stood, ¡°you¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°And the timeline is all right with you? You¡¯ll be ready to fight tonight?¡± Victor glanced at the big, ornate clock standing in the corner of the negotiation room. It was nearly noon. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready, My Queen, but a craftsman is waiting at the palace. Do you mind if we hurry back?¡± ¡°A craftsman? I¡¯d hoped to have lunch with you. You¡¯ve been here a handful of days, and we¡¯ve hardly had a chance to talk.¡± ¡°Well, I mean, you were busy at the feast, and before that¡¡± Victor shrugged¡ªthere was no need to recount all the hectic activity since his arrival. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sorry about missing lunch, but when I invited this guy to the palace, I didn¡¯t realize we¡¯d be meeting with Xan so soon. I guess I could reschedule¡ª¡± ¡°No.¡± The queen waved her hand and walked to the door leading to the portal room. ¡°We¡¯ll have more time after this duel.¡± She paused to look at him again, her brows drawing down as her expression became more serious. ¡°You will win, won¡¯t you?¡± Victor grinned. ¡°That¡¯s my plan.¡± ¡°Qi Pot is well-respected¡ªnot as feared as Obert, but that¡¯s largely because he¡¯s younger and has fought fewer duels.¡± ¡°I have a plan for him.¡± Victor tried to smile reassuringly, hoping the queen wouldn¡¯t ask for details. He doubted she¡¯d feel encouraged if she heard the outline of his strategy. ¡°Good. Very well, then, Victor. Go to your appointment. I¡¯ll see you before the duel.¡± Victor bowed. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Before she had time to second-guess his release, Victor hurried out, and a few moments later, he was stepping out of the portal, back at the palace in Gloria. Bryn awaited him, and he smiled and nodded when he recognized her posture and scowling eyes through the gap in her visor. She saluted and stepped away from the other guards in the chamber. ¡°Where to, sir?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s my guest waiting?¡± ¡°The eastern parlor, sir.¡± Victor nodded and looked at the group of four guards at their posts on either side of the door. ¡°Can one of you fetch Artificer Trobban from the eastern parlor and bring him up to my suite?¡± They all saluted, but one junior member¡ªVictor could tell because he only had one yellow rose embossed on the gorget of his breastplate¡ªhurried through the door. Victor gestured toward the door. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Bryn.¡± He followed her back to his quarters, though he probably could have led the way. He had a decent mental image of the palace layout, at least the parts he¡¯d frequented over the last few days. Still, it was customary for his ¡°escort¡± to take the lead, so he humored her. Along the way, she asked, her voice echoing hollowly from the inside of her helmet, ¡°How did the negotiation go?¡± ¡°Pretty good, I think. The queen seemed happy. I have to fight at sundown.¡± Bryn¡¯s steps faltered, and she looked over her shoulder. ¡°Are you prepared?¡± ¡°I better be!¡± ¡°Must you always jest?¡± A moment after speaking, she hastily added, ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really joking. There¡¯s not a lot I can do between now and sundown. I came to this world to fight duels, so, yeah, I think it¡¯s fair to say I better be ready.¡± Bryn was silent after that, and when they reached his quarters, she took up a guard position beside the door. ¡°When¡¯s the last time you had a break?¡± ¡°During your negotiations, sir.¡± ¡°Oh. Yeah, I guess that makes sense. So you¡¯re good?¡± Her helmet inclined marginally, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Let me know when Trobban gets here.¡± Victor let himself into the room and smiled at the scent of fresh flowers and clean air; the housekeepers had flung the windows wide and tidied up while he was gone. The central room in the suite was dominated by a long, darkly stained wooden table, and he walked over to it, pulling out a chair that afforded him a clear view of the door. Then he rummaged through his storage ring, taking out Arona¡¯s phylactery. Almost before he had time to set the dark, rune-etched bone on the table, a cold, blue mist began to gather in the shadows under the table. A moment later, they swirled up, coalescing into the shape of a slender woman in dark, layered robes. ¡°Hello again, Victor.¡± She looked around, squinting at the light streaming through the tall windows. ¡°Your quarters are quite fine.¡± She¡¯d only seen the sitting room with the curtains drawn the night before. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m not complaining.¡± Victor smiled, leaning back. ¡°The artificer I told you about should be here in a minute or two.¡± ¡°Wonderful! I¡¯m excited to hear what he thinks of my predicament. And how are you? When we last spoke, you mentioned negotiations?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good. Everything went fine¡ªI have to fight tonight.¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly figure moved to hover near the chair on Victor¡¯s left. ¡°Are you as nervous as the first time?¡± Victor took the hint and pulled the chair out for her. ¡°No. Partly because Kynna¡¯s negotiations went so well. Even if I lose, she and her people are going to come out all right. At least for a while.¡± Arona nodded, sliding her ethereal figure into the seat. ¡°So you don¡¯t feel the same pressure. That should help you relax and do what you do best.¡± ¡°I hope so. I¡¯ll find out how effective my new Class refinement will be.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Her dark lips spread into a sly grin. ¡°A new Class? Now that you hold my very existence in your hands, are you willing to tell me what tier you¡¯ve reached? If I were guessing, I¡¯d say the eighth.¡± Victor chuckled and leaned back in his chair. ¡°Really? Only level eighty?¡± ¡°Oh, am I so far off? Have you reached the ninth tier?¡± Before Victor could answer, a knock sounded on the door, and Bryn called out, ¡°Sir Victor, your guest has arrived.¡± Victor looked into Arona¡¯s dark, ethereal eyes. ¡°Ready?¡± She nodded, and he called, ¡°Send him in.¡± He watched as the door swung wide, and Trobban came through, dressed much the same as he¡¯d been in his shop, though with a fancy red, silken cloak thrown over his shoulders. ¡°Hello, Trobban.¡± Victor stood and gestured to the chair across from Arona. ¡°Please sit down.¡± Trobban approached, and when he saw Arona¡¯s ghostly figure, he paused and retrieved some spectacles from his pocket. He put them on, adjusting a tiny dial next to the hexagonal, blue-tinted right lens. ¡°My, my. Hello there, Champion Victor, and what should I call you, lovely lady?¡± Arona smiled and waved a ghostly hand. ¡°Flattering phrases won¡¯t win you favors with me. Call me Arona, for I¡¯ve no pride in my many titles and feats.¡± ¡°Very well. It¡¯s my pleasure to meet you.¡± Trobban sat at the table, and his gaze drifted to the rune-etched bone. ¡°Is this your work, Lady Arona?¡± ¡°It is, though I must confess I finished it in haste.¡± Trobban stared at the bone through his strange spectacles, slowly nodding. ¡°Hasty you may have been, but here you sit¡ªa spirit whole, a mind intact. You¡¯ve done fine work here.¡± ¡°Have you thought about Arona¡¯s situation, Trobban?¡± Victor wasn¡¯t in a big hurry, but he also didn¡¯t want to sit and listen to Trobban flattering Arona all afternoon. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to confirm a few things with your charge, Sir Victor.¡± Trobban focused his gaze on Arona. ¡°Is it truly your wish to alter your primary Energy affinity?¡± ¡°It is.¡± ¡°Have you considered the potential for a loss in potency? I mean, should your Core be so fundamentally changed?¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly hood moved up and down. ¡°I¡¯ve read about the topic at great length. There are records of people changing their Core and primary affinity without a significant loss of power. There are a handful of complimentary attunements and, if I could awaken one¡ª¡± Trobban nodded. ¡°Awaken or gain. I¡¯ve thought long on your situation. Are you set on inhabiting a vessel born by natural means?¡± Victor frowned and interjected, ¡°You mean a person¡¯s body?¡± ¡°Yes; typically, a lich will have a corpse prepared to receive their spirit. Usually, it would be a stronger vessel than they gave up. The process involves replacing certain organs and enriching the flesh with Energy, rituals, and artifacts. Obviously, whatever caused the vessel¡¯s original death must be repaired, and¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be a lich, Artificer Trobban.¡± Trobban nodded. ¡°There are other means of inhabiting a living vessel. There are ways to preserve the life of a body while the spirit is removed.¡± He looked at Victor. ¡°You should be familiar with that possibility, being a Spirit Caster. Once the spirit is out, we can¡ª¡± ¡°I won¡¯t steal another person¡¯s body!¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly fists clenched. ¡°Then, we must consider my original question. Are you willing to look into vessels not born by natural means?¡± Arona frowned. ¡°A construct?¡± Trobban nodded. ¡°Just so.¡± ¡°They¡¯re so limited, though. I¡¯d never have the potential of a true Core or a proper bloodline. Racial advancement treasures wouldn¡¯t work, and¡ª¡± ¡°Ah, pardon me, Lady Arona, but I believe your knowledge about constructs is lacking in some departments. There are ways to create vessels every bit as potent as an epic-tier natural species. It¡¯s all a matter of preparation, Energy infusion, and, of course, the acquisition of appropriately powerful artifacts¡ªa heart, a mind, a Core, the materials for the flesh and bones, and other special organs like eyes, sexual¡ª¡± Arona¡¯s frown had fallen away as the man spoke, but she waved a hand, cutting him off. ¡°To make a living construct equivalent to an epic-tier species would be an enormous undertaking with expenses rivaling even my former master¡¯s greatest projects. I refer to a man who is a veil walker and has been for thousands of years. I don¡¯t have access to those sorts of resources.¡± Victor frowned, contemplating everything he¡¯d heard. He could offer to help, but he understood Arona¡¯s objection; he had a few million beads, but that likely wouldn¡¯t come close to scratching the surface of what Trobban was proposing. Before he could think of a comment that wouldn¡¯t sound inane, Trobban spoke again, ¡°There are other options. There are ways to create living vessels that do not require the sacrifice of another soul. Certain trees have the potential¡ªif we could graft a branch from the Er¡¯va¡¯leigh oak, I could encourage it to grow into an approximate replication of your former body¡ªI¡¯m assuming that¡¯s what your spiritual projection is based upon?¡± Arona nodded. ¡°It is. Will it be able to accept my full Energy level?¡± ¡°I believe so, though it may take some time to mature to that potential.¡± Trobban frowned. ¡°Speaking of growing, how do you feel about embryonic spiritual implantation?¡± ¡°You mean for me to inhabit the body of an unborn being?¡± She frowned. ¡°My old master spoke of it. I¡¯d have to supplant the nascent spirit of the being, and then I¡¯d also be forced to grow at a natural pace. I don¡¯t relish the thought of another childhood.¡± ¡°So, that brings us back ¡®round to the idea of a properly prepared undead vessel. With enough time and the right affinity, it''s possible that you could spark life within such a body. If we could convert your death-attuned Energy into a new Core¡ª¡± ¡°How much are we talking?¡± Victor interrupted. ¡°I mean to build her a proper vessel from natural artifacts and whatnot.¡± Trobban smiled and shrugged. ¡°Each treasure would be a monumental expense, and we¡¯d need many.¡± Victor rubbed his chin, stroking the stubble along his jawline. ¡°Trobban, will you please step out? I¡¯d like to speak to Arona alone for a moment.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± His chair scraped noisily on the tile as he slid it back. Arona stared at Victor as Trobban¡¯s heels clicked on the same tile, hurrying toward the door. ¡°Shall I wait without?¡± ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t go far,¡± Victor called. When the door clicked shut, Arona said, ¡°It¡¯s too great an expense. This is something a veil walker might attempt, someone who¡¯s gathered treasures for millennia.¡± ¡°Listen, I didn¡¯t want to say this in front of Trobban because no one knows yet, but Dar didn¡¯t just send me here to fight off a couple of champions who are threatening Kynna. He wants me to help her conquer this world. We¡¯re talking nearly a hundred nations. I¡¯ll have to fight a shitload of champions, but there will also be many nations who won¡¯t want to fight, who will take a knee, offering tribute and swearing fealty to Kynna. I get a piece of all that tribute. I can demand certain things. It¡¯s customary.¡± ¡°And you¡¯d squander part of your well-earned treasure to help me build a body? I won¡¯t allow it. I¡¯d rather create a proper undead vessel, and then I can seek my own solution.¡± As Victor¡¯s countenance grew increasingly stormy, she asked, ¡°Why, Victor? Why would you offer so much to someone who, really, hasn¡¯t done anything for you? To someone whom you hardly know?¡± He shrugged and spoke his mind, tired of games and duplicity. ¡°Mainly because I like you. I don¡¯t know why, but every time we¡¯ve been thrown together, I thought you were pretty cool. Then there¡¯s the fact that I don¡¯t like Death Casters, and I can¡¯t stand the idea of you being forced to be one. Once you¡¯re properly undead, tell me, do you think you¡¯ll lose some of that yearning you feel to get away from death-attuned magic?¡± Arona¡¯s raspy voice grew quiet and small, and Victor could hear the fear in it. ¡°I don¡¯t know. It would change me, but I don¡¯t know how much.¡± ¡°Right. Besides all that, you should know it¡¯s worth a lot to me to hold up a middle finger to a guy like Vesavo. The guy gave me the creeps and reminded me of all the assholes I dealt with from Dark Ember, especially Hector. You know, there are a ton of high-tier assholes on that world, and I still feel like I need to pay them a visit. They treat humans like cattle there!¡± Victor growled and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m getting off track, but my point is that if I can help you, a person I think of as a friend, escape the curse of being like those pinch¨¦ mother¡ªEh, you get the idea. I want to do it.¡± Arona stared at him for a long minute, but she slowly nodded. ¡°If you can help me build an epic-tier vessel, and Trobban can convert my Death Core into something else in the process, then I will swear fealty to you, Victor. I will serve you until such time that we both feel I¡¯ve earned what you¡¯ve given me. I will go with you to crush the Death Casters on Dark Ember. With an epic-tier vessel, I can reach veil walker status! I can grow to be a proper companion to someone as mighty as you. I will dedicate my¡ª¡± ¡°Easy!¡± Victor laughed. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves, all right? First, we need to get all the shit together. Now, don¡¯t mention the succession war to Trobban, all right?¡± When she nodded, he called out, ¡°Trobban, get in here.¡± The door opened, and Trobban veritably ran back to the table. He seemed eager, as though he had an idea of what Victor was about to tell him. ¡°Yes, Sir Victor?¡± ¡°Sit down, please.¡± Trobban nodded and dropped into the chair, leaning an elbow on the table as he stared intently at Victor. ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going to do an epic-tier vessel. Are you capable of craft¡ª¡± ¡°Yes! Yes! I can do it, Lord Victor! With the proper materials, we can create the perfect vessel for you, Lady Arona! Why, I can¡ª¡± ¡°Hold on, man!¡± Victor chuckled. ¡°Listen, you need to talk with Arona. You need to consider every possibility. It¡¯s imperative that she comes out of this without losing any potency but also with a new Core and, at least, a new primary affinity. You should know that I have a potent Spirit Core, and if I can be of any help, I¡¯ll be willing.¡± ¡°I will endeavor to meet your demands, milord.¡± He ducked his head, and Victor sighed. It wasn¡¯t lost on him that the guy had gone from calling him ¡°sir¡± to ¡°lord¡± now that he thought he was about to bankroll an extravagant project. He thumped his thumbs on the table, thinking. After a moment, he nodded. ¡°Listen, Trobban, it might take us some time to gather everything we need, but you need to make a list, and I¡¯ll work on it. More importantly, you need to understand that you and I are the only people on this entire planet who know about Arona. If word gets out, I¡¯ll know who to blame. Understood?¡± ¡°Absolutely, sir! My lips are sealed. I¡¯ll do nothing to jeopardize a project like this; I stand to gain too much!¡± Victor nodded. He hadn¡¯t considered that. For an Artificer, crafting an epic-tier body for Arona would probably be the equivalent of¡Victor couldn¡¯t think of a proper comparison. Maybe it would be like killing a legendary beast, like a great ancient wyrm, all alone. ¡°All right,¡± he said after a moment. ¡°I¡¯ll leave you two to talk and consider all the options. I have a duel to fight soon, and I¡¯m damn hungry.¡± 9.18 Furious Momentum Victor could feel the rage building. He could feel it streaming into the special pathways that ran parallel to the more robust ones he¡¯d built up along with his Core. Each time Qi Pot struck a painful blow with that deadly, slippery, shadow-clad rapier, another surge of the potent heat rushed out of Victor¡¯s Core and into his body. Despite his awareness of it, despite knowing how it affected him, Victor couldn¡¯t keep the fury from creeping into his mind, clouding his vision with a red lust for vengeance and slaughter. He gnashed his teeth and growled, grunting as he fought, jabbing his great, heavy spear more and more deftly. His defensive battle had slowly shifted to the offense as he cared less and less for his health and slowly stopped trying to avoid Qi Pot¡¯s slashes and stabs. He¡¯d known this would happen. He¡¯d planned on it. When he first saw Qi Pot in the negotiation, taken in his lengthy, wiry fencer¡¯s build and seen his long, slender rapier, Victor had known how this fight would go. Qi Pot¡¯s strategy was clear: he saw Victor as a brutish, barbaric berserker who relied on his overwhelming strength and ferocity to win fights. In that case, Qi Pot intended to wear him down much as a matador bleeds out the great bull, so much stronger and fiercer than himself. His speed and grace were remarkable; at the start of the fight, he¡¯d deftly maneuvered around Victor¡¯s spear, scoring gashes on his hands and arms, stabbing the tip of that lightning-fast weapon into his ribs, stomach, chest, and back. He stabbed it into his thighs, his glutes¡ªeverywhere. Victor was crimson with his blood, and if the arena''s sands weren¡¯t black and red, they¡¯d be painted, too. Even so, the dark, wet streaks were plain for all to see. Victor had lost gallons of blood. The problem for Qi Pot was that Victor was more than enormously resilient. A man like Qi Pot could cope with resilience. Despite his great vitality and the durability of his Quinametzin flesh and bone, Victor bled, and if something could bleed, it would eventually grow weak and slow. With the accumulation of hundreds or thousands of wounds, Victor would be vanquished. Unfortunately, Victor was more than resilient. Victor had the regenerative capabilities of a monstrous behemoth; as Qi Pot lashed that wickedly fast, wickedly sharp rapier in and out, Victor bled, his wound closed, and his body regenerated the lost blood. Before the rage began to overtake his mind, Victor wondered where his new blood and flesh came from. Was it manifested from Energy? Was it pulling molecules out of the air and altering them? Was he somehow splitting and multiplying his cells? His mind didn¡¯t linger on the question long; each cut added to the other half of the equation that summed up Qi Pot¡¯s doom: his rage. Victor¡¯s ability to heal and stay fresh despite his mounting wound tally was one thing, but every cut and stab also added to his ¡°furious battle momentum.¡± As rage filled Victor¡¯s extra pathway and began to infuse his flesh, he healed even more rapidly, and, worse for Qi Pot, he became stronger and faster. And so, after dragging the fight out for nearly twenty minutes¡ªa short time in the grand scheme of things but a very long time in a life-and-death contest¡ªVictor¡¯s fury became unbearable, and he lost all sense of strategy. He lashed out with the spear, and the rage fueled his movements. The great, weighty weapon was like a feather in his hands, and it ripped the air with whistling shrieks as he stabbed and hacked the double-edged spear blade about. For the first time, he fought like he meant it, and despite his blind fury, he used the weapon¡¯s length to his advantage, bullying the rapier-wielding Qi Pot into a full-blown retreat. Qi Pot wasn¡¯t just a fighter, though; he was a man who¡¯d achieved great heights as a cultivator of Energy. He gathered shadows and fire, making himself momentarily ghostly, flickering with dark flames as he streaked around the arena, seeking to find Victor¡¯s flank again. Victor was so fast, so strong, so utterly dominant that Qi Pot had to burn more and more Energy to move outside the arc of the berserker¡¯s enormous reach. He became a specter of black flames, and his rapier thrusts shot forth like arcs of molten metallic fire that splashed against Victor, charring his bloody clothes but hardly marring the titanic warrior¡¯s flesh. Victor began to laugh¡ªa maniacal, madness-tinged sound that echoed hoarsely through the arena, silencing the crowd as they watched him glide over the sand, a predator closing in for the kill. His eyes blazed with molten fire, smoke drifted from his nostrils, and though Qi Pot continued to score magical blows, burning enormous torrents of Energy to stay ahead of Victor¡¯s lightning pursuit, he only empowered the berserker further. The onlookers had been raucous at first, cheering for both warriors at the start of the fight. As Qi Pot bled Victor bit by bit, skillfully dancing in and out, leaving a bloody mark on Victor¡¯s flesh or plain yellow tunic with each attack, the crowd had cheered. They¡¯d grown wild with adoration for Qi Pot¡¯s flourishes, and he¡¯d put on quite a show for them, whipping his rapier through the air as he performed mocking bows, his face full of contempt. Now, though, Qi Pot¡¯s confident smile was gone; his movements were precise and lacked extraneous flourishes. Victor couldn¡¯t savor the destruction of Qi Pot¡¯s morale. He was too busy fantasizing about dismembering him. Red visions of bloody destruction ran through his mind as he pursued the smaller man, and each time those dark, fiery shadows lashed out, the red filter on his vision grew darker, and his muscles surged with renewed strength and speed. He hacked his spear like a club or sword¡ªor axe¡ªand it shrieked through the air, never intended by its maker to be used in such a manner. Still, the force of those hacks was undeniable; the weapon''s length and the absurd power behind the blows made it harder and harder for Qi Pot to avoid, even in his dark, shadowy, fire form. Eventually, it hit home. The first hacking blow of Victor¡¯s spear caught Qi Pot at the knee and snipped through his flesh and bone like a cleaver through a carrot. The man could barely scream before a follow-up, backhanded, upward slash brought the side of the spear blade into Qi Pot¡¯s armpit, severing his rapier-wielding right arm. After that, Victor dropped the spear and pounced, preferring the feel of flesh and bone crunching under his knuckles, savoring the hot sprays of blood and the coppery taste of victory. When the veil walker, Grand Judicator Lohanse, gripped his arm and tried to pull him off, Victor instinctively rolled his wrist, grappling with the man out of pure muscle memory. He wrapped his powerful fingers around the veil walker¡¯s wrist and, to the stunned gasps of thousands of spectators, threw Lohanse to the side so he could resume his bloody destruction of Qi Pot¡¯s corpse. Of course, Lohanse wasn¡¯t a child or a mere mortal to be so easily dismissed. He gathered his aura and let it loose indiscriminately, bringing most of the people in the stands to their knees. Victor felt the aura. It was thick and hot like molten iron, with depthless chasms of pride and mountains of knowledge. It pulled and pressed on him like it might fold his molecules into each other and erase him from existence. Even so, a small part of Victor¡¯s mind, a tiny piece of his rational self, recognized that he¡¯d felt worse. With that little kernel of thought in his barely lucid mind, he growled and stood up from the ruined corpse, his fists dripping blood as he looked with furious, bloodshot eyes into the stunned countenance of the veil walker. ¡°You will kneel!¡± the grand judicator growled and clenched his fist. Searing bands of lightning-charged Energy wrapped around Victor and hurled him face-first onto the sand. Even influenced by his furious battle momentum, he couldn¡¯t move his arms inside those straps of burning Energy, and as the lightning crackled, he felt the veil walker¡¯s probing Energy in his pathways, grasping the rage-attuned Energy there and ripping it out. As the fury left Victor, his tense, rigid body relaxed, and Lohanse released his bonds of electrical force. Victor struggled to his hands and knees and was acutely aware of the quiet. The only sounds coming down to him from the stands were those of people groaning and grumbling as they returned to their seats and recovered from the veil walker¡¯s show of force. Murmurs turned into hushed whispers as they looked down to the sands where Victor knelt beside the ruined corpse of Qi Pot with Lohanse standing tall over him, arms folded. To Victor¡¯s relief, it seemed the veil walker wasn¡¯t one to hold a grudge. ¡°Stand up then, warrior. You¡¯ve won.¡± With a grunt, Victor clambered to his feet. Lohanse raised his voice, holding his arms outstretched. ¡°I give you Victor, Champion of Gloria, the winner of today¡¯s contest!¡± The crowd¡¯s reaction at first was tepid¡ªsome cheers and claps sounded from the stands near Queen Kynna¡¯s boxed section. After a few seconds, though, people began to feel encouraged, and fear of the veil walker¡¯s wrath subsided. More and more cheers resounded, and then Lohanse spoke to Victor, his voice easy to hear despite the din. ¡°Well? What prize will you claim?¡± He glanced at the bloody mass of flesh and bone that used to be Qi Pot soaking into the sands. Victor frowned, suddenly unwilling to claim the heart of his demolished foe. His anger was gone, and, it seemed, much of his pride and lust for glory were, too. Glancing inward, he saw that this Core was dim. Lohanse had relieved him of more than his rage. Still, he was Quinametzin, and he¡¯d not be so easily cowed.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°I will have my enemy¡¯s heart.¡± Lohanse sighed, tsking. ¡°As you wish.¡± He raised an arm and announced, his voice booming through the arena, ¡°As his prize, Victor will claim the heart of his foe.¡± To Victor¡¯s surprise, the crowd¡¯s cheers surged with the announcement, and he felt the adulation tickling his Core, lifting his levels of glory-attuned Energy. He laughed and raised his hands, making bloody fists as he turned in a slow circle. He saw Kynna leaning forward in her throne-like chair, her hands grasping the arms. Her eyes were bright, and when those eyes locked on Victor¡¯s, she inclined her head slightly, dipping her tall crystal crown. That was when the Energy hit him. As he¡¯d been basking in the roars of the crowd, it had gathered around Qi Pot¡¯s corpse, and the System didn¡¯t care if he was ready or not. It struck him like a poleaxe, knocking the sense from his mind and lifting him off the sands as it poured into his pathways, refilling his Core and then spilling into his flesh as it pushed him toward the next level. It felt like a lot, and Victor wasn¡¯t disappointed when he opened his eyes to a System message: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 71 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ¡°Claim your grisly trophy, warrior,¡± Lohanse said. ¡°I¡¯ve the nobility of Xan to deal with, but I¡¯d rather you were clear of my arena before I left.¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay now, Grand Judicator.¡± Victor glanced at him and quickly added, ¡°Thanks for helping me cool off.¡± He knelt by the body of his former adversary, summoning a knife from his ring. ¡°You aren¡¯t the first rage-attuned fighter I¡¯ve dealt with. Even so, I¡¯ll wait for you to finish. You¡¯re quite impressive, Victor, and I can see you play a long game with these fools, hopefully with the good of Gloria in mind. Even so, don¡¯t become so enamored with yourself that you fail to realize you aren¡¯t the only special fig on the tree. As your queen works to negotiate further duels, your contests will become more difficult. Have you fought a steel seeker yet?¡± He waited until Victor yanked the heart out of the body and looked up to nod before continuing, ¡°I suspected as much. Your will is powerful, and for an iron-ranker, your aura is prodigious. You¡¯ll be formidable when you break through to the steel ranks, but only if you live that long. There are those who will recognize the threat you pose. I¡¯m sure many already have. This window, when you are still fighting your way up to the first ceiling¡ªthis is when they¡¯ll strike. Be wary of ¡®new¡¯ champions in your coming battles.¡± Victor peered up from where he knelt, locking eyes with the enigmatic veil walker, but the man only nodded once, and then he was gone, like ashes in a stiff breeze. Victor stood, held his bloody prize aloft, smiling fiercely as the crowd roared their approval, and then he walked out of the arena, his mind more troubled by the veil walker¡¯s words than he¡¯d like to admit. He¡¯d gone further than he¡¯d wanted during the fight; no one would see the way he absolutely dominated Qi Pot and think he wasn¡¯t a threat. Worse, he¡¯d stood up to a veil walker, brushing off his aura like it was a minor discomfort. ¡°Pinch¨¦ rage,¡± he sighed as he stepped into the ready room and found Bryn already waiting. ¡°You lost control of your affinity?¡± ¡°Did it seem that way?¡± ¡°I could only imagine that was the case. Why else would you risk death with the judicator?¡± She chuckled. ¡°Besides, I just heard you cursing your rage.¡± ¡°True,¡± Victor laughed. ¡°Was Kynna angry?¡± ¡°Queen Kynna was pleased to have her aggressors dealt with! She asked me to see that you are ¡®well treated¡¯ this evening so that you¡¯re ¡®fresh and relaxed¡¯ for tomorrow''s award ceremony.¡± Her inflection made it clear that she was quoting Queen Kynna. ¡°Award ceremony? I didn¡¯t have one for the first duel.¡± ¡°She¡¯s aware and asked me to thank you for your patience. Between the celebratory feast and the rapid acceptance of Xan¡¯s duel, there wasn¡¯t time.¡± Victor frowned, looking toward the closed door behind Bryn. ¡°She sent my escort to tell me all this? I feel a little snubbed if I¡¯m being honest.¡± Bryn stared at him for a long moment, then reached up and lifted her helmet off, cradling it in the crook of her left elbow. To Victor¡¯s horror, she fell to her knees and bowed her head. ¡°My apologies, Lord Champion. I have failed to convey our nation¡¯s gratitude properly. I did my best, but surely Chamberlain Thorn or Queen Kynna, her exalted self, would have been better suited to deliver you home to the palace. I will convey news of my failure to my superior officer, Guard Captain Wash.¡± ¡°Damn, Bryn!¡± Victor chuckled nervously. ¡°Will you please get up? I didn¡¯t mean that¡ªI was just curious why they sent you alone this time.¡± ¡°In truth, milord,¡± Bryn said, head still bowed, ¡°the Queen was eager to hurry back to the palace ahead of you. She has much to prepare for your celebration tomorrow, which will be difficult to orchestrate considering the city is in the midst of a week-long, debauchery-laced festival. When news of this victory reaches the populace, it will be difficult to get anything done.¡± She cleared her throat and glanced up at him. ¡°And, with a plea for your discretion, I will venture to say that Chamberlain Thorn was afraid to come here after seeing your performance in the arena.¡± ¡°All right, all right. Get up, will you?¡± Victor walked over to the counter where refreshments were on display and used the wash basin there to clean the blood from his hands and arms. Bryn approached and, while he was scrubbing, poured a glass of chilled wine. ¡°You must be parched.¡± ¡°Yeah. Have a glass. We¡¯ll head out after I wash my face.¡± ¡°I was going to suggest that; it¡¯s caked with dried blood.¡± ¡°I can feel it.¡± Victor stoppered the drain and let the ornate faucet, cast in the shape of a swan neck, fill it with cool water. While the water ran, he said, ¡°So, what¡¯s on the agenda tonight? How will you see that I¡¯m, uh, what was it? ¡®Fresh and relaxed¡¯ tomorrow?¡± He glanced at Bryn and saw that his attempt at humor had struck a little too close to home; her cheeks were flushed, and she was trying not to look at him. Hastily, he said, ¡°I think a big dinner and some good booze will suit me just fine. Maybe you could invite the old champion. What was his name? Foster? I wouldn¡¯t mind having someone to shoot the breeze with before I hit the sack.¡± Bryn¡¯s relief was palpable. Victor could only imagine what she feared he¡¯d ask for. ¡°I think that should be easy enough to arrange! I thought perhaps you¡¯d enjoy a bath and massage¡ªwe have a very skilled Elemental Therapist at the palace. I was awarded a session when I was promoted, and it was the most wonderful experience I¡¯ve ever had.¡± ¡°Sec.¡± Victor dunked his head in the basin and scrubbed his hair and face vigorously for several seconds before lifting it out. The water was deep red. ¡°I think a bath would be great, and, shit, yes, I¡¯d like a massage.¡± He grabbed a towel, dried his face, and gestured to the door. ¡°Shall we?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Bryn lifted her helmet to her head, then led the way down the corridor to the portal room. ¡°I enjoyed watching your fight tonight, Victor. I could tell some of the others were worried at the start, but I could see you weren¡¯t bothered much by the wounds Qi Pot delivered. He chose the wrong sort of weapon to face one such as you.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor looked sideways at her. ¡°What kind of weapon do you think would be better?¡± ¡°Ideally? Something that would be harder to heal from. A projectile weapon, perhaps. A powerful bow¡ªan artifact that could generate its ammunition, for instance. If the bolts or arrows were driven deeply and difficult to remove, surely they¡¯d take a toll, even against someone with your constitution.¡± ¡°Hmm. Yeah, I don¡¯t love arrows. What other ideas do you have?¡± ¡°Anything other than a dagger or rapier!¡± She snorted. ¡°Perhaps a great blade, though everyone saw how you dealt with Obert¡¯s sword. If not a weapon, then perhaps devastating Energy attacks. I think you¡¯d need to take great damage quickly¡ªI can¡¯t see how anyone could win by trying to wear you down inch-by-inch.¡± She sounded excited to be given leave to discuss strategy, and Victor nodded, encouraging her. ¡°Can you tell me, Victor, how you could bleed so much and still fight? Is it your bloodline?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll share some secrets with you, Bryn, but not yet. Let¡¯s get through the next couple of days, find out who I¡¯m fighting next, and then maybe we can talk strategy. Would you like that?¡± ¡°Very much, sir! I think you¡¯ll like Foster, too. He knows a great deal about the empire and the many men and women who fight as champions.¡± Victor clapped her shoulder as they entered the portal room. ¡°That¡¯s great, Bryn. You¡¯ll join us, of course. Bring a friend, if you want. I mean, you can put that together while I¡¯m getting that massage, yeah?¡± She stared at him with wide eyes. ¡°I, um, of course, I¡¯ll be on duty, sir. I¡¯ll be glad to watch over you during your dinner with¡ª¡± ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll protect myself tonight, Bryn. Seriously, bring a friend or two. Heck, are you married? Bring your, uh, significant other¡ªwhoever you want. We¡¯ll have the meal in my quarters, then sit around and talk about fighting. Yeah, I guess whoever you invite should be interested in that.¡± Victor nodded, gave her shoulder another slap, then stepped through the portal. She joined him on the other side of the portal and, as though they hadn¡¯t just traveled thousands of miles, said, ¡°I¡¯ll have the Elemental Therapist sent to your rooms, sir. In the meantime, I¡¯ll begin making the arrangements for the dinner.¡± After a moment, she added, ¡°Thank you for the invitation.¡± Victor smiled, ignoring the other guards in the chamber as he regarded her. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so hard, was it? Go ahead and get started on all that. I can make it to my quarters.¡± She bowed, and Victor left, grinning stupidly. In a way, he was messing with her; he had a good time putting people off balance, and he thought Bryn was kind of funny when she got flustered. Still, he wanted to make some new friends, and he thought she was pretty cool. As he strode through the palace, heading for his rooms, he couldn¡¯t help but feel good, despite a distant, niggling worry about the veil walker¡¯s words. It only made sense that powerful people were watching the duels. There were tens of thousands of people in those stands; Gloria¡¯s upset victories were sure to draw attention. When he talked Kynna into challenging some neighbors, life was going to get¡dangerous. He was ready for it, and as far as scheming steel seekers might go, Victor figured he¡¯d just have to stay a step ahead. 9.19 The Road Ahead Victor walked through the remnants of his impromptu, celebratory get-together, idly counting the empty liquor bottles on his way to the balcony doors. He stopped at thirteen, shaking his head and chuckling. Foster, Bryn, and her two friends from the palace guard were all above tier eight, and they hadn¡¯t struggled in the least to clean out Victor¡¯s liquor cabinet. He pulled the doors wide, letting in the fresh, late-morning air, then stepped out, turning his face to the sun, soaking it up. He felt remarkably good. Bryn hadn¡¯t been lying about the ¡°Elemental Therapist.¡± The fellow had used water and fire affinities to do incredible things to Victor¡¯s muscles. Besides his ability to chill and warm his tendons and muscles from the inside out, the man had been a skilled masseur, something Victor couldn¡¯t remember ever experiencing, at least not for a long, dedicated session like that. He stretched, arching his back, then patted his stomach, not surprised to find it still satisfied after the food and drink he¡¯d consumed late into the night. Bryn had arranged quite a feast, and though Victor could recall enjoying the company of her friends, he honestly couldn¡¯t remember much about the conversations they¡¯d had. ¡°Now, though, it¡¯s time to get to work.¡± With a sigh, he turned away from the sun and walked to his door. When he opened it, he didn¡¯t find Bryn, but one of her comrades. ¡°Good morning, sir.¡± ¡°Good morning. Will you advise the queen that I¡¯d like to meet with her at her earliest convenience?¡± ¡°Right away, sir!¡± The young man slammed his fist to his chest and took off at a jog, his plate armor clanking with each stride. Victor closed the door and spent the next few minutes getting ready for the day¡ªshowering, shaving, cleaning his teeth, and putting on the perfectly clean clothes that he wore almost every day. While he waited for word from the queen, Victor pulled some of his study materials out of his storage ring and stacked them on the small round table in the central parlor of his suite. He planned to do a little more research into Elder magic, and along with it, he intended to mess around with one or two of his older, lesser-utilized spells. It had been many months¡ªyears?¡ªsince he¡¯d figured out how to create weaves of his affinities that produced justice-attuned Energy. He¡¯d even discovered a powerful spell to use with it, The Inevitable Huntsman, but he''d so rarely had occasion to invoke the magic that he wondered if he couldn¡¯t improve or alter it somehow. He had beautiful, large, thick sheets of paper that he¡¯d gotten from Dar for writing out spell patterns, and he¡¯d just taken one out and begun to delicately sketch the pattern for the huntsman spell when there was a tap on his door. ¡°Come in,¡± he called. He had his back to the door, but he heard it open, gliding near silently on its well-oiled hinges, and then a strident voice startled him into nearly dropping his pen, ¡°Her Majesty, Queen Kynna Dar!¡± Victor spun in his chair to see Kynna gliding into his quarters, the jewels sewn into her dazzling pale gray and blue gown glittering in the light from the floor-to-ceiling windows. Her crown nearly brushed the lintel, but the palace had been designed with massive statures in mind, and it missed it by an inch or so. Mortified by the state of his quarters and ill-prepared state, Victor jumped to his feet and sketched out a hasty bow. The queen smiled at him, then turned to the man holding the door. ¡°Thank you, Seneschal Lovalle. Please wait without.¡± The slender, neatly coiffed man stooped into a low bow and swept out of the room, closing the door behind him. ¡°Good morning, Champion.¡± ¡°Um, good morning, My Queen.¡± Victor straightened and gestured to the empty seat to the right of his own. ¡°Would you care to sit?¡± The truth was, he was trying to get her to look his way before her gaze lingered on the mess in the sitting area near the windows. It seemed it was too late, in any case. As she glided into the suite and approached the table where Victor was working, the queen said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Thorn speak to your housekeeping staff. This is no fit state for a royal champion¡¯s chambers.¡± ¡°Um, no, Your Majesty, please don¡¯t. I asked them to come back later. I, uh, didn¡¯t know I¡¯d have a guest.¡± Kynna froze halfway to the table, staring at him with a blank expression. Her eyes weren¡¯t particularly bright, generally, not like Dar¡¯s, but at that moment, they were hardly glowing¡ªalmost like they were veiled by mist. It made Victor wonder about the nature of the eyes themselves. Were there actual fires burning in the sockets? Were the flames inside a transparent shell of something¡keratin? ¡°Did you not summon me?¡± ¡°I, uh, sent my guard to let you know that I wanted you to summon me whenever it was convenient.¡± Kynna started forward again, shaking her head and tsking. ¡°Perhaps the young man was overzealous. No matter. I¡¯m here. What can I help you with, Victor?¡± She sat down, gracefully folding one leg over the other as she turned the chair to look at him more easily. ¡°Um, do you want a refreshment?¡± Victor prayed she¡¯d say no. He had no idea what was appropriate to serve a queen. ¡°No, thank you.¡± ¡°Right, well, I wanted to talk to you about our strategy moving forward. I mean, now that your immediate threat has been dealt with, we¡¯ll need to start implementing Dar¡¯s plans.¡± ¡°Ranish Dar? What further plans are there? I assumed you¡¯d linger here a while, ensuring no further encroachments, but I have a new cadre of champions now that we¡¯ve conquered Xan and Frostmarch; I don¡¯t think you should feel bound to further service.¡± She spoke plainly and seemed so oblivious that Victor had to lean back in his chair and think for a moment. Hadn¡¯t he said he was there to help Gloria rise to¡glory? He strained his brain, trying to think of his words when he¡¯d first met the queen. ¡°My Queen, has Ranish Dar not conveyed his further wishes for my, uh, service to you? Didn¡¯t I make it clear why I was here when I presented you with my spear?¡± ¡°You said that the time had come for my house to ascend to its rightful place of prominence on Ruhn.¡± She spread her hands and gave a slight, elegant shrug. ¡°Both Xan and Frostmarch had recently conquered one of our other neighbors. With your two victories, we now sit at the head of a five-kingdom hegemony¡ªmore power than Gloria has held in twelve centuries.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a good start.¡± ¡°Start?¡± Kynna raised a delicately feathered black brow, and Victor thought he saw the fire in her eyes grow brighter. ¡°Yeah. Ranish Dar believes it¡¯s time for a new empire to rule Ruhn, and, naturally, he wants his descendants to be in charge.¡± Both of Kynna¡¯s brows shot up, and her eyes widened further as she leaned forward and hissed, ¡°He wants me to initiate a war of succession?¡± ¡°Yeah¡ªinitiate and win.¡± She reached up to her crown and tapped a nail against the crystal. A chime rang out, reverberating as a pale blue dome of Energy surrounded Victor, Kynna, and the table where they sat. ¡°Such words will bring imperial assassins!¡± ¡°You think spies are listening?¡± Victor scowled and looked around his room. ¡°When such words are spoken, one must always assume! Victor, what you suggest is insanity. Do you understand what such an action entails?¡± ¡°I have some idea, yeah. Your ancestor schooled me a bit before he sent me here. Still, let¡¯s review. What do you think it entails?¡±If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Even at the head of five nations, Gloria amounts to less than a tenth of the power of one of the great houses, of which there are seven. They all rule hegemonies of at least five major nations on the eastern continent. Consider that Khaliday, the imperial seat, is equal to any three of the great houses. Now, consider that, in order to challenge Khaliday, we¡¯d need to conquer one of the great houses and to challenge a great house, we¡¯d need to fight our way through dozens of lesser kingdoms here, on the western continent.¡± ¡°Hmm, actually, that sounds a little better than I¡¯d feared. So, we¡¯d snap up five or more nations by beating a great house? On top of that, once you rule a great house, you can challenge the emperor directly?¡± Kynna stared at him like he¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°Victor, the champions of Frostmarch and Xan were formidable by the standards of far-flung western kingdoms, but they were children compared to the veritable demigods who fight for the great houses.¡± Victor nodded slowly. ¡°I know. I know we¡¯ve got a ways to go before we challenge a great house, too, but we need to start making moves that way. We need to start strategizing about which kingdoms here, on the Western continent, will most easily be bullied or tricked into a duel. Which kingdoms will bend the knee? We need to build momentum quickly to make it harder for the great houses to prepare and to minimize the time they have to try things like assassination.¡± The queen stared at him for a long time, and he could only imagine the wheels turning in her head. If Victor left, she¡¯d have a very real chance to spend centuries in peace, ruler of a powerful mini-empire. If she went along with Dar¡¯s idea that she should try to conquer the entire planet, in her mind, she would be walking a path where defeat wasn¡¯t just possible but likely, especially considering what she thought she knew of Victor¡¯s capabilities. ¡°Are you in contact with my ancestor?¡± ¡°I am.¡± ¡°Then I must choose my words carefully, mustn¡¯t I?¡± She shook her head; whether it was at Victor or her own words, he couldn¡¯t tell. ¡°I didn¡¯t bargain for this when I appealed to Ranish Dar for help. You speak blithely, but there will be no peaceful resolution for a nation that instigates a succession war¡ªeither we win, or the emperor will wipe out my bloodline. Of course, you bear the same risk as a champion, at least personally, but tell me, are you also putting your loved ones at risk?¡± Victor had to admit she made a good point. It was one thing to risk yourself, but to risk your entire family, from your children to your distant cousins, was another matter. ¡°I understand your concern.¡± ¡°I must think on this. I know I risk my ancestor¡¯s wrath, but¡¡± She trailed off, shaking her head. ¡°I must seek the counsel of people I trust, Victor. Tell me one thing: did you truly hold back so much against Obert and Qi Pot, or are you mad? I do not lie when I say that Obert would never dream of challenging one of the champions of the great houses.¡± ¡°I might be crazy, Queen Kynna, but I¡¯m not here for any reason other than I need some tough pendejos to fight. If Dar just wanted to beat the guys putting pressure on your family, he could have found someone in Sojourn to do the job. I¡¯m here for the guys no one else wants to fight.¡± Victor shrugged as if that was all he had to say. She tsked. ¡°Such pride! Do you not fear death?¡± Victor sighed and leaned back, drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair while he thought about how to answer the question. ¡°I have a Spirit Core. You know that, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I can discern that much.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen the other side. I¡¯ve seen spirits and even spoken to a loved one after she passed. I¡¯ve had my ancestors talk to me while I fight. They¡¯ve even offered me boons. I don¡¯t view death as the end anymore. I might once have worried about dying, worried I¡¯d leave things unfinished in this world, but that worry has changed. Now, I worry I won¡¯t do enough in this life to earn a proper place among my ancestors. ¡°I¡¯m a fighter, Queen Kynna¡ªit¡¯s pretty much the only damn thing I have a hope of being excellent at. I won¡¯t earn glory for my ancestors by choosing easy battles.¡± Victor leaned forward, his eyes intense beneath the glower of his dark, heavy brow. ¡°I need you to start this war because I don¡¯t see another easy way to get a fight with those pendejos on the eastern continent.¡± For the first time, Victor let his aura slip a little in the queen¡¯s presence, giving her a taste of the heat and weight of it, the bloody taste and sharp edge, the hunger for glory tinged with the stomach-turning scent of fear and the blood-boiling fury of the mountain. She leaned back, and her pale gray skin paled further as she visibly swallowed. She glanced toward the door as though weighing her odds at making a hasty retreat. Victor only let his aura ripple out for a second, though, and when it passed, it was like the room grew brighter. Kynna cleared her throat and nodded. ¡°I have much to think on. Please delay your next message to my ancestor until we¡¯ve spoken again.¡± ¡°I will.¡± As she stood and started for the door, Victor stood. ¡°My Queen?¡± When she turned, he held his massive black spear in his hands. To her credit, Kynna didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I promised you this spear and swore to use it to vanquish the hounds on your borders. Will you take it now?¡± Victor fell to a knee and held the spear out. Kynna took a quick breath, and he could tell she¡¯d had words on her tongue that she halted just before they escaped. After a moment¡¯s consideration, she reached out, rested her fingertips on the sturdy weapon, and nodded. ¡°I will. My thanks, Champion of Gloria.¡± As she finished the words, the spear disappeared, summoned into a storage container, no doubt. ¡°I look forward to your award ceremony this evening, Victor. Will you wear a proper uniform if I have one sent here?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Victor nodded as he stood, then walked over to the door, pulling it open for her. ¡°Thank you for coming to see me so quickly. I didn¡¯t expect such a courtesy.¡± Kynna seemed to appreciate the chance to retake the upper hand. She smiled crookedly and glanced toward the mess in the sitting area. ¡°I can see that.¡± Victor wanted to deny having drunk all those bottles of alcohol, but he just nodded with a slightly chagrined smile. And Kynna stepped through the door. Over her shoulder, as her entourage formed around her, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll have that uniform sent over soon. See you tonight, Champion Victor.¡± ¡°Tonight, Your Majesty.¡± Victor watched the group of guards, ladies in waiting, and officials make their way down the hallway, wondering what they all did while they waited outside a door for their queen. Returning to his chambers, he retrieved Arona¡¯s phylactery from his storage ring. Her spirit rapidly materialized as he moved over to his sitting area to gather up the many empty bottles, dirty plates, and soiled linen napkins. He stacked them on the oversized ottoman that ran the length of the central couch, and Arona drifted over. ¡°I see you survived your duel.¡± ¡°Yeah. Sorry I didn¡¯t summon you right away, but I had to¡entertain last night.¡± He gestured to the mess. ¡°I was just going to leave it for the cleaning staff, but now I feel guilty; I had a pop-in visit from the queen.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Arona moved to ¡°sit¡± on the couch, even though she didn¡¯t really touch it. ¡°Yeah. She was slightly more clueless about Dar¡¯s plans for Gloria than I expected. I suppose I should be irritated with Dar for leaving me to break the news, but I guess it¡¯s on me, too, for assuming. Anyway, how¡¯d it go with Trobban? When I got back, your phylactery was on the table, but I didn¡¯t see any notes or anything.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I missed you. I was exhausted¡ªkeeping myself outside the phylactery takes much effort. As for Trobban, he¡¯s quite knowledgeable, but for each idea he has, he insists he¡¯s seen another dozen in texts he¡¯s read, so he wanted to do some research before devising a final plan for the components of my vessel.¡± ¡°And you? I didn¡¯t get to speak to you without him listening. How do you feel about everything?¡± Victor couldn¡¯t help imagining a robot or a Frankenstein¡¯s monster when he thought of a ¡°vessel¡± being created for her. He hoped it wouldn¡¯t be like that, but what did he know? ¡°I¡¯m excited but apprehensive. Trobban believes there are natural treasures that can be used to form a Core, one that will absorb the Energy I¡¯ve built up in this phylactery so that it will gain ranks nearly equivalent to what I had in life. He insists that he¡¯s read accounts of people¡¯s affinities changing when they adopted such a Core. In his opinion, it won¡¯t be difficult to change my affinity, but rather a byproduct that would be more difficult to avoid.¡± Victor plopped down on the couch. ¡°I mean, that¡¯s good news, right?¡± Arona¡¯s ghostly face brightened as she smiled, and her raspy voice smoothed out slightly as she replied, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful news. Wouldn¡¯t it be grand to grow strong enough to face the likes of Vesavo? I¡¯d so love to confront him about the torture he put me through¡ªabout the horrors he¡¯s committed on various worlds.¡± Victor nodded, smiling grimly. He could relate to the sentiment. ¡°I know what it¡¯s like to want to force powerful people to confront their bullshit, but let''s not get ahead of ourselves. Even Dar is leery of insulting Vesavo.¡± ¡°True. Still, if I could drink, I¡¯d toast to our future goals. I¡¯m glad I met you, Victor. I wonder where I¡¯d be right now if I hadn¡¯t¡ªserving Ronkerz? No, I don¡¯t think that foolish mission into the Iron Prison would have happened if you weren¡¯t around. I¡¯d be slaving away on some horrid project for Vesavo, likely dreading his next summons.¡± She surprised him by visibly shuddering. It made Victor chuckle as he tilted his head, looking at her sideways. ¡°It¡¯s crazy how your spirit-form mimics how you were in life. Even your voice¡ªraspy and low. Do you think your new body will change you much?¡± She smiled, exposing her sharp canines. ¡°It depends on how talented Trobban is. I¡¯ve seen constructs that looked just like living, breathing people. The artifacts and natural treasures he¡¯s researching will play a part. I¡¯m excited, Victor!¡± She leaned forward as the truth of her emotions came out. Victor laughed and nodded, smacking his fist into his hand. ¡°Me too, Arona. I mean for you, but also me. When I look down the road ahead, the various crossroads and one-way turns, I see some that lead to victory and some that lead to death, but almost all of them lead to glory.¡± 9.20 A Gilded Cage Victor stood in the wings of the stage, waiting for his name to be called. He shifted, strangely nervous about being the center of attention in such a stolid, formal ceremony. Victor liked attention, but he was far more at ease giving an impromptu speech or, if truth be told, fighting in front of a large crowd. He didn¡¯t like the idea that he was expected to dress and act a certain way. In his mind, it was almost like a wedding ceremony or, more to his experience, a confirmation. He was dressed in his new official uniform¡ªsimilar to the guards¡¯ uniforms, only fancier, made of some kind of silky, Energy-rich material with a subtle inner luster. Even the dark gray pants, boot-cut to accommodate his polished, shiny black boots, seemed to gleam in the darkness of the shadows where he stood. Tucked into the pants was a gray, form-fitting, long-sleeved shirt, over which he wore a royal blue uniform coat emblazoned with a brilliant yellow rose on the breast. The jacket was festooned with gilt embroidery along the sleeves and on the edges of the high collar. He felt he looked all right but really wasn¡¯t a fan of the getup. He fidgeted, Kynna¡¯s voice echoing back to him as it was projected out to the audience¡ªthousands of nobles and ten times as many commoners who¡¯d won a ¡°lottery¡± for tickets. Kynna was going on about the tribulations they all had suffered through together, about how the foes of Gloria had been given justice for their crimes, and how Gloria was rising as a nation of import on the western continent of Ruhn. Overall, she was whipping up the people¡¯s pride, invoking past greatness and hinting at future growth and influence. Only about half a day had passed since he¡¯d spoken to the queen, so Victor didn¡¯t view it as strange that he hadn¡¯t heard from her one way or the other about proceeding with Dar¡¯s plans for a succession war. He figured she had a lot of thinking to do and would probably want to speak in seclusion with a few people she trusted. The prospect of war was a big deal, and he could see why she wouldn¡¯t want to do it, but he also understood the implied threat¡ªDar had sent him, and if Victor returned early, what might a powerful, deity-like ancestor do? Despite everything he knew about Dar, Victor still wasn¡¯t sure about the man¡¯s motivations. He didn¡¯t think he¡¯d punish Kynna, but what if he pressed the issue? As Kynna¡¯s speech rose to a crescendo and the audience¡¯s reactions grew louder, he contemplated helping Kynna get out of the situation. All he had to do was claim that he felt victory wasn¡¯t likely and didn¡¯t want to risk his life to challenge further champions. Dar had given him that out; he¡¯d said something along the lines of this ¡°campaign¡± lasting only as long as Victor thought it should¡ªthat he could withdraw when he felt victory wasn¡¯t achievable. If Victor left now, Kynna¡¯s people would be safe for a long while¡ªdecades or centuries¡ªand he¡¯d have done something great. Why did he feel like that wasn¡¯t enough? He supposed part of it was that he knew he¡¯d be lying and that Dar would see through it. Victor was not worried about his next fight, regardless of who it would be against. He and Kynna had a lot of work to do before they could challenge a great house, at which time Victor might feel his first genuine fear of defeat. Was he being cocky? Sure, he was, but that was his nature. He¡¯d been that way before he¡¯d woken up his Quinametzin bloodline, before he¡¯d walked with the righteous fury of an awakened mountain, and before he¡¯d embraced his affinity for glory. Now, the idea of backing down from a challenge such as the one posed by a succession war felt almost as unnatural as trying to breathe water. ¡°That¡¯s your cue, milord,¡± the retainer holding the dark wing curtains aside said, startling Victor out of his ruminations. ¡°She announced me?¡± How had he missed that? ¡°Aye, milord,¡± the young man said, smiling and ducking his head. Victor cleared his throat, straightened his shoulders, and marched through the gap in the curtain. The stage was bright, illuminated by brilliant glow-lamps high above, and the audience was thrown into shadows as a result. Still, with his Quinametzin eyes, he could see them¡ªthousands and thousands of faces staring, silent in their rapt attention. He shifted his gaze to the center of the stage where Queen Kynna stood, glorious in her jeweled gown, her crown glittering with the inner fire of whatever great magic it contained. She beckoned him to come forward, and he did. When he stood before her, she looked to the audience and, in a voice that carried as though amplified by a hundred hidden speakers, she said, ¡°People of Gloria, I present to you our champion, Victor of Tucson.¡± The applause and cheers were thunderous, and Victor felt his heartbeat quicken under the focus of so many cheering folks. His Core surged with glory-attuned Energy, which leaked into his pathways. Unable to restrain himself, he lifted a fist high, and the crowd redoubled their cheers. It was deafening. Queen Kynna delicately raised her right hand, and the assembly hall grew silent almost instantly. ¡°Champion, for your victory over Obert and the kingdom of Frostmarch, I present to you one of the most valuable treasures recovered from the vaults of our foe.¡± She held out both hands, cupped together, and a glittering, gem-studded, gold-foil package appeared there, about the size and shape of a large orange. Victor could hear the collective intake of breath as the gems picked up the lights and sparkled, creating a dazzling display that seemed almost like illusory fireworks around Kynna and Victor. ¡°This beautiful package contains the egg of a creature of myth here on Ruhn, a Coldwater Sea Wyrm.¡± Again, the audience collectively gasped, and a single strident voice cried out, sounding more dismayed than excited. ¡°You can hear from our citizens¡¯ reaction, Victor, that this is a treasure dear to the people of Ruhn, for Coldwater Sea Wyrms have not been seen in our seas for nearly a thousand years. You see, their eggs are known to wake the secrets in a person¡¯s blood, sometimes bringing forth latent attributes but always advancing a person¡¯s racial status.¡± Kynna paused for a moment, then turned and held the egg high, greatly expanding the size of the mystical light show it projected. ¡°Do any of the fine people of Gloria begrudge our champion this prize? Is there any more worthy?¡± The response was silence, though Victor swore he heard people weeping. Kynna turned back to Victor and proffered the egg. ¡°Will you accept this gift, Champion?¡± Despite a small surge of guilt, a tiny voice in his mind that couldn¡¯t believe he was going to receive something so treasured by these people after only being there a few days, Victor saw the egg for what it was: the whole reason he¡¯d come to Ruhn¡ªadvancement. ¡°I will.¡± He held out a broad palm, and the queen gently placed the egg in the center of it. Victor held the egg carefully but lifted it high, turning to face the enormous crowd. ¡°Thank you, people of Ruhn!¡± His voice carried, just as the queen¡¯s had, and the crowd once again erupted in cheers. The queen allowed the cheers to go on for a moment, smiling at Victor with her hands delicately folded before herself. ¡°Nicely done, Victor. Please store away your prize, and then, if you would, please kneel before me.¡± Her voice didn¡¯t carry this time, but Victor heard it clearly. He sent the egg into his storage ring, then looked at the queen. ¡°Kneel?¡± ¡°Please, Champion. I will award you your second prize.¡± Victor hated to kneel, especially with an audience, but he¡¯d already done so to Kynna several times, so it seemed strange to balk. He nodded, then, smooth as a panther might crouch in the tall grass, he lowered himself to one knee. Queen Kynna held up her hand again, and the audience grew so silent that Victor could hear her quick, shallow breaths. Was she nervous? ¡°People of Gloria, today we stand free, our chains shattered and thrown to the side, and our future bright with the potential for true glory¡ªa virtue for which our great nation was named! This turn of events is thanks to the valor of one man, a man who, until now, had no ties to our world. He served my ancestor, the great Ranish Dar, but he was a stranger to us, a visitor. Nevertheless, he came and fought not only the champion of Frostmarch but that of Xan. In the face of overwhelming odds, he struck down our enemies and lifted the grip of their cruel blockades. Today, Gloria breathes again, thanks to his courage.¡±If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. Kynna paused, allowing the audience to absorb the impact of her words, then turned and faced Victor fully. ¡°For such heroism, words are not enough. Treasures are not enough. Deeds of such magnitude deserve deeds in return. Thus, Victor of Tucson, I bestow upon you not only our nation¡¯s eternal gratitude but also something far greater.¡± The queen turned back to the audience, spreading her arms for effect. ¡°From this day forward, Victor shall be named Duke of Gloria, a title that carries with it the rights, privileges, and responsibilities that few have known. With that title, he shall take possession of the richest lands in all of Xan¡ªthe Duchy of Iron Mountain.¡± For the first time, the crowd wasn¡¯t silent or cheering deafeningly; they murmured, a buzz of surprised reactions to the proclamation. Kynna turned to look Victor in the eyes again. ¡°The estate and all its wealth are now yours, including the stewardship of its people. As Duke, you shall oversee the noble Haveshi Family, Qi Pot¡¯s surviving kin, and see to their well-being and livelihood as a testament to your honor.¡± Her tone grew soft, though her words were still carried out to the audience, ¡°These lands will prosper under your care, just as our nation has thrived under your strength. Let this be a bond between us, Victor¡ªa stake in the future of Gloria and a reminder that the freedom you fought for is now tied to you. The people you are responsible for will flourish or fail depending on our great nation''s course in the coming years.¡± As the crowd buzzed, and Victor frowned, absorbing the import of the queen¡¯s words, one man¡¯s voice cried out, rising above the general clamor, ¡°Who will be champion?¡± The queen smiled and turned. Again, she spread her arms gracefully. ¡°Rest assured, dear people, that Victor, Duke of Gloria, will remain our champion as long as he so desires. The offices of Duke and that of Royal Champion are not mutually exclusive.¡± She turned back to Victor. ¡°Rise, Victor, Duke of Iron Mountain, Champion of Gloria. Rise and greet the people of your nation.¡± Still frowning, well aware of the snare Kynna had just tightened around his ankle, Victor stood and turned to face the crowd. When he didn¡¯t speak, and the crowd¡¯s murmurs turned into a hush, Kynna cleared her throat. ¡°Fear not the glower on our champion¡¯s face¡ªhe¡¯s a fearsome man; how else would he defend us? Now, feed his lust for glory, Gloria! Cheer your new duke! Cheer your champion!¡± Once again, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause, and Victor, ever slave to his pride and hunger for glory, couldn¡¯t help grinning fiercely as he held his hands above his head. He wanted to summon Lifedrinker, to let her bask in the glorious attention, but he knew better; his axe was still a secret on that world. Still, he pumped his fists in the air, pacing back and forth. After the crowd¡¯s enthusiasm refused to wane for several long seconds, he began to shout, bellowing into the air, roaring as his Core swelled with the glory-attuned Energy that found its way into his pathways. After nearly a minute of that, Kynna used whatever uncanny ability she had to silence the crowd, and Victor calmed himself, lowering his fists and heaving for breath as he turned to regard the queen. ¡°I¡¯m pleased that our champion is so fierce and that you love him so, Gloria. Now, please follow your ushers¡¯ instructions as you safely exit the hall¡ªit¡¯s time for you to return to the festivities! I¡¯m extending the national holiday for another week!¡± Victor was saved from further bouts of cheering as the heavy, midnight-blue curtain dropped from the rigging in the loft to conceal the stage. Alone on the stage with the queen, Victor glowered at her. ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing.¡± ¡°Of course you do, Champion. You¡¯re an intelligent man.¡± She looked like she¡¯d say more, but a dozen attendants had rushed the stage, and they were no longer alone. ¡°Let us speak soon? I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about your new holdings and how they might affect the¡course of our diplomacy.¡± Victor stepped close and spoke as plainly as he could without providing fodder to the many spies, no doubt listening to them, ¡°I know how I want things to go. You know how Dar wants them to go. I don¡¯t think my new connections to your world will change much. Still, yes, My Queen, let us speak soon. I¡¯d like to review how my role will play out now that I have a great duchy to manage.¡± ¡°Excellent. Tomorrow?¡± Victor forced a smile. ¡°If it pleases you.¡± She shooed away a lady trying to help her doff the long, jeweled gloves she¡¯d worn for the ceremony. ¡°Unless you intend to consume the egg, that is. The literature all says that a person who eats one is likely to be incapacitated for upwards of a week.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait until we¡¯ve spoken.¡± ¡°Very well. Congratulations, Duke Victor¡What was your surname? I know I¡¯ve been told-¡ª¡± ¡°Sandoval.¡± ¡°Duke Sandoval, then. It has a nice ring. Until tomorrow.¡± With that, she allowed her attendants to sweep her off the stage, and Victor was left standing in the gloom behind the dark curtains. He pulled off the fancy jacket, sent it to storage, then stomped out of the enormous assembly hall, using the side exit where he¡¯d been let in a couple of hours earlier. Of course, Bryn saw him as soon as he came through the door into the cool night air and hurried forward. ¡°Your coach is ready, sir.¡± ¡°Too much to ask that we walk?¡± ¡°The streets are crowded, especially around the hall¡ªthey¡¯re still releasing the audience.¡± She hesitated a moment, then added, ¡°I heard the news. Congratulations on your elevation.¡± ¡°Elevation?¡± ¡°To the noble class. The Duchy of Iron Mountain is well known, even here in Gloria. There are stories about those lands¡ªyour wealth, in property alone, is now second only to the royal family.¡± ¡°A pretty trap,¡± Victor sighed, walking toward the bulbous, living-wood coach that had earlier delivered him. ¡°A trap?¡± Victor ignored her until they were inside the plush leather interior of the coach, and he felt it gently lifting into the air. ¡°Kynna wants me to have something more to lose than just my life.¡± He frowned, and Bryn stared into space, perhaps trying to make sense of the statement. ¡°What¡¯s the deal with the Haveshi family? Why am I in charge of Qi Pot¡¯s kin?¡± ¡°Because he was a duke, and there was no clause in the terms of the duel requiring his family to be slain or banished with his death. Queen Kynna is now the de facto ruler of Xan, so she can grant the various holdings of that Kingdom to people she views as loyal. Having given you Iron Mountain, Qi Pot¡¯s heirs will be stripped of their inheritance and most of their wealth. She¡¯s making you the honorary patron to their clan.¡± ¡°Was his full name Qi Pot Haveshi, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m unsure.¡± Bryn shrugged, making her armor clank. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever heard him called Qi Pot. Perhaps it''s an assumed name or a title he earned with one exploit or another.¡± ¡°Goddammit,¡± Victor sighed, viciously scratching the sides of his head with his nails. ¡°What¡¯s¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve been given responsibility for the survivors of someone I¡¯ve killed in a duel. It¡¯s bullshit. The first time was just a single girl¡ªnow I have a whole clan to look after? And how many will try to kill me in my sleep? I doubt they¡¯re all children, right?¡± ¡°That would be suicide for them. Their futures are now tied to yours. With your demise, they will be at the queen''s mercy, or should you die in a duel, whatever ruler seizes the queen¡¯s power and lands.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And most rulers would simply banish them to avoid trouble.¡± She shrugged. ¡°Banish or kill.¡± ¡°So, are they expecting that now?¡± ¡°Possibly. Queen Kynna is known to be kind, so they likely aren¡¯t afraid they¡¯ll be executed. However, banishment is surely on their minds. Keep in mind that while you are irritated by this turn of events, the Haveshi are only one noble family the queen has to sort out among dozens¡ªnay, hundreds. She will have a very busy few months consolidating her grasp of the political landscape in her new hegemony.¡± Victor¡¯s stomach rumbled, and he frowned, leaning back and thinking. He was irritated, but Bryn had made a good point; Queen Kynna had a big headache on her hands, and if Victor and Dar got their way, things would only get more complicated for her. He was complaining about being responsible for the fate of a single family and a single¡ªalbeit apparently large¡ªduchy. At first, he thought she was just trying to tie him to something on Ruhn, and he felt like that was still true, but he also thought she might be trying to give him a glimpse into the complexity of taking on the rulership of an entire empire. There were millions of people living on Ruhn. Millions of lives would be impacted by a succession war. Just because the nations of Ruhn didn¡¯t fight openly with armies didn¡¯t mean people wouldn¡¯t die. It didn¡¯t mean that people wouldn¡¯t be forced from their homes. It was a lot to think about. His stomach rumbled again, and Bryn cleared her throat. ¡°Dinner, sir?¡± Victor shook his head. ¡°I have something I¡¯ve been wanting to eat back in my quarters. I need to do some thinking¡ªlet¡¯s head straight to the palace.¡± She nodded, and Victor smiled. He wondered what she¡¯d say if he told her the thing he was hungry for was Qi Pot¡¯s heart. 9.21 A Meeting With the Queen Victor sat, sipping a cup of spiced coffee, heavy with cream, looking out over his balcony as he contemplated the changes Qi Pot¡¯s heart had wrought in him. The heart had been potent, though nothing more than Obert¡¯s. It had been different, though; Victor had felt Qi Pot¡¯s strange, hot, shadowy Energy coursing through his pathways. He¡¯d felt it trying to do something, but it hadn¡¯t taken; either his body had resisted it, or the heart hadn¡¯t been potent enough. Whatever the case, Victor hadn¡¯t gained any new feats, affinities, bloodline alterations, or anything of that sort. However, he¡¯d earned a rank to his Core and advanced to level seventy-two. He hadn¡¯t been too surprised by the level; he felt he¡¯d been close to seventy-one before killing Qi Pot, so the additional Energy infusion from the heart had pushed him over the edge to the next. With a sip of hot, cinnamon-flavored coffee, he sighed and looked at his status sheet:
| Status | ||||
| Name: | Victor Sandoval | |||
| Race: | Quinametzin Bloodline - Epic 2 | |||
| Class: | Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum - Legendary | |||
| Level: | 72 | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Improved 6 | |||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 3 | |||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 2500/2500 | |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 36871/36871 | |
| Strength: | 508 | Vitality: | 673 (740) | |
| Dexterity: | 208 | Agility: | 231 | |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 673 | |
| Points Available: | 0 | |||
| Titles & Feats: | Titanic Rage, Ancestral Bond, Flame-Touched, Greater Titanic Constitution, Titanic Presence, Desperate Grace, Challenger, Elder Magic, Born of Terror, Battlefield Awareness, Battlefield Presence, Aura of Command, Epic Quinametzin, Mountain''s Resilience, Behemoth''s Regeneration, Blood Supremacy, Furious Battle Momentum | |||
| Breath Core: | Elder Class - Advanced 5 | ||
| Core: | Spirit Class - Epic 3 | ||
| Breath Core Affinity: | Magma - 9, Blue Ice - 9 | Breath Core Energy: | 5900/5900 |
| Energy Affinity: | Fear 9.4, Rage 9.1, Glory 8.6, Inspiration 7.4, Unattuned 3.1 | Energy: | 36871/36871 |
Bryn ¨C Don¡¯t go any deeper than where I left you. Everything should be fine, though. There aren¡¯t hordes of demons or anything on their way up. Haha. Guard that door, and I should be back before too long. I¡¯ll update you if anything delays me too much. -Your BossHe chuckled at his lame attempts at humor and almost scratched out the ¡°Your Boss¡± part, not sure Bryn knew him well enough to realize he was being stupid. He shrugged, though, and left it. He knew, if he were being truly conscientious, he¡¯d warn her about the sleeping god-like being on whose resting site they were treading and probably about the dungeon he¡¯d entered, but some lingering paranoia kept him from doing so. As far as he was concerned, the fewer people who knew exactly what he was up to, the better. Shrugging, he walked the rest of the way through the gatehouse and laid his eyes on the second part of the ¡°crucible.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The sharp, black gravel road continued for a hundred yards and ended at the edge of a lake of bubbling lava. Victor could feel the deep well of magma-attuned Energy out there and briefly contemplated pausing to cultivate it for his Breath Core. The oxygen in the air was thin, and Victor knew if he weren¡¯t Quinametzin and if he didn¡¯t have a magma affinity and the feats that made him resistant to poisons, he¡¯d be suffering from the gases that hung above the burbling, hissing, smoldering semi-liquid. As it was, he simply breathed shallowly and narrowed his eyes as the caustic blend made them water. Stepping closer to the edge of the lake, he saw solid stone platforms or pedestals dotting its surface, leading away to the distant shore where, another hundred yards further on, he could see the next gate. ¡°So, I need to cross, huh?¡± He almost laughed. The lake was maybe a quarter-mile across, and he figured he could cover the distance in a few Titanic Leaps. Even easier, he knew he could use his armor¡¯s enchantment, Flight of the Lava King, to clear the distance in a matter of seconds. He wouldn¡¯t need to hop from platform to platform. Nodding with a grin spreading over his face, he held Lifedrinker before himself, channeled some Energy into his armor, and activated the Flight of the Lava King. With a crackling woosh, his fiery wings sprouted from the air near the center of his back and cracked down, sending black smoke and ash whirling behind him as he sprang into the air, streaking across the lake of lava just as he¡¯d envisioned it. He moved his gaze toward the far, rocky shore and descended, ripping through the air with no resistance. When his feet set down and he jogged toward the gate, gradually slowing his momentum with each step, he wondered if he¡¯d cheated somehow, breaking the gauntlet by trivializing a crossing that was supposed to be a challenge. When his fiery wings faded, and he stood a dozen yards from the gate, he stared at it, waiting. He wondered if something would come through that he¡¯d have to fight or if the entire point of the second gate was to see if he could cross the lava. The gate didn¡¯t move, but after two or three minutes, he heard a noise behind him¡ªa squelching, hissing, burbling sound. At first, it had blended in with the usual sounds of the hissing magma as its surface broke with giant, swollen gas bubbles. Victor whirled, lifting Lifedrinker high, only to see dozens of dark lumps of cooling magma forging through the barely liquid surface of the lava lake. They looked like stones being pulled by invisible lines through the thick liquid, moving quickly enough to leave short wakes. Victor narrowed his eyes, watching as the first of the dark lumps reached the shore, and then, with a squelching surge, it exploded out of the lava to land on two lumpy, magma-coated legs. ¡°What the fuck?¡± Victor readied Lifedrinker and pulled a rope of furious rage-attuned Energy into his pathways, preparing to cast Iron Berserk. As he did so, more and more of the magma-covered humanoids lurched onto the shore, dripping molten rock around them that hissed and sizzled. They weren¡¯t huge¡ªsomewhere between a human and a giant in size, but they were bulky, and their very nature sent a shiver of doubt down Victor¡¯s spine. How could you kill something made of lava? ¡°One way to find out,¡± he grunted, striding toward the nearest one. It didn¡¯t seem to have eyes or ears, but somehow, it knew he was coming. It squared off with him, spreading broad hands with glowing-hot fingers. Victor grunted, hacking Lifedrinker down in an overhead chop, aiming her massive, gleaming axe-head at the monster¡¯s crown. To Victor''s amazement, the thing reached up and grasped the sides of Lifedrinker¡¯s blade, halting her momentum cold. Victor¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock as the creature pulled, nearly yanking his axe from his hands. ¡°Hell no!¡± Victor roared and cast Iron Berserk. Victor gave in to his rage as his muscles exploded with unnatural growth, and his figure stretched, towering over the monster. How dare this thing try to strip Lifedrinker from him? He ripped the axe back, viciously raking her blade over the creature¡¯s fingers. They fell to the stone ground with little plops, but by the time Victor turned, lifting the axe high, ready to hack into the monster, he saw that they¡¯d regrown. Worse, five more of the monsters were closing in on him. In his titanic form, they were like children to him¡ªstocky, fiery, faceless, extremely strong children. Victor, his vision clouded with crimson, stepped forward and heaved Lifedrinker in a broad, flat cleave. Her impossibly sharp obsidian edge split the magma creature like a cleaver through taffy. As the top half flew to the side and the bottom staggered and fell, Victor bore down and roared at the other approaching magma-men, activating Voice of the Angry Earth. The roar echoed through the vast canyon, shaking the ground, sending waves of magma over the lake, toward the far shore, and, nearer to hand, the magma-men fell to their knees or toppled backward, stunned by the force of his voice. Victor gleefully, madly, strode among them, ripping Lifedrinker left and right, sending chunks of semi-liquid magma sliding over the ground on steaming, hissing skid marks like monstrous versions of a snail¡¯s trail. All told, he slaughtered thirty of the magma things, killing them before they could even muster an attack, thanks to the stunning effect of his furious sonic attack. When he stood on the shore, and no further creatures approached, he whirled to face the gate, only to see that the magma-men he¡¯d first slain were climbing to their feet¡ªnew, bubbling magma-meat growing to replace the parts he¡¯d cleaved away. Worse, the pieces he¡¯d cut off were growing new parts! As Victor stared, his enemies recovered and more than doubled in number. ***Congratulations! You have reached the second gate of the Crucible of Fire! Survive the magma sprite onslaught!*** Despite his rage, Victor¡¯s will and the magic of Iron Berserk allowed him to regain his senses. Enough so, that he realized he might be working against himself if he went on another rampage. Would they continue to multiply? Victor bolted down the shore of the lake, breaking out of their midst and taking advantage of their plodding movement to give himself time to think. ¡°Let¡¯s try something, Beautiful,¡± he grunted, lifting Lifedrinker high. He darted forward and brought her down, just hard enough to cleave into one of the sprite¡¯s shoulders but not split it in half. Once she¡¯d gotten a good, deep bite, he let go, allowing her to do her thing. ¡°Drink!¡± he screamed, kicking another sprite away and then jogging off. When he turned to see how Lifedrinker¡¯s ability to drain Energy was progressing, he was horrified to see another of the sprites grab her handle and yank her out of his comrade. As the little pendejo lifted her high, looking almost comical with the oversized weapon, Victor growled and ran toward him, channeling his Energy Charge spell. He slammed into his enemy, leading with his shoulder, and when he made impact, it felt like he¡¯d tried to tackle a brick mailbox¡ªback when he was an ordinary human. The crash was thunderous, the shockwave enough to knock all the nearest magma sprites onto their asses, and Victor felt his Core pouring Energy into the shield to protect him from the forces generated. The sprite was a sturdy, heavy, strong creature, but it wasn¡¯t powerful enough to withstand those torrential forces. As the creature exploded, hunks of magma flying in every direction, Lifedrinker fell to the ground with a tremendous thud, splitting the stone like a ball-bearing hitting glass. Victor yanked her up immediately, feeling relief and pride vibrate through her and into his hand. ¡°Sorry, chica!¡± he cried, mortified that an enemy had held her against her will. Let us slay! Victor grinned madly despite his lack of a plan. He turned and jogged ahead of the small horde of magma sprites, wracking his brain for a new idea. He¡¯d killed one, hadn¡¯t he? Could he just whittle them down with Energy Charge? As he turned to assess the field, he had a rapid change of heart. The magma sprite he¡¯d ¡°killed¡± was coming back to life¡ªa hundred times! Each chunk that had resulted from Victor¡¯s explosive impact was growing into a new sprite. ¡°Chingado!¡± Victor spat, then jogged closer to the wall, running parallel to it to give himself more space as the much larger horde of magma sprites inexorably advanced. Mentally, he ran through his abilities, trying to think of one that could kill a sprite without splitting it. His gauntlet¡¯s lava lash would be useless, likewise his berserking abilities; what good would it do to make himself more deadly with an axe that could only increase the count of his foes? He could switch weapons, but to what? A spear, a sword, a hammer? What difference would any of them make? If he hammered one hard enough to kill it, would that not splatter the magma? He could pull them apart¡ªsame problem. He could throw them into the lava, but that would only delay them. He could summon coyotes or his bear, but again, they couldn¡¯t harm the sprites without increasing their numbers. In the end, Victor figured he had two possible strategies. His nightmare alter ego, Terror, could probably kill the creatures, draining them of Energy, but only if they were capable of feeling fear. Victor wasn¡¯t sure about that, and he wanted to keep his wits about him as much as possible, so he decided to go with his other idea. He sent Lifedrinker into her storage container, and then he began to pace back and forth, waiting for the horde of magma sprites to get closer. While he paced, he breathed in and out, deeper and deeper, gathering his breath, channeling the Energy that hung thick in the air. As the front row of the magma men closed the distance to twenty yards, Victor grinned at them. ¡°Okay, assholes. You like fire, huh? How do you like ice?¡± 9.34 Elemental Lessons Victor exhaled, infusing his breath with frigid Energy. A plume of frosty air exploded from his lips, instantly dropping the ambient temperature and bathing the front line of the magma sprites in its icy embrace. Victor¡¯s affinity wasn¡¯t with water or even simple ice¡ªit was with something called ¡°blue ice,¡± and, though it might be related to a typical water affinity, it was different¡ªalways frozen. He¡¯d tried to manipulate the output, but just like his magma, it was what it was; there was no liquid component. He''d even experimented, spraying his frozen breath with its flecks of brutally cold ice onto the ground, watching as it took ages to dissipate, never leaving any water behind. So, while his Breath Core¡¯s capacity wasn¡¯t nearly as robust as his Spirit Core, the Energies inside were exceptionally potent. Like his magma, his blue ice went a long way, and when that foggy, bitterly cold air hit the sprites, it bit into the molten material of their flesh and froze it on the spot. There was no eruption of steam; that would imply the sprite¡¯s heat was sufficient to alter the state of Victor¡¯s breath. It wasn¡¯t. Victor¡¯s breath weapon wrapped its glacial embrace around the leading sprites and almost instantaneously extinguished the heat radiating from within them. They shrank in on themselves, contracting as their molten flesh turned to solid stone in a series of rapid gunshot-like cracks that rang through the cavern. Their glowing, fiery bodies turned dark, and as Victor backed away, peering through the icy fog to see the results of his efforts, he found that nearly a dozen of the sprites had slumped down, looking more like inert basalt boulders than monstrous humanoids. ¡°Hell, yeah!¡± he grunted, backpedaling, giving himself a little more room for his next blast. He moved to his right, angling for the edge of the oncoming horde, and unleashed another gout of frozen air. As his breath stole the vital force from the sprites, he worked his way around his slow, trudging foes, jogging along the shore of the molten lake. When he¡¯d reached their back line, he blew forth another great plume of frozen air, catching a swath of them in its icy embrace. Victor turned his gaze inward, weighing the Energy left in his Breath Core, and saw that it was low, just tiny globes of magma and blue ice swirling in the space, languidly chasing each other¡¯s tails. ¡°All right.¡± Victor began to pump his lungs like a bellows, drawing the magma-thick air into his chest, siphoning off the rich Energy, and exhaling plumes of black smoke. Quietly, he thanked whatever magic in his Breath Core allowed him to use one Energy type to fuel both his attunements as he stoked his ball of magma-attuned Energy into a massive, blazing orb. As soon as his Breath Core felt full to bursting, he pulled a strand of the blue ice Energy into his lungs and blew out another plume of frozen air, this time only catching half a dozen of the sprites in its cone. Even so, he¡¯d whittled their numbers down significantly. Where before, he¡¯d faced more than a hundred and fifty of the things, he thought he was down to something closer to a hundred. Their formation was shaped like a teardrop¡ªthick, where they drew near to him and tapered where the stragglers got hung up on the inert forms of their frozen brethren. Victor continued to lead them in a circular chase as he, once again, drew magma-attuned Energy from the air. It seemed that, as long as he had even a tiny bit of blue ice Energy in his Breath Core if he started a breath attack with it, his Core would convert his magma-attuned Energy on the fly, bolstering his attack. Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t seem to be a one-to-one conversion. Fueling his icy breath with mostly magma-attuned Energy drained his Core rapidly. It didn¡¯t matter; Victor had everything he needed to keep recharging his Core, and the creatures were incredibly easy to lead on a merry chase. As he worked, he contemplated the challenge of the second gate; it was a good trap, he supposed. The magma sprites were tough, and killing them with anything other than ice seemed nearly impossible. Still, if this dungeon had been designed for ¡°groups,¡± what would the odds be that at least one member couldn¡¯t produce a similar attack? He honestly didn¡¯t know¡ªwould regular ice work? Was his attack only so effective because of the extreme coldness of his ¡°blue ice?¡± On the other hand, if the sprites were faster or had ranged attacks, it would have been a lot more difficult, even for Victor. As it was, he took his time, circling his growing garden of inert, seemingly dead sprites, dragging the living ones through it, getting them hung up, and blasting them with frozen breath whenever he had enough Energy. It took him nearly an hour, most of that time spent building up his Breath Core¡¯s Energy, but he did it, whittling them down until, with a final blast of frigid air, he leeched the smoldering, life-giving Energy from the final cluster of magma sprites. He''d breathed his icy breath so many times that the ground was white with it. The temperature had plummeted on that side of the lava lake so much that the surface of the bubbling, roiling body of molten stone had solidified for nearly a dozen paces out from the shore. Victor stood, hands on knees, regaining his breath as the System confirmed his victory¡ªthousands of motes of Energy began to gather around the basalt garden of dead, inert sprites. The Energy gathered into a great pool of shimmering white, luminescent liquid-like pools and then, in a rush, flowed toward Victor. As before, he was struck dumb¡ªblinded and deafened by the euphoria that sent his mind tripping through now-familiar scenes. Later, as his conscious thoughts began to reform, he thought he understood something about the visions, a sort of pattern. They all had to do with growth or strife or creation¡ªgreat challenges overcome by tremendous forces or effort. It was the inkling of an idea, but it was there, tickling the back of his mind as his subconscious worked on it. When he opened his eyes, he found more System messages awaiting his attention: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 76 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ***Congratulations! You have increased your Breath Core¡¯s Rank: Advanced 6.*** ***Congratulations! You have learned the Breath Weapon Mastery skill: Basic.*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the second gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the second wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor initially celebrated another rapid level gain, but when he read the line about ¡°breath weapon mastery,¡± he stood, dumbstruck for several seconds, trying to wrap his head around the idea. How had he only just now gained such a skill? Thinking about it, he realized that, despite knowing how to breathe magma for a good long while, he¡¯d only done it a handful of times. He never used it during sparring because who would want to be bathed in magma? Even Lesh wasn¡¯t fireproof. In this battle, he¡¯d crossed some invisible threshold of understanding, and the System had recognized his efforts. Searching the contents of his mind, thinking about ¡°breath attacks,¡± he found new thoughts¡ªthings he¡¯d ¡°learned¡± via the System¡¯s instantaneous delivery of knowledge. He understood better how to posture his chest, how to control his airflow, and how to properly feed the Energy in his Breath Core into the wind he exhaled. He understood that his natural form of ¡°breath attack¡± was a cone but that there were other variants available if he¡¯d only practice them. ¡°Holy shit,¡± he laughed, surprised by the sudden windfall of knowledge. Of course, his celebrations made him reconsider his dark musings about the System only hours earlier. Was it overbearing? Was it a leech? Or did it provide an opportunity for people to wield power that might have, otherwise, been hoarded by beings like Titans, Dragons, and the Fae, to name just a few of the ¡°elder¡± races Victor had heard of? If nothing else, the reward reminded him that the System and its designs weren¡¯t a simple matter of black and white. As he walked toward the now-open gate, his thoughts of dragons brought his mind around to Tes. Had she been ¡°against¡± the System? It didn¡¯t feel like it to Victor. She¡¯d mentioned that her homeworld, Aradnue, had driven the System away when it tried to insert itself into their affairs, but the dragons weren¡¯t exactly at war with the System, were they? Wasn¡¯t Tes working within the rules? Wasn¡¯t she, in fact, a member of some group called the Celestial Envoys? She¡¯d been careful to warn Victor about Elder magic, insisting he not share it, hadn¡¯t she?Stolen novel; please report. Maybe that would be the path for him, too¡ªapart from the System, but still working within it. Was it right to try to destroy something that benefited other people? Again, the questions only reminded Victor that he had a long way to go and a lot to learn before he declared war on the System. His actions in this dungeon, whatever they turned out to be, were a favor to an ancient, powerful being¡ªnothing more. He chuckled as he lifted the lid to his second chest. ¡°Yeah, keep telling yourself that, pendejo.¡± Inside, he saw something that made him frown and nervously press a hand to the wyrm-scale hauberk Tes had crafted for him¡ªput her own blood into. It was a breastplate, a piece of armor obviously finely made and practically humming with the Energy that thrummed through its dense material. Victor tentatively stretched out his left hand, touching the cool, deep blue-black surface. It was smooth and slick, reminding him of the paint on a fancy sports car; though it was clear the metal wasn¡¯t painted or enameled, the luxurious sheen was due to the material itself. Gorget plates rose up on either side of the neck-hole, and around them and down the sides, the armor was lined with engraved and faintly glowing silver runes. Victor¡¯s studies with Dar¡ªthe many books the master had assigned him to read¡ªfinally paid off, allowing him to discern the import of those magical letters: they were enchantments for resizing, repair, and Energy absorption. It wasn¡¯t until Victor reached down to lift the breastplate out of the chest that its potency really sank home. He couldn¡¯t lift it with one arm. Grunting with stubborn effort, he grasped the neck, sinking his fingers into the supple black leather of the lining, and pulled, only managing to tilt it up against the side of the chest. ¡°What the hell?¡± The thing was heavier than Lifedrinker. Victor brushed his hands together and then grasped it by the armholes with both hands, heaving in a proper deadlift posture, and managed to pull the absurdly heavy armor out of the chest, staggering backward with the weight. He had a feeling that, if he bonded with the thing, it would get easier for him to carry, but he¡¯d stubbornly wanted to see if he could lift it. Thus, having proven himself, he sent a trickle of Energy into the shiny blue-black metal, and a System message crowded into his vision: ***Aegis of Charyssor: Crafted from the discarded shell of Charyssor, an abyssal leviathan found in the depths of the Umbral Sea of Maersh, this armor has been painstakingly cut from one of the densest, most Energy-rich natural substances in the known universe. Originally designed for the Behemoth-King Dotra the Ever-hungry, it was stolen by the master thief Lonagan Heart and discarded into the Endless Pit of the Vas¡¯ra Wasteland during the Entorridian Uprising. With Dotra¡¯s demise, the armor is free to be bonded by a new bearer. It is a living artifact, capable of growth, healing, and the consumption and dispersal of tremendous amounts of Energy.*** Victor read the paragraph, still staggering from the weight in his arms, his eyebrows arching in surprise. He¡¯d never read a System item description like it, and it was clear that the artifact he held in his arms was special. What wasn¡¯t clear was whether he was even capable of wearing it. He knew he was strong, especially for his level, but even with Sovereign Will pumping his strength close to a thousand, he was struggling to hold the armor. It would be easier if he cast Iron Berserk, but he still doubted it would be bearable for more than a few minutes. He shook his head in dismay. Was he honestly going to have to set this thing aside until he got stronger? Even as he contemplated it, he¡¯d had to set the armor at his feet, unable to hold it even waist high any longer. If he somehow managed to wear it, he wasn¡¯t sure how long he could stand under its enormous downward pull¡ªeven berserk. ¡°Well,¡± he grunted, ¡°at least I have something to look forward to.¡± He reached down and sent the armor into his largest, high-quality dimensional container ring, the one he¡¯d taken from Fak Loyle. Almost immediately, the ring grew hot on his finger, going from an elegant silver-colored band to red to orange to white-hot in seconds. In a panic, Victor reached in and summoned the armor out, dropping it to the stone floor with a thunderous crash that dislodged stones from the gatehouse ceiling. ¡°Chingado!¡± Victor punched his fist into his palm, then shook his hand as the ring rapidly cooled. He¡¯d almost destroyed it! He stared at the armor where it sat on the crumbled stone pavers. There was no way he was going to leave it behind; it seemed like it was more than just a magic item; it was a legendary item. He reached to his chest, where the vault sat under his armor. ¡°If it can hold the ivid royal jelly, then it can hold this armor. Right?¡± When the empty air didn¡¯t provide an answer, Victor lifted the vault off his neck and backed out of the gatehouse. He set it on the field where he¡¯d killed the magma sprites and twisted the key, allowing the vault to expand with its usual show of sparks, steam, and clacking, clicking hops. He¡¯d never put something too powerful into a storage ring before, and, in a way, he was glad to see what would happen; at least he¡¯d had a little warning before the ring blew up or collapsed or whatever it would do if it actually failed. With that in mind, he comforted himself as he dragged the armor into the vault; he figured he¡¯d have a few seconds to get it out if things went badly. With the armor leaned against the vault wall, opposite his satchel with the royal jelly, he stepped out and closed the door. He stood for several long minutes, watching the vault, his hand held against the side, waiting to see if it would warn him in any way that the contents were too potent to contain in its miniaturized state. Nothing happened, though, and Victor, holding his breath, turned the key, activating the vault¡¯s shrinking magic. It seemed to contract at its usual rate, and Victor didn¡¯t notice any more steam or sparks than usual. When it stopped, and he picked up the marble-sized vault, it wasn¡¯t hot. Still, he held it for several minutes, and when nothing happened, he expanded it again, looking inside to reassure himself that his two most valuable treasures were still intact. After he¡¯d shrunk it again and hung the marble and key back around his neck, Victor quietly thanked the invaders from Dark Ember for the powerful, Fae-crafted vault. With that handled, Victor touched his hand to his wyrm-scale armor again, almost glad that he hadn¡¯t had to choose his new treasure over Tes¡¯s gift just yet. He strode through the gatehouse into the third section of the ¡°crucible¡± and stopped in his tracks, feeling like he was being watched despite the empty, black gravel road that stretched ahead, meandering through the strange canyon walls to the distant third gate. He narrowed his eyes, scanning the walls of the canyon and peering up into the impenetrable darkness of the dungeon¡¯s ¡°sky.¡± Nothing moved. He continued forward, his boots crunching on the sharp obsidian gravel, and summoned Lifedrinker to his hands. It was almost funny to feel her weight, in comparison to the breastplate, and find her easy to wield. ¡°Okay, chica, something¡¯s out there. You ready for¡ª¡± Victor¡¯s words were cut short as the road a dozen yards ahead of him exploded in a shower of stinging, razor-sharp, stony projectiles. He leaped backward, ducking his chin to protect his eyes as the shower continued. He heard his enemy before he saw it, a rough susurration, as scales slid over stone and then great hissing screeches as it tore out of the ground and slithered toward him. It was a wyrm¡ªa big, red-scaled one with a crown of smoldering horns. Victor didn¡¯t need to think about it; he cast Iron Berserk instantly as he lifted Lifedrinker and got ready for the assault. The creature didn¡¯t charge him, though; it didn¡¯t try to clamp down on him with its jaws that could probably bite through a small passenger car. It reared up, trying to match Victor¡¯s enormous height, and belched forth a massive cloud of black smoke followed by a hissing, crackling gout of fire. The flames hit Victor full in the chest, washing over him in a wave that felt oddly like standing in a hot shower. In his fury, Victor laughed cruelly, baring his teeth and roaring into the wyrm¡¯s fire. The poor creature couldn¡¯t have known how ineffective its flame attack would be. How could it know that Victor had a magma-attuned Breath Core? How could it know that his titan bloodline was resistant to the elements? How could it know about his brush with fiery death and his acquisition of the Flame-Touched feat? How could it know that his armor was incredibly resistant to fire? As the thing continued to belch forth a truly prodigious jet of flames, Victor lifted Lifedrinker high and cast Energy Charge, streaking into those flames and bringing the axe down with unimaginable force, splitting the wyrm¡¯s horn-covered crown to tear through scaly hide and bone, to bury her blade into its enormous skull. Victor wasn¡¯t sure if that was a wound a wyrm could normally live through, but Lifedrinker didn¡¯t give it any chance to regenerate. She drew torrents of fiery Energy into herself as the wyrm collapsed, falling like a smoking, smoldering giant serpent from a King Kong movie. Victor watched as the great corpse twitched and the light faded from its saucer-sized yellow eyes. It was dead. Before he could even wonder if there were more enemies en route, he saw the Energy gathering around the serpent¡¯s body, and he knew he¡¯d passed another obstacle. The System might not announce it yet, but it wouldn¡¯t grant him Energy unless the fighting was over. ¡°That was quick,¡± he commented as the surge of Energy slammed into him. 9.35 Wyrm Dreams When Victor recovered from his Energy infusion, he was almost surprised by the scant couple of System messages waiting for him: ***Congratulations! You have cleared the third gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the third wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** ¡°No level?¡± he chuckled, grunting as he pushed himself to his feet. He regarded the gigantic corpse of the wyrm at his feet. It wasn¡¯t close to the size of the one he¡¯d helped kill on Zaafor, but it was definitely no baby. He figured, from the tip of its fang-filled maw to the tapered point of its distant tail, the thing was seventy or eighty feet long. He might not have gained a level or any skill advancements from his quick battle with the thing, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t claim his own bonus reward. Grinning, Victor summoned a sharp knife from his storage ring and ran his eyes over the lengthy corpse. ¡°Where¡¯s your heart, eh, hermano?¡± He got to work trying to find it, slicing lengthwise along a tough ridge of thick, scaly flesh between the wyrm¡¯s under-scales and its much harder back scales. When he found the heart, something in his gut told him it was wrong, and that¡¯s when he remembered that the great, ancient wyrm they¡¯d slain on Zaafor had multiple hearts. Would it matter which one he ate? It felt like it would. He couldn¡¯t verbalize the reason, but instinctually, he knew he had the wrong one. So, nearly forty minutes later, Victor sat staring at not one but three bloody organs, one of which was a good deal larger than the others. ¡°So, this was your first one, wasn¡¯t it, hermano?¡± He had a vague memory of Tes explaining that Wyrms developed extra hearts as their bodies grew too large for one to circulate the blood properly. It didn¡¯t quite make sense to Victor; when he doubled in size, so did his heart, but maybe it had something to do with the length of a wyrm¡¯s body. Shrugging, Victor picked up the big, glistening organ and contemplated storing it away. As he hefted it, though, sticky and lukewarm in his hand, his stomach rumbled, and a slow grin spread his lips. Without further ado, he bit into it, savoring the hot, coppery tang and the surge of Energy that seeped into his blood, even as he chewed the tough meat. It took him a few minutes to chew through all the tough meat¡ªthe heart was the size of a Christmas ham. Still, it was good, at least to Victor¡¯s Quinametzin tastebuds, and when he swallowed the last bite, he could feel it churning in his gut, spreading its potent elixir of Energy, spirit, and secrets of the blood. He took a staggering step back, his heel catching on the downed Wyrm, so he fell against it, sitting on the sharp, bloody obsidian, his back against the great creature¡¯s still-warm flesh. He tried to focus, instinctively resisting the pull of oblivion as a wave of tingling, itching, numbing sensation spread through his body, starting with his gut and working outward toward his extremities. His vision darkened, and a wave of exhaustion washed over him. Victor closed his eyes, succumbing to its embrace. All he knew was hunger. All he knew was the need to fill his belly with something warm and bloody. He slid through dark passages, his body undulating, speeding him along with the contractions that rippled through the muscles under his scales. When the passage ended, he continued, ripping the soil with his breaker-horn, shoving aside rocks, and pushing through the dirt. It was dark when he exploded into the open air, but his eyes were keen, made for a life hidden from the sun. He saw them below, hundreds of warm bodies, standing amid the tall, soft, cool grass. What a strange world! The air tickled his scales, and the lack of heat cooled his blood, but his Breath Core saw it reheated. He flicked forth his forked tongue, tasting the air, and his stomach clenched with desire when he caught a whiff of the creatures¡¯ blood. He tore over the grass, sliding between tall, smooth-barked trees until he broke into the clearing where the warm creatures grazed. They caught wind of him, but too late. He spread his jaws and bit down, his great fangs sinking through hide and muscle, piercing organs and snapping bones. As the thing thrashed, bloody and broken in the grass, the wyrm¡ªfor he¡¯d yet to earn a name¡ªreared up and pumped the bellows of his Breath Core, sending a stream of orange and yellow flames down to cook the thing. As the rest of the creatures fled, he crunched and swallowed the charred corpse, working the four-legged, stupid, but delicious thing into his throat. As he snapped his jaws back together, he turned, savoring the satisfying lump still working its way down to his stomach, and began to glide back the way he¡¯d come; he¡¯d seek out his lair and sleep, allowing his body to use the fuel he¡¯d given it to build his strength. Victor coughed, waking with a start. He shook his head, disoriented, but not for long. He recognized his surroundings and knew what had just happened: he¡¯d dreamed a vision of the wyrm¡¯s former life. Before he could reflect on it much, he noticed System messages and focused his bleary eyes, reading them: ***Congratulations! You have increased the rank of your Breath Core: Advanced 7.*** ***Congratulations! You have gained a new feat: Wyrm¡¯s Fervor.*** ***Wyrm¡¯s Fervor: When you slay a creature and cook its meat with your breath weapon, you create a special form of sustenance that will enhance your strength and aid your growth. This is a cumulative effect and will be most pronounced after significant milestones have been reached.*** ¡°Chingado!¡± Victor laughed as he cussed, shaking his head. ¡°What a fucked-up System!¡± He looked around for Lifedrinker and picked her up, hefting her to his shoulder. ¡°Did you hear that, chica? I guess I¡¯m not done growing.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Chuckling, he looked at the corpse and contemplated trying out his new feat, but he could see it was stone cold, and it didn¡¯t appeal to him. His instincts were telling him the thing wasn¡¯t fresh enough. How long had he been out? Frowning, he set Lifedrinker down and summoned forth Bryn¡¯s Farscribe book. He flipped to the message he¡¯d sent her and saw two replies: Your Grace, I appreciate your update, however curt it was. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware, but the mountain moved for the first time in decades, and Magus Florent and I have been fielding quite a few panicked messages from the queen¡¯s people. I¡¯ve assured them that you had nothing to do with the event. Since it seems to have calmed, I¡¯m hopeful that our operation here will go unmolested by the queen or her agents. Your man, Trobban, has been hard at work disassembling the giant automaton. He¡¯s rather thrilled with what he¡¯s found thus far, though I¡¯d be lying if I said I could repeat any of the specifics¡ªI tend to tune such matters out. Ever your loyal retainer, Bryn Tama, Unofficial Executor of His Grace¡¯s Orders Victor snorted at the title she¡¯d given herself but also resolved to give her some official authority in the duchy; he was asking a lot of her, so it only made sense that she should be able to back herself up with the weight of a proper title. His eyes narrowed as he let them drift down to the next message. Your Grace, We¡¯ve not heard from you for a week now, and though the mountain is quiet and no horrors creep up from beyond the amber-ore wall, I must confess some worry. I do hope that you¡¯ll spare a moment to peruse this correspondence and deliver some small update. Thus far, the queen has only inquired about your progress once, and I fended her off with a rather clever response¡ªthat you were, indeed, progressing. I¡¯m rather sure she¡¯s not happy with me, and I worry that her next request for information will be delivered in person.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. With a heart ever-hopeful that I shouldn¡¯t be spending my time hunting for a new employer, Bryn Tama, Unofficial Executor of His (missing) Grace¡¯s Orders Victor laughed and summoned a pen, eager to respond: Bryn, I¡¯m alive, and you still have a job. I was out of it for a short while there, but I¡¯m good now. If the queen puts pressure on you, go ahead and tell her that the mountain was stirring because it wanted me to do something and that if I don¡¯t do it, there might be a much bigger rumble, if you get my meaning. Tell Trobban I¡¯m looking forward to hearing about his progress. As for you, Bryn, keep up your excellent work. I¡¯ll see you rewarded for your efforts. By the way, how long has it been since that last message? I lost track of the time while I was¡out. -Victor Victor put the Farscribe book away and, while he was at it, looked guiltily at some of the others in the same container¡ªhis book with Valla, the one he shared with Olivia, the book Thayla had given him, the one for Dar, and the one he used to keep in touch with Edeya and the others on Sojourn. Those were only about half of the books he needed to read through, but he couldn¡¯t do it now. He had work to do. So, with a rather heavy sigh, he turned his attention away from the storage ring and picked up Lifedrinker. ¡°Let¡¯s go look in our chest, chica.¡± ¡°With luck, the dungeon¡¯s ancient bounty will award us well!¡± Victor thought about her words. He was surprised she hadn¡¯t clamored for blood or battle. He voiced the other thought that came to mind: "You think maybe that¡¯s why the monsters and the treasure have been worth a lot? ¡®Cause the dungeon is old?¡± ¡°I know not how I have this understanding, but yes, blood-mate¡ªthis dungeon has languished unchallenged for long and long. Its denizens grew in age and power, and its treasures multiplied and compounded.¡± Lifedrinker¡¯s voice always strummed a chord in Victor¡¯s heart that somehow put him at ease, even before a fight¡or during one. He loved it when she was in a talkative mood, so as he walked to the third gate, he asked, ¡°Do you feel like you understand a lot more since your evolution?¡± ¡°I think more. I feel more. I want more. More battle, more blood, more of your hands on me, more of your spirit mingling with mine. I want more metal and Energy! I yearn to be greater than I am. Together, we should slaughter all who stand before us, all who threaten those we love, all who dare to think of parting us!¡± ¡°Holy shit, Lifedrinker,¡± Victor was embarrassed to chuckle nervously at her fervor. He gripped her haft with both hands, keenly aware of her weight on his shoulder. ¡°Listen, I want that stuff too, mostly, but there¡¯s more to life than that, right? I know, as an axe made for war, you don¡¯t really understand the concepts of things other than that, but maybe, well, think about what you saw me doing back when I didn¡¯t carry you in a dimensional ring. I wish¡I wish there were a way you could experience something other than fighting¡ª¡± ¡°But I love to fight! I love to bathe in the blood of your foes! I love to feel your righteous fury course through me! I love our time together as we conquer fools who challenge your nature!¡± ¡°I know, I know, chica. That¡¯s great, and I love you for all you¡¯ve done for me, too. Let me think about this, though. I feel like there has to be more to your¡development.¡± ¡°Think all you like, my gore-mate, my blood-heart. I will continue to dream of red rain and songs of terror.¡± Victor didn¡¯t respond, his mind too overwhelmed by the mix of emotions coming from the axe; she was happy and content but hungry for violence, and none of those feelings seemed wrong to him, which was another thing for him to contemplate. He suddenly wished intelligence was his highest attribute. As he stepped into the gatehouse, he walked over to the chest, identical to the previous two, and lifted the lid, waving away the cloud of golden Energy mist that burst forth. He almost laughed when he saw what sat within: a crown, obsidian-black and set with four hooked teeth or talons rising from the top edge, pointed slightly outward. When he reached into the chest to lift it out, it felt dangerously cold to the touch and strained his muscles with its weight. ¡°What is it with this dungeon and heavy equipment?¡± Grunting with the effort, he held it up between his hands, inspecting the thing. Its face was broad, probably the width of his giant-sized palm, and the inside was lined with supple black leather that, to Victor¡¯s memory, seemed a lot like the lining of the breastplate he¡¯d received in the previous chest. The face of the crown was worked in an angular pattern and set with seven black gemstones. At first, he hadn¡¯t noticed them because their glossy surface matched the polished black sheen of the crown¡¯s metal. It was a beautiful thing, sturdy though it was. With a slight frown of apprehension, Victor trickled some Energy into the metal through his hand and read the System¡¯s description: ***Crown of the Dark Colossus: Forged in the fires of the World Heart of Tor-Bahl for the Colossus King, Brome, the metal of this crown is vester-steel tempered with dragon¡¯s blood. Set with the fangs of Angra¡¯lovis¡¯brakaan, the dragon-born assassin whose blood was used to temper the steel, and adorned with umbral opals, this crown is rumored to greatly enhance the wearer¡¯s strength, though only a mighty will can silence the whispers of Angra¡¯lovis¡¯brakaan¡¯s mad spirit.*** ¡°What the hell?¡± Victor frowned, tilting the massive, heavy crown in his hands. Those were dragon¡¯s teeth? It was tempered in dragon¡¯s blood? Part of him found the prospect thrilling, while another was revolted. How would Tes react to such an artifact? Were dragons sentimental about such things? She¡¯d sort of made a big deal about using her blood to craft his armor, hadn¡¯t she? Or had she just said it was only fair, considering he¡¯d given her some of his? As important as it was to him, the memory was a little foggy. Victor wasn¡¯t an idiot; he could see how this item seemed to go with the armor he¡¯d received from the previous chest. If it could really ¡°greatly enhance¡± his strength, maybe he¡¯d be able to wear his new armor. Was his will high enough to deal with the whispers of a ¡°mad spirit,¡± though? He didn¡¯t want to try to find out in the middle of a dungeon with no one to back him up. With that decided, he took a few minutes to add the crown to his growing pile of treasures in the fae vault. After he slipped the key and vault back around his neck, Victor picked up Lifedrinker and proceeded through the gate into the fourth section of the crucible. Again, caustic gas and smoke filled the steamy air, and he saw another lake of magma stretching away into the dungeon¡¯s strange midnight canyon. This time, rather than tiny islands dotting the magma intended for someone to leapfrog across, the road continued, though it became a stone bridge where it met the lake. The canyon had a bend about half a mile from where he stood, making it impossible for Victor to see the next gate, nor could he see any defenders. Remembering how the lava sprites had climbed out of the last lake and how the fire wyrm had exploded out of the ground, he readied himself just the same. He summoned his banner, ensured he was still bolstering his strength and vitality with Sovereign Will, and hefted Lifedrinker, holding her ready as he stalked toward the lakeshore. Nothing attacked him on his way to the bridge, and when he stepped onto it, out of the rough, sharp gravel and onto dark basalt stones, nothing exploded out of the semi-solid surface of the magma lake. Victor chuckled¡ªhe¡¯d expected to be swarmed when crossing the lake. With a deep breath of less-than-pleasant air, he started forward, crossing the molten surface under a haze of gasses and vapors. He idly wondered what the temperature was in that canyon and how bad the air would have been for a normal person. Could he have even walked in this dungeon when he was new to Fanwath¡ªa human with no Core? How different he was! How different his life was! Could he ever have imagined that he¡¯d be striding over a bridge crossing a lake of magma, carrying an axe that a pickup truck would struggle to haul? He laughed, and his voice echoed oddly over the molten lake. If he saw himself now, bigger than any NFL linebacker could ever dream, wearing armor that bullets couldn¡¯t touch, flickering with flames like some kind of hell-born warrior, his old self would have shit himself. As he walked, the rest of the canyon, up to the next gate, slowly revealed itself, and Victor saw that an expansive open area stretched out from the lake shore, and an army stood there, arrayed for battle. They weren¡¯t monstrous humanoids like at the first gate. No, these beings looked far more formidable. They were humanoid in shape, but they weren¡¯t misshapen or stricken with seemingly random mutations. These figures were lithe and graceful in their movements¡ªtall, angular, and dark, their flesh glinting like polished black glass. He figured they were all between ten and fifteen feet in height, but their arms and legs were long and lean, their hooked fingers resting on the ground as they stood ready. A thousand smoldering red eyes stared at him as he stopped and took in the sight of the army. They wore no equipment, but it didn¡¯t look like they¡¯d need any; their hook-like fingers looked like they could rend steel, and their skin looked harder than metal. As he stood there, wondering if he should lure them onto the bridge so he wouldn¡¯t have to face so many at once, he heard something behind him, the click of stone on stone, and whirled to see, halfway between him and the far shore, another army of the dark figures advancing. As he watched, slowly nodding, his mind grappling with the challenge before him, stone rumbled, and a hundred cave openings appeared in the canyon walls. Glowering red eyes tracked him from their depths. ¡°Shit,¡± he breathed. ***Congratulations! You have reached the fourth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Survive the obsidian lurker ambush!*** 9.36 Lifedrinkers Bite Victor existed in a haze of mad fury and a blind need for destruction. His consciousness had narrowed to a pinpoint focus on the world in front of him and the target of his axe. Besides rage, the only other emotion that brushed the surface of his waking mind was wild, cruel glee as he slaughtered one foe after another. If he could step outside himself and watch the destruction he wrought, he might have been stunned by the carnage. He moved like a piece of construction equipment¡ªa backhoe or bulldozer or excavator¡ªponderous and unstoppable as he waded through the hordes of obsidian lurkers. Lifedrinker¡¯s razored, glass-smooth blade glowed white-hot with her matching fury and battle lust, and as she bit through each gemstone-hard lurker carapace, the sound of her rending echoed through the canyon like the screams of dying angels. The lurkers felt no pain. They didn¡¯t cry out or stop fighting as Lifedrinker took their limbs¡ªthey pressed the fight, scrambling over each other for a chance to stab their diamond-hard hooked talons into Victor. When the battle started, Victor wasn¡¯t so incensed, so incapable of strategy. He¡¯d cast Iron Berserk and gotten to work on the hordes of monstrous creatures, using his Energy Charge and Flight of the Lava King whenever they were off cooldown to keep from being swarmed. Even so, each engagement resulted in stabs and gashes, and with the very first wound, his Furious Battle Momentum began the countdown to his unshackled, mindless fury. And so it went, for minutes and minutes, Victor battled, and inch by inch, he lost his mind. With each hard claw that punched through his wyrm-scale vest, more rage surged into the special pathway that ran parallel to his other one, mingling with his blood, his bones, and his very cells, driving him wild with anger. His thick hide leggings could slow the piercing, grabbing claws, but not enough to keep his flesh whole. Blood flowed, and Victor screamed, and the battle raged on. Despite his madness, Victor kept to the bridge. He didn¡¯t need to chase his foes because they came to him, a never-ending tide of heaving, thrashing, clawing, long-limbed, silently menacing foes. His blows were wild and powerful, his axe like a bladed wrecking ball as he stood and cleaved, throwing bodies and parts of bodies over the sides of the bridge into the barely liquid magma-filled gorge. The piles of obsidian-fleshed corpses mounted upward, macabre tributes to the destruction he wrought. Despite his strength and speed, his wounds added up, and though his rage-fueled regeneration mended his cuts and his armor worked to repair itself, his Core drained at a steady rate. If he¡¯d had the mind to wonder, he might have been worried about what would happen when his Core ran dry. His Furious Battle Momentum wasn¡¯t something he controlled¡ªthat tendril of rage-attuned Energy flowed into its pathway regardless of his desires¡ªbut what would happen if there was no more rage to pull? As the count of his defeated foes climbed into the hundreds and Victor¡¯s frenzied swings became so fast that even Lifedrinker, in all her thousands of pounds of impossibly dense metal, cut the air in a blur, the Paragon of the Axe showed its first ghostly visage. Lifedrinker¡¯s blows began to land against foes lined up behind the front row of Victor¡¯s aggressors. As she cleaved a row of lurkers physically, the paragon did its psychic damage to the poor wretches behind them. With each mighty, lightning-fast sweep of his great axe, Victor demolished a dozen or more of his enemies. The press of obsidian bodies grew less intense as he swept the bridge before him clear, hacking, turning, hacking, and so on. Hunks of his foes flew through the air, their black, ichor-like blood spewing into the air to fall like a dark, tacky rain that sizzled and popped on the magma lake¡¯s surface. Steam filled the air, and Victor¡¯s maniac grin widened as he advanced along the bridge. His armor hung in shreds, too torn to rapidly mend. His body was drenched in sweat, blood, and the steam of his foes¡¯ blood. His flesh was whole, however, and the drain on his Core had lessened now that the Paragon of the Axe was with him. That ghostly blade, echoing Lifedrinker¡¯s white-hot shape, stretched out, effortlessly slicing through the lurkers that dared to crowd closer or failed to retreat as he pushed forward. Lifedrinker¡¯s reach was enormous in his titanic grip, but the paragon added another ten feet. As he whipped Lifedrinker in cutting arcs, he decimated the foes before him. When he felt them crowding close, he¡¯d whirl, acting on pure battle instinct, and hack her in a great cleave that slaughtered tens of the things. The vile, murderous lurkers had ceased their endless streams out of the caves, and, for the first time, their numbers began to dwindle as Victor pushed toward the distant gate. If he could speak or understand the question, Victor wouldn¡¯t have an answer to why he fought toward the gate; perhaps some instinct drove him, some fighting desire to constantly press the attack. He was like a rabid panther set loose among similarly wild-eyed rats. The obsidian lurkers knew no fear and didn¡¯t hesitate in their relentless desire to rip Victor to shreds, but each time they were close enough, Victor swiped them away, torn to pieces. The fight went on and on, and after a time, Victor reached the end of the bridge and pushed into the dwindling lines of lurkers, gaining a foothold on the solid ground before the gate. He didn¡¯t have to chase after enemies to fight; they kept coming¡ªmeat into a grinder. It wasn¡¯t until his rage began to fade and fresh-born lucidity blossomed in his mind that Victor realized he was still hacking his axe, though no further foes advanced. He turned in a slow circle and surveyed the carnage. Thousands of corpses littered the field or burned on their pyres¡ªgreat heaps of the hard-fleshed creatures piled high on the semi-sold surface of the magma lake. Some still twitched; one nearby clung to life and tried to crawl toward him, using its pointed hook fingers to drag its severed body forward. Victor stomped its hard skull, grinding it like the shell of a coconut into the stony ground. He spat, realizing some gore clung to his lips, and wiped his face on his forearm, only to smear more gore across his cheek. He looked down at himself, at his still-shredded pants and armor drenched in black filth. He hoped his armor would recover and clean itself, but his flesh beneath was hopelessly soiled. Victor walked through the carnage until he came to a relatively clean section of the gravel road. There, he retrieved a barrel of water and some towels from his storage container and prepared to clean himself. Even as he pulled off his damaged armor, though, the System finally acknowledged his victory. A tremendous rush of Energy knocked him off his feet, lifting him into the air, driving his muscles into rigidity and his mind into senseless wandering. He experienced a familiar cascade of visions, the kind that always flooded his mind when struck by an overwhelming surge of Energy: mountains erupting, planets forming and colliding, shadowy figures locked in titanic struggles¡ªhow he knew what each meant, he couldn¡¯t say; he simply understood. Though the scenes were like those he¡¯d seen before, each was distinct, and this time, something new emerged toward the end. He saw a landscape of pastoral beauty, a hillside blanketed in lush, green grass. Resting there, bathed in sunlight, was a blue-tinted dragon¡ªscales bright and metalline. Her golden eyes shifted upward to meet his, shining with a glint of recognition. When he came to himself, it was like waking from a deep, restful slumber; he knew he¡¯d dreamed of something meaningful but struggled to recall it. Victor traced the fragments of his memories, trying to pull the images into his conscious mind¡¯s eye, but he only saw pieces¡ªsnatches of color, feelings, and impressions. Had he dreamed of someone he knew? He thought for certain he had. He was sure it had been someone he missed, someone he wanted to see again, though he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on who it had been. ¡°Valla?¡± he wondered aloud, but it didn¡¯t feel right. With a mental shrug, he looked to the System messages crowding his vision: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 77 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ***Congratulations! Your feat, Challenger, has been upgraded! New Feat: Unyielding Challenger.*** ***Unyielding Challenger: Time and time again, you have not only faced powerful foes but held your ground against entire armies, emerging victorious through sheer will and skill. The strength of your aura has become a force of nature, radiating defiance that breaks the spirits of those who stand against you. Effect: Enemies within range of your aura will feel the weight of inevitable defeat more keenly, further reducing their resistance to fear and causing those of lesser power to hesitate or falter when facing you alone.***A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fourth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fourth wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor stood and stretched, smiling at what he¡¯d read. After finishing what he¡¯d started with the barrel of water, rinsing himself thoroughly, he picked up Lifedrinker and hefted her onto his shoulder. Though he wasn¡¯t berserk, she felt more manageable in his hands and didn¡¯t pain his shoulder as her tremendous weight pressed down on him. He¡¯d gained a few levels, and each one gave him nine strength and fourteen vitality; it added up. Grinning, still feeling good thanks to his dreams and the good news from the System, he walked over to the gatehouse and approached his fourth chest. If he¡¯d known the battle experience and loot that awaited him in the dungeon, Victor wouldn¡¯t have needed any sort of quest from a primordial titan to enter. How could he complain about gaining levels, treasure, and feats? Chuckling, he lifted the lid and waited for the Energy mist to fade. Looking inside, he saw a single object, a bottle with dark green glass. He lifted it out, palming it, figuring it was about the size of a beer bottle. To his surprise and delight, it bore a label affixed to the cork stopper: Concentrated distillate of a Qo¡¯lorian Essence Drifter¡ªDrink to gain a permanent boost to one or more attributes. ¡°Nice!¡± Victor almost pulled the stopper and tilted it into his mouth immediately, but he paused, rethinking the action. If it was a significant boost, and judging by his other awards in the dungeon, he figured it probably was, it might knock him out for a while¡ªdays or weeks, even. ¡°Better save it.¡± Wincing and ready to pull it back immediately, he carefully sent it into his storage ring. The ring immediately began to heat up, so he yanked it out. While it was irritating to have to go through the process of putting it into his vault, the fact that his ring couldn¡¯t hold it portended good things about the ¡°distillate.¡± So, with a cheerful demeanor, he activated his vault, stowed his new treasure away, and then closed it up. He secured it around his neck, some deeply buried part of him thrilling at the idea of his growing hoard. With a sigh and a stretch, he stepped toward the gate but paused to examine his armor. His pants had recovered, and so had his wyrm-scale vest. He ran his fingers over the scales, pressing and tugging on them. They seemed fine, but how many times could they regenerate? Was it an infinite process, or were they growing slightly weaker with each repair? He wished he could ask Tes about it. The thought brought to mind a faint memory¡ªa great blue dragon in the sun¡ªand suddenly Victor remembered his dream. ¡°I saw her.¡± His voice was hushed, a whisper, but Lifedrinker heard him. ¡°Who, war-heart?¡± ¡°Tes. I think I saw her when I leveled¡ªwhen the Energy overwhelmed me.¡± ¡°The one who hid her teeth as she guided you through the wastes?¡± Victor snorted, smiling. ¡°Yeah, that was her.¡± ¡°She liked me, battle-love. She said I was special¡ªwould that she could see me now!¡± ¡°Yeah, she¡¯d be impressed, chica. For sure.¡± Victor patted Lifedrinker¡¯s haft and then stepped through the gate. The distance to the next gate was much shorter than the previous ones. He could see it across a barren plain of rocky, broken obsidian shards. Of course, he could also see its defender. The metallic warrior reminded Victor of the automaton he¡¯d destroyed outside the amber-ore wall. There were distinct differences, however. This being didn¡¯t strike Victor as being a construct. To Victor, it looked very much like a gigantic, metal human man. It didn¡¯t have seams at its joints, nor did the expression on its shiny gray face look devoid of emotion. Its gleaming black eyes traced Victor¡¯s movements, and a scowl creased its metallic forehead, drawing its brow down as it snarled. It was titanic in size, something between twenty or thirty feet tall, and powerfully built. The giant stepped forward and stretched out an arm from which a blazing spear of light erupted, stretching to a length of twenty or thirty feet, flickering with the potent charge of its Energy. ¡°Mano a mano, eh, pendejo?¡± Victor grinned as he channeled Energy into Iron Berserk. His form exploded with size and power, and in seconds, he stood, eye to eye, facing the metal giant over the length of the battlefield. He took a single step, and the System chimed in: ***Congratulations! You have reached the fifth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Defeat the Iron Colossus to advance!*** Victor hoped the description was accurate. He hoped the thing was made of iron; Lifedrinker would cut it like butter. In a way, the defender reminded him of Lira, Ronkerz¡¯s Big One, who¡¯d clad herself in a gigantic metal shell. Lifedrinker hadn¡¯t been effective against her, but that was before she¡¯d grown, before she¡¯d absorbed the ¡°soul ore¡± and massively increased her¡mass. ¡°Okay, chica. Time to show this big metal asshole how you can bite.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± she practically screamed. ¡°Yes, blood-heart! War-mate! Let us test my edge!¡± Grinning, Victor cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin, and as the clarity of its wonderful Energy washed over him, he crouched into a battle stance and stalked toward his enemy. The colossus moved, and it wasn¡¯t slow or ponderous. It leaped forward and to the left, significantly closing the distance between them. As Victor shifted to square off with it again, the thing pivoted and bolted into a charge, its great metal feet thunderously pounding into the hard gravel surface. Victor lifted Lifedrinker, contemplating how to parry a spear of pure light, but even as the colossus closed to a mere fifty feet, it lunged, and the spear shot forth, lengthening to close the gap and punching into Victor¡¯s chest, just beneath his left collarbone. It had been aiming for his heart! The pain was enormous; it seared his flesh like no fire could. When the shaft of light recoiled, shortening to its regular length, the colossus raised it high, readying another blow. The entire attack took less than a heartbeat, less than a single inhalation. The speed of the graceful metal giant combined with the lightning flash of the spear¡¯s attack was enough to confound any attempt to parry the blow, but Victor was no slouch, and he knew what he was up against now. As his titanic constitution and berserk regeneration worked to reverse the damage to his chest, he braced Lifedrinker before him and cast Energy Charge, fueling the spell with inspiration-attuned Energy. When he streaked over the ground, closing the gap between them in a flash, Victor was confident that he¡¯d strike his foe; had any enemy managed to dodge his charge? He was too focused to dig through his memories of countless fights, but he didn¡¯t think so. It was with some shock, then, that he realized the colossus wasn¡¯t standing where it should be, and he tore over the empty gravel-strewn field. When his charge ended, he whirled, only to be stabbed again, this time right in the center of his stomach. The pain was enormous, and he faltered for a moment, stumbling to his knees as the shaft of burning light burned through his spine. Such a blow would have ruined most fighters; how could a man fight with his spine severed? It wouldn¡¯t be easy, certainly, but Victor didn¡¯t have to figure it out. He¡¯d barely inhaled to roar his fury when his incredible regeneration reknit his spinal cord, and he leaped to his feet, his fury mounting by the second. This time, as he sprinted toward his foe, he watched that spear, and as it lanced out again, Lifedrinker¡¯s mirrored black blade deflected the shaft of light, and she screamed her pride and bloodlust. The colossus drew its spear back, ready to launch another blazing attack, but Victor had closed the distance, and Lifedrinker was already arcing out in an upward-angled backswing. Her brilliant, white-hot edge met the colossus at the hip, and she tore through the fabric of his being like a hatchet through an aluminum can. Light exploded from the rend, blazing forth with burning intensity, and Victor had to use Titanic Leap to launch away from the burning plume. As he sailed backward, he watched the colossus stagger, its Energy bursting forth like air from a balloon, and then it stopped, and Victor could see that its right leg, the one Lifedrinker had cut, had gone inert, like solid, dead iron. The rest of the colossus was still vibrant, still alive, and it took a step with its good leg, dragging the other as it rotated to put Victor in its sights. It drew back its spear, tracing Victor as he descended from his leap, and launched another lance-like stab. Victor, mid-air, focused on the colossus¡¯s waist and activated Flight of the Lava King, streaking down beneath the arc of the spear¡¯s lance of light. He flew through the air, trailing flames and black smoke as he crashed into the colossus, his shoulder smashing into its rock-hard stomach. It might have hurt if the thing didn¡¯t move, but it did, toppling back like an unsecured light pole, crashing onto the ground with an earth-shaking clang. One thing about Victor: he wasn¡¯t one to hesitate to press an advantage in a fight. The colossus bounced once, and then Lifedrinker was buried in its chest, slamming it into the ground. As light exploded from the massive tear, Victor leaped backward, out of the burning rays, and watched as Lifedrinker began to thrum and vibrate, drawing that explosion of Energy into herself, stifling the leak, and singing her bloody war cries as she tore the vital force from the colossal being. ¡°Hell, yes! Get it, chica!¡± Victor roared, his voice hoarse with rage, his mouth frothing as he worked to control the effects of his Furious Battle Momentum. He still had his mind, and the fight was well and truly over, so it didn¡¯t take long for the rage to bleed from his pathways. When Lifedrinker stopped vibrating, and the entire colossus was dull, dead metal, he reached for her haft and pulled her out, widening the cut in the strange giant¡¯s metal. Lifedrinker¡¯s blade throbbed with veins of blinding light, and he knew it would be a while before she processed her massive feast. Victor only had a moment to wonder if the fight was truly over, if there would be another defender of the gate before he saw an enormous puddle of glittering, ghostly-white Energy orbs begin to bubble up out of the colossus¡¯s metallic form. The sight answered his question¡ªthe fight was done, and he was about to get knocked out again. 9.37 Horde ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fifth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the fifth wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor blinked, reaching up to rub his eyes as he read the notifications. Was that his first victory in the dungeon that didn¡¯t result in a level? He supposed it had to slow down at some point, but he couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight twinge of disappointment. With a grunt, he pushed himself to his feet and regarded the cold, iron corpse of the fifth gate¡¯s defender. It looked smaller, somehow pitiful, in its inert, lifeless state. With a shrug, Victor picked up Lifedrinker and stalked toward the open gate. As he walked, thoughts of his most recent visions crowded his mind. He hadn¡¯t seen Tes again, had he? As always, the memories of his visions were far less vivid than he¡¯d like, but he was left with the impression of colossal trials being overcome. Was the System responsible for the strange dreams? Were his ancestors guiding his mind as it was touched by torrents of rich Energy? Were the things he saw just random, or were they messages buried in his blood, in the fabric of his DNA? Sometimes, he felt like his mind was loose, ripping through the cosmos and experiencing things and places incomprehensibly distant from where he¡¯d left his body. Sometimes, he also felt like the distance was even further¡ªseparated from his current reality by not just space but also time. Victor had heard people speak in terms of the ¡°universe,¡± and he¡¯d heard people offhandedly pluralize that word, speaking as though there were multitudes. Were there more than one? Did they exist on different timelines, or were they separated by some fabric of reality he couldn¡¯t perceive? Could people move between them? Had he? ¡°The same old question,¡± he sighed, reminding himself that he¡¯d get nowhere down that line of thought. He¡¯d chased it to too many dead ends when he¡¯d learned about Olivia and the timeline of the people from First Landing, which forced him to view his abuela and his time on Earth as something that happened hundreds of years ago. But if they were from different timelines¡ Victor shook his head. ¡°Focus on the now,¡± he sighed, stepping toward his latest reward chest. He rested Lifedrinker against the wall of the gatehouse. She¡¯d been quiet, but he wasn¡¯t surprised; the evidence of the enormous feast she was processing still flickered in her mirrored black surface¡ªspider webs of brilliant solar Energy, throbbing and flaring. Victor flipped the chest open, and when the Energy mist cleared, he frowned, initially thinking the chest was empty. When he leaned closer, though, he saw a black, silken package on the bottom, blending with the shadows. Victor tried to lift it out, but the hard, rectangular object inside the silk wrapping resisted his efforts. Victor¡¯s fingers found the edge of the wrapping and pulled it away, heaving as the material beneath the object slowly slid free. Setting the silk aside, he looked again and saw a brick of red, silver-veined metal sitting on the bottom of the chest. It was the second brick of ore he¡¯d received from the dungeon, though it was far heavier than the silver-hued one he¡¯d gotten from the first gate. Victor refused to be bested by something so small; he wrapped his hands around it, heaving with his back to pull it out of the chest. Grunting, he shrugged and curled his arms, lifting it to his chest to look down at the metal, wondering if there were any clues to its nature or origin. No engravings or labels met his eyes, so he set it down until he could take a minute to open his vault. He had a feeling that such dense, Energy-rich ore wouldn¡¯t sit well in one of his lesser storage devices. As he worked, Victor thought about the two bricks of ore he¡¯d received in the dungeon. Surely, they were meant as rewards meant to be versatile to adventurers¡ªthey could be crafted into armor, weapons, jewelry, and even art. But Victor had another use in mind, and he gave it away with glances he stole at Lifedrinker, leaning against the wall. She¡¯d feasted on Energy aplenty since her evolution, but was she still hungry for metal? What would she do with these new materials? He wanted to find out, but a small part of him also worried that she¡¯d become too unwieldy for him¡ªthat he wasn¡¯t ready for her to advance too much yet. This latest piece of metal was nearly as heavy as the soul ore he¡¯d given her back on Sojourn. Would she gain so much weight, or could she shed some of her less potent material? Could she alter the nature of the materials she absorbed? He had no idea. As he hung his vault key around his neck, Victor walked over to the axe and hefted her to his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you about it when you¡¯re more talkative. Maybe you know more, now that you¡¯ve done it once.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Victor chuckled and stepped outside the gate, fixing his eyes on the next section of the crucible. The dungeon¡¯s canyon walls widened before him, stretching to the point where a mile or more of space lay between them. In the distance, Victor could see the sixth wall and gate¡ªjust a thin dark band on the distant horizon, and between him and it was arrayed a vast, dark army. The first rank was probably a quarter of a mile distant, and Victor, counting by tens, could estimate their number at two hundred. Two hundred in the first rank, and behind them were hundreds more ranks¡ªVictor couldn¡¯t be sure because they grew tiny with the distance, but he thought there had to be four or five hundred. Adding the zeroes together, he chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°A hundred thousand?¡± He didn¡¯t fully step out of the gate; he wasn¡¯t sure he was ready for such a challenge. Instead, he dug around in his rings for the weird little scope he¡¯d gotten during the conquest for the Untamed Marches¡ªsomething he¡¯d failed to use so many times that it was almost funny to try to think of them. The thought made him laugh, chagrined as he scolded himself. He lifted the scope to his eye. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to know how tough your enemies are sometimes, you pendejo?¡± The view the scope presented to him brought more humor to his heart. The enemies in that first row of the enormous army were skeletons. Undead creatures in dark, tattered armor, with rotten flesh hanging from their bones. Their eyes glowed with baleful red light, but each was limned with a green aura; the scope was saying they were all well beneath him. Lowering the glass and sending it into storage, Victor still hesitated. A hundred thousand! Even if he killed each enemy with a single blow, could he even swing Lifedrinker that many times? As he envisioned the battle and thought about how long it would take and how much Energy he¡¯d have to conserve, he couldn¡¯t keep the smile from returning to his lips over and over. To say he¡¯d fought an army of a thousand was one thing. He¡¯d done it more than once now. To say he stood before a hundred times that many? The grin pulled at his cheeks, a hungry gleam in his eyes to match it. ¡°So I won¡¯t cast any spells. I¡¯ll let my Battle Momentum do its work. He figured if he reserved the Energy in his core for the rage generated by the ability, it would last a very long time. Victor was certain of one thing: he wouldn¡¯t be turning around. Accepting that fact, he lifted Lifedrinker and stepped through the gate. ***Congratulations! You have reached the sixth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Defeat the undead horde to advance!*** Victor heard a distant rumble and, at first, thought the dungeon would throw him a curveball, adding in some artificial storm or lightning. It took him a minute to realize the host before him was marching, a great cloud of dust lifting into the air above them. They weren¡¯t going to wait for him to come to them. ¡°All right. Let¡¯s do this!¡± He stalked forward, wondering when he¡¯d begun to accept the inevitability of injury and pain without a second thought. He understood he¡¯d be wounded; his strategy was banking on it. How else could he get his Furious Battle Momentum to kick in, enhancing his strength and speed to the point where he could possibly consider a battle against such overwhelming odds? Those skeletal warriors might be beneath him, but green was different from gray¡ªthey were strong enough to register. As they grew closer, he saw them running, saw their long, skeletal limbs, and realized they were all giant-sized. For the first time, a sliver of doubt entered Victor¡¯s heart¡ªhow prideful must he be to think he could face down a hundred thousand giant skeletons? Had he lost his mind? He glanced over his shoulder, saw the closed gate, and laughed; his chance for rational behavior was gone. ¡°Fuck it,¡± he growled and lifted Lifedrinker high, charging forward to meet the endless-seeming sea of foes. As he closed the distance, the thunder of the tens of thousands of stomping feet under massive, bony bodies clad in all manner of armor was enough to drown out even Victor¡¯s titanic roar as he broke his promise with himself and cast Energy Charge to start the battle. On a trail of cloudy, purple-black, smoky shadows, he streaked toward the front line of undead, and the resultant impact utterly shattered half a dozen of the fiends. Those six, exploding into bone fragments and broken, shattered gear, destroyed another twenty and knocked back a hundred, leaving Victor standing alone, chest heaving, Lifedrinker poised, for nearly five heartbeats before the horde fell on him. The undead were big and strong and never grew tired, but they were fragile compared to Victor¡¯s titanic figure. Lifedrinker exploded them effortlessly, though the effort of swinging her was likely to take a toll on his muscles, eventually. Victor¡¯s vitality was over twelve hundred with his various boosts, though, and he felt like he could run a marathon up the slopes of Mount Olympus at a sprint and still have energy left over. Even so, could he fight a hundred thousand foes? He shook the thought aside, allowing his mind to drift and willing his fury to take over.The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. When he¡¯d fought the reaver army in the Untamed Marches, Victor used all of his abilities. He ran himself dry and would have succumbed if not for his ancestor¡¯s fire. He knew he had to be smart if he was going to fight a hundred times that many foes. He had to leave his Core full and let it slowly feed the rage into his pathways as Furious Battle Momentum called for it. His passive regeneration was enormous, thanks to his prodigious will, but even so, eventually, the ability would run him dry. He just hoped he¡¯d finish the undead before then. At first, the weight of the waves and waves of giant skeletons was too much. He¡¯d cleave with Lifedrinker, but as the axe swung out, shattering five or six foes, twenty more would fill in, piling on him, pounding, stabbing, grabbing, and biting. Victor would take fifty or more wounds before he could throw them off with another enormous swing. None of the injuries were severe, nothing he couldn¡¯t recover from in a handful of seconds, but they triggered his Furious Battle Momentum, flooding him with rage. This happened five, ten, twenty times, and then something changed. Lifedrinker began to do more than cleave or dismember the undead; she began to explode them. Victor¡¯s strength and speed had mounted to the point where it was a matter of simple physics¡ªa multi-ton implement of war was impacting heavy, dense things at speeds that obliterated anything in her path. Each swing didn¡¯t just cut through bone; it reduced the undead to clouds of dust and fragments, sending shockwaves that rippled outward, staggering those further back. The ground trembled with each impact, and the force of Victor¡¯s strikes sent shattered remnants flying through the air, piercing and scattering the ranks before they could close in. Lifedrinker was no longer just an axe in his hands¡ªshe was a force of devastation. No longer did the hordes close in before he could swing again; Victor had to stand ready, his vision lost in the blood-red insanity of his momentum, waiting for the untouched lines to climb over their staggered, broken comrades to attempt to swarm him again. This carried on for a time, but Victor had lost all sense of strategy and didn¡¯t bother to clear his flanks. He simply drove forward, pushing himself into the surging sea of the undead until they began to close in around him. Once he couldn¡¯t destroy all his nearby foes with a single swing, they began to fly at him from the sides and rear. They drove spears into him, punched knives through his armor, and pounded heavy maces against his helmet, his back, and his shoulders. Victor screamed an endless warcry, his eyes alight with smoldering red flames, his mouth frothing with bloody saliva, his corded muscles standing out like coiled anchor chains. Black smoke drifted from his figure as he grew ever more incensed, a mindless killing machine. Lifedrinker answered the heat building from his fury and his impossible physical activity; she blazed white-hot, further magnifying the terrible explosive impacts of her booming sweeps through the air. Bone dust ignited in the air, filling the canyon with black smoke. When Victor staggered from a blow mid-swing, and Lifedrinker impacted the stony ground, it may as well have been a meteor strike for all the damage it did. Rock fragments erupted from the resultant crater, vaulting up and out to tumble into the horde, smashing more of the undead. All the while, Victor roared and screamed until he tore his vocal cords and blood flecked his heaving exhalations. He fought his way through the horde once, and when they were all at his back, his madness forced him to turn and charge into them again. That first passage through the sea of undead took him hours. The second, back to the start of his mad battle, was much quicker¡ªa few dozen minutes. Even so, Victor was constantly beset, surrounded, stabbed, hammered, bitten, and his rage increased. If he knew anything other than a need to kill and destroy, he might have begun to wonder if his body could take much more. He might have wondered if his Core was running low, and if it wasn¡¯t¡ªif it kept feeding the fury that continued to build his speed and power¡ªcould he take it? How fast could he swing a weapon like Lifedrinker without ripping his arms from his torso? How much rage-attuned Energy could swell his muscles and bones before they came apart at an atomic level? Whatever the answers to those unasked questions might be, Victor had no such worries. Most of what made him ¡°Victor¡± was gone¡ªunconscious¡ªdrifting through a dreamlike haze, unaware of the toll on his body or the cataclysmic forces roiling through it. The part of him that existed in the dungeon, that drove his body, had but one desire, one goal: destroy everything. And so he did. He waded through the horde again and again, each time more quickly and more easily. By the end, when he swung Lifedrinker at the final cluster of undead giants, the impact of her blade exploded them into fiery showers of bone dust. Nothing remained of them. Even after they were gone, Victor fought on, his madness utter and complete. He smashed his axe into the ground and against the canyon walls. He even waded back and forth across the battlefield, pulverizing the bits of skeleton that weren¡¯t already dust. The only thing that saved him was the nature of his momentum; it wouldn¡¯t increase if he didn¡¯t take damage. As his wounds healed and he burned off the rage in his system, Victor slowly returned to himself. When his consciousness fully returned, Victor looked around to see himself sitting atop a mound of bones and broken armor in a devastated wasteland. Craters and trenches filled the battlefield. Piles of rubble lay everywhere. The canyon walls were slumped and broken up like there had been landslides, and the ruination of the undead horde was utter and complete. Not a single skeleton remained intact. Not a single skeleton remained half intact. Lifedrinker¡¯s haft sat in his hand, her axe-head on the ground before him. She was cool to the touch, but he could see from the molten ripples on the stone where she rested that she¡¯d been very hot indeed when he¡¯d stopped fighting. Victor looked at himself; his armor was mostly intact, but many large rends still struggled to close. His hands were black with soot and blood¡ªhis own¡ªbut he wasn¡¯t hurt. When he stood, his knees and hips were stiff, but only for a moment. How long had he sat, waiting for his mind to return? ¡°How long¡ª¡± He started to ask his question aloud but stopped when he saw the System messages crowded to the side of his vision. Had he swiped them aside in his madness? He focused on them, pulling them into view: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 79 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 18 strength, 28 vitality, 18 agility, and 18 dexterity.*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the sixth gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the sixth wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** Victor blinked. Gaining two levels was great, but¡was this the first time he¡¯d been so mad with rage that an Energy infusion after a battle hadn¡¯t sobered him? How far gone had he been? He squeezed Lifedrinker¡¯s haft. ¡°Chica, do you know how long I fought? How long I was out of it?¡± ¡°Our dance of death and destruction was glorious, blood-mate! Long did we tear the life force from our foes! We fought on and on, ruining the fools who thought to overwhelm you with their numbers. Like ants into a fire, they fed us! I only wish they¡¯d had blood, my battle-love. What glory to wade through a lake of it! Time isn¡¯t easy to mark in this strange, sunless place. But, blood-heart, I processed the metal man''s Energy, which should have taken me days.¡± Victor licked his lips, a sudden cool shiver licking the back of his neck. He summoned his Farscribe book for Bryn and flipped to the last message he¡¯d sent. There was a new one beneath it:
Your Grace, Her Majesty, Queen Kynna Dar, has requested your presence. She¡¯s scheduled your next duel, and the meeting for terms will take place fifteen days hence. Please contact us as soon as possible to confirm your receipt of this message. Your humble servant, Bryn¡°Shit!¡± Victor summoned a pen, but when he turned the page to write a response, he saw another message from Bryn.
Your Grace¡ªVictor, The queen¡¯s new chamberlain was watching me write that last message, so I couldn¡¯t add a few details. There are people here. The queen¡¯s people have set up a camp and brought in Elementalists to assess the situation beyond the amber-ore wall. I¡¯ve been able to fend them off, warning them that you¡¯ll be furious if they interfere with your activities, but as the days pass and we don¡¯t hear from you, the queen grows increasingly impatient, and her servants here grow more and more bold. Please respond! Your duel is in four days! There are rumors among the servants that come and go¡ªsome say that Queen Kynna has reached out to her new stable of champions and is interviewing for the best candidate to face Lovania¡¯s champion. I will be watching this page, Victor, until the last possible moment. Please respond! Bryn¡°Shit, shit!¡± Victor repeated, then quickly scrawled a reply.
Bryn, you there?A response immediately appeared.
Victor? Thank the gods!Victor smiled, then wrote the only question that mattered:
How much time do I have? I was out of it again.The response sent his mind spinning:
Three days!Victor exhaled loudly, blowing his stress with the breath. He stretched his neck, popping it, then wrote:
I¡¯m almost done in here. Tell those fuckers to stay out, or they might bring the mountain down on us all, and I think I¡¯m the only one who might survive that. The mountain doesn¡¯t give a shit about Elementalists. You have my permission to tell them that. Tell Kynna I¡¯ll be ready to fight for her again soon¡ªI¡¯ll make it to her duel. I¡¯m coming, Bryn, and I¡¯ll be bearing gifts.Victor slapped the book closed and hefted Lifedrinker, chuckling at how she felt almost comfortable in his hands. He broke into a jog toward the sixth gatehouse. If he understood things right, he had one more gate to get through, and then he could face the boss and, if things went well, destroy the dungeon Core. Jogging through the ruin of the battlefield he¡¯d created, he shook his head, chuckling. His Furious Battle Momentum was formidable as hell, but it was also insane; he¡¯d been out of it for days¡ªat least! He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed before Bryn¡¯s first message. At the gate, he turned to examine the destruction one more time. ¡°A hundred-goddamn-thousand undead!¡± As he ducked into the gatehouse, Victor hoped he¡¯d gain a level before he fought the dungeon boss; he couldn¡¯t deny the potency of the ¡°Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum,¡± but he didn¡¯t like losing himself so much, and he certainly didn¡¯t like losing days or weeks as he recovered his senses. Was there a chance that he might not come back to himself? The System hadn¡¯t sent him any fine print. Was it possible for him to lose his mind for good? He didn¡¯t want to find out. 9.38 Death Trap The sixth chest contained five Energy hearts¡ªfive globes of potent Energy that required a veil walker¡¯s level of power to create. Victor remembered when Dar had given him Energy hearts to cultivate his glory, inspiration, and magma attunements. His mentor had said that each heart was as potent as a hundred thousand Energy beads but that they were, potentially, far more valuable if traded to the right person¡ªsomeone who needed a powerful source of a particular brand of Energy. The five globes of potent power that the dungeon awarded him seemed exotic. So much so that Victor could only guess at their contents. One was filled with brilliant light and warm to the touch. It reminded him of sunlight, and so he guessed that was what it was¡ªa heart of solar-attuned Energy. Another was black, but when he held it to his ear, he could hear the crackling potency of its power, and the sound triggered memories of Florent¡¯s portals. Was it a void-attuned heart? The third heart was also warm but had a different nature than the solar heart. It radiated pink Energy and tickled Victor¡¯s skin with its delicate, gentle touch. He wondered if it had something to do with healing. The fourth pulsed with a strange, cloudy Energy that reminded him of static. It numbed his hand, and when he held it to his ear, it dulled his thoughts to the point where he yanked it away, fearing it was doing some harm. The final Energy heart was filled with a deep silver Energy that barely glowed at all. It was cool to the touch, but Victor could feel its signature tingling through his palm, reminding him of Lira¡¯s power in the Iron Prison. He had a feeling it had to do with metal and briefly contemplated trying to feed it to Lifedrinker. ¡°Maybe when we¡¯re done in here,¡± he muttered, slipping the orb with the others into the ring Dar had given him, the one holding his cultivation items and Arona¡¯s phylactery. That done, and feeling some pressure to hurry thanks to the time he lost while being out of his mind with rage, Victor grunted, lifting Lifedrinker to his shoulder, and stepped into the gate opening, taking in his first view of the last stretch of the canyon before the dungeon¡¯s end. This time, he could see the next gate clearly, only a quarter of a mile distant or so. No enemies lay between him and it. His gaze met nothing but hard, stony ground strewn with sharp, jagged obsidian gravel. Scanning left and right, Victor took in the steep red-brown canyon walls and frowned in suspicion as he noted dozens of small cave entrances. He couldn¡¯t be sure from his vantage, but they all looked roughly the same size¡ªten feet high if he were guessing. It was probably safe to say that no giants would be swarming out of those caves, but there were plenty of smaller horrors that might emerge. He gave his armor a final once-over. The cuts and tears were repaired. His vest¡¯s missing scales had regenerated, once again leaving him to wonder how many times it could do so. Victor secured his helm, ensured he was boosting his strength and vitality with Sovereign Will, and then cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin. With the spell''s influence guiding his eyes, he gave the canyon another thorough look. Nothing new jumped out at him¡ªfiguratively or literally¡ªso Victor gripped Lifedrinker in both hands and stepped through the gate. He took one, two, three steps before he heard a low buzzing in the distance that reminded him of cicadas but louder and deeper. As the volume mounted and multiplied, he realized it was coming from the caves, and, as he scanned the cliffsides, he saw his first glimpse of the source: football-sized, red and black flying insects with stingers visible from a hundred yards away as they spiraled toward him. They exploded from the caves like billowing, buzzing smoke, circling high and then descending toward him¡ªa red and black tsunami of promised pain. Victor watched the cloud approaching¡ªthousands of menacing insects with dripping stingers flexed toward him. He had a hell of a constitution, and his Quinametzin ancestry made him resistant to poison, but he didn¡¯t relish having gallons and gallons of caustic poison pumped into his flesh. As the last insects cleared the caves and joined the swirling storm of murderous wasps, a flicker of a plan ran through his mind, and he began to run. ***Congratulations! You have reached the seventh gate of the Crucible of Fire! Defeat the swarm to advance! Beware their deadly sting!*** Victor charged toward the cliffside on the left, set his eyes on a distant cavemouth high on the sheer wall, and activated Flight of the Lava King. Great fiery wings erupted from his shoulders, and he surged into the air, throwing a cloud of smoke and heat behind. A heartbeat later, his feet impacted the stone of the cavemouth, and he squatted low, ducking inside. Moving toward the depths of the cave, he could hear the swarm behind him getting close to the cave mouth, a susurrating buzz that grew so loud that it vibrated the dust on the cave walls, sending it sheeting toward the ground. Just as he¡¯d figured, the dungeon was only an imitation of a real-world place; the cave wasn¡¯t very deep. After only fifty feet or so beyond the mouth, he came up to a solid stone wall. Victor turned and faced the pale circle of light that was the tunnel mouth, waiting, slowly inhaling, stoking his Breath Core. The light dimmed, then turned to blackness, and the buzzing grew unbearably loud¡ªa sound that vibrated his bones and made his skin crawl. Victor¡¯s Quinametzin eyes weren¡¯t blinded by the darkness the swarm tried to impose. He could see their shapes, faintly luminescent with green Energy¡ªthe faint aura of these creatures that his epic-tier eyes could sus out. They came at him like floodwaters, pouring into the cave at breakneck speeds. When they were halfway to him, Victor inhaled massively, and when he could almost reach out and grab one of the fat, throbbing, buzzing things, he blew out a gout of magma-infused breath. In the confined space of the tunnel, it was like a bomb going off. Victor¡¯s breath weapon wasn¡¯t just fire; it was molten stone. He¡¯d often wondered how that worked; where did the matter come from to make up the lava that poured out of his mouth like a fire hydrant of superheated liquid rock? Somehow, his mind could accept ¡°fire breathing,¡± but ¡°lava breathing¡± was another matter. It wasn¡¯t like his lungs were full of magma. His Core was, though. His Breath Core was packed with the stuff, somehow holding it there, dense and churning and ready to flow forth in its violent, flaming, molten brilliance. The insects in front of Victor for twenty feet were doused with the stuff, and they burst with the heat. Weighed down by the lava, their parts fell to the floor or were blown back by the continued stream as Victor charged forward, pushing through the hellish nightmare-scape of the tunnel toward the mouth of the cave. His magma Core pulsed and throbbed, releasing more and more of the superheated stuff into Victor¡¯s lung pathway, and he breathed it out, roaring as he did so, annihilating hundreds¡ªthousands¡ªof the bugs before he came to the ledge and leaped. He angled his jump toward the distant canyon wall, narrowly arcing past the still-swarming cloud of bugs. He wondered how many he¡¯d killed¡ªwhat percentage of the swarm he¡¯d dealt with¡ªas he flew. His wings were on cooldown, but his Titanic Leap had explosive power, and he surged past the swarm, most of which were still confused by the heat and smoke he¡¯d generated. He tried to aim for another cave mouth, but his leap was off target, and he saw he¡¯d impact the opposite cliff a good ten feet to the left of the mark. Victor lifted Lifedrinker and aimed for the stone wall, and she eagerly began to smolder. Her blade bit into the stone like it was made of cheese, and Victor grunted as he caught his momentum on the soles of his boots. Then, with a herculean surge of strength, he swung himself toward the cavemouth, trusting Lifedrinker to pull herself free as his outstretched arm tugged. She did, having heated her blade to white-hot intensity, melting the stone around herself. In the new cave, Victor charged forward and found this one a good deal deeper. He glanced inward at his Breath Core and saw he still had about two-thirds of his Energy. ¡°Good,¡± he grumbled, hunched over, hurrying toward the back of the cave as fast as he could. Already, he heard the swarm coming. Having tested his tactic, he decided he could improve on it. This time, when the swarm came and blotted out the light this time, he waited for them to get close and then annihilated them with a jet of magma, stopping the flow after a few seconds. The insects were mindless and kept coming, refilling the passage, and he did it again. The tunnel was alight with smoldering, burning insects and pools of still-glowing lava as he waited for a third wave. It was slower coming, the bugs comprising it having been outside, swarming around the cave opening. Victor¡¯s Breath Core was down to a quarter of its power when he blasted them, and as they burned, he ran forward, cleaning out the tunnel. A small swarm still lingered near the cave mouth, and he used his Spirit Core to finish them, casting Energy Charge at one of the center-most bugs. He closed the last ten yards on a streak of rage-attuned Energy and burst through the swarm, pulverizing them to a paste as he tore over the ledge and soared out into the air, free-falling toward the distant ground.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Victor bent his knees and landed with a tremendous thud, sending up clouds of dust and shattering obsidian chips. He looked over his shoulder to see a much-diminished swarm coming his way¡ªthe straggling insects that had been buzzing around the cavemouth and out of range of his explosive exit. He backpedaled as he watched the approaching wasps. As far as he could tell, it was just a few hundred insects. Much better than however many thousand had first swarmed him, but Victor didn¡¯t want to feel a single one of those stings. Something about how those stingers dripped their thick, syrupy poison and the fact that the System had mentioned their ¡°deadly sting¡± told him to avoid it at all costs. He turned to jog, glancing over his shoulder as he checked his Breath Core¡ªten percent or so. He could feel them gaining on him, but his Flight was probably ready again. He glanced up and to the right, saw a cave entrance, much larger than most of the others, and activated his Flight. Flaming wings burst forth, and he streaked up, black smoke trailing. This time, when he landed, he reached out and gripped the stone cave mouth, stopping himself. He turned and watched the much-reduced swarm coming, ensuring they saw where he¡¯d gone. ¡°Come on, you little assholes!¡± he laughed, looking into his Breath Core again and seeing it had swelled a little. He had enough for one good blast. As the enormous wasps flew toward him, Victor turned and ran toward the back of the cave. It was only fifteen feet deep. He turned, frowning. Could he do it? Could he get them all in there before one of them stung him? He wished he had a way to bunch them up. At that thought, he realized he did: he could summon his bear and have it fight at the entrance. Would their poison hurt a spirit totem? It wasn¡¯t that he worried about the bear dying. He knew his totem would just go back to the spirit plane, but was it right to summon one of his brave companions only to use him as a buffer, to absorb damage that might be torturous to it? Shouldn¡¯t he only summon his brothers when he thought they had a chance of winning? But why wouldn¡¯t his mighty bear have a chance? Didn¡¯t bears deal with bees all the time? Victor began to laugh madly as he stared at the cave mouth, and just before the first wasp crossed the threshold, he cast Wild Totem with a torrent of rage-attuned Energy. His bear burst into being near the cavemouth, huge, hulking, and furious. He crowded the cave mouth despite its high ceiling. The bear could barely turn left to right, he filled the space so thoroughly. ¡°Come on, hermano! Gather those little pinch¨¦ fuckers up!¡± His bear roared, and Victor watched his mottled, thick hide ripple as he swiped his powerful arms, trying to bat the insects aside. He couldn¡¯t see beyond his companion, but Victor figured the swarm must be gathering close. His bear roared again, and then he was gone¡ªvanished in a puff of red-tinted Energy steam. ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± The swarming insects buzzed madly and surged into the cave. Had they killed¡ªdispelled¡ªhis totem with a single sting? He felt guilty but hadn¡¯t felt anything from his bear; usually, when his totems were fighting desperately, he could feel their wounds, excitement, anger, or fear, but his bear hadn¡¯t sent a single emotion his way. Whatever had snuffed his totem had been quick and decisive¡ªlike an instantly lethal poison. Victor focused on the swarm with renewed concentration as he gathered his breath and met them with a torrent of crackling, brilliant lava, spraying the product of his magma-attuned Energy in a cone that enveloped every one of the creatures. They exploded in ash and steam and fell burning to the ground, sizzling in the puddle of Victor¡¯s lava as it rapidly cooled. He stood ready, Lifedrinker up, prepared to cast Energy Charge if more appeared in the cave mouth. Nothing came, though, and after a moment, he saw the Energy gathering around the mutilated bodies in the cave. ¡°That was it? Just a big swarm of bugs?¡± His hopes of gaining another level began to fade, but then, as the misty, wispy white Energy bubbles lifted into the air, they were joined by a river of the stuff spilling into the cavemouth. It hit Victor, and he arched his back, his mind fleeing the joyous rapture of his body as it embraced the flood. Sometime later, he blinked his eyes, refreshed and reinvigorated as System messages crowded his vision. Blearily, he read through them: ***Congratulations! You have achieved level 80 Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum and gained 9 strength, 14 vitality, 9 agility, and 9 dexterity.*** ***Level 80 Class refinement is available. Class refinement is permanent. Quinametzin Energy cultivators will next be offered a Class refinement selection at level 90. To view your options and make your selection, access the menu through your status page.*** ***Congratulations! Your Breath Weapon Mastery is now: Improved.*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the seventh gate of the Crucible of Fire! Collect your reward inside the gatehouse!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared the seventh wave of a group-rated challenge as a solo adventurer, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** ***Congratulations! You have cleared a deadly encounter with flawless success, ensuring that none of your party members were slain, earning a bonus to the value of your reward!*** ***You have cleared all seven gates of the Crucible of Fire! Make your way through the final gate to face the Lord of the Crucible.*** Victor couldn¡¯t help a snort of laughter when he read about his bonus for not letting any ¡°party members¡± be slain. ¡°Well,¡± he sighed, resting a hand on Lifedrinker¡¯s haft, ¡°we did it. Eighty.¡± ¡°I wish I could have fought in that battle, heart-mate. I yearn for the taste of your enemies¡¯ blood!¡± ¡°Heh. Soon enough, chica.¡± He summoned his Farscribe book with Bryn, turning to the last page to ensure he hadn¡¯t somehow slept for days again. Luckily, there weren¡¯t any new messages. Just to be sure, he wrote a note: Bryn, how much time has passed since our last message? He stared at the page for several seconds, and then Bryn¡¯s neat printing began to populate the following line: A bit more than two hours. Is something the matter? Victor smiled, stretching his neck until it popped. No. Everything¡¯s good, just checking. Talk soon. He closed the book and stood. Grabbing Lifedrinker¡¯s haft, he lifted her to his shoulder and walked to the edge of the cave, dropping down with a ground-shaking impact. He turned to the final gate and jogged to it, covering the distance in a few seconds. When he was inside, he turned to the little alcove where he always found his chests waiting, and this time, he was pleased to see one nearly twice the size of the previous containers. He was eager to see what was inside, but he was just as anxious to look at his Class refinements. Victor walked over to the chest and sat atop it. He canceled his Sovereign Will boost and then pulled up his stat menu, looking at his attributes and appreciating how they¡¯d changed during his very brief time as a Berserker of Unstoppable Momentum:
| Strength: | 580 | Vitality: | 785 (864) |
| Dexterity: | 280 | Agility: | 303 |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 673 |
| Strength: | 580 | Vitality: | 785 (864) |
| Dexterity: | 280 (297) | Agility: | 303 (320) |
| Intelligence: | 172 | Will: | 673 |
Victor, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve been gone nearly two months already, but when I think about it and remember that you might be gone for years, it makes me sad and regretful. Why didn¡¯t I take advantage of our time together? I wish we had spent more time talking about important things¡ªdreams, love, family¡ªyou know, the things that really matter. Instead, I bugged you about spells and sparring and¡well, and things that won¡¯t make a bit of difference in ten years. I know I¡¯m probably not supposed to know anything about you and Valla, but I¡¯m not blind, and I have friends on Fanwath, too, you know. I hope you¡¯re doing all right! I hope your heart doesn¡¯t ache. I hate that you¡¯re all alone on that distant world full of ancient kingdoms and strangers. Can¡¯t you visit? Surely, you¡¯re doing an impressive job there and making Dar¡¯s family proud. Shouldn¡¯t they reward you with a break soon? I¡¯ve tried to speak to Dar about it, but he¡¯s never around, and when I catch him coming or going, he only offers platitudes. I don¡¯t know if you can write back easily, but I hope you do. In the meantime, I¡¯ll give you an update about things here: Lam, Darren, Trin, and I have been delving into dungeons nonstop. We¡¯re all closing in on tier three, and even more exciting, your cousin, Olivia, joined us for a dungeon run last week. She¡¯s amazing, Victor! I¡¯ve never seen anyone wield the elements the way she does. She melds fire with lightning and fire with earth and lightning with frost and¡ I could go on, but just know that she¡¯s incredible! In the dungeon, we came to a locked metal door where we were meant to find a key to get an extra chest. Olivia melted the door. She reduced it to slag! She¡¯s only tier three, too. Did you know that? Imagine what she¡¯ll be like when she gets some more ranks. I hope she¡¯ll stay and adventure with us some more. I think she will; she¡¯s a little secretive, but I get the impression she¡¯s not happy with the politics at the academy where she¡¯s been working and studying. I have good news about Darren! We found him another racial advancement, and he¡¯s grown his wings! They¡¯re huge! I¡¯d be happy for him, but he¡¯s gotten a little full of himself. I suppose I can¡¯t put all the blame for that at his feet. It¡¯s the avian folk here that are causing the problem. They fawn over his ¡°good looks,¡± and he eats it up! Oh well, he¡¯s actually been really great. Considering how he fled First Landing in disgrace, I thought he¡¯d have a problem with Olivia, but they¡¯ve been getting along well. I¡¯m sure most of that is due to Lesh¡¯s influence¡ªhe and Darren are always talking about the ¡°honor of our house¡± and things like that. Lam and I are getting along well. I told you I regretted not talking to you about love, so I won¡¯t hold back now. Lam loves me fiercely, Victor. I¡¯m her everything, and sometimes that¡¯s wonderful, and sometimes it¡¯s a¡lot. Do you know what I mean? Don¡¯t get me wrong! I love her too, and I never want to be apart from her, but I worry about how invested in me she is. It¡¯s a lot to carry, even if she doesn¡¯t realize it. If something happened to me, I think she¡¯d be ruined. I suppose you saw that when I was unwell. Of course, I didn¡¯t, but I¡¯m beginning to understand how desperate she was to see me made whole. Love like hers is wonderful and terrifying. I¡¯m blessed, I know, but sometimes I wish I had my old friend from the mines to talk to about things like that, you know? I miss you, Victor, and I hope you¡¯ll write back soon. Love, EdeyaVictor closed the book with a sigh, shaking his head as he chuckled softly. ¡°Edeya, you crazy girl.¡± He wanted to write back to her immediately, but he had more books to get through, so he pulled another out, one he shared with Efanie, the fae-blooded governess he¡¯d hired to take care of Cora Loyle. There were several entries in the book, and Victor scanned through them until he came to the most recent, then settled back to read it:
My Lord Victor, I hope this note finds you well. It¡¯s been a month since my last correspondence with you, and there is much to share. I¡¯m pleased to report that Cora has settled in nicely here at your home overlooking the Silver Sea. She¡¯s made fast friends with Deyni and Chala; they spend most days together. Your friend, Lady Thayla, has helped immensely in seeing us settled, even going so far as to include Cora in the lessons and tutelage the other girls enjoy from the experts in the area. The girls learn about tracking, hunting, and animal taming from the Shadeni, and twice a week, they receive weapons training from a man in the Naghelli settlement. I met him, of course, and learned that he¡¯s a good friend of yours¡ªKethelket. He¡¯s humble in nature, but beneath his unassuming demeanor, he carries wisdom that speaks of extraordinary accomplishments and great trials. I¡¯ve enjoyed visiting with him after the girls¡¯ lessons. Of course, I¡¯ve continued Cora¡¯s training in literature, mathematics, decorum, and my own brand of fencing. We¡¯ve fallen into a routine, a structure that she clearly craved whether she knew it or not. Occasionally, Cora brings up her father, and we talk about him and his life, as well as the mistakes he made. You might be intrigued to learn that I¡¯m not the only one she confides in; a few days after you left, she and Chala came to me asking if I had any objects that might represent her father. Of course, I did; I have the objects in the storage ring you gave me to hold for Cora¡¯s sake. I gave her one of her father¡¯s pipes. He was well known around the Volpur¨¦ estate to be a prolific smoker, spending many evenings on the balcony of his suite overlooking the gardens with a pipe held between his teeth. Cora took the pipe, and she and Chala ran off with it. Of course, I was curious as to what they were up to, so I employed some stealth and shadowed them. To my surprise, they went down to the beach and conducted some sort of ceremony. They buried the pipe in the sand at low tide, stacking a cairn of stones atop it, and then, Chala burned a fistful of pungent herbs, and they spoke to their ¡°ancestors.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. I¡¯m not sure of the ritual¡¯s origin, but I believe it was good for Cora; it seemed to give her some closure, and ever since then, she¡¯s been more open to speaking about her father and her feelings. Chala is a fierce young woman, but she¡¯s clever and crafty, too. I¡¯m very happy that she and Deyni are friends with Cora; she¡¯s learning to be a child, a girl, and a member of a community¡ªthings she sorely missed out on growing up under Fak Loyle¡¯s strict control. As for our new home, neither of us could possibly ask for a more wonderful place to live. The wilderness is wild and beautiful, and the beach and ocean offer endless opportunities for adventure for the girls. The vistas in every direction are inspiring, and I know they do much to feed Cora¡¯s soul¡ªshe dreams big, wondrous dreams, Victor, and I know that you and she might not realize it yet, but she has much to thank you for. I¡¯ll write again soon with more updates. In the meantime, I hope you accomplish your goals and keep yourself safe. Warm regards, EfanieVictor found his eyes brimming with unspent tears as he finished reading the letter. He wasn¡¯t sad or ashamed or anything like that; he was just happy. He was pleased that Cora seemed to be doing well despite what he¡¯d done to her father. As that thought crossed his mind, Victor shook his head and tried to reorganize how he viewed that situation. He hadn¡¯t done anything to Fak Loyle. Fak Loyle had chosen to be a champion for a scumbag. He¡¯d chosen to step into the ring with the intent to kill Victor. Was it Victor¡¯s fault that he didn¡¯t let him win? Was his life less valuable than Fak¡¯s just because he had a daughter? Wasn¡¯t it important that he put an end to Volpur¨¦¡¯s crimes? To do so required Fak Loyle¡¯s defeat. It didn¡¯t take much effort to transfer that same logic to his current situation. Was it his fault that Trinnie Ro had chosen to be a champion? Her dossier had painted quite a picture of her life. After the tragedy of her family¡¯s destruction, she¡¯d competed in back-alley bloodsports, some kind of game that sounded like a cross between rugby, wrestling, and gladiator brawls. She outlived everyone on her team time and time again until one of the legitimate leagues picked her up. Then she¡¯d risen to stardom competing in coliseums, rapidly gaining levels through victory after victory. It didn¡¯t take long for someone to recruit her away, taking her to train in proper fighting techniques. A decade later, she¡¯d returned as a duelist, a champion in training, and five years, a dozen levels, and twenty victories later, here she was, coming to put a stop to Victor and Queen Kynna. ¡°Not my fault,¡± Victor growled. He stood and summoned a pair of pants and a shirt. Once he¡¯d dressed, he walked to his door and looked outside. As he¡¯d suspected, Feist was on duty, idly flipping through a slender book as he kept an eye on Victor¡¯s elevator. He didn¡¯t notice Victor staring at him until he cleared his throat, and then the young man nearly jumped out of his skin, dropping the book and exposing a page featuring a surprisingly lifelike image of a woman¡¯s naked chest. ¡°Oof! Er, sorry about that, Your Grace.¡± He stooped to pick up the book and sent it away to a storage container. ¡°Fetch Draj Haveshi for me.¡± ¡°Right away, milord? Or first thing in the morn¡ª¡± ¡°Right now.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡± He hurried into the elevator, and Victor closed the door. He paced around his foyer for several minutes, waiting, and when he heard the elevator opening outside, he yanked open the door and motioned for Draj to enter. Draj was surprisingly well put together. He wore a suit, though his shirt was rumpled and his hair a bit disheveled. ¡°Your Grace, is anything amiss?¡± ¡°Only my state of mind. Come in; I have a few things to discuss with you. I¡¯d wait for morning, but I fight at dawn.¡± ¡°Of course, of course. How might I be of service?¡± Victor closed the door behind him, then led the way into the parlor, where he resumed his seat before the fire. ¡°Sit down, Draj.¡± He waited until the older man was sitting across from him and then spoke, putting voice to the thoughts that had been running through his mind. ¡°I understand the conceptual reasoning for duels always being settled by the death of one champion or another. If a champion could yield to save their own life, how could any nation ever trust that their champion would give their all? Knowing that the only options are death or victory assures the combatants hold nothing back.¡± ¡°That is so, my lord.¡± ¡°So, here¡¯s my problem: I made the mistake of learning about my next opponent, and I find myself deeply sympathetic to her plight¡ªthe adversity she¡¯s overcome and the tough road she battled down to get where she is today. I don¡¯t want to kill her, Draj.¡± ¡°Ah. Yes, the queen sought advice about this duel while you were away. It took her by surprise when her inquiries revealed the change in Lovania¡¯s champion. She wondered if any of her other champions would stand a chance against her. The consensus was no. Forgive me if this sounds patronizing, Your Grace, but Trinnie Ro is not a delicate flower that needs your protection.¡± ¡°Yeah, I get that.¡± ¡°If you had learned more about my brother¡¯s life, do you think you would have sought a way to keep from killing him? If you¡¯d known that he spent three years of his youth hobbling on one foot because he kicked a Trejice viper away from our sister, saving her life but costing him a limb, would that have swayed you? If you¡¯d known that he sacrificed most of his earnings to build institutions of learning here in the duchy or that¡ª¡± Victor sighed. ¡°I get it, Draj. Everyone has a backstory. It doesn¡¯t change the fact that I don¡¯t want to kill this woman.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think about killing her, then. Think about keeping her from killing you. I promise you, she¡¯ll have no qualms. She wants you dead, and those who sent her want Queen Kynna and all of us other, lesser nobles, dead or gone. In my case, I can hope for banishment, but I believe the queen¡¯s life will be forfeit¡ªthe queen, her son, and likely all of her first cousins and their families. ¡°I hope you read more about Trinnie Ro in that dossier than the historical fluff about her tragic upbringing. Did you read that she can harden her skin to the point that iron will shatter against it? Did you read that she can instantly teleport to any location she can see? She wields a ghost-cobalt glaive that can sheer through solid steel. She¡¯s going to try to cut you to pieces, and she¡¯ll have no mercy in her heart for you, My Lord Duke. ¡°Trinnie Ro is a killing machine. Before she was a duelist, she played in the Crimson League, and she killed more men and women than anyone else on record¡ªin a sport that allows for mercy, mind you. She didn¡¯t have to kill those people! Put aside the fantasy you¡¯ve created in your mind. She must be taken seriously, and you mustn¡¯t hold anything back.¡± Draj didn¡¯t stop there; he continued to list the ways Trinnie Ro could kill him, and then he spoke at length about her gruesome exploits in the Crimson League. Victor wasn¡¯t sure what that even was, but he didn¡¯t care. He felt a knot loosening in his chest, and he began to breathe more easily with each barbaric exploit. It was almost like every horrifying fact about Trinnie Ro that Draj listed served to soothe Victor further, and by the time the man paused to gauge the effects of his diatribe, Victor wore a broad smile. ¡°Holy shit, Draj. You were the right guy to bring here tonight. Thanks for helping me see things straight. You¡¯re right; I built up a fantasy in my mind, and I think a lot of it had to do with me imagining this woman as a little girl, and, well, I¡¯ve got a soft spot for little girls. I have to remember she¡¯s not that girl who lost her family so tragically anymore. She¡¯s a killer, and I need to treat her that way. Thanks, man.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure, Your Grace. I am here to serve; I know a great deal about the key players in the empire. I¡¯d be more than happy to advise you in a similar capacity anytime you need it. Was there anything else I can help you with tonight?¡± ¡°Yeah, actually. You know Bryn?¡± ¡°Your guard?¡± ¡°She¡¯s more than a guard. She¡¯s like an assistant and confidant. I want to award her some land and a title.¡± ¡°Ah! Do you mean to elevate her, then?¡± ¡°Elevate?¡± ¡°To the noble class, milord. If so, you should speak to the queen. I do not doubt that she¡¯d support your wish.¡± ¡°Okay, well, you know the duchy better than anyone. Find me a good holding to offer Bryn: a hunting ground, an orchard¡ªsomething like that. I¡¯ll talk to the queen about her title. Good?¡± Draj nodded, smiling. ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Victor stood and held out his hand. Draj hurried to his feet and grasped it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I woke you up in the middle of the night, Draj, but I think it was worth it for everyone involved. You¡¯ve helped me clear my head, which means everything before a fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m happy to be of service, milord.¡± ¡°All right. Get out of here. Go get some sleep.¡± Victor clapped him on the shoulder and ushered him to the door. When he closed it behind him, he turned to his bedroom and shook his head. He wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep, not when he had to wake up in four hours to fight. Instead, he went back to his parlor and summoned his Farscribe book. He¡¯d write back to Edeya and Efanie, and then he¡¯d go through his other books. He was due for a check-in with Dar and might have messages from Lesh or Gorro ap¡¯Dommic. Hell, he might have a message from Rellia, though he¡¯d been avoiding that book since Valla and he had split. So, with a busy mind, he whiled away the hours corresponding with the many people in his life, near and distant. When his thoughts drifted toward Trinnie Ro and their upcoming fight, he forced himself to picture her as Draj had painted her¡ªa merciless killer who meant to end Victor and destroy Gloria. The more he built up that blood-soaked image, the more he smiled and relaxed, and the more his correspondence took on a light-hearted tone. 9.46 Loyalty Victor knew his plan to hold back all of his abilities, to hide the nature of his Core and beat Trinnie Ro without revealing what he could do, was a lost cause. He wasn¡¯t sure it was even much of a loss; it was clear that the powers that be, the ones who¡¯d decided to send Trinnie Ro down to fight him, had guessed or learned plenty about his skills. It wasn¡¯t like Victor¡¯s battle in the palace at Gloria had been a secret. They¡¯d tried to keep a lid on things, but people will gossip, and there had been a lot of servants whose whereabouts during the battle hadn¡¯t been accounted for. That said, was he suffering for nothing? Shouldn¡¯t he have maybe gone all out from the first second of the battle and tried to end things quickly? Had it just been stubbornness that made him try to play his game? Now, he had a corrupted wound splitting his right shoulder and an opponent powering up, displaying that she wasn¡¯t a slouch when it came to steel seekers. Victor could feel the Energy flowing out of her, and it was on par with anything he¡¯d seen from Ronkerz¡¯s Big Ones. Hoping to seal up his wound and put an end to things, Victor cast Iron Berserk. He expanded with size and power, surging to more than twenty feet in height, exploding with hard, cable-like muscles, and grunting an almost involuntary warcry as his chest expanded. The rage coursing through his pathways felt good and right, and Victor could feel it fighting against the corruption in his chest, pushing it back, knitting his flesh together¡ªif not perfectly, then enough to allow him to move normally. Trinnie Ro was still expanding, still coursing with electrical Energy, crackling and sizzling as sparks and ozone-rich air pulsed around her. She held her golden glaive high, and it gleamed so brightly that Victor couldn¡¯t look at it directly. It made him want to pick up Lifedrinker, but some part of him still hoped he could finish this battle without showing all his cards. Instead, he stalked toward her. He was now a good five or six feet bigger than even her charged-up form, and while she was still screaming soundlessly, channeling her torrents of Energy, Victor wound up his right fist and smashed her in the chest. Electricity coursed through him, but not before Trinnie Ro was flung back, stumbling, arms cartwheeling, her ¡°power-up¡± rudely interrupted. As for Victor, he bared his teeth and let the lightning-charged Energy run through him, dispersing in the sand, melting it to glass at his feet. Trinnie, eyes wide, perhaps surprised by his size or the strength of the blow, readied her glaive and then, in an explosion of lightning, disappeared, only to crackle into existence behind Victor, her glaive hacking sideways at his exposed flank. Victor punched down, his knuckles impacting the flat of the blade, sending it down to his thigh, where it sliced deep through his flesh and muscle and ground against his femur. He was his full, titanic size now; the bone was like a tree trunk but harder than steel. The glaive skittered over it, and, meanwhile, Victor backhanded Trinnie Ro across the bridge of her nose, sending her reeling. He stalked toward her, snaking out a hand to snatch the electrified haft of her glaive as she raised it. Trinnie tried to pull it away, but Victor¡¯s strength was inexorable, and he jerked it to the side, exposing her midriff to more vicious punches and jabs as he drove her back toward the wall of the arena. Victor was beyond words or taunts¡ªhe growled and grimaced, punching and kicking, constantly gripping her weapon to keep her from retreating outside the range of his blows. Of course, she could release the polearm, but he knew that wasn¡¯t an option; she wouldn¡¯t drop her golden glaive any more than he¡¯d drop Lifedrinker involuntarily. Victor was lucid; his rage was a cool, calculated one, and he knew his blows weren¡¯t doing any damage. Each time his fist or foot impacted Trinnie, her skin hardened like diamond, and she grimaced, but that was all. He wondered how long she could keep it up. Was it effortless, that armored flesh, or did it take Energy? Was she depleting her Core, or would she easily outlast his rage? Growling, Victor closed with her and caught her triceps in a grapple with his right hand while still wrestling with her over the glaive with his left. Then he focused on the arena wall some twenty yards behind her. Grinning with grim brutality, he cast Energy Charge. Dark shadows enveloped the two of them, and he exploded over the sands, driving her to impact the wall. The enchanted marble split, the world echoed with the thunderous crash, and Victor slammed his knee into Trinnie Ro¡¯s abdomen, screaming with frustration at his inability to harm her. Trinnie Ro, for her part, grimaced and grunted, and then she erupted with electricity, sizzling with the charge of her Energy as she snapped out of existence, only to reappear behind Victor, hacking her glaive in a blinding X across his back, flaying him to the bone. ¡°Just die,¡± she hissed, her voice sizzling like the electricity that coursed through her veins. Victor bunched his legs and, using Titanic Leap, launched himself away from the shattered marble, vaulting over her as his flesh worked to knit itself back together. His healing was slow and imperfect. Each cut took longer to knit, and Victor knew her glaive had done something to him. He could feel the oily corruption sliding along his bones, getting under his skin, twisting and breaking down the tiny vessels as his skin came back together. It was a horrifying sensation, and if they weren¡¯t already trying to kill each other, if he hadn¡¯t already tried shattering Trinnie¡¯s invulnerable flesh, he would have gone mad with the frustration of it all. As it was, he found a large part of him begging for release, begging for him to let go of his control and let his rage really take over. As he closed with Trinnie, he ran through his other abilities in his mind, seeking a strategy to deal with her obstinate, unbreakable form and her deadly lightning-charged abilities. Seeking inspiration, he knew he was a fool for holding back that particular ability, so he cast Inspiration of the Quinametzin. He supposed he hadn¡¯t used it thus far in the hopes of saving it or not revealing it. He also had to consider that he couldn¡¯t channel Iron Berserk, Inspiration of the Quinametzin, and a third powerful ability like Banner of the Champion. Still, inspiration was what he needed, and as the glow of that golden-hued Energy entered his rage-filled vision, Victor began to calm down and think around his rage rather than with it. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the first conclusion he came to was that he had to change his tactics. Why was he trying to fight this woman with his bare hands? Was Lifedrinker such a secret? He¡¯d already exposed her. Veil walkers and steel seekers were observing the battle, and they could learn much simply by studying Lifedrinker with their inner eyes, with their Energy sense. Victor stopped in his tracks and watched Trinnie Ro approach. He needed to break with her long enough to pick up his weapon, so he watched her, waiting for the tell-tale surge of electrical Energy. He doubted she¡¯d come at him directly. No, she¡¯d teleport and hit his flank. Victor would, of course, try to avoid the blow, but he figured he might need to eat at least one more painful cut before he could get his hands on Lifedrinker¡ªbefore he could feel her encouraging weight and power and start to turn things around. # Queen Kynna Dar watched Victor and felt her world begin to crumble. Just as the black lines of corruption ate at his flesh, leaving his cuts half-healed and his moves lethargic, she could feel the impending gloom encroaching on her queendom. She couldn¡¯t fault Victor, could she? He was giving his life, after all. Had he been a fool set on his own destruction? Was his weapon a bluff? Could he not wield the mighty axe? Hadn¡¯t he done so in her garden? The questions raced through her mind as she watched him slam Trinnie Ro against the arena wall again, recoiling as her wicked glaive sliced him. Kynna felt sick about Victor¡¯s likely doom but also for the disloyal part she¡¯d had to play¡ªdisloyal but not traitorous, she comforted herself. She¡¯d done nothing to influence his performance, only hedged her bets, guarding the fate of her queendom in the event he¡¯d overplayed his hand, which seemed more and more likely. Kynna glanced at the guardswoman whose promotion, requested by Victor himself, had come across her desk that very morning. Bryn. Her eyes were red beneath the visor of her helm, but she didn¡¯t weep. Not yet. A commotion behind her and the stammered words, ¡°Imperial Highness,¡± startled Kynna out of her melancholy reveries, and she stood, clutching her thick, formal gown as she turned and prepared to curtsey. Sure enough, Grand Prince Troyssas was entering her viewing box, her guards practically prostrating themselves in his presence as he stepped past them. Kynna curtseyed low, tilting her crown and staring at the man¡¯s glittering crystalline slippers as he approached. ¡°Kynna.¡± He chortled, no hint of formality in his tone. ¡°Do relax. I¡¯ve simply come to pay my respects; I doubt I¡¯ll stay to see the end of this sad display.¡± Kynna straightened, fighting her bristling pride and irrational desire to defend Victor to this man, perhaps the fourth most powerful on the planet. ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you to think of me, Your Imperial Highness.¡± ¡°Nonsense. You¡¯ve done much to offer entertainment over the last months. What a wonderful surprise it was to see you come out from beneath the bootheels of old Groff and Vennar. Hah! I bet they rue the day they encircled Gloria, hmm?¡± He stepped past Kynna, his bulk like a small planetoid beside her, pulling against her like gravity. He peered down into the arena, watching for a moment as Victor, again, leaped away from Trinnie Ro, trailing buckets of dark, black blood. ¡°What a strange champion. He certainly took you far, in any case. Far enough to negotiate a proper outcome to this contest, at least.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Imperial¡ª¡± ¡°Highness will do, dear Kynna.¡± ¡°Yes, Highness.¡± ¡°So, what was the settlement? Iron Mountain and a hundred years of peace? Something you can live with, at least, yes? A bit of a pity you won¡¯t have your vengeance; Bandia will escape Gloria¡¯s wrath for the moment.¡± He winced and moved a massive, thick hand to his blush-covered cheek, suddenly holding a jade-inlaid fan to shield his eyes. ¡°My, but he does bleed, does he not?¡± ¡°He¡¯s full of surprises, Highness. I wouldn¡¯t count him out¡ª¡± ¡°Come, enough fantasies. Take your medicine, love. He¡¯s a brute¡ªa barbarian with a berserker¡¯s talents. His healing¡¯s been dealt with, and, as you see, even his rather unique bloodline isn¡¯t enough to overcome a proper steel seeker with talents and equipment to match.¡± Kynna looked past Troyssas to the arena floor and saw Victor backing away from Trinnie, his hands out, somehow managing to avoid most of her hacks and cleaves without further injury. Troyssas wasn¡¯t wrong, though; the damage had been done. Victor¡¯s vibrant, tanned flesh was tracked with black veins, and his cuts hung partly open, spilling dark, stained blood to the sands. They were on the black side, so it wasn¡¯t obvious how much he was bleeding, but when Kynna squinted, she could see the damp, glittering nature of his blood on the sands. She felt eyes on her and glanced to her left where Bryn stared, eyes wide, horror marring her expression. She must have realized what Troyssas meant about Iron Mountain. Kynna had negotiated very favorable terms, indeed. If Victor were to win, Lovania would be her subject state, but if he lost, Kynna simply had to give up her most valuable duchy¡ªIron Mountain¡ªand swear a non-aggression pact. No one could blame her. The terms were too good to pass up; after all, she had her people, her family, to consider. The terms were, in fact, too good, and Kynna knew why: the imperial family had made a point of pushing this duel forward. They¡¯d created openings for other champions, clearing the path for Trinnie Ro¡¯s placement with Lovania. They wanted Victor killed and Kynna¡¯s ambitions along with him. Kynna met Bryn¡¯s gaze, daring her to speak, but the woman knew her place; she jerked her chin back to the arena, watching the man she¡¯d come to admire fight to the last. How long would it be? How long could a man, even one as great as Victor, function with such injuries? Something in Kynna made her want to argue with Troyssas. Perhaps she simply didn¡¯t want her guards¡ªand Bryn¡ªto hear her blithely accept Victor¡¯s fate. ¡°Are you sure you must leave, Highness? Victor may yet surprise us.¡± Stolen story; please report. ¡°Nonsense! He¡¯s suffered an unfortunate turn of fate, finding himself up against Trinnie Ro, but misfortune is what it is. She¡¯s quite thoroughly adept at countering his strengths. Her glaive poisons the berserker¡¯s blood, canceling his regeneration, and her durability is without peer; even his prodigious strength cannot harm her. What other little tricks does he have? He was mediocre with that spear, and, for some reason, he eschews his axe, not that it could harm Trinnie Ro¡¯s flesh. He¡¯s let things go too far, in any case. I doubt he could even pick that weapon up in his current condition. No, I think the most we can hope for is a mercifully quick death for the poor man. I¡¯m sorry for your loss.¡± ¡°¡can do much more than that¡¡± Bryn¡¯s whisper was muttered between clenched teeth, but Kynna heard her. If Troyssas heard her, though, he didn¡¯t react. Likely, he hadn¡¯t registered the noise of vocal cords so far beneath him. He fluttered his fan and turned toward the steps leading down from Kynna¡¯s viewing platform. ¡°Thank you again for looking in on me, Highness.¡± The imperial prince turned and favored her with a thick, burgundy-lipped smile, fluttering his perfumed fan again, this time wafting some of the jasmine scents toward Kynna. ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry you won¡¯t have your vengeance for Thorn¡¯s betrayal, but mind your opportunities, dear Kynna. Perhaps a place at the imperial court is in your future. If nothing else, this barbarian has reminded people of Gloria¡¯s past greatness.¡± Kynna curtsied low again and watched the enormous man¡¯s bulbous figure descend the steps. Shame turned her neck hot as she straightened and turned back to the arena. None of her guards, none of her attendants looked her way. It was like they could feel the guilt radiating off her. Why was she guilty, though? Should she have bet everything on Victor? Should she have refused terms that so blatantly favored her? Should she have tried to avoid the duel? Should she have given Victor time to prepare for such an opponent? Hadn¡¯t she asked him? Hadn¡¯t she told him how dangerous Trinnie Ro was? She sat down, resting her elbows on her knees and staring at the glittering, sapphire-studded silken slippers on her feet. She was happy that, at least, she hadn¡¯t allowed Tomorran to attend the duel. Better that he hear of Victor¡¯s demise than to see it. The crowd had taken on that weird, shell-shocked nature that often occurred when a fight was one-sided. It was almost like they were reluctant to cheer for Trinnie Ro¡ªlike the torture she was doling out was shameful. Instead, they ¡°oohed¡± and gasped, even moaned, with each new spray of black-tinged blood that her golden glaive wrung from Victor¡¯s flesh. Kynna had grown so used to those resigned, wincing collective gasps that when the tempo changed, and an underlying current of excitement bubbled up through the enormous arena, Kynna glanced up, her eyes wide. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He picked up his axe,¡± Bryn said through clenched teeth, her hands white-knuckled where they gripped the balcony railing. # ¡°Blood-mate! You bleed, and your touch is cold and soft! What ails you? Guide my edge to the foes that beset you!¡± Victor couldn¡¯t help the mad smile that split his blood-stained lips as he felt Lifedrinker¡¯s eagerness. He was hurting, no doubt about it, but he hadn¡¯t played all his cards yet. It was clear that Trinnie Ro thought he had. She was content to wear him down, bleed him out, and poison his body while she was at it. Victor had taken his sweet time getting to Lifedrinker. He¡¯d danced a good long time with Trinnie Ro, trying to get her to reveal her cards. Was she done? Was this the extent of it? She¡¯d shown him her teleportation ability. She¡¯d shown him her glaive¡¯s wicked, quick edge that could taint his very blood. She¡¯d powered herself up with lightning-attuned Energy, making herself nearly titanic in size and fast and strong, to boot. Finally, she¡¯d shown him how she could call lightning from the heavens to blast the ever-living shit out of him. Wasn¡¯t that enough? Did she have to have something more held in check? He¡¯d tried to get it out of her if there was something. He¡¯d let her carve the hell out of him, poisoning him down to the marrow in his bones. She hadn¡¯t done anything else, but maybe she didn¡¯t realize she needed to. ¡°Okay, chica. Don¡¯t worry yet. Just cut this bruja for me.¡± With those words, Victor hefted his wonderful axe and strode toward Trinnie Ro, content to let his reflexes, instincts, and Lifedrinker run the show for a while. He¡¯d been nursing his rage, letting it fill his pathways, but no more. He could feel the corruption in his bones and knew even his Quinametzin constitution was struggling with whatever taint his tormentor¡¯s glaive was leaving behind with each cut and gash. He wondered how long he would have lasted without his titan blood, without his titan¡¯s pride that wouldn¡¯t easily allow poison to take root. Trinnie Ro¡¯s glaive flickered like a golden serpent¡¯s tongue, and Victor¡¯s forearms twitched, lifting Lifedrinker¡¯s prodigious blade into its path. For the first time, metal on metal rang through the arena, and blazing golden sparks flew as Lifedrinker carved a sliver of metal from the poisoned weapon¡¯s edge. Victor¡¯s grin turned savage, and he licked his bloody lips as Trinnie backpedaled, her eyes wide with concern for her precious weapon. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± he grunted, breaking his rule about shit-talking. ¡°If you think an axe will save you, fool, you should step outside yourself to see your ruined flesh. You¡¯re dead; you just don¡¯t know it yet.¡± Victor hawked a loogie, spitting a thick, black wad of bloody phlegm onto the sand. ¡°What, this? I¡¯m Quinametzin, pendeja; your poison isn¡¯t going to end me.¡± With that, Victor darted forward and began to weave Lifedrinker in a dizzying array of feints, hacks, thrusts, and cleaves, driving Trinnie back as she had to work extra hard to keep the edge of her glaive from meeting Lifedrinker¡¯s hungry blade. Their metal rang and howled as they clashed, and the spectators¡¯ reactions took on a new life as it became more and more apparent that Victor wasn¡¯t out of the fight. Cheers resounded with each clash of the mighty weapons, and when Trinnie tried to teleport to Victor¡¯s flank, attempting to catch him off guard, the crowd went wild when Lifedrinker was there, ready for that golden blade. With Victor¡¯s guiding hands, she rebuffed the attack, and the glaive rebounded, a new notch at the top of its sword-like edge. Trinnie scowled and redoubled her efforts, and their battle went on. The fight was far from one-sided, but there was some truth to the idea that Victor had waited too long. He was weakened and slowed by the toxins coursing through his body. Even as his Quinametzin constitution worked to eject the poison, it seemed to multiply on itself, thickening in his blood and spreading through his marrow¡ªthe source of that infection being his split clavicle. He had an idea for how to purge himself of the poison and turn the tables, but Victor was reluctant. He wanted to see how far he could go as he was. He wanted to see what Trinnie Ro was made of. Could their dance bring out the Paragon of the Axe? # Grand Prince Troyssas of Khaliday held up his thick hand, and Ambassador Voolian clamped his mouth shut. Troyssas turned to Brinnit, the captain of his personal guard, and barked, ¡°What¡¯s happening in there?¡± Clangs rang out, and the crowd was energized. He could feel it from there. ¡°I¡¯ll check, Highness.¡± Brinnit took the stairs up to the imperial box three at a time, and Troyssas contemplated returning to his seat to view the rest of the match. Surely, it was nearly over, but why the sudden change in tone? It had been a massacre; the foreign berserker had been on his last legs when he¡¯d gone to taunt Kynna. Gods! That little wretch, Trinnie Ro, had better not be squandering the opportunity he and his sister had fed her. ¡°Is something the matter, Your Imperial Highness? If there¡¯s aught that I can do to improve your experience, you have but to ask. Perhaps you¡¯d enjoy viewing the rest of the battle from the comfort of my airship? I noticed you came through the teleporter, and I¡¯m sure I have more comfortable accommodations than those in the viewing boxes.¡± Voolian mewled, his worthless, obsequious flattery falling on deaf ears. Troyssas was focused on the stairs, watching for Brinnit¡¯s return. She reappeared almost immediately, descending to the breezeway in a single light-footed bound. ¡°The barbarian has picked up his axe and seems rather skilled in its use.¡± ¡°He still bleeds?¡± ¡°He does, Highness.¡± ¡°And Trinnie?¡± ¡°Unscathed, Highness.¡± ¡°Enough, then. Escort me to the portal chamber.¡± ¡°As you say, Highness.¡± Brinnit snapped her fingers, and Troyssas¡¯s guards melded out of the stonework around him, forming a protective wedge and marching along with his enormous, rolling steps as he left Voolian babbling about how pleased he¡¯d been to chat with him again. In all honesty, Troyssas couldn¡¯t recall a single word of their conversation; it had been as meaningless as breathing or taking a piss. He glanced at Savinicus, his Master of Revels. ¡°See that my baths are well staffed. I¡¯ll be going in for the night.¡± ¡°Of course, Highness, any particular flavor?¡± ¡°I require soft comforts tonight, Sav. Ensure one of my singers is there.¡± Troyssas shuddered, appalled by the sliver of stress that had wormed its way into his mind. How dare that barbarian last as long as he had? Some folks just didn¡¯t have the decency to die when the time was upon them. He caught Brinnit eyeing him, her expression hard, as usual, though she usually had the good sense to drop her gaze when he caught her looking. ¡°What?¡± he barked. ¡°Will all be well if he doesn¡¯t die?¡± ¡°God¡¯s damn it! Why would you ask that?¡± Troyssas threw out a thick, meaty fist, blasting one of his guards into the wall with the crunch of shattered bones. Two of his retinue slowed to help the poor fool recover, but Brinnit didn¡¯t flinch. ¡°I ask because I saw the glimmer of a paragon on his blade. If the poison doesn¡¯t do him in, he may well cut Trinnie Ro, regardless of her diamond-hard flesh.¡± ¡°Damn you for saying so!¡± Troyssas pouted. He stopped in his tracks and folded his enormous arms over his bulging chest, contemplating things. If Kynna Dar¡¯s champion managed to win, she¡¯d be one step closer to challenging Bandia. If she won that contest, then she¡¯d own a coastal kingdom, which would open the way to challenges on the eastern continent. She could be a dozen well-planned challenges away from threatening one of his borders. She claimed she was aiming to conquer Bandia because of Thorn¡¯s betrayal. If that were the case, her little conquest would end there. If not¡if not, then the great houses had champions that would make Trinnie Ro seem a child. No, things weren¡¯t lost, even if that barbarian managed to win the day, however unlikely that might be. ¡°Brinnit, you will stay and observe the rest of the fight. Carpecus,¡± he turned to his chief advisor, ¡°I¡¯ll need you to make a report to my sister. We may have much to discuss.¡± # Victor¡¯s rictus smile grew wider and wider as he began to drive Trinnie Ro back. His axe hummed through the air, an instrument of death that weighed thousands of pounds and moved like the flicker of a murderous thought. Trinnie¡¯s glaive was a nuisance, a feather-light obstacle that he could bat aside, cut through, or dismiss as the ghostly edge of his paragon began to appear, slipping past Trinnie Ro¡¯s guard and slicing through her impossibly hard flesh. Panic entered her mean-eyed glare, and instead of asking him why he wouldn¡¯t simply die, she began to pant for breath, baring her sharp, black teeth in ever-increasing stress. Victor was past the point of sympathy. He never hesitated to follow up his attacks, watering the sands with Trinnie¡¯s bright red blood. As more and more shreds of golden metal flew through the air and the cuts on Trinnie¡¯s flesh mounted, Victor found himself feeling better. Slowly but surely, his body was pushing the poison out, even without him burning it from his veins with an infusion of magma. His Spirit Core was flaring brightly; he¡¯d only used about half his Energy to maintain his Iron Berserk and his Inspiration of the Quinametzin. He¡¯d saved most of his trump cards: his Volcanic Fury, his Glacial Wrath, his Aspect of Terror, even his Banner and Wild Totem. He''d gone through hell for nearly thirty minutes, but had it been worth it? Would saving all those tricks up his sleeve and not exposing his Breath Core pay off down the road? Anyone who fought him now would know that Lifedrinker was a force to be reckoned with. They¡¯d know he was a master of the axe. They¡¯d know that while poison might weaken him, it would take a hell of a corruption to kill him. Was it time to stop caring? Was it time to just put his cards on the table and straight up beat the hell out of all comers? Trinnie Ro was tough, but was she the toughest? They¡¯d brought her down to put an end to him, but had they held stronger champions in reserve? Victor knew damn well the great houses wouldn¡¯t leave themselves defenseless. If they gave Trinnie Ro to a lesser house, you better believe they thought their own champions could end her. All those thoughts ran through his mind as his frustration fed the fury of his lethal combinations, and he pushed Trinnie Ro into a fatal error. When she charged herself with lightning, and Victor knew her teleportation was imminent, he watched the corners of her eyes where she¡¯d tell him where to strike. Sure enough, just for a fraction of a second, the whites tilted to the right, and Victor whirled, hacking Lifedrinker in a broad, screaming cleave, the Paragon of the Axe extending her edge by six feet. Trinnie Ro flashed with lightning and reappeared in Lifedrinker¡¯s path, and Victor cleaved her in half, splitting her just above the hips in a shower of crimson droplets. As half of Trinnie Ro fell to his left and the other toppled to the right, Victor lifted Lifedrinker high and roared into the crowd¡¯s answering cheers. He was just starting to feel normal again, and he knew his roar was amplified by his Voice of the Angry Mountain. He could feel it shaking the ground around him. He could see the arena walls where he and Trinnie had cracked the marble, showering dust and debris down onto the sands. His voice echoed and reverberated back to him, and, to Victor¡¯s rage-addled mind, it made him imagine other titans were answering his cry. He screamed all the louder, and the people in the stands went wild with his enthusiasm. When he turned to look at Kynna, he saw her standing, her face stunned, her eyes wide. He¡¯d done it, and she couldn¡¯t believe it. He laughed at the expression and shook Lifedrinker in victory, and the axe screamed with him, her bloodlust unquenched. ¡°Let us kill all these fools, blood-heart! Let us dance on their bones!¡± Victor laughed and shook her harder in response, so proud of his wonderful axe, so amazed by her ability to outclass that golden glaive. His heart was swollen with his pride for her, and as he screamed his victory cry, tears filled his eyes, and he choked out a softer declaration, just for her, ¡°I love you, chica! Thank you for saving me so many times.¡± 10.1 - Onward to Bandia 1 ¨C Onward to Bandia When Victor stepped through the portal into the palace at Gloria, a dozen soldiers lowered polearms in his direction, though when their captain saw it was Victor, he quickly barked, ¡°Stand at ease!¡± Victor nodded to the man, tugging at the lapels on the brocaded uniform jacket he¡¯d put on for the visit. It was part of his official attire as Gloria¡¯s champion, and he never wore it when he was at Iron Mountain. Since the queen had returned to her palace, though, she¡¯d been more of a stickler about formality. This was his third visit since she¡¯d moved back into the renovated capital, and nearly a month had passed since the previous one. Victor had an idea about why he¡¯d been summoned; Bryn had come to him just the day before with rumors that Kynna had finally cornered Queen Madge Hajarnen of Bandia into accepting a duel¡ªthe first Victor would have to fight since defeating Trinnie Ro almost four months ago. As he walked, nodding to the guards and royal staff he passed by, Victor couldn¡¯t help feeling a little dread at the thought of another duel. It wasn¡¯t that he was afraid. No, it was more the opposite; Victor didn¡¯t want to be pitted against someone he could easily dominate. The three kingdoms between Gloria¡¯s expanding borders and Bandia had all bent the knee to Kynna, folding after only a little pressure¡ªa result of Victor¡¯s hard-fought triumph over Trinnie Ro. They simply didn¡¯t have a champion in Victor¡¯s league. The same could be said about Bandia, from what Victor had learned in his intelligence dossiers, but Kynna wouldn¡¯t allow Bandia to bend the knee, not without death for their queen and banishment for the royal family. Kynna had come to believe in her accusation that Madge had been behind Thorn¡¯s betrayal, and she wouldn¡¯t let her rival walk away from the situation with her life. Of course, that put Victor in the position of having to fight whatever champion Madge could come up with. When he arrived at the queen¡¯s study, the two Queensguards stationed there saluted sharply, and one of them opened the door wide, announcing, ¡°Your Majesty, I present His Grace, the Duke of Iron Mountain.¡± Victor nodded to the woman¡ªa familiar face, but he¡¯d never learned her name¡ªand stepped through the door. Kynna sat, regal as always, behind her enormous polished desk, the cherry-colored wood luminescent in the light streaming through the blue-and-white, stained-glass windows. Kynna¡¯s crystal crown reflected that light and seemed to gather it, creating a sparkling halo effect between its tall peaks. Her lips smiled when she looked at Victor, but her blazing, fiery eyes were intense, and no humor marred the angle of her brow. ¡°Thank you for coming right away. Please sit.¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Victor bowed and then did as she¡¯d asked, sitting in one of the high-backed chairs before her desk. Things had been more stilted between them lately. He figured it had started when he¡¯d implicitly rejected her advances after his win with Trinnie Ro. It didn¡¯t help that the queen felt some guilt about that duel¡ªshe¡¯d received very favorable terms for not contesting Lovania¡¯s sudden acquisition of a steel-seeker champion from the eastern continent. In her mind, she¡¯d put Victor¡¯s life at unnecessary risk, though he¡¯d assured her that he was up for it. ¡°Let¡¯s dispense with formalities for the moment, shall we? How are things at Iron Mountain, Victor?¡± ¡°Things are¡peaceful, I guess, is the best way to put it. The Haveshi clan do most of my job for me, so I¡¯m left to my own devices.¡± Kynna smiled and nodded. ¡°It was wise of you to employ them in the management of your duchy.¡± Victor snorted, shaking his head. ¡°You were the wise one. I just followed your lead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re kind to mention it. So, tell me about them, these ¡®devices¡¯ of yours. What have you done with the months since you were last called to do battle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you know. You hired half the personnel in my palace.¡± Kynna¡¯s smile faltered a little, maybe turning a bit more toward chagrined, and she tapped her nails on the desk as she admitted, ¡°More than half, I¡¯d wager.¡± Victor smirked, mimicking her by drumming his fingers on the arms of his chair. ¡°So, wouldn¡¯t it be easier if you just asked me what you want to know?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± She leaned back in her chair, the leather squeaking slightly as it compressed. ¡°Tell me about the project you have the Artisan Trobban occupied with. My people tell me he¡¯s taken over the western ballroom of your palace and that no one is allowed in and out.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know any more than that?¡± ¡°Only that you have guards watching over him around the clock, and rumor has it that he¡¯s working with materials valuable enough to warrant new magical wards being engraved on every wall and even the ceiling.¡± Victor didn¡¯t want to lie to Kynna, but he also wanted to protect Arona¡¯s secrets. If he were honest, he¡¯d admit that he thought Kynna knew more than she was letting on, that there was no way Trobban¡¯s activities could have been thoroughly hidden. That being the case, he knew honesty would be the best road forward. ¡°I hired Trobban to create a new vessel for a friend of mine, one who had her body destroyed in a dungeon.¡± ¡°Her spirit is intact?¡± ¡°Yeah. She had a phylactery.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Kynna frowned, distaste clear on her face. ¡°A Death Caster. I hope you haven¡¯t¡ª¡± ¡°She was a Death Caster. That¡¯s going to change when her new vessel is complete.¡± ¡°Ah! A change of affinity? Yes, the materials your Artisan is working with must be potent, indeed. So.¡± Once again, her nails drummed on her desk. ¡°Need I worry that this ¡®friend¡¯ of yours will distract you when your project is finished?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re suggesting,¡± Victor sighed, ¡°but no. If anything, I¡¯ll be able to focus on my duties more easily, knowing I have an ally close at hand.¡± ¡°Very well. You¡¯ll tell me nothing more about her?¡± ¡°What more can I tell you? She¡¯s a friend, and she needs a new vessel. It was a project I took on before coming here, so I felt duty-bound to complete it. She¡¯s not going to cause any trouble for you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you said about your other ally? The one who mysteriously appeared at Iron Mountain without using the teleportation network?¡± ¡°Kynna, what are you fishing for? I introduced you to Tes the day after her arrival. She¡¯s been at Iron Mountain the entire time since, and she¡¯s been nothing but helpful. She¡¯s training me. You should be grateful to her, not suspicious.¡± The queen folded her arms over her chest, causing the pearl-studded embroidery on her sleeves to shine and glitter in the sunlight that shone through her high windows. ¡°You certainly have a way of surrounding yourself with interesting, potent women.¡± Victor¡¯s mouth partially opened, but he stopped short of asking her if she was jealous. He was beginning to think that was exactly what the issue was, and he didn¡¯t want to upset her by calling her out, not directly¡ªthat wasn¡¯t how things were done on Ruhn. Instead, he tried to placate her. ¡°Kynna, your words are true, and no, I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯ve always had more female friends than male. I¡¯m lucky to have you and Bryn¡ªstrong women I can confide in¡ªbut I¡¯m reasonably good friends with Draj and Feist and Florent. I¡¯ve spent many long hours with Trobban as he worked on his project, learning from him as he went.¡± ¡°And Tes? She¡¯s not steering you away from my ancestor¡¯s plan?¡± ¡°What? No, Kynna! She¡¯s just being a good friend, trying to help me prepare for the champions I¡¯ll face when we start challenging the great houses. She¡¯s smart, and her advice is objective¡ªshe doesn¡¯t have a dog in this fight.¡± ¡°A dog in¡ª¡± Victor waved his hand, shaking his head. ¡°Never mind. That¡¯s a saying from my home world and one I¡¯ve never used before¡ªno idea where I dredged it up from. All I¡¯m saying is that she¡¯s not part of the political machinations on Ruhn; it¡¯s been good for my mental state to have her to talk to. She¡¯s simply a friend.¡± He shrugged, deciding not to elaborate further¡ªbetter to let Kynna fill in the blanks. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Thank you, Victor, for being willing to share that with me. I¡¯m your queen here on Ruhn, but I know better than to consider you a simple subject. I know, especially with a friend like Tes, who seems able to travel between worlds without using the System Stones, that you could leave me and all my problems behind. I suppose it¡¯s simple insecurity that has me making such personal inquiries.¡± ¡°I made you a promise, and before that, I made one to your ancestor. I¡¯m not someone who would back out of obligations like that.¡± Kynna inclined her head, the light glittering in her crown dazzling Victor as it reflected on the walls of her study. ¡°Understood. Shall we speak about why I called you here? Shall I confess yet another reason for you to hate me?¡± ¡°What? Kynna, I don¡¯t hate you!¡± She smiled wryly, the right side of her mouth higher than the left as she shook her head and clicked her tongue. ¡°Perhaps you don¡¯t, but you¡¯ve reason to. I¡¯m not proud of the negotiations I made before your duel with Trinnie Ro. Now, I have an opportunity to advance our cause, but it, once again, comes at your expense. Will you hear it?¡± ¡°Have you agreed to it yet?¡± ¡°No.¡± She shook her head. ¡°Nor will I, should you refuse.¡± ¡°Then there¡¯s nothing for me to be upset about. Stop being so hard on yourself. Kynna, you¡¯re a queen. Your people are your main priority. I don¡¯t think the deal you made before my last duel was unfair. Didn¡¯t I tell you that I could win that fight?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of whether I was right, Victor. No, the issue is with how I felt when I made those negotiations. I knew what the great houses were doing. I knew why Trinnie Ro was suddenly willing to fight for an insignificant kingdom thousands of miles from the center of the empire. Trinnie Ro was manipulated, I was manipulated, and, in turn, I manipulated you. I knew you would agree to the fight! Have you ever backed down from one?¡± ¡°Um¡¡± Victor couldn¡¯t remember doing so. ¡°So, I used you. Whether I was right to do so matters not to me. Victor, as a queen, I¡¯ve had to study philosophy and ethics. Most rulers follow a simple dictum: what benefits the most people in their care is the correct choice. My father ruled differently. He believed that every individual was inviolable. Do you know what that means?¡± Victor frowned. ¡°That he wouldn¡¯t use a person for something.¡± ¡°Precisely. In his mind¡ªand he credited the Philosopher Surnass for this¡ªno man or woman should be used for a purpose that wouldn¡¯t align with their own free will. Most rulers would say, ¡®One man to save a thousand is a good trade.¡¯ My father believed in absolutes, however, and he believed that there was no situation in which even a single person should be used as a tool, no matter the benefit to the nation.¡± ¡°Sounds like he was a man I¡¯d like to follow, but it also sounds like it would be hard to stick by those words when push came to shove¡ªas a king, I mean.¡± ¡°I learned that lesson very pointedly when I chose to allow you to fight Trinnie Ro with no preparation and without trying to void her placement as Lovania¡¯s champion. I fully expected you to die, and regardless of your assurances, I cannot allow myself to accept what I did lightly.¡± ¡°Fair enough, Kynna, but just so you know, I¡¯m not holding a grudge about it.¡± Victor shrugged. He thought her father¡¯s philosophy was admirable, but he also understood perfectly well the pressures Kynna had felt. ¡°Thank you, Victor. However, that brings me to our current situation.¡± ¡°Which is?¡± Kynna stood from her chair and approached her tall, multi-paned windows. The panes in the center weren¡¯t stained glass and provided a clear view of her rebuilt palace gardens. Victor stayed in his seat, watching her, and after a few moments, she began to speak, ¡°This situation has much to do with Trinnie Ro, so it¡¯s appropriate that we began this discussion with a reminder of what I did prior to that duel.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± She turned to face him. ¡°Yes. You see, the reason you haven¡¯t had to fight since that duel is because Trinnie Ro obviously outclassed the champions on the western continent¡ªall of them. When you beat her, it sent a message to our neighbors: to stand against Gloria is to court death. So, we¡¯ve annexed three more kingdoms, and now we surround and harass Bandia, the seat of Thorn¡¯s cousin, Madge.¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware.¡± Victor folded his arms, waiting for the other shoe to drop. ¡°She¡¯s tried to sue for peace already, but she knows I won¡¯t let her remain in power, so she stops short of offering a full surrender. Now, I have her surrounded on all sides save one: the east, where her country has two hundred miles of coastline. You know Gloria was besieged by Xan and Frostmarch, but we still held out for nearly six years.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re saying it could be a while before Bandia is suffering enough that the people force the duel?¡± ¡°Exactly. Of course, I¡¯d try to speed things along with statecraft and other pressures¡ªbuying the loyalty of her nobles and the like¡ªbut yes, she could hold out for years, perhaps decades.¡± ¡°But¡¡± Victor was still waiting for her to get to the point. ¡°But she¡¯s come to me with an offer. She¡¯ll accept a duel on two conditions: I must agree to allow banishment for her and her kin, and she insists that no champion in her stable can stand against you and offers a choice.¡± Victor sighed, unfolding his arms. ¡°Are you going to make me beg to hear it?¡± ¡°She will agree to the duel if you don¡¯t participate¡ªI can choose another champion from my stable¡ªor if we allow her to field two champions against you.¡± Maybe Victor didn¡¯t react as she¡¯d expected because her eyes narrowed in consternation when he simply nodded, frowning thoughtfully. ¡°Have you nothing to say?¡± ¡°Is that allowed? I mean, will the veil walkers let me fight two champions at once?¡± ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Kynna clicked her tongue again and turned back to the window. ¡°I should have guessed you wouldn¡¯t back down, and here I am again¡ªsome part of me knew you wouldn¡¯t. So, do I use your foolish pride to get my way, or do I refuse, regardless of your willingness?¡± ¡°Is it allowed?¡± Victor asked again. ¡°There is precedent, yes. Similar accommodations have been offered on more than one occasion to coax a lesser kingdom into accepting a challenge.¡± ¡°And, any idea the ranks of Bandia¡¯s champions? Do I need to worry about the great houses sending more ringers down here?¡± ¡°I inquired with the Council of Oversight and received assurances from Grand Judicator Lohanse that no changes have been made to Bandia¡¯s roster. He also indicated that if it happens after we agree to the two versus one duel, he would invalidate the agreement and force new negotiations.¡± Victor smiled and stood up. ¡°So, any idea who I¡¯ll be facing?¡± ¡°Two iron-rankers, Victor. Should I infer that you are willing, then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing. I don¡¯t want to wait decades, Kynna. We need to keep this ball rolling.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Victor saw resignation in her eyes¡ªresignation and guilt. He didn¡¯t know how else to reassure her, and he didn¡¯t think anything he said would matter. She was struggling with her inner demons and the expectations of a father who was no longer there to temper his past words. She¡¯d weigh whatever Victor said against her father¡¯s tutelage, and Victor was pretty sure his words would come up lacking. After a long moment, she nodded. ¡°I will have my people send dossiers to Bryn.¡± ¡°Was there anything else?¡± Victor wasn¡¯t trying to be rude, but he also wasn¡¯t enjoying the queen¡¯s stuffy, formal behavior or her constant attempts to make him see her behavior as a betrayal when he didn¡¯t think it was. ¡°I¡¯ve had reports that the great houses are increasingly suspicious of me. After we take Bandia, assuming you win, I will no longer have an excuse for expansion. Already, Gloria holds the largest economy on the western continent. By land, we¡¯re the third largest, and with your display against Trinnie Ro, you¡¯re ranked as the top champion. We¡¯ve begun to look like a threat to the great houses. Once I declare a challenge against one of the eastern kingdoms, I won¡¯t be able to disguise my intention to start a war of succession.¡± ¡°Which will mean what? More assassination attempts?¡± ¡°Yes, from the great houses. They¡¯ll attempt to put us down before we can engage them in a challenge. We have eight nations to get through before challenging the closest great house, Voth. That said, I''ll want you close if we win our fight against Bandia.¡± Victor nodded. ¡°Makes sense. Should I move back here?¡± Kynna reached up to tap her crown, and it rang like a chime as a shield of blue Energy surrounded them. ¡°My study is warded, of course, but a little extra caution makes me feel more at ease.¡± She stepped closer to him, and Victor noticed her fingers nervously worrying at the fabric of her wide cuffs. ¡°I think Iron Mountain is more secure than this palace. I have too many cousins whom I don¡¯t trust living here. I will make the move, but I won¡¯t announce it. We can coordinate the first strike against the eastern continent from your palace.¡± ¡°Will they accept the duel? It seems like it would be hard to put pressure on a kingdom across an ocean.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll have to choose a strong kingdom¡ªa ruler with great hubris and a likewise-minded champion. We¡¯ll seek a king or queen who will be confident enough to take the risk in order to snatch up all that we¡¯ve built. You can rest assured that they¡¯ll be aided by the great houses, so the champion you face after Bandia will be deadly.¡± ¡°I figured.¡± Victor shrugged. Kynna¡¯s eyes narrowed in consternation, but she didn¡¯t object. She gestured to the door, and though the flick of her fingers was dismissive, her tone was almost mournful as she said, ¡°I¡¯ve nothing more for you at this time, then. I can find no fault with your willingness to fight, Champion.¡± Victor wanted to comfort her¡ªto try to make sense of the impossible standard she was holding herself to, but, on the other hand, he thought it was good that they had some professional distance between them. Victor liked Kynna. He liked that she seemed to care so much that she tormented herself over decisions that would have been a snap judgment for most rulers. On the other hand, her moral philosophy was so strict that she seemed to be causing herself pain by simply making good, solid decisions for her nation. All that said, when Victor¡¯s first impulse was to reach out and comfort her further, he stopped himself because he didn¡¯t want to send the wrong message. He wasn¡¯t sure he was the right person for anyone at that time in his life, let alone a queen with a guilty conscience. So, he saluted sharply, snapping his heels together and pounding his fist against his chest. Then he bowed and turned to the door. Before he stepped through, he turned to face the queen, and, unable to ignore the pained look in her eyes, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll be ready, Your Majesty. Honestly, I usually fight better against more than one enemy.¡± ¡°I hope you¡¯re ready for the hero worship coming your way if you pull this off.¡± Victor stepped closer, putting himself back into the dome of her secrecy spell. ¡°Do you mean the duel or the toppling of an empire?¡± Kynna sighed, and Victor could see her fighting and losing the battle against the corners of her mouth as they turned upward in a small smile. ¡°Both, you impossible braggart. Both.¡± 10.4 Old Acquaintances 4 ¨C Old Acquaintances Victor pulled another driftwood log onto the makeshift bonfire he and Tes had put together. It was damp and didn¡¯t combust right away, but the fire was already roaring, and the log began to steam immediately; soon, it would burn. ¡°That ought to last a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re well-loved around here, Victor,¡± Tes remarked, watching the couple who¡¯d just stopped by walk back toward the town. Their flight had garnered some attention, and many of the former members of the Ninth had come by to greet Victor and meet Tes as they¡¯d strolled along the beach, enjoying the sound of the waves crashing and the generally charming atmosphere. ¡°Well, we fought a war together.¡± He nodded toward the departing couple. ¡°What did you think of Nia?¡± ¡°Very intriguing. Her story makes me think the Death Casters who fled Earth for their new world must have been formidable.¡± ¡°Is that unusual? For human-like people to reach levels of power like that without the System?¡± ¡°Unusual, but not unheard of, and humans have a high natural affinity. My research indicates that there were many great cultivators on Earth before the Energy stopped flowing, and they weren¡¯t all members of elder species like our ancestors.¡± ¡°So the undead lords on Dark Ember could be as strong as veil walkers?¡± Tes moved a little away from the fire and sat down on the sand as she answered, ¡°I¡¯d say it¡¯s not only possible but likely. To flee through the veil to another world, especially as Energy ebbed¡ªthat would require sophisticated magic.¡± Victor nodded, turning to face the fire, watching the orange tongues of flame licking the sides of the big, damp log he¡¯d thrown on. He glanced at the sky; they¡¯d just watched the sunset, and now the light was fading entirely from the western horizon, and the stars were beginning to emerge. ¡°Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Not particularly. Why don¡¯t you try one of your new spell patterns? It¡¯s why we came here, after all.¡± Victor turned to look at her, sitting on the sand, her bare feet curled underneath the skirts of her dress. The fabric shimmered in the firelight, and flames danced in Tes¡¯s eyes¡ªreflections of the fire. He wanted to tell her she was beautiful, but he¡¯d learned that such direct flattery wouldn¡¯t get him far, especially if he constantly lavished it on her. ¡°Which one should I start with?¡± ¡°I think the Energy Charge revision. You¡¯ll face opponents with similar abilities¡ªsome System-based Classes are awarded them in the high ¡®iron ranks,¡¯ as you¡¯ve already seen; only your incredibly sturdy nature saw you through those battles.¡± Victor nodded. They¡¯d had the discussion before. One of these days¡ªperhaps soon¡ªhe¡¯d face someone who could move faster than his senses could perceive and who also had the ability to do enough damage to him to overcome his sturdy body and regeneration. Such a combination would be difficult, if not impossible, for him to counter. So, Tes had helped him figure out how to take his System-granted ¡°Energy Charge¡± spell and alter it. The new, elder-magic variant would, theoretically, allow him to maintain the speed of his Energy Charge while moving and fighting for as long as he wanted to expend the Energy required. More than that, Tes had helped him expand the spell¡¯s effects to include his mind. While he moved under its influence, he would no longer feel like a passenger, hanging on for dear life. His mind would speed up commensurate with his body, and he¡¯d¡ªagain, theoretically¡ªbe in complete control of his movements. The most critical side effect of the revision would be that his enhanced cognition would allow him to perceive other fast-moving people and things. Victor nodded and sat down, summoning his elder magic book from his storage ring. He flipped to the page where he¡¯d transcribed the final iteration of the revised spell pattern and carefully studied it. At the time, when he¡¯d first copied it into the book, he¡¯d pretty much had it memorized. Since then, though, he¡¯d done the same with half a dozen other spells and, though he could probably write a significant portion of it from memory, parts of the complicated, multi-page pattern were less than clear in his mind¡¯s eye. Tes watched him, shifting so she leaned on one hand in the sand. ¡°It¡¯s good that we came here to try this. If you found you needed one of these new spells in your duel, you would have struggled to build the pattern from memory.¡± ¡°Yeah. I was just thinking the same thing.¡± Victor ran through the pattern twice, then closed his eyes and turned his gaze inward, drawing a strand of inspiration-attuned Energy into his pathways. He could use any attunement for the spell; it wasn¡¯t particular. He liked using inspiration when he was learning, though¡ªhe felt like it influenced his success rate, even with something like casting a new spell. Of course, he had no factual basis for the belief; it was just an instinct and perhaps superstition, but he¡¯d come to trust his instincts, especially since his vision where Tenecoalt had instructed him to do so. He had to glance back at his notes several times, but soon, the pattern was nearly finished¡ªjust a few more loops and a connection of the final thread remained. Victor stood, then looked at Tes. ¡°Here goes.¡± ¡°Luck!¡± She smiled impishly, remaining seated. Victor swallowed, bracing himself, and then finished the pattern. As the final thread fell into place, the entire pattern flashed with white-gold Energy, but before the spell could engage the Energy in his Core, Victor felt things freeze, and a System message flashed before his eyes: ***Warning! The spell being cast incorporates and alters another System-granted spell. If you complete this casting, your System-granted spell will be removed.*** ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** Victor had learned his lesson about antagonizing the System with questions and a mocking tone. This time, he simply said, ¡°No.¡± A tremendous wave of Energy flowed out of his Core, fueling his completed spell. Victor felt his muscles come alive with boiling power and urgency, and the world turned bright, his eyes blazing with the light of inspiration. He glanced at the fire, and his jaw dropped¡ªit rippled in blinding glory, though the flames'' liquid dance was slow, each flicker unfolding in what felt like seconds, each ember drifting off like it was caught in air thick as molasses. Victor turned to Tes, and she winked at him, but her eyelid moved too slowly to be natural, her cheek rising and her brow descending over the course of several breaths. Victor was aware that a river of Energy was feeding the spell while he looked around, so he decided to try moving before he spent every drop in his Core. He jogged around the fire toward the ocean and saw the waves coming into shore at a snail¡¯s pace. His movements felt normal, his thoughts felt unaltered, but looking down at the white-gold Energy limning his body, it was clear that he was moving at a charged rate. He darted toward the water and kicked one of the near-frozen waves as it descended in slow motion. Water erupted from his foot¡¯s impact, but it flew away like it was fighting against an invisible force¡ªa spray of slowly separating, misting droplets. Grinning, Victor turned and ran back to Tes, and then, with a flick of his will, he stopped the flow of Energy into his pathways. ¡°Bravo!¡± she cheered, just as System messages scrolled across Victor¡¯s field of view: ***You have discovered a new spell: Velocity Mantle ¨C Epic.*** ***Your new spell renders a System-granted spell obsolete. Removing.*** ***You have lost the spell: Energy Charge ¨C Basic.*** The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ***Velocity Mantle ¨C Epic: You have mastered the intricate art of merging body and mind into a state of heightened synchronicity, pushing the boundaries of speed and perception. Activating this spell drastically accelerates your physical and cognitive functions, allowing you to move, react, and think at rates far beyond normal capacity. This effect enhances your awareness, enabling you to perceive and counter high-speed movements, and grants unparalleled precision in battle or flight. The duration of the spell is determined by the Energy you invest. Energy Cost: Variable.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** ¡°It worked¡ªepic!¡± Victor laughed, mildly amused by the System¡¯s passive-aggressive language and behavior; it hadn¡¯t needed to remove Energy Charge from him; the two spells were different enough that he could still find the shielded charge of his old spell valuable. Still, he was pleased enough with the upgrade. ¡°I told you it was a good pattern. You did an outstanding job with it, Victor. Was it costly?¡± ¡°Oh, good question.¡± Victor called up his Energy level to see how much he¡¯d spent: Energy: 37099/43812 ¡°Yeah.¡± He nodded. ¡°It¡¯s costly but not terrible. As I continue to gain intelligence with my Warlord Class, I think it will become more and more usable.¡± Tes nodded. ¡°Naturally. I could barely see you move; that¡¯s going to be quite the fun card to pull out when the time comes, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Hell yes!¡± Victor laughed, stooping to pick up his book, eager to try out another one of his new patterns. Tes leaned back on her elbows, staring up at the stars. Victor was about to ask her what spell she thought he should try next when a disturbingly familiar, feminine voice called out from near the shoreline. ¡°Oh, it was the one we suspected! I thought it was a familiar sound, Fox! It¡¯s the tasty morsel we heard crashing about the spirit plane once upon a time!¡± ¡°It¡¯s still so young, though, Three,¡± came a rumbling basso voice, rolling his tongue as he said, ¡°Three.¡± ¡°Oh, shit,¡± Victor sighed, glancing at Tes. Her eyes narrowed with consternation, and she stood smoothly, moving to stand beside him. ¡°Step into the light, hunters,¡± she snarled, her voice suddenly harsh. ¡°Hunters? We?¡± Three asked, her smooth, almost purring voice coming from the shadows to Victor¡¯s left. The odd thing about that was that he could see quite well in the dark, especially with the bonfire throwing light in a fifty-yard radius. Still, he couldn¡¯t see either of the strange individuals he¡¯d met so long ago on the spirit plane. ¡°This one¡¯s different,¡± Fox rumbled from the other side of the fire. ¡°It¡¯s not meant to be here¡ªperhaps more of a morsel than we care to bite.¡± Tes growled, and then she surged, expanding suddenly to what Victor hoped was her actual size¡ªa blue-scaled, four-limbed, winged, reptilian terror the size of a city bus. She pounced into the darkness, and as her claws swept out, a sharp clang resounded, and suddenly Victor could see Fox¡ªthe giant man clung to a saber that gleamed with red-black light that seemed to cut his mind as he glimpsed it, forcing him to look away. The fellow looked much like Victor remembered¡ªdressed like a pirate, ten feet tall or so, and with the girth of several similarly sized men rolled into one. ¡°Ho-ho! Ease your rage, dragon! We¡¯re simply here to investigate!¡± He chuckled as Tes swiped again and rebuffed her mighty claw with his horrible saber. ¡°It¡¯s angry, Three!¡± ¡°Aye,¡± came the orange-tabby-woman¡¯s sibilant reply, directly beside Victor. He lurched to the side, whirling to face her, but she just winked one of her big, emerald eyes and grinned sideways, exposing her feline fangs. Tes also whirled to the voice, slashing her tail at Fox, who somehow ran ahead of it, circling the fire to stand a bit behind Three. When he sheathed his terrible red-black sword, Tes growled deeply but suddenly stood in her human form again, stepping toward Victor. She moved to stand before him, folding her bare arms over her chest, her silver-and-white dress flickering with orange and red from the fire. ¡°You made your point. I cannot defend him from both of you, but I swear to you this much: harm him now, and I¡¯ll kill one of you and hunt the other to the ends of the universe for my vengeance.¡± ¡°So,¡± Three made a show of licking the fur on her left wrist, ¡°our morsel has a protector. Hmm. Why do you stand for the disruptor? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯ll bring you trouble down the line?¡± ¡°Disruptor!¡± Tes barked a laugh and shook her head. ¡°Come to Aradnue and meet a world full of us. Your System might have gotten its hooks into him, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s sworn any oaths. He¡¯s not causing any trouble. He¡¯s not sharing what he learns. He¡¯s not recruiting for a cause¡ªsimply learning to fashion Energy on his own, without crutches.¡± ¡°Ah,¡± Three looked at Fox and sighed, ¡°that old canard.¡± The big man nodded, his jowly neck jiggling with the motion. ¡°I feared as much, Three.¡± Three looked at Tes, reaching one pointed nail up to her teeth as though to wriggle something out from behind her right canine. After a moment, she said, ¡°And who started this tasty morsel on this road? Perhaps you¡¯re the disruptor, hmm?¡± Victor stepped forward, well aware that Tes had, indeed, given him his first taste of elder magic. Still, she wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Perhaps you¡¯re under the impression that elder magic doesn¡¯t run in my blood,¡± he growled, severing the thread of Energy sustaining his Alter Self spell. As he surged in size and let his aura flow freely, he said, ¡°I¡¯m a titan, and if I wish to work the magic of my ancestors, I¡¯ll do so.¡± Of course, his aura might be impressive to other iron rankers, even steel seekers, but the two before him hardly blinked as it washed over them. They did seem to take his words into consideration, however. Three seemed amused, and she chuckled softly as Fox backed up a step, forced to look up to meet Victor¡¯s gaze. ¡°So it is, so it is! And this one? She didn¡¯t teach you to work the elder runes? She didn¡¯t disrupt your progress with the System?¡± Tes opened her mouth, but Victor spoke first, ¡°She cautioned me off it¡ªwarned me not to talk to others about it. If you¡¯re trying to keep people from learning how to make spells outside the System, you ought to thank her.¡± Victor had a feeling the two could smell a lie, so he didn¡¯t do so. Every word he said was true¡ªTes had been reluctant to share her Elder magic with him. She¡¯d given him a pattern to learn, but she hadn¡¯t hand-fed it to him. In fact, the thing had been nearly indecipherable to him when she first gave it over. And she¡¯d absolutely cautioned him about it and asked him never to reveal her as the source. Three licked her claw, arching an eyebrow over her big, emerald eye. ¡°And now? We¡¯ve witnessed you work three non-System spells, morsel. She doesn¡¯t aid you?¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Tes barked, stepping forward. ¡°What I do with my time is none of your business, you pair of opportunistic, sycophantic System-slaves. I¡¯ve provided my testimony¡ªVictor is not a disruptor; he keeps his learning to himself. My actions are my own, and if you care to judge me, then by all means, do so. You haven¡¯t a leg to stand on.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, Celestial Envoy, Tesia¡¯liveen¡¯ashalah,¡± Three hissed. ¡°Oh, bravo! You¡¯ve managed to sus out my identity. Not that I didn¡¯t show you my true form. Are there many mature blue dragons wandering this part of the universe? Go ahead, visit Luminaris, make an appointment with the Grand Envoys, and ask if I have permission to be with Victor. Ask if I¡¯ve made a case for my involvement in his progression. I¡¯ll save you the six-month wait¡ªI do, and I have. Now, unless you¡¯d like me to track down your employer, I suggest you leave us to our own devices. You¡¯ve seen what the noise was about; Victor is trying some new spells that he devised and has no intention of doing any disrupting.¡± Three never stopped smiling slyly as Tes spoke, but she looked at Fox and shrugged. ¡°What do you say, Fox? Shall we leave this angry dragon to its business?¡± Fox yawned, scratching his belly where it hung out over his pantaloons. ¡°I¡¯m bored, Three. Let¡¯s find another morsel. We can check up on this youngster another time¡ªyou know how they go.¡± Three¡¯s smile widened as she looked back at Victor. ¡°Aye, I do. Maybe it¡¯s not disrupting yet, but I can see it in those eyes. It¡¯s going to be a handful. I think we¡¯ll get our taste eventually.¡± With that, she put a furry, razor-clawed hand on Fox¡¯s shoulder, and the two turned to walk up the beach. Victor watched them go, counting seven steps before they shimmered like a mirage and disappeared. ¡°Victor, I think you neglected to tell me something,¡± Tes flopped down onto the sand with a heavy sigh. Victor sat beside her, his mind racing through all the implications of that strange encounter. Had he understood correctly? They were agents of the System? When he cast a non-System spell, it had thrown up some kind of red flag, and they¡¯d come sniffing around? Why hadn¡¯t it happened when he cast Alter Self? He¡¯d always assumed they found him on the Spirit Plane because he¡¯d made such a¡bang when he first cast Wild Totem. ¡°Victor?¡± Tes prompted. ¡°Oh.¡± He looked at her and shrugged. ¡°Yeah. Um, when I revised my totem spell, they found me on the spirit plane. I didn¡¯t realize they worked for the System. What the hell?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t work for the System. They collect System bounties. Disruptors are worth a great deal, but they have no evidence that you are one. That¡¯s likely why they left you alive the first time they found you. They¡¯re hoping you won¡¯t keep your knowledge of elder magic to yourself. They¡¯re hoping you¡¯ll start actively working against the System. If they can provide even the tiniest bit of proof, the System will award them tremendously for killing you.¡± ¡°Did I get you in trouble?¡± Tes smiled and leaned her cheek against his shoulder. ¡°No trouble that I didn¡¯t already have, sweet boy.¡± ¡°Man,¡± Victor grunted, eliciting a giggle out of Tes. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that dude stood up to your attack!¡± ¡°Hah! That wasn¡¯t an attack! That was a reminder that he probably didn¡¯t want to tussle with me.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m glad you were here.¡± ¡°As am I.¡± She straightened and turned to smile at him. ¡°All the more reason for you to learn more spells. Someday, you might have to defend yourself from the likes of those fiends. Come, they know you¡¯re not here teaching your forbidden arts. Go ahead and cast another.¡± With a grin, Victor hopped to his feet and took out his elder magic book again, flipping through the spell patterns. ¡°Let¡¯s see here, what will I cast next¡¡± 10.5 Domain 5 ¨C Domain ¡°I think I want to try the one from the dungeon book.¡± Victor and Tes had spent several days deciphering the strange elder magic book he¡¯d gotten in the Iron Prison. At first, it seemed to have bits of patterns without a greater purpose¡ªEnergy direction nodes, Energy density weaves, Energy gateways, feedback loops, containment matrices, reversal nodes, conversion threads, and dozens of other pattern components. When Victor began to understand the pages and pages of spell components, he thought he¡¯d gotten some sort of ancient primer on elder magic. In a way, he was right; it was a primer, but Tes had shown him how the first few seemingly disparate components could be put together to form the skeleton of a spell pattern. From there, Victor had diligently added the other pieces of the puzzle to the whole. It wasn¡¯t a primer on Elder magic in general; it was a guidebook that deconstructed a highly complex pattern, one that filled an entire¡ªalbeit small¡ªbook. Tes leaned back on her elbows, her eyes fixed on the bonfire. There were more embers than flames now, but its heat was comfortable in the cool, nighttime sea breeze. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯re ready for that one.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going to happen to me if I¡¯m not?¡± The question was rhetorical. Victor was pretty sure all that would happen was that he¡¯d fail to cast it. ¡°It might completely drain your Core, and then you¡¯ll feel sick for a little while.¡± Victor nodded, flipping through his ¡°elder magic book¡± to the nearly thirty pages dedicated to the ¡°dungeon book¡¯s¡± spell pattern. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll be ready for a break after this, anyway.¡± Tes yawned and then stood up, nodding. ¡°I¡¯m going to walk along the beach for a while. Maybe I¡¯ll go for a swim. It¡¯ll take you a long time to build that pattern.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll come back before I cast it, though, yeah?¡± ¡°Of course! I wouldn¡¯t miss it.¡± Victor smiled, watching her walk lithely over the sand to the gentle, moonlit waves. He sat down and put the book in his lap, and when he glanced up at Tes again, she was gone, but he swore he caught a glimpse of a great blue-scaled tail slipping into the silvery water. ¡°Shit,¡± he chuckled, ¡°wouldn¡¯t want to be a fish around here right now.¡± He watched the water for another minute or two, but when Tes didn¡¯t surface and he saw no sign of her, he turned back to his book and began reviewing the long, complicated, multi-faceted spell pattern. Copying a complex pattern into his Energy pathways was one of Victor¡¯s fortes. The ability to hold Energy where he wanted it was tied to his will attribute, and with that being his primary focus for most of his career as an Energy user, the spell didn¡¯t start getting difficult for him until he¡¯d made it about halfway into the pattern. Pulling his inner eye back, seeing what he¡¯d built as a whole¡ªall three dimensions of the elder magic pattern¡ªhe found it hard to believe he was only halfway through it. It was like a hollow cone, with both ends open to Energy strands, filled with loops, whorls, angles, shapes, and intricate weaves. Of course, he¡¯d chosen inspiration-attuned Energy to build the spell the first time. Part of the pattern was an Energy differentiation matrix, and Tes had taught Victor how it would take the Energy input and format it for the spell¡¯s purposes. It was a spell designed to use the caster¡¯s Energy to their advantage, so, unlike many of his spells, it really mattered what Energy he cast it with. That being the case, Victor didn¡¯t want his first attempt to be with fear or rage. In addition to inspiration being his most ¡°positive¡± affinity, it seemed to respond better to his mental nudges, which made it ideal for forming a spell pattern for the first time. Even so, as Victor turned the page in his book and began adding in more and more complexity, he found himself beginning to sweat with the strain of keeping those thousands of Energy lines steady. ¡°Come on, pinch¨¦ son of a bitch,¡± he growled, gently, delicately tweaking his line of Energy into a bowl-shaped pattern against which a star-shaped cascade of other lines would reflect. He was vaguely aware of soft footsteps behind him, but he couldn¡¯t spare a glance to see if Tes had returned. He knew it was her, though; he could smell the saltwater mixed with her jasmine and citrus perfume. She sat behind him, and when her cool hands pressed against the sides of his neck, Victor felt some of his tension bleed away. ¡°You¡¯re doing very well, Victor. I¡¯m quite impressed you¡¯ve gotten this far; this is a pattern a so-called steel seeker would struggle with.¡± He didn¡¯t respond, but as she gently kneaded the tension out of his knotted neck muscles, he redoubled his efforts, continuing his work. He pushed away the excitement her touch elicited in him, and a tiny part of his mind wondered if she was helping or hindering his progress, but the proof was in the doing: he worked through two more pages in record time, adding their components to the pattern in his pathway. He was inserting new twists, glyphs, angles, and functions on the interior of the cone now, so he had to strain his inner eye to either see past the outer layers of the pattern or he had to rotate his perspective and push his perception into the bottom of the cone. He chose the latter because it gave him a proper view of the spell¡¯s complexity, and he could glance at the whole from the inside to ensure he wasn¡¯t breaking anything with the new components. Slowly but surely, he worked his way through the pages, and all the while, Tes¡¯s fingers worked magic, draining away his tension and helping him focus. When he reached the final page, he was sure he was drenched in sweat, but he was no longer aware of his body; his entire being existed in that pathway outside his Core. If someone asked Victor to make an analogy about the effort of will it took to hold those thousands of delicate lines of Energy in place, he would have said it was like balancing a skyscraper atop his palms while participating in a log-rolling competition¡ªabsurd, but it made the point. As he connected the final hexagonal prism of Energy lines to the dangling thread of Energy at the top of the cone¡¯s interior, the entire pattern flashed, and Victor felt his Core drain as a flood of Energy populated the completed spell. Just as before, though, everything seemed to freeze in place, and the System sent him an unwelcome warning: ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** Unlike with the spell pattern that he and Tes had modified, Victor looked at the first warning and gave it serious consideration. This spell was from a book he¡¯d found in a prison dungeon for iron-rankers. It didn¡¯t belong. Was it a trap? Was it a boon? He didn¡¯t know, but even Tes thought it might be too much for him. Would she let him cast something that could seriously harm him, though? Now that the spell was formed¡ªand frozen in time¡ªhe sought some reassurance. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s the worst that can happen if this spell is too powerful for me?¡± When she didn¡¯t answer, and he realized her hands weren¡¯t moving on his neck any longer, Victor looked over his shoulder to see she, too, seemed frozen in time. Was that it? Was the System stopping time, or had it moved Victor outside of time? He had a feeling his awareness had sped up or been pulled away from the normal flow of time as he understood it. After all, affecting him ought to be a whole lot easier than affecting the entire world or universe. Whatever it was doing, the System didn¡¯t seem to like doing it long. It flashed the question again, this time with larger, red-tinted letters: If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ***Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** Gathering his courage, Victor mentally pressed the ¡°NO¡± option. Again, he felt the draw on his Core, like a vortex siphoning the Energy out, and Victor watched as the world around him changed. A wall of shimmering white-gold Energy expanded away from him, forming an enormous dome, something like two hundred yards in diameter. Inside that brightly lit space, the ground shimmered in rainbow-tinted reflections as a bed of gravel appeared consisting of millions of tiny, prism-like crystals. The fire¡¯s orange flames and embers became blue and purple, and the ocean¡¯s waves tinkled like crystalline wind chimes as they crashed at half their normal speed. Victor stood, his eyes wide with wonder as the clarity of inspiration filled his senses. He whirled to see Tes also on her feet, looking about, her hands covering her mouth as her big sapphire eyes filled with unshed tears. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful!¡± she cried, walking in a slow circle, the crystalline gravel tinkling with each step. ¡°My mind is so clear! Victor, you have to talk to Valla!¡± The comment, out of nowhere, was puzzling at first, but as Victor thought about it, he understood Tes¡¯s point of view. He owed it to Valla to tell her he was home. She deserved to know Tes was there. It was important to clear the air. ¡°I will.¡± ¡°If this¡environment has this effect on us, what will it do to your enemies?¡± Tes wondered, reaching out to run her fingers through a slowly flickering purple flame. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I can¡¯t hold it long. My Core¡¯s draining like someone opened a valve into a black hole.¡± Victor took one more long look around, his eyes mesmerized by the dancing motes of white-gold light that seemed to float about the space like fireflies. ¡°God, everything¡¯s so clear!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a wondrous spell. You¡¯ve created an environment attuned to inspiration!¡± Victor looked at the crystalline waves and then at the strangely beautiful fire, smiling almost sadly as he severed the thick ribbon of Energy connecting his nearly empty Core to the spell. When the mundane world came crashing back, dark, chilly, and clad in the usual colors of nature, he stumbled and fell backward onto the sand, catching himself on his palms. ¡°Damn,¡± he laughed, ¡°not so pretty out here anymore, is it?¡± ¡°Of course it is!¡± Tes laughed, skipping around the fire, her eyes bright, her smile glowing with pride and happiness. ¡°It¡¯ll just take a moment for the magic of your spell¡¯s effects to fade a little, and then you can appreciate this lovely world again. I can¡¯t wait until you¡¯re strong enough to keep that spell going longer. Imagine what we could accomplish in an environment like that!¡± Victor nodded absently, having realized he had more System messages waiting: ***You have discovered a new spell: Core Domain ¨C Epic.*** ***Core Domain ¨C Epic: You have learned to impose your will upon reality, shaping the environment into a reflection of your Core''s affinity. By channeling your Energy, you create a localized domain where your chosen affinity manifests in both form and function, altering the environment to empower yourself, support allies, and suppress enemies. Each affinity dictates the domain''s effects, making it a versatile but demanding tool. The domain persists for as long as your Energy sustains it, and its influence grows with the strength of your will. Energy Cost: Variable. The greater the Energy invested, the larger and more potent the domain. Prolonged use risks feedback effects, including exhaustion, emotional strain, or destabilization of your Core.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** Victor read the description twice, then, grinning, read it to Tes. He finished with a question, ¡°Be honest; did you know what the spell would do?¡± She shook her head, looking down at her feet where her toes wriggled in the sand. A moment later, she sat beside him and sighed deeply. ¡°I knew it was a spell that would affect the environment, and I could tell it was sophisticated with many different effects based on the Energy being poured into it. Other than that, though, I wasn¡¯t sure. I think I could have studied each component in relation to those around it and come up with a better estimation, but I thought it would be safe to try with a positive Energy source like your inspiration.¡± Victor¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Shit, man, I didn¡¯t think about that! What¡¯s it going to be like when I cast it with fear or rage?¡± ¡°Or justice or courage or glory? You know, those other Energy weaves you started might provide even more potent alternatives. You should work on finishing them.¡± Victor nodded idly, drawing his fingers through the sand as the fire popped. He¡¯d begun the work of trying to weave glory and fear into some of his other Energies, but it was complicated stuff, and he¡¯d been met with failure so many times that he¡¯d put it on a back burner. Tes was right, though; he was probably missing out on some serious potential. Another topic was on the tip of his tongue, however. ¡°Why do you think the System still gives me a spell description and adds the new spell to my status sheet? If it doesn¡¯t like people stepping outside its influence, you¡¯d think it would ignore the new spell and make me figure out what it does and keep track of it.¡± ¡°The System isn¡¯t foolish. It wants to keep you a part of it for as long as possible. By acknowledging your success, despite its efforts to dissuade you, it reminds you of its utility and, I suppose, helps smooth over any animosity its warnings might have engendered.¡± ¡°So, it knows I¡¯m doing my own thing, but it wants to keep some hooks in me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing your ¡®own thing¡¯ to a degree. You¡¯re still gaining levels and earning new skills and spells under the System¡¯s care. Things will change a little when you build your own Class, but even then, the System will take part in your milestones. Unless you break from it, that is.¡± Tes spoke softly, mimicking his behavior by idly drawing stars and circles in the sand while she spoke. ¡°Do you think I should do that?¡± She shook her head and then leaned her cheek against Victor¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t. Not until you¡¯ve gained all you can from it. Not until you¡¯re ready to stand on your own against the System zealots out there like your two friends who paid us a visit earlier.¡± Victor was quiet for a while, thinking about Fox and Three, wondering when they¡¯d next come calling. It felt like they followed some kind of unspoken code. Would they leave him alone as long as he didn¡¯t spread his use of non-System magic to others? As long as he didn¡¯t ¡°disrupt?¡± He didn¡¯t want to dwell on it at the moment because he¡¯d had another question for Tes, one he was a little reluctant to bring up but couldn¡¯t keep from popping back into his mind. ¡°When I created my inspiration domain, the first thing you said was that I should talk to Valla. Is that because it¡¯s been on your mind?¡± Tes sighed again and sat up straight, shifting to look more directly at him. ¡°It has been, yes. I¡¯m sure you realized the wisdom of the words while you were in your domain. Didn¡¯t you? You agreed immediately.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Victor nodded, smiling crookedly. ¡°It was good for me to break contact with her for a while, but I owe it to her to write. She should know I¡¯m home. She should know you returned. I should be interested in what she¡¯s been doing. Valla¡¯s never been anything but good and kind and supportive to me. Well, until she decided we needed a break, that is.¡± He chuckled ruefully, and Tes playfully punched his knee. ¡°You have such big emotions. It must have been so hard for her to talk to you about that! She must have been terrified.¡± ¡°What? Terrified? Of me?¡± ¡°Of how you would take it. She loves you, and I¡¯m sure she was worried about you flying off in a rage or becoming self-destructive or¡ª¡± ¡°I get it, I get it.¡± Victor waved a hand, then laid back in the sand, staring up at the brilliant expanse of stars. ¡°You were right.¡± ¡°About?¡± Tes, too, laid back in the sand, cushioning her head with an arm. ¡°About the world becoming beautiful again after the spell faded a bit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the world!¡± She chased the words with trilling laughter, and Victor groaned. ¡°You know what I mean.¡± ¡°I do. So? Are you done with new spells for the night? Shall we return to your home and see what dear Governor ap¡¯Dommic has had the staff prepare?¡± ¡°Um, yeah, I suppose. We can do some more in the morning before we fly over to the Shadeni encampment.¡± ¡°Encampment? Don¡¯t they build permanent structures?¡± Tes hopped to her feet and held out a hand. Victor took it, and she grunted, hoisting him up. ¡°You¡¯re like a sack of lead bones!¡± ¡°Oh, please! You could throw me halfway across that sea if you wanted. As for the Shadeni, that¡¯s a good point. They used to be nomadic, but, yeah, I bet they¡¯ve built up quite a little town by now.¡± ¡°Shall we fly back to the house?¡± Tes arched an eyebrow. ¡°Let¡¯s walk through town. I want to see what¡¯s been built and maybe say hi to a few more folks. That okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s perfect!¡± Tes took his elbow and leaned against him as they strolled up from the beach, and Victor did his best to simply enjoy the moment without fixating on his desires for the future. Things were going well, and one thing he knew about life and people was that if you gave it or them an excuse, things could go from good to shit in the blink of an eye. So, he savored Tes¡¯s closeness, the beautiful weather, and the breathtaking field of stars overhead. With a warm heart and a smile, he waved at the people lingering around the front deck of the tavern on the edge of the village¡ªThe Ninth¡¯s Rest. 10.6 Letters and Flight 6 ¨C Letters, Light, and Flight Victor sat alone in his suite on a couch he was acutely aware Valla had chosen, purchased, and placed there. Tes had gone to bed, seemingly quite satisfied with the meal they¡¯d been served, but Victor, despite his busy day, couldn¡¯t muster enough sleepiness to force a yawn. His mind was alive with a thousand different thoughts, but most of all, he kept thinking about the revelation he and Tes had experienced under the influence of his inspiration domain. That was why he was sitting on the couch, staring at a painting of a forest at sunset that Valla had hung. That was why the Farscribe book he shared with her was on his lap. With trepidatious fingers, he pulled back the leather-bound cover and leafed through the pages until he came to the last entry he¡¯d read. Before he let his eyes drift past it, he reviewed the meat of what she¡¯d written:
¡I¡¯m leaving for a new world tomorrow¡ªan ocean world populated by aquatic people who live on islands and swim and breathe freely under the water. It¡¯s called Crydagh, and there are rumored to be creatures living in those waters that rival dragons! Fantastic beasts called Booraghi roam the oceans, unafraid of anything¡ªeven your mentor, Ranish Dar, would think twice about crossing one of them. If treated with respect, they¡¯re peaceful, though, and will sometimes speak to lesser beings who visit them. I¡¯m going to seek one out; rumors have it that they¡¯ll grant boons to visitors they take a fancy to. Even if they refuse to speak to me, which I¡¯m told happens often, I believe the trip will be worthwhile. Wouldn¡¯t seeing such a creature be a reward in itself?He wondered if she¡¯d seen the great sea creatures that had so intrigued her. He supposed that was a good place to start, assuming she hadn¡¯t already written to him about her experience¡ªhe hadn¡¯t looked. The thought brought his mind around to the words he¡¯d used in the last letter he¡¯d written. He scanned over them, groaning as he read.
¡I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever get over you and the missing piece of my heart that you took with you, but I¡¯m going to try. I¡¯m going to try to remember that no matter what, I love you, and I don¡¯t want you to be gone from my life. So, yeah, I¡¯ll try to be better about writing, but I can¡¯t do it every day, every week, or even every month. I have to give myself room to breathe, to experience life without you, ¡®cause that¡¯s what you wanted, and it¡¯s too hard to let you go if I¡¯m constantly reminding myself about how much I miss you¡He hadn¡¯t written to her since, and it had been a lot longer than a month¡ªcloser to six. With something like dread in his heart, he turned the page to see if she¡¯d written any sort of response. His feelings were a mixture of relief and guilt when he saw two new letters from her. One was short and quick to read:
Victor, I¡¯m so sorry for the pain I¡¯ve caused you. I hope you know that my heart is heavy, too, but, as you said, it will be good for you to find room to breathe. There¡¯s so much in the many worlds available to us; I want you to experience the peaks that I¡¯m not ready to climb. Don¡¯t you see that it was a burden on me, too, when I saw you being held back? Don¡¯t you see that I, too, must ¡°find room to breathe?¡± I love you, and I will write again. I look forward to hearing from you when you¡¯re ready. Love always, VallaVictor couldn¡¯t help a smile from creeping onto his lips as he read. It was just like Valla to use his words against him. She was right, he supposed; if anyone in their relationship had made it hard for the other to ¡°breathe,¡± it was Victor. He let his eyes drift down to the next, lengthier message:
Victor! I have amazing, wonderful news! My journey to Crydagh has proven fruitful beyond my wildest dreams. Oh, I have so much to tell you, but I doubt you want to read a book-long entry, and besides, I don¡¯t want to use up all of our pages, not until we can meet again and exchange a new Farscribe journal. Let me just say that this world is truly a wonder. As I told you, the natives breathe freely in air or water, and the chamber where the System Stone deposited me was like a great, inverted fishbowl at the bottom of a shallow sea. I stood in wonder, watching the colorful fish, beautiful people, and strange, moving plants for hours before seeking out a guide. I¡¯ll get to the good part: I joined an expedition to seek out the Booraghi, and we found one of their caravans¡ªthat¡¯s what the people here call their nomadic family groups. They¡¯re simply breathtaking creatures! Bigger than a house¡ªno, half as big as one of the crystal spires at the center of Sojourn! They¡¯re not scaled like a fish but have beautiful, colorful flesh¡ªyellow, orange, pink, blue, and purple. And their many fins flow through the water like colorful wings, though I dare say they aren¡¯t feathered. Rather, they¡¯re like gigantic, elegant fronds¡ªalmost plant-like. I¡¯d purchased an apparatus to allow me to breathe underwater, and, with the rest of my tour group, I swam out with the desperate hope that one of the creatures would speak to me; they don¡¯t use words, but project a surprisingly beautiful song. To most, it sounds like meaningless music, but if they direct it at an individual, it can be understood. So, as the water filled with the trilling music, everyone grew hopeful. I waited and listened, swimming desperately to keep up with the tremendous leisurely creatures, and then, to my delight, one of them spoke to me. His name is Oomah, but he tells me it¡¯s much longer and more beautiful in song form. To make a very long conversation short, he saw something in me, Victor. A potential he described as ¡°remarkable.¡± He¡¯s offered to take me on as a student, something so rare, that only a handful of such cases have been recorded in all of the Crydaghian¡¯s history. To my great wonder and delight, he invited me to join his clan on their migration¡ªto perch upon his enormous back as a passenger. You wouldn¡¯t believe the envy of the others in the tour group! When we arrived in the Booraghi¡¯s summer waters, Oomah taught me how to create a dwelling for myself, though there are other structures here; it¡¯s apparent that I am not the first or only land-born person to live among them here. Still, for now, Oomah keeps me apart from any others, aside from the Booraghi; he¡¯s teaching me a new way of living and thinking, and it¡¯s been a truly inspirational few months for me. I catch my own fish and cook it with spices and herbs I¡¯ve harvested from the sea bed. Oh, goodness! You wouldn¡¯t believe the many elaborate steps I went through to come up with something that tasted like pepper. I¡¯m getting lost in anecdotes again! I¡¯ll end up writing a novel, after all, if I¡¯m not careful. The point I¡¯m working up to, Victor, is that Oomah has an interesting way of teaching and philosophies about life that I¡¯ve never seen before. He¡¯s not entirely selfless, either; his tutelage comes with strings attached. There are worlds where the Booraghi cannot easily travel, and he has¡quests for me in such places. He says they¡¯ll all contribute to my development, but I can¡¯t help but be reminded of Ranish Dar and his strange way of ¡°teaching¡± you. I hope things are going well in that regard, by the way. Victor, I know you¡¯re taking a break from the Farscribe journal, and I will respect that. Still, Oomah doesn¡¯t mind me communicating with you, and though I have many new Booraghi friends here, sometimes I feel a little lonely. They¡¯re all so vast and they send their words to me from distances that sometimes make it hard even to see to whom I¡¯m speaking. So, when you feel up to it, please send me a note to let me know how you¡¯re doing. Missing you, VallaThe whole while Victor read the letter, his smile strained the muscles in his cheeks, and he found himself picturing Valla in a beautiful, colorful, underwater landscape, living in a bubble and swimming in the shadows of colossal creatures that¡ªin his head¡ªlooked like gigantic whales. He was proud of her for earning the attention of one of them and being singled out to be a student, though he had to admit some worry entered his mind. Regardless, he was no one to talk; his current circumstances on Ruhn were tenuous at best. Still smiling, he picked up his pen and wrote a response:
Valla, I can¡¯t tell you how happy I was to open this book and find such a wondrous tale to read. I¡¯m so proud of you! The Booraghi sound like amazing creatures, and I hope your new mentor has a lot to teach you. I got a strange feeling, though, when you said he¡¯s teaching you a new way to think; don¡¯t let him change you too much, okay? There¡¯s a reason people love you. There¡¯s a reason you stood out to Oomah; don¡¯t ever lose the things that make you¡Valla. Yeah, yeah, I know: who am I to give advice like that? Anyway, I¡¯m happy for you. I wish I were there to see what they look like. On my homeworld, there are creatures called whales that live in the oceans, and they, too, communicate with strange songs. That¡¯s kind of what I picture when you describe the Booraghi. As for me, I think I¡¯m over my sulking. The sting of our parting has begun to fade, though I won¡¯t lie; I think about you all the time. That¡¯s part of the reason I¡¯m writing. I had a chance to take a small break, and I¡¯m currently visiting Fanwath. Everywhere I look in my¡ªour¡ªrooms, I see your touch. It makes me a little melancholy and sharpens feelings that had grown dull, but it¡¯s also nice to see these reminders of you. I know we¡¯re very far apart right now, but as you and so many others have said, a lot can change in the course of years and decades and centuries. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. Do you note a difference in my writing? I¡¯ve taken the Warlord Class, and while I¡¯ve only gained a single level in it, I swear it¡¯s been affecting my thinking. It doesn¡¯t hurt that I¡¯ve made some bloodline advancements and gained some new feats, either. I suppose being forced to deal with some politics has affected me more than anything. Using that less-than-elegant segue, I¡¯ll just say that things are progressing well on Ruhn. They could be worse, but an unexpected visitor and her tutelage are, in my opinion, turning the tide in my favor. Speaking of inartful segues¡ªTes is the unexpected visitor. She came to see me on Ruhn because of some¡waves I stirred up. She¡¯s very worried about you, and I know she¡¯ll be delighted to hear about your experiences on Crydagh. I don¡¯t suppose Oomah will allow you to visit Fanwath? I¡¯ll be here three more days. I don¡¯t even know how long it¡¯ll take for my message in this book to find its way to yours.Victor paused, wondering how much he should say about Tes. Should he reassure Valla that nothing had happened between them? He felt like broaching the topic unprompted would be crass. He and Valla were just coming to terms with their new status; why should he bring up romance involving anyone else, even if it were simply to deny it was happening? More than that, a denial felt dishonest; he might not have made anything happen with Tes, but he wanted to. Clicking his tongue with faint frustration, he finished his letter:
I¡¯m going to let Tes read your last message as I think it¡¯ll make her very happy, and I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯ll give her the opportunity to write a note to you in this book. In the meantime, please write again whenever you like; I¡¯ll be checking this book far more frequently. Love always, VictorVictor closed the book and leaned back with a sigh. He felt lighter, like he¡¯d shed a burden he hadn¡¯t known he was carrying. It was good to have all that off his chest. It was good to know Valla was doing well. A sudden yawn gripped him, and he arched his back, wringing forth several pops. Grinning, he got ready for bed and climbed into the soft sheets, letting the enchanted feather mattress engulf him. In moments, he was asleep, his chest rising and falling with slow, steady breaths as his untroubled mind drifted into oblivion. When Victor woke and went downstairs to find some breakfast, he found Tes in the kitchen, teaching the cook, an elderly Ardeni woman named Grissa, how to make what she claimed was the ¡°flakiest, tastiest, tart crust in seven universes.¡± Victor was no tart expert, but when the timer dinged, and the little pastries came out of the oven, he couldn¡¯t stop eating until he¡¯d consumed seven sweet fruit tarts and three savory sausage ones. When Grissa tried to hand him another, he laughed and shook his head. ¡°I could eat twenty but save some for the rest of the household.¡± ¡°But, milord, they¡¯re all away!¡± ¡°No, Grissa, I meant you and the others working today. Enjoy yourselves!¡± As she blushed, curtseyed, and thanked him, Victor turned to Tes. ¡°Care to join me outside? I figure I¡¯ll try another one of our patterns before we fly off to visit the Shadeni.¡± ¡°T¡¯would be my pleasure.¡± She stood, smiling in that confounding, ¡°I know something no one else does¡± way of hers, and followed him to the gardens where they strolled down the trail to the beach. After they¡¯d put a bit of distance between the garden wall and themselves, she looked up at him. ¡°You seem different this morning. Lighter. What happened?¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Victor looked at her, shaking his head. ¡°Is that a dragon thing or a Tes thing?¡± ¡°What? Being able to read someone close to me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Hmm, maybe a bit of both. So? Out with it!¡± ¡°I read Valla¡¯s latest letter and wrote back to her.¡± He smiled, nudging Tes with his elbow. ¡°I¡¯ll show you if you like. I told her I would.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like that! Nothing too personal?¡± ¡°Nah, nothing you don¡¯t already know.¡± They were both quiet for the rest of the walk to the beach, but when they arrived, Victor looked at Tes, clasping his hands behind his back. ¡°You pick the spell I do this morning.¡± ¡°I was hoping you¡¯d ask! Let¡¯s see how your new light spell works.¡± Victor smiled and nodded; he was eager to try it, also. If it worked the way they hoped, his new spell would replace several others: Enraging Orb, Globe of Insight, Dauntless Radiance, and Harsh Light of Justice¡ªall his light spells. They all had almost identical patterns, only slightly altered by the System when Victor channeled different Energy affinities into his Globe of Insight pattern. This new spell took that pattern, added to it, perfected it, and, just like his new Core Domain spell, contained a matrix for altering and modifying the spell based on what Energy Victor channeled into it. In other words, if things went right, the new pattern would be a more powerful utility spell that would work with any Energy type; he wouldn¡¯t have to build four subtly different patterns to effect different outcomes. Those thoughts idly passed through Victor¡¯s mind as he reviewed the spell¡¯s pattern. Despite only being a ¡°light¡± spell, it wasn¡¯t exactly simple, consisting of three pages of densely packed designs. ¡°No, that¡¯s not right¡¡± ¡°Hmm? Found a mistake?¡± ¡°No, a mistake in my thinking. It¡¯s not just a light spell anymore.¡± ¡°No, each of your affinities should provide different benefits. Will you start with inspiration?¡± ¡°Yeah, I actually really like my Globe of Insight spell, so I¡¯m nervous about losing it. I¡¯ll feel better when I see the new one isn¡¯t any worse.¡± Tes chuckled and plopped down on the sand. ¡°It won¡¯t be.¡± Victor knew she was right¡ªin theory. They¡¯d built the pattern together, after all. He knew the matrix would take the spell¡¯s attuned Energy and run it through a refinement algorithm¡ªa construct in some elder spell patterns that would alter the spell¡¯s final effects to maximize the potential of the Energy running through it. ¡°Here,¡± he summoned the Farscribe journal he shared with Valla and handed it to Tes. ¡°Write her a note if you want.¡± Tes took it, her eyes bright, and suddenly, a fancy, sapphire-studded onyx calligraphy pen appeared between her fingers. Victor turned back to his pattern, slowly building it in his pathway as he worked his way through it. It wasn''t easy, but not nearly as hard as the Core Domain spell. The funny thing was that it was a similar spell¡ªjust a much cheaper, watered-down version. Like the domain spell, this light spell would affect him, his allies, and his enemies, though the effects would be less significant and wouldn¡¯t affect the environment beyond the obvious¡ªlight. When he stood, Tes looked up from her writing and watched as Victor finished the last flourish of the pattern in his pathway. The spell flashed, began to fill with Energy, and then, to no one¡¯s surprise, the System stepped in: ***Warning! The spell being cast incorporates and alters other System-granted spells. If you complete this casting, your System-granted spells will be removed.*** ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** With a resigned sigh, Victor quickly selected ¡°NO.¡± The spell finished populating with Energy, and then, to his delight, a blazing orb of white-gold light appeared in the air before him. It almost looked like the old iteration of Globe of Insight when he overcharged it with Energy. He noticed a difference in the effects, however. As always, the world seemed brighter, and everything he focused on was sharper and more detailed, somehow made bigger and clearer without actually being any bigger. He turned in a slow circle, staring at the waves as they crashed, wondering what it would take to build a pier. Could he do it himself? He started imagining where he¡¯d put the piles and what type of wood or stone he¡¯d use, and then he thought about how he¡¯d place the beams and joists. ¡°Man, some teak planks would go nicely for decking. Imagine! We could walk out there and fish; how relaxing would that be?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Tes asked, her voice a little dreamy. ¡°I was thinking about building a fishing pier out there.¡± ¡°Funny, I was just thinking about your armor. We¡¯ve put off evaluating your new pieces too long. You have to fight soon! Old gods! When was the last time you checked on Lifedrinker?¡± ¡°Hah! Not long ago. She¡¯s almost done, I think. We can both look in on her after our visit to the Shadeni. How¡¯s that sound?¡± Lifedrinker had taken a lot longer to consume her latest bit of magical metal¡ªthe second of the two he¡¯d gotten in the Iron Mountain dungeon. Tes thought it was mostly Victor¡¯s fault; the axe had barely finished incorporating the silvanite when he¡¯d given her the ferrithium to process. Tes had been annoyed to hear about it, saying he should have spent some time with her, learning what had changed with the silvanite, but the damage had been done; he couldn¡¯t interrupt the process half-done. ¡°It sounds good¡ªVictor! This light is quite impressive; I¡¯ve felt your old orb, and this one is certainly a great deal stronger as far as the inspiration influence goes. Was the System pleased with your work?¡± Victor chuckled and looked at the messages awaiting him: ***You have discovered a new spell: Prismatic Illumination ¨C Epic.*** ***Your new spell renders System-granted spells obsolete. Removing.*** ***You have lost the spell: Harsh Light of Justice ¨C Improved.*** ***You have lost the spell: Dauntless Radiance ¨C Basic.*** ***You have lost the spell: Globe of Insight ¨C Improved.*** ***You have lost the spell: Enraging Orb ¨C Basic.*** ***Prismatic Illumination ¨C Epic: You wield the power of light itself. This spell will conjure a multi-faceted aura of illumination, capable of banishing darkness, revealing hidden truths and insights, or striking fear or blind rage into the hearts of foes. Depending on the Energy channeled, the light shifts in nature, offering a spectrum of boons to allies and banes to enemies. Whether bolstering resilience, confounding senses, or unleashing destructive brilliance, Prismatic Illumination adapts to the given affinity. Its intensity and duration scale with the Energy invested. Energy Cost: Variable.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** Victor read the spell description to Tes, and she clapped her hands. ¡°As we anticipated! Well done, Victor! Your second epic-tier design!¡± She wasn¡¯t counting Core Domain, as it was complete in the book he¡¯d found. ¡°Well, I had your help.¡± She didn¡¯t reply, and he added, ¡°I¡¯m interested to see how the new Alter Self works.¡± She¡¯d helped him make nearly a hundred adjustments to his first elder magic spell. When he¡¯d created the pattern so long ago, struggling simply to comprehend the notes Tes had given him, he¡¯d made a few mistakes, and Tes had admitted that she¡¯d left out a few components to simplify it. ¡°Now? Let¡¯s fly! You can do it later! You¡¯ve only three more spells to try out, and we still have three days of vacation!¡± ¡°Vacation? Is that what this is?¡± ¡°For me, yes! You wouldn¡¯t believe the nonsense I¡¯ve been putting up with since Coloss.¡± Victor folded his arms over his chest. ¡°I might believe it, you know, if you told me about it.¡± Tes nodded, sighing as she reached out to rest a hand on his folded forearms. ¡°Fair. I¡¯ll try to communicate better. But, seriously, can we please fly?¡± Victor answered by summoning his fiery wings, but Tes grabbed his wrist, narrowing her eyes at him. ¡°Don¡¯t make me take my natural form to show you what true speed is! Let¡¯s make it a fun flight, not a race! I want to see some of the sights.¡± Victor nodded, gently extracting himself from her grip. He turned his gaze to the north along the beach. ¡°Want to see where I killed Karl the Crimson?¡± 10.9 Glacial Wrath 9 ¨C Glacial Wrath Victor and Tes spent their last night on Fanwath back at his estate. He hadn¡¯t wanted to say goodbye to Thayla, Tellen, and the girls, but he was thankful for the pleasant visit, and he thought it had been good for Cora and Deyni, in particular. They¡¯d gotten to see that he still thought of Fanwath as home and meant it when he said he¡¯d be back to visit whenever possible. He wasn¡¯t under any sort of delusion that Cora loved and missed him, but he felt like she thought of him as responsible for her, and some consistency was important in that regard. In the morning, considering their travel time home would be instantaneous, he and Tes decided to go down to the beach again so he could practice his last couple of elder magic spells. One of the remaining spells was a modification of a System-granted spell, like the one he¡¯d cast with Thayla, but the other was something else: the spell Azforath had gifted him¡ªGlacial Wrath. He¡¯d spent a long time studying the complicated pattern¡ªseveral days. That was nothing, however, compared to the weeks Tes had helped him puzzle out how to apply the elder magic modification that Azforath had written for him separately. It was a component that would allow him to remain conscious and free-willed while the deep rage of the glacier simmered under the surface. Of course, he¡¯d done other things in those weeks; Victor¡¯s mind could only focus on the twisting, multi-faceted spell pattern and its intricate lines for so long. In the end, they¡¯d succeeded, but only with the Glacial Wrath spell. He¡¯d tried to apply what he¡¯d learned to Volcanic Fury, but there was something about the folds of rage-attuned Energy in Glacial Wrath that fit more easily into the modification. Tes theorized that the rage was different, that the anger of a glacier had a different quality than the fury of a volcano. Victor thought she might be right, but it didn¡¯t matter to him; he was happy with the success and would continue to work on Volcanic Fury as his skill with elder magic progressed. As they walked down the path toward the beach, Tes skipped ahead but slowed after only a few steps, turning to walk backward, graceful as always. ¡°You had a nice day with Thayla?¡± Her eyes were bright, her smile impish. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°I mean, you were much renewed after your time hiking in the hills. It was nice, was it not?¡± Victor shrugged. ¡°Yeah, it was nice. I trust Thayla, so it¡¯s easy to talk to her.¡± ¡°Mmhmm. That¡¯s good, Victor. It¡¯s not so common to meet people who¡¯d put your interests above their own. I think Thayla would do that for you.¡± She laughed, a light trilling sound, then added, ¡°You know, there are quite a few folks you¡¯ve told me about who might do that for you. Maybe I should say it hasn¡¯t been easy for me to cultivate such friendship.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do anything to help you, Tes. Valla would, too.¡± ¡°Yes, but I think you¡¯d struggle to name someone you wouldn¡¯t aid¡ª¡± Victor started holding up his fingers, ¡°The Sojourn Council, Warlord Thoargh, any kind of pinch¨¦ Death Caster¡ª¡± Tes laughed and darted forward to poke him in the chest. ¡°You can¡¯t just list off enemies. We¡¯re not talking about those. Besides, half of that is bluster; you¡¯re spending a fortune to help a Death Caster who happens to be waiting in your palace back at Iron Mountain!¡± Before he got dragged into a frankly bizarre tangent, Victor asked, ¡°How was your time with the kids? I know you told Thayla and Efanie it was a lot of fun, but was it really?¡± ¡°It was! Those girls are something special, Victor. I can feel karmic ties forming between them. They¡¯ll be hard to separate. Already, Deyni talks about seeking out her step-sister across the sea, and, of course, the other girls want to join in the adventure.¡± Victor frowned. ¡°Yeah? Well, according to Thayla, Chandri plans to return before winter. She¡¯s found dungeons, mines, ancient ruins¡ªall manner of resources¡ªand charted them all. Thayla thinks Chandri will try to sell her maps to me, Rellia, and Lam.¡± ¡°A reasonable thing to do, don¡¯t you think? She risks much adventuring into unknown lands.¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely. I¡¯ll have Gorro check them out to see if he thinks any would be a good investment for me. As for the girls, I won¡¯t approve of them running off with Chandri until they¡¯ve reached tier two. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s also reasonable?¡± ¡°Well, Victor, Chala¡¯s nearly a woman grown, but as Cora¡¯s guardian, you have the right to keep her home. As for Deyni¡ I¡¯m sure Thayla would listen to your opinion, but you should respect the fact that you aren¡¯t that girl¡¯s father.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Victor sighed and roughly rubbed his fingers through his hair. ¡°I spoke before thinking. I know I don¡¯t control them. I just¡ª¡± ¡°Relax, Victor!¡± Tes laughed. ¡°It¡¯ll be years before Thayla and Tellen think Deyni should go off exploring. You have time to adjust to these sorts of ideas.¡± Victor nodded, laughing. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°What spell will you try first? The Glacial¡ª¡± ¡°The other one. Let¡¯s save the big one for last.¡± ¡°Well, you should step into the surf a ways before you cast it. If it works as we hoped, it might make a mess of the beach.¡± ¡°Yeah, all right.¡± Victor reached into his pathways and severed the Energy threads that maintained his Alter Self spell. As he surged to his normal size, he strode across the sandy portion of the beach into the rougher, rocky area closer to the water, and then he waded out nearly a hundred yards until the water was up to his chest. He shivered a little; one thing the Silver Sea wasn¡¯t was warm. When he turned, he saw that Tes had waited on the beach, watching him, the ocean breeze flapping her yellow skirts around her knees. Her hair, woven with matching ribbons, streamed behind her, and Victor stared for a while, admiring her beauty. ¡°Well?¡± she called, her voice muffled by the crashing waves and wind. He lifted a hand to wave, and then he summoned his elder magic book, glad for its many enchantments; he could drop it in the ocean, and not a molecule of water would cling to its pages. He turned the page to the spell he wanted to cast, and then, after carefully studying the entire pattern, he began to craft it in his pathways. This spell didn¡¯t have a matrix that would differentiate Energy types and provide varied results. It would behave the same way no matter what Energy he fed into it. Even knowing that, Victor chose to craft the pattern for the first time using inspiration-attuned Energy. He wondered if his preference for working with that Energy type was due to its nature; was it more willing to go where he wanted it to? Was it the Energy that guided him, or was he guiding the Energy? He chuckled at the thought, then flipped the page to finish the second half of the spell. Ten minutes later, the pattern flared with Energy¡ªanother success¡ªand the System froze the world around him, blaring its usual warnings: ***Warning! The spell being cast incorporates and alters another System-granted spell. If you complete this casting, your System-granted spell will be removed.*** ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** Victor watched the waves around him, fascinated by how they seemed to hang in place, even the frothy bubbles refusing to burst in the System¡¯s iron grip. Before he received a scolding demand to make a decision, he looked at the question and selected NO. The world moved again, and Energy rushed out of his Core to fill the pattern. The waves that had been jostling him suddenly stopped having any sort of effect. They broke on his back, and he didn¡¯t move even a millimeter. A second later, the world exploded in steam as geysers of lava burst out of the ocean floor. They sprayed in fan-like eruptions in every direction around him, sizzling and popping as they instantly cooled in the endless supply of salt water. As soon as the eruption started, it was over, and Victor once again felt the push and pull of the waves as the enormous cloud of steam slowly wafted away in the breeze. ***You have discovered a new spell: Roots of the Angry Mountain ¨C Advanced.*** ***Your new spell renders a System-granted spell obsolete. Removing.*** ***You have lost the spell: Roots of the Mountain ¨C Basic.*** ***Roots of the Angry Mountain ¨C Advanced: You have harnessed primal Energy to anchor yourself to the very fabric of the world. When activated, the spell will render you immovable, making you as unyielding as the mountain itself for several seconds. Any force¡ªphysical, elemental, or magical¡ªwill struggle to shift your position during this time. The spell will call forth the mountain''s roiling blood, causing it to erupt violently from the ground in an explosion centered on you. This explosive release will not discern between friend and foe. Energy Cost: 7,000.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** When the steam cleared and he¡¯d wiped away the System messages, Victor looked to the shore to see Tes clapping her hands and whooping. Victor grinned and jogged toward her, easily pushing his legs through the chilly water. ¡°That was spectacular!¡± Tes cheered. ¡°Imagine your foes surrounding you, thinking you overwhelmed¡ªwhat a bitter pill you¡¯ll make them swallow!¡± ¡°That was pretty cool in the water, wasn¡¯t it? Like a bomb going off. It wasn¡¯t epic, though. Just advanced.¡± Tes laughed, repeating his words, ¡°Pretty cool. Don¡¯t complain about an advanced spell. A bit of tweaking or maybe adding in additional functionality, and you can make it epic.¡± Victor smiled at her teasing tone and looked past her, down the shore and to the east, where some of the village buildings were visible in the gray morning light. ¡°You sure it¡¯s safe for me to try the spell from¡you-know-who?¡± If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Your titan friend? Yes! His design was flawless, and I¡¯m quite certain we integrated the modification he gave you properly. Besides, if you lose your mind and threaten innocents, I¡¯ll pick you up and carry you into the ocean!¡± She winked at him, and Victor shook his head, narrowing his eyes at her. ¡°Could you pick me up like that, or would you have to take your true form?¡± ¡°Oh, we¡¯ll have to see how large this spell makes you, but I fear there might be some villagers who would witness their first dragon.¡± ¡°All right, well, here¡¯s hoping that won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Victor pulled out his elder magic book again, but he only had to study the spell for a few seconds before he began crafting it in his pathways. He¡¯d grown intimately familiar with this pattern over the last few months. Even though it was more complicated, he found it easier to weave than some of the other spells simply because he was working with two types of Energy. He drew a thread of blue ice out of his Breath Core and, of course, rage from his Spirit Core. With those two threads in hand, he focused his will and got to work. Tes watched him, her eyes glowing faintly, and he wondered if she could see what he was doing with the Energy in his pathways. As he worked, he asked, ¡°Can all veil walkers do that? See into a person¡¯s Core or their pathways?¡± ¡°No. People who reach that level of power are as varied as iron rankers. They¡ªwe¡ªvary in power too. For instance, I¡¯m much stronger than most veil walkers you might find in Sojourn. And, as you no doubt have guessed, there are stages beyond. Remember our talk about your titan kin and the ivid queen?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So, focus on your task at hand. There¡¯s an ocean between you and the need to worry about what a veil walker can do.¡± Victor smirked; he wasn¡¯t so sure it was as wide an ocean as she implied. He could feel the power he was awakening with each of these epic spells. He was determined to reach level 100 and begin his ¡°steel-seeking¡± journey as soon as possible. The veil walkers of Ruhn constantly watching, judging, and controlling him felt like a collar around his neck, and Victor didn¡¯t like collars. As part of his mind went down those prideful paths, most of his concentration remained on the spell he was building in his pathways. He thought it was beautiful. The pattern was a delicate, multi-pronged galaxy of bright blue and smoldering red suns interlocked with a weave of glittering, contrasting ribbons of Energy. When he finished the final loop, sweeping the rage through the control structure Azforath had designed for him, the spell flared brilliantly, and Victor felt a rush of accomplishment as the System slowed his perception of the world. ***Warning! The spell being cast does not follow System-designed iterations and may be too powerful for you. Proceed at your own risk.*** ***Warning! Non-System spell pattern detected! You will only receive this warning one time. Do you wish to halt this process? YES/NO.*** ¡°No,¡± Victor said, his voice like thunder in the silence the System had wrought. Instantly, the world continued its usual course, and Energy siphoned out of his Cores, feeding the hungry, powerful, elder magic transformation. Victor arched his back and roared as ancient might swelled his body. His muscles and bones, his organs and flesh¡ªall exploded with rapid growth as sulking, malevolent cold radiated off of him, steaming like dry ice. Victor was only partly aware of his body¡¯s transformation. His mind had become focused on the many things that nagged at the corners of his awareness¡ªthings that angered him, that deserved a thoughtful, calculated destruction. He thought of how it chafed, knowing he was beholden to Dar for simply wanting his friend¡¯s spirit returned from the undead scum who had stolen it. He contemplated the veil walkers who controlled his every move on Ruhn. He thought of the Warlord of Zaafor and his betrayal. His fists clenched, and white fog rolled out of his nostrils. He thought of Valla and how she¡¯d decided life apart in the hopes of coming together again was better than grasping every moment together. Visions of opponents, people he¡¯d fought, rushed across his mind. Images of friends he¡¯d lost danced through his thoughts¡ªYrella, broken and pitiful; Sarl, torn to shreds by ghouls; Oynalla¡ªold mother¡ªgone, abandoning him to seek a new life; and hundreds of other faces, from slaves in the mines to soldiers on the battlefield to fellow iron rankers forced to fight him to the death. Victor stomped toward the ocean and bellowed his fury, but he didn¡¯t lose himself. No, though his rage was monumental, and he practically vibrated with the need to destroy, he managed to whirl and narrow his eyes¡ªpale blue-white like windows onto a glacier¡¯s slopes¡ªat Tes. ¡°I don¡¯t like this feeling,¡± he growled, his voice echoing strangely off the icy ground. Had his presence frozen the moisture in the sand? ¡°Push the fury aside, Victor. Tell yourself you¡¯ll brood about it later. Instead, savor the power that flows through you. Do you feel your strength? Do you comprehend the destructive potential and resilience?¡± Victor nodded. He did. He knew his sulking rage was ready to explode if he needed it to, but he could keep it back. He could bide his time. He was a glacier incarnate. His progress was inevitable. He would grind away whatever opposed him. His mighty form was built for destruction; like the glacier, any scars his foes piled upon him would smooth out as the inevitability of his nature froze the very air, filling the gaping chasms of destruction on his slopes. Tes, shielding her eyes and looking up at him, called out, ¡°You¡¯re enormous! Look beyond me. How far can you see?¡± Victor let his frozen gaze travel up the sloping hill toward the village, and there, he could see dozens of buildings all the way to his home. People stood about, some of them gaping and pointing his way. His frigid vision turned things cold and lifeless. Colors were bland, and people looked frightened. Victor didn¡¯t like it. Without another thought, he reached into his pathway and yanked the threads of Energy away from the spell pattern, shattering the magic and ending the transformation. As his Cores reclaimed their Energies, Victor fell to his knees, his body rapidly decreasing in size. He cradled his face in his hands, shaking his head. ¡°So much,¡± he groaned. ¡°So much?¡± Tes hurried to his side, gently cradling the back of his neck. ¡°So much that I¡¯m pissed off about¡ªthings I never think about.¡± He looked up at Tes¡ªshe must have increased her size to match his unmodified bulk. ¡°The blue ice is different from magma. Magma has hot, passionate fury, but the blue ice is more brooding, calculating, and cold. It had me thinking about all the little things that have upset me over the years: insults, lost friends, lost loves, enemies¡ªeverything!¡± ¡°But you were in control¡¡± Tes trailed off, gently kneading his neck. ¡°I know what you mean, however. It wasn¡¯t a pleasant state of mind.¡± Victor inhaled a deep breath and then blew it out shakily. ¡°Right. It worked, though, Tes. Oh shit¡ª¡± Victor turned his eyes to the System messages in the corner of his vision: ***You have discovered a new spell: Glacial Wrath ¨C Epic.*** ***Glacial Wrath ¨C Epic: Prerequisites: Affinity ¨C Rage, Fury or Hatred, Affinity ¨C Blue Ice. You channel the cold, patient anger of the glacier. While affected by this transformation, you are immune to fire-based or cold-based attacks. While the spell persists, abilities that make use of your blue ice attunement double in effectiveness, and you benefit from modified Berserk effects: Double strength, massively increased resilience, and powerful regenerative capabilities. Be cautious, for while your mastery affords you control over this deep anger, it may take a toll on your psyche. Energy Cost: 5,000 ¨C scalable. Cooldown: Long.*** ***Warning! This spell is not System-designed! Use it with caution¡ªthere are no safeguards in place. This is the only time you will receive this warning!*** Victor read the description to Tes, and she nodded sagely, continuing to rub his neck. ¡°Save this for a last resort, Victor. As you continue to strengthen your will, it will grow easier and easier to control how that cold anger affects you.¡± ¡°Agreed.¡± He sighed and stood, taking another cleansing breath of the sea air. ¡°Thank you, Tes.¡± ¡°For?¡± ¡°For being here.¡± He gestured down the beach toward the trail that would lead them up to his home. ¡°Let¡¯s go get a bite to eat and say goodbye to Gorro. I¡¯m ready to get back to work.¡± Smiling, trying to put the raw emotions behind him, he led the way back home. As they walked, he took a moment to look over his spells, enjoying the warm glow of satisfaction as he saw all the new entries:
| Spells: | |
| Iron Berserk | Epic |
| Inspiration of the Quinametzin | Epic |
| Channel Spirit | Improved |
| Prismatic Illumination | Epic |
| Project Spirit | Improved |
| Heroic Heart | Basic |
| Spirit Walk | Advanced |
| Tether Spirit | Basic |
| The Inevitable Huntsman | Improved |
| Aspect of Terror | Advanced |
| Imbue Spirit | Improved |
| Honor the Spirits | Improved |
| Alter Self | Improved |
| Velocity Mantle | Epic |
| Banner of the Champion | Basic |
| Wild Totem | Advanced |
| Impart Nightmare | Improved |
| Guardian''s Rescue | Epic |
| Volcanic Fury | Improved |
| Wake the Earth | Basic |
| Roots of the Angry Mountain | Advanced |
| Greater Spirit Binding | Advanced |
| Voice of the Angry Mountain | Basic |
| Locate Ally | Basic |
| Core Domain | Epic |
| Glacial Wrath | Epic |
| Strength: | 680 (780) |